cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Feasibility of transmission microCT with two fan-beam sources

We study in simulation the properties of a transmission CT system using two fan-beam sources both illuminating a single detector. Using traditional X-ray sources, such a system would be expensive, slow, and unwieldy. With the development of new X-ray sources based on nanofabrication methods, however, such a dual-source system becomes feasible. The principal advantage of the new geometry is that a shorter fan-beam (or cone-beam) focal length can be used while achieving the same field-of-view. The shorter focal length should achieve approximately the same spatial resolution since the magnification is offset by the increased effect of nonzero focal spot size. However, the shorter focal length should give better efficiency through inverse square law effects. A disadvantage is that analytical reconstruction methods based on filtered backprojection may not be effective since each source does not view the entire subject. We demonstrate that iterative reconstruction techniques can solve this problem. We also demonstrate the potential improvement in resolution for an ideal source using a microCT simulation by comparing a conventional single source fan-beam CT with 50 cm focal length to a dual-source system with 30.5 cm focal length, both giving approximately the same transverse field of view. We found that the ideal dual-source system improved transverse spatial resolution (FWHM) by 4-14%, although wider tails (FWTM) were noted in point spread estimates. We conclude that use of multiple fan-beam sources is feasible to create transmission CT devices with shorter focal lengths.
Further studies on the treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia with cortisone. I. Comparison of oral and intramuscular administration of cortisone, with a note on the suppressive action of compounds F and B on the adrenal.

PREVIOUSLY published studies (1, 2, 3) have shown that the administration of cortisone to patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasiacaused markedly decreased excretion of 17-ketosteroids and biologically active androgen. Both chemical tests and bioassays showedthat there was a simultaneous decrease in urinary estrogen, presumably derived from the adrenals. The output of “corticosteroids” was less uniformly affected, probably due to the fact that while the endogenous secretion of these steroids was suppressed a portion of the cortisone was excreted in this fraction. The patients were all treated with cortisone injected intramuscularly. The last report dealt with 8 patients, 6 females with pseudohermaphrodism and 2 males with macrogenitosomia praecox. At the time of its publication 2 patients had been treated continuously for five months, 1 for three months, the others for periods of only ten to fiftyeight days. It was found that initial doses of 50 mg. or 25 mg. of intramuscular cortisone per day were as...
Identification of sRNAs expressed by the human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae under disparate growth conditions

Abstract In the last several years, bacterial gene regulation via small RNAs (sRNAs) has been recognized as an important mechanism controlling expression of essential proteins that are critical to bacterial growth and metabolism. Technologies such as RNA-seq are rapidly expanding the field of sRNAs and are enabling a global view of the ‘sRNAome’ of several bacterial species. While numerous sRNAs have been identified in a variety of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, only a very small number have been fully characterized in the human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the etiological agent of the STD gonorrhea. Here we present the first analysis of N. gonorrhoeae specifically focused on the identification of sRNAs through RNA-seq analysis of the organism cultured under different in vitro growth conditions. Using a new computational program, Rockhopper, to analyze prokaryotic RNA-seq data obtained from N. gonorrhoeae we identified several putative sRNAs and confirmed their expression and size through Northern blot analysis. In addition, RNA was collected from four different growth conditions (iron replete and deplete, as well as with and without co-culture with human endocervical cells). Many of putative sRNAs identified showed varying expression levels relative to the different growth conditions examined or were detected only under certain conditions but not others. Comparisons of identified sRNAs with the regulatory pattern of putative mRNA targets revealed possible functional roles for these sRNAs. These studies are the first to carry out a global analysis of N. gonorrhoeae specifically focused on sRNAs and show RNA mediated regulation may be an important mechanism of gene control in this human pathogen.
Simulation of practical single-pixel wire-grid polarizers for superpixel stokes vector imaging arrays

An optical tracking sensor that produces images containing the state of polarization of each pixel can be implemented using individual wire-grid micropolarizers on each detector element of a solid-state focal plane array. These sensors can significantly improve identification and tracking of various man-made targets in cluttered, dynamic scenes such as urban and suburban environments. We present electromagnetic simulation results for wire-grid polarizers that can be fabricated on standard imaging arrays at three different technology nodes (an 80-, 250-, and 500-nm pitch) for use in polarization-sensitive detector arrays. The degradation in polarizer performance with the larger pitch grids is quantified. We also present results suggesting the performance degradation is not significant enough to affect performance in a man-made vehicle-tracking application.
Temporal occupancy grids: a method for classifying the spatio-temporal properties of the environment

This paper introduces the concept of a temporal occupancy grid as a method for modeling and classifying spatial areas according to the time properties of their occupancy. The method extends the idea of occupancy grids by considering occupancy over a number of different timescales. This paper presents the basic formalism and its implementation using planar laser rangefinders. It includes the results of a number of validation experiments, and an experiment in which we demonstrate the ability to locate doors in a real-world setting.
The politics of marginality in Wallowa County, Oregon: Contesting the production of landscapes of consumption

