cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pinocytosis in Acanthamoeba castellanii. Kinetics and morphology.

The uptake of radioactively labeled albumin, inulin, leucine, and glucose by Acanthamoeba castellanii (Neff strain) was measured. The uptake is linear with time and appears to be continuous under the conditions of these experiments. Uptake is abolished at 0°C. No evidence for saturation of the uptake mechanism was obtained with either albumin or leucine. Each of the four tracer molecules enters the ameba at a similar rate when the uptake is calculated as volume of fluid ingested per unit time. The data suggest that each of these molecules enters the cell by pinocytosis. The highest rate of uptake was obtained with cells in their usual culture medium containing proteose peptone, glucose, and salts but pinocytosis also continued at a reduced rate in a simple salt solution. The calculated volume of fluid taken in during pinocytosis in culture medium was about 2 µl/hr per 106 cells. The route of uptake was examined in the electron microscope using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as a tracer. HRP activity was found exclusively within membrane profiles within the cytoplasm, confirming the pinocytotic mode of uptake. An estimate of the rate of surface membrane turnover due to pinocytosis was made using the biochemical and morphological data obtained. This estimate suggests that the plasma membrane turnover of one cell is on the order of several times an hour.
Reconstructing Mutational History in Multiply Sampled Tumors Using Perfect Phylogeny Mixtures

High-throughput sequencing of cancer genomes have motivated the problem of inferring the ancestral history of somatic mutations that accumulate in cells during cancer progression. While the somatic mutation process in cancer cells meets the requirements of the classic Perfect Phylogeny problem, nearly all cancer sequencing studies do not sequence single cancerous cells, but rather thousands-millions of cells in a tumor sample. In this paper, we formulate the Perfect Phylogeny Mixture problem of inferring a perfect phylogeny given somatic mutation data from multiple tumor samples, each of which is a superposition of cells, or “species.” We prove that the Perfect Phylogeny Mixture problem is NP-hard, using a reduction from the graph coloring problem. Finally, we derive an algorithm to solve the problem.
Effect of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Surfaces on the Stability of Double-Stranded DNA

DNA hybridization is the foundation for numerous technologies like DNA origami and DNA sensing/microarrays. Using molecular simulations, enhanced-sampling methods, and free-energy calculations, we show the effects of hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces on DNA hybridization. Hydrophilic surfaces compete with terminal bases’ H-bonds but stabilize central base stacking. Hydrophobic surfaces strengthen terminal H-bonds but destabilize central base stacking. Regardless of surface chemistry, for terminal bases, melting proceeds through breaking H-bonds, followed by unstacking from the neighboring base. For central bases in bulk or near hydrophobic surfaces, melting proceeds by disruption of H-bonds, followed by unstacking, whereas on hydrophilic surfaces, unstacking from one neighboring base precedes complete disruption of the H-bonds, followed by unstacking from the second neighboring base. Kinetic barriers to melting and hybridization show that the central bases melt rapidly near hydrophobic surfaces, which ...
The Missing and Misplaced History in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder – Through the Lens of the Louisiana Experience with Jim Crow and Voting Rights in the 1890s

The modern Supreme Court adheres to the principle of facial neutrality and the significance of facial neutrality to equality norms in the context of race. The Louisiana Constitutional Convention of 1898, which restricted the franchise in a number of race neutral ways, and introduced the “Grandfather Clause,” exempting any males entitled to vote on January 1, 1867 and their male descendants over the age of 21 at the date of adoption of the new Constitution from the new restrictions, is illustrative of the very racially conscious ways in which southern state legislatures in the post-Reconstruction Era, deliberately sought to use neutral rules to thwart equality for blacks. This paper explores the Louisiana experience and what it suggests about the Court’s use of neutrality as a primary principle in guiding equality norms. It does so by exploring the recent Supreme Court decision in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder and the majority opinion’s use of history in its analysis, and restoring some of the history leading up to passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, in particular, the Louisiana experience with voting rights in the 1890’s, to illustrate the significance of the historical record in understanding modern day trends and norms.
I Will Forgive You--This Time.

Although adenocarcinoma of the prostate persists in being the most common form of cancer in men, its clinical behavior does not maintain this type of consistency, wavering from extremely aggressive fatal cancers to clinically insignificant, incidental entities. The prevalence of prostate cancer at autopsy is remarkably high, increasing from 20% in men in their 50s to up to 80% in men 70 to 80 years of age. There are some histologic findings that are diagnostic of prostate cancer, one being perineural invasion, which is present in almost 20% of positive prostate biopsies. During microscopic evaluation of a prostate section from the autopsy of a 74-year-old man with undiagnosed prostate cancer, we encountered several amatory neoplastic cells surrounding and infiltrating a nerve bundle, lovingly molding it into the shape of a heart (Figure 1). The extent of involvement by the prostate adenocarcinoma in this patient was remarkable, in that it involved the urinary bladder, perirectal soft tissue, bone, lungs, pleurae, and pelvic, abdominal, and thoracic lymph nodes, but yet remained clinically silent. As with any relationship, one must learn to forgive when the combination of circumstances warrants it. In this case, in which the cause of death was not due to complications of the metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma, the cancer may perhaps be forgiven—maybe.
Abstract 4752: Selective inhibition of cancer metastasis with a novel small therapeutic molecule

