cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic Sensitivity to Thiamine Deficiency and Development of Alcoholic Organic Brain Disease

HE RELATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS of ethanol neuT rotoxicity and thiamine deficiency in development of alcoholic organic brain disease remain controversial. It is well established that thiamine deficiency can cause a life-threatening neuropsychiatric syndrome called Wernicke’s encephalopathy in the alcoholic ~ a t i e n t . ~ In animal models, it has been demonstrated that thiamine deficiency is accompanied by diverse changes in intermediary metabolism, including decreased lipid incorporation into myelin, marked alterations in the biosynthesis and turnover of several putative neurotransmitters, and focal regions of metabolic acidosis in the brain, all of which may modify the neurotoxic effects of e t h a n ~ l . ~ . ~ Treatment with thiamine rapidly reverses most of the acute manifestations of thiamine deficiency, or Wernicke’s encephalopathy, but may leave significant clinical sequelae (deficits in learning and memory, problem-solving behavior, and perceptual/ motor functions, and personality changes) called KorsakOBS psychosis (KP) with characteristic neuropathologic finding^.'.^ In autopsy studies, those alcoholics with neuropathologically confirmed Wernicke-Korsakoff (W-K) syndrome consistently demonstrated more severe brain morphometric abnormalities (i.e., reductions in brain and cerebellar weights and volume of white matter) than alcoholics without such brain histopathologic evidence of significant previous thiamine defi~iency.~ The fact that there may be a genetic predisposition to development of brain damage associated with chronic alcoholism is suggested by the following: ( 1 ) only a subset of chronic alcoholics (approximately 13%) show the autopsy findings of W-K syndrome’ and (2) the concordance rate for alcoholic organic brain disease is greater for monozygotic than dizygotic twins.’ Although the genetic mechanism(s) underlying alcoholic organic brain disease remain to be determined, it has been hypothesized’ that a heritable
Information, Risk, Ignorance and Indeterminacy

Introduction, 629. — I. The state of information and type of expectations, 630. — II. Ignorance, 634. — III. Risk, 635. — IV. Economic indeterminacy, 636. — V. Action under uncertainty, 637. — VI. Selective intuition, 638. — VII. Conclusion, 639.
Competitive intelligence and disclosure

Competitive intelligence (CI) activities open new opportunities for firms to acquire and disclose information. We show that disclosure depends on the relative usefulness of information to the competing firms and is generally less (more) likely with Cournot (Bertrand) competition and when firms adopt product differentiation strategies. When CI costs are independent of information characteristics, each firm seeks information solely useful to itself and discloses it unless it is a Bertrand competitor with customer information. Only when the cost advantage is sufficiently great does each firm seek information useful to itself and its rival.
A Case Study of a Successful Cryogenic Cooler Development Program

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has been developing long life cryogenic coolers for use in space since the 1970s. Emphasis has been steadfastly maintained on the goal of developing cryogenic coolers that can operate in an unattended manner for 5 to 10 years with very high reliability. It has been the experience of Goddard cooler personnel that many institutions still do not have an appreciation of the difficulties involved in developing such a cooler. In this paper, a successful cooler development program will be presented as a case study of the process required to develop a highly reliable, long-life cryogenic cooler.
Long-term results still favor nonoperative treatment of stable thoracolumbar burst fractures: commentary on an article by Kirkham B. Wood, MD, et al.: "Operative compared with nonoperative treatment of a thoracolumbar burst fracture without neurological deficit. A prospective randomized study with follow-up at sixteen to twenty-two years".

Burst fractures of the thoracolumbar spine are common, but no consensus has been reached as to the best treatment. Although all burst fractures are characterized by the common finding of retropulsion of the posterior vertebral body wall into the spinal canal, burst fractures vary in severity with respect to amount of comminution, canal narrowing, associated neurologic deficit, and involvement of posterior structures. The latter structures are of primary importance in defining stability. To determine the best treatment, the authors conducted a randomized clinical trial from 1992 to 1998 in which they compared the outcomes of forty-seven patients who received either surgical or nonoperative treatment of a stable thoracolumbar burst fracture. This type of fracture has an intact posterior osteoligamentous complex. Nonoperative care consisted of bracing or casting. The surgical group was treated by anterior corpectomy and fusion with a plate or short-segment (two to four-level) posterior pedicle-screw instrumentation and arthrodesis. The …
Transcriptome Analysis in Domesticated Species: Challenges and Strategies

Domesticated species occupy a special place in the human world due to their economic and cultural value. In the era of genomic research, domesticated species provide unique advantages for investigation of diseases and complex phenotypes. RNA sequencing, or RNA-seq, has recently emerged as a new approach for studying transcriptional activity of the whole genome, changing the focus from individual genes to gene networks. RNA-seq analysis in domesticated species may complement genome-wide association studies of complex traits with economic importance or direct relevance to biomedical research. However, RNA-seq studies are more challenging in domesticated species than in model organisms. These challenges are at least in part associated with the lack of quality genome assemblies for some domesticated species and the absence of genome assemblies for others. In this review, we discuss strategies for analyzing RNA-seq data, focusing particularly on questions and examples relevant to domesticated species.
Physiology and Anesthesia for Elderly Patients

