cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
JCL roundtable: Managing lipid disorders in young women

The roundtable discussion in this issue will focus on the problems faced by young women with lipid disorders. This is often the source of confusion for the patient and physician because the myth continues that young women do not have complications of atherosclerosis as a result of elevated blood cholesterol. The essential role of women in bearing children during the early years of adulthood also produces difficult decisions because the mother and fetus are usually experiencing similar exposure to therapeutic regimens. We are joined in this discussion by Drs. Pamela Morris of the Medical University of South Carolina and Robert Wild of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Dr Morris is an Internist, and Dr Wild is an Obstetrician and Gynecologist. Both are board certified in clinical lipidology and are actively publishing in this field. We have recorded this roundtable discussion during the National Lipid Association Scientific Sessions held in New Orleans during May 2016.
Technical assessment of a prototype cone-beam CT system for imaging of acute intracranial hemorrhage.

Purpose A cone-beam CT scanner has been developed for detection and monitoring of traumatic brain injury and acute intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) at the point of care. This work presents a technical assessment of imaging performance and dose for the scanner in phantom and cadaver studies as a prerequisite to clinical translation. Methods The scanner incorporates a compact, rotating-anode x-ray source and a flat-panel detector (43 × 43 cm2) on a mobile U-arm gantry with source-axis distance = 550 mm and source-detector distance = 1000 mm. Central and peripheral doses were measured in 16 cm diameter CTDI phantoms using a 0.6 cm3 Farmer ionization chamber for various scan techniques and as a function of longitudinal position, including out of field. Spatial resolution, contrast, noise, and image uniformity were assessed in quantitative and anthropomorphic head phantoms. Two reconstruction protocols were evaluated, including filtered backprojection (FBP) for high-resolution bone imaging and penalized weighted least squares (PWLS) reconstruction for low-contrast soft tissue (ICH) visualization. A fresh cadaver was imaged with and without simulated ICH using the scanner as well as a diagnostic multidetector CT (MDCT) scanner using a standard head protocol. Images were interpreted by a fellowship-trained neuroradiologist for imaging tasks of ICH detection, gray-white-CSF differentiation, detection of midline shift, and fracture detection. Results The nominal scan protocol involved 720 projections acquired over a 360° orbit at 100 kV and 216 mAs, giving a dose (weighted CTDI) of 22.8 mGy (∼1.2 mSv effective dose). Out-of-field dose decreased to <10% within 6 cm of the field edge (approximate to the thyroid position). Image uniformity demonstrated <1% variation between the edge of the field (near the cranium) and center of the image. The high-resolution FBP reconstruction protocol showed ∼0.9 mm point spread function (PSF) full-width at half-maximum (FWHM). The smooth PWLS reconstruction protocol yielded ∼1.2 mm PSF FWHM and contrast-to-noise ratio exceeding 5.7 in ∼50 HU spherical ICH, resulting in conspicuous depiction of ICH down to ∼2 mm (the smallest diameter investigated). Cadaver images demonstrated good differentiation of brain and CSF (sufficient, but inferior to MDCT, recognizing that the CBCT dose was one-third that of MDCT), excellent visualization of cranial sutures and fracture (potentially superior to MDCT), clear detection of midline shift, and conspicuous detection of ICH. Conclusions Technical assessment of the prototype demonstrates dose characteristics and imaging performance consistent with point-of-care detection and monitoring of head injury—most notably, conspicuous detection of ICH—and supports translation of the system to clinical studies.
Brief exposure to Pope Francis heightens moral beliefs about climate change

In his recent encyclical letter Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home, Pope Francis issued a moral appeal to the global community for swift action on climate change. However, social science research suggests a complex relationship between religious concepts and environmental attitudes, raising the question of what influence the pope’s position may have on public opinion regarding this polarizing issue. In a national probability survey experiment of U.S. adults (n = 1212), we find that brief exposure to Pope Francis influenced the climate-related beliefs of broad segments of the public: it increased perceptions of climate change as a moral issue for the overall sample (and among Republicans in particular) and increased felt personal responsibility for contributing to climate change and its mitigation (among Democrats). Moreover, prior awareness of the pope’s views on climate change mattered, such that those who indicated greater awareness of the pope’s position showed stronger treatment effects, consistent with a priming account of these effects. Results complement recent correlational findings and offer further evidence of the Vatican’s influence on climate change public opinion.
Negotiating Tensions: Grassroots Organizing, School Reform, and the Paradox of Neoliberal Democracy

Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork at a community-based organization (CBO) engaged in parent organizing for urban school reform, this paper examines how organizers engaged with the imperatives of neoliberal reform and the broader neoliberal policy context. It highlights organizers’ agency but also shows how hegemonic discourse constrained their agency. It argues CBO involvement can contribute to educational neoliberalization and to neoliberal notions of democracy that, paradoxically, employ processes of symbolic inclusion and material exclusion (Miraftab 2004). [parent organizing, grassroots organizations, neoliberalism, democracy, school reform]
A shared control method for obstacle avoidance with mobile robots and its interaction with communication delay

