cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanism of mutation on DNA templates containing synthetic abasic sites: study with a double strand vector

Mutagenesis at abasic sites was investigated in E.coli and simian kidney (COS) cells using a duplex shuttle vector containing synthetic analogs of deoxyribose on the phosphodiester backbone. Lesions were positioned on opposite strands of the vector. When the tetrahydrofuranyl analog was used as the abasic site, AT or TA pairs (65-80%) were introduced at the site of the bistrand lesion. Mutagenesis occurred in the absence of SOS induction. Single base deletions (> 80%) dominated the mutational spectra for propanyl and ethanyl analogs of abasic sites lacking a ring structure. For all abasic site analogs, a small proportion of G/C and C/G pairs (6-10%) were observed. dAMP was incorporated predominantly opposite tetrahydrofuranyl sites positioned in the single strand region of a gapped duplex vector. We conclude from these studies that abasic sites positioned in a bistrand configuration are highly mutagenic in E.coli and COS cells. Repair DNA synthesis may be involved in this process.
A Validated Stability-Indicating Liquid Chromatographic Method for the Determination of Retapamulin in Topical Dosage Form

A sensitive, stability-indicating reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method is developed and validated for the quantitative determination of retapamulin in topical dosage form. The chromatographic separation is achieved by using a C18 column (XTerra RP 18 250 3 4.6 mm, 5 mm) at 308C. The mobile phase comprises a mixture of 0.05M potassium dihydrogen phosphate buffer (pH 6.1), acetonitrile and methanol in the ratio of 35:50:15 (v/v/v). The flow rate is set at 1.0 mL/min and chromatograms are extracted at 243 nm using a photodiode array detector. The method is validated with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision, robustness and forced degradation studies, which further prove the stability-indicating supremacy of the method. During forced degradation studies, retapamulin is observed to be labile to oxidative and base hydrolysis stress and stable in thermal, photolytic and acid hydrolysis stress. The degradation products are well separated from the retapamulin peak, thus proving the stability-indicating superiority of the method. The method is found to be sensitive for retapamulin, with a detection limit of 25 ng/mL and a quantification limit of 80 ng/mL. The proposed method is found to be very sensitive and accurate for the determination of retapamulin in topical dosage form. The method is also demonstrated to be robust, because it is resistant to small variations of chromatographic variables such as pH, mobile phase composition, flow rate and column temperature.
Development of Control System in a Biped Robot with Heterogeneous Legs

This paper discusses how a biped robot with heterogeneous legs imitates a person's walking from gait design, gait planning and gait control. A biped robot with heterogeneous legs(BRHL) robot consists of an artificial leg and an intelligent bionic leg. The purpose of this robot's design is to make the intelligent bionic leg follow the artificial leg's movement, which provides an excellent platform for the research of intelligent prosthetic leg. After the introduction of gait design and gait planning, a semi-active kneel control method is proposed for magneto-rheological (MR) damper in the intelligent bionic leg. And an overall control system scheme is presented. Simulative and practical system experiments prove the validity of the presented plan and proposed algorithm.
“Value Consensus” in Democracy: The Issue in the Lincoln-Douglas Debates.

The topic set for this panel is “value consensus” in democracy. I put the expression in inverted commas, not because I am here concerned with the validity of the fact-value distinction but because, even granting the distinction, I find it difficult to see why, in this context, “value” should be added to “consensus.” Democracy is the name we give to a certain form of political community, and every community, by definition, is constituted by the fact that its members hold certain things in common. A political community, I take it, is always constituted by the fact that its members hold certain political things in common. And a democratic political community would, by equal reason, be constituted by the fact that the political things its members hold in common are democratic. The problem of discovering what constitutes a democratic consensus, as it seems to me, is the problem of what things fellow-citizens in a democracy must hold in common, what they may hold in common, and what they may not hold in common, if they are to constitute a democratic political community. I think it would be confusing, at the outset, to speak of “values,” because, even assuming that we know what values are, we cannot assume that values are the principal things to be shared, or that non-values are not equally or more important than values.
The Age of Electronic Materials

Stone Age—Bronze Age—Iron Age—what’s next? Some individuals have called the present era the space age or the atomic age. However, space exploration and nuclear reactors, to mention only two major examples, have only little impact on our everyday lives. Instead, electrical and electronic devices (such as radio, television, telephone, refrigerator, computers, electric light, CD players, electromotors, etc.) permeate our daily life to a large extent. Life without electronics would be nearly unthinkable in many parts of the world. The present era could, therefore, be called the age of electricity. However, electricity needs a medium in which to manifest itself and to be placed in service. For this reason, and because previous eras have been named after the material that had the largest impact on the lives of mankind, the present time may best be characterized by the name Electronic Materials Age.
Chronological gene expression of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) in the stellate reticulum of the rat—Implications for tooth eruption

