cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytoglobin is a stress-responsive hemoprotein expressed in the developing and adult brain

SUMMARY Cytoglobin (Cygb) is a novel tissue hemoprotein relatively similar to myoglobin (Mb). Because Cygb shares several structural features with Mb, we hypothesized that Cygb functions in the modulation of oxygen and nitric oxide metabolism or in scavenging free radicals within a cell. In the present study we examined the spatial and temporal expression pattern of Cygb during murine embryogenesis. Using in situ hybridization, RT-PCR, and Northern blot analyses, limited Cygb expression was observed during embryogenesis compared with Mb expression. Cygb expression was primarily restricted to the central nervous system and neural crest derivatives during the latter stages of development. In the adult mouse, Cygb is expressed in distinct regions of the brain as compared with neuroglobin (Ngb), another globin protein, and these regions are responsive to oxidative stress (i.e., hippocampus, thalamus, and hypothalamus). In contrast to Ngb, Cygb expression in the brain is induced in response to chronic hypoxia (10% oxygen). These results support the hypothesis that Cygb is an oxygen-responsive tissue hemoglobin expressed in distinct regions of the normoxic and hypoxic brain and may play a key role in the response of the brain to a hypoxic insult. (J Histochem Cytochem 54:1349–1361, 2006)
Draft Genome Sequence of the Oyster Larval Probiotic Bacterium Vibrio sp. Strain OY15

ABSTRACT We report the draft genome sequence of Vibrio sp. strain OY15, a Gram-negative marine bacterium isolated from an oyster (Crassostrea virginica) digestive tract and shown to possess probiotic activity. The availability of this genome sequence will facilitate the study of the mechanisms of probiotic activity as well as virulence capacity.
Throughput analysis of IEEE 802.11 wireless LANs using an average cycle time approach

In this paper, we present a simple analytical framework for computing the throughput of IEEE 802.11 based wireless LANs. We show that a notion of average cycle time exists in DCF access where by all stations, on average, successfully transmit one packet in a cycle. We provide explicit expressions for the average cycle time and the system throughput. Our approach readily depicts that the average cycle time, and hence the throughput, is the same for different users regardless of the differences in their physical data rates. It thus serves as a simple and accurate re-derivation of the well known equal throughput property of DCF seen in multi-rate WLANs. Our analytical results are compared against extensive simulations and are shown to be in very good agreement
The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway modulates the endocrine differentiation of trophoblast cells

Activation of Lyn, a Src-related nonreceptor tyrosine kinase, in trophoblast cells is associated with trophoblast giant cell differentiation. The purpose of the present work was to use Lyn as a tool to identify signaling pathways regulating the endocrine differentiation of trophoblast cells. The Src homology 3 domain of Lyn was shown to display differentiation-dependent associations with other regulatory proteins, including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K). PI3-K activation was dependent upon trophoblast giant cell differentiation. The downstream mediator of PI3-K, Akt/protein kinase B, also exhibited differentiation-dependent activation. Lyn is a potential regulator of the PI3-K/Akt signaling pathway, as are receptor tyrosine kinases. Protein tyrosine kinase profiling was used to identify two candidate regulators of the PI3-K/Akt pathway, fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 and Sky. At least part of the activation of Akt in differentiating trophoblast giant cells involves an autocrine growth arrestspecific-6-Sky signaling pathway. Inhibition of PI3-K activities via treatment with LY294002 disrupted Akt activation and interfered with the endocrine differentiation of trophoblast giant cells. In summary, activation of the PI3-K/Akt signaling pathway regulates the development of the differentiated trophoblast giant cell phenotype. (Molecular Endocrinology 16: 1469–1481, 2002)
Wages and prices: Are workers fully compensated for cost of living differences?

This paper investigates the equilibrium relationship between wages and prices across labor markets. Of central interest is the extent to which workers receive higher wages to compensate for differences in the cost of living. According to the spatial equilibrium hypothesis, the utility of homogenous workers should be equal across labor markets. This implies that controlling for amenity differences across areas, the elasticity between wages and the general price level across areas should equal one, at least under certain conditions. I test this hypothesis and find that the predicted relationship holds when housing prices are measured by rents and the general price level is instrumented to account for measurement error. When housing prices are measured by housing values, however, the wage-price elasticity is significantly less than one, even using instrumental variables. Rents reflect the price paid for housing per unit of time and are arguably the superior measure. Thus, findings in this essay provide support for the full compensation hypothesis. These findings also have important implications for researchers estimating the implicit prices of amenities or ranking the quality of life across areas.
Attenuated rabies virus promotes CNS immune infiltration and tumor necrosis in a mouse model of glioma (TUM10P.1059)