Understand the physiologic changes associated with aging Learn the specific considerations for anesthetic management of the elderly Understand common postoperative anesthetic complications
Identification and adaptive control of history dependent unsteady aerodynamics for a flapping insect wing

A history dependent formulation for the equations of motion of a ground-based robotic flapping wing, derived for an associated adaptive control strategy, was constructed to track observed flapping motions of insect flight. A general methodology was introduced in which lift and drag forces were represented in terms of history dependent integral operators to model and identify the unknown and unmeasurable aerodynamic loading on the flapping robot wing. First, computational fluid dynamics was used to predict the drag and lift forces for a flapping insect wing. The simulation data were then used to describe the adaptive control history. The resulting closed-loop system constitutes an abstract Volterra integral equation whose state consists of the finite-dimensional vector of generalized coordinates for the robotic system and an infinite-dimensional unknown function characterizing the kernel of the history dependent integral operator. Finite-dimensional approximations of the state equations were derived via quadrature formula and finite element methods. An adaptive control scheme based on passivity principles was derived for the approximate history dependent system. Lyapunov analysis guarantees stability of the closed-loop system, and that the tracking error and its derivative converge to zero. The novel control strategy introduced in this paper is noteworthy in that by introducing a history dependent adjoint operator in the state estimate equation, the analysis for convergence of the closed-loop history dependent equations closely resembles the analysis used for conventional ordinary differential equation (ODE) systems.
The mating system of Melanotus textilis

Melanotus textilis (Strophariaceae), a small saprobic agaric, exhibits a bifactorial (tetrapolar) mat? ing system based on the formation of clamp connec? tions. The mating system is the same as that of M. defraudatus but differs from that of M. hartiae, which is unifactorial (bipolar). Matings from different pop? ulations of M. textilis show that the locus controlling mating compatibility is multiallelic. Asexual repro? duction by arthroconidia was also observed.
Beneficial effects of potassium application in improving submergence tolerance of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Abstract The rainfed lowland rice ecosystem is affected by not only water deficit but also excess water. Although the rice plant is well adapted to aquatic environments, it is unable to survive if it is completely submerged in water for an extended period. The impact of submergence on survival, chlorophyll, photosynthesis, post-recovery growth and anti-oxidant capacities in four rice cultivars namely IR 64, IR 64-Sub1, Swarna and Swarna-Sub1 having differential response to potassium application were examined. All the cultivars showed inhibition of photosynthesis, this was accompanied with decrease in stomatal conductance, chlorophyll and carbohydrate contents; the decrease was more pronounced in non-sub1 cultivars. The activity of anti-oxidants was found to be significantly high and lipid peroxidation was low in sub1 cultivars. Potassium application improved the survival mainly because of maintenance of carbohydrates, chlorophyll and contributing to less lodging and leaf senescence. Furthermore, K application resulted in inhibition of lipid peroxidation and increase in catalase and Peroxidase activities. Potassium at higher levels was more beneficial in terms of improving survival, photosynthesis and growth after recovery. The germplasm improvement is beneficial if provided with best management practices, modification in plant nutrition by K application enhance the survival, recovery and growth of rice during complete submergence.
Eigenmoment-based estimation of correlation length from spatial-frequency profile for structural characterization of continuous random medium

We present an eigenmoment-based paradigm for estimating mean correlation length of a continuous random medium from spatial frequency profile obtained from back-scattered waves under the Born approximation. Theory and simulation results are presented.
A Method and Results of Screening Insecticides against Adult Hippelates Eye Gnats

A convenient method for laboratory evaluation of insecticides against adult Hippelates eye gnats is described. The insects are exposed for 60 minutes to known deposits of insecticides in Erlenmeyer flasks inverted under a battery of fluorescent lights. By the use of this method, the efficiency of 21 insecticides against Hippelates collusor (Townsend) was determined. Three insecticides were also evaluated against. H. robertsoni Sabrosky. Parathion, dicapthon, and ronnel were the most toxic of all compounds tested. Organophosphorous compounds were in general more toxic than chlorinated hydrocarbon and carbamate insecticides. The susceptibility levels of the two species of eye gnats to organophosphorous compounds were approximately equal.
In vivo monitoring of JAK/STAT and PI3K/mTOR signal transduction inhibition in pediatric CRLF2-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

9506 Background: Therapy intensification for children with B-precursor ALL with high-risk genetic lesions has improved relapse-free survival. CRLF2 rearrangements and JAK2 and IL7RA mutations occur...
Development of A Prediction Model for Early Diagnosis of Not Passing the National Council of Licensure Examination for Registered Associate Degree Nurses

