cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
IL-1R signalling is critical for regulation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes-induced acute lung inflammation in C57Bl/6 mice

Exposure to certain engineered nanomaterials has been associated with pathological changes in animal models raising concerns about potential human health effects. MWCNT have been reported to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome in vitro, correlating with lung inflammation and pathology, in vivo. In this study, we investigated the role of IL-1 signalling in pulmonary inflammatory responses in WT and IL-1R-/- mice after exposure to MWCNT. The results suggest that MWCNT were effective in inducing acute pulmonary inflammation. Additionally, WT mice demonstrated significant increased airway resistance 24 h post exposure to MWCNT, which was also blocked in the IL-1R-/- mice. In contrast, by 28 days post exposure to MWCNT, the inflammatory response that was initially absent in IL-1R-/- mice was elevated in comparison to the WT mice. These data suggest that IL-1R signalling plays a crucial role in the regulation of MWCNT-induced pulmonary inflammation.
Expression Cloning of Protein Targets for 3-Phosphorylated Phosphoinositides

Abstract The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3′-K) family of lipid kinases play a critical role in cell proliferation, survival, vesicle trafficking, motility, cytoskeletal rearrangements, and oncogenesis. To identify downstream effectors of PI 3′-K, we developed a novel screen to isolate proteins that bind to the major products of PI 3′-K: phosphatidylinositol-3,4-bisphosphate (PtdIns-3,4-P2) and PtdIns-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PtdIns-3,4,5-P3). This screen uses synthetic biotinylated analogs of these lipids in conjunction with libraries of radiolabeled proteins that are produced by coupled in vitrotranscription/translation reactions. The feasibility of the screen was initially demonstrated using avidin-coated beads prebound to biotinylated PtdIns-3,4-P2 and PtdIns-3,4,5-P3to specifically isolate the pleckstrin homology domain of the serine/threonine kinase Akt. We then demonstrated the utility of this technique in isolating novel 3′-phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol (3′-PPI)-binding proteins through the preliminary screening of in vitro transcribed/translated cDNAs from a small pool expression library derived from mouse spleen. Three proteins were isolated that bound specifically to 3′PPIs. Two of these proteins have been previously characterized as PIP3BP/p42IP4 and the PtdIns-3,4,5-P3-dependent serine/threonine kinase phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1. The third protein is a novel protein that contains only a Src homology 2 domain and a pleckstrin homology domain; this protein has a higher specificity for both PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 and PtdIns-3,4-P2 than for PtdIns-4,5-bisphosphate. Transcripts of this novel gene are present in every tissue analyzed but are most prominently expressed in spleen. We have renamed this new protein PHISH for 3′-phosphoinositide-interacting Srchomology-containing protein. This report demonstrates the utility of this technique for isolating and characterizing 3′-PPI-binding proteins and has broad applicability for the isolation of binding domains for other lipid products.
The Obama Plan: More Regulation, Unsustainable Spending

The health reform plan put forth by Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) focuses on expanding insurance coverage and provides new subsidies to individuals, small businesses, and businesses experiencing catastrophic expenses. It greatly increases the federal regulation of private insurance but does not address the core economic incentives that drive health care spending. This omission along with the very substantial short-term savings claimed raise serious questions about its fiscal sustainability. Heavy regulation coupled with a fallback National Health Plan and a play-or-pay financing choice also raise questions about the future of the employer insurance market.
The human H5N1 influenza A virus polymerase complex is active in vitro over a broad range of temperatures, in contrast to the WSN complex, and this property can be attributed to the PB2 subunit

Influenza A virus (IAV) replicates in the upper respiratory tract of humans at 33 °C and in the intestinal tract of birds at close to 41 °C. The viral RNA polymerase complex comprises three subunits (PA, PB1 and PB2) and plays an important role in host adaptation. We therefore developed an in vitro system to examine the temperature sensitivity of IAV RNA polymerase complexes from different origins. Complexes were prepared from human lung epithelial cells (A549) using a novel adenoviral expression system. Affinity-purified complexes were generated that contained either all three subunits (PA/PB1/PB2) from the A/Viet/1203/04 H5N1 virus (H/H/H) or the A/WSN/33 H1N1 strain (W/W/W). We also prepared chimeric complexes in which the PB2 subunit was exchanged (H/H/W, W/W/H) or substituted with an avian PB2 from the A/chicken/Nanchang/3-120/01 H3N2 strain (W/W/N). All complexes were functional in transcription, cap-binding and endonucleolytic activity. Complexes containing the H5N1 or Nanchang PB2 protein retained transcriptional activity over a broad temperature range (30–42 °C). In contrast, complexes containing the WSN PB2 protein lost activity at elevated temperatures (39 °C or higher). The E627K mutation in the avian PB2 was not required for this effect. Finally, the avian PB2 subunit was shown to confer enhanced stability to the WSN 3P complex. These results show that PB2 plays an important role in regulating the temperature optimum for IAV RNA polymerase activity, possibly due to effects on the functional stability of the 3P complex.
Role of Genetic Profiling and Recurrence Scores in Treatment Planning for DCIS

