cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Astrocyte pathology in the ventral prefrontal white matter in depression

Abstract Astrocyte functions in white matter are less well understood than in gray matter. Our recent study of white matter in ventral prefrontal cortex (vPFC) revealed alterations in expression of myelin-related genes in major depressive disorder (MDD). Since white matter astrocytes maintain myelin, we hypothesized that morphometry of these cells will be altered in MDD in the same prefrontal white matter region in which myelin-related genes are altered. White matter adjacent to vPFC was examined in 25 MDD and 21 control subjects. Density and size of GFAP-immunoreactive (-ir) astrocyte cell bodies was measured. The area fraction of GFAP-ir astrocytes (cell bodies + processes) was also estimated. GFAP mRNA expression was determined using qRT-PCR. The density of GFAP-ir astrocytes was also measured in vPFC white matter of rats subjected to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) and control animals. Fibrous and smooth GFAP-ir astrocytes were distinguished in human white matter. The density of both types of astrocytes was significantly decreased in MDD. Area fraction of GFAP immunoreactivity was significantly decreased in MDD, but mean soma size remained unchanged. Expression of GFAP mRNA was significantly decreased in MDD. In CUS rats there was a significant decrease in astrocyte density in prefrontal white matter. The decrease in density and area fraction of white matter astrocytes and GFAP mRNA in MDD may be linked to myelin pathology previously noted in these subjects. Astrocyte pathology may contribute to axon disturbances in axon integrity reported by neuroimaging studies in MDD and interfere with signal conduction in the white matter.
Refractory idiopathic immune thrombocytopenic purpura in children: current and future treatment options.

A minority of children with idiopathic or immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) have the refractory chronic form with bleeding problems (stage III or IV). The aim of this article is to provide an update on the immunopathogenesis and management of children with bleeding and severe refractory ITP. The management of such patients, according to a staging guideline, is described. Recent clinical and laboratory observations document the disturbed immune responses that occur on various levels in chronic ITP. New therapeutic options are directed towards influencing these immunopathogenic mechanisms. Because ITP is not adequately defined and has heterogeneous manifestations, today’s management recommendations are largely opinion-based rather than evidence-based. In severe refractory childhood ITP, consensus between the treating physician and the patient has to be achieved on an individual basis. The aim is to maintain the disease at stages I or II, with minimal intervention, and to prevent bleeding. If bleeding is not under control, medical treatment (as described in this article), or splenectomy, has to be considered. Although there is a paucity of data relating to children, potential new treatment options for refractory ITP include strategies aimed at influencing antigenemia, the T cell immune response (e.g. cyclosporine, CTLA-4-Ig) or the B-cell immune response (e.g. anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody, interferon). New prospective, cooperative ITP registries have been created to search for subgroups with different severities of ITP, which will be the selection criteria of future controlled studies in pediatric patients with refractory ITP.
UCS Proteins: Chaperones for Myosin and Co-Chaperones for Hsp90

The UCS (UNC-45/CRO1/She4p) family of proteins has emerged as chaperones that are specific for the folding, assembly and function of myosin. These proteins participate in various important myosin-dependent cellular processes that include myofibril organization and muscle functions, cell differentiation, cardiac and skeletal muscle development, cytokinesis and endocytosis. Mutations in the genes that code for UCS proteins cause serious defects in these actomyosin-based processes. Homologs of UCS proteins can be broadly divided into (1) animal UCS proteins, generally known as UNC-45 proteins, which contain an N-terminal tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain in addition to the canonical UCS domain, and (2) fungal UCS proteins, which lack the TPR domain. Structurally, except for TPR domain, both sub-classes of UCS proteins comprise of several irregular armadillo (ARM) repeats that are divided into two-domain architecture: a combined central-neck domain and a C-terminal UCS domain. Structural analyses suggest that UNC-45 proteins form elongated oligomers that serve as scaffolds to recruit Hsp90 and/or Hsp70 to form a multi-protein chaperoning complex that assists myosin heads to fold and simultaneously organize them into myofibrils. Similarly, fungal UCS proteins may dimerize to promote folding of non-muscle myosins as well as determine their step size along actin filaments. These findings confirm UCS proteins as a new class of myosin-specific chaperones and co-chaperones for Hsp90. This chapter reviews the implications of the outcome of studies on these proteins in cellular processes such as muscle formation, and disease states such as myopathies and cancer.
Josephson Computer Technology

Spurred by an insatiable thirst for machines with ever growing computing power, increasing attention is being given to today’s fastest systems, collectively known as supercomputers [1]. Here we shall concentrate on high performance machines of a different class, powerful future computers expected to exceed present day capabilities by over one order of magnitude. The discussion will center on one possible approach that promises to achieve the required technological breakthroughs. It is a superconductive technology based on the Josephson effect.
Acute and Chronic Effects of Ozone in Animal Models