Passing the national licensure examination for registered nurses (NCLEX-RN) in the US is a critical outcome of the nursing program. Research has been conducted to identify which nursing students are at risk for not passing the NCLEX-RN test. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether any of several student covariates can be used to accurately identify associate in science in nursing (ASN) students that are at-risk for failing the NCLEX-RN test. Covariates included in the study were demographics, students' pre-admission grade point average (GPA), the scores of test of essential skills (TEAS), and the assessment technologies institute® (ATI)'s comprehensive scores for a pre-RN examination test. Chi-squared automatic interaction detection, or CHAID analysis, was used to develop the model. One covariate, ATI comprehensive test scores, was found to accurately identify all at-risk ASN students. The model explained that students identified as "at-risk" had a failure rate nearly two-and-a-half times as high as the general population.
Development of Man-rGO for Targeted Eradication of Macrophage Ablation

This study was aimed to develop and evaluate a smart nanosystem that targeted photothermal ablation of inflammatory macrophages in atherosclerotic plaque. Mannosylated-reduced graphene oxide (Man-rGO) was synthesized using three step procedures: (1) preparation of ox-GOs, (2) microwave-assisted synthesis of PEI-rGOs, and (3) mannosylation of PEI-rGO using reductive amination reaction (Man-rGOs). The ζ-potential of Man-rGO that signifies electrophoretic mobility of the charged surface was examined using Zetasizer Nano ZS. The effects of Man-rGO on the cell viability was evaluated using LDH assay and AlamarBlue assay. The targeting efficacy of Man-rGO was assessed using the cellular uptake rate by M2-polarized (i.e., which is induced by IL-4) macrophage. The effects of NOMela loaded in Man-rGO on the enhancement of phagocytosis were evaluated by examining the phagocytic clearance rate of zymosan-FITC particles. The microwave-assisted reduction of GOs was adapted for a facile synthesis of polyethylenimine-reduced GO (PEI-rGO). The mannose functionalization (Man-rGO) of PEI-rGO produced a greater number of amide linkages formed by reductive amination reaction between PEI-rGO and mannose. The ζ-potential of PEI-rGO was +30.6 ± 3.3 mV, whereas that of Man-rGO was down to +13.1 ± 3.8 mV upon interaction with mannose mainly due to the conjugation of mannose on the PEI-rGO surface. Near-infrared (NIR) irradiation increased the temperature of Man-rGO solution to around 45 °C, suggesting that Man-rGO is more potent than ox-GO or rGO in photothermal ablation activity triggered by NIR laser irradiation (808 nm). All testing formulations at the concentrations up to 10 μg/mL exerted less than 10% of membrane disintegration. For AlamarBlue study, more than 90% of cell viability were maintained at the concentrations (up to 10 μg/mL) of all tested formulations. The fluorescent microscopy images of cells after 1 h incubation demonstrated that Man-rGO were mainly accumulated at the subcellular level where the mannose receptors were overexpressed. The cell viability of macrophages significantly decreased upon exposure to Man-rGO irradiated with NIR, but no changes were observed from that of mast cells (for mast cells, 98.3 ± 0.3%; for macrophages, 67.8 ± 1.3%, p < 0.01), indicating that Man-rGO achieved enhanced targetability toward mannose receptor mediated cellular uptake. N-Nitrosomelatonin (NOMela) loaded in macrophage exerted enhanced phagocytic activity. It was concluded that the enhanced photothermal ablation activity of Man-rGO triggered by NIR laser irradiation was mediated through their targetability toward overexpressed mannose receptor, a marker of M2-phenotype of macrophage. The results of this study supported that Man-rGO can serve as an efficient platform for the targeted therapy against atherosclerosis.
Cultural Memory: From the Threshold of Literacy to the Digital Age

I address changing conceptions of collective memory in light of advances in the technologies of communication, with particular attention to the passage from orality to literacy, and in our times from print to electronic/digital culture. Central to this line of inquiry are the pioneering studies by German scholars Jan and Aleida Assmann on the concept of cultural memory, conceived as the elaboration of memorable heritage in canon and archive. I follow with a discussion of the implications of digital age media for understanding cultural memory, as memory studies escape their niche in historiography to become an interdisciplinary field. Here communication science plays a key role in rethinking the relationship between biological and artificial memory in the electronic archive.
Differentiation-Dependent Interactions Between Runx-1 and Fli-1 during Megakaryocyte Development