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) comprises a heterogeneous group of noninvasive breast cancers. The widespread use of screening mammography, coupled with improvements in technology, has led to the identification of large numbers of women with DCIS, many of which are detected at relatively small sizes. However, significant debate surrounds the proper management of patients with DCIS who are eligible for breast-conserving therapy. Some advocate for routine use of adjuvant radiation, while others recommend only wide local excision. Most would agree that a more personalized approach is the goal. Currently, there are no standard clinicopathologic features that accurately predict which patients will experience a recurrence. Molecular profiling represents the most promising area of research to predict recurrence risk based on the individual tumor biology. In this chapter, we will review the data regarding the role of molecular diagnostics in patients with DCIS, their potential to guide treatment decisions, and their limitations to date. Further, we will discuss future directions of molecular profiling that may refine the treatment algorithm for patients diagnosed with DCIS.
New Records, Redescription, and Notes on Nomenclature forTriacrusNordmann (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae: Staphylinini)

Abstract The genus Triacrus Nordmann and species Triacrus dilatus Nordmann are redescribed and diagnosed, and additional distribution records are provided. The synonymy between T. dilatus and Triacrus superbus (Erichson) is discussed. Photographs and illustrations are provided for the identification of specimens. Additionally, a correction is provided for the lectotype depository for Polyphematiana liliputana Bernhauer.
Female Sterilization and Poor Mental Health: Rates and Relatedness among American Indian and Alaska Native Women.

© 2015 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Objective: To describe the reproductive and mental health of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women, an understudied population. Methods: Data from the 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey were analyzed to determine the 1) prevalence of female sterilization among a nationally representative sample of reproductive age AI/AN women and 2) the association of female sterilization and poor mental health among AI/AN women compared with non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic women. Results: Nearly 25% of AI/AN women reported female sterilization, a prevalence higher than the comparison racial/ethnic groups (p<.005). Adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, AI/AN women reporting female sterilization had nearly 2.5 times the odds of poor mental health compared with AI/AN women not reporting female sterilization (p=.001). The same magnitude of relationship between female sterilization and poor mental health was not found for non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic women. Conclusions: The prevalence of female sterilization is greater among AI/AN women compared with non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic women, and AI/AN women reporting female sterilization have higher odds of reporting poor mental health. Common cultural experiences, such as a shared ancestral history of forced sterilizations, may be relevant, and could be considered when providing reproductive and mental health services to AI/AN women.
Vertical Integration Without Ownership: Strategic Alliances Offer a Managerial Alternative

Changing business realities are forcing firms to reexamine traditional business paradigms such as the desirability of vertical integration. This paper proposes that advances in information technology enable vertical integration without financial ownership and that logistical processes facilitate this integration. Two forms of intra-channel alliances, basic and extended, are examined to provide evidence of this shift toward channel integration. While vertical integration without ownership is shown to be theoretically possible, the operational methods for achieving integration remain undeveloped. This paper calls for the development of managerial guidelines for forming strategic alliances.
Optimization of Primary Frequency Modulation Performance in Generator Units of Laxiwa Hydropower Station

According to the characteristics of the units and regulating system of the Laxiwa Hydropower Station,and in consideration of the power counter-adjustment in hydro-units primary frequency modulation process,the primary frequency modulation parameters are optimized according to the primary frequency modulation technology requirements of electric power dispatching institution. The poor matching between primary frequency modulation and AGC (secondary frequency modulation) is improved and optimized; thus,both primary frequency modulation and AGC can play their normal functions.
Maternal separation increases later immobility during forced swim in guinea pig pups: evidence for sensitization of a depressive-like state.

Early-life stress is thought to increase later vulnerability for developing depressive illness by sensitizing underlying stress-responsive systems. Guinea pig pups separated from their mother and isolated in a novel cage for 3 hr exhibit a sensitized depressive-like behavioral response when separated again the following day as well as weeks later. The behavioral response and its sensitization appear to be mediated by inflammatory factors. To determine if this sensitization is specific to the separation response or if it reflects a broader underlying depressive-like state, guinea pig pups that had either been separated for 3 hr or remained with their mothers were observed in the forced swim test the following 3 days. Earlier separation was found to increase the duration of immobility, a measure sensitive to antidepressant treatment. These results support the use of the guinea pig as a model for examining mechanisms of inflammatory-mediated sensitization of depression following stress in early life.
Associations Between Adolescents' Weight and Maladjustment Differ With Deviation From Weight Norms in Social Contexts.

