cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fibrin degradation by rat pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells

The persistence of intra-alveolar fibrin during acute and chronic inflammatory lung diseases indicates that the normally profibrinolytic environment of the alveolar space has been altered as part of the disease process. We have recently shown that alveolar epithelial cells may control fibrinolysis by expressing both urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. In this study, monolayers of rat alveolar epithelial cells were used as a model of the alveolar surface and were found to lyse plasma-derived fibrin matrices by a process that was plasminogen and uPA dependent. Fibrinolysis was not achieved by fluid-phase epithelial products but required the presence of epithelial cells, optimally in close contact with the clot surface. Epithelial cell-mediated fibrinolytic activity was augmented 99% by endotoxin and suppressed 66% by dexamethasone. Fibrinolysis also increased 84% as cells aged in culture from day 1 to day 4, during which time the cells lose many type II cell characteristics and assume a type I cell-like phenotype. We conclude that alveolar epithelial cells actively participate in fibrin clearance through mechanisms that require close proximity between epithelial cell and clot surfaces. Alterations in these mechanisms may be partly responsible for the persistence of intraalveolar fibrin during lung inflammation.
A green tea-containing starch confection increases plasma catechins without protecting against postprandial impairments in vascular function in normoglycemic adults

Postprandial hyperglycemia (PPH) increases cardiovascular disease risk regardless of glucose intolerance by transiently impairing vascular endothelial function (VEF) by limiting nitric oxide bioavailability in an oxidative stress-dependent manner. Preclinical studies show that green tea catechins attenuate PPH by inhibiting starch digestion. We hypothesized that a starch-based confection containing catechin-rich green tea extract (GTE) would limit PPH-mediated impairments in VEF in normoglycemic adults. We formulated a unique GTE confection and then conducted a double-blind, randomized, controlled, crossover study in healthy men (n = 15; 25.3 ± 1.0 years; 22.4 ± 1.8 kg m−2) in which they ingested starch confections (50 g carbohydrate) formulated with or without GTE (1 g) prior to evaluating sensory characteristics of confections and plasma glucose, biomarkers of lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide homeostasis, and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) at 30 min intervals for 3 h. Sensory evaluation of confections indicated acceptable consumer appeal and an inability to distinguish between confections regardless of GTE. Plasma catechins concentrations increased following ingestion of the GTE confection. However, plasma glucose peaked at 60 min (P 0.05). FMD was significantly decreased only at 60 min regardless of confections containing GTE. Also at 60 min, both confections similarly increased plasma malondialdehyde while decreasing arginine and increasing asymmetric dimethylarginine/arginine. The successfully formulated GTE-containing confection effectively delivered catechins, but without mitigating PPH-mediated impairments in VEF in association with oxidative stress that likely limits nitric oxide bioavailability.
Malicious node detection via physical layer data

There are many mechanisms that can cause inadequate or unreliable information in sensor networks. A user of the network might be interested in detecting and classifying specific sensors nodes causing these problems. There are many network layer based trust mechanisms in the literature to assess these issues; in contrast this work develops physical layer based trust metrics to detect non-functioning nodes. The context will be “wireless network discovery,” which refers to modeling all layers of a non-cooperative wireless network. In particular, the localization of transmitters and the detection of sensors affecting the localization. A model for non-functioning sensors and two methods of detection are developed. The methods of detection are analyzed with Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves, and the sensor node trade-off of detection versus localization error is discussed.
mTORC1/2 inhibition preserves ovarian function and fertility during genotoxic chemotherapy

The ovary contains oocytes within immature (primordial) follicles that are fixed in number at birth. Activation of follicles within this fixed pool causes an irreversible decline in reproductive capacity, known as the ovarian reserve, until menopause. Premenopausal women undergoing commonly used genotoxic (DNA-damaging) chemotherapy experience an accelerated loss of the ovarian reserve, leading to subfertility and infertility. Therefore, there is considerable interest but little effective progress in preserving ovarian function during chemotherapy. Here we show that blocking the kinase mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) with clinically available small-molecule inhibitors preserves ovarian function and fertility during chemotherapy. Using a clinically relevant mouse model of chemotherapy-induced gonadotoxicity by cyclophosphamide, and inhibition of mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) with the clinically approved drug everolimus (RAD001) or inhibition of mTORC1/2 with the experimental drug INK128, we show that mTOR inhibition preserves the ovarian reserve, primordial follicle counts, serum anti-Mullerian hormone levels (a rigorous measure of the ovarian reserve), and fertility. Chemotherapy-treated animals had significantly fewer offspring compared with all other treatment groups, whereas cotreatment with mTOR inhibitors preserved normal fertility. Inhibition of mTORC1 or mTORC1/2 within ovaries was achieved during chemotherapy cotreatment, concomitant with preservation of primordial follicle counts. Importantly, our findings indicate that as little as a two- to fourfold reduction in mTOR activity preserves ovarian function and normal birth numbers. As everolimus is approved for tamoxifen-resistant or relapsing estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, these findings represent a potentially effective and readily accessible pharmacologic approach to fertility preservation during conventional chemotherapy.
On the Gaussian Mixture Representation of the Laplace Distribution

