cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
False Claims, Not Securities Fraud: Towards Corporate Governance by Whistleblowers

This paper, a contribution to an October 2009 symposium, "The 80th Anniversary of The Great Crash of 1929: Law, Markets, and The Role of The State," held at Chapman University School of Law, explores the role of whistleblowers in recent financial regulation reform efforts. The Investor Protection Act of 2009 (and later the Dodd-Frank Act) embrace the notion of whistleblower bounties for securities fraud tipsters. Although the suggested reforms fall short of the ideal approach, opportunities for innovative whistleblower litigation may already arise at the intersection of the economic stimulus and the 150-year-old federal False Claims Act (FCA). Since the government is now a shareholder, false claims to shareholders may already be actionable under the qui tam provisions of the FCA.
Impedimetric Feedback in Particle Laden Digital Microfluidic Devices

Impedimetric measurement methods are a novel approach to the characterization of fluid in biological applications. Lab on a chip (LOAC) technologies could be combined with impedimetrics to benefit these applications. LOAC devices are currently being developed to pursue the miniaturization of larger scale processes. Current research shows great flexibility in using LOAC devices to reproduce biological processes such as those used in medical diagnostic applications. With a smaller form factor, testing that generally requires off-site lab usage can be deployed at the point-of-care. LOAC devices also have the potential to lower operating costs by reducing reagent volumes, labor costs, and cycle times.Digital microfluidic devices (DMF) are one promising LOAC platform. These devices manipulate discrete droplets of fluid using electric fields. As such, DMF devices can create, move, merge, and mix droplets while eliminating mechanical components like channels, pumps, and valves. Manipulation of discrete volumes over a planar array of electrodes allows for the possibility of highly flexible, reconfigurable devices.Addressable positions on a DMF device have conductive planes above and below the droplets which form a parallel plate capacitor. Using this principle, the electrical properties of the system can be measured in the same circuit that is used for droplet manipulation, removing the need for additional sensing components. This research tests the hypothesis that the impedance of a particle laden droplet in a DMF device can be modelled using an equivalent circuit model for particles that span more than half the gap height. The fundamental understanding gained increases sensitivity in impedimetric measurements, and can also be used for DMF applications in medical diagnostics, cell manipulation and observation, and condition based maintenance. This research presents an analytical model based on an equivalent circuit of a particle laden droplet. The proposed model predicts that droplet impedance is a function of device geometry, particle size, particle concentration, and the electrical properties of the particles and the surrounding medium.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Introduction: The 2030 Agenda

This introduction notes the contributions of authors to the second (final) issue of the Journal of Global Ethics 2015 Sustainable Development Goals Forum. It briefly explains the process through which the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have developed from their receipt in 2014 to their passage in September 2015 by the UN General Assembly, and it considers their development in prospect. The Millennium Development Goals, which spanned 1990–2015, present a case study that reveals the changeability of such long-term multilateral commitments. They were enmeshed in overlapping and inconsistent national and intergovernmental commitments reaching from 1995 to 2005, and the text of those goals also evolved, stabilizing for the last time in 2007. The SDGs and attendant commitments should be expected to evolve similarly over their 15-year run. This presents a concern, for among the three committees established by the UN to create the goals, the two committees charged with public consultation were retired as pl...
The Goblin Spider Genus Khamisia and Its Relatives (Araneae, Oonopidae)

ABSTRACT The goblin spider genus Khamisia Saaristo and van Harten was based on a single female from Yemen characterized by large lateral extensions of the sternum that widely separate coxae II and III. Three new species, including the first known males of the genus, are described: K. hayer from the United Arab Emirates, K. atlit from Israel, and K. holmi from Kenya. All these species are united by having only two trichobothria on the palpal tibia; K. hayer has apparently been introduced into Cape Verde. Other specimens with a similarly modified sternum have been found in Africa, Madagascar, and the Virgin Islands, but differ in having the normal set of three trichobothria on the palpal tibia. The new genus Khamisina is established for three new species that also differ in having an abdominal color pattern, a punctate sternum, and uniquely shaped cheliceral setae: K. kivu from DR Congo, K. kilifi from Kenya, and K. ibadan from Nigeria. A second new genus, Khamiscar, is established for six new species from ...
An Evaluation Model for Distributed Computer Systems

During the design phase of a distributed computer system, the designer needs to have access to a set of attributes, the amount of which can be used as common units of measure for both the characteristics of the distributed system and the requirements. It is important that these attributes are chosen independent of any particular candidate system.
Ductus venosus Doppler in the assessment of fetal cardiovascular health: an updated practical approach

