cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The hydrolysis of collagen by trypsin

The generally accepted statement that collagen is not hydrolyzed by trypsin unless previously swollen in acid or alkali, shrunk in hot water, or treated with pepsin, rests entirely on qualitative work by Kuhne and Ewald1 in 1887 and 1890.Using finely sifted hide powder as a source of collagen, we found that it was readily digested by trypsin in concentrations of the protease exceeding 10 mg. per liter. The hide powder was treated in 10 c.c. conical graduated centrifuge tubes with buffer solutions at various hydrogen ion concentrations, centrifuged, and the volume of powder measured. The buffer was then replaced by a trypsin solution made up in a buffer of known PH, and digestion carried on, with continuous shaking, at 40.00°. By suitable variation of the buffer we found that the tryptic hydrolysis was not affected by pretreatment of the collagen at different PH's between 1.1 and 8.9 and that the optimum reaction for the hydrolysis was at PH 5.9. The timehydrolysis curve for trypsin-collagen is of the same...
Estrogenic Flavonoids: Structural Requirements for Biological Activity:

A systematic survey of polycyclic phenols has been performed to identify members of this chemical group with estrogenic activity. Twelve compounds were found to be able to stimulate the transcriptional activity of the human estrogen receptor expressed in cultured cells by transient transfection. These natural estrogens belong to several distinct, but chemically related classes including chalcones, flavanones, flavones, flavonols, and isoflavones. Selected examples of estrogenic flavonoids were further analyzed to determine their biological potencies and their relative affinities for binding to the estrogen receptor. These data are interpreted with respect to the molecular structure of polycyclic phenols required for hormonal activity as nonsteroidal estrogens.
Effect of Functional Status on the Quality of Bowel Preparation in Elderly Patients Undergoing Screening and Surveillance Colonoscopy

BACKGROUND/AIMS Optimal bowel preparation is essential for successful screening or for surveillance colonoscopy (SC). Inadequate bowel preparation is associated with older age, the male gender, and the presence of certain comorbidities. However, the association between patients' functional status and bowel preparation quality has not been studied. We prospectively examined the relationship between functional status, namely, the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and ambulate, and the quality of bowel preparation in elderly patients undergoing SC. METHODS Before undergoing SC, 88 elderly patients were surveyed regarding their functional status, specifically regarding their ability to perform ADLs and ambulate a quarter of a mile. Gastroenterologists then determined the quality of the bowel preparation, which was classified as either adequate or inadequate. Then, the frequency of inadequate bowel preparation in patients who did or did not experience difficulty performing ADLs and ambulating was calculated. RESULTS Difficulty ambulating (unadjusted odds ratio [OR], 4.83; p<0.001), difficulty performing ADLs (OR, 2.93; p=0.001), and history of diabetes (OR, 2.88; p=0.007) were significant univariate predictors of inadequate bowel preparation. After adjusting for the above variables, only difficulty ambulating (adjusted OR, 5.78; p=0.004) was an independent predictor of inadequate bowel preparation. CONCLUSIONS Difficulty with ambulation is a strong predictor of inadequate bowel preparation in elderly patients undergoing SC.
STUDY OF COUNTERMEASURE OF DRILLING MUD TECHNOLOGY IN THE COMPLEX FORMATION IN KENKYAK OILFIELD

This paper is the second part of APPLICATION of DRILLING FLUID TECHNOLIGY in KENKYAK OILFILD.The reservoirs in Kenkyak oilfield are deep and high pressured reservoirs with complicated geological condition. The main characteristics of formation are :the salt formation is so developed that may reach about to 3000 meter thickness in permian above main area of salt dome .Reservoir pore pressure coefficient of carboniferous system is up to 1.90-1.94. Because carbonate rock which is the main reservoir developed many cracks that caused not only mud loss but also well kicked, and the safety density window of drilling fluid was narrow, first lost circulation then well blowout was easily happened. In the past thirty years ,many drilling accidents such as well blowout, mud loss, well slough, stick pipe were often happened .The obvious characteristic of drilling engineering was to have many accidents ,slowly pace and lower successful rate .It seriously influenced drilling works that many drilling accident happened by the complicated geological condition causing .Based on these characteristics of formation ,a series drilling fluid technologies for preventing accidents were developed by Southwest petroleum institute(SWPI) ,and then used in 9 wells in Kenkyak oilfield successfully during 2002 and 2003 year. By adopting these technologies ,the remarkable application effects have been achieved ,such as the drilling accident rate greatly reduce, the drilling pace obviously improved , drilling successful rate was up to 100%.
Quality control and management of welding engineering in ultra supercritical/supercritical unit

The situation and tasks of the welding quality control during the installation process in the ultra supercritical and supercritical unit were introduced.The relationship between welding quality,construction duration and safety was analyzed.And based on the analysis and summary of lots of practical problems in the welding engineering,a set of feasible management mode was proposed.In order to ensure the quality of welding construction, the method of issuing the "welding group certificate" was recommended.
Clinical study on the infection related neutropenia

