cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dual Roles for the Notch Target Gene Hes-1 in the Differentiation of 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes

The process of adipogenesis involves a complex program of gene expression that includes down-regulation of the gene encoding Hes-1, a target of the Notch signaling pathway. To determine if Notch signaling affects adipogenesis, we exposed 3T3-L1 preadipocytes to the Notch ligand Jagged1 and found that differentiation was significantly reduced. This effect could be mimicked by constitutive expression of Hes-1. The block was associated with a complete loss of C/EBPα and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) induction and could be overcome by retroviral expression of either C/EBPα or PPARγ2. Surprisingly, small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated reduction of Hes-1 mRNA in 3T3-L1 cells also inhibited differentiation, suggesting an additional, obligatory role for Hes-1 in adipogenesis. This role may be related to our observation that both Notch signaling and Hes-1 down-regulate transcription of the gene encoding DLK/Pref-1, a protein known to inhibit differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. The results presented in this study establish a new target downstream of the Notch-Hes-1 pathway and suggest a dual role for Hes-1 in adipocyte development.
The ancestry of solar‐terrestrial research

Since time immemorial, for superstitious, fallacious, or even scientific reasons, man has debated the nature of the control exercised over his destiny by the sun. But the first step in the long and turbulent history of research in the field of solar-terrestrial relationships was the discovery of sunspots by Galileo in 1610 (Figure 1). Since then, many specious claims have been made concerning correlations of phenomena on earth with these first recognized distinctive solar features. It was apparent from the earliest observations that the number of visible sunspots varied with time. But it is interesting that the first long-term survey of these variations was not undertaken until more than two centuries later.
Russian Jewry goes to the polls: an analysis of Jewish voting in the All‐Russian Constituent Assembly Elections of 1917

This article gauges Jewish public opinion in 1917 by analysing voting statistics for a range of elections, most important among them the elections to the All‐Russian Constituent Assembly. The results of Jewish voting in 1917 suggest that in this revolutionary year the Jewish population in the territories of the former Russian Empire, when viewed as a whole, can be cast as neither thoroughly Zionist nor socialist. Even the horrors of the First World War – including widespread anti‐Jewish violence, accusations of espionage, and mass deportation – failed to radicalise the Jewish population dramatically. Continuing a trend originating with the First Duma elections in 1906, Jews voted in significant numbers for independent Jewish coalitions emphasising communal and religious autonomy for Russian Jewry within a generally liberal framework, and elected representatives who were prominent members of Jewish society. The war did, however, catalyse the Jewish shift out of the Russian liberal fold. Although the Russia...
Comparison of Clinical and Microbiological Response to Treatment of Clostridium difficile–Associated Disease with Metronidazole and Vancomycin

Background. There have been recent reports of frequent treatment failure associated with the use of metronidazole for treatment of Clostridium difficile-associated disease. We tested the hypothesis that treatment failure with metronidazole is associated with a suboptimal microbiological response in comparison with that of vancomycin. Methods. We conducted a 9-month prospective observational study of patients with C. difficile-associated disease. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare metronidazole-treated and vancomycin-treated patients in terms of time to resolution of diarrhea and time to reduction of C. difficile in stool to an undetectable level. Results. Of 52 study patients with C. difficile-associated disease, 34 (65%) received initial therapy with oral metronidazole, and 18 (35%) received initial therapy with oral vancomycin. Diarrhea resolved in >90% of patients who completed 10 days of treatment with either agent. However, vancomycin-treated patients were more likely to develop undetectable levels of C. difficile (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.41-11.3; P =.009) and to have resolution of diarrhea (adjusted hazard ratio, 4.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.53-11.40; P =.005) during the first 5 days of therapy. Ten metronidazole-treated patients (29%) had their treatment changed to oral vancomycin because of persistent symptoms. Seven (70%) of these 10 patients had <1 log reduction in C. difficile concentration; however, only 4 had completed ≥6 days of metronidazole treatment at the time of the treatment change. Conclusion. In an observational study with a limited number of subjects, a majority of patients with C. difficile-associated disease responded to therapy with metronidazole or vancomycin. Failure with metronidazole treatment may be attributable to a slower and less consistent microbiological response than that with oral vancomycin treatment.
An ecological analysis of predominant land uses in the Brazilian Amazon

The land uses that now predominate in Brazil's Amazon Region are unlikely to produce sustainable yields. They also tend to close off potentially sustainable alternative uses. Cattle pasture — either productive or abandoned — now occupies most deforested land. Small farmers plant pasture after using the land for a year or two under annual crops, while large cattle ranches plant pasture directly after clearing. The principal motive for planting pasture is often its low cost and high effectiveness as a means of securing speculative land claims — not beef production. Pasture and cattle yields are low and, after use for about a decade, the planted grasses are out-competed by secondary forest species or inedible grasses. Depletion of available phosphorus in the soil is a major cause of yield decline; Brazil's relatively modest phosphorus deposits, virtually all of which are outside of Amazonia, make fertiliser use not feasible for the vast areas now rapidly being converted to pasture. Converting a substantial portion of Amazonia to pasture would have potential climatic effects. Areas that can be planted in annual and perennial crops are restrained by world markets, as well as by soil quality and Brazil's limited stocks of the inputs needed for intensive agriculture. Recent initiatives for “agricultural-ecological in Brazil's Amaoznian states could be a first step toward more rational land use. Immediate measures are needed to slow deforestation, to discourage unsustainable uses and to make sustainable alternatives profitable.
Minimum Bayes error features for visual recognition

The design of optimal feature sets for visual classification problems is still one of the most challenging topics in the area of computer vision. In this work, we propose a new algorithm that computes optimal features, in the minimum Bayes error sense, for visual recognition tasks. The algorithm now proposed combines the fast convergence rate of feature selection (FS) procedures with the ability of feature extraction (FE) methods to uncover optimal features that are not part of the original basis function set. This leads to solutions that are better than those achievable by either FE or FS alone, in a small number of iterations, making the algorithm scalable in the number of classes of the recognition problem. This property is currently only available for feature extraction methods that are either sub-optimal or optimal under restrictive assumptions that do not hold for generic imagery. Experimental results show significant improvements over these methods, either through much greater robustness to local minima or by achieving significantly faster convergence.
Ecological patterns and genetic analysis of post‐dispersal seed predation in sunflower (Helianthus annuus) crop‐wild hybrids

Crop-wild hybridization has been documented in many cultivated species, but the ecological and genetic factors that influence the likelihood or rate that cultivar alleles will introgress into wild populations are poorly understood. Seed predation is one factor that could mitigate the spread of otherwise advantageous cultivar alleles into the wild by reducing seedling recruitment of crop-like individuals in hybrid populations. Seed predation has previously been linked to several seed characters that differ between cultivated and wild sunflower, such as seed size and oil content. In this study, seed morphological and nutritional characters were measured in a segregating population of sunflower crop-wild hybrids and wild and cultivated lines. Seed predation rates among lines were then assessed in the field. The relationship between seed predation and seed characters was investigated and quantitative trait loci (QTL) were mapped for all traits. There was no effect of seed type (hybrid vs. parents) on seed predation, although a trend toward more early predation of wild seeds was observed. Within the hybrids, seed predators preferred seeds that contained more oil and energy but were lower in fibre. The relationship between seed predation and oil content was supported by co-localized QTL for these traits on one linkage group. These results suggest that oil content may be a more important determinant of seed predation than seed size and provide molecular genetic evidence for this relationship. The cultivar allele was also found to increase predation at all QTL, indicating that post-dispersal seed predation may mitigate the spread of cultivar alleles into wild populations.
Preliminary evaluation of the interactive drama facade

There is growing interest in technologies that support user experiences emphasizing aesthetic satisfaction and enjoyment rather than task accomplishment. Evaluating such experiences remains an open research problem. Here we describe a methodology for evaluating the interactive drama Facade, and present the first experimental results. Interactive dramas are "pure" hedonic experiences, forcing a focus on experience quality rather than efficiency and ease of use. Through the coding of retroactive protocols, we reveal play patterns whereby interaction failures are leveraged into new player goals, thus supporting players in maintaining positive interest in the experience even in the face of interaction failures.
Vitamin K and Sphingolipid Metabolism: Evidence to Date

The brain is enriched with sphingolipids, which are important membrane constituents and major lipid signaling molecules that have a role in motor and cognitive behavior. Vitamin K has been implicated in brain sphingolipid metabolism for more than 30 years. The in vitro and in vivo studies to date suggest a role of vitamin K in the regulation of multiple enzymes involved in sphingolipid metabolism within the myelin-rich regions in the brain. However, the precise mechanisms of action are not well understood. Further, the physiological consequences of the observed effects of vitamin K on sphingolipid metabolism have not been systematically studied.
Use of population-specific infant mortality rates to inform policy decisions regarding HIV and infant feeding.

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV occurs during pregnancy at the time of delivery and through breastfeeding (BF). WHO recommends avoidance of all BF when replacement feeding (RF) is affordable feasible acceptable sustainable and safe. Otherwise exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) followed by early BF cessation is recommended. Governments are currently scaling up programs to prevent infant HIV infection. Few data exist to guide policy decisions about the allocation of resources to prevent postnatal HIV transmission while minimizing the non-HIV–related risks of these policies. This paper presents an analysis of the impact of WHO infant feeding recommendations in different settings characterized by infant mortality rate (IMR). Mathematical simulation modeling is used to estimate the effects on HFS (HFS) through 24 mo of 3 intervention scenarios: RF from birth by HIV-positive mothers (RF24) EBF up to 6 mo followed by early BF cessation (EBF6) and the default scenario where there is no postnatal intervention (BF24). This analysis differs from earlier reports in that it uses the most recent data on risks of postnatal HIV transmission for mixed and exclusive BF. These simulations suggest that in settings where IMR is 25/1000 live births. RF24 results in lower HFS than no postnatal intervention where IMR = 101/1000. IMR-based analyses can help to guide government policy decisions about which infant feeding strategies to invest in and emphasize for HIV-positive mothers in different settings. (authors)
Assessing Oral Cancer Awareness Among Rural Latino Migrant Workers

Latino migrant farm workers suffer significant health disparities, including poor oral health. The purpose of this research was to assess Latino migrant farm workers’ OC awareness, including knowledge and care-seeking behaviors. A 42-item survey was developed. Trained, bilingual researchers verbally administered the survey to migrant farm workers in Hillsborough County, Florida. Frequencies and descriptive statistics were generated to report baseline data. The sample consisted of 53.7 % female respondents. The mean age for males and females respectively was 38.7 and 39.2. Most respondents had attended grade school; 6.7 % never attended school. Perceptions of cancer susceptibility were present; knowledge of OC risk factors, signs and symptoms was low. Participants were unlikely to seek preventive care. The results contribute to the limited studies regarding Latino migrant farm workers and oral cancer risk factor awareness and knowledge. Findings highlight factors influencing motivation and care-seeking behaviors, as well as provide guidance for development of educational materials.
Monitoring Adherence to Guidelines

In our current medical environment, which is characterized by oversight, accountability, practice guidelines, and documentation, it was inevitable that practice patterns would be monitored to rank compliance with guidelines as an index of the quality of care. It is a small step to a “pay-for-performance” approach, which is well intentioned because it uses data from clinical trials and guideline recommendations to reward physicians who are using treatment strategies known to be effective. Such an approach is aimed at identifying and reforming doctors who do not use “evidence-based” therapy. Article see p 98 In this issue of Circulation: Heart Failure , Fonarow and colleagues1 review the data on >15000 patients with heart failure cared for in 167 outpatient cardiology practices in the United States. The results can be viewed as encouraging or discouraging, depending on your expectations, and as an optimistic step in the right direction to ensure quality care or as a depressing retreat from individualized …
The diurnal temperature wave for quadratic and exponential variation of the austausch coefficient

Solutions of the heat conduction equation applied to the diurnal temperature wave are derived for two new cases: austausch increasing (a) quadratically and (b) exponentially with height. These solutions are compared with each other and with solutions for other cases where austausch is also unbounded with height. This procedure clarifies the applicability of all such solutions, and they are found to have serious limitations. The results indicate that the austausch coefficient at higher levels in theoretical models should be bounded as it is in nature.
The use of oxone to facilitate specific tissue stainability following osmium fixation.

The specific stainability of 1–3 μ thick sections of tissue prepared for electron microscopy after glutaraldehyde and osmium fixation and araldite embedding is greatly enhanced after oxidation with Oxone. This monopersulfate has been found to leave tissue section in a suitable condition for applying a trichrome stain as well as a specific silver impregnation. These methods are described in detail. The mode of action of Oxone is poorly understood.
Microbial Gene Abundance and Expression Patterns across a River to Ocean Salinity Gradient

Microbial communities mediate the biogeochemical cycles that drive ecosystems, and it is important to understand how these communities are affected by changing environmental conditions, especially in complex coastal zones. As fresh and marine waters mix in estuaries and river plumes, the salinity, temperature, and nutrient gradients that are generated strongly influence bacterioplankton community structure, yet, a parallel change in functional diversity has not been described. Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses were conducted on five water samples spanning the salinity gradient of the Columbia River coastal margin, including river, estuary, plume, and ocean, in August 2010. Samples were pre-filtered through 3 μm filters and collected on 0.2 μm filters, thus results were focused on changes among free-living microbial communities. Results from metagenomic 16S rRNA sequences showed taxonomically distinct bacterial communities in river, estuary, and coastal ocean. Despite the strong salinity gradient observed over sampling locations (0 to 33), the functional gene profiles in the metagenomes were very similar from river to ocean with an average similarity of 82%. The metatranscriptomes, however, had an average similarity of 31%. Although differences were few among the metagenomes, we observed a change from river to ocean in the abundance of genes encoding for catabolic pathways, osmoregulators, and metal transporters. Additionally, genes specifying both bacterial oxygenic and anoxygenic photosynthesis were abundant and expressed in the estuary and plume. Denitrification genes were found throughout the Columbia River coastal margin, and most highly expressed in the estuary. Across a river to ocean gradient, the free-living microbial community followed three different patterns of diversity: 1) the taxonomy of the community changed strongly with salinity, 2) metabolic potential was highly similar across samples, with few differences in functional gene abundance from river to ocean, and 3) gene expression was highly variable and generally was independent of changes in salinity.
A Cost-Based Model for Improving Customer Waiting Times

The effective management of a service organization requires measuring system performance on many attributes. Customer waiting time is inherent to nearly all service operations and represents a system attribute that is of high concern to both the customers who engage service and the managers of the service operation who are responsible for providing services. Effective performance measures of all system attributes are required to improve service quality. In this paper we present a cost-based, performance model for evaluating the expected cost of untimely customer waiting times for services within a service organization. The present worth of the expected costs due to untimely waiting that accrue over a finite time horizon provide management with input for justifying financial investment to support a continuous improvement program to improve service quality through the reduction of the variability in customer waiting time.
Old age, left bundle branch block and acute myocardial infarction: a vexing and lethal combination.

The evolution of reperfusion therapy in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has highlighted the extraordinary importance of rapid and accurate diagnosis of infarcts due to thrombosis of a major epicardial vessel, the so-called Q-Wave Myocardial Infarction or Transmural Myocardial
Cleaning frequency optimization for soiled photovoltaic modules

This study was conducted to determine the optimum cleaning frequency for cleaning Photovoltaic (PV) modules installed in Mesa (near Phoenix), Arizona, United States. By monitoring the soiling loss of PV modules mounted on a mock rooftop at ASU-PRL during May through June 2014 (highest soiling period for this site), a detailed soiling loss modeling was obtained. During the dry/soiling summer season, the daily soiling rate has been determined to be −0.061% for 20° tilted PV modules. Based on the monitored soiling rate and extensive simulation of this investigation, it is concluded that the cleaning is not economically justifiable for 20° or higher tilted residential PV modules of this and nearby sites.
Colorectal Surgery in Patients with HIV and AIDS: Trends and Outcomes over a 10-Year Period in the USA

Background HIV has become a chronic disease, which may render this population more prone to developing the colorectal pathologies that typically affect older Americans.
Capture of hydrophilic and hydrophobic particles by condensing and evaporating water droplets

A linear theory was developed for the motion of aerosol particles somewhat larger than a fluid mean free path in a non-stationary, nonuniform fluid. The special case of viscous flow around a condensing water drop was examined. The influence of fluid nonuniformity on the aerosol particle concentration gradient adjacent to the drop surface was evaluated from experimental data, as was the effect of particle wettability on capture efficiency.
Autoregulation of the human N-myc oncogene is disrupted in amplified but not single-copy neuroblastoma cell lines

Amplification of the N-myc gene is a significant adverse prognostic factor in neuroblastoma, a common childhood tumor. In non-transformed cells, myc expression is controlled through an autoregulatory circuit, through which elevated Myc protein levels lead to down-regulation of myc transcription. The precise mechanism of myc gene autoregulation is unknown. Loss of c-myc autoregulation has been documented in transformed cells from a number of different lineages, but N-myc autoregulation has not yet been investigated. In neuroblastoma, the increased N-Myc protein produced by amplified tumors would be expected to silence N-myc transcription if the autoregulatory loop were intact. To determine whether N-myc autoregulation is operative in human neuroblastoma, and to localize cis-acting elements which mediate N-myc autosuppression, we transfected a series of N-myc 5' promoter constructs into a panel of human neuroblastoma cell lines carrying one or multiple copies of N-myc. The transfected promoter was equally active in single-copy and amplified lines. Significant promoter activity in the presence of abundant Myc protein in amplified neuroblastoma lines indicates that autoregulation is disabled in this subset of tumors. To investigate whether single-copy lines produce insufficient N-Myc protein to trigger autosuppression yet retain an intact autoregulatory circuit, we transfected neuroblastoma lines with 5' promoter constructs in the presence of a c- or N-myc expression vector. Overexpression of c- or N-Myc resulted in diminution of activity of both the transfected promoter and the endogenous N-myc gene in single-copy, but not amplified lines. Using a series of 5' promoter-deletion minigenes, we localized a cis-acting element required for autoregulation close to the transcription start sites. While the precise mechanism of autosuppression remains unknown, we demonstrated that Myc is incapable of silencing the adenovirus major late promoter (AdMLP) in neuroblastoma cells, indicating that Myc suppression of its own promoter and the AdMLP involve distinct components. These studies provide the first systematic investigation of autoregulation in neuroblastoma, and indicate that single-copy neuroblastoma lines produce insufficient N-Myc protein to activate downstream effector(s) of autosuppression; the autoregulatory circuit is otherwise intact. Amplified lines, in contrast, have lost autoregulation.
Reducing Unnecessary Shoulder MRI Examinations Within a Capitated Health Care System: A Potential Role for Shoulder Ultrasound

Abstract Purpose MRI is frequently overused. The aim of this study was to analyze shoulder MRI ordering practices within a capitated health care system and explore the potential effects of shoulder ultrasound substitution. Methods We reviewed medical records of 237 consecutive shoulder MRI examinations performed in 2013 at a Department of Veterans Affairs tertiary care hospital. Using advanced imaging guidelines, we assessed ordering appropriateness of shoulder MRI and estimated the proportion of examinations for which musculoskeletal ultrasound could have been an acceptable substitute, had it been available. We then reviewed MRI findings and assessed if ultrasound with preceding radiograph would have been adequate for diagnosis, based on literature reports of shoulder ultrasound diagnostic performance. Results Of the 237 examinations reviewed, 106 (45%) were deemed to be inappropriately ordered, most commonly because of an absent preceding radiograph (n = 98; 92%). Nonorthopedic providers had a higher frequency of inappropriate ordering (44%) relative to orthopedic specialists (17%) ( P = .016; odds ratio = 3.15, 95% confidence interval = 1.24-8.01). In the 237 examinations, ultrasound could have been the indicated advanced imaging modality for 157 (66%), and most of these (133/157; 85%) could have had all relevant pathologies characterized when combined with radiographs. Regardless of indicated modality, ultrasound could have characterized 80% of all cases ordered by nonorthopedic providers and 50% of cases ordered by orthopedic specialists ( P = .007). Conclusions Advanced shoulder imaging is often not ordered according to published appropriateness criteria. While nonorthopedic provider orders were more likely to be inappropriate, inappropriateness persisted among orthopedic providers. A combined ultrasound and radiograph evaluation strategy could accurately characterize shoulder pathologies for most cases.
Therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest: A systematic review/meta-analysis exploring the impact of expanded criteria and targeted temperature

Abstract Aims of the study We aimed to determine the benefit of an expanded use of TH. We also described the impact of a targeted temperature management on outcomes at discharge. Data sources We identified studies by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases. We included RCTs and observational studies restricted to those reporting achieved temperature during TH after OHCA. No other patient, cardiac arrest or hypothermia protocol restrictions were applied. Outcomes of interest were hospital mortality and neurological outcome at discharge. Appropriate risk of bias assessment for meta-analyzed studies was conducted. Studies contrasting hypothermia and normothermia outcomes were meta-analyzed using a random-effect model. Outcomes of cooling arms, obtained from enrolled studies, were pooled and compared across achieved temperatures. Results Search strategy yielded 32,275 citations of which 24 articles met inclusion criteria. Eleven studies were meta-analyzed. The use of TH after OHCA, even within an expanded use, decreased the mortality (OR 0.51, 95%CI [0.41–0.64]) and improved the odds of good neurological outcome (OR 2.48, 95%CI [1.91–3.22]). No statistical heterogeneity was found for either mortality ( I 2 = 4.0%) or neurological outcome ( I 2 = 0.0%). No differences in hospital mortality ( p = 0.86) or neurological outcomes at discharge ( p = 0.32) were found when pooled outcomes of 34 hypothermia arms grouped by cooling temperature were compared. Conclusion The use of TH after OHCA is associated with a survival and neuroprotective benefit, even when including patients with non-shockable rhythms, more lenient downtimes, unwitnessed arrest and/or persistent shock. We found no evidence to support one specific temperature over another during hypothermia.
Glutamate-induced RNA localization and translation in neurons

Localization of mRNA is required for protein synthesis to occur within discrete intracellular compartments. Neurons represent an ideal system for studying the precision of mRNA trafficking because of their polarized structure and the need for synapse-specific targeting. To investigate this targeting, we derived a quantitative and analytical approach. Dendritic spines were stimulated by glutamate uncaging at a diffraction-limited spot, and the localization of single β-actin mRNAs was measured in space and time. Localization required NMDA receptor activity, a dynamic actin cytoskeleton, and the transacting RNA-binding protein, Zipcode-binding protein 1 (ZBP1). The ability of the mRNA to direct newly synthesized proteins to the site of localization was evaluated using a Halo-actin reporter so that RNA and protein were detected simultaneously. Newly synthesized Halo-actin was enriched at the site of stimulation, required NMDA receptor activity, and localized preferentially at the periphery of spines. This work demonstrates that synaptic activity can induce mRNA localization and local translation of β-actin where the new actin participates in stabilizing the expanding synapse in dendritic spines.
CCSW'16: 8th ACM Cloud Computing Security Workshop

Cloud computing is a dominant trend in computing for the foreseeable future; e.g., major cloud operators are now estimated to house over a million machines each and to host substantial (and growing) fractions of our IT and web infrastructure. CCSW is a forum for bringing together researchers and practitioners to discuss the implications of this trend to the security of cloud operators, tenants, and the larger Internet community. CCSW welcomes submissions on new threats, countermeasures, and opportunities brought about by the move to cloud computing, with a preference for unconventional approaches, as well as measurement studies and case studies that shed light on the security implications of clouds.
Teach the Moment

What happens when you're teaching a course on student protest narratives, and a protest emerges just a few yards from your classroom?In spring 2016, I taught “Student activism, storytelling and com...
Bacteriocins for Control of Listeria spp. in Food.

Foodborne outbreaks of listeriosis caused by Listeria monocytogenes have contributed to public consciousness about bacterial pathogens involved with foodborne disease. Major concerns with L. monocytogenes are its high mortality rate, wide distribution on raw products, growth at low temperatures, and its ability to establish itself in various food-processing environments. These concerns have prompted the examination of novel approaches, including the use of antimicrobial peptides, or bacteriocins, to combat its survival in foods. Bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria have received much attention because these microorganisms have a long history of safe use in foods either as starter cultures or as indigenous contaminants. Some bacteriocins are inhibitory to foodborne pathogens, including Listeria spp., a substantial reason for investigating their potential use in novel food preservation applications. Nisin is currently accepted worldwide and in the U.S.; however, numerous other bacteriocins also have potential use in similar applications. Recent examples suggest that bacteriocins may contribute an additional barrier in the "hurdle" concept of food safety.
Evaluation of photoaging scales in an elderly male population

Photo-induced aging is a natural part of the aging process, but represents a common complaint of both medical and cosmetic dermatology patients. There are many photonumeric grading scales used to assess photo-induced aging, including several based on ethnicity (Caucasians, Asians), and cosmetic units of the face (1), however those specifically validated for older men are lacking. Current photonumeric scales were created using predominantly female subjects age 45 and younger (2-4). Our study sought to evaluate the inter-rater reliability of commonly used photonumeric grading scales in a population of elderly male subjects. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Syllable weight and duration: A rhyme/intervals comparison

Steriade (2012) proposed intervals as a more appropriate syllable weight domain than rhymes. This study explores how interval weight cashes out as duration across word positions and compares this to a rhyme-based account. The data reported on in Lunden (2013), from native speakers of Norwegian (a language in which (C)VC syllables are heavy only non-finally) is reanalyzed with intervals. Lunden found that syllable rhymes in all three positions, if taken as a percentage of the average V rhyme in that word position, fell into a coherent pattern for weight. It is shown that interval durations allow for a similar, albeit less robust, pattern. The data from Lunden's (2013) perception experiment that tested the correlation between increased vowel duration and listeners' classification of syllable weight is also recast with interval durations, and the importance of the proportional increase over the raw increase, originally found for the rhyme data, is found to hold for the interval data. Thus, taking intervals as the weight domain is shown to result in reasonable durational relations between interval weights, although interval durations show less separation between some light and heavy units than the rhyme durations do.
Total Hip Arthroplasty

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is used to manage hip arthritis when conservative measures have failed. Composed of three components (femoral, acetabular, and bearing surface), a THA can be completed through several different surgical approaches. Appropriate positioning of components, postoperative management, and anticoagulation can help prevent or reduce some potential complications. Complications and indications for revision are briefly discussed as well as some general tips to help a medical student succeed in their arthroplasty rotation.
User Interfaces for Supporting Multiple Categorization.

As the amount of information stored on and accessed by computer has increased over the past twenty years, the tools available for organizing and retrieving such information have become outdated. The folder paradigm has dominated existing user interfaces as the primary mechanism for organizing information for day-to-day use. This paradigm encourages many-to-one placement of documents into strictly hierarchical containers. In this paper we examine an alternative organization and navigation mechanism that promotes membership in multiple overlapping categories (as opposed to storage containment). In particular, we explore the user interface consequences of multiple categorization support being made conveniently available from within Web browsers. We have carried out user studies providing evidence that compared to the folder paradigm, multiple categorization not only improves organization and retrieval times but also matches more closely with the way users naturally think about organizing their information.
A SPONTANEOUS CAUSE OF CHEST PAIN

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an under-diagnosed cause of myocardial infarction (MI) and most commonly affects young women without cardiac risk factors and without evidence of atherosclerotic disease on coronary angiogram. Currently, expert opinion recommends conservative medical
Case 20: Pulmonary Edema Following Abdominal Laparoscopy

A 69-year-old, 50 kg woman with pelvic pain is admitted for laparoscopic carbon dioxide laser lysis of pelvic adhesions. Her past history is significant for hypertension and hyperlipidemia. The clinical exam is unremarkable, and although there are no cardiac symptoms, a preoperative ECG shows a left anterior fascicular block. Her medication includes hydrochlorothiazide, triamterene, and gemfibrozil. She is not allergic to any medication. She is sedated with midazolam 2 mg IV and taken to the operating room. Thereafter monitors are placed, and she has a successful induction of general endotracheal anesthesia. She is maintained with desflurane/fentanyl/oxygen/air mixture. Vecuronium is used for muscle relaxation. During the operation the patient receives a total of 2100 ml of crystalloid fluid IV over the 185 min procedure (1000 mL Lactate Ringer’s solution before the procedure started, 1000 mL 0.9% saline during the first 90 min and 100 ml 0.9% saline during the final 95 min). The surgeon infuses a lactated Ringer’s solution through the laparoscope to wash away blood and debris and thereby improve visualization.
A Quality Improvement Initiative to Improve Feeding and Growth of Infants With Cleft Lip and/or Palate.

Objective:The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to improve feeding and growth outcomes in infants with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P).Design:Institute for Healthcare Improvement qu...
Effect of multiagent chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy on rates of resection and survival in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer: a National Cancer Database Analysis.

391Background: The role of multiagent chemotherapy (MAC) has not been prospectively investigated in LAPC and data are extrapolated from randomized trials in patients with metastatic disease. Data r...
An Example of Correct Global Trace Generation

The memory reference trace of a parallel program is strongly dependent on the memory architecture and memory management policy environment. A change in that environment can change the addresses in the trace as well as the interleaving of the addresses. We have examined the issue of ensuring that the generated global trace is correct for the new environment. In this paper we summarize the key results and informally illustrate the proposed method using an example parallel program.
Coalesced QoS: A Pragmatic approach to a unified model for KLOS

- Advances in softward and hardware technologies have given operating systems the ability to process data and handle various concurrent processes. The increased ability has been one of the driving forces which have led to the proliferation of mechanisms in operating systesm to satisfy the performance requriements of applications with predictable resourece allocation. As differnt classes of applicatons require different resources managemnt policies one needs to look into ways to satify all classes of applications. Conventional general purpose operating systems have been developed for a single class of best-effort applications, hence, are inadequate to support multiple classes of applications. We present an abstract architecture for the support of Quality of Service (Qos) in Kernel-Less Operating System (KLOS). We propose new semantics for the Qos resources management paradigm, based on the notion of Quality of Service. By virtue of this new semantics, it is possible to provide the support required by KLOS to various components of the operating system such as memory manager, processor time, IO management etc. These mechanisms which are required within an operating system to support this paradigm are described, and the design and implementation of a protoypical kernel which implements them in is presented. Various notions of negotiation rules between the application and the operating systems are discussed along-with a feature which allows the user to express its requirements and the fact is that this model assures the user in providing the selcted parameters and returns feedback about the way it meets those requirements. This Qos model presents a design paradigm that allows the internal components to be rearranged dynamically, adapting the architecutre to the high performance of KLOS. The benefits of our framework are demonstrated by building a simulation model to represent how the various modules of an opeating system and the interface between the processes and the operating system can be tailored to provide Qualitu of Service guarantees.
The Mass Loss Rate of γ Velorum

The CIII λ 1909 absorption feature (deepest at V=−1600 Km s−1) in this star, observed by Burton et al (1975) and Johnson (1978), was predicted by Castor and Nussbaumer (1972). It implies a copious flow of CIII ions, because the oscillator strength is only fik= 1.6× 10−7.
A Multi-Paradigm Energy Model for Liquid Natural Gas Analysis

The current complex world energy system dictates that energy policy decisions can have far reaching and often unintended consequences. Therefore, sophisticated modeling techniques which allow possible future scenarios to be simulated and analyzed in advance are necessary in order to improve the decision making process. Multiparadigm modeling allows different parts of the system under consideration to be represented using the modeling technique most appropriate. This approach has been applied to the United States natural gas system and the future prospects of liquid natural gas imports over a medium term time frame have been examined.
Wafer-Level Three-Dimensional Hyper-Integration Technology Using Dielectric Adhesive Wafer Bonding

A viable wafer-level 3D hyper-integration technology platform with dielectric adhesive bonding and copper vias has been described. An inter-wafer via-chain structure has been fabricated, demonstrating the feasibility of this 3D technology, with a baseline process flow of one-micron wafer-to-wafer alignment, BCB wafer bonding, three-step wafer thinning and copper damascene patterned inter-wafer interconnection. Evaluations indicate the thermal, mechanical, and electrical robustness of the baseline wafer bonding and thinning processes as well as compatibility with BEoL processes and packaging. The key advantages of BCB wafer bonding include the ability to accommodate wafer-level non-planarity (e.g., surface topography, wafer bow) and particulates at the bonding interfaces, high bond strength, and relatively low temperature bonding process as well as high temperature stability after bonding.
Transition Metal Catalyzed Synthesis of Organometallic Polymers

Transition metal catalysts have recently been used to synthesize organo- metallic oligomers and polymers containing boron or silicon in the polymer backbone. Three types of transition metal catalyzed reactions have proven useful for organometallic polymer synthesis: (1) dehydrocoupling by self- reaction (2E-H —> H2 + E-E) or by reaction with an acidic hydrogen (E-H + X-H —> H2 + E-X); (2) redistribution of Si-H bonds with Si-O bonds, -[MeHSiO]x —> MeSiH3 + -[Me(O)1.5]x- and, (3) ring opening polymerization. In this review, we examine the potential utility of these catalytic methods for the synthesis of organometallic polymers. In each instance, an effort is made to illustrate the generality or lack thereof for reaction types. Relevant literature and proposed reaction mechanisms for each reaction are discussed.
Shikimic Acid Pathway

Most aromatic compounds in plants are derived from shikimic acid metabolism; many of these substances are phenols. Compounds derived from this pathway are extensively modified and considered under other classes of plant secondary metabolites. Although many types of secondary compounds are produced from intermediates of the shikimic acid pathway (e.g., certain naphthoquinones and anthraquinones discussed in Chapter 6), most are derived from four aromatic amino acids: phenylalanine, tyrosine, anthranilic acid, and tryptophan. Aromatic compounds that arise from the shikimic acid pathway usually can be distinguished from those of other origins by their substitution patterns and by a knowledge of the compounds with which they co-occur.
The Bioethical and Legal Implications of HHS's New Focus on Conscience and Religious Freedom.

Nelson (2018) presents a thought-provoking case for criminal liability in certain cases where a medical provider refuses to perform a lifesaving abortion. His article is especially timely in light ...
Are sleep spindles poised on supercritical Hopf bifurcations

ABSTRACT Sleep spindles are recognized as an important intermediate state of long term memory formation. During non REM sleep, large numbers of thalamic relay neurons synchronize their spike bursts for one half to two seconds, entraining many millions of neurons, and constituting a sleep spindle. Here we study spindle amplification, entrainment, synchronization and decay. Relay neurons have both a high resting state near −60 millivolts (mV) and low resting state near −75 mV. Due to the neuron’s sodium conductance, low-threshold calcium conductance, and calcium-dependent H conductance, it exhibits a number of bifurcations, like its supercritical Hopf at −61 mV. Here low-threshold calcium conductance destabilizes membrane potential to birth a small limit-cycle in the 7-16 Hz range. Supercritical Hopfbifurcations are the underlying mechanism for amplification and frequency selectivity in hearing: hair cells are forced by sinusoidal input currents driving their mainly capacitive loads, with the forcing currents locking at 90 degree phase leads with respect to their oscillating membrane potentials. Here we model a small part of a spindle, with 6 cross-coupled relay neurons all poised on Hopfbifurcations. One neuron is forced by a weak noisy train of periodic current impulses that typically lock at a 90 degree phase lead with respect to its voltage oscillation. It then drives its neighbors, causing them to drive each other at much smaller phase angles, usually less than ±10 degrees. The system of Hopf oscillators exhibit small signal amplification and frequency selectivity, high degrees of synchronization and noise rejection, and switch-ability. These argue in favor of spindling relay neurons poising on, or very near to, supercritical Hopfbifurcations. Also, during the phase-locking of their spike bursts, calcium conductance oscillations increase internal calcium, which turns on slow H current. This depolarizes the relay cells, pushing them below their Hopfbifurcations and terminating the spindle.
Ocular Pharmacokinetics of a Topical Ophthalmic Nanomicellar Solution of Cyclosporine (Cequa®) for Dry Eye Disease

Cequa®, a unique and first-in-class preservative free cyclosporine-A (CsA) nanomicellar topical formulation was recently approved by US FDA for treatment of dry eye disease or keratoconjuntivitis sicca (KCS). Being highly hydrophobic, CsA is currently available as an oil based emulsion, which has its own shortcomings. Developing an aqueous and clear formulation of CsA is imperative yet a challenging need in the quest for a safe and better drug product. In this regard, a novel, clear, aqueous nanomicellar solution of CsA was developed which has the potential to deliver therapeutic concentrations of CsA with minimal discomfort to patients. Highly promising pre-clinical results of Cequa® (OTX-101), has led to its advancement to the clinical trials. Phase III clinical trials have demonstrated that OTX-101 is highly effective, safe, and has a rapid onset of action in treating KCS. This review presents a comprehensive insight on formulation development, preclinical and clinical pharmacokinetic results of Cequa®. Additionally, the translational development of Cequa® from the laboratory benchtop to patient bedside has been discussed.
Husserl y Villoro: reflexiones en torno a los bienes comunes, la sabiduría, la ciencia y el sentido de la filosofía para la vida

This article approaches central aspects of Luis Villoro’s thought that are a consequence of his critical relation to Edmund Husserl’s transcendental phenomenology. Some of them are his inquiries into the meaning of philosophical reflection in the social and vital contexts in which it is carried out, as well into the task of philosophy itself, the topics that it cannot avoid addressing and the kind of knowledge to which it should strive. In the final part, it is suggested that the perspectives opened with the comparative study of these two thinkers are important to reclaim the critical task of philosophy in relation to the reality in which it unfolds and is cultivated.