cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complete VACTERL evaluation is needed in newborns with rectoperineal fistula.

Abstract Purpose Given that a rectoperineal fistula is developmentally the most mature lesion in the spectrum of anorectal malformations, it is not clear whether it merits a complete VACTERL evaluation. We sought to determine if the same evaluation is required to rule out associated anomalies in newborns with rectoperineal fistula as those with more complex anorectal malformations. Methods We performed a retrospective review of the pediatric colorectal center database at our tertiary care children's hospital from 2000 to 2012. Patients with anorectal malformations were categorized as rectoperineal fistula or "other" using the Krickenbeck classification. Records were reviewed to identify associated anomalies. Results 308 patients (156 males) were treated at our institution during the time period (rectoperineal fistula=102). Thirty-five (34%) patients with a perineal fistula had at least one associated anomaly. The most common anomalies were cardiac lesions (29% excluding PFO and PDA), genitourinary (20.6%), and malformations of the spine (15.7%). The overall occurrence of anomalies was lower than the "other" group. Conclusion Our review demonstrates that newborns with a rectoperineal fistula frequently have associated anomalies and should undergo an evaluation similar to more complex lesions. These findings illustrate the importance of a structured approach to the evaluation of even the most straightforward lesions.
Cervimetry: An objective method for the study of cervical dilatation in labor

Abstract 1. 1. A mechanical device for the objective study of cervical dilatation in labor has been described. Its design and method of application have been detailed. 2. 2. Material is presented describing the findings obtained through the use of the cervimeter in a group of 25 primigravid patients. 3. 3. The sigmoid nature of the normal cervical dilatation-time curve in the primigravida is definitively demonstrated. 4. 4. The potentialities of the instrument are outlined.
Therapeutic potential of FtsZ inhibition: a patent perspective

Introduction: Filamentous temperature sensitive mutant Z (FtsZ), an essential protein for bacterial cell division, has emerged as an attractive therapeutic target for the development of efficacious antibacterial agents active against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant bacterial strains. Recently, FtsZ has garnered special attention in the antibacterial research field, which is evident by the amount of research papers and patents disclosed in the public domain. Because of the significance of FtsZ as a highly promising target for the development of novel antibacterial agents, it is timely to review the patents on this subject so far published to date. Areas covered: This review article covers the patent literature on FtsZ-targeting potential antibacterial agents up to November 2010, including their pharmacological findings. Expert opinion: Since FtsZ is well preserved in various bacteria, the FtsZ-targeting agents would act as novel broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs in addition to their use against particul...
Sowing the Seeds of Conflict: The Effect of Dispute Settlements on Durations of Peace

We apply formal models of deterrence developed by Zagare and Kilgour (2000) to examine the impact of dispute settlements on future discord. Our theory of recurrent conflict, based primarily on how levels of satisfaction lead to different types of deterrence, allows us to formulate explicit expectations for the relative stability of militarized conflict settlements. We conceptualize peace periods following dispute settlements as situations of mutual or unilateral deterrence, depending on the method of resolution applied to the preceding dispute. Relations following imposed settlements are modeled as unilateral deterrence situations, while affairs subsequent to negotiated settlements and disputes ending without a settlement are viewed as instances of mutual deterrence. We derive hypotheses regarding durations of peace and test them through survival analyses of the periods of peace following 2,536 dyadic militarized interstate disputes between 1816 and 1992. Our results strongly support the theory's expectat...
Comparison of Responses to Double-Strand Breaks between Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis Reveals Different Requirements for SOS Induction

DNA double-strand breaks are particularly deleterious lesions that can lead to genomic instability and cell death. We investigated the SOS response to double-strand breaks in both Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. In E. coli, double-strand breaks induced by ionizing radiation resulted in SOS induction in virtually every cell. E. coli strains incapable of SOS induction were sensitive to ionizing radiation. In striking contrast, we found that in B. subtilis both ionizing radiation and a site-specific double-strand break causes induction of prophage PBSX and SOS gene expression in only a small subpopulation of cells. These results show that double-strand breaks provoke global SOS induction in E. coli but not in B. subtilis. Remarkably, RecA-GFP focus formation was nearly identical following ionizing radiation challenge in both E. coli and B. subtilis, demonstrating that formation of RecA-GFP foci occurs in response to double-strand breaks but does not require or result in SOS induction in B. subtilis. Furthermore, we found that B. subtilis cells incapable of inducing SOS had near wild-type levels of survival in response to ionizing radiation. Moreover, B. subtilis RecN contributes to maintaining low levels of SOS induction during double-strand break repair. Thus, we found that the contribution of SOS induction to double-strand break repair differs substantially between E. coli and B. subtilis.
Texture as a Discriminant of Crops on Radar Imagery

Density, contrast, and contrast frequency were tested as textural attributes of wheat, sorghum, alfalfa, wheat stubble, and weeds, all crops having similar average density values on multipolarization K-band radar imagery but dissimilar plant geometries. Fifty-three microphotographs of fields displayed on Hedernheim (HH) imagery were scanned with a transmission densitometer, and contrast frequency values were derived. These measures did not yield significantly more information than that obtained in previous studies. It is, nevertheless, felt that texture and its associated attributes can often serve as reliable discriminants of crops and other areal extensive objects and contribute to the solution of automatic pattern recognition problems.
Biology, Habitat Preference, and Larval Description of Cicindela cursitans Leconte (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae)

Cicindela cursitans LeConte is a small, flightless tiger beetle with a widely scattered distribution in the Great Plains, the Ohio Valley, and the north-central Gulf Coast region. Many aspects of the life history of C. cursitans are poorly known, and the larval stages have remained undescribed until now. We designed experiments to determine specific habitat preference, female oviposition preference, and daily activity cycles of the adults. In addition, we describe the entire pre-adult life history. Adults are most numerous on moist clay soils with sparse to patchy vegetation, but they may also occur in tall-grass prairies. Females oviposit strictly in moist soils consisting of fine particles. Adults are both diurnal and crepuscular, and presumably spend the nighttime hours hiding among vegetation. Larvae occur in the same habitats as the adults and are typically clustered near the bases of plants. The larvae are the smallest of any tiger beetle species described in North America (body length of first instars ¼ 2.6‐3.2 mm, second instars ¼ 5.4‐6.7 mm, third instars ¼ 8.4‐10.1 mm) and most similar in morphology to Cicindela debilis Bates. Knowledge of the life history and habitats used by this species will allow a better understanding of its distribution and abundance, and its association with prairie habitats. This information as well as low dispersal rates may make this species useful for assessment of habitat quality and restoration success. Cicindela cursitans LeConte is a small flightless tiger beetle. At less than 1 cm in length, adults are among the smallest species in North America (Graves and Brzoska 1991). It is also among the more poorly known species, despite having been first described by LeConte in 1857 (LeConte 1857). The species is associated with bunchgrass prairies near rivers (Tinerella and Rider 2000; M. L. Brust, pers. obs.); however, its pre-adult life history remains very poorly known. It is a summer-active species in the adult stage and is most numerous in June and July (Graves and Pearson 1973; Knisley et al. 1987; Larochelle and Lariviere 2001). Because of its small size and general resemblance to ants it is easily overlooked (Graves and Brzoska 1991), and its North American distribution is probably underestimated (Graves and Pearson 1973; Graves
Molecular parameters of the O2 molecule.

By analyzing all existing frequency data of the oxygen molecule in microwave, submillimeter, and infrared spectroscopy, a new set of molecular parameters is obtained. The parameters are tabulated and compared with values obtained by other authors. Observed and calculated frequencies of oxygen lines are also given.
Homogeneous Catalysis by Arene Group-VIB Tricarbonyls

Transition-metal complexes are particularly well suited for promoting certain organic reactions because they possess a combination of properties that makes them relatively unique as a class. First of all, they serve as a center for organic molecules to gather around, and once coordination takes place, a variety of processes can occur which are either directly or indirectly promoted by the metal. For example, a ligand migration might occur, there might be a transfer of electrons between the ligands or between the ligands and the metal, a hydrogen atom might be transferred via the metal, or cis ligands might react. After the new ligand is formed on the metal, if its donor properties are decreased with respect to the incoming ligands, the complex can break down, releasing the product; the initial metal site is now available to repeat the process.
Northern Rock: a Case Study

According to financial history books, the concept of lender of last resort dates back to 1797, when Francis Baring so described the Bank of England. A century later, the Bank of England (BoE) obliged by saving his institution from bankruptcy, but it did not repeat the gesture a second time in 1995, and the venerable Barings Bank went bankrupt; several economists applauded the decision not to intervene.
Experimental Evaluation of the Array Performance

This chapter concerns the experimental evaluations of our custom-built array when connected to and controlled by a SonixTablet system (Ultrasonix™ Analogic Ultrasound, Richmond, BC). The purpose of these evaluations was to demonstrate functionality under relatively ideal circumstances, representing a first step toward bone imaging with a low-frequency radial array. Following the fabrication of the radial array prototype, software was then developed to interface the prototype with an Ultrasonix™ system. This platform is one of the few that allows access to the data acquisition toolbox. Its research platform allows the user to store, modify, and conduct signal processing on the raw radio frequency (RF) data obtained by each element of the array.
Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Neurodegenerative Disorders

Incidences of age-related neurological disorders are increasing dramatically. The ongoing expansion of the population of elderly signals continuing major increases in its impact. Current therapies mostly control symptoms for only a limited time. They completely fail to alter or slow down the progression of the disease. Neuronal cell death pathway mediated by activated tyrosine kinases leading to neuronal cell death has recently become a very significant therapeutic target for such diseases. Therapeutic targeting of such kinases by various tyrosine kinase inhibitors can become an efficient strategy in slowing down the progression of age-related neurological disorders. Such inhibitor molecules, some of them already in clinic for other indications, can be repositioned for ameliorating cellular injury and probably help maintain cellular homeostasis. Successful use of these inhibitors may open the way for new therapeutic approaches that would be broadly applicable to age-related neurological disorders.
Multifunctional Nanomaterial-Enabled Membranes for Water Treatment

