cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neurotoxicity of Persistent Organic Pollutants: Possible Mode(S) of Action and Further Considerations:

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are long-lived toxic organic compounds and are of major concern for human and ecosystem health. Although the use of most POPs is banned in most countries, some organochlorine pesticides are still being used in several parts of the world. Although environmental levels of some POPs such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have declined, newly emerging POPs such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been increasing considerably. Exposure to POPs has been associated with a wide spectrum of effects including reproductive, developmental, immunologic, carcinogenic, and neurotoxic effects. It is of particular concern that neurotoxic effects of some POPs have been observed in humans at low environmental concentrations. This review focuses on PCBs as a representative chemical class of POPs and discusses the possible mode(s) of action for the neurotoxic effects with emphasis on comparing dose-response and structure-activity relationships (SAR) with other structurally related chemicals. There is sufficient epidemiological and experimental evidence showing that PCB exposure is associated with motor and cognitive deficits in humans and animal models. Although several potential mode(s) of actions were postulated for PCB-induced neurotoxic effects, changes in neurotransmitter systems, altered intracellular signalling processes, and thyroid hormone imbalance are predominant ones. These three potential mechanisms are discussed in detail in vitro and in vivo. In addition, SAR was conducted on other structurally similar chemicals to see if they have a common mode(s) of action. Relative potency factors for several of these POPs were calculated based on their effects on intracellular signalling processes. This is a comprehensive review comparing molecular effects at the cellular level to the neurotoxic effects seen in the whole animal for environmentally relevant POPs.
Nanotribology and Materials Characterization of MEMS/NEMS and BioMEMS/BioNEMS Materials and Devices

Micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) need to be designed to perform their expected functions with short duration, typically in millisecond to picosecond timescales. Expected life of the devices for high-speed contacts can vary from a few hundred thousand to many billions of cycles, e.g., over a hundred billion cycles for digital micromirror devices (DMDs), which puts serious requirements on materials. For BioMEMS/BioNEMS, adhesion between biological molecular layers and the substrate, and friction and wear of biological layers may be important. There is a need for the development of a fundamental understanding of adhesion, friction/stiction, wear, and the role of surface contamination, and environment. Most mechanical properties are known to be scale-dependent. Therefore, the properties of nanoscale structures need to be measured. MEMS/NEMS materials need to exhibit good mechanical and tribological properties on the micro/nanoscale. There is a need to develop lubricants and identify lubrication methods that are suitable for MEMS/NEMS. Methods need to be developed to enhance adhesion between biomolecules and the device substrate. Component-level studies are required to provide a better understanding of tribological phenomena occurring in MEMS/NEMS. The emergence of micro/nanotribology and techniques based on atomic force microscopy has provided researchers with a viable approach to address these problems. This chapter presents a review of micro/nanoscale adhesion, friction, and wear studies of materials and lubrication studies for MEMS/NEMS and BioMEMS/BioNEMS, and component-level studies of stiction phenomena in MEMS/NEMS devices.
Methods Appropriate for Studying the Relationship of Breast-feeding to Obesity

A vast literature examines the association of breast-feeding with body composition and risk of overweight and obesity in childhood and adulthood. Several recent systematic reviews, including one by the World Health Organization, concluded that there is a small protective effect of breast-feeding against overweight in later life. Nearly all studies covered by these reviews used observational study designs that limit causal inferences. Methodological strengths, weaknesses, and main results of the epidemiologic studies that have drawn conclusions about the relation between infant feeding and overweight in childhood and adulthood are briefly reviewed to provide a methodological perspective for the subsequent presentations in this symposium. The focus is on the role of recall and selection bias, appropriate representation of exposures, inadequate control for confounding, and the utility of alternative study designs that may circumvent some of the problems.
Experience with Glycerin for Antegrade Continence Enema in Patients with Neurogenic Bowel

Purpose: Malone antegrade continence enemas are used in the management of neurogenic bowel to attain fecal continence. Several different irrigation solutions have been described but glycerin, an osmotic laxative that promotes peristalsis, has rarely been mentioned or studied. We assessed clinical outcomes in our patients with a Malone antegrade continence enema using glycerin based irrigation.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with neurogenic bowel who underwent a Malone antegrade continence enema procedure between 1997 and 2011. Glycerin diluted with tap water followed by a tap water flush is our preferred irrigation protocol. Bowel regimen outcomes examined included fecal continence, emptying time, leakage from stoma, enema volume, frequency and independence.Results: Of the 23 patients with followup greater than 6 months 19 used glycerin based irrigation. Average age at surgery was 8.8 years. Patients using glycerin instilled a median of 30 ml (mean 29) glycerin and 50 ml (131) ...
K-best Spanning Tree Parsing

This paper introduces a Maximum Entropy dependency parser based on an efficient kbest Maximum Spanning Tree (MST) algorithm. Although recent work suggests that the edge-factored constraints of the MST algorithm significantly inhibit parsing accuracy, we show that generating the 50-best parses according to an edge-factored model has an oracle performance well above the 1-best performance of the best dependency parsers. This motivates our parsing approach, which is based on reranking the kbest parses generated by an edge-factored model. Oracle parse accuracy results are presented for the edge-factored model and 1-best results for the reranker on eight languages (seven from CoNLL-X and English).
Racial differences in the treatment of pigmentation disorders in outpatient settings: analysis of US national practice data.

