cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Erwinia amylovora Secretes DspE, a Pathogenicity Factor and Functional AvrE Homolog, through the Hrp (Type III Secretion) Pathway

Erwinia amylovora was shown to secrete DspE, a pathogenicity factor of 198 kDa and a functional homolog of AvrE of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. DspE was identified among the supernatant proteins isolated from cultures grown in an hrp gene-inducing minimal medium by immunodetection with a DspE-specific antiserum. Secretion required an intact Hrp pathway.
CELL CULTURE CONDITIONS AFFECT LPS INDUCIBILITY OF THE INFLAMMATORY MEDIATORS IN J774A.1 MURINE MACROPHAGES

Peripheral blood monocytes and tissue macrophages contribute significantly to the inflammatory response. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has profound effects on these cells including, but not li...
Extracting User Intent in Mixed Initiative Teleoperator Control

User fatigue is common with robot teleoperation interfaces. Mixed initiative control approaches attempt to reduce this fatigue by allowing control responsibility to be shared between the user and an intelligent control system. A critical challenge is how the user can communicate her intentions to the control system in an intuitive manner as possible. In the context of control of a humanoid robot, we propose an interface that uses the movement currently commanded by the user to assess the intended outcome. Specifically, given the observation of the motion of the teleoperated robot for a given period of time, we would like to automatically generate an abstract explanation of that movement. Such an explanation should facilitate the execution of the same movement under the same or similar conditions in the future. How do we translate these observations of teleoperator behavior into a deep representation of the teleoperator’s intentions? Neurophysiological evidence suggests that in primates, the mechanisms for the recognition of the actions of other agents are intertwined with the mechanisms for execution of the same actions. For example, Rizzolatti et al. (1988) identified neurons within the ventral premotor cortex of monkey that fired during execution of specific grasping movements. Although this area is traditionally thought of as a motor execution area, Rizzolatti et al. (1996) showed that neurons in a subarea were active not only when the monkey executed certain grasping actions, but also when the monkey observed others making similar movements. These and other results suggest that generators of action could also facilitate the recognition of motor actions taken by another entity (in our case, the teleoperator). The foci of this study are teleoperated pick-and-place tasks using the UMass Torso robot. This robot consists of an articulated, stereo biSight head; two 7-DOF Whole Arm Manipulators (WAMs); two 3-fingered hands (each finger is equipped with a six-axis force/torque sensor); and a quadraphonic audio input system. The teleoperator interface consists of a red/blue stereo display and a P5 Essential Reality glove that senses the position and orientation of the user’s hand, as well as the flexion of the user’s fingers.
Factors associated with disability among middle-aged and older African American women with osteoarthritis.

Abstract Background Middle-aged and older African American women experience disproportionate rates of functional limitations and disability from osteoarthritis (OA) compared to other racial ethnic groups; however, little is known about what factors contribute to this disparity within African American women. Objective To examine factors associated with physical function and disability among African American women ages 50–80 with OA using the disablement process model. Methods This descriptive study included 120 African American women with OA from the Southwestern region of the United States. Regression techniques were used to model the correlates of physical function and disability and to test a mediation model. Results BMI and pain severity were significantly related to functional limitations. Depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between racial discrimination and disability. Conclusion Biological, intra-individual, and extra-individual factors are related to disablement outcomes in this sample of African American women, which is consistent with theory suggesting the need for treatment coupled with environmental modifications. This study can inform the development of future bio-behavioral interventions.
Time Domain Method for Nonlinear Flutter of Curved Panels under Yawed Supersonic Flow at Elevated Temperature

There are a large number of papers dedicated towards investigation of flutter analysis of flat plates in supersonic flow regime, but very few papers address the problem of flutter of curved panels. Furthermore, many of the panel flutter investigations that include thermal effects have de alt with flat plates. Very scarce literature exists about flutter of curved panels wi th thermal effects. Hence, the objective of this paper is to develop, for the firs t time in the literature, a consistent finite element formulation and an efficient solutio n procedure to investigate nonlinear flutter of curved panels at yawed superso nic flow and at elevated temperature. A finite element time domain method is developed and presented to predict the pre/post-flutter behavior of curved pan els. The Marguerre plate theory, the von Karman large deflection theory, the quasi-s teady first-order piston theory and Quasi-static thermoelasticity are used in the f ormulation. The principle of virtual work is applied to develop the equations of motion of the fluttering system in structural degrees of freedom. These system equati ons of motion are transformed into modal coordinates, and solved by a fourth-orde r Runge-Kutta numerical scheme. Time history responses, phase plots, power spectrum density plots, and bifurcation diagram are used for better understanding of the pre/post flutter responses of cylindrical panels of different height -rises under increasing dynamic pressure and uniform or linearly varying Static The rmo-Aerodynamic Loading (STAL). The results demonstrated that the flutter d ynamic behavior, characterized by a motion map, moved directly to chaos skipping the limit cycle oscillations region, thus proving that the flutter dynamic behav iors alter significantly when temperature effects come into the picture.
Systematics and Acoustic Behavior of United States and Caribbean Short-Tailed Crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Anurogryllus)

