cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immune mechanisms in chronic pancreatic disease. II. Serum precipitins to pancreatic homogenates in patients with pancreatic disease: preliminary clinical observations.

Precipitins to pancreatic homogenates, presumably representing isoantibodies, have been found in 28 of 33 patients with various pancreatic exocrine diseases. In 4 of 5 patients without demonstrable precipitins, pancreatic damage had either occurred more than 3 years previously or had just begun at the time of the study. Similar precipitins were found in 7 of 35 diabetics but in only 1 of 52 controls with various nonpancreatic diseases.
Incorporating Reverse Engineering and Competitive Analysis Techniques into the System Design Process: A JTRS HMS Case Study:

This case study highlights activities performed during a system design effort undertaken by the Joint Tactical Radio System Handheld, Manpack and Small Form Fit Program. A modified waterfall model comprised of three cyclic, yet overlapping phases (observation, visualization, and evaluation) provided structure for the iterative, Warfighter-centric system design process. Through analyses of existing commercial and military mobile handheld devices, the design team identified best practices that were worthy of emulation, practices that should be avoided, and practices that warranted further research. Design intelligence gleaned through the application of reverse engineering and competitive analysis techniques was used to guide interview question development and discussion during subject matter expert interviews, to narrow the scope of design options for test and evaluation, and to provide design direction. Insights gained from applying these techniques to system design and evaluation and the impact that their...
A 57-year-old woman with abdominal pain.

She was admitted with a diagnosis of acute diverticulitis, but then one thing led to another.
Phenomenological Models of Dynamic Fracture

The mechanistic models have been developed further in the literature through models of the fracture phenomena; while some of these are derived from the micromechanics, others are approximate representations of the fracture process zones that do not require anymechanistic motivation. Such models range from discrete models of molecular dynamics and lattices to cohesive zone models of the fracture process to continuum damage models, thus covering scales from the atomic to continuum. While these models have been shown to be quite powerful, none of these models has been developed to the extent of the continuum theory. In this chapter some of the phenomenological models have been described.
Global Water Governance: Managing complexity on a Global Scale

The high diversity of institutions, programs and action plans in international water politics provides a barrier to coherent, efficient action, resulting in increasing implementation gaps in water politics. Applying the principles of governance – cooperation, coordination, common values, integration of decision making levels and subject matters – and establishing a coherent Global Water Governance architecture would guarantee a more efficient use of human and financial resources and close implementation gaps, especially in view of the Millennium Development Goals. The key words describing the necessary transformation process are defragmentation, coordination and commitments and are concerned foremost with the re-structuring of UN-Water and the establishment of binding rules or treaties in the water supply and sanitation sector. The proposed path towards a Global Water Governance architecture is not without obstacles. Here, the voice of rational science is needed providing rationales and programmatic support when implementing governance principles on a global level. The design of a global Water Governance architecture would open a new field of interdisciplinary research.
Uncommon cause of Horner's syndrome.

A 74-year-old man presents to the Emergency Department with acute decompensated heart failure. During the examination, drooping of the right eyelid was noted. Further examination revealed a near-right pinpoint pupil and dryness of the skin on the right face and neck area. In 1970 he had undergone an open bilateral sympathectomy for craniofacial hyperhidrosis. Physical examination revealed a right-sided ptosis, miosis and anhydrosis (figure 1). Examination of his back …
CCR2 Mediates Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cell Trafficking to Peripheral Tissues after Inflammation

Abstract Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are bone-marrow derived, self-renewing pluripotent cells that give rise to terminally differentiated circulating blood cells. HSCs have been implicated in parenchymal tissue repair in the setting of inflammation. In response to the antagonist of the chemokine receptor CXCR4, HSCs and their progenitors migrate from bone marrow to the blood. However, little is known about the signals that mediate their trafficking from the blood into peripheral tissues. Recently, we showed that mice genetically deficient in chemokine receptor CCR2 (CCR2−/− mice) have a marked decrease in the number of circulating “inflammatory” (7/4+, Ly6c+) monocytes, but no decrease in myeloid progenitor cells in the bone marrow (Tsou et al, J Clin Invest, 2007, 902). These data indicated that although CCR2 is not necessary for HSCs to differentiate into mature monocytes, it does play a role in monocyte egress from bone marrow to blood. In the current study, we extend this work and investigate the expression of CCR2 on HSCs, and tested the hypothesis that CCR2 is critical for the recruitment of circulating HSCs to sites of inflammation. We found that CCR2 was expressed on subsets of primitive HSCs and myeloid progenitors and mediated HSC movement in response to inflammation. Using traditional transwell chambers, we found that c-Kit+Lin− cells derived from bone marrow underwent chemotaxis in response to the CCR2 ligands MCP-1 (CCL2) and MCP- 3 (CCL7). To determine whether CCR2 mediates HSC movement in vivo, we treated wildtype mice with thioglycollate to induce aseptic inflammation. HSCs were actively recruited to the peritoneum, as shown by fluorescence-activated cell sorting and functional colony formation assays. In contrast, this response was profoundly impaired in CCR2−/− mice. To determine whether the clonogenic cells recruited to peritoneum were true HSCs, we performed competitive transplantation assays. Thioglycollate was instilled into wildtype CD45.2+ mice, and peritoneal Lin− cells were collected, purified, and infused, together with CD45.1+ bone marrow cells, into lethally irradiated CD45.1+ mice. Four months later, up to 12% of the leukocytes in the peripheral blood of these primary recipient mice were CD45.2+. At the time of sacrifice, bone marrow cells were collected from these mice and injected into lethally irradiated secondary CD45.1+ recipient mice. Two months following the transplantation, up to 9% of the blood leukocytes in these secondary recipient mice were CD45.2+, confirming that long-term repopulating HSCs were recruited to the inflamed peritoneum of the donor mice. These findings suggest a novel role for CCR2 in the recruitment of long-term repopulating HSCs to sites of inflammation and injury. We are currently investigating whether recruited HSCs and their progenitors hasten the resolution of the inflammatory response or promote the repair of injured tissue.
Anomaly detection in aviation data using extreme learning machines

