cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Byzantine Turns in Modern Greek Thought and Historiography, 1767-1874

This article examines representations of Byzantium in Modern Greek historical thought, from the first translation (1767) of the Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae to the publication of Konstantinos Paparrigopoulos’ complete Ἱστορία τοῦ Ἑλληνικού Ἔθνους [History of the Greek nation (1860-1874)]. In doing so, it reassesses conventions, especially prevalent in English-language works, regarding the range and complexity of endeavors in this vein. Developments in European thought are used throughout as a vantage point, as they represent a contingency of great importance for any assessment of Greek attitudes toward the past. However, these influences did not always point in one direction; a factor which, in tandem with local generational and ideological divisions, helps to explain the diverse perspectives on Byzantium in Greek works from the period under review.
IRB reliance

Graphical abstractDisplay Omitted Multi-center studies IRB approval imposes an unnecessary burden on investigators.Harmonizing review requirements promotes IRB reliance across institutions.Harmonization can be achieved using informatics approaches.Variations in institutional structure and requirements pose challenges in reliance. Multi-site Institutional Review Board (IRB) review of clinical research projects is an important but complex and time-consuming activity that is hampered by disparate non-interoperable computer systems for management of IRB applications. This paper describes our work toward harmonizing the workflow and data model of IRB applications through the development of a software-as-a-service shared-IRB platform for five institutions in South Carolina. Several commonalities and differences were recognized across institutions and a core data model that included the data elements necessary for IRB applications across all institutions was identified. We extended and modified the system to support collaborative reviews of IRB proposals within routine workflows of participating IRBs. Overall about 80% of IRB application content was harmonized across all institutions, establishing the foundation for a streamlined cooperative review and reliance. Since going live in 2011, 49 applications that underwent cooperative reviews over a three year period were approved, with the majority involving 2 out of 5 institutions. We believe this effort will inform future work on a common IRB data model that will allow interoperability through a federated approach for sharing IRB reviews and decisions with the goal of promoting reliance across institutions in the translational research community at large.
Flares from Galactic Centre pulsars: a new class of X-ray transients?

Despite intensive searches, the only pulsar within 0.1 pc of the central black hole in our Galaxy, Sgr A*, is a radio-loud magnetar. Since magnetars are rare among the Galactic neutron star population, and a large number of massive stars are already known in this region, the Galactic centre (GC) should harbor a large number of neutron stars. Population syntheses suggest several thousand neutron stars may be present in the GC. Many of these could be highly energetic millisecond pulsars which are also proposed to be responsible for the GC gamma-ray excess. We propose that the presence of a neutron star within 0.03~pc from Sgr~A* can be revealed by the shock interactions with the disk around the central black hole. As we demonstrate, these interactions result in observable transient non-thermal X-ray and gamma-ray emission over timescales of months, provided that the spin down luminosity of the neutron star is L_{sd}~10^{35} erg/s. Current limits on the population of normal and millisecond pulsars in the GC region suggest that a number of such pulsars are present with such luminosities.
Coloration of breast fluid related to concentration of cholesterol, cholesterol epoxides, estrogen, and lipid peroxides.

The coloration of nipple aspirates of breast fluid from 2,343 women were compared with breast fluid concentrations of cholesterol, cholesterol epoxides, lipid peroxides, estrogens, and immunoglobulins. Darker-colored breast fluids had significantly higher mean concentrations of cholesterol, cholesterol epoxides, lipid peroxides, and estrogens than did lighter-colored fluids, whereas no relationship of coloration with immunoglobulin levels was found.
Demonstration of thiosemicarbazide-induced convulsions in rats with elevated brain levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid.

SummaryIn confirmation of biochemical data for whole brain, injection of thiosemicarbazide produced convulsive seizures in rats concomitantly with decreases in levels of γ-aminobutyric acid in 9 areas of the brain. However, rats injected with both hydroxylamine and thiosemicarbazide had convulsive seizures when levels of γ-aminobutyric acid were either elevated or normal in different areas of brain. Seizures produced by administration of thiosemicarbazide are not related to a generally decreased level of γ-aminobutyric acid in the brain.
Amine-Based CO2 Capture Technology Development from the Beginning of 2013—A Review

It is generally accepted by the scientific community that anthropogenic CO2 emissions are leading to global climate change, notably an increase in global temperatures commonly referred to as global warming. The primary source of anthropogenic CO2 emissions is the combustion of fossil fuels for energy. As society’s demand for energy increases and more CO2 is produced, it becomes imperative to decrease the amount emitted to the atmosphere. One promising approach to do this is to capture CO2 at the effluent of the combustion site, namely, power plants, in a process called postcombustion CO2 capture. Technologies to achieve this are heavily researched due in large part to the intuitive nature of removing CO2 from the stack gas and the ease in retrofitting existing CO2 sources with these technologies. As such, several reviews have been written on postcombustion CO2 capture. However, it is a fast-developing field, and the most recent review papers already do not include the state-of-the-art research. Notable am...
Detection probability evaluation model based on texture feature of thermal infrared

