cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An XFEM‐based numerical strategy to model mechanical interactions between biological cells and a deformable substrate

SUMMARY Contractile cells are known to constantly probe and respond to their mechanical environment through mechanosensing. Although the very mechanisms responsible for this behavior are still obscure, it is now clear that cells make full use of cross-talks between mechanics, chemistry, and transport to organize their structure and generate forces. To investigate these processes, it is important to derive mathematical and numerical models that can accurately capture the interactions between cells and an underlying deformable substrate. The present paper therefore introduces a computational framework, based on the extended FEM (XFEM) and the level set method, to model the evolution of two-dimensional (plane stress) cells lying on an elastic substrate whose properties can be varied. Cells are modeled with a continuum mixture approach previously developed by the authors to describe key phenomena of cell sensing, such as stress fiber formation, mechanosensitive contraction, and molecular transport whereas cell–substrate adhesion is formulated with a linear elastic cohesive model. From a numerical viewpoint, cell and substrate are discretized on a single, regular finite element mesh, whereas the potentially complex cell geometry is defined in terms of a level set function that is independent of discretization. Field discontinuities across the cell membrane are then naturally enforced using enriched shape functions traditionally used in the XFEM formulation. The resulting method provides a flexible platform that can handle complex cell geometries, can avoid expensive meshing techniques, and can potentially be extended to study cell growth and migration on an elastic substrate. In addition, the XFEM formalism facilitates the consideration of the cell's cortical elasticity, a feature that is known to be important during cell deformation. The proposed method is illustrated with a few biologically relevant examples of cell–substrate interactions. Generally, the method is able to capture some key phenomena observed in biological systems and displays numerical versatility and accuracy at a moderate computational cost.Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Longitudinal Characterization of a Tidal Marsh Creek Separating Two Hydrographically Distinct Estuaries1

Jones Creek, South Carolina, connects two hydrographically distinct estuarine systems: North Inlet and Winyah Bay. One hundred fifty-two sets of hydrographic measurements from February 1978 indicate the existence of a Jones Creek nodal point, an effective barrier limiting flow exchange between the end regions of the creek. Morphologic and vegetation observations and water quality ratings suggest that this nodal point is a permanent feature of Jones Creek and may be present in other similar systems.
Improving teamwork in healthcare: current approaches and the path forward

My grandfather was a general practitioner in a small town in the USA in the mid-20th century. His medical team consisted of himself and a nurse (who was also my grandmother). He even served as his own pharmacist. In stark contrast, the team in my primary care practice consists of my physician partners, several trainees, nurses, medical assistants, referral coordinators, pharmacists, the subspecialists and their teams, home health nurses and therapists, and more. Such large and disconnected teams can provide comprehensive care for complex and chronic illnesses, but when they malfunction, they can harm patients.1 Teams are larger and more dispersed in time and space, and there are now many more types of teams. They vary from teams whose members repeatedly work together over many years (eg, highly specialised cardiac surgery teams) to teams that are formed quickly and temporarily to resuscitate a patient. Teams are also formed for quality improvement (QI) projects, and they may work together for a few months or a few years. Unfortunately, education for healthcare professionals in most parts of the world still assumes that healthcare teams are like those during my grandfather's time. Professional school and continuing education curricula have not been updated to teach the skills needed to work effectively in these varied teams. To fill this gap, team training programmes that address teamwork and communication for healthcare providers are increasing in number, becoming more heterogeneous and being evaluated more frequently.2 Here I propose three general approaches that have been developed to improve teamwork in healthcare, and I discuss their strengths, weaknesses and which of their aspects require further research (table 1). Finally, I suggest that these approaches complement one another, and by purposefully exposing care givers to them during their training and careers, we can eventually improve teamwork and patient …
Effect of Klotho Gene Delivery on Hypertension and Arterial Stiffness in Senescence Accelerated Mice P1 (SAMP1)

Background & Hypothesis. Hypertension and arterial stiffness are aged-related illness. SAMP1 mice were identified with shortened life span and early signs of senescence. We found that that SAMP1 mice developed hypertension and arterial stiffness compared with age-matched control (AKR/J) mice (11 months). Secreted klotho expression (SKL) was decreased in the kidney. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that klotho gene delivery attenuates the progression of hypertension and arterial stiffness in SAMP1 mice. Methods & Results. The adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) carrying mouse SKL cDNA (AAV2-SKL) was constructed for in vivo expression of SKL. Two groups of SAMP1 mice and 2 groups of AKR/J mice received IV delivery of AAV2-GFP and AAV2-SKL, respectively. SKL gene delivery attenuated and stopped the further increase in blood pressure and pulse wave velocity in SAMP1 mice. AAV delivery of SKL gene effectively increased renal SKL expression in SAMP1 mice. Expression of TGFβ1, collagen 1, and Scle...
Climatology of Cyclogenesis over the East China Sea

