cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coevolutionary Dynamics of Costly Bonding Ritual and Altruism

While altruistic behavior and bonding in altruistic pairs or groups of cooperators is observed throughout the animal kingdom, the genetic evolution of such is on an ongoing source of debate, curiosity, and conflict in the behavioral sciences. Many such bonded groups and pairs are observed to take part in costly ritualized movement behavior that is hypothesized to trigger or maintain altruistic sentiments amongst the participants. Such costly ritualized practices could have evolved if they engaged pre-existing behavioral instincts that manifest as altruism in the new context of ritual bonding. While this seems at first to be a 'Green Beard' hypothesis ('marker (ie., 'green beard') as honest signal of altruistic intent', an hypothesis well-known to be problematic), it is distinct in two important ways. First, the ritual as marker is costly, and second the ritual engages a pre-existing behavioral potential caused by genes which, importantly, have some other benefit. This paper models the genetic coevolutionary dynamics both analytically and through simulation. It finds that such coevolution can lead to fixation of altruism in a population or to cycling of altruism in the population, depending on the balance of costs and benefits. Where cycling occurs, even though altruism is consistently present in the population, population mean fitness declines with the introduction of these bonding rituals.
TRANSITION METALS AND HEAVY METAL SPECIATION

The transition metals and heavy metals (those with atomic weights greater than 20) enter the ocean via river runoff, wind-blown dust, diffusion from sediments, hydrothermal inputs resulting from reactions of sea water with newly formed ocean crust at midocean seaSoor spreading centers, and from anthropogenic activities. Some of these metals (e.g., manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper and zinc) are extremely important micronutrients needed by phytoplankton for various metabolic functions. Several trace metals that are nonconservative with short oceanic residence time (e.g., manganese and aluminum, though the latter is not a heavy metal) are valuable as tracers for circulation and mixing in the ocean. Micronutrient metals, as well as metals like mercury, lead, and silver, which have no biochemical role, can be toxic very low concentrations. Until recently, marine chemists and chemical oceanographers, using sample collection and analytical techniques of the time, could not accurately measure the naturally low concentrations of these metals in unpolluted sea water because of sample contamination problems and lack of instrumental sensitivity. Development of modern techniques for collection, storage, and analysis of uncontaminated samples, plus the development of highly sensitive analytical techniques and instrumentation, have only recently enabled marine trace metal chemists to determine accurate concentrations of these elements in sea water, furthering our understanding of their distributions and chemical behavior in the oceans. These procedural, analytical, and instrumental advancements led to the discoveries that the concentrations of many of these metals were orders of magnitude lower than previously believed, and that the depth distributions (‘vertical proRles’) of transition and heavy metal concentrations result from biological, physical, and geochemical processes in the oceans. We now have a basic understanding of the concentrations and distributions of nearly all the naturally occurring elements in sea water. However, it has become increasingly clear that this information alone is insufRcient for providing a complete understanding of the biological and geochemical interactions of these metals in the sea. Metals in sea water can exist in different physical forms (dissolved, colloidal, particulate) and chemical forms (ions, inorganic complexes, organic complexes, organometallic compounds) and in different oxidation states (collectively termed ‘species’) within a given chemical form. Knowing the distribution of a metal’s total concentration among these various forms (‘speciation’) is critically important because the different forms can have very different biological and geochemical behaviors, and thus different fates and transport. Before considering the speciation of the transition and heavy metals, we Rrst present a brief overview of the concentrations and distributions of these elements.
Der Kreislauf des Wassers und das Grundwasser

Manche kennen vielleicht die Zeilen aus Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Gedicht eines alten Seemanns: „Wasser, uberall Wasser, aber keinen Tropfen zum Trinken …“. Ungefahr 71% der Erdoberflache sind von Wasser bedeckt, doch nur ein geringer Teil dieses Wassers ist fur den menschlichen Gebrauch nutzbar. Ohne Wasser kann der Mensch nur einige Tage uberleben. Die von der modernen Zivilisation verbrauchte Wassermenge ist jedoch weitaus groser als fur das reine Uberleben erforderlich ware. Wasser wird in der Industrie, in der Landwirtschaft und fur unsere Infrastruktur wie etwa fur Abwassersysteme in ungeheuren Mengen verbraucht. Die Erkenntnisse der Hydrologie und Hydrogeologie werden zunehmend wichtiger, da der Bedarf an den insgesamt begrenzten Wasserressourcen standig steigt.
The Evolutionary Foundations of Cancer Research

