cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluations and Future Plans After Casual Sexual Experiences: Differences Across Partner Type.

Casual sexual relationships and experiences (CSREs) are common among emerging adults, and their diversity may contribute to variability in their associations with mental health and future romantic relationship development. The present research used multiple regression analyses to examine how CSRE type (casual dating, friends with benefits [FWB], or booty call/one-night stand) is associated with short-term outcomes of these experiences, including positive and negative evaluations, plans to start a romantic relationship with a CSRE partner, and general plans for future CSREs. College students and non-college-attending emerging adults (N = 192, 80% female, mean age = 22.09 years) reported on recent sexual encounters through daily diaries collected around an alcohol consumption holiday. Individuals with casual dating partners evaluated their experiences more positively and/or less negatively than individuals with booty calls/one-night stands; these associations were moderated by gender and sexual behavior typ...
Geology and geomorphology control suspended sediment yield and modulate increases following timber harvest in temperate headwater streams

Abstract Suspended sediment transport is an important contributor to ecologic and geomorphic functions of streams. However, it is challenging to generalize predictions of sediment yield because it is influenced by many factors. In this study, we quantified the relevance of natural controls (e.g., geology, catchment physiography) on suspended sediment yield (SSY) in headwater streams managed for timber harvest. We collected and analyzed six years of data from 10 sites (five headwater sub-catchments and five watershed outlets) in the Trask River Watershed (western Oregon, United States). We used generalized least squares regression models to investigate how the parameters of the SSY rating curve varied as a function of catchment setting, and whether the setting modulated the SSY response to forest harvesting. Results indicated that the highest intercepts (α) of the power relation between unit discharge and SSY were associated with sites underlain primarily by friable rocks (e.g., sedimentary formations). The greatest increases in SSY after forest harvesting (up to an order of magnitude) also occurred at sites underlain by the more friable lithologies. In contrast, basins underlain by resistant lithologies (intrusive rocks) had lower SSY and were more resilient to management-related increases in SSY. As such, the impact of forest management activities (e.g., use of forested buffers; building of new roads) on the variability in SSY was primarily contingent on catchment lithology. Sites with higher SSY, or harvest-related increases in SSY, also generally had a) lower mean elevation and slope, b) greater landscape roughness, and c) lower sediment connectivity. We used principal component analysis (PCA) to further explore the relationship between SSY and several basin physiographic variables. The PCA clearly separated sites underlain by friable geologic units from those underlain by resistant lithologies. Results are consistent with greater rates of weathering and supply of sediment to headwater streams in catchments with more friable lithologies, and limited sediment supply in catchments underlain by resistant lithologies. We hypothesize that a similar framework may aid in predicting the overall SSY of a catchment as well as its susceptibility to increases in SSY following forest harvesting.
Reporting Compliance of Stroke Trials: Cross-Sectional Analysis

Background The FDA mandates timely reporting of all clinical trials conducted in the United States. However, often the results are not reported in a timely manner, resulting in wastage of finite resources. We assessed the reporting of results of completed stroke trials and compared the reporting trends between U.S. and non-U.S. stroke trials. Methods We assessed consecutive clinical stroke trials registered as completed in ClinicalTrials.gov between January 1, 2008 and January 1, 2015. Descriptive data collected included study phase, study type, participant age, number of enrolled patients, study locations, start and primary completion dates, result availability, time to reporting (months), sponsorship, funding sources, and publication status. We also performed manual search for stroke trials in Pubmed, Web of Science, and Google scholar. Results Out of a total 140 completed trials, 39 trials (35,359 patients) involved at least 1 U.S. center and 101 trials (58,542 patients) were conducted in non-U.S. centers. Of the trials involving at least a single U.S. center, 31 of 39 (79%) reported their results, whereas only 6 of 31 (19%) reported their results within 1 year. Of the trials conducted at non-U.S. centers, 72 of 101 (71%) reported their results, whereas results for 24 of 72 (33%) trials were available within a year of completion. The time to reporting of results was significantly lower for all the included clinical trials in the 2012-2014 period ( P d = .726) as compared to the 2008-2011 period. Conclusion Only one-fifth of completed stroke trials involving at least a single U.S. center report their results within 1 year. Additionally, every fifth completed trial involving stroke patients at U.S. centers remain unreported.
Power Games: Soft Power and Constraint Mitigation in Brokered Financial Transactions

In financial markets, constraints imposed on brokering agents through mutual dependencies with long-term transaction partners are frequently transferred to weaker parties. Weaker firms have little ...
Impact of Retailer Generated Online Content on the Perceived Helpfulness of Product Reviews

