cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response to Robert Segal

ROBERT SEGAL'S PIECE IS AN AUDACIOUS, if not trenchant, critique of certain strands of postmodern interrogations of religion. It is also simultaneously a spirited defense of a version of modernist constructions of religion. Segal confidently proclaims that theories of religion only claim to discover the "the conditions for the emergence (origin) and perpetuation (function) of religion." Such a claim, he argues defensively, does not mean that religion had an essence, or existed universally. Furthermore, students of religion "discover" religion. Despite Segal's spirited disavowal of postmodernism by his rather selected forays into a few noted proponents of religious studies in a postmodern key, among them Mark C. Taylor and Tomoko Masuzawa, it might well be that some of the postmodern heresy might have rubbed off. For despite all the proclamations in favor of the universal that Segal makes, he is not a doctrinaire modernist since he does in certain places concede an overlap between his methodology and those of his adversaries. I am wondering if, in part, Segal's claim is not poorly served by the analogy he uses for the study of religion. The study of religion, he argues, is akin to the truth of a doctor's diagnosis in medicine. Truth, imagery, and metaphor, as we know, are related. For according to Nietzsche, truth is part of a mobile army of metaphors. In Segal's view, the patient defers to the specialist knowledge of the physician, just as in religion the scholar, and not the believer, is the expert. I do not think anyone will disagree
Does Lower-Extremity Arterial Disease Predict Future Falling Among Older Men and Women?:

The purpose of this study was to determine whether lower-extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an independent risk factor for falls among older persons. Men and women 55 years old and older participated. Subjects with PAD (n = 86) were identified from a noninvasive vascular laboratory and a general medicine practice. Randomly selected controls without PAD (n = 82) were identified from the same medicine practice. Subjects were categorized into PAD (ankle brachial index, <0.90) or controls (ankle brachial index, 0.90 to 1.50). Subjects underwent a comprehensive baseline evaluation for fall risk. Prospective fall data were obtained using monthly mail-in postcards and structured telephone interviews over a mean follow-up of 9.6 +/- 2.9 months. Two independent investigators blinded to PAD status reviewed each fall incident for its eligibility. A total of 37 subjects (22%) had at least 1 eligible fall. In an unadjusted Cox regression model, the relative risk of falling was lower among PAD subjects than among controls (relative risk, 0.54; 95% confidence interval, 0.28 to 1.06). After adjustment for age, gender, history of frequent falls in the last year, number of comorbidities, and balance and gait abnormalities, PAD was significantly associated with a lower risk of falling (relative risk, 0.43; 95% confidence interval, 0.21 to 0.87) as compared with controls. PAD is associated with a lower risk of falling as compared with persons without PAD among older men and women. Future study is needed to determine whether reduced levels of physical activity among patients with PAD account for the lower rate of falling observed here.
Immunohistologic analysis of the distribution of cell adhesion molecules within the inflammatory synovial microenvironment

Antigen-independent binding of T lymphocytes to a variety of cell types has been shown to be mediated by receptor-ligand pairs of adhesion molecules. In forms of inflammatory synovitis (including rheumatoid arthritis), T cells home to synovium, become activated, and participate in the generation of chronic synovitis. Using indirect immunofluorescence assays on synovial frozen tissue sections and on synovial fibroblast cell lines, we studied the distribution of cell adhesion molecules on components of the synovial microenvironment in inflammatory synovitis. We reasoned that analysis of the cell types within synovium that express adhesion molecules might provide clues to lymphocyte-stromal interactions that occur in inflammatory synovitis. We found that antibodies against the lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 (LFA-3) molecule and the intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) both reacted with macrophage-like type A synovial cells and synovial fibroblasts, as well as with tissue macrophages and vessel endothelium. Using flow cytometry, we found that anti-LFA-3 and anti-ICAM-1 (but not antibodies against their ligands CD2 and LFA-1) reacted with synovial fibroblast cells cultured in vitro. Thus, these data demonstrate that the ligands for lymphocyte LFA-1 molecules (ICAM-1) and for T cell CD2 molecules (LFA-3) are widely distributed among cell types of the synovial microenvironment and provide numerous cell types with which lymphocytes can interact via these 2 adhesion pathways during the course of inflammatory synovitis.
Improved decoding of limb-state feedback from natural sensors

Limb state feedback is of great importance for achieving stable and adaptive control of FES neuroprostheses. A natural way to determine limb state is to measure and decode the activity of primary afferent neurons in the limb. The feasibility of doing so has been demonstrated by [1] and [2]. Despite positive results, some drawbacks in these works are associated with the application of reverse regression techniques for decoding the afferent neuronal signals. Decoding methods that are based on direct regression are now favored over reverse regression for decoding neural responses in higher regions in the central nervous system [3]. In this paper, we apply a direct regression approach to decode the movement of the hind limb of a cat from a population of primary afferent neurons. We show that this approach is more principled, more efficient, and more generalizable than reverse regression.
Implantable hollow fiber bioreactor as a potential treatment for hypercholesterolemia: characterization of the catalytic unit.

