cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Merriam Shrew in California

Until the present time, Sorex merriami was represented in California only by a skin and skull from Siskiyou County, and two incomplete skulls from owl pellets collected in Modoc County. These three specimens are all of the race S. m. merriami Dobson (Benson and Bond, Jour. Mamm., 20: 348–351, 1939). The first specimen of the subspecies S. m. leucogenys Osgood …
Specific mononuclear cell response to rhinovirus.

Legend. Mean + SEM stimulation indexes of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after in vitro culture with rhinovirus type 4 (RV4). PBMCs were collected from eight adult volunteers immediately before and six weeks after intranasal inoculation with the harvest of the second passage of RV4 in WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts. Seven of the eight volunteers had no serum neutralizing antibody (titer, <1:4). PBMCs were separated from whole blood by density gradient centrifugation, incubated for 96 hr with disrupted HeLa cells or RV4 replicated in HeLa cells, and pulse-labeled for 4 hr with [3H]thymidine [1]. Triplicate cultures were collected on glass fiber disks and assayed in a liquid scintillation chamber. The ratio of cpm of the antigen-stimulated cultures to those of simultaneous unstimulated controls defined the stimulation index. A statistically significant difference between the preand postinoculation index (P < 0.01 by Student's t-test) is indicated by an asterisk. Summary
Discriminating Patterns of Variation in Aphid (Homoptera: Drepanosiphidae) Distribution on Betula pendula

Sample trees of European white birch, Betula pendula Roth, in Albany, on San Francisco Bay in northern California, were characterized according to tree vigor, microclimate, isolation from other birches, and homeowner maintenance practices. Discriminant analysis was used to distinguish between trees that developed large aphid populations and those that did not. The resulting discriminant function correctly predicted aphid population load for 91.3% of all study trees. Shading of the tree canopy was the single most important variable discriminating between tree groups.
Legal Reasoning and Wrongful Discharge Tort Law in California

general economic model. The court then assumed, as any strict formalist would, that the general model inevitably generated a particular conclusion. Profit-maximizing employers will not fire employees for irrational (unfair) motives; therefore, tort remedies are not required to protect workers. There are, of course, several criticisms that can be offered 171. Id. at 694, 254 Cal. Rptr. at 235. In a footnote, the court added that legislatures "have the ability to gather empirical evidence, solicit the advice of experts, and hold hearings at which all interested parties may present evidence and express their views Id. at 694, n.31, 254 Cal. Rptr. at 235. 172. "[W]hen an insurer in bad faith refuses to pay a claim or to accept a policy offer within settlement limits ... the insured cannot turn to the marketplace to find another insurance company willing to pay for the loss already incurred." Id. at 692, 254 Cal. Rptr. at 234. 173. Id. at 693, 254 Cal. Rptr. at 234. [Vol. 26 30 California Western Law Review, Vol. 26 [1989], No. 1, Art. 3 http://scholarlycommons.law.cwsl.edu/cwlr/vol26/iss1/3 WRONGFUL DISCHARGE TORT LAW against this argument: not all employers act rationally and not all employees can readily find jobs elsewhere. This is not to suggest that Lucas' opinion, on this point, is "wrong." What the opinion does suggest is that, on this issue, the court essentially relied on a typically formal method of reasoning. The general rule (or model) was the significant consideration, not the social outcome
Estimating Annual Root Decomposition in Grassland Systems

Calculated belowground buried root bag decomposition rates may be impacted by soil disturbance and that mesh bags can exclude potential degraders. This paper explicitly compares the sequential soil sampling method to the buried root bag approach to determine if biomass degradation estimates over a season differ. The research was conducted at two eastern South Dakota grassland sites (loamy and thin upland ecological sites) in 2011 and 2012 in an area where the grassland vegetation was killed to prevent new root growth. In the sequential core technique, a composite sample consisting of three 4-cm diameter soil cores from the 0- to 15- and 15- to 30-cm depth were collected monthly from May to October, whereas five residue bags were placed 7 cm below the soil surface in spring and removed at the last soil sampling date. The sequential core (61% ± 7.2) and residue bag (58% ± 7.2) techniques had similar root decomposition amounts; however, the sequential core technique had a lower labor requirement than the residue bag technique when the increased sampling requirement was considered.
The Interface Theory of Perception

Our perceptual systems are products of evolution and have been shaped, in part, by natural selection. It is widely assumed that natural selection favors veridical perceptions—that is, perceptions that accurately describe aspects of the objective world relevant to fitness. This assumption has been tested using the mathematics of evolutionary game theory. It is false. Monte Carlo simulations reveal that veridical perceptions are never more fit, and generically are less fit, than nonveridical perceptions of equal complexity that are tuned to fitness. Veridical perceptions go extinct, and their extinction rate increases as complexity increases. These results motivate a new theory of perceptual systems—as species-specific interfaces shaped by natural selection to hide objective reality and guide adaptive behavior. For Homo sapiens, space-time is the desktop of the interface and physical objects are icons on the desktop. The shapes and colors of physical objects no more resemble objective reality than the shape...
Rosalie Wolf Memorial Lecture: A logic model to measure the impacts of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