Cancer biology rests on the foundation of evolutionary biology and ecology. This is true both at the cellular and organismal level. Natural selection acts at the level of cells within a multicellular body, leading to the expansion of clones with survival or reproductive advantages. Which specific mutations or epigenetic alterations provide an advantage depends on the complex ecologies of the microenvironments within the tissue. These ecologies are poorly understood but include both the competing neoplastic cells as well as fibroblasts, lymphocytes, endothelial cells, extracellular matrix, nutrients, cytokines, etc. While these ecologies structure the selective pressures of somatic evolution, the dynamics of that somatic evolution are also poorly understood. At the organismal level, cancer was the primary problem that had to be overcome in order for a multicellular body to evolve. Sister cells had to be forced to stop proliferating on their own, and devote their energies to the reproduction and survival of the multicellular body. Cancer has been an important selective force, shaping multicellular bodies ever since. In this chapter I review the evolutionary theory of cancer, the history of that theory, and provide a brief discussion of additional important open questions in cancer biology. I also provide advice on experimental designs that allow us to study the evolution and ecology of cancer.
Molecular hydrogen: a therapeutic antioxidant and beyond

Molecular hydrogen (H2) medicine research has flourished since a landmark publication in Nature Medicine that revealed the antioxidant and cytoprotective effects of hydrogen gas in a focal stroke model. Emerging evidence has consistently demonstrated that molecular hydrogen is a promising therapeutic option for a variety of diseases and the underlying comprehensive mechanisms is beyond pure hydroxyl radicals scavenging. The non-toxicity at high concentrations and rapid cellular diffusion features of molecular hydrogen ensure the feasibility and readiness of its clinical translation to human patients.
Where has the research on client–agency relationships gone? The need for a deeper understanding of the future of account management

One of the biggest surprises during my tenure as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Advertising has been the modest number of submissions on the client–agency relationship. While I thi...
An update on post-treatment surveillance and diagnosis of recurrence in women with gynecologic malignancies: Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) recommendations

Gynecologic cancers account for ~12% of all new cancer cases in women and ~15% of all female cancer survivors. Current and continued advances within the field have resulted in long-term outcomes and a high rate of survivors. Therefore determining the most cost-effective clinical surveillance for detection of recurrence is critical. Unfortunately, there has been a paucity of research regarding the most effective strategies for surveillance after patients have achieved a complete response. Currently, most recommendations are based on retrospective studies and expert opinion. Taking a thorough history, performing a thorough examination, and educating cancer survivors about concerning symptoms are the most effective methods for the detection of most gynecologic cancer recurrences. There is very little evidence that routine cytology or imaging improves the ability to detect gynecologic cancer recurrence that will impact cure or response rates to salvage therapy. This article provides an update on surveillance for gynecologic cancer recurrence in women who have had a complete response to primary cancer therapy.
Dentate gyrus contributes to retrieval as well as encoding: Evidence from context fear conditioning, recall, and extinction

Dentate gyrus (DG) is widely thought to provide a teaching signal that enables hippocampal encoding of memories, but its role during retrieval is poorly understood. Some data and models suggest that DG plays no role in retrieval; others encourage the opposite conclusion. To resolve this controversy, we evaluated the effects of optogenetic inhibition of dorsal DG during context fear conditioning, recall, generalization, and extinction in male mice. We found that (1) inhibition during training impaired context fear acquisition; (2) inhibition during recall did not impair fear expression in the training context, unless mice had to distinguish between similar feared and neutral contexts; (3) inhibition increased generalization of fear to an unfamiliar context that was similar to a feared one and impaired fear expression in the conditioned context when it was similar to a neutral one; and (4) inhibition impaired fear extinction. These effects, as well as several seemingly contradictory published findings, could be reproduced by BACON (Bayesian Context Fear Algorithm), a physiologically realistic hippocampal model positing that acquisition and retrieval both involve coordinated activity in DG and CA3. Our findings thus suggest that DG contributes to retrieval and extinction, as well as to the initial establishment of context fear.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Despite abundant evidence that the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) plays a critical role in memory, it remains unclear whether the role of DG relates to memory acquisition or retrieval. Using contextual fear conditioning and optogenetic inhibition, we show that DG contributes to both of these processes. Using computational simulations, we identify specific mechanisms through which the suppression of DG affects memory performance. Finally, we show that DG contributes to fear extinction learning, a process in which learned fear is attenuated through exposures to a fearful context in the absence of threat. Our data resolve a long-standing question about the role of DG in memory and provide insight into how disorders affecting DG, including aging, stress, and depression, influence cognitive processes.
Care for vesicant injuries—Not just historic footnotes

• Vesicant injuries undergo a different pathophysiology than normal acid or alkali burns.
Using Binary Variables to Represent Logical Conditions in Optimization Models

