cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hemodynamic and microcirculatory changes during development of renal hypertension

To study the progression of vessel loss (rarefaction) during the development of hypertension, a plastic window was chronically implanted over the biceps femoralis muscle of reduced renal mass (RRM) and sham-operated control (SOC) rats on a low-salt diet (0.4%). Blood pressure was measured directly via a catheter implanted in the femoral artery, and tissue blood flow was measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry before and after local topical application of sodium nitroprusside. Measurements were made on the control day and after an increase in sodium intake (4.0%) in RRM rats on days 5, 10, 14, 21, and 28. SOC rats on a low-salt diet served as the control group. RRM rats became hypertensive (167 mmHg), and vascular resistance increased after a change in sodium intake. Resting tissue blood flow decreased by 19% by day 28 in RRM but did not change in SOC. Sodium nitroprusside administration reduced vascular resistance to the same level in both RRM and SOC during control and at day 10; however, on all other days, sodium nitroprusside was not able to fully dilate the RRM microcirculation compared with that of SOC. At the same time, microvascular density estimated by computer fluorescence microscopy was decreased by 25% in RRM rats. These studies indicate that the development of RRM hypertension is characterized by a transition from increased tone and vessel closure (functional rarefaction) to anatomic vessel loss (structural rarefaction).
Americans’ Support for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Effects of Traditional Texts Compared to Interactive Media

This study tested responses to traditional or interactive material about NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) project. A total of 660 participants were divided into three groups: a science guid...
Community policing in small town rural America: A comparison of police officer attitudes in Chicago and Baldwin county, Alabama

Much has been written about policing in America. We know a good deal about its structure and function, operations, culture, etc. Based on this wealth of knowledge, we have drawn conclusions about t...
Traits, cognitive processes and adaptation: An elegy for Hans Eysenck's personality theory

Abstract Hans Eysenck's personality theory has inspired several generations of researchers. However, it has substantial limitations as an account of the individual differences in performance and cognitive processing associated with personality traits. Three particular areas of concern are its handling of the complexity of processing, its attribution of performance effects to variation in cortical arousal, and its neglect of the adaptive significance of traits. The neurological concomitants of traits may be more consequential as indirect influences on skill acquisition than as direct influences on adaptation. Cognitive-adaptive theory provides a contrary perspective that sees traits as distributed across multiple processes and accommodates the dynamic nature of individual differences in adaptation. It may be time to laud the Eysenck theory for its historical contribution and lay it to rest with due respect.
Effects of sulfate and sulfide on the life cycle of Zizania palustris in hydroponic and mesocosm experiments

Under oxygenated conditions, sulfate is relatively non-toxic to aquatic plants. However, in water-saturated soils, which are usually anoxic, sulfate can be reduced to toxic sulfide. Although the direct effects of sulfate and sulfide on the physiology of a few plant species have been studied in some detail, their cumulative effects on a plant's life cycle through inhibition of seed germination, seedling survival, growth, and seed production have been less well studied. We investigated the effect of sulfate and sulfide on the life cycle of wild rice (Zizania palustris L.) in hydroponic solutions and in outdoor mesocosms with sediment from a wild rice lake. In hydroponic solutions, sulfate had no effect on seed germination or juvenile seedling growth and development, but sulfide greatly reduced juvenile seedling growth and development at concentrations greater than 320 μg · L−1. In outdoor mesocosms, sulfate additions to overlying water increased sulfide production in sediments. Wild rice seedling emergence, seedling survival, biomass growth, viable seed production, and seed weight all declined with sulfate additions and hence sulfide concentrations in sediment. These declines grew steeper during the course of the five years of the mesocosm experiment and wild rice populations became extinct in most tanks with concentrations of 250 mg SO4 · L−1 or greater in the overlying water. Iron sulfide precipitated on the roots of wild rice plants, especially at high sulfate application rates. These precipitates, or the encroachment of reducing conditions that they indicate, may impede nutrient uptake and be partly responsible for the reduced seed production and viability. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Staphylococcus Aureus Detection In Platelets Using Short Synthetic Peptides Derived From Phage-Displayed Random Peptide Libraries Coupled with Quantum-Dot Nanocrystals

Abstract 3359 Introduction: Bacterial sepsis in recipients of transfusion products due to contamination of blood components is an infrequent but serious and potentially a fatal complication. Unlike red cells, platelet concentrates (PC) are stored for up to 5 days at room temperature after collection, which is conducive for bacterial growth. In 42% of the sepsis cases following PCs, the most common bacterial contaminant is Staphylococcus spp. Timely detection of these contaminated units is a public health priority. Although a multitude of bacterial diagnostic tests are available for PCs, still there is a need for developing more sensitive, specific and rapid detection assays. The primary objective of this study is to develop a simple and highly sensitive procedure that facilitates rapid and enhanced detection of bacteria using Staphylococcus aureus as a model for PCs. Methods: A commercially available bacteriophage-displayed random 12-mer peptide library was screened against S. aureus . The screening and subsequent sequencing of the phage DNA identified a phage clone containing a coding sequence for 12-amino acid peptide that selectively binds to S. aureus. We assessed the binding specificity and detection sensitivity of the peptide to a panel of six bacteria spiked in platelets (including S. aureus) by dot blot, ELISA and fluorometry. The peptides were further labeled with streptavidin-conjugated fluorescent Nanocrystal quantum-dots (Q-dots) to enhance the sensitivity of the assay. Results: The membrane-based dot blot method revealed that the peptide binds specifically to S. aureus . ELISA and fluorometry analysis of spiked platelet samples revealed that the peptide binds to S. aureus at 10 3 CFU/ml concentrations. By using the peptide-Nanocrystal Q-dot combination (peptide probes), the detection sensitivity was further enhanced. The peptide binding remained relatively constant between pH 5 to 7.5. Conclusion: This model system demonstrates that peptides derived from random phage library in combination with Nanocrystal Q-dots facilitate high sensitivity detection of S. aureus. In general, this study provides a proof-of-concept that ‘peptide probes9 selected against specific bacteria are useful in detecting and monitoring them in various settings relevant to blood safety and transfusion medicine. The findings and conclusions in this abstract have not been formally disseminated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be construed to represent any Agency determination or policy. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Emergence of DDoS resistant augmented Split architecture

Distributed Denials of Service (DDoS) attacks have become the daunting problem for businesses, system administrators and computer system users. Prevention and detection of a DDoS attack is a major research topic for researchers throughout the world. As new remedies are developed to prevent or mitigate DDoS attacks, invaders are continually evolving new methods to circumvent these new procedures. In this paper, we describe various DDoS attack mechanisms, categories, scope of DDoS attacks and their existing countermeasures. In response, we propose to introduce DDoS resistant Augmented Split-protocol (ASp). The migratory nature and role changeover ability of servers in Split-protocol architecture will avoid bottleneck at the server side. It also offers the unique ability to avoid server saturation and compromise from DDoS attacks. The goal of this paper is to present the concept and performance of (ASp) as a defensive tool against DDoS attacks.
Finding My Critical Voice for Social Justice and Passing It On: An Essay.

AbstractThis introspective critical essay elucidates some of the challenges I encountered in my efforts to persist at various levels of education as a first-generation White student from a low-income background and through multiple intersectionalities, primarily class and gender. My lived experiences and transformation from a near high school dropout to a university professor are detailed with particular attention to how these experiences transformed my thinking about my family from deficit to asset, and how I now use this critical consciousness in my teaching and research. Particular attention is paid to the political, social, and educational factors that influenced my philosophy of social justice.
THU0359 Anti-B2glycoprotein-1 IGA Antibodies Independently and Differentially Contribute To Thrombotic Risk in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus above and beyond ACL and LA: Lessons from A Contemporary Multiethnic Patient Cohort

Background Lupus anticoagulant (LA), IgM and IgG anticardiolipin (ACL), and anti-beta2 glycoprotein 1 (b2GPI) Ab, positive twice 12 weeks apart, constitute laboratory diagnostic criteria of the Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APLS) in patients with or without SLE. IgA ACL and b2GPI Ab subclasses are not included in this classification. Objectives We investigated the prevalence and contribution of various (sub)classes of APLs to thrombotic events in a multiethnic cohort of SLE patients. We further evaluated the independent contribution of a-b2GPI IgA to thrombotic events above and beyond criteria APL subclasses and clinical risk factors. Methods A total of 401 patients (232 latinos, 109 African Americans, 25 Caucasians and 35 Asians) fulfilling ≥4 1996 criteria for SLE, and follow-up in a single center between 2008 and 2015 were included. LA was assessed with both aPTT and DRVVT. ACL and a-b2GPI subclasses were tested using commercial ELISA kits and positivity was defined according to manufacturer specifications. Logistic regression models assessed incremental thrombotic risk by higher numbers of APL Abs. Hierarchical forward stepwise regression models evaluated incremental thrombotic risk by a-b2GPI IgA, after accounting for clinical factors (step 1, table 1), and other APL (sub)classes (step 2). Results Of 401 patients, 92 (23%) had 1 APL Ab class, 12 (3.1%) had 2, and 10 (2.7%) had 3 APLs; LA and a-b2GPI IgA were the most prevalent (14% and 13.7% respectively). Other ACL and a-b2GPI subclasses were uncommon ( Conclusions A-b2GPI IgA and LA were the most prevalent APLs in a contemporary multiethnic cohort of SLE patients. Higher numbers of APLs yielded higher thrombotic risk, and so did triple positivity compared to single. A-b2GPI IgA presence significantly enhanced event risk above and beyond clinical factors and all other APL subclasses. Disclosure of Interest None declared
Updated Guidance for Safe and Effective Use of Contraception.

Abstract Progress has been made in efforts to reduce unintended pregnancy; however, unintended pregnancy remains a public health issue in the United States. A key component of reducing unintended pregnancy is to increase correct and consistent use of contraception by reducing barriers to access and use. The CDC has recently updated its guidance for the safe and effective use of contraception. The U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (US MEC), 2016, and U.S. Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use (US SPR), 2016, are intended for healthcare providers to help patients choose a method that is safe and can be used effectively. The recommendations aim to reduce certain barriers to contraception and thus help women, men, and couples to control timing of pregnancies.
Presence of Antibodies to Food Antigens in Human Colostral Cells

Abstract Cellular and non-cellular components of human colostrum were examined by solid-phase radioimmunoassay for the presence of IgA-, IgM- or IgG- associated antibodies to common food antigens, including ovalbumin, bovine casein, bovine gammaglobulin, soy protein and wheat gliadin. Significant levels of IgA- and IgM-associated antibodies were detected against all antigens examined in both cell-free colostral whey and in colostral cell lysates. Food antigen-specific antibodies in the IgG class were not present in whey or cell lysates in levels detectable by this assay.
1970 Sperm Competition

When sperm from more than one male are present, competition occurs and selection favors production of sperm with strong competitive abilities. Sperm competition also favors male phenotypes for larger ejaculate volumes and higher sperm counts in semen.
Metabolomic profiling of lung function in Costa-Rican children with asthma

Abstract Background The development of novel therapeutics and treatment regimens for the management of asthma is hindered by an incomplete understanding of its heterogeneous nature and pathophysiology. Metabolomics can provide an integrated and global profile of a biological system in a dysregulated state, making it a valuable tool to identify biomarkers along the disease development pathway and to understand the biological mechanisms driving that pathway. Methods Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolomic profiling was conducted on plasma samples provided at recruitment for 380 children with asthma from the ‘Genetic Epidemiology of Asthma in Costa Rica Cohort’. Metabolites associated with three clinical characteristics of asthma severity (i) airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) (ii) percent-predicted forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity ratio (FEV 1 /FVC), and (iii) FEV 1 /FVC post-bronchodilator were identified and their discriminatory ability assessed. Metabolite set enrichment analyses was applied to explore the biology underlying these relationships. Results AHR was associated ( p 1 /FVC pre-bronchodilator with 102(17.8%), and FEV 1 /FVC post-bronchodilator with 155 (27.0%). The findings suggest that these characteristics capture some common and some distinct phenotypic aspects of lung function; glycerophospholipid, linoleic acid and pyrimidine metabolism were common to all three characteristics. The corresponding metabolomic profiles showed moderate but robust discriminatory ability. Conclusions The results confirm the existence of an asthma severity metabolome. However, differences in the metabolomic profiles of the three lung function characteristics studied, suggest that refinement of both phenotype classification and metabolite selection should be a priority as the field of asthma metabolomics progresses.
On the Psychological Absurdity of a War on Terror

The view that a war on terror is footless is based on two suppositions: First, the use of terror is always predicated on a division of population into two subgroups—based on a criterion of identity, such as race, class, religion, or nationality. Second, terrorism is always tactical rather than strategic. Terrorism is used by one side in order to induce a disabling fear in the other side. The tactic of terror is supported by a symmetrical rhetoric—both sides regard the other side as evil. No war on a tactic can be won. The use of terror can only be reduced by diminishing the hatred that supports it—and this can be done.
OUTCOMES OF ACUTE ISCHEMIC STROKE AFTER TAVR: POTENTIAL IMPACT OF EMBOLIC PROTECTION

Acute ischemic stroke is a devastating complication of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Emerging data suggest that embolic protection devices might reduce the risk of post-TAVR stroke. The potential impact of these devices on outcomes and cost-effectiveness remains unclear. Patients
MicroRNA 21a-5p overexpression impacts mediators of extracellular matrix formation in uterine leiomyoma

MicroRNAs (MiR) may promote fibroid development via altered expression of genes involved in cell proliferation and ECM formation, and evidence supports aberrant expression of MicroRNA (MiR) 21a-5p in fibroids. The purpose of this study was to investigate the functional significance of MiR 21a-5p overexpression in the pathobiology of leiomyomata (fibroids). A basic science experimental design using immortalized fibroid and myometrial cell lines derived from patient-matched specimens was used. Stable overexpression of MiR-21a-5p in an immortalized fibroid and patient matched myometrial cell line was achieved through lentiviral vector infection. Main outcome measures were MiR-21-5p overexpression, target gene and protein expression, collagen (COL1A1) production, cell proliferation, cell migration, and cell cycle stages of fibroid and myometrial immortalized cell lines. MiR-21a-5p was overexpressed to similar levels in fibroid and myometrial cell lines after lentiviral infection. Increased expression of miR-21 resulted in increased gene and protein expression of TGF-β3 in both fibroid and myometrial cells. Changes in expression of the ECM genes Fibronectin, Collagen 1A1, CTGF, Versican and DPT were seen in both fibroid and myometrial cells. Changes were also seen in Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP) related genes including MMP 2, MMP 9, MMP 11 and Serpine 1 in both fibroid and myometrial cells. MiR-21 upregulation resulted in increased proliferation and migration in fibroid cells compared to myometrial cells. MiR-21a-5p overexpression results in changes in the expression of ECM mediators in both fibroid and myometrial cells, and increased cell proliferation in fibroid cells. These finding suggest a potential functional role of MiR-21a-5p in the development of uterine fibroids and warrant further investigation.
Heavy metals: effects of diethyldithiocarbamate and disulfiram administration

Diethyldithiocarbamate (DSH) is an avid ligand of heavy metals with which it forms complexes that have a much higher lipid solubility than have the heavy metal ions themselves (Chapter 2). The lipid solubility characteristic of the metals are thereby changed and this results in their patterns of distribution being altered following DSH or disulfiram (DSSD) administration. One consistent finding is that the levels of the metal found in brain are increased. Urinary excretion and kidney levels, on the other hand, are usually decreased, an advantage, since many heavy metals are nephrotoxic. Concurrently, an increase in the fecal elimination of the heavy metal is usually observed (Fig. 7.1).
A theory for the complete mechanization of a GPS-type problem solver

The data structure that drives the General Problem Solver is the Connection Table. This paper describes the theoretical basis for the automatic construction of this table by computer programs.The programs for this purpose have been developed at the Case Western Reserve University. They basically isolate certain attributes of the problem states which are invariant under certain moves and then put those attributes together to "triangularize" the Connection Table.
OPTIMAL UNIFORM RATE OF CONVERGENCE FOR NONPARAMETRIC ESTIMATORS OF A DENSITY FUNCTION OR ITS DERIVATIVES

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses optimal uniform rate of convergence for the nonparametric estimators of a density function or its derivatives. It describes the optimal uniform rate of convergence of an arbitrary estimator of T(f) for various choices of F. It is called the optimal rate of convergence, if it is both a lower and an achievable rate of convergence.
Treatment and Outcomes of Primary Pericardial Mesothelioma: A Contemporary Review of 103 Published Cases.

Abstract Primary pericardial mesothelioma (PPM) is a rare cancer for which there is no consensus on treatment. We evaluated and summarized a large contemporary population of published PPM cases to characterize risk factors, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes. Using Ovid and PubMed, literature published from 2000 through 2016 was searched using the terms “primary pericardial mesothelioma,” “pericardial mesothelioma,” and “malignant pericardial mesothelioma.” We identified 6 case series and 84 case reports for a total of 103 PPM cases published from 2000 through 2016. The median age at diagnosis was 55 years, and the median overall survival was 6 months. In univariate analyses of clinical characteristics including gender, asbestos exposure, tobacco use, prior radiation exposure, histologic subtype, and metastasis and/or mediastinal spread, only the presence of metastasis and/or mediastinal spread was a significant predictor of decreased survival (P = .015). Surgery did not provide a statistically significant survival benefit (P = .12). A survival benefit was noted in those who received chemotherapy (median survival, 13 months vs. 0.5 months, P = .002), specifically chemotherapy with a platinum agent with or without pemetrexed. In multivariate analysis, only the receipt of chemotherapy was associated with improved survival. PPM remains a rare and poorly understood malignancy with unclear etiology and a poor prognosis. In this retrospective systematic review, a survival benefit was seen in patients who received chemotherapy.
Urban Rail Transit Provides the Necessary Access to a Metropolitan Area: A Case Study of Portland, Oregon, USA

Access to good public transit for low-socioeconomic communities has been an important concern in transportation planning and urban studies research. In Portland, Oregon, USA, the rapid growth of housing prices and rents in the urban core has caused displacement of low-income residents to peripheral and suburban neighborhoods where housing is more affordable. Because public transit is generally more limited in the urban periphery and suburbs, there is concern that the low-income suburban residents may have more limited access to Portland’s light rail transit service than more affluent residents do. This study examines the relationships between the light rail transit accessibility and socioeconomic status—income, race and ethnicity—in the Portland metro area. Light rail transit accessibility is compared for all income and racial/ethnic groups across four access zones. Multinomial logistic econometric models were used to measure likelihood differences of being located in different access zones between each demographic group. The results show that there is no significant barrier for low-income and racial and ethnic minority residents to access urban rail transit in Portland. The results suggest that despite low-income residents’ movement to the suburbs, Portland’s urban rail transit system continues to serve all residents by providing cohesive connections between the urban core, periphery and suburbs.
Synthesis and appraisal of a hydroxyapatite/pectin hybrid material for zinc removal from water

A simple method to modify hydroxyapatite and pectin into an efficient zinc sorbent was investigated. Process and formulation modifications enabled the formation of a flower-like hydroxyapatite/pectin hybrid material. The hybrid material was characterized with scanning electron microscopy, elemental analysis, and zeta potential tests. Sorption data were analyzed with different kinetic and isotherm models. The results showed that the pseudo-second order kinetic model and two-staged isotherm curves with Langmuir at the first stage and a Freundlich model the at second stage could best describe the zinc sorption on the hybrid. The maximum experimental sorption capacity was 330.4 mg Zn2+ per gram of sorbent, which was obtained with an initial concentration of 260 mg L−1 Zn2+ at pH 5.0. pH monitoring and Zeta potential tests suggested surface complexation and electrostatic attraction were fundamental in the zinc sorption process.
When does changing emotions harm authenticity? Distinct reappraisal strategies differentially impact subjective and observer-rated authenticity

We compared the effect of two commonly-studied reappraisal techniques on authenticity during a lab-based social interaction: emotion-focused reappraisal, which explicitly instructs people to change...
Population and the Environment — Time for Another Contraception Revolution

Population and the Environment As the world population continues to grow, pressures on the environment will become more critical. The time seems ripe for another contraception revolution to provide...
onathan Schneer, London 1900: The Imperial Metropolis. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999. ix. + 336 pp. $29.95 cloth.

n this snapshot of London in 1900, Jonathan Schneer has found an original and intriguing project. Emphasizing the indubitable role of British imperialism in shaping and influencing the city, Schneer examines aspects of London life in a series of vignettes, each of which can successfully stand alone. He moves from the lives of some of London's most celebrated laborers, the dock workers, to the businessmen who peopled the City of London near the docks where goods were literally exported and imported, hauled on and off the huge cargo vessels by the dockers. London's political hostesses enjoy a chapter almost of their own before Schneer moves to the circles of London radicalism in its various and imperial guises: the London Irish, and the Indians, Africans, and Caribbeans who peopled the city.
Solar-power replacement as a solution for hydropower foregone in US dam removals

There is a growing dam removal movement in the United States, driven in part by environmental, safety and cost considerations. These include electricity-producing hydro-dams, many of which are ageing and will require substantial maintenance or removal over the coming decades. However, hydropower has been and remains an important source of energy for the development of the United States, presently generating about 6% of the nation’s electricity while providing essential grid services. As a potential solution to the conflict between these imperatives, industrial-scale photovoltaics (PVs) could be used for replacement of the energy foregone from hydro-dam removals either by installing the PV infrastructure in the area formerly inundated by the dam reservoir or through offsite replacement. Presently, the total PV generation in the conterminous United States is 35,919 GWh yr−1, or approximately 13% of hydropower generation. On the basis of actual hydropower generation in the conterminous United States in 2016 (that is, 274,868 GWh yr−1), we estimated that 529,885 ha of PVs would be needed to replace the generation of all 2,603 hydro-dams—an area approximately equal to the land size of Delaware. PVs could replace the total annual energy produced from these dams while requiring only 13% of their existing reservoir area. If all the hydro-dams in the United States were removed and only 50% of the emergent land was used for PVs, 945,062 GWh yr−1 power could be generated, which is 3.44 times the current hydropower generation. These analyses are theoretical and do not consider costs, which would be highly site specific. Replacement by PVs without energy storage could not replicate the dispatchability and grid services provisions of existing hydropower facilities; however, improving battery storage capabilities may ameliorate this shortcoming. We suggest that PVs could replace much of the annual electricity output of hydro-dams in the United States while using substantially less land area and providing considerable environmental and ecological benefits. While renewable energy has often included hydropower, dams present their own environmental harms. This Analysis not only projects how much land would be needed for solar power to replace US hydropower, but also provides a model for further analyses in other countries.
Not Always in the Mood: The New Science of Men, Sex, and Relationships

I have often wondered about the damage we may be doing to men (and the people partnered to them) by casting them as simplistic sex-centric creatures with high and unwavering sexual desire. This set...
Stable transmission of complex chromosomal rearrangements involving chromosome 1q derived from constitutional chromoanagenesis.

Chromoanagenesis events encompassing chromoanasynthesis, chromoplexy, and chromothripsis are described in cancers and can result in highly complex chromosomal rearrangements derived from ‘all-at-once’ catastrophic cellular events. The complexity of these rearrangements and the original descriptions in cancer cells initially led to the assumption that it was an acquired anomaly. While rare, these phenomena involving chromosome 1 have been reported a few individuals in a constitutional setting. Here, we describe a newborn baby who was initially referred for cytogenetic testing for multiple congenital anomalies including cystic encephalomalacia, patent ductus arteriosus, inguinal hernia, and bilateral undescended testicles. Chromosome analysis was performed and revealed a derivative chromosome 1 with an 1q24-q31 segment inserted into 1q42.13 resulting in gain of 1q24-q31. Whole genome SNP microarray analysis showed a complex pattern of copy number variants with four gains and one loss involving 1q24-q31. Mate pair next-generation sequencing analysis revealed 18 chromosome breakpoints, six gains along an 1q24-q31 segment, one deletion of 1q31.3 segment and one deletion of 1q42.13 segment, which is strongly evocative of a chromoanasynthesis event for developing this complex rearrangement. Parental chromosome analyses were performed and showed the same derivative chromosome 1 in the mother. To our knowledge, our case is the first case with familial constitutional chromoanagenesis involving chromosome 1q24-q42. This report emphasizes the value of performing microarray and mate pair next-generation sequencing analysis for individuals with germline abnormal or complex chromosome rearrangements.
Association of frailty with all-cause mortality and bleeding among elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background Frailty is a multidimensional syndrome that reflects the physiological reserve of elderly. It is related to unfavorable outcomes in various cardiovascular conditions. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the association of frailty with all-cause mortality and bleeding after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the elderly. Methods We comprehensively searched the databases of MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception to March 2019. The studies that reported mortality and bleeding in AMI patients who were evaluated and classified by frailty status were included. Data from each study were combined using the random-effects, generic inverse variance method of DerSimonian and Laird to calculate hazard ratio (HR), and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results Twenty-one studies from 2011 to 2019 were included in this meta-analysis involving 143,301 subjects (mean age 75.33-year-old, 60.0% male). Frailty status was evaluated using different methods such as Fried Frailty Index. Frailty was statistically associated with increased early mortality in nine studies (pooled HR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.67-2.56, P < 0.001, I2 = 41.2%) and late mortality in 11 studies (pooled HR = 2.30, 95% CI: 1.70-3.11, P < 0.001, I2 = 65.8%). Moreover, frailty was also statistically associated with higher bleeding in 7 studies (pooled HR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.12-1.59, P < 0.001, I2 = 4.7%). Conclusion Frailty is strongly and independently associated with bleeding, early and late mortality in elderly with AMI. Frailty assessment should be considered as an additional risk factor and used to guide toward personalized treatment strategies.
Resynchronization for Cardiomyopathy with Right Bundle Branch Block Pattern

His bundle pacing has the advantage of restoring physiologic ventricular activation, rather than mimicking it as is the case with biventricular pacing. Engaging intact His-Purkinje fibers distal to conduction disease reestablishes multisite simultaneous endo-to-epicardial activation, resulting in normal torsional contraction and optimal cardiac output.
Critical Analyses of Outcomes of Marginalized Undergraduate Engineering Students

The authors present a Research Full Paper on the application of critical and liberative theories in understanding the disproportionately low student outcomes of marginalized undergraduate students studying engineering at a large, highly selective public university in the United States. In addition to looking at women students and students of color, we also examine the effects of social class on educational opportunity and performance, hypothesizing that access to financial capital is correlated to student success. In recognition of class-related structural oppression, this study introduces the framework of Freirean critical theory and other anti-oppressive frameworks as lenses through which we observe and analyze student experiences and outcomes.We pursue a quantitative study in which we investigate engineering student outcomes based on reported gender, ethnicity, and household income level. Dependent variables include degree completion rates, time to graduation, and grade point average after the first four semesters of study. We find that students of color and working class students experience lower rates of graduation, prolonged time to degree, and lower grade point averages than students who do not fall into either of these categories. These results are heavily influenced by the intersectionality of students of color and working class students, as the two groups largely overlap both in the United States population and in the engineering student body at this institution.The results support liberative theoretical claims that societal structures, such as patriarchalism, racism, and capitalism, have filtering effects that impact the opportunities available to individuals with marginalized identities throughout their lives. As incremental interventions fail to address the roots of these problems, they cannot entirely remove the debilitating obstacles facing students from marginalized identity groups; the only true solution lies in liberation from oppressive social structures. In accordance with critical and liberative theories, engineering educators can and should contribute to liberative efforts by employing pedagogical methods that challenge structural oppression.
World Leaders and COVID-19: Women, Populists, and Political Families Reacted Faster

The pandemic posed a dramatic challenge to practically all heads of government: the measures they took had an enormous impact on the lives and livelihoods of their citizens. Growing conventional wisdom proposes that populists failed to deal with the pandemic while women dignitaries thrived. However, these accounts are merely supported by anecdotal evidence. I conduct a systematic evaluation of the performance of world leaders during the pandemic, taking their speed of reaction as an indicator of achievement. I argue that populists should not have reacted slower than their counterparts because they faced contradictory motivations to handle the pandemic. I also propose that women and leaders with more formal and informal political experience reacted faster. The former because glass ceilings force women to endure a more difficult selection process to become heads of government, while the latter should have reacted faster given their superior expertise. Using a unique database with biographical information of 166 heads of government, a cross-sectional survival analysis reveals that populists, women, and leaders from political families reacted faster than their counterparts to the public health crisis.
"It's that longitudinal relationship that pays off": A qualitative study of internal medicine residents' perspectives on learning to prescribe buprenorphine.

The opioid use disorder (OUD) epidemic is a national public health crisis. Access to effective treatment with buprenorphine is limited, in part because few physicians are trained to prescribe it. L...
How We Do it

(1951). How We Do it. Journal of the American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation: Vol. 22, No. 9, pp. 54-54.
Out-of-season spawning of burbot (Lota lota) through temperature and photoperiod manipulation.

Abstract Intensive commercial production of burbot fingerlings will depend on consistent supply of eggs and larvae at multiple times during the year; however, no information on out-of-season spawning of burbot exists. The current study was designed to shift sexual maturation of burbot broodstock by six months from the natural spawning season through temperature and photoperiod manipulation. Results demonstrated that out-of-season spawning of burbot was successful. Broodstock, egg quality, and larval condition data were compared between out-of-season and in-season groups. For both production regimes, broodstock were sampled for condition factor and egg production, and embryos were monitored for development, viability, and survival. Larvae were reared to 35 days post hatch (dph) for growth and survival comparison. There was no significant difference in pre-spawn condition factor between in-season and out-of-season males or females. Post-spawn condition factor for out-of-season females was not statistically different from in-season females, 0.83 (±0.06) and 0.66 (±0.07) respectively. However, post-spawn condition factor for out-of-season male broodstock was significantly higher, 0.82 (±0.04), than in-season fish, 0.64 (±0.02). Eggs produced relative to weight of pre-spawn female did not differ significantly between in-season and out-of-season production, 328.5 (±22.95) and 213 (±38.04) eggs/g, respectively. Fertilization did not differ significantly between treatments, averaging 90% for both in and out-of-season production. Egg survival was higher, 61.18% (±9.3), in the final week of incubation for out-of-season groups compare to eggs from in-season broodstock, 20.59% (±10.6). However, no difference in larval growth or survival was observed out to the 35dph termination point. Overall, egg quality and larval survival was not negatively impacted for broodstock spawned out-of-season. This is the first report demonstrating that burbot eggs can be produced outside the natural spawning season by altering photoperiod and temperature. As commercial production of this species develops, this will be an important tool to mitigate the risk of relying on a single annual spawning season and can ensure a consistent supply of burbot fingerlings throughout the year.
Effects of freeze-thaw cycles on consistency limits of soils amended with diatomite

Abstract The changes in the structure of soil particles configurations due to freeze-thaw (FT) have great effects on the physical, mechanical, chemical, and biological properties of soil. Variability of temperature and rainfall due to climate change may lead to increased FT cycles which will strongly affect soil properties. Therefore, development of strategies for reducing the negative effects of FT on soil properties should be investigated. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the effects of FT cycles on consistency limits of soils amended with diatomite. In this study, we evaluated the effects of diatomite applications (0, 10, 20 and 30 %, v/v) on the liquid limit (LL), plastic limit (PL), plasticity index (PI), shrinkage limit (SL), and friability index (FI) of soils with different textures subjected to FT cycles for 0, 3, 6 and 9 times. While LL, PL and FI decreased with subsequent cycles of freeze-thaw, diatomite applications in all FT cycles and soils significantly increased these parameters. In general, the effectiveness of diatomite on these parameters increased with the increases in application doses and the highest values were obtained at 30 % DE treatments across soils. Freeze-thaw cycles resulted in an irregular increases or decreases on PI and SL values of the soils for all cycles tested. Results obtained in this study have clearly indicated that diatomite application is an effective way to protect and/or to increase the negative effects of FT on soil consistency limits. Improvement of soil consistency limits is not only important for protecting soils against mechanical forces, erodibility and consolidation but also for preparing a good seedbed.
Mutational Analysis of the Dimer and Decamer Interface Residues in the Yeast Peroxiredoxin Tsa1

Oxidative damage of biological macromolecules is associated with a number of disease pathologies and the aging process. To defend against oxidative injury caused by peroxides, organisms express numerous peroxidases, including a family of conserved peroxiredoxins. Of the five peroxiredoxins found in baker's yeast, four of these proteins (Tsa1, Tsa2, Ahp1, and Prx1) are targets of the protein cross-linker divinyl sulfone (DVSF) in treated yeast cells. While previous work has implicated the redox-active cysteine residues in Tsa1 as targets of DVSF, the cysteine residues are brought into close proximity via dimeric quaternary structure. Therefore, we are investigating the quaternary structures formed by Tsa1, seeking to understand what amino acid residues are critical for the formation of dimers and higher order structures. To this end, we have performed a structure-guided mutational analysis of conserved residues at the interfaces in Tsa1. Specifically, we have focused our studies on two putative ion-pairing...
Late relapse in patients with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma

The outcomes for 162 patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with a CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone)-like regimen who obtained a complete remission and who subsequently relapsed after ≥5 years of remission (late relapse, N=30), or <5 years of remission (early relapse, N=132), were compared. The late relapsing patients had better prognostic characteristics at diagnosis, such as stage I/II disease (73% vs. 49%, P=0·04), a normal lactic dehydrogenase (77% vs. 48%, P=0·01), and a Karnofsky performance score of ≥80 (100% vs. 86%, P=0·01). The 3-year survival after relapse was better in late relapsing patients (48% vs. 25%, P=0·03), but the survival at 5 years (32% vs. 20%) and 10 years (13% vs. 14%) after relapse was not different. A multivariate analysis of factors predicting survival after relapse found age (P<0·0001) and presence of B-symptoms (P=0·03) to predict survival, but not early versus late relapse. A small percentage of the late relapsing patients can have a prolonged second remission. However, the overall survival from the time of relapse was not different between early and late relapsing patients with most succumbing to lymphoma.
Catabolism of methionine to sulfovolatiles by lactic acid bacteria

Sulfovolatiles or volatile sulfur compounds (VSC), important odour active compounds in ripened cheeses, have been identified as catabolic products of methionine. Methionine conversion is believed to take place by at least two major pathways, one initiated by aminotransferases (ATases) and another initiated by lyases. The ATase pathway is believed to play a major role in lactococcal strains, while the pathway of VSC generation in lactobacilli is not well characterised. In this study, four lactic acid bacterial strains, Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ32, Lactobacillus casei ATCC334, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, and Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris SK11, were studied for their ability to catabolise methionine. Cells grown in suitable media were studied in two buffers (pH 6.8 and pH 5.2+4% NaCl) with and without methionine, pyridoxal phosphate, α-ketoglutarate and NADH to study the effect of cofactors on VSC production. VSC production was monitored by SPME GC-MS/SIM. Results showed significant differences in the rate and extent of VSC production with the lactococcal strain producing the highest quantity. The role of co-factors and possible pathways involved are explained with the aid of 13C NMR studies.
Automated interpretation of agent behaviour

Software comprehension, which is essential for debugging and maintaining software systems, has lacked attention in the agent community. Comprehension has been a manual process, involving the analysis and interpretation of log files that record agent behaviour in the implemented system. This paper describes an approach and tool to automate creating interpretations of agent behaviour from observations of the implementation execution, thus helping users (i.e. designers, developers, and end-users) to understand the motivations of agent actions. By explicitly modelling the user’s comprehension of the implemented system as background knowledge for the tool, feedback can be provided as to whether the user’s comprehension accurately represents the implementation’s behaviour and, if not, how it can be corrected. Additionally, with the aid of the Tracer Tool, many of the manual tasks are automated, such as verifying that agents are behaving as expected, identifying unexpected behaviour and generating explanations for any particular observation.
Defatting catheter insertion sites in total parenteral nutrition is of no value as an infection control measure. Controlled clinical trial.

Abstract Defatting the skin with acetone or ether is widely used in the regimen for disinfection of insertion sites of central venous catheters in total parenteral nutrition. The fatty acids secreted by normal skin play an important role in regulation of the cutaneous microbial ecosystem, and it can be questioned whether application of a solvent might paradoxically promote colonization by pathogenic microorganisms. The clinical value of defatting catheter insertion sites was prospectively studied in a controlled, randomized trial: 100 subclavian catheters inserted for total parenteral nutrition were given identical site care except that with one half of the catheters, the site was defatted with acetone prior to catheter insertion and as part of the every-other-day site care regimen. Cutaneous colonization was found in only 130 (24.5 percent) of 531 site cultures in both groups, but was strongly predictive of concordant colonization of the catheter (relative risk, 22.1, p
Occupational tedium in the social services

Occupational tedium among social service workers was found to depend more on a worker's interpersonal relations with colleagues and clients than on intrinsic work conditions, such as the variety of job assignments. This suggests that social workers may be particularly sensitive to people as sources of both emotional stress and support.
Race Always Mattered: Black-on-Black Mob Violence and Interracial Relations in Kansas

This study examines black-on-black mob violence and situates it within the historiography of mob disorder in the United States more generally. Unlike previous such studies, this one employs intra-racial violence among blacks as a prism through which to explore interracial relations between blacks and whites. It examines the roles that whites assumed in these incidents, the objectives that they pursued, and the influence that they exercised over the trajectory of subsequent events. Rather than focusing on lynching alone, as have previous studies, this one addresses several non-lethal types of mob violence, such as beatings, whippings, and the like, as well as the threat of violence, as embodied in threatened lynchings. Moving away from the usual focus on the American South and the years from 1880 until 1930, this study examines the Midwestern state of Kansas in the years from 1869 until 1911.
A study of the recombination of atomic oxygen by means of the flash spectra of the Schumann-Runge system

Abstract The recombination of atomic oxygen has been studied at temperatures not exceeding several hundred degrees above room temperature. The process has been followed by obtaining flash absorption spectra in the vacuum ultra-violet of the entire Schumann-Runge system of molecular oxygen as a function of time. A third-order specific reaction rate constant of 1·2 × 10 15 (cm 3 ) 2 mole 2 -sec. has been obtained, for the reaction O + O + M, and vibrationally excited oxygen has been observed in only the first level of the ground state.