cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding Issues Raised by the Delhi Gang-Rape Case

The rape of a young woman in Delhi on Dec 16, 2012 has led to massive protests across India. Commentators and politicians have weighed in with their comments, many of which are unfortunately either partisan or patriarchal or both. In this article, we analyze some of these claims with the realization that the problem facing us is complex. Simplistic solutions can only be proffered by ignoring valid objections and alternate perspectives since scholars themselves are not in perfect unanimity over all the steps to be taken. A hurried action, it follows, runs the risk of causing further damage to our society. In the first part of this article, we examine some claims related to the issue and present arguments supporting as well as opposing them. After this analysis, we posit a theoretical framework within which the current protests can be understood. We argue that rather than representing a new self-realization in men over the need for gender equality, the protests are a reaction of the Indian middle classes to an existential angst arising from the rapid transition from pre- to post-modernity that it has experienced over the past decade.
GENDER AND RITUAL SPACE DURING THE PITHOUSE TO PUEBLO TRANSITION: SUBTERRANEAN MEALING ROOMS IN THE NORTH AMERICAN SOUTHWEST

Architectural patterning in the American Southwest has long been recognized as a solid manifestation of social patterns of Pueblo groups. The organization of pueblos around plazas and kivas emphasizes the importance of male-dominated ritual. The female role in ritual, while limited, centers around the production of food, an aspect that women not only participate in, but also perhaps control. What evidence exists for the antiquity of gender-specific ritual power? Subterranean mealing rooms, which appear in the Anasazi area at the time of the pithouse to pueblo transition, may indicate that these roles are quite ancient and were a part of the shift from informal household to more formal community ritual at such sites. They also may represent increased social stress and a corresponding attempt to alleviate such stress. The disappearance of these features from sites after a relatively short time may indicate the continued development of a religious system in which male-oriented aspects became increasingly dominant and female aspects became peripheral.
Role of nucleolin and Ebp1 in regulation of bcl-2 mRNA stability in human leukemia HL-60 cells

1856 Overexpression of Bcl-2 is associated with the development of a variety of cancers and may contribute to the emergence of cellular resistance to anticancer drugs. In previous studies we observed that taxol or okadaic acid (OA) treatment of human leukemia HL-60 cells leads to downregulation of bcl-2 mRNA levels through destabilization of bcl-2 mRNA. The 3’-untranslated region of bcl-2 mRNA contains an AU-rich element (ARE) which appears to play a role in the regulation of bcl-2 mRNA half life. Previous UV cross-linking studies demonstrated that ∼ 6 proteins in HL-60 cell extracts bind to bcl-2 ARE RNA. It was subsequently found that the phosphoprotein nucleolin is one of the proteins in HL-60 extracts that binds to bcl-2 ARE- RNA both in vitro and in vivo. In an effort to identify additional bcl-2 mRNA binding proteins, HL-60 cytoplasmic proteins were fractionated by bcl-2 ARE RNA affinity chromatography. MALDI-MS analysis identified a novel ARE- binding protein as the 44 kDa proliferation associated protein, Ebp 1. Gel shift assays demonstrated that recombinant Ebp 1 binds specifically to bcl-2 ARE RNA. RNA co-immunoprecipitation assays further revealed that Ebp 1 binds to bcl-2 mRNA in vivo. Ebp 1 also co-precipitates with anti-nucleolin antibody from HL-60 cells, suggesting that Ebp 1 and nucleolin are present in the same bcl-2 ribonucleoprotein complex. To further characterize nucleolin:bcl-2 mRNA interactions, recombinant fragments of nucleolin have been purified that contain RNA binding domains 1 and 2 (RBD1,2) or domains 3 and 4 (RBD3,4), as well domains 1,2, 3 and 4 (RBD 1-4). Preliminary gel shift assays suggest that nucleolin RBD1,2 binds ARE RNA with a higher affinity than nucleolin RBD3,4. Experiments are in progress to identify the important features of bcl-2 ARE RNA that are required for binding by both nucleolin and Ebp 1. [Supported by grant CA83925 from the NCI (to E.K.S.)]
Chylothorax: Percutaneous Embolization of the Thoracic Duct

Thoracic duct embolization is a percutaneous, image-guided intervention used in the management of chylothorax. Chylothorax, or chylous leak in the chest, is a rare condition that represents a spectrum of disorders that have in common leakage of intestinal lymph (chyle) into the thorax. Although conservative and surgical management are the standard of care, we present an overview of lymphangiography and percutaneous thoracic duct embolization.
Multi-level regulation of the chloroplast ATP synthase: the chloroplast NADPH thioredoxin reductase C (NTRC) is required for redox modulation specifically under low irradiance

