cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protein Kinase Cβ Phosphorylates Occludin Regulating Tight Junction Trafficking in Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor–Induced Permeability In Vivo

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)–induced breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier requires protein kinase C (PKC)β activation. However, the molecular mechanisms related to this process remain poorly understood. In this study, the role of occludin phosphorylation and ubiquitination downstream of PKCβ activation in tight junction (TJ) trafficking and endothelial permeability was investigated. Treatment of bovine retinal endothelial cells and intravitreal injection of PKCβ inhibitors as well as expression of dominant-negative kinase was used to determine the contribution of PKCβ to endothelial permeability and occludin phosphorylation at Ser490 detected with a site-specific antibody. In vitro kinase assay was used to demonstrate direct occludin phosphorylation by PKCβ. Ubiquitination was measured by immunoblotting after occludin immunoprecipitation. Confocal microscopy revealed organization of TJ proteins. The results reveal that inhibition of VEGF-induced PKCβ activation blocks occludin Ser490 phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and TJ trafficking in retinal vascular endothelial cells both in vitro and in vivo and prevents VEGF-stimulated vascular permeability. Occludin Ser490 is a direct target of PKCβ, and mutating Ser490 to Ala (S490A) blocks permeability downstream of PKCβ. Therefore, PKCβ activation phosphorylates occludin on Ser490, leading to ubiquitination required for VEGF-induced permeability. These data demonstrate a novel mechanism for PKCβ targeted inhibitors in regulating vascular permeability.
Alterations in Mc1r gene expression are associated with regressive pigmentation in Astyanax cavefish

Diverse changes in coloration across distant taxa are mediated through alterations in certain highly conserved pigmentation genes. Among these genes, Mc1r is a frequent target for mutation, and many documented alterations involve coding sequence changes. We investigated whether regulatory mutations in Mc1r may also contribute to pigmentation loss in the blind Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus. This species comprises multiple independent cave populations that have evolved reduced (or absent) melanic pigmentation as a consequence of living in darkness for millions of generations. Among the most salient cave-associated traits, complete absence (albinism) or reduced levels of pigmentation (brown) have long been the focus of degenerative pigmentation research in Astyanax. These two Mendelian traits have been linked to specific coding mutations in Oca2 (albinism) and Mc1r (brown). However, four of the seven caves harboring the brown phenotype exhibit unaffected coding sequences compared to surface fish. Thus, diverse genetic changes involving the same genes likely impact reduced pigmentation among cavefish populations. Using both sequence and expression analyses, we show that certain cave-dwelling populations harboring the brown mutation have substantial alterations to the putative Mc1r cis-regulatory region. Several of these sequence mutations in the Mc1r 5' region were present across multiple, independent cave populations. This study suggests that pigmentation reduction in Astyanax cavefish evolves through a combination of both coding and cis-regulatory mutations. Moreover, this study represents one of the first attempts to identify regulatory alterations linked to regressive changes in cave-dwelling populations of A. mexicanus.
Distribution of Gemcitabine Is Nearly Homogenous in Two Orthotopic Murine Models of Pancreatic Cancer

Abstract Pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in the United States. Gemcitabine is a common treatment, but response rates are low, perhaps due in part to tumor hypoxia. We utilized 14C-labeled gemcitabine to map distribution of the drug with respect to perfused and hypoxic regions of the tumor microenvironment in two orthotopic xenograft models of pancreatic cancer. There was only a slight reduction in gemcitabine in hypoxic areas, with ∼78% of the drug present in hypoxic compared to perfused areas. In addition, only a 4% reduction in gemcitabine was measured at >100 μm from perfused blood vessels. Thus, despite significant areas of hypoxia in these tumors, gemcitabine distribution is relatively homogenous. Ours is the first study to directly measure gemcitabine distribution within tumor tissue, demonstrating that in these models, tumor tissue does not represent a barrier to gemcitabine penetration.
Housing and the construction of the city: the Paris Habitat Experience

In Paris, the history and the evolution of social housing provision merge with those of a centennial institution. Created in 1914, the Office Public d’Habitations a Bon Marche , currently called Paris Habitat, manages more than 1,200 operations, 120,000 housing units inhabited by 200,000 residents. This article reviews an investigation to this exceptional heritage commissioned by the Pavillon de l'Arsenal in Paris, which resulted in the exhibition and catalogue Paris Habitat: Cent ans de ville, cent ans de vie , presented by the institution in 2015. The investigation, exhibition and publication were organized around the analysis of ten fragments of reality that, rather than matching administrative divisions or urban planning projects, span municipalities, districts and infrastructures. From low-cost to large-scale housing, from concerns with hygiene to ecology issues, each one of the building ensembles analyzed bears witness to the will to change society through housing. Written by the project’s main curator and catalogue editor, this review details the process through which essential questions formulated early on – What is the city we want like? How is it built? – were answered to: selecting from the wealth of material produced by Paris Habitat over one hundred years of activity, the team exposed their political stance on urban strategies at large. Importantly, Paris Habitat’s ‘actions’ substantiated the team’s belief that our knowledge of this long, continuous urban experiment can contribute to improve the metropolises of today and strengthen its ability to answer contemporary concerns: the transformation of offices into housing, new residents’ participation formulas, new building and conception processes, which are key elements in the making of cities that need to be dense, diverse, intense, fertile and agile.
Local Government Proliferation, Diversity, and Conflict