Objective Infection is the most common reasons for the neutropenia.One hundred and fourty-one cases of infection related neutropenia were analyzed.Methods According to the diagnosis standard, the data of the 141 patients with neutropenia were collected from January 2001 to march 2003.The serum virus antibody was detected using ELISA. The data statistics were analyzed using Microsoft EXCEL.Results The middle age of the patients is 24 months (ranges:1 month to 14 years old).The patients under 3 years old account 57%. The ratio of female to male is 1∶1.56. Among the 141 patients with neutropenia, there are 105 patients with fever (75%).Eighty-eight patients had onset symptoms with fever, associated cough,rash or diarrhea. The associated diseases include upper respiratory infection (46%), pneumonia (16%), acute bronchitis and rotavirus infection (7.1%). Among 118 serum samples, there are 80 with virus IgG and IgM positive. Among them there are 36 with CBV infection (30.5%)。 In the group of the patients under 1 year old, 46% of the patients with the mean value of ANC 1≤500/μl. In the group of the patients above 1 year old, 34% of the patients with ANC 1≤500/μl. With the 3 days follow up, 50% of the patients with ANC 2≥ 1 000 /μl in the younger group and 20.2% of the patients with ANC 2≥1 500/μl in the older group.Thirty-three of 130 patients had anemia.Fourty-seven of 140 patients had thrombocytopenia. There is no significant relation between ANC 1 and hemoglobin or the PLT.Fourty-six patients with the IgG/IgM positive had interferon for a mean of 4.5d(2-8d). Compared with the patients without interferon, the time for ANC recovery has no significant difference(P=0.10).Conclusion Neutropenia is more common in the younger children. Half of the patients had ANC below ≤500/μl,which is susceptibility to the sever infection. The positive rate of IgG/IgM is 80/118,in which CBV infection is on the top (30.5%). This disease is also associated with a certain ratio of anemia and thrombocytopenia. Interferon did not show any effect on the recovery of ANC.
Operative mortality and morbidity after the Ross procedure: a 26- year learning curve.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY The role of the Ross procedure in adults is controversial. In comparison with prosthetic aortic valve replacement (AVR), its greater technical complexity has been associated with increased operative mortality. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of surgeon experience on early outcomes after the Ross procedure. METHODS Using multivariate analysis, the details of 530 consecutive patients who had undergone the Ross operation between 1987 and 2013 were analyzed according to whether they had surgery during the early, middle, or later phases of a single-surgeon experience. RESULTS Cumulative sum analysis revealed an initial learning curve of around 100 cases. There was no operative mortality in the later phase of 305 cases, compared to 3% (3/100) in the early phase and 2.4% (3/125) in the middle phase (p = 0.04). The mean EuroSCORE did not change significantly across the series (2.3-3.2%, p = 0.4), whereas the patient mix did change. A decreasing incidence of comorbidities, such as acute endocarditis (from 10% to 1.3%, p = 0.02), congestive heart failure (from 8% to 2.3%, p = 0.03) and coronary artery disease (from 11% to 2.3%, p = 0.001), occurred in parallel with increasing case complexity. Isolated Ross procedures were performed less frequently later in the series (42%, n = 130) compared to the early stage (68%, n = 68; p < 0.001), and concomitant ascending aortic or arch replacement were significantly more likely to be performed in later patients (33.8%, n = 103) compared to early-stage patients (1%, n = 1; p <0.001). Independent predictors of operative mortality and major morbidity included endocarditis (odds ratio (OR) 5.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-21.5), diabetes (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.2-15.5), and concomitant coronary artery bypass (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.2-8.4). Residents or junior faculty performed the surgery in 26 cases, under direct supervision and without patient mortality. CONCLUSION The Ross procedure can be performed with early outcomes comparable to that of isolated AVR in adults. The impact of the learning curve on patient outcomes may be mitigated by careful patient selection and experienced supervision.
Summary of the National Institutes of Health Research Workshop on the Epidemiology of the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

