cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Book Review: Law and Ethics for Today’s Journalist: A Concise Guide, by Joe Mathewson:

Joe Mathewson Law and Ethics for Today's Journalist: A Concise Guide. Armonk: M.E. Sharpe, 2014. 198 pp.In the preface to Law and Ethics for Today's Journalist, the author states that the book's purpose is "to help the working journalist recognize legal and ethical issues and to provide guidance in making those decisions" (p. xi). This is a short book, only 198 pages, and is not designed to be a comprehensive study of journalism law or of jour- nalism ethics. Rather, the author directs this text to the working journalist and as a supplemental book for use in college-level journalism courses.Joe Mathewson draws on his experience as the former Supreme Court reporter for the Wall Street Journal to fashion a very general overview of most of the traditional legal issues and concerns facing journalists today. As might be expected from one with Mathewson's credentials, his writing is clear, concise, and compelling. The author breaks very little new ground, but visits the cases and situations that make up the foun- dation of issues such as prior restraint, defamation, invasion of privacy, free press/fair trial, journalist's privilege, copyright, and access to information. He purposely limits material pertaining to broadcast regulation and obscenity. The former is omitted because it has little effect on the practice of journalism, and the latter because it has no First Amendment protection (p. xii).Also included is a chapter on the Citizens United1 case. The rationale behind includ- ing material about the Supreme Court ruling that gives corporations the same First Amendment rights as individuals is as follows: " . . . in these days of big-money elec- tions, the huge political donations and expenditures can make good stories in and of themselves" (p. 191). The author also suggests that following the campaign finance trail can help the practicing journalist connect the dots between money spent by inter- est groups and the actual vote.Missing from this book is any reference to WikiLeaks and how the existence of this organization has affected journalism. There are at least two chapters that would be stron- ger if material on WikiLeaks were included. Chapter 3 discusses prior restraint, the Pentagon Papers, and the role of Daniel Ellsberg in obtaining these documents. It seems that this material would flow naturally into a discussion of WikiLeaks, Bradley Manning, and the Obama administration's reaction to the publication of this information.2The WikiLeaks case also had an impact on the federal shield law debate, especially in determining who is a journalist and who would be covered under such a law. …
THE IMPACT OF DIALYSIS DEPENDENCE AND DIALYSIS DURATION OF CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE ON OUTCOMES AFTER CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFTING: A NATIONWIDE COHORT STUDY IN ASIA

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with adverse outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The impact of preoperative dialysis dependence and dialysis duration in CKD patients on outcomes after CABG has not been investigated before From 1998 to 2009, 33,920
Risk Factors for Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection in Pediatric Inpatients.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors during the incident Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) episode, associated with developing recurrent CDI within 60 days, among hospitalized children that may be amenable to intervention. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients hospitalized at a freestanding children’s hospital from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2010. Patients were eligible if they were RESULTS: During the study period, there were 612 unique patients with an incident CDI episode; 65 (10.6%) experienced at least 1 recurrence. Patients with any complex chronic condition were 4.0 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2–13.9) times more likely to experience recurrence. Patients with a malignancy and those who received non-CDI antibiotics at any time during CDI treatment were 2.3 (95% CI: 1.3–4.0) and 2.8 (95% CI: 1.2–6.9) times more likely to experience recurrence, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of underlying comorbidities, malignancies, and treatment with non-CDI antibiotics during CDI treatment were the most important risk factors for recurrence. Efforts to reduce unnecessary courses of non-CDI antibiotics could lower the risk of CDI recurrence.
Abbreviation or elimination of the crossmatch.

It has been proposed that the crossmatch be modified or eliminated in order to reduce costs and to provide blood rapidly for transfusion. Arguments countering the elimination of the antiglobulin phase of the crossmatch at this time are presented.
Multiple gas-phase conformations of proline-containing peptides: is it always cis/trans isomerization?

Ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) is often employed to look at the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures of naked peptides and proteins in the gas-phase. Recently, it has offered a unique glimpse into proline-containing peptides and their cis/trans Xxx-Pro isomers. An experimental “signature” has been identified wherein a proline-containing peptide has its Pro residues substituted with another amino acid and the presence or absence of conformations in the IM-MS spectra is observed. Despite the high probability that one could attribute these conformations to cis/trans isomers, it is also possible that cis/trans isomers are not the cause of the additional conformations in proline-containing peptides. However, the experimental evidence of such a system has not been demonstrated or reported. Herein, we present the IM-MS analysis of Neuropeptide Y's wild-type (WT) signal sequence and Leu7Pro (L7P) mutant. Although comparison of arrival times and collision cross-sections of [M + 4H]4+ ions yields the cis/trans “signature”, molecular dynamics indicates that a cis-Pro7 is not very stable and that trans-Pro7 conformations of the same cross-section arise with equal frequency. We believe that this work further underscores the importance of theoretical calculations in IM-MS structural assignments.
Aluminum, Gallium, Indium, and Thallium

