cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Delayed Nephropleural Fistula After Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy.

Abstract Pleural effusions due to pleural injury following supracostal percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) occur in upwards of 15% of patients; however, these effusions are invariably diagnosed immediately postoperative or during the hospital stay. Herein, we report our initial experience with a delayed nephropleural fistula. A 52-year-old female underwent an uneventful supracostal right PCNL staghorn stone procedure and was discharged on postoperative day 1. She presented to the emergency department 8 days after her original procedure and one day after ureteral stent removal in the office, with right pleural effusion, concomitant contralateral renal colic secondary to migration of a left pelvic stone into her left proximal ureter, and acute renal failure/oliguria. She was treated with right chest tube drainage, bilateral nephrostomy tube placement, and subsequent left holmium laser ureterolithotripsy.
Assessment of Health Benefits,Quality and Safety of Traditional Fermented Foods:A Review

Fermentation,an old and economical method to produce and preserve foods,is widely used all over the world.Fermented foods make an important contribution to human health.With the development of fermentation technology,the safety of fermented foods has gain extensive attention.This article provides a review of the classification of fermented foods and the assessment of their health benefits,quality and safety.Modern microbiological risk assessment(MRA) is one of the extensively used techniques for target statement,hazard identification,exposure assessment,hazard characterization and risk characterization and allows to evaluate the food safety of fermented foods in a more reliable and consistent way.
Safety of a freestanding surgical unit for the assisted reproductive technologies

Objective To determine the safety of a freestanding surgical unit for assisted reproductive technology (ART), using the rate of unplanned admissions to a hospital within 24 hours of surgery. Design Prospective. Setting A freestanding surgical unit within a medical office building. Patients A mixture of private and university-referred patients undergoing 6,776 ART surgical procedures. Main Outcome Measures Patients admitted during the first 24 hours of surgery were recorded and hospital progress was monitored for invasive procedures, treatments, time of discharge, and residual complications. Variables tabulated included age, fertility diagnosis, ART procedure, E 2 level, number of follicles by ultrasound, previous surgery, and type of anesthesia. Results There were 11 hospital admissions (0.16%). Four patients required surgery: one laparoscopy and three laparotomies. Admissions after vaginal oocyte retrieval were no different from those after GIFT via laparoscopy, 0.16% versus 0.18%, respectively. The number of admissions after monitored anesthesia care was higher than expected compared with general anesthesia. Profiles of hospitalized patients showed no apparent differences from the nonhospitalized patients. Conclusions Surgical procedures for ART performed in a freestanding surgical unit can be performed safely with a low hospitalization rate and minimal morbidity
Inhibition of axoplasmic transport by mescaline and other trimethoxyphenylalkylamines.

Following an intraocular injection of [3H]L-proline, fast axoplasmic transport can be demonstrated in the rat optic system by a flow of 3H-labeled protein which moves from the ganglion cells of the retina at a rate of approximately 16 mm/hr. The injection of mescaline or one of several trimethoxyphenylalkylamines inhibits the transport of labeled proteins through the optic nerve. By using one eyeball containing the drug as the experimental eye and the contralateral eye as a control, the degree of inhibition may be determined quantitatively, allowing evaluation of dose-response curves. Dose-response curves for the inhibition of axoplasmic transport by mescaline, 1-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-aminopropane, and 1-(2,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-aminopropane have been obtained. Further experiments with mescaline indicate that (a) the inhibition of fast axoplasmic transport produced by mescaline in the rat optic system is reversible, (b) mescaline inhibits transport when applied directly to the cat sciatic nerve, and (c) mixtures of component pieces of the molecular skeleton of mescaline, trimethoxybenzene and ethylamine, have little activity as inhibitors of fast axoplasmic transport in either the rat optic or cat sciatic nerves. Several of the agents found effective as inhibitors of axoplasmic transport are known hallucinogens. The hallucinogenic potencies of these drugs rank in the same order as their effectiveness as antitransport agents.
La prolactine, un lien entre le système neuro-endocrinien et le système immunitaire : rôle dans la pathogénie des maladies rhumatismales

Un nombre croissant d'observations suggerent que la prolactine (PRL) possede des proprietes immunoregulatrices et joue un role dans la pathogenie et l'expression de certaines maladies auto-immunes. La prolactine est un co-mitogene pour les lymphocytes murins et humains. Elle induit l'expression du recepteur membranaire pour l'interleukine 2 et module l'expression de divers genes lies aux facteurs de croissance. Elle stimule egalement la production d'anticorps in vivo et in vitro. Des recepteurs specifiques de la prolactine, a affinite elevee, ont ete mis en evidence sur les lymphocytes T et B ainsi que sur les monocytes. Ces recepteurs ne sont presents que dans certains sous-groupes de lymphocytes et leur repartition est modifiee dans les maladies autoimmunes
Modifiable Factors Leading to Increased Length of Stay after Carotid Endarterectomy.