Abstract Objective Tooth eruption is a localized event that requires the expression of certain molecules at precise times to regulate bone resorption and bone formation. Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) may be one of those molecules. Although PTHrP is produced in the stellate reticulum (SR) of the tooth and exerts its effect on the adjacent dental follicle, its expression pattern in the SR is unknown. Thus, it was the objectives of this study to determine the chronology of expression of PTHrP, and then to determine its effect on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression for osteoclastogenesis and on bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) for bone growth. Design Laser capture microdissection and RT-PCR were used to determine the chronological expression of PTHrP in vivo. In vitro, dental follicle cells were incubated with PTHrP and RT-PCR was conducted to determine its effect on VEGF and BMP-2 gene expression. Results PTHrP was maximally expressed at day 7 postnatally in the SR with the level of expression still high at day 9. In vitro, PTHrP upregulated VEGF120 and VEGF164 expression after 4 h of incubation with a maximum effect at 6 h. PTHrP upregulated BMP-2 gene expression with a maximal effect at 2 h. Conclusions Because the secondary burst of osteoclastogenesis needed for eruption occurs around day 10, it is possible that PTHrP is stimulating this osteoclastogenesis by upregulating VEGF. Concurrently, the upregulation of BMP-2 by PTHrP may stimulate bone growth at the base of the bony crypt to promote eruption.
Use of neoadjuvant therapy in patients 75 years of age and older with pancreatic cancer.

Background Treatment sequencing in older patients is difficult because of concomitant comorbidities and often decreasing performance status. The present study sought to examine the effect of neoadjuvant therapy and pancreatic surgery in older patients with resectable or borderline-resectable (BLR pancreatic cancer (PC). Methods Patients with resectable or BLR PC treated with neoadjuvant therapy were classified as older (≥75 years) or younger ( Results Neoadjuvant therapy was initiated in 246 patients; 210 (85%) younger than 75 years and 36 (15%) older. Older patients had a greater median Charlson comorbidity index (CCI): 6 vs 4 (P Conclusion Failure to complete neoadjuvant therapy and eventual pancreatic resection is associated with BLR stage, increased posttreatment/preoperative CA19–9, and CCI ≥6, but not older age. Older patients who completed neoadjuvant therapy and underwent resection experienced a survival benefit compared with those who did not complete all intended therapy. Balancing the toxicity of sequential therapies with their cumulative effect on tolerance and risk for pancreatic surgery will be the key to developing optimal treatment sequencing in older patients with PC.
Dolphin play: Evidence for cooperation and culture?

We agree that human culture is unique. However, we also believe that an understanding of the evolution of culture requires a comparative approach. We offer examples of collaborative behaviors from dolphin play, and argue that consideration should be given to whether various forms of culture are best viewed as falling along a continuum or as discrete categories.
Urine concentration in the diabetic mouse requires both urea and water transporters

The regulation of the inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) urea transporters (UT-A1, UT-A3) and aquaporin-2 (AQP2) and their interactions in diabetic animals is unknown. We investigated whether t...
COMMENTARY - Standing on the shoulders of giants: the Standardized Sleep Manual after 30 years

Abstract More than three decades ago, the Standardized Sleep Manual defined terms and established minimal guidelines for studying sleep in humans. The advent of inexpensive, widely available, powerful computer systems places a powerful ««analytical engine»» (to uses Babbage's term) in most of our hands. When applied to polysomnography, the potential for extending our knowledge is vast. For computerized polysomnography to realize its potential, consensus will need to be reached on terminology, methods and quantitative procedures. This was the key to the success of the Standardized Sleep Manual and it will be the key to the success of current efforts to standardized automated sleep analysis. The Standardized Sleep Manual accomplishments and limitations are reviewed, as are the problems and strengths associated with computerized polysomnography. It is argued that rather than destroying or abandoning the Standardized Sleep Manual , it would be more productive to extend it. Automated analysis should stimulate evolution of our ability to describe and understand sleep. If we stand on the shoulders of giants we will be able to see new horizons .
Teachers' Use of Their Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching in Learning a Mathematics Learning Trajectory.

In the past decade, research on learning trajectories has progressed from an agenda for research on student learning to include an agenda for research on teaching. In this paper, we use a design experiment to examine a professional development program created to support teacher learning of one learning trajectory. Using a re-interpretation of Ball and colleagues’ mathematics knowledge for teaching framework, we conducted a retrospective analysis to examine how a purposefully selected sample of three teachers used their knowledge to participate in discussions of the professional learning tasks designed to support teacher learning of the trajectory. Findings indicate that professional learning tasks focusing on pedagogical content knowledge present in learning trajectories also allow for teacher learning of subject matter knowledge; this learning is mediated by teachers’ prior mathematics knowledge for teaching. We conclude with considerations for researchers and professional developers seeking to support teachers in learning about learning trajectories.
A Survey on Context-Aware Sensing for Body Sensor Networks

Context awareness in Body Sensor Networks (BSNs) has the significance of associating physiological user activity and the environment to the sensed signals of the user. The context information derived from a BSN can be used in pervasive healthcare monitoring for relating importance to events and specifically for accurate episode detection. In this paper, we address the issue of context-aware sensing in BSNs, and survey different techniques for deducing context awareness.
Quetiapine dosage across diagnostic categories.

