cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pharmacokinetics of Cefoperazone and Sulbactam in Liver Transplant Patients

The authors evaluated the pharmacokinetics of cefoperazone and sulbactam in 9 liver transplant patients. Cefoperazone and sulbactam were administered as an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes every 12 hours for six doses, and multiple blood samples were collected immediately after the first dose (administered during the surgery) and after the last dose. The concentrations of cefoperazone and sulbactam in serum and, when possible, in urine and bile collected over one dosing interval were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography. The concentration of cefaperazone ranged from 436 to 4118 microg/ml, and sulbactam ranged from 3.3 to 8.7 microg/ml in the bile samples. The intraoperative clearance of cefoperazone (0.53+/-0.18 ml/min/kg) was significantly higher than the postoperative clearance (0.21+/-0.23 ml/min/kg). The half-life of cefaperazone, although not statistically significantly different, was prolonged in all patients during the postoperative period. The clearance of sulbactam (1.51+/-0.51 ml/min/kg) was lower than what is reported in patients with normal renal function but was comparable to what has been reported in patients with renal impairment and in critically ill patients. There were no significant differences in any of the pharmacokinetic parameters of sulbactam during and after surgery. The pharmacokinetic parameters of cefoperazone and sulbactam were significantly altered in liver transplant patients compared to what has been reported in normal subjects but were similar to what has been reported in patients with liver and renal impairment. There was a significant impairment in the biliary excretion of cefoperazone during the postoperative period in liver transplant patients. Although the percentage of the dose of cefoperazone excreted in the bile was drastically reduced, the biliary concentrations were generally high and above the MIC for most organisms. Given that both renal and hepatic elimination of cefoperazone is decreased, leading to a lower clearance and longer half-life in liver transplant patients, lower doses (1-2 g per day) of cefoperazone may be sufficient in liver transplant patients during the immediate postoperative period.
Economic Dualism and What It Means to American Labor Force Participants

There is a growing literature on dualism in the structure of American industry, which posits important changes in workforce opportunities. The sectoral division of the American workforce, articulated by James O'Connor in Fiscal Crisis of the State, is also politically suggestive. This article considers the ways in which economic dualism affects the lives and consciousness of the participants in the workforce in the period 1972-1977, with General Social Survey data. The investigation yielded little evidence to support many of the contentions of the dualism literature, and especially cast doubt on any assumption that experience in core and periphery of the American economy had meaning at the level of felt experiences of individuals. The study raises important questions for dual labor market and dual economy analyses concerning the relationships between industrial structure and workforce experiences, labor markets and class boundaries, and material and ideological underpinnings of consent.
Tracing the Fate of an Essential Element

Selenium is an essential trace element that plays a fundamental role in biology. Selenium deficiency in humans leads to a spectrum of diseases including myocarditis, osteoarthritis, immune defects, and severe hypothyroidism. Selenium, in the form of selenocysteine, is incorporated into ~25 different selenoproteins, most of which are enzymes, such as the glutathione peroxidases that break down reactive oxygen species or the deiodinases that metabolize thyroid hormone. Selenocysteine, often called the 21st amino acid, is encoded by a UGA codon that normally halts translation. There is a unique translation machinery that allows selenocysteine to be incorporated into selenoproteins, and part of this machinery includes the SBP2 protein. Now, Schoenmakers and colleagues show in two families that mutations in SBP2 result in the impaired synthesis of the majority of selenoproteins, leading to a severe multisystem disorder with many diverse symptoms. The clue that these two families had a selenoprotein deficiency came from the observation that affected family members had hypothyroidism with low T3. There was also a diverse array of other symptoms, including lack of sperm (azoospermia) because of reduced spermatogenesis caused by the loss of selenoproteins in the testes. Affected individuals in the two families also showed an axial muscular dystrophy with features similar to myopathies caused by mutations in selenoprotein N. Patients also had increased skin photosensitivity, which is consistent with loss of the antioxidant selenoenzymes that normally break down damaging reactive oxygen species caused by ultraviolet light. A reduction in selenoproteins in peripheral blood cells resulted in defective proliferation of T lymphocytes, abnormal secretion of cytokines by mononuclear cells, and shortening of chromosome ends (an indicator of cellular aging). Intriguingly, an increase in reactive oxygen species in affected individuals was associated with enhanced sensitivity to insulin, reflecting the situation in mice that lack the antioxidant selenoprotein glutathione peroxidase. The case study of Schoenmakers et al. provides fascinating insights into selenium biology, the key role of SBP2 in selenoprotein synthesis, and the importance of selenoproteins to human health. E. Schoenmakers et al. , Mutations in the selenocysteine insertion sequence-binding protein 2 gene lead to a multisystem selenoprotein deficiency disorder in humans. J. Clin. Invest. 15 November 2010 (10.1172/JCI43653). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21084748
Coping with Crisis: Government reactions to the Great Recession, by Nancy Bermeo and Jonas Pontusson (eds)

