cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Skeletal development in Xenopus laevis (Anura: Pipidae).

Postembryonic skeletal development of the pipid frog Xenopus laevis is described from cleared-and-stained whole-mount specimens and sectioned material representing Nieuwkoop and Faber developmental Stages 46–65, plus postmetamorphic individuals up to 6 months old. An assessment of variation of skeletogenesis within a single population of larvae and comparison with earlier studies revealed that the timing, but not the sequence, of skeletal development in X. laevis is more variable than previously reported and poorly correlated with the development of external morphology. Examination of chondrocranial development indicates that the rostral cartilages of X. laevis are homologous with the suprarostral cartilages of non-pipoid anurans, and suggests that the peculiar chondrocranium of this taxon is derived from a more generalized pattern typical of non-pipoid frogs. Derived features of skeletal development not previously reported for X. laevis include (1) bipartite formation of the palatoquadrate; (2) precocious formation of the adult mandible; (3) origin of the angulosplenial from two centers of ossification; (4) complete erosion of the orbital cartilage during the later stages of metamorphosis; (5) development of the sphenethmoid as a membrane, rather than an endochondral bone; and (6) a pattern of timing of ossification that more closely coincides with that of the pelobatid frog Spea than that recorded for neobatrachian species. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Cardiac risk stratification in patients undergoing endoluminal graft repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm: a single-institution experience with 365 patients.

Abstract Objective Patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair have a high incidence of coexisting cardiac disease. The traditional cardiac risk stratification for open abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery may not apply to patients undergoing endoluminal graft exclusion. The purpose of this study was to examine predictive risk factors for perioperative cardiac events. Methods As part of multiple prospective endograft trials approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, data for 365 patients who underwent endoluminal graft repair from 1996 to 2001 were collected. Variables included for analysis were age and sex; history of smoking; presence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or renal insufficiency; Eagle clinical cardiac risk factors; American Society of Anesthesiologists index; type of anesthesia administered; estimated blood loss; preoperative hemoglobin level; preoperative use of β-blocker therapy; duration of surgery; need for iliac artery conduit; and concomitant other vascular procedures. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to determine which variables were predictive of an adverse perioperative cardiac event, eg, Q wave and non–Q wave myocardial infarction (MI), congestive heart failure (CHF), severe arrhythmia, and unstable angina. Results The study cohort included 322 men and 43 women (mean age, 74.2 years). Fifty-two (14.2%) postoperative cardiac events occurred: severe dysrhythmia in 15 patients (4.1%), MI in 14 patients (3.8%), non–Q wave MI in 8 patients (2.2%), CHF in 8 patients (2.2%), and unstable angina in 7 patients (1.9%). Univariate analysis demonstrated that age 70 years or older ( P = .034), history of MI ( P = .018), angina ( P = .004), history of CHF ( P P P = .005) were predictors of perioperative cardiac events. Multivariate analysis identified only age 70 years or older ( P = .026), history of MI ( P = .024) or CHF ( P = .001), and lack of use of preoperative β-blocker therapy ( P = .007) as independent risk factors for an adverse cardiac event. Conclusions Age 70 years or older, history of MI or CHF, and lack of use of preoperative β-blocker therapy are independent risk factors for perioperative cardiac events in patients undergoing endoluminal graft repair.
The Use of Sponsorship‐Linked Marketing by Tobacco Firms: International Public Policy Issues

Worldwide, the marketing and promotion practices of tobacco firms are coming under scrutiny. Although tobacco advertising in traditional media such as television has been banned in most countries for many years, the use of nontraditional media such as sponsorship has only recently come into question. This paper analyzes how sponsorship-linked marketing programs function like advertising in promoting tobacco products. The various marketing tactics utilized by international tobacco firms are discussed as are policy recommendations for governments, businesses, households, and communities that seek to reduce tobacco promotion in their environments.
An affordable wearable video system for emergency response training

Many emergency response units are currently faced with restrictive budgets that prohibit their use of advanced technology-based training solutions. Our work focuses on creating an affordable, mobile, state-of-the-art emergency response training solution through the integration of low-cost, commercially available products. The system we have developed consists of tracking, audio, and video capability, coupled with other sensors that can all be viewed through a unified visualization system. In this paper we focus on the video sub-system which helps provide real time tracking and video feeds from the training environment through a system of wearable and stationary cameras. These two camera systems interface with a management system that handles storage and indexing of the video during and after training exercises. The wearable systems enable the command center to have live video and tracking information for each trainee in the exercise. The stationary camera systems provide a fixed point of reference for viewing action during the exercise and consist of a small Linux based portable computer and mountable camera. The video management system consists of a server and database which work in tandem with a visualization application to provide real-time and after action review capability to the training system.
Bilateral Implicit Taxes and Anti-Competitive Banking Regulation