Background Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a commonly performed vascular operation. Yet, postoperative length of stay (LOS) varies greatly even within institutions. In this study, the morbidity and mortality, as well as financial impact of increased LOS were reviewed to establish modifiable factors associated with prolonged hospital stay. Methods The Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative database was used to identify all patients undergoing primary CEA at a single institution between June 1, 2011 and November 28, 2014. Preoperative patient characteristics, intraoperative details, postoperative factors, long-term outcomes, and cost data were reviewed using an Institutional Review Board-approved prospectively collected database. Multivariate analysis was used to determine statistical difference between patients with LOS ≤1 day and >1 day. Results Complete 30-day variable and cost data were available for 219 patients with an average follow-up of 12 months. Seventy-nine (36%) patients had an LOS > 1 day. Variables determined to be statistically significant predictors of prolonged LOS included preoperative creatinine (P = 0.02) and severe congestive heart failure (P = 0.05) with self-pay status (P = 0.02) and preoperative beta-blocker therapy (P = 0.04) being protective. Shunt placement (P = 0.04), arterial re-exploration, and postoperative cardiac (P = 0.001) or neurological (P = 0.03) complications also resulted in prolonged hospitalization. Specific modifiable risk factors that contributed to increased LOS included operative start time after noon (P = 0.04), drain placement (P = 0.05), prolonged operative time (101 vs. 125 min, P = 0.01), return to the operating room (P = 0.01), and postoperative hypertension (P = 0.02) or hypotension (P = 0.04). Of note, there was no difference in LOS associated with technique (conventional versus eversion), patch use (P = 0.49), protamine administration (P = 0.60), electroencephalogram monitoring (P = 0.45), measurement of stump pressure (P = 0.63), Doppler (P = 0.36), or duplex (P = 0.92). Both hospital charges (P = 0.0001) and costs (P = 0.0001) were found to be significantly higher in patients with prolonged LOS, with no difference in physician charges (P = 0.10). Increased LOS after CEA was associated with an increase in 12-month mortality (P = 0.05). Conclusions Increased LOS was associated with increased hospital charges, costs, as well as significant morbidity and midterm mortality following CEA. Furthermore, this study highlights several modifiable risk factors leading to increased LOS. Identified factors associated with increase LOS can serve as targets for improving care in vascular surgery.
Gender orientation and alcohol-related weight control behavior among male and female college students

ABSTRACTObjective: We examine weight control behavior used to (a) compensate for caloric content of heavy alcohol use; and (b) enhance the psychoactive effects of alcohol among college students. We evaluate the role of gender orientation and sex. Participants: Participants completed an online survey (N = 651; 59.9% women; 40.1% men). Method: Weight control behavior was assessed via the Compensatory-Eating-and-Behaviors-in Response-to-Alcohol-Consumption-Scale. Control variables included sex, race/ethnicity, age, and depressive symptoms. Gender orientation was measured by the Bem Sex Role Inventory. The prevalence and probability of alcohol-related weight control behavior using ordinal logistic regression are reported. Results: Men and women do not significantly differ in compensatory-weight-control-behavior. However, regression models suggest that recent binge drinking, other substance use, and masculine orientation are positively associated with alcohol-related weight control behavior. Conclusions: Sex w...
Diffusion tensor imaging of formalin fixed infarcted porcine hearts: a comparison between 3T and 1.5T

BackgroundDiffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) quantifies the amount ofanisotropic diffusion exhibited by biological tissues. Pro-cessing DTI images allow a 3D visualization of the fiberarchitecture by tracking the fiber trajectories within thetissue. Experimental evidence has shown that the myocar-dium undergoes remodeling as myocardial infarction pro-gresses over time[1]. The aim of this study is to investigateand compare the fiber architecture in an infarcted porcineheart using DTI at 1.5T and 3T, to analyze the effect ofhigh field magnets in imaging.MethodsEx-vivo DTI was performed on an infracted pig heart on1.5T (Avanto, Siemens Hea lthcare, Germany) and 3T(Tim Trio, Siemens Healthcare, Germany) MRI scan-ners. Infarcts were created in the apex region (Fig 1) byoccluding the left ante rior descending coronary artery.After 22 days, the hearts were dissected and formalinfixed for 6 months. A diffusion-weighted echo planarimaging sequence was used to acquire multi-slice shortaxis views covering the ventric les in the excised heart.Imaging parameters included: diffusion encoding direc-tions=256; TE=90ms; TR=7000(1.5T), 6600(3T) ms; slicethickness=2mm; matrix=128x128; FOV=256x256mm2;b-values=0,1000s/mm2; slices=37(1 .5T), 42(3T); isotro-pic resolution of 2x2x2mm. The images were masked tosegment the left ventricular myocardium (LVM).Explore DTI [2], was used to obtain a tensor map andtrack the fibers using a deterministic algorithm. For thisanalysis, fractional ani sotropy (FA) and the anglebetween the longest eigenvectors (V1) of the twosuccessive voxels were set to 0.2 and 45 degrees respec-tively. The lower limit of the length of the fibers wasvaried from 2mm to 30mm to see the correspondingchange in fiber tracts near the infracted region of theLVM obtained from both 1.5T and 3T scanners.ResultsFig 1 shows the magnitude image displaying the infarctwith thin myocardial wall. Fig 2 displays 3D visualizationof the fiber tracts in the LVM. In Fig 2 the upper rowand the lower row displays data from 3T and 1.5T scan-ners respectively. From left to right the lower limit of thefiber length was varied in the analysis to track the short
Iowa Dependent Adult Abuse Prosecutions From 2006 Through 2015: Health Care Providers’ Concern:

Background: In most states, health care providers are required to report abuse. Some states provide investigation feedback/findings to the reporter. The reporters rarely know if the perpetrator is convicted. The purposes of this study are to determine the incidence of Iowa dependent adult abuse prosecutions from 2006 through 2015, the incidence of convictions, and the association between dependent adult abuse prosecutions with county census and government characteristics. Design and Methods: Through the Iowa Court Information Systems, dependent adult abuse prosecution data were purchased for a 10-year time period. County demographics were obtained through the US Census and government data were Iowa State Association of Counties and the US Department of Agriculture. Results: During 2006-2015, there were 368 dependent adult abuse prosecution cases accounting for 482 original charges. Exploitation greater than $100 was the dependent adult abuse charge most frequently cited. Within the 10 years, it accounted ...
Construction of an efficient multivariate dynamic screening system

Recently, multivariate dynamic screening system (MDySS) has been proposed in the literature for monitoring processes whose in-control distributions change over time. Multivariate dynamic screening system has broad applications, ranging from monitoring of dynamic engineering systems, such as nuclear reactors, airplanes, and other durable goods, to early disease detection. Conventional construction of MDySS is appropriate only in cases when sampling rate of observations is the same in Phase I and Phase II process monitoring, and the process observations are independent. In practice, these assumptions are rarely valid. In this paper, we propose a new construction of the MDySS method, which is shown to be more reliable than the conventional construction in various cases. The new construction is demonstrated using a real data from the SHARe Framingham Heart Study of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Effect of light on alteration of nutritional value and flavor of milk: a review.

Milk in glass, polycarbonate, high density polyethylene, blow-molded polyethylene, plastic bags and paperboard containers, when exposed to fluorescent light or sunlight, will develop a characteristic off-flavor described synonomously by many researchers as activated, sunlight or oxidized flavor. The extent of flavor development is related to the exposure interval, strength of the light and amount of milk surface exposed. Paperboard containers. particularly those with large printed areas of dark ink or foil in the laminate, offer the best protecton to milk, while the remaining containers offered limited protection at best. Characteristic flavor is produced prinicipally by conversion of methionine to methional. Partial loss of vitamins B2 and C and some amino acids parallel development of light-induced off-flavor. Loss of other constituents is minimal. Many researchers offered suggestions to improve the flavor stability of milk held in display cases illuminated with fluorescent lights. Among these are changes to more protective packaging, reduction of radiant energy to 538 lux, use of gold or "bug light" types of fluorescent lights and more dark ink areas on exposed parts of paperboard cartons (gables and main display panels). Perhaps grocers should bag all containers of milk to afford adequate protection from sunlight between points of refrigeration.
Signaling networks of convergence of nongenomic and genomic estrogen actions mediated by Erbb2 and Akt1 in MCF-7 cells

