cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Growth Regulated Oncogene (GRO-α) Is Pivotal in Thrombin-Induced Angiogenesis.

The mechanism of thrombin-induced angiogenesis is poorly understood. Using a gene chip array to investigate the pro-malignant phenotype of thrombin-stimulated cells we observed that thrombin (0.5–1 u/ml/24 hr) upregulates GRO-α 168 fold in an undifferentiated mouse cell line (UMCL). Thrombin-induced GRO-α upregulation was also observed in several tumor cell lines [murine B16F10 melanoma and 4T1 breast CA, human DU145 and PC3 prostate CA, human MCF7 breast CA, as well as human umbilical vein (HUVEC) and brain microvascular endothelial cells] by mRNA and protein analysis. Thrombin enhanced the secretion of GRO-α from PC3 and MCF7 cells 25–64 fold at 24 hrs. GRO-α is a CXC chemokine oncogene that binds to a seven transmembrane receptor, CXCR2 and enhances growth, chemotaxis and metastasis of several tumor cell lines. GRO-α induced metastasis is associated with increased angiogenesis. To obtain a better understanding of neoangiogenesis mechanisms involved in the thrombin-stimulated malignant phenotype we examined the effect of anti-GRO-α Ab on thrombin-induced angiogenesis in the CAM assay at 72 hrs. GRO-α (5ug/egg/day) enhanced angiogenesis 2.2 fold (n=19, p=0.005), providing direct evidence for GRO-α as an angiogenic growth factor. Thrombin also enhanced angiogenesis 2.7 fold (n=9, p=0.01), however, anti-GRO-α Ab inhibited thrombin-induced angiogenesis to basal control levels whereas IgG control Ab had no effect (n=9). Similar results were obtained with an endothelial (HUVEC) cord formation assay in matrigel. Thrombin-induced cord formation increased 1.5 fold (n=20, p 2-4 fold) KDR, Ang-2, MMP-1, MMP-2, CXCR2 and CD31 (angiogenesis marker) protein compared to control cells (n=3). Similar upregulation of GRO-α was also noted in tumor cells (PC3, B16F10 and 4T1 cells) (n=3). All of the thrombin/TRAP gene upregulations were completely inhibited by anti-GRO-α Ab and unaffected by irrelevant Ab-treated cells (n=3). bFGF and VEGF had no effect on upregulation of GRO-α (immunoblot) yet they upregulated other vascular growth factors, demonstrating specificity for thrombin. Similar inhibition of thrombin upregulation of vascular growth factors was noted in siRNA GRO-α knock down (KD) HUVEC as well as 4T1 and B16F10 cells. In vivo tumor growth studies in wild-type mice injected with subcutaneous GRO-α KD 4T1 cells revealed 2-4 fold impaired tumor growth, spontaneous metastasis and angiogenesis which was not affected by endogenous thrombin (hirudin treatment). Thus thrombin-induced angiogenesis requires the upregulation of GRO-α. Thrombin upregulation of GRO-α in tumor cells as well as endothelial cells, contributes to tumor angiogenesis.
Coronary bypass versus percutaneous intervention: sex matters. The impact of gender on long-term outcomes of coronary revascularization.

Objectives Women have a higher mortality than men following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The influence of patient sex on outcomes of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) is controversial. Since patient selection for randomized clinical trials may not reflect clinical practice, we investigated the impact of sex on outcomes of CABG versus PCI in a comprehensive registry of coronary revascularization (CR). Methods All patients undergoing CR in a network of eight community hospitals were enrolled. Follow-up was obtained after 5 years (median, 79.7 months). ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MI) patients were excluded. Propensity-score matching accounted for differences between groups. Results There were 2162 men (673 CABG, 1489 PCI) and 991 women (294 CABG, 697 PCI). Survival free from major adverse cardiac events (MACE)-all cause mortality, nonfatal MI, re-intervention at 5 years for PCI versus CABG was 77.1 +/- 1.1 vs. 83.1 +/- 1.5, hazard ratio (HR) 0.588 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.491-0.704; P < 0.001) for men, but 75.0 +/- 1.6 vs. 74.5 ± 2.5, HR 0.869 (95% CI: 0.687-1.100; P = 0.24) for women. After matching, MACE-free survival for men remained significantly different, 69.5 +/- 2.2 vs. 79.5 +/- 2.0, HR 0.548 (95% CI: 0.424-0.682; P < 0.001) but not for women, 68.1 +/- 3.4 vs. 69.4 +/- 3.4, HR 0.752 (95% CI: 0.540-1.049; P = 0.093). Conclusions In a 'real world' unselected cohort of CR patients, men enjoy improved survival and reduced MACE with CABG versus PCI. Outcomes for women are worse than for men and are equivalent with either procedure, emphasizing importance of accounting for sex in assessing outcomes of comparative CR procedures.
Utilizing Paper‐Based Devices for Antimicrobial‐Resistant Bacteria Detection

