cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heterochronic Parabiosis Rejuvenates Aged Bones

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased incidence of non-union, delayed union and mal-union of fractures. The mechanism(s) leading to impaired fracture healing remain to be elucidated. Recruitment of tissue stem and progenitor cells is vital to restoring injured bones. Our laboratory has recently identified a clonal precursor of bone, cartilage and stroma (BCSP) that generates mature skeletal tissue through a series of functionally characterized cellular intermediates. We hypothesize that impaired recruitment of this BCSP and its downstream progenitors contributes to poor fracture healing in diabetes.
Correlation Among Different Plasma Cell Disorders Markers and Immunoglobulin Heavy Light Chains (HLC)

Background Heavy light chain (HLC) assays allow for accurate quantification of involved and uninvolved immunoglobulins (Ig) of the affected isotype. HLC ratio is of particular interest in measuring low level disease where there is limited utility for serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) to measure the low M-spike and challenging to quantify. Serum immunofixation (SIFx), being a non-quantitative test cannot accurately define the amount of disease. Limited data exists to understand the utility of HLC testing, hence we tried to study the correlation of this test to some of the established plasma cell disorder markers: serum free light chains (SFLC), SPEP (M-spike) and involved total Ig levels. Methods A total of 1098 samples from 480 patients with IgG [315 IgG Kappa (k) and 165 IgG Lambda (l)] plasma cell disorders (multiple myeloma, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, smoldering multiple myeloma and plasmacytoma) and 329 samples from 160 IgA (98 IgAk patients and 60 IgAl) plasma cell disorder patients were included in analysis. Correlation was determined between HLC levels, HLC ratio and SFLC levels for all patients. Correlation was determined for each isotype separately using non parametric Spearman Correlation co-efficient (SCC). Results In IgA patients, there is strong correlation between HLC levels (IgAk and IgAl) and M-spike (0.85; p<0.0001 and 0.82; p<0.0001, respectively) as well as involved Ig (0.99; p<0.0001; 0.99; p<0.0001, respectively). Similar strong correlation was seen between HLC ratios and M-spike and involved Ig. In IgG patients, there is strong correlation, but smaller than IgA, between HLC levels (IgGk and IgGl) and M-spike (0.72; p<0.0001 and 0.75; p<0.0001, respectively) as well as involved Ig (0.91; p<0.0001; 0.78; p<0.0001, respectively). Similar correlation was seen between HLC ratios and M-spike and involved Ig. We also observed a strong correlation of FLCk with IgAk (0.65; p<0.0001) as well as of FLCl with IgA l too (0.69; p<0.0001). Similarly, FLCk with IgGk (0.56; p<0.0001) and FLCl with IgG l (0.69; p<0.0001) exhibited strong correlation. Conclusion The presence of strong correlation between M-spike quantification, serum free light chains, as well as total involved immunoglobulins in the largest sample size reported to date, suggests the feasibility of detection of isotype bands with HLC antibodies and its potential role for clinical utility in disease staging and monitoring. Prognostic usefulness of this testing in identifying residual disease and its correlation with survival in myeloma patients will be presented at the meeting. View this table: Disclosures: Kaufman: Onyx: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy; Millenium: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding. Boise: Onyx Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy. Lonial: Millennium: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy; Sanofi: Consultancy; Onyx: Consultancy.
Reversible G Protein βγ9 Distribution-Based Assay Reveals Molecular Underpinnings in Subcellular, Single-Cell, and Multicellular GPCR and G Protein Activity

Current assays to measure the activation of G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and G proteins are time-consuming, indirect, and expensive. Therefore, an efficient method which directly measures the ability of a ligand to govern GPCR-G protein interactions can help to understand the molecular underpinnings of the associated signaling. A live cell imaging-based approach is presented here to directly measure ligand-induced GPCR and G protein activity in real time. The number of active GPCRs governs G protein heterotrimer (αβγ) dissociation, thereby controlling the concentration of free βγ subunits. The described γ9 assay measures the GPCR activation-induced extent of the reversible βγ9 subunit exchange between the plasma membrane (PM) and internal membranes (IMs). Confocal microscopy-based γ9 assay quantitatively determines the concentration dependency of ligands on GPCR activation. Demonstrating the high-throughput screening (HTS) adaptability, the γ9 assay performed using an imaging plate reader measures ...
Mass cytometry reveals a distinct immunoprofile of operational tolerance in pediatric liver transplantation

Long-term IS in transplant patients has significant morbidity, poorer quality of life, and substantial economic costs. TOL, defined as graft acceptance without functional impairment in the absence of IS, has been achieved in some pediatric LT recipients. Using mass cytometry, peripheral blood immunotyping was performed to characterize differences between tolerant patients and patients who are stable on single-agent IS. Single-cell mass cytometry was performed using blood samples from a single-center pediatric LT population of operationally tolerant patients to comprehensively characterize the immune cell populations in the tolerant state compared with patients on chronic low-dose IS. Specific T-cell populations of interest were confirmed by flow cytometry. This high-dimensional phenotypic analysis revealed distinct immunoprofiles between transplant populations as well as a CD4+ TOT (CD4+ CD5+ CD25+ CD38-/lo CD45RA) that correlates with tolerance in pediatric LT recipients. In TOL patients, the TOT was significantly increased as compared to patients stable on low levels of IS. This TOT cell was confirmed by flow cytometry and is distinct from classic Treg cells. These results demonstrate the power of mass cytometry to discover significant immune cell signatures that have diagnostic potential.
Indications of Recruitment Challenges in Research with U.S. Military Service Members: A ClinicalTrials.gov Review

