cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiation-induced HIF-1α cell survival pathway is inhibited by soy isoflavones in prostate cancer cells

We previously showed that treatment of prostate cancer cells with soy isoflavones and radiation resulted in greater cell killing in vitro, and caused downregulation of NF-kappaB and APE1/Ref-1. APE1/Ref-1 functions as a redox activator of transcription factors, including NF-kappaB and HIF-1alpha. These molecules are upregulated by radiation and implicated in radioresistance of cancer cells. We extended our studies to investigate the role of HIF-1alpha survival pathway and its upstream Src and STAT3 molecules in isoflavones and radiation interaction. Radiation induced phosphorylation of Src and STAT3 leading to induction of HIF-1alpha. Genistein, daidzein or a mixture of soy isoflavones did not activate this pathway. These data were observed both in PC-3 (AR-) and C4-2B (AR+) androgen-independent cell lines. Pretreatment with isoflavones inhibited Src/STAT3/HIF-1alpha activation by radiation and nuclear translocation of HIF-1alpha. These findings correlated with decreased expression of APE1/Ref-1 and DNA binding activity of HIF-1alpha and NF-kappaB. In APE1/Ref-1 cDNA transfected cells, radiation caused a greater increase in HIF-1alpha and NF-kappaB activities but this effect was inhibited by pretreatment with soy prior to radiation. Transfection experiments indicate that APE1/Ref-1 inhibition by isoflavones impairs the radiation-induced transcription activity of NF-kappaB and HIF-1alpha. This mechanism could result in the inhibition of genes essential for tumor growth and angiogenesis, as demonstrated by inhibition of VEGF production and HUVECs tube formation. Our novel findings suggest that the increased responsiveness to radiation mediated by soy isoflavones could be due to pleiotropic effects of isoflavones blocking cell survival pathways induced by radiation including Src/STAT3/HIF-1alpha, APE1/Ref-1 and NF-kappaB.
Hα Imaging with Hubble Space Telescope-NICMOS of an Elusive Damped Lyα Cloud at z = 0.6*

Despite previous intensive ground-based imaging and spectroscopic campaigns and wideband Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging of the z = 0.927 QSO 3C 336 field, the galaxy that hosts the damped Lyα system along this line of sight has eluded detection. We present a deep narrowband Hα image of the field of this zabs = 0.656 damped Lyα absorber, obtained through the F108N filter of NICMOS1 on board the HST. The goal of this project was to detect any Hα emission 10 times closer than previous studies to unveil the damped absorber. We do not detect Hα emission between 005 and 6'' (0.24 and 30 h-1 kpc) from the QSO, with a 3 σ flux limit of 3.70 × 10-17 h-2 ergs s-1 cm-2 for an unresolved source, corresponding to a star formation rate (SFR) of 0.3 h-2 M☉ yr-1. This leads to a 3 σ upper limit of 0.15 M☉ yr-1 kpc-2 on the SFR density, or a maximum SFR of 1.87 M☉ yr-1 assuming a disk of 4 kpc in diameter. This result adds to the number of low-redshift damped Lyα absorbers that are not associated with the central regions of Milky Way-like disks. Damped Lyα absorption can arise from high-density concentrations in a variety of galactic environments including some that, despite their high local H I densities, are not conducive to widespread star formation.
Experimental Comparison of Code-Based and Model-Based Test Prioritization

During regression testing, a modified system needs to beretested using the existing test suite. Since test suites may be very large, developers are interested in detecting faults in the system as early as possible. Test prioritization orders test cases for execution to increase potentially the chances of early fault detection during retesting. Code-based test prioritization methods are based on the source code of the system, whereas model-based test prioritization methods are based on system models. System modeling is a widely used technique to model state-based systems. Models can be used not only during software development but also during testing. In this paper, we briefly overview codebased and model-based test prioritization. In addition, we present an experimental study in which the code based test prioritization and the model-based test prioritization are compared.The goal of regression testing is to validate
Application of Multilevel Latent Class Analysis to Identify Achievement and Socio-Economic Typologies in the 20 Wealthiest Countries

There has been increased interest in cross-national comparisons of educational achievement, particularly using the data provided through the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The growing tendency in the popular media is to characterize such comparisons by ranking nations based upon mean achievement test scores. However, recent work has demonstrated that the way in which students are organized in schools has a impact on student achievement. The current study demonstrated the utility of a relatively new statistical technique, the nonparametric latent class model, to investigate the cross national organization of schools and its relationship to student achievement and socio-economic status. The results demonstrated that indeed, it is not enough to simply compare mean achievement performance across countries, but rather that the ways in which nations organize students into schools is also associated with test performance. The results of this study highlight both the importance of understanding school organizational context, and the analytic power of the nonparametric latent class model.
A Multiscale Four-Dimensional Data Assimilation System Applied in the San Joaquin Valley during SARMAP. Part I: Modeling Design and Basic Performance Characteristics

Abstract This paper presents results of numerical simulations made with a high-resolution multiscale four-dimensional data assimilation system applied over California during two episodes associated with high ozone concentrations in the San Joaquin Valley. The model used here is the nonhydrostatic Pennsylvania State UniversityNational Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5). The focus of the paper is the objective validation of the regional (mesoalpha scale) meteorological results. The mulliscale data assimilation approach produces highly reliable simulations of the wind, temperature, mixed-layer depth, and moisture, each of which is vital to air quality modeling and a host of other mesoscale applications. The significance of this research is threefold. First, it is the first evaluation of this multiscale assimilation system in strongly heated summertime conditions and with comparatively fine grid resolution (4-km inner mesh). Second, the assimilation system has been extended so that tempera...
Numerical modeling of two-dimensional device structures using Brandt's multilevel acceleration scheme: application to Poisson's equation

In expanding numerical modeling for electronic and optoelectronic devices from a single dimension to multiple dimensions, a large increase in machine storage space is required. Solution approaches based on relaxation techniques are typically used to minimize this increase, but they can be slow to converge. Presented is an adaption of Brandt's multilevel acceleration scheme for control volume discretizations coupled with solvers based on either Stone's strongly implicit method or the Gauss-Siedel (G-S) method to overcome this speed and storage space problem. This approach is demonstrated by solving Poisson's equation in a two-dimensional amorphous silicon thin-film transistor structure. The structure has a generalized density of states function whose occupancy is computed using nonzero degree Kelvin Fermi-Dirac statistics. It is shown that the use of the multilevel acceleration algorithm gives more than an order of magnitude increase in the asymptotic rate of convergence for the potential distribution in this thin-film transistor. Numerical results of the analysis are presented. >
Successful transplantation of a donor kidney with diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis and crescents—a case report

Pre-existing diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis (DPGN) in a potential deceased kidney donor has been considered a contraindication for transplantation. We report a case of a patient who underwent a successful deceased donor renal transplantation from a donor with history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) whose baseline biopsy revealed DPGN. Although the histology was relatively benign in the procurement kidney biopsy done by frozen section, the final light microscopy available after transplantation showed diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis, WHO class IV, with 44% crescents. The post-transplant course was complicated by delayed allograft function requiring haemodialysis for the first week. A repeat biopsy performed after 4 months of transplant showed resolution of the proliferative lesions in the glomeruli with disappearance of the crescents. At 5.5 years of follow-up, the patient's creatinine has been stable at 2.0 mg/dL (176.8 μmol/L), but he has persistent proteinuria.
Metastatic Tumors in the Pancreas in the Modern Era

Background Tumors metastasizing to the pancreas are rare, and published series are limited by few patients treated for extended periods of time. Renal cell cancer (RCC) is the most common primary tumor metastasizing to the pancreas. Our aim was to describe the clinicopathologic characteristics and patient outcomes in a modern series of patients who underwent metastasectomy, with an emphasis on RCC. Study Design Retrospective review of all pancreatic resections between January 1993 and October 2009. Results We identified 40 patients with a median age of 62 years; 55% were female. Patients most commonly presented with abdominal pain (47.5%). Operations performed included 10 pancreaticoduodenectomies, 1 middle, 23 distal, 3 total pancreatectomies, and 3 enucleations. Primary cancers were RCC (n = 20), ovarian (n = 6), sarcoma (n = 3), colon (n = 3), melanoma (n = 2), and others (n = 6). Median survival for all patients after metastasectomy was 4.4 years. Median survival after metastasectomy for RCC was 8.7 years, and the 5-year actuarial survival was 61%. For RCCs, pancreas was the first site of an extrarenal recurrence in 85% and was synchronous with the primary in 5% of patients. There was no survival difference if the time interval to metastasis was shorter than the median (8.7 years), if tumor nodules were multiple or bigger than the median (3 cm), or if the pancreas was not the first site of metastases. Conclusions An aggressive approach to lesions metastatic to the pancreas is often warranted if the patient can be rendered free of disease. Although patients with RCC can experience long-term survival after metastasectomy, survival is less favorable for other primary tumors.
HL-A W27 in psoriatic arthropathy.

Forty subjects with psoriatic arthritis (PA) underwent HL-A tissue typing. HL-A W27 was significantly increased in psoriatic spondylitis (35%), whereas statistical significance was not reached in patients with peripheral arthritis alone, although W27 was present in a frequency greater than in controls. Psoriatic spondylitis (often asymptomatic) occurred in 57% (23 of 40) of our PA patients. Of interest, psoriatic spondylitis was more often W27 negative than W27 positive; nevertheless, W27-positive and W27-negative spondylitis was clinically and radiographically indistinguishable except that W27-positive disease occurred exclusively in males and the duration of the psoriasis was shorter when compared to W27-negative spondylitis.
Making the technology-intensive class gender-neutral

Women are under-represented in technology- intensive fields. A possible cause might be gender differences. Men and women have differing approaches to communication which persist in the virtual world of online education. A second possible cause is gender discrimination. In male-dominated fields such as engineering, this difference can result in men discounting the contributions of their female classmates, thus creating a chilling effect. Communication in an asynchronous learning network (ALN) is different from face-to-face communication. Incorporating asynchronous communication elements in a technology-intensive class presents the potential to create an environment that could be more amenable to the woman student. Creating an environment that engenders social presence could make the class more amenable to the learning needs of the woman student. This research reports on a study with doctoral level students in both a technology intensive class and a more people-oriented class. The results of the study indicate that although both men and women registered the same degree of social presence regardless of the type of class, the technology-intensive classes displayed significantly less social presence unless assignments were structured to specifically promote that type of interactivity.
Elastoplastic Large Deformation Using Meshless Integral Method

In this paper, the meshless integral method based on the regularized boundary integral equation [1] has been extended to analyze the large deformation of elastoplastic materials. The updated Lagrangian governing integral equation is obtained from the weak form of elastoplasticity based on Green-Naghdi’s theory over a local sub-domain, and the moving least-squares approximation is used for meshless function approximation. Green-Naghdi’s theory starts with the additive decomposition of the Green-Lagrange strain into elastic and plastic parts and considers aJ2elastoplastic constitutive law that relates the Green-Lagrange strain to the second Piola-Kirchhoff stress. A simple, generalized collocation method is proposed to enforce essential boundary conditions straightforwardly and accurately, while natural boundary conditions are incorporated in the system governing equations and require no special handling. The solution algorithm for large deformation analysis is discussed in detail. Numerical examples show that meshless integral method with large deformation is accurate and robust.
THE PANELIST EFFECT – FIXED OR RANDOM?

. The theoretical and practical aspects of how panelists might be viewed are investigated. The situation where panelists are viewed as random selections (random effects) from a population of all possible panelists is compared to viewing panelists as the entire population of interest (fixed effects). The statistical implications of each viewpoint are investigated. Sources of variation related to the panel, panelists and the testing environment are discussed. An argument is presented concluding that in most situations panelists should be viewed as random effects. This allows results to be related to a larger population of prospective panelists.
An Ecological Perspective on Health Promotion Programs

During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in societal interest in preventing disability and death in the United States by changing individual behaviors linked to the risk of contracting chronic diseases. This renewed interest in health promotion and disease prevention has not been without its critics. Some critics have accused proponents of life-style interventions of promoting a victim-blaming ideology by neglecting the importance of social influences on health and disease. This article proposes an ecological model for health promotion which focuses attention on both individual and social environmental factors as targets for health promotion interventions. It addresses the importance of interventions directed at changing interpersonal, organizational, community, and public policy, factors which support and maintain unhealthy behaviors. The model assumes that appropriate changes in the social environment will produce changes in individuals, and that the support of individuals in the population is essential for implementing environmental changes.
Innovative Stereo Vision-Based Approach to Generate Dense Depth Map of Transportation Infrastructure

Three-dimensional (3-D) spatial data of a transportation infrastructure contain useful information for civil engineering applications, including as-built documentation, on-site safety enhancements, and progress monitoring. Several techniques have been developed for acquiring 3-D point coordinates of infrastructure, such as laser scanning. Although the method yields accurate results, the high device costs and human effort required render the process infeasible for generic applications in the construction industry. A quick and reliable approach, which is based on the principles of stereo vision, is proposed for generating a depth map of an infrastructure. Initially, two images are captured by two similar stereo cameras at the scene of the infrastructure. A Harris feature detector is used to extract feature points from the first view, and an innovative adaptive window-matching technique is used to compute feature point correspondences in the second view. A robust algorithm computes the nonfeature point correspondences. Thus, the correspondences of all the points in the scene are obtained. After all correspondences have been obtained, the geometric principles of stereo vision are used to generate a dense depth map of the scene. The proposed algorithm has been tested on several data sets, and results illustrate its potential for stereo correspondence and depth map generation.
EEG Subspace Representations and Feature Selection for Brain-Computer Interfaces

Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals recorded from a persons scalp have been used to control binary cursor movements. Multiple choice paradigms will require more sophisticated protocols involving multiple mental tasks and signal representations that capture discriminatory characteristics of the EEG signals. In this study, six-channel EEG is recorded from a subject performing two mental tasks. The signals are transformed via the Karhunen-Loeve or maximum noise fraction transformations and classified by quadratic discriminant analysis. In addition, classification accuracy is tested for all subsets of the six EEG channels. Best results are approximately 90% correct when training and testing data are recorded on the same day and 75% correct when training and testing data are recorded on different days.
Temperature dependence of contact angles of liquids on polymeric solids

Abstract Contact angles of water, glycerol, formamide, ethylene glycol, 1-bromonaphthalene, and bromobenzene were measured in the temperature range 5–160° on surfaces of polyethylene, polystyrene, polyacetal, polycarbonate, poly(ethylene terephthalate), and poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene). Stable advancing and receding angles were found and these varied linearly with temperature except in the range where solubility or swelling was evidence. Superheated water wet all the polymers to a greater degree than predicted. For the fluoropolymer all the liquids showed a negative temperature coefficient of the contact angle, both advancing and receding, ranging from 0.03 to 0.1 deg/°C. For the other polymers coefficients for advancing angles were nearly all negative and ranged from 0.03 to 0.18 but most receding angle values were positive; several liquid-polymer pairs showed a negligible coefficient. Temperature coefficients of the critical surface tension and of the dispersion surface tension of each solid were evaluated. Correlations of these derived quantities are discussed.
Transesophageal Echocardiography in Pediatrics: Technique and Limitations

This review summarizes our experience with transesophageal echocardiography in 92 pediatric patients in order to delineate the capabilities and limitations of this new technique. Transesophageal echocardiography was found to be a valuable clinical tool in intraoperative analysis and in the small subpopulation of pediatric patients with limited precordial echocardiography. Further refinements in transducer design are required to allow complete analysis of congenital cardiac anomalies.
Regeneration of cerebral-buccal interneurons and recovery of ingestion buccal motor programs in Aplysia after CNS lesions.

In the sea slug Aplysia, rhythmic biting is eliminated after bilateral cerebral-buccal connective (CBC) crushes and recovers within 14 days postlesion (dpl). The ability of cerebral-buccal interneu...
Endotoxin administration alters the force vs. pCa relationship of skeletal muscle fibers

Recent work indicates that endotoxemia elicits severe reductions in skeletal muscle force-generating capacity. The subcellular alterations responsible for these decrements have not, however, been f...
Genetic approaches to understanding the population-level impact of wind energy development on migratory bats: a case study of the eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis)

Documented fatalities of bats at wind turbines have raised serious concerns about the future impacts of increased wind power development on populations of migratory bat species. However, for most bat species we have no knowledge of the size of populations and their demographic trends, the degree of structuring into discrete subpopulations, and whether different subpopulations use spatially segregated migratory routes. Here, we utilize genetic data from eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis), one of the species most highly affected by wind power development in North America, to (1) evaluate patterns of population structure across the landscape, (2) estimate effective population size (Ne), and (3) assess signals of growth or decline in population size. Using a large dataset of both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA variation, we demonstrate that this species forms a single, panmictic population across their range with no evidence for the historical use of divergent migratory pathways by any portion of the population. Further, using coalescent estimates we estimate that the effective size of this population is in the hundreds of thousands to millions of individuals. Our results showing high population connectivity and gene flow among populations of eastern red bats provides valuable context for understanding levels and patterns of mortality, and indicate that monitoring and management of eastern red bats must integrate information across the range of this species.
Various Aspects of Integrable Hamiltonian Systems

(a) In these informal lecture notes we discuss a number of integrable Hamiltonian systems which have surfaced recently in very different connections. It is our goal to discuss various aspects underlying the integrability of a system like that of group representation, isospectral deformation and geometrical considerations. Since this subject is still far from being understood or being systematic we discuss a number of examples which are seemingly disconnected. In fact, there are some rather unexpected connections like between the inverse square potential of Calogero (Section 4) and the Korteweg de Vries equation. Here we show a surprising new connection between the geodesics on an ellipsoid and Hill's equation with finite gap potential.
Dynamic Pricing When Customers Strategically Time Their Purchase

We study the dynamic pricing problem of a monopolist firm in presence of strategic customers that differ in their valuations and risk preferences. We show that this problem can be formulated as a static mechanism design problem, which is more amenable to analysis. We highlight several structural properties of the optimal solution, and solve the problem for several special cases. Focusing on settings with low risk-aversion, we show through an asymptotic analysis that the "two-price point" strategy is near-optimal, offering partial validation for its wide use in practice, but also highlighting when it is indeed suitable to adopt it.
A DTN Routing and Buffer Management Strategy for Message Delivery Delay Optimization

Delay Tolerant Networks (DTNs) are sparse mobile ad-hoc networks in which there is typically no complete path between the source and destination. To increase the reliability of message delivery, multi-copy routing is often used at the expense of high buffer and bandwidth overhead. While much work has been done in the design of forwarding algorithms, little work has focused on studying forwarding under the presence of resource constraints such as short contact durations and small buffers. In this paper, we investigate a multi-copy routing strategy and a buffer management policy that minimize the average message delivery delay in DTN networks with resource constraints. We focus on three key issues: (1) to which next hop relay node should messages be replicated, (2) in which order should messages be replicated when contact duration and forwarding bandwidth are limited, and (3) which messages should be dropped first when the buffer is full. We propose to forward a message to a neighboring node with the least expected minimum delay among all possible routes to the message's destination. For the second and third issue, we develop a utility function using global network information to compute per-packet average delay utility. Messages are then scheduled and dropped according to their utility values. Extensive simulation results based on the real-world San Francisco cab trace show that our proposed scheme can deliver messages in up to 30% less time than existing schemes, while still achieving a high delivery ratio.
An outbreak in 1965 of severe respiratory illness caused by the Legionnaires' disease bacterium.

In January 1977 an unsolved outbreak of infection at St. Elizabeth's Hospital (Washington, D.C.) that occurred in 1965 was linked with Legionnaires' disease. The link was made by fluorescent antibody testing with the bacterium isolated from tissues of persons with Legionnaires' disease in the 1976 outbreak in Philadelphia. In July and August 1965, an epidemic of severe respiratory disease characterized by abrupt onset of high fever, weakness, malaise, and nonproductive cough, frequently accompanied by radiographic evidence of pneumonia, affected at least 81 patients at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, a general psychiatric hospital. Fourteen (17%) of the affected patients died. Intensive epidemiologic and laboratory investigations in 1965 did not determine the etiology. The etiologic organism may have become airborne from sites of soil excavation.
Crystal Structures of Escherichia coli Branching Enzyme in Complex with Linear Oligosaccharides.

Branching enzyme is responsible for all branching of glycogen and starch. It is an unusual member of the α-amylase family because it has both α-1,4-amylase activity and α-1,6-transferase activity [Drummond, G. S., et al. (1972) Eur. J. Biochem. 26, 168-176]. It also does not react with shorter glucans, though it will bind much longer substrates and substrate mimics [Binderup, K., et al. (2002) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 397, 279-285]. In an effort to better understand how branching enzyme interacts with its polymeric substrate, we have determined the structure of Δ112 Escherichia coli branching enzyme bound to maltoheptaose and maltohexaose. Together, these structures define six distinct oligosaccharide binding sites on the surface of E. coli branching enzyme. Most of these binding sites surround the edge of the β-barrel domain and are quite far from the active site. Surprisingly, there is no evidence of oligosaccharide binding in the active site of the enzyme. The closest bound oligosaccharide resides almost 18 A from the active site. Mutations to conserved residues in binding sites I and VI had a debilitating effect on the activity of the enzyme.
Platelet metabolism in acute leukemia.

Abstract Carbohydrate metabolism was studied in platelets from 9 patients with untreated acute leukemia to evaluate one possible mechanism underlying the previously reported defect in function that is characteristic of these cells. Rates of utilization of 14 C-labeled glucose and rates of production of lactate and 14 CO 2 were measured in resting platelets and in platelets stimulated with thrombin. The results were compared to those obtained using normal platelets incubated at similar concentrations and were evaluated on the basis of both platelet number and platelet protein content. The mean protein content of leukemic platelets was 3.44 ± 0.30 (1 S.E.M.) mg. per 10 9 platelets as compared to normal mean of 2.00 ± 0.05 (1 S.E.M.) mg. per 10 9 platelets. The platelet life-span, measured in 7 of the 9 patients, ranged from 2 to 3.5 days (normal 8.5 ± 0.2 (1 S.E.M.) days). When expressed on the basis of platelet number, the rates of 14 C-glucose utilization, lactate production, and 14 CO 2 production averaged 1.8, 1.8, and 2.2 times normal, respectively. When expressed per milligram protein, each was normal. The average net increases in the rates of 14 C-glucose utilization, lactate production, and oxidation of glucose-6- 14 C to 14 CO 2 with thrombin stimulation were 0.6 to 0.9 times normal when expressed on a cellular basis, and were 0.3 to 0.5 times normal when expressed per milligram protein. Induction of remission in 1 patient was associated with a decrease in platelet protein content and a partial improvement in the metabolic response to thrombin. The results indicate that platelets from patients with acute leukemia are larger and younger than normal platelets. Although metabolic activity of resting platelets may be normal, the net increase in energy production with thrombin stimulation, as determined from production rates of CO 2 and lactate, is impaired. The subnormal metabolic response to thrombin stimulation may be 1 factor responsible for the impaired functional activity of platelets from patients with acute leukemia.
Chromatin controls behavior

Chromatin structure stabilizes and compacts the genome to package it within the nucleus. This structure also serves as a dynamic regulator of gene expression, silencing or activating transcription depending on molecular signals impinging upon it. It has been understood for the past two decades that chromatin stabilizes gene readout after cell-fate determination, establishing and perpetuating the precise pattern of genes transcribed in a given cell to maintain its phenotype ( 1 , 2 ). But what about dynamic regulation of chromatin structure and its biological role? On page 300 of this issue, Yang et al. ( 3 ) describe how dynamic regulation of chromatin remodeling controls cerebellar circuit development, function, and cerebellum-dependent learning and memory, and challenge prevailing epigenetics dogma in the central nervous system.
Complementarity and stability conditions

Abstract We discuss the issue of complementarity between the confining phase and the Higgs phase for gauge theories in which there are no light particles below the scale of confinement or spontaneous symmetry breaking. We show with a number of examples that even though the low energy effective theories are the same (and trivial), discontinuous changes in the structure of heavy stable particles can signal a phase transition and thus we can sometimes argue that two phases which have different structures of heavy particles that cannot be continuously connected and thus the phases cannot be complementary. We discuss what this means and suggest that such “stability conditions” can be a useful physical check for complementarity.
Pulmonary Artery Thrombectomy and Thrombolysis

This section provides a comprehensive procedural report for pulmonary artery thrombectomy and thrombolysis procedure with up-to-date explanatory notes, synopsis of the indications, and contraindications and potential complications in an organized and practical format.
The effect of economic sanctions on the severity of genocides or politicides

ABSTRACTThis study examines the effect of economic sanctions on the severity of ongoing instances of genocide or politicide. Research suggests that sanctions exacerbate human rights conditions, yet influential policymakers, human rights advocates and some scholars continue to call for economic sanctions to mitigate ongoing atrocities. Ordered logit analyses of genocides and politicides from 1976 to 2008 reveal that sanctions neither aggravate atrocities, as some of the academic literature expects, nor alleviate them, as assumed by many policymakers and advocates (and some researchers). These findings hold regardless of whether they are measured as the number or presence of sanctions, cost, level of comprehensiveness, duration or whether imposed or administered by an international organization. Threats of sanctions also have no effect on atrocity severity, either on their own or combined with other policy options.
Periodontal Disease and Diabetes: Perceptions, Communication, and Referral Between Rural Primary Care Physicians and Dentists

Background and objective. Connections between oral health and systemic disease, specifically diabetes, are well described in the literature. Screening strategies for diabetes in dental settings and dental screenings in diabetes care settings exist. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the communication and referral patterns between dentists and physicians in a rural state with respect to recognition of dental disease and diabetes. Methods. Surveys were sent to the members of the North Dakota Academy of Family Physicians, the North Dakota Medical Association, and the North Dakota Dental Association. Results. Overall, 85 responses were collected, with 100% of responding physicians and dentists answering “yes” to a perceived link between oral and systemic health. Physician respondents tended to make a referral for dental evaluation in patients with prediabetes or diabetes more often than dentists referred patients with periodontal disease to physicians. Conclusion. Awareness of the link between dental disease and diabetes and of the need for referral is higher among physicians than among dentists. Opportunity exists to improve awareness and increase referrals.
A 360° view of circular RNAs: From biogenesis to functions

The first circular RNA (circRNA) was identified more than 40 years ago, but it was only recently appreciated that circRNAs are common outputs of many eukaryotic protein-coding genes. Some circRNAs accumulate to higher levels than their associated linear mRNAs, especially in the nervous system, and have clear regulatory functions that result in organismal phenotypes. The pre-mRNA splicing machinery generates circRNAs via backsplicing reactions, which are often facilitated by intronic repeat sequences that base pair to one another and bring the intervening splice sites into close proximity. When spliceosomal components are limiting, circRNAs can become the preferred gene output, and backsplicing reactions are further controlled by exon skipping events and the combinatorial action of RNA binding proteins. This allows circRNAs to be expressed in a tissue- and stage-specific manner. Once generated, circRNAs are highly stable transcripts that often accumulate in the cytoplasm. The functions of most circRNAs remain unknown, but some can regulate the activities of microRNAs or be translated to produce proteins. Circular RNAs can further interface with the immune system as well as control gene expression events in the nucleus, including alternative splicing decisions. Circular RNAs thus represent a large class of RNA molecules that are tightly regulated, and it is becoming increasingly clear that they likely impact many biological processes. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > Splicing Mechanisms RNA Structure and Dynamics > Influence of RNA Structure in Biological Systems RNA Evolution and Genomics > RNA and Ribonucleoprotein Evolution RNA Evolution and Genomics > Computational Analyses of RNA.
A content analysis of Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) strategies for communicating about clinical research participation online.

Introduction There is a dearth of literature providing guidance on how to effectively communicate about clinical research (CR). Methods Using the transactional model of communication, a content analysis of the investigator (n=62) and participant (n=18) Web sites of institutions funded through the National Institutes of Health Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) was conducted to identify their strategies (e.g., messages) for communicating about CR participation. Results CTSAs targeted investigators with CR participation content across the main Web sites, although most CTSAs (n=55; 88.7%) also included CR participation content for participants. In total, 18 CTSAs (29%) hosted participant Web sites. Participant sites included 13 message types about CR participation (e.g., registry enrollment) and 5 additional channels (e.g., email, phone number) to communicate about CR. However, many CTSA participant Web sites excluded information explaining the CR process and offered CR content exclusively in English. Conclusion CTSAs should identify their target audience and design strategies (e.g., messages, channels) accordingly.
Variation in flexural properties of photo-pultruded composite archwires: analyses of round and rectangular profiles.

Prototype continuous, unidirectional, fiber-reinforced composite archwires were manufactured into round and rectangular profiles utilizing a photo-pultrusion process. Both 0.022 inch (0.56 mm) diameter and 0.021 × 0.028 inch (0.53 × 0.71 mm) rectangular composites were formed utilizing commercially available S2-glass® reinforcement within a polymeric matrix. Reinforcement was varied according to the number, denier and twists per inch (TPI) of four S2-glass® yarns to volume levels of 32–74% for round and 41–61% for rectangular profiles. Cross-sectional geometry was evaluated via light microscopy to determine loading characteristics; whereas two flexural properties (the elastic moduli and flexural strengths) were determined by 3-point bending tests. Morphological evaluation of samples revealed that as the TPI increased from 1 to 8, the yarns were more separated from one another and distributed more peripherally within a profile. For round and rectangular profiles utilizing 1 TPI fibers, moduli increased with fiber content approaching theoretical values. For round profiles utilizing 1 TPI and 4 TPI fibers, flexural strengths increased until the loading geometry was optimized. In contrast, the flexural strengths of composites that were pultruded with 8 TPI fibers were not improved at any loading level. Doubling the denier of the yarn, without altering the loading, increased both the moduli and flexural strengths in rectangular samples; whereas, the increases observed in round samples were not statistically significant. At optimal loading the maximum mean moduli and strengths equaled 53.6 ± 2.0 and 1.36 ± 0.17 (GPa) for round wire and equaled 45.7 ± 0.8 and 1.40 ± 0.05 (GPa) for rectangular wires, respectively. These moduli were midway between that of martensitic NiTi (33.4 GPa) and beta-titanium (72.4 GPa), and produced about one-quarter the force of a stainless steel wire per unit of activation. Values of strengths placed this composite material in the range of published values for beta-titanium wires (1.3–1.5 GPa). © 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers
Thermal expansion characteristics of beryllium

A study has been made of the thermal expansion characteristics of vacuum-cast beryllium. Linear expansion coefficients for annealed and extruded beryllium are given for temperatures up to 1000°C. Results of expansion measurements on a single crystal of beryllium ore discussed in relation to preferred orientation. The volume coefficient of expansion has been calculated.
Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Alkanethiol Self-Assembled Monolayers: A Conducting-Probe Atomic Force Microscopy Study

The structure–property relationships for methyl-terminated alkanethiol [CH3(CH2) n − 1SH, where n is the number of carbons in the molecular chain] self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold substrates are considered, with a particular emphasis on using conducting-probe atomic force microscopy (CPAFM) to assess the mechanical and electrical properties and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy to determine the molecular structure. CPAFM measurements are analyzed with an elastic adhesive contact model, modified by a first-order elastic perturbation method to account for substrate effects, and a parabolic tunneling model, appropriate for a metal–insulator–metal contact in which the insulator is extremely thin. NEXAFS carbon K-edge spectra are used to compute the dichroic ratio for each film, which provides a quantitative measure of the molecular structure. The combination of the two measurement methods provides clear property trends for this system over a wide range of n and a general methodology for the optimization of SAMs for micro- and nano-electromechanical systems, magnetic storage devices, and other applications.
Will the Transhuman Future Be Good or Bad for Humanity

The central question that this chapter addresses is the following: Is transhumanism a threat, or a benefit, to the good human life? One can imagine any answer landing somewhere between two poles: a utopian view, which generally sees transhuman proposals as enhancements to human living that would lead to better lives and a better world; and a dystopian view, which sees these changes as fundamentally destructive of the good life. I show that one cannot view a transhuman future as simply either good or bad. One’s view must, instead, fall not between, but outside, these two poles.
Whiteboards, Blanket Forts, and Autonomy: Using Self-Determination Theory to Improve Library De-Stress Programming

In recent years, librarians at Valparaiso University have adopted a user-centered programming model, allowing students to choose their own library de-stress programs during finals. After several semesters of using this approach, the authors sought to examine whether students felt a sense of agency in suggesting and voting on programs and whether this agency affected students’ motivation to attend de-stress programs. The authors conducted two focus groups with undergraduate students. Results suggest that most students are more interested in attending programs that they personally suggested or voted for, deriving intrinsic rewards from the autonomy of having their voices heard.
Techno-economic and life cycle analysis of a farm-scale anaerobic digestion plant in Iowa.

Abstract There is growing interest in the use of anaerobic digestion to increase revenues in rural areas and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This study evaluates the economic and environmental feasibility of a farm-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) combined heat and power (CHP) plant co-located with a cattle feedlot. The study evaluates two different scenarios with six cases – Biomass Only (BO) scenario and Biomass and Glycerin (BG) scenario, targeting a power capacity of 950 kWe using combinations of manure, biomass, and crude glycerin. Beef cattle manure with approximately 10.15 wt% of biomass and 10 wt% of glycerin is added into the system. The internal rate of return (IRR) and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) were calculated for six cases. The IRR ranges between 3.51% and 5.57%, and the GHG emissions range between −82.6 and 498.52 g CO2e/kWh. Glycerin reduces the operating cost by 32%. These results indicate that AD CHP could be profitable at the farm-scale depending on various parameters. Sensitivity analysis indicates that power efficiency, operating capacity and waste generation per cattle have the strongest impact on the IRR, affecting it by over 40%, while glycerin and manure emission factors are the most important for GHG emissions affecting it by over 15%. Uncertainty analysis describes the role of feedstock choice and process performance on minimizing commercialization risks.
Registration Pluralism and the Cartographic Approach to Data Aggregation across Brains

AbstractNeuroscience has become increasingly reliant on multi-subject research in addition to studies of unusual single patients. This research has brought with it a challenge: how are data from di...
Outcomes With Overlapping Surgery at a Large Academic Medical Center.

Objective:The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficiency and safety of overlapping surgery (OS) at a training institution by comparing it with nonoverlapping surgery (NO) with respect to operative time, mortality, readmissions, and complications.Background:OS is the practice of an attending phy
Gastrulation and Germ Layer Formation

Abstract Gastrulation, occurring during the second week after fertilization, involved the formation of the three fundamental germ layers of the embryo – the ectoderm, the mesoderm, and the endoderm. During this time, important signal-calling phenomena – called embryonic inductions – set the molecular stage for the initiation of organ formation. In addition, the fundamental asymmetry of the body is set in place.
Effects of Gamification on Surgical Duration and Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Fixation of Intertrochanteric Hip Fractures

Objective To compare surgical duration and clinical outcomes with associated complications in surgeons using gamification techniques for resident education versus those surgeons who do not. Design Retrospective, cohort study. Level III evidence. Surgical interventions included long cephalomedullary nailing with gamification techniques compared to long cephalomedullary nailing alone. Main outcome measurements were total fluoroscopy time, operative time, hospital length of stay, discharge status, and complications. Setting Urban Level 1 Trauma Center. Participants One fourty-eight adult patients with operative intertrochanteric femur fractures from January 2010 to January 2019. Results There were lower total operative times (45.6 vs. 57.1 minutes, p = Conclusions Gamification techniques with use of long cephalomedullary nails are a valid approach to the treatment of intertrochanteric femur fractures. This approach demonstrates equivalent outcomes postoperatively to nongamification treatment of intertrochanteric femur fractures, with the potential advantage of decreased operative and fluoroscopic times.
G158(P) Human factors faculty development in a tertiary children’s hospital

Aim Human factors and ergonomics (HFE) is the discipline examining the way humans interact with systems. It is a key consideration when understanding safety. Within the healthcare sector there is a growing recognition of its importance. Cross-pollination of learning especially from the aviation industry has led to increased awareness and integration into health settings. This has been facilitated by the Clinical Human Factors Group1 in addition to more recent guidance from the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors.2 Methods Within our tertiary children’s hospital recognition of its importance led to training of senior leadership teams. In 2015 we obtained funding to expand this training. 55 senior medical and nursing staff were trained in a 2-day master-class by Terema. 11 went on to attend a 3-day Training the Trainer Course. Through mentorship faculty began delivering a bespoke HFE single day training course. We have delivered approximately 26 courses over this 4-year period to over 400 staff. Each course has comprised of varied personnel from administrative and laboratory staff to frontline health care workers and managers. Results Qualitative feedback following the courses has been overwhelmingly positive. This reflects the overarching aim of maintaining psychological safety. Attendees appreciated a different perspective on why things go wrong. In addition to direct teaching, many levels within our organisation across professional and physical boundaries have been influenced by ergonomic principles. Aspects of the training are being taught to all newly qualified nurses, trainee doctors and new consultants as well as new theatre staff. Additionally, we have taught at simulation courses, departmental audit and ward away days. Understanding the systems aspect of ergonomics has led to quality improvement (QI) initiatives such as briefing and debriefing boards, the hydration bundle, the extravasation project, and a recent ergonomic redesign of our early warning score. Conclusion The spread of ergonomic awareness into different areas has been organic and unplanned. The natural alignment with QI is well recognised.3 The challenge ahead is to provide data rich evidence of its impact. References CHFG website. CIEHF white paper. https://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/24/4/250