AbstractUnder certain conditions, a symmetric unimodal continuous random variable ξ can be represented as a scale mixture of a standard Normal distribution Z, i.e., ξ=WZ, where the mixing distribution W is independent of Z. It is well known that if the mixing distribution is inverse Gamma, then ξ has Student's t distribution. However, it is less well known that if the mixing distribution is Gamma, then ξ has a Laplace distribution. Several existing proofs of the latter result rely on complex calculus or nontrivial change of variables in integrals. We offer two simple and intuitive proofs based on representation and moment generating functions. As a byproduct, our proof by representation makes connections to many existing results in statistics.
Generalized Linear Models for count time series

In this paper we discuss a class of models for time series of low count data based on the Generalized Linear Model (GLM) approach. Unlike the traditional Auto-Regressive Moving-Average (ARMA) models for continuous Gaussian data, these models capture both the temporal correlation structure and the discrete marginal distribution of count data. We focus on the properties, parameter estimation, and model adequacy aspects for count time series with Poisson or Negative Binomial conditional distributions. The properties and performance of these models are illustrated with synthetic and real data.
RELIABILITY AND CRITERION VALIDITY OF THE ARROWHEAD CHANGE-OF-DIRECTION SPEED TEST FOR SOCCER

The Arrowhead change-of-direction (COD) speed test was originally designed for soccer, and features three direction changes over a running distance of approximately 37 m. This study aimed to determine the reliability and criterion validity of the Arrowhead test in collegiate soccer players. Twenty Division I female players from the same team completed the Arrowhead test on separate days to assess reliability. Participants also completed tests of linear (30-m sprint; 0-5, 0-10, 0-30 m intervals) and COD (pro-agility and 60-yard shuttle) speed to assess criterion validity. Reliability was determined by intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and coefficient of variation (CV). Paired t-tests detected between-session differences in Arrowhead performance. Usefulness was determined by comparing the smallest worthwhile change with a small or moderate effect to the typical error of the Arrowhead test. Correlations were calculated between the Arrowhead test, 30-m sprint intervals, and shuttle tests to assess criterion validity. The ICCs and CVs for both the left- (ICC=0.92; CV=1.01%) and right-turn (ICC=0.93; CV=0.89%) Arrowhead test were acceptable, and the Arrowhead could detect moderate changes in performance. There were no significant between-session differences in Arrowhead times (p=0.87-0.97). Significant relationships were found between the Arrowhead test and the 30-m sprint and 60-yard shuttle (r= 0.55-0.68). Due to relationships with the 30-m sprint and 60-yard shuttle, the Arrowhead test could be utilized to assess a soccer player’s ability to complete longer distance sprints that incorporate direction changes, as opposed to being a test of COD speed.
Embryotoxicity: Anatomical, Physiological, and Functional

Development of mammals from fertilized ova to embryos to independent organisms involves a complicated, intricately orchestrated series of events. While the overall period of gestation varies greatly from species to species, the sequence of developmental events is remarkably consistent. During gestational development, embryonic tissues display two reciprocal attributes that are temporally linked: embryonic potency and the state of differentiation. As the embryo matures, its tissues become increasingly differentiated while the potency of its tissues becomes progressively restricted. Perturbations of these orderly processes can lead to adverse impacts on the embryo, which may be manifested in a variety of ways after birth. Through a series of case studies, this chapter examines anatomical, physiological, and functional changes observed in neonates after prenatal insults. Anatomical changes (malformations) can be induced by inorganic arsenic, provided that the exposure occurs during the time in gestation (critical or sensitive period) when the embryo is susceptible and the arsenic concentration exceeds a threshold at the target tissue. Physiological changes can also be the cause of embryotoxicity, as illustrated with hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers, which interfere with the function of a special placenta (inverted yolk sac placenta) that is present in rodents and rabbits, but not primates. In this case, rodents and rabbits are susceptible to the agent, while primates (including humans) are not. Postnatal functional alterations of target organs are a third type of change that can be caused by prenatal exposure to exogenous agents. This type of alteration is illustrated by the postnatal lung after functional deficits associated with in utero cadmium exposure and the postnatal kidney functional changes due to in utero exposure to mercury or fluorine. While functional changes may not be grossly apparent, they can result in both shortened life expectancy and diminished quality of life.
Quality of Life in Patients with Pituitary Adenomas

Health care–related quality of life quantifies the influence that a disease burden has on patients’ perceptions of their well-being. Patients with pituitary disease have unique quality-of-life concerns due to disease chronicity, approach-related morbidity, hormonally functional tumors, and hypopituitarism. In this chapter, we review general and disease-specific quality-of-life metrics, surgical and nonsurgical factors influencing pre- and postoperative quality of life in pituitary adenoma patients, and factors unique to those patients with functional adenomas.
Biomass-facilitated production of activated magnesium oxide nanoparticles with extraordinary CO2 capture capacity

