cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Buffalo Gourd and Jojoba: Potential New Crops for Arid Lands

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the progress made in developing two potential crops for arid lands: buffalo gourd and jojoba. These plants have different attributes and require different cultural techniques, but they both appear to offer considerable potential for becoming important new crops for warm, arid regions of the world. These crops are profitable to produce on a very large scale and are well adapted to mechanization. The grain crops are not particularly perishable and can be stored and transported with relative ease. Each species is particularly adapted to large growing areas where they produce excellent yields. The wheat plant that dominates the semiarid croplands of the world fills the need in these areas for a cultivated crop with a lower demand for water and a greater tolerance for drought. Rice, a grain crop adapted to growing in fields flooded by water and requiring a long growing season to mature, is the staple grain of much of the world's tropical agriculture. These and other major staple world crops are grown in the most desirable agricultural areas as determined by soil and climate. The potential for any new crop to achieve an established position in the highly competitive agricultural and industrial economy of the United States requires outstanding attributes as well as a long, adequately funded period of research and development.
Who's in and Who's Out? Confronting the 'Who Question' in Affirmative Action: Can We Learn from India's Answer?

Who should be the beneficiaries of affirmative action? Despite intense controversy surrounding such programs, we rarely ask the "Who Question" in the United States, and courts have struggled to find adequate answers. By contrast, India has developed a sophisticated methodology to determine beneficiaries through empirical analysis of societal disadvantage. This Article highlights the inadequacy of this country's equal protection jurisprudence to resolve the definitional conundrums underlying the "Who Question." It also investigates the feasibility and desirability of applying Indian methodology as an alternative. And it uses India's contrasting example as a lens to examine ambiguities and unarticulated values embedded in American affirmative action jurisprudence. The Article argues that India's model does not provide a workable answer to the "Who Question," and it suggests more modest definitional uses of Indian methods. Finally, the Article explores whether the "Who Question" should be decided by courts or political bodies, and proposes a hybrid solution.
Pretransplant donor-specific antibodies detected by single-antigen bead flow cytometry are associated with inferior kidney transplant outcomes.

BACKGROUND The clinical significance of pretransplant donor-specific antibodies (pre-Tx DSAs) detected by single-antigen bead flow cytometry (SAB-FC) remains unclear. METHODS To investigate the impact that pre-Tx DSAs detected by SAB-FC have on early clinical outcomes, we tested pre-Tx sera from all consecutive deceased-donor kidney transplants performed between January 2005 and July 2006 (n=237). RESULTS In the study population of which 66% had a high-immunologic risk, mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) more than or equal to 100 for class I and more than or equal to 200 for class II were the lowest DSA thresholds associated with inferior antibody-mediated rejection-free graft survival (75% vs. 90%, P=0.004 and 76% vs. 87%, P=0.017, respectively). The hazard ratio for antibody-mediated rejection increased linearly with higher class II DSA from MFI 100 to 800 (1.7[0.8-3.2], P=0.1 for MFI ≥100 vs. 4.7[2.4-8.8], P<0.001 for MFI ≥ 800). Differences in graft function were only evident in patients with class II MFI more than or equal to 500 (estimated glomerular filtration rate: 47.6 vs. 54.3, P=0.02 and proteinuria: 0.6 ± 0.6 vs. 0.4 ± 0.3, P=0.03). A difference in death-censored graft survival was detected in patients with class II MFI more than or equal to 1000 (75% vs. 91.9%, P=0.055). CONCLUSION High-pre-Tx DSAs detected by SAB-FC are associated with incrementally poor graft outcomes in deceased-donor kidney transplant with high-immunologic risk.
Structural system identification - A study of different algorithms

This paper uses Observability Range Space Extraction (ORSE) identification algorithm as a main thread to study various identification algorithms for structural systems. These algorithms include: Eigensystem Realization Algorithm (ERA), Q-Markov Covariance Equivalent Realization (Q-Markov Cover or QMC) algorithm, Least Squares algorithm for AutoRegressive eXogeneous model identification (LSARX), and ordinary Multi-input and multi-output Output Error State space (MOESP) model identificaiton algorithm. ERA, QMC, and ORSE algorithms have been successfully applied to structure system identifications. They have demonstrated robust noise suppression property and well behaved numerical properties. Comparison of these three algorithms shows that the ORSE algorithm is an extension of the ERA and QMC algorithms for general input and output data. LSARX algorithm was integrated with ERA algorithm for structural system identification. This paper investigates relationships between LSARX and ORSE algorithms and shows some potential disadvantages of using LSARX algorithm for high dimensional structural systems. Although ordinary MOESP algorithm has not been applied to structural systems, the algorithm and ORSE algorithm are very similar and differ only in computational implementation. Their similarities and differences are discussed. Finally, bias problems of the ORSE algorithm is studied and an unbiased version of the algorithm is derived.
Solid Phase Epitaxy of Implanted Si-Ge-C Alloys