Teleoperation allows human operators to safely extend themselves to remote environments that are typically difficult or dangerous to access. The remote environments are often unstructured (i.e. not...
Effects of electrojet turbulence on a magnetosphere-ionosphere simulation of a geomagnetic storm

This material is based upon work supported by NASA grants NNX14AI13G, NNX13AF92G, and NNX16AB80G. The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. This work used the XSEDE and TACC computational facilities, supported by National Science Foundation grant ACI-1053575. We would like to acknowledge high-performance computing support from Yellowstone (ark:/85065/d7wd3xhc) provided by NCAR's Computational and Information Systems Laboratory, sponsored by the National Science Foundation. We thank the AMPERE team and the AMPERE Science Center for providing the Iridium derived data products. All model output, simulation codes, and analysis routines are being preserved on the NCAR High-Performance Storage System and will be made available upon written request to the lead author of this publication. (NNX14AI13G - NASA; NNX13AF92G - NASA; NNX16AB80G - NASA; National Science Foundation; ACI-1053575 - National Science Foundation)
Technological Aspects Of Urban Transportation

Automotive transportations systems appear to be best suited for most urban passenger trips because of the inherent flexibility of the private automobile in serving the expanding land uses in suburban areas. All large metropolitan areas will need extensive systems of freeways and arterial streets. Transit will continue to carry the majority of peak-hour trips to and from central areas of large cities. Express-type transit service should supplement local bus service. In lower density metropolitan areas, this may be in the form of express buses operating on freeways. Bus-rapid transit operating on its own right-of-way may be used to provide high-capacity peak-hour movement to central areas. Dual-track rapid transit generally is preferred, rather than proposed monorail designs. In higher density metropolitan areas with existing rail-rapid transit, or commuter rail facilities, existing systems would be improved by modernizing equipment, control systems, and central area facilities, by extending lines and by providing off street parking at outlying stations. Ground effect machines and helicopters do not appear to be suitable for mass movements of persons in metropolitan areas.
Abstract 245: Demonstrating the Effectiveness of an Outpatient Occupational Therapy Program for Individuals with Heart Failure

Objective: To demonstrate the effectiveness of an outpatient occupational therapy program on improving self-care for individuals with heart failure. Background: Hospitalizations for heart failure (...
Evaluation of Progesterone Utilization and Birth Outcomes in a State Medicaid Plan

Objectives Progesterone (hydroxyprogesterone caproate injection and vaginal progesterone) has been shown to reduce preterm birth (PTB) rates by one-third among pregnant women at high risk. The purpose of this analysis is to report birth outcomes and medication adherence among Massachusetts Medicaid (MassHealth) members receiving progesterone, evaluate the association between member characteristics and birth outcomes and medication adherence, and compare cost of care to a prior preterm pregnancy. Methods This retrospective cohort study used medical claims, pharmacy claims, and prior authorization (PA) request data for MassHealth members who had a PA submitted for progesterone between January 1, 2011 and March 31, 2015. Members were excluded due to breaks in coverage, progesterone was not indicated for prevention of PTB, and if current gestational week or date of delivery was unavailable. Main Results A total of 418 members were screened for inclusion of which 190 met criteria and 169 filled progesterone. Mean age was 29.2 years (SD = 5.23) and clinical comorbidities were identified in 90.5% of members. Consistent with clinical trials on progesterone effectiveness, 62.1% of members had a term delivery (≥ 37 weeks). Among members with prior gestational age at delivery available, the average difference in gestational age between pregnancies was 8.25 weeks (SD = 6.11). Additionally, 66.3% of members were adherent to progesterone based on proportion of days covered (PDC) ≥ 0.8. The overall mean PDC was 0.79 (SD = 0.26). Conclusion Despite similar birth outcomes in clinical trials and national trends, medication adherence is low in this state Medicaid program. Therefore, members may benefit from adherence support. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Mixed oxidant corrosion in coal combustion and conversion systems: manifestations and mechanisms

Abstract High temperature corrosion in coal combustion and conversion systems frequently involves more than one oxidant. Typically, oxygen, sulfur, and carbon are involved, but other species such as chlorine may also play a role. Alloys for high-temperature applications generally depend for their resistance to degradation by reaction with the environment on the formation of a protective oxide layer on their surface. To be protective, the oxide must be slow growing, have slow transport rates for various species through it, and be continuous and adherent to the surface. It must also be able to retain these qualities under thermal cycling conditions. The presence of other oxidizing species may have adverse effects on the protectiveness of the oxide. This paper discusses some of these effects.
Direct Synthesis and Anion Exchange of Noncarbonate-Intercalated NiFe-Layered Double Hydroxides and the Influence on Electrocatalysis

Metal-layered double hydroxides (LDHs), a family of versatile layered materials recently popular as earth-abundant oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts, allow for both metal substitution and interlayer anion exchange without disrupting the two-dimensional (2D) crystal structure, although the ubiquity of carbonate anions is challenging to avoid. Here, we use hydrothermal synthesis in modified solvents with triethanolamine to directly synthesize bulk NiFe LDHs with carbonate, chloride, and sulfate interlayer anions without inert atmosphere protection. Structural characterizations by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirm the anion composition. Electrochemical characterization shows that LDHs with these three anions display similar OER catalytic performance after surface area normalization, consistent with observed anion exchange to carbonate in alkaline electrolyte under ambient conditions. However, dodecyl sulfate-intercalated NiFe LDHs prepared by a...
Electro-clinical characteristics and prognostic significance of post anoxic myoclonus.