Logical conditions that link different elements of a business decision are very common in managerial practice. For example, a firm can ship only to and from warehouses that are open; patients needing MRIs can only get service in clinics that have MRI equipment; regarding an old power plant, one can decide to close it or retrofit it, but one obviously cannot retrofit a closed plant. The list goes on. In quantitative modeling of such situations, a natural step is to use IF statements such as IF(a warehouse in city N is open, then we can ship to/from it; otherwise no shipments can be made in/out of a warehouse in N). In optimization models, however, IF statements lead to non-linearity with all the associated challenges. Fortunately, nearly all logical conditions can be modeled linearly using binary variables. This note describes some helpful modeling techniques for doing that. Excerpt UVA-QA-0786 Apr. 11, 2012 Using binary variables to represent logical conditions in optimization MODELS Logical conditions that link different elements of a business decision are very common in managerial practice. For example, a firm can ship only to and from warehouses that are open; patients needing MRIs can only get service in clinics that have MRI equipment; regarding an old power plant, one can decide to close it or retrofit it, but one obviously cannot retrofit a closed plant. The list goes on. In quantitative modeling of such situations, a natural step is to use IF statements such as IF(a warehouse in city N is open, then we can ship to/from it; otherwise no shipments can be made in/out of a warehouse in N). In optimization models, however, IF statements lead to non-linearity with all the associated challenges. Fortunately, nearly all logical conditions can be modeled linearly using binary variables. This note describes some helpful modeling techniques for doing that. What Are Binary Variables? A binary variable is one that can take two values: 1 (which traditionally stood for “True”) or 0 (which stood for “False”). The actual meanings for 1 and 0 can be context-specific: “yes/no,” “open/closed,” “have MRI/does not have MRI,” “good/bad,” “small/large,” and so on without restriction. Binary representations are at the heart of computing and, as surprising as it may be, any digital object—number, text, this electronic file, digital image, sound recording, video, and everything else you see, hear, or do on your computer/smartphone/tablet—is wholly composed of zeros and ones. Logical conditions in optimization modeling are no different. . . .
Human Astrocyte Maturation Captured in 3D Cerebral Cortical Spheroids Derived from Pluripotent Stem Cells

Summary There is significant need to develop physiologically relevant models for investigating human astrocytes in health and disease. Here, we present an approach for generating astrocyte lineage cells in a three-dimensional (3D) cytoarchitecture using human cerebral cortical spheroids (hCSs) derived from pluripotent stem cells. We acutely purified astrocyte-lineage cells from hCSs at varying stages up to 20 months in vitro using immunopanning and cell sorting and performed high-depth bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing to directly compare them to purified primary human brain cells. We found that hCS-derived glia closely resemble primary human fetal astrocytes and that, over time in vitro , they transition from a predominantly fetal to an increasingly mature astrocyte state. Transcriptional changes in astrocytes are accompanied by alterations in phagocytic capacity and effects on neuronal calcium signaling. These findings suggest that hCS-derived astrocytes closely resemble primary human astrocytes and can be used for studying development and modeling disease.
Seasonal Abundance and Spatial Distribution of Diaphania hyalinata (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) on Yellow Squash in South Florida

Seasonal abundance and spatial distribution of melonworm, Diaphania hyalinata L. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), on yellow squash were studied during 4 crop-growing periods in 2014 in Homestead, Florida. The abundance of D. hyalinata larvae ranged from a minimum during Dec 2014 (1.3 ± 0.0 larvae per 2 leaves) when temperatures were relatively low (15–20 °C), to a maximum in Sep 2014 (6.6 ± 0.1 larvae per 2 leaves) when temperatures were relatively high (24–26 °C). The abundance of small larvae (L1 L2) was relatively greater, with a maximum of 7.1 ± 0.3 larvae per 2 leaves, as compared with medium-sized larvae (L3 L4) (2.4 ± 0.1 per 2 leaves) and large larvae (L5) (2.4 ± 0.1 larvae per 2 leaves) throughout the year. The abundance of large larvae was consistently low over the entire year. Diaphania hyalinata distributions tended to be aggregated (b > 1) during the crop-growing periods during May, Jun–Jul, and Sep 2014, when the population densities were relatively high, but were uniform (b < 1) during Dec 2014, when the population densities were low. A weak but statistically significant positive linear relationship existed between temperature and larval abundance. The results from this study will help squash and cucurbit growers of south Florida in monitoring melonworm infestations in the field and in developing a knowledge-based management program.
Integrative data analysis predicts YY1 as a Cis-regulator in the 3D Cell Culture Models of MCF10A at the Stiffness Level of High Mammographic Density

Previous studies have shown that in 3D cell culture models of human mammary cells (HMEC) (i) colony organizations are heterogeneous, and (ii) ERBB2 is overexpressed in MCF10A when the stiffness of the microenvironment is increased to that of high mammographic density (MD). The goal of the current study is to identify transcription factors that regulate processes associated with the increased stiffness of the microenvironment. Two HMEC premalignant lines of MCF7 and 184A1 are cultured in 3D, colonies are imaged using confocal microscopy, and colony organizations and heterogeneity are quantified as a function of the stiffness of the microenvironment. In parallel and surrogate assays, colony organizations are profiled by transcriptomics. Transcriptome data are enriched by correlative analysis with the computed morphometric indices, from 3D culture, and a subset of transcriptome data is selected. This subset is then processed with Model-based Analysis of Regulation of Gene Expression (MARGE) and publicly available ChIP-seq data to predict regulatory transcription factors. The integrative analysis indicated that YY1 regulates ERBB2 in the 3D cell culture of MCF10A when the stiffness of the microenvironment is increased to that of high MD. Subsequent experimental validation confirmed that YY1 is only expressed at the high stiffness value of the microenvironment concomitant with the overexpression of ERBB2 in MCF10A. Furthermore, using ERBB2 positive SKBR3 cell line, co-expression of YY1 and ERBB2 is absent, which indicates that YY1 regulates tumorigenicity through multiple pathways.
A comparison of DNA content between two substrains of Escherichia coliBr

The average DNA content per cell was measured in steady-state cultures of two substrains of E. coliBr growing at various rates at 37°C. The DNA content of substrain Br F was consistently lower than that of substrain Br A. It is suggested that the differences in DNA contents are consequences of strain-specific differences in the relationship between chromosome replication and the division cycle of E. coli.
RF Coverage Planning

This chapter presents a brief overview of empirical propagation models and their practical applications along with deployment guidelines. It is shown that all propagation models exhibit equation of straight line within the Fresnel zone break point. A computer-aided design tool is presented as a student project.
Exploring the Importance of Transportation Infrastructure and Accessibility to Satisfaction with Urban and Suburban Neighborhoods: An Application of Gradient Boosting Decision Trees

Residential neighborhood characteristics, especially those related to transportation infrastructure and accessibility, enable the daily lives of residents and presumably enhance their satisfaction with neighborhoods. Using 2011 data in the Twin Cities, this study employs the gradient boosting decision trees approach to examine the impact on neighborhood satisfaction of transportation infrastructure and accessibility, as well as other neighborhood attributes. It also explores how residents living in urban and suburban neighborhoods value neighborhood features differently. The results show that urban residents value transportation and accessibility and suburban residents value affordability, safety, and school quality.
Abstract 3307: Induction of autophagy as a mechanism of therapeutic resistance in head and neck cancer

Background: In the curative setting for head and neck cancer (HNC) a commonly used treatment is radiation combined with the anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody cetuximab (CTX). However, despite decades of research into improved treatments, therapeutic resistance remains a major challenge for this malignancy with roughly 40% of patients developing recurrent disease. We are studying the molecular mechanisms by which radiation and cetuximab induce autophagy and how this process can be modulated to improve the efficacy of therapy. Methods: We evaluated a panel of both human papillomavirus (HPV) positive and negative HNC cell lines for autophagic response to both CTX treatment and ionizing radiation (XRT). Induction of autophagy was detected by immunoblot flux assays for LC3 and p62 and by immunofluorescent staining of autophagic vesicles. siRNA knockdown of EGFR, LAMPT4B, ULK1, Beclin1 and others was used to probe the involvement of different signaling molecules. The addition of specific autophagy inhibitors, such as the ULK1 inhibitor SBI-0206965, to CTX or XRT treatment was tested to determine whether the reduction of autophagic response reduced cell survival in a clonogenic survival assay. Induction of apoptosis was analyzed by immunoblot against cleaved Caspase and PARP and AnnexinV staining. Results: Flux assays revealed that both CTX and XRT induced autophagy in a time and dose dependent manner. Immunofluorescent staining of LC3 to identify autophagic vesicles showed that a relatively small fraction of the total cell population is able to induce this response. Specific siRNA knockdown of EGFR and LAMPT4B was able to abrogate the induction of autophagy in response to both CTX and XRT. Involvement of alternative downstream pathways involving either ULK1 and Beclin1 or p53 in response to either treatment is under investigation. To determine whether blockade of cytoprotective autophagy can help overcome therapeutic resistance, we tested specific autophagy inhibitors in combination with either CTX or XRT treatment. The addition of the ULK1 inhibitor to CTX or XRT induced apoptosis as shown by caspase activity, AnnexinV staining, and reduced cell survival in clonogenic assays. Conclusions: Autophagy may play a critical and protective role in how head and neck cancers respond to therapeutic stress. The addition of specific autophagy inhibitors to standard treatments may provide a way to overcome resistance to therapy. Citation Format: Jaimee C. Eckers, Adam D. Swick, Tyler Fowler, Justin Skiba, Kwangok P. Nickel, Randall J. Kimple. Induction of autophagy as a mechanism of therapeutic resistance in head and neck cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3307. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3307
Busy Businesses and Busy Contexts: The Distribution and Sources of Crime at Commercial Properties:

Objective:Examine the distribution and sources of crime across freestanding businesses in San Antonio. We test hypotheses about the main and interactive effects of neighborhood and business charact...
Hybrid Control Interface of a Semi-soft Assistive Glove for People with Spinal Cord Injuries