This article quantifies the impact of retailer generated content, such as information, comparisons, and reviews, which may not be helpful to the consumer. The article uses 42,636 reviews spanning 44 products that offer different combinations of the three-aforementioned retailer generated content to isolate the impact of each. Our results indicate that such content cannot replace the utility of the review but can make a significant contribution towards satisfying the consumers need for information and help. The results also indicate that the information contained in such retailer generated content is more important for search and less so for experience goods. These results have important implications for an online retailer or review platform investing in content creation and management.
Resisting Unwanted Sexual and Social Advances: Perspectives of College Women and Men:

This study examines college men's (N = 635) and women's (N = 650) reports of women's resistance against unwanted sexual and social advances. Men completed surveys to assess (a) initiation of unwanted sexual contact with a female partner, (b) initiation of unwanted sexual intercourse with a female partner, (c) sexual situations where a female partner decided she did not want to proceed, (d) encouraging a woman to drink when they were aware that the woman did not want to, and (e) attempting to take a woman to an isolated location against her will. Women completed corresponding questionnaires regarding the receipt of such unwanted advances, the outcome of the situation, and the resistance tactics utilized. Many men (5%-46%) and women (15%-38%) initiated or experienced, respectively, at least one of the five unwanted sexual or social advances. Unwanted sexual and social advances most often stopped as a result of women's verbal and physical resistance. Few advances (0%-8%) stopped as a result of bystander intervention. In addition to decreasing men's likelihood of engaging in unwanted sexual and social advances, these data highlight the importance of educating women on the effectiveness of verbal and physical resistance tactics, and increasing the frequency of prosocial bystander action on college campuses.
Health status, difficulties, and desired health information and services for veterans with traumatic brain injuries and their caregivers: A qualitative investigation

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is considered the signature injury among military service member and Veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom with over 360,000 individuals sustaining a first-time TBI in the military. These service members and Veterans, and their caregiver(s), must navigate multiple health systems and find experts across many fields of expertise to recover and optimize functionality. Twenty-two individuals, 10 caregivers of Veterans with TBI, 12 Veterans with TBI, participated in semi-structured interviews. Responses were coded using NVivo. Participants from both groups reported difficulties finding community supportive services (support groups) in local communities. Most participants identified the need for an advocate or point-person to help guide them to needed services and provide ongoing support in the post-acute health care recovery phase. Caregivers and Veterans desired a more personalized recovery plan from their medical professionals. When describing their ideal health information and services model most identified interactivity and twenty-four-hour availability as essential components. To provide Veterans and caregivers with optimal support and resources to navigate a complicated health services system, advocates and personalized care plans are needed. Future research should examine the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of these services.
Functionalized-ZnO-Nanoparticle Seed Treatments to Enhance Growth and Zn Content of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Seedlings

This study investigated the potential of ZnO-nanoparticle (NP) seed treatments for enhancing Zn nutrition in wheat (Triticum aestivum). We tested bare, ZnO core Zn3(PO4)2 shell, dextran (DEX)-coated, and dextran sulfate (DEX(SO4))-coated ZnO NPs and ZnSO4 solution as an ionic control. We measured root and shoot Zn concentrations, lengths, biomasses, and seed germination upon termination of the assay. All ZnO NPs were more effective than ZnSO4 in increasing tissue Zn concentrations and seedling growth. Exposure to higher concentrations of ZnSO4 significantly decreased growth and germination rates relative to those of the controls and the ZnO-NP groups, whereas none of the ZnO NPs significantly affected seed germination. Bare and DEX–ZnO NPs increased Zn concentrations in wheat without decreasing growth. The results of this study demonstrated that ZnO NPs can be used as an effective seed treatment to enhance both Zn nutrition and plant growth.
Morbidity and Mortality Rates Following Cytoreductive Surgery Combined With Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Compared With Other High-Risk Surgical Oncology Procedures

Importance Currently, rates of referral of patients with peritoneal metastasis in the United States who qualify for cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) are low, in part because of the misperception of high morbidity and mortality rates. However, patients requiring major gastrointestinal surgical procedures with similar complication rates are routinely referred. Objective To evaluate the relative safety of CRS/HIPEC. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cohort study of 34 114 patients who underwent CRS/HIPEC, right lobe hepatectomy, trisegmental hepatectomy, pancreaticoduodenectomy, and esophagectomy between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2015, included in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (NSQIP) database. Data analysis was performed in 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures Data from the NSQIP database were used to compare perioperative and 30-day postoperative morbidity and mortality rates of CRS/HIPEC (1822 patients) with other, well-accepted, high-risk surgical oncology procedures: right lobe hepatectomy (5109 patients), trisegmental hepatectomy (2449 patients), pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple) (16 793 patients), and esophagectomy (7941 patients). Results For 34 114 patients, median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 63 (55-71) years and 42% were female. Patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC tended to be younger, with a median age of 57 years, and esophagectomy had the highest median (IQR) American Society of Anesthesiologists classification (3 [3-3]). When compared with CRS/HIPEC, higher complication rates were reported in the following categories: (1) superficial incisional infection in Whipple and esophagectomy (5.4% [95% CI, 4.4%-6.4%] vs 9.7% [95% CI, 9.3%-10.1%] and 7.2% [95% CI, 6.6%-7.8%], respectively;P Conclusions and Relevance Comparative analysis revealed CRS/HIPEC to be safe, often safer across the spectrum of NSQIP safety metrics when compared with similar-risk oncologic procedures. Patient selection was important in achieving observed outcomes. High complication rates are a misperception from early CRS/HIPEC experience and should no longer deter referral of patients to experienced centers or impede clinical trial development in the United States.
The water entry of a sphere in a jet

The forces on an object impacting the water are extreme in the early moments of water entry and can cause structural damage to biological and man-made bodies alike. These early-time forces arise largely from added mass, peaking when the submergence is much less than one body length. We experimentally investigate a means of reducing impact forces on a rigid sphere by placing the sphere inside a jet of water so that the jet strikes the quiescent water surface prior to entry of the sphere into the pool. The water jet accelerates the pool liquid and forms a cavity into which a sphere falls. Through on-board accelerometer measurements and high-speed imaging, we quantify the force reduction compared to the case of a sphere entering a quiescent pool. Finally, we find the emergence of a critical jet volume required to maximize force reduction; the critical volume is rationalized using scaling arguments informed by near-surface particle image velocimetry (PIV) data.
A formula for determining the distance from the skin to the lumbar epidural space in infants and children

Summary In paediatric epidural anaesthesia, the distance from the skin to the epidural space is of special importance because of the great differences in size of the patients. We measured the distance from the skin to the lumbar epidural space (L3/4) in 355 paediatric patients. The epidural space was punctured using a midline approach under general anaesthesia, and was identified by the micro-drip infusion technique. There was a good correlation between the distance to the epidural space and body weight. A clinically useful formula for estimating the distance from the skin to the lumbar epidural space was derived as follows: D = (W+10) × 0.8 where D = distance from the skin to the lumbar epidural space (L3/4) (mm) and W = body weight (kg).
Association between fungal spore exposure in inner-city schools and asthma morbidity.

Abstract Background Home fungus exposures may be associated with development or worsening of asthma. Little is known about the effects of school/classroom fungus exposures on asthma morbidity in students. Objective To evaluate the association of school-based fungus exposures on asthma symptoms in both fungus-sensitized and nonsensitized students with asthma. Methods In this prospective study, 280 children with asthma from 37 inner-city schools were phenotypically characterized at baseline and followed-up for 1 year. Fungal spores were collected by using a Burkard air sampler twice during the school year. Clinical outcomes were evaluated throughout the school year and linked to classroom-specific airborne spore sampling. The primary outcome was days with asthma symptoms per 2-week period. Results Fungal spores were present in all classroom samples. The geometric mean of the total fungi was 316.9 spores/m3 and ranged from 15.0 to 59,345.7 spores/m3. There was variability in total fungus quantity between schools and classrooms within the same school. Mitospores were the most commonly detected fungal grouping. Investigation of the individual mitospores revealed that exposure to Alternaria was significantly associated with asthma symptom days in students sensitized to Alternaria (OR = 3.61, CI = 1.34-9.76, P = .01), but not in children not sensitized to Alternaria (OR = 1.04, CI = 0.72-1.49, P = .85). Students sensitized to Alternaria and exposed to high levels (≥75th percentile exposure) had 3.2 more symptom days per 2-week period as compared with students sensitized but exposed to lower levels. Conclusion Children with asthma who are sensitized to Alternaria and exposed to this fungus in their classroom may have significantly more days with asthma symptoms than those who were sensitized and not exposed. Clinical Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01756391 .
A Simple Analytic Confidence Interval for CFI Given Nonnormal Data