ABSTRACT Introduction: The success of military-relevant health research often depends on recruiting adequate numbers of U.S. military service members as research participants. Researchers have reported difficulties in recruiting service member research participants. Reviews of ClinicalTrials.gov, an online clinical trial registry of publicly and privately sponsored studies, have identified challenges in participant recruitment and barriers to study completion in various research populations. The purpose of this study was to identify indications of difficulty recruiting U.S. military service members as research participants based on data from study records in ClinicalTrials.gov. Materials and Methods: Records of studies starting between 2005 and 2014 were collected from ClinicalTrials.gov and updated through January 2016. Three hundred and two studies that included ≥25% U.S. military service member research participants were (1) compared to a comparison group of 302 studies, each with <5% service member pa...
A Necessary Condition for Computation of the Overlap Measure

SYNOPTIC ABSTRACTScientists use the overlap of two distributions to describe agreement or similarity between two densities of the same family of distributions differing only in the parameter values. The overlap coefficient (or a variant of it) has been used to estimate the lowest upper bound for the probability of failure in the stress-strength models of reliability analysis and the degree of resource-sharing by two different species, among many other uses. The overlap coefficient is defined as the common area under both the curves taking values in the range of 0 to 1. A condition necessary for obtaining valid values of the overlap coefficient for two normal densities is presented. The result is also extended to the lognormal, exponential, Weilbull, and Pareto densities.
Neuroscience: Social networks in the brain

Functional magnetic resonance imaging and social network analysis show that on viewing familiar individuals in a small social network, the brain activates regions critical for inferring mental states and intentions, as well as regions associated with spatial navigation and psychological distance.
Acute Ankle Sprain in a Mouse Model: Changes in Knee-Joint Space

Context: Ankle sprains remain the most common orthopaedic injury. Conducting long-term studies in humans is difficult and costly, so the long-term consequences of an ankle sprain are not entirely known. Objective: To measure knee-joint space after a single surgically induced ankle sprain in mice. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: University research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Thirty male mice (CBA/2J) were randomly placed into 1 of 3 surgical groups: the transected calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) group, the transected anterior talofibular ligament/CFL group, or a sham treatment group. The right ankle was operated on in all mice. Main Outcome Measure(s): Three days after surgery, all of the mice were individually housed in cages containing a solid-surface running wheel, and daily running-wheel measurements were recorded. Before surgery and every 6 weeks after surgery, a diagnostic ultrasound was used to measure medial and lateral knee-joint space in both hind limbs. Result...
Advanced vehicle technologies

The Advanced Vehicle Technologies (AVT) Program focuses and integrates a series of Advanced Technology Demonstrations (ATDs) aimed at lightening and digitizing future armored/mounted forces for Force XXI. Force modernization potential of ATDs and relevant DoD-Wide vehicle technology developments in advanced optics, countermeasures, and electronics, coupled with common inter-vehicular communication, will demonstrate combat maneuver force deployability and fightability. AVT vehicular technology underway includes: System/ATD integration and simulation overviews, hit avoidance, command and control, target acquisition, advanced crew stations, standard open electronic architecture, electric drive, active suspension, reduced crew driving aids, collision avoidance, robotic convoy, and Single Channel Ground Airborne Radio Systems(SINCGARS) based remote control. These technologies substantially contribute to the Army's Strategic Objectives described above.
Dysfunctional personality disorder beliefs and lifetime suicide attempts among psychiatrically hospitalized military personnel

Abstract Background Personality disorders (PDs) are associated with an increased risk for suicide. However, the association between PDs and suicide risk has not been examined among military personnel. This study evaluated whether endorsement of different PD dysfunctional beliefs was associated with lifetime suicide attempt status. Methods and materials Cross-sectional data were collected during the baseline phase of a randomized controlled trial, evaluating the efficacy of an inpatient cognitive behavior therapy protocol for the prevention of suicide. Participants (N = 185) were military service members admitted for inpatient psychiatric care following a suicide-related event. MANOVA and Poisson regression evaluated the association between each type of PD dysfunctional belief and the number of suicide attempts. Results Service members' PBQ subscale scores for borderline (p = 0.049) and histrionic PD dysfunctional beliefs (p = 0.034) significantly differed across those with suicide ideation only, single attempt, and multiple attempts. Upon further analysis, histrionic PD dysfunctional beliefs scores were significantly higher among those with multiple suicide attempts than those with single attempts. One point increase of dependent (Incidence Risk Ratio = 1.04, p = 0.009), narcissistic (IRR = 1.07, p Conclusions Assessment and targeting dependent, narcissistic, paranoid, borderline, and histrionic beliefs as part of a psychosocial intervention will be useful.
Radial Tears of the Lateral Meniscus-Two Novel Repair Techniques: A Biomechanical Study.

