cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Legal Authorities for Maritime Law Enforcement, Safety, and Environmental Protection

Maritime law enforcement is applied across the globe in pursuit of transnational criminal organizations, drug traffickers, illegal fishing, and other illicit activity. Whether the response involves an at-sea boarding or a port State control examination, authority is derived from multiple international treaties and Conventions and domestic laws. This chapter focuses on primarily on the US authorities, analyzes maritime law enforcement operations and pollution enforcement, and reviews the relevant international treaties, conventions, and laws which grant authority for conducting operations in the maritime domain. Legal instruments reviewed include: the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC); the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances; The Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act (MDLEA) and Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act (DTVIA); the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships; Fisheries and Environmental Laws of the United States; and the US. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Lastly, we discuss the authority, role, and operations of the US. Coast Guard (USCG) in responding to and enforcing the above International Conventions and the US laws.
Carcass Mass, Composition and Gut Morphology Dynamics of Mottled Ducks in Fall and Winter in Louisiana

We studied carcass mass, composition, and gut morphology of Mottled Ducks (Anas fulvigula) during fall ( 1 October-16 November) and winter (x 17 November-28 February) in southwestern Louisiana during 1987-1988 and 1988-1989. During fall, Mottled Ducks replaced mass and endogenous reserves used during reproduction and molt. From fall through late winter, carcass mass of adult male Mottled Ducks increased 92-115 g, while carcass mass of adult females increased 120 g. Lipid mass of adult males increased 55 g and 71 g from fall through middle winter in 1987-1988 and 1988-1989, respectively. Lipid stores of adult females increased 85 g from fall through late winter. Carcass protein content of both sexes generally did not differ among winter periods within years, but some differences of up to 39 g occurred between years. These yearly differences were associated with changes in gizzard mass and intestine length, and probably were related to different habitat conditions and/or diets. Immature Mottled Ducks generally exhibited patterns in mass, composition, and gut morphology similar to adults. We suggest that mass and lipid patterns in fall and winter reflect the nonmigratory status of Mottled Ducks and earlier breeding opportunities due to the mild climate in coastal Louisiana.
Uptake of dihydrostreptomycin by intact splenic cells cultured from immunized rabbits and its binding to the 40S ribosomal subunit.

SummaryTritiated dihydrostreptomycin (H3-DHSM) was taken up by intact splenic cells cultured from rabbits immunized with bacteriophage MS-2 and was bound to the 40S ribosomal subunit of the 76S splenic ribosome. Splenic cells that had been maintained in the presence of 200 /xg/ml unlabeled DHSM took up as much H3-DHSM as cells not previously exposed to the antibiotic. However, only cells that had not been cultured in the presence of DHSM bound H3-DHSM in cold trichloracetic acid-insoluble form. The binding of H3-DHSM by splenic cells was reversible and dependent on the concentration of Mg++ in the suspending medium.
Change of plasma concentrations of interleukin-6 and adhesion molecules on peripheral blood monocytes in patients with coronary heart disease before and after percutaneous coronary intervention

Objectives To analyze the change of plasma concentrations of interleukin-6(IL-6) and adhesion molecules on peripheral blood monocytes(ICAM) after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) in patients with coronary heart disease(CHD),and to explore the role of inflammation in the mechanism of CHD and the significance of inflammation after PCI. Methods A number of 60 patients undergoing PCI for CHD were selected as treatment group [acute coronary syndrome(ACS) subgroup(n =28),stable angina pectoris(SAP) subgroup(n =32) ]. Thirty healthy individuals with normal results by coronary angiography were selected as control group. Plasma concentrations of IL-6 and ICAM were measured before and after PCI or coronary angiography. Results Before treatment,plasma concentrations of IL-6 and ICAM of treatment group were significantly higher than those of control group(P 0.05); They were also significantly higher in ACS subgroup than in SAP subgroup(P0.05). After treatment,plasma concentrations of IL-6 and ICAM in treatment group were significantly higher than those before PCI treatment(P 0.05); but they had no significant changes before and after coronary angiography in control group(P0.05). Conclusions Plasma concentrations of IL-6 and ICAM play an important role in reflecting the severity of CHD. Exacerbated inflammatory may be important to the occurrence of in-stent restenosis among CHD patients undergoing PCI.
Genitourinary tract preservation versus pelvic exenteration for advanced colorectal tumors.