Malignant glioma is resistant to conventional treatment regimens, and recent immunotherapeutic strategies have had limited success, presumably due to lack of immune cell infiltration and function in the brain. Attenuated rabies virus (RABV) is unique in its ability to allow the therapeutic infiltration of immune cells into the CNS, hence we speculated that infection might have a beneficial effect in the GL261 mouse model of glioma. We found that infection of mice with attenuated RABV after the establishment of a GL261 CNS tumor significantly prolongs their survival. Improved survival is associated with the appearance of tumor necrosis despite the inability of the virus to replicate in the tumor. Infected tumor bearing animals also have higher levels of GL261-specific IgG2A antibody, indicating that the Th1 arm of the response has been promoted. Increased B, T and NK cell infiltration as well as elevated IFNγ and ICAM expression is also observed in CNS tissues of infected mice. In addition tumor-associated cells bearing PD-L1, FasL, CD133, and M2 markers are strikingly less abundant in the infected mice compared to uninfected controls. Our results suggest that the tumor necrosis caused by infection with RABV is the result of altered cell activity within the tumor rather than a direct effect of the virus. Increased effector presence in the CNS combined with fewer regulatory and evasive tumor-associated cells contribute to better tumor killing in RABV-infected mice.
Early Left and Right Ventricular Response to Aortic Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND The immediate effect of aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis on perioperative myocardial function is unclear. Left ventricular (LV) function may be impaired by cardioplegia-induced myocardial arrest and ischemia-reperfusion injury, especially in patients with LV hypertrophy. Alternatively, LV function may improve when afterload is reduced after AVR. The right ventricle (RV), however, experiences cardioplegic arrest without benefiting from improved loading conditions. Which of these effects on myocardial function dominate in patients undergoing AVR for aortic stenosis has not been thoroughly explored. Our primary objective is thus to characterize the effect of intraoperative events on LV function during AVR using echocardiographic measures of myocardial deformation. Second, we evaluated RV function. METHODS In this supplementary analysis of 100 patients enrolled in a clinical trial (NCT01187329), 97 patients underwent AVR for aortic stenosis. Of these patients, 95 had a standardized intraoperative transesophageal echocardiographic examination of systolic and diastolic function performed before surgical incision and repeated after chest closure. Echocardiographic images were analyzed off-line for global longitudinal myocardial strain and strain rate using 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography. Myocardial deformation assessed at the beginning of surgery was compared with the end of surgery using paired t tests corrected for multiple comparisons. RESULTS LV volumes and arterial blood pressure decreased, and heart rate increased at the end of surgery. Echocardiographic images were acceptable for analysis in 72 patients for LV strain, 67 for LV strain rate, and 54 for RV strain and strain rate. In 72 patients with LV strain images, 9 patients required epinephrine, 22 required norepinephrine, and 2 required both at the end of surgery. LV strain did not change at the end of surgery compared with the beginning of surgery (difference: 0.7 [97.6% confidence interval, -0.2 to 1.5]%; P = 0.07), whereas LV systolic strain rate improved (became more negative) (-0.3 [-0.4 to -0.2] s; P < 0.001). In contrast, RV systolic strain worsened (became less negative) at the end of surgery (difference: 4.6 [3.1 to 6.0]%; P < 0.001) although RV systolic strain rate was unchanged (0.0 [97.6% confidence interval, -0.1 to 0.1]; P = 0.83). CONCLUSIONS LV function improved after replacement of a stenotic aortic valve demonstrated by improved longitudinal strain rate. In contrast, RV function, assessed by longitudinal strain, was reduced.
NATO Burden Sharing and the Forces of Change: Further Observations

Editors' note. In Volume 33, Number 4, of ISQ an article appeared entitled "NATO Burden Sharing and the Forces of Change." In this article, authors John Oneal and Mark Elrod challenged collective goods interpretations of alliances, especially of NATO. Oneal and Elrod put forward an alternative model based on hegemonic stability theory. In the following exchange, James C. Murdoch and Todd Sandler, major contributors to the collective goods approach to alliance studies, defend this school and contrast it on substantive and methodological grounds to Oneal and Elrod's alternative. John Oneal then offers a brief rebuttal in which the challenge to the collective goods interpretation of NATO is reasserted.
Thin Film Fracture During Nanoindentation of Hard Film — Soft Substrate Systems

Nanoindentation testing of hard film - soft substrate systems can exhibit permanent deformation prior to a yield excursion, indicating that the occurrence of this sudden discontinuity is predominantly controlled by the hard film cracking rather than dislocation nucleation and multiplication. In a previous paper, a model was developed to predict the mechanical response prior to hard film fracture. In the current study a this model, which superimposes large deflection of the hard film and plastic deformation of the substrate the model, is further refined by testing a variety of materials with different film formation conditions. The tested materials include anodic titanium oxide on titanium, thermal aluminum oxide on aluminum and sputtered tungsten films on aluminum. The film fracture strength of titanium oxides on titanium is estimated as 15 GPa and that of aluminum oxides on aluminum is around 10 GPa. In the case of vacuum sputtered tungsten film on aluminum, the tungsten layer is likely plastically deformed. The strain at film fracture is roughly estimated to be 3.4%.
Application of True Image Server Software in Medical Equipment Maintenance

Compares the difference between True Image Server Software and GHOST software in the application and describes the operation method of True Image Server software in the maintenance of medical equipment.
Studies of the pathogenesis of idiopathic oedema: the roles of postural changes in plasma volume, plasma renin activity, aldosterone secretion rate and glomerular filtration rate in the retention of sodium and water.

