cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introduction to bacteriophages

Bacteriophages are viruses that only infect bacteria. Infection by tailed phages starts when specialized adsorption structures, such as fibers or spikes, bind to specific surface molecules or capsules on their target bacteria. Phage are the most abundant biological form on earth and have been estimated to outnumber their bacterial hosts by at least an order of magnitude. A bacterial population may also survive a phage attack if the specific cells infected by phage undergo an abortive infection; that is, the infected cells die before the phage have had the time to reproduce. With the advent of widespread DNA sequencing of many genomes, another mechanism of bacterial resistance to phage infection has been recognized. Bacteriophage package their genomes into phage capsids. Thus, one can argue that a bacterial sensor system of a low-salt environment activates synthesis of cholera toxin, and the profuse resultant diarrhea facilitates the release and spread of the bacteria from the affected individual.
The Polarization of M2b Monocytes in Cultures of Burn Patient Peripheral CD14+ Cells Treated with a Selected Human CCL1 Antisense Oligodeoxynucleotide

M2b macrophages (Mφ) play a major role in the increased susceptibility of subacutely burned patients, to sepsis stemming from enterococcal translocation. Certain opportunistic infections in severely burned mice have been controlled by murine CCL1 antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN), a specific polarizer of mouse M2bMφ. In the present study, we have screened CCL1 antisense ODN, which is active against human M2bMφ. Among the 20 CCL1 antisense ODNs synthesized in our laboratory, HCA-11 was shown to be the most active polarizer for human CCL1+CD163+CD14+ cells. Burn patient CCL1+CD163+CD14+ cells (3 × 105 cells/mL) switched to quiescent CCL1−CD163−CD14+ cells within 48 h in cultures supplemented with 100 μg/mL of HCA-11. After treatment with a 25 μg/chimera dose of HCA-11, the bacterial growth was not observed in various organs of patient chimeras (γNSG mice inoculated with burn patient WBCs) infected with a lethal dose of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The host antibacterial defenses against c...
A Novel Nonlinear Mathematical Model of Thoracic Wall Mechanics During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Based on a Porcine Model of Cardiac Arrest

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is used widely to rescue cardiac arrest patients, yet some physiological aspects of the procedure remain poorly understood. We conducted this study to characterize the dynamic mechanical properties of the thorax during CPR in a swine model. This is an important step toward determining optimal CPR chest compression mechanics with the goals of improving the fidelity of CPR simulation manikins and ideally chest compression delivery in real-life resuscitations. This paper presents a novel nonlinear model of the thorax that captures the complex behavior of the chest during CPR. The proposed model consists of nonlinear elasticity and damping properties along with frequency dependent hysteresis. An optimization technique was used to estimate the model coefficients for force-compression using data collected from experiments conducted on swine. To track clinically relevant, time-dependent changes of the chest's properties, the data was divided into two time periods, from 1 to 10 min (early) and greater than 10 min (late) after starting CPR. The results showed excellent agreement between the actual and the estimated forces, and energy dissipation due to viscous damping in the late stages of CPR was higher when compared to the earlier stages. These findings provide insight into improving chest compression mechanics during CPR, and may provide the basis for developing CPR simulation manikins that more accurately represent the complex real world changes that occur in the chest during CPR.
Integrative Gene Regulatory Network inference using multi-omics data

Biological network inference is of importance to understand underlying biological mechanisms. Gene regulatory networks describe molecular interactions of complex biological processes. Graph models are mainly used for gene regulatory networks, where nodes and edges represent genes and their regulations respectively. In the most research, the molecular interactions (edges) of gene regulatory networks are inferred from a single type of genomic data, e.g., gene expression data. However, gene expression is a product of sequential interactions of DNA sequence variations, single nucleotide polymorphism, copy number variation, histone modifications, transcription factor, DNA methylation, and many other factors. There are high-throughput genomic data that measure the various biological processes. We call the multiple types of genomics data as ‘multi-omics data’. In this paper, we propose an Integrative Gene Regulatory Network inference method (iGRN) that can incorporate multi-omics data and their interactions in the graph model of gene regulatory network. Copy number variation and DNA methylation were considered for multi-omics data in this paper. The proposed method, iGRN, was applied to the human brain data of psychiatric disorder. Through the experiments, iGRN showed its better performance on model representation and interpretation than other integrative methods in gene regulatory network inference.
Effects of collagen microstructure and material properties on the deformation of the neural tissues of the lamina cribrosa