The transcription factor Runx-1 is required for the ontogeny of all definitive hematopoiesis, and plays a specific role in megakaryopoiesis during later stages of development. Germline mutations in Runx-1 cause Familial Platelet Disorder with Propensity to Develop AML (FPD/AML), and acquired mutations occur in a subset of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myelogenous leukemia. Although many of the reported Runx-1 mutations affect DNA binding and/or its interaction with the cofactor CBF-beta, other mutations occur outside of these binding regions and have unknown mechanistic effects. In this study, we purified Runx-1 containing multiprotein complexes from murine megakaryocytic cells in order to identify potential novel Runx-1 associated factors whose interaction may be altered by Runx-1 mutations. Here we report the identification of the key megakaryocyte ets transcription factor Fli- 1 as a direct Runx-1 binding partner. This interaction involves the negative regulatory DNA binding and activation domains of Runx-1 (amino acids 179–370), and a region around the Ets DNA binding region of Fli-1 (amino acids 281–361). The interaction is lost in the MDS- associated Y254X Runx-1 mutation. We also show that Runx-1 and Fli-1 co-occupy the c-mpl promoter in primary megakaryocytes and act synergistically in transcriptional reporter assays. Interestingly, the interaction between Runx-1 and Fli- 1 occurs in murine L8057 megakaryoblastic cells only after they have been induced to differentiate, even though both proteins are expressed abundantly in uninduced cells. The interaction correlates with assembly of a large multiprotein complex that also includes the key megakaryocyte transcription factor GATA-1 and its cofactor Friend of GATA-1 (FOG- 1) based on gel filtration chromatography experiments. Furthermore, we show that Fli-1 from this large complex lacks phosphorylation of a specific residue that is phosphorylated on non-complexed Fli-1. Mutation of this site to aspartic acid, which mimics constitutive phosphorylation, disrupts the interaction between Fli-1 and Runx-1 and abrogates their transcriptional synergy. We propose that dephosphorylation of Fli-1 is a key event in the transcriptional activation of megakaryocyte terminal maturation by facilitating the assembly of a RUNX-1/FLI-1/GATA-1/FOG-1 enhancesome complex. These findings have implications for the differentiation of other cell types where interactions between Runx and ets family proteins occur.
Hepatitis C eradication with sofosbuvir leads to significant metabolic changes.

AIM To assess the effect of sofosbuvir (SOF) based regimens on glycemic and lipid control. METHODS This is a retrospective analysis of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients treated and cured with a SOF regimen [SOF/ribavirin/interferon, SOF/simeprevir, or SOF/ledipasvir (LDV) ± ribavirin] from January 2014 to March 2015. Patients with hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) and lipid panels within six months before and six months after therapy were identified and included in our study. Due to the known hemolytic effect of ribavirin, HbA1C was obtained a minimum of three months post-treatment for the patients treated with a ribavirin regimen. Medical history, demographics, HCV genotype, pre-therapy RNA, and liver biopsies were included in our analysis. The patients who started a new medication or had an adjustment of baseline medical management for hyperlipidemia or diabetes mellitus (DM) were excluded from our analysis. RESULTS Two hundred and thirty-four patients were reviewed, of which 60 patients met inclusion criteria. Sixty-three point three percent were male, 26.7% were Caucasian, 41.7% were African American and 91.7% were infected with hepatitis C genotype 1. Mean age was 60.6 ± 6.7 years. Thirty-nine patients had HbA1C checked before and after treatment, of which 22 had the diagnosis of DM type 2. HbA1C significantly decreased with treatment of HCV (pretreatment 6.66% ± 0.95% vs post-treatment 6.14% ± 0.65%, P < 0.005). Those treated with SOF/LDV had a lower HbA1C response than those treated with other regimens (0.26% ± 0.53% vs 0.71% ± 0.83%, P = 0.070). Fifty-two patients had pre- and post-treatment lipid panels; there was a significant increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol (TC) after treatment (LDL: 99.5 ± 28.9 mg/dL vs 128.3 ± 34.9 mg/dL, P < 0.001; TC: 171.6 ± 32.5 mg/dL vs 199.7 ± 40.0 mg/dL, P < 0.001). Pre-treatment body-mass index (BMI) did not differ from post-treatment BMI (P = 0.684). CONCLUSION Eradication of HCV with a SOF regimen resulted in a significant drop in HbA1C and an increase in LDL and TC post therapy.
Multichannel ultra-wideband airborne radar for snow backscattering measurements

An airborne 2–18 GHz frequency-modulated continuous wave (FM-CW) radar was designed and deployed to Barrow, AK for fine-resolution measurements of snow. In addition to conventional snow thickness measurements as demonstrated in the past, another mission objective is to demonstrate the radar's capability to perform ultra-wideband measurement of snow backscatter at off-nadir angles. The backscatter data will be used to estimate snow-water-equivalent (SWE), which is a key parameter in sea ice models. In this paper, we will describe the design of the radar and antenna array that enable the measurement of snow backscatter. We will present some sample data collected in the field.
Biosafety for Microorganisms Transmitted by the Airborne Route

For some pathogenic microorganisms, the airborne route is the predominant means of transmission to humans. These agents, which may be transmitted from humans, animals, and the environment, i.e., soil and water, include certain pathogenic viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Although certain species of fungi and mycobacteria share the airborne route of transmission, they are very different in substantive elements of transmission, including their natural habitats and reservoirs. It is only with a clear knowledge of these differences that the laboratorian can adequately perform a risk assessment and implement appropriate safety protocols to abate those hazards in the laboratory.
Correlation of high metabolic activity on 18F-FDG PET-CT at diagnosis with early relapse and mortality for patients with primary lung cancer.

e19088 Background: Fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography 18F FDG PET-CT (PET) is a useful tool for diagnosis, staging, and confer prognostic information based on trea...
Treatment Strategies for Hyperpigmentation

Disorders of hyperpigmentation commonly afflict the ethnic population. Given current immigration trends, dyschromias are poised to become a condition increasingly encountered by clinicians. Developing a strong understanding of treatment options and associated side effects is essential. This chapter will focus on the treatment hierarchy of the most common acquired disorders of hyperpigmentation (i.e., melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation): (i) topical hypopigmenting agents, (ii) chemical peels, and (iii) oral agents, microdermabrasion, microneedling, and laser therapy. In addition to discussing the advantages and disadvantages of these therapies, it will provide a brief overview of emerging treatment options.
Analysis of McRoberts' maneuver by x-ray pelvimetry.

Objective: To document radiographically the changes in pelvic dimensions created by McRoberts’ maneuver. Methods: Women at least 37 weeks’ pregnant who presented to labor and delivery were eligible for study entry. Anterior-posterior and lateral x-rays were taken with women in the dorsal lithotomy position and after application of McRoberts’ maneuver, in which the maternal legs were hyperflexed 45 degrees onto the maternal abdomen. A two-tailed paired t test was used to assess the changes in the pelvic diameters, with P < .05 considered statistically significant. Results: Thirty-six subjects were enrolled in the study and 34 x-rays were suitable for analysis. McRoberts’ maneuver was associated with an increase in the mean angle of inclination between the symphysis pubis and the sacral promontory (51.53 ± 2.03 versus 38.07 ± 1.96 degrees, P < .001). There was a 24% decrease in the angle created by drawing a line bisecting the symphysis pubis relative to the horizontal (P < .001). With McRoberts’ maneuver the angle created by a line bisecting the longitudinal axis of the fifth lumbar vertebra and the longitudinal axis of the upper sacrum also increased (133.75 ± 2.25 to 140.14 ± 2.12 degrees, P = .04). Conclusion: Ours are the first systematic observations of pelvic changes associated with McRoberts’ maneuver, confirming the traditional thinking that the maneuver causes a significant cephalad rotation of the symphysis pubis and subsequent flattening of the sacrum.
E-071 The utility of vw-mr imaging in the pre-therapeutic work-up of selected patients with complex aneurysms or pseudoaneurysms: illustrative cases

Background and Purpose There has been growing interest in direct visualization of the vessel wall with high-resolution vessel wall MR imaging (VW-MR imaging) as an adjunct to conventional techniques for imaging the cranio-cervical arteries(CTA, MRA, and DSA). Whilst adequate for revealing abnormalities of the vessel lumen, conventional techniques fail to fully characterize pathology that resides within the vessel wall.1 Materials and Methods We utilized VW-MR imaging in the pre-therapeutic work-up of two patients undergoing endovascular therapy: - A patient with a giant carotid ICA pseudoaneurysm - A patient with a complex vertebrobasilar junction fenestrated aneurysm with the aneurysm located asymmetrically in one limb of the fenestration. Results VW-MR Imaging provided significant information that could not be discerned from conventional luminography: 1) Relatively acute thrombus may be differentiated from relatively chronic thrombus on the basis of layering, allowing for an assessment of the relative degree to which the patient may withstand aggressive endovascular manipulation. 2) Vessel wall contrast enhancement was depicted. While the exact significance of this finding is a subject of intense research2, it has been suggested that this may reflect an underlying inflammatory etiology for the aneurysm.3 3) The angio-architecture of both the aneurysm and the parent vessel were better depicted than on conventional imaging. 4) VW-MR imaging may provide reliable quantification of wall thickness.4 5) VW-MR imaging was critical in defining the lumen with respect to the aneurysm sac in our fenestrated aneurysm case and in planning where to place a flow diverting stent.5,6 Conclusions: VW-MR Imaging has multiple potential benefits in the pre-therapeutic work-up of aneurysmal disease and is already used on a clinical basis at many centers. Figure Legends: 1) VW-MR demonstrates position of the lumen for flow diverter placement. 2) Architecture of pseudoaneurysm is defined including outflow tract, high flow jet and extensive thrombus. Disclosures: G. Deib: None. B. Wasserman: None. M. Lim: None. G. Toth: None. E. Obusez: None.
BS in the boardroom: Benevolent sexism and board chair orientations

Research Summary Though research has focused on the ascent and acceptance of female CEOs, the post-promotion circumstances female CEOs face remain unclear. In this study, we focus on a critical post-promotion circumstance: the board chair-CEO relationship. Drawing on the gender stereotype literature, agency theory, and stewardship theory, we posit that firms appointing a female CEO are more likely to adopt a collaboration board chair orientation and less likely to adopt a control orientation. We further predict this effect is attenuated by female board representation. Using a sample of new S&P 1500 CEOs, we find support for our predictions regarding the collaboration orientation but not the control orientation. This research provides some evidence of benevolent sexism in the boardroom, with female directors acting as a countervailing influence. Managerial Summary Whereas the notion that females encounter a glass ceiling on their path toward CEO is well documented, the conditions female CEOs encounter after promotion are less understood. The relationship between the board chair and the CEO is one important post-promotion condition. Board chairs can focus on monitoring and/or working together with the CEO. We suggest board chairs are more likely to work in close collaboration with female CEOs than with male CEOs. We attribute this to benevolent sexism, which explains that board chairs are more likely to collaborate with female CEOs because they view females as more conducive to, and in need of, this type of relationship. We also suggest this benevolent sexism is less prevalent when there are more females on the board.
Gene targeting: a novel window into the biology of learning and memory

