cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lesser Rogues and Troublesome States

When it came to rogue states in the post–Cold War era, US policy mandarins concentrated mainly on North Korea, Iraq, and Iran. The array of threats emanating from Pyongyang, Baghdad, and Tehran far outweighed those coming from the other countries registered on the US Department of State’s listing of state sponsors of terrorism. Libya, Cuba, South Yemen, Syria, and the Sudan—the other listed nations—did periodically raise anxieties in Washington. Their dictatorial rule, inflammatory declarations, human rights abuses, terrorist sponsorship, or initiatives to secure WMD constituted the earmarks of rogue-state behavior. Yet for a variety of reasons, none rose to the upper or, better put, the lower tier of adversarial nations endangering the world community and particularly the United States and its allies as the triad of pariahs—Iraq, Iran, and North Korea—did. These so-called lesser rogue nations, nevertheless, deserve some attention, as do troublesome states, which could evolve into full-fledged rogue actors.
Hematology and clinical chemistry of cyprinid fish. Common carp and goldfish.

The hematologic and plasma chemistry parameters in aquatic species can be highly variable due to the influence of various intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including stress, that occur with capture, restraint, exposure to air, anesthesia, and sampling procedures. Predictive value is also compromised by improper collection and analysis of blood samples. This article discusses general techniques for blood collection and the variation of the hematologic and plasma chemistry parameters in common carp and goldfish due to the influence of these various factors and disease conditions. Approximate values are also provided for the purpose of comparison and diagnosis.
Theorizing the Lyric

Like Alberto Giacometti’s “la Femme Couchee qui Reve,” Wallace Stevens’s “So-and-So Reclining on her Couch” anticipates the anxiety that prevails in the post—World War II poetry of Stevens, Robert Lowell, and Adrienne Rich. With Ovid’s story of Pygmalion and Narcissus at their base, poem and sculpture offer an entry to the psychological, theoretical, and mythological themes that I take up in the ensuing chapters. Typifying the poet’s incestuous desire to make the woman into a version of the poet’s self and the poet’s appropriative reflex to internalize the woman’s generativity, both works question the divisive tendencies of the six-hundred-year-old Petrarchan poetic that exerted such a powerful influence on Western visual arts and poetry.
Polarity detection in ultrasound current source density imaging

Modulating the electric dipole field with ultrasound pulse, ultrasound current source density imaging (UCSDI) can detect current direction and form spatial 3D imaging of dipole changing in one period of treatment. As ultrasound pulse passes through the conductive media, it convolves/correlates with the inner product of the electric field of a dipole and lead field of a pair of detectors, making the shifting frequency of polarity lower than the center frequency of the ultrasound pulse. After acoustoelectric (AE) signal is shifted to base band, the AE voltage is positive at anode and negative at cathode. In the simulation, the lead fields of detectors and electric field of dipole were calculated by the finite element (FE) method; the convolution and correlation in the computation of AE signal were accelerated using 3-D fast Fourier transforms. The current direction and amplitude are encoded in the phase and amplitude of the AE signal. Based on the analysis of polarity algorithms on the simulated and in-vitro ultrasound current source density images, it is concluded that the cross-correlation method is significantly better than the autocorrelation method to extract the frequency shift for high pulse bandwidth.
Replication of hantaviruses.

Hantaviruses have a genome consisting of three segments of negative-sense, single-strand RNA (reviewed in Schmaljohn 1996a). The large (L), medium (M), and small (S) genomic segments, or vRNAs, code for the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), envelope glycoproteins (Gl and G2), and nucleoprotein (N), respectively. Nonstructural proteins have not been described for hantaviruses. One of the first molecular features found to distinguish hantaviruses from other viruses in the family Bunyaviridae is the sequence of their conserved, complementary terminal nucleotides on the L, M, and S segments (Schmaljohn and Dalrymple 1983). This characteristic, and the absence of serological cross-reactivity among other members of the family, were the bases for the proposal to establish the Hantavirus genus in the family Bunyaviridae in 1986.
Manometric and Electrode-Probe Determination of CO2 in Fish Flesh

A rapid electrometric method for determining endogenous and added CO2 in fish products was studied using an Orion CO2 probe and Orion ionalyzer model #801. Analytical results were compared to those using the standard Warburg manometric technique. Comparisons showed a ± 20.8% mean difference for low concentrations of CO2 ( 800 ppm). The probe technique was found to be easier to use and required less time for operating and cleanup procedures than the manometric method. Based on recovery studies, the specific ion probe was more accurate at all levels of CO2 evaluated than the manometric device.
Inhibition of Poly-ADP-Ribosylation Fails to Increase Axonal Regeneration or Improve Functional Recovery after Adult Mammalian CNS Injury