Summary The chloroplast ATP synthase is known to be regulated by redox modulation of a disulfide bridge on the γ-subunit through the ferredoxin–thioredoxin regulatory system. We show that a second enzyme, the recently identified chloroplast NADPH thioredoxin reductase C (NTRC), plays a role specifically at low irradiance. Arabidopsis mutants lacking NTRC (ntrc) displayed a striking photosynthetic phenotype in which feedback regulation of the light reactions was strongly activated at low light, but returned to wild-type levels as irradiance was increased. This effect was caused by an altered redox state of the γ-subunit under low, but not high, light. The low light-specific decrease in ATP synthase activity in ntrc resulted in a buildup of the thylakoid proton motive force with subsequent activation of non-photochemical quenching and downregulation of linear electron flow. We conclude that NTRC provides redox modulation at low light using the relatively oxidizing substrate NADPH, whereas the canonical ferredoxin–thioredoxin system can take over at higher light, when reduced ferredoxin can accumulate. Based on these results, we reassess previous models for ATP synthase regulation and propose that NTRC is most likely regulated by light. We also find that ntrc is highly sensitive to rapidly changing light intensities that probably do not involve the chloroplast ATP synthase, implicating this system in multiple photosynthetic processes, particularly under fluctuating environmental conditions.
The Potential for Postrandomization Confounding in Randomized Clinical Trials

In this Viewpoint, JoAnn Manson and colleagues discuss the risk of postrandomization “confounding,” a bias that can be introduced in long-duration trials of sustained interventions, using statin initiation after randomization in Women’s Health Initiative trials as an example.
Analysis of aggregated cell–cell statistical distances within pathways unveils therapeutic-resistance mechanisms in circulating tumor cells

The study was supported in part by the University of Arizona Center for Biomedical Informatics and Biostatistics, The University of Arizona Health Sciences, and the grants NIH K22LM008308 and NIH NCI P30CA023074.
Rebooting American Politics: The Internet Revolution, by Jason Gainous and Kevin Wagner

Rebooting American Politics is an ambitious effort to assess the state of digital media in politics. Gainous and Wagner address big questions about how the Internet affects democracy in the United ...
Random Field Modeling of Natural Processes

“The sciences do not try to explain, they hardly even try to interpret, they mainly make models. By a model is meant a mathematical construct which, with the addition of certain verbal interpretations, describes observed phenomena. The justification of such a mathematical construct is solely and precisely that it is expected to work.”
Perceived social determinants of health among older, rural-dwelling adults with early-stage cognitive impairment:

Limited access to resources and delayed detection of subtle cognitive changes may negatively impact the long-term cognitive health of rural-dwelling adults. This study explored perceived social determinants of health among older, rural-dwelling adults with early-stage cognitive impairment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with older, rural-dwelling adults with early-stage cognitive impairment and their care partners. Thematic content analysis was performed. Participants ( n = 9) were 73.7 ± 6.0 years of age with 14.2 ± 3.1 years of education; care partners ( n = 10) were 70.9 ± 7.4 years of age with 15.6 ± 2.3 years of education. Data analysis revealed six themes: Staying active, Eating well, Living with cognitive changes, Living rural, Connecting with neighbors and community, and Relying on children. Dyads' depictions of perceived social determinants of health focused on the adoption of a healthy lifestyle, description of relationships, and advantages of living in a rural area. Emergent themes may be used to promote adoption of self-management and prevention behaviors, particularly lifestyle changes.
Influence of volume fraction and orientation of fibers on the pullout behavior of reinforcement bar embedded in ultra high performance concrete

Abstract An experimental investigation was carried out to evaluate the effect of fiber volume fraction (Vf) and fiber orientation on the pullout behavior of steel reinforcement bar embedded in Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC). The experiments were performed using pullout specimens under tensile stresses and low concrete cover. It was found that the peak pullout load increased with the increase in Vf. When Vf was kept constant at 2%, it was observed that the specimens with perpendicular and parallel fiber orientation with respect to the rebar direction recorded the highest and the lowest pullout load, respectively. Finally, an empirical model equation was developed to predict the bond strength values.
Repair of the musculocutaneous nerve using the vagus nerve as donor by helicoid end-to-side technique: an experimental study in rats.

Although several donor nerves can be chosen to repair avulsed brachial plexus nerve injury, available nerves are still limited. The purpose of this study is to validate whether the vagus nerve (VN) can be used as a donor. Eighteen Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into three groups (n = 6). The right musculocutaneous nerve (McN) was transected with differing subsequent repair. (1) HS-VN group: a saphenous nerve (SN) graft-end was helicoidally wrapped round the VN side (epi-and perineurium was opened) with a 30 ° angle, distal SN end was coapted to the McN with end-to-end repair. (2) EE-PN group: a SN was interpositionally grafted between the transected phrenic nerve (PN) and the McN by end-to-end coaptation. (3) Sham control group: McN was transected and not repaired and postoperative vital signs were checked daily. At three months, electrophysiology, tetanic force, wet biceps muscle weight, and histology were evaluated. Every tested mean value in HS-VN group was significantly greater than the EE-PN or the sham control groups (p 0.5) between the mean VN nerve-fiber numbers of the segments proximal (2237 ± 134) and distal (2150 ± 156) to the VN graft-attachment site. Histological analysis revealed no axon injury or intraneural scarring at any point along the VN. This study demonstrated that VN is a practical and reliable donor nerve for end-to-side nerve transfer. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Status of Boxing in Institutions of Higher Learning

(1950). The Status of Boxing in Institutions of Higher Learning. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 292-302.
Neural Machine Translation

Deep learning is revolutionizing how machine translation systems are built today. This book introduces the challenge of machine translation and evaluation - including historical, linguistic, and applied context -- then develops the core deep learning methods used for natural language applications. Code examples in Python give readers a hands-on blueprint for understanding and implementing their own machine translation systems. The book also provides extensive coverage of machine learning tricks, issues involved in handling various forms of data, model enhancements, and current challenges and methods for analysis and visualization. Summaries of the current research in the field make this a state-of-the-art textbook for undergraduate and graduate classes, as well as an essential reference for researchers and developers interested in other applications of neural methods in the broader field of human language processing.
A University-Community Partnership in Teacher Education From the Perspectives of Community-Based Teacher Educators:

This article examines the experiences of a group of nine community-based mentors of teacher candidates who partnered for several years through a local, community-based organization with the graduate elementary and secondary teacher education programs at a research university in the Pacific Northwest. Following a brief discussion of the history of partnerships between teacher education programs and local communities, we report the findings of a study of the perspectives of these community mentors on their work with teacher candidates and university teacher educators.
Monkey see, Humans Won't Do—the misguided reaction to the first cloning of primates

At the end of January, a paper in Cell announced the first successful cloning of primates [1]. Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai reported that they had successfully created two female macaque clones about 8 weeks old. The Chinese researchers made clear their goal in undertaking the experiment was to find a way to create genetically uniform primates for use in research. Nonetheless, the subsequent conversation about the cloning achievement focused on the feasibility of doing so in humans—indeed, most press accounts and ethical commentary immediately jumped into speculation about whether human cloning would soon follow. The media obsession with the prospect of human cloning is not new. It is an extension of the misplaced ethical concerns that accompanied media reports and commentary surrounding the announcement in 1997 of the world's first cloned mammal, Dolly, the sheep at the Roslin Institute in Midlothian, Scotland [2]. Not only were those concerns unfounded [3], they sadly continue to shape ethical discourse about cloning to the present day. Many news accounts reported that the Chinese team had cloned primates using the same somatic …
Agamben, “Bare Life,” and Archaic Greek Poetry

In this article, I take up the work of Giorgio Agamben, whose biopolitical theories, and in particular, the idea of “bare life,” are widely adduced in contemporary, morally charged discussions of p...
Diversity exposure in preschool: Longitudinal implications for cross-race friendships and racial bias

Abstract Intergroup contact among young children has implications for improving racial attitudes and social inclusion. This study examined associations between children's (N = 670) racial biases and cross-race friendships, and whether diverse people and materials in the preschool classroom predicted children's racial biases or cross-race friendships in first or third grades. Results demonstrated weak-moderate stability in racial biases and cross-race friendship across elementary school. First-grade cross-race friendship predicted lower third-grade racial bias, but not vice versa. Exposure to diverse people in preschool was associated with greater odds of having a cross-race friend in first-grade, which predicted the likelihood of having a cross-race friend and lower levels of racial bias in third grade. Diverse materials predicted lower levels of racial bias in first grade, which predicted third-grade racial bias. Results suggest that educators can promote intergroup friendships and positive attitudes by increasing children's exposure to diverse people and materials in the preschool classroom.
Designing sustainable smart connected communities using dynamic spectrum access via band selection

While designing communication systems for sustainable smart connected communities (SCCs), energy efficiency is as important as quality of service (QoS). However, simultaneous achievement of both is difficult due to the varying demands posed by heterogeneous sensing modalities, lack of dedicated infrastructure in rural areas, and certain sustainability constraints. While low-power short range technologies often fail to achieve high QoS, using 3GPP technologies (LTE, LTE-A,GSM) for SCCs will eventually face spectrum scarcity and cross technology interference. While dynamic spectrum access (DSA) has been proposed to overcome policy constraints and improve spectrum scarcity by spectrum sharing, we show in this paper that harnessing DSA in the context of SCCs can achieve benefits in terms of end-to-end energy efficiency. This paper proposes a novel architecture for SCCs using a small scale DSA enabled overlay network over legacy infrastructure to improve the end-to-end energy efficiency while guaranteeing QoS. Specifically, our approach selectively exploits distinct electro-magnetic characteristics of various bands in order to intelligently match any message requirement with a suitable band, and hence determines the optimal TTL constrained energy-efficient (TcE) path that enhances the end-to-end energy efficiency and meets the TTL deadline. We formulate a constrained optimization problem and propose a dynamic programming approach for the determination of optimal TcE path for any given message. Compared to the homogeneous band approaches that opportunistically accesses channels within a predetermined band, our studies show that the band selection approach improves the energy efficiency by almost 40% while preserving the QoS.
Faecal incontinence in the elderly : epidemiology and management.

Faecal incontinence occurs in up to 10% of community dwelling persons ≥65 years of age and approximately 50% of nursing home residents. It is a vastly under-reported problem that has a devastating effect on those who experience it as well as their spouses and caregivers. There are three broad categories of faecal incontinence among the elderly: (i) overflow incontinence; (ii) reservoir incontinence; and (iii) rectosphincteric incontinence. The first two can be diagnosed based upon the patient’s history and physical examination and the response to dietary and pharmacological interventions. The third is assessed by careful physical examination supplemented by diagnostic tests directed towards evaluation of anorectal continence mechanisms. The most important of these is anorectal manometry, which can be supplemented by studies of structure (anal ultrasonography or pelvic floor magnetic resonance imaging) and neuromuscular function (electromyogram). A variety of therapeutic interventions are employed in patients with rectosphincteric incontinence; these include dietary, behavioural, pharmacological and surgical modalities chosen on the basis of the results of diagnostic testing. For isolated internal anal sphincter weakness, a cotton barrier in the anal canal is often effective. Acute sphincter injury is best treated with sphincteroplasty but, otherwise, surgical procedures are of uncertain benefit. Peripheral neurogenic incontinence may be treated with antidiarrhoeal agents, biofeedback techniques and dietary manipulations. Sacral spinal nerve stimulation is a promising new technique for selected patients with neurogenic faecal incontinence and is currently undergoing testing in the US and Europe. Significant improvement in quality of life can be achieved in most elderly persons with faecal incontinence.
Possible Association of Degenerative Motor Neuron Disease (ALS) with Abnormal Ganglioside Metabolism: Abnormal Gangliosides in ALS Spinal Cord and ALS-Like Symptoms in a Unique Partial HexB Deficiency Syndrome

Two major ganglioside storage diseases are known in man, GM2 (II3NeuAcGgOse3Cer)-Gangliosidosis (Tay-Sachs disease and its β-hexosaminidasedeficient variants) and GM1-gangliosidosis (β-Galactosidase deficiency) (O’Brien, 1983). Both diseases encompass many genotypic variants and many clinical phenotypes, but the major pathological characteristic is the lysosomal accumulation of gangliosides in neurons (O’Brien, 1983). Ultrastructural studies of neurons in humans and animals with GM2- and GM1-gangliosidosis have revealed aberrant sprouting of neurites from axon hillocks (meganeurites) (Purpura and Suzuki, 1976) prior to neuronal death and this has led to much of the current interest in gangliosides as neuritogenic agents. Much of this Symposium will be devoted to the stimulatory, neurite regenerative capacity of gangliosides, so it is important to remember the neuropathological origins of the “ganglioside effect”.
Quantification, Events, and Gerunds

In this paper I will argue that gerunds are amenable to a treatment that ascribes much of their semantic variability to various quantificational operators that may be present in a sentence. Such an analysis is in the spirit of the theories of indefinites of Kamp (1981) and Heim (1982). We will also be able to develop a new argument in favour of the Kamp/Heim framework, a result which has wider significance for understanding quantification in natural language. Furthermore, the treatment of gerunds requires a theory somewhat different from that needed for indefinites; in this way too we can gain in our study of quantification. Finally, these results are made precise when I put forward an explicit fragment that interprets many Logical Forms containing gerunds.
Tumors of the Kidney

Tumors of the kidneys form a rather heterogeneous group of neoplasms. Malignant tumors predominate, and among these, clear cell renal cell carcinoma accounts for most of the neoplasms. Papillary renal cell carcinoma comprises approximately 10–15 %, chromophobe 5 %, and carcinoma of the collecting duct of Bellini less than 1 % of all renal malignancies. Approximately 4–5 % of renal malignant tumors cannot be properly classified and are grouped under the heading of renal cell carcinoma unclassified. All other malignant renal tumors are rare (Mostofi and Davis 1998; Eble et al. 2004; Murphy et al. 2004; Bostwick and Cheng 2008).
Diabetes-related lower-extremity amputations disproportionately affect Blacks and Mexican Americans.

BACKGROUND We sought to identify the age-adjusted incidence of lower-extremity amputation (LEA) in Mexican Americans, blacks, and non-Hispanic whites with diabetes in south Texas. METHODS We summarized medical records for hospitalizations for LEAs for 1993 in six metropolitan statistical areas in south Texas. RESULTS Age-adjusted incidence per 10,000 patients with diabetes was 146.59 in blacks, 60.68 in non-Hispanic whites, and 94.08 in Mexican Americans. Of the patients, 47% of amputees had a history of amputation, and 17.7% were hospitalized more than once during 1993. Mexican Americans had more diabetes-related amputations (85.9%) than blacks (74.7%) or non-Hispanic whites (56.3%). CONCLUSIONS This study is the first to identify the incidence of diabetes-related lower-extremity amputations in minorities using primary data. Minorities had both a higher incidence and proportion of diabetes-related, LEAs compared with non-Hispanic whites. Public health initiatives and national strategies, such as Healthy People 2000 and 2010, need to specifically focus on high-risk populations and high-risk geographic areas to decrease the frequency of amputation and reamputation.
Two-component signaling systems and cell cycle control in Caulobacter crescentus.

Recent work on the regulation of prokaryotic growth and development by two-component systems (TCS) has revealed unsuspected levels of complexity. In the dimorphic freshwater bacterium Caulobacter crescentus, TCS provide stringent temporal and spatial control of cellular development and cell-cycle progression. While the environmental signals modulating TCS regulatory networks are largely unknown, the components of the network and their interactions with each other are increasingly well-defined. Here, we present an overview of TCS regulation of cell-cycle control in C. crescentus.
TCT-143 Higher Institutional TAVR Volume Reduces Index Mortality but Does Not Impact Readmission Outcomes

Studies have reported an inverse relationship of institutional volume of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with readmission rate, mortality, complications, length of stay (LOS), and costs. However, these studies have focused on heterogenous patient populations. This study aimed to
Abstract TP280: Factors Associated With Outpatient Follow-up in Stroke Clinic After Discharge From a Comprehensive Stroke Center

Introduction: Outpatient follow-up after a stroke is crucial for decreasing hospital readmissions, managing complications secondary to stroke, and preventing future stroke. Poor stroke follow-up ra...
Plakophilin1 expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

3424 Cell-cell adhesion is mediated by junctions composed of transmembrane proteins that interact with one another in the extracellular space, and interact with cytoplasmic plaque proteins that link to the cytoskeleton. Desmosomes are major intercellular adhesive junctions that act as anchorage points for intermediate filaments, and provide strong adhesion in tissues subject to mechanical stress such as skin, cardiac muscle, and the oral mucosa. Plakophilin 1 (Pkp1) is a major plaque component of desmosomes, and is found predominantly in the suprabasal layers of the epithelia. Reduction of Pkp1 has been reported in epithelial cancers such as head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The biological significance of the loss of Pkp1 during HNSCC tumor progression has not been characterized. To examine the expression of Pkp1 during tumor progression, we performed immunohistochemical staining on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tumor specimens which revealed that Pkp1 expression is reduced in grade I and II tissue samples, and absent in grade III SCCs compared to normal tissue. To investigate the role of Pkp1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), we obtained several cell lines to assess mRNA expression of Pkp1 by quantitative analysis. Protein expression of Pkp1 was investigated and colony forming and proliferation assays were utilized to determine cell survival. Overexpression of Pkp1 in SCC1 cells resulted in decreased motility and proliferation compared to controls, whereas siRNA-mediated suppression of Pkp1 in SCC38 cells led to increased motility and proliferation. These data suggest that OSCC cells that do not express Pkp1 have a stronger proliferative advantage as opposed to OSCC cells that express Pkp1. The data suggests that loss of Pkp1 during HNSCC results in differentiation, increased motility, invasion, proliferation, and tumorgenicity.
Spinal matrix metalloproteinase 8 regulates pain after peripheral trauma

It is well documented that pain chronification requires a host of plastic mechanisms at the spinal cord (SC) level, including alterations in neuronal and glial structure and function. Such cellular plasticity necessitates the existence of a plastic extracellular matrix (ECM). Here, we describe a key role for ECM remodeling in the regulation of chronic pain following peripheral injury. Three weeks following tibia fracture in mice, we show increased levels of MMP8 in the SC. Furthermore, we show that the pharmacological or genetic downregulation of MMP8 ameliorates the pain phenotype observed after injury. These results delineate an extracellular mechanism for pain chronification, thereby improving our mechanistic understanding of pain and providing novel therapeutic venues that go beyond targeting individual cell types.
Formation and subsequent removal of O6-methylguanine from deoxyribonucleic acid in rat liver and kidney after small doses of dimethylnitrosamine.

1. The amounts of 7-methylguanine and O6-methylguanine present in the DNA of liver and kidney of rats 4h and 24h after administration of low doses of dimethylnitrosamine were measured. 2. O6-Methylguanine was rapidly removed from liver DNA so that less than 15% of the expected amount (on the basis of 7-methylguanine found) was present within 4h after doses of 0.25mg/kg body wt. or less. Within 24h of administration of dimethylnitrosamine at doses of 1mg/kg or below, more than 85% of the expected amount of O6-methylguanine was removed. Removal was most efficient (defined in terms of the percentage of the O6-methylguanine formed that was subsequently lost within 24h) after doses of 0.25–0.5mg/kg body wt. At doses greater or less than this the removal was less efficient, even though the absolute amount of O6-methylguanine lost during 24h increased with the dose of dimethylnitrosamine over the entire range of doses from 0.001 to 20mg/kg body wt. 3. Alkylation of kidney DNA after intraperitoneal injections of 1–50μg of dimethylnitrosamine/kg body wt. occurred at about one-tenth the extent of alkylation of liver DNA. Removal of O6-methylguanine from the DNA also took place in the kidney, but was slower than in the liver. 4. After oral administration of these doses of dimethylnitrosamine, the alkylation of kidney DNA was much less than after intraperitoneal administration and represented only 1–2% of that found in the liver. 5. Alkylation of liver and kidney DNA was readily detectable when measured 24h after the final injection in rats that received daily injections of 1μg of [3H]dimethylnitrosamine/kg for 2 or 3 weeks. After 3 weeks, O6-methylguanine contents in the liver DNA were about 1% of the 7-methylguanine contents. The amount of 7-methylguanine in the liver DNA was 10 times that in the kidney DNA, but liver O6-methylguanine contents were only twice those in the kidney. 6. Extracts able to catalyse the removal of O6-methylguanine from alkylated DNA in vitro were isolated from liver and kidney. These extracts did not lead to the loss of 7-methylguanine from DNA. 7. The possible relevance of the formation and removal of O6-methylguanine in DNA to the risk of tumour induction by exposure to low concentrations of dimethylnitrosamine is discussed.
Variations of length of stay: a case study using control charts in the CRISP-DM framework

In-patient length of stay (LOS) at hospitals is considered a critical 'catch-all' metric because it is widely used to measure the overall efficiency of healthcare services. The goal of this paper is to effectively analyse and monitor hospital LOS to help improve healthcare quality. Given the fact that abnormal LOS results in increasing cost for all stakeholders, this study proposes a new framework based on cross-industry standard process for data mining framework (CRISP-DM) and Six Sigma methodology, including control charts for monitoring and improving LOS. The utility of the proposed method is demonstrated through a case study involving 11,722 internal medicine patients at a large hospital in Southwest Virginia. Outcomes of this study have potential to support decision makers at hospitals to detect abnormal LOS by identifying effective and efficient ways to minimise it, thereby reducing costs.
Could financial trouble be avoided by cooking at home? An analysis of checking account records

While the pricing of fast food and the social implications of the payday loan industry have been investigated individually, this study answers the question whether a cycle of debt could be avoided by cooking at home. While no statistical correlation between food spending and loan amounts was found, the results show that households could have saved on average 36.14% of the average loan amount, had they omitted fast food and restaurant meals for 30 days. Specifically, more than 23% of households could have saved 30% or more while almost 9% could have saved 70% or more of their loan amount if they had cooked at home. The findings of this research demonstrate that fast food, and food spending in general, are part of a larger spending pattern that could best be addressed through financial literacy curricula and public policy in the area of payday loans.
Gastrointestinal motility evaluation in children with orthostatic intolerance: Mayo Clinic experience.

OBJECTIVE Orthostatic intolerance (OI) and autonomic dysfunction (AD) are common in adolescents and young adults. Patients experience multisystem symptoms including gastrointestinal (GI), postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), orthostatic hypotension (OH), or only symptoms of OI (SOI) without significant findings on 70-degree head-up tilt testing (HUT). We hypothesize that patients with POTS, OH, and SOI show differences in GI symptoms and motility test and that heart rate (HR) changes on HUT predict severity of GI dysmotility. STUDY DESIGN From medical records of patients (<18 years) with OI, we collected demographics, presenting symptoms, GI manifestations, and GI motility testing. Data were compared between the 3 groups (POTS, OH, and SOI). We assessed changes in HR on HUT with changes on GI motility evaluation. RESULTS Two hundred twenty-nine patients were included (73% females). Abdominal pain (65%), nausea (49%), vomiting (18%), and constipation (24%) were the most common GI symptoms. In patients who had motility evaluation, there were 27% (53/193) with delayed gastric emptying (GE) at 4 hours, 35% (32/92) with delayed colonic transit (CT), 55% (17/31) with reduced gastric accommodation (GA), and 75% (21/28) with dyssynergic defecation (DD). Among 100 POTS, 34 OH, and 95 SOI patients, no significant differences in GI symptoms or motility tests were identified and HR changes on HUT were not associated with changes on motility tests. CONCLUSION GI symptoms are frequent in adolescents with OI and are associated with delayed GE, reduced GA, delayed CT, and presence of DD.
Faster Return to Intended Oncologic Treatment (RIOT) After Trisectionectomy Does Not Translate to Better Outcomes.

BackgroundResection with trisectionectomy may necessitate liver molding for adequate future liver remnant (FLR), and subsequent complications can impact return to intended oncologic therapy (RIOT)....
CD341 hematopoietic progenitor cell subsets exhibit differential ability to maintain human cytomegalovirus latency and persistence

In human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-seropositive patients, CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) provide an important source of latent virus that reactivates following cellular differentiation into tissue macrophages. Multiple groups have used primary CD34+ HPCs to investigate mechanisms of viral latency. However, analyses of mechanisms of HCMV latency have been hampered by the genetic variability of CD34+ HPCs from different donors, availability of cells, and low frequency of reactivation. In addition, multiple progenitor cell types express surface CD34, and the frequencies of these populations differ depending on the tissue source of the cells and culture conditions in vitro In this study, we generated CD34+ progenitor cells from two different embryonic stem cell (ESC) lines, WA01 and WA09, to circumvent limitations associated with primary CD34+ HPCs. HCMV infection of CD34+ HPCs derived from either WA01 or WA09 ESCs supported HCMV latency and induced myelosuppression similar to infection of primary CD34+ HPCs. Analysis of HCMV-infected primary or ESC-derived CD34+ HPC subpopulations indicated that HCMV was able to establish latency and reactivate in CD38+ CD90+ and CD38+/low CD90- HPCs but persistently infected CD38- CD90+ cells to produce infectious virus. These results indicate that ESC-derived CD34+ HPCs can be used as a model for HCMV latency and that the virus either latently or persistently infects specific subpopulations of CD34+ cells.IMPORTANCE Human cytomegalovirus infection is associated with severe disease in transplant patients and understanding how latency and reactivation occur in stem cell populations is essential to understand disease. CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) are a critical viral reservoir; however, these cells are a heterogeneous pool with donor-to-donor variation in functional, genetic, and phenotypic characteristics. We generated a novel system using embryonic stem cell lines to model HCMV latency and reactivation in HPCs with a consistent cellular background. Our study defined three key stem cell subsets with differentially regulated latent and replicative states, which provide cellular candidates for isolation and treatment of transplant-mediated disease. This work provides a direction toward developing strategies to control the switch between latency and reactivation.
Impact of South African 501.V2 Variant on SARS-CoV-2 Spike Infectivity and Neutralization: A Structure-based Computational Assessment

Abstract Motivation The SARS-CoV-2 variants emerging from South Africa (501.V2) and the UK (B.1.1.7) necessitate rapid assessment of the effects of the corresponding amino acid substitutions in the spike (S) receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the variants on the interactions with the human ACE2 receptor and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) reported earlier to neutralize the spike. Results Molecular modeling and simulations reveal that N501Y, shared by both variants, increases ACE2 binding affinity, and may impact the collective dynamics of the ACE2-RBD complex, occupying a central hinge site that modulates the overall dynamics of the complex. In contrast, the substitutions K417N and E484K in the South African variant 501.V2 would reduce the ACE2-binding affinity by abolishing two interfacial salt bridges that facilitate RBD binding to ACE2, K417(S)-D30(ACE2) and E484 (S)-K31(ACE2). These two mutations may thus be more than compensating the attractive effect induced by N501Y, overall resulting in an ACE2-binding affinity comparable to that of the wildtype RBD. Further analysis of the impact of these mutations on the interactions with mAbs targeting the spike indicate that the substitutions K417N and E484K may also abolish the salt bridges between the spike and selected mAbs, such as REGN10933, BD23, H11_H4, and C105, thus reducing the binding affinity and effectiveness of these mAbs. Contact bahar@pitt.edu Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Sharing Resource Wealth Inclusively Within and Across Generations

This paper discusses the main challenges faced by resource-rich nations in promoting equity; describes policy tools available for managing exhaustible natural resources; and analyzes the relationship between resource wealth and state fragility. It is argued that human capital accumulation, innovation, and technology diffusion can help escape the trap of low growth and resource dependence that plagues so many developing countries. But to make this possible, resource-rich nations must sustain strong citizen participation in the policy making to hold governments accountable and ensure the inclusive management of resource wealth.
Improving Pediatric Delirium Assessment Documentation and Implementation of a Nonpharmacologic Delirium Management Bundle in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit.

Abstract Background Pediatric delirium is common, associated with negative patient outcomes, and infrequently assessed in the ICU. Locally, pediatric delirium assessments in the cardiac PICU were infrequently documented resulting in an initiative to increase assessment documentation and implement a nurse-driven management protocol, the Bundle to Eliminate Delirium (BED). Methods This was a nurse-driven, quality improvement project in an eleven-bed cardiac PICU at a large academic health care facility. A pre- and postimplementation survey evaluating delirium management perceptions, knowledge, and assessment barriers was emailed to 113 nurses. Nurses received education about general delirium principles and assessment followed by weekly emails that included delirium assessment documentation rates and targeted education. Subsequently, BED education was provided via email followed by BED implementation, inclusion of BED completion rates in weekly emails, and observational audits of BED implementation. Findings 1522 delirium assessment opportunities were evaluated. Assessment documentation increased by 33%. Nurses reported greater confidence in their ability to manage delirium (P Discussion Nursing education and feedback can increase delirium assessment rates and confidence in management but the impact of BED on these outcomes is not clear. Application to practice Improvement in pediatric delirium care may be obtained through a nurse-driven quality improvement project but an interprofessional approach is needed for optimal management. More studies are needed to identify effective pediatric delirium management strategies such as the BED.
Transfusion Safety Officers in the United States: Survey of characteristics and approaches to implementation

Abstract Background Transfusion safety officers (TSO) function as liaisons between the blood bank and clinical staff, utilizing audits, quality improvement, reviews, communication, education, and general vigilance to enhance transfusion safety. While hospitals in Europe and Canada have long employed TSOs, a majority of institutions in the United States (US) have yet to implement this resource, despite the mounting evidence to support their effectiveness. Study design and methods An anonymous 20-question survey was administered to 104 hospitals with valid email contact information. Survey questions addressed the presence of a TSO, characteristics, backgrounds, and education of TSOs, the reporting and funding structure of the position, and role responsibilities. Results 53 responses were received, with 52 surveys completed (51 % response rate). The majority of responding institutions have a patient blood management (PBM) program (n = 40, 77 %) and 33 (63 %) have at least 1 TSO. 61 % of TSOs report an educational background in nursing, with 11 additional unique training backgrounds identified. TSO responsibilities are varied and include quality improvement, education, transfusion safety event analysis, and participation in PBM initiatives. Barriers to implementing a TSO position include lack of resources, financial impediments, and a lack of understanding of the position and its value by administrators and clinicians. Discussion The results of this survey highlight how TSOs contribute to transfusion safety and PBM and may provide guidance to hospitals interested in implementing a TSO position. It also elucidates the range of TSO responsibilities and approaches that institutions utilize to advocate for, and implement, this position in the US.
Banks and Climate Governance

Major banks in the United States and globally have begun to assert an active role in the transition to a low-carbon economy and the reduction of climate risk through private environmental and climate governance. This Essay situates these actions within historical and economic contexts: It explains how the legal foundations of banks’ sense of social purpose intersect with their economic incentives to finance major structural transitions in society. In doing so, this Essay sheds light on the reasons why we can expect banks to be at the center of this contemporary transition. This Essay then considers how banks have taken up this role to date. It proposes a novel taxonomy of the various forms of private environmental and climate governance emerging in the U.S. banking sector today. Finally, this Essay offers a set of factors against which to normatively assess the value of these actions. While many scholars have focused on the role of shareholders and equity in private environmental and climate governance, this Essay is the first to position these steps taken by banks within that larger context.
Aptamers for Detection and Diagnostics (ADD): Proposed Mobile App Acquiring Optical Data from Aptamers Conjugated with Quantum Nanodots May Detect Harmful Molecules as well as SARS-CoV-2

Proposed SARS-CoV-2 surveillance tool using a mobile app for non-invasive monitoring of humans and animals. Engineering a biomedical device as a low-cost, non-invasive, detection, and diagnostic platform for surveillance of infections in humans, and animals. The system embraces the IoT “digital by design” metaphor by incorporating elements of connectivity, data sharing and (secure) information arbitrage. Using an array of aptamers to bind viral targets may help in detection, diagnostics, and potentially prevention in case of SARS-CoV-2. The ADD tool may become part of a broader platform approach.
An Empirical Investigation of Statistical Significance in NLP

We investigate two aspects of the empirical behavior of paired significance tests for NLP systems. First, when one system appears to outperform another, how does significance level relate in practice to the magnitude of the gain, to the size of the test set, to the similarity of the systems, and so on? Is it true that for each task there is a gain which roughly implies significance? We explore these issues across a range of NLP tasks using both large collections of past systems' outputs and variants of single systems. Next, once significance levels are computed, how well does the standard i.i.d. notion of significance hold up in practical settings where future distributions are neither independent nor identically distributed, such as across domains? We explore this question using a range of test set variations for constituency parsing.
Application Mapping to MBC Hardware

This chapter describes the key steps in mapping the CDFG output after partitioning and fusion to the MBC hardware. A description for the MBC hardware serves as an input to the backend of the software flow. The number of MLB resources and their organization dictate the decisions made by the flow during scheduling, resource allocation, placement and routing. The output from the backend is a bitfile which can be directly loaded into the MBC hardware. The flow is also capable of estimating the power and performance of the input application, provided the power and performance for the individual MLBs and the programable interconnect is provided as an input to the flow.
Hyperactive and Learning-Disabled Children

Biofeedback procedures have recently been applied on a very limited scale to the treatment of hyperactivity and learning disabilities in children. Hyperactivity is characterized by a short attention span and inappropriately high activity levels. Learning disabilities occur as a result of disturbances in cognition, perception, or motor functions. A learning-disabled child’s school performance, particularly in reading, is markedly discrepant from his or her apparent ability (Ross & Ross, 1976). This disorder is most often treated with medication, primarily Ritalin, and behavior modification procedures (Ross & Ross, 1976). As an alternative to medication and other interventions in hyperactive and learning-disabled children, four different types of biofeedback procedures have been investigated. Sensorimotor rhythm feedback procedures are designed to alter a particular frequency of electrocortical activity and thereby produce inhibited motor reactions. Respiratory rate feedback procedures are hypothesized to promote calmness and self-control through controlled breathing techniques. Electromyographic feedback procedures are used to teach general relaxation. Alpha wave feedback procedures presumably enhance judgment and self-control through brain wave training. Finally, a single instance of finger warming feedback has been reported in the literature.
EFFECTS OF CLOSURE OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER GULF OUTLET ON SALTWATER INTRUSION AND BOTTOM WATER HYPOXIA IN LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN

Saltwater intrusion from the Mississippi River Gulf Out-let (MRGO) through the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC) produced salinity stratification in Lake Pontchar-train which caused episodes of bottom water hypoxia and anoxia from 1968—2009 (Poirrier et al. 2009). This resulted in significant changes in benthic invertebrate community structure which were more distinct and persistent in a 250 km