The ductus venosus has a central role in the distribution of highly oxygenated umbilical venous blood to the heart. Its waveform is related to the pressure-volume changes in the cardiac atria and it is therefore important in the monitoring of any fetal condition that may affect forward cardiac function. The cardiovascular parameters that can influence forward cardiac function include afterload, myocardial performance and preload. Decreased forward flow during atrial systole (a-wave) is the most sensitive and ubiquitous finding when any of these parameters is affected. In contrast, decreased forward velocities during end-systolic relaxation (v-wave) are more specifically related to myocardial performance. The ductus venosus pulsatility index alone does not accurately reflect cardiac function, and in cases of suspected fetal cardiac dysfunction, echocardiography is required to identify the underlying mechanism. The role of ductus venosus Doppler in the assessment of fetal growth restriction, supraventricular tachycardia, fetal hydrops, complicated monochorionic twins and congenital heart disease is discussed with these considerations in mind.
Drag queens and gender identity

AbstractHeteronormativity within our society has a significant impact on how we come to view and understand gender identity. Drag queens allow a break in the heteronormative gender guideline while also reinforcing the social image of what it means to look like a woman. Although drag queens merely reflect the preexisting image of a woman, they still present an image of both gender bending and the ways that gender is socially taught. This ethnographic research explores how gender and sex identity is socially taught in the public and private space. Ultimately, gender identity is socially influenced when determining our social identities based on social influence. My personal experience in deconstructing my own gender identity has allowed me to explore my social self-identity and how powerful our social heteronromative gender guidelines are. By dressing in male clothing for the first time in a public space, I challenged the daily heteronormative idea of gender while shattering my own self-identity. The gender...
Abstract 1310: ATR checkpoint kinase suppression in combination with oncogenic Ras expression synergistically increases genomic instability and potentiates tumorigenesis in mice

Oncogenic stress, such as that induced by expression of constitutively active forms of Ras, leads to the activation of the ATR-Chk1 pathway. The ATR-Chk1 signaling network is responsible for maintaining genome stability during S phase by preventing replication fork collapse into DNA double strand breaks (DSB). We asked whether oncogenic Ras expression increases the reliance on the ATR pathway for genome maintenance. Here, we report that activation of the ATR-Chk1 pathway functions prominently in suppressing genomic instability following oncogenic Ras expression and limits progression to malignancy in vivo. Independently derived isogenic mouse fibroblasts cultures expressing multiple copies of H-Ras G12V or a single copy K-Ras G12D exhibited significantly elevated levels of ATR-dependent Chk1 phosphorylation in comparison to untransformed controls. Consistent with a critical function for the ATR-Chk1 pathway in maintaining genome stability under oncogenic stress, H2AX phosphorylation and the frequency of sister chromatid exchange were increased to significantly higher levels by partial ATR suppression or Chk1 inhibition in H-Ras G12V -transformed cells than in untransformed counterparts. The effect of combining ATR-Chk1 pathway suppression with H-Ras G12V expression on genomic instability was greater than that observed following ATR-Chk1 pathway suppression or H-Ras G12V expression alone and was not due to increased S phase representation. These results indicate that ATR limits genomic instability following oncogenic Ras expression and putatively provides an important barrier to further genetic alterations that contribute to malignant progression in vivo. To test this model, endogenous levels of K-Ras G12D were conditionally induced via mosaic cre/lox activation of the K-Ras G12D-LSL allele in ATR wild-type and haploinsufficient mice. We demonstrate that ATR haploinsufficiency synergizes with K-Ras G12D expression to cause significantly increased incidences of lung adenocarcinoma, thymic lymphoma and spindle cell sarcoma. Notably, increased tumor incidence in ATR haploinsufficient mice was associated with elevated p53 LOH, consistent with a greater reliance on ATR for maintaining genomic stability under conditions of oncogenic stress. These data indicate that single copy loss of ATR or, potentially, other members of the ATR-Chk1 pathway (>20) may accelerate the malignant progression cancers induced by oncogenic forms of Ras in humans. Genetic alterations such as these may provide selectivity for therapeutic strategies that involve further suppression of ATR-Chk1 pathway activity to levels that are incompatible with continued cellular proliferation. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1310.
Gut peptide receptor expression in human pancreatic cancers.