The state of Oregon’s (USA) land use planning framework has long been characterized by tensions between state and local authority, between traditionally-defined “urban” and “rural” concerns, and between the competing interests of various landowners. An examination of Wallowa County, Oregon’s implementation of House Bill 3326, a 2001 law giving counties the power to define certain agricultural lands as “marginal,” and therefore exempt from restrictions on subdivision and development, illustrates the ways in which these tensions become magnified as rural communities attempt to govern private land use in the context of rural restructuring. Implementation of HB3326 highlighted the tensions between landowners interested in capitalizing on development opportunities afforded by HB3326, neighboring producers concerned about interference from future amenity migrants, and existing amenity migrants with interests in protecting their rural idyll. Contestations over nonfarm development took place in the context of a strong agricultural community identity, concerns about the effects of economic restructuring on producers, and local resistance to the rural gentrification process. The process of defining marginality came to encompass not only technical issues of land productivity, but also broader community contestations over the continuation of traditional land uses and the legitimacy of various actors to govern private land.
Commutators, perturbations, and unitary spectra

Abstract : Let A and B denote linear operators, bounded or unbounded, on a Hilbert space H of elements x. Let x = (x,x)1/2 and put A = sup Ax where x =1. If A and B are bounded and if C denotes the commutator of A and B, (1.1) C = AB - BA, then it is well known that (1.2) C 2 A B , and that the inequality cannot be improved by replacing the 2 by 2 - with >0. Simple examples with finite matrices A 0, B 0 and A, iB (hence also C) even self-adjoint show that the equality of (1.2) may hold. Part I concerns an improvement of (1.2) when B is bounded but otherwise arbitrary, A and C are bounded and selfadjoint, and C is non-negative. In Part II a related problem is considered concerning perturbations of a self-adjoint operator A. In Part III applications are given of the results of Part II to semi-normal operators, Laurent matrices, measure preserving transformations, and to what correspond to certain operators occurring in scattering theory in quantum mechanics. (Author)
Our new husbands are here: households, gender, and politics in a West African state from the slave trade to colonial rule

The gendered nature of political and economic formation during the Atlantic slave trade, the post-abolition period, and the subsequent colonisation of Western African societies has received signifi...
Surrealism in the Work of Estela Portillo

her M.A. in 1977. At earlier periods she had a talk show over a local station, and later, a series of television shows dealing with cultural subjects. When she had the radio show, she was denounced for her radicalism at a time when there was no Chicano Movement in El Paso: "Back when there was only Estela Portillo and the John Birch Society who wanted to lynch me." Later she was resident dramatist at the community college and now she works with Special Services in the El Paso public schools. She has left the classroom only because of her need to write. Some day, when her "children can fly on their own," she may try for the doctorate. All this looks more like dealing with reality than "touching dreams."
Effect of Carbon Spacer Length on Zwitterionic Carboxybetaines

Zwitterionic carboxybetaines (CBs) are ubiquitous in nature and considered promising materials for biological and chemical applications. A thorough understanding of the effect of carbon spacer length (CSL) on molecular properties is important. In this work, using molecular dynamics simulation and quantum chemical calculation, we investigated the effect of CSL on the molecular properties of CB molecules. The hydration number, structure, and dynamics of carboxylic and trimethyl ammonium groups were investigated and found to present different behaviors in regards to the variation of CSL. The simulation results with partial charges developed from quantum chemical calculations were compared with those with partial charges from the OPLS all atom (OPLSAA) force field. The hydration free energy of CB molecules and CB–Na+ association was also studied as a function of CSL.
Increased ICU resource needs for an academic emergency general surgery service

OBJECTIVE ICU needs of nontrauma emergency general surgery patients are poorly described. This study was designed to compare ICU utilization of emergency general surgery patients admitted to an acute care emergency surgery service with other general surgery patients. Our hypothesis is that tertiary care emergency general surgery patients utilize more ICU resources than other general surgical patients. DESIGN Retrospective database review. SETTING Academic, tertiary care, nontrauma surgical ICU. PATIENTS All patients admitted to the surgical ICU over age 18 between March 2004 and June 2012. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Six thousand ninety-eight patients were evaluated: 1,053 acute care emergency surgery, 1,964 general surgery, 1,491 transplant surgery, 995 facial surgery/otolaryngology, and 595 neurosurgery. Acute care emergency surgery patients had statistically significantly longer ICU lengths of stay than other groups: acute care emergency surgery (13.5 ± 17.4 d) versus general surgery (8.7 ± 12.9), transplant (7.8 ± 11.6), oral-maxillofacial surgery (5.5 ± 4.2), and neurosurgery (4.47 ± 9.8) (all p< 0.01). Ventilator usage, defined by percentage of total ICU days patients required mechanical ventilation, was significantly higher for acute care emergency surgery patients: acute care emergency surgery 73.4% versus general surgery 64.9%, transplant 63.3%, oral-maxillofacial surgery 58.4%, and neurosurgery 53.1% (all p < 0.01). Continuous renal replacement therapy usage, defined as percent of patients requiring this service, was significantly higher in acute care emergency surgery patients: acute care emergency surgery 10.8% versus general surgery 4.3%, transplant 6.6%, oral-maxillofacial surgery 0%, and neurosurgery 0.5% (all p < 0.01). Acute care emergency surgery patients were more likely interhospital transfers for tertiary care services than general surgery or transplant (24.5% vs 15.5% and 8.3% respectively, p < 0.001 for each) and more likely required emergent surgery (13.7% vs 6.7% and 3.5%, all p < 0.001). Chronic comorbidities were similar between acute care emergency surgery and general surgery, whereas transplant had fewer. CONCLUSIONS Emergency general surgery patients have increased ICU needs in terms of length of stay, ventilator usage, and continuous renal replacement therapy usage compared with other services, perhaps due to the higher percentage of transfers and emergent surgery required. These patients represent a distinct population. Understanding their resource needs will allow for better deployment of hospital resources.
Abstract 2799: Regulation of tumor cell attachment, spreading and migration by the GPR4 receptor and related G protein pathways.

