cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Evolutionary Shifts in Supply Chain Modalities on Geographic, Environmental and Socioeconomic Climates in Rural Areas: A Field Study

The purpose of this research was to examine how shifts in supply chain modalities (modes of shipping logistics) impact various geographic, environmental and socioeconomic climates in rural settings. The sample field setting was the Eastern Shore of Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay region. During the 17th, 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries schooners and other forms of wooden craft transported both people and materials up and down the Bay pulling much of their business from ports located on the creeks of the bayside of Virginia’s Eastern Shore thus making these port towns thriving centers of commerce and social life. With the implementation of train service on the Shore during the late 1800’s (creating towns from scratch such as Parksley, VA), the socioeconomic focus shifted inland from creek to town. During the 1940’s and 50’s the shift in the supply chain moved from trains to truck transportation and again changed the landscape. Much of the research effort was spent physically examining and documenting the impact of these supply chain shifts by collecting photographic evidence and conducting oral histories as appropriate. Significant research was also conducted based on secondary data available in the local museums and libraries. Supply chain modalities are still shifting today and it is hoped that this research will help us foresee how these future shifts will impact our geographic, environmental and socioeconomic climates.
Abstract B47: Exploring the mechanism of cancer stem cell-specific action by salinomycin in yeast as a model

The antibiotic salinomycin represents a selective potassium ionophore. It has recently attracted considerable attention due to its stem-cell specific mode of action as elucidated in a breast cancer stem cell model [1]. Further studies revealed additional benefits, e.g. the triggering of apoptosis in resistant cancer cell lines and reversal of multidrug resistance [2,3]. In budding yeast, we discovered that this agent is active and, similar to nigericin, prominently causes mitochondrial damage as revealed by the emergence of respiration-defective cells. We also noted the frequent occurrence of salinomycin-resistant clones which may prove to be an obstacle in chemotherapy. We used the collection of systematic gene deletions in haploid yeast to characterize genes whose deletion confers sensitivity or resistance to salinomycin if a carbon source is provided (glycerol) that requires active respiration for growth. With this toxicogenomics approach in a model organism, we attempt to elucidate cancer stem cell-specific therapy targets and suggest strategies to avoid the development of salinomycin resistance. Among salinomycin-sensitive deletion mutants, significant overlap was found with known mutants sensitive to the ionophore monensin. Within this group, mutants that compromise vacuole/Golgi function and autophagy dominate. Novel genes were also uncovered which confer salinomycin sensitivity if deleted, such as CAJ1, encoding a heat shock protein of the dnaJ family, and certain arginine synthesis genes. On the other hand, deletions of TOR pathway components as well as deletions of the E2-ubiquitin conjugating enzymes UBC13 and MMS2 were among the most salinomycin-resistant mutants we found. In almost all cases, a strong correlation between salinomycin and nigericin sensitivity was observed. Since salinomycin appears to be the more efficient anti-cancer stem cell agent [1], the few cases of differential sensitivity will be discussed. [1] Gupta PB, Onder TT, Jiang G, Tao K, Kuperwasser C, et al. (2009) Cell 138:645–659. [2] Fuchs D, Heinold A, Opelz G, Daniel V, Naujokat C (2009) Biochem Biophys Res Commun 390:743–749. [3]Fuchs D, Daniel V, Sadeghi M, Opelz G, Naujokat C (2010) Biochem Biophys Res Commun 394:1098–1104. Supported by Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research; 2011 Sep 14-18; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(18 Suppl):Abstract nr B47.
Abstract 1078: Rosiglitazone inhibits breast cancer growth and proliferation via cyclin D1 inhibition.

Breast cancer ranks as the most commonly diagnosed and second leading cause of cancer death in North American women. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are a class of anti-diabetic drugs primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus by increasing insulin sensitivity; these compounds are also known to possess anti-tumor effects in several cancer cells including lung and breast cancer. The present study was designed to evaluate the antiproliferative effects of Rosiglitazone on triple negative breast cancer cells. MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were treated with Rosiglitazone and compared with negative control (without treatment) for modulation of molecules involved in cell-cycle regulation and apoptosis, including cyclin D1, caspase-3 and −9, Bad, and Bax. Our results show that Rosigliatzone suppresses the proliferation of highly-metastatic human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line by increasing the number of cells in G1 and reducing the number of cells progressing through the S-phase of the cell cycle. Further investigation revealed that the mechanism by which Rosiglitazone arrested cells in the G1-phase was via inhibition of cyclin D1 (a cell cycle regulatory protein that is essential for progression through the G1-phase of the cell cycle and has an central pathogenetic role in breast cancer). Our lab has previously shown an essential role of cyclin D1 upregulation in breast cacner growth and proliferation. Collectively, our results suggest that Rosiglitazone inhibits cancer cell proliferation by modulating expression of cyclin D1 and may provide a novel role for the use of Rosiglitazone as a therapeutic antitumorigenic agent. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1078.
Minority Cultural Heritage Status Aanalyse

Aiming at the appearance of minority culture flagging,Even the phenomenon of disappearing,this paper emphatically analyses the cause of the problem,and raises some countermeasures,hops to provides some help.
Surveillance Imaging in Patients in Remission From Hodgkin and Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

This JAMA Clinical Guidelines Synopsis summarizes the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s and European Society of Medical Oncology’s recent recommendations on follow-up imaging in patients in remission from Hodgkin and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
Dynamic allocation of slot using MAC protocol

With the emergence of fast growing communication technology, the necessity of conserving energy has been paramount, particularly in the field of wireless sensor network fields that are enabled with sensor devices that have limited energy, because it is impossible to replace and recharge the battery in the nodes. This paper introduces a novel dynamic allocation of slot to the node (DASN) mechanism at medium access control (MAC), which is the sub-layer of the Data link layer in the OSI model. DASN is proposed in order to avoid congestion, improve energy efficiency, and prolong the life of the network as less energy consumption leads to larger life of the battery on which network sensing devices work. This paper proposes the improved packet scheduling mechanism algorithm (IPSM) for DASN. The IPSM has better throughput compared to other algorithms and works on the basis of a greedy technique in which the maximum number of waiting nodes are allocated to the slots in the given time frame. Our proposed IPSM algorithm for DASN is implemented using the MATLAB platform. Experimental results show that IPSM saves energy and utilizes the channel to maximum capacity. IPSM has better throughput compared to other algorithms.
Advances in Burn Wound Care

Advances in the treatment and care of the burn wound have been largely responsible for the dramatic increase in the survival and recovery rates among burn patients. Concomitant advances in topical microbial control, surgical intervention, physiologic support, and associated research all have contributed to the development of contemporary burn wound management. Critical care nurses who incorporate these advances in their professional practice bring heightened knowledge and skill to the care of the bum wound and assist in the recovery of the bum-injured patient.
Do I fit in? Psychosocial ramifications of low gender typicality in early adolescence.

The current longitudinal study was designed to examine one of the possible underlying mechanisms that can help account for why low gender typicality (i.e., not feeling like a typical boy or girl) is related to subsequent psychosocial adjustment problems: peer victimization. Relying on a large (N = 5,991, 52% female), ethnically diverse U.S. sample, the results suggested that peer victimization at 7th grade partially accounts for associations between 7th grade gender typicality and 8th grade social anxiety, somatic complaints, and externalizing behavior, when controlling for earlier (e.g., 6th grade) levels of adjustment. Associations were similar across ethnic groups. Peer victimization mediated associations for boys and girls across all outcomes; however, girls showed stronger associations with somatic complaints and boys showed stronger associations with externalizing behavior. These results suggest that attempts to improve adjustment for youth feeling low gender typicality should focus in part on reducing peer victimization.
FFAST: An Algorithm for Computing an Exactly $ k$ -Sparse DFT in $O( k\log k)$ Time

It is a well-known fact that the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) $ \vec {X}$ of an arbitrary $ n$ -length input signal $ \vec {x}$ , can be computed from all the $ n$ time-domain samples in $O( n\log n)$ operations via a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm. If the spectrum $ \vec {X}$ is $ k$ -sparse (where $ k\ll n$ ), can we do better? We show that asymptotically in $ k$ and $ n$ , when $ k$ is sub-linear in $ n$ (precisely, $ k= O( n^{ \delta }$ ), where $0 \leq \delta ), and the support of the non-zero DFT coefficients is uniformly random, the fast fourier aliasing-based sparse transform (FFAST) algorithm, proposed in this paper, computes, with asymptotically high probability, the $k$ non-zero DFT coefficients of $\vec {X}$ from $O( k)$ samples of $ \vec {x}$ in $O( k\log k)$ arithmetic operations. Further, the constants in the big Oh notation for both sample and computational cost are small, e.g., when $ \delta , which essentially covers a wide range of sub-linear sparsity cases, the sample cost is less than $4 k$ . Although, in this paper we assume that the samples of the signal $ \vec {x}$ observed by the FFAST are noise-free, a noise-robust extension of the FFAST is provided in a companion (Part II) paper [1] . Our approach is based on filter-less sub-sampling of the input signal using a set of carefully chosen uniform sub-sampling patterns guided by the Chinese Remainder Theorem (CRT) . The idea is to cleverly exploit, rather than avoid, the resulting aliasing artifacts induced by sub-sampling. Specifically, the sub-sampling operation on the time-domain signal $ \vec {x}$ is designed to create aliasing patterns of the non-zero coefficients of the spectrum $ \vec {X}$ to “look like” parity-check constraints of a good erasure-correcting sparse-graph code. Next, we show that computing the sparse DFT $ \vec {X}$ is equivalent to decoding of an appropriate sparse-graph code . The sparse-graph codes further permit a fast peeling-style decoding. Consequently, the resulting DFT computation is low in both the sample and the decoding complexity. We analytically connect our proposed CRT-based aliasing framework to random sparse-graph codes, and analyze the performance of our algorithm using density evolution techniques from coding theory. We provide extensive simulation results, that are in tight agreement with our theoretical findings.
Application of the 226Ra–230Th–234U and 227Ac–231Pa–235U radiochronometers to uranium certified reference materials

Uranium certified reference materials (CRM) issued by New Brunswick Laboratory were subjected to dating using four independent uranium-series radiochronometers. In all cases, there was acceptable agreement between the model ages calculated using the 231Pa–235U, 230Th–234U, 227Ac–235U or 226Ra–234U radiochronometers and either the certified 230Th–234U model date (CRM 125-A and CRM U630), or the known purification date (CRM U050 and CRM U100). The agreement between the four independent radiochronometers establishes these uranium certified reference materials as ideal informal standards for validating dating techniques utilized in nuclear forensic investigations in the absence of standards with certified model ages for multiple radiochronometers.
Electrochemical Measurement of Rapid Dopamine Release in Perfused Cat Carotid Body during Onset of Hypoxia

Evidence that dopamine (DA) may play a role in carotid body (CB) chemotransduction has been reviewed by Eyzaguirre and Zapata (1984). Gonzalez et al. (1992) recently reviewed current theories for O2 and acid chemotransduction mechanisms. Using CBs incubated with radiolabelled tyrosine, it has been shown that hypoxia releases DA from a newly synthesized pool, and that its release is dependent on Ca2+ (Fidone et al., 1982; Gonzalez & Fidone, 1977; Rigual et al., 1991). Acidic conditions or elevated K+ also cause DA release in superfused cat and rabbit CBs.
A follow-on study on vision-related quality of life assessment using the NEI-VFQ-25 in those with a history of unilateral and bilateral congenital cataracts.

Purpose To assess vision-specific health-related quality of life (using the NEI-VFQ-25), educational attainment and visual acuity (VA) in patients with a history of congenital cataracts and appraise these in relation to Kirwan et al.'s (Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 49, 2012, 26) study. Methods A retrospective hospital-based study of patients with unilateral and bilateral congenital cataracts whounderwent surgery aged younger than 12 months. Those 13 years or older at follow-up were selected for inclusion. Patients with glaucoma, other associated ocular complications or systemic abnormalities were excluded. Educational attainment and VA at latest review were recorded. Results Twelve patients with unilateral cataract (mean age: 26 ± 4.5) and fifteen with bilateral cataract (mean age 22 ± 4.3) were included. Bilateral group had greater difficulty with near and distance activities, vision-specific role difficulties, vision-specific dependency and general health than the unilateral group. There were no significant differences with regard to ocular pain, vision-specific social functioning, vision-specific mental health, driving, colour vision, peripheral vision or educational attainment between the groups. All patients attended mainstream school, and majority progressed to third-level education. Follow up at an increased time from surgery - 6.2 ± 5.13 (unilateral) and 6.5 ± 6.4 years (bilateral) - compared to Kirwan et al.'s study. Conclusion Results were in keeping with Kirwan et al.'s. Bilateral group had greater difficulty with day-to-day tasks compared to the unilateral group, including near and distance vision activities. They had greater vision-specific role difficulties and vision-specific dependency. There was no difference between the groups in regard to vision-specific social functioning, vision-specific mental health or educational attainment. This can be a source of reassurance to parents and patients.
Neutral ceramidase: Advances in mechanisms, cell regulation, and roles in cancer

Abstract Extensive research conducted in the last three decades has identified the roles for the main bioactive sphingolipids, namely ceramide, sphingosine, and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) as key regulators of cellular homeostasis, growth and death. One of the major groups of enzymes in the ceramide pathway, ceramidases, converts ceramide into sphingosine and fatty acids, with sphingosine being further metabolized to S1P. Thus, these enzymes play important roles in the network controlling the functions associated with these bioactive sphingolipids. Among the family of ceramidases, neutral ceramidase (nCDase), which is named according to its optimal pH for catalytic activity, has received increased attention in the last decade. The goal of this review is to provide a brief background on bioactive sphingolipids and the ceramidases. We then describe more recent advances on nCDase, specifically the resolution of its crystal structure and understanding its roles in cell biology and physiology.
A Machine Learning Based Approach for Automatic Rebar Detection and Quantification of Deterioration in Concrete Bridge Deck Ground Penetrating Radar B-scan Images

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a non-destructive method (NDT) for subsurface object identification. Interpretation of GPR data is often done manually by an engineer, which is a time-intensive task and requires moderate to significant level of training. The authors proposed a novel machine learning based processing for automatic interpretation and quantification of concrete bridge deck GPR B-scan images. The proposed method is based on combination of image processing, machine learning (ML) data classification, data filtering, and spatial pattern analysis for quantification of deterioration in concrete bridge decks. For the first time, the authors introduced a dataset of 4,000 B-scan images cropped from real bridge deck GPR field data, named DECKGPRH1.0. The proposed method is tested on bridge deck GPR data collected from three bridges with different NBI (National Bridge Inventory) ratings. The results presented indicate that by implementing a ML based classifier and a fine tuned filter, the proposed approach provides a robust solution for automatic quantification GPR field data.
Exploration of Practice Patterns in Exstrophy Closures: A Comparison Between Surgical Specialties Using a National and Institutional Database.

ABSTRACT Objective To compare the surgical subspecialties performing bladder exstrophy closures and characterize their practice patterns using both a national and institutional database. Methods The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric (NSQIPP) database was reviewed for all bladder exstrophy closures performed from 2012 to 2017. A single institutional exstrophy-epispadias complex database of 1337 patients was reviewed for patients with a bladder closure at a referring institution from 1975 to 2018. Patients with cloacal exstrophy were excluded. The subspecialties of the surgeons performing the closures were identified. Practice patterns such as the use of a pelvic osteotomy and postoperative immobilization, and perioperative outcomes were compared for each subspecialty group. Results A total of 84 bladder exstrophy patients from NSQIPP and 263 from the author's institutional database met the inclusion criteria. From NSQIPP, 88% of closures were performed by pediatric urologists while 12% were done by other subspecialists. From the institutional database, 75% of referred bladder exstrophy closures were done by a pediatric urologist, and 25% by other services. Gender, race, operation time, length of stay, and postoperative complications were not significantly different between the groups. In one database, pediatric surgeons performed closures earlier, and in another database, pediatric urologists had greater utilization of osteotomy with different immobilization techniques. Pediatric urologists had a higher success rate. Conclusion Pediatric urologists performed the most bladder exstrophy closures in both databases; they operated on more delayed closures with a greater use of adjunctive procedures and a higher success rate. Differences in surgical training may contribute to the differences in practice patterns.
Chronic Binge Alcohol Exposure During Pregnancy Alters mTOR System in Rat Fetal Hippocampus.

Background Gestational alcohol exposure can contribute to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), an array of cognitive, behavioral, and physical developmental impairments. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) plays a key role in regulating protein synthesis in response to neuronal activity, thereby modulating synaptic plasticity and long-term memory formation in the brain. Based on our previous quantitative mass spectrometry proteomic studies, we hypothesized that gestational chronic binge alcohol exposure alters mTOR signaling and downstream pathways in the fetal hippocampus. Methods Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to either a pair-fed control (PF-Cont) or a binge alcohol (Alcohol) treatment group. Alcohol dams were acclimatized via a once-daily orogastric gavage of 4.5 g/kg alcohol (peak BAC, 216 mg/dl) from GD 5-10 and progressed to 6 g/kg alcohol (peak BAC, 289 mg/dl) from GD 11-21. Pair-fed dams similarly received isocaloric maltose dextrin. Results In the Alcohol group, following this exposure paradigm, fetal body weight and crown-rump length were decreased. The phosphorylation level of mTOR (P-mTOR) in the fetal hippocampus was decreased in the Alcohol group compared with controls. Alcohol exposure resulted in dysregulation of fetal hippocampal mTORC1 signaling, as evidenced by an increase in total 4E-BP1 expression. Phosphorylation levels of 4E-BP1 and p70 S6K were also increased following alcohol exposure. P-mTOR and P-4E-BP1 were exclusively detected in the dentate gyrus and oriens layer of the fetal hippocampus, respectively. DEPTOR and RICTOR expression levels in the fetal hippocampus were increased; however, RAPTOR was not altered by chronic binge alcohol exposure. Conclusion We conclude that chronic binge alcohol exposure during pregnancy alters mTORC1 signaling pathway in the fetal hippocampus. We conjecture that this dysregulation of mTOR protein expression, its activity, and downstream proteins may play a critical role in FASD neurobiological phenotypes.
First report of gray mold of chickpea caused by Botrytis euroamericana in the USA

Abstract Gray mold caused by Botrytis spp. is one of the most important diseases of chickpea. In August 2019, chickpea plants with gray mold symptoms were submitted to the Regional Pulse Crop Diagnostic Laboratory (RPCDL) at Montana State University (MSU). To identify the causal agent, leaves were surface sterilized and plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA). The fungus was off white color and did not sporulate on PDA; sclerotia were observed after 10 days of incubation. The pathogen was identified as Botrytis euroamericana by the amplification of part of the G3PDH, HSP60, and RPB2 genes and by phylogenetic analysis. Pathogenicity tests revealed that the isolate was able to cause lesions on chickpea, lentil, dry pea, and fava bean foliage.
Pod-based menthol and tobacco flavored e-cigarettes cause mitochondrial dysfunction in lung epithelial cells

Current FDA regulations have resulted in a ban of flavored e-cigarette pods, with only menthol and tobacco flavored pods being exempted. Previous work using menthol and tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes have been shown to induce mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. We hypothesized that exposure to pod-based JUUL Menthol and Virginia Tobacco aerosols will alter mitochondrial respiration and electron transport chain protein levels. We determined mitochondrial respiration by using a Seahorse technique and electron transport chain complexes by total OXPHOS antibodies after exposing lung epithelial cells, Beas-2b, to pod-based Menthol and Virginia Tobacco flavored aerosols. Menthol pod exposure resulted in an immediate increase in proton leak and decrease in coupling efficiency, as well as a decrease in complex I, II, and IV. Menthol pod exposure twenty-four hour post-exposure resulted in a decrease in basal respiration, maximal respiration, and spare capacity, as well as a decrease in complex I. Tobacco pod exposure resulted in no significant alterations to mitochondrial respiration, but immediately post final exposure resulted in a significant increase in complex I, IV, and V. Our results indicate that exposure to Menthol flavored e-cigarette pods cause mitochondrial dysfunction in lung epithelial cells.
Protocol for the separation of extracellular vesicles by ultracentrifugation from in vitro cell culture models.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play key roles in transporting key molecular constituents as cargo for extracellular trafficking. While several approaches have been developed to extract EVs from mammalian cells, the specific method of EV isolation can have a profound effect on membrane integrity and yield. Here, we describe a step-by-step procedure to separate EVs from adherent epithelial cells using differential ultracentrifugation. Separated EVs can be further analyzed by immunoblotting, mass spectrometry, and transmission electron microscopy to derive EV yield and morphology. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Brown et al. (2019).
Review of electromagnetic waves-based distance measurement technologies for remote monitoring of civil engineering structures

Abstract Measuring distance is essential for health monitoring and condition assessment of civil engineering structures. This paper reviews recent advances in remote sensing technologies for measuring distance based on electromagnetic waves. Specifically, four families of technologies are reviewed, which are the Global Navigation Satellite Systems, microwave radars, laser-based methods, and vision-based methods. The reviewed content covers the measurement principles, signal processing methods, state-of-the-art applications, and key performance metrics. The investigated performance includes the measurement accuracy, sampling frequency, operating distance, robustness to the environment, and compatibility with autonomous platforms. Existing inconsistent viewpoints concerning the performance are discussed. Based on the features of different technologies, a decision tree is presented to facilitate selection of appropriate methods for intended applications. This research is expected to promote development and applications of remote sensing technologies for facilitating condition assessment of engineering structures.
Massive-MIMO and Digital mm-Wave Arrays on RF-SoCs using FDM for M-Fold Increase in Antennas per ADC/DAC

Communication systems of the future will require hundreds of independent spatial channels achieved through dense antenna arrays connected to digital signal processing software defined radios. The cost and complexity of data converters are a significant concern with systems having hundreds of antennas. This paper explores frequency division multiplexing as an approach for augmenting the baseband signals of multiple antenna channels such that a single ADC can sample a multitude of antennas in an array. The approach is equally applicable to both massive MIMO and mm-wave digital wireless arrays. An example design based on Xilinx RF SoC for combining 4 antenna channels at 28 GHz into a single ADC is provided.
Journey Exploring the Evasive Cause of Cardiomyopathy in a 27 Year Old

Introduction The differential for cardiomyopathy in a young patient is challenging. While there has been published research into genetic cardiomyopathy and lymphocytic myocarditis, there is still much to be studied. Case Report A 27 year old male with significant family history of heart disease and no drug/steroid use, initially presented following cardiac arrest while exercising. Patient was found to be apneic and pulseless upon arrival of EMS. ACLS was performed. In the ED, he was found to have an EF of 10% and global hypokinesis. Lab work showed an elevated troponin which peaked at 20. Angiogram showed no significant obstructions. Patient developed evidence of cardiogenic shock, ultimately requiring pressors, IABP, and VA ECMO. Genetic testing was obtained which showed variance in FLNC and RBM40. Cardiac MRI demonstrated no late gadolinium enhancement. Right heart catherization and myocardial biopsy demonstrated evidence of high output heart failure and borderline lymphocytic myocarditis. Repeat ECHO demonstrated an improved ejection fraction of 43%. Patient was later decannulated and IABP was removed. Patient ultimately underwent AICD placement, and later interrogation noted episodes of VTach of unclear etiology. Patient was optimized on beta blockers, ARNI, and antiarrhythmics. Ejection fraction one year after admission remained 43%. Summary This case highlights the differential for cardiomyopathy in a 27 year old. While the diagnosis at this time is unclear, two main diagnoses become prominent: lymphocytic myocarditis versus underlying genetic disorder. Lymphocytic myocarditis accounts for 54% of all myocarditis, with viral illness the most common identified cause. Workup includes exclusion of other etiologies, as well as endomyocardial biopsy. While the role of medical therapy, such as immunosuppression or antivirals is unclear, the most effective treatment is supportive care. Genetic cardiomyopathies, however are more insidious. While there is still much to know about genetic cardiomyopathies, there have been advances in the recognition of genetic mutations that lead to earlier recognition and treatment. Also, patients with underlying genetic cardiomyopathies can be predisposed to lymphocytic myocarditis. This case is interesting in that it allows us to explore the differential for cardiomyopathy in a young healthy patient, and how the field of cardiomyopathy is evolving.
Integrated CO2 capture and photocatalytic conversion by a hybrid adsorbent/photocatalyst material

Abstract Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (CCS) is costly mainly due to the high energy demand to regenerate the CO2 sorbents. Photocataltyic reduction of CO2 is one of the promising routes in CO2 conversion and utilization (CCU) but is hurdled by its very low conversion. This work, for the first time, integrates CO2 capture and photocatalytic conversion (CCPC) by using a novel hybrid adsorbent/photocatalyst (TiO2 nanoparticles supported on MgAl layered double oxides, i.e., MgAl(LDO)/TiO2), with CO2 adsorption, desorption and conversion to C1 products operated near power plant flue gas temperatures (100–200 °C). The proportions of desorption and conversion of the captured CO2 could be manipulated by tuning the reaction temperature, the atomic ratio of adsorbent to photocatalyst, and the dispersion and crystallinity of TiO2 particles. Experimental results show that the hybrid MgAl(LDO)/TiO2 not only has a much higher CO2 capture capacity than bare MgAl(LDO) and TiO2, but also converts 13–15% CO2 to carbon monoxide (CO) with a 93–95% overall self-regeneration rate during five adsorption/conversion/regeneration cycles. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) analyses have demonstrated that photo-illumination can activate and convert the strongly adsorbed species that cannot be achieved by thermal desorption alone at the same temperature. The novel CCPC process, with further advancement in the materials and reaction design, may provide a competitive alternative to the current carbon management technologies.
The distance between us, a memoir

I read this book a few weeks after the disappearance and killing of 43 Mexican students in the town of Iguala, Guerrero, Mexico, where much of Grande’s memoir takes place. That terrible event made ...
Expert vs. Non-expert Tutoring: Dialogue Moves, Interaction Patterns and Multi-utterance Turns

Studies of one-on-one tutoring have found that expert tutoring is more effective than non-expert tutoring, but the reasons for its effectiveness are relatively unexplored. Since tutoring involves deep natural language interactions between tutor and student, we explore the differences between an expert and non-expert tutors through the analysis of individual dialogue moves, tutorial interaction patterns and multi-utterance turns. Our results are a first step showing what behaviors constitute expertise and provide a basis for modeling effective tutorial language in intelligent tutoring systems.
Approximate MST for UDG locally

We consider a wireless network composed of a set of n wireless nodes distributed in a two dimensional plane. The signal sent by a node can be received by all nodes within its transmission region, which is a unit disk centered at this node. The nodes together define a unit disk graph (UDG) with edge uv iff ||uv|| ≤ 1. We present the first localized method to construct a bounded degree planar connected structure for UDG whose total edge length is within a constant factor of the minimum spanning tree. The total communication cost of our method is O(n), and every node only uses its two-hop information to construct such structure. We show that some two-hop information is necessary to construct any low-weighted structure. We also study the application of this structure in efficient broadcasting in wireless ad hoc networks.We prove that this structure uses only O(1/n) of the total energy of the previously best-known light weighted structure RNG.
Confocal fluorescence microscopy: An ultra-sensitive tool used to evaluate intracellular antiretroviral nano-drug delivery in HeLa cells

In the last decade, confocal fluorescence microscopy has emerged as an ultra-sensitive tool for real-time study of nanoparticles (NPs) fate at the cellular-level. According to WHO 2007 report, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is still one of the world’s major health threats by claiming approximately 7,000 new infections daily worldwide. Although combination antiretroviral drugs (cARV) therapy has improved the life-expectancy of HIV-infected patients, routine use of high doses of cARV has serious health consequences and requires complete adherence to the regimen for success. Thus, our research goal is to fabricate long-acting novel cARV loaded poly(lactide-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (cARV-NPs) as drug delivery system. However, important aspects of cARV-NPs that require special emphasis are their cellular-uptake, potency, and sustained drug release efficiency over-time. In this article, ultra-sensitive confocal microscopy is been used to evaluate the uptake and sustained drug release kinetics of cARV-NPs in HeLa cells. To evaluate with the above goal, instead of cARV-drug, Rhodamine6G dye (fluorescent dye) loaded NPs (Rho6G NPs) have been formulated. To correlate the Rhodamin6G release kinetics with the ARV release from NPs, a parallel HPLC study was also performed. The results obtained indicate that Rho6G NPs were efficiently taken up at low concentration (<500 ng/ml) and that release was sustained for a minimum of 4 days of treatment. Therefore, high drug assimilation and sustained release properties of PLGA-NPs make them an attractive vehicle for cARV nano-drug delivery with the potential to reduce drug dosage as well as the number of drug administrations per month.
Understanding Crime Trends in Italy and Elsewhere

No one seems to know why crime rates based on official data rose steeply in all developed countries except Japan from the 1960s through the 1990s, or why they have since fallen. Since the fall began, homicide, theft, burglary, and auto theft rates have declined almost everywhere. Patterns appear to differ for robberies, assaults, and sexual offenses, with rates falling in the English-speaking countries and continuing to rise or remaining at high levels in much of continental Europe, including in Italy. Most likely rates for those offenses are also declining and only appear to be rising because of increases in victim reporting and police recording and because of rising thresholds of intolerance of violence which have led to cultural re-characterizations as criminal of behaviors, including domestic violence, sexual aggressiveness, and alcohol-influenced altercations, that in earlier periods were not seen in that way.
Economic Prospects for a One-State Solution in Palestine-Israel

This paper explores the economic underpinnings of a one-state solution in Israel/Palestine, a dimension that has rarely been addressed in the growing literature on this subject. It seeks to demonstrate that economic developments since 1993 prove the demise of the two-state solution but without shifting the power imbalances in favor of a one-state alternative. This is largely because Israel has been able to dispense with the Palestinians, both economically and politically. The international community has inadvertently contributed to this situation but also holds the key to its reversal.
The GDA1_CD39 superfamily: NTPDases with diverse functions

The first comprehensive review of the ubiquitous “ecto-ATPases” by Plesner was published in 1995. A year later, a lymphoid cell activation antigen, CD39, that had been cloned previously, was shown to be an ecto-ATPase. A family of proteins, related to CD39 and a yeast GDPase, all containing the canonical apyrase conserved regions in their polypeptides, soon started to expand. They are now recognized as members of the GDA1_CD39 protein family. Because proteins in this family hydrolyze nucleoside triphosphates and diphosphates, a unifying nomenclature, nucleoside triphosphate diphopshohydrolases (NTPDases), was established in 2000. Membrane-bound NTPDases are either located on the cell surface or membranes of intracellular organelles. Soluble NTPDases exist in the cytosol and may be secreted. In the last 15 years, molecular cloning and functional expression have facilitated biochemical characterization of NTPDases of many organisms, culminating in the recent structural determination of the ecto-domain of a mammalian cell surface NTPDase and a bacterial NTPDase. The first goal of this review is to summarize the biochemical, mutagenesis, and structural studies of the NTPDases. Because of their ability in hydrolyzing extracellular nucleotides, the mammalian cell surface NTPDases (the ecto-NTPDases) which regulate purinergic signaling have received the most attention. Less appreciated are the functions of intracellular NTPDases and NTPDases of other organisms, e.g., bacteria, parasites, Drosophila, plants, etc. The second goal of this review is to summarize recent findings which demonstrate the involvement of the NTPDases in multiple and diverse physiological processes: pathogen-host interaction, plant growth, eukaryote cell protein and lipid glycosylation, eye development, and oncogenesis.
Effect of a surgically created disk displacement on mandibular symmetry in the growing rabbit

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the contribution of unilateral disk displacement to growth changes in the young New Zealand White rabbit.
Proportional costs in trauma and acute care surgery patients: dominant role of intensive care unit costs.

Background Controlling inpatient costs is increasingly important. Identifying proportionately larger cost categories may help focus cost control efforts. The purpose of this study was to identify proportionate patient cost categories in trauma and acute care surgery (TACS) patients and determine subgroups in which the largest opportunities for cost savings might exist. Study Design Administrative data from our academic, urban, level I trauma center were used to identify all adult TACS patients from FY07 through FY11. We determined, on average, what proportion of the whole each cost category contributed to patients' total costs and examined the same proportions for subgroups of patients. Results We identified 6,008 TACS patients. Trauma patients (n = 3,904) made up 65% of the cohort (mean Injury Severity Score 13.2). Payers were: 22% government (Medicare, Medicaid, Champus), 27% private, 43% self-pay/indigent, 3% other, and 5% workers compensation. Nontrauma (general surgery) patients (n = 2,104) made up 35% of the cohort. Payers were: 44% government, 24% private, 29% self-pay/indigent, 2% other, and 1% workers compensation. Total inpatient costs were $141,304,993. Per patient costs rose from $17,245 in FY07 to $26,468 in FY11. In the aggregate, supplies, ICU stays, and ward stays represented the largest proportionate cost categories. On a per patient basis, however, ICU stays were by far the largest cost. Patients with ICU stay greater than 10 days were only 7% of all patients but accounted for 41% of total costs. Conclusions Trauma and acute care surgery patients represent a significant and increasing institutional cost. Per patient ICU costs were the largest single category, suggesting that cost control efforts should focus heavily on critically ill patients. Nontrauma patients who require critical care have the highest per patient ICU costs and may represent a previously underappreciated opportunity for cost control.
Developing Sharing An Analysis of Modeling and other Behavioral Techniques

The present study evaluated modeling and five other behavioral techniques for facilitating sharing. A multiple baseline design across three groups of five preschool children was used. Instructions,...
A modified assay for the detection of human adult active rosette forming lymphocytes.

Abstract A modified procedure is described for the detection of a sub-population of peripheral blood T-cells in normal human adults. This sub-population of T-cells has been called the active rosette forming cell by others. The advantages of this modified procedure compared with that previously described are: 1) the elimination of a 60 min incubation period for lymphocytes prior to the assay and 2) the elimination of the need for fetal calf serum in the assay. The mean percentage of RFC in the peripheral blood of 80 healthy adult controls using the modified procedure is 25.2 ± 5.5% in buffer lacking FCS. The results were highly reproducible and comparable to the results obtained using the procedure previously described. It was concluded that a 60 min pre-incubation of lymphocytes and the use of FCS are not necessary when the appropriate SRBC: lymphocyte ratio is used in the determination of human adult active RFC. The use of this procedure in evaluating the immune competence of cancer patients is discussed.
Relationship between variations in estradiol and progesterone levels across the menstrual cycle and human performance.

Rationale: Studies about whether or not the cognitive performance of women is influenced by changes in levels of sex steroid hormones across the menstrual cycle have produced ambiguous results. Objectives: This study tested whether flight simulator performance differs significantly between the menstrual and the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Methods: In a within-subjects design, 24 female pilots were tested twice during their menstrual cycle: once during the menstrual and once during the luteal phase. On both test days they performed a 75-min simulator flight in a Frasca 141, a popular pilot training device. Results: Despite highly significant differences in estradiol (E2) as well as progesterone (P) levels on the 2 test days, and despite excluding subjects with anovulatory cycles from the analyses, there were no significant differences in overall flight performance between the menstrual and luteal phases. We found no significant correlations between E2 or P levels and flight performance. Conclusions: We found no evidence that the tested menstrual cycle phases and their associated E2 and P levels significantly influence flight simulator performance. We consider these negative findings based on 24 subjects meaningful because previous studies on the influence of menstrual cycle on cognitive performance have not involved complex "real world" tasks such as piloting an aircraft and they obtained inconsistent results.
Electron Diffraction as a Tool of Structural Chemistry

If an electron beam is crossed by a molecular jet, the electrons are scattered (Fig. 1). At some distance from the scattering center (the nozzle, Fig. 1) one can observe the scattering pattern, a system of concentric rings (Fig. 2). These rings have varying intensities. The intensity distribution is a function of the structure of the scattering molecules. This is the basis of electron diffraction as a tool of structural chemistry.
Mating Disruption of Mexican Rice Borers (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Lower Rio Grande Valley Sugarcane

Mating disruption of Mexican rice borers, Eoreuma loftini (Dyar), by synthetic pheromone applications in sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) was investigated in large-scale field studies. Mating disruption was assessed using pheromone trapping, mating tables, stalk dissections, and nocturnal collections of adults. Pheromone traps were inappropriate for monitoring mating disruption. Mating tables supplied useful information but overestimated effects of pheromone applications on mating activities of feral rice borer populations. Adult collections and dissections supplied the least ambiguous assessment of mating activities, but were interpreted most easily in the presence of other substantiating data. Pheromone applications formulated in rubber ships or microporous beads and applied in a polybutene-based adhesive did not result in appreciable levels of mating disruption, and did not control rice borer populations or reduce associated stalk injury levels.
Using a simulated environment to investigate experiences reported during space travel

Astronauts report certain experiences that can be classified as awe and wonder when looking out of their space station or shuttle portals at two different stimuli: the earth and deep space. Based on these reports, it was of interest to further investigate those types of experiences by using a mixed-reality environment resembling an International Space Station workstation designed to expose subjects to simulated stimuli of the earth and deep space. The study is multidisciplinary, involving simulation construction, physiological assessment, psychological testing, textual analysis, and phenomenological interviews. The goal was to induce in the average person the experiences and responses of the astronauts. Preliminary results show promise for using a virtual/mixed-reality environment in a laboratory when assessing cognitive/affective experiences, such as awe and wonder, found in a real-world context.
Operationalizing International Humanitarian Law: A Decision-Making Process Model for Assessing State Practice

A methodological challenge confronting scholars of international law (IL) and international relations (IR) is operationalizing customary international law and state practice. This challenge is compounded when the subject has given rise to extensive and diverse primary source material, as is the case with international humanitarian law (IHL). This article develops a comprehensive research model that examines state practice of IHL as a decision-making process and employs diverse primary source material involving multiple levels and types of government agencies, officials, military practitioners and non-state actors. One of the advantages of the process perspective is that it helps to organize the large body of IHL primary source material that often goes overlooked and underutilized. This paper offers an alternative to prevailing methodologies and advances an approach that is both exploratory and structured. This ‘foundational’ perspective, I argue, can potentially serve as a bridge between the two disciplines and may provide the raw material for interdisciplinary dialogue and theory development. Finally, this article introduces the argument that both disciplines would benefit from including a historical perspective when writing on this controversial and emotive subject.