cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dispersion-eigenvalue determined order and sampling period

Three eigenvalue-based methods for determining an estimate degree of a characteristic polynomial from response data are discussed. Two methods utilize ninety-nine percent partial sums of both covariance eigenvalues and correlation eigenvalues. A third approach examines the number of smallest correlation eigenvalues. Using the order estimate, a locally optimum sampling period is produced from reconstructed data.
WNK1 kinase isoform switch regulates renal potassium excretion.

Members of the WNK family of serine/threonine kinases have been implicated as important modulators of salt homeostasis, regulating the balance between renal sodium reabsorption and potassium excretion. Gain-of-expression mutations in the WNK1 gene uncouple Na+ and K+ balance and cause a familial disorder of diminished renal potassium excretion, excessive sodium retention, and hypertension (pseudohypoaldosteronism type II or Gordon’s syndrome). Alternative splicing of the WNK1 gene produces a kidney-specific short form of WNK1 (KS-WNK1) and a more ubiquitous long form (L-WNK1), but it is not clear how either of these isoforms influence renal potassium excretion. Here we demonstrate that KS-WNK1 and L-WNK1 converge in a pathway to regulate the renal outer-medullary K+ channel, Kir1.1. Reconstitution studies in Xenopus oocytes reveal that L-WNK1 significantly inhibits Kir1.1 by reducing cell surface localization of the channel. A catalytically inactive L-WNK1 mutant has no inhibitory effect on Kir1.1, indicating that channel inhibition depends on kinase activity. KS-WNK1, lacking an intact kinase domain, does not directly alter Kir1.1. Instead, KS-WNK1 negatively regulates L-WNK1 to release Kir1.1 from inhibition. Acute dietary potassium loading increases the relative abundance of KS-WNK1 to L-WNK1 transcript and protein in the kidney, indicating that physiologic up-regulation of Kir1.1 activity involves a WNK1 isoform switch and KS-WNK1-mediated release from L-WNK1 inhibition. Thus, these observations provide evidence for the physiological regulation of Na+ and K+ balance by a kinase isoform switch mechanism.
Activation and Functional Significance of the Renin-Angiotensin System in Mice With Cardiac Restricted Overexpression of Tumor Necrosis Factor

Background— The functional significance of cross-regulation between the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) has been established in nonmyocyte cell types; however, the degree and functional significance of the interaction between RAS and TNF has not been characterized in the heart. Methods and Results— We examined the expression of components of the RAS in a line of transgenic mice (MHCsTNF) with cardiac restricted overexpression of TNF. When examined at 4, 8, and 12 weeks of age, the MHCsTNF mice had increased activation of myocardial RAS, as shown by an increase in ACE mRNA level and ACE activity and increased angiotensin II peptide levels. Furthermore, myocardial angiotensin receptor mRNA and protein levels were reduced in the MHCsTNF mice, consistent with homologous desensitization of the receptors. However, expression of renin and angiotensinogen was not increased in MHCsTNF mice compared with littermate controls. To determine the functional significance of RAS activation i...
Examination of Effective Dielectric Constants of Nonspherical Mixed-Phase Hydrometeors

AbstractThe validity of the effective dielectric constant ɛeff for nonspherical mixed-phase particles is tested by comparing the scattering parameters of ice–water mixtures for oblate and prolate spheroids obtained from the conjugate-gradient and fast Fourier transform (CGFFT) numerical scheme with those computed from the T matrix for a homogeneous particle with the derived ɛeff with the same size, shape, and orientation as that of the mixed-phase particle. The accuracy of the effective dielectric constant is evaluated by examining whether the scattering parameters of interest can reproduce those of the direct computations, that is, the CGFFT results. Computations have been run over a range of prolate and oblate spheroids of different axial ratios up to size parameters of 4. It is found that the effective dielectric constant, obtained from realizations of small particles, can be applied to a class of particle types if the fractional water content remains the same. Analysis of the results indicates that th...
Becoming a crossover-competent DSB

The proper execution of meiotic recombination (or crossing over) is essential for chromosome segregation during the first meiotic division, and thus this process is regulated by multiple, and often elaborate, mechanisms. Meiotic recombination begins with the programmed induction of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), of which only a subset are selected to be repaired into crossovers. This crossover selection process is carried out by a number of pro-crossover proteins that regulate the fashion in which DSBs are repaired. Here, we highlight recent studies regarding the process of DSB fate selection by a family of pro-crossover proteins known as the Zip-3 homologs.
Stimulus-Responsive Light Coupling and Modulation with Nanofiber Waveguide Junctions