Objective To determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) peptide receptor expression in pancreatic cancers, and to further assess signaling mechanisms regulating neurotensin (NT)-mediated pancreatic cancer growth. Summary background data Pancreatic cancer remains one of the leading causes of GI cancer death; novel strategies for the early detection and treatment of these cancers is required. Previously, the authors have shown that NT, an important GI hormone, stimulates the proliferation of an NT receptor (NTR)-positive pancreatic cancer. Methods A total of 26 human pancreatic adenocarcinomas, obtained after resection, and 5 pancreatic cancer xenografts were analyzed for expression of NTR, vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor (VIPR), substance P receptor (SPR), and gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR). In addition, NTR expression, [Ca2+]i mobilization, and growth in response to NT was determined in L3.6, a metastatic pancreatic cancer cell line. Results Neurotensin receptor was expressed in 88% of the surgical specimens examined and all five of the pancreatic cancer xenografts. In contrast, VIPR, SPR, and GRPR expression was detected in 31%, 27%, and 8% of pancreatic cancers examined, respectively. Expression of NTR, functionally coupled to the Ca2+ signaling pathway, was identified in L3.6 cells; treatment with NT (10 micromol/L) stimulated proliferation of these cells. Conclusions The authors demonstrated NTR expression in most of the pancreatic adenocarcinomas examined. In contrast, VIPR, SPR, and GRPR expression was detected in fewer of the pancreatic cancers. The expression of NTR and other peptide receptors suggests the potential role of endocrine manipulation in the treatment of these cancers. Further, the presence of GI receptors may provide for targeted chemotherapy or radiation therapy or in vivo scintigraphy for early detection.
Emergence Patterns of Delia radicum (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) Populations from North Carolina and New York

Cabbage maggot, Delia radicum (L.), populations from North Carolina (Fletcher and Scaly Mountain) and New York (Geneva and Highland) were surveyed to detect differences in the emergence pattern of flies from overwintered pupae. Populations from all locations consisted of different proportions of early- and later-emerging individuals. However, populations from New York consisted predominately of early-emerging individuals (≥90%), whereas populations from North Carolina were composed of a higher percentage of later-emerging individuals. Emergence patterns of F1 progeny from crosses between early- and later-emerging flies from Scaly Mountain demonstrated that emergence traits were genetically controlled. D. radicum phenology studies in North Carolina suggested that temporal isolation of the two types was halted by an extended period of aestivation during the summer months, which subsequently allowed the two populations to interbreed during the autumn months. The relative proportion of early:late emergers appears to be unstable over time, which may be due to differential mortality factors operating when populations are temporally isolated or due to dominance or recessive factors governing earliness or lateness, or both.
A prospective study of parainfluenza virus type 4 infections in children attending daycare

Abstract:Studies of parainfluenza virus type 4 (PIV-4) have been limited by difficulty in culturing. We prospectively studied a cohort of 225 young children attending daycare followed for 165 child-years, using polymerase chain reaction to detect 12 viruses, including PIV-4. PIV-4 was second only to
Countermeasures against acute occupational poisoning in maintenance construction of existing railway tunnel

[Objective]According to the concentrations of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides in railway tunnels under 3 construction modes to put forward HACCP and targeted control measures,and make maximum avoidance of acute professional accident.[Methods]The construction of single track tunnel by Kunming Railway Bureau was selected as study object.The concentrations of carbon monoxide,nitrogen dioxide were monitored in the operation spots during construction process,and the data of different construction modes were carried out t test.The risk grade of the 3 kinds of construction was classified on the nitrogen dioxide concentration,and the risk control points were identified on the HACCP principles to develop control measure.[Results]Under the normal construction of 3 different modes,the concentrations of nitrogen dioxide in descending order were artificial ballast cleaning,tamping and track replacement,all meeting national standard;while the concentrations of carbon monoxide in descending order were track replacement,artificial ballast cleaning and artificial ballast cleaning,the concentrations of carbon monoxide in track replacement exceeded 4-12 times of national limits,artificial ballast cleaning over 2 times,but tamping within the national limit.[Conclusion]The simple tamping construction in tunnel belongs to low-risk operation which is unlikely to cause acute carbon monoxide poisoning.Artificial ballast cleaning belongs to medium-risk operation which may cause acute poisoning of carbon monoxide;the key control point by HACCP is to manage generators and the number of locomotives entering into the tunnel simultaneously.Track replacement belongs to high-risk operation which is easy to cause acute carbon monoxide poisoning;the key control point by HACCP is to manage small bolt machine and generators.The occupational protection on HACCP control points in 3 construction mode based on risk grade from the aspects of organization and management,worker,equipment and protection is aimed to avoid the occurrence of acute occupational poisoning accident.
Exercise testing in lower-extremity arterial occlusive disease.

Exercise testing can be a valuable diagnostic tool in the detection and quantitation of symptoms of claudication due to lower-extremity arterial occlusive disease. Exercise testing can unmask occult occlusive disease within the major arterial segments based on changes and blood flow velocity, which can be detected by Doppler testing. Furthermore, exercise testing is useful in assessing the relative contributions of other systemic disorders, such as cardiopulmonary disease, as a limiting factor and can assess the contribution of other causes of limb pain, such as arthritis, in the pathogenesis of the patient’s symptoms.
Structural Mechanisms of Peptide Recognition and Allosteric Modulation of Gene Regulation by the RRNPP Family of Quorum-Sensing Regulators

The members of RRNPP family of bacterial regulators sense population density-specific secreted oligopeptides and modulate the expression of genes involved in cellular processes, such as sporulation, competence, virulence, biofilm formation, conjugative plasmid transfer and antibiotic resistance. Signaling by RRNPP regulators include several steps: generation and secretion of the signaling oligopeptides, re-internalization of the signaling molecules into the cytoplasm, signal sensing by the cytosolic RRNPP regulators, signal-specific allosteric structural changes in the regulators, and interaction of the regulators with their respective regulatory target and gene regulation. The recently determined structures of the RRNPP regulators provide insight into the mechanistic aspects for several steps in this signaling circuit. In this review, we discuss the structural principles underlying peptide specificity, regulatory target recognition, and ligand-induced allostery in RRNPP regulators and its impact on gene regulation. Despite the conserved tertiary structure of these regulators, structural analyses revealed unexpected diversity in the mechanism of activation and molecular strategies that couple the peptide-induced allostery to gene regulation. Although these structural studies provide a sophisticated understanding of gene regulation by RRNPP regulators, much needs to be learned regarding the target DNA binding by yet-to-be characterized RNPP regulators and the several aspects of signaling by Rgg regulators.
Tumor-associated stromal cells as key contributors to the tumor microenvironment

The tumor microenvironment is a heterogeneous population of cells consisting of the tumor bulk plus supporting cells. It is becoming increasingly evident that these supporting cells are recruited by cancer cells from nearby endogenous host stroma and promote events such as tumor angiogenesis, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, as well as mediate mechanisms of therapeutic resistance. In addition, recruited stromal cells range in type and include vascular endothelial cells, pericytes, adipocytes, fibroblasts, and bone-marrow mesenchymal stromal cells. During normal wound healing and inflammatory processes, local stromal cells change their phenotype to become that of reactive stroma. Under certain conditions, however, tumor cells can co-opt these reactive stromal cells and further transition them into tumor-associated stromal cells (TASCs). These TASCs express higher levels of proteins, including alpha-smooth muscle actin, fibroblast activating protein, and matrix metalloproteinases, compared with their normal, non-reactive counterparts. TASCs are also known to secrete many pro-tumorigenic factors, including IL-6, IL-8, stromal-derived factor-1 alpha, vascular endothelial growth factor, tenascin-C, and matrix metalloproteinases, among others, which recruit additional tumor and pro-tumorigenic cells to the developing microenvironment. Here, we review the current literature pertaining to the origins of recruited host stroma, contributions toward tumor progression, tumor-associated stromal cells, and mechanisms of crosstalk between endogenous host stroma and tumor cells.
Glycinol enhances osteogenic differentiation and attenuates the effects of age on mesenchymal stem cells.

Aim: Phytoestrogens, such as glycinol, have recently gained significant attention as an alternative therapy for osteoporosis due to their structural similarity to estradiol and their bone-generating potential. Methods: The osteogenic effects of glycinol were investigated in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) derived from older (>50 years old) and younger subjects (<25 years old). Results: BMSCs isolated from older donors demonstrated reduced osteogenesis. 17β-estradiol and glycinol exposure rescued the age-related reduction in osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. These results correlated with the induction of osteogenic genes and estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) following glycinol treatment. ER antagonist studies further support that glycinol promotes osteogenesis through ER signaling. Conclusion: The results from these studies support investigating glycinol as a potential preventive or treatment for osteoporosis.
Food Policies’ Roles on Nutrition Goals and Outcomes: Connecting of Food and Public Health Systems

Nutrition exists when food security is combined with a sanitary environment, adequate health services, and proper care and feeding practices to ensure a healthy life for all household members. Despite increased attention to undernutrition, it remains a devastating multi-faceted problem for infants, young children, and women around the world, resulting in increased morbidity, mortality, and long-term disability. Undernutrition can also lead to poor health into adulthood, which affects social and economic development of nations. On the other end of the malnutrition spectrum, overweight and obesity are growing problems, linked to changing diets and activity patterns, which also lead to serious health problems and impact the economies of nations. This chapter attempts to unpack the importance of food and agriculture policies on nutrition outcomes and why engagement of food and public health systems remain critically important. External pressures, such as climate variability and population growth, that tax these systems are discussed, as well as the globalization of our food system and why that has shifted dietary patterns and nutrition and health status trends. The multi-sectoral integration of food and health systems and its importance to improve nutrition is demonstrated through three models. Three very brief case studies are presented that help exemplify some of the food and health system trends that influence policy and ultimately, nutrition outcomes.
Some remarks on applied mathematics