After traumatic damage of the brain or spinal cord, many surviving neurons are disconnected, and recovery of function is limited by poor axon regeneration. Recent data have suggested that poly ADP-ribosylation plays a role in limiting axonal regrowth such that inhibition of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) may have therapeutic efficacy for neurological recovery after trauma. Here, we tested systemic administration of the PARP inhibitor, veliparib, and showed effective suppression of PARylation in the mouse CNS. After optic nerve crush injury or dorsal hemisection of the thoracic spinal cord in mice, treatment with veliparib at doses with pharmacodynamic action had no benefit for axonal regeneration or functional recovery. We considered whether PARP gene family specificity might play a role. In vitro mouse cerebral cortex axon regeneration experiments revealed that short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated suppression of PARP1 promoted axonal regeneration, whereas suppression of other PARP isoforms either had no effect or decreased regeneration. Therefore, we examined recovery from neurological trauma in mice lacking PARP1. No increase of axonal regeneration was observed in Parp1-/- mice after optic nerve crush injury or dorsal hemisection of the thoracic spinal cord, and there was no improvement in motor function recovery. Thus, comprehensive in vivo analysis reveals no indication that clinical PARP inhibitors will on their own provide benefit for recovery from CNS trauma.
Association of Postpartum Predischarge Depot-Medroxyprogesterone Acetate with In-Hospital Breastfeeding Initiation

Abstract Objective: The primary aim of this study was to examine the association between postpartum predischarge depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (ppDMPA) and in-hospital breastfeeding initiation, and the secondary exploratory aim was to determine if any racial disparities are associated with ppDMPA receipt or its relationship to breastfeeding initiation. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional retrospective chart review of maternal and newborn records at a large urban academic medical center. Variables extracted included in-hospital feeding choice, obstetrical and sociodemographic variables, infant characteristics, and ppDMPA receipt. The association of ppDMPA and maternal–child characteristics with breastfeeding initiation was examined using logistic regression analysis. Results: Among singleton live births of 919 mother–infant pairs (76.5% African American [AA]), 67% initiated breastfeeding (34% exclusive and 33% mixed) and 31.4% received ppDMPA. Breastfeeding rates differed significantl...
Progression of Transsynaptic Retinal Degeneration With Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

Abstract Purpose To illustrate the progression of retrograde transsynaptic retinal degeneration using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Observations A 60 year-old man with a stroke was followed over a 17-month period using SD-OCT of the macula, ganglion cell layer (GCC), and retinal nerve fiber layer. Transsynaptic retinal degeneration progressed over this time. Conclusions and importance Retrograde transsynaptic retinal degeneration may occur in patients with homonymous visual field loss caused by post-geniculate neurologic disease. This is best detected as homonymous thinning of the retina, corresponding to the pattern of visual field loss, using SD-OCT of the GCC and macula. The retinal changes occur at a variable time following the onset of neurologic disease.
Challenges and supports for struggling learners in a student-centered mathematics classroom

ABSTRACTThis qualitative study examines the challenges and supports inherent in a student-centered mathematics curriculum developed for a constructivist environment. Mathematics education faculty a...
Surface and Interface Studies of Metal Oxide/Glass Systems

Optical displays for various devices often consist of a liquid crystal sandwiched between metal oxide layers deposited on glass substrates. Chemical interactions at any of the interfaces may affect the performance of the device. In this study, we have used the surface sensitive techniques of XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) combined with Ar ion etching to probe the interfaces and the films in one type of these optical displays. Elemental concentration changes are found in some of the metal oxide films which could be correlated with the device performance.
Estimation error in regulatory capital requirements: theoretical implications for consumer bank profitability

Despite the topic's societal importance and despite progress in bank research, a lack of consensus exists concerning either the desirability of bank regulation or its optimal design. Enforcement of minimum bank capital standards has been shown to enhance bank stability, but also serves as a potential source of incremental costs, some of which are subtle. Such widely ambiguous research results point to the need for theoretical research regarding capital regulation across diverse banking systems. Along the latter lines, consumer bank issues have been generally neglected. This paper theoretically examines the performance implications of misestimating the regulatory capital requirement for a stylised consumer bank. For our stylised consumer bank, we prove that misestimation, irrespective of its direction, results in lower economic profits and, hence, value. Conclusions and implications for future work are drawn.
The Electrocardiogram in Childhood

The differences in electrocardiograms (ECGs) between infants and adults relate to the relative sizes of the right and left ventricles, the normal heart rate, and conduction differences related to the physical size of the heart. In addition, high voltages may be seen because of the thin chest wall. Patterns of repolarization that would be abnormal in an adult are quite common in children and may persist into the teens and occasionally beyond.
The Structure and Stability of Thermolysin

Thermolysin is an extracellular proteolytic enzyme isolated from Bacillus thermoproteolyticus (Endo, 1962). The enzyme is quite thermostable, retaining over half of its activity after being heated in an aqueous solution for an hour at 80°C, while at 65°C practically no inactivation occurs (Endo, 1962; Matsubara, 1967).
Ethnography or Self-cultural Anthropology?: Reflections on Writing About Ourselves