We report a systematic study of light coupling at junctions of overlapping SnO2 nanofiber waveguides (WGs) as a function of gap separation and guided wavelength. The junctions were assembled on silica substrates using micromanipulation techniques and the gap separation was controlled by depositing thin self-assembled polyelectrolyte coatings at the fiber junctions. We demonstrate that the coupling efficiency is strongly dependent on the gap separation, showing strong fluctuations (0.1 dB/nm) in the power transfer when the separation between nanofibers changes by as little as 2 nm. Experimental results correlate well with numerical simulations using three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain techniques. To demonstrate the feasibility of using coupled nanofiber WGs to modulate light, we encased the junctions in an environment-responsive matrix and exposed the junctions to gaseous vapor. The nanofiber junctions show an ∼95% (or ∼80%) modulation of the guided 450 nm (or 510 nm) light upon interaction wit...
Experimental Research on Live-line Operation for ±800kV DC Transmission Line

In light of the practice of the Xiangjiaba-Shanghai±800 kV UHV DC transmission line project,3 types of live-line operation were carried out on the simulating tower,various minimum safety distances were calculated and analyzed when the worker access to electric field.The results show that the safest way is that the worker enters the equipotential area from the earth in vertical direction under the line,the second is that the worker enters the equipotential area from tower body in horizon direction.The way that worker enters equipotential area from cross beam in vertical direction needs the maximum safety distance,so this way is not suggested.
Introduction: the practice of paradise

“The gate to paradise remains sealed by the term risk.” Niklas Luhmann, Risk “ … theirs is the hunger for paradise.” H. D., “The Flowering of the Rod” This book is about a massive, disorganized and highly successful Victorian cultural enterprise: the textual construction of a safe England in a dangerous world between 1832 and 1897. Beginning in the 1830s, a diverse group of writers labored to help the first victims and beneficiaries of industrialization imagine that danger could be banished from the domestic scene and relocated in the world outside British borders. Careful representations of the precise locations of safety and danger – in such diverse texts as statistical analyses of the British empire, handbooks of hospital reform, memoirs of balloon aeronauts, travelogues of Alpine mountaineers, and ethnographic studies of Africa – suggested that risk could be either avoided altogether (in England) or engaged voluntarily in the dangerous world beyond it. The attempt to resolve risk geographically ignores the most salient feature of risk: that it is by definition a temporal problem; it exists only and always as a possibility, a future contingency. A geographical solution obscures the impossibility of banishing risk. This form of risk management thus involves the colonization of time: danger would seem to be plucked out of its hiding place in the invisible reaches of the future and brought into the present, to be experienced, survived and thus eradicated.
Prolonged sitting negatively affects the postprandial plasma triglyceride-lowering effect of acute exercise.

The interaction of prolonged sitting with physical exercise for maintaining health is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that prolonged siting would have a deleterious effect on postprandial plasma ...
Instantaneous accounting for leaf water in X-ray fluorescence spectra of corn grown in manure- and fertilizer-amended soils

Abstract Manure-amended soils have shown a high degree of temporal and geographic variability in labile phosphorus (P). Real time information and practical ways for determining foliar composition are needed to obtain direct evidence of plant uptake, and the supplying capacity of the soil. Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to determine leaf water content effects on spectral characteristics of corn (Zea mays) uppermost leaves when grown in mineral P fertilizers- (0–250 mg P kg−1) or manure-amended soils (0, 15, and 30 kg P ha−1). In situ X-ray fluorescence scans of fresh green leaves yielded foliar P concentrations that paralleled those obtained using oven-dried harvested leaf samples. Leaf structure and size of seedlings can cause significant variations in leaf-to-spectrometer contact, inter-element interference, and leaf water content and its attenuating effects on the yield of weak fluorescence radiation of low Z-elements ( y = 0.12 + 0.94 / ( 1 + exp ( - ( θ w - 0.37 ) / - 0.17 ) ) with r2 = 0.938 and RMSE = 0.02. Therefore, we proposed its use to obtain P concentration on a dry weight basis and unbiased estimates of crop P status. The in situ fluorescence sensing system presents a new paradigm in nutrient management to insure the sustainability of agroecosystems and development of field-specific nutrient management practices.
Financial Performance, CEO Compensation, and Large-Scale Information Technology Outsourcing Decisions

The inherent riskiness of large-scale information technology (IT) outsourcing led us to investigate what motivates large-scale IT outsourcing decisions. We employed fixed-effects logistical regressions to examine publicly available data for 51 firms that announced their decisions to outsource all or a large portion of their IT function during the 1993-2001 period. Results suggest that incentives created by CEO stock options and overall compensation mix significantly influence decisions to outsource. We thus provide the first evidence of a relationship between managerial self-interest and IT outsourcing. Additional results suggest that poor overall firm performance, poor cost control, and short-term cash needs also drive large-scale IT outsourcing, but provide no evidence that firms outsource IT to reduce leverage. Overall, we conclude that CEOs consider several personal and firm-level financial factors, including factors unrelated to IT cost and performance, when making large-scale IT outsourcing decisions. Our conclusion has numerous implications regarding long-term IT performance, long-term firm performance, CEO contracting and financial reporting.
The Super Bowl at 50 or L