Of the heavier elements in Group IIIA, aluminum is by far the most important. It is a very important structural metal that occurs in nature in the minerals bauxite and cryolite. Because of the very high charge to size ratio of Al 3+ , it is extremely strongly hydrated in aqueous solutions and the oxide is very stable. It also forms stable complexes of which the hydride, LiAlH 4 , is the most important because it is a useful reducing agent. Aluminum halides exist primarily as Al 2 X 6 in which there are halogen bridges. There is an extensive organic chemistry of aluminum, partially because aluminum alkyls are used as starting materials in polymerization reactions. Aluminum alkyls also exist as dimers having the formula Al 2 R 6 .
Clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes of recurrent oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract Purpose Positive p16 immunohistochemical staining is predictive of improved survival and response to treatment. The purpose of this study is to determine the clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes of patients with p16+ oropharynx cancer who fail initial treatment. Materials and methods Case series including all patients with recurrent oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma from 2002 to 2014. Results Forty patients met inclusion criteria. Thirty-one (77.5%) tumors were p16+ and 9 (22.5%) were p16−. There was no difference in T/M stage at diagnosis; more patients with p16+ tumors presented initially with ≥N2 disease (p = 0.04). Regional and/or metastatic recurrence was more common in the p16+ group as compared to the p16− group — 71% vs 22.2%, p = 0.003. Outcomes for both groups were poor — 67.7% p16+ and 44.4% p16− patients died from disease. Conclusions Compared to p16− recurrent tumor patients, p16+ recurrent tumor patients were more likely to experience regional or distant metastatic recurrence. Overall outcomes for both p16+ and p16− recurrent oropharynx tumors were poor.
Evolved Repression Overcomes Enhancer Robustness

Biological systems display extraordinary robustness. Robustness of transcriptional enhancers results mainly from clusters of binding sites for the same transcription factor, and it is not clear how robust enhancers can evolve loss of expression through point mutations. Here, we report the high-resolution functional dissection of a robust enhancer of the shavenbaby gene that has contributed to morphological evolution. We found that robustness is encoded by many binding sites for the transcriptional activator Arrowhead and that, during evolution, some of these activator sites were lost, weakening enhancer activity. Complete silencing of enhancer function, however, required evolution of a binding site for the spatially restricted potent repressor Abrupt. These findings illustrate that recruitment of repressor binding sites can overcome enhancer robustness and may minimize pleiotropic consequences of enhancer evolution. Recruitment of repression may be a general mode of evolution to break robust regulatory linkages.
Histopathological Differences Between the Anterior and Posterior Brain Arteries as a Function of Aging

Background and Purpose— We tested the hypothesis that posterior brain arteries differ pathologically from anterior brain arteries and that this difference varies with age. Methods— Brain large arteries from 194 autopsied individuals (mean age 56±17 years, 63% men, 25% nonwhite, 17% with brain infarcts) were analyzed to obtain the areas of arterial layers and lumen as well as the relative content of elastin, collagen, and amyloid. Visual rating was used to determine the prevalence of atheroma, calcification, vasa vasorum , pattern of intima thickening, and internal elastic lamina gaps. We used multilevel models adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, vascular risk factors, artery type and location, and multiple comparisons. Results— Of 1362 large artery segments, 5% had vasa vasorum, 5% had calcifications, 15% had concentric intimal thickening, and 11% had atheromas. Posterior brain arteries had thinner walls, less elastin, and more concentric intima thickening than anterior brain arteries. Compared to anterior brain arteries, the basilar artery had higher arterial area encircled by the internal elastic lamina, whereas the vertebral arteries had higher prevalence of elastin loss, concentric intima thickening, and nonatherosclerotic stenosis. In younger individuals, vertebral artery calcifications were more likely than calcification in anterior brain arteries, but this difference attenuated with age. Conclusions— Posterior brain arteries differ pathologically from anterior brain arteries in the degree of wall thickening, elastin loss, and concentric intimal thickening.
Treatment of Alopecia Areata With Tofacitinib.

This medical record review describes the characteristics and outcomes of patients with alopecia areata before and after treatment with tofacitinib.
Signaling in Normal and Pathological Angiogenesis

Angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, is crucial for the growth and development of many multicellular organisms and for the progression of many diseases such as cancer, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. The process of angiogenesis begins with a combination of highly controlled endothelial cell migration (tip cell phenotype) and proliferation (stalk cell phenotype) to form new immature blood vessels. These newly formed blood vessels, also termed “neovessels,” are then stabilized through recruitment of mural cells to generate a mature vascular network that is required for the metabolic demands of the underlying tissue, and provides a conduit through which the immune system functions. A delicate balance between positive and negative angiogenic regulators governs this complex process. In this chapter we will focus on the key signaling events that regulate angiogenesis both during development and in disease.
Scenario Generation Methods that Replicate Crossing Times in Spatially Distributed Stochastic Systems