5454 We have demonstrated that in MCF-7 cells, the nongenomic and genomic estradiol actions converge in the ErbB2/PI3-K/Akt1 pathway that plays an important role in the development of antiestrogen resistance. MCF-7 cells stably transfected with constitutively active Akt1 (myr-Akt1) increased estrogen receptor-a (ER-a) activity and hormone-independent cell growth in vitro and in vivo and this effect was blocked by the selective ErbB2 inhibitor, AG825, but only partially by tamoxifen. In contrast, in cells stably transfected with dominant negative Akt1 (K179M-Akt1 or R25C-Akt1), ER-a activity was inhibited and the in vitro and in vivo growth effects were reduced. We used the same MCF-7/Akt1 breast cancer model to perform global gene expression profiling with the Affymetrix HG-U133A 2.0 GeneChip array and real time RT-PCR, to identify patterns of genes regulated by estradiol and Akt1 in the presence or absence of tamoxifen, ICI 182,780, and AG825. Of the 22,000 probe sets including 14,500 characterized human genes, over 1,500 showed a robust regulation. While 71 genes (87%) were up-regulated and 11 (13%) down-regulated by 20 min estradiol treatment, our results show an inverse regulation pattern with 24h estradiol treatment: 177 stimulated (48%) and 192 inhibited genes (52%). In myr-Akt1 cells, 464 genes (34.5%) were stimulated and 882 (62.5%) inhibited. Most of the stimulated or inhibited genes upon 20 min of estradiol treatment were involved in signaling, transcription, cancer, and apoptosis. In contrast, in the 24h treatment group, most genes’ functions were metabolism, immune function, signaling, cancer, transport, and gene regulation. From the myr-Akt1-regulated genes, most were involved in metabolism, signaling, immune function, degradation, cancer, biosynthesis, cell cycle, transcription, apoptosis, and gene regulation. Most of the estradiol- and myr-Akt1-regulated genes (82-96%) were mediated by ER-a, since both antiestrogens blocked their effect. AG825 also blocked the effect of 95-97% of estradiol- and myrAkt1-regulated genes. Only 2 genes were stimulated by both estradiol (20 min and 24h) and myr-Akt1: DUSP4 and GADD45A, but their effect was blocked by antiestrogens and AG825. 10 genes were regulated by estradiol 20 min and myr-Akt1 and 80 by estradiol 24h and myr-Akt1. 18 genes were regulated by 20 min and 24h estradiol treatment. All these genes were blocked in K179M-Akt1 cells and by tamoxifen, ICI 182,780 (except one) and AG825. Using a software program from Ingenuity Systems, we constructed a signaling network with estrogen- and Akt1-regulated genes downstream of ErbB2: SGK, EGR3, PDLIM3, DUSP4, MAFF, CYP51A1, DLG1, BIRC5, and SLC7A2. Taken together, our results reveal the importance of the convergence of nongenomic and genomic estrogen actions in the ErbB2/PI3-K/Akt/ER-a pathway. The newly identified genes may provide new therapeutic targets for endocrine therapy.
Kant's Theory of Conscience

The main body of this Element, about Kant's theory of conscience, is divided into two sections. The first focuses on exegesis of Kant's ethics. One of the overarching theses of this section of the Element is that, although many of Kant's claims about conscience are prima facie inconsistent, a close examination of context generally can dissolve apparent contradictions. The second section of the Element focuses on philosophical issues in Kantian ethics. One of the overarching theses of this section of the Element is that many positions traditionally associated with Kantian ethics, including the denial of moral luck, the nonaccidental rightness condition, and the guise of the objectively good, are at variance with Kant's ethics.
Novel evaporator architecture with entrance-length crossflow-paths for supercritical Organic Rankine Cycles

Abstract In this paper, a novel geometry is proposed for evaporators that are used in Supercritical Organic Rankine Cycles. The proposed geometry consists of successive plenums at several length-scale levels, creating a multi-scale heat exchanger (HX). The channels at the lowest length-scale levels were considered to have their length determined by the thermal entrance-length. Numerical simulations based on turbulent flow correlations for supercritical R134a and water were used to evaluate the performance of heat exchangers. Using the data on pumping power and area of heat exchange, the total present cost was evaluated using a cost model for shell-and-tube heat exchangers. With respect to the shell-and-tube baseline case, the cost per heat load and total costs of new HXs is lowered by approximately 20–26% and 15–30%, respectively. This reduction in present costs of the new HXs were found to be attributed to higher operational costs for the shell-and-tube HXs, as evidenced by the higher pumping power, as well their capital investment costs. The cost savings in the new HX designs compared to those of the shell-and-tube HXs, at similar heat load performance, indicate that the new HX architectures proposed in this paper are valid alternatives to traditional HX designs.
Reconstruction of highly structured image by entropy optimization

We propose an image reconstruction approach for highly structured image based on entropy optimization, extending the idea of sparsity with minimal number of non-zero elements to the concept of minimum entropy and simple structure. Minimum entropy signals have unique characteristics of low uncertainty, simple structure, and high concentration, and are usually sufficiently sparse. However, not all low-entropy signals can be linearly sparsified. Compared to a sparse signal in L 0 or L 1 norm having one dominant mode centered around 0, a highly structured signal with minimum entropy tends to be concentrated in one or more dominant modes, not necessarily around 0. We study histogram entropy for finite discrete signal and vector entropy for continuous real or complex signal, and propose two algorithms to seek the optimal signal with minimum entropy or low theoretic dimension, subject to the reconstruction constraint. Experiments are carried out on 1-D finite discrete signal, 2-D halftone, industrial and medical images to demonstrate the efficacy.
Informed Consent in Translational Genomics: Insufficient Without Trustworthy Governance.