Publisher Summary A number of techniques have been developed to manipulate the mouse genome. Genes can be added, deleted, or altered, and mice can be derived with mutations as subtle as single nucleotide changes. This chapter highlights that the studies done so far demonstrate the possibility to derive mice with very restricted molecular, cellular, neuroanatomical, and behavioral phenotypes. Decades of studies on how and what organisms learn and remember have given neuroscience a rich foundation, in which to build theoretical and experimental investigations of learning and memory. Beyond behavioral analysis, studies of learning and memory must also include information about the neuroanatomy of the brain regions required for the particular behaviors studied. A number of behavioral studies attest to the specificity of the deficits observed in αCaMKII mutants. Surprisingly, in spite of this spatial learning deficit, the performance of the mutants appears to improve during training. The study of homeotic mutants has had a widespread and profound impact on the understanding of development. All that is expected from mutant mice as a tool is specificity, flexibility, reliability, and reproducibility.
Comparison of pressure-sensitive strength models for ceramics under ultrahigh confinement

Abstract Four pressure-sensitive phenomenological constitutive models for brittle ceramics are compared to available experimental data over a wide range of materials and confinement pressures. It is shown that the linear Mohr–Coulomb and Drucker Prager models are only applicable at low pressures. While the nonlinear strain-rate dependent Johnson–Holmquist (JH-2) model provides a reasonable fit to experimental data up to HEL for most materials, it completely fails to capture the experimentally observed pressure and strain-rate independent strength saturation of ceramics at pressures beyond HEL. It is demonstrated that the extended Mohr–Coulomb model is the only model that can not only capture the linear response at low pressures, but also the experimentally observed nonlinear response at higher pressures up to HEL and the pressure-independent response beyond HEL with a single curve. Further, the constants used in this model are shown to be universal and applicable to most brittle materials, allowing the model to be used in the absence of additional experimental data. The potential to extend the extended Mohr–Coulomb model to damaged ceramics and its implementation into computational codes is also discussed.
Reinforcement Learning and Function Approximation.

Relational reinforcement learning combines traditional reinforcement learning with a strong emphasis on a relational (rather than attribute-value) representation. Earlier work used relational reinforcement learning on a learning version of the classic Blocks World planning problem (a version where the learner does not know what the result of taking an action will be). “Structural” learning results have been obtained, such as learning in a mixed 3–5 block environment and being able to perform in a 3 or 10 block environment. Here we instead take a function approximation approach to reinforcement learning for this same problem. We obtain similar learning accuracies, with much better running times, allowing us to consider much larger problem sizes. For instance, we can train on a mix of 3–7 blocks and then perform well on worlds with 100–800 blocks—using less running time than the relational method required for 3–10 blocks.
Occupancy Detection in Smart Housing Using Both Aggregated and Appliance-Specific Power Consumption Data

Occupancy detection is a process of inferring the presence of persons in a space but without necessarily knowing their identities or quantity. Knowledge of occupancy is essential in building information modeling, building energy demand forecast, energy simulations, security, and smart control. Unlike other approaches that require the installation of additional sensors, such as cameras, infrared sensors, optical devices, sound sensors, within the targeted areas, we propose to improve a state of the art approach by Kleiminger, Beckel, and Santini that infers occupancy based on the aggregated power consumption data readily available in many residential houses. Our new approach integrates both aggregated and appliance specific electricity consumption data for occupancy detection. Evaluation of our new approach using the publicly available ECO dataset shows that our best approach can achieve an overall accuracy between 84% and 93%, which improves the baseline accuracy by 1% to 8%. However, our second experiment with a dataset that does not include data about HVAC yields much poorer performance than the first. Our central conclusion is that while appliances are usually strong predictors of occupancy, individual appliances rarely offer adequate coverage of a whole day as they tend to be used rather sporadically. They work well when combined with HVAC, as in the first experiment, but not so well when there is no HVAC, as in the second experiment. Therefore, the key for this approach to work well is when there are sufficient coverage from appliances, or perhaps to complement other data sources.
Improved identification of patients with oligometastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma with PSMA-targeted 18 F-DCFPyL PET/CT

Complete surgical resection of metastatic sites has been shown to prolong survival in select patients with oligometastatic RCC. This treatment strategy is dependent upon the accurate characterization of a patient’s extent of disease. The objective of this study was to explore the utility of PSMA-targeted 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT in patients with presumed oligometastatic clear cell RCC. This is a subset analysis of a prospective study in which patients with RCC were imaged with 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02687139). In the present analysis, patients with oligometastatic clear cell RCC, defined as ≤ 3 metastatic lesions on conventional imaging, were evaluated. 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT scans were reviewed for sites of disease and compared to conventional imaging. The final cohort included 14 patients with oligometastatic clear cell RCC. Conventional imaging revealed 21 metastatic lesions and 3 primary tumors. 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT detected 29 sites of metastatic disease and 3 primary tumors. Of the 21 metastatic lesions detected on conventional imaging, 17 (81.0%) had radiotracer uptake. Additionally, all 3 primary tumors had radiotracer uptake. In 4 (28.6%) patients a total of 12 more lesions were identified on 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT than conventional imaging. Notably, 3 (21.4%) patients were no longer considered oligometastatic. The detection rates of conventional imaging and 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT for identifying sites of disease were 66.7% and 88.9%, respectively. PSMA-targeted PET/CT appears to aid in the identification of patients with oligometastatic clear cell RCC. If borne out in future studies, this suggests that PSMA-targeted imaging has the potential to help select candidates for metastasis-directed therapy.
Challenges and Successes with Food Resource Referrals for Food-Insecure Patients with Diabetes.

Introduction Clinics increasingly screen patients for food insecurity, but little is known about the efficacy of referring food-insecure patients to community-based food resources. Objective To evaluate the implementation of a tailored community food resource referral program in a safety-net diabetes clinic. Methods We conducted semistructured phone interviews with food-insecure patients participating in a screening and referral program in a diabetes clinic affiliated with a safety-net hospital. In this qualitative study, we describe barriers to and facilitators of successful food resource referrals from the patient's perspective. Results The prevalence of food insecurity was high (60%). Provision of written and verbal information alone about community food resources resulted in low linkage rates (0%-4%), even with individually tailored referrals. Misperceptions about eligibility, fears around government program registration, inaccessibility, lack of information retention, competing priorities, an inability to cook, stigma, and a perceived sense of stability with existing food support were major barriers to use. Personnel-guided, in-clinic enrollment to a food resource facilitated a higher connection rate (31%). Discussion Results of this study suggest that screening for food insecurity followed by a list of food resources for those screening positive may not adequately address patient barriers to using community-based food resources. For food insecurity screening programs in the clinical setting to be effective, systems must not only distribute food resource information but also assist patients in enrollment processes.
SONO case series: soft tissue infections, abscesses, pyomyositis and necrotising fasciitis.

A man aged 65 years with a history of polysubstance abuse, currently on 80 mg daily of methadone in addition to ongoing intravenous drug use (IVDU) presents with 1 week of left arm pain. Patient reports gradual onset of swelling, erythema and pain of the left arm that began shortly after ‘muscling’ heroin (injecting heroin into the muscle instead of into a vein) into that site. He denies fever, chills, palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath or other symptoms on review of systems. Medical history: hepatitis, polysubstance abuse. No surgical history. Home medications: methadone 80 mg daily. No known allergies. ### Triage vital signs BP: 146/84 mm Hg, HR: 77 bpm, temperature: 36.8°C, RR: 18 per min, SpO2: 98%. ### Physical examination Non-toxic male lying in bed comfortably. Exam benign apart from left arm soft tissue exam. Left arm with swelling, erythema and tenderness overlying the lateral bicep. No visible lesion or ulceration. Full range of motion of the shoulder and elbow (figure 1). Figure 1 Left upper extremity examination findings. ### Laboratory data Laboratory data revealed a leucocytosis of 14.6 and elevated lactate of 2.3. The rest of the laboratory values were within normal limits. Figure 2 shows the point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the diagnosis of left upper extremity. Figure 2 Left upper extremity short axis plane. 1. What are the indications for performing a POCUS of the soft tissue? If there is clinical concern based on warmth, erythema, pain, induration or fluctuance, POCUS can aid in the diagnosis of cellulitis and abscess. 2. What clinical questions can be answered when assessing the soft tissue with POCUS ? Are there sonographic findings pointing to cellulitis, abscess, pyomyositis or necrotising …
Calibration and Validation of the TEMPEST-D CubeSat Radiometer

Temporal Experiment for Storms and Tropical Systems—Demonstration (TEMPEST-D) is a 6U CubeSat satellite with a cross-track scanning millimeter-wave radiometer measuring at five frequencies from 87 to 181 GHz. It employs a direct-detection architecture with InP HEMT monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) low-noise amplifiers and related new technologies. An end-to-end two-point external calibration is performed every 2-s rotation of the scanning mirror, based on observations of the cosmic microwave background and an internal blackbody calibration target, with three thermistors to monitor the target physical temperature. Corrections for antenna pattern effects and cross-scan biases based on prelaunch measured values were updated using data from an on-orbit calibration pitch maneuver. Validation of the observed brightness temperatures ( $T_{\text {B}}$ ) is performed by comparing to coincident nonprecipitating ocean observations from five well-calibrated on-orbit instruments, including Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Microwave Imager (GMI) and four Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS) sensors on board NOAA-19, MetOp-A, MetOp-B, and MetOp-C satellites. Absolute calibration accuracy is within 1 K for all channels, well within the 4-K requirement. Calibration precision, or stability over time, is within 0.6 K for all channels, also well within the 2-K requirement. The intrinsic noise of TEMPEST-D is lower than MHS, resulting in similar on-orbit noise equivalent differential temperatures (NEDTs), even though TEMPEST-D has a much shorter integration time of 5 ms as compared to 18 ms for MHS. As a result, although the TEMPEST-D radiometer is substantially smaller, lower power, and lower cost than similar current operational radiometers, it has comparable or better performance in terms of instrument noise, calibration accuracy, and calibration stability or precision.
Identification of platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa as the major binding site for released platelet-von Willebrand factor.

We studied the effects(s) of two monoclonal antibodies, 6D1 and 10E5 (directed against platelet glycoprotein lb [GPIb] and the GPIIb/llla complex, respectively), and purified human plasma fibrinogen on the binding of released platelet-von Willebrand factor (vWf) to the platelet surface. Neither of the monoclonal antibodies nor fibrinogen had any effect on the amount of platelet-vWf expressed on unstimulated platelets or on the amount expressed on platelets stimulated in the absence of extracellular Ca++. However, the antibody directed against GPIIb/llla inhibited 72% of the thrombin-induced increase in the platelet-vWf bound to the platelet surface when platelets were stimu- lated in the presence of 5 mmol/L Ca+ + . The antibody against GPIb did not inhibit the surface expression of platelet-vWf on stimulated platelets in the presence of Ca++. Purified normal human fibrinogen inhibited the surface binding of platelet-vWf to thrombin-stimulated platelets to a degree similar to that observed with the mono-clonal antibody directed against the GPIIb/llla complex. These data indicate that platelet-vWf released from platelets binds primarily to the GPIIb/llla complex at or near the plasma fibrinogen binding site.
Association of a Health Equity Curriculum With Medical Students’ Knowledge of Social Determinants of Health and Confidence in Working With Underserved Populations

Importance National organizations recommend that medical schools train students in the social determinants of health. Objective To develop and evaluate a longitudinal health equity curriculum that was integrated into third-year clinical clerkships and provided experiential learning in partnership with community organizations. Design, setting, and participants This longitudinal cohort study was conducted from June 2017 to October 2020 to evaluate the association of the curriculum with medical students' self-reported knowledge of social determinants of health and confidence working with underserved populations. Students from 1 large medical school in the southeastern US were included. Students in the class of 2019 and class of 2020 were surveyed at baseline (before the start of their third year), end of the third year, and graduation. The class of 2018 (No curriculum) was surveyed at graduation to serve as a control. Data analysis was conducted from June to September 2020. Exposures The curriculum began with a health equity simulation followed by a series of modules. The class of 2019 participated in the simulation and piloted the initial 3 modules (pilot), and the class of 2020 participated in the simulation and the full 9 modules (full). Main outcomes and measures A linear mixed-effects model was used to evaluate the change in the self-reported knowledge and confidence scores over time (potential scores ranged from 0 to 32, with higher scores indicating higher self-reported knowledge and confidence working with underserved populations). In secondary analyses, a Kruskal-Wallis test was conducted to compare graduation scores between the no, pilot, and full curriculum classes. Results A total of 314 students (160 women [51.0%], 205 [65.3%] non-Hispanic White participants) completed at least 1 survey, including 125 students in the pilot, 121 in the full, and 68 in the no curriculum classes. One hundred forty-one students (44.9%) were interested in primary care. Total self-reported knowledge and confidence scores increased between baseline and end of clerkship (15.4 vs 23.7, P = .001) and baseline and graduation (15.4 vs 23.7, P = .001) for the pilot and full curriculum classes. Total scores at graduation were higher for the pilot curriculum (median, 24.0; interquartile range [IQR], 21.0-27.0; P = .001) and full curriculum classes (median, 23.0; IQR, 20.0-26.0; P = .01) compared with the no curriculum class (median, 20.5; IQR, 16.25-24.0). Conclusions and relevance In this cohort study of medical students, a dedicated health equity curriculum was associated with a significant improvement in students' self-reported knowledge of social determinants of health and confidence working with underserved populations.
Latinx Authorship and Representation in Digital Spaces: Wikipedia as a Tool to Decolonize the HSI Classroom

Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, is accessed by over 1.5 billion users each month, yet remains stigmatized in the academic world. Many faculty demonstrate reluctance in allowing students to use Wikipedia as part of their research and writing projects due to the open access nature of the site and have all but banned its use in their courses. In this article, we evaluate implications of our pedagogical decision to embed a Wikipedia editing assignment into our respective undergraduate courses at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) in South Texas. First, we describe students’ initial reactions to Wikipedia as disrupting the classroom. Second, we examine the outcomes of the assignment in our Latinx students’ recognizing their work on Wikipedia as an act of decolonizing the classroom. In particular, we show the extent to which students a) claim authority, b) develop an ownership of knowledge, c) forge identities as public scholars, and d) develop a civic responsibility through their work on Wikipedia. We conclude with a discussion of recommendations for implementing assignments on digital citizenship in college classrooms, particularly in HSIs.
Case 75: A Case of Lost in Translation

A patient is admitted to your large hospital, in a country of low resources, from a small village hospital situated in the very north of the country. The patient is an 18-year-old female complaining of abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. She belongs to a small tribe with its own language, which you and none of the available healthcare workers in your hospital can speak or understand. A note from the hospital tells you that 4 days previously she had been involved in a motor vehicle accident (MVA) resulting in bilateral lower extremity injuries. She was operated on for fracture of both lower legs. That is all the information you are given.