cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
40-P : OPTIMIZATION OF LIVING DONATION IN ANTI-HLA ANTIBODY SENSITIZED PATIENTS UTILIZING KIDNEY PAIRED DONATION AND HLAMATCHMAKER

Aim Current HLA Kidney Paired Donation (KPD) matching criteria may not always offer the best matched kidney that would result in minimum immunologic effects and maximal life of the transplanted organ. To optimize the KPD approach in anti-HLA sensitized patients, it would be best to match kidneys by identifying acceptable mismatches, ie, mismatches without immunologic consequences. A retrospective analysis for the improvement of optimal KPD matching in highly anti-HLA sensitized patients was performed by extending the matching criteria with the utilization of HLAMatchmaker. Methods Forty incompatible living donor pairs were used in this study. Inclusion criteria included (a) patient and donor recipient pairs that were incompatible due to ABO and/or positive flow crossmatch results, (b) patient cPRA of 50% or higher, (c) patients and recipients with allele-level HLA typing, and (d) patients with specific HLA antibody identification results. The incompatible donor-recipient pairs were analyzed for a local pilot KPD program using the IKx software. Acceptable donor-pairs were determined based on the avoidance of donor-specific antibodies (DSA). HLA antigen matching and the number of mismatched eplets were compared based on the optimal matches generated by current HLA matching criteria for KPD and by HLAMatchmaker alone. Results The results show that HLAMatchmaker generated a greater number (60%) of donor-recipient matches with low immunologic consequences as compared to current KPD matching criteria (26%). HLAMatchmaker allowed for 90% (36/40) of the recipients to be matched with a compatible donor and KPD allowed for 86% (35/40) compatible matched pairs. Conclusions The use of HLAMatchmaker in conjunction with current KPD algorithm for pairing patients and donors will result in low immunologic long-term kidney transplant outcomes.
A METHODOLOGY FOR OPTIMIZING SELLING TIME OF SALESPERSONS

The objective of this study is to examine the relationships between sales effort, measured by time spent on an account, and resulting sales. The study describes and tests a model that was developed...
Printing functional substrate for flexible electronics

With the rapid development of electronics industry, the printed circuit board (PCB) is the most important indispensable components for various kinds of products such as military, medical, appliances and consumer electronics. At the beginning, the construction of integration of electronic components by PCB process is single layer and double layer process. Until now, the yield of multilayer process with a lot of packaging technology is very high and the stability is good. However, all the traditional PCB process is photolithography process. This procedure is not only using a lot of chemicals and special materials, but also making a variety of organic and heavy metals pollutions. Besides, the equipment of photolithography process is very expensive. Therefore, the target of electronics industry in the future are green manufacturing process and relatively low equipment costs.
The United States: The Use and Determination of Foreign Law in Civil Litigation in the United States

In the United States, federal and state courts do not consider the possible applicability of foreign law ex officio: unless a party raises the applicability of foreign law and proves its content, forum law applies. This article details the statutory and case law as well as the evolution to a solution that retains the initial burden on the parties but provides for cooperation between court and parties for the determination of the content of the foreign law and makes the court’s decision thereon appealable. Tables contain references to the law of each of the states of the United States.
Symphylus caribbeanus Kirkaldy (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae): New Distribution and Host-Plant Records of a Seldom-Collected Shield Bug

Florida, Georgia, and Texas are the only previous records for the mainly Neotropical shield bug Symphylus caribbeanus Kirkaldy in the United States. The record for Georgia, however, is based on a misidentification of Stethaulax marmoratus (Say). The first valid record for Georgia and first record for South Carolina extend the distribution of Sy. caribbeanus based on recent collecting; new state records based on museum specimens are Alabama, Mississippi and North Carolina. Nymphs and adults were observed in South Carolina on fruits of yaupon (Ilex vomitoria; Aquifoliaceae) and in Florida on fruits of Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolius; Anacardiaceae); an adult was taken in Georgia on fruits of wax myrtle (Morella cerifera; Myricaceae). Most previously recorded plant associations might not be true hosts that support nymphal development. Although the relatively late report of Sy. caribbeanus from the United States (1914 in Florida) suggests an adventive status, this scutellerid might be a native, but long unrecognized species of the Floridian fauna. The later report from southern Texas (1977) might represent range expansion from northern Mexico. Images of nymphs (instars IV, V) and adults of the color morphs observed in South Carolina are presented.
Factor XIII cotreatment with hemostatic agents in hemophilia A increases fibrin α‐chain crosslinking