ABSTRACTThis commentary discusses the need to evaluate the impact of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day activities, the elder abuse field’s most sustained public awareness initiative. A logic model is proposed with measures for short-term, medium-term, and long-term outcomes for community-based programs.
Mediastinal lymph node detection and station mapping on chest CT using spatial priors and random forest

Purpose: To develop an automated system for mediastinal lymph node detection and station mapping for chest CT. Methods: The contextual organs, trachea, lungs, and spine are first automatically identified to locate the region of interest (ROI) (mediastinum). The authors employ shape features derived from Hessian analysis, local object scale, and circular transformation that are computed per voxel in the ROI. Eight more anatomical structures are simultaneously segmented by multiatlas label fusion. Spatial priors are defined as the relative multidimensional distance vectors corresponding to each structure. Intensity, shape, and spatial prior features are integrated and parsed by a random forest classifier for lymph node detection. The detected candidates are then segmented by the following curve evolution process. Texture features are computed on the segmented lymph nodes and a support vector machine committee is used for final classification. For lymph node station labeling, based on the segmentation results of the above anatomical structures, the textual definitions of mediastinal lymph node map according to the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer are converted into patient-specific color-coded CT image, where the lymph node station can be automatically assigned for each detected node. Results: The chest CT volumes from 70 patients with 316 enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes are used for validation. For lymph node detection, their system achieves 88% sensitivity at eight false positives per patient. For lymph node station labeling, 84.5% of lymph nodes are correctly assigned to their stations. Conclusions: Multiple-channel shape, intensity, and spatial prior features aggregated by a random forest classifier improve mediastinal lymph node detection on chest CT. Using the location information of segmented anatomic structures from the multiatlas formulation enables accurate identification of lymph node stations.
Single-Fluid-Phase Species Transport

The goal of this chapter is to extend the macroscale TCAT analysis of Chap. 9 to include compositional effects in single-fluid-phase porous medium systems. Because the development is similar to that employed in the previous chapter, emphasis will be on the extensions to the analysis that are needed.
Alternatives to Randomized Control Trial Designs for Community-Based Prevention Evaluation.

Multiple factors may complicate evaluation of preventive interventions, particularly in situations where the randomized controlled trial (RCT) is impractical, culturally unacceptable, or ethically questionable, as can occur with community-based efforts focused on inner-city neighborhoods or rural American Indian/Alaska Native communities. This paper is based in the premise that all research designs, including RCTs, are constrained by the extent to which they can refute the counterfactual and by which they can meet the challenge of proving the absence of effects due to the intervention—that is, showing what is prevented. Yet, these requirements also provide benchmarks for valuing alternatives to RCTs, those that have shown abilities to estimate preventive effects and refute the counterfactual with limited bias acting in congruence with community values about implementation. In this paper, we describe a number of research designs with attending examples, including regression discontinuity, interrupted time series designs, and roll-out randomization designs. We also set forth procedures and practices that can enhance their utility. Alternative designs, when combined with such design strengths, can provide valid evaluations of community-based interventions as viable alternatives to the RCT.
Exploring First-Year College Students' Cultural Competence.

The development of college students’ cultural competence is important in an increasingly diverse world. This exploratory, qualitative, action research study examined how 158 first-year students understood and applied core concepts after participating in a standardized diversity and social justice lesson plan designed using transformative education principles. Three student affairs staff conducted content analysis on credit-bearing reflection papers submitted after participation in the lesson plan. Data were manually coded and collectively analyzed revealing themes regarding students’ abilities to accurately discuss multiple core concepts, demonstrate internalized responsibility, and indicate self-growth, all of which were related to students’ conceptual understanding and intrapersonal application of concepts. Implications are discussed for designing curricular and cocurricular diversity initiatives that utilize a multiplicity of concepts and social identities, promote intrapersonal development, and explor...
Bidirectional reflectance spectroscopy: 6. Effects of porosity

It is well known that the bidirectional reflectance of a particulate medium such as a planetary regolith depends on the porosity, in contrast to predictions of models based on the equation of radiative transfer as usually formulated. It is shown that this failure to predict porosity dependence arises from an incorrect treatment of the light that passes between the particles. In this paper a more physically correct treatment that takes account of the necessity of preventing particles from interpenetrating is used together with the two-stream approximation to solve the radiative transfer equation and derive improved expressions for the bidirectional and directional-hemispherical reflectances. It is found that increasing the filling factor (decreasing the porosity) increases the reflectance of low and medium albedo powders, but decreases it for ones with very high albedos. The model agrees qualitatively with measured data.
P169 Does anodal transcranial direct current stimulation elicit consistent effects

Introduction It is well known that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is capable of modulating cortical excitability. However, a source of growing concern has been the observed inter-individual variability of tDCS responses, and more recently, the intra-individual variability over repeated expositions. Few studies have investigated the reproducibility of tDCS effects over repeated sessions by assessing whether individuals respond in a predictable manner. The findings of these investigations showed to be inconsistent, and lack control groups to determine whether variability was related to the measuring tool (i.e. TMS). Objective The main objective of this study was to determine inter- and intra-individual variability of anodal tDCS (atDCS) effects on primary motor cortex (M1) excitability when applied over multiple sessions. In addition, we assessed whether tDCS response consistency was dependent on the stimulation parameters (i.e. current intensities). Subjects & methods Twelve subjects participated in a randomized crossover counterbalanced study, in which they received atDCS over M1 in three separate conditions (2 mA, 1 mA, sham) each repeated three times separated by 48 h. tDCS was delivered using a standard montage with the active electrode centered over M1 and the reference over the right supra-orbital area. Motor evoked potentials were recorded before and after stimulation (up to 30 min). Time and day of testing was maintained consistent within participants. To estimate the reliability of tDCS effects across multiple sessions, the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) was calculated. Results AtDCS significantly increased cortical excitability at the group level in all sessions, except for the 1 mA condition. The ICC revealed fair to good reliability of tDCS effects. Given the distribution of individual responses showed important variability for the sham condition, we established a cut-off value based on this data to classify responses and to track individual changes across sessions for all conditions. Using this value, an intra-individual consistent response pattern was observed only in the 2 mA condition. Conclusion 2 mA anodal tDCS results in consistent intra- and inter-individual increases of M1 excitability.
Effect of asymmetric strain relaxation on dislocation relaxation processes in heteroepitaxial semiconductors

The effect of asymmetric interfacial strain configurations upon the generation of misfit dislocation arrays in lattice mismatched epitaxy is considered. For example, elastic strain relaxation for Si1−xGex/Si(110) films is uniaxial, assuming glide on {111} planes as expected for the diamond cubic system, which leads to asymmetric strain relief. Here, we extend our previously developed relaxation model for generation of dislocation arrays in SiGe/Si, by accounting for how the different energetics of asymmetrically strained films affect the kinetics of the relaxation process. Similarly, non-polar III-nitride epitaxial films have asymmetric strain from the outset of growth due to the different c/a lattice parameter ratios. In both systems, the asymmetric strain is represented by an additional term in the misfit dislocation applied stress equation. In SiGe/Si(110), a simple elasticity analysis of the strain produced by the uniaxial array of dislocations predicts that the relaxation orthogonal to the dislocatio...
Informed Monte Carlo Tree Search for Real-Time Strategy games

The recent success of AlphaGO has shown that it is possible to combine machine learning with Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) in order to improve performance in games with large branching factors. This paper explores the question of whether similar ideas can be applied to a genre of games with an even larger branching factor: Real-Time Strategy games. Specifically, this paper studies (1) the use of Bayesian models to estimate the probability distribution of actions played by a strong player, (2) the incorporation of such models into NaiveMCTS, a MCTS algorithm designed for games with combinatorial branching factors. We call this approach informed MCTS, since it exploits prior information about the game in the form of a probability distribution of actions. We evaluate its performance in the μRTS game simulator, significantly outperforming the previous state of the art.
Childhood experiences and housing insecurity in adulthood: The salience of childhood emotional abuse

Abstract The majority of recent research and interventions related to childhood experiences and young adult housing challenges has been focused on the role of foster care involvement. However, we know much less about how a wider range of childhood experiences, such as maltreatment, relate to adult economic and housing outcomes. Informed by the Stress Process Model, the present study uses data from 11,764 individuals from Waves 1, 3, and 4 in-home surveys of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Bivariate tests and logistic regressions explored whether a history of foster care involvement, running away before age 18, being kicked out of home, or frequency of incidents of child maltreatment (physical, emotional, or sexual abuse) prior to age 18 are related to housing insecurity in adulthood, measured by inability to pay rent/mortgage, being evicted, or inability to pay utilities in the past 12 months in adulthood (ages 26–32). Multivariate models demonstrated that the higher number of adverse experiences in childhood, the higher the odds of experiencing housing insecurity in adulthood, controlling for demographic and other factors. In the multivariate model testing the relationship of individual types of adverse experiences, only childhood emotional abuse remained significantly related to higher likelihood of housing insecurity in adulthood after controlling for multiple comparisons. Compared with those who experienced no emotional abuse in childhood, those who reported that they experienced emotional abuse more than ten times in their childhood had approximately 39% higher odds (OR = 1.39, p
Experiential avoidance, eating expectancies, and binge eating: A preliminary test of an adaption of the Acquired Preparedness model of eating disorder risk

This study investigated learned expectancies of eating outcomes as a mechanism through which maladaptive avoidant strategies relate to eating psychopathology. Participants included 244 undergraduate students at a Midwestern university. The participants completed a battery of measures online. Preacher and Hayes's (2008) bootstrapping method of mediation and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the relationships among experiential avoidance, eating expectancies, and binge eating and to test how experiential avoidance fits within the Acquired Preparedness model of eating disorder risk that highlights the role of negative urgency. Results revealed that experiential avoidance was positively related to negative affect eating expectancies and to binge eating. Negative affect eating expectancies mediated the relationship between experiential avoidance and binge eating. Further, experiential avoidance more adequately explained binge eating in the Acquired Preparedness model of eating disorder risk than did negative urgency. The findings from this study suggest an alternative understanding of the pathways through which dispositional and psychosocial characteristics of undergraduate students may impact eating disorder symptomatology.
Uncomplexity and black hole geometry

We give a definition of uncomplexity of a mixed state without invoking any particular definitions of mixed state complexity and argue that it gives the amount of computational power Bob has when he only has access to part of a system. We find geometric meanings of our definition in various black hole examples and make a connection with subregion duality. We show that Bob’s uncomplexity is the portion of his accessible interior spacetime inside his entanglement wedge. This solves a puzzle we encountered about the uncomplexity of the thermofield double state. In this process, we identify different kinds of operations Bob can do as being responsible for the growth of different parts of spacetime.
OUTCOMES OF WEEKEND VERSUS WEEKDAY ADMISSION FOR ACUTE DECOMPENSATED HEART FAILURE IN PATIENTS WITH REDUCED EJECTION FRACTION: THE ATHEROSCLEROSIS RISK IN COMMUNITIES SURVEILLANCE STUDY

Hospitals often have reduced staffing on weekends and holidays. Whether weekend admission for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is associated with adverse outcomes is controversial, particularly in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Hospitalizations for ADHF
Impact of Synchronous Liver Resection on the Perioperative Outcomes of Patients Undergoing CRS-HIPEC.

While liver resection (LR) and cytoreductive surgery (CRS) plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) are commonly performed for hepatic and peritoneal metastases, respectively, the safety of synchronous LR and CRS-HIPEC has not been established. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) databases from 2005 to 2016 were used to identify patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC. Demographic, clinical, and perioperative outcomes were compared among patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC with and without synchronous LR. Among 1168 patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC, 100 (8.6%) underwent synchronous LR and 1068 (91.4%) did not. The most common primary diagnosis was unspecified (65.3%) followed by appendix (16.0%) and colorectal (12.5%). Among patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC plus LR, the majority had a partial hepatectomy (96.0%), while a small subset underwent trisegmentectomy (2.0%) or hemihepatectomy (2.0%). Patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC plus LR underwent a greater number of operative procedures (8.3 ± 2.5 vs 6.7 ± 2.5, p < 0.001), had a longer operative time (520.7 ± 155.3 vs 454.6 ± 160.7 min, p = 0.001), had a longer hospital length of stay (16.7 ± 15.6 vs 11.1 ± 11.5 days, p < 0.001), were more likely to require reoperation (13.0 vs 6.9%, p = 0.03), and experienced greater 30-day morbidity (47.0 vs 27.4%, p < 0.001), but not mortality (3.0 vs 1.4%, p = 0.22). On multivariate logistic regression, LR was strongly associated with increased risk of postoperative morbidity even after controlling for potential confounders (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.03–2.64). Simultaneous LR and CRS-HIPEC was associated with increased operative time, length of hospital stay, reoperation, and postoperative morbidity compared to CRS-HIPEC alone. For patients with synchronous hepatic and peritoneal metastases, a staged operative approach should be considered.
Test-retest reliability of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development Quality of Life Outcomes Assessment.

Background Medical diagnoses such as headaches, diplopia, nausea, and asthenopia are conditions that are often treated with optometric vision therapy. Improvement of such subjective conditions after a regimen of therapy is often difficult to objectively quantify. The goal of this study was to verify the test-re-test reliability of a new clinical survey instrument, the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) Quality of Life Outcomes Assessment, which allows the analysis of symptoms data. Methods The first-year class of optometry students at the Oklahoma College of Optometry at Northeastern State University were administered the instrument in a group setting on two different occasions, two weeks apart. Nineteen students completed both test and re-test. Statistical analysis by the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and paired t test were performed. Results Each subject reported some of the 30 symptoms on both test and re-test. The instrument was found to be reliable. Wilcoxon Signed Rank Analysis showed no significant differences in test-retest scores, either pooled or item-by-item. A paired t-test group and item analysis were insignificantly different between scores. Spearman's rho correlation for test-retest of each subject was 0.878. Eighty-nine percent (17 of 19) scored insignificantly different between administrations. Ninety percent of the items (27 of 30) were found to vary insignificantly between the two administrations. Conclusions The COVD Quality of Life Outcomes Assessment is a reliable tool to measure changes in symptoms on the basis of optometric intervention--specifically, vision therapy.
Nanomaterials for neural tissue engineering

Abstract: This chapter reviews the use of strategies combining nanotechnology with other guidance cues (e.g., biomaterials, support cells, chemical factors) in neural tissue engineering. Nano-structure fabrication techniques and various nanomaterials in neural tissue engineering are presented.
Magnetic structure and magnetization of z -axis helical Heisenberg antiferromagnets with XY anisotropy in high magnetic fields transverse to the helix axis at zero temperature

A helix has a wave vector along the $z$ axis with the magnetic moments ferromagnetically aligned within $xy$ planes with a turn angle $kd$ between the moments in adjacent planes in transverse field $\mathbf{H}={H}_{x}\stackrel{\ifmmode \hat{}\else \^{}\fi{}}{\mathbf{i}}=0$. The magnetic structure and $x$-axis average magnetization per spin of this system in a classical XY anisotropy field ${H}_{\mathrm{A}}$ is studied versus $kd$, ${H}_{\mathrm{A}}$, and large ${H}_{x}$ at zero temperature. For values of ${H}_{\mathrm{A}}$ below a $kd$-dependent maximum value, the $xy$ helix phase transitions with increasing ${H}_{x}$ into a spin-flop (SF) phase where the ordered moments have $x$, $y$, and $z$ components. The moments in the SF phase are taken to be distributed on either one or two $xyz$ spherical ellipses. The minor axes of the ellipses are oriented along the $z$ axis and the major axes along the $y$ axis where the ellipses are flattened along the $z$ axis due to the presence of the XY anisotropy. From energy minimization of the SF spherical ellipse parameters for given values of $kd$, ${H}_{\mathrm{A}}$, and ${H}_{x}$, four $kd$-dependent SF phases are found: either one or two $xyz$ spherical ellipses and either one or two $xy$ fans, in addition to the $xy$ helix/fan phase and the paramagnetic (PM) phase with all moments aligned along H. The PM phase occurs via second-order transitions from the $xy$ fan and SF phases with increasing ${H}_{x}$. Phase diagrams in the ${H}_{x}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{H}_{\mathrm{A}}$ plane are constructed by energy minimization with respect to the SF phases, the $xy$ helix/fan phase, and the $xy$ SF fan phase for five $kd$ values. One of these five phase diagrams is compared with the magnetic properties found experimentally for the model helical Heisenberg antiferromagnet ${\mathrm{EuCo}}_{2}{\mathrm{P}}_{2}$ and semiquantitative agreement is found.
A Study of the cytotoxic effects of cetuximab and the interaction with a selective Cox-2 inhibitor (Celecoxib) in breast cancer cell lines.

5087 OBJECTIVES: Direct modulation of signal transduction pathways by Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and its family members, as well as their indirect regulation by other unrelated mediators are critical during cancer cells development. In addition, there has been a growing body of data indicating a role of Cyclooxygenase (COX) -2 in carcinogenesis. The purpose of this study was to assess the antiproliferative effect of Cetuximab, a monoclonal antibody that binds the extracellular domain of the EGF receptor (EGFR), and to evaluate the interaction between Cetuximab and Celecoxib. METHODS: Increasing doses of Cetuximab (0.5 100 mg/ml) and Celecoxib (5 40 mM) were tested alone and in combination against human breast cancer cell lines, including BT20 which has an amplification of the EGFR, and MCF-7 which expresses low levels of the receptor. Inhibition of cell growth after 7 days of treatment was assessed by the MTT colorimetric assay, while apoptosis was detected using an in situ DNA Fragmentation Detection kit. RESULTS: Cetuximab inhibited the growth of BT20 by as much as 35% compared to only 15% in the MCF-7 cell line (p
Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy misdiagnosed as optic neuritis and Lyme disease in a patient with multiple sclerosis

A 28-year-old Caucasian man developed sudden painless vision loss in the right eye. He was diagnosed with optic neuritis. MRI showed white matter lesions consistent with multiple sclerosis (MS), but no optic nerve enhancement. Eight months later, the left eye was affected in the same manner. Examination showed right optic atrophy and apparent left optic disc swelling. Workup revealed positive Lyme IgG. Differential diagnosis included optic neuritis and Lyme optic neuropathy, and he was treated with intravenous steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, plasmapheresis and intravenous ceftriaxone without improvement. Neuro-ophthalmology consultation led to identification of pseudo-optic disc oedema, and Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) was suspected and confirmed by genetic testing. LHON may occur in association with MS, and should be considered in patients with MS with vision loss atypical for optic neuritis. This is especially important as new treatments for LHON (including gene therapy) are currently undergoing clinical trials.
Enzyme cytochemistry of the abraded gastric surface epithelium. An aid in the diagnosis of early atrophic gastritis and focal intestinal metaplasia.

Enzyme cytochemistry of the abraded gastric mucosa was here developed as a new procedure and applied to the study of atrophic gastritis. This new technic consists of determining 5 enzymes in the superficial epithelium of the gastric mucosa, abraded by conventional cytologic brush technic—namely, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, leucine amino peptidase, lactic acid dehydrogenase and diphosphopyridine nucleotide diaphorase. Enzyme cytochemistry of the abraded surface epithelial cells was correlated, in 49 individuals, with the histology and cytology of the gastric mucosa, as obtained by gastric suction biopsy and conventional cytologic technic. In addition, in 31 of these patients, enzyme histochemistry of the gastric surface epithelium, obtained by gastric suction biopsy, was studied and correlated with enzyme cytochemistry of the smears of the abraded surface epithelium of the stomach. The results obtained indicate similar yields of cytochemical and histochemical methods in individuals with normal gastric mucosa and chronic superficial gastritis. However, enzyme cytochemical study of the abraded mucosa appears to be superior to histologic and enzyme histochemical examination of the gastric suction biopsy specimens in recognizing the early atrophic lesions of the gastric mucous membrane. These manifest themselves by positive reactions of the abraded surface epithelium for acid phosphatase, lactic acid dehydrogenase and diphosphopyridine nucleotide diaphorase. Enzyme cytochemistry is especially important in diagnosing the focally distributed intestinal metaplasia, which is often missed in gastric suction biopsy. This can be easily recognized by strongly positive reactions of the abraded surface epithelium for alkaline phosphatase and leucine amino polypeptidase. In view of the relation existing between the foci of intestinal metaplasia and development of gastric cancer in this area such a recognition may be significant in the followup of patients presenting this type of lesion.
Prospective evaluation of finger two-point discrimination and carpal tunnel syndrome among women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy.

Purpose Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are associated with musculoskeletal symptoms and risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), which can impair quality of life and prompt treatment discontinuation. The incidence of CTS and clinical utility of diagnostic tests such as 2-point discrimination (2-PD) have not been prospectively examined among women receiving AIs. Methods Postmenopausal women with stage 0-III hormone receptor-positive breast cancer who were enrolled in a randomized clinical trial investigating adjuvant AIs (Exemestane and Letrozole Pharmacogenetics, ELPh) underwent prospective evaluation of 2-PD with the Disc-criminator™ (sliding aesthesiometer) and completed a CTS questionnaire at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months, following initiation of AI. Changes in mean 2-PD were analyzed with multivariable mixed effects modelling. A p value Results Of 100 women who underwent baseline 2-PD testing, CTS was identified by questionnaire in 11% at baseline prior to AI initiation. Prevalence of CTS at any time in the first year was 26%. A significant increase in worst 2-PD score was observed from baseline to 3 months (3.7 mm to 3.9 mm, respectively, p = 0.03) when adjusted for age, prior chemotherapy, randomized treatment assignment, and diabetes. There were no significant differences in treatment discontinuation due to CTS between the arms. Conclusion For women receiving adjuvant AI, 2-PD scores were significantly worse at 3 months compared to baseline. Studies are required to assess whether change in 2-PD is an adequate objective assessment for CTS with AI therapy. Early diagnosis of CTS may expedite management, improve AI adherence, and enhance breast cancer outcomes.
Oh my neighbors, there is no neighbor

This article meditates on the Christian command to love the neighbor as yourself by focusing on how both Jacques Derrida and Soren Kierkegaard have read this command. I argue that Derrida, failing ...
Is There a Future for PPARs in the Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Recently, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α and γ isoforms have been gaining consistent interest in neuropathology and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Several studies have provided evidence that either the receptor expression or the levels of their endogenously-produced modulators are downregulated in several neurological and psychiatric disorders and in their respective animal models. Remarkably, administration of these endogenous or synthetic ligands improves mood and cognition, suggesting that PPARs may offer a significant pharmacological target to improve several neuropathologies. Furthermore, various neurological and psychiatric disorders reflect sustained levels of systemic inflammation. Hence, the strategy of targeting PPARs for their anti-inflammatory role to improve these disorders is attracting attention. Traditionally, classical antidepressants fail to be effective, specifically in patients with inflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs exert potent antidepressant effects by acting along with PPARs, thereby strongly substantiating the involvement of these receptors in the mechanisms that lead to development of several neuropathologies. We reviewed running findings in support of a role for PPARs in the treatment of neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease or psychiatric disorders, such as major depression. We discuss the opportunity of targeting PPARs as a future pharmacological approach to decrease neuropsychiatric symptoms at the same time that PPAR ligands resolve neuroinflammatory processes.
Docosanoid signaling modulates corneal nerve regeneration: effect on tear secretion, wound healing, and neuropathic pain

The cornea is densely innervated, mainly by sensory nerves of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal ganglia (TG). These nerves are important to maintain corneal homeostasis, and nerve damage can lead to a decrease in wound healing, an increase in corneal ulceration and dry eye disease (DED), and neuropathic pain. Pathologies, such as diabetes, aging, viral and bacterial infection, as well as prolonged use of contact lenses and surgeries to correct vision can produce nerve damage. There are no effective therapies to alleviate DED (a multifunctional disease) and several clinical trials using ω-3 supplementation show unclear and sometimes negative results. Using animal models of corneal nerve damage, we show that treating corneas with pigment epithelium-derived factor plus DHA increases nerve regeneration, wound healing, and tear secretion. The mechanism involves the activation of a calcium-independent phospholipase A2 that releases the incorporated DHA from phospholipids and enhances the synthesis of the docosanoids, neuroprotectin D1 (NPD1) and a new resolvin stereoisomer, resolvin D6i (RvD6i). NPD1 stimulates the synthesis of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, nerve growth factor, and semaphorin 7A. RvD6i treatment of injured corneas modulates gene expression in the TG resulting in enhanced neurogenesis, decreased neuropathic pain, and increased sensitivity. Taken together, these results represent a promising therapeutic option to reestablish the homeostasis of the cornea.
What Factors Predict Upper Body Push to Pull Ratios in Professional Firefighters

Shoulder joint injuries are common for professional firefighters. A potential cause of shoulder injury is an imbalance between anterior (push) and posterior (pull) shoulder joint musculature. Understanding what contributes to these imbalances may help to identify areas needing improvement. The purpose of this study was to investigate different push to pull (P2P) ratios and the relationships among common upper body fitness assessments, body composition, and push to pull (P2P) ratios in firefighters. Thirty-three professional firefighters completed the following testing protocol: one-repetition maximum (1RM) bench press, pull-up repetitions to failure, push-up repetitions to failure, and a body composition assessment. The endurance P2P (eP2P) was computed by dividing the number of push-up by pull-up repetitions, while strength P2P (sP2P) was the relative 1RM divided by pull-up repetitions. Bivariate relationships among variables were assessed with correlation coefficients and linear regression assessed association between eP2P and sP2P (p ≤ 0.05). The sP2P and eP2P were not associated (R 2 = 0.032, p = 0.99). Strength P2P was related with bench press 1RM (r = 0.80) and push-ups (r = 0.40). Endurance P2P was related with pull-up repetitions (r = -0.62), body fat percentage (r = 0.40), and fat mass index (r = 0.34). The results of the present study suggest sP2P and eP2P ratios should not be used interchangeably. To improve sP2P and eP2P for firefighters, it is recommended to improve the strength of anterior and posterior upper body musculature, respectively, and reduce total body fat mass.
Representation of Women on Plastic Surgery Journal Editorial Boards in the United States.

Background During the past decade, a growing number of women have pursued medical careers, including in plastic surgery. However, female physicians have tended to be underrepresented in a variety of leadership roles in their respective specialties. Objectives The authors sought to evaluate the representation of female plastic surgeons on the editorial boards of high-impact plastic surgery journals. Methods The gender of editorial board members on 3 high-impact plastic surgery journals was evaluated from 2009 and 2018. The number of women on each editorial board was then compared with the number of board-certified female plastic surgeons (BCFPS) and board-certified female academic plastic surgeons (BCFAPS), a subgroup of BCFPS. Results There were 555 unique editorial board members from Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, and Annals of Plastic Surgery from 2009 to 2018. During that period, 72 editors (13.0%) were women. At the beginning of the study, there were significantly fewer female editors than expected based on proportionate representation of BCFPS and BCFAPS to all board-certified plastic surgeons (P = 0.007 and 0.007, respectively). During the study, there was a 177% increase in women holding editorial board positions. At study end, women were adequately represented on all 3 editorial boards compared with their population data (BCFPS and BCFAPS). Conclusions During the 10 years of this study (2009-2018), editorial boards have overcome the underrepresentation of women on, and female plastic surgeons are currently adequately represented on the top 3 high-impact journal editorial boards.
Structural Analysis of the Novel Variants of SARS-CoV-2 and Forecasting in North America

Background: little is known about the forecasting of new variants of SARS-COV-2 in North America and the interaction of variants with vaccine-derived neutralizing antibodies. Methods: the affinity scores of the spike receptor-binding domain (S-RBD) of B.1.1.7, B. 1.351, B.1.617, and P.1 variants in interaction with the neutralizing antibody (CV30 isolated from a patient), and human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor were predicted using the template-based computational modeling. From the Nextstrain global database, we identified prevalent mutations of S-RBD of SARS-CoV-2 from December 2019 to April 2021. Pre- and post-vaccination time series forecasting models were developed based on the prediction of neutralizing antibody affinity scores for S-RBD of the variants. Results: the proportion of the B.1.1.7 variant in North America is growing rapidly, but the rate will reduce due to high affinity (~90%) to the neutralizing antibody once herd immunity is reached. Currently, the rates of isolation of B. 1.351, B.1.617, and P.1 variants are slowly increasing in North America. Herd immunity is able to relatively control these variants due to their low affinity (~70%) to the neutralizing antibody. The S-RBD of B.1.617 has a 110% increased affinity score to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) in comparison to the wild-type structure, making it highly infectious. Conclusion: The newly emerged B.1.351, B.1.617, and P.1 variants escape from vaccine-induced neutralizing immunity and continue circulating in North America in post- herd immunity era. Our study strongly suggests that a third dose of vaccine is urgently needed to cover novel variants with affinity scores (equal or less than 70%) to eliminate developing viral mutations and reduce transmission rates.
Deep) Induction Rules for GADTs.

Deep data types are those that are defined in terms of other such data types, including, possibly, themselves. In that case, they are said to be truly nested. Deep induction is an extension of structural induction that traverses all of the structure in a deep data type, propagating predicates on its primitive data throughout the entire structure. Deep induction can be used to prove properties of nested types, including truly nested types, that cannot be proved via structural induction. In this paper we show how to extend deep induction to deep GADTs that are not truly nested. We also show that deep induction cannot be extended to truly nested GADTs.
Multimodal 3D characterization of voids in shock-loaded tantalum: Implications for ductile spallation mechanisms

Abstract Predicting the failure of crystalline materials at high strain rates requires knowledge of the underlying failure mechanisms and their dependence on microstructure. In this study, a 3D-EBSD characterization experiment is performed on high-purity tantalum prior to and after partial spallation by plate impact, which allows for the statistical assessment of the microstructural neighborhoods surrounding incipient voids. In analyzing the resulting dataset containing 5884 grains and 467 voids, it is observed that the voids were roughly spherical and consistent in size throughout the spalled material. The voids are most likely to reside at quadruple points, at triple junctions, at grain boundaries, and within grains, in decreasing order of prevalence. Moreover, voids tend to form at grain boundaries with high degrees of plastic incompatibility, growing into the plastically soft grain but orienting primarily with or perpendicular to the loading direction. The statistics from these analyses of 3D microstructural data support dynamic cavitation models for ductile spallation.
Visualization of Host Cell Kinase Activation by Viral Proteins Using GFP Fluorescence Complementation and Immunofluorescence Microscopy

Non-receptor protein-tyrosine kinases regulate cellular responses to many external signals and are important drug discovery targets for cancer and infectious diseases. While many assays exist for the assessment of kinase activity in vitro, methods that report changes in tyrosine kinase activity in single cells have the potential to provide information about kinase responses at the cell population level. In this protocol, we combined bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), an established method for the assessment of protein-protein interactions, and immunofluorescence staining with phosphospecific antibodies to characterize changes in host cell tyrosine kinase activity in the presence of an HIV-1 virulence factor, Nef. Specifically, two Tec family kinases (Itk and Btk) as well as Nef were fused to complementary, non-fluorescent fragments of the Venus variant of YFP. Each kinase was expressed in 293T cells in the presence or absence of Nef and immunostained for protein expression and activity with anti-phosphotyrosine (pTyr) antibodies. Multi-color confocal microscopy revealed the interaction of Nef with each kinase (BiFC), kinase activity, and kinase protein expression. Strong BiFC signals were observed when Nef was co-expressed with both Itk and Btk, indicative of interaction, and a strong anti-pTyr immunoreactivity was also seen. The BiFC, pTyr, and kinase expression signals co-localized to the plasma membrane, consistent with Nef-mediated kinase activation in this subcellular compartment. Image analysis allowed calculation of pTyr-to-kinase protein ratios, which showed a range of responses in individual cells across the population that shifted upward in the presence of Nef and back down in the presence of a kinase inhibitor. This method has the potential to reveal changes in steady-state non-receptor tyrosine kinase activity and subcellular localization in a cell population in response to other protein-kinase interactions, information that is not attainable from immunoblotting or other in vitro methods.
APOE E2/E2 Is Associated with Slower Rate of Cognitive Decline with Age.

Background The E4 allele of the APOE gene is known to be associated with cognitive impairment. However, a limited number of studies have examined the association between the E2 allele and longitudinal changes of cognitive function. Objective To determine whether rates of cognitive change differ in carriers of the APOE E2 allele compared to other genotypes. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of data from two ongoing longitudinal cohort studies, the Long Life Family Study (LLFS) and New England Centenarian Study (NECS). We included participants who had APOE genotyping data, data from longitudinal administrations of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS), and age, sex, and education available. We assessed whether cognitive change as measured by rate of decline in TICS score differed among people with different APOE genotypes. We used a hierarchical mixed effect model with APOE genotypes, their interactions with age, and potential confounders. Results After adjusting for sex and education, in carriers of the common E3/E3 genotype, TICS score decreased by 0.15 points per year of age. In those with the E2/E2 genotype, TICS score decreased by 0.05 points per year of age, a significantly slower rate of decline (p = 0.017). We observed no protective effect of the E2/E3 genotype on cognitive decline. Conclusion These results suggest a protective effect of the E2/E2 genotype on a measure of global cognitive function.