cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid Detection of AgrobacteriumTumefaciens in Grapevine Propagating Material

Crown gall, caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Smith and Townsend) Conn., is a common disease of vinifera grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) in many grape-growing countries in the world, e.g., Australia and Eastern Europe (9), South Africa (8), and the United States (2, 3). The pathogen induces gall formation on the roots; however, it more seriously affects the aerial parts, girdling the main cane and killing cold-sensitive cultivars (2). A distinct biotype of A. tumefaciens possessing a limited host range, biotype 3, causes typical disease symptoms in grapevines of several Vitis species in Greece (10, 11) Hungary (12), and the United States (3, 4). Lehoczky isolated A. tumefaciens from the xylem exudate of diseased vines (5), from tumor-free vines (6) and from grape root systems (7). He suggested that under moist conditions in the spring, root pressure causes xylem fluids to sweep A. tumefaciens cells from the root system toward wound sites caused internally by low temperature injury.
Program Directors' Perceptions of Programmatic Attributes Contributing to Athletic Training Student Persistence

Context: Graduates of athletic training programs (ATPs) have identified factors contributing to their persistence through professional education. However, program directors have yet to elaborate on...
Patient Reported Outcomes After Radiation Therapy and Other Treatments for Primary Brain Tumors

Purpose/Objective(s): Radiation is hypothesized to potentiate the efficacy of the immune response to tumor cells. Here, we aim to retrospectively characterize the treatment effect of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) in a cohort of patients with intracranial metastases. Specifically we examined intracranial disease progression following radiation with and without concurrent immunotherapy. Materials/Methods: We identified metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and metastatic melanoma patients who had intracranial metastases treated with radiation. Radiation treatments consisted of WBRT or SRS at a single institution from 2011-2014. We retrospectively reviewed patient demographics, pathology, oncologic treatment course, and radiographic imaging. Patients were defined as having concurrent immunotherapy if a cycle of Ipilimumab or Nivolumab was given within thirty days pre or post-radiation. Progression free survival (PFS) was defined from date of intracranial radiation to intracranial progression and overall survival (OS) was defined from date of intracranial radiation to date of death. Patients were categorized as having no intracranial progression, local progression within the treatment field, and/or new metastatic disease. The absolute number of new intracranial metastases was recorded following RT. Data was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, unpaired two-tailed t-test and Fisher’s exact test. Results: We included 74 adults with metastatic melanoma (nZ51) or NSCLC (nZ23) treated for intracranial metastases with SRS (nZ46) or WBRT (nZ28). In total 23 patients were treated with Ipilimumab or Nivolumab and 17 of these patients were treated concurrently with radiation. PFS and OS for this cohort was a median of 15 months (range:1-51 mo) and 27 months (range:6-76mo). At the time of intracranial progression, 93%of SRS patients who received SRS alone had new intracranial metastases compared to 53% in patients who received concurrent immunotherapy (pZ0.0006, OR 17.14, 95% CI:2.97-99.1). SRS patients who did not receive concurrent immunotherapy had a mean of 7 (range 0-35, SEM 1.49) subsequent brain metastases compared to amean of 1 (range 0-5, SEMZ0.43) in patients who received concurrent immunotherapy (p<0.0001). Conclusion: The use of intracranial stereotactic radiosurgery with concurrent immunotherapy was associated with a decrease in the incidence and burden of new sites of intracranial disease. Although SRS is a local treatment modality, these findings suggest a potential abscopal effect when SRS for brain metastases is used in conjunction with immunotherapy. Author Disclosure: L. Chen: None. J. Douglass: None. A.J. Walker: None. A.E. Marciscano: None. M. Lim: None. L.R. Kleinberg: None. P. Forde: None. T.R. McNutt: None. K.J. Redmond: None.
A Comparison of Functional Behavioral Assessment and Functional Analysis Methodology among Students with Mild Disabilities

Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and functional analyses (FA) are grounded in the applied behavior analysis principle that posits problem behavior is functionally related to the environment in which it occurs and is maintained by either providing access to reinforcing outcomes or allowing the individual to avoid or escape that which they find aversive. Previous research has pointed to the limitations across FBA methodologies in comparison to the direct experimental trials used in FA. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree to which hypotheses generated by common FBA strategies (i.e., interview, rating scale, and direct observation) match hypotheses generated through FA trials. Results of a multiphase descriptive study indicated that traditional school personnel with behavioral expertise were able to generate FBA hypotheses that were later confirmed by independent review and largely aligned with FA outcomes. The impact of the findings for the field and implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Polymeric Micro-Filter Fabrication Using a Micro Injection Moulding Process