Participants in the meeting were as follows: J. R. Allen (CDC, Atlanta); S. Broder (NCI, Bethesda); Robert Edelman (NIAID, Bethesda); A. S. Evans (Yale, New Haven); J. F. Fraumeni (NCI, Bethesda); G. F. Grady (Massachusetts State Laboratory, Boston); Nancy Gutensohn (Harvard School of Public Health, Boston); R. A. Kaslow (NIAID, Bethesda); J. Y. Killen (NCI, Bethesda); R. M. Krause (Director, NIAID, Bethesda); P. W. A. Mansell (M. D. Anderson, Houston); A. S. Monto (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor); Frances A. Pitlik (NHLBI, Bethesda); D. T. Purtilo (University of Nebraska, Omaha); G. Quinnan (FDA, Bethesda); B. Safai (Memorial Sloan-Kettering, New York City); D. Schottenfeld (Memorial Sloan-Kettering, New York City); F. P. Siegal (Mount Sinai, New York City); C. E. Stevens (New York Blood Center, New York City). The Panel on Homosexual Men: J. Chin (California Department of Health Services, Berkeley); W. W. Darrow (CDC, Atlanta); R. Detels (University of California at Los Angeles); J. W. M. Gold (Memorial Sloan-Kettering, New York City); M. Marmor (New York University, New York City); A. Moss (University of California at San Francisco). The Panel on IV Drug Abusers, Prisoners, Female Sex Partners, Children, and Haitians: D. C. Des Jarlais (Substance Abuse Services, New York State); M. Fischl (University of Miami, Florida); G. H. Friedland (Montefiore Medical Center, New York City); J. Hanrahan (CDC, New York State); H. W. Jaffe (CDC, Atlanta); W. D. Johnson, Jr. (Cornell University Medical College, New York); S. H. Landesman (New York-Downstate Medical Center); E. A. Mortimer, Jr. (Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland); A. Rubinstein (Yeshiva University, New York). The Panel on Blood and Blood-Product Recipients: L. Aledort (Hemophilia Foundation, New Jersey); E. R. Alexander (CDC, Atlanta); B. Evatt (CDC, Atlanta); M. E. Eyster (Pennsylvania State University, Hershey); J. Menitove (Blood Center of Southeastern Wisconsin, Milwaukee). The Panel on Health Care Workers: S. Finegold (University of California at San Francisco); J. M. Hughes (CDC, Atlanta); J. E. McGowan, Jr. (Emory University, Atlanta); M. Sande (University of CaliforFrom the Clinical and Epidemiological Studies Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland
Silva Paranhos and the construction of a post-Lopista Paraguay

The Paraguayan or Triple Alliance War is generally known for its terrible destructiveness and loss of life, essentially unequalled in the history of modern Latin America. What is less well known are the efforts made to create a new regime as the government (and army) of Marshal Francisco Solano Lopez was breathing its last in the eastern forests of Paraguay. The following article discusses the events surrounding this process of nation-building, noting how a key Brazilian diplomat had the unenviable task of defending his own country’s geopolitical interests while attempting to put the Paraguayan Humpty-Dumpty back together in 1869–70. Here it is argued that he succeeded with the first but only partially with the second.
NDER: A novel web application using annotated whole slide images for rapid improvements in human pattern recognition.

Context: Whole-slide images (WSIs) present a rich source of information for education, training, and quality assurance. However, they are often used in a fashion similar to glass slides rather than in novel ways that leverage the advantages of WSI. We have created a pipeline to transform annotated WSI into pattern recognition training, and quality assurance web application called novel diagnostic electronic resource (NDER). Aims: Create an efficient workflow for extracting annotated WSI for use by NDER, an attractive web application that provides high-throughput training. Materials and Methods: WSI were annotated by a resident and classified into five categories. Two methods of extracting images and creating image databases were compared. Extraction Method 1: Manual extraction of still images and validation of each image by four breast pathologists. Extraction Method 2: Validation of annotated regions on the WSI by a single experienced breast pathologist and automated extraction of still images tagged by diagnosis. The extracted still images were used by NDER. NDER briefly displays an image, requires users to classify the image after time has expired, then gives users immediate feedback. Results: The NDER workflow is efficient: annotation of a WSI requires 5 min and validation by an expert pathologist requires An additional one to 2 min. The pipeline is highly automated, with only annotation and validation requiring human input. NDER effectively displays hundreds of high-quality, high-resolution images and provides immediate feedback to users during a 30 min session. Conclusions: NDER efficiently uses annotated WSI to rapidly increase pattern recognition and evaluate for diagnostic proficiency.
Identifying characteristic back shapes from anatomical scans of wheelchair users to improve seating design

Spinal deformities are common in people who require the use of a wheelchair for mobility as a result of spinal cord injuries and other disabilities. Sitting positions vary between individuals with disabilities who use wheelchairs and individuals without disabilities. In individuals with spinal cord injury, spinal deformities can result in the development of back contours that deviate from the shape of standard rigid back support shells. The purpose of this study was to distinguish and classify various back contours of wheelchair users by utilizing digital anatomic scanning technology in order to inform the future development of back supports that would enhance postural support for those with spinal deformities. The three dimensional (3D) locations of bony landmarks were digitized when participants were in position, using a mechanical wand linked to the FastScan(tm) system commonly used to measure surface contours. Raw FastScan(tm) data were transformed according to bony landmarks. A total of 129 individuals participated in this study. A wide range of back contours were identified and categorized. Although participant characteristics (e.g., gender, diagnosis) were similar amongst the contour groups; no one characteristic explained the contours. Participants who were seated in a forward lean position had a higher amount of pelvic obliquity compared to those seated in an upright position; however, participants' back contour was not correlated with pelvic obliquity. In conclusion, an array of different back shapes were classified in our cohort through 3D laser scanning technology. The methods and technology applied in this study could be replicated in future studies to categorize ranges of back shapes in larger populations of people with spinal cord injuries. Preliminary evidence indicates that customized postural support may be warranted to optimize positioning and posture when a standard rigid shell does not align with contours of a person's back. To optimize positioning, a range of contoured rigid backrests as well as height and angle adjustability are likely needed.
Biological properties of the growth hormonelike factor from the plerocercoid of Spirometra mansonoides.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a comparative study of the properties of sparganum growth factor (SGF) and growth hormone. Tapeworms of the genus Spirometra are of medical interest, in that the larval form is occasionally found as a tissue parasite in man causing the infection known as sparganosis. The sparganum is a ribbonlike, unsegmented larva that bears the rudimentary sucking grooves or bothria of the adult scolex at the anterior end. Spirometra mansonoides and its relatives are unusual in that the sparganum stage has low specificity and can parasitize a broad spectrum of hosts. The appearance of SGF in the plasma of implanted hypophysectomized rats is of considerable interest. The chapter presents studies that were carried out on hypophysectomized rats in which the mice were implanted with spargana to determine whether the response in this species was the same as those observed in rats. Spargana implants and growth hormone produced comparable effects on a variety of organ weights from hypophysectomized rats, except for an increased fat pad weight in the implanted animals.
Resource Review: The Annie E. Casey Foundation 2010 KIDS COUNT Data Book: State Profiles of Child Well-Being