In order to evaluate the viability of fixed target impersonality, the detection probability model is established based on texture feature of thermal infrared image. Firstly, by combining statistical decision theory with image analyzing and processing technology, applying the Gabor function wavelet texture analysis and Bhattacharyaa distance-based texture similitude degree concept, the detection probability formula was put forward. Secondly, psychophysical experiment was designed ,which studys the relation between image feature and psychological perception. Thirdiy, based on the analysis result from experiment datum , model parameters were decided. In the end, the expert's interpretation and simulation experiment show that the model can simulate interpretation process exactly and the result is credible. The model provides a new method to evaluate the viability of fixed target in thermal infrared band and impersonal basis for decision-making.
GIS Technology in Water Conservancy Information Management Application

Water information management data sources are involved in a wide range of information.GIS technology is a massive multi-source spatial data handling emerging technologies.This paper describes the water resources information management and GIS technology,their own characteristics,advantages and application of GIS technology,focusing on the safety monitoring of GIS technology in engineering,water protection,water conservancy facilities management,scheduling and other aspects of water resources applications.
Evolutionary causes and consequences of diversified CRISPR immune profiles in natural populations.

Host–pathogen co-evolution is a significant force which shapes the ecology and evolution of all types of organisms, and such interactions are driven by resistance and immunity mechanisms of the host. Diversity of resistance and immunity can affect the co-evolutionary trajectory of both host and pathogen. The microbial CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)–Cas (CRISPR-associated) system is one host immunity mechanism which offers a tractable model for examining the dynamics of diversity in an immune system. In the present article, we review CRISPR variation observed in a variety of natural populations, examine the forces which can push CRISPRs towards high or low diversity, and investigate the consequences of various levels of diversity on microbial populations.
The Expanded Endonasal Approach to Skull Base Meningiomas

Classic approaches to the skull base have involved either anterior, middle, or posterior fossa craniotomies, with retraction of the brain to expose the relevant intracranial anatomy, often with separate approaches from the midface or temporal bone to expose the relevant extracranial anatomy. The expanded endonasal approach (EEA) to skull base tumors was introduced as an alternative minimally invasive strategy for selected tumors in the late 1990s/early 2000s [3, 11, 12]. It offered some significant advantages in selected tumors, including the elimination of the need for skin incisions, the elimination of brain retraction, and the addition of excellent visualization of critical structures. In the early part of the experience with EEA, there was significant controversy about its safety, with critics of the approach citing the risk of infection and the possibility of cerebrospinal fluid leakage as a consequence of the procedure. However, early experience showed the safety of the procedure, especially relative to traditional skull base approaches, in selected tumors. We reported our experience in 800 consecutive patients performed by a single neurosurgeon over a decade and demonstrated the safety of the procedure for a broad range of pathologies [15]. Since then, the procedure has been adopted worldwide and has been made safer by advances in technology and reconstructive techniques. Since our original description of a modular anatomical classification system [25], expansion of the anatomic limits of the procedure has continued to increase the number of skull base tumors accessible by this approach. In this chapter, we will describe the use of EEA for skull base meningiomas, focusing on the anatomic limits of the use of EEA for these tumors, the advantages and disadvantages of EEA, and the technical nuances of the use of EEA for meningiomas.
Slow Start Transition in Participatory Sensing Applications

In this paper, we present the "Slow Start Problem" in participatory sensing applications where a service is provided based on data collected by participants. The slow start problem refers to the initial stage in participatory sensing service deployment, during which service adoption remains sparse and, hence, the collected data does not offer adequate coverage. Predictive models, learned from data, offer a way to generalize from sparse observations, but the models themselves need to be statistically reliable to offer a reliable service. To achieve service reliability, this paper offers a modeling approach, where simpler models are used initially, gradually transitioning to more elaborate models, when enough data is collected. A key challenge and contribution of the work is to time model transitions correctly to provide theoretical guarantees on modeling error. Our technique takes a holistic approach in bounding modeling error as opposed to prior statistical approaches that bound the error of a single model component at a time. This technique is tested in the context of a vehicular participatory sensing application, called GreenGPS, where participant data is used to build models that predict fuel consumption of vehicles on different routes for the purposes of choosing the most fuel-efficient route for each vehicle (as opposed to the shortest or fastest). We show that our approach significantly reduces prediction error in the initial stages of deployment.
Das Integral als Grenzwert von Rechtecksummen