Abstract Discovering sustainable materials that can efficiently capture and store CO2 is a crucial step towards mitigating anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. The current materials used in post-combustion scenarios have significant drawbacks, including high cost and resulting hazardous byproducts. This study developed a simple and cost-effective method of producing activated MgO nanoparticles that have high CO2 capture efficiency. To optimize CO2 capture, we incorporate biomass during the production to ensure complete and dispersed MgO nanoparticle formation from the decomposition of MgCl2 hydrate. Materials are characterized by SEM, XRD, BET/DFT, ICP, and TGA analysis. Resulting carbon-supported activated MgO nanoparticles efficiently captured CO2 at low temperature, by physisorption and magnesium carbonate formation. Without the incorporation of biomass, MgCl2 hydrate decomposed via low temperature pyrolysis, is still capable of CO2 capture; however, the efficiency is enhanced with the addition of biomass, as this helps support the formation and distribution of MgO nanoparticles. The carbon-supported MgO nanoparticles produced with a 5:2.5 (w/w MgCl2:biomass) ratio was capable of greatest CO2 capture capacity on both a g−1 material (up to 235 mg g−1) and g−1 magnesium (733 mg g−1) basis after 3 h. The carbon-supported MgO nanoparticles have potential to be applied in inexpensive large-scale CO2 capture, as the production can be adjusted based on capacity, resource, or energy constraints.
Orality: A Narrative Aesthetics of Persuasion

This chapter continues delineating and advocating for a holistic spirituality that takes embodiment seriously by connecting the embodied self with the community. Choreosonic practices foster and extend the community’s guiding narrative. As the late modern linguistic turn posits, communities form linguistic traditions that support a person’s sense of the world. The latter rain motif forms the renewal identity, and Pentecostals and charismatics hold and extend this narrative through oral forms such as preaching and testimony. The manner in which Pentecostal and charismatic orality is expressed is holistic, utilizing embodied gestures that relate to a congregant’s affections.
Evaluating conductive paint performance on 3-D printed horn antennas

This paper presents the performance of pyramidal horn antennas operating at X-band (8–12 GHz) that have been metallized with low cost conductive paint. The pyramidal horns are based on a WR-90 waveguide standard gain horn (SGH) designed for 15 dBi gain that have been manufactured by fused deposition modeling 3-D printing. They are then metalized using conductive copper paint. The antenna gain and radiation patterns are compared for antennas with three different paint thicknesses. A full-wave electromagnetic simulator, ANSYS HFSS, is used to simulate the horns and compare with measurement. We observe that the thickness of the conductive paint impacts the antenna 3dB beamwidth and gain.
Vibrational Spectroscopy of Hexynes: A Combined Experimental and Computational Laboratory Experiment

Recent advances in spectroscopy and computational chemistry facilitate the introduction of current spectroscopic and computational methods at the undergraduate level. Students obtain and analyze experimental and calculated vibrational spectra (infrared and Raman) of a set of alkyne molecules to determine the role of symmetry with respect to gross selection rules. The alkyne functional group should be well-known from organic chemistry with well-resolved vibrational resonances at frequencies familiar to students. Students are able to apply concepts of symmetry, polarizability, and molecular dipoles to the analysis of experimental and computational data. A laboratory activity combining experimental infrared (IR) and Raman spectra, computational DFT methods, and analysis provides students with the ability to analyze how molecular structure and symmetry influence vibrational spectra.
INDUCTIVE CONFIRMATION, COUNTERFACTUAL CONDITIONALS, AND LAWS OF NATURE

Examinant la these de l'exclusivite inductive concernant la confirmation d'une hypothese dans les cas actuels comme les cas contrefactuels, l'A. etudie le role de l'affirmation de la loi naturelle dans les generalisations du type de la loi et dans les generalisations accidentelles, ainsi que dans la reconstruction rationnelle de la science en general
Analytical model of IoT CoAP traffic

Abstract The Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) is a mechanism that enables the efficient transmission of information in the context of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) characteristic of the Internet of Things (IoT). CoAP is specifically intended to work well with low complexity sensors that have limited access to computational resources. And because it lacks the overhead of other more sophisticated transport protocols, it is suitable for high packet loss wireless networks. Relying on the User Datagram Protocol (UDP), CoAP introduces, among other things, confirmable and non-confirmable message types, depending on the nature of the source data. This paper presents a novel analytical model that can relate the application to network packet loss and be used to estimate the effect of lossy wireless channels in CoAP scenarios. Moreover, the model is ultimately validated by an experimental framework in which theoretical and experimental results are compared.
Video over Cellular CR Networks

In this chapter, we present a study of optimized real-time video multicast in CR networks. Consider an infrastructure-based CR network collocated with N primary networks, as illustrated in Fig. 2.1.
Should the Use of Biologic Agents in Patients With Renal and Lung Cancer Affect Our Surgical Management of Femoral Metastases