INTRODUCTION Total pelvic exenteration (TPE) is the standard of care for locally advanced colorectal cancer. This is a morbid procedure often leaving the patient with two ostomy sites and an extended recovery. Bladder preservation with complete tumor resection is often possible in these cases and we set out to determine if limited resection of the GU tract was as effective in tumor control as TPE. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a retrospective review of all patients over a 7-year period with colorectal tumors invading the urinary system. These patients were divided into two groups based upon the surgical procedure they received: TPE or GU tract sparing surgery. Tumor stage, adjuvant cancer therapy, and complications were reviewed. Recurrence and survival rates were calculated. RESULTS There were 19 patients with colorectal tumors invading the GU tract. Eight patients were treated with TPE and 11 patients received GU tract sparing procedures. Tumor stage and extent of disease were similar for both groups as were adjuvant/neoadjuvant therapy received. The average follow up from surgery for TPE and GU tract sparing procedures was 40 months (range 9 - 96) and 53 months (range 21.5 - 94), respectively. The limited resection and TPE groups experienced similar complication rates: 7/11 (63.6%) and 6/8 (75%) respectively. The 5-year survival rate was 37.5% and 61.4% for TPE and limited GU resections, respectively (p=0.07). CONCLUSION The cancer recurrence and complication rates were similar in both groups offering no clear advantage to TPE. GU sparing surgery in the face of locally invasive colorectal tumors is a viable option allowing for treatment of the disease and reducing the morbidity of total pelvic exenteration.
How Michigan Became a Right to Work State: The Role of Money and Politics

The passage of Right to Work (RTW) legislation in Michigan was a surprise to many, given its relatively high unionization rate. Previous studies that examine state RTW status and the process of passing RTW legislation are not a good fit for the events in Michigan. Instead, single-party Republican control of state government and a wealthy donor who prioritized RTW combined to introduce legislation, pass it, and sign it into law in a one-week period. Contextual factors helped create an opportunity for this campaign to succeed. The Michigan experience raises questions about long-term strategies for labor in similar environments in the era of big-money donors.
The International Politics of News

‘Why should the United Nations pay attention to what is going on in Yugoslavia and pay no attention to what is going on in Somalia when people are getting killed in Somalia in a higher proportion than Yugoslavia?’ he asked. One explanation is that public opinion was aware of what was going on in Yugoslavia. The limelight of media attention was on Yugoslavia, and nobody paid attention to Somalia. ‘The day that [the media] began to pay attention to Somalia, we began to receive the support of the member states. Then they were ready to give us planes for transport and to provide more humanitarian assistance and the forces to protect it.’ He warned that the same kind of situation could recur in the former Soviet Central Asian republics, which many fear are moving toward major ethnic warfare. ‘Tajikistan or Armenia or Uzbekistan have the same problem as Somalia: They don’t know how to reach the media or to do the lobbying,’ he noted.1 In describing how international relief initiatives were mobilized, United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali provided a poignant illustration of the power of mass media and news flows in international politics. The structure of international politics is such that, although he used the generic terms of ‘public opinion’, ‘media attention’ and ‘the media’, the Secretary-General could only be speaking about specific media, catering to specific public opinion in specific parts of the globe. It would be nice if a newspaper with a circulation of 100 000 in Trinidad and Tobago covered fully the human suffering in Somalia’s civil war, but that would not get the attention or have the impact of reportage in The New York Times or Le Monde, each with circulations in excess of one million and 300 000 respectively and published in countries with the resources to make a difference. These journalists, the institutions for which they work, and the information they report, play significant roles in shaping the agenda of international relations for governments, organizations and common citizens.
Was Gauḍapāda an Idealist

Considering the amount of work that has been done by scholars attempting to interpret Śamkarācārya’s philosophy, the disparity among the various interpretations is rather remarkable. Confining ourselves to epistemology, we may note that on such a basic point as to whether Śaṃkara was an epistemological realist or an idealist one can find noteworthy authority for both views — or rather, for a variety of views spanning the full spectrum between the extremes. One purpose of this paper is to try to make a bit of headway toward identifying factors contributing to the disagreement.
Dectin 1 activation on macrophages by galectin 9 promotes pancreatic carcinoma and peritumoral immune tolerance

The progression of pancreatic oncogenesis requires immune-suppressive inflammation in cooperation with oncogenic mutations. However, the drivers of intratumoral immune tolerance are uncertain. Dectin 1 is an innate immune receptor crucial for anti-fungal immunity, but its role in sterile inflammation and oncogenesis has not been well defined. Furthermore, non-pathogen-derived ligands for dectin 1 have not been characterized. We found that dectin 1 is highly expressed on macrophages in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). Dectin 1 ligation accelerated the progression of PDA in mice, whereas deletion of Clec7a-the gene encoding dectin 1-or blockade of dectin 1 downstream signaling was protective. We found that dectin 1 can ligate the lectin galectin 9 in mouse and human PDA, which results in tolerogenic macrophage programming and adaptive immune suppression. Upon disruption of the dectin 1-galectin 9 axis, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, which are dispensable for PDA progression in hosts with an intact signaling axis, become reprogrammed into indispensable mediators of anti-tumor immunity. These data suggest that targeting dectin 1 signaling is an attractive strategy for developing an immunotherapy for PDA.
Enhanced parameter estimation from noisy PET data: Part I--methodology.