Dans le contexte de l'efflorescence d'une anthropologie reflexive multipliant les reflexions d'anthropologues sur eux-memes, l'A. examine comment ce qui releve de la sphere personnelle peut etre discute en relation avec l'ecriture ethnographique. Il propose d'abord une relecture de deux textes datant des annees 1980 - Tuhami: A Portrait of a Moroccan, de Vincent Crapanzano, et Moi, Rigoberta Menchu. Une femme indienne au Guatemala -, mettant en evidence les differences et les similitudes avec les genres litteraires de la biographie et de l'autobiographie. Il propose ensuite une reflexion critique sur les tendances actuelles d'auto-reflexion anthropologique - une anthropologie auto-culturelle, ou, souvent, l'ethnographie s'inscrit dans l'autobiographie de l'ethnologue. Selon l'A., cette nouvelle approche peut avoir des consequences nefastes sur l'integrite de l'ecriture ethnographique et sur la position d'ecriture de l'ethnologue.
COMPOSITES: CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS FOR THE NEW ERA

With over fifty years of excellent performance records in the aerospace industry, fiberreinforced-polymer (FRP) composites have been introduced with confidence to the construction industry. These high-performance materials have been accepted by the civil engineers and have been utilized in different construction applications such as repair and rehabilitation of existing structures as well as in new construction applications. This paper provides an overview of the successful and unique applications of FRP composites in construction. The paper also presents a state-of-the-art review on code and specification developments in the USA and worldwide.
Community College Economics for Policymakers: The One Big Fact and the One Big Myth

This paper reviews broad policy trends in postsecondary education, particularly as they apply to community colleges. The review juxtaposes one big fact and one big myth and shows how rejection of the former and acceptance of the latter have impaired policymaking. The one big fact is that the economic returns to college are very high. Although this fact is broadly acknowledged by many, it is underappreciated in policy discussion. The one big myth is that the college affordability crisis is actually an efficiency crisis caused by wasteful spending by colleges. Although widely accepted, this myth is based primarily on “sticker shock,” not evidence. The result has been reduced state funding and new practices (more adjuncts, larger classes, online courses) that cut spending and lower quality; the hope is that spending falls faster than quality so that efficiency will increase. These practices are especially detrimental for community colleges. Students at community colleges, particularly first-generation and low-income students, have less knowledge about the full set of benefits of college and are likely to be very debt averse; they are also less well prepared to navigate independently through college. The direction of policy should therefore be shifted. Students should be provided with more information about how to maximize their returns to college. Colleges should implement practices that enhance quality; spending will necessarily increase, but with genuine quality enhancements, efficiency should increase as well.
Seasonal Variation of Achilles Tendon Injury.

Background:Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) is a common injury with increasing incidence. Several risk factors have been identified; however, little is known about seasonal variations in injury prevalence. Previous reports have generated mixed results, with no clear consensus in the literature. The pur
Discovery of potent liver-selective stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1) inhibitors, thiazole-4-acetic acid derivatives, for the treatment of diabetes, hepatic steatosis, and obesity.

Abstract SCD1 is a rate-limiting enzyme in the conversion of saturated fatty acids to monounsaturated fatty acids. SCD1 inhibitors have potential effects on obesity, diabetes, acne, and cancer, but the adverse effects associated with SCD1 inhibition in the skin and eyelids are impediments to clinical development. To avoid mechanism-based adverse effects, we explored the compounds that selectively inhibit SCD1 in the liver in an ex vivo assay. Starting from a systemically active lead compound, we focused on the physicochemical properties tPSA and cLogP to minimize exposure in the off-target tissues. This effort led to the discovery of thiazole-4-acetic acid analog 48 as a potent and liver-selective SCD1 inhibitor. Compound 48 exhibited significant effects in rodent models of diabetes, hepatic steatosis, and obesity, with sufficient safety margins in a rat toxicology study with repeated dosing.
Seeing the Number Structures

In the previous chapter, we introduced and named an actually infinite set. The set of natural numbers \({\mathbb {N}}=\{0,1,2,\dots \}\). What is the structure of this set? We will give a simple answer to this question, and then we will proceed with a reconstruction of the arithmetic structures of the integers and the rational numbers in terms of first-order logic. The reconstruction is technical and rather tedious, but it serves as a good example of how some mathematical structures can bee seen with the eyes of logic inside other structures. This chapter can be skipped on the first reading, but it should not be forgotten.
A Novel Shared Position Control Method for Robot Navigation Via Low Throughput Human-Machine Interfaces