The tumor microenvironment has a characteristic low pH due to inadequate blood perfusion, hypoxia, altered cellular metabolism, and inflammation. The effects of acidic pH on cancer progression are complex. It has been shown that low pH increases the metastatic spread of cancer by assisting in the degradation of extracellular matrix. Other studies show that acidic microenvironments decrease metastatic potential in B16F10 melanoma cells upon activation of the GPR4 receptor and also inhibit Akt activity in breast cancer cells. In this study we have investigated the attachment, spreading, and migration of B16F10 cells that have been genetically modified to express the GPR4 receptor at a high level (named B16F10/GPR4 cells). The results showed that upon stimulation of GPR4 in B16F10/GPR4 cells with low pH, cell spreading, membrane ruffling, and migration were significantly decreased. The phosphorylation levels of paxillin Y118 and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) Y397 following one-hour cell attachment were also decreased, and the spatial localization of the phosphorylated paxillin and FAK was substantially altered. Further tests were performed to identify the G-protein signaling pathway responsible for this effect. By using a G13 dominant negative construct or inhibiting Rho activation with C3 transferase (CT04) in B16F10/GPR4 cells, the cell spreading and membrane ruffling abilities were almost completely restored back to the level of B16F10/vector control cells, whereas the inhibition of the Gs and Gq pathways had little effect. These results suggest that activation of the GPR4 receptor and subsequently the G13/Rho downstream pathway are responsible for decreased cell attachment, spreading and membrane ruffling, which may cause decreased metastatic potential of B16F10/GPR4 cells found previously. Citation Format: Calvin R. Justus, Li V. Yang. Regulation of tumor cell attachment, spreading and migration by the GPR4 receptor and related G protein pathways. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2799. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2799
Hypertension As an Independent Risk Factor for Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis and Tibia Vara in Obese Children

Obesity has been well supported as the primary condition associated with both slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) and tibia vara. This association suggests that increased biomechanical force is a risk factor for these obesity related bone diseases (OBD), yet the majority of obese children do not develop these conditions suggesting that the pathophysiology of OBD is multifactorial. Recognizing that hypertension animal models have similar physeal pathology as is present in OBD, and that obesity induces hypertension through the fat derived hormone leptin, our overarching hypothesis is that …
Evaluation of a Dip-Slide Device for Enumeration 246 of Bacteria in Urine

A comparative study of the Uricult dip-slide procedure with conventional quantitative cultural techniques has demonstrated that the dip-slide method is a reliable system for the enumeration of bacteria in urine. The device eliminated or minimized many of the problems associated with the transport of urine specimens to the laboratory, and its use will result in cost savings to most institutions. The dip-slide is simple to use and offers an acceptable and reliable alternative to the quantitative culture of midstream urine specimens.
Detection of In Situ and Invasive Endocervical Adenocarcinoma on ThinPrep Pap Test: Cytological-Histological Correlation in 78 Patients

False negative (FN) or false unsatisfactory (F-Unsat) rates for adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) and invasive endocervical adenocarcinoma (ECA) in conventional Pap smears is 50% (Krane et al. Cancer Cytopathol , 2001;93:8). Data on detection of AIS and ECA, on ThinPrep Pap test (TPPT) are scant. Patients with histologically proven AIS and ECA during a 16-year period (1998-2014) were identified. The TPPT immediately …
Zero/low field SDR and SDT used for atomic scale probes of NBTI and TDDB

This work focuses on the use of a zero- and low-field detection technique of spin dependent recombination and spin dependent tunneling used for studying the bias temperature instabilities in MOSFETs and time dependent dielectric breakdown in this film dielectrics.
An investigation of radiologists' perception of lesion similarity: observations with paired breast masses on mammograms and paired lung nodules on CT images.