1. On constant high (200 mmol)- and low (10 mmol)-sodium diets, thirty-one patients with idiopathic oedema have been compared with six non-oedematous control subjects while upright from 08.00 to 20.00 hours for 3 days and while recumbent all day for 2 days. 2. The cumulative weight rise in the upright posture and fall in recumbency were ‘normal’ in five patients (‘non-orthostatic oedema’) and excessive in twenty-six (‘orthostatic oedema’). 3. Leg volume showed a cumulative rise during the upright period, which was excessive in the orthostatic oedema patients only. 4. When the orthostatic oedema patients were in the upright posture, fifteen retained sodium excessively (‘orthostatic sodium retainers’), while eleven retained ‘normal’ amounts of sodium (‘orthostatic water retainers’). 5. The ‘orthostatic sodium retainers’ experienced excessive acute orthostatic falls in inulin and para-aminohippurate (PAH) clearances. Half of them showed excessive aldosterone excretion and secretion rates and excessive potassium excretion in the upright posture on the 200 mmol of sodium diet. Plamsa volume fell excessively after 1 h in the upright posture in these patients. None of these changes was significant or consistent in the other patients with oedema. 6. Plasma renin activity and plasma protein and albumin concentrations were ‘normal’ in all patients in all circumstances. 7. Idiopathic oedema is a group of disorders each associated with: (I) orthostatic fall in filtered sodium often with orthostatic hyperaldosteronism and consequent orthostatic sodium retention; (II) orthostatic water retention possibly related to orthostatic hypervasopressinism and occasionally associated with occult heart failure; or (III) non-orthostatic factors.
Evidence for Lagrangian Tails in a Lattice Gas

An efficient method to measure particle velocity correlation functions in a lattice gas is developed. We show significant deviations from the Boltzmann-level result in the HPP gas.
Interference Alignment for Cellular Networks

In this paper, we propose a new way of interference management for cellular networks. We develop the scheme that approaches to interference-free degree-of-freedom (dof) as the number K of users in each cell increases. Also we find the corresponding bandwidth scaling conditions for typical wireless channels: multi-path channels and single-path channels with propagation delay. The scheme is based on interference alignment. Especially for more-than-two-cell cases where there are multiple non-intended BSs, we propose a new version of interference alignment, namely subspace interference alignment. The idea is to align interferences into multi-dimensional subspace (instead of one dimension) for simultaneous alignments at multiple non-intended BSs. The proposed scheme requires finite dimensions growing linearly with K, i.e., ~O(K).
Draft Genome Sequence of Vibrio (Listonella) anguillarum ATCC 14181

ABSTRACT We report the draft genome sequence of Vibrio anguillarum ATCC 14181, a Gram-negative, hemolytic, O2 serotype marine bacterium that causes mortality in mariculture species. The availability of this genome sequence will add to our knowledge of diversity and virulence mechanisms of Vibrio anguillarum as well as other pathogenic Vibrio spp.
Accumulation and decay of visual capture and the ventriloquism aftereffect caused by brief audio-visual disparities

Visual capture and the ventriloquism aftereffect resolve spatial disparities of incongruent auditory visual (AV) objects by shifting auditory spatial perception to align with vision. Here, we demonstrated the distinct temporal characteristics of visual capture and the ventriloquism aftereffect in response to brief AV disparities. In a set of experiments, subjects localized either the auditory component of AV targets (A within AV) or a second sound presented at varying delays (1–20 s) after AV exposure (A2 after AV). AV targets were trains of brief presentations (1 or 20), covering a ±30° azimuthal range, and with ±8° (R or L) disparity. We found that the magnitude of visual capture generally reached its peak within a single AV pair and did not dissipate with time, while the ventriloquism aftereffect accumulated with repetitions of AV pairs and dissipated with time. Additionally, the magnitude of the auditory shift induced by each phenomenon was uncorrelated across listeners and visual capture was unaffected by subsequent auditory targets, indicating that visual capture and the ventriloquism aftereffect are separate mechanisms with distinct effects on auditory spatial perception. Our results indicate that visual capture is a ‘sample-and-hold’ process that binds related objects and stores the combined percept in memory, whereas the ventriloquism aftereffect is a ‘leaky integrator’ process that accumulates with experience and decays with time to compensate for cross-modal disparities.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease phenotypes using cluster analysis of electronic medical records.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a heterogeneous disease. In this retrospective study, we hypothesize that it is possible to identify clinically relevant phenotypes by applying clustering m...
Long range secure key distribution over multiple amplified fiber spans based on environmental instabilities

Using environmental instability induced signal phase fluctuation, we demonstrated a secure key distribution system over a 240-km bidirectional fiber-pair link. The scheme is compatible with commercial WDM systems and optical amplifiers for long-range transmissions.
On the design of milimeter-wave antennas for amplitude-only direction finding

Antenna related questions for wideband amplitude-only (AO) direction finding (DF) systems at lower millimeter-wave frequencies are addressed. Phased-array and non-array squinted antenna topologies are researched and important conclusions are drawn. Theory based on ideal beams is used to assess effects of misbalances and experiments with fabricated prototypes operating over 18–45GHz range are used to validate the theory.
Systematic Studies of Periodically Nanoporous Si Films for Thermoelectric Applications

As the major heat carriers in dielectrics and semiconductors, phonons are strongly scattered by boundaries and interfaces at the nanoscale, which can lead to a significantly reduced lattice thermal conductivity k L . In recent years, such phonon size effects have been used to enhance the thermoelectric performance of various nanostructured materials. With dramatically reduced k L and bulk-like electrical properties, high thermoelectric performance has been demonstrated for nanoporous Si films at room temperature. Despite these encouraging results, however, challenges still exist in the theoretical explanation of the observed low k L values. Existing studies mainly attribute the observed low k L to phononic effects and/or amorphous pore edges. These two effects can be separated when the specific heat of the film can be measured along with k L to provide more insight into the phonon dispersion modification. In this work, both the specific heat and k of a suspended nanoporous Si film is extracted from the 3ω measurements. The result is compared to the reported k L values of various porous Si films. The influence of employed phonon mean free path spectrum on the data analysis is discussed.
The IDO inhibitor 1-methyl tryptophan activates the aryl hydrocarbon receptor response in mesenchymal stromal cells.

// Holly C. Lewis 1 , Raghavan Chinnadurai 2 , Steven E. Bosinger 3, 4 and Jacques Galipeau 2 1 Departments of Pediatrics and Hematology & Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA 2 Department of Medicine and University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin in Madison, Madison, WI, USA 3 Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA 4 Yerkes NHP Genomics Core Laboratory, Div. Microbiology & Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA Correspondence to: Jacques Galipeau, email: jgalipeau@wisc.edu Keywords: MSC, AHR, IDO, 1-methyl tryptophan, cancer immunotherapy Received: March 20, 2017 Accepted: July 02, 2017 Published: August 10, 2017 ABSTRACT The catabolism of tryptophan (Trp) by indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is a key step in tolerance effected by a variety of cell types, including mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Trp catabolism generates molecules known as kynurenines, whose tolerance mechanisms involve activation of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR). A synthetic analog of Trp, 1-methyl tryptophan (1MT), is a selective inhibitor of IDO enzymatic activity being utilized in cancer immunotherapy trials. We hypothesized 1MT might activate AHR independently of its effects on IDO. We demonstrate MSCs express AHR protein, and that in vitro treatment with 1MT causes AHR nucleotranslocation. Upon analyzing mRNA, we observed transcriptional upregulation of cytochrome p450 1a1 and 1b1 by 1MT racemic mixture (R-MT), consistent with AHR-activation. RNA-sequencing identified Nrf2, MAPK12 and IL-1a as downstream targets of 1MT. We demonstrate 1a1 and 1b1 activation by 1MT in IDO+ MSC following interferon-γ (IFN-γ) activation, suggesting AHR signaling is uncoupled from IDO catalytic function. Such a mechanism of action for 1MT may extend its usage to a wider range of patients, irrespective of tumor IDO expression. These observations support a novel paradigm by which AHR-activating compounds like 1MT can be used in cancer immunotherapy to stimulate a pro-inflammatory response.
Survey of Recent Work on the Viscosity, Thermal Conductivity, and Diffusion of Gases and Liquefied Gases Below 500 K

Recent theoretical and experimental studies of the three principal transport coefficients of gases and gas mixtures in the temperature range of up to 500 K are reviewed and references are also listed for studies of these gases in the liquid phase. Summary tables are provided to enable easy access to references for the pressure and/or temperature dependence for a particular property and gas. This survey is designed as a companion to previous publications [139, 140, 142] which have emphasized developments at higher temperatures. A bibliographic listing of 394 references is given.
Roles enacted by Clinical Nurse Leaders across the healthcare spectrum: A systematic literature review

The Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) is a master's prepared nurse envisioned to provide clinical leadership at the microsystem level to ensure safe, high quality patient-centered care. The American Association of Colleges of Nurses defined ten 'fundamental aspects' of CNL practice, but as the certified CNL population grows, data suggest they are filling a variety of positions besides formally designated CNL roles. This article reports the results of a systematic review of CNL literature to better understand what roles and activities certified CNLs are enacting when not hired into formally designated CNL roles. Sixty-nine articles met inclusion criteria. Roles identified include: faculty, 62%; clinical management/executive, 12%; specialty clinician, 11%; and staff nurse, 9%. In these roles, certified CNLs are reviewing literature, conducting research, and/or writing commentaries on CNL education and practice and other health foci such as alarm fatigue, insulin practices, and physical exercise for cancer-related fatigue. Results indicate that despite a lack of formal tracking of certified CNLs over time, the available information identifies a variety of roles and job titles used by this group of professional nurses. The study findings add to the body of knowledge informing overall understanding of the CNL initiative.
Anästhesie bei neuromuskulären Erkrankungen

Unter den neuromuskularen Erkrankungen (NME) werden uber 800 eigenstandige Entitaten subsumiert. Die meisten dieser Erkrankungen treten sehr selten auf, aber die Gesamtheit der NME hat eine Pravalenz von 1:1500. Entsprechend gilt die plakative Aussage: „Seltene Erkrankungen sind haufig“. Die Variationsbreite der NME, von dem Befall einzelner Muskelgruppen bis zur gesamten Muskulatur, von langsam progredienten bis zu fulminanten Verlaufsformen, vom perinatalen bis zum adulten Manifestationszeitpunkt, sowie Zahl, Art und Auspragung der assoziierten Komorbiditaten sind sehr gros. Daher ist es fur den Anasthesisten wichtig, anasthesierelevante Komorbiditaten und Indikationen bzw. Kontraindikationen der einzelnen Anasthetika bei NME zu kennen.
A randomized controlled trial of automated term composition.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To compare the ability of an Automated Term Composition (ATC) algorithm with non-compositional mappings to provide coverage (exact mappings to a controlled vocabulary) for a randomly selected set of free text entries which were entered as headings to the Impression section of the clinical notes system at the Mayo Foundation. We also compare the results of four evaluators to determine the inter-observer variability and the variance between term sets, with respect to the accuracy of the mappings and the reliability of the failure analysis. METHODS: From a corpus of approximately 1,000,000 unique terms entered into the Impression/Report/Plan section of the clinical notes system in the calendar year 1997, we randomly selected 1,000 terms. We then further randomized these 1,000 terms into two groups of 500 (Sets A and B). We constructed two copies of the same term matching interface, one without ATC (alpha) and one with ATC (beta). We took four expert Indexers and assigned them to one of the following tasks. The first reviewer (R1) compared set A using the alpha program and then set B using the beta program (R1(Aalpha + Bbeta)). The second compared set A using the alpha program and then set B using the alpha program (R2(A + B) alpha). The third compared set B using the beta program and then set A using the beta program (R3(B + A) beta). The fourth compared set A using the beta program and then set B using the alpha program (R4(Abeta + Balpha)). RESULTS: The program with Automated Term Composition mapped 540 out of the 1,000 Concepts correctly (54.0%). The same program without ATC mapped only 276 out of the 1,000 Concepts correctly (27.6%). Therefore the program with ATC was significantly more effective at matching concepts in our problem lists than the same search engine without ATC (p < 0.0001; McNemar Method). These figures result from the comparison of the alpha program with the beta program by reviewers one and four. Failure analysis showed that with the alpha version 425 out of the 724 mismatches were because a base concept was missing from the retrieval set (58.7%) and 299 mismatches were from missing qualifiers or modifiers or both (41.3%). In the beta version of the program (with ATC) 340 out of the 460 mismatches were secondary to there being a missing base concept in the retrieval set (73.9%) and only 120 mismatches due to missing modifiers and or qualifiers (26.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Automated term composition provided significantly better coverage of a randomly chosen set of patient problems, diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic during the 1997 calendar year, when compared with the same information retrieval system without ATC. We believe that these results speak further to the excellent content coverage provided by the UMLS metathesaurus. These authors believe that increased structure, normalization of UMLS content and semantics, and better tools to make use of the currently available content such as automated term composition, are what is needed to leverage the production of commercially viable tools that provide access to controlled vocabularies for medicine.
Water Resources Issues of the Laurentian Great Lakes

The Great Lakes of North America hold nearly 20% of the freshwater resource of the earth. Because of their size and also because of the large populations they serve, these lakes are a sort of living laboratory, illustrating the effects of interactions between anthropogenic activities and natural ecosystems. Management of the Great Lakes also is complicated because they are part of an international border, and effective management requires binational cooperation, in terms of both water quality and quantity. The present chapter provides an overview of the main issues concerning management of the Great Lakes, as well as current research initiatives and programs designed to address these issues. Particular emphasis is placed on the issue of contaminated sediments, which poses one of the most difficult problems, with regard to restoration of beneficial uses of the lake waters. Specifically, it is shown that traditional approaches may overestimate the export of contaminants from tributaries out to the lakes.
State Power to Regulate Social Media Companies to Prevent Voter Suppression

Fake social media accounts and ads did not merely polarize the American electorate in 2016 — these tactics also targeted and suppressed Black votes. While African Americans made up just 12.7% of the United States population, Black audiences accounted for over 38% of U.S.-focused ads purchased by the Russian Internet Research Agency and almost half of the user clicks. The social media accounts generally built a following by posing as being African American-operated and by paying for ads that social media companies distributed largely to Black users. Near Election Day, the accounts urged African Americans to “boycott the election.” Federal policymakers have failed to respond immediately to enact strong and clear laws to prevent similar deceptive practices and voter-suppression schemes in the future, and thus States should take the initiative. State lawmakers should not be deterred by arguments that Section 230 of the federal Communications Act of 1934 “immunizes” social media companies from State liability. This Essay explains that Section 230 does not limit the power of States to hold social media companies legally responsible for using data collection and algorithms to target protected classes of voters with suppressive ads. By using such techniques, social media companies contribute materially to discrimination and are thus ineligible for Section 230 immunity.
Three-Dimensional Otic Neuronal Progenitor Spheroids Derived from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Stem cell–replacement therapies have been proposed as a potential tool to treat sensorineural hearing loss by aiding the regeneration of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) in the inner ear. However, tr...
The Impact of Physician Face Mask Use on Endophthalmitis After Intravitreal Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Injections.

Purpose To evaluate the effect of physician face mask use on rates and outcomes of postinjection endophthalmitis. Design Retrospective, comparative cohort study. Methods S etting : Single-center. S tudy P opulation : Eyes receiving intravitreal anti–vascular endothelial growth factor injections from July 1, 2013, to September 1, 2019. I ntervention : Cases were divided into “Face Mask” group if face masks were worn by the physician during intravitreal injections or “No Talking” group if no face mask was worn but a no-talking policy was observed during intravitreal injections. M ain O utcome M easures : Rate of endophthalmitis, visual acuity, and microbial spectrum. Results Of 483,622 intravitreal injections administered, 168 out of 453,460 (0.0371%) cases of endophthalmitis occurred in the No Talking group, and 9 out of 30,162 (0.0298%) cases occurred in the Face Mask group (odds ratio, 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.41-1.57; P = .527). Sixteen cases of oral flora–associated endophthalmitis were found in the No Talking group (1 in 28,341 injections), compared to none in the Face Mask group (P = .302). Mean logMAR visual acuity at presentation in cases that developed culture-positive endophthalmitis was significantly worse in the No Talking group compared to the Face Mask group (17.1 lines lost from baseline acuity vs 13.4 lines lost; P = .031), though no difference was observed at 6 months after treatment (P = .479). Conclusion Physician face mask use did not influence the risk of postinjection endophthalmitis compared to a no-talking policy. However, no cases of oral flora–associated endophthalmitis occurred in the Face Mask group. Future studies are warranted to assess the role of face mask use to reduce endophthalmitis risk, particularly attributable to oral flora.
A Phase 1 Dose Escalation Study of Neoadjuvant SBRT Plus Elective Nodal Radiation with Concurrent Capecitabine for Resectable Pancreatic Cancer.

Purpose The role of neoadjuvant radiation for resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma is controversial. We performed a prospective dose-escalation study of neoadjuvant stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) with concurrent capecitabine and elective nodal irradiation (ENI) followed by surgical resection to explore the toxicity and feasibility of this approach. Methods and Materials Patients with biopsy proven, resectable cancers of the pancreatic head were enrolled. A 4 + 4 dose-escalation design was employed delivering 5 fractions of 5 to 7 Gy to primary tumor with concurrent capecitabine. The maximum tolerated dose level was expanded for an additional 4 patients. Patients at all dose levels were treated with ENI delivering 25 Gy in 5 fractions. Dose-limiting toxicity was defined as any grade ≥3 nonhematologic toxicity (National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.0) attributable to chemoradiation occurring within 90 days of SBRT. Results A total of 17 patients were enrolled with 16 patients evaluable and 13 patients ultimately proceeding to surgery. The most common toxicity was nausea (56%). There were no dose-limiting toxicities, and SBRT was maximally dose escalated to 35 Gy in 5 fractions for 8 patients. All patients completing surgery had R0 resections. Seven patients (54%) had moderate treatment effect identified in pathologic specimens. Three patients (23%) developed locoregional recurrences, with 2 (15%) partially included within the treated volume. Conclusions SBRT was safely dose escalated to 35 Gy in 5 fractions along with concurrent capecitabine and ENI. This regimen will be used in a future expansion cohort.
Association Between Emergency Medicine Clerkship Diversity Scholarships and Residency Diversity.

Objective To improve resident diversity, emergency medicine (EM) residencies across the United States have implemented financial scholarships to attract visiting medical students underrepresented in medicine (URiM). The impact of these scholarships on changes in residency racial and ethnic diversity is currently unknown. In this study, we describe characteristics of these visiting elective scholarships for underrepresented students and evaluate changes in residency racial and ethnic diversity after program implementation. Methods From 2018 to 2019, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of EM residency programs with a visiting clerkship rotation scholarship for medical students URiM. Programs were identified for study inclusion using the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine's online directory of Visiting Elective Scholarship Programs for Underrepresented Minorities. Program characteristics were analyzed descriptively. Changes in residency racial and ethnic diversity were evaluated using an interrupted time series analysis. Results Of 34 programs contacted, 20 responded. While there was some variability in funding sources, scholarship amounts, and application review, most scholarships were similar in implementation practices. Of the 20 program respondents, nine were able to provide complete data on residency race and ethnicity and were included in the time series analysis. After program implementation, the time series analysis showed a significant increase in both underrepresented minority EM residents overall and Black and Latinx EM residents in particular. Conclusion Emergency medicine visiting clerkship scholarship programs for medical students URiM vary in funding type and application review but had similar implementation practices. Residency programs increased their racial and ethnic diversity after program implementation. Future investigations are needed to determine specific factors contributing to the successful implementation of scholarship programs.
Optimization of blood handling for plasma extracellular vesicle isolation

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging targets for biomarker discovery. However, suitable clinical collection and storage methods for blood plasma-derived EVs have not been fully described. We investigated the long- and short-term effects of temperature and time on the plasma-derived EV concentration, size, protein, and RNA content. EVs isolated from freshly collected human blood stored for various periods of time at either room temperature (RT) or 4°C were analyzed for concentration, size, and protein content. In addition, EVs isolated from plasma stored at −80°C were compared to frozen EV pellets. We found that the number, size, protein, and RNA content of EVs were similar between blood samples stored at RT for 24h compared to samples processed shortly after collection or stored at 4°C vs. −80°C. It is therefore feasible to isolate and analyze comparable, stable EVs from blood plasma stored for varying periods of time and at various temperatures.
Maintenance of phonetic and phonological distance in the English and Korean back vowel contours of heritage bilinguals

Abstract Bilingualism research demonstrates that the potential merger of vowel categories across a speaker’s two languages is affected by the age of acquisition of the second language. For heritage bilinguals, however, there is no clear L1 and L2, since they acquire their heritage language in early childhood, but become dominant in the mainstream language of society as adults. Heritage bilinguals may nevertheless will acquire distinct vowel systems in their two languages, rather than a merged system. In this study, the back vowels of California English and Seoul Korean, two varieties that are spoken by bilingual second-generation Korean Americans in California, were collected in natural speech. Formant measurements were analyzed using linear mixed effects regression modeling and generalized additive mixed modeling to see whether the vowels of each language were similar or different in their formant contours. As predicted, the bilinguals maintained distance between the vowels of both languages across their durations, and the phonological effects of coarticulation were found to be stronger in English than in Korean. The differences are attributed to “multicompetence” in heritage bilinguals’ phonology (Cook, 2020), or the interrelationship of multiple systems that exist and interact in the bilingual mind without merging completely, in opposition to models that frame heritage bilingualism as inherently imbalanced in favor of the dominant language.
Cancer-Immunity Cycle and Therapeutic Interventions- Opportunities for Including Pet Dogs With Cancer

The tumor-immune interplay represents a dynamic series of events executed by cellular and soluble participants that either promote or inhibit successful tumor formation and growth. Throughout a tumor’s development and progression, the host organism’s immune system reacts by generating anti-cancer defenses through various incremental and combinatorial mechanisms, and this reactive orchestration is termed the cancer-immunity cycle. Success or failure of the cancer-immunity cycle dictates the fate of both host and tumor as winner or loser. Insights into how the tumor and host immune system continuously adapt to each other throughout the lifecycle of the tumor is necessary to rationally develop new effective immunotherapies. Additionally, the evolving nature of the cancer-immunity cycle necessitates therapeutic agility, requiring real-time serial assessment of immunobiologic markers that permits tailoring of therapies to the everchanging tumor immune microenvironment. In order to accelerate advances in the field of immuno-oncology, this review summarizes the steps comprising the cancer-immunity cycle, and underscores key breakpoints in the cycle that either favor cancer regression or progression, as well as shaping of the tumor microenvironment and associated immune phenotypes. Furthermore, specific large animal models of spontaneous cancers that are deemed immunogenic will be reviewed and proposed as unique resources for validating investigational immunotherapeutic protocols that are informed by the cancer-immunity cycle. Collectively, this review will provide a progressive look into the dynamic interplay between tumor and host immune responses and raise awareness for how large animal models can be included for developing combinatorial and sequenced immunotherapies to maximizing favorable treatment outcomes.
Cannabis Use Disorder

The prevalence of cannabis abuse and dependence has been increasing among both adolescents and adults in the United States. This chapter reviews the reviews psychosocial consequences associated with cannabis use, assessing for cannabis use disorder, and treatment options.
The Expression of Therapeutic Proteins in Transgenic Animals

Human plasma has traditionally been a source of therapeutic proteins. Hemostatic proteins sucu as factors VIII, IX, and X, as well as antithrombin III, albumin, immunoglobulins, fibrinogen and protein C are routinely isolated from human plasma. Improved protein isolation and viral inactivation techniques have led to the production of purer and safer plasma derivatives, although in some cases in quantities insufficient to meet patient needs.
Γ-Species and the Enumeration of $k$-Trees

We study the class of graphs known as $k$-trees through the lens of Joyal’s theory of combinatorial species (and a extension known as 'Γ-species' which incorporates data about 'structural' group actions). This culminates in a system of recursive functional equations giving the generating function for unlabeled $k$-trees which allows for fast, efficient computation of their numbers. Enumerations up to $k = 10$ and $n = 30$ (for a k-tree with $n + k − 1$ vertices) are included in tables, and Sage code for the general computation is included in an appendix.
‘Contrary to the liberties of this city’: Henry VII, English towns and the economics of law and order*

One major consideration for the stability of Henry VII's reign involved relations with the cities and towns. Realizing it was untenable to control local elites fully from the centre, the first Tudor pursued a policy of financial and judicial constraints based in part on bonds to bring municipalities into the fold of royal rule. This was accomplished through financial obligations in return for city liberties, and the constant vigilance by royal councillors to ferret out forfeitures from those who broke the law. Such activity was especially true for London, where close scrutiny by royal councillors and their minions may have brought about a potential confrontation between City leaders and the crown. At Henry's death, English towns had been drawn closer to a developing ‘national’ government and law.
Vertebrate Embryo: Limb Development

Limb development in the vertebrate embryo is an excellent model system for the study of embryonic growth and pattern formation. This process is mediated through a wide range of cellular and molecular signals. Keywords: limb; patterning; apical ectodermal ridge; zone of polarizing activity; dorsoventral
Skill and Working Memory

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the important role of retrieval structures as working memory states. The working memory has at least the following components: (1) short-term memory, which provides direct and virtually immediate access to very recent or attended knowledge states; (2) intermediate-term memory, the task-specific retrieval structure in long-term memory, which provides direct and relatively fast access to knowledge states; and (3) context, which contains structures for controlling the flow of processing within the current task and provides relatively fast and direct access to knowledge structures relevant to the current task and context. The auditory and visual–spatial buffers are important components of working memory.
The Cartesian Test for Automatism1

In Part V of his Discourse on the Method, Descartes introduces a test for distinguishing people from machines that is similar to the one proposed much later by Alan Turing. The Cartesian test combines two distinct elements that Keith Gunderson has labeled the language test and the action test. Though traditional interpretation holds that the action test attempts to determine whether an agent is acting upon principles, I argue that the action test is best understood as a test of common sense. I also maintain that this interpretation yields a stronger test than Turing's, and that contemporary artificial intelligence should consider using it as a guide for future research.
The Error in Interval Arithmetic

It is widely appreciated that interval arithmetic can yield overly pessimistic results because it ignores correlations among intermediate values. One approach toward understanding this phenomenon begins by disregarding "second-order effects" and rounding errors. An early result of this type is Hansen's proof of Moore's conjecture that the centered form "converges quadratically", i.e., produces exact results under the simplifying assumptions.
Migration, Refugee Policy, and State Building in Postcommunist Europe: Postcommunism, Nationalism, and Refugees

Before 1989, virtually no refugees went to Eastern Europe. The Soviet Union and its East European satellites produced waves of political refugees but received almost none. As communist regimes crumbled, the western media, analysts, and politicians predicted a mass exodus from the former communist bloc to the West. On the eve of the USSR’s dissolution in the winter of 1991, estimates of the number of Soviet citizens likely to head westward ranged from two to thirty million. By the second half of the 1990s, however, it became clear that, with the exception of the former Yugoslav states ravaged by war, citizens of postcommunist countries were not flooding Western Europe. Of the 4.2 million asylum applications received in Western Europe in 1990–1999, only 0.5 percent (196,600) were submitted by citizens of the former Soviet Union, and even fewer were submitted by citizens of Central European states. Most postcommunist states not only did not become major refugee producers for the West, but instead attracted thousands – and, in some countries, millions – of refugees and other displaced persons. By the end of the 1990s, postcommunist states hosted 6.4 million refugees and involuntarily displaced persons – a whopping 29 percent of the world’s total and 73 percent of Europe’s total. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Ukraine hosted more displaced persons than any Western European country except Germany. Formation of a refugee protection regime is an element of the democratization process. As the Rapporteur of the Council of Europe’s Committee on Migration, Refugees remarked, “no state which calls itself genuinely democratic can refuse to face up to its responsibilities in terms of protecting persecuted persons.” This book is the first systematic comparative treatment of the politics of refugee admission policy in the postcommunist region that focuses on an intriguing puzzle the region presents: economically and politically similar postcommunist states, faced with a refugee problem similar in nature and size, and the same international legal standards for dealing with refugees, responding differently – some being more receptive to refugees than others; some privileging certain refugee groups while others treated all refugees equally. The Czech Republic and Poland, and Russia and Ukraine, the four cases examined in this book, are two pairs of cases exemplifying this puzzling variation. The Czech Republic proved to be more receptive to refugees than Poland. Russia and Ukraine also responded differently to a similar refugee problem. There was a more receptive policy toward refugees from the developing world in Ukraine compared to Russia, and preferential treatment of coethnic refugees in Russia but not in Ukraine.