The purpose of this paper is to bring to light the importance of time series simulation methods which accurately replicate the crossing times of stochastic processes. A crossing time is a contiguou...
Lifetime Statistical Analysis of Welded Aluminum Light Pole Structures under Cyclic Loading

AbstractThe fatigue life analysis of welded aluminum light poles under random fluctuating wind-induced loads is a challenging task. The statistical analysis of full-scale test data provides a means...
The school climate : challenges facing principals in secondary schools in Delta State of Nigeria

This study investigated the school climate challenges facing secondary school principals in Delta State, Nigeria. It was necessitated as a result of the increasing aggression, conflict, and indiscipline observed in secondary schools amongst staff, students, and the school administrators. Thus the findings will be exceptionally beneficial to principals, teachers, students and educational policy makers who are the major actors in the educational system. The feeling and attitude that are elicited by a school's environment are referred to as the school climate. A heterogynous stratified sample of 650 respondents comprising principals, teachers, and students was used in the study. The questionnaire used for data collection was structured on a 4-point Likert scale with mean scores of 2.50 and above as acceptable level. The questionnaire was validated in face and content by experts in Educational Administration. The reliability of this instrument was determined by Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient through the test-retest method to obtain a coefficient of 0.85. The data collected were analyzed using mean scores for the two research questions raised and One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for the two null hypotheses formulated and tested at 0.05 significant level. Results indicate that, there were no significant differences among the perceptions of principals, teachers, and students on school safety, teaching and learning, interpersonal relationship, the school environment, as well as on the possible solutions to the challenges of school climate faced by principals. Recommendations were made to enhance school climate and eliminate problems faced by principals to ensure effective instructional leadership. They include, among others, that school principals should increase safety by adopting violence-prevention and conflict-resolution programmes; increase students, teachers and non-teaching staff acceptance of diversity; ensure that students are treated with care, fairness and consistency; ensure that the school buildings are physically attractive and kept in good condition; that government should provide up-to-date learning materials and enforce the use of school climate as a central characteristic of school accountability and assessment system.
Long-term Bisphosphonate Therapy-induced Periprosthetic Femoral Stress Fracture in a Sliding Hip Screw Implant: A Unique Case Report.

Introduction Long-term bisphosphonate therapy for osteoporosis is associated with an increased risk of low-to-no energy atypical subtrochanteric and femoral shaft fractures with characteristic radiologic findings. There are few reports of patients with long-term bisphosphonate-induced periprosthetic fractures, all of them had a hip arthroplasty prosthesis. In this report, we present a unique case of a 90-year-old Caucasian female on long-term bisphosphonate therapy with a sliding hip screw implant who sustained a periprosthetic fracture of the femoral shaft at the distal aspect of the plate. Case report In April 2014, a 90-year-old female presented with left thigh pain after a fall from standing height. She had a previous fixation of a left intertrochanteric hip fracture with a sliding hip screw in 1999 and a 9-year history of bisphosphonate therapy. Radiographs obtained in the emergency department revealed a left-sided femoral shaft fracture at the distal aspect of the previously applied five-hole side plate. Of note, the periprosthetic fracture demonstrated cortical thickening at the fracture site of the lateral femoral cortex, lack of comminution as well as a transverse appearance. The patient was taken to the operating room the next day for retrograde placement of an intramedullary nail of the left femur with revision of left intertrochanteric femur fracture fixation. By 3 months postoperatively, she had obtained full radiographic union. Conclusion This case report highlights the possibility of an atypical fracture distal to the sliding hip screw implant after open reduction internal fixation of an intertrochanteric hip fracture in patients on long-term bisphosphonates.
Development of a microstructural grand potential-based sintering model

Abstract Microstructure is a controlling factor in the behavior of sintered materials. This work presents a quantitative phase field model of thermal sintering that predicts the evolution of the microstructure by capturing the sintering stress, GB/vacancy interactions, non-uniform diffusion, and grain coarsening without introducing a separate rigid body motion term. The model provides a mechanistic description of sintering using the grand potential phase field approach. Small test simulations are used to verify the new model against sintering theory, and they show that 3D simulations predict faster densification and coarsening than 2D simulations. 3D simulations are compared against experimental data available in the literature. The results of this comparison show that the model provides a reasonable estimate of the sintering behavior, though it overpredicts the sintering rate. This may be due to uncertainty in the material parameters and the relatively small scale of the simulation.
Integrating soft and hard dose-volume constraints into hierarchical constrained IMRT optimization

