cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Hispanic paradox: does it exist in the injured?

Abstract Background Hispanics have similar or lower all-cause mortality rates in the general population than non-Hispanic whites (NHWs), despite higher risks associated with lower socioeconomic status, hence termed the “Hispanic Paradox.” It is unknown if this paradox exists in the injured. We hypothesized that Hispanic trauma patients have equivalent or lower risk-adjusted mortality and observed-to-expected mortality ratios than other racial/ethnic groups. Methods Retrospective analysis of adult patients from the 2010 National Trauma Data Bank was performed. Hispanic patients were compared with NHWs and African Americans (AAs) to assess in-hospital mortality risk in each group. Results Compared with NHWs, Hispanic patients had lower unadjusted risk of mortality. After adjusting for potential confounders, the difference was no longer statistically significant. Mortality risk was significantly lower for Hispanic patients compared with AAs in both crude and adjusted models. Hispanic patients had significantly lower observed-to-expected mortality ratios than NHWs and AAs. Conclusion Despite reports of racial/ethnic disparities in trauma outcomes, Hispanic patients are not at greater risk of death than NHW patients in a nationwide representative sample of trauma patients.
Picea glauca pollen from late glacial deposits in central texas

Abstract Fossil Picea pollen recovered from the Boriack Bog in central Texas are from layers radiocarbon dated as being older than 15,000 years in age. In an effort to identify the species of fossil spruce present, a comparison between modern Picea species and the fossil Picea grains was conducted with aid of a scanning electron microscope. Those studies revealed the closest correspondence between the fossil Picea pollen and modern pollen of Picea glauca. The presence of Picea glauca in the regional vegetation near the bog is further supported by macrofossil evidence from late‐glacial localities in Louisiana. These new data enable a reevaluation of the proposed east‐central Texas late‐glacial vegetation and a comparison with similar late‐glacial flora in the southeastern United States.
A High Throughput Load Balance Algorithm for Multichannel Wireless Sensor Networks

Achieving efficient bandwidth utilization in multi-channel sensor networks is a challenging research problem. In this paper, we present a cognitive load balance algorithm for single-hop multi-channel sensor networks. Based on the load distribution of all base stations, our algorithm dynamically alternates the communication channels. As a result, the extra load from over-loaded channels is directed to under-loaded channels with a computed switch probability. In this paper, we also prove that a high throughput can be achieved if the load is balanced. The performance of the load balance algorithm is evaluated through both theoretical analysis and simulation study.
Design of a low profile end-fire antenna using split-ring resonators

We have designed a conformal end-fire antenna, where the dipole antenna is placed close to the ground plane. A 5times5 SRR array has been designed to provide the high impedance shielding from the ground plane. The SRR array utilizes the principle of resonance to provide a high impedance ground plane. It has been observed that as one brings the SRR array closer to the ground plane and the wire dipole is brought closer to the SRR array, one can obtain considerable gain, even more than the gain of the dipole antenna in free space.
Deformation and secondary faulting associated with basement-involved compressional and extensional structures

Experimental clay modeling is used to study the geometry and evolution of deformation zones formed above basement faults. The nature of deformation is compared for reverse faults dipping 30, 45, and 60, vertical faults, and normal faults dipping 60 and 75. Basement faulting results in the formation of a sheared triangular deformation zone that widens upward in the cover units. Most of the deformation is focused within a central zone of secondary faults, which propagate upward and eventually break through the entire section. Basal units exhibit steeper dips and higher fault densities, whereas stratigraphically higher units exhibit gentler dips and lower fault densities. The width of the deformation zone is generally greater for reverse faults with low dips. The anticlinal axial surface typically dips in the same direction as the synclinal axial surface for low- to moderate-angle reverse faults; however, the axial surfaces dip in opposite directions for vertical faults and normal faults. Particle paths suggest a convex upward rotation within the deformation zone, suggesting transfer of material across the extension of the master fault. Reverse faults are associated with secondary faults with reverse and thrust separations. Vertical faults are associated with mostly vertical and reverse secondary faults, whereas normal faults are generally associated with normal separation of most secondary faults. Therefore, the nature of secondary faults varies with structural position, possibly within the same layer. These results provide some key insights that are useful in the interpretation of macroscopic surface and subsurface basement–involved structures.
A 10b 600MS/s multi-mode CMOS DAC for multiple Nyquist zone operation

A 10b 600MS/s current-steering DAC, implemented in a 65nm CMOS process, realizes direct waveform synthesis for TV band cognitive radio applications. A multi-mode reconstruction technique enables the DAC to utilize the image spectrum in higher Nyquist zones for wideband direct synthesis. The measured SFDR is better than 55dB across the first three Nyquist zones at 600MS/s with 30mW of power dissipation.
Targeted muscle reinnervation for improved myoelectric prosthesis control