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the ability of a bacterial species to resist the action of an antimicrobial drug, has been on the rise due to the widespread use of antimicrobial agents. Per the World Health Organization, AMR has an estimated annual cost of USD 34 billion in the US and is predicted to be the number one cause of death worldwide by 2050. One way AMR bacteria can spread, and by which individuals can contract AMR infections, is through contaminated water. Monitoring AMR bacteria in the environment currently requires that samples be transported to a central laboratory for slow and labor intensive tests. We have developed an inexpensive assay using paper-based analytical devices (PADs) that can test for the presence of β-lactamase-mediated resistance. To demonstrate viability, the PAD was used to detect β-lactam resistance in wastewater and sewage and identified resistance in individual bacterial species isolated from environmental water sources.
Obama and the World: Cuba, International Politics, and the Impact and Potential Legacy of the Obama Presidency

One cannot grasp eight years of a historic presidency in eight minutes of talk. It’s like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. Still... At the equivalent point on the 8th year of his presidency eight years ago, on a farewell visit to Baghdad, President George W. Bush had two shoes thrown at him by an indignant Iraqi journalist—a symbolic act applauded around the world (which also made a fortune for the Turkish maker of those shoes, the demand for which went through the roof). President Barack Obama, by contrast, on a recent farewell visit to Canada, was applauded by its Parliament, who chanted in wishful unison: “four more years!” Back then Bush’s approval rating was in the low 30s; Obama’s is now in the 50s. Just as Obama benefited by the contrast to the global calamity that was the presidency of his predecessor, so now he rises in comparison to his would-be successor, a man whose campaign of fear and loathing has in turn generated fear and loathing among many around the world, astonished by the rise of a figure unabashedly unleashing such nativist, racist, and fascist impulses: the anti-Obama, the leading “birther” who sought incessantly for years to delegitimize him. Poetic justice: The rise of Trump has led to the revival of Obama (and possibly, when all is said and done, to the reviling of Trump). In 2008 Obama’s election was met by global elation—people from Sierra Leone to Cuba danced in the streets; and if the world could have voted, Obama would have won in a worldwide landslide, 3 to 1. The global expectations were so high that just months into his first year in office he was prematurely bestowed the Nobel Peace Prize—a grand projection of the hopes of others for the possibilities he might bring to a world ensnared by war and intractable conflicts. But today we are not “grading on a curve” in this preliminary appraisal of President Obama’s potential legacy, focusing on his impact on international relations, with particular emphasis on his reset of US-Cuba relations. Setting aside the subjective mood of “then,” what is to be made of the objective residue of “now,” looking forward?
The Role of Sampling in Mixed Methods-Research

The purpose of this article is to emphasize the importance of sampling in all mixed methods research studies. Effective meaning making in mixed methods research studies is very much dependent on the quality of inferences that emerge, which, in turn, is dependent on the quality of the underlying sampling design. Further, these inferences are only of a quality nature if interpretive consistency occurs, which represents the justifiableness of the type of generalization made, given the sampling design. In an earlier work, we identified six sampling-based considerations that all mixed methods researchers should make at the four broad stages (i. e., research conceptualization, research planning, research implementation, and research dissemination stages) of the mixed methods research process: emtic orientation, probabilistic orientation, abductive orientation, intrinsic versus instrumental orientation, particularistic versus universalistic orientation, and philosophical clarity. Building on this six-element framework, we outline how focusing on sampling considerations at the four stages of the mixed methods research process, which includes the dissemination stage of reporting the mixed methods research findings to stakeholders, enhances significantly the process of meaning making. We believe that addressing these sampling considerations at each of these stages will increase the likelihood that the mixed methods researcher will uphold interpretive consistency during the meaning-making process.
Efficacy of intravenous tigecycline in patients with Acinetobacter complex infections: results from 14 Phase III and Phase IV clinical trials.

Background Acinetobacter infections, especially multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter infections, are a global health problem. This study aimed to describe clinical outcomes in patients with confirmed Acinetobacter spp. isolates who were treated with tigecycline in randomized clinical trials. Materials and methods Data from 14 multinational, randomized (open-label or double-blind), and active-controlled (except one) Phase III and IV studies were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results A total of 174 microbiologically evaluable patients with Acinetobacter spp. infections (including MDR infections) were identified, and 95 received tigecycline to treat community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), diabetic foot infections (DFIs), hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs), infections with resistant pathogens (RPs), or complicated skin and skin-structure infections. The rate of cure of tigecycline for most indications was 70%-80%, with the highest (88.2%) in cIAIs. The rate of cure of the comparators was generally higher than tigecycline, but within each indication the 95% CIs for clinical cure for each treatment group overlapped. For most Acinetobacter isolates, the minimum inhibitory concentration of tigecycline was 0.12-2 μg/mL, with seven at 4 μg/mL and one at 8 μg/mL. The cure rate by tigecycline was 50% (95% CI 12.5%-87.5% in CAP) to 88.2% (95% CI 66.2%-97.1% in cIAIs) for all Acinetobacter, and 72.7% (95% CI 54.5%-93.2% in HAP) to 100% (95% CI 25%-100.0% in cIAIs) for MDR Acinetobacter. For the comparators, it was 83.8% (95% CI 62.8%-95.9% in HAP) to 100% (95% CI 75%-100% in cIAIs and 25%-100.0% in RPs) and 88% (95% CI 66%-97% in HAP) to 100% (95% CI 25%-100% in cIAIs and 75%-100% in DFIs), respectively. Conclusion These findings suggest that with appropriate monitoring, tigecycline may be a useful consideration for Acinetobacter infections alone or in combination with other anti-infective agents when other therapies are not suitable.
Extended Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma

Ultrasound has revolutionized our ability to rapidly and noninvasively assess for life-threatening injuries requiring operative intervention in patients who have sustained blunt or penetrating trauma. The Extended Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma, or the EFAST exam, allows physicians to look inside the abdomen to assess for hemorrhage, the heart for pericardial effusion or tamponade, and the lungs for pneumo- or hemothorax. In an unstable trauma patient, the EFAST exam will help determine proper disposition including immediate operative intervention vs. further workup such as with computed tomography imaging. This chapter will review indications for performing an EFAST exam, basic anatomy, image acquisition, normal ultrasound anatomy, and interpretation of EFAST pathology.
Arceuthobium tsugense (Viscaceae): Four subspecies with contrasting morphologies and host distributions

There have been four subspecies of hemlock dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium tsugense: Viscaceae) described by various investigators of this complex group of parasitic flowering plants: subsp. tsugense, subsp. amabilae, subsp. contortae, and subsp. mertensianae. As suggested by their subspecific epithets, these taxa differ in their host affinities; parasitizing different and the same hosts to varying degrees. Although these taxa also have morphological differences, their classifica-tion has been under debate for many years. Therefore, we compared the morphological characteristics of each subspecies using both univariate and multivariate statistical analyses in order to better assess their differences. Because some investigators have grouped hemlock dwarf mistletoe with western dwarf mistletoe (A. campylopodum), we also compared the subspecies of hemlock dwarf mistletoe with western dwarf mistletoe. Our morphometric analyses demonstrated that all of the subspecies are morphologically distinct from western dwarf mistletoe and that subsp. contortae is the most morphologically differentiated of the subspecies. Overlap in the morphological characters across two of the other three subspecies was evident; yet, subsp. amabilae and subsp. mertensianae were also consistently delimited using female and male plant morphologies. Statistical comparisons of female or male plants via standard and stepwise discriminant function analyses demonstrated that without consideration of host plant, female and male A. tsugense subsp. tsugense are morphologically similar to corresponding plants of subsp. amabilae and mertensianae but not subsp. contortae or A. campylopodum.
Nonoperative management of penetrating abdominal solid organ injuries in children.

BACKGROUND Nonoperative management (NOM) of penetrating solid organ injuries (SOI) has not been well described in the pediatric population. The objective of this study was to characterize the epidemiology, injury patterns, and factors associated with trial and failure of NOM. METHODS This is a retrospective cohort analysis of the National Trauma Data Bank for the period of 2007-2014. The study population included patients ≤18 y with penetrating injury to the liver, spleen, or kidney. NOM was defined as no operative intervention (exploratory laparotomy or operation involving the liver, spleen, or kidney) < 4 h of emergency department arrival. Failed NOM was defined as operative intervention ≥4 h after emergency department arrival. Multivariate logistic regression explored clinical factors potentially associated with trial and failure of NOM. RESULTS Of 943,000 pediatric trauma patients included in the National Trauma Data Bank, 3005 (0.32%) met our inclusion criteria. Median age was 17.0 y; 88.8% were male. Gunshot wounds (GSW) accounted for 71.7% of injury mechanisms and stab wounds accounted for the remaining 28.3%. Median injury severity score was 9 (interquartile range: 5-13). Two thousand one hundred and twenty-one (70.6%) patients sustained kidney injury, 1210 (40.3%) liver injury, and 159 (5.3%) splenic injury. NOM was pursued in 615 (20.5%) patients. Factors significantly associated with immediate operative intervention included GSW, hypotension, and associated hollow viscus injury. Failed NOM was identified in 175 patients (28.5%). Factors significantly associated with failed NOM included GSW, high-grade SOI, and associated hollow viscus injury. Overall mortality was 26 (0.9%). CONCLUSIONS NOM can be safe in a carefully selected group of pediatric patients with penetrating SOI. Future prospective studies are warranted to validate its feasibility.
Discounted optimal growth in the two-sector RSS model: a geometric investigation

This paper initiates a comprehensive investigation of discounted optimal growth in the two-sector RSS model as a specific instance of the general theory of resource allocation associated with Brock, Gale and McKenzie. For an interval of values of a parameter ξ formalizing the marginal technical rate of transformation, under zero consumption, of machines from one period to the next, we show that the optimal policy in the discounted case remains identical to that in the undiscounted case irrespective of the discount factor. For two particular cases of ξ outside the said interval, we give a complete characterization of the optimal policy function, and of a variety of subsets that extend the facet notions formulated by McKenzie. Methodologically, this essay is a further rehabilitation of the geometric apparatus introduced by the authors for the undiscounted case.
Temporal Representations of Citations for Understanding the Changing Roles of Scientific Publications