Publisher Summary A large number of experimental studies have been directed at defining the risk, significant biological effects, and doses relevant to decrements in health following ozone exposure. The patterns that cellular compartments, metabolic processes, and physiological events follow after exposure are reasonably well understood. It is clear from animal studies that exposure history has a major impact on the nature of the biological response. The effect of fluctuating and episodic environmental patterns of air pollution has also been examined via animal studies, but demands further study, particularly in higher primates. Cells that repopulate target areas following acute initial injury appear to be relatively resistant to further injury during the very earliest portions of the repair phase. However, continual exposure during repair alters the repair process, increasing the level of resistance of the cell population in target zones. The inflammatory response progresses through a series of different stages, extended and modified only to a limited extent by continual exposure. A limited number of studies indicate that the cells completing the repair phase within the first week following a single injury do not develop resistance to injury when re-exposed. They are apparently as susceptible as an initially exposed population.
PRIMATE CHORIONIC GONADOTROPINS: THEIR COMPARATIVE BIOLOGICAL, IMMUNOLOGIC, AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the comparative biological, immunologic, and chemical properties of primate chorionic gonadotropins. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) has been isolated and purified to permit the characterization of its subunits and their conformational interactions, amino acid sequences, and carbohydrate moieties. The chorionic gonadotropins (CGs) of other primates have not been available in sufficient quantities to allow detailed characterization. The chemical structure of nonhuman primate CGs is almost nonexistent. This shows that they are composed of alpha and beta subunits, have sugar moieties, and possess primary structures having varying degrees of similarity to each other and to hCG, as well as pituitary gonadotropins. Chorionic gonadotropins are secreted by the trophoblast and reach target gonadal tissues, where enhanced steroidogenesis and other effects are elicited. In humans, hCG is present in high levels during normal pregnancy, trophoblastic disease, and certain neoplastic conditions generally. In humans and apes, CG in blood or urine is detectable virtually coincidentally with implantation, is present at maximal levels in the first trimester, and is present continuously throughout gestation and for a few days postpartum.
Capital-Market Imperfections, Investment, and the Monetary Transmission Mechanism

Understanding the channels through which monetary policy affects economic variables has long been a key research topic in macroeconomics and a central element of economic policy analysis. At an operational level, a ‘tightening’ of monetary policy by a central bank implies a sale of bonds by the central bank and an accompanying reduction of bank reserves. One question for debate in academic and public policy circles in recent years is whether this exchange between the central bank and the banking system has consequences in addition to those for open market interest rates. At the risk of oversimplifying the debate, the question is often asked as whether the traditional interest rate or ‘money view’ channel presented in most textbooks is augmented by a ‘credit view’ channel.1
What's so funny in Afghanistan?: Jocular geopolitics and the everyday use of humor in spaces of protracted precarity

Abstract Afghanistan has been embroiled in several waves of civil and international political conflict since the late 1970s. Insecurity and uncertainty consume everyday life along with various expressions of humor. This paper draws on geopolitical discussions of humor and feminist examinations of embodiment to examine every day uses of humor in Afghanistan by Afghans and international workers. I define Jocular geopolitics as a playful use of humor and counter-geopolitical tactic to resist or “make do” among civilians living in spaces of protracted precarity. This paper examines every day uses of humor in Afghanistan and analyses four interrelated forms of jocular geopolitics: 1) a survival tactic that calls attention to or highlights violence without romanticizing resilience; 2) a sociopolitical expression creating temporally limited spaces of inclusion/exclusion; 3) a form of discursive resistance and embodied release through amusement or playfulness; and 4) mockery employed as a form of discipline or rebellion. The counter-geopolitics expressed through jocularity engages with different forms of humor to counter and contradict dominant geopolitical narratives and epistemologies of time and space.
Population genetic analysis of autophagy and phagocytosis genes in Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans

Autophagy and phagocytosis are cellular immune mechanisms for internalization and elimination of intracellular and extracellular pathogens. Some pathogens have evolved the ability to inhibit or manipulate these processes, raising the prospect of adaptive reciprocal co-evolution by the host. We performed population genetic analyses on phagocytosis and autophagy genes in Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans to test for molecular evolutionary signatures of immune adaptation. We found that phagocytosis and autophagy genes as a whole exhibited an elevated level of haplotype homozygosity in both species. In addition, we detected signatures of recent selection, notably in the Atg14 and Ykt6 genes in D. melanogaster and a pattern of elevated sequence divergence in the genderblind (gb) gene on the D. simulans lineage. These results suggest that the evolution of the host cellular immune system as a whole may be shaped by a dynamic conflict between Drosophila and its pathogens even without pervasive evidence of strong adaptive evolution at the individual gene level.
Texas City Disaster

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by Paramasivam Srinivasan, volume 4, pp 162–163, © 2005, Elsevier Inc.
A Prehospital Los Angeles motor scale (LAMS) score of 4 or more predicts intervention for acute stroke. (P2.3-046)

