cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A predictive model to identify women with injuries related to intimate partner violence

ABSTRACT Purpose The diagnosis of intimate partner violence (IPV) is challenging. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study to develop a predictive model to identify IPV-related injuries and validate the model with an independent sample. Materials and Methods The authors enrolled women older than 18 years seeking treatment for injuries. They randomized the sample into index and validation datasets. They used the index dataset to develop a predictive model; the validation set served as an independent sample for assessing the predictive model's goodness of fit. Study variables included risk of self-report of an IPV-related injury and demographic and socioeconomic variables. The outcome variable was self-reported injury etiology (IPV or other). The authors used multiple logistic regression techniques to develop a predictive model that they then applied to the validation dataset, and they measured goodness of fit with the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. Results The sample was randomized into index (n = 201) and validation (n = 104) sets. For the index set, age, race and risk of IPV were associated with IPV-related injuries ( P P = .64). Conclusions A predictive model composed of age, race and risk of experiencing IPV accurately characterizes women likely to report IPV-related injuries. Clinical Implications Once the clinician diagnoses IPV-related injury, he or she can intervene to prevent future IPV-related injuries.
Knee rating scales.

In the past 2 decades, outcome assessment following knee surgery has focused increasingly on the patient's perspective. While traditional measures of outcome, including physical examination, imaging studies, and measures of knee laxity are complementary, questionnaires have become more important in determining the value of a procedure. Reliability, validity, and responsiveness are all important measurement qualities for health-related quality of life instruments. There are several questionnaires available, both for active patients with disorders of the knee, as well as for older patients with degenerative conditions. Activity level is also an important prognostic variable for patients with disorders of the knee. Clinical researchers should also use a validated activity rating scale to evaluate what patients are doing, in addition to how they are doing.
Reduction of Neuromuscular Activity Is Required for the Rescue of Motoneurons from Naturally Occurring Cell Death by Nicotinic-Blocking Agents

Spinal motoneurons (MNs) in the chick embryo undergo programmed cell death coincident with the establishment of nerve–muscle connections and the onset of synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction. Chronic treatment of embryos during this period with nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR)-blocking agents [e.g., curare or α-bungarotoxin (α-BTX)] prevents the death of MNs. Although this rescue effect has been attributed previously to a peripheral site of action of the nAChR-blocking agents at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), because nAChRs are expressed in both muscle and spinal cord, it has been suggested that the rescue effect may, in fact, be mediated by a direct central action of nAChR antagonists. By using a variety of different nAChR-blocking agents that target specific muscle or neuronal nAChR subunits, we find that only those agents that act on muscle-type receptors block neuromuscular activity and rescue MNs. However, paralytic, muscular dysgenic mutant chick embryos also exhibit significant increases in MN survival that can be further enhanced by treatment with curare or α-BTX, suggesting that muscle paralysis may not be the sole factor involved in MN survival. Taken together, the data presented here support the argument that, in vivo , nAChR antagonists promote the survival of spinal MNs primarily by acting peripherally at the NMJ to inhibit synaptic transmission and reduce or block muscle activity. Although a central action of these agents involving direct perturbations of MN activity may also play a contributory role, further studies are needed to determine more precisely the relative roles of central versus peripheral sites of action in MN rescue.
Homology of Escherichia coli R773 arsA, arsB, and arsC Genes in Arsenic-Resistant Bacteria Isolated from Raw Sewage and Arsenic-Enriched Creek Waters

The occurrence and diversity of the Escherichia coli R773 ars operon were investigated among arsenic-resistant enteric and nonenteric bacteria isolated from raw sewage and arsenic-enriched creek waters. Selected isolates from each creek location were screened for ars genes by colony hybridization and PCR. The occurrence of arsA, arsB, and arsC determined by low-stringency colony hybridization (31 to 53% estimated mismatch) was 81, 87, and 86%, respectively, for 84 bacteria isolated on arsenate- and arsenite-amended media from three locations. At moderate stringency (21 to 36% estimated mismatch), the occurrence decreased to 42, 56, and 63% for arsA, arsB, and arsC, respectively. PCR results showed that the ars operon is conserved in some enteric bacteria isolated from creek waters and raw sewage. The occurrence of the arsBC genotype was about 50% in raw sewage enteric bacteria, while arsA was detected in only 9.4% of the isolates (n = 32). The arsABC and arsBC genotypes occurred more frequently in enteric bacteria isolated from creek samples: 71.4 and 85.7% (n = 7), respectively. Average sequence divergence within arsB for six creek enteric bacteria was 20% compared to that of the E. coli R773 ars operon. Only 1 of 11 pseudomonads screened by PCR was positive for arsB. The results from this study suggest that significant divergence has occurred in the ars operon among As-resistant E. coli strains and in Pseudomonas spp.
c-Jun N-terminal Kinase 2 Regulates Multiple Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Pathways in Mouse Mammary Tumor Growth and Metastasis

