cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the homology of graded algebras

Let be an algebra that is graded by a group G. Then the Hochschild and cyclic homologies of S have canonical decompositions with components labeled by the set T(G) of conjugacy classes of G : for Hochschild homology and similarly for cyclic homology. In this article, we describe the components of Hochschild homology in the case where S is strongly G graded.The description is given in terms of a spectral sequence where Hq (R,Sg ) is the Hochschild homology of the identity component R = Se of S with coefficients in the bimodule Sg and Hp (CG (g),.) is the group homology of the centralizer CG (g) of g in G. If R is a separable algebra then the spectral sequence degenerates and yields an isomorphism
Coding the wavelet spatial orientation tree with low computational complexity

Summary form only given. A very fast, low complexity algorithm for resolution-scalable and random access decoding is presented. The algorithm avoids the multiple passes of bit-plane coding for speed improvement. The decrease in dynamic range of wavelet coefficient magnitudes is efficiently coded. The hierarchical dynamic range coding naturally enables resolution-scalable representation of a wavelet transformed image. The method predicts the dynamic range of energy in each subset based on the dynamic range of energy of a parent set. Speed improvement over SPIHT is up to two times in encoding, and up to four times in decoding. The loss of quality is very small. Our method outperforms the LTW in Oliver et al. (2003), by up to two times in encoding and up to seven times in decoding.
Bearing Fruit: The Fight For The FDA’s Food Safety Reforms

A food safety advocate recounts one long road to the passage of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011.
Quantification of bedside teaching by an academic hospitalist group.

BACKGROUND: Medical educators have raised serious concerns about the decline in bedside teaching and the effect of this decline on trainee skills. We investigated the fraction of time hospitalist attending physicians spend at the bedside during teaching rounds and how often physical examination skills are demonstrated. METHODS: In a prospective, observational study, the authors investigated the rounding behavior of members of Brigham and Women's Hospitalist Service. For 5 weeks from December 2007 to January 2008, interns and residents rotating on the hospitalist service reported in a daily e-mail (1) total time spent with their attending during attending rounds, (2) time spent inside patient rooms during attending rounds, and (3) whether or not a physical examination finding or technique was demonstrated by their hospitalist attending. RESULTS: A total of 61 observations were reported (66% response). Hospitalists spent an average of 101 minutes on teaching rounds and an average of 17 minutes inside patient rooms or 17% of their teaching time at the bedside. Bedside teaching occurred during 61% of teaching sessions and physical examination teaching occurred during 38% of teaching sessions. Rounds that included time spent at the bedside were longer on average than rounds that did not include time spent at the bedside (122 vs. 69 minutes, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Bedside teaching makes up approximately 17% of the time that hospitalists at this medical center spend on teaching rounds. Physical examination teaching has become infrequent. Research to clarify optimal strategies to improve bedside teaching and its value in patient care is needed. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009;4:304–307. © 2009 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Immunomodulation of malignant melanoma by contact sensitizing agents

The importance of host defense against malignant melanoma is underlined by the use of immunomodulating agents as effective therapies. Diphencyprone and 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) have been used successfully as contact sensitizing agents in this regard. Through haptenation of cell surface and cytoplasmic proteins, these agents trigger a CD8+ T-lymphocyte predominant allergic contact hypersensitivity response. Th17 cells may also play a critical role. The effectiveness of these agents at stimulating tumor defense may be limited to melanoma of the skin. Response to immunotherapy using diphencyprone and DNCB is governed by the immune status of the host, which is affected by tumor burden, UV light and age. Additionally, diphencyprone and DNCB elicit synergy with other methods of treatment and thus may be used as adjuncts. Two current prospective trials may aid in elucidating the impact that this treatment modality has on the prognosis and quality of life of patients with melanoma.
COMPARISON OF PERCEPTS FOUND WITH COCHLEAR IMPLANT DEVICES

Much of what has been observed in psychoacoustic testing of implanted listeners is similar to that seen in normal or hearing-impaired listeners with only parametric modification. What is lacking is evidence for critical band phenomena and for frequency selectivity. The unique interaction of waveform and sensation level with pitch, loudness, and threshold appears only in implanted listeners. Direct waveform processing, without spectral decomposition, appears to be the means by which information is brought to the nervous system through electrical stimulation. The operations by which this is coded to create percepts of pitch and loudness remain to be elucidated.
How manufacturers value purchase offerings: An exploratory study

Abstract The notion of value and the principles and methods that buyers use to discover which supplier offering has more value needs to drive all business marketing activity. However, the concept of value and how to measure it is somewhat vague. The authors present a simple way to think about value. The research reports an exploratory empirical study of how the valuation model fits the views of purchasing managers and how purchasing agents view value and use it to make decisions. In general, the model posited appears to fit the view of purchasing agents, however, there is some digression and further research is needed.
Oxygen-Dependent Regulation of Erythropoiesis