Rationale and Objectives We conducted an observer study to investigate whether radiologists can judge similarities in pairs of breast masses and lung nodules consistently and reproducibly. Materials and Methods Institutional review board approval and informed observer consent were obtained. This study was compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. We used eight pairs of breast masses on mammograms and eight pairs of lung nodules on computed tomographic images, for which subjective similarity ratings ranging from 0 to 1 were determined in our previous studies. From these, four sets of image pairs were created (ie, a set of eight mass pairs, a set of eight nodule pairs, and two mixed sets of four mass and four nodule pairs). Eight radiologists, including four breast radiologists and four chest radiologists, compared all combinations of the eight pairs in each set using a two-alternative forced-choice (2AFC) method to determine the similarity ranking scores by identifying which pair was more similar than the other pair based on the overall impression for diagnosis. Results In the mass set and nodule set, the relationship between the average subjective similarity ratings and the average similarity ranking scores by 2AFC indicated very high correlations (r = 0.91 and 0.88). Moreover, in the two mixed sets, the correlations between the average subjective similarity ratings and the average similarity ranking scores were also very high (r = 0.90 and 0.98). Thus, radiologists were able to compare the similarities for pairs of lesions consistently, even in the unusual comparison of pairs of completely different types of lesions. Conclusion The subjective similarity of a pair of lesions in medical images can be quantified consistently by a group of radiologists. The concept of similarity of lesions in medical images can be subjected to rigorous scientific research and investigation in the future.
Transfusion Related Immunomodulation

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the effects of transfusion on the recipient's immune system. The most evident effect of blood products on the immune system is alloimmunization of red blood cell (RBC) blood group and human leukocyte antigen (HLA), the management of which comprises a major part of transfusion medicine. The additional effect of transfused blood products on recipient immunity is termed transfusion related immunomodulation (TRIM) and the effects can be categorized as beneficial or deleterious and secondary to either humoral or cellular immunity. Solid organ transplantation is among the accepted TRIM effects and transfusion of whole blood prior to organ transplantation results in significantly improved allograft survival. The transfusion effect appears to be antigen specific leading to tolerance to HLA antigens. Subtle TRIM effects have been seen in situations in which mild impairment of cellular immunity may be predicted to result in alterations of pathology. It was reported that transfusion may increase cancer recurrence or metastasis, presumably due to the decreased anti-tumor immunity.
Next Generation of Carrier Screening

Preconception or prenatal carrier screening is an effective approach for preventing devastating recessive diseases. Traditionally, DNA-based carrier testing used targeted genotyping panels to detect common mutations among specific ethnic groups. While the sensitivity of this approach is generally acceptable, private or ultra-rare mutations will be missed. Next generation sequencing (NGS) has been adopted in recent years for carrier screening in order to increase test sensitivity for pan-ethnic individuals. Important issues regarding NGS-based carrier screening panels’ workflow design, variant interpretation, reporting, and genetic counseling follow-ups are reviewed and discussed in this chapter.
Synchronization of current oscillations in a dual-anode dissolution reaction in the presence of a common cathode electrode

Abstract The formation of synchronization patterns are explored as a result of coupling the dual anode oscillatory nickel electrodissolution and a single cathode hydrogen ion reduction reaction in an electrochemical cell. At the onset of current oscillations, with small surface area cathode in-phase synchronization patterns were recorded, which implies the presence of coupling between the anodic reactions. As the surface area of the cathode was increased, a transition from synchronized to desynchronized behavior was observed. Similarly, the extent of synchronization and thus the coupling can be diminished with increasing the individual resistances attached to the anodes. The effect of coupling induced by the cathode was interpreted with the ratio of charge transfer resistance of the cathode to the total external resistance in the cell. The coupling effects were further demonstrated with anti-phase synchronization of relaxation, and phase and identical synchronization of chaotic current oscillations. The experimental results about the coupling effect of the cathode were also explained with a kinetic model for the reactions. The results show that the nonlinear behavior of a complex cathode-anode cell can be greatly simplified when the majority of the overpotential is due to driving the anodic reactions to a far-from equilibrium state, while the relatively simple cathode (with small overpotential and fast kinetics) acts as a coupling element between the anodes. Such simplification can be a useful tool for interpreting the complex kinetic behaviors of galvanic and electrolytic cells that have time-scale separations between the cathodic and anodic processes.
Rare presentation of necrotising fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome by group A streptococcus.