The 2010 KIDS COUNT Data Book: State Profiles of Child Well-Being is an excellent resource for youth development professionals. The Data Book, prepared by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, provides national as well as state-by-state information on the conditions of America’s children and families. Ten key indicators of child well-being are utilized for the state rankings. In addition, the book includes an Appendix highlighting 10 years of state-by-state rankings using key indicators of child well-being.
From “Employees” to “Servants”

The past half century has seen a successful employer attack on worker rights and advantages everywhere in the world, threatening to re-establish the pre-modern “servant” in place of the modern “employee” and, out in the world of “globalization”, imposing new forms of labor bondage. This trend has been founded in the now baseless idea of a distinct, self-funding “private enterprise economy”. Thus the proposal, explored here, of extending full citizen rights—of assembly, speech, and so on—into the workplace itself.
Precise Photoremovable Perturbation of a Virus-Host Interaction.

Viruses utilize distinct binding interactions with a variety of host factors to gain entry into host cells. A chemical strategy is described to precisely perturb a specific molecular interaction between adeno-associated virus and its host cell, which can be rapidly reversed by light. This strategy enables pausing the virus entry process at a specific stage and then restart it rapidly with a non-invasive stimulus. The ability to synchronize the invading virus population at a discrete step in its entry pathway will be highly valuable for enabling facile experimental characterization of the molecular processes underlying this process. Additionally, adeno-associated virus has demonstrated outstanding potential for human gene therapy. This work further provides a potential approach to create therapeutic vectors that can be photoactivated in vivo with high spatial and temporal control.
Guilty as Charged? Principals’ Perspectives on Disciplinary Practices and the Racial Discipline Gap

Background: For decades, Black students have been more likely to be suspended than their White peers despite any evidence suggesting they are more likely to misbehave. This research builds on criti...
Integration of EGFR and LIN-12/Notch Signaling by LIN-1/Elk1, the Cdk8 Kinase Module, and SUR-2/Med23 in Vulval Precursor Cell Fate Patterning in Caenorhabditis elegans .

Six initially equivalent, multipotential Vulval Precursor Cells (VPCs) in Caenorhabditis elegans adopt distinct cell fates in a precise spatial pattern, with each fate associated with transcription of different target genes. The pattern is centered on a cell that adopts the “1°” fate through Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) activity, and produces a lateral signal composed of ligands that activate LIN-12/Notch in the two flanking VPCs to cause them to adopt “2°” fate. Here, we investigate orthologs of a transcription complex that acts in mammalian EGFR signaling—lin-1/Elk1, sur-2/Med23, and the Cdk8 Kinase module (CKM)—previously implicated in aspects of 1° fate in C. elegans and show they act in different combinations for different processes for 2° fate. When EGFR is inactive, the CKM, but not SUR-2, helps to set a threshold for LIN-12/Notch activity in all VPCs. When EGFR is active, all three factors act to resist LIN-12/Notch, as revealed by the reduced ability of ectopically-activated LIN-12/Notch to activate target gene reporters. We show that overcoming this resistance in the 1° VPC leads to repression of lateral signal gene reporters, suggesting that resistance to LIN-12/Notch helps ensure that P6.p becomes a robust source of the lateral signal. In addition, we show that sur-2/Med23 and lin-1/Elk1, and not the CKM, are required to promote endocytic downregulation of LIN-12-GFP in the 1° VPC. Finally, our analysis using cell fate reporters reveals that both EGFR and LIN-12/Notch signal transduction pathways are active in all VPCs in lin-1/Elk1 mutants, and that lin-1/Elk1 is important for integrating EGFR and lin-12/Notch signaling inputs in the VPCs so that the proper gene complement is transcribed.
Vascular CT and MRI: a practical guide to imaging protocols