We develop fast anomaly detection algorithms using extreme learning machines (ELM) to discover operationally significant anomalies in large aviation data sets. Anomaly detection (aka one-class classification or outlier detection) is an active area of research to identify safety risks in aviation. Aviation data is characterized by high dimensionality, heterogeneity (continuous and categorical variables), multimodality and temporality. To address these challenges, NASA Ames has developed several anomaly detection algorithms including MKAD, the present state of the art [1]. MKAD's computational complexity is quadratic with respect to the number of training examples which makes it time consuming (and sometimes infeasible) for mining very large data sets. In this paper, we utilize ELM's fast training and good generalization properties to develop scalable anomaly detection algorithms for very large data sets. We adapt unsupervised ELM algorithms such as the autoencoder and embedding models to perform anomaly detection. The unsupervised models capture the nominal data distribution and by choosing a desired strength of detection that defines the upper bound of outliers in the training data, the anomaly decision boundary is determined. The autoencoder model detects anomalies as the ones that have a large reconstruction error while the embedding model detects anomalies as the ones that lie outside a hypersphere in the embedded space. The proposed algorithms are applied to a real aviation safety benchmark problem and the results show that the ELM based algorithms are comparable to MKAD in detection while training is made faster by two orders of magnitude.
Initial Data and Theory for a High Specific-Power Ankle Exoskeleton Device

We present experimental data for an ankle exoskeleton that provides a metabolic benefit during running. Intuitively, there is an optimal level of power that any particular human can accept and use to benefit walking or running, which is a function of the particular human, the selected gait, and speed. We provide and discuss modeling optimization results to complement our recent data for the device, toward modifying future designs and understanding theoretical performance limits.
Analyzing the Offending Activity of Inmates: Trajectories of Offense Seriousness, Escalation, and De-escalation

Abstract Purpose The current study seeks to systematically identify developmental patterns in the seriousness (escalation and de-escalation) of inmate misconduct and the factors that distinguish those patterns. Methods Official data from a northwestern state prison system and criminal history files dating between December 1996 and December 2008 yielded an excess of 30,000 inmates. Inmates who served a minimum of three years of continuous custody were included, resulting in a final sample of 8351 inmates. Results A group-based trajectory analysis identified three distinct groups of inmates based on their developmental trajectories of offense seriousness: escalators, de-escalators, and statics. A multinomial logistic regression revealed that the rate of prior arrests was the most consistent predictor for each group. Only membership in the static group of misconduct violators was significantly associated with a broad range of predictors, such as age, gender, and custody level. This suggests that variables found to be consistently related prison misconduct in the literature may be not be as successful at predicting other developmental patterns of inmate misconduct. Conclusions The trajectory analysis indicates that the inmate population is not homogenous and subgroups of inmates with unique trajectories of misconduct seriousness exist in the inmate population.
Picosecond Infrared Spectroscopy of the Photosynthetic Reaction Center

We report the first picosecond infrared spectroscopic study on the reaction center of bacterial photosynthesis. Infrared difference spectra in the range from 1560 to 1800 cm−1 were recorded and investigated from 50 ps to 4 ns.after photooxidation of the primary donor. Bands at 1755, 1707 and 1683 cm−1 can be assigned to vibrations of cofactor carbonyl groups. Protein contributions at 1644, 1661 and 1665 cm−1 (amide I) and at 1727 cm−1 (carboxylic residues) and their kinetics reflect the fast protein response to intermolecular charge transfer.
Detoxification of dilute ammonia pretreated energy cane bagasse enzymatic hydrolysate by soluble polyelectrolyte flocculants