BACKGROUND In line with the reflected self-appraisal hypothesis, previous research finds associations between weight and maladjustment are strongest when there is a mismatch between individuals' weight and the weight norm of their social contexts. However, research has not considered associations in more proximal social contexts. We examined differences in associations between weight and maladjustment for 2 proximal social contexts: grade-level peers and friendship groups. METHODS We used sixth-graders (N = 565; Mage = 12 years) self-reported height and weight (used to calculate body mass index (BMI) z-score), experiences of peer victimization, and depressive symptoms. Deviation from the normative weight was calculated as the students' BMI z-score minus the average BMI z-score for the context (grade-level peers or friendship group). RESULTS Considering deviations from grade-level peers, greater BMI z-scores were associated with more self-reported peer victimization only for students above the weight norm. For the friendship group, greater weight was associated with more self-reported depressive symptoms only for those who were above the normative weight. CONCLUSIONS Being heavier during adolescence may be especially problematic for students who differ from the norm in their proximal social contexts. Intervention efforts focused on weight and maladjustment may want to consider the contexts involved in adolescents' self-appraisals.
Asymmetrical Response to Flood Hazards in South Central Texas

ABSTRACTSouth central Texas is one of the most flood-prone regions in the United States on account of its extreme rainfall intensities, hydrologically efficient drainage systems, and high runoff surfaces, both natural and from recent population growth. In the last twenty years the region has experienced devastating floods in 1998, 2001, 2002, 2010, 2013, and 2015, with literally hundreds of homes and numerous lives lost. We analyze the causes of these losses and actions that have been taken to reduce the losses, as well as reasons for the failure to realistically accommodate the regional flood hazards. A major contributor to this problem is the underassessment of rainfall intensities that are still based on Weather Bureau Technical Paper 40. Another factor has been the reluctance of governmental officials to realistically define floodplains because of political pressure based on fears of lowering home and land values and development “opportunities.” Well-heeled developers have had housing projects approve...
Growth of geographical information system applications in developing countries

The growth of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in developing countries is linked to the relationship between driving and enabling forces. Driving forces are defined as those interrelated factors which, through their own development, create a set of circumstances requiring increased management and attention. Enabling forces, on the other hand, are those which supply the technology required to manage and observe the driving forces. GIS is becoming the dominant application area within the overall mapping market as more users require systems to analyse data. There still exists a number of critical factors which will determine the degree of further growth: cost, distributed systems, user interfaces, data integration and system support. Much of this growth in the use of GIS has become possible through the support of international agencies such as the World Bank and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Developing countries which utilize GIS include Egypt, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Colombia, Uruguay and Chile.
Human Herpesvirus 8 Protein K1 Interference with Fas-Mediated Apoptosis Induces Clonal Growth Which Leads to Lymphoid Hyperplasia.

Abstract Background: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection is causally associated with the development of primary effusion lymphoma and Kaposi s sarcoma. A transmembrane protein of HHV-8, K1, is readily expressed in those tumors and the expression of K1 alone causes hyperplasia of lymph nodes and lymphomas in mice. The exact mechanism of how K1 causes hyperplasia and lymphomas in K1 expressing mice is not known. The cytoplasmic immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) of K1 was shown previously to be involved in activation of Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF -B). Moreover, we had shown recently that K1 suppresses Fas-mediated apoptosis through its extracellular immunoglobulin-like domain and that K1-transfected mice survived a lethal dose of agonistic anti-Fas antibody (Jo2). We thus hypothesized that development of hyperplasia and lymphomas in K1-expressing mice is driven by alterations of Fas signaling. Results: Gross examination of thoracic and abdominal cavities of transgenic mice with K1 expression driven by a ubiquitous promoter were sacrificed at 18 months of age revealed enlarged cervical, mediastinal, renal, mesenteric lymph nodes and spleens. Peyer s patches were also enlarged and readily visible on the outer surface of the ileum. Of 10 K1 mice, 90% developed lymphoid hyperplasia (>3mm) and 60% developed lymphomas, while all (26) control mice remained hyperplasia and lymphoma free. In the extreme cases, K1 mice developed liver or mesenteric tumors (4 and 4 of 10 mice, respectively). Spleens of 78% of K1 mice were enlarged at 18 months and were on average 3.5 times heavier than spleens of non-expressing control mice (332 200 mg vs. 94 26 mg, P Conclusion: These results over all confirm that K1 is associated with lymphoid hyperplasia and lymphoma and provide plausible explanation of this phenomenon. Interference of K1 with Fas-mediated apoptosis disrupts the normal life cycle of lymphocytes.
Development of multilayer perceptron networks for isothermal time temperature transformation prediction of U-Mo-X alloys

