cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human values and personal health records

Personal health records (PHRs) are on the rise in recent years. To understand why and how people use (or not use) PHRs, it is critical to understand what they value. This paper reports preliminary findings from a thematic analysis of journal articles related to PHRs. Our analysis identified six values with ethical import as being particularly salient to the use of personally identifiable information in this literature: privacy, confidentiality, security, transparency, trust, and human agency.
MATHEMATICAL MODELS AND OPTIMIZATION OF SOLVENT EXTRACTION PROCESS OF Th-U FUEL REPROCESSING

For the system Th(NO3)4-UO2(NO3)2-HNO3-H2O/30%TBP in kerosene,mathematical models of Th,U and HNO3 extraction equilibrium in 0. 42-3 mol/l HNO3 are developed using the experimental data. Using these models,an optimal solvent extraction process for reprocessing of Th-U fuel is obtained by computer programme for optimization of solvent extraction process. Cascade extraction experiments containing Th, U and fission products in laboratory scale are performed using the optimal conditions calculated. The calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental data. The recovery of uranium and thorium are 99. 9% ,and good decontamination (103) of fission products from Th-U fuel are obtained.
Preparation and Luminescent Properties of Ln(Ln=Y,Gd)VO_4:Er~(3+)/Nd~(3+)

Ln(Ln=Y,Gd)VO4:Er3+/Nd3+ were prepared by solid state reaction and characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD) and photoluminescence spectroscopy(PL).The material has zircon type structure with a tetragonal unit cell.The effects of sintering temperature,sintering time and the effects of Er3+/Nd3+-doped concentration on the near-infrared luminescence of the samples were investigated.Energy transfer from VO3-4 to Er3+/Nd3+ was found.The effects of different Ln3+ matrix and doping of Bi3+ on the energy transfer efficiency was also discussed.
Cicletanine avoids the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

The vasodilator and antiproliferative effects of the antihypertensive agent, cicletanine, were studied on mesenteric arteries (MA) and cultured mesenteric artery myocytes derived from spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. Cicletanine induces relaxation of precontracted MA with an 1050 value of approximately 30-50 microM. Cicletanine inhibits the proliferation of cultured myocytes (passage 5) with an 1050 of 440 +/- 24 microM for SHR and 517 +/- 12 microM for WKY, p less than 0.05, indicating that a log-unit shift in sensitivity exists between its vasodilator and antiproliferative actions. Preliminary experiments suggest that the antiproliferative action of cicletanine is accompanied by an inhibition of DNA synthesis [( 3H] - thymidine uptake) in myocytes of SHR and a stimulation of DNA synthesis in myocytes of the WKY. Cicletanine also lowers free intracellular Ca2+ (determined using fura-2) in myocytes of SHR but not the WKY. In other cell systems, cicletanine has been shown to stimulate prostacyclin production. However, in the present experiments, inhibition of the cyclooxygenase pathway (5 microM indomethacin) attenuated the antiproliferative action of cicletanine by only 30% in cells of the SHR and was without affect in the WKY. In summary, we have shown that cicletanine has distinct antiproliferative effects cultured vascular myocytes. In SHR myocytes, the antiproliferative action is accompanied by a fall in intracellular Ca2+, stimulation of the cyclooxygenase pathway and an inhibition of DNA synthesis. Different mechanisms may be operant in cells of the WKY. It is proposed that the antiproliferative effects of cicletanine may play a role its antihypertensive actions.
Review of adult laryngotracheal stenosis: pathogenesis, management, and outcomes.

Purpose of review Adult laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS) is a potentially life-threatening disorder that can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Much is unknown regarding the etiology of airway stenosis, and while many patients do well with standard surgical management, the recurrence rate is significant. Few medical therapies exist, but there is a growing need. Recent findings Several basic science studies have shown a role of inflammatory signaling pathways in the development of LTS. Infectious processes may also play a role in development of stenosis, while treatment with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive medications has shown some promise in preventing disease. Several risk factors, such as diabetes, BMI, length of stenosis, and need for T-tube, have been identified that portend worse surgical outcomes and may assist physicians in choosing appropriate treatment. Summary While adult LTS is a complex, challenging clinical entity, there is promising research into the inflammatory origins of the disorder, which may open up groundbreaking new avenues of medical treatment.
Post-Racial, Post-Apocalyptic Love: Octavia Butler as Political Theologian

The African American science fiction writer Octavia Butler (1947–2006) wrote explicitly about the relationship between religion and politics in her books Parable of the Sower (1993) and Parable of the Talents (1998). On the surface, Butler dramatizes the catastrophes that she anticipates will result from an alignment between American evangelicalism and neoliberalism, including climate change, mass incarceration, totalitarian politics, and corporate capture of political institutions. In her pair of novels, Butler proposes New Age spirituality aligned with community-based, ecology-minded politics as a necessary response. I argue that Butler's attempt to make a literary intervention in political theological critique ultimately fails because it grows out of unacknowledged commitments to the same neoliberal cultural forces that it ostensibly rejects. This failure is particularly evident when we focus on how race and love are represented in Butler's work.
A chronology of tactics: Art tackles Big Data and the environment

