cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate and styrene from boron nitride nanotubes

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) grafted with polyglycidyl methacrylate (PGMA) and polystyrene (PSt) brushes are described. This surface modification of BNNTs with polymer brushes is efficiently achieved involving only two steps: the introduction of benzyl bromide ATRP initiating sites on the BNNTs’ surface by a one-step radical addition method and the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) of GMA or St from the initiator immobilized BNNTs surface. The structure and properties of the resultant hybrid materials are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The FTIR analysis of hybrid materials shows infrared signals characteristic of the grafted polymers (PGMA and PSt) while SEM and TEM images clearly show the formation of polymer grafts on the BNNT surface.
Risk Assessment in a Chemical Storage Facility

A risk assessment was performed to assist in the evaluation of equipment improvements for a chemical storage facility. The risk assessment was accomplished through the use of several different methodologies e.g., fault tree analysis, event trees, and risk perspective techniques. The result of the study was a new alternative for a chemical storage facility. This new alternative eliminated the requirement for a large storage facility and reduced the capital project cost by over 10 million dollars.
Patch size effects on plant species decline in an experimentally fragmented landscape

Understanding local and global extinction is a fundamental objective of both basic and applied ecology. Island biogeography theory (IBT) and succession theory provide frameworks for understanding extinction in changing landscapes. We explore the relative contribution of fragment size vs. succession on species' declines by examining distributions of abundances for 18 plant species declining over time in an experimentally fragmented landscape in northeast Kansas, USA. If patch size effects dominate, early-successional species should persist longer on large patches, but if successional processes dominate, the reverse should hold, because in our system woody plant colonization is accelerated on large patches. To compare the patterns in abundance among patch sizes, we characterize joint shifts in local abundance and occupancy with a new metric: rank occupancy-abundance profiles (ROAPs). As succession progressed, statistically significant patch size effects emerged for 11 of 18 species. More early- successional species persisted longer on large patches, despite the fact that woody encroachment (succession) progressed faster in these patches. Clonal perennial species persisted longer on large patches compared to small patches. All species that persisted longer on small patches were annuals that recruit from the seed bank each year. The degree to which species declined in occupancy vs. abundance varied dramatically among species: some species declined first in occupancy, others remained widespread or even expanded their distribution, even as they declined in local abundance. Consequently, species exhibited various types of rarity as succession progressed. Understanding the effect of fragmentation on extinction trajectories requires a species-by-species approach encompassing both occupancy and local abundance. We propose that ROAPs provide a useful tool for comparing the distribution of local abundances among landscape types, years, and species.
Paradox: Systems Thinking at its Best or at its Worst

It has been asserted that paradoxical thinking epitomizes systems thinking. This paper examines this assertion using systems thinking approaches, in particular soft systems methods and Systemigrams. Additional systems concepts such as boundary are also utilized. The analysis results provide insight into paradoxical thinking as a problem structuring method for dealing with complex engineering problems and their corresponding solutions (e.g., systems of systems) as well as opportunities for future research.
A lateral approach to the repair of propagating fractures of the medial condyle of the third metacarpal and metatarsal bone in 18 racehorses.

Objectives— To report the technique, observations on fracture configurations and results of treatment by fixation lag screw following the fracture plane determined by an approach to the third metacarpal/metatarsal bone (MC3/MT3) that begins laterally over the metacarpo(metatarso)phalangeal joint and extends dorsally over the diaphysis of the bone. Study Design— Case series. Animals— Thoroughbred horses (n=18) with propagating fractures of the medial condyle of MC3/MT3. Methods— Retrospective analysis of case records of horses with fractures of the medial condyle of MC3/MT3 that propagated sagittaly or in a spiral configuration into the diaphysis, repaired surgically under general anesthesia by screw fixation in lag fashion through a lateral approach with periosteal reflection. Results— Fractures were readily identified at surgery, enabling screw fixation in lag fashion following the fracture plane. Fracture configurations varied and could be classified as sagittal and spiral fractures with fractures within each group generally following a similar course. All horses recovered relatively uneventfully from general anesthesia and surgery, and all fractures healed well. Thirteen horses returned to training; 5 subsequently raced. Conclusions— Repair of propagating sagittal and spiral fractures of the medial condyle of MC3/MT3 with diaphyseal involvement, through a lateral approach with periosteal reflection permits stable fixation with minimal complications. In this series there were no catastrophic failures. Clinical relevance— Fractures of the medial condyle of MC3/MT3 that propagate either sagittaly or in a spiral configuration into the diaphysis can be successfully repaired with screw fixation in lag fashion using a lateral approach with periosteal reflection.
Is Scheduled Intravenous Acetaminophen Effective in the Pain Management Protocol of Geriatric Hip Fractures

Background:Hip fractures have significant effects on the geriatric population and the health care system. Prior studies have demonstrated both the safety of intravenous (IV) acetaminophen and its e...
Hardware implementation of an artificial neural network

A hardware implementation of a fully digital and fully interconnected feedforward backpropagation artificial network using Xilinx field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) is presented. The network consists of an input layer with five nodes, a single hidden layer with four nodes, and an output layer with two nodes. These nodes are fully interconnected between adjacent layers. Training is done offline on a conventional digital computer where the final values of the weights are obtained. The network is tested successfully by comparing the values of the output nodes for a different input pattern with those obtained from simulating the network on a PC. The number of FPGAs used can be significantly decreased, and the speed can be increased if a 4K or higher family FPGA is used. >
GlpR Represses Fructose and Glucose Metabolic Enzymes at the Level of Transcription in the Haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii

In this study, a DeoR/GlpR-type transcription factor was investigated for its potential role as a global regulator of sugar metabolism in haloarchaea, using Haloferax volcanii as a model organism. Common to a number of haloarchaea and Gram-positive bacterial species, the encoding glpR gene was chromosomally linked with genes of sugar metabolism. In H. volcanii, glpR was cotranscribed with the downstream phosphofructokinase (PFK; pfkB) gene, and the transcript levels of this glpR-pfkB operon were 10- to 20-fold higher when cells were grown on fructose or glucose than when they were grown on glycerol alone. GlpR was required for repression on glycerol based on significant increases in the levels of PFK (pfkB) transcript and enzyme activity detected upon deletion of glpR from the genome. Deletion of glpR also resulted in significant increases in both the activity and the transcript (kdgK1) levels of 2-keto-3-deoxy-d-gluconate kinase (KDGK), a key enzyme of haloarchaeal glucose metabolism, when cells were grown on glycerol, compared to the levels obtained for media with glucose. Promoter fusions to a β-galactosidase bgaH reporter revealed that transcription of glpR-pfkB and kdgK1 was modulated by carbon source and GlpR, consistent with quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) and enzyme activity assays. The results presented here provide genetic and biochemical evidence that GlpR controls both fructose and glucose metabolic enzymes through transcriptional repression of the glpR-pfkB operon and kdgK1 during growth on glycerol.
Intimate Partner Violence Against Deaf Female College Students

It has been estimated that roughly 25% of all Deaf women in the United States are victims of intimate partner violence (Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services [ADWAS]), a figure similar to annual prevalence rates of 16% to 30% for intimate partners in the general population. One goal of the present study was to ascertain the prevalence of intimate partner violence victimization in a sample of Deaf female college students. When comparing the prevalence of physical assault, psychological aggression, and sexual coercion victimization to hearing female undergraduates, the current sample was approximately two times as likely to have experienced victimization in the past year.
Heterotropic Cooperativity Between Putative Recognition Sites for Progesterone Metabolites and the Atypical Benzodiazepine Ro 5–4864

The binding of the cage convulsant t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate (TBPS) and 36Cl- uptake by synaptoneurosomes were used to test the ability of progesterone metabolites to modulate allosterically the Ro 5-4864 (4'-chlorodiazepam) binding site that is functionally coupled to the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)/benzodiazepine receptor complex (GBRC) in rat brain. Dose-dependent enhancement of [35S]TBPS binding by Ro 5-4864 occurs in rat cerebral cortex in the presence of the progesterone metabolites 5 alpha-pregnan-3 alpha-ol-20-one (3 alpha-OH-DHP) and 5 alpha-pregnan-3 alpha, 20 alpha-diol (pregnanediol). The pregnanediol effect is completely GABA dependent, whereas that of 3 alpha-OH-DHP is not. Conversely, Ro 5-4864 opposed the action of 3 alpha-OH-DHP by increasing the IC50 for 3 alpha-OH-DHP inhibition of [35S]TBPS binding. In cortical synaptoneurosomes, Ro 5-4864 antagonized both 3 alpha-OH-DHP and pregnanediol enhancement of GABA-stimulated 36Cl- uptake. In both binding and functional studies, pregnanediol showed limited efficacy relative to 3 alpha-OH-DHP, as previously reported. These findings provide the initial evidence that the GBRC-linked Ro 5-4864 binding site is allosterically coupled to the putative progesterone metabolite recognition site and confirm the GABA-mimetic properties of 3 alpha-OH-DHP and pregnanediol.
Ultraviolet Irradiation Blocks Cellular Responses to Transforming Growth Factor-β by Down-regulating Its Type-II Receptor and Inducing Smad7 *

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a multi-functional cytokine that regulates cell growth and differentiation. Cellular responses to TGF-β are mediated through its cell surface receptor complex, which activates transcription factors Smad2 and Smad3. Here we report that UV irradiation of mink lung epithelial cells causes near complete inhibition of TFG-β-induced Smad2/3-mediated gene expression. UV irradiation inhibited TGF-β-induced phosphorylation of Smad2 and subsequent nuclear translocation and DNA binding of Smad2/3. Specific cell surface binding of TGF-β was substantially reduced after UV irradiation. This loss of TGF-β binding resulted from UV-induced down-regulation of TGF-β type II receptor (TβRII) mRNA and protein. UV irradiation significantly inhibited TβRII promoter reporter constructs, indicating that UV reduction of TβRII expression involved transcriptional repression. In contrast to its effects on TβRII, UV irradiation rapidly induced Smad7 mRNA and protein. Smad7 is known to antagonize activation of Smad2/3 and thereby block TGF-β-dependent gene expression. UV irradiation stimulated Smad7 promoter reporter constructs, indicating that increased Smad7 expression resulted, at least in part, from increased transcription. Overexpression of Smad7 protein to the level induced by UV irradiation inhibited TGF-β-induced gene expression 30%. Maintaining TβRII levels by overexpression of TβRII prevented UV inhibition of TGF-β responsiveness. Taken together, these data indicate that UV irradiation blocks cellular responsiveness to TGF-β through two mechanisms that impair TGF-β receptor function. The primary mechanism is down-regulation of TβRII, and the secondary mechanism is induction of Smad7.
Effect of 0.25 N sodium chloride treatment on DNA denaturation in situ in thymus lymphocytes

Abstract Extraction of cells with 0.25 N NaCl changes the profile of DNA denaturation in situ. The portion of DNA denaturing at lower temperatures (“thermosensitive” fraction) shows increased sensitivity to heat following salt extraction while the “thermoresistant” DNA fraction is further stabilized. The results suggest that proteins extractable with 0.25 N NaCl while providing local counterions for DNA phosphates of the “thermosensitive” DNA fraction also decrease the strength of DNA-histone interactions within the “thermoresistant” fraction.
Experience as Evidence in Africanist Historiography

This paper observes that historians of Africa often rely on experience for evidence, and it asks whether we do so with adequate rigor. Resume: Cet article observe que les historiens de l’Afrique ont souvent recours a l’experience vecue comme source historique, et s’interroge sur la rigueur de cette demarche.
Demography of the California Spotted Owl in Northeastern California

Abstract We estimated age-specific survival (ϕ), fecundity (b), and the finite rate of population change (λ) of California Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis occidentalis) over a 10-year period (1990–1999). Two hundred nineteen juvenile and 200 subadult or adult owls were banded at 90 sites, with a combined total of 1080 captures. Least-squares mean estimates (± SE) of fecundity (# female fledglings per territorial female) over all years were 0.065 ± 0.066 for subadults (n = 33) and 0.291 ± 0.065 for adults (n = 381). Estimated annual apparent survival probability was 0.333 ± 0.055 for juveniles and 0.827 ± 0.015 for subadults and adults combined. Using these estimates to construct a four-stage projection matrix, the finite rate of population change, λ, was 0.910 ± 0.025. This value of λ suggests an annual rate of decline in the territorial population of 9% per year over the period of study. Elasticity analyses showed λ to be most sensitive to variation in adult female survival. However, the standard devia...
[276-POS]: Maternally sequestered polypeptide-based therapeutics to treat preeclampsia

Objectives There are currently no effective interventions for preeclampsia short of induced delivery of the fetus. Improvements in preeclampsia management have been stifled due to deleterious effects of proposed small-molecule drugs on the fetus. Our overall goal is to generate novel, maternally sequestered therapeutics for preeclampsia. The progression of preeclampsia is driven by three major pathways, secretion of the VEGF antagonist sFlt-1 by the hypoxic placenta, induction of an inflammatory environment in the mother, and production of reactive oxygen species in the hypoxic placenta. We have generated novel biologics to target each of these pathways. Furthermore, these therapeutics are attached to a drug delivery vector called elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) that stabilizes them from rapid clearance and degradation in the maternal circulation while preventing them from crossing the placenta into the fetal circulation. Methods Biodistribution of ELP-fused therapeutics in pregnant rats was determined by ex vivo whole-organ fluorescence and quantitative fluorescence histology. Efficacy for reducing the maternal symptoms and improving markers of fetal health was assessed in a rat model of placental insufficiency. Results In vitro studies validated that each of these therapeutics are active against their desired target. The ELP carriers deposited at high levels in the placenta, but did not cross into the fetal circulation, even after continuous infusion for 5 days. In addition, attachment a therapeutic peptide to ELP increased its plasma half-life from minutes to hours, and placental levels of the ELP-delivered peptide were 35-fold higher than levels of the free peptide. Ongoing studies are evaluating the efficacy of each of these novel therapeutics for prevention of preeclampsia-like symptoms and improved markers of fetal health. Conclusions Our results have established ELP as a promising drug carrier for maternally sequestered therapy, and these novel agents have the potential to be useful new classes of therapeutics for preeclampsia. Disclosures G.L. Bidwell Commercial Interest: Owner and Manager, Leflore Technologies LLC. E.M. George: None.
Management of the Preterm Infant with Congenital Heart Disease

The premature neonate with congenital heart disease (CHD) represents a challenging population for clinicians and researchers. The interaction between prematurity and CHD is poorly understood; epidemiologic study suggests that premature newborns are more likely to have CHD and that fetuses with CHD are more likely to be born premature. Understanding the key physiologic features of this special patient population is paramount. Clinicians have debated optimal timing for referral for cardiac surgery, and management in the postoperative period has rapidly advanced. This article summarizes the key concepts and literature in the care of the premature neonate with CHD.
The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act's Provisions on Jurisdiction, Remedies, and Choice of Law: Correcting the Fifth Circuit's Mistakes

Comprised of nineteen judges, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit decides cases in three-judge panels. In a court so constituted, discrepancies between decisions of different panels are bound to develop. When such discrepancies become important enough, the Fifth Circuit is supposed to convene en banc in order to resolve the conflict and announce a binding circuit-wide rule. But Fifth Circuit en banc hearings are infrequent. More routinely, the court tries to minimize the incidence and effects of conflicting panel decisions by promulgating rules that direct a disagreeing panel to follow the earlier case while feeling free to call for an en banc rehearing to resolve the disagreement. If the later panel rebels, its decision is not entitled to respect. These rules have not worked well. The weaknesses inherent in panel deciding - in combination with the court's reluctance to conduct en banc hearings - have resulted too often in decision on what seems to be a random factual basis. Cases applying the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) are typical. The decisional law is infamously chaotic. Commentators routinely proclaim it so, and the Fifth Circuit itself is remarkably critical of its own work. Probably few will dispute that reconciliation and reformation are long overdue. The problems in the Fifth Circuit's OCSLA jurisprudence will have to be corrected by the Fifth Circuit itself. The OCSLA gets little treatment in any circuit but the Fifth, so that the kind of inter-circuit conflict that gains Supreme Court attention is unlikely to develop. And there is nothing particularly wrong with the OCSLA itself - the problems stem from the Fifth Circuit's misreadings of the Act - so no one can or should expect help from Congress. What is needed is several grants of en banc rehearing.
The use of acellular dermal matrix in immediate two-stage tissue expander breast reconstruction.

Background: Acellular dermal matrix is commonly used in implant-based breast reconstruction to allow for quicker tissue expansion with better coverage and definition of the lower pole of the breast. This study was performed to analyze complications associated with its use in immediate two-stage, implant-based breast reconstruction and to subsequently develop guidelines for its use. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 628 consecutive immediate two-stage tissue expander breast reconstructions at a single institution over a 3-year period was conducted. The reconstructions were divided into two groups: reconstruction with acellular dermal matrix and reconstruction without it. Demographic information, patient characteristics, surface area of acellular dermal matrix, and complications were analyzed and compared. Results: A total of 407 patients underwent 628 immediate two-stage, implant-based breast reconstructions; 442 reconstructions (70.3 percent) used acellular dermal matrix and 186 (29.6 percent) did not. The groups had similar patient characteristics; however, major complications were significantly increased in the acellular dermal matrix group (15.3 versus 5.4 percent; p = 0.001). These complications included infection requiring intravenous antibiotics (8.6 versus 2.7 percent; p = 0.001), flap necrosis requiring excision (6.7 versus 2.7 percent; p = 0.015), and explantation of the tissue expander (7.7 versus 2.7 percent; p = 0.004). Conclusions: Use of acellular dermal matrix in immediate two-stage, implant-based breast cancer reconstruction is associated with a significant increase in major complications. Therefore, it should only be used in specific patients and in minimal amounts. Indications for its use include single-stage permanent implant reconstruction and inadequate local muscle coverage of the tissue expander. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III.
Shallow halogen vacancies in halide optoelectronic materials

Halogen vacancies (${\mathit{V}}_{\mathrm{H}}$) are usually deep color centers (F centers) in halides and can act as major electron traps or recombination centers. The deep ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathrm{H}}$ contributes to the typically poor carrier transport properties in halides. However, several halides have recently emerged as excellent optoelectronic materials, e.g., $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}\mathrm{Pb}{\mathrm{I}}_{3}$ and TlBr. Both $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}\mathrm{Pb}{\mathrm{I}}_{3}$ and TlBr have been found to have shallow ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathrm{H}}$, in contrast to commonly seen deep ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathrm{H}}$ in halides. In this paper, several halide optoelectronic materials, i.e., $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}\mathrm{Pb}{\mathrm{I}}_{3}$, $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}\mathrm{Sn}{\mathrm{I}}_{3}$ (photovoltaic materials), TlBr, and $\mathrm{CsPbB}{\mathrm{r}}_{3}$ (gamma-ray detection materials) are studied to understand the material chemistry and structure that determine whether ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathrm{H}}$ is a shallow or deep defect in a halide material. It is found that crystal structure and chemistry of $n{s}^{2}$ ions both play important roles in creating shallow ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathrm{H}}$ in halides such as $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}\mathrm{Pb}{\mathrm{I}}_{3}$, $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}\mathrm{Sn}{\mathrm{I}}_{3}$, and TlBr. The key to identifying halides with shallow ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathrm{H}}$ is to find the right crystal structures and compounds that suppress cation orbital hybridization at ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathrm{H}}$, such as those with large cation-cation distances and low anion coordination numbers and those with crystal symmetry that prevents strong hybridization of cation dangling bond orbitals at ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathrm{H}}$. The results of this paper provide insight and guidance to identifying halides with shallow ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathrm{H}}$ as good electronic and optoelectronic materials.
Ontogeny of Daily Rhythmicity in Plasma Corticosterone and Variation in Sensitivity of the Corticosterone Response in Turkey Poults

Abstract Two trials were conducted with turkey poults to examine the ontogeny of daily rhythmicity of plasma corticosterone (CS), and to determine the plasma CS response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) injections and temperature stress at different times during a light-dark cycle. In Trial 1, CS levels were determined at 3-h intervals over a 24-h period in 3, 10, and 14-day-old tom and hen poults maintained on a 12 h light:12 h dark (12L:12D) light-dark cycle. Plasma CS levels of tom and hen poults were similar. A robust daily rhythm in plasma CS occurred by 10 days of age, with maximal levels of CS occurring during the scotophase. In Trial 2, daily variation in plasma CS sensitivity to cold treatment or ACTH in 2-wk-old toms was examined. Tom poults were exposed to cold water immersion (5 C for 1 min), porcine ACTH injection (1 IU/kg), or saline injection at 1100 h in midphotophase and at 2300 h in midscotophase. Treatments significantly increased plasma CS in both the photophase and scotophase, with the levels being significantly higher in the scotophase. At midphotophase cold or ACTH treatment induced, respectively, a 489 and 546% increase in plasma CS above that of controls. During midscotophase, 746 and 695% increases in CS above levels for controls were induced by cold stress or ACTH, respectively. Differences between percent changes for times of day were not significantly different. It was concluded that a daily rhythm in plasma CS in turkey poults grown under a 12L:12D light-dark cycle occurs between 3 and 10 days of age, with maximum levels occurring during the scotophase. A daily variation in the adrenal cortical response to exogenous ACTH or cold water treatment in excess of the normal plasma CS rhythm was not apparent.
Critical Literacy in a Kindergarten Classroom: An Examination of Social Action

Social action is an important part of critical literacy practice. In this chapter, we feature a case study of a child from a kindergarten classroom who, over the course of the year, develops the personal and collective resources that enable her to act on the injustice of bullying. Situated in a yearlong study of critical literacy practices, we draw on critical discourse analysis to trace one child’s ways of representing, interacting, and being across time and texts to show how she engages with social action. We argue that social action in the critical literacy classroom is more than a project. It is the development of meanings and stances that prepare people for the kind of long-term work necessary for making the world a better place.
Role of Donor Hemodynamic Trajectory in Determining Graft Survival in Liver Transplantation from Donation after Circulatory Death Donors

Donation after circulatory death (DCD)donors show heterogeneous hemodynamic trajectories following withdrawal of life support. Impact of hemodynamics in DCD liver transplant isunclear and objective measures of graft viability would ease transplant surgeon decision making and inform safe expansion of the donor organ pool. This retrospective study tested whether hemodynamic trajectories associated withtransplant outcomes in DCD liver transplantation (n = 87). Using longitudinal clustering statistical techniques we phenotyped DCD donors based on hemodynamic trajectory for both mean arterial pressure (MAP) and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) following withdrawal of life support. Donors were categorized into 3 clusters: those who gradually decline after withdrawal of life support (cluster 1), those who maintain stable hemodynamics followed by rapid decline (cluster 2), and those who decline rapidly (cluster 3). Clustering outputs were used to compare characteristics and transplant outcomes. Cox proportional hazards modeling revealed hepatocellular carcinoma (HR = 2.53, P = 0.047), cold ischemia time (HR = 1.50 per hour, P = 0.027), and MAP cluster 1 were associated with increased risk of graft loss (HR =3.13, P = 0.021), but not SpO2 cluster (P = 0.172) or donor warm ischemia time (DWIT) (P = 0.154). Despite longer DWIT, MAP and SpO2 clusters 2 showed similar graft survival to MAP and SpO2 clusters 3, respectively. Conclusion – Despite heterogeneity in hemodynamic trajectories, DCD donors can be categorized into 3 clinically meaningful subgroups that help predict graft prognosis. Further studies should confirm the utility of liver grafts from cluster 2. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Current status and perspectives on the development of rifamycin derivative antibiotics

Rifampicin (RFP) was developed as one of the anti-tuberculosis drugs in 1966 and has been used for almost 30 years. Establishment of combination therapy using RFP has been contributing to the treatment/eradication of tuberculosis. A number of rifamycin derivatives, as post RFPs, have been synthesized/developed over the the years. Chemical modification of rifamycins has largely been concentrated on the moiety of naphthalene ring because modification of the ansa chain moiety reduces the activity. In 1992, rifabutin was approved as a preventive drug for MAC infection in AIDS patients in the United States and in European countries. It is noteworthy that rifapentine (RPT) was approved as an anti-tuberculosis drug in 1998 by FDA in the United States. A newly synthesized rifamycin derivative (KRM-1648, rifalazil) possesses a potent activity against both M. Tuberculosis and MAC, and it is now under clinical trial for the treatment of Tuberculosis in the United States. KRM-1648 is metabolized to 30-hydroxy KRM and 25-deacetyl KRM in the body, and its 30-hydroxylation is caused by liver cytochrome P450 3A. It is well known that RFP, RFB and RPT induce liver cytochrome P450 in animals and human, and these accelerate the metabolism of concomitant drugs such as HIV protease inhibitors resulting in lowering their blood levels. While KRM-1648 did not induce liver P450 in animals, but it is not examined yet in human. Clinical study of DOT with intermittent therapy of RPT in combination with INH resulted in the preferable therapeutic effect comparable to the RFP therapy. Since KRM-1648 has a potent activity, a high tissue distribution and a long half-life, it may be also suitable for intermittent therapy. For the future novel anti-tuberculosis drugs and therapy for tuberculosis, it is prerequisite to develop new drugs with a preferable antimicrobial activity, to shorten further the treatment period, and to be effective against multi-drug resistant bacilli. It is expected that more effective novel rifamycin derivatives can be developed with the above view points.
Cumulative effective radiation dose received by blunt trauma patients arriving to a military level I trauma center from point of injury and interhospital transfers

Abstract Background Trauma patients sustaining blunt injuries are exposed to multiple radiologic studies. Evidence indicates that the risk of cancer from exposure to ionizing radiation rises in direct proportion to the cumulative effective dose (CED) received. The purpose of this study is to quantify the amount of ionizing radiation accumulated when arriving directly from point of injury to San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC), a level I trauma center, compared with those transferred from other facilities. Methods A retrospective record review was conducted from 1st January 2010 through 31st December 2012. The SAMMC trauma registry, electronic medical records, and the digital radiology imaging system were searched for possible candidates. The medical records were then analyzed for sex, age, mechanism of injury, received directly from point of injury (direct group), transfer from another medical facility (transfer group), computed tomographic scans received, dose-length product, CED of radiation, and injury severity score. A diagnostic imaging physicist then calculated the estimated CED each subject received based on the dose-length product of each computed tomographic scan. Results A total of 300 patients were analyzed, with 150 patients in the direct group and 150 patients in the transfer group. Both groups were similar in age and sex. Patients in the transfer group received a significantly greater CED of radiation compared with the direct group (mean, 37.6 mSv vs 28 mSv; P =.001). The radiation received in the direct group correlates with a lifetime attributable risk (LAR) of 1 in 357 compared with the transfer group with an increase in LAR to 1 in 266. Conclusion Patients transferred to our facility received a 34% increase in ionizing radiation compared with patients brought directly from the injury scene. This increased dose of ionizing radiation contributes to the LAR of cancer and needs to be considered before repeating imaging studies. Level of Evidence: III.
The Sikh Zafar-Namah of Guru Gobind Singh: a discursive blade in the heart of the Mughal Empire

Louis Fenech's new work on the Zafarnama attributed to the Tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, engages with the growing literature on the Persian Shahnama traditions as well as that of the courtly tradi...
Control of the Output from a High-Intensity Xenon Arc Lamp1:

The emission spectrum of a xenon high-pressure arc lamp provides a reasonable approximation to the ultraviolet-visible region of terrestrial sunlight. This lamp has therefore been employed in a var...
Halide Perovskites under Pressure: Accessing New Properties through Lattice Compression

Lattice compression allows for systematic structural tuning without changing composition. Halide perovskites are a large and diverse family of solids, which have enormous potential for applications in energy capture, storage, and utilization. Notably, they have soft lattices and their photophysical and transport properties exhibit a large pressure response. In this Perspective, we highlight how pressure can alter their electronic landscapes, affect excited-state dynamics, and afford new structures not accessible through conventional syntheses. We further discuss how the insight we gain from high-pressure studies expands the scope of these versatile materials in current and future energy applications.
On the Uncapacitated Location Problem

The problem of optimally locating bank accounts to maximize clearing times in discused. The importance of this problem depends in part on its mathematical relationship to the well-known uncapacitated plant location problem. A Lagrangian dual for obtaining an upper bound and heuristics for obtaining a lower bound on the value of an optimal solution are introduced. The main results are analytical worst case analyses of these bounds. In particular it is shown that the relative error of the dual bound and a “greedy” heuristic never exceeds [( K – 1)/ K ] K e for a problem in which at most K locations are to be chosen. An interchange heuristic is shown to have a worst case relative error of ( K – 1)/(2 K – 1)
Pacifying Asia, Orienting the Pacific: What Work Can a Life-Writing Region Do?

In 2008, Philippe Lejuene asked the non-rhetorical question ‘Is the I International?’ This paper explores what effect thinking about regions can have on our understanding of what links life-writing...
The Souls of White Folk: W.E.B. DuBois's Critique of White Supremacy and the Contributions to Critical White Studies