Neither the range of potential results from genomic research that might be returned to participants nor future uses of stored data and biospecimens can be fully predicted at the outset of a study. ...
Cerebral Hemodynamics in the Elderly

Regulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF) is critical for proper neural function. Therefore, alterations in CBF regulation resulting from aging or age-related disease may have important clinical consequences, including cognitive impairment, gait disorders, falls, and syncope. This chapter reviews mechanisms of CBF regulation, their changes with aging, and their clinical implications, including the frontal subcortical dysfunction in cognition and gait that is commonly observed in elderly people, reductions in global CBF with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and local cerebral hypoperfusion associated with Alzheimer’s dementia and vascular dementia (VaD).
Finding Extremists in Online Social Networks

Online extremists' use of social media poses a new form of threat to the general public. These extremists range from cyberbullies to terrorist organizations. Social media providers often suspend the extremists' accounts in response to user complaints. However, extremist users can simply create new accounts and continue their activities. In this work we present a new set of operational capabilities to address the threat posed by online extremists in social networks. We use thousands of Twitter accounts related to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria ISIS to develop behavioral models for these users-in particular, what their accounts look like and with whom they connect. We use these models to track existing extremist users by identifying pairs of accounts belonging to the same user. We then present a model for efficiently searching the social network to find suspended users' new accounts based on a variant of the classic Polya's urn setup. We find a simple characterization of the optimal search policy for this model under fairly general conditions. Our urn model and main theoretical results generalize easily to search problems in other fields. The electronic companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/opre.2018.1719 .
Dissecting the mechanisms underling acute lymphoblastic leukemia brain metastasis

Despite improved treatments, patient with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) experience relapse with devastating tumor cell dissemination into the central nervous system (CNS). As an “immune privilege site”, CNS is protected from infiltration of immune cells by specialized structure of blood-brain barrier with astrocyte endfeet that surround the blood vessels. To assess whether leukemia cells hijack mechanisms employed by inflamed immune cells to invade into the brain parenchyma, we set up leukemia mouse xenograft models with well-characterized human BCP-ALL cell lines and primary cells derived from patients. We found massive infiltration/colonization of GFP + leukemia cells inside brain vessels and parenchyma addition to meningeal space. Immunohistochemistry staining showed that activation of astrocytes following the induction of VEGF-A in brains of leukemia burden mice. We address phenotype changes in leukemia cells, that are associated with brain metastasis by comparing the expression of chemokine receptors and cytokines in leukemia cells recovered from bone marrow and other extramedullary sites (spleen, liver) for comparison to the cells recovered from brain tissue. By investigation of extravasation steps in intact brain, we also try to figure how leukemia cells bleach the BBB and find new niche to colonize at brain parenchyma. Ongoing studies will provide new insights into the mechanisms that regulate leukemia CNS infiltration.
Nuclear gluon shadowing via continuum lepton pairs inp+A collisions at $$\sqrt s = 200 A$$ GeV

The dilepton spectra from open charm decay inp+A reactions at\(\sqrt s = 200\) AGeV are proposed to constrain gluon shadowing in nuclei. We show that the required measurements are feasible at RHIC.
Factors Affecting the Accuracy and Variability of Pavement Surface Evaluations and Ratings

AbstractThis research identified factors influencing the accuracy and variability of pavement surface evaluations and ratings (PASER). Survey and PASER data obtained from workshop participants were...
Ultrasonic Echolocation Device for Assisting the Visually Impaired.

Background Echolocation is a technique whereby the location of objects is determined via reflected sound. Currently, some visually impaired individuals use a form of echolocation to locate objects and to orient themselves. However, this method takes years of practice to accurately utilize. Aims This paper presents the development of a sensory substitution device for visually impaired users, which gauged distances and the placement of objects. Methods Using ultrasonic technology, the device employed a method of echolocation to increase the user's independence and mobility. The main components of this device are an ultrasound transceiver and a miniaturized Arduino board. Through research and prototyping, this technology was integrated into a biomedical application in a watch form factor which provides feedback to the user regarding the measured distance by the ultrasonic transducer. Results The output of this process is a tactile feedback that varies in intensity proportional to the distance of the detected object. We tested the device in different scenarios including different distances from a different material. The difference between the device reading and the actual distance, from 0 to 400 cm was statistically insignificant. Conclusion It is believed this device will boost the confidence of the user in navigation.
Understanding cognitive and emotional illness representations of South Asian head and neck cancer survivors: a qualitative study.