Anurogryllus muticus (De Geer) occurs from northern South America, through the Lesser Antilles, to Puerto Rico and Jamaica. A. celerinictus, n. sp., is known from Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Big Pine Key, Florida. A. arboreus, n. sp., occurs from New Jersey and Oklahoma southward to Big Pine Key and Texas. A antillarum (Saussure) and A. arbortivus (Saussure) are known only from the Cuban types. All nonteneral adults of arboreus and most of celcrinictus and muticus are dealated; only celerinictus and muticus fly. Seasonal life history, subsocial behavior, and characteristics of the burrows of females and juveniles are known only for arboreus and Argentine muticus. Calling behavior is known for males of three species. A. arboreus and celerinictus restrict their calling to the first two hours after sunset; muticus calls as late as four hours after sunset. A. celerinictus and muticus call from the ground; arboreus usually calls from vegetation 0.3–2 meters above the ground. The calling songs are longsustained, intense trills with wingstroke rates at 25°C of 77 per second for arboreus, 140 per second for muticus, and 180 per second for celerinictus. A. celerinictus has the highest long-sustained wingstroke rate yet reported for crickets. Acoustic behavior during courtship and mating has been observed only in arboreus. The male produces short trills during courtship, and after the spermatophore tube has been inserted and the still-coupled pair has turned end-to-end, the male produces a five- to 20-minute song. No other cricket is known to sing while coupled.
A Universal Detection Scheme for Sub-Shot-Noise Interferometry

We show that the parity measurement can be used as a universal detection scheme for the sub-shot-noise limit interferometry. The efforts to produce the desired input states can then be much reduced accordingly.
Serial cultivation of human leukemic cells.

SummarySerial suspension cell cultures have been established from the peripheral blood of 3 out of 3 patients with high-count acute lymphoblastic or myeloblastic leukemia. A period of latency from 4 to 10 weeks, during which the cultures were regularly refed, preceded the start of multiplication. The techniques for initiation and maintenance of the cultures are described as well as observations made during these procedures. Preliminary attempts at virus isolation from all of the cultures were negative. Evidence suggesting a possible latent virus infection in one of the serial cultures is presented.
Microstructural Studies of Transparent Silica Gels and Aerogels

Transmission electron microscopy, spectroscopy, light scattering and surface area measurements have been used to characterize the microstructural details of transparent silica aerogels. Light scattering intensity measurements have also been used to differentiate acid and base catalyzed hydrolysis and condensation reaction kinetics of Si(OC2H5)4. A plot of logarithm of the light scattering intensity vs. logarithm of time during gelation gives distinctly different slopes for acid and base catalyzed systems (6 for acid and 2 for base). These slopes for the two systems can be explained on the basis of the point of zero charge of silica and the resulting interactions of the uncharged and charged particles in the systems. The diameter of the scatterers calculated from light scattering data using Rayleigh theory for independent scattering is much larger than the particle diameter measured from TEM. The particle size initially observed by TEM before beam damage is in the range of 2–3 nm. However, due to sintering in the electron beam, the particle size grows to 5 nm or larger. The particle sizes calculated from surface area measurements are in agreement with TEM data. The transparency of the aerogel is determined by the heterogeneity introduced by the pore sizes which, depending on the mode of preparation, range from 20–60 nm (macro-pores).
Epidemiological characteristics of rabies in Jinhua,Zhejiang from 1950 to 2010

Objective To identify the factors driving rebound epidemic of rabies and formulate specific control measures based on analysis of the epidemiological characteristics of this disease in Jinhua,Zhejiang from 1950 to 2010. Methods Descriptive epidemiological analysis was performed using epidemic data from 1950 to 2010 and case investigations after 2005. Results A total of 174 rabies cases were reported from 1950 to 2010,including 30 in the 1970s and 107 in the 80s,suggesting prevalence in Zhejiang province in that period. After a 13-year period of zero case report from 1992 through 2004,32 cases were reported from 2005 to 2010. In Jinhua,high incidence rates of rabies were observed in summer and autumn,with 64.94% of cases occuring from July to November. Since 2005,most cases were farmers without proper post-exposure treatment and immunization. Conclusion Increased numbers of dogs,poor public awareness of prevention,lack of prompt,proper post-exposure treatment and immunization,and oppresive costs of vaccines and immune globulins have contributed to the rebound of rabies epidemics. Therefore,governmental support for management and immunization strategies,promotion of public education and inclusion of vaccines in rural medical care coverage is crucial for future prevention and control.
Increased secondary bile acids in a choledochal cyst. Possible role in biliary metaplasia and carcinoma.