Oxygen-regulated erythropoiesis serves as a paradigm of systemic hypoxia responses. Efforts to understand its molecular basis have led to the identification of erythropoietin (EPO) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). This chapter provides an overview of the most recent advances in oxygen-dependent erythropoiesis and discusses (a) how molecular oxygen-sensing mechanisms regulate and integrate cellular and systemic hypoxia responses that stimulate and support erythropoiesis and (b) how these mechanisms may be exploited pharmacologically for the treatment of anemias. Specifically this chapter addresses the role of the HIF pathway in regulating and coordinating tissue-dependent EPO production and iron metabolism, and discusses inherited forms of erythrocytosis that result from a disruption of molecular oxygen-sensing mechanisms.
Amazon.Com - a Comprehensive Case History

In many ways, Amazon.com is perhaps the company that is most closely tied with the E-Commerce phenomenon. The purpose of this case is to present a balanced and up-to-date business history of the company.
Oxygen exchange in the microcirculation of hamster retractor muscle

We determined percent hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SO2) in arterioles and venules of the hamster retractor muscle at rest. We found that SO2 decreased from 69.9 +/- 1.4% (SE) in large input arterioles (first order, 1A, ID = 60 +/- 3 micron) to flow-weighted values of 56.7% in small arterioles (4A, ID = 20 +/- 1 micron), 51.3% in small venules (4V, ID = 28 +/- 1 micron), and to 50.6 +/- 1.0% in large venules (1V, ID = 147 +/- 13 micron). Thus approximately two-thirds of the net decline in SO2 for this tissue occurred by diffusion of oxygen from arterioles, whereas only about one-third occurred by diffusion from capillaries. Furthermore, no net shunting of oxygen from the arterioles to the venules was detected as evidenced by the absence of any significant change in venular SO2. By determining the SO2 at upstream and downstream ends of arterioles in four consecutive branching orders (1A-4A), we found that the decrease in SO2 per unit length (delta SO2/L) increased approximately 20-fold from 1A to 4A. This increase in delta SO2/L was directly proportional to estimated luminal minus tissue oxygen tension and inversely proportional to red blood cell flow.
Improved algorithm and case study for probabilistic DC power flow calculation based on sequence operation theory

With the increasing of wind power integration, the uncertainty of wind power has become the main factor affecting the safety of the grid. It is necessary to consider the uncertainty of wind power when calculating the probabilistic load flow. Based on the method of calculating the probabilistic load flow with sequence operation theory suggested by domestic researcher, this paper improves the method considering the uncertainty of wind power, the forced outage of generation and branch, and the uncertainty of demand. The probability distribution function of the unbalanced active power and load flow can be obtained by this method, which can reflect the state of the grid. It is concluded that the proposed method can get the same results as Monte Carlo simulation method, and it is faster in calculating.
High Rates of STIs in HIV-Infected Patients Attending an STI Clinic.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the rates and types of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attending a public STI clinic in Miami, Florida as compared with HIV-uninfected patients attending the same clinic. METHODS This was a retrospective review of medical records of individuals attending the Miami-Dade County Health Department STI clinic from March 2012 to May 2012. Demographic and clinical information was abstracted and transferred to an electronic database. Consecutive age-matched HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients were identified during the study period. Demographics, risk factors, and history and rates of STIs for HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients and for those with newly diagnosed and previously diagnosed HIV infection were compared. RESULTS A total of 175 medical records were reviewed (89 HIV-infected patients and 86 HIV-uninfected patients). The median age was 37 years. A history of STIs, including syphilis, was more common in HIV-infected than in HIV-uninfected patients. Individuals with a prior diagnosis of HIV were more likely to be older (older than 37 years of age, χ(2) = 15.3, P < 0.01), male (χ(2) = 4.74, P = 0.05), to have a new STI (χ(2) = 5.83, P = 0.01), to have a new diagnosis of syphilis (χ(2) = 5.15, P = 0.01), and to be under medical care (χ(2) = 31.19, P < 0.001) than those newly diagnosed as having HIV. CONCLUSIONS HIV-infected individuals who attended this urban STI clinic had high rates of new and past STIs, suggesting the persistence of high-risk sexual behaviors. STI clinics could be a premier site to identify individuals with HIV and high-risk sexual behaviors who could benefit from additional targeted interventions.
Unique Considerations in the Neonate and Infant: Bile-Stained Vomiting in the Neonate

It is normal for babies in the first few months of life to bring up small amounts of milk during or following feeds (possetting). As long as they are otherwise well and continue to grow then nothing further need be done.
Disrupting the Status Quo Through Lines of Flight

In this chapter, we return to the concept of assemblage and build on the ideas introduced in the last chapter—molar, molecular, and lines of flight. We draw on these concepts as analytic tools to discuss the case of June, who taught tenthgrade biology in a self-contained special education setting in the same large urban district as Bruce and Mauro. In some ways, June’s case seems very typical of the experiences of the first year teacher—she took on an assignment for which she was under-prepared (a special education biology position) in a school that had a reputation for being one of the most challenging in the city.
Improving the Cardiovascular Health of Women in the Nation: Moving Beyond the Bikini Boundaries.

