cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural Biology of JAK/STAT Cytokines and Their Receptors

This article focuses on the assembly mechanisms used by α-helical cytokine–receptor signaling complexes to activate the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. Structural features of α-helical cytokines and their cognate cell surface receptors are reviewed. This is followed by an analysis of common and distinct molecular recognition strategies used by different classes of α-helical cytokines to initiate cell signaling. These studies show that cytokines and receptors encode distinct binding chemistries into their amino acid sequences, which are displayed on a limited number of common structural scaffolds. These structural features control cytokine–receptor binding affinity, specificity, and also regulate the assembly of several structurally distinct cytokine–receptor complexes that are essential for cellular responses.
High Pressure Liquid Chromatographic Detection and Estimation of Furazolidone and Nitrofurazone in Animal Feeds

The feed sample is extracted with acetone or dimethylformamide-acetone (1 + 1) and the filtered extracts are evaporated to dryness. The residue is dissolved in chloroform and transferred to a silica gel column. The nitrofurans are eluted with methanol-chloroform (50 + 50). A portion of the eluate is evaporated to dryness and the residue is redissolved in a small volume of methanol. Aliquots of the methanolic solution are injected into a liquid chromatograph with a muBondapak C18 column, using 30% acetonitrile as the eluting solvent and ultraviolet detection at 365 nm. Several samples spiked with 0.5--50 ppm furazolidone or nitrofurazone and 2 commercial samples were analyzed by the proposed method.
Guidelines to determine the size and shape of intestinal segments used for reconstruction.

AbstractThe geometry of intact and detubularized intestinal segments was examined to establish guidelines in estimating the length of bowel required for urinary reconstruction and for the preferential use of bowel in its detubularized form. (J. Urol, part 2, 140:1150-1151, 1988)
INTERNAL-CONVERSION STUDIES WITH /sup 119m/ Sn AND /sup 117m/Sn.

Measurements were made with a magnetic spectrometer of the internal conversion-electron lines from the $M4$ and $M1(E2)$ transitions which occur in cascade in the decay of ${\mathrm{Sn}}^{117m}$ and ${\mathrm{Sn}}^{119m}$. In the case of ${\mathrm{Sn}}^{117m}$, the transition energies are 156.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1 keV ($M4$) and 158.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1 keV [$M1(E2)$]; ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{K}(158.6)$ was found to be 0.1373\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0030. ${\mathrm{Sn}}^{117m}$ is shown to be a convenient reference standard for conversion-coefficient measurements, and working values of the "coefficient" for several kinds of measurement are given. In the case of ${\mathrm{Sn}}^{119\mathit{m}}$, the energies are 65.66\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01 keV ($M4$) and 23.875\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.010 keV [$M1(E2)$]. Comparisons are made of measured subshell intensities with theoretical values, including those of Hager and Seltzer for the $M$ subshells; and upper limits are set for the amounts of $E2$ admixture in the two $M1$ transitions. For the 23.875-keV $M1$ transition, the ${L}_{1}:{M}_{1}:{N}_{1}$ conversion ratios observed agree with the ratios of the electron densities near the nucleus of the bound $2s$, $3s$, and $4s$ electrons, in accord with the results of Drell and of Church and Monahan.
What’s in a Look? How Young Children Learn from Screen Media and Implications for Early Educators: Commentary on Chapter 5

Children 3 years and younger are often considered a “special audience.” Given the rapid changes across multiple areas of development (cognitive, social, emotional, linguistic, physical, etc.), researchers have emphasized the importance of the first 3 years of life for later personal and academic outcomes. Great importance is placed on the experiences young children have, and how they help to support development. Promoting interactions with the world, and the people in it, are often of greatest concern to those responsible for taking care of young children. How does media use, passive or interactive, linear or nonlinear, fit into young children’s day-to-day lives? How can parents and educators make good decisions about how much and what media to put in front of their children, and what will shape those media experiences? The increasing ubiquity of screens of all kinds—smartphone, tablet, television, and other screens—in the lives of children starting at birth make this especially relevant.
Formation and Occurrence of N-Chloro-2,2-dichloroacetamide, a Previously Overlooked Nitrogenous Disinfection Byproduct in Chlorinated Drinking Waters

Haloacetamides (HAMs) are a class of newly identified nitrogenous disinfection byproducts (N-DBPs) whose occurrence in drinking waters has recently been reported in several DBP surveys. As the most prominent HAM species, it is commonly acknowledged that 2,2-dichloroacetamide (DCAM) is mainly generated from dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN) hydrolysis because the concentrations of these two compounds are often well correlated. Instead of DCAM, a previously unreported N-DBP, N-chloro-2,2-dichloroacetamide (N-Cl-DCAM), was confirmed in this study as the actual DCAN degradation product in chlorinated drinking waters. It is suspected that N-Cl-DCAM has been erroneously identified as DCAM, because its nitrogen-bound chlorine is readily reduced by most commonly used quenching agents. This hypothesis is supported by kinetic studies that indicate almost instantaneous N-chlorination of DCAM even at low chlorine residuals. Therefore, it is unlikely that DCAM can persist as a long-lived DCAN decomposition product in systems using free chlorine as a residual disinfectant. Instead, chlorination of DCAM will lead to the formation of an equal amount of N-Cl-DCAM by forming a hydrogen bond between hypochlorite oxygen and amino hydrogen. Alternatively, N-Cl-DCAM can be produced directly from DCAN chlorination via nucleophilic addition of hypochlorite on the nitrile carbon. Due to its relatively low pKa value, N-Cl-DCAM tends to deprotonate under typical drinking water pH conditions, and the anionic form of N-Cl-DCAM was found to be very stable in the absence of chlorine. N-Cl-DCAM can, however, undergo acid-catalyzed decomposition to form the corresponding dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) when chlorine is present, although those acidic conditions that favor N-Cl-DCAM degradation are generally atypical for finished drinking waters. For these reasons, N-Cl-DCAM is predicted to have very long half-lives in most distribution systems that use free chlorine. Furthermore, an analytical method using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)/negative electrospray ionization (ESI-)/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (qTOF) was developed for the detection of a family of seven N-chloro-haloacetamides (N-Cl-HAMs). Combined with solid phase extraction (SPE), the occurrence of N-Cl-DCAM and its two brominated analogues (i.e., N-chloro-2,2-bromochloroacetamide and N-chloro-2,2-dibromoacetamide) was quantitatively determined for the first time in 11 real tap water samples. The discovery of N-Cl-DCAM or, more broadly speaking, N-Cl-HAMs in chlorinated drinking waters is of significance because they are organic chloramines, a family of compounds that is perceived to be more toxicologically potent than halonitriles (e.g., DCAN) and haloamides (e.g., DCAM), and therefore they may pose greater risks to drinking water consumers given their widespread occurrence and high stability.
Electronic health records and the frequency of diagnostic test orders.

OBJECTIVES To determine whether electronic health record (EHR) access influences the number of laboratory and imaging tests ordered, which is a frequently cited mechanism for EHR-enabled cost savings. STUDY DESIGN We analyzed data on non-federally employed office-based physicians from the 2008 to 2012 Electronic Health Medical Records Survey, a supplement to the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. METHODS We estimated logistic regressions to determine the relationship between EHR utilization and the volume of laboratory and imaging tests ordered in our study population, controlling for age, sex, race, clinic type, payer type, health status, comorbidities, and new patients. RESULTS Physicians who actively used an EHR system ordered more complete blood count (CBC) tests than physicians who did not (odds ratio [OR], 1.34; P <.001), even after adjusting for patient demographics, health status, and case mix. EHR-using physicians also ordered more computerized tomography scans (OR, 1.41; P <.001) and x-rays (OR, 1.39; P <.001); the difference for magnetic resonance imaging scans was not significant (OR, 1.08; P = .449). Subgroup analysis highlighted differences in ordering among various patient cohorts. CONCLUSIONS Using the most recent available nationally representative data, excluding federal and Veterans Affairs' hospitals, we found that physicians with EHR access ordered more tests than their non-EHR counterparts, thus contradicting a common rationale for EHR implementation. We argue that EHR use may actually increase healthcare expenditures by facilitating the ease of ordering tests. Whether these extra tests carry clinical utility requires further analysis.
Congress Surrenders the War Powers: Libya, the United Nations, and the Constitution

Since the Cold War the United States has fought three major wars. Congress authorized each of these wars. The president has also initiated several limited wars. These limited wars have not been explicitly approved by Congress as required by Article I of the Constitution. A review of the history of making limited wars suggests several conclusions. First, the president has assumed a de facto power to begin and pursue a limited war, understood as a struggle where no American combat deaths are expected. Second, Congress has at times been highly critical of such wars but also highly deferential to the president in cases where the wars were brief and popular. Third, an active and critical Congress can shape the president's choices and decisions about such wars. Fourth, the public is often skeptical about limited wars and strongly supports congressional approval of such undertakings. Finally, until recently, presumed presidential authority under the Constitution was more important than the approval of international institutions in legitimating limited wars. In Libya the approval of the United Nations Security Council and other international institutions was essential to legitimating the war according the Obama administration. This incremental transfer of the war powers to international institutions contravenes the republican nature of the United States Constitution.
Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Complications in Rural vs. Uban Children Receiving Long-Term Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy

AbstractBackgroundPeripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) are used for treating infections requiring prolonged intravenous antibiotic therapy (IVAT) in children. Given the lack of data on rural PICC use as well as the rural nature of our state, we studied the safety of home PICC use for treating infections in children living in rural settings.MethodsWe identified children <18 years admitted from January 1, 2005 to March 1, 2014 to the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) through analysis of 43 different ICD-9 and CPT codes indicative of PICC placement, with analysis of the medical record to identify patients discharged on IVAT. All data were entered into REDCap and analyzed on Stata. We recorded demographic data, the antibiotic used, the duration/indication for the PICC, and the type/timing of complications. To classify rural vs. urban residence, we used the rural-urban continuum code (RUCC) from U.S. Census data, and the driving time in hours (h) to the nearest level 1,2 or 3 trauma center and UNMH using MapQuest. All patients had either weekly home health or clinic visits, but none utilized an outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) clinic. Linear regression models assessed for differences between outcome and response variables.ResultsOf 866 subjects with a PICC, 221 were discharged on IVAT. 134 (60.6%) were boys and 87 (39.4%) were girls (mean age 9.8 years). The mean driving time to the nearest level 1, 2, or 3 trauma center was 0.6 hours (range 0.1–3.0 hours), while the mean driving time to UNMH was 1.3 hours (range, 0.1–5.0 hours). PICCs were utilized for a mean of 26.1 days at home. The most common antibiotics used were tobramycin (n = 41) and nafcillin (n = 40). Osteoarticular infections and cystic fibrosis exacerbations were the most common indications for PICC use (68.8%). 47 children (21.3%) experienced complications associated with their PICC at a mean of 24.7 days from insertion, most commonly occlusion (n = 13, 27.7%) or accidental removal (n = 13, 27.7%). 40 PICC’s (18.1%) were removed prematurely due to a complication. No association was found between RUCC’s or driving times to UNMH or the nearest level 1, 2 or 3 trauma center with any of these complications nor with complications overall (P = 0.11 to 0.96).ConclusionOur study demonstrates that home IVAT with a PICC is safe in children in rural locales.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.
Exercise intolerance in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: Diagnosing and ranking Its causes using personalized O 2 pathway analysis

Background:Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a common syndrome with a pressing shortage of therapies. Exercise intolerance is a cardinal symptom of HFpEF, yet its pathophysi...
Lessons from the Legends: America’s Expanding Liberal Democratic Tradition

“Lessons from the Legends” is a series of 10 inspirational videos created for park and recreation classroom and staff training purposes. Each video depicts an important theme uncovered in a larger content analysis of a cross section of in depth interviews with park and recreation practitioners and educators selected as “Legends in Parks and Recreation” by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. We present each video’s script as an article with a link to its accompanying video that brings the story to life. Readers are invited to access the link and download the video for educational purposes as each article appears in “Legends and Legacies.” Subscribe to JPRA
Quantile estimation using conditional Monte Carlo and latin hypercube sampling

Quantiles are often employed to measure risk. We combine two variance-reduction techniques, conditional Monte Carlo and Latin hypercube sampling, to estimate a quantile. Compared to either method by itself, the combination can produce a quantile estimator with substantially smaller variance. In addition to devising a point estimator for the quantile when applying the combined approaches, we also describe how to construct confidence intervals for the quantile. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the methods.
Effect of dimethyl fumarate on gray and white matter pathology in subjects with relapsing multiple sclerosis: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is an oral treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) with anti-inflammatory and possible neuroprotective properties. Its effect on white matter and gray matter pathology is still not fully understood. The aim of the study was to characterize the effect of DMF on normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) and thalamic pathology longitudinally. METHODS In this observational, longitudinal, 24-month magnetic resonance imaging study, 75 patients with relapsing-remitting MS treated with DMF and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were enrolled. Regional diffusion tensor imaging metrics and tract-based spatial statistics analyses were used to assess differences between groups. Mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, radial diffusivity and fractional anisotropy were measured in the thalamus and NAWM. Baseline differences and changes over time were evaluated within and between study groups. RESULTS At baseline, patients with MS showed significantly increased diffusivity and decreased fractional anisotropy in the thalamus (P < 0.001 for mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity and radial diffusivity) and NAWM (all P < 0.016) compared with healthy individuals. No significant within-group difference was found in diffusion tensor imaging measures over 24 months in either group. Healthy individuals showed a significantly greater rate of increased diffusivity parameters in the thalamus and NAWM compared with patients with MS, over 24 months (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The lack of changes in diffusion tensor imaging metrics in patients with MS over 24 months possibly indicates a neuroprotective role of DMF. These findings provide additional evidence of the beneficial effect of DMF on MS-related pathology.
Finding Relevant Information

Abstract This chapter discusses the skills and knowledge required by nurses to locate relevant evidence within the searching process. This chapter examines the technical skills and knowledge that nurses at all levels must develop in order to find the appropriate relevant information necessary to their research. Nurses at the beginning of their education begin by learning how to frame their queries, identify keywords, and locate reliable sources. More advanced nurses will use more complex search strategies to find evidence for current practice, stay up-to-date on existing research, and synthesize new evidence to improve patient outcomes. The ability to conduct the right search for the information need at hand is something that nurses at all levels should strive to perfect throughout their education and practice.
The influence of perceived constraints during needs assessment on design conjecture

Needs assessment is a fundamental step in the instructional design process where instructional designers must determine the difference between the current state of affairs and a desired state. Throughout the needs assessment process, the instructional designer must feel comfortable making decisions and assumptions based on the information that has been provided for a project. We refer to the ability to make these decisions with limited information as design conjecture. This research aims to explore the relationship between needs assessment and design conjecture by examining the influence of perceived constraints on instructional designers’ ability to make decisions. A total of 47 instructional designers participated in a design session where they were asked to design an intervention for a given scenario while using a think-aloud protocol. We dissected the design sessions to explore how the instructional designers conjectured over needs assessment topics. The results point to recommendations for how we can align and strengthen the relationship between analysis and conjecture in an instructional design context.
Hypothesis exploration for malware detection using planning

In this paper we apply AI planning to address the hypothesis exploration problem and provide assistance to network administrators in detecting malware based on unreliable observations derived from network traffic. Building on the already established characterization and use of AI planning for similar problems, we propose a formulation of the hypothesis generation problem for malware detection as an AI planning problem with temporally extended goals and actions costs. Furthermore, we propose a notion of hypothesis "plausibility" under unreliable observations, which we model as plan quality.We then show that in the presence of unreliable observations, simply finding one most "plausible" hypothesis, although challenging, is not sufficient for effective malware detection. To that end, we propose a method for applying a stateof-the-art planner within a principled exploration process, to generate multiple distinct high-quality plans. We experimentally evaluate this approach by generating random problems of varying hardness both with respect to the number of observations, as well as the degree of unreliability. Based on these experiments, we argue that our approach presents a significant improvement over prior work that are focused on finding a single optimal plan, and that our hypothesis exploration application can motivate the development of new planners capable of generating the top high-quality plans.
Approach to the Patient with Hypertensive Nephrosclerosis

Hypertensive Nephrosclerosis (HN) is defined as chronic kidney disease caused by non-malignant hypertension. HN is the presumed underlying disease in 10-30% of patients with end-stage renal disease worldwide. HN typically presents without proteinuria or any abnormalities in the urine sediment. The mechanisms of injury in HN are heterogeneous. In areas with preserved arteriolar myogenic responses (i.e., autoregulation), there is ischemic glomerular tuft collapse and interstitial fibrosis. In other areas with impaired autoregulation, the lesions reflect glomerular hypertension leading to podocyte loss and glomerulosclerosis. Apolipoprotein-L1 gene mutations are associated with increased susceptibility to HN. The management of HN should focus on blood pressure control (target
High throughput screening of transdermal formulations.

Purpose. Applications of transdermal drug delivery are limited by low skin permeability. Many chemicals have been used to enhance skin permeability, however, only a handful are actually used in practice. Combinations of chemicals are likely to be more efficient in enhancing skin permeability compared to individual enhancers. However, identification of efficient enhancer combinations is quite challenging because many chemical enhancers interact with each other and with the skin in a complex manner. In the absence of a fundamental knowledge of such interactions, we need to rely on rapid methods to screen various enhancer combinations for their effectiveness. In this paper, we report a novel high throughput (HTP) method that is at least 50-fold more efficient in terms of skin utilization and up to 30-fold more efficient in terms of holdup times than the current methods for formulation screening (Franz diffusion cells).
Smooth measures and continuous additive functionals of right Markov processes

The Revuz correspondence sets up a bijection between the class of positive continuous additive functionals of a Markov process and a certain class of “smooth” measures on the state space of the process. We consider the correspondence in the context of a Borel right process with a distinguished excessive measure. A “nest” type characterization of smooth measures is provided, as well as a capacitary characterization of nests. Our results extend work of Revuz, Fukushima, and others.
Woodchuck VEGF (wVEGF) characteristics: Model for angiogenesis and human hepatocellular carcinoma directed therapies.

Abstract Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) stimulates angiogenesis. Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a VEGF-driven tumor often associated with chronic hepatitis B or C virus infection. The woodchuck is a well-characterized model of hepatitis B virus related HCC and a valuable tool for translational studies of novel VEGF targeted agents. We cloned the cDNA encoding woodchuck VEGF (wVEGF), transiently expressed it in COS cells and functionally characterized the recombinant protein. The open reading frame of wVEGF contained 645 nucleotides encoding a protein of 214 amino acids. Two protein bands (17 and 25 kDa) were detected in conditioned media of wVEGF expressing COS-1 cells and a single band of 25 kDa was identified in cell lysates. Addition of recombinant wVEGF to COS cells enhanced cell proliferation and stimulated VEGFR2, Akt, ERK1/2, and FAK phosphorylation. Sunitinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, inhibited wVEGF- induced VEGFR2 phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, development of HCC in woodchucks was accompanied by increased laminin and PECAM1 expressing vessels, VEGFR2 expression, increased ligation of VEGF to VEGFR2, and a decrease in collagen IV-positive blood vessels. Our results suggest that woodchuck model can be used further to study angiogenesis and the effect of VEGF directed therapies in human HCC.
Characteristics of the Population with Consumer-Driven and High-Deductible Health Plans, 2005-2013

This paper examines the population with a consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) and how it differs from the population with traditional health coverage. Data from the 2005-2007 EBRI/Commonwealth Fund Consumerism in Health Care Survey and the 2008-2013 EBRI/Greenwald & Associates Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey (CEHCS) are used for the analysis. Differences between the populations with traditional coverage and high-deductible health plan (HDHP) enrollees are also examined. The population of adults within consumer-driven (CDHPs), high-deductible (HDHP) and traditional health plans was split about 50-50 between men and women in 2013. The CDHP population was more likely than traditional-plan enrollees to be in households with $150,000 or more in income in every year except 2006, 2009 and 2010. They were also more likely to be in households with $100,000-$149,999 in income in most years. CDHP enrollees were roughly twice as likely as individuals with traditional coverage to have college or post-graduate educations in nearly all years of the survey. CDHP enrollees have consistently reported better health status than traditional-plan enrollees, exhibiting better health behavior than traditional-plan enrollees with respect to smoking and (except for 2010 and 2011), exercise, and sometimes obesity rates. In most years of the survey, both the CDHP and HDHP populations were less likely to be young (ages 21-34) than the population with traditional coverage. In the earlier years of the survey (2005-2009), the CDHP population was more likely than the population with traditional coverage to have that coverage through small employers (between two and 49 employees). More recently (2010-2012), there were no statistically significant differences by employer size between the CDHP population and that of the population with traditional coverage, though in 2013 the CDHP population was more likely than the population with traditional coverage to have coverage through an employer with 500 or more employees. When comparing HDHP enrollees with traditional-plan enrollees, it was found that, in all years of the survey except 2007, HDHP enrollees were less likely than traditional-plan enrollees to be with large employers (500 or more employees). They were more likely to be from small employers in all years of the survey except for 2010.The PDF for the above title, published in the April 2014 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the fulltext of another April 2014 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: “Labor-force Participation Rates of the Population Ages 55 and Older, 2013.”
Depressive Symptoms are Associated with Heart Rate Variability Independently of Fitness: A Cross-Sectional Study of Patients with Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND Depression is associated with reduced heart rate variability (HRV) in healthy and cardiac samples, which may be accounted for by physical fitness. In a small sample of cardiac patients, activity and fitness levels attenuated the relationship between HRV and depression. In the current study of heart failure (HF) patients, we hypothesized that depressive symptoms and HRV would be inversely related and physical fitness would attenuate this association. PURPOSE To determine if previous associations among depressive symptoms, physical fitness, and HRV would replicate in a sample of HF patients. METHODS The sample consisted of HF patients (N = 125) aged 68.55 ± 8.92 years, 68.8% male, and 83.2% Caucasian. The study was cross-sectional and a secondary analysis of a nonrandomized clinical trial (Trial Identifier: NCT00871897). Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)-II, fitness with the 2 min step test (2MST), and HRV during a 10 min resting laboratory psychophysiology protocol. The dependent variable in hierarchical linear regressions was the root mean square of successive differences. RESULTS Controlling for sex, age, β-blocker use, hypertension, and diabetes, higher BDI-II scores significantly predicted lower HRV, β = -.29, t(92) = -2.79, p < .01. Adding 2MST did not attenuate the relationship in a follow-up regression. CONCLUSION Depressive symptoms were associated with lower HRV in HF patients, independent of physical fitness. Given the prevalence of depression and suppressed HRV common among HF patients, interventions addressing depressive symptoms and other predictors of poor outcomes may be warranted.
Fresh osteochondral grafting in the United States: the current status of tissue banking processing.

The use of musculoskeletal allografts has become increasingly popular among surgeons. The purpose of this review is to highlight the procurment and delievery process of fresh osteochondral allografts in the United States. The four distributors of fresh osteochondral allografts in the United States were contacted. Surveys containing quantitative and qualitative sections concerning the procurement and processing of osteochondral allograft tissue were obtained. Our results showed an average of 13 ± 4.24 years of experience with osteochondral allografts. The average donor age ranged from 13.5 ± 3 to 37.5 ± 5 years, with an average age of 27 ± 2.83 years. All donors were between ages 12 and 45 years old. The percentage of screened donors that were accepted for allograft transplant was consistent at 70–75% for 3 out of the 4 tissue banks. The percentage of grafts that expire without implantation ranged from 20% to 29%. Maximum shipping time varied between 24 and 96 hours. Each tissue bank used its own proprietary storage medium. The time from donor death to the harvest of allograft tissue was < 24 hours. The most commonly requested osteochondral allograft tissue for all banks was the medial femoral condyle. The market share of fresh allografts is as follows: Joint Restoration Foundation (JRF) 59.9%, Muskuloskeletal Transplant Foundation (MTF) 15.3%, LifeNet Health (LN) 14.5%, and Regeneration Technology Incorporated (RTI) 10.2%, with approximately 4700 fresh allografts distributed in 2018. This compiled data from the four tissue banks that supply fresh osteochondral allograft in the United States provides important background information for patients and orthopaedic surgeons.
Microbial Fuel Cells

Cellular life exists at the interface between electrochemical extremes. The energy of most living cells depends on the transfer of electrons from intracellular, electrically reduced biochemicals to oxidized extracellular acceptors. For almost one hundred years investigators have tried to tap into these processes in microbes for electrical power generation. Efforts have been made to use microbes as complex catalysts to oxidize relatively inexpensive organic and inorganic substrates as fuels in compact spaces in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). However, natural selection does not favor microbial metabolism under such conditions. Evolution has shaped microbes to use their growth substrate efficiently to reproduce under changing environmental conditions. Consequently, they are not optimized for use in MFCs, where electrons derived from substrate oxidation go only to the anode and not to cell growth
Incivility Detection in Online Comments.

Incivility in public discourse has been a major concern in recent times as it can affect the quality and tenacity of the discourse negatively. In this paper, we present neural models that can learn to detect name-calling and vulgarity from a newspaper comment section. We show that in contrast to prior work on detecting toxic language, fine-grained incivilities like namecalling cannot be accurately detected by simple models like logistic regression. We apply the models trained on the newspaper comments data to detect uncivil comments in a Russian troll dataset, and find that despite the change of domain, the model makes accurate predictions.
The H.261 Video Coding Standard

In recent years, there have been significant developments in videoconferencing and audiovisual services. First, data rates in digital telecommunication services have been constantly improving. For example, integrated services digital networks (ISDNs) may provide switched transmission services at data rates close to 2 Mbits/s. Second, the latest technology for the coding of video signals allows videoconferencing signals to be compressed down to 64 kbits/s, the equivalent of a single telephone voice channel.
Vasopermeation enhancement agents: Antibody and immune cell localization in the tumor microenvironment

4051 Vasopermeation Enhancement Agents (VEAs) are a new class of biologics that are designed to boost the uptake of cancer therapeutics at the tumor site relative to healthy tissues. This results in a greater efficacy of the therapeutics without increasing dosages given to the patient. VEAs comprise tumor-specific antibodies fused to vasoactive compounds that are co-administered with standard chemotherapeutics. The lead vasoactive compound under investigation is a fragment of Interleukin-2 (IL-2) fused to a novel tumor-targeting antibody. The concept entails causing the specific enhanced uptake of a co-administered chemotherapeutic drug through the establishment of an increased vascular permeability at the tumor site. In recent years, we have demonstrated tumor-specific vasoactivity of VEA constructs using a unique in vivo avian extraembryonic tissue system. Earlier work by our group using intravital fluorescence imaging in the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) has allowed us to visualize and quantify interstitial penetration of blood plasma into xenograft tumor implants over time for a panel of VEA candidates. Here, we present data tracking the localization of VEA constructs to the tumor microenvironment in vivo and the identification of a newly-recruited heterophil population that is not normally prevalent in tumors, even in ones targeted by our control antibodies. Studies comparing results in avian and murine tumor models have been conducted to further evaluate the avian system as an alternative to mouse models for evaluating VEA activity in vivo. Localization of VEAs to xenograft tumors in a traditional nude mouse model are presented, along with a visual analysis of immune cells that are enriched in the tumor microenvironment in the presence of these vasoactive compounds. Furthermore, a comparison is presented of the efficacy results for some key VEA constructs in our avian system and a murine tumor model. We believe we are the first to report on an avian embryonic system being utilized for the commercial evaluation of a potential drug candidate illustrating its applicability in drug development and its synergy with conventional murine models. Furthermore, we believe this comparison of the CAM and murine tumor systems may be an important step forward in the efficient and cost effective in vivo screening of biologics affecting tumor vasculature.
Optical Model Calculations for the Chromium, Iron and Nickle Isotopes in the Energy Range of 0.5 to 100.0 MeV

Optical model (O. M.) calculations have been carried out for the Cr, Fe and Ni isotopes at energies just above the resolved resonance region (0.5 to 0.7 MeV) to the high energy (100.0 MeV) region. A consistent set of O. M. parameters that covered this region produced in addition to the S- and P-wave strength functions the total elastic and differential angular distributions that was in very good agreement with the experimental data. Reproduction of the broad maxima and minima (Nuclear Ramsauer Effect) in addition to S0, S1 and R were the established constraints for this analysis.
FOXP transcription factors in vertebrate brain development, function, and disorders

FOXP transcription factors are an evolutionarily ancient protein subfamily coordinating the development of several organ systems in the vertebrate body. Association of their genes with neurodevelopmental disorders has sparked particular interest in their expression patterns and functions in the brain. Here, FOXP1, FOXP2, and FOXP4 are expressed in distinct cell type-specific spatiotemporal patterns in multiple regions, including the cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, basal ganglia, thalamus, and cerebellum. These varied sites and timepoints of expression have complicated efforts to link FOXP1 and FOXP2 mutations to their respective developmental disorders, the former affecting global neural functions and the latter specifically affecting speech and language. However, the use of animal models, particularly those with brain region- and cell type-specific manipulations, has greatly advanced our understanding of how FOXP expression patterns could underlie disorder-related phenotypes. While many questions remain regarding FOXP expression and function in the brain, studies to date have illuminated the roles of these transcription factors in vertebrate brain development and have greatly informed our understanding of human development and disorders. This article is categorized under: Nervous System Development > Vertebrates: General Principles Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Gene Networks and Genomics Nervous System Development > Vertebrates: Regional Development.
Hybrid simulation to support interdependence modeling of a multimodal transportation network

The inland waterways in the United States (U.S.) are used to transport approximately 20% of America's coal, 22% of U.S. petroleum products, and 60% of farm exports making these waterways a significant contributor to the U.S. multimodal transportation system. In this study, data about natural extreme events affecting inland waterways are collected and used to predict possible occurrences of such events in the future using a spatio-temporal statistical model. We also investigate the waterways disruptions effect on interconnected transportation systems using a simulation tool built on a statistical model. The developed methods are centered on inland waterways but can be used broadly for other local, regional and national infrastructures. A case study based on the Mississippi River and the McClellan--Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS) is provided to illustrate the use of the simulation tool in interdependence modeling and decision making for the operation of a multimodal transportation network.
Docosahexaenoic acid impacts macrophage phenotype subsets and phagolysosomal membrane permeability with particle exposure.

Inhalation of particles results in pulmonary inflammation; however, treatments are currently lacking. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid shown to exhibit anti-infla...
YOLOrs: Object Detection in Multimodal Remote Sensing Imagery

Deep-learning object detection methods that are designed for computer vision applications tend to underperform when applied to remote sensing data. This is because contrary to computer vision, in remote sensing, training data are harder to collect and targets can be very small, occupying only a few pixels in the entire image, and exhibit arbitrary perspective transformations. Detection performance can improve by fusing data from multiple remote sensing modalities, including red, green, blue, infrared, hyperspectral, multispectral, synthetic aperture radar, and light detection and ranging, to name a few. In this article, we propose YOLOrs: a new convolutional neural network, specifically designed for real-time object detection in multimodal remote sensing imagery. YOLOrs can detect objects at multiple scales, with smaller receptive fields to account for small targets, as well as predict target orientations. In addition, YOLOrs introduces a novel mid-level fusion architecture that renders it applicable to multimodal aerial imagery. Our experimental studies compare YOLOrs with contemporary alternatives and corroborate its merits.
Development and Testing of a Novel Locking Pin Cap to Create a Fixed-Angle K-Wire Plate Construct.

Purpose To test the effectiveness of a novel locking pin cap to attach a K-wire rigidly to a volar locking plate and resist fracture displacement compared with commercially available alternatives. Methods Two different methods of fracture fixation were tested on a total of 12 Sawbones models with volar shear distal radius fracture (6/group). The fragments were fixed with either 2 commercially available pin plates (industry standard) or a volar plate with 2 locking screws fixing the scaphoid facet and 2 pins locked to the plate with a novel locking pin cap in the lunate facet. Axial load conditioning was performed followed by sinusoidal loading to 250 N at 50 mm/s. A motion capture system was used to assess the relative movement of the fracture fragments relative to the intact shaft. The strength of the fixation construct was quantified by (1) the force required to achieve a 2-mm gap between the shaft and fracture fragments and (2) ultimate load to failure. Results One industry standard pin plate demonstrated disassociation of the pin from the plate after fatigue conditioning. This did not occur in the locking pin cap group. The locking pin cap construct group was able to sustain a significantly higher load compared with the industry standard when the construct was displaced to the 2-mm gap. The locking pin cap also significantly increased the ultimate load to failure compared with the industry standard. Conclusions The novel locking pin cap creates a fixed-angle attachment of a K-wire to an existing locking screw hole in a plate. This fixed-angle K-wire is significantly stronger in preventing gap formation and resisting ultimate failure than commercially available plates that use bent K-wires. Clinical relevance The development of novel techniques to secure small articular fragments may ultimately improve clinical outcomes.
Neck Ultrasound: Anatomical Landmarks for Safe Performance of Neck RFA

This paper is intended to provide anatomic perspective for those interested in performing or considering ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of thyroid, parathyroid, and other neck pathology. The central location of the thyroid and parathyroid glands means that vital neck structures are present on all sides. Traditional anatomic assessment of the thyroid and parathyroids is focused on characteristics within these glands and, when more comprehensive, includes attention to regional lymph nodes. The anatomic assessment of the candidate for RFA requires further attention to the detailed anatomy adjacent to and en route to the thyroid. It is critically important to recognize structures that are otherwise often ignored during diagnostic ultrasound, in order to perform proper patient selection, complete RFA procedures safely, and avoid complications. Research and reports on complications and outcomes of thyroid RFA provide insight into process improvement, which includes incorporation of ultrasound anatomy of the neck into the approach. The following discussion and images should serve to enhance the safety of thyroid and neck RFA and aid in proper patient selection.
Embodied Growth Accounting with Recombinant Innovation: A New Approach

This paper formulates a novel growth accounting framework that attempts to achieve several objectives. The first is to build a bridge between growth accounting and growth theory by resolving their asymmetric interpretations of technical change and the fundamental “sources” of growth. This effort is based on the proposition that rather than the interpretation of technical change being framed by the functional form and parameterization of an economic model, the modeling exercise should be framed by scientific processes and historically-based interpretations of change, including technical change. An implication of this reinterpretation – that change results from recombinations of existing functions and forms – implies that innovation, both physical innovation and brain-centered human innovation must be conveyed through the process of physical and human capital investment. Accordingly, the paper devises a model of embodied growth accounting, omitting the Solow residual, and reliant on relevant elements of the Kennedy-Samuelson-Acemoglu model of factor-augmenting adjustment. Using data for the U.S. during 1950-2000, the model is tested against the conventional growth accounting model.
Growth inhibition of the harmful alga Prymnesium parvum by plant-derived products and identification of ellipticine as highly potent allelochemical

Prymnesium parvum is a toxin-producing harmful alga that has caused ecological and economic damage worldwide. Effective methods to control blooms of this species in the field, however, are unavailable. This study examined five natural compounds present in the invasive plant Arundo donax and one synthetic derivative (5,6-dichlorogramine) for their effect on P. parvum growth. All compounds except one inhibited growth in the following order of potency: ellipticine > > 5,6-dichlorogramine > 1 H-indole = 2,4,6-trimethyl-benzonitrile > gramine. Ellipticine was by far the most potent inhibitor, with full algicidal activity at concentrations as low as 0.04 mg L−1 and 3- and 9-day IC50 values of 0.012 and 0.007 mg L−1, respectively. A reduction in chlorophyll content and swimming activity and an increase in length and volume (swelling) were documented in algal cells exposed to 0.01–0.02 mg ellipticine L−1. These results show that ellipticine is among the most potent natural algicides identified to date. The sixth compound tested, oleamide, unexpectedly stimulated algal growth above control levels. Overall, these observations confirm the existence of highly potent anti-P. parvum allelochemicals in giant reed and demonstrate potential for using products derived from this plant in the development of natural, environmentally friendly methods to control harmful algal blooms.
Small ncRNA Expression-Profiling of Blood from Hemophilia A Patients Identifies miR-1246 as a Potential Regulator of Factor 8 Gene

Hemophilia A (HA) is a bleeding disorder caused by deficiency of functional plasma clotting factor VIII (FVIII). Genetic mutations in the gene encoding FVIII (F8) have been extensively studied. Over a thousand different mutations have been reported in the F8 gene. These span a diverse range of mutation types, namely, missense, splice-site, deletions of single and multiple exons, inversions, etc. There is nonetheless evidence that other molecular mechanisms, in addition to mutations in the gene encoding the FVIII protein, may be involved in the pathobiology of HA. In this study, global small ncRNA expression profiling analysis of whole blood from HA patients, and controls, was performed using high-throughput ncRNA microarrays. Patients were further sub-divided into those that developed neutralizing-anti-FVIII antibodies (inhibitors) and those that did not. Selected differentially expressed ncRNAs were validated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis. We identified several ncRNAs, and among them hsa-miR-1246 was significantly up-regulated in HA patients. In addition, miR-1246 showed a six-fold higher expression in HA patients without inhibitors. We have identified an miR-1246 target site in the noncoding region of F8 mRNA and were able to confirm the suppressory role of hsa-miR-1246 on F8 expression in a stable lymphoblastoid cell line expressing FVIII. These findings suggest several testable hypotheses vis-a-vis the role of nc-RNAs in the regulation of F8 expression. These hypotheses have not been exhaustively tested in this study as they require carefully curated clinical samples.