Abstract It is widely considered that intraocular pressure (IOP)-induced deformation within the neural tissue pores of the lamina cribrosa (LC) contributes to neurodegeneration and glaucoma. Our goal was to study how the LC microstructure and mechanical properties determine the mechanical insult to the neural tissues within the pores of the LC. Polarized light microscopy was used to measure the collagen density and orientation in histology sections of three sheep optic nerve heads (ONH) at both mesoscale (4.4 μm) and microscale (0.73 μm) resolutions. Mesoscale fiber-aware FE models were first used to calculate ONH deformations at an IOP of 30 mmHg. The results were then used as boundary conditions for microscale models of LC regions. Models predicted large insult to the LC neural tissues, with 95th percentile 1st principal strains ranging from 7 to 12%. Pores near the scleral boundary suffered significantly higher stretch compared to pores in more central regions (10.0 ± 1.4% vs. 7.2 ± 0.4%; p = 0.014; mean ± SD). Variations in material properties altered the minimum, median, and maximum levels of neural tissue insult but largely did not alter the patterns of pore-to-pore variation, suggesting these patterns are determined by the underlying structure and geometry of the LC beams and pores. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first computational model that reproduces the highly heterogeneous neural tissue strain fields observed experimentally. Statement of Significance The loss of visual function associated with glaucoma has been attributed to sustained mechanical insult to the neural tissues of the lamina cribrosa due to elevated intraocular pressure. Our study is the first computational model built from specimen-specific tissue microstructure to consider the mechanics of the neural tissues of the lamina separately from the connective tissue. We found that the deformation of the neural tissue was much larger than that predicted by any recent microstructure-aware models of the lamina. These results are consistent with recent experimental data and the highest deformations were found in the region of the lamina where glaucomatous damage first occurs. This study provides new insight into the complex biomechanical environment within the lamina.
Developmental Neurotoxicity of Lead

Lead exposure is a major concern for the developing nervous system. Environmental exposures to lead, predominantly from contaminated water or lead paint chips, account for the majority of exposures to children. In utero and early life exposures to lead have been associated with lower IQ, antisocial and delinquent behaviors, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. In this review, we will discuss sources of developmental lead exposure and mechanisms of lead neurotoxicity. We will highlight both human epidemiological studies showing associations between lead exposure and behavioral abnormalities as well as experimental data from animal studies. Finally, we will discuss the effects of lead on neurological endpoint past childhood, namely, development of Alzheimer’s disease in old age.
Mechano-adaptation of the stem cell nucleus

Exogenous mechanical forces are transmitted through the cell and to the nucleus, initiating mechanotransductive signaling cascades with profound effects on cellular function and stem cell fate. A growing body of evidence has shown that the force sensing and force-responsive elements of the nucleus adapt to these mechanotransductive events, tuning their response to future mechanical input. The mechanisms underlying this "mechano-adaptation" are only just beginning to be elucidated, and it remains poorly understood how these components act and adapt in tandem to drive stem cell differentiation. Here, we review the evidence on how the stem cell nucleus responds and adapts to physical forces, and provide a perspective on how this mechano-adaptation may function to drive and enforce stem cell differentiation.
The Stability of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration From Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood in Sexual Minorities

Abstract Purpose The objective of this study was to examine the stability of physical and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration from adolescence to emerging adulthood among sexual minorities. Methods Adolescents who identified as a sexual minority (N = 135; 71.1% female; mean age = 15.02, standard deviation = .77; 34.1% African-American/black, 26.7% white, 22.2% Hispanic) from southeast Texas were assessed annually for 6 years on their IPV perpetration. Results Structural equation modeling demonstrated that physical IPV perpetration was modestly stable across years 1–4 (24.6%, 24.6%, 26.4%, and 21.6%, respectively), decreased in year 5 (18.6%), and increased in year 6 (24.5%). The stability of sexual IPV perpetration was high across all 6 years (14.3%, 13%, 14.9%, 10.8%, 12.4%, and 14.4%). Conclusions This is the first study to examine the stability of IPV perpetration among sexual minority adolescents. Findings suggest that the development of interventions for IPV among sexual minority adolescents is needed, as IPV is unlikely to desist from adolescence to emerging adulthood.
The future of SCI rehabilitation: Understanding the impact of exoskeletons on gait mechanics.

We currently live an era in which science fiction movies are being translated into real rehabilitation approaches for persons with disabilities. Nowhere is this more evident than with the adoption ...
In Vitro Methods to Characterize the Effects of Tobacco and Nontobacco Products on Human Platelet Function

In this document, we describe methods for the isolation, treatment, and functional testing of human blood platelets in vitro. Functional assays for inflammatory function include flow cytometry and immunoassays for platelet release of platelet factor 4, soluble CD40L, prostaglandin E2 , and thromboxane. Assays for platelet hemostatic function described here examine platelet spreading, aggregation using platelet-rich plasma, and thromboelastography. Also described here are methods for testing cigarette smoke on primary human platelets in vitro, which our lab developed to address a major knowledge gap regarding how cigarette smoke dysregulates platelets and how this platelet dysregulation contributes to cardiovascular disease. Some of these protocols may be repurposed for investigation of the toxicity potential of other tobacco products and environmental insults. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Vegetation changes in blown-down and scorched forests 10–26 years after the eruption of Mount St. Helens, Washington, USA