Despite recent declines in cardiovascular mortality in women over the past decade, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the number 1 killer of women.1 Deaths attributable to CVD outnumber the deaths attributable to breast, ovarian, uterine, cervical, or vaginal cancers, or childbirth combined, and yet, when the medical community refers to women’s health, they continue to focus on the bikini boundaries. Women continue to be labeled as a special population in many guidelines relating to CVD, despite being the majority of the population. Nonetheless, when presenting with an acute coronary syndrome, it is women, in particular, younger women, who are less likely to receive guideline-recommended therapies, timeliness of care, or diagnostic and invasive therapies resulting in worse outcomes in comparison with men.2 Women who experience cardiac arrest are less likely to receive bystander CPR than men, and less likely to receive guideline-recommended therapies. The prevalence of heart failure is greater in women than in men, and, despite the sex differences in the causes and types of heart failure, women with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction are less likely to receive evidence-based therapies, including medications, implantable cardioverter defibrillators, ventricular assist devices, and heart transplant, despite improved survival and quality of life when receiving these therapies. Asymptomatic peripheral artery disease is twice as common in women as in men, and once a diagnosis of peripheral artery disease is made, women have greater functional impairment, lower rates of revascularization, and an increased likelihood of emergent procedures. This persistent pattern of poorer cardiovascular outcomes appears predominantly attributable to suboptimal use of guideline-recommended therapy in women, despite the strong evidence that management of CVD with evidence-based therapies benefits both sexes equally. …
Development of brain metastases in patients with metastatic melanoma treated with ipilimumab plus temozolomide.

e19014 Background: Melanoma has a high predilection for brain metastasis (BM), and despite treatment, survival is often 3 to 6 months. There have been a number of reports of disease regression in BM with each Ipilimumab (Ipi), an anti-CTLA 4 antibody, and temozolomide (Tem), an alkylating drug capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, in patients with metastatic melanoma (MM). Previous Ipi trials excluded patients with BM. Previous Tem trials have BM incidence ranging from 20 to 36%. Here we describe our experience with the combination of Ipi+Tem and BM. Methods: Patients (pts) are from a 64-patient cohort with unresectable Stage III or Stage IV metastatic melanoma enrolled in a single-center Phase II trial of Ipi+Tem. Induction phase consisted of Ipi 10mg/kg intravenous (IV) on Day 1 and oral Tem 200mg/m2 Days 1-4 every 3 weeks for 4 courses. Maintenance phase was Ipi 10mg/kg IV every 12 weeks and oral Tem 200mg/m2 on Days 1-5 every 4 weeks. Brain MRI was obtained every 2 cycles as part of the protoco...
Thermal Stability of Mixed Cation Metal Halide Perovskites in Air

We study the thermal stability in air of the mixed cation organic–inorganic lead halide perovskites Cs0.17FA0.83Pb(I0.83Br0.17)3 and Cs0.05(MA0.17FA0.83)0.95Pb(I0.83Br0.17)3. For the latter compound, containing both MA+ and FA+ ions, thermal decomposition of the perovskite phase was observed to occur in two stages. The first stage of decomposition occurs at a faster rate compared to the second stage and is only observed at relatively low temperatures (T < 150 °C). For the second stage, we find that both decomposition rate and the activation energy have similar values for Cs0.05(MA0.17FA0.83)0.95Pb(I0.83Br0.17)3 and Cs0.17FA0.83Pb(I0.83Br0.17)3, which suggests that the first stage mainly involves reaction of MA+ and the second stage mainly FA+.
Lipid-dependence of target membrane stability during influenza viral fusion

While influenza kills about a half million people each year, even after excluding pandemics, there is only one set of antiviral drugs: neuraminidase inhibitors. Using a new approach utilizing giant unilamellar vesicles and infectious X-31 influenza virus and testing for the newly identified pore intermediate of membrane fusion, we observed ∼30 - 87 % poration as a function of lipid composition. Testing the hypothesis that spontaneous curvature (SC) of the lipid monolayer controls membrane poration, our Poisson model and Boltzmann energetic considerations suggest a transition from a leaky to a non-leaky fusion pathway depending on the SC of the target membrane. When the target membrane SC is below∼-0.20 nm −1 fusion between influenza virus and target membrane is predominantly non-leaky while above that fusion is predominantly leaky, suggesting that HA catalyzed topological conversion of target membranes during fusion is associated with a loss of membrane integrity.
Infectious Disease Emergencies Frontline Clinical Pearls

This article reviews various infectious disease emergencies from an internist's perspective. Key epidemiologic, diagnostic, and therapeutic points are reviewed with an emphasis on timely and appropriate initial management. The content serves to highlight essential points that are discussed in subsequent articles in this issue and to elucidate pearls that may facilitate timely and appropriate management.
Explanatory Style and Health

