cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expectant management and hydrotubations in the treatment of endometriosis-associated infertility

One hundred twenty-three infertility patients with laparoscopically documented endometriosis were managed expectantly for an interval of 1 to 25 months. Analysis revealed an overall pregnancy rate of 24.4% and a monthly fecundity rate (MFR) of 3.1%. Patients with mild disease had an overall pregnancy rate of 52.9% and an MFR of 5.7%. Women with moderate endometriosis did less well, but still demonstrated a pregnancy rate of 25% and an MFR of 3.2%. No pregnancies occurred with severe disease and expectant management. Postlaparoscopic hydrotubation was evaluated for its therapeutic effect with the use of multivariate analysis and maximum likelihood analysis. The results indicate that there is no decrease in the laparoscopy to conception interval, whereas a potential increase in cure rate cannot be adequately evaluated at this time.
Before Prozac. The Troubled History of Mood Disorders in Psychiatry: By Edward Shorter. Oxford University Press, 2008 Reviewed by S. Nassir Ghaemi

The field of history of medicine, prior to the mid-twentieth century, was largely an antiquarian’s delight, devoted mostly to showing the inevitable progress of medicine. In that sense, it was a reflection of the meliorist, evolutionary ideology of the late nineteenth century. Two world wars shook that confidence, and, especially in post-war France, history of medicine was reborn as part and parcel of the postmodernist movement, an approach to culture that involved a deep rejection of the Enlightenment tradition. Ironically, a founding tome of the postmodernist movement was a book on the history of psychiatry (Foucault’s famed work Madness and Civilization). It followed that history of medicine (and history of psychiatry more specifically) became a largely postmodernist discipline: where there had been order, there was now Brownian motion; where progress, regression; where logic, power; where reason, money. The new histories of medicine, especially from the 1960s onward, reflected this revisionism, and the corresponding academic journals today, like , would automatically reject, with disdain, any paper that dared breathe the word “progress.” The old catechism has become the new heresy; the old heresy now excommunication-worthy doctrine.
RATES AND TYPES OF PRESCRIBING ERRORS AND RELATED INTERVENTIONS IN PAEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY.

Aim The aim of the pharmacy intervention audit was to prospectively record the number and type of interventions made to paediatric oncology chemotherapy prescriptions. This baseline data will be used in the future to assess the impact of electronic prescribing (EP) on prescribing error or intervention rates. Independently from the EP project research, I interrogated the data to establish if there was a correlation between prescribing workload and rate of errors or interventions. I predicted that an ‘overworked’ prescriber would make more mistakes due to the volume of the workload and a less frequent prescriber would make more mistakes due to scarce use of these skills. Intervention rates have been found to be as high as 66% for chemotherapy prescriptions, including interventions for missed information, wrong doses and protocol breach1. This intervention rate demonstrates the importance of pharmacy verification. Another source demonstrated that 80% of errors were due to poor prescription writing.2 Method An audit tool was created to collect the data, included fields for date, prescriber type, number of drugs prescribed, number of interventions made and intervention type. Data was collected from 5 Jan 2015 to 12 Jun 15. Results The most common interventions required were addition of diluent volume, addition of start date and dose amendments to ensure doses could be accurately measured. The staff grade doctor prescribed on average 75% of the prescriptions each week, with an intervention rate of 19%. The registrar was responsible for 23% each week and had an error rate pf 24%. Consultants were responsible for only 2% of the weekly prescription workload and had the lowest rate of interventions at 7%. There was no clear correlation between percentage of chemotherapy prescribed per week and rate of errors. Conclusion The most common types of errors expected from the background reading are demonstrated by this audit, as the three common interventions are related to poor prescribing. EP should eliminate all three of these interventions as all these are either mandatory fields for a prescription to be ordered or measurable dose rounding will be in inbuilt into each drug field, and therefore calculated automatically by our prescribing system. There was no clear correlation between error rate and proportion of prescribing. Errors are therefore independent of prescribing workload. Alternative reasons for errors could include external factors such as environment or bad habits of the prescriber. I believe the low rate of errors from the consultants is due to the types of prescriptions they often prescribe. Which were more frequently for single agents such as intrathecals. This suggests further data interrogation could identify whether there is a relationship between prescription complexity (or length) and error rate.
The Impact of Receiver Sex on Feedback Message Choice by Supervisors and the Influence on Employees' Attitudes and Behaviors

OF THESIS THE IMPACT OF RECEIVER SEX ON FEEDBACK MESSAGE CHOICE BY SUPERVISORS AND THE INFLUENCE ON EMPLOYEES’ ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS The present study investigated the influence of receiver sex on supervisor’s feedback message choice, and the influence of the interaction between receiver sex and feedback message type on employees’ subsequent behaviors and attitudes. Participants (N = 45) included a representative sample from a reputable organization in the southeastern United States. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using a survey methodology. This mixed-methods approach revealed that while participants in this study rated the overall atmosphere of the performance evaluation as positive and informal, the interaction between receiver sex and feedback message type did have a statistically significant influence on their perceived utility of the feedback message, retention of the feedback message, and motivation to implement the feedback. In addition, women in this sample reported receiving significantly different types of feedback than did men. Therefore, supervisors should ensure that both men and women receive more task performance related feedback messages in order to increase employees’ perceived utility of the feedback message, retention of the feedback message, and motivation to implement the feedback.
Popular culture in (and out of) American political science: A concise critical history, 1858–1950

Historically, American political science has rarely engaged popular culture as a central topic of study, despite the domain’s outsized influence in American community life. This article argues that...
Direct Power System Transient Stability Analysis with Detailed Machine Models

Abstract Most of the investigations into direct methods for power system stability analysis have been limited to lower order simplified models as Lyapunov functions are readily constructed for conservative systems. This paper presents recent results on extending direct methods to more realistic multi-machine models. The results are based on the general concept of constant total system energy. It can be shown that the post-disturbance Newton’s second law equation for each rotating machine multiplied by its transient speed, and integrated over time, results in energy terms that added with kinetic energy terms must equal an arbitrary constant when evaluated along a trajectory that satisfies the post-disturbance equations. This constant energy or Hamiltonian formulation is then used in conjunction with the potential energy boundary surface method to estimate power system stability. The method is illustrated on a simple system with a high order machine model and associated voltage control.
Physician Gender Is Associated with Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Scores in Outpatient Gynecology.

Abstract Background Patient satisfaction is gaining increasing attention as a quality measure in health care, but the methods used to assess it may negatively impact women physicians. Objective Our objective was to examine the relationship between physician gender and patient satisfaction with outpatient gynecology care as measured by the Press Ganey patient satisfaction survey. Study Design This cross-sectional study analyzed 909 Press Ganey patient satisfaction surveys linked to outpatient gynecology visits at a single academic institution (March 2013–August 2014), including self-reported demographics and satisfaction. Surveys are delivered in a standardized fashion electronically and by mail. Surveys were completed by 821 unique patients and 13,780 gynecology visits occurred during the study period. The primary outcome variable was likelihood to recommend (LTR) a physician. We used χ2 tests of independence to assess the effect of demographic concordance on LTR and two generalized estimating equations models were run clustered by physician, with topbox physician LTR as the outcome variable. Analysis was performed in SAS Enterprise Guide 7.1 (SAS, Inc., Cary, NC). Results Nine hundred nine surveys with complete demographic data were completed by women during the study period (mean age, 49.3 years). Age- and race-concordant patient–physician pairs received significantly higher proportions of top LTR score than discordant pairs (p = .014 and p Conclusions Women gynecologists are 47% less likely to receive top patient satisfaction scores compared with their male counterparts owing to their gender alone, suggesting that gender bias may impact the results of patient satisfaction questionnaires. Therefore, the results of this and similar questionnaires should be interpreted with great caution until the impact on women physicians is better understood.
Cyber Attacks, Contributing Factors, and Tackling Strategies: The Current Status of the Science of Cybersecurity

This article describes how as access to the Internet has increased, cybersecurity has become important, with businesses and the government spending much time and resources to combat cyber attacks. The purpose of this article was to review the existing literature related to cybersecurity. Specifically, the review synthesizes the empirical research in 1 various types of cyber attacks, 2 contributing factors related to cybersecurity behavior, and 3 strategi to improve cybersecurity behavior. The most developed line of research in this area has been focusing on the strategies to improve cybersecurity behavior, showing a questionable trend of quickly creating solutions before fully conceptualizing the problem.
Sub-Nyquist Sampling Receiver for Overlay Cognitive Radio Users

The secondary users (SUs) in cognitive radio (CR) networks exploit the underutilized radio spectrum of the primary networks. In overlay CR systems, transmit waveforms can be designed either in orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing or in multicarrier code division multiple access modulation formats by deactivating subcarriers corresponding to primary users’ frequency bands to avoid interference. Transmissions of these overlay CR waveforms are expected to be extremely wideband, occupying up to 1 GHz of bandwidth. As reception of such wideband signals requires very high Nyquist sampling rates, we propose to employ a sub-Nyquist sampling front end. The proposed sub-Nyquist sampling receiver collects as coherently as possible all the SU signals spread across the entire frequency span of interest. Our theoretical analysis and simulation results demonstrate that the proposed receiver performs very close to the Nyquist rate receiver with significantly reduced complexity.
Die Entfernungen der Nebel

Die bisher besprochenen Daten bezogen sich auf die sichtbaren ZUge und die Verteilung der Nebel, gaben jedoch keine Auskunft uber ihre absoluten Entfernungen und Abmessungen. Die Untersuchungen fogten einer naturlichen Entwicklungslinie, die vor langer Zeit mit der EinfUhrung photographischer Methiden begann. Die meisten Ergebnisse lagen innerhalb der Reichweite bescheidener Teleskope. Das durchgefuhrte rogramm bildete den Vorlaufer der Forschungen, aus denen dann ein eindeutiges Bild der Nebel hervorging: Die Nebel sind nehe verwandte Mitgleider einer grosen Familie, und sind ziemlich gleichmasig uber den beobachtbaren Raum verteilt.
Aluminum Toxicity to Brook Trout (SalvelinusFontinalis) in Acidified Waters

Aluminum was identified as a primary toxicant present in acidic, snow-melt runoff and lakes in the Adirondack Mountain region of New York. Covariance analysis of water quality data from fifty three Adirondack lakes suggested that stocked brook trout survival was determined primarily by aluminum concentrations, rather than pH or calcium levels. Lakes not supporting brook trout had a mean aluminum concentration of 0.29 mg/liter, as compared to 0.11 mg/liter of aluminum in lakes where stocked brook trout survived. Comparisons of mortality and gill pathology of brook trout exposed to acidic synthetic solutions and natural Adirondack waters with aluminum levels above 0.2 mg/liter, indicated a specific toxic response to aluminum at pH levels down to 4.4. An apparent increase in toxicity of fixed total aluminum levels with increasing pH suggested that changes in speciation involving hydroxy complexing enhances the toxicity of the aluminum cation.
69 : Interferon-lambda is produced by and induces autocrine expression of interferon-stimulated genes in human bronchial epithelial cells

Interferons play a key role in the innate immune response to viral infection. In this study, we determined which IFN genes are expressed by primary human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells following infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) strain A2. Infection of HBE cells with RSV induced co-expression of the IFN-lambda genes ( IFNL1, IFNL2 and IFNL3 ) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. It also induced expression of the IFNB1 gene and low levels of the IFNA1 gene but not other type-I IFN genes. Induction of IFNB1 and IFNL gene expression correlated with marked increases in the levels of IFN- β and IFN- λ protein in the culture supernatants. The newly expressed IFN- β and IFN- λ proteins in turn induced activation of STAT1 and STAT2 and subsequent expression of mulitple IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs), including MX1, OAS1, IFIT1, IFIT3, IFI44 and IRF7 . Using neutralizing antibodies that selectively inhibit the activity of type-I versus type-III IFNs, we determined that ISG expression induced by RSV infection in HBE cells can be inhibited partially by either anti-type I or anti-type III IFN antibodies and almost completely by co-treatment with both types of antibodies together. Recombinant human IFN- λ 1 induced activation of STAT1 and STAT2 in naive HBE cells, and induced expression of the same ISGs that were induced by viral infection. Furthermore, pre-treatment with recombinant human IFN- λ 1 decreased the ability of RSV to infect naive HBE cells indicating that IFN- λ 1 may be a useful prophylactic agent to protect against infection by respiratory viruses that preferentially infect airway epithelial cells. These findings demonstrate that bronchial epithelial cells express significant levels of both type I and type III IFN following viral infection. Furthermore, the newly expressed IFN- β and IFN- λ proteins combine to mobilize a potent antiviral response in HBE cells by inducing autocrine expression of multiple ISGs.
Increasing Communication Among Nursing Home Residents

In this preliminary, intrasubject study (N = 8), we examined the effects of communication skills training and the use of memory books by Nursing Assistants (NAs) on the social ecology of a nursing home. Through inservice and on-the-job training, NAs were taught to use communication skills and memory books during their interactions with residents with mild to moderate cognitive impairment (Mini Mental Status Examination, M = 16.25), but relatively intact communication abilities. An abbreviated staff motivational system called Behavioral Supervision (Burgio and Burgio, 1990. Int. J. Aging Hum. Deve. 30: 287–302.) was attempted to encourage performance of these skills on the nursing units. Results showed that, regardless of sporadic implementation of the intervention by nursing staff, the intervention improved communication between staff and residents during care routines, increased the amount of time other residents and visitors spent talking with target residents, and increased the rate of positive statements made by the target residents and others in their immediate environment. Results are discussed in terms of limitations of the staff motivational system and modifications made to the system in a larger ongoing intervention trial.
Hydrogen Sulfide: Integrative Analysis of Acute Toxicity Data for Estimating Human Health Risk

The purpose of this article is to present a specialized applied review of the information available for evaluating human health risk from acute exposure to hydrogen sulfide. This article discusses a categorical regression approach to performing an integrative analysis of information and data from multiple studies for the derivation of benchmark concentrations useful for establishing health-protective reference concentrations. The underlying basis of this analysis is a severity categorization from judgment-based evaluations and assignments of the individual responses observed in the various toxicity studies. Specifically, this article provides a general introduction to acute toxicity of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and to categorical regression analysis in the form of the US EPA's CatReg software program; presents a general description of CatReg and its capabilities related to analysis of exposure–response data; illustrates the data and information available for H2S in individual toxicity studies, both animal and human; and demonstrates the extent and capacity of outputs available from CatReg to achieve the goal of estimating acceptable exposure levels to hydrogen sulfide for humans over different durations from the totality of the available data.
Characterization of dielectric constant of masonry wall using synthetic aperture radar imaging

Masonry structures are widely used for their low cost, durability, fire-resistance, sound isolation and other properties in civil engineering and architecture. Inspection of masonry structures is vital for maintaining their structural performance and long-term safety. Many traditional inspection technologies (e.g., acoustic/ultrasonic, thermographic, electromagnetic) have been applied for the structure health monitoring of masonry structures. The objective of this paper is to apply a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system for characterizing the dielectric constant of masonry specimens. A 10-GHz imaging radar system was used. A masonry wall was selected, and five ranges (150 cm, 250 cm, 500 cm, 1000 cm and 1500 cm) were considered in collecting SAR images of the masonry wall. From our result, it was found that attenuation of integrated SAR amplitude exhibits a nonlinear pattern as a function of range. An algorithm was developed to estimate the dielectric constant of the masonry wall. Field collected SAR images were compared with a portable 1.6-GHz ground penetrating radar (GPR) system. It was demonstrated that SAR images can be used to estimate dielectric constant of masonry structures in the field.
Abstract 3746: Fasting in mice enables abdominal radiation dose escalation in the setting of pancreatic cancer by mitigating small intestinal toxicity

Surgical resection is the only potentially curative treatment for pancreatic cancer, but only 15-20% of patients have resectable tumors. In unresectable cases, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) may be used to give tumor-directed radiotherapy (RT). Unfortunately, this can cause severe gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity due to proximity of the pancreatic head to the duodenum. Protecting the intestine from the toxic side-effects of radiation may enable dose-escalation that could achieve more effective local control of disease. We and others have previously shown that a fast of 24 hours protects mice from lethal doses of the DNA-damaging agent etoposide. In this study, we demonstrate that a 24 hour fast also protects mice from lethal doses of total-abdominal radiation. Histologic analyses using the Withers-Elkind microcolony assay show that fasting protected small intestinal (SI) stem cells from radiation damage and promoted early regeneration. To show a proof-of-principle for the use of this radioporotective maneuver in cancer therapy, we used an orthotopic model of pancreatic cancer using KPC tumor cells syngeneic to C57BL/6. Here, we show that fasting-mediated intestinal protection enabled dose escalated SBRT for treatment of these orthotopic tumors. RT with fasting-mediated radioprotection delayed tumor growth and improved survival compared to controls. Given this robust phenotype, we developed a 3D culture ex vivo assay using intestinal stem cell-enriched epithelial spheroid cultures. We modified these intestinal spheroids with a bioluminescent reporter and used these cells to develop a modified clonogenic assay for 3D culture that can be used to identify novel radioprotectors, such as a fasting mimetic. Taken together, these results suggest that fasting protects small intestinal stem cells, allowing animals to receive potentially curative doses of abdominal radiation that would otherwise be lethal. Future work will aim to identifying the mechanisms by which fasting confers intestinal protection and drug candidates that can be used to mimic this fasting-mediated protection. Citation Format: Marimar de la Cruz Bonilla, Kristina M. Stemler, Sabrina Jeter-Jones, Tara N. Fujimoto, Jessica Molkentine, Gabriela M. Asencio Torres, Cullen M. Taniguchi, Helen Piwnica-Worms. Fasting in mice enables abdominal radiation dose escalation in the setting of pancreatic cancer by mitigating small intestinal toxicity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3746.
Risk of clinically relevant hypoglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes self-titrating insulin glargine U-100

Aims We evaluated risk factors for clinically relevant hypoglycaemia (blood glucose Materials and methods We performed post hoc analyses of pooled treatment groups from each of two Phase 3 studies comparing LY2963016 with LANTUS: ELEMENT-2 (double-blind) and ELEMENT-5 (open label). Clinically relevant hypoglycaemia was analysed by category of HbA1c ( 8.5%) at Week 12 (titration period) and at Week 24 (overall study), and by subgroups of age ( Results In the ELEMENT-2 study (N = 756), there were no overall differences in rate or incidence of hypoglycaemia among HbA1c categories. In the ELEMENT-5 study (N = 493), patients with HbA1c greater than 8.5% had a lower rate and incidence of hypoglycaemia throughout the study compared to those in the lower HbA1c categories. In both studies, patients 65 years of age or older, compared to those less than 65 years, had a higher rate and incidence of hypoglycaemia during the titration phase, had lower baseline HbA1c, and experienced smaller increases in dose, with no differences in HbA1c post baseline. The rate and incidence of hypoglycaemia was similar between naive patients and patients previously using basal insulin, across all levels of glycaemic control. With the exception of the older subgroup, hypoglycaemia rates were similar during titration and maintenance periods. Conclusion Our results support broader use of self-titration algorithms for patients with type 2 diabetes.
123. Three dimensional printed drill guides vs fluoroscopic-guided freehand technique for pedicle screw placement: a systematic review and meta-analysis of radiographic and clinical outcomes

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Three-dimensional printing (3DP) is a budding technology in spine surgery. Initially utilized for preoperative planning using 3DP biomodels, the technology has recently been applied to 3DP drill guides for pedicle screw placement. Several authors have demonstrated the benefits of these drill guides on operative, clinical and radiographic outcomes in the last three years. Though still in its infant stages, additive manufacturing has shown immense promise. The technology's accessibility and customization may help to reduce the cost, complexity and, often, patient-specific needs of spine surgery. PURPOSE To determine surgical, clinical and radiographic outcomes of 3DP drill guides as compared to fluoroscopic-guided freehand placement of pedicle screws in cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING Systematic review and meta-analysis. OUTCOME MEASURES Total operation time, estimated blood loss, screw accuracy (as measured using the Richter grading scale), pain score, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, and postoperative complications. METHODS A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted using Ovid MEDLINE, Embase and Scopus, which resulted in 1,801 unique articles. Two independent reviewers (NW, BB) assessed eligibility and risk of bias for included studies. Weighted mean differences (WMD), standardized mean differences (SMD) and risk reduction (RR) were calculated for pooled data using a random-effects model. RESULTS Seven studies with a total of 208 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Operation time (WMD: −24.62min [95% CI: −36.91, −12.33]) and estimated blood loss (WMD: −51.42 ml [95% CI: −81.12, −21.72]) were significantly lower in procedures performed with 3DP drill guides as compared to freehand technique. In addition, probability of “excellent” screw placement was significantly higher in 3DP guides vs freehand (RR: −0.13 [95% CI: −0.18, −0.08]); however, no differences were observed in “poor” and “good” screw placement. There was no significant difference between 3DP and freehand groups in pain scores or JOA scores at baseline and one-year follow-up. There was also no group difference in rates of postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis indicates that pedicle screws placed with 3DP drill guides result in shorter operative time, less blood loss and greater probability of excellent screw placement as compared to pedicle screws placed with the traditional freehand technique. Similar clinical outcomes and postoperative complication rates were seen in both groups. We conclude that 3DP drill guides can offer a more efficient and accurate option for pedicle screw placement in challenging spinal anatomy. FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS This abstract does not discuss or include any applicable devices or drugs.
The joint effects of narcissism and psychopathy on accounting students’ attitudes towards unethical professional practices

Abstract Nonclinical psychopathy and everyday narcissism have received some attention in accounting literature. Both personality traits belong to a constellation of “dark” personality factors that can motivate or allow unethical behaviors. Although both entail callousness and a sense of entitlement, they have relatively distinct characteristics and thus are not highly correlated. Hence, they may contribute jointly and independently to explain or predict behavior. This study extends Bailey (2017) by examining their effects jointly in a national survey of accounting majors and describes the levels in that population. While narcissism is significantly correlated with acceptance of unethical practices, its effect is weaker than psychopathy, and only in the case of nonfinancial narcissistic acts does it explain variance beyond what an individual’s psychopathy explains. Narcissism in accounting majors is among the lowest of any population previously reported. Given that these traits are enduring, the participants are representative of practitioners. Implications for further research are discussed.
A Changing Landscape of Mortality for Systemic Light Chain Amyloidosis

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to address the overall trends in mortality since the adoption of modern therapies for treatment of systemic amyloidosis, and to reconsider the prognostic significance of individual components of the current staging system. Background Systemic light chain (AL) amyloidosis involves deposition of immunoglobulin light chains in organs throughout the body and is known to have the highest mortality when significant cardiac involvement is present. Survival has historically been poor but may be improving as systemic therapies continue to advance. This study assesses whether recent advancements in light chain directed therapy have led to improved survival in patients with systemic AL amyloidosis. Methods We reviewed all cases of patients who were evaluated for a new diagnosis of AL amyloidosis at the Stanford Amyloid Center between 2009 and 2016. Patients’ stage at diagnosis was determined according to the most commonly used staging system. Clinical data, overall survival from diagnosis, and the independent influence of each component of the staging system were analyzed. Results At total of 194 patients were identified with a new diagnosis of systemic AL amyloidosis. Median overall survival was 59 months and 6 months for stage 3 and 4 patients, respectively. Median overall survival was not reached in stage 1 and 2 groups, as survival was >50% by the end of the study. Mean overall survival was 118 months, 76 months, 64 months, and 27 months in Stages 1, 2, 3, and 4 patients, respectively. Although N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide and troponin I concentrations had large effects on prognosis, differences in serum free light chains (dFLC) on initial staging laboratory results ≥18 mg/dl, part of the current staging system, did not contribute significantly to prognosis for values ≥5 mg/dl. Conclusions Survival for patients with systemic AL amyloidosis has improved for patients at all stages of disease in the present era of rapid advancements in light chain-reducing therapies. Cardiac biomarkers at diagnosis, but not baseline dFLC ≥18 mg/dl, continue to provide important prognostic information.
Plastome phylogenomics and phylogenetic diversity of endangered and threatened grassland species (Poaceae) in a North American tallgrass prairie

Native grasslands are one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America. In this study, we examined the ecological and evolutionary roles of endangered and threatened (e/t) grasses by establishing robust evolutionary relationships with other nonthreatened native and introduced grass species of the community. We hypothesized that the phylogenomic distribution of e/t species of grasses in Illinois would be phylogenetically clustered because closely related species would be vulnerable to the same threats and have similar requirements for survival. This study presents the first time a phylogeny based on complete plastome DNA of Poaceae was analyzed by phylogenetic diversity analysis. To avoid the disturbance of e/t populations, DNA was extracted from herbarium specimens. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques were used to sequence DNA of plastid genomes (plastomes). The resulting phylogenomic tree was analyzed by phylogenetic diversity metrics. The extracted DNA successfully produced complete plastomes demonstrating that herbarium material is a practical source of DNA for genomic studies. The phylogenomic tree was strongly supported and defined Dichanthelium as a separate clade from Panicum. The phylogenetic metrics revealed phylogenetic clustering of e/t species, confirming our hypothesis.
Intermolecular Amine Transfer to Enantioenriched trans-3-Phenylglycidates by an α/β-Aminomutase to Access Both anti-Phenylserine Isomers

β-Hydroxy-α-amino acids are noncanonical amino acids with two stereocenters and with useful applications in the pharmaceutical and agrochemical sectors. Here, a 5-methylidene-3,5-dihydro-4H-imidazo...
Quantum phase transitions in long-range interacting hyperuniform spin chains in a transverse field

Hyperuniform states of matter are characterized by anomalous suppression of long-wavelength density fluctuations. While most of the interesting cases of disordered hyperuniformity are provided by complex many-body systems such as liquids or amorphous solids, classical spin chains with certain long-range interactions have been shown to demonstrate the same phenomenon. Such spin-chain systems are ideal models for exploring the effects of quantum mechanics on hyperuniformity. It is well-known that the transverse field Ising model shows a quantum phase transition (QPT) at zero temperature. Under the quantum effects of a transverse magnetic field, classical hyperuniform spin chains are expected to lose their hyperuniformity. High-precision simulations of these cases are complicated because of the presence of highly nontrivial long-range interactions. We perform an extensive analysis of these systems using density matrix renormalization group simulations to study the possibilities of phase transitions and the mechanism by which they lose hyperuniformity. Even for a spin chain of length 30, we see discontinuous changes in properties like the ``$\ensuremath{\tau}$ order metric'' of the ground state, the measure of hyperuniformity, and the second cumulant of the total magnetization along the $x$-direction, all suggestive of first-order QPTs. An interesting feature of the phase transitions in these disordered hyperuniform spin chains is that, depending on the parameter values, the presence of a transverse magnetic field may lead remarkably to an increase in the order of the ground state as measured by the ``$\ensuremath{\tau}$ order metric,'' even if hyperuniformity is lost. Therefore, it would be possible to design materials to target specific novel quantum behaviors in the presence of a transverse magnetic field. Our numerical investigations suggest that these spin chains can show no more than two QPTs. We further analyze the long-range interacting spin chains via the Jordan-Wigner mapping onto a system of spinless fermions, showing that under the pairwise-interaction approximation and a mean-field treatment, there can be at most two quantum phase transitions. Based on these numerical and theoretical explorations, we conjecture that for spin chains with long-range pair interactions that have convergent cosine transforms, there can be a maximum of two quantum phase transitions at zero temperature.
Constitutional Interpretation in Lawmaking: China's Invisible Constitutional Enforcement Mechanism

It is conventional wisdom that China's Constitution is unenforceable and plays little role in China's legal system, other than as a symbolic document. This view rests on the fact that the Supreme Court has no power to interpret the Constitution. The formal body with interpretive power, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, has never issued an official interpretation. Despite this apparent lack of enforcement, we argue that China's Constitution indeed plays an increasingly important coordinating role within the partystate. It does so not through the courts but through the legislative process, in which formal requirements of constitutional review have helped the legislature to resolve complex disputes about the relationships among different government organs, the economic system, and even rights claims. Understanding this hidden mechanism contributes to our knowledge of the internal constitutional workings of authoritarian systems, which differ from those of liberal democracies. It is also consistent with broader literatures on the constitution outside the courts, in which internal legislative processes have received relatively little scrutiny.
International Inflation Trends

Expected inflation rates have risen in many countries after fiscal and monetary stimulus helped economies recover from the COVID-19 lockdown.
Implementation of Telehealth Services at the US Department of Veterans Affairs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a rapid increase in the use of telehealth services at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which was accelerated by state and local policies mandating stay-at-home orders and restricting nonurgent in-person appointments. Even though the VA was an early adopter of telehealth in the late 1990s, the vast majority of VA outpatient care continued to be face-to-face visits through February 2020. Objective: We compared telehealth service use at a VA Medical Center, Greater Los Angeles across 3 clinics (primary care [PC], cardiology, and home-based primary care [HBPC]) 12 months before and 12 months after the onset of COVID-19 (March 2020). Methods: We used a parallel mixed methods approach including simultaneous quantitative and qualitative approaches. The distribution of monthly outpatient and telehealth visits, as well as telephone and VA Video Connect encounters were examined for each clinic. Semistructured telephone interviews were conducted with 34 staff involved in telehealth services within PC, cardiology, and HBPC during COVID-19. All audiotaped interviews were transcribed and analyzed by identifying key themes. Results: Prior to COVID-19, telehealth use was minimal at all 3 clinics, but at the onset of COVID-19, telehealth use increased substantially at all 3 clinics. Telephone was the main modality of patient choice. Compared with PC and cardiology, video-based care had the greatest increase in HBPC. Several important barriers (multiple steps for videoconferencing, creation of new scheduling grids, and limited access to the internet and internet-connected devices) and facilitators (flexibility in using different video-capable platforms, technical support for patients, identification of staff telehealth champions, and development of workflows to help incorporate telehealth into treatment plans) were noted. Conclusions: Technological issues must be addressed at the forefront of telehealth evolution to achieve access for all patient populations with different socioeconomic backgrounds, living situations and locations, and health conditions. The unprecedented expansion of telehealth during COVID-19 provides opportunities to create lasting telehealth solutions to improve access to care beyond the pandemic.
Between the Decolonial and the Postcolonial: An Interview with Mahmood Mamdani

Traditional narratives of the emergence of the modern state locate the decisive moment at the 1648 Peace of Westphalia which resolved the last major religious conflict in European history, the Thir...
Cellulose synthase-like D (CSLD) proteins move in the plasma membrane and their targeting to cell tips, but not cell plates, depends on the actin cytoskeleton

Abstract Cellulose Synthase-Like D (CSLD) proteins are implicated in cell wall remodeling during tip growth and cell division in plants, and are known to generate β-1,4-glucan. It is unknown whether they form complexes and move in the plasma membrane like members of the Cellulose Synthase (CESA) family. We used the genetically tractable moss Physcomitrium patens, which has a filamentous protonemal stage that undergoes both tip growth and cell division and is amenable to high resolution live cell imaging, to investigate CSLD function and intracellular trafficking. CSLD2 and CSLD6 are highly expressed in gametophores and are redundantly required for gametophore cellular patterning. Live cell imaging revealed that CSLD6 is also expressed in protonemata where it moves in the plasma membrane and localizes to cell plates and cell tips. Notably, delivery to the apical plasma membrane, but not the cell plate, depends on actin. By comparing the behavior of endogenously tagged CSLD6 and CESA10, we discovered that CSLD6 movements in the plasma membrane were significantly faster, shorter in duration and less linear than CESA10 movements and were insensitive to the cellulose synthesis inhibitor isoxaben. These data suggest that CSLD6 and CESA10 function within different structures and may thus produce structurally distinct cellulose microfibrils.
Preservation and Storage of Forage Crops

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the relative importance of the constituents of quality that must be examined in determining the magnitude of losses incurred during preservation and storage of forage crops. The chapter describes the various methods of preservation and evaluates the degree to which each preserves the original quality. Artificial drying results in best preservation with least storage loss, but the low capacity of economically sized units necessitates the use of other methods when large volumes of forage need to be handled within a short time. Ensilage is the best system for this purpose because of its high efficiency for timely handling, though it causes nearly a 20 percent deterioration of the feed value in the product. Rapid crop removal may also be accomplished when hay is field-cured but large field and storage losses result especially with immature, succulent crops. Barn curing is intermediate with respect to both losses and handling capacity.
The Near-Far Problem in Spread-Spectrum Road-Automobile Communications

Proposes a solution to the near-far problem in spread-spectrum road- automobile communications by employing linear decorrelating detectors for message recovery.
Taming Wild Extensions: Hopf Algebras and Local Galois Module Theory

Introduction Hopf algebras and Galois extensions Hopf Galois structures on separable field extensions Tame extensions and Noether's theorem Hopf algebras of rank $p$ Larson orders Cyclic extensions of degree $p$ Non-maximal orders Ramification restrictions Hopf algebras of rank $p^2$ Cyclic Hopf Galois extensions of degree $p^2$ Formal groups Principal homogeneous spaces and formal groups Bibliography Index.
Anonymity in wireless networks under capture or selective jamming: An admissible length study