Si 1-x-y Ge x C y /Si heterostuctures were formed on Si (100) surface by Ge and C implantation with a high dose rate MEtal - Vapor Vacuum arc (MEVVA) ion source and subsequent Solid Phase Epitaxy (SPE). after thermal annealing in the temperature range from 600 °C to 1200 °C, the implanted layer was studied using Rutherford Back-scattering Spectrometry (RBS), cross-sectional High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) and fourbounce X-ray Diffraction (XRD) measurement. Due to the small lattice constant and wide bandgap of SiC, the incorporation of C into Si-Ge can provide a complementary material to Si-Ge for bandgap engineering of Si-based heterojunction structure. Polycrystals are formed at temperature at and below 1000 °C thermal growth, while single crystal epitaxial layer is formed at 1100 °C and beyond. XRD measurements near Si (004) peak confirm the compensation of the Si 1-x Ge x lattice mismatch strain by substitutional C. C implantation is also found to suppress the End of Range (EOR) defect growth.
UNTREATED IRIS MELANOMA COMPLICATED BY HYPHEMA AND UNCONTROLLED GLAUCOMA RESPONSIVE TO IODINE-125 BRACHYTHERAPY.

PURPOSE To describe a case of iris melanoma for which a patient refused treatment for 15 years, and the complications that resulted. METHODS Single case report. RESULTS A 52-year-old white man was evaluated for a suspicious pigmented lesion of the left iris. He was followed closely with serial examinations and ultrasound biomicroscopy, and he refused therapy when the lesion showed growth 15 years after presentation. The patient subsequently developed recurrent hyphema, intraocular pressure up to 55 mmHg, and glaucomatous optic neuropathy. He eventually underwent iodine-125 brachytherapy resulting in tumor regression and improvement of intraocular pressure. CONCLUSION Untreated iris melanoma can develop complications such as recurrent hyphema and glaucoma with irreversible optic nerve damage. Treatment of slow-growing iris melanoma must be considered to prevent complications.
Cytoplasmic Particles of Chorio-allantoic Membrane and Their Relations to Purified Preparations of Influenza Virus

Ultracentrifugally sedimented preparations of Rous sarcoma virus contain antigenic groupings similar to that of the similarly sedimentable normal tissue components.1 It would seem desirable that other newly isolated viruses be routinely examined for their content of groupings common to the tissue from which they have been derived. The demonstration of apparent physical homogeneity and unique particle size is not sufficient to warrant the assumption of alien chemical uniqueness implicit in the designation of “virus” to the isolated body. This is so because it may be expected that a stage in the synthesis of a virus would require the union of the stimulating virus particle and the protein-synthesizing mechanisms of the host. Thus the liberated particle bearing virus activity may also contain considerable portions of the host, the combination possessing new physical properties. In any case, it may be assumed that the orientation of the chemical work on these virus preparations would be affected if it became ...
Effect of histamine and 1,4-methylhistamine on gastric vascular resistance in dogs

The goal of this study was to compare the relative potency of histamine and its metabolite, 1,4-methylhistamine, as vasodilators of the gastric circulation. Changes in vascular resistance were measured during local intra-arterial infusion of graded doses of histamine and 1,4-methylhistamine to an ex vivo segment of dog stomach. Infusate concentrations were adjusted to deliver calculated arterial blood concentrations of 0, 3.7, 11, 33, 100, 300, and 900 ng/ml of each substance to the stomach segment. We found that histamine caused rapid dose-related decreases in gastric vascular resistance of up to -47.6 +/- 1.3% compared with control values. The effects of histamine were reversible when infusions ended. In contrast, there were no statistically significant changes in vascular resistance at any dose of 1,4-methylhistamine. In addition, modifications to previous methods using histamine antagonists resulted in greater attenuation of histamine-induced gastric vasodilation. Our results support a role for locally released histamine, but not for 1,4-methylhistamine, as a mediator of gastric vasodilation.
Imagining a National Cinema: A Review of In Contrast: Croatian Film Today, edited by Aida Vidan and Gordana Crnković

In Contrast: Croatian Film Today is an edited volume on Croatian cinema that consists of three methodologically different, mutually informative parts. The first section, ‘Essays’, is a collection o...
Association between Body Condition Score and Cancer Prognosis in Dogs with Lymphoma and Osteosarcoma

