cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The pathology of ocular cancer.

Primary cancers of the eye are rare. These include uveal melanoma, a tumor that preferentially affects the choroid of light-eyed, fair-skinned Europeans, and the pediatric retinal neoplasm retinoblastoma, which is slightly more common worldwide. Uveal melanoma kills about half of affected patients. Most succumb to hepatic metastases, which are unresponsive to current therapy. Factors indicative of poor prognosis include tumor size, ciliary body involvement, epithelioid cells, extraocular extension, lymphocytic and melanophagic infiltration, mitotic activity, vascular mimicry patterns, and most importantly, the detection of monosomy 3 and class 2 gene expression profile in tumor cells using special tests. Most retinoblastomas are caused by sporadic somatic mutations in the RB1 gene, but about one-third arise in infants with germline mutations. The latter tend to develop earlier, are often bilateral and are transmissible to offspring as an autosomal dominant trait. Retinoblastoma displays varying degrees of differentiation including Homer Wright and Flexner–Wintersteiner rosettes and photoreceptor differentiation (fleurettes). Rosettes are more common in eyes enucleated from very young infants. Tumors composed entirely of fleurettes (retinoma/retinocytoma) are thought to be retinoblastoma precursors, and like retinoblastoma, harbor mutations in both copies of the RB1 gene. Retinoblastoma is a major cancer treatment success story in developed countries where most deaths are caused by secondary tumors in germline mutation carriers. High-risk histopathological features that are an indication for adjuvant chemotherapy include massive uveal invasion and retrolaminar optic nerve invasion. Eye-sparing therapies including brachyradiotherapy and systemic and intra-arterial chemotherapy have reduced the number of eyes with retinoblastoma requiring enucleation in recent years.
The Political Economy of the Creeping Militarization of U.S. Foreign Policy

This paper analyzes the political economy of the creeping militarization of U.S. foreign policy. The core argument is that in integrating the “3D” approach—defense, development, and diplomacy—policymakers have assigned responsibilities to military personnel which go beyond their comparative advantage, requiring them to become social engineers tasked with constructing entire societies. Evidence from The U.S. Army Stability Operations Field Manual is presented to illustrate the wide scope of responsibilities assigned to the U.S. military. The tools of political economy are used to analyze some of the implications.
RADIOACTIVITY OF Pt$sup 191$ AND Pt$sup 193$m

A 3.2-day activity of ${\mathrm{Pt}}^{191}$ and a 4.5-day activity of ${\mathrm{Pt}}^{193}$ have been investigated. Electron-capture of ${\mathrm{Pt}}^{191}$ is followed by a complex spectrum of gamma-radiation. The 4.5-day ${\mathrm{Pt}}^{193m}$ activity is a characteristic $M4$ isomeric transition of 135-kev.
A Physically Motivated Further Note on the Mean Value Theorem for Integrals

As a side note, Jacobson [1] states that his result may fall into the category of "interesting facts we once knew, but have now forgotten." This indeed seems to be the case, as the right-hand side of (2) is derived in [2, p. 78]. We extend Theorem 1 to a considerably larger function class, which includes functions such as f(t) = t and f(t) = 1/ t that do not satisfy the hypotheses of Theorem 1. Additionally, we apply the new results to obtain approximations of integrals appearing in familiar engineering settings. In fact our consideration of this problem was motivated by the desire to approximate, in closed form, integrals arising from a class of central force problems and to do so independently of the particular mathematical form of the force law itself.
STEROLS IN BRAIN AND LIVER OF YOUNG RATS FED 20,25-DIAZA-CHOLESTEROL.

SummaryFeeding 0.03% diazasterol in essentially cholesterol-free diets to weanling rats for 3 or 6 weeks caused a large concentration of desmosterol in the brain and liver sterols. Studies using C14 showed that small amounts of acetate and glucose were incorporated into brain sterol of both control and inhibitor-fed rats and a mode by which this incorporation may account for the rate of desmosterol accumulation is postulated.
Operator Corrections during Text Entry with Word Processing Systems

In order to answer questions related to keying errors and operator corrections, performance data were collected on typists as they keyed text into a simulated word processing system. Data are presented on the frequency of error detection, the amount of time spent correcting errors, the number of characters erased per error correction, and the types of errors corrected. Comparisons are also made between operator corrected and uncorrected errors.
Research Note: Response of Growing Leghorn Chicks to Deoxynivalenol-Contaminated Wheat

Abstract Effects of feeding a deoxynivalenol (DON)-contaminated wheat diet containing 18 mg DON/kg were determined in male Leghorn chicks from 1 day to 12 wk of age. The data show that body weights were not adversely affected by the inclusion of the contaminated wheat in the diet. Relative gizzard weights were increased in the chicks receiving the contaminated wheat diet. Consistent significant differences were not observed for relative weights of other organs, serum chemistry, or minerals. A significant decrease in hemoglobin at 4 wk of age occurred, but this effect was transitory in nature; it was no longer present at 8 or 12 wk of age.
Abstract 4179: Quercetin inhibits growth of pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo

Background and Aim: Polyphenols are common constituents of many fruits and vegetables, and have recently gained interest as potential therapeutic agents for various human malignancies. The most abundant of these polyphenols are flavonoids - quercetin being the most ubiquitous. The aim of this study was to assess the growth-inhibitory and anti-angiogenic properties of quercetin on pancreatic cancer (PaCa) cells in vitro and in vivo. Methods and Results: Using cell count and BrdU assay, we measured a dose-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation by quercetin (0-75µM) for MIA PaCa-2 (MP) and BxPC-3 (Bx) cells (p 6 ) cells were injected subcutaneously into the flank of donor mice. After four weeks, 1 mm 3 donor tumor sections were transplanted into the pancreatic tail of recipient mice. These animals were randomly allocated to control diet or 1% quercetin diet groups utilizing the AIN93G-based diet (n=12 per group). In addition, 6 mice from each group were injected weekly with gemcitabine (120 mg/kg mouse, i.p.). Animals were imaged weekly after tumor implantation until sacrifice at 6 weeks. Light emission was reduced in animals receiving quercetin, gemcitabine, and both treatments by 12%, 8%, and 16%, respectively at day 24. Furthermore, CXCL8 serum levels were significantly reduced in the quercetin/gemcitabine group (p Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4179.
The Mouse-colored Tyrannulet (Phaeomyias murina) is a species complex that includes the Cocos Flycatcher (Nesotriccus ridgwayi), an island form that underwent a population bottleneck

Simultaneous examination of evolutionary history in island forms and closely related mainland relatives can provide reciprocal insight into the evolution of island and mainland faunas. The Cocos Flycatcher (Nesotriccus ridgwayi) is a small tyrant flycatcher (Tyrannidae) endemic to Cocos Island, an oceanic island in the eastern Pacific Ocean. We first established its close relationship to the mainland species Mouse-colored Tyrannulet (Phaeomyias murina) using a phylogeny from genome-wide ultraconserved elements and exons. We then used mitochondrial DNA to explore the relationships between Nesotriccus and Phaeomyias populations from across its distribution in Central and South America. We found that Nesotriccus is nested within the Phaeomyias evolutionary tree, and that Phaeomyias represents a complex of at least four evolutionarily distinct species that differ in plumage, voice, and habitat association. Nesotriccus underwent a population bottleneck subsequent to its divergence from Central American and northern South American Phaeomyias populations in the middle Pleistocene. The 46 UCE loci containing alleles that are fixed between the two species are widely distributed across the genome, which suggests that selective or neutral processes responsible for divergence have occurred genome-wide. Overall, our simultaneous examination of Phaeomyias and Nesotriccus revealed divergent levels of genetic diversity and evolutionary histories between island and mainland forms.
Pelvic Plexus Denervation in Rats Causes Morphologic and Functional Changes of the Prostate

The effect of pelvic plexus denervation on biochemical, morphologic and functional characteristics of the rat prostate was assessed in 11 adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Unilateral denervation was performed by removing the right pelvic ganglion from the surface of the prostate; the contralateral lobe was similarly dissected, but not denervated, to serve as a control. After 15 to 18 days, the prostate was excised and specimens from both sides were used for morphologic (light and electron microscopy) and biochemical studies (sodium-dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis). With light microscopy, histologic features of the denervated prostate showed an overall decrease in cell height and a reduction of the clear apical area of the supranuclear region. At an ultrastructural level, denervated prostatic epithelial cells showed a slight, but significant, reduction in the number of secretory granules, a decrease in the height of the supranuclear region, and fewer and less abundantly dilated apical cisternae of endoplasmic reticulum. These changes indicate a modification of the secretory activity and reflect a change in epithelial metabolism, which was further supported by the results of SDS gel electrophoresis: the denervated prostate tissue showed an increase in the expression of 108 kDa and 80 kDa protein bands and a decrease in the expression of the 45 kDa protein band. This modification in the protein content is probably temporal and would undergo further evolution with time. The finding that denervation of the prostate causes significant morphologic and functional changes of the glandular epithelium strongly suggests that prostate function is not subject solely to the regulatory influence of the hormonal milieu. It is also dependent on the anatomical and, quite possibly functional, integrity of the nervous system.
SU-F-T-144: Analytical Closed Form Approximation for Carbon Ion Bragg Curves in Water

Purpose: Semi-empirical modeling is a powerful computational method in radiation dosimetry. A set of approximations exist for proton ion depth dose distribution (DDD) in water. However, the modeling is more complicated for carbon ions due to fragmentation. This study addresses this by providing and evaluating a new methodology for DDD modeling of carbon ions in water. Methods: The FLUKA, Monte Carlo (MC) general-purpose transport code was used for simulation of carbon DDDs for energies of 100–400 MeV in water as reference data model benchmarking. Based on Thomas Bortfeld’s closed form equation approximating proton Bragg Curves as a basis, we derived the critical constants for a beam of Carbon ions by applying models of radiation transport by Lee et. al. and Geiger to our simulated Carbon curves. We hypothesized that including a new exponential (κ) residual distance parameter to Bortfeld’s fluence reduction relation would improve DDD modeling for carbon ions. We are introducing an additional term to be added to Bortfeld’s equation to describe fragmentation tail. This term accounts for the pre-peak dose from nuclear fragments (NF). In the post peak region, the NF transport will be treated as new beams utilizing the Glauber model for interaction cross sections and the Abrasion- Ablation fragmentation model. Results: The carbon beam specific constants in the developed model were determined to be : p= 1.75, β=0.008 cm-1, γ=0.6, α=0.0007 cm MeV, σmono=0.08, and the new exponential parameter κ=0.55. This produced a close match for the plateau part of the curve (max deviation 6.37%). Conclusion: The derived semi-empirical model provides an accurate approximation of the MC simulated clinical carbon DDDs. This is the first direct semi-empirical simulation for the dosimetry of therapeutic carbon ions. The accurate modeling of the NF tail in the carbon DDD will provide key insight into distal edge dose deposition formation.
Electoral Fraud and Electoral Geography: United Russia Strongholds in the 2007 and 2011 Russian Parliamentary Elections*

AbstractDespite United Russia’s (Edinaya Rossiya—UR) dominance in repeated Russian legislative elections, the correlates of the party’s electoral support remain noticeably understudied beyond the influence of electoral manipulation. I pinpoint the specific contours of UR’s strongholds in the two most recent parliamentary elections in Russia—2007 and 2011—focusing on raion- and regional-level correlates of the vote using an original dataset. UR has been undergirded by geographically concentrated ethnic minorities and the countryside, and these patterns of support have persisted even in the absence of fraud, suggesting that the dominant party’s electoral windfalls cannot be attributed solely to electoral malfeasance.
Molecular beam deposition of low-resistance polycrystalline InAs

We report low-resistance Si-doped polycrystalline InAs (poly-InAs:Si) using molecular beam deposition. We believe this to be the first report of low resistance in poly-InAs. The poly-InAs:Si was deposited using conventional molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) onto SiN/sub x/ coated GaAs substrates at various growth temperatures and deposition rates. Poly-InAs samples with thicknesses of 2000 /spl Aring/ and 1000 /spl Aring/ were grown for Hall and TLM measurements, respectively. We have observed electron concentrations from 8.8/spl times/10/sup 18/ to 1.5/spl times/10/sup 19/ cm/sup -3/ and respective mobilities from 886 to 441 cm/sup 2//Vs. This range of values suggests that the poly-InAs:Si has a doping-mobility product, and hence bulk conductivity, that is only 3-4 times lower than that of similarly doped InGaAs lattice-matched to InP. The typical bulk resistivity determined by TLM measurements is approximately 1.4/spl times/10/sup -3/ /spl Omega/-cm. Contact resistance to the poly-InAs with a Ti/Pt/Au metal stack less than 1.6/spl times/10/sup -7/ /spl Omega/-cm/sup 2/. The combined low contact access resistance and low junction capacitance found in poly-InAs:Si may be useful in a variety of III-V device applications.
Epidermolysis bullosa simplex in sibling Eurasier dogs is caused by a PLEC non-sense variant.

Background Plectin, a large linker protein found in many tissues, acts to connect components of the cytoskeleton to each other. In the epidermis, plectin binds keratin intermediate filaments to hemidesmosomes. A deficiency of plectin in the skin leads to blister formation in the basal layer and the disease epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS). Hypothesis/Objectives To describe a novel blistering disease that arose spontaneously in a litter of puppies. Animals Two female and one male 20-day-old Eurasier puppies, from a litter of six, were presented for evaluation of failure to thrive and then euthanized due to poor prognosis. The puppies had ulcers on the lips, tongue, nasal planum, paw pads and abdomen. Results Immunolabelling on frozen skin for basement membrane proteins revealed patchy and weak to absent staining for plectin as compared with strong linear staining in normal dogs. Ultrastructurally, hemidesmosomes were irregularly shaped and had loss of distinction between inner and outer plaques. Pedigree analysis supported an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. A premature stop codon was discovered in exon 27 of PLEC that resulted in the production of a severely truncated protein. Conclusion The study describes the first documented spontaneous EBS associated with a PLEC variant in domestic animals.
An Urban School Principal Encounters a Group of Teachers Who Seek to Address Racism in Their School.

Urban principals lead complex schools. Although such schools often serve racially marginalized students from low-income families, they also exist within an environment that negatively stereotypes the students and their parents. Such stereotypes are even often held by school leaders and teachers in these environments. At the same time, there are often school professionals who are highly successful with urban students and who have substantive critiques of negative stereotypes about urban students and their families. In this case, a group of critically oriented urban school teachers come together, raise difficult issues, and thus provide a dilemma for their principal.
Abstract CN07-03: Natural history of small colorectal polyps at in vivo CT colonography surveillance

The clinical relevance and in-vivo growth rates of small (6–9 mm) colorectal polyps are not well established. We aimed to assess the behavior of such polyps with CT colonography assessments. In this longitudinal study, we enrolled asymptomatic adults undergoing routine colorectal cancer screening with CT colonography at two medical centers in the USA. Experienced investigators measured volumes and maximum linear sizes of polyps in vivo with CT colonography scans at baseline and surveillance follow-up. We defined progression, stability, and regression on the basis of a 20% volumetric change per year from baseline (20% or more growth classed as progression, 20% growth to –20% reduction classed as stable, and –20% or more reduction classed as regression). We compared findings with histological subgroups confirmed after colonoscopy when indicated. Between April, 2004, and June, 2012, we screened 22,006 asymptomatic adults and included 243 adults (mean age 57·4 years [SD 7·1] and median age 56 years [IQR 52–61]; 106 [37%] women), with 306 small colorectal polyps. The mean surveillance interval was 2.3 years (SD 1.4; range 1–7 years; median 2.0 years [IQR 1.1–2.3]). 68 (22%) of 306 polyps progressed, 153 (50%) were stable, and 85 (28%) regressed, including an apparent resolution in 32 (10%) polyps. We established immediate histology in 131 lesions on colonoscopy after final CT colonography. 21 (91%) of 23 proven advanced adenomas progressed, compared with 31 (37%) of 84 proven non-advanced adenomas, and 15 (8%) of 198 other lesions (p Volumetric growth assessment of small colorectal polyps serves as a useful biomarker for determination of clinical importance. Advanced adenomas show more rapid growth than non-advanced adenomas, whereas most other small polyps remain stable or regress. Our findings might allow for less invasive surveillance strategies, reserving polypectomy for lesions that show substantial growth. Further research is needed to provide more information regarding the ultimate fate of unresected small polyps without significant growth. Citation Format: Perry J. Pickhardt. Natural history of small colorectal polyps at in vivo CT colonography surveillance. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr CN07-03.
Jumping Robot with a Tunable Suspension Based on Artificial Muscles

This paper describes the design and control of a suspension based on electroactive polymers for controlling the landing dynamics of a jumping robot. Tunable suspension elements can electrically change their stiffness up to a factor of 10 in less than 0.01 seconds. We discuss design parameters and performance relevant to bio-inspired systems and demonstrate the ability to operate in positive (actuator), neutral (spring-like), or negative (damping or braking) workloops. When applied to a single-legged robot, positive workloops allow sustained periodic hopping while negative workloops can be used to rapidly achieve equilibrium during a landing event, acting in a similar manner to muscle in jumping animals. Extended bio-inspired applications are discussed.
Intelligent Spectrum Management Based on Transfer Actor-Critic Learning for Rateless Transmissions in Cognitive Radio Networks

This paper presents an intelligent spectrum mobility management scheme for cognitive radio networks. The spectrum mobility could involve spectrum handoff (i.e., the user switches to a new channel) or stay-and-wait (i.e., the user pauses the transmission for a while until the channel quality improves again). An optimal spectrum mobility management scheme needs to consider its long-term impact on the network performance, such as throughput and delay, instead of optimizing only the short-term performance. We use a machine learning scheme, called the Transfer Actor-Critic Learning (TACT), for the spectrum mobility management. The proposed scheme uses a comprehensive reward function that considers the channel utilization factor (CUF), packet error rate (PER), packet dropping rate (PDR), and flow throughput. Here, the CUF is determined by the spectrum sensing accuracy and channel holding time. The PDR is calculated from the non-preemptive M/G/1 queueing model, and the flow throughput is estimated from a link-adaptive transmission scheme, which utilizes the rateless (Raptor) codes. The proposed scheme achieves a higher reward, in terms of the mean opinion score, compared to the myopic and Q-learning based spectrum management schemes.
The Nature of Catastrophic OLED Lighting Panel Failure

Premature failure due to shorting is currently a challenge for commercial OLED lighting panels. This talk will focus on identifying shorts early in their lifecycle to uncover their origin, growth mechanisms, and opportunities for mitigation.
Euphoria and Paper Wealth

Consider the birthdates of some of the tallest buildings in the world. The Empire State Building in New York City — 1250 feet tall — was started in 1929, at the peak of a bubble. In the late 1980s it seemed like 80 percent of the building cranes used to construct tall structures were in Tokyo. By the mid-1990s many of these cranes had migrated to Shanghai and Beijing, and then they moved to the Persian Gulf. Now the tallest building is the Burj Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, completed in 2010.
Midlife weight gain is a risk factor for obesity-related cancer.

Overweight and diabetes are known cancer risk factors. This study examines independent and combined effects of weight gain and metabolic dysfunction during middle-adult years on obesity-related cancer risk. Subjects (n = 3850) aged 45–69 years at exams 3–5 in the Framingham Offspring Study were classified according to current and prior (~14 years earlier) weight status, interim weight change and prevalent metabolic dysfunction. Cancer risk among subjects who were overweight at baseline and remained overweight, as well as those who became overweight during follow-up, was compared with risk among normal-weight individuals. Gaining ≥0.45 kg (≥1.0 pound)/year (vs. maintaining stable weight) over ~14 years increased cancer risk by 38% (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09, 1.76); combined with metabolic dysfunction, weight gain increased cancer risk by 77% (95% CI, 1.21, 2.59). Compared with non-overweight adults, men and women who became overweight during midlife had 2.18-fold and 1.60-fold increased cancer risks; those who were overweight from baseline had non-statistically significant 28 and 33% increased cancer risks, respectively, despite having a midlife body mass index that was 3.4 kg/m2 higher than those who gained weight later. Midlife weight gain was a strong cancer risk factor. This excess risk was somewhat stronger among those with concurrent metabolic dysfunction.
Beetles in bamboo forests: community structure in a heterogeneous landscape of southwestern Amazonia

Amazonian bamboo forests dominated by large woody bamboo plants in the genus Guadua cover approximately 180,000 km2 and represent a key resource for many organisms. In southwestern Amazonia, native bamboo forests differ in structure, biodiversity, and growth dynamics from other forest types in the region. However, with the exception of a few species in which habitat specialization or a strong habitat association has been demonstrated, little is known about how bamboo forests influence animal community structure. In an effort to understand more about the animal assemblages associated with Amazonian bamboo forests, we characterized the structure of ground-dwelling beetle assemblages living in bamboo forests and adjacent terra firme forests in a lowland rainforest site in Peru. We conducted intensive pitfall trap surveys in 13 bamboo habitat patches and 13 adjacent terra firme habitat patches to determine if there were differences in the abundance and richness of beetle species in these two habitat types. Additionally, given that southwestern Amazonia experiences distinct dry and wet seasons, we conducted our study during the dry and wet season of one year to account for differences in seasonality. We found a distinct beetle assemblage associated with each forest type, and identified a set of dominant species that significantly contributed to the distinctness in beetle community structure between bamboo and terra firme forest. The terra firme forest had a greater number of rare species than the bamboo forest. Several beetle species exhibited a strong association with the bamboo forest, including a large species of Scarabaeidae that appears to be specializing on bamboo. We also found marked differences in beetle assemblages between dry and wet seasons. Our results support the prediction that beetle community structure in bamboo forest differs from that of terra firme in terms of species richness, abundance, and composition. Bamboo-associated animal communities require more exploration and study, and must be included in regional conservation plans seeking to protect entire animal communities in southwestern Amazonia.
Inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase activating protein decreases proteinuria in diabetic rats.

Background The binding of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) to the 5-LO activating protein (FLAP) is a prerequisite for subsequent formation of leukotrienes (LT) from arachidonic acid. We have shown that FLAP antagonist administration decreased proteinuria in glomerulonephritic patients. In this follow-up study, we assessed the role for FLAP in a rat model of streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy. Methods Diabetic rats were treated for 4 weeks with FLAP (BAY X-1005, 200 mg/kg) or 5-LO (Zileuton, 80 mg/Kg) antagonists. Proteinuria, renal function and LT production was assessed. We also determined protein permeability of cultured glomerular endothelial cells (which possess no 5-LO) by measuring their permeability to radiolabeled albumin with and without FLAP antagonists. Results FLAP mRNA levels increased dramatically in glomeruli from diabetic animals compared to controls. Inhibition of FLAP (but not inhibition of 5-LO) reduced proteinuria, with no effect on estimated glomerular filtration rate. Interestingly, diabetes-induced rises in urinary excretion and glomerular production of leukotrienes were not modified by the inhibitors. Increased FLAP expression in glomerular endothelial cells in culture was associated with an increase in albumin permeability, and this increase was abolished by FLAP antagonists. On the other hand, addition of LTA(4) led to increases in leukotriene formation and in permeability. This increase in permeability was also reduced by co-incubation with FLAP antagonists, whereas the increase in leukotriene synthesis was not modified. Conclusions These results suggest a role for FLAP other than the activation of 5-LO, possibly in protein handling, and point to FLAP antagonists as anti-proteinuric agents.
Uniformity of Airspora Concentrations

Concentrations of airspora in the atmosphere are influenced by biometerological factors that affect either production, release or deposition of fungal spores, and pollen. Temperature and precipitation are especially critical in the growth of plants and fungi, and affect the amount and timing of spore and pollen production. Wind is probably the most important factor in effecting the release and deposition of aerobiological particles.
The Signifance of the Family in Medication

The forces generated by the industrialization of societies such as United States and Great Britain have brought about the development of the modern health care system. There has been general accept...
VOC emissions from nail salon products and their effective removal using affordable adsorbents and synthetic jets

Abstract Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like acetone, ethyl and n-butyl acetate, toluene, and formaldehyde have been measured inside nail salons, where they are emitted from nail care products. Exposure to these compounds can have negative health impacts on both workers and costumers, as well as the environment. The objectives of this research were to characterize VOC emissions from typical nail care products and to investigate VOC removal by 3 low-cost adsorbent materials (coco coir, biochar, and activated carbon). The removal studies were performed using acetone as the model VOC in both chamber experiments and mathematical models. The chamber experiments were conducted under both passive and active flow conditions using synthetic jet actuators to determine the effect of local ventilation on the rate of removal. Mass-normalized adsorption rates were determined for acetone using nth-order rate equations. Adsorption rate models were then developed for all adsorbent materials under both flow conditions and used to estimate the effect of low-cost adsorbents in an actual nail salon. Activated carbon provided the best VOC removal compared to the other 2 adsorbent materials tested. The use of active flow with synthetic jets was also shown to enhance adsorption processes for both biochar and activated carbon, but not for coco coir. Model results predicted activated carbon with active flow enhancement could achieve an effective ventilation rate of nearly 300 m3 h−1 if 250 kg were placed in a 1400 m3 salon.
Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy, an Often Misdiagnosed Neuromuscular Disorder: A Southern California Experience

Objective Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) is a rare neuromuscular disorder characterized by late-onset development of bilateral eyelid ptosis, ophthalmoparesis and dysphagia with further progression to proximal limb muscle weakness that is an under recognized condition. The mode of inheritance is usually autosomal dominant, but a recessive form has been reported. OPMD is caused by a short expansion of the alanine repeat (GCN trinucleotide) in the poly(adenylate)-binding protein nuclear1 (PABPN1) gene. Methods We performed a retrospective review of undiagnosed cases that initially presented with ptosis, diplopia, dysphagia, muscle weakness, muscular dystrophy and/or myasthenia gravis from 2000 to 2015 at two institutions in Southern California. Results Twenty-five patients were identified to have OPMD with genetic confirmation. Conclusions Even though a rare condition, the prevalence is disproportionally frequent in certain ethnic groups and in certain regions; thus, we report our experience of OPMD patients in Southern California.
4.21 – Salt Taste

Salt (sodium chloride) imparts salty taste, one of the fundamental taste qualities. The transductive mechanism(s) underlying saltiness most likely includes a highly specific sodium channel in taste receptor cells. The salt receptor’s high specificity helps to explain why only a very small number of compounds taste purely salty. Many species appear to like the taste of salt. Humans in particular prefer foods with salt in them, even in the absence of physiological need. Both innate and learned elements contribute to this liking. In addition to imparting salty taste, salt plays other roles in foods. One prominent function is to make food taste better, often by inhibiting bitterness and other off tastes. High salt consumption is associated with increased disease risk, leading many nutritionists and public health professionals to call for wide-scale reductions of salt intake. Two strategies to accomplish this have been proposed. One is behavioral and involves a wide-scale gradual reduction of salt in food, which consumers may learn to tolerate over time. The second approach is physiologically based, calling for development of alternative salty-tasting molecules or of molecules that enhance perception of saltiness in the face of lowered salt levels. Both strategies hold promise while also having potential problems of implementation. Our ability to reduce salt in foods will be greatly enhanced by increased understanding of the molecular, physiological, and psychological basis for the perception of and preference for salt.
Ethanol produces multiple electrophysiological effects on ventral tegmental area neurons in freely moving rats

Although alcohol (i.e., ethanol) is a major drug of abuse, the acute functional effects of ethanol on the reward circuitry are not well defined in vivo. In freely moving rats, we examined the effect of intravenous ethanol administration on neuronal unit activity in the posterior ventral tegmental area (VTA), a central component of the mesolimbic reward system. VTA units were classified as putative dopamine (DA) neurons, fast-firing GABA neurons, and unidentified neurons based on a combination of electrophysiological properties and DA D2 receptor pharmacological responses. A gradual infusion of ethanol significantly altered the firing rate of DA neurons in a concentration-dependent manner. The majority of DA neurons were stimulated by ethanol and showed enhanced burst firing activity, but a minority was inhibited. Ethanol also increased the proportion of DA neurons that exhibited pacemaker-like firing patterns. In contrast, ethanol mediated a variety of effects in GABA and other unidentified neurons that were distinct from DA neurons, including a nonlinear increase in firing rate, delayed inhibition, and more biphasic activity. These results provide evidence of discrete electrophysiological effects of ethanol on DA neurons compared with other VTA cell types, suggesting a complex role of the VTA in alcohol-induced responses in freely moving animals.
Enhanced Surface Activity of MWW Zeolite Nanosheets Prepared via a One-Step Synthesis.

The synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) zeolites has garnered attention due to their superior properties for applications that span catalysis to selective separations. Prior studies of 2D zeolite catalysts demonstrated enhanced mass transport for improved catalyst lifetime and selectivity. Moreover, the significantly higher external surface area of 2D materials allows for reactions of bulky molecules too large to access interior pores. There are relatively few protocols for preparing 2D materials, owing to the difficultly of capping growth in one direction to only a few unit cells. To accomplish this, it is often necessary to employ complex, commercially unavailable organic structure-directing agents (OSDAs) prepared via multistep synthesis. However, a small subset of zeolite structures exist as naturally layered materials where postsynthesis steps can be used to exfoliate samples and produce ultrathin 2D nanosheets. In this study, we selected a common layered zeolite, the MWW framework, to explore methods of preparing 2D nanosheets via one-pot synthesis in the absence of complex organic templates. Using a combination of high-resolution microscopy and spectroscopy, we show that 2D MMW-type layers with an average thickness of 3.5 nm (ca. 1.5 unit cells) can be generated using the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA), which operates as a dual OSDA and exfoliating agent to affect Al siting and to eliminate the need for postsynthesis exfoliation, respectively. We tested these 2D catalysts using a model reaction that assesses external (surface) Bronsted acid sites and observed a marked increase in the conversion relative to three-dimensional MWW (MCM-22) and 2D layers prepared from postsynthesis exfoliation (ITQ-2). Collectively, our findings identify a facile and effective route to directly synthesize 2D MWW-type materials, which may prove to be more broadly applicable to other layered zeolites.
Cohort of 4404 Persons Under Investigation for COVID-19 in a NY Hospital and Predictors of ICU Care and Ventilation

Study objective: Most COVID-19 reports have focused on SARS-CoV-2 positive patients However, at the time of initial presentation, most patientsâ€™ viral status i
Perceptual Voice Qualities Database (PVQD): Database Characteristics

Summary Objectives To develop a perceptual voice quality database for educational and research purposes. Study design Development of a database. Methods A total of 296 high quality audio file recordings consisting of sustained /a/ and /i/ vowels and sentences from Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice were made in clinical environments. Nineteen experienced voice clinicians rated the audio samples using voice qualities from the Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (without visual anchors) and GRBAS scales. Results The database includes samples of a wide range of voice quality severities across a wide range of speaker age and sex. Both inter- and intrarater reliabilities were established to be good for the database overall. Conclusions The database is housed in the Mendeley Data online repository and is free for public use.
Three-Dimensional Congenital Heart Models Created With Free Software and a Desktop Printer: Assessment of Accuracy, Technical Aspects, and Clinical Use:

Background:Three-dimensional printing is increasingly recognized as a valuable tool for congenital heart disease (CHD) procedural planning and education. Cost and complexity currently limit the mor...
Cost-Effectiveness of Instructional Coaching: Implementing a Design-Based, Continuous Improvement Model to Advance Teacher Professional Development.

Schools devote substantial resources to teacher professional development each year. Yet studies show much of this investment is directed toward ineffective short-term workshops that have little imp...
Georgia on his Mind

A taste for lands far from Metropolitan France marks Jean Rolin’s writing. He indulges that taste in Savannah (2015), an account of a trip he took to that American city in remembrance of a previous...
A mutual process of healing self and healing the community: A qualitative study of coping with and healing from stress, adversity, and trauma among diverse residents of a midwestern city

Residents of urban American neighborhoods facing economic hardship often experience individual and collective adversities at high levels. This study explores how racially diverse adults experience stress, adversity, and trauma, and how they cope and heal in the context of their environment. Following a critical realist grounded theory methodology, four focus groups were conducted with African American, White and Latinx participants (N = 21) within an employment service program. Participants identified key stressors ranging from financial and job challenges, violence, and trauma. To cope with and heal from adversity, they practiced positivity, named trauma and its effects, sought social connection, envisioned community-based resources, and addressed structural and systemic barriers. The data generated a theory of "a mutual process of healing self and healing the community" through intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural change. The results of this study indicate a need for peer-led, community-engaged initiatives and holistic, trauma-informed, healing-centered practices.
Moving and Not Moving Up in the Air

This chapter turns to the unique mobilities of drone use. With attention to the embodied and disembodied mobility of the drone and its user, I critically analyze the blurring boundaries between movement and stillness, subject and object, here and there in recreational drone play. Examples from immersive flying with first-person view (FPV) quadcopters and off-the-shelf consumer drones illustrate how pilot subject and drone object can collapse. Instead of finding themselves in their grounded bodies, users speak of being the drone up in the sky. Media ecological probes into media as extensions and amputations of human faculties find expression in this phenomenon. To describe the blurring boundaries of physical and imaginative movement, I introduce the concept of dis/embodied mobilities.
Comprehensive Analysis of the Control Structures for MMC Applications

Early MMC applications are controlled with a centralized controller. However, recent MMC controllers are primarily based on a distributed control structure as modularity and scalability features of an MMC can be efficiently utilized with local controllers of the distributed control algorithm. However, the distributed control structure also has a centralized unit for coordinating its local controllers, and the chance of a single point of failure still exists. Therefore, in most recent MMC applications, decentralized control structures are adopted, eliminating the central control unit. Eliminating the central control unit eliminates a single point of failure risk, and the reliability of an MMC theoretically increases. However, this might not always be true for practical MMC applications, as the operation of an MMC relies overall structure of an MMC. Therefore, each arm of an MMC should operate appropriately for the safe and reliable operation of an MMC. This paper evaluates and compares the control structures for MMC applications regarding reliability and area of use.
Office of Technology Transfer - Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences (TN)

Gordon Zong is trying to teach Chinese universities and research institutes how to do effective technology transfer and IP licensing, but he is trying to do it in an environment with weak property rights and an underdeveloped support infrastructure. As the managing director of the Office of Technology Transfer at the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, he works with researchers at the forefront of biology and biotech, yet he faces seemingly insurmountable obstacles to getting the technology commercialized within domestic Chinese companies, so he has turned to global multinational pharma companies, for now. The purpose of the case is to help present and future managers at global multinationals who have responsibility for R&D strategy to understand some of the complexities of the Chinese intellectual property environment so that they can build effective participation strategies for their organizations. Understanding the misaligned incentives that result in the production of junk patents and the challenges of patent enforcement, as well as the direction of change are vital, because as the Chinese system evolves quickly, the implications of those changes will have important commercial consequences.Learning Objective: Help students to understand the current intellectual property environment in China and the direction of change so that they are better able to think through R&D strategies for operations located there.
The Politics of Namibian Immobilisme: Conflict, Diplomacy, and Guerrilla Warfare in Southern Africa

THE CHANGING LEGITIMACY OF DECOLONIZATIO N1 Following the scramble for Africa in the latter part of the nineteenth century, the imperial powers retained their grandeur until the close of the First World War. Based upon the outcome of that war, only that portion of sub-Saharan Africa under German control was unscrambled and plac­ ed under new management. The novel colonial dispensation, which af­ fected South West Africa (now Namibia), was international in name but national in implementatio n. Inaugurated as an institutional mechanism to camouflage the territorial ambitions of some of the Allied and Associated Powers, the League of Nations mandates system represented no radical threat to imperial values. Rather, it provided international cooperation in, and legitimacy for, the continuation of colonial rule. In­ deed, no African mandated territory received independence during the interwar period. Although reproached by the supervisory Permanent Mandates Commission in Geneva for suppressing a small-scale revolt by one branch of the Nama people living in the southern portion of the man­ dated territory of the South West Africa and for blatant favoritism toward the resident white community in the territory, the Union of South Africa was not threatened as a mandatory power by the eurocentric League of Nations. 2 The Union was surrounded by British-ruled or Portuguese-ruled territories where African needs and desires were subor­ dinated either to grand imperial designs or to white sensitivities. Despite being thwarted by the League in its aspiration to acquire German South West Africa, the Union Government still sought to acquire neighboring Southern Rhodesia and the British High Commission Territories of Basutoland, Bechuanaland, and Swaziland. Even after the white electorate in Southern Rhodesia opted for selfgovernment rather than annexation by South Africa in 1922, the Union Government persisted in negotiating with the British authorities for the transfer of the contiguous three High Commission Territories.3 These territories were not under League supervision, yet the attentive British public was aware of the incorporation issue which protected Africans within the territories from further land alienation and from the creation of a modern economic infrastructure catering primarily to white com­ mercial interests. The Africans in Bechuanaland, for instance, were provided with ad­ visory councils, as were the members of the resident white community." In neighboring South West Africa, the Africans had little opportunity for symbolic participation in governance; the South African (and, for a
Digital Storytelling: A Creator's Guide to Interactive Entertainment

This fourth edition of Digital Storytelling: A creator's guide to interactive entertainment dives deeply into the world of interactive storytelling, a form of storytelling made possible by digital media. Carolyn Handler Miller covers both the basics – character development, structure and the use of interactivity – and the more advanced topics, such as AI (Artificial Intelligence), narratives using AR and VR, and Social Media storytelling. The fourth edition also includes a greatly expanded section on immersive media, with chapters on the exciting new world of the world of XR (AR, VR, and mixed reality), plus immersion via large screens, escape rooms and new kinds of theme park experiences. This edition covers all viable forms of New Media, from video games to interactive documentaries. With numerous case studies that delve into the processes and challenges of developing works of interactive narrative, this new edition illustrates the creative possibilities of digital storytelling. The book goes beyond using digital media for entertainment and covers its employment for education, training, information and promotion, featuring interviews with some of the industry’s biggest names. Key Features: A large new section covering various forms of immersive media, including VR, AR and Mixed Reality Breakthroughs in interactive TV and Cinema The use of VR, AR and mixed reality in gaming New forms of voice-enabled storytelling and gaming Stories told via mobile apps and social media Developing Digital Storytelling for different types of audiences