Active assistive devices have been designed to augment the hand grasping capabilities of individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI). An intuitive bio-signal of wrist extension has been utilized in the device control, which imitates the passive grasping effect of tenodesis. However, controlling these devices in this manner limits the wrist joint motion while grasping. This paper presents a novel hybrid control interface and corresponding algorithms (i.e., a hybrid control method) of the Semi-soft Assistive Glove (SAG) developed for individuals with C6/C7-SCI. The secondary control interface is implemented to enable/disable the grasp trigger signal generated by the primary interface detecting the wrist extension. A simulation study reveals that the hybrid control method can facilitate grasping situations faced in daily activities. Empirical results with three healthy subjects suggest that the proposed method can assist the user to reach and grasp objects with the SAG naturally.
Yield Prediction for Coupled-Resonator Optical Waveguides Using Variation-Aware Compact Models

We present a model for coupled-resonator optical waveguide (CROW). A variation-aware Compact model provides CROW component S-parameters under varying spatial design perturbations, allowing efficient Monte-Carlo simulations and yield prediction.
Stress Testing in the Evaluation of Stable Chest Pain in a Community Population.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the use of stress testing in a community population with de novo stable chest pain, a normal resting electrocardiogram (ECG), and the ability to exercise. Patients and Methods We identified eligible patients by searching the electronic medical record of all outpatients seen at Mayo Clinic Rochester from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2013. We determined the frequency of initial exercise stress testing, computed tomography coronary angiography, and invasive coronary angiography, as well as the use of subsequent second procedures (including percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI] and coronary artery bypass grafting) within 90 days. Patients were followed for 5 years for death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and hospitalization for unstable angina. Results The data search identified 1175 patients with chest pain and normal resting ECGs. Only 331 patients underwent cardiac testing. A slight majority (185; 55.9%) underwent an exercise ECG alone. The remainder underwent exercise echocardiography (112; 33.8%), exercise single-photon–emission computed tomography (32; 9.7%), or computed tomography coronary angiography (2; 0.9%). Few patients (30; 9.1%) required additional testing within 90 days. Of the 14 patients (4.2%) who underwent invasive coronary angiography, 12 (85.7%) had significant coronary artery disease, and were referred for percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting. At 5 years, the mortality rate was 1.2%, and the combined event rate was 3.8%. Conclusion Most community patients with chest pain and a normal resting ECG do not require further cardiac evaluation. In patients who require testing, and are able to exercise, noninvasive stress testing is preferred. Invasive coronary angiography is applied selectively and associated with a high rate of significant coronary artery disease and referral to coronary revascularization. Long-term outcomes are excellent.
The Social Science of Surgery: Commentary on an article by Yu Tang, MD, et al.: "Effect of Surgery on Quality of Life of Patients with Spinal Metastasis from Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer".

Metastatic disease of bone is a major health problem across all cultures and socioeconomic levels. Care and treatment recommendations are best provided by multidisciplinary care teams. The role of the orthopaedic surgeon in these teams involves making decisions about when and when not to perform surgical treatment. However, the goals are quite different from those of most orthopaedic procedures. As Tang et al. noted, palliation, not cure, is the objective and thus quality of life becomes paramount in an assessment of the success or failure of surgical intervention. Despite increased clarity regarding surgical indications and documentation of neurologic improvement and pain relief, there is a paucity of literature on overall quality of life after surgical intervention for metastatic disease of bone involving the spine. Tang et al. present an observational study of …
Impact of commitment, information sharing, and information usage on supplier performance: a Bayesian belief network approach

Due to the proliferation of information systems and technology, supply chains have the capability of acquiring an enormous amount of supplier data in their databases. However, much of the useful supplier-specific insights in terms of supplier performance metrics are mostly hidden and untouched. The current emphasis on supplier performance makes relationship commitment and information management functions an ideal application area to benefit from the use of data-mining tools for the decision-making process and improving supplier performance. By employing Bayesian belief networks, this study investigates the role of the major variables of commitment, information sharing, quality of shared information, and information usage in relation to supplier performance in the U.S. aircraft manufacturing supply chain. The results provide insightful guidance to managers on how to enhance performance.
Savagism, silencing, and American settlerism: commemorating the Wyoming battle of the American Revolutionary War

This article explores the role played by savagism in American historical consciousness, focusing on its appearance in settler accounts of the Battle of Wyoming (1778) of the Revolutionary War. The ...
Lateral Heterostructures of Multilayer GeS and SnS van der Waals Crystals.

Engineered heterostructures derive distinct properties from materials integration and interface formation. Two-dimensional crystals have been combined to form vertical stacks and lateral heterostuc...
Underwater vs conventional endoscopic mucosal resection in the management of colorectal polyps: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background Recently, underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (UEMR) has shown promising results in the management of colorectal polyps. Some studies have shown better outcomes compared to conventional endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to compare UEMR and EMR in the management of colorectal polyps. Methods We searched several databases from inception to November 2019 to identify studies comparing UEMR and EMR. Outcomes assessed included rates of en bloc resection, complete macroscopic resection, recurrent/residual polyps on follow-up colonoscopy, complete resection confirmed by histology and adverse events. Pooled risk ratios (RR) with 95 % confidence interval were calculated using a fixed effect model. Heterogeneity was assessed by I2 statistic. Funnel plots and Egger’s test were used to assess publication bias. We used the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) for assessment of quality of observational studies, and the Cochrane tool for assessing risk of bias for RCTs Results Seven studies with 1291 patients were included; two were randomized controlled trials and five were observational. UEMR demonstrated statistically significantly better efficacy in rates of en bloc resection, pooled RR 1.16 (1.08, 1.26), complete macroscopic resection, pooled RR 1.28 (1.18, 1.39), recurrent/residual polyps; pooled RR 0.26 (0.12, 0.56) and complete resection confirmed by histology; pooled RR 0.75 (0.57, 0.98). There was no significant difference in adverse events (AEs); pooled RR 0.68 (0.44, 1.05). Conclusions This meta-analysis found statistically significantly better rates of en bloc resection, complete macroscopic resection, and lower risk of recurrent/residual polyps with UEMR compared to EMR. We found no significant difference in AEs between the two techniques.
Microbial Spectrum and Antibacterial Susceptibility of Endophthalmitis Cultures in a Tertiary Referral Center in the Midwestern United States: An Analysis From 295 Patients:

Purpose:This work evaluates the microbial spectrum and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of endophthalmitis cases in a large tertiary referral center in the Midwestern United States.Methods:This re...
Hospital Library Puts a Digital Spin on Outreach During Pandemic

When COVID-19 distancing protocols went into effect at Tampa General Hospital (TGH), many departments were required to begin working from home, including the medical library. A tenet of the Tampa G...
Causal Cognition in Human and Nonhuman Animals: A Comparative, Critical Review

In this article, we review some of the most provocative experimental results to have emerged from comparative labs in the past few years, starting with research focusing on contingency learning and finishing with experiments exploring nonhuman animals' understanding of causal-logical relations. Although the theoretical explanation for these results is often inchoate, a clear pattern nevertheless emerges. The comparative evidence does not fit comfortably into either the traditional associationist or inferential alternatives that have dominated comparative debate for many decades now. Indeed, the similarities and differences between human and nonhuman causal cognition seem to be much more multifarious than these dichotomous alternatives allow.
Augmented Renal Clearance in a Case of Sepsis Leading to Vancomycin Failure Despite Increasing Dose As per the Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate.

Augmented renal clearance (ARC) is a unique clinical scenario observed in critically ill patients. We present a case of a 30-year-old male with sepsis secondary to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia treated with vancomycin. ARC was observed in the patient with a maximum estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 161.9 ml/min/1.73 m2, and therapeutic drug monitoring was used to adjust the vancomycin dosage. Despite the maximal recommended dose of vancomycin, the therapeutic vancomycin level was not achieved, leading to treatment failure and subsequent mortality. Our case report suggests the necessity of other strategies, such as early dose adjustment of vancomycin based on vancomycin clearance and continuous vancomycin infusion, not merely conventional adjustment based on eGFR and vancomycin levels.
Alternative Approaches for the Prevention and Treatment of Mastitis

Current methods of mastitis control based on proper milking hygiene, reduced exposure to environmental pathogens, and dry cow antibiotic therapy have reduced occurrences of the disease. However, mastitis continues to be the most costly disease affecting the dairy industry. The incidence of mastitis increases when defense mechanisms of the mammary gland are impaired. If immunomodulators can be used to augment immune functions at critical periods during the production of food animals, then the economic loss caused by mastitis should be reduced. This paper will review some of the recent advances in the area of mammary gland immune regulation.
HIV and cardiovascular disease in sub-Saharan Africa: Demographic and Health Survey data for 4 countries.

Investigate the relationship between two common cardiovascular diseases and HIV in adults living in sub-Saharan Africa using population data provided through the Demographic and Health Survey. Data for four sub-Saharan countries were used. All adults asked questions regarding diagnosis of HIV, diabetes, and hypertension were included in the sample totaling 5356 in Lesotho, 3294 in Namibia, 9917 in Senegal, and 1051 in South Africa. Logistic models were run for each country separately, with self-reported diabetes as the first outcome and self-reported hypertension as the second outcome and HIV status as the primary independent variable. Models were adjusted for age, gender, rural/urban residence and BMI. Complex survey design allowed weighting to the population. Prevalence of self-reported diabetes ranged from 3.8% in Namibia to 0.5% in Senegal. Prevalence of self-reported hypertension ranged from 22.9% in Namibia to 0.6% in Senegal. In unadjusted models, individuals with HIV in Lesotho were 2 times more likely to have self-reported diabetes (OR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.08–3.73), however the relationship lost significance after adjustment. Individuals with HIV were less likely to have self-reported diabetes after adjustment in Namibia (OR = 0.29, 95% CI 0.12–0.72) and less likely to have self-reported hypertension after adjustment in Lesotho (OR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.47–0.83). Relationships were not significant for Senegal or South Africa. HIV did not serve as a risk factor for self-reported cardiovascular disease in sub-Saharan Africa during the years included in this study. However, given the growing prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in the region, and the high prevalence of undiagnosed cardiovascular disease, it will be important to continue to track and monitor cardiovascular disease at the population level and in individuals with and without HIV. The odds of self-reported diabetes in individuals with HIV was high in Lesotho and low in Namibia, while the odds of self-reported hypertension in individuals with HIV was low across all 4 countries included in this study. Programs are needed to target individuals that need to manage multiple diseases at once and should consider increasing access to cardiovascular disease management programs for older adults, individuals with high BMI, women, and those living in urban settings.
An Institutional Perspective on Optimism and Entrepreneurial Exit

We explore the effect of entrepreneurs’ optimism on entrepreneurial exit using survey results of 175 new ventures based in China. The findings of this study challenge the assumption that there is a...
Noninvasive Ureterocele Puncture Using Pulsed Focused Ultrasound: An In Vitro Study

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of performing noninvasive puncture of pediatric ureteroceles with cavitation-based focused ultrasound (US) (histotripsy). Materials and Methods: A model for the ureterocele wall was developed from an excised bovine bladder wall. The model was exposed to focused US pulses in a water bath under three different US parameter sets for up to 300 seconds to create localized perforations in the wall. B-mode US imaging was used to monitor the treatment and assess potential imaging guidance and feedback. Results: Punctures were formed between 46–300 seconds, depending on the focused US exposure parameters and model wall thickness. Puncture diameter was controllable through choice of exposure parameters and could be varied between 0.8–2.8 mm mean diameter. US-induced cavitation was visible on B-mode imaging, which provided targeting and treatment feedback. Conclusions: Cavitation-based focused US can create punctures in a model that mimics the tissue properties of a uret...
Parking Functions and Noncrossing Partitions

A parking function is a sequence $(a_1,\dots,a_n)$ of positive integers such that, if $b_1\leq b_2\leq \cdots\leq b_n$ is the increasing rearrangement of the sequence $(a_1,\dots, a_n),$ then $b_i\leq i$. A noncrossing partition of the set $[n]=\{1,2,\dots,n\}$ is a partition $\pi$ of the set $[n]$ with the property that if $a
From antibody insult to fibrosis in neonatal lupus - the heart of the matter

Few diseases exemplify the integration of research from bench to bedside as well as neonatal lupus, often referred to as a model of passively acquired autoimmunity. In essence, this disease encompasses two patients, both the mother and her child. The signature histologic lesion of autoimmune-associated congenital heart block is fibrosis of the conducting tissue, and in some cases the surrounding myocardium. It is astounding how rapid and, in most cases, irreversible is the fibrotic response to injury. The mechanism by which maternal anti-SSA/Ro–SSB/La antibodies initiate and perpetuate inflammation, and eventuate in scarring of the atrioventricular node, is not yet defined. In vitro and in vivo studies suggest that one pathologic cascade leading to scarring may be initiated via apoptosis, resulting in translocation of SSA/Ro–SSB/La antigens and subsequent surface binding by maternal autoantibodies. These opsonized cardiocytes are phagocytosed by macrophages, which secrete factors that transdifferentiate fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, a scarring phenotype. Dissecting the individual components in this fibrotic pathway should provide insights into the rarity of irreversible injury and should form the basis of rational approaches to prevention and treatment.
An international randomized trial comparing four thrombolytic strategies for acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: The relative efficacy of streptokinase and tissue plasminogen activator and the roles of intravenous as compared with subcutaneous heparin as adjunctive therapy in acute myocardial infarction are unresolved questions. The current trial was designed to compare new, aggressive thrombolytic strategies with standard thrombolytic regimens in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. Our hypothesis was that newer thrombolytic strategies that produce earlier and sustained reperfusion would improve survival. METHODS: In 15 countries and 1081 hospitals, 41,021 patients with evolving myocardial infarction were randomly assigned to four different thrombolytic strategies, consisting of the use of streptokinase and subcutaneous heparin, streptokinase and intravenous heparin, accelerated tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and intravenous heparin, or a combination of streptokinase plus t-PA with intravenous heparin. ("Accelerated" refers to the administration of t-PA over a period of 1 1/2 hours--with two thirds of the dose given in the first 30 minutes--rather than the conventional period of 3 hours.) The primary end point was 30-day mortality. RESULTS: The mortality rates in the four treatment groups were as follows: streptokinase and subcutaneous heparin, 7.2 percent; streptokinase and intravenous heparin, 7.4 percent; accelerated t-PA and intravenous heparin, 6.3 percent, and the combination of both thrombolytic agents with intravenous heparin, 7.0 percent. This represented a 14 percent reduction (95 percent confidence interval, 5.9 to 21.3 percent) in mortality for accelerated t-PA as compared with the two streptokinase-only strategies (P = 0.001). The rates of hemorrhagic stroke were 0.49 percent, 0.54 percent, 0.72 percent, and 0.94 percent in the four groups, respectively, which represented a significant excess of hemorrhagic strokes for accelerated t-PA (P = 0.03) and for the combination strategy (P < 0.001), as compared with streptokinase only. A combined end point of death or disabling stroke was significantly lower in the accelerated-tPA group than in the streptokinase-only groups (6.9 percent vs. 7.8 percent, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this large-scale trial indicate that accelerated t-PA given with intravenous heparin provides a survival benefit over previous standard thrombolytic regimens
Algebraic Operational Semantics and Occam

We generalize algebraic operational semantics from sequential languages to distributed, concurrent languages using Occam as an example. Elsewhere, we will discuss applications to the study of verification and transformation of programs.
Differential Sensitivity of Naive and Memory CD8+ T Cells to Apoptosis in Vivo

Apoptosis is a critical regulator of homeostasis in the immune system. In this study we demonstrate that memory CD8+ T cells are more resistant to apoptosis than naive cells. After whole body irradiation of mice, both naive and memory CD8+ T cells decreased in number, but the reduction in the number of naive cells was 8-fold greater than that in memory CD8+ T cells. In addition to examining radiation-induced apoptosis, we analyzed the expansion and contraction of naive and memory CD8+ T cells in vivo following exposure to Ag. We found that memory CD8+ T cells not only responded more quickly than naive cells after viral infection, but that secondary effector cells generated from memory cells underwent much less contraction compared with primary effectors generated from naive cells (3- to 5-fold vs 10- to 20-fold decrease). Increased numbers of secondary memory cells were observed in both lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues. When naive and memory cells were transferred into the same animal, secondary effectors underwent less contraction than primary effector cells. These experiments analyzing apoptosis of primary and secondary effectors in the same animal show unequivocally that decreased downsizing of the secondary response reflects an intrinsic property of the memory T cells and is not simply due to environmental effects. These findings have implications for designing prime/boost vaccine strategies and also for optimizing immunotherapeutic regimens for treatment of chronic infections.
The cerebral cavernous malformation proteins CCM2L and CCM2 prevent the activation of the MAP kinase MEKK3

Three genes, CCM1, CCM2, and CCM3, interact genetically and biochemically and are mutated in cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM). A recently described member of this CCM family of proteins, CCM2-like (CCM2L), has high homology to CCM2. Here we show that its relative expression in different tissues differs from that of CCM2 and, unlike CCM2, the expression of CCM2L in endothelial cells is regulated by density, flow, and statins. In vitro, both CCM2L and CCM2 bind MEKK3 in a complex with CCM1. Both CCM2L and CCM2 interfere with MEKK3 activation and its ability to phosphorylate MEK5, a downstream target. The in vivo relevance of this regulation was investigated in zebrafish. A knockdown of ccm2l and ccm2 in zebrafish leads to a more severe “big heart” and circulation defects compared with loss of function of ccm2 alone, and also leads to substantial body axis abnormalities. Silencing of mekk3 rescues the big heart and body axis phenotype, suggesting cross-talk between the CCM proteins and MEKK3 in vivo. In endothelial cells, CCM2 deletion leads to activation of ERK5 and a transcriptional program that are downstream of MEKK3. These findings suggest that CCM2L and CCM2 cooperate to regulate the activity of MEKK3.
Water as an Ideal Solvent for the Synthesis of Easily Hydrolyzable Compounds: High‐Yield Preparation of 2‐Pyrrolecarbaldimines and their CVD/ALD‐Relevant Cu(II) Derivatives in H2O

Water was found to be an ideal solvent for the remarkably high-yield, fast preparation of easily hydrolyzable 2-pyrrolecarbaldimines. In the presence of Cu2+, the reaction afforded, in one step, the corresponding Cu(II) chelates which were demonstrated to meet the initial set of current microelectronics criteria for Cu metal deposition via a CVD/ALD process. Electronic effects of the substituent on the imino nitrogen of the Cu complexes were shown to strongly influence the coordination geometry at the Cu center.
Effect of flexible spacers in liquid crystalline copolyesters containing a non-linear biphenol moiety

A series of copolyesters 2 containing both linear mesogenic and non-linear non-mesogenic aromatic ester units was prepared and characterized for the ability of the latter to either modify or destabilize the liquid-crystalline (LC) properties of the former. The mesogenic units were formed from the reaction of 1,4-phenylene diacetate (3) with 4,4′-decamethylenedioxydibenzoic acid (5), whereas the non-mesogenic units were formed from reaction of the latter monomer with the diacetate of the non-linear biphenol, sulfonylbis(1,4′-phenylene) diacetate (4). The presence of the flexible spacer in each unit allows the copolyesters to form a nematic phase even at a content of non-mesogenic units as high as approximately 80 mole-%. Copolyester compositions with mesogenic unit contents approaching this limit for LC behavior appear to form melts which contain both nematic and isotropic phases below the isotropization transitions.