Abstract This study investigated the detoxification of dilute ammonia pretreated energy cane bagasse enzymatic hydrolysate using polyelectrolyte flocculants. Non-sugar compounds such as formic acid, acetic acid, levulinic acid, furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and phenolic compounds can be generated during pretreatment, which have negative effects on downstream processes. Flocculation was carried out to remove these non-sugar compounds while retaining the fermentable sugars. The flocculants polyethylenimine (PEI) and poly-diallyldimethylammonium chloride (pDADMAC) were used and parameters including flocculant dose and hydrolysate pH were evaluated. The recyclability of PEI and recovery of non-sugar compounds were also assessed. Optimum conditions for both PEI and pDADMAC were 15 g/L dose at unadjusted pH 4.5. At these conditions, PEI outperformed pDADMAC by having greater adsorption efficiencies towards non-sugar compounds with minimal sugar losses. PEI removed 43% organic acids, 73% total phenolic compounds and 100% furans with less than 10% total fermentable sugar losses. However, after two cycles, only 20% of the adsorbed organic acids and total phenolic compounds, and 80% of the furans were recovered. Sugar losses of less than 10% were observed throughout the recycling process. PEI can significantly remove the non-sugar compounds from dilute ammonia pretreated energy cane bagasse enzymatic hydrolysate with minimum sugar losses. However, recycling of PEI and recovery of adsorbed non-sugar compounds are not recommended for more than two cycles.
To Help My Supervisor: Identification, Moral Identity, and Unethical Pro-supervisor Behavior

Under some circumstances, individuals are willing to engage in unethical behaviors that benefit another entity. In this research we advance the unethical pro-organizational behavior construct by showing that individuals also have the potential to behave unethically to benefit their supervisors. Previous research has not examined if employees engage in unethical acts to benefit an entity that is separate from oneself and if they will conduct these acts to benefit a supervisor. Our research helps to address these gaps. We also demonstrate that unethical behavior to benefit a supervisor, what we term unethical pro-supervisor behavior, is more likely to occur if individuals are more (versus less) identified with their organization or supervisor. That is, feeling a sense of oneness with one’s organization or supervisor can result in employees engaging in unethical behavior to help their supervisor. Further, this positive relationship is weakened if the employee possesses higher levels of moral identity. We test our hypotheses with a two-part laboratory study, a field study, and a time-lagged field study. Theoretical and practical implications of this work are discussed.
Reducing Unnecessary Testing in the Intensive Care Unit by Choosing Wisely

Overuse of laboratory and X-ray testing is common in the intensive care unit (ICU). This review highlights focused strategies for critical care clinicians as outlined by the Critical Care Societies Collaborative (CCSC) as part of the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation's Choosing Wisely® campaign. The campaign aims to promote the use of judicious testing and decrease unnecessary treatment measures in the ICU. The CCSC outlines five specific recommendations for reducing unnecessary testing in the ICU. First, reduce the use of daily or regular interval diagnostic testing. Second, do not transfuse red blood cells in hemodynamically stable, non-bleeding ICU patients with a hemoglobin concentration greater than 7 mg/dl. Third, do not use parenteral nutrition in adequately nourished critically ill patients within the first 7 days of ICU stay. Fourth, do not deeply sedate mechanically ventilated patients without a specific indication and without daily attempts to lighten sedation. Finally, do not continue life support for patients at high risk of death without offering patients and their families the alternative of comfort focused care. A number of strategies can be used to reduce unnecessary testing in the ICU, including educational campaigns, audit and feedback, and implementing prompts in the electronic ordering system to allow only acceptable indications when ordering routine testing. Greater awareness of the lack of outcome benefit and associated costs can prompt clinicians to be more mindful of ordering tests and procedures in order to reduce unnecessary testing in the ICU.
Cloning and high-level expression of Thermus thermophilus RecA in E. coli: purification and novel use in HBV diagnostics

We studied the role of Thermus thermophilus Recombinase A (RecA) in enhancing the PCR signals of DNA viruses such as Hepatitis B virus (HBV). The RecA gene of a thermophilic eubacterial strain, T. thermophilus, was cloned and hyperexpressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant RecA protein was purified using a single heat treatment step without the use of any chromatography steps, and the purified protein (>95%) was found to be active. The purified RecA could enhance the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) signals of HBV and improve the detection limit of the HBV diagnosis by real time PCR. The yield of recombinant RecA was ∼35mg/L, the highest yield reported for a recombinant RecA to date. RecA can be successfully employed to enhance detection sensitivity for the diagnosis of DNA viruses such as HBV, and this methodology could be particularly useful for clinical samples with HBV viral loads of less than 10IU/mL, which is interesting and novel.
Increasing likelihood of advanced pulmonary tuberculosis at initial diagnosis in a low-incidence US state.