Researchers may describe different aspects of past scientific publications in their publications and the descriptions may keep changing in the evolution of science. The diverse and changing descriptions (i.e., citation context) on a publication characterize the impact and contributions of the past publication. In this article, we aim to provide an approach to understanding the changing roles of a publication characterized by its citation context in the full text of publications. We proposed approaches for representing the changing citation context of cited publications in different periods as sequences of vectors by training temporal embedding models. We can utilize the temporal representations to quantify how much the roles of publications changed and interpret how they changed. We also evaluated the performance of three ways of constructing citation context for representation learning. Our study in the biomedical domain shows that our metric on the changes of publication roles is stable at the population level but it can account for the variation of individual publications.
Conducting high-quality research in cardiothoracic surgical education: Recommendations from the Thoracic Education Cooperative Group

Abstract Objective There is a clear need for improved quality of research publications in the area of cardiothoracic surgical education. With the goals of enhancing the power, rigor, and strength of educational investigations, the Thoracic Education Cooperative Group seeks to outline key concepts in successfully conducting such research. Methods Literature and established guidelines for conduct of research in surgical education were reviewed, and recommendations were developed for investigators in thoracic surgical education. Results Key steps in educational research are highlighted and discussed with regard to their application to cardiothoracic surgical education. Specifically, advice is provided in terms of developing a research question, educational methodology, ethical issues, and handling power and sample sizes. Additional caveats of educational research that are addressed include aspects of validity, survey conduct, and simulation research. Conclusions Educational research can serve to enhance the practices and careers of current trainees, our scientific community, and thoracic surgical educators. To optimize the quality of such educational research, it is imperative that teachers, innovators, and contributors to academic scholarship in our field familiarize themselves with key steps in conducting educational studies.
Denitrification Rates Across a Temperate North Pacific Estuary, Yaquina Bay, Oregon

The extent and temporal variability of denitrification activity was measured in Yaquina Bay, Oregon, over a year using sediment cores collected approximately monthly from August 2003 through August 2004. Denitrification rates in sediments from a marine-dominated intertidal sand flat near the mouth of the estuary averaged 0.181 ± 0.114 mmol N m−2 day−1, whereas sediments within the estuary and river averaged 0.626 ± 0.141 mmol N m−2 day−1. Sediments from all sites had denitrification rates throughout the year that were within the values reported for other temperate estuaries. Denitrification rates decreased with depth from 0.4 mmol N m−2 day−1 in the upper 2 to 5 cm of sediment to 0.006 mmol N m−2 day−1 at 28 cm sediment depth, indicating that denitrification was greatest in the upper 5 cm. Denitrification rates were lowest in areas with low sediment carbon content, particularly in the sandy intertidal areas at the mouth of the estuary. The results suggested that denitrification rates in this estuary were influenced by the availability of organic carbon (r2 = 0.84). Denitrification removed an estimated 8.7% of the annual Yaquina River nitrate load for August 2003 through August 2004. The relatively low percent lost via denitrification may be due to high river discharge during winter storm events when the nitrate load was greatest and dissolved nitrogen was exported directly from the estuary into the Pacific Ocean. For this reason, a direct relationship between denitrification rate and nitrate concentrations in the overlying water column was not observed. Carbon isotopic data used to investigate the carbon source indicated that δ13C increased from − 27 ‰ in the freshwater river sediments to − 21.5 ‰ δ13C at the seawater site, reflecting a change from terrestrial plant vegetation in the river to phytoplankton carbon sources at the mouth of the estuary. Similar values for δ13C between suspended and benthic sediments suggested that resuspension and mixing occurred frequently during tidal inflow.
Late-life time-restricted feeding and exercise differentially alter healthspan in obesity.

Aging and obesity increase multimorbidity and disability risk, and determining interventions for reversing healthspan decline is a critical public health priority. Exercise and time-restricted feeding (TRF) benefit multiple health parameters when initiated in early life, but their efficacy and safety when initiated at older ages are uncertain. Here, we tested the effects of exercise versus TRF in diet-induced obese, aged mice from 20 to 24 months of age. We characterized healthspan across key domains: body composition, physical, metabolic, and cardiovascular function, activity of daily living (ADL) behavior, and pathology. We demonstrate that both exercise and TRF improved aspects of body composition. Exercise uniquely benefited physical function, and TRF uniquely benefited metabolism, ADL behavior, and circulating indicators of liver pathology. No adverse outcomes were observed in exercised mice, but in contrast, lean mass and cardiovascular maladaptations were observed following TRF. Through a composite index of benefits and risks, we conclude the net healthspan benefits afforded by exercise are more favorable than those of TRF. Extrapolating to obese older adults, exercise is a safe and effective option for healthspan improvement, but additional comprehensive studies are warranted before recommending TRF.
Gradual divergence and diversification of mammalian duplicate gene functions

Gene duplication provides raw material for the evolution of functional innovation. We recently developed a phylogenetic method to classify the evolutionary processes underlying the retention and functional evolution of duplicate genes by quantifying divergence of their gene expression profiles. Here, we apply our method to pairs of duplicate genes in eight mammalian genomes, using data from 11 distinct tissues to construct spatial gene expression profiles. We find that young mammalian duplicates are often functionally conserved, and that functional divergence gradually increases with evolutionary distance between species. Examination of expression patterns in genes with conserved and new functions supports the ?out-of-testes? hypothesis, in which new genes arise with testis-specific functions and acquire functions in other tissues over time. While new functions tend to be tissue-specific, there is no bias toward expression in any particular tissue. Thus, duplicate genes acquire a diversity of functions outside of the testes, possibly contributing to the origin of a multitude of complex phenotypes during mammalian evolution.
Fog Resource Provisioning in Reliability-Aware IoT Networks