In this paper, we analyze systems with low throughput human-machine interfaces (such as a brain-computer interface, single switch interface) from the controls perspective. We develop some principles for performance improvement in such systems based on the parallelization of inference and robot motion. The proposed principles are used to design a novel shared position control to navigate a circular massless holonomic robot in a known environment. The system is implemented in simulation and integrated with a real robotic wheelchair. Robot experiments demonstrated the viability of the proposed navigation method in various modes of operation.
The Buyer's Receipt Model for the Tax Consequences of the Assumption of Liabilities in Asset Purchases

This paper offers an approach to taxing liability assumptions made in the context of taxable aquisitions of the assets of ongoing businesses. It suggests that the buyer be viewed as having received a payment from the seller to cover the expected value of the assumed liabilities and to compensate for the risk involved in the assumption. More importantly, the paper highlights the fact that it will be impossible to assign a value to the assets transferred without taking into account the tax treatment to be given to the assumed liabilities. This paper was widely circulated in 1991.
Classification of Error Related Potentials using Convolutional Neural Networks

A class of Electroencephalogram (EEG) generated when a person is present with a stimuli are Error-related potentials (ErrP). Classification of ErrP revolutionized the domain of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI), however, due to its poor classification accuracy, it is difficult to use it in practical applications. The use of deep learning techniques such as Convolutional neural networks (ConvNets) has been growing because of its end-to-end learning capabilities and classification performance in other fields such as computer vision, speech processing and text synthesis. Very little work has been published towards classification of EEG or its classes using deep learning approaches because of its unexplored benefits in BCI applications. In this paper we propose a novel deep ConvNet architecture to accurately classify Error-related potentials. Using the very recent advances from the field of machine learning, such as batch normalization and dropout layers, we designed a new deep ConvNet architecture. We evaluate and compare the performance of two proposed deep ConvNets by finding its classification accuracy for EEG recordings from same and cross sessions as well as cross subjects for different trials of individual subjects. We see that the net proposed later with newer layers performs very well by improving the mean performance by 4%.
Monitoring Silane Sol-Gel Kinetics with In-Situ Optical Turbidity Scanning and Dynamic Light Scattering.

Organosilanes (e.g., R’-SiOR3) provide hydrophobic functionality in thin-film coatings, porous gels, and particles. Compared with tetraalkoxysilanes (SiOR4), organosilanes exhibit distinct reaction kinetics and assembly mechanisms arising from steric and electronic properties of the R’ group on the silicon atom. Here, the hydrolysis and condensation pathways of n-propyltrimethoxy silane (nPM) and a tri-fluorinated analog of nPM, 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl trimethoxy silane (3F), were investigated under aqueous conditions at pH 1.7, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0. Prior to hydrolysis, 3F and nPM are insoluble in water and form a lens at the bottom (3F) or top (nPM) of the solutions. This phase separation was employed to follow reaction kinetics using a Turbiscan instrument to monitor hydrolysis through solubilization of the neat silane lens while simultaneously tracking condensation-induced turbidity throughout the bulk solution. Dynamic light scattering confirmed the silane condensation and particle aggregation processes reported by the turbidity scanning. Employing macroscopic phase separation of the starting reactants from the solvent further allows for control over the reaction kinetics, as the interfacial area can be readily controlled by reaction vessel geometry, namely by controlling the surface area to volume. In-situ turbidity scanning and dynamic light scattering revealed distinct reaction kinetics for nPM and 3F, attributable to the electron withdrawing and donating nature of the fluoro- and organo-side chains of 3F and nPM, respectively.
Correlates of Nonmedical Prescription Opioid Use Among U.S. Adolescents.

Introduction The purpose of this study is to assess risk factors, including other substance use, for nonmedical prescription opioid use among U.S. adolescents. Methods A secondary data analysis of the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey was conducted (n=10,175) in 2018. The outcome was nonmedical prescription opioid use. Predictor variables included other substance use, mood, sleep, academic performance, and demographic characteristics. Survey-weighted procedures in SAS, version 9.4 were used, and an adjusted logistic regression model was conducted. Results Among the sampled adolescents, 13.8% (95% confidence limit=12.4%, 15.3%) reported nonmedical prescription opioid use. Nonmedical prescription opioid use was more likely among participants aged 15 years (versus 16 years), American Indian/Alaskan Natives, and those who reported being sad or hopeless. All other substance use was significantly associated with increased odds of nonmedical prescription opioid use. Nonmedical prescription opioid use was 1.5 times more likely among electronic vapor users (AOR=1.58, 95% CI=1.34, 1.86), 2 times more likely among cigarette (AOR=2.49, 95% CI=2.16, 2.88) and marijuana users (AOR=2.45, 95% CI=2.05, 2.93), and almost 3 times as likely among alcohol users (AOR=2.98, 95% CI=2.18, 4.07). Conclusions Study findings suggest a need for more interventions for nonmedical prescription opioid use among adolescents in the U.S. Information on nonmedical prescription opioid use should be added to all substance use prevention programs for adolescents. Moreover, future research needs to identify longitudinal predictors of adolescent nonmedical prescription opioid use to inform prevention efforts.
Accidental Pediatric Paliperidone Ingestion Resulting in Delayed Profound Tachycardia.