This paper reports on fabrication and characterization of a micro-filter for hearing aid, dialysis media and inhaler. The micro-feature specifications consist in a diameter of 2.3 mm, a thickness of 0.2 mm and it is composed by a mesh with grid of 80 μm and ribs with width of 70 μm.The proposed micro-filter is fabricated by micro injection moulding process adopting a steel mould manufactured by micro Electrical Discharge Machining process (micro EDM). Different polymeric materials (POM, HDPE, LCP), particularly indicated for the injection moulding applications due to their flowability and stability, are tested and evaluated in relation to the process replication capability. Since the polymer micro-filter is made of a complex grid of micro-ribs, the injection moulding process must ensure complete filling of the micro-parts, preventing any defects (i.e. premature solidification, incomplete filling, flash and air traps). To this aim, different system parameters configurations (melt and mould temperature, injection velocity, holding time and pressure, cooling time, pressure limit) are tested for obtaining acceptable part in all polymers grade. Finally, the component is dimensionally characterized by confocal microscopy and its filtration capacity is then verified. Although the feature complexity was high, the results showed that the object could be successfully replicated by filling completely the micro cavities with two of them: POM and HDPE. The most significant parameters influencing the part filling were the mould temperature and the injection velocity. These findings allow to further optimize the micro-injection process parameters to obtain a high quality product.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Performance in the Public Sector: A Look at Federal Improper Payment Rates

Public administration scholars have often sought to determine the predictors of organizational performance. For example, Moynihan and Lavertu (2012) look at predicting the use of performance inform...
Effect of Protective Facilities for Occupational Hazards in a Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display(TFT-LCD)Panel Manufacturing Enterprise

[Objectives]To investigate the running effects of protective facilities for occupational hazards in a TFT-LCD panel manufacturing enterprise.[Methods]Field investigation and monitoring were applied to evaluate the running effects of protective facilities for occupational hazards.[Results]The qualified rate of chemical poisons in detection points was 98.8%,and that of noise was 86.8%.The qualified rate of power frequency electric field,high frequency radiation and X-rays were 100%.The qualified rate of ultraviolet radiation was 76.5%.[Conclusion]Occupational protective facilities were set reasonably,and operated normally.However,individual occupational protective equipment needs to be improved,and daily management and maintenance of protective facilities should be strengthened to improve the level of protection.
Abstract 2454: Targeting the translational enhancer complex MCT-1:DenR to disrupt NHL survival

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA Despite the vast number of therapeutic advances that have been made, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. In order to increase the NHL cure rate, new targeted options are needed. One such option that has been the focus of much recent interest is the post-transcriptional regulation in anti-apoptotic phenotypes of NHL, particularly the translational enhancer complex of MCT-1 and DENR. Involved in translation initiation and ribosomal recycling for transcripts regulated by 5′-uORF’s, the MCT-1:DENR complex has been shown to increase cell proliferation and the translation of survival-related transcripts through the combination of two critical RNA-binding domains. The goal of this project has been to biophysically characterize the formation and activity of this complex and to develop a method for evaluating the effects of disrupting its formation in vivo through the combination of NMR, X-ray crystallography, cell-free and cell-based assays. Ultimately, the information gained from this study will be used to evaluate a library of perturbagens that interfere with dimer formation and the development of MCT-1 driven anti-apoptotic phenotypes. Citation Format: Sean D. Stowe, Michael C. Cavalier, Raquel Godoy-Ruiz, Kristen J. Varney, Paul T. Wilder, Ronald B. Gartenhaus, David J. Weber. Targeting the translational enhancer complex MCT-1:DenR to disrupt NHL survival. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2454. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2454
Progressive peroneal nerve palsy in a varus arthritic knee. A case report.

Peroneal nerve injuries have been reported in association with traumatic varus injury of the knee1, traumatic dislocation of the knee2, upper tibial osteotomy3, knee arthroscopy4, and total knee arthroplasty5. To our knowledge, there have been no reports describing a peroneal nerve palsy associated with a varus deformity of the knee due to arthritis. We describe the case of a sixty-three-year-old man who presented with a symptomatic varus arthritic knee and a progressive, profound peroneal nerve palsy. Because this combination of problems has not been discussed in the literature, to our knowledge, the optimal treatment strategy for this patient was not clear. The purpose of this report is to describe this clinical disorder and to outline our treatment strategy. Our patient was informed that data concerning the case would be submitted for publication. A sixty-three-year-old man presented with an acute exacerbation of chronic pain in the left knee and subjective weakness of the left lower extremity. Specifically, he described a progressive neurologic deficit that had developed over a period of four months and that had resulted in a profound footdrop. He characterized the knee discomfort as moderate pain that limited his ability to walk one to five blocks. The patient used a cane when walking long distances and held onto a banister for stair-climbing. He stated that he had not had a recent traumatic episode and did not have pain radiating from the back. Physical examination revealed that the patient weighed 86 kg and was 178 …
Modification of cabrol patch for control of aortic root bleeding

Rate of bleeding following aortic root replacement is reported in upto 24% of cases. Bleeding significant enough to require re-operation is reported in upto 4% of cases. We performed a modification of Cabrol patch to control bleeding from complicated aortic root replacement procedure. We used a perigraft - right-atrial fistula technique to control bleeding from aortic root area using a bovine pericardial patch. Patient had an uneventful hospital course and was discharged on postoperative day 14.
Changes in left ventricular mechanical and hemodynamic function during acute rejection of orthotopically transplanted hearts in dogs.