AbstractBackgroundBiologic agents may prolong survival of patients with certain kidney and lung adenocarcinomas that have metastasized to bone, and patient response to these agents should be considered when choosing between an endoprosthesis and internal fixation for surgical treatment of femoral me
Current Prevalence of Clonorchis sinensis Infection in Longchuan County of Heyuan City, Guangdong Province

Objective To study the epidemiological features of Clonorchis sinensis infection in Longchuan. Methods The investigation sites were random selected by cluster sampling and residents of 5 towns in Longchuan have been as investigation objects. Modified Kato Katz's thick smear was used to detect the parasite eggs in the feces. The data of infection rate and intensity were analyzed. Results A total of 2 645 persons were investigated. The average infection rate of Clonorchis sinensis was 19.2%. The positive rate of infection in male and female was 25.0% and 11.1%, respectively. The clonorchiasis was found in every age group. Analysis of the age distribution revealed that the highest score was found in the age group of 40 to 59 years old. Conclusion Clonorchis sinensis is widely epidemic in Longchuan with a high prevalence. The Clonorchis sinensis infection has become a serious public health problem. Comprehensive control measurements should be carried out.
Special Report: Implementing Immediate Postpartum LARC in Florida

Abstract Women are often highly motivated to obtain contraception during the immediate postpartum period. However not all women receive contraception, particularly LARC methods, during this time. One barrier to immediate postpartum contraception is the cost of placing LARCs, as such devices have a large upfront cost, and historically could not be charged separately from the global delivery fee. In 2017, Florida Medicaid unbundled the fee for the LARC device and insertion from the Diagnosis Related Group and encouraged Medicaid Managed Care plans to do the same. The Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative, in recognition of guidance put forth by other states, designed the Access LARC initiative to have two phases – the Pre-Implementation Phase and the Implementation Phase. After completing all steps in the Pre-Implementation phase, one pilot hospital placed 195 LARCs during the first five months of the initiative. During this trial period, setbacks in the reimbursement process occurred for both the hospital and payer groups. The Agency for Health Care Administration was instrumental in providing assistance to overcome these setbacks. While there were obstacles and setbacks along the way, this initiative was finally a success for our providers and patients. We encourage other hospitals and states to implement their own postpartum LARC initiative utilizing the guidelines set forth by Florida’s Access LARC initiative.
Hyperchloremia, not Concomitant Hypernatremia, Independently Predicts Early Mortality in Critically Ill Moderate–Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Patients

Hypernatremia has been associated with mortality in neurocritically ill patients, with and without traumatic brain injury (TBI). These studies, however, lack concomitant adjustment for hyperchloremia as a physiologically co-occurring finding despite the associations with hyperchloremia and worse outcomes after trauma, sepsis, and intracerebral hemorrhage. The objective of our study was to examine the association of concomitant hypernatremia and hyperchloremia with in-hospital mortality in moderate–severe TBI (msTBI) patients. We retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected data from the OPTIMISM-study and included all msTBI patients consecutively enrolled between 11/2009 and 1/2017. Time-weighted average (TWA) sodium and chloride values were calculated for all patients to examine the unadjusted mortality rates associated with the burden of hypernatremia and hyperchloremia over the entire duration of the intensive care unit stay. Multivariable logistic regression modeling predicting in-hospital mortality adjusted for validated confounders of msTBI mortality was applied to evaluate the concomitant effects of hypernatremia and hyperchloremia. Internal bootstrap validation was performed. Of the 458 patients included for analysis, 202 (44%) died during the index hospitalization. Fifty-five patients (12%) were excluded due to missing data. Unadjusted mortality rates were nearly linearly increasing for both TWA sodium and TWA chloride, and were highest for patients with a TWA sodium > 160 mmol/L (100% mortality) and TWA chloride > 125 mmol/L (94% mortality). When evaluated separately in the multivariable analysis, TWA sodium (per 10 mmol/L change: adjusted OR 4.0 [95% CI 2.1–7.5]) and TWA chloride (per 10 mmol/L change: adjusted OR 3.9 [95% CI 2.2–7.1]) independently predicted in-hospital mortality. When evaluated in combination, TWA chloride remained independently associated with in-hospital mortality (per 10 mmol/L change: adjusted OR 2.9 [95% CI 1.1–7.8]), while this association was no longer observed with TWA sodium values (per 10 mmol/L change: adjusted OR 1.5 [95% CI 0.51–4.4]). When concomitantly adjusting for the burden of hyperchloremia and hypernatremia, only hyperchloremia was independently associated with in-hospital mortality in our msTBI cohort. Pending validation, our findings may provide the rationale for future studies with targeted interventions to reduce hyperchloremia and improve outcomes in msTBI patients.
The cleavage furrow ingression and cell separation are both accompanied by calcium spikes during fission yeast cytokinesis