Background In humans and rodents obesity appears to promote some cancers by increasing incidence, tumor aggressiveness, recurrence, and fatality. However, the relationship between obesity and cancer in dogs has not been thoroughly evaluated. Hypothesis/Objectives Whether body condition score (BCS) at the time of lymphoma (LSA) or osteosarcoma (OSA) diagnosis in dogs is predictive of survival time (ST) or progression-free interval (PFI). We hypothesized that an overweight body state at the time of cancer diagnosis would be associated with negative outcomes. Animals Dogs with LSA (n = 270) and OSA (n = 54) diagnosed and treated between 2000 and 2010. Methods Retrospective case review. Signalment, body weight, BCS, cancer diagnosis and treatment, relevant clinicopathologic values, and survival data were collected. Dogs were grouped by BCS (underweight, ideal, and overweight) and ST and PFI were compared. Results Overall, 5.5% of dogs were underweight, 54.0% were ideal weight, and 40.4% were overweight at diagnosis. Underweight dogs with LSA had shorter ST (P = .017) than ideal or overweight dogs. BCS was not associated with ST for OSA (P = .474). Progression-free interval did not differ among BCS categories for either cancer. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Obesity was not associated with adverse outcomes among dogs with LSA or OSA in this retrospective study; however, being underweight at the time of diagnosis of LSA was associated with shorter survival. More research is needed to elucidate the relationship between excessive body weight and cancer development and progression in dogs.
Evolutionary Medicine I. An Overview and Applications to Cancer

This article begins with a general overview of evolutionary principles (history, population processes, heredity, and environmental interactions) and explains the implications of these basic principles for human health and disease. The overview also reviews recent work on how human interactions with other organisms can affect human health, explains the role of genomic conflict in disease, and examines the prospect that some of the evolutionary changes in human cognition and reproduction made humans vulnerable to certain diseases. This article then focuses on the evolutionary explanations for why cancer occurs as well as patterns of its incidence. Next, it discusses the relevance of tumor heterogeneity. This is followed by a discussion of drivers and passengers in cancer progression. Evolutionary approaches to understanding metastasis are covered. The article concludes with a consideration of evolutionary applications to cancer therapies.
Large cultural networks and smart specialization: What is new in regional policy diagnostic analytics?

Measuring the temporal centrality of concepts in a relevant information sphere (e.g., contemporary social media such as Instagram) combined with a firm-level analytical perspective can be applied to the analysis of social, cultural, and entrepreneurial schemas and mechanisms. In this context, regional policy and diagnostic analytics constitute an emerging and increasingly prominent research field which relies on trustworthy sources of big data to explore localized entrepreneurial discovery projects to improve the effectiveness of regional policy. In line with European Community regional policies and the recent focus on smart specialization strategies, we investigate the cultural and creative industry (C&Ci) and its participation in economic growth. The research adopts an inductive thinking process based on the logic of discovery as opposed to innovation, as suggested by Hirshleifer (Am Econ Rev 61(4):561–574, 1971). Examination of a localized entrepreneurial discovery project involves analysis of a transition path from an existing set of collective capabilities to the foundations of a new business. Our description of the localized entrepreneurial discovery project highlights the distinctiveness of community performative meanings in relation to the dynamic evolution and distribution of the ‘sharing hashtag’ network.
Data-driven, free-form modeling of biological systems

The quantity of data available to scientists in all disciplines is increasing at an exponential rate, yet the insight necessary to distill data into scientific knowledge must still be supplied by human experts. This widening gap between data and insight can be bridged with data-driven modeling, in which computational methods shift much of the work in creating models from humans to computers. Traditional approaches to data-driven modeling require that the form of the model be fixed in advance, which requires substantial human effort and limits the complexity of problems that can be addressed. In contrast, a newer approach to automated modeling based on evolutionary computation (EC) removes such restrictions on the form of models. This free-form modeling has the potential both to reduce human effort for routine modeling and to make complex problems more tractable. Although major advances in EC-based modeling have been made in recent years, many challenges remain. These challenges include three features often seen in biological systems: complex nonlinear behavior, multiple time scales, and hidden variables. This work addresses these challenges by developing new approaches to EC-based modeling, with applications to neuroscience, systems biology, ecology, and other fields. The contributions of this work consist of three primary lines of research. In the first line of research, EC-based methods for the automated design of analog electrical circuits are adapted for the modeling of electrical systems studied in neurophysiology that display complex, nonlinear behavior, such as ion channels. In the second line of research, EC-based methods for symbolic modeling are extended to facilitate the modeling of dynamical systems with multiple time scales, such as those found throughout ecology and other fields. Finally, in the third line of research, established EC-based algorithms are extended with the capability to model dynamical systems as systems of differential equations with hidden variables, which can contribute in an essential way to the observed dynamics of a physical system yet historically have presented a particularly difficult challenge to automated modeling.
Self-Agency and the Life Course

The course of our lives is shaped by many forces and events, not the least of which by ourselves. For good and bad, we are to a large extent architects of our life course. Within the constraints imposed by biology, history, social structure, good and bad fortune, and other factors we may or may not be aware of, we try to control the direction of our lives by exerting our will, pursuing our goals, and affecting our circumstances. While we are indeed products of social and physical forces, we are also causal agents in the construction of our environments and ourselves.
Post-transcriptional gene regulation by mRNA modifications