Abstract Extratropical cyclogenesis occurs off the coast of China, over the East China Sea and surrounding areas, as a result of cold-air outbreaks from the mainland about every five days, on the average, during winter months. Many of these storms subsequently propagate northeastward into the Pacific, and in the process they have a substantial impact on the weather of highly populated areas of northeast China, the Koreas and Japan. This paper presents a climatological analysis of this cyclogenesis for the period 1899–1962 based on U.S. Weather Bureau historical weather maps. The averaged seasonal variability during the period is discussed in some detail with comparisons to sea-surface temperature variability, taken from the Historical Sea‐Surface Temperature Project data, revealing that the meridional gradient of sea surface temperature across the East China Sea plays a significant role in the annual cycle of cyclogenesis. In contrast, wind speed, air–sea temperature difference and averaged heat fluxes sh...
Principled scavenging

Proof-carrying code and typed assembly languages aim to minimize the trusted computing base by directly certifying the actual machine code. Unfortunately, these systems cannot get rid of the dependency on a trusted garbage collector. Indeed, constructing a provably type-safe garbage collector is one of the major open problems in the area of certifying compilation.Building on an idea by Wang and Appel, we present a series of new techniques for writing type-safe stop-and-copy garbage collectors. We show how to use intensional type analysis to capture the contract between the mutator and the collector, and how the same method can be applied to support forwarding pointers and generations. Unlike Wang and Appel (which requires whole-program analysis), our new framework directly supports higher-order funtions and is compatible with separate compilation; our collectors are written in provably type-safe languages with rigorous semantics and fully formalized soundness proofs.
Toward understanding the role of Bible beliefs and higher education in American attitudes toward eradicating poverty, 1964-1996.

Several recent studies (Regnerus, Smith, and Sikkink 1998; Wuthnow 1994; Pyle 1993; Hart 1992) report a weak to moderately positive relationship between conservative religion and support for the poor, and numerous studies document an inverse relationship between higher education and the same (e.g., Kluegal and Smith 1986; Jackman and Muha 1984; Bogart and Hutchinson 1978; Alston and Dean 1972; Fichter 1972). While these findings need wider dissemination, they also need further clarification and interpretation, particularly of religion and education's joint role. Based on analyses of the 1984-96 General Social Surveys and the 1964-90 National Election Studies, this article argues: 1) biblical conservatism intensifies expression of concern for the poor, but that expression is importantly shaped by higher education; 2) the experience of gaining a college degree appears to foster a status reinforcing perspective which rejects systemic solutions to poverty and accepts individualistic ones; and 3) the frequent ignorance among many intellectuals about the basic relationships between religious conservatism and attitudes toward eradicating poverty, or between higher education and the same, may be attributable to a nonfalsifiable, salvific faith in education.
Conquest of Paradise: Secular Binds and Coptic Political Mobilization

AbstractThis article explores conflicts within the Coptic community related to problems of definition and representation. Coptic groups that emerged from Egypt’s 2011 revolution brought these tensions to the fore. Groups such as the prominent Maspero Youth Union (MYU) [Itihad Shabab Maspero] were formed to contest the hegemony of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egyptian national politics. The MYU and others have attempted to reconstruct social boundaries drawn by the Church and the state, promoting political secularism, or the separation of religion from politics, as a solution to inter-communal strife and remedy to intra-communal conflict over the position of the Coptic Orthodox Church as the sole representative of the community. At the same time, the group has emphasized their Coptic identity through religious symbols and imagery at protest events, as depicted at the Maspero memorial march in 2012. While the MYU officially endorsed secular governance as a means to overcome sectarianism, its actions also m...
Evidence for relative climatic stability of Antarctica during the early Pliocene: a marine perspective

ABSTRACTBefore ∼3 Ma, during the early Pliocene, polar ice sheets were restricted to Antarctica, and much evidence suggests global warmth greater than at any time during the last seven million years, including today. Did the East Antarctic Ice Sheet withstand this early Pliocene warmth or did it experience major instability and deglaciation? This problem is of central importance in considering the consequences of global warming that might result from anthropogenic increases in atmospheric CO2 and other greenhouse gases.Marine stratigraphic data from the southern high latitudes is incompatible with earlier suggestions that invoke major Pliocene warming of the Antarctic continent, increase in temperature of the surrounding Antarctic water mass to 5–10°C, and associated major deglaciation (>50% ice volume reduction) of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. An oxygen isotopic record of high stratigraphic resolution from the Subantarctic region indicates an increase in average sea surface temperatures of no more than ...
Changes in cognition in response to depression treatment during inpatient psychiatric hospitalization

