cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Doxorubicin Cardiotoxicity Revisited: Ros Versus Top2

Doxorubicin remains one of the most important anticancer drugs in the clinic. Unfortunately, its potent antitumor activity is also accompanied by severe tissue toxicities such as cardiotoxicity. As discussed in this brief review, the antitumor activity of doxorubicin is due to its poisoning of Top2 (primarily the Top2α isozyme), resulting in the formation of Top2α–DNA covalent adducts. However, the mechanism for doxorubicin-induced tissue toxicities is less clear. While the consensus theory is that doxorubicin-mediated redox cycling (and therefore ROS generation) is responsible for its cardiotoxicity, emerging evidence has also suggested an involvement of the Top2β isozyme. The involvement of Top2β in doxorubicin cardiotoxicity could suggest the development of Top2α isozyme-specific anthracyclines for improved efficacy and/or new strategies for the use of dexrazoxane in managing doxorubicin cardiotoxicity.
Three-year mortality rate of suicide attempters in consultation-liaison service

AbstractObjective: Suicide attempters might be sent to the emergency room for urgent medical intervention. Some with more severe physical morbidity may be hospitalised, and psychiatrists might be consulted for suicide evaluation. The aim of our study was to investigate the three-year all-cause mortality rate of hospitalised suicide attempters with regard to the effect of consultation-liaison services, and to identify any risk factors associated with mortality.Methods: Between 2002 and 2006, 196 inpatients from medical or surgical wards in a general hospital who had consulted psychiatrists because of suicide attempts were collected consecutively. We traced their mortality incidence during a three-year period, and calculated the mortality rate and time (days) to death.Results: Three-year all-cause mortality was 20.4%, and there was a higher risk of mortality in the first two years after the index suicide attempt. In the adjusted Cox regression model, associated risks included male gender, older age, diagnos...
Colonizing Hokkaido and the Origin of Japanese Trans-Pacific Expansion, 1869–1894

ABSTRACTThis article argues that the Meiji government’s programs of colonial migration to Hokkaido established the intellectual foundation for the earliest wave of Japanese trans-Pacific migration to the US and colonial expansion in the South Pacific and Latin America between the 1880s and 1894. The experiences of migration-based colonial expansion and the trans-Pacific diaspora in modern Japan have been studied in isolation in existing literature. This article shows that these two experiences are actually inseparable from each other. The ideological origins of both were the migration-driven expansionism that emerged from the Meiji government’s colonial project in Hokkaido from 1869 to 1882.
Atom optics in a nutshell

This chapter presents a brief introduction to atom optics, assuming only a basic knowledge of elementary physics ideas such as conservation of energy and conservation of momentum, and making only limited use of elementary algebra. Starting from a historical perspective we introduce the idea of wave-particle duality, a fundamental tenet of quantum mechanics that teaches us that atoms, just like light, behave sometimes as waves, and sometimes as particles. It is this profound but counter-intuitive property that allows one to do with atoms much of what is familiar from conventional optics. However, because in contrast to photons atoms have a mass, there are also fundamental differences between the two that have important consequences. In particular this property opens up a number of applications that are ill-suited for conventional optical methods. After explaining why it is particularly advantageous to work at temperatures close to absolute zero to benefit most readily from the wave nature of atoms we discuss several of these applications, concentrating primarily on the promise of atom microscopes and atom interferometers in addressing fundamental and extraordinarily challenging questions at the frontier of current physics knowledge.
Falling Down on the Job: Evaluation and Treatment of Fall Risk Among Older Adults With Upper Extremity Fragility Fractures.

Background Clinical practice guidelines recommend fall risk assessment and intervention for older adults who sustain a fall-related injury to prevent future injury and mobility decline. Objective The aim of this study was to describe how often Medicare beneficiaries with upper extremity fracture receive evaluation and treatment for fall risk. Design Observational cohort. Methods Participants were fee-for-service beneficiaries age 66 to 99 treated as outpatients for proximal humerus or distal radius/ulna ("wrist") fragility fractures. -Participants were studied using Carrier and Outpatient Hospital files. The proportion of patients evaluated or treated for fall risk up to 6 months after proximal humerus or wrist fracture from 2007-2009 was examined based on evaluation, treatment, and diagnosis codes. Time to evaluation and number of treatment sessions were calculated. Logistic regression was used to analyze patient characteristics that predicted receiving evaluation or treatment. Narrow (gait training) and broad (gait training or therapeutic exercise) definitions of service were used. Results There were 309,947 beneficiaries who sustained proximal humerus (32%) or wrist fracture (68%); 10.7% received evaluation or treatment for fall risk or gait issues (humerus: 14.2%; wrist: 9.0%). Using the broader definition, the percentage increased to 18.5% (humerus: 23.4%; wrist: 16.3%). Factors associated with higher likelihood of services after fracture were: evaluation or treatment for falls or gait prior to fracture, more comorbidities, prior nursing home stay, older age, humerus fracture (vs wrist), female sex, and white race. Limitations Claims analysis may underestimate physician and physical therapist fall assessments, but it is not likely to qualitatively change the results. Conclusions A small proportion of older adults with upper extremity fracture received fall risk assessment and treatment. Providers and health systems must advance efforts to provide timely evidence-based management of fall risk in this population.
Future Observations of the Middle Atmosphere