Objective The aim of the current study was to evaluate quetiapine doses used across diagnosis categories in a sample of psychiatric inpatients. Methods Discharge letters of all adult inpatients who had received quetiapine between 1999 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Logistic regressions were carried-out to assess links between quetiapine discharge dosage (≥800 mg/day vs. <800 mg/day), diagnostic categories, substance abuse or dependence, benzodiazepine discharge doses, age and sex. Results The data of 231 patients were included. Five hundred and for discharge documents were analyzed: 113 for psychotic disorders, 190 for personality disorders, 134 for bipolar and schizoaffective bipolar disorders, 29 for unipolar depression or anxiety disorders, and 35 for mental retardation. Considering psychotic disorders as a reference group, patients with personality disorders were statistically significantly less likely to be in the high quetiapine dosage group at discharge (P = 0.007, OR = 0.1 and CI [0.03; 0.6]). Conclusions Quetiapine seems to be used in a variety of clinical situations, with a wide range of doses and a lower dosage in patients treated for personality disorders.
Returning on empty: extreme blood O2 depletion underlies dive capacity of emperor penguins.

SUMMARY Blood gas analyses from emperor penguins ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) at rest, and intravascular P O 2 profiles from free-diving birds were obtained in order to examine hypoxemic tolerance and utilization of the blood O 2 store during dives. Analysis of blood samples from penguins at rest revealed arterial P O 2 s and O 2 contents of 68±7 mmHg (1 mmHg= 133.3 Pa) and 22.5±1.3 ml O 2 dl –1 ( N =3) and venous values of 41±10 mmHg and 17.4±2.9 ml O 2 dl –1 ( N =9). Corresponding arterial and venous Hb saturations for a hemoglobin (Hb) concentration of 18 g dl –1 were >91% and 70%, respectively. Analysis of P O 2 profiles obtained from birds equipped with intravascular P O 2 electrodes and backpack recorders during dives revealed that (1) the decline of the final blood P O 2 of a dive in relation to dive duration was variable, (2) final venous P O 2 values spanned a 40-mmHg range at the previously measured aerobic dive limit (ADL; dive duration associated with onset of post-dive blood lactate accumulation), (3) final arterial, venous and previously measured air sac P O 2 values were indistinguishable in longer dives, and (4) final venous P O 2 values of longer dives were as low as 1–6 mmHg during dives. Although blood O 2 is not depleted at the ADL, nearly complete depletion of the blood O 2 store occurs in longer dives. This extreme hypoxemic tolerance, which would be catastrophic in many birds and mammals, necessitates biochemical and molecular adaptations, including a shift in the O 2 –Hb dissociation curve of the emperor penguin in comparison to those of most birds. A relatively higher-affinity Hb is consistent with blood P O 2 values and O 2 contents of penguins at rest.
University of Georgia department of statistics

Statistics at the University of Georgia (UGA) evolved from a few courses in several programs in the 1940s to an interdisciplinary Institute of Statistics in the 1950s and then to a formal Department of Statistics in 1964. While the Department of Statistics at UGA has seen many changes over the years, it has consistently housed faculty who have played leading roles in national and international statistical activities. Throughout its history, the Department has maintained a highly rated graduate program and an active undergraduate program which has awarded 152 PhD degrees, 544 Master’s degrees, and 493 Bachelor’s degrees from 1964 to 2010. It has taught the vast majority of statistics courses on campus, and has a long history of activity in collaborative research and statistical consulting.
Exploring Space Groups for Three Dimensional Photonic Band Gap Structures Via Level Set Equations: The Face Centered Cubic Lattice

A level set approach was used to study photonic band gaps for dielectric composites with symmetries of the eleven face centered cubic lattices. Candidate structures were modeled for each group by a 3D surface given by f(x,y,z)-t=0 obtained by equating f to an appropriate sum of structure factor terms. This approach allows us to easily map different structures and gives us an insight into the effects of symmetry, connectivity and genus on photonic band gaps. It is seen that a basic set of symmetries defines the essential band gap and connectivity. The remaining symmetry elements modify the band gap. The eleven lattices are classified into four fundamental topologies on the basis of the occupancy of high symmetry Wyckoff sites. Of the fundamental topologies studied, three display band gaps--- including two: the (F-RD) and a group 216 structure that have not been reported previously.
Two Periodic Review inventory Models with Backorders and Stuttering Poisson Demands