Abstract Background Paliperidone is an atypical antipsychotic that is approved to treat schizophrenia in patients 12 years of age and older. There are minimal data on the clinical effects of exposure in the Case Report We report the case of a 7-year-old girl who was accidentally dosed with paliperidone for 3 days. Her clinical course was notable for a dystonic reaction and profound sinus tachycardia, with a heart rate peaking at 201 beats/min. The tachycardia persisted for over 64 h after her last dose. The mechanism of tachycardia has not been elucidated and is likely multifactorial, with alpha blockade and anticholinergic effects probably contributing. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Clinicians should be aware that paliperidone ingestion in children may result in delayed, profound tachycardia and may require more prolonged observation times or admission to the hospital.
Regional differences in temporomandibular joint inflammation in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a dynamic post-contrast magnetic resonance imaging study.

Abstract The purpose was to determine whether there are regional differences in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) inflammation in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). This was a retrospective study of all patients with dynamic, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging through the TMJs at Massachusetts General Hospital between January 2015 and July 2016. The patient cohort included those with a history of JIA and control patients who underwent MRI for other routine clinical purposes. TMJ inflammation was quantified as the difference between post-gadolinium and pre-gadolinium articular T1 signal intensity normalized to post-gadolinium signal intensity of the longus capitis muscle. TMJ enhancement profiles were generated for the lateral, central, and medial portions of the TMJ. Regional differences in TMJ enhancement were investigated using basic descriptive statistics. Medial edge enhancement of the TMJs was highest in symptomatic JIA joints, followed by asymptomatic JIA, then control joints. Medial edge enhancement was a significant discriminator between symptomatic JIA TMJs and control joints (P = 0.0001), between symptomatic and asymptomatic JIA TMJs (P = 0.0003), and between asymptomatic JIA TMJs and controls (P = 0.0019). A shift in distribution of TMJ enhancement towards the medial edge that was seen uniquely in both asymptomatic and symptomatic JIA TMJs compared to control joints was found. This suggests a pattern of worsening medial edge inflammation with disease.
16S rRNA Amplicon Sequencing of Urban Prokaryotic Communities in the South Bronx River Estuary.

ABSTRACT Biodiversity monitoring is an essential component of restoration efforts. We sequenced 16S rRNA gene amplicons from sediments and waters of Hunts Point Riverside Park and Soundview Park, located in a historically degraded but recovering urban estuary in New York. In total, 16,165 unique amplicon sequence variants were recovered, and Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum.
A Perspective on Thin-Film Perovskites as Supports for Metal Catalysts

Perovskite-supported metals have sometimes been referred to as “intelligent catalysts” because of the potential to regenerate sintered particles by driving the metal into the oxide lattice by high-...
Chromosome-autonomous feedback down-regulates meiotic DNA break competence upon synaptonemal complex formation

The number of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) initiating meiotic recombination is elevated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants that are globally defective in forming crossovers and synaptonemal complex (SC), a protein scaffold juxtaposing homologous chromosomes. These mutants thus appear to lack a negative feedback loop that inhibits DSB formation when homologs engage one another. This feedback is predicted to be chromosome autonomous, but this has not been tested. Moreover, what chromosomal process is recognized as "homolog engagement" remains unclear. To address these questions, we evaluated effects of homolog engagement defects restricted to small portions of the genome using karyotypically abnormal yeast strains with a homeologous chromosome V pair, monosomic V, or trisomy XV. We found that homolog engagement-defective chromosomes incurred more DSBs, concomitant with prolonged retention of the DSB-promoting protein Rec114, while the rest of the genome remained unaffected. SC-deficient, crossover-proficient mutants ecm11 and gmc2 experienced increased DSB numbers diagnostic of homolog engagement defects. These findings support the hypothesis that SC formation provokes DSB protein dissociation, leading in turn to loss of a DSB competent state. Our findings show that DSB number is regulated in a chromosome-autonomous fashion and provide insight into how homeostatic DSB controls respond to aneuploidy during meiosis.
Impacts of Invasive Species in Terrestrial and Aquatic Systems in the United States

The introduction, establishment, and spread of invasive species in terrestrial and aquatic environments is widely recognized as one of the most serious threats to the health, sustainability, and productivity of native ecosystems (Holmes et al. 2009; Mack et al. 2000; Pysek et al. 2012; USDA Forest Service 2013). In the United States, invasive species are the second leading cause of native species endangerment and extinction, and their costs to society have been estimated at $120 billion annually (Crowl et al. 2008; Pimentel et al. 2000, 2005). These costs include lost production and revenue from agricultural and forest products, compromised use of waterways and terrestrial habitats, harm to human and animal health, reduced property values and recreational opportunities, and diverse costs associated with managing (e.g., monitoring, preventing, controlling, and regulating) invasive species (Aukema et al. 2011; Pimentel et al. 2005). The national significance of these economic, ecological, and social impacts in the United States has prompted various actions by both legislative and executive branches of the Federal Government (e.g., the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990; the Noxious Weed Control and Eradication Act of 2002; Executive Order 13112 of 1999, amended in 2016).
Sex, age, tissue, and disease patterns of matrisome expression in GTEx transcriptome data