The recent progress in the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials has provided new methods and building blocks for the design of separation membranes. Of especial interest are functional nanoparticles that can be used to develop membranes with additional nanoparticle-based functionalities. In this chapter, recent research on the development of nanostructured multifunctional membranes is overviewed first. Two specific examples, (i) a porous polymer-metal nanocomposite membrane with biocidal properties, and (ii) a ceramic membrane with a “self-cleaning” catalytic surface, are then considered in more detail highlighting, respectively, two important issues pertaining to multifunctional membranes. These are (i) preparation of membranes with embedded functional nanoparticles, and (ii) coupling between membrane transport and reactivity. Both examples feature nanotechnology-based approaches to the mitigation of membrane fouling, a long-standing problem that limits the efficiency of membrane-based water treatment. A brief discussion of potential future directions in this novel and dynamically developing field of research concludes the chapter.
The multiset EM algorithm

Abstract The expectation–maximization (EM) algorithm is widely used in computing the maximum likelihood estimates when the observations can be viewed as incomplete data. However, the convergence rate of the EM algorithm can be slow especially when a large portion of the data is missing. We propose the multiset EM algorithm that can help the convergence of the EM algorithm. The key idea is to augment the system with a multiset of the missing component, and construct an appropriate joint distribution of the augmented complete data. We demonstrate that the multiset EM algorithm can outperform the EM algorithm, especially when EM has difficulties in convergence and the E-step involves Monte Carlo approximation.
CLINICAL OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH IMPELLA VERSUS IABP USE IN STABLE PATIENTS UNDERGOING HIGH RISK PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION

Background: Impella and Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) are both used to provide hemodynamic support in high risk percutaneous coronary intervention (hPCI). We aimed to compare Impella vs IABP use in a stable hPCI population Methods: From our single center prospective PCI database, we identified
A regulated charge pump for injecting floating-gate transistors

Floating-gate transistors have found many applications in both analog and digital systems due to their ability to serve as long-term non-volatile memory. When used in programmable analog applications, the charge on the floating gates must be set very precisely, thereby necessitating precise and steady high voltages to generate programming conditions. In this work, we present a regulated charge pump with extremely low output ripple (<1mV) that can be used for accurate programming of floating-gate transistors with channel hot-electron injection. To reduce the ripple to less than 1mV, we present a method to include a low drop-out regulator inside the charge-pump regulation loop. This 0.1196mm2 charge pump was fabricated in a 0.35μm standard CMOS process. While operating from a 2.5V supply, this charge pump generates regulated voltages up to 10V.
Face recognition system based on features extracted from two domains

A face recognition system which represents each image as a superposition of the dominant components in two transform domains is proposed. The Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) are the two domains. By the end of the Training mode, each pose in the gallery will have two final matrices. Feature Extraction step in the Training includes transforming the preprocessed image to the DWT domain followed by the DCT. Then, the first feature matrix is obtained by retaining certain number of the DCT coefficients while the rest of the DCT matrix, the Residual (R), is transformed back to the Wavelet domain. Next, the DWT is applied several times to get the other feature matrix. The Classification mode consists of the same sequence of steps as in the Training to calculate the feature matrices. The Euclidean distance measure is used to compute the separation of test matrices and the training ones. Since the features are in two different domains, a voting scheme is utilized to give the final decision which is based on selecting the minimum distance. Two publicly available databases, namely, ORL, and YALE are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed technique. As shown in the results, the system gives higher recognition rates compared with existing approaches. The other two design parameters, the computational complexity and the storage requirements, were also lower.
Fetal Origins of Lifetime Health

Recent research by economists suggests that adverse health shocks suffered in utero can have lasting effects. Studies have linked human capital accumulation, labor force activity, and adult mortality to fetal health conditions. These studies have also identified a broad array of ‘nurture shocks,’ including ambient pollution levels, infectious disease, and mild nutritional deficits, that can generate long-lasting consequences. Understanding the propagation mechanisms and how best to design remedial policies remain important researchareas.
An NF-κB-microRNA regulatory network tunes macrophage inflammatory responses

The innate inflammatory response must be tightly regulated to ensure effective immune protection. NF-κB is a key mediator of the inflammatory response, and its dysregulation has been associated with immune-related malignancies. Here, we describe a miRNA-based regulatory network that enables precise NF-κB activity in mouse macrophages. Elevated miR-155 expression potentiates NF-κB activity in miR-146a-deficient mice, leading to both an overactive acute inflammatory response and chronic inflammation. Enforced miR-155 expression overrides miR-146a-mediated repression of NF-κB activation, thus emphasizing the dominant function of miR-155 in promoting inflammation. Moreover, miR-155-deficient macrophages exhibit a suboptimal inflammatory response when exposed to low levels of inflammatory stimuli. Importantly, we demonstrate a temporal asymmetry between miR-155 and miR-146a expression during macrophage activation, which creates a combined positive and negative feedback network controlling NF-κB activity. This miRNA-based regulatory network enables a robust yet time-limited inflammatory response essential for functional immunity.
Inhibition of Allograft Inflammatory Factor-1 in Dendritic Cells Restrains CD4+ T Cell Effector Responses and Induces CD25+Foxp3+ T Regulatory Subsets.