Objectives: Head and neck cancer (HNC) constitutes a substantial portion of the cancer burden worldwide, with over 550,000 new cases and over 300,000 deaths annually, with disproportionately high mortality rates in the developing countries. The large majority of HNCs are caused by tobacco use, and synergistic effects of tobacco and alcohol use. Using the Common-Sense Model (CSM) as a framework, this qualitative study sought to understand South Asian HNC survivors' cognitive and emotional representations of their cancer; and to assess if these representations differ by smokeless tobacco (SLT) vs. smoked tobacco use. Design: In-depth semi-structured interviews, conducted with South Asian HNC survivors (N = 15, 80% participants were immigrants, while 20% came to the United States for treatment) to identify key themes and issues related to HNC experience and SLT vs. smoked tobacco use. Results: The results of the study provide a deeper understanding of South Asian HNC survivor experiences with receiving a HNC diagnosis, delays in seeking treatment and related medical care, disagreement regarding smoked tobacco/SLT history as potential causes of cancer, strategies to cure the cancer or prevent recurrence, enduring physical and psycho-social consequences of treatment, and emotional impact of the cancer experience. Three key implications emerged: (a) the utility of narratives as a method of eliciting HNC survivor experience to understand patient experiences and concerns; (b) the potential for public health practitioners to harness patients' voices and the power of storytelling for developing campaigns about public awareness of SLT use, providing information and support to SLT users, and encouraging SLT quitting resources; and (c) the importance of providing clear, personalized and culturally sensitive education regarding the risks of SLT use. Conclusions: This study underscores the significance of offering tailored tobacco cessation services to South Asian HNC survivors, and to help inform supportive models of care for others.
Multi-omic Pathway and Network Analysis to Identify Biomarkers for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The threat of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a growing problem, with incidence rates anticipated to near double over the next two decades. The increasing burden makes discovery of novel diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers distinguishing HCC from underlying cirrhosis a significant focus. In this study, we analyzed tissue and serum samples from 40 HCC cases and 25 patients with liver cirrhosis (CIRR) to better understand the mechanistic differences between HCC and CIRR. Through pathway and network analysis, we are able to take a systems biology approach to conduct multi-omic analysis of transcriptomic, glycoproteomic, and metabolomic data acquired through various platforms. As a result, we are able to identify the FXR/RXR Activation pathway as being represented by molecules spanning multiple molecular compartments in these samples. Specifically, serum metabolites deoxycholate and chenodeoxycholic acid and serum glycoproteins C4A/C4B, KNG1, and HPX are biomarker candidates identified from this analysis that are of interest for future targeted studies. These results demonstrate the integrative power of multi-omic analysis to prioritize clinically and biologically relevant biomarker candidates that can increase understanding of molecular mechanisms driving HCC and make an impact in patient care.
Surviving or thriving? Demographics differences in mindset across the introductory communication course

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to investigate communication mindset changes across one semester of the introductory communication course and differences across students’ demographic backgrou...
Contracting around the Hague Service Convention

When a plaintiff wishes to commence an action against a non-resident foreign defendant in an American forum, it may need to serve that defendant with process abroad. The Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters (Hague Service Convention) provides a mechanism for achieving that goal. Under terms of this treaty—which has been ratified by 75 nations—each signatory is required to maintain a central authority that will serve process upon local defendants at the request of U.S. plaintiffs. In practice, however, the act of serving process upon defendants in particular foreign countries may present challenges. In Russia, it is currently impossible for a U.S. plaintiff to serve process upon a defendant because that nation’s central authority refuses to accept requests from the United States. In China, the central authority sometimes takes more than a year to serve process on local defendants. These complications raise the question of whether it is possible for private actors to contract around the Hague Service Convention so as to avoid the need to interact with central authorities in foreign nations. The California Supreme Court will soon take up this issue when it hears oral argument in Rockefeller Technology Investments (Asia) VII v. Changzhou SinoType Technology Company, Ltd. In this Essay, we first discuss how that particular case should be resolved. We explain that while it is possible to contract around the Convention, the language in the parties’ contract in SinoType failed to do so. We then discuss alternative drafting strategies that future parties might utilize in order to succeed where the parties in SinoType failed.
Performance of fabrics for home-made masks against spread of respiratory infection through droplets: a quantitative mechanistic study

Abstract Respiratory infections may spread through droplets and aerosols released by infected individuals coughing, sneezing, or speaking. In the case of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), spread can occur from symptomatic, pre-symptomatic, and asymptomatic persons. Given the limited supply of professional face masks and respirators, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended home-made cloth face coverings for use by the general public in areas of significant community-based transmission. There is, however, little information on the effectiveness of cloth face coverings in reducing droplet dissemination. Here, we ascertained the performance of 11 household fabrics at blocking high-velocity droplets, using a commercial medical mask as a benchmark. We also assessed their breathability (air permeability), texture, fiber composition, and water absorption properties. We found that droplet blocking efficiency anti-correlates with breathability; less breathable fabrics being more effective in blocking. However, materials with high breathability are desirable for comfort and to reduce airflow through gaps between the mask and face. Our measurements indicate that 2 or 3 layers of highly permeable fabric, such as T-shirt cloth, may block droplets with an efficacy similar to that of medical masks, while still maintaining comparable breathability. Overall, our study suggests that cloth face coverings, especially with multiple layers, may help reduce droplet transmission of respiratory infections. Furthermore, face coverings made from biodegradable fabrics such as cotton allow washing and reusing, and can help reduce the adverse environmental effects of widespread use of commercial disposable and non-biodegradable facemasks.
Kahler v. Kansas: Ask the Wrong Question, You Get the Wrong Answer

