cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Taming the Hydra: Prosecutorial Discretion under the Acceptance of Responsibility Provision of the US Sentencing Guidelines

... Divens fully expected to receive an additional one-level reduction in his sentence under § 3E1.1(b) of the United States Sentencing Guidelines (Guidelines), which states that a defendant is eligible for the reduction upon motion of the government stating that he has assisted authorities in the investigation or prosecution of his own misconduct by timely notifying authorities of his intention to enter a plea of guilty, thereby permitting the government to avoid preparing for trial and permitting the government and the court to allocate their resources efficiently. ... Since the SRA, Congress’s sentencing legislation has been focused on not only ′′reducing unwarranted disparities′′ and thus furthering the goals of real offense sentencing but also ′′increasing the harshness of sentences.′′ ... The court also referenced several Application Notes indicating that appellate resources were not at issue under § 3E1.1(b): Application Note 2 states that the reduction is intended to relieve the Government of meeting ′′its burden of proof at trial′′; Application Note 5 states that the ′′sentencing judge is in a unique position to evaluate a defendant’s acceptance of responsibility′′; and Application Note 6 states that a defendant must ′′notify authorities of his intention to enter a plea of guilty at a sufficiently early point in the process so that ... the court may schedule its calendar efficiently.′′ ... The any rational interest circuits have relied on the Wade interpretation of prosecutorial discretion under § 5K1.1 to determine what discretion the Government is permitted under § 3E1.1(b). ... Further, Judge Smith’s pure textual analysis of § 3E1.1(b), conducted without reference to either Guideline commentary or the PROTECT Act’s purported aims, accords with this solution’s allowance of prosecutorial discretion in determining whether a defendant’s timely plea has relieved the Government of expending trial resources. ... As discussed in Part III.C, this Comment argues that the definition of ′′trial′′ under § 3E1.1(b) should exclude the sentencing phase, and therefore the defendant’s failure to stipulate to factors only relevant to sentencing would not be grounds for the Government’s refusal to move for the reduction. ... It also has no impact on timeliness, trial preparation, and trial resources and is thus irrelevant under § 3E1.1(b). * * Under this Comment’s solution, only after the Government has evaluated permissible factors and concluded that the defendant’s timely notification did not allow it to avoid trial preparation or preserve trial resources can the Government withhold a § 3E1.1(b) motion.
Nitroso-redox imbalance affects cardiac structure and function.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and their treatment pose a huge economic and social burden in Western societies and in the developing world (1). Thus, there is significant interest in developing new therapeutic targets, and it is of particular interest that an old class of drugs, inhibitors of xanthine oxidoreductase (XO), may be repositioned to treat heart failure and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. In this context, there is growing awareness that nitroso-redox balance may represent a new therapeutic target for heart failure (2). However, whether or not XO inhibitors fully address nitroso-redox imbalance in all patients remains controversial. The hypothesis that XO inhibition could treat heart failure was tested in the OPT-CHF trial (3). In that study, the primary endpoint was not statistically different in the population of symptomatic heart failure patients enrolled; however patients with hyperuricemia appeared to be a responsive population. While hyperuricemia is classically associated with gout and nephropathy, it is clearly also a biomarker in heart failure populations (4-6). Uric acid (UA) is the end product of purine metabolism, involving the conversion of hypoxanthine to xanthine and then to UA in reactions catalyzed by XO (Figure 1) (7). In most mammals including rodents, UA is further degraded to allantoin via the enzyme urate oxidase (UO), resulting in low UA serum levels. In humans and great apes, however, this final step does not occur because of a single point mutation inactivating UO, resulting in substantially higher serum UA levels. Whether UA plays beneficial or deleterious roles remains controversial, and some arguments can be made that the impact of UA on vascular tone have played an evolutionary role (4). However, in hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure, and chronic kidney disease (CKD), high UA levels correlate with an increased risk of stroke and CVDs (4,6,8-10) Figure 1 Increased xanthine oxidase activity and nitroso-redox imbalance As UA levels represent a biomarker of XO activity, the OPT-CHF results suggest that patients with elevated XO activity responded preferentially (3). XO is a key oxidase participating in nitroso-redox imbalance in the heart, producing superoxide as a byproduct of purine metabolism (Figure 1). Thus, the epidemiological association of high UA levels with worse prognosis in a wide cohort of patients with CVDs likely reflects the fact that UA levels rise with increased XO activity (4-10).
Overcoming Historical Injustices: Land Reconciliation and Theories of Justice, Past and Present