Today data art is a full-fledged and maturing artistic practice. Like painting, artists are creating new visuals and representations with data. Like sculpture, artists are recombining bits to build something new out of the commonplace. Like photography, artists are using data to mirror or reflect contemporary society. In my own practice for the last 15 years I have been using data (both sourced and generated) to make works at the intersection of art, design and activism with a recent focus on environmental topics. It is my belief that through improved representation of, access to and public involvement with data we can increase understanding of important issues (such as environmental degradation) and provoke behavioural and systemic change. In this paper, I will examine the evolution of my work using data as my medium as well as outline tactics for data art to promote change.
In Our Hands: The Struggle for U.S. Child Care Policy by Elizabeth Palley and Corey

Elizabeth Palley and Corey Shdaimah have written a broadly historical and conceptual book on American child care. They set up the problem they wish to address, do a literature review in the first c...
Bioelectric Field Enhancement: The Influence on Membrane Potential and Cell Migration In Vitro

Objective: The extracellular matrix consists of critical components that affect fibroblast polarization and migration. The existence of both intrinsic and extrinsic electrical signals that play essential roles in the development, physiology, regeneration, and pathology of cells was discovered over a century ago. In this study, we study how the Bioelectric Field Enhancement (BEFE) device and its generated electromagnetic field (EMF) by continuous direct current (DC) significantly affect the membrane potential and cell migration of fibroblasts in vitro. Approach: This is an experimental analysis of membrane potential and cell migration of murine fibroblasts when grown in treated media that has been reconstituted with an aqueous solution that has been exposed to an EMF, which is generated by this device versus fibroblasts grown in identically prepared control media that has not been exposed to the EMF. Results: The growth of fibroblasts in the treated media shows a strong percent change in polarization of th...
Toward object-based heuristics

Recovering the 3-D shape of an object from its 2-D image contour is an important problem in computer vision. In this correspondence, the author motivates and develops two object-based heuristics. The structured nature of objects is the motivation for the nonaccidental alignment criterion: parallel coordinate axes within the object's bounding contour correspond to object-centered coordinate axes. The regularity and symmetry inherent in many man-made objects is the motivation for the orthogonal basis constraint. An oblique set of coordinate axes in the image is presumed to be the projection of an orthogonal set of 3-D coordinate axes in the scene. These object-based heuristics are used to recover shape in both real and synthetic images. >
The Structure of the Islamic Courts in Northern Nigeria

This chapter gives examples of how Islamic law is practiced in the Shari’ah courts. Three cases are thoroughly analyzed. It explains how judges are appointed and how they make their judgments. It concludes by emphasizing that the decision of the Islamic law courts can be appealed in the federal court of appeal.
Tactical Carnival and the Global Justice Movement: The Clown Army and Clownfrontational Protest

This chapter looks at an international performance phenomenon, referred to here as ‘tactical carnival’, which has developed as a tactic in the toolbox of the burgeoning global justice movement. As connections and coalitions are forged between Bolivian miners, American anti-corporate activists, Polish organic farmers and so on, organizers have begun to coordinate a celebratory form of protest involving unlicensed street parties and processions that occupy public space, both to assert movement identity and importance and often to disrupt state or corporate events and daily business. Movement organizers and writers use the term ‘carnival’ to describe these explicitly oppositional events, at which flamboyant costumes, dance, puppets, tricksterism, samba bands and other musical groupings all feature. Bogad argues that activists are attempting to deploy the ideal of carnival in a practical, experimental way on the street, in order to create a new, twenty-first-century kind of ‘carnival’ that is not calendrically or spatially circumscribed, nor permitted by the state, but declared and embodied by a movement that identifies itself as global, anti-corporate and anti-authoritarian.
Patterns of skin substitute use in isolated face and hand burns

Abstract Non-medical factors may influence a wide variety of medical care. This study uses a large national database to examine potential factors influencing the use of skin substitutes in patients with face and hand burns. A total of 2847 patients with isolated 3rd degree hand and face burns from the NBR were identified from the NBR. Of those 2847 patients, 2299 (81%) had autografting alone. 143 patients (5%) had heterografting followed by autografting, 318 (11%) had homografting followed by autografting, and 87 patients (3%) had a dermal regenerative graft followed by autografting. Findings indicated that race and insurance status may influence the use of skin substitutes in isolated face and hand burns. Dermal regenerative grafts are more likely to be used in white patients with commercial insurance (p
CFOSynt: Carrier frequency offset assisted clock syntonization for wireless sensor networks