Abstract Objective To systematically examine the electro-clinical characteristics of post anoxic myoclonus (PAM) and their prognostic implications in comatose cardiac arrest (CA) survivors. Methods Fifty-nine CA survivors who developed myoclonus within 72 h of arrest and underwent continuous EEG monitoring were included in the study. Retrospective chart review was performed for all relevant clinical variables including time of PAM onset (“early onset” when within 24 h) and semiology (multi-focal, facial/ocular, whole body and limbs only). EEG findings including background, reactivity, epileptiform patterns and EEG correlate to myoclonus were reviewed at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Outcome was categorized as either with recovery of consciousness (Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) 1–3) or without recovery of consciousness (CPC 4–5) at the time of discharge. Results Seven of the 59 patients (11.9%) regained consciousness, including 6/51 (11.8%) with early onset PAM. Patients with recovery of consciousness had shorter time to ROSC, and were more likely to have preserved brainstem reflexes and normal voltage background at all times. No patient with suppression burst or low voltage background (N = 52) at any point regained consciousness. In the subset where precise electro-clinical correlation was possible, all (5/5) those with recovery of consciousness had multi-focal myoclonus and most (4/5) had midline-maximal spikes over a continuous background. No patient with any other semiology (N = 21) regained consciousness. Conclusions Early onset PAM is not always associated with lack of recovery of consciousness. EEG can help discriminate between patients who may or may not regain consciousness by the time of hospital discharge.
Geochemistry and Macromolecular Structure of Coal

Coal is a complex sedimentary rock derived from plant remains that underwent peatification and subsequent coalification. Coals originated as peat deposits formed in prehistoric swamps through the accumulation of plant substances whose components underwent differing degrees of chemical decomposition and polymerization. The most uniform microscopic constituents of coal, whose morphologically preserved or repolymerized materials retain distinct characteristics, are known as macerais. A brief study of the organic geochemistry of coal and its macerai characteristics will be helpful in clarifying the nature of coal structure and will give a basis for the understanding of coal structural characteristics. Given (1984b) states that even though the organic chemistry of coal has been studied for more than 100 years, the geological factors in coal chemistry have been almost totally ignored. According to Given (1984b), it is the geoscience of coals, or their geochemistry of origin and postburial geological history, that is responsible for the fact that coals are a very diverse set of materials. Consequently, it is only a study based on geological origins of coal chemistry that will enable coal researchers to rationalize the diversity in coal and to express this in a systematic manner.
Effect of particles on Polarization during Electrocodeposition using a Rotating Cylinder Electrode

The influence of suspended submicrometric diameter alumina particles on polarization during electrocodeposition with copper at a rotating cylinder electrode was investigated. Cathodic polarization and mass transfer experiments were conducted as a function of electrode rotational speed and particle loading.
DIALLEL‐SAS05: A Comprehensive Program for Griffing's and Gardner–Eberhart Analyses

Diallel mating designs provide to breeders useful genetic information, such as general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA), to help them devise appropriate breeding and selection strategies. Here we report a much-improved version of DIALLEL-SAS that was originally released in 1997. The new program, DIALLEL-SAS05 has a clear and user-friendly interface that was designed to meet users' needs for various diallel-cross design experiments. DIALLEL-SAS05 has major advantages over DIALLEL-SAS in that: (i) it analyzes not only all four Grifflng's diallel methods (both fixed and random models), but it also computes Gardner-Eberhart's Analyses II and III; (ii) it provides desired results from diallel experiments with parent number from 4 to 12, (iii) it can analyze diallel data from any number of environments, and (iv) for a random-effects model, it provides estimates of GCA (σ 2 g ) and SCA (or,2) variances, which can be used to estimate additive (σ 2 A ) and dominance (σ 2 D ) variances, and ultimately narrow-sense heritability (h 2 ). DIALLEL-SAS05 also provides information on GCA x ENV, SCA x ENV, reciprocal x ENV, maternal x ENV, and nonmaternal x ENV interactions, when applicable. DIALLEL-SAS05 should greatly improve researchers' efficiency in analyzing and interpreting diallel-cross data. The program code is available on a CD from the corresponding author.
Annual dynamics of carbon dioxide fluxes over a rainfed alfalfa field in the U.S. Southern Great Plains

Abstract A thorough investigation of annual dynamics of carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes with respect to major controlling factors and harvest management is lacking for rainfed alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), a high quality perennial legume forage. To address this knowledge gap, this study reports two years (April 2016 - March 2018) of eddy covariance measurements of CO2 fluxes over a rainfed alfalfa field in central Oklahoma, USA. Alfalfa yields were strongly regulated by amount and timing of rainfall. As a result, cumulative dry forage yield was ∼7.5 t ha−1 (four harvests) in 2016 (dry year) and ∼10 t ha−1 (five harvests) in 2017 (wet year). An optimum air temperature (Ta) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) for net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) was approximately 25 °C and 2.2 kPa, respectively. The response of gross primary production (GPP) to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) varied with growth stage of alfalfa and climatic conditions (i.e., dry or normal/wet periods). Daily (8-day averages) NEE and gross primary production (GPP) reached -8.17 and 16.69 g C m-2 d−1, respectively. Magnitudes of GPP (GPPMOD) derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) were
Backseat Control of SandShark AUV using ROS on RaspberryPi