ABSTRACT: This paper examines how banks impound implicit taxes into loan interest rates. Economic theory predicts that the most flexible party bears the least tax cost. We hypothesize that mortgagors, being geographically fixed, are less flexible than banks and bear greater implicit tax costs, and that this effect diminishes when banks begin to compete across state lines after the 1994 Riegle-Neal Interstate and Branching Efficiency Act. Using data from 1977 to 2004 on banks’ and mortgagors’ state and federal taxes and detailed loan-specific data on mortgage originations, we investigate how interest rates vary separately with banks’ and mortgagors’ taxes. We find that mortgage rates vary positively with both banks’ tax costs and the value of mortgagors’ interest tax deductions. These findings are consistent with banks both passing on their tax costs to borrowers and capturing portions of borrowers’ tax benefits. The estimated annual magnitude of this tax shift is $23 billion, which we find declined after ...
Mortgaging the American Dream: A Critical Evaluation of the Federal Government's Promotion of the Home Equity Financing

In this Article, I advocate elimination of federal promotion of home equity financing, recommending that the federal government permit home equity financing without encouraging it. In Part Il of this Article, I discuss some of the problems caused by federal promotion of home equity financing. While home equity loans carry a risk to the borrowers of losing their homes, homeowners cannot properly assess this risk due to their tendency to underestimate the probability of default and foreclosure. Homeowners who do lose their homes to foreclosure may be devastated, both financially and psychologically. Despite the risks of a home equity loan, the total amount of home equity debt has increased drastically in recent years due, in part, to the deductibility of home equity interest under federal tax law. In addition, as a result of federal preemption of state consumer protection measures such as usury statutes, predatory lenders have been permitted to victimize homeowners in low-income neighborhoods and homeowners who, like the Dunckels, are in severe financial distress. Because of special privileges given to home equity lenders under bankruptcy law, home equity borrowers may not be able find relief in bankruptcy. In Part Ill of this Article, I discuss the federal government's home ownership policy because an understanding of the federal measures that promote home equity financing requires a comprehension of their relationship to measures that promote home ownership. In Part IV, I examine both the means by which the federal government encourages home equity financing under current law and the effects of these measures. In Part V, I weigh competing federal policies affected by home equity financing and propose the adoption of several measures designed to achieve a more appropriate balance. First, tax law should be changed to eliminate the deduction for home equity interest so that all consumer interest is nondeductible, regardless of whether it is secured by a lien on a home. Second, federal preemption of state usury ceilings on home equity loans should be eliminated so that states can regulate interest rates on home equity loans. Finally, bankruptcy law should be amended to permit homeowners in bankruptcy to modify their home equity loans as is permitted with other types of secured debt.
Checkpointing Schemes for Adjoint Methods and Strongly Unsteady Flows

Segmented interpolation schemes are developed in order to reduce the severe storage requirements typical of adjoint runs involving strongly unsteady flows. It is shown that recursive equidistant spacing schemes already reduce storage requirements by two orders of magnitude. Scheduled binomial spacing schemes that offer the potential of even greater savings are also considered and tuned for minimal overhead. Theoretical results predict how the performance of these schemes will scale for ever larger cases. Comparisons of runtime and data storage are given for two realistic blast-structure interaction cases.
Influence of attachment strategy on the thermal stability of hybridized DNA on gold surfaces.

The thermal stabilities of double-stranded DNA hybrids immobilized on gold surfaces are shown to be significantly affected by the conformation of the hybrid. To analyze this behavior, DNA probes were immobilized using attachment strategies where the nucleotides within the strand had varying levels of interactions with the gold substrate. The abilities of these probes to form double-stranded hybrids with solution DNA targets were evaluated by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) over a temperature range 25–60 °C. The measurements were used to construct thermal stability profiles for hybrids in each conformation. We observe that DNA hybrids formed with probe strands that interact extensively with the gold surface have stability profiles that are shifted lower by 5–10 °C compared to hybrids formed with end-tethered probes that have fewer interactions with the surface. The results provide an understanding of the experimental conditions in which these weaker DNA hybrids can form and show the additional complexity o...
Characterization of firearm discharge residues recovered from skin swabs using sub-micrometric mass spectrometry imaging

In the present work, we show the advantages of high spatial resolution interrogation of firearm discharge residues from skin swabs using ion bombardment coupled to mass spectrometry. In particular, the collection of secondary ion and electron maps permitted the chemical (organic and inorganic) and morphological characterization of particulates and organic compounds characteristic of gunshot residues (GSRs). Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) permitted the characterization, at the nanometer level (∼300 nm resolution), of the composition of particulates and organic compounds from skin swabs. The observation of “consistent” and “characteristic” inorganic compounds (e.g., Sb–Pb–Ba) from single particulates permitted the unambiguous identification of GSRs from the skin swabs. In addition, the observation of characteristic secondary ions of nitroglycerin, nitrocellulose, ethyl centralite, dioctyl sulphosuccinate, and dibutyl phthalate suggested the presence of organic gunshot residues (OGSRs). That is, our results demonstrate that MSI-TOF-SIMS permits the analysis of skin swabs containing GSRs (or not) and OGSRs without the need for sample preparation and with little to no damage to the surface of the skin swabs (thus preserving the evidence for further analysis).
Substitution of asparagine residues in Aspergillus awamori glucoamylase by site-directed mutagenesis to eliminate N-glycosylation and inactivation by deamidation