AbstractIn the short span of a half-century the Super Bowl has grown from a modest championship game between two football leagues into an outsized mid-winter holiday co-produced by the National Football League and the combined efforts of the American advertising and television industries. It has grown from a one-day into a two-week festival featuring a vast range of events, parties, and a championship football game. Fifty years on, half of the population of the United States and a worldwide television audience participate in Super Bowl activities and festivities either live or virtually. Television, marketing, and a wide range of media platforms have aided and abetted the growth of this celebration of football and consumption. Although there are many ways to describe the Super Bowl it is the nineteenth century vocabulary of the economist Thorstein Veblen that best captures its essence. In Veblen’s words it is a case of ‘conspicuous consumption’ now running on steroids.
Agricultural, Farm, and Immigrant Workers with Disabilities

Agricultural work has been the hallmark of the workforce in rural settings. Farm workers, which include a large percentage of immigrant workers, are in a high-risk industry for acquiring injury and disability. The chapter explores the characteristics of farm workers, rate and type of injury and disability, rate of recovery and rehabilitation, and utilization of the VR system. The goal is to identify the responsiveness and appropriateness of the VR services in meeting the needs of farm workers.
Cloud big data decision support system for machine learning on AWS: Analytics of analytics

Machine Learning algorithms on large datasets can be executed in the Cloud. Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides over 60 different On-Demand EC2 instances [1]. The instance prices range from $0.0059 (t2.nano) to $14.4 (p2.16xlarge) per hour. We decided to build an automatic recommendation system to choose the best instance for a dataset and a machine learning algorithm to optimize time and money spent. After running multiple algorithms for different Big Data sets on assorted AWS instances and collecting the results in the NoSQL DynamoDB database, we have trained machine learning models to predict time and cost using assorted regression ML methods.
What we’ve learned from 3‐D and R,Z intense‐beam simulations using the warp code

It is presented an extended abstract of a theoretical work which is currently in press. A three dimensional simulation is devoted to heavy‐ion accelerators as the principal driver approach in the inertial confinement program. The main objective is the ion beam quality accomplished at minimal cost. (AIP)
Total shoulder arthroplasty in octogenarians: Is there a higher risk of adverse outcomes?

Abstract This study used the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program to evaluate octogenarians who underwent total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). Specifically, we evaluated: (1) patient demographics; (2) perioperative factors; and (3) 30-day postoperative complications. Compared to controls, the octogenarians had more females, white patients, lower BMIs, fewer smokers, less functionally independent, higher ASA scores, shorter operative times, and longer LOS. Octogenarians had greater odds for developing any (OR = 2.05; 95%CI, 1.70–2.46), any major (OR = 2.28; 95%CI, 1.66–3.13), and any minor (OR = 1.99; 95%CI, 1.63–2.45) complications. Perioperative risk management strategies for elective TSA in the elderly may help mitigate the increased perioperative risks associated with age.
Expression of human papillomavirus oncoproteins E6 and E7 inhibits invadopodia activity but promotes cell migration in HPV-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells.

Background The rapid increase in the incidence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is caused by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. The HPV oncogenes E6 and E7 promote carcinogenesis by disrupting signaling pathways that control survival and proliferation. Although these cancers are often diagnosed with metastases, the mechanisms that regulate their dissemination are unknown. Aims The aim of this study was to determine whether the HPV-16 E6 and E7 oncogenes affected the invasive and migratory properties of HNSCC cells which promote their spread and metastasis. Methods and results Invasiveness was determined using invadopodia assays which allow for quantitation of extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation by invadopodia which are proteolytic membrane protrusions that facilitate invasion. Using cell lines and genetic manipulations, we found that HPV inhibited invadopodia activity in aggressive cell lines which was mediated by the E6 and E7 oncogenes. Given these findings, we also tested whether HPV caused differences in the migratory ability of HNSCC cells using Transwell assays. In contrast to our invadopodia results, we found no correlation between HPV status and cell migration; however, blocking the expression of the E6 and E7 oncoproteins in a HPV-positive (HPV+) HNSCC cell line resulted in decreased migration. Conclusions Our data suggest that the E6 and E7 oncoproteins are negative regulators of invadopodia activity but may promote migration in HPV+ HNSCC cells. Despite the need for ECM proteolysis to penetrate most tissues, the unique structure of the head and neck tissues in which these cancers arise may facilitate the spread of migratory cancer cells without significant proteolytic ability.
Immunotherapy-responsive chorea in a patient with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome and refractory Crohn’s disease: A case report (P6.042)