Previous studies have shown that the modification of low density lipoprotein (LDL) by the enzyme phospholipase A2(PLA2)results in a reduction of cholesterol levels in the plasma of hypercholesterolemic rabbits, due to accelerated clearance of the modified LDL. In the current study, we established techniques and optimized the ratio of enzyme to support for the immobilization of PLA2 on a polymeric support. Hollow fiber bioreactors made from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) polymers were used to encapsulate immobilized PLA2. This design was adopted to eliminate hemolysis of red blood cells by the enzyme. Characterization of the resulting immobilized enzyme in terms of its activity, Michaelis-Menten kinetic constants, and the variation of its activity with incubation time is presented. The enzyme activity was not significantly altered upon incubation at 37°C in lipoprotein-deficient serum (LPDS), over the course of 2 months. The Michaelis–Menten kinetics constants are KM = 8.9 mM, Vmax = 6434.2 for the free enzyme and K = 16.7 mM, V = 619.7 for the immobilized enzyme. These data suggest that a system based on immobilized PLA2 in conjunction with hollow fiber bioreactors (HFBs) may be a good candidate for lowering LDL levels in plasma. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
EFFECTS OF RECOVERY METHODS ON THE FUNCTIONALITY OF PROTEIN CONCENTRATES FROM FOOD PROCESSING WASTES

The multiple effects of the method of protein recovery on food protein functionality are presented. The results indicate the influence of method of protein coagulation (heat coagulation versus coagulation at room temperature) and type of coagulant (HCl, FeCl3, Al2(SO4)3, citric acid) on protein solubility, water binding capacity and baking properties. Dehydration conditions such as air inlet/outlet temperature (120-125/42-42° C to 190-195/70-72°C) or pH of the protein coagulate (pH 4 to 8) as well as methods of dehydration (freeze-, spray-, drum-drying) affected the water binding capacity and protein solubility of plant protein concentrates. Insignificant correlations (P < 0.01) existed between solubility values and water binding capacity data. Marked effects of the interactions between method of dehydration, protein source or dehydration temperature and pH of the coagulate on protein functionality were found. Based on the data presented it is proposed to develop processes for the production of protein concentrates with “tailored” functionality by selecting specific protein recovery processes and by mixing differently processed protein concentrates.
Noninvasive color Doppler inspection of small-diameter vascular grafts implanted in canine carotid and femoral arteries.

: To noninvasively evaluate a small-diameter vascular graft (approx. 4 mm in diameter) developed for coronary artery bypass application, a state-of-the-art color Doppler flow mapping system was applied to inspect various grafts implanted in 5 canines. The grafts, including Denaflex, Gore-Tex ePTFE, and Bioflow, were implanted interpositionally in the carotid and femoral arteries. Inspections were conducted with a 5 MHz linear vascular transducer at 6 weeks postimplantation and 12 weeks post-implantation, immediately prior to retrieval. In the carotid artery position, all 5 Denaflex grafts were patent throughout the implantation period while 2 of the 5 Gore-Tex grafts were occluded at 6 weeks, and 1 more was occluded at 12 weeks. In the femoral artery position, all 5 Denaflex grafts were patent at 6 weeks; however 2 were occluded at 12 weeks. For the Bioflow grafts at 6 weeks, 3 were patent, and 2 were occluded. The same results were observed at 12 weeks. The color Doppler inspection results indicated a higher patency rate in the carotid artery position than in the femoral artery position. Furthermore, the volumetric flow rate and the wall shear stress measured with the pulsed Doppler in the carotid artery were greater than in the femoral artery. These findings suggest that the hemodynamic “environment” in which the graft was implanted may affect the graft patency rate. The Doppler inspection results obtained at 12 weeks, identical with those observed after retrieval, demonstrated that color Doppler flow mapping is a reliable method to noninvasively inspect blood flow through small-diameter vascular grafts.
Coronary Excimer Laser Angioplasty: The Spectranetics Registry

After a decade of experimental and clinical investigation, it appears that there is finally some evidence suggesting that lasers may have a role in the treatment of some patients with obstructive coronary artery disease. While not yet published, as of this writing, preliminary results from two separate registries indicate that at least one laser, the excimer laser, used either alone or in combination with conventional balloon angioplasty may have a benefit in the treatment of long lesions, greater than 20 mm, by increasing the success rate and decreasing the complication rate in these complex lesions. The present review will summarize the initial clinical experience with the Spectranetics Excimer Laser Angioplasty System.
State General Sales Taxes in Fiscal 2002: The Recession Ends, But Revenues Show Little Recovery

The author looks at sales tax revenues for fiscal 2002, which in many states were lower than in fiscal 2001. Continuing fiscal troubles mean that lawmakers are likely to propose increasing sales taxes.
Neighborhood-Level Effects on Trust in the Police A Multilevel Analysis