The creation of new local governments is a key feature of decentralization in developing countries. This process often causes substantial changes in contestable public resources and the local diversity of the electorate. We exploit the plausibly exogenous timing of new district creation in Indonesia to iden- tify the implications of these changes for violent conflict. Using new geospatial data on violence, we show that allowing for redistricting along group lines can reduce conflict. However, these reductions are undone and even reversed if the newly defined electorates are ethnically polarized, particularly in areas that receive an entirely new seat of government. We identify several mechanisms highlighting the violent contestation of political control.
Radioembolization Versus Chemoembolization (DEBDOX) for the Treatment of Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity Matched Study

BACKGROUND/AIM Hepatocellular cancer is a rising dilemma. Patients with unresectable disease may benefit from locoregional therapy. The comparative effectiveness of radioembolization and Doxorubicin-Drug-Eluting-Beads (DEBDOX) has not been established to date. We compared the performance of radioembolization and DEBDOX in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS An analysis of our prospectively managed locoregional therapy (LRT) database was performed. Three hundred and fifty-eight patients were treated with LRT for unresectable HCC, out of which 291 were treated with DEBDOX and 67 with Ytrrium-90 ((90)Y). Comparative toxicity, tumor response, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed. Propensity score matching was used to reduce treatment-selection bias, producing 48 pairs. Comparative analysis was repeated after propensity matching. RESULTS Median age was 67 and 65 years for the DEBDOX and (90)Y groups respectively (p=0.2). Overall survival favored the DEBDOX group (DEBDOX: 15-months, (90)Y: 6-months, p<0.0001). PFS also favored the DEBDOX group (DEBDOX: 15-months, (90)Y: 6-months, p<0.0001). All-grade adverse events were similar in both groups, although slightly favoring the DEBDOX group (DEBDOX 10%, (90)Y 15%, p=0.1). After propensity score matching, again longer OS was seen with the DEBDOX group (DEBDOX 13 months, (90)Y 4 months; p=0.0077). There were also similar all-grade adverse events that slightly favored DEBDOX (DEBDOX 14%, (90)Y 20%, p=0.3). Disease control rate was found to be statistically significant, favoring the DEBDOX group (DEBDOX 72%, (90)Y 48%; p=0.02). CONCLUSION Our observation suggests that DEBDOX outperforms (90)Y with superior efficacy and survival with a trend towards lower all-grade toxicity.
What's Different About Banks? Depositor Discipline and Active Monitoring

In this paper we provide an empirical link from Fama (1985) and James' (1987) observation that banks are special to Diamond and Rajan's (2001) model of the banking firm as an active monitor financed with demandable debt. Drawing on a sample of 423 bank loan announcements made during 1988-1996, we document that borrower abnormal announcement returns are positively related to proxies for the bank's ability (or incentives) to monitor. Using a sample of 4,534 bank loans originated during 1987-2003, we find that an index of superior monitoring ability based on these factors is positively related to the loan yield spreads paid by bank borrowers. These two findings are evidence that 1) bank borrowers pay a premium for bank monitoring services; and 2) the excess returns associated with bank loan announcements are in fact a reflection of the monitoring benefits generated by the bank. The proxies that are related to both abnormal announcement returns and borrower spreads are 1) the ratio of the bank's uninsured deposits to total loans, 2) a risk-adjusted measure of recovered charge offs, and 3) the bank's relative capital ratio. Thus, our results reveal a heretofore empirically undocumented benefit of uninsured demand deposits: they appear to improve the bank's incentives to monitor borrowers. The first two proxies are strikingly consistent with the theory of banking laid out in Diamond and Rajan (2001). As predicted by Diamond and Rajan (2001), our empirical results indicate that, for the best bank monitors, monitoring skill and fragile (uninsured) demand deposits co-exist.
Environment and Spatial Perception: An Approach to Research in African Rural Geography

(1969). Environment and Spatial Perception: An Approach to Research in African Rural Geography. Canadian Journal of African Studies / Revue canadienne des etudes africaines: Vol. 3, Rural Africa, pp. 276-280.
Source-Aware Partitioning for Robust Cross-Validation

One of the most critical components of engineering a machine learning algorithm for a live application is robust performance assessment prior to its implementation. Cross-validation is used to forecast a specific algorithm's classification or prediction accuracy on new input data given a finite dataset for training and testing the algorithm. Two most well known cross-validation techniques, random subsampling (RSS) and K-fold, are used to generalize the assessment results of machine learning algorithms in a non-exhaustive random manner. In this work we first show that for an inertia based activity recognition problem where data is collected from different users of a wrist-worn wireless accelerometer, random partitioning of the data, regardless of cross-validation technique, results in statistically similar average accuracies for a standard feed-forward neural network classifier. We propose a novel source-aware partitioning technique where samples from specific users are completely left out of the training/validation sets in rotation. The average error for the proposed cross-validation method is significantly higher with lower standard variation, which is a major indicator of cross-validation robustness. Approximately 30% increase in average error rate implies that source-aware cross validation could be a better indication of live algorithm performance where test data statistics would be significantly different than training data due to source (or user)-sensitive nature of process data.
Knitwear Rendering