Setting Arkansas, USA. Objective To investigate the relationship between an increase in the proportion of cases with advanced disease at first diagnosis and the recently observed slowing of the decline in tuberculosis (TB) incidence in low-incidence US states. Design We conducted descriptive statistical analyses of de-identified surveillance data of 1246 culture-confirmed TB patients reported in Arkansas during 1996-2013. We then fitted stepwise, multivariate logistic regression models to identify predictors for advanced disease at diagnosis, defined as having either smear-positive sputum or lung cavitation. Results From 1996 to 2013, the proportion of new cases with positive sputum smear and cases with lung cavitation increased from 51.6% to 75% and from 37.7% to 50%, respectively. Patients diagnosed during 2006-2013 were more likely to have positive sputum smears (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.55, 95%CI 1.95-3.35) or lung cavitation (aOR 1.49, 95%CI 1.14-1.95) than those diagnosed during 1996-2005. During 1996-2013, age 15-64 years and excessive alcohol use were predictive of positive sputum smear or lung cavitation. Conclusion Measures to reduce the proportion of cases with advanced disease at first diagnosis may be helpful to achieve further decline in TB incidence in low-incidence settings.
Valéry’s Materialist Conception of Consciousness and Its Consequences

There is no communication between our mental functioning and us. The core of man does not have a human figure.
A neoclassical realist explanation of Indonesia’s involvement in Muslim-related secessions in non-Muslim countries:

This article attempts to test the ethnic ties theory and provides an alternative explanation for why Indonesia as the largest Muslim country in the world has been inconsistent in its support for Mu...
Item statistics derived from three-option versions of multiple-choice questions are usually as robust as four- or five-option versions: implications for exam design.

Different versions of multiple-choice exams were administered to an undergraduate class in human physiology as part of normal testing in the classroom. The goal was to evaluate whether the number o...
Symptom burden in hospitalized patients with curable and incurable cancers.

190Background: Inpatient supportive care interventions are targeted to patients with advanced solid tumors due to perceived higher symptom burden. Yet, few studies have characterized symptom preval...
Development of a multi-institutional registry for children with operative congenital lung malformations

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to develop a multi-institutional registry to characterize the demographics, management, and outcomes of a contemporary cohort of children undergoing congenital lung malformation (CLM) resection. Methods After central reliance IRB approval, a web-based, secure database was created to capture retrospective cohort data on pathologically-confirmed CLMs performed between 2009 and 2015 within a multi-institutional research collaborative. Results Eleven children's hospitals contributed 506 patients. Among 344 prenatally diagnosed lesions, the congenital pulmonary airway malformation volume ratio was measured in 49.1%, and fetal MRI was performed in 34.3%. One hundred thirty-four (26.7%) children had respiratory symptoms at birth. Fifty-eight (11.6%) underwent neonatal resection, 322 (64.1%) had surgery at 1–12 months, and 122 (24.3%) had operations after 12 months. The median age at resection was 6.7 months (interquartile range, 3.6–11.4). Among 230 elective lobectomies performed in asymptomatic patients, thoracoscopy was successfully utilized in 102 (44.3%), but there was substantial variation across centers. The most common lesions were congenital pulmonary airway malformation (n = 234, 47.3%) and intralobar bronchopulmonary sequestration (n = 106, 21.4%). Conclusion This multicenter cohort study on operative CLMs highlights marked disease heterogeneity and substantial practice variation in preoperative evaluation and operative management. Future registry studies are planned to help establish evidence-based guidelines to optimize the care of these patients. Level of evidence Level II.
How do we … integrate pathogen reduced platelets into our hospital blood bank inventory?

For more than 50 years there has been an ongoing effort to combat transfusion-transmitted infections and provide patients with the safest possible blood. This initiative has driven much of the research within the transfusion community. Initial methods included screening donors for travel histories to banned areas and for high-risk behaviors, but pathogen-specific assays performed at the collection and manufacturing sites also have become key factors in assuring blood safety. Many of these have focused on donor and laboratory-based screening for transfusion-transmitted diseases, as evidenced by the hepatitis and human immunodeficiency virus screening in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. More recently, this effort has expanded to develop donor screening assays to identify other blood-borne pathogens, such as Zika and West Nile viruses and Babesia. Bacterial contamination of units of platelets (PLTs), however, remains a significant concern. In recent years, the Food and Drug Administration has approved rapid tests to identify bacterially contaminated PLT units in the blood bank before transfusion. Other supplemental methods have been developed, however, that aim to inactivate blood-borne pathogen(s) present in the blood product, rather than to rely on our ability to identify and interdict contaminated and infected components. Pathogen reduction technology, as this is referred to, provides a proactive way to further reduce the risk posed by transfusion-transmitted infections.
The silicate weathering feedback in the context of ophiolite emplacement: Insights from an inverse model of global weathering proxies

Silicate weathering provides a stabilizing feedback in the global carbon cycle and has played a key role in keeping surface environments clement for the majority of Earth9s history. It was recently proposed that ophiolite emplacement at low latitude at ∼90 to 70 Ma and ∼50 to 40 Ma enhanced the rate of silicate weathering and led to global cooling that terminated the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum. In this study, we revisit this proposal with a series of models of varying complexities to investigate the likelihood that Earth9s climate was driven largely by ophiolite emplacement in the Paleogene. Our models are constrained by either marine Os isotopic records or the combination of carbon cycle, Sr and Os isotopic records, and solid Earth degassing rates. The proposed changes in ophiolite weathering are inconsistent with our Os isotope mass balance model. With our coupled carbon cycle and weathering proxy model, total global silicate weathering fluxes (including ophiolite weathering) slightly decreased or remained relatively constant from 52 to 42 Ma. This constancy in global silicate weathering fluxes is inconsistent with the idea that enhanced ophiolite weathering directly led to global climate cooling. However, our model results support the idea that the strength of the silicate weathering feedback (weatherability) has played a significant role in regulating the pCO2 levels through the Cenozoic. Further, the modeling toolkit developed here can be used to explore the role of mafic rock weathering in driving climate change in other intervals through Earth9s history.
Frontiers in Molecular Evolutionary Medicine

This paper surveys some of the important insights that molecular evolution has contributed to evolutionary medicine; they include phage therapy, cancer biology, helminth manipulation of the host immune system, quality control of gametes, and pathogen outbreaks. Molecular evolution has helped to revolutionize our understanding of cancer, of autoimmune disease, and of the origin, spread, and pathogenesis of emerging diseases, where it has suggested new therapies, illuminated mechanisms, and revealed historical processes: all have practical therapeutic implications. While much has been accomplished, much remains to be done.
Synchronized and Differentiated Modes of Cellular Dynamics

Intercellular communication serves a variety of purposes in metazoan systems, including, (i) the recruitment of individual cells into multicellular aggregates, as in the transition from vegetative growth to the slug stage in the slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum (Dd hereafter), (ii) the initiation and/or synchronization of collective activities such as the repetitive contraction in the myocardium, (iii) the initiation and coordination of spatial differentiation in developing systems, and (iv) the guidance of cell movement during morphogenesis. It is conveient to classify the different modes of intercellular communication that have evolved for these purposes as either long-range or short-range, according as the distances involved are greater or less than about 0.25 mm, this being the distance for which the relaxation time for diffusion is of the order of one minute. Long-range signal transmission can occur via convective transport, as in hormonal interactions via a circulatory system, or it may involve diffusion coupled with a spatially-distributed mechanism for regenerating and relaying the signal, such as occurs in nerve impulse conduction and in the aggregation phase of Dd.
Phenotypes of fetal macrosomia and risk of stillbirth among term deliveries over the previous four decades

Objectives To evaluate the association between macrosomia and stillbirth over the previous four decades and to determine the consistency of the relationship. Methods This was a population-based retrospective cohort study using United States Natality and Fetal Death Data from 1982 to 2017 and restricted to the gestational age range of 37-41 weeks inclusive. Macrosomia was defined as birthweight ≥4000 g and subdivided into its grades as previously recommended: grade 1 (4000-4499 g), grade 2 (4500-4999 g), and grade 3 (≥5000 g). We calculated temporal trends of stillbirth among fetuses with macrosomia over the years using joinpoint regression. We generated odds ratios from adjusted binomial logistic regression models to examine the association between macrosomia and risk of stillbirth stratified by grades using normal-weight infants (2500-3999 g) as referent. Results Within the fetal macrosomia group, the rate of stillbirth declined from 2.04/1000 in 1982 to 1.05/1000 by the end of the study period (2017), representing a drop of about 48.5%. For the normal-weight fetuses, stillbirth rate declined from 1.95/1000 to 0.83/1000, equivalent to a decline of 57.4%. Macrosomia was significantly associated with elevated risk for stillbirth: grade 2 (OR = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.22-1.32) and grade 3 (OR = 5.97; 95% CI = 5.69-6.22). Conclusions Fetal macrosomia is a significant risk factor for fetal demise with the worst intrauterine survival observed among those classified as grade 3. Fetal macrosomia is a heterogeneous rather than a homogeneous entity in terms of risk profiles, and this needs to be considered in future policy guidelines.
Circulating Plasma Metabolites and Cognitive Function in a Puerto Rican Cohort.

BACKGROUND Minorities, including mainland Puerto Ricans, are impacted disproportionally by Alzheimer's disease (AD), dementia, and cognitive decline. Studying blood metabolomics in this population has the potential to probe the biological underpinnings of this health disparity. OBJECTIVE We performed a comprehensive analysis of circulating plasma metabolites in relation to cognitive function in 736 participants from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (BPRHS) who underwent untargeted mass-spectrometry based metabolomics analysis and had undergone a battery of in-person cognitive testing at baseline. METHODS After relevant exclusions, 621 metabolites were examined. We used multivariable regression, adjusted for age, sex, education, apolipoprotein E genotype, smoking, and Mediterranean dietary pattern, to identify metabolites related to global cognitive function in our cohort. LASSO machine learning was used in a complementary analysis to identify metabolites that could discriminate good from poor extremes of cognition. We also conducted sensitivity analyses: restricted to participants without diabetes, and to participants with good adherence to Mediterranean diet. RESULTS Of 621 metabolites, FDR corrected (p < 0.05) multivariable linear regression identified 3 metabolites positively, and 10 negatively, associated with cognitive function in the BPRHS. In a combination of FDR-corrected linear regression, logistic regression regularized via LASSO, and sensitivity analyses restricted to participants without diabetes, and with good adherence to the Mediterranean diet, β-cryptoxanthin plasma concentration was consistently associated with better cognitive function and N-acetylisoleucine and tyramine O-sulfate concentrations were consistently associated with worse cognitive function. CONCLUSION This untargeted metabolomics study identified potential biomarkers for cognitive function in a cohort of Puerto Rican older adults.
Inteligencia artificial en el sistema de justicia criminal: algunas reflexiones sobre su aplicación en el derecho chileno

Although the use of artificial intelligence and new technologies seems to be far away from the scope of the law, evidence from other countries shows that it has already been applied to different aspects of the law, such as the criminal justice system in all its stages and institutions. Based on the comparative experience, this essay seeks to address potential issues regarding the use of artificial intelligence in the criminal justice system under Chilean law.
A far-red cyanobacteriochrome lineage specific for verdins

Cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) are photoswitchable linear tetrapyrrole (bilin)-based light sensors in the phytochrome superfamily with a broad spectral range from the near UV through the far red (330 to 760 nm). The recent discovery of far-red absorbing CBCRs (frCBCRs) has garnered considerable interest from the optogenetic and imaging communities because of the deep penetrance of far-red light into mammalian tissue and the small size of the CBCR protein scaffold. The present studies were undertaken to determine the structural basis for far-red absorption by JSC1_58120g3, a frCBCR from the thermophilic cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. JSC-1 that is a representative member of a phylogenetically distinct class. Unlike most CBCRs that bind phycocyanobilin (PCB), a phycobilin naturally occurring in cyanobacteria and only a few eukaryotic phototrophs, JSC1_58120g3's far-red absorption arises from incorporation of the PCB biosynthetic intermediate 181,182-dihydrobiliverdin (181,182-DHBV) rather than the more reduced and more abundant PCB. JSC1_58120g3 can also yield a far-red-absorbing adduct with the more widespread linear tetrapyrrole biliverdin IXα (BV), thus circumventing the need to coproduce or supplement optogenetic cell lines with PCB. Using high-resolution X-ray crystal structures of 181,182-DHBV and BV adducts of JSC1_58120g3 along with structure-guided mutagenesis, we have defined residues critical for its verdin-binding preference and far-red absorption. Far-red sensing and verdin incorporation make this frCBCR lineage an attractive template for developing robust optogenetic and imaging reagents for deep tissue applications.
From SARS to COVID-19: Rethinking Global Health Lessons from Taiwan

Taiwan has been successful in suppressing the highly infectious Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) despite its proximity to Wuhan, China, where the coronavirus first emerged in December 2019. Taiwan...
Corporate derivatives use and the cost of equity

We investigate the relation between derivatives use and corporations’ cost of equity capital. Using a large sample of non-financial firms, we compute and analyze (i) the relative cost of equity of firms that use derivatives and those that do not; and (ii) the change in cost of equity experienced by firms initiating derivatives programs. We find that the cost of equity of derivatives users is lower than non-users by 24–78 basis points. Our results are robust to specifications that account for potential endogeneity related to a firm’s derivatives use and capital structure decisions. We further find that the reduction in the cost of equity is attributable to both lower market beta and SMB beta, suggesting that firms use derivatives to reduce their financial distress risk and that this distress risk has a systematic component that is priced in the market. Finally, the observed reductions in the cost of equity tend to be largest for smaller firms and for firms utilizing currency and interest rate derivatives.
Changes in Atlantic major hurricane frequency since the late-19th century.

Atlantic hurricanes are a major hazard to life and property, and a topic of intense scientific interest. Historical changes in observing practices limit the utility of century-scale records of Atlantic major hurricane frequency. To evaluate past changes in frequency, we have here developed a homogenization method for Atlantic hurricane and major hurricane frequency over 1851–2019. We find that recorded century-scale increases in Atlantic hurricane and major hurricane frequency, and associated decrease in USA hurricanes strike fraction, are consistent with changes in observing practices and not likely a true climate trend. After homogenization, increases in basin-wide hurricane and major hurricane activity since the 1970s are not part of a century-scale increase, but a recovery from a deep minimum in the 1960s–1980s. We suggest internal (e.g., Atlantic multidecadal) climate variability and aerosol-induced mid-to-late-20th century major hurricane frequency reductions have probably masked century-scale greenhouse-gas warming contributions to North Atlantic major hurricane frequency. How tropical cyclones have varied in intensity and frequency in the past is not well known as longer records are rare. Here, the authors show that changes in observing practices explain the recorded century scale increase in Atlantic major hurricane frequency, and recent increases are not part of a century-scale trend.
The changing impact of pre-liver transplant renal dysfunction on post-transplant survival: results of 2 decades from a single center.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Renal dysfunction before liver transplantation (LT) is associated with higher post-LT mortality. We aimed to study if this association still persisted in the contemporary transplant era. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed data on 2871 primary LT performed at our center from 1998 to 2018. All patients were listed for LT alone and were not considered to be simultaneous liver-kidney (SLK) transplant candidates. SLK recipients and those with previous LT were excluded. Patients were grouped into 4 eras: era-1 (1998-2002, n = 488), era-2 (2003-2007, n = 889), era-3 (2008-2012, n = 703) and era-4 (2013-2018, n = 791). Pre-LT renal dysfunction was defined as creatinine (Cr) >1.5 mg/dl or on dialysis at LT. The effect of pre-LT renal dysfunction on post-LT patient survival in each era was examined using Kaplan Meier estimates and univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses. RESULTS Pre-LT renal dysfunction was present in 594 (20%) recipients. Compared to patients in era-1, patients in era-4 had higher Cr, lower eGFR and were more likely to be on dialysis at LT (P < 0.001). Pre-LT renal dysfunction was associated with worse 1, 3 and 5-year survival in era-1 and era-2 (P < 0.005) but not in era-3 or era-4 (P = 0.13 and P = 0.08, respectively). Multivariate analysis demonstrated the lack of independent effect of pre-LT renal dysfunction on post-LT mortality in era-3 and era-4. A separate analysis using eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 at LT to define renal dysfunction showed similar results. CONCLUSIONS Pre-LT renal dysfunction had less impact on post-LT survival in the contemporary transplant era.
Pedagogy, Colonialism, and the Possibilities of Belonging: Twenty Years on

Two decades after the 9/11 attacks, I continue my journey on the two fundamental quests I had embarked upon in the aftermath of the attacks. My first quest was pedagogical: how might I adequately c...
Single session per oral endoscopic myotomy and trans oral incisionless fundoplication - Can we prevent reflux in patients with achalasia?

Background and study aims The rate of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) after per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is concerning. Endoscopic anti-reflux methods, such as Trans Oral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF), are crucial for the long-term success of POEM, especially if they can be performed in the same session. Methods We completed a proof-of-concept canine pilot study (n = 6) to assess safety and feasibility of POEM and TIF in a single session (POEM-TIF). Subsequently, POEM-TIF was also performed in patients with achalasia (n = 5). Herein, we report on the safety, technical and clinical success of the first-in-human cases with symptom follow-up at 1, 3 and 6 months and pH testing at 6 months. Results POEM was completed successfully in six canines (3 anterior and 3 posterior myotomies), followed by TIF in the same session. Necropsy and extensive testing demonstrated no evidence of mucosal injury and no leaks. The reconstructed valve was 220 to 240 degrees, 3 to 4 cm in length, and resulted in concomitant esophageal lengthening (2–5 cm). Using similar principles, the first-in-human cases were performed without intraprocedural or delayed adverse events. pH testing at 6 months showed that four of five patients had no evidence of GERD (DeMeester > 14.72), and in one case, there was evidence of esophagitis. Conclusions Single session POEM-TIF appears to be safe and feasible. Early clinical human data suggests that it may be able to reduce post POEM GERD, however the additional secondary benefits such as lengthening and straightening of the esophagus, may prove to be equally important for the long-term success of POEM.
Maintaining Balance: A Comprehensive Look of The Struggle Between Government Protection and Government Overreach in Regard to Mergers and Their Remedies

In September of 2020, the Department of Justice made a change to the Merger Remedies Manual, which discusses the correct remedies for mergers that violate the standards in the Heart-Scott-Rodino Act and how to best enforce them. A deeper look at this manual prompts a deeper analysis on current antitrust merger standards and how they balance government power and personal liberties. The Merger Remedies manual and its corresponding document with the Federal Trade Commission, as well as the merger standards in regard to the rise of Private Equity Buyers and Big Tech, promote concern over the balance between constitutional rights and promoting fairness in the marketplace. This article is among the first to analyze how current merger remedies stand in being effective in regard to the technology sector, while also analyzing the constitutionality of those merger regulations.The article contributes to the literature in three primary ways. First, the article deeply analyzes the two manuals for merger remedies from the above mentioned agencies and determines which better balances governmental powers with personal liberties and where both agencies could improve. Second, the article outlines the current concerns with large technology companies and their current rights in regard to merger standards while also acknowledging their monopolizing tendencies, presenting ways in which such issues could more easily and constitutionally be regulated through antitrust merger laws. Third, the article analyzes the current stance from the merger regulating agencies towards private equity firms and how their changing stances and opinions support a less government-regulative stance towards private equity firm involvement.
A practical guide for conducting qualitative research in medical education: Part 3-Using software for qualitative analysis.

The process of performing qualitative analysis can be a daunting task. Technology can be employed to ease the burden of the work; however, the researcher may not fully appreciate how and when computer software can assist in conducting qualitative analysis. In this, the third installment of our "how-to" series on qualitative research methods, we describe basic concepts and approaches to using both simple word processing programs and specific qualitative research software programs to assist in coding and analysis. We hope that the concepts put forth in this paper will help qualitative researchers become more familiar with available technological approaches and that they will, in turn, enhance the efficiency of the research process as well as the depth, clarity and richness of research findings.
Clinical Impact of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Veterans Receiving Basal-Bolus Insulin

BACKGROUND In 2017, an estimated 7.4 million Americans used insulin to treat diabetes. Insulin is proven to lower A1c but can result in hypoglycemia and weight gain. Combining insulin with a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1-RA) may provide additional blood glucose control while limiting undesirable effects including weight gain. OBJECTIVE To characterize the clinical impact of adding a GLP-1-RA to a basal-bolus insulin regimen in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS This retrospective observational study used national Veteran's Health Administration data to identify patients with an existing basal-bolus insulin regimen who initiated a GLP-1-RA between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2017. A1c, insulin total daily dose (TDD), and weight were collected at GLP-1-RA initiation (baseline), 3-, 6-, and 12-month time points and then analyzed using an intent-to-treat approach with the last observation carried forward. Decreases in A1c ≥ 0.5% and weight ≥2 kg were deemed clinically significant. RESULTS Among 7651 patients initiating GLP-1-RA therapy, mean A1c had a clinically significant decline at 3, 6, and 12 months by -0.5%, -0.7%, and -0.7%, respectively, from a mean baseline of 9%. Patients with lower baseline A1c levels did not have clinically significant changes in A1c, whereas patients with baseline A1c ≥9% had more clinically significant declines. Insulin TDD decreased by -32, -38, and -42 units/day at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively, where the mean decrease in insulin TDD at 12 months was 79 units/day among patients who discontinued bolus insulin (52.3%) compared with a mean decrease of 2 units/day among those who continued bolus insulin. Mean weight reductions at 3, 6, and 12 months were -1.2, -2.3, and -2.9 kg, respectively, from a mean baseline of 120.6 kg. CONCLUSION Combining a GLP-1-RA with basal-bolus insulin had a clinically significant improvement on blood glucose control, lowered insulin TDD, and reduced weight. These outcomes were achieved within 3 to 6 months following GLP-1-RA initiation and were maintained through 1 year.
Measurement of Distance and Propinquity in Anthropological Studies

Various kinds of distance are significant in anthropological studies. We define genetic distance between two individuals (or between two populations) as the proportion of nonmatching nucleotide bases at homologous nucleotide sites between the genomes of two individuals (or of tvo populations). Since the matching nucleotide bases in these genomes are by and large the same by reason of descent from a common ancestor, genetic distance is also a measure of genetic oi phylogenetic divergence. As yet there is no way to determine the nucleotide sequences of entire genomes, but there are data which can be used to deduce the nucleotide sequences of individual genes and to sample the proportion of nonmatching nucleotide sites (i.e. the genetic distance) between genomes.
SU‐E‐T‐751: Three‐Component Kinetic Model of Tumor Growth and Radiation Response for Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Purpose: To develop and study a kinetic model of tumor growth and its response to stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) by assuming that the cells in irradiated tumor volume were made of three types. Methods: A set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) were derived for three types of cells and a tumor growth rate. It is assumed that the cells were composed of actively proliferating cells, lethally damaged-dividing cells, and non-dividing cells. We modeled the tumor volume growth with a time-dependent growth rate to simulate the saturation of growth. After SRS, the proliferating cells were permanently damaged and converted to the lethally damaged cells. The amount of damaged cells were estimated by the LQ-model. The damaged cells gradually stopped dividing/proliferating and died with a constant rate. The dead cells were cleared from their original location with a constant rate. The total tumor volume was the sum of the three components. The ODEs were numerically solved with appropriate initial conditions for a given dosage. The proposed model was used to model an animal experiment, for which the temporal change of a rhabdomyosarcoma tumor volume grown in a rat was measured with time resolution sufficient to test the model. Results: To fit the model to the experimental data, the following characteristics were needed with the model parameters. The α-value in the LQ-model was smaller than the commonly used value; furthermore, it decreased with increasing dose. At the same time, the tumor growth rate after SRS had to increase. Conclusions: The new 3-component model of tumor could simulate the experimental data very well. The current study suggested that the radiation sensitivity and the growth rate of the proliferating tumor cells may change after irradiation and it depended on the dosage used for SRS. These preliminary observations must be confirmed by future animal experiments.
Regulation of dendrite morphogenesis by extrinsic cues

Dendrites play a central role in the integration and flow of information in the nervous system. The morphogenesis and maturation of dendrites is hence an essential step in the establishment of neuronal connectivity. Recent studies have uncovered crucial functions for extrinsic cues in the development of dendrites. We review the contribution of secreted polypeptide growth factors, contact-mediated proteins, and neuronal activity in distinct phases of dendrite development. We also highlight how extrinsic cues influence local and global intracellular mechanisms of dendrite morphogenesis. Finally, we discuss how these studies have advanced our understanding of neuronal connectivity and have shed light on the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders.