cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Type I IFN promotes NK cell expansion during viral infection by protecting NK cells against fratricide

Type I interferon (IFN) is crucial in host antiviral defense. Previous studies have described the pleiotropic role of type I IFNs on innate and adaptive immune cells during viral infection. Here, we demonstrate that natural killer (NK) cells from mice lacking the type I IFN-α receptor (Ifnar(-/-)) or STAT1 (which signals downstream of IFNAR) are defective in expansion and memory cell formation after mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection. Despite comparable proliferation, Ifnar(-/-) NK cells showed diminished protection against MCMV infection and exhibited more apoptosis compared with wild-type NK cells. Furthermore, we show that Ifnar(-/-) NK cells express increased levels of NK group 2 member D (NKG2D) ligands during viral infection and are susceptible to NK cell-mediated fratricide in a perforin- and NKG2D-dependent manner. Adoptive transfer of Ifnar(-/-) NK cells into NK cell-deficient mice reverses the defect in survival and expansion. Our study reveals a novel type I IFN-dependent mechanism by which NK cells evade mechanisms of cell death after viral infection.
Building Immunity to Contagion

During world financial crises in 1994 and 1998, most Latin American countries suffered severe contagion. But from the crisis of 2001 onward the amounts of contagion those countries suffered was less. This paper is a preliminary discussion of how several Latin American countries protected themselves from contagion.
Agent_zero and generative social science

Agent_Zero is a formal alternative to the rational actor model that has dominated social science since the 1940s. This software individual is the first to be endowed with distinct affective, deliberative, and social modules. Grounded in neuroscience, these internal facets interact to produce far-from-rational individual behavior. And when ensembles of these agents interact spatially they generate a panoply of social dynamics from genocide to financial panic to vaccine refusal. Epstein will discuss the background of Agent_Zero, demonstrate its application to an array of fields, and discuss future research directions including large-scale modeling in the economic, behavioral, and health sciences.
Design of Nonlinear Energy Harvester With Snap-Through Buckling Mechanism

Vibration energy harvesting (EH) has been initiated from linear vibration principle, which utilizes a single frequency to obtain power. Unfortunately, linear energy harvesters do not yield appreciable power because of random nature of vibration in the real world. In order to overcome the weakness of linear harvesters and account for the arbitrary nature of vibration, multiple nonlinear vibration energy harvesters have been developed and studied. This paper presents parametric study on the design of nonlinear vibration EH device that utilizes snap-through mechanism to obtain high power from broadband excitation frequency. The device is comprised of a cantilever beam with curved shell implemented in the middle of the beam. When vibrating, the curved shell causes snap-through buckling and the nature of vibration becomes nonlinear. For practical purposes, a broadband frequency vibration input is used to optimize the energy harvester design. Design variables are assigned and optimized in order to create optimal design of the energy harvester, which maximizes power output. The presented design will have positive effect by providing means to practically capturing wasted vibration energy in consideration of its broadband frequency utilization.© 2014 ASME
Breeding Efficiency on Appearance Quality of Rice Grains(Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica)

In order to improve the appearance quality of japonica rice grains,filial populations developed from hybrids crossed between japonica rice varieties from Jiangsu province,China,and Japan with good quality were used for investigating breeding efficiency on appearance quality like percentage of grains with chalkiness(PGWC),degree of endosperm chalkiness(DEC) and grain endosperm transparency(GET).The results showed that it was effective to select lines according to appearance characters of PGWC,DEC and GET in F4-F6.There existed good relationship between generations in appearance characters.When the plants showed the first class of National Standard for High Quality on appearance quality in F4 and F5,70% of the plants in the next generation would also meet the first-class standard.Possibilities of plants with good appearance quality segregated from hybrid filial populations were quite different among combinations.
Trolling as the third way of government's control over online public discourse The case of S. Korea intelligence agency

Yoon, Ho Young.May, 2016.Trolling as the third way of government's control over online public discourse,Reports,[Madison, U.S.]University of Wisconsin-Madison,35
Immigrants in the Far West: Historical Identities and Experiences. Edited by Jessie L. Embry and Brian Q. Cannon.

Immigrants in the Far West: Historical Identities and Experiences . Edited by Jessie L. Embry and Brian Q. Cannon. (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 2015. ix + 485 pp. Illustrations, maps, tables, charts, notes, bibliography, index. $29.00, paper.) The product of a 2011 conference at Brigham Young University’s Charles Redd Center for Western Studies, this anthology addresses the neglect of immigrant histories in the West. Although several essays focus on Mexican Americans and one addresses Japanese immigrants, the majority is devoted to Europeans, so often treated simply as “whites” in western history. The first section, “Who We Were and Who They Thought We Should Be,” is comprised of seven case studies with varied takes on immigrant identities and societal expectations. Brett Myhren uses three pre-1841 accounts to … eeisenbe{at}willamette.edu
Abstract 26: Long-term Blood Pressure Variability though Young Adulthood and Cognitive Function in Midlife; The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA)Study

