cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular simulation of structure and diffusion at smectite-water interfaces: Using expanded clay interlayers as model nanopores

In geologic settings relevant to a number of extraction and potential sequestration processes, nanopores bounded by clay mineral surfaces play a critical role in the transport of aqueous species. Solution structure and dynamics at clay–water interfaces are quite different from their bulk values, and the spatial extent of this disruption remains a topic of current interest. We have used molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the structure and diffusion of aqueous solutions in clay nanopores approximately 6 nm thick, comparing the effect of clay composition with model Na-hectorite and Na-montmorillonite surfaces. In addition to structural properties at the interface, water and ion diffusion coefficients were calculated within each aqueous layer at the interface, as well as in the central bulk-like region of the nanopore. The results show similar solution structure and diffusion properties at each surface, with subtle differences in sodium adsorption complexes and water structure in the first adsorbed...
HIV Antibody Screening among Detention People in Detention Places in Xishan District of Wuxi City

[Objective]To study the infection status and influence factors of HIV among detention people in detention places in Xishan district of Wuxi city,provide the basis for making control measures of HIV.[Methods]HIV infections were detected by double antigen sandwich method with HIV 1+2 ELISA kits,and the results were confirmed by Western Blotting(WB) method.[Results]There were 3(0.047%) HIV positive cases in 6341 people,among them one was intravenous drug users and one had complicated sexual intercourse.[Conclusion] The HIV infection among detention people in detention places in Xishan district was still in the stage of low prevalence.Because a certain proportions of detention people are drug user and have sexual promiscuity,it is important to strengthen HIV surveillance among the high risk population,carry out related health education and control the management measures for the prevention and control of HIV transmission.
Transcriptional Regulation of Pattern-Triggered Immunity in Plants

Perception of microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) by cell-surface-resident pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) induces rapid, robust, and selective transcriptional reprogramming, which is central for launching effective pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) in plants. Signal relay from PRR complexes to the nuclear transcriptional machinery via intracellular kinase cascades rapidly activates primary immune response genes. The coordinated action of gene-specific transcription factors and the general transcriptional machinery contribute to the selectivity of immune gene activation. In addition, PRR complexes and signaling components are often transcriptionally upregulated upon MAMP perception to ensure the robustness and sustainability of PTI outputs. In this review, we discuss recent advances in deciphering the signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms that coordinately lead to timely and accurate MAMP-induced gene expression in plants.
HRX involvement in de novo and secondary leukemias with diverse chromosome 11q23 abnormalities.

Abstract Chromosome band 11q23 is a site of recurrent translocations and interstitial deletions in human leukemias. Recent studies have shown that the 11q23 gene HRX is fused to heterologous genes from chromosomes 4 or 19 after t(4;11)(q21;q23) and t(11;19)(q23;p13) translocations to create fusion genes encoding proteins with structural features of chimeric transcription factors. In this report, we show structural alterations of HRX by conventional Southern blot analyses in 26 of 27 de novo leukemias with cytogenetically diverse 11q23 abnormalities. The sole case that lacked HRX rearrangements was a t(11;17)-acute myeloid leukemia with French-American-British M3-like morphology. We also analyzed 10 secondary leukemias that arose after therapy with topoisomerase II inhibitors and found HRX rearrangements in 7 of 7 with 11q23 translocations, and in 2 of 2 with unsuccessful karyotypes. In total, we observed HRX rearrangements in 35 leukemias involving at least nine distinct donor loci (1q32, 4q21, 6q27, 7p15, 9p21-24, 15q15, 16p13, and two 19p13 sites). All breakpoints localized to an 8-kb region that encompassed exons 5-11 of HRX, suggesting that fusion proteins containing similar portions of HRX may be consistently created in leukemias with 11q23 abnormalities. We conclude that alteration of HRX is a recurrent pathogenetic event in leukemias with 11q23 aberrations involving many potential partners in a variety of settings including acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia in blast crisis, and topoisomerase II inhibitor-induced secondary leukemias of both the myeloid and lymphoid lineages.
Comment: Methotrexate for patients with generalized myasthenia gravis

Methotrexate (MTX) has long been a favorite drug of rheumatologists for treating rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory myositis, and other autoimmune diseases. Why not myasthenia gravis (MG) as well? Reports of positive results of MTX treatment of MG led to this gold standard double-blind randomized controlled trial of MTX in patients with MG. The article by Pasnoor et al.1 describes the disappointing negative results of the trial, and raises important questions about the difficulties inherent in conducting such trials in MG, and the reliability of the conclusions.
Development of a 0.5° global monthly raining day product from 1901 to 2010

NASA [NNX14AM02G]; NSF [AGS-0944101]; Agnese Nelms Haury Program in Environment and Social Justice
Open Media Scholarship: The Case for Open Access in Media Studies