This paper presents a backseat controller suitable for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) which promotes quick development turn-around of novel control methods, especially for missions which require onboard re-planning. This backseat controller communicates low-level control instructions to a vehicle-specific frontseat controller. Small, power efficient components comprise the backseat controller hardware, especially a Raspberry Pi computer. The backseat controller runs Robot Operating System (ROS), a middleware that facilitates implementation of novel control algorithms and use of OpenCV, an extensive collection of computer vision libraries. ROS enables the underwater community to leverage development efforts in the ground and aerial domains to accelerate progress. The backseat controller has been mated to General Dynamics Bluefin SandShark AUV. The platform has been validated in a controlled environment and is now being deployed in Lake Superior, MI, USA.
A KANTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON POLITICAL VIOLENCE

Rejecting Kant's absolute opposition to revolution, I propose a modified Kantian perspective for reflecting on political violence, drawing from Kant's basic ideas but abandoning some dubious assumptions. Developing suggestions in earlier papers, the essay sketches a model for “moral legislation” that combines the core ideas of each of Kant's formulas of the Categorical Imperative. Though only a framework for deliberation, not a complete decision procedure, this excludes extremist positions, prohibitive and permissive, about political violence. Despite Kant's hopes, the values implicit in his fundamental principle fail to support easy, inflexible solutions; but they place strong presumptions against lawless coercion and killing, undermining social order, treating persons as dispensable, underestimating options, arrogant faith in one's own judgment, and reckless simplicity in political thinking.
A phase 0/1 biomarker and pharmacodynamic study of roflumilast and prednisone in patients with B-cell hematologic malignancies.

e13601 Background: Many B-cell malignancies are driven by the B-cell receptor (BCR). Therapeutic targeting of the BCR has been successfully implemented, but the limited number of complete responder...
Benzoin condensation of aromatic aldehydes catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes under mild conditions

The benzoin condensation was used to evaluate the catalytic activity of different N -heterocyclic carbenes as a function of their structure and N -substituents. There is a correlation between the length of an N -alkyl substituent and its performance as an organocatalyst. Heteroaromatic aldehydes were found to be the most reactive, among the screened substrates, finishing the reaction in 30 minutes, with almost quantitative yields. On the other hand, p -nitrobenzaldehyde, a strongly electrophilic aldehyde, was the least reactive. Electronic effects have little influence on the reaction yield but steric effects can dramatically reduce it. The preformed organocatalyst reacts faster than the generated in situ, with minimum solvent.
Cycles of autoubiquitination and deubiquitination regulate the ERAD ubiquitin ligase Hrd1.

Just like factories make mistakes when producing products, cells make mistakes when producing proteins. In cells, a compartment called the endoplasmic reticulum is where about one third of all proteins are produced, and where new proteins undergo quality control. Damaged or misfolded proteins are removed by a process called endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD for short), because if damaged proteins accumulate, cells become stressed. One type of ERAD is driven by a protein called Hrd1. Together with other components, Hrd1 labels damaged proteins with a ubiquitin tag that acts as a flag for degradation. Hrd1 has a paradoxical feature, however. To be active, Hrd1 tags itself with ubiquitin but this also makes it more prone to becoming degraded. How does Hrd1 remain active while avoiding its own degradation? To address this question, Peterson et al. forced budding yeast cells to produce high levels of 23 different enzymes that remove ubiquitin tags. One of these enzymes, called Ubp1, was able remove the ubiquitin tag from Hrd1, though it had not been seen in the ERAD pathway before. Further experiments also showed that Ubp1 was able to regulate Hrd1 activity, making Ubp1 a regulator of Hrd1 dependent protein quality control. Without protein quality control, damaged proteins can contribute to various diseases. ERAD is a common quality control system for proteins, present in many different species, ranging from yeast to animals. Therefore, understanding how ERAD works in budding yeast may also increase understanding of how human cells deal with damaged proteins.
Nonlinear rovibrational response in the propagation of long-wavelength infrared pulses and pulse trains

The propagation of long-wavelength pulses is affected by a multitude of near-resonant rovibrational transitions in atmospheric constituents, of which water vapor is generally the most abundant. We extract the pure nonlinear response of these transitions from a high-resolution transmission-based effective model, which is additive to the spectrally resolved linear response, and study the influence of this on the propagation of laser pulses and pulse trains. Compared to simulations with only electronic Kerr self-focusing, we find that the nonlinear rovibrational response introduces an additional modification to strongly self-focused laser pulses and stark changes to pulses that are close to the self-focusing threshold.
Compression of laser pulses by near-forward Raman amplification in plasma

We propose a new scheme for compression of ultrashort laser pulses enabled by Near-Forward Raman Amplification (NFRA) in plasma. In contrast to traditional forward Raman amplification in plasma, the seed pulse in NFRA propagates faster than the pump through manipulation of the spatiotemporal properties of the pump beam. A “π-pulse” solution similar to that of stimulated Raman backscattering amplification is obtained, indicating that NFRA can be used for compression of ultrashort laser pulses. NFRA is numerically demonstrated with a 2D simulation using a front-tilt near-forward pump pulse.
Actively Tuned Noncollocated Vibration Absorption: An Unexplored Venue in Vibration Science and a Benchmark Problem

We revisit actively tuned vibration absorbers in this article from several unconventional angles. First, the absorber exacts suppression at a designated location in the structure other than its point of attachment (thus, noncollocated suppression). Second, it is tunable to suppress all residual oscillations at that point against a harmonic excitation, thus overriding all modal characteristics. Furthermore, the tuning is achieved in real time, using a collocated control logic with a feedback gain and delay. Although this combination of vibration absorption characteristics can be achieved using various control designs, the well-studied delayed resonator (DR) concept is utilized in this article. Asymptotic stability of the ensuing dynamics is examined in the parametric space, and operable frequency limitations are explored. A paradoxical relationship is noted between the steady-state energy levels, which may occur for passive and actively tuned absorber cases. This phenomenon provides an intriguing benchmark problem. All of these contributions are clarified over a case study.
Tumor Regression Grade in Gastric Cancer After Preoperative Therapy.

The Cancer Staging Manual, 8th edition, now includes post-neoadjuvant therapy (ypTNM) staging for gastric cancer patients. Our purpose was to determine whether the tumor regression grade (TRG) of the primary tumor is useful for predicting the survival of these patients. We performed a retrospective review of an institutional database and identified patients with clinically non-metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent preoperative chemotherapy or chemoradiation therapy before gastrectomy. Pathology reports were reviewed, and TRG was classified as follows: 0 (complete response), 1 (viable tumor cells ≤ 1–2%), 2 (viable cells ≤ 50%), or 3 (viable cells > 50%). Of the 356 patients identified, including 80 (23%) with a gastroesophageal junction tumor, 268 (75%) had undergone preoperative chemoradiation therapy. Fifty-six (16%) had TRG 0, 57 (16%) TRG 1, 128 (36%) TRG 2, and 115 (32%) TRG 3. No association between TRG and pretreatment factors was identified, except for signet-ring cell histologic type and tumor location. A higher TRG was associated with more advanced ypT and ypN categories (both p < 0.001), ypM1 (p = 0.004), and R1 resection (p = 0.052). The median overall survival (OS) duration was 6.6 years, and the 5-year OS rate was 54.1%. TRG 3 was associated with a shorter OS duration than were other TRG scores (p = 0.015), while the OS did not differ significantly among the TRG 0–2 groups (p = 0.803). On multivariable analysis, TRG was not associated with OS after adjustment for ypN status. In gastric cancer patients who underwent preoperative therapy, TRG 3 was associated with advanced ypStage and R1 resection. Patients with TRG 3 had a shorter OS duration because of associated advanced ypStage, particularly ypN+ status.
A Comprehensive Modeling Analysis of Formate-Mediated Microbial Electrosynthesis*.

Mediated microbial electrosynthesis (MES) represents a promising strategy for the capture and conversion of CO2 into carbon-based products. We describe the development and application of a comprehensive multiphysics model to analyze a formate-mediated MES reactor. The model shows that this system can achieve a biomass productivity of ∼1.7 g L-1 h-1 but is limited by a competitive trade-off between O2 gas/liquid mass transfer and CO2 transport to the cathode. Synthetic metabolic strategies are evaluated for formatotrophic growth, which can enable an energy efficiency of ∼21 %, a 30 % improvement over the Calvin cycle. However, carbon utilization efficiency is only ∼10 % in the best cases due to a futile CO2 cycle, so gas recycling will be necessary for greater efficiency. Finally, separating electrochemical and microbial processes into separate reactors enables a higher biomass productivity of ∼2.4 g L-1 h-1 . The mediated MES model and analysis presented here can guide process design for conversion of CO2 into renewable chemical feedstocks.
Moral Foundations, Shared Civic Projects and Rossi’s Kant

Although I quickly review Philip Rossi’s larger argument in The Ethical Commonwealth in History, my focus in this article is on the implications of Rossi’s work for our characterizations of justice and citizenship on a Kantian account. For in arguing that a wise reading of Kant’s political theory allows us better to grasp his overarching aims, Rossi provides convincing evidence for a pair of challenges to the currently popular interpretation of that theory. These address the relationship between Kant’s moral and political theories and the nature of the political task or project that Kantian citizens undertake. In challenging popular readings of these elements of Kant’s view, I suggest, Rossi supports an interpretation of Kantian political thought with particular resonance for our time.
The Effect of Competition on Process and Outcome Quality within Hospital Care in the Netherlands

This study examines the impact of competition on hospital quality. Our panel covers all Dutch hospitals in the period 2004–2008, in which the transparency of hospital quality information increased substantially. The paper contributes to the existing literature by including both outcome and process indicators of quality. We find that competition explains the cross-sectional differences in process indicators, but not in outcome indicators. In particular, more competition in the hospital’s catchment area leads to more operation cancellations at short notice and more delays of hip fracture injury operations for elderly patients. Both results suggest that competition increases the utilization of operation capacity. At the same time, hospitals that face more competition perform check-ups for chronic patients more frequently and organize diagnostic processes more efficiently.
POS1255 REACTOGENICITY OF SARS-COV-2 VACCINES IN PATIENTS WITH AUTOIMMUNE AND INFLAMMATORY DISEASE

Background: Patients with autoimmune disease often require immunosuppressive medications that may increase their risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19. The importance of immunization in this population is particularly high. While the studied vaccines show efficacy in the general population, nothing is known regarding the immune response or safety profile in patients with autoimmune disease and those taking immunomodulatory medications. Objectives: To assess the safety profile and degree of adverse events from SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in patients with autoimmune and inflammatory disease. Methods: This study is part of a larger prospective observational study examining the immunogenicity and safety profile of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in patients with immune-mediated diseases taking immunomodulatory medications. Adults with an immune-mediated disease scheduled to receive either a Pfizer or Moderna SARS-COV-2 vaccine were enrolled in this study. Subjects participated in 3 study visits (pre-vaccine, dose 1 (D1) and dose 2 (D2)) where blood, for immunologic assays, and clinical data were collected. Assessments of adverse events (AE), including local and systemic symptoms and validated degree of AE severity were solicited within 7 days of receiving each vaccine dose. Results: To date, 70 patients with autoimmune and inflammatory disease have been enrolled. Demographic and clinical characteristics are shown in Table 1. Distribution of current immunomodulatory medications included prednisone 18.6%, conventional synthetic DMARD 55.7%, targeted synthetic DMARD 4.3%, and biologic DMARD 68.5%. Almost all participants experienced an adverse event following vaccination (D1 96%, D2 100%). Following D1 AEs were generally mild (76.5%) whereas following D2 a large portion of patients experienced AEs that were moderate (47.8%) and severe (30.5%). Injection site pain was the most common AE following both doses followed by arthralgias (D1 21.6%, D2 78.2%), fever (D1 21.6%, D2 70%) and fatigue (D1 21.6%, D2 65.2%) (Figure 1). Conclusion: Patients with autoimmune and inflammatory disease experience a significant burden of adverse events following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with both frequency and severity appearing greater than that of the reported results from the vaccine clinical trials. Several of the endorsed AEs such as fever, fatigue and arthralgias can also be commonly seen in rheumatologic diseases, mimicking flares. While SARS-CoV-2 immunization is crucial in patients with autoimmune diseases, this study demonstrates the importance of understanding the AEs experienced by this patient population to better inform patients of possible expected side effects of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and further management in the future. Disclosure of Interests: Monica Yang: None declared, Patti Katz: None declared, Diana Paez: None declared, Alexander Carvidi: None declared, Mehrdad Matloubian: None declared, Mary Nakamura: None declared, Lianne S. Gensler Consultant of: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Gilead, GSK, and Novartis, Grant/research support from: Pfizer and UCB
Enhancing titre and production stability of paenibacillin from Paenibacillus polymyxa by sequential drug resistance screening.

AIMS Paenibacillin is a naturally biosynthesized antimicrobial lantibiotic peptide which is produced by wild-type Paenibacillus polymyxa OSY-DF in low but detectable levels. The aim was to increase paenibacillin titre and production consistency through sequential drug resistance screening. METHODS AND RESULTS Spontaneous mutants of P. polymyxa OSY-DF were isolated by subjecting the bacterium to two rounds of screening for resistance to rifampicin, which targets RNA polymerase, and gentamicin, which targets ribosomes. Changes in antimicrobial production of the mutants were monitored using a bioassay method. A spontaneous mutant, P. polymyxa OSY-EC, capable of producing high paenibacillin titre, was selected and compared phenotypically to the wild-type strain. The mutant was found to produce paenibacillin at five-fold higher titre than the wild type. The mutant constantly produced paenibacillin while the wild type produced the antimicrobial agent variably. Fourier transformation mid-infrared spectroscopy revealed an interclass distance of 6·4 between the wild type and the mutant strain, suggesting significant phenotypic change during the mutation. CONCLUSIONS P. polymyxa OSY-EC, a spontaneous mutant capable of consistent production of high paenibacillin titre, was isolated from the wild type after sequential screening on rationally selected antibiotics. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The study will help make paenibacillin available for large-scale testing by interested researchers and industries seeking applications that improve food safety and quality.
Pediatric minor head injury related return visits to the emergency department and their outcome.

Abstract Background Minor head injury (MHI) in children is a common emergency department (ED) presentation. It is well established that majority of these patients don't require imaging and can be safely discharged. What is less known is how often these children come back to the ED and the outcome of their revisits? The objective of this study was to describe the frequency and outcome of unscheduled return visits (RVs) for MHI in a pediatric ED. Methods A retrospective chart review of emergency department RV's database was conducted from August 2016 to July 2019. MHI patients Results Return visit rate for MHI was around 1% (61/6225). Of these, 55.7% (34/61) were female and 85.5% (53/61) were in the age group 2–17 years. Three-fourths of the revisits were for concussion-related symptoms. Nearly two-thirds of the patients required one or more interventions upon revisit. Missed clinically important traumatic brain injury was rare. Only one patient required operative intervention upon revisit. Though largely unpreventable, 5% (3/61) of the revisits were deemed potentially avoidable. Conclusion(s) RVs secondary to MHI in children remain low and are associated with good outcomes.
Cutaneous soft tissue sarcoma incidence patterns in the U.S. : an analysis of 12,114 cases.

BACKGROUND. Cutaneous soft tissue sarcomas (CSTS) are a heterogeneous group of mesenchymal neoplasms. To the authors' knowledge, no prior large, population-based study has focused on CSTS. METHODS. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program incidence and relative survival rates of CSTS were analyzed according to race, sex, and histologic type using the 2002 criteria of the World Health Organization classification. RESULTS. Among residents of the 13 SEER registries, 12,114 CSTS were diagnosed from 1992 through 2004. Overall age-adjusted CSTS incidence rates were highest among blacks (30.8 per 1,000,000 person-years) followed by whites (25 per 1,000,000 person-years), and American Indians/Alaska Natives (11.2 per 1,000,000 person-years) and were lowest among Asian/Pacific Islanders (7.7 per 1,000,000 person-years). Kaposi sarcoma (KS) accounted for 71.1% of cases, and the rates were similarly ranked. Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) rates also were highest among blacks, whereas leiomyosarcoma (LS) and angiosarcoma (AS) rates were highest among whites. The rate ratio of men to women was 25.5 for KS, 4.7 for malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH), 3.7 for LS, 2.0 for AS, and 0.9 for DFSP. The 5-year relative survival rates were 99% for patients with DFSP, 89% for patients with MFH, 92% for patients with LS, and 45% for patients with AS. KS rates among men in the original 9 SEER registries increased more than 30-fold during the 1980s before they peaked around 1991 and subsequently declined rapidly because of human immunodeficiency virus-associated KS and highly active antiretroviral therapy. This KS pattern was evident not only among those ages 20 to 59 years but also among those ages 60 to 69 years. From 1978 through 2004, LS and AS rates among whites increased exponentially. CONCLUSIONS. CSTS rates varied markedly over time and by race, sex, and histologic type, supporting the notion that these histologic variants of CSTS areetiologically distinct. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Effects of pig age at market weight and magnesium supplementation through drinking water on pork quality

Thirty-two halothane-negative pigs (109 +/- 0.6 kg of BW) were used to determine the effect of pig age at marketing (and thus growth rate), and magnesium supplementation through drinking water, on pork quality. Two initial groups of 50 pigs that differed by 30 +/- 2 d of age were fed diets to meet or exceed nutrient requirements beginning at 28 kg of BW. Sixteen average, representative pigs were selected from each group to represent older, slow-growing pigs and younger, fast-growing pigs. For the duration of the study, pigs were individually penned, provided 2.7 kg of feed (0.12% Mg) daily, and allowed free access to water. After 7 d of adjustment, pigs were blocked by sex and BW and allotted to 0 or 900 mg of supplemental Mg/L as MgSO4 in drinking water for 2 d before slaughter. All 32 pigs were then transported (110 km) to a commercial abattoir on the same day and slaughtered 2.5 h after arrival. Longissimus and semimembranosus (SM) chops were packaged and stored to simulate display storage for fluid loss and Minolta color determinations at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 d. Two remaining sections of the LM were vacuum-packaged and stored at 4 degrees C for 25 or 50 d. Fast- (younger) and slow- (older) growing pigs differed by 27 +/- 0.3 d of age (153 and 180 +/- 0.3 d; P 0.10). Surface exudate of the SM from older pigs was lower than that of younger pigs (61 vs. 74 +/- 6 mg; P = 0.05) but was not different for the LM (P = 0.22). The LM from older pigs displayed for 4 and 8 d; P < 0.05) were less yellow (lower b*) than younger pigs. The SM from older pigs had lower lightness (L*) initially (47.9 vs. 49.5 +/- 0.4) and after 2 d (49.7 vs. 51.1 +/- 0.4), 6 d (52.1 vs. 53.7 +/- 0.4) and 8 d (54.5 vs. 55.9 +/- 0.4) of display storage. Younger pigs had greater oxidation of the LM than older pigs on d 8 of display (P < 0.01), and Mg decreased oxidation on d 8 within younger pigs (P < 0.05). Pork quality was improved in older pigs as indicated by less exudate, reduced yellowness of the LM, reduced paleness of the SM, and reduced oxidation of the LM. However, Mg supplementation through the water for 2 d did not affect pork quality of either older, slower growing pigs or younger, faster growing pigs.
A Stochastic Analysis of Breakeven Points

Abstract Since management requires realistic models for profit planning, the probability distributions of performance criteria are needed. The specific purpose of this paper is to develop the probability distribution of the breakeven point when it is assumed that fixed cost and item contribution margin follow a bivariate lognormal distribution. Under these assumptions, the breakeven point is also lognormal so that simple expressions can be derived for tolerance intervals and the expected breakeven point. The methodology is demonstrated in an example.
Allosteric enhancement by DDT of the binding of [3H]batrachotoxinin A-20-α-benzoate to sodium channels

Abstract [ 3 H ] Batrachotoxinin A-20-α-benzoate (BTX-B) bound to a single class of high affinity (Kd = 79 nM), low capacity (Bmax = 4.8 pmol/mg protein) sites associated with voltage-sensitive sodium channels in mouse brain vesicle preparations. DDT stimulated the specific binding of 20 nM [ 3 H ] BTX-B , producing half-maximal enhancement at 14 μM and maximal (2-fold) enhancement at 100 μM. Equilibrium saturation studies of [ 3 H ] BTX-B binding in the presence of 100 μM DDT showed that this compound produced a 1.8-fold increase in the affinity of sodium channels for [ 3 H ] BTX-B (Kd = 43 nM) but had little effect on binding capacity (Bmax = 5.8 pmol/mg protein). Kinetic studies revealed that the increase in affinity resulted primarily from a decrease in the rate of dissociation of the ligand-receptor complex. These findings show that [ 3 H ] BTX-B is a useful allosteric probe of the binding of DDT to its site of action on sodium channels.
Open versus closed: a cautionary tale

Workload generators may be classified as based on a closed system model, where new job arrivals are only triggered by job completions (followed by think time), or an open system model, where new jobs arrive independently of job completions. In general, system designers pay little attention to whether a workload generator is closed or open. Using a combination of implementation and simulation experiments, we illustrate that there is a vast difference in behavior between open and closed models in real-world settings. We synthesize these differences into eight simple guiding principles, which serve three purposes. First, the principles specify how scheduling policies are impacted by closed and open models, and explain the differences in user level performance. Second, the principles motivate the use of partly open system models, whose behavior we show to lie between that of closed and open models. Finally, the principles provide guidelines to system designers for determining which system model is most appropriate for a given workload.
An epitope-selective, transporter associated with antigen presentation (TAP)-1/2-independent pathway and a more general TAP-1/2-dependent antigen-processing pathway allow recognition of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein by CD8+ CTL

The lysis of virally infected cells by CTLs requires the recognition of processed fragments of viral proteins presented in association with class I MHC molecules on the surfaces of infected cells. Processing begins in the cytosol with the degradation of viral proteins into peptides that are then transported into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) for association with newly synthesized class I molecules. Transport is mediated by a heterodimer of the MHC-encoded proteins, transporter associated with Ag presentation (TAP)-1 and TAP-2. Uncertainty exists over the site of processing of viral envelope (env) proteins. The extracellular domains of env proteins are not present in the cytosol, the site in which the class I-restricted Ag-processing pathway begins. Rather, the ecto-domains of env proteins are cotranslationally translocated into the ER during biosynthesis. We have analyzed the processing of the HIV-1 env protein by using a large series of env-specific human CD8+ CTL clones. These studies have led to the delineation of two distinct processing pathways. The first pathway permits a subset of class I-restricted epitopes in the ecto-domain of the env protein to be generated efficiently by a TAP-1/2-independent mechanism localized to the ER or a premedial Golgi compartment. A second, more general pathway that is capable of generating all env epitopes uses as a substrate env protein mislocalized to the cytosol and produces peptides that are transported from the cytoplasm to the ER in a TAP-1/2-dependent fashion.
The Physical Activity Transition among Adults in China: 1991–2011

Previous studies have linked work, home production, travel activities and inactivity with weight and health outcomes. However, these focused on average physical activity (PA) over time rather than changes in PA and associated sociodemographic and economic factors and urbanicity. Using the 1991-2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey data, we estimated the metabolic equivalent of task hours per week for individuals in occupational, domestic, travel and active leisure domains and sedentary hours per week. We present the distributions among adult men and women (aged 18-60), and use quantile regression models to explore factors associated with these trends. Trend analyses on the distribution of PA show declines along the whole distribution of occupational PA for men and women and domestic PA for women in China. These patterns remain consistent after adjusting for individual- and household-level factors. Controlling for urbanicity mitigated the decrease in occupational PA, particularly for men, but not the decrease in domestic PA. Given China's rapid urbanization and its association with occupational PA declines and the strong time trend in domestic PA, there is a need to invest in interventions and policies that promote PA during leisure and travel times.
Suicide Terrorism and the Biology of Significance

In the current issue, Kruglanski, Chen, Dechesne, Fishman, and Orehek offer an eloquent and sophisticated review of theories regarding the motivation of suicide terrorists and their own persuasive theory. Citing Maslow's (1943) theory of motivation and Frankl's (2000) closely related logotherapeutic concept of man, incorporating multiple modern literatures with a new analysis of an impressive number of video clips from the Middle East and other data, the authors conclude that, having adopted a significance bestowing ideology, suicide bombers act in an ultimate quest for meaning and life significance. Maslow's and Frankl's theories of motivation are semantic refrains of Plato's