c-Jun N-terminal kinase 2 (JNK2) isoforms are transcribed from the jnk2 gene and are highly homologous with jnk1 and jnk3 transcriptional products. JNK proteins mediate cell proliferation, stress response, and migration when activated by a variety of stimuli, including receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), but their ability to influence tumor metastasis is ill defined. To evaluate JNK2 in this manner, we used the highly metastatic 4T1.2 mammary tumor cells. Short hairpin RNA expression directed toward JNK2 (shJNK2) decreases tumor cell invasion. In vivo, shJNK2 expression slows tumor growth and inhibits lung metastasis. Subsequent analysis of tumors showed that shJNK2 tumors express lower GRB2-associated binding protein 2 (GAB2). In vitro, knockdown of JNK2 or GAB2 inhibits Akt activation by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), insulin, and heregulin-1, while phosphorylation of ERK is constitutive and Src dependent. Knockdown of GAB2 phenocopies knockdown of JNK2 in vivo by reducing tumor growth and metastasis, supporting that JNK2 mediates tumor progression by regulating GAB2. The influence of jnk2 in the host or microenvironment was also evaluated using syngeneic jnk2-/- and jnk2+/+ mice. Jnk2-/- mice experience longer survival and less bone and lung metastasis compared to jnk2+/+ mice after intracardiac injection of 4T1.2 cells. GAB2 has previously been shown to mediate osteoclast differentiation, and osteoclasts are critical mediators of tumor-related osteolysis. Thus, studies focusing on the role of JNK2 on osteoclast differentiation were undertaken. ShJNK2 expression impairs osteoclast differentiation, independently of GAB2. Further, shJNK2 4T1.2 cells express less RANKL, a stimulant of osteoclast differentiation. Together, our data support that JNK2 conveys Src/phosphotidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signals important for tumor growth and metastasis by enhancing GAB2 expression. In osteoclast progenitor cells, JNK2 promotes differentiation, which may contribute to the progression of bone metastasis. These studies identify JNK2 as a tumor and host target to inhibit breast cancer growth and metastasis.
The Biologists' Forum: A trophic cascade synthesis: review of top-down mechanisms regulating lake ecosystems

Abstract This paper evaluates the Trophic Cascade hypothesis and its predictive effects of food web structure regulation on primary productivity in lake ecosytems. The hypothesis prognosticates that the top of the aquatic food web, either with or without piscivorous fishes, should have cascading interactions through the trophic levels ultimately impacting algal biomass. Extensive experiments have shown validity to the hypothesis, while critics of the idea, through their own research, claim that it is too simplistic of a mechanism lost in the complexities of food web dynamics and nutrient loading models. I discuss the development of the Trophic Cascade hypothesis, its strengths and weaknesses, and conclude with the recognized and current synthesis. Many researchers now recognize the interactions of both top-down foraging mechanisms and bottom-up nutrient loading dynamics on lake primary production when assessing lacustrine systems.
Evolution Rx: A Practical Guide to Harnessing Our Innate Capacity for Health and Healing, by William Meller

As stated in his introduction, William Meller offers his readers a “natural plan for living longer, healthier, and happier lives” based on his knowledge of evolutionary medicine. Evolution Rx: A Pr...
A comparison of the MIS and CIS foundation courses at the University of Mary Washington

Like other small institutions, the University of Mary Washington has resorted to including courses from different departments, such as computer science and business administration to meet major course requirements. Consequently, such courses become multipurpose. In addition, the incorporation of recent guidelines published by a joint taskforce of the Association of Information Systems (AIS) and the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) could result in more redundancy between existing courses. In an effort to maintain distinction between two similar courses albeit offered by different departments, these authors chose to engage in a dialog that would examine these two courses with an emphasis on learning outcomes using the current AIS/ACM guidelines. This paper presents the results of our discussion and research on a Computer Information Systems course (CPSC 310) taught in a computer science department with a Management Information Systems course (BUAD 152) taught in a business department.
Cellular Roles of DNA Polymerase Beta

Since its discovery and purification in 1971, DNA polymerase s (Pol s) is one of the most well-studied DNA polymerases. Pol s is a key enzyme in the base excision repair (BER) pathway that functions in gap filling DNA synthesis subsequent to the excision of damaged DNA bases. A major focus of our studies is on the cellular roles of Pol s. We have shown that germline and tumor-associated variants of Pol s catalyze aberrant BER that leads to genomic instability and cellular transformation. Our studies suggest that Pol s is critical for the maintenance of genomic stability and that it is a tumor suppressor. We have also shown that Pol s functions during Prophase I of meiosis. Pol s localizes to the synaptonemal complex and is critical for removal of the Spo11 complex from the 5’ ends of double-strand breaks. Studies with Pol s mutant mice are currently being undertaken to more clearly understand the function of Pol s during meiosis. In this review, we will highlight our contributions from our studies of Pol s germline and cancer-associated variants.
Mode of Action of Aliphatic Amino Acids on Cortical Synaptic Activity