We examine patterns of vegetative change in blown-down and scorched forests in the blast zone of Mount St. Helens (USA), 10–26 years after the eruption. We compare trends in community attributes in four post-eruption environments, or site types, defined by severity of disturbance, presence/absence of a protective snowpack at the time of eruption, and seral state (previously clearcut vs. mature/old forests). Permanent plots established in 1980 at 16 sites were sampled at 5- to 6-year intervals between 1989 and 2005. Data on species presence and abundance were used to characterize changes in total plant cover, life-form spectra, species diversity, species turnover, and community composition. Due to the magnitude and heterogeneity of disturbance, vegetation re-establishment was gradual and highly variable among sites. Total plant cover averaged 36–70% after 26 years. Early-seral forbs were dominant except in snow-protected sites, where surviving shrubs were most common. Tree regeneration remained sparse after 26 years (< 6% cover in all but two sites). Species richness increased in all site types, reflecting greater species gain than loss, although rates of gain declined with time. Species heterogeneity, integrating the number and abundance of taxa, did not increase. Successional trajectories were distinct, but parallel among sites, reflecting legacies of pre-eruption composition, variation in disturbance severity, and differences in composition of early-seral colonists. Slow re-colonization by forest herbs and trees likely reflects seed limitations and abiotic stress rather than competition from early-seral species. Succession following this major eruption is both slow and contingent on pre-conditions, nuances of the disturbance, and species’ life histories.
Role of octreotide scan for evaluation of primary and metastatic neuroendocrine tumors

1087 Learning Objectives 1. Identify appearance of normal and some common variants of normal octreotide scan. 2. Identify most common sites of primary and metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NET) demonstrated on octreotide scan. 3. Identify few rare and unusual sites of metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NET) demonstrated on octreotide scan. Octreotide scan is the state of art for functional evaluation of neuroendocrine tumors. It is significant to identify the normal and most common abnormal patterns of radiotracer uptake on Octreoscan for a beginner. But as one advances in his academic career one should also be able to identify some normal variations as well as the rare and unusual pattern of radiotracer uptake on Octreoscan. It is also important to identify the limitations of Octreoscan so that study could be interpreted in the light of those limitations and a clinical decision made for the patient. Methods : Retrospective data review of 146 Octreoscans, planar, SPECT and/ or SPECT/ CT images in a 5 years period from 01/01/2005 to 12/31/2009 in a tertiary care hospital. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated 1.)Most common site of primary NET was bowel and pancreas. 2.)Most common site of metastasis for NET was liver. 3.)Some unusual extra abdominal sites for metastases of NET were myocardium, eye orbit, lungs, pleura, chest wall, mediastinum, axilla, skeleton(axial and appendicular), peripheral lymph nodes(supraclavicular,infraclavicular, inguinal), thoracic lymph nodes(substernal, subcarinal, paravertebral, paraesophageal) and retrocrural lyphadenopathy extending into retroperitoneum. 4.)Some common variants of normal Octreotide Scan were radiotracer uptake in gall- bladder, thyroid gland, chemotherapy port, spleenule/ accessory spleen, transplanted kidney, ostomy site in abdomen, surgical incision site in abdomen, site of abscess drainage in right lateral abdominal wall adjacent to liver and in the knee after arthroplasty
RADIOIODINE-LABELED AMINES AS BRAIN IMAGING AGENTS

Abstract A series of 125I-labeled 2-hydroxy-5-iodo-benzamides and -benzylamines were synthesized and evaluated as brain imaging agents. The compounds were labeled by a rapid aqueous exchange reaction. This procedure is suitable for kit preparation. Partition coefficients at pH 7.0 and 7,4, protein binding, and biodistribution in rats were studied. Initial brain uptake (2 m after i.v. injection) of the benzylamines was as high as 3,2% of the injected dose, but the benzamides exhibited much lower uptake (~1%). Two compounds N, N-dimethyl-N′-ethyl-N′(2-hydroxy-5-iodo-benzyl)-1,2-ethanediamine and N,N-dimethyl-N′-(2-hydroxy-5-iodobenzyl)-1,3-propanediamine, have biodistributions which indicate potential usefulness as 123I-labeled brain imaging agents.
A Longitudinal Examination of Interpersonal Violence Exposure, Concern for Loved Ones During a Disaster, and Web-Based Intervention Effects on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Adolescent Victims of the Spring 2011 Tornadoes

Natural disasters are common and devastating, and can affect the mental health of adolescents. It is also common for adolescents to have histories of interpersonal violence (IPV). The current study was a secondary data analysis of a larger randomized clinical trial and examined the moderating effect of IPV history and concern for loved ones during a disaster on treatment condition effects on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms over time among disaster-exposed adolescents. Participants (n = 979) were recruited postdisaster to participate in a randomized clinical trial examining the efficacy of a web-based intervention, Bounce Back Now (BBN), on mental health symptoms at 4 and 12 months postintervention. It was found that adolescents with an IPV history and who had caregivers that were concerned for loved ones during a disaster had more PTSD symptoms at baseline than those without such histories. Furthermore, caregiver concern for loved ones during a disaster moderated the effect of BBN on PTSD symptoms over time. Specifically, the BBN condition was most effective for adolescents who had caregivers who were concerned for loved ones during the disaster in reductions of PTSD symptoms over time. The current study provides further evidence for the use of technology-based interventions for individuals as a means to address mental health symptoms after a traumatic event, especially among those with more severe traumatic experiences.
Improved Diabetes Care Management Through a Text-Message Intervention for Low-Income Patients: Mixed-Methods Pilot Study.