To provide a better quality of service (QoS), cloud computing paradigm in Internet of Things (IoT) networks has shifted toward the edge. Fog-aided IoT networks deploy fog nodes, which are equipped with computing and storage resources, at the network edge to take over the deadline-driven computing tasks from IoT devices. In the fog node, where multiple virtual machines (VMs) can be rented to process the tasks, fog provisioning is to determine which VM should be rented and how to distribute different tasks to VMs in order to minimize the system cost (i.e., VM rentals). On the other hand, VMs may fail and lead to QoS degradation. Hence, reliability of VMs should also be considered when addressing the fog resource provisioning problem. To improve reliability, more VMs should be rented to satisfy the QoS requirement; this leads to higher system cost. Therefore, there is a tradeoff between reliability and the system cost. In this paper, we investigate the tradeoff of maximizing the reliability and minimizing the system cost for fog resource provisioning in IoT networks. An integer linear programming (ILP) problem is formulated but suffers from a high computational complexity. We then design an alternative algorithm to achieve suboptimal solutions with better time efficiency. The simulation results demonstrate the performances of our proposed algorithm.
A Redesign of the Biopsy Scheduling Process: Improving Care through Standardization

Introduction Standardization of work is the method for developing best practices. After the heart transplant team completed a gemba of the current scheduling process, we identified several opportunities for improving how we schedule office visits and endomyocardial biopsies for heart transplant recipients. Hypothesis Developing a standardized process for scheduling office visits and biopsies for heart transplant recipients will result in safe, consistent delivery of care with less rework leading to improved quality of care as well as an increase in patient and staff satisfaction. Our goal is to see a 50% reduction in errors in office visit and biopsy scheduling over the next 6 months. Method We implemented a process which there is a dedicated nurse communicating to the cardiac catheterization laboratory (cath lab) on a weekly basis. A master calendar was created, with dedicated days in the cath lab for transplant recipients. The nurse coordinators add their patients to the master calendar. Every week, two consecutive months of biopsies needed are sent to the cath lab scheduler. The medical assistants also receives information so pre-biopsy clinic visits are scheduled. The central authorization team is made aware and provided the tentative schedule in order for authorization to be obtained for multiple procedures to avoid delays in scheduling the biopsy procedure. In advance, we provide the patients with potential dates of their biopsy procedure. All communication regarding biopsy scheduling and medication adjustments are made in one phone call to patients. Results There was a significant decline in scheduling errors for office visit from 41% to 30% over the last six months. Also we saw a decline in biopsy scheduling errors from 39% to 26%. Table 1. Marked improvement in patient satisfaction was demonstrated by a patient survey. Table 2. Conclusion To deliver safe, reliable, effective care standardization and kaizen (continuous improvement) must occur. Implementation of our new scheduling process has resulted in more timely, efficient, effective and patient-centered care for our transplant patients.
Predicting Malt Fermentability in Malting Barley Breeding Lines

Malt fermentability, along with malt extract, helps determine the amount of malt needed for beer production. While diastatic power (DP) was initially associated with fermentability, it was later de...
Chapter 61 – Withdrawal Seizures

Seizures induced by withdrawal from substances of abuse (i.e., withdrawal-induced seizures) are rooted in pharmacological dependence and often occur in individuals with no previous history of seizures. In the vast majority of reported cases, the seizures are caused by withdrawal from alcohol, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and other sedatives. Withdrawal after chronic use of opioids can also cause seizures. However, withdrawal from the use of stimulants may not directly cause seizures. This chapter describes the procedures for inducing substance of abuse dependence, precipitating withdrawal, eliciting seizures, and discusses the results with respect to the pathophysiology of withdrawal seizures in rodent models.
4.14 – Female Reproductive Toxicology

The mother serves a critical role in reproduction, such that fertility problems in females within a population may have a direct impact on reproductive capabilities in the entire species. Reproductive toxicology involves the study of the effects of xenobiotic agents on the development and reproductive capacity of individuals. All of the important features of female reproductive functions as they are or may be affected by exposure to occupational and environmental toxicants will be addressed in later chapters. The article also provides an overview of the topics that are covered in depth in the articles that follow.
Genetic diagnosis of a newborn with osteogenesis imperfecta by next generation sequencing

对山东大学齐鲁儿童医院收治的1例疑似成骨不全(OI)的新生儿的临床资料进行分析。患儿，女，13 h，身长48 cm，前囟4.0 cm×4.0 cm，颅缝间隙1.0 cm，X线片示左侧股骨骨折，其父有多次骨折病史，其母第1胎因"疑似OI"引产。通过外周血提取患儿及其父母的基因组DNA，采用目标基因捕获和高通量测序技术对患儿进行基因突变分析，并对结果进行Sanger测序验证及生物信息学预测。基因测序显示患儿的COL1A1基因存在c.2461G>A (p.G821S)突变，遗传自父亲。生物信息学预测为致病突变。提示当临床病例疑似OI时，新一代测序技术可提供一个更明确的诊断方向。
FILLED PAUSES ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO CROSS-LANGUAGE PHONETIC INFLUENCE: EVIDENCE FROM AFRIKAANS-SPANISH BILINGUALS