For over four years now it seems that a book per week comes out on the global financial crisis of 2008–2009. Most bookshelves and brains are getting overcrowded. Nevertheless, room should be made f...
Short-Circuiting Gene Regulatory Networks: Origins of B Cell Lymphoma

B cell lymphomas (BCLs) are characterized by widespread deregulation of gene expression compared with their normal B cell counterparts. Recent epigenomic studies defined cis-regulatory elements (REs) whose activities are altered in BCL to drive some of these pathogenic expression changes. During transformation, multiple mechanisms are employed to alter RE activities, including perturbations in the function of chromatin modifiers, which can lead to revision of the B cell epigenome. Inherited and somatic variants also alter RE function via disruption of transcription factor (TF) binding. Aberrant expression of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) deregulates genes involved in B cell differentiation via direct repression and post-transcriptional targeting. These discoveries have established epigenetic etiologies for B cell transformation that are being exploited in novel therapeutic approaches.
Producción, calidad y difusión de las revistas científicas del siglo XXI

Es verdaderamente un honor para mi compartir la celebracion de un importante hito para una de las mas respetadas revistas de ciencias sociales en America Latina. Al cumplir la Revista Mexicana de Sociologia 75 anos, la publicacion academica en la region esta en un punto de inflexion importante. Enormes avances en la tecnologia de la informacion estan transformando cada vez mas la forma en que la investigacion se divulga. Sin embargo, este cambio tecnologico ha coincidido con el creciente predominio de los enfoques estadounidenses en las ciencias sociales, incluyendo una presion cada vez mayor para los investigadores latinoamericanos a publicar en ingles.
Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Stage II Rectal Cancer

At times we encounter clinical problems for which there are no directly applicable evidence-based solutions, but we are compelled by circumstances to act. When doing so we rely on related evidence, general principles of best medical practice, and our experience. Each “Current Clinical Practice” feature article in Seminars in Oncology describes such a challenging presentation and offers treatment approaches from selected specialists. We invite readers' comments and questions, which, with your approval, will be published in subsequent issues of the Journal. It is hoped that sharing our views and experiences will better inform our management decisions when we next encounter similar challenging patients. Please send your comments on the articles, your challenging cases, and your treatment successes to me at dr.gjmor ris@gmail.com. I look forward to a lively discussion. Gloria J. Morris, MD, PhD Current Clinical Practice Feature Editor
Preparing Future Faculty Symposium: Preparing Future Faculty - The Political Science Department at Howard University

Howard University has been an active participant in the national PFF program since its inception in 1994. As the only historically black college or university (HBCU) within the national PFF community, it serves as the PFF coordinating institution for the Washington, DC, PFF cluster of institutions. These institutions include Bowie State University, The Catholic University of America, Marymount University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and Howard Community College, representing a very diverse and unique PFF community.
Logic and memory design using spin-based circuits

The design of logic and memory circuits in emerging spintronics technology offers fertile ground for new ideas and innovations. We first describe methods for optimizing spintronic logic circuits at the level of physical design, including systematic approaches for building standard cell libraries to enable the design of large circuits. Next, we examine issues in the design of spintronic memories and present methods that trade off volatility with error correction to create dense memory arrays.
Abstract 2918: Docosahexaenoic acid-induced oxidative stress increases cellular apoptosis through a c-MYC-dependent mechanism in breast cancer.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC MYC is a potent oncogene that transcriptionally regulates 15 percent of the genome and is found to be deregulated in approximately 70 percent of cancers (c-MYC), including breast cancer. Activation of c-MYC induces association between its required partners, MYC-associated factor X (MAX) or MAX dimerization protein (MAD), regulating pro-survival and pro-apoptotic pathways, respectively. c-MYC has proved to be a difficult molecular target of inhibition. Only recently have there been strategies providing a way to inhibit c-MYC-dependent tumors and its downstream targets. However, dietary factors like, long-chain fatty acids (LCFA), have been shown to change activity and expression levels of c-MYC in cell culture and animal models. LCFAs have also been reported to induce apoptosis through c-MYC. The present study evaluated whether changes in c-MYC expression or activity were responsible for induction of oxidative stress and apoptosis in response to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6) supplementation in breast cancer. c-MYC mRNA and protein levels were determined in vitro in the breast cancer BT-474, MDA-MB-231, and the non-transformed MCF-10A cell lines. qPCR results showed increases in c-MYC mRNA expression upon PUFA treatment in both BT-474 and MDA-MB-231 cancer lines, but not in the MCF-10A non-transformed line. Protein analysis revealed no changes in total c-MYC expression, however total phosphorylation at Thr58 and Ser62 are significantly upregulated in a dose-response manner upon DHA supplementation in the BT-474 cell line. Remarkably, transcriptional activity of c-MYC is highly upregulated as well, suggesting that c-MYC activity increases in response to DHA treatment. Using dihydrodichlorofluorescein diacetate (H2-DCF-DA) assay, which measures intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress, we found increases in response to DHA treatment in all cell lines. Finally, the increase in oxidative stress also resulted in an increase in apoptosis, which we suggest is through c-MYC activation. Further analysis of the c-MYC isoform status, association between MYC-MAX and MYC-MAD complexes, as well as inducers and inhibitors of c-MYC are currently underway to define specific targets where DHA is applying some of its anti-cancer effects. Ultimately, with a goal that this research will reveal dietary targets of DHA that could be used to enhance efficacy to current therapies. Citation Format: Michael Mouradian, Haviva Kobany, Christopher R. Douglas, Nam D. Hoang, Keith D. Kikawa, Ronald S. Pardini. Docosahexaenoic acid-induced oxidative stress increases cellular apoptosis through a c-MYC-dependent mechanism in breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2918. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2918
Snake evolution in Melanesia: origin of the Hydrophiinae (Serpentes, Elapidae), and the evolutionary history of the enigmatic New Guinean elapid Toxicocalamus

The venomous snake subfamily Hydrophiinae includes more than 40 genera and approximately 200 species. Most members of this clade inhabit Australia, and have been well studied. But, because of poor taxon sampling of Melanesian taxa, basal evolutionary relationships have remained poorly resolved. The Melanesian genera Ogmodon, Loveridgelaps, and Salomonelaps have not been included in recent phylogenetic studies, and the New Guinean endemic, Toxicocalamus, has been poorly sampled and sometimes recovered as polyphyletic. We generated a multilocus phylogeny for the subfamily using three mitochondrial and four nuclear loci so as to investigate relationships among the basal hydrophiine genera and to determine the status of Toxicocalamus. We sequenced these loci for eight of the 12 described species within Toxicocalamus, representing the largest molecular data set for this genus. We found that a system of offshore island arcs in Melanesia was the centre of origin for terrestrial species of Hydrophiinae, and we recovered Toxicocalamus as monophyletic. Toxicocalamus demonstrates high genetic and morphological diversity, but some of the molecular diversity is not accompanied by diagnostic morphological change. We document at least five undescribed species that all key morphologically to Toxicocalamus loriae (Boulenger, 1898), rendering this species polyphyletic. Continued work on Toxicocalamus is needed to document the diversity of this genus, and is likely to result in the discovery of additional species. Our increased taxon sampling allowed us to better understand the evolution and biogeography of Hydrophiinae; however, several unsampled lineages remain, the later study of which may be used to test our biogeographic hypothesis.
A new look at laxative action.

“Another use that has been assigned to the bile is, that it exerts a stimulating action on the intestinal walls, and thus acts as a natural purgative; and in support of this view, it may be mentioned that jaundice (in which bile does not flow into the intestine) is often accompanied by extreme constipation, and that purified ox-gall, taken in the form of pill or enema, produces an undoubted purgative action.” From Digestion in Chambers’s Encyclopaedia, Vol. 3. Revised edition. London, W and R Chambers, 1874, p 564
Horseshoe Kidneys: A 40-year Experience

The results presented show that horseshoe kidney is a non-fatal anomaly of renal development that can be managed successfully by standard urologic procedures. Most clinical problems are caused by hydronephrosis and renal calculi. Careful attention to the anatomy, vasculature and drainage from renal pelves at the time of operation will assure good postoperative results. The Foley Y-V pyeloplasty is a highly effective procedure for relief of ureteropelvic junction obstruction in horseshoe kidneys. As with other genitourinary anomalies the presence of a horseshoe kidney should prompt a thorough urologic evaluation.
Global IP Development: A Recommendation to Increase WIPO and WTO Cooperation

The purpose of this paper is to provide a global view of intellectual property development. It will not steal the thunder of other papers in this Journal issue. Instead, this paper will help set the stage for their presentations, and recommend a process for reviewing new ideas as a part of increased WTO and WIPO cooperation in developing international agreements.In this Journal issue there are papers on several IP laws. Mainly they will be United States federal laws enacted by Congress, or court decisions interpreting these laws. There will be some topics on state laws, enacted by their legislatures. The federal and state laws represent a body of national laws applied when a person does business in the United States. Business around the world adds many more legal dimensions to a business transaction, as each country has its own national laws. In addition to the national laws, there are treaties, regional agreements and bilateral agreements between countries that may control the IP rights in a country. Effectively, the rights between persons of different countries may be subject to the same international agreements.
Carbon-Based Metal-Free Catalysts for Electrocatalysis beyond the ORR

Besides their use in fuel cells for energy conversion through the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), carbon-based metal-free catalysts have also been demonstrated to be promising alternatives to noble-metal/metal oxide catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in metal-air batteries for energy storage and for the splitting of water to produce hydrogen fuels through the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). This Review focuses on recent progress in the development of carbon-based metal-free catalysts for the OER and HER, along with challenges and perspectives in the emerging field of metal-free electrocatalysis.
Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Paracrine Signaling Counteracts Heterocellular Coupling Effects on Cardiac Contractility and Arrhythomgenicity

Myocardial delivery of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) is an emerging therapy for treating the failing heart. Demonstrated benefits include reduced fibrosis and enhanced contractile function, with predominant mechanisms thought to involve paracrine signaling (PS) and heterocellular coupling (HC) between hMSCs and host myocardium. In this study, we utilized mathematical modeling and three-dimensional human engineered cardiac tissues (hECTs) to test the hypothesis that hMSC-mediated PS enhances cardiac contractility and minimizes arrhythmogenicity, counterbalancing the unfavorable effects of direct HC. Based on published studies, our previous hMSC-cardiomyocyte HC model was modified to incorporate hMSC PS effects on single-cell cardiomyocyte ion channel activity and tissue-level fibrosis. Incorporating an established excitation-contraction model, our simulations of PS-only and combined HC+PS effects of hMSCs on human cardiomyocytes replicated our measurements of contractile function of hECTs under matched experimental hMSC-mediated treatments. For example, model simulations and hECTs both demonstrated that the hMSC-mediated effects were most beneficial under PS-only conditions, where developed force significantly increased by 3.5-fold compared to non-hMSC-supplemented controls during physiologic 1-Hz pacing. Similarly, maximum rates of contraction and relaxation were enhanced by PS-only conditions, and diminished by HC. Counteracting PS and HC effects of hMSCs were also revealed in a vulnerable window (VW) analysis of tissue-level arrhythmogenicity in simulated cardiac tissue with moderate (21%) and high (40%) diffuse fibrosis; hMSC HC+PS conditions had variable effects on VW dependent on the percent of hMSCs delivered, while PS-only conditions consistently decreased the VW, thus minimizing arrhythmogenicity. Together, these findings support our hypothesis, and suggest identifying key hMSC paracrine signaling factors as an alternative hMSC-based cardiac therapy.
Gradients in the carbon isotopic composition of Ordovician shallow water carbonates: A potential pitfall in estimates of ancient CO2 and O2

Abstract The carbon isotopic composition of the global dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) reservoir is best estimated from open ocean pelagic carbonate sediments ( δ 13 C carb ). However, this is not practical for most of geologic time because seafloor subduction has removed the pre-Jurassic record and these time periods may have lacked planktonic calcifying organisms, and therefore shallow water carbonate platform or periplatform sediments are utilized. Shallow water deposits are susceptible to a wide range of post-depositional alteration processes and syn-depositional controls on δ 13 C carb that include carbonate mineralogy, water mass restriction, and a host of related variables (e.g., pH, temperature, organic decomposition, evaporation and CO 2 solubility) that can produce local gradients in DIC. The degree to which shallow water δ 13 C curves diverge from open marine deposits may be critical to understanding how well global carbon cycle isotope mass balance models can predict organic carbon burial rates, but documentation of such divergence is often hindered by factors that limit chronostratigraphic correlation in restricted water masses (e.g., endemic faunas). Here we integrate strontium isotope ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) stratigraphy and biostratigraphy to compare δ 13 C curves in a case study along a depth transect in Middle–Late Ordovician carbonate platform settings. The restricted tidal flat and more open marine deposits are offset by a maximum of ∼2‰ during sea level drop and ∼0‰ during highstand flooding of the platform. Global carbon cycle models such as GEOCARBSULF use published δ 13 C carb curves to drive organic carbon burial rates under the assumption that δ 13 C carb reflects a global seawater signal. We show here the potential pitfalls of using a published δ 13 C carb curve that violates this global assumption. For the 460 million year Middle–Late Ordovician time bin in GEOCARBSULF, improper usage of our locally depleted δ 13 C curve to drive global organic carbon burial would result in erroneous atmospheric O 2 (∼10.8% O 2 , equal to about a 30% reduction from what it should be at ∼15.2% O 2 using global δ 13 C) and CO 2 (∼400 ppm too high, equal to about a 13% increase from what it should be at 2570 ppm CO 2 ). With detailed sedimentologic analysis, it may be possible to identify and exclude δ 13 C samples that record the influences of local carbon cycling from global carbon cycle models such as GEOCARBSULF.
Scaling Relations for Adsorption Energies on Doped Molybdenum Phosphide Surfaces

Molybdenum phosphide (MoP), a well-documented catalyst for applications ranging from hydrotreating reactions to electrochemical hydrogen evolution, has yet to be mapped from a more fundamental perspective, particularly in the context of transition-metal scaling relations. In this work, we use periodic density functional theory to extend linear scaling arguments to doped MoP surfaces and understand the behavior of the phosphorus active site. The derived linear relationships for hydrogenated C, N, and O species on a variety of doped surfaces suggest that phosphorus experiences a shift in preferred bond order depending on the degree of hydrogen substitution on the adsorbate molecule. This shift in phosphorus hybridization, dependent on the bond order of the adsorbate to the surface, can result in selective bond weakening or strengthening of chemically similar species. We discuss how this behavior deviates from transition-metal, sulfide, carbide, and nitride scaling relations, and we discuss potential applica...
Psychosocial Dimensions of Learner Language

While the preceding chapter looked at general semantic themes in the L2 Experience Interview Corpus, the present chapter turns to the psychological (learner-internal) and social (learner-external) themes in learner interviews. Specifically, we want to know how 22 psychosocial categories within the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count program (LIWC; Pennebaker et al. 2007) relate to the language experience interviews of 123 advanced English language learners, and whether this relationship indicates larger dimensions of co-occurring features within the L2 learning experience. To address this question, we use exploratory principal component analysis to examine co-occurrence patterns among semantic variation across the interview texts.
The skeletal phenotype of achondrogenesis type 1A is caused exclusively by cartilage defects

ABSTRACT Inactivating mutations in the ubiquitously expressed membrane trafficking component GMAP-210 (encoded by Trip11 ) cause achondrogenesis type 1A (ACG1A). ACG1A is surprisingly tissue specific, mainly affecting cartilage development. Bone development is also abnormal, but as chondrogenesis and osteogenesis are closely coupled, this could be a secondary consequence of the cartilage defect. A possible explanation for the tissue specificity of ACG1A is that cartilage and bone are highly secretory tissues with a high use of the membrane trafficking machinery. The perinatal lethality of ACG1A prevents investigating this hypothesis. We therefore generated mice with conditional Trip11 knockout alleles and inactivated Trip11 in chondrocytes, osteoblasts, osteoclasts and pancreas acinar cells, all highly secretory cell types. We discovered that the ACG1A skeletal phenotype is solely due to absence of GMAP-210 in chondrocytes. Mice lacking GMAP-210 in osteoblasts, osteoclasts and acinar cells were normal. When we inactivated Trip11 in primary chondrocyte cultures, GMAP-210 deficiency affected trafficking of a subset of chondrocyte-expressed proteins rather than globally impairing membrane trafficking. Thus, GMAP-210 is essential for trafficking specific cargoes in chondrocytes but is dispensable in other highly secretory cells.
Trajectories of Maintenance and Resilience in Healthful Eating and Exercise Behaviors in Older Adults.

Objective: Our objective was to describe behavioral change trajectories for healthful eating and exercise in a group of community-dwelling older adults. A secondary aim was to determine predictors ...
Time multiplexed deep reactive ion etching of germanium and silicon-A comparison of mechanisms and application to x-ray optics.

Although the mechanisms of deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) of silicon have been reported extensively, very little by comparison has been discussed concerning DRIE of germanium. By directly comparing silicon and germanium etching in a time multiplexed DRIE process, the authors extract significant differences in etch mechanisms from a design of experiment and discuss how these differences are relevant to the design and fabrication of silicon and germanium collimating channel array x-ray optics. The differences are illuminated by characteristics such as reactive ion etching (RIE)-lag, aspect ratio dependent etching, and sidewall passivation. Specifically, the authors demonstrate the more severe nature of RIE-lag in germanium, especially at aspect ratios exceeding 13:1. In addition, the differences in the profile evolution between silicon and germanium are shown to be a result of differences in sidewall passivation. There is also a correlation between the different sidewall passivation and the inherent lack ...
The Modal Object Calculus and its Interpretation

The modal object calculus is the system of logic which houses the (proper) axiomatic theory of abstract objects.1 This calculus has some rather interesting features in and of itself, independent of the proper theory. The most sophisticated, type-theoretic incarnation of the calculus can be used to analyze the intensional contexts of natural language and so constitutes an intensional logic. However, the simpler second-order version of the calculus couches a theory of fine-grained properties, relations and propositions and serves as a framework for defining situations, possible worlds, stories, and fictional characters, among other things. In the present paper, we focus on the second-order calculus.
Adaptive Collocation for Burgers' Equation

Abstract An adaptive gridding algorithm for finite-element collocation improves resolution of steep fronts in advection-dominated flows such as Burgers' equation. The scheme decouples refinement equations from the overall linear system solved at each iteration of each time step. This decoupling preserves the matrix structure associated with coarse-grid calculations and facilitates parallel computation of the unknowns associated with refinement.
Essay Review: The Cambrian Explosion (of Books on the Origin of Life)

If disciplines recapitulate the course of development of their objects of study, then research into the origin of life can now be said to be through its tenuous early Archaean and Pre-Cambrian stages. In the past four or five years a veritable "Cambrian explosion" of books on the subject has occurred. We shall look here at five of the most recent works.' By contrast, the next meta-level, the history and philosophy of origin of life research, is still relatively underdeveloped. Of the authors reviewed here, only Dick and Fry have historical training, and their books, which I will discuss last, are the only ones in this group that view the development of the field in a substantially historical way. Each of the other authors does attempt to construct a "history of ideas," but their primary purpose is to make a traditional survey of the state of research within a scientific field. Two of the reviewed books (Dick; Maynard Smith and Szathmairy) are in effect, popularist condensations of recently acclaimed larger, more technical works.2 The works under review here span a wide variety of approaches and emphasize different aspects of the field. Thus they are not easily comparable, one with another, on any single common scale. The only two similar enough in scope and approach for such a comparison are Lahav's and Fry's books.
Sildenafil Citrate, the Classic PDE5 Inhibitor

In 1988, a new class of drugs was heralded by the release of sildenafil citrate, an orally administered, potent, and selective phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor.
On the DoF of Two-Way $2\times 2\times 2$ MIMO Relay Networks

This paper studies the degrees of freedom (DoF) of two-way $2\times 2\times 2$ MIMO interference networks, a class of two-way four-unicast networks. We first provide upper and lower bounds on the sum DoF of general two-way $2\times 2\times 2$ MIMO interference networks with any number of antennas in each node. We then investigate the special case where all user nodes have $M$ antennas and relay nodes have $N$ antennas, and provide the simplified bounds on the sum DoF. We show that our proposed achievable rate for this special case is higher than the achievable rates recently proposed in [1] . Moreover, for this special case, we obtain the exact DoF $=4M$ when $N \geq 2M$ , and DoF $=4N$ when $M \leq 2N$ .
Optimization of an empiric vancomycin dosing algorithm for improved target concentration attainment in patients with thermal injury.

Abstract Objective Vancomycin empirical dosing studies in thermally injured patients have netted low successful target attainment and most excluded renal dysfunction, limiting applicability. In a previous study, the authors performed a retrospective analysis of 124 patients’ measured pharmacokinetic parameters to calculate optimal dose and interval for intermittent infusion regimens and find predictors of clearance and total daily dose. The objective of this study was to improve the accuracy of attaining goal therapeutic targets with initial vancomycin regimens in patients with thermal injury through retrospective modeling. Methods In this phase 2 study, variables collected and calculated regimens in phase 1 were utilized to try and create an improved empiric vancomycin dosing algorithm in patients with thermal injury. Logistic regression was utilized to determine best predictors of dosing vancomycin every 6 and 8 h. The strongest models were built as individual algorithms and tested for accuracy of target attainment. Each algorithm produced a regimen for each patient that was then tested utilizing each patient’s actual measured pharmacokinetic parameters. Results Univariable logistic regression of 41 variables identified 27 and 23 to be predictive of dosing every 8 or 6 h, respectively. The most predictive multivariable model for dosing every 8 h consisted of creatinine clearance (CrCl) ≥ 80 ml/min, Acute Kidney Injury Network classification 20 mg/L (11%); area under the concentration curve (AUC) > 400 mg hr/L (83%); and AUC > 400 mg hr/L without having a trough >20 mg/L (72%). Conclusions The algorithm that resulted in the highest target attainment without overdosing recommended 15 mg/kg dosed every 24 h for CrCl ≥ 30, every 12 h for CrCl 31–79, every 8 h for patients with CrCl ≥ 80 ml/min, and every 6 h only if the patient with a CrCl ≥ 80 ml/min is also ≤ 40 years old and has a SCr ≤ 0.8. Caution is warranted for groups underrepresented in this study, such as those with very low CrCl, a low BMI, or receiving renal replacement therapy. This algorithm should be validated in other centers for patients with thermal injuries.
The Political Climate

Political climate in Chile and Peru is far from being stable. However, the business community always finds a way to adjust to the situation. This Chapter provides a descriptive picture of the political climate of Chile and Peru, with reference to how it affects conducting business in the respective country. This chapter also provided detail insight into the overall political climate, issues such as regional politics, transparency, political risk, and legal system. This chapter provides detailed analysis of obstacle to entrepreneurship. This chapter also provides information about how contracts and agreements are documented.
Plasmapheresis and corticosteroids in infective endocarditis-related crescentic glomerulonephritis.

Infective endocarditis (IE)-related glomerulonephritis (GN) typically resolves with the treatment of IE. A 59-year-old woman with a baseline creatinine of 0.7 mg/dL presented with rash on her legs, night sweats and weight loss for 3 weeks. Further evaluation revealed IE. Her blood cultures grew gamma-haemolytic streptococcus, which subsequently cleared on appropriate antibiotic therapy. Her creatinine, however, progressively worsened requiring haemodialysis. Kidney biopsy showed immune complex-mediated necrotising and crescentic GN. She was started on plasmapheresis (PE) and high-dose steroids with rapid taper, with subsequent improvement in her creatinine to 0.8 mg/dL. She subsequently had aortic valve replacement and ventricular septal defect closure. She did not improve as expected with antibiotic therapy but turned around dramatically with steroids and PE. Our case supports the possible beneficial role of PE and steroids in IE-related crescentic GN that worsens despite appropriate antibiotic therapy, although the risks of immunosuppression and aggravating endocarditis need to be considered.
High Efficiency of a Two-Stage Packed Ga2O3/Al2O3 and a Mixture of Ga2O3/Al2O3 with Mn2O3 for No Reduction

A two-stage packing of a 30 wt.% Ga2O3/Al2O3 catalyst and a mixture catalyst of 30 wt.% Ga2O3/Al2O3 with 10 wt.% of Mn2O3 is shown to be quite efficient to NO selective reduction by a lower hydrocarbon under lean conditions. A high NO reduction conversion was observed in the temperature range of 200-600°C.
Schwannomatosis of the Spinal Accessory Nerve: A Case Report

Schwannomatosis is a distinct syndrome characterized by multiple peripheral nerve schwannomas that can be sporadic or familial in nature. Cases affecting the lower cranial nerves are infrequent. Here, the authors present a rare case of schwannomatosis affecting the left spinal accessory nerve. Upon genetic screening, an in-frame insertion at codon p.R177 of the Sox 10 gene was observed. There were no identifiable alterations in NF1, NF2, LZTR1, and SMARCB1. This case demonstrates a rare clinical presentation of schwannomatosis in addition to a genetic aberration that has not been previously reported in this disease context.
Parameter Optimization for Walking Patterns and the Geometry of in-Pipe Robots

This paper discusses the problem of generating walking pattern parameters for in-pipe robots using global optimization procedures. The choice of the objective function that prevents a robot from assuming a singular configuration or making collisions and promotes faster walking is discussed. The optimization is performed using a number of methods, including genetic algorithm, particle swarm optimization, simulated annealing and others. A comparative analysis of these methods under different optimization run time constraints was presented. The results obtained in this study suggest that the proposed method is a valid practical solution for tuning walking pattern parameters for in-pipe robots.
Neonatal retropharyngeal abscess with complications: Apnea and cervical osteomyelitis.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the clinical presentation and management strategies for neonatal retropharyngeal abscess (RPA). Methods Retrospective chart review was performed, and literature reviewed. Results We report two cases of neonatal RPA, with one complicated by cervical osteomyelitis, and the other presenting with apparent life-threatening events (ALTEs). A 6-week-old female underwent transoral drainage of an RPA, which grew methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. She had a prolonged recovery course and was found to have developed osteomyelitis of the dens and atlas. She was treated with 14 weeks of IV antibiotics and rigid collar fixation for spinal cord instability. A 2-month-old female was admitted after multiple ALTEs with episodes of apnea and pallor. Direct laryngoscopy revealed a bulging RPA, which was drained transorally. This grew multiple organisms including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcal oralis and Prevotella species. Conclusions Uncommon in neonates, RPA can present in this age group without fever, and are is likely to have airway complications than in older children. In cases with prolonged recovery, additional diagnostic intervention is recommended to rule out rare complications such as osteomyelitis. Emphasis in such complex cases is placed on a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, coordinating neonatologists, infectious disease specialists, neurosurgeons, and otolaryngologists.
Coupled Turbidity and Spectroscopy Problems: A Simple Algorithm for Volumetric Analysis of Optically Thin or Dilute, In Vitro Bacterial Cultures in Various Media

An approach binary spectronephelometry (BSN) to perform real-time simultaneous noninvasive in situ physical and chemical analysis of bacterial cultures in fluid media is described. We choose to cha...
Simulation Study for Multi-Echelon Multi-Depot Supply Chain System Using Live Data

The manufacturing industry is eager to implement the advancements of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) due to the magnitude of the benefits it can provide. Hence, Industry 4.0 opens a wide avenue for researchers to explore possibilities in the field of the supply chain. This project focuses on building a decision framework for a supply chain system with disruptions. The impact of strategic decisions under the condition of unprecedented events for a vehicle routing problem (VRP) using simulation models is studied here. Those results help the supply chain managers in making sound decisions regarding different scenarios of disruption in VRP. To achieve this, multiple cases under different scenarios of facility disruption are considered. For all cases, the dependent parameter, namely, retailer service level and lost revenue, form the basis of the decision framework. The concept of live data is implemented by making retailer demand, current inventory at the depot, the position of the vehicle in the network and the current number of units in transit as the input data.
Integrase Family of Site-Specific Recombinases

The Lambda Int (tyrosine) family of integrases recombines DNA via site-specific recombination. Within this family, a wide variety of recombination mechanisms exists mediating a diverse set of biological functions in a wide variety of organisms. The defining feature of these enzymes is the nucleophilic attack of a scissile phosphate group by a catalytic tyrosine residue to cleave the DNA and form a high-energy 3′-phosphotyrosyl covalent intermediate. This intermediate then undergoes nucleophilic attack by a 5′-hydroxyl to reseal the DNA in an isoenergetic reaction that does not require any exogenous energy source. The integrase family can be divided into several subgroups according to the number of protomers required, the requirement for accessory DNA sequences, and the involvement of accessory factors.
A puzzle about legal systems and democratic theory

Older statutes sometimes alter the legal content of newer statutes in a way not apparent from the text of the newer statutes. The puzzle is how, even if a new statute is the choice of the current p...
Characteristics of Faculty Accused of Academic Sexual Misconduct in the Biomedical and Health Sciences.

This study uses internet search data to identify and characterize biomedical and health sciences faculty at US higher education institutions who had sexual misconduct accusations against them between 1982 and 2019 that led to institutional or legal actions proving or supporting guilt.
CHAPTER 2 – AFFINE PLANES

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses incidence bases that are defined to be affine planes. The notion of parallelism is employed in the description of these geometries. Affine planes are studied first in the interest of remaining closer to a more intuitive conception of geometry. The properties of affine planes that will enable to relate these geometries to projective planes are established. The observation and the theorem give an intuitive basis for incorporating the word plane in the name adopted for the systems. It can be shown that if an affine plane has more than four points, then it has at least nine. Further, the number of lines would have to be at least 12. The chapter illustrates five examples that are algebraic in nature in which the basic systems are assumed to be given. It is established that these five bases are affine planes. These five numbers systems have certain common properties of addition and multiplication and one could, on the basis of these properties alone, show that these algebraic examples are affine planes.
Convolutional Neural Networks and Transfer Learning for Quality Inspection of Different Sugarcane Varieties

In this article, we employed computer vision and deep learning techniques to select and plant healthy billets, which increased plant population and the yield per hectare of sugarcane planting. We employed well-known convolutional neural network architectures to process large image data sets and transfer learning techniques to expand the results to different sugarcane varieties. It would be very time consuming to collect and label large data sets for each sugarcane variety, for which quality inspection is needed, prior to planting. We used a two-step transfer learning process to extend the trained architecture to new varieties. We compared results obtained during transfer learning using AlexNet, VGG-16, GoogLeNet, and ResNet101 architectures to classical computer vision methods. Our goal was to determine the best approach to detect damaged and good billets in the shortest processing time. Best results in both time and accuracy were obtained with AlexNet. For AlexNet, we compared the permutations of three sugarcane varieties in order to find the best model to identify the healthy sugarcane billets. We then reduced the number of images employed to retrain the model to determine the tradeoff between time and performance. Ultimately, one needs only a few dozen billets of the new variety to retrain the network. Our approach led to meaningful increments in the yield per hectare ranging from 33 to 80% depending on sugarcane variety.
Effects of cold atmospheric plasma treatment on the morphological and optical properties of plasmonic silver nanoparticles

The use of plasma processes in nanomaterial synthesis is limited by a lack of understanding of the effects of plasma treatment on the morphology and other properties. Here, we studied the effects of atmospheric plasma treatment on the morphology and optical properties of Ag nanoparticles. The Ag nanoparticles were deposited on substrates by injecting an aerosol into flowing argon gas and then treated with a low-temperature atmospheric plasma jet. After plasma treatment, the mean Ag nanoparticle diameter reduced to an average of 5 nm, which was accompanied by a blue shift of ∼70 nm in the peak of the surface plasmon resonance; these results are similar to those obtained by thermal treatment at elevated temperatures. The reduction in nanoparticle size is explained by the redox reaction that occurs on the nanoparticle surface, which is evident from the presence of AgO and Ag2O Raman peaks in the treated sample. The surface charge changed as a result of plasma treatment, as indicated by a large change in the zeta potential from +25.1 ± 4 mV for the untreated sample to -25.9 ± 6 mV after 15 min of plasma treatment. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of the plasma-treated films was carried out with the fluorescent dye Rhodamine 6 G, which showed a ∼120-fold enhancement in the signal intensity relative to the untreated substrates. We, therefore, conclude that cold-plasma treatment modified the surface morphology of the Ag nanoparticles, thereby enhancing their optical properties. This technique could be applied to a wide range of nanoparticle systems used in biosensing applications.
Epidemiological surveillance of malaria in floating population in Zhoushan from 2008 to 2012

舟山市地处浙东北海岛,由1 390个岛屿组成,属非恒定性间日疟低流行区,建国后曾发生数次疟疾暴发流行,经过长期的反复查治,1988年达到基本消灭疟疾的标准[1-3].1989年后全市疟疾发病呈逐年稳定下降趋势,但随着改革开放,尤其是舟山海岛新区成立后,流动人口数量日益增多,输入性疟疾日渐成为舟山市疟疾病例的主要来源,现将舟山市2008-2012年疟疾流动人口监测结果分析如下. 关键词：疟疾;流动人口;监测
Reconfigurable Floquet elastodynamic topological insulator based on synthetic angular momentum bias

Originating with the discovery of the quantum Hall effect (QHE) in condensed matter physics, topological order has been receiving increased attention also for classical wave phenomena. Topological protection enables efficient and robust signal transport; mechanical topological insulators (TIs), in particular, are easy to fabricate and exhibit interfacial wave transport with minimal dissipation, even in the presence of sharp edges, defects, or disorder. Here, we report the experimental demonstration of a phononic crystal Floquet TI (FTI). Hexagonal arrays of circular piezoelectric disks bonded to a PLA substrate, shunted through negative electrical capacitance, and manipulated by external integrated circuits, provide the required spatiotemporal modulation scheme to break time-reversal symmetry and impart a synthetic angular momentum bias that can induce strong topological protection on the lattice edges. Our proposed reconfigurable FTI may find applications for robust acoustic emitters and mechanical logic circuits, with distinct advantages over electronic equivalents in harsh operating conditions.