cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Th1 Versus Th17: Are T Cell Cytokines Relevant in Multiple Sclerosis?

Our understanding of the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) has evolved significantly over the past two decades as the fields of immunology and neurobiology provide new avenues of exploration into the cause and mechanism of the disease. It has been known for decades that T cells have different cytokine phenotypes, yet the cytokine phenotype of pathogenic T cells in MS is still an area of debate. In EAE, it appears that IFNγ and IL-17, produced by Th1 and Th17 cells respectively, are not the critical factor that determines T cell encephalitogenicity. However, there are molecules such as IL-23, T-bet and STAT4, that appear to be critical, yet it is unclear whether all these molecules contribute to a common, yet undefined pathway, or act in a synergistic manner which culminates in encephalitogenicity has still to be determined. Therefore, the focus of research on effector T cells in MS should focus on pathways upstream of the cytokines that define Th1 and Th17 cells, since downstream products, such as IFNγ and IL-17, probably are not critical determinants of whether an effector T cells is capable of trafficking to the CNS and inducing inflammatory demyelination.
Rethinking “ethnic pride”

Abstract. Cultural pluralism was one of several theories put forth as a model of assimilation for the huge and diverse immigrant populations that entered the country. It was propelled to the theory of choice in the 1960's and resulted in ethnically‐determined government policies and programs. While in the short run some individuals in some groups benefited from pursuing separatist strategies, cultural diversity has done nothing to lessen discrimination or alleviate poverty and may be the major retardant of the welfare state. Cooperative strategies and a return to national goals stressing integration are proposed.
Predicting Collapse Potential of Soils with Neural Networks

Collapsible soils are known to experience a dramatic decrease in volume upon wetting. This can be very detrimental to structures founded on collapsible soils. Whereas field testing might be the most reliable way to determine collapse potential, the engineer often sees it as the last resort. Neural network models for predicting the collapse potential of soils on the basis of basic index properties are presented. Field data, consisting of index properties and collapse potential, are used to train and test neural networks. Various network architectures and training algorithms are examined and compared. The trained networks are shown to be able to identify the collapsible soils and predict the collapse potential.
The effect of gender on trust perception and performance in computer-mediated virtual environments

An important area in Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) is how gender affects trust building and performance in virtual settings. This paper empirically investigates gender differences in two media, video and Instant Messaging, while performing negotiation tasks. The primary results indicate that: (1) female pairs perceive higher levels of trust than male pairs when gender information about the partner is either seen via the video channel or mutually revealed via the IM channel, and (2) male/female pairs have better performance outcomes than female pairs. The results imply that having females in the remote working teams may help teams achieve high levels of initial trust leading to cooperation and information sharing in virtual settings. In addition, the results suggest that gender diversity, as represented in male/female pairs, may be important to quality performance outcomes in collaborative work groups.
Induction of IgE Antibody Responses by GlutathioneS-Transferase from the German Cockroach (Blattella germanica) *

We report that a major 23-kDa allergen from German cockroach (Blattella germanica) is a glutathione S-transferase (EC 2.5.1.18; GST). Natural B. germanica GST, purified from cockroach body extracts by glutathione affinity chromatography, and recombinant protein expressed in Escherichia coli using the pET21a vector, showed excellent IgE antibody binding activity. B. germanica GST caused positive immediate skin tests in cockroach-allergic patients using as little as 3 pg of recombinant protein. The NH2-terminal sequence of the natural protein and the deduced amino acid sequence from cDNA were identical except for one substitution (Phe9 --> Cys). Assignment of this protein to the GST superfamily was based on binding to glutathione and sequence identity (42-51%) to the GST-2 subfamily from insects, including Anopheles gambiae and Drosophila melanogaster. B. germanica GST contained 18 of the 26 invariable residues identified in mammalian GST by x-ray crystallography and exhibited enzymic activity against a GST substrate. Our results show that cockroach GST causes IgE antibody responses and is associated with asthma. The data strongly support the view that the immune response to GST plays an important role in allergic diseases.
Clisp: Conversational Lisp

Clisp is an attempt to make Lisp programs easier to read and write by extending the syntax of Lisp to include infix operators, IF-THEN statements, FOR-DO-WHILE statements, and similar Algol-like constructs, without changing the structure or representation of the language. Clisp is implemented through Lisp's error handling machinery, rather than by modifying the interpreter. When an expression is encountered whose evaluation causes an error, the expression is scanned for possible Clisp constructs, which are then converted to the equivalent Lisp expressions. Thus, users can freely intermix Lisp and Clisp without ut having to distinguish which is which. Emphasis in the design and development of Clisp has been on the system aspects of such a facility, with the goal of producing a useful tool, not just another language. To this end, Clisp includes interactive error correction and many "do-what-I-mean" features.
Russell A. Mittermeier, Anthony B. Rylands, and Don E. Wilson (eds.). 2013. Handbook of the Mammals of the World: 3. Primates. Lynx Ediciones, Barcelona, Spain, 953 pp. ISBN: 978-84-96553-89-7, price (hardbound), 160.00 EURO