Abstract The extracellular matrix (ECM) has historically been explored through proteomic methods. Whether or not global transcriptomics can yield meaningful information on the human matrisome is unknown. Gene expression data from 17,382 samples across 52 tissues, were obtained from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project. Additional datasets were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) program and the Gene Expression Omnibus for comparisons. Gene expression levels generally recapitulated proteome-derived matrisome expression patterns. Further, matrisome gene expression properly clustered tissue types, with some matrisome genes including SERPIN family members having tissue-restricted expression patterns. Deeper analyses revealed 388 genes varied by age and 222 varied by sex in at least one tissue, with expression correlating with digitally imaged histologic tissue features. A comparison of TCGA tumor, TCGA adjacent normal and GTEx normal tissues demonstrated robustness of the GTEx samples as a generalized control, while also determining a common primary tumor matrisome. Additionally, GTEx tissues served as a useful non-diseased control in a separate study of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis matrix changes. Altogether, these findings indicate that the transcriptome, in general, and GTEx in particular, has value in understanding the state of organ ECM.
Psychological Resilience, Experimentally Manipulated Social Status, and Dietary Intake among Adolescents

Relative to other racial/ethnic groups in the United States, Hispanic American (HA) youth have higher rates of overweight and obesity. Previous work suggests that low perceived social status (SS) promotes excess caloric intake and, thereby, development of obesity. Psychological resilience may play a role in reducing adverse eating behaviors and risk for obesity. The objective of this study was to investigate whether resilience (as measured by the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale) interacts with experimentally manipulated SS to affect dietary intake among HA adolescents (n = 132). Using a rigged game of Monopoly (Hasbro, Inc.), participants were randomized to a high or low SS condition. Following the Monopoly game, participants consumed an ad libitum lunch and their dietary intake was assessed. There was a significant interaction between resilience and experimentally manipulated SS for total energy intake (p = 0.006), percent energy needs consumed (p = 0.005), and sugar intake (p = 0.004). For the high SS condition, for each increase in resilience score, total energy intake decreased by 7.165 ± 2.866 kcal (p = 0.014) and percent energy needs consumed decreased by 0.394 ± 0.153 (p = 0.011). In the low SS condition, sugar intake increased by 0.621 ± 0.240 g for each increase in resilience score (p = 0.011). After correction for multiple comparisons, the aforementioned interactions, but not simple slopes, were statistically significant.
2-dimensional KTN deflector enabled large capacity time division multiplexing based beam combining

In this paper, we present 2-dimensional (2D) large capacity time-division multiplexing (TDM) laser beam combining technique by potassium tantalate niobate (KTN) electro-optic (EO) beam deflectors. The use of the 2D TDM approach in laser beam combining brings the following key advantages: (1) a large multiplexing capacity compared to 1-dimensional combining, (2) high spatial and spectral beam quality (the combined laser beam has the same spatial and spectral beam profile as the initial individual laser beams), and (3) independency of the phase fluctuation of individual laser beams due to the nature of incoherent laser beam combining. To demonstrate an implementation of 2D beam combining, we recorded the beam after passing KTN crystals with a CCD camera. Our result shows beam combining with a high beam quality, leading to the higher capacity of the TDM technique, which can play a crucial role in applications such as highenergy lasers, laser manufacturing, and large-capacity high-speed laser manufacturing (3D printing).
Strategies for Environmentally Sound Economic Development: A Framework for Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Bold and massive initiatives are needed to take on the problems of poverty in the developing countries and pollution on a global scale. Economists can contribute a concrete, operational analytic framework for assessing some of the implications of alternative scenarios about the world economy. Preliminary results of a feasibility study focused on energy use and air pollution are reported in this paper: projections are presented of CO2, SO2, and NO2 emissions in all regions of the world associated with combustion of fossil fuels.
Has the Second Circuit (Unwittingly) Breathed Life into the Nostrils of Imperial Chinese Government Bonds