Aspergillus awamori glucoamylase is a secreted glycoprotein containing N-linked carbohydrate recognition sites at Asn-171, Asn-182 and Asn-395. Site-directed mutagenesis was performed at Asn-182 and Asn-395 to determine whether these residues were N-glycosylated by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to investigate the function of any glycans linked to them, and to determine the effect of their deamidation on glucoamylase thermostability. Asn-171 and Asn-395, but not Asn-182, were N-glycosylated. Deletion of the glycan N-linked to Asn-395 did not affect specific activity, but greatly decreased enzyme secretion and thermostability. The mutant lacking the N-glycan linked to Asn-395 was synthesized very slowly, and was more associated with cell membrane components and susceptible to proteinase degradation than were wild-type or other mutant glucoamylases. Its secreted form was 30-fold less thermostable than wild-type enzyme at pH 4.5. Replacement of Asn-182 by Gln to eliminate deamidation at this site did not change glucoamylase specific activity or thermostability, while replacement by Asp decreased specific activity about 25%, but increased thermostability moderately at pH 4.5 below 70 degrees C. Both mutations of Asn-182 increased glucoamylase production.
Abstract 2621: Disruption of mucin synthesis by targeting GCNT3 inhibits pancreatic cancer progression

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a lethal disease, and its management is an ongoing challenge. PC is the fourth leading cause of deaths due to cancer in the United States. It is a highly aggressive cancer that is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, and has the worst prognosis of any malignancy, with a five year survival of Citation Format: Altaf Mohammed, Naveena B. Janakiram, Venkateshwar Madka, Gaurav Kumar, Scott Edgar, Gopal Pathuri, Taylor Bryant, Hannah Kutsche, Yuting Zhang, Laura Biddick, Hariprasad Gali, Yan Daniel Zhao, Stan Lightfoot, Chinthalapally V. Rao. Disruption of mucin synthesis by targeting GCNT3 inhibits pancreatic cancer progression. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2621.
Love, American Style: Gendered Representations of Marriage in the Media

On Valentine’s Day 2014, former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was videotaped as he dragged his unconscious fiance, and now wife, Janay Palmer, out of an elevator after delivering a punch that knocked her out. The incident, which Janay Rice claimed was a one-time event, served to draw attention to domestic violence — which is much needed given some sobering statistics about this widespread problem. For example, 4,774,000 women in the United States experience physical violence by an intimate partner every year; 18,000 women have been killed by men in domestic violence disputes since 2003; and 40–45 percent of women in physically abusive relationships are raped and/or assaulted during the relationship.1 While the coverage of the Rice incident prompted media commentary on domestic violence — bringing awareness to grim statistics such as these — it also provided an opportunity for people everywhere to voice their strong, unsolicited opinions about how Palmer should have reacted to the situation. Countless negative posts were made by the general population in the comment sections of online news stories covering the event, with many posters criticizing Palmer’s decision to stay with her husband after his abusive act. (This negative commentary prompted an equally strong online conversation, #WhyIStayed, a hashtag that encouraged women to tell their stories of domestic violence.)
Machine-to-Machine Interfaces

How do Cognitive Things communicate with each other? What are the options and trade-offs?How would Cognitive Things develop trusted relationships? How would they recognize and protect themselves from fraudulent and malicious attacks?How is the information processed by Cognitive Things governed? Should they remember everything forever?Could the Cognitive Things negotiate with each other? Could they collaborate and develop long-lasting relationships?
Fiducial confidence limits and prediction limits for a gamma distribution: Censored and uncensored cases

The problems of finding confidence limits for the mean and an upper percentile, and upper prediction limits for the mean of a future sample from a gamma distribution are considered. Simple methods based on cube root transformation and fiducial approach are proposed for constructing confidence limits and prediction limits when samples are uncensored or censored. Monte Carlo simulation studies indicate that the methods are accurate for estimating the mean and percentile and for predicting the mean of a future sample as long as the percentage of nondetects is not too large. Algorithms for computing confidence limits and prediction limits are provided. Necessary R programs for calculating confidence limits and prediction limits are also provided as a supplementary file. The methods are illustrated using some real uncesnored/censored environmental data sets.
15 years and counting

Robert P Crease reflects on a decade and a half of writing the Critical Point column for Physics World.
Underreporting of Musculoskeletal Injuries in the US Army: Findings From an Infantry Brigade Combat Team Survey Study.