Knitwear rendering presents a significant challenge because of the many detailed characteristics of knitwear, such as the microstructure of yarn fibers, variations in stitch patterns, and shape irregularities. In our SIGGRAPH 2001 paper, we address this rendering problem by introducing a modeling primitive called the lumislice, which represents a yarn cross-section. By propagating a lumislice over a knitwear skeleton and adding soft shadow effects, we are able to synthesize realistic images of knitwear over various levels of detail while capitalizing on transparency-blending hardware. The results of our technique are exhibited in this video and compared with real footage. Copyright held by creator.
Toxicity of Sorghum Roots to Larvae of the Western Corn Rootworm

The roots of sorghum, Sorghum vulgare Pers., were found to he toxic to the larvae of Diabrotica virgifera LeConte. Preliminary tests suggested that the toxin involved was hydrocyanic acid. Other experiments showed that free cyanide was toxic to the larvae when it was ingested at a level of 10 ppm. Cyanogenetic glucosides were not toxic to larvae when ingested at a level equivalent to 2000 ppm cyanide unless appropriate hydrolytic enzymes were present. We suggest that toxic levels of hydrocyanic acid result during larval feeding on sorghum roots because of the action of a beta glucosidase on endogenous cyanogenetic glucosides such as dhurrin.
Simplex Elements Stochastic Collocation in Higher-Dimensional Probability Spaces

A Simplex Elements Stochastic Collocation (SESC) method is introduced for robust and efficient propagation of uncertainty through computational models. The presented non– intrusive Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) method is based on adaptive grid refinement of a simplex elements discretization in probability space. The approach is equally robust as Monte Carlo (MC) simulation in terms of the Extremum Diminishing (ED) robustness concept. The efficiency of SESC is based on high degree polynomial interpolation, randomized refinement sampling, and Essentially Extremum Diminishing (EED) extrapolation. This results in a superlinear convergence rate and a linear increase of the initial number of samples with dimensionality. The flexibility of simplex elements is further employed to discretize non–hypercube probability spaces with correlated random parameters.
A Comparative Study of Miao Embroidery and Contemporary Paintings from the Perspective of Colour:A Case Study of Miao Embroidery in Qiandongnan

This paper makes a comparative study between Miao embroidery and contemporary paintings.The purposes of the study are to further understand,explore,and develop ethnic art.
The Absolute Rate Constant for the Reaction of Cl(2P) with ClNO

has been measured at room temp. by discharge flow mass spectrometry to be 7.6·10-11 cm3 s-1 This rate constant is determined from the decay of ClNO in the presence of excess Cl atoms at a total pressure of 1 torr.
Induction of thymidine phosphorylase in both irradiated and shielded, contralateral human U87MG glioma xenografts: implications for a dual modality treatment using capecitabine and irradiation.

In the United States, tumors of the central nervous system remain the third leading cancer-related cause of death in young adults with a median survival time of <1 year. A recent case study suggested that Capecitabine (a novel, fluoropyrimidine prodrug) may be effective in the treatment of brain metastases. Pharmacogenomic studies have correlated the antitumor response to Capecitabine with the expression of the drug metabolizing enzymes thymidine phosphorylase (TP) and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD). In the current study, we examined TP and DPD expression in normal human brain tissues and in glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and malignant type of brain tumor. Because previous reports suggest a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-mediated increase in TP expression after irradiation (a current standard of care for glioblastoma multiforme), we also examined the effect of irradiation on the expression of TP, DPD, and TNF-α in both irradiated and lead-shielded contralateral U87MG glioma xenografts within the same animal. Expression levels were determined using real-time quantitative PCR as described previously. Results demonstrate an ∼70-fold increase in TP mRNA levels 4 days after irradiation, relative to initial control levels. Interestingly, TP mRNA in the lead-shielded tumors (contralateral to irradiated tumors) increased ∼60-fold by day 10 relative to initial control levels. Elevated TP levels were sustained for 20 days in irradiated xenografts but began to decrease after 15 days in the shielded/contralateral tumors, returning to baseline by 20 days. TP mRNA levels in normal mouse liver were unaltered, suggesting a tumor-associated effect. TNF-α mRNA levels did not increase after irradiation; therefore, mRNA expression of 11 additional cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p35, IL-12p40, IL-15, and IFN-γ] in both the irradiated and shielded xenografts was quantitated. Results demonstrated increased levels of IFN-γ, IL-10, and IL-1α by 6.3-, 3.7-, and 1.6-fold, respectively, in irradiated tumors only. DPD mRNA levels did not change after irradiation. The tumor-associated induction of TP in irradiated and lead-shielded tumors within the same animal may have significant implications for the combined modality treatment of cancer patients with Capecitabine in conjunction with radiotherapy and may apply to the treatment of distant tumors and or metastatic disease.
Genetic Risk for Lung Cancer and the Benefits of Quitting Smoking.