Rationale and Objectives The reliability of positron emission tomographic (PET) images depends on the number of annihilation events that are detected. Short image durations are required to capture rapid tracer dynamics, and the resultant images are noisy. Consequently, direct parameter estimation from time-activity curves at high resolution often is unreliable. If adjacent voxels are combined into larger regions of interest the reliability of parameter estimation may be improved, but at the expense of decreased spatial resolution. In this report, a method is presented that provides an alternative to degrading image resolution. Materials and Methods Following the approach of Kimura et al, voxels are grouped not by spatial proximity, but by the similarity of their kinetics. Parameter estimation is performed on these groups, and derived parameters are assigned to all members of the group. Spatial information thus is preserved, but at the expense of parametric discretization. An improvement to the method of Kimura et al is described, in which data are grouped using principal components derived from artificial data. Results The application of the method is demonstrated by analysis of PET images of human lungs obtained by the nitrogen-13 infusion-washout technique. In a comparison of the accuracy of parameter estimates, the enhanced method is shown to outperform the original method at all noise levels, with the difference increasing as the amount of noise increases. The robustness of this parameter estimation method in the presence of noise is described in part II of this report in this issue of Academic Radiology. Conclusion A method is described that provides demonstrably robust parameter estimates from noisy PET data, while not compromising image resolution.
Characterizing the phosphatase mimetic activity of cerium oxide nanoparticles and distinguishing its active site from that for catalase mimetic activity using anionic inhibitors

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeNPs) are potent reactive oxygen and nitrogen species scavengers and demonstrate beneficial antioxidant properties in both cell culture and animal studies. However, their environmental fate, particularly in animals, is still under investigation. Studies have shown that CeNPs at very high doses can be retained briefly in organs such as the liver and in the bone marrow. The interaction of these nanoparticles with their local environment plays a major role in their distribution and long-term stability. We have previously shown that CeNPs with a low 3+/4+ cerium oxidative state ratio exhibit both catalase and phosphatase mimetic activities. Here, we aimed at further characterizing the active site(s) involved in these catalytic activities using potentially inhibitory anions. Results indicated that tungstate and molybdate inhibited the phosphatase activity without altering the oxidative state of cerium atoms but were ineffective against catalase activity. This suggests that distinct chemistry and active sites are involved in these two catalytic activities. Additionally, it was observed that CeNPs in aqueous environments were more active, strongly suggesting that water plays an important role in the phosphatase activity. Given the abundance of phosphate and other metal anions in both tissues and the environment, studying the nature of catalytic activities of CeNPs and the surface chemistry involved will help us form a stronger understanding of their environmental fate and thus qualify their biomedical applications.
“Defeaters” don't matter

We argue that the exercise of agency is compatible with the presence of what Doris calls "defeaters." In order to undermine reflectivist theories of agency and support his valuational alternative, Doris must not simply show that defeaters exist but rather establish that some agentive behaviors do express a person's values without involving reflection.
Powering neoliberalization: Energy and politics in the making of a new Turkey

Abstract Turkish energy infrastructures have recently gone through an unprecedented expansion. The country’s energy production capacity more than doubled in a decade; the Turkish energy market became one of the world’s fastest growing by attracting USD 50 billion between 2008–2015. This aggressive growth was met with opposition in the countryside, setting in motion an encounter between capital and society along energy infrastructures and land-use disputes, bestowing state a new role of brokerage along with new legal tools and authorities. In order to better understand this encounter, I first examine the fragmentary neoliberalization of the energy sector over the past three decades and highlight the uneven, variegated, piecemeal and conjunctural nature of its outcomes. Then I discuss, through the notion of energopolitics, the role of energy in enabling an authoritarian mode of power, which can help us to think through the arrival of a post-neoliberal future.
Reliability and validity of the test of incremental respiratory endurance measures of inspiratory muscle performance in COPD.

Purpose The Test of Incremental Respiratory Endurance (TIRE) provides a comprehensive assessment of inspiratory muscle performance by measuring maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) over time. The integration of MIP over inspiratory duration (ID) provides the sustained maximal inspiratory pressure (SMIP). Evidence on the reliability and validity of these measurements in COPD is not currently available. Therefore, we assessed the reliability, responsiveness and construct validity of the TIRE measures of inspiratory muscle performance in subjects with COPD. Patients and methods Test-retest reliability, known-groups and convergent validity assessments were implemented simultaneously in 81 male subjects with mild to very severe COPD. TIRE measures were obtained using the portable PrO2 device, following standard guidelines. Results All TIRE measures were found to be highly reliable, with SMIP demonstrating the strongest test-retest reliability with a nearly perfect intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.99, while MIP and ID clustered closely together behind SMIP with ICC values of about 0.97. Our findings also demonstrated known-groups validity of all TIRE measures, with SMIP and ID yielding larger effect sizes when compared to MIP in distinguishing between subjects of different COPD status. Finally, our analyses confirmed convergent validity for both SMIP and ID, but not MIP. Conclusion The TIRE measures of MIP, SMIP and ID have excellent test-retest reliability and demonstrated known-groups validity in subjects with COPD. SMIP and ID also demonstrated evidence of moderate convergent validity and appear to be more stable measures in this patient population than the traditional MIP.
Willingness to pay estimates for wildfire smoke health impacts in the US using the life satisfaction approach