The recent discovery of reversible mRNA methylation has opened a new realm of post-transcriptional gene regulation in eukaryotes. The identification and functional characterization of proteins that specifically recognize RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) unveiled it as a modification that cells utilize to accelerate mRNA metabolism and translation. N6-adenosine methylation directs mRNAs to distinct fates by grouping them for differential processing, translation and decay in processes such as cell differentiation, embryonic development and stress responses. Other mRNA modifications, including N1-methyladenosine (m1A), 5-methylcytosine (m5C) and pseudouridine, together with m6A form the epitranscriptome and collectively code a new layer of information that controls protein synthesis.
Use of Adaptive Learning to Prepare First-Year Pharmacy Students: Our Experience

Adaptive learning has shown promise of meeting students' individual needs, and educators are interested in its affordances. However, little evidence-based practice exists to guide institutions and educators in using this pedagogical approach for teaching. In this presentation, we will share our experiences in exploring and implementing adaptive learning for first-year pharmacy students aiming to provide a tool that is adapted to students' individual learning needs. We will also share the lessons we have learned.
Synthesis and characterization of a novel long-alkyl-chain ester-substituted benzimidazole gelator and its octan-1-ol solvate.

The synthesis of a novel benzimidazole derivative with a long-chain-ester substituent, namely methyl 8-[4-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)phen­oxy]octa­noate, (3), is reported. Ester (3) shows evidence of aggregation in solution and weak gelation ability with toluene. The octan-1-ol solvate, methyl 8-[4-(1H-benz­imidazol-2-yl)phen­oxy]octa­noate octan-1-ol monosolvate, C22H26N2O3·C8H18O, (4), exhibits a four-mol­ecule hydrogen-bonded motif in the solid state, with N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between benzimidazole mol­ecules and O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds between the octan-1-ol solvent mol­ecules and the benzimidazole unit. The alkyl chains of the ester and the octan-1-ol mol­ecules are in unfolded conformations. The phenyl­ene ring is canted by 10.27 (6)° from the plane of the benzimidazole ring system. H⋯C contacts make up 20.7% of the Hirshfeld surface coverage. Weak C—H⋯π inter­actions involving the benzimidazole alkyl chain and three aromatic rings are observed.
Nurses’ perceptions and problems in the usability of a medication safety app

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The majority of medication apps support medication adherence. Equally, if not more important, is medication safety. Few apps report on medication safety, and fewer studies have been conducted with these apps. Objectives: The usability of a medication safety app was tested with nurses to reveal their perceptions of the graphical user interface and to discover problems they encountered in using the app. Methods: Usability testing of the app was conducted with RN-BSN students and informatics students (n = 18). Perceptions of the graphical components were gathered in pretest and posttest questionnaires, and video recordings of the usability testing were transcribed. The significance of the difference in mean performance time for 8 tasks was tested, and qualitative analysis was deployed to identify problems encountered and to rate the severity of each problem. Results: While all participants perceived the graphical user interface as easy to understand, nurses took significantly more time ...
LUPIS: Latch-up based ultra efficient processing in-memory system

Internet of Things (IoT) involves processing massive data. This poses a huge challenge in the current computing systems due to the limited memory bandwidth. Processing in-memory (PIM) is a promising candidate to minimize this bottleneck and reduce the performance gap between processor and memory latency. We propose LUPIS (Latch-Up based Processing In-memory System) for nonvolatile memory (NVM). Unlike existing PIM techniques, which mainly focus on bitwise operation based computations and involve considerable latency and area penalty, our design facilitates computations like addition and multiplication with very low latency. This makes the system faster and more efficient as compared to the state-of-the-art technologies. We evaluate LUPIS at both circuit-level and application-level. Our evaluations show that LUPIS can enhance the performance and energy efficiency by 62× and 484× respectively as compared to a recent GPGPU architecture. Compared to the state-of-the-art PIM accelerator, our design presents 12.7× and 20.9× improvement in latency and energy consumption with insignificant overhead of 21% for area increase and one cycle for latency delay.
Dialysis Without Borders.

The study by Cervantes and colleagues is the first to provide empirical evidence about the effects of EOHD on professionalism. The editorialist discusses the findings, draws parallels between provi...
Birth delivery mode alters perinatal cell death in the mouse brain.