Objective: To assess whether a prehospital Los Angeles motor scale (LAMS) of 4 or more predicts intervention for acute stroke. Background: With mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusions (LVO) strokes becoming more widespread, there is increased onus on prehospital personnel to identify LVOs, as this could influence their decision to preferentially transport LVO strokes to a comprehensive stroke center. Thus, having a prehospital tool that can accurately predict intervention is important. Design/Methods: Data from all stroke transports to a comprehensive stroke center from January 1, 2018 to October 1, 2018 were abstracted from our IRB approved prehospital research registry. Data abstracted included demographics such as age and gender, prehospital variables such as blood pressure, LAMS and Rankin scores, and outcomes including whether the patient received advanced neuroimaging, intravenous tPA or mechanical thrombectomy (MT) at the receiving facility. Results: There were 129 patients who had a LAMS score of 4 or 5, and they were significantly more likely to be an acute ischemic stroke rather than an intracranial hemorrhage or TIA (P Of these 129, 21% received tPA compared to 3% who had a lower LAMS (P Conclusions: The LAMS is a powerful prehospital predictor of intervention for acute stroke. Disclosure: Dr. Stead has nothing to disclose. Dr. Banerjee has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ganti has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Springer International Journal of Emergency Medicine.
Inflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases in the synovial fluid after intra-articular elbow fracture

Background and hypothesis Post-traumatic elbow contracture remains a common and challenging complication with often unsatisfactory outcomes. Although the etiology is unknown, elevated or abnormal post-fracture synovial fluid cytokine levels may result in the migration of fibroblasts to the capsule and contribute to capsular pathology. Thus, the purpose of this study was to characterize the cytokine composition in the synovial fluid fracture hematoma of patients with intra-articular elbow fractures. Methods The elbow synovial fluid fracture hematoma of 11 patients with intra-articular elbow fractures was analyzed for CTXII (C-terminal telopeptides of type II collagen [a cartilage breakdown product]) as well as 15 cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) including interferon γ, interleukin (IL) 1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13, tumor necrosis factor α, MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, and MMP-10. The uninjured, contralateral elbow served as a matched control. Mean concentrations of each factor were compared between the fluid from fractured elbows and the fluid from control elbows. Results The levels of 14 of 15 measured cytokines and MMPs—interferon γ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13, tumor necrosis factor α, MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-9, and MMP-10—were significantly higher in the fractured elbows. In addition, post hoc power analysis revealed that 10 of 14 significant differences were detected with greater than 90% power. The mean concentration of CTXII was not significantly different between groups. Conclusions These results demonstrate a proinflammatory environment after fracture that may be the catalyst to the development of post-traumatic elbow joint contracture. The cytokines with elevated levels were similar, although not identical, to the cytokines with elevated levels in studies of other weight-bearing joints, indicating the elbow responds uniquely to trauma.
Response interference by central foils is modulated by dimensions of depression and anxiety

We used a maximum-likelihood-based model selection approach to investigate what aspects of affective traits influence flanker interference in a nonaffective task. A total of 153 undergraduates completed measures of anhedonic depression, anxious arousal, anxious apprehension, and a modified flanker task with two levels of perceptual load. For central foils, the most parsimonious model included load, depression, and anxious arousal. Participants scoring low on the depression and anxious arousal scales exhibited a typical perceptual load effect, with larger interference effects observed under low perceptual load compared with high perceptual load conditions. Increased depression symptoms were associated with a reduced perceptual load effect. However, the load effect reemerged in individuals who scored high on both depression and anxious arousal scales, but to a lesser extent than those scoring low on both. This pattern of results underscores the importance of studying co-occurring affective traits and their interactions in the same sample. For peripherally presented foils, the model that only included load as a factor was more parsimonious than any of the models incorporating affective traits. These findings suggest avenues for future research and highlight the role of diverse affective symptoms on various aspects of nonemotional attentional processing.
Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 and Metabolic Dysfunction in Women with a Prior Glucose-Intolerant Pregnancy.

Objective We sought to determine if there is an association between fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) levels and a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women with and without metabolic dysfunction, defined as a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes (T2DM), 5 to 10 years following participation in a multiple cohort GDM study. Study Design At 5 to 10 years after index pregnancy, women underwent a follow-up visit and were categorized as having no metabolic syndrome, metabolic syndrome, or T2DM. FGF21 levels were compared between women who did and did not have a history of GDM using multivariable linear regression. Results Among 1,889 women, 950 underwent follow-up and 796 had plasma samples analyzed (413 GDM and 383 non-GDM). Total 30.7% of women had been diagnosed with T2DM or metabolic syndrome. Overall, there was no difference in median FGF21 levels in pg/mL between the prior GDM and non-GDM groups (p = 0.12), and the lack of association was observed across all three metabolic categories at follow-up (p for interaction = 0.70). Conclusion There was no association between FGF21 levels and prior history of mild GDM in women with and without metabolic dysfunction 5 to 10 years after the index pregnancy (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00069576, original trial).
Fatal Agricultural Accidents in Kansas: A Thirty-Nine-Year Follow-Up Study with an Emphasis on Vehicular Fatalities.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate trends in agricultural mortality before and after implementation of safety initiatives. Retrospective review of Kansas mortality data from agriculture-rela...
Revealing the Diet of Generalist Insect Predators in Strawberry Fields: Not Only Pests, But Other Predators Beware