Background:Musculoskeletal injury is a significant threat to readiness in the US Army. Current injury surveillance methods are constrained by accurate injury reporting. Input into electronic medica...
Abstract 326: Low Rates Of Utilization Of Aldosterone Antagonists In Eligible Patients Post Myocardial Infarction: Insights From The Triumph And Premier Registries

Background: Current guidelines recommend initiation of an aldosterone antagonist post myocardial infarction (MI) for those with an ejection fraction (EF) <40% with heart failure (HF) or diabetes me...
Introduction of arteriovenous grafts with graft insertion anastomosis for hemodialysis access

Abstract Objective An arteriovenous bridging graft is a viable option for patients with compromised arteries or veins because of advanced age or diabetes. Arteriovenous graft with graft insertion anastomosis (AVGI) is the novel technique for graft-vein anastomosis where the prosthesis is inserted into the vein, and the anastomosis is performed on the surface of the prosthesis. This study assessed the short-term and long-term results of AVGI to clarify the efficacy of this technique. Methods Between 2010 and 2015, AVGI was performed in graft-vein anastomosis of prosthetic forearm loop access. Characteristics and level of complications were assessed. To evaluate the long-term results, functional graft patency and frequency of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty were examined. Results The study comprised 58 patients. There were no deaths related to the surgery. The time of hemostasis after AVGI was recorded at 0 seconds because no bleeding from the suture holes was seen. At 1, 2, and 3 years, primary patency were 45.1% ± 7.5%, 23.1% ± 7.5%, and 23.1% ± 7.5%, respectively, and assisted primary patency rates were 59.4% ± 7.2%, 50.8% ± 7.6%, and 50.8% ± 7.6%, respectively. Secondary patency rates at 4 and 5 years were 100% ± 0% and 94.1% ± 5.7%, respectively. The frequency of percutaneous balloon angioplasty to maintain the patency was 1.61 ± 0.53 times per year. Graft infection occurred in four patients (6.9%). Conclusions AVGI is an advantageous technique for graft vein anastomosis in an arteriovenous bridging graft in both the short-term and long-term.
Weather-Centric Rangeland Revegetation Planning

Invasive annual weeds negatively impact ecosystem services and pose a major conservation threat on semiarid rangelands throughout the western United States. Rehabilitation of these rangelands is challenging due to interannual climate and subseasonal weather variability that impacts seed germination, seedling survival and establishment, annual weed dynamics, wildfire frequency, and soil stability. Rehabilitation and restoration outcomes could be improved by adopting a weather-centric approach that uses the full spectrum of available site-specific weather information from historical observations, seasonal climate forecasts, and climate-change projections. Climate data can be used retrospectively to interpret success or failure of past seedings by describing seasonal and longer-term patterns of environmental variability subsequent to planting. A more detailed evaluation of weather impacts on site conditions may yield more flexible adaptive-management strategies for rangeland restoration and rehabilitation, as well as provide estimates of transition probabilities between desirable and undesirable vegetation states. Skillful seasonal climate forecasts could greatly improve the cost efficiency of management treatments by limiting revegetation activities to time periods where forecasts suggest higher probabilities of successful seedling establishment. Climate-change projections are key to the application of current environmental models for development of mitigation and adaptation strategies and for management practices that require a multidecadal planning horizon. Adoption of new weather technology will require collaboration between land managers and revegetation specialists and modifications to the way we currently plan and conduct rangeland rehabilitation and restoration in the Intermountain West.
LABORATORY BIOLOGY OF TAENIOPODA EQUES (ORTHOPTERA: ACRIDIDAE)

The bionomics of the grasshopper Taeniopoda eques (Burmeister) were determined in the laboratory. Insects were reared on “regular,” artificial, and lettuce and oatmeal (LO) diets at 30°C. Larval gr...
Effects of a 5-HT1B Receptor Agonist on Locomotion and Reinstatement of Cocaine-Conditioned Place Preference after Abstinence from Repeated Injections in Mice.

