cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Agenda Setting, Social Construction of Populations and Problems, and Marginalized Groups

When and how does a terrible social condition become an addressable, even solvable, problem? Agenda setting is the process by which issues gain position on the public or political agenda while others go comparatively unnoticed. Many complex factors influence agenda, but for marginalized groups, the road is especially arduous. Negative constructions of marginalized populations are often circulated and their needs viewed as impervious to government action; alternatively, they are just ignored. Sometimes negative or punitive policies are enacted, and at other times, nonarrival of their concerns results.This project focuses on agenda arrival and denial of issues of concern to disadvantaged groups. A theoretical framework is developed regarding agenda setting for disadvantaged populations, comparing singly marginalized groups with intersectionally marginalized groups. I posit that intersectionally marginalized groups are, comparatively, less likely to have their needs met by government policies because their concerns are either ignored - with agenda denial or nondecisions resulting - or their needs are negatively constructed, with punitive policies resulting. Anne Schneider and Helen Ingram’s framework (1993, 1995, 1997, 2005) on the social construction of target populations and literature on the importance of problem framing, as well as the literature on intersectionality, form the basis of the theoretical framework. The case typology introduced herein is part of a larger project with which I am engaged on the lack of policies and programs addressing African American women and HIV/AIDS.
Solubility in the Na + F + NO3 and Na + PO4 + NO3 Systems in Water and in Sodium Hydroxide Solutions

Solubilities of the Na + F + NO3 and Na + PO4 + NO3 systems in aqueous solution and in sodium hydroxide solutions have been measured at (25 and 50) °C. Natrophosphate, the double salt of sodium fluoride and sodium phosphate, has been identified in the tank waste at the Hanford site (Richland, Washington, USA). The brine in these tanks is often saturated in nitrate. Solubility experiments were undertaken to better understand the chemistry in the Na + F + PO4 + NO3 + OH system. As the initial part of this effort, measurements of solubility in the constituent binary systems, NaF + NaNO3 and Na3PO4 + NaNO3, with and without the presence of sodium hydroxide, were performed and are reported herein. The presence of nitrate in the solution resulted in a decrease in the solubility of either sodium fluoride or trisodium phosphate. The presence of hydroxide in the solution also resulted in decreased solubility for each component.
EVALUATION OF ENTRUST AGAINST WESTERN FLOWER THRIPS FOR ORGANICLETTUCE PRODUCTION, 2003

The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of Entrust insecticide against WFT when applied alone or and in combination with other bio-based insecticides used for organic lettuce production. Lettuce was direct seeded on 30 Sep at the Yuma Valley Agricultural Center, Yuma, AZ into double row beds on 42-inch centers. Stand establishment was achieved using overhead sprinkler irrigation, furrow irrigated thereafter. Plots were 2-beds wide by 35-ft long and bordered by two untreated beds. Four replications of each treatment were arranged in a RCB design. Formulations and rates for each compound are provided in the tables. Foliar applications were made with a CO2 operated boom sprayer operated at 60 psi and 20 gpa. A broadcast spray was delivered through two nozzles (TX-18) per bed. Sprays were applied on 29 Oct and 5 Nov. No adjuvants were added to the treatments. WFT populations were assessed by sampling plants and recording the numbers of adults and larvae from five plants per replicate on 31 Oct, 4, 7, 11 and 14 Nov. Relative WFT numbers were measured by randomly removing plants from each replicate and beating them vigorously against a screened pan for a predetermined time (15 sec). A 6 × 6-inch sticky trap was placed inside of the pan to catch the dislodged WFT. Sticky traps were then taken to the laboratory where adult and larvae were counted under magnification. WFT counts were transformed (log10 n+1) before ANOVA to stabilize variances that were found to be heterogeneous. Untransformed means are presented in tables. Data were analyzed as a 1-way ANOVA with means compared where appropriate using an F protected LSD (P ≤ 0.05).
Robotics in Colonoscopy

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in men and women in the United States. While there is a definite advantage regarding the use of colonoscopies in screening, there is still a lack of widespread acceptance of colonoscopy use in the general public. This is evident by the fact that up to 75% of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer present with locally advanced disease. In order to make colonoscopy and in turn colorectal cancer screening a patient friendly and a comfortable test some changes in tool are necessary. The conventional colonoscope has not changed much since its development. There are several new advances in colorectal screening practices. One of the most promising new advances is the advent of robotic endoscopic techniques.
The Archaeology of Pericolonialism: Responses of the “Unconquered” to Spanish Conquest and Colonialism in Ifugao, Philippines

Pericolonial archaeology investigates areas where European military conquests were unsuccessful, but were economically and politically affected by conquests and subsequent colonial activities in adjacent regions. By using a case study from the Philippines, this article focuses on the responses of indigenous peoples in the highland Philippines who appear to have resisted Spanish cooptation. The archaeological record suggests that economic and political intensification occurred in Ifugao coinciding with the appearance of the Spanish in the northern Philippines. This work on pericolonial archaeology shows that the effects of colonialism extended far beyond the areas actually colonized. More importantly, the investigations reported in this essay add to the increasing evidence of the false differentiation of the colonized and the “uncolonized.”
Roseola Infantum (Exanthem Subitum)