Explanatory style refers to how an individual habitually explains the causes of bad events. This cognitive style is described as pessimistic when bad events are explained with pervasive and long-lasting causes that involve the self, and optimistic when bad events are explained with circumscribed and transient causes that do not involve the self. Optimistic explanatory style predicts good health operationalized in a number of ways, including self-reports, physician ratings, survival time following a heart attack, and longevity, and it apparently impacts health at a number of junctures. The most basic question that arises from research into optimism and health involves the mechanisms linking the two. The link appears to be overdetermined, and there are several plausible routes: immunological, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and social.
Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision Making

In this chapter four deterministic MCDM methods of the ones presented in the second chapter are fuzzified. These are the WSM, the WPM, the AHP (original and ideal mode), and the TOPSIS method. The ELECTRE is not examined (since the TOPSIS method seems to be superior to it). The multiplicative AHP (as described in Section 11.4) is not studied either since it has the same numerical properties as the WPM model. Some crisp MCDM methods have been fuzzified in [Buckley, 1985], [Laarhoven, et al., 1983], and [Lootsma, 1989; and 1997]. The methodology which we are going to explore is different from the methods introduced in the previous three references. In this chapter we will fuzzify the crisp MCDM methods under the assumption that only one decision maker is involved. The developments presented in this chapter are based on the work reported in [Triantaphyllou and Lin, 1996].
Nitrogen and Phosphorus Exchange Among Tropical Coastal Ecosystems

The concentration and flux of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) through mangrove wetlands, seagrass meadows, and coral reef habitats are mediated by a wide range of hydrodynamic and chemical pathways determined by both natural and anthropogenic drivers. The direct proximity of these coastal habitats to burgeoning urban centers makes them quite susceptible to excessive nutrient loading, subsequent land-use impacts, the related effects of eutrophication and of course the associated loss of ecosystem services. For this reason mangrove, seagrass, and coral reef ecosystems are among the most threatened ecosystems in the tropics. While quantifying the exchange of materials between coastal wetlands and nearshore waters has been the focus of estuarine research for nearly half a century, a concerted effort to understand the net exchange of N and P across these habitats has only begun in the last 20 years. Furthermore, attempts to better understand the interplay of N and P cycles specifically between each of these three habitats has been all but nonexistent. The role mangrove and seagrass ecosystems play in buffering nearshore coral habitats from land-based influences remains a topic of great debate. Critical to understanding the nutrient dynamics between these ecosystems is defining the frequency and magnitude of connectivity events that link these systems together both physically and biogeochemically. In this chapter we attempt to address both N and P water column concentrations and system-level exchanges (i.e., water-mediated fluxes and nutrient loading). We consider how the interactions of N and P between these systems vary with geomorphology, hydrography, seasonal programming, and human influences.
A Preliminary Study on a Robot's Prediction of Human Intention

A wise man is said to be able to do the right thing at the right time. Thanks to the cognition, human beings are able to make reasonable judgments and then take specific actions accordingly. However, without explicit communication, even the most intelligent robot currently existing in the world may not be able to well understand the intentions of its human companion, not to mention its ability to act according to the human's intentions. In fact, “When to do?”, “What to do?”, and “How to do?” may not only confuse philosophers, but also often puzzle designers of robots. In this preliminary research, we introduce a role of prediction in the context of human-robot interaction. We study how a human pitches a ball by experiment and how a robot blocks the ball accordingly by simulation. The study is to investigate how a robot perceives and learns from the motion of a human participant. This paper proved that with machine learning techniques, a robot is able to accurately predict the human participant's intention of pitching. We also demonstrate how the learned knowledge can enhance the robot's intelligence and action.
System Setup to Deliver Air Impact Forces to a Sheep Limb: Preparation for Model Development of Blast-Related Heterotopic Ossification.

Background Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a significant complication for wounded warriors with traumatic limb loss. Although this pathologic condition negatively impacts the general population, ectopic bone has been observed with higher frequency for service members injured in Iraq and Afghanistan due to blast injuries. Several factors, including a traumatic insult, bioburden, tourniquet and wound vacuum usage, and bone fractures or fragments have been associated with increased HO for service members. A large combat-relevant animal model is needed to further understand ectopic bone etiology and develop new pragmatic solutions for reducing HO formation and recurrence. Objective This study outlines the optimization of a blast system that may be used to simulate combat-relevant trauma for HO and replicate percussion blast experienced in theater. Methods We tested the repeatability and reproducibility of an air impact device (AID) at various pressure settings and compared it with a model of blunt force trauma for HO induction. Furthermore, we assessed the ability of the higher-power air delivery system to injure host tissue, displace metal particulate, and disperse bone chips in cadaveric sheep limbs. Results Data demonstrated that the air delivery setup generated battlefield-relevant blast forces. When the AID was charged to 40, 80, and 100 psi, the outputs were 229 (SD 13) N, 778 (SD 50) N, and 1085 (SD 114) N, respectively, compared with the blunt force model which proposed only 168 (SD 11) N. For the 100-psi AID setup, the force equaled a 5.8-kg charge weight of trinitrotoluene at a standoff distance of approximately 2.62 m, which would replicate a dismounted improvised explosive device blast in theater. Dispersion data showed that the delivery system would have the ability to cause host tissue trauma and effectively disperse metal particulate and host bone chips in local musculature compared with the standard blunt force model (13 mm vs 2 mm). Conclusions Our data showed that a high-pressure AID was repeatable or reproducible, had the ability to function as a simulated battlefield blast that can model military HO scenarios, and will allow for factors including blast trauma to translate toward a large animal model.
Jejuno-jejunal intussusception in a post-lung transplant patient from a gastrojejunostomy tube: A case report.