In Kahler v. Kansas, the Supreme Court held that the Kansas did not violate the Due Process Clause when it abolished the insanity defense. The outcome was predictable, but it reached its result in a particularly odd way. The Court does not say that abolition of the insanity defense is constitutional, but rather that Kansas did not really abolish the insanity defense at all. I seek to show in this article that the Court’s analysis is wrong as a matter of constitutional law and proper understanding of criminal law principles. One important lesson from this case is this: when you ask the wrong question, you get the wrong answer.
Introduction to the Special Section: The Best of the 2020 International School Choice and Reform Conference

The Journal of School Choice is pleased to present a Special Section of this issue devoted to the 2020 International School Choice and Reform Conference (ISCRC) and its annual Best Paper Prize. Wha...
Rapid Adaptation to Temperature via a Potential Genomic Island of Divergence in the Invasive Green Crab, Carcinus maenas

Widespread species often adapt easily to novel conditions – both those found in new habitats and those generated by climate change. However, rapid adaptation may be hindered in the marine realm, where long-distance dispersal and consequently high gene flow are predicted to limit potential for local adaptation. Here, we use a highly dispersive invasive marine crab to test the nature and speed of adaptation to temperature in the sea. Using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) generated from cardiac transcriptome sequencing, we characterized six populations of the European green crab (Carcinus maenas) located across parallel thermal gradients in their native and invasive ranges. We compared SNP frequencies with local temperatures and previously-generated data on cardiac heat and cold tolerance to identify candidate markers associated with population-level differences in thermal physiology. Of 10,790 SNPs, 104 were identified as frequency outliers, a signal that was strongly driven by association with temperature and/or cold tolerance. Seventy-two of these outlier markers, representing 28 different genes, were in a cluster of SNPs identified as a potential inversion polymorphism using linkage disequilibrium network analysis. This SNP cluster was unique in the data set, which was otherwise characterized by low levels of linkage disequilibrium, and markers in this cluster showed a significant enrichment of coding substitutions relative to the full SNP set. These 72 outlier SNPs appear to be transmitted as a unit, and represent a putative genomic island of divergence which varied in frequency with organismal cold tolerance. This relationship was strikingly similar across both native and invasive populations, all of which showed a very strong correlation with cold tolerance (R2 = 0.96 over all six populations). Notably, three of these populations have diverged recently (<100 years) and show little to no neutral divergence, suggesting that this genomic region may be responding to temperature on a relatively short time scale. This relationship indicates adaptation to temperature based on the action of a putative genomic island of divergence, perhaps partially explaining the extraordinary invasive ability of this species.
Carotid web prevalence in a large hospital-based cohort and its association with ischemic stroke

Background and purpose Carotid artery webs are shelf-like protrusions of intimal fibrous tissue arising from the posterior wall of the carotid bulb, found to have a 2.3% prevalence in the United States (Sajedi et al., 2019). Previous studies have demonstrated its association with ipsilateral anterior circulation stroke. (Labeyrie et al., 2020; Yu et al., 2020) The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of carotid webs in the largest US epidemiologic study to date, and to further characterize the clinical features of carotid web patients. Materials and methods We assembled a cohort of 1467 adult patients with CTA neck from 1/1/2011 - 1/1/2017. CTAs were reviewed for diagnosis of carotid web. Demographic and clinical details of web patients were obtained. Differences in demographics and CTA indication between patients with and without carotid web were assessed using appropriate statistical tests. Results 24 (24/1467=1.6%) carotid web patients were identified (mean age: 63 years; 62.5% female; 50% African American). Twelve (12/24=50%) had ipsilateral anterior circulation stroke. Of them, 8 were deemed cryptogenic. Four (4/24=16.7%) web patients had at least one recurrent stroke in the ipsilateral anterior circulation. One case was reported on the radiology report at the time the study was initially performed. Conclusion This study confirms a prevalence of 1.6% in our urban, North American cohort. Among carotid web patients, there was a high incidence of ipsilateral anterior circulation stroke, the majority of which were classified as cryptogenic. This study affirms the importance of the diagnosis of carotid web, especially in cryptogenic stroke patients, as a potential unrecognized stroke risk factor.
A Remedial Action Scheme Against False Data Injection Cyberattacks in Smart Transmission Systems: Application of Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitor (TCSC)