Allograft Inflammatory Factor-1 (AIF1) is a cytoplasmic scaffold protein shown to influence immune responses in macrophages and microglial cells. The protein contains Ca2+ binding EF-hand and PDZ interaction domains important for mediating intracellular signaling complexes. This study now reports that AIF1 is expressed in CD11c+ dendritic cells (DC) and silencing of expression restrains induction of antigen-specific CD4+ T cell effector responses. AIF1 knockdown in murine DC resulted in impaired T cell proliferation and skewed polarization away from T helper type 1 and 17 fates. In turn, there was a parallel expansion of IL-10-producing and CD25+ Foxp3+ T regulatory subsets. These studies are the first to demonstrate that AIF1 expression in DC serves as a potent governor of cognate T cell responses and presents a novel target for engineering tolerogenic DC-based immunotherapies.
Flight Systems Integration & Test: Lessons Learned for Future Success

This paper offers a comprehensive view of flight system integration and test (IT design of flight and ground systems for IT planning and scheduling; configuration management and process documentation; ground support equipment and tools; cleanrooms and contamination; mechanical integration, handling, and deployments; electrical integration and electrostatic discharge; functional testing and troubleshooting; environmental testing and facilities; and launch site operations. To illustrate "real-world" lessons learned for I&T, examples from throughout the history of the U.S. space program are presented. Also presented are some best practices for I&T that can help mitigate mishaps and close calls on the ground or during flight.
LOCOMOTION IN ARTHROPODS: AN EVOLUTIONARY PHANTASMAGORIA

Animals move. Movement is a hallmark of their “animalness”. With their muscles, pseudopodia, flagella, and cilia aflutter, they burrow, flit, scamper and undulate through their environment using an amazing assortment of locomotory styles. Nowhere is this diversity better seen than in the arthropods — animals that constitute over 75% of the world’s species. Here among the insects, crustaceans, spiders, centipedes and millipedes, we find the most beguiling array of fliers, swimmers, and pedestrians known to man.
Energy Alternatives and Global Warming in the 21st Century

The topic of this talk, “Energy Alternatives and Global Warming in the 21st Century” was chosen to set a global energy stage for the coming discussions of the potential role of nuclear power in reducing global warming. Much of the professional literature and media commentaries on global warming reduction focus on constraining energy use by political mandates (as in the coming Kyoto conference) and by economic tools such as taxing and subsidizing. An alternative view is that in a free market society, technology options should be the primary tools for addressing the physical issues of global energy and environment. I will try to shed some light on these energy technology options from my viewpoint as shaped by many decades of EPRI experience in fashioning energy technologies for national, regional, and individual purposes. I will not address the important technologies for accommodating to climate change or potentially for climate modification, such as recently suggested by Edward Teller.
Mechanical Shock in MEMS

This chapter addresses a reliability issue of MEMS that is crucial for their commercialization, which is their survivability under mechanical shocks. Unlike conventional electronics of passive elements, MEMS contain flexible components that are deliberately designed to undergo some kind of motion. Thus, a natural question comes of how these microstructures respond when they are subjected to dynamic shock loads? What about short circuit and stiction when they make contacts with the substrate or stationary electrodes due to shock loads? These are some of the issues that are treated in this chapter. In addition, the impact of electrostatic forces on the dynamic response is illustrated. The interaction of the motion of microstructures with the printed circuit boards where they are mounted on is also discussed.
Division Ratios and Triangles

This chapter describes the division ratios and triangles, and elementary Euclidean geometry. The Euclidean plane can be defined formally without axioms. The points are the ordered pairs of real numbers. The lines are the graphs of linear equations ax + by = c , where a , b , c are real numbers such that a and b are not both zero. Areas and angles can be defined using calculus. However, this approach has the same disadvantages as the axiomatic approach, and it is cumbersome and time consuming, and it minimizes the role of geometric intuition. In the Euclidean plane, a triangle consists of three points that do not lie on one line and the three segments that have pairs of these points as endpoints. Two triangles are congruent if corresponding sides have equal lengths. In other words, when the sides of a triangle are given, there is essentially at most one way to form the triangle.
Case Report of a Massive Thigh Hematoma after Adductor Canal Block in a Morbidly Obese Woman Anticoagulated with Apixaban

Hematoma formation after peripheral nerve block placement is a rare event. We report a case of a morbidly obese patient who was anticoagulated with apixaban and developed a massive thigh hematoma after an ultrasound-guided adductor canal block. Despite continuous visualization of the block needle, an unrecognized vascular injury occurred leading to a 14-cm hematoma in the anterolateral thigh. Morbid obesity warrants additional risk consideration when placing nerve blocks in an anticoagulated patient. In addition, early recognition and expert consultation are both important in the management of block-related hematomas.
Perception of relative pitch of sentence-length utterances.

Differences in relative pitch have several linguistic uses, such as tone and dynamic intonational patterns. In addition, listeners are also sensitive to average pitch differences both within and across male and female speakers. While much research uses isolated syllables to investigate how well listeners can distinguish differences in pitch, this study focuses on listeners' ability to identify relative pitch differences across whole utterances. Listeners are presented with 28 items of the same sentence spoken by female politicians and are asked to rate how low or high the pitch of the utterance is on a 5-point scale. Results indicate that listeners use all steps of the scale to categorize the mean F0 of the stimuli (range: 130–250 Hz) and not a “high/medium/low” system or one in which only the extremes are categorized as high or low.
Automated Detection of Conversational Pauses from Audio Recordings of Serious Illness Conversations in Natural Hospital Settings.

Abstract Objective: Automating conversation analysis in the natural clinical setting is essential to scale serious illness communication research to samples that are large enough for traditional ep...
Embracing the flipped classroom: the planning and execution of a faculty workshop

A great deal of interest has emerged recently in the flipped classroom (FC), a student-centered teaching approach. After attending a presentation by the first author on the FC, a faculty member of ...
Artificial intelligence and the analysis of multi-platform metabolomics data for the detection of intrauterine growth restriction.

Objective To interrogate the pathogenesis of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques to multi-platform i.e. nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS) based metabolomic analysis for the prediction of IUGR. Materials and methods MS and NMR based metabolomic analysis were performed on cord blood serum from 40 IUGR (birth weight < 10th percentile) cases and 40 controls. Three variable selection algorithms namely: Correlation-based feature selection (CFS), Partial least squares regression (PLS) and Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ) were tested for their diagnostic performance. For each selected set of metabolites and the panel consists of metabolites common in three selection algorithms so-called overlapping set (OL), support vector machine (SVM) models were developed for which parameter selection was performed busing 10-fold cross validations. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity values were calculated for IUGR diagnosis. Metabolite set enrichment analysis (MSEA) was performed to identify which metabolic pathways were perturbed as a direct result of IUGR in cord blood serum. Results All selected metabolites and their overlapping set achieved statistically significant accuracies in the range of 0.78–0.82 for their optimized SVM models. The model utilizing all metabolites in the dataset had an AUC = 0.91 with a sensitivity of 0.83 and specificity equal to 0.80. CFS and OL (Creatinine, C2, C4, lysoPC.a.C16.1, lysoPC.a.C20.3, lysoPC.a.C28.1, PC.aa.C24.0) showed the highest performance with sensitivity (0.87) and specificity (0.87), respectively. MSEA revealed significantly altered metabolic pathways in IUGR cases. Dysregulated pathways include: beta oxidation of very long fatty acids, oxidation of branched chain fatty acids, phospholipid biosynthesis, lysine degradation, urea cycle and fatty acid metabolism. Conclusion A systematically selected panel of metabolites was shown to accurately detect IUGR in newborn cord blood serum. Significant disturbance of hepatic function and energy generating pathways were found in IUGR cases.
Assessing online media reliability: trust, metrics and assessment

Fabricated information is easily distributed throughout social media platforms and the internet. This allows incorrect and embellished information to misinform and manipulate the public in service of an attacker's goals. Falsified information – also commonly known as "fake news" – has been around for centuries. In modern day, it presents a unique challenge because of the difficulty of tracing news items origin, when spread electronically. Fake news can affect voting patterns, political careers, businesses’ new product launches, and countless other information consumption processes. This paper proposes a method that uses machine learning to identify “Fake News” stories. The conditional probability that a story is fake is calculated, given the presence of feature predictors inside a news story. A concise summary of the qualitative methods used to study Fake News stories is presented. This is followed by a discussion of computational social science and machine learning methods that can be used to train and tune a classifier to detect fake news. Some of the main linguistic trends, identified in social media platforms, that are associated with fake news are identified. A larger integrated system that can be used to identify and mitigate the impact of falsified content is also proposed.
Long-range, selective, on-demand suspension interactions: Combining and triggering soluto-inertial beacons

Structures and particles that slowly release solute into solution can attract or repel other particles in suspension via diffusiophoresis, a process we termed "soluto-inertial (SI) interactions." These SI interactions involve "beacons" that establish and sustain nonequilibrium solute fluxes over long durations. Here, we demonstrate the versatility of the SI concept and introduce distinct strategies to manipulate solute gradients and, hence, suspension behavior using beacons with different physicochemical properties. First, we demonstrate on-demand particle migration using beacons that can be actuated with a trigger. We then show the synergy between multiple, distinct beacons that modify solute fluxes in a way that allows directed, yet selective, colloidal migration to specific target sites. Moreover, this multibeacon harmony enhances migration velocities, and delays the equilibration of the SI effect. The different SI techniques highlighted here suggest previously unidentified possibilities for sorting and separating colloidal mixtures, targeting particle delivery, and enhancing rates of suspension flocculation.
Current landscape of prenatal genetic screening and testing