Es sei f(x) eine beschrankte Funktion im endlichen Intervalle a≦x≦b. Dieses Intervall sei durch die Zwischenpunkte x 0, x 1, x 2,..., x n-1, x n , wobei ist, in Teilintervalle geteilt; m v bzw. M v bezeichne die untere, bzw. die obere Grenze von f(x) im v ten Teilintervalle x v-1≦x≦x v , v =1,2, ..., n. Dann heist welche zu der Einteilung x 0, x 1, x 2, ..., x n−1, x n gehort. Eine Obersumme ist stets groser (nicht kleiner) als eine zu irgendeiner Einteilung gehorige Untersumme. Wenn es nur eine Zahl gibt, die von keiner Untersumme ubertroffen und von keiner Obersumme unterschritten wird, so heist diese das bestimmte Integral von f(x) im Intervalle a, b, und die Funktion f(x) heist im Riemannschen Sinne (eigentlich) integrabel im Intervalle a, b.
Analysis of Fatty Acid and Cholesterol Content from Detergent-Resistant and Detergent-Free Membrane Microdomains

The compartmentalization of cellular membranes into discrete membrane microdomains (known as lipid rafts) challenged the original definition of membranes as containing randomly distributed lipid and protein components. The lipid microdomain hypothesis has generated significant controversy and rigorous inquiry based on the attractive idea that such domains concentrate machinery to mediate cellular events such as signaling and endocytosis. As such, numerous studies have used biochemical, cell biological, and biophysical methodologies to define the composition of such domains in a variety of experimental contexts. In this chapter, we describe methodologies to isolate membranes from cell or tissue sources with biophysical/biochemical properties of membrane microdomains that are amenable to subsequent classical or mass spectrometry-based lipid analytical approaches.
A phase II study of radioimmunotherapy with intraventricular 131I-3F8 for medulloblastoma

Background High-risk and recurrent medulloblastoma (MB) is associated with significant mortality. The murine monoclonal antibody 3F8 targets the cell-surface disialoganglioside GD2 on MB. We tested the efficacy, toxicity, and dosimetry of compartmental radioimmunotherapy (cRIT) with intraventricular 131I-labeled 3F8 in patients with MB on a phase II clinical trial. Methods Patients with histopathologically confirmed high-risk or recurrent MB were eligible for cRIT. After determining adequate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow, patients received 2 mCi (where Ci is Curie) 124I-3F8 or 131I-3F8 with nuclear imaging for dosimetry, followed by up to four therapeutic (10 mCi/dose) 131I-3F8 injections. Dosimetry estimates were based on serial CSF and blood samplings over 48 hr plus region-of-interest analyses on serial imaging scans. Disease evaluation included pre- and posttherapy brain/spine magnetic resonance imaging approximately every 3 months for the first year after treatment, and every 6–12 months thereafter. Results Forty-three patients received a total of 167 injections; 42 patients were evaluable for outcome. No treatment-related deaths occurred. Toxicities related to drug administration included acute bradycardia with somnolence, headache, fatigue, and CSF pleocytosis consistent with chemical meningitis and dystonic reaction. Total CSF absorbed dose was 1,453 cGy (where Gy is Gray; 350.0–2,784). Median overall survival from first dose of cRIT was 24.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI]:16.3–55.8). Patients treated in radiographic and cytologic remission were at a lower risk of death compared to patients with radiographically measurable disease (hazard ratio: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.18–0.88, P = 0.024). Conclusions cRIT with 131I-3F8 is safe, has favorable dosimetry to CSF, and when added to salvage therapy using conventional modalities, may have clinical utility in maintaining remission in high-risk or recurrent MB.
Neurodegenerative Disease Proteinopathies Are Connected to Distinct Histone Post-translational Modification Landscapes.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are devastating neurodegenerative diseases involving the progressive degeneration of neurons. No cure is available for patients diagnosed with these diseases. A prominent feature of both ALS and PD is the accumulation of protein inclusions in the cytoplasm of degenerating neurons; however, the particular proteins constituting these inclusions vary: the RNA-binding proteins TDP-43 and FUS are most notable in ALS, while α-synuclein aggregates into Lewy bodies in PD. In both diseases, genetic causes fail to explain the occurrence of a large proportion of cases, and thus, both are considered mostly sporadic. Despite mounting evidence for a possible role of epigenetics in the occurrence and progression of ALS and PD, epigenetic mechanisms in the context of these diseases remain mostly unexplored. Here we comprehensively delineate histone post-translational modification (PTM) profiles in ALS and PD yeast proteinopathy models. Remarkably, we find d...
Hexokinase II may be dispensable for CD4 T cell responses against a virus infection

Activation of CD4 T cells leads to their metabolic reprogramming which includes enhanced glycolysis, catalyzed through hexokinase enzymes. Studies in some systems indicate that the HK2 isoform is the most up regulated isoform in activated T cells and in this report the relevance of this finding is evaluated in an infectious disease model. Genetic ablation of HK2 was achieved in only T cells and the outcome was evaluated by measures of T cell function. Our results show that CD4 T cells from both HK2 depleted and WT animals displayed similar responses to in vitro stimulation and yielded similar levels of Th1, Treg or Th17 subsets when differentiated in vitro. A modest increase in the levels of proliferation was observed in CD4 T cells lacking HK2. Deletion of HK2 led to enhanced levels of HK1 indicative of a compensatory mechanism. Finally, CD4 T cell mediated immuno-inflammatory responses to a virus infection were similar between WT and HK2 KO animals. The observations that the expression of HK2 appears non-essential for CD4 T cell responses against virus infections is of interest since it suggests that targeting HK2 for cancer therapy may not have untoward effects on CD4 T cell mediated immune response against virus infections.
Procedure for direct measurement of general quantum states using weak measurement.