Objective: To describe a case of immunotherapy-responsive chorea in a 68-year-old woman with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) and refractory crohn’s disease treated with Vedolizumab Background: Chorea is a rare manifestation of anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS), occurring in 1.3 % of patients. The median age of onset is approximately 20 years of age. There have been rare reports of APS in patients with crohn’s disease and treatment is challenging. Design/Methods: Case report Results: A 68-year-old woman with history of refractory Crohn’s disease (CD) on vedolizumab presented with an acute onset of confusion, chorea and falls. MRI demonstrated multiple small cortical parieto-occipital infarcts. Chorea resolved spontaneously with no treatment. Three months later she presented with generalized chorea, cognitive impairment and imbalance. Repeat MRI demonstrated no new or acute infarcts. Autoimmune workup revealed positive ANA (1:160), DNA antibody, anti-cardiolipin (aCL) IgM (10.8) and IgG (139.4) antibodies and beta-2 glycoprotein IgG antibodies. CSF analysis demonstrated mild lymphocytic pleocytosis (7 WBCs, 100 % lymphocytes). She received 5 day course of IV methylprednisolone followed by IVIG treatment for 5 days with marked improvement of chorea and cognition. She was discharged on prednisone taper and warfarin therapy. Patient failed long term immunotherapy with hydroxychloriquine and azathioprine due to side effects. Conclusions: Thromboembolic events are frequently associated with inflammatory bowel disease. Prevalence of aCL is high in patients with Ulcerative colitis (18.1%) and CD (15.6%). To our knowledge APS related Chorea in patients with refractory CD on vedolizumab has not been previously described. Literature supports that high titers of cardiolipin are associated with increased risk for neuropsychiatric manifestations. Steroids and IVIG remain the treatment of choice in immune mediated movement disorders. Disclosure: Dr. Patel has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Dr. Neepa Patel has received honoraria as a consultant for Acadia pharmaceuticals and as a speaker for Teva pharmaceuticals. Dr. Osman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Memon has nothing to disclose.
Anesthesia Risk and the Mucopolysaccharidoses: A Challenging and Changing Landscape

The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are well known to present a high risk of anesthesia. Predominantly, this risk is not only related to upper airway issues but also to multilevel airway obstruction, respiratory morbidity, and cardiac issues. Before disease-specific treatment became available, the management of the untreated patients with MPS was regarded as the worst airway problem in pediatric anesthetic practice. The last 20 to 30 years have seen great advances in the treatment of the different types of MPS with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) being offered to children with MPS I Hurler sundrome since the 1980s, and more recently enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) becoming available for many MPS subtypes. These treatments have undoubtedly affected the relative risk involved with an anesthetic. HSCT improves markedly the upper airway and cardiac myocardial function and there is evidence that airway management is much more straightforward. ERT, on the other hand, improves obstructive sleep apnea and exercise tolerance, but the overall effect on the risk of anesthesia is less obvious and airway complications during anesthesia remain at a high level. The impact of improved anesthetic management in the same time frame is borne out by a reduced failed intubation rate in the literature. The management of the MPS patients necessitates a multidisciplinary approach presently widely practiced in pediatric centers, but successful modes of therapy increasing their life span have pushed many of the extreme anesthetic challenges into adult practice where most anesthetists will be unfamiliar with the problem. This is a problem that needs to be addressed, and solutions to this issue could be collaborative working between pediatric and adult practitioners or an international network of experts available for advice.
From Headlines to Hollywood: The Birth and Boom of Warner Bros

In 1931, Warner Bros. studio released The Public Enemy, a gangster film, with a prologue that addressed concerns about the impact Hollywood pictures were having on public morality. The movie, accor...
Higher LRINEC Scores and Escalation of Anesthesia Care in Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection.

Abstract Background The Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis (LRINEC) score may distinguish necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) from non-NSTI. The association of higher preoperative LRINEC scores with escalations of intraoperative anesthesia care in NSTI is unknown and may be useful in communicating illness severity during patient handoffs. Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of first operative debridement for suspected NSTI in a single referral center from 2013 to 2016. We assessed the association between LRINEC score and vasopressors, blood products, crystalloid, invasive monitoring, and minutes of operative and anesthesia care. Results We captured 332 patients undergoing their first operative debridement for suspected NSTI. For every 1-point higher LRINEC score, there was a higher risk of norepinephrine and vasopressin use (relative risk [RR] = 18%, 95% confidence interval [CI] [10%, 26%] and [10%, 27%], respectively), packed red blood cell use (RR = 28% [95% CI 13%, 45%]), and additional crystalloid (17.57 mL/h [95% CI 0.37, 34.76]). Each additional LRINEC point was associated with longer anesthesia (3.42 min, 95% CI 0.94, 5.91) and operative times (2.35 min, 95% CI 0.29, 4.40) and a higher risk of receiving invasive arterial monitoring (RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.05, 1.18). The negative predictive value for an LRINEC score 90% for use of vasopressors and packed red blood cells. Conclusions Preoperative LRINEC scores were associated with escalations in intraoperative care in patients with NSTI. A low score may predict patients unlikely to require vasopressors or blood and may be useful in standardized handoff tools for patients with NSTI.
Nature’s right ventricle—limited by design

Right ventricular failure remains a vexing currently unreconcilable problem in modern cardiac surgery. The etiology is multifactorial, the prevalence significant, and the mortality risk substantial. Management paradigms of right ventricle (RV) failure have undergone historical changes as our experiences in advanced mechanical circulatory support have evolved (1-6). Our current treatment options, however, remain limited even as our understanding of the optimal management evolves.
Determining Trajectory to Predict Injury: The Use of X-Ray During Resuscitation in Gunshot Wounds

Abstract Background The practice of marking gunshot wounds and obtaining X-rays (XRs) has been performed to determine the trajectory of missiles to help identify internal injuries. We hypothesized that surgeons would have poor accuracy in predicting injuries and that X-rays do not alter the clinical decision. Methods We developed a 50-patient (89 injury sites) PowerPoint survey based on cases seen at our level 1 trauma center from 2012 to 2014. Images of a silhouetted BodyMan (BM) with wounds marked, XRs, and vital signs (VSs) were shown in series for 20 s each. Surgeons were asked to record which organs they thought could be injured and to document their clinical decision. Data were analyzed to determine the inter-rater reliability (agreement, intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]) for each mode of clinical information (BM, XR, VS). Predicted versus actual injuries were compared using absolute agreements. Results Ten surgeons completed the survey. We found that no single piece of information was helpful in allowing the surgeon to accurately predict injuries. Pulmonary injury had the highest agreement among all injuries (ICC = 0.727). VSs had the highest ICC in determining the clinical plan for the patient (ICC = 0.342), whereas both BM and XR had low ICCs (0.162 and 0.183, respectively). Conclusions We found that marking wounds and obtaining X-rays, other than a chest X-ray, did not result in accuracy in predicting injury nor alter the clinical decision. VSs were the only piece of information found significant in determining clinical management. We conclude that marking wounds for X-rays is an unnecessary step during the initial resuscitation of patients with gunshot wounds.
Radiative transfer in ultra-relativistic outflows

Analytical and numerical solutions are obtained for the equation of radiative transfer in ultra-relativistic opaque jets. The solution describes the initial trapping of radiation, its adiabatic cooling, and the transition to transparency. Two opposite regimes are examined: (1) Matter-dominated outflow. Surprisingly, radiation develops enormous anisotropy in the fluid frame before decoupling from the fluid. The radiation is strongly polarized. (2) Radiation-dominated outflow. The transfer occurs as if radiation propagated in vacuum, preserving the angular distribution and the blackbody shape of the spectrum. The escaping radiation has a blackbody spectrum if (and only if) the outflow energy is dominated by radiation up to the photospheric radius.
SLIRP Interacts with Helicases to Facilitate 2'- O-Methylation of rRNA and to Promote Translation

SRA stem-loop-interacting RNA-binding protein (SLIRP) is a versatile protein that can interact with the stem-loop structure in RNA and with G quadruplex DNA. By using a quantitative proteomic experiment, we found that SLIRP interacts with the majority of the human helicase proteome. We also found that these interactions facilitate 2'-O-methylation of a number of nucleosides in rRNA and promote protein translation. Hence, we uncovered a novel function of SLIRP protein and offered novel mechanistic insights into its function as a RNA chaperone and into the regulation of 2'-O-methylation of rRNA.
CS1 Scaffolded Activities: The Rise of Students' Engagement

We introduced a model of activity-based active learning class which has been practiced for a few years in [4]. While it may seem an easy task, designing an effective activity-based active learning can be quite challenging. Active learning adds new benefits to teaching including increased student involvement, social interaction, and hands-on learning, etc. [1]. However, in some situations, it may not provide an efficient learning environment. For example, we may assume that it is effective for educators to provide students with an environment where they can perform peer instruction and social learning. It could be further assumed that students will naturally find their way around the activities by following the instructions or peer instruction [2]. Such issues depend on the way activities are designed and executed. In this work, we discuss how the scaffolding of activities can help students stay engaged with the course without feeling lost or disconnected. Scaffolding refers to methods used to help students progress towards stronger understandings and eventually more independence in the learning process [3]. Our scaffolding methods smoothly transition students from lower to higher levels of challenge through an appropriate breakdown of course contents into activities of various types, proper sequencing of concepts and formative assessment questions. We believe that such proper breakdown is essential to keeping students engaged. We don't want students to feel bored (when challenge level is too low) or overwhelmed (when the challenge level is too high). Our findings indicate statistically significant differences in participation and engagement when using scaffolded activities in our introductory programming course (CS1).
Universal design for learning-representation and science content: a pathway to expanding knowledge, understanding, and written explanations

AbstractThe need for all students to develop a stronger ability to express their science knowledge in writing is important. In this article, the authors take you on a journey in an elementary schoo...
Hilbert Space Methods and the Korányi Proof

The moral of Chapter 17 and many other situations is that given a positive matrix, use it to form an inner product.
Retirement and encore adulthood: the new later life course