Pregnant patients should be offered the option of prenatal genetic screening and diagnostic testing. The type of screening and testing offered to a patient may depend on various factors including but not limited to age, family history, fetal findings, exposures, and patient preferences. Prenatal screening is available for a variety of genetic conditions including aneuploidy, congenital abnormalities, and carrier status. Diagnostic testing options include karyotype, prenatal microarray, as well as next-generation sequencing. The various options differ in methodology, accuracy, timing and indication for testing, and information they provide. Given that the technologies related to prenatal testing are rapidly evolving and improving, the array of available screening and testing modalities are increasing. This article reviews the current offerings in prenatal screening and diagnosis.
Using Xenopus oocytes in neurological disease drug discovery.

Introduction: Neurological diseases present a difficult challenge in drug discovery. Many of the current treatments have limited efficiency or result in a variety of debilitating side effects. The ...
Risk of developing an abdominal aortic aneurysm after ectatic aorta detection from initial screening

Abstract Objective Current abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surveillance guidelines lack any follow-up recommendations after initial abdominal aortic screening diameter of less than 3.0 cm. Some reports have demonstrated patients with late AAA formation and late ruptures after initial ultrasound screening detection of patients with an aortic diameter of 2.5 to 2.9 cm (ectatic aorta). The purpose of this study was to determine ectatic aorta prevalence, AAA development, rupture risk, and risk factor profile in patients with detected ectatic aortas in a AAA screening program. Methods A retrospective chart review of all patients screened for AAA from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2016, within a regional health care system was conducted. Screening criteria were men 65 to 75 years of age that smoked a minimum of 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. An ectatic aorta was defined as a maximum aortic diameter from 2.5 to 2.9 cm. An AAA was defined as an aortic diameter of 3 cm or greater. Patients screened with ectatic aortas who had subsequent follow-up imaging of the aorta with a minimum of 1-year follow-up were analyzed for associated clinical and cardiovascular risk factors. All data were collected through December 3,/2018. A logistic regression of statistically significant variables from univariate and χ2 analyses were performed to identify risks associated with the development of AAA from an initially diagnosed ectatic aorta. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess survival data. A P value of less than .05 was considered statistically significant. Results From a screening pool of 19,649 patients, 3205 (16.3%) with a mean age of 72.1 ± 5.3 years were identified to have an ectatic aorta from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2016. The average screening ectatic aortic diameter was 2.6 ± 0.1 cm. There were 672 patients (21.0%) with a mean age of 73.0 ± 5.7 years who received subsequent imaging for other clinical indications and 193 of these patients (28.7%) with ectatic aortas developed an AAA from the last follow-up scan (4.2 ± 2.5 years). The average observation length of all patients was 6.4 ± 2.9 years. No ruptures were reported, but 27.8% of deaths were of unknown cause. One patient had aortic growth to 5.5 cm or greater (0.15%). Larger initial screening diameter (P Conclusions Patients with diagnosed ectatic aortas from screening who are active smokers or have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are likely to develop an AAA.
Impact of Biomass Sources on Acoustic Based Chemical Functionalization of Biochars for Improved CO2 Adsorption

The present study investigates the impact of biomass origin on the properties of biochar and its interaction with different treatment conditions, CO2 adsorption, and regeneration ability. The bioch...
Radar-Inertial Ego-Velocity Estimation for Visually Degraded Environments

We present an approach for estimating the body-frame velocity of a mobile robot. We combine measurements from a millimeter-wave radar-on-a-chip sensor and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) in a batch optimization over a sliding window of recent measurements. The sensor suite employed is lightweight, low-power, and is invariant to ambient lighting conditions. This makes the proposed approach an attractive solution for platforms with limitations around payload and longevity, such as aerial vehicles conducting autonomous exploration in perceptually degraded operating conditions, including subterranean environments. We compare our radar-inertial velocity estimates to those from a visual-inertial (VI) approach. We show the accuracy of our method is comparable to VI in conditions favorable to VI, and far exceeds the accuracy of VI when conditions deteriorate.
Generation and Analysis of dsDNA Breaks for Checkpoint and Repair Studies in Fission Yeast

Damage to DNA elicits both checkpoint and repair responses. These are complex events that involve many genes whose products assemble at lesions and form signaling cascades to recruit additional factors and regulate the cell cycle. The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe has proven to be an excellent model to study these events, and has led gene and pathway discovery efforts. Recent progress has involved a more detailed analysis of the earliest events at lesions, particularly double-stranded DNA breaks (DSBs). Here we describe several methods for the analysis of events at DSBs, both on the DNA and the recruitment of proteins to these lesions, using S. pombe as a model. However, each of these methods is easily applicable to any experimental system with minor modifications to the protocols.
In acute dyspnea with diagnostic uncertainty, ACP suggests POCUS may be added to the standard diagnostic pathway.

SOURCE CITATION Qaseem A, Etxeandia-Ikobaltzeta I, Mustafa RA, et al. Appropriate use of point-of-care ultrasonography in patients with acute dyspnea in emergency department or inpatient settings: a clinical guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2021;174:985-93. 33900792.
From headlamp illumination to headlamp performance: a critical review of the Ford motor company 'detect' model

This article reviews a range of issues relevant to evaluating visibility provided by automobile headlamps, with emphasis on the driver visibility model DETECT that was developed by the Ford Motor Company. The first section of the article discusses general issues concerning evaluation of headlamp performance. The main sections of the article review the major failures of DETECT, its limitations, and suggested improvements. Finally, it is argued that further progress in the development of headlighting models and their increased acceptability is contingent on reaching a consensus regarding what good headlighting should be able to do. Consequently, a worldwide survey of experts in industry, academia, and government on desirable aspects of headlamp performance is advocated.
Susan Bassnett and Peter Bush. The Translator as Writer

Susan Bassnett and Peter Bush. The Translator as Writer. London and New York: Continuum, 2006, 221 p.
East Africa: Sociocultural Aspects

The historical and cultural complexity of East Africa, an area encompassing the present nation–states of Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, is considered in terms of its prominent social forms. These include at the most complex level the precolonial city-states on the Indian Ocean coast and the interior kingdoms in and around the great lakes of the region. Other less complex polities, based on agriculture, pastoralism, or foraging economic systems are presented in reference to a number of specific and typical ethnic examples. The latter commentary demonstrates the manner in which religion and ritual are employed to generate local social groups and political loyalties as well as the manner in which these arrangements were effected by both the colonial and independence periods. Reference is also drawn to the pervasive cultural themes that characterize the region.
Takings, Private Property and Public Rights

THE TRADITIONAL VIEW OF PROPERTY RIGHTS, FOCUSING SOLELY ON ACTIVITIES OCCURRING WITHIN THE PHYSICAL BOUNDARIES OF THE USER'S PROPERTY, IS CONTRASTED WITH THE RECOGNITION OF THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS BETWEEN VARIOUS USES OF SEEMINGLY UNRELATED PIECES OF PROPERTY. ONCE PROPERTY IS SEEN AS AN INTERDEPENDENT NETWORK OF COMPETING USES, RATHER THAN AS A NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT AND ISOLATED ENTITIES, PROPERTY RIGHTS AND THE LAW OF TAKINGS ARE OPEN FOR MODIFICATION. MUCH OF WHAT WAS FORMERLY DEEMED AS TAKING IS BETTER SEEN AS AN EXERCISE OF THE POLICE POWER IN VINDICATION OF WHAT SHALL BE CALLED "PUBLIC RIGHTS". THE CONSEQUENCES RELATING TO A NEW CONCEPT OF PROPERTY RIGHTS ARE EXPLORED FOR THE BROADER IMPLICATIONS OF RESOURCE REGULATION AND COST ALLOCATIONS TO AVOID CONFLICT BETWEEN USERS. /AUTHOR/
Collective experiences of adventitious viruses of animal-derived raw materials and what can be done about them

Contamination of animal-derived raw materials with viruses, mycoplasmas, bacteria and fungi is common. These contaminants can interfere with the diagnosis of viral infection, and vaccines produced using infected cell cultures could lead to seroconversion or disease in the vaccinated animal. The purity, safety and efficacy of viral vaccines requires testing of the ingredients, cell substrates and final product. Methods for detection of viruses, especially bovine viral diarrhea virus, in nutrient serum, cell cultures, seed viruses and viral vaccines, and the frequency of their detection at the Center for Veterinary Biologics are discussed.
Double-Stranded RNA Is Detected by Immunofluorescence Analysis in RNA and DNA Virus Infections, Including Those by Negative-Stranded RNA Viruses

Early biochemical studies of viral replication suggested that most viruses produce double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), which is essential for the induction of the host immune response. However, it was reported in 2006 that dsRNA could be detected by immunofluorescence antibody staining in double-stranded DNA and positive-strand RNA virus infections but not in negative-strand RNA virus infections. Other reports in the literature seemed to support these observations. This suggested that negative-strand RNA viruses produce little, if any, dsRNA or that more efficient viral countermeasures to mask dsRNA are mounted. Because of our interest in the use of dsRNA antibodies for virus discovery, particularly in pathological specimens, we wanted to determine how universal immunostaining for dsRNA might be in animal virus infections. We have detected the in situ formation of dsRNA in cells infected with vesicular stomatitis virus, measles virus, influenza A virus, and Nyamanini virus, which represent viruses from different negative-strand RNA virus families. dsRNA was also detected in cells infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, an ambisense RNA virus, and minute virus of mice (MVM), a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) parvovirus, but not hepatitis B virus. Although dsRNA staining was primarily observed in the cytoplasm, it was also seen in the nucleus of cells infected with influenza A virus, Nyamanini virus, and MVM. Thus, it is likely that most animal virus infections produce dsRNA species that can be detected by immunofluorescence staining. The apoptosis induced in several uninfected cell lines failed to upregulate dsRNA formation. IMPORTANCE An effective antiviral host immune response depends on recognition of viral invasion and an intact innate immune system as a first line of defense. Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) is a viral product essential for the induction of innate immunity, leading to the production of type I interferons (IFNs) and the activation of hundreds of IFN-stimulated genes. The present study demonstrates that infections, including those by ssDNA viruses and positive- and negative-strand RNA viruses, produce dsRNAs detectable by standard immunofluorescence staining. While dsRNA staining was primarily observed in the cytoplasm, nuclear staining was also present in some RNA and DNA virus infections. The nucleus is unlikely to have pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) receptors for dsRNA because of the presence of host dsRNA molecules. Thus, it is likely that most animal virus infections produce dsRNA species detectable by immunofluorescence staining, which may prove useful in viral discovery as well.
Caenorhabditis elegans: Decay of isocitrate lyase during larval development

Abstract Changes in the levels of isocitrate lyase, malate synthase, catalase, fumarase, and NADP + -isocitrate dehydrogenase have been investigated during larval development of the free-living soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans in the presence and absence of Escherichia coli . The specific activities of isocitrate lyase, malate synthase, and catalase are maximal at the time of egg hatching and, thereafter, decline during larval development when larvae feed on E. coli , whereas in the absence of E. coli specific activities of the same enzymes increase for 12 hr and subsequently remain constant. There is, however, no change in specific activity of fumarase or NADP + -isocitrate dehydrogenase during the same developmental period, in either case. Cycloheximide at 100 μM arrests the decline of isocitrate lyase during development of feeding larvae but has no effect upon the appearance of isocitrate lyase during starvation. The latter is true also for 15 m M itaconate. There is inactivation of isocitrate lyase in crude extracts of frozen worms in comparison to that in analogous extracts prepared from freshly harvested nematodes.
Reactions of fatty acids in superacid media: Identification of equilibrium products

Abstract Acid-catalyzed cracking reactions of model compounds, palmitic acid and oleic acid, using trifluoromethanesulfonic acid were investigated to determine the extent of products from a Bronsted superacid. No reaction was found with the saturated palmitic acid at neither 25 °C nor 100 °C. However, oleic acid, an unsaturated acid, reacted at 0 °C forming linear and branched saturated fatty acids that were of smaller molecular weight than the starting material. These results suggest the potential of using lipids and fatty acids as feedstocks for the manufacture of transportation fuels.
Planning at the Urban Fringe: An Examination of the Factors Influencing Nonconforming Development Patterns in Southern Florida:

Although the components of plan quality are well defined, little empirical research has been conducted to understand the degree to which policies are being implemented after plan adoption and the factors contributing to the variation in plan implementation. The authors test the efficacy of land-use planning and plan implementation in Florida by measuring the degree to which wetland development over a ten-year period conforms to the original design of adopted comprehensive plans. First, they spatially identify concentrated areas of wetland alteration permits and compare these locations with the adopted future land-use maps for county and city jurisdictions in the southern portion of the state. Second, they examine the major factors influencing nonconforming development patterns across the study area. Results indicate a well-defined spatial pattern of nonconforming wetland development and isolate specific socioeconomic, demographic, and geographic variables impacting these deviations from the original spati...
Autismo e síndrome de Asperger: uma visão geral

Autismo e sindrome de Asperger sao entidades diagnosticas em uma familia de transtornos de neurodesenvolvimento nos quais ocorre uma ruptura nos processos fundamentais de socializacao, comunicacao e aprendizado. Esses transtornos sao coletivamente conhecidos como transtornos invasivos de desenvolvimento. Esse grupo de condicoes esta entre os transtornos de desenvolvimento mais comuns, afetando aproximadamente 1 em cada 200 individuos. Eles estao tambem entre os com maior carga genetica entre os transtornos de desenvolvimento, com riscos de recorrencia entre familiares da ordem de 2 a 15% se for adotada uma definicao mais ampla de criterio diagnostico. Seu inicio precoce, perfil sintomatico e cronicidade envolvem mecanismos biologicos fundamentais relacionados a adaptacao social. Avancos em sua compreensao estao conduzindo a uma nova perspectiva da neurociencia ao estudar os processos tipicos de socializacao e das interrupcoes especificas deles advindas. Esses processos podem levar a emergencia de fenotipos altamente heterogeneos associados ao autismo, o paradigmatico transtorno invasivo de desenvolvimento e suas variantes. Esta revisao foca o historico, a nosologia e as caracteristicas clinicas e associadas aos dois transtornos invasivos de desenvolvimento mais conhecidos - o autismo e a sindrome de Asperger.