Background Hemophilia A results from the absence, deficiency, or inhibition of factor VIII (FVIII). Bleeding is treated with hemostatic agents (FVIII, recombinant activated factor VIIa [rFVIIa], anti-inhibitor coagulation complex [FEIBA], or recombinant porcine FVIII [rpFVIII]). Despite treatment, some patients have prolonged bleeding. Factor XIII-A2B2 (FXIII) is a protransglutaminase. During clot contraction, thrombin-activated FXIII (FXIIIa) crosslinks fibrin and α2-antiplasmin, which promotes red blood cell retention and increases clot stability and weight. We hypothesized that FXIII co-treatment in hemophilia would accelerate FXIII activation, leading to increased fibrin crosslinking. Methods FVIII-deficient plasma and whole blood were clotted with or without hemostatic agents (FVIII, rFVIIa, FEIBA or rpFVIII) and/or FXIII. Effects on FXIII activation, thrombin generation, fibrin and α2-antiplasmin crosslinking, clot formation, and clot weight were measured by western blotting, calibrated automated thrombography, thromboelastography, and clot contraction assays. Results Compared to FVIII-treated hemophilic plasma, FVIII+FXIII co-treatment accelerated FXIIIa formation without increasing thrombin generation. Compared to buffer- or FXIII-treated hemophilic plasma, FVIII treatment and FVIII+FXIII co-treatment increased the generation and amount of crosslinked fibrin, including α-chain-rich high molecular weight species and crosslinked α2-antiplasmin. In the presence of FVIII inhibitors, compared to hemostatic treatments (rFVIIa, FEIBA or rpFVIII) alone, FXIII co-treatment increased whole blood clot weight. Conclusion In hemophilia A plasma and whole blood, FXIII co-treatment with hemostatic agents accelerated FXIIIa formation, increased the generation and amount of fibrin α-chain crosslinked species, accelerated α2-antiplasmin crosslinking, and increased clot weight. FXIII co-treatment with hemostatic therapy may augment hemostasis through increased crosslinking of fibrin and α2-antiplasmin. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The effect of transformational obstacles on new product development by emerging market firms

In this study, we examine the effect of obstacles to resource access and utilisation - referred to as transformational obstacles - on new product development (NPD) by emerging market firms. We posit that it is challenging for emerging market firms to access the resources and inputs required for strategic initiatives such as NPD. Using firm-level data from more than 10,000 firms across 30 countries, we show that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between transformational obstacles and NPD. We also examine the moderating effect of regulatory support, bribery and urban location on this direct relationship.
The Relationship between Dividend Payout and Price to Earnings

Using a large database of all S&P 1500 index firms spanning an 88-quarter period from 1995 through 2016, we document that market cap (firm size), book-to-market ratio (a proxy for market perception of (inverse of) growth potential) and industry all matter for determining PE levels as a function of payout levels. In particular, current-period dividend payout is significantly and positively correlated with next period Price-to-Earnings (PE) ratio for high market cap firms, and significantly and negatively correlated for high book-to-market firms. However, once the PE levels are determined, current period dividend payout change is significantly and negatively associated with next period PE change. We find evidence supporting an argument that an increase in current period payout signals reduced investment opportunities and increased risk, which reduce PE ratios. Thus, modeling determinants of PE must take into account industry, size, risk and market perception of growth potential for a firm.
Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Bi- and Trimetallic Octacyanometalate(IV) Complexes: [Δ,Λ-MII(en)3][cis-MII(en)2(OH2)][MIV(CN)8]·2H2O and [cis-MII(en)2(OH2)]2[(μ-NC)2MIV(CN)6]·4H2O (MII = Mn, Co, Ni; MIV = Mo, W)

Treatment of [MII(en)3][OTs]2 or methanolic ethylenediamine solutions containing transition metal p-toluenesulfonates (MII = Mn, Co) with aqueous K4MIV(CN)8·2H2O or Cs3MV(CN)8 (MIV = Mo, W; MV = Mo...
A comparison of direct aspiration versus stent retriever as a first approach (’COMPASS'): protocol

Background and objective Acute ischemic stroke is a potentially devastating condition and leading cause of morbidity and mortality, affecting an estimated 800 000 people per year in the USA. The natural history of untreated or unrevascularized large vessel occlusions in acute stroke patients results in mortality rates approaching 30%, with only 25% achieving good neurologic outcomes at 90 days. Recently, data have demonstrated that early endovascular recanalization of large vessel occlusions results in better outcomes than medical therapy alone. However, the majority of patients in these studies were treated with a stent retriever based approach. The purpose of COMPASS is to evaluate whether patients treated with a direct aspiration first pass (ADAPT) approach have non-inferior functional outcomes to those treated with a stent retriever as the firstline (SRFL) approach. Materials and methods All patients who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria and consent to participate will be enrolled at participating centers. Treatment will be randomly assigned by a central web based system in a 1:1 manner to treatment with either ADAPT or SRFL thrombectomy. Statistical methodology is prespecified with details available in the statistical analysis plan. Results The trial recently completed enrollment, and data collection/verification is ongoing. The final results will be made available on completion of enrollment and follow-up. Conclusions This paper details the design of the COMPASS trial, a randomized, blinded adjudicator, concurrent, controlled trial of patients treated with either ADAPT or SRFL approaches in order to evaluate whether ADAPT results in non-inferior functional outcome. Trial registration number NCT02466893, Results.
A micromechanics theory for homogenization and dehomogenization of aperiodic heterogeneous materials

Abstract Based on the recently discovered mechanics of structure genome, a micromechanics theory is developed for computing the effective properties and local fields of aperiodic heterogeneous materials . This theory starts with expressing the displacements of the heterogeneous material in terms of those of the corresponding homogeneous material and fluctuating functions. Integral constraints are introduced so that the kinematics including both displacements and strains of the homogeneous material can be defined as the average of those of the heterogeneous material. The principle of minimum information loss is used along with the variational asymptotic method to formulate the governing variational statement for the micromechanics theory. As this theory does not require conditions applied on the boundaries, it can handle microstructures of arbitrary shapes. This theory can also straightforwardly model periodic materials by enforcing the equality of the fluctuating functions on periodic edges. This theory provides a rational approach for avoiding the difficulty of creating periodic meshes and automatically captures finite dimension effects. Furthermore, this theory can model heterogeneous materials with partial periodicity. We have used several examples to verify and demonstrate the capability of this theory.
Polyhydroxyalkanoate form and polyphosphate regulation: keys to biological phosphorus and glycogen transformations?

Experimental studies with both synthetic and real domestic wastewater showed that poly-3-hydroxy-butyrate (3HB) and poly-3-hydroxy-valerate (3HV) formed in direct proportion to the acetate/propionate (Ace/Pro) ratio of the influent wastewater during Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal (EBPR). Acetic acid resulted in higher anaerobic phosphorus (P) release, polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) yield, 3HB content, and glycogen (CH) degradation. Linear regression showed that anaerobic P release (Prel) and CH degradation (CHdeg) were both a function of Ace→3HB, but not of Pro→3HV. Aerobic P uptake (Pup) correlated best with preceding Prel rather than PHA (but note Prel correlated with Ace→3HB). Aerobic CH formation (CHform) correlated best with CHdeg and 3HB. The results imply the acetate/propionate content of influent has a major influence on PHA, CH, and P transformations. Short-term increases in acetic or propionic acid increased Prel, but were always offset by corresponding changes in Pup to yield the same net P removal as the control reactor. Thus net P removal, and EBPR process performance, was probably a function of the population selected (i.e. XPAO fraction) during long-term cultivation.
Writing for Real Purpose.

Working to transform his classroom, fifth grade teacher John Blain of Buffalo (New York) public schools infused technology into his literature lessons by adding an online literature discussion to his more traditional classroom discussion. Students were assigned to read Kate DiCamillo's books "Because of Winn-Dixie" and "The Tiger Rising". Blain then set up a threaded discussion at Nicenet (www.nicenet.org), a free online classroom assistant that is a cross between a blog and a wiki. Blain created some discussion threads and invited students to respond to the questions. He also encouraged the students to generate their own questions and discussion threads on any aspect of the book that interested, confused, or intrigued them. Students responded to the discussions at their convenience within a specified time period. Blain then used the students' comments posted online to generate classroom discussion. The discussion format proved to be an empowering activity that enabled students to take control of their learning. It gave them a voice in their learning because they could express themselves without feeling intimidated by the presence of others, including their teachers. The online discussion also created a learning place where students could read, write, and explore around the clock. Disciplines Education Comments © 2009, ISTE ® (International Society for Technology in Education), www.iste.org> All rights reserved. This article is available at Fisher Digital Publications: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/education_facpub/5
Magnetic Fields, Interstellar Dust, UV Radiation, and Star Formation

We present calculations which demonstrate the formation (due to ambipolar diffusion) of collapsing, magnetically and thermally supercritical protostellar cores in otherwise magnetically supported model molecular clouds, accounting for the effects of interstellar grains (charged and neutral) and UV radiation. Charged grains couple to magnetic field lines either by direct attachment or by electrostatic attraction to electron-shielded ions (“quasiparticles”), which are themselves attached to the field. How grain-neutral drag increases the core formation timescale is discussed. We also show how ambipolar diffusion affects the grain abundance and the amount of mass and magnetic flux within in a protostellar core. Ionization by the interstellar UV radiation field effectively cuts off the (ambipolar-diffusion controlled) mass infall rate in model cloud envelopes.
B$sup 10$(n,t2$alpha$) AND B$sup 10$(n,dn'2$alpha$) REACTIONS FOR 6-20 MEV NEUTRONS

In a set of ${\mathrm{B}}^{10}$-loaded C-2 emulsions exposed to eight neutron energies in the range 6-20 Mev, 1541 three-prong stars were found which were caused by either the ${\mathrm{B}}^{10}(n, t2\ensuremath{\alpha})$ or the ${\mathrm{B}}^{10}(n, d{n}^{\ensuremath{'}}2\ensuremath{\alpha})$ reaction. The triton cross section at 14 Mev is 102\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}17 mb and decreases with increasing bombarding energy, while the deuteron cross section is 128\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}19 mb and increases slightly with energy. The triton reaction proceeds partially through the 4.61-Mev state in ${\mathrm{Li}}^{7}$ and partially as a three-body breakup. In the deuteron reaction the following intermediate nuclei are formed: ${\mathrm{Be}}^{9}$, 2.43-Mev state; ${\mathrm{Be}}^{8}$, ground state and possibly the 2.9-Mev level; ${\mathrm{Li}}^{7}$, 10.8- and 12.4-Mev levels; and ${\mathrm{Li}}^{6}$, 2.19-Mev level. Four examples were found of the ${\mathrm{N}}^{14}(n, t3\ensuremath{\alpha})$ reaction. The feasibility of using the ${\mathrm{B}}^{10}(n, t2\ensuremath{\alpha})$ reaction as a neutron monitor is discussed.
Receptor-Mediated Inhibition of Calcium Currents and Synaptic Transmission in Cultured Hippocampal Pyramidal Neurons

In peripheral neurons, there are many examples of neurotransmitters and exogenous agents that inhibit calcium channels or currents (1). Clearly, these examples have been crucial in advancing our understanding of the role of calcium channels in neuronal activity and synaptic transmission. In contrast, there is a relative scarcity of information about neurotransmitters that inhibit calcium channels in the central nervous system. Furthermore, while the action of calcium channel antagonists on transmitter release have been studied biochemically (2), there are only a handful of studies that have utilized single-cell electrophysiological approaches to study blockers of calcium channels in central neurons.
Effect of early cross-over on survival curves in clinical trials.

e17616 Background: Cross-over of patients from the best supportive care (BSC) arm to treatment arm is common in clinical trials when the treatment arm shows efficacy. Estimation of overall survival...
Overnight Movements of Green Salamanders (Aneides aeneus) in Northern Alabama

Abstract Understanding movement patterns and their biotic and abiotic correlates is crucial to effectively manage and conserve salamander populations of concern. Because information on Green Salama...
Predicting the meal macronutrient composition from continuous glucose monitors

Sustained high levels of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) can have disastrous long-term health consequences. An essential component of clinical interventions for T2DM is monitoring dietary intake to keep plasma glucose levels within an acceptable range. Yet, current techniques to monitor food intake are time intensive and error prone. To address this issue, we are developing techniques to automatically monitor food intake and the composition of those foods using continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). This article presents the results of a clinical study in which participants consumed nine standardized meals with known macronutrients amounts (carbohydrate, protein, and fat) while wearing a CGM. We built a multitask neural network to estimate the macronutrient composition from the CGM signal, and compared it against a baseline linear regression. The best prediction result comes from our proposed neural network, trained with subject-dependent data, as measured by root mean squared relative error and correlation coefficient. These findings suggest that it is possible to estimate macronutrient composition from CGM signals, opening the possibility to develop automatic techniques to track food intake.
Inventing Democratic Subjectivity in the 1960s Community Action Programs

ABSTRACTThis article examines the Community Action Programs (CAPs) of the 1960s to explore the generation of democratic subjectivity. Barbara Cruikshank’s Foucault-inspired critique of the CAPs foc...
Visualizing Energy Participation: A Method for Practitioners and Researchers

Abstract Through our analysis of the data generated by 12 communities in the Georgetown University Energy Prize—a US-wide effort to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions—we present a widely useable method to create visual maps of participation in energy projects. These maps, which show the breadth (who participated), depth (how), and objects (issue) of participation, can summarize large amounts of information on participation in just a few visualizations. For this study, these maps describe how communities organized to decrease the consumption of gas and electricity at the municipal and residential levels during the prize. Our results show that broader and deeper participation would not always lead to greater energy savings. Thus, instead of blindly aiming for higher participation to achieve better outcomes, results suggest that breadth, depth and objects of participation must be strategized based on the context and possibilities of the community, as well as the goals of the project. Maps do not only add transparency in decision-making processes by disclosing the who, how and on what of participation, but also facilitate the comparison of participatory efforts across process, communities and time. While the maps visualized participation that occurred in the past, the framework and method can be customized and used by governments, planners, community stakeholders, etc. in understanding, mapping and strategizing ongoing future participatory efforts in energy projects. Our instrument offers a flexible framework to plan, implement, evaluate, and research participatory interventions past, present and future.
From Orange to Red: Why the Security Services of Ukraine Changed the Approach to Handling Protests from 2004 to 2014:

This article looks at the structural and institutional changes that occur within the Security Services of Ukraine (SBU) between the Orange Revolution and Euromaidan. Why did a security service that...
Abstract TP371: Stroke Center Heparin Flush Use in Transfemoral Angiography Survey

Background and Purpose: The drug concentration of heparinized saline used for transfemoral catheter angiography flush during different types of cerebral endovascular interventions varies among oper...
Synthesis of Interval Observers for Nonlinear Discrete-Time Systems.

A systematic procedure to synthesize interval observers for nonlinear discrete-time systems is proposed. The feedback gains and other matrices are found from the solutions to semidefinite feasibility programs. Two cases are considered: (1) the interval observer is in the same coordinate frame as the given system, and (2) the interval observer uses a coordinate transformation. The conditions where coordinate transformations are necessary are detailed. Numerical examples are provided to showcase the effectiveness of the interval observers and demonstrate their application to sampled-data systems.
Realization of Supersymmetry and Its Spontaneous Breaking in Quantum Hall Edges

Supersymmetry (SUSY) relating bosons and fermions plays an important role in unifying different fundamental interactions in particle physics. Since no superpartners of elementary particles have been observed, SUSY, if present, must be broken at low-energy. This makes it important to understand how SUSY is realized and broken, and study their consequences. We show that an $\mathcal{N}=(1,0)$ SUSY, arguably the simplest type, can be realized at the edge of the Moore-Read quantum Hall state. Depending on the absence or presence of edge reconstruction, both SUSY-preserving and SUSY broken phases can be realized in the same system, allowing for their unified description. The significance of the gapless fermionic Goldstino mode in the SUSY broken phase is discussed.
The Queer Games Avant-Garde: How LGBTQ Game Makers Are Reimagining the Medium of Video Games: edited by B. Ruberg, Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2020, 288 pp. $26.95 USD. ISBN-13: 978-1478006589

The debates surrounding video games – both as a medium and as a form of cultural production – are multitudinous. A few of the greatest hits on this list include familiar options such as: are video ...
Chemistry in Our Community: Strategies and Logistics Implemented to Provide Hands-On Activities to K–12 Students, Teachers, and Families

Service learning is a community-based educational approach where college students are connected to academic content through active participation in planned community experiences. Therefore, service learning is the form of civic engagement that we have used to connect Chemistry undergraduate students with K–12 students, teachers, and parents in our community. We have developed several outreach programs and hands-on experiences to use the knowledge and skills learned in Chemistry courses and laboratories to motivate more precollege students toward a positive attitude about Chemistry and science courses in general. Undergraduate students from the Department of Chemistry at California State University, Stanislaus have worked on several hands-on activities with fifth–eighth grade students at university laboratories and with second–fourth grade students at elementary school classrooms. Undergraduate students have learned to simplify difficult Chemistry concepts for the general audience, while they have encouraged young students to develop a positive attitude toward science and the pursuit of higher education in the STEM fields. In addition, undergraduate students involved in these activities are more motivated to succeed in their own academic career. This article explains how we have accomplished the development of Chemistry outreach activities and how undergraduate students are involved in the preparation of these events.
Artificial Intelligence Bias Minimization Via Random Sampling Technique of Adversary Data

Artificial Intelligence is a growing field in technology that mimics the human neural network in order to deduct patterns based on specific datasets. Unlike conventional methods of programming where the code is told explicit rules, AI uses data to predict processes. However, due to AI's prediction of future behavior, it is highly susceptible to data tampering from adversaries who may flood the program with false information. Previous solutions have utilized random sampling, active learning, blockchain and human interaction in order to solve AI bias. In this paper we propose a scheme to address the AI bias by using a method of random sampling in order to mitigate the destruction done to hacked systems while maintaining prediction reliability.
A post-COVID survey of current and future parents among faculty, trainees, and research staff at an NCI-designated cancer center

Background: Challenges for women in science and academic medicine have been well documented, which include gender disparities related to parental and domestic responsibilities that interfere with work or career opportunities. We aimed to evaluate the experiences and working environment at an NCI-designated Cancer Center for current and future parents in the post-COVID era. We hypothesized there would be differences in the experiences of parents between men and women, and between trainees, faculty, and staff. Methods: A 61-question online survey for current and future parents was developed by the Women's Task Force of the Hillman Cancer Center (HCC) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Questions focused on perceived attitudes towards parents, the supportive nature of the working environment for parents, experiences with breastfeeding as a working parent, and childcare responsibilities preand post-COVID. The survey was sent to 562 scientific faculty, physicians, trainees, and research staff at HCC. Comparisons between groups of interest were performed using a chi-square test. Results:There were 214 respondents (38% response rate) with even representation: 38% were faculty, 27% were trainees, and 35% were research staff;59% were female. 6% of respondents reported being 'discouraged or excluded from participating in specific activities due to having or planning children', and 24% felt 'moderately supported' as a parent at work. Regarding breastfeeding, 58% reported that the decision to breastfeed was moderately impacted by returning to work, and of the women who were currently or recently breastfeeding, 42% reported that there were not enough lactation rooms in their building. Other questions in the survey aimed to evaluate what further support would be helpful for parents. 40% reported that on-site childcare would help better support them as a parent, especially because 47% documented that finding childcare was difficult and 53% documented that they looked at ≥4 daycares or nannies. Further, 49% reported that they did not know where to look for resources in finding childcare. Pre-COVID, 32% reported spending 2-3 hours a day on childcare and/or home responsibilities;post-COVID, 55% reported spending ≥4 hours a day. These effects were more pronounced in women compared to men (p < 0.05). Pre-COVID, 40% reported that they were unable to participate in work events due to childcare responsibilities, which increased to 54% post-COVID, and was most pronounced in faculty and trainees compared to staff (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our survey describes some of the universal challenges of working parents in Oncology, which have been exacerbated by COVID. The impact of COVID was more pronounced in women. Further studies are needed for systematic interventions or policies that improve support for working parents, including unified resources and working groups for current and expecting parents.
Short-term dynamics of long-range corticocortical synapses revealed by selective optical stimulation

Synapses are continually regulated by their own activity. In the neocortex, direct interactions between cortical areas play a central role in cognitive function, but the dynamic regulation of these long-range corticocortical synapses by activity and their impact on a postsynaptic target neuron is unclear. Here, we use an optogenetic strategy to study the connections between mouse somatosensory and motor cortex. We found that short-term synaptic facilitation was strong in both corticocortical synapses, resulting in far more sustained responses than local intra-cortical and thalamocortical connections. This facilitation was dependent on the presynaptic calcium sensor synaptotagmin-7 and altered by several optogenetic approaches. Recordings revealed that during repetitive activation, the short-term dynamics of corticocortical synapses enhanced the excitability of layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons, increasing the probability of spiking with activity. Furthermore, the properties of the connections linking primary with secondary somatosensory cortex resemble those between somatosensory-motor areas. These results reveal a synaptic mechanism by which corticocortical projections may mediate specific changes in cellular excitability over relatively extended periods.
Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis provides insight into the regulation of leaf senescence in rice

Leaf senescence is one of the most precisely modulated developmental process and affects various agronomic traits of rice. Anti-senescence rice varieties are important for breeding application. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the metabolic regulatory process of leaf senescence in rice. In this study, we performed transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of the flag leaves in Yuenong Simiao (YN) and YB, two indica rice cultivars that differ in terms of their leaf senescence. We found 8524 genes/204 metabolites were differentially expressed/accumulated in YN at 30 days after flowering (DAF) compared to 0 DAF, and 8799 genes/205 metabolites were differentially expressed in YB at 30 DAF compared to 0 DAF. Integrative analyses showed that a set of genes and metabolites involved in flavonoid pathway were significantly enriched. We identified that relative accumulation of PHENYLALANINE AMMONIA-LYASE (PAL), CINNAMATE 4-HYDROXYLASE (C4H), 4-COUMAROYL-COA LIGASE (4CL), CHALCONE SYNTHASE (CHS) and CHALCONE ISOMERASE (CHI) in YN30/0 was higher than that in YB30/0. Three flavonoid derivatives, including phloretin, luteolin and eriodictyol, showed lower abundances in YB than in YN at 30 DAF. We further revealed a MYB transcription factor, which is encoded by OsR498G0101613100 gene, could suppress the expression of CHI and CHS. Our results suggested a comprehensive analysis of leaf senescence in a view of transcriptome and metabolome and would contribute to exploring the molecular mechanism of leaf senescence in rice.
Retrospective Analysis of Patients Undergoing Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair at a Single Institution Yields a 0.11% Postoperative Infection Rate

Purpose To establish an infection rate following primary arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) from a single institutional database and to ascertain whether there is a relationship between the use of preoperative corticosteroid injection (CSI) and the risk of postoperative infection. Methods All medical records at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients who had undergone arthroscopic repair from January 2016 to December 2018. Patient charts were reviewed for CSI treatment within 6 months of surgery, superficial or deep infection within 2 months postoperatively, and specific treatment of the infection. Patient characteristics were summarized by descriptive statistics using means with standard deviations for continuous variables and frequencies with percentages for categorical variables. A χ2 correlation analysis was performed to determine the association between receiving an injection and having an infection. Results A total of 1773 patients were included for analysis with an average age of 59.24 ± 9.4 years. The overall infection rate was 0.11% (2/1773 patients). Both patients were treated with oral antibiotics. Of the included patients, 616 had a preoperative CSI within 6 months of their surgery, and 102 injections were administered within 1 month of surgery. None of these patients had a postoperative infection. A χ2 correlation analysis showed a negligible relationship between preoperative injections and postoperative infection (φ = 0.02, χ2 = 0.84). Conclusions Through this single-institution, large cohort retrospective review, we found an overall 0.11% rate of postoperative infection following primary arthroscopic RCR. In addition, we found no correlation between the use of preoperative CSI ahead of elective ARCR at any time point and risk of developing a postoperative infection. Infection is uncommon following ARCR, and preoperative steroid injection did not increase infection risk in our study population. Level of Evidence Level IV, therapeutic case series.
(Re)Examining academic risk taking: Conceptual structure, antecedents, and relationship to productive failure

Abstract Academic risk taking occurs when students engage in tasks with the potential for failure in order to learn. Among other characteristics, it is related to preferring challenging tasks and a desire to master content or skills. Using the School Failure Tolerance (SFT) measure with three subscales—Affect, Preferred Difficulty and Action—we empirically explored the conceptualization of academic risk taking. In the first study, 236 undergraduate students completed a survey containing three versions of Academic Risk Taking (ART)—including an adapted version of the SFT and new items to better capture Actions associated with productive failure and proactive risk taking—Need for Cognition (NFC), and Achievement Goal Orientation (AGO). Confirmatory Factor Analysis provided evidence for the validity of scores produced by the NFC and AGO as well as splitting the Actions subscale into two dimensions: productive failure and proactive risk taking. In the second study, 719 undergraduates completed the improved ART, NFC and AGO with SEMs providing evidence that academic risk taking is multi-dimensional, predicted by need for cognition and achievement goals, and risk taking actions related to response to failure and proactive actions are distinct. These studies have important implications for our understanding of academic risk taking and its relationship to other constructs.
Three Faces of Climate Justice

There is overwhelming consensus about the science of climate change. Climate politics, however, remains volatile, driven by perceptions of injustice, which motivate policy resistance and undermine ...
Role of synaptic inhibition in synchronization of thalamocortical activity.

Publisher Summary Analysis of the synaptic events underlying the thalamic stage of EEG-synchronization evoked by low-frequency (7/s) stimulation of midline thalamic nuclear structures (CM) was achieved by intracellular recording from neurons located in various nuclear groups of the exposed thalamus. Intracellular recordings disclosed several patterns of evoked synaptic activities during long-latency recruiting responses elicited in motor cortex by 7/s CM stimulation. In approximately 70 of impaled neurons, prolonged (80–100 ms) inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) were observed during recruitment. The latencies of IPSP's varied from 15–40 ms in most of the responding neurons although latencies as short as 2–5 ms and as long as 60–70 ms were also observed. In some instances, IPSPs persisted for nearly 200 ms. Because inhibition is the dominant synaptic event elicited in thalamic neurons during recruitment, it follows that synchronization of thalamic neural activity is as much a consequence of restricting cell discharge to periods prior to and after prolonged IPSPs as it is a result of simultaneous activation of large numbers of elements via excitatory pathways.
Symmetry in Primate Higher Brain Function

This chapter presents experiments to directly test the trion model at the neuronal level. The chapter begins with some history leading up to Mark Bodner's exciting results. It is noted that an important key to distinguish between the various neural models of cortical function is to simultaneously observe the firing of a number of neurons in the cortex. Brain theory models of cortical function contrast widely in their basic assumptions concerning the code of information processing. The results of Kruger's data analysis give evidence for a spatial-temporal code as opposed to a pure spatial code. This means the code cannot be separated into a spatial part times a temporal part. The spatial and temporal components of the code are inexorably intertwined. Thus this result helps understand the role of music in increasing one's ability to think and reason. Furthermore, the cortical memory results showing symmetric families are of great significance. They not only support the trion model at the neuronal level, but also open up the possibility of actually decoding the internal cortical language for higher brain function.
Respiratory Disease Syndrome-Hyaline Membrane Disease

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is caused by the lack of pulmonary surfactant required for reducing surface tension at the air-liquid interface in the alveolus. RDS is a disorder caused by immaturity of the respiratory epithelium related to premature birth. The lack of surfactant lipids and proteins in the alveolus leads to alveolar collapse and respiratory insufficiency. Prenatal treatment of the mother with glucocorticoids is used to induce lung maturity, and is useful in preventing RDS at birth. Surfactant replacement is administered to the lung after birth, preventing and treating RDS in preterm and near-term infants, Speer et al. (2013) , Polin et al. (2014) . Clinical use of both maternal glucocorticoids and surfactant replacement has reduced morbidity and mortality from RDS, a common disorder of preterm infants affecting children worldwide, Jobe (1993) .
Agent-based modelling and the environmental complexity thesis

A variation of Godfrey-Smith's 'environmental complexity thesis' is described which draws together two broad themes; the relation of functional properties of behaviour to environmental structure, and the distinction between behavioural and mechanistic levels of description. The specific idea defended here is that behavioural and/or mechanistic complexity can be understood in terms of mediating well-adapted responses to environmental variability. Particular attention is paid to the value of agent-based modelling within this framework.
Electromagnetic cavity resonances in accelerated systems. — II

Electromagnetic-cavity resonances in a rotationally induced gravitational field are investigated using the gravitational tensorg αβ as the structural element in Maxwell’s equations. The constitutive relations are expressed by tensorial relation in free space byF hi =√ɛ 0/μ 0 g 1/2 g hj g ik F jk . The equations have the four-dimensional invariant form ifF jk is considered as a covariant bivector in 4-dimensional space which admits all orthogonal homogeneous transformations (rotations and reflections).G4 is a subgroup of the general affine or Poincare group. The method presented here is the metric approach generalized so as to accommodate all possible experimental data. This is achieved by simply decomposing the gravitational tensor into vacuum and material parts and performing proper transformations of the decomposed parts separately or simultaneously in accordance with the experimental configuration under consideration. Furthermore the comparison of this presentation with that of the nonmetric approach is discussed.
The Bacterial Pneumonias: A New Treatment Paradigm

Pneumonia is a common disease and a leading cause of death. Indeed, William Osler recognized that most old people die from pneumonia rather than from old age itself [1]. Pneumonia is therefore a leading cause of hospitalization and amongst the most common reasons for admission to the ICU. Indeed, over 50 % of patients with severe sepsis have pneumonia. Most bacterial pneumonias, with the notable exception of Legionella Pneumonia, Tuberculosis and Leptospiral Pneumonia are caused by the aspiration of oropharyngeal material colonized with the causative pathogen. This implies that the “causative” pathogen together with low-virulence oral flora are aspirated in most pneumonia. Appropriate initial antimicrobial therapy, defined as the use of at least one antibiotic active in vitro against the causative bacteria, is associated with reduced length of hospitalization, reduced morbidity and reduced mortality when compared with patients receiving initial inappropriate therapy [2–4]. As inappropriate initial antibiotic therapy is usually associated with infection with a drug-resistant pathogen (DRP), and as DRPs are usually acquired in specific settings, the treatment of pneumonia has traditionally been based on the setting in which the pneumonia develops. The number of individuals receiving health care outside the hospital setting, including home wound care and infusion therapy, dialysis, nursing homes and long-term acute care (LTAC) facilities is increasing. One of the most frequent causes of hospitalization and mortality in these patients is pneumonia. Hence a new class of pneumonia was identified; healthcare associated pneumonia (HCAP). Consequently, the 2005 and 2007 guidelines for the management of pneumonia by the American Thoracic Society and the Infectious Diseases Society of America recommend that pneumonia should be classified into one of three categories at diagnosis: (1) community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), (2) healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP), and (3) hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) [5, 6]. These three categories of pneumonias are further subdivided into the following “word-soup” subtypes according to the setting where the pneumonia develops, the severity of illness and the risk of aspiration, namely:
A hybrid filter bank approach to analog-to-digital conversion

This paper presents a novel approach to high-speed, high-resolution analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion using a hybrid filter bank with an array of slower speed A/D converters (ADCs). The hybrid filter bank is a new class of filter bank that employs continuous-time analysis filters to allocate a frequency band to each ADC in the array and discrete-time synthesis filters to reconstruct the digitized signal. The filter bank improves the speed and resolution of the A/D conversion by reducing the effects of mismatches between the ADCs in the array. This paper presents a filter design algorithm which minimizes mean-squared reconstruction error for the M-channel hybrid filter bank. A near-perfect-reconstruction, two-channel hybrid filter bank which introduces 0.00095 dB average deviation from 0 dB distortion and -108 dB average aliasing is developed. >
Regulation of lung immunity and host defense by the intestinal microbiota

Every year in the United States approximately 200,000 people die from pulmonary infections, such as influenza and pneumonia, or from lung disease that is exacerbated by pulmonary infection. In addition, respiratory diseases such as, asthma, affect 300 million people worldwide. Therefore, understanding the mechanistic basis for host defense against infection and regulation of immune processes involved in asthma are crucial for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. The identification, characterization, and manipulation of immune regulatory networks in the lung represents one of the biggest challenges in treatment of lung associated disease. Recent evidence suggests that the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota plays a key role in immune adaptation and initiation in the GI tract as well as at other distal mucosal sites, such as the lung. This review explores the current research describing the role of the GI microbiota in the regulation of pulmonary immune responses. Specific focus is given to understanding how intestinal “dysbiosis” affects lung health.
Physiology and Endocrine Changes Underlying Human Lactogenesis II

Lactogenesis stage II, the onset of copious milk secretion, takes place during the first 4 d postpartum in women and involves a carefully programmed set of changes in milk composition and volume. The evidence is summarized that progesterone withdrawal at parturition provides the trigger for lactogenesis in the presence of high plasma concentrations of prolactin and adequate plasma concentrations of cortisol. Although the process is generally robust, delayed lactogenesis does occur with stressful deliveries and in poorly controlled diabetes. Failure of early removal of colostrum from the breast is associated with high milk sodium and poor prognosis for successful lactation in many women. We speculate that this problem may result from accumulation of a substance in the mammary alveolus that inhibits lactogenesis, even in the face of appropriate hormonal changes after parturition.
Molecular Genetics of Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid nodules are exceedingly common and the incidence increases steadily with age. In patients over the age of 50, feeling the neck will detect nodules in 8-10% of patients, and radiology tests such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or computed tomography (CT) will detect nodules in over 50% of individuals over the age of 50. However, it is now clear that only 4-6% of thyroid nodules will be malignant (Belfiore et al. 1992). The incidence of thyroid cancer varies geographically, ranging from 0.5 to 10 cases per 100,000 people (American Cancer Society 2007).