Generalist invertebrate predators contribute to pest management in agriculture, providing an important ecosystem service, particularly in organically managed fields. DNA-based methods to study food webs and feeding interactions in unrestricted field conditions have transformed dietary analysis of generalist predators. In this study, we used MiSeq next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology and universal arthropod primers to investigate the diet of several generalist insect predators collected in commercial organic Florida strawberry fields from November 2017 to March 2018. Of 12 predator insect taxa, Geocoris spp. (Say) (Hemiptera: Geocoridae) was the most abundant early in the growing season (November) and was collected consistently until the end of the season (early March). DNA sequences from 105 predator samples were matched to 44 arthropod families, and of these, 17 were categorized as pest families, 10 as nonpest or nonpredator families, and 17 as predator families. Drosophilidae was the most detected pest family, and Dolichopodidae was the most detected predator family. Prey diversity differed among the predators. Chrysoperla spp. (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) consumed more prey earlier in the season than did other predators, whereas the other predators consumed a greater diversity of other predators regardless of month. Our results showed a high amount of intraguild predation, but also that predators are contributing to pest suppression in organic strawberries and providing an important biological control service in Florida organic strawberries.
Online Service Function Chain Placement for Cost-effectiveness and Network Congestion Control

The emerging network function virtualization is migrating traditional middleboxes, e.g., firewalls, load balancers, proxies, from dedicated hardware to virtual network functions (VNFs) running on commercial servers defined as network points of presence (N-PoPs). VNFs further chain up for more complex network services called service function chains (SFCs). SFCs introduce new flexibility and scalability which greatly reduce expenses and rolling out time of network services. However, chasing the lowest cost may lead to congestion on popular N-PoPs and links, thus resulting in performance degradation or violation of service-level agreements. To address this problem, we propose a novel scheme that reduces the operating cost and controls network congestion at the same time. It does so by placing VNFs and routing flows among them jointly. Given the problem is NP-hard, we design an approximation algorithm named candidate path selection (CPS) with a theoretical performance guarantee. We then consider cases when SFC demands fluctuate frequently. We propose an online candidate path selection (OCPS) algorithm to handle such cases considering the VNF migration cost. OCPS is designed to preserve good performance under various migration costs and prediction errors. Extensive simulation results highlight that CPS and OCPS algorithms perform better than baselines and comparably to the optimal solution.
Correlations of genotype with climate parameters suggest Caenorhabditis elegans niche preferences

Abstract Species inhabit a variety of environmental niches, and the adaptation to a particular niche is often controlled by genetic factors, including gene-by-environment interactions. The genes that vary in order to regulate the ability to colonize a niche are often difficult to identify, especially in the context of complex ecological systems and in experimentally uncontrolled natural environments. Quantitative genetic approaches provide an opportunity to investigate correlations between genetic factors and environmental parameters that might define a niche. Previously, we have shown how a collection of 208 whole-genome sequenced wild Caenorhabditis elegans can facilitate association mapping approaches. To correlate climate parameters with the variation found in this collection of wild strains, we used geographic data to exhaustively curate daily weather measurements in short-term (three month), middle-term (one year), and long-term (three year) durations surrounding the data of strain isolation. These climate parameters were then used as quantitative traits in the mapping approaches. We identified 10 QTL underlying variation in three traits: elevation, relative humidity, and average temperature. We then performed statistical analyses to further narrow the genomic interval of interest to identify gene candidates with variants potentially underlying phenotypic differences. Additionally, we performed two-strain competition assays at high and low temperatures to validate a QTL for temperature preference and found suggestive evidence that genotypes might be adapted to particular temperatures. 100-word summary for G3 Quantitative genetic approaches provide an opportunity to investigate correlations between genetic factors and environmental parameters that might define a niche, but these genes are difficult to identify, especially in the context of complex ecological systems. Here, we used a collection of 152 sequenced wild Caenorhabditis elegans to correlate climate parameters with the variation found in this collection of wild strains. We identified 10 QTL in five traits, including elevation, relative humidity, and temperature. Additionally, we performed competition assays to validate a QTL for temperature preference and found suggestive evidence that genotypes might be adapted to particular temperatures.
Point Set Registration of Large Deformation Using Auxiliary Landmarks