Recent work by Lundeen et al. [Nature (London) 474, 188 (2011)] directly measured the wave function by weakly measuring a variable followed by a normal (i.e., ``strong'') measurement of the complementary variable. We generalize this method to mixed states by considering the weak measurement of various products of these observables, thereby providing the density matrix an operational definition in terms of a procedure for its direct measurement. The method only requires measurements in two bases and can be performed in situ, determining the quantum state without destroying it.
Preferred coalitions in cooperative differential games

There are many interesting situations which can be described by anN-person general-sum differential game. Such games are characterized by the fact that the strategy of each player depends upon reasonable assumptions about the strategies of the remaining players; and, thus, these games cannot be considered asN uncoupled optimal control problems. In such cases, we say that the game is not strictly competitive, but involves a mutual interest which makes it possible for all of the players to reduce their costs by cooperating with one another, provided the resulting agreement can be enforced. When cooperation is allowed and there are more than two players, there is always the question of whether all possible subcoalitions will be formed with equal ease. This work considers the situation in which a particular subcoalition is preferred. A theory of general-sum games with preferred coalitions is presented, together with constructive examples of alternative approaches which are unsatisfactory.
The Principal in a Community of Learning

Describing schools as “communities of learning” requires that our understanding of the roles played by teachers and principals be altered. This article discusses the principal's role in a community...
Total intake of different minerals and the risk of multiple sclerosis.

Objective To investigate the association between mineral intake (potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, manganese, copper) and multiple sclerosis (MS) risk. Methods In a prospective cohort study, we assessed dietary and supplemental mineral intake by a validated food frequency questionnaire administered every 4 years to 80,920 nurses in the Nurses9 Health Study (1984–2002) and 94,511 in the Nurses9 Health Study II (1991–2007). There were 479 new MS cases during follow-up. We estimated hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association of energy-adjusted mineral intake with MS risk using Cox regression, adjusting for age, residence latitude at age 15, ancestry, body mass index at age 18, supplemental vitamin D, smoking, and total energy intake. Results We did not find any association between the minerals and MS risk, either for baseline or cumulative intake during follow-up. The associations were null comparing women with highest to those with lowest intakes in quintiles or deciles and there was no significant trend for higher intakes (ptrend across baseline quintiles: potassium 0.35, magnesium 0.13, calcium 0.22, phosphorus 0.97, iron 0.85, zinc 0.67, manganese 0.48, copper 0.59). Conclusions Our findings suggest that mineral intake is not an important determinant of MS risk.
Evaluation of the adequacy of measles laboratory diagnostic tests in the era of accelerating measles elimination in Beijing, China.

Abstract Background Measles-containing vaccine (MCV) was introduced in 1965 in Beijing and given to the children aged 8m–14y. In population-based surveillance system, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunoglobulin M(IgM) serology tests have been conducted for each suspected case since 2013. We used the surveillance data to evaluate the adequacy of the tests for laboratory confirmation during 2014–2016. Methods Informations on IgM tests, RT-PCR, age, vaccination history for confirmed cases were from the surveillance system. Laboratory confirmed cases were defined as cases with positive IgM serology and/or positive RT-PCR. All tests were conducted in the laboratories accredited by Beijing CDC or Beijing CDC laboratory. Results Totally 4600 cases were confirmed. Sensitivities of IgM tests within 0–3 days post rash, IgM tests within 4–28 days post rash and RT-PCR within 0–3 days post rash were 56.53%, 82.06% and 94.39%, respectively. The combined sensitivity of IgM tests and RT-PCR decreased by the interval between rash onset and collection of virologic specimen. MCV immunization history lowered sensitivity of IgM tests and RT-PCR. Among the cases aged ≥ 15 years, around 95% had no written immunization records. The sensitivity of IgM tests within 0–3 days post rash was less than 60%. Around 60% had unknown immunization histories. Compared with unvaccinated cases based on written records, unvaccinated cases based on recollection had no significantly different sensitivity of laboratory tests. But unknown immunization history significantly lowered sensitivity of RT-PCR within 0–3 days post rash. Conclusions Neither IgM tests nor RT-PCR reached 100% sensitive for confirmed cases. Virologic specimen should be collected as early as possible to achieve maxim sensitivity. Cases with unknown immunization history could not be treated as unvaccinated. Combination of the two tests and further laboratory assays were needed especially for vaccinated cases or cases aged ≥15 years.
Introduction to the Second Edition

Since the initial publication of Studies, some parts of the Ada1 language have been changed in response to the ANSI standardization process. The second edition of Studies has been updated to conform to the latest available Ada manual [Department of Defense 82].2 All of our references to the Ada manual come from this document (see page 36).
Comparison of prescribing patterns before and after implementation of evidence-based opioid prescribing guidelines for the postoperative urologic surgery patient.