A novel method for the control of myoelectric upper limb prostheses has been developed. By transferring the residual nerves of amputees to spare muscles in or near the residual limb, additional myoelectric control signals are made that allow the simultaneous control of multiple degrees-of-freedom in the prostheses. Since the nerve function correlates physiologically to the function it is controlling in the prosthesis, operation is more natural and thus easier than current control paradigms. The procedure has been successfully employed in two amputees. A patient with traumatic bilateral shoulder disarticulation amputations had four brachial plexus nerves transferred onto denervated pectoralis muscle segments. Four independent new myosites were created that allowed for simultaneous control of two degrees-of-freedom with shoulder movement still available for a third degree-of-freedom. Objective testing showed a doubling of blocks moved with a box and blocks test and a 26% increase in speed with a clothes pin moving test. Furthermore, the skin of the anterior chest was reinnervated with sensory fibers from the patient's hand and arm. A second patient with a long transhumeral amputation had his median nerve transferred on to a denervated medial biceps and his distal radial nerve transferred on to his brachialis muscle. Both nerves successfully reinnervated the respective muscles. This patient was then also able to simultaneously use myoelectric control for a powered elbow and hand, and simultaneously controlled wrist rotation with shoulder motion for a total of three degrees-of-freedom. Objective testing showed over a three-fold improvement of speed with the block and box test and significant improvement with AMPS testing. Skin sensory reinnervation did not occur. These patients demonstrate the potential for targeted muscle reinnervation to improve the function of powered artificial limbs and possibly provide unique and valuable sensory feedback to the amputee
The synaptic organization of the neocortex in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by a progressive deterioration of cognitive functions. Recent studies have shown that, in addition to the classically described lesions (plaques and tangles) found in AD, this neurodegenerative disorder is characterized by neuronal and synaptic loss and by synapto-axonal pathology. Stepwise regression analysis has shown that the major correlate of cognitive deficiency is the synapse loss in the prefrontal cortex, contributing about 70% of the strength of the correlation with global psychometric tests. We review evidence that supports the theory that most of the synaptic loss in the neocortex is derived from loss of cortico-cortical associational input into the modules. This hypothesis also predicts that neuritic plaque formation in the neocortical modules could represent an aberrant sprouting reaction of associational fibers responding to abnormal growth stimuli or to local damage. On these bases, it is also proposed that the cellular substrate of AD pathology is synapto-axonal, while in certain other forms of dementia such as Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD) and HIV encephalitis (HIVE) it is primarily dendritic.
Atrial-Level Switch Operation: Lessons Old and New.

The atrial level switch operation was a breakthrough in treatment of individuals with D- transposition of the great arteries (D-TGA). The Senning and Mustard procedures were widely performed in the 1970s and into the 1980s, they relieved cyanosis and established an in-series circulation. It could be argued that the Mustard/Senning procedures heralded the era of radical correction of complex congenital heart disease. In this issue of Circulation , Vejlstrup and colleagues summarize the entire experience with atrial level correction of D-TGA in Sweden and Denmark1. The story is remarkable from an historic perspective and provides a window into the early years of congenital heart surgery but there are also important lessons for the current era not just related to transposition corrected with a Mustard/Senning procedure but also regarding congenital heart surgery in general. From this experience we can learn from the lessons of; access to care; transparency as well as the limits of physiologic correction of transposition of the great vessels and the systemic right ventricles.
Contribution of Superficial Layer Neurons to Premotor Bursts in the Superior Colliculus

In vitro whole-cell patch-clamp methods were used to examine the contribution of one component of intracollicular circuitry, the superficial gray layer, to the generation of bursts of action potentials that occur in the intermediate layer and that command head and eye movements in vivo. Applying a single brief (0.5 ms) pulse of current to the superficial layer of rat collicular slices evoked prolonged bursts of excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in the cells of the intermediate layer. The EPSCs were sufficient to elicit bursts of action potentials that lasted as long as 300 ms and resembled presaccadic command bursts. To examine the contribution of neurons within the superficial layer to the production of these bursts, we determined how superficial neurons respond to the same current pulses that evoke bursts in the intermediate layer. Recordings from 61 superficial layer cells revealed 19 neurons that produced multiple action potentials following stimulation. Nine of these 19 neurons were wide- and narrow-field vertical cells, which are known to project to the intermediate layer and could contribute to producing the EPSC bursts. The remaining cells (n = 42) did not generate trains of action potentials and 21 of these showed only subthreshold potential changes in response to the stimulus. Our results indicate that most superficial cells do not directly contribute to production of the EPSC bursts, but a small number do have the properties necessary to provide a prolonged excitatory drive to the premotor neurons.
Socioeconomic status discrimination is associated with poor sleep in African-Americans, but not Whites.