The attached letter from one Horatio D. Gadfly will form the basis of the term project for my class at the Duke Law School in the spring semester of 2014. The course is entitled “International Debt Transactions”. Holders of long-defaulted bonds issued by the Chinese Imperial Government and Tsarist Russian Government have faced two insurmountable obstacles to the enforcement of those instruments in U.S. courts: (i) Federal courts had previously ruled that the “absolute” theory of sovereign immunity which prevailed in the United States until 1952 applied to debt obligations issued by foreign governments prior to that time. (Under the absolute theory of sovereign immunity, foreign states could not be sued in U.S. courts without their consent.) (ii) The statute of limitations (six years for contract cases in New York) will have long since expired on those old bonds. A Supreme Court case decided in 2004 (Austria v. Altmann) reversed the old rule about applying absolute sovereign immunity to claims arising prior to 1952. Under the Supreme Court’s new approach, a federal judge should apply the U.S. sovereign immunity rules prevailing at the time an action is commenced, not the rules that existed when the debt was issued. As for the statute of limitations, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2012 that a debt instrument containing a financial covenant (in that case, a promise to maintain the equal ranking of bonds) is breached each time the issuer makes a payment to other creditors in violation of the covenant. The decision may imply that the statute of limitations is commenced afresh for the enforcement (by specific performance or injunction) of the financial covenant in the old bonds each time a payment under new instruments is made in violation of the covenant. See NML v. Argentina. Taken together, these two decisions could possibly, just possibly, breathe life into the nostrils of some sovereign bonds that have for 60 years been esteemed principally for their aesthetic, as opposed to their financial, characteristics. At the very least, magnifying glasses will be trained on framed sovereign bonds hanging in foyers, physician waiting rooms and bathrooms around the country.
Ultrastructural observations of the human uterine smooth muscle cells during gestation.

Abstract At term pregnancy, the myometrium consists of bundles of smooth muscle cells bound together by varying amounts of connective tissue. Each bundle contains both dark and light muscle cells. During uterine contractions it is believed that the smooth muscle cells become darker, decrease in volume, and exhibit changes in diameter. This is accompanied by widening of the interspaces and by a decrease in the areas of cellular contact. Between contractions, there are more light cells which become arranged closer to each other and exhibit large areas of interdigitation. The significance of these observations in the mechanism of uterine contraction and retraction is discussed. Cells believed to be modified smooth muscle cells occupy the myoendometrial junction and the decidua basalis. They are irregular in shape, poor in myofilament content, and rich in other cytoplasmic organelles and form a loosely arranged layer of cells between the myometrium and the trophoblast. The possible functional significance of these cells is also discussed.
International Comparative Sport Law - The US and EU Systems of Sport Governance: Commercialized v. Socio-Cultural Model Competition and Labor Law

The contributions of Foster (2005) and Halgreen (2004) are the latest in a series of debates, discussions, conferences, and academic scholarship on the subject of United States (US) and (or versus) European Union (EU) sport policy. In the context of international relations and foreign policy, these two main players in the formation of international law frequently conflict due to differences in philosophy and culture. This research examines the particular differences between US and EU competition and labor law application in sport, investigates the connection between the two, and attempts to entertain the thought of a "balanced approach" in the legal handling of sport matters, bringing the two "worlds" closer together. In the process of bridging certain traditional gaps in culture and philosophy under a legal and policy analysis lens, the reader may become aware that, indeed, the two "worlds" may not be so far apart, as some critics may argue. Instead, considering contemporary sport situations and increased commercialism in the sport industry, they may be growing progressively closer. The starting point of this analysis involves the examination of specific characteristics featured in the US and EU systems of sport governance. Differences in the philosophies and cultures of the two systems are evident and directly impact policy-making and the legal handling of sports-related cases. In particular, the intricacies of the European "socio-cultural" federalized club-based model differentiate certain policy initiatives in Europe and cases decided by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) from respective issues surrounding commercial sport organizations in the US. In the latter case, both on the professional and the "amateur" level, there have been important decisions –and sometimes Congressional intervention - that have handled sport in a variety of legal ways (either as a commercial enterprise or allowing for autonomy of sport organizations). Thus, examples of such legal handling by courts and policy-making by governmental entities display particular differences between the two often conflicting systems of sport governance, and may even forecast toward resolution of potential disputes in 21st century sport. This investigation presents cases that were instrumental in the development of the present approaches in US and EU sport policy. These cases will be juxtaposed with key policy changes affecting sport in the two systems. The main objective of this contribution is to pursue a balance between the cultural and philosophical differences of the two "worlds", promoting pluralism and alleviating some of the problems recently documented in EU and US administrations', as well as sport governance bodies’ relations. In this process, ideas for future research may be generated. Contrary to popular belief of recent past, this research finds that sport needs politics. Political intervention is a "conditio sine-qua-non" in contemporary world sport policy evolution.
Student Press Exceptionalism