D the first part of the lecture the author will discuss the diagnosis and clinical picture of PTSD. She will then briefly present emotional processing theory to help understand why some traumatized individuals recover and others develop chronic PTSD and how we can conceptualize Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy within this theory. Next, she will provide an overview of the efficacy of different cognitive behavioral programs that have been found helpful in ameliorating PTSD symptoms, with emphasize on PE, illustrating the treatment via video clips of patients. Finally, she will discuss the dissemination of PE in clinical practices of civilian community, veterans, and military in the US, and other countries.
PDGF-AA mediates mesenchymal stromal cell chemotaxis to the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma tumor microenvironment

The robust desmoplasia associated with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) suggests that the tumor microenvironment may be an important component in the pathophysiology of this cancer. Moreover, the high recurrence rate and poor clinical response to chemotherapy and radiation treatment further underscores that the non-cancerous cells of the microenvironment, such as mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and pericytes, may be important in the pathophysiology of HNSCC. Confocal microscopy and immunohistomchemistry approaches were used to identify MSCs tumor microenvironment from patients with oral cavity and oral pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In vitro Boyden chamber assays and multiplex magnetic bead assays were used to measure MSC chemotaxis and to identify the chemokines secreted by JHU-011, -012, -019, three cells lines derived from patients with oral pharyngeal SCC. We show here that MSCs reside in the tumor microenvironment of patients with oral cavity and oral pharyngeal SCC and are recruited via paracrine mediated tumor cell secretion of (platelet derived growth factor) PDGF-AA. The MSC markers CD90+, CD105+, and gremlin-1+ were found to co-localize on cells within the tumor microenvironment in oral cavity SCC specimens distinct from α-smooth muscle actin staining CAFs. The conditioned media from JHU-011, -012, and -019 caused a significant increase in MSC migration (>60%) and invasion (>50%; p < 0.0001) compared to oral keratinocyte (OKT) controls. Tumor cell induced MSC chemotaxis appears to be mediated through paracrine secretion of PDGF-AA as inhibition of the PDGF-AA receptor, PDGFR-α but not PDGFR-β, resulted in near arrest of MSC chemotaxis (p < 0.0001). Tumor microenvironment expression of PDGFR-α has been shown to correlate with a worse prognosis in patients with prostate, breast, ovarian, non-small cell lung cancer and osteosarcoma. This is the first evidence that a similar signaling paradigm may be present in HNSCC. PDGFR-α inhibitors have not been studied as adjunctive treatment options in the management of HNSCC and may prove to be an important driver of the malignant phenotype in this setting.
Finding the Winner of a Hypothesis Test via Sample Allocation Optimization

Abstract This paper studies the optimal adaptive sample allocation for finding the best among a finite set of options with the highest statistical guarantees and in the quickest time. With the growth in the number of experiments that companies run, the existence of an optimal allocation algorithm that reduces the required experimentation time (and hence the cost) while providing statistical confidence in the result is crucial. Old frequentist hypothesis testing methods are primary methods for addressing this problem and they provide statistical guarantees for the decision. These algorithms work poorly when the number of options are large, which unfortunately is the case in many practical applications. Multi-armed bandit methods are adaptive allocation rules designed for maximizing a predefined reward function that depends on the allocation during the experiment. Although bandit algorithms are shown to be optimal for the reward maximization, they cannot provide statistical confidence for the decision they make. Best-arm identification algorithms are adaptive exploratory allocation rules that achieve a compelling performance in finding the winner but they also fail to provide statistical guarantees. In this paper, we introduce OptoAllocate Confidence Interval (OACI), an adaptive allocation rule that assigns samples among options such that the confidence interval of the winning option has the largest separation from all other options’ confidence intervals. Simulations show that in many scenarios, OACI finds the winner of the test with a higher accuracy and with a better statistical guarantees than the variants of hypothesis testing, multi-armed bandit, or best-arm identification algorithms.
Relationship Among Koenig Depression Scale and Postoperative Outcomes, Ambulation, and Perception of Pain in Elderly Patients (≥65 Years) Undergoing Elective Spinal Surgery for Adult Scoliosis.

Background The aim of this study was to assess whether the Koenig Depression Scale (KDS) can identify depressed elderly patients undergoing elective spine surgery for deformity at risk for inferior postoperative outcomes including complication rates, ambulation ability, and patient-reported outcomes. Methods The medical records of 92 elderly patients (≥65 years) undergoing a planned elective spinal surgery for correction of adult degenerative scoliosis were reviewed for this study. Preoperative baseline depression was assessed using the validated KDS that was administered by a board-certified geriatrician. KDS is made up of 11 questions with a maximum of 11 points (No-Depression = KDS Results Of the 92 patients, 20 of them (21.7%) were found to have a KDS ≥4. Baseline demographics and comorbidities were similar between both cohorts. Intraoperative variables and complications were similar between both cohorts. There were no significant differences in postoperative complications including length of hospital stay. There was no significant difference in ambulation abilities including preoperative gait speed (P = 0.38), days from operation to ambulation (P = 0.86), steps on first day of ambulation (P = 0.57), and steps before hospital discharge (P = 0.35). There was no significant difference between the cohorts in VAS scores at baseline (P = 0.19), 6 weeks (P = 0.91), 3 months (P = 0.58), and 6 months (P = 0.97) after hospital discharge. Conclusions Our study found no difference in complication rates, ambulation abilities, and follow-up VAS scores between patients with and without depression using preoperative KDS.
Jia Pingwa, the Concept of Ren 仁, and the Reading of Fiction

This article examines Jia Pingwa as a novelist of humanitas, a writer exploring the notion of ren 仁. His characters may not be distinguished or renowned, not 大名頭的人, but they are 大人, people who are ...
An innovative RSA scheme in multi-domain heterogeneous software

Optical Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) networks based on fixed grid technology have exposed some questions, including wasting of bandwidth resources in multi-domain heterogeneous networks. Flexible grid technologies can provide end-to-end optical path according to the client flexibly and effectively. However, it is unpractical to deploy a one-time green-field flexible grid technologies subjected to some practical purposes, such as the existing and well developed fixed grid optical networks need to be preserved. For both of transmission technologies, the problems of Physical Layer Impairments (PLIs) and energy consumption are two categories that are not to be sneezed at. In this paper, we propose an effective hierarchical control scheme to effectively utilizing resource of multi-domain heterogeneous network, then we emphatically design Routing and Spectrum Assignment (RSA) algorithm bundle. The simulation results verified the effectiveness of idea that the proposed algorithm bundle can ensure network Quality-of-Service (QoS) by reducing overall network blocking probability and energy consumption.
β equilibrium in neutron-star mergers

We show that the commonly used criterion for $\ensuremath{\beta}$ equilibrium in neutrino-transparent dense nuclear matter becomes invalid as temperatures rise above 1 MeV. Such temperatures are attained in neutron-star mergers. By numerically computing the relevant weak-interaction rates we find that the correct criterion for $\ensuremath{\beta}$ equilibrium requires an isospin chemical potential that can be as large as 10--20 MeV, depending on the temperature at which neutrinos become trapped.
The APEX Approaches: A Unified LRR-RK Network Revealed

Leucine-rich repeat receptor kinases (LRR-RKs) represent a large and functionally diverse family of transmembrane proteins critical for signal recognition and transduction at the plant cell plasma membrane. Here, we discuss a recent report which used a systems-level approach to validate key paradigms by constructing an LRR-RK interaction network model.
Salutary effects of two verapamil analogs in traumatic shock

We studied the effects of two verapamil analogs, anipamil and ronipamil, in traumatic shock. Noble-Collip drum trauma produced a shock state characterized by an eight-fold increase in plasma cathepsin D activity, a 13-fold increase in the rate of plasma myocardial depressant factor (MDF) accumulation, and a survival time of 1.9 ± 0.1 hours. Neither verapamil analog had any significant effect on attenuating the shock-induced rise in plasma cathepsin D activity. However, both anipamil and ronipamil (p < 0.01) significantly blunted the rate of MDF accumulation in the plasma. In addition, these agents significantly inhibited proteolysis in vitro. Both analogs significantly prolonged survival time to 3.1 ± 0.6 h at 0.25 mg/kg (p < 0.05) and to 4.4 ± 0.3 h at 1.0 mg/kg (p < 0.001). Anipamil appears to provide a more potent protection in this shock model; however, both verapamil derivatives possess promising anti-shock potential.
Clinically Relevant Herb-Micronutrient Interactions: When Botanicals, Minerals, and Vitamins Collide

The ability of certain foods to impair or augment the absorption of various vitamins and minerals has been recognized for many years. However, the contribution of botanical dietary supplements (BDSs) to altered micronutrient disposition has received little attention. Almost half of the US population uses some type of dietary supplement on a regular basis, with vitamin and mineral supplements constituting the majority of these products. BDS usage has also risen considerably over the last 2 decades, and a number of clinically relevant herb-drug interactions have been identified during this time. BDSs are formulated as concentrated plant extracts containing a plethora of unique phytochemicals not commonly found in the normal diet. Many of these uncommon phytochemicals can modulate various xenobiotic enzymes and transporters present in both the intestine and liver. Therefore, it is likely that the mechanisms underlying many herb-drug interactions can also affect micronutrient absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. To date, very few prospective studies have attempted to characterize the prevalence and clinical relevance of herb-micronutrient interactions. Current research indicates that certain BDSs can reduce iron, folate, and ascorbate absorption, and others contribute to heavy metal intoxication. Researchers in the field of nutrition may not appreciate many of the idiosyncrasies of BDSs regarding product quality and dosage form performance. Failure to account for these eccentricities can adversely affect the outcome and interpretation of any prospective herb-micronutrient interaction study. This review highlights several clinically relevant herb-micronutrient interactions and describes several common pitfalls that often beset clinical research with BDSs.
Masquelet Technique: Effects of Spacer Material and Micro-topography on Factor Expression and Bone Regeneration.

We and others have shown that changing surface characteristics of the spacer implanted during the first Masquelet stage alters some aspects of membrane development. Previously we demonstrated that titanium (TI) spacers create membranes that are better barriers to movement of solutes > 70 kDa in size than polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) induced-membranes, and roughening creates more mechanically compliant membranes. However, it is unclear if these alterations affect the membrane’s biochemical environment or bone regeneration during the second stage. Ten-week-old, male Sprague–Dawley rats underwent an initial surgery to create an externally stabilized 6 mm femoral defect. PMMA or TI spacers with smooth (~ 1 μm) or roughened (~ 8 μm) surfaces were implanted. Four weeks later, rats were either euthanized for membrane harvest or underwent the second Masquelet surgery. TI spacers induced thicker membranes that were similar in structure and biochemical expression. All membranes were bilayered with the inner layer having increased factor expression [bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ), interleukin 6 (IL6), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)]. Roughening increased overall IL6 levels. Ten-weeks post-engraftment, PMMA-smooth induced membranes better supported bone regeneration (60% union). The other groups only had 1 or 2 that united (9–22%). There were no significant differences in any micro computed tomography or dynamic histology outcome. In conclusion, this study suggests that the membrane’s important function in the Masquelet technique is not simply as a barrier. There is likely a critical biochemical, cellular, or vascular component as well.
Willingness to Pay to Use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and More: A National Survey

There has been a great deal of discussion of the welfare effects of digital goods, including social media. The discussion bears on both private practice and potential regulation. A national survey, designed to monetize the benefits of a variety of social media platforms (including Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Instagram), found a massive disparity between willingness to pay and willingness to accept. The sheer magnitude of this disparity – a “superendowment effect” – suggests that in the context of the willingness to pay question, people are giving protest answers, signaling their intense opposition to being asked to pay for something that they had formerly enjoyed for free. Their answers are expressive, rather than reflective of actual welfare effects. There is also a question whether the willingness to accept measure tells us much about the actual effects of social media on people’s lives and experiences. It may greatly overstate those effects. In this context, there may well be a sharp disparity between conventional economic measures and actual effects on experienced well-being.
Crime, Inequality and Power

Crime, Inequality and Power challenges the dominant definitions of crime and the criminal through its uniquely comparative approach. In this book Eileen Leonard analyzes multiple forms of criminal behavior in the United States, including violence, sexual assault, theft, and drug law violations, whilst also asking readers to consider the parallels between crimes that are rarely thought comparable. Leonard’s juxtaposition of familiar street crimes, such as car theft, alongside large-scale corporate theft, vividly exposes profound inequalities in the way crime is defined, and the treatment it receives within the criminal justice system. Leonard’s analysis also reveals the underlying inequalities of race, class, and gender which enable the perpetuation of such crimes, as well as calling into question the reality of fundamental American ideals of fairness and equal justice. Moreover, the book questions whether current policies that punish street crime excessively while minimizing the crimes of the powerful, fail to keep the public safe. A broader consideration of crime, and the inequalities that underlie it, offers a fresh opportunity to rethink public policies and enduring issues of crime and criminal justice. Challenging the many persistent inequalities in the perception of and response to crime, this critique of American crime and punishment will be of interest to undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as scholars, in the fields of criminology, sociology and law.
MicroRNAs and Regeneration in Animal Models of CNS Disorders

microRNAs (miRNAs) are recently identified small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression and significantly influence the essential cellular processes associated with CNS repair after trauma and neuropathological conditions including stroke and neurodegenerative disorders. A number of specific miRNAs are implicated in regulating the development and propagation of CNS injury, as well as its subsequent regeneration. The review focuses on the functions of the miRNAs and their role in brain recovery following CNS damage. The article introduces a brief description of miRNA biogenesis and mechanisms of miRNA-induced gene suppression, followed by an overview of miRNAs involved in the processes associated with CNS repair, including neuroprotection, neuronal plasticity and axonal regeneration, vascular reorganization, neuroinflammation, and endogenous stem cell activation. Specific emphasis is placed on the role of multifunctional miRNA miR-155, as it appears to be involved in multiple neurorestorative processes during different CNS pathologies. In association with our own studies on miR-155, I introduce a new and unexplored approach to cerebral regeneration: regulation of brain tissue repair through a direct modulation of specific miRNA activity. The review concludes with discussion on the challenges and the future potential of miRNA-based therapeutic approaches to CNS repair.
An analysis of maximum body size and designation of size categories for notothenioid fishes

There has been no comprehensive study of body size in notothenioid fishes. Therefore I evaluated maximum total length (TL) as an axis of the evolutionary radiation. Lengths are provided for 141 species that collectively range in maximum adult size from 5.7 cm (Harpagifer nybelini) to 225 cm (Dissostichus eleginoides), a 39-fold difference. For the 138 species analyzed, the mean length is 33.5 cm and the median is 26.6 cm. Based on 10 cm-bins, notothenioids are apportioned into small ( 200 cm) size categories. The 20–29 cm bin contains the most species (32%). Most species (71%) are of medium size, 21% of species are medium-large, and 7% and ≈ 1% are small and large, respectively. The median lengths vary among the five cryonotothenioid families as well as among eight clades (genera and families). Among families, median and mean lengths are smallest in the Harpagiferidae and largest in Channichthyidae. Among clades, Harpagifer has the smallest median length (8.3 cm) followed by Artedidraco (12.5 cm). Several middle-sized clades do not differ in median size: Patagonotothen, Trematomus, Pogonophryne, and Bathydraconidae. Two clades of medium-large size species, Notothenia and Channichthyidae, are of similar size. A significant but weak positive relationship exists between maximum length and maximum depth. With the exception of miniature species ( ≤ 1 cm), the 126 species of cryonotothenioids (the Antarctic clade) encompass the range in size categories in actinopterygians in general, and the disparity in maximum lengths among individual species indicates that body size is an axis of the radiation. I discuss the size of notothenioids relative to other teleosts, the ecological implications of large species in the food web, and the similarity of the cryonotothenioid axes of diversification to those of Lake Baikal sculpins.
Androgen-induced neural plasticity and the regulation of electric-social behavior in the brown ghost knifefish: current status and future directions

The weakly electric brown ghost knifefish (Apteronotus leptorhynchus) modulates its electric organ discharge to produce intraspecific communication signals called “chirps”. Although males and females are known to produce chirps during courtship and spawning, they show clear sex differences in their propensity to chirp in response to artificial electrosensory stimuli; males consistently chirp, whereas females generally do not. This species also shows prominent sex differences in substance P-like immunoreactivity (SPl-ir) in brain. Males, but not females, have intense SPl-ir in a number of forebrain regions known to control reproductive functions, including the prepacemaker nucleus (PPn), the command center for chirping behavior. However, androgen treatment enhances both chirping behavior and brain SPl-ir in females. In addition, chirps produced by androgen-treated females are similar to those reported to occur during spawning. The results suggest that steroid-induced neural plasticity of SPl input to the PPn may play an important role in modulating female chirping activity. However, potential problems with this interpretation are discussed.
Effects of the peer metagenomic environment on smoking behavior

Recent scholarship suggests that the genomes of those around us affect our own phenotypes. Much of the empirical evidence for such "metagenomic" effects comes from animal studies, where the socio-genetic environment can be easily manipulated. Among humans, it is more difficult to identify such effects given the nonrandom distribution of genes and environments. Here we leverage the as-if-random distribution of grade-mates' genomes conditional on school-level variation in a nationally representative sample. Specifically, we evaluate whether one's peers' genetic propensity to smoke affects one's own smoking behavior net of one's own genotype. Results show that peer genetic propensity to smoke has a substantial effect on an individual's smoking outcome. This is true not only when the peer group includes direct friends, and therefore where the individual plays an active role in shaping the metagenomic context but also when the peer group includes all grade-mates and thus in cases where the individual does not select the metagenomic environment. We explore these effects further and show that a small minority with high genetic risk to smoke ('bad apples') can greatly affect the smoking behavior of an entire grade. The methodology used in this paper offers a potential solution to many of the challenges inherent in estimating peer effects in nonexperimental settings and can be utilized to study a wide range of outcomes with a genetic basis. On a policy level, our results suggest that efforts to reduce adolescent smoking should take into account metagenomic effects, especially bad apples, within social networks.
Trocando ideias musicais: a sociabilidade da circulação na música carioca independente nos anos 1990

Este artigo descreve a formacao de uma escuta local que emergiu no Rio de Janeiro nos anos 1990 entre participantes da musica indie a partir do fazer musical, que englobava a producao e a circulacao de midias atraves das quais o indie adquiriu sentido social. Podemos chamar de sociabilidade da circulacao o modo pelo qual formas materiais especificas, como revistas e fitas cassete, impactam os tipos de pratica social que tanto facilitam a troca de materiais musicais quanto emergem dessa troca. O artigo liga as midias da musica a interacao social e, atraves dela, a formacao de uma escuta local. Argumenta-se que o som em si participa da formacao de sociabilidades e de abordagens as midias e, portanto, tem um papel na construcao do significado e do valor da musica ao longo do tempo.
Computerized Classification of Prostate Cancer Gleason Scores from Whole Slide Images

Histological Gleason grading of tumor patterns is one of the most powerful prognostic predictors in prostate cancer. However, manual analysis and grading performed by pathologists are typically subjective and time-consuming. In this paper, we present an automatic technique for Gleason grading of prostate cancer from H&E stained whole slide pathology images using a set of novel completed and statistical local binary pattern (CSLBP) descriptors. First, the technique divides the whole slide image (WSI) into a set of small image tiles, where salient tumor tiles with high nuclei densities are selected for analysis. The CSLBP texture features that encode pixel intensity variations from circularly surrounding neighborhoods are extracted from salient image tiles to characterize different Gleason patterns. Finally, the CSLBP texture features computed from all tiles are integrated and utilized by the multi-class support vector machine (SVM) that assigns patient slides with different Gleason scores such as 6, 7, or $\geq$ ≥ 8. Experiments have been performed on 312 different patient cases selected from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) and have achieved superior performances over state-of-the-art texture descriptors and baseline methods including deep learning models for prostate cancer Gleason grading.
Hyper-articulation effects in Korean glides by heritage language learners:

Aims and objectives:Hyper-articulation effects in glide sounds and heritage production are unexplored areas. Thus, this study examines how the Korean glide /we/ is phonetically implemented in hyper...
Timing of Prenatal Care Initiation in the Health Resources and Services Administration Health Center Program in 2017.

BACKGROUND Early prenatal care is vital for improving maternal health outcomes and health behaviors, but medically vulnerable and underserved populations are less likely to begin prenatal care in the first trimester. In 2017, the Health Center Program provided safety-net care to more than 27 million persons, including 573 026 prenatal patients, at approximately 12 000 sites across the United States and U.S. jurisdictions. As part of a mandatory reporting requirement, health centers tracked whether patients initiated prenatal care in their first trimester of pregnancy. OBJECTIVE To identify health center characteristics associated with the initiation of prenatal care in the first trimester, as well as actionable steps policymakers, providers, and health centers can take to promote early initiation of prenatal care. DESIGN Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the 2017 Uniform Data System. SETTING The United States and 8 U.S. jurisdictions. PARTICIPANTS Health center grantees with prenatal patients (n = 1281). MEASUREMENTS Multinomial logistic regression (adjusted for state or jurisdiction clustering) was used to identify health center characteristics associated with achievement of the Healthy People 2020 baseline (77.1%) and target (84.8%) for women receiving prenatal care in the first trimester (Maternal, Infant, and Child Health Objective 10.1). RESULTS Overall, 57.4% of health centers met the Healthy People 2020 baseline (mean, 78%; median, 81%), and 37.9% met the Healthy People 2020 target. Several characteristics were positively associated with meeting the baseline (larger proportion of prenatal patients aged 20 to 24 years) and target (more total patients, prenatal care by referral only, a larger proportion of prenatal patients aged 25 to 44 or ≥45 years, and a larger proportion of White or privately insured patients). Other characteristics were negatively associated with the baseline (location outside New England, location in a rural area, and a large proportion of prenatal patients aged <15 years) and target (more prenatal patients, location outside New England, provision of prenatal care to women living with HIV, and more uninsured patients or patients eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid). LIMITATION The data set is at the health center grantee level and does not contain information on timing or quality of follow-up prenatal care. CONCLUSION Most health centers met the Healthy People 2020 baseline, but opportunities for improvement remain and the Healthy People 2020 target is still a challenge for many health centers. Policymakers, providers, and health centers can learn from high-achieving centers to promote early initiation of prenatal care among medically vulnerable and underserved populations. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE Health Resources and Services Administration.
Inpatient palliative care utilization for patients with brain metastases.

Introduction Given the high symptom burden and complex clinical decision making associated with a diagnosis of brain metastases (BM), specialty palliative care (PC) can meaningfully improve patient quality of life. However, no prior study has formally evaluated patient-specific factors associated with PC consultation among BM patients. Methods We examined the rates of PC consults in a cohort of 1303 patients with BM admitted to three tertiary medical centers from October 2015 to December 2018. Patient demographics, surgical status, 30-day readmission, and death data were collected via retrospective chart review. PC utilization was assessed by identifying encounters for which an inpatient consult to PC was placed. Statistical analyses were performed to compare characteristics and outcomes between patients who did and did not receive PC consults. Results We analyzed 1303 patients admitted to the hospital with BM. The average overall rate of inpatient PC consultation was 19.6%. Rates of PC utilization differed significantly by patient race (17.5% in White/Caucasian vs 26.0% in Black/African American patients, P = .0014). Patients who received surgery during their admission had significantly lower rates of PC consultation (3.9% vs 22.4%, P < .0001). Patients who either died during their admission or were discharged to hospice had significantly higher rates of PC than those who were discharged home or to rehabilitation (P < .0001). Conclusions In our dataset, PC consultation rates varied by patient demographic, surgical status, discharging service, and practice setting. Further work is needed to identify the specific barriers to optimally utilizing specialty PC in this population.
Decentralized Stackelberg strategies for interconnected stochastic dynamic systems

Abstract A two-level sequential decision formulation for the control of interconnected stochastic linear discrete-time systems is investigated. An interconnection of several systems is considered, whereby each subsystem has a decision maker and an associated quadratic cost function. One of the decision makers is designated as leader or coordinator and his control strategies are to be chosen prior to those of the others. The information available to each decision maker may be different from those of the others. The second level decision makers are regarded as followers in the context of Stackelberg strategies. Their strategies are in accordance with the Nash equilibrium concept except that the coordinator’s strategy is known to all of them. The coordinator chooses his strategy under the assumption that the followers will fully exploit the prior announcement of his strategy. Recursive equations for determining the control laws for each subsystem are derived for various types of information structures. Centralized information is considered first. Finally feedback Stackelberg strategies are derived for the more realistic but more complicated situation where the subsystem control laws are based only on local subsystem measurements.
Prevalence of the sickle cell trait in adults of Charleston Charleston County, SC. An epidemiological study.

A survey of Negro residents of Charleston County, SC, in 1960 to 1964 revealed a high prevalence of the sickle cell trait at 14.6%. The prevalence did not differ between the sexes, nor did it vary significantly with age groups, (ages 35 to 74). Thus, there is no suggestion based on these cross-sectional data of selective mortality in adults associated with possession of the sickle cell trait. The prevalence of the sickle cell trait was significantly higher in the occupational groups of lowest socioeconomic status. Among individuals of low socioeconomic status, the prevalence was higher in residents of rural areas of Charleston County. Probable explanations for these findings include selective malarial mortality in childhood, cultural, and physical isolation, assortative mating, and endogamy.
Cytochrome P450 arachidonic acid epoxygenase: stereochemical characterization of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the cytochrome P450 arachidonic acid epoxygenase. The epoxygenase regio- and stereoselectivity of oxygenation is under the control of the cytochrome P450 protein catalyst. The potential functional significance of this metabolic pathway has been highlighted by (a) the potent biological activities of the epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), and (b) the demonstration of a role for the hemoprotein in the in vivo metabolism of endogenous arachidonic acid. The enantioselective nature of the endogenous EET pools present in rat liver and human kidney established the epoxygenase as an additional member of the “arachidonate metabolic cascade.” This chapter discusses the methodology developed in laboratories for the regio- and stereochemical characterization of the cytochrome P450 epoxygenase metabolites generated in vitro by enzymatic incubations or present in vivo in extracts isolated from whole organs.
Growth and Differentiation of Isolated Calvarium Cells in a Serum-Free Medium

Publisher Summary This chapter investigates the growth and differentiation of isolated calvarium cells in a serum-free medium. Calvarium cells were dispersed from the frontal and parietal bones of 19- to 21-day-old rat fetuses by incubation in crude collagenase. Adherent periosteal connective tissue was carefully removed prior to enzymatic digestion. Cell proliferation was monitored by hemocytometer counts of the number of cells released during a brief exposure to trypsin, by the incorporation of [ 3 H] thymidine into DNA and by chemical determination of DNA content per cell layer. The results showed that the plating efficiency, determined at the time of the first medium replacement, was 34%. Seventy-five percent of the unattached cells excluded trypan blue, suggesting that many viable cells failed to attach. A sequential examination of the cultures revealed unequivocal evidence for proliferation during the first 9 days as evidenced by a 3-fold increase in cell number and DNA content per culture. The incorporation of [ 3 H] thymidine per culture rose progressively to a maximum of 42,160 ± 2,232 dpm/culture on day 7 and then gradually declined.
Peers as Facilitators of Medication Adherence Interventions: A Review.

Background: Difficulty taking essential medications as prescribed is a prevalent problem among people living with chronic diseases. Numerous interventions to enhance medication adherence have been developed; the majority facilitated by health care professionals. Objective: This review examined medication adherence interventions delivered by peers (ie, lay individuals living with the same chronic disease) and reports what is known about the impact of peer-facilitated interventions. Data Sources: PubMed, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Google, and PsychInfo, and ancestry searches. Study Selection: Solely peers delivered the intervention and follow-up occurred for at least 24 weeks postintervention. Electronic databases were searched from their start date to December 31, 2014. Results: Eleven studies were located that reported 10 different interventions focused on 6 chronic disease conditions. Most interventions were delivered in clinical settings and grounded in a theoretical framework. Formats were evenly split be...
Recurrent and Persistent Melanoma

The term recurrent melanoma has been much abused, used in some studies for melanomas that returned after their visible portion had been excised, but with positive margins (regrowth of a primary lesion), and for both local and distant metastasis (Ackerman). We will use the term persistent melanoma interchangeable with recurrence at a scar, due to incomplete removal. Another scenario is local metastasis, appearing in and around the scar from a complete excision, an event with a less favorable prognosis. These forms of melanoma must be distinguished from recurrent (persistent) nevus, which on occasion is histologically very similar.