During orthotopic cardiac transplantation in 10 nonimmunosuppressed dogs the donor left ventricle (LV) was equipped with endocardial piezoelectric crystals for direct ultrasound measurement of internal transverse diameter and an indwelling pressure transducer. Measurements made immediately postoperatively and then daily until death due to acute graft rejection included LV pressure and maximum dp/dt, end-diastolic and end-systolic internal diameters, the per cent shortening of diameter during systole, calculated ejection fraction, and the velocity of donor LV contraction. In addition, diastolic LV mechanics were characterized by the rate of filling, the prominence of the rapid filling phase of diastole, and the ratio of developed LV pressure to the increment in diameter during the total diastolic interval. Average survival was 6.2 (±0.8 S.E.) days. Developed LV pressure and maximum LV dp/dt remained within a normal range throughout the postoperative course except in three dogs studied immediately before death. Average end-diastolic diameter showed no significant changes throughout the postoperative interval, whereas end-systolic diameter decreased during postoperative recovery and then increased during rejection. The extent of diameter shortening during systole and calculated ejection fraction increased during recovery and fell during rejection. Indices of LV contraction velocity showed improvement after transplantation and then declined sharply during rejection. Changes in donor LV diastolic mechanics with advancing rejection suggested decreasing LV distensibility. These data indicate that the major functional components of acute cardiac allograft rejection responsible for hemodynamic deterioration consist of both impairment of ventricular contracile state and diminished ventricular compliance.
CHAPTER 207 – Cyclic Nucleotide-Binding Phosphodiesterase and Cyclase GAF Domains

This chapter focuses on the structure and function of cyclic nucleotide binding GAF domains found in PDEs and also include a short discussion of several others to which they are related. The GAF domains are one of the largest and most widespread of the small-molecule binding domains. They are distantly related to PAS domains, another superfamily with a similar fold. The acronym GAF was coined from the first three protein families in which they were identified: cyclic cGMP-specific and-regulated cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases, Anabaena adenylyl cyclase, and E. coli transcription factor Fh1A. Over 890 GAF domain containing proteins have now been identified in a non-redundant database. They are involved in many signal transduction pathways, protein regulation, and sensory systems. The first crystal structures of GAF domains have solved many questions regarding regulation of the proteins but have also raised many questions. Crystal or NMR structures will be needed for the various PDE domains with and without bound ligands to visualize the conformational changes that occur upon binding. Structures of the full-length holoenzymes and possibly also chimeras may also be required. Since these small molecule-binding GAF domains are intimately involved in regulation of so many different enzymes, they are also likely to become good targets for drug development.
Soft Mobile Robots with On-Board Chemical Pressure Generation

We wish to develop robot systems that are increasingly more elastic, as a step towards bridging the gap between man-made machines and their biological counterparts. To this end, we develop soft actuators fabricated from elastomer films with embedded fluidic channels. These actuators offer safety and adaptability and may potentially be utilized in robotics, wearable tactile interfaces, and active orthoses or prostheses. The expansion of fluidic channels under pressure creates a bending moment on the actuators and their displacement response follows theoretical predictions. Fluidic actuators require a pressure source, which limits their mobility and mainstream usage. This paper considers instances of mechanisms made from distributed elastomer actuators to generate motion using a chemical means of pressure generation. A mechanical feedback loop controls the chemical decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into oxygen gas in a closed container to self-regulate the actuation pressure. This on-demand pressure generator, called the pneumatic battery, bypasses the need for electrical energy by the direct conversion of chemical to mechanical energy. The portable pump can be operated in any orientation and is used to supply pressure to an elastomeric rolling mobile robot as a representative for a family of soft robots.
Modeling Dislocation Nucleation in Nanocrystals