Traffic analysis, where eavesdroppers retrieve networking information such as source-destination pairs and paths of data flow, severely compromises user privacy and can equip an adversary to launch more powerful network attacks. In wireless networks, such information can be easily obtained by using a radio receiver or merely an energy detector. Furthermore, active adversaries can intercept transmissions by capturing transmitted packets or time selectively jamming certain links thus distorting the timing of packet flows. By carefully selecting the packets to intercept, the adversary can use the distorted timing signature to improve his detection of the path of packet flows. Anonymous communication, where users exchange information without revealing the communicating parties is essential in any data network. On the Internet, anonymous communication is typically enabled using Chaum mixes-relay nodes or proxy servers which use cryptographic and batching strategies to mask source identities. In this work, a theoretical framework is proposed to investigate the ability of a mix to thwart timing analysis by active adversaries who can capture packets or selectively jam links. Specifically, using the detection time of an adversary as a metric, the maximum achievable anonymity of a mix is characterized as a function of its available memory and the number of packets Eve can capture. Although a closed form solution for the optimal admissible length is as yet intractable, upper and lower bounds are provided by studying an asymptotically optimal strategy and a clairvoyant adversary respectively.
Backscattering synthesis from tapered resistive grids

This paper describes how to synthesize a tapered resistive grid that produces a desired backscattering pattern. The grid consists of equally spaced, equal width strips. Each strip has a resistivity that is found by using a genetic algorithm. Physical optics is used to calculate the backscattering. The results are compared with the method of moments calculations.
Brush with Death: A Social History of Lead Poisoning. Christian Warren. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000, 370 pp., $45.00, hardcover. ISBN 0-8018-6289-2.

Over 6500 deaths in the United States have been directly attributed to lead poisoning over the 20th Century. Morbidity associated with lead exposure is not easily tallied, but is estimated to have affected >100 000 people engaged in the industries of lead smelting and lead-based paint production. Brush with Death presents the evolution of our knowledge of lead’s impact on health as it developed over the past century, with emphasis on …
Action of streptomycin on plant tumours.

IN previous reports on the effect of streptomycin on plant tumours produced by Phytomonas tumefaciens, it was stated that this antibiotic substance would cure a variety of plants of crown-gall1, and that it killed tumour tissue in these galls without influencing normal cells2. To obtain more information about the action of this agent, experiments were performed using in vitro methods which made possible more exact control of dosage and closer observation of effects.
A versatile synthesis of tetraester polyamine lipids for gene transfection

Abstract The preparation of polyamine lipids via Michael addition of diamines to tetraester bisacrylates is described. A new pentaerythritol protection strategy enabled the synthesis of a bis( p -methoxybenzyl)diether diol which was used to prepare the saturated and unsaturated diester cores.
Synthesis of homochiral tris(2-alkyl-2-aminoethyl)amine derivatives from chiral alpha-amino aldehydes and their application in the synthesis of water soluble chelators

A novel synthesis of 3-fold symmetric, homochiral tris(2-alkyl-2-aminoethyl)amine (TREN) derivatives is presented. The synthesis is general in scope, starting from readily prepared chiral alpha-amino aldehydes. The optical purity of the N-BOC protected derivatives of tris(2-methyl-2-aminoethyl)amine and tris(2-hydroxymethyl-2-aminoethyl)amine has been ascertained by polarimetry and chiral NMR chemical shift experiments. An X-ray diffraction study of the L-alanine derivative (tris(2-methyl-2-aminoethyl)amine.3 HCl, L-Ala(3)-TREN) is presented: crystals grown from ether diffusion into methanol are cubic, space group P2(1)3 with unit cell dimensions a = 11.4807(2) A, V = 1513.23(4) A(3), and Z = 4. Attachment of the triserine derived backbone tris(2-hydroxymethyl-2-aminoethyl)amine (L-Ser(3)-TREN) to three 3-hydroxy-1-methyl-2(1H)-pyridinonate (3,2-HOPO) moieties, followed by complexation with Gd(III) gives the complex Gd(L-Ser(3)-TREN-Me-3,2-HOPO)(H(2)O)(2), which is more water soluble than the parent Gd(TREN-Me-3,2-HOPO)(H(2)O)(2) and a promising candidate for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications. Crystals of the chiral ferric complex Fe(L-Ser(3)-TREN-Me-3,2-HOPO) grown from ether/methanol are orthorhombic, space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit cell dimensions a = 13.6290(2) A, b = 18.6117(3) A, c = 30.6789(3) A, V = 7782.0(2) A(3), and Z = 8. The solution conformation of the ferric complex has been investigated by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The coordination chemistry of this new ligand and its iron(III) and gadolinium(III) complexes has been studied by potentiometric and spectrophotometric methods. Compared to the protonation constants of previously studied polydentate 3,2-HOPO-4-carboxamide ligands, the sum of protonation constants (log beta(014)) of L-Ser(3)-TREN-Me-3,2-HOPO (24.78) is more acidic by 1.13 log units than the parent TREN-Me-3,2-HOPO. The formation constants for the iron(III) and gadolinium(III) complexes have been evaluated by spectrophotometric pH titration to be (log K) 26.3(1) and 17.2(2), respectively.