Background:A common treatment for radial tears of the meniscus has historically been partial meniscectomy. Owing to the poor outcomes associated with partial meniscectomy, repair of the meniscus is...
Are Large Local Reactions Useful to Predict Future Anaphylaxis to Hymenoptera Stings

Unaware of the natural history of large local reactions caused by Hymenoptera stings, patients and clinicians are often concerned when faced with these reactions. These concerns include the difficulty in avoiding stings, the local discomfort, and the fear that the local reaction portends systemic, potentially life-threatening subsequent reactions. This review presents the historical studies that have assessed the natural history of large local reactions caused by Hymenoptera stings and, in doing so, provides rationale for the current consensus guidelines for the management of these reactions. Retrospective and prospective studies in both adult and pediatric populations have provided insight into the natural history of large local reactions caused by Hymenoptera stings dating back to the 1980s. Each of these studies has demonstrated a low risk of future systemic allergic reactions or anaphylaxis in patients with a history of large local reactions. No clinical biomarker exists to determine the severity of future Hymenoptera sting reactions. Without a reliable clinical biomarker to identify those at risk for systemic allergic reactions or anaphylaxis, recommendations on the management of Hymenoptera sting reactions are derived from retrospective and prospective studies reviewed in this article. These studies provide strong evidence describing a low risk of future systemic allergic reactions or anaphylaxis in patients who have a history of large local reactions. Referral to an allergy specialist can provide reassurance for the referring clinicians and patients with a history of large local reactions. Treatment of large local reactions involves symptom relief with cold compresses, over-the-counter analgesics, oral antihistamines, and occasionally topical or oral glucocorticoids, usually reserved for very large, protracted reactions. Given the low risk of systemic allergic reactions and anaphylaxis, venom or imported fire ant whole body extract immunotherapy is not recommended for patients with a history of large local reactions. However, there may be some cases where the clinician considers providing an epinephrine autoinjector and/or venom or imported fire ant whole body extract immunotherapy for reasons other than future systemic allergic reactions or anaphylaxis risk. In any case, shared decision-making between the patient and clinician should take place with appropriate documentation of the risks and benefits.
Cell Adhesion Molecules at Synapses

The chemical synapse is a specialized asymmetric adhesion site between the axon of a neuron and its target cell. Synapse formation is a multistep process involving target recognition followed by reciprocal inductive interactions that result in recruitment of proteins (such as receptors) and organelles (such as synaptic vesicles) to both the presynaptic and postsynaptic compartments. Synaptic cell adhesion molecules are believed to mediate initial inductive interactions, stabilize connections, and function as nucleation sites for signaling events that promote synapse development and regulate synaptic activity.
Corpus luteum function following subtotal hysterectomy in the prepuberal gilt.

SUMMARY The effect of subtotal hysterectomy- on maintenance of induced corpora lutea (CL) in prepuberal gilts, 120 to 130 days of age, was studied. Ovulation was induced with 1,000 IU Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin (PMSG) followed 72 hr later with 500 IU Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG). Thirteen gilts (bred controls) were inseminated on Day 0 (Day following HCG=Day 0). Fifty gilts were laparotomized on Days 6 through 9, their CL marked with charcoal and the gilts subtotally hysterectomized so that the amount of cervix and uterus left intact was: group 1 (n=13), posterior half of cervix; group 2 (n=12), cervix and posterior half of the uterine body; group 3 (n=12), cervix and uterine body; group 4 (n=13), posterior half of cervix and anterior 15% of one uterine horn. At necropsy (Day 30), three bred control gilts were pregnant while the ovaries of the remaining controls had only corpora albicantia (CA) present. The percentage of CL maintained to Day 30 for groups 1 through 4 were, respectively; 85.7, 65.9, 37.1 and 31.2. Based on these results, we suggest that, unlike mature gilts in which at least 25% of one uterine horn must be present to cause luteal regression and in which the presence of only the uterine body fails to cause luteal regression, as little as 15% of one uterine horn or the uterine body left intact will cause regression in the prepuberal gilt.
Social media for polling and predicting United States election outcome

Twitter has been in the forefront of political discourse, with politicians choosing it as their platform for disseminating information to their constituents. We seek to explore the effectiveness of social media as a resource for both polling and predicting the election outcome. To this aim, we create a dataset consisting of approximately 3 million tweets ranging from September 22nd to November 8th, 2016. Polling analysis will be performed on two levels: national and state. Predicting the election is performed only at the state level due to the electoral college process present in the U.S. election system. Two approaches are used for predicting the election, a winner-take-all approach and shared elector count approach. Twenty-one states are chosen, eleven categorized as swing states, and ten as heavily favored states. Two metrics are incorporated for polling and predicting the election outcome: tweet volume per candidate and positive sentiment per candidate. Our approach shows when polling on the national level, aggregated sentiment across the election time period provides values close to the polls. At the state level, volume is not a good candidate for polling state votes. Sentiment produces values closer to swing state polls when the election is close.
Uranium isotope variations in a dolomitized Jurassic carbonate platform (Tithonian; Franconian Alb, Southern Germany)