Plasticity in nanocrystals is observed to be dominated by dislocation nucleation, as these volumes are typically too small to support a significant population of defects. Thus, it is imperative that accurate models of dislocation nucleation be developed to predict the strength of these novel structures. In this chapter, a set of multiscale models are introduced to address dislocation nucleation that spans both length- and time scales. Atomistic models are used to parameterize the activation energy associated with dislocation nucleation as a function of stress and/or strain. These results can be combined with transition state theory to predict dislocation nucleation with relative accuracy as a function of both temperature and time. Continuum models of dislocation nucleation can also be used, in conjunction with parameters from atomistic simulations, to extend the atomistic results to addition geometries, sizes, and materials. These models can then be integrated into mesoscale models of plasticity, such as dislocation dynamics, that are able to evolve the dislocation structures providing a complete picture of plasticity in these materials.
The labor supply of disabled veterans: 1995-2014

Disabled veterans are less likely to work today than in the past; between 1995 and 2014, the percent of veterans who were working while receiving disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) dropped from 62 percent to 49 percent. This drop has led the VA – which liberalized the list of health conditions that qualify veterans for benefits in the early 2000s – to face the same concern as the Social Security Administration: that the proportion of individuals receiving disability income who could work, but do not, has grown. Using the Current Population Survey’s Veterans Supplement, this paper finds that employment and labor force participation rates have fallen for disabled veterans only modestly more than for non-disabled veterans. Adjusting for the rapid aging of the disabled veteran population reduces the gap in labor market activity between disabled and non-disabled veterans by 40-70 percent. Although the share of veterans with disability ratings of 50 percent or greater (indicating severe disability) has increased, the most-disabled veterans have not reduced their labor market activity – if anything, their labor supply has actually increased. The results suggest that the decline in employment and labor force participation of disabled veterans is largely a function of age and the increased prevalence of severe disability and not a changing propensity for work. This finding should alleviate concerns that the Veteran’s Administration disability system is discouraging employment any differently than in the past.
An analysis of IP multimedia subsystems for a hybrid network

This paper analyzes signaling traffic generated by IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) when deployed within a hybrid WLAN IEEE 802.11 and CDMA2000 networks to provide wireless and broadband services to users. IMS provides a services infrastructure to 3G networks and beyond and delivers the capability to maintain sessions among calling parties. IMS is under varying degrees of trials and deployment. Service providers view the next generation network services as IMS based services due to the flexibility it provides for offering a variety services, including multimedia and interactive services. The hybrid network provides users the ability to utilize IMS services via WLAN and experience bandwidth intensive applications. From a business perspective, such hybrid networks would allow service providers to extend to users a variety of rich multimedia services, reduce customer churn, and increase revenue generating opportunities.
Searching for a Potential Voltage Sensor Intrinsic to Pannexin Channels

Pannexins are a family of large, oligomeric ion channels involved in a number of broad physiological processes. As ATP release channels, pannexins have important implications for purinergic signaling pathways, especially in context of neurological signaling where ATP acts as a neurotransmitter, or in context of vascular signaling, where ATP regulates vasoconstriction. Pannexin-1 is the best characterized member of the pannexin family largely because it presents readily observable currents when expressed heterologously and studied using patch clamp electrophysiology. Curiously, pannexin-1 channels can be activated using strong depolarizing voltage potentials (greater than +20 mV), suggesting the presence of a voltage sensing motif not found in other members of the pannexin family. To localize a potential voltage sensor in pannexin-1, we borrowed domains from pannexin-3 - a member of the pannexin family not activated by a voltage stimulus - and generated chimeric channels. Interestingly, we find that the extracellular and intracellular domains of pannexin-1 are dispensable for voltage sensing, suggesting an intrinsic voltage sensor within the transmembrane domains of pannexin-1.
Book Review: Gleeson M. 2016. Miniature Lives: Identifying Insects in Your Home and Garden.

Miniature Lives provides exactly what the title suggests: an introduction to insects that results in assigning a name to insects. The name may be order level or species level, or something in between, but it is usually adequate for your “home and garden” needs. There are several approaches taken by the author that make this book an unusually useful identification manual or field guide. Overall, the author cleverly provides much more information than the typical insect identification guide. View this article in BioOne
Transition of Adolescents with Behavioral Disorders — is it Successful?:

This study investigated the adjustment – one year after leaving school – of 130 individuals with behavioral disorders who had been graduated from special education programs throughout the state of Iowa in the classes of 1985 and 1986; 70 dropouts from these same classes were also interviewed. General adjustment areas investigated included living arrangements, leisure activities, mechanisms used to cope with personal problems, and difficulties with law enforcement agencies. Percentage employed, location of employment, hours worked, wages, status, area of job. fringe benefits, and source of help in finding a job are also reported. Employed versus unemployed individuals are compared in terms of gender, type of vocational training received in high school, and paid employment during high school. Individuals were also asked to rate their high school experiences relative to their usefulness in preparing them for various facets of adult life. All results are reported separately for graduates and dropouts.
Developing the Brain—Early Illustrations of Cerebral Cortex and Its Gyri