Abstract In this work, a multilayered perceptron (MLP) network is used to develop predictive isothermal time-temperature-transformation (TTT) models covering a range of U-Mo binary and ternary alloys. The selected ternary alloys for model development are U-Mo-Ru, U-Mo-Nb, U-Mo-Zr, U-Mo-Cr, and U-Mo-Re. These model's ability to predict 'novel' U-Mo alloys is shown quite well despite the discrepancies between literature sources for similar alloys which likely arise from different thermal-mechanical processing conditions. These models are developed with the primary purpose of informing experimental decisions. Additional experimental insight is necessary in order to reduce the number of experiments required to isolate ideal alloys. These models allow test planners to evaluate areas of experimental interest; once initial tests are conducted, the model can be updated and further improve follow-on testing decisions. The model also improves analysis capabilities by reducing the number of data points necessary from any particular test. For example, if one or two isotherms are measured during a test, the model can construct the rest of the TTT curve over a wide range of temperature and time. This modeling capability reduces the cost of experiments while also improving the value of the results from the tests. The reduced costs could result in improved material characterization and therefore improved fundamental understanding of TTT dynamics. As additional understanding of phenomena driving TTTs is acquired, this type of MLP model can be used to populate unknowns (such as material impurity and other thermal mechanical properties) from past literature sources.
Delayed recognition of geomorphology papers in the Geological Society of America Bulletin

The Geological Society of America Bulletin was an early home for quantitative geomorphology research. Though geomorphology papers are not uniformly the highest cited papers in the Bulletin, many show ‘delayed recognition’ —they garner only few citations directly after publication, before suddenly being widely and numerously cited (sometimes decades after publication). I focus here on 1) algorithmically detecting cases of delayed recognition in geomorphology literature from the Bulletin and 2) providing insight into why delayed recognition occurred for these papers.
Exenatide Improves HDL Particle Counts and Size Distribution in Patients With Long-standing Type 1 Diabetes

Glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists such as exenatide have been reported to improve fasting and postprandial lipid profiles and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes but to have minimal effects on fasting profiles in patients with type 1 diabetes based on standard lipid measurements. In this study, we used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to determine the effects of exenatide on lipoprotein particle characteristics, which might be indicative of a change in cardiovascular risk in patients with type 1 diabetes. This is an ancillary study of a previously published clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00064714) (1). Briefly, 14 patients were randomized to receive exenatide (10 µg four times daily) either in the first or the second 6-month study period in addition to insulin (1). The patients were also randomized to treatment with or without the immunomodulatory drug daclizumab for 12 months (1). Patients underwent repeated mixed-meal tests after an overnight fast. Tests were conducted at the beginning and end of each 6-month period. To estimate the mean differences between treatment groups, linear mixed models were used to control for sequence and period effects and to allow for correlation within the same group using Stata's pkcross command for the analysis of crossover experiments. Results are …
Sod-Busting and Sage Grouse: Estimating Historical Impacts and Planning for the Future

A conservation strategy for Greater sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the Great Plains, where conversion of native rangeland to cropland is an accelerating agent of land use change, must anticipate impacts of future sod-busting on populations. We use resource selection functions (RSF) to estimate the scale and magnitude of the effect of sod-busting on the distribution of sage-grouse leks in the Great Plains Management Zone and estimate impacts of future cropland expansion. Active leks were used to develop a distribution envelope based on topographic and climatic variables from which random pseudo-absences were drawn to fit a used-available RSF. Models with proportion cropland at scales from 800 m to 8.5 km were compared using AICc to determine the most supported scale at which cropland influences lek occurrence. Finally, we develop a buildout scenario based on a cropland suitability model to estimate potential impacts of future sod-busting on known leks. Negative effects of cropland on lek occurrence were evident at all scales tested. The 6.4 km scale was most supported, and impacts were severe, with the relative probability of lek occurrence falling by 50% when about 20 percent of the landscape within 6.4 km was in cropland. These results, which highlight the large scale and magnitude of impacts of cropland on sage grouse populations, are needed to evaluate the potential contribution of conservation easements and land-use policy to local and range-wide sage-grouse conservation goals. Population-level benefits of targeted conservation implementation are explored.
The Thinking Skills Workbook: A Cognitive Skills Remediation Manual for Adults. 4th ed. by Mary Languirand & Lynn Tondat Ruggeri: Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, Ltd., 2014, 289 pages, softcover, $37.69

Research is supporting the use of brain games and other cognitive skill tools aimed at sharpening short-term memory. “Where did I put my car keys?” “How long in the microwave again?”, as you dig th...
Welcome to the inaugural issue of Collaborations: A Journal of Community-based Research and Practice

This is an introduction to the inaugural issue of Collaborations: A Journal of Community-based Research and Practice. Collaborations is a free, open access, online journal, sponsored by the University of Miami and Rutgers University. We’ve created this journal to be a home for sharing research, practice, and learning emanating from community-university collaborations.
Just-in-Time Faculty Development for Pathology Small Groups

A Just-in-time faculty education series was created for pathology small groups, where instructors received prompts summarizing evidence-based teaching tips by email or text message prior to the sessions. Qualitative feedback showed faculty found the tips supported teaching practice and arriving prepared for small group, though other responsibilities prevented timely opening of the emails. Suggestions are made for future implementations.
Quasi-Deterministic Channel Model Parameters for a Data Center at 60 GHz

We describe a measurement campaign conducted in a data center, a unique environment in which transceivers are positioned above the server racks. A total of 80 channel acquisitions, including small-scale measurements, were recorded using our three-dimensional double-directional 60 GHz channel sounder with 0.5 ns delay resolution and 2° average angle error. For each acquisition, the channel multipath components were extracted in the delay-angle space and subsequently reduced to the parameters of the Quasi-Deterministic channel model: a stochastic map-based model that represents the scattering of incident waves off ambient reflectors as specular components, each surrounded by a cluster of diffuse components. The weaker diffuse components interfere with the stronger specular component, giving rise to small-scale fading. Only with super-resolution capabilities, such as that of our system, were we able to show how densely the diffuse components were packed, with 1/ns to 2/ns arrival rates and cluster angular spreads between 3° and 4°. Most importantly, we measured the diffuse power to be as high as 26% of the total cluster power, demonstrating that small-scale fading at millimeter-wave frequencies can be significant.
From Home to Port: Italian Soldiers' Perspectives on the Opening Stage of the Ethiopian Campaign

In this article I analyzed the journey of Italy’s soldiers from home to the port of embarkation. Far from a united and uniform fighting force, I showed that Italian soldiers originally conceived of their enlistment in strikingly divergent terms. At the outset of the campaign some were clearly reluctant, suspicious recruits. Others, meanwhile, were broadly enthusiastic about the adventure and adversity that lay ahead. But all–to some degree or another–had yet to take firm personal ownership of the campaign they had been called to serve. Nonetheless, over the course of these soldiers’ journeys south, their first engagements with the country and countrymen that existed beyond the domains of their provincial homes ultimately yielded a crucial measure of national solidarity by the time of their embarkation for the Ethiopian front.
Mitochondrial DNA polymorphism reveals hidden heterogeneity within some Asian populations.

Abstract Use of data on mtDNA morph distributions from six Asian populations has shown that the observed number of different mtDNA morphs is too large when compared with the number expected on the basis of the observed gene diversity in the mtDNA genome. This excess number of morphs mainly occurs through an excess of rare morphs, and this discrepancy is more pronounced in a pooled sample of five Asian populations. It is suggested that this discrepancy is probably due to internal heterogeneity in each of the anthropologically defined populations. This analysis demonstrates the utility that population data for a single locus, such as the mtDNA genome, have for detecting hidden heterogeneity in populations, provided that the locus has substantial genetic variability, so that many variant alleles can be detected.
Association of endometriosis and spontaneous abortion: effect of control group selection.

Endometriosis has been associated with an increased incidence of spontaneous abortion, compared with the abortion rate of the general population. To assess whether a separate control group would affect these conclusions, we studied 139 consecutive infertility patients with laparoscopically proven endometriosis to determine the incidence of spontaneous abortion. Ninety-five of these patients underwent conservative surgical resection of endometriosis, and 44 patients opted for expectant management. There was no significant difference between these two groups in average age, duration of infertility, or proportion of patients with primary infertility. The average spontaneous abortion rate before diagnosis for all patients was 63.1%. After surgical treatment, the abortion rate dropped to 0% ( P P
Jealousy as a Specific Emotion: The Dynamic Functional Model:

We review the jealousy literature and present our Dynamic Functional Model of Jealousy (DFMJ), which argues that jealousy evolved and has its own unique motivational state aimed at preventing other...
Particle collection by permeable drops

Hydrophobic particles are selectively separated from aqueous suspension by a novel oil-in-water binder. The collection efficiency is predicted in this work by a hydrodynamic trajectory analysis, and shown to be greatly enhanced by water permeation through the oil layer.
Evaluating and designing procedures in safety critical environments: a framework and taxonomy based on a critical review and synthesis

AbstractPast research in procedure following has primarily concentrated on the effect of procedure-related factors on procedure compliance and non-compliance. Non-compliance is generally considered to be uniformly negative, rather than the outcome that results from other factors. However, there is a general consensus that procedures are not designed for all situations, and that non-compliance can improve outcomes under certain situations. It is therefore important to understand procedure following based on outcomes and not only procedure compliance or non-compliance. To that end, a framework and taxonomy for understanding procedure following has been developed that enables researchers to focus on the outcome of following procedures, not simply on compliance and non-compliance.
Experiences With Stress Among African American Men Living With Type 2 Diabetes: A Qualitative Inquiry.

Self-managing type 2 diabetes (T2D) is critical but often presents a challenge among African American men. Stress may exacerbate both mental and physical problems, which can lead to poor self-manag...
Acute Respiratory Failure: Non-invasive Ventilation and High Flow Nasal Cannula

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is associated with improved outcomes among select patients with acute respiratory failure, primarily when due to acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute decompensated heart failure. This chapter presents an overview of NIV indications, risks, and benefits, as well as a limited practical overview of initial NIV settings and subsequent adjustments. NIV is relatively contraindicated in patients who cannot adequately protect their airway due to trauma, oral and respiratory secretions, or substantially altered mental status. However, patients who are altered due to hypercapnia may warrant a closely observed trial of NIV. Moderate evidence supports the use of NIV as a weaning strategy from invasive mechanical ventilation. While NIV has been studied in patients with acute respiratory failure due to pneumonia, these patients are at high risk for NIV failure with subsequent increased mortality, and invasive ventilation has traditionally been favored when these patients require mechanical respiratory support. High flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has emerged as an increasingly common support modality for acute hypoxic respiratory and may be used as a substitute or adjunct to NIV. The use of NIV and HFNC for patients with ARDS remains controversial, but may be feasible in a few select cases. Likewise, both NIV and HFNC can also be used for palliation of respiratory distress in certain patients with terminal disease processes.
Room Temperature Compact Terahertz Laser Tunable over 1 THz

We demonstrate a new type of Terahertz Gas Laser pumped by a tunable solid-state laser. This laser has a wide tuning range and operates at room temperature with a high efficiency in a very compact design.
The diffusion phenomenon for dissipative wave equations in metric measure spaces

Abstract We study the long-time behavior of the solution to a type of dissipative wave equation, where the operator in the equation is time-dependent and the solution is defined on a metric measure space ( X , m ) satisfying appropriate conditions. The operator is assumed to be self-adjoint and is related to a time-dependent Dirichlet form. We link hyperbolic PDEs with the firmly established theories for parabolic PDEs in metric measure spaces and Dirichlet forms, subsequently deriving the asymptotic behavior of the solution to the dissipative wave equation. We present several nontrivial examples of dissipative wave equations in metric measure spaces where our theory works.
Global Culture, 1990, 2020:

Here I reflect on the main themes of Global Culture, Nationalism, Globalization and Modernity. On these themes, where are we 30 years later? I sidestep the fine print of the 1990 conversations and ...
Needs of Informal Caregivers of Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Problem identification Informal caregivers for patients with head and neck cancer perform complex caregiving tasks on a daily basis, but caregivers' needs are rarely acknowledged or addressed in current healthcare practice. Literature search A thorough review of CINAHL®, MEDLINE®/PubMed®, and PsycINFO® was conducted by the authors. Data evaluation 266 manuscripts were identified, with no time limit. The search was conducted in November 2019. In total, 19 articles were included in the review. Synthesis Throughout the disease trajectory, caregivers' psychological and emotional support needs are consistently high, whereas information needs diminish over time. Implications for practice Informal caregivers are imperative in supplementing the continuing care demands of people living with head and neck cancer; however, they are at risk for experiencing caregiving burden. Skill training and psychological support interventions are needed for educating and supporting caregivers.
Histone crotonylation promotes mesoendodermal commitment of human embryonic stem cells

Summary Histone crotonylation is a non-acetyl histone lysine modification that is as widespread as acetylation. However, physiological functions associated with histone crotonylation remain almost completely unknown. Here we report that histone crotonylation is crucial for endoderm differentiation. We demonstrate that key crotonyl-coenzyme A (CoA)-producing enzymes are specifically induced in endodermal cells during differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in vitro and in mouse embryos, where they function to increase histone crotonylation and enhance endodermal gene expression. Chemical enhancement of histone crotonylation promotes endoderm differentiation of hESCs, whereas deletion of crotonyl-CoA-producing enzymes reduces histone crotonylation and impairs meso/endoderm differentiation in vitro and in vivo. Our study uncovers a histone crotonylation-mediated mechanism that promotes endodermal commitment of pluripotent stem cells, which may have important implications for therapeutic strategies against a number of human diseases.
Are There Stories Prosecutors Shouldn't Tell?: The Duty to Avoid Racialized Trial Narratives