One of the most compelling issues for worldwide socio-legal studies has to do with how to reconcile competing historical claims to land. Countries as diverse as the United States, Argentina, and the Philippines are confronted with extremely complex and divisive issues of rectifying land injustices from the past. These conflicts are intractable in part because they implicate exceedingly difficult issues of law, justice, and history. Nowhere is the issue of land reconciliation more salient than in South Africa. Because the apartheid system and its predecessors were so obsessed with efforts (largely successful) to expropriate the vast majority of the land in the country for the use of the tiny white minority, South Africa's past is now colliding with its present, as demands for land reconciliation are growing in both number and intensity. And with the ever-present specter of Zimbabwe-style land invasions, the issue is seen by many as threatening to the very political and economic stability of the country. How South Africa deals with the injustice of historical land practices will have much to do with the success of the country's attempt at consolidating its nascent democracy. But land reconciliation is more than “just” an important policy issue. In addition, matters of land injustice are central to the growing interdisciplinary attention to issues of transitional justice (see Hayner 2001, who claims that a new field of research on “transitional justice” has recently emerged).
Biocompatibility of gold nanoparticles in retinal pigment epithelial cell line

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) have been tested as targeted delivery agents because of their high chemical stability and surface plasmon properties. Here, we investigated the biocompatibility of Au spheres (5-, 10-, 20-, 30-, 50-. and 100-nm), cubes (50-nm), and rods (10×90nm) on a retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE-19) cell line. The lethal dose for killing 50% of the cells (LD50) was evaluated using an MTT (3-[4, 5 dimethyl-thiazoly-2-yl] 2-5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay. At and above LD50, based on mass concentrations, the confluent cell layer began to detach, as shown by real-time measurements of electric impedance. We found that the biocompatibility of spheres improved with increasing nanoparticle size. The Au rods were less biocompatible than 10-nm spheres. Confocal microscopy showed that cubic (50-nm) and spherical NPs (50- and 100-nm) neither had cytotoxic effects nor entered cells. Lethal doses for internalized spherical NPs, which were toxic, were recalculated based on surface area (LD50,A) concentrations. Indeed, when biocompatibility was expressed as the surface area concentration of NPs, the curve was independent of size. The LD50,A of Au nanospheres was 23cm2/ml. Our findings demonstrate that the sole modulation of the surface area would make it possible to use Au NPs for therapeutic purposes.
The Tumor Suppressor Gene SLC5A8 Is Selectively Silenced in MLL Partial Tandem Duplication-Positive Acute Myeloid Leukemia with Normal Cytogenetics.

The M ixed L ineage L eukemia Partial Tandem Duplication ( MLL PTD) defect, present in 4–10% of adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and normal cytogenetics (NC), predicts for shorter complete remission duration. Functionally, the MLL PTD is associated with aberrant histone methylation. Since posttranslational histone modifications are also frequently associated with changes in the methylation status of gene promoters, we evaluated whether AML with the MLL PTD is associated with a pattern of DNA methylation distinct from AML with NC and wild type MLL ( MLL WT). Significant differences in DNA methylation patterns of over 2,000 CpG island fragments, most of them located in the 5′-region of genes, were observed between NC AML with the MLL PTD (n=9) and NC AML with MLL WT (n=23) using Restriction Landmark Genomic Scanning (RLGS) (P MLL PTD+ AML compared with MLL WT AML. Among the non-polymorphic, methylated spots, spot 3D41 corresponding to the SLC5A8 gene was found methylated in 78% of MLL PTD+ AMLs compared with only 17% of MLL WT AMLs (P SLC5A8 , is a known tumor suppressor reported to be silenced by DNA methylation in colorectal, glioma, thyroid and gastric cancers. This plasma membrane protein mediates intracellular transport of substrates such as butyrate, a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi), and when SLC5A8 is underexpressed, this predicts worse prognosis in colon cancer patients. In MLL PTD+ AML samples exhibiting 3D41 loss by RLGS, bisulfite-PCR sequencing confirmed CpG hypermethylation within the SLC5A8 proximal promoter (range: 24–78% promoter methylation) compared with those AML samples (0%–12% promoter methylation) exhibiting no 3D41 loss. Furthermore, SLC5A8 transcript levels were significantly reduced in MLL PTD+ AML patient samples compared to MLL WT+ AML patient samples (P SLC5A8 and cell death in the MLL PTD+ EOL−1 cell line. These results suggest that aberrant promoter DNA methylation and the reduced expression of the tumor suppressor gene SLC5A8 may be associated with the short remission duration observed in MLL PTD+ AML patients. These data also support further investigation of DNA demethylating agents, such as recently FDA-approved Dacogen® and the appropriate timing of administration of HDACi, such as butyrate analogs, as a therapeutic approach for this poor prognostic AML subgroup.
A Tradição no Estado Socioambiental: Um Olhar Acerca da Proteção da Vida

This article is a brief essay on the concept of tradition from the understanding of reflexive modernity in modern societies or, as is also called, in post-traditional societies, and the search of the residence of why understanding in today's world festivals religious or folk that violate the rights of non-human animals, even though we live in a globally connected society and whose scientific, social, economic, technological and cultural information is widely disseminated. In the present article, to examine the issue, also it is normally accepted premise and recognition of rights to nonhuman animals
Supported Lipid Bilayers with Phosphatidylethanolamine as the Major Component

Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is notoriously difficult to incorporate into model membrane systems, such as fluid supported lipid bilayers (SLBs), at high concentrations because of its intrinsic negative curvature. Using fluorescence-based techniques, we demonstrate that having fewer sites of unsaturation in the lipid tails leads to high-quality SLBs because these lipids help to minimize the curvature. Moreover, shorter saturated chains can help maintain the membranes in the fluid phase. Using these two guidelines, we find that up to 70 mol % PE can be incorporated into SLBs at room temperature and up to 90 mol % PE can be incorporated at 37 °C. Curiously, conditions under which three-dimensional tubules project outward from the planar surface as well as conditions under which domain formation occurs can be found. We have employed these model membrane systems to explore the ability of Ni2+ to bind to PE. It was found that this transition metal ion binds 1000-fold tighter to PE than to phosphatidylcholine l...
Development of a primary melanoma in situ within a full-thickness skin graft overlying a free muscle flap: a case report.

The development of a primary melanoma within the confines of free tissue transfer is a rare occurrence. In this report, we describe the development of a primary melanoma in situ within a full-thick...
Systematic review of empiricism and theory in domestic minor sex trafficking research

Empiricism and the application of human behavior theory to inquiry are regarded as markers of high-quality research. Unfortunately, scholars have noted that there are many gaps in theory and empiricism within the human trafficking literature, calling into question the legitimacy of policies and practices that are derived from the available data. To date, there has not been an analysis of the extent to which empirical methods and human behavior theory have been applied to domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) research as a subcategory of human trafficking inquiry. To fill this gap in the literature, this systematic review was designed to assess the degree to which DMST publications are a) empirical, and b) apply human behavior theory to inquiry. This analysis also focuses on answering research questions related to patterns within DMST study data sources, and patterns of human behavior theory application. The results of this review indicate that a minority of sampled DMST publications are empirical, a minority of those articles that were empirical apply a specific human behavior theory within the research design and reporting of results, a minority of articles utilize data collected directly from DMST victims, and that there are no discernible patterns in the application of human behavior theory to DMST research. This research note suggests that DMST research is limited by the same challenges as the larger body of human trafficking scholarship. Based upon these overarching findings, specific recommendations are offered to DMST researchers who are committed to enhancing the quality of DMST scholarship.
Multimodal Imaging of Nonneovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Nonneovascular (dry) AMD is a retinal disease with potential for significant central visual impairment. The hallmarks of this disease are macular drusen, RPE alterations, and geographic atrophy (GA). Classification schemes for nonneovascular AMD have evolved over the years as major advances in retinal imaging have enabled a greater understanding of disease pathophysiology. The original classifications of nonneovascular AMD were based on color fundus photography (CFP), while more modern schemes rely on a multimodal imaging approach. Effective diagnosis and management of nonneovascular AMD requires a thorough understanding of its multimodal imaging features as detailed in this review. Future imaging modalities and imaging biomarkers that may aid in diagnosis and management are also discussed.
Developing Knowledge of Coaching

School-based coaching for literacy teachers has taken on an important role in school reform in recent years. Although the literature contains numerous and compelling descriptions of the perceived, positive effects of mentoring (Shulman, 2004), reviews of the literature base on mentoring and/or coaching over the past 20 years have consistently identified the need for the development of empirically-based knowledge of mentoring (e.g., Colley, 2002; Feiman-Nemser, 1996; Gray & Gray, 1985; Hawkey, 1997; Little, 1990; Merriam, 1983; Wang & Odell, 2002). Qualitative research is needed in order to move discussions of mentoring from the abstract to an experiential level (Colley, 2002) in contrast to the prevailing “manic optimism” (Elmore, 1989, cited in Little, 1990, p. 297) with which mentoring and coaching are typically viewed. A large and influential body of research provides teacher educators with insights concerning teachers’ thinking, planning, and decisionmaking (Clark & Peterson, 1986; Munby, Russell, & Martin, 2001). The identification of teachers’ knowledge and inquiry into how this knowledge develops is an extremely complex set of questions as well as a highly consequential area of inquiry. “It is within the context of teachers’ thought processes that curriculum is interpreted and acted upon; where teachers teach and students learn” (Clark & Peterson, 1986, p. 255). The mentoring and coaching of teachers has become a highly
Abstract 746: Development of novel formats of anti-AXL ADCs

AXL is a member of the Tyro3- AXL -Mer (TAM) receptor tyrosine kinase subfamily which has been associated with several cellular functions including growth, migration, aggregation, and anti-inflammation (Li Y et al., 2009) via activation through its ligand, Gas6. Originally identified as an oncogene in chronic myelogenous leukemia, expression of Axl has been reported to be upregulated in a variety of cancers including breast, gastric, prostate, ovarian, and lung. AXL expression has been shown to be negatively associated with patient survival and implicated in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, a process closely linked with invasive motility and metastasis of malignant cells. Several recent studies have reported that AXL is overexpressed during resistance to chemotherapy and other molecularly targeted therapies, as well as during hypoxia (Schoumacher M et al 2017). Consequently, Axl is promising therapeutic target for development into ADCs for the first or second line treatment of cancer. At the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada, we have selected mouse monoclonal (mAbs) or llama derived single domain antibodies (sdAbs) that are selective for the extracellular domain of human Axl and which have been shown to be internalized into Axl expressing cells for antibody drug conjugate (ADC) development using a surrogate ADC screen. These antibodies were also characterized based on their binding domains and ability to compete with Gas6, the extracellular ligand for Axl. A panel of Axl-specific ADCs was subsequently directly conjugated to maytansine, the microtubule disrupting agent through a noncleavable linker. Axl-DM1 ADCs were shown to efficiently induce cytotoxicity in vitro, in Axl expressing cells including breast (MDA-MB 231), lung (NCI-H292) and ovarian (SKOV3) cell lines with sub nM potencies achieved with both sdAb and conventional mAb-based ADCs. When tested in vivo using ovarian (SKOV3) and breast cancer (MDA-MB 231) xenograft models, Axl-DM1 ADCs were shown to have potent anti-tumor activity. Biparatopic antibodies (i.e. those which target two non-overlapping epitopes) directed against HER2 have been previously shown to induce target clustering and promote robust internalization, lysosomal trafficking, and degradation (LI JY et al 2016). Since these properties are important in the mechanism of action of ADCs, we have further tested anti-Axl antibodies in various configurations and have identified potent biparatopic antibodies for further development into ADCs. Citation Format: Maria L. Jaramillo, Myriam Banville, Alma Robert, Luc Meury, Maurizio Acchione, Anne Marcil, Christine Gadoury, Cunle Wu, Yves Fortin, Kevin Henry, Joseph Schrag, The-Minh Tu, Binbing (Erica) Ling, Jacqueline Slinn, Maria Moreno. Development of novel formats of anti-AXL ADCs [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 746.
Using Standardized Actors to Promote Family-centered Care

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine nursing students' performance in providing family-centered care and empathic communication in a pediatric simulation. This study was considered an innovative approach within our undergraduate program because the use of standardized actors (SAs) was new to the program and had only previously been used in our graduate program. Method This study used a mixed method design of descriptive comparative data and content analysis to examine nursing students' performance in providing family-centered care and empathic communication in a pediatric simulation. Results There were 146 students who participated in this study. Thematic analysis indicated that empathy needs to extend beyond the patient to the family. A comparison of the standardize actors' and peer assessment of student empathy was significant. Conclusions Nurse educators can use standardized actors as caregivers in simulation as an effective teaching strategy to connect theory and the philosophy of family-centered care to its application in pediatric nursing practice. Practice implications Family-centered care is a key philosophy in pediatric nursing. Students report that there is a significant gap between family-centered care theory and its application to practice. Few baccalaureate nursing students receive experience in family interactions during their clinical time. Therefore, this research supports the need for incorporating family-centered care simulation practices in nursing education to increase student nurses' readiness to practice in specialty settings such as pediatrics.
Upper-Slope Jets and Gulf Stream Filaments Inshore of the Charleston Bump during Winter 2012

AbstractA 3-month-long field program conducted in winter 2012 inshore of the seaward deflection of the Gulf Stream at the Charleston Bump observed several 7–21-day periods of strong (>0.5 m s−1) eq...
Instantaneous Dynamic User-Optimal Route Choice Models

In this chapter, we discuss optimal control models for instantaneous dynamic user-optimal route choice problems. Using a network with two parallel routes, we first present an example to illustrate the instantaneous dynamic user-optimal concept in Section 5.1. The general definition of instantaneous dynamic useroptimal state is given in Section 5.2. Then, we present three instantaneous dynamic user-optimal route choice models. Model 1 is described in Section 5.3. In Section 5.4, the equivalence of Model 1 with DUO route choice is demonstrated by proving the equivalence of the first order necessary conditions of the model with the instantaneous DUO route choice conditions. In Section 5.5, the second DUO model employing a different link travel time function assumption is formulated, and the equivalence of Model 2 with the instantaneous DUO route choice conditions is also demonstrated. In Section 5.6, the third instantaneous DUO model employing a simpler link travel time function assumption is formulated, and its equivalence with the instantaneous DUO conditions is also demonstrated. Finally, we present a discrete-time numerical example indicating that this class of models yields realistic results.
Interaction of Red Cells with Vessel Wall, and Wall Shear with Endothelium

The sizes of the viscometers cited in Chapter 3 are so large that blood can be treated as a homogeneous fluid in them. The size of the individual red cells is many orders of magnitude smaller than the dimensions of the viscometers. The same condition holds in large blood vessels. The diameters of the capillary blood vessels, however, are comparable with the dimensions of the red cells. Hence in the capillaries, red blood cells must be treated as individuals. Blood must be regarded as a two-phase fluid : a liquid plasma phase and a deformable solid phase of the blood cells.
Structural integrity of polymer matrix composite panels in fire

Abstract: Developments in advanced composite technology offer cost-effective application of polymer matrix composites for large load-bearing structures. However, polymer matrix composites can be severely damaged under thermal conditions caused by fire. This chapter addresses failures of polymer matrix composite panels under combined thermal-mechanical conditions. Specifically, the thermal load is fire exposure which can occur in accidental events, and the mechanical load is in-plane compression which is the common loading condition for panels in naval structures and civil infrastructure. The failure modes under such thermal-mechanical conditions for single-skin and sandwich panels are the focus in this chapter. The thermal field under fire heating and the degradation of mechanical properties with respect to temperature rise are discussed. Modeling methodology for these failure modes is presented. The development of a quantitative approach to assess structural fire integrity is discussed in the context of analysis and experimental observation.
Recent advances in developing organic electrode materials for multivalent rechargeable batteries

Due to the low cost and abundance of multivalent metallic resources (Mg/Al/Zn/Ca), multivalent rechargeable batteries (MRBs) are promising alternatives to Li-ion and Pb-acid batteries for grid-scale stationary energy storage applications. However, the high performance of inorganic electrode materials in Li-ion batteries does not extend to MRBs, because the high charge density of multivalent cations dramatically reduces their diffusivity in the crystal lattice of inorganic materials. To achieve high-performance MRBs, organic electrode materials (OEMs) with abundant structural diversity and high structural tunability offer opportunities. This review presents an overview of the state-of-the-art OEMs in MRBs, including non-aqueous rechargeable Mg/Al/Zn and aqueous rechargeable Mg/Al/Zn/Ca batteries. The advantages, challenges, development, mechanism, structure, and performance of OEMs in MRBs are discussed in detail. To provide a comprehensive and thorough understanding of OEMs in MRBs, the correlation between molecular structure and electrochemical behavior is also summarized and discussed. This review offers insights for the rational structure design and performance optimization of advanced OEMs in MRBs.
Archiving Dracula: knowledge acquisition and interdisciplinarity

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897) – a novel known for blood-curdling suspense and the relentless pursuit of its eponymous villain – begins in an unlikely place: the library. Before Stoker's “vampire hun...
Nature-Inspired Unconventional Approaches to Develop 3D Bioceramic Scaffolds with Enhanced Regenerative Ability

Material science is a relevant discipline in support of regenerative medicine. Indeed, tissue regeneration requires the use of scaffolds able to guide and sustain the natural cell metabolism towards tissue regrowth. This need is particularly important in musculoskeletal regeneration, such as in the case of diseased bone or osteocartilaginous regions for which calcium phosphate-based scaffolds are considered as the golden solution. However, various technological barriers related to conventional ceramic processing have thus far hampered the achievement of biomimetic and bioactive scaffolds as effective solutions for still unmet clinical needs in orthopaedics. Driven by such highly impacting socioeconomic needs, new nature-inspired approaches promise to make a technological leap forward in the development of advanced biomaterials. The present review illustrates ion-doped apatites as biomimetic materials whose bioactivity resides in their unstable chemical composition and nanocrystallinity, both of which are, however, destroyed by the classical sintering treatment. In the following, recent nature-inspired methods preventing the use of high-temperature treatments, based on (i) chemically hardening bioceramics, (ii) biomineralisation process, and (iii) biomorphic transformations, are illustrated. These methods can generate products with advanced biofunctional properties, particularly biomorphic transformations represent an emerging approach that could pave the way to a technological leap forward in medicine and also in various other application fields.
Involuntary classroom transition moderates the effect of Present Hedonistic perspective on the belief in free will

Mitigation plans during the early stages of COVID-19 provided a unique, antagonistic environment in which drastic changes occurred quickly and did so with minimal freedom of choice (e.g., involuntary transition from in-person to online classroom). As such, individuals of different beliefs and perspectives would respond differently to these mitigations. We examined the interaction between the Present-Hedonistic (PH) perspective and involuntary classroom transition on the belief in free will (N = 131). PH-oriented individuals exhibit a strong desire for choice while also welcome new opportunities and change. Importantly, the perceived freedom of choice and capacity for change also serve as foundational constructs to the belief in free will. Our results revealed that involuntary transition weakened the free will belief in those with lower PH but did not affect those of higher PH orientation. These findings suggest that the interplay between the perception of choice and capacity for change account for how individuals responded to the COVID-19 pandemic mitigation plans.
The Impact of implant-based reconstruction on persistent pain after breast cancer surgery: A systematic review.

Summary Introduction With the increasing number of breast cancer survivors and reconstruction operations, persistent pain following breast cancer surgery (PPBCT) and its management is becoming a challenge for plastic surgeons. To date, most studies compared the difference in the level of PPBCT in reconstruction versus nonreconstruction groups. We systematically reviewed the literature to assess the impact of implant-based reconstruction on PPBCT levels. Materials and methods PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Scopus databases were searched for relevant articles. We used five search strategies: (persistent pain after breast cancer surgery AND reconstruction), (chronic postsurgical pain AND breast reconstruction), (Breast Implantation [MeSH Terms] AND "Chronic Pain" [MeSH Terms]), (breast reconstruction AND chronic pain), and (postmastectomy pain syndrome AND breast reconstruction). Results A total of 2281 articles were detected. After scanning for the title and abstract, full-text articles were reviewed to identify the eligible articles. Eleven articles were included in the final review, with seven of these reporting no increased chance of PPBCT following reconstruction with implants, whereas two articles described lower chances of PPBCT following implant-based reconstruction. Conclusion We discovered that implant-based reconstruction does not increase the risk of PPBCT in comparison to other surgical techniques or mastectomy alone. This relationship may facilitate doctors and their patients in the decision-making of the appropriate reconstruction technique to use. In addition, our results should prompt plastic surgeons to prescribe the same dosage and frequency of analgesics to patients undergoing implant reconstruction as they would to their patients not undergoing reconstruction.
The Madden-Julian Oscillation and Its Impact on Northern Hemisphere Weather Predictability During Wintertime