Abstract Background Throughout the Middle Ages, most representations of the brain amounted to highly schematized ventricles housed within abstract squiggles of neural tissue. The works by the pre-eminent Flemish anatomist Andreas Vesalius in his De Humani Corporis Fabrica (1543) added considerably more accuracy and detail; still, his drawings of cerebral hemispheres do not exhibit the gyral-sulcal pattern recognized today. Identifiable cortical landmarks would not be featured in print until Cerebri Anatome (1664) by the English physician Thomas Willis. Methods A review of primary and secondary sources on the subject. Results Medieval doctors understood neurophysiology according to the cell doctrine, whereby the first cell (modern-day lateral ventricles) was responsible for sensation, the second cell (third ventricle) for cognition, and the third cell (fourth ventricle) for memory. Vesalius challenged this ventricle-centric model and resolved to portray physical form only, without the influence of conceptual function. A century later, Willis and his illustrator, Christopher Wren, citing limited clinical evidence, proposed that the corpus striatum, the white matter, and the gray matter replace the three cells, finally allowing the cortex a physiological rather than a structurally supportive role. This relocation of executive function demanded the more meticulous rendering of the brain provided in the Cerebri Anatome . Conclusions Thomas Willis produced anatomic drawings of the brain depicting previously ill-defined surface features, as in Fabrica by Vesalius, because of a paradigm shift in neurophysiology, emphasizing the cortex over the ventricles, not because of advances in techniques of dissection or illustration. Perhaps, as the study of the brain continues, another future revelation in neurophysiology will drive another unexpected, enduring change in the study of the structures of the nervous system.
Optical Coherence Tomography in the Management of Skull Base Fibrous Dysplasia with Optic Nerve Involvement.

Background Fibrous dysplasia (FD) of the skull base can manifest with optic nerve compression. As most patients initially do not experience vision loss, controversy exists whether to proceed with prophylactic surgical decompression or elect for conservative observation. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), a physiologic imaging modality widely used to assess the condition of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), has been useful in monitoring compressive tumors on the optic nerve. This study evaluated potential use of OCT in management of patients with fibrous dysplasia and optic nerve involvement. Methods Six patients with suspected optic nerve compression who underwent OCT imaging as part of a neuro-ophthalmic examination were reviewed over a 2-year period. Patient records were evaluated for visual examination measures, most notably the presence of optic neuropathy, and radiographic measures on computed tomography. Measures were compared by age-adjusted RNFL thickness (above or below fifth percentile) on OCT imaging. Results Two patients were found to have mild optic neuropathy in 1 eye each. Three of 12 eyes fell below the age-adjusted fifth percentile of RNFL thickness. Presence of optic neuropathy was associated with abnormal age-adjusted RNFL thickness but not with optic nerve compression (P = 0.45). Conclusions Abnormal RNFL thickness as measured by OCT better predicted the presence of optic neuropathy than computed tomography alone. OCT may be a valuable imaging modality to monitor patients with fibrous dysplasia for development of optic neuropathy during periods of conservative watchful waiting.
Media technology, covert action, and the politics of exposure:

States wishing to use force in the modern era frequently face strong incentives to exploit secrecy. Successful covert operations can reduce the likelihood of unwanted escalation with powerful rival...
Exploratory analysis of sustainability involvements among the apparel companies affiliated withSustainable Apparel Coalition

Apparel industry contributes significantly to the amount of pollution and ecological hazards through the manufacturing of yarns, fabrics and apparel in ways that use a considerable amount of non-renewable energy, harmful chemicals and natural resources, thus contributing to environmental degradation (Hethorn & Ulasewiz, 2008). To address plaguing sustainability concerns apparel manufacturers are increasingly introducing sustainable products that support social and environmental initiatives as well as consumer demands for the same are on a steep rise (Ratneshwar & Mick, 2005). Little is known from a research perspective of different sustainable strategies that the apparel industry devises.
Assumptions and Assemblages: Variation in Material Consumption across the Rural–Urban Divide

ABSTRACTThis article analyzes the home site of Louisa McWorter, an African-American widow and landowner who resided in the town of New Philadelphia, Illinois in the mid-nineteenth century. Archaeological and historical evidence demonstrates that McWorter achieved economic success in agriculture, which enabled her to support a large family, grow her landholdings, and fully participate in the local market economy. Excavations at the McWorter home site yielded an assemblage that closely resembles the assemblages of European-American households at New Philadelphia while contrasting with patterns of consumption observed at African-American sites in more urban areas. These comparisons suggest that the consumption choices of McWorter and her European-American neighbors were shaped by similar economic and social stresses that differed from those faced by African Americans in larger cities. This study demonstrates that the life experiences and consumption constraints of demographically similar but geographically d...
Anesthesia for Mediastinoscopy and Mediastinal Surgery