The comparative fit index (CFI) is one of the most widely-used fit indices in structural equation modeling (SEM). When applying the CFI to model evaluation, although it is universally recognized th...
Bedside to bench: defining the immunopathogenesis of psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an immune-mediated, systemic inflammatory disorder. PsA can present with heterogeneous clinical features. Advances in understanding the immunopathogenesis of PsA have helped to facilitate the development of agents targeting specific components of the dysregulated inflammatory and immune responses relevant to PsA. Interestingly, agents with distinct mechanisms of action have shown differential responses across the various disease domains of PsA, counter to what might have been expected from basic science investigations. Here, we review data utilizing various novel targeted therapies for PsA, focusing on biologic and targeted synthetic therapies. These data might support the idea of a ‘bedside to bench’ concept, whereby results from clinical trials of specific targeted therapies inform our understanding of the immunopathogenesis of PsA. For example, TNF inhibition confers substantial and comparable benefit for all domains of PsA, supporting the view that TNF is a central pro-inflammatory cytokine across diverse areas of disease involvement. On the other hand, inhibition of IL-12–IL-23, as compared with inhibition of TNF, has greater efficacy for psoriasis, comparable efficacy for peripheral arthritis, but was ineffective in studies of axial spondyloarthritis. Data from studies of agents with distinct mechanisms of action will help to further refine our understanding of the immunopathogenesis of PsA. Data from clinical trials of novel targeted therapies for psoriatic arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, which have produced sometimes surprising results, can inform our understanding of the immunopathogenesis of these diseases and help to identify the most relevant therapeutic targets.
Amino acids in the regulation of aging and aging-related diseases

Abstract Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, but also play important cellular signaling roles. The mechanisms through which altered levels of many amino acids are sensed and the signals transmitted are still largely unknown. Increasing evidence is showing that these signals may influence the aging process. In this regard, methionine restriction appears to be an evolutionary conserved mechanism to delay aging and supplementation with glycine can mimic methionine restriction to extend lifespan in rodents. Tryptophan restriction may also activate specific anti-aging pathways, but it could interfere with cognitive function. With exercise the consumption of dietary branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) may be beneficial in building muscle mass, but high levels of BCAAs as well as tyrosine and phenylalanine in the bloodstream are associated with metabolic disease such as insulin resistance. Individual supplementation or restriction of several different amino acids has shown promise in the treatment of insulin resistance in rodents. Much progress regarding the effects of amino acids on longevity has been made using yeast, nematodes, and fruit flies. Clearly, much more research is needed to understand the signaling pathways activated by amino acid imbalance before efficacious and well-tolerated dietary interventions can be developed for human aging and aging-related disorders. In this review the mechanisms through which altered dietary and cellular levels of the twenty proteogenic amino acids affects aging or aging-related disorders are discussed.
Continuous bilateral erector spinae plane analgesic block for an adolescent with Nuss repair of pectus excavatum

Abstract Thoracic epidural analgesia has been proven to be an effective method for pain management following Pectus excavatum repair. However, because of the accompanying thoracic spinal deformities, thoracic epidural analgesia may not always be a feasible option in all cases. If ineffective, there could be increased opioid administration in order to adequately manage any post operative pain. Studies have shown that early exposure of adolescents to opioids is associated with increased risk of persistent opioid use. This is because adolescents have larger reward centers and underdeveloped prefrontal cortex, hence an immature inhibitory system. An alternative regional technique for post operative pain management in these patients is thus valuable. Erector spinae plane (ESP) block has been explored and found to be a useful alternative for pain management in this group of patients. Although there are a few case reports showing the effectiveness of ESP blocks in Ravitch repair, we present, for the first time, the effectiveness of ESP in Nuss repair.
Arterial Elasticity in Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes

Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS) are a group of heritable disorders of connective tissue (HDCT) characterized by joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility. Orthostatic intolerance (OI) is highly prevalent in EDS however mechanisms linking OI to EDS remain poorly understood. We hypothesize that impaired blood pressure (BP) and heart rate control is associated with lower arterial stiffness in people with EDS. Orthostatic vital signs and arterial stiffness were assessed in a cohort of 60 people with EDS (49 female, 36 ± 16 years). Arterial elasticity was assessed by central and peripheral pulse wave velocity (PWV). Central PWV was lower in people with EDS compared to reference values in healthy subjects. In participants with EDS, central PWV was correlated to supine systolic BP (r = 0.387, p = 0.002), supine diastolic BP (r = 0.400, p = 0.002), and seated systolic BP (r = 0.399, p = 0.002). There were no significant correlations between PWV and changes in BP or heart rate with standing (p > 0.05). Between EDS types, there were no differences in supine hemodynamics or PWV measures (p > 0.05). These data demonstrate that increased arterial elasticity is associated with lower BP in people with EDS which may contribute to orthostatic symptoms and potentially provides a quantitative clinical measure for future genotype-phenotype investigations.
The forcing near geodetic number of a graph

A set S ⊆ V (G) is a near geodetic set if for every v in V (G) − S, there exist some x,y in S with |I[x,y] ∩ N(v)|≥ 2. The near geodetic number gnear(G) is the minimum cardinality of a near geodeti...
Race and the Race for the White House: On Social Research in the Age of Trump