Background: Diabetes is a major contributor to global death and disability. Text-messaging interventions hold promise for improving diabetes outcomes through better knowledge and self-management. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the implementation and impact of a diabetes text-messaging program targeted primarily for low-income Latino patients receiving care at 2 federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). Methods: A mixed-methods, quasi-experimental research design was employed for this pilot study. A total of 50 Spanish or English-speaking adult patients with diabetes attending 2 FQHC sites in Los Angeles from September 2015 to February 2016 were enrolled in a 12-week, bidirectional text-messaging program. A comparison group (n=160) was constructed from unexposed, eligible patients. Demographic data and pre/post clinical indicators were compared for both the groups. Propensity score weighting was used to reduce selection bias, and over-time differences in clinical outcomes between groups were estimated using individual fixed-effects regression models. Population-averaged linear models were estimated to assess differential effects of patient engagement on each clinical indicator among the intervention participants. A sample of intervention patients (n=11) and all implementing staff (n=8) were interviewed about their experiences with the program. Qualitative data were transcribed, translated, and analyzed to identify common themes. Results: The intervention group had a mean glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) reduction of 0.4 points at follow-up, relative to the comparison group (P=.06). Patients who were more highly engaged with the program (response rate ≥median of 64.5%) experienced a 2.2 point reduction in HbA1c, relative to patients who were less engaged, controlling for demographic characteristics (P<.001). Qualitative analyses revealed that many participants felt supported, as though “someone was worrying about [their] health.” Participants also cited learning new information, setting new goals, and receiving helpful reminders. Staff and patients highlighted strategies to improve the program, including incorporating patient responses into in-person clinical care and tailoring the messages to patient knowledge. Conclusions: A diabetes text-messaging program provided instrumental and emotional support for participants and may have contributed to clinically meaningful improvements in HbA1c. Patients who were more engaged demonstrated greater improvement. Program improvements, such as linkages to clinical care, hold potential for improving patient engagement and ultimately, improving clinical outcomes.
Biologic Agents for the Treatment of Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps.

BackgroundChronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis is a complex inflammatory disorder, which is often recalcitrant to medical and surgical management. Recently, biologic agents have been studied...
Adaptations of the metropolitan landscape in delta regions, by Peter C. Bosselmann, New York, Routledge, 2018, 210 pp., USD 54.95 (paperback), ISBN: 9781138551961

Deltaic landscapes, and specifically urbanized deltaic landscapes, have long been sites of flux and adaptation. Just as unmodified ‘natural’ deltas are perennially reborn through fluvial, earth, bi...
Development of InAs/InAsSb Type II Strained-Layer Superlattice Unipolar Barrier Infrared Detectors

We recently reported mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) InAs/InAsSb type II strained-layer superlattice (T2SLS) unipolar barrier detectors and focal-plane arrays with significantly higher operating temperature than InSb. Herein, we document the development leading to the MWIR InAs/InAsSb T2SLS detectors at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. We also briefly compare the InAs/InAsSb T2SLS with some other approaches.
Abstract 652: Racial/ethnic differences in BRCA testing and test results among adult women

Introduction: BRCA mutation testing has been recommended for targeted, individualized cancer prevention and treatment among women whose family histories or ethnic backgrounds are associated with increased risks for BRCA mutations. This study was to assess BRCA testing in different racial/ethnic groups in the US. Methods: We used data from ClinformaticsTM Data Mart (CDM) Electronic Health Records. We included 134,827 women 18-65 years old with BRCA testing results from 1/1/2015-9/1/2017. BRCA testing rates and test result positive rates were calculated by race/ethnicity. Women with positive test results had a high risk for developing susceptible cancers - breast or ovarian cancer. As we only had data through 9/1/2017, we calculated annual test rates based on data in 2016. Results: The BRCA mutation test rate in 2016 was highest among non-Hispanic Whites (582 per 100,000), while it was 313 per 100,000 in non-Hispanic Black women, 310 per 100,000 in Hispanic Women, and 281 per 100,000 in women of other races/ethnicities. Percentage of positive results was lowest among non-Hispanic White women tested (75.7%), and highest among non-Hispanic Black test takes (85.1%). After adjusting for age, region of residence, education, income, and family history of breast or ovarian cancer, adjusted odds ratio for having a positive test among non-Hispanic Black women tested vs. non-Hispanic White women tested was 1.71, 95% confidence interval 1.61-1.82, and adjusted odds ratio for Hispanics vs non-Hispanic Whites was 1.21, 95% confidence interval 1.13-1.31. Conclusions: There are significant differences in test utilization and test results. Test utilization was highest in non-Hispanic Whites, who were also less likely to have a positive test result. Non-Hispanic Black women tested were more likely to have a positive test result, suggesting a more stringent test selection criteria for this underserved population. Citation Format: Fangjian Guo, Erika L. Fuchs, Abbey B. Berenson, Yong-Fang Kuo. Racial/ethnic differences in BRCA testing and test results among adult women [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 652.
An FDA oncology analysis of toxicities associated with PBD-containing antibody-drug conjugates