Mediastinoscopy is widely utilized for the diagnosis and staging of diseases of the mediastinum. Most procedures are performed via a cervical incision. Patients may have significant co-morbidities related to their mediastinal disease such as large anterior mediastinal masses or Lambert-Eaton Syndrome. Anesthetic challenges include potential difficult ventilation and intubation, compression of the innominate artery and major hemorrhage. Knowledge of the implications of co-morbidities, mediastinal anatomy, surgical technique and associated complications are vital in the safe anesthetic care of patients for these procedures. Table 12.1 summarizes the anesthesia considerations for mediastinoscopy and mediastinal surgery.
Wayfair: Substantial Nexus and Undue Burden

This is the first of a series of essays wherein we analyze the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair. In this essay, we tackle some of the more immediate interpretive questions raised by the Wayfair opinion, such as how a state should approach substantial nexus. As part of our analysis, we offer advice to state governments. Specifically, we recommend that states take note of the features of South Dakota’s law that appealed to the Court and replicate or improve on these to the extent possible. We advise states to consider simplifying their sales tax systems (and potentially joining the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement if they have not already done so), offering full and adequate reimbursement for compliance costs (especially for smaller vendors), and offering free compliance software and immunity for vendors who properly rely on such software.
On common α-scalar Lyapunov solutions

Abstract We present two new characterizations regarding common α-scalar solutions for systems of Lyapunov matrix inequalities so as to bridge and broaden relevant existing results. As applications of such results, we further explore the cases involving a set of conformally partitioned block triangular matrices and a set of Z -matrices, respectively, to obtain new results concerning these cases, which are useful in the areas of control and systems theory and engineering.
The potential for "spillover" in outpatient antibiotic stewardship interventions among US states

Abstract Antibiotic stewardship combats antibiotic resistance by reducing inappropriate antibiotic use. Stewardship policy should be guided by experimental stewardship interventions. However, the design and interpretation of stewardship interventions is subject to “spillover”, in which the transmission of microbes between the control and intervention population reduces the intervention’s measured effect. Small-scale stewardship experiments may therefore underestimate the effect of a larger-scale implementation. Here, we aimed to quantify the effect of spillover on state-level outpatient antibiotic stewardship interventions to determine if states are feasible “laboratories” for designing national policy. First, we used dynamical models of antibiotic resistance to predict the effects of spillover, finding that if even 1% of residents’ interactions are between, rather than within, US states, the measured effect of a state-wide stewardship intervention could be reduced by as much as 50%. Then, we quantified spillover in observational antibiotic use and resistance data from US states and European countries for 3 pathogen-antibiotic combinations. We found that these cross-sectional data were insufficiently powered to detect even the large spillover effect sizes predicted by the mathematical models. We were unable to rule out the possibility that state-level changes in antibiotic use, either increases or reductions, may lead to substantially smaller changes in antibiotic resistance than if those changes took place nationwide. We suggest that well-designed, controlled interventions, couple with more sophisticated modeling and analysis, with could help determine spillover’s policy ramifications.
Basic Postulates for a Transpersonal Psychotherapy

The Greeks had a word, pou sto, meaning a place to stand, a ground, base, or set of principles from which to operate. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a pou sto for the practice of transpersonal psychotherapy (Grof, 1985; Vaughan, 1986; Wilber, 1977, 1980).
Information, Political Bias, and Public Perceptions of Local Conditions in U.S. Cities:

Using two unique surveys, one that includes over 6,000 respondents interviewed across 39 cities and another that includes over 47,000 respondents interviewed across 26 U.S. cities, we investigate t...
Next Generation Smart Built Environments: The Fusion of Empathy, Privacy and Ethics

Smart Built Environments (SBEs) and similar cyber-physical environments utilizing the Internet of Things (IoT) have been a growing research area in recent years. Contemporary research primarily addresses technology aspects, while human aspects, such as empathy, privacy and ethics (EPE for short), in relation to SBEs have not yet received adequate attention. In addition to challenges with respect to technology, there are apparent tensions and conflicting requirements involving EPE. On the other hand, opportunities exist for these aspects to support one another. For example, data collected and analyzed for empathic response may be used to alert the privacy-preserving subsystem. An ethical response may turn out to be the most empathic. The main objective of this paper is to present our vision for next generation SBEs and to explore pertinent EPE factors. We propose a unified framework that incorporates a game theoretic model to address EPE interplay in SBEs. Integral to our framework, we also introduce the use of a blockchain infrastructure for the critical need to support data integrity in such data-intensive environments. We illustrate our work in progress using an example. We then present major research challenges for the realization of next generation SBEs with fused EPE.
A cell type‐specific expression map of NCoR1 and SMRT transcriptional co‐repressors in the mouse brain