Non-invasive cross-sectional imaging techniques play a crucial role in the assessment of the varied manifestations of vascular disease. Vascular imaging encompasses a wide variety of pathology. Designing vascular imaging protocols can be challenging owing to the non-uniform velocity of blood in the aorta, differences in cardiac output between patients, and the effect of different disease states on blood flow. In this review, we provide the rationale behind-and a practical guide to-designing and implementing straightforward vascular computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols.Teaching Points • There is a wide range of vascular pathologies requiring bespoke imaging protocols. • Variations in cardiac output and non-uniform blood velocity complicate vascular imaging. • Contrast media dose, injection rate and duration affect arterial enhancement in CTA. • Iterative CT reconstruction can improve image quality and reduce radiation dose. • MRA is of particular value when imaging small arteries and venous studies.
Best Practices for Testing the Predictive Validity of Ideal Partner Preference-Matching:

Many psychological hypotheses require testing whether the similarity between two variables predicts important outcomes. For example, the ideal standards model posits that the match between (A) a participant's ideal partner preferences, and (B) the traits of a current/potential partner, predicts (C) evaluative outcomes (e.g., the decision to date someone, relationship satisfaction, breakup); tests of the predictive validity of ideal-matching require A × B → C analytic strategies. However, recent articles have incorrectly suggested that documenting a positive samplewide correlation between a participant's ideals and a current partner's traits (an A-B correlation) implies that participants pursued, selected, or desired partners with traits that matched their ideals. There are at least six alternative explanations for the emergence of a samplewide A-B correlation; A-B correlations do not provide evidence that ideals guide the selection/evaluation of specific partners. We review appropriately rigorous A × B → C tests that can aid scholars in identifying the circumstances in which ideal-matching exhibits predictive validity.
Purchasing patterns and smoking behaviors after a large tobacco tax increase: a study of Chinese Americans living in New York City.

Objectives.Tobacco taxes are one of the most effective policy interventions to reduce tobacco use. Tax avoidance, however, lessens the public health benefits of higher-priced cigarettes. Few studie...
Advances and Challenges in the Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and accounts for one-half to three-fourths of all cases of dementia. In the United States, AD is the leading cause of a loss of independent living and subsequent institutionalization. Approximately 4 million Americans are currently diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease-which results in greater than $100 billion dollars in health care costs. This review provides a description of the cognitive and neuropathological features of AD and the challenge that aging populations around the globe pose to health care systems and to societies. A review of new and promising therapeutic strategies for the prevention of AD is discussed which includes estrogen replacement therapy and anti-inflammatory therapeutics. Pharmaceutical approaches that delay the progression of the disease, such as antioxidants, are discussed as well as therapeutic strategies for improvement of cognitive function in AD patients, including the new generation of compounds aimed at enhancing cholinergic function. This section is followed by a review of the current status on nerve growth factor trials. The final section addresses the issue of the genetic linkages of AD, the impact of transgenic and gene knockout mouse models of AD on research in the field and the potential use of gene therapy to treat AD.
Graaskamp’s Concept of Highest and Best Use

The concept of highest and best use (HBU) is fundamental to the estimation of market value in appraisal. For James A. Graaskamp this concept was in need of revision for both theoretical and practical reasons. Theoretically, HBU had to be interpreted in the context of most probable or most fitting use, consistent with definitions of the time. Graaskamp asserted this concept should be both stochastic (incorporating considerations of risk and uncertainty) and dynamic (evolving over time). Further, from the standpoint of practice, HBU should represent what best serves society and not simply be interpreted from the narrow reference point of the private market. This mandates consideration of aspects of real estate in the context of public goods. The Appraisal of 25 North Pinck-ney perhaps provides his best working definition of the concept. This chapter traces Graaskamp’s concept of HBU through his works and concludes with a more formal integration of his concept with the current economic literature on public and private goods.
IN SEARCH OF BIOMARKERS OF RESILIENCE: MEASURING DONOR-SPECIFIC RESPONSES TO STRESS IN CELL-BASED ASSAYS

Resilience at the cellular level can be viewed as cell’s ability to respond to stress. Responses to hazardous exposures in vitro could reveal promising biomarkers of cellular resilience. We used endothelial progenitor cells from different individuals to test variability of responses to various stressors, including ionizing radiation, oxidative stress and inhibition of angiogenesis. Depending on the stressor, individuals show different degrees of variability in cellular responses. The greatest inter-individual variability was observed in response to oxidative stress, which is implicated in aging. We earlier demonstrated individual variability in total-body response to oxidative stress: greater urinary F2-isoprostane levels, oxidative status markers, were associated with stronger resistance. The underlying mechanism for both cellular and total-body resistance to oxidative stress may involve mitochondrial metabolism, and specifically individual ability to utilize fat as fuel. Direct measurement of mitochondrial metabolism in endothelial progenitor cells will determine whether it underlies cellular resistance to oxidative stress.
College Students’ Views on Drug Policy in the United States: The Impact of Reading Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow

Using a quasi-experimental research design to test the “Marshall Hypothesis,” we investigated the effects of reading Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration and the Age of Colorbl...
Associations between disordered eating and intimate partner violence mediated by depression and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in a female veteran sample

Abstract Objective This study established a link between intimate partner violence (IPV) and eating disorders (EDs) via mediators of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in female veterans. Method A nationally representative sample of female veterans (N = 190, Mean age = 48.41 years) completed online surveys assessing IPV and symptoms of depression, PTSD, and EDs, at three time points from 2014 to 2017. Results Approximately 14.11% of participants met criteria for any ED (7.83% Bulimia Nervosa; 6.28% Binge Eating Disorder), and 49.42% reported lifetime histories of IPV. Eating disorder symptoms were significantly associated with lifetime IPV, PTSD and depression symptoms at the bivariate level. Mediation model results revealed that lifetime IPV was indirectly associated with EDDS scores, via PTSD symptoms and depression symptoms. Conclusion Findings confirmed elevated rates of probable EDs and lifetime IPV among female veterans; significant associations between EDs, lifetime IPV, depression, and PTSD; and mediation of the association between IPV and EDs by PTSD and depression symptoms. Implications for screening, treatment and research are discussed.
Spatial conservation planning under uncertainty: adapting to climate change risks using modern portfolio theory

Climate change and urban growth impact habitats, species, and ecosystem services. To buffer against global change, an established adaptation strategy is designing protected areas to increase representation and complementarity of biodiversity features. Uncertainty regarding the scale and magnitude of landscape change complicates reserve planning and exposes decision makers to the risk of failing to meet conservation goals. Conservation planning tends to treat risk as an absolute measure, ignoring the context of the management problem and risk preferences of stakeholders. Application of risk management theory to conservation emphasizes the diversification of a portfolio of assets, with the goal of reducing the impact of system volatility on investment return. We use principles of Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT), which quantifies risk as the variance and correlation among assets, to formalize diversification as an explicit strategy for managing risk in climate-driven reserve design. We extend MPT to specify a framework that evaluates multiple conservation objectives, allows decision makers to balance management benefits and risk when preferences are contested or unknown, and includes additional decision options such as parcel divestment when evaluating candidate reserve designs. We apply an efficient search algorithm that optimizes portfolio design for large conservation problems and a game theoretic approach to evaluate portfolio trade-offs that satisfy decision makers with divergent benefit and risk tolerances, or when a single decision maker cannot resolve their own preferences. Evaluating several risk profiles for a case study in South Carolina, our results suggest that a reserve design may be somewhat robust to differences in risk attitude but that budgets will likely be important determinants of conservation planning strategies, particularly when divestment is considered a viable alternative. We identify a possible fiscal threshold where adequate resources allow protecting a sufficiently diverse portfolio of habitats such that the risk of failing to achieve conservation objectives is considerably lower. For a range of sea-level rise projections, conversion of habitat to open water (14-180%) and wetland loss (1-7%) are unable to be compensated under the current protected network. In contrast, optimal reserve design outcomes are predicted to ameliorate expected losses relative to current and future habitat protected under the existing conservation estate.
Motion Aware Beam Tracking in Mobile Millimeter Wave Communications: A Data-Driven Approach

Mobile communications in the millimeter wave band is expected to dramatically increase the network capacity due to the large bandwidth. However, the high propagation loss requires compensation from antenna gains to meet the link budget. Thus, beam-based cell coverage is a critical component in the next generation of wireless communication. The appropriate beam selection induces a unique challenge, when the mobile device is roaming within one cell. In this paper, we provide a thorough analysis of sensor-aided beam updating approach at the user equipment side, which is validated through experimental data. By decoupling the translation and rotation in various motions, we can further improve the tracking accuracy and reduce the mismatch by 50&#x0025;. Finally, the overhead simulations are compared based on real sensor measurements given different typical scenarios. Experiment and simulation show that the proposed beam tracking mechanism could dramatically reduce the overhead of beam alignment.
The Presence and Consequences of Abortion Aversion in Scientific Research Related to Alcohol Use during Pregnancy

Recent research has found that most U.S. state policies related to alcohol use during pregnancy adversely impact health. Other studies indicate that state policymaking around substance use in pregnancy-especially in the U.S.-appears to be influenced by an anti-abortion agenda rather than by public health motivations. This commentary explores the ways that scientists' aversion to abortion appear to influence science and thus policymaking around alcohol and pregnancy. The three main ways abortion aversion shows up in the literature related to alcohol use during pregnancy include: (1) a shift from the recommendation of abortion for "severely chronic alcoholic women" to the non-acknowledgment of abortion as an outcome of an alcohol-exposed pregnancy; (2) the concern that recommendations of abstinence from alcohol use during pregnancy lead to terminations of otherwise wanted pregnancies; and (3) the presumption of abortion as a negative pregnancy outcome. Thus, abortion aversion appears to influence the science related to alcohol use during pregnancy, and thus policymaking-to the detriment of developing and adopting policies that reduce the harms from alcohol during pregnancy.
Non-Cell Autonomous Roles for CASK in Optic Nerve Hypoplasia.