This paper proposes a remedial action scheme (RAS) based on thyristor controlled series capacitors (TCSCs) to cope with false data injection (FDI) cyberattacks leading to tie-line congestions in transmission systems. To develop such a RAS, a three-level framework is designed. The first level of the framework is associated with the planning phase, where strategic locations of TCSCs are determined. The second level, which is related to the operation phase, challenges the upgraded system via FDI attacks resulting in tie-line congestions. This necessitates the third level of the framework, where system operator takes advantage of a RAS based on the pre-installed TCSCs to rapidly alleviate the congestions caused by FDIs. The effectiveness of the developed framework is verified on two IEEE test systems, where it is assumed that a higher budget is spent on securing remote terminal units (RTUs) of TCSCs; hence, phasor measurement units (PMUs) are more prone to cyberattacks.
Evolution and Sex Differences in Political Engagement

The sex differences in political interests and engagement are fascinating topics and Heck and colleagues (this issue) provide an interesting model as to how explicit and implicit social messages mi...
Biosynthesis of the Fusarium Mycotoxin (-)-Sambutoxin

4-Hydroxy-2-pyridone alkaloids have attracted attention for synthetic and biosynthetic studies due to their broad biological activities and structural diversity. Here, we elucidated the pathway and chemical logic of (-)-sambutoxin (1) biosynthesis. In particular, we uncovered the enzymatic origin of the tetrahydropyran moiety and showed that the p-hydroxyphenyl group is installed via a late-stage, P450-catalyzed oxidation of the phenylalanine-derived side chain rather than via a direct incorporation of tyrosine.
Grain reorientation and stress-state evolution during cyclic loading of an α-Ti alloy below the elastic limit

Abstract High-energy synchrotron x-rays are used to track grain-averaged lattice reorientation and stress-state evolution in Ti-7Al as it is cyclically loaded to 90% of its macroscopic yield stress. This evolution provides clear indication of accumulating plastic strain even though the sample never exceeded the elastic limit. The largest changes in lattice orientation and stress state are observed following the first cycle then evolution continues at a lower rate with subsequent cycles. Variation of the axes about which lattice reorientation occurs is found to be highly dependent on the maximum resolved shear stress and corresponding activation of various families of slip systems.
Esophageal Intubation of an Infant.

A 68-day-old former 30-week infant presented with listlessness, apnea and bradycardia. The patient was intubated for airway protection. After intubation, breath sounds were auscultated bilaterally and a Pedi-Cap carbon dioxide detector had color change from purple to yellow. A nasogastric tube (NGT) was placed and a post-procedural chest radiograph was obtained (Figure). Figure Infant with endotracheal tube in the esophagus; nasogastric tube present in the stomach. White arrow indicates endotracheal tube tip. Black arrow indicates low lung volumes. There are several features of esophageal intubation: low lung volumes, esophageal and gastric distention despite NGT placement and juxtaposition of the endotracheal tube (ETT) relative to the NGT.1–2 Other findings of esophageal intubation not seen here are identification of the ETT distal to the carina or outside of the tracheal-bronchial air column.3 Due to high success rates of endotracheal intubation in the emergency department,4–5 these findings are rare and may be overlooked. In this case, misleading clinical evidence was obtained through auscultation of bilateral breath sounds, visualization of endotracheal tube condensation, positive change on the carbon dioxide colorimeter and post-procedural hemodynamic and oxygenation stability. Previous literature, however, has demonstrated false-positive colorimetric change from swallowed air with pre-intubation positive pressure ventilation,6–7 hence the importance of radiographic identification of ETT location. In this patient, esophageal intubation was recognized after continuous capnography revealed absence of waveform.
Complementarities and systems : understanding japanese economic organization

The performance of the Japanese economy in the last forty-five years, during which it has gone from post-war destitution and near collapse to one of the richest and most productive in the world, is unmatched
Health Care Experiences when Pain and Substance Use Disorder Coexist: “Just Because I'm an Addict Doesn't Mean I Don't Have Pain”

Objective To report the health care experiences of 34 individuals with coexisting substance use disorder (SUD) and chronic pain. Design Narrative inquiry qualitative study of 90-minute interviews. Setting Midwest metropolitan methadone clinic. Subjects All individuals had SUD and were treated for SUD with methadone. They all self-identified as having pain longer than 6 months. Methods This qualitative design allowed exploration of how participants made sense of events related to living with SUD and chronic pain. Narrative inquiry gives a consistent story from the participants' perspective, and researchers can perform additional analysis using the storyline. Thematic analysis occurred of their health care experiences. Results Results revealed that participants 1) spoke about how they used deception to obtain opioids when their drug cravings were out of control; 2) were disturbed by health care providers having little understanding or ability to help them with their painful condition; 3) felt they wanted to abuse opioids again when receiving poor treatment by the health care team; 4) related what went well in their health care to help them maintain their sobriety; and 5) recommended improvements on health care interventions that included effective treatment of pain. Conclusions Coexisting chronic pain and SUD create unique health care needs by mutually activating and potentiating the other. There are very few comparable studies exploring the experiences of individuals when pain and SUD coexist. The health care team can better develop treatment plans and test interventions sensitive to their unique needs when they understand the experiences of this population.