This article investigates the effects of long-term bilingualism on the production of filled pauses (FPs; e.g., uh, um, eh, em) in the speech of Afrikaans-Spanish bilinguals from Patagonia, Argentina. The instrumental analysis draws from a corpus of sociolinguistic interviews obtained from three speaker groups: L1-Afrikaans/L2-Spanish bilinguals; L1-Spanish-comparison speakers, also from Patagonia; and L1-Afrikaans-comparison speakers from South Africa. In the data analysis, we examined relative FP usage (categorical outcomes), as well as phonetic measures of vowel quality and segmental duration (continuous outcomes). The results allude to multiple patterns of cross-language influence (e.g., L1-to-L2 influence, L2-to-L1 influence, bidirectional influence), which depend on the phonetic measure explored. Overall, the findings suggest that the patterns of cross-language phonetic influence observed in the L2 learning of traditionally understood lexical items likewise hold in the L2 learning of hesitation markers such as FPs.
Effects of a mixed-subsistence diet on the growth of Hadza children.

INTRODUCTION We investigated the preliminary effects of dietary changes on the anthropometric measurements of child and adolescent Hadza foragers. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study comparing height and weight of participants (aged 0-17 years) at two time points, 2005 (n = 195) and 2017 (n = 52), from two locations: semi-nomadic "bush camps" and sedentary "village camps". World Health Organization (WHO) calculators were used to generate standardized z-scores for weight-for-height (WHZ), weight-for-age (WAZ), height-for-age (HAZ), and BMI-for-age (BMIFAZ). Cross tabulations were constructed for each measurement variable as a function of z-score categories and the variables year, location, and sex. RESULTS Residency in a village, and associated mixed-subsistence diet, was associated with favorable growth, including greater WAZ (P < .001), HAZ (P < .001), and BMIFAZ (P = .004), but not WHZ (P = .717). Regardless of residency location, participants showed an improved WAZ (P = .021) and HAZ (P < .001) in the 2017 study year. We found no sex differences. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION These preliminary findings suggest that a mixed-subsistence diet may confer advantages over an exclusive wild food diet, a trend also reported among other transitioning foragers.
The state of the journal: the Journal of the Medical Library Association in 2020

As the premier journal in health sciences librarianship, the Journal of the Medical Library Association ( JMLA ) continuously strives to publish high-quality work that advances research and practice and to provide irreplaceable value for readers, authors, and reviewers. This editorial reflects on the state of JMLA in 2020 by describing our editorial team and volume of submissions, highlighting recent initiatives that strengthen the journal’s position in the profession, and sharing future plans to enrich JMLA ’s content and promote open science. Committed to ending structural racism and other inequities in the field, we also issue an ongoing call for submissions pertaining to social justice and critical perspectives on health sciences librarianship.
Reflections on the HIV/AIDS Crisis, COVID-19, and Resilience in Gay Men: Ghosts of Our Past, Demons of Our Present

The COVID-19 pandemic has radical implications for how we perceive our environment. Worldwide, people have been asked or required to limit close proximity with others not of their household, and to wear masks in public. In my practice with gay men, I have seen clients present with feelings of guilt triggered by the current public health crisis, with its prolonged physical distance from others and authorities’ warnings about the dangers of physical closeness. This chapter briefly explores the history of the HIV/AIDS crisis in America in relation to the current pandemic, the resurgence of shame and guilt about identity, and the return to complex relational roles, with particular regard to violation of expectations as it relates to lack of or poor responsiveness from caregivers. The role of resilience in marginalized communities’ response to government neglect will be addressed. Brief case vignettes of diverse gay and queer identifying men will be presented to illustrate the effects of the slow burn of isolation stress on men who lived through the HIV/AIDS crisis and now live with the coronavirus pandemic.
A Review of Modal Inversion Methods for Inferring Geoacoustic Properties in Shallow Water

A review is presented of modal inversion techniques for determining the acoustic properties of the seabed in shallow water. Attention is focused on methods which utilize measurements of the modal eigenvalues at one or more frequencies as input data. Various inversion schemes for inferring the geoacoustic properties in a horizontally stratified waveguide are discussed. It is shown that these concepts can be extended to laterally varying waveguides as well, based on the notion, originating in adiabatic mode theory, that the local modes adapt to the local environment. Measurements of the modal trajectories in range can then be used to infer the range-dependent variation in geoacoustic properties. The results of the range-dependent inversion of experimental data obtained at 140 Hz in Nantucket Sound are presented.
Coupling of exogenous receptors to phospholipase C in Xenopus oocytes through pertussis toxin-sensitive and -insensitive pathways. Cross-talk through heterotrimeric G-proteins.