Wildfire smoke is harmful to human health, imposing economic costs on society. Understanding wildfire smoke health costs is increasingly important in evaluating the true burden of wildfire on socie...
GPU Accelerated Multilevel Lagrangian Carotid Strain Imaging

A multilevel Lagrangian carotid strain imaging algorithm is analyzed to identify computational bottlenecks for implementation on a graphics processing unit (GPU). Displacement tracking including regularization was found to be the most computationally expensive aspect of this strain imaging algorithm taking about 2.2 h for an entire cardiac cycle. This intensive displacement tracking was essential to obtain Lagrangian strain tensors. However, most of the computational techniques used for displacement tracking are parallelizable, and hence GPU implementation is expected to be beneficial. A new scheme for subsample displacement estimation referred to as a multilevel global peak finder was also developed since the Nelder–Mead simplex optimization technique used in the CPU implementation was not suitable for GPU implementation. GPU optimizations to minimize thread divergence and utilization of shared and texture memories were also implemented. This enables efficient use of the GPU computational hardware and memory bandwidth. Overall, an application speedup of $168.75\times $ was obtained enabling the algorithm to finish in about 50 s for a cardiac cycle. Last, comparison of GPU and CPU implementations demonstrated no significant difference in the quality of displacement vector and strain tensor estimation with the two implementations up to a 5% interframe deformation. Hence, a GPU implementation is feasible for clinical adoption and opens opportunity for other computationally intensive techniques.
Regular Associations and Singular Causes

How close can we come to a Humean account of causation? Not very close at all. Hume began with cases of singular causation. He looked for something, besides spatio-temporal contiguity, to connect the cause with the effect. When he failed to find it, he moved to the generic level. This is the first thesis in the Hume program: (1) Singular causal facts are true in virtue of generic causal facts. But the program is far bolder than that. For at the generic level, causation is to disappear altogether and to be replaced by mere regularity: (2) Generic causal facts are reducible to regularities.
Theta-Functions and Modular Equations

Chapters 16–21 in his second notebook [22] contain much of Ramanujan’s prodigious outpouring of discoveries about theta-functions and modular equations. However, the unorganized pages in the second and third notebooks also embrace a large amount of Ramanujan’s findings on these topics. In this chapter, we shall discuss most of this material. In Chapter 33 (Part V [9]), we relate Ramanujan’s fascinating theories of elliptic functions and modular equations with alternative bases. Chapter 26 contains Ramanujan’s theorems on inversion formulas for the lemniscate and allied integrals. Some material that normally would be placed in the present chapter is connected with continued fractions and so has been put in Chapter 32 (Part V [9]) on continued fractions.
The Effect of Bicarbonate and Distilled Water on Sickle Cell Trait Hematuria and in Vitro Studies on the Interaction of Osmolality and pH on Erythrocyte Sickling in Sickle Cell Trait

AbstractThe effect of intravenously administered distilled water was examined alone and during alkalization in a patient with gross hematuria associated with the sickle cell trait. On each of 4 occasions hematuria ceased promptly after the infusion of distilled water. Bicarbonate therapy also consistently decreased hematuria.In vitro studies on erythrocytes from another patient with sickle ceil trait and hematuria demonstrated that slight increases in urinary pH similar to those that occur in the urine during alkalization can reverse or prevent erythrocyte sickling in the sickle cell trait.If patients with the sickle cell trait are hydrated adequately and have a good rate of urine flow distilled water can be given intravenously with virtually no danger of acute tubular necrosis secondary to erythrocyte hemolysis.
Bottom-Up Spillover

Social psychological strategies to enhance subjective well being are captured by four inter-domain processes. To reiterate, these are: 1. Bottom-up spillover, 2. Top-down spillover, 3. Horizontal spillover, and 4. Compensation.
Making way for Java in an information technology masters program

The object-oriented programming paradigm has gained popularity in industry and academia, and Java is becoming the language of choice. Yet, it can be a difficult language to learn, with many hurdles for novice programmers. This chapter describes our experiences transitioning to Java as the first programming language in an information technology Masters program. Careful consideration was given to a variety of factors, including when to introduce object-oriented concepts, which integrated development environment to use, and how to support students with minimal prior experience. The impact of these choices on the learning experience is described, and the factors that led to the successful implementation of Java as a first programming language are presented.
BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF DIETARY ANTIOXIDANTS ON THE AGING IMMUNE SYSTEM