5-HT1B receptors (5-HT1BRs) modulate behavioral effects of cocaine. Here we examined the effects of the 5-HT1BR agonist CP94253 on spontaneous and cocaine-induced locomotion and on cocaine-primed reinstatement of conditioned place preference (CPP) in male mice given daily repeated injections of either saline or cocaine (15 mg/kg, IP) for 20 days. In the locomotor activity experiment, testing occurred both 1 and 20 days after the final injection. In the CPP experiment, mice underwent conditioning procedures while receiving the last of their daily injections, which were given either during or ≥2 h after CPP procedures. The CPP procedural timeline consisted of baseline preference testing (days 12-13 of the chronic regimen), conditioning (days 14-19, 2 daily 30-min sessions separated by 5 h), CPP test (day 21), extinction (days 22-34; no injections), CPP extinction test (day 35; no injections), and reinstatement test (day 36). Mice that had not extinguished received additional extinction sessions prior to reinstatement testing on day 42. On test days, mice were pretreated with either saline or CP94253 (10 mg/kg, IP). Testing began 30 min later, immediately after mice were primed with either saline or cocaine (5 mg/kg for locomotion; 15 mg/kg for reinstatement). We found that CP94253 increased spontaneous locomotion in mice receiving repeated injections of either saline or cocaine when tested 1 day after the last injection, but had no effect on spontaneous locomotion after 21 days abstinence from repeated injections. Surprisingly, cocaine-induced locomotion was sensitized regardless of whether the mice had received repeated saline or cocaine. CP94253 attenuated expression of the sensitized locomotion after 20 days abstinence. A control experiment in noninjected, drug-naive mice showed that CP94253 had no effect on spontaneous or cocaine-induced locomotion. Mice reinstated cocaine-CPP when given a cocaine prime, and CP94253 pretreatment attenuated the cocaine reinstatement. The findings suggest that stress from repeated saline injections cross-sensitizes cocaine locomotion and that CP94253 attenuates this effect, as well as reinstatement of cocaine-CPP. This study supports the idea that 5-HT1BR agonists may be useful anti-cocaine medications.
Sterilization effects on ultrathin film polymer coatings for silicon-based implantable medical devices.

Novel biomaterials for medical device applications must be stable throughout all stages of preparation for surgery, including sterilization. There is a paucity of information on the effects of sterilization on sub-10 nm-thick polymeric surface coatings suitable for silicon-based bioartificial organs. This study explores the effect of five standard sterilization methods on three surface coatings applied to silicon: polyethylene glycol (PEG), poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (pSBMA), and poly (2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (pMPC). Autoclave, dry heat, hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) plasma, ethylene oxide gas (EtO), and electron beam (E-beam) treated coatings were analyzed to determine possible polymer degradation with sterilization. Poststerilization, there were significant alterations in contact angle, maximum change resulting from H2 O2 (Δ - 14°), autoclave (Δ + 15°), and dry heat (Δ + 23°) treatments for PEG, pSBMA, and pMPC, respectively. Less than 5% coating thickness change was found with autoclave and EtO on PEG-silicon, E-beam on pSBMA-silicon and EtO treatment on pMPC-silicon. H2 O2 treatment resulted in at least 30% decrease in thickness for all coatings. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays showed significant protein adsorption increase for pMPC-silicon following all sterilization methods. E-beam on PEG-silicon and dry-heat treatment on pSBMA-silicon exhibited maximum protein adsorption in each coating subset. Overall, the data suggest autoclave and EtO treatments are well-suited for PEG-silicon, while E-beam is best suited for pSBMA-silicon. pMPC-silicon was least impacted by EtO treatment. H2 O2 treatment had a negative effect on all three coatings. These results can be used to determine which surface modifications and sterilization processes to utilize for devices in vivo. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 2327-2336, 2018.
Video Content Modeling

The common model used for video data is a hierarchical structure consisting of scenes, shots, and frames [34]. A shot is a pictorial unit defined as a set of contiguously recorded image frames. It is associated solely with the visual information, and each shot has a clear physical scope. A scene is rather a semantic concept which refers to a relatively complete paragraph of video having coherent semantic meanings. It is composed of one or more consecutive shots. A scene may have its visual, audio, and textual content, and is normally more subjectively defined. However, there is a need to give a consistent definition of the scene for modeling the video content.
The Conflicted Juvenile Delinquency Court after Gault: A Qualitative Examination of Actors and Processes in Two Contemporary Courts

ABSTRACTThe contemporary juvenile court aims to protect juveniles' due process rights and to address the social welfare of youth. The seminal case In re Gault (1967) requires juvenile court judges to make determinations of fact using standards resembling the adult criminal process. At the same time, the Supreme Court in Gault aimed to preserve a focus on the treatment and rehabilitation of adolescent offenders. Contemporary juvenile courts continue to have both adversarial and rehabilitative elements. While experts note the potential conflict between due process protections and social welfare objectives, little research has examined how, in practice, the balance is struck between these two goals in the contemporary juvenile court. This research examines the ability of two contemporary juvenile courts to provide constitutional protections while also responding effectively to youths' social welfare needs. By combining 106 observations of court hearings and attorney meetings with 86 interviews of parents and...
The ABC transporter Rv1272c of Mycobacterium tuberculosis enhances the import of long-chain fatty acids in Escherichia coli.