THE problem of fever in infancy is one of the most common and difficult ones confronting the general practitioner and pediatrician. In 1910 Zahorsky1 described a febrile exanthem occurring in infants and young children, which he termed roseola infantum. This disease was characterized by a relatively asymptomatic febrile course of three to five days, followed by the appearance of a morbilliform eruption. Several years later Veeder2 helped confirm this syndrome as a specific pathologic entity and suggested the name exanthem subitum. Since that time the disease has attracted wide interest in pediatric circles. However, since patients afflicted with this condition . . .
Use of National Burden to Define Operative Emergency General Surgery

Importance Emergency general surgery (EGS) represents 11% of surgical admissions and 50% of surgical mortality in the United States. However, there is currently no established definition of the EGS procedures. Objective To define a set of procedures accounting for at least 80% of the national burden of operative EGS. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective review was conducted using data from the 2008-2011 National Inpatient Sample. Adults (age, ≥18 years) with primary EGS diagnoses consistent with the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma definition, admitted urgently or emergently, who underwent an operative procedure within 2 days of admission were included in the analyses. Procedures were ranked to account for national mortality and complication burden. Among ranked procedures, contributions to total EGS frequency, mortality, and hospital costs were assessed. The data query and analysis were performed between November 15, 2015, and February 16, 2016. Main Outcomes and Measures Overall procedure frequency, in-hospital mortality, major complications, and inpatient costs calculated per 3-digit International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification procedure codes. Results The study identified 421 476 patient encounters associated with operative EGS, weighted to represent 2.1 million nationally over the 4-year study period. The overall mortality rate was 1.23% (95% CI, 1.18%-1.28%), the complication rate was 15.0% (95% CI, 14.6%-15.3%), and mean cost per admission was $13 241 (95% CI, $12 957-$13 525). After ranking the 35 procedure groups by contribution to EGS mortality and morbidity burden, a final set of 7 operative EGS procedures were identified, which collectively accounted for 80.0% of procedures, 80.3% of deaths, 78.9% of complications, and 80.2% of inpatient costs nationwide. These 7 procedures included partial colectomy, small-bowel resection, cholecystectomy, operative management of peptic ulcer disease, lysis of peritoneal adhesions, appendectomy, and laparotomy. Conclusions and Relevance Only 7 procedures account for most admissions, deaths, complications, and inpatient costs attributable to the 512 079 EGS procedures performed in the United States each year. National quality benchmarks and cost reduction efforts should focus on these common, complicated, and costly EGS procedures.
Hips don't lie: Waist-to-hip ratio in trauma patients.

BACKGROUNDObesity measured by body mass index (BMI) is known to be associated with worse outcomes in trauma patients. Recent studies have assessed the impact of distribution of body fat measured by waist-hip ratio (WHR) on outcomes in nontrauma patients. The aim of this study was to assess the impac
Effects of media, heat adaptation, and outlet temperature on the survival of Lactobacillus salivarius NRRL B-30514 after spray drying and subsequent storage

Abstract Effects of drying media, heat adaptation, and outlet temperature on the survival of Lactobacillus salivarius NRRL B-30514 after spray drying and during subsequent storage were studied in this work. Drying media were studied for 200 g/L reconstituted skim milk (RSM), 180 g/L RSM+40 g/L sucrose+40 g/L trehalose, and 180 g/L RSM+40 g/L lactose+40 g/L trehalose (RSMLT). Outlet temperatures were studied from 70 to 100 °C, and heat adaptation was studied by heating cell suspensions at 50 °C for 15 min before spray drying. Overall, the reduction of viable L. salivarius in all media with and without heat adaptation decreased with the decrease of outlet temperature. For treatments with disaccharides, heat adaptation additionally improved the bacterial viability after spray drying. The lowest (0.56 log CFU/g) and highest (2.16 log CFU/g) reduction was observed for cells suspended in RSMLT with heat adaptation and those in RSM without heat adaptation, respectively. A higher outlet temperature resulted in a lower water activity of spray-dried L. salivarius and the improved survivability after 2-week storage in a desiccator at 21 °C. Therefore, the studied parameters can be combined to improve the production of spray-dried probiotics.
Greater Performance and Better Efficiency: Predicated Execution has shown us the way