Aging is associated with depressed immune function. Decline in immunological vigor contributes to many age-associated diseases and the prolonged post-illness recovery often observed in the elderly. Well-documented, age-related functional changes have been defined for both humoral and cell-mediated responses.1 Although all four major cell types of the immune system, i.e., stem cells, macrophages, T-cells and B-cells, show age-related changes, the major alterations have been demonstrated in the T-cell.2 In vivo T-cell-dependent, cell-mediated functions such as primary delayed hypersensitivity, graft vs. host reaction, and resistance to challenge with syngeneic and allogeneic tumors and parasites are depressed with age.3 In vitro, the proliferative response of human and rodent lymphocytes to phyto-hemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (ConA) as well as natural killer cell activity become depressed with age.4
Fostering Novices’ Ability to Write Informative Texts

In a design experiment, it was investigated whether explicit instructional support enables youngsters to articulate, organize and apply their content knowledge when writing a coherent informative text about a well-known topic.
Preliminary Results from CDF on W,Z Production at the Tevatron Collider

CDF is a general purpose detector featuring highly segmented electro-magnetic and hadronic calorimetry over a large region of pseudorapidity and magnetic analysis for charged tracks in the central region. The detector is shown schematically in Figure 1. The details of the detector are discussed in a series of papers to be published.(Reference2) The full detector was operational for the 1987 Collider run with the exception of the higher level triggers and half of the sampling layers in the forward hadron calorimeters.
Thickness direction measurements in paper materials using ultrasonic sensors immersed in water-filled wheels

A new ultrasonic technique aimed at simultaneously measuring the thickness and sound transit time in paper materials is presented. Two 1 MHz piezoelectric ceramic transducers immersed in water-filled rubber wheels are used to launch and receive signals transmitted through paper specimens inserted in the nip between the wheels. Time-delay analysis of the directly transmitted and rubber-paper interface reflection delayed signals provides the necessary information for thickness and transit time determination, from which the out-of-plane longitudinal sound velocity is calculated. Results are presented for paper grades from 50 to 1750 μm thickness.
Towards Supporting Knowledge Transfer of Programming Languages

Today, there are hundreds of programming languages that are widely used. Programmers at all levels are expected to become proficient in multiple languages. Experienced programmers who have knowledge of at least one language are able to learn a second language much quicker than novices. However, the transfer process can still be difficult when there exists numerous differences from their previous language. Documentation, online courses and tutorials tend to present information geared towards novices. This type of presentation might suffice for beginners, but it doesn't support learning for experienced programmers [1] who would benefit from leveraging their knowledge of previous programming languages.
Prognostic factors and survival in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the sinonasal cavity.

Background Optimal treatment and prognostic factors affecting long-term survival in patients with sinonasal adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) have yet to be clearly defined. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of patients treated with curative intent from 1980-2015 at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Results One hundred sixty patients met inclusion criteria, including 8 who were treated with radiotherapy alone. Median follow-up time was 55 months. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 67.0% and 49.0%, respectively. The 10-year OS and DFS rates were 44.8% and 25.4%, respectively. Factors that portended for poor survival on multivariate analysis were recurrent disease, any solid type histology, epicenter in the sinus cavity, the presence of facial symptoms, or the original disease not treated with surgery. There was no association between surgical margin status or nodal status and survival. Conclusion In this large cohort of patients with sinonasal ACC with extended follow-up, long-term survival is better than reported in prior literature. Future research should target patients with adverse risk factors.
Vinyl chloride-induced interaction of nonalcoholic and toxicant-associated steatohepatitis: Protection by the ALDH2 activator Alda-1.

Vinyl chloride (VC), an abundant environmental contaminant causes steatohepatitis at high levels, but is considered safe at lower (i.e., sub-OSHA) levels. However, we have previously shown that even lower VC levels exacerbate experimental nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) caused by high-fat diet (HFD). Mitochondrial oxidative injury and subsequent metabolic dysfunction appeared to play key roles in mediating this interaction. Mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) serves as a key line of defense against endogenous and exogenous reactive aldehydes. The current study therefore tests the hypothesis that allosteric activation of ALDH2 with Alda-1 will protect against VC-enhanced NAFLD. Mice were exposed to low VC concentrations (<1 ppm), or room air for 6 h/day, 5 days/week for 12 weeks, while on HFD or low-fat control diet (LFD). Some mice received Alda-1 (20 mg/kg i.p., 3 × /week) for the last 3 weeks of diet/VC exposure. Indices of liver injury, oxidative stress, metabolic and mitochondrial (dys)function were measured. As observed previously, low-dose VC did not cause liver injury in control mice; while liver injury caused by HFD was enhanced by VC. VC decreased hepatic ALDH2 activity of mice fed HFD. Alda-1 attenuated oxidative stress, liver injury, and dysmetabolism in mice exposed to HFD+VC under these conditions. Importantly, alterations in mitochondrial function caused by VC and HFD were diminished by Alda-1. Previous studies have indicated that liver injury caused by HFD is mediated, at least in part, by enhanced mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy). Here, Alda-1 suppressed PINK1/PARKIN-mediated mitophagy. Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that ALDH2 is a critical defense against mitochondrial injury caused by VC in experimental NAFLD. The ALDH2 activator Alda-1 conferred protection against liver damage under these conditions, most likely via increasing clearance of aldehydes and preserving mitochondrial respiratory function.
Google Dataset Search

Journalists across the globe look at datasets every day to report their stories. They used to acquire data from sites such as Kaggle, ProPublica, World Bank, and NASA. But in September 2018, the se...
Adolescents' Future Aspirations and Expectations in the Context of a Shifting Rural Economy.