A 44-year-old healthy male presented to the emergency room with a 6-day history of right medial thigh pain and itching. Examination revealed mild erythema with superficial swelling, but no tenderness (figure 1A). Vital signs were stable. White cell count (WBC) was 11.2×109/L with no other significant laboratory abnormality. During the next 6 hours, his erythema and swelling extended to involve the whole thigh with the patient getting septic (spiking 102°F, heart rate 110/min and blood pressure 118/79 mm Hg). WBC trended up to 23×109/L and lactate 4.7 mmol/L. MRI was performed which showed possible myositis (figure 1B). Despite intravenous antibiotics (penicillin and vancomycin) and resuscitation, his clinical condition deteriorated rapidly. …
“Quality Leadership Matters”: A Research-Based Survey of Graduate Programming:

This empirical study contributes to the dialogue about quality leadership and national trends involving standards-based program review. It is the first to utilize the 2016 Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Standards for graduate programs and separately from accreditation and sponsorship. The literature on quality leadership is reviewed, and results from an original instrument are described. Survey influences included leadership literature, the CAEP Standards, and the University Council for Educational Administration’s artifacts. Students and completers’ feedback was on program effectiveness, satisfaction, impact, and ethics. Variance was found in perceptions of quality, relevance, and learning. Contradictory beliefs of program effectiveness can stimulate discussion and strengthen programming.
SIFT Keypoint Descriptor Matching Algorithm: A Fully Pipelined Accelerator on FPGA(Abstract Only)

Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) algorithm is one of the classical feature extraction algorithms that is well known in Computer Vision. It consists of two stages: keypoint descriptor extraction and descriptor matching. SIFT descriptor matching algorithm is a computational intensive process. In this work, we present a design and implementation of a hardware core accelerator for the descriptor-matching algorithm on a field programmable gate array (FPGA). Our proposed hardware core architecture is able to cope with the memory bandwidth and hit the roofline performance model to achieve maximum throughput. The matching-core was implemented using Xilinx Vivado® EDA design suite on a Zynq®-based FPGA Development board. The proposed matching-core architecture is fully pipelined for 16-bit fixed-point operations and consists of five main submodules designed in Verilog, High Level Synthesis, and System Generator. The area resources were significantly reduced compared to the most recent matching-core implemented on hardware. While our proposed hardware accelerator matching-core was able to detect 98% matching-points compared to the software approach, it is 15.7 × faster.
The Quality of Text-to-Voice and Voice-to-Text Software Systems for Smart Universities: Perceptions of College Students with Disabilities

Smart Universities and Smart Classrooms are the wave of the future. To better educate local and distant college students we will need to approach education and how we teach these students differently. In addition, college students are more technological than ever before and are demanding new and innovative ways to learn. This paper presents some ideas about how college students with disabilities might also benefit from Smart Classrooms and smart systems – especially from software systems. Even though students with disabilities are not the majority of learners in our classes, by incorporating university-wide smart systems and technologies we believe many of these students will also benefit. This paper presents the outcomes of a pilot research study analyzing two different commercially available and open source text-to-voice software systems and two different voice-to-text software systems by actual college students with disabilities. It describes (1) testing data obtained from actual college students with disabilities analyzing text-to-voice and voice-to-text software systems, (2) student suggestions for these types of systems for Smart Universities to consider, and (3) the impact these software systems could have on the learning of students with disabilities and how this software could aid universities to a possible transformation from a traditional university into a smart one.
An evidence-based approach to femoral arterial access and closure

Percutaneous arterial access is performed in up to 10 million patients worldwide annually. The predominant techniques have been largely unchanged for a half century, but an evolving evidence base over the past several years suggests that major improvements in access and a reduction in complication rates may be accomplished with a better appreciation of anatomy and the use of fluoroscopy or ultrasound guidance. Vascular closure is still predominantly by manual compression; meta-analyses comparing vascular closure techniques have not clearly demonstrated a difference between manual compression and vascular closure device complication rates. Although vascular closure devices are associated with earlier hemostasis and time to ambulation, their cost and potential associated complications limit use to roughly 30% of cases in the United States and single digit percentages in the rest of the world.
Innovative Microfinance: Potential for Serving Rural Markets Sustainably

Providing sustainable financial services for rural areas and agriculture in developing countries has proven immensely challenging. Billions have been spent to subsidize programs and policies designed to develop financial institutions to serve this neglected market segment. However many of the sector’s decision makers and analysts continue to be dissatisfied with the progress.
The Role of Viral and Host Cell Proteins in Paramyxovirus Transcription and Replication

The viruses of the Paramyxoviridae family contain a nonsegmented RNA genome of the negative (−)-strand sense [for earlier reviews see Kingsbury (1977), Choppin and Compans (1975), Kolakofsky and Roux (1987)]. In the case of Sendai virus, the prototype of the family, the genome RNA and its full-length complement, the antigenome RNA, are found both in the virion and in the infected cell as an RNase-resistant nucleocapsid due to the tight association of the major nucleocapsid protein, NP (M r 57, 000) with the RNA. Two other viral proteins, the P (M r 79, 000) and L (M r 240, 000) proteins, are associated less tightly with the nucleocapsid and function as subunits of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Three additional viral proteins, the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN, M r 72, 000, fusion (F o, M r 65, 000), and matrix (M, M r 34, 000) proteins, are associated with the lipid envelope of the virion.
Prophylaxis for Wound Infections and Endocarditis