Labor and a vaginal delivery trigger changes in peripheral organs that prepare the mammalian fetus to survive ex utero. Surprisingly little attention has been given to whether birth also influences the brain, and to how alterations in birth mode affect neonatal brain development. These are important questions, given the high rates of cesarean section (C-section) delivery worldwide, many of which are elective. We examined the effect of birth mode on neuronal cell death, a widespread developmental process that occurs primarily during the first postnatal week in mice. Timed-pregnant dams were randomly assigned to C-section deliveries that were yoked to vaginal births to carefully match gestation length and circadian time of parturition. Compared with rates of cell death just before birth, vaginally-born offspring had an abrupt, transient decrease in cell death in many brain regions, suggesting that a vaginal delivery is neuroprotective. In contrast, cell death was either unchanged or increased in C-section–born mice. Effects of delivery mode on cell death were greatest for the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), which is central to the stress response and brain–immune interactions. The greater cell death in the PVN of C-section–delivered newborns was associated with a reduction in the number of PVN neurons expressing vasopressin at weaning. C-section–delivered mice also showed altered vocalizations in a maternal separation test and greater body mass at weaning. Our results suggest that vaginal birth acutely impacts brain development, and that alterations in birth mode may have lasting consequences.
Enantioselective Synthesis of Tertiary α-Hydroxyketones from Unfunctionalized Ketones: Palladium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation of Enolates.

Highly functionalized tertiary α-hydroxyketones are obtained in high yield with excellent enantioselectivity.
A Cost and Cost–Threshold Analysis of Implementation of an Evidence-Based Intervention for HIV-Serodiscordant Couples

To address gaps in the cost literature by estimating the cost of delivering an evidence-based HIV risk reduction intervention for HIV-serodiscordant, heterosexual, African American couples (Eban II) and calculating the cost-effective thresholds at three participating sites. The cost, cost-saving, and cost-effectiveness thresholds for Eban II were calculated using standard methods. The analytic time period was from July 1 to September 31, 2014. Total costs for 3 months of program implementation were from $13,747 to $25,937, with societal costs ranging from $5632 to $17,008 and program costs ranging from $8115 to $14,122. The costs per participant were from $1621 to $2160; the cost per session (per participant) ranged from $147 to $196. Sites had achievable cost-saving thresholds, which were all less than one for the 3-month costing timeframe.
Renin-angiotensin system in mammalian kidney development

Mutations in the genes of the renin-angiotensin system result in congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT), the main cause of end-stage renal disease in children. The molecular mechanisms that cause CAKUT are unclear in most cases. To improve the care of children with CAKUT, it is critical to determine the underlying mechanisms of CAKUT. In this review, we discuss recent advances that have helped to better understand how disruption of the renin-angiotensin system during kidney development contributes to CAKUT.
An Anatomical Study of Metacarpal Morphology Utilizing CT Scans: Evaluating Parameters for Antegrade Intramedullary Compression Screw Fixation of Metacarpal Fractures.

Purpose This study evaluated metacarpal morphology for antegrade placement of intramedullary headless compression screws (IMHCS) for metacarpal fracture fixation. Methods We analyzed 100 hand computed tomography scans to quantify cortical thickness, intramedullary diameter, and metacarpal lengths. In addition, dorsal or ulnar overhang of the metacarpals over their respective carpal bones was measured. We also predicted optimal entry points for guidewire placement at the metacarpal head. Results The ring finger metacarpal had the narrowest medullary canal width (coronal, 2.8 mm; sagittal, 3.5 mm). Not counting the thumb, the little finger metacarpal had the widest midshaft medullary width of 4.1 mm in the coronal plane and the middle metacarpal was widest in the sagittal plane with canal width of 3.9 mm. On average, there was maximal dorsal overhang at the base of the middle metacarpal (4.2 mm) and maximal ulnar overhang at the base of the small metacarpal (3.9 mm). The optimal entry point for guidewire placement over each metacarpal head was approximately 3.5 to 3.8 mm volar to the dorsal cortex. Conclusions Minimum IMHCS diameters of 3.5 mm for the ring and 4.0 mm for the index, middle and little fingers are necessary to achieve interference fit within the medullary canal. Minimum screw lengths of 38 mm would be needed to ensure 6 mm fixation past the midshaft of the metacarpals. Antegrade IMHCS for fixation of proximal metacarpal fractures may be most feasible with thumb, middle, and little finger metacarpals because there was larger dorsal or ulnar overhang to allow screw placement without violating the carpometacarpal joints. Clinical relevance Our analysis provides a reference guide for intramedullary screw sizes for each metacarpal of the hand to achieve interference fit with fracture fixation. Furthermore, the dorsal and ulnar overhangs of the metacarpal bases suggest the practicality of antegrade IMHCS fixation.
Cerium oxide-based hypoxanthine biosensor for Fish spoilage monitoring