Abstract Background We developed evidence-based guidelines for postoperative opioid prescribing after urologic surgery and assessed changes in prescribing after implementation. Methods Prescribing data for adults who underwent 21 urologic procedures were used to derive a four-tiered guideline for postoperative opioid prescribing. This was implemented on January 1, 2018, and prescribing patterns including quantity of opioids prescribed (oral morphine equivalents; OME) and refill rates were compared between patients undergoing surgery prior to (January–April, 2017; n equals 1732) and after (January–April, 2018; n equals1376) implementation. Results The median OME (IQR) prescribed was significantly lower for 2018 compared with 2017 [100 (0; 175) versus 150 (60; 225); p Conclusions Fewer opioids were prescribed after implementing a prescribing guideline. Additional study is required to assess patient opioid utilization.
Genetics and Gender in Acute Pain and Perioperative Opioid Analgesia

Experimental and clinical acute pain research in relation to biological sex and genetics started in the 1980s. Research methods became more powerful and sensitive with the advancement in affordable gene sequencing methods and high-throughput genetic assays. Decades of research has identified several potential pharmaceutical targets, providing insights into future research direction, and understanding of acute pain and opioid analgesic effects in the clinical setting. However, there is insufficient evidence to make generalized recommendations for using genetic tests for clinical practice of acute pain management.
Modeling of the electrical characteristics of an organic field effect transistor in presence of the bending effects

Abstract An analytical model incorporating the density of trap states for a bendable organic field effect transistor (OFET) is presented in this paper. The aim of this work is to propose a novel modeling framework to quantitatively characterize the bending effects on the electrical properties of an OFET in the linear and saturation regimes. In this model, the exponentially distributed shallow trap states are introduced into the Poisson equation to describe the carrier transports in the channel. The carrier mobility takes into account the low field mobility enhancement under gradual channel approximation and high field degradation. As a result, the generalized current-voltage transistor equations are derived for the first time to reflect the transconductance relationships of the OFET with trap states. In addition, an electro-mechanical coupling relationship is established per the metaphorical analogy between inorganic and organic semiconductor energy band models to quantify the stress-induced variations of the carrier mobility, and the threshold voltage. It is revealed that the before- and after-bending transconductances, predicted from the derived analytical model, are in good agreement with the experimental data measured from DNTT-based OFET bending tests.
Error-signaling in the developing brain

While learning from mistakes is a lifelong process, the rate at which an individual makes errors on any given task decreases through late adolescence. Previous fMRI adult work indicates that several control brain networks are reliably active when participants make errors across multiple tasks. Less is known about the consistency and localization of error processing in the child brain because previous research has used single tasks. The current analysis pooled data across three studies to examine error-related task activation (two tasks per study, three tasks in total) for a group of 232 children aged 8-17 years. We found that, consistent with the adult literature, the majority of applied cingulo-opercular brain regions, including medial superior frontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate, and bilateral anterior insula, showed consistent error processing engagement in children across multiple tasks. Error-related activity in many of these cingulo-opercular regions correlated with task performance. However, unlike in the adult literature, we found a lack of error-related activation across tasks in dorsolateral frontal areas, and we also did not find any task-consistent relations with age in these regions. Our findings suggest that the task-general error processing signal in the developing brain is fairly robust and similar to adults, with the exception of lateral frontal cortex.
intRinsic: an R package for model-based estimation of the intrinsic dimension of a dataset

The estimation of the intrinsic dimension of a dataset is a fundamental step in most dimensionality reduction techniques. This article illustrates intRinsic, an R package that implements novel state-of-the-art likelihood-based estimators of the intrinsic dimension of a dataset. In detail, the methods included in this package are the TWO-NN, Gride, and Hidalgo models. To allow these novel estimators to be easily accessible, the package contains a few high-level, intuitive functions that rely on a broader set of efficient, low-level routines. intRinsic encompasses models that fall into two categories: homogeneous and heterogeneous intrinsic dimension estimators. The first category contains the TWO-NN and Gride models. The functions dedicated to these two methods carry out inference under both the frequentist and Bayesian frameworks. In the second category we find Hidalgo, a Bayesian mixture model, for which an efficient Gibbs sampler is implemented. After discussing the theoretical background, we demonstrate the performance of the models on simulated datasets. This way, we can assess the results by comparing them with the ground truth. Then, we employ the package to study the intrinsic dimension of the Alon dataset, obtained from a famous microarray experiment. We show how the estimation of homogeneous and heterogeneous intrinsic dimensions allows us to gain valuable insights about the topological structure of a dataset.
Statins use and COVID-19 outcomes in hospitalized patients.