From a multilevel perspective, the present study explores theoretical explanations for the causes of variations in neighborhoods’ trust in the police. The study is designed to answer these questions: Why do some neighborhoods trust the police more than other neighborhoods? What makes a person living in a specific neighborhood to have more or less trust in the police, controlling for the person’s personal views? To address these questions, the study analyzed survey responses from 1,024 residents selected from 25 communities across 5 regions in Ghana. Results revealed significant neighborhood variations in trust in the police in Ghana. Furthermore, a hierarchical linear modeling analysis revealed that the variations among the neighborhoods could be explained by their levels of disorder, income, and education. Findings from this study have both theoretical and practical implications and provide important insights for the police to improve upon their trustworthiness.
The Receipt of Cash for Losses of Personal Rights

The D.C. Circuit’s first decision in Marrita Murphy v. IRS, concluding that a recovery for emotional distress was not taxable, received wide criticism. This viewpoint demonstrates that, contrary to conventional wisdom, the IRS before Murphy had a well-developed view that the receipt of cash for loss of a personal right was not a taxable event, regardless of whether any basis recovery or statutory exclusion was involved.
Analysis of HIV/AIDS sentinel surveillance among high risk population in Shanxi in 2010

[Objective]To understand the HIV/AIDS related epidemic situation and behaviors characteristics among high-risk population in Shaanxi Province,and provide evidence for comprehensive HIV prevention responses and evaluation of intervention.[Methods]According to the national HIV/AIDS Sentinel Surveillance Project,4 groups of high-risk population,including drug users(DUS),men who have sex with men(MSM),female sex workers(FSW),men of STD clinic attendees,were interviewed with questionnaire and were screened for HIV antibody.[Results]Among 10305 subjects surveyed in 2010 of 4 high-risk populations,63 cases were HIV antibody positive.HIV antibody positive were found in 1/3 sentinel sites of drug users,the positive rate of the group was 0.3%.The positive rate of MSM was 8.8%.The positive rate of FSW was 0.0%.The positive rate of men of STD was 0.0%.The proportions of consistently using condom in DUS and FSW were 8.2% and 59.4%.The proportion of consistently using condom during anal sex among MSM was 45.5%.[Conclusion]There are many risk factors involved in the spread of HIV,HIV infection is spreading among high-risk populations in Shaanxi Province.It is necessary to reinforce health education and behavioral intervention among high-risk population.
Defining the SUMO System in Maize: SUMOylation Is Up-Regulated during Endosperm Development and Rapidly Induced by Stress

In response to abiotic and biotic challenges, plants rapidly attach small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) to a large collection of nuclear proteins, with studies in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) linking SUMOylation to stress tolerance via its modification of factors involved in chromatin and RNA dynamics. Despite this importance, little is known about SUMOylation in crop species. Here, we describe the plant SUMO system at the phylogenetic, biochemical, and transcriptional levels with a focus on maize (Zea mays). In addition to canonical SUMOs, land plants encode a loosely constrained noncanonical isoform and a variant containing a long extension upstream of the signature β-grasp fold, with cereals also expressing a novel diSUMO polypeptide bearing two SUMO β-grasp domains in tandem. Maize and other cereals also synthesize a unique SUMO-conjugating enzyme variant with more restricted expression patterns that is enzymatically active despite a distinct electrostatic surface. Maize SUMOylation primarily impacts nuclear substrates, is strongly induced by high temperatures, and displays a memory that suppresses subsequent conjugation. Both in-depth transcript and conjugate profiles in various maize organs point to tissue/cell-specific functions for SUMOylation, with potentially significant roles during embryo and endosperm maturation. Collectively, these studies define the organization of the maize SUMO system and imply important functions during seed development and stress defense.
Chromosome Abnormalities in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia and Their Clinical Importance

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a neoplastic disease developing as a result of accumulation of somatic genetic alterations, both detectable microscopically as structural and numerical chromosome abnormalities and submicroscopic, such as gene mutations and changes in gene and microRNA expression, in haematopoietic progenitor cells. The cytogenetic landscape of AML is very heterogeneous with more than 300 recurrent abnormalities identified to date. Several of these abnormalities are now used to delineate separate disease entities in the World Health Organization Classification of AML. Moreover, pretreatment cytogenetic findings are among the most important, independent prognostic factors in both adults and children with AML.
Local vs. regional groundwater flow delineation from stable isotopes at Western North America springs.