We present a probabilistic non-rigid point set registration method to deal with large and uneven deformations. The registration is treated as a density estimation problem. The main ideas of our method are to add constraints to enforce landmark correspondences and preserving local neighborhood structure. Landmarks represent the salient points in point sets, which can be computed using feature descriptors such as scale-invariant feature transform. By enforcing landmark correspondences, we preserve the overall global shape of the point set with significant deformations. In addition, we incorporate constraints to preserve local neighborhood structure by leveraging Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (SNE), which penalizes incoherent transformation within a neighborhood. We evaluate our method with both 2D and 3D datasets and show that our method outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in a large degree of deformations. In particular, quantitative results show our method is 49% better than the second best result (from the state-of-the-art methods). Finally, we demonstrate the importance of using correct landmark correspondences in registration by showing good registration results in large and uneven deformations point sets.
Real-world utilization of pharmacotherapy with new evidence-based cardiovascular indications in an academic preventive cardiology practice.

Abstract Objective To determine the real-world use of pharmacotherapy with new evidence-based cardiovascular indications in an academic Preventive Cardiology Clinic. Methods A retrospective study of patients seen in our Center for Preventive Cardiology (CPC) and who received a new prescription, according to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved indications, for one of the following pharmacotherapies with new evidence-based cardiovascular indications from May 2019 to May 2020: proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors (PCSK9i), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA). Treatment endpoints were prescription patterns, medication access, patient out-of-pocket expenses, medication tolerability, and clinical cardiovascular events while on these therapies. Results Of the 2390 patients seen in our CPC clinic over the observation period, 532 (22.3%) had already started and 291 (12.2%) were newly initiated on pharmacotherapy with new evidence-based cardiovascular indications with a median treatment duration of 9.1 months. Of these, 291 patients (for a total of 320 separate drug orders) – 93 (29.1%) were prescribed PCSK9i, 131 (40.9%) EPA, 46 (14.4%) SGLT2i, and 50 (15.6%) GLP-1 RA. Nearly 80% of cases required some form of provider intervention post-prescription (authorization, appeal, financial assistance, and/or side effect management). A total of 70% of adult patients with type 2 diabetes on metformin and with an HgbA1C >7% were treated with a SGLT2i and/or GLP-1 RA – either initiated prior to or during the study period. Median monthly drug cost for the total cohort was reduced from $595.00 pre-insurance approval to $70.50 post-insurance approval, to $7.00 post-financial assistance intervention. The medications were well tolerated with any side effect occurring in 28.3%, and discontinuation due to side effects in 5.8% of cases. Clinical cardiovascular events occurred in 2.7%, of which 1.9% was due to ASCVD and 0.8% to hospitalization for heart failure. Differences in medication access, cost, tolerability and clinical cardiovascular events varied widely between the medication classes. Conclusions Initiation and management of pharmacotherapy with new evidence-based cardiovascular indications in a real-world setting requires substantial provider intervention, a workflow amenable to a multi-disciplinary approach which allows for high rates of medication access and cost minimization, and low rates of medication side effects and clinical cardiovascular events.
Charity-based incentives motivate young adult cancer survivors to increase physical activity: a pilot randomized clinical trial

To determine the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of an eHealth intervention with charity-based incentives to increase physical activity (PA) among young adult cancer survivors. Participants were randomized into two groups: PA (N = 25; Fitbit, step goal, electronic weekly newsletter) or PA + Charity (N = 26; same as PA plus charity donation if step goal achieved). At baseline and 12 weeks, steps/day were assessed using an activPAL. Motivation (e.g., BREQ-3) and patient reported outcomes (e.g., sleep quality, fatigue) were self-reported. The mean age was 36.8 years, 56.9% were Non-Hispanic White. We retained 82% (42/51) of participants. The PA + Charity vs. PA group had significantly higher satisfaction with intervention experience (100% vs 85%), greater increases in steps/day (1689 vs 516) and increases in overall self-determination score (13.5 vs 2.2). Both groups significantly improved sleep quality and reduced fatigue. A low-intensity eHealth intervention with charity-based incentives was feasible, acceptable, increased PA and self-determination. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03322059.
Temporal Trends of Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair of the Mitral Valve Short-Term Outcomes in the United States: Nationwide Representative Study

Background: Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair of the mitral valve (TEER) has recently emerged as a viable treatment option in high-risk patients with severe mitral regurgitation. The present study ...
Perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccine among patients with cancer: a single-institution survey.