There are three instances when prophylactic antibiotics are indicated: prophylaxis for prevention of a sugical site infection (SSI), prevention of endocarditis, and prevention of prosthesis infection. Postoperative SSI are a serious complication in cutaneous surgery, and although some limited guidelines exist, many physicians are unaware of the proper use of antibiotics.1, 2, 3 Furthermore, the emergence of resistant bacteria makes the prudent use of antibiotics crucial. A thorough understanding of the various factors related to SSI prophylaxis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines pertaining to SSI prophylaxis, and proper antibiotic usage is vital to the practice of cutaneous surgery and will be discussed in this chapter. Treatment of definitive SSI is discussed in Chapter 5.
The Taxation of Individual Retirement Plans: Increasing Choice for Seniors

For many senior citizens, individual retirement plans, such as IRAs and 401(k)s, are a primary saving vehicle for retirement. Along with Social Security, individual retirement plans ("IRPs") represent a major source of money for retirement. However, even though IRPs are a valuable saving vehicle for many seniors, many IRPs have one major drawback: the forced distribution of assets and the associated taxation of those assets for senior citizens at age 70-1/2 for traditional IRAs and the later of age 70-1/2 or the year in which the account holder retires for 401(k)s. This requirement forces many seniors to take distributions when they do not need them Worse, in cases of a down market, the forced distributions may require seniors to sell assets at depressed prices to pay taxes, even if investment losses have been incurred. This study addresses the minimum distribution requirement that effectively forces senior citizens to withdraw funds from IRPs or face a 50 percent excise tax, the reasoning behind the requirement, and the economic harm it can have on seniors, and some policy alternatives to this requirement that would help mitigate the bias against seniors and their retirement that this requirement creates. This study proposes several options that would either repeal or modify the minimum age requirement for forced distributions beginning at age 70-1/2. These options include: repeal, limited repeal, an increase in the minimum withdrawal age, a limited exclusion, a credit for excess withdrawals, allowing losses to be applied to other gains, and a grace period. Any of the proposals would enhance efficiency by providing seniors with the choice of determining when it is in their best interest to make a withdrawal from their IRP, how much to withdraw and subsequently pay the appropriate tax. The individual is in the best position to know when is the right time to elect to make withdrawals, not the government. Further, forcing seniors to sell assets in market conditions that have reduced their retirement plan assets may undermine the retirement security of seniors and produce less tax revenue to the government.
Utility of eDNA and occupancy models for monitoring an endangered fish across diverse riverine habitats

Environmental DNA (eDNA) studies show great promise for non-invasive surveys of aquatic organisms, but should account for imperfect detection and the influences of biotic and abiotic conditions on detection. We evaluated an eDNA protocol for Roanoke logperch (RLP) Percina rex, an endangered fish of the eastern United States occupying habitats ranging from cold, clear creeks to warm, turbid rivers. We assayed water samples from streams presumed likely to be occupied or unoccupied by RLP based on previous fish surveys. Data were analyzed using multi-scale occupancy models that estimated occurrence and detection probability at the scales of sites, replicate water filters, and replicate PCR reactions, and environmental influences on these probabilities. We detected RLP eDNA at 11 of 12 sites in occupied streams and no sites in presumed-unoccupied streams. In best-supported models, detection was positively related to an index of fish density, whereas other environmental factors had no consistent effects. This approach had a higher detection rate and lower sensitivity to sampling conditions than traditional techniques like snorkeling and electrofishing, suggesting it could provide a powerful tool for assessing the distribution of this and other rare fishes that occur across a wide range of fluvial habitats.
Optimal Maintenance of Naval Vessels Considering Service Life Uncertainty

Life-cycle analysis is increasingly being used to assess the structural performance and total cost incurred during the service life of naval vessels. Decision making on maintenance scheduling is based on minimizing life-cycle cost and risk metrics. However, existing life-cycle frameworks generally consider deterministic service life in the analysis process. Due to budgetary reasons, naval vessels are often required to extend their service life beyond the originally designed life. Management plans based on deterministic service life concepts do not consider the uncertainties associated with service life assessment and prediction. Structural aging can have significant effects on operational costs and risks during the service life extension. This paper presents the modeling of service life uncertainty and its impacts on the life-cycle management of naval vessels. The proposed framework is aimed to provide robust maintenance strategies addressing service life uncertainties. The presented approach is applied to fatigue of a high speed naval vessel.
N-Naphthoyl-substituted indole thio-barbituric acid analogs inhibit the helicase activity of the hepatitis C virus NS3