Adolescents’ future aspirations and expectations influence the decisions they make as they transition into adulthood. However, less is known about how specific sociocultural factors interact with the formation of future aspirations and expectations and their association with goal attainment in emerging adulthood. The present study begins to fill this gap by using person-centered analysis with high school students (N = 517; 53% female; 92% white) from a rural county undergoing significant economic transition. Its aim was to identify future orientation profiles based on adolescent-reported future aspirations and expectations for success in both education and career. Four latent profiles were identified and labeled: universally high aspirations and expectations; low college aspirations and expectations; lower aspirations than expectations; and universally low aspirations and expectations. Significant gender differences were found. High school males were less likely to be in the universally high profile and more likely to be in the universally low and low college aspirations and expectations profiles. Future orientation profile placement was associated with differences in adolescent experiences in family, school, and community contexts as well as their work and education status and future residential aspirations in emerging adulthood. The findings inform future research and applied efforts focused on rural youth’s preparation for adult roles, and on retaining rural youth, a necessity for the vitality of rural communities.
Pod-mod vs. conventional e-cigarettes: nicotine chemistry, pH, and health effects

A new type of electronic cigarettes, the “pod-mod” e-cigarette, has raised public health concerns in the press, the e-cigarette research community, and among regulatory agencies. A recent US FDA statement regarding safety issues of e-cigarette use, particularly in youth and young adults, states “we’re looking at the potential for direct effects of harm from e-cigarettes on the lungs as well as other health factors that these products could negatively impact. In particular, we have concerns about the direct effects of e-cigarettes on the airways. This includes the potential for the use of such products to cause changes to airways that could be a precursor to cancer” (11). In addition, a series of CDC and FDA announcements reported over 2,000 cases of respiratory illnesses associated with e-cigarette/vaping product use (11a). Patients develop shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, cough, anorexia, nausea, diarrhea, and weight loss, with symptoms worsening over days or weeks with some dying from this condition. More research is urgently needed to understand the causes and pathophysiology of the respiratory toxicity. Traditional e-cigarette products use E-liquid with free-base nicotine while JUUL and other pod-mods use protonated nicotine formulations derived from the nicotine salts in loose-leaf tobacco. JUUL contains 0.7 ml E-liquid per pod with concentration of 50 mg/ mL (5%), which is 2 to 10 times those found in most free-base nicotine e-cigarette products—equivalent to ~20 combustible cigarettes (2). Goniewicz et al. (10) confirmed the concentration of nicotine in a JUUL pod to be 56.2 mg/mL. The JUUL website further states that the salt-based nicotine E-liquid formula is intended to help satisfy smokers when transitioning from cigarettes. Here we focus on discussions on the potential health effects of E-liquid pH, nicotine salt versus free-base nicotine, and protonated versus unprotonated nicotine, as well as an important distinction of pH effects on the lungs and other organ systems.
Differences in functional and structural social support among female and male veterans and civilians

Social support is an important correlate of health behaviors and outcomes. Studies suggest that veterans have lower social support than civilians, but interpretation is hindered by methodological limitations. Furthermore, little is known about how sex influences veteran–civilian differences. Therefore, we examined veteran–civilian differences in several dimensions of social support and whether differences varied by sex. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the 2012–2013 National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions-III, a nationally representative sample of 34,331 respondents (male veterans = 2569; female veterans = 356). We examined veteran–civilian differences in functional and structural social support using linear regression and variation by sex with interactions. We adjusted for socio-demographics, childhood experiences, and physical and mental health. Compared to civilians, veterans had lower social network diversity scores (difference [diff] = − 0.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] − 0.23, − 0.03). Among women but not men, veterans had smaller social network size (diff = − 2.27, 95% CI − 3.81, − 0.73) than civilians, attributable to differences in religious groups, volunteers, and coworkers. Among men, veterans had lower social network diversity scores than civilians (diff = − 0.13, 95% CI − 0.23, − 0.03); while among women, the difference was similar but did not reach statistical significance (diff = − 0.13, 95% CI − 0.23, 0.09). There was limited evidence of functional social support differences. After accounting for factors that influence military entry and social support, veterans reported significantly lower structural social support, which may be attributable to reintegration challenges and geographic mobility. Findings suggest that veterans could benefit from programs to enhance structural social support and improve health outcomes, with female veterans potentially in greatest need.
BCR selection and affinity maturation in Peyer’s patch germinal centres