The purportedly race-neutral actions of courts and prosecutors protect and perpetuate the myth of colorblindness and the legacy of white supremacy that define the American criminal system. This insulates the criminal system’s racially disparate outcomes from scrutiny, thereby precluding reform. Yet prosecutors remain accountable to the electorate. In recent years, activists and community organizers have mobilized communities to support and elect prosecutors who have pledged to address the racial inequities of the criminal system. After a summer of pro-tests for racial justice and growing acceptance for the demands of the Movement for Black Lives, we find ourselves in a moment that demands and necessitates transformative proposals that call on prosecutors to reject the myth of colorblindness and adopt a race-conscious approach to criminal prosecution. This creates an opportunity—and need—to generate and articulate specific and innovative frameworks to change the culture of prosecution. This Article seeks to provide one such framework by examining the ethical duties of American prosecutors in the underexplored area of prosecutorial storytelling. This Article focuses on trial narratives as a lens through which to view the ethical duties of the prosecutor writ large, arguing that trial narratives that advance or invoke a racialized stereotype or stock story violate the prosecutor’s duty to justice. A race-neutral or “colorblind” approach to prosecution ignores the ethical violations inherent in racialized prosecutorial storytelling. By contrast, a color-conscious approach offers prosecutors a path to address the systemic racism that pervades every aspect of the American criminal system—including the stories that prosecutors tell.
What Are Patient Preferences for Integrated Behavioral Health in Primary Care

Background: Behavioral health services, integrated into primary care practices, have become increasingly implemented. Although patient satisfaction has been studied, limited information exists abou...
Rehabilitation Engineering Issues and Man-Machine Systems

Knowledge from studies in force reflection and control theory have application to problems in Rehabilitation Engineering. One objective in Rehabiitation Engineering is to judiciously produce a force to assist a human in the performance of a task. Using principals of how man-machine systems interact with force reflecting controllers provides insight on how to achieve this result.
The 5'-flanking region of the mouse vascular smooth muscle alpha-actin gene contains evolutionarily conserved sequence motifs within a functional promoter.

Abstract The 5'-flanking, 5'-untranslated, and amino-terminal protein coding regions of the single-copy 13-kilobase mouse vascular smooth muscle (VSM) alpha-actin gene have been cloned and sequenced. Respectively, there is 73 and 89% homology from the start of transcription (+1) to a point 206 base pairs upstream when comparing mouse to chicken and mouse to human VSM alpha-actin 5'-flanking region sequences. Two proximal 16-base pair motifs containing putative cis-acting regulatory elements having the configuration CC(A/T)6GG were found to be 100% conserved and present in the same position upstream from the transcription start site in all three species. A third more distal CC(A/T)6GG-like motif was 100% conserved between only the mouse and human genes whereas a fourth motif was unique to the mouse gene. The two upstream motifs may be important in controlling VSM alpha-actin gene transcription in mammals. Cell transfection assays using hGH reporter gene fusion plasmids showed that all four CC(A/T)6GG elements were required for tissue-specific, core promoter activity and were able to direct hGH expression in both mouse BC3H1 myogenic cells and early-passage rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells. The core promoter was not active in mouse fibroblasts suggesting that the region between -372 and -143 may mediate tissue-restrictive expression of the VSM alpha-actin gene. A putative "cell density responsive element" may be located between -1074 and -372 since fusion plasmids containing this portion of the VSM alpha-actin 5'-flanking region were significantly more active in promoting hGH expression in inducible, density-activated BC3H1 myoblasts compared to aortic smooth muscle cells which are largely constitutive for VSM alpha-actin expression.
RAID0.5: Active Data Replication for Low Cost Disk Array Data Protection.

RAID has long been established as an effective way to provide highly reliable as well as high-performance disk subsystems. However, reliability in RAID systems comes at the cost of extra disks. In this paper, we describe a mechanism that we have termed RAID0.5 that enables striped disks with very high data reliability but low disk cost. We take advantage of the fact that most disk systems use backup systems for disaster recovery. With the use of these backup systems, the disk system needs to only replicate data since the last backup, thus drastically reducing the storage space requirement. Though RAID0.5 has the same data loss characteristics of traditional mirroring, the lower storage space comes at the cost of lower availability. Thus, RAID0.5 is a tradeoff between lower disk cost and lower availability while still preserving very high data reliability. We present analytical reliability models and experimental results that demonstrate the enhanced reliability and performance of the proposed RAID0.5 system.
General Properties of Stress Systems in Shells

Every part of a structure, of a machine or of any other object is a three-dimensional body, however small its dimensions may be. Nevertheless, the three-dimensional theory of elasticity is not often applied when stresses in such a body are calculated. There is a simple reason for this: Every structural element is created for a certain purpose, one of the most frequent being the transmission of a force from one point to another. Cables, shafts and columns are typical examples of such elements which receive a force or a couple at one end and transmit it to the other, whereas beams and arches usually transmit loads to supports at both ends. The stress analyst does not envisage these elements as three-dimensional but rather as lines having some thickness, a kind of “physical lines” as opposed to the mathematical meaning of the word. When he wants to describe the stresses in them, he first defines a cross section and then calculates the resultant of the stresses acting in it. Instead of describing this resultant by its magnitude, direction and location in space, he usually gives its three components and its moments about three axes. These quantities, commonly known as the normal force, two (transverse) shearing forces, two bending moments, and the torque, are called the “stress resultants” in the cross section.
Risks and Rewards of an Interdisciplinary Research Path