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cause of cancer death in US males. Death is typically caused by metastasis. Naturally occurring isoflavanones have been reported to be a class of compounds that effectively inhibit PCa motility and metastasis. This led us to use these compounds as a synthetic scaffold starting point. By integrating fragment-based diversification synthesis with chemi-driven biological selection, we discovered novel small molecule therapeutics with increased selectivity and potent efficacy. We thereby efficiently synthesized a new class of bioactive compounds that inhibit cell motility in vitro and inhibit human PCa metastasis in a murine model at low nanomolar concentrations. Extensive investigations indicate high specificity at the molecular and cellular levels, and failed to identify toxicity, even at high doses administered over extended periods. Importantly, efficacy against several cancer types was also demonstrated. Target validation studies used our lead as a chemical probe, and point to inhibition of ATM/ATR interaction with specific substrate proteins as important. Together, these studies indicate that we have successfully discovered a novel compound, acting upon a novel pharmacologic target, which selectively inhibits human PCa metastasis. Taken with our favorable preclinical toxicological data, these findings support movement of our lead compound into early phase human trials. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4752. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4752
Les syndromes paranéoplasiques.

Les syndromes paraneoplasiques neurologiques (SPN) sont rares mais constituent des complications devastatrices des cancers. Les signes neurologiques precedent generalement l'identification du cancer; ils peuvent toucher l'ensemble du systeme nerveux : le cortex cerebral, le cervelet, la moelle epiniere, les nerfs peripheriques, la jonction neuro-musculaire ou le muscle. Une seule de ces aires et un seul type cellulaire, ou a l'inverse l'ensemble du nevraxe peuvent etre atteints. La pathogenie des SPN est interpretee comme d'origine immunitaire : l'hypothese actuelle serait que des antigenes habituellement exprimes uniquement dans les neurones sont presents dans la tumeur ; le systeme immunitaire reconnait l'antigene dans la tumeur comme etranger, et elabore une reponse immunitaire qui ralentit l'evolution de la tumeur mais altere le systeme nerveux. La mise en evidence d'un cancer chez un patient presentant des signes neurologiques inexpliques, ou d'auto anticorps paraneoplasiques dans le serum permettent le diagnostic de syndrome paraneoplasique. Le traitement repose sur l'identification et le traitement du cancer causal, et sur une immuno-suppression a visee humorale et cellulaire.
The Big House at Whistling Elk village (39HU242): Geophysical findings and archaeological truths

Magnetic gradiometry and electrical resistivity surveys carried out at the site of Whistling Elk (39HU242), a fortified earthlodge settlement of the Plains Village tradition, Initial Coalescent variant (ca AD 1300), unambiguously defined numerous features including fortification ditches, bastion loops, and houses. One anomaly group was particularly noteworthy because it suggested an unusually large house measuring approximately 100 m 2 , 3-4 times larger than houses known through excavation or other ones apparent in the geophysical evidence at the site. Its shape and interior features were uncharacteris-tically well defined, despite nearly a meter of overburden. Test excavations were conducted to verify the nature of the anomalies and to acquire evidence about the function of this structure. Three hypotheses are examined concerning this Big House : it was a ceremonial lodge, a communal lodge, or a high-status dwelling. Owing to the discovery of numerous domestic artifacts and food remains on its floor, the last two hypotheses gain favor.
The Relationship of Social Support and Neighborhood Perceptions among Individuals with HIV

Social support has been noted to improve health outcomes for individuals with HIV. Understanding how neighborhoods contribute to feelings of social support is beneficial to create environments where populations with HIV can be supported. This study assessed the relationship between neighborhood perceptions and social support with HIV management. A total of 201 individuals were recruited; individuals with HIV, 18 years or older, who were eligible to participate in the 2-hour interview. Psychiatric diagnostic interviews were conducted alongside assessments of social support and neighborhood perceptions; biomedical markers were abstracted from medical records. Correlations and linear regression analyses were performed to assess relationships between social support and neighborhood perceptions with HIV management biomarkers. The majority of the sample was male (68.8%) and African American (72.3%), with a mean age of 43.1 years. Overall, 78% were receiving combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) prescriptions, with 69% being virally suppressed. Fear of neighborhood activities was independently associated with receiving current cART. Reports of social support and neighborhood perceptions were highly correlated. Findings suggest that supportive home environments likely would improve perceptions of social support.
Analysis of Retroviral Vector Insertion Sites after T-Cell Directed Gene Therapy.