This commentary, after outlining the broader rationale for open access in scholarly publishing, makes three arguments to support the claim that media and communication scholars should be at the forefront of the open access movement: (1) The topics that we write about are inescapably multimedia, so our publishing platforms should be capable—at the very least—of embedding the objects that we study; (2) media studies, owing to their fragmentation and marginality, can sidestep the prestige “penalty” that drags down other disciplines’ open access efforts; and (3) our rich research traditions on popular media dynamics are begging to be applied (and perhaps rethought) in the context of scholarly communication.
What's the harm in polygamy? Multicultural toleration and women's experience of plural marriage

The last decade has seen the publication in North America of a plethora of academic books and articles about polygamy. The most important texts on the subject, however, are two court rulings evaluating the constitutionality of criminal prohibitions against the practice of polygamy. Informed by and in dialogue with this academic discourse, these courts arrived at dramatically different conclusions. In Reference re s. 293 of the Criminal Code of Canada, the Supreme Court of British Columbia determined that while Mormon fundamentalist polygamists had religious freedom rights under Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to practice this aspect of their bona fide religious faith, the government of Canada was justified in limiting this right under Section 1 of the Charter. Prohibiting polygamy was necessary, the court found, in order to prevent the real and substantial risk of harm that it posed to women and children.1 Conversely, in the United States, a trial-level court in Utah issued a summary judgment finding that a criminal prohibition against polygamous religious marriages violated the rights to freedom of religion under the First Amendment, and due process rights guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. This judgment focused on the state's duty to tolerate minority religious practices, while downplaying the potential risks of polygamy to practitioners and their children.2
The Tragedy of your Upstairs Neighbors: Is the Negative Externality of Airbnb Internalized?

Peer-to-peer rental markets for short-term accommodation enable "hosts" to rent out properties to "guests." A common critique of such markets is that hosts benefit at the expense of their unwitting neighbors on whom they impose costs, potentially creating a market failure that justifies policy intervention. In this paper we examine four policy regimes that differ in the allocation of the decision right to become a host. We consider the market outcomes when hosting decisions are made by (1) individual tenants that maximize their revenue, (2) building owners that consider only rents from long-term rentals, (3) cities that consider the surplus of all city residents, and (4) a social planner that takes into account the surplus of both city residents and guests. We find that the equilibrium where tenants are allowed to individually decide has too much hosting, whereas city-specific policies result in too little hosting. The efficient social planner's solution is equivalent to the equilibrium where building owners decide. We conclude with a discussion of our results and lay out directions for future research.
Transition from global to local control of dayside reconnection from ionospheric-sourced mass loading

We have conducted a series of controlled numerical simulations to investigate the response of dayside reconnection to idealized, ionosphere-sourced mass loading processes to determine whether they affect the integrated dayside reconnection rate. Our simulation results show that the coupled solar wind-magnetosphere (SW-M) system may exhibit both local and global control behaviors depending on the amount of mass loading. With a small amount of mass loading, the changes in local reconnection rate affects magnetosheath properties only weakly and the geoeffective length in the upstream solar wind is essentially unchanged, resulting in the same integrated dayside reconnection rate. With a large amount of mass loading, however, the magnetosheath properties and the geoeffective length are significantly affected by slowing down the local reconnection rate, resulting in an increase of the magnetic pressure in the magnetosheath, with a significant reduction in the geoeffective length in the upstream solar wind and in the integrated dayside reconnection rate. In this controlled simulation setup, the behavior of dayside reconnection potential is determined by the role of the enhanced magnetic pressure in the magnetospheath due to magnetospheric mass loading. The reconnection potential starts to decrease significantly when the enhanced magnetic pressure alters the thickness of the magnetosheath.
Hovering and Swarming Behavior of Male Tabanus calens (Diptera: Tabanidae) in Tennessee and New Jersey, USA

Hovering and swarming activity of male Tabanus calens L. were documented at distinctive sites above a woodland road clearing in Knox Co., TN (7 d), and above a slow-flowing river in Morris Co., NJ (6 d). Activity was restricted to the period near sunset. Mean activity typically began about 10 min before sunset and continued until about 10 min after sunset, with an average duration of 18.7 min (Tennessee) and 20.8 min (New Jersey). Swarming began earlier and thus lasted longer (55 min) on one cool New Jersey date. Onset and particularly cessation of activity tended to be statistically correlated with sunset time. Most males hovered at heights of 5-8 m in Tennessee, and they hovered in stable locations for a median of only 10 s (maximum 2 min 57 s) before darting away. Hovering in New Jersey was observed from 0.5-8.0 m above the water. The behavior of T. calens might be especially interesting to study in more detail, given its unusual eye morphology (lack of obvious dorsoventral facet size differences found in males of most other Tabanidae).
CO2 Capture Using Fluorinated Hydrophobic Solvents

Finding more efficient gas–liquid scrubbing systems with lower parasitic energy penalties is important for the future deployment of carbon capture plants for large point source CO2 emitters. Minimization of the energy penalty using advanced solvents is one way to reduce the energy penalty. Nonaqueous, hydrophobic solvents are one type of solvent in which the physical properties of the solvent combined with low heats of absorption and low loading at high temperature even with high CO2 pressure result in promising solvents with low estimated reboiler heat duty. In this paper, a solvent composed of a hydrophobic amine (2-fluorophenethylamine) combined with an acidic, hydrophobic alcohol (octafluoropentanol) is studied mechanistically, and the experimentally determined reaction products, heats of absorption, and vapor liquid equilibria are reported. Approximating process models are compared and indicate the potential to lower reboiler heat duty in a commercial implementation.
Becoming a Bridge: Collaborative Autoethnography of Four Female Counseling Psychology Student Leaders:

Women with multiply-marginalized identities remain underrepresented in the American Psychological Association and Society of Counseling Psychology leadership. As early entrants into the leadership ...
All-optical modulation of ultrasharp lattice plasmons

A sub-picosecond all-optical plasmonic modulator is demonstrated by leveraging ultrafast injection dynamics of hot-electrons at the interface of gold/ITO, incorporated into a metamaterial absorber. Accurate control over modulation depth and modulation wavelength is achievable in the proposed design.
Sedation-Facilitated Sexual Violence: A Qualitative Analysis of Media Accounts of Medical Professionals Who Sexually Abuse Sedated Patients

A recent investigative report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution exposed what appears to be widespread sexual abuse committed by medical professionals. The report suggests that the intellectual advantages and social prominence of well-heeled medical professionals provide them with special resources to commit an undetected series of offenses and to avoid or reduce punishment when they are ultimately apprehended. Thus, the story implies that medical sexual abuse and its control is shaped by power and influence. Similarly, social constructionists argue that class and power shape debates, in part, through the manner in which the media frames social problems. The current study seeks to explore these issues by employing a qualitative approach to analyzing news reporting on medical professionals who drug and sexually violate their patients. Drawing from 22 sedation-facilitated sexual violence (SFSV) stories, we compare the media accounts of SFSV to 22 media treatments of stranger street attacks (i.e., blitz rap...
Teacher Reflection in the Context of an Online Professional Development Course: Applying Principles of Cognitive Science to Promote Teacher Learning

ABSTRACTTeacher reflection has been at the core of teacher development efforts for almost 100 years, yet inconsistency in the literature results from a lack of clarity on how reflection is conceptualized—from its purpose to processes, and how they relate to refining teacher practice. This article draws from research in cognitive science to explain how engaging in an ongoing reflection approach, focused on observations of real classrooms, can help teachers refine their responses to classroom situations over time. The authors also provide examples of this reflective approach from an online course for early childhood teachers focused on improving teacher–child interactions in the classroom.
Pteridine-requiring dihydroorotate hydroxylase from Crithidiafasciculata

Abstract Dihydroorotic acid is converted to orotic acid in Crithidia by hydroxylation and subsequent dehydration. The hydroxylase is soluble, stable to acid (pH 4.0), destroyed by alkali (pH 11) and by heat (55° for 3 min.). Activity is rapidly lost upon standing at 4° and upon freezing. Its activity is optimum at pH 7.4. Its isoelectric point is 6.2. It has an absolute dependence on O2 and a reduced pteridine. Pteridine reductases are present in cell extracts which, in the presence of NADH, permits the efficient use of biopterin (the oxidized form of the naturally occurring pteridine in this organism) as a cofactor for the hydroxylase.
Sensitization in Aluminum Alloys: Effect on Acoustic Parameters

Velocity and attenuation of shear and longitudinal sound waves were measured as a function of sensitization level in AA5083-H116 and AA5456-H116 aluminum alloys using two different techniques: reso...
The Hungarian Economic Reform, 1968–81

This essay provides an evaluation of the Hungarian economic reform, introduced on 1 January 1968. The reform represented an important change in a centrally-planned socialist economy. Plan directives were abolished and decision-making was decentralized, with reliance placed on prices linked to world market price relations in the allocation process.
Insights on the effect of ethanol on the formation of aromatics

Abstract For decades, ethanol has played an important role as a biofuel, as its addition to hydrocarbon fuels has been associated with a reduction in soot formation. The chemical mechanisms behind this phenomenon, however, are still not clear. In this paper, we contribute to this research area by elucidating the mechanisms that participate in the formation of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in an ethanol-doped ethylene flame, using a combination of deterministic and stochastic computational techniques. We specifically focus on the formation of oxygenated PACs and the chemical interactions of pure hydrocarbons and oxygen in six ethylene/air premixed flames with similar temperature profiles but different equivalence ratios and ethanol doping percentages. Our simulations confirm that an increase in the ethanol content results in a reduction of the formation of acetylene, small aromatics, and large PAHs. At the same time, the number of oxygenated PACs reach a maximum at a height above burner around 2–3 mm where they constitute 45% of all PACs: most of the oxygenated structures are phenols, mixed with approximately 15% of furans, and a small amount of ethers. Overall, the results indicate that the formation pathways of oxygenated PACs can compete with pure hydrocarbon growth mechanisms in the rapid growth region up to a height above burner of 2–3 mm. The rate of PACs’ growth then gradually slows down, with pure hydrocarbon growth mechanisms being the main contributors in this region of the flame.
The One Who Prophesies: Acts 16:16–18

This chapter examines the third portrait of an enslaved female character in Luke-Acts, the slave with the spirit of a python from Acts