Traditionally “white supremacy” has been treated in race and racism discourse as white domination of and white discrimination against non-whites, and especially blacks. It is a term that often carries a primarily legal and political connotation, which has been claimed time and time again to be best exemplified by the historic events and contemporary effects of: African holocaust, enslavement and colonization; the “failure” of reconstruction, the ritual of lynching and the rise of Jim Crow segregation in the United States; and, white colonial and racial rule throughout Africa, and especially apartheid in South Africa (Cell, 1982; Fredrickson, 1981; Marx, 1998; Shapiro, 1988). Considering the fact that state-sanctioned segregation and black political disenfranchisement have seemed to come to an end, “white supremacy” is now seen as classical nomenclature which no longer refers to contemporary racial and social conditions. However, instead of being a relic of the past that refers to an odd or embarrassing moment in the United States and South Africa9s (among many other racist nations and empires9) march toward multicultural democracy, it remains one of the most appropriate ways to characterize current racial national and international conditions. Which, in other words, is to say that white supremacy has been and remains central to modernity (and “postmodernity”) because “modernity” (especially in the sense that this term is being used in European and American academic and aesthetic discourse) reeks of racial domination and discrimination (Goldberg, 1990, 1993; Mills, 1998, 2003; Outlaw, 1996, 2005). It is an epoch (or aggregate of eras) which symbolizes not simply the invention of race, but the perfection of a particular species of global racism: white supremacy. Hence, modernity is not merely the moment of the invention of race, but more, as Theodore Allen (1994, 1997) argues in The Invention of the White Race, it served as an incubator for the invention of the white race and a peculiar pan-Europeanism predicated on the racial ruling, cultural degradation and, at times, physical decimation of the life-worlds of people of color.
Trends in the Development of Process Control Computer Systems

This paper traces the major factors in the development of industrial computer control systems to the present time. It then extrapolates this history, as modified by current developments in related fields (particularly large scale integrated electronic c..
Cold storage of platelets in platelet additive solution: an in vitro comparison of two Food and Drug Administration-approved collection and storage systems

Background Refrigeration of platelets (PLTs) in a PLT additive solution (PAS) reduces PLT activation compared to storage in plasma and preserves function for at least 15 days. Currently only two PASs are licensed by the Food and Drug Administration, each for use with only one apheresis platform. In this study, we compared the metabolic, functional, and activation status of PLTs collected on a Trima apheresis collection system and stored refrigerated in Isoplate (ISO) PAS to PLTs collected on an Amicus collection system and stored refrigerated in Intersol (INT) PAS. Study design and methods Apheresis PLTs (n = 4-7 donors) were collected on a Trima in ISO PAS or on an Amicus in INT PAS. PLTs were stored in a walk-in refrigerator (1-6°C) without agitation for long-term storage. Bags were assayed at Days 1, 5, 10, and 15 of storage. Measurements included PLT counts, pH, aggregation response, rotational thromboelastometry, and activation markers. Results Cold-stored Trima-collected PLTs in ISO were slightly more hemostatic than Amicus-collected PLTs in INT and displayed better adhesion to collagen under flow conditions. Amicus-collected PLTs in INT showed increased microaggregate formation on Days 5 and 10 and a significant decrease in PLT count over storage. Trima-collected PLTs in ISO displayed better clot strength than Amicus-collected PLTs in INT. Conclusion Compared to cold-stored Amicus PLTs in INT, Trima PLTs in ISO display superior in vitro function and may be better suited for treatment of bleeding patients. Clinical studies are warranted to confirm these findings.
Why Was Lochner Wrong

Lochner v New York' would probably win the prize, if there were one, for the most widely reviled decision of the last hundred years. Lochner does have capable defenders who make arguments that must be taken seriously.2 And Lochner would have some competition for the prize; Korematsu v United States,3 in particular, would be a strong contender. But judged by some rough-and-ready indicators-Would you ever cite this case in a Supreme Court brief, except to identify it with your opponents' position? If a judicial nominee avowed support for this case in a Senate confirmation hearing, would that immediately put an end to her chances? Lochner is one of the great antiprecedents of the twentieth century. You have to reject Lochner if you want to be in the mainstream of American constitutional law today. Lochner, which declared unconstitutional a New York maximumhours statute for bakers, is, of course, more than just a case. It symbolizes the era in which the Supreme Court invalidated nearly two hundred social welfare and regulatory measures, including minimum wage laws,4 laws designed to enable employees to unionize,5 and a federal statute establishing a pension system for railway workers.6 The
Spectral Nevanlinna-Pick Interpolation

Let e be a finite dimensional vector space, let D denote the unit disc, let z 1,…, z n ∈ D be mutually distinct, and let F 1,…,F n ∈ B(e), where B(e), denotes the space of bounded linear operators on e. For a bounded analytic function F: D → B(e), let ∥F∥sp be the spectral radius defined by $${\left\| F \right\|_{sp}}: = \sup \left\{ {{{\left\| {F\left( z \right)} \right\|}_{sp}}:\,z \in D} \right\},$$ where ∥F(z)∥sp is the spectral radius of the operator F(z) (= the absolute value of the eigenvalue of largest magnitude of F(z)).
HYDROCARBONS AND FATTY ACIDS IN OIL SHALE OF PERMIAN IRATI FORMATION, BRAZIL

The isoprenoid, normal, and polycyclic alkanes, the aromatic hydrocarbons, and the normal fcitt'j acids from samples of two distinct (upper and lower) beds of oil shale in the Permian Irati Formation near Sao Mateus do Sul, Parana, Brazil, have been analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography - mass spectrometry. Both the upper and lower beds yielded the same compounds (the amounts, given in ppm, are first, upper bed, and second, lower bed), i.e., isoprenoid alkanes (C16, C18 − C21; max = C19; 196 and 152 ppm, respectively); normal alkanes (C12 − C29; max = C17, C12; carbon preference index or CPI = 1.05; 95 and 73 ppm, respectively); polycyclic alkanes (C27 − C31 steranes and triterpanes; 188 and 100 ppm, respectively); aromatic hydrocarbons (member in the C12 − C23 range; 59 and 73 ppm, respectively); and normal fatty acids (C12 − C18; max = C16; CPI = 3.1; 30 and 48 ppm, respectively). The distribution of the alkanes extracted from the Irati Shale may be indicative of its depositional environment and of the biological material from which the organic matter in it was derived. The predominance of isoprenoid alkanes is an indication of high photosynthetic activity. Evidence of an algal contribution to this activity lies in the prevalence of n-heptadecane among the normal alkanes. Other possible contributors to the isoprenoids include ferns, Crustacea, and bacteria. The relatively large amounts of triterpanes in the shale also suggest that algae, bacteria, and possibly ferns were significant sources of organic matter at time of deposition. Certain contemporary blue-green alga, bacteria, and ferns contain structures which could be modified by diagenesis and maturation to the triterpanes found in the oil shale.
The determinants of international branch campuses

ABSTRACTWe apply the gravity model of international trade to country-level panel data on branch campus establishments and closures from 2007–2016. Accordingly, we arrive at the first elasticity est...
Using statistical functionals for effective control of inhomogeneous complex turbulent dynamical systems

Abstract Efficient statistical control strategies are developed for general complex turbulent systems with energy conserving nonlinearity. Instead of direct control on the high-dimensional turbulent equations concerning a large number of instabilities, a statistical functional that characterizes the total statistical structure of the complex system is adopted here as the control object. First the statistical energy equation reduces the control of the complex nonlinear system to a linear statistical control problem; then the explicit form of the forcing control is recovered through nonlocal inversion of the optimal control functional using approximate statistical linear response theory for attribution of the feedback. Through this control strategy with statistical energy conservation, the explicit form of the control forcing is determined offline only requiring the initial configuration of total statistical energy change and the autocorrelation functions in the most sensitive modes of the target statistical equilibrium, with no need of knowing the explicit forcing history and running the complex system. The general framework of the statistical control method can be applied directly on various scenarios with both homogeneous and inhomogeneous perturbations. The effectiveness of the statistical control strategy is demonstrated using the Lorenz ’96 system and a turbulent barotropic system with topography and a large number of instabilities.
Meeting the Challenge of Identifying New Treatments for Type 2-Low Neutrophilic Asthma.

Abstract Asthma pathobiology can be broadly classified by endotypes of type 2-high and type 2-low disease, with a significant percentage of asthmatics having a type 2-low endotype that is poorly responsive to the anti-inflammatory actions of corticosteroids. Therapeutic approaches that target mediators of type 2-low asthma with neutrophilic airway inflammation have yet to enter clinical practice. Therefore, an unmet need exists for the development of new treatments for patients with a neutrophilic asthma, especially those with severe disease. A goal-oriented methodology may be utilized to address this problem, which focuses on identifying key mediators driving the type 2-low endotype, followed by the development of targeted treatments that can be administered to patients in whom the pathway is active and mediating disease in a precision medicine approach. Since multiple mediators can potentially promote neutrophilic airway inflammation, bioassays will be needed that identify specific factors that have a causal relationship with disease pathobiology in individual patients. Furthermore, since neutrophils play a key role in host defense, rigorous consideration will need to be given to titrating the reduction in mediators that promote neutrophilic airway inflammation from pathologically elevated levels to concentrations that are typically found in the healthy lung so that patients can retain normal host defense and immune surveillance functions. Fortunately, the future is bright for the type 2-low endotype as new pathways continue to be identified and targeted treatments are being advanced to clinical trials to establish their safety and efficacy for neutrophilic airway inflammation in type 2-low asthmatics.; Abbreviation List: APO = apolipoprotein; BALF = bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; BET = bromodomain and extra-terminal; CXCL = C-X-C motif chemokine ligand; CXCR = C-X-C motif chemokine receptor; DNAzyme = deoxyribozyme; G-CSF = granulocyte-colony stimulating factor; GM-CSF = granulocyte/monocyte colony stimulating factor; EETosis = eosinophil extracellular trap cell death; EETs = eosinophil extracellular traps; HDM = house dust mite; hMSC = human mesenchymal stem cell; IFN = interferon; IL = interleukin; ILC = innate lymphoid cell; JAK = Janus kinase; LXA = lipoxin; NETosis = neutrophil extracellular trap cell death; NETs = neutrophil extracellular traps; NLRP = nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucin-rich repeat, and pyrin domain containing ; Th = T-helper; TGF = transforming growth factor; TNF = tumor necrosis factor; SAA = serum amyloid A; SLPI = secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor