cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical Analysis of the Dermis in Scleroderma.

SummaryAnalysis of the total dermis from scleroderma revealed a normal concentration of hydroxyproline while hexosamines were increased in a significant number of cases. A 0.15 M NaCl dermal extract revealed normal concentration of hexoses and hexosamines, thus, suggesting no increase in neutral or acid mucopolysaccharides. The concentration of soluble dermal proteins was normal and separation by acrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed no significant qualitative changes. Gelatins obtained from scleroderma insoluble collagens revealed a normal concentration of hexoses and free aldehydes although the hexosamines were significantly increased. The possible implications of this last finding are discussed.
Dynamic Connectedness of Asian Equity Markets

Understanding how markets are connected and shocks are transmitted is an important issue for policymakers and market participants. In this paper, we examine the connectedness of Asian equity markets within the region and vis-a-vis other major global markets. Using time-varying connectedness measures, we address the following questions: (1) How has connectedness in asset returns and volatilities changed over time? Do markets become more connected during crises periods? (2) Which markets are major sources and major recipients of shocks? Has there been a shift in terms of the net shock givers and shock receivers (directional connectedness over time)? Finally, we investigate the connectedness between China's equity markets and other countries' equity markets since August 2015 to highlight the growing importance of emerging market economies, particularly China, as sources of shocks.
Doscussion on the ways to increase the efficiency in research and development of investigational new drugs

With the development of economy and science in our coun-try,more and more local pharmaceutical companies are commencing the research and development of investigational new drugs·This paper is to research the current states and the ways to increase the successful rate of newdrug development in global pharmaceutical companies·Using their experience for reference,we will establish our good thinking in research and development of newdrugs·
Analysis of monitoring results of protein and melamine in commercial milk powder and dairy products in Guangzhou

Objective:To analyze the monitoring results of protein and melamine levels in commercial milk powder and dairy products in Guangdong,and provide a basis for food safety supervision.Methods: A total of 118 milk powder and dairy products samples in 3 kinds were randomly selected from 3 prefecture-level cities and analyzed in accordance with GB5009.5-2010 and GB/T22388-2003.Results: In Guangdong,the qualified rates of protein in commercial available milk powder,liquid milk and milk beverage were 76.7%,84.4% and 93.0% respectively,while the detection values of melamine were all lower than the national standard values,whose qualified rates were 100%.Conclusion: The qualified rate of protein in milk powder was low,so surveillance and supervision of protein level in milk powder,especially in infant milk powder,should be strengthened strictly.
S05.5 Network formation as a determinant of spatial disparity

Introduction Racial disparities in the burden of sexually transmitted disease have been documented and described for decades. Several disparity measures, such as the black-to-white rate ratio, the Index of Disparity (ID), and the Gini coefficient, have been used to quantify disparities in STDs. Although these measures are generally useful and informative, in some scenarios the results of these measures may seem incongruous with reasonable, practical assessments of disparity. The purpose of this study was to provide examples of such incongruities in the context of racial disparities in STDs. Methods We examined a population consisting of 312.5 million people overall, with 200 million non-Hispanic Whites, 40 million non-Hispanic Blacks, 55 million Hispanics, 15 million Asian/Pacific Islanders, and 2.5 million American Indian/Alaskan Natives (AI/AN), similar to the actual US population. Case numbers of a hypothetical STD for each racial group were chosen arbitrarily (yet purposefully) to yield illustrations of potential incongruities among disparity measures. Results We found several hypothetical examples of incongruities among disparity measures. For example, the ID was about ten times higher when all STD cases occurred among AI/AN than when all cases occurred among non-Hispanic Blacks. As another example, the ID indicated that disparity was less when all STD cases occurred among non-Hispanic Blacks than when each of the five racial groups accounted for one fifth of all STD cases. Conclusion Relative measures of racial disparity in STDs can be useful to illustrate the burden of disparity, to assess trends, and to inform the targeting of prevention resources. However, in some scenarios the disparity measures can be incongruous with reasonable, practical assessments of disparity, such as when the ID is biased against non-Hispanic Blacks. The ID is more prone to these incongruities than measures which account for population size, such as the Gini coefficient or the weighted ID. Disclosure of interest statement The authors have no conflicts to declare. No pharmaceutical grants were received in the development of this study.
Identification of a putative Na(+)-H+ exchanger regulatory cofactor in rabbit renal BBM.

Previous in vitro studies with detergent-solubilized rabbit renal brush-border membrane (BBM) proteins have suggested that adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase A (PK...
Comparisons among Different Interconnection Strategies

This chapter discusses some of the similarities and differences among the many different interconnection strategies used in networks and arrays. It also reviews the relatively few evaluations and comparisons that have been made. A variety of criteria have been suggested and used—empirical, structural, and formal—to construct and evaluate multicomputers. The chapter presents a comparison of networks on a variety of formal, empirical, and structural grounds. Networks are sometimes compared by using formal characteristics—the longest shortest path between nodes, average distance between nodes, number of nodes, number of links, and number of links per node. But a well-written program will be just that program that puts processes that must communicate frequently as close together as possible. The actual performance of networks cannot be compared until meaningful problems and mixes of programs are run through them in empirical tests. They are too complex to be analyzed and too large to be simulated. There is a number of striking structural similarities among networks that on the surface appear quite different.
Anatomical and Functional Diversity of Animal Eyes

Publisher Summary Looking at different eyes, it is tempting to be judgmental and to label different designs as better or worse. However, it is important to understand that the elaboration of an eye does not necessarily lead to an adaptive advantage for that specific animal. Evolution can only improve an eye if it is developmentally possible and if its bearer gains overall fitness benefits from doing so. Therefore, any advantage from better eye performance must exceed any costs arising from the new design. These include costs from underlying brain structures as much as from the eye itself; a sophisticated eye can only evolve in conjunction with sophisticated visual processing centers. While it may be difficult to judge whether a particular eye design is better or worse for its bearer, it is relatively easy to judge its quality against the limits of physics. Some of the simplest visual organs are limited to the detection of major changes in light levels, failing to resolve spatial information that arguably is the most important visual quality of eyes.
Creative Workplace Alchemies: Individual Workspaces and Collaboration Hotspots

Much like creative knowledge work environments, studio-based design education environments are changing rapidly to include: multidisciplinary teams, information technology, geographically distributed teams, and flexible workspaces. Factors such as, architectural space design, furniture choices, technical infrastructure features, acoustics, socio-cultural norms, and privacy and visibility of wall-sized displays support or hinder workers in creative environments. In this chapter, I describe a case study of a graduate design studio at the School of Design at Carnegie Mellon University. The studio has four connected spaces: individual workspaces, collaborative spaces, a kitchen and social cafe area, and a distance-learning classroom. In earlier work, researchers evaluated student satisfaction through fieldwork, pre-post occupancy surveys, and interviews. In this chapter, I analyze a design studio environment through time-lapse photography, Space Syntax analysis, and semi-structured interviews. This research identifies locations where people and teams work and the factors that support collaboration, such as space configuration, wall-sized display affordances, furniture configurations, and support infrastructures. Teams worked more often in locations that were less visible from other locations, provided greater laptop screen and display privacy, had whiteboards, and electrical outlets. Students did individual work throughout the studio-suite regardless of the function assigned to the spaces.
Current evidence does not support the widespread use of collaborative care for PTSD, but it is limited by not evaluating context

Commentary on: Meredith LS, Eisenman DP, Han B, et al. Impact of collaborative care for underserved patients with PTSD in primary care: a randomized controlled trial. J Gen Intern Med 2016;31:509–17[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3]. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common disorder that affects many patients in the primary care (PC) setting. There are multiple evidence-based treatments for PTSD, and some of which could easily be delivered in a PC setting. Collaborative care (CC) models have been used to improve depression care in PC. In comparison to depression, PTSD is less commonly treated in PC. There have been several attempts to examine CC models for PTSD; however, the results have been inconclusive. This study seeks to examine the effectiveness of CC for PTSD in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). This study is a randomised, controlled, clinical trial comparing minimally enhanced usual care (MEU) with PTSD care management (PCM) in six FQHCs. The MEU … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DJ%2BGen%2BIntern%2BMed%26rft.volume%253D31%26rft.spage%253D509%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1007%252Fs11606-016-3588-3%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F26850413%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1007/s11606-016-3588-3&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=26850413&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F21%2F5%2F176.atom
Government Consolidation in Property Tax Administration

Government consolidations remain highly controversial, and the proposition that consolidated governments operate more efficiently than smaller government units is a contested claim. This research e...
Underground Economics: A Decade of Institutionalist Dissent

(1993). Underground Economics: A Decade of Institutionalist Dissent. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 27, No. 1, pp. 250-252.
Emergency medical services providers' perspective of end-of-life decision making for people with intellectual disabilities.

Background Emergency medical services (EMS) providers are often called to rapidly determine and act upon patients' wishes for end-of-life care. People with intellectual disabilities are living increasingly longer with complex conditions leading to international calls for person-centred advance care planning. Yet, best estimates suggest that very few people with intellectual disabilities document their wishes. Methods This exploratory-descriptive study incorporated mixed methods to analyse data collected consecutively (surveys, n = 239; interviews, n = 48) with EMS providers from five agencies. Data were subjected to a sequential quantitative–qualitative analysis applying a critical discourse analysis framework. Results Findings indicate that 62.7% had treated a person with intellectual disability who had medical orders directing end-of-life care. Three themes (provider familiarity, organizational processes, sociocultural context) offer insights about how medical orders inform EMS providers during calls involving people with intellectual disabilities. Conclusion Multiple contexts influence how wishes are documented and care provided to people with intellectual disabilities near life's end.
Total Water Management

This chapter is about the total water management (TWM) addition to the triple bottom line approach to water resource management, requiring the stewards of water resources to manage the resource for the greatest good of society and the environment. A fundamental aim of TWM is to match water quality to all possible sources and end-use needs while achieving managing the resource to meet environmental goals, public health, and organizational sustainability. Water resource stewardship goes beyond being an efficient water supplier or water user. It includes the private sector collaborating with the public sector, governments, other businesses, civil organizations, communities, the public and other stakeholders in ways that assures sustainable shared water resources.
Successful Implementation of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at an Academic Medical Center

Background: Focus on antimicrobial use and infection prevention from accrediting or regulatory bodies such as the Joint Commission, as well as regulatory agencies such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control, has highlighted the need for continuing development of antimicrobial stewardship programs at healthcare facilities across the country. Methods: Our institution utilized the 2007 Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology guidelines to direct the evaluation of its antimicrobial use and develop a successful antimicrobial stewardship program. Three baseline evaluations were conducted. Retrospective chart reviews evaluating formulary restrictions for fluroquinolones and carbepenems, a dosing optimization program for meropenem, and the intravenous to oral conversion program for fluconazole and voriconazole were completed. Results: Approximately 40% of orders for levofloxacin were not supported with a clinical justification for nonformulary use in the patient chart. Forty-nine percent of orders written for meropenem did not follow the dose optimization program. Opportunity for fluconazole and voriconazole to be converted to oral therapy when appropriate was suggested. Conclusion: The baseline evaluations revealed the need for an antimicrobial stewardship program. This article outlines the process used to assess need, plan, implement, and evaluate the impact of an antimicrobial stewardship program.
Shareholder-Initiated Lawsuits and Cross-Listed Firms: The Penalties of Securities Class Action Lawsuits

This paper examines the market penalties extracted by shareholders against firms that are alleged to have violated securities laws within the US. Using a sample of private securities class action cases brought against foreign firms that cross-list on the major US exchanges, this paper examines market penalties at violation disclosure, case filing, and settlement dates and finds that each event corresponds to an economically and statistically significant loss of value for the accused firm. On average I find that the violation results in a loss of more than 18% of market value, corresponding to an average of $575 million in dollars lost upon disclosure of the violation. When the disclosure, case filing, and settlement losses are combined, the losses average more than $740 million. More importantly, when compared to those of domestic firms, I find almost no significant differences in the market penalties of foreign and domestic firms at key dates around the violation of securities law. Further, an examination of the determinants of the reputational penalties assessed during the disclosure of a securities law violation indicates that reputational penalties are greater in cases where investors perceive the minority shareholder protection in the home country to be better.
Functional Connectivity Magnetic Resonance Imaging Reveals Rapid and Reversible Changes in the Brain Following Induction of Psoriasiform Dermatitis in Mice

Functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI), a specific form of MRI imaging, quantitatively assesses connectivity between brain regions that share functional properties. Functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging has already provided unique insights into changes in the brain in patients with conditions such as depression and pain and symptoms that have been reported by patients with psoriasis and are known to impact quality of life. To identify the central neurological impact of psoriasiform inflammation of the skin, we applied fcMRI analysis to mice that had been topically treated with the Toll-like receptor agonist, imiquimod (IMQ) to induce psoriasiform dermatitis. Brain insula regions, due to their suggested role in stress, were chosen as seed regions for fcMRI analysis. Mouse ear and head skin developed psoriasiform epidermal thickening (up to 4-fold, P < .05) and dermal inflammation after 4 days of topical treatment with IMQ. After fcMRI analysis, IMQ-treated mice showed signi...
Politische Parteien und ihre allgemeinen Probleme

Die Parteien bilden, wie heute allgemein zugegeben wird, einen nicht wegzudenkenden Bestandteil der Demokratie. Aber noch vor 150 Jahren waren ihre heutige Stellung und Funktion im allgemeinen unvorstellbar1. So hielt man bei der Grundung der Vereinigten Staaten das „Volk“ fur fahig, als Einheit zu handeln. Wie bekannt ist, warnte Washington in seiner Abschiedsbotschaft vor den „Faktionen“. Spatere Historiker haben spottisch bemerkt, Washington habe die Versuche, die Herrschaft seiner eigenen Partei, der Foderalisten, zu storen, als ungerechtfertigtes Parteigezank angesehen. Dies trifft insofern nicht ganz zu, als Washington in den „Foderalisten“ keine Partei erblickte. Was spater das Parteiprogramm der Foderalisten ausmachte, war fur ihn noch die eine gesunde, patriotische amerikanische Politik, fur die es keine klar umrissene Alternative gab. Gewis, bereits im 18. Jahrhundert ahnten die scharfsinnigsten Beobachter Englands etwas von der Rolle, welche die Partei als Teil der staatlichen Ordnung spielen sollte. Aber Bolingbrokes uberzeugende Argumente gegen ein solches System und seine Bereitschaft, es mit „Korruption“ gleichzusetzen und das Ideal eines patriotischen Konigs zu verherrlichen, steckten noch in vielen Kopfen. Merkwurdigerweise revoltierten die amerikanischen Siedler gleichzeitig gegen diese Korruption im Parlament und gegen die Tyrannei des Konigs, der damit fertig zu werden suchte.
On Tree Structured Classifiers

Abstract Classification trees constitute an important and increasingly popular form of hierarchical classifiers. We first describe and compare classification trees and feedforward neural network classifiers. We then focus on the specific problem of obtaining right-sized trees, i.e., trees which neither underfit nor overfit the data. A new efficient iterative method is proposed to grow and prune classification trees. This method divides the data sample into two subsets and iteratively grows a tree with one subset and prunes it with the other subset, successively interchanging the roles of the two subsets. Numerical results on a waveform recognition problem are presented.
UVA-induced oxidative damage in retinal pigment epithelial cells after H2O2 or sparfloxacin exposure

Retinal impairment is one of the leading causes of visual loss in an aging human population. To explore a possible cause for retinal damage in the human population, we have monitored DNA oxidation in human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells after exposure to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or the quinolone antibacterial sparfloxacin. When H2O2- or sparfloxacin-exposed cells were further exposed to ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiation, oxidative damage to the DNA of these cells was greatly increased over baseline values. This RPE+pharmaceutical-UVA cell system was developed to mimic in vivo retinal degeneration, seen in mouse studies using quinolone and UVA exposure. DNA damage produced by sparfloxacin and UVA in RPE cells could be remedied by the use of antioxidants, indicating a possible in vivo method for prevention or minimization of retinal damage in humans
Moderate temperature control technology for a lunar base

A parametric analysis is performed to compare different heat pump based thermal control systems for a Lunar Base. Rankine cycle and absorption cycle heat pumps are compared and optimized for a 100 kW cooling load. Variables include the use or lack of an interface heat exchanger, and different operating fluids. Optimization of system mass to radiator rejection temperature is performed. The results indicate a relatively small sensitivity of Rankine cycle system mass to these variables, with optimized system masses of about 6000 kg for the 100 kW thermal load. It is quantitaively demonstrated that absorption based systems are not mass competitive with Rankine systems.
Perioperative Anesthetic and Transfusion Management of Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Patients Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery: A Case Series of 21 Procedures.

Objectives To analyze the perioperative management of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) in patients undergoing major noncardiac surgical procedures, which is poorly described in the literature. In doing so, perioperative challenges related to hemodynamic instability, impaired gas exchange, bleeding, and coagulopathy will be quantified. Design Retrospective, nonrandomized, observational study. Setting A single, university-affiliated, quaternary medical center. Participants Fourteen patients who underwent 21 noncardiac surgical procedures during the period of January 1, 2014, through April 1, 2016. Approval for this study was obtained from the Duke University Medical Center Institutional Review Board (study Pro00072723). Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results Fifty percent of subjects were alive at 1 year after ECMO cannulation. Anesthetic type was variable with an inhaled anesthetic utilized in 71.4% of events, a presurgical continuous sedative was continued in 81.0% of cases, fentanyl was utilized in 100% of encounters, and midazolam was utilized in 71.4% of encounters. Intraoperatively, 50% of encounters resulted in an oxygen desaturation with a peripheral oxygen saturation assessed by pulse oximetry (SpO2) Conclusions VV ECMO patients can be anesthetized using either inhalational or intravenous anesthetics. Patient hemodynamics, oxygenation, and decarboxylation require frequent interventions, but can typically be optimized to meet clinically acceptable thresholds.
In vitro activity of ampicillin and ceftriaxone against ampicillin-susceptible Enterococcus faecium.

Objectives To assess activity of the combination of ceftriaxone and ampicillin against clinical isolates of ampicillin-susceptible Enterococcus faecium. Methods Ampicillin-susceptible E. faecium (n = 29) and Enterococcus faecalis (n = 10) collected from locations in the USA and France were used for this analysis. Susceptibility testing was performed by gradient diffusion strip (GDS) and broth microdilution (BMD). Synergy with the combination of ceftriaxone and ampicillin was assessed in all isolates using GDS crossing and double disc diffusion methods. Selected isolates (nine E. faecium and three E. faecalis) were assessed for synergy in time-kill studies using ampicillin alone and in combination with ceftriaxone. Results In isolates of E. faecium, the median (range) ampicillin MIC by BMD was 0.5 (0.25-4) mg/L and by GDS it was 2 (1-8) mg/L. In E. faecalis, the median (range) ampicillin MIC by BMD was 0.5 (0.5-1) mg/L and by GDS it was 2 (0.75-3) mg/L. A total of 24/29 (82.8%) isolates of E. faecium displayed synergy by GDS and 22/29 (75.9%) by double disc diffusion. Seven of 10 (70%) isolates of E. faecalis displayed synergy by GDS and 4/10 (40%) by double disc diffusion. Time-kill studies found synergy in 3/9 (33.3%) E. faecium and 3/3 (100%) E. faecalis. Conclusions In contrast to the demonstrated synergy in time-kill models of ceftriaxone and ampicillin for E. faecalis, this combination does not appear to provide uniform synergy in E. faecium. Antagonism was not observed. Clinical correlation is necessary and caution should be used when considering ampicillin and ceftriaxone for the treatment of infections caused by ampicillin-susceptible E. faecium.
Social Determinants of Health Assessment Tool: Implications for Healthcare Practice

Underserved populations are at risk for chronic health conditions due to social determinants. There is a gap in instrument availability in identifying individuals at risk of, or experiencing, cumulative social, environmental, economic, and cultural factors impacting health. The Social Determinants of Health Assessment Tool is a brief, cost-effective semistructured interview allowing healthcare professionals to engage in appropriate service prioritization. Phase I of this instrument development reported adequate face validity by Delphi panel consensus with experts in social work, nursing, public health, and psychology. This instrument identifies individuals at risk of social determinants to improve healthcare and social service delivery.
Implementation of the accelerated care of torsion pathway: a quality improvement initiative for testicular torsion.

Summary Background Timely diagnosis and management of testicular torsion is of paramount importance. Furthermore, time to surgical intervention is a benchmark for the quality of care provided by pediatric urologists included in US News and World Report (USNWR) methodology. Objective We sought to optimize management of acute testicular torsion at a single institution by decreasing time from presentation to definitive management through the creation and implementation of a clinical care pathway (accelerated care of torsion or ACT) for acute testicular torsion in a 2-year period. Study design Multidisciplinary process mapping involving the emergency department (ED), radiology, anesthesiology, peri-operative services, and operating room (OR) teams resulted in development of the ACT pathway with the goal of achieving surgical intervention within 4 h of arrival at our institution. The accelerated care of torsion pathway was implemented in April 2016. Thirty-eight consecutive acute torsion cases were then prospectively evaluated from April 2016 to April 2018. For process measures, we recorded triage to OR times and mode of presentation. For outcome measures, we examined orchiectomy rates. We retrospectively reviewed 97 cases of acute torsion from 2004 to 2016 as a control. Results Time from ED triage to OR start decreased from a median 196 min (interquartile range [IQR] 137–249 min) to 127 min (IQR 100–148 min; P Discussion In agreement with similar studies, despite a significant reduction in triage to OR times, the orchiectomy rate approached 30%. This outcome did not significantly improve after implementation of the ACT pathway. Overall ischemia time was a more important determinant of testis salvage. Study limitations include limited patient follow-up to assess testis atrophy. Conclusions The multidisciplinary creation and implementation of a clinical pathway for the care of acute testis torsion has significantly decreased the time from ED to OR in our institution. However, overall orchiectomy rate was not significantly affected.
Saturn's south polar cloud composition and structure inferred from 2006 Cassini/VIMS spectra and ISS images

Abstract We used 0.85–5.1 μm 2006 observations by Cassini's Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) to constrain the unusual vertical structure and compositions of cloud layers in Saturn's south polar region, the site of a powerful vortex circulation, shadow-casting cloud bands, and evidence for ammonia ice clouds without lightning. Finding ammonia ice spectral signatures in polar regions is surprising because over most of Saturn an overlying haze layer of unknown composition but significant optical depth completely obscures it, unless penetrated by significant convection, confirmed by lightning, as in the Great Storm of 2010–2011 (Sromovsky et al. 2013, Icarus 226, 402–418), and in the storms of Storm Alley region (Baines et al. 2009, Planet. & Space Sci. 57, 1650–1658). This is clarified by our radiation transfer modeling of VIMS spectra of the south polar background and discrete features, using a 4-layer model that includes (1) a stratospheric haze, (2) a top tropospheric layer of non-absorbing (possibly diphosphine) particles near 300 mbar, with a fraction of an optical depth (much less than found elsewhere on Saturn), (3) a moderately thicker layer (1–2 optical depths) of NH3 ice particles near 900 mbar, and (4) extending from 5 bars up to 2–4 bars, an assumed optically thick layer where NH4SH and H2O are likely condensables. The ammonia layer is the main modulator of pseudo-continuum I/F in reflected sunlight. That layer has about one optical depth in background clouds, but about double that in the brightest clouds, and about half that in discrete dark clouds. What makes the 3-μm absorption unexpectedly apparent in these polar clouds is the relatively low optical depth of the top tropospheric cloud layer, which can be an order of magnitude less than in non-polar regions on Saturn, perhaps because of polar downwelling and/or lower photochemical production rates. We found changes in the PH3 vertical profile and AsH3 mixing ratio that support the existence of downwelling within 2° of the pole. We also found evidence for step-wise decreases in optical depth of the stratospheric haze near 87.9° S and in the putative diphosphine layer near 88.9° S, and evidence against the idea that deep convective eyewalls are responsible for the shadows observed near the same latitudes. In 752-nm Cassini images we identified moderately bright features extending from shadow-producing boundaries when those boundaries rotated to the opposite side of Saturn's pole. Under those observing conditions an illuminated eyewall should produce a bright feature extending towards the pole. Instead, the features extend away from the pole, as expected for what we call antishadows, which are bright features produced by light illuminating a translucent layer from below. This provides strong qualitative evidence that both shadows and antishadows are produced by small step changes in the optical depth of the overlying translucent aerosol layers.
A Sparse Convolutional Predictor with Denoising Autoencoders for Phenotype Prediction

Phenotype prediction has been widely conducted in many areas to help understand disease risks and susceptibility, and improve the breeding cycles of plants and animals. Most methods of phenotype prediction are based on regularized statistical approaches which only consider linear relationships among genetic features. Deep learning based methods have been recently reported to nicely address regression problems in high dimensional data in genomic studies. To explore deep learning for phenotype prediction, we propose a deep learning regression model, called Sparse Convolutional Predictor with Denoising Autoencoders (SCP_DAE), to predict quantitative traits. We constructed SCP_DAE by utilizing a convolutional layer that can extract correlation or linkage patterns in the genotype data and applying a sparse weight matrix resulted from the L1 regularization to handle high dimensional genotype data. To learn efficient and compressed hidden representations of genotype data, we pre-trained the convolutional layer and the first fully connected layer in SCP_DAE using denoising autoencoders. These pre-trained layers were then fine-tuned to improve its performance of the SCP_DAE model for phenotype prediction. We comprehensively evaluated our proposed method on a yeast dataset which contains well assayed genotype profiles and quantitative traits. Our results showed that the proposed SCP\_DAE method significantly outperforms regularized statistical approaches and similar deep learning models without pre-trained weights.
Topic Modeling To Contextualize Event-Based Datasets: The Colombian Peace Process

Colombia suffered civil conflict for over five decades resulting in thousands of deaths and kidnappings and millions of displaced citizens. A peace process between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) was negotiated in 2016. Quantifying public sentiment during the process may help us understand the role of social media in shaping opinions and influencing decision makers. Obtaining these viewpoints using traditional survey approaches is costly and logistically challenging. Instead, we used Twitter and news data between 2010-2018 to analyze trends before, during, and after the settlement. We used unsupervised learning methods to identify topics and measure their sentiment over time; we then compare those results to events in the Integrated Crisis Early Warning System (ICEWS) dataset.
The War for the common soldier: how men thought, fought, and survived in Civil WarArmies

By his own admission, Peter S. Carmichael’s new book The War for the Common Soldier is not a radical, new way to understand the American Civil War. Rather, the book represents the efforts of a seni...
Jonson, Marston, Shakespeare and the Rhetoric of Topicality

The revival of commercial “private” theater by the Children of Paul's in 1599 and the Children of the Chapel in 1600 transformed the culture of playgoing in London at the end of the sixteenth centu...
Low-density lipoprotein nanomedicines: mechanisms of targeting, biology, and theranostic potential

Native nanostructured lipoproteins such as low- and high-density lipoproteins (LDL and HDL) are powerful tools for the targeted delivery of drugs and imaging agents. While the cellular recognition ...
Nursing Home Profit Margins and Citations for Infection Prevention and Control.

Abstract Objectives Recent rampant spread of COVID-19 cases in nursing homes has highlighted the concerns around nursing homes’ ability to contain the spread of infections. The ability of nursing homes to invest in quality improvement initiatives may depend on resource availability. In this study, we sought to examine whether lower profit margins, as a proxy for lack of resources, are associated with persistent infection control citations. Design We conducted a retrospective study. Setting and Participants Medicare-certified nursing homes in the US with financial and facility characteristics data (n = 12,194). Methods We combined facility-level data on nursing home profit margins from Medicare Cost Reports with deficiency citation data from Nursing Home Compare (2017-2019) and facility characteristics data from LTCFocus.org . We descriptively analyzed infection control citations by profit margins quintiles. We used logistic regressions to examine the relationship between profit margin quintiles and citations for infection prevention and control, adjusting for facility and market characteristics. Results About three-fourths of all facilities received deficiency citations for infection prevention and control during 1 or more years from 2017 to 2019 with about 10% of facilities cited in all 3 years. Facilities in the highest profit margin quintile had 7.6% of facilities with citations for infection prevention and control in each of the 3 years compared with 8.1%, 10.0%, 10.7%, and 13.7% for facilities in the fourth, third, second, and first quintiles of profit margins, respectively. Multivariable regressions showed that facilities with the lowest profit margins (first quintile) had 54.3% higher odds of being cited in at least 1 year and 87.6% higher odds of being cited in each of the 3 years compared with facilities with the highest profit margins (fifth quintile). Conclusions and Implications Our findings indicate that nursing homes may need more resources to prevent citations for infection prevention and control.
Know your history: Toward an eternally displaceable strategic essentialism

Queer Africans in diaspora often reclaim histories obscured by colonialism. Implicit in gay Nigerian activist Bisi Alimi’s influential archival work is an anti-colonial, but strategically essential...
Technical Considerations in Pedicle Management in Upper and Midfacial Free Flap Reconstruction.

OBJECTIVES Mid and upper face free flaps frequently are associated with challenges due to pedicle length. We sought to evaluate the frequency at which alternative pedicle maneuvers were required for these reconstructions and determine if there was any association with flap survival or postoperative complications. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective review at three tertiary care institutions. METHODS Database review. RESULTS Free flap reconstruction of the upper and midface was performed in 295 patients (108 bony, 187 soft tissue). In 82% of cases, the vessels reached the ipsilateral neck for anastomosis to traditional target vessels. Arterial grafts were required in 2% of reconstructions (4% bony and 1% soft tissue). Venous grafting was required in 7% of reconstructions (21% fibula, 16% scapula, and 3% soft tissue) and was associated with an increase in flap failure rate (19% vs 3%, P = .003). The most common recipient artery for revascularization was the cervical facial artery (78%). Alternate recipient vessels were selected in 13% of cases, including the superficial temporal vessels (7%), distal facial branches through a separate facial incision (4%), and angular vessels (2%). Vein grafting was associated with a higher flap failure rate. Alternative maneuvers did not affect need for intraoperative pedicle revision or complications. CONCLUSIONS In upper and midface reconstruction, vascular grafting, targeting more distal branches of the facial system, or additional maneuvers to optimize pedicle orientation is often required to secure revascularization. Vein grafting is associated with a higher free flap failure rate. Scapular border flaps often require vascular grafting or atypical anastomotic locations. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3-Non randomized cohort study 4 Laryngoscope, 131:2465-2470, 2021.
Genitourinary Problems in the Elderly

“Normal” age-related changes affecting the kidney result in a decrease in renal function of approximately 0.6% per year of life following maturity. Despite this change, serum creatinine varies little, if any, with age (normal range 0.8–1.2 mg/dl). This is because the older person has less muscle mass and, therefore, less creatinine formed. Although difficulties in collection may preclude its usefulness, a creatine clearance determination based on a 24-hr urine collection is the most accurate way to assess renal function in the elderly.
Die Gewerkschaft als formelle Organisation der Arbeitnehmer

Ebenso wie der einzelne Industriezweig einen Teil der Volkswirtschaft darstellt, ist die Gewerkschaft in einem Betrieb ein Teil der gesamten gewerkschaftlichen Institution. In der Tat sind die ortlichen Gewerkschaften oft viel enger miteinander verbunden als manche einzelne Betriebe. Um die Tatigkeit einer ortlichen Gewerkschaft zu verstehen, mus man uber die Institution und die soziale Bewegung, deren Teil sie ist, Bescheid wissen.
Conversion of waste Zircaloy hulls to zirconate ion exchange materials for waste stabilization

A new method for management of waste Zircaloy fuel hulls is proposed as an alternative to compaction and burial. It involves using the waste as a feedstock in a chemical process for preparing inorganic zirconate ion exchange material. Enough zirconate could be prepared from the waste hulls to stabilize all the high-level liquid waste generated in light water reactor fuel reprocessing, and in this way the two waste streams would be combined. The proposed conversion operation would involve chlorination of the Zircaloy waste with NH/sub 4/Cl and distillation of volatile chlorides, reaction of the distillate with isopropyl alcohol to form intermediate alkoxides, and hydrolysis of the intermediate to form the zirconate. The conversion would be accomplished with recycle of all reagents so that no new major waste stream would be created. The chemical basis for the conversion process, simplified process flowsheets, and an analysis of the various options illustrate the feasibility of the full-scale process. A preliminary economic study was made that indicated that the full-scale operation should be technically and economically feasible.
Observations of measles virus infection of human cells: III. Correlation of properties of clones of H.Ep.-2 cells with their susceptibility to infection☆