Abstract Food monitoring has become an essential need for assessing food quality and safety. However, most currently available methods for food monitoring are not portable which limit their applicability in the field. Herein, we report a novel portable all-in-one nanoenzyme-based biosensor for fish freshness monitoring that measures the release of hypoxanthine (HX), a product of nucleotide degradation in meat and fish. The biosensor uses ceria nanoparticles (CeNPs), an enzyme mimetic material with a plurality function, as peroxidase mimetic, redox amplifier and chromogenic indicator, along with xanthine oxidase (XOD) to quantify the product of the HX oxidation. The biosensor is fabricated by immobilizing both the XOD and the CeNPs onto the surface of silanized paper, producing a reagentless platform for HX detection. In this configuration, the CeNPs replace the peroxidase enzyme and the soluble dye in conventional assays for HX detection, reducing the number of reagents, decreasing cost and increasing portability. A detection limit of 15 μM and 89 μM with a linear range up to 800 and 597 μM for the CeNPs based solution and the paper biosensor, respectively were obtained. The results confirm the potential of this technology as an inexpensive approach to monitor HX levels in contrast to the conventional multistep enzyme-based solution assays. This study may advance the development of next generation portable biosensing technologies for food safety monitoring.
Differential properties in the ratings of certified versus non-certified bond-rating agencies

Abstract We examine whether the properties of bond ratings from certified agencies (designated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)) differ from those of non-certified bond-rating agencies. Bond ratings from non-certified agencies are used solely for investment advice. Certified ratings are used by a variety of constituents, many of whom write contracts incorporating these ratings. We find that the properties of the ratings from the two agency types differ in predictable ways. Our results show that the non-certified agency's ratings are consistent with their role of providing information to investors. The certified agency is generally more conservative, consistent with their significant role in contracting.
Transcriptional Programming of Human Mechanosensory Neuron Subtypes

In vitro generation of human peripheral sensory neurons may provide a framework for novel drug screening platforms and disease models of touch and pain. However, derivation of a functionally pure sensory neuron population remains a major unmet challenge. We discovered that, by expressing the transcription factors NGN2 and BRN3A, human pluripotent stem cells can be induced to differentiate into a surprisingly homogenous culture of cold- and mechano-sensing neurons. Although such a neuronal subtype has not been reported in mice, we found molecular evidence of its existence in adult human sensory ganglia. Combining NGN2 and BRN3A programming with neural crest patterning, we produced two additional populations of sensory neurons, including a more specialized mechanosensory neuron subtype. Finally, we applied this system to model a rare inherited sensory disorder, characterized by profound impairment of touch sensation and proprioception, caused by inactivating mutations in PIEZO2. Together these findings establish an approach to specify distinct sensory neuron subtypes in vitro, underscoring the utility of stem cell technology to capture human-specific features of physiology and disease.
Pericardial effusion requiring intervention in patients undergoing percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion: Prevalence, predictors, and associated in-hospital adverse events from 17,700 procedures in the United States.

Background Left atrial appendage occlusion has shown promise in mitigating the risk of stroke in selected patients with atrial fibrillation. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the real-world prevalence and in-hospital outcomes in left atrial appendage occlusion (Watchman) recipients complicated by pericardial effusion requiring percutaneous drainage or open cardiac surgery–based intervention. Methods Data were derived from the National Inpatient Sample database from January 2015 to December 2017. The primary outcomes assessed were the prevalence of pericardial effusion requiring intervention and in-hospital outcomes including mortality, other major complications, hospital stay > 1 day, and hospitalization costs. Predictors of pericardial effusion requiring intervention were also analyzed. Results Pericardial effusion requiring intervention occurred in 220 total patients (1.24%). After multivariable adjustment, pericardial effusion requiring intervention was associated with in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 511.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] 122–2145.3), other Watchman-related major complications (aOR 1.35; 95% CI 0.83–2.19), length of stay > 1 day (aOR 17.64; 95% CI 12.56–24.77), and hospitalization cost above the median of $24,327 (aOR 3.58; 95% CI 2.61–4.91). Independent patient predictors of pericardial effusion requiring intervention from the procedure included advanced age (aOR 1.029 per 1-year increase; 95% CI 1.009–1.05 per 1-year increase), higher CHA2DS2-VASc score (aOR 1.221 per 1-point increase; 95% CI 1.083–1.377 per 1-point increase), and obesity (aOR 2.033; 95% CI 1.464–2.823). Conclusion In a large, contemporary real-world cohort of Watchman recipients in US practice, the prevalence of pericardial effusion requiring intervention was 1.24%. Pericardial effusion requiring intervention was associated with several adverse events including increased in-hospital mortality, other major complications, prolonged hospital stay, and hospitalization costs.
Под давлением научного