The role of calcium during cell division has long remained ambiguous. The intracellular calcium concentration of many animal embryos increases transiently during cytokinesis, leading to the long-standing proposal that calcium transients may trigger the contraction of actomyosin ring. However, it remains unknown whether these calcium transients can be found in cells beyond those large embryos and whether they have any role in cytokinesis. Here we addressed these questions in the unicellular model organism fission yeast by adopting GCaMP, a genetically encoded indicator, to determine its intracellular calcium level. With confocal microscopy, we captured both the calcium homeostasis and the calcium transients in live cells using this calcium reporter. We searched for the cytokinetic calcium transients using two independent approaches. Both analyses of the intracellular calcium in a population and time-lapse microscopy of dividing cell revealed two cytokinetic calcium spikes. The first initiated at the beginning of the cleavage furrow ingression and the second one at the end of the cell separation. The temporal regulation of these spikes bears a strong similarity to the two calcium waves discovered in the cytokinesis of fish embryos. These slow calcium spikes propagated intracellularly, not restricted to the cell division plane. Although depletion of these spikes did not prevent the contractile ring from contracting as predicted, it reduced the rate of contraction and led to lysis of many daughter cells. We conclude that the fission yeast cytokinetic calcium spikes promote the contractile ring closure and the integrity of separating cells, but they are not required for triggering the ring contraction. Our discovery suggests that transient increase of intracellular calcium may be a conserved regulatory mechanism of cytokinesis among eukaryotes.
Development of a 3D Printed, Self-Insulated, High-Throughput 3D Microelectrode Array (HT-3DMEA)

We have developed a novel two step makerspace-based microfabrication strategy for the realization of high-throughput (HT), self-insulated 3D Microelectrode Arrays (MEAs). Micro-stereolithography ( $\mu $ SLA) based 3D printing technology not only allows for realization of 3D microelectrode geometries but also enables the monolithic integration of all components of the “bio plate” (standard culture wells) to realize the HT, American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/Society for Lab Automation and Screening (SLAS)-compatible geometry in 1 to 768 well configurations. A unique bifacial design having the 3D microelectrodes on the top-face and the traces for electrical connections on the bottom-face enables the realization of self-insulated 3D MEAs after metal ink casting/printing in the 3D printed vertical channels. These HT-3D MEAs are further characterized using optical microscopy, SEM, Impedance Spectroscopy and well-well impedance variations. This approach enables a rapid, accurate, cost-effective, two step scaling up technique to microfabricate HT-3D Microelectrode Arrays in several Multiwell designs compatible with standard, HT assay equipment such as plate readers, robotic handlers and electrophysiological systems. [2020-0138]
Accelerated river avulsion frequency on lowland deltas due to sea-level rise.

Sea-level rise, subsidence, and reduced fluvial sediment supply are causing river deltas to drown worldwide, affecting ecosystems and billions of people. Abrupt changes in river course, called avulsions, naturally nourish sinking land with sediment; however, they also create catastrophic flood hazards. Existing observations and models conflict on whether the occurrence of avulsions will change due to relative sea-level rise, hampering the ability to forecast delta response to global climate change. Here, we combined theory, numerical modeling, and field observations to develop a mechanistic framework to predict avulsion frequency on deltas with multiple self-formed lobes that scale with backwater hydrodynamics. Results show that avulsion frequency is controlled by the competition between relative sea-level rise and sediment supply that drives lobe progradation. We find that most large deltas are experiencing sufficiently low progradation rates such that relative sea-level rise enhances aggradation rates—accelerating avulsion frequency and associated hazards compared to preindustrial conditions. Some deltas may face even greater risk; if relative sea-level rise significantly outpaces sediment supply, then avulsion frequency is maximized, delta plains drown, and avulsion locations shift inland, posing new hazards to upstream communities. Results indicate that managed deltas can support more frequent engineered avulsions to recover sinking land; however, there is a threshold beyond which coastal land will be lost, and mitigation efforts should shift upstream.
Uncertainty and Auction Outcomes: Evidence from Used Car Actions

I study the sequence of bidding in an open-outcry English auction to examine how uncertainty affects auction outcomes. I do this by analyzing a data set that was collected from a series of public auctions of used cars in New Jersey. I conjecture that the uncertainty is related to the auction’s progress and demonstrate that, empirically, an increase in the uncertainty is associated with an increase in the number of rounds that is required to sell an object and with a reduction in the ratio of the selling price to the presale estimate.
Initial Treatment for HIV Infection

There are no clinical trials that define the optimal time to begin treatment for HIV-1 infection, nor is there data defining the best initial treatment. The expected benefits of early effective treatment are a maximal reduction of viral replication leading to immunologic restoration, slowed disease progression, longer survival and reduced disability. Current combination regimens of reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors appear to be achieving many of these goals, at least in the short term. However, there are potential drawbacks to early therapy. Early therapy may limit the availability of effective treatments in the late stages of HIV infection when there is a high risk of disease progression. Early therapy may also lead to resistant strains of HIV; in addition to being a significant public health risk through transmission to others,1 these strains vitiate the efficacy of antiretroviral drug regimens. Further, antiretroviral chemotherapy is expensive, and is associated with both recognized and as-yet-unrecognized adverse reactions, drawbacks which may become particularly significant with long-term therapy.
Prevalence of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease Among Baltimore City Adults in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span (HANDLS) Study

Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) has been shown to improve outcomes for people with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Our goal was to assess racial and socioeconomic differences in GDMT use among a diverse population. We examined the cross-sectional association of race and poverty status with GDMT among 441 participants with CVD in a longitudinal cohort of urban-dwelling Black and White adults in Baltimore City, Maryland, using multivariable logistic regression. CVD status and GDMT were self-reported. The participants’ mean age was 60.5 (SD 8.5) years, with 61.7% women, 64.4% Black, and 46.9% living below poverty. Of the 126 participants with coronary artery disease (CAD), 37.3%, 54.8%, and 62.7% were on aspirin, antiplatelets, and statins, respectively. Black participants with CAD were less likely to be on aspirin, OR 0.29 (95% CI 0.13–0.67), and on combination GDMT (antiplatelet and statin), OR 0.36 (0.16–0.78) compared to Whites. There were no differences by poverty status in GDMT for CAD. Fully, 222 participants reported atrial fibrillation (AF), but only 10.5% were on anticoagulation with no significant difference by race or poverty status. The use of GDMT for heart failure and stroke was also low overall, but there were no differences by race or poverty status. Among an urban-dwelling population of adults, the use of secondary prevention of CVD was low, with lower aspirin and combination GDMT for Black participants with CAD. Efforts to improve GDMT use at the patient and provider levels may be needed to improve morbidity and mortality and reduce disparities in CVD.
Joseph V. Simone: In Memoriam (1935-2021).

![][1] He was a poet. A prodigious writer. A giant in the world of pediatric oncology. Those of us in the field of cancer research, as well as patients around the globe, owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Joseph “Joe” Simone. A first-generation American who was born amid the
Accountability as a Sub-Type of Justice: Reflections on ‘Obedience’ and ‘Religion’ in Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae:

This article proposes that we recognize ‘accountability’ as a forward-looking virtue, which disposes its possessors to live accountably in relation to those to whom they are rightly answerable, and...
Women, Peace and Security: Resolution 1325

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 is an eighteen-point resolution that develops an agenda for women, peace and security. It calls for the prosecution of crimes against women, increased protection of women and girls during war, the appointment of more women to UN peacekeeping operations and field missions and an increase in women’s participation in decision-making processes at the regional, national and international level. Further, 1325 outlines actions to be taken by the Secretary General, the Security Council, UN departments and member states to ‘mainstream gender’ into peace and security policies and practices. NGOs initially drafted a version of the resolution as part of their advocacy efforts, working in close collaboration with a number of UN agencies and Missions to formulate clear, concrete recommendations that were also open to cultural differences and operational flexibility. The resolution was unanimously adopted by the Security Council on 31 October 2000. SC 1325 is highly significant because it is the first time the Security Council has devoted an entire session to debating women’s experiences in conflict and post-conflict situations. As noted by Angela King, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Gender and the Advancement of Women, ‘It has taken the United Nations fifty-five years to have a full debate in the Security Council on ‘‘Women, Peace and Security’’’. Its passage is also a formidable testimony to the efforts and skills of the NGOs responsible for its existence. Indeed, it is the only Security Council resolution that has an anniversary celebrated by a growing constituency of practitioners and advocates.
Working Together: How Workplace Bonds Strengthen a Diverse Democracy

The typical workplace is a hotbed of human relationships-of friendships, conflicts, feuds, alliances, partnerships, coexistence and cooperation. Here, problems are solved, progress is made, and rifts are mended because they need to be - because the work has to get done. And it has to get done among increasingly diverse groups of co-workers. At a time when communal ties in American society are increasingly frayed and segregation persists, the workplace is more than ever the site where Americans from different ethnic, religious, and racial backgrounds meet and forge serviceable and sometimes lasting bonds. What do these highly structured workplace relationships mean for a society still divided by gender and race? Structure and rules are, in fact, central to the answer. Workplace interactions are constrained by economic power and necessity, and often by legal regulation. They exist far from the civic ideal of free and equal citizens voluntarily associating for shared ends. Yet it is the very involuntariness of these interactions that helps to make the often-troubled project of racial integration comparatively successful at work. People can be forced to get along-not without friction, but often with surprising success. This highly original exploration of the paradoxical nature-and the paramount importance-of workplace bonds concludes with concrete suggestions for how law can further realize the democratic possibilities of working together. In linking workplace integration and connectedness beyond work, Estlund suggests a novel and promising strategy for addressing the most profound challenges facing American society.
What Benefits Do Parents Reap from Helpers at the Nest

phases on differences/similarities color our choice of taxonomy or vice versa. It is also worth stressing that this is a book for the reference shelf, not the nightstand or backpack. Read straight through, cover to cover, it is highly redundant, even within chapters. But this redundancy is intentional, and the authors allow each section to stand on its own. Those looking for insights on Dian Fossey or historical accounts of the early days at Karisoke will not find them here (but instead see Weber and Vedder 2001). That said, the book is peppered with accounts from the field reminding the reader that Harcourt and Stewart’s knowledge comes from firsthand (and in some cases simply first) observations. I was amused by their mention of how it always came as a surprise to them when a female transferred out of a group, or how some gorillas (e.g., Fuddle) had baffling personalities, a reminder that interindividual variation must always be considered. For primate socioecologists, especially those studying great apes (comparisons with chimpanzees and bonobos are made throughout), this book is a fabulous, indeed probably necessary, resource. But its greatest value will no doubt be in capitalizing on the broad public interest in gorillas and, in the process, attracting a new audience to the field of socioecology.
Social and Ethical Aspects of Information Technology