Abstract Choledochal cysts are uncommon congenital or acquired lesions of the biliary tree. The incidence of biliary tract carcinoma in patients with choledochal cysts is 5–35 times greater than that of the general population. Factors responsible for the increased risk of carcinoma are unknown. The case of a young woman who underwent excision of a choledochal cyst 16 years after initial diagnosis and treatment by choledochocystduodenostomy is reported. Metaplasia of the epithelial lining of the cyst was found in the resected specimen. The relative composition of bile acids in cyst contents was as follows: lithocholate, 2%; deoxycholate, 88%; chenodeoxycholate, 5%; and cholate, 5%. Virtually all bile acids were recovered in unconjugated form. In contrast, the bile acid composition of hepatic bile was as follows: lithocholate, 0%; deoxycholate, 34%; chenodeoxycholate, 43%; and cholate, 23%. Bile acids were fully conjugated. These data suggest that stasis of bile within choledochal cysts contributes to bacterial overgrowth and generation of unconjugated secondary bile acids.
Incidence of spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage among Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites in New Mexico.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE There are differences in cerebrovascular disease incidence between racial and ethnic groups. Little is known about cerebrovascular disease among Hispanics living in the southwestern United States as compared to non-Hispanic whites. This is the first study which measures and compares the incidence of spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) among Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites living in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. This information may help reduce the risk and incidence of SAH. METHODS Medical records of all possible cases of spontaneous SAH occurring during a two-year period (January 1, 1993 to December 31, 1994) among residents of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, were reviewed in all local hospitals. Hospital records were identified by ICD-9-CM codes. Medical examiner records were also reviewed for additional SAH cases occurring during the same time period. The 1990 U.S. census provided the population base. RESULTS There were 22 spontaneous SAHs among 267,965 non-Hispanic whites and 25 spontaneous SAHs among 178,310 Hispanics. Incidence of SAH increased with age in both groups. The age- and sex-adjusted total annual incidence of SAH per 100,000 people was 3.73 among non-Hispanic whites and 9.19 among Hispanics (relative risk for Hispanics 2.46, 95% confidence interval 1.37-4.43, P = 0.003). The incidence rates among men and women were not significantly different in either ethnic group. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of SAH among Hispanic residents of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, is approximately two and a half times higher than that among non-Hispanic whites. This suggests a higher prevalence or a greater tendency to rupture of berry aneurysms among Hispanics as compared to non-Hispanic whites. The reasons for this difference require further investigation.
Comparison of biological chromophores: photophysical properties of cyanophenylalanine derivatives.

Within this work, the family of cyanophenylalanine spectroscopic reporters is extended by showing the ortho and meta derivatives have intrinsic photophysical properties that are useful for studies of protein structure and dynamics. The molar absorptivities of 2-cyanophenylalanine and 3-cyanophenylalanine are shown to be comparable to that of 4-cyanophenylalanine with similar spectral features in their absorbance and emission profiles, demonstrating that these probes can be utilized interchangeably. The fluorescence quantum yields are also on the same scale as commonly used fluorophores in peptides and proteins, tyrosine and tryptophan. These new cyano-fluorophores can be paired with either 4-cyanophenylalanine or tryptophan to capture distances in peptide structure through Forster resonance energy transfer. Additionally, the spectroscopic properties of these chromophores can report the local solvent environment via changes in fluorescence emission intensity as a result of hydrogen bonding and/or hydration. A decrease in the quantum yield is also observed in basic environments due to photoinduced electron transfer from a deprotonated amine in the free PheCN species and at the N-terminus of a short peptide, providing an avenue to detect pH in biological systems. Our results show the potential of these probes, 2-cyanophenylalanine and 3-cyanophenylalanine, to be incorporated into a single peptide chain, either individually or in tandem with 4-cyanophenylalanine, tryptophan, or tyrosine, in order to obtain information about peptide structure and dynamics.
Johann Gustav Droysen

Studium der Philosophie und Philologien in Berlin u. a. bei Hegel, Boeckh und Lachmann; 1829 Lehrer am Berlinischen Gymnasium zum Grauen Kloster; 1831 Promotion, 1833 Habilitation in Klassischer Philologie, Privatdozent; ab 1835 unbezahlte Professur an der Berliner Universitat, dort Ubersetzung des Aischylos, Alexander der Grose (1833), Geschichte des Hellenismus (1836); 1840 Berufung nach Kiel, trat dort fur die Unabhangigkeit Schleswig-Holsteins vom danischen Einfluss ein; Teilnahme am Aufstand der Herzogtumer 1848; als Vertreter der provisorischen Regierung Mitglied des Frankfurter Parlaments; spater holsteinischer Abgeordneter der Nationalversammlung; vertrat ein Nationalstaatskonzept unter Ausschluss Osterreichs mit einem erblichen Kaisertum der Hohenzollern; 1851 Professor in Jena, ab 1859 in Berlin.
Decision Support Models for Assessing the Impact of Aquaculture on River Water Quality