This Policy Forum, based on the results of an 18-month study of five interdisciplinary research centers, provides data on the practices and processes of interdisciplinary collaboration. The authors used techniques of network and interview analysis. They find that, although many young scientists are drawn to the intellectual rewards of interdisciplinary research as graduate students, they may also be deterred by the professional risks as early-career tenure-track scientists.
The U.S. Presidency: Fostering Global Free Trade Through Minilateral Free Trade Agreeements with Germany and Japan

The U.S. Presidency: Fostering Global Free Trade Through Minilateral Free Trade Agreements with Germany and Japan argues that global free trade will be better served by agreements of substance among fewer countries than by agreements of form among many countries. Specifically, the article addresses problems with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and argues that the goal of global free trade is more easily achieved through bilateral agreements between the United States and Germany, and the United States and Japan. The article concludes that such bilateral agreements, and the ultimate goal of global free trade, can be realized only through the strength and power of the United States President. * J.R. Smith is a third-year student at the University of Richmond: T.C. Williams School of Law. He received a B.A. in Journalism and East Asian Studies from Washington and Lee University. He spent three years teaching English in Japan. He will receive a J.D. in May 1997.
Parental sexuality-related concerns for adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and average or above IQ

Abstract This study examined the relationship between symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, parental sexuality-related concerns, and parent–child sexuality communication in a sample of 131 parents of youth with ASD (aged 12–18 years) and parent-reported average or above IQ. A principal component analysis was conducted on responses to the Parent Sexuality Concerns Inventory with four sexuality-related concern factors emerging. Parents of children with more severe autism spectrum disorder symptoms (e.g., deficits in social cognition, communication, motivation) had greater sexuality and relationship concerns for their child. Parental concerns were not associated with the number of sexuality topics parents reported having discussed with their child. However, some concerns were associated with parental preparedness to address sexual development and parent self-efficacy for communicating with youth about sexuality.
Machine learning and the spatial structure of house prices and housing returns

Economists do not have reliable measures of current house values, let alone housing returns. This ignorance underlies the illiquidity of mortgage-backed securities, which in turn feeds back to deepen the sub-prime crisis. Using a massive new data tape of housing transactions in L.A., we demonstrate systematic patterns in the error associated with using the ubiquitous repeat sales methodology to understand house values. In all periods, the resulting indices under-predict sales prices of less expensive homes, and over-predict prices of more expensive homes. The recent period has produced errors that are not only unprecedentedly large in absolute value, but highly systematic: after a few years in which the indices under-predicted prices, they now significantly over-predict them. We introduce new machine learning techniques from computer science to correct for prediction errors that have geographic origins. The results are striking. Accounting for geography significantly reduces the extent of the prediction error, removes many of the systematic patterns, and results in far less deterioration in model performance in the recent period.
The war on poverty: between economics and politics

A wealth of solutions to poverty have been proposed, with little understanding of the forces required to turn a sound idea into an “implementable” program. A system approach is suggested to overcome this deficiency. This implies analyzing the effects of antipoverty measures on other elements of a society and a polity and the “feedback” effects of changes in these other elements on the new programs which are being introduced. Such an approach is seen overcoming the limitations of fragmented views of the issue—such as the purely economic one—as well as the lack of systematic analysis of a progam's costs, benefits, sources of funds, and nonfinancial resources. Consequently, a challenge is also offered to those who formulate programs without taking into account dominant values (e.g., questions of consensus) and other political considerations (e.g., which groups would benefit or suffer from the program). This is seen as leading to undemocratic action or, most frequently, to inaction due to resistance. The article concludes with a brief review of the recent Nixon-Moynihan proposal in terms of the “societal-system approach” here advocated, and adds a cautionary note on the limits of planning.
In vivo metabolism of substance P in rat striatum utilizing microdialysis/liquid chromatography/micro‐electrospray mass spectrometry

In vivo microdialysis in combination with liquid chromatography/micro-electrospray mass spectrometry was used to study the metabolism of substance P in rat brain. A microdialysis probe was used both to introduce substance P into the brain and to collect metabolic products. Unilateral infusions of 25 and 50 pmol μl−1 substance P, or isotopically labeled [D8-Phe8] substance P, at flow rates of 0.3 μl min−1, were made through the microdialysis probe implanted in the striatum of anesthetized rats. The metabolic products were analyzed by on-line mass spectrometry and the results showed that substance P, an 11 amino acid residue polypeptide, was metabolized in the striatum to form N-terminal fragments 1–9, 1–8 and 1–7; C-terminal fragments 3–11, 5–11, 6–11, 7–11 and 8–11; and internal fragments 4–8, 6–10 and 7–10. The concentrations of these metabolites in dialysates were measured in order to compare the relative importance of several possible metabolic degradative pathways.