Abstract Two periodic review inventory models, (R, T) and (nQ, r, T), are analyzed for the situation where demands are characterized by either a Poisson or stuttering Poisson process. In each model, backorders are allowed and the procurement lead time is considered to be a constant. Average annual cost equations are developed for each model and solution techniques presented, so that minimum average annual costs can be determined. A numerical example is also presented. It is shown for large times between reviews that the (R, T) and (nQ, r, T) models are essentially equivalent.
Specific and General Beliefs in Union Voting Models

Survey data have revealed that roughly three-fourths of nonunion employees view unions as effective in improving wages and working conditions, yet only about one-third would vote for unionization o...
The comparison of the clinical effects of single epidural anesthesia and spinal anesthesia applied in the children's gluteus muscle contract operation

Objective To compare the clinical effects of two different anesthetic methods used in the children's gluteus muscle contract (GMC)operation. Methods Thirty children with GMC were divided into two groups by the different anesthetic methods: single epidural anesthesia(SEA,n=15)and spinal anesthesia(SA, n=15). Vital signs(MAP,HR,RR, SPO2), the time of anesthetic onset, the degree of cooperation during the operation and the usage of assistant medicine were observed and recorded. Results The onset time of anesthesia in SA group was shorter than that in EA group. The degree of cooperation during the operation in SA group was better than that in SEA group. MAP, HR, RR, SPO2 showed no significant difference in the two groups, perioperatively. Conclusion For GMC operation, SA is a good choice comparing with SEA.
Slip of linear and thruster load induction motor with frequency speed control

The theory of the electric motor and torque-speed characteristic curve of the induction motors was used to analyze linear load and thruster loads.The results showed that for an induction motor with frequency speed control,slip did not change with change in frequency when it was drived by linear load.The changes of slip had a relation with frequency and rating slip when it was drived by thruster load.In approximate calculation,the ratio of the slip for the changed frequency to rated slip is equivalent to the square of the ratio of the changed frequency to rated frequency.
A comparison of congestive heart failure readmissions among teaching and nonteaching hospital services.

Objectives Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospitalization in the United States. With the population trend shifting to a higher volume of elderly adults, the efficient management of HF will become increasingly essential. The development and implementation of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and subsequent changes in reimbursement practices have made 30-day readmission rates a topic of much interest and relevance. The aim of the study was to compare rates of readmission among teaching and nonteaching hospitals. Methods The authors gathered retrospective data on HF quality measures and readmission rates between August 2011 and July 2012, extracted from the institution's managerial accounting database. These data were compared among teaching and nonteaching hospitals. Patient demographics, readmission rates, readmission diagnoses, severity of illness, patient disposition, medications prescribed, cost of services, and mortality were reviewed. Analysis of variance was used for continuous variables; χ(2) analysis was used for evaluating categorical variables. Results A higher proportion of patients on the cardiology teaching service were men than on either the medicine teaching service or the medicine nonteaching service. Length of stay, case costs, and care costs were lowest for the cardiology teaching service; however, patient illness severity was lower on this service than on the other two services. Overall, readmissions and mortality were similar among all groups, but readmission for the same diagnosis was more likely on the cardiology service than on the medicine teaching and nonteaching services. Conclusions Studies comparing teaching and nonteaching providers for an HF diagnosis are needed. Hospital readmission and mortality rates were similar across services and compared favorably with national data. Opportunities that target cost reduction and length of stay may be leveraged.
Mass Media Effects on Youth Sexual Behavior Assessing the Claim for Causality

Studies of the impact of the mainstream mass media on young people’s sexual behavior have been slow to accumulate despite longstanding evidence of substantial sexual content in the mass media. The sexual media effects landscape has changed substantially in recent years, however, as researchers from numerous disciplines have answered the call to address this important area of sexual socialization scholarship. The purpose of this chapter is to review the subset of accumulated studies on sexual behavior effects to determine whether this body of work justifies a causal conclusion. The standards for causal inference articulated by Cook and Campbell (1979) are employed to accomplish this objective. It is concluded that the research to date passes the threshold of substantiation for each criterion and that the mass media almost certainly exert a causal influence on United States’ youth sexual behavior.
Understanding How the Internet Facilitates Crime and Deviance

The Internet, mobile apps, and information technology are now embedded in societal structures of finance, health, education, and business in many countries throughout the world. Over 3 billion peop...
Neutralizing Indochina: The 1954 Geneva Conference and China's Efforts to Isolate the United States

Based on declassified documents from the People's Republic of China (PRC), Vietnam, and the former Soviet Union, this essay examines China's policy toward the 1954 Geneva Conference on Indochina in...
Decentralized interleaving of paralleled dc-dc buck converters