Purpose Heterozygous mutations in the essential X-linked gene CASK associate with optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) and other retinal disorders in girls. CASK+/- heterozygous knockout mice with mosaic CASK expression exhibit ONH with a loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) but no changes in retinal morphology. It remains unclear if CASK deficiency selectively affects RGCs or also affects other retinal cells. Furthermore, it is not known if CASK expression in RGCs is critical for optic nerve (ON) development and maintenance. Methods The visual behavior of CASK+/- mice was assessed and electroretinography (ERG) was performed. Using a mouse line with a floxed CASK gene that expresses approximately 40% CASK globally in all cells (hypomorph) under hemizygous and homozygous conditions, we investigated effects of CASK reduction on the retina and ON. CASK then was completely deleted from RGCs to examine its cell-autonomous role. Finally, for the first time to our knowledge, we describe a hemizygous CASK missense mutation in a boy with ONH. Results CASK+/- heterozygous mutant mice display reduced visual contrast sensitivity, but ERG is indistinguishable from wildtype. CASK hypomorph mice exhibit ONH, but deletion of CASK from RGCs in this background does not exacerbate the condition. The boy with ONH harbors a missense mutation (p.Pro673Leu) that destabilizes CASK and weakens the crucial CASK-neurexin interaction. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that mosaic or global reduction in CASK expression and/or function disproportionately affects RGCs. CASK expression in RGCs does not appear critical for cell survival, indicating a noncell autonomous role for CASK in the development of ON.
VIEWPOINT FROM THE DIVISION OF GERIATRICS AND CLINICAL GERONTOLOGY

Dr. Hadley will review accomplishments of the Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology and make projections for the future.
Far right parties and ‘Europe’: societal polarization and the limits of EU issue contestation

Europe has experienced both marked growth in public support for far right parties and growth in public Euro-skepticism. While far right parties have become associated with particularly strident neg...
Fast and Isothermal Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Polysaccharide Feedstocks

We investigated the isothermal and fast (short time, rapid heating) hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of six different polysaccharides abundant in food waste. Pectin was the polysaccharide most diffi...
Implanted High Density Cuff Electrodes Functionally Activate Human Tibial and Peroneal Motor Units Without Chronic Detriment to Peripheral Nerve Health.

Objective Peripheral nerve stimulation via multi-contact nerve cuff electrodes (NCEs) has proved effective in restoring function to individuals with lower-extremity paralysis. This study investigates clinical measures of nerve health over one year post-implantation of a composite flat-interface nerve electrode (C-FINE) on the tibial and peroneal nerves above the knee in a human volunteer. This represents the first deployment of a novel NCE on new neural targets in a uniquely challenging location prone to prolonged externally applied forces, making acute and chronic postoperative observation critical. Materials and methods A 27-year-old man with an incomplete spinal cord injury (AIS C) at the C3 to C4 level received eight-contact C-FINEs bilaterally on the tibial and peroneal nerves, proximal to the knee. Access to four contacts per cuff exhibiting the most desirable responses was externalized via temporary percutaneous leads. Percutaneous leads were later removed, with contacts generating the best dorsiflexion (two of four) and plantar flexion (one of four) reconnected to a permanently implanted pulse generator. For 13 months post-implantation, nerve health and cuff performance were assessed through motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) studies, clinical needle electromyography, compound motor action potential (CMAP), sensory nerve action potential (SNAP), stimulation-evoked tetanic moment collection, and lower-limb circumference measurements. Results Tibial and peroneal MNCVs remained stable bilaterally above 40 m/sec, with CMAPs increased or stable after six months. SNAPs remained stable across all measurements. CMAP initial charge thresholds remained below 50 nC, with minimal changes to muscle recruitment order in three of four externalized contacts per cuff. Peak tetanic moments remained stable, with bilateral increases in thigh and calf circumferences of 5% and 14% over one year. Conclusions Above-knee tibial and peroneal NCEs can restore stimulated ankle-joint function without chronic nerve health detriments. Alongside previous femoral nerve data, this study demonstrates the ability of NCEs to enhance lower-extremity function with limited neuromuscular impact.
Neurologic infections during pregnancy

Neurologic infections during pregnancy represent a significant cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Immunologic alterations during pregnancy increase the susceptibility of the premature brain to damage. This chapter summarizes the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical manifestations in the pregnant woman and the infant, and the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the major viral, parasitic, and bacterial infections known to affect pregnancy. These organisms include herpes virus, parvovirus, cytomegalovirus, varicella, rubella, Zika virus, toxoplasmosis, malaria, group B streptococcus, listeriosis, syphilis, and tuberculosis. There is an emphasis on the important differences in diagnosis, treatment, and fetal outcome between trimesters. An additional overview is provided on the spectrum of neurologic sequelae of an affected infant, which ranges from developmental delay to hydrocephalus and seizures.
Role of Operator Muscle Coactivation towards Intuitive Interaction with Haptic Assist Devices