The antigen-binding variable regions of the B cell receptor (BCR) and of antibodies are encoded by exons that are assembled in developing B cells by V(D)J recombination1. The BCR repertoires of primary B cells are vast owing to mechanisms that create diversity at the junctions of V(D)J gene segments that contribute to complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3), the region that binds antigen1. Primary B cells undergo antigen-driven BCR affinity maturation through somatic hypermutation and cellular selection in germinal centres (GCs)2,3. Although most GCs are transient3, those in intestinal Peyer’s patches (PPs)—which depend on the gut microbiota—are chronic4, and little is known about their BCR repertoires or patterns of somatic hypermutation. Here, using a high-throughput assay that analyses both V(D)J segment usage and somatic hypermutation profiles, we elucidate physiological BCR repertoires in mouse PP GCs. PP GCs from different mice expand public BCR clonotypes (clonotypes that are shared between many mice) that often have canonical CDR3s in the immunoglobulin heavy chain that, owing to junctional biases during V(D)J recombination, appear much more frequently than predicted in naive B cell repertoires. Some public clonotypes are dependent on the gut microbiota and encode antibodies that are reactive to bacterial glycans, whereas others are independent of gut bacteria. Transfer of faeces from specific-pathogen-free mice to germ-free mice restored germ-dependent clonotypes, directly implicating BCR selection. We identified somatic hypermutations that were recurrently selected in such public clonotypes, indicating that affinity maturation occurs in mouse PP GCs under homeostatic conditions. Thus, persistent gut antigens select recurrent BCR clonotypes to seed chronic PP GC responses. An analysis of the immunoglobulin repertoire of B cells in Peyer’s patch germinal centres in mice provides evidence for the selection of B cell receptor clonotypes by gut antigens and antigen-driven affinity maturation.
An Objective Identification and Climatology of Upper Tropospheric Jets Near Atlantic Tropical Cyclones

AbstractAn objective algorithm is developed for identifying jets in 200-hPa flow and applied to reanalysis data within 2000 km of Atlantic tropical cyclones (TCs) during 1979–2015. The resulting se...
Preoperative chemotherapy in clinically node positive muscle invasive bladder cancer: Radiologic variables can predict response.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate pathologic downstaging after radical cystectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection for clinically lymph node positive urothelial bladder cancer and to determine optimal preoperative imaging variables in predicting pathologic nodal status. Methods We identified all patients with clinically lymph node positive urothelial bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy and extended pelvic lymph node dissection with intent to cure at our institution. Patients were stratified based on pathologic node status to determine clinical associations and survival outcomes. Pre and post-chemotherapy CT scans were reviewed to characterize lymph node size and morphology. We also sought to determine associations between post-chemotherapy radiology variables and pathologic response. Results We identified 130 patients with clinically node positive bladder cancer, out of which 76 (58.5%) received induction chemotherapy. Thirty three (43.4%) had pathologic T downstaging following chemotherapy, compared to 7 (12.9%) patients who had surgery alone (P Conclusion Patients with clinically node positive bladder cancer may have significant pN0 after induction chemotherapy. Our data suggest a post-chemotherapy CT scan with an 8 mm nodal size cut-off may be a better predictor of pathologic nodal status than more traditional measures.
Inhaled Maintenance Regimen Changes from pMDI and/or DPI to SMI and/or Nebulizer Therapy and Education to Improve Medication Effectiveness With Measurement by CAT Score

Background: Misunderstanding and incorrect inhaler technique is prevalent in COPD. Incorrect device usage of DPI’s and MDI’s include failure to exhale fully before inhaling, incorrect preparation, and lack of breath hold after inhalation. Several DPI’s require a minimum PIFR of 30 L/min causing inability of patients to meet requirements. Limited studies have compared SMI’s with alternative like medication in DPI form warranting further research. Additionally, recommendations for regular inhaler technique checks have been published, however not all outpatient centers have resources to complete assessments. UC Davis Comprehensive COPD Clinic integrates RCP assessment and education of inhaled medication and delivery devices to see if patients need further education, meet PIFR requirements, and/or require an alternative device. We hypothesize that changing MDI/ DPI regimens to SMI and/or nebulized regimens made an improvement in CAT scores. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 241 patients enrolled in the COPD Clinic QI registry with IRB approval. Sixty-four patients had a follow up appointment with pre and post CAT scores, 131 patients had either no follow up CAT score, did not have or follow up with an appointment, or have a future appointment scheduled. The 64 patients were all assessed and had education on their current inhaled regimens and/or education to their changes that were made to their inhaled medication regimen during their clinic visit. A limited number of five patients had MDI and/or DPI regimens to SMI and/or nebulized regimens made with no changes in their baseline inhaled medication classification. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed with Chi square, Student t-test, and 95% confidence intervals when appropriate. Results: All 64 patients had a mean CAT score of 20.9 (±2.1, 95% CI) with a follow up CAT of 18.9 (±2.1, 95% CI), an improvement of 2.04. The five patients that had MDI and/or DPI regimens to SMI and/or nebulized regimens had a baseline CAT of mean 29 (±6.7, 95% CI) with a CAT mean at follow up change of 23.4 (±5, 95% CI). Conclusions: This under-powered limited exploratory study demonstrates that further research is necessary to demonstrate overall symptom improvement when changing maintenance medication regimens from MDI and/or DPI to SMI and/or nebulized regimens. Continued outpatient assessments, education, regimen changes when warranted, and individualized patient care attributes to improvements in CAT scores with appropriate outpatient management of COPD patients.
Surprising nonreward and response effort: Extinction after progressive-ratio training in rats and pigeons