AbstractManagers and regulators need to determine the feasibility of expanding aquaculture in freshwater and marine systems without endangering the environment or compromising water-quality goals. Models for various aquaculture operations and receiving water responses have been developed and applied by previous researchers. However, these models should be combined into a single, unified framework prior to management applications. This paper demonstrates for the first time how various submodels can be integrated and used to calculate the impacts of aquaculture on river water quality. A fish bioenergetics submodel simulates fish growth, production, and by-product nutrient loading as a function of fish numbers, feeding rate, food composition, and temperature. A receiving water submodel simulates water-quality impacts as a function of the aquaculture by-product nutrient loading and the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the stream or river. The utility of the approach and proof of concept i...
Valproate-Induced Weight Gain

To determine the relation of carnitine and insulin levels to weight gain during valproate therapy of epilepsy in children, twenty patients were randomly assigned to receive either carnitine or placebo supplementation, in a study at Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
Experimental Comparison of Efficacy for Three Handfeeding Techniques in Dementia.

Background Nursing home (NH) residents who require assistance during mealtimes are at risk for malnutrition. Supportive handfeeding is recommended, yet there is limited evidence supporting use of a specific handfeeding technique to increase meal intake. Objectives To compare efficacy of three handfeeding techniques for assisting NH residents with dementia with meals: Direct Hand (DH), Over Hand (OH), and Under Hand (UH). Design A prospective pilot study using a within-subjects experimental Latin square design with randomization to one of three handfeeding technique sequences. Setting and Participants 30 residents living with advanced dementia in 11 U.S. NHs. Measurements Time required for assistance; meal intake (% eaten); and feeding behaviors, measured by the Edinburgh Feeding Evaluation in Dementia (EdFED) scale. Intervention Research Assistants provided feeding assistance for 18 video-recorded meals per resident (N = 540 meals). Residents were assisted with one designated technique for 6 consecutive meals, changing technique every 2 days. Results Mean time spent providing meal assistance did not differ significantly between techniques. Mean meal intake was greater for DH (67 ± 15.2%) and UH (65 ± 15.0%) with both significantly greater than OH (60 ± 15.1%). Feeding behaviors were more frequent with OH (8.3 ± 1.8%), relative to DH (8.0 ± 1.8) and UH (7.7 ± 1.8). Conclusion All three techniques are time neutral. UH and DH are viable options to increase meal intake among NH residents with advanced dementia and reduce feeding behaviors relative to OH feeding.
[18 F]Nifene test-retest reproducibility in first-in-human imaging of α4β2* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

The aim of this study was to examine the suitability of [18 F]nifene, a novel α4β2* nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) radiotracer, for in vivo brain imaging in a first-in-human study. METHODS Eight healthy subjects (4 M,4 F;21-69,44 ± 21 yrs) underwent a [18 F]nifene positron emission tomography scan (200 ± 3.7 MBq), and seven underwent a second scan within 58 ± 31 days. Regional estimates of DVR were measured using the multilinear reference tissue model (MRTM2) with the corpus callosum as reference region. DVR reproducibility was evaluated with test-retest variability (TRV) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS The DVR ranged from 1.3 to 2.5 across brain regions with a TRV of 0-7%, and did not demonstrate a systematic difference between test and retest. The ICCs ranged from 0.2 to 0.9. DVR estimates were stable after 40 min. CONCLUSION The binding profile and tracer kinetics of [18 F]nifene make it a promising α4β2* nAChR radiotracer for scientific research in humans, with reliable DVR test-retest reproducibility.
An ECoG-based BCI based on auditory attention to natural speech

People affected by severe neuro-degenerative diseases (e.g., late-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or locked-in syndrome) eventually lose all muscular control and are no longer able to gesture or speak. For this population, an auditory BCI is one of only a few remaining means of communication. All currently used auditory BCIs require a relatively artificial mapping between a stimulus and a communication output. This mapping is cumbersome to learn and use. Recent studies suggest electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals in the gamma band (i.e., 70–170 Hz) can be used to infer the identity of auditory speech stimuli, effectively removing the need to learn such an artificial mapping. However, BCI systems that use this physiological mechanism for communication purposes have not yet been described. In this study, we explore this possibility by implementing a BCI2000-based real-time system that uses ECoG signals to identify the attended speaker.
Etiology and Age Distribution of Syncope in a Predominantly African-American Population.

BACKGROUND Syncope, the sudden transient loss of consciousness due to multiple etiologies, usually has worse outcomes in African Americans compared with other races because of other comorbidities. This study aims to identify a correlation between the etiologies of syncope and age in a predominantly African-American sample population to facilitate future investigations with potentially improved specificity to address this condition. METHODS We reviewed the medical records of 155 patients who presented with syncope concerns to the emergency department at our university hospital. After three charts were discarded due to poor data, the patients were divided into four age groups: 80 years old (21 patients). The etiology of syncope was reviewed in each case and categorized as either a vasovagal episode, orthostatic hypotension, pulmonary embolism, and related to cardio, neurologic, drug, or unspecified. RESULTS For most of the patients in our study population, regardless of age, the etiology of syncope remained unspecified. Vasovagal related was the second most common etiology. The likelihood of having cardiac etiology under the age group of 40 is very low compared with those over 40 years (p = 0.026). Also, the incidence of pulmonary embolism is very low in all age groups with pulmonary embolism as a cause of syncope seen in only three patients (n = 3; 1.95%). CONCLUSIONS Except for cardiac etiology being more likely in patients over age 40, we found no other correlation of age to syncope etiology. We also found that the etiology of syncope in African-American patients is similar to that of the general population. We recommend physicians to order a relevant workup, when clinical suspicion for syncope is present along with specific etiologies.
Growth is the Dynamic Confluence of Strategy, Entrepreneurship, and Values

The author has examined common growth beliefs and the U.S. Growth Model and finds no support for them in any area of business research. He offers instead the Organic Growth Index, the result of ten years of research by the Batten Institute at the Darden School. Six keys to organic growth are presented and above-average growth companies that remained successful are linked to an internal Growth System called Smart Growth. Excerpt UVA-S-0196 Rev. Jan. 2, 2013 Growth Is The Dynamic Confluence of Strategy, Entrepreneurship, AND Values The research on high-performance companies (defined as consistent above-average growth), both public and private, demonstrates that consistent value creation requires a focused strategy that is implemented through a mixture of entrepreneurial activities and exploiting activities enabled by an internal system characterized by values-based (ethical) leadership, culture, and policies. Growth research has demonstrated that growth is much more than a strategy. Growth happens when the right kind of leadership, internal environment, and processes come together to create a small-company-entrepreneurial soul in a large-company body. Growth requires experimental processes, an entrepreneurial mindset, iterative entrepreneurial learning, leadership that accepts entrepreneurial failures, and internal processes that mitigate the natural proclivities of human beings and organizations that inhibit growth. Growth is not a linear or reductionist process. It is a human process that is modeled better by biology and complexity theory than economics or physics. Growth is a change process that requires experimentation, learning, and taking measured risks that can result in mistakes and failures—that contravenes the purpose of an organization, which is to produce standardization, predictability, reliability, and consistency. . . .
In vivo function of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in tumor angiogenesis

4625 Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from surrounding vasculature, is an integral event in tumor progression. We have shown that calcitriol (1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol), the major active form of vitamin D, is anti-proliferative for tumor cells and endothelial cells isolated from tumors. Using vitamin D receptor (VDR)-knockout mice, we demonstrated that calcitriol-mediated growth inhibition in tumor-derived endothelial cells is dependent on the expression of VDR. Here, we further show that VDR may play a major role in development of blood vessel during angiogenesis. We implanted transgenic adenocarcinoma mouse prostate (TRAMP) C2 cells and Matrigel plug subcutaneously into both VDR wild type and knockout mice. In VDR KO mice, the blood vessels found in the tumor xenografts and Matrigel plugs were significantly enlarged when compared to those in VDR WT mice. Vessel lumen coverage in the tumor was approximately 1% in VDR WT mice and 25% in VDR KO mice. Similarly, vessel lumen coverage in Matrigel plugs was about 1% in VDR WT mice but was 34% in VDR KO mice. Interestingly, these observations were not found in normal organs such as heart and muscle. Contrast-enhanced MRI revealed increased vascular volume (0.2597 + 0.013) of TRAMP tumors implanted in VDR KO mice compared to WT mice (0.1618 + 0.034). Tumors implanted in VDR KO mice also showed a linear increase (r2 = 0.8661) in permeability over time compared to those in wild-types (r2 = 0.5439). Double staining of CD31 and alpha-SMA tissue sections suggests that vessels in tumor from VDR KO mice have lower pericyte coverage, which might indicate more immature vessels. Since others have shown that calcitriol can regulate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) expression, we then measured these growth factor levels in tumor extracts from both VDR WT and KO mice. Using ELISA, there was significant higher VEGF but not PDGF observed in tissues from VDR KO mice. These results indicate that ablation of VDR could play a major role in vessel development and maturation in tumor angiogenesis by regulating VEGF signaling pathway. Supported by NCI grants CA67267, CA95045 and CA85142 and DOD grant PCRP050202.
Revisiting Critical Theory in the Twenty-First Century