The ability to rapidly change gene expression patterns is essential for differentiation, development, and functioning of the brain. Throughout development, or in response to environmental stimuli, gene expression patterns are tightly regulated by the dynamic interplay between transcription activators and repressors. Nuclear receptor corepressor 1 (NCoR1) and silencing mediator for retinoid or thyroid-hormone receptors (SMRT) are the best characterized transcriptional co-repressors from a molecular point of view. They mediate epigenetic silencing of gene expression in a wide range of developmental and homeostatic processes in many tissues, including the brain. For instance, NCoR1 and SMRT regulate neuronal stem cell proliferation and differentiation during brain development and they have been implicated in learning and memory. However, we still have a limited understanding of their regional and cell type-specific expression in the brain. In this study, we used fluorescent immunohistochemistry to map their expression patterns throughout the adult mouse brain. Our findings reveal that NCoR1 and SMRT share an overall neuroanatomical distribution, and are detected in both excitatory and inhibitory neurons. However, we observed striking differences in their cell type-specific expression in glial cells. Specifically, all oligodendrocytes express NCoR1, but only a subset express SMRT. In addition, NCoR1, but not SMRT, was detected in a subset of astrocytes and in the microglia. These novel observations are corroborated by single cell transcriptomics and emphasize how NCoR1 and SMRT may contribute to distinct biological functions, suggesting an exclusive role of NCoR1 in innate immune responses in the brain.
10 – Magnesium bioavailability

Publisher Summary Magnesium has been recognized as an essential dietary element for about 70 years, and the element's role in hypomagnesemic tetany, also known as grass tetany, has been known since the early 1930s. The solubility of magnesium compounds in various solutions has been used by several researchers to predict bioavailability of supplemental sources. The solubility of magnesium from forages has been examined by feeding ruminally fistulated animals various forages and collecting ruminal fluid for magnesium analysis or by measuring the disappearance of magnesium from forages incubated in dacron bags in the rumen. Generally, urinary magnesium concentrations are considered to provide more accurate information than serum magnesium concerning the element's status in animals. Several factors have been found that influence the absorption and, consequently, bioavailability, of magnesium. It is generally accepted that absorption of magnesium from the intestinal tract and tubular reabsorption of magnesium in the kidney are lower in older animals than in younger animals. Availability of magnesium from tall fescue and fescue-red clover herbage was greater in mature wethers than dry cows, with weaned calves being intermediate. Standard magnesium sources used in comparative assay studies have generally been either magnesium sulfate or magnesium oxide with some use of magnesium phosphate. Magnesium sulfate is a highly soluble, uniform product and is considered the standard choice. Magnesium oxides, especially feed grade products, are considerably more variable in parent material, processing, solubility, and in their absorption by animals. Only limited testing has been conducted with magnesium phosphate.
Private-equity commercial real estate, timberland, and farmland: market integration and information transition dynamics

Using data from National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries (NCREIF), we examine market integration of commercial real estate and timberland/farmland assets via the Fama-MacBeth two-step...
Personal and Familial Malignancy History in Patients with Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors with a Focus on Sporadic Tumors.

Background Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) occur sporadically, in patients with neurofibromatosis 1, and in patients with prior radiation therapy. The incidence of unrelated prior malignancies and family history of malignancy in patients with MPNSTs has not been previously described. Methods A retrospective search for cases of MPNSTs at our institution for the years 1994–2019 was performed. The electronic medical record was reviewed for documentation of personal and family history of malignancies. Results The study included 331 patients. Of patients, 301 had documentation of their personal history of prior unrelated malignancies; 70 (23.3%) of these patients had a personal history of an unrelated previous malignancy. Of patients, 285 had information in the chart regarding family history of cancer; 210 (73.7%) of these patients had a family history of malignancy. Of patients, 145 had sporadic MPNSTs, 118 had neurofibromatosis 1–associated MPNSTs, 31 had radiation-induced MPNSTs, and 37 were missing this information. Among the sporadic cases, 29 had a personal history of an unrelated prior malignancy, and 10 developed an unrelated malignancy following diagnosis of MPNST. A family history of malignancy was present in 109 patients. There was a trend toward longer time to recurrence, time to metastasis, and overall survival in patients with sporadic MPNSTs and negative personal and family histories compared with patients with positive personal or family histories or both. Conclusions Patients with sporadic MPNSTs had a high incidence of personal and family history of malignancy. The genetics associated with sporadic MPNSTs include RAS and p53 mutations, which are found in multiple oncologic processes and tumor-forming syndromes. This suggests an underlying genetic predisposition to formation of malignancies, including MPNSTs.
Racial/Ethnic Differences in Sleep Quality among Older Adults: Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences (KHANDLE) Study