Abstract The uranium (U) isotopic composition (δ238U) of limestones is increasingly used to quantitatively track changes in paleoredox conditions of the global ocean. However, many limestones have undergone significant dolomitization during diagenesis. To assess the potential impact of diagenetic changes on the U isotope composition of dolomitized rocks, we examined the uranium isotopic composition of a Jurassic carbonate platform of the Franconian Alb in Southern Germany. This platform underwent dolomitization during shallow burial due to the supply of magnesium-rich fluids in the form of slightly modified seawater. This type of dolomitization is common in the geologic record. The carbonate platform of the Franconian Alb can therefore serve as an example for many dolomitized carbonate platforms. A positive correlation between the concentrations of redox sensitive elements (e.g., Re and V) and δ238U confirms that the authigenic uptake of U under reducing conditions preferentially incorporates U enriched in 238U. This positive correlation between redox sensitive elements and δ238U does not change within the dolomitized interval, suggesting that the δ238U is not altered during shallow burial dolomitization of limestones. Therefore, our results indicate that dolostones can retain information about secular variations in seawater δ238U. The diagenetic uptake of U shifts δ238U of bulk carbonate sediments to values heavier than contemporaneous seawater. The magnitude of this offset correlates with the level of authigenic enrichment of redox sensitive elements in our sample set. Samples with high Re and V concentrations and high Re/Mo ratios are the most enriched in 238U. This positive correlation could be used to constrain the amount of diagenetic offset of bulk δ238U values from seawater. This is particularly important in carbonate systems that had a primary calcitic mineralogy. Primary calcite precipitates have low U concentrations and so small amounts of 238U uptake during diagenesis can have a significant impact on the bulk composition. The samples with the most depleted δ238U values have high Mo concentrations and low Re/Mo ratios. As carbonate sediments are generally Mo poor, the high Mo concentrations suggests that the depleted δ238U values might be linked to a manganese cycle that operated across the sediment-water interface during the deposition of this Jurassic carbonate platform.
Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin, but not edema toxin, increases pulmonary artery pressure and permeability in isolated perfused rat lungs

The most important findings from the present study are that Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin increases pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary permeability independently in the isolated rat lung, wh...
Effect of 4(2)-Octylaminopyridine Distribution in a Water (HCl)/Chloroform System on the Extraction of Metal Ions from Chloride Solutions

Distributions of 4(2)-octylaminopyridines (4(2)-OAPs) as extractants in an H2O(HCl)/CHCl3 system were studied by UV and IR spectroscopy and potentiometry. The ionization constant of monoprotonated 4-OAP, the logarithmic distribution constant of 4-OAP and its chloride, and the logarithmic extraction constant of hydrochloric acid were calculated. These values were compared with those for 2-OAP. The isotherm (20 ± 2°C) of HCl extraction with 0.1 M 4-OAP in chloroform is given. The difference in the extraction chemistry of hydrochloric acid with 2- and 4-OAPs and specific application features of these reagents for extraction of metals from chloride solutions are discussed.
Adsorption and Capillary Condensation-Induced Imbibition in Nanoporous Media

Multiphase flow phenomena in nanoporous media are encountered in many science and engineering applications. Shales, for example, possessing complex nanopore networks, have considerable importance as source rocks for unconventional oil and gas production and as low-permeability seals for geologic carbon sequestration or nuclear waste disposal. This study presents a theoretical investigation of the processes controlling adsorption, capillary condensation, and imbibition in such nanoporous media, with a particular focus on understanding the effects of fluid-fluid and fluid-pore wall interaction forces in the interconnected nanopore space. Building on a new theoretical framework, we developed a numerical model for the multiphase nanoporous flow and tested it against water vapor uptake measurements conducted on a shale core sample. The model, which is based on the density functional approach, explicitly includes the relevant interaction forces among fluids and solids while allowing for a continuum representation of the porous medium. The experimental data include gravimetrically measured mass changes in an initially dry core sample exposed to varying levels of relative humidity, starting with a low relative humidity (rh = 0.31) followed by a period of a higher relative humidity (rh = 0.81). During this process, water vapor uptake in the dry core is recorded as a function of time. Our model suggests that, under low rh conditions, the flow within the shale sample is controlled by adsorption- and diffusion-type processes. After increasing the rh to 0.81, the uptake of water vapor becomes more significant, and according to our model, this can be explained by capillary condensation followed by immiscible displacement in the core sample. It appears that strong fluid-pore wall attractive forces cause condensation near the inlet, which then induces water imbibition further into sample.
Washer disinfector and alkaline detergent efficacy against C. difficile on plastic bedpans