Gene transfer into peripheral blood lymphocytes has several potential applications including the correction of genetic diseases and therapeutic approaches for HIV-1 infection and cancer. Integrating gene transfer system based on murine oncoretroviruses are a convenient tool for such strategies. However, the recent occurrence of uncontrolled clonal T cell expansions in two patients treated with retroviral gene transfer for X-linked severe combined immune deficiency has raised the concern of the risk of insertional oncogenesis associated with the clinical use of integrating viral systems. In vitro studies have indicated that murine viral vectors tend to integrate in the vicinity of transcription start regions of the genome, thus providing a possible mechanism for oncogene activation, however, data from clinical gene transfer trials is lacking. We are following patients affected with adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency who have received T-lymphocyte-directed, retroviral-mediated gene transfer starting in 1990. The first treated patient received the last infusion of gene-corrected cells 12 years ago, has never shown any sign of lymphoproliferation and still carries ~20% of gene-corrected peripheral blood lymphocytes. We set out to study the integration sites in the cells of this patient with the aim of mapping the regions involved by retroviral integrations, determining their localization with respect to known genes, and assessing whether a preferred pattern could be defined. Genomic DNA was prepared from stored lymphocyte samples dating 1991, 1992, 1995, 1998, 2000, and 2003. By inverse PCR and ligation-mediated PCR, we have identified ~860 bona fide insertion sites. Search for homology within the human genome using BLAT returned ~330 unique hits that involved a variety of genes, including transcription factors and oncogenes (e.g. RUNX1, STAT5, FYN). To evaluate the distribution pattern of these integration sites, 2000 randomly generated data sets of genomic coordinates were assembled and their distribution relative to annotations of the human genome was analyzed. A preliminary comparison of the random distribution to our experimental samples showed that retroviral integrations in cells obtained from the patient were significantly skewed toward regions within 2 kb of genes (p<0.002) and CpG islands (p<0.001). These results suggest that, similar to what observed in murine fibroblast and human cancer cell lines, transcriptionally active regions of the genome may be preferred targets of retroviral vectors in human primary T lymphocytes. At the same time, our observations show that the resulting integration events are compatible with long-term, event-free in vivo survival of gene-modified cells in clinical settings.
Eddy Current Scan Simulation with Coupled FEM/BEM

The finite element method (FEM), boundary element method (BEM), and volume integral method (VIM) are well-known numerical techniques that have been succėssfully applied to electromagnetic calculations. At Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), we routinely use these calculations to design eddy current probes. In our applications, the desired information is the impedance of a probe as it is scanned across a structure containing a flaw.
Sleep duration and breast cancer prognosis: perspectives from the Women's Healthy Eating and Living Study.

To examine whether baseline sleep duration or changes in sleep duration are associated with breast cancer prognosis among early-stage breast cancer survivors in the multi-center Women’s Healthy Eating and Living Study. Data were collected from 1995 to 2010. Analysis included 3047 women. Sleep duration was self-reported at baseline and follow-up intervals. Cox proportional hazard models were used to investigate whether baseline sleep duration was associated with breast cancer recurrence, breast cancer-specific mortality, and all-cause mortality. Time-varying models investigated whether changes in sleep duration were associated with breast cancer prognosis. Compared to women who slept 7–8 h/night at baseline, sleeping ≥9 h/night was associated with a 48% increased risk of breast cancer recurrence (Hazard ratio [HR] 1.48, 95% Confidence interval [CI] 1.01, 2.00), a 52% increased risk of breast cancer-specific mortality (HR 1.52, 95% CI 1.09, 2.13), and a 43% greater risk of all-cause mortality (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.07, 1.92). Time-varying models showed analogous increased risk in those who inconsistently slept ≥9 h/night (all P < 0.05), but not in those who consistently slept ≥9 h/night. Consistent long or short sleep, which may reflect inter-individual variability in the need for sleep, does not appear to influence prognosis among early-stage breast cancer survivors.
FUELING JOB ENGINES: IMPACTS OF SMALL BUSINESS LOANS ON ESTABLISHMENT BIRTHS IN METROPOLITAN AND NONMETRO COUNTIES

This study examines the effect of small business loans on subsequent establishment births in U.S. counties. Using an economic growth framework and cross-sectional empirical model, we test the hypothesis that the establishment birth rate is higher in counties where the level and annual increase in lending is greater, controlling for community-level characteristics affecting business and economic dynamics. We also consider the long-term effect of small business lending and focus on establishing the appropriate lag structure. The results indicate that small business lending does generally have a positive effect on the employer establishment birth rate that is strongest in nonmetropolitan (rural) counties. (JEL L26, R11, M13)
Eosinophils in Autoimmune Diseases