The recharge location for many springs is unknown because they can be sourced from proximal, shallow, atmospheric sources or long-traveled, deep, regional aquifers. The stable isotope (18O and 2H) geochemistry of springs water can provide cost-effective indications of relative flow path distance without the expense of drilling boreholes, conducting geophysical studies, or building groundwater flow models. Locally sourced springs generally have an isotopic signature similar to local precipitation for that region and elevation. Springs with a very different isotopic composition than local meteoric inputs likely have non-local recharge, representing a regional source. We tested this local vs. regional flow derived hypothesis with data from a new, large springs isotopic database from studies across Western North America in Arizona, Nevada, and Alberta. The combination of location-specific precipitation data with stable isotopic groundwater data provides an effective method for flow path determination at springs. We found springs in Arizona issue from a mix of regional and local recharge sources. These springs have a weak elevation trend across 1588 m of elevation where higher elevation springs are only slightly more depleted than low elevation springs with a δ18O variation of 5.9‰. Springs sampled in Nevada showed a strong elevation-isotope relationship with high-elevation sites discharging depleted waters and lower elevation springs issuing enriched waters; only a 2.6‰ difference exists in 18O values over an elevation range of more than 1500 m. Alberta's springs are mostly sourced from local flow systems and show a moderate elevation trend of 1200 m, but the largest range in δ18O, 7.1‰.
Widespread transneuronal propagation of α-synucleinopathy triggered in olfactory bulb mimics prodromal Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the progressive appearance of intraneuronal Lewy aggregates, which are primarily composed of misfolded α-synuclein (α-syn). The aggregates are believed to propagate via neural pathways following a stereotypical pattern, starting in the olfactory bulb (OB) and gut. We hypothesized that injection of fibrillar α-syn into the OB of wild-type mice would recreate the sequential progression of Lewy-like pathology, while triggering olfactory deficits. We demonstrate that injected α-syn fibrils recruit endogenous α-syn into pathological aggregates that spread transneuronally over several months, initially in the olfactory network and later in distant brain regions. The seeded inclusions contain posttranslationally modified α-syn that is Thioflavin S positive, indicative of amyloid fibrils. The spreading α-syn pathology induces progressive and specific olfactory deficits. Thus, we demonstrate that propagating α-syn pathology triggered in the OB is functionally detrimental. Collectively, we have created a mouse model of prodromal PD.
Maternal Thyroid Function and Infant Development

The effect of maternal thyroid function in the first half of pregnancy on the neurologic development of 20 infants in the first two years of life was studied at the University of Amsterdam and Emma Children’s Hospital, The Netherlands.
Analysis of Increased Blood Transfusions in U.S. Hospitals, 1997 – 2006.

Blood transfusion during hospitalization (Tx-hospitalization) in the U.S. is very common in medical practice. In-hospital blood transfusions are indicated for multiple medical, surgical and hemorrhagic conditions. However, descriptions of the patient populations receiving transfusions in U.S. hospitals are vague. The purpose of this study is to use nationally representative hospital discharge data to provide information regarding the patient populations and associated diagnoses that have caused the demand for blood transfusions in U.S. hospitals. Data were obtained through cross-sectional analysis of the 1997 through 2006 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). The NIS is the largest, multi-year, all-payer inpatient care database that is publicly available in the U.S. The NIS contains data from 5 to 8 million unweighted hospital stays from about 1,000 hospitals sampled to approximate a 20-percent stratified sample of U.S. community hospitals. The NIS is drawn from the States participating in HCUP, which represent 90% of all hospital discharges in 2006. The NIS includes weights that allow calculation of reliable, representative national estimates of care in U.S hospitals. Blood transfusion was identified using the Clinical Classifications Software (CCS) procedure grouping 222. In 2006, 2.4 hospital hospitalizations included at least one blood product transfusion compared with 1.1 million in 1997. This 117% increase in Tx-hospitalizations was steady, with an average of 140,000 additional Tx-hospitalizations during each year. During that same period, the total number of U.S. hospitalizations increased 14%. Blood transfusions were among the top 10 procedures performed in all age groups. The elderly (>65+ years of age) accounted for the greatest number of hospitalizations with a transfusion with 1.4 million in 2006 compared to 622,000 in 1997. The most common type of transfusion was packed red cells, which accounted for about 90 percent of all types of transfusions (2.1 million of the 2.4 million transfusions in 2006). Coding of diagnosis at discharge was utilized to determine the conditions contributing to the increased utilization of transfusions. Transfusion was coded as a primary procedure during hospitalizations in which more invasive procedures were not performed. From 1997 to 2006, the fraction of hospitalizations with transfusion listed as the principle procedure was stable, and represented one-fourth of all Tx-hospitalizations. Within that group, the most common principle diagnoses were coded as anemia (15.8%), gastrointestinal hemorrhage (7.3%), CHF (5.5%), pneumonia (5.2%), and septicemia (5.0%). Cancers accounted for
Breaking bad news to patients with cancer: A randomized control trial of a brief communication skills training module incorporating the stories and preferences of actual patients.

Abstract Objective This study tested the effectiveness of a brief, learner-centered, breaking bad news (BBN) communication skills training module using objective evaluation measures. Methods This randomized control study (N = 66) compared intervention and control groups of students (n = 28) and residents’ (n = 38) objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) performance of communication skills using Common Ground Assessment and Breaking Bad News measures. Results Follow-up performance scores of intervention group students improved significantly regarding BBN (colon cancer (CC), p = 0.007, r = −0.47; breast cancer (BC), p = 0.003, r = −0.53), attention to patient responses after BBN (CC, p Conclusion This brief BBN training module is an effective method of improving BBN communication skills among medical students and residents. Practice implications Implementation of this brief individualized training module within health education programs could lead to improved communication skills and patient care.
Novel Biosensing Methods