Encourage students to focus on fundamentals. In mathematics this means algebra, analysis and geometry, but it is also desirable for an applied mathematician to have a broad education in science and engineering, including the perspectives found in computer science. It is impossible to predict what kinds of mathematics will be especially useful for the problems yet to be encountered. Being prepared to read about the work of others and having a first hand knowledge of many good examples is about the best one can do. One of the very positive side effects associated with the increasing number of scientifically and mathematically literate people in the world is that there are now readable books and survey papers covering a vast array of scientific work. It is essential that students who aspire to be model builders and problem solvers should have the tools necessary to make use of this resource. This point is well illustrated by recent developments in mathematical physics involving the use of some of the very latest ideas in geometry to provide a language suitable for unifying field theories.
Detecting evolutionary forces in language change

Analyses of digital corpora of annotated texts reveal the influence of stochastic drift versus selection in grammatical shifts in English and provide a general method for quantitatively testing theories of language change. Languages and genes are transmitted between generations, both being subject to change with each step through random fluctuation as well as natural selection. Joshua Plotkin and colleagues assess the contribution of these two evolutionary mechanisms in a large body of texts ranging from the 12th to the 21st centuries. Some of the findings, for example that rare words are more prone to random drift than common ones, are perhaps not surprising. However, selection for the irregular forms of some verbs tends to buck the usual assumption of regularization over time, and might be related to changing frequencies of rhyming patterns. The findings suggest a more important role for random processes in language evolution than previously considered. Both language and genes evolve by transmission over generations with opportunity for differential replication of forms1. The understanding that gene frequencies change at random by genetic drift, even in the absence of natural selection, was a seminal advance in evolutionary biology2. Stochastic drift must also occur in language as a result of randomness in how linguistic forms are copied between speakers3,4. Here we quantify the strength of selection relative to stochastic drift in language evolution. We use time series derived from large corpora of annotated texts dating from the 12th to 21st centuries to analyse three well-known grammatical changes in English: the regularization of past-tense verbs5,6,7,8,9, the introduction of the periphrastic ‘do’10, and variation in verbal negation11. We reject stochastic drift in favour of selection in some cases but not in others. In particular, we infer selection towards the irregular forms of some past-tense verbs, which is likely driven by changing frequencies of rhyming patterns over time. We show that stochastic drift is stronger for rare words, which may explain why rare forms are more prone to replacement than common ones6,9,12. This work provides a method for testing selective theories of language change against a null model and reveals an underappreciated role for stochasticity in language evolution.
Management of the Axilla in Early Breast Cancer

Management of the axilla in early breast cancer patients has significantly evolved in the last several decades. With the arrival of the sentinel lymph node biopsy, surgical practice for axillary staging in patients with early breast cancer has become gradually less invasive and formal axillary lymph node dissection has been confined to selected patients. Over the last two decades, evidence from randomized clinical trials have allowed for the de-escalation of axillary surgery in the management of early stage breast cancer. Advances in the staging and treatment of the axilla constitute a key component in determining initial surgical planning and therapeutic strategies in the treatment of early breast cancer. This chapter provides an updated review on the history, evolution, and current practices for axillary management in patients with early breast cancer, with particular attention to the surgical recommendations and controversial scenarios of the evolving management of the axilla.
Psychiatric Consultation to a Residential Facility for the Mentally Retarded

The last thirty years has witnessed an explosion of interest in psychiatric consultation. Most authors have focused on scientific description of the consultation, others have chosen to examine its “art.” Caplan separated consultations according to their primary focus, and the extent to which the consultant is interested in educating the consultee.1 Solomon noted that the psychiatric consultant represents both himself and the entire field of psychiatry, and thus must be sensitive to both its contributions and its limitations.2 Nowhere is this more true than in the area of mental retardation. However, until recently the need for psychiatric consultation for retarded persons has been generally unrecognized or under-valued. Groups such as the GAP (Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry) have noted that psychiatric trainees have more personal than professional knowledge of mental retardation, and that consultants who care for such “devalued persons” may have status problems.3,4 This is tragic in view of the evidence that the mentally retarded suffer a variety of psychiatric disorders, and benefit from treatment of these conditions.5,6 For these reasons, interest has surfaced regarding the treatment of psychiatric disorders in the retarded, with the focus on diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
Behavior in Autoimmune Mice

Several lines of research suggest that the nervous system and the immune system interact at several levels to constitute an integrated mechanism of defense. For example, recent studies document that lymphoid tissue is innervated by the sympathetic nervous system (Feiten, Feiten, Bellinger, Carlson, Ackerman, Madden, Olschowka, & Livnat, 1987), and lesions or electrical stimulation of hypothalamic structures alter immunologic reactivity (Roszman, Jackson, Cross, Titus, Markesbery, & Brooks, 1985; Stein, Schleifer, & Keller, 1981). Conversely, activation of the immune system by injecting animals with antigen results in an increase in the firing rate of neurons within the ventromedial hypothalamus (Besedovsky, Sorkin, Keller, Felix, & Haas, 1977). The exogenous alteration of blood levels of a variety of hormones also influences immune responses, and, conversely, activation of the immune system elicits endocrine responses such as changes in adrenocortical steroid and catecholamine levels (Besedovsky, del Rey, Sorkin, DaPrada, Burri, & Honegger, 1983; Besedovsky, Sorkin, Keller, & Muller, 1975; Livnat, Feiten, Carlson, Bellinger, & Feiten, 1985; Shek & Sabiston, 1983). In this chapter, I propose to discuss some of the evidence for a similar reciprocal relationship between behavior and immune function based, presumably, on the existence of neural and endocrine pathways that provide a link between these adaptive systems.
Abstract 8: Endothelial TFEB Regulates Postischemic Angiogenesis via AMPKalpha Activation