The sections in this article are 1 Employment and Work 2 Information Privacy and Databases 3 Electronic Communications, Surveillance, and Social Control 4 Computer Crime and Abuse 5 Access and Equity Issues
Morphogenic Effects of Halogenated Thymidine Analogues on Drosophila

Variations in the treatment conditions which affect the frequency of BUdR-induced morphogenic lesions in Drosophila melanogaster have been studied. By varying the concentrations of BUdR and FU, or by changing the duration of treatment, it has been demonstrated that increased incorporation of BUdR into DNA results in a concomitant increase in morphogenic lesions. A quantitative analysis of the data on BUdR-induced lesions as a function of the age of the larvae at the time of treatment indicates that an analog pulse during early larval life induces fewer, but larger lesions than a similar treatment given during later stages of development. These observations support the hypothesis that the developmental modifications are the result of genetic changes which in subsequent replication cycles of DNA are transmitted to descendant cells, and are not necessarily due to the presence of BUdR in DNA per se of cells in the developing organism.
Code Generation for Complex Subscripts in Data-Parallel Programs

Data parallel languages like High Performance Fortran, demand efficient compile and run-time techniques for tasks such as address generation. Array references with arbitrary affine subscripts can make the task of compilers for such languages highly involved. This paper deals with the efficient address generation in programs with array references having two types of commonly encountered affine references, namely coupled subscripts and subscripts containing multiple induction variables (MIVs). Methods discussed in the paper utilize the repetitive pattern of the memory accesses. In the case of MIV, we address this issue by presenting runtime techniques which enumerate the set of addresses in lexicographic order. Our approach to the problem incorporates a general approach of computing in O(k) time, the start element on a processor for a given global start element. Several methods are proposed and evaluated here for generating the access sequences for MIV based on problem parameters. With coupled subscripts, we present two construction techniques, namely searching and hashing which minimize the time needed to construct the tables. Extensive experiments were conducted and the results were then compared with [8] to indicate the efficiency of our approach.
The Wilms' tumor suppressor gene WT1 is negatively autoregulated

The Wilms' tumor suppressor gene WT1 encodes a zinc-finger DNA-binding protein that functions as a transcriptional repressor. WT1 is expressed in a dramatic spatial and temporal pattern during kidney development and is thought to be critical during mesenchymal-epithelial conversion. The WT1 protein bound multiple sites in the WT1 promoter and functioned as a powerful transcriptional repressor of its gene in vivo (> 50-fold). The WT1 protein carrying an NH2-terminal 17-amino acid insertion and a 3-amino acid insertion (KTS) between zinc fingers 3 and 4, arising from the most abundant of four alternatively spliced transcripts, was the most powerful repressor. Of importance, a subset of WT1-binding sites differs from the Egr-1 consensus sequence, which has been shown to bind one splice variant of the WT1 protein (WT1(-KTS)). We characterized two of these sites and show that they bind both -KTS and +KTS forms of the WT1 zinc-finger protein and can confer repression on a heterologous promoter construct. Our data demonstrate that WT1, in addition to its known effects on insulin-like growth factor II, platelet-derived growth factor A, and Pax-2 transcription, is a powerful repressor of its own gene. These observations emphasize its critical role as a transcriptional regulatory protein during normal kidney development.
Teaching Wealth Distribution in High School

This article presents detailed instructional plans for a two-day, high school-level lesson on wealth distribution in society. The terms income and wealth are defined and compared, and the significance of studying wealth is discussed. Resources for the lesson are identified, and a pedagogical mode is outlined in relation to democratic citizenship education.
Seizures and brain injury in neonatal rats induced by 1S,3R-ACPD, a metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist

The role of metabotropic excitatory amino acid receptors in seizures and brain injury was examined using the selective metabotropic agonist 1S,3R-ACPD [(1S,3R)-1-aminocyclopentane-1–3-dicarboxylic acid] in 7-d- old neonatal rats. Systemic administration of 1S,3R-ACPD produced dose- dependent convulsions (ED50 = 16 mg/kg, i.p.) that were stereoselective for the active metabotropic ACPD isomer, since 1R,3S-ACPD was less potent (ED50 = 93 mg/kg, i.p.). 1S,3R-ACPD-induced seizures were antagonized by systemic administration of dantrolene, an inhibitor of intracellular calcium mobilization, but not by the ionotropic glutamate antagonists MK-801 or GYKI-52466. As indexed by hemispheric brain weight differences 5 d postinjection, unilateral intrastriatal injection of 1S,3R-ACPD (0.1–2.0 mumol/microliters), but not 1R,3S- ACPD, produced dose-dependent brain injury (maximal effect of 3.4 +/- 0.5% damage). 1S,3R-ACPD brain injury occurred in the absence of prominent behavioral convulsions. Histologic and ultrastructural examination of 1S,3R-ACPD-injected rat brains revealed swelling and degeneration of select neurons at 4 hr postinjection, but little evidence of injured neurons 5 d later. 1S,3R-ACPD-mediated brain injury was not attenuated by systemic administration of the NMDA antagonist MK- 801 or the AMPA antagonist GYKI-52466. However, cointrastriatal injection of dantrolene reduced the severity of 1S,3R-ACPD injury by 88 +/- 7%. These studies indicate that seizures and neuronal injury can be elicited by the selective activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors in perinatal rats, and these effects of 1S,3R-ACPD involve the mobilization of intracellular calcium stores.
Down-regulation of cytokine-induced cyclo-oxygenase-2 transcript isoforms by dexamethasone: evidence for post-transcriptional regulation.

The immediate-early cyclo-oxygenase-2 (Cox-2) gene encodes an inducible prostaglandin synthase enzyme that has been implicated in inflammatory and proliferative diseases. We have shown that the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) induces the Cox-2 gene in a sustained manner and that post-transcriptional mRNA stabilization is an important even [Ristimaki, Garfinkel, Wessendorf, Maciag and Hla (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 11769-11775]. The anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid dexamethasone potently down-regulates IL-1-induced Cox-2 mRNA expression. Kinetic studies suggest that antagonism of IL-1-induced mRNA stabilization is, at least in part, responsible for the suppression of Cox-2 mRNA. The Cox-2 gene produces two major transcript isoforms, namely Cox-2(4.6) (4.6 kb) and Cox-2(2.8) (2.8 kb), which are derived by alternative polyadenylation in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR). In response to dexamethasone, the short Cox-2(2.8) transcript isoform, which lacks a highly conserved AU-rich region, decays with a longer half-life than the Cox-2(4.6) isoform. Furthermore, heterologous expression of the hybrid Cox-1 open reading frame and the Cox-2 3'-UTR results in the accumulation of high levels of the short isoform and lower levels of the long isoform. These data suggest that multiple elements in the 3'-UTR of the Cox-2 gene are involved in the determination of the differential mRNA stabilities of Cox-2 transcript isoforms. Because dexamethasone destabilizes the Cox-2 transcript, and because the decay of Cox-2 transcript isoforms induced by dexamethasone occurs with different half-lives, post-transcriptional mRNA destabilization may be an important mechanism in the action of anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids.
Communicating the Right to Know:Social Media in the Do-It-Yourself Air Quality Testing Campaign in Chinese Cities

This paper studies the role of social media in the do-it-yourself air quality testing initiatives in multiple cities in China, through interviews with leaders of small NGOs and analyses of their blogging contents. To advocate for more accuracy and transparency in pollution data, environmental NGOs mobilized volunteers to measure air quality and post the results online. The paper examines how the DIY activism, assisted by the internet, constitutes citizen participation and political involvement through informal and diffused ways of collective action. The paper also studies how a combination of online and offline activities contributes to the networking process and the creation of a community, though temporary and fragile, and discusses the mobile nature of grassroots environmental activism in urban China.
Contributions of tutor and bird's own song experience to neural selectivity in the songbird anterior forebrain.

Auditory neurons of the anterior forebrain (AF) of zebra finches become selective for song during song learning. In adults, these neurons respond more to the bird’s own song (BOS) than to the songs of other zebra finches (conspecifics) or BOS played in reverse. In contrast, AF neurons from young birds (30 d) respond equally well to all song stimuli. AF selectivity develops rapidly during song learning, appearing in 60-d-old birds. At this age, many neurons also respond equally well to BOS and tutor song. These similar neural responses to BOS and tutor song might reflect contributions from both song experiences to selectivity, because auditory experiences of both BOS and tutor song are essential for normal song learning. Alternatively, they may simply result from acoustic similarities between BOS and tutor song. Understanding which experience shapes selectivity could elucidate the function of song-selective AF neurons. To minimize acoustic similarity between BOS and tutor song, we induced juvenile birds to produce abnormal song by denervating the syrinx, the avian vocal organ, before song onset. We recorded single neurons extracellularly in the AF at 60 d, after birds had had substantial experience of both the abnormal BOS (tsBOS) and tutor song. Some neurons preferred the unique tsBOS over the tutor song, clearly indicating a role for BOS experience in shaping neural selectivity. In addition, a sizable proportion of neurons responded equally well to tsBOS and tutor song, despite their acoustic dissimilarity. These neurons were not simply immature, because they were selective for tsBOS and tutor song relative to conspecific and reverse song. Furthermore, their similar responses to tsBOS and tutor song could not be attributed to residual acoustic similarities between the two stimuli, as measured by several song analyses. The neural sensitivity to two very different songs suggests that single AF neurons may be shaped by both BOS and tutor song experience.