Constitutional protection for student speakers is an issue that has been hotly contested for almost 50 years. Several commentators have made powerful arguments that the Court has failed to sufficiently protect the First Amendment rights of all students. But this debate has overlooked an even more troubling reality about the current state of expressive protection for students — the especially harmful effect of the Court’s precedents on student journalists. Under the Court’s jurisprudence, schools may regulate with far greater breadth and ease the speech of student journalists than of their non-press classmates. Schools are essentially free to censor the student press even when the speech at issue is truthful, legally obtained, non-disruptive, and about matters of public concern.As a constitutional matter, the lack of protection for student journalists should be alarming. This is because the suppression of student journalists not only potentially violates the First Amendment’s Free Speech Clause (as does the censorship of other student speech), but it also infringes on the constitutional guarantee of a free press. Unlike their non-press peers, student journalists fulfill distinctive roles that the Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized as constitutionally valuable. And like reporters outside of the school setting, these young journalists face high risks of government oppression and manipulation if left unprotected. Official censorship of student journalists thus raises numerous First Amendment concerns that should demand heightened — not weakened — court scrutiny.
The effect of peritoneal air exposure on postoperative tumor growth

Background: Previous work has demonstrated that cell-mediated immune function is better preserved in rodents after laparoscopic than open surgery. The cause of this laparotomy-related immunosuppression is unclear. Some investigators have attributed it to the length of the incision; others, to peritoneal air exposure. It has also been shown that tumors in mice are more easily established and grow larger after sham laparotomy than after pneumoperitoneum. Lastly, the differences in tumor growth have been shown to be, at least in part, attributable to the immunosuppression that occurs after laparotomy. The purpose of this study was to determine if air pneumoperitoneum, presumably via immunosuppression related to peritoneal air exposure, is associated with increased tumor growth in the postoperative period.
The perialar arc rotation skin flap

The perialar arc rotation skin flap is an excellent reconstructive option for defects of the lateral nose that do not significantly involve the ala. Design of this new skin flap and potential intraoperative problems are discussed. Use of microlipoextraction for some "trap door" skin flap deformities is presented.
Gas-Phase Zwitterions in the Absence of a Net Charge

The ground state for neutral, isolated molecules in the gas phase can be zwitterionic under appropriate conditions. Quantum chemical calculations show that increasing the basicity of the basic component of a zwitterion leads to enhanced stability for the charge-separated state, which can lead to a ground-state zwitterion. Density functional theory calculations show that methylation of the side chain of arginine is sufficient to induce a ground-state zwitterion. The results for the stepwise methylation of arginine are given, and clearly illustrate enhanced zwitterion stabilization with increasing basicity. In protonated systems, guanidinylation of the N-terminus of arginine yields a salt bridge or charge-stabilized zwitterion structure. The enhanced basicity of guanidino versus amino groups is responsible for the charge separation in this case, which is not observed to be the ground state for protonated arginine itself. These results indicate that charge separation can be favorable in the gas phase and are discussed in light of future experimental efforts.
Innovation accounting analysis on cross‐border mergers and acquisitions between Europe and the USA since the late 1990s

Purpose – The aim of this research is to find out which mergers and acquisitions (MA which of the two markets can able to withstand all the list shocks in the observed period; how long each of the market is about to deal with the shocks (are the shocks long‐lasting or short‐lasting?).Findings – The major findings are: The cointegration results indicate that the M&A markets in Europe and the USA tend to move tog...
Calculation of the equilibrium phase diagrams and the spinodally decomposed structures of the FeCuNi system

Abstract Thermodynamic stability of ternary systems with miscibility gaps is discussed and applied to the f.c.c. phase of FeCuNi alloys. The stability of the system with respect to infinitesimal composition fluctuation is described. The direction most likely for initial composition fluctuation is defined as the one with the largest negative curvature on the Gibbs energy surface. Along this direction, zero-time wavelength at initial stage of spinodally decomposed alloy structure may be calculated. The thermodynamic values of the f.c.c. FeCuNi alloys are obtained from limited amount of thermochemical and phase equilibrium data. It is found that the ternary interaction parameters for both the f.c.c. and liquid phases of FeCuNi may be approximated from the binary interaction parameters of the constituent binaries.
Geographic variation in age, growth and size structure of Percilia irwini from south-central Chile.

Percilia irwini from the Andalien and Biobio River basins of south-central Chile exhibited´a mean age of 1 4 years with a maximum age of 4 years. Size at age differed among river zonesand males were 10% larger than females at all ages. Compared to other locations, populationsof P. irwini inhabiting areas subject to industrial and domestic efﬂuents exhibited smaller sizestructure.
Utilization of Gluconate and Glucose in Growing and Virus-infected Escherichia coli

WE have described various enzymes in E. coli participating in an oxidative pathway of glucose-6-phosphate degradation via 6-phosphogluconate to pentose-5-phosphate and then to triose phosphate. Recently, we have found the specific adaptive transphosphorylases, gluconokinase1, D-arabinokinase2, and ribokinase2 in E. coli which permit the insertion of the homologous substrates into this pathway. The Embden–Meyerhof pathway of anaerobic triose formation also exists in these bacteria. These relationships are presented in the accompanying chart.