Background Clostridioides difficile is a major cause of infectious antibiotic resistant diarrhea. C. difficile spores are shed in patient stool, are hearty and difficult to kill. Bedpans are often used by patients with C. difficile infections and require proper handling and cleaning or disposal to prevent the transmission of C. difficile spores and other infectious microorganisms into the environment. Disposable bedpans are often used for convenience, which has consequences from an environmental sustainability perspective. Aim This study evaluates the ability for a washer-disinfector device (WD) to efficaciously clean and disinfect C. difficile spores and Escherichia coli from bedpans for sanitary reuse. Methods A commercially available WD device was evaluated for both efficacy and thermal disinfection against C. difficile spores and Escherichia coli using one disinfection cycle per test. Bedpans were not rinsed or dumped prior to placement in the WD. Bedpans were sampled using swabs. Microorganisms were eluted from the swabs and log-kill was calculated. Findings The average log-kill for C. difficile spores was 3.99 and >7.69 for E. coli. Thermal disinfection results showed an average log kill of 4.31 for C. difficile and >7.23 for E. coli. Conclusions The WD was efficacious against both C. difficile spores and E. coli when used according to manufacturer's instructions for use, suggesting a viable alternative to disposable bedpan waste management.
Race, Empire, and Epistemic Exclusion: Or the Structures of Sociological Thought

This essay analyzes racialized exclusions in sociology through a focus on sociology’s deep epistemic structures. These structures dictate what counts as social scientific knowledge and who can prod...
The Pain Crisis: Interventional Radiology's Role in Pain Management.

Pain is a complex syndrome that is difficult to treat. The increasing numbers of patients living with chronic diseases has led to increasing pain management needs and the rise of opioid use disorde...
2D CNN versus 3D CNN for false-positive reduction in lung cancer screening.

Purpose: To clarify whether and to what extent three-dimensional (3D) convolutional neural network (CNN) is superior to 2D CNN when applied to reduce false-positive nodule detections in the scenario of low-dose computed tomography (CT) lung cancer screening. Approach: We established a dataset consisting of 1600 chest CT examinations acquired on different subjects from various sources. There were in total 18,280 candidate nodules in these CT examinations, among which 9185 were nodules and 9095 were not nodules. For each candidate nodule, we extracted a number of cubic subvolumes with a dimension of 72 × 72 × 72 mm 3 by rotating the CT examinations randomly for 25 times prior to the extraction of the axis-aligned subvolumes. These subvolumes were split into three groups in a ratio of 8 ∶ 1 ∶ 1 for training, validation, and independent testing purposes. We developed a multiscale CNN architecture and implemented its 2D and 3D versions to classify pulmonary nodules into two categories, namely true positive and false positive. The performance of the 2D/3D-CNN classification schemes was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC). The p -values and the 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: The AUC for the optimal 2D-CNN model is 0.9307 (95% CI: 0.9285 to 0.9330) with a sensitivity of 92.70% and a specificity of 76.21%. The 3D-CNN model with the best performance had an AUC of 0.9541 (95% CI: 0.9495 to 0.9583) with a sensitivity of 89.98% and a specificity of 87.30%. The developed multiscale CNN architecture had a better performance than the vanilla architecture did. Conclusions: The 3D-CNN model has a better performance in false-positive reduction compared with its 2D counterpart; however, the improvement is relatively limited and demands more computational resources for training purposes.
Charitable giving for cultural goods: Asymmetric gender responses to votes on tax increases

Abstract We examine the relationship between taxpayer support of cultural goods and charitable donations. Using a Dictator Game, subjects are paired with a real library as the recipient. Using outcomes from recent votes to increase property taxes to support local public libraries, we find a striking gender discrepancy. While slight reductions arise for both when the vote passes, female subjects increase their giving substantially in response to the ballot measure’s failure. This effect is driven by women donating all of their endowment more frequently.
The Development of an Urban Greenway Trail System and Levels of Crime

Opponents of proposed urban greenway trails frequently argue that the development of the trails will lead to increases in crime. Data on the opening of trail segments in Indianapolis, Indiana from 1995 to 2006 and the locations of individual violent and property crimes spanning the years before and after are used to examine the effect of the trails on levels of crime. Analyses included simple before-and-after comparisons, pooled-cross-sectional models controlling for time and socioeconomic characteristics, and fixed effects models. Some results suggested that the development of the trails actually produced in reductions in crime while others found no significant effects on crime. This makes it very clear that the trails did not result in increased levels of crime.
Beyond asset ownership: Employment and assetless firms in the property rights theory of the firm

Abstract This paper enriches the celebrated Grossman–Hart–Moore (GHM) property rights model with employment relationships. By combining the GHM view of the firm as a bundle of asset ownerships with that of Alchian and Demsetz (1972) , who viewed the firm as a nexus of contracts, the model yields, in some cases, optimal asset ownership different from the implications of the GHM model. We show that the nexus of contracts is a meaningful instrument to govern transactions even in the presence of asset ownership. The optimal contractual network structure depends on the relationship-specificity of investments, unlike the GHM model where the asset ownership depends solely on the asset specificity of investments.
Neuropathic Corneal Pain Following LASIK Surgery: A Retrospective Case Series

Transient dry eye symptoms have been reported following laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Very rarely, patients may present with debilitating symptoms of dry eye syndrome (DES) with limited or no evidence of ocular surface disease. These patients are diagnosed with a form of DES known as neuropathic corneal pain (NCP). This study is a retrospective medical record review of a case series of 18 patients who developed NCP post-LASIK over the years 1996–2021. All patients who developed severe ocular pain following LASIK consistent with NCP were included. Patients with severe ocular pain who had evidence of severe ocular surface disease or other ophthalmic etiology to explain their debilitating symptoms were not included. The average age of patients in our study was 39.5 years. The majority of our patients were female (72.2%) and of Caucasian ancestry (83.3%). The average onset of symptoms was 9.6 months post-LASIK. Patients had past medical histories significant for neuropsychiatric conditions (50%), functional pain syndromes (22.2%), autoimmune diseases (33.3%), and hypothyroidism (27.8%), and the occurrence of these was higher than the national prevalence of these diseases. Symptoms were consistent with the severity and characteristics defining NCP. Treatment was multimodal, involved topical and systemic therapies, and was unique to each patient. Overall, the majority of patients had clinical improvement in symptoms following treatment with regular follow-up. Although rare, the 26-year prevalence of NCP post-LASIK in our study was roughly 1 in 900 cases. The mean time to onset after surgery was delayed at 9.6 months. Certain risk factors such as neuropsychiatric conditions, history of functional pain syndromes, history of autoimmune conditions, and hypothyroidism may predispose patients to the development of this condition. Patients benefited from proper diagnosis and a multimodal approach to treatment.
In-Plane Bulk Acoustic Resonators Using 50nm-Thick Nano-Laminated Ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2

This paper reports, for the first time, on the use of thickness-scalable nano-laminated ferroelectric hafnium zirconium oxide (Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 ) films to realize high quality factor (Q), in-plane bulk, acoustic wave (BAW) resonators. 50nm-thick nano-laminated Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 transducers are created from growth interruption of 10nm-thick Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 layers by 1nm-thick aluminum oxide interlayers, enabling thickness scaling of the transducer beyond the ~20nm fundamental limit of ferroelectric orthorhombic crystal phase. The thickness scaling of the Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 transducer results in substantial enhancement of resonator $Q$ and power handling, while sustaining ferroelectric switchability and piezoelectric coupling. Various resonator prototypes, with lithographically scaled frequencies, are implemented in the same batch, showing resonance frequencies over 108 - 691 MHz, mechanical Qs exceeding 500, and f res ×Q products up to 1.84×1011.
Epidemiology of Uveitis in Olmsted County, Minnesota: A Population-Based Follow-Up Study.

PURPOSE To update the incidence of uveitis in a Midwestern U.S. county population. METHODS Retrospective population-based cohort study. All Olmsted County, Minnesota residents diagnosed with uveitis from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2015 were identified via the Rochester Epidemiology Project. Diagnoses were confirmed by a uveitis specialist. RESULTS There were 371 incident uveitis cases, yielding an overall age- and sex-adjusted incidence rate of 26.9 per 100,000 per year (95% CI: 24.1-29.7). Females accounted for 202 (54.4%) cases, 306 (82.5%) were White, and 299 (80.6%) were anterior uveitis. Highest incidence was observed in patients ≥65 years old. No difference in incidence existed between sexes (p = .17). Incidence rates increased with age for uveitis overall (all anatomic subtypes) (p < .001), anterior uveitis (p < .001), and posterior uveitis (p < .001). Idiopathic uveitis accounted for 168 (45.3%) cases, more frequently diagnosed in females (50.0%) than males (39.6%) (p = .05). CONCLUSION Uveitis incidence increased 1.6-fold over a 50-year span in this predominately White U.S. Midwestern county population.
The problem with gender

Webster’s defines gender as the classification of animate beings and inanimate things as masculine, feminine, or neuter. When used as a concept that guides how we perceive and study sexuality, gender becomes nebulous: To some, gender is defined in terms of behavior, whereas others regard gender as indicative of chromosome constitution. However, gender is an anthropocentric psychological construct that has little meaning when dealing with nonhuman organisms. In such investigations clarity and precision of definitions of sexuality are paramount. This essay demonstrates that sexuality is not a unitary phenomenon, but rather a multifaceted composite of different sexes that may or may not be concordant. The essay further suggests that the components of sexuality be considered in terms of complementary mechanisms and outcomes.
Biochemistry of Drug Oxidation and Reduction by Enzymes in Hepatic Endoplasmic Reticulum

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the biochemistry of drug oxidation and reduction by enzymes in hepatic endoplasmic reticulum. In studying the action of drugs in the body, it is important not only to determine the mechanisms through which drugs elicit their pharniacological effect, but, also to study the factors which control their concentration at active sites. The conccntration of some drugs are controlled mainly by their relative rates of absorption and excretion. Most drugs, however, are converted to other substances before they are excreted into air, bile, and urine, and thus their rates of metabolism may be a major factor in limiting their action. Indeed, the pharmacological effects of highly bound drugs, such as chlorpromazine, phenylbutazone, and thiopental, would last for virtually a lifetime if they were not converted to inactive metabolites which were readily excreted.
The ‘Golden Age of Historiography’: Records and Writers in the Reign of Henry II