Purpose Dose-volume constraints (DVCs) continue to be common features in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) prescriptions, but they are non-convex and difficult to incorporate. We propose computationally efficient methods to incorporate dose-volume constraints (DVCs) into automated IMRT planning. Methods We propose a two-phase approach: in phase-1, we solve a convex approximation with DVCs. Although this convex approximation does not guarantee DVC satisfaction, it provides crucial initial information about voxels likely to receive doses below DVC thresholds. Subsequently, phase-2 solves an optimization problem with maximum dose constraints imposed on those subthreshold voxels. We further categorize DVCs into hard- and soft-DVCs, where hard-DVCs are strictly enforced by the optimization and soft-DVCs are encouraged in the objective function. We tested this approach in our automated treatment planning system which is based on hierarchical constrained optimization. Performance is demonstrated on a series of paraspinal, lung, oligometastasis, and prostate cases as well as a small paraspinal case for which we can computationally afford to obtain a ground-truth by solving a non-convex optimization problem. Results The proposed algorithm successfully meets all the hard-DVCs while increasing the overall computational time of the baseline planning process (without DVCs) by 20%, 10%, and 11% for paraspinal, oligometastasis, and prostate cases, respectively. For a soft-DVC applied to the lung case, the dose-volume histogram curve moves toward the desired direction and the computational time is increased by 11%. For a low-resolution paraspinal case, the ground-truth solution process using mixed-integer programming methods required 15 h while the proposed algorithm converges in only 2 min with a proximal solution. Conclusions A computationally tractable algorithm to handle hard- and soft-DVCs is developed which is capable of satisfying DVCs without any parameter tweaking. Although the algorithm is demonstrated in our in-house developed automated treatment planning system, it can potentially be used in any constrained optimization framework.
Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Assisted Antibiotic Delivery and Imaging in S. epidermidis Strains Addressing Antibiotic Resistance

Although conventional antibiotics have evolved as a staple of modern medicine, increasing antibiotic resistance and the lack of antibiotic efficacy against new bacterial threats is becoming a major medical threat. In this work, we employ single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) known to deliver and track therapeutics in mammalian cells via intrinsic near-infrared fluorescence as carriers enhancing antibacterial delivery of doxycycline and methicillin. SWCNTs dispersed in water by antibiotics without the use of toxic bile salt surfactants facilitate efficacy enhancement for both antibiotics against Staphylococcus epidermidis strain showing minimal sensitivity to methicillin. Doxycycline to which the strain did not show resistance in complex with SWCNTs provides only minor increase in efficacy, whereas the SWCNTs/methicillin complex yields up to 40-fold efficacy enhancement over antibiotics alone, suggesting that SWCNT-assisted delivery may circumvent antibiotic resistance in that bacterial strain. At the same time SWCNT/antibiotic formulations appear to be less toxic to mammalian cells than antibiotics alone suggesting that nanomaterial platforms may not restrict potential biomedical applications. The improvement in antibacterial performance with SWCNT delivery is tested via 3 independent assays—colony count, MIC (Minimal Inhibitory Concentration) turbidity and disk diffusion, with the statistical significance of the latter verified by ANOVA and Dunnett’s method. The potential mechanism of action is attributed to SWCNT interactions with bacterial cell wall and adherence to the membrane, as substantial association of SWCNT with bacteria is observed—the near-infrared fluorescence microscopy of treated bacteria shows localization of SWCNT fluorescence in bacterial clusters, scanning electron microscopy verifies SWCNT association with bacterial surface, whereas transmission electron microscopy shows individual SWCNT penetration into bacterial cell wall. This work characterizes SWCNTs as novel advantageous antibiotic delivery/imaging agents having the potential to address antibiotic resistance.
Caprini score and surgical times linked to the risk for venous thromboembolism after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy.

Objective To evaluate the Caprini score as an independent predictor of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and to identify appropriate cut-points for clinical use. Material and methods We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent RARP for prostate cancer between December 2003 and February 2016. VTE cases developed the condition within 90 days of discharge. The control group was comprised of patients whose RARP most closely preceded and followed each VTE case in time and who were matched on lymph node dissection and surgeon. The Caprini score was calculated for each patient, and the groups were compared on a number of clinical variables. Multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate whether the Caprini score was an independent predictor of VTE. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were used to establish appropriate clinical cutpoints. Results A total of 3719 patients underwent RARP during the study period. A total of 52 (1.4%) of patients met the criteria for cases. Data were available for 97 patients who met the criteria for controls. Multiple logistic regression indicated that the Caprini score and operative time were independently both significant predictors of VTE (p=0.005 and p=0.044, respectively). ROC indicated that the Caprini score showed a significant but moderate relationship to VTE (area under curve [AOC]=0.64; p=0.004). A Caprini score >6 was the best arithmetic balance for sensitivity (61.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 47.0-74.7) and specificity (59.8; 95% CI: 49.3-69.6). Conclusion The Caprini score predicts postoperative VTE in patients undergoing RARP.
Ezra Pound and Error

Throughout his career, Pound was troubled by error. But he believed he had found a way to reduce its prevalence. He considered it necessary for poets and scholars to be as objective as scientists. They would thereby maximize the precision of their perceptions and statements, and concurrently reduce their susceptibility to error. Yet we find on closer inspection that when Pound depicts the scientist and the author who has opted for greater objectivity and precision, he in fact presents the figure of the seer, someone whose authority derives from personal insight rather than commonly agreed upon objective standards.
Amidation of Protein Carboxyl Groups

One of the delights of working with proteins, as opposed to nucleic acids, is their great variation in properties. But for the protein sequencer concerned only with covalent structure, this is also a problem. For example, a protein which is acidic or easily precipitated by organic solvents may not elute from a reversed-phase HPLC column under the standard conditions of dilute acid and acetonitrile (MeCN) so effective in a majority of cases. Use of a neutral buffer (a UV-transparent, volatile one is available)1 alleviates problems due to acidity but aggrevates those due to precipitation. And many proteins that do behave well on HPLC may balk when treated with a protease: they are either insoluble in suitable buffers or present a refractory surface with susceptible cleavage sites buried. The usual stratagem is to include a denaturant, but the level of urea that trypsin and most other enzymes will tolerate is often insufficient to promote complete and repoducible digestion, and detergents — which also are not always effective — interfer with separations employing RP-HPLC. An alternative to adjusting conditions to try to accomodate each ill-behaved protein is to modify these proteins at the start in such a way that they are all alike in their properties and common problems are overcome. Ideally this modification should be specific, complete, stable, universally produced under gentle conditions, unrestrictive with regard to other manipulations, and advantageous during sequencing.
Evoking Stress Reactivity in a Virtual Dance Competition

Stress reactivity involves a physiological response to a stressful task, as a biological mechanism related to mental and physical health outcomes. Traditional stressors evoke social evaluative threat, which is fear of judgment and a threat to social status, typically via public speaking tasks. To be well-suited for virtual reality, however, a novel approach is necessary in the design of new stress tasks. We hypothesized that a virtual reality stress task involving social evaluative threat through a dance competition in front of an audience, elicits a stress response, measured by autonomic nervous system, cortisol, and testosterone reactivity. Participants (n = 18) showed autonomic nervous system reactivity in terms of increased heart rate and decreased respiratory sinus arrhythmia, indicating a stress response. Levels of cortisol increased in response to the dance competition, especially within responders, whereas testosterone levels did not change significantly over time. A virtual reality dance competition involving physical social evaluative threat elicits a stress response.
Using Simulated Flue Gas to Rapidly Grow Nutritious Microalgae with Enhanced Settleability.

Favorable microalgal nutrition from waste resources and improved harvesting methods would offset costs for a process that could be scaled up to treat pollution and produce valuable animal feed in l...
Communication-related assessments in an Angelman syndrome mouse model.

Introduction Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by motor deficits, seizures, some autistic-like behaviors, and severe impairment of speech. A dysfunction of the maternally imprinted UBE3A gene, coupled with a functional yet silenced paternal copy, results in AS. Although studies of transgenic mouse models have revealed a great deal about neural populations and rescue timeframes for specific features of AS, these studies have largely failed to examine intermediate phenotypes that contribute to the profound communicative disabilities associated with AS. Methods Here, we use a variety of tasks, including assessments of rapid auditory processing and social communication. Expressive vocalizations were directly assessed and correlated against other core behavioral measures (motor, social, acoustic perception) to model putative influences on communication. Results AS mice displayed the characteristic phenotypes associated with Angelman syndrome (i.e., social and motor deficits), as well as marginal enhancements in rapid auditory processing ability. Our characterization of adult ultrasonic vocalizations further showed that AS mice produce fewer vocalizations and vocalized for a shorter amount of time when compared to controls. Additionally, a strong correlation between motor indices and ultrasonic vocalization output was shown, suggesting that the motor impairments in AS may contribute heavily to communication impairments. Conclusion In summary, the combination of motor deficits, social impairment, marginal rapid auditory enhancements, and altered ultrasonic vocalizations reported in a mouse model of AS clearly parallel the human symptoms of the disorder. This mouse model offers a novel route to interrogate the underlying genetic, physiologic, and behavioral influences on the under-studied topic of impaired communication in AS.
Quantum-Like Interdependence Theory Advances Autonomous Human-Machine Teams (A-HMTs).

As humanity grapples with the concept of autonomy for human–machine teams (A-HMTs), unresolved is the necessity for the control of autonomy that instills trust. For non-autonomous systems in states with a high degree of certainty, rational approaches exist to solve, model or control stable interactions; e.g., game theory, scale-free network theory, multi-agent systems, drone swarms. As an example, guided by artificial intelligence (AI, including machine learning, ML) or by human operators, swarms of drones have made spectacular gains in applications too numerous to list (e.g., crop management; mapping, surveillance and fire-fighting systems; weapon systems). But under states of uncertainty or where conflict exists, rational models fail, exactly where interdependence theory thrives. Large, coupled physical or information systems can also experience synergism or dysergism from interdependence. Synergistically, the best human teams are not only highly interdependent, but they also exploit interdependence to reduce uncertainty, the focus of this work-in-progress and roadmap. We have long argued that interdependence is fundamental to human autonomy in teams. But for A-HMTs, no mathematics exists to build from rational theory or social science for their design nor safe or effective operation, a severe weakness. Compared to the rational and traditional social theory, we hope to advance interdependence theory first by mapping similarities between quantum theory and our prior findings; e.g., to maintain interdependence, we previously established that boundaries reduce dysergic effects to allow teams to function (akin to blocking interference to prevent quantum decoherence). Second, we extend our prior findings with case studies to predict with interdependence theory that as uncertainty increases in non-factorable situations for humans, the duality in two-sided beliefs serves debaters who explore alternatives with tradeoffs in the search for the best path going forward. Third, applied to autonomous teams, we conclude that a machine in an A-HMT must be able to express itself to its human teammates in causal language however imperfectly.
CAPTURE OR CONTRACT?: THE EARLY YEARS OF ELECTRIC UTILITY REGULATION

Jarrell (J Law Econ 21:269–295, 1978) found that electricity prices fell more slowly in states that adopted state regulation before 1917, suggesting that regulators were “captured” by the interests of the regulated electric utilities. An alternative explanation is that state regulation more credibly protected specialized utility assets from regulatory opportunism than did the municipal franchise contracting that preceded it. We test this alternative hypothesis using a panel of data from the U.S. Electrical Censuses of 1902–1937. We find that the shift from municipal franchise contracting to state regulation was associated with a substantial decrease in investment propensity, an outcome supporting the capture hypothesis.
Early transcriptome changes induced by the Geminivirus C4 oncoprotein: setting the stage for oncogenesis

The Beet curly top virus C4 oncoprotein is a pathogenic determinant capable of inducing extensive developmental abnormalities. No studies to date have investigated how the transcriptional profiles differ between plants expressing or not expressing the C4 oncoprotein. We investigated early transcriptional changes in Arabidopsis associated with expression of the Beet curly top virus C4 protein that represent initial events in pathogenesis via a comparative transcriptional analysis of mRNAs and small RNAs. We identified 48 and 94 differentially expressed genes at 6- and 12-h post-induction versus control plants. These early time points were selected to focus on direct regulatory effects of C4 expression. Since previous evidence suggested that the C4 protein regulated the brassinosteroid (BR)-signaling pathway, differentially expressed genes could be divided into two groups: those responsive to alterations in the BR-signaling pathway and those uniquely responsive to C4. Early transcriptional changes that disrupted hormone homeostasis, 18 and 19 differentially expressed genes at both 6- and 12-hpi, respectively, were responsive to C4-induced regulation of the BR-signaling pathway. Other C4-induced differentially expressed genes appeared independent of the BR-signaling pathway at 12-hpi, including changes that could alter cell development (4 genes), cell wall homeostasis (5 genes), redox homeostasis (11 genes) and lipid transport (4 genes). Minimal effects were observed on expression of small RNAs. This work identifies initial events in genetic regulation induced by a geminivirus C4 oncoprotein. We provide evidence suggesting the C4 protein regulates multiple regulatory pathways and provides valuable insights into the role of the C4 protein in regulating initial events in pathogenesis.
Hyperthyroidism in the Elderly

It is not uncommon for thyrotoxicosis to appear in an atypical manner in older patients. The classical symptoms are often absent. The disease is frequently characterized by cardiac, gastrointestinal, neuromuscular, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. As hyperthyroidism is readily amenable to effective treatment that can improve the quality of life, the clinical suspicion of this disease is always indicated and exclusion of this diagnosis should always be pursued. Recognizing the admittedly great difficulty in making, or even suspecting, the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism in the elderly, our rule is to test for hyperthyroidism in essentially all geriatric patients presenting chronic systemic symptoms or signs. On the other hand, we do not recommend community-wide screening of persons over 60 for hyperthyroidism. Community-wide screening falls far below the break-even point in cost-benefit analysis. The most sensible detector of hyperthyroidism now widely available is the serum free T3 index (FT3I), but it may be falsely normal because of the effect of systemic illness on extrathyroidal T4-to-T3 conversion. The advent of ultrasensitive methods for TSH may change these statements considerably. It may become the single screening procedure for both hyper- and hypothyroidism.
Non-invasive wearables for remote monitoring of HbA1c and glucose variability: proof of concept

Introduction Diabetes prevalence continues to grow and there remains a significant diagnostic gap in one-third of the US population that has pre-diabetes. Innovative, practical strategies to improve monitoring of glycemic health are desperately needed. In this proof-of-concept study, we explore the relationship between non-invasive wearables and glycemic metrics and demonstrate the feasibility of using non-invasive wearables to estimate glycemic metrics, including hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and glucose variability metrics. Research design and methods We recorded over 25 000 measurements from a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) with simultaneous wrist-worn wearable (skin temperature, electrodermal activity, heart rate, and accelerometry sensors) data over 8–10 days in 16 participants with normal glycemic state and pre-diabetes (HbA1c 5.2–6.4). We used data from the wearable to develop machine learning models to predict HbA1c recorded on day 0 and glucose variability calculated from the CGM. We tested the accuracy of the HbA1c model on a retrospective, external validation cohort of 10 additional participants and compared results against CGM-based HbA1c estimation models. Results A total of 250 days of data from 26 participants were collected. Out of the 27 models of glucose variability metrics that we developed using non-invasive wearables, 11 of the models achieved high accuracy ( Conclusions This study demonstrates the feasibility of using non-invasive wearables to estimate glucose variability metrics and HbA1c for glycemic monitoring and investigates the relationship between non-invasive wearables and the glycemic metrics of glucose variability and HbA1c. The methods used in this study can be used to inform future studies confirming the results of this proof-of-concept study.
Identifying the Sickest During Triage: Using Point-of-Care Severity Scores to Predict Prognosis in Emergency Department Patients With Suspected Sepsis.

Background Sepsis progresses rapidly and is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Bedside risk stratification scores can quickly identify patients at greatest risk of poor outcomes; however, there is lack of consensus on the best scale to use. Objective To compare the ability of quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA), the National Early Warning System (NEWS2), and the Shock Index-which does not require mental status assessment-to predict poor outcomes among patients with suspected sepsis during triage. Design, setting, and participants Retrospective cohort study of adults presenting to an academic emergency department (ED) from June 2012 to December 2018 who had blood cultures and intravenous antibiotics within 24 hours. Main outcomes and measures Clinical data were collected from the electronic health record. Patients were considered positive at qSOFA ≥2, Shock Index >0.7, or NEWS2 ≥5 scores. We calculated test characteristics and area under the receiver operating characteristics curves (AUROCs) to predict in-hospital mortality and ED-to-intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Results We included 23,837 ED patients; 1,921(8.1%) were qSOFA-positive, 4,273 (17.9%) Shock Index-positive, and 11,832 (49.6%) NEWS2-positive. There were 1,427 (6.0%) deaths and 3,149 (13.2%) ED-to-ICU admissions in the sample. NEWS2 had the highest sensitivity for in-hospital mortality (76.0%) and ED-to-ICU admission (78.9%). qSOFA had the highest specificity for in-hospital mortality (93.4%) and ED-to-ICU admission (95.2%). Shock Index exhibited the highest AUROC for in-hospital mortality (0.648; 95 CI, 0.635-0.662) and ED-to-ICU admission (0.680; 95% CI, 0.617-0.689). Test characteristics were similar among those with sepsis. Conclusions Institution priorities should drive score selection, balancing sensitivity and specificity. In our study, qSOFA was highly specific and NEWS2 was the most sensitive for ruling out patients at high risk. Performance of the Shock Index fell between qSOFA and NEWS2 and could be considered because it is easy to implement.
Restriction of RecG translocation by DNA mispairing.

Abstract Background The RecG DNA helicase plays a crucial role in stalled replication fork rescue. We have recently discovered that interaction of RecG with single-strand DNA binding protein (SSB) remodels RecG, allowing it to spontaneously translocate upstream of the fork. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that mispairing of DNA could limit such translocation of RecG. Methods Here, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to directly test this hypothesis and investigate how sensitive RecG translocation is to different types of mispairing. Results We found that a C C mispairing, at a distance of 30 bp from the fork position, prevents translocation of RecG over this mispairing. A G-bulge, placed at the same distance, also has a similar blocking efficiency. However, a C C mispairing, 10 bp away from the fork, does not prevent RecG translocation beyond 10 bp distance, but decreases complex yield. Modeling of RecG-DNA complexes show that 10 bp distance from the fork is within the binding footprint of RecG on DNA. Conclusions Our results suggest that the RecG translocation upstream of the replication fork is limited by mispairings in the parental arm of the replication fork. General significance These findings led us to propose dual functions for RecG, in which the thermally driven translocation of RecG can be a mechanism for the additional control of the DNA paring in which RecG can detect the lesions in front of the replication fork, adding to the fidelity of the DNA replication machinery.
Method Validation of Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate Detection upon Herpes Simplex Virus-Type 1 Infection using LC-MRM-MS with 3-Nitrophenylhydrazine Derivatization

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) release triggered by infection of DNA virus has not been studied extensively. Previously, we reported that gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), a VOC, was released upon Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 (HSV-1) acute infection. Based on the metabolic pathway and chemical conversion of GBL, we hypothesized that infected cells produce gammahydroxybutyrate (GHB) as a key pathway intermediate for the subsequent production of GBL. An analytical technique for the rapid detection of GHB is crucial for further understanding its role in the cellular response to HSV-1 infection. To address this, we developed a sensitive, reliable and specific method for the detection and quantification of GHB in mammalian cell culture using a pre-column derivatization approach. Our data showed that the carboxylic acid functional group of GHB could be derivatized with 3-nitrophenylhydrazine hydrochloride (3NPH) to produce its hydrazineyl derivative. Unlike GHB, the derivative could be detected seamlessly in HPLC-MS. We also demonstrate quantitive conversion of GHB into the derivative with over 95% yield at a range of 1 μg/mL- 6 μg/mL GHB concentration. This method offers a rapid quantification of GHB in aqueous mixtures, especially in cultured extracts.
Why “Effective” Bonds exist when “Real” Bonds are Absent: The Electronic Structure of the (1.1.1.) Propellane

In a recent communication1, Wiberg and Walker reported the synthesis of the presumably “superstrained” (1.1.1.) propellane which, according to previous SCP-MO computations by Newton and Schulman2, has no bond linking the bridgehead carbons, but, nonetheless, it is comparatively very stable1. I now show that MOVB theory3,4 easily accounts for these “strange” observations by comparing the electronic structures of the following three molecules.
Ananasic acid: A new trihydroxytriterpenecarboxylic acid from pineapple stems

Abstract From the stems of commercially grown pineapple ( Ananas comosus var Cayenne) we have isolated 3β,11α,15α-trihydroxycycloart-24-en-26-oic (ananasic) acid ( 6 ) and determined its structure by spectral determinations and by comparison with the known 3β-hydroxycycloart-24-en-26-oic (mangiferolic) acid ( 3a ).
High Speed Photographic Study of the Tool-Chip Interface in Machining

A high-speed photographic study has been made of the chip-tool interface and its evolution when cutting soft metals with optically transparent sapphire tools. The interface has been observed and imaged at high spatial and temporal resolution by using an optical system composed of an optical microscope and a high-speed CCD camera. This has enabled the interface to be observed over a range of cutting speeds between 1 mm/sec and 1 m/sec. The extent of the sliding along the interface and metal transfer to the tool surface are found to have a strong dependence on cutting speed. The characteristics of the interface appear to be unchanged when these metals are machined with high-speed steel or aluminum tools. Lastly, an experimental method to estimate the temperature field over the entire chip-tool interface is described. Preliminary results pertaining to this temperature field are presented.
Clumps and bumps on the road

Astronomers who probe the mysteries of galaxy formation traverse a bumpy road. Some galaxies are easy to distinguish by shape: there are spheroidal ellipticals, and spirals, which contain a bulge at the centre of a disk of stars in which spiral arms curl. But how do these different types form? Does one type evolve into the other? A simple new simulation shows how a spiral galaxy might form from a single gas cloud that first collapses into many large stellar clumps.
Conflict and the Telling of North american Mennonite History

Mennonites take unseemly pride in humbly referring to themselves as "The Quiet in the Land." Ironically, however, their history has been marked by nearly continuous internal disquiet and contention over cultural practices and religious ideas and values. Where does all this conflict come from and what are its consequences? How does it happen that such peaceable people have such a stormy history? Much of what follows is based on earlier research (e.g., Kniss 1997) in which I explored the contexts, causes and consequences of all this disquiet. In this short essay, I will offer in rather broad, general terms several ideas regarding the historiography of Mennonite conflict. Admittedly, these broad ideas are based on a more narrow study of conflicts in only one Mennonite branch, and only in the U.S. since the latter quarter of the nineteenth century, but I offer them for consideration regarding their more general applicability. Fully supporting these theses would no doubt require more space than that allotted here.
Particle physics summary, where are we and where are we going

The XXVII$^{\rm th}$ Rencontres de Moriond featured approximately 84 talks on a wide range of topics. I will try to summarize the highlights under the hypothesis that $SU_3 \x SU_2 \x U_1$ is correct to first approximation, concentrating on probes for new physics at various scales.
The Specificity of the hair papilla in the rat

A flap of skin on the dorsum of Long-Evans rats under anesthesia was turned back, the panniculus was excised and hair bulbs in the growing stage with the enclosed papillae were removed with scissors from a 0.5 cm square area. The flap was returned to its original position and the cut edges were sutured. Depapillated areas were biopsied at intervals following the operation, fixed in acetone and histologically prepared to study the distribution of alkaline phosphatase, glycogen changes, growth and differentiation. The hair recedes soon after the operation and is surrounded by the outer sheath cells, some of which remain below the receding hair as an epithelial strand. The latter begins growth and elongation 5–6 days after the operation. Differentiation follows and a fragile hair is formed, but the bulbs seldom have a papilla. The connective tissue in the subcutaneous area apparently cannot be stimulated or does not have the potentiality to become a papilla. Since only a fragile hair is produced by the depapillated follicle, the papilla is very important for the growth of the hair. These observations indicate that the papilla is endowed with special potentialities or has a specificity.
Sustainability: Tax 'societal ills' to save the planet.

Funding is a major stumbling block for environmental initiatives, says Edward Barbier. Taxing financial transactions or trade in arms, tobacco and fuel might help.