Background: We assessed cross-sectional differences in sleep quality and risk factors among Asian, Black, Latino, and White participants in the Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences (KHANDLE) Study. Methods: KHANDLE enrolled community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years living in northern California. Participants completed a modified Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index to measure six sleep components and a global sleep score (scored 0-24). Covari­ates included age, sex, central adiposity, education, income, alcohol consumption, ever smoking, physical activity, and depres­sion. Ordinal logistic regression was used to model sleep component scores across race/ ethnic groups. Linear regression was used to assess racial/ethnic differences in global sleep score and the association between risk factors and global sleep score. Results: 1,664 participants with a mean age of 76 (SD=7) and mean global sleep score of 6 (SD=4) were analyzed. Using Latinos as reference (highest average sleep score), Blacks had an average .96 (.37, 1.54) unit higher global sleep score (worse sleep) while Asians [β: .04 (-.56, .63)] and Whites [β: .28 (-.29, .84)] did not significantly differ. Compared with Latinos, Blacks and Asians had greater odds of a worse score on the sleep duration component; Blacks and Whites had greater odds of a worse score on the sleep disturbances component; and, Whites had greater odds of a worse score on the medication component. Risk factors for poor sleep did not differ by race/ethnic­ity except alcohol consumption (interaction P=.04), which was associated with poor sleep in Blacks only. Conclusion: In this cohort, racial/ethnic differences in sleep quality were com­mon. Ethn Dis. 2020;30(3):469-478; doi:10.18865/ed.30.3.469
Do fuel treatments decrease forest mortality or increase streamflow? A case study from the Sierra Nevada (USA)

Reduced forest mortality and increased streamflow have been promoted as hydrologic benefits of forest fuel treatments in water‐limited systems. These benefits, however, are often quite variable because they both rely upon the use of water made available through tree‐scale reductions in evapotranspiration. In this study, we examined whether forest mortality benefits and streamflow benefits from fuel treatments offset one another, because the allocation of unused water for one benefit implies less availability of that water for the other benefit. To do this, we took advantage of two paired‐watershed experiments in the Kings River Experimental Watersheds located in the southern Sierra Nevada. The fuel treatments, which included mechanical thinning and prescribed fire, began in 2012 and coincided with the 2012–2016 California drought and related forest mortality event. We found that in the higher‐elevation Bull watersheds, fuel treatments decreased forest mortality but had no effect on annual streamflow. In the lower‐elevation Providence watersheds, we observed the opposite result, as fuel treatments had no effect on forest mortality but depending on the model, increased annual streamflow at 95% and 90% confidence. The results suggest that the water made available from fuel treatments followed different hydrological pathways through the watersheds, with the water being taken up by neighbouring vegetation and decreasing water stress in Bull, and the water contributing to streamflow in Providence. These findings suggest that fuel treatments in water‐limited systems may not provide full hydrologic benefits to both forest mortality and streamflow concurrently in a given watershed.
Relationship between neural responses to stress and mental health symptoms in psychogenic nonepileptic seizures after traumatic brain injury

Objective To utilize traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a model for investigating functioning during acute stress experiences in psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) and to identify neural mechanisms underlying the link between changes in processing of stressful experiences and mental health symptoms in PNES. Methods We recruited 94 participants: 50 with TBI only (TBI-only) and 44 with TBI and PNES (TBI + PNES). Participants completed mood (Beck Depression Inventory-II), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom (PTSD Checklist-Specific Event) assessments before undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging during an acute psychosocial stress task. Linear mixed-effects analyses identified clusters of significant interactions between group and neural responses to stressful math performance and stressful auditory feedback conditions within limbic brain regions (volume-corrected α = .05). Spearman rank correlation tests compared mean cluster signals to symptom assessments (false discovery rate-corrected α = .05). Results Demographic and TBI-related measures were similar between groups; TBI + PNES demonstrated worse clinical symptom severity compared to TBI-only. Stressful math performance induced relatively greater reactivity within dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (PFC) and right hippocampal regions and relatively reduced reactivity within left hippocampal and dorsolateral PFC regions for TBI + PNES compared to TBI-only. Stressful auditory feedback induced relatively reduced reactivity within ventral PFC, cingulate, hippocampal, and amygdala regions for TBI + PNES compared to TBI-only. Changes in responses to stressful math within hippocampal and dorsal PFC regions were correlated with increased mood, anxiety, and PTSD symptom severity. Significance Corticolimbic functions underlying processing of stressful experiences differ between patients with TBI + PNES and those with TBI-only. Relationships between these neural responses and symptom assessments suggest potential pathophysiologic mechanisms in PNES.
The shifting paradigm of colorectal cancer treatment: a look into emerging cancer stem cell-directed therapeutics to lead the charge toward complete remission

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common forms of cancer worldwide and is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Despite advances in early det...