ConclusionSeveral types of electrophysiological tests have been applied to the analysis of the pharmacological actions of amino acids. Only the ω-amino acids have been found to have pronounced synaptic effects among the available C2 to C8 compounds. The α-amino acids, with the exception of glycine which has its amino group in the terminal position, are not synaptically active. Synaptic action is reduced or abolished by conversion to the α, ω-diamino compound. The ω-amino acids all act to blockade synapses, but quantitative and qualitative differences characterize the compounds of different carbon length. The C2 to C5 compounds block predominantly the depolarizing, excitatory synapses, while the C6 and C8 ω-amino acids block selectively the hyperpolarizing, inhibitory synapses. Within each group there are quantitative differences in effectiveness of selective action. The findings provide a new series of pharmacological tools for the analysis of the molecular structure and organization of central nervous sy...
Brands, Brand Management, and the Brand Manager System: A Critical-Historical Evaluation:

The authors examine the history of brand management by tracing its development in the context of the marketing environment from 1870 to the present. They develop six theses regarding the evolution ...
High-throughput directed self-assembly of core-shell ferrimagnetic nanoparticle arrays.

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) provide a set of building blocks for constructing stimuli-responsive nanoscale materials with properties that are unique to this scale. The size and the composition of MNPs are tunable to meet the requirements for a range of applications including biosensors and data storage. Although many of these technologies would significantly benefit from the organization of nanoparticles into higher-order architectures, the precise placement and arrangement of nanoparticles over large areas of a surface remain a challenge. Herein, we demonstrate the viability of magnetic nanoparticles for patterned recording media utilizing a template-directed self-assembly process to afford well-defined nanostructures of magnetic nanoparticles and access these assemblies using magnetic force microscopy and a magnetic recording head. Photolithographically defined holes were utilized as templates to form assemblies of ferrimagnetic nanoparticle rings or pillars selectively over a large area (>1 cm2) in j...
On the Origin of the Eukaryotes

The letter from Dr. Pace entitled “Misinformation on the Origin of Eucaryotes” concludes that the eukaryotes are very ancient. This is an area of debate, with some authorities arguing that the eukaryotes originated more recently than both the Eubacteria and Archaea (e.g., Cox et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 105:20356). We should also bear in mind that the phylogenetic lineage giving rise to eukaryotes most probably preceded the origin of the eukaryotic condition, as defined formally by possession of a double membrane-bound nucleus. It is not known when this grade of organization evolved. Some have argued that the acquisition of the α-protobacterial ancestor of the mitochondrion and the evolutionary origin of the eukaryotic nucleus were somehow linked, and this would suggest a relatively recent origin of the eukaryotes. The persuasive evidence that all known eukaryotic taxa lacking mitochondria are secondarily derived from mitochondriate protists can be interpreted as consistent with this scenario. Alternatively, there may have been a substantial radiation of early eukaryotes before the acquisition of mitochondria. On current information, we have to invoke the extinction of all such lineages, but perhaps there are extant descendants of these early offshoots of eukaryote evolution awaiting discovery in low-oxygen habitats. If they exist, such organisms could help with dating the origin of eukaryotes. For now, however, the antiquity of the eukaryotes and their double-membrane-bound nucleus remains a problem to be solved.
Effect of Multiple Chronic Diseases on Health Care Expenditures in Childhood

Objectives: To examine multiple chronic conditions and related health care expenditures in children. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of all dependents of Mayo Clinic employees aged 0-17 on Jan ...
Democracy and punishment: A radical view

This article begins by arguing against the claim of some scholars that the opinions and attitudes of ordinary citizens about criminal justice policy are bounded either by feelings of hostility toward criminal offenders or by indifference toward their rights as human beings. The purpose of this discussion will be to demonstrate that there is sufficient cause to think that meaningful democratic engagement on criminal justice issues is possible, such that an inquiry into the democratic legitimacy of criminal justice policy is worth taking up. This discussion sets the stage for an inquiry into the conditions of democratic legitimacy. The article critiques the view that institutionalized deliberation is a sufficient condition for regarding criminal justice policies as legitimate and argues instead for a radical-democratic approach to evaluating the democratic legitimacy of criminal justice policies.
Fruit and Vegetable Processing Plant Sanitation

An effective sanitation program for fruit and vegetable processing facilities requires a sanitary design of facilities and equipment, training of sanitation personnel, use of appropriate cleaning compounds and sanitizers, adoption of effective cleaning procedures, and effective administration of the sanitation program—including evaluation of the program through visual inspection and laboratory tests. Effective sanitation starts with reduced contamination of raw materials, water, air, and supplies. If the facility and equipment are hygienically designed, cleaning is easier and contamination is reduced.
The Shafarevich Case and the National Academy of Sciences

Igor Shafarevich is one of the major mathematicians of the century, as much by his great papers as by his influence via his students and the school of mathematics he created since the 1950s. He was a dissident in the Soviet Union, and spoke out throughout his life at times when it was dangerous to do so. He received the admiration and public support of the international mathematical community in the 1960s and 1970s.
A Novel Radiographic Indicator of Developmental Cervical Stenosis