The study of the reign of King Henry II of England (1154-1189) has been vibrant since the 19th century. As sources for his reign have been discovered, edited and printed, a host of scholars have attempted to assess his impact upon medieval diplomacy, law, politics, and warfare. The array of narrative texts, record documents, and financial records, however, is dizzying in both number and size and can be confusing for non-specialists. Sorting through the sources by type, as well as situating them within a historiographical context, is a necessary first step towards a fuller understanding of the modern scholarship.
Effect of Several Environmental Conditions on the “Thermal Death Rate” of Endospores of Aerobic, Thermophilic Bacteria

The composition of the recovery medium affected the apparent heat resistance of Bacillus stearothermophilus when the pH of the medium was 7.0 but not when the pH was 6.5. The rate of thermal death at 110 C was exponential. Deviations from exponential rates of thermal death during the initial phases of heating at 96 C were observed with endospores of B. coagulans under different conditions of sporulation. Additionally, the apparent heat resistance was influenced by the composition of the media used for sporulation and recovery and by the composition of the suspending menstruum. The presence of 0.001 m sorbic acid in the suspending menstruum at pH 7.0 and the temperature of incubation of the cultures after heating did not affect the apparent heat resistance of B. coagulans. Several explanations are discussed for the observed deviations from exponential thermal death rates and the effect of the environment on the apparent heat resistance of B. coagulans.
Mercury and Organomercurial Resistances Determined by Plasmids in Staphylococcus aureus

Penicillinase plasmids of Staphylococcus aureus often contain genes conferring resistance to inorganic mercury (Hg(2+)) and the organomercurial phenylmercury acetate. The mechanism of resistance was found to be the enzymatic hydrolysis of the organomercurial phenylmercury to benzene plus inorganic ionic mercury, which was then enzymatically reduced to metallic mercury (Hg(0)). The Hg(0) was rapidly volatilized from the medium into the atmosphere. After the mercurial was degraded and the mercury was volatilized, the resistant cells were able to grow. These plasmids also conferred the ability to volatilize mercury from thimerosal, although the plasmid-bearing strains were equally as thimerosal sensitive as the S. aureus without plasmids. None of the plasmids conferred the ability to volatilize mercury from several other organomercurials, however: methylmercury, ethylmercury, p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, merbromin, and fluorescein mercuric acetate. (Organomercurial resistance-conferring plasmids of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa that we have been studying confer the ability to degrade two or three of these organomercurials.) Although mercury was not volatilized from p-hydroxymercuribenzoate or fluorescein mercuric acetate, the plasmid-bearing strains were resistant to these organomercurials. The ability to volatilize mercury from Hg(2+) and phenylmercury was inducible. The range of inducers included Hg(2+), phenylmercury, and several organomercurials that were not substrates for the degradation system. Mercury-sensitive mutants have been isolated from the parental plasmids pI258 and pII147. Thirty-one such mercury-sensitive strains fall into three classes: (i) mercury-sensitive strains totally devoid of the phenylmercury hydrolase and Hg(2+) reductase activities; (ii) mutants with normal hydrolase levels and no detectable reductase; and (iii) mutants with essentially normal hydrolase levels and low and variable (5 to 25%) levels of reductase activities. The mercury-sensitive strains were also sensitive to phenylmercury, including those with the potential for hydrolase activity.
Amino Acid Regulation of Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Synthesis in T4-infected Escherichia coli

The effect of amino acid starvation on the synthesis of T4 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) was studied by measuring the uptake of labeled precursors into Escherichia coli cells which were infected prior to amino acid starvation. The results indicated that the rate of uptake of labeled uracil and adenine into T4 mRNA was reduced by approximately 50% when amino acids were withheld from stringent K-12 strains, but not when they were withheld from a stringent strain B or a relaxed strain K-12. Chloramphenicol reversed the inhibition of precursor uptake resulting from amino acid starvation in the RCstr K-12 strain. Pulse-labeling experiments reinforced these observations. Pulse-decay experiments in conjunction with actinomycin D indicated that the observed pattern of precursor uptake was probably not due to differences in mRNA decay rate. It is concluded that if amino acids exert any direct effect on the synthesis of T4 mRNA such an effect is much smaller than that observed for bulk RNA synthesis in the uninfected cell. These experiments also indicated that actual translation of the genetic message is not necessary for its transcription.
Density gradient fractionation of mouse lymphoid tissues. II. Effects of anti-thymus and anti-bone marrow sera.