Future prospects for observation of the middle atmosphere over the next decade are reviewed. Continuations of present measurements, and operational satellite data are discussed, followed by ground based measurements, the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), and the Earth Observing System (Eos). The amount of data, number of quantities measured, and quality of data will allow many new problems to be addressed.
Creating Student Engagement: The Kickstarter Active Learning Project

Students can become disengaged from marketing material if they cannot see the direct application. Marketing material needs to be applied to a meaningful business task to engage and motivate students. This article introduces the Kickstarter Active Learning Project—an innovative semester-long project in which students create a Kickstarter crowdfunding website. The key pedagogical innovation is that student knowledge is applied immediately to the real-world task of creating a Kickstarter website leading to increased engagement.
'What Kind of a Mad Prosecutor' Brought Us this White Collar Case

Prosecutors have enormous charging and plea discretion, although this discretion is not “unfettered.” This Essay examines this discretionary function when prosecutors in white collar cases stretch statutes beyond the statutory language, congressional intent, or policy. This Essay looks at three areas of white collar crime that have seen prosecutorial statute stretching: fraud, obstruction-of-justice, and bribery. Within each of these areas, there are examples of cases requiring judicial oversight to halt these prosecutorial practices. This Essay concludes by noting that prosecutors who stretch statutes do a disservice to our criminal justice process, as it is important to strictly construe white collar statutes to assure that criminal conduct is recognized and conformity with the law is promoted.
Consequential Life Cycle Optimization: General Conceptual Framework and Application to Algal Renewable Diesel Production

Life cycle optimization (LCO) enables static life cycle analysis (LCA) and techno-economic analysis to be performed dynamically for automatic generation and optimization of process alternatives. Existing LCO models are developed following an attributional LCA approach, which overlooks the environmental consequences in response to the changes in the market. In this study, we develop a consequential LCO framework that simultaneously optimizes consequential environmental impacts and economic performance. We propose a general system boundary that encloses processes linked by markets. On the basis of the general system boundary, we develop a multiobjective optimization model, which integrates process models and market models with the tenets of consequential LCA and techno-economic analysis methodologies. To efficiently solve the resulting nonconvex mixed-integer nonlinear programming problem, a global optimization algorithm is proposed to integrate the inexact parametric algorithm and the branch-and-refine alg...
Abstract 5114: Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of tricyclic thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidines as microtubule targeting antitumor agents

Microtubules are dynamic structures that, together with actin microfilaments and intermediate filaments, constitute the cellular cytoskeleton. Besides their well-known roles in cell division, their functions involve maintenance of cell shape and morphology, cellular motility, and trafficking of organelles and vesicles. Recently, we reported a compound AG 370 as a microtubule targeting agent, that circumvented the Pgp and βIII-tubulin mediated drug resistance mechanisms that limit the efficacy of paclitaxel, docetaxel, and the vinca alkaloids. Molecular modeling and docking studies of the parent compound (AG 370) in the colchicine binding site (PDB: 402B) suggest that the C-5 and C-6 of parent compound are oriented towards the hydrophobic pockets with the side chain of Ala316, Val315, Leu255 and Met259. However, this binding pocket in tubulin is relatively large. To further explore the hydrophobic pocket, an additional cyclohexene ring was introduced at C-5 and C-6 of AG370. In the molecular modeling study, the resulting tricyclic scaffold showed hydrophobic interactions with the amino acids of the colchicine binding site. The 2-Me substituent of the tricyclic scaffold was replaced with a 2-H and a 2-NH2 group and 4-position of the scaffold was replaced with appropriate anilines. The 2-amino- N4-methoxyphenyl moiety (AG61) was found to be the most potent analog in the tricyclic series in both antiproliferative assay in human melanoma cancer cell line (MDA-MB-435 cell line, IC50 = 9.0 ± 0.2 nM) and in microtubule depolymerization assay in A-10 cells (EC50= 19 nM). Thus, we identified tricyclic thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidines as a novel structural scaffold with potent antiproliferative activity as well as microtubule depolymerizing activity. These analogs are selected for preclinical development. Citation Format: Farhana Islam, Aleem Gangjee, Xin Zhang, Xilin Zhou, Susan L. Mooberry. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of tricyclic thieno[2,3- d]pyrimidines as microtubule targeting antitumor agents [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5114. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5114
Separation of Pb, Bi and Po by cation exchange resin

A separation of 209Po, 207Bi and 212Pb using AG 50Wx8 and AG MP 50 cation exchange resins in an HCl medium was developed. A procedure in which Po(IV) elutes first in 0.2 M HCl, followed by Bi(III) in 0.4 M HCl and finally Pb(II) in 2 M HCl was established. The separation using AG 50Wx8 provides a much better elution profile than that of AG MP 50 with no overlap between the elution bands. This separation has the potential to be used as an isotope generator for producing 210Po from 210Pb.
Bed site selection by a subordinate predator: an example with the cougar (Puma concolor) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

As technology has improved, our ability to study cryptic animal behavior has increased. Bed site selection is one such example. Among prey species, bed site selection provides thermoregulatory benefits and mitigates predation risk, and may directly influence survival. We conducted research to test whether a subordinate carnivore also selected beds with similar characteristics in an ecosystem supporting a multi-species guild of competing predators. We employed a model comparison approach in which we tested whether cougar (Puma concolor) bed site attributes supported the thermoregulatory versus the predator avoidance hypotheses, or exhibited characteristics supporting both hypotheses. Between 2012-2016, we investigated 599 cougar bed sites in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and examined attributes at two scales: the landscape (second-order, n = 599) and the microsite (fourth order, n = 140). At the landscape scale, cougars selected bed sites in winter that supported both the thermoregulatory and predator avoidance hypotheses: bed sites were on steeper slopes but at lower elevations, closer to the forest edge, away from sagebrush and meadow habitat types, and on southern, eastern, and western-facing slopes. In the summer, bed attributes supported the predator avoidance hypothesis over the thermoregulation hypothesis: beds were closer to forest edges, away from sagebrush and meadow habitat classes, and on steeper slopes. At the microsite scale, cougar bed attributes in both the winter and summer supported both the predator avoidance and thermoregulatory hypotheses: they selected bed sites with high canopy cover, high vegetative concealment, and in a rugged habitat class characterized by cliff bands and talus fields. We found that just like prey species, a subordinate predator selected bed sites that facilitated both thermoregulatory and anti-predator functions. In conclusion, we believe that measuring bed site attributes may provide a novel means of measuring the use of refugia by subordinate predators, and ultimately provide new insights into the habitat requirements and energetics of subordinate carnivores.
Modulation of the IL-33/IL-13 Axis in Obesity by IL-13Rα2

In obesity, IL-13 overcomes insulin resistance by promoting anti-inflammatory macrophage differentiation in adipose tissue. Endogenous IL-13 levels can be modulated by the IL-13 decoy receptor, IL-13Rα2, which inactivates and depletes the cytokine. In this study, we show that IL-13Rα2 is markedly elevated in adipose tissues of obese mice. Mice deficient in IL-13Rα2 had high expression of IL-13 response markers in adipose tissue, consistent with increased IL-13 activity at baseline. Moreover, exposure to the type 2 cytokine-inducing alarmin, IL-33, enhanced serum and tissue IL-13 concentrations and elevated tissue eosinophils, macrophages, and type 2 innate lymphoid cells. IL-33 also reduced body weight, fat mass, and fasting blood glucose levels. Strikingly, however, the IL-33-induced protection was greater in IL-13Rα2-deficient mice compared with wild-type littermates, and these changes were largely attenuated in mice lacking IL-13. Although IL-33 administration improved the metabolic profile in the context of a high fat diet, it also resulted in diarrhea and perianal irritation, which was enhanced in the IL-13Rα2-deficient mice. Weight loss in this group was associated with reduced food intake, which was likely related to the gastrointestinal effects. These findings outline both potentially advantageous and deleterious effects of a type 2-skewed immune response under conditions of metabolic stress, and identify IL-13Rα2 as a critical checkpoint in adipose tissues that limits the protective effects of the IL-33/IL-13 axis in obesity.
Influence of Assembly Force and Distraction on the Femoral Head-Taper Junction.

Abstract Background This study investigates if the placement of femoral heads (trials and actual implants) using varying impaction forces causes physical compromise to the trunnion. Methods Trunnion and head taper wear patterns were evaluated after impaction and removal of new femoral stem trunnions and ceramic heads at various impaction loads (2 kN, 4 kN, or 6 kN, n = 6/group). In addition, trunnion wear patterns were measured after plastic trials were hand-placed on new trunnions and underwent range of motion testing in a Hip Simulator (n = 5). Results There was no significant difference in trunnion or head surface deviation, taper angle, or surface roughness in any groups preimpaction and postimpaction and removal. There was no significant surface trunnion damage from assembly and range of motion testing of the plastic femoral head trial. Conclusions The use of femoral head trials and the concurrent impaction and removal of a new femoral head were not associated with significant trunnion surface damage for the impaction loads observed in this study.
Quantum Bäcklund Transformations and Conformal Algebras

A quantum Backlund transformation can provide a mapping from one realization of su(1,1), and any of its quantum deformations or Virasoro algebra extensions, to another. Nontrivial realizations can be related to trivial ones. Since the quantum transformation is not necessarily unitary, the two realizations can have different hermiticity properties when acting on arbitrary states. These general features are illustrated in detail using the Liouville field theory in 1+1 dimensions, and a simple potential model.
Environmental Lung Disease

Inhalation exposure to environmental dusts and chemicals can cause lung diseases. Exposure to these materials may occur within the workplace or outdoors, with disease symptoms developing either immediately or hours to years later. Because of differences in exposure and host factors, a single agent may produce more than one type of disorder, and a particular disorder may be caused by more than one agent.
The influence of betaine on untrained and trained horses exercising to fatigue.

Because exercise fatigue has been associated with the accumulation of lactic acid, factors that influence lactate metabolism during exercise can potentially enhance performance. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of supplemental betaine on eight mature Thoroughbred horses before and after 8 wk of conditioning. The effects of betaine were tested in two cross-over design experiments, allowing each horse to receive both the control and betaine treatments at each fitness level. Ingestion of 80 mg of betaine/kg of BW for 14 d before exercise testing did not alter plasma lactate, glucose, free fatty acids (FFA), or triglyceride concentrations during exercise in the untrained or trained horses. A time x treatment interaction (P < .05) was observed for plasma lactate in untrained horses during recovery from exercise, and plasma lactate concentrations were lower (P < .05) at 60 min after exercise when untrained horses received betaine. Plasma FFA concentrations were lower (P < .05) before exercise and at 720 min after exercise when untrained horses received betaine. These data indicate that betaine may influence lactate metabolism following exercise in untrained horses; however, betaine does not seem beneficial for trained horses.
Dopamine D1 and D2 receptor antagonism during development alters later behavior in zebrafish.

Abstract This study sought to examine the long-term behavioral impacts of dopamine D1 and D2 receptor antagonism during development in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Zebrafish embryos of both the AB* and 5D strains were exposed via immersion to either the D1 receptor antagonist SCH-23,390 or the D2 receptor antagonist haloperidol, at either 0.5 or 1.5-μM, from 5 h post-fertilization to 5 days post-fertilization. Aquarium water served as a control. Fish were then either tested as larvae on day 6 post-fertilization on a light/dark locomotor assay, or were grown to adulthood and tested on a behavioral battery that included assays for novel environment exploration, startle habituation, social affiliation, and predator escape (AB* strain only). Overall, developmental exposure to dopamine D1 and D2 receptor antagonists caused clear effects in larval locomotor behavior, driving hyperactivity in dark phases and hypoactivity in light phases. Additionally, control fish from the two strains were significantly different from each other (p
Andrei Bolotov’s eschatology

Expecting the arrival of the seventh millennium in 1836, Bolotov wrote in 1823 his eschatological treatise in which he first presented proofs of the immortality of the soul followed by his vision of the afterlife. The proofs were mostly traditional, with one of the relying very heavily on Jung-Stilling’s pneumatology. Bolotov also presented his vision of apocalyptic events: the first resurrection at the beginning of the seventh millennium, and at its end the second coming of Christ, the second resurrection, the last judgment, the end of the old world and the arrival of the new heaven and new earth. Bolotov also provided fairly detailed description of this new earth.
Tracking Anti-Staphylococcus aureus Antibodies Produced In Vivo and Ex Vivo during Foot Salvage Therapy for Diabetic Foot Infections Reveals Prognostic Insights and Evidence of Diversified Humoral Immunity.

ABSTRACT Management of foot salvage therapy (FST) for diabetic foot infections (DFI) is challenging due to the absence of reliable diagnostics to identify the etiologic agent and prognostics to justify aggressive treatments. As Staphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogen associated with DFI, we aimed to develop a multiplex immunoassay of IgG in serum and medium enriched for newly synthesized anti-S. aureus antibodies (MENSA) generated from cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells of DFI patients undergoing FST. Wound samples were collected from 26 DFI patients to identify the infecting bacterial species via 16S rRNA sequencing. Blood was obtained over 12 weeks of FST to assess anti-S. aureus IgG levels in sera and MENSA. The results showed that 17 out of 26 infections were polymicrobial and 12 were positive for S. aureus. While antibody titers in serum and MENSA displayed similar diagnostic potentials to detect S. aureus infection, MENSA showed a 2-fold-greater signal-to-background ratio. Multivariate analyses revealed increases in predictive power of diagnosing S. aureus infections (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] > 0.85) only when combining titers against different classes of antigens, suggesting cross-functional antigenic diversity. Anti-S. aureus IgG levels in MENSA decreased with successful FST and rose with reinfection. In contrast, IgG levels in serum remained unchanged throughout the 12-week FST. Collectively, these results demonstrate the applicability of serum and MENSA for diagnosis of S. aureus DFI with increased power by combining functionally distinct titers. We also found that tracking MENSA has prognostic potential to guide clinical decisions during FST.
The Costs of Exclusionary Practices in Masculinities Studies

Feminist scholarship on masculinities ossified into a recognizable “subfield” of gender studies, in part, through systematically centering the work of a very small group of white men. This process ...
Theory of isotope separation of homo and heteronuclear diatomic molecules by adsorption at low temperatures

The ground-state rotational-vibrational energies, E/sub T/, for diatomic molecules adsorbed on plane surfaces were calculated assuming a Morse potential for the surface-molecule interaction. For the moiecular hydrogens it was found that the trend of E/sub T/ as a function of surface barrier, both in units of 8 e (as Fe/sup 59 /sup 2/I/h/sub 2/, is nearly the same for all isotopes. The correlation diagram for the heteronuclear molecules deviates somewhat from that of the homonuclears, the magnitude of the deviation depending on the shift of the center of mass. (auth)
Privacy preserving distributed matching for device-to-device IoT communications: poster

Device-to-device (D2D) communication enables machine-type devices (MTD) in Internet-of-Things (IoT) network communicate directly with each other and offload the cellular network. However, it may introduce interference as they share the same spectrum with the other devices that are directly connected to the base station. In this study, we look at the problem of assigning D2D communicating IoT pairs to the IoT devices that are directly connected to the base station such that the overall system throughput is not only maximized but also a stable matching is obtained. Different than previous work, we study many-to-one matching and propose a distributed privacy preserving stable matching process for efficient resource allocation without releasing location information.
Velocity Estimation with a Distributed Array for Autonomous Ground Vehicles

A new method of radar-based vehicle velocity estimation using correlation interferometry is presented. Based on a distributed receive array, this method enables direct measurement of the angular velocity of ground surface scatterers moving through the radar field of view. A 16.9 GHz active distributed array is implemented using a continuous-wave transmitter and a distributed receiving array with a baseline extending up to 10λ. This method is verified by detecting the ground speed from a moving vehicle. A simple heuristic estimator was developed that achieved a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.30 m/s.
Cytoplasmic Cyclin E Expression Predicts for Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND Pathologic complete response (pCR) has been shown to be associated with favorable outcomes in breast cancer. Predictors of pCR could be useful in guiding treatment decisions regarding neoadjuvant therapy. The objective of this study was to evaluate cyclin E as a predictor of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. METHODS Patients (n = 285) with stage II-III breast cancer were enrolled in a prospective study and received neoadjuvant chemotherapy with anthracyclines, taxanes, or combination of the two. Pretreatment biopsies from 190 patients and surgical specimens following chemotherapy from 192 patients were available for immunohistochemical analysis. Clinical and pathologic responses were recorded and associated with presence of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, cyclin E, adipophilin, programmed cell death-ligand 1, and elastase staining and other patient, tumor and treatment characteristics. RESULTS The pCR rate was significantly lower in patients with cytoplasmic cyclin E staining compared with those who had no cyclin E expression (16.1% vs 38.9%, P = 0.0005). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, the odds of pCR for patients who had cytoplasmic negative tumors was 9.35 times (P value < 0.0001) that compared with patients with cytoplasmic positive tumors after adjusting for ER, PR, and HER2 status. Cytoplasmic cyclin E expression also predicts long-term outcome and is associated with reduced disease free, recurrence free, and overall survival rates, independent of increased pretreatment tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS Cyclin E independently predicted response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Hence, its routine immunohistochemical analysis could be used clinically to identify those breast cancer patients expected to have a poor response to anthracycline/taxane-based chemotherapy.
Machine-Learning and Stochastic Tumor Growth Models for Predicting Outcomes in Patients With Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

PURPOSEThe prediction of clinical outcomes for patients with cancer is central to precision medicine and the design of clinical trials. We developed and validated machine-learning models for three ...
Optical magnetic field enhancement at nanoscale: a nanoantenna comparative study

We show and compare various metallic and dielectric nanostructures for local magnetic field enhancement at optical frequency. We elaborate on the origin of the magnetic field enhancement in each structure and define figures of merit to compare the ability of the structures to enhance the magnetic field. We show that dielectric structures can be a good alternative to their plasmonic counterpart due to their low loss. The magnetic field enhancement of these structures can be utilized in studying magnetic dipole transitions, magnetic imaging, chirality, and enhanced spectroscopy applications.
"Sulcus Sink": A Compact Binary and Semi-Automated Inverse Dijkstra-based System for Describing Sulcal Trajectories

Abstract We present a description of a system that uses a compact binary representation to describe and trace sulci on a reconstructed human cortical surface, based on a set of human-generated targets. The inputs to the system were manually created on a training set of 20 normal subjects (11 females, 9 males) with ages 22 – 40 years. T1 weighted MPRAGE images were collected on a Siemens 3T Trio scanner, with TR/TE = 2530/3.3, matrix = 256×256, FOV = 256mm, slice thickness 1.33mm. The resultant images were reconstructed with Freesurfer, and 10 sulci on each hemisphere were traced by an expert human operator and independently assessed for accuracy. Presented with these input trajectories in its training phase, the system attempted to determine a compact binary feature vector of each sulcus on each subject using as descriptor a binary parametrized function of several surface-geometry variables (such as mean curvature, sulcal depth, edge length, etc.). This function was optimized in a supervised learning fashion using a Dijkstra-based graph theory formulation, in which the binary weights were used to define graph edge costs. In the setup phase, the system was presented with sulcal trajectories already defined on surfaces, and then adjusted its parametrized weights in a binary fashion to minimize differences between the training input path and its Dijkstra-generated output path. Once the setup phase was complete and sulci had been described in a per-sulcus, per-subject manner, we generalized the per-sulcus description across all the subjects to construct a template binary word for each specific sulcus. The performance of the system for each subject and each sulcus, and for each template sulcus group was measured against the original human reference in both a quantitative and qualitative manner. Individual subjects generally showed very good optimization to their manually traced training samples across all sulci, with 91% average overlap within 4mm of the human target. Generalized group results, as expected, showed less overlap with the original human targets, but still performed on average with 80% overlap. Quantitatively, the group results were nonetheless for the most part quite acceptable to an independent human evaluator. The parametrized binary weight description that drives the Dijkstra path optimization is presented as a mechanism to succinctly and compactly describe individual human sulci and groups of sulci.
92 – Oligopeptidase PepB

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the activity, specificity and structural chemistry of oligopeptidase PepB. Oligopeptidase PepB cleaves small basic peptides at positions that do not appear to be determined by the amino acids immediately flanking the sensitive bonds. The exact rules governing which bonds are cleaved have not yet been elucidated but, as was suggested in the case of thimet oligopeptidase and the length, flexibility and tertiary structure of the peptide are likely to be important. Oligopeptidase PepB cleaves bradykinin, Arg-Pro-Pro-Gly-Phe-+ Ser-Pro-Phe-Arg, at the same position as several other related peptidases, including thimet oligopeptidase and neurolysin. Oligopeptidase PepB consists of a single 69.6 kDa polypeptide chain of 601 amino acids. A typical zinc-binding motif, HETGH, is present at positions 385–389. Oligopeptidase PepB has been purified to homogeneity from cell lysates of serotype III strain 3502 group B Streptococcus by a combination of ion-exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Much higher yields of the enzyme were subsequently obtained for the recombinant enzyme purified from cell lysates of Escherichia coli. The intracellular location of the enzyme, however, suggests the possibility that it functions in concert with a peptide transport system that brings in peptides from outside the bacterial cell.
Pressure Drop of Respirable Dust Cyclone Samplers

The measure of volumetric flow rate is utilized to calculate sampling volume and airborne concentration in integrated air sampling. Consequently, calibration of the sampling train to verify volumetric flow rate is critical. The relation between sampler pressure drop and volumetric flow rate was studied in support of using the former rather than the latter for the calibration of sampling trains. Four types of respirable cyclones, two filter brands with membrane samples of the same and different lots of production, and two personal pump types were considered as components of the sampling trains under consideration. Volumetric flow rate and pressure drop were measured under controlled conditions in a cylindrical jar designed for these determinations. For all the configurations considered, the relation between sampler pressure drop and standard volumetric flow rate was linear. Intra-sample selection of cyclones of the same type and pump type did not create significant differences in sampler pressure drop. Filter selection, regardless of brand or production lot, did create linear response functions that had statistically different slopes and intercepts. When grouped by cyclone type and filter brand, the sampler pressure drop at the flow rate recommended by the cyclone’s manufacturers showed variability that was not normally distributed. The recommended central tendency estimate of pressure drop is the median value, with point estimates that should be specific to a cyclone type / filter brand combination.
Meta-analysis of brain metabolite differences in HIV infection.

Abstract Background Numerous studies have used magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) neurometabolite measurements to study HIV infection effects. While many have reported differences in total N-Acetylaspartate (tNAA), myo-Inositol (mI), and total Choline (tCho), there have been no meta-analyses performed to evaluate concordance across studies. Purpose To evaluate the consistency of HIV serostatus effects on brain metabolites. Study selection The sample included studies conducted between 1993 and 2019 reporting HIV infection effects measured using proton MRS. tNAA/tCr ratios (21 papers), tCho/tCr ratios (21 papers), mI/tCr ratios (17 papers) and quantitative tCr (9 papers), sampling from basal ganglia (BG), gray matter (GM), and white matter (WM) were included. Data analysis Random effects meta-analysis using inverse variance weighting and bias corrected standardized mean differences (SMDs) was used. Meta-regression examined effects of publication year and data acquisition technique differences. Data synthesis BG SMDs related to positive serostatus were −0.10 [−0.39; 0.18] tNAA/tCr, 0.27 [0.05; 0.49] tCho/tCr, 0.60 [0.31; 0.90] mI/tCr, and −0.26 [−0.59; 0.06] tCr. GM SMDs related to serostatus were −0.29 [−0.49; −0.09] tNAA/tCr, 0.37 [0.19; 0.54] tCho/tCr, 0.41 [0.15; 0.68] mI/tCr, and −0.24 [−0.45; −0.03] tCr. WM SMDs related to serostatus were −0.52 [−0.79; −0.25] tNAA/tCr, 0.41 [0.21; 0.61] tCho/tCr, 0.59 [0.24; 0.94] mI/tCr, and −0.03 [−0.25; 0.19] tCr. WM regions showed larger serostatus effect sizes than BG and GM. I2 ranged from 52 to 88% for the metabolite ratios. Both GM and WM tNAA/tCr SMDs were lower with increasing calendar year. Limitations Many studies pooled participants with varying treatment, infection, and comorbidity durations. Conclusions HIV neurometabolite studies showed consistently lower tNAA/tCr, higher tCho/tCr and higher mI/tCr ratios associated with chronic HIV infection. Substantial between-study variation may have resulted from measurement technique variations, study population differences and HIV treatment changes over time. Higher WM tCho/tCr and mI/tCr may reflect reactive gliosis or myelin turnover. Neurometabolite measurements can reliably detect chronic HIV infection effects and may be useful in understanding the pathophysiology of cognitive and sensorimotor decline following HIV infection. Classification of evidence This study provides Class II evidence of neurometabolite differences in chronic HIV infection.
Changes In Coverage And Access To Dental Care Five Years After ACA Medicaid Expansion.

With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), millions of low-income adults gained health coverage. We examined how the ACA’s expansion of Medicaid eligibility affected dental coverage ...
Abstract 14091: Outcomes of Patients With Recalled Defibrillator Leads: Results From the NCDR-ICD Registry

Introduction: Whether to reuse, abandon, or extract functioning, recalled ICD leads at the time of generator replacement is an area of uncertainty as lead failure is more common following generator...
Short-term Clinical Outcomes of Hip Arthroscopy Versus Physical Therapy in Patients With Femoroacetabular Impingement: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials:

Background:Both physical therapy (PT) and surgery are effective in treating femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), but their relative efficacy has not been well established until recently. Several ran...
Zinc shapes the folding landscape of p53 and establishes a pathway for reactivating structurally diverse cancer mutants

Missense mutations in the p53 DNA-binding domain (DBD) contribute to half of new cancer cases annually. Here we present a thermodynamic model that quantifies and links the major pathways by which mutations inactivate p53. We find that DBD possesses two unusual properties-one of the highest zinc affinities of any eukaryotic protein and extreme instability in the absence of zinc-which are predicted to poise p53 on the cusp of folding/unfolding in the cell, with a major determinant being available zinc concentration. We analyze the 20 most common tumorigenic p53 mutations and find that 80% impair zinc affinity, thermodynamic stability, or both. Biophysical, cell-based, and murine xenograft experiments demonstrate that a synthetic zinc metallochaperone rescues not only mutations that decrease zinc affinity, but also mutations that destabilize DBD without impairing zinc binding. The results suggest that zinc metallochaperones have the capability to treat 120,500 patients annually in the U.S.
Evaluation of Racial Disparities in Postoperative Outcomes Following Breast Reconstruction at a Single Institution in Wisconsin.

Introduction Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Wisconsin. Evidence demonstrates that non-White racial minorities in the United States exhibit a higher mortality rate and more advanced or aggressive presentations of the disease than their White counterparts. Postmastectomy breast reconstruction remains essential to the treatment and recovery of these patients; however, racial disparities in the receipt of reconstruction are evident. This study evaluates the presence of racial disparities in postoperative outcomes of breast reconstruction at a single institution in Wisconsin. Methods An institutional review board-exempt retrospective study of postoperative outcomes was performed using a single institution's National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Registry to identify patients who underwent autologous or prosthesis-based breast reconstruction following mastectomy. Patient demographic, preoperative, operative, and postoperative variables were recorded. Postoperative outcomes in relation to self-reported race were evaluated using univariate analysis and propensity score matching. Results A total of 1,140 patients were included (1,092 White vs 48 non-White), with fewer non-White patients undergoing reconstruction. Patients of non-White race demonstrated a higher incidence of morbid obesity (4.4% White vs 12.5% non-White, P = 0.010) and bleeding disorders (0.3% White vs 4.2% non-White, P Conclusion This study did not reveal racial disparities in postoperative outcomes of breast reconstruction at a single institution in Wisconsin; however, non-White patients were less likely to undergo reconstruction. Further research into the underlying causes of unequal access to care, influence of insurance, effect of structural racism, and impact of physician- and patient-associated factors is warranted.
Sharing, gift-giving, and optimal resource use in hunter-gatherer society

Hunter-gatherer societies are characterized by decentralized decision making and shared access to resources. Goods are distributed via reciprocal exchange, sharing, and gift-giving, in the end resulting in relatively equal distribution. Work effort, however, is not distributed equally; the best hunters exert a disproportionate share of productive effort. We argue that these features of the hunter-gatherer economy are interrelated, and are consistent with the view that customary gift-giving and sharing arrangements manage usage of open-access resources. In particular, sharing rules can induce optimal hunting effort, while gift-giving can serve to elicit information about hunter productivity.
Do patients who have newly identified prediabetes lose weight in the following year

BACKGROUND Identifying a window of opportunity when patients are motivated to lose weight might improve the effectiveness of weight loss counseling. The onset of chronic disease could create such a window. OBJECTIVE To determine whether identifying prediabetes was associated with subsequent weight loss. METHODS Our retrospective cohort study included adults with obesity and a primary care visit between 2015 and 2017. Data were collected and analysed in 2019/2020. We compared patients who developed prediabetes [haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥5.7 and <6.5] to patients with a normal HbA1c (<5.7). We ran linear regression models to identify the association between identifying prediabetes and percent body mass index (BMI) change at 6 and 12 months. The adjusted model controlled for demographic characteristics at baseline, Charlson comorbidity score, and metformin, antipsychotic, antidepressant and antiobesity medication prescribed in either the first 3 months (for the 6-month outcome) or first 9 months (for 12-month outcome) and clustering within physician. RESULTS Of 11 290 participants, 43% developed prediabetes. At 6 months, 15% of the prediabetes group lost ≥5% of their BMI compared with 13% of the comparison group. The results were similar at 12 months with 18% of the prediabetes group losing ≥5% of their BMI compared with 17%. The prediabetes group lost a higher percentage of their BMI (β = -0.7% versus -0.3% at 6 months and β = -0.5% versus 0.01% at 12 months). CONCLUSIONS While the percent of BMI change was small, patients with newly identified prediabetes lost more weight than a comparison group.
Context matters: How smartphone (mis)use may disrupt early emotion regulation development

Abstract Smartphones are prevalent across society. Substantial literature has highlighted risks of smartphone use for children under three years of age. Nonetheless, recent surveys suggest that young children use smartphones regularly. Therefore, understanding the associated developmental risks remains pivotal. Most research has examined what children do on their phones, and how long they use them, as keys to understanding risk. We additionally highlight that the contexts in which smartphones are used provide another lens through which to evaluate and mitigate smartphone use risk. In some contexts, for example, smartphones could interfere with developing early emotion regulation competencies. We describe smartphone interference in emotion regulation development using Morris et al.‘s (2007) tripartite model of familial influence, to demonstrate incorporating contextual perspectives of developmental smartphone interference. Additionally, the existing literature highlights SES disparities in smartphone use trends and for emotion regulatory functions that warrant greater attention. Clinical and research implications will be discussed.
Live Instruction Predicts Engagement in K–12 Remote Learning

How does live instruction relate to student engagement in distance learning? Does the relationship differ across grade levels? This study addresses these questions by examining data from a random s...
Theory and Observation of Electron-Hole Competition in the Photorefractive Effect

An extension of Kukhtarev’s single-carrier model of photorefractive charge transport to allow simultaneous photo-excitation of both holes and electrons improves agreement with a wide variety of data in many crystals. This indicates that electron-hole competition plays a much wider role than previously suspected. This competition does not however reduce the advantages of using moving gratings to enhance grating strength.
Gene Duplication and Floral Developmental Genetics of Basal Eudicots

Abstract The diversification of floral morphology is likely to be due to multiple independent changes in many different components of the genetic pathways that control floral development. One of the best‐understood participants in this developmental process is the floral organ identity program. Although many fundamental aspects of this program are conserved within angiosperms and even seed plants, significant developmental system drift has occurred, often in association with gene duplication events. In this review, we consider the many gene duplications that have been identified within the basal eudicot grade, a group of lineages which represent a critical stage of angiosperm evolution. These events are of particular interest since they appear to have laid the foundation for the canonical ABC‐model that has been described in the core eudicots. Furthermore, the frequent occurrence of gene duplication in floral organ identity gene lineages offers an excellent opportunity to study the effects of processes, such as neo‐ and subfunctionalization, on a preexisting genetic program.
Organocadmium reagents : VII. Competition between displacement of alkoxy and acyloxy in 3-substituted phthalides

Abstract The reaction of organocadmium reagents with 3-alkoxyphthalides to give o -substituted benzoic acids by an acyloxy displacement is found to be general and highly favored over the displacement of an alkoxy substituent. In the case of 3-acyloxyphthalides, the “exocyclic” group is displaced preferentially. Two concerted reaction pathways, consistent with the stereochemical results, could account for this behavior.
Magnetic Fields and Electromagnetic Waves

Almost everyone has performed elementary experiments with bar magnets. If the bar magnet is suspended by a thread or supported by a pivot, one of the ends will point in a northerly direction. This end of the magnet is called the north pole of the magnet, with symbol N. The opposite end of the magnet is called the south pole, with symbol S. Elementary experiments also show that like poles repel and unlike poles attract. This suggests that there is something that we call a magnetic field by which poles can exert forces on each other. This field is similar to the two other fields we have already considered, the gravitational field and the electric field. There is one important difference, however: If we break a bar magnet in half, we cannot make single poles, but instead we will have two bar magnets. The broken end becomes the south pole of the half that has the north pole, and the other broken end becomes the north pole of the half that has the south pole.
Understanding Conflicts between People and Parks at Ranomafana, Madagascar

The national park model originating in the unique circumstances of mid-19th century North America has been widely applied in the developing countries of the late 20th century, provoking numerous land-use conflicts between parks and resident peoples. Key factors in understanding these conflicts are examined using the field experience of the Ranomafana National Park in Madagascar. A conflict management strategy is suggested for alleviating such antagonism and facilitating the investigation of mutually acceptable conservation and development pathways.