System-level timing inconsistency and wireless communication delays are the main uncertainties of existing synchronization mechanisms for wireless sensor networks. Existing solutions mainly rely on timestamp exchanges to estimate clock offset and skew, which results in frequent synchronization, high overhead, and high energy consumption to maintain a well-synchronized network. This paper introduces a novel clock syntonization approach to estimate the differences between clock frequencies of network nodes without the need for timestamp exchanges. The carrier frequency offset (CFO) assisted syntonization (CFOSynt) utilizes the carrier information obtained from wireless packet transmission for clock skew compensation. The key idea of CFOSynt is that, in any wireless communication system, where carrier modulation is employed, carrier frequency delivers information about the transmitter RF clock. Consequently, clock frequency offset between a pair of sensor nodes will result in a carrier frequency offset detected by the receiver node. By leveraging the CFO information, CFOSynt can estimate the system clock skew based on digital counter theory. Extensive experiments and numerical analysis have been demonstrated to evaluate clock skew estimation.
Criminal Protection Orders for Women Victims of Domestic Violence: Explicating Predictors of Level of Restrictions Among Orders Issued.

Criminal protection orders (POs), with varying degrees of restrictions, are issued by the criminal justice system to enhance the safety of victims of domestic violence (DV). Limited research exists to elucidate factors associated with their issuance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate how demographic, relationship, parenting, and court-process-related factors are related to the level of restriction the PO places on the offender. Two-hundred ninety-eight women who were victims in a criminal DV case (M age 36.4, 50.0% African American) participated in a structured interview approximately 12 to 15 months following the offenders’ arraignment. Results revealed that psychological DV severity and fear of the offender in the 30 days prior to arraignment significantly predicted PO level of restriction issued. In addition, level of restriction requested by the victim significantly predicted level of restriction issued by the judge (though closer examination of the data revealed that many orders...
Sampling and Hydrogeology of the Vadose Zone Beneath the 300 Area Process Ponds

Four open pits were dug with a backhoe into the vadose zone beneath the former 300 Area Process Ponds in April 2003. Samples were collected about every 2 feet for physical, chemical, and/or microbiological characterization. This reports presents a stratigraphic and geohydrologic summary of the four excavations.
A mouse model for evaluation of efficacy and concomitant toxicity of anti-human CXCR4 therapeutics

The development of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies through mouse immunization often originates drug candidates that are not cross-reactive to the mouse ortholog. In such cases, and particularly in oncology, drug efficacy studies are performed on human tumor xenografts or with “surrogate” anti-mouse ortholog antibodies if targeting tumor host cells. Safety assessment of drug candidate(s) is performed at a later development stage in healthy non-human primates. While the latter remains necessary before a drug advances into human subjects, it precludes evaluation of safety in disease conditions and drug de-risking during early development. Therefore, mouse models that allow concomitant evaluation of drug efficacy and safety are highly desirable. The C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is an attractive target for tumor-targeted and immuno-oncology therapeutics, with multiple mouse immunization-derived antibodies undergoing clinical trials. Given the pleiotropic role of CXCR4 in cancer biology, we anticipate continuous interest in this target, particularly in the testing of therapeutic combinations for immuno-oncology. Here, we describe the generation and validation of the first mouse knock-in of the whole coding region of human CXCR4. Homozygous human CXCR4 knock-in (hereafter designated as HuCXCR4KI) mice were viable and outwardly healthy, reproduced normally and nursed their young. The expression pattern of human CXCR4 in this model was similar to that of CXCR4 expression in normal human tissues. The human CXCR4 knock-in gene was expressed as a biologically active protein, thereby allowing normal animal development and adequate”homing” of leukocytes to the bone marrow. To further validate our model, we used an in vivo functional assay of leukocyte mobilization from bone marrow to peripheral blood by blocking CXCR4 signaling. Both an anti-human CXCR4 -specific blocking antibody and the small molecule CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100 induced increased leukocyte counts in peripheral blood, whereas an anti-mouse CXCR4 –specific blocking antibody had no effect. This new mouse model is useful to evaluate efficacy and safety of anti-human CXCR4 -specific drugs as single agents or in combination therapies, particularly in the oncology, immuno-oncology, wound healing and chronic inflammation therapeutic areas.
Pyoverdine, a siderophore from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, translocates into C. elegans, removes iron, and activates a distinct host response

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a re-emerging, opportunistic human pathogen, encodes a variety of virulence determinants. Pyoverdine, a siderophore produced by this bacterium, is essential for pathogenesis in mammalian infections. This observation is generally attributed to its roles in acquiring iron and/or regulating other virulence factors. Here we report that pyoverdine translocates into the host, where it binds and extracts iron. Pyoverdine-mediated iron extraction damages host mitochondria, disrupting their function and triggering mitochondrial turnover via autophagy. The host detects this damage via a conserved mitochondrial surveillance pathway mediated by the ESRE network. Our findings illuminate the pathogenic mechanisms of pyoverdine and highlight the importance of this bacterial product in host-pathogen interactions.
Working Memory and Executive Attention: A Revisit:

In this follow-up to my 2002 article on working memory capacity, fluid intelligence, and executive attention in Current Directions in Psychological Science, I review even more evidence supporting the idea that the ability to control one’s attention (i.e., executive attention) is important to working memory and fluid intelligence. I now argue that working memory tasks reflect primarily the maintenance of information, whereas fluid intelligence tests reflect primarily the ability to disengage from recently attended and no longer useful information. I also point out some conclusions in the 2002 article that now appear to be wrong.
Instrument Sterilization, Skin Preparation, and Wound Management

Recent advances in instrument sterilization include the introduction of gas plasma sterilization and the increased use of glutaraldehyde. Gas plasma sterilization has the advantages of no toxic residue effects, reduced turnover time, and applicability for sterilization of heat- and moisture-sensitive instruments. Chlorhexidine gluconate (4%) appears to be a superior preoperative surgical scrub for both the surgeon and the patient because of its increased antimicrobial efficacy, residual activity, and minimal tissue reactions. There are many new wound dressings and topical medications for treatment of wounds, but the efficacy of most of these preparations has been evaluated only in humans, dogs, and cats. The ideal topical wound preparation and dressing for equine wounds, particularly wounds affecting the distal limb, have not yet been found.
Biodegradable Kraft Lignin-based Thermoplastics

Lignins are seldom accorded a prominent place in compendia about biodegradable polymeric materials. Yet lignin derivatives are available in huge quantities from plant sources, and they are (albeit slowly) biodegradable. Indeed high (85%) industrial by-product lignin contents in thermoplastics were first reported in 19971, and since then a U.S. patent2 has been issued in response to the discovery of plasticizers for simple derivatives of the same kind of raw materials. Previously it had usually been impossible to incorporate any lignin derivative at levels beyond 25–40% into a polymeric material without sacrificing its mechanical integrity. The present article traces the development of the conceptual basis for the paradigm shift that has occurred in formulating useful lignin-based thermoplastics.
Hepatotoxicity of Immunosuppressive Drugs

Hepatotoxicity due to immunosuppressive drugs is a rare cause of DILI, but when these reactions do occur, they run the gamut of clinical laboratory and histopathological presentations. As some immunosuppressive drugs are used less now than previously (like corticosteroids and azathioprine) and some not at all (like daclizumab that is no longer marketed), new agents are being produced at a fast rate. In the complicated setting in which these agents are usually used, many other causes of liver dysfunction are possible and indeed probable; therefore patients must be evaluated thoroughly and alternative diagnosis/diagnoses made before attributing the liver injury to immunosuppressive DILI. Sometimes there are characteristic histopathological abnormalities that provide a diagnosis but, even in these cases, concomitant causes of liver injury should still be sought. As with DILI in other situations, there is a great need for more information about patient monitoring, early detection, noninvasive tests, and, most of all, laboratory methods to identify DILI specifically and not simply by exclusion. The complicated diseases for which these drugs are prescribed and the increasing ingenuity of these agents continue to provide both a challenge and a fascination to physicians caring for these patients.
Plastron Regeneration on Submerged Superhydrophobic Surfaces Using In Situ Gas Generation by Chemical Reaction

Superhydrophobic surfaces submerged under water appear shiny due to total internal reflection of light from a thin layer of air (plastron) trapped in their surface texture. This entrapped air is advantageous for frictional drag reduction in various applications ranging from microfluidic channels to marine vessels. However, these aerophilic textures are prone to impregnation by water due to turbulent pressure fluctuations from external flows and dissolution of the trapped gas into the water. We demonstrate a novel chemical method to replenish the plastron in situ by using the decomposition reaction of hydrogen peroxide on superhydrophobic surfaces prepared with a catalytic coating. We also provide a thermodynamic framework for designing superhydrophobic surfaces with optimal texture and chemistry for underwater plastron regeneration. We finally demonstrate the practical utility of this method by fabricating periodic microtextures on aluminum surfaces that incorporate a cheap catalyst, manganese dioxide. We...
T Follicular Helper Cell Biology: A Decade of Discovery and Diseases