Abstract The origin of antigen-binding (rosette-forming) and antibody-forming (plaque-forming) cells in mouse spleen is determined with the use of anti-thymus (anti-theta) and anti-bone marrow (anti-beta) sera. Evidence is presented that anti-theta serum is specific for thymus and thymus-derived cells. Anti-beta serum acts only on bone marrow and bone marrow-derived cells and does not affect the viability or functional activity of thymus cells. The cytotoxic activity of anti-theta and anti-beta serum does not overlap. Mouse spleen is fractionated, by density gradient centrifugation on bovine serum albumin, into subpopulations of cells. The top (light density) fractions are enriched in plaque-forming (PFC) and rosette-forming (RFC) cells. Cells sensitive to the cytotoxic action of anti-beta serum (bone marrow-derived cells) are found in all fractions of the gradient. The bone marrow-derived cells in the top bands appear to be antibody-forming cells and can be assayed with the plaque test. The bone marrow-derived cells in the bottom bands seem to be antibody-forming precursor cells and can be assayed by transfer to irradiated mice. Cells sensitive to the cytotoxic action of anti-theta serum (thymus-derived cells) are found in the top “A” and bottom “D” bands of the gradient. Our results suggest that a considerable portion of RFC in the top band are thymus derived. The evidence for this is that (1) anti-theta serum reduces the number of RFC but not PFC, (2) displacement of RFC from the top gradient fraction is accompanied by a corresponding displacement of cells sensitive to the cytotoxic action of anti-theta serum and, (3) RFC are present in the spleen of irradiated, thymus-repopulated mice.
Modeling relationships using graph state variables

The Mission Data System is a unified flight, ground, simulation, and test software system for space missions. Currently, its first application will be the Mars Smart Lander mission, where common MDS software frameworks will be adapted for use in interplanetary cruise, entry-descent-landing, and rover operations. A key architectural theme of MDS is explicit modeling of states. This provides a sound foundation for estimation, control, and data analysis. Certain essential states are relative rather than absolute. Relative states are defined in graph state variables (GSVs) as relationships between nodes in a graph. GSVs are a general graph-based state representation that (1) derives a state's value by combining relationships, (2) produces different results for different derivation paths, (3) handles changes to topology and relationships between nodes, and (4), represents dependencies between relationships (e.g. correlations). This paper shows example GSV representations for spacecraft orientation, location, trajectories, dynamics, and kinematics.
The Growing Burden of Endometrial Cancer: A Major Racial Disparity Affecting Black Women

Background: In contrast with the decreasing incidence seen for most cancers, endometrial cancer has been increasing in the United States. We examined whether the increasing incidence and mortality from endometrial cancer are equally distributed by race/ethnicity and tumor histologic subtype. Methods: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) endometrial cancer incidence and mortality data were obtained from 2000 to 2011. Age-adjusted incidence and incidence-based mortality rates, 95% confidence intervals, and annual percent changes (APC) were calculated. Rate ratios were calculated to compare racial/ethnic groups. Five-year relative survival rates were presented to explore survival by stage at diagnosis. Results: Incidence rates for endometrial cancers are rising across all racial/ethnic groups, with the greatest APC seen among non-Hispanic black (NHB) and Asian women (APC, 2.5 for both). NHB women have significantly higher incidence rates of aggressive endometrial cancers (clear cell, serous, high-grade endometrioid, and malignant mixed Mullerian tumors) compared with non-Hispanic white (NHW) women. Hispanic and Asian women have incidence rates equal to or lower than NHW women for all tumor subtypes. For nearly every stage and subtype, the 5-year relative survival for NHB women is significantly less than NHW women, whereas Hispanic and Asian women have the same or better survival. Conclusions: Endometrial cancer incidence is increasing for all women, particularly the aggressive subtypes. The disparity associated with excess incidence for these aggressive histologic subtypes and poorer survival is limited to NHB women. Impact: Increasing rates of aggressive endometrial cancers may widen the survival disparity between NHW and NHB women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(9); 1–9. ©2015 AACR .
Incorporating generic and brand advertising effects in the Rotterdam demand system

This study incorporates generic and brand advertising into the Rotterdam demand system, based on utility theory. A two-stage budgeting process is specified in which the impact of advertising can be viewed as a price effect. The model is applied to data on orange juice demand.
Variability in the Inter-Group Attitudes of White Children: What We Can Learn from Their Ethnic Identity Labels.

The current study examined the ethnic identity of White (N = 120), Latino (N = 87), and African-American (N = 65) children and early adolescents (aged = 9–14 years), with an emphasis on whether the specific ethnic label White children used to describe themselves might reflect differences in their inter-group attitudes and whether those differences mirror group differences between White children and children in ethnic minority groups. Results indicated that White children who identified with a minority label (i.e., White biracial, hyphenated American, ethnic/cultural/religious label) had more positive ethnic identities, were more aware of discrimination, and were less likely to show biases in their perceived similarity to in-group and out-group peers than youth who identified as White or American. In many instances, White children who identified with a minority label did not differ from ethnic minority youth. In addition, although all participants were more positive about their ethnic in-group than out-groups, children who identified their ethnicity as American were less positive about out-groups relative to other children. Taken together, the findings indicate that children's self-chosen ethnic identity is as important as their ascribed ethnic or racial identity in predicting their inter-group attitudes.