Abstract Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), which causes tuberculosis, is capable of accumulating triacylglycerol (TAG) by utilizing fatty acids from host cells. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are involved in transport processes in all organisms. Among the classical ABC transporters in Mtb none have been implicated in fatty acid import. Since the transport of fatty acids from the host cell is important for dormancy-associated TAG synthesis in the pathogen, mycobacterial ABC transporter(s) could potentially be involved in this process. Based on sequence identities with a bacterial ABC transporter that mediates fatty acid import for TAG synthesis, we identified Rv1272c, a hitherto uncharacterized ABC-transporter in Mtb that also shows sequence identities with a plant ABC transporter involved in fatty acid transport. We expressed Rv1272c in E. coli and show that it enhances the import of radiolabeled fatty acids. We also show that Rv1272c causes a significant increase in the metabolic incorporation of radiolabeled long-chain fatty acids into cardiolipin, a tetra-acylated phospholipid, and phosphatidylglycerol in E. coli. This is the first report on the function of Rv1272c showing that it displays a long-chain fatty acid transport function.
Using Dynamic CAS and Geometry to Enhance Digital Assessments

Summative assessments, and in particular, online digital summative assessments are dominated by items that present a limited number of possible responses for selection (with multiple choice being the most prevalent example). Less constrained constructed responses to a task might be submitted via digital technology, but in many cases require human evaluation. To avoid this, we present a prototype for enhancing digital assessment by using dynamic computer algebra systems linked with dynamic geometry environments. The technology enhanced items created by this system allow students to create mathematical objects required to have stated properties, and the satisfaction of those properties can be evaluated for mathematical correctness automatically by the system.
The Succession of New States to Multilateral Treaties

Based on historical data, the author enunciates as a general theme that there is a clear tendency for new States to acknowledge the continuity of Multilateral Conventions of economic, administrative, and humanitarian importance. Alternative theories of succession, namely the cleanslate theory, the contract theory, and the legislative theory are examined by the author by way of introduction. The practice of new States regarding succession to Multilateral Conventions as well as Treaties, of which the Secretary-General of the United Nations is depository, is discussed by the author. Dr. Udokang analyzes the new State's practices by referring to certain international organizations, notably, the International Labor Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, as well as some less well known Conventions. Throughout, the author attempts to show to what extent economic, political andstrategic considerations may influence a State's attitude and ultimate action regarding succession to a Multilateral Convention.
Determining authenticity of video evidence in the age of artificial intelligence and in the wake of Deepfake videos

Deepfake videos are the product of artificial intelligence or machine-learning applications that merge, combine, replace and superimpose images and video clips onto a video, creating a fake video t...
Morphoscopic ancestry estimates in Filipino crania using multivariate probit regression models

OBJECTIVES Probit has not been applied to ancestry estimation in forensic anthropology. The goals of this study were to: (1) evaluate the performance of probit analysis as a classification tool for ancestry estimation using ordinal data and (2) expand our current understanding of human cranial variation for an understudied population. METHODS Multivariate probit models were used to classify the ancestral affiliation of Filipino crania using morphoscopic traits. Ancestral reference populations represented Africa, Asia, and Europe in a three-group model, with the addition of Hispanics in a four-group model. Posterior probabilities across these groups were interpreted as admixture proportions of an individual. Model performance was also evaluated for individuals with missing data. RESULTS The overall correct classification rates for the three-group and four-group models were 72.1% and 68.6%, respectively. Filipinos classified as Asian 52.9% of the time using three ancestral reference groups and 48.6% using four groups. A large portion of Filipinos also classified as African. There were no significant differences in classification trends or accuracy rates between complete crania and crania with at least one missing variable. CONCLUSIONS Multivariate probit models using morphoscopic traits perform well when populations are represented in both training and test samples. Probit can also accommodate individuals with missing data. Classifying Filipinos showed only moderate success. Filipinos are more phenotypically similar to Africans than the other Asian samples used here, but still affiliate most closely as Asian. Ancestry methods would benefit from including Filipinos as a reference sample given the additional variation they provide to the continental category of Asian.
Abstract P333: National Trends in the Quality of Office Blood Pressure Measurements, 2014-2019

Introduction: Clinical practice guidelines emphasize the importance of accurate blood pressure measurement and recording to diagnose and treat hypertension. Trends in terminal digit preference (typ...
2 – Quantum electronic stability of atomically uniform films

: The valence electronic states in thin films are quantized by the films’ boundaries. This represents a substantial modification of the band structure of the system which influences all physical properties. Dramatic variations in thermal stability are observed in thin metallic films on an atomic layer-by-layer basis. This chapter describes measurements of morphology, stability, and electronic structure of thin metallic films using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, and discusses theoretical models that can predict stability based on the quantization of states. Further measurements using x-ray diffraction extend these results to structures more complex than uniform films.
Arrangement Practices in the Bach Tradition, Then and Now: Historical Precedent for Modern Practice