With a new generation of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) that contain a drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR) of 2, the question remains whether advances in technology have resulted in more stable and tumor-specific ADCs. These ADCs are anticipated to cause minimal systemic exposures of payloads, with toxicities being evident mainly at tumor sites. We examined 15 ADCs with PBD-dimer payloads and a DAR of 2 and concluded that dose limiting toxicities in animals and in humans are generally related to the payload. Both the payloads and the ADCs had pro-inflammatory responses causing severe toxicities that were at times of low incidence, making it difficult to assess a cause-effect relationship. Due to their low incidence, single-patient cohorts may not detect these events and such design may not be suitable in first-in-human (FIH) trials. The commonly proposed approach by the sponsors for FIH dose selection was 1/6th highest non-severely toxic dose (HNSTD) in monkeys. This approach resulted in an acceptable balance of safety and efficient dose escalation in phase 1 trials, when using data from repeat-dose toxicology studies and body surface area for scaling. No sponsor used the data generated in rodents or proposed novel approaches for FIH dose selection.
Carotid Cavernous Fistula Mimicking Hemicrania Continua: A Case Report

Background Hemicrania continua is a primary headache disorder characterized by a continuous, unilateral headache associated with ipsilateral cranial autonomic features that responds to indomethacin. By definition, the symptoms are not referable to an underlying structural pathology. However, several cases of secondary hemicrania continua related to underlying structural lesions have been reported. Case We present a case of a 53-year-old male with a prolonged, right-sided headache associated with intermittent right-sided ptosis, conjunctival injection, tearing, and nasal congestion, suggestive of hemicrania continua, who was found to have an indirect carotid-cavernous fistula, and who, after endovascular treatment of the fistula, had resolution of his symptoms. Conclusion Alternative, and perhaps less common, causes of headache should be considered when the clinical presentation is atypical or does not clearly fulfill diagnostic criteria for primary headache disorders. Carotid cavernous fistulas should be included within this differential, and represent a potentially treatable and reversible cause of otherwise refractory headache.
Loss of SIM2s inhibits RAD51 binding and leads to unresolved replication stress.

Mutations in genes associated with homologous recombination (HR) increase an individual’s risk of developing triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Although known for their role in repairing dsDNA breaks, HR repair elements also stabilize and restart stalled replication forks. Essential to these functions are RAD51 and its paralogs, each of which has a unique role in preventing replication fork collapse and restart. However, progress toward understanding the regulation of these factors has been slow. With such a pivotal role in the maintenance of genomic integrity, furthering our understanding of this pathway through the discovery of new factors involved in HR is important. Recently, we showed that singleminded-2s (SIM2s) is stabilized in response to dsDNA breaks and is required for effective HR. Initial analysis of the effect loss of SIM2s has on replication stress resolution was conducted using DNA combing assays in established breast cancer cell lines. Further analysis was conducted via immunostaining to determine the effect loss of SIM2s has on factor recruitment. In vivo confirmation was achieved through the use of a mammary epithelial cell conditional knockout mouse model before SIM2s’ role in RAD51 recruitment was determined by immunoblotting. Here, we show loss of SIM2s decreases replication fork stability, leading to fork collapse in response to genotoxic stress. Furthermore, loss of SIM2s results in aberrant separation of sister chromatids during mitosis, which has been previously shown to result in chromosomal fragmentation and aneuploidy. Interestingly, loss of SIM2s was shown to result in failure of RAD51 to localize to sites of replication stress in both breast cancer cell lines and primary mammary epithelial cells. Finally, we observed SIM2 is stabilized in response to genotoxic stress and interacts with RAD51, which is necessary for RAD51-DNA binding. Together, these results show a role for SIM2s in the resolution of replication stress and further characterize the necessity of SIM2s for effective RAD51 loading in response to DNA damage or stress, ultimately promoting genomic integrity and thus preventing the accumulation of cancer-promoting mutations.
Operación Araña: reflections on how a performative intervention in Buenos Aires’s subway system can help rethink feminist activism

