cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Methods of Presenting Scientific Evidence in Court Panels Versus Party Witnessing in School Desegregation Cases

This article presents and analyzes lawyers' and scientists' views of the advisability of using alternatives to the party witness format (e.g., scientific panels) in school desegregation cases. Scientists' and attorneys' desires to control the presentation of evidence and courtroom interaction is one factor explaining their preference for panels or party witness formats. In addition, control is seen as a means of influencing several other issues: selection of an appropriate form of dispute settlement in this litigation; management of potential bias in social science scholarship and testimony; and determination of the proper role of expert witnesses. These issues are investigated with a sample of lawyers and scholars who tried and testified in 17 school desegregation cases across the nation.
Effective potential energy expression for cell membrane transport

All living cells transport molecules and ions across membranes, often against concentration gradients. This active transport requires continual energy expenditure and is clearly a non-equilibrium process for which standard equilibrium thermodynamics is not rigorously applicable. Here we derive a non-equilibrium effective potential that evaluates the per-particle transport energy invested by the membrane. A novel method is used whereby a Hamiltonian function is constructed using particle concentrations as generalized coordinates. The associated generalized momenta are simply related to the individual particle energy from which we identify the effective potential. Examples are given and the formalism is compared with the equilibrium Gibb's free energy.
Mentoring and Organizational Justice among Audit Professionals

This study integrates current perspectives on “organizational justice” and mentoring theory to develop a framework through which the mentoring process can be reviewed and analyzed. Hypotheses devel...
A control allocation system for automatic detection and compensation of phase shift due to actuator rate limiting

This paper proposes a control allocation system that can detect and compensate the phase shift between the desired and the actual total control effort due to rate limiting of the actuators. Phase shifting is an important problem in control system applications since it effectively introduces a time delay which may destabilize the closed loop dynamics. A relevant example comes from flight control where aggressive pilot commands, high gain of the flight control system or some anomaly in the system may cause actuator rate limiting and effective time delay introduction. This time delay can instigate Pilot Induced Oscillations (PIO), which is an abnormal coupling between the pilot and the aircraft resulting in unintentional and undesired oscillations. The proposed control allocation system reduces the effective time delay by first detecting the phase shift and then minimizing it using constrained optimization techniques. Flight control simulation results for an unstable aircraft with inertial cross coupling are reported, which demonstrate phase shift minimization and recovery from a PIO event.
Case report: incisional hernia as a complication of extreme lateral interbody fusion.

Abstract Background context Minimal access surgery is becoming more popular for spinal fusion because of a lower theoretical risk of complications and shorter postoperative recovery period, compared with the traditional open approach. The lateral approach uses retroperitoneal transpsoas access to the vertebra, obviating the need for an approach surgeon and minimizing muscular disruption, thus allowing a quicker recovery. Initial reports of the lateral transpsoas procedure described few complications. However, a number of complications have subsequently been documented. To our knowledge, there has not been a description of an incisional hernia after this approach. Purpose To report the rare complication of an incisional hernia after a minimal access lateral transpsoas approach for lumbar interbody fusion. Study design Case report. Methods We reviewed the hospital charts, radiographs, and intraoperative photographs of a patient who underwent a minimally invasive lateral approach lumbar spine fusion with a subsequent incisional hernia that necessitated laparoscopic repair. Results A 75-year-old woman with a history of low back and left lower extremity pain with radiographic evidence of foraminal stenosis and degenerative spondylolisthesis underwent a successful L4–L5 discectomy with an extreme lateral interbody fusion via a retroperitoneal transpsoas approach. This was supplemented with a posterior minimally invasive surgery instrumented fusion from L4 to L5. The patient reported significant improvement in symptoms on initial follow-up, however, complained of a prominence over her incision 4 weeks later. An incisional hernia was diagnosed and subsequently repaired laparoscopically, from which the patient recovered uneventfully. Conclusions Postoperative incisional hernia after extreme lateral interbody fusion is a complication that has not been previously described in the literature but is one that spine surgeons must recognize. This case may prompt surgeons to use a more posterior approach to avoid this complication. Additionally, direct repair of the transversalis fascia is critical to avoiding this complication.
Rescuing the duty to rescue

Clinicians and health researchers frequently encounter opportunities to rescue people. Rescue cases can generate a moral duty to aid those in peril. As such, bioethicists have leveraged a duty to rescue for a variety of purposes. Yet, despite its broad application, the duty to rescue is underanalysed. In this paper, we assess the state of theorising about the duty to rescue. There are large gaps in bioethicists' understanding of the force, scope and justification of the two most cited duties to rescue--the individual duty of easy rescue and the institutional rule of rescue. We argue that the duty of easy rescue faces unresolved challenges regarding its force and scope, and the rule of rescue is indefensible. If the duty to rescue is to help solve ethical problems, these theoretical gaps must be addressed. We identify two further conceptions of the duty to rescue that have received less attention--an institutional duty of easy rescue and the professional duty to rescue. Both provide guidance in addressing force and scope concerns and, thereby, traction in answering the outstanding problems with the duty to rescue. We conclude by proposing research priorities for developing accounts of duties to rescue in bioethics.
Thrombopoietin expands erythroid progenitors, increases red cell production, and enhances erythroid recovery after myelosuppressive therapy

Thrombopoietin (TPO), the ligand for the receptor protooncogene c-mpl, has been cloned and shown to be the critical regulator of platelet production. Several features of c-Mpl expression, including its presence on erythroid cell lines, and the panmyeloid transformation characteristic of myeloproliferative leukemia (MPL) viral disease led us to investigate whether this receptor-ligand system may play a role in erythropoiesis. We report that although TPO alone did not support the growth of either early or late erythroid progenitors, it acted in synergy with erythropoietin to expand these populations. Moreover, while the effects on erythropoiesis in normal animals were modest, TPO greatly expanded the number of erythroid progenitors and blood reticulocytes and was associated with accelerated red cell recovery in myelosuppressed mice. Together, these data strongly suggest that erythroid progenitors respond to TOP and that this newly cloned cytokine, critical for platelet production, can augment erythropoiesis in states of marrow failure.
Low Complexity Utility Based Resource Allocation for 802.16 OFDMA Systems

A utility based resource allocation scheme is investigated for improving system performance of 802.16 OFDMA systems supporting a mix of multi-media traffic types. We show that a utility based approach can improve system capacity over conventional proportional-fair resource allocation schemes through more efficient allocation of only the required resources demanded by the QoS profile of each traffic class. It is also shown that using average channel- aware metrics for resource allocation allows for local linearization of the utility function, which results in linear complexity OFDMA resource allocation schemes. Further, performance with the reduced complexity scheme is similar to a previously known near-optimal algorithm with cubic complexity.
Up-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in primary afferent pathway regulates colon-to-bladder cross-sensitization in rat

In humans, inflammation of either the urinary bladder or the distal colon often results in sensory cross-sensitization between these organs. Limited information is known about the mechanisms underlying this clinical syndrome. Studies with animal models have demonstrated that activation of primary afferent pathways may have a role in mediating viscero-visceral cross-organ sensitization. Colonic inflammation was induced by a single dose of tri-nitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) instilled intracolonically. The histology of the colon and the urinary bladder was examined by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain. The protein expression of transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channel of the vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were examined by immunohistochemistry and/or western blot. The inter-micturition intervals and the quantity of urine voided were obtained from analysis of cystometrograms. At 3 days post TNBS treatment, the protein level of TRPV1 was increased by 2-fold (p < 0.05) in the inflamed distal colon when examined with western blot. TRPV1 was mainly expressed in the axonal terminals in submucosal area of the distal colon, and was co-localized with the neural marker PGP9.5. In sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), BDNF expression was augmented by colonic inflammation examined in the L1 DRG, and was expressed in TRPV1 positive neurons. The elevated level of BDNF in L1 DRG by colonic inflammation was blunted by prolonged pre-treatment of the animals with the neurotoxin resiniferatoxin (RTX). Colonic inflammation did not alter either the morphology of the urinary bladder or the expression level of TRPV1 in this viscus. However, colonic inflammation decreased the inter-micturition intervals and decreased the quantities of urine voided. The increased bladder activity by colonic inflammation was attenuated by prolonged intraluminal treatment with RTX or treatment with intrathecal BDNF neutralizing antibody. Acute colonic inflammation increases bladder activity without affecting bladder morphology. Primary afferent-mediated BDNF up-regulation in the sensory neurons regulates, at least in part, the bladder activity during colonic inflammation.
INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN VITAMIN B-6 AND HORMONES.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the effect of vitamin B 6 on the function of thyroid, adrenal, and gonadal steroids. Other hormones, including insulin, growth hormone, and gonadotropic hormones, are briefly mentioned, and certain neurohormones, such as serotonin, γ-aminobutyric acid, and catecholamines, which are all catalyzed by pyridoxal phosphate-dependent decarboxylases, are also discussed. One of the physiological functions of the endocrine system is the regulation of the metabolism of various nutrients. For example, insulin regulates the storage and utilization of carbohydrate; corticosterone controls gluconeogenesis and regulates water and electrolyte balance; thyroid hormone influences the metabolism of many nutrients; and growth hormone increases protein retention and decreases the storage of fat. Ample evidence is available to indicate that excess or deficiency of certain hormones will alter the requirement of many nutrients. In this respect, vitamin B 6 is of particular interest because it participates in a wide variety of enzymatic reactions. In addition, the additional requirements for vitamin B 6 have been demonstrated conclusively in pregnant women, infants, and those receiving isonicotinic acid hydrazide (an antagonist of vitamin B 6 ) for the treatment of tuberculosis.
Intraoperative Management of Carcinoid Heart Disease for Valvular Surgery.

From the Department of Anesthesiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY. Address reprint requests to Aparna Dalal MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1428 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029. E-mail: aparna.dalal@mssm.edu © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1053-0770/2602-0033$36.00/0 http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.jvca.2015.10.011
The 2-D, Unsteady, Transport Equation Solved by the Combined Use of the Finite Element Method and the Method of Characteristics

The 2-D transport equation is split into separate convection and dispersion equations. The first is solved by a backwards method of characteristics, and the second by a quadratic Galerkin FEM. Accuracy is briefly discussed, both theoretically and through solution of test problems.
Brain science in the classroom.

The author discusses several pedagogical strategies and argues how scientific research both validates and invalidates popular teaching and learning methods. Topics include how self-quizzing helps students retain information more effectively than several re-readings and how the U.S. Department of Education created the What Works Clearinghouse in 2002.
Organ antigen in the early chick embryo.

SummarySubstances of common antigenic character occurring in brain, heart, liver, and muscle can also be demonstrated in the primitive streak and neurula stages of the chick embryo. These substances are distinguishable from the antigens of blood and yolk by absorption and precipitin tests and are apparently soluble in saline.
Longitudinal associations between experienced racial discrimination and depressive symptoms in African American adolescents

While recent evidence has indicated that experienced racial discrimination is associated with increased depressive symptoms for African American adolescents, most studies rely on cross-sectional and short-term longitudinal research designs. As a result, the direction and persistence of this association across time remains unclear. This article examines longitudinal associations between experienced racial discrimination and depressive symptoms among a community sample of African American adolescents (N = 504) from Grade 7 to Grade 10, while controlling for multiple alternative causal pathways. Sex was tested as a moderator of the link between experienced racial discrimination and later depressive symptoms. Structural equation modeling revealed that experienced racial discrimination was positively associated with depressive symptoms 1 year later across all waves of measurement. The link between experienced racial discrimination at Grade 7 and depressive symptoms at Grade 8 was stronger for females than males. Findings highlight the role of experienced racial discrimination in the etiology of depressive symptoms for African Americans across early adolescence.
Hereditary disorders of albumin synthesis

Albumin, the major serum protein, is considered to be responsible for maintenance of normal serum colloid osmotic pressure, transport of certain hormones and maintaining an endogenous source of amino acids. The acute loss of albumin in the nephrotic syndrome leads to severe generalized peripheral edema and difficulties in maintenance of normal blood pressure as well as hypocalcemia. Yet, there are now 14 reported cases of congenital analbuminemia in which serum albumin is absent or greatly reduced without clinical evidence of edema, decreased hormone levels or abnormal amino acid requirements. These "experiments of nature" are reviewed in detail comparing clinical and laboratory findings in these patients with the postulated effects of a low serum albumin level.
System Dynamics Framework to Study the Effect of Material Performance on a Building’s Lifecycle Energy Requirements

AbstractThe buildings sector accounts for nearly 41% of the United States’ primary energy usage. Various lifecycle analysis (LCA)-based tools are available for facilitating sustainable material selection and energy usage estimation, especially during the material production and construction phases of a building. However, for the use and maintenance phase, there is a lack of a comprehensive framework that can monitor and quantify the effects of various factors such as building system and material deterioration and dynamic occupant behavior patterns on the energy consumption. This research propose a lifecycle energy monitoring framework that couples LCA and energy simulation analysis using a system dynamics modeling framework to enable a distributed simulation platform that can monitor and control the energy requirements during all phases of a building’s lifecycle. Experimental results indicate that the proposed framework can help understand the optimal maintenance and replacement period of major building m...
Entrando en materia: novela, poesía y cultura material en El ruido de las cosas al caer

Este ensayo reflexiona sobre el papel simbolico de los objetos materiales en la novela El ruido de las cosas al caer de Juan Gabriel Vasquez y su relacion con las referencias a la poesia en el texto. El ensayo argumenta que esta novela examina los limites de la representacion realista en la novela, invitando al lector a una reflexion sobre el caracter movil y fluido de las cosas, los objetos que nos rodean, los cuales pese a su materialidad no necesariamente constituyen puntos de apoyo firmes para la construccion de un relato veraz. La poesia surge entonces en el seno de la novela como un elemento anadido que intenta suplementar la “fluidez” de las cosas mediante el artificio de la forma poetica.
A Cluster Randomized Trial of Tailored Breastfeeding Support for Women with Gestational Diabetes

Abstract Background: Women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and their infants are at increased risk of developing metabolic disease; however, longer breastfeeding is associated with a reduction in these risks. We tested an intervention to increase breastfeeding duration among women with GDM. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cluster randomized trial to determine the efficacy of a breastfeeding education and support program for women with GDM. Women were enrolled between 22 and 36 weeks of pregnancy and cluster randomized to an experimental lifestyle intervention or wait-list control group. Breastfeeding duration and intensity were prespecified secondary outcomes of the trial. Duration of exclusive and any breastfeeding was assessed at 6 weeks and at 4, 7, and 10 months postpartum. We quantified differences in breastfeeding rates using Kaplan–Meier estimates, log-rank tests, and Cox regression models. Results: We enrolled 100 women, of whom 52% were African American, 31% non-Hispanic white, 11%...
Loss Aversion in the Housing Market: A New Paradigm

We propose a search model in a housing market which incorporates Tversky and Kahneman’s prospect value function as a special case. Our model provides a clear correspondence between each component of the prospect theory and its unique empirical implication. Overall,under the prospect value function, we predict a non-linear, non-monotonic pricing curve with changing curvature. One striking prediction from our model is that marginally diminishing sensitivity may lead to a reverse disposition effect. That is, when a prospect-utility seller is subject to a range of moderately sized losses, her asking price can be decreasing when the potential loss is increasing. These findings therefore suggest that the classic test of loss aversion in housing markets, as led by Genesove and Mayer [2001], may be invalid. Furthermore, we predict a larger price dispersion in a cold market than in a hot market and also reaffirm the positive price-volume relation. Using single family transaction data from Hampton Roads in Virginia from 1993 to 2013, we find a close match between the empirical findings and our model’s predictions. Finally, the steeper slope of the empirical pricing curve suggests that the marginal diminishing sensitivity, a key component of the prospect theory, could be changing based on the loss/gain position of the agent.
Laminin differentially regulates the stemness of type I and type II pericytes

Laminin, a major basement membrane component that has direct contact with pericytes under physiological conditions, actively regulates the proliferation and differentiation/fate determination of pericytes. Recently, two types of pericytes (type I and type II) with different molecular markers and functions have been identified in skeletal muscles. Whether laminin differentially regulates the proliferation and differentiation of these two subpopulations remains unclear. Wild-type and pericytic laminin-deficient mice under Nestin-GFP background were used to determine if laminin differentially regulates the proliferation and differentiation of type I and type II pericytes. Specifically, type I and type II pericytes were isolated from these mice, and their proliferation and differentiation were examined in vitro. Moreover, in vivo studies were also performed. We demonstrate that, although laminin inhibits the proliferation of both type I and type II pericytes in vitro, loss of laminin predominantly induces proliferation of type II pericytes in vivo. In addition, laminin negatively regulates the adipogenic differentiation of type I pericytes and positively regulates the myogenic differentiation of type II pericytes in vitro. Laminin differentially regulates the proliferation and differentiation of type I and type II pericytes.
Thermodynamic stability of ligand-protected metal nanoclusters

The thermodynamic stability of atomically precise, liganded metal nanoclusters remains poorly understood. Here, the authors use first-principles calculations to derive a new theory that rationalizes the stability of these nanoclusters as a function of their composition an…
Tolerance and the distributed sorites

On some accounts of vagueness, predicates like “is a heap” are tolerant. That is, their correct application tolerates sufficiently small changes in the objects to which they are applied. (So, according to tolerant views, if a given object is a heap, it will necessarily remain a heap after one grain of sand is removed.) Of course, such views face the sorites paradox, and various solutions have been proposed. One proposed solution involves banning repeated appeals to tolerance, while affirming tolerance in any individual case. (So, you may always remove one grain of sand safely, but you mustn’t make a habit of it.) In effect, this solution rejects the reasoning (rather than the premises) of the sorites argument. This paper discusses a thorny problem afflicting this approach to vagueness. In particular, it is shown that, on the foregoing view, whether an object is a heap will sometimes depend on factors extrinsic to that object, such as whether its components came from other heaps. More generally, the paper raises the issue of how to count heaps in a tolerance-friendly framework.
Magnetic resonance elastography of the brain: A comparison between pigs and humans

Magnetic resonance elastography holds promise as a non-invasive, easy-to-use, in vivo biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases. Throughout the past decade, pigs have gained increased popularity as large animal models for human neurodegeneration. However, the volume of a pig brain is an order of magnitude smaller than the human brain, its skull is 40% thicker, and its head is about twice as big. This raises the question to which extent established vibration devices, actuation frequencies, and analysis tools for humans translate to large animal studies in pigs. Here we explored the feasibility of using human brain magnetic resonance elastography to characterize the dynamic properties of the porcine brain. In contrast to humans, where vibration devices induce an anterior-posterior displacement recorded in transverse sections, the porcine anatomy requires a dorsal-ventral displacement recorded in coronal sections. Within these settings, we applied a wide range of actuation frequencies, from 40Hz to 90Hz, and recorded the storage and loss moduli for human and porcine brains. Strikingly, we found that optimal actuation frequencies for humans translate one-to-one to pigs and reliably generate shear waves for elastographic post-processing. In a direct comparison, human and porcine storage and loss moduli followed similar trends and increased with increasing frequency. When translating these frequency-dependent storage and loss moduli into the frequency-independent stiffnesses and viscosities of a standard linear solid model, we found human values of μ1=1.3kPa, μ2=2.1kPa, and η=0.025kPas and porcine values of μ1=2.0kPa, μ2=4.9kPa, and η=0.046kPas. These results suggest that living human brain is softer and less viscous than dead porcine brain. Our study compares, for the first time, magnetic resonance elastography in human and porcine brains, and paves the way towards systematic interspecies comparison studies and ex vivo validation of magnetic resonance elastography as a whole.
IL-17 in the lung: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The IL-17 family of cytokines has emerged over the last two decades as a pleiotropic group of molecules that function in a wide variety of both beneficial and detrimental (pathological) processes, ...
How to Explain Vaccines to Children and other Inquisitive People

With the rapid pace of immunologic research, it is more important than ever for readers to understand rational immunodiagnosis, immunopro-phylaxis, and immunotherapy. This column is intended to hel...
The effect of behavioral synchrony with black or white virtual agents on outgroup trust

Abstract Trust toward outgroup members is generally lower than it is toward ingroup members. Behavioral synchrony with virtual outgroup characters has been identified as a means of improving attitudes toward racial outgroup members, but this effect has not been tested for outgroup trust. We tested the effect of synchrony with an ingroup/outgroup virtual agent on a behavioral measure of outgroup trust. An experiment used an online economic game to obtain pretest and posttest measures of trust. In between these measures, participants played a dance video game on Xbox Kinect. They were randomly assigned to either an ingroup or outgroup agent (black or white) partner. Game score served as a continuous measure of synchrony with the agent. Regression analysis revealed that agent race moderated synchrony's effect on change in outgroup trust. Increased synchrony with an outgroup agent led to increased outgroup trust. Conversely, increased synchrony with an ingroup agent led to decreased outgroup trust. Findings are discussed with respect to implications for using virtual interactions to build outgroup trust in the real world.
Public Support for Gun Violence Prevention Policies Among Gun Owners and Non-Gun Owners in 2017.

Objectives. To compare public support for 24 different gun policies between gun owners and non–gun owners in 2017.Methods. We fielded a national public opinion survey in January 2017 using an online panel to measure US adults’ support for 24 gun policies. We compared support among gun owners and non–gun owners.Results. For 23 of the 24 policies examined, most respondents supported restricting or regulating gun ownership. Only 8 of 24 policies had greater than a 10-point support gap between gun owners and non–gun owners.Conclusions. Policies with high public support and minimal support gaps by gun ownership status included universal background checks, greater accountability for licensed gun dealers unable to account for their inventory, higher safety training standards for concealed carry permit holders, improved reporting of records related to mental illness for background checks, gun prohibitions for persons subject to temporary domestic violence restraining orders, and gun violence restraining orders.Pu...
Graduate-level software engineering education: a practitioner's viewpoint

The definition of what software engineering is and what constitutes a software engineer are issues of continuing question and debate. In a sense, we find ourselves at the mercy of having created a title that has not yet been well reconciled with a body of scientific knowledge a la electrical or other fields of engineering. A consensus on its meaning is still ahead of us, the widespread acceptance of software engineering as an appropriate label reflects a pervasive sense of urgency that programming professionals must operate within certain bounds of discipline and control that become inherent in the profession. The breadth of acceptance of software engineering, as an urgent professional discipline need, embraces industry, government, and academia. Each of these segments of the community has made and continues to make significant contributions to the rapid evolution of the programming profession. As a result, we are in a position today to develop recommendations on the content of an academic program which can, in a concerted fashion, accelerate the cultivation of a software engineering profession. This paper will, based on my experiences, recommend a direction for a graduate-level program in software engineering. It does not attempt to define a specific set of courses and sequencing.
Strong interfacial perpendicular anisotropy and interfacial damping in Ni0.8Fe0.2 films adjacent to Ru and SiO2

We report detailed investigations of a strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Ni0.8Fe0.2 thin films originating from interfaces with adjacent Ru and SiO2 layers. The anisotropy is quantified using broadband ferromagnetic resonance measurements for three types of layered heterostructures, namely an asymmetric structure of SiO2/Ni0.8Fe0.2/Ru and symmetric structures of Ru/Ni0.8Fe0.2/Ru and SiO2/Ni0.8Fe0.2/SiO2. The results show a stronger perpendicular anisotropy at the Ni0.8Fe0.2/SiO2 interface than at the Ni0.8Fe0.2/Ru interface and a lower interfacial damping contribution for the Ni0.8Fe0.2/SiO2 interface compared to the Ni0.8Fe0.2/Ru interface.We report detailed investigations of a strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Ni0.8Fe0.2 thin films originating from interfaces with adjacent Ru and SiO2 layers. The anisotropy is quantified using broadband ferromagnetic resonance measurements for three types of layered heterostructures, namely an asymmetric structure of SiO2/Ni0.8Fe0.2/Ru and symmetric structures of Ru/Ni0.8Fe0.2/Ru and SiO2/Ni0.8Fe0.2/SiO2. The results show a stronger perpendicular anisotropy at the Ni0.8Fe0.2/SiO2 interface than at the Ni0.8Fe0.2/Ru interface and a lower interfacial damping contribution for the Ni0.8Fe0.2/SiO2 interface compared to the Ni0.8Fe0.2/Ru interface.
Geomorphic complexity and sensitivity in channels to fire and floods in mountain catchments

Abstract Fires and floods are important drivers of geomorphic change. While the hydrologic and geomorphic effects of fires have been studied at the hillslope scale, we have much more limited data on post-fire runoff, channel changes, and inferred or measured sediment storage and delivery at larger scales. In this study we intensively documented channel changes over four years in two very similar ∼15 km2 catchments in the northern Colorado Front Range, Skin Gulch and Hill Gulch, that were burned primarily at high and moderate severity in June 2012. Ten and 11 cross sections and longitudinal profiles along the lower channel network were repeatedly surveyed in Skin Gulch and Hill Gulch, respectively. Summer thunderstorms generally caused deposition in the valley bottoms while incision resulted from the intervening baseflows and spring snowmelt, but a very high intensity summer thunderstorm in Skin Gulch just one week after burning caused much more deposition than in Hill Gulch. Fifteen months after burning both watersheds experienced an exceptional, long-duration flood resulting from a multi-day rainstorm with a several hundred year recurrence interval. This removed nearly all of the deposited post-fire sediment along with some of the older valley bottom deposits. The expansion and coarsening of the channel has greatly decreased the geomorphic sensitivity of both watersheds to future floods, and eliminated the more typical and persistent post-fire depositional signature. The channel changes in Skin Gulch after the fire and long-duration flood were much greater than in Hill Gulch, and this can be attributed to the much greater sediment deposition in Skin Gulch shortly after the fire, reduced geomorphic sensitivity in Hill Gulch resulting from a large erosional flood in 1976, and the spatial distribution of burn severity and storm rainfalls leading to lower peak flows in Hill Gulch. These results suggest that fires in the Rocky Mountains can trigger significant and dynamic hillslope and channel changes over sub-decadal timescales, but unusually long or intense rainstorms can cause larger and more persistent changes regardless of whether a catchment has recently burned.
High frequency titrations involving chelation with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

Abstract High frequency titrimetry is shown to be a versatile tool for studying complexation reactions. The formation, qualitative aspect of relative stabilities, and the chemical composition of various chelates of ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid have been investigated by means of various high frequency techniques. The results obtained are in good agreement with results obtained by application of various other approaches.
Inappropriate Use of Aztreonam.

Background Aztreonam is not a preferred empiric antibiotic because of variable susceptibilities compared with alternative agents. In addition, it has no Gram-positive activity, necessitating coadministration with vancomycin when used empirically, and is more costly when compared with other Gram-negative active agents. Aztreonam is often given to patients with a reported penicillin allergy without further investigation into the reaction or other relevant allergy information. Study question How frequently is aztreonam being used inappropriately? Study design We conducted a retrospective chart review at an academic medical center to assess the appropriateness of our aztreonam use. Measures and outcomes Our primary outcome was frequency of appropriate aztreonam use, based on a true IgE-mediated allergy reported for each patient. We evaluated whether the patients had tolerated a beta-lactam in the past, and what the reported allergic reaction was. Results We included 165 patients and found that 46.7% of our aztreonam use was inappropriate, based on previous use of a beta-lactam, or no documentation of an IgE-mediated response. Of the patients with a documented beta-lactam allergy, 63 (38.2%) patients had no allergy manifestation listed, and 37 (22.4%) patients had a non-IgE-mediated allergy manifestation. Of the total population, 61 (37%) patients had tolerated a beta-lactam in the past. Conclusions Aztreonam should be avoided, except in the case of a true IgE-mediated allergic reaction. Our goal was to reduce the inappropriate use of aztreonam at our institution by one or more of the following: educating providers, reviewing aztreonam orders, requiring answering of order questions, or requiring an indication for use. Penicillin skin testing and desensitization are options as well.
Perspectives on the Future of Land Surface Models and the Challenges of Representing Complex Terrestrial Systems

Author(s): Fisher, RA; Koven, CD | Abstract: Land surface models (LSMs) are a vital tool for understanding, projecting, and predicting the dynamics of the land surface and its role within the Earth system, under global change. Driven by the need to address a set of key questions, LSMs have grown in complexity from simplified representations of land surface biophysics to encompass a broad set of interrelated processes spanning the disciplines of biophysics, biogeochemistry, hydrology, ecosystem ecology, community ecology, human management, and societal impacts. This vast scope and complexity, while warranted by the problems LSMs are designed to solve, has led to enormous challenges in understanding and attributing differences between LSM predictions. Meanwhile, the wide range of spatial scales that govern land surface heterogeneity, and the broad spectrum of timescales in land surface dynamics, create challenges in tractably representing processes in LSMs. We identify three “grand challenges” in the development and use of LSMs, based around these issues: managing process complexity, representing land surface heterogeneity, and understanding parametric dynamics across the broad set of problems asked of LSMs in a changing world. In this review, we discuss progress that has been made, as well as promising directions forward, for each of these challenges.
In vivo imaging of transgenic Brugia malayi.

Background Studies of the human filarial parasite have been hampered by the fact that they are obligate parasites with long life cycles. In other pathogenic infections, in vivo imaging systems (IVIS) have proven extremely useful in studying pathogenesis, tissue tropism and in vivo drug efficacy. IVIS requires the use of transgenic parasites expressing a florescent reporter. Developing a method to produce transgenic filarial parasites expressing a florescent reporter would permit IVIS to be applied to the study of tissue tropism and provide a non-invasive way to screen for in vivo drug efficacy against these parasites. Methodology/Principal findings We report the development of a dual luciferase reporter construct in a piggyBac backbone that may be used to stably transfect Brugia malayi, a causative agent of human filariasis. Parasites transfected with this construct were visible in IVIS images obtained from infected gerbils. The signal in these infected animals increased dramatically when the transgenic parasites matured to the adult stage and began to produce transgenic progeny microfilaria. We demonstrate that the IVIS system can be used to develop an effective method for cryopreservation of transgenic parasites, to non-invasively monitor the effect of treatment with anti-filarial drugs, and to rapidly identify transgenic F1 microfilariae. Conclusions To our knowledge, this represents the first application of IVIS to the study of a human filarial parasite. This method should prove useful in studies of tissue tropism and as an efficient in vivo assay for candidate anti-filarial drugs.
An Update on Feline Chronic Gingivostomatitis

Feline chronic gingivostomatitis is a frustrating disease to manage owing to its elusive etiopathogenesis and its subsequently suboptimal treatment options. Nevertheless, efforts to shed light on the disease over the past few decades have advanced the knowledge on its potential etiopathogenesis and the success rates of available treatment options. Further research is ongoing, with promising attempts to better understand and treat this, likely, multifactorial disease.
Justice and Contemporary Climate Relocation: An Addendum to Words of Caution on ‘Climate Refugees

The idea that climate change is causing migration and displacement is entering the mainstream, but experts have warned against using the term “climate refugees” to describe what we’re seeing in small islands, coastal regions, and even conflict zones like Syria.
A non-parametric Hawkes model of the spread of Ebola in west Africa

Recently developed methods for the non-parametric estimation of Hawkes point process models facilitate their application for describing and forecasting the spread of epidemic diseases. We use data ...
Molecular Composition of Photooxidation Products Derived from Sulfur-Containing Compounds Isolated from Petroleum Samples

Following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, the limited availability of the Macondo well oil prompted the use of a more widely available surrogate oil supplied by BP, collected from a nearby w...
The utility and risks of therapeutic nanotechnology in the retina

The clinical application of nanotechnology in medicine is promising for therapeutic, diagnostic, and surgical improvements in the near future. Nanotechnologies in nano-ophthalmology are in the early stages of application in clinical contexts, including ocular drug and gene delivery systems addressing eye disorders, particularly retinopathies. Retinal diseases are challenging to treat as current interventions, such as intravitreal injections, are limited by their invasive nature. This review examines nanotechnological approaches to retinal diseases in a clinical context. Nanotechnology has the potential to transform pharmacological and surgical interventions by overcoming limitations posed by the protective anatomical and physiological barriers that limit access to the retina. Preclinical research in the application of nanoparticles in diagnostics indicates that nanoparticles can enhance existing diagnostic and screening tools to detect diseases earlier and more easily and improve disease progression monitoring precision.
Innovations in Renal Replacement Technology and Their Impact on the Risk of Renal Cancer in Kidney Transplant Patients

Introduction: The current standard of care for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a kidney transplant, and when a donor organ is not available, patients undergo long-term dialysis. There is a growing gap between patients who require a kidney transplant and the availability of donor organs. Dialysis is more widely available, but does not replace full kidney functionality, leading to worse outcomes. The past 20 years have seen an increase in alternative renal replacement technology in an effort to address the aforementioned issues with current therapies. The risk of kidney cancer in kidney transplant patients is increased when compared with the general population; the risk is hypothesized to be most closely tied to immunosuppression after the transplant surgery and length of time on dialysis. Given the increased risk of kidney cancer associated with kidney transplantation, it is imperative to assess the capabilities of these new devices not only for their functionality as alternatives to a donor organ, but also their potential to reduce the risk of renal cancer in this patient population. Purpose: The purpose of this review is to assess the technological potential of the most recent advancements in renal replacement technology in reducing risk of renal cancer in ESRD patients who require kidney transplantation. Methods: We performed a PubMED database search in July-August 2020 with the following search terms: [artificial kidney], [wearable artificial kidney], [bioartificial kidney], [implantable bioartificial kidney], [kidney regeneration]. These search terms were used to identify publications about the recent innovations in kidney replacement technology. Each technology was analyzed for its ability to replace total kidney functionality as well as its potential to reduce the risk of renal cancer. The potential to reduce risk of renal cancer was assessed by the device’s impact on immunosuppression and dialysis timeframes. Results: Four of the newest innovations in renal replacement technology were identified and analyzed: the wearable artificial kidney (WAK), the automated wearable artificial kidney (AWAK), the implantable bioartificial kidney (IAK), and kidney regeneration technology. Of these innovations, the IAK and kidney regeneration technology were found to have the most promise in reducing the risk of renal cancer in ESRD patients requiring transplantation. Conclusions: With the volume of new medical devices and technologies rising every year, it is imperative to analyze the impact they have on patient outcomes. A new technology should be assessed to determine if it improves on a limitation of prior solutions. In this study, we identified two devices with the potential to reduce the occurrence of a major risk associated with patients requiring kidney transplantation: renal cancer. Additional studies are required to analyze these devices once they move into the human clinical trial testing phase.
Improving Acoustic Detection and Classification in Mobile and Embedded Platforms: Poster Abstract

Sound detection and classification are critical in many acoustic-based applications. Existing works generally focus on discovering new features and classifiers to improve detection. However, in many scenarios the presence of other sounds may hinder the performance of these sound classifiers. In this work, we take a sound filtering and enhancement approach to improve sound detection for mobile and embedded applications, regardless of the type of detector used.
Adverse pregnancy and maternal outcomes in women with hidradenitis suppurativa.

Background Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) disproportionately affects women of childbearing age. However, pregnancy and maternal outcomes for women with HS are unknown. Objective To compare risk of adverse pregnancy and maternal outcomes among women with and without HS and to evaluate the influence of comorbid conditions. Methods Retrospective cohort analysis between January 1, 2011, and September 30, 2015. Results Compared to control pregnancies (n = 64,218), HS pregnancies (n = 1862) had a higher risk of spontaneous abortion (15.5% vs 11.3%), preterm birth (9.1% vs 6.7%), gestational diabetes mellitus (11.6% vs 8.4%), gestational hypertension (6.1% vs 4.4%), preeclampsia (6.6% vs 3.8%), and cesarean section (32.4% vs 27.1%). Relative risk of some pregnancy and maternal outcomes were attenuated after comorbidity adjustment. In the fully adjusted model, HS pregnancies were independently associated with spontaneous abortion (odds ratio, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.04-1.38), gestational diabetes mellitus (odds ratio, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.07-1.48), and cesarean section (odds ratio, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.004-1.17). Limitations We could not evaluate potential influences of disease duration, activity, or severity. Newborn outcomes could not be evaluated. Conclusion HS appears to be an independent risk factor for adverse pregnancy and maternal outcomes. This risk is influenced by comorbidities that may be modifiable with early identification and management.
Explaining the relationship between neighborhood disorder and crime fear: The perceptual role of neighbors and the police

Abstract Purpose This study theoretically expands previous research that examined what drives the connection between disorder and fear of crime by assessing the extent to which peoples' perceptions of social processes and control efforts by their neighbors and the police mediate the disorder-fear relationship. Method We analyze data from a mail survey of a random sample of citizens in a mid-sized southeastern city in the United States (N = 1681) by employing structural equation modeling techniques to explain the indirect relationship between disorder and fear of crime. Results Perceived neighborhood disorder was directly associated with perceived safety. Disorder was indirectly associated with safety concerns through its influence on perceptions of social cohesion, police legitimacy, and police performance. Conclusions These findings suggest that perceptions of ongoing local social processes by neighbors and the police are fundamental to understanding why disorder is associated with fear of crime.