Abstract Heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins) can be categorized into molecularly divergent groups by their differential sensitivity to pertussis toxin. Receptors specifically use either pertussis toxin-sensitive or-insensitive G-proteins to couple to specific effectors. Receptor stimulation of phospholipase C, however, is pertussis toxin sensitive in some systems and pertussis toxin insensitive in others. We studied the coupling of receptors to phospholipase C by expressing receptors from both systems into a single cell, the Xenopus oocyte. [Arg8]Vassopressin (AVP) receptors from liver and cholecystokinin-8(sulfated) (CCK) receptors from brain were expressed in oocytes by intracellular injection of RNA. Both receptors stimulated a Ca2+-dependent Cl- current which can also be evoked by intracellular injection of inositol 1,4,5-tris-phosphate. Hence, receptor stimulation of phospholipase C was measured as the evoked Ca2+-dependent Cl- current. The liver AVP receptor, which is known to stimulate phospholipase C in a pertussis toxin-insensitive manner (Lynch, C. J., Prpic, V., Blackmore, P. F., and Exton, J. H. (1986) Mol. Pharmacol. 29, 196-203), was found to stimulate phospholipase C through a pertussis toxin-sensitive pathway in the Xenopus oocyte. The CCK receptor from brain stimulated phospholipase C through a pertussis toxin-insensitive pathway. Both AVP and CCK stimulation of phospholipase C were attenuated by the intracellular injection of excess G-protein beta gamma subunits. Neither pertussis toxin treatment nor intracellular injection of beta gamma subunits affected any steps subsequent to inositol 1,4,5-tris-phosphate production. From these data we conclude that both the pertussis toxin-sensitive and -insensitive pathways for receptor coupling to phospholipase C are transduced by heterotrimeric G-proteins. We also find that there is a lack of coupling fidelity of receptors to G-proteins in stimulation of phospholipase C which can be influenced by the membrane environment.
Louis D. Brandeis’s MIT Lectures on Law – Editor’s Introduction

This is an introduction to “Louis D. Brandeis’s MIT Lectures on Law,” recently published for the first time by Carolina Academic Press. In the mid-1890s, Louis Brandeis taught a course on law to undergraduates at MIT. Brandeis later said, “Those talks at Tech marked an epoch in my own career.” At the time of the lectures, Brandeis had been practicing law for 15 years, had published the Harvard Law Review “Right to Privacy” article, was head of one of the nation’s most successful law firms, and had begun the public interest advocacy for which he would soon earn the title “The People’s Lawyer.” In the lectures, Brandeis presents his views of areas of law in which he would lead the country over the next five decades as activist lawyer and Supreme Court Justice — anti-trust, labor, privacy, criminal procedure, legal ethics, legislation, evidence, the judicial role, and jurisprudence. In some areas of the law, we see the foundations of Brandeis’s later work. In others, we find Brandeis taking positions that were the opposite of those he would take in the future. A careful examination of the lectures reveals that the “epoch” he identified in his career was his change of views as to the value of legislation. Prior to the lectures, Brandeis was a strong supporter of the common law and was skeptical about legislation. During the lectures, he grew to believe that legislation was a necessary response to the rapidly developing industrial and economic challenges of the day. He would become the foremost defender of legislation in the following century.
High spin single-particle states in /sup 152,153/Er

A spectroscopic investigation of yrast and near-yrast states in /sup 152/Er and /sup 153/Er is presented. We report measurements of prompt and delayed excitation functions, ..gamma..-..gamma.. coincidences, isomeric lifetimes, and ..gamma..-ray angular distribution, obtained chiefly from the reactions /sup 144/Sm(/sup 12/C,xn)/sup 152,153/Er using carbon beams of laboratory energy 65--95 MeV. The levels observed extend to a spin of J> or =43/2 and include two long-lived isomers in /sup 153/Er. The nuclear structure is discussed in terms of the shell model and compared with the systematic behavior of levels in N=84 and N=85 isotones.
Stripe-Like Inhomogeneities, Carriers, and BCS-BEC Crossover in the High-T C Cuprates

Theoretical calculations [1, 2], and a variety of experimental data [3] support the assumption that the high-Tc cuprates are characterized by dynamical stripe-like inhomogeneities, where narrow charged stripes form antiphase domain walls separating wider antiferromagnetic (AF) stripes. Experimental observations have been pointing to the presence of both itinerant and almost localized (or polaron-like) carriers in the cuprates. First-principles calculations [4] support an approach based on the existence of both large-U and small-U orbitals in the vicinity of the Fermi level (EF).
A series-stacked power delivery architecture with hot-swapping for high-efficiency data centers

Current data center power delivery architectures consist of many cascaded power stages, where the system-level efficiency is dependent on the efficiency of the power elements. Recently, series-stacked power delivery architectures eliminated this dependency and reported more than 99% system-level power conversion efficiencies for data centers. In this paper, we address the important start-up and hot-swapping challenge of the series-stacked power delivery architectures without sacrificing the high power delivery efficiency. We experimentally validate the hot-swapping operation on a testbed that includes four series-connected 12 V, 65 W servers and four differential converters. The results show that the continuous operation of the series-stacked servers can be maintained, while one of the servers is hot-swapped.
Investigation of Perchlorate Removal in Drinking Water Sources by Chemical Methods