Background There is an urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies for reversing COVID-19-related lung inflammation. Recent evidence has demonstrated that the cholesterol-lowering agents, statins, are associated with reduced mortality in patients with various respiratory infections. We sought to investigate the relationship between statin use and COVID-19 disease severity in hospitalized patients. Methods A retrospective analysis of COVID-19 patients admitted to the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions between March 1, 2020 and June 30, 2020 was performed. The outcomes of interest were mortality and severe COVID-19 infection, as defined by prolonged hospital stay (≥ 7 days) and/ or invasive mechanical ventilation. Logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards regression and propensity score matching were used to obtain both univariable and multivariable associations between covariates and outcomes in addition to the average treatment effect of statin use. Results Of the 4,447 patients who met our inclusion criteria, 594 (13.4%) patients were exposed to statins on admission, of which 340 (57.2%) were male. The mean age was higher in statin users compared to non-users [64.9 ± 13.4 vs. 45.5 ± 16.6 years, p <0.001]. The average treatment effect of statin use on COVID-19-related mortality was RR = 1.00 (95% CI: 0.99–1.01, p = 0.928), while its effect on severe COVID-19 infection was RR = 1.18 (95% CI: 1.11–1.27, p <0.001). Conclusion Statin use was not associated with altered mortality, but with an 18% increased risk of severe COVID-19 infection.
Prestin's conformational cycle underlies outer hair cell electromotility

The voltage-dependent motor protein Prestin (SLC26A5) is responsible for the electromotive behavior of outer hair cells and underlies the cochlear amplifier1. Knock out or impairment of Prestin causes severe hearing loss2–5. Despite Prestin’s key role in hearing, the mechanism by which mammalian Prestin senses voltage and transduces it into cellular-scale movements (electromotility) is poorly understood. Here, we determined the structure of dolphin Prestin in six distinct states using single particle cryo-electron microscopy. Our structural and functional data suggest that Prestin adopts a unique and complex set of states, tunable by the identity of bound anions (Cl- or SO42-). Salicylate, a drug that can cause reversible hearing loss, competes for the anion-binding site of Prestin, and inhibits its function by immobilizing Prestin in a novel conformation. Our data suggests that the bound anion together with its coordinating charged residues and helical dipole act as a dynamic voltage sensor. Analysis of all anion-dependent conformations reveals how structural rearrangements in the voltage sensor are coupled to conformational transitions at the protein-membrane interface, suggesting a novel mechanism of area expansion. Visualization of Prestin’s electromotility cycle distinguishes Prestin from closely related SLC26 anion transporters, highlighting the basis for evolutionary specialization of the mammalian cochlear amplifier at high resolution.
Hepatic extract treatment of toxemias of pregnancy

Abstract In the series of 50 cases which were considered sufficiently toxic to require some special form of treatment, we have used heparmone with varying results. Only three of the 50 patients would be considered mild cases. Twenty-seven were moderate, and 20 were severe. About 40 per cent of the cases showed little, if any, nephritis. In approximately 60 per cent, the objective symptoms were relieved and in 64 per cent of the cases, the subjective symptoms were relieved. The one patient in this series who chanced to come to autopsy had had a very large amount of heparmone and on two occasions was on the verge of eclampsia. We feel that it is at least worthy of note that there were no degenerative changes in the liver. We delivered 40 living babies in this series, and 7 of the stillbirths were premature babies, and most of these macerated. It will be noted that we were unusually fortunate in having 8 living babies from the 10 cases of eclampsia. Only four of the cases were frankly hepatic in type, two were mixed, and the remaining four were nephritic. There was some relief of subjective symptoms in the nephritic cases after the administration of heparmone, but it had little influence upon the objective symptoms. In all but one of the hepatic cases relief was obtained both subjectively and objectively. We feel as Titus does, that the blood-sugar curve is of prognostic value and have given glucose freely in all cases of impending eclampsia and in the majority of cases of actual eclampsia, in addition to giving liver extract.
BRCA2: safeguarding the genome through homologous recombination

Germline mutations in the tumor suppressor gene BRCA2 predispose individuals to breast, ovarian, and other cancers. In recent years, the BRCA2 protein has been recognized to have an important function in homologous recombination, a key pathway in mammalian cells for repairing spontaneous and induced DNA lesions and, thus, for maintaining genomic integrity. Loss of BRCA2 leads to embryonic death in mice, but is compatible with cell survival in adult somatic cells and tumor proliferation. This review summarizes recent advances in our understanding of BRCA2 from several perspectives, especially with regard to its broad evolutionary conservation.
The Use of Categories and Clusters for Organizing Retrieval Results

An important problem for information access systems is that of organizing large sets of documents that have been retrieved in response to a query. Text categorization and text clustering are two natural language processing tasks whose results can be applied to document organization. This chapter describes user interfaces that use categories and clusters to organize retrieval results, and examines the relationship between the two.1
Poetry's old air

Marianne Boruch is one of America's finest contemporary poets, and as she demonstrates in "Poetry's Old Air," she is also a marvelous essayist. Weaving together close readings, biographical detail, and personal reflections, Boruch meditates on a universal fascination: how a poem comes to exist.A variety of imaginative approaches sets the essays apart from strictly academic poetry criticism. Boruch's ear for metaphor and attention to everyday experience enrich her readings of others' work. The unique connections she draws to the world beyond the literary one- including comparisons to painting and ceramics, the habits of bees, and the basic elements of musical composition- bring other ways of seeing and thinking to bear on the writing process itself. Instead of building her arguments and observations around a single thesis, Boruch borrows freely from other areas of human knowledge and experience, allowing essays to develop gradually and "waywardly," as a poem is made.Poets, teachers of literature, and students of writing and literature, as well as the general reader, will appreciate the insights of "Poetry's Old Air," as will the general reader, for whom these essays are entirely accessible.Marianne Boruch is the author of three acclaimed volumes of poetry: "Moss Burning, Descendant, " and "View from the Gazebo." She is Associate Professor of English, Purdue University.
The amino acid composition of hemoglobin : IV. The preparation of pure polypeptide chains of human hemoglobins☆

Abstract A technique for the preparation of polypeptide chains of human hemoglobins of a high degree of purity is described. The method involves the combined use of ion exchange chromatography and countercurrent distribution.
A Review of Radiation Effects in Solid Nuclear Waste Forms

The major source of radiation effects in solid nuclear waste forms is from the alpha decay of the actinide elements. These radiation effects have generally been investigated by doping simulated was...
Logical content and empirical significance

This paper investigates the possibility of completing a Positivist style account of empirical significance. This is central to the positivists’ core project of demarcating science from metaphysics/the non-cognitively significant/ nonsense. After reviewing various reasons why the quest for a demarcation criterion has long been abandoned, it is argued that none of the traditional objections are compelling. In particular, it is shown that holism, the most widely cited ground for dismissing the possibility of a demarcation criterion, is perfectly compatible with a criterion of empirical significance. What is needed is an account that explains how a claim can be empirically significant within a given theory. It is shown that new research in logic; in particular the account of content developed in Gemes (1994) and (1996) provides machinery that solves the longstanding technical problems faced by Positivists’ attempts to formulate a holistic account of empirical significance.Article
A Bubble-gating Flow Cell for Continuous-flow Analysis

A system is described which permits measurements, such as photometry, to be made on air-segmented streams, as in continuous-flow analysis. Elimination of the "debubbler" step before measurement provides two basic assets: (1) more rapid attainment of steady-state conditions (lower interaction between samples), and (2) maintenance of the integrity of the bubbled analysis stream, permitting subsequent handling and remeasurement. A device has been developed for detecting air bubbles. When placed across the light path of a photometer flow cell it inactivates the readout system when bubbles pass by. The resulting system measures the transmittance of each individual liquid segment of the analysis stream, while maintaining the integrity of the stream. Two examples of possible applications of this system are described. One is a simple total-protein determination with biuret, at three times the conventional sampling rate. The other is a continuous-flow, two-point, reaction-rate method for assay of alkaline phosphatase activity.
Estimation of fusiform intracranial aneurysm growth by serial magnetic resonance imaging

Purpose: Intracranial aneurysm (IA) growth is associated with increased morbidity. We sought to establish a quantitative computational method based on contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE-MRA) for estimating aneurysmal volume changes over time. Materials and Methods: Computational volume calculations were tested against a distensible phantom. Untreated patients with IA were followed longitudinally with annual MRI. Maximal linear dimensions along the longitudinal axis and two transverse axes were determined by visual review of maximum intensity projection (MIP) data, and aneurysm volume was approximated as (length x width x height)/2. Averages of the visual approximations were compared to the lumenal volume as determined with a computational algorithm using the MRI data. Results: MRI-based measurements accurately represented volume changes in the phantom (R-2 = 0.97, Y = 1.06x + 271 CM3). In the clinical study there were a total of 11 intervals of one-year follow-up in six patients (mean +/- SD age = 53 +/- 20 years). The raw one-year growth using the computational volume was 9% +/- 17%. The corresponding value for the averaged measurement of the reviewers was 8% +/- 14%. Neither the mean values nor the SDs were different (P = .51). Conclusion: MRI-based measurement of aneurysm volume appears feasible for longitudinal studies of aneurysm natural history.
Mechanical Modeling and Design for Reduction of Parkinsonian Hand Tremor