As it became clear that Donald Trump had a real base of political support, even as analysts consistently underestimated his electoral prospects, they grew increasingly fascinated with the question of who was supporting him (and why). However, researchers also tend to hold strong negative opinions about Trump. Consequently, they have approached this research with uncharitable priors about the kind of person who would support him and what they would be motivated by. Research design and data analysis often seem to be oriented towards reinforcing those assumptions. This essay highlights the epistemological consequences of these tendencies through a series of case studies featuring prominent and influential works that purport to explain the role of race and racism in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. It demonstrates that quality control systems, which should catch major errors, seem to be failing in systematic ways as a result of shared priors and commitments between authors, reviewers and editors — which are also held in common with the journalists and scholars citing and amplifying this work — leading to misinformation cascades. Of course, motivated reasoning, confirmation bias, prejudicial study design, and failure to address confounds are not limited to questions about Trump — however they seem to be particularly pronounced in this case due to the relative homogeneity and intensity of scholars’ views about this topic as compared to other social phenomena. “Trump studies,” therefore, provides fertile ground for exploring how social research can go awry — and the consequences of these failures — particularly with respect to work on contentious and politically-charged topics.
PRE and POST control of Praxelis clematidea, an emerging weed in Florida nursery production

Praxelis is an annual to short-lived perennial herb in the Asteraceae family and an emerging problematic weed species in Florida nurseries. The objective of these experiments was to determine efficacy of selected PRE and POST herbicides for control of praxelis. An additional experiment was conducted to determine efficacy of the same PRE herbicides for control of bluemink, a weed similar in appearance to praxelis that is also common in Florida. The granular herbicides dimethenamid + pendimethalin, flumioxazin, oxyfluorfen + pendimethalin, oxyfluorfen + prodiamine, and trifluralin + isoxaben were evaluated, along with spray-applied formulations of dimethenamid, indaziflam, and prodiamine + isoxaben. Flumioxazin consistently provided over 90% control of praxelis at both sites. Indaziflam control was inconsistent between the two sites, providing 100% control in Apopka but only a 22% reduction in weed counts in Balm. Oxyfluorfen + pendimethalin, oxyfluorfen + prodiamine, and prodiamine + isoxaben also provided control (57% to 97% reduction in shoot weight), albeit generally to a lesser degree than was observed with flumioxazin. All PRE herbicides provided similar control of both praxelis and bluemink, with the exception of dimethenamid and dimethenamid + pendimethalin, which reduced bluemink shoot weight more than praxelis. Clopyralid, glyphosate, and triclopyr all provided effective POST control of mature and flowering praxelis through 12 wk after treatment (WAT) and resulted in greater praxelis control than glufosinate. Results suggest that many commonly used PRE and POST herbicides would provide control of praxelis, but use of PRE and POST herbicides as well as sequential applications may be needed for long-term management.
Modeling the effect of dose rate and time on crosslinking and scission in irradiated polyethylene

The insulation around the electrical cabling in nuclear power plants is frequently made of ethylene-propylene rubber and crosslinked polyethylene that is subjected to low levels of environmental stressors and radiation over the duration of their decades long service life. For the purpose of maintenance and reactor recertification, it is necessary to develop a non-destructive approach to determine the degree of damage the insulation has sustained. Accelerated aging experiments are used to develop these methods, although it is unclear how to relate these specimens to in situ aged ones. Here a kinetic rate model is used to investigate the impact of radiation dose rate and total dose on the crosslinking and chain scission of polyethylene. Analytical expressions for the concentration of crosslinking and scission sites as a function of time and dose rate, both during and post irradiation, are presented. During irradiation the concentration of crosslinking sites increases linearly with time, and when the dosing ends the crosslinking reaction terminates. The scission reaction begins slower, due to the necessity of forming intermediate species, but increases in rate, and eventually the concentration of scission sites overtakes crosslinking. However, at low dose rates, less than 10 Gy/hr, scission damage is always the primary form of damage. Unlike the crosslinking reaction, scission continues for months and years due to the slow decomposition of the intermediate species.
Visual and Hormone Outcomes in Pituitary Apoplexy: Results of a Single Surgeon, Single Institution 15-Year Retrospective Review and Pooled Data Analysis