Smokers are very often told that quitting smoking will produce substantial health benefits, even after decades of smoking. This advice is based upon an abundance of evidence that would seem to establish these facts with certainty (Fagerstrom, 2002). In this issue of EBioMedicine, the paper by Chen et al. (2016) addresses a very important question: Does quitting smoking improve the health of all smokers equally? More specifically, it addresses the question of whether similar benefits are obtained with high- and low-risk variants for the well-established CHRNA5 variant 16969968. They find that although the high-risk variant has a rather large impact on lung cancer risk, developing cancer 4 years earlier than those with the low-risk variant, the same benefits can be obtained by quitting smoking independent of genotype. Indeed, quitting can reduce the risk of developing lung cancer by 50% and delay its onset by 7 years.
Preparation of Reagents and Buffers

Virtually every analytical method involving wet chemistry starts with preparing reagent solutions. This usually involves dissolving compounds in a liquid or diluting from stock solutions. Preparing reagents of correct concentrations is crucial for the validity and reproducibility of any analytical method. Also, a wide range of standard methods in food analysis involve the concept of using a reagent of known concentration to titrate a solution with an analyte of unknown concentration. This chapter covers both the proper preparation of reagents and their use for such a titration. Also covered is the preparation of buffer solutions used in a variety of analytical techniques. This chapter includes practice problems, for which the answers are at the end of the lab manual.
Lymphoproliferative Disorders with Concurrent HHV8 and EBV Infection: Beyond Primary Effusion Lymphoma and Germinotropic Lymphoproliferative Disorder

Aims Lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD) characterized by human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection are rare and two entities are included in the World and Health Organization classification: primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) and germinotropic LPD. These two entities have very different clinicopathological presentations and prognosis. Here we describe two cases of HHV8-positive, EBV-positive lymphoma with clinicopathological features that are not consistent with either PEL or germinotropic LPD. Methods And Results Both patients were HIV negative without a history of immunodeficiency. In the first case, the patient presented with localized axillary lymphadenopathy without any other symptoms. Biopsy showed lymphoma cells located predominantly in mantle zones with extension into interfollicular areas. Some follicles showed Castleman features including lymphocyte depleted germinal centers penetrated by sclerotic blood vessels and surrounded by concentric rings of small lymphocytes. By immunohistochemistry, the lymphoma cells were positive for CD3 (weak), CD20, and HHV8. EBV was positive as shown by in situ hybridization. The lymphoma cells were negative for CD138, IgM, and kappa and lambda. In the second case, the patient presented with multi-compartmental lymphadenopathy and biopsy showed neoplastic cells that grew in a diffuse pattern with immunoblastic/plasmablastic morphology. Neoplastic cells were positive for both HHV8 and EBV, partially positive for CD20 and CD138, and negative for kappa and lambda. Conclusions The description of these two cases suggests that the category of HHV8+ EBV+ LPDs is a spectrum, which not only includes PEL and germinotropic LPD, but also other cases that have overlapping but distinctive features. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Synthesis and Analysis of Theoretical Models

The notion that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be found in children who have experienced sexual abuse has become an important issue in research and clinical practice. To date however, there is a lack of consensus on what theoretical model(s), if any, best account for PTSD within this population. As a way of contributing to the existing body of literature pertaining to PTSD and its relationship to childhood sexual abuse, this paper synthesizes and presents a critical analysis of contemporary theoretical models.
The polymerase chain reaction : applications in dermatology

Within the space of the last 5 years, application of the revolutionary in vitro method of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) amplification known as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), has become ubiquitous. The rapidly increasing number of clinical and research articles utilizing this technology, both in the dermatologic and general medical literature, requires one to have at least a basic understanding of how the PCR is conducted, what it has to offer, and the potential shortcomings. Such knowledge will hopefully allow a more critical appraisal of an increasingly complex literature. This review aims to describe the methodology and medical applications of this powerful technique with special consideration to the increasing role PCR may have on dermatologic research and practice.
Observation of Dynamic Surfactant Adsorption Facilitated by Divalent Cation Bridging.

Dynamic evidence of the mechanism for surfactant adsorption to surfaces of like charge has been observed. Additionally, removal and retention of surfactant molecules on the surface were observed as a function of time. A decrease in surface charge is observed when metal counterions are introduced and is dependent on charge density as well as valency of the metal ion. When surfactant species are also present with the metals, a dramatic increase in surface charge arises. We observed that the rate and quantity of surfactant adsorption can be controlled by the presence of divalent Ca2+. Under isotonic conditions the introduction of Ca2+ is also easily distinguishable from that of monovalent Na+ and provides dynamic evidence of the divalent “cation bridging” phenomenon. Dynamic changes to surface charge are experimentally determined by utilizing current monitoring to quantify the zeta potential in a microfluidic device.
Using an Arts-Informed Eclectic Approach to Photovoice Data Analysis:

Arts-informed approaches in qualitative research are gaining more recognition as being a critical research approach in the social sciences. Using arts in research is most commonly seen in the data ...
Percent Free PSA