Abstract Rats and pigeons exhibit different extinction profiles after instrumental acquisition with large vs. small rewards. In rats, extinction is faster after large-reward training, but in pigeons, extinction is faster after small-reward training. Two experiments extended these findings to a progressive-ratio schedule with acquisition training with two reward magnitudes administered either between or within subjects. Both rats and pigeons, under both between- and within-subject conditions, exhibited higher breakpoints (the last completed ratio) when responding for 5 pellets per ratio vs. 1 pellet per ratio. However, between-subject training yielded faster extinction after training with 5 pellets than 1 pellet for rats, but the opposite trend for pigeons. Extinction effects were eliminated in within-subject training for rats, but remained unchanged for pigeons. These results are discussed in the context of frustration theory and the strengthening/weakening principle of learning.
Investigation of the relationship between bacteria counts and bedding characteristics with udder health and milk quality on U.S. dairy farms

The major objective of this multi-herd observational study was to describe the relationship between BBC and udder health and to identify cutpoints for interpreting bedding culture results. A secondary objective was to identify bedding characteristics and bedding management strategies that are associated with lower BBC and improved udder health. This abstract presents preliminary results describing some of the relationships between bedding bacteria count (BBC), bedding characteristics, and udder health for 4 bedding materials: new sand (NS), reclaimed sand (RS), manure solids (MS), or other organic bedding materials (OB).
Machine learning and mechanistic computational modeling of inflammation as tools for designing immunomodulatory biomaterials

Abstract The inflammatory response is a dynamic, complex process that involves multiple interacting cell types and molecular mediators. Proinflammatory, feed-forward processes allow for proper ramp-up of inflammation but can also drive a maladaptive, overly exuberant response that harms tissues. Antiinflammatory, negative feedback processes keep these feed-forward aspects of inflammation in check and often stimulate healing, but when produced inappropriately can either impair healing or, at the other extreme, drive excessive scaring and fibrosis. Biomaterials are used to repair injured tissues but may be suboptimal or even harmful if they exacerbate the inflammatory response in those tissues. In this chapter, we describe how computational approaches to modeling inflammation in silico—including some studies involving biomaterials—have helped us decipher some of the complexity of inflammation, suggesting applications of computational modeling to optimize the preclinical and clinical use of biomaterials.
Study about Tai Chi Chuan and its Benefits

Tai Chi Chuan is an ancient Chinese body-mind practice. People practice it for different perspectives. The benefits and potential of Tai Chi Chuan for general health, alternative treatments for chronic diseases, anti- aging and social wellbeing, have being recognized by extensive research. Tai Chi Chuan is an art of living pursuit for a healthy, harmonious and happy life. As a lifestyle, Tai Chi performance is not just a simple exercise but an art of living. It deeply connects the Chinese cultures of Taoism, Confucianism and Traditional Chinese Medicine, among others.
Chapter 39 Psychophysical and neurophysiological studies of chemically induced cutaneous pain and itch: The case of the missing nociceptor

Publisher Summary This chapter describes psychophysical and neurophysiological studies of chemically induced cutaneous pain and itch. The chapter discusses three sets of experiments. First, the sensation of pain or itch produced in humans, psychologically, by an intradermal injection of capsaicin or histamine dihydrochloride respectively. Second, the characterization of the two different types of mechanical hyperesthesia to lightly stroking the skin around the injection site: tenderness (allodynia) after capsaicin and itch after histamine. Third, cutaneous receptors contributing to these chemically induced sensations and hyperesthesias by recording from single peripheral nerve fibers in both monkeys and humans. It concludes the following: (1) activity in mechano-heat (polymodal) nociceptors contribute little to the capsaicin injection pain produced by the 100-μg dose and does not account for the greater pain to capsaicin than to heat of 51 oC. Whether C heat nociceptors or other (unknown) nociceptors make the major contribution to capsaicin pain awaits further investigation. Only a few of the fibers responsive to capsaicin could provide a candidate mechanism for maintaining allodynia around the injection site because most ceased responding within 3 min of the injection, while allodynia in humans typically persisted for an hour or more. There was no evidence that any of these fibers contributed significantly to the mechanical or heat hyperalgesia from capsaicin.