Abstract Clonal strains of human epidermoid carcinoma No. 2 cells have been isolated that differ from one another in morphology and nutritional requirements. The strains also differ in their response to infection with measles virus. One line of cells produced more than 10,000 times as much virus as some other lines. The number of virus particles essential for initiating infection of the various clones differed by as much as a thousandfold, and insusceptibility was correlated with a delayed appearance in cytopathic effect. The cytopathic response also differed qualitatively among several clonal types. It was found possible to synchronize cell division of the clone exhibiting the shortest generation time. Attempts to synchronize the slower-growing cultures were unsuccessful. The clone that has been synchronized is also the most sensitive to infection with measles virus. Finally, there appears to be a correlation between generation time, time required for cytopathic response, and amount of measles virus produced 7 days after infection.
Adopted college students' family adoption communication processes: A mixed methods study

The purposes of this mixed methods study were to examine adopted college students‘ adoption-related experiences, family communication processes, topic avoidance, and reasons for topic avoidance. The study utilized qualitative findings from a previous study to inform the creation of a new web-based survey instrument comprised of Likert-type, dichotomous, and open-ended response questions. A census sampling was used to collect data from all adult college students (N=25,526) enrolled in a midwestern public university. Descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analyses, and a MANOVA were used to analyze quantitative data and inductive analysis with open coding was employed to explore qualitative responses. Results suggest (a) many participants have engaged in adoption-related topic avoidance with their parents, (b) unexplored themes emerged related to the types of topics that adopted college students avoid discussing with their parents, (c) adoptees‘ reasons for adoption-related topic avoidance with their parents are similar to reasons for topic avoidance in other types of relationships, (d) participants engaged in more adoption-related topic avoidance with their fathers than with their mothers, and (e) there were no differences between the frequencies of topic avoidance displayed by adopted females when compared to adopted males. Implications for practitioners, policymakers, adoptive families, and future research are recommended.
Assessing the Effectiveness of User Participation: Users' Knowledge Participation

Although user participation has been studied over four decades, the effectiveness users’ participative activities has not been well assessed. This research proposes knowledge participation as an assessment of the effectiveness of participative activities performed by users. By capturing the effectiveness of users’ participative activities, the construct of knowledge participation is argued to have more predicative power than the construct of user participation when predicting the outcomes of system development. In addition, knowledge process within an ISD project team is proposed as a mediating mechanism that converts users’ participative efforts into system development outcomes.
Production of prostaglandin D synthase as a keratan sulfate proteoglycan by cultured bovine keratocytes.

Purpose To characterize the major proteoglycans produced and secreted by collagenase-isolated bovine keratocytes in culture. Methods Freshly isolated keratocytes from mature bovine corneas were cultured in serum-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium/ F12. Secreted proteoglycans were radiolabeled with protein labeling mix ((35)S-Express; Dupont NEN Life Science Products, Boston, MA) and digested with chondroitinase ABC, keratanase, and endo-beta-galactosidase to remove glycosaminoglycan chains, and core proteins were analyzed by autoradiography and Western blot analysis. An unidentified keratan sulfate proteoglycan (KSPG) was purified by gel filtration (Superose 6; Amersham Pharmacia, Piscataway, NJ) and anion-exchange chromatography (Resource Q; Amersham Pharmacia) and subjected to amino acid sequencing. Results Keratanase digestion of proteoglycans produced approximately 50 kDa core proteins that immunoreacted with antisera to lumican, keratocan, and osteoglycin-mimecan. Chondroitinase ABC digestion produced a approximately 55-kDa core protein that immunoreacted with antisera to decorin. A 28-kDa band generated by keratanase or endo-beta-galactosidase digestion did not react with these antibodies. Chromatographic purification and amino acid sequencing revealed that the protein was prostaglandin D synthase (PGDS). Identity was confirmed by Western blot analysis using antisera to recombinant PGDS. PGDS isolated from corneal extracts was not keratanase sensitive but was susceptible to endo-beta-galactosidase, suggesting that it contains unsulfated polylactosamine chains in native tissue and is therefore present as a glycoprotein. Conclusions These results indicate that bovine keratocytes, when cultured under serum-free conditions, produce the four known leucine-rich proteoglycans decorin, keratocan, lumican, and osteoglycin/mimecan and maintain a phenotype that is comparable to that of in situ keratocytes. Additionally, these cells produce PGDS, a known retinoid transporter, as a KSPG.
Data mining in sports: predicting Cy Young award winners

A Bayesian classifier was created to predict Cy Young Award winners in American baseball. The model was compared against two statistical models designed to perform the same task. Over the years from 1967 through 2006, the accuracy of the Bayesian classifier was similar to that of the other two models---when restricted to starting pitchers, all three were more than 80% correct. Accuracy was lower for all three models when relief pitchers were included in the data.