Abstract Introduction: Gastro-jejunostomy tube is used for post-pyloric feeding for critical-ill patient who cannot tolerate oral alimentation. Jejuno-jejunal intussusception is a rare complication of gastrojejunostomy tube. Presentation of case: A 39-year-old male with history of severe combined immunodeficiency, Achalasia and end-stage lung disease underwent double lung transplantation. After lung transplantation, he required gastrojejunostomy(GJ) tube placement due to his esophageal disease. Four days after gastrojejunostomy tube placement, he developed jejuno-jejunal intussusception. A 15 cm segment of thickened and enlarged bowel, which consisted of the intussusception were identified laparoscopically. Surgical reduction was performed without bowel resection. Discussion: Intussusception is uncommon in adults compared to pediatric population. In this rare case, the jejunal limb of the GJ tube placed in jejunum was the cause of jejunojejunal intussusception serving as the lead point. The GJ tube should not be placed farther down from ligaments of Treiz to prevent jejuno-jejunal intussusception. Conclusions: A heightened index of suspicion for this rare complication should exist with a presenting patient has signs of proximal bowel obstruction and CT evidence of intussusception.
Stent-Assisted Coil Embolization

Stent-assisted coil embolization is undoubtedly a valuable tool for the treatment of cerebral aneurysms. While it is clearly not a technique that should be applied to every aneurysm, the continued development and refinement of intracranial stents have allowed for safe and effective endovascular treatment of an increasing number of aneurysms. It is important to be cognizant that, as is the case with many surgical techniques, one approach does not fit all. Just as some aneurysms may be better suited for balloon-assisted or single-catheter coil embolization, the same stent-assisted technique is not useful across all aneurysms that are deemed to warrant stent assistance. It therefore behooves the treating physician to be familiar with all of these techniques, including single-stent placement with or without jailing of the microcatheter, X- or Y-stenting, waffle-cone stenting, and rescue-stent placement including the placement of overlapping stents. By gaining familiarity with these variations and technical nuances, treatment can be tailored to find the optimal option for each individual aneurysm.
Prostaglandins and cesarean delivery for nonreassuring fetal status in patients delivering small-for-gestational age neonates at term.

Objective: Growth-restricted fetuses have been excluded from many randomized trials of prostaglandins for labor induction. As prostaglandins, particularly misoprostol, are associated with increased...
You Win Some, You Lose Some: Pension Reform in Bachelet’s First and Second Administrations:

This article analyses and compares President Bachelet’s successful efforts to reform the Chilean pension system in 2008 and her failure to achieve the same objective in 2017. The article addresses ...
Historical Perspectives on Conjugation-Dependent Bioactivation of Foreign Compounds

Publisher Summary The conjugation-dependent bioactivation of foreign compounds for carcinogenesis and toxicity had its origin in research. These investigations concerned primarily the metabolism and carcinogenicity of two compounds: 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (DAB) and 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF). The carcinogenic activity of DAB in the rat has been first reported. The long-term objective of the studies was the elucidation of the biochemical mechanisms of action of these carcinogens in the induction of tumors, especially in the liver, in rats after prolonged feeding of these compounds. These studies led to several observations: (1) the covalent binding of carcinogens to the cellular macromolecules of tissues undergoing carcinogenesis, (2) the hepatic microsomal oxidases that metabolize many carcinogens and drugs and the induction of the synthesis of these enzymes in vivo following the administration of many different chemicals, and (3) the activation of many carcinogens by hepatic oxidases and conjugases to form electrophilic ultimate carcinogens that covalently bind to informational macromolecules in cells and initiate the development of carcinogenic, mutagenic, and other toxic lesions.
Infidels and Empires in a New World Order: Early Modern Spanish Contributions to International Legal Thought

Before international relations in the West, there were Christian-infidel relations. Infidels and Empires in a New World Order decenters the dominant story of international relations beginning with Westphalia in 1648 by looking a century earlier to the Spanish imperial debate at Valladolid addressing the conversion of native peoples of the Americas. In addition to telling this crucial yet overlooked story from the colonial margins of Western Europe, this book examines the Anglo-Iberian Atlantic to consider how the ambivalent status of the infidel other under natural law and the law of nations culminating at Valladolid shaped subsequent international relations in explicit but mostly obscure ways. From Hernan Cortes to Samuel Purchas, and Bartolome de las Casas to New England Puritans, a host of unconventional colonial figures enter into conversation with Francisco de Vitoria, Hugo Grotius, and John Locke to reveal astonishing religious continuities and dissonances in early modern international legal thought with important implications for contemporary global society.
Comprehensive Blood Coagulation Profiling in Patients Using iCoagLab: Comparison Against Thromboelastography.

