cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multimodal Analysis and Prediction of Persuasiveness in Online Social Multimedia

Our lives are heavily influenced by persuasive communication, and it is essential in almost any type of social interaction from business negotiation to conversation with our friends and family. With the rapid growth of social multimedia websites, it is becoming ever more important and useful to understand persuasiveness in the context of social multimedia content online. In this article, we introduce a newly created multimedia corpus of 1,000 movie review videos with subjective annotations of persuasiveness and related high-level characteristics or attributes (e.g., confidence). This dataset will be made freely available to the research community. We designed our experiments around the following five main research hypotheses. First, we study if computational descriptors derived from verbal and nonverbal behavior can be predictive of persuasiveness. We further explore combining descriptors from multiple communication modalities (acoustic, verbal, para-verbal, and visual) for predicting persuasiveness and compare with using a single modality alone. Second, we investigate how certain high-level attributes, such as credibility or expertise, are related to persuasiveness and how the information can be used in modeling and predicting persuasiveness. Third, we investigate differences when speakers are expressing a positive or negative opinion and if the opinion polarity has any influence in the persuasiveness prediction. Fourth, we further study if gender has any influence in the prediction performance. Last, we test if it is possible to make comparable predictions of persuasiveness by only looking at thin slices (i.e., shorter time windows) of a speaker's behavior.
A Near Ideal Edge Termination Technique for 4500V 4H-SiC Devices: The Hybrid Junction Termination Extension

This letter presents a new edge termination technique named a hybrid junction termination extension (Hybrid-JTE), which combines ring-assisted JTE and multiple floating zone JTE. Based on the parameters of the drift layer specified by the wafer vendor, the measured breakdown voltage of the fabricated p-i-n diode using the Hybrid-JTE is as high as 5450 V, which is close (~99%) of the ideal parallel plane p-n junction. Furthermore, measured breakdown voltages from randomly chosen 32 p-i-n diodes across the wafer show very tight distribution: 29 diodes provide breakdown voltages higher than 5000 V at $100~\mu \text{A}$ .
Abstract 1256: MUC4 is negatively regulated by hypoxia in ROS-dependent manner in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) stands as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, with the 5-year survival rate of less than 6%. Hypoxia is one of the most prominent features of the PC microenvironment, which is also characterized by the presence of extremely high desmoplasia. Emerging evidence demonstrates that HIF-1α regulates MUC1 expression under hypoxia in PC. It enhances hypoxia driven angiogenesis and tumor cells survival by regulating the metabolic programming of PC cells. Our group has demonstrated that MUC4, which remains undetectable in the normal pancreas, is aberrantly overexpressed in the precursor lesions and progressively increase with the severity of PC. It is one of the most differentially expressed transmembrane proteins and has strongly been implicated in the progression, metastasis and chemoresistance of PC. Given the substantial increase in hypoxia and MUC4 in PC, we hypothesized that hypoxia positively regulates MUC4 expression. To investigate the role of hypoxia on MUC4 expression, we treated PC cell lines (CD18/HPAF, T3M4 and CAPAN1) with 1% hypoxia. On contrary to our anticipation, we observed significant (p In spite of commonly perceived cancer promoting role of hypoxia, growing bodies of evidence start pointing towards the inhibitory effects of hypoxia on cancer cell survival, which is further strengthened by our findings. This study demonstrates the novel role of ROS on MUC4 regulation in PC and emphasizes the need to optimize antioxidant therapies against PC. Citation Format: Suhasini Joshi, Sushil Kumar, Moorthy P. Ponnusamy, Surinder K. Batra. MUC4 is negatively regulated by hypoxia in ROS-dependent manner in pancreatic cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1256. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1256
The Gang Life: A Culture of Its Own

Culture is a monolithic component of every society. A society is comprised of a group of individuals that share common beliefs, customs, and traditions. It is a way of identification. The various forms of communication go beyond anyoneâ€™s understanding. Their dialect defines them as a unique society that is understood only within its members. It is not a particular ethnicity, sorority, religious group, or any other common groups that are typically defined as a society. They are the modern extremist. In fact, they are labeled as the menaces to society; although, they are very much a society and a culture on its own. It is the culture of Gangs. The focus on this paper is geared towards understanding how their different components and structures are comparable to the organizations and/or various cultures that are accepted among our society even though their practices go against the norms of what society deems to be acceptable.
Development of a core Clostridium thermocellum kinetic metabolic model consistent with multiple genetic perturbations

Clostridium thermocellum is a Gram-positive anaerobe with the ability to hydrolyze and metabolize cellulose into biofuels such as ethanol, making it an attractive candidate for consolidated bioprocessing (CBP). At present, metabolic engineering in C. thermocellum is hindered due to the incomplete description of its metabolic repertoire and regulation within a predictive metabolic model. Genome-scale metabolic (GSM) models augmented with kinetic models of metabolism have been shown to be effective at recapitulating perturbed metabolic phenotypes. In this effort, we first update a second-generation genome-scale metabolic model (iCth446) for C. thermocellum by correcting cofactor dependencies, restoring elemental and charge balances, and updating GAM and NGAM values to improve phenotype predictions. The iCth446 model is next used as a scaffold to develop a core kinetic model (k-ctherm118) of the C. thermocellum central metabolism using the Ensemble Modeling (EM) paradigm. Model parameterization is carried out by simultaneously imposing fermentation yield data in lactate, malate, acetate, and hydrogen production pathways for 19 measured metabolites spanning a library of 19 distinct single and multiple gene knockout mutants along with 18 intracellular metabolite concentration data for a Δgldh mutant and ten experimentally measured Michaelis–Menten kinetic parameters. The k-ctherm118 model captures significant metabolic changes caused by (1) nitrogen limitation leading to increased yields for lactate, pyruvate, and amino acids, and (2) ethanol stress causing an increase in intracellular sugar phosphate concentrations (~1.5-fold) due to upregulation of cofactor pools. Robustness analysis of k-ctherm118 alludes to the presence of a secondary activity of ketol-acid reductoisomerase and possible regulation by valine and/or leucine pool levels. In addition, cross-validation and robustness analysis allude to missing elements in k-ctherm118 and suggest additional experiments to improve kinetic model prediction fidelity. Overall, the study quantitatively assesses the advantages of EM-based kinetic modeling towards improved prediction of C. thermocellum metabolism and develops a predictive kinetic model which can be used to design biofuel-overproducing strains.
The User Experience of the Internet as a Legal Help Service: Defining Standards for the Next Generation of User-Friendly Online Legal Services

This Article presents empirical research about how the Internet is currently failing laypeople who are searching online for legal help to their life problems and what a future agenda of user-centered standards and practices for better legal help on the Internet could be. It first examines the existing literature about how the Internet can best be used as legal resource and the status quo of legal help sites. Then it surveys and examines negative consumer reports and reviews of legal help websites. Finally, it presents the first study of how laypeople search for resources to resolve a legal issue, how they scout and assess legal help services online, and their feedback on which existing legal help sites they consider to be the most usable, the most trustworthy, and the most valuable. This data is useful to propose new best practices about how these tech-based services can best serve laypeople, in terms of usability, quality of service, and protection of the users' interests. It also confirms the importance of the Internet as a legal help service and highlights the need for more research and development on better online legal help sites that fit laypeople’s needs and preferences.
Review of the role of probiotics in gastrointestinal diseases in adults

Abstract Background Probiotics may act as biological agents that modify the intestinal microbiota and certain cytokine profiles, which can lead to an improvement in certain gastrointestinal diseases. Objectives To conduct a review of the evidence of the role of probiotics in certain gastrointestinal diseases in adults. Search methods Review conducted using appropriate descriptors, filters and limits in the PubMed database (MEDLINE). Selection criteria The MeSH terms used were Probiotics [in the title] AND Gastrointestinal Diseases, with the following limits or filters: Types of study: Systematic Reviews, Meta-Analysis, Guideline, Practice Guideline, Consensus Development Conference (and Consensus Development Conference NIH), Randomised Controlled Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial and Clinical Trial; age: adults (19 or older); language: English and Spanish; in humans, and with at least one abstract. Data collection and analysis Full texts of all the Systematic Reviews and meta-analyses directly related to the review's objective were obtained, as well as the Randomised Controlled Trials of the studies that were considered relevant and of sufficient quality for this review. Main results Certain probiotics, different for each process, have proven to be effective and beneficial in cases of acute infectious diarrhoea, antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea, pouchitis and Helicobacter pylori infection eradication. Authors’ conclusions Although some probiotics have not demonstrated any benefit, there are certain gastrointestinal diseases in which the use of probiotics, true biological agents, can be recommended.
Why and How to Introduce the Event Dimension into the Simulation of Development Policies

Abstract Although traditional quantitative models are useful in the simulation of socioeconomic development policies, improvement can be made by introducing information on the possibility of occurrence of events which might influence the course of the development. Since the decision makers are often more familiar with this type of information rather than purely factual data, it should be treated by and incorporated into the quantitative models. These enlarged models should enable more realistic results to be obtained from the different simulations undertaken.
Neoliberalism From Below: Popular Pragmatics & Baroque Economies, by Verónica Gago

The translation of Veronica Gago’s book, Neoliberalism from Below, into English brings a much-needed perspective from the Global South to theoretical debates concerning neoliberalism. Using La Sala...
Political economy of hope as a cultural facet of biomedicalization: A qualitative examination of constraints to hospice utilization among U.S. end-stage cancer patients.

Abstract A growing body of social science literature is devoted to describing processes of biomedicalization. The issue of biomedicalization is especially relevant for individuals suffering from end-stage cancer and hoping that aggressive end-of-life interventions, which are riddled with uncertainty around quantity or quality of life, will produce a ‘cure’. To examine hospice underutilization among end-stage cancer patients, we apply the anthropological concept ‘political economy of hope,’ which describes how personal and collective ‘hope’ is associated with the political and economic structures that produce biomedicalization processes. Previous studies have examined hospice underutilization among end-stage cancer patients and have identified barriers stemming from patient and physician characteristics or health insurance reimbursement policies. Yet, these studies do not provide an organized synthesis of how barriers articulate, how they are part of the longitudinal decision-making process, or describe the sociocultural context surrounding hospice care enrollment decisions. This paper focuses on US-specific mechanisms and is based on qualitative, in-depth, interviews with physicians at an academic hospital (N = 24). We find that hospice underutilization results from a web of interconnected constraints surrounding end-stage cancer patients. Our research reveals how hospice care contradicts the political and economic structures associated with end-stage cancer care and illustrates how end-stage cancer patients are transformed into a form of biovalue, a fundamental commodity sustaining the political economy of hope.
Punctuated Anytime Learning to Evolve Robot Control for Area Coverage

Evolutionary computation is a powerful learning method that has successfully been used to evolve control programs for autonomous robots. Nevertheless, its practical use has been limited by a significant problem. Most evolutionary computation methods operate on a population of possible solutions, which all must be tested to attain their fitness. Testing the entire population of solutions on the actual robot is impractical for all but the simplest problems. Conducting the tests on a simulation of the robot significantly saves time and wear on the robot, but requires an accurate model of the robot, which is in itself is a difficult task, and does not accommodate for changes in the performance of the robot, which are commonplace once it is in operation. In this chapter, we present a method for linking the simulation to the actual robot to allow the learning system to learn even when the simulation is not completely accurate and adapt the control program for changes in the robot’s capabilities. The method’s viability is demonstrated by its application to learning the control program for an actual hexapod robot’s performing area coverage.
Adult exogenous lipoid pneumonia: A rare and underrecognized entity in cytology - A case series.

Background: Exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) is a rare benign entity without specific clinical or imaging presentation. Although cytological studies – either bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) or fine-needle aspiration (FNA) – may be pursued in patients with ELP, a definitive diagnosis is frequently rendered only on histology. The aim of this study is to highlight the cytological features of ELP. Methods: A search of cytopathology (CP) and surgical pathology (SP) diagnoses of ELP was conducted. The corresponding clinical and imaging features were obtained, and the morphology, particularly the presence and size of the intracytoplasmic vacuoles and background, was assessed. Results: Nine cases of ELP were identified, including eight with corresponding CP and SP. A neoplasm was suspected in three based on imaging, but ELP was not in the differential clinically or radiographically in any. Among the cases, six patients had BALs and three FNAs. All of the samples showed multiple large vacuoles within macrophages with at least some equal to or larger than the size of the cell nucleus. Similar vacuoles were noted extracellularly on smears. Conclusions: ELP is typically described in case reports in the clinical or radiological literature. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the largest series of adult ELP in CP. When large vacuoles are present in macrophages in cytology specimens, at least a suspicion of ELP can be suggested to initiate appropriate therapy, identify/remove the inciting agent, and preclude a more invasive procedure.
Microchannels in prediabetes.

In humans, diabetic microangiopathy affects arterioles, capillaries and venules throughout the body. This fact signifies the unity of the vascular occurrences. The pathology of the microchannels functional or structural, has a variable dynamic natural history where localized abnormalities are commonly found at different stages of their development.
Are U.S. adults reporting less sleep?: Findings from sleep duration trends in the National Health Interview Survey, 2004-2017.

Study objectives To document trends in self-reported sleep duration for the noninstitutionalized U.S. civilian population from 2004 to 2017 and examine how sleep trends vary by race/ethnicity. Methods We use data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for U.S. noninstitutionalized adults aged 18-84 from 2004 to 2017 (N = 398 382). NHIS respondents were asked how much they slept in a 24-hour period on average, which we categorized as ≤6 hr (short sleep), 7-8 hr (adequate sleep), and ≥9 hr (long sleep). We used multinomial logistic regression models to examine trends in self-reported sleep duration and assess race/ethnic differences in these trends. Our models statistically adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, familial, behavioral, and health covariates. Results The prevalence of short sleep duration was relatively stable from 2004 to 2012. However, results from multinomial logistic regression models indicated that there was an increasing trend toward short sleep beginning in 2013 (b: 0.09, 95% CI: 0.05-0.14) that continued through 2017 (b: 0.18, 95% CI: 0.13-0.23). This trend was significantly more pronounced among Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks, which resulted in widening racial/ethnic differences in reports of short sleep. Conclusions Recent increases in reports of short sleep are concerning as short sleep has been linked with a number of adverse health outcomes in the population. Moreover, growing race/ethnic disparities in short sleep may have consequences for racial and ethnic health disparities.
Privacy Preserving Distributed Stable Matching of Electric Vehicles and Charge Suppliers

The potential of electric vehicles (EV) to reduce foreign-oil dependence and improve urban air quality has triggered lots of investment by automotive companies recently and mass penetration and market dominance of EVs is imminent. However, EVs need to be charged more frequently than fossil-based vehicles and the charging durations are much longer. This necessitates in advance scheduling and matching depending on the route of the EVs. However, such scheduling and frequent charging may leak sensitive information about the users which may expose their driving patterns, whereabouts, schedules, etc. The situation is compounded with the proliferation of EV chargers such as V2V charging where there can be a lot of privacy exposure if matching of suppliers and EVs is achieved in a centralized manner. To address this issue, in this paper, we propose a privacy-preserving distributed stable matching of EVs with suppliers (i.e., public/private stations, V2V chargers) using preference lists formed by partially homomorphic encryption-based distance calculations while hiding the locations. The simulation results indicate that such a local matching of supplier and demanders can be achieved in a distributed fashion within reasonable computation and convergence times while preserving privacy of users.
Medial artery calcification increases neointimal hyperplasia after balloon injury.

Arterial calcification predicts accelerated restenosis after angioplasty and stenting. We studied the effects of calcification on neointimal hyperplasia after balloon injury in the rat carotid. Arterial calcification was induced by subcutaneous injection of vitamin D3 or by adventitial application of calcium chloride. After balloon catheter injury, neointimal hyperplasia was significantly increased in rats with medial calcification compared with controls. Neointimal cell proliferation in calcified arteries as assessed by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining was also higher. In calcified arteries, bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2)levels were increased at the time of injury suggesting a possible explanation for the altered responses. In vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) grown under calcifying conditions , stimulation with BMP-2 significantly increased cell proliferation, however, this did not occur in those grown under non-calcifying conditions. These data suggest that neointimal hyperplasia is accelerated in calcified arteries and that this may be due in part to increased BMP-2 expression in medial SMCs. Treatments aimed at inhibiting restenosis in calcified arteries may differ from those that work in uncalcified vessels.
PALLADIUM-CATALYZED FORMATION AND STEREOSELECTIVE ISOMERIZATION OF 5-VINYLOXAZOLINES. APPLICATION TO THE FORMAL SYNTHESIS OF (S, S)-4-AMINO-3-HYDROXY- 5-PHENYLPENTANOIC ACID

Abstract Vinyloxazolidinones have been found to undergo Pd(0)-catalyzed ionization followed by loss of carbon dioxide and subsequent cyclization to form vinyloxazolines. The reaction occurred under mild conditions, and enhancement of diastereomeric ratios with chiral substrates was obtained. 4-Benzyl-5-vinyloxazoline prepared by this method has been utilized in the stereoselective synthesis of (S,S)-4-amino-3-hydroxy-5-phenylpentanoic acid (AHPPA).
Disorders of the Adrenal Cortex in the Fetus and Neonate

Abstract The clinical signs, symptoms, and hormonal abnormalities of adrenal cortex disorder are dictated by the degree of involvement of the mineralocorticoid, glucocorticoid, and sex hormone pathways secreted by the zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata, and zona reticularis, respectively. The causal genetic mutations leading to many adrenal disorders have been identified. Careful interpretation of clinical, hormonal, and genetic data assists in reaching an accurate diagnosis. This chapter describes genetic adrenocortical disorders of neonatal and fetal onset, including syndromic adrenal disorders.
Nitrous Oxide Use During Labor: Satisfaction, Adverse Effects, and Predictors of Conversion to Neuraxial Analgesia.

Introduction Women desire safe and effective choices for pain management during labor. Currently, neuraxial and opioid analgesia are the most common methods used in the United States. The purpose of this study was to investigate demographic characteristics, safety, and satisfaction in a cohort of parturients who used inhaled nitrous oxide (N2 O) analgesia and to determine predictors of conversion from N2 O to neuraxial analgesia. Methods This was a prospective chart review study. Individuals aged at least 18 years who used inhaled N2 O during the first or second stage of labor between March 1, 2016, and July 23, 2017, on the labor and delivery unit of one academic medical center (N = 463) and their neonates were included. Data describing maternal and neonatal factors are reported. Logistic regression and chi-square tests were used to model the effects of oxytocin augmentation, labor induction, parity, prior cesarean birth, pre-N2 O cervical dilatation, and post-N2 O cervical dilatation on the odds of conversion from N2 O to neuraxial analgesia. Results In this cohort, 31% who chose N2 O for analgesia did not convert to any other analgesic method. Significant positive predictors for conversion from N2 O to neuraxial analgesia included labor induction (odds ratio [OR], 2.9; 95% CI, 1.7-5.0), oxytocin augmentation (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.6-6.0), and labor after cesarean (OR, 6.4; 95% CI, 2.5-16.5). Multiparity (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2-0.6) and post-N2 O cervical dilatation (OR, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.7-0.9) were negative predictors. Adverse effects related to N2 O use during labor were rare (8%) and were not a significant reason for conversion to neuraxial analgesia. Parturients had moderately high satisfaction with N2 O for pain management (11-point scale, mean [SD], 7.4 [2.9]). Five-minute Apgar scores were 7 or greater in 97.8% of the newborns. Discussion Understanding predictors of conversion from inhaled N2 O to neuraxial analgesia may assist perinatal care providers in their discussions with women about analgesia options during labor. N2 O is a useful, safe option for labor analgesia in the United States.
Retrospective cohort study to characterise the blood pressure response to spironolactone in patients with apparent therapy-resistant hypertension using electronic medical record data.

Objective Identify blood pressure (BP) response to spironolactone in patients with apparent therapy-resistant hypertension (aTRH) using electronic medical records (EMRs) in order to estimate response in a real-world clinical setting. Design Developed an algorithm to determine BP and electrolyte response to spironolactone for use in a retrospective cohort study. Setting An academic medical centre in Nashville, Tennessee. Population Patients with aTRH prescribed spironolactone. Main outcome measures Baseline BP and BP response, determined as the change in mean systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) following spironolactone initiation. Additional response measures were serum sodium, potassium and creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), glucose, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides. Demographic characteristics included race, age, gender, body mass index (BMI), diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease stage 3, ischaemic heart disease and smoking. Results The mean decreases in SBP and DBP were 8.1 and 3.4 mm Hg, consistent with clinical trial data. Using a mean decrease in SBP of 5 mm Hg or in DBP of 2 mm Hg to define ‘responders’, 30.3% of patients did not respond. In univariable analyses, responders had higher BMI, baseline SBP, DBP, sodium and HbA1c, and lower creatinine. In multivariable analysis, responders were older and had significantly higher BMI and baseline SBP and DBP, and lower potassium. Increases in potassium and creatinine following spironolactone were larger in responders. When BP was evaluated as a continuous variable, decreases in SBP and DBP correlated with baseline BP, decrease in sodium and increases in potassium and creatinine following spironolactone. The decrease in SBP was associated with decreasing glucose in European Americans. Conclusions We developed an algorithm to assess BP response to a commonly prescribed medication for aTRH using EMRs. Electrolyte changes associated with the BP response to spironolactone are consistent with its mechanism of action of blocking the mineralocorticoid receptor and decreasing epithelial sodium channel activity.
A Chronic Murine Disease Model of Coccidioidomycosis Using Coccidioides posadasii, Strain 1038

Murine infections with most Coccidioides spp. strains are lethal by 3 weeks, limiting the study of immune responses. Coccidioides posadasii, strain 1038 (Cp1038), while slowly lethal, resulted in protracted survival of C57BL/6 (B6) mice. In resistant (B6D2)F1/J mice, lung fungal burdens stabilized by week 4 without progression through week 16, better modeling human coccidioidal infections after their immunologic control. Immunodeficient tumor necrosis factor (Tnf) α knockout (KO) and interferon (Ifn) γ receptor 1 (Ifn-γr1) KO mice survived a median of 22.5 and 34 days, compared with 70 days in B6 mice (P = .001 and P < .01, respectively), though 14-day lung fungal burden studies showed little difference between Ifn-γr1 KO and B6 mice. B6 mice showed peak concentrations of key inflammatory lung cytokines, including interleukin 6, 23, and 17A, Tnf-α, and Ifn-γ, only after 4 weeks of infection. The slower progression in B6 and the acquired fungal burden stability in B6D2 mice after Cp1038 infection greatly increases the array of possible immunologic studies.
The causal effects of education on health over the life course: evidence from Canada.

Abstract Objectives The present article assesses the causal effects of education on health in Canada by gender. Study design This is an empirical study of the relationship between education and self-rated health. Probability samples of cohorts born between 1935 and 1965 are observed in 1990 and 2011. The average age of the cohorts is 37 years in 1990 and increases to 58 in 2011. Methods Education is instrumented using the changes in school-leaving age laws. Both linear and two-stage least squares regressions are estimated. Results A positive health effect for education is detected, which is larger for women during the first half of life. For the second half of life as well, a positive causal effect for education is found for both men and women. But no strong evidence of gender difference in education-health gradient is found later in life. Conclusions The results highlight the lingering importance of education for health policy, as longer schooling seems to generate non-monetary benefits in terms of health externalities across the life course.
Abstract PO-092: Development of an organoid assay for studying racial disparity in pancreatic acinar ductal metaplasia

Blacks have higher rates of incidence and mortality of pancreatic cancer compared to Whites and non-White Hispanics. In an effort to identify a biological basis for this disparity, we propose examining the early events in the development of pancreatic cancer. The process by which pancreatic acini transdifferentiate into ductal epithelial cells (i.e. acinar ductal metaplasia or ADM) is one of the earliest events in the development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. We adapted the classic in vitro ADM assay, by which primary mouse pancreatic acini undergo ADM once plated onto the extracellular matrix matrigel, to an assay to culture and transdifferentiate human pancreatic organoids. We have received normal, human pancreatic acini from pancreatic islet transplantation centers from Black (n=8), White (n=19) and Hispanic (n=16) donors. The gender distribution was 29 males and 14 females. The acinar cells were cultured on matrigel and allowed to undergo ADM over a 5 to 6 day period. The number of ductal epithelial cells were microscopically counted and the rate of transdifferentiation was determined by kinetic modeling of the data. We have successfully cultured and transdifferentiated 40 of 43 human pancreatic acinar cells. Data from our study suggests that females undergo ADM at a faster rate than males and among the different races, the rate of acinar transdifferentiation decreases in the following order Blacks > Whites > non-White Hispanics. In summary, we demonstrate that women and Blacks have the highest rate of pancreatic transdifferentiation. Future studies include sequencing of the RNA isolated from the tissues to identify molecular drivers of acinar transdifferentiation and their impact on health disparities of pancreatic cancer. Citation Format: Alyssa Gosling, Jinmai Jiang, Corey M. Perkins, Yingwei Yao, Thomas D. Schmittgen. Development of an organoid assay for studying racial disparity in pancreatic acinar ductal metaplasia [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-092.
Mood symptoms and impairment due to substance use: A network perspective on comorbidity.

Abstract Background: Mood disorders and problematic substance use co-occur and confer reciprocal risk for each other. Few studies use analytic approaches appropriate for testing whether specific features of one disorder confer risk for the other. Methods: 445 participants (59.8% female, Mean age = 20.3 years) completed measures of depression and hypo/mania symptoms and substance use-related impairment; 330 had complete data at follow-up. Of these, 28% reported a history of depression, 4% of bipolar spectrum disorder, 11% of substance use disorder, and 55% reported substance-related impairment. Symptoms and domains of substance-related impairment were modeled in cross-sectional and cross-lagged panel network models. Results: Impulsive and interpersonal impairment were most highly comorbid with mood symptoms. Suicidal ideation, sadness, decreased need for sleep, and guilt were the symptoms most highly comorbid with impairment. Interpersonal impairment due to substance use was the strongest cross-construct predictor of mood symptoms and suicidal ideation was most predictive of impairment. Social, intrapersonal, and physical impairment due to substance use were most predicted by previous mood symptoms and decreased need for sleep, guilt, and euphoria were most strongly predicted by past impairment. Limitations: Measures do not assess all mood symptoms, participants with low reward sensitivity were excluded, only self-report measures were used, and some variables were single-items. Conclusions: Components of these syndromes that confer cross-construct risk might not be the same components that are predicted by the other construct. The bidirectional relationship between mood symptoms and problematic substance use might be better conceptualized at the element, rather than diagnostic, level.
Extracorporeal Carbon Dioxide Removal in the Treatment of Status Asthmaticus.

Objectives Venovenous extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal may be lifesaving in the setting of status asthmaticus. Design Retrospective review. Setting Medical ICU. Patients Twenty-six adult patients with status asthmaticus treated with venovenous extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal. Interventions None. Measurements and main results Demographic data and characteristics of current and prior asthma treatments were obtained from the electronic medical record. Mechanical ventilator settings, arterial blood gases, vital signs, and use of vasopressors were collected from the closest time prior to cannulation and 24 hours after initiation of extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal. Extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal settings, including blood flow and sweep gas flow, were collected at 24 hours after initiation of extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal. Outcome measures included rates of survival to hospital discharge, ICU and hospital lengths of stay, duration of invasive mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal support, and complications during extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal. Following the initiation of extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal, blood gas values were significantly improved at 24 hours, as were peak airway pressures, intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure, and use of vasopressors. Survival to hospital discharge was 100%. Twenty patients (76.9%) were successfully extubated while receiving extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal support; none required reintubation. The most common complication was cannula-associated deep venous thrombosis (six patients, 23.1%). Four patients (15.4%) experienced bleeding that required a transfusion of packed RBCs. Conclusions In the largest series to date, use of venovenous extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal in patients with status asthmaticus can provide a lifesaving means of support until the resolution of the exacerbation, with an acceptably low rate of complications. Early extubation in select patients receiving extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal is safe and feasible and avoids the deleterious effects of positive-pressure mechanical ventilation in this patient population.
Adaptation of Influenza Viruses to Human Airway Receptors.

Through annual epidemics and global pandemics, influenza A viruses (IAVs) remain a significant threat to human health as the leading cause of severe respiratory disease. Within the last century, four global pandemics have resulted from the introduction of novel IAVs into humans, with components of each originating from avian viruses. IAVs infect many avian species wherein they maintain a diverse natural reservoir, posing a risk to humans through the occasional emergence of novel strains with enhanced zoonotic potential. One natural barrier for transmission of avian IAVs into humans is the specificity of the receptor-binding protein, hemagglutinin (HA), which recognizes sialic-acid-containing glycans on host cells. HAs from human IAVs exhibit "human-type" receptor specificity, binding exclusively to glycans on cells lining the human airway where terminal sialic acids are attached in the α2-6 configuration (NeuAcα2-6Gal). In contrast, HAs from avian viruses exhibit specificity for "avian-type" α2-3-linked (NeuAcα2-3Gal) receptors and thus require adaptive mutations to bind human-type receptors. Since all human IAV pandemics can be traced to avian origins, there remains ever-present concern over emerging IAVs with human-adaptive potential that might lead to the next pandemic. This concern has been brought into focus through emergence of SARS-CoV-2, aligning both scientific and public attention to the threat of novel respiratory viruses from animal sources. In this review, we summarize receptor-binding adaptations underlying the emergence of all prior IAV pandemics in humans, maintenance and evolution of human-type receptor specificity in subsequent seasonal IAVs, and potential for future human-type receptor adaptation in novel avian HAs.
Back to Bargaining Basics: A Simple 50-50 Model for Splitting a Pie

Nash (1950) and Rubinstein (1982) give two different justifications for a 50-50 split of surplus to be the outcome of bargaining with two players. Nash's axioms extend to n players, but the search for a satisfactory n-player non-cooperative game theory model of bargaining has been fruitless. I offer a simple static model that reaches a 50-50 split (or 1/n) as the unique equilibrium. Each player chooses a "toughness level" simultaneously, but greater toughness always generates a risk of breakdown. Introducing asymmetry, a player who is more risk averse gets a smaller share in equilibrium. "Bargaining strength" can also be parameterized to yield an asymmetric split. The model can be expanded to resemble Rubinstein (1982) by making breakdown mere delay, but with an exact 50-50 split if the player's discount rates are equal. The model only needs minimal assumptions on breakdown probability and pie division as functions of toughness and has a clear intuition: whoever has a bigger share loses more from breakdown and hence has less incentive to be tough.
Shifts in Relative U.S. Wages: The Role of Trade, Technology, and Factor Endowments

A basic relationship of the standard general equilibrium trade model relating product-price changes to factor-price changes is used—together with other economic relationships based on this model—to investigate empirically the importance of changes in trade, technology, and factor endowments in accounting for the shifts in relative wages of less-educated workers compared to more-educated workers from 1967 to 1996. In the early part of the period when wage inequality decreased, the dominant explanatory factor seems to have been a relative increase in the supply of highly educated labor. However, since the late 1970s, none of the three economic forces considered can alone account for the observed changes in relative wages, prices, outputs, net exports, and factor-use ratios. In particular, both education-biased technical progress that was greater in industries that intensively used more-educated labor and increased import competition in industries that intensively used less-educated labor seem to have played...
iCanQuit Smartphone App Is Effective in Helping with Smoking Cessation.

Use of the iCanQuit smartphone app by smokers, who were recruited through Facebook and other Internet tools, produced higher cessation rates at 12 months (28.2%) than the QuitGuide app (21.1%).
Emerging Role of PD-1 in the Central Nervous System and Brain Diseases

Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) is an immune checkpoint modulator and a major target of immunotherapy as anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in cancer treatment. Accumulating evidence suggests an important role of PD-1 in the central nervous system (CNS). PD-1 has been implicated in CNS disorders such as brain tumors, Alzheimer's disease, ischemic stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cognitive function, and pain. PD-1 signaling suppresses the CNS immune response via resident microglia and infiltrating peripheral immune cells. Notably, PD-1 is also widely expressed in neurons and suppresses neuronal activity via downstream Src homology 2 domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 1 and modulation of ion channel function. An improved understanding of PD-1 signaling in the cross-talk between glial cells, neurons, and peripheral immune cells in the CNS will shed light on immunomodulation, neuromodulation, and novel strategies for treating brain diseases.
9 Trust the Future

If you took the modern Internet back in time to an early Starbucks in the 1980s, handed the nearest patron an iPad, and explained what it could do, he or she would be amazed. You would explain that from the comfort of the cafe they could use the device to communicate with their work, pay some bills, check their portfolio, choose a new car, read the news, brush up on a foreign language, and on and on, and most people would be speechless. And then you tell them it is all free (except the car).
Adoptive cell therapy for glioma

Abstract Despite aggressive surgery, radiation, and systemic chemotherapy, the prognosis for patients diagnosed with malignant brain tumors remains dismal, and there is an urgent need for the development of treatments that are more effective and will add minimal toxicity to standard therapies. Cancer immunotherapy is a modality that holds promise for the delivery of tumor-specific cytotoxicity, with the potential to eliminate brain tumor cells without harming the eloquent brain. Among cancer immunotherapies, immune checkpoint inhibition has revolutionized cancer treatment, but its efficacy is limited to tumors that contain sufficient numbers of endogenous tumor-specific T cells that can be re-stimulated to recognize their targets and mediate tumor killing. For tumors in which tumor-reactive T cells are absent or fail to function, adoptive cellular therapy has been developed to enhance the population of antitumor effector cells. Adoptive immunotherapy involves the ex vivo expansion of autologous tumor-specific immune cells isolated from cancer patients’ resected tumor tissue or peripheral blood followed by the infusion of large numbers of these expanded effector cells back into the patients. These immune cells can be administered either locally at the tumor sites or systemically via intravenous route. Formerly, immune cells with undetermined antigen specificity, such as lymphokine-activated killer cells, were predominantly used. Recently, antigen-targeted approaches have been developed, primarily involving the use of chimeric antigen receptor and T-cell receptor-transduced cells. However, although these approaches have been quite successful for other cancers, they present with unique challenges when applied to malignant brain tumors. We review the adoptive immunotherapeutic strategies that have been investigated in the treatment of glioma, including nonspecific cell therapies and tumor-specific therapies using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, genetically engineered T cells, and in vitro-stimulated antigen-specific T cells.
GJ 581 update: Additional evidence for a Super-Earth in the habitable zone

ties We present an analysis of the significantly expanded HARPS 2011 radial velocity data set for GJ 581 that was presented by Forveille et al. (2011). Our analysis reaches substantially different conclusions regarding the evidence for a SuperEarth-mass planet in the star’s Habitable Zone. We were able to reproduce their reported χ 2 and RMS values only after removing some outliers from their models and refitting the trimmed down RV set. A suite of 4000 N-body simulations of their Keplerian model all resulted in unstable systems and revealed that their reported 3.6σ detection of e =0 .32 for the eccentricity of GJ 581e is manifestly incompatible with the system’s dynamical stability. Furthermore, their Keplerian model, when integrated only over the time baseline of the observations, significantly increases the χ 2 and demonstrates the need for including non-Keplerian orbital precession when modeling this system. We find that a four-planet model with all of the planets on circular or nearly circular orbits provides both an excellent self-consistent fit to their RV data and also results in a very stable configuration. The periodogram of the residuals to a 4-planet all-circular-orbit model reveals significant peaks that suggest one or more additional planets in this system. We conclude that the present 240-point HARPS data set, when analyzed in its entirety, and modeled with fully self-consistent stable orbits, by and of itself does offer significant support for a fifth signal in the data with a period near 32 days. This signal has a false alarm probability of <4% and is consistent with a planet of minimum mass 2.2 M⊕, orbiting squarely in the star’s habitable zone at 0.13 AU, where liquid water on planetary surfaces is a distinct possibility. c
Health Care Disparities in Cardio-Oncology

Disparities between blacks and whites with respect to comorbidities, health outcomes and access to care have all been well documented. Black populations have higher prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, specifically hypertension and diabetes, and bear a disproportionate burden of cardiovascular disease [1, 2]. Differences in the incidence of disease and disease outcomes also exist in the arena of oncology where blacks continue to have worse outcomes with the highest death rates and lowest survival from most cancers of any racial or ethnic group [3, 4, 5]. Given that hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease all increase the risk of cardiac complications from many forms of oncologic care, the question of whether this population also experiences disparate rates of cardiac complications from oncologic care and whether any such differences could contribute to the gap in cancer outcomes requires investigation.
Ensuring America's Health: The Public Creation of the Corporate Health Care System

Ensuring America's Health explains why the US health care system offers world-class medical services to some patients but is also exceedingly costly, with fragmented care, poor distribution, and increasingly bureaucratized processes. Based on exhaustive historical research, this work traces how public and private power merged to favor a distinctive economic model that places insurance companies at the center of the system, where they both finance and oversee medical care. Although the insurance company model was created during the 1930s, it continues to drive health care cost and quality problems today. This wide-ranging work not only evaluates the overarching political and economic framework of the medical system but also provides rich narrative detail, examining the political dramas, corporate maneuverings, and forceful personalities that created American health care as we know it. This book breaks new ground in the fields of health care history, organizational studies, and American political economy.