cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ADHD: Genetic Influences

Over the past 20 years, considerable progress has been made in understanding the etiology of childhood ‘attention deficit hyperactivity disorder’ (ADHD), largely due to the publication of numerous twin studies which are consistent in suggesting substantial genetic influences (i.e., heritabilities ranging from 60% to 90%), nonshared environmental influences that are small-to-moderate in magnitude (i.e., ranging from 10% to 40%), and little-to-no shared environmental influences. Following from these quantitative genetic findings, numerous molecular genetic studies of association and linkage between ADHD and a variety of candidate genes have been conducted since the mid-1990s. The majority of the candidate genes studied underlie various facets of the dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin neurotransmitter systems, although the etiological role of candidate genes outside of neurotransmitter systems (e.g., involved in various aspects of brain and nervous system development) also have been examined. This article summarizes recent findings from candidate gene studies of childhood ADHD and highlights those candidate genes for which associations are most replicable and which thus appear most promising. The article concludes with a consideration of some of the emerging themes that will be important in future studies of the genetics of ADHD.
Assessing the impact of the public nutrition information environment: Adapting the cancer information overload scale to measure diet information overload.

Abstract Objective A growing body of research suggests that exposure to too much information – particularly contradictory information that characterizes much health-related information – can lead to feeling overwhelmed. This construct has been conflated with fatalistic beliefs that are negatively associated with preventive behaviors. The objective of this study was to adapt the 8-item Cancer Information Overload (CIO) scale to assess overload of healthy diet information. Methods Confirmatory factor analyses with a community sample of rural California adults (n = 290; 75% female; 58% Latino; 46% ≤ H.S./G.E.D.). Results Items assessing Diet Information Overload loaded significantly on their relevant factor; factor loadings were acceptable (β > .40). The adapted original scale (CFI = 1.000, RSMEA = .000, SMSR = .022) and a shorter 5-item scale (CFI = .984, RMSEA = .051, SMSR = .026) fit well. Conclusion The Cancer Information Overload scale was successfully adapted and shortened to measure perceptions – previously mischaracterized as fatalistic – pertaining to diet information. Improved measures distinguishing between fatalistic beliefs and outcomes of the information environment are critical. Practice Implications Understanding information overload is important for shaping prevention messages distinct from those needed to address fatalistic beliefs. Nutrition education efforts should consider the broader – cluttered – information environment in which nutrition education and communication occurs, and public health messages may drown.
Amelioration of autism-like social deficits by targeting histone methyltransferases EHMT1/2 in Shank3 -deficient mice

Many of the genes disrupted in autism are identified as histone-modifying enzymes and chromatin remodelers, most prominently those that mediate histone methylation/demethylation. However, the role of histone methylation enzymes in the pathophysiology and treatment of autism remains unknown. To address this, we used mouse models of haploinsufficiency of the Shank3 gene (a highly penetrant monogenic autism risk factor), which exhibits prominent autism-like social deficits. We found that histone methyltransferases EHMT1 and EHMT2, as well as histone lysine 9 dimethylation (specifically catalyzed by EHMT1/2), were selectively increased in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of Shank3-deficient mice and autistic human postmortem brains. Treatment with the EHMT1/2 inhibitor UNC0642 or knockdown of EHMT1/2 in PFC induced a robust rescue of autism-like social deficits in Shank3-deficient mice, and restored NMDAR-mediated synaptic function. Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) was identified as one of the causal factors underlying the rescuing effects of UNC0642 on NMDAR function and social behaviors in Shank3-deficient mice. UNC0642 treatment also restored a large set of genes involved in neural signaling in PFC of Shank3-deficient mice. These results suggest that targeting histone methylation enzymes to adjust gene expression and ameliorate synaptic defects could be a potential therapeutic strategy for autism.
USING WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCING TO IDENTIFY DE NOVO VARIATION IN BIPOLAR DISORDER

Background Although most gene-discovery efforts in Bipolar Disorder (BD) have focused on inherited variation, the association of BD with increased paternal age and prior association of de novo copy-number variants with BD, suggests that de novo mutations may also play a role. Methods We have performed deep whole genome sequencing of 97 trios selected specifically to have no family history of bipolar disorder. Diagnoses were based on the Diagnostic Instrument for Genetics Studies with two independent best-estimate evaluations. Sequencing was performed on Illumina Hi-Seq with an average depth of 37X. Variant calling was performed according using the GATK using haplotype caller and best-practice recommendations. De novo calls were individually visualized with the Integrative Genomics Viewer and a subset, including all exonic variation, underwent confirmatory Sanger sequencing. Results We identified 6,882 de novo variants throughout the genome, representing an average of 73.3 de novo Single Nucleotide Variants (SNVs) and indels per family (range 43 -106). As expected, the number of de novo variants correlated strongly with paternal age (P Discussion Our whole genome study of de novo variation provides initial evidence for an association of disruptive mutations in highly conserved genes with BD. The consistency of our results with the only other study of de novo variation in BD highlights the need for further study of de novo variation in BD.
Does hypertension at initial presentation adversely affect outcomes in pediatric traumatic brain injury

Abstract Background Adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who present hypertensive suffer worse outcomes and increased mortality compared to normotensive patients. The purpose of this study is to determine if age-adjusted hypertension on presentation is associated with worsened outcomes in pediatric TBI. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on pediatric patients with severe TBI admitted to a single system pediatric tertiary care center. The primary outcome was mortality. Secondary outcomes included length of stay, need for neurosurgical intervention, duration of mechanical ventilation, and the need for inpatient rehabilitation. Results Of 150 patients, 70% were hypertensive and 30% were normotensive on presentation. Comparing both groups, no statistically significant differences were noted in mortality (13.3% for both groups), need for neurosurgical intervention (51.4% vs 48.8%, p = 0.776), length of stay (6 vs 8 days, p = 0.732), duration of mechanical ventilation (2 vs 3 days, p = 0.912), or inpatient rehabilitation rates (48.6% vs 48.9%, p = 0.972). In comparing just the hypertensive patients, there was a trend toward increased mortality in the 95th and 99th percentile groups at 15.8% and 14.1%, versus the 90th percentile group at 6.7% but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.701). Conclusions Contrary to the adult literature, pediatric patients with severe TBI and hypertension on presentation do not appear to have worsened outcomes compared to those who are normotensive. However, a trend toward increased mortality did exist at extremes of age adjusted hypertension. Larger scale studies are needed to validate these findings. Study type Retrospective cohort study Level of Evidence III
Vibration Testing of Laparoscopic Surgical Instruments Under Varying Grip Pressures

Many devices use vibration to provide sensory cues to a human user. In applications, such as smart phones, the vibratory sensory cue is somewhat simple and needs only to exceed a known threshold to signal the user; however, applications that require an individual to control or manipulate an instrument while being given a vibratory sensory cue must also consider the excitation, whose primary purpose is to provide vibrotactile feedback, which can alter the user’s ability to properly control or maneuver the instrument. Another consideration for many handheld instruments is that a user’s grip pressure can drastically alter the instrument’s dynamic response. To this end, predicting the instrument’s response is made difficult, because the relationships between grip pressure and the equivalent interfacial damping and stiffness is complex. To address this research gap, this paper explores the idea of performing experimental vibration tests on a laparoscopic instrument while being held at varying grip pressures. This research is motivated by the idea of providing vibratory feedback through laparoscopic surgical instruments. A gap in the literature exists in understanding how surgeon grip characteristics impact the optimal frequency for which this excitation should be supplied. Results from this study indicate that excitation frequencies should be greater than 175 Hz for both weak and strong grip configurations. Lower frequencies result in a larger amplitude response at the instrument tip for all grip pressures, which could result in patient harm as the instrument tip oscillates uncontrollably.
In situ Wear Study Reveals Role of Microstructure on Self-Sharpening Mechanism in Sea Urchin Teeth

Summary Animals' teeth have evolved to provide food procurement, mastication, and protection. These functions, directly linked to survival of many living animal species, require superior hardness and abrasion resistance in the animal's dentition system. Such resistance typically emerges from damage tolerance and sharpness preservation during the organism’s life span. An example is the sea urchin tooth, which through gradients in mechanical properties together with exploitation of microstructural features achieves such functionality. Using contact mechanics, dimensional analysis, and a novel in situ scanning electron microscopy experimental methodology, conditions for tooth deformation and wear, via a self-sharpening mechanism consisting in plate chipping, were imaged and quantified. Nonlinear finite-element modeling of the self-sharpening mechanism provided insight into the synergy between constituent material properties and tooth microstructural elements. The findings reported here should inspire the design of novel tools used in machining operations, e.g., cutting and grinding, as well as in mining and tunnel boring.
MEGA‐PRESS of GABA+: Influences of acquisition parameters

γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was the first molecule that was edited with MEGA-PRESS. GABA edited spectroscopy is challenged by limited selectivity of editing pulses. Coediting of resonances from macromolecules (MM) is the greatest single limitation of GABA edited spectroscopy. In this contribution, relative signal contributions from GABA, MM and homocarnosine to the total MEGA-PRESS edited signal at ~3 ppm, i.e., GABA+, are simulated at 3 tesla using several acquisition schemes. The base scheme is modeled after those currently supplied by vendors: it uses typical pulse shapes and lengths, it minimizes the first echo time (TE), and the delay between the editing pulses is kept at TE/2. Edited spectra are simulated for imperfect acquisition parameters such as incorrect frequency, larger chemical shift displacement, incorrect transmit B1 -field calibration for localization and editing pulses, and longer TE. An alternative timing scheme and longer editing pulses are also considered. Additional simulations are performed for symmetric editing around the MM frequency to suppress the MM signal. The relative influences of these acquisition parameters on the constituents of GABA+ are examined from the perspective of modern experimental designs for investigating brain GABA concentration differences in healthy and diseased humans. Other factors that influence signal contributions, such as T1 and T2 relaxation times are also considered.
Book Review: The Birth of the FBI: Teddy Roosevelt, The Secret Service, and the Fight over America’s Premier Law Enforcement Agency: by Oliver Willard M., Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2019, 329 pp., $34.00 hbk, ISBN: 9781442265035.

The Birth of the FBI is an engaging and enriching experience. It is tailored towards anyone interested in learning about the circumstances that led to the formation of the Federal Bureau of Investi...
High-risk and intermediate-high-risk results from the ThyroSeq v2 and v3 thyroid genomic classifier are associated with neoplasia: Independent performance assessment at an academic institution.

BACKGROUND The ThyroSeq panel tests for genetic alterations to risk-stratify cytologically indeterminate nodules. The authors assessed the test performance of the tests, including the latest version (v3), at an academic center. METHODS Results from ThyroSeq testing (v2 and v3) were reviewed over 2 years, and patient demographics, cytology diagnoses, results of ThyroSeq testing, and histopathologic diagnoses on resection (if available) were collected. RESULTS One hundred eighty-five nodules were tested from 178 patients, including 94 nodules tested with v2 and 91 nodules tested with v3. Overall, 28 of 185 nodules (15%) yielded a high-risk or intermediate-high-risk mutation (HRM). Of the patients with these nodules, 19 of 25 (76%) had neoplastic nodules, and 11 of 25 (44%) had a malignancy or a noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP). Only 16 of 147 nodules (11%) that were negative or had low-risk genetic alterations underwent resection, with 1 false-negative result (a papillary thyroid carcinoma tested with v2). No false-negative results were identified with v3. Two nodules had TP53 mutations identified, both of which were benign on resection. Nodules with HRM that were tested with v2 and v3 had a positive predictive value (PPV) for malignancy of 57% and 39%, respectively, and a PPV for neoplasm of 86% and 72%, respectively. The negative predictive values for v2 and v3 were 92% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The PPV of an HRM result on ThyroSeq v3 was low for malignancy or NIFTP, and the PPV for neoplasm was higher. RAS-type mutations were the most commonly identified in both benign and malignant nodules. Thyroseq v3 had a lower PPV for both malignancy/NIFTP and neoplasm than v2 but did not produce any false-negative results.
Publicity and perceptions of risk: The effects of HRO naming and shaming on sovereign credit rating

Previous scholarship has demonstrated that shaming by human rights organizations produces economic consequences. For example, human rights shaming by international organizations negatively affects ...
Is patient age associated with risk of malignancy in a ≥4 cm cytologically benign thyroid nodule?

Abstract Background Current data regarding the risk of malignancy in a large thyroid nodule with benign fine-needle aspiration biopsy(FNAB) is conflicting. We investigated the impact of patient age on the risk of malignancy in nodules≥4 cm with benign cytology. Methods We performed a single-institution retrospective review of patients who underwent surgery from 07/2008–08/2019 for a cytologically benign thyroid nodule ≥4 cm. The relationship between malignant histopathology and patient and ultrasound features was assessed with multivariable logistic regression. Results Of 474 nodules identified, 25(5.3%) were malignant on final pathology. In patients 4 cm and high-risk ultrasound features were not associated with risk of malignancy(OR:1.0,95%CI:0.7–1.4,p = 0.980, and OR:9.6,95%CI:0.9–107.8,p = 0.066, respectively). Conclusions Patients
The Road to Unearthing the Conducting System of the Heart

The essence of the heartbeat remained a mystery for centuries. William Harvey, in his description of the circulation of blood, did not explain the origin of the heartbeat. He stated that “the pulse has its origin in the blood…the cardiac auricle from which the pulsation starts, is excited by the blood.” It was held for several centuries that the heartbeat was triggered by inherent excitation of the heart muscle itself (myogenic theory) or was due to an electrical stimulus from the nervous system (neurogenic theory). This chapter discusses the ultimate discovery of the origin of the heartbeat and the conducting system by anatomists and pathophysiologists: Jan Evangelista Purkyně, Wilhelm His, Jr. Walter Gaskell, Sunao Tawara, and Arthur Keith. It also discusses the current concepts of impulse generation and its transmission in the human heart.
Fibrillary glomerulonephritis and DnaJ homolog subfamily B member 9 (DNAJB9)

Fibrillary GN (FGN) is a rare glomerular disease that is diagnosed based on the presence of fibrils in glomeruli. The fibrils are typically noncongophilic, randomly oriented, and measure 12–24 nm. Traditionally, electron microscopy (EM) has been an important tool to aid in the diagnosis of FGN by identifying the fibrils and to distinguish it from other entities that could mimic FGN. However, recently DnaJ homolog subfamily B member 9 (DNAJB9) has emerged as both a specific and sensitive biomarker in patients with FGN. It allows prompt diagnosis and alleviates reliance on EM. DNAJB9 is a cochaperone of heat shock protein 70 and is involved in endoplasmic reticulum protein-folding pathways. But its role in the pathogenesis of FGN remains elusive. DNAJB9 may act as a putative antigen or alternatively it may secondarily bind to misfolded IgG in the glomeruli. These hypotheses need future studies to elucidate the role of DNAJB9 in the pathogenesis of FGN. The treatment regimen for FGN has been limited due to paucity of studies. Most patients receive combination immunosuppressive regimens. Rituximab has been studied the most in FGN and it may delay disease progression. Prognosis of FGN remains poor and 50% require dialysis within 2 years of diagnosis. Despite its poor prognosis in native kidneys, the rate of recurrence post-transplantation is low (20%) and patient as well as allograft outcomes are similar to patients without FGN.
Ovarian Stimulation Using Gonadotropins Protocols for Ovulatory Patient Undergoing IUI

Superovulation with gonadotropins combined with intrauterine insemination (GT-IUI) has been an extensively used treatment for subfertility for more than 30 years. Recently, the role of GT-IUI has been questioned, given its disproportionate contribution to high-order multiple pregnancies (HOMP) and modest effectiveness. As IVF has become increasingly more successful, and single embryo transfer rates have increased, the gap between IVF and GT-IUI success rates and HOMP rates has widened in favor of IVF. As the cost of IVF precludes universal access to this technology in many jurisdictions, GT-IUI is likely to remain a treatment option for some women. Low-dose daily regimens confer pregnancy rates that approach those of high-dose regimens and may provide a means of reducing HOMP rates. Luteal phase progesterone support may improve GT-IUI results. Women age 38 or older, particularly those with diminished ovarian reserve, may benefit from immediate triage to IVF. One area of research could be to assess the role of high-dose gonadotropin therapy in the sub-group of women age 38 or older with good ovarian reserve. Since this sub-group has a low risk of HOMP in IVF and in GT-IUI, it may benefit from the recruitment of multiple follicles in a manner that is analogous to “heavy transfer” in women in this age group undergoing IVF. GT-IUI is likely to assume an increasingly marginal role in treatment.
Quantitative and dynamic cell polarity tracking in plant cells

ABSTRACT Quantitative information on the spatiotemporal distribution of polarized proteins is central for understanding cell-fate determination, yet collecting sufficient data for statistical analysis is difficult to accomplish with manual measurements. Here we present POME, a semi-automated pipeline for the quantification of cell polarity, and demonstrate its application to a variety of developmental contexts. POME analysis reveals that during asymmetric cell divisions in the Arabidopsis thaliana stomatal lineage, polarity proteins BASL and BRXL2 are more asynchronous and less mutually dependent than previously thought. While their interaction is important to maintain their polar localization and recruit other effectors to regulate asymmetric cell divisions, BRXL2 polarization precedes that of BASL and can be initiated in BASL’s absence. Uncoupling of polarization from BASL activity is also seen in Brachypodium distachyon, where we find that the MAPKKK BdYDA1 is segregated and polarized following asymmetric division. Our results demonstrate that POME is a versatile tool, which by itself or combined with tissue-level studies and advanced microscopy techniques can help uncover new mechanisms of cell polarity.
Earnings management and convertible preferred stock calls

Abstract The impact of convertible calls on stock returns and operating performance has intrigued researchers for many years. Many studies have examined this issue, but the evidence is not conclusive. In this study, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature and examine earnings management around calls of convertible preferred stock. We find that pre-call abnormal accruals are significantly positive. Coupled with the well-documented significantly positive abnormal stock returns during the pre-call period, this evidence raises the question of whether earnings are managed upward to boost stock prices and ensure conversion of called securities. However, our overall findings do not support the argument that high accruals in the pre-call period reflect deliberate earnings management to entice investors to convert their securities into equity ahead of subsequent poor performance.
Factors to consider when interrogating 3D culture models with plate readers or automated microscopes

Along with the increased use of more physiologically relevant three-dimensional cell culture models comes the responsibility of researchers to validate new assay methods that measure events in structures that are physically larger and more complex compared to monolayers of cells. It should not be assumed that assays designed using monolayers of cells will work for cells cultured as larger three-dimensional masses. The size and barriers for penetration of molecules through the layers of cells result in a different microenvironment for the cells in the outer layer compared to the center of three-dimensional structures. Diffusion rates for nutrients and oxygen may limit metabolic activity which is often measured as a marker for cell viability. For assays that lyse cells, the penetration of reagents to achieve uniform cell lysis must be considered. For live cell fluorescent imaging assays, the diffusion of fluorescent probes and penetration of photons of light for probe excitation and fluorescent emission must be considered. This review will provide an overview of factors to consider when implementing assays to interrogate three dimensional cell culture models.
Policy Experimentation with Repeated Elections

When does an incentive exist for an incumbent to experiment with a risky reform policy in the presence of future elections? To address this question, we study a dynamic game between two political parties with heterogeneous preferences and a voter. The voter elects a party that then chooses a policy from among a safe alternative with known payoffs and two risky ones with initially unknown expected payoffs. We show that under infrequent elections, the incumbent party experiments with its preferred reform policy even if its outlook is not promising, whereas with overly frequent elections, the incumbent stops experimentation prematurely because an imminent election increases the potential to lose power if he undertakes risky reform. While infrequent elections are not ideal for the voter, the degree of inefficiency from overly frequent elections is large enough that voters are worse than under a dictatorship. Efficiency can be restored by combining frequent elections with a voter’s strategy that advantages the incumbent party.
Quantifying the Effect of the Wind on Trees Observed by Synthetic Aperture Radar Systems

Forests are an integral component of local ecosystems as well as the global carbon cycle and as a result of the subject of intense human interest and study. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) are proven technologies and have both been used to image forests across weather and daylight conditions. Both SAR and InSAR systems require the formation of at least one synthetic aperture which is not an instantaneous occurrence. Rather, synthetic apertures are formed by coherently combining multiple adjacent radar observations which are collected temporally close but not simultaneously. The time required to collect sufficient measurements to form a synthetic aperture or the time between synthetic aperture collections in the case of an InSAR system are of interest in this study as both delays enable an observation of temporal processes, such as a moving wind field, and their impact on SAR and InSAR measurements. We present an approach to quantify the effect of wind on a SAR system's ability to achieve coherence between adjacent measurements and that of an InSAR system to accurately estimate the canopy height of a tree. We propose to simulate a set of physically realistic trees and to expose each to the same set of incident wind fields. During the exposure, the instantaneous geometry of each tree will be stored and then imaged by a combined SAR and InSAR simulator thereby generating a temporal record of wind-blown tree geometries and their corresponding SAR and InSAR measurements. This collection of tree geometries, wind fields, and electromagnetic simulations will be used to develop a relationship between an incident wind field and the expected impact on SAR and InSAR measurements.
Erste Behandlungsergebnisse über Schlafentzug und Schlafphasenvorverlagerung bei depressiven Patienten

Seit den fruhen 70er Jahren ist der Schlafentzug als Behandlungsform fur Patienten mit endogener Depression bekannt. Ca. 60% der Patienten zeigen eine deutliche Besserung der depressiven Symptomatik nach einer durchwachten Nacht [5, 12]. Dieser biologische Schlafentzugseffekt ist unabhangig von psychologischen Faktoren [2]. Leider halt diese Stimmungsaufhellung nur einen bis wenige Tage an, danach fallen die Patienten regelmasig wieder in ihre depressive Symptomatik zuruck. Sogar kurze Schlafperioden wahrend des Tages (Naps) nach erfolgreichem Schlafentzug konnen einen Ruckfall in die Depression hervorrufen. Dieses konnte in systematischen Untersuchungen [6, 11] gezeigt werden: Nach einem erfolgreichen Schlafentzug fielen uber 50% der Patienten in die depressive Stimmung zuruck, nachdem sie eine kurze Zeit wahrend der ersten Tageshalfte geschlafen hatten, dagegen verursachten Naps wahrend des Nachmittages und in den fruhen Abendstunden keine wesentliche Verschlechterung der Stimmung. Diese Beobachtungen sprechen dafur, das Schlaf speziell in der ersten Tageshalfte einen depressionsfordernden Effekt hat. Wehr und Wirz-Justice nennen dies „kritische Phase“ im Schlafrhythmus depressiver Patienten [10]. Diese zirkadiane Modulation des depressiogenen Effekts von Schlaf wird durch die Tatsache gestutzt, das ein partieller Schlafentzug in der zweiten Nachthalfte effektiver ist als in der ersten [8].
Phase II Study of Nonmyeloablative Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation for B Cell Lymphoma with Post-Transplantation Rituximab and Donor Selection Based First on Non-HLA Factors

Abstract Outcomes of nonmyeloablative (NMA), HLA-haploidentical (haplo), related-donor allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (allo-BMT) with high-dose post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) appear to be similar to those using HLA-matched donors. Thus, it may be possible to prioritize donor factors other than HLA matching that could enhance antitumor activity. The Fc receptor polymorphism FCGR3A-158VV may confer greater sensitivity to rituximab than FCGR3A-158FF. In a prospective phase II study of NMA, related-donor allo-BMT with PTCy and post-transplantation rituximab for patients with B cell lymphomas, we hypothesized that donor selection that prioritized FCGR3A-158 polymorphism over HLA matching would be feasible, safe, and improve outcomes. The primary endpoint was 1-year progression-free survival (PFS). Of 83 patients transplanted (median age, 59 years), 69 (83%) received haplo grafts. Fifty-four (65%) received a graft that maintained or improved their Fc receptor polymorphism status. With 2.6-year median follow-up, the 1-year PFS and overall survival (OS) probabilities were 71% and 86%, respectively, with 1-year relapse and nonrelapse mortality (NRM) probabilities of 20% and 8%. At 1 year, the probability of acute grades II to IV graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was 41%, with acute grades III to IV GVHD probability of 5% and chronic GVHD probability of 11%. Among haplo transplants, the 1-year probabilities of PFS, OS, relapse, and NRM were 70%, 83%, 20%, and 10%, respectively. No differences in outcomes were observed based on donor FCGR3A-158 polymorphism. Excess infection risk was not apparent with post-transplantation rituximab. Although donor selection based on FCGR3A-158 polymorphism was not shown to influence PFS, this study suggests that donor selection based on criteria other than best HLA match is feasible and safe. This study opens the way for the future investigation of donor prioritization based on promising non-HLA factors that may improve antitumor activity and decrease relapse after allo-BMT. This study was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00946023.
HOW TO FIRE ALMOST ANY ARBITRARY PATTERN ON A CELLULAR AUTOMATON

The firing squad problem for cellular automata (CA) concerns finding a CA-rule independent of the size of the CA that would make the automaton, started with all cells except of one quiescent, fire simultaneously; that is, to make all the cells enter some special state at the same computational step. Recently, Weighted Finite Automata (WFA) have been introduced as devices computing real functions, in particular, the gray scale pixel specification of an image. We will use the result showing that every n x n image can be approximated by a WFA. We combine this WFA with the CA-rule for the firing squad to obtain a size-independent CA-rule that will “fire” the approximation of the given image on a two-dimensional CA whose cells can produce pixel values as outputs.
DNA and 普通話 (Mandarin): Bringing introductory programming to the Life Sciences and Digital Humanities

The ability to write software (to script, to program, to code) is a vital skill for students and their future data-centric, multidisciplinary careers. We present a ten-year effort to teach introductory programming skills in domain-focused courses to students across divisions in our liberal arts college. By creatively working with colleagues in Biology, Statistics, and now English, we have designed, modified, and offered six iterations of two courses: “DNA” and “Computing for Poets”. Larger percentages of women have consistently enrolled in these two courses vs. the traditional first course in the major. We share our open source course materials and present here our use of a blended learning classroom that leverages the increasing quality of online video lectures and programming practice sites in an attempt to maximize faculty-student interactions in class.
A Study of the Thermal/Nonthermal Electric Field Model Using Spectral and Spatial X-ray Data from CGRO and YOHKOH

We have analyzed the solar flare of 1538 UT, 17 Feb. 1992 in terms of a model in which electric fields produce both thermal emission from Joule heated electrons and nonthermal emission from runaway electrons (Holman 1985, Benka & Holman 1994). The flare was observed by the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE), the Yohkoh satellite, and GOES. The Yohkoh images show a single soft X-ray loop with hard X-ray sources at the loop footpoints and at the looptop. We assume in our model that the electric fields are parallel to the length of the loop, the hard X-ray footpoint emission is nonthermal thick-target emission, and the looptop emission is thermal emission due to Joule heating. The measured BATSE hard X-ray spectra were fit with functions derived from the electric field model. The work is described in greater detail in Kucera et al. 1995.
Comparison of acid-soluble nucleotides across human placenta

Abstract After initial extraction with cold 10 per cent trichloracetic acid solution, blood from peripheral, intervillous space, and arterial and venous blood were analyzed for acid-oluble nucleotides using an anion exchange column, Dowex 1-formate. Only minor differences in nucleotide content were noted in nonpregnant states. However, the marked differences were noted in studies of intervillous space and arterial and venous cord blood. Significant changes were observed in the content of Glutathione, AMP, NADP, UDP-g, and FAD.
Psychoanalysis in the university: the clinical dimension.

After the Ninth Psycho‐Analytical Congress at the beginning of September 1925 at Bad Homburg the following claim was made by Max Eitingon, who had created the first functioning training institute: ...
Structured neural network topologies with application to acoustic transients

The use of structured interconnection topologies is considered for designing layered feedforward neural networks when no explicit information on the application data space is available at design time. Sparse, structured designs can yield computationally efficient networks when the input and output data spaces are large. In particular, the fully connected, cube connected, and butterfly connected networks are analyzed, and their interconnection characteristics are compared. The tradeoff incurred in making the incidence matrix increasingly more sparse is noted, and it is concluded that an acceptable design should be moderately interconnected, allowing a reduction in synaptic density while maintaining functional flexibility. >
Improving Higgs coupling measurements through ZZ Fusion at the ILC

We evaluate the ${e}^{\ensuremath{-}}{e}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}{e}^{+}+h$ process through the $ZZ$ fusion channel at the International Linear Collider operating at 500 GeV and 1 TeV center-of-mass energies. We perform realistic simulations on the signal process and background processes. With judicious kinematic cuts, we find that the inclusive cross section can be measured to 2.9% after combining the 500 GeV at $500\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{fb}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and 1 TeV at $1\text{ }\text{ }{\text{ab}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ runs. A multivariate log-likelihood analysis further improves the precision of the cross section measurement to 2.3%. We discuss the overall improvement to model-independent Higgs width and coupling determinations and demonstrate the use of different channels in distinguishing new physics effects in Higgs physics. Our study demonstrates the importance of the $ZZ$ fusion channel to Higgs precision physics, which has often been neglected in the literature.
Health Disparities, Health Care Reform, Morality, and the Law: 'Keep Your Government Hands Off My Medicare'

This article contends a declaration by Congress that access to health care is a human right remains an important first step towards promoting health equity. Morally speaking, existing health care policies challenge the notion that each human being is entitled to respect and dignity independent of the amount of his or her wealth. Alarming evidence reveals how particular groups, in terms of race, ethnicity, class, and gender, carry disproportionate burdens of poor health and disproportionate barriers to gaining health insurance coverage. The recent debate over the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ignored the issue of race because of the potential divisive effects that candid discussions about race pose to the political process in America. However, a colorblind approach to health care reform severely limits the development of effective strategies aimed at promoting health equity. Acknowledgment of the role of race and racism in producing health disparities, together with characterizing health care as a human right, will help change the moral tone of the health care reform debate and build a path towards remedying our societal health inequities.
Patterns of size variation over time in ponderosa pine stands established at different initial densities

We used six metrics of size and growth variation (standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), skewness coefficient (S), Gini coefficient (G), Lorenz asymmetry coefficient (LAC), and growth dominance coefficient (GD)) to describe changes in two long-term ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex P. Lawson & C. Lawson) initial spacing trials in Oregon and Washington, USA. Trends were examined over a 35-year time period and across a range of initial stand densities (from 154 to 2470 trees·ha−1) for four measures of tree size: diameter at breast height (dbh, 1.37 m), basal area (BA), height, and volume. Unlike many previous studies of size variation in monospecific stands, our results suggest that variation declined or remained relatively stable for all treatments at both study areas. This suggests that these stands are experiencing size symmetric competition for belowground resources. We found that a combination of metrics is necessary to provide a complete picture of size variability and differ...
Modular Forms of Half Integral Weight

The forms to be discussed are those with the automorphic factor (cz + d)k/2 with a positive odd integer k. The theta function $$ \theta \left( z \right) = \sum\nolimits_{n = - \infty }^\infty {e^{2\pi in^2 z} } $$ and the Dedekind eta function $$ \eta \left( z \right) = e^{\pi iz/12} \prod _{n = 1}^\infty (1 - e^{2\pi inz} ) $$ are classical examples of such forms. (For some practical reasons, we take \( e^{2\pi in^2 z} \) instead of the usual \( e^{\pi in^2 z} \) in the definition of θ.) In fact, the function θ satisfies $$ \theta (\gamma (z)) = j(\gamma ,z)\theta (z)for all\gamma \in \Gamma _0 (4) $$ (1.1) with $$ j([\begin{array}{*{20}c} a & b \\ c & d \\ \end{array} ],z) = (\frac{c} {d})\varepsilon _d^{ - 1} (cz + d)^{1/2}. $$ (1.2) .
EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION AND THE DECISION TO SEEK THERAPY: THE MEDIATING ROLES OF THE ANTICIPATED BENEFITS AND RISKS

Abstract The tendency to avoid expressing unpleasant emotions can be a barrier to seeking mental health services. This investigation (N = 295) used Structural Equation Modeling to examine psychological distress and anticipated risks and benefits of disclosing emotions to a therapist as mediators of the relationship between the tendency to express emotions and participants' (a) attitudes toward seeking therapy and (b) willingness to seek therapy. The results demonstrated that (a) the relationship between emotional expression and attitudes was fully mediated by anticipated risks and benefits and (b) the relationship between emotional expression and willingness was fully mediated by attitudes and anticipated risks and benefits. Furthermore, 53% of the variance in attitudes and 41% of the variance in willingness was accounted for by the variables in the model.
Fractional demand systems

Abstract This paper provides a complete characterization of Fractional Demand Systems, which are utility-derived demand equations having quantities or budget shares proportional to af + bg, where f and g depend on income and a and b vary across goods and depend on prices. It is proved that all such demand systems reduce to seven basic forms, only four of which (Homothetic, PIGL, PIGLOG, and TRANSLOG) have been previously described in the literature. Uses and virtues of Fractional Demand Systems in terms of estimation, aggregation, possible global properties, and uses for testing the adequacy of other common functional forms are described. An empirical example comparing the general fractional form of the TRANSLOG system to its more usual PIGLOG form is provided.
Energetic Roles of Hydrogen Bonds at the Ureido Oxygen Binding Pocket in the Streptavidin−Biotin Complex†

The high-affinity streptavidin−biotin complex is characterized by an extensive hydrogen-bonding network. A study of hydrogen-bonding energetics at the ureido oxygen of biotin has been conducted wit...
County-level prohibition and alcohol-related fatal motor vehicle accidents

The 50 states and the District of Columbia were grouped according to whether or not they had county-level alcohol prohibition. Several motor vehicle fatality rates were calculated for each type of jurisdiction, including the single-vehicle fatality rate (an index of alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents). In all cases, motor vehicle fatality rates for drivers in states with county-level prohibition were significantly greater than in nonprohibition states. This suggests that drivers residing in counties with prohibition are compelled to drive to adjacent counties or states to drink and consequently have increased involvement in motor vehicle accidents.
New curvature-torsion relations through decomposition of the Bianchi identities

The Bianchi Identities relating asymmetric curvature to torsion are obtained as a new set of equations governing second-order curvature tensors. The usual contribution of symmetric curvature to the gravitational field is found to be a subset of these identities though with an added contribution due to torsion gradients. The antisymmetric curvature two-tensor is shown to be related to the divergence of the torsion. Using a model of particle-antiparticle pair production, identification of certain torsion components with electroweak fields is proposed. These components obey equations, similar to Maxwell's, that are subsets of these linear Bianchi identities. These results are shown to be consistent with gauge and other previous analyses.
Making Experience Come Out of Right: Culture As Biography

Culture is not external to the life of self but constitutive of it. This theme is elaborated by use of 3 examples. (1) Montaigne's Essays record 18 years of a self “consubstantial” with its writings. The example raises the question: Is self-inscription a major element in many types of cultural activity? (2) The lives of Chang and Eng Bunker, the “Original Siamese Twins,” unseparated for 63 years, are used to ask the question: To what extent can biography be understood apart from biology, or one life understood apart from the lives around it? (3) In Inoue Yasushi's Chronicle of My Mother, a woman's self-understanding of her biography differs radically from her personal history as construed by her children and grandchildren. Here the question is: To what extent is selfunderstanding “consubstantial” with the interpretations made by others. The general suggestion is that selfhood has to be examined, in cultural analysis, as a temporal phenomenon and not as a “structure” individuated and spaced-out from the rest of culture. Culture then becomes a window-of-opportunity for the completing of self-projects.
Futures Hedging Under Disappointment Aversion

This article considers optimal futures hedging decisions when the hedger is disappointment-averse (Gul, 1991). When the futures contract is a perfect hedge instrument, a disappointment-averse hedger always holds a position closer to the full hedge than a nondisappointment-averse hedger. In the presence of basis risk, the optimal futures position is either a partial hedge or a full hedge. Neither Texas hedge nor overhedge could be optimal. The effects of different degrees of disappointment aversion on futures trading are also analyzed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 21:1029–1042, 2001
Supraventricular Tachycardia in Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension is a disease with significant morbidity and mortality. It is characterized by right-sided volume and pressure overload, which leads to structural changes and fibrosis in the right atrium, thus predisposing to supraventricular arrhythmias. This article presents a case discussion of supraventricular tachycardia in pulmonary hypertension. A 48-year-old woman, with a history of primary pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure, was admitted with a supraventricular tachycardia, hypotension, and congestive heart failure.
Decarboxylases involved in polyamine biosynthesis and their inactivation by nitric oxide.

Abstract Polyamines are ubiquitous cellular components that are involved in normal and neoplastic growth. Polyamine biosynthesis is very highly regulated in mammalian cells by the activities of two key decarboxylases acting on ornithine and S-adenosylmethionine. Recent studies, which include crystallographic analysis of the recombinant human proteins, have provided a detailed knowledge of their structure and function. Ornithine decarboxylase is a PLP-requiring decarboxylase, whereas S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) contains a covalently bound pyruvate prosthetic group. Both enzymes have a key cysteine residue, which is involved in protonation of the Schiff base intermediate Cα to form the product. These residues, Cys360 in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and Cys82 in AdoMetDC, react readily with nitric oxide (NO), which is therefore a potent inactivator of polyamine synthesis. The inactivation of these enzymes may mediate some of the antiproliferative actions of NO.
“None of the Above?” Casting Blank Ballots in Ontario Provincial Elections

Are blank or unmarked ballots in an election a random event? The comparative literature on elections suggests otherwise, linking blank ballots to political protest or social and demographic characteristics of voters. Rational choice theory offers explanations rooted in civic duty and net benefits associated with uncompetitive elections. Similarly, when a voter decides to vote, the literature on party competition and electoral turnout offers the possibility that a blank ballot is another choice beyond voting for a specific candidate or party. While little research exists on blank ballots in election systems lacking compulsory voting, this article presents an exploratory analysis using data from the 1999 and 2003 provincial elections in Ontario. The study finds that while demographic characteristics matter, party competition also provides an explanation for casting blank ballots consistent with expectations of rational choice theory.
Voltage- and ion-dependent conductances in solitary vertebrate hair cells.

An important function of the peripheral auditory system is the resolution of complex sounds into their constituent frequency components. It is well established that each mechanoreceptive hair cell of the cochlea is maximally sensitive to a particular frequency of sound1,2, but the mechanisms by which this sharp frequency selectivity is achieved are still controversial3. The complex mechanical and hydrodynamic properties of the receptor organs and of the hair cells themselves are certainly involved3. However, in at least one auditory organ, the turtle cochlea, frequency tuning is greatly enhanced by the electrical properties of the hair-cell membrane; each cell in this organ behaves as an electrical resonator tuned to a narrow band of frequencies4. Using the ‘Gigaseal’, whole-cell recording technique5, we have investigated the biophysical basis of similar resonant behaviour in enzymatically isolated hair cells from the bullfrog sacculus. We report here the identification of three voltage- and ion-dependent conductances which may contribute to the electrical tuning mechanism: a non-inactivating calcium conductance, an A-type K+ conductance, and a Ca2+ -activated K+ conductance6.