Rationale Research on self-reported experiences of discrimination and health has grown in recent decades, but has largely focused on racial discrimination or overall mistreatment. Less is known about reports of discrimination on the basis of socioeconomic status (SES), despite the fact that SES is one of the most powerful social determinants of health.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Combinatorially Prepared Thin Film Aluminum-Silicon Nanocomposites

e have undertaken the exploration of the AlxSi1-x systems to discover new alloys with enhanced properties. We describe the mechanical properties of thin film AlxSi1-x alloys determined through indentation experiments. Combinatorial methods were used to systematically control thin film microstructure through variations in composition and growth temperature. Discrete libraries of compositionally graded films have been sputter deposited onto silicon substrates to produce two structural phase regions: amorphous Al-Si and amorphous Si plus crystalline Al. The mechanical properties of the thin films were determined by analyzing the load-displacement traces based on the Oliver-Pharr method. X-ray diffraction was used to investigate the microstructures and determine the crystallite sizes.
Some Problems of Method in the Interstate Managerial Survey

T HIS paper is the report of a committee member whose role has thus far been defined largely as that of a consultant on problems of method. It should be made clear from the outset that the range of such problems encountered in the interstate managerial study has been circumscribed by two important decisions arrived at, for the most part, prior to the participation of this writer in the work of the committtee. The decisions concern (a) the delimitation of subjects with which the study would be concerned, and (b) the selection of the sample survey as the methodology to be employed in the collection of relevant data. These remarks should not be interpreted as an indication of dissatisfaction with these decisions. Instead, they are intended to clarify a number of points. Firstly, the problems of method that have arisen in the course of the study are comparatively limited in number as a result of these early decisions, and not because our superior wisdom enabled us to anticipate and solve many problems before they caused difficulty. Secondly, this report should not create the impression that all the problems of method that may arise in the course of a study of the decision making processes of farm managers can be anticipated and resolved. Finally, this is a report on problems of method, rather than on methodologies, because the methodological problem was resolved by the early decision to use the sample survey approach. The employment of the sample survey for data collection did not, of course, prevent the occurrence of a variety of problems of method. On the contrary, it is impossible to discuss, or even to mention, all that we faced in a report of this length. Therefore, this discussion will be limited to a consideration of those problems concerning which procedural suggestions based on our experience can be offered. The execution of the typical sample survey involves a progression through a number of operations arranged in a relatively orderly time sequence. Some problems arising at three of these stages-the formulation of interview schedules to be used as instruments for the orderly collection of data, the actual collection of the data, and the systematizing of the collected data for analysis-will be the major topic of discussion.
Long-term consequences of suboptimal nutritional practices in early life: some important benefits of breast feeding.

The feeding of human milk for most of the first year of postnatal life is not only important for the future health of the infant and the mother, but also for the stability of the family and the positive or negative influence each family unit has on society.
Second-generation antipsychotics and tardive syndromes in affective illness: a public health problem with neuropsychiatric consequences.

Food and Drug Administration–approved information and public advertisements belie neurodegenerative risks for second-generation antipsychotics in affective illness. Package inserts label tardive syndromes “potentially reversible” while uniformly omitting patient counseling for long-term neurodegenerative side effects. I found that only 2 of 78 outpatients exposed to second-generation antipsychotics reported awareness of tardive syndromes. Updated literature challenges safety advantages of atypical versus typical antipsychotics. Physician and patient information regarding tardive syndromes from second-generation antipsychotics approved for affective illness is inadequate.
Endothelin in the urinary bladder. II. Characterization of endothelin receptor subtypes.

Abstract Endothelins (ET-1, ET-2, ET-3) are a family of regulatory peptides with diverse biological functions, including modulation of smooth muscle tone. To evaluate the possible role of endothelins in the control of the detrusor smooth muscle of urinary bladder, we have investigated the responses of isolated strips of bladder dome and base to endothelins, in organ chambers, and characterized the receptors for these isopeptides in bladder membranes. ET-1, ET-2 and to a lesser extent ET-3 caused sustained concentration-dependent contraction of bladder dome and base. The contraction to endothelins, unlike the short-lived contraction produced by cholinergic agents, was long lasting and difficult to wash out. Equilibrium binding studies demonstrated that endothelin isoforms bound to bladder membrane receptors specifically, with high affinity (KD of 0.4–0.6 nM) and limited capacity (60-420 fmol/mg protein). Competition analysis showed two populations of receptors: one with high affinity for ET-1 and ET-2 and low affinity for ET-3 and another with high affinity for ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3. Chemical affinity labeling of endothelins to bladder membranes demonstrated that ET-1 and ET-2 were cross-linked to three proteins (75, 52 and 34 kDa, respectively), whereas ET-3 was cross-linked mainly to a 34 kDa protein. The data obtained from equilibrium binding studies, competition analysis and cross-linking experiments suggest that at least two endothelin receptor subtypes exist in bladder tissue. These observations further suggest that bladder smooth muscle tone may be modulated by endothelin or an endothelin-like substance via interaction with specific receptor sites.
A numerical approach to stochastic optimal control via dynamic programming

Abstract This paper presents a strategy for finding optimal controls of nonlinear systems subject to random excitations. The method is capable to generate global control solutions when state and control constraints are present. The solution is global in the sense that controls for all initial conditions in a region of the state space are obtained. The approach is based on the Bellman's Principle of optimality the cumulant neglect closure method and the Short-time Gaussian approximation. Nonlinear problems with non-smooth terms and range control bounds are considered in the examples. The controlled system responses derived are simulated and sucessfully validated by using the Generalized Cell Mapping method.
Women and Worship: A Bibliography Continued:

Cet article consiste en une bibliographie qui reunit tous les titres des livres publies entre 1988 et 1993 sur le lien entre la femme et le culte liturgique. Cette bibliographie est œcumenique et reunit des ouvrages principalement de langue anglaise mais aussi allemande, italienne et francaise
An Examination of the Decision Process Leading to Energy Conservation

Increasingly, government, corporate, and independent organizations are seeking to advance the practice of energy conservation. Their efforts to promote energy-saving behavior may be seen as marketing programs to move consumers of energy from a state of being unaware of the need for conservation, through a sequence of intermediate states in a cognitive decision process, to an output stage of having selected a set of energy-saving behavior alternatives.
Structure-guided evolution of antigenically distinct adeno-associated virus variants for immune evasion

Preexisting neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) pose a major, unresolved challenge that restricts patient enrollment in gene therapy clinical trials using recombinant AAV vectors. Structural studies suggest that despite a high degree of sequence variability, antibody recognition sites or antigenic hotspots on AAVs and other related parvoviruses might be evolutionarily conserved. To test this hypothesis, we developed a structure-guided evolution approach that does not require selective pressure exerted by NAbs. This strategy yielded highly divergent antigenic footprints that do not exist in natural AAV isolates. Specifically, synthetic variants obtained by evolving murine antigenic epitopes on an AAV serotype 1 capsid template can evade NAbs without compromising titer, transduction efficiency, or tissue tropism. One lead AAV variant generated by combining multiple evolved antigenic sites effectively evades polyclonal anti-AAV1 neutralizing sera from immunized mice and rhesus macaques. Furthermore, this variant displays robust immune evasion in nonhuman primate and human serum samples at dilution factors as high as 1:5, currently mandated by several clinical trials. Our results provide evidence that antibody recognition of AAV capsids is conserved across species. This approach can be applied to any AAV strain to evade NAbs in prospective patients for human gene therapy.
SLE and Serum Complement: Causative, Concomitant or Coincidental?

Background Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an incurable autoimmune disorder with complement activation playing a key role in the pathogenesis of immune-mediated tissue injury. While quantifying complement to monitor SLE disease activity has been the standard of care since the 1950s, decreased complement levels are not consistently associated with flares. Objective We seek to clarify the SLE phenotype in which complement deficiency is causative, concomitant, or coincidental. Methods A PUBMED literature review was conducted using key words 'complement,' 'SLE,' and 'SLE flares' in English-only journals from 1972-2017. Relevant clinical studies and review articles were found that examined the measurement of complement levels in SLE, and more specifically, interpretation of low serum complement levels regardless of disease activity. Conclusion Complement activation plays a key role in the pathophysiology of SLE and it is recommended to continue monitoring serum levels of C3 and C4 to assess for disease activity. However, it is important to note that decreased serum complement is not consistently associated with disease flares.It is clinically important to find novel ways to assess disease activity in SLE. Reduced serum levels of cell-bound complement activation products may more accurately reflect disease activity than conventional serum C3 and C4 monitoring.
Combined modality radiation therapy promotes tolerogenic myeloid cell populations and STAT3-related gene expression in head and neck cancer patients

Immunomodulation contributes to the antitumor efficacy of the fractionated radiation therapy (RT). Here, we describe immune effects of RT with concurrent systemic cisplatin or cetuximab treatment of patients with stage III-IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Using longitudinally collected blood samples, we identified significant changes in cytokines/chemokines and immune cell populations compared to immune-related gene expression profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The 7-week combinatorial RT resulted in gradual elevation of proinflammatory mediators (IFNγ, IL-6, TNFɑ, CCL2), while levels of IL-12, cytokine essential for antitumor immune responses, were decreased. These effects correlated with progressive accumulation of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSC) with detectable activity of STAT3 and PD-L1 expression, underscoring tolerogenic effects of MDSCs. Correspondingly, gene expression analysis of PBMCs harvested after two weeks of combinatorial RT, found upregulation of several immunosuppressive mediators. These included IL6, IL6R, STAT3 and PDL1, which could represent IL-6/STAT3-driven tolerogenic signaling, which inhibits T cell and NK activity. Overall, our results suggest that potential immunostimulatory effects of combinatorial RT in HNSCC patients are likely limited by tolerogenic STAT3 signaling and PD-L1 upregulation in myeloid immune cells. Further studies will clarify whether STAT3 targeting could augment RT efficacy and durability of antitumor responses.
The optimal sequencing of postoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy in patients with locally advanced or incompletely resected non-small cell lung cancer

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) provide specific, evidence based guidelines for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) of any stage at presentation (1).
A PRIORI LOCAL GRID REFINEMENT IN THE MULTIGRID METHOD

Publisher Summary This chapter explains the possibility of a priori local grid refinement in the multigrid method for the single group neutron diffusion equation. The multigrid local grid refinement one use is the composite grid approach. In this approach, only the coarsest grid, G-1, needs to cover all of Ω. The comparison between the local grid methods versus the uniform grid method is rather good, and a comparison between the numbers of unknowns suggests that the local grid method should be about 8 and 20 times faster than the uniform grid method. The local grid method code runs 4 and 10 times faster than the uniform grid method code.
The Paradoxes of Violence, Moral Violence, and Nonviolence

Violence in its root sense is violation. Since it does violence to the ordinary rules, order, or appeals that keep the peace between human beings, then it may be repulsed by equally extraordinary means. Violence thereby presents itself as candidate for countering violence. And at once a paradox arises.
The diaphragm and oxidative stress

The diaphragm is the principal muscle of inspiration and is the only skeletal muscle considered essential for maintenance of normal ventilation in mammals. It is now clear that increased diaphragmatic contractile activity promotes the production of ROS. Further, experimental evidence demonstrates that in resting muscle, a basal level of ROS are essential for optimal regulation of E-C coupling. In contrast, synthesis and release of NO inhibits E-C coupling and reduces diaphragmatic force production at low stimulation frequencies.
Computing the Singular Value Decomposition on a Fat-Tree Architecture

The Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) is a matrix tool that plays a critical role in many applications; for example, in signal processing, it is often necessary to calculate the SVD in real time. We present here a new technique for computing the SVD on a parallel architecture whose processors are connected via a fat-tree. We tested our idea on the Connection Machine CM-5, and achieved efficiency up to 40% even for moderately sized matrices.
Empowering individuals with mental illness to develop healthy eating habits through mindful eating: results of a program evaluation.

Introduction: Lifestyle factors like unhealthy eating habits contribute significantly to high rates of obesity and cardiovascular disease, and premature mortality among individuals with serious men...
Ethical considerations for HIV cure-related research at the end of life.

The U.S. National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) have a new research priority: inclusion of terminally ill persons living with HIV (PLWHIV) in HIV cure-related research. For example, the Last Gift is a clinical research study at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) for PLWHIV who have a terminal illness, with a prognosis of less than 6 months. As end-of-life (EOL) HIV cure research is relatively new, the scientific community has a timely opportunity to examine the related ethical challenges. Following an extensive review of the EOL and HIV cure research ethics literature, combined with deliberation from various stakeholders (biomedical researchers, PLWHIV, bioethicists, and socio-behavioral scientists) and our experience with the Last Gift study to date, we outline considerations to ensure that such research with terminally ill PLWHIV remains ethical, focusing on five topics: 1) protecting autonomy through informed consent, 2) avoiding exploitation and fostering altruism, 3) maintaining a favorable benefits/risks balance, 4) safeguarding against vulnerability through patient-participant centeredness, and 5) ensuring the acceptance of next-of-kin/loved ones and community stakeholders. EOL HIV cure-related research can be performed ethically and effectively by anticipating key issues that may arise. While not unique to the fields of EOL or HIV cure-related research, the considerations highlighted can help us support a new research approach. We must honor the lives of PLWHIV whose involvement in research can provide the knowledge needed to achieve the dream of making HIV infection curable.
Calibrating User Bias In Sentiment Estimation From Social Media

The popularity of social media websites to share information has led to the development and application of computational algorithms to use the content on such sites to estimate the sentiment at a given time towards an entity. In particular, the micro-blogging website Twitter has been extensively used as a sensor to estimate mass sentiment. Current algorithms detect the sentiment of tweets by applying a set of rules or building a machine learning model using the content of the message to compute a score that indicates the sentiment. These scores are agnostic to inherent bias in the sentiment of each user. We propose a new approach that models the bias using the messages posted by the user and generates a normalized sentiment score. The method can be used to estimate sentiment over a given time period towards an entity such as a company or an organization. For the task of predicting sentiment towards a company, our approach matches Google Trends 55% of the time compared to 35% by the non-normalized approach.
“You have a status”: a case study of parent leadership in a U.S. school readiness initiative

This study examined an urban school readiness initiative that developed parent leadership as a key strategy for increasing the likelihood that all children enter kindergarten ready to succeed. Parent Leaders were primarily immigrant mothers who conducted outreach activities and child developmental screenings with low income, under-served, urban and immigrant families with young children. Using a rigorous case study design, this qualitative study investigated what strategies Parent Leaders used to engage families and how their leadership influenced families, neighborhoods, and the Parent Leaders themselves. The study found that Parent Leaders (1) used highly relational strategies to engage families, (2) shifted community norms about parent leadership, and (3) developed their own identities as leaders. These findings contribute to an increased understanding of how and why parent leadership matters for school readiness research, practice, and policy, particularly in immigrant and under-served communities.
The ionic liquid [C4mpy][Tf2N] induces bound-like structure in the intrinsically disordered protein FlgM

The A. aeolicus intrinsically disordered protein FlgM has four well-defined α-helices when bound to σ28, but in water FlgM undergoes a change in tertiary structure. In this work, we investigate the structure of FlgM in aqueous solutions of the ionic liquid [C4mpy][Tf2N]. We find that FlgM is induced to fold by the addition of the ionic liquid, achieving average α-helicity values similar to the bound state. Analysis of secondary structure reveals significant similarity with the bound state, but the tertiary structure is found to be more compact. Interestingly, the ionic liquid is not homogeneously dispersed in the water, but instead aggregates near the protein. Separate simulations of aqueous ionic liquid do not show ion clustering, which suggests that FlgM stabilizes ionic liquid aggregation.
A Transdisciplinary Conceptual Framework of Contextualized Resilience for Reducing Adverse Birth Outcomes

Research in preterm birth has focused on the disparate outcomes for Black, Hispanic, and Latina women as compared with White women. However, research studies have not focused on centering these women in frameworks that discuss how resilience is embodied. This article is a presentation of our transdisciplinary contextual framework of resilience, building on work that centers Black, Hispanic, and Latina women, as well as historical oppression and trauma resilience frameworks developed by transcultural psychiatry, psychology, public health, anthropology, medicine, nursing, sociology, and social work. To develop the model, we reviewed 115 articles and books (1977-2019), which were then evaluated and synthesized to develop a transdisciplinary framework of contextualized resilience to enable a better understanding of the complex interplay of medical and social conditions influencing preterm birth. The framework includes multiple ecological layers that cross the individual, familial and intimate, community, structural, policy and law, and hegemonic domains.
AMG 655, a monoclonal antibody agonist directed against Death Receptor 5, induces apoptosis in human colon carcinoma cell lines and its therapeutic potential is enhanced in combination with chemotherapeutic agents

1326 Death Receptor 5 (DR5), a member of the tumor necrosis factor family of receptors, can transduce an apoptotic signal following Tumor necrosis factor Related Apoptosis Inducing Ligand (Apo2L/TRAIL) stimulation or treatment with agonistic anti-DR5 antibodies. AMG 655 is a fully human monoclonal agonistic antibody (IgG1) directed against human DR5 and is currently in clinical development. AMG 655 can activate capsases 3/7 and induce apoptosis in the human colon carcinoma cell lines Colo 205 and HCT-15 in vitro. Both cell lines could be further sensitized to AMG 655-induced apoptosis by the addition of the chemotherapeutic agents irinotecan (CPT-11) or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Combining AMG 655 with CPT-11 or 5-FU in vitro resulted in a significant enhancement in caspase 3/7 activity relative to either agent alone. Enhanced anti-tumor activity of AMG 655 in combination with CPT-11 or 5-FU was also observed in vivo. Treatment of Colo 205 tumor-bearing SCID mice with a sub-optimal dose of AMG 655 (2.5 μg/dose x 3) in combination with CPT-11 (20 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg) significantly (p=0.02 and p=0.01, respectively) enhanced the anti-tumor effect of AMG 655 relative to AMG 655 or CPT-11 alone. Combining AMG 655 with 5-FU (20 or 40 mg/kg) resulted in enhanced anti-tumor activity and the regression of tumor xenografts for up to 47 days. Treatment of SCID mice bearing HCT-15 tumor xenografts with AMG 655 (25 μg/dose x 3) in combination with CPT-11 (20 or 80 mg/kg) or with 5-FU at 40 mg/kg significantly (p
Prajñākaramati on Śāntideva’s Case Against Anger: A Translation of Bodhicaryāvatāra-pañjikā VI.1-69

A translation of a major part of Prajnākaramati’s canonical commentary on the Perfection of Patient Endurance chapter of Śāntideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra. The introduction clarifies the importance of the commentary and explores what can be learned from it. Prajnākaramati’s comments help illuminate the meaning of the verses and provide evidence for the view that the Bodhicaryāvatāra should be understood as offering not just meditation exercises, but also rational arguments that can be evaluated as philosophy.
Field storage of water samples affects measured environmental DNA concentration and detection

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is an emerging approach for detecting species, yet numerous methodological questions remain unanswered. Here we examined how time to filtration (0–48 h after collection) and sample storage (open vs. chilled in the dark) influenced detection and measured eDNA concentration. Water samples kept in the dark and chilled had no significant decrease in detection or eDNA concentration relative to those filtered immediately upon return from the field. Water samples exposed to light and ambient air temperature had non-detections beginning at 1 h, the majority of these samples were below the limit of detection (LOD) by 6 h, and eDNA was undetectable in these samples by 24 h. These results have important implications for eDNA research where immediate access to refrigeration is not available, or for fieldwork that requires extended sampling time (e.g., canoeing a river). Further, we report faster eDNA degradation times under ambient conditions than some previous aquaria or mesocosm studies, suggesting an ongoing need to study mechanisms related to eDNA persistence and sample storage.
Cytogenetic studies of species and interspecific hybrids ofSolanum, sectionTuberarium, seriesMegistacroloba

In the seriesMegistacroloba of the genusSolanum meiosis was regular usually having 12 bivalents at diakinesis and metaphase I in five species and 13 interspecific hybrids. The one exception wasS. toralapanum in which two clones had a high frequency of univalents at diakinesis and metaphase I.
A Homogenization Technique for Obtaining Generalized Sheet-Transition Conditions for a Metafilm Embedded in a Magnetodielectric Interface

Using the multiple-scale homogenization method, we derive generalized sheet-transition conditions for electromagnetic fields at the surface of a metafilm. The scatterers that compose the metafilm are of arbitrary shape and are embedded between two different magnetodielectric media. The parameters in these boundary conditions are interpreted as effective electric and magnetic surface susceptibilities, which themselves are related to the geometry of the scatterers that constitute the metafilm.
The exploration of artificial intelligence application in fashion trend forecasting

Fashion trends today are changing much faster than ever before. Timely and reliable trend forecasting is, therefore, critical in the fashion industry. Traditional fashion forecasting requires profe...
Successful Trial of Practice Facilitation for Plan, Do, Study, Act Quality Improvement.

Background: Practice facilitation (PF) is a promising but relatively new intervention supporting data-driven practice change. There is a need to better detail research-based facilitation methods, which must balance intervention fidelity and time restrictions with the flexibility required for the intervention. As part of a multi-level 4-armed cluster randomized clinical trial (RCT), 32 rural primary care practices received PF for 1 year. We evaluated the feasibility of having facilitators guide practices to perform 4 key driver domain activities, implemented as Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, to better understand facilitation “exposure.” We describe the intervention and activity length such that our experiences may be useful to other PF research efforts. Methods: Thirty-two practices serving rural patients involved in the Southeastern Collaboration to Improvement Blood Pressure Control engaged with a facilitator to develop and implement PDSAs nested within key drivers of change domains. Numbers of months practices worked on activities deemed most likely to be sustained were captured along with practice satisfaction data. Results: All practices engaged in at least 4 domain-level activities, and 59% of the PDSAs were active for at least 3 months. There was variation by domain in the average length of the PDSA activities. Ninety-seven percent (31 of 32) of practices recommended similarly structured facilitation services to other primary care practices, and 84% (27 of 32) noted substantive changes in their care processes. Conclusion: In this trial, it was feasible for PFs to engage practices in at least 4 Key Driver quality improvement activities within 1 year, which will inform PF methods and protocol development in future trials.
Why the COLREGS Will Need to be Amended to Accommodate Unmanned Vessels

This article examines the May 2021 report by the International Maritime Organization on the outcome of the Maritime Safety Committee’s Working Group that conducted the Regulatory Scoping Exercise for the Use of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS), with particular attention on the report’s conclusions regarding MASS and the 1972 Collision Regulations (COLREGS). The article criticizes the report’s conclusions to the extent they suggest that the operation of some MASS categories can be reconciled with the existing COLREGS rules by mere rule interpretations or the use of equivalences and warns that reliance on either approach would likely dilute the rules in their application to the far more numerous manned vessels. The article concludes that the advent of MASS will require amendments to the COLREGS.
Pitfalls in Prostate Cancer Biomarker Evaluation Studies

Biomarker studies in prostate cancer research aim to discover new markers or novel uses of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) to complement or replace PSA as the existing standard for screening. These studies often report as primary endpoint the operating characteristics of the new marker and in some cases, make a direct comparison to PSA on the same subject population. Due to the widespread use of PSA for referral to more definitive prostate cancer diagnosis in the United States, it is easy to encounter pitfalls in the design and analysis of such studies, including failure to assess the incremental value of a new marker to PSA or failure to adjust for verification bias (use of PSA for disease ascertainment). This chapter covers four such commonly seen pitfalls in biomarker studies in prostate cancer screening and provides methods for avoiding or correcting the associated biases.
The Provision of Public Goods Under Islamic Law: Origins, Contributions, and Limitations of the Waqf System

The Islamic waqf appears to have emerged as a credible commitment device to give property owners economic security in return for social services. Throughout the Middle East, it long served as a major instrument for delivering public goods in a decentralized manner. In principle, the manager of a waqf had to obey the stipulations of its founder to the letter. In practice, the founder's directives were often circumvented. An unintended consequence was an erosion of the waqf system's legitimacy. In any case, legally questionable adaptations proved no substitute for the legitimate options available to corporations. As it became increasingly clear that the waqf system lacked the flexibility necessary for efficient resource utilization, governments found it ever easier to confiscate their resources. In the nineteenth century, the founding of European-inspired municipalities marked a formal repudiation of the waqf system in favor of government-coordinated systems for delivering public goods.
Tracheocarotid fistula with fatal hemorrhage following tracheotomy for poliomyelitis; a case report.

Summary A case is reported in which therewas a massive fatal hemorrhage from a rupture of the left common carotid artery into the tracheal lumen immediately below the site of the tracheotomy. The lesion was initiated by the constant erosive lateral movement of the tracheotomy tube caused by the upward thrusting of it by the tracheal carina.
Lifting the curse: Pearl Jam’s "Alive" and "Bushleaguer" and the marketplace of meanings

In tracing how Pearl Jam consciously and unconsciously create their fans by their actions, I argue that work and fandom of the band are synonymous for fans who wish to become producers in a metaphorical marketplace of fandom. I use theories of fandom to examine and explain two important (and related) phenomena: first, the relationship between fans and musicians and the creation, adoption, and promotion of a sphere in which fans themselves can becomes producers as well as consumers; and second, the backlash of fans against musicians endorsing a particular political orientation through their compositions and performances. In particular, I focus on that group of Pearl Jam fans who took issue with the band's public disapproval of George W. Bush during their 2003 tour, but whose opposition to the band's position cannot be explained by ideological differences or a belief that music and politics are spheres that should not overlap. Instead, these fans oppose a shift they perceive in the band's attitude toward a democratic exchange of meanings, an important way for Pearl Jam fans to become producers rather than just consumers. As a result, the backlash from these fans, while sparked by Pearl Jam's anti-Bush live performance of "Bushleaguer," is due more to a disjunction between the band's long-term endorsement of democratic and participatory politics and what the fans saw a shift toward counterdemocratic prescriptive politics.
Mediation Litigation Trends: 1999-2007

In the Spring of 2006 the authors published the results of their national study (Disputing Irony: A Systematic Look at Litigation About Mediation, Harvard Negotiation Law Review, Volume 11, p. 43) on the 1,223 reported judicial opinions addressing mediation issues from 1999 to 2003. In the year following publication of their initial study, the authors systematically analyzed an additional 996 opinions from 2004-05 to see if the five-year trends would continue. This article contains the results, and documents among other things, significant growth in federal court disputing about mediation, increases in the ways mediation becomes a source for new disputes independent of the original conflict, as well as the myriad procedural intersections between mediation and the traditional litigation process.
Lower limit to the lattice thermal conductivity of nanostructured Bi2Te3-based materials

We investigate the lower limit to the lattice thermal conductivity of Bi2Te3 and related materials using thin films synthesized by the method of elemental reactants. The thermal conductivities of single layer films of (Bi0.5Sb0.5)2Te3 and multilayer films of (Bi2Te3)m(TiTe2)n and [(BixSb1−x)2Te3]m(TiTe2)n are measured by time-domain thermoreflectance; the thermal conductivity data are compared to our prior work on nanocrystalline Bi2Te3 and a Debye–Callaway model of heat transport by acoustic phonons. The homogeneous nanocrystalline films have average grain sizes 30<d<100 nm as measured by the width of the (003) x-ray diffraction peak. Multilayer films incorporating turbostratic TiTe2 enable studies of the effective thermal conductivity of Bi2Te3 layers as thin as 2 nm. In the limit of small grain size or layer thickness, the thermal conductivity of Bi2Te3 approaches the predicted minimum thermal conductivity of 0.31 W/m K. The dependence of the thermal conductivity on grain size is in good agreement with...
The Curricular Indian Agent: Discursive Colonization and Indigenous (Dys)Agency in U.S. History Textbooks

AbstractIn the 1800s and early 1900s, the United States assigned Indian Agents—non‐Native employees of the federal government—to coordinate intergovernmental efforts, to encourage the assimilation of Native peoples into European‐American society, and to serve as advocates for individual tribes. Although Indian Agents no longer exist in an official capacity in the United States, the potentially contradictory expectations that informed their work continue to influence communities across the country. Instead of decolonizing education, today’s curricular agents typically misrepresent the historical and future agency of Native peoples while reinforcing the patronizing, normative, dominant‐culture narrative. This article outlines the critical discourse analysis of five widely adopted U.S. history textbooks, as situated within the broader scope of textbook research and emerging educational movements. Findings show that textbook authors and other curricular agents use strategies of exclusion and passivation to co...