The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is known as the dominant mode of tropical intraseasonal variability and has an important role in the coupled-atmosphere system. This study used twin numerical model experiments to investigate the influence of the MJO activity on weather predictability in the midlatitudes of the Northern Hemisphere during boreal winter. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard laboratory for the Atmospheres (GLA) general circulation model was first used in a 10-yr simulation with fixed climatological SSTs to generate a validation data set as well as to select initial conditions for active MJO periods and Null cases. Two perturbation numerical experiments were performed for the 75 cases selected [(4 MJO phases + Null phase) _ 15 initial conditions in each]. For each alternative initial condition, the model was integrated for 90 days. Mean anomaly correlations in the midlatitudes of the Northern Hemisphere (2O deg N_60 deg.N) and standardized root-mean-square errors were computed to validate forecasts and control run. The analyses of 500-hPa geopotential height, 200-hPa Streamfunction and 850-hPa zonal wind component systematically show larger predictability during periods of active MJO as opposed to quiescent episodes of the oscillation.
Simulation: a teaching tool for liver transplantation anesthesiology.

Aggarwal S, Bane BC, Boucek CD, Planinsic RM, Lutz JW, Metro DG. Simulation: a teaching tool for liver transplantation anesthesiology. Abstract: Anesthesia for liver transplantation (ALT) requires extensive preparation and rapid recognition of changing clinical conditions. Owing to the proliferation of transplant centers, greater number of anesthesia providers need training in specific skills required to treat these patients. These cases are no longer limited to few transplant centers; therefore, reduction of cases in individual centers has created a need for simulation training to prepare and supplement clinical experience. We have developed an ALT simulation course for senior anesthesia residents which combines didactic sessions with live-patient-based and mannequin-based simulation. Outcomes have been measured using pre- and post-simulation course quizzes as well as a survey given at the end of the month-long ALT rotation. Twenty-four senior anesthesiology residents (n = 24) have completed the ALT simulation course. Residents had an average score of 75% ± 10% on the pre-simulation quiz, which increased to 92% ± 6.5% on the post-simulation quiz (p < 0.001). Furthermore, survey scores indicated that residents noted that the course provided an improvement in their preparedness, confidence, anticipation, and understanding of the importance of communication skills in the care of this patient population. The ALT simulation course provided a standardized in-depth exposure to clinical issues involved in the perioperative care of liver transplant patients.
Morphological measurement of neurotoxic injury in the peripheral nervous system: preparation of material for light and transmission electron microscopic evaluation.

An important method of assessing experimental neurotoxic injury is the pathologic examination of the nervous system. Methods for fixation, sampling, and preparation of peripheral nervous system tissues for critical pathological neurotoxicology studies are presented. Fixation of tissue is carried out using either perfusion-fixation of laboratory animals or immersion-fixation of dissected nerve segments. Dissection of the peripheral nervous system (from perfusion-fixed animals) is done to allow for multilevel sampling. Focus is on use of epoxy resin embedding tissue sections for optimal light microscopic resolution. Protocols for processing, sectioning, and staining for light and transmission electron microscopy are provided. A protocol for teasing and microscopic study of individual myelinated fibers is provided. Keywords: neurotoxicity; peripheral nerve; neuropathology; tissue preparation
Mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae That Incorporate Deoxythymidine-5′-Monophosphate Into Deoxyribonucleic Acid In Vivo

Spontaneous mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae able to incorporate deoxythymidine-5'-monophosphate (dTMP) into deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) have been selected based on their ability to grow in the presence of aminopterin and sulfanilamide if dTMP is present. Essentially all mutants (called tup) selected in this way required dTMP for growth in the presence of the two drugs, but none required dTMP in the absence of the drugs. Neither thymine nor thymidine would satisfy this requirement. Equimolar amounts of (32)P- and (3)H-base-labeled dTMP were incorporated by the mutants into alkali-stable, deoxyribonuclease-sensitive material. In the presence of aminopterin and sulfanilamide, this incorporation was sufficient to account for a substantial proportion of the thymine residues in the cellular DNA, whereas in the absence of the drugs only about 40% as much of the thymine residues originated from the medium. Of 29 mutants examined, all were recessive and 17 showed 2:2 segregation in crosses with a wild-type strain. The lesions in these mutants fell into four complementation groups: one (tup1) occurs on chromosome III; another (tup3) is on chromosome II; and a third (tup4) was centromere linked. Strains of the genotype alpha tup1 mated with lower than normal efficiency with a strains, but with higher than normal efficiency with alpha strains. Strains of genotype a/alpha tup1/tup1 failed to sporulate, whereas homozygous diploids for tup2, tup3, or tup4 sporulated normally, as did a/alpha tup1/+ strains.
Stirring times in the Southern Ocean

Spreading iron on the sea boosts phytoplankton's use of CO2 in the Southern Ocean. But the idea that fertilizing the oceans could be a way to manipulate the climate is flawed.
Failure mode transition in ceramics under dynamic multiaxial compression

An experimental technique based on the Kolsky pressure bar has been developed to investigate the behavior of ceramics under dynamic multiaxial compression. Experimental results for aluminum nitride (AlN), together with data available in the literature, indicate that a Mohr-Coulomb criterion and the Johnson–Holmquist model fit the experimental data for failure in a brittle manner, whereas the ceramic material exhibited pressure insensitive plastic flow at high pressures. A failure surface is constructed which represents the material failure behavior, including brittle failure, brittle/ductile transition and plastic flow, under various pressures. The effect of various material properties on the failure behavior was investigated. The Poisson's ratio is found to be a measure of brittleness for ceramic materials with low spall strength under shock wave loading conditions. Lower value of Poisson's ratio indicates that the material will fail in a brittle manner through axial splitting even under uniaxial strain loading; whereas materials with higher Poisson's ratio may be expected to deform plastically beyond the Hugoniot Elastic Limit (HEL). The applicability of the proposed failure surface to a range of ceramics is explored and the limitations of the model are outlined.
A network delay-based sensitivity analysis of information-embedded power electronic converter systems

This paper presents a sensitivity analysis study performed on an information-embedded power electronic converter system with the goal of determining the effects of network delay on its dynamics. This work is motivated by the need for enhanced monitoring schemes that can provide useful information to the power system operator that will aid in anticipating instabilities and preventing cascade failures in the event of a disturbance. In order to perform the sensitivity analysis, the nonlinear model of a buck-boost converter with proportional-integral control is linearized and then converted to modal form. A functional description of the sensitivity of eigenvalues to network delay is derived to obtain numerical results based on which the dynamics of the system modes are described.
Effects of the phencyclidine model of schizophrenia and nicotine on total and categorized ultrasonic vocalizations in rats

Patients with schizophrenia smoke cigarettes at a higher rate than the general population. We hypothesized that a factor in this comorbidity is sensitivity to the reinforcing and reinforcement-enhancement effects of nicotine. Phencyclidine (PCP) was used to model behavioral changes resembling negative symptoms of schizophrenia in rats. Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in rats have been used to measure emotional states, with 50 kHz USVs indicating positive states and 22 kHz USVs indicating negative states. Total and categorized numbers of 22 and 50 kHz USVs and USVs during a visual stimulus (e.g. a potential measure of reinforcement-enhancement) were examined in rats following injection of PCP (2.0 mg/kg) and/or nicotine (0.2 or 0.4 mg/kg) daily for 7 days. PCP was then discontinued and all rats received nicotine (0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg) and PCP (2.0 mg/kg) on three challenge days. PCP acutely decreased 50 kHz vocalizations, whereas repeated nicotine potentiated rates of vocalizations, with similar patterns during light presentations. Rats in the PCP and nicotine combination groups made more 50 kHz vocalizations compared with rats in the control groups on challenge days. We conclude that PCP may produce a reward deficit, which is shown by decreased 50 kHz USVs, and behaviors post-PCP exposure may best model the comorbidity between schizophrenia and nicotine.
Methylation of Xenobiotic Thiols by Euglena gracilis: Characterization of a Cytoplasmic Thiol Methyltransferase

Premiere mise en evidence de la presence d'une thiol methyltransferase chez Euglena gracilis
READ-ing Our Way to Success: Using the READ Scale to Successfully Train Reference Student Assistants in the Referral Model

ABSTRACTThe Reference Services Department at Radford University's McConnell Library has been developing a training program in the reference referral system for student assistants (SAs) over 3 academic years. The program's goal is to effectively instruct SAs in balancing high quality customer service with the importance of appropriately referring users to librarians and to assess the accuracy of their referrals and responses. The trainers have met these goals with the successful incorporation of a modified version of the Reference Effort Assessment Data (READ) scale, a reference transaction assessment tool developed by Bella Karr Gerlich, into the student training program.
Defective renal calcium reabsorption in genetic hypercalciuric rats

Defective renal calcium reabsorption in genetic hypercalciuric rats. Idiopathic hypercalciuria is a frequent cause of calcium (Ca) containing kidney stones. We have previously shown that there is increased intestinal Ca absorption in selectively inbred genetic hypercalciuric stone forming (GHS) rats; however, excess Ca excretion persists when the rats are fed a low Ca diet indicating a defect in renal Ca reabsorption and/or increased bone resorption. To determine if GHS rats have a defect in renal Ca reabsorption we performed 14 C-inulin clearance studies on parathyroid-ectomized female GHS and control (Ctl) rats. After three baseline collections, chlorothiazide (CTZ) or furosemide (FUR) was infused and three more collections were obtained. Both GFR and filtered load of Ca did not differ among the groups; however, fractional and absolute excretion (U Ca V) of Ca was three times higher in GHS rats. The increased Ca excretion was not diminished by a low Ca diet. Urine flow rate nearly tripled in all rats after either FUR or CTZ. After CTZ, U Ca V was decreased to a greater extent in GHS compared to Ctl rats. After FUR, U Ca V was increased to a greater extent in Ctl rats compared to GHS rats. These data indicate that GHS rats have a defect in renal Ca reabsorption, in addition to increased intestinal Ca absorption. The effect of CTZ was greater, and that of FUR was smaller, in GHS compared with Ctl rats, suggesting that the defect in renal Ca handling might be at the level of the thick ascending limb.
dl-α-Hydrazinoimidazolylpropionic acid: An irreversible inhibitor of hepatic histidine ammonia-lyase in vivo☆

Abstract dl -α-Hydrazinoimidazolylpropionic acid ( dl -HIPA), a potent competitive inhibitor of rat liver histidine ammonia-lyase, was found to produce a partial (more than 70%) inactivation of this enzyme in vivo when administered intraperitoneally to rats. This inactivation was irreversible, as demonstrated by the failure of prolonged dialysis to restore the histidine ammonia-lyase activity of liver extracts from dl -HIPA treated rats and by the extended duration of the depression of enzyme activity following injection of this compound. The inactivation phenomenon was dose-dependent and specific for dl HIPA; administration of other hydrazine compounds to rats was without effect on hepatic histidine ammonia-lyase activity. Although dl -HIPA produced only slight inactivation of partially purified rat liver histidine ammonia-lyase in vitro , this process was greatly enhanced by the combined presence in the incubation medium of liver microsomes, NADPH, and O 2 . Rats pretreated with phenobarbital were found to be significantly more sensitive to histidine ammonia-lyase inactivation in vivo following dl -HIPA administration than were saline-injected controls. These findings suggest dl -HIPA to inactivate rat liver histidine ammonia-lyase in vivo by a specific, indirect mechanism, possibly involving the prior interaction of this compound with a microsomal mixed-function oxidase.
Analysis and correction of the effect of sample tilt on results of nanoindentation

Abstract Finite-element simulations were carried out to study the effect of sample tilt on the results of conical and Berkovich nanoindentation. For conical indentation into tilted samples, of materials exhibiting either sink-in or pile-up, it is found that the projected contact area would be underestimated by the Oliver and Pharr (OP consequently, the hardness and elastic modulus would be overestimated. It is shown that a simple geometric correction can be used to account for the effect of sample tilt on the contact area. The validity of a similar geometric correction is also verified for Berkovich indentation into fused quartz. Finite-element analysis shows that a 5° tilt causes a 12% error in hardness by the O&P method, which would be reduced to 2% by the geometric correction. However, experiments show only a 5% error by the O&P method, likely due to the lateral force and the horizontal compliance of the indenter stem.
Fluorescence Thermometry for Measuring Wall Surface and Bulk Fluid Temperatures

Cooling the next generation of microelectronics with heat fluxes of more than 1 kW/cm2 over hot spots less than 103 μm2 in area will require new single- and two-phase thermal management technologies with micron-scale addressability. Thermal transport models using heat transfer correlations may be the most efficient approach for the initial design and optimization of such micron-scale heat exchangers which will likely involve arrays of microchannels. It is unclear, however, whether classic macroscale convective heat transfer correlations are applicable to these devices given their complex geometries and the possibility of significant thermal coupling between channels. There is therefore a need for new techniques that can measure both bulk fluid and wall surface temperatures at micron-scale spatial resolution without disturbing the flow of coolant. We report here the use of a nonintrusive technique, fluorescence thermometry (FT), to determine bulk fluid temperatures and, for the first time, wall surface temperatures, with a spatial resolution of O(10 μm) for water flowing through a heated channel. Fluorescence thermometry is typically used to estimate temperature distributions in water flows based on variations in the emission intensity of a fluorophore dissolved in the water. The accuracy of FT can be improved by taking the ratio of the emission signals from two different fluorophores (dual-tracer FT, or DFT) to eliminate variations in the signal due to (spatial and temporal) variations in the excitation intensity. In this work, two temperature-sensitive fluorophores, fluorescein and sulforhodamine B, with emission intensities that increase and decrease, respectively, with increasing temperature, are used to further improve the accuracy of the temperature measurements. Temperature profiles were measured in the steady Poiseuille flow of water at Reynolds numbers of 3.3 and 8.3 through a 1 mm square channel heated with a thin-fim heater. Temperatures in the bulk flow were measured using DFT with an average uncertainty of 0.2 °C at a spatial resolution of 30 μm. Fluid temperatures within the first 0.3 μm next to the wall were measured using evanescent-wave illumination of a single temperature-sensitive fluorophore with an average uncertainty of less than 0.2 °C at a spatial resolution of 10 μm. The results are compared with numerical predictions, which suggest that the fluid temperatures within 0.3 μm are effectively the wall surface temperature.Copyright © 2010 by ASME