cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in Testicular Leydig Cells and in Plasma Testosterone Levels Among Seasonally Breeding Rock Hyrax

Seasonal changes in plasma testosterone levels and in various testicular parameters were studied in 41 adult male rock hyrax (Procavia habessinica). Among animals collected during the annual breeding season, testis weights and plasma testosterone levels were approximately five times greater than among animals collected outside the breeding season. Light microscopic measurements showed that increase in testis weight was largely due to enlargement of the seminiferous tubules. Histological sampling techniques indicated no significant change in Leydig cell numbers. Leydig cell size increased during the breeding season, and average Leydig cell volume showed significantly positive correlation with plasma testosterone level. With the electron microscope, Leydig cell hypertrophy was seen to involve changes in quantity and structure of several cytoplasmic constituents. Lipid droplets disappeared and smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) spread dramatically as the cells increased in size. In contrast to the sparse and heterogeneous assemblage of irregularly tubular and cisternal SER seen in nonbreeding animals, the extensive masses of SER in breeding animals appeared as relatively straight, unbranched tubules of uniform diameter. Peculiar membranous structures, possibly derived from the SER, were abundant in the periphery of Leydig cells from animals with high plasma testosterone levels. These findings suggest that there is a definite relationship between plasma testosterone levels and Leydig cell fine structure in seasonally breeding hyrax.
The influence of gold(I) on the mechanism of thiolate, disulfide exchange

The mechanism of gold(i)-thiolate, disulfide exchange was investigated by using initial-rate kinetic studies, 2D ((1)H-(1)H) ROESY NMR spectroscopy, and electrochemical/chemical techniques. The rate law for exchange is overall second order, first order in gold(i)-thiolate and disulfide. 2D NMR experiments show evidence of association between gold(i)-thiolate and disulfide. Electrochemical/chemical investigations do not show evidence of free thiolate and are consistent with a mechanism involving formation of a [Au-S, S-S], four-centered metallacycle intermediate during gold(i)-thiolate, disulfide exchange.
Extracting Decision Trees from Diagnostic Bayesian Networks to Guide Test Selection

In this paper, we present a comparison of five different approaches to extracting decision trees from diagnostic Bayesian nets, including an approach based on the dependency structure of the network itself. With this approach, attributes used in branching the decision tree are selected by a weighted information gain metric computed based upon an associated D-matrix. Using these trees, tests are recommended for setting evidence within the diagnostic Bayesian nets for use in a PHM application. We hypothesized that this approach would yield effective decision trees and test selection and greatly reduce the amount of evidence required for obtaining accurate classification with the associated Bayesian networks. The approach is compared against three alternatives to creating decision trees from probabilistic networks such as ID3 using a dataset forward sampled from the network, KL-divergence, and maximum expected utility. In addition, the effects of using χ2 statistics and probability measures for pre-pruning are examined. The results of our comparison indicate that our approach provides compact decision trees that lead to high accuracy classification with the Bayesian networks when compared to trees of similar size generated by the other methods, thus supporting our hypothesis.
Genetic Diseases and Pregnancy

This chapter reviews questions on genetic diseases and pregnancy. Mutations causing specific genetic diseases and pathogenesis of preeclampsia have been discussed.
Numerical integration of the equation of motion for surface waves in a medium with arbitrary variation of material constants

The calculation of surface-wave dispersion is difficult when the waves propagate in media whose physical properties change with depth, and only a few solutions are available for fairly simple cases. These computations may now be performed with the aid of high-speed computers, even for media whose material constants change arbitrarily with depth. The dispersion of both Love waves and Rayleigh waves has been obtained for such cases by the numerical specification of surface displacement followed by numerical solution of the equations of motion. For example, with respect to the problem of Love waves, besides the ordinary boundary condition that the stress vanishes at the free surface, an extra condition is stated which requires that the displacement amplitude be unity at the surface. The equation of motion is then solved numerically for tentative values of frequency and wave number, and this solution produces the distribution of displacement amplitude in the half space. For all combinations of frequency and wave number which are not solutions, the values of computed displacement do not converge and tend to become positively or negatively infinite for increasing depth below the free surface. To obtain a solution, one of the parameters—for instance, wave number—is fixed, and frequency is varied in small steps until the computed displacement converges to zero at great depths. This combination of parameters fulfills all the standard boundary conditions and is the required solution. The problem of sound waves in an elastic liquid can also be solved with only a minor change in the physical properties. The dispersion of Rayleigh waves propagating in a heterogeneous substance can also be obtained by a similar method. In this case, another parameter is needed, namely, the ratio of the amplitude of horizontal and vertical components of displacement at the free surface. Denote this quantity by a , and the phase velocity by c . Wave number is fixed, and a two-dimensional search in the a-c plane is used to locate the point that produces a convergent solution. For limited media a solution is required which satisfies the boundary conditions at the other surface. 1. 1) Love waves in a medium with constant density and linearly increasing rigidity. 2. 2) Sound waves in a medium whose density and velocity are given by experimental curves. 3. 3) Rayleigh waves in a medium having constant density and equal rates of increase for λ and μ . Using an IBM “650,” it takes a few minutes to get a point for cases 1 and 2, and from thirty minutes to two hours per point for Rayleigh-wave dispersion.
Who Leaves School: The Dropouts

Several approaches to studying the dropouts from General are presented. Intellective predictor variables, such as high school rank, intelligence and aptitude test results, and social characteristics, such as socioeconomic class, show that intellective predictors are neither consistent nor stable predictors of dropping out and that few social characteristics other than the combination of low ability and low social class predict who will drop out.
Agriculture and Its Discontents: Coalitional Politics at the WTO with Special Reference to India’s Food Security Interests

The demise of the Doha round of trade negotiations is often attributed to deadlocks in agricultural negotiations between the developed and the developing world. Why has agriculture been so difficult to negotiate? This article explains North-South agricultural negotiations through the lens of coalition politics, especially the shift from bloc to issue-based diplomacy from the developing world. We argue against the proposition in the negotiation literature that multiple coalitions at the international level allow negotiators room to maneuver. Our study shows that bloc coalitions in fact allowed for compromise more than issue-based coalitions in agriculture, which are often supported by strong domestic constituencies. Empirically, the article focuses on the Uruguay Round when the North and South struck an agreement on agriculture and the Doha Round, which remains deadlocked. The article also provides an in-depth case study of India’s agricultural interests and its food security program in the context of the WTO .
Translanguaging in the Writing of Emergent Multilinguals

ABSTRACTThis article discusses the findings of an empirical study that investigated the writing practices in a multilingual, rural, fourth-grade classroom in Kenya. The study was undergirded by Bakhtin’s heteroglossia. Analysis of texts indicated that these emergent multilinguals used multiple semiotic resources to maximize the chances of meeting the communicative goals through translanguaging. However, the translanguaging process in writing was a tension-filled process in terms of language separation and correctness. The emergent multilingual writer went through tensions in the process of finding a balance between authorial intentions and the authoritarian single voicedness required by the school and the national curriculum. The author suggests that translanguaging in writing disrupts unequal voices and language hierarchies by transgressing standard ideologies in academic writing. It is recommended that educators consider multilingual resources as legitimate cognitive tools and resources for communicatio...
An Examination of Factors that Relate to School Counselors' Knowledge and Skills in Multi-Tiered Systems of Support:

Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the authors examined factors that relate to school counselors' knowledge and skills in multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). A sample of 4, 066 school co...
Barriers to Single-Dose Levonorgestrel-Only Emergency Contraception Access in Retail Pharmacies.

Abstract Objectives In February 2014, the Food and Drug Administration updated its regulations to make all single-dose levonorgestrel-only emergency contraception (LNG-EC) available over the counter. This study examines the availability and access to LNG-EC shortly after this policy change, and any additional barriers to obtaining LNG-EC in Colorado retail pharmacies. Study Design From June to July 2014, three female interviewers posing as women seeking LNG-EC conducted a telephone survey of all 633 Colorado retail pharmacies listed in The Little Blue Book (2014) phone directory. Completely accessible was defined as LNG-EC available on store shelves for purchase without presentation of an ID or prescription on the day of the call. Results Of 633 pharmacies analyzed, 85.0% (538/633) were in urban settings and 85.3% (540/633) were chain stores. Eighteen of 64 (28.1%) counties in Colorado did not have a pharmacy listed in the phone directory. Overall, 86.9% of pharmacies (550/633) had EC in stock on the day of contact but only 23.2% (147/633) of these had EC completely accessible. Of pharmacies with EC in stock, 41.6% (229/550) kept it behind the counter and 56.0% (308/550) required additional documentation to purchase. In stock and completely accessible rates were not different across rural, urban, and frontier geographic regions within the state (p = .066 and p = .905, respectively), but were significantly different across independent, chain, and 24-hour type stores (p Conclusions Rates of completely accessible LNG-EC are low in Colorado despite high rates of availability. Behind-the-counter status and proof-of-age requirements are identified as the main sources of access restriction in Colorado.
Determination of Sulfite in Food by Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry: Collaborative Study

Sulfites are added to a wide range of food and beverage products to prevent browning or oxidation. Although most of the population do not experience side effects from consuming sulfites, a small subset has been shown to experience an "allergic-like" response. For this reason, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires that sulfites be labeled on all products that contain more than 10 mg/kg (parts per million) sulfur dioxide. The current regulatory method, optimized Monier-Williams (OMW) Official Method 990.28, has been successful in quantifying sulfites in most matrixes, but is time-consuming and has a method detection limit at the regulatory-labeling threshold. Recently, an LC-tandem MS (MS/MS) method was published that was applicable to a wide range of sulfite-containing matrixes. This method converts free and reversibly bound sulfite to the formaldehyde adduct hydroxymethylsulfonate, which could then be separated from matrix constituents using a hydrophilic interaction LC analytical column and subsequently be detected with tandem MS (MS/MS). In this study, multilaboratory validation was conducted with 11 laboratories in the United States and Canada. Four matrixes were spiked at varying concentrations and three additional commercially sulfited matrixes were included. An abbreviated comparison study between the LC-MS/MS and OMW methods was conducted for select samples. Average recoveries for all matrixes ranged from 86 to 114% with RSDr and RSDR values of 4.5-17.5 and 8.6-22.5%, respectively. Further comparisons will be necessary to draw comparisons between the two methods. This method proved to be a faster and more sensitive way to determine sulfites in food and beverages, showing promise for the continuing improvement of enforcement of sulfite labeling requirements to protect individuals who have sulfite sensitivity.
RNA aptamers targeted for human αA-crystallin do not bind αB-crystallin, and spare the α-crystallin domain.

The molecular chaperones, α-crystallins, belong to the small heat shock protein (sHSP) family and prevent the aggregation and insolubilization of client proteins. Studies in vivo have shown that the chaperone activity of the α-crystallins is raised or lowered in various disease states. Therefore, the development of tools to control chaperone activity may provide avenues for therapeutic intervention, as well as enable a molecular understanding of chaperone function. The major human lens α-crystallins, αA- (HAA) and αB- (HAB), share 57% sequence identity and show similar activity towards some clients, but differing activities towards others. Notably, both crystallins contain the "α-crystallin domain" (ACD, the primary client binding site), like all other members of the sHSP family. Here we show that RNA aptamers selected for HAA, in vitro, exhibit specific affinity to HAA but do not bind HAB. Significantly, these aptamers also exclude the ACD. This study thus demonstrates that RNA aptamers against sHSPs can be designed that show high affinity and specificity - yet exclude the primary client binding region - thereby facilitating the development of RNA aptamer-based therapeutic intervention strategies.
A Hybrid Feature Model for Seam Carving Detection

Seam carving, as a content-aware image resizing algorithm, is widely used nowadays. In this paper, an advanced hybrid feature model is presented to reveal the trace of seam carving, especially seam carving at a low carving rate, applied to uncompressed digital images. Two groups of features are designed to capture energy variation and pixel variation caused by seam carving, respectively. As indicated by the experimental works, the state-of-the-art performance on detecting 5% and 10% carving rate cases has been improved from 81.13% and 90.26% to 85.75% and 94.87%, respectively.
Relationships Between Tonal Stability and Metrical Accent in Monophonic Contexts

Recent corpus analyses have provided evidence for interactions between tonal and metric hierarchies by illustrating that tonally stable pitches occur disproportionately often on strong metrical positions while tonally unstable pitches occur more frequently on weaker metrical positions. This study begins to investigate whether this observed property is salient to listeners' identification of metrical accents: by presenting participants with tonally-determined but metrically ambiguous beat patterns, we ask how tonal hierarchies might influence listeners' interpretation of these metrical-accent patterns (as measured via a tapping task). In Experiment 1, participants heard patterns alternating tonally stable and unstable pitches, and it was found that tonal stability did not affect metric interpretations. In Experiments 2 and 3, listeners heard an atonal artificial hierarchy prefaced by an exposure session using music generated by this artificial hierarchy; exposure did not influence the subsequent tapping task. Flipping the paradigm, in Experiment 4, participants heard a metrically defined but tonally-ambiguous melody, and selected the most appropriate chord. The metrical context affected participants' harmonization choices. Although a tendency to align strong beats with chord tones accounted for some of the data, further analysis shows that changing the metrical context influenced chord choices, providing evidence for a joint tonal-metric hierarchy.
Phenotypic characterization of P23H and S334ter rhodopsin transgenic rat models of inherited retinal degeneration.

Abstract We produced 8 lines of transgenic (Tg) rats expressing one of two different rhodopsin mutations in albino Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Three lines were generated with a proline to histidine substitution at codon 23 (P23H), the most common autosomal dominant form of retinitis pigmentosa in the United States. Five lines were generated with a termination codon at position 334 (S334ter), resulting in a C-terminal truncated opsin protein lacking the last 15 amino acid residues and containing all of the phosphorylation sites involved in rhodopsin deactivation, as well as the terminal QVAPA residues important for rhodopsin deactivation and trafficking. The rates of photoreceptor (PR) degeneration in these models vary in proportion to the ratio of mutant to wild-type rhodopsin. The models have been widely studied, but many aspects of their phenotypes have not been described. Here we present a comprehensive study of the 8 Tg lines, including the time course of PR degeneration from the onset to one year of age, retinal structure by light and electron microscopy (EM), hemispheric asymmetry and gradients of rod and cone degeneration, rhodopsin content, gene dosage effect, rapid activation and invasion of the outer retina by presumptive microglia, rod outer segment disc shedding and phagocytosis by the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE), and retinal function by the electroretinogram (ERG). The biphasic nature of PR cell death was noted, as was the lack of an injury-induced protective response in the rat models. EM analysis revealed the accumulation of submicron vesicular structures in the interphotoreceptor space during the peak period of PR outer segment degeneration in the S334ter lines. This is likely due to the elimination of the trafficking consensus domain as seen before as with other rhodopsin mutants lacking the C-terminal QVAPA. The 8 rhodopsin Tg lines have been, and will continue to be, extremely useful models for the experimental study of inherited retinal degenerations.
Robotic-Assisted Simultaneous Repair of Paraesophageal Hernia and Morgagni Hernia: Technical Report.

Abstract Morgagni hernias are a rare form of congenital diaphragmatic hernia, accounting for 2%–3% of cases. The presence of a simultaneous Morgagni hernia and paraesophageal hernia (PEH) is even more rare, with only a few reported cases in the surgical literature. Both open and laparoscopic surgical approaches have been previously described. Herein we discuss a robotic-assisted surgical approach to the repair of simultaneous Morgagni hernia and PEH in a 65-year-old woman. Simultaneous repair of Morgagni hernia and PEH is indicated mainly when symptoms are generally indistinctive. The use of robotic technology allowed for both hernias to be repaired both primarily and with mesh reinforcement.
Fundamentals of Exploratory Thoracotomy for Trauma

Trauma thoracotomy can be a lifesaving procedure when performed in a timely and precise manner. Indications for an emergency thoracotomy on a pulseless patient are conditional but include a mechanism of penetrating trauma with or without signs of life and blunt trauma with signs of life. Although anterolateral thoracotomy is the utility procedure, in selected instances, alternative incisions may offer better surgical exposure with less morbidity. All of the incisions can be performed rapidly with practice and experience; all have advantages and disadvantages. If injury to thoracic viscera or vessels has occurred, the initial thoracotomy can be extended to allow adequate exposure for subsequent repair. The emergency thoracotomy is highly invasive and not without complications, prompting the introduction of new endovascular techniques in the emergency setting.
The \( \mathcal{N} \) = 1 superconformal index for class \( \mathcal{S} \) fixed points

We investigate the superconformal index of four-dimensional superconformal field theories that arise on coincident M5 branes wrapping a holomorphic curve in a local Calabi-Yau three-fold. The structure of the index is very similar to that which appears in the special case preserving N = 2 supersymmetry. We first compute the index for the fixed points that admit a known four-dimensional ultraviolet description and prove infrared equivalence at the level of the index for all such constructions. These results suggest a formulation of the index as a two-dimensional topological quantum field theory that generalizes the one that computes the N = 2 index. The TQFT structure leads to an expression for the index of a much larger family of N = 1 class S fixed points in terms of the index of the N = 2 theories. Calculations of simple quantities with the index suggests a connection between these families of fixed points and the mathematics of SU(2) Yang-Mills theory on the wrapped curve.
Real-time process modeling of particleboard manufacture using variable selection and regression methods ensemble

This study focuses on the real-time prediction of mechanical properties such as internal bond strength (IB) and modulus of rupture (MOR) for a wood composite panels manufacturing process. As wood composite panel plants periodically test their products, a real time data fusion application was developed to align laboratory mechanical test results and their corresponding process data. Fused data were employed to build regression models that yield real-time predicted mechanical property values when new process data become available. The modeling algorithm core uses genetic algorithm to preselect a meaningful subset of process variables. Calibration models are then built using several regression methods: multiple linear regression, ridge regression, neural networks, and partial least squares regression (PLS). Four different predicted response values were generated for each new record of real time process variables. On-line validation results showed good performance of the ridge regression method with a 0.89 correlation coefficient between actual and predicted MOR values, a root mean square error (RMSEP) of 1.05 MPa and a mean normalized error of 9 %. IB was best predicted by PLS with a 0.81 correlation coefficient between actual IB and PLS predicted IB values, a RMSEP of 75.1 kPa, and a mean normalized error of 15 %.
Moleküldynamik und Coriolis-Kopplungskoeffizienten einiger Hexafluoride oktaedrischer Symmetrie

The hexafluorides of sulfur, selenium, tellurium, molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, tungsten, rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, uranium, neptunium, and plutonium possessing an octaedral symmetry with the symmetry point group Oh have been briefly analyzed for the molecular structural data and the infrared absorption andRaman spectra. On the basis of group theoretical considerations, potential energy constants have been evaluated by employing a general harmonic force field. The L matrix elements connecting the internal coordinates and normal coordinates have been derived from the symmetrized force constants, G matrix elements, and vibrational frequencies. The Coriolis coupling coefficients of vibration-rotation have also been, in terms of the symmetrized force constants, G matrix elements, and vibrational frequencies, computed for these fifteen hexafluorides, and compared with the available values of experimental investigations. A brief discussion of the results follows.
Informed consent: when and why.

Guidelines for distinguishing between situations in which a patient's consent can be implicit and assumed and those in which explicit consent should be sought. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Optimization of HDR Brachytherapy Treatment Plans

Purpose: Effective cancer brachytherapy requires a treatment plan that delivers high dose to tumor while minimizing dose to critical normal tissue. Current planning systems generate accurately physical dose distributions but do not take biological effects into account. In an effort to incorporate modeling of biologic dose effects into paradigms based on physical dose distributions, this study was undertaken with specific aims of (1) developing optimization schemes to produce high dose rate (HDR) remote afterloading treatment plans using both biological model and physical dose based objectives and (2) determining the feasibility of performing HDR treatment planning based on biological models.
Fragile X Clinical Features and Neurobiology

This chapter covers fragile X syndrome (FXS) and its family of disorders including fragile X-associated tremor ataxia syndrome, fragile X primary ovarian insufficiency, and associated developmental disorders. It describes the discovery of these syndromes and their genetic causes. The clinical phenotypes are presented including their physical and behavioral features. The genetics of the fragile X family of disorders is reviewed along with premutation involvement. A discussion about testing for FXS in suspected individuals and family members is included. Current knowledge about targeted treatments, behavioral interventions, and assistive technology is discussed.
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Associated With Escherichia coli O157 Infection in an Allogenic Stem Cell Transplant Recipient

We report the development of a Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 gastrointestinal infection associated with hemolytic uremic syndrome in an allogenic stem cell transplant recipient with a history of gastrointestinal graft-vs-host disease receiving long-term immunosuppression.
Photo-degradation of perovskite solar cells: Modeling and Simulation

Photon-induced degradation is a well-known challenge for perovskite solar cells. In this report, we have developed a complete physical model on understanding the degradation with the help of a modified equivalent circuit model. We have done photo-degradation on p-i-n structured device in open-circuit condition at one-sun intensity and showed that the experimental result matches well with the simulation result based on our model. We have used the theory based on migration and generation of ions during photo-exposure to explain our results. We also have studied influence of Perovskite-HTL interface on photon-induced degradation of perovskite solar cells.
BF-IoT: Securing the IoT Networks via Fingerprinting-Based Device Authentication

Bluetooth low energy (BLE) based devices are already deployed in massive quantity as Internet-of-things (IoT) becomes prominent in the last two decades. In order to lower the energy consumption, BLE devices have to compromise with security and privacy problems. Existing research work shows that BLE devices can be easily spoofed and leveraged to gain access to a networking system. In this paper, we propose BF-IoT, the first IoT secure communication framework for BLE-based networks that guards against device spoofing via monitoring the work-life cycles of devices. We dig into the BLE protocol stack and extract the unique network-flow features from the link layer and ATT/GATT service layer so as to generate the fingerprints for device authentication. BF-IoT provides two-phase defense against malicious entities: continuously authenticating device identity before the connection setup and during session establishment. We build a customized system to validate the effectiveness of our mechanism. We extensively evaluate BF-IoT with a dozen of different off-the-shelf commodity IoT devices which shows that the devices can be accurately authenticated via only sniffing the transmission characteristics.
Global & Community Health: A perspective on neurologic care at Mulago Hospital in Uganda.

Looking out from atop Uganda National Mosque's minaret, one of the highest points in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, one sees winding narrow roads turning bright orange with rainfall converging to meet at the mosque in Old Kampala. These roads are congested with a lawless swirl of traffic involving pedestrians, matatus (communal taxis), and boda-bodas (motorbikes). There are women in colorful gomesis (traditional dress in the Buganda kingdom), men in dress shirts, and children selling fruit on the side of the roads, all working under the heat of the equatorial sun to bring life to this beautiful, chaotic city. As a resident in my second year of neurology training, I had the opportunity to visit and participate in care for this Ugandan community. I spent 6 weeks in Kampala on an international elective rotation coordinated through the Yale/Stanford Johnson & Johnson Global Health Scholars Program at Mulago Hospital, an experience that enhanced my training as a neurologist and perspective as a clinician.
National Trends in Timing of Death Among Patients With Septic Shock, 1994-2014.

Objectives:To assess trends in timing of mortality among patients with septic shock.Design:Retrospective cohort study.Setting:Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s National Inpatient Sample, 1994–2014.Patients:Hospitalized adults (≥ 18 yr) with Intern
Elevated Levels of Tissue Factor Bearing Microparticles in Patients with Antiphospholipid Antibodies: Analysis of Fresh, Unfrozen Samples.

Abstract Abstract 148 Introduction: The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is characterized by venous or arterial thrombosis, and/or recurrent fetal loss in the presence of circulating antiphospholipid antibodies (APL). The pathogenesis of this disorder may involve, in part, the activation of vascular endothelial cells, platelets, and monocytes. Upon activation, these cells shed components of their plasma membranes as microparticles (MP), and procoagulant MPs are associated with an increased risk for thromboemboli. The goal of these studies was to characterize, for the first time, the frequency by which increased levels of endothelial cell, platelet and monocyte-derived microparticles are observed in freshly-obtained, unfrozen plasma from patients with APL. Patients and Methods: Whole citrated (3.2%) blood samples from patients/healthy donors were centrifuged at 1500xg for 15 min, and the supernatant further centrifuged at 13000xg for 2 min to obtain platelet free plasma (PFP). To detect microparticles, and their origin, PFP was labeled with the following conjugated monoclonal antibodies and analyzed by flow cytometry using an LSR II flow cytometer (BD): Annexin V-APC; CD105-PE and CD144-PE (endothelial cells); CD41-PECy5 (platelets); CD14-PE (monocytes); and anti-tissue factor mAb-Alexa Fluor 647 (a kind gift from Dr. Kenneth Mann, Univ of VT). The binding of control antibodies labeled with identical fluorophores as the monoclonal antibodies was subtracted to adjust for nonspecific binding. We assessed microparticles in 47 patients with APL and 144 healthy controls. Results Levels of annexin-V, CD105, CD144, CD41 and tissue factor positive microparticles were significantly higher in patients (47,000±7900, 10,140±2164, 46,690±8783, 127,200±28,050 and 7270±2810 microparticles/ml, respectively) versus controls (17,000±1800, 3,824±374, 17,320±2636, 54,910±7132 and 2,537±747 microparticles/ml, respectively). These differences were statistically significant. In contrast, there was no significant difference in CD14 positive microparticle levels (1035±167 in APL patients versus 1409±465 in controls; p=0.655). Conclusions: Our results demonstrate elevation of annexin V+, CD105+, CD144+, CD41+ and tissue factor-bearing microparticles in freshly-obtained, unfrozen plasma obtained from patients with APL. These results suggest that ongoing activation of platelets and endothelial cells occurs in many patients with APL even in the absence of active thrombosis, and may contribute to the prothrombotic phenotype of these patients. Data is currently being analyzed for associations of microparticle levels with APL serologies, as well as the expression of functional microparticle-associated tissue factor activity. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Kisses at the memorial: affective objects, US militarism and feminist resistance at sites of wartime memory

In 2005, American artist Seward Johnson first exhibited The Unconditional Surrender, a sculpture modelled after Life Magazine’s iconic photograph of a sailor kissing a white-clad woman on 14 August...
“Ce Noir qui aurait pu être mon frère”: Race and Fraternité in Marie NDiaye’s Fiction

Marie NDiaye’s novels engage with race and identity in profound, if elusive, ways. In this article, I contend that NDiaye uses allegory to suggest what cannot be stated directly. In a Benjaminian f...
Diagnosis and treatment of the intra-abdominal gonad in the pediatric population: Testes, ovaries, dysgenetic gonads, streaks, and ovotestes.

Abstract Background/Purpose Pediatric surgical specialists are often confronted with the difficult task of identifying, diagnosing and managing intra-abdominal gonads in children. Ranging from the intra-abdominal cryptorchid testis to normal or pathologic ovaries and gonads in disorders of sexual development, all intra-abdominal gonads in the pediatric population pose different diagnosis and management challenges. Understanding the hormonal and fertility potential of the gonad and knowing its potential cancer risk is essential when deciding how to manage these patients. In addition, the ideal surgical management for each one of these patients is often debated. Methods Descriptive literature review. Results/Conclusion Herein, we reviewed gonadal formation, common etiologies, diagnosis and management of intra-abdominal testes, pathologic ovaries and gonads in disorders of sexual development. Fertility potential and cancer risk for each were also reviewed and how both affect surgical management of the gonad. Type of Study/Level of Evidence Review Article, Level V.
Social support and the rehabilitation of alcohol-impaired drivers: drinking motives as moderators

Alcohol-impaired driving is a common and costly public health problem associated with alcohol misuse. This investigation aims to understand the role of social support and drinking motives in motiva...
Chemokine CCL28 Is a Potent Therapeutic Agent for Oropharyngeal Candidiasis

Candida albicans is a commensal organism that causes life-threatening or life-altering opportunistic infections. Treatment of Candida infections is limited by the paucity of antifungal drug classes. Naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides are promising agents for drug development. CCL28 is a CC chemokine that is abundant in saliva and has in vitro antimicrobial activity. In this study, we examine the in vivo Candida killing capacity of CCL28 in oropharyngeal candidiasis as well as the spectrum and mechanism of anti-Candida activity. In the mouse model of oropharyngeal candidiasis, application of wild-type CCL28 reduces oral fungal burden in severely immunodeficient mice without causing excessive inflammation or altering tissue neutrophil recruitment. CCL28 is effective against multiple clinical strains of C. albicans Polyamine protein transporters are not required for CCL28 anti-Candida activity. Both structured and unstructured CCL28 proteins show rapid and sustained fungicidal activity that is superior to that of clinical antifungal agents. Application of wild-type CCL28 to C. albicans results in membrane disruption as measured by solute movement, enzyme leakage, and induction of negative Gaussian curvature on model membranes. Membrane disruption is reduced in CCL28 lacking the functional C-terminal tail. Our results strongly suggest that CCL28 can exert antifungal activity in part via membrane permeation and has potential for development as an anti-Candida therapeutic agent without inflammatory side effects.
Application of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Principles to Surgical Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, we have faced unprecedented challenges in the delivery of surgical education. At the time of writing, changes to the structure and nature of the surgical workforce are occurring rapidly, even daily. Surgical educators are utilizing remote learning solutions, including flipped classroom approaches, online educational materials, telemedicine, and simulations, to continue education for surgical residents despite cancelations of face-to-face instruction. Our objective is to delineate an interdisciplinary strategy, utilizing the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), by which we can optimize learning during this pandemic. Design This perspective describes the UDL framework which can be used to situate solutions to issues with delivery of surgical education during this pandemic within the broader view of strategic inclusive instructional design to meet diverse learning needs.. Conclusion The principles of UDL can inform curricular and pedagogical changes in surgical education that may be employed during a time of social distancing, isolation, and quarantine. UDL involves planning flexibility into curricular design from the outset, recognizing that learners are varied in their learning preferences and capabilities, motivational characteristics, and environmental constraints. Viewing the design of remote learning opportunities through the UDL lens aims to remove barriers to learning during this pandemic by targeting three areas: expansion of the means that information is communicated, ways that learners are supported and motivated, and approaches to assessing learning through available distance learning technologies
Co-stimulation with opposing macrophage polarization cues leads to orthogonal secretion programs in individual cells.

Macrophages are innate immune cells that contribute to fighting infections, tissue repair, and maintaining tissue homeostasis. To enable such functional diversity, macrophages resolve potentially conflicting cues in the microenvironment via mechanisms that are unclear. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing to explore how individual macrophages respond when co-stimulated with inflammatory stimuli LPS and IFN-γ and the resolving cytokine IL-4. These co-stimulated macrophages display a distinct global transcriptional program. However, variable negative cross-regulation between some LPS + IFN-γ-specific and IL-4-specific genes results in cell-to-cell heterogeneity in transcription. Interestingly, negative cross-regulation leads to mutually exclusive expression of the T-cell-polarizing cytokine genes Il6 and Il12b versus the IL-4-associated factors Arg1 and Chil3 in single co-stimulated macrophages, and single-cell secretion measurements show that these specialized functions are maintained for at least 48 h. This study suggests that increasing functional diversity in the population is one strategy macrophages use to respond to conflicting environmental cues. Macrophages can be polarized by in vitro culture stimuli into M1 or M2 cells, but microenvironments in vivo are more complex. Here the authors analyze cultured macrophages stimulated with a combination of M1 and M2 stimuli by single-cell RNA sequencing, machine learning, and single-cell secretion profiling to show a surprising level of heterogeneity of response.
Interactions Between Obesity and One-Carbon Metabolism Genes in Predicting Prostate Cancer Outcomes Among White and Black Patients.

One-carbon metabolism genes are linked to several cancers, but the association with prostate cancer (PCa) is less clear. Studies examining the relationship have not accounted for obesity, a risk factor for advanced PCa and altered methylation patterns. We hypothesized that obesity could moderate the association between one-carbon metabolism genes and PCa outcomes. We conducted secondary data analyses of the Study of Clinical Outcomes, Risk and Ethnicity. Obesity was included as a primary exposure and modifier (interacting with genetic polymorphisms) in the analytic models. We used logistic regression to determine associations of common one-carbon metabolism genotypes with odds of high stage (T3/T4) and high grade (Gleason score ≥ 7). We used Cox regression to examine associations of genotypes with biochemical recurrence. There were 808 patients (632 White and 176 Black.) Among White men, we observed associations of TCN2_R259P with increased odds of high stage (OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.41–1.00), but no significant interactions with obesity. Among Black men, the SCL19A1_61bpdel and CBS_68bpINS variants were associated with high grade (OR = 2.61, 95% CI = 1.39–4.89 and OR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.09–0.91, respectively.) Both the CBS_68bpINS and MTHFR_E429A variants interacted with obesity in Black men, where the highest risk for biochemical failure and odds of high grade, respectively, occurred among obese patients with variants. We observed associations of one-carbon metabolism genes with different associations by race. We also observed interactions with obesity related to PCa outcomes in Black men only. Therefore, the involvement of one-carbon metabolism on PCa was dependent upon obesity status for Black men. These novel results could help identify patients that might benefit from effective weight management targeting one-carbon metabolism effects.
Noncommutative Projective Spectrum

It is not our purpose here to develop a full size noncommutative projective geometry. What follows is a few sketchy fragments of the picture, just to explain the basics and to show that the commutative projective geometry is a special case of some more general, very natural (and very promising) phenomena. We restrict ourselves to the ‘elementary analysis’ (in terminology of EGA); i.e. we do not use cohomology which provide the most appropriate tools and language to study non-affine ‘spaces’. A detailed exposition (including cohomological study and analysis of main motivating examples, like quantized flag varieties) would considerably change the volume and the character of this book. So that it shall appear elsewhere.
Drosophila serotonin 2A receptor signaling coordinates central metabolic processes to modulate aging in response to nutrient choice.

The foods we eat can affect our lifespan, but it is also possible that thinking about food may have effects on our health. Choosing what to eat is one of the main ways we think about food, and most animals, including the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, choose their foods. The effects of these choices can affect health via a chemical in the brain called serotonin. This chemical interacts with proteins called serotonin 2A receptors in the brain, which then likely primes the body to process nutrients. To understand how serotonin affected the lifespan and health of fruit flies, Lyu et al. compared flies that were offered a single food to those that could choose between several foods. The flies that had a choice of foods lived shorter lives and produced more serotonin, but these effects were reversed when Lyu et al. limited the amount of a protein called glutamate dehydrogenase, which helps cells process nutrients. These results suggest that choosing what we eat can impact lifespan, ageing and health. Human and fly brains share many similarities, but human brain chemistry is more complex, as is our experience of food. This work demonstrates that food choices can affect lifespan. More research into this phenomenon may shed further light onto how our thoughts and decision-making impact our health.
Athletes’ performance in different boulder types at international bouldering competitions

The purpose of the study was to analyse the occurrence of different boulder types and the athletes’ success rates in international competitions to contribute to the performance structure of competi...
eSIMPLER: A Dynamic, Electronic Health Record-Integrated Checklist for Clinical Decision Support During PICU Daily Rounds.

OBJECTIVES Design, implement, and evaluate a rounding checklist with deeply embedded, dynamic electronic health record integration. DESIGN Before-after quality-improvement study. SETTING Quaternary PICU in an academic, free-standing children's hospital. PATIENTS All patients in the PICU during daily morning rounds. INTERVENTIONS Implementation of an updated dynamic checklist (eSIMPLER) providing clinical decision support prompts with display of relevant data automatically pulled from the electronic health record. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS The prior daily rounding checklist, eSIMPLE, was implemented for 49,709 patient-days (7,779 patients) between October 30, 2011, and October 7, 2018. eSIMPLER was implemented for 5,306 patient-days (971 patients) over 6 months. Checklist completion rates were similar (eSIMPLE: 95% [95% CI, 88-98%] vs eSIMPLER: 98% [95% CI, 92-100%] of patient-days; p = 0.40). eSIMPLER required less time per patient (28 ± 1 vs 47 ± 24 s; p < 0.001). Users reported improved satisfaction with eSIMPLER (p = 0.009). Several checklist-driven process measures-discordance between electronic health record orders for stress ulcer prophylaxis and user-recorded indication for stress ulcer prophylaxis, rate of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis prescribing, and recognition of reduced renal function-improved during the eSIMPLER phase. CONCLUSIONS eSIMPLER, a dynamic, electronic health record-informed checklist, required less time to complete and improved certain care processes compared with a prior, static checklist with limited electronic health record data. By focusing on the "Five Rights" of clinical decision support, we created a well-accepted clinical decision support tool that was integrated efficiently into daily rounds. Generalizability of eSIMPLER's effectiveness and its impact on patient outcomes need to be examined.
Proton Reirradiation for Locoregionally Recurrent Breast Cancer.

Abstract Purpose Local-regional recurrence (LRR) of breast cancer after prior adjuvant radiation (RT) can present a clinical challenge. Proton therapy is recommended by the American Society for Radiation Oncology in cases where reirrradiation is needed; however, data are limited. We present the toxicity and outcomes after reirradiation for local-regional recurrence of breast cancer with proton therapy. Methods and Materials A single-institution retrospective review identified patients with the following criteria: LRR of breast cancer, prior photon radiation to the same region, proton beam reirradiation, and definitive intent. Surgery or systemic therapy at the time of recurrence was used when indicated. The log-rank test was used to compare Kaplan-Meier survival estimates. Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed to compare worst reported toxicities with clinical variables. Results The population included 27 patients with a history of prior radiation and treated with proton therapy for LRR between 2012 and 2019. The median interval between courses was 9.7 years. Proton reirradiation regimens included whole breast/chest wall (WB/CW) with regional nodal RT (22/27), nodal RT alone (2/27), or WB/CW alone (3/27). The median dose was 51 Gy, and the most common fractionation was 1.5 Gy twice daily. Median follow-up after reirradiation was 16.6 months. Acute grade 3 toxicities included dermatitis in 2 patients and breast pain in 2 patients. Grade 2 or higher late toxicities included 6 G2 rib fractures and 1 G2 brachial plexopathy, 1 G3 dermatitis, 1 G3 breast pain, and 1 G4 dermatitis. Twelve patients had new documented recurrences of which 1 was a second in-field LRR, and there were 7 deaths. Conclusions Proton salvage reirradiation to median 51 Gy in 1.5 Gy twice daily appears to be safe with acceptable acute and late toxicity, and effective with >95% local-regional control.