Rationale: Postischemic angiogenesis is critical to limit the ischemic tissue damage and improve the blood flow recovery. The regulation and the underlying molecular mechanisms of angiogenesis are not fully unraveled. Transcription factor-EB (TFEB) is emerging as a master gene for autophagy and lysosome biogenesis. However, the role of TFEB in the vascular disease is less understood. Objective: We aim to determine the role of endothelial TFEB in postischemic angiogenesis and underlying molecular mechanism. Methods and Results: In a murine hindlimb ischemic model, we demonstrated that TFEB was upregulated in the ischemic skeletal muscle tissue. Utilizing genetically-engineered endothelial cell (EC) specific TFEB transgenic mice, we investigated the function of TFEB in postischemic angiogenesis. We observed improved blood perfusion and increased capillary density in the EC-specific TFEB transgenic mice compared with the wild-type littermates (n = 8-9 for each group, p Conclusions: In summary, our data demonstrate that TFEB is a positive regulator of angiogenesis through activation of AMPKα signaling, suggesting that TFEB constitutes a novel molecular target for ischemic vascular disease.
Activating the: Modeling Influence Spread in Natural-World Social Networks

While reigning models of diffusion have privileged the structure of a given social network as the key to informational exchange, real human interactions do not appear to take place on a single graph of connections. Using data collected from a pilot study of the spread of HIV awareness in social networks of homeless youth, we show that health information did not diffuse in the field according to the processes outlined by dominant models. Since physical network diffusion scenarios often diverge from their more well-studied counterparts on digital networks, we propose an alternative Activation Jump Model (AJM) that describes information diffusion on physical networks from a multi-agent team perspective. Our model exhibits two main differentiating features from leading cascade and threshold models of influence spread: 1) The structural composition of a seed set team impacts each individual node's influencing behavior, and 2) an influencing node may spread information to non-neighbors. We show that the AJM significantly outperforms existing models in its fit to the observed node-level influence data on the youth networks. We then prove theoretical results, showing that the AJM exhibits many well-behaved properties shared by dominant models. Our results suggest that the AJM presents a flexible and more accurate model of network diffusion that may better inform influence maximization in the field.
Self-Reported Hip Problems in Professional Ballet Dancers: The Impact on Quality of Life

Hip problems are common in ballet dancers, and it is likely that dancers' perceived quality of life is impaired by their presence. There are no instruments to detect functional impairments related to hip injuries in young, athletic populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of hip related problems on the quality of life in professional ballet dancers. Thirty-seven professional ballet dancers, ages 18 to 33, completed a post-hire health screening prior to the start of their company's season. Participants completed the Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) questionnaire, which assesses level of disability due to a hip problem, and answered additional questions regarding the presence of pain with ballet-specific movements. Subjects were also asked to self-report current or prior history of hip problems or injuries. Dancers with a self-reported history of a hip problem (8 of 37, 21.6%) recorded relatively low HOOS sub-scores (indicative of enhanced disability) for pain and quality of life. The remaining sub-scores-for symptoms, activities of daily living (ADLs), and sports-were not significantly different from those of dancers who were problem-free. Dancers with a history of hip problem were also more likely to report hip pain with two or more dance movements. The impact of hip problems on the quality of life in professional ballet dancers tends to persist despite a lack of significant effect on the ability to perform ADLs or sports-related tasks. Therefore, the self-reported presence of a hip problem should be viewed as a risk factor for decreased quality of life in this population.
Pulmonary Vein Stenosis: Outcomes in Children With Congenital Heart Disease and Prematurity

Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) is a rare condition that has been linked to prematurity and congenital heart disease (CHD). Despite these associations, treatment options are limited and outcomes are guarded. We investigated differences in PVS outcomes based on the presence of CHD and prematurity, and risk factors for mortality or lung transplantation in PVS. Single-center retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with PVS between January 2005 and May 2016 and identified by ICD codes with chart validation. Cox proportional hazard models assessed risk factors for the composite outcome of mortality or lung transplantation. Ninety-three patients with PVS were identified: 65 (70%) had significant CHD, 32 (34%) were premature, and 14 (15%) were premature with CHD. Sixty-five (70%) underwent a PVS intervention and 42 (46%) underwent ≥2 interventions. Twenty-five subjects (27%) died or underwent lung transplant 5.8 months (interquartile range [IQR] 1.1, 15.3) after diagnosis. There was no difference in age at diagnosis or mortality based on presence of CHD or prematurity. PVS diagnosis before age 6 months and greater than 1 pulmonary vein affected at diagnosis were associated with higher mortality (hazards ratio [HR] 3.4 (95% confidence interval 1.5, 7.5), P = 0.003, and HR 2.1 per additional vein affected (95% confidence interval 1.3, 3.4), P = 0.004, respectively). Survival in children with PVS is poor, independent of underlying CHD or prematurity. Younger age and greater number of veins affected at diagnosis are risk factors for worse outcome. Understanding causal mechanisms and development of treatment strategies are necessary to improve outcomes.
Therapeutic Apheresis for Hematologic Emergencies

Therapeutic apheresis (TA) refers to a range of procedures in which blood is removed from a patient; passed through a device to separate its components, most often discarding one (red cells, plasma, white cells, or platelets); and returned to the patient with or without extracorporeal modification or a replacement fluid. Multiple TA modalities can be used in the intensive care setting including therapeutic plasma exchange, red blood cell exchange, cellular depletions (leukocytapheresis, erythrocytapheresis), and extracorporeal photopheresis. This chapter will begin by discussing technical and patient-specific considerations to safely perform TA in critically ill patients, followed by a discussion of specific hematologic disorders in which TA may be indicated. Although many conditions treated with TA are done so without conclusive studies demonstrating its efficacy, evidence-based guidelines published by the American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) exist and are reviewed herein. When implemented in conjunction with an apheresis-trained physician, TA procedures can be lifesaving for patients with a variety of hematologic emergencies such as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, hyperleukocytosis, and complications of sickle cell disease such as acute stroke, acute chest syndrome, and others.
The Jemima Code: two centuries of African American cookbooks

Canons are everywhere, of course, and they are built by those in power. Over time, and with no small amount of effort, power may evolve. As Tipton-Martin demonstrates, cookbooks also have a canon a...
Indoor Occupancy Awareness and Localization Using Passive Electric Field Sensing

In this paper we introduce sparse low-power sensor networks using passive electric potential sensors (EPS) for crowd-aware smart buildings. The proposed networks can detect human presence and track their positions by measuring the electric field disturbances caused by human movement. In addition, the proposed passive sensing system can remotely monitor human physiological signals of nearby stationary occupants (standoff ~1.5 m) when the ambient 60 Hz fields are filtered out. Based on an experimentally calibrated source-range model, we further propose an indoor person localization method based on maximum likelihood (ML) detection in the near field using dividing rectangular (DIRECT) search. Experimental results in two different rooms show the effectiveness of our proposed sensing system and occupant localization methods with average localization error less than ~0.3 m. These results open up new possibilities in security, indoor navigation or positioning systems (IPS), human-machine interfaces, and tele-health applications.
Feeding Manila in Peace and War, 1850–1945

Daniel F. Doeppers. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 2016. xvii and 443 pp., maps, photos, diagrams, illustrations, notes, glossary, index. $79.95 cloth (ISBN 978-0-299-30510-9).Feeding ...
Effect of Selected Biopesticides in Reducing Soybean Rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) Development.

The intensive use of fungicides in controlling soybean rust (SBR), a damaging foliar fungal disease of soybean caused by the obligate fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi, may have accelerated the insensit...
Numerical Analysis for Conservation Laws Using l-1 Minimization

This paper develops and analyzes a new numerical scheme for solving hyperbolic conservation laws that combines the Lax Wendroff method with $$l_1$$ regularization. While prior investigations constructed similar algorithms, the method developed here adds a new critical conservation constraint. We demonstrate that the resulting method is equivalent to the well known lasso problem, guaranteeing both existence and uniqueness of the numerical solution. We further prove consistency, convergence, and conservation of our scheme, and also show that it is TVD and satisfies the weak entropy condition for conservation laws. Numerical solutions to Burgers’ and Euler’s equation validate our analytical results.
Facile Reduction of Tungsten Halides with Nonconventional, Mild Reductants. I. Tungsten Tetrachloride: Several Convenient Solid-State Syntheses, a Solution Synthesis of Highly Reactive (WCl4)x, and the Molecular Structure of Polymeric Tungsten Tetrachloride