Russell A. Mittermeier, Anthony B. Rylands, and Don E. Wilson (eds.). 2013. Handbook of the Mammals of the World: 3. Primates. Lynx Ediciones, Barcelona, Spain, 953 pp. ISBN: 978-84-96553-89-7, price (hardbound), 160.00 EURO.
The energy balance equation: looking back and looking forward are two very different views

The energy balance equation has served as an important tool for the study of bioenergetics. It is based on one of the most fundamental properties of thermodynamics and has been invaluable in understanding the interactions of energy intake, energy expenditure, and body composition. Recently, however, the obesity epidemic has extended the use of the equation to the creation of public health messages for preventing or even reversing secular trends in body mass index. This usage often fails to consider how changes in any one term of the equation can lead to accommodations in one or both of the other two terms. It is concluded that research and public health messages should not simply consider how interventions affect just energy expenditure or energy intake, but rather how they affect the balance or gap between energy intake and expenditure.
Necessary conditions for singular arcs for general restricted multi-body problem

We analyze the optimality of intermediate thrust arcs (singular arcs) of a rocket trajectory subject to multiple gravitational bodies in the restricted multi-body problem. We derive a series of necessary conditions for optimality including the generalized Legendre-Clebsch condition, and an explicit formula for the singular optimal control law. Our derivations become identical to Lawden's classical result if the equations of motion are reduced for a central gravity field. As a means to illustrate the practical nature of our results, we apply them to a Moon-Earth transfer problem and show that the extremal solution is bang-singular-bang.
Approximations for horizontal photon transport in cloud remote sensing problems

The effect of horizontal photon transport within real-world clouds can be of consequence to remote sensing problems based on plane-parallel cloud models. An analytic approximation for the root-mean-square horizontal displacement of reflected and transmitted photons relative to the incident cloud-top location is derived from random walk theory. The resulting formula is a function of the average number of photon scatterings, and particle asymmetry parameter and single scattering albedo. In turn, the average number of scatterings can be determined from efficient adding/doubling radiative transfer procedures. The approximation is applied to liquid water clouds for typical remote sensing solar spectral bands, involving both conservative and non-conservative scattering. Results compare well with Monte Carlo calculations. Though the emphasis is on horizontal photon transport in terrestrial clouds, the derived approximation is applicable to any multiple scattering plane-parallel radiative transfer problem. The complete horizontal transport probability distribution can be described with an analytic distribution specified by the root-mean-square and average displacement values. However, it is shown empirically that the average displacement can be reasonably inferred from the root-mean-square value. An estimate for the horizontal transport distribution can then be made from the root-mean-square photon displacement alone.
Statistical Sample Size Determination for Uncertainty Quantification and Error Control in Validation of Simulation Experiments

A statistically-designed error control procedure is presented for determining proper sample size of computational simulations for use in validation experiments. This procedure simultaneously invokes probabilistic knowledge of Type I error and Type II error estimates for Uncertainty Quantification in an a priori fashion. In this manner, the individual performing the simulations has estimations of how well the simulation data is likely to match the validation data before the experiments are performed. Visualizations of the procedure are detailed based upon standard Operating Characteristic (OC) curves as well as standard graphical technique using nomographs. A new multidimensional graphical procedure is presented for enhanced visualization of the error response surface. This surface dramatically enhances the users ability to determine sample sizes and potential outlier regions with minimal statistical skills required. A probabilistic numerical algorithm is developed for numerical simulation in MATLAB. The algorithm provides robust solution to the difficult mixed integer and real-valued optimization problem with simultaneous development of the graphical visualizations of the response surfaces. The standard graphical procedure, the newly-developed multidimensional visualization, and numerical scheme all produce the same results for sample size for simultaneous control of Type I and Type II errors.
Bioactive glass fillers reduce bacterial penetration into marginal gaps for composite restorations.

Abstract Objective Bioactive glass (BAG) is known to possess antimicrobial and remineralizing properties; however, the use of BAG as a filler for resin based composite restorations to slow recurrent caries has not been studied. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of adding 15 wt% BAG to a resin composite on bacterial biofilms penetrating into marginal gaps of simulated tooth fillings in vitro during cyclic mechanical loading. Methods Human molars were machined into approximately 3 mm thick disks of dentin and 1.5–2 mm deep composite restorations were placed. A narrow 15–20 micrometer wide dentin-composite gap was allowed to form along half of the margin by not applying dental adhesive to that region. Two different 72 wt% filled composites were used, one with 15 wt% BAG filler (15BAG) and the balance silanated strontium glass and one filled with aerosol silica and silanated strontium glass without BAG (0BAG—control). Samples of both groups had Streptococcus mutans biofilms grown on the surface and were tested inside a bioreactor for two weeks while subjected to periods of cyclic mechanical loading. After post-test biofilm viability was confirmed, each specimen was fixed in glutaraldehyde, gram positive stained, mounted in resin and cross-sectioned to reveal the gap profile. Depth of biofilm penetration for 0BAG and 15BAG was quantified as the fraction of gap depth. The data were compared using a Student's t -test. Results The average depth of bacterial penetration into the marginal gap for the 15BAG samples was significantly smaller (∼61%) in comparison to 0BAG, where 100% penetration was observed for all samples with the biofilm penetrating underneath of the restoration in some cases. Significance BAG containing resin dental composites reduce biofilm penetration into marginal gaps of simulated tooth restorations. This suggests BAG containing composites may have the potential to slow the development and propagation of secondary tooth decay at restoration margins.
Theory of the Real Estate Brokerage Firm: A Portfolio Approach