Eosinophils are multifunctional granulocytes that contribute to initiation and modulation of inflammation. Their role in asthma and parasitic infections has long been recognized. Growing evidence now reveals a role for eosinophils in autoimmune diseases. In this review, we summarize the function of eosinophils in inflammatory bowel diseases, neuromyelitis optica, bullous pemphigoid, autoimmune myocarditis, primary biliary cirrhosis, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and other autoimmune diseases. Clinical studies, eosinophil-targeted therapies and experimental models have contributed to our understanding of the regulation and function of eosinophils in these diseases. By examining the role of eosinophils in autoimmune diseases of different organs we can identify common pathogenic mechanisms. These include degranulation of cytotoxic granule proteins, induction of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, release of proteases degrading extracellular matrix, immune modulation through cytokines, antigen presentation, and pro-thrombotic functions. The association of eosinophilic diseases with autoimmune diseases is also examined, showing a possible increase in autoimmune diseases in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis, hypereosinophilic syndrome and non-allergic asthma. Finally, we summarize key future research needs.
The Integrated TIGER Series (ITS) of Coupled Electron/Photon Monte Carlo Transport Codes

ITS is a powerful and user-friendly software package permitting state-of-the-art Monte Carlo solution of linear time-integrated coupled electron/photon radiation transport problems, with or without the presence of macroscopic electric and magnetic fields of arbitrary spatial dependence. Our goal has been to simultaneously maximize operational simplicity and physical accuracy. Through a machine portable utility that emulates the basic features of the CDC UPDATE processor, the user selects one of eight codes for running on a machine of one of four (at least) major vendors. The ease with which this utility is applied combines with an input scheme based on order-independent descriptive keywords that makes maximum use of defaults and internal error checking to provide experimentalists and theorists alike with a method for the routine but rigorous solution of sophisticated radiation transport problems. Physical rigor is maximized by employing the best available cross sections and sampling distributions, and the most complete physical model for describing the production and transport of the electron/photon cascade from 1.0 GeV down to 1.0 keV. Flexibility of construction permits the more sophisticated user to tailor the codes to specific applications and to extend the capabilities of the codes to more complex applications through simple update procedures.
Concluding Thoughts: Media’s Role in Improving Breastfeeding Success

This chapter brings the themes of the book together, reinforcing media’s role in emphasizing individual choice, individual behavior, and individual responsibility for breastfeeding success and failure, while persistently undermining breastfeeding by creating a culture that is far more conducive to formula-feeding. The competing discourses across the chapters are discussed: “Breastfeeding as Health Prevention or Cultural Experience,” “Breastfeeding as Feminist?,” and “Discourses of the Mommy Wars.” Furthermore, Foss identifies family structures, intersectional positions, and breastfeeding experiences that are largely missing in news and entertainment media. The book concludes with ways that media could better promote breastfeeding at the policy, community, and institutional levels in accordance with the International Code of Breastmilk Substitutes, the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, and other implementation strategies.
Symbiont Spillover from Invasive to Native Woodwasps

Hosts and their associated microbes are being increasingly introduced around the world, which can lead to novel host/microbe associations via new sympatries. Woodwasps (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) are able to utilize wood for its nutrients due to obligate mutualistic associations with white rot fungi in the genus Amylostereum and when invasive woodwasps are introduced to new areas, their symbionts accompany them. There is increasing evidence that woodwasp-fungus associations previously believed to be highly specific are actually flexible. We show that in North America, both Urocerus albicornis and Urocerus cressoni, which develop in trees in the Pinaceae, usually use Amylostereum chailletii but sometimes carry an Amylostereum areolatum strain putatively introduced to North America by the invasive woodwasp Sirex noctilio. Symbiont spillover from invasive to native hosts is a source of new host/introduced symbiont associations that could result in changes in microbes and host fitness with the potential to impact communities.
Reference frames in spatial updating when body-based cues are absent.

The current study investigated the reference frame used in spatial updating when idiothetic cues to self-motion were minimized (desktop virtual reality). In Experiment 1, participants learned a layout of eight objects from a single perspective (learning heading) in a virtual environment. After learning, they were placed in the same virtual environment and used a keyboard to navigate to two of the learned objects (visible) before pointing to a third object (invisible). We manipulated participants’ starting orientation (initial heading) and final orientation (final heading) before pointing, to examine the reference frame used in this task. We found that participants used the initial heading and the learning heading to establish reference directions. In Experiment 2, the procedure was almost the same as in Experiment 1 except that participants pointed to objects relative to an imagined heading that differed from their final heading in the virtual environment. In this case, pointing performance was only affected by alignment with the learning heading. We concluded that the initial heading played an important role in spatial updating without idiothetic cues, but the representation established at this heading was transient and affected by the interruption of spatial updating; the learning heading, on the other hand, corresponded to an enduring representation which was used consistently.
3D printed "smart screw" with built-in LC sensing circuit for wireless monitoring

This work presents a novel "smart screw" with built-in electrical circuit for sensing. Comparing to conventional screw for industrial application, the designed smart screw contains an inductor-capacitor resonant circuit, of which the resonance frequency is determined by the gap of the structure inside the smart screw. As the gap is changed due to external force or the deformation of the smart screw, the resonance frequency will shift or vanish and be detected wirelessly by an inductive reader in real-time. As a proof-of-concept, M24 smart screws were fabricated by metallic three-dimensional printing. The LC circuit, formed by selective-laser-melting of titanium together with the screw body, is found to have the initial resonance frequency 162.77 MHz. It showed −2.7% and 10.5% frequency shifts during compression and bending tests, respectively. As the deformation exceeded certain level, the resonance even vanished. Both the shift and vanishment of resonance are sensing indicators. This work enables an innovative scheme for wireless built-in sensing application for high-value mechanical components.
Interfacial Chemistry Regulation via a Skin-Grafting Strategy Enables High-Performance Lithium-Metal Batteries

The lithium (Li) metal anode suffers severe interfacial instability from its high reactivity toward liquid electrolytes, especially carbonate-based electrolytes, resulting in poor electrochemical performance of batteries that use 4 V high-capacity cathodes. We report a new skin-grafting strategy that stabilizes the Li metal–liquid electrolyte interface by coating the Li metal surface with poly((N-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4-methyl)-5-norbornene-exo-2,3-dicarboximide), a chemically and electrochemically active polymer layer. This layer, composed of cyclic ether groups with a stiff polycyclic main chain, serves as a grafted polymer skin on the Li metal anode not only to incorporate ether-based polymeric components into the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) but also to accommodate Li deposition/dissolution under the skin in a dendrite/moss-free manner. Consequently, a Li-metal battery employing a Li metal anode with the grafted skin paired with LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 cathode has a 90.0% capacity retention aft...
3D printing technologies for 3D scaffold engineering

Abstract 3D printing technologies are a promising and viable means of fabricating replicable and functional scaffolds capable of promoting tissue regeneration. Printing technologies such as direct 3D printing, 3D-Bioplotter printing, fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering, stereolithography, indirect 3D printing, and electrospinning are commonly used 3D printing techniques for creating scaffolds. These techniques have shown success in pre-clinical settings with respect to regenerating various tissue types, and have designed implantable structures investigated in clinical trials for bone defect restoration, pulmonary disease, dysphagia, and lung cancer. Continued advancement and hybrid approaches using different material combinations, printing methodologies, and controlled drug delivery will further advance the progress of 3D printing technologies toward developing scaffolds capable of being utilized in the clinic. An overview of these 3D printing technologies and their recent developments in the field of tissue engineering are discussed, and demonstrate the promise of the recent advancements made in 3D printing.
Instagrams that wound: Punctum, visual enthymemes, and the visual argumentation of the Transportation Security Administration

ABSTRACTTransportation Security Administration (TSA) employees often use savvy media operations to counter its negative image. In June of 2013, TSA began using the social network Instagram to share photos with the public. Most of the photos shared on TSA's Instagram feed depict potentially dangerous items (guns, knives, grenades) TSA agents have confiscated at airport security checkpoints. In this essay, I argue that TSA's use of images of potentially dangerous objects on Instagram functions as a visual enthymeme that justifies the existence of TSA, given the context of constant criticism TSA faces. This essay uses existing literature on visual enthymemes and Roland Barthes's punctum to examine the ways TSA's images depict airports as vulnerable and wounded by these dangerous objects.
Small Business Social Responsibility: Some Perceptions and Insights:

The results of a survey conducted in the Atlanta and Athens, Georgia area suggest that small business managers and non-business individuals have similar perceptions of small business's social respo...
Breasted Experience: The Look and the Feeling

The chest, the house of the heart, is an important center of a person’s being. I may locate my consciousness in my head, but my self, my existence as a solid person in the world, starts from my chest, from which I feel myself rise and radiate ([28] pp. 22–27; [13], Ch. 27). At least in Euro-American culture, it is to my chest, not my face, that I point when I signify myself. In Hindu philosophy of the body the chest is not the only center, but it has the integrative power among them ([11], pp. 132–135).
Heat transfer from impinging slot jets of air

The heat transfer of two-dimensional impinging air jets was examined. Jet widths from 0.0625 to 0.3750 inches (1.59 to 9.53 mm) operating at exit velocities from 2,000 to 10,000 ft/min (10.2 to 50.8 in/sec) were used. Average and local heat transfer coefficients were measured for jet arrays having a variety of different vertical and horizontal spacings. Predictive equations describing average heat transfer data were obtained which explain approximately 95 percent of the measured variation. Jet exit velocity and the lateral distance between the centerline of adjacent jets had the greatest influence on heat transfer.
Implementation of the Recommendations for RBC Transfusions for Critically Ill Children From the Pediatric Critical Care Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative.

Objectives:To provide context for the implementation of the Pediatric Critical Care Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative recommendations for RBC transfusions including a review of prior research related to implementation of transfusion guidelines, efforts to facilitate implementation through
Individual and institutional factors that contribute to student learning among Latina and Latino undergraduate students

This study examined student learning via the composite measure of intellectual abilities among 1,210 Latina/o undergraduates at 4-year institutions. Longitudinal pre and post surveys were used to e...
Comparison of outcomes for supine vs. prone position ERCP: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background While endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is usually performed in the prone position, some studies have advocated for ERCP in the supine position. Studies comparing the technical success and safety outcomes have shown variable results. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting the comparison between the two positions for ERCP outcomes. Methods We conducted a search of electronic databases and conference proceedings including PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases (from inception through October 2016) to identify studies that reported the comparison of technical success and safety outcomes between supine and prone ERCP. The primary outcome was to estimate the pooled rates of technical success. The secondary outcome was to estimate the risks of complications, such as cardiopulmonary and post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP). Results Six studies reporting on 309 supine and 1415 prone ERCPs were identified. The pooled technical success rates for completion of ERCP in supine and prone positions were 89.1 % (95 %CI = 80.9 – 94.0) and 95.6 % (95 %CI = 91.5 – 97.7), respectively. The pooled rates for complications (cardiopulmonary and PEP) in the supine position were 37.5 % (95 %CI = 19.1 – 60.3) and 3.5 % (95 %CI = 1.6 – 7.3), respectively. The pooled rates for complications (cardiopulmonary and PEP) in the prone position were 41.0 % (95 %CI = 20.9 – 64.8) and 3.9 % (95 %CI = 2.4 – 6.4), respectively. The mean time required for the procedure was 30 minutes and 29.8 minutes for supine and prone positions, respectively. Substantial heterogeneity was noted in the analysis. Conclusion Prone ERCPs have a higher technical success rate with a slightly lower mean duration but a higher number of adverse events. The decision with regard to patient position should be made after evaluating the overall clinical scenario.
Comments on the Impact of Advertising on the Price of Consumer Products” (Farris and Albion, JM, Summer 1980):

In their survey on whether advertising increases prices, Farris and Albion fail to understand that those who argue that advertising increases prices lack both theory and facts. Consumers benefit fr...
Thermal environments within aspen (Populus tremuloides) tree cavities during summer: Implications for breeding and roosting cavity users

Abstract Summer temperature patterns within tree cavities might influence occupancy of cavities by different animals such as birds and bats, and furthermore, cavity temperatures can influence processes such as embryonic development or the development of young. Our study aimed to identify the environmental variables influencing cavity temperatures during summer (June–July) in quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) in southeastern Idaho. We collected temperature data between June 22 and July 27, 2015 using iButtons distributed across 30 tree cavities in 30 aspen stands in the Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho. We used every third day of data to ensure temporal independence amongst readings from the same cavity. We used a multi-model selection framework to examine how environmental characteristics might influence cavity thermal environments, and we modeled how environmental variables, tree, and cavity characteristics might influence daily maximum cavity temperatures. Cavity temperatures ranged as low as 1 °C to as high as 46 °C. Approximately 13% of the cavities experienced temperatures above 40 °C for at least an hour, and these temperatures are noted to be lethal to developing avian embryos. The two top competing models explaining the daily maximum cavity temperatures included tree diameter at cavity height, canopy cover, cavity orientation, and daily maximum ambient temperature. Daily maximum cavity temperatures were significantly associated with daily maximum ambient temperatures and canopy cover; warmer cavities were positively associated with warmer ambient temperatures and negatively associated with canopy cover. Because cavities in aspen are an important resource for multiple species, understanding the factors that influence the microclimate of tree cavities can have broad implications for cavity using species in the context of changing climates.
Magnetohydrodynamic effects in a shock-accelerated gas cylinder

We numerically study the effect of magnetic field orientation and strength on a shock-accelerated gas cylinder susceptible to the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability. We find regimes where fluid mixing increases with field strength and a preferential field orientation for damping the instability.
Saltwater reduces CO 2 and CH 4 production in organic soils from a coastal freshwater forested wetland

Abstract. A major concern for coastal freshwater wetland function and health is saltwater intrusion and the potential impacts on greenhouse gas production. Coastal freshwater wetlands are likely to experience increased hydroperiod with rising sea level, as well as saltwater intrusion. These potential changes to wetland hydrology may also alter forest structure and lead to a transition from forest to shrub/marsh wetland ecosystems. Loss of forested wetlands is already evident by dying trees and dead standing trees ("ghost" forests) along the Atlantic Coast of the US, which will result in significant alterations to plant carbon (C) inputs, particularly that of coarse woody debris, to soils. We investigated the effects of salinity and wood C inputs on soils collected from a coastal freshwater forested wetland in North Carolina, USA, and incubated in the laboratory with either freshwater or saltwater (2.5 or 5.0 ppt) and with or without the additions of wood. Saltwater additions at 2.5 ppt and 5.0 ppt reduced CO2 production by 41 and 37 %, respectively, compared to freshwater. Methane production was reduced by 98 % (wood-free incubations) and by 75–87 % (wood-amended incubations) in saltwater treatments compared to the freshwater treatment. Additions of wood resulted in lower CH4 production from the freshwater treatment and higher CH4 production from saltwater treatments compared to wood-free incubations. The δ13CH4-C isotopic signature indicated that in wood-free incubations, CH4 produced from the freshwater treatment was from the acetoclastic pathway, while CH4 produced from the saltwater treatments was more likely from the hydrogenotrophic pathway. These results suggest that saltwater intrusion into subtropical coastal freshwater forested wetlands will reduce CH4 fluxes, but long-term changes in C dynamics will likely depend on how changes in wetland vegetation and microbial function influences C inputs to the soil.
Using quality improvement to increase the awareness of obesity among endometrial cancer patients