OBJECTIVE: Pigmentary disorders tend to disproportionately affect individuals with darker skin pigmentation. An understanding of why certain patients or races present more frequently to physicians would help guide attempts for early interventions and education for these patients.METHODS: Data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (1996–2000) were used to examine associations between the race/ethnicity of the patient and the type of skin‐related visit. We examined the impact of non‐white (and separately, black) individuals and Hispanic ethnicity on the probability of a pigmentary disorder or non‐pigmentary disorder‐related outpatient physician visit in weighted multivariate logistic regression models.RESULTS: Non‐white patients have a higher probability of a pigmentary disorder‐related skin condition visit than white patients (RR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.29, 1.31). Black patients are more likely than non‐black patients to be seen for a pigmentary disorder (RR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.04). Hispanic patient...
Adaptive management and governance of Delaware River water resources

This paper articulates the complexities of adaptively managing Delaware River water resources to meet shifting priorities of drinking water supply, drought mitigation and flood mitigation, as well as conflicting stakeholder interests. In particular, the paper examines the short-term and long-term programs that comprise the Delaware River Basin Commission9s (DRBC) and the 1954 US Supreme Court Decree parties9 successful adaptive management approach that seeks to balance the growing list of demands for water resources management, including drinking water supply, drought management, flood control and cold water fisheries protection. Review of the DRBC9s adaptive governance approach reveals the critical complexities of designing experimental, yet science-driven management approaches and effectively engaging various sets of stakeholders in the associated decision-making processes.
Performance of cache coherence in stackable filing

Stackable design of filing systems constructs sophisticated services from multiple, independently developed layers. This approach has been advocated to address development problems from code re-use, to extensibility, to version management. Individual layers of such a system often need to cache data to improve performance or provide desired functionality. When access to different layers is allowed, cache incoherencies can occur. Without a cache coherence solution, layer designers must either restrict layer access and flexibility or compromise the layered structure to avoid potential data corruption. The value of modular designs such as stacking can be questioned without a suitable solution to this problem. This paper presents a general cache coherence architecture for stackable filing, including a standard approach to data identification as a key component to layered coherence protocols. We also present a detailed performance analysis of one implementation of stack cache-coherence, which suggests that very low overheads can be achieved in practice.
Making Mass Vacations: Tourism and Consumer Culture in France, 1930s to 1970s

Cet article veut montrer que le tourisme de masse au cours du XX e siecle n'est pas ne ineluctablement de l'industralisation mais plus precisement de choix politiques et de facteurs pluriels qui different d'un pays a un autre. Dans le cas de la France, le tourisme populaire etait un choix du gouvernement du Front Populaire dans les annees 1930 qui a permis de developper une opposition consciente et collective face a la montee du fascisme italien et allemand. Les vacances sont percues en France comme un droit a la citoyennete, a l'oppose des Etats-Unis ou elle sont concues comme un contrat de compensation economique et un avantage social. Cette particularite francaise renforca, apres la seconde guerre mondiale, la securite sociale (associee etroitement a la politique des conges) et le tourisme comme pratique de consommation. Les vacances ont acquis une pluralite de significations qui sont etroitement determinees par l'histoire politique.
Transcription profiling reveals stage- and function-dependent expression patterns in the filarial nematode Brugia malayi

Background: Brugia malayi is a nematode parasite that causes lymphatic filariasis, a disfiguring and disabiling tropical disease. Although a first draft genome sequence was released in 2007, very little is understood about transcription programs that govern developmental changes required for the parasite’s development and survival in its mammalian and insect hosts. Results: We used a microarray with probes that represent some 85% of predicted genes to generate gene expression profiles for seven parasite life cycle stages/sexes. Approximately 41% of transcripts with detectable expression signals were differentially expressed across lifecycle stages. Twenty-six percent of transcripts were exclusively expressed in a single parasite stage, and 27% were expressed in all stages studied. K-means clustering of differentially expressed transcripts revealed five major transcription patterns that were associated with parasite lifecycle stages or gender. Examination of known stage-associated transcripts validated these data sets and suggested that newly identified stage or gender-associated transcripts may exercise biological functions in development and reproduction. The results also indicate that genes with similar transcription patterns were often involved in similar functions or cellular processes. For example, nuclear receptor family gene transcripts were upregulated in gene expression pattern four (female-enriched) while protein kinase gene family transcripts were upregulated in expression pattern five (male-enriched). We also used pair-wise comparisons to identify transcriptional changes between life cycle stages and sexes. Conclusions: Analysis of gene expression patterns of lifecycle in B. malayi has provided novel insights into the biology of filarial parasites. Proteins encoded by stage-associated and/or stage-specific transcripts are likely to be critically important for key parasite functions such as establishment and maintenance of infection, development, reproduction, and survival in the host. Some of these may be useful targets for vaccines or new drug treatments for filariasis.
An update on the use of antipsychotics in the treatment of delirium