Abstract The hepatitis C virus (HCV) represents a substantial threat to human health worldwide. The virus expresses a dual-function protein, NS3 having both protease and RNA helicase activities that are essential for productive viral replication and sustained infections. While viral protease and polymerase inhibitors have shown great successes in treating chronic HCV infections, drugs that specifically target the helicase activity have not advanced. A robust and quantitative 96-well plate-based fluorescent DNA unwinding assay was used to screen a class of indole thio-barbituric acid (ITBA) analogs using the full-length, recombinant HCV NS3, and identified three naphthoyl-containing analogs that efficiently inhibited NS3 helicase activity in a dose-dependent manner, with observed IC50 values of 21–24 µM. Standard gel electrophoresis helicase assays using radiolabeled duplex DNA and RNA NS3 substrates confirmed the inhibition of NS3 unwinding activity. Subsequent anisotropy measurements demonstrated that the candidate compounds did not disrupt NS3 binding to nucleic acids. Additionally, the rate of ATP hydrolysis and the protease activity were also not affected by the inhibitors. Thus, these results indicate that the three ITBA analogs containing N-naphthoyl moieties are the foundation of a potential series of small molecules capable of inhibiting NS3 activity via a novel interaction with the helicase domain that prevents the productive unwinding of nucleic acid substrates, and may represent the basis for a new class of therapeutic agents with the potential to aid in the treatment and eradication of hepatitis C virus.
The Complicated Story of FOSTA and Section 230

In 2018, Congress passed the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 (“FOSTA”), designed to attack the online promotion of sex trafficking victims, in part, by reducing Section 230’s scope. FOSTA represents new ground for Congress and the Internet; it peels back Section 230 to create some new legal exposure for online services for the first time in over two decades. Unfortunately, FOSTA almost certainly will not accomplish Congress’ goals of protecting sex trafficking victims and reducing their victimization. This essay explains why Congress passed FOSTA, how FOSTA modified existing law, why FOSTA has little chance of succeeding, and what FOSTA signals about the future of Section 230 and the Internet.
Genome-wide association study of shared liability to anxiety disorders in Army STARRS.

Anxiety disorders (ANX), namely generalized anxiety, panic disorder, and phobias, are common, etiologically complex syndromes that show increasing prevalence and comorbidity throughout adolescence and beyond. Few genome-wide association studies (GWAS) examining ANX risk have been published and almost exclusively in individuals of European ancestry. In this study, we phenotyped participants from the Army Study To Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (STARRS) to approximate DSM-based ANX diagnoses. We factor-analyzed those to create a single dimensional anxiety score for each subject. GWAS were conducted using that score within each of three ancestral groups (EUR, AFR, LAT) and then meta-analyzed across ancestries (NTotal = 16,510). We sought to (a) replicate prior ANX GWAS findings in ANGST; (b) determine whether results extended to other ancestry groups; and (c) meta-analyze with ANGST for increased power to identify novel susceptibility loci. No reliable genome-wide significant SNP associations were detected in STARRS. However, SNPs within the CAMKMT gene located in region 2p21 associated with shared ANX risk in ANGST were replicated in EUR soldiers but not other ancestry groups. Combining EUR STARRS and ANGST (N = 28,950) yielded a more robust 2p21 association signal (p = 9.08x10-11 ). Gene-based analyses supported three genes within 2p21 and LBX1 on chromosome 10. More powerful ANX genetic studies will be required to identify further loci.
Increased Expression of EZH2 Is Mediated by Higher Glycolysis and mTORC1 Activation in Lupus CD4+ T Cells

Objective: EZH2 is overexpressed in CD4+ T cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Increased disease activity in SLE patients is associated with a proinflammatory epigenetic shift in naive CD4+ T cells, likely mediated by EZH2. Here we aim to understand the upstream mechanisms underlying EZH2 overexpression in SLE CD4+ T cells. Methods: Naive CD4+ T cells were isolated from SLE patients and then stimulated with anti-CD3/anti-CD28. qPCR and Western blotting were used to measure mRNA and protein expression levels, respectively. 2-Deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) was used to inhibit glycolysis. mTORC1 signaling was inhibited using rapamycin. Oxidative stress was induced by H2O2. Results: Because glycolysis is increased in SLE CD4+ T cells and glycolysis regulates miR-26a and miR-101, which target EZH2, we examined the effect of inhibiting glycolysis on EZH2 expression. 2-DG significantly inhibited EZH2 expression in SLE CD4+ T cells. In addition, 2-DG restored the expression of miR-26a and miR-101, suggesting that suppression of EZH2 by 2-DG occurs at the post-transcriptional level. Because mTORC1 is activated in SLE CD4+ T cells in part due to increased oxidative stress, and mTORC1 activation increases glycolysis, we hypothesized that mTORC1 mediates increased EZH2 expression. Indeed, inhibiting mTORC1 increased miR-26a and miR-101 and suppressed EZH2 expression in SLE CD4+ T cells. Further, H2O2 treatment increased EZH2 expression, however, this effect appears to be independent of miR-26a and miR-101. Conclusion: Increased EZH2 is mediated by activation of mTORC1 and increased glycolysis in SLE CD4+ T cells. Therapeutic effects from inhibiting mTOR or glycolysis in SLE might be in part mediated by suppression of EZH2.
Between Policy Promises and Program Implementation

This chapter raises a concern about participatory budgeting in New York City (PBNYC): in the implementation stage, the city council member is also the program administrator, leading to many of the concerns that this book raises. We detail the theoretical constructs of power, clientelism, interest groups, and the possible role of experts in determining if citizens have real money and real power.
A real-world comparison of cardiovascular, medical and costs outcomes in new users of SGLT2 inhibitors versus GLP-1 agonists.

Abstract Aims To compare SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists on cardiovascular (CV) outcomes, treatment persistence/discontinuation, healthcare utilization and costs. Methods This retrospective cohort study utilized medical and pharmacy claims to identify new SGLT2 inhibitor or GLP-1 agonist users from January 2015 to June 2017. A total of 5,507 patients were included in each treatment group after 1:1 propensity score matching. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare CV outcomes and treatment discontinuation. Healthcare utilization and costs were compared using Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results No differences in the primary composite CV outcome or secondary CV outcome were observed. Patients using GLP-1 agonists were more likely to discontinue treatment (hazard ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 1.10–1.21) and more likely to have an inpatient hospitalization (14.4% vs. 11.9%, P Conclusions Differences in composite CV outcomes were not established. However, other findings that favored SGLT2 inhibitors should be weighed against the known risks associated with this therapeutic class.
Neoadjuvant weekly carboplatin and paclitaxel followed by dose dense adriamycin/cyclophosphamide in locally advanced triple negative breast cancer: A single-center experience in a safety net hospital.

e12629Background: Locally advanced triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer comprising 10-15% of new diagnoses each year. Optimization of neoadjuvant therapy i...
What’s in a Name: Constructing Terrorism

One of the most ironic challenges confronting the construct of terrorism is arriving at a definition that sufficiently describes this phenomenon. Though we may recognize terrorism when we see it, what remains “unseen” is how we arrive at such a conclusion: the often-biased perspective of the viewer. Most detrimental to this process is the seeming inability to view this relationality in its totality, which requires at the very least some recognition of the biases such a project inevitably evokes.
Agricultural Waste as a Low-Cost Adsorbent

The use of low-cost adsorbents from agricultural wastes was reviewed for industrial applications. Agricultural Waste is needed for sustainable agricultural practices but could also be considered essential in wastewater treatment operations. Adsorption will be reviewed heavily in this chapter. Chemical and physical characteristics that aid its role as an adsorbent and the suitable industrial applications will be explored.
Emergent Organizing in Crisis: US Nurses’ Sensemaking and Job Crafting During COVID-19

Crisis situations may render some roles meaningless or modify the meanings of existing roles. In general, employees participate in job crafting to alter or redefine their tasks and relationships to...
The cytokine receptor Fn14 regulates neuronal transcription during development and brain function in the adult

Cytokine signaling between microglia and neurons is required for synapse elimination during brain development, but the mechanisms by which neurons respond to microglia-derived cytokines remain to be fully defined. Here, we demonstrate that microglia are necessary for sensory experience-dependent synapse elimination in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the mouse, a process previously shown to be mediated by the microglia-derived cytokine TWEAK and its neuronal receptor Fn14. Single-nucleus RNA-sequencing in mice lacking Fn14 or TWEAK at the height of experience-dependent refinement revealed that TWEAK-Fn14 signaling coordinates robust programs of gene expression in excitatory thalamocortical neurons of the dLGN. Gene targets of TWEAK and Fn14 are enriched for regulators of synapse and chromatin remodeling, suggesting that TWEAK-Fn14 signaling coordinates neuronal transcription to promote circuit refinement and epigenomic maturation in response to experience. We further find that Fn14 expression is not restricted to the dLGN but extends to other brain regions as well, both during development and in the adult. Consistent with the expression of Fn14 outside of the visual system, Fn14 knockout mice show significant impairments in multiple tests of memory task proficiency. At baseline, loss of Fn14 does not affect macroscopic neural activity measured by electroencephalogram recordings in vivo. However, mice lacking Fn14 displayed worse seizure outcomes and were less likely to survive when seizures were pharmacologically induced. Thus, TWEAK-Fn14 signaling coordinates neuronal transcription during development and contributes to cognitive function in the adult. Taken together, these data reveal that molecular pathways associated with inflammation in the periphery can coordinate with sensory experience to shape neuronal transcription and connectivity across the lifespan. HighlightsO_LIMicroglia regulate sensory-dependent refinement at the retinogeniculate synapse C_LIO_LITWEAK-Fn14 signaling induces the expression of neuronal genes involved in synaptic and chromatin remodeling C_LIO_LIFn14 signaling is dispensable for learning but required for memory in multiple tasks C_LIO_LILoss of Fn14 exacerbates seizure susceptibility and the severity of seizure outcomes C_LI
What do we know about the aging brain?: Implications for learning in late life.

The breadth of topics covered in this volume suggests that the intersection of adult development and learning is exceptionally complex and infl uenced by a wide variety of processes. This chapter focuses on how the brain changes in the context of adult development (with particular attention given to later life) and the ways in which these changes affect learning. To begin, we offer several general observations.