Objective To increase discussion about obesity and endometrial cancer and referrals to weight loss clinic in patients with newly diagnosed low-risk endometrial cancer. Methods A multidisciplinary team used a quality improvement methodology to increase patient awareness about obesity and endometrial cancer. Target population included patients Results 54 patients from the historic cohort and 53 from the intervention cohort met inclusion criteria. Clinical characteristics were balanced between the groups. Discussion about obesity increased from 11.1% (6/54) to 79.2% (42/53) after implementing the toolkit (p Conclusions A multidisciplinary quality-improvement project can be used to increase discussion about obesity and referral to a weight loss clinic in patients with low-risk endometrial cancer. Increasing patient awareness of the connection between obesity and endometrial cancer may have implications on the long-term health of endometrial cancer survivors.
Variant Histology in Bladder Cancer—Current Understanding of Pathologic Subtypes

Urothelial carcinomas (UC) are characterized by variant morphologies. However, the diagnosis of these variants can be challenging, in part due to their evolving diagnostic criteria. This review discusses the diagnostic criteria, molecular features, and prognostic implications of the UC variants. Evolving subtypes of UC are also briefly discussed. The WHO 2016 classification of tumors of the urinary system has refined the morphologic criteria for the diagnosis of UC variants. Many of these follow a more aggressive clinical course, but conclusive data on their effect on survival are lacking. The molecular alterations characteristic of some of these variants may be amenable to targeted therapies. Accurate identification of variant histology in UC has important implications for patient management. Despite identification of distinct molecular alterations in some of these variants, current molecular classifiers of invasive UC have not been significantly analyzed in these subtypes, opening up areas of future research.
Make Me a Better Offer: Developer Threats and Regional Competition for Land Development Projects:

To extract favorable terms from local governments, developers can take advantage of intermunicipal competition and threaten to relocate or abandon a land development project. Some say that model of...
Stopping caffeine in premature neonates: how long does it take for the level of caffeine to fall below the therapeutic range?

Background: Caffeine is routinely used in preterm infants for apnea of prematurity. Preterm infants are usually monitored for 5 days after discontinuation of caffeine to assess for possible recurre...
Renewable Energy Power Generation using Waste Energy in Water Pressure Reducing Valves

This paper proposes a method for renewable energy power generation using waste energy in water pressure reducing valves (PRVs). An interval type-2 fuzzy logic (IT2FL) control-based technique is proposed to recapture waste energy in PRVs and generate electricity using an in-conduit hydropower generator. An experimental setup is used to simulate an actual water supply station for testing the operation and control of the in-conduit generator. The test system is comprised of one hydro-powered generator, two PRVs, and two motor-operated valves (MOVs). The MOVs are controlled by IT2FL method developed in MATLAB in order to adjust the customer pressure and maximize the generator efficiency. A hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) setup is developed to produce the voltage set points which control the MOV actuators using the pressures which are measured by transducers and transferred to the IT2FL algorithm via a data acquisition and control system. The generator operational limit is met to avoid any possible damage. The IT2FL control-based algorithm is tested on the prototype hardware setup under various flow and pressure values and compared to type-1 fuzzy logic (T1FL) and existing pseudo algorithms. Because PRVs are used throughout the water distribution system across the world, the proposed renewable energy generation using the waste energy is truly distributed and can have a significant effect in smart microgrid applications.
Descriptions of two new genera of Maruinini (Diptera, Psychodidae, Psychodinae) from the Mitaraka range of French Guiana

Little information is available regarding the non-phlebotomine Psychodidae Newman, 1834 of French Guiana. Psychodid specimens were sorted from samples collected during the recent “Our Planet Reviewed” Guyane-2015 expedition in the Mitaraka range. Males and females of two genera of tribe Maruinini Enderlein, 1937, Polletomyia subulata n. gen., n. sp. and Myiomystax trilineata n. gen., n. sp., are described and illustrated. Characters pertinent to assessing relationships among genera of Maruinini are discussed.
21st International Symposium on Transportation and Traffic TheoryStability of transportation networks under adaptive routing policies

Growing concerns regarding urban congestion, and the recent explosion of mobile devices able to provide real-time information to traffic users have motivated increasing reliance on real-time route guidance for the online management of traffic networks. However, while the theory of traffic equilibria is very well-known, fewer results exist on the stability of such equilibria, especially in the context of adaptive routing policy. In this work, we consider the problem of characterizing the stability properties of traffic equilibria in the context of online adaptive route choice induced by GPS-based decision making. We first extend the recent framework of “Markovian Traffic Equilibria” (MTE), in which users update their route choice at each intersection of the road network based on traffic conditions, to the case of non-equilibrium conditions, while preserving consistency with known existence and uniqueness results on MTE. We then exhibit sufficient conditions on the network topology and the latency functions for those MTEs to be stable in the sense of Lyapunov for a single destination problem. For various more restricted classes of network topologies motivated by the observed properties of travel patterns in the Singapore network, under certain assumptions we prove local exponential stability of the MTE, and derive analytical results on the sensitivity of the characteristic time of convergence to network and traffic parameters. The results proposed in this work are illustrated and validated on synthetic toy problems as well as on the Singapore road network with real demand and traffic data.
Artefacts of finite span in vortex-induced vibration simulations

Abstract The effects of finite-span computational domain with periodic boundaries for vortex-induced vibration simulations are investigated. Coupled fluid-solid dynamics of an elastically-mounted rigid circular cylinder are performed using detached eddy simulations with four computational domains of different span lengths. Simulations with span less than five-cylinder diameters give erroneous results including, under/overprediction of displacement amplitude, premature lock-in, etc. Spectra of transverse loading and displacement, instantaneous oscillation frequency, and phase lag between transverse force and displacement are analyzed. High spanwise coherence is found to be the primary cause of the artefacts observed in small-span simulations.
Solar Freckles: Long-Term Photochromic Tattoos for Intradermal Ultraviolet Radiometry

While tattooable nanotechnology for in-skin sensing and communication has been a popular concept in science fiction since the 1990s, the first tattooable intradermal nanosensors have only emerged i...
Standardizing Hospital Management of Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis in order to Reduce Iatrogenic Low Blood Glucose Episodes

Background: IV insulin infusions, the standard treatment for pediatric diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), may lead to iatrogenic hypoglycemia. Concern for and occurrence of iatrogenic hypoglycemia in DKA patients causes slowing or discontinuation of an IV insulin infusion, which ultimately prolongs DKA therapy. Baseline data at our institution demonstrated 53% of patients receiving IV insulin for DKA management experienced a blood glucose (BG) < 100mg/dL necessitating slowing of insulin therapy and 32% experienced a BG < 80mg/dL necessitating premature discontinuation of insulin therapy. We theorized that standardized DKA management and hypoglycemia prevention strategies would prevent BG levels from falling …
Of What Do We Testify? A Meditation on Becoming “Good” and on the Nature of “Self” in Self-Study

Noting that the concept of ‘self’ often is given short shrift in self-study research, the author engages in a mediation on self and self-study. Drawing on G.H. Mead’s conception of the ‘I’ and the ...
Subanalgesic morphine doses augment fentanyl analgesia by interacting with delta opioid receptors in male rats.

Opioids are commonly used for the treatment of postoperative and post-traumatic pain; however, their therapeutic effectiveness is limited by undesirable and life-threatening side effects. Researchers have long attempted to develop opioid co-administration therapies that enhance analgesia, but the complexity of opioid analgesia and our incomplete mechanistic understanding has made this a daunting task. We discovered that subanalgesic morphine doses (100 ng/kg-10 µg/kg) augmented the acute analgesic effect of fentanyl (20 µg/kg) following subcutaneous drug co-administration to male rats. In addition, administration of equivalent drug ratios to naive rat spinal cord membranes induced a twofold increase in G protein activation. The rate of GTP hydrolysis remained unchanged. We demonstrated that these behavioral and biochemical effects were mediated by the delta opioid receptor (DOP). Subanalgesic doses of the DOP-selective agonist SNC80 also augmented the acute analgesic effect of fentanyl. Furthermore, co-administration of the DOP antagonist naltrindole with both fentanyl-morphine and fentanyl-SNC80 combinations prevented augmentation of both analgesia and G protein activation. The mu opioid receptor (MOP) antagonist cyprodime did not block augmentation. Confocal microscopy of the substantia gelatinosa of rats treated with fentanyl, subanalgesic morphine, or this combination showed that changes in MOP internalization did not account for augmentation effects. Together, these findings suggest that augmentation of fentanyl analgesia by subanalgesic morphine is mediated by increased G protein activation resulting from a synergistic interaction between or heterodimerization of MOPs and DOPs. This finding is of great therapeutic significance because it suggests a strategy for the development of DOP-selective ligands that can enhance the therapeutic index of clinically used MOP drugs.
Superficial Temporal Vessels

Multiple vessel options exist as recipient for microsurgical reconstruction of the head and neck. The superficial temporal artery and vein are primarily utilized as recipient vessels in scalp and upper head and neck reconstruction. They obviate the need for vein grafting or flaps with an extra-long pedicle. This chapter describes the applied anatomy, surgical exposure, advantages, and disadvantages of the superficial temporal artery and vein as recipient vessels in head and neck reconstruction.