Despite the increased use of period instruments in modern-day conservatories and concert life, many classical musicians continue to make their careers by playing early music on “modern” instruments...
Remote Patient Monitoring for Home Management of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in New York: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses a global public health emergency, overwhelming health systems worldwide and forcing rapid adoption of telemedicine strategies. Introduction: The COVID-19 Precision Recovery Program (PRP) is a remote patient monitoring (RPM) clinical program that was deployed by a New York health system to perform physiologic and symptomatic monitoring for patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 diagnoses. Methods: The present cross-sectional descriptive study reports retrospective data collected from the PRP during the COVID-19 crisis in New York. Results: One hundred twelve patients were included; mean (standard deviation) age was 49 (17.6) years and 60.7% were female. Most prevalent reported comorbidities were hypertension (36.3%), hypercholesterolemia (26.5%), and diabetes (17.7%). Less than half (44.6%) had a positive polymerase chain reaction COVID test (PCR-test), 33% had an unknown COVID status, and 17.9% had a negative test result. The most commonly reported symptoms included dyspnea (55.4%) and anxiety (55.4%). Anxiety was ranked as the most severe symptom (9.8%), followed by difficulty concentrating (4.5%). Symptom presentation did not significantly differ based on PCR-test status. Discussion: RPM can be a valuable tool for delivering care to patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 diagnoses. Considering similarities in symptom presentation between PCR-test statuses, access to COVID-related clinical care should not be based on PCR-test results. Conclusions: RPM has strong potential to assist in the effective management of suspected COVID-19 patients.
A Social Worker-Led Primary Palliative Care Model for Hospitalized Patients Admitted to the Hospital Medicine Service.

Objective: To increase earlier access to palliative care, and in turn increase documented goals of care and appropriate hospice referrals for seriously ill patients admitted to hospital medicine. Background: Due to the growing number of patients with serious illness and the specialty palliative care workforce shortage, innovative primary palliative care models are essential to meet this population's needs. Methods: Patients with serious illness admitted to hospital medicine at a quaternary urban academic medical center in New York City and received an embedded palliative care social worker consultation in 2017. We used univariate analyses of sociodemographic, clinical, and utilization data to describe the sample. Results: Overall, 232 patients received a primary palliative care consultation (mean age of 69 years, 44.8% female, 34% white, median Karnofsky Performance Status of 40%), and 159 (69%) had capacity to participate in a goals-of -are conversation. Referrals were from palliative care solid tumor oncology trigger program (113 [49%]), specialty palliative care consultation team (42[18%]), and hospital medicine (34[14.6%]). Before the consultation, 10(4.3%) had documented goals of care and 207 (89%) did after the consultation. The percentage of those referred to hospice was 24.1%. Of those transferred to specialty palliative care consultation service, nearly half required symptom management. Discussion: Patients who received a primary palliative care consultation were seen earlier in their illness trajectory, based on their higher functional impairment, and the majority had capacity to participate in goals-of-care discussions, compared with those who were seen by specialty palliative care. The consultation increased goals-of-care documentation and the hospice referral rate was comparable with that of the specialty palliative consultation team.
What is White Ignorance

In this paper, I identify a theoretical and political role for ‘white ignorance’, present three alternative accounts of white ignorance, and assess how well each fulfils this role. On the Willful Ignorance View, white ignorance refers to white individuals’ willful ignorance about racial injustice. On the Cognitivist View, white ignorance refers to ignorance resulting from social practices that distribute faulty cognitive resources. On the Structuralist View, white ignorance refers to ignorance that (1) results as part of a social process that systematically gives rise to racial injustice, and (2) is an active player in the process. I argue that, because of its greater power and flexibility, the Structuralist View better explains the patterns of ignorance that we observe, better illuminates the connection to white racial domination, and is overall better suited to the project of ameliorating racial injustice. As such, the Structuralist View should be preferred.
Transvaginal sacrospinous ligament suture rectopexy for obstructed defecation symptoms: 1-year outcomes.

The current study was aimed at investigating the safety, efficiency, and durability of transvaginal sacrospinous ligament suture rectopexy in women with obstructed defecation symptoms (ODS) and significant rectal hypermobility/folding. This was a prospective case series study performed during December 2018 to July 2020. Women presenting to our center with pelvic organ prolapse electing for surgical treatment were screened for ODS utilizing the PFDI-20 questionnaire. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they reported OD symptoms accompanying >50% of bowel movements (BMs), BM frequency ≥3 per week, stool type 3 or 4 based on the Bristol stool chart, absence of dyssynergic Valsalva, and dynamic ultrasound indicating a rectal compression ratio >25%. Patients underwent transvaginal sacrospinous ligament rectopexy and were followed up at 2 and 12 months postoperatively. A total of 20 patients underwent the procedure and completed the follow-up. Statistically significant improvements were observed in all OD symptoms and subjective improvement (94.7% ± 13.4 and 90.6% ± 18) at 2 and 12 months after the surgery respectively. Mean rectal compression ratio, detected via ultrasound, improved from 45.5% ± 18.4 preoperatively to 9.2% ± 13.7 at 2 months (p 50% of bowel movements) and anatomical failure (rectal compression ratio >25%), occurred in 2 patients. Transvaginal sacrospinous ligament suture rectopexy was safe, feasible, and effectively treated ODS within this cohort of women undergoing POP surgery with rectal hypermobility confirmed by dynamic ultrasound.
Cardiac Specific Overexpression of Transcription Factor EB (TFEB) in Normal Hearts Induces Pathologic Cardiac Hypertrophy and Lethal Cardiomyopathy