Most of the active research in reducing Parkinsonian tremor involves invasive surgeries or medical treatment. In this paper hand tremors associated with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) are studied and passive vibration control methods are developed and tested. Patients with PD are surveyed regarding difficulties with hand tremor during the act of eating. The result leads to design criteria for an enhanced eating utensil and the establishment of meaningful testing methods for measuring hand tremor. Tremor data collected from several PD patients provides insight into the nature of the motion and allows for the development of test fixture and prototypes. This experimental data is coupled with linear model identification testing for the free response of a “healthy” hand undergoing the same motions. The resulting differential equation model, where the system input is realized as actuation through the biomechanics of the forearm and wrist, is used in the design of an eating utensil for vibration reduction. With self-excitation and the existence of harmonics, the tremor data is also used to develop a nonlinear differential equation model, where the complete neurological/mechanical system is realized with an equivalent mechanical system. This nonlinear model is shown to mimic the tremor data and is used to enhance the development of the vibration absorber. A prototype of the vibration absorber is built, validated on the test fixture, and tremor reduction data is collected again with PD patients.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A Parallel Logarithmic Order Algorithm for General Multibody System Dynamics

A novel optimal order optimal resource parallel multibody algorithm with general system applicability is derived directly from the sequential recursive \(\mathcal{O}(n)\) methods and the most recent developments in recursive constraint treatments. This new Recursive Coordinate Reduction Parallelism (RCRP) is the first optimal order \({\text{(}}\mathcal{O}(\log _2 n))\) parallel direct method with a sequential implementation that is exactly the efficient \({\text{(}}\mathcal{O}{\text{(}}n)\) algorithm. Consequently, the RCRP sets new benchmarks for performance over a wide range of problem size and parallel resources. Comparisons to existing methods also demonstrate that the RCRP is presently the best general parallel method.
The MIs locus: new clues to a lingering mystery

Abstract The MIs locus was described in the late 1960s by Hilliard Festenstein; cultures of lymphocytes with a disparity at this locus induces intense, unidirectional T-cell proliferative responses. The genetics and immunobiology of this immunological enigma were discussed at a recent Howard Hughes Medical Institute Workshop. ∗ ∗Held at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Conference Center, Coconut Grove, Florida, USA on 1–4 November 1987.
A Benzylation Study of 2,3-Dichloronaphthazarin

Abstract Depending on different reaction time and temperature employed, benzylation of 2,3-dichloronaphthazarin (I) using silver oxide as the catalyst can form either exclusively 5,8-dibenzyloxy-6,7-dichloronaphthalene-1,4-dione (II), or exclusively 5-benzyloxy-2,3-dichloro-8-hydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione (IV); or a mixture of II and 5,8-dibenzyloxy-2,3-dichloronaphthalene-1,4-dione (III). Structures of these compounds were identified by nmr analysis.
The spectrum of toxic shock syndrome

The toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a newly-recognized entity caused by a Staphylococcal exotoxin and associated with the use of tampons for menstrual protection. Two cases are presented which demonstrate the spectrum of severity of the disease. The common nature of its early symptoms necessitates a high index of suspicion to preclude a progression to the later stages of the disease, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality.
Taming the Leviathan: Examining the Impact of External Threat on State Capacity:

This article argues that the systemic security environment influences the structure of domestic political and economic institutions. If states have been primarily created to protect one group from predation by another, then the state may visibly change as external threats rise and fall. The authors argue that political elites respond to threatening environments by enhancing the ability of the state to extract resources from society in order to protect itself. Using data from the Armed Conflict Dataset, Banks's Cross National Data Archive, and COW data from 1975 to 1995, the authors find evidence that supports the conjectured relationship between threat and state strength. As a response to a more threatening environment, the authors find that states significantly increase their capacity in terms of revenue, government spending, and military spending, but they do not easily relinquish these gains. The authors also observe that nation-state security is heavily influenced by regional regime-type patterns. State capacity increases as the regional neighborhood becomes increasingly autocratic. This suggests political elites not only regard violent conflict in the region as a serious concern to national security, but also appear to consider political change a threat as well.
Estimating reachability in dense biological networks

Biological networks provide a holistic view for modeling and analysis of interactions among various kinds of gene products. Finding whether a signal can successfully arrive at a target gene from a given source gene is one of the key problems on biological networks. This is also known as the reachability problem. Computing the probability of signal reachability is a #P-complete problem. This complexity stems from the inherent uncertainty of the interactions. Existing methods fail to scale to large and dense networks. In this paper, we develop a novel method to estimate the reachability probability in probabilistic biological networks. We develop a general theory for utilizing Monte Carlo sampling to solve this problem with a mathematically proven confidence bound on the result. We present three alternative sampling approaches which follow our theory. We experimentally validate our theory, and compare the performance of our method with the state of the art PReach method. We finally use our method to analyze reachability in cell growth and death pathways in different cancer types, which was impossible using existing methods due to the large scale of the networks.