Helping B cells and antibody responses is a major function of CD4+ T cells. It has been 10 years since the publication of Bcl6 as the lineage-defining transcription factor for T follicular helper (Tfh) differentiation and the requirement of Tfh cells as the specialized subset of CD4+ T cells needed for germinal centers (the microanatomical sites of B cell mutation and antibody affinity maturation) and related B cell responses. A great deal has been learned about Tfh cells in the past 10 years, particularly regarding their roles in a surprising range of diseases. Advances in the understanding of Tfh cell differentiation and function are discussed, as are the understanding of Tfh cells in infectious diseases, vaccines, autoimmune diseases, allergies, atherosclerosis, organ transplants, and cancer. This includes discussion of Tfh cells in the human immune system. Based on the discoveries to date, the next decade of Tfh research surely holds many more surprises. Video Abstract Download : Download video (2MB)
Development of a light-field fluorescence microscope for in situ life searches in the solar system

With oceans and energy sources present on several outer solar system moons, it is natural ask whether life might also be present on such bodies. To search for microbial life, 3-d imaging microscopes are needed that can efficiently search through sizeable liquid volumes for particles with signs of cellular structure and morphology, as well as to examine motilities. Our 3-d digital holographic microscopy approaches have been described earlier; that technique can provide sample amplitude and phase information across a volume. On the other hand, fluorescence imaging can provide complementary chemical information, and fluorescence light-field microscopy (FLFM) is an emerging approach to 3-d fluorescence imaging. Here we describe a 3-d FLFM imager concept, with the ultimate goal of combining both microscope types into a multi-mode microscope for lander instrument packages. Light-field imaging is a technique that can be used to refocus to different depths without mechanical refocusing. This technique generally results in lower resolution than standard imaging, but compensates with the ability to refocus to planes well beyond the normal depth of field. However, when imaging sparse, point-like fluorescent signals, or when simultaneous higher-resolution 3-d images of the entire field are available with a complementary 3-d microscope, such as, e.g., a digital holographic microscope, the finest spatial resolution may not be necessary for the light-field fluorescence microscope. In this paper, we first consider the parameters describing a light-field microscope, in order to be able to optimize them to our application. Refocusing to different sample planes is then modeled with a simple ray-trace algorithm. Our goal is to reach a suitable compromise between spatial resolution, field of view, and depth of field within a coincident volume of view for the fluorescence microscope and the digital holographic microscope. Even without the use of super-resolution techniques, lateral and axial resolutions on the order of several microns are possible, across a field of view on the order of a millimeter and a depth of field of a few tenths of a millimeter, both of which are comparable to the values obtained with our digital holographic microscopes. Finally, we describe a prototype fluorescent light-field microscope benchtop setup with which we have carried out initial laboratory demonstrations.
A Selective Review of Recent Quantitative Empirical Research in Marxist Political Economy

This paper surveys some of the quantitative empirical research in two areas of Marxist political economy: (a) Marxist national accounts, and (b) Marxist responses to the Sraffa-based critique of the 1970s. With respect to the first area, this paper explains the basic methodology underlying the construction of Marxist national accounts from traditional input-output data. With respect to the second area, it offers a short review of the theoretical literature surrounding the Sraffa-based critique of the 1970s, and subsequently discusses three Marxist responses in detail: the standard interpretation, the probabilistic interpretation and the new interpretation. It explains the basic theoretical positions of these three approaches and reviews the quantitative empirical work conducted within each.
The significance of sponges for comparative studies of developmental evolution

Sponges, ctenophores, placozoans, and cnidarians have key evolutionary significance in that they bracket the time interval during which organized animal tissues were first assembled, fundamental cell types originated (e.g., neurons and myocytes), and developmental patterning mechanisms evolved. Sponges in particular have often been viewed as living surrogates for early animal ancestors, largely due to similarities between their feeding cells (choanocytes) with choanoflagellates, the unicellular/colony-forming sister group to animals. Here, we evaluate these claims and highlight aspects of sponge biology with comparative value for understanding developmental evolution, irrespective of the purported antiquity of their body plan. Specifically, we argue that sponges strike a different balance between patterning and plasticity than other animals, and that environmental inputs may have prominence over genetically regulated developmental mechanisms. We then present a case study to illustrate how contractile epithelia in sponges can help unravel the complex ancestry of an ancient animal cell type, myocytes, which sponges lack. Sponges represent hundreds of millions of years of largely unexamined evolutionary experimentation within animals. Their phylogenetic placement lends them key significance for learning about the past, and their divergent biology challenges current views about the scope of animal cell and developmental biology. This article is characterized under: Comparative Development and Evolution > Evolutionary Novelties Comparative Development and Evolution > Body Plan Evolution.
A Mediastinal Mistake.

A 12-month-old boy with no significant medical history was transferred from a referring hospital to our facility with 3 days of nasal congestion, dry cough, and fever. His mother reported that the highest temperature measured at home was 37.9°C. The patient was afebrile on initial presentation to the referring hospital, and his examination was notable for clear nasal discharge with a normal respiratory examination result. There was no increased work of breathing and no decreased breath sounds or abnormal lung sounds on examination. The patient was noted to be well appearing, smiling, and interactive. A chest radiograph (CXR) was performed at the referring hospital, which showed a relatively dense opacity in the left upper lobe extending to the apex. Although the pediatric radiologist who read this image noted that the increased density in the left lung apex could represent the thymus, a paraspinal process could not be excluded because of the lack of visualized lung markings (Fig 1). Of note, the opacity also could not be visualized on a lateral view, making the differential between anterior, middle, and posterior pathologies more difficult. Because of this uncertainty, and the varying gravity of mediastinal pathologies, further evaluation with computed tomography (CT) or MRI was recommended. FIGURE 1 Initial anteroposterior CXR (left). Note the opacity in the left upper field. A lateral view (right) is also shown. Note that opacity is not visualized with this view. After discussion with the medical team and the parents, and because of the possibility that additional evaluation with a pediatric hematology-oncology team may be needed, the decision was made to …
CD40 agonist-induced IL-12p40 potentiates hepatotoxicity.

Background CD40 is a compelling target for cancer immunotherapy, however, attempts to successfully target this pathway have consistently been hampered by dose-limiting toxicity issues in the clinic that prevents the administration of efficacious doses. Methods Here, using cytokine and cytokine receptor depletion strategies in conjunction with a potent CD40 agonist, we investigated mechanisms underlying the two primary sources of CD40 agonist-associated toxicity, hepatotoxicity and cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Results We demonstrate that CD40 agonist -induced hepatotoxicity and CRS are mechanistically independent. Historical data have supported a role for interleukin-6 (IL-6) in CRS-associated wasting, however, our findings instead show that an inflammatory cytokine network involving TNF, IL-12p40, and IFNγ underlie this process. Deficiency of TNF or IFNγ did not influence CD40-induced hepatitis however loss of IL-12p40 significantly decreased circulating concentrations of liver enzymes and reduced the frequency of activated CD14+MHCII+ myeloid cells in the liver, indicating a role for IL-12p40 in liver pathology. Conclusions As clinical research programs aim to circumnavigate toxicity concerns while maintaining antitumor efficacy it will be essential to understand which features of CD40 biology mediate antitumor function to develop both safe and efficacious agonists.
Sixty-One-Year-Old Female With Metastatic Poorly Differentiated Carcinoma of the Appendix With Omental Metastasis.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare tumors that are often asymptomatic and were once considered benign. A specific subtype that we will dive into in this article is appendiceal neuroendocrine tumors (ANETS). ANETs are the most common tumors located within the appendix. Most often, they present as acute appendicitis and are found incidentally on pathology reports status post appendectomy. The objective of this article is to show that even though most of the ANETs are benign and fully treated via surgery, ANETs still have the potential to become malignant and metastasize. Our patient fits the common features seen in ANETS. She is a middle-aged woman with vague abdominal pain and no clear diagnosis on gastrointestinal (GI) workup. Computed tomography (CT) confirmed appendicitis, and pathology reports status post-surgery confirmed stage IV, pT4, Nx, M1 - poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma of the appendix with omental metastases.
Labor and Delivery Outcomes with the Sequential Use of Misoprostol Followed by Cervical Foley Catheter.

Objective Studies demonstrate shorter time to delivery with concurrent use of misoprostol and cervical Foley catheter. However, concurrent placement may not be feasible. If misoprostol is used to start an induction, little is known regarding the benefit of sequentially using Foley catheter. We examine obstetrical outcomes in women with Foley catheter placed after misoprostol compared with those only requiring misoprostol. Study design Retrospective cohort study of singleton pregnancies, intact membranes, and an unfavorable cervix (Bishop score of ≤6 and dilation ≤2 cm) undergoing term induction May 2013 to June 2015. We compared obstetrical outcomes between women receiving misoprostol alone versus those that had a Foley catheter placed after misoprostol. Outcomes are mode of delivery, time to delivery, chorioamnionitis, admission to neonatal intensive care unit, and maternal morbidity. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used for categorical variables, Mann–Whitney U-tests compared continuous variables. Results Among 364 women, 281 began induction with misoprostol alone. A total of 135 (48%) subsequently had a Foley catheter placed. Characteristics were similar between the groups, although nulliparity and cervical dilation Conclusion In women receiving misoprostol for induction, nulliparas and those with dilation Key Points
Are paternal or grandmaternal age associated with higher probability of trisomy 21 in offspring? A population‐based, matched case‐control study, 1995‐2015

BACKGROUND Fetal aneuploidy risk increases with maternal age, but the majority of pregnancies complicated by trisomy 21 occur in younger women. It has been suggested that grandmaternal and/or paternal age may also play a role. OBJECTIVES To assess the association between grandmaternal and paternal age and trisomy 21. METHODS For the grandmaternal assessments, we included all offspring with trisomy 21 in a statewide birth defects surveillance system (1995-2015) that could be linked to 3-generation matrilineal pedigrees in the Utah Population Database. Ten sex/birth year-matched controls were selected for each case (770 cases and 7700 controls). For the paternal assessments, our cohort included all trisomy 21 cases (1995-2015) where both the mother and father resided in Utah at the time of birth (1409 cases and 14 090 controls). Ages were categorised by 5-year intervals (reference: 25-29 years). Conditional logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounding factors, was used to model the association between grandmaternal and paternal age and trisomy 21. RESULTS No association between grandmaternal age and trisomy 21 was detected, whether age was assessed continuously (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98, 1.03) or categorically after adjusting for grandmaternal and grandpaternal race/ethnicity and grandpaternal age. Compared to fathers aged 20-29 years, fathers <20 years (OR 3.15, 95% CI 1.99, 4.98) and 20-24 years (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.11, 1.73) had increased odds of trisomy 21 offspring, after adjusting for maternal and paternal race/ethnicity and maternal age. Results were consistent after excluding stillbirths, multiples, and trisomy 21 due to translocation or mosaicism. CONCLUSIONS Maternal age is an important risk factor for trisomy 21 offspring; however, this population-based study shows that that young paternal age is also associated with trisomy 21, after taking into account maternal age and race/ethnicity.
The Economic Value of Meta-Report Cards: The Case of Automobiles

Meta-Report cards are the product report cards that aggregate information from multiple public sources with the purported goal of easing consumer decision making. Whether and how these report cards are valuable to consumers remains unclear and forms the basis for this research. For the purpose, the authors use a revealed preferences approach with data from the U.S. automobile industry where U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) introduced a meta-report card in 2007 that synthesizes information from multiple public sources, such as J.D. Power, Kelly Blue Book, among many others. The authors conceptualize the introduction of this meta-report card as a natural experiment, with a pre-post (before 2007 and after 2006), treatment-control (brands rated and brands not rated) design. Complementing the USNWR ratings with data from multiple other sources, the authors estimate a nested logit demand model for brand choice with aggregate data and include the USNWR rating as an endogenous product characteristic. The results show that the presence of brands on USNWR meta-report card translates to societal benefit of $10.53 for an average consumer. On an average, one standard deviation improvement on USNWR ratings (measured on a 10-point scale with standard deviation of .58) enables a brand to charge $3560 more or save around $12 million on advertising. The results also provide evidence for search cost reduction and quality assurance as the underlying mechanism for the effect of meta-report card.
Reducing HIV/STI Risk Among Adolescents Aged 12 to 14 Years: a Randomized Controlled Trial of Project Prepared

Despite calls for evidence-based HIV/STI prevention programs for youth aged 12 to 14 transitioning to adolescence, few effective programs exist. In a two-group intent-to-treat randomized trial in the Bronx, NY, 397 participants were randomly assigned to Project Prepared or an attention control, TEEN. Participants completed surveys at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Prepared had two components, an 11-session program and a 3-week internship. Content covered sexual risk behavior, social cognitions, gender norms, relationships, and resilience. TEEN built communication skills and had the same intensity and structure as Prepared but no sexual content. In both, boys and girls were trained together in mixed groups of ~ 11 teens. Primary outcomes were HIV knowledge, self-efficacy, condom outcome expectancy, and behavioral intentions. Secondary outcomes were relationship expectations and endorsement of risky gender norms. Generalized estimating equation analyses showed youth randomized to Prepared had significant improvements compared to TEEN at T2 in HIV knowledge, sexual self-efficacy, and outcome expectancy for condom use. At T3, there were significant differences favoring Prepared in outcome expectancy for condom use, sexual self-efficacy, and intention for partner communication about HIV/AIDS or STIs. Analyses by gender showed program effects in both boys (intention to talk to a partner about condom use, abstinence self-efficacy, sexual self-efficacy, and condom outcome expectancy) and girls (gender norms, and abstinence outcome expectancy). Prepared effectively reduced risk in young adolescents. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01880450, Protocol ID: 2008-551
Risk Analysis for Beef Cow-Calf Retained Ownership Decision Making:

Cow-calf producers recognize the value of postweaning performance information and have collected a large volume of data through alliances and university feed-out programs. These statistics are largely used to address and guide production decisions including genetic, health and management issues. Value Based Marketing (VBM) of fed cattle is increasingly popular, and individual animal value is determined based on specific carcass merits. This system of marketing increases income variability compared to traditional liveweight marketing of fed cattle. This research is designed to illustrate how feedlot and carcass performance information can be incorporated into the cow-calf producer's risk analysis decisions regarding retained ownership from weaning to harvest. Economic risk of retaining ownership is based on uncertainty of market conditions, cattle performance and expected income based on carcass merits. This study addresses utilization of historical performance data to compare the market value of feeder cattle with their expected value as finished cattle in a VBM system. From a feeder cattle producer's perspective, this is a very important issue. If, from past experience with the same or similar genetics and management, a producer knows with some degree of certainty that his cattle will perform well in the feedlot and/or in terms of carcass merits, then the market price may significantly undervalue those cattle. The producer would be better off to retain ownership of the calves or to market feeder cattle through some alternative means (e.g., direct sales to a cattle feeder with knowledge the cattle's performance potential) in order to receive a price that more accurately reflects their true value.
Opportunities for Restructuring Hospital Transfer Networks for Pediatric Asthma.

Abstract Objective To describe the current system of pediatric asthma care and identify potential options for unloading tertiary centers. Methods Retrospective, cross-sectional study using 2014 inpatient and emergency department all-encounter administrative datasets from Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York. Study participants included children Results There were 174,239 encounters for pediatric asthma, with 26,316 admissions and 3101 transfers. About 94.4% of transfers were admitted, with median stay length 2 days (interquartile range [IQR] 1.0–3.0). About 637 hospitals saw pediatric asthma, but 58.7% never admitted these patients. Fifty-four hospitals (8.5%) regularly received transfers; these hospitals were broadly capable pediatric centers (mean pediatric hospital capability indices = 0.82, IQR: 0.64–0.89). Two hundred nine facilities (32.8%) did not regularly receive transfers but were highly capable of caring for pediatric asthma (mean condition-specific capability = 0.92, IQR: 0.85–1.00). Median distance from transferring hospitals to the nearest pediatric center was 25.7 miles (IQR: 6.45–50.15) vs 18.0 miles (IQR: 8.35–29.25) to the nearest potential receiving hospital. Mean cost of a 2-day asthma admission in receiving hospitals was $3927 (IQR: $3083–$4894) versus $3427 (IQR: $2485–$4102) in potential receivers. Conclusions While nearly all acute care hospitals encounter children with asthma, more than half never admit them. Children are primarily transferred to a small subset of specialized centers, despite the existence, in many regions, of closer community hospitals with high pediatric asthma capability. In settings with long transfer distances and tertiary center crowding, a tiered system of hospital care for pediatric asthma may be feasible.
Making Live and Letting Die in COVID-19: The Biopolitics of Race, Space and Freedom

This article applies discussions of biopolitics and rationalities by governments to “make live” and “let die” as a heuristic for the speculative sorting of bodies and their antibodies as the United States and individual states lurch toward post-COVID life. It considers how governments rationalize the elimination of certain populations in the name of improving the vitality of the dominant group. Sociologist Michel Foucault, who popularized the idea among academics in the late 1970s, called biopolitics the application of “life-producing techniques.” Biopolitics operates under the prerogative of whom to “make live” and whom to “let die.” Its applications in the last century have rationalized the elimination of perceived outgroups to improve the vitality of the nation-state. This article theorizes that the prerogative to “make live” and “let die” functions as a tacit rationale for negotiating pandemic life. As a cultural agent, COVID has brought into stark relief the burdens of suffering that U.S. society places on marginalized communities, particularly African Americans and Latinx populations; as well as incarcerated and otherwise detained individuals left exposed to virus spread.
African Past, American Future: Uplift Ideology in Early 20th Century Opera

This paper explores how two African American composers, Scott Joplin (c. 1868-1917) and Harry Lawrence Freeman (1869-1954), advocated for Black Advancement and uplift ideology through their syncretic operas in the early 1900s. What is presented here however is the introductory content of a larger work. Joplin and Freeman were intimately conscious and supportive of national debates for Black Advancement, propelled especially by W.E.B. DuBois, and both employed rhetorical strategies paradigmatic of the movement. They were both interested in showing White and Black Americans alike that African American music, such as gospel, spiritual, and ragtime, could be held to the same high esteem as music of the Western canon, just as Black academics often endeavored to prove their intellectual prowess to their White counterparts. To this end, Joplin and Freeman combined “Black” music and classical styles in their operas to declare the equality and richness of an integrated sound. The thematic content of these operas, Treemonisha and Voodoo, respectively, interact with the Black Advancement movement’s drive for progress and education as well. They present Black Americans’ struggle for modernity as a conflict between the “superstitious” West African religious customs still ingrained in emancipated communities and Christianity. However, Joplin and Freeman’s works diverge aesthetically and ideologically from this point forward. Joplin’s aesthetic considerations derived chiefly from ragtime, a modern African American musical form genre, while Freeman took inspiration not only from African ethnic music but Africa itself. Joplin’s form of uplift was found in the education of small Black communities, while Freeman framed his work in a nationalistic and pan-Africanist context. These distinct choices, though crafted with the same aim, help reveal subtle divergences in argumentation within the Black Advancement movement.