Executive Summary. A framework is established in which an investor (the real estate broker) must form a portfolio of two assets (two types of agents), each represented by their returns to the broke...
Guardians of the Cyber Galaxy An Empirical and Theoretical Analysis of the Guardianship Concept From Routine Activity Theory as It Applies to Online Forms of Victimization

The present study examines the guardianship concept from routine activity theory with respect to its utility in reducing the risk for cyberstalking victimization. Offline guardianship is examined as a possible protective factor against online victimization, along with individuals’ online routine activities. Data were collected from a large sample of students from an urban university in the Midwest through a self-report web-based victimization survey. Results suggest that offline guardianship does not protect individuals from cyberstalking victimization and that online target hardening may yield greater prevention benefits. Study findings are discussed in light of the current state of the body of online routine activity research, particularly regarding how to define and operationalize guardians and guardianship against online victimization.
A Review of “An Everyday Geography of the Global South”

Social science and geographical research outside of Europe, Canada, Australasia, and the United States is too often conducted and presented from the standpoint of top-down global economic structure...
A longitudinal study of stress in first-year dental students

This study examines the association of stress with performance and health in first-year dental students and changes in the amount and sources of stress over one year. Students at four U.S. dental schools completed the Dental Environment Stress (DES) scale, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), stress rating, and demographic questions at the start of their first year of school (baseline), 11.7 weeks, and one year later when first-year GPA, illnesses, health ratings, and symptom frequency were also assessed. Overall, 296 (186 men, 110 women) responded at baseline and after one year; 205 responded all three times. Stress scores were negatively correlated with GPA (DES, p=.006; PSS, p=.04; stress rating, p=.002) and with physical and emotional health ratings (p's< or =.002), but positively associated with illness (p<.05), symptoms (p<.0001), and symptom frequency (p's<.05). Stress was higher after one year (p's<.001) and varied by school (p<.0001). Women (p<.01), younger (p<.003), and single students (p<.03) had higher stress at baseline, but after one year, there were no differences by gender, age, or marital status. Ratings for items on the Dental Environment Stress scale related to schoolwork were high at baseline and increased further by one year (p's< or =.0001); items related to school atmosphere had low ratings initially with large increases over time (p's<.0001). In conclusion, stress increases over time in first-year dental students and is related to detrimental effects on performance and health. Variation between schools may reflect different teaching methods. Changes in sources of stress may reflect the different contributions of anticipatory and situational stress over time. First-year dental students may benefit from stress reduction programs.
Information thermodynamics of cytosine DNA methylation

Cytosine DNA methylation (CDM) is a stable epigenetic modification to the genome and a widespread regulatory process in living organisms that involves multicomponent molecular machines. Genome-wide cytosine methylation patterning participates in the epigenetic reprogramming of a cell, suggesting that the biological information contained within methylation positions may be amenable to decoding. Adaptation to a new cellular or organismal environment also implies the potential for genome-wide redistribution of CDM changes that will ensure the stability of DNA molecules. This raises the question of whether or not we would be able to sort out the regulatory methylation signals from the CDM background (“noise”) induced by thermal fluctuations. Here, we propose a novel statistical and information thermodynamic description of the CDM changes to address the last question. The physical basis of our statistical mechanical model was evaluated in two respects: 1) the adherence to Landauer’s principle, according to which molecular machines must dissipate a minimum energy e = kBT ln2 at each logic operation, where kB is the Boltzmann constant, and T is the absolute temperature and 2) whether or not the binary stretch of methylation marks on the DNA molecule comprise a language of sorts, properly constrained by thermodynamic principles. The study was performed for genome-wide methylation data from 152 ecotypes and 40 trans-generational variations of Arabidopsis thaliana and 93 human tissues. The DNA persistence length, a basic mechanical property altered by CDM, was estimated with values from 39 to 66.9 nm. Classical methylome analysis can be retrieved by applying information thermodynamic modelling, which is able to discriminate signal from noise. Our finding suggests that the CDM signal comprises a language scheme properly constrained by molecular thermodynamic principles, which is part of an epigenomic communication system that obeys the same thermodynamic rules as do current human communication systems.
A Distributed Approach for QoS Service Multicast with

The service routing problem emerged from the distributed and composable services model. Using service multicast instead of service unicast for group delivery saves bandwidth and resources. The authors describe a distributed approach for building QoS-assured, delay-efficient service multicast trees that uses geometric location information and explore hybrid multicasting (service multicasting plus data multicasting).
Visible Light Water Oxidation Using a Co-Catalyst Loaded Anatase-Structured Ti1–(5x/4)NbxO2–y–δNy Compound

The photocatalytic activity of anatase-structured Ti1–(5x/4)NbxO2–y–δNy (x = 0.25, y = 0.02; NbN-25) was examined for water oxidation under UV and visible light irradiation. The semiconductor was p...
Elevation of Proteolytic Activity in the Pancreas of Hypophysectomized Rats by Hormonal Therapy.

SummaryHypophysectomy of the rat failed to reduce consistently the concentration of PA in the pancreas when computed on the basis of wet weight. When related to mg of nitrogen per g of pancreas the amount of PA was increased. Treatment with STC restored body weight, increased pancreatic weight and total PA. Except when insulin was added to the hormonal regimen, PA did not reach the level observed in the nonhypophysectomized controls.
TRUNCATION ORDER OF FOURIER WAVE THEORY

Specific consideration is given to the dependence of Fourier wave solutions on both truncation order and the number of free surface nodes. Solution dependence is quantified by a comprehensive set of numerical experiments over a typical range of wave height, water depth, truncation order and overspecification values. Integral error measures include the rms free surface boundary condition errors and a slope error that identifies non-physical positive slope segments in the wave profile between crest and trough. Summary error diagrams are presented as a guide to the adoption of suitable truncation orders and overspecification for Fourier solutions. The truncation order is the crucial parameter but there is measurable advantage is some small overspecification.
Characterization of Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF)-Double-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (DWNT)

In this work, we propose a new generation of sensors and actuators based on a piezoelectric polymer (PVDF) with embedded carbon nanotubes. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) double walled carbon-nanotubes (DWNT) composite films are prepared with the goal to develop new polymeric materials with enhanced electrical and electromechanical properties. Electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of polyvinylidene fluoride- double-walled carbon nanotubes composites are investigated as a function of frequency (10 Hz -1 MHz), and as a function of weight fraction (0.01-2 wt%). DWNT and PVDF are mixed under mechanical stirring and sonication. The dispersion is assessed by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), indicating a good dispersion. Differential Scanning Calorimetery (DSC) is used to study the effect of DWNTs inclusions on the glass transition temperature, Tg , and the crystallinity of the resulting PVDF composite. The percolation threshold is computed by using the bulk conductivity data and it is found that percolation occurs at about 0.19wt%.© 2006 ASME
Beneficial effects of microwave-assisted heating versus conventional heating in noble metal nanoparticle synthesis.

An extensive comparative study of the effects of microwave versus conventional heating on the nucleation and growth of near-monodisperse Rh, Pd, and Pt nanoparticles has revealed distinct and preferential effects of the microwave heating method. A one-pot synthetic method has been investigated, which combines nucleation and growth in a single reaction via precise control over the precursor addition rate. Using this method, microwave-assisted heating enables the convenient preparation of polymer-capped nanoparticles with improved monodispersity, morphological control, and higher crystallinity, compared with samples heated conventionally under otherwise identical conditions. Extensive studies of Rh nanoparticle formation reveal fundamental differences during the nucleation phase that is directly dependent on the heating method; microwave irradiation was found to provide more uniform seeds for the subsequent growth of larger nanostructures of desired size and surface structure. Nanoparticle growth kinetics a...
Evidence for a 7 / 2 + State in Mo 93

The recent shell-model calculations by Bhatt and Ball and by Auerbach and Talmi concerning the level locations and transition probabilities in ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{93}$ have prompted us to perform an experimental examination of the ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{93}$ level scheme. This level scheme was studied through the decays of ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{93m}(7 \mathrm{h})$, ${\mathrm{Tc}}^{93m}(44 min)$, and ${\mathrm{Tc}}^{93}$(2.8 h). The gamma-ray spectra produced in these decays were examined with a Ge(Li) detector and with Ge(Li)-NaI(Tl) coincidence techniques. A new transition of 114 keV, observed in the decay of ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{93m}$, populates a level in ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{93}$ at (1365\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3) keV. A spin-parity $\frac{7}{2}+$ is assigned to this level. The $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ ray previously reported at 1.5 MeV in the spectrum of ${\mathrm{Tc}}^{93}$(2.8 h) was shown to consist of a doublet at 1.477 and 1.521 MeV, and a new $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ ray at 2.734 MeV was observed. The absence of transitions of 2030 and 2440 keV, which were previously reported to exist, is also of interest. An interpretation of these results in terms of the shell-model computations is discussed.
Continued Psychiatric Hospitalization After Competency Restoration

### Should a Defendant be Committed to a Psychiatric Facility After Restoration of Competence in Order to Maintain Competence Throughout the Legal Proceedings? In In re: Tavares , 885 A.2d 139 (R.I. 2005), the Rhode Island Supreme Court reviewed the superior court's order continuing the commitment
agnosis and treatment of sphenoid sinus and anterior-skull base lesions by paracentesis

abstractJECTIVE To study the effect of paracen-tesis in the diagnosis and treatment of sphenoid sinus and anterior-skull base lesions. METHODS X-ray guided puncture or direct puncture or endoscope guided puncture biopsy were performed in 62 cases with sphenoid sinus and anterior-encephalic area lesions. RESULTS Paracentesis biopsy was successfully performed in 62 cases. All the lesions were diagnosed by biopsy, and 25 cases had excellent therapeutic effect. CONCLUSION Paracentetic biopsy is very useful in the diagnosis and treatment of sphenoid sinus and anterior-encephalic area lesions.
Automated Test Framework Driver Research

As labor costs increase more and more attention to software testing,automated testing is becoming a trend.Take currently on the market a automated testing platform as an example,introduced underlying driving principles of automated testing framework,imple menting test automation for the enterprise to provide ideas.
Effectiveness of a clinician intervention to improve physical activity discussions in underserved adults

Background Physical activity (PA) counselling is challenging in primary care. It is unknown whether clinician training on the 5As (Ask, Advise, Agree, Assist, Arrange) improves PA counselling skills. Objective To evaluate the effect of a clinician training intervention on PA counselling for underserved adults using the 5As framework. Methods Pragmatic pilot clinical trial was used in the study. Clinicians (n = 13) were randomly assigned to two groups. Each group received the intervention consisting of four 1-hour training sessions to teach the 5As for PA counselling. Patient-clinician visits (n = 325) were audio recorded at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at 6 months. Outcomes were the frequency and quality of PA discussions using the 5As, assessed by blinded coders. Results Patients' mean age was 44 years; 75% were African American. PA was discussed in 37% (n = 119) of visits overall and did not change from baseline to follow-up. When PA discussions occurred, the frequency of 5As increased from baseline to follow-up for Advise (51-54%), Agree (11-26%), and Assist (11-17%); however, none of the 5As had a statistically significant increase. For Agree, exploration of patient willingness to engage in PA increased from 23% at baseline to 50% at follow-up. Conclusion A clinician-directed intervention to improve PA counselling increased the frequency of Advise, Agree and Assist, and the quality of Ask and Agree statements, though the absolute numbers were small and only Agree reached statistical significance. Future research is needed to understand the factors that affect the optimal uptake and approach to 5As counselling.
Speaking Fundamental Frequency and Rate Characteristics of Adult Female Schizophrenics

Selected speaking characteristics of 37 hospitalized female schizophrenic reaction patients were compared with those of a control group of 22 normal women. Tape recorded samples of oral reading and...
Power Theories of Race Relations

Most macro-theories of race relations include a discussion of the central role of power in determining the formation, perpetuation, and change found in systems of racial stratification. But because the definition of what constitutes power is by no means simple, different perspectives tend to emphasize various aspects of the concept as they try to arrive at more general conclusions to explain the very different patterns that race relations take in a number of historical and comparative settings. This entry looks at the way in which a variety of scholars have incorporated power into their theories of society and asks whether they have extended their perspectives to analyze race, ethnicity, and nationalism. Keywords: power; race; stratification; inequality
Hereditary Renal Tumor Syndromes: Update on Diagnosis and Management

Hereditary renal cancers account for approximately 5%-8% of all renal tumors. Over the past 2 decades, a number of syndromes have been identified that predispose patients to early renal cancer development, representing all the major histologic types of tumor pathology. In this article, we describe the current knowledge concerning the cell type, known mechanism of tumor development, other manifestations of the syndrome, imaging findings, genetic screening, and imaging surveillance recommendations for each of the major syndromes associated with hereditary renal cancers.
Effect of nanomaterial and media physicochemical properties on nanomaterial aggregation kinetics

Abstract Understanding nanomaterial (NM) stability is required for an adequate interpretation of ecotoxicological test outcomes, fate and behavior studies, to generate parameters (such as critical coagulation concentration, CCC; and attachment efficiency, α) for environmental fate models, and for comparison among different studies. Numerous studies measured CCC and α for different types of NMs with a major focus on investigating the effect of ionic strength, ion valency and natural organic matter, with fewer studies investigating the effect of NM and other medium properties. Consequently, wide discrepancies can be found in the literature among the reported CCC and α values, even for NMs of the same composition and properties. In this context, the aim of this review is to investigate the dependence of NM aggregation kinetic parameters (e.g. CCC and α) on NM and medium physicochemical properties and to rationalize the differences observed among different studies, where possible. We found that various material and medium physicochemical properties need to be considered to predict NM aggregation behavior. Some trends were observed and rationalized based on theoretical studies and data available in the literature. For charge stabilized NMs with constant zeta potential, NM stability (CCC) decreases with the increase in Hamaker constant, increase in NM size, increase in buffer (carbonate and phosphate) concentration, increase in temperature, and light irradiation. The CCC increase with counterion complexation. For sterically stabilized NMs, the CCC increases with the increased surface coverage by the capping agent molecules and completely coated NMs do not aggregate even in high ions strength medium (e.g. seawater). These results highlight the significant role of NM and medium properties in influencing the environmental stability and fate of NMs, and will help refine NM fate models and improve our understanding of NM uptake and toxicity.
Perioperative Severe Hypotension in a Patient with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type IIb and Bilateral Adrenalectomies: Time to Review the Evidence for Stress Dose Steroids

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type IIb (MEN IIb) is an endocrine disorder which can manifest with tumors such as pheochromocytomas and neuromas. We present the case of a patient with MEN IIb, after bilateral adrenalectomies, on maintenance steroid replacement, who underwent a neuroma resection and developed severe hypotension. There is persistent controversy regarding the general administration of perioperative "stress dose" steroids for patients with adrenal insufficiency. While the most recent literature suggests that stress dose steroids are unnecessary for secondary adrenal insufficiency, the rarer form of primary adrenal insufficiency always requires supplemental steroids, specifically hydrocortisone, when undergoing surgical procedures.
A Pharmacokinetic and Safety Study of Trebananib, an Fc-Fusion Peptibody, in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors and Varying Degrees of Renal Dysfunction.

Clearance of trebananib (AMG 386), a 64-kD antiangiogenic peptibody, has been associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). We prospectively evaluated trebananib pharmacokinetics and safety/tolerability in advanced solid tumor patients with varying degrees of renal function. Patients were assigned to normal renal function, mild, moderate, or severe renal dysfunction cohorts based on eGFR, received trebananib 15 mg/kg i.v. weekly, and underwent week 1 and week 5 pharmacokinetic and weekly safety assessments. For 28 patients, trebananib clearance decreased from normal renal function (1.52 mL/hr/kg), to mild (1.20 mL/hr/kg), moderate (0.79 mL/hr/kg), and severe (0.53 mL/hr/kg) renal dysfunction (P ≤ 0.001). Treatment-related adverse events showed no association with clearance. Trebananib clearance was proportional to eGFR and unrelated to pretreatment protein excretion. These data confirm a role for renal clearance of a recombinant peptibody with molecular weight <69 kD and support a longer dosing interval for patients with severe renal dysfunction.
See Something, Say Something: Correction of Global Health Misinformation on Social Media

Social media are often criticized for being a conduit for misinformation on global health issues, but may also serve as a corrective to false information. To investigate this possibility, an experiment was conducted exposing users to a simulated Facebook News Feed featuring misinformation and different correction mechanisms (one in which news stories featuring correct information were produced by an algorithm and another where the corrective news stories were posted by other Facebook users) about the Zika virus, a current global health threat. Results show that algorithmic and social corrections are equally effective in limiting misperceptions, and correction occurs for both high and low conspiracy belief individuals. Recommendations for social media campaigns to correct global health misinformation, including encouraging users to refute false or misleading health information, and providing them appropriate sources to accompany their refutation, are discussed.
Emerging Pathogens Associated with Infectious Diarrhea.

In recent years, emerging microbial pathogens associated with infectious diarrhea have caused significant morbidity and mortality. Although sporadic cases of infectious diarrhea have occurred worldwide in the past, recent outbreaks in the United States traced to contaminated water or food have raised concerns about the safety of the water supply and the adequacy of surveillance of the food supply and foodborne diseases. In 1993, Cryptosporidium parvum, an important cause of unrelenting diarrhea and severe weight loss in AIDS patients, was associated with the largest outbreak of infectious diarrhea caused by contaminated municipal water that has ever been reported in the U.S. During the early summer of 1996, a major outbreak of Cyclospora cayetanensis that infected approximately 1,500 persons in 20 states, Washington, D.C. and two Canadian provinces was reported from North America. The suspected food vehicle in this outbreak was contaminated raspberries imported from Guatemala. In addition to these coccidian protozoa,Escherichia coli 0157:H7, first recognized in 1982 as a cause of hemorrhagic colitis, has recently been responsible for a multi-state outbreak in the U.S. due to contamination of commercial ground beef, and an outbreak in Japan that infected over 9,500 persons, two-thirds of whom were children. The contaminated food vehicle in the latter outbreak, although suspected to be radish sprouts, remains unknown. These recent massive outbreaks underscore the importance of a well-established public health infrastructure and an effective surveillance system for the early identification and reporting of infected patients that will lead to appropriate epidemiologic investigations and the rapid detection of contaminated vehicles.
Mineralogical and Metallurgical Study of Supergene Ores of the Mike Cu-Au(-Zn) Deposit, Carlin Trend, Nevada

Abstract The undeveloped Mike Cu Au( Zn) deposit on the Carlin trend of Nevada, USA, currently held by Newmont Mining, hosts an unusual suite of oxide Cu and Au minerals. This study evaluates the possibilities for economic recovery by 1) comparing the Cu and Au extraction achieved from the supergene ores by six different lixiviants, and 2) identifying which minerals cause low recovery for each lixiviant and why. Gold is present as auricupride and electrum and copper exists as conichalcite (Ca Cu arsenate), native Cu, cuprite, chrysocolla, and minor malachite, with locally significant copper in jarosite, hematite, and goethite. The reagents tested were sulfuric, sulfurous, and methanesulfonic acids to recover Cu, cyanide and thiourea to recover Au, and glycine to recover both. No reagent recovered both Cu and Au effectively, although sulfuric and methanesulfonic acids recovered most of the Cu and cyanide and thiourea recovered most of the Au. Glycine recovered nearly all of the Au and >50% of the Cu from the cuprite- and native-Cu-dominated ore type, but did not recover much Cu or Au from any of the other ore types. This supports the hypothesis that Cu2+ catalyzes Au dissolution in glycine, and thus effective Au leaching by glycine from oxide Cu Au ores may be contingent upon the solubility of the Cu minerals in glycine. Post-leaching QEMSCAN analysis indicates that conichalcite and Cu-bearing Fe oxides failed to dissolve completely in all reagents and were the principal causes of low recovery. In addition, native Cu dissolved only partly in thiourea, and chrysocolla dissolved only partly in thiourea, glycine, or cyanide. Other observed mineralogical changes include the total loss of dolomite and partial loss of alunite and iron oxide from all samples, with apparent gains in alunite and jarosite.
November 2005–Early 2006: Putin’s Succession-Related Moves; Silovik War Heats Up; the Sechinites Groom Their Own Presidential Candidate, Ustinov

Putin promoted Medvedev to be first deputy prime minister, and Sergei Ivanov to be a deputy prime minister. His minions spread the word that he would probably choose his successor from these two. So Medvedev and Ivanov were now locked in struggle, and their promotions caused the silovik war to heat up. Ustinov became aggressive, with Sechin’s backing. Putin also promoted the seemingly non-aligned Sergei Sobyanin to head the Presidential Administration. This gave him an extra counter-weight to Sechin. In May four governors were dismissed from their positions, in the interests of the Sechin group. In addition, the mayor of Volgograd was imprisoned and two Federal Security Service (FSS) generals were dismissed. Finally, a surge of nationalizations of private companies took place, following logically from the nationalization of most of Yukos’s assets, and pleasing Sechin.
How Prevention and Screening Programs Can Be Identified Through a Community Health Needs Assessment

This chapter describes what a community health needs assessment (CHNA) is; why it is important; and how to create one. After reading this chapter you should be able to find and analyze multiple healthcare databases to create a CHNA report. You will be able to identify cancers within your service area with a high incidence, late stage of diagnosis, and their contributing factors. Through these steps you can identify prevention and screening programs to decrease a cancer’s incidence and detect it earlier.
Internet Pharmacies and the Need for a New Federalism: Protecting Consumers While Increasing Access to Prescription Drugs

Pharmaceutical innovation has created medications which hold out the promise of enhancing both the quality and quantity of people's lives, but at a high cost. Expenditures on prescription medications are exploding and many Americans are unable to afford needed medications. Although Congress has recently enacted the Medicare Prescription Drug Modernization Act, the law is highly controversial and will not fully remedy the access problem. Americans are continuing to turn to Internet pharmacies to obtain necessary prescription drugs at a reasonable cost, but there are significant health risks involved. This article uses the lens of federalism to analyze the impact of Internet pharmacies on American healthcare policy. Through a comprehensive examination of the flourishing phenomenon of Internet pharmacies, the article demonstrates that the present pharmaceutical regulatory structure, established more than fifty years ago, can no longer ensure individual and public health. Although in theory patients are protected through the bifurcated allocation of authority between the states and the federal government - that is, with the federal government overseeing the big picture - drug safety, efficacy, labeling, and advertising - and the states licensing and disciplining health care professionals who prescribe and dispense medications, in practice it is easy to circumvent this regulatory regime. Internet pharmacies have opened a giant loophole in the current regulatory safety net, which must be rewoven, not simply mended. While federal agencies have made some efforts to protect the public under the existing statutory framework they have largely deferred to the states, leaving a haphazard patchwork of state initiatives (prosecutorial, legislative, and regulatory) aimed at shielding their citizens from unscrupulous Internet pharmacies. However, states lack both the clear legal authority and the financial resources to do this. This article explores the significant jurisdictional, constitutional, and practical obstacles to successful state law responses to Internet pharmacies. It demonstrates why only a comprehensive federal regulatory approach will ensure that patients receive safe, effective, and medically necessary drug treatment, while also safeguarding public health. The article makes concrete recommendations for change in current law to achieve the three-fold goal of expanding health care access, assuring heath care quality, and delivering health care in a cost-effective manner.
Determinants of plasma factor VIIa levels in humans

Several enzymes can activate factor VII in vitro, but the protease responsible for generating factor VIIa in vivo has not been determined. Using recombinant tissue factor that has undergone a COOH-terminal truncation, a sensitive functional assay has been established for measuring plasma factor VIIa levels. To evaluate the mechanism responsible for the generation of factor VIIa in vivo, we measured the levels of this enzyme after administering purified concentrates of factor IX and factor VIII to patients with severe deficiencies of these clotting factors. In patients with hemophilia B, factor VIIa levels were initially reduced to 0.5 +/- 0.1 ng/mL and gradually increased to normal after infusing 100 U/kg of body weight (BW) of factor IX. Despite these increases, there were no significant changes in the generation of factor Xa or thrombin. In patients with hemophilia A, only a slight reduction in factor VIIa levels (2.5 +/- 1.3 ng/mL) was observed as compared with controls (3.3 +/- 1.1 ng/mL) and no significant changes were observed after factor VIII levels were normalized. The administration of recombinant factor VIIa (10 micrograms/kg BW) to patients with factor VII deficiency increased the mean circulating level of the enzyme to 118 ng/mL, but this only resulted in normalization of the levels of the activation peptides of factor IX and factor X. The above data indicate that factor IXa is primarily responsible for the basal levels of free factor VIIa generated in vivo (ie, in the absence of thrombosis or provocative stimuli) and that changes in the plasma concentrations of free factor VIIa in the blood do not necessarily lead to alterations in the extent of factor X activation.
Building Brain-Inspired Computing Systems: Examining the Role of Nanoscale Devices

Brain-inspired computing is attracting considerable attention because of its potential to solve a wide variety of data-intensive problems that are difficult for even state-of-the-art supercomputers to tackle. The ability of the human brain to process visual and audio inputs in real time and make complex logical decisions by consuming a mere 20 W makes it the most power-efficient computational engine known to man. While state-of-the-art digital complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology permits the realization of individual devices and circuits that mimic the dynamics of neurons and synapses in the brain, emulating the immense parallelism and event-driven computational architecture in systems with comparable complexity and power budget as the brain, and in real time, remains a formidable challenge.
Kähler-Dirac fermions on Euclidean dynamical triangulations

We study K\"ahler-Dirac fermions on Euclidean dynamical triangulations. This fermion formulation furnishes a natural extension of staggered fermions to random geometries without requiring vielbeins and spin connections. We work in the quenched approximation where the geometry is allowed to fluctuate but there is no backreaction from the matter on the geometry. By examining the eigenvalue spectrum and the masses of scalar mesons we find evidence for a fourfold degeneracy in the fermion spectrum in the large-volume, continuum limit. It is natural to associate this degeneracy with the well-known equivalence in continuum flat space between the K\"ahler-Dirac fermion and four copies of a Dirac fermion. Lattice effects then lift this degeneracy in a manner similar to staggered fermions on regular lattices. The evidence that these discretization effects vanish in the continuum limit suggests both that lattice continuum K\"ahler-Dirac fermions are recovered at that point, and that this limit truly corresponds to smooth continuum geometries. One additional advantage of the K\"ahler-Dirac action is that it respects an exact $U(1)$ symmetry on any random triangulation. This $U(1)$ symmetry is related to continuum chiral symmetry. By examining fermion bilinear condensates we find strong evidence that this $U(1)$ symmetry is not spontaneously broken in the model at order the Planck scale. This is a necessary requirement if models based on dynamical triangulations are to provide a valid ultraviolet-complete formulation of quantum gravity.
Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity Combined with Liraglutide 3.0 mg: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) covers intensive behavioral therapy (IBT) for obesity. The efficacy, however, of the specific approach has never been evaluated in a randomized trial, as described here. The 1-year trial also assessed whether the addition to IBT of liraglutide 3.0 mg would significantly increase weight loss and whether the provision of meal replacements would add further benefit. Methods A total of 150 adults with obesity were randomly assigned to: IBT (IBT-alone), providing 21 counseling visits; IBT combined with liraglutide (IBT-liraglutide); or IBT-liraglutide combined for 12 weeks with a 1,000- to 1,200-kcal/d meal-replacement diet (Multicomponent). All participants received weekly IBT visits in month 1, every-other-week visits in months 2 to 6, and monthly sessions thereafter. Results Ninety-one percent of participants completed 1 year, at which time mean (± SEM) losses for IBT-alone, IBT-liraglutide, and Muticomponent participants were 6.1 ± 1.3%, 11.5 ± 1.3%, and 11.8 ± 1.3% of baseline weight, respectively. Fully 44.0%, 70.0%, and 74.0% of these participants lost ≥ 5% of weight, respectively. The liraglutide-treated groups were superior to IBT-alone on both outcomes. Weight loss in all three groups was associated with clinically meaningful improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors. Conclusions The findings demonstrate the efficacy of IBT for obesity and the potential benefit of adding pharmacotherapy to this approach.