Soon after a new IC method that achieved a method detection limit of approximately 1 ppb was developed in 1997, perchlorate has been detected in many drinking water wells and surface and groundwater in the western states, including Colorado River water. Perchlorate is a chemical of health concern due to its interference with the activity of the thyroid gland, and therefore its removal from drinking water sources is very desirable.
Proximal Row Carpectomy

Proximal row carpectomy (PRC) is a motion-preserving treatment for the degenerated wrist. PRC provides painless wrist range of motion with few complications. PRC treats specifically scapholunate advanced collapse, scaphoid non-union advanced collapse, chronic perilunate dislocations, and Kienbock's disease. The best candidates are older than 35 with an intact capitate head and lunate facet of the distal radius. Proximal row carpectomy provides satisfactory postoperative wrist range of motion and grip strength with few complications, especially when there is no capitolunate arthrosis. Postoperative progressive changes at the radiocapitate articulation have been documented, yet these changes tend to remain asymptomatic.
Fetal Loss and Caffeine Intake

To the Editor. —Infante-Rivard et al 1 conclude that caffeine intake during pregnancy causes spontaneous abortion. They cite our study of karyotyped losses, but disregard our interpretation. 2 About half of spontaneous abortions have chromosome aberrations. This diversity allows application of two criteria to assess causality: (1) an association specific to a particular type of loss and (2) the time of exposure coherent with pathogenesis. 3 Chromosomal aberrations arise no later than conception, and some long before; over 90% of conceptuses are nonviable and abort spontaneously. Exposure to caffeine after conception cannot cause aberrations, nor is it likely to produce detectable increases in loss rates because aberrations are already so highly lethal. By contrast, causes of chromosomally normal loss might operate either before or after conception; causal effects of exposure during pregnancy are biologically plausible. We studied 899 karyotyped cases and 1423 controls (deliveries, ≥28 weeks). We compared cases with
Androgen Receptor Gene Mutations are Rarely Associated with Isolated Penile Hypospadias

AbstractPurpose: Hypospadias has no known single etiology but it has been linked to androgen insensitivity caused by mutations of the androgen receptor gene. The purpose of this study was to search for such mutations in cases of various degrees of isolated hypospadias to determine whether such an association exists and, if so, with any particular anatomical subgroup.Materials and Methods: Isolated deoxyribonucleic acid from the penile tissue of 40 patients undergoing reconstructive surgery was screened for mutations of the coding regions of the androgen receptor gene using single strand conformational polymorphism analysis. In cases with abnormal single strand conformational polymorphism findings sequence analysis of the deoxyribonucleic acid was performed to define the mutation.Results: A missense mutation of exon 2 of the androgen receptor gene was noted in 1 patient with isolated distal penile shaft hypospadias. Sequence analysis revealed that the mutation changed amino acid residue 546 from proline to...
A wavelet based enhancement technique for non-uniform and uniform-dark images

This paper proposes a novel wavelet based nonlinear image enhancement algorithm, including dynamic range compression, contrast enhancement and color restoration, for recorded images in non-uniform and uniform-dark lightning conditions. Dynamic range compression (DRC) has been applied by nonlinear function for enhancing dark and reducing the intensity of bright regions. The intensity has been tuned with contrast enhancement. The enhanced intensity has been converted to a color image with the help of color restoration.
Forecasting the motion of North Atlantic tropical cyclones by the objective MOHATT scheme

Abstract An objective scheme for forecasting the motion of tropical cyclones (MOHATT), under development since 1967 by the U.S. Navy Fleet Numerical Weather Central and the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif., is described and applied to the 1967–71 North Atlantic tropical cyclones for forecast intervals up to 72 hr. The MOHATT scheme involves steering of the center of the cyclone by geostrophic winds derived from heavily smoothed isobaric height fields (both analyzed and prognostic) and a statistical correction determined by the behavior of the first 12 hr of the steering forecast. The developmental sample (1967–70) used to establish the potential accuracy of MOHATT indicates 700 mb as the optimum steering level, but the fully operational test in 1971 suggests that the 850-mb level may be an improvement for forecast intervals beyond 36 hr. An analysis of the 1971 forecast data shows errors (expressed as nautical miles per hour of forecast interval) ranging from 6.1 kt at 12 hr (252 cases) to...
Human Rights and Trade: Beyond the “Spotlight”

Human rights concerns figure prominently on the global economic agenda. Yet little empirical analysis has addressed the prospective impact of human rights for global economic interactions. To gain insight into this linkage, we assess the empirical relationship between human rights and an important facet of the global economy, dyadic trade flows. Traditional arguments posit that respect for human rights and trade are uncomfortable bedfellows at best, and that repression may provide a foundation for increased trade activity. We posit that, alternatively, respect for human rights and trade may be a pragmatic coupling. In addition to the normative value of promoting and protecting human rights, there may be a “business case” as there are ways in which respect for human rights may encourage trade. Using a cross-sectional time-series research design, we test the relationship between human rights and trade for the years 1989–2000. Our results show that human rights conditions have a significant influence on dyad...