We have been riding a strong wave of greater and greater performance for decades, to some extent due to the combination of Moore's Law and Dennard scaling. But we are told all this is coming to an end, in part because we can not continue to double the transistor count on the chip and we can not run these things at higher and higher frequencies. Much of the silliness promised by multicore is just that, and not the answer. So, what are we to do? It turns out predication gave us the answer more than 30 years ago. Most of us were not paying attention. Today we have no choice. Predication happened because the compiler, the ISA, and the microarchitecture all cooperated so it could happen. That meant breaking the artificial walls in the transformation hierarchy. If we accept this as something we have to do, there are plenty of opportunities (a) for increased performance (attacking latency instead of just multicore bandwidth) and (b) for better energy efficiency. In this talk I hope to point out some of them, and then ask the obvious question: What do we need to do to make this happen?
Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy prevents HIV transmission to seronegative sexual partners

Commentary on : Cohen MS, Chen YQ, McCauley M, et al. Antiretroviral therapy for the prevention of HIV-1 transmission. N Engl J Med 2016;375:830–9.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3] In 2011, interim results from the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 052 trial confirmed that early antiretroviral therapy (ART) markedly reduces HIV transmission in serodiscordant couples.1 This, along with evidence that therapeutic benefits accrue from starting ART earlier,1–3 led the WHO to recommend that all patients with HIV infection start ART as soon as possible after diagnosis.4 Cohen et al have now published a final analysis from their original HPTN 052 report. The HPTN 052 trial randomised ART-naive participants to initiate ART early, between 350 and 550 CD4 cells/µL, or to delay initiation until 250 cells/µL. Uninfected primary … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DN%2BEngl%2BJ%2BMed%26rft.volume%253D375%26rft.spage%253D830%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1056%252FNEJMoa1600693%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F27424812%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1056/NEJMoa1600693&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=27424812&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2Fearly%2F2016%2F11%2F16%2Febmed-2016-110576.atom
From Travemünde to Torre Di Venere: Mannian Leitmotifs in Political Transition

(1984). From Travemunde to Torre Di Venere: Mannian Leitmotifs in Political Transition. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 59, No. 1, pp. 26-31.
Careers in the performing arts

Performers describe their careers as satisfying and meaningful even though their careers require considerable work demands. Performers generally feel the work demands are balanced by a sense of control and support. They need to be self-sufficient; the majority cobble together a career that includes teaching, business, and technology. This portfolio career enables performers to self-manage their careers and allows them to respond rapidly to opportunities. At the extreme end of portfolio careers is the protean career. This career type requires continual skill development to meet the demands of an ever-changing job market. Education should include a realistic understanding that multiple sources of income are the norm. Performing artists must challenge the shared myth that only artists who earn their full income as a performer are viewed as professional artists.
Inter-center variation in death or tracheostomy placement in infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Inter-center variation in death or tracheostomy placement in infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Substrate Profiling and High Resolution Co-complex Crystal Structure of a Secreted C11 Protease Conserved across Commensal Bacteria

Cysteine proteases are among the most abundant hydrolytic enzymes produced by bacteria, and this diverse family of proteins have significant biological roles in bacterial viability and environmental interactions. Members of the clostripain-like (C11) family of cysteine proteases from commensal gut bacterial strains have recently been shown to mediate immune responses by inducing neutrophil phagocytosis and activating bacterial pathogenic toxins. Development of substrates, inhibitors, and probes that target C11 proteases from enteric bacteria will help to establish the role of these proteins at the interface of the host and microbiome in health and disease. We employed a mass spectrometry-based substrate profiling method to identify an optimal peptide substrate of PmC11, a C11 protease secreted by the commensal bacterium Parabacteroides merdae. Using this substrate sequence information, we synthesized a panel of fluorogenic substrates to calculate kcat and KM and to evaluate the importance of the P2 amino ...
A Medical Man Among Ecclesiastical Historians: John Caius, Matthew Parker and the History of Cambridge University

John Caius is no longer a household name, except in a few households in East Anglia. Yet he was in many ways a characteristic and dominating figure of a particular moment in the 1560s and 1570s. For a few years, British courtiers, churchmen and country aristocrats—as well as successful medical men like Caius—shared a particular late humanist culture. They believed in the power and utility of ancient and medieval texts. These common assumptions kept them engaged in the scholarly study of the past long after their formal studies were over, and inspired them to nurse what were sometimes exaggerated hopes for the power of education. Many of them took a special interest in pragmatic political history, which they saw as a guide to public life. Caius was also a historian, like so many other medical men. But as we will see, he practiced a particular kind of history—one normally focused on the history of the church and produced more often by groups than by individuals.
CATIONIC POLYMERIZATIONS AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES BY NOVEL INITIATING SYSTEMS HAVING WEAKLY COORDINATING COUNTERANIONS. 1. HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYISOBUTYLENES

In-situ prepared \({{(C{{H}_{3}})}_{3}}S{{i}^{ \oplus }}{{[B{{({{C}_{6}}{{F}_{5}})}_{4}}]}^{ \ominus }}\) efficiently produces extremely high molecular weight polyisobutylene (PIB) in close-to-neat systems (15% toluene or 5% methyl chloride to dissolve the Li[B(C6F5)4] coinitiator precursor salt) over the -35 to -8° (reflux) range. In contrast, much lower molecular weight PIBs are obtained when the preprepared initiating system is added to liquid isobutylene (IB). The molecular weights produced by the in-situ initiating system are very much higher (e.g., \({{\overline M }_{n}} \sim 110,000g/mol\) at - 15°C) than those obtained by common systems, e.g., AICl3, and match those obtained by the use of γ-rays. The molecular weight distributions \(({{\overline M }_{w}}/{{\overline M }_{n}} \sim 2)\) and the slopes of log M vs. 1/T plots (ΔHDP ‡ = -5.9 kcal/mol (-24.7 kjoule/mol)) indicate chaintransfer-controlled polymerizations. The de facto initiating entity is probably the arising from adventitious moisture. Due to the extremely nonnucleophilic nature of the weakly coordinating counteranion \({{[B{{({{C}_{6}}{{F}_{5}})}_{4}}]}^{ \ominus }}\), propagation most likely proceeds by unencumbered carbocations and termination is absent. Living polymerization could not be obtained in the presence of \({{[B{{({{C}_{6}}{{F}_{5}})}_{4}}]}^{ \ominus }}\), which suggests that livingness in carbocationic polymerizations requires counteranion assistance.
Construct validity of the Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES).

ABSTRACTBackground: The Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES) is a measure of cognitive-communication and executive functions involving everyday tasks. Scores are predictive of employment status; however, the measure’s construct validity is unclear.Objective: The study’s objective was to assess the linear association of FAVRES test performance with performance on a number of neuropsychological measures in a sample of individuals with neurocognitive deficits.Methods: Twenty-two adults completed the FAVRES, Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS), Color-Word Interference (CWI), Tower and Trail Making (TM).Results: FAVRES Total Accuracy score significantly correlated with CWI Inhibition (r = −0.43) and Tower (r = 0.60). Total Rationale significantly correlated with CWI Inhibition (r = −0.49), TM Number-Letter Switching (r = −0.48) and Tower (r = 0.55). Total Reasoning significantly correl...
History of Methotrexate and Use in Psoriasis

Since the 1950s, methotrexate (MTX) has been an effective treatment for patients with psoriasis. Although initially used as an antineoplastic drug, in recent history, MTX has become useful for the treatment of a broad range of non-neoplastic proliferative dermatoses, particularly psoriasis. The guidelines for use of MTX in psoriasis patients provide a unique perspective of the discoveries and new information that we have learned about MTX over the years. In this historical review, we analyze the development of MTX and the circumstances that led to its use as an effective treatment for psoriasis.
Establishing the Criteria for Anesthesia and Other Precautions for Surgery During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is not a contraindication to urgent or emergent surgical procedures. This article reviews the maternal effects of pregnancy, specific anesthetic precautions, and potential fetal risks from drugs, diagnostic radiation, surgical manipulation of the uterus, and potential obstetric complications.
Conduction Properties Of Decellularized Nerve Biomaterials.

The purpose of this study is to optimize poly(3,4,- ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) polymerization into decellular nerve scaffolding for interfacing to peripheral nerves. Our ultimate aim is to permanently implant highly conductive peripheral nerve interfaces between amputee, stump, nerve fascicles and prosthetic electronics. Decellular nerve (DN) scaffolds are an FDA approved biomaterial (Axogen TM ) with the flexible tensile properties needed for successful permanent coaptation to peripheral nerves. Biocompatible, electroconductive, PEDOT facilitates electrical conduction through PEDOT coated acellular muscle. New electrochemical methods were used to polymerize various PEDOT concentrations into DN scaffolds without the need for a final dehydration step. DN scaffolds were then tested for electrical impedance and charge density. PEDOT coated DN scaffold materials were also implanted as 15-20mm peripheral nerve grafts. Measurement of in-situ nerve conduction immediately followed grafting. DN showed significant improvements in impedance for dehydrated and hydrated, DN, polymerized with moderate and low PEDOT concentrations when they were compared with DN alone (a≤ 0.05). These measurements were equivalent to those for DN with maximal PEDOT concentrations. In-situ, nerve conduction measurements demonstrated that DN alone is a poor electro-conductor while the addition of PEDOT allows DN scaffold grafts to compare favorably with the “gold standard”, autograft (Table 1). Surgical handling characteristics for conductive hydrated PEDOT DN scaffolds were rated 3 (pliable) while the dehydrated models were rated 1 (very stiff) when compared with autograft ratings of 4 (normal). Low concentrations of PEDOT on DN scaffolds provided significant increases in electro active properties which were comparable to the densest PEDOT coatings. DN pliability was closely maintained by continued hydration during PEDOT electrochemical polymerization without compromising electroconductivity.
Gemcitabine and metabolite pharmacokinetics in advanced NSCLC patients after bronchial artery and intravenous infusion.

e21195Background: We investigated the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of gemcitabine administered via bronchial artery infusion (BAI) and IV infusion in advanced NSCLC patients. Methods: Pat...
Homophobia in the hallways: Heterosexism and transphobia in Canadian Catholic schools: Tonya D. Callaghan, Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press, 2018. 264 pp., ISBN 978-1487522674

Stories have the power to provide connection and encourage empathy as well as convey information. Homophobia in the Hallways: Heterosexism and Transphobia in Canadian Catholic Schools by Tonya D. C...
Hemodynamic decompensation in normotensive patients admitted to the ICU with pulmonary embolism.