Delayed identification of coagulopathy and bleeding increases the risk of organ failure and death in hospitalized patients. Timely and accurate identification of impaired coagulation at the point-of-care can proactively identify bleeding risk and guide resuscitation, resulting in improved outcomes for patients. We test the accuracy of a novel optical coagulation sensing approach, termed iCoagLab, for comprehensive whole blood coagulation profiling and investigate its diagnostic accuracy in identifying patients at elevated bleeding risk. Whole blood samples from patients (N = 270) undergoing conventional coagulation testing were measured using the iCoagLab device. Recalcified and kaolin-activated blood samples were loaded in disposable cartridges and time-varying intensity fluctuation of laser speckle patterns were measured to quantify the clot viscoelastic modulus during coagulation. Coagulation parameters including the reaction time (R), clot progression time (K), clot progression rate (α), and maximum clot strength (MA) were derived from clot viscoelasticity traces and compared with mechanical thromboelastography (TEG). In all patients, a good correlation between iCoagLab- and TEG-derived parameters was observed (p
Targeting Heme Oxygenase-1 in the Arterial Response to Injury and Disease

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) catalyzes the degradation of heme into carbon monoxide (CO), iron, and biliverdin, which is rapidly metabolized to bilirubin. The activation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) plays a critical role in mediating the aberrant arterial response to injury and a number of vascular diseases. Pharmacological induction or gene transfer of HO-1 improves arterial remodeling in animal models of post-angioplasty restenosis, vascular access failure, atherosclerosis, transplant arteriosclerosis, vein grafting, and pulmonary arterial hypertension, whereas genetic loss of HO-1 exacerbates the remodeling response. The vasoprotection evoked by HO-1 is largely ascribed to the generation of CO and/or the bile pigments, biliverdin and bilirubin, which exert potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, these molecules inhibit vascular SMC proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and phenotypic switching. Several therapeutic strategies are currently being pursued that may allow for the targeting of HO-1 in arterial remodeling in various pathologies, including the use of gene delivery approaches, the development of novel inducers of the enzyme, and the administration of unique formulations of CO and bilirubin.
The Impact of Organized Labor on CEO Debt-Like Compensation:

We examine the impact of organized labor on the debt-like components of CEO compensation. In initial findings, we demonstrate a positive association between unionization intensity with measures of ...
Chaos and recurrence analyses of pressure signals from bubbling fluidized beds

Abstract Results from chaos and recurrence analyses of pressure signals from bubbling fluidized beds are presented in this study. The experiments were performed in cylindrical columns having internal diameters of 2.5 inches, 4 inches and 6 inches while operating conditions, material properties and static bed height were held constant. Superficial velocity of air at the inlet was varied from 2.97 to 5.35 times minimum fluidization velocity in each column. The test procedure involved randomization and replicates to estimate measurement uncertainty and identify bias if present. The columns were split into regions based on dominant physical mechanisms occurring within. Fractal measures were evaluated from differential pressure data which confirm deterministic chaos. They represent a broad range of spatial and temporal scales and were used to elucidate multiphase dynamics in different sections of these columns. Non-linear analysis is hence shown to provide more intuition particularly when a true scale-up study based on non-dimensional groups becomes prohibitive.
Standardized method for defining a 1-mm2 region of interest for calculation of mitotic rate on melanoma whole slide images

Context.— Mitotic rate counting is essential in pathologic evaluations in melanoma. The American Joint Committee on Cancer recommends reporting the number of mitotic figures (MFs) in a 1-mm2 area encompassing the "hot spot." There is currently no standard procedure for delineating a 1-mm2 region of interest for MF counting on a digital whole slide image (WSI) of melanoma. Objective.— To establish a standardized method to enclose a 1-mm2 region of interest for MF counting in melanoma based on WSIs and assess the method's effectiveness. Design.— Whole slide images were visualized using the ImageScope viewer (Aperio). Different monitors and viewing magnifications were explored and the annotation tools provided by ImageScope were evaluated. For validation, we compared mitotic rates obtained from WSIs with our method and those from glass slides with traditional microscopy with 30 melanoma cases. Results.— Of the monitors we examined, a 32-inch monitor with 3840 × 2160 resolution was optimal for counting MFs within a 1-mm2 region of interest in melanoma. When WSIs were viewed in the ImageScope viewer, ×10 to ×20 magnification during screening could efficiently locate a hot spot and ×20 to ×40 magnification during counting could accurately identify MFs. Fixed-shape annotations with 500 × 500-μm squares or circles can precisely and efficiently enclose a 1-mm2 region of interest. Our method on WSIs was able to produce a higher mitotic rate than with glass slides. Conclusions.— Whole slide images may be used to efficiently count MFs. We recommend fixed-shape annotation with 500 × 500-μm squares or circles for routine practice in counting MFs for melanoma.
Acculturation, Sun Tanning Behavior, and Tanning Attitudes Among Asian College Students in the Northeastern USA

College students participate in high levels of tanning, a skin cancer risk behavior due to ultraviolet radiation exposure, yet little is known about Asian college students’ behavior. This study examined the relationship between tanning attitudes, acculturation to the USA (cultural assimilation), and tanning behavior. An online survey was used to recruit 211 Asian college students in the northeastern USA (47.4% born outside of the USA) to respond to questions about recent tanning behavior, sun protection strategies, attitudes about tanning, and acculturation to the USA. Attitudes about tanning, particularly desire for a darker skin tone and social norms, along with acculturation to the USA, were predictive of intentional tanning. The sample reported high levels of sun protection, which was associated with low acculturation. The significant role of acculturation in this study indicates that it may be a useful factor to include in future tanning intervention studies of relevant populations.
Design and Characterization of an Ultrasound Transducer for Combined Histotripsy-Thrombolytic Therapy.

Chronic thrombi of the deep veins of the leg are resistant to dissolution or removal by current interventions and can act as thrombogenic sources. Histotripsy, a focused ultrasound therapy, uses the mechanical activity of bubble clouds to liquefy target tissues. In vitro experiments have shown that histotripsy enhances thrombolytic agent recombinant tissue plasminogen activator in a highly retracted clot model resistant to lytic therapy alone. Although these results are promising, further refinement of the acoustic source is necessary for in vivo studies and clinical translation. The source parameters for use in vivo were defined, and a transducer was fabricated for transcutaneous exposure of porcine and human iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis (DVT) as the target. Based on the design criteria, a 1.5-MHz elliptical source with 6-cm focal length and a focal gain of 60 was selected. The source was characterized by fiber-optic hydrophone and holography. High speed photography showed that the cavitation cloud could be confined to dimensions smaller than the specified vessel lumen. The source was also demonstrated in vitro to create confined lesions within clots. The results support that this design offers an appropriate clinical prototype for combined histotripsy-thrombolytic therapy.
Foundations of Confocal Scanned Imaging in Light Microscopy

Seldom has the introduction of a new instrument generated as instant an excitement among biologists as the laser-scanning confocal microscope. With the new microscope, one can slice incredibly clean, thin optical sections out of thick fluorescent specimens; view specimens in planes tilted to, and even running parallel to, the line of sight; penetrate deep into light-scattering tissues; gain impressive three-dimensional (3D) views at very high resolution; obtain differential interference or phase-contrast images in exact register with confocal fluorescence images; and improve the precision of microphotometry.
Coastal Resource Management in the Philippines: A Case Study in the Central Visayas Region:

The ongoing destruction of wild coastal resources in the Philippines is rendering vast tracts of coral reef and other marine habitats unable to support productive fisheries. Progressive approaches ...
GB 790305 as a very strongly magnetized neutron star

The March 5 1979 event was the strongest gamma-ray burst ever observed. Its location in the sky is known with an accuracy of about 10 arcsec, and it coincides with the N49 supernova remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The main burst was followed by a soft tail with the periodic 8 s modulation, and 16 soft gamma events over the following few years. If the source is a magnetic neutron star with the 8 s rotation period and the age of about 10 exp 4 years as indicated by N49 then the field strength of about 5 x 10 exp 14 gauss is implied. The corresponding critical luminosity is about 10 exp 4 L(Edd), as the electron scattering opacity is suppressed by the strong magnetic field. This luminosity is consistent with the observed peak flux of the soft tail and the soft repeaters. The soft spectrum may be approximated with the photospheric emission at kT(eff) = 17 keV. The corresponding photospheric radius is about 14 km, compatible with a neutron star hypothesis. The total magnetic energy of the star is about 4 x 10 exp 46 erg, more than enough to power the March 5 event and all its repeaters.
Association between 24-hour blood pressure variability and chronic kidney disease: a cross-sectional analysis of African Americans participating in the Jackson heart study

Background: Studies suggest 24-h blood pressure (BP) variability has prognostic value for cardiovascular disease. Several factors associated with high 24-h BP variability are also common among individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We hypothesized 24-h BP variability would be higher for individuals with versus without CKD. Methods: We analyzed 1,022 Jackson Heart Study participants who underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Twenty-four hour BP variability was defined by two metrics: day-night standard deviation (SDdn) and average real variability (ARV). CKD was defined as ACR ≥30 mg/g or eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 . Results: The mean SDdn of systolic BP (SBP) was 10.2±0.2 and 9.1±0.1 mmHg and the mean ARV of SBP was 9.2±0.2 and 8.6±0.1 mmHg for those with and without CKD, respectively (each p ≤0.001). After adjustment for age and sex, SDdn and ARV were 0.98 mmHg (95 % CI 0.59, 1.38) and 0.52 mmHg (95 % CI 0.18, 0.86), respectively, higher among participants with versus without CKD. These differences were not statistically significant after further multivariable adjustment including 24-h mean SBP. Older age, and higher total cholesterol and 24-h mean SBP were associated with higher SDdn and ARV of SBP among participants with CKD. Mean SDdn and ARV of diastolic BP (DBP) were higher for participants with versus without CKD but these associations were not present after multivariable adjustment. Conclusion: Data from the current study suggest that CKD is associated with higher 24-h BP variability, but the association is primarily explained by higher mean BP among those with CKD.
Variation in total electron content above large thunderstorms