Background: Developmental cervical stenosis of the spinal canal predisposes patients to neural compression and loss of function. The Torg-Pavlov ratio has been shown to provide high sensitivity but low specificity for identifying developmental cervical stenosis. A more sensitive and specific radiographic index has not been reported to our knowledge. The objective of this study was to develop and provide an objective, sensitive, and specific radiographic index to assess for developmental cervical stenosis. Methods: The C3 through C6 levels of the cervical spine were analyzed on lateral radiographs of 150 adult patients to determine the spinolaminar line-to-lateral mass distance (SL), lateral mass-to-posterior vertebral body distance (LM), spinolaminar line-to-vertebral body (canal) diameter (CD), and vertebral body diameter (VB). Ratios of these measurements were calculated to eliminate magnification effects. The corresponding true spinal canal diameter was measured using computed tomography (CT) midsagittal sections. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to identify a radiographic measurement ratio with optimal sensitivity and specificity, using a true canal diameter of <12 mm to define developmental cervical stenosis. Results: Several of the measured ratios demonstrated a strong correlation with the true canal diameter at all cervical levels. However, ROC curve analysis showed that only an LM/CD ratio of ≥0.735 indicated a canal diameter of <12 mm (developmental cervical stenosis). The sensitivity of this ratio at C5 was 83% and its specificity at C5 was 74%. An LM/CD ratio of ≥0.735 measured only at the C5 level also indicated developmental cervical stenosis at any cervical level from C3 through C6 with 76% sensitivity and 80% sensitivity. Other ratios, including the Torg-Pavlov ratio, did not demonstrate an adequate statistical profile to indicate developmental cervical stenosis. The accuracy of the LM/CD ratio was not adversely affected by the patient’s sex. Conclusions: This analysis provided a novel index for identifying developmental cervical stenosis: the C5 lateral mass/canal diameter (LM/CD) ratio. We believe that this ratio is the best radiographic measurement available to screen for developmental cervical stenosis in the adult spine patient population. It provides an objective radiographic screening tool for physicians to detect developmental cervical stenosis and decide whether additional imaging or surgical referral is appropriate. Level of Evidence: Diagnostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Material allocation in MRP with tardiness penalties

In this paper, we address some flaws in the material allocation function of Materials Requirements Planning (MRP). The problem formulation differs from standard MRP logic in certain important ways: start and finish times for orders are forced to be realistic and material allocations are made to minimize the total tardiness penalty associated with late completion. We show that the resulting MRP material allocation problem is NP-hard in the strong sense. A lower bound and a heuristic are developed from a mixed integer linear formulation and its Lagrangean relaxation. The lower bound and the heuristics are closer to the optimum in cases where there is either abundant material or considerable competition for material; in intermediate cases, small perturbations in material allocation can have a significant effect. A group of heuristics based on the MRP approach and its modifications is examined; they are optimal under certain conditions. An improvement method that preserves priorities inherent in any given starting solution is also presented. The Lagrangean heuristic performs better than the MRP based heuristics for a set of 3900 small problems, yielding solutions that are about 5% to 10% over the optimal. The best MRP based heuristic does about as well as the Lagrangean heuristic on a set of 120 larger problems, and is 25% to 40% better than the standard MRP approach, on the data sets tested.
The evolution of rod photoreceptors

Photoreceptors in animals are generally of two kinds: the ciliary or c-type and the rhabdomeric or r-type. Although ciliary photoreceptors are found in many phyla, vertebrates seem to be unique in having two distinct kinds which together span the entire range of vision, from single photons to bright light. We ask why the principal photoreceptors of vertebrates are ciliary and not rhabdomeric, and how rods evolved from less sensitive cone-like photoreceptors to produce our duplex retina. We suggest that the principal advantage of vertebrate ciliary receptors is that they use less ATP than rhabdomeric photoreceptors. This difference may have provided sufficient selection pressure for the development of a completely ciliary eye. Although many of the details of rod evolution are still uncertain, present evidence indicates that (i) rods evolved very early before the split between the jawed and jawless vertebrates, (ii) outer-segment discs make no contribution to rod sensitivity but may have evolved to increase the efficiency of protein renewal, and (iii) evolution of the rod was incremental and multifaceted, produced by the formation of several novel protein isoforms and by changes in protein expression, with no one alteration having more than a few-fold effect on transduction activation or inactivation.This article is part of the themed issue 'Vision in dim light'.
The Prevalence of Signs of Median Nerve Compression among College Students in Kinesiology

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of signs of Median Nerve Compression (MNC) among male and female college students. Methods: Forty-one Kinesiology majors, 24 males (58%) and 17 females (42%) completed surveys to assess the volume of physical activity, computer use, and distal upper extremity pain associated with these activities. Each participant was assessed for signs of MNC with the Phalen’s test, Tinel’s tap test, and the hand elevation test. Grip strength was measured by hand grip dynamometry and participants’ percentile norms were calculated. Results: Indications of MNC were present in 17% of participants, (6 males, 1 female). Fiftyone percent of students experienced computer-related hand and forearm musculoskeletal pain. Eighty-one percent of those had pain during extended computer use and 41% of students experienced occasional pain with physical activity. It is noteworthy that 85% of participants used the computer 4 hours per day or less. Also, with each category of computer use and physical activity, 93% of participants had not experienced pain in the last two weeks. Conclusion: Though none of these factors could be associated with MNC, the prevalence of symptoms was similar to carpal tunnel syndrome (14%) in the general population.
Trust in the Medical Profession Among Adolescents in an Emergency Department.

Objective The aims of this study were to assess trust in the medical profession among adolescents in an urban pediatric emergency department (ED) and explore factors associated with trust. Methods We used a computerized survey to assess personal trust, perceived trust among family/friends, health care use, general and genital examination preferences, health behaviors, and demographics among youth aged 14 to 19 years. The primary outcome was the mean composite score of a validated 5-item scale. Responses were summed (range, 5-25); higher scores indicated greater trust. We compared trust between subgroups using the t test for independent samples. Results We enrolled 150 adolescents (80% of approached); 146 completed the survey (mean age, 15.6 y; 40% male; 36% African American, 40% white, 17% Hispanic; 29% commercial insurance). The mean trust score was 19.51 ± 3.1 (range, 7-25), indicating a fairly high level of trust. Trust was not associated with race, ethnicity, sex, type of insurance, or health care use. The mean score for those with high paternal trust was higher than those reporting low paternal trust (19.8 ± 2.2 vs 15.3 ± 5.7, P = 0.02); there was no association with perceived trust among mothers or friends. Preference for a chaperoned genital examination was associated with lower trust and female sex. Conclusions Adolescents in this ED reported high levels of trust in the medical profession, and trust was not associated with race, ethnicity, sex, insurance, or health care use. Youth with lower trust preferred chaperoned genital examinations. Adolescent trust may be influenced by perceived trust among important adults. Exploration of these associations seems warranted to facilitate optimal sexual health outcomes.
Pet Bereavement Support Groups: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals

Companion animals are becoming increasingly important in society. Pets have been recognized for their vast contributions to human lives, including emotional support, social support, health benefits...
Enhanced vehicle handling performance for an emergency lane changing controller in highway driving

In this paper, we present a solution to a subsystem of the emergency lane change safety system with enhanced vehicle handling performance. The primary objective of our research work is to propose a comprehensive treatment to a lane change active safety design from the dynamics, control, and decision making aspects with a two level framework. In our recent work [15], as a higher level controller, we present a decision strategy based on a discrete time Markov process to determine the safe lane utilizing a set of transition probabilities. These probabilities are calculated according to the distance of the subject vehicle from the surrounding vehicles. The output of decision process is fed to a lower level controller formulated using an HL scheme to move the vehicle to the desired lane. We use some of our results presented in [15], where an HL controller for a lane maneuver has been presented. We now introduce better modeling of nonlinearity of the vehicle. We formulate a synthesis methodology by taking into account the nonlinearities for increased tracking performance of a desired path by both controlling the active steering and yaw moment of the vehicle. Simulations are carried out to show the improved stability and performances over the entire operation range.
OR51 Correlation of class II antibody development with acute cellular rejection and fibrosis in pediatric liver transplantation

Aim The significance of HLA antibody in liver transplantation has been unclear, although recent studies have described an increase in the diagnosis of antibody mediated damage in this population. Our specific aim is to correlate the development of de novo HLA antibody including C1q testing, and AT1R antibody levels with graft dysfunction to determine if there is a significant association of these antibodies with graft function. Methods 63 patients at our center from 7/31/1998 to 2/29/16 were included for analysis, of which 42 were screened for Anti-HLA DSA, C1q and AT1R. DSA >1000 mfi was considered positive and patients were evaluated retrospectively for ACR. Specificity of antibody locus as well as alleles were analyzed and correlated with liver dysfunction. Available biopsies were evaluated for rejection grade, mean fibrosis score as well as portal, central, and sinusoidal fibrosis. Patient characteristics were summarized using mean, standard deviation, median and range for continuous variable, frequency and percentage for categorical variable. Wilcoxon Rank Sum or Kruskal Wallace test was conducted to check differences of continuous variables. Two sided p value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results Portal fibrosis scores were significantly lower in patients without Class II DQ DSA post transplant ( p p p p Conclusions There is significant development of Class II DSA in pediatric liver transplantation. These antibodies were associated with increases in fibrosis scoring and ACR. DQ2 mismatches in particular were shown to be more immunogenic, the significance of which is currently under study.
Monte Carlo analysis of field-dependent electron avalanche coefficients in nitrogen at atmospheric pressure

Calculations of electron impact ionization of nitrogen gas at atmospheric pressure are presented based on the kinetic Monte Carlo technique. The emphasis is on energy partitioning between primary and secondary electrons, and three different energy sharing schemes have been evaluated. The ionization behavior is based on Wannier's classical treatment. Our Monte Carlo results for the field-dependent drift velocities match the available experimental data. More interestingly, the field-dependent first Townsend coefficient predicted by the Monte Carlo calculations is shown to be in close agreement with reported data for E/N values ranging as high as 4000 Td, only when a random assignment of excess energies between the primary and secondary particles is used.
Hurricane evacuation traffic model

In response to severe natural disasters, cities and regions may need to evacuate people from potentially dangerous or flooded regions. This paper gives an overview of a model for traffic during regional evacuations due to hurricanes, using queueing theory to describe traffic congestion. Other methods of modeling traffic are also evaluated. A simulation of a hurricane evacuation in Massachusetts was created, and the simulation was used to identify congested and potentially vulnerable regions. The model was validated against navigation predictions from other software. The results of the model indicate that Boston and the bridges to Cape Cod are particularly vulnerable to congestion, and that some people remain on the road many hours after the beginning of the evacuation. A visualization for the model was also designed to present the simulation in a visually accessible way to both experts and the general public.
TLR9 triggering/STAT3 inhibition to reprogram leukemic cells into antigen-presenting cells and trigger T-cell responses.

118Background: Clinical studies demonstrated potential of cancer immunotherapies while underscoring the need to block immune checkpoints shielding tumors from immune attack. We recently generated a...
Cancer immunotherapy: broadening the scope of targetable tumours

Cancer immunotherapy has experienced remarkable advances in recent years. Striking clinical responses have been achieved for several types of solid cancers (e.g. melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, bladder cancer and mismatch repair-deficient cancers) after treatment of patients with T-cell checkpoint blockade therapies. These have been shown to be particularly effective in the treatment of cancers with high mutation burden, which places tumour-mutated antigens (neo-antigens) centre stage as targets of tumour immunity and cancer immunotherapy. With current technologies, neo-antigens can be identified in a short period of time, which may support the development of complementary, personalized approaches that increase the number of tumours amenable to immunotherapeutic intervention. In addition to reviewing the state of the art in cancer immunotherapy, we discuss potential avenues that can bring the immunotherapy revolution to a broader patient group including cancers with low mutation burden.
Use of Neuronavigation System for Superficial Vein Identification: Safe and Quick Method to Avoid Intraoperative Bleeding and Vein Closure: Technical Note.

Background Contributions on using navigation in neurosurgery have been shared widely. However, few authors have reported their experience identifying superficial vessels before dural opening using indocyanine green–video angiography. Furthermore, this technique has shown some limitations. Methods For many years, each time we planned a needle biopsy for brain tumors, we set the entry point and trajectory on the navigator before surgery. Regarding the target, we systematically chose both a trajectory, which should avoid any crossing with vessels, and an entry far from veins or granulations. Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging T1-weighted sequences have been demonstrated to be adequate for this purpose. Note that we used the Medtronic StealthStation S8 (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA) and gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging T1-weighted sequences to plan 4 different surgical procedures (needle biopsy, parasagittal meningioma, double metastases, and high-grade glioma). Intraoperatively, after craniotomy and dural exposure, a Passive Planar Blunt Probe and dermographic pen were used to mark superficial vessels on the basis of navigational images. The dura was opened far from any marked line, vessels were dissected, and the dura was opened by a Penfield dissector and Metzenbaum scissors. Results The mean planning time length was 7 minutes, and the marking procedure time length was 3 minutes. Dural marks perfectly corresponded to the underlying vessels. The correspondence rate of marks to underlying vessels was 100%. No one vessel unmarked was noticed. No superficial vessel injuries were reported. Conclusions This technique provides a safe and fast method to avoid vessel injuries during dural opening. Furthermore, it could be useful as an educational tool.
Factor requirements for initiation complex formation with natural and synthetic messengers in Escherichia coli systems.

The factor requirement for initiation complex formation with Escherichia coli 30 S ribosomal subunits, nonspontaneously associating 30 S + 50 S subunits, or 70 S ribosomes, as directed by natural or synthetic messengers, has been examined. In the presence of IF-1 and IF-2, we find that IF-3 (a) is essential for MS2 RNA-directed ribosomal binding of N-formyl[14C]methionyl transfer RNA in all cases and (b) stimulates the AUG-directed binding of N-formyl[14C]methionyl transfer RNA or the polyuridylate-directed binding of N-acetyl[14C]phenylalanyl transfer RNA with 70 S ribosomes but has no effect on the binding with 30 S or nonspontaneously associating 30 S + 50 S subunits. The results support the view that IF-3 is involved in formation of the 30 S initiation complex with natural but not with synthetic messengers. Stimulation by IF-3 of initiation complex formation with 70 S ribosomes, as directed by synthetic messengers, appears to be a consequence of its ribosome dissociation activity. Consistent with this interpretation is the fact that interference factor α (iα), which inhibits MS2 RNA-directed, IF-3-dependent initiation complex formation, but is without effect on the dissociation factor activity of IF-3, does not inhibit stimulation by this factor of the AUG- or polyuridylate-directed formation of an initiation complex with 70 S ribosomes.
Dorsal retinal pigment epithelium differentiates as neural retina in the microphthalmia (mi/mi) mouse.

PURPOSE. Microphthalmia, a bHLH-zip transcription factor associated with the onset and maintenance of pigmentation, identifies the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) compartment during optic vesicle and optic cup development. To determine a role for microphthalmia (mi) during eye development, the effects of an mi loss of function mutation on RPE and neural retinal were investigated in the mi/mi mouse. METHODS. A series of embryonic and postnatal mi/mi and wild-type eyes were sectioned and labeled with neural retina‐ and RPE cell type‐specific antibodies. Photoreceptor loss was quantified by counting the number of photoreceptor nuclei spanning the outer nuclear layer throughout postnatal retinal development. RESULTS. Early neural retinal differentiation is not affected in the mi/mi mouse. The mi/mi ventral retinal pigment epithelial layer begins to develop normally, but does not pigment or attain a differentiated cuboidal morphology. The dorsal region of mi/mi retinal pigment epithelium expands and forms an ectopic retina, which develops all major retinal cell types along a similar time course as the wild type. After birth, mi/mi photoreceptors begin to form rosettes, outer segments fail to elongate, and over an extended time period, the retina degenerates. CONCLUSIONS. Together these results suggest that early retinal development can proceed normally in the mi/mi mutant, but later retinal histogenesis is dependent on the presence of a differentiated retinal pigment epithelium. Most importantly, loss of mi function permits a change in cell fate from RPE to retina in the dorsal eye. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2000;41:903‐908)
Design of a nonlinear multi-input–multi-output sliding mode pitch angle and plunge controller for a 5MW wind turbine blade tip

Traditionally, wind turbine blades are primarily controlled by varying the pitch angle of the full blade. The primary motivation of this article is to develop a design of a nonlinear multi-input–mu...
A joint spatial model of opioid-associated deaths and treatment admissions in Ohio

Abstract Purpose Opioid misuse is a national epidemic, and Ohio is one of the states most impacted by this crisis. Ohio collects county-level counts of opioid-associated deaths and treatment admissions. We jointly model these two outcomes and assess the association of each rate with social and structural factors. Methods We use a joint spatial rates model of death and treatment counts using a generalized common spatial factor model. In addition to covariate effects, we estimate a spatial factor for each county that characterizes structural factors not accounted for by other covariates in the model that are associated with both outcomes. Results We observed an association of health professional shortage area with death rates and the rate of people 18–64 on disability with treatment rates. The proportion of single female households was associated with both outcomes. We estimated the presence of unmeasured risk factors in the southwestern part of the state and unmeasured protective factors in the eastern region. Conclusions We described associations of social and structural covariates with the death and treatment rates. We also characterized counties with latent risk that can provide a launching point for future investigations to determine potential sources of that risk.
Model and evaluation of face forward illumination for multimodal endoscopic probes

Multimodal probes with microscopy capabilities can obtain high-resolution images of tissue without additional probes. Initial results of modeling and evaluation of the optical performance predict the possible feasibility of the multimodal system.
“n-Doping” on Deltahedral Zintl Ions.

A simple and efficient method for replacing Ge atoms in deltahedral Ge94- clusters with Sb or Bi is reported.
Design of monocyclic (1-3) and dicyclic (1-3/4-10) gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists.

Careful analysis of the NMR structures of cyclo(4−10)[Ac-Δ3Pro1,dFpa2,dTrp3,Asp4,dNal6,Dpr10]GnRH, dicyclo(4−10/5−8)[Ac-dNal1,dCpa2,dTrp3, Asp4,Glu5,dArg6,Lys8,Dpr10]GnRH, and dicyclo(4−10/5,5‘−8)[...
Select Equations to Be Solved

Fluid mechanics mainly applies three conservation laws of mass, energy, and momentum to the fluid flow (called governing equations of flow) and predicts the flow characteristics and the interactions among fluids as well as with solids.
Lead Exposure of Red-Shouldered Hawks During the Breeding Season in the Central Appalachians, USA.

Lead is toxic to humans and wildlife. Most studies of lead exposure of raptors focus on the winter, non-breeding season when they scavenge heavily. We evaluated blood lead concentrations (BLCs) of red-shouldered hawks (Buteo lineatus) during the non-scavenging season in the eastern United States. BLCs of 53 of 70 hawks were above the limit of detection ($$\bar{x}$$ = 9.25 µg/dL ± 19.81; ± SD). Adult hawks had higher BLCs ($$\bar{x}$$ = 12.86 µg/dL ± 24.72) than did nestlings ($$\bar{x}$$ = 3.25 µg/dL ± 2.62; p ≤ 0.001, χ2 = 13.2). There was no difference in BLCs of adult hawks among physiographic provinces but there were differences between urban and non-urban settings (p = 0.04, χ2 = 4.2). Soils and invertebrate hawk prey also had quantifiable lead concentrations. Our work shows that red-shouldered hawks are exposed to lead when not scavenging, and suggests pathways by which these birds may be exposed.
Framing insiders by outsiders

In this article, the author rehearses the Lukan parable of the Friend at Midnight (Lk 11:5–8) as a segue from Insiders and Outsiders and a Hermeneutic of Resonance to provide a method she employs as an outsider sharing stories from and insights into a culture in which she was not born. She then connects her personal and existential experiences to the academic world of research.
Fetal anesthesia: intrauterine therapies and immediate postnatal anesthesia for noncardiac surgical interventions.

Purpose of review This review describes maternal and fetal anesthetic management for noncardiac fetal surgical procedures, including the management of lower urinary tract obstruction, congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), myelomeningocele, sacrococcygeal teratoma, prenatally anticipated difficult airway and congenital lung lesions. Recent findings Fetal interventions range from minimally invasive fetoscopic procedures to mid-gestation open surgery, to ex-utero intrapartum treatment procedure. Anesthetic management depends on the fetal intervention and patient characteristics. Anesthesia for most minimally invasive procedures can consist of intravenous sedation and local anesthetic infiltration in clinically appropriate maternal patients. Open fetal and ex-utero intrapartum treatment procedures require maternal general anesthesia with volatile anesthetic and other medications to maintain uterine relaxation. Tracheal balloons are a promising therapy for CDH and can be inserted via minimally invasive techniques. Management of the prenatally anticipated difficult airway during delivery and removal of tracheal balloons from patients with CDH during delivery can be clinically dynamic and require flexibility, seamless communication and a high-functioning, multidisciplinary care team. Summary Maternal and fetal anesthetic management is tailored to the fetal intervention and the underlying health of the fetus and mother.
Ubiquilin-2 differentially regulates polyglutamine disease proteins

Divergent protein context helps explain why polyglutamine expansion diseases differ clinically and pathologically. This heterogeneity may also extend to how polyglutamine disease proteins are handled by cellular pathways of proteostasis. Studies suggest, for example, that the ubiquitin-proteasome shuttle protein Ubiquilin-2 (UBQLN2) selectively interacts with specific polyglutamine disease proteins. Here we employ cellular models, primary neurons and mouse models to investigate the potential differential regulation by UBQLN2 of two polyglutamine disease proteins, huntingtin (HTT) and ataxin-3 (ATXN3). In cells, overexpressed UBQLN2 selectively lowered levels of full-length pathogenic HTT but not of HTT exon 1 fragment or full-length ATXN3. Consistent with these results, UBQLN2 specifically reduced accumulation of aggregated mutant HTT but not mutant ATXN3 in mouse models of Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), respectively. Normally a cytoplasmic protein, UBQLN2 translocated to the nuclei of neurons in HD mice but not in SCA3 mice. Remarkably, instead of reducing the accumulation of nuclear mutant ATXN3, UBQLN2 induced an accumulation of cytoplasmic ATXN3 aggregates in neurons of SCA3 mice. Together these results reveal a selective action of UBQLN2 toward polyglutamine disease proteins, indicating that polyglutamine expansion alone is insufficient to promote UBQLN2-mediated clearance of this class of disease proteins. Additional factors, including nuclear translocation of UBQLN2, may facilitate its action to clear intranuclear, aggregated disease proteins like HTT.
Underutilization of Surgical Standard of Care for Insured Men with Invasive Penile Cancer.

AbstractIntroduction:Prior studies of mixed insurance populations have demonstrated poor adherence to surgical standard of care for penile cancer. We used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology a...
Structural and Technological Changes in Agribusiness: Who is Ready?

In recent years, the agricultural sector has shown growth rates that exceed the growth rate of the economy as a whole. Thanks to this, Russian agribusiness entered the foreign market of agricultural products and food products as a major exporter. Moreover, the agro-industrial complex took a leading place among non-resource exports. The population of Russia is provided with the basic foodstuffs produced in the country. Also, the share of imported food in retail turnover is reduced. The leading dynamics in growth rates was caused by many factors, among which structural and technological changes occupy a key position. They became the beginning of the battle for the accelerated development of qualitatively new productive forces and production relations in agriculture. Modern organizational and technological modifications coincided with market transformations in the agricultural sector. Currently, the assessment of their impact on the further sustainable development of agribusiness is particularly relevant. The agricultural industry provides a person with vital products. Therefore, for any national economy, this industry is a special kind of catalyst, indicating the stable economic development of the state. The research purpose is to assess the readiness of agribusiness in the rapidly developing process of structural and technological changes, supporting and strengthening economic growth.
Probabilistic deconstruction of a theory of gravity, Part I: flat space

We define and analyze a stochastic process in anti-de Sitter Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity, induced by the quantum dynamics of the boundary and whose random variable takes values in $AdS_2$. With the boundary in a thermal state and for appropriate parameters, we take the asymptotic limit of the quantum process at short time scales and flat space, and show associated classical joint distributions have the Markov property. We find that Einstein's equations of the theory, sans the cosmological constant term, arise in the semi-classical limit of the quantum evolution of probability under the asymptotic process. In particular, in flat Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity, the area of compactified space solved for by Einstein's equations can be identified as a probability distribution evolving under the Markovian process.