The introduction of PSA in 1987 (Stamey et al. N Engl J Med 317(15):909–16, 1987) as a serum marker for prostate cancer and its subsequent development as a screening test for early detection (Catalona et al. N Engl J Med 324(17):1156–61, 1991) dramatically altered the diagnosis and management of this disease. PSA correlated directly with prostate cancer risk and, therefore, was a relatively sensitive test to identify men at risk. However, it became rapidly apparent that PSA had a limited specificity. Numerous nonmalignant processes, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and infection, also resulted in PSA elevations (Nadler et al. J Urol 154(2 Pt 1):407–13, 1995).
Lens Capsule Violation During Anterior Chamber Paracentesis in Pneumatic Retinopexy

This is a report of a 45-year-old woman treated with pneumatic retinopexy for a macula-sparing retinal detachment. During the procedure, an anterior chamber paracentesis was performed, and the ante...
One-Hour Plasma Glucose Compared With Two-Hour Plasma Glucose in Relation to Diabetic Retinopathy in American Indians.

OBJECTIVE We compared the ability of 1- and 2-h plasma glucose concentrations (1h-PG and 2h-PG, respectively), derived from a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), to predict retinopathy. 1h-PG and 2h-PG concentrations, measured in a longitudinal study of an American Indian community in the southwestern U.S., a population at high risk for type 2 diabetes, were analyzed to assess the usefulness of the 1h-PG to identify risk of diabetic retinopathy (DR). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Cross-sectional (n = 2,895) and longitudinal (n = 1,703) cohorts were assessed for the prevalence and incidence of DR, respectively, in relation to deciles of 1h-PG and 2h-PG concentrations. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for 1h-PG and 2h-PG were compared with regard to predicting DR, as assessed by direct ophthalmoscopy. RESULTS Prevalence and incidence of DR, based on direct ophthalmoscopy, changed in a similar manner across the distributions of 1h-PG and 2h-PG concentrations. ROC analysis showed that 1h-PG and 2h-PG were of similar value in identifying prevalent and incident DR using direct ophthalmoscopy. 1h-PG cut points of 230 and 173 mg/dL were comparable to 2h-PG cut points of 200 mg/dL (type 2 diabetes) and 140 mg/dL (impaired glucose tolerance), respectively. CONCLUSIONS 1h-PG is a useful predictor of retinopathy risk, has a predictive value similar to that of 2h-PG, and may be considered as an alternative glucose time point during an OGTT.
Control by cell size.

Macrophage confinement reduces the ‘late’ inflammatory gene response to lipopolysaccharide through myocardin-related transcription factor, an actin-binding transcription factor.
How effective is spironolactone for treating resistant hypertension

Corey Lyon, DO; Brigitte Utter, MD, University of Colorado, Family Medicine Residency, Denver; Kristen DeSanto, MSLS, MS, RD University of Colorado, Health Sciences Library, Denver
The Safety and Efficacy Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump as a Bridge to Transplant Strategy under the New UNOS Allocation

Introduction We report the safety and efficacy of the IABP as a bridge to orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) since the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) instituted its updated organ allocation system on October 18th, 2018. Methods This is single-center retrospective analysis reporting the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of the use of IABP as a bridge to OHT. All patients in this study were admitted with cardiogenic shock to the heart failure ICU with an average cardiac index of 1.73±0.22 L/min/m2 and met criteria for hemodynamic support with IABP placement. Results The cohort consisted of 20 consecutive patients with IABP as a bridge to transplant (BTT). Mean age was 50 years old, 65% male, 60% non-ischemic, 20% ischemic, 10% congenital (CC-TGA), and 10% restrictive cardiomyopathy. The rate of successful axillary IABP insertion was 100%, with the majority from a percutaneous approach (15/16) and one via surgical graft. Of the original cohort, 17 patients were successfully bridged to OHT (axillary IABP n=14, femoral IABP n=3), 1 patient who did not have a contraindication to durable MCS received a BTT LVAD after 30 days of IABP support, and 2 patients required upgrade to higher levels of MCS support (Fig 1). All patients with axillary IABP placement ambulated with a physical therapist while awaiting OHT. There were no neurologic events, major bleeding, infections, or death. Balloon rupture necessitating urgent balloon replacement occurred in 15% of patients, and one patient with a femoral IABP required surgical thrombectomy of the common femoral artery. The mean total days with IABP before transplantation or LVAD was 12, with range of 2-30 days (Fig 2). Conclusion Since the recent change in the heart transplant allocation system, we report the largest series, to our knowledge, of patients being bridged to OHT with IABP, the majority of which are axillary. We demonstrate that IABP is a safe and effective platform of support for patients awaiting OHT, and furthermore, we demonstrate the feasibility of the axillary IABP approach.
Simple Calculation of Phase Diagrams for Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation in Solutions of Two Macromolecular Solute Species

A simple method is described for the calculation of two- and three-dimensional phase diagrams describing stability and coexistence curves or surfaces separating one- and two-phase regions in composition/temperature space of a solution containing solute species 1 and 2. The calculation requires a quantitative description of the intermolecular potentials of mean force acting between like (1-1 and 2-2) and unlike (1-2) species. Example calculations are carried out for solutions of species interacting via spherically symmetric square-well potentials as first-order models for protein-protein interaction. When the interaction between species 1 and 2 is more repulsive than those acting between like species, the two-phase region is characterized by an equilibrium between a phase enriched in 1 and depleted in 2 and a phase enriched in 2 and depleted in 1. When the interaction between species 1 and 2 is more attractive than those acting between like species, the two-phase region is characterized by an equilibrium between a phase enriched in both species and a phase depleted in both species. The latter example provides a first-order description of coacervate formation without postulating specific interactions between the two solute species.
Inguinal Lymph Node Dissection Does Not Improve Overall Survival in Anal Cancer Nodal Disease.

Abstract Background Anal SCC is a rare disease mainly treated with chemoradiation. Abdominoperineal resection (APR), once the mainstay of treatment for anal cancer, now serves a role as salvage therapy for persistent or recurrent disease after chemoradiation. In addition, clinically positive nodes are currently treated by extending the radiation field to the groin. The role of inguinal lymph node dissection in recurrent or persistent anal SCC is unclear. The aim of the study is to determine the role of inguinal lymph node dissection in the management of inguinal lymph node metastasis for anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Methods Retrospective analysis of patients with anal SCC in the National Cancer Database with positive inguinal nodes undergoing salvage APR between 2004 and 2014 was performed. A comparison of overall survival between patients who underwent APR with lymph node dissection versus APR only was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier plot. Results A total of 3424 patients underwent salvage APR, with 274 (8%) having clinically positive nodes. Within the subgroup that had clinically positive nodes, 195 (71%) underwent APR, whereas 79 (29%) underwent both APR and node dissection. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrates no difference in overall survival in the two groups (P = 0.99). Five-year survival for both groups was similar (36% versus 42%; P = 0.987). No significant difference was found when adjusted for age, gender, and Tumor Node Metastasis staging. Conclusions Inguinal lymph node dissection does not appear to improve overall survival in patients with advanced-stage anal cancer requiring salvage APR. Proper patient selection for node dissection is essential to spare patients from additional morbid procedures.
Broadband Diffraction-Free Incoherent Space-Time Fields for Confocal Light-Sheet Microscopy Generated from a SLED

Confocal light sheet microscopes (CLSM) increase image field-of-view (FOV) and reduce acquisition time while maintaining optical sectioning. Implementation of broadband space-time fields in a CLSM enhances the FOV beyond the limitation of the Rayleigh range.
On Alan Greenspan's Successful Incorporation of the ‘Keynes–Knight’ Approach to Uncertainty and Risk into Monetary Policy

Alan Greenspan’s approach to dealing with the problem of uncertainty, as opposed to risk, appears to be extremely close to the approach advocated by J.M. Keynes himself in both the A Treatise on Probability (1921) and General Theory (1936). Greenspan provides an improved, general definition of uncertainty that combines both the ‘Keynesian (Knightian)’ concept of uncertainty and neoclassical view of ‘risk’. Greenspan’s great success in policy making from 1987-2005 can be attributed, at least in part, to his very deep understanding of these two different types of uncertainty and the dangers that can result from a belief that one only need deal with monetary policy risks.
CHAPTER 1 – The Algorithms of Gauss, Borchardt and Carlson

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the algorithms of Gauss, Borchardt, and Carlson. The theoretical discussions establish that the observed rates of convergence require only the basic facts of calculus. The arithmetic–geometric mean of Gauss is of the highest importance in the history of mathematics. As a teenager, Gauss, without computers, made extensive calculations of arithmetic–geometric means. The chapter discusses several algorithms of the form xn+1 = f(xn, yn) and yn+1 = g(xn, yn), where f and g are given functions and x0, y0 are given from the point of view of the rates of convergence of the sequences {xn}, {yn}.
CONTROLE DE BOTRYTIS CINEREA NA PÓS-COLHEITA DO MORANGUEIRO (FRAGARIA SP.) COM DIFERENTES ÓLEOS ESSENCIAIS

O morango (Fragaria × ananassa) e uma cultura cultivada em todo o mundo, alcancando cerca de 372.000 hectares (ha), sendo no Brasil utilizado 390ha para cultivo com rendimento de 8.926,8 kg/ha. Dentre as doencas fungicas o mofo cinzento, ocasionado pelo patogeno Botrytis cinerea, e considerado de maior importância na pos colheita do morango. Essas recorrentes deterioracoes pos-colheita influenciam na comercializacao e preco do produto. Para o controle do B. cinerea muitas vezes sao necessarias repetidas pulverizacoes de fungicidas. Assim, como alternativa, o controle utilizando oleos essenciais (OEs) pode fornecer beneficios ao substituir ou complementar os fungicidas. Nesse contexto, o objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a eficacia dos OEs de cedro, canela, menta e alecrim contra B. cinerea. O experimento foi realizado in vitro e conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 4 x 4 (oleo x concentracao), com tres repeticoes, avaliado em triplicata. Foram utilizados OEs de Cedrus atlantica (Cedro Atlas), Cinnamomum cassia (Canela), Mentha piperita (Menta Piperita), e Rosmarinus officinalis (Alecrim). Para os testesde suscetibilidade de B. cinerea aos OEs foi feita a inoculacao do fungo em agar BDA contendo cada oleo nas concentracoes de 0,1, 0,2, 0,4 e 0,8%, seguido da incubacao em BOD a 24oC. As medicoes do diâmetro das colonias foram realizadas a cada 48 horas durante 10 dias. Os valores obtidos foram utilizados para o calculo da porcentagem de inibicao do crescimento micelial (PIC). Os dados foram submetidos a analise de variância (ANOVA) e as medias relativas aos diferentes tipos de OEs foram comparadas pelo teste Scott-Knott (p<0,05) e as medias relativas as diferentes concentracoes dos OEs foram submetidas a analise de regressao utilizando o software R. A analise de variância demonstrou que houve efeito significativo (p< 0,05) da interacao oleo x concentracao sobre a variavel PIC. Considerando a media geral, os valores de PIC foram de 68% para cedro, 74% para alecrim, 93% para canela e 94% para menta. Para os OEs cedro, canela e menta, o aumento da concentracao nao resultou em diferenca significativa na porcentagem de inibicao sobre o crescimento do fungo, sendo todas as concentracoes consideradas fungitoxicas. Ja o oleo essencial (OE) de alecrim, a medida que se aumentou a concentracao, houve aumento na porcentagem de inibicao. Para a concentracao 0,1% os OEs de canela e menta apresentaram maior PIC que alecrim e cedro. Na concentracao 0,4% de canela, menta e alecrim obteve-se PIC superior ao cedro, enquanto que nas concentracoes 0,2 e 0,8% nao houve diferenca significativa de PIC entre os OEs. O estudo demonstrou que todos os OEs testados possuem atividade antifungica contra B. cinerea, contudo, os OEs de menta e canela, nas condicoes propostas neste estudo, demonstraram ser a alternativa mais promissora, para estudos visando aplicacoes in vivo.
Theoretical evidence of water serving as a promoter for lithium superoxide disproportionation in Li-O2 batteries.

Experimental evidence has demonstrated that the presence of water in non-aqueous electrolytes significantly affects Li–O2 electrochemistry. Understanding the reaction mechanism for Li2O2 formation in the presence of water impurities is important to understand Li–O2 battery performance. A recent experiment has found that very small amounts of water (as low as 40 ppm) can significantly affect the product formation in Li–O2 batteries as opposed to essentially no water (1 ppm). Although experimental as well as theoretical work has proposed mechanisms of Li2O2 formation in the presence of much larger amounts of water, none of the mechanisms provide an explanation for the observations for very small amounts of water. In this work, density functional theory (DFT) was utilized to obtain a mechanistic understanding of the Li–O2 discharge chemistry in a dimethoxyethane (DME) electrolyte containing an isolated water and no water. The reaction pathways for Li2O2 formation from LiO2 on a model system were carefully evaluated with different level of theories, i.e. PBE (PW), B3LYP/6-31G(2df,p), B3LYP/6-311++G(2df,p) and G4MP2. The results indicate that the LiO2 disproportionation reaction to Li2O2 can be promoted by the water in DME electrolyte, which explains why there is a significant difference compared to when no water is present in the experimentally observed discharge product distributions. Ab initio molecular dynamics calculations were also used to investigate the disproportionation of LiO2 dimer in explicit DME. This work adds to the fundamental understanding of the discharge chemistry of a Li–O2 battery.
Locally constructing product taxonomies from scratch using representation learning

Given a domain-specific set of concepts, local taxonomy construction (LTC) is the problem of ‘locally’ inducing the neighborhood of a concept (from the set of target concepts) without being given any example links. The problem, despite having practical importance, has received little research attention due to its difficulty (in contrast with link prediction, a problem that resembles it and has undergone broad study). In this paper, we present a formalism and deep empirical study on the LTC problem. In particular, we show that an innovative application of representation learning approaches from the natural language community could be adapted to tackle the problem, often quite effectively. We also present a detailed information retrieval (IR)-based methodology for evaluating these solutions on three real- world product datasets of varying sizes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper to introduce the LTC problem, especially for e-commerce applications, and offer effective, nearly unsupervised, solutions, for addressing it on real-world data.
Gaseous Signaling Compounds (Hydrogen Sulfide and Nitric Oxide) and Their Relative Roles in Affecting Anaerobic HeLa 229 Cell Viability

Metabolic pathways supporting long-term anaerobic cell viability have not been identified. The effect NO and H2S pathway effectors have on HeLa 229 cell viability was measured after 10 days anaerobic incubation. The addition of arginine or xanthine (NO pathway precursors) consistently increased HeLa cell viability by 13.1- and 4.4-fold, respectively. Allopurinol, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, also increased viability, as compared to control levels. In contrast, inhibition of iNOS by 1400W increased cell viability by 79-fold. Regarding the H2S pathway, precursor cysteine enhanced viability by 9.8-fold with the greatest number of viable cells measured in response to the presence of a H2S donor (GYY4137), or an inhibitor of glutathione synthesis, propargylglycine (40- and 85-fold, respectively). These results demonstrate that the constitutive level of cell viability after extended (10 days) growth without oxygen can be modulated by affecting NO or H2S generating pathways.
Behind the mask: extended use of surgical masks is not associated with increased risk of surgical site infection.