Russian Abstract: Каждый конкретный ученый не может быть идеальной интеллектуальной машиной полностью свободной от посторонних влияний. Прогресс (как минимум) естественных наук в течение последних четырех веков показывает, что научное сообщество вполне может занимать несмещенную, не подверженную случайным искажениям позицию (по крайней мере в долгосрочной перспективе выходить на такую позицию). При этом рост «социального государства» с его масштабными программами научных исследований финансируемых принудительно налогоплательщиком может вызывать искажения и в долгосрочной коллективной позиции ученых с тем, чтобы обосновать политику выгодную специальным интересам (см. Нисканен, Таллок и Ясаи об интересах бюрократа, государственного служащего максимизировать бюджет и полномочия). Фиксация искаженного научного консенсуса способна оказывать давление даже на ответственных политиков – сторонников ограниченного в своих полномочиях и бюджете правительства. Они нуждаются в рекомендациях по предотвращению такого давления, которые мы пытаемся обосновать в данном докладе. English Abstract: While any individual Scientist can’t be a perfect unbiased intellectual machine, free from any irrelevant influences, “aggregate” position of scientific community could be more or less unbiased in Long Run - the fact proven by history of progress in natural sciences since XVI century. The rise of Big Government which invests heavily in the Research and Development could prevent scientific community from approaching to the scientifically reasoned position because of strong special interests of governmental grantors to maximize the bureaus’ budgets and discretionary power (Niskanen, Tullock, Jasay). The bureaucrats could be interested to get even deliberately biased, distorted results for their policies proposals “scientific” support. Responsible politician standing with Limited Government should be equipped by political technologies compensating pressure of distorted scientific consensus.
Recurrent Vs. Persistent Salivary Gland Swelling in Differential Diagnosis of Sjögren’s Syndrome

Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease primarily affecting the lacrimal and salivary glands. It is broadly classified into primary SS and secondary SS. Primary SS occurs in 50% of cases and affects only the salivary and lacrimal glands leading to dry eyes and dry mouth. Secondary SS is characterized by presence of a secondary autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, or lupus along with lacrimal and salivary gland involvement. Approximately 1–2% of US population is diagnosed with SS on an annual basis. Women are primarily affected with the 24:1 female to male ratio, with 52 years as the average age of onset. The parotid gland is most commonly affected and may be enlarged in one-third to one-half of the patients. This enlargement is usually bilateral and asymptomatic. A myriad of other conditions can also produce bilateral or unilateral persistent or recurrent parotid enlargement. This chapter discusses some of the common pathologic entities that may be included in the differential diagnosis of such an enlargement.
The 2020 Scholarship Rankings

The field of educational technology has a rich history of scholarly research incorporating a wide variety of methods, spanning both qualitative and quantitative paradigms, that has been published in an even wider collection of journals. Because our discipline integrates with other disciplines as a “meta” field, publication data is difficult to collect and interpret. However, there have been frequent studies seeking to understand what is being published, by whom and where, and what implications will be resulting. These meta-syntheses are useful because they help us understand the reach and boundaries of our discipline and what topics are being discussed, and which ones are not. They also help us become aware of new scholars, including internationally.
Non-medical barriers in access to early steps of kidney transplantation in the United States - A scoping review.

Abstract Background In the United States (US), barriers in access to later steps in the kidney transplantation process (i.e. waitlisting) have been well documented. Barriers in access to earlier steps (i.e. referral and evaluation) are less well described due to the lack of national surveillance data. In this review, we summarize the available literature on non-medical barriers in access to kidney transplant referral and evaluation. Methods Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a scoping review of the literature through June 3, 2021. We included all studies (quantitative and qualitative) reporting on barriers to kidney transplant referral and evaluation in the US published from 1990 onwards in English and among adult end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42014015027). We narratively synthesized results across studies. Results We retrieved information from 33 studies published from 1990 to 2021 (reporting data between 1990 and 2018). Most studies (n = 28, 85%) described barriers among patient populations, three (9%) among provider populations, and two (6%) included both patients and providers. Key barriers were identified across multiple levels and included patient- (e.g. demographic, socioeconomic, sociocultural, and knowledge), provider- (e.g. miscommunication, staff availability, provider perceptions and attitudes), and system- (e.g. geography, distance to care, healthcare logistics) level factors. Conclusions A multi-pronged approach (e.g. targeted and systemwide interventions, and policy change) implemented at multiple levels of the healthcare system will be necessary to reduce identified barriers in access to early kidney transplant steps. Collection of national surveillance data on these early kidney transplant steps is also needed to enhance our understanding of barriers to referral and evaluation.
Irrigation and Rootstocks to Manage Northern Root-Knot Nematode During Wine Grape Vineyard Establishment

Vineyard replanting in Washington state can be negatively impacted by the plant-parasitic nematode Meloidogyne hapla. Chemically-focused nematode management programs do not offer long-term suppress...
Multivariate Epi-splines and Evolving Function Identification Problems

The broad class of extended real-valued lower semicontinuous (lsc) functions on ℝn captures nearly all functions of practical importance in equation solving, variational problems, fitting, and estimation. The paper develops piecewise polynomial functions, called epi-splines, that approximate any lsc function to an arbitrary level of accuracy. Epi-splines provide the foundation for the solution of a rich class of function identification problems that incorporate general constraints on the function to be identified including those derived from information about smoothness, shape, proximity to other functions, and so on. As such extrinsic information as well as observed function and subgradient values often evolve in applications, we establish conditions under which the computed epi-splines converge to the function we seek to identify. Numerical examples in response surface building and probability density estimation illustrate the framework.
Nonlinear Model Solution Process: Energy Approach

The paper provides a comprehensive treatment of the mathematical model and solution process of the computer code SINGER. The function of SINGER is to predict the geometrically and physically nonlinear response, including element failures and structural collapse, of skeletal reinforced concrete and steel structures to static and dynamic loads. The model of SINGER represents an assemblage of one-dimensional finite elements, which is expressed in the form of an energy function. The solution process is based on function minimization. A selection of test problems is presented to provide an indication of the capability of SINGER.
Data and Analytics for Neighborhood Development: Smart Shrinkage Decision Modeling in Baltimore, Maryland

Many older cities in the United States confront the problem of long-term decline in population and economic activity resulting in blighted conditions that make conventional revitalization initiatives unlikely to succeed. Smart shrinkage, a planning approach that emphasizes alternative land uses while preserving quality of life, offers a way for cities to remain desirable places to live and work. However, there is little research on empirical methods to support planning decisions consistent with smart shrinkage. We present results from two studies with planners from the City of Baltimore that provide novel insights regarding ways in which planners can perform vacant property redevelopment using methods from data analytics and decision science. This study provides a foundation for practitioners to make better use of large volumes of data describing blighted communities, accommodate diverse attitudes about policy and planning responses to blight, and judiciously apply advanced methods in data analysis and decision models.
The genetics of colony form and function in Caribbean Acropora corals.

Colonial reef-building corals have evolved a broad spectrum of colony morphologies based on coordinated asexual reproduction of polyps on a secreted calcium carbonate skeleton. Though cnidarians have been shown to possess and use similar developmental genes to bilaterians during larval development and polyp formation, little is known about genetic regulation of colony morphology in hard corals. We used RNA-seq to evaluate transcriptomic differences between functionally distinct regions of the coral (apical branch tips and branch bases) in two species of Caribbean Acropora, the staghorn coral, A. cervicornis, and the elkhorn coral, A. palmata. Transcriptome-wide gene profiles differed significantly between different parts of the coral colony as well as between species. Genes showing differential expression between branch tips and bases were involved in developmental signaling pathways, such as Wnt, Notch, and BMP, as well as pH regulation, ion transport, extracellular matrix production and other processes. Differences both within colonies and between species identify a relatively small number of genes that may contribute to the distinct “staghorn” versus “elkhorn” morphologies of these two sister species. The large number of differentially expressed genes supports a strong division of labor between coral branch tips and branch bases. Genes involved in growth of mature Acropora colonies include the classical signaling pathways associated with development of cnidarian larvae and polyps as well as morphological determination in higher metazoans.
The Relationship Between Time Allocated for Science in Elementary Schools and State Accountability Policies

In the United States, student achievement results from mathematics and reading are always included in high-stakes accountability calculations. Because of this, it has been argued that other subjects have been minimized due to assessment and accountability policies. In this study, the accountability practices of states were differentiated into three groups based on the degree to which science achievement contributed to accountability formulas. Data from National Assessment of Educational Progress Teacher Questionnaires were evaluated to assess the amount of time fourth-grade teachers devoted to mathematics and reading in 2003 and 2011, as well as to science in 2005 and 2009. Teachers from the three groups of states reported spending equivalent amounts of time on mathematics and reading. However, the frequency of teachers reporting spending at least 4 hours of weekly instructional time on science was significantly higher in states that integrated fourth-grade science achievement into accountability formulas versus states where science did not figure in high-stakes accountability. Implications of this significant difference are discussed and are related to states’ applications to receive waivers from No Child Left Behind and to alignment with the goals of the Next Generation Science Standards. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 97:621–636, 2013
Wound healing of cutaneous nitrogen mustard injuries by dynamic modulation of gap junction communication using connexin43 antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (216.6)

Gap junction communication is tightly regulated in skin wound healing. Studies showed that targeting of connexin43 (Cx43) improves skin wound repair in diabetes. Vesicant induced skin injury result...
A systolic neural network image processing architecture

The architecture introduced, the neural accelerator board (NAB) system, has been designed to perform a range a machine vision functions, of which one is motion parallax range estimation. The approach used in the NAB system, is to perform real-time calculations on the image data, captured by a moving video camera, using a highly parallel neural network architecture. The NAB system architecture, its physical implementation, and the surrounding application system are described. The implementation of the motion parallax algorithm, as a demonstration of the capabilities of this architecture, is outlined. >