We present a decentralized control strategy that yields switch interleaving among parallel-connected dc-dc buck converters. The proposed method is based on the digital implementation of the dynamics of a nonlinear oscillator circuit as the controller. Each controller is fully decentralized, i.e., it only requires the locally measured output current to synthesize the pulse width modulation (PWM) carrier waveform and no communication between different controllers is needed. By virtue of the intrinsic electrical coupling between converters, the nonlinear oscillator-based controllers converge to an interleaved state with uniform phase-spacing across PWM carriers. To the knowledge of the authors, this work presents the first fully decentralized strategy for switch interleaving in paralleled dc-dc buck converters.
Chemistry, mechanism and clinical status of antisense oligonucleotides and duplex RNAs

RNA plays a central role in the expression of all genes. Because any sequence within RNA can be recognized by complementary base pairing, synthetic oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide mimics offer a general strategy for controlling processes that affect disease. The two primary antisense approaches for regulating expression through recognition of cellular RNAs are single-stranded antisense oligonucleotides and duplex RNAs. This review will discuss the chemical modifications and molecular mechanisms that make synthetic nucleic acid drugs possible. Lessons learned from recent clinical trials will be summarized. Ongoing clinical trials are likely to decisively test the adequacy of our current generation of antisense nucleic acid technologies and highlight areas where more basic research is needed.
Future Research Directions in Intermittent Exotropia

(1992). Future Research Directions in Intermittent Exotropia. American Orthoptic Journal: Vol. 42, No. 1, pp. 98-100.
Computing Lightweight Spanners Locally

We consider the problem of computing bounded-degree lightweight plane spanners of unit disk graphs in the local distributed model of computation. We are motivated by the hypothesis that such subgraphs can provide the underlying network topology for efficient unicasting and multicasting in wireless distributed systems. We present the firstlocal distributed algorithm that computes a bounded-degree plane lightweight spanner of a given unit disk graph. The upper bounds on the degree, the stretch factor, and the weight of the spanner, are very small. For example, our results imply a local distributed algorithm that computes a plane spanner of a given unit disk graph U, whose degree is at most 14, stretch factor at most 8.81, and weight at most 8.81 times the weight of a Euclidean Minimum Spanning Tree of V(U). We show a wider application of our techniques by giving an O(nlogn) time centralized algorithm that constructs bounded-degree plane lightweight spanners of unit disk graphs (which include Euclidean graphs), with the bestupper bounds on the spanner degree, stretch factor, and weight.
Learning From Query-Answers: A Scalable Approach to Belief Updating and Parameter Learning

Tuple-independent and disjoint-independent probabilistic databases (TI- and DI-PDBs) represent uncertain data in a factorized form as a product of independent random variables that represent either tuples (TI-PDBs) or sets of tuples (DI-PDBs). When the user submits a query, the database derives the marginal probabilities of each output-tuple, exploiting the underlying assumptions of statistical independence. While query processing in TI- and DI-PDBs has been studied extensively, limited research has been dedicated to the problems of updating or deriving the parameters from observations of query results. Addressing this problem is the main focus of this article. We first introduce Beta Probabilistic Databases (B-PDBs), a generalization of TI-PDBs designed to support both (i) belief updating and (ii) parameter learning in a principled and scalable way. The key idea of B-PDBs is to treat each parameter as a latent, Beta-distributed random variable. We show how this simple expedient enables both belief updating and parameter learning in a principled way, without imposing any burden on regular query processing. Building on B-PDBs, we then introduce Dirichlet Probabilistic Databases (D-PDBs), a generalization of DI-PDBs with similar properties. We provide the following key contributions for both B- and D-PDBs: (i) We study the complexity of performing Bayesian belief updates and devise efficient algorithms for certain tractable classes of queries; (ii) we propose a soft-EM algorithm for computing maximum-likelihood estimates of the parameters; (iii) we present an algorithm for efficiently computing conditional probabilities, allowing us to efficiently implement B- and D-PDBs via a standard relational engine; and (iv) we support our conclusions with extensive experimental results.
Interplay Between Grain Boundaries and Radiation Damage

The need for enhanced radiation-tolerant materials for advanced nuclear energy designs has resulted in a growing number of investigations that have explored the effect of grain boundaries under irradiation. The key motivation for examining the role of grain boundaries in radiation environments is the ability to tailor grain boundary networks through either the introduction of specific grain boundaries or an increase in the grain boundary density. While traditionally thought to be efficient sinks for radiation-induced point defects, many recent experimental studies in model and pure systems have shown significant heterogeneity in grain boundary-defect interactions and associated sink efficiency as a function of grain boundary character. Furthermore, grain boundaries can migrate under irradiation, which creates an additional level of complexity. This article will provide a prospective on the experimental observations associated with defect evolution near grain boundaries including variation in sink efficiency and grain boundary mobility in radiation environments.
Chromosome transfer and the DNA replication cycle in Escherichia coli.

Abstract Phenethyl alcohol (PEA) has been employed as an inhibitor of DNA synthesis in order to elucidate the relationship between the synthesis of DNA in Hfr strains of Escherichia , coli and the transfer of chromosomal markers during conjugation ( Bouck and Adelberg, 1963 ; and Jacob and Brenner, 1963 , Jacob et al., 1963 ). Treick and Konetzka (1964) have shown recently that PEA inhibits the initiation of new cycles of DNA replication in E . coli but permits the completion of those cycles initiated before addition of PEA to the medium. Therefore, cycles of DNA replication can be controlled by the addition, removal, and readdition of PEA to a culture at specific time intervals. The relationship of the DNA replication cycle to the ability of the Hfr to transfer chromosomal markers constitutes the subject of this investigation.
Albumin In Situ Hybridization Can Be Positive in Adenocarcinomas and Other Tumors From Diverse Sites.

Objectives Albumin messenger RNA (mRNA) expression is a marker of hepatocellular differentiation. Most published data are from review of tissue microarrays, and albumin in situ hybridization (ISH) expression across several tumor types is incompletely characterized. Methods Sections from 221 tumors were evaluated for albumin mRNA. Immunohistochemistry was used to confirm diagnoses. Albumin ISH was performed according to manufacturer-provided instructions. Fifty-nine cases were evaluated with both commercial ISH assays. Results Albumin mRNA was detected in all hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and 81% of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas. Lung (20%), gallbladder (39%), hepatoid pancreatic (n = 1 of 1) adenocarcinoma, breast invasive ductal carcinoma (18%), yolk sac tumor (25%), and acinar cell carcinoma (29%) showed expression. Both assays were concordant in 93% of cases. Conclusions Albumin ISH was expressed in all HCCs studied. It was also positive in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and patchy positive in gallbladder adenocarcinoma and a subset of other neoplasms, which can be a potential pitfall.
Economics and Challenges of Li-Ion Battery Recycling from End-of-Life Vehicles

Abstract This study sheds light on current and future recycling methods for spent Li-ion batteries from retired vehicles. The demands of Li-ion batteries for automotive applications and power electronics are expected to increase significantly in the next 15-20 years. Recycling cathode materials from end-of-life batteries provides a sustainable source of materials, and offers an economic alternative for some of the high value elements such as cobalt and nickel. Insights and directions for future R&D will be presented in this paper based on the results of the supply chain and techno-economic analyses made for end-of-life li-ion batteries.
Entrustable Professional Activities in Oral Health for Primary Care Providers Based on a Scoping Review

Despite advances in oral health care, inequalities in oral health outcomes persist due to problems in access. With proper training, primary care providers can mitigate this inequality by providing oral health education, screening, and referral to advanced dental treatment. Diverging sets of oral health competencies and guidelines have been released or endorsed by multiple primary care disciplines. The aim of this study was to transform multiple sets of competencies into Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) for oral health integration into primary care training. A scoping review of the literature between January 2000 and December 2016 was conducted according to PRISMA methodology to identify all existing sets of competencies. The following primary care disciplines were included in the search: allopathic/osteopathic medical schools and residency programs in family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics; physician assistant programs; and nurse practitioner programs. Competencies were compared using the Health Resources and Services Administration Integration of Oral Health and Primary Care Practice competencies as the foundational set and translated into EPAs. The resulting EPAs were tested with a reactor panel. The scoping review produced 1,466 references, of which 114 were selected for full text review. Fourteen competencies were identified as being central to the integration of oral health into primary care. These were converted to seven EPAs for oral health integration into primary care and were mapped onto Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education residency competency domains as well to the Association of American Medical Colleges EPAs for graduating medical students. The resulting EPAs delineate the essential, observable work required of primary care providers to ensure that oral health is treated as a critical determinant of overall health.
Use of Bivalirudin in Treatment of Acute Left Ventricular Assist Device Thrombosis: Case Series

Purpose Bivalirudin has been used in treatment of left ventricular assist device thrombosis (LVAD) however, outcomes remain unclear. Methods We retrospectively examined 10 patients (21 admissions) admitted for suspected left ventricular assist device (LVAD) thrombosis and were treated with bivalirudin. Diagnosis and treatment response were based on hemolysis markers and LVAD parameters. Results Overall patients were younger (mean age 48years, 90% males) and heavier (mean BMI 35.2 kg/m2). 9/10 patients had Heartmate II and 1 had HeartWare device. 6 patients had LVAD implant as a bridge to transplant. All patients were on warfarin with mean INR of 2.8±0.8 on presentation. Over the course of hospitalization, in general LDH levels showed a biphasic response peaking between day 3-7 and day 21-25 (Figure). With bivalirudin therapy (median duration 28days), 4 patients were successfully discharged from hospital, 2 died and 4 underwent LVAD exchange. Patients who underwent LVAD exchange had recurrent thrombosis requiring urgent transplant (n=2), repeat LVAD exchange (n=1) or died (n=1). Out of the 4 patients who were discharged initially, 1 required urgent transplant, 1 had LVAD exchange with HM III, 1 died and 1 had repeated thrombosis episodes treated conservatively with bivalirudin. 10/21 (47.6%) hospitalizations were treated successfully with bivalirudin. Recurrent thrombotic episodes generally happened after 3 months (mean 100.54 days). Conclusion Although bivalirudin therapy was partially successful in treatment of LVAD thrombosis, long term outcomes of these patients without transplantation were poor.
Patient-Generated Health Data: Dimensions, Challenges, and Open Questions

Over the past years, individuals’ and patients’ health data have been increasingly present in public debate. Recently there has been a proliferation of new technologies, particularly sensor and mobile apps, produced to measure and track different aspects of a person’s health and behavior. These data are often termed patient-generated health data (PGHD), a research topic that has been increasingly examined by multiple fields of studies. The use of PGHD is not a new phenomenon; its popularity is associated with the recently increasing interest in patients’ data and the rapid development of technologies that can facilitate data collection and use. Considering the wide impact and potential benefits of PGHD in healthcare, it is necessary to understand the current landscape and scope of PGHD research, so we can support good practices, work to improve areas that need more attention, promote PGHD benefits, and avoid negative consequences. This review presents an overview of PGHD research, focusing on important aspects that inform and define studies in the area. It starts by exploring a fundamental question “what is patient generated health data?” and lists the main terms and definitions identified from previous research. The authors generate a set of 7 key dimensions for understanding PGHD: 1) the health focus of the study, 2) the type of data, 3) who proposes the use of PGHD, 4) whose data are collected, 5) who are the intended users, 6) how PGHD is collected and used, and 7) the duration of PGHD use. They then present a discussion of the impact of PGHD and related practices in people’s lives and the debates concerning the consequences, both positive and negative, that may arise. They conclude by exploring important open questions in PGHD research.
The Invasive Species Diet: The Ethics of Eating Lionfish as a Wildlife Management Strategy

This paper explores the ethical dimensions of lionfish removal and provides an argument supporting hunting lionfish for consumption. Lionfish are an invasive species found around the world. Their p...
Preoperative Decision-Making in Microvascular Decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Survey of Practicing Neurosurgeons.

Objective Microvascular decompression (MVD) for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) results in durable pain freedom in a large percentage of appropriately selected patients. The decision to perform MVD is based on a combination of clinical symptomatic presentation and imaging findings demonstrating neurovascular compression (NVC) with surgeons weighting these variables differently. This study sought to determine the relative importance of clinical symptomatic presentation and imaging findings of NVC in decision-making to pursue MVD for TN among North American board-certified neurosurgeons. Methods An online survey detailing the decision-making process involved in the workup and treatment of TN with MVD was distributed to all American Association of Neurological Surgeons registered board-certified neurosurgeons in North America. Results From 3010 functional email addresses, there were 309 responses to the survey (10% response rate). The majority of respondents (76%) reported only operating on patients with classic type 1 TN (T1TN) while only 32% chose to operate on patients with imaging findings of vascular compression in the absence of T1TN symptoms. In contrast to low-volume surgeons, high-volume surgeons weighed imaging evidence of vascular compression more heavily into the decision-making process to operate. Conclusions The majority of responding neurosurgeons weigh symptomatic presentation more heavily than imaging evidence of NVC when deciding on whom to perform MVD. High-volume surgeons tend to be more attentive to NVC in their decision-making to perform MVD when compared with low-volume surgeons.
Opioid deaths involving concurrent benzodiazepine use: Assessing risk factors through the analysis of prescription drug monitoring data and postmortem toxicology.

Abstract Background A high proportion of opioid drug deaths involve concurrent benzodiazepine use. To reduce the risk of drug overdose, various prescription drug monitoring programs have been implemented. This study examined the impact of concurrent benzodiazepine use on opioid-related deaths, and the utility of the Michigan Automated Prescription System (MAPS) in predicting risk of opioid death. Methods Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office cases from 2018 were examined in terms of MAPS data and MAPS-derived drug risk scores, as well as postmortem toxicology. Opioid death cases with concurrent benzodiazepine use were compared to non-drug deaths. Results For cases with a MAPS history for 6 months preceding death, the incidence of opioid prescriptions filled did not differ between groups. In contrast, significantly more opioid death cases had filled a benzodiazepine prescription; alprazolam prescription was the single best predictor of opioid drug death. Groups differed in MAPS-calculated drug risk scores, though these were less predictive of opioid death than some individual measures of prescription drug use. In terms of postmortem toxicology, fentanyl was the best discriminator between cohorts, with significant associations seen for morphine, benzodiazepine, or cocaine use. Similar results were obtained in the subset of subjects filling a prescription within a month of death, except that MAPS risk scores no longer predicted drug deaths. Conclusion MAPS scores did not adequately predict risk of opioid-related death. Contrary to expectations, prescription opioid use was not correlated with opioid-related death, whereas concurrent use of opioids and benzodiazepines represented a highly significant risk factor.
e-Learning Readiness

As the need for e-Learning has become increasingly evident, this chapter explains the rationale and reasoning behind the development of the e-Learning readiness tool. It begins with establishing a definition of e-Learning and e-Learning readiness. Both terms have been used with varying meanings. The reasons for using e-Learning have varied among organizations, but always on the forefront of these reasons is the need for organizations to remain competitive. In the past, organizations adopted e-Learning with little preparatory work resulting in the failure of this initiative. In an environment where traditional training approaches have been made difficult or impossible, it has become even more important to figure out the gaps that could pose barriers to implementation of e-Learning.
131 Erector spinae block for perioperative pain management in children undergoing thoracotomy

Background and Aims Thoracotomy for pediatric cardiac surgery can be associated with significant pain. Regional anesthesia techniques such as epidurals and paravertebral blocks can reduce the pain of thoracotomy but can also be associated with significant risk. The erector spinae plane (ESP) block targets the dorsal and ventral rami of spinal nerve roots and has been used extensively for a host of adult surgical procedures. The ESP block is a less invasive option due to the avoidance of the neuraxial and paravertebral spaces. Methods We present a case series in which the ESP block was used successfully in 25 pediatric patients undergoing thoracotomy for cardiac surgery. We compare the ESP to other modalities of perioperative pain management in 29 pediatric patients. Results Patients presented for coarctation repair (5) and vascular ring division (20 patients). The patients ranged in age from 8 months to 17 years of age. The ESP blocks were performed after induction of general anesthesia under ultrasound guidance Intraoperative opioid use was decreased compared to the usual doses used with other blocks or pain management modalities, and post-operative opioid use in the first 24 hours after surgery ranged from 0.05 to 0.5 milligrams per kilogram, significantly lower than other modalities. Postoperative FLACC pain scores were significantly lower in the ESP group in the first 48 hours. Conclusions The erector spinae plane block can potentially lead to decreased intraoperative and post-operative opioid use for pediatric patients undergoing thoracotomy for cardiac surgery.
Girl power: NORTIA polarization seals pollen tube fate.

How protein dynamics contribute to developmental processes is a critical biological question. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Ju et al. show that subcellular localization of NORTIA in the female gametophyte is required for pollen reception. NORTIA redistribution boosts cues that drive pollen tube bursting, thus promoting male gamete release and fertilization.
Interpreting Ancient Figurines: Figurines, Goddesses, and the Texture of Long-Term Structures in the Near East

With my extended attention to universalist logic, I have been ignoring the outcome of an initial encounter with universalism, the testing of Morss's agriculture-pottery-gynecomorph hypothesis in Chapter 1. That effort took us out from among the “trees” of prehistoric figurine making to give us a glimpse of the “forests.” Those proved large in spatiotemporal extension (macro-units) but few in number, with perhaps little in common – a possibility endorsed again in Chapter 4 in an assessment of the prospects for cross-cultural explanation of femaleness in figurines. Most of what there is to explain about figurines must be addressed at a scale no larger than the macro-unit. Although universalist logic still has a role (see Chapter 5), the comparative problem that emerges most clearly is the possibility that – vast spatial and temporal scales notwithstanding – the clustering of figurine-making traditions was the result of direct transmission of ideas between contexts. It is time, then, to consider comparison as a historicist problem. In historicist explanations, an important analytical goal is to reveal how conditions in one context emerged understandably from antecedent conditions in another context separated from the first in time or space. One possibility for consideration is that continuities in figurine making are the result of the perpetuation of symbolic structures over many centuries, a truly longue duree . However, we face a challenge identified in Chapter 2: analytical essentialism.
Microcalorimetry of Macromolecules: The Physical Basis of Biological Structures

This manuscript focuses on a specialized field within solution thermodynamics that encompasses some of the major macromolecular components comprising all biological systems. Nucleic acids and proteins are large biomolecules that represent quazi-macroscopic systems with highly ordered structures in which each atom occupies a defined space. In view of their unique quaternary structures that resemble aperiodic crystals, one might reasonably surmise that the resultant solution thermodynamics are highly specific. Systematic investigations of these biological macromolecules have necessitated the development of ultrasensitive measurement techniques including differential scanning and isothermal titration calorimetry. These experimental approaches represent the gold standard in terms of microcalorimetric instrumentation designed to characterize complex macromolecular systems. This paper presents an overview of thermodynamic data gleaned from studies employing these calorimetric techniques as part of our comprehensive strategy to characterize the energetic basis of nucleic acid and protein stability.