Objective: Delirium is the most common neuropsychiatric complication of medical illness, a medical emergency that needs to be identified and treated vigorously. Delirium is too frequently underdiagnosed and untreated in the medical setting, which leads to increased morbidity and mortality, interference in the management of symptoms such as pain, an increased length of hospitalization, increased health care costs, and distress for patients and their caregivers (Inouye, 2006; Breitbart et al., 2002a, 2002b). In this article, we present an update of the use of antipsychotics in management of delirium based on the available literature and our own clinical experience. Methods: We reviewed the current literature on the role of antipsychotics in the management of delirium using standard computer-based search methods (e.g., PubMed). Results: Antipsychotic medications, including the new atypical antipsychotics, have been demonstrated to effectively manage a wide spectrum of the symptoms of delirium and are an essential component in the multimodal approach to managing delirium. Significance of results: The standard approach to managing delirium includes identification and elimination of factors contributing to the delirium in addition to pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment interventions (Trzepacz et al., 1999). Newer atypical antipsychotics can play an important role in the management of the symptoms of delirium.
Reply to “Adequate Vitamin D during Pregnancy Reduces the Risk of Premature Birth by Reducing Placental Colonization by Bacterial Vaginosis Species”

We are very pleased that our paper has stirred so much thought and attention. We fully agree that vitamin D deficiency as a factor associated with bacterial vaginosis and susceptibility to infection should be thoroughly studied to explore its potential role as an easily modifiable cause of preterm birth and complications of prematurity (1). We hope future studies will address that. To clarify, in our paper we investigated placental colonization with specific groups of bacteria as a mechanism to upregulate or downregulate the inflammatory condition in the extremely preterm newborn rather than as a risk factor for or a trigger of premature birth (2). The ELGAN study did not assess maternal levels of vitamin D. ItmaywellbethatvitaminDdeficiencyaffectsfetalgrowthand development through its direct effect on systemic and mucosal innate immunity and inflammation (3‐5) or through control of the growth, composition, ascendance, and pathogenicity of the maternal microflora (6). We and others continue to search for newwaystoreducetheheavyburdenofpretermbirthformillions of children and families.
Functional expression and characterization of Arabidopsis ABCB, AUX 1 and PIN auxin transporters in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

*SUMMARY Heterologous expression systems based on tobacco BY-2 cells, Arabidopsis cell cultures, Xenopus oocytes, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and human HeLa cells have been used to express and characterize PIN, ABCB (PGP), and AUX/LAX auxin transporters from Arabidopsis. However, no single system has been identified that can be used for effective comparative analyses of these proteins. We have developed an accessible Schizosaccharomyces pombe system for comparative studies of plant transport proteins. The system includes knockout mutants in all ABC and putative auxin transport genes and Gateway � -compatible expression vectors for functional analysis and subcellular localization of recombinant proteins. We expressed Arabidopsis ABCB1 and ABCB19 in mam1pdr1 host lines under the inducible nmt41 promoter. ABCB19 showed a higher 3 H-IAA export activity than ABCB1. Arabidopsis PIN proteins were expressed in a mutant lacking the auxin effluxer like 1 (AEL1) gene. PIN1 showed higher activity than PIN2 with similar protein expression levels. Expression of AUX1 in a permease-deficient vat3 mutant resulted in increased net auxin uptake activity. Finally, ABCB4 expressed in mam1pdr1 displayed a concentration-dependent reversal of 3 H-IAA transport that is consistent with its observed activity in planta. Structural modelling suggests that ABCB4 has three substrate interaction sites rather than the two found in ABCB19, thus providing a rationale for the observed substrate activation. Taken together, these results suggest that the S. pombe system described here can be employed for comparative analyses and subsequent structural characterizations of plant transport proteins.
Fire history of pinyon–juniper woodlands at upper ecotones with ponderosa pine forests in Arizona and New Mexico

We used maps of fire evidence, fire scar dendrochronology, forest age-structure analysis, and landscape analysis to investigate fire history at pinyon pine (Pinus edulis Engelm.) – juniper (Juniper...
Statistical controversies in clinical research: an initial evaluation of a surrogate end point using a single randomized clinical trial and the Prentice criteria

Abstract Surrogate end point research has grown in recent years with the increasing development and usage of biomarkers in clinical research. Surrogacy analysis is derived through randomized clinical trial data and it is carried out at the individual level and at the trial level. A common surrogate analysis at the individual level is the application of the Prentice criteria. An approach for the evaluation of the Prentice criteria is discussed, with a focus on its most difficult component, the determination of whether the treatment effect is captured by the surrogate. An interpretation of this criterion is illustrated using data from a randomized clinical trial in prostate cancer.
Physiological fluid shear stress causes downregulation of endothelin-1 mRNA in bovine aortic endothelium

We report here that the level of endothelin-1 (ET-1) mRNA from bovine aortic endothelial cells grown in vitro is rapidly (within 1 h of exposure) and significantly (fivefold) decreased in response ...
Subcontinuum mass transport of condensed hydrocarbons in nanoporous media

Although hydrocarbon production from unconventional reservoirs, the so-called shale gas, has exploded recently, reliable predictions of resource availability and extraction are missing because conventional tools fail to account for their ultra-low permeability and complexity. Here, we use molecular simulation and statistical mechanics to show that continuum description--Darcy's law--fails to predict transport in shales nanoporous matrix (kerogen). The non-Darcy behaviour arises from strong adsorption in kerogen and the breakdown of hydrodynamics at the nanoscale, which contradict the assumption of viscous flow. Despite this complexity, all permeances collapse on a master curve with an unexpected dependence on alkane length. We rationalize this non-hydrodynamic behaviour using a molecular description capturing the scaling of permeance with alkane length and density. These results, which stress the need for a change of paradigm from classical descriptions to nanofluidic transport, have implications for shale gas but more generally for transport in nanoporous media.
Partial characterization of aortic renin in the spontaneously hypertensive rat and its interrelationship with plasma renin, blood pressure and sodium balance.

1. A renin-like enzyme in aortic tissue of the spontaneously hypertensive rat was found to be a freely dissociable enzyme (saline homogenization) with an affinity for the renin inhibitor pepstatin. At neutral pH values, the enzyme was active in homologous plasma to produce angiotensin I, and therefore distinct from pseudorenin and cathepsin D. The arterial enzyme and semi-purified renal renin could not be distinguished on the basis of K m values by using homologous renin substrate 2. An inverse relationship between the aortic renin content of the spontaneously hypertensive rat and the progressive increase of systolic blood pressure was observed with age. In contrast to this strain of rat, aortic renin of the normotensive WKY strain did not decline with age. 3. Plasma renin concentration and the aortic renin content of the spontaneously hypertensive rat showed divergent changes in response to a blood pressure fall associated with acute diuretic therapy, chronic administration of hydrallazine and in some animals in response to chronic administration of propranolol. 4. A low sodium diet elevated both plasma and aortic renin and retarded the progressive increase of blood pressure in the spontaneously hypertensive rat. A high sodium diet accelerated the progress of hypertension with no effect on aortic or plasma renin. 5. Antihypertensive therapy (1–6 weeks), resulting in a lowering of conscious systolic blood pressure of the spontaneously hypertensive rat, consistently led to a decrease in aortic renin content.
Experimental Analysis of Kuo Vaseline Technique for Studying Behavior Development in Chick Embryos.

The purpose of this study is to examine the experimental method used by Kuo1,2,3,4,5 to study development of embryonic behavior in the chick. The conditions under which Kuo's experiments were performed,1,2 were as follows.The shell of the incubating chick's egg was opened in the region of the respiratory air space, exposing part of the inner shell membrane. This was coated with a thin layer of liquid vaseline to render it transparent. The eggs were then observed daily while they incubated upright on their small ends. The impression is given that the same chick could be observed daily from the 2nd, or earliest day of operation, to the 21st, or day of hatching. Except in one paper6 in which he reported placing only a spot of vaseline on the membrane above the embryo, Kuo has consistently referred to this original procedure. 1,2 Behavior observed under such conditions he has considered normal.Because we questioned the physiologic soundness of this procedure, limiting as it does the normal respiratory exchang...
Data Dependant Motion Planning for UAV Plume Localization

A real-time closed loop method for the estimation of parameters pertaining to atmospheric release events is introduced. This method uses sensed data to plan optimal trajectories for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) sensor platform. This method uses gradient descent or recursive weighted least squares to identify parameters with the given information, then generates ‘excitation vectors’ to determine poorly excited directions in the parameter space. The aircraft is then commanded to fly in a way that provides better data set excitation. Examples are shown that illustrate the strengths of the data guided approach compared to pre-selected or randomized trajectories.
Recurrent prostate cancer detection with anti-3-[(18)F]FACBC PET/CT: comparison with CT.

Purpose To compare the diagnostic performance of the synthetic amino acid analogue PET radiotracer anti-3-[18F]FACBC (fluciclovine) with that of CT in the detection of recurrent prostate carcinoma.
Arthroscopic portals: anatomy at risk.

SUMMARY Proper portal placement is critical for successful and safe arthroscopic surgery. Multiple portals and their safe location are needed for evolving surgical procedures. Familiarity with these portals and their formation will aid the arthroscopist.
Dynamic nano-triboelectrification using torsional resonance mode atomic force microscopy

Understanding the mechanism of charge generation, distribution, and transfer between surfaces is very important for energy harvesting applications based on triboelectric effect. Here, we demonstrate dynamic nanotriboelectrification with torsional resonance (TR) mode atomic force microscopy (AFM). Experiments on rubbing the sample surface using TR mode for the generation of triboelectric charges and in-situ characterization of the charge distribution using scanning Kelvin probe microcopy (SKPM) were performed. This method allows the tip to perform lateral oscillation and maintains the tip-sample interaction in the attractive region to ensure high efficiency of the charge generation during the rubbing process. The measured efficiency of generating triboelectric charges can achieve ~10.53 times higher than conventional static/contact mode in the triboelectrification experiments. In addition to the charge generation, local discharging experiments were also performed. This work would provide a new method to generate patterned charges and also be helpful in understanding the mechanism of nanotriboelectrification.
Wetting and functional voiding disorders.

SUMMARY Wetting and voiding dysfunction in children represent a wide spectrum of disorders ranging from uncomplicated nocturnal enuresis, which is not associated with significant uropathology, to more complicated functional voiding dysfunction, which, in the worst of cases, can result in severe deterioration of both bladder and renal function. A complete understanding and thorough evaluation of these clinical entities allow a classification that lends itself to rational and tailored therapy. Optimal response rates can be achieved only with a disciplined and well-defined approach to the evaluation and management of these children.
Modeling and Frequency‐Domain Parameter Identification of a Small‐Scale Flybarless Unmanned Helicopter

Design of robust and reliable flight controllers for unmanned rotorcraft requires a high-fidelity model. This chapter presents the process of model identification of a small-scale flybarless unmanned helicopter through frequency-domain methods and the use of Comprehensive Identification from FrEquency Response (CIFER) software. First, the design of flight tests, data collection requirements, and considerations for unmanned rotorcraft are presented. The process of model linearization is presented, resulting in a final linear model structure. Next, frequency-domain analysis is discussed, including criteria for selection of response pairs. The results for the DU2SRI Bergen helicopter are presented. Lastly, the process of model validation is discussed. Keywords: dynamics; frequency response; helicopter; rotorcraft; system identification
Circuit simulation of resonant tunneling devices using NDR-SPICE

NDR-SPICE is an enhanced version of the SPICE-3E circuit simulator, containing models for several resonant tunneling devices, including Resonant Tunneling Diodes, Resonant Tunneling Transistors, Multiple Peak Resonant Tunneling Diodes, Resonant Tunneling Bipolar Transistors, and Resonant Tunneling Hot Electron Transistors. Provision has also been made for simulating any new S-terminal device with negative differential resistance (NDR) characteristics. All the device models use a table-driven approach where tables of the device I-V characteristics are obtained either through direct measurements or through quantum simulation. Linear interpolation is performed between the tabulated points but a quadratic interpolation option is also provided for MRTD models. The software contains improved algorithms for convergence with NDR and piecewise linear characteristics during DC and transient analysis. While all previously demonstrated and published models for these devices have been external or macro-models, the new models incorporated into NDR-SPICE are internal models, allowing for faster simulation with better control and accuracy. >
Efficacy of Resistance to Francisella Imparted by ITY/NRAMP/SLC11A1 Depends on Route of Infection.

NRAMP (Natural Resistance Associated Macrophage Protein, encoded by the Slc11a1 gene is a membrane-associated transporter of divalent metal ions. Murine Slc11a1 has two known alleles, a functional Slc11a1Gly169, which is found in DBA2/J, NOD/LtJ, and 129p3/J and related mouse strains, and a non-functional Slc11a1Asp169, that is found in C56Bl/6J (B6) and BALB/cJ mice. B6 mice congenic for Slc11a1Gly169 (B6- Slc11a1G169) are markedly resistant to the intracellular pathogens Salmonella, Leishmania, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We examined the host cell response and replication of Francisella in B6- Slc11a1G169 mice. Bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDM) from either B6- Slc11a1G169 or B6 mice were both effectively invaded by Francisella Live Vaccine strain (LVS). However, at 16 hours post infection (hpi) the number of LVS bacteria recovered from B6 macrophages had increased roughly 100 fold, while in B6- Slc11a1G169 mice the number decreased 10 fold. When the mice were challenged intranasally (i.n.) B6 mice lost significant amounts (~15%) of weight, where as B6- Slc11a1G169 mice lost no weight. Three days after infection in B6- Slc11a1G169 mice we failed to recover viable Francisella from the lungs, livers or spleens. In contrast, B6 mice had bacterial burdens approaching 1x106 CFU/organ in all three organs. To further examine the degree of resistance imparted by Slc11a1Gly169 expression, we challenged mice deficient in TLR2, TLR4, and TLR9, but expressing the functional Slc11a1 (B6- Slc11a1G169 Tlr2/4/9-/-). Surprisingly, B6- Slc11a1G169 Tlr2/4/9-/- mice had no notable weight loss. 80% of B6- Slc11a1G169 Tlr2/4/9-/- mice yielded no detectable Francisella in any organ tested. Additionally, Slc11a1G169 produced little detectable cytokine either in the lung or serum compared to B6 mice. Mice expressing Slc11a1Gly169 survived even high doses (~80 LD50) of LVS inoculation. These data taken together serve to highlight that functional Slc11a1Gly169 can compensate the lack of TLR2/4/9. Thus Slc11a1 is a critical player in murine resistance to pulmonary Francisella infection, but not footpad infection.
How family networks drive residential location choices: Evidence from a stated preference field experiment in Bogotá, Colombia:

This research quantifies the relative importance of proximity to extended family networks in the stated residential location choices of Bogota‘s low-to-middle-income residents by applying a conditional logistic regression model and using data from an original choice experiment. I find that the surveyed individuals prefer living near their extended family and, on average, prioritise it more than accessibility to the central business district. Those who have relied on help from extended family members in a personal or economic crisis situation have a stronger preference for living near extended family compared with those who have not, as do those who are able to rely on extended family ties for childcare assistance.
Managing Service Quality Using Data Envelopment Analysis

A managerial tool for evaluating and managing service quality is discussed that treats service quality as an intermediate variable rather than the primary managerial goal. The technique uses data envelopment analysis, a nonparametric approach that permi..
Intelligence and Personality in Social Behavior

The overall goal of this chapter is to provide the reader with an integrated conceptual framework for understanding human intelligence and personality as these qualities are reflected in dynamic, complex patterns of social behavior. To accomplish this rather broad and challenging objective, each of the three major constructs represented in this chapter—personality, intelligence, and social behavior—are defined and explicated in separate sections designed to build upon one another in an organized, systematic manner. The intended result is a rich, coherent framework of considerable practical utility (M. Ford & D. Ford, 1987).
Metals, Metalloids and Oxidative Stress

There is increasing evidence to support the concept that the cellular redox (reduction/oxidation) status regulates various cellular processes, including signal transduction, gene expression, cellular proliferation (cell cycle) and cell death (necrotic and apoptotic).The redox status of a cell reflects a delicate balance between two opposing factors: antioxidants that are produced by cells (glutathione and thioredoxin) or that are obtained from the diet (vitamin E, ascorbic acid and some essential metals) and oxidants that are produced during normal cellular metabolism and following the exposure of cells and/or organisms to environmental agents. Radicals and other oxidants produced during normal metabolism have important functions in numerous cellular processes that are essential for the life of the cell and the organism. However, disruption of cellular processes controlling the antioxidantoxidant balance in cells results in oxidative stress. While aerobic organisms can tolerate low levels of oxidative stress, severe oxidative stress causes cell damage, which may lead to cell death and in some cases, death to the organism (Halliwell and Cross, 1994).To understand how environmental metal and metalloid pollutants alter or disrupt the normal cellular redox status, one must have a basic understanding of the factors that contribute to maintaining the redox status, how radicals and oxidants are produced in cells and how oxidative processes regulate cell function.
Fluid—Electrolyte, Acid—Base Disorders

Acid is produced as a consequence of normal metabolic processes. Maintaining body pH within a narrow physiologic range depends initially on body buffer systems but ultimately on the kidneys and the lungs.
Who Risks Commitment? Winners, Losers, Prospect Theory and War Termination

Commitment problems are frequently seen to cause war initiation and extend war duration. This paper attempts to refine that analysis by introducing prospect theory into the context of bargaining. Doing so suggests that bargainers in the domain of losses may be willing to accept agreements despite the existence of commitment problems. This hypothesis is tested using an experimental game. Results, particularly among a subsample of more sophisticated players, support the hypothesis.
Glomerular structural factors in progression of congenital nephrotic syndrome

The glomerular structural factors associated with progression of congenital nephrotic syndrome of Finnish type (CNF) are incompletely understood. We studied glomerular volume and the proportion of various glomerular subtypes in seven CNF patients (aged 4 months to 3 years). Glomerular tubular connections (GTC) were analyzed in two patients early and late in the disease spectrum (creatinine 0.2 and 2.8 mg/dl, respectively). The proportions of "normal" glomeruli decreased (r=-0.91, P=0.003) and microcystic glomeruli increased (r=0.85, P=0.015), while the fetal and sclerosed glomeruli remained stable (r=0.073 and 0.08 respectively, P=NS for both) with age. The "normal" glomeruli were larger in CNF than in six age-matched minimal change nephrotic patients (P=0.009). GTC analyses in the mild disease showed that 75% of the 12 "normal" glomeruli had normal tubules, and 25% were atubular or were attached to atrophic tubules, while 88% of the 12 fetal glomeruli were either atubular or were attached to atrophic tubules. In the advanced disease, 67% of 12 "normal" glomeruli had normal tubules, and 33% were atubular or atrophic, while none of the fetal or microcystic glomeruli had ″normal tubules″. Thus atubular glomeruli may play an important role in disease progression in CNF, as it is associated with a progressive decrease in hypertrophied "normal" glomeruli and an increase in largely atubular microcystic glomeruli.
A Meta-Analysis of the Associations Between the Nurse Work Environment in Hospitals and 4 Sets of Outcomes.

Background:The nurse work environment is theorized to influence the quality of nursing care, nurse job outcomes, and patient outcomes.Objective:The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate quantitatively the association of the work environment with job and health outcomes.Research Design:Relevant s
Trametinib for aggressive gliomas in adults with neurofibromatosis type 1.

e13562Background: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is caused by mutations of the tumor suppressor gene NF1 resulting in decreased levels of neurofibromin and dysregulation of the RAS pathway, includi...
Characterization of covalent crosslinking strategies for synthesizing DNA-based bioconjugates

An adapted strategy from the conventional 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) crosslinking method was developed to form a covalently coupled phosphoramidated single stranded DNA (ssDNA). Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) results demonstrated that the phosphoramidated ssDNA conjugate is stable for several days, and that phosphoramidation occurred exclusively at the 5′ phosphate of ssDNA. A reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method with UV detection was developed to determine the yield of conjugates. The methods coefficients of variation (%CV) were less than 6%, and biases ranged from − 5.1 – 1.2%. The conjugate yield via the conventional EDC method was 68.3 ± 2.2%, while that of the adapted EDC/Imidazole method was 79.0 ± 2.4% (n = 10). This study demonstrates a convenient one pot strategy for crosslinking biological molecules.
Comparison of Numerical Methods for Fluid-Structure Interaction Simulation of Fused Deposition Modeled Nylon Components

Abstract A comparison is made between three different methods for fluid structure interaction (FSI) simulation of fused deposition modeled (FDM) nylon components having arbitrary internal cavity structures. The FSI methods studied include a simple fluid cavity (FC) model, a coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) method, and a smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method. Model valuations are based on comparing the predicted macro compressive strengths for the simulated FDM builds with experimentally determined compressive yield strengths on actual FDM builds. Each simulation includes two Phases, where the first models the FDM build to compute thermal distortion and residual stresses. The second Phase applies the temperature distribution and state of stress from the first Phase as initial conditions, then includes an FSI simulation wherein the part undergoes quasi-static compression. It is found that the CEL and SPH methods demonstrate higher accuracy than FC, producing less than 2.5% and 1.06% errors, respectively, compared to the experiments. Considering computational demands, the results suggest SPH to be the most suitable method to capture the FSI effects. A case study illustrating generality of the approaches to a different FDM geometry is also included.
Linking Marital Support to Aging-Related Biomarkers: Both Age and Marital Quality Matter.

Objectives Marital support is central to couples' relationships, yet support's health implications can vary widely. Guided by attribution bias and aging theories, the current study examined whether age and marital satisfaction moderate the links of perceived and received spousal support to aging-related biomarkers. Methods Couples (N = 93, ages 22-77) rated marital satisfaction, overall perceived spousal support, and the quality of support received from their spouse in a lab-based discussion. Blood samples collected at baseline, immediately post-discussion, 3 hr post-discussion, and end-of-visit were assayed for proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6, as well as insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1. Results Consistent with predictions, less satisfied older couples who received lower-quality spousal support during their discussion had greater increases in TNF-α than those who received higher-quality support; highly satisfied couples of all ages and less satisfied younger couples did not show these inflammatory changes. Highly satisfied older couples with greater perceived spousal support had lower TNF-α across the day and higher IGF-1. Discussion Marital satisfaction and age may shape spousal support's significance for healthy aging. Rose-colored lenses worn only in the most satisfying marriages may protect couples from the possible health risks of low-quality received support and enhance potential benefits of perceived support. For better or worse, these health implications may grow with older age.
Prostate Health Index and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging to predict prostate cancer grade reclassification in active surveillance

Objective To identify the value of combining the Prostate Health Index (PHI) and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI), tools which have previously been shown to be independently predictive of prostate cancer (PCa) grade reclassification (GR; Gleason score >6), for the purpose of predicting GR at the next surveillance biopsy to reduce unnecessary prostate biopsies for men in PCa active surveillance (AS). Patients and methods Between 2014 and 2019, we retrospectively identified 253 consecutive men in the Johns Hopkins AS programme who had mpMRI and PHI followed by a systematic ± targeted biopsy. PHI and PHI density (PHID) were evaluated across Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System version 2.0 (PI-RADSv2) scores and compared to those with and without GR. Next, the negative predictive value (NPV) and area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) were calculated to compare the diagnostic value of PI-RADSv2 score combined with PHI, PHID, or prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) for GR using their respective first quartile as a cut-off. Results Of the 253 men, 38 men (15%) had GR. Men with GR had higher PHI values (40.7 vs 32.0, P = 0.001), PHID (0.83 vs 0.57, P = 0.007), and PSAD (0.12 vs 0.10, P = 0.037). A PI-RADSv2 ≤3 alone had a NPV of 91.6% for GR (AUC 0.67). Using a PHI cut-off of 25.6 in addition to PI-RADSv2 ≤3, the NPV and AUC were both increased to 98% and 0.70, respectively. Using a PSAD cut-off of 0.07 ng/mL/mL with PI-RADSv2 had an AUC of 0.69 and NPV of 95.4%. PHI and PI-RADSv2 together could have avoided 20% of biopsies at the cost of missing 2.6% of GRs. Conclusions The combination of PHI and mpMRI can aid in the prediction of GR in men on AS and may be useful for decreasing the burden of surveillance prostate biopsies.
Successful Triplet Pregnancy Post-Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant in a Patient With Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy.

Abstract We report the unique case of a patient who recovered cardiac function despite a history of doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy, chest radiation therapy, high dose chemotherapy post-allogeneic stem cell transplant, and triplet pregnancy. Data are sparse on doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy in pregnant patients, calling for further studies to help formulate management or surveillance recommendations. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.)
Integrating handover curricula in medical school.

BACKGROUND Transitions of care are a patient-safety priority. Constructs such as SBAR (situation, background, assessment, recommendation) and I-PASS (illness severity, patient summary, action list, situation awareness, synthesis by receiver) have been used to teach the benefit of structured handovers and have demonstrated an impact in simulated and clinical environments. Despite this, there is still a lack of literature describing handover training for medical students that allows early and sustained knowledge and skill acquisition. METHODS We designed a curriculum to teach handovers to medical students that spanned 28 months of a 4-year medical education curriculum at a large medical school. The curriculum included two separate workshops that book-ended medical student core clerkships. The curriculum was evaluated via knowledge-based surveys and open-ended feedback from students. RESULTS Two-hundred and forty students participated in the first 'Transition to clerkship' (T2C) workshop. There was improvement in the mean scores on a knowledge-based survey after the workshop (p < 0.001). The overall improvement in performance remained significant 1 year later (p < 0.001). Following the second, 'Residency essentials' (RE) workshop, students demonstrated marginal improvement in knowledge when compared with scores immediately post-T2C and pre-RE. There was overall improvement from pre-T2C to post RE. DISCUSSION We outline the design and facilitation of two workshops for a large medical school class, as book-ended curricula before and after the clerkship phase of education. This project highlights the need for targeted learning and practice in handover delivery during clinical rotations to maintain and continually improve skills. We describe vertically integrated curricula that are logistically plausible, meaningful and beneficial.
Cold noses provide hot take on social cognition.

Brugger et al. (Science Advances, 7, eabc8790, 2021) recently introduced the use of remote thermography to investigate how monkeys process socially significant vocalizations. This is a welcome addition to the arsenal of comparative psychologists. Interpretative issues abound, but the ability to non-invasively measure physiological responses that do not immediately result in overt behavior opens interesting lines of investigation.
Immune Modulation by Agents Used in the Prevention and Treatment of Colon and Pancreatic Cancers

Many effects of anticancer drugs have been investigated over the past 50 years; however, the mechanisms that control immunomodulatory effects of these drugs are not well understood. Macrophages, regulatory T cells, dendritic cells, and pro-inflammatory cytokines modify the colon and pancreatic tumor microenvironments and contribute to tolerance to tumor-associated antigens and immune escape. The initiation and aggressive progression of disease in colon and pancreatic cancers is a consequence of this immune escape and tolerance. Contrasting with immune tolerance are antitumor effects, which include natural killer cell-mediated production of cytotoxic effectors that kill tumor cells. It is therefore incumbent upon researchers to understand the mechanisms regulating tolerance and rejection of colon and pancreatic cancers and to devise immune prevention and immune therapies that stimulate tumor rejection rather than tolerance. This chapter will provide an overview of the immunomodulatory effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), statins, selective estrogen response modulators (SERMs), rexinoids, antidiabetic drugs, and natural agents (triterpenoids, phytochemicals, fatty acids) that have documented effects on colon and pancreatic cancers. Prevention of colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer may be enhanced by strategies for selection and development of agents to improve NK cell cytotoxicity or immune surveillance.