We were optimistically mistaken to think that the work of the Frankfurt School and Critical Theory was accomplished by the end of the twentieth century. The flaws of the liberal-modernist state with its economic system of market capitalism were laid bare by the time the global Great Recession of 2008–2012 was in full view. If the Habermasian attempt to reconcile old concerns with contemporary discursive options seemed reasonable—replacing the instrumental with the communicative rationality of the decades of prosperity in the Europe-American axis—by now we realize that more is needed to ensure a path toward any kind of radical change that offers some modicum of human dignity or even economic (if not social and political) emancipation, personal or communal. Are the messianic dreams of emancipation still valid by the twenty-first century? In what follows, Andrew Feenberg’s contribution of Critical Theory in general and the philosophy of technology in particular are reviewed so as to shift the discussion to a postmodern fold. As will be seen, the classical immanent critiques of technoscience have to be modulated for the Digital Age, given the different material conditions of the time and the financial and institutional contexts within which they are debated. One must concede, though, that the original Marxist-laden terminology of the Frankfurt School all the way to its Americanized permutation in the hands of Herbert Marcuse and his student Andrew Feenberg are still relevant in the postcapitalist age.
The Discovery of the Mediterranean: Alfonso Reyes and the Spanish American Claim to Spanish Culture

This article proposes a multilayered reading of Alfonso Reyes’s engagement with Spain from the perspective of what he called, in his essay “El Quijote en mano,” the desire to “discover the Mediterranean by ourselves.” This notion, a clear inversion of the foundational event of America’s purported discovery by Spain, encapsulates a way of thinking about the Ibero-American Atlantic against the grain of colonial and imperial practices. This operation responds to the idea of reclaiming the Spanish heritage for the construction of a Mexican and Latin American universalism, in the context of an intellectual discussion that sought to reclaim the region’s cultural citizenship in the world.
Administering Sonic Shock in Samson and Delilah

Through its soundtrack, Warwick Thornton’s Samson and Delilah (2009) brings to the fore questions about representation, history, memory and diaspora. This chapter investigates ways in which the film challenges how Australia has been recorded on film. It examines how Samson and Delilah re-sounds landscape films from the New Australian Cinema; provides shocks to audiences through its audiovisual track; and hybridises genre using the syntax and semantics of the road movie, melodrama and Gothic genres to reinterpret the way Indigenous Australians are represented on screen. By using these techniques, amongst others, Samson and Delilah sound back to films of the New Australian Cinema, and provides a site for questioning Australia’s past.
Time-Frequency Networks for Audio Super-Resolution

Audio super-resolution (a.k.a. bandwidth extension) is the challenging task of increasing the temporal resolution of audio signals. Recent deep networks approaches achieved promising results by modeling the task as a regression problem in either time or frequency domain. In this paper, we introduced Time-Frequency Network (TFNet), a deep network that utilizes supervision in both the time and frequency domain. We proposed a novel model architecture which allows the two domains to be jointly optimized. Results demonstrate that our method outperforms the state-of-the-art both quantitatively and qualitatively.
Toxoplasma gondii alters NMDAR signaling and induces signs of Alzheimer’s disease in wild-type, C57BL/6 mice

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with cognitive decline and complete loss of basic functions. The ubiquitous apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infects up to one third of the world’s population and is implicated in AD. We infected C57BL/6 wild-type male and female mice with 10 T. gondii ME49 cysts and assessed whether infection led to behavioral and anatomical effects using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, Western blotting, cell culture assays, as well as an array of mouse behavior tests. We show that T. gondii infection induced two major hallmarks of AD in the brains of C57BL/6 male and female mice: beta-amyloid (Aβ) immunoreactivity and hyperphosphorylated Tau. Infected mice showed significant neuronal death, loss of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) expression, and loss of olfactory sensory neurons. T. gondii infection also caused anxiety-like behavior, altered recognition of social novelty, altered spatial memory, and reduced olfactory sensitivity. This last finding was exclusive to male mice, as infected females showed intact olfactory sensitivity. These results demonstrate that T. gondii can induce advanced signs of AD in wild-type mice and that it may induce AD in some individuals with underlying health problems.
Alkali Metal, Magnesium-25, and Silver-109 NMR Studies of Complex Compounds in Nonaqueous Solvents

At the present time we have at our disposal a large variety of experimental techniques for the characterization of solute species in solutions and the studies of their properties. Among these nuclear magnetic resonance of metallic nuclei is becoming an increasingly important probe of their behavior in solutions and, in particular, of very weak interactions of the respective ions with solvents, counterions, or complexing agents. This presentation will attempt to describe briefly some of the recent applications of alkali metal, magnesium-25, and silver-109 nmr measurements to the study of ions in solutions.
The Complement and Properdin Systems

From the original meaning of “complement” as the heat-labile substance present in serum and required for the killing of certain bacteria, the term “complement system” has evolved to denote a special group of normal serum proteins which interact sequentially to effect a variety of inflammatory events, including bacterial lysis. The term “properdin” was originally used to signify that substance in normal human serum which is required for zymosan to destroy the third component of complement, but has now come to designate a single protein among the four or five required for the zymosan-induced reaction. “Properdin system” is used to denote the entire sequence of serum proteins which participate in this reaction.
Assessment of hydrologic vulnerability to urbanization and climate change in a rapidly changing watershed in the Southeast U.S.

Abstract This study assessed the combined effects of increased urbanization and climate change on streamflow in the Yadkin-Pee Dee watershed (North Carolina, USA) and focused on the conversion from forest to urban land use, the primary land use transition occurring in the watershed. We used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool to simulate future (2050–2070) streamflow and baseflow for four combined climate and land use scenarios across the Yadkin-Pee Dee River watershed and three subwatersheds. The combined scenarios pair land use change and climate change scenarios together. Compared to the baseline, projected streamflow increased in three out of four combined scenarios and decreased in one combined scenario. Baseflow decreased in all combined scenarios, but decreases were largest in subwatersheds that lost the most forest. The effects of land use change and climate change were additive, amplifying the increases in runoff and decreases in baseflow. Streamflow was influenced more strongly by climate change than land use change. However, for baseflow the reverse was true; land use change tended to drive baseflow more than climate change. Land use change was also a stronger driver than climate in the most urban subwatershed. In the most extreme land use and climate projection the volume of the 1-day, 100 year flood nearly doubled at the watershed outlet. Our results underscore the importance of forests as hydrologic regulators buffering streamflow and baseflow from hydrologic extremes. Additionally, our results suggest that land managers and policy makers need to consider the implications of forest loss on streamflow and baseflow when planning for future urbanization and climate change adaptation options.
North American Culex pipiens and Culex quinquefasciatus are competent vectors for Usutu virus.

Background Usutu virus (USUV) is a member of the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) serocomplex in the Flaviviridae family. Emergence of USUV in Europe has led to disease burdens in birds and created increasing concern for the potential zoonotic transmission to humans. Whilst USUV has not been detected in the New World, the identification of competent vector species in North America is critical in the assessment of the likelihood of its dispersal and establishment of enzootic transmission cycles. The objective of this study was to determine vector competence of potential mosquito vectors in North America for USUV. Three medically important mosquito species were selected for testing because of their involvement in the transmission of West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis virus, two related JEV serocomplex flaviviruses in the New World. Methodology/Principal findings Oral challenge of Culex pipiens, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Aedes albopictus was performed to determine the susceptibility and vector competence of North American mosquitoes for USUV. Infection status was monitored by the isolation of virus from homogenized mosquito tissues. The disseminated form of infection was demonstrated by the detection of infectious virus in the head, wings, and legs of infected mosquitoes. The presence of viral RNA in saliva of infected Cx. pipiens and Cx. quinquefasciatus indicated that both species are competent for transmission of USUV. Conclusions/Significance Results indicate that members of the Cx. pipiens complex are susceptible to USUV and competent for its transmission potential in North America in the event of its introduction. In contrast, Ae. albopictus were highly refractory to USUV infection, suggesting that this species is unlikely to contribute to USUV transmission in North America.
Incorporating medication administration safety in undergraduate nursing education: A literature review

Abstract Objective The purpose of this review was to identify methods for incorporating medication administration safety in undergraduate nursing education. Design The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines directed this review. Data Sources A search of four electronic databases (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Education Resources Information Center, Google Scholar, and MedLine/PubMed MedLine/PubMed) as well as hand searches were conducted to identify original research published between 2005 and 2018. Review Methods Original empirical research describing a method for incorporating medication administration safety concepts in nursing education and examining its effectiveness on undergraduate nursing students' outcomes were selected for review. Articles describing medication safety education for graduate students, students other than those in nursing, and practicing nurses were excluded. Results Twelve original research articles were included for review. Three methods for incorporating medication administration safety in undergraduate nursing education were identified: simulation experiences, technology aids, and online learning modules. Most studies were conducted in North America. The use of different interventions as well as different outcome measures was noted as a limitation to the collective body of research in this area. Also, there was a lack of information regarding psychometric properties of instruments used among the studies reviewed. Conclusion Simulation experiences, use of technology aids, and online learning modules helped increase medication safety competence of nursing students. However, simulation equipment, select technology aids, and online learning may not be available for all nursing programs; therefore, educators should consider developing and testing classroom-based educational interventions. Moreover, future researchers should use or develop psychometrically sound instruments to measure nursing students' outcomes including competencies about medication administration safety.
Attitudes toward Product Differentiation: A Social Utility Perspective:

Product differentiation is examined from the perspectives of economics, marketing, and public policy. A proposed product differentiation hierarchy, using a social welfare method to determine import...
Internal friction and the Stieltjes analytic representation of the effective properties of two-dimensional viscoelastic composites

Mathematical model for viscous internal friction is suggested. The model relates the viscous phenomena on the grain boundaries in a polycrystalline composite to the spectral measure in the analytic representation of the effective viscoelastic properties. This spectral measure contains all information about the geometry of a finely structured material. The spectral measure can be recovered from the measurements of viscoelastic effective properties over a range of frequencies. The Stieltjes analytic representation of the effective modulus is derived for the two-dimensional viscoelastic problem. It is shown that the spectral function in this representation determines the internal memory variables and the viscous internal friction.
Do Credit Default Swaps Affect Lending Practices? Evidence from Syndicate Structures and the London Whale Incident