This chapter presents a fractal analysis for the binding of various concentrations of mouse monoclonal anti-rabbit IgG in solution to rabbit patterned cells using a diffraction-based sandwich immunoassay; the binding and hybridization of DNA using a double-wavelength technique for SPR measurements; the binding and dissociation of different concentrations of GSH-(Glutathione)-MPC in solution to polyclonal antibody plus Protein A immobilized on a QCM; and the binding and dissociation of substance P (neuropeptide) (SP) in solution to quencher-labeled mAb SP31 by using the SPIT-FRI procedure. The fractal analysis aims to provide better insights into the analyte–receptor interactions occurring on these novel types of sensing surfaces or modifications of previously employed sensing surfaces and helps to relate the binding and the dissociation rate coefficients with the degree of heterogeneity that exists on these sensing surfaces. On the basis of the prefactor analysis or fractal aggregates, quantitative predictive expressions are developed for the binding rate coefficient k 1 as a function of the fractal dimension D f1 for the binding of 50–250 ng/ml anti-rabbit IgG concentration in solution to rabbit IgG patterned cells; the binding rate coefficient k 2 as a function of the anti-rabbit IgG concentration in solution; the ratio of the binding rate coefficients, k 2 / k 1 , as a function of the ratio of fractal dimensions, D f2 / D f1 ; the binding rate coefficient k 1 as a function of the fractal dimension D f1 for the binding (hybridization) of G-HCV-c in solution to G-HCV immobilized on the spot surface; and for the selective hybridization of G-HCV-c and T2-HCV-c in solution to complementary sequences immobilized at different spot surfaces. The binding rate coefficient obtained is quite sensitive to the fractal dimension or the degree of heterogeneity that exists on the surface as noted by the order of dependence exhibited on the fractal dimension D f .
Design-for-Assembly (DFA) by Reverse Engineering

“Design-for-Assembly (DFA)” is a design philosophy concerned with improving product designs for simpler or less costly assembly operations. DFA can also lead to improvements in serviceability, reliability, and quality of the end product. Figure 1 depicts a typical application of DFA, showing before and after shots of an assembly redesigned according to DFA principles (Welter Sept, 1989). It is easy to recognize that the redesigned assembly not only has fewer parts, but also is simpler to assemble. This type of redesign can bring significant cost savings in the required handling and assembly equipments.
Aqueous Superparamagnetic Magnetite Dispersions with Ultrahigh Initial Magnetic Susceptibilities

Superparamagnetic nanoparticles with a high initial magnetic susceptibility χo are of great interest in a wide variety of chemical, biomedical, electronic, and subsurface energy applications. In order to achieve the theoretically predicted increase in χo with the cube of the magnetic diameter, new synthetic techniques are needed to control the crystal structure, particularly for magnetite nanoparticles larger than 10 nm. Aqueous magnetite dispersions (Fe3O4) with a χo of 3.3 (dimensionless SI units) at 1.9 vol %, over 3- to 5-fold greater than those reported previously, were produced in a one-pot synthesis at 210 °C and ambient pressure via thermal decomposition of Fe(II) acetate in triethylene glycol (TEG). The rapid nucleation and focused growth with an unusually high precursor-to-solvent molar ratio of 1:12 led to primary particles with a volume average diameter of 16 nm and low polydispersity according to TEM. The morphology was a mixture of stoichiometric and substoichiometric magnetite according to ...
The Urban Crisis and the Search for Identity

The resolution of present-day urban conflict demands that all black and white Americans search for new separate and collective identities
Coronary Heart Disease in Postmenopausal Women: What We Know and What We Must Learn

A woman in the United States is more likely to die from coronary heart disease than from any other health problem. Yet, despite the fact that coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in U.S. women, responsible for almost 1/4 million fatalities annually, virtually all the information used daily by physicians related to the prevention, clinical recognition, management, and prognosis of coronary heart disease is derived from studies conducted predominantly or exclusively in middle-aged men [1–3]. This manuscript reviews the evolution of our knowledge about coronary heart disease in women, in particular addressing how much of the traditional male model of coronary heart disease is applicable to coronary illness in older women.
Rate-Limiting Steps in Biological Photoproductivity

An average crop of soybeans has a seed yield of about 1800 kg·ha−1·yr−1 and that of corn about 6000 kg·ha−1 yr−1. Expressed on another basis an average crop of soybeans, wheat, or corn converts only 0.2 to 0.4% of the incident solar radiation to dry matter with maximum short-term efficiencies of 1.4 to 2.9%. What are the factors limiting biological photoproductivity or the efficiency of conversion of solar radiation by crops? Identification of these ratelimiting factors and developing practical solutions must be the primary goal of world crop production research. A doubling in biological photoproductivity is the minimal requirement during the next 25 years (Hardy, 1976a,b). Biological photoproductivity is considered as the spacetime yield of the economic component of crops as described in the introductory sentence of this paragraph and is synonymous with yield.
The balance of two opposing factors Mad and Myc regulates cell fate during tissue remodeling