Background: Blood pressure variability (BPV) consists of short-term BPV (e.g., diurnal BPV) and long-term BPV (e.g., visit-to-visit BPV). The prospective association of long-term BPV though young adulthood with cognition in midlife is unknown. Methods: CARDIA is a multicenter community-based study that included participants (ppts) aged 18 to 30 years at baseline (Year 0: Y0) in 1985-86 with follow-up examinations at Y2, Y5, Y7, Y10, Y15, Y20, and Y25. BP was measured at each exam, and visit-to-visit BPV was assessed by standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), maximum minus minimum BP difference (MMD), and average real variability (ARV) across 7 visits (Y0-20). Cognitive function was assessed at Y25 by the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST, a measure of psychomotor speed; n=2,318), the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT, a measure of short-term verbal memory; n=2,321), and the modified Stroop test (executive function; n=2,307). We performed separate multivariable-adjusted linear reg...
Breast Density Estimation: Correlation of Mammographic Density and MR Volumetric Density

Studies have demonstrated a strong correlation between mammographic breast density and breast cancer risk. mammographic breast density may therefore be used as a surrogate marker for monitoring the response to treatment in studies of breast cancer prevention or intervention methods. In this study, we evaluated the accuracy of using mammograms for estimating breast density by analyzing the correlation between the percent mammographic dense area and the percent glandular tissue volume as estimated from MR images. A data set of 37 patients who had corresponding MR images and mammograms was collected. The glandular tissue regions in the MR slices were segmented by a semi-automatic method and the percent glandular tissue volume calculated. mammographic breast density was estimated by an automated image analysis program. It was found that the correlation between the percent dense area of the CC and MLO views and the percent volumetric fibroglandular tissue on MR images was 0.93 and 0.91, respectively, with a mean bias of 4.4%. The high correlation indicates the usefulness of mammographic density as a surrogate for breast density estimation.
Mercury, eicosapentanoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid demonstrate limited effect on plasma paraoxonase-1 activity and blood pressure among avid seafood consumers in the Long Island Study of Seafood Consumption, NY, USA ☆ ☆☆

Abstract Background and aim Moderate fish consumption is recommended for prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD) as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have known beneficial effects on risk factors such as reducing blood pressure (BP) and increasing paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity. However concomitant methylmercury (MeHg) exposure from fish consumption may mitigate these benefits and the net effect on BP and PON-1 activity has not been extensively studied in western populations consuming diverse seafood types. We studied the correlation between EPA, DHA and Hg levels with BP and PON-1 activity in a population of avid seafood consumers. Methods Two hundred and eighty-eight avid seafood consumers from Long Island, NY had blood samples drawn for total blood mercury (THg), plasma EPA and DHA levels, and plasma PON-1 activity. Average systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and pulse pressure (PP) were measured. Results Subjects’ mean EPA + DHA was 4.9% total fatty acids, mean THg was 7.6mcg/L. Mean SBP was 122.5 mmHg, mean DBP 70.3 mmHg, mean PP 52.2 mmHg and mean PON-1 activity 421.2U/L. THg was not associated with any of the BP measures in adjusted linear regression models; EPA + DHA was significantly inversely associated with PP (p = 0.02). THg was associated with a significant increase in PON-1 activity (p = 0.04), while EPA + DHA was associated with a significant decrease in PON-1 activity (p = 0.007); although the size of the effects was small. Conclusions Our findings suggest blood THg and serum DHA + EPA levels have limited relationship to BP and PON-1 activity, and may not be important modulators of these known CHD risk factors in this population of avid seafood consumers.
Physiotherapy and walking outcomes in adults with multiple sclerosis: systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Physiotherapy treatment may result in improved walking performance among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). The existing literature is unclear as to what type of physiotherapy treatment has a larger effect on walking performance. It is further unclear regarding which domain of walking performance is improved with physiotherapy.Objective: To systematically review and quantify the effect of physiotherapy on walking performance compared with usual care in MS.Methods: A literature search of five databases was undertaken to identify randomised controlled trials of physiotherapy treatments that targeted walking outcomes. There were 21 studies that met our inclusion criteria and yielded data for effect size (ES) generation. An overall ES was calculated using a random effects model and expressed as Hedge’s g.Major findings: Physiotherapy treatments yielded a small, but statistically significant overall improvement in walking outcomes compared with usual care in persons with MS (ES = 0.25; 95% CI = ...
Second-Line Treatment of NSCLC—The Pan-ErbB Inhibitor Afatinib in Times of Shifting Paradigms