The current paper addresses a central question at the basis of our research into the control of haptic assist devices: is kinetic sensor information sufficient for the intuitive control of haptic assist devices during physical human-robot interaction (pHRI) Our study proposes the addition of operator physiological data in the form of muscle cocontraction (or coactivation) information, obtained from processing surface electromyographic (sEMG) sensor data from the operator’s arm muscles. Muscle coactivation has shown in previous research to correlate to the operator’s endpoint stiffness, an important system variable not directly observable. Results from target tracking experiments conducted on 10 subjects using a one-degree-of-freedom (1-DoF) haptic device show a muscle cocontraction variable as the best feature to predict the motor intent of the human operator. In addition, using muscle cocontraction data in tandem with kinetic data to train a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier offline results in an average cross-validation accuracy of 99%, compared to an accuracy of 89% with kinetic data only. Furthermore, statistically significant trends in cocontraction levels were observed in different stability conditions (trajectory tracking experiments, 10 subjects, p < 0.001) and across operator motor intent (target following experiments, 10 subjects, p < 0.001). These results strongly underline the importance of adding operator physiological information to the sensor data set in order to enhance the control of haptic assist devices.
Health system affiliation of physician organizations and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries who have high needs

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that health systems provide better care to patients with high needs by comparing differences in quality between system-affiliated and nonaffiliated physician organizations (POs) and to examine variability in quality across health systems. DATA SOURCES 2015 Medicare Data on Provider Practice and Specialty linked physicians to POs. Medicare Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS) and IRS Form 990 data identified health system affiliations. Fee-for-service Medicare enrollment and claims data were used to examine quality. STUDY DESIGN This cross-sectional analysis of beneficiaries with high needs, defined as having more than twice the expected spending of an average beneficiary, examined six quality measures: continuity of care, follow-up visits after hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits, ED visits, all-cause readmissions, and ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalizations. Using a matched-pair design, we estimated beneficiary-level regression models with PO random effects to compare quality of care in system-affiliated and nonaffiliated POs. We then limited the sample to system-affiliated POs and estimated models with system random effects to examine variability in quality across systems. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Among 2 323 301 beneficiaries with high needs, 52.3% received care from system-affiliated POs. Rates of ED visits were statistically significantly different in system-affiliated POs (117.5 per 100) and nonaffiliated POs (106.8 per 100, P < .0001). Small differences in the other five quality measures were observed across a range of sensitivity analyses. Among systems, substantial variation was observed for rates of continuity of care (90% of systems had rates between 70.8% and 89.4%) and follow-up after ED visits (90% of systems had rates between 56.9% and 73.5%). CONCLUSIONS Small differences in quality of care were observed among beneficiaries with high needs receiving care from system POs and nonsystem POs. Health systems may not confer hypothesized quality advantages to patients with high needs.
Effects of maternal depressive symptoms on sensitivity to infant distress and non-distress: Role of SES and race

The goals of the present study were to examine the extent to which (a) maternal depressive symptoms (prenatal vs. postnatal depressive symptoms) undermine maternal sensitivity toward both infant distress and non-distress; (b) such effects are stronger in the context of socioeconomic risk. SES risk and depressive symptoms interacted such that depressive symptoms, both pre and postnatal, only predicted lower sensitivity among mothers at heightened SES risk. The effects were comparable for sensitivity to distress and non-distress and did not vary by maternal race.
Behaviour influences thermoregulation of boreal moose during the warm season.

Management of large herbivores depends on providing habitats for forage supply and refuge from risks of temperature, predation and disease. Moose (Alces alces) accumulate body energy and nutrient stores during summer, while reducing the impact of warm temperatures through physiological and behavioural thermoregulation. Building on the animal indicator concept, we used rumen temperature sensors and GPS collars on captive moose (n = 6) kept in large natural enclosures to evaluate how behaviour and habitat selection influence the rate of change in rumen temperature during the growing season on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, USA. We compared movement and habitat selection of individual females during tolerance days (daily amplitude in rumen temperature was ≥1.2°C in 24 h) with those of control days (daily amplitude in rumen temperature was 500 m • h-1). Additionally, the relationship between rate of change in rumen temperature and movement rate was different during tolerance and control days in open meadow and wetland habitats. In all habitats except wetlands, the rate of change in rumen temperature increased while resting, which probably is a result of diet-induced thermogenesis. Our study demonstrates that the behavioural choices of moose on the landscape are associated with the rate of change in rumen temperature and their ability to thermoregulate. Wildlife managers must consider high-value habitats where wildlife can employ both behavioural and physiological mechanisms to tolerate warm ambient conditions in a landscape of forage, predators and pests.
Evaluation of Ranzoni et al.: Integrative Single-Cell RNA-Seq and ATAC-Seq Analysis of Human Developmental Hematopoiesis.

This article shows an example of the peer review process for "Integrative Single-Cell RNA-Seq and ATAC-Seq Analysis of Human Developmental Hematopoiesis" (Ranzoni et al., 2021).