Retirement became an institutionalized, primarily male, later life-course transition by the middle of the twentieth century; an expected, routine exit from a lifetime of paid work that was also seen as the passage to old age. However, large-scale social forces (globalization, aging populations, women's labor force participation, reduced social protections) have upended conventional expectations about retirement and the later life course. The period roughly between ages 55 and 75 years has arguably become a new life course stage, an ‘encore’ to conventional adulthood occurring typically after the career- and family-building years, but prior to the infirmities associated with old age.
Effects of hormones and hormone therapy on breast tissue in transgender patients: a concise review

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has become a mainstay medical treatment option for management of gender dysphoria in transgender patients of both biologic sexes. Very little is known about the long-term effects of steroid hormone modulation on breast tissue in this population. Most of the data available on the effects of HRT on breast and reproductive tissues come from studies of postmenopausal cisgender women. Therapeutic regimens are often provider-dependent, and there, are no uniform guidelines in place for cancer surveillance in transgender patients. In this review, we present what forms of hormone therapy and hormone modulation are available to transgender patients, what is known about their effects on male and female breast tissue, and what other endogenous and exogenous factors contribute to the macroscopic and cellular changes observed. A search for the existing literature focusing on therapeutic regimens and the effects of HRT on breast tissue provided the most current information available for this review. Recent evidence-based reports (since the year 2000) and reviews were given priority over anecdotal evidence and expert opinions when conflicting information was encountered. Older resources were considered when primary sources were needed. Given the paucity of available articles on this subject, all resources were given careful consideration. Information about the risks associated with HRT in the current literature and in this setting is limited and often conflicting, due to a scarcity of long-term studies tracking breast pathology among transgender men and women. We conclude that the long-term effects of off-label pharmaceutical use for modulation of hormone levels and sexual characteristics in transgender patients have not been well studied. The tendency of steroid hormones to promote the growth of certain cancers also raises questions about the safety of differing doses and drug combinations. Further clinical and laboratory study is needed to better establish safety and dosing guidelines in transgender patients.
Mechanisms underlying priapism in sickle cell disease: targeting and key innovations on the preclinical landscape

Introduction: Priapism is prolonged penile erection in the absence of sexual arousal or desire and is a devastating condition affecting millions of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) globally. Available drug treatments for SCD-related priapism remain limited and have been primarily reactive rather than preventive. Hence, there is an unmet need for new drug targets and pharmacologic therapies.Areas covered: We examine the molecular mechanisms underlying SCD-associated priapism evaluated mostly in animal models. In mouse models of SCD, molecular defects of priapism operating at the cavernous tissue level include reduced tonic NO/cGMP signaling, elevated oxidative/nitrosative stress, vascular adhesion molecule derangements, excessive adenosine and opiorphin signaling, dysregulated vasoconstrictive RhoA/ROCK signaling, and testosterone deficiency. We discuss the consequences of downregulated cGMP-dependent phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) activity in response to these molecular signaling derangements, as the main effector mechanism causing unrestrained cavernous tissue relaxation that results in priapism.Expert opinion: Basic science studies are crucial for understanding the underlying pathophysiology of SCD-associated priapism. Understanding the molecular mechanisms could unearth new therapeutic targets for this condition based on these mechanisms. Treatment options should aim to improve deranged erection physiology regulatory signaling to prevent priapism and potentially restore or preserve erectile function.
Entrapping bupivacaine-loaded emulsions in a crosslinked-hydrogel increases anesthetic effect and duration in a rat sciatic nerve block model

Abstract The purpose of this research was to evaluate a novel long-acting bupivacaine delivery system for control of postoperative pain. Bupivacaine-loaded lipid emulsion (BLE) droplets were created by high-speed homogenization. The BLE droplets were then entrapped into a crosslinked-hyaluronic acid hydrogel system to create an injectable composite gel formulation (HA-BLE). Dynamic light scattering, rheological, and drug release techniques were used to characterize the formulations. A rat sciatic nerve block with a thermal nociceptive assay was used to evaluate the anesthetic effect in comparison to controls, bupivacaine HCl and liposomal bupivacaine. The BLE droplets had a zeta potential, droplet size, and polydispersity index of −40.8 ± 0.66 mV, 299 ± 1.77 nm, and 0.409 ± 0.037, respectively. The HA-BLE formulation could be injected through 25 g needles and had an elastic modulus of 372 ± 23.7 Pa. Approximately 80% and 100% of bupivacaine was released from the BLE and HA-BLE formulations by 20 and 68 h, respectively. The HA-BLE formulation had a 5-times greater anesthetic area under the curve and an anesthetic duration that was twice as long as controls. Results indicate that incorporating the BLEs into the hydrogel significantly increased anesthetic effect by protecting the BLE droplets from the in vivo environment.
Reply to Ng et al.: Not all trauma is the same, but lessons can be drawn from commonalities.

In their Letter, Ng et al. (1) state that our (2) comparison of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to Hurricane Katrina is “slightly contrived.” We appreciate the opportunity for discussion. However, we maintain that there is much to be learned from prior disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, for anticipating and mitigating the indirect health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our article explicitly acknowledges key differences between the pandemic and Hurricane Katrina, including that the pandemic does not involve physical destruction and that its effects are temporally and geographically diffuse. Ng et al. (1) suggest these differences render the pandemic insufficiently traumatic to warrant comparison to Hurricane … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: eraker{at}g.harvard.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Covid-19 Hasn’t Been a Tipping Point for Value-Based Care, but It Should Be

NEJM Catalyst Insights Council members say their organizations are sticking with fee-for-service, despite the havoc to their finances wrought by the pandemic.
Personality factors and self-reported political news consumption predict susceptibility to political fake news

Abstract The existence of fake news on social media is likely to influence important issues such as elections, attitudes toward public policy, and health care decisions. Studies have shown that individual differences predict participants' ability to discern real and fake news. The present study examined whether personality factors and news consumption predict an individual's political news discernment. Participants (N = 353) judged the accuracy of true and false political news headlines, completed a personality inventory, and reported how many hours they obtained political news from various sources in a typical week. Regression analyses revealed that greater levels of agreeableness, conscientiousness, open-mindedness, lower levels of extraversion, and fewer hours of news consumption were related to better news discernment. Participants also showed a bias toward headlines consistent with their self-reported political ideology, and this bias was related to consumption of ideologically biased news sources. These results extend those that have identified individual differences in news discernment, demonstrating that personality factors and news consumption are related to the ability to discern between true and false political news.
An Analysis of Grade 4 Reading Textbooks used in Mainland China: Do the Texts and Activities Support Higher Order Reading Comprehension Skills?

The current study focused on the required Grade 4 reading textbooks published by Mainland China's People's Education Press. Using the construction–integration model (C–I; Kintsch in Psychol Rev 95:163–182, 1988; Discourse Process 39:125–112, 2005) as the theoretical framework, we analyzed the texts and activities in the textbooks on the following domains: (1) genre, (2) top-level structure (TLS), the C–I model activated in a (3) passage comprehension and (4) a word comprehension activity, and (5) whether the activities addressed the TLS to help students integrate prior knowledge under appropriate schemata. Our results suggested that among the 63 texts, only 2 had a comparison text structure. Also, only 20% of the 125 activities addressed a situation model of comprehension. Moreover, only 10 word comprehension activities were included in the textbooks (five promoted word comprehension in a situation model). Lastly, while many texts contained a problem and solution or cause and effect structure, most activities did not help students to identify the correct TLS. Therefore, the textbook design was not aligned with the C–I theory to promote higher-order reading comprehension skills. We suggested that textbook designers should consider a balanced representation of different TLSs, and teachers need to provide other activities that can guide students to comprehend a word and text in a TLS-appropriate situation model.
Types of Biopsies

Lung biopsy is relatively a new technique as the lung has been difficult to approach through the skin. Open lung biopsy required thoracotomy. This involved splitting of chest muscles and the ribs with increased morbidity and long-lasting side effects only for the sake of obtaining a biopsy. With the advent of flexible bronchoscopy and forceps-assisted biopsy, it was possible to diagnose or rule out different lung conditions or diseases. The transbronchial biopsy proved to be close to comparable to wedge biopsy in terms of diagnostic yield and accuracy in most instances. In the early 1990s, open lung biopsy has been replaced by “video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery” or VATS with less morbidity and comparable results.
Inhibition of the pentose phosphate shunt by lead: a potential mechanism for hemolysis in lead poisoning

Recent investigations have disclosed a decrease in pentose phosphate shunt activity in hereditary pyrimidine 5′-nucleotidase deficiency. Clinical lead poisoning is associated with an acquired decrease in pyrimidine 5′-nucleotidase activity. The current investigations were undertaken (1) to determine if pentose shunt activity was decreased in erythrocytes exposed to lead, and (2) to compare the mechanism of inhibition to that seen in hereditary pyrimidine 5′-nucleotidase deficiency. Normal erythrocytes incubated with lead acetate in vitro demonstrated increased Heinz body formation, decreased reduced glutathione, a positive ascorbate cyanide test, and a reversible suppression of pentose shunt activity in the intact erythrocyte. Lead acetate added to normal red cell hemolysates markedly inhibited the activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and phosphofructokinase. The mean Kis of lead for glucose-6-phosphate and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) for G6PD were 1.5 microM and 2.1 microM, respectively, which is within the range of intraerythrocytic lead concentrations found in clinical lead poisoning. Magnesium enhanced the ability of lead to inhibit G6PD. Thus, the shortened erythrocyte survival in lead poisoning appears to be due, in part, to increased oxidant sensitivity secondary to inhibition of G6PD and the pentose shunt. The mechanism of shunt inhibition is, in part, similar to that seen in hereditary pyrimidine 5′-nucleotidase deficiency.
Schools and the formation of Black identity during the Civil Rights Movement: Change and resistance in Holly Springs, Mississippi, 1964--1974

OF THE DISSERTATION SCHOOLS AND THE FORMATION OF BLACK IDENTITY DURING THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT: CHANGE AND RESISTANCE IN HOLLY SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI, 1964-1974 by David Marcos Callejo-Perez Florida International University, 2000 Miami, Florida Professor Stephen M. Fain, Major Professor Desegregation of social and public spaces was the most visible result of the Civil Rights Movement. After 1960, the integration of schools in Mississippi became a source of conflict. The social change of Civil Rights attacked the social order of White Resistance that supported the state superstructure. The public schools were a place for the discovery of identity for Blacks. The integration of the schools caused many Whites to leave rather than be integrated with Blacks. Desegregation of schools was also a slow process because the local and state government could not enforce the decisions of the US Courts, leading Blacks to realize their place in American society could only be secured through individual action. This work explains the role of schooling during the integration of the Holly Springs Separate School System. The process of forging a new identity by local Blacks is examined against the forces of social change and resistance. I addition, this work
Bipedal Gait Adaptation For Walking With Dynamic Balance

This paper presents preliminary results of a study of the application of CMAC neural networks to the problem of biped walking with dynamic balance. A simple fixed control strategy has been developed, requiring no a priori dynamic model, which is then augmented using neural network learning. Standard supervised learning, temporal difference learning, and reinforcement learning are combined to train the neural network. Results of simulation studies using a simple two-dimensional simulation are presented. Random training using frequent sudden changes in desired velocity produced a robust controller able to track sudden changes in the desired velocity command, and able to rapidly adjust to unexpected disturbances.
External Shocks and the Process of Fiscal Adjustment in a Small Open Developing Economy

Fiscal policy responses to external shocks are analyzed in an institutional setting that typically characterizes a small open developing economy. In such an economy, taxation of external trade is a major source of government revenue, and external shocks have direct impacts on the fiscal sector. The paper discusses the roles of anticipation and policy rules in the fiscal adjustment process. The paper also discusses the implications of two possible policy rules--stabilizing government expenditure and stabilizing the fiscal balance.
The prohibition-repeal amendments: A natural experiment in interest group influence

The pattern of state support for Prohibition (18th Amendment, 1919) and Repeal (21st Amendment, 1933) is analyzed and compared. This comparison is important because Prohibition is the only amendment ever to be repealed. The main thesis is that there was no wholesale change in preferences of citizens. Instead, producer interests failed to mobilize effectively in 1919, and the coupling of moral and economic arguments that worked in 1919 broke apart in 1933. Regression analysis is conducted on state legislatures (for Prohibition) and state referenda on convention delegates (for Repeal), so states are observations in the cross-sectional regression analysis. The results broadly support the main thesis.
CROSSBREEDING IN SWINE: EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

Summary A review of recent swine crossbreeding experiments is presented and integrated with earlier work. Variation among experiments in observed heterosis for specific crosses was large for reproduction and sow productivity traits. However, standard errors of estimates were also large. It seems likely that heterosis, expressed in absolute values or in percentage units, is different for specific crosses. It is unclear whether these differences are large enough to warrant the use of unique parameter values for comparisons of alternate mating systems. In addition to average heterosis values, average direct and maternal genetic effects are given.
Programmed writing and therapy with symbiotically enmeshed patients.

This paper illustrates how programmed writing lessons from a codependency workbook can be used in conjunction with traditional verbal psychotherapy. Each patient in the series was involved in a sym...
Switching Strategies for Linear Feedback Stabilization with Sparsified State Measurements

In this paper, we address the problem of stabilization in continuous time linear dynamical systems using state feedback when compressive sampling techniques are used for state measurement and reconstruction. In [5], we had introduced the concept of using l1 reconstruction technique, commonly used in sparse data reconstruction, for state measurement and estimation in a discrete time linear system. In this work, we extend the previous scenario to analyse continuous time linear systems. We investigate the effect of switching within a set of sparsifiers, introduced in [5], on the stability of a linear plant in continuous time settings. Initially, we analyze the problem of stabilization in low dimensional systems, following which we generalize the results to address the problem of stabilization in systems of arbitrary dimensions.
Laser conditioning of optical thin films

Results are presented that show the damage thresholds of e-beam deposited multi-layer HfO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} thin films can be permanently increased by a factor of 2 to 3 by illumination with subthreshold fluences of laser light. This subthreshold illumination procedure is referred to as laser conditioning.'' The films used in this study were prepared by three different physical-vapor-deposition techniques: ion-beam sputtering, plasma plating and e-beam evaporation. Only the e-beam deposited films showed consistent and significant improvement with laser conditioning. Of the material pairs examined (HfO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2}, ZrO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} and TiO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2}), HfO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} gave the greatest and most consistent damage improvement with conditioning. The number of layers and the reflective or transmissive characteristics of the HfO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} films were found to have little impact on laser conditioning of the film. The results show that the damage thresholds of a wide range of e-beam deposited coatings (e.g. HR's, polarizers, etc.) can be improved by laser conditioning. Several possible conditioning mechanisms are examined. 40 refs., 10 figs.