This paper tests the monitoring concentration hypothesis that loan participants can transfer monitoring incentives back to lead arrangers by purchasing credit default swaps (CDSs) from lead arrangers with the capacity to sell such contracts. Monitoring concentration appears to play a significant role in reducing lead arrangers’ loan allocation, expanding syndicate size resulting in larger loans for borrowers, and increasing the usage of covenants. Other loan CDS dealers participating in the same syndicates dilutes the role of CDS in monitoring concentration because these dealers can also sell CDSs to non-dealer participants. The evidence is further supported by two robustness tests — the analysis of traditional term loans and the London Whale incident. Among the three types of loan facilities, traditional term loans have the highest likelihood that CDSs are purchased by the participant lenders because banks tend to keep these loans on their balance sheets. On the other hand, institutional term loans, which are arranged with the intention to be securitized or sold to institutional investors, are less likely to have CDS protections purchased by original participant lenders. In contrast to term loans, revolvers are lines of credit, i.e., the amount of loans may not be drawn. Therefore, participant lenders also have less need to purchase CDS protections. The above main findings are driven by traditional term loans. However, there are spillover effects to revolvers that are in the same loan packages with traditional term loans. The London Whale incident, which caused JP Morgan more than $6 billion trading losses in the CDS market, presents a unique opportunity to examine the effect of CDS on lending practices. During the event quarter, there is a clear shift of lending activities from CDS selling banks to non-CDS selling banks. In addition, arranger allocation increases and syndicate size reduces among CDS selling banks relative to non-CDS selling banks. The fact that not only the lending practices of JP Morgan but also those of other CDS selling banks are affected suggests a general mistrust of using CDS protections, which in term affects the loan syndicate structures of CDS selling banks. However, the effect is transitory and reversed during the following quarter. Overall, the findings indicate that financial innovations, such as CDSs, can profoundly impact banking practices.
Access to 911 Recordings: Balancing Privacy Interests and the Public’s Right to Know about Deaths

Publicly disclosing 911 recordings sometimes sheds light on important matters of public interest. Nonetheless, some state statutes, court opinions, and attorneys general opinions recognize survivin...
Bridging the Gap to LVAD Recovery and Explantation

Introduction Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation continues to occur at an exceedingly high rate due to the donor and supply mismatch when it comes to heart transplantation. LVADs however do not come without risk and have high rates of significant bleeding, stroke, pump thrombosis and infection. Most of the clinical and research efforts thus far have been focused on LVAD insertion with the goal of destination therapy or as a bridge to transplant. The goal of bridge to recovery has often been underestimated despite multiple studies showing reverse remodeling of the myocardium. Success rates with regards to device explantation varies from Hypothesis The goal of our study was to analyze all the patients that have received an LVAD at Allegheny General Hospital from the years 2006-2017 (n=277). By looking at different echocardiographic parameters, we identified all patients with the potential for bridge to recovery. We suspected that of our previous LVAD patients, we were missing this responder population who had the potential for LVAD explantation. Methods With our institutions IRB approval, we retrospectively collected echocardiographic data on all LVAD implantations. We focused specifically on the LVEDD (left ventricular end diastolic diameter) and LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction). We defined responders as those patients with an LVEDD 40% at some point post LVAD implantation. We analyzed echo parameters at pre-LVAD, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months status post LVAD implantation. Results We identified 16 responders (5.7%). Of these 16 responders, 9 were male (56.3%) and 7 were female (43.7%). Of these responders, 50% of them were classified as INTERMACS 1 at the time of LVAD implant. Of these implantations, 69% were Heartmate 2. The average age of the responder patient was 63 years old. Of note, the average responder Pre-LVAD LVEDD was 59 mm and LVEF 15%. Subsequently at 1 month, the average LVEDD was 45 mm and 20%, 3 month LVEDD 42 mm and LVEF 25%, 6 month LVEDD 43 mm and LVEF 25%, 12 month LVEDD 43.5 mm and LVEF 30%. Of the 16 responders, 1 patient proceeded to transplant despite recovery of LVEF. Of the remaining 15 responders, only 5 patients were explanted with 1 patient requiring subsequent listing for transplant. By identifying this patient population of responders, it allows us to aggressively pursue further explantation options for these patients in the future and avoid unnecessary cardiac transplantation and ultimately catastrophic LVAD complications leading to an untimely death. Conclusions The goal of this project was to identify patients who have the potential for bridge to recovery. We want to focus our attention on this option to establish a bridge to recovery program. We hope to improve the quality of life of these patients given we can avoid life threatening complications and improve their overall quality of life that can be similar to a normal healthy adult after explantation. A bridge to recovery program also has the potential to benefit resource utilization for our patients and institution.