Cell proliferation and differentiation are two distinct yet coupled processes in development in diverse organisms. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate this process is a central theme in developmental biology. The intestinal epithelium is a highly complex tissue that relies on the coordination of cell proliferation within the crypts and apoptosis mainly at the tip of the villi, preservation of epithelial function through differentiation, and homeostatic cell migration along the crypt-villus axis. Small populations of adult stem cells are responsible for the self-renewal of the epithelium throughout life. Surprisingly, much less is known about the mechanisms governing the remodeling of the intestine from the embryonic to adult form. Furthermore, it remains unknown how thyroid hormone (T3) affects stem cell development during this postembryonic process, which is around birth in mammals when T3 level increase rapidly in the plasma. Tissue remodeling during amphibian metamorphosis is very similar to the maturation of the mammalian organs around birth in mammals and is regulated by T3. In particular, many unique features of Xenopus intestinal remodeling during metamorphosis has enabled us and others to elucidate how adult stem cells are formed during postembryonic development in vertebrates. In this review, we will focus on recent findings on the role of Mad1/c-Myc in cell death and proliferation during intestinal metamorphosis and discuss how a Mad1–c-Myc balance controls intestinal epithelial cell fate during this T3-dependent process.
Tactics to Prevent Intra-Abdominal Infections in General Surgery.

Abstract Background: Abdominal infections following surgery have many severe consequences. Several effective, well-evaluated infection prevention and control processes exist to avoid these infectio...
Executive Functioning, Visuo-Spatial and Inter-Personal Skill Preservation in Alzheimer’s and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Most research, clinical and behavioral, has focused on cognitive degeneration, disease progression and related difficulties in Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, most therapeutic approaches have as their goal the improvement of cognitive capacities in general. This paper discusses the case of two patients under intra-nasal insulin therapy (cf. Craft S, Baker L, Montine T, Minoshima S, Watson S, Claxton A, Arbuckle M, Callaghan M, Tsai E, Plymate S, Green P, Leverenz J, Cross D, Gerton B, Arch Neurol 69(1):29–38, 2012; de la Monte, 2012; Freiherr J, Hallschmid M, Frey II WH, Brunner YF, Chapman CD, Holscher C, Craft S, De Felice FG, Benedict C, CNS Drugs 27:505–514, 2013; Schatz, Gonzalez-Rivera, Pragmat Cognit 23(2), 2016; a.o.): an 86 year old male with moderate Alzheimer’s disease and a 67 year old male with early on-set Alzheimer’s who have both shown significant improvement of certain cognitive functions, mostly related to executive functioning and visuo-spatial skills while the elder patient exhibited severe deterioration in other capacities related to episodic memory. Selective cognitive improvement, even if partial, can have a significant impact on the quality of life of a patient and the ability to interact with others in a functional way; ameliorating some of the most devastating interactional and behavioral aspects of the disease.
Bringing Choice Architecture to Architecture and Engineering Decisions: How the Redesign of Rating Systems Can Improve Sustainability

AbstractTo increase the long-term sustainability of architecture and engineering decisions, this research combined theory from behavioral science and civil infrastructure design to examine whether ...
LES and DNS Turbulence Modeling

This chapter is divided into two parts, LES and DNS. In the first part, the LES turbulence model is derived from first principles, and its terms are described in detail. The usage of LES filters is described, along with various recommendations. The LIKE algorithm is applied to show how to model large eddies properly by applying the appropriate node-to-node computational distances. LES-specific boundary and initial conditions are described, and dozens of practical recommendations are provided. In the second part, analogous discussions and recommendations for DNS are included as well.
The effect of global viscoelasticity on rubber friction with Schallamach waves

Abstract A mathematical model developed previously for predicting adhesive sliding friction of rubber on a hard surface in the presence of Schallamach waves is extended here to include global effects of viscoelasticity, besides the previously included viscoelastic effects in the neighborhood of the debond (shear crack) tips; the crack tip model is unchanged. We find that global viscoelasticity limits the maximum sliding speed and minimum wavelength for which a wave train can exist and, as expected, increases the friction force. The model is shown to improve upon the agreement with experimental data on wave speed and wavelength in the previous paper.
Comparing outcomes between stacked/conjoined and non-stacked/conjoined abdominal microvascular unilateral breast reconstruction.

Background Stacked and conjoined free flaps are increasingly utilized in autologous breast reconstruction to augment tissue transfer volume. However, there is a paucity of comparative data on abdominally-based stacked/conjoined versus non-stacked/conjoined flaps. The purpose of this study was to compare ability to match native breast size, complications, recovery, and symmetrizing procedures between these two cohorts in unilateral breast reconstruction. Methods A retrospective review of all stacked (two separate hemiabdominal)/conjoined (bipedicled full abdominal) flaps and non-stacked/conjoined (unipedicled hemiabdominal) flaps in unilateral abdominally-based autologous breast reconstructions was performed from 2011 to 2018. Variables including demographics, operative characteristics, complications, and revisions were compared in 36 stacked/conjoined patients versus 146 non-stacked/conjoined patients. Results The stacked/conjoined cohort had more DIEP flaps (91.7 vs. 65.1%) and the non-stacked/conjoined group more MS-TRAMs (34.2 vs. 6.9%, p = .000). Additionally, non-stacked/conjoined flaps had greater utilization of combined medial and lateral row perforators (p = .000). Mean flap weight was significantly higher than mastectomy weight in stacked/conjoined flaps (+110.7 g) when compared to non-stacked/conjoined flaps (-40.2) (p = .023). Average follow-up was 54.7 ± 27.5 and 54.6 ± 29.3 months, respectively. Stacked/conjoined flaps had lower fat necrosis rates (8.3 vs. 25.4%, p = .039) and had a decreased risk of fat necrosis on multivariable regression analysis (OR 0.278, p = 0.045). There were otherwise no differences in flap, breast, or donor-site complications. Stacked/conjoined flaps also had a lower rate of contralateral breast reduction (p = .041). Conclusion Stacked/conjoined flaps were associated with a lower risk of fat necrosis compared with non-stacked/conjoined flaps and had a lower rate of contralateral symmetrizing reductions in patients undergoing unilateral abdominally-based breast reconstruction.
The Impact of Epidemiology on Prenatal and Fertility Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The emergence of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 presented the field of reproductive medicine with many challenges due to an absence of data to guide clinical decision making and inform patient counseling and management in the early days of the pandemic. Epidemiological studies rapidly filled in key gaps in our understanding of the susceptibility of reproductive aged women to the virus, transmission dynamics during pregnancy and lactation, and the effect of infection during the prenatal, pregnancy and post-partum periods. This data guided the development of clinical guidelines written by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine as patients and clinicians navigated reproductive decisions during a time of uncertainty. We present a review of epidemiologic studies published between March and December 2020 that directly informed prenatal and fertility care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite a significant increase in our knowledge base over the past year, many questions remain about the impact of COVID-19 on conception, pregnancy, fetal development, and lactation. In the future, a commitment toward inclusion of pregnant persons and those attempting pregnancy in the design of observational and interventional trials is necessary to gain earlier insights about outcomes and assist providers and patients in making data driven decisions.
Interpretation Bias and Anticipated Distress in the Face of Ambiguity: Predictors of Change in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Youth Anxiety.

This study examined associations among children's anxiety, interpretation bias, and anticipated distress before and after cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and investigated baseline levels of interpretation bias and anticipated distress as well as changes in these cognitive biases following treatment as predictors of treatment outcome. Clinically anxious youth (N = 39) were treated with brief CBT augmented with a smartphone app. Children completed measures assessing their anxiety, interpretation bias, and anticipated distress at baseline, post-treatment, and 2-month follow-up. Children's anxiety, interpretation bias, and anticipated distress significantly decreased following treatment. Anticipated distress was associated with higher anxiety at all time points; however, interpretation bias was not significantly associated with anxiety before or after treatment. Reductions in anticipated distress following treatment predicted concurrent and prospective reductions in anxiety. Reduced anticipated distress following treatment may contribute to enhanced treatment outcomes and may be more strongly related to the maintenance of youth anxiety than interpretation bias.
Evaluation of Messenger RNA From COVID-19 BTN162b2 and mRNA-1273 Vaccines in Human Milk.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines against COVID-19 were recently approved under an emergency use authorization.1 However, there is a paucity of data regarding vaccine safety in pregnant or lactating individuals who were excluded from phase 3 clinical trials,2,3 and many mothers have declined vaccination or decided to discontinue breastfeeding (temporarily or permanently) due to concern that maternal vaccination may alter human milk. The World Health Organization recommends that breastfeeding individuals be vaccinated and does not advise cessation of breastfeeding following vaccine administration.4,5 The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine states that there is little plausible risk that vaccine nanoparticles or mRNA would enter breast tissue or be transferred to milk,6 which could theoretically result in priming of infant immune responses that could alter childhood immunity. However, there are no direct data. To address this knowledge gap, we analyzed milk samples to determine if vaccine-related mRNA was detectable in human milk after vaccination.
America's New Covenant with Hong Kong: The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019

The United States has long accepted the invitation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to treat Hong Kong as an autonomous territory for the purpose of granting it special bilateral privileges. For that reason, the US made support for Hong Kong’s autonomy a matter of domestic law by adopting the US-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992. That law authorized the US to extend such special privileges to Hong Kong in perpetuity, but also reserved the ability to revoke them if Hong Kong ceased to be truly autonomous. As the PRC promised Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy under domestic law as well as an international treaty, and this arrangement was beneficial to all sides, Hong Kong’s practice of autonomy need not have become a concern. However, due to actions occurring mostly between 2014 and 2019, the US Congress tabled the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 to recalibrate the 1992 Act in light of contemporary events. This paper considers the legislative history of that drafting process while analyzing the five major ways the 2019 Amendment expands the US foreign policy toolbox, including a deeper normative inquiry into Hong Kong’s autonomy, possible trade restrictions, and possible sanctions modeled on the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Importantly, even if sanctions are imposed, the 2019 Amendment leaves the door open for both sides to return to the status quo ante.
Mechanisms of Chemoprotection against Aflatoxin-Induced Hepatocarcinogenesis by Oltipraz

Since the discovery of the aflatoxins in 1960 there has been increasing concern about the possible health hazards engendered by naturally-occurring toxic, and possibly carcinogenic, compounds in foods by molds. This concern arises from the extreme potency of aflatoxins, particularly aflatoxin B1 [AFB1], as toxins and hepatocarcinogens in animals coupled with their wide distribution in the human food supply (1). Furthermore, primary hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most lethal and common cancers in Africa and Asia and is associated with dietary exposure to AFB1. The extent of aflatoxin contamination in foods and feed products is a function of the ecology of molds and is not completely preventable. Thus, chemoprotective interventions may offer a useful approach for reducing the incidence of human liver cancer in high-risk areas.
CAFA and Erie: Unconstitutional Consequences?

Imagine a statute that provides that every class action involving any one plaintiff and any one defendant from different states, where the aggregate amount in controversy exceeds $5,000,000, must be adjudicated in federal court and cannot be heard in state court.1 This statute would force all class actions where any one class member is diverse from any defendant, and the aggregate class members’ claims exceed $5,000,000, into federal court. However, all of these class actions would be governed by state substantive law.2 This hypothetical statute is very similar to the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 (CAFA).3 The two statutes differ only in that CAFA does not explicitly create exclusive federal jurisdiction over such interstate class actions. However, as this Note will argue, CAFA’s practical effect will be to cause federal courts to exercise exclusive jurisdiction over some interstate class actions. Consequently, CAFA raises several questions: Does CAFA comport with Article III of the U.S. Constitution’s limited
Spiral Structure of the Milky Way and External Galaxies

The spiral structure of the Milky Way galaxy has always been somewhat elusive because of our internal vantage point. This review will present methods and data for determining the overall pattern, and will summarize various models that have been proposed. Observations of spirals in external galaxies will also be discussed, because they can provide insight into the spiral structure of the Milky Way.
The scaling of temporal rainfall

[1] The scaling analysis of temporal rainfall produces very different results if one uses the entire rainfall record inclusive of rainstorms and dry interstorm periods (continuous analysis) or only intrastorm data (within-storm analysis). We show that the continuous results reflect mainly the alternation of dry and wet periods and that the rain support is not fractal. Therefore, the continuous results are spurious. This conclusion is significant since continuous analysis is the most popular scaling analysis method for rainfall. The literature on within-storm analysis is much more limited, and standard methods do not exist. We develop such methods and show how their bias can be corrected and the accuracy maximized. The results from within-storm analysis show higher intermittency (higher-intensity fluctuations) than continuous analysis. This result has important implications on downscaling and the evaluation of rainfall extremes. Frequently used multifractal models for rainfall are of the log-Levy (“universal”) type. A key parameter of those models is the stability index 0 <α ≤ 2, with α= 2 corresponding to lognormal models. To account for the alternation of dry and wet periods (also inside the storms), one can add a “beta component,” obtaining beta-log-Levy and beta-lognormal models. By using simulations withα = 2, we show that standard estimators of αare negatively biased and that the hypothesis of beta-lognormal multifractality inside the storms is statistically acceptable.
Prevention of intraventricular hemorrhage with phenobarbital therapy: now what?

In the April issue of Pediatrics, Kuban and colleagues1 report on what is now the largest trial of phenobarbital administration to prevent neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage. They randomized 280 ventilator-dependent preterm infants weighing less than 1,751 g at birth. Three affiliated intensive care nurseries collaborated during a 3-year period to enroll a sample size determined by a prospective statistical analysis to test a predicted reduction of intraventricular hemorrhage by 50% in treated patients. Infants were entered into the trial only if they were receiving assisted ventilation before 12 hours of age and had no evidence of intraventricular hemorrhage by sonographic examination. This clinical trial was well designed and carefully run.
Binding of a Streptococcus mutans cationic protein to kidney in vitro.

An 8-kDa protein, with binding activity for heparin and heparan sulfate of basal laminae of animal tissues, was isolated from Streptococcus mutans MT703 and purified to homogeneity. Binding of radioiodinated 8-kDa protein to rabbit kidney tissue in vitro showed a high degree of specificity, as indicated by saturation kinetics, time dependence, and competitive inhibition by unlabeled protein. Binding activity for kidney tissue was competitively inhibited by selected glycosaminoglycans and polyanions in the following order: heparin greater than dextran sulfate greater than heparan sulfate greater than chondroitin sulfate greater than lipoteichoic acid greater than keratan sulfate greater than hyaluronic acid. Binding of the streptococcal protein to rabbit kidney tissue was also strongly inhibited by protamine sulfate, polylysine, and a random copolymer of lysine and alanine. Among the monosaccharides tested at 50 mM, glucosamine 2,3- or 2,6-disulfate, glucuronic acid, glucose 6-phosphate, and glucose 6-sulfate inhibited 50% or more of the binding activity, whereas N-acetylglucosamine 3-sulfate, glucosamine 6-sulfate, N-acetyl-glucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine, N-acetylneuraminic acid, and a selection of neutral sugars were not inhibitory. The heparin-binding protein was detected on the cell wall of S. mutans and in the culture medium following growth. Several other species of streptococci produce an immunologically related protein of similar size. Images