Abstract On July 31, 2018, Buenos Aires’s subway system was overtaken by a public intervention under the name “Operacion Arana,” co-organized by Ni Una Menos - a feminist social movement focused on gender violence -, the Campaign for the Right to Legal, Safe, and Free Abortion, unionized metro workers, and more than seventy organizations, with the overall intention of affirming women’s autonomy and calling attention to several social issues with direct impact on their lives. This study weaves a series of reflections on some of the specific features of the Operacion Arana intervention that can shed light on how and why the new feminist wave in Argentina has gained such momentum while gauging its impact on redefining what we understand as activism. Drawing from Judith Butler’s notions on the performative political potential of the assembly (Notes Toward a Performative Theory of Assembly, 2015), this article unveils the various forms of embodied resistance staged in the public space by this new surge of activists, popularly called the “green tide” after the color identifying the Campaign for the Right to Legal, Safe, and Free Abortion. In claiming a unique and radical performative space wherein to exercise agency and display new forms of organization, the green tide also has by the same token laid claim to a reconfigured public space conducive to new forms of sociality and the preservation of all lives.
Q’eqchi’ Women’s Lives, Healthcare and Cultural Loss

Q’eqchi’ Maya women face considerable barriers to education, employment, and other opportunities to improve their livelihoods in Belize. In addition, due to a combination of sociocultural factors, women’s traditional knowledge in the Q’eqchi’ communities is disappearing at a faster rate than other areas of traditional knowledge. A retired midwife explained that women’s knowledge and knowledge of treatments for women’s health are the first to be lost. According to her, in the past there were more women healers and they specialized in women’s reproductive health. Men’s knowledge is also becoming fragmented, but less so, partially because many of their networks have stayed farther-reaching since they have not been tied to domestic obligations to the same extent as women. The knowledge of Q’eqchi’ ethnomedical treatments is highly gendered, with women knowing how to use different medicinal plant species than men. This highlights the need for the documentation and revitalization of women’s traditional knowledge.
If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try Closing Another Assessment Loop: Implementing Online Co-Curricular Assessment

Higher education institutions are commonly tasked with demonstrating student learning in and out of the classroom. Although academic and student affairs share a common goal of supporting student success, they frequently do not speak the same assessment language. This lack of alignment can lead to miscommunication and missed opportunities to collaboratively promote learning and achievement. Further, it can be a struggle to implement assessment protocols if institutional stakeholders do not value and believe in the importance of their role in the assessment process. In this paper, we discuss how professionals at an online academic success center used the Theory of Planned Behavior to inform and improve an assessment protocol as part of the institution’s overall assessment plan. The steps and strategies used over multiple assessment loops are discussed to demonstrate the path taken to build a collaborative learning environment for students in and out of the online classroom.
Surface Polariton Studies in the FAR Infrared

Surface polaritons are electromagnetic modes that propagate along the interface separating two media and whose fields decay exponentially away from the interface [1,2]. Surface polaritons exist in spectral ranges in which one of the media has a negative dielectric constant while the other medium has a positive dielectric constant. The negative (positive) dielectric-constant medium is referred to as the active (inactive) medium. The “source” for a surface polariton is provided for by a surface polarization charge at the interface due to the active medium.
Autoaligning and autofocusing robotic optical coherence tomography of the retina for subject motion, gaze, and defocus compensation

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has revolutionized diagnostics in ophthalmology. Traditionally, OCT requires an operator and patient cooperation to compensate refraction error as well as align the scanner with the subject’s eye. We have developed a robot-mounted OCT scanner that automatically focuses and aligns with the subjects’ eye by compensating motion, gaze, and refraction error. The system utilizes a combination of face and pupil tracking cameras to align while focusing through digital control of a tunable lens. We demonstrate our system by self-aligning with human eyes subject to physiological motion and gaze change as well as correcting defocus of a phantom eye.
Developing Non-Calculus Service Courses That Showcase the Applicability of Mathematics

Students often take precalculus or college algebra as a terminal math course, leaving them with the impression that mathematics lacks real meaning. As applied mathematicians, we are well-poised to intervene and design inspiring general education courses that reveal the utility of mathematics. In this paper, we share experiences working with faculty from a range of disciplines to develop a two-course sequence that explores mathematical concepts by answering questions that matter to our student population.
Techno-economic potential assessment of mega scale grid-connected PV power plant in five climate zones of Pakistan

Abstract The industrial sector is of great importance for the economic development of any country. The current energy crisis in Pakistan is the major obstacle to its economic growth. Diesel generator is used as reliable backup power source in many industrial and commercial applications during load shedding hours, which increases the cost of energy per kWh and environmental emissions. The grid-connected PV plants increase the share of solar energy in the power grid to reduce environmental emissions. The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare the techno-economic assessment of mega-scale grid-connected PV plants for the industrial sector in Pakistan's five climate zones. Based on energy injected into the gird, payback period and GHG emission reduction, a detailed technical, economic, and environmental analysis is conducted by using the PVsyst software. This study concludes that PV plants for all five climatic zones are technically, economically, and environmentally feasible but Quetta (Zone-C) is the most feasible location with the highest annual generation 4441 MWh, highest capacity utilization factor 20.3%, lowest cost of energy 0.026 USD/kWh and lowest payback period 3.2 years for fixed tilt orientation. The designed system has the potential to reduce 39442.5 tCO2 emissions over its lifetime, resulting in a green environment. When compared to a fixed tilt system, the energy produced yearly by a single axis tracking system is 5.7% higher, while the energy produced yearly by a dual axis tracking system is 34.3% higher. Moreover, the validation of simulation results with actual results collected from an installed 2.5 MW solar plant at a cement factory in Fateh Jang (Zone-B), shows that actual plant performance is closely matched with simulation results. This study provides guidelines for researchers and policymakers to identify acceptable location-based PV technologies for the industrial sector.
Development of Vortex Structure Behind a Circular Disk

Vortical structure behind a circular disk was investigated experimentally in water as the flow past the disk was accelerated from rest and successively moved at constant speeds. Initial vortex ring growth and its distortion through subsequent vortex shedding were documented. Flow field was monitored until the steady state wake oscillation was established. The velocity time traces in the wake taken with a LDV were analyzed using a wavelet analysis technique, and time scales of vortical structures were identified and correlated with the flow visualizations.
Partial separation of two pools of arginine in Escherichia coli; preferential use of exogenous rather than endogenous arginine for the biosynthesis of 1,4-diaminobutane.

Abstract The formation of polyamines was measured in Escherichia coli auxotrophs grown in a chemostat on limiting amounts of citrulline-arginine mixtures; the added amino acids were differentially labeled with either 3H or 14C. The 3H:14C ratio in the isolated amines indicated that more amines had been formed from the exogenous arginine than from the arginine formed endogenously from citrulline. In contrast, there was little, or no, preference for either type of arginine in the synthesis of cellular protein. These data suggest that, in E. coli growing under these conditions, exogenous arginine was accessible to arginine decarboxylase before mixing with the arginine that was synthesized endogenously. Thus, one may conclude that exogenous and endogenous arginine are partially separated functionally within the cell.
A Numerical Investigation of Unsheared Flux Cancelation

Cancelation of magnetic flux in the solar photosphere and chromosphere has been linked observationally and theoretically to a broad range of solar activity phenomena, from filament channel formation to CME initiation. Because cancelation is typically measured at only a single layer in the atmosphere and only in the radial (line of sight) component of the magnetic field, the actual processes behind its observational signature are not fully understood. We have used our 3D MHD code with adaptive mesh refinement, ARMS, to investigate numerically the physics of flux cancelation, beginning with the simplest possible configuration: a subphotospheric Lundquist flux tube surrounded by a potential field in a gravitationally stratified atmosphere. Cancelation is driven by a two-cell circulation pattern imposed in the convection zone, in which the flows converge and form a downdraft at the polarity inversion line (PIL). We present and compare the results of 2D and 3D simulations of cancelation of initially unsheared flux – to our knowledge, these are the first such calculations in which the computational domain extends below the photosphere. The 2D simulation produces a flattened flux rope (plasmoid) whose axis remains centered along the PIL about 1650km above the photosphere, without rising higher into the corona by the end of the run (10,000 s). Our calculations also show that 3D cancelation in an arcade geometry does not produce a fully disconnected flux tube in the corona, in contrast to the 2D results. Rather, most of the reconnected field stays rooted in the photosphere and is gradually submerged by the downdrafts at the PIL. An interchange-like instability develops above the region where the converging flows are driven, breaking the horizontal symmetry along the PIL. This generates an alternating pattern of magnetic shear (magnetic field component aligned with the PIL), which ultimately produces systematic footpoint shuffling through reconnection across the folds of the convoluted PIL. These simulations demonstrate the importance of considering the effects of submergence, as well as the full 3D configuration of the magnetic field and atmosphere, in determining the physical processes behind flux cancelation on the Sun. A paper describing this work has been submitted to the Astrophysical Journal (January 2009).
Performance Evaluation of Reverse Engineering Relational Databases into Extended Entity-Relationship Models

A process for reverse engineering a relational database into an extended Entity-Relationship (EER) schema at a high level of automation is presented. We focus on two essential performance evaluation criteria of the reverse engineering process: 1) which of the reverse engineering operations can be fully automated, and 2) whether these operations can be implemented efficiently. The latter issue is addressed by time complexity analysis of pseudo-code algorithms which implement the everse engineering method.
No hay conducta justa sin causa justa.

Si tuviesemos que apuntar a una nocion basica en la teoria de la guerra justa1, pocas ideas podrian optar a ser candidatas de forma tan clara como la distincion clasica entre jus ad bellum y jus in bello. Sin embargo, ni siquiera esta se ve libre de controversias. De hecho, el objetivo principal de McMahan en Killing in War2 es precisamente el de argumentar que debemos rechazarla. McMahan sostiene que el que una conducta sea moralmente injustificable en una guerra no puede deberse solo a la forma en la que se combate, sino que depende tambien de la razon por la que ello se hace. En otras palabras, que no es posible actuar conforme a los requerimientos del jus in bello si no se han satisfecho asimismo los relativos al jus ad bellum: entre los condicionantes para que una guerra sea luchada de modo justo se cuenta el que sea luchada por una causa justa. Esto no implica, por supuesto, una reduccion del jus in bello al jus ad bellum. Quienes luchan por una causa justa tienen unos ciertos condicionantes morales a la hora de combatir. Pero quienes luchan por causas injustas no estan ya de partida no cumpliendo lo que realmente deberia constituir, dice McMahan, el jus in bello.
Presternal dermoid cyst mimicking lymphatic malformation: a case report and review of the literature.

: We describe an 11-month-old boy with an unusually large presternal mass present since birth. The large size, fluctuant properties, transillumination, compressibility, and imaging of this lesion were characteristic of a lymphatic malformation. Although four treatments with sclerotherapy markedly reduced its size, it was not until definitive treatment with surgical excision and the final pathology report that we arrived at the ultimate diagnosis of dermoid cyst. Dermoid cysts, although appearing along embryologic lines of closure, are rarely presternal. They are usually small, thick walled, and filled with sebaceous or keratinous fluid, which typically allows for clinical diagnosis, and show characteristic features on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound. However, this case illustrates that dermoid cysts can appear in somewhat atypical locations, and imaging is not always diagnostic, so dermoid cyst should remain a part of the differential diagnosis for any lesion presenting midsternally, regardless of the size and imaging characteristics.
On bidding algorithms for a distributed combinatorial auction

Combinatorial auctions CAs are a great way to solve complex resource allocation and coordination problems. However, CAs require a central auctioneer who receives the bids and solves the winner determination problem, an NP-hard problem. Unfortunately, a centralized auction is not a good fit for real world situations where the participants have proprietary interests that they wish to remain private or when it is difficult to establish a trusted auctioneer. The work presented here is motivated by the vision of distributed CAs; incentive compatible peer-to-peer mechanisms to solve the allocation problem, where bidders carry out the needed computation. For such a system to exist, both a protocol that distributes the computational task amongst the bidders and strategies for bidding behavior are needed. PAUSE is combinatorial auction mechanism that naturally distributes the computational load amongst the bidders, establishing the protocol or rules the participants must follow. However, it does not provide bidders with bidding strategies. This article revisits and reevaluates a set of bidding algorithms that represent different bidding strategies that bidders can use to engage in a PAUSE auction, presenting a study that analyzes them with respect to the number of goods, bids, and bidders. Results show that PAUSE, along with the aforementioned heuristic bidding algorithms, is a viable method for solving combinatorial allocation problems without a centralized auctioneer.
The Under-Representation of Minorities in the Electoral College System

The Electoral College system for selecting the U.S. president has created a situation where only a handful of states are relevant on Election Day. Because of the winner-take-all system that virtually every state uses for allocating their respective electoral votes, voters in swing states such as Ohio and Virginia are more important to candidates during the campaign than voters in non-swing states like New York and California. This paper addresses the extent to which the demographic profile of voters in these important swing states differs from the demographic profile of the nation as a whole and thereby the extent to which the demographic profile of the electorate would differ under a popular vote system compared to the current Electoral College. It finds most notably that minorities are significantly under-represented under the current Electoral College system. The paper also finds that the following groups are under-represented by the Electoral College: college-educated, religious, users of public transportation, renters, non-elderly, those in poverty, and the uninsured.
Tinto's South Africa Lectures

The following are transcripts of the four lectures given by Prof. Vincent Tinto, Distinguished University Professor Emeritus, Syracuse University, at the regional symposia “Conceptualising a coherent approach to student success” organised by the Council on Higher Education in Pretoria, Durban and Stellenbosch in August 2013.
Spiritual But Not Religious? Beyond Binary Choices in the Study of Religion

This is a postprint (author's final draft) version of an article to be published in Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion in June 2013. The final version of this article will be found at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1468-5906 (login may be required). The version made available in OpenBU was supplied by the author. PLEASE NOTE: per publisher rules, the text of the article was embargoed for twelve months after publication and was then made publicly downloadable.
Electrochemical boriding of molybdenum in molten salts

Abstract This work describes a study of the growth of a Mo 2 B 5 layer, obtained by diffusion of boron produced by cathodic reduction of KBF 4 on molybdenum metal in molten fluorides, at 830°C. The growth of the Mo 2 B 5 layer has been studied by the galvanostatic method, and is controlled by diffusion of boron in the boride layer. The experimental results show that boriding may occur with about 100% Faraday efficiency, and the calculated diffusion coefficient of boron in the surface layer is in agreement with the literature data obtained by chemical vapour boriding studies.