Introduction Pituitary apoplexy commonly presents with visual and hormonal deficits. While traditionally regarded as an emergency, there have been increasing trends toward conservative management. Our institutional practice consists of early surgery; therefore, we reviewed our series evaluating vision outcomes, hormone function, and complications compared with the present literature. Methods We retrospectively reviewed our institution's medical records to identify pituitary apoplexy patients who were treated via the endoscopic endonasal approach by a single neurosurgeon (senior author). We recorded basic demographics, radiographic and operative features, and preoperative and postoperative vision and hormone status. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed. Pooled data analysis of visual outcomes in the current literature using Bayesian inference was performed. Results We identified 44 patients with histologically confirmed pituitary apoplexy treated by endoscopic transsphenoidal decompression; 77% were treated within 24 hours of presentation. Total 45% had cranial nerve (CN) palsy, 36% anopsia, and 20% had visual acuity deficits. Postoperatively, 100% of CN palsies improved, 81% of anopsias improved, and 66.7% of visual acuity deficits improved. Long-lasting panhypopituitarism (25%) and hypothyrodism (22%) were common. Cavernous sinus involvement predicted residual tumor (p = 0.006). Pooled Bayesian inference showed 30% improvement in vision outcomes with surgical management compared with medical management with a number needed to treat of 3.3. Conclusion Early surgery for pituitary apoplexy was associated with excellent visual outcomes and the need for long-term hormone replacement is common. Cavernous sinus involvement is an independent predictor of residual tumor. Pooled statistical analysis favors aggressive surgical management of apoplexy for improved visual outcomes.
Subverting Italianità: The Comic Voice of Laila Wadia

Since antiquity, tradition has held that women and humor don’t go together. Behind this notion lies the intersection of social power and humor, and women’s roles in both. The writings of Italian-In...
RNA-Sieve: A likelihood-based deconvolution of bulk gene expression data using single-cell references

Abstract Direct comparison of bulk gene expression profiles is complicated by distinct cell type mixtures in each sample which obscure whether observed differences are actually due to changes in expression levels themselves or simply cell type compositions. Single-cell technology has made it possible to measure gene expression in individual cells, achieving higher resolution at the expense of increased noise. If carefully incorporated, such single-cell data can be used to deconvolve bulk samples to yield accurate estimates of the true cell type proportions, thus enabling one to disentangle the effects of differential expression and cell type mixtures. Here, we propose a generative model and a likelihood-based inference method that uses asymptotic statistical theory and a novel optimization procedure to perform deconvolution of bulk RNA-seq data to produce accurate cell type proportion estimates. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method, called RNA-Sieve, across a diverse array of scenarios involving real data and discuss several extensions made uniquely possible by our probabilistic framework, including general hypotheses tests and confidence intervals.
A Citizen-Centered Theory

Because our collective needs for state coercion will steadily increase with greater human interdependence, we must take far more seriously the need to justify that coercion to the coerced. Cristina Lafont moves to the forefront of democratic theory the goal that citizens should ‘own and identify with the institutions, laws and policies’ that coerce them – an important move, particularly today, when many feel, often correctly, that they have not been ‘heard’ in producing the laws that coerce them. Lafont’s approach might be furthered, I argue, by a theory of legitimacy that a) explicitly endorses plural sources of democratic legitimacy, b) acknowledges the aspirational quality of the many democratic ideals that make up this legitimacy, and c) recognizes consequently that democratic legitimacy is always partial.
Clustering Aircraft Trajectories According to Air Traffic Controllers' Decisions

The inclusion of large-scale data-monitoring and data-storage systems has presented researchers with new opportunities for understanding the decisions of air traffic controllers in managing traffic. This paper takes a step in the direction of data-driven analysis by clustering trajectories according to air traffic control decisions (e.g. trajectory changes), as opposed to clustering on spatial positioning reports. The particular focus for this paper is in the immediate vicinity of airports. Unlike in enroute or terminal area airspace where aircraft typically traverse well established routes and procedures, near airports there tends to be greater variability in air traffic decisions (e.g. vectoring and tromboning) to appropriately space aircraft at the runway, ultimately leading to spatial dispersion of aircraft trajectories. Using a hidden Markov model, heading changes within aircraft trajectories are identified, extracted, and translated into variable-length trajectory strings. Comparison of the trajectory strings using edit distance metrics then allows for clustering of the trajectories according to the air traffic control decisions. The classification and clustering process is applied on a set of historical trajectories at Washington National Airport. The resulting clusters foster an understanding of the arrival traffic structure and the decision strategies of controllers.
Predictive Maintenance: The Case of Della Steam Plant

Della Steam Plant is one of the power plants owned by a major company in the southern part of the USA. Located between a free-flowing river and nearby coal mines, Della steam plant started generating electric power in 1917. The plant has five units in operation. It is an efficiently operated steam power plant with a capacity of about 1,000 Megawatts.
Heritage hands and tastes of the pandemic

The revitalization of fermentation projects during COVID-19 raises questions about the preservation of the pandemic’s material and ephemeral effects – a topic that heritage policy is well equipped to engage. These activities also emphasize the necessity of engaging with heritage practices as a kind of care, encompassing both methods of safekeeping and practices of empathy. In addition, heritage ferments prove “good to think” around themes of loss and preservation, the interpretation of novel viruses through traditional food practices, and the coupling of heritage to microbes. Connecting microbes with heritage allows us to consider points of overlap: as bearers of patrimony with cultural and material lineages, as central to heritage tastes, and as open to geographical indications or other protections to further a kind of microbial resource management. Despite the pandemic’s devastating impact, consideration of heritage ferments points to both emancipatory and constraining outcomes for our post-pandemic future.
Biomarkers for febrile urinary tract infection in children

The sensitivity and specificity of the leukocyte esterase test for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) are suboptimal. Recent studies have identified markers that appear to more accurately differentiate children with and without UTI. The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of these markers, which included CCL3, IL-8, CXCL1, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IFN-gamma, IL-17, IL-9, IL-2, and NGAL, in the diagnosis of UTI. This was a prospective cross-sectional study to compare inflammatory proteins between urine samples from febrile children with a UTI, matched febrile controls without a UTI, and asymptomatic healthy controls. We included 192 children (75 with febrile UTI, 69 febrile controls, and 48 asymptomatic healthy controls). Urinary proteins that best discriminated between febrile children with and without UTI were NGAL, a protein that exerts a local bacteriostatic role in the urinary tract through iron chelation; CCL3, a chemokine involved in leukocyte recruitment; and IL-8, a cytokine involved in neutrophil recruitment. Levels of these proteins were generally undetectable in asymptomatic healthy children. NGAL, CCL3, and IL-8 may be useful in the early diagnosis of UTI. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01391793)
Designing a Research Methods Course for a Skeptical Classroom

This chapter walks through the long, sometimes arduous, yet always eventful journey the author took from her education at a small, private R1 school to teaching research methods effectively at a large public university. The challenges discussed include varying levels of preparation among students along with full time-work, families and other outside commitments competing for students’ attention. In addition, the chapter discusses teaching research methods during a time of rising skepticism of science and its methods. It shares some practical suggestions regarding course organization and tips for engaging a wide audience. It concludes by highlighting the importance of focusing introductory research methods courses on science literacy and an overview of science history to combat growing skepticism.
The Struggle Over Life and Death: South African Administration and African Resistance to the Death Penalty Under the League of Nations Mandate in South West Africa, 1922-1939

This paper examines how the League of Nations, international humanitarian organizations, and individual Africans influenced the use of the death penalty in South West Africa (SWA) during the first two decades of South African rule. After assuming a League of Nations Mandate in 192'8 South Africa began consolidating control over SWA by importing its English and Roman Dutch legal system into the territory. This included execution for the crimes of rape, murder, and treason. This paper examines several criminal trials in the SWA High Court that attracted particular criticism by the League of Nations and humanitarian organizations. It analyzes the extent to which League oversight and the actions of humanitarian organizations at the international level affected criminal law on the ground in SWA. At the same time, it looks at how the resistance of Ovambo chiefs, as well as the High Court's encounters with African defendants in criminal trials, affected the administration of the death penalty at the local level. Therefore, this paper examines how African customs inflected the legal system of SWA and helped to construct the normative values governing life and death throughout Southern Africa. Finally, it shows how the era of the League of Nations began building trans-regional networks between Africans, international organizations, and humanitarian groups - networks that would become key to Namibia's liberation struggle throughout the 20th century.
Piceatannol Induces Fetal Hemoglobin in Erythroid Progenitor Cells from Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

Abstract Background: We have identified the FOXO3-AMPK-AKT pathway as important to HbF regulation through unbiased analysis of whole exome sequencing from patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Both AMPK and AKT are activated by phosphorylation; AMPK is a FOXO3 activator; AKT inhibits AMPK and FOXO3. We have also treated hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) from patients with SCD with metformin, a known AMPK/FOXO3 activator, and produced a significant rise in HbF from 17.6% at baseline, to 44.9%. This data is the foundation for an IRB approved clinical trial of metformin in patients with hemoglobinopathies, enrolling patients now. Objectives: We seek to investigate other drugs which act on the FOXO3-AMPK-AKT pathway as possible HbF inducing agents. Resveratrol and piceatannol are both known activators of the pathway; however, resveratrol is not bioavailable. We will investigate piceatannol as a HbF inducing agent, assess toxicity, and verify its action is via the FOXO3-AMPK-AKT pathway. Methods: HSPCs from 5 patients with SCD were treated with serial doses of piceatannol at 5, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 µM on day 7 of two phase erythroid culture. Cell lysate was collected on day 14, and hemoglobin profile analyzed by HPLC. 2 µM Compound C was added with piceatannol to block AMPK activity, and the effect on HbF measured by HPLC. The effect of piceatannol on the amount of phosphorylated AMPK and AKT in HSPCs was measured by quantitative western blot in triplicate, and the effect of piceatannol on FOXO3 cellular localization was determined by fluorescent microscopy and fractionation of the cells into nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments, followed by quantitative western blot analysis. Results: Erythroid progenitor cells from 5 unique patients with SCD treated with 25 µM piceatannol all exhibited a 3-4 fold rise in HbF as measured by HPLC. Toxicity studies showed that 12.5-50 µM of piceatannol induced HbF without significantly altering CFU generation of human CD34+ HSPCs; treatment with 100 µM piceatannol showed a reduction in CFU. In the presence of Compound C, piceatannol induction of HbF was attenuated. 5-25 µM piceatannol markedly increased the amount of phosphorylated AMPK present in the cell, caused an increase in FOXO3 localization in the nucleus, and effectively inhibited AKT phosphorylation. Conclusions: Piceatannol induces HbF in SCD patient derived HSPCs. While piceatannol has been reported to have HDAC inhibitor activity, the fact that pharmacologic blockage of AMPK activity with Compound C results in reduction of HbF induction by piceatannol supports the hypothesis that piceatannol acts through the FOXO3-AMPK-AKT pathway. Additionally, piceatannol reduced phosphorylation of a known FOXO3 inhibitor, AKT, and increased phosphorylation of AMPK, a FOXO3 activator, thereby increasing FOXO3 activity and localization to the nucleus. With further safety studies, piceatannol could be a novel HbF inducing agent for patients with hemoglobinopathies. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Integration of the secretory control mechanisms for insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone.

Publisher Summary Insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone play key roles in the regulation of intermediary metabolism. With the availability of sensitive accurate assays for these hormones, an abundance of information exists suggesting that an integrated secretory response of these hormones is responsible for maintaining the constancy of the internal environment. The control mechanisms for insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone are similar and each hormone influences secretion of the other two either directly or indirectly. Also, the three hormones affect the same metabolic parameters but in different ways. These observations suggest a delicately balanced system to modulate the availability of energy fuels under diverse conditions that occur in man. This chapter discusses the relative importance of these hormones in intermediary metabolism. The minimal metabolic abnormalities in growth hormone-deficient adults suggest a relatively minor function of human growth hormone (HGH) in metabolism. The variation in HGH response to an amino acid challenge in males and females is not even compatible with a major role of HGH in the handling of amino acids, an effect in which somatomedin and HGH probably would not be antagonistic.
Sequential Valuation Networks: A New Graphical Technique for Asymmetric Decision Problems

This paper deals with representation and solution of asymmetric decision problems. We describe a new graphical representation called sequential valuation networks, which is a hybrid of Covaliu and Oliver's sequential decision diagrams and Shenoy's asymmetric valuation networks. Sequential valuation networks inherit many of the strengths of sequential decision diagrams and asymmetric valuation networks while overcoming many of their shortcomings. We illustrate our technique by representing and solving a modified version of Covaliu and Oliver's Reactor problem.
Intracellular pH electrode: Experiments on the giant squid axon

Abstract A new, easy method to produce and calibrate a 1-μm tip intracellular pH electrode is described. This antimony electrode and a micro-calomel electrode were inserted into the giant axon of Loligo pealii. The potential obtained when the axon was bathed in seawater corresponded to a pH of 7.0 ± 0.2. It was found that acidification of the external perfusate induced a drop in axoplasmatic pH leading to changes in the membrane electrical properties. Changes of resting or action potentials did not influence intracellular pH.
An adaptive model of decision-making in planning

Learning how to make decisions in a domain is a critical aspect of intelligent planning behavior. The ability of a planner to adapt its decision-making to a domain depends in part upon its ability to optimize the tradeoff between the sophistication of its decision procedures and their cost. Since it is difficult to optimize this tradeoff on a priori grounds alone, we propose that a planner start with a relatively simple set of decision procedures, and add complexity in response to experience gained in the application of its decision-making to real-world problems. Our model of this adaptation process is based on the explanation of failures, in that it is the analysis of bad decisions that drives the improvement of the decision procedures. We have developed a test-bed system for the implementation of planning models employing such an approach, and have demonstrated the ability of such a model to improve its procedure for projecting the effects of its moves in chess.
Geophysical Exploration in Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica

Abstract : Seismic, gravimetric, altimetric, and magnetic observations made along oversnow traverses in Marie Byrd Land and vicinity in 1959 and 1960 have provided a reconnaissance picture of this part of West Antarctica. The ice sheet surface slopes gently from a high in the region of the Executive Committee Range southwestward to the Ross ice shelf, but elsewhere exhibits a more complicated topography affected by the rugged subglacial relief. Before the formation of the ice sheet, a large island probably extended unbroken from the volcanic Executive Committee Range or Crary Mountains in the east to Edward VII Peninsula in the west, bounded on the north by open ocean and on the south by the Byrd subglacial basin. (Author)