[1] Total electron content (TEC) measured by Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers in the United States Great Plains is examined for three nights with large thunderstorms and for one night with little thunderstorm activity. The GPS TEC data are fit with a polynomial, and the variations are estimated by subtracting this fit from the data. We found that anomalous TEC variations are closely associated in time and space to the large underlying thunderstorms. The largest storm-related TEC variation is observed to be ~1.4 total electron content unit (TECU) over a typical nighttime background value of several TECUs. The variations near the storm appear to have more high-frequency content than those away from the storm, with periods of minutes to tens of minutes. No detectable localized TEC variation is observed for the thunderstorm-quiet night.
Thermally inactivated simian virus 40 tsA58 mutant T antigen cannot initiate viral DNA replication in vitro.

Abstract The mutation in the temperature-sensitive tsA58 mutant T antigen (Ala-438----Val) lies within the presumptive ATP-binding fold. We have constructed a recombinant baculovirus that expresses large quantities of the tsA58 T antigen in infected insect cells. The mutant T antigen mediated simian virus 40 origin-containing DNA (ori-DNA) synthesis in vitro to nearly the same extent as similar quantities of wild-type T antigen at 33 degrees C. However, if wild-type and tsA58 T antigens were heated at 41 degrees C in replication extracts prior to addition of template DNA, the tsA58 T antigen but not the wild type was completely inactivated. The mutant protein displayed greater thermosensitivity for many of the DNA replication activities of T antigen than did the wild-type protein. Some of the replication functions of tsA58 T antigen were differentially affected depending on the presence or absence of ATP during the preheating period. When tsA58 T antigen was preheated in the presence of ATP at 41 degrees C for a time sufficient to completely inactivate its ability to replicate ori-DNA in vitro, it displayed substantial ATPase and normal DNA helicase activities. Conversely, when preheated in the absence of nucleotide, it completely lost both ATPase and helicase activities. Preheating tsA58 T antigen, even in the presence of ATP, led to drastic reductions in its ability to bind to and unwind DNA containing the replication origin. The mutant T antigen also displayed thermosensitivity for binding to and unwinding nonspecific double-stranded DNA in the presence of ATP. Our results suggest that the interactions of T antigen with ATP that are involved in T-antigen DNA binding and DNA helicase activities are different. Moreover, we conclude, consistent with its phenotype in vivo, that the tsA58 T antigen is defective in the initiation but not in the putative elongation functions of T antigen in vitro.
Topical mitomycin C for extensive, recurrent conjunctival-corneal squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of topical mitomycin C for extensive recurrent conjunctival and corneal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). DESIGN: Interventional case series METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in a single institution. Ten patients (ten eyes) with extensive recurrent conjunctival and corneal SCC were studied. The patients received topical mitomycin C 0.04% one drop four times daily in the eye with SCC. Treatment cycles were defined as 1 week using medication followed by 1 week without medication. Such treatment cycles were repeated until resolution of the conjunctival malignancy was clinically evident. The main outcome measures were tumor response and medication-related complications. RESULTS: Of the ten patients, the median age was 66 years (range 33–77 years). Before referral, the patients had undergone a median of two previous conjunctival tumor resections revealing the diagnosis of in situ SCC in three cases and locally invasive SCC in six cases. At presentation, the tumor involved the limbus and cornea in all ten eyes, forniceal conjunctiva in three eyes, and tarsal conjunctiva in one eye. The extensive tumor affected a median of 10 clock hours of limbal conjunctiva and 10 clock hours of cornea, with corneal epithelial invasion for a median of 50% (range 20%–100%) of its surface. Mitomycin C 0.04% four times daily was applied for a median of three cycles (range 1–4 cycles). Complete tumor regression was documented in all ten cases (100%). There was no recurrence over a mean follow up of 22 months (range 6–50 months). Mitomycin C caused moderate temporary local irritation and conjunctival erythema and chemosis, but no long-term intraocular or extraocular complications. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this small series, topical mitomycin C 0.04% appears to be a safe and effective therapy for conjunctival or corneal SCC, even when there is extensive recurrent tumor.
Ben P. Robertson, Elizabeth Inchbald’s Reputation: A Publishing and Reception History

Review by Geremy Carnes (Lindenwood University) of Ben P. Robertson, Elizabeth Inchbald’s Reputation: A Publishing and Reception History . London: Pickering & Chatto. Pp. 265. £60. ISBN 9781851961597.