cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
China and the BRICs: A Real (but Limited) Partnership in a Unipolar World*

Although Chinese leaders and analysts believe it is too early to judge the U.S. to be in fundamental decline, they do recognize that “newly emerging powers” (xinxing daguo) are an increasingly important force in international politics. In the past couple of years, the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) have transformed themselves from an abstract notion into a more formal political grouping. For China, besides helping to minimize dependence on the U.S. and possibly to constrain American unilateralism, BRIC cooperation serves several other functions. China also benefits from this cooperation by stabilizing its international environment, helping other developing countries, strengthening its identity as a developing country, coordinating its position with other BRICs to maximize leverage, and hiding in a group to avoid negative attention. This recent cooperation and interaction with the BRICs has been important, but the space for future BRIC cooperation is limited by fundamental differences among the BRICs, the continued importance of the U.S. for each of the BRICs, and intra-BRIC competition. To date, there is little evidence that China and the BRICs are trying to overthrow the existing international order. Instead, China has accepted and joined the existing order, and has been working together with other powers to reform its shortcomings. Although this negotiation is in its early stages and will likely be difficult, the willingness of China and the BRICs to work within the system and the openness of western countries to meet some of their demands makes it much less likely that China and other rising powers will try to overthrow the order.
A model of morphogenesis for protein secondary structures.

This paper proposes a model for the expected probability distribution for a certain class of biological structures. In particular, a model is derived for the distribution of lengths of helices, sheets, turns, and coils as a function of the length of the structure divided by the length of the protein it is contained in. A fit between the derived lognormal function and the structures for some proteins whose three-dimensional structure is known was significant. The fit produces fundamental parameters particular to each structure type that are related to to the underlying structure and its morphogenesis. The importance of the result is that a universal mathematical distribution can be used to explain certain protein morphogeneses. Also, these fundamental parameters can be used as an aid in predicting whether a given sequence is a particular secondary structure or not, without a knowledge of its three-dimensional structure.
Trapping, Survival Strategies, and Environmental Involvement: A Case Study from the Canadian Sub-Arctic'

In a sub-Arctic band of Hare Indians, considerable discrepancies have been found in the style, consistency, and degree of environmental involvement characterizing different individuals and families. The distinct subsistence patterns of subgroups within the population are explored. Ideological, psychological, historical, and experiential factors that contribute to this variability are examined. These factors are seen to affect strategies concerning trapping, hunting, mobility, wage labor, identity maintenance, and the quality of life that people seek. While some individuals pursue freedom from traditional subsistence hardships, others focus on self-sufficiency and freedom from constraints imposed by greater integration with Western society.
Adaptive silver films toward bio-array applications

Adaptive silver films (ASFs) have been studied as a substrate for protein microarrays. Vacuum evaporated silver films fabricated at certain range of evaporation parameters allow fine rearrangement of the silver nanostructure under protein depositions in buffer solution. Proteins restructure and stabilize the ASF to increase the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signal from a monolayer of molecules. Preliminary evidence indicates that the adaptive property of the substrates make them appropriate for protein microarray assays. Head-to-head comparisons with two commercial substrates have been performed. Protein binding was quantified on the microarray using the streptavidinCy3/biotinylated goat IgG protein pair. With fluorescence detection, the performance of ASF substrates was comparable with SuperAldehyde and SuperEpoxy substrates. Additionally, the ASF is also a SERS substrate and this provides an additional tool for analysis. It is found that the SERS spectra of the streptavidinCy5 fluorescence reporter bound to true and bound to false sites show distinct difference.
The Relationship of Regional Cerebrovascular CO2 Reactivity to Blood Pressure and Regional Resting Flow

Cerebrovascular CO2 reactivity (the change in cerebral blood flow per mm Hg change in Pacoco2) is shown to be directly related to resting flow and inversely related to blood pressure for regional as well as for mean CBF data. Both regional and mean CO2 reactivity therefore are proportional to the ratio resting flow/blood pressure. This ratio is the reciprocal of resistance and may be called conductance. When regional CO2 reactivity for 428 cerebral areas is plotted against an approximation of regional conductance, the data describe positive linear relationships similar to those found when mean CO2, reactivity is plotted against mean conductance. These relationships can be demonstrated whether CO2 reactivity is calculated with specific or percent change in flow, the data describe positive linear lerationships similar to those found when mean CO2 basal tone of the cerebrovascular bed. The way in which CO2 reactivity relates to conductance, therefore, may be a more reliable index of the integrity of the cere...
Sildenafil (Viagra) prolongs cardiac repolarization by blocking the rapid component of the delayed rectifier potassium current.