Abstract Purpose Many normotensive patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) are admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) to monitor for hemodynamic decompensation. We investigated the incidence and causes of early hemodynamic decompensation in normotensive patients admitted to an ICU with PE. Materials and methods This was a single-center, retrospective study of normotensive patients admitted to an ICU with primary diagnosis of PE between 2010 and 2017. The primary outcome was hemodynamic decompensation, defined as need for vasopressors within 48 h of ICU admission. Results Of 293 patients included in the study, hemodynamic decompensation occurred in 8 patients (2.7%). The two most common precipitants of hemodynamic decompensation were acute hemorrhage and PE-related right ventricular dysfunction — each contributing to hemodynamic decompensation in 3 patients. Conclusions Among patients admitted to the ICU with acute normotensive PE, early hemodynamic decompensation was rare. In patients who experienced decompensation, major bleeding and thrombotic complications were equally likely to have been the precipitant— highlighting the risks of diagnostic anchoring in this population. As our results suggest that ICU-level care may not be necessary for many of these patients, additional tools are needed to assist in the triage of normotensive patients with PE.
Comprehensive experimental characterization of violin vibration and radiation dynamics

Measuring only violin radiation cannot remove ambiguities in resonance peak identification arising from various minor substructure couplings, or whether the radiation arose from the f-holes or surfaces. Measuring only vibrations gives no clue as to how well each mode radiates or even how the vibrational energy was dissipated. To put these into a structural acoustics milieu, comprehensive measurements of all the violin’s energy loss paths were essential. To accomplish this a wide range of calibrated transducers (accelerometers, multiple microphones, near- and far-field microphone arrays, scanning laser vibrometers) were used in a wide range of experiments: cavity mode analysis using interior microphones; interior gas-exchange; EMA on a violin with and without a soundpost; waterfill experiments on a rigid violin-shaped cavity; automated zero-mass-loading, surface-normal (and 3-D) scanning laser EMA on violins supported in a near-zero-damping support fixture; automated far-field radiation measurements over a sphere in an anechoic chamber; bridge tuning effects; near-field acoustical holography over the f -holes. Each technique had limitations, some severe. Some experiments were “table top”; some required expensive associated facilities like an anechoic chamber. Costs of transducers and power-amplifier-control electronics, computer-based acquisition hardware/software varied dramatically; most operational problems occurred in the computer-based data acquisition/analysis systems.
Abstract P216: Co-ingestion of Dietary Nitrate and Caffeine Elevates Submaximal Oxygen Consumption and Oxygen-pulse Compared to Nitrate or Caffeine Alone

Introduction: Previous studies have examined dietary nitrate's and caffeine’s combined effects on time-trial and peak power output with caffeine improving performance while nitrate exhibits no addi...
Seasonal shifts in activity timing reduce heat loss of small mammals during winter

All activity imposes costs, but animals can often alter the timing of their activity to reduce these costs. Metabolic costs of activity are especially high during seasons of energy deficits (such as winter), but the extent to which animals can adjust their activity timing to reduce metabolic costs is unclear. Here, we test the hypothesis that the timing of small mammal activity during winter minimizes heat loss. Using motion-activated cameras deployed under snow, we show that a widely distributed nocturnal small mammal species (white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus) shifted to diurnal activity in early winter, which reduced potential heat loss by 4%. The southern red-backed vole, Myodes gapperi, also avoided cold temperatures, but did so by adjusting its activity timing at a broader temporal scale by minimizing activity on cold days. We conclude that plasticity in activity timing – at both 24 h and multiday temporal scales – is an important means of conserving energy during winter and may need to be accounted for when forecasting species distributions, abundances and interactions.
COVID-19 and Kidney Disease: Molecular Determinants and Clinical Implications in Renal Cancer.

Abstract Context The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic that erupted in December 2019 has affected more than a million people from over 200 countries, claiming over 70 000 lives (by April 7, 2020). As the viral infection is driven by increased angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) expression, with the kidney exhibiting the highest expression, it is crucial to gain insights into the mechanisms underlying renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Objective This study considers up-to-date information on the biological determinants shared by COVID-19 and renal disease, and aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for the clinical management of RCC patients with COVID-19. Evidence acquisition A literature search was performed using all sources (MEDLINE, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Libraries, and Web of Science). As of March 31, 2020, the Center for Disease Control reported that of the adults hospitalized for COVID-19 with underlying conditions in the USA, 74.8% had chronic renal disease. Evidence synthesis Evidence is discussed from epidemiological studies on SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and molecular studies on the role of kidney in facilitating routes for SARS-CoV-2 entry, leading to increased virulence of SARS-CoV-2 and clinical manifestation of symptoms in RCC. Conclusions This analysis will advance our understanding of (1) the molecular signatures shared by RCC and COVID-19 and (2) the clinical implications of overlapping signaling pathways in the therapeutic management of RCC and COVID-19 patients. Patient summary Amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma and infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may receive complimentary treatment modalities to enhance therapeutic response.
A Heuristic to Create Prosumer Community Groups in the Social Internet of Energy

Contrary to the rapid evolution experienced in the last decade of Information and Communication Technologies and particularly the Internet of Things, electric power distribution systems have remained exceptionally steady for a long time. Energy users are no longer passive actors; the prosumer is expected to be the primary agent in the Future Grid. Demand Side Management refers to the management of energy production and consumption at the demand side, and there seems to be an increasing concern about the scalability of Demand Side Management services. The creation of prosumer communities leveraging the Smart Grid to improve energy production and consumption patterns has been proposed in the literature, and several works concerned with scalability of Demand Side Management services group prosumers to improve Demand Side Management services scalability. In our previous work, we coin the term Social Internet of Energy to refer to the integration between devices, prosumers and groups of prosumers via social relationships. In this work, we develop an algorithm to coordinate the different clusters we create using the clustering method by load profile compatibility (instead of similarity). Our objective is to explore the possibilities of the cluster-by-compatibility heuristic we proposed in our previous work. We perform experiments using synthetic and real datasets. Results show that we can obtain a global reduction in Peak-to-Average Ratio with datasets containing up to 200 rosumers and creating up to 6 Prosumer Community Groups, and imply that those Prosumer Community Groups can perform load rescheduling semi-autonomously and in parallel with each other.
Abstract #2061: Green tea health benefits and costs_It's about finding balance

Green tea is a known chemopreventive agent that has the beneficial effects of inhibiting metastasis and cancer progression. It also inhibits angiogenesis, which is necessary for tumor growth. Additionally, green tea has even found use as a weight loss supplement. On the other hand, green tea is found to be hepatotoxic and shown to inhibit open wound healing at high concentrations. This study seeks to understand the balance between the benefits and the deleterious effects of green tea. Green tea contains beneficial flavonoids that act as strong antioxidants. Using the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) Assay, which measures the ability of a substance to prevent oxidation of a fluorescent species, we found that green tea has a Trolox equivalent (TE) of 2120 umol Trolox/uL whole green tea. Black tea and white tea were measured at 2108 and 2106 TE, respectively (Trolox ® = 6-Hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic Acid). We also treated human Burkitt\#8217;s lymphoma cells with green tea, black tea, and white tea in a 1:10 dilution. The results demonstrated an inhibition of cell growth by 43%, 40%, and 32%, respectively. Further research is ongoing to determine the effect on immune function of the respective teas. It has been suggested that a constituent of green tea, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), is one of the most potent antioxidant species found in green tea. Indeed, analysis with the ORAC Assay demonstrates that EGCG accounts for 50% of the antioxidant capacity of whole green tea, having an ORAC value of 13,700 umol Trolox ®/g of EGCG in solution. However, using a modified Alkaline Comet Assay that accurately measures DNA damage, our research shows that treatment of naked Jurkat cell DNA treated for 120 minutes with a physiological concentration of EGCG of 0.3 uM causes DNA damage. The Comet Assay resulted in a tail profile of greater than .20 compared to the untreated control cells that had a tail profile of 0.05. The tail profile is the ratio between the tail intensity and the total comet intensity; the larger the tail intensity the greater the DNA damage and the closer the ratio moves to one. Our data confirms results found by Johnson and Loo (2000), who showed that high concentrations of EGCG damage DNA of Jurkat cells treated whole at a concentration of 100 uM EGCG. This suggests that naked DNA is highly sensitive to damage by EGCG. These results confirm previous findings and suggest a mechanism whereby the components of green tea, namely EGCG, can cause DNA damage, thus leading to increased mutation rates and ultimately cancer. We conclude that green tea is best if taken in moderation. Low concentrations are shown to be highly beneficial, however, if ingested in large or concentrated amounts green tea can do more harm than benefit. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 2061.
Dissociation of IR22 IgA myeloma protein during hepatobiliary transfer after thermal injury in the rat

The 90% decrease in biliary secretory IgA content observed after thermal injury in the rat [1] may relate in part to a decrease in supply of polymeric IgA (p-IgA) to the hepatocyte or to a decrease in hepatocyte transfer of p-IgA into bile. In this study, we examined the transfer of 125I-p-IgA into bile after thermal injury.
Pastoralist violence in North and West Africa

This study examines the geographical and temporal evolution of violence in which pastoralists are engaged. Building upon an analysis of over 36,000 violent events in North and West Africa between January 1997 and April 2020 in which 206 pastoralist groups were involved, this paper provides a regional report on wider patterns of pastoralist violence over the last two decades. Pastoralist violence has both expanded and intensified in the region, as is evidenced by the rapid increase in number of events and fatalities over the past decade. A comprehensive understanding of pastoralists’ roles in this violence is thus crucial to facilitating more effective polices towards sustainable peace.
Lack of agency and sexual behaviors among married women: a study of population-based HIV impact assessment (PHIA) surveys in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia

# Background Educational campaigns to prevent HIV/AIDS have shown mixed success in Africa. We hypothesized that women’s lack of agency in decision-making and taking discernible actions reduces the beneficial impact of HIV-related knowledge. # Methods We used data from Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (PHIA) surveys in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia. A subsample of surveys that were completed by married adult women were selected for the HIV knowledge module which included responses for household decision-making questions. We created a binary variable for agency (ability to participate in decision-making about household matters, health, and sex), and scalar variables for HIV-related knowledge and sexual behaviors. We used regression analysis using survey weights with the behaviors as dependent variables. # Results We pooled survey results from 16,822 women (63% from Tanzania, 19% from Malawi and 18% from Zambia). Altogether, 13.5% of women (17% of those 15-24 years old) exhibited poor agency. Those with a higher degree of agency had higher education, were working, and were wealthier. Women lacking agency were significantly less likely to use condoms (4.7% vs. 6.2%, *P*=0.022). Approximately 95% reported having a single partner over past 12 months, while Zambian women with no agency showed significantly lower rate of 92% (odds ratio, OR=0.66, 95% confidence interval, CI=0.45-0.95, *P*=0.027). The rate of HIV testing across the three countries was 83%-92%. In Tanzania, presence of good knowledge and agency together increased the odds of HIV testing by 60% (interaction term). However, among those with good knowledge yet reporting poor agency, the likelihood of HIV testing decreased by 65%, nullifying knowledge impact. We did not observe similar associations in Malawi. Among women with poor knowledge, lack of agency reduced the odds of condom use by 50% compared to those with agency. Alternatively, for women who exhibited good knowledge without agency, the odds of condom use was more than double compared to women with some agency (OR=2.14, 95% CI=1.07-4.27, *P*=0.032)). # Conclusions We detected a moderating effect for agency on knowledge-driven behavior. Results on different behaviors and across individual countries are mixed and suggest caution to derive definitive conclusions. Despite limitations, these findings indicate that policies that increase women’s agency may help anti-HIV programs’ success.
The Relationship between Pain and Psychological Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Is Social Technology Use Protective?

Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting shelter-in-place orders have profoundly changed the everyday social environment. This study examines the relationship between pain and psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and loneliness) among US adults ages 54+ during the pandemic. We also test whether use of technology for social purposes moderates the association between pain severity and psychological distress. Methods Using cross-sectional data on 1,014 adults ages 54 + (pain-free, n = 637; mild pain, n = 106; moderate pain, n = 227; and severe pain, n = 64) from the 2020 Health and Retirement Study COVID-19 Project (Early, Version 1.0), we conducted regression analyses to test the association between pain severity and psychological outcomes, and to assess social technology use frequency as a moderator. Results Compared to their pain-free peers, participants with mild-to-moderate pain reported more depressive symptoms and greater loneliness; those with severe pain reported higher levels of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Social technology use was associated with lower levels of depression and loneliness. However, interaction analyses show that social technology use predicted an increase in depression for individuals with pain, but a decrease in depression among pain-free individuals. For anxiety and loneliness, no significant effects of social technology use were observed. Conclusion Older adults with pain are at high risk of depression, anxiety, and loneliness during the pandemic. Although social technologies have become a common alternative to face-to-face interactions during the COVID-19 crisis, and overall they can provide mental health benefits, our results suggest that social technologies can be detrimental to psychological well-being among people with pain. These findings can inform technology-based interventions aiming to promote well-being among older adults with pain.
Distress disorder histories predict HRV trajectories during and after stress.

Abstract Background Breast cancer survivors face a number of physical health threats including cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death among breast cancer survivors. Low heart rate variability (HRV) represents one well-established risk factor for poor cardiovascular health. Among physically healthy adults and breast cancer survivors, distress disorders may contribute to lower HRV, enhancing morbidity and mortality. This study examined how a distress disorder history altered survivors’ HRV trajectories during and after an experimental stressor. Methods Breast cancer survivors (n = 178; mean age = 51.22) who finished treatment for stages 0-IIIa cancer within the past two years completed a diagnostic interview assessing lifetime presence of psychological disorders. They also participated in a Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). HRV data provided information on survivors’ cardiovascular responses at baseline, during the TSST, and during recovery. HRV recovery data at 45 minutes and 120 minutes post-TSST was also collected. Survivors also completed questionnaires before and after the TSST assessing task performance, stress levels, ability to cope, and hopelessness. Covariates included body mass index, age, cancer stage, cardiovascular medications, exercise, menopause status, fatigue, current depressive and anxiety symptoms, and physical comorbidities. Results Women with a distress disorder history had significantly lower HRV before, during, and after the TSST compared to women without such a history. Survivors with distress disorders found the TSST to be more threatening, and reported feeling less control over their performance than those without distress disorders. Conclusions Breast cancer survivors with a distress disorder history may have lower autonomic flexibility before, during, and after stress exposure. Distress disorder histories also heighten several stress-related risk perceptions leading up to and following the TSST. These findings highlight distress disorder histories as a unique correlate of poorer cardiovascular function among survivors.
An avian retrovirus expressing chicken pp59c-myc possesses weak transforming activity distinct from v-myc that may be modulated by adjacent normal cell neighbors.

We demonstrate that EF168, an avian retrovirus that expresses the chicken pp59c-myc proto-oncogene, transforms quail embryo fibroblasts in vitro. An EF168-transformed quail clone, EF168-28, containing a single provirus, synthesizes several hundred copies of c-myc RNA and expresses elevated levels of the pp59c-myc gene product. The EF168 provirus in EF168-28 was isolated as a molecular clone, and the nucleotide sequence of its c-myc allele was confirmed as identical to that of exons 2 and 3 of the chicken c-myc proto-oncogene. Extended infection of quail embryo fibroblast cultures with EF168 induced a number of in vitro transformation-associated parameters similar to those elicited by the oncogenic v-myc-encoding retrovirus MC29, including alteration of cellular morphology, anchorage-independent growth, and induction of immortalized cell lines. Despite the fact that EF168 and MC29 shared these biological activities, further analysis revealed that EF168 initiated transformation in quail embryo fibroblasts, bone marrow, or adherent peripheral blood cultures 100- to 1,000-fold less efficiently than did MC29. Further, in contrast to MC29-induced foci, EF168 foci were smaller, morphologically diffuse, and less prominent. Analysis of newly infected cells demonstrated efficient expression of EF168 viral RNA in the absence of transformation. These differences suggest that while the pp59v-myc gene product can exert dominant transforming activity on quail embryo fibroblasts, its ability to initiate transformation is distinct from that of the pp110gag-v-myc gene product encoded by MC29 and may be suppressed by adjacent nontransformed cell neighbors. Images
Primacy of Flexor Locomotor Pattern Revealed by Ancestral Reversion of Motor Neuron Identity

Spinal circuits can generate locomotor output in the absence of sensory or descending input, but the principles of locomotor circuit organization remain unclear. We sought insight into these principles by considering the elaboration of locomotor circuits across evolution. The identity of limb-innervating motor neurons was reverted to a state resembling that of motor neurons that direct undulatory swimming in primitive aquatic vertebrates, permitting assessment of the role of motor neuron identity in determining locomotor pattern. Two-photon imaging was coupled with spike inference to measure locomotor firing in hundreds of motor neurons in isolated mouse spinal cords. In wild-type preparations, we observed sequential recruitment of motor neurons innervating flexor muscles controlling progressively more distal joints. Strikingly, after reversion of motor neuron identity, virtually all firing patterns became distinctly flexor like. Our findings show that motor neuron identity directs locomotor circuit wiring and indicate the evolutionary primacy of flexor pattern generation.
Myeloid dendritic cells maintain Th17 lymphocyte responses during the obstructive phase of experimental biliary atresia (IRC10P.471)

Biliary atresia (BA) is a fibro-inflammatory obstruction of the extrahepatic biliary tree in newborns. It leads to rapid biliary fibrosis and is the most common indication for pediatric liver transplantation. In a model of rhesus rotavirus (RRV)-induced murine BA, plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DC) initiate NK-cell mediated hepatobiliary injury at 3 days post infection (dpi). We hypothesize that myeloid (m)DC coordinate T-cell driven injury during the later obstructive phase of BA. Following RRV injection into CD11c-DTR GFP pups on day 1 of life, frequency of hepatic DC increased 6fold at 12dpi compared with non-infected controls. Expansion of mDCs was accompanied by accumulation of activated CD4 cells in the liver. Plasma IL17A/F levels were increased at 8 and 12dpi (p<0.01) and hepatic IL17A mRNA increased 9fold between 8 and 12dpi. In vitro coculture of DC from 12dpi pups with naive CD4 cells induced IL17A/6 production. DC-depletion following RRV infection with diphtheria toxin reduced the number of hepatic CD4 cells by 3fold which was associated with 2fold decrease in hepatic IL17A mRNA expression and plasma Th17-associated cytokine levels (IL-17F/6) at 12dpi. Importantly, diminished Th17 responses correlated with reduced plasma total bilirubin levels (6.1 vs 11.3mg/dL in control; p<0.01), a biomarker for biliary obstruction. We conclude that mDC maintain hepatic Th17 responses and regulate cholestatic liver injury during the obstructive phase of experimental BA.