Polymeric (WCl4)x has been prepared in crystalline form from WCl6 by three new, safer solid-state approaches via mercury (in 83% yield), bismuth (82% yield), or antimony (97% yield) reduction. A modification of a published procedure for reduction of WCl6 with red phosphorus, which improves (WCl4)x purity, is also described. Highly reactive (WCl4)x powder can be prepared in 99% yield via tin reduction of WCl6 in 1,2-dichloroethane. (WCl4)x powder was readily converted in high yields to the known WCl4(MeCN)2 and W2Cl4(OMe)4(HOMe)2. The molecular structure of (WCl4)x, as determined by single-crystal X-ray diffractometry, consists of a polymer of opposite-edge-sharing bioctahedra with alternating short (W(1)−W(1A), 2.688(2) A) and long (W(1)···W(1B), 3.787(3) A) tungsten−tungsten distances. The acute W(1)−Cl(2)−W(1A) angle (69.4(2)°), obtuse Cl(1)−W(1)−W(1A) angle (94.99(12)°), short axial Cl(1)···Cl(1A) nonbonded distance (3.085(10) A, substantially less than twice the Cl van der Waals radius), and short W(1...
Infiltration of intramuscular adipose tissue impairs skeletal muscle contraction

Key points Muscle infiltration with adipose tissue (IMAT) is common and associated with loss of skeletal muscle strength and physical function across a diverse set of pathologies. Whether the association between IMAT and muscle weakness is causative or simply correlative remains an open question that needs to be addressed to effectively guide muscle strengthening interventions in people with increased IMAT. In the present studies, we demonstrate that IMAT deposition causes decreased muscle strength using mouse models. These findings indicate IMAT is a novel therapeutic target for muscle dysfunction. Abstract Intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) is associated with deficits in strength and physical function across a wide array of conditions, from injury to ageing to metabolic disease. Due to the diverse aetiologies of the primary disorders involving IMAT and the strength of the associations, it has long been proposed that IMAT directly contributes to this muscle dysfunction. However, infiltration of IMAT and reduced strength could both be driven by muscle disuse, injury and systemic disease, making IMAT simply an 'innocent bystander.' Here, we utilize novel mouse models to evaluate the direct effect of IMAT on muscle contraction. First, we utilize intramuscular glycerol injection in wild-type mice to evaluate IMAT in the absence of systemic disease. In this model we find that, in isolation from the neuromuscular and circulatory systems, there remains a muscle-intrinsic association between increased IMAT volume and decreased contractile tension (r2 > 0.5, P 0.8). Taken together, this indicates that IMAT is not an inert feature of muscle pathology but rather has a direct impact on muscle contraction. This finding suggests that novel strategies targeting IMAT may improve muscle strength and function in a number of populations.
Morphological comparison of blocks in chaos terrains on Pluto, Europa, and Mars

Abstract Chaotic terrains are characterized by disruption of preexisting surfaces into irregularly arranged mountain blocks with a “chaotic” appearance. Several models for chaos formation have been proposed, but the formation and evolution of this enigmatic terrain type has not yet been fully constrained. We provide extensive mapping of the individual blocks that make up different chaos landscapes, and present a morphological comparison of chaotic terrains found on Pluto, Jupiter's Moon Europa, and Mars, using measurements of diameter, height, and axial ratio of chaotic mountain blocks. Additionally, we compare mountain blocks in chaotic terrain and fretted terrain on Mars. We find a positive linear relationship between the size and height of chaos blocks on Pluto and Mars, whereas blocks on Europa exhibit a flat trend as block height does not generally increase with increasing block size. Block heights on Pluto are used to estimate the block root depths if they were floating icebergs. Block heights on Europa are used to infer the total thickness of the icy layer from which the blocks formed. Finally, block heights on Mars are compared to potential layer thicknesses of near-surface material. We propose that the heights of chaotic mountain blocks on Pluto, Europa, and Mars can be used to infer information about crustal lithology and surface layer thickness.
Statistically efficient association analysis of quantitative traits with haplotypes and untyped SNPs in family studies

Associations between haplotypes and quantitative traits provide valuable information about the genetic basis of complex human diseases. Haplotypes also provide an effective way to deal with untyped SNPs. Two major challenges arise in haplotype-based association analysis of family data. First, haplotypes may not be inferred with certainty from genotype data. Second, the trait values within a family tend to be correlated because of common genetic and environmental factors. To address these challenges, we present an efficient likelihood-based approach to analyzing associations of quantitative traits with haplotypes or untyped SNPs. This approach properly accounts for within-family trait correlations and can handle general pedigrees with arbitrary patterns of missing genotypes. We characterize the genetic effects on the quantitative trait by a linear regression model with random effects and develop efficient likelihood-based inference procedures. Extensive simulation studies are conducted to examine the performance of the proposed methods. An application to family data from the Childhood Asthma Management Program Ancillary Genetic Study is provided. A computer program is freely available. Results from extensive simulation studies show that the proposed methods for testing the haplotype effects on quantitative traits have correct type I error rates and are more powerful than some existing methods.