COVID-19 has prompted significant policy change, with critical attention to the conservation of personal protective equipment (PPE). An extended surgical mask use policy was implemented at our institution, allowing use of one disposable mask per each individual, per day, for all the cases. We investigate the clinical impact of this policy change and its effect on the rate of 30-day surgical site infection (SSI). A single-institution retrospective review was performed for all the elective pediatric general surgery cases performed pre-COVID from August 2019 to October 2019 and under the extended mask use policy from August 2020 to October 2020. Procedure type, SSI within 30 days, and postoperative interventions were recorded. Four hundred and eighty-eight cases were reviewed: 240 in the pre-COVID-19 cohort and 248 in the extended surgical mask use cohort. Three SSIs were identified in the 2019 cohort, and two in the 2020 cohort. All postoperative infections were superficial and resolved within 1 month of diagnosis with oral antibiotics. There were no deep space infections, readmissions, or infections requiring re-operation. Extended surgical mask use was not associated with increased SSI in this series of pediatric general surgery cases and may be considered an effective and safe strategy for resource conservation with minimal clinical impact.
Theoretical studies of halocarbene cycloaddition selectivities: A new interpretation of negative activation energies and entropy control of selectivity

Abstract Ab initio RHF calculations with the 3–21G basis set have been carried out on cycloadditions of CF2 and CCl2 with ethylene. Although π-complex intermediates are predicted for both reactions at this level, MP2/3-21G calculations imply that there are no complexes in reactions of CCl2 or more reactive carbenes with ethylene or substituted alkenes. Nevertheless, negative activation energies can be observed, since ΔG reaches a maximum due to the increase in —TΔS for these bimolecular reactions. The apparent “entropy control” for reactive carbenes results from the rapid decrease in ΔH. As the reactivity of the alkene increases, the transition state shifts to an earlier point on the free energy surface, where —TΔS‡ is lower, but ΔH‡ is higher than for less reactive alkenes. Model potentials are developed for ΔH and —TΔS which reproduce experimental behavior, without the assumption of intermediates.
Steroid Mechanisms Affecting Yeast Permeability and Viability

A synthetic aza-cholestane amine was found to be rapidly lethal to Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Lethal action was prevented by pretreating cells with 10-3m uranyl nitrate. Sublethal concentrations of the steroid prevented the uptake of glucose and alanine. This demonstrated one means by which the steroid affected cell permeability, limiting the growth of the organism. Decreases in viability were related to increases in 260 and 280 mμ absorbing materials. Uranyl protection of viability was found to be related to cellular retention of the ultraviolet-absorbing materials. The steroid, dequadin acetate, and cetyl pyridinium chloride were comparable in lethal action and in causing the leakage of cytoplasmic constituents. Loss of viability and cytoplasmic excretion were detected within minutes after cells were exposed to the steroid. The rate or degree of metabolism of glucose by resting cells did not appear to influence steroid action or the sensitivity of the cells to the steroid.
Nietzsche's Anti-Darwinism

Introduction Part I. Early Darwinism to the 'Anti-Darwin': 1. Towards the 'Anti-Darwin': Darwinian meditations in the middle period 2. Overcoming the 'Man' in Man: Zarathustra's transvaluation of Darwinian categories 3. Nietzsche Agonistes: a personal challenge to Darwin Part II. Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morals: 4. Nietzsche's 'Nature' or, whose playing field is it anyway? 5. The birth of morality out of the spirit of the 'Bad Conscience' 6. Darwin's 'Science': or, how to beat the shell game Conclusion Bibliography.
Facts and Fictions About Islam in Prison: Assessing Prisoner Radicalization in Post-9/11 America

This report assesses the radicalization of Muslim prisoners in post-9/11 America. In the last decade, Muslim prisoners have been scrutinized for ties to terrorist and other extremist organizations, not to mention characterized as both a “threat” and a “danger” to national security, due to the influence of foreign jihadist movements. However, closer scrutiny shows that these fears have failed to materialize — indeed, despite the existence of an estimated 350,000 Muslim prisoners, there is little evidence of widespread radicalization or successful foreign recruitment, and only one documented case of prison-based terrorist activity. Nonetheless, some prison systems have implemented an aggressive posture toward these inmates and have made suppressive tactics their bedrock policy. This approach unfortunately overlooks Islam’s long history of positive influence on prisoners, including supporting inmate rehabilitation for decades. Moreover, Muslim inmates have a long history of using the court system to establish and expand their rights to worship and improve their conditions of confinement. Hence, a closer look at “life on the ground” turns the prevailing discourse on its head by demonstrating that Islam generally brings peace to inmates and that the greatest “threat” posed by Muslim inmates is not violence, but lawsuits.