In contrast to the established role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors for the first-line treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring activating EGFR mutations, the role of EGFR blockade and of EGFR molecular testing in the second-line treatment remains less clear. The irreversible pan-ErbB family inhibitor afatinib (Gi(l)otrif®) was recently FDA- and EMA-approved for the second-line treatment of NSCLC with squamous cell histology irrespective of the EGFR mutational status (LUX-Lung 8). Contrariwise, results from the TAILOR and DELTA trials among retrospective biomarker analyses show the predictive value of the EGFR mutational status for efficacy of reversible EGFR inhibitors also as a second-line therapy. This mini review critically summarizes the current role of EGFR targeting strategies in the second-line treatment of NSCLC with special respect to afatinib in light of emerging T790M-specific EGFR and immune check point inhibitors. The review also emphasizes the urgent need for reliable biomarkers to guide therapeutic decision making and outlines prospective changes to the second-line landscape with some of the current second-line treatment concepts likely to be moved to the first-line.
Variable Information Quality, Ambiguity, and Stock Returns

Prevailing theories suggest that the quality of information about the macroeconomy is an important determinant of the equity premium. However, the empirical relationship between information quality and the equity premium has been obscured by the difficulty of measuring time-varying information quality, which is dynamically intertwined with uncertainty. By solving a nonlinear filtering problem, I extract the time series of information quality from data on professional forecasters, while differentiating information quality from uncertainty, volatility, and heterogeneity. Surprisingly, I find that the equity premium increases with information quality in contrast to standard asset pricing theory. In the U.S. stock market, a one-standard-deviation increase in information quality predicts a 3% increase in quarterly excess market returns with R2 up to 7.4% (and out-of-sample R2 up to 6.1%). Furthermore, information quality outperforms all the predictors studied in Goyal and Welch (2008) both in-sample and out-of-sample, while improving the return predictability by the dividend-price ratio. This strong evidence of return predictability is very robust to various specifications. Also, information quality is negatively correlated with the real risk-free rate, as opposed to the predictions of standard asset pricing theory. I propose a stylized consumption-based model of ambiguity aversion to future signals. This new model can simultaneously account for all these empirical findings and the equity premium puzzle, unlike the existing preferences: CRRA, Epstein-Zin, and ambiguity aversion to the mean growth rate, introduced by Ju and Miao (2012). Three components of the model-implied stochastic discount factor --- information quality, uncertainty, and aggregate signal --- explain up to 83% of the cross-sectional variation in the average returns on size, book-to-market, and momentum-sorted portfolios.
The Challenges of Linking Pay and Promotion: Repeated Reforms of the European Commission Staff Appraisal Process

In response to the 1999 crisis caused by the mass resignation of the European Commission, the Commission introduced a series of administrative reforms based in large part on New Public Management models. A centerpiece of those reforms was a new staff appraisal process linking numeric ratings with promotions, which was designed explicitly to change the management culture of the Commission. Of all parts of the reform, this was by far the most controversial. This paper traces the long arc of reform, as the original reform was replaced with a second version that was even more rigid and complex, leading to a third reform, in 2012, which returned the Commission in large part to the status quo ante, abandoning numeric ratings and the formal link to promotions. I analyze the reasons for the reforms and the problems and unintended consequences of each. In conclusion, I link this saga of repeated reforms to the broader literature on the effectiveness of attempts to change organizational culture through formal structural reforms.
Descriptive Analysis of State and Federal Spine Surgery Malpractice Litigation in the United States

Study Design.A retrospective review.Objective.This study aimed to determine the factors associated with malpractice litigation in cases involving spine surgery in the United States.Summary of Background Data.Medical malpractice is of substantial interest to the medical community due to concerns of i
Correlation between angiographic stenosis and physiologic venous sinus outflow obstruction in idiopathic intracranial hypertension

Introduction The relationship between degree of angiographic venous sinus stenosis and the trans-stenosis pressure gradient magnitude in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is poorly understood. The present study aimed to assess the utility of angiography, venography, and non-invasive imaging (MRV or CTV) for the diagnosis and characterization of clinically significant VSS. Methods Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database was performed to identify patients with medically refractory IIH who were evaluated by angiography and venous manometry for the presence of VSS with associated clinically significant pressure gradient. Angiographic stenosis was measured by two independent raters using novel methodology. Results Thirty-seven patients met inclusion criteria for the study. In total, 70% of patients had clinically significant pressure gradients and were selected for stenting. The optimal percentage stenosis for detection of a significant pressure gradient was 34% stenosis on venous phase arteriography (sensitivity 0.81 and specificity 0.91) and 31% stenosis on venography (0.92 and 0.73). For every 10% increase in stenosis, an approximate increase in pressure gradient of 3.5 mmHg is seen. MRV/CTV had a calculated sensitivity of 0.42, and a negative predictive value of 22%. Conclusion The degree of stenosis predictive of a clinically significant pressure gradient (30–35%) in the venous sinuses is considerably lower than the arterial stenosis at which pathologic hemodynamic alterations occur. While highly predictive of a venous pressure gradient when a stenosis is identified, non-invasive imaging does not appear to be a suitable diagnostic evaluation for the purpose of ruling out clinically significant cerebral VSS.
An Optimal Learning Algorithm for Online Unconstrained Submodular Maximization

We consider a basic problem at the interface of two fundamental fields: submodular optimization and online learning. In the online unconstrained submodular maximization (online USM) problem, there is a universe \([n]=\{1,2,\ldots,n\}\) and a sequence of \(T\) nonnegative (not necessarily monotone) submodular functions arrive over time. The goal is to design a computationally efficient online algorithm, which chooses a subset of \([n]\) at each time step as a function only of the past, such that the accumulated value of the chosen subsets is as close as possible to the maximum total value of a fixed subset in hindsight. Our main result is a polynomial-time no-\(\tfrac 12\)-regret algorithm for this problem, meaning that for every sequence of nonnegative submodular functions, the algorithm's expected total value is at least \(\tfrac{1}{2}\) times that of the best subset in hindsight, up to an error term sublinear in \(T\). The factor of \(\tfrac 12\) cannot be improved upon by any polynomial-time online algorithm, unless \(NP = RP\). Prior to our work, the best result known was that picking a subset uniformly at random in every time step achieves no \(\tfrac 14\)-regret. A byproduct of our techniques is an explicit subroutine for the two-experts problem that has an unusually strong regret guarantee: the total value of its choices is comparable to twice the total value of either expert on rounds it did not pick that expert. This subroutine may be of independent interest.
Active sites on well-characterized Pd/SiO2 determined by (−)-apopinene deuteriumation, cyclohexene hydrogenation, and CS2 titration

Cyclohexene and (−)-apopinene were hydrogenated over various Pd/SiO 2 catalysts, and their turnover frequencies (TOFs) and numbers of active sites, from CS 2 titration (CS 2 -sites), are reported. (−)-Apopinene TOFs and CS 2 -sites increase with increasing dispersion, but with the same increase in dispersion cyclohexene TOFs decrease and CS 2 -sites pass through a maximum. The more complex structure of (−)-apopinene makes it difficult to adsorb on the planes, on which cyclohexene can adsorb readily. Thus (−)-apopinene exhibits lower activity than cyclohexene on planes but higher activity on edges and corners.
Stress and Coping in an Ethnic Minority Context

Because ethnic minority children are disproportionately exposed to stressful life conditions such as family poverty, diminished community resources, and racial discrimination, minority children as a group are assumed to be at increased risk for mental health problems. This assumption derives apparent support from the numerous social problems that are reported to occur to a greater extent within some minority communities: school dropout, teenage parenthood, alcohol and substance use, juvenile delinquency, and youth violence. In fact, however, very little is known about the mental health status of ethnic and racial minority children in the United States, including why some minority children may be at greater risk than others for poor mental health.
Teachers' Beliefs about Student Learning and Motivation

In this chapter we focus on teachers’ beliefs about student learning and motivation and their manifestation in classroom instruction. Teachers’ beliefs appear to reflect longstanding attitudes, “common sense,” and their experiences in education rather than research-based knowledge about learning and motivation. Because teachers’ beliefs play a significant role in shaping their instructional behaviors, and thus what students learn, it is important to examine their characteristics, their content, and their expression. Specifically, we address three questions about teachers’ beliefs and student learning and motivation: (a) What are beliefs and how do they develop? (b) What beliefs do teachers appear to hold about student learning and motivation? and (c) How do teachers’ beliefs and instruction change? We illustrate some of these relationships with examples from our research on motivation and learning in mathematics classrooms. Therefore, we have chosen to focus mostly on practicing, as opposed to preservice, teachers. We conclude the chapter by emphasizing the importance of investigating the contexts of teacher beliefs, which are essential for understanding how beliefs develop, the congruencies between beliefs and practice, and the arduous process of belief change.
Photometry of Extended Sources

As a contribution to the continuing struggle for precision and reliability in photographic surface photometry with Schmidt telescopes the following sections review some of the main sources of errors and ways to avoid them, where possible.
A Novel Mobile Phone Text Messaging Platform Improves Collection of Patient-Reported Post-operative Pain and Opioid Use Following Orthopedic Surgery:

BackgroundProspective collection of patient-reported opioid consumption and pain levels post-surgically may hold value in highlighting solutions related to the opioid crisis. Traditional methods fo...
Correction: Enantioselective, convergent synthesis of the ineleganolide core by a tandem annulation cascade.

Correction for ‘Enantioselective, convergent synthesis of the ineleganolide core by a tandem annulation cascade’ by Robert A. Craig II et al., Chem. Sci., 2017, 8, 507–514.
Brønsted Acid Scaling Relationships Enable Control Over Product Selectivity from O2 Reduction with a Mononuclear Cobalt Porphyrin Catalyst.

The selective reduction of O2, typically with the goal of forming H2O, represents a long-standing challenge in the field of catalysis. Macrocyclic transition-metal complexes, and cobalt porphyrins in particular, have been the focus of extensive study as catalysts for this reaction. Here, we show that the mononuclear Co-tetraarylporphyrin complex, Co(porOMe) (porOMe = meso-tetra(4-methoxyphenyl)porphyrin), catalyzes either 2e–/2H+ or 4e–/4H+ reduction of O2 with high selectivity simply by changing the identity of the Bronsted acid in dimethylformamide (DMF). The thermodynamic potentials for O2 reduction to H2O2 or H2O in DMF are determined and exhibit a Nernstian dependence on the acid pKa, while the CoIII/II redox potential is independent of the acid pKa. The reaction product, H2O or H2O2, is defined by the relationship between the thermodynamic potential for O2 reduction to H2O2 and the CoIII/II redox potential: selective H2O2 formation is observed when the CoIII/II potential is below the O2/H2O2 potenti...
Discussion: neurophysiological substrates of behavioral habituation and conditioning.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the neurophysiological substrates of conditioning. It also discusses that it is useful to partition learning or conditioning into subsets of measurable behavioral operations deriving consequentially from corresponding sets of underlying processes or substrates mediated through selected populations of neurons. Another aspect of processes underlying conditioned behavior concerns their anatomical representation. Ostensibly and superficially similar conditioned behaviors can depend, anatomically, on quite different parts of the brain. Another point of relevance to biological processes subserving conditioning is the physiological locus of the processes. One might wish to distinguish among various types of process-loci. One would involve pre- or in-trasynaptic changes, which can affect synaptic potency. Another point characterizing processes subserving conditioning concerns the stochastic interaction of functionally related populations of neurons. It appears increasingly likely that coding and transmission of information relevant to the performance of very simple conditioned reflexes are subserved via changes in synaptic potency or cellular excitability over functionally related ensembles or sets of units.
A Systematic Investigation of Replications in Computing Education Research

As the societal demands for application and knowledge in computer science (CS) increase, CS student enrollment keeps growing rapidly around the world. By continuously improving the efficacy of computing education and providing guidelines for learning and teaching practice, computing education research plays a vital role in addressing both educational and societal challenges that emerge from the growth of CS students. Given the significant role of computing education research, it is important to ensure the reliability of studies in this field. The extent to which studies can be replicated in a field is one of the most important standards for reliability. Different fields have paid increasing attention to the replication rates of their studies, but the replication rate of computing education was never systematically studied. To fill this gap, this study investigated the replication rate of computing education between 2009 and 2018. We examined 2,269 published studies from three major conferences and two major journals in computing education, and found that the overall replication rate of computing education was 2.38%. This study demonstrated the need for more replication studies in computing education and discussed how to encourage replication studies through research initiatives and policy making.
The shapes of US cities: Revisiting the classic population density functions using crowdsourced geospatial data:

The declining pattern of population density from city centres to the outskirts has been widely observed in American cities. Such a pattern reflects a trade-off between housing price/commuting cost ...
Phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance of double- and triple-helical nucleic acids. Phosphorus-31 chemical shifts as a probe of phosphorus-oxygen ester bond torsional angles.

The temperature dependence to the 31P NMR spectra of poly[d(GC)] . poly [d(GC)],d(GC)4, phenylalanine tRNA (yeast) and mixtures of poly(A) + oligo(U) is presented. The 31P NMR spectra of mixtures of complementary RNA and of the poly d(GC) self-complementary DNA provide torsional information on the phosphate ester conformation in the double, triple, and "Z" helix. The increasing downfield shift with temperature of the single-strand nucleic acids provides a measure of the change in the phosphate ester conformation in the single helix to coil conversion. A separate upfield peak (20-60% of the total phosphates) is observed at lower temperatures in the oligo(U) . poly(A) mixtures which is assigned to the double helix/triple helix. Proton NMR and UV spectra confirm the presence of the multistrand forms. The 31P chemical shift for the double helix/triple helix is 0.2-0.5 ppm upfield from the chemical shift for the single helix which in turn is 1.0 ppm upfield from the chemical shift for the random coil conformation.
Amyloidosis in surgically resected atrial appendages: a study of 345 consecutive cases with clinical implications

Histomorphologic parameters of atrial appendages removed during the Cox-Maze procedure have been shown to correlate with recurrence of atrial fibrillation. While amyloid deposition has been noted within atrial appendages, the incidence and significance remains incompletely understood. More accurate amyloid typing methodologies and targeted pharmacotherapeutics have recently been developed, prompting pathologists to provide more detailed information about the type of amyloid identified in such samples. This study sought to fully characterize the morphologic characteristics of atrial amyloid as well as its incidence and clinical significance. Tissue archives were queried for atrial appendages removed during the cardiac surgeries (2010-2014). Patient demographics, imaging features, and salient clinical findings were recorded. Pattern and extent of amyloid deposition were recorded. Typing of the amyloid protein, when present, was performed on a subset of cases by laser capture microdissection with mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis. A total of 383 atrial appendages from 345 consecutive patients were included in the study (mean age, 69 years; range, 26-92 years). Amyloid was present in 46% of patients. A linear relationship was observed between age and presence of atrial amyloidosis. Women were more likely to have atrial amyloidosis. Two distinct morphologies of amyloid were observed: filamentous and nonfilamentous, and correlated perfectly with amyloid type (filamentous = AANF-type amyloid; nonfilamentous = ATTR-type amyloid). Filamentous deposits were observed in 91% of those with amyloid. Amyloid was more likely to be found in the left atrial appendage than the right. Patients with atrial amyloid, irrespective of type, were more likely to have experienced stroke or TIA and more likely to have atrial arrhythmia preoperatively. Postoperatively, those with atrial amyloid are more likely to experience recurrence of arrhythmia than those who did not have atrial amyloid. Understanding the morphologic characteristics of AANF-type amyloid will allow for identification by the light microscopy and obviates the need for expensive ancillary typing techniques. The finding of nonfilamentous amyloid, should still prompt confirmation of amyloid type so that targeted therapy may be employed.
Nuclear power is clean and safe

Abstract The electricity in the interconnected commercial grid comes from many sources including fossil fuels, renewable energies (e.g., solar and wind), and nuclear energy. The energy harvested from nuclear fission sources is clean, it does not release greenhouse gases to the environment, and it does not contribute to climate change. Moreover, nuclear sourced electricity is the safest type for civilian use. In the United States and around the globe, the number of human deaths per kilowatt hour of generated electricity from nuclear sources is five orders of magnitude lower than for coal and other hydrocarbon sources. Nuclear electricity is even safer than solar or wind electricity. Nuclear power was first used for military purposes, especially for the propulsion of submarines. However, in the early 1950s, the United Nations program of Atoms for Peace, both the United States and the Soviet Union developed their first civilian nuclear power plants which were connected to their respective grids in the late 1950s. At around this time, the trusted fuel rod pair of zirconium alloy cladding containing pellets of urania fuel was born and used for many decades since. Currently, there are approximately 30 nations which use 451 civilian reactors to generate electricity. The largest expansion of nuclear reactors was in the decades of 1970s and 1980s. In 2019 there were 54 new reactors under construction, mainly in Asia.
The ethics of risk displacement in research and public policy.

We identify three distinct ethical problems that can arise with risk displacement. Risk displacement is the shifting of extant risk from one or more individuals to other individual(s) such that the reduction of risk to the first group is causally implicated in increasing risk to the second group. These problems are: concentration of risk in inequitable ways; transfer of risk to already vulnerable or disadvantaged populations; and exercise of undue influence over potential research participants. The first two arise in both public policy and research initiatives, whereas the third is a special concern that only applies to research initiatives. We argue that when one or more of these is of high magnitude, then the study or policy intervention may be ethically wrong. Finally, we conclude that although some risk displacement is ethically permissible, researchers and policymakers still have ethical reasons to reduce the magnitude of these problems.
Designing heterotropically activated allosteric conformational switches using supercharging.

Heterotropic allosteric activation of protein function, in which binding of one ligand thermodynamically activates the binding of another, different ligand or substrate, is a fundamental control mechanism in metabolism and as such has been a long-aspired capability in protein design. Here we show that greatly increasing the magnitude of a protein’s net charge using surface supercharging transforms that protein into an allosteric ligand- and counterion-gated conformational molecular switch. To demonstrate this we first modified the designed helical bundle hemoprotein H4, creating a highly charged protein which both unfolds reversibly at low ionic strength and undergoes the ligand-induced folding transition commonly observed in signal transduction by intrinsically disordered proteins in biology. As a result of the high surface-charge density, ligand binding to this protein is allosterically activated up to 1,300-fold by low concentrations of divalent cations and the polyamine spermine. To extend this process further using a natural protein, we similarly modified Escherichia coli cytochrome b562 and the resulting protein behaves in a like manner. These simple model systems not only establish a set of general engineering principles which can be used to convert natural and designed soluble proteins into allosteric molecular switches useful in biodesign, sensing, and synthetic biology, the behavior we have demonstrated––functional activation of supercharged intrinsically disordered proteins by low concentrations of multivalent ions––may be a control mechanism utilized by Nature which has yet to be appreciated.
Oral Candidiasis in a Migraine Patient Taking Erenumab and Galcanezumab: a Case Report

Currently, there are three FDA-approved injectable calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists, namely erenumab-aooe, galcanezumab-gnlm, and fremanezumab, all approved in 2018. There is no documented evidence of any fungal infections with these medications. We report a patient with oral candidiasis after administration of erenumab and galcanezumab for migraine headaches. Per the literature, the presence of candida stimulates sensory neural tissue to release CGRP, which then in turn leads to the signaling of dendritic cells to release vital cytokines such as interleukin-23 (IL-23) (Kashem et al. in Trends Immunol. 37(7):440–50, 2016). CGRP is involved in the cutaneous exposure to antigens, leading to its release and subsequent signaling pathway. The disruption of this cascade could lead to a decrease in the innate immune response to candida infection, thus leading to its proliferation. A 48-year-old female with a diagnosis of migraine headache presents with oral candidiasis after anti-CGRP medications, erenumab, and galcanezumab, an adverse effect not yet reported to our knowledge. Long-term anti-CGRP effects on human physiology are not yet understood due to the relatively novelty of these medications. We review the literature to support our proposition that CGRP is involved in antifungal immunity, and its antagonism incurs susceptibility to candidiasis.
Value of transvaginal ultrasonic in the diagnosis of early cervical carcinoma and cervical neoplasis

Objective To study the clinical diagnostic value of transvaginal ultrasonic in early cervical carcinema and cervical neoplasis.Methotis The suspected patients with cervical carcinoma and cervical neoplasis were detected with transvaginal ultrasonography,liquid based cytology and cervical biopsy.The sonograms of transvaginal ultrasonic were retrospectively analyzed.Results In early cervical carcinoma and cervical neoplasis,the diagnostic sensitivity of transvaglnal ultrasonic was 90.9%and 83.3%;and the diagnostic specifity of transvaginal ultrasonic was 70.6% and 60.0%;the rate of missed diagnosis of transvaginal ultrasonic was 9.1% and 16.7%.Conclusion Transvaginal ultrasonic plays an important part in the clinical diagnosis of early cervical carcinoma. Key words: Cervical carcinoma; Cervical neoplasis; Transvaginal ultrasonic
What Difference Does It Make? The Story of a Lesbian Teacher

In this article, Carla Rensenbrink explores the question of what difference it makes to be a lesbian teacher herself and for her students. Rensenbrink focuses her exploration by telling the story of Rosemary Trowbridge, a fifth-grade teacher who comes out as a lesbian to her students and colleagues. Drawing on interviews and visits to Rosemary's classroom, the author notes ways in which Rosemary's lesbianism does make a positive difference in the classroom. She makes connections between Rosemary's identity as a lesbian and the fact that her classroom represents a safe place where students feel comfortable questioning the culture and taking an active stand.
A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Study of Self-Reported Physical Activity and Depression Among Breast, Gynecologic, and Thoracic Cancer Survivors.

Objectives To describe cancer survivors' self-reported frequency and intensity of physical activity and depression. Sample & setting 1,412 breast (n = 375), gynecologic (n = 369), and thoracic (n = 668) cancer survivors at an urban comprehensive cancer center between July 2017 and December 2018. Methods & variables Attainment of recommended physical activity was assessed using the Godin-Shepard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire, and depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-2 or PHQ-9. Abstracted characteristics, including age, sex, race, years since diagnosis, pain, body mass index, smoking, and marital and employment status, were also assessed. Results 872 patients were insufficiently active, and 105 patients reported some level of depression. Breast cancer survivors were significantly more likely to attain recommended activity levels than gynecologic or thoracic survivors. There was no intergroup difference in the incidence or severity of depression. Implications for nursing Nurses working with survivors should assess physical activity and support patients to meet weekly exercise duration and intensity recommendations.
Does Past Success Lead Analysts to Become Overconfident

This paper provides evidence that analysts who have predicted earnings more accurately than the median analyst in the previous four quarters tend to be simultaneously less accurate and further from the consensus forecast in their subsequent earnings prediction. This phenomenon is economically and statistically meaningful. The results are robust to different estimation techniques and different control variables. Our findings are consistent with an attribution bias that leads analysts who have experienced a short-lived success to become overconfident in their ability to forecast future earnings.
Early-Onset Parkinsonism and Early-Onset Parkinson’s Disease: A Population-Based Study (2010-2015)

Background Early-onset Parkinson's disease (EOPD), occurring between ages 40 and 55, carries social, societal, and personal consequences and may progress, with fewer comorbidities than typical, later-onset disease. Objective To examine the incidence and survival of EOPD and other Parkinsonism occurring before age 55 in the population-based cohort of residents in seven Minnesota counties. Methods A movement-disorder specialist reviewed all the medical records in a 2010-2015 Parkinsonism-incident cohort to confirm diagnosis and subtypes. Results We identified 27 patients diagnosed at ≤ 50 years with incident Parkinsonism 2010-15:11 (41%) cases of EOPD, 13 (48%) drug-induced Parkinsonism, and 3 (11%) other Parkinsonism; we also identified 69 incident cases of Parkinsonism ≤ 55 years, of which 28 (41%) were EOPD, 28 (41%) DIP, and 13 (19%) other Parkinsonism. Overall incidence for Parkinsonism ≤ 50 years was 1.98/100,000 person-years, and for EOPD was 0.81/100,000 person-years. In patients ≤ 55 years, Parkinsonism incidence was 5.05/100,000 person-years: in EOPD, 2.05/100,000 person-years. Levodopa-induced dyskinesia was present in 45%of EOPD (both ≤ 50 years and ≤ 55 years). Onset of cardinal motor symptoms was proximate to the diagnosis of EOPD, except for impaired postural reflexes, which occurred later in the course of EOPD. Among the 69 Parkinsonism cases ≤ 55 years, 9 (13%; all male) were deceased (only 1 case of EOPD). Men had a higher mortality risk compared to women (p = 0.049). Conclusion The incidence of EOPD ≤ 50 years was 0.81/100,000 person-years (1.98 in Parkinsonism all type); prior to ≤ 55 years was 2.05/100,000 person-years (5.05 in Parkinsonism all type) with higher incidence in men than women. Men with Parkinsonism, all type, had higher mortality compared to women.
WEAK LINKS AMONG RISK, RETURN AND VOLUME IN TIME AND FREQUENCY DOMAINS

The classical portfolio theory suggests that higher returns of an asset are justified by the higher risk it carries, supported by multi-factor cross-sectional regressions. By investigating the time...
Fibrosis in the central nervous system: from the meninges to the vasculature

Formation of a collagenous connective tissue scar after penetrating injuries to the brain or spinal cord has been described and investigated for well over 100 years. However, it was studied almost exclusively in the context of penetrating injuries that resulted in infiltration of meningeal fibroblasts, which raised doubts about translational applicability to most CNS injuries where the meninges remain intact. Recent studies demonstrating the perivascular niche as a source of fibroblasts have debunked the traditional view that a fibrotic scar only forms after penetrating lesions that tear the meninges. These studies have led to a renewed interest in CNS fibrosis not only in the context of axon regeneration after spinal cord injury, but also across a spectrum of CNS disorders. Arising with this renewed interest is some discrepancy about which perivascular cell gives rise to the fibrotic scar, but additional studies are beginning to provide some clarity. Although mechanistic studies on CNS fibrosis are still lacking, the similarities to fibrosis of other organs should provide important insight into how CNS fibrosis can be therapeutically targeted to promote functional recovery.
Modified Interaction Process Analysis as a Macroergonomic Method of Analyzing Communication Patterns in Construction

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS This article reviews methods for observing, collecting, and analyzing communication data among individuals and teams in the complex sociotechnical system of construction. Based on this review, and the results from a case study, one method is considered the most suitable method: interaction process analysis. Interaction process analysis is further modified for use within construction work operations. Subsequent to collecting and analyzing interaction data, practitioners can implement corrective actions to promote an environment of collaborative interaction among team members. While implementing collaboration is considered critical for the success of interdisciplinary teams, modified IPA will enable the practitioners to gather the baseline information before making any modifications to the team dynamics.TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Background: Construction projects are characterized by diverse personnel working together for short periods and then disbanding to work on other ventures. Conside...
Effects of tibolone and its metabolites on Angiopoietin-1, Tie-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha mRNA in Ishikawa cells. Implication for tibolone's effects on the endometrium.

Abstract Objective To determine the effect of 17β-estradiol, medroxyprogesterone acetate, tibolone and tibolone metabolites on Angiopoietin-1, Tie-2, and tumor necrosis factor-α in Ishikawa cells, in vitro. We hypothesized that differential effects on angiogenic factors or inflammatory cytokines by individual hormones may be related to the endometrial bleeding in postmenopausal women using hormone therapy. Design Ishikawa cells were cultured to 80% confluence, in vitro. After 24 h incubation in serum-free media, 1.0, 0.1 and 0.01 μM of 17β-estradiol, medroxyprogesterone acetate, tibolone, 3α-hydroxytibolone, 3β-hydroxytibolone, and Δ4-tibolone were added to the Ishikawa cells. The cells plus steroids were then incubated for a further 24 h. Total RNA was extracted from control and treated Ishikawa cells. After reverse transcription, Angiopoietin-1, Tie-2, tumor necrosis factor-α, and β-actin cDNAs were amplified in a polymerase chain reaction spiked with 33p-dCTP. Relative abundance of Angiopoietin-1, Tie-2, and tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA was measured by scintillation spectroscopy. Results 17β-Estradiol and medroxyprogesterone acetate increased Angiopoietin-1 mRNA significantly higher than control, tibolone and tibolone hydroxy metabolites. Δ4-Tibolone at all concentrations tested did not increase Angiopoietin-1. None of the steroids tested at any concentration altered Tie-2 mRNA expression compared to control. 17β-Estradiol at 1.0 and 0.1 μM increased tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA significantly higher than control. Medroxyprogesterone acetate only at 1.0 μM increased tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA above control levels. Tibolone, 3α-hydroxytibolone, 3β-hydroxytibolone, and Δ4-tibolone at every concentration had no effect on tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA abundance. Conclusions Δ4-Tibolone did not stimulate Angiopoietin-1, while the other steroids had differential effects greater than control. None of the steroids changed the expression of Tie-2 mRNA. Tumor necrosis factor-α was increased by 17β-estradiol and by the highest concentration of medroxyprogesterone acetate. We interpret these results as supportive of our hypothesis that differential effects on angiogenic factors or inflammatory cytokines by individual steroids may be related to the clinical occurrence of endometrial bleeding in postmenopausal women using hormone therapy.