To the Editor: Geelen and coworkers1 reported 6% to 15% increases in action potential duration in guinea pig hearts exposed to supratherapeutic concentrations (30 μmol/L) of sildenafil. They observed that high concentrations (IC50, 100 μmol/L) inhibited the rapid component of the delayed rectifier K+ current in Chinese hamster ovary and HEK293 cells transfected with human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG). Their interpretation that this could lead to adverse cardiovascular effects in humans is unfounded. Sildenafil inhibits the human PDE5 enzyme in vitro by 50% at a concentration of 3.5 nmol/L,2 which is nearly 30 000 times below the level required to block HERG by 50%. Sildenafil is 96% protein-bound, with a peak free plasma concentration after the maximum recommended therapeutic dose (100 mg) of 40 nmol/L,3 which is 2500 times lower than the concentration required to inhibit HERG by 50%. Because sildenafil is metabolized primarily via CYP3A4, the authors imply that during coadministration with CYP3A4 inhibitors (eg, erythromycin), sildenafil plasma levels could rise by 20-fold. However, sildenafil has a high oral bioavailability (≈40%), which limits the extent that coadministered drugs can raise …
Surveying a University Population Establishing the Foundation for a Community Policing Initiative

Today many municipal and campus police agencies are moving toward community oriented policing policies and practices. It has been noted that one of the most important steps a police agency must take as part of a comprehensive community oriented policing strategy is to solicit information from its community members. This article describes the efforts of a police department, serving a large university, to solicit input from students, faculty, and staff members as part of its community policing initiative.
ANALYTICAL DYNAMIC TRAFFIC ASSIGNMENT MODEL WITH PROBABILISTIC TRAVEL TIMES AND PERCEPTIONS

Dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) has been a topic of substantial research during the past decade. Although DTA is gradually maturing, many aspects still need improvement, especially regarding its formulation and solution capabilities under the transportation environment affected by advanced transportation management and information systems. It is necessary to develop a set of DTA models to acknowledge the fact that the traffic network itself is probabilistic and uncertain, and different classes of travelers respond differently under an uncertain environment given different levels of traffic information. The aim of this research is to advance the state of the art in DTA modeling in the sense that the proposed model captures the travelers' decision making among discrete choices in a probabilistic and uncertain environment, in which both probabilistic travel times and random perception errors that are specific to individual travelers are considered. Travelers' route choices are assumed to be made with the objective of minimizing perceived disutilities at each time. These perceived disutilities depend on the distribution of the variable route travel times, the distribution of individual perception errors, and the individual traveler's risk-taking nature at each time instant. The integrated DTA model is formulated through a variational inequality approach. Subsequently, the solution algorithm for the formulation is discussed, and experimental results are given to verify the correctness of solutions obtained.
Phase Behavior of Polystyrene-block-poly(n-alkyl methacrylate)s Dilated with Carbon Dioxide

The influence of carbon dioxide (CO2) sorption on the phase behavior of two polystyrene- block-poly(n-alkyl methacrylate) copolymers was studied. One, polystyrene-block-poly(n-hexyl methacry- late), P(S-b-nHMA), exhibits an order-disorder transition (ODT), whereas the other, polystyrene-block- poly(n-butyl methacrylate), P(S-b-nBMA), exhibits a lower disorder-order transition (LDOT). CO2 sorption increases miscibility of the segments in P(S-b-nHMA) slightly: the ODT is depressed by less than 7 °C at aC O 2 fluid density of 0.25 g/cm3, which corresponds to 7 vol % dilation of the copolymer with CO2 at the conditions studied. In contrast, CO2 sorption decreased the miscibility of P(S-b-nBMA) markedly: the LDOT was depressed by more than 70 °C at densities < 0.06 g/cm3, which corresponds to less than 3 vol % sorption of CO2. Unlike P(S-b-nHMA), ordering transitions in CO2-dilated P(S-b-nBMA) exhibit a pronounced thermal hysteresis that increases with increasing volume fraction of sorbed diluent. The hysteresis is a consequence of the sensitivity of the LDOT system to differences in CO2 sorption between the ordered and disordered states, as evidenced by neutron reflectivity measurements. The difference in the effect of CO2 sorption on the phase behavior of the copolymers is attributed to the different nature of the transitions. The entropically driven LDOT is depressed by differential dilation of the copolymer domains, which increases both the compressibility of the system and disparities in compressibility between the blocks. In contrast, the enthalpically driven ODT is depressed by the screening of segmental interactions by CO2 and is less sensitive to compressibility.
Gustaaf Verwijver, ed. Kaiapd, Amazonia: The Art of Body Decoration.

Kaiapo, Amazonia: The Art of Body Decoration. Edited by GUSTAAF VERSWIJVER. with contributions by VIVIANE BAEKE. TERENCE TURNER. and LUX VIDAL. Tervuren (Belgium): Royal Museum for Central Africa, 1992.198 pp.,. map, numerous color and black-and-white photographs, notes, catalog, bibliography. Distributed by University of Washington Press. $60.00 (cloth).
L-band dielectric resonator filters and oscillators with low vibration sensitivity and ultra low noise

The evolution of the dielectric resonator filter (DRF) design is discussed and the incorporation of this design into a low-noise dielectric resonator oscillator (DRO) is described. The results of each intermediate step are included along with the final results. The unique properties of the DRF allow it to have a loaded Q of >6500 at 1.538 GHz with an insertion loss of approximately 6 dB while maintaining a vibration sensitivity 2.2*10/sup -8/ (G/sup -1/). The use of high-pressure bonding and the elimination of the metallization at the cavity and substrate interface allows this configuration to work. >
Theoretical observations on applied behavioral science: validity and applied social science research: a theoretical reassessment

This article describes how major transformations in organizational conditions-particularly the emerging dominance of transnational relationships and decline in the centrality of the nation-state-have made traditional concepts and applications of validity insufficient for addressing important social issues. Problems have arisen not just with the choice of means to ends, but also with the choice of the ends themselves. The author argues that applied social scientists should play a greater role in shaping the future by serving not merely as technical problem solvers, but also as developers of theoretical alternatives for the future. Applied social science methodology must also change to accommodate the criteria the author considers relevant to assessing the validity of proposed alternatives: objective possibility and moral consequences.
Efficient parallel algorithms for optical computing with the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) primitive.

Optical-computing technology offers new challenges to algorithm designers since it can perform an n-point discrete Fourier transform (DFT) computation in only unit time. Note that the DFT is a nontrivial computation in the parallel random-access machine model, a model of computing commonly used by parallel-algorithm designers. We develop two new models, the DFT–VLSIO (very-large-scale integrated optics) and the DFT–circuit, to capture this characteristic of optical computing. We also provide two paradigms for developing parallel algorithms in these models. Efficient parallel algorithms for many problems, including polynomial and matrix computations, sorting, and string matching, are presented. The sorting and string-matching algorithms are particularly noteworthy. Almost all these algorithms are within a polylog factor of the optical-computing (VLSIO) lower bounds derived by Barakat Reif [Appl. Opt.26, 1015 (1987) and by Tyagi Reif [Proceedings of the Second IEEE Symposium on Parallel and Distributed Processing (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, New York, 1990) p. 14].
Colon capsule endoscopy.

Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) is a noninvasive, painless, swallowed endoscopic technique that is able to explore the colon without requiring sedation and gas insufflation.
Sequence Analysis of the Staphylococcus aureus srrAB Loci Reveals that Truncation of srrA Affects Growth and Virulence Factor Expression

The SrrAB system regulates metabolism and virulence factors in Staphylococcus aureus. We sequenced the srrAB loci of 21 isolates and performed a phylogenetic analysis. Vaginal and bovine isolates clustered together, while skin isolates were genetically diverse. Few nucleotide polymorphisms were observed, and most were synonymous. Two strains (N2 and N19) with N-terminal truncations in SrrA displayed defects in growth and abnormally upregulated virulence factor expression under low-oxygen conditions.
Eliminating polyinstantiation securely

Polyinstantiation has generated a great deal of controversy lately. Some have argued that polyinstantiation and integrity are fundamentally incompatible, and have proposed alternatives to polyinstantiation. Others have argued about the correct definition of polyinstantiation and its operational semantics. In this paper we provide a fresh analysis of the basic problem that we are trying to solve; that is, how can an honest database keep secrets? Our analysis leads us to the concept of restricted polyinstantiation wherein we show how to solve this problem without compromising on any of the following requirements: secrecy, integrity, availability-of-service, element-level labeling and high assurance. This is the first solution to meet all these requirements simultaneously.
of kings and contexts: ethnohistorical interpretations of Miskito political structure and function

Recent articles dealing with the Miskito “kings” and Miskito “kingdom” of eastern Nicaragua are reassessed and their conclusions reconsidered. Using the same data, the existence of a Miskito “kingdom” is questioned and the nature of the “kingship” and of the roles filled by Miskito kings and other regional leaders is reinterpreted. The influence both of the English and of traditional councils of elders is emphasized, and the kings' activities seen as those of traditional Big Men writ large.
A Direct Interaction of PSD-95 with 5-HT2A Serotonin Receptors Regulates Receptor Trafficking and Signal Transduction

The serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) 2A receptor (5-HT2A) is an important G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that mediates the effects of hallucinogens and is the target of a number of commonly prescribed medications including atypical antipsychotics, antidepressants, and anxiolytics. The 5-HT2A receptor possesses a canonical Type I PDZ-binding domain (X-Ser/Thr-X-Phi) at the carboxyl terminus and has been predicted, but never demonstrated, to interact with PDZ domain-containing proteins. We discovered that PSD-95, a prototypic PDZ domain-containing protein, directly associates with the 5-HT2A receptor and regulates 5-HT2A receptor-mediated signaling and trafficking in HEK-293 cells. Co-immunoprecipitation studies revealed that the native 5-HT2A receptor, but not a mutant lacking the PDZ-binding domain, interacted directly with PSD-95. The association with PSD-95 enhanced 5-HT2A receptor-mediated signal transduction, a novel action of PSD-95 on GPCRs. The augmentation of 5-HT2A receptor signaling by PSD-95 was not accompanied by alteration in the kinetics of 5-HT2A receptor desensitization but was associated with the inhibition of agonist-induced 5-HT2A receptor internalization. Additional studies demonstrated that 5-HT2A receptor and PSD-95 were co-localized in clusters on the cell surface of HEK-293 cells. Taken together, the present work elucidates novel roles for PSD-95 in regulating the functional activity and intracellular trafficking of 5-HT2A receptors and possibly other GPCRs.
On use of traditional M/G/1 model for IEEE 802.11 DCF in unsaturated traffic conditions

For analysis of the IEEE 802.11 distributed coordination function (DCF), one of the key assumptions commonly accepted is that every node always has at least one frame to transmit. In practice, however, this assumption may or may not be valid, particularly under unsaturated traffic conditions. In this paper, we assess the accuracy in using the traditional M/G/1 queueing model for the DCF as an alternative model at an individual node, and analyze its performance in unsaturated traffic conditions. Analytical and simulation results are compared to demonstrate a reasonable accuracy of the proposed approach for varying traffic loads at an individual node
Overview of Cerebrovascular Hemodynamics

This chapter reviews the hemodynamic principles that determine cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebrovascular resistance (CVR). This chapter also emphasizes on the mechanical control mechanisms within the brain's macrocirculation. In general, the physical laws formulated to describe steady laminar flow of uniform fluids through nondistensible tubes are also helpful in understanding in vivo cerebrovascular macrohemodynamics. Poiseuille's law demonstrates that all factors except radius are linearly related to flow. It bears emphasis that blood flow is related to the fourth power of vessel radius; thus, even small changes in luminal diameter have significant effects on CBF. It is by this mechanism that cerebrovascular resistance can change rapidly, and dramatically alter regional or global CBF during normal or pathophysiological conditions. Autoregulation is achieved via fine tuning of vessel diameter in response to fluctuations in perfusion pressure. By Bernoulli's law, velocity and kinetic energy increase as blood passes from a wide to a narrow tube, but pressure falls. This effect may be marked in the vessel narrowed by pathological processes. Local velocity increase can compensate markedly for reduced luminal area and maintain constant regional blood flow.
The Evolving Theory of Evolutionary Radiations

Evolutionary radiations have intrigued biologists for more than 100 years, and our understanding of the patterns and processes associated with these radiations continues to grow and evolve. Recently it has been recognized that there are many different types of evolutionary radiation beyond the well-studied adaptive radiations. We focus here on multifarious types of evolutionary radiations, paying special attention to the abiotic factors that might trigger diversification in clades. We integrate concepts such as exaptation, species selection, coevolution, and the turnover-pulse hypothesis (TPH) into the theoretical framework of evolutionary radiations. We also discuss other phenomena that are related to, but distinct from, evolutionary radiations that have relevance for evolutionary biology.
A New Estate Tax: Eliminating the Step-Up in Basis at Death

In this report, McElroy analyzes the practical ramifications of eliminating section 1014 and instead treating death as a realization event.
Parity Violation in Atoms

Parity nonconservation (PNC) in an atom arises from interference between the neutral weak and electromagnetic interactions that couple a valence electron to the nucleus. The PNC neutral weak coupling is decribed by an effective zero-range pseudoscalar potential Hp = H1 + H2 that must be added to the usual atomic Hamiltonian. The dominant portion H1 involves the axial and vector parts of the electronic and nucleonic neutral weak currents, respectively. H1 is proportional to Fermi’s constant GF and to the “weak charge” QW. (In the standard model, QW = Z(1-4sin2θw)-N before radiative corrections, and Z=proton number, N=neutron number, while θw is Weinberg’s angle). H1 connects only s1/2, and P1/2 orbitals, and its matrix elements vary roughly as Z2Qw. H2 arises from the coupling of vector electronic and axial hadronic weak currents, and its matrix elements are several orders of magnitude smaller than those of H1. All experiments completed so far have been sensitive only to H1; they may be regarded as measurements of Q, and thus of sin2θw.
Anatomy and physiology of descending control of nociceptive responses of dorsal horn neurons: comprehensive review.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the anatomy and physiology of descending control of nociceptive responses of dorsal horn neurons. Sensory pathways in vertebrates are controlled by descending pathways originating in the central nervous system and projecting to the brain stem and spinal cord or even peripherally to sense organs. The operation of the analgesia systems involves inhibition of neurons in the pathways that process nociceptive information. The delineation of neural systems that control nociceptive transmission in the spinal cord is an active field. There are descending excitatory pathways that enhance sensory transmission, presumably including pain. These contribute to the mechanism of pain states resulting from the activity of central neurons. More effort is needed in several areas, including detailed studies of the neural circuits responsible for spinal cord processing of descending commands, assessment of the roles of pre- and postsynaptic inhibition, assignment of the effects of stimulation in different brain stem areas to particular pathways, and analysis of the neurotransmitters used in the various control systems.
Gene-expression profiling of localized prostate cancer: still miles to go before we sleep.

Veterans Administration Portland Health Care System, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA Department of Urology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA *Author for correspondence: Garzotto@ohsu.edu
Millimeterwave MMICs

Summary form only given, as follows. Roger Sudbury was involved in the early development of millimeterwave (MMW) monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs). Roger played a leadership role in a group at MIT Lincoln Laboratory developing the first millimeterwave MMICs. Technologies and personalities will be recalled from these exciting early days of MMW MMICs.
Identification of ovarian mass through ultrasound images using machine learning techniques

Today ovarian cancer is second most perilous cause of cancer deaths in women after breast cancer. In this work, we have developed system which acquires ultrasound images and using image processing and machine learning algorithms accurately classify benign and malignant tumors in ovarian cancer. This technique denoise image using wavelet transform, grey level texture features extracted using GLCM(grey level co-occurrence algorithm), extracted features will be trained through SVM(Support vector machine) and selected non-redundant features selected through Relief-F will be further train and test through SVM for output. Proposed technique was validated by 60 malignant and 60 benign images of patients. On evaluating classifier for 14-texture descriptors give 74% and relief-F gives 82% accuracy. After selecting 6 features from 14 features it will give accuracy 86% and relief-F gives 92% accuracy. Thus, the features are significant for result and preliminary results depict that the proposed technique can be reliable for ovarian tumor classification as this system is fully automated, advantageous and cost-effective too.
Quand et comment Internet est-il susceptible de diminuer la concurrence sur les prix?:

La sagesse traditionnelle, tendrait a pretendre qu'en abaissant le cout de distribution et en facilitant la recherche pour le consommateur, l'introduction de l'Internet serait a meme d'intensifier ...
Abstract 4403: Differential cytotoxic effects of atorvastatin in human hepatocellular carcinoma and pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells

Statins are lipid-lowering drugs that inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase, the rate-limiting step in cholesterol synthesis. During cholesterol synthesis, isoprenoid intermediates are also formed which prenylate Ras and Rho proteins. Upon prenylation and transportation to the plasma membrane, Ras and Rho may interact with other molecules to partake in a signaling cascade that eventually lead to cell survival and proliferation. When statins inhibit cholesterol synthesis, they also inhibit the formation of these isoprenoid. Our studies focus on the potential anticancer effects of a statin (atorvastatin) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and pancreatic adenocarcinoma (AsPC-1) cells. We hypothesized that atorvastatin enhances cytotoxic effects of cisplatin in HepG2 and AsPC-1 treated cells. By utilizing a cell survival assay and western blot analysis, we found marked differences between the two cell lines after atorvastatin treatment. Our results indicate that treatment with atorvastatin at a concentration range of 0.1 µM to 20 µM for 48 and 72 hours significantly decreased cell survival of AsPC-1 cells, but not that of HepG2 cells. The IC50 value for atorvastatin in AsPC-1 treated cells was 3.5 µM; whereas, no effect on HepG2 cell survival was observed even at 20 µM concentration. Treatment with atorvastatin in combination with cisplatin in HepG2 cells did not potentiate the decrease in cell survival as compared to cisplatin treatment alone. However, treatment with 10 µM of atrovastatin in combination with 20 µM of cisplatin for 72 hours antagonized the effects of cisplatin treatment alone. After 48 hour treatments with atorvastatin, HepG2 and AsPC-1 cells had differential p-ERK expression, which could be an important factor in atorvastatin-induced cell death. Our preliminary findings suggest that statin treatment may be beneficial as a therapeutic avenue for pancreatic cancer but may not have the same benefits for liver cancer. The specific molecular mechanisms that decrease cancer cell survival following statin treatment have not been well understood and needs to be further studied. [Our project is supported by in part from NIH INBRE Grant P20RR016454]. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4403. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4403
In children with Henoch-schonlein Purpura Nephritis Retrospectively Analysis Influence Factors

Objective To analyze the influence factors in children with Henoch-schonlein purpura nephritis.Method A retrospective analysis of our hospital from 2009 February,40 cases of children with Henoch-schonlein purpura nephritis in children with Henoch-schonlein purpura nephritis,on the clinical related factors.Results According to the survey analysis and clinical correlation test and observation of children,children with Henoch-schonlein purpura nephritis and its seasonal,regional,age,gender,etiology,including heparin,purpura incidence are closely related.Conclusion Children with Henochschonlein purpura nephritis and some factors related to occurrence of complications,joint,purpura repeatedly as Henoch-schonlein purpura nephritis in children with risk factors;and heparin therapy is helpful to avoid occurrence of Henoch-schonlein purpura nephritis in children.
Genetic Techniques in the Evaluation of Short Stature

Normal growth is a complex dynamic process dependent on the coordination of multiple factors including genetics, nutrition and hormones that are all working in balance. This chapter will review selected features of commonly utilized genetic techniques such as chromosomal analysis, microarray analysis, targeted gene screening and whole exome sequencing that are being used to identify genes influencing growth. As genetic technologies continue to improve and become more accessible many of these techniques will help to provide a better understanding of mechanisms underlying abnormal growth and will eventually lead to novel management approaches for abnormal growth.
Prophetic Pragmatism: Cultural Criticism and Political Engagement

The move from Rorty’s model of fluid conversation to that of the multi-leveled operations of power leads us back to Ralph Waldo Emerson. Like Friedrich Nietzsche, Emerson is first and foremost a cultural critic obsessed with ways to generate forms of power. For Rorty, these forms are understood as activities of conversation for the primary purpose of producing new human self-descriptions. But for Emerson, conversation is but one minor instance of the myriad of possible transactions for the enhancement of human powers and personalities. Ironically, Rorty’s adoption of Michael Oakeshott’s metaphor of “conversation” reflects the dominant ideal of the very professionalism he criticizes. This ideal indeed is more a public affair than are Emerson’s preferred ideal transactions, e.g., gardening, walking, reading, and yet it also is more genteel and bourgeois.
Dislocated interests and climate change

The predicted effects of climate change on surface temperatures are now emergent and quantifiable. The recent letter by Hansen and Sato (2016 Environ. Res. Lett. 11 034009) adds to a growing number of studies showing that warming over the past four decades has shifted the distribution of temperatures higher almost everywhere, with the largest relative effects on summer temperatures in developing regions such as Africa, South America, southeast Asia, and the Middle East (e.g., Diffenbaugh and Scherer 2011 Clim. Change 107 615–24; Anderson 2011 Clim. Change 108 581; Mahlstein et al 2012 Geophys. Res. Lett. 39 L21711). Hansen and Sato emphasize that although these regions are warming disproportionately, their role in causing climate change—measured by cumulative historical CO2 emissions produced—is small compared to the US and Europe, where the relative change in temperatures has been less. This spatial and temporal mismatch of climate change impacts and the burning of fossil fuels is a critical dislocation of interests that, as the authors note, has 'substantial implications for global energy and climate policies.' Here, we place Hansen and Sato's 'national responsibilities' into a broader conceptual framework of problematically dislocated interests, and briefly discuss the related challenges for global climate mitigation efforts.
Hypoxic Adaptation in the Nervous System: Promise for Novel Therapeutics for Acute and Chronic Neurodegeneration

Homeostasis is the process by which cells adapt to stress and prevent or repair injury. Unique programs have evolved to sense and activate these homeostatic mechanisms and as such, homeostatic sensors may be potent therapeutic targets. The hypoxic response mediated by hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) downstream of oxygen sensing by HIF prolyl 4-hydroxylases (PHDs) has been well-studied, revealing cell-type specific regulation of HIF stability, activity, and transcriptional targets. HIF's paradoxical roles in nervous system development, physiology, and pathology arise from its complex roles in hypoxic adaptation and normoxic biology. Understanding how to engage the hypoxic response so as to recapitulate the protective mechanism of ischemic preconditioning is a high priority. Indeed, small molecules that activate the hypoxic response provide broad neuroprotection in several clinically relevant injury models. Screens for PHD inhibitors have identified novel therapeutics for neuroprotection that are ready to proceed to clinical trials for ischemic stroke. Better understanding the mechanisms of how to engage hypoxic adaption without altering development or physiology may identify additional novel therapeutic targets for diverse acute and chronic neuropathologies.
Identification of the Source of Contamination

Publisher Summary State and local health departments make up the backbone of the system to detect and investigate foodborne outbreaks and illnesses in the United States. This chapter provides an overview of the entire foodborne outbreak investigative process as a means of identifying the source of contamination focusing primarily upon the environmental phase of the investigation. Foodborne outbreak investigations can be roughly characterized into five phases: surveillance/detection, epidemiologic, environmental/traceback, regulatory/enforcement, and prevention/research. These separate, yet overlapping and related phases require very different knowledge, methods, expertise, and legal authority. However, investigators involved in all phases must interact and work together throughout the entire process if the complete story of an outbreak is to be revealed and the risk of additional outbreaks is to be minimized. Training to emphasize an integrated, multidisciplinary team of laboratory, communicable disease, and environmental health staff is important. When environmental investigation findings suggest that the point of contamination may have occurred prior to the retail or food-processing facility, farm investigations may be initiated. Farm investigations require specialized expertise and training. Other investigations steps carried out are packing house investigations, fresh cut produce processor investigations, and intentional contamination. The study concludes by highlighting some recommendations for identifying and controlling the source of contamination.
The financial impact of flipping the coin

Abstract Background Esophageal foreign body retrieval is typically performed by rigid or flexible esophagoscopy. Despite evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of balloon extraction, it is rarely performed. We sought to establish the financial benefits of this minimally invasive approach. Methods A retrospective review of 241 children with esophageal coins between 2011 and 2013 was performed. Coins were removed via endoscopy or fluoroscopic-guided balloon retrieval. Timing, symptoms, facility cost, and patient charges were compared. Results Two hundred patients had attempted balloon retrieval with 80% success. Forty-one patients went directly for operative removal. Patients with respiratory difficulty ( p =0.05), wheezing ( p p =0.03) were more often taken directly for endoscopic retrieval. The median cost and charges for attempted balloon extraction were $484 and $1647. The median cost and charges for primary endoscopy were $1834 and $6746. The median total cost and charges of attempted balloon extraction including ED, OR, transport, admission, and balloon retrieval were $1231 and $3539 versus $3615 and $12,204 in the primary endoscopy group ( p p p Conclusions Fluoroscopic guided balloon extraction of esophageal coins is a financially prudent choice which shortens hospital stay. Level of Evidence III. Type of Study Retrospective treatment and economic study.
Small and large number discrimination in goldfish (Carassius auratus) with extensive training.

Previous studies on relative quantity discrimination in birds and mammals with training procedures have employed hundreds or thousands of trials whereas studies with fish typically use dozens of trials. The goal of this study was to examine whether more extensive training improves the performance of fish tested on stimuli in the small ( 4) number range. Goldfish were trained with dot array stimuli using the ratio 0.5 (2 vs. 4, 6 vs. 12) across two blocks of training sessions with a total of approximately 1200 trials. They were tested after each block of training sessions with the ratios 0.33 (1 vs. 3, 5 vs. 15), 0.5 (2 vs. 4, 6 vs. 12), and 0.67 (2 vs. 3, 10 vs. 15). Performance exceeded 90% correct on both test blocks. Accuracy was not affected by manipulating the surface area, density, or space of stimuli. Performance was best on the ratio 0.5 in test block 1, but ratio-independent in test block 2. There was no difference in performance in the small vs. large number range across the study. These results suggest that fish given extensive training can achieve accuracy on a numerical task comparable to well-trained birds, humans, or non-human primates.
Dose Dense Dreifach* Melphalan100 for Multiple Myeloma.

Abstract Background: Tandem high dose melphalan therapy with autologous peripheral stem cell support has emerged as standard of care for patients without prohibitive comorbidities. Mucositis and gastrointestinal side effects are the most common extrahematologic side effects. Two previously published studies presented a triple transplant with a conditioning regimen melphalan 100mg/m2 (MEL100) with peripheral stem cell support every two to five months schedule. This dose reduced regimen was implemented to limit those extrahematologic dose limiting side effects in the elderly or high risk population. We are presenting a novel approach that investigates the triple melphalan100/m2 approach on a dose dense, every three weeks schedule in a patient population without significant comorbidities for conventional high dose tandem transplantation. Patients and methods: Thirteen standard or high risk patients with stageIII multiple myeloma were prospectively treated This population contained eight patients with IgG clonality, 3 IgA, 1 nonsecretory and one light chain isotype. The induction regimens of the thirteen patients were heterogenous and included 5 VAD, 3 DCIE, 2 Thal/Dex, 2 CIE and 1 pulse decadron. Patients had stem cells harvested through peripheral blood leukopheresis, and these cells were divided into three equal sets and frozen. The patients were scheduled to receive Melphalan at 100mg/m2 on day -1, 20, and 41 and then the autologous infusions occurred at day 0, 21, and 42. Results: All patients were able to receive all three cycles of the MEL100 regimen. Seven patients (54%) received the treatements on the every three week schedule; three treatments (23%) during the second cycle and six treatments (46%) of the third cycle had to be delayed a median of 6 and 4 days respectively. Three patients were managed completely in the outpatient setting, and the average total hospital stay for the three transplants was 18 days. Median progression free survival was 761 days (range 73 – 1571) and the overall survival of this cohort has yet to be reached. No patient had worse than grade II mucositis, and no serious adverse events were recorded. Conclusions: Our regimen of three consecutive autologous peripheral stem cell transplants with a reduced dose of melphalan at 100mg/m2 given every three weeks is very well tolerated. The progression free survival and overall survival are similar and can be compared favorably with the standard tandem myeloma regimens. Although our data is intriguing, further studies with larger numbers need to be performed to confirm these results.
Songbird community varies with deer use in a fragmented landscape.

Abstract Consumption of understory foliage by abundant ungulates can reshape forest structure and thus induce corresponding ecosystem changes. In forest songbirds, a negative response to deer browsing was documented for species that use understory foliage, although this association remains poorly understood at the community level. Such knowledge is especially important in eastern North America where deer populations have recently increased substantially. Our primary objective was to examine correlations between deer and songbirds in coastal Virginia (n = 92 sites, 2010–2013), a region with heavy forest fragmentation and abundant deer. The secondary objectives were to compare coastal surveys to an inland region (n = 99 sites, 2012) with fewer deer and lower fragmentation, and to explore links between fragmentation and deer. We predicted that densities of songbirds that use understory foliage (“deer-sensitive”) would correlate negatively with deer fecal pellets – our measure of relative deer use. The estimate of median pellets inland (0 ha−1, range 0–19,600 pellets ha−1) was significantly lower than on the coast (2,014 ha−1, range 0–28,193 ha−1). We found a negative correlation with deer-sensitive birds on the coast (rs = −0.35, P = 0.002), whereas inland, no correlation was evident. Coastal sites had approximately twice as much fragmented forest, which favors deer. Of 26 songbirds in our species-level analysis, we found negative correlations for three species, including one of high conservation concern. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that habitat modification by over-abundant deer promotes measurable changes in bird communities, with conservation implications for declining songbirds.
Religious Involvement and the Black–White Paradox in Mental Health

Despite demonstrating poorer physical health profiles, African Americans experience similar or more favorable mental health than whites, an unexpected pattern given their relatively disadvantaged social status. Given higher levels of religious involvement, a predominant attribution for the black–white paradox in mental health is differential religious involvement (stronger levels of religiosity among African Americans) but little research explicitly tests this assumption. Differential religious importance may also explain the mental health paradox, given past findings that religion is a stronger aspect in the lives of African Americans relative to whites. Using data from the National Survey of American Life, I investigate the black–white mental health paradox in depressive symptoms across three dimensions (spanning 18 measures) of religious involvement–organizational religious involvement, non-organizational religious involvement, and church-based social support. Specifically, I test whether black–white differences in either religious involvement or the importance of religiosity can explain mental health advantage of African Americans. Despite remarkably higher levels of religious involvement among African Americans relative to whites, these differences do not explain the mental health paradox. There was also no evidence supporting the differential impact of religious involvement argument. Future research should explore both positive and negative coping, in addition to the role of intersectionality when studying this unexpected trend.
Adolescent Homicides, Suicides, and the Role of Firearms: A Narrative Review

ABSTRACTBackground: The United States has more than 90% of all youth firearm deaths that occur in high-income countries. Purpose: We summarize the epidemiological literature on the prevalence, risk factors, and protective factors associated with adolescent homicides and suicides and the role of firearms in the loss of these lives. Methods: A systematic process was used to locate literature on adolescent homicide, adolescent suicide, and adolescent firearm deaths. The literature on these topics was summarized to provide an overview of the issues. Results: Approximately 10% of all arrests in a year for murder and nonnegligent manslaughter are by youth younger than 18 years of age; 92% of these are males. African American male teens are 20 times more likely than white male teens to be victims of homicides. Suicides are attempted more often by adolescent females than males, but males are more likely to die from suicides because they usually use a very lethal method—firearms. Firearms are the implements of cho...
Suicide among Racial and Ethnic Groups: Implications for Research and Practice

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, particularly for adolescents and young adults. Though depression is often a contributing factor in suicide, cultural influences may play significant roles, both as stressors and buffers to suicide attempts and completions. Unfortunately, our current knowledge of these cultural factors is limited, but there have been increasing efforts over the past decade to determine common and varying ethnic, as well as broader cultural, influences on suicide. Though even more limited, researchers and practitioners are beginning to develop culturally inclusive prevention and intervention efforts in order to decrease the likelihood of suicide, as well as offering postvention assistance. This chapter summarizes the suicide literature among African American, Asian American, Latino/a Americans, and American Indians.