TFEB promotes lysosomal biogenesis, autophagy, and lysosomal exocytosis. The present study characterized the consequence of inducible TFEB overexpression in cardiomyocytes in vivo. We generated cardiomyocyte-specific doxycycline inducible (Tet off) mice to achieve spatial and temporal control of TFEB overexpression, by crossing TFEB transgenic mice with mice harboring the tTA transgene (TFEB/tTA). Two weeks after doxycycline removal, an 8-fold increase in TFEB protein expression was observed in transgenic hearts. Heart weight normalized to tibia length was increased by 2.5-fold following TFEB overexpression (TFEB/tTA), characterized by induction of markers of pathological hypertrophy, such as Nppa, Nppb and Acta1, progressive contractile dysfunction and cardiac dilatation. Overexpression of TFEB resulted in premature death, associated with high degree AV block. Reversal of TFEB overexpression normalized cardiac structure and function. Mitochondrial respiration and ATP levels were preserved after 2-weeks of TFEB induction, despite reduced mitochondrial (OXPHOS) protein expression, mtDNA content, and altered mitochondrial morphology. Signaling through mTOR was induced in TFEB/tTA mice, and when inhibited by rapamycin treatment for 4 weeks, partially offset left ventricular dysfunction. Transcriptome analysis revealed early suppression of mitochondrial metabolic pathways, induction of fibrosis and altered calcium signaling. MCOLN1, a lysosomal calcium release channel, the calcineurin target RCAN1.4, and the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) were strikingly induced in TFEB/tTA mice. In summary, persistent overexpression of TFEB in cardiomyocytes promotes pathologic cardiac hypertrophy via suppression of mitochondrial bioenergetic pathways and activation of pro-fibrotic and calcium regulatory pathways.
Pleiotropy of systemic lupus erythematosus risk alleles and cardiometabolic disorders: A phenome-wide association study and inverse-variance weighted meta-analysis.

ObjectivesTo test the hypothesis that genetic predisposition to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) increases the risk of cardiometabolic disorders.MethodsUsing 41 single nucleotide polymorphisms (S...
A narrative review of the history and evidence-base for the timing of orchidopexy for cryptorchidism.

Summary Introduction Consensus recommendations for surgical management of cryptorchidism recommend orchidopexy between 6 and 18 months of age. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted elective surgical scheduling. Objective In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we sought to review the available data regarding the natural history, surgical management, and infertility- and cancer-related risks associated with cryptorchid testes. The purpose of this review is to provide parents, referring providers, and surgeons with information to inform their decisions to proceed with or delay orchidopexy. Methods A retrospective review and analysis of all available articles relevant to the natural history, surgical management, and infertility- and cancer-related risks of cryptorchidism present on PubMed, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Library was conducted. Results The quality of historic literature pertaining to the effect of cryptorchidism on fertility and malignancy differ, with poorer data available on fertility. Cryptorchid testes may show histologic differences as early as birth, and some of these changes may have prognostic value in future fertility. Formerly unilateral cryptorchid men have slightly but not significantly reduced paternity rates compared to the general population. Cryptorchid testes have an increased risk of germ cell carcinogenesis, and robust data suggest the risk for malignancy in cryptorchid testes increases substantially after puberty. Conclusion The current body of evidence regarding the risks for future infertility and testicular cancer support the consensus recommendations for surgical correction of cryptorchidism between 6 and 18 months of age. During the uncertain time of the COVID-19 pandemic, decision for orchidopexy is a shared-decision between physician and parent. For an infant or young boy with a unilateral undescended testes, delaying orchidopexy several months until a time of decreased exposure risk is unlikely to result in substantial or sustained fertility or malignant risks.
A Black jurist in a slave society: Antonio Pereira Rebouças and the trials of Brazilian citizenship: by Keila Grinberg, translated by Kristin M. McGuire, Chapel Hill, NC, University of North Carolina Press, 2019, xxii, 201 pp., $29.95 (paperback), ISBN 9781469652771

The current scholarship on the history of slavery and Black freedom in the Atlantic World has moved us well past studies content to examine the impact of enslavement and emancipation, as societal p...