Aims: This paper reports the results of a survey assessing the acceptance of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine among patients with cancer. Patients and methods: In total, 111 adult patients with cancer from a single institution were asked to complete a questionnaire designed to assess their knowledge about the vaccine, their readiness to be vaccinated and the determinants of their decision. Results: 61.3% of the patients considered themselves more vulnerable to COVID-19 than the general population. Television, radio and newspapers were the major sources of information about the vaccine. A total of 55% of the patients were ready to be vaccinated and 14.4% refused the vaccine. The main reason for refusal was incompatibility with patients' disease or treatment. Conclusion: Most of the patients in this institutional sample accepted the COVID-19 vaccine. Better communication of information with patients is needed to decrease vaccine hesitancy.
The Noir Atlantic: Chester Himes and the Birth of the Francophone African Crime Novel

Acknowledgements Introduction: The Frivolous Literary 1. "Pas de litterature": Abasse Ndione and the Rise of Crime 2. Minor Mistranslations: Simon Njami and the Making of a Parisianist Himes 3. Crime Pays: Achille Ngoye and the Serie noire 4. Ethnographic Erotics: Bolya and the Writing of the Other 5. Terreur Rose: Kouty, memoire de sang and the Gendering of Noir 6. Going out Blazing: Mongo Beti's Last Two Novels Bibliography Index
Modeling User Adoption of Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS)

Abstract This paper develops a model system for assessing market penetration and usage rates of Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS). The choice models developed predict travelers’ awareness, trial use, and repeat use for SmarTraveler, an ATIS implemented in the Boston area. The travelers’ attitudes toward travel information and perceptions of ATIS service attributes, such as quality and relative advantage over conventional information sources, are incorporated in the modeling framework. This research contributes to the literature on modeling awareness, and use decisions of ATIS using an integrated system of discrete choice and latent variable models.
Of what value is the male hormone in the management of genital cancer in the female

Abstract The use of hormone therapy in the management of some cancers has been stabilized considerably during the past decade. The use of estrogen as an aid in the control of prostatic carcinoma is now well established. Similarly the use of male hormone as adjuvant therapy in breast carcinoma in the female is likewise accepted. The supplementary use of the sex hormones in the management of certain malignant diseases has led to clinical trials of many varieties. Many reports of clinical trials have appeared in the literature. Some have dealt with the use of male hormone in the management of genital cancer in the female. Most of these reports did not permit definite conclusions because they were based on too short a period of observation. In order to obviate this objection we undertook a planned three-year study, which forms the basis for this report. Since three-year mortality rates indicate fairly well the survival rates which may be anticipated in five and ten years, a three-year study should permit reasonable evaluation of the usefulness of the male hormone as adjuvant therapy in genital cancer of the female. Briefly stated, our program consisted of giving new, previously untreated patients with genital cancer admitted to our gynecological service at the University of Michigan Hospital during the year 1946, (1) our customary irradiation therapy, and, (2) in addition, male hormone as adjuvant medication. It was our plan to continue male hormone therapy for this group of patients (1946) for a three-year period, at the end of which time it would be possible to compare the three-year survival rate for this group (1946) with a control group of patients similarly treated except for the use of male hormone (1945). Since all of our gynecological cancer patients are traced, giving us a 100 per cent follow-up over a nineteen-year period, it was believed this study would give us considerable information concerning the effect, if any, of male hormone upon survival rate.
Speech recognition using fuzzy logic

Speech recognition is one of the important areas in digital speech processing. The study of speech recognition is a part of a quest for artificially intelligent machines that can hear and understand spoken information. The conventional methods for speech recognition are very complicated and time consuming. To apply fuzzy logic to speech recognition is a new attempt in digital speech processing. The approach proposed in the paper simplifies the algorithm in speech recognition and makes the real-time processing time shorter. The situation considered in this paper is the simplest, i.e., the situation of speaker dependence, small vocabulary and isolated words.
Diphosphopyridine Nucleotide-linked Isocitrate Dehydrogenase from Bovine Heart POLYMERIC FORMS AND SUBUNITS

Abstract The molecular weight of a DPN-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase preparation, exhibiting a single major band on polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis, has been examined by molecular sieve chromatography. Comparison of the elution volume (Ve) of the enzyme with reference proteins of known molecular weight on columns of Sephadex G-200 and Sepharose 6B permitted calculation of a molecular weight in the range 290,000 to 365,000. Inclusion of the positive modifier ADP (0.035 mm to 1.0 mm) in the eluting buffer (0.15 m potassium phosphate-0.1 mm dithiothreitol at pH 7.2) of columns of Sepharose 6B revealed an aggregate of the enzyme of molecular weight 670,000 ± 20,000; a species of apparent molecular weight 1,100,000 was observed with 0.8 m ammonium sulfate-5 mm potassium phosphate-0.1 mm dithiothreitol buffer (pH 7.1) containing 0.05 mm to 1.0 mm ADP. Aggregate formation is dependent on protein concentration. Thus, a monomer-dimer equilibrium could be shown when varying amounts of the enzyme were chromatographed on Sepharose 6B in 0.1 mm ADP-0.15 m potassium phosphate-0.1 mm dithiothreitol at pH 7.2. The limiting values of molecular weight were 330,000 and 680,000 at low and high protein concentrations, respectively. The dissociation constant of the monomer-dimer equilibrium was found to be K = 0.25 ± 0.12 mg per ml. The electrophoretic mobility of the enzyme in polyacrylamide gels containing sodium dodecyl sulfate at pH 7.1 or 8 m urea at pH 2.9 indicated polypeptide chains of average molecular weight 40,800 ± 500; a value of 40,900 ± 700 was obtained by chromatography on Bio-Gel A-5 M in 6 m guanidine hydrochloride. This suggests that the enzymically active monomer of molecular weight 330,000 is composed of eight subunits.
Living without free will

Acknowledgments Introduction: Hard incompatibilism 1. Alternative possibilities and causal histories 2. Coherence objections to libertarianism 3. Empirical objections to agent-causal libertarianism 4. Problems for compatibilism 5. The contours of hard incompatibilism 6. Hard incompatibilism and criminal behavior 7. Hard incompatibilism and meaning in life Bibliography Index.
Stimulation of bile-pancreatic zinc, protein and carboxypeptidase secretion in response to various proteins in the rat.

The objective of this study was to determine the rate of bile-pancreatic secretion of zinc, protein and Carboxypeptidase (CP) in response to three different dietary proteins, egg white (EW), soy protein isolate (SPI) and casein. The infusion of protein into the duodenum stimulated a significant increase in the secretion rate of zinc, protein and CP in bile-pancreatic juice. There was a high degree of correla tion between the concentration of zinc and enzyme activity (CPA and CPB) in bile- pancreatic juice indicating that zinc in bile-pancreatic juice is associated with CP activity. The average secretion rate of zinc, protein and CP during the 1-h period after infusion of protein was significantly greater after SPI infusion than after casein. The bile-pancreatic secretion rate of protein, zinc and CPB in response to EW infusion was consistently intermediate between SPI and casein and did not differ statistically from either. Only CPA secretion rate was significantly greater after EW than after casein. Differences in protein digestibility appear to account for the greater pancreatic response to SPI, and this factor may be important in understanding the effect of pro tein source on zinc bioavailability. J. Nutr. 116: 265-272, 1986.
An unusual cause of respiratory failure in a 25-year-old heart and lung transplant recipient

A 25-year-old woman, a never smoker with a history of heart-lung transplantation for World Health Organization group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension performed 20 months prior to presentation, was evaluated for shortness of breath. Following transplantation, she was initiated on standard therapy of prednisone, tacrolimus, and azathioprine, along with routine antimicrobial prophylaxis. Her posttransplant course was complicated by persistent acute cellular rejection, as determined from a transbronchial biopsy specimen, without evidence of rejection in an endomyocardial biopsy specimen. The immunosuppressive medications were supplemented with pulse-dosed steroids, and the patient was transitioned from azathioprine to mycophenolate mofetil. Sirolimus was added 9 months prior to presentation. Three months prior to presentation, she was admitted for increasing oxygen requirements, shortness of breath, and bilateral infiltrates on the CT scans of the chest.
Has Technology Introduced New Ethical Problems

Drawing on William F. Ogburn's cultural lag thesis, an inherent conflict is proposed between the rapid speed of modern technological advances and the slower speed by which ethical guidelines for utilization of new technologies are developed. Ogburn's cultural lag thesis proposes that material culture advances more rapidly than non-material culture. Technology is viewed as part of material culture and ethical guidelines for technology utilization are viewed as an adaptive aspect of non-material culture. Cultural lag is seen as a critical ethical issue because failure to develop broad social consensus on appropriate applications of modern technology may lead to breakdowns in social solidarity and the rise of social conflict. Reasons for cultural lag between technology and ethics include the social structural and market conditions under which each are developed. The thesis is illustrated by reviews of technological trends involving computer-telecommunications electronics and bio- genetic engineering, and the implications of these and other technologies for privacy rights, electronic commerce, control of essential resources and social definitions of life are discussed.
Autosomal Recessive Type of Whistling Face Syndrome in Twins

A report of concordant monochorionic, diamnionic like-sex twins with whistling face syndrome is presented. The diagnosis was based on the characteristic facies with prominent supraorbital ridge, sunken eyes, telacanthus, short nose and colobomata of the nostrils, long philtrum, high narrow palate, and marked microstomia with puckered lips and an "H"-shaped cutaneous dimpling on the chin. The hands showed symmetrically clenched fingers with camptodactyly and ulnar deviation. The feet demonstrated mild bilateral talipes equinovarus. HLA studies to determine the zygosity of the twins showed discordance in HLA haplotypes, which indicated dizygosity. The pedigree analysis showed normal nonconsanguineos parents, and no other family members had the syndrome. The findings support the existence of an autosomal recessive type of whistling face syndrome.
International survey research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand national cultural dimensions and identify their relationship to survey‐response strategies.Design/methodology/approach – This empirical paper will highlight the importance of understanding national cultural dimensions for adopting normative equivalence strategies in international survey research. The survey was sent to 104 Human Resource Directors located in Mexico via email and efax. The paper will identify survey strategies that contributed to a response rate of 49 per cent, which is considered high in cross‐cultural research.Findings – The importance of normative equivalence strategies in international survey research is highlighted. While semantic and conceptual equivalence are aimed at survey coherence, normative equivalence strategies highlight the significance of the relationship‐building with the respondents. Normative equivalence strategies include identifying people that the respondents will trust and respond to, building an excellent rapport ...
An Introduction to Algebraic Multigrid Computing

Algebraic multigrid (AMG) solves linear systems based on multigrid principles, but in a way that depends only on the coefficients in the underlying matrix
Marketing Your Urologic Practice—Ethically, Effectively, and Economically

Urologists often feel uncomfortable with the concept of marketing their practices. After all, doesn’t that place them in the crass world of slick newspaper ads and snappy radio and TV commercials? In a word—no!
The public reading of Edgar Allen Poe

(1962). The public reading of Edgar Allen Poe. The Southern Speech Journal: Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 109-115.
Antibiotic Resistance of Helicobacter pylori Among Male United States Veterans

Background & Aims The most recent information published on resistance of Helicobacter pylori to antibiotics in a large population in the United States is more than 10 years old. We assessed the susceptibility of H pylori to antibiotics among patients in a large metropolitan hospital, as well as demographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors associated with antimicrobial resistance. Methods We performed a cross-sectional study of a random sample of 656 patients (90.2% men) from a cohort of 1559 undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy with collection of gastric biopsies from 2009 through 2013 at the Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center. We performed culture analyses of gastric tissues to detect H pylori. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole, levofloxacin, and tetracycline were determined by the Epsilometer test. Logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the association between risk factors and antimicrobial resistance. Results Biopsies from 135 subjects (20.6%) tested positive for H pylori; 128 of these were from men (94.8%). Only 65 strains were susceptible to all 5 antibiotics. The prevalence of resistance to levofloxacin was 31.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 23.1%–39.4%), to metronidazole it was 20.3% (95% CI, 13.2%–27.4%), to clarithromycin it was 16.4% (95% CI, 9.9%–22.9%), and to tetracycline it was 0.8% (95% CI, 0.0%–2.3%). No isolate was resistant to amoxicillin. Clarithromycin resistance increased from 9.1% in 2009–2010 to 24.2% in 2011–2013. In multivariate analysis, prior treatment of H pylori infection and use of fluoroquinolones were significantly associated with clarithromycin and levofloxacin resistance, respectively. Conclusions H pylori resistance to clarithromycin increased between 2009 and 2013; resistance to metronidazole remains high in infected men in the United States. The high frequency of resistance to levofloxacin is a new and concerning finding.
Climatic and Altitudinal Influences on Variation in Macaca Limb Morphology

This study compares limb lengths and joint diameters in the skeletons of six macaque species (Macaca assamensis, M. fascicularis, M. fuscata, M. mulatta, M. nemestrina, and M. thibetana) from a broad range of habitats and climates in order to test whether ambient temperatures, latitude, and altitude influence interspecific variation in limb morphology in this widely dispersed genus. Analysis of variance, principal component analysis, and partial correlation analysis reveal that species from temperate latitudes and high elevations tend to have short limbs and large joint diameters for their sizes while species from tropical latitudes and low elevations tend to have long limbs and small joint diameters. Interspecific variations in intra- and interlimb length proportions also reflect phylogeny and subtle differences in locomotion. The results of this study suggest that climatic conditions are important factors among many ecological variables that influence limb morphology in this geographically widespread genus.
Lipid hydroperoxides in the conversion of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid to ethylene

Abstract Ethylene was formed from 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) by a wholly defined system containing linoleic acid hydroperoxide (LOOH), Mn 2+ and pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PP) at pH 8.0. Under these conditions, neither oxygen nor lipoxygenase was required for ethylene production. Each component of the reaction mixture has been implicated as a cofactor required for aerobic in vitro conversion of ACC to ethylene by various plant preparations. Inhibition of ethylene formation by the α-tocopherol analogue, 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-hydroxychroman, implies that free radicals are involved in the reaction. Peroxy radicals of LOOH were demonstrated to form in parallel with ethylene. Although PP was required for ethylene formation, peroxy radicals formed equally well with or without PP. This result implies that either a PP-ACC Schiff base reacts with peroxy radicals, or that peroxy radicals act through a PP-Mn n+ complex. Since the known stereochemistry argued against the former possibility [Pirrung, M. (1986) Biochemistry 25 , 114], the latter is suggested. A possible mechanism is proposed involving oxidation of ACC by a PP-Mn 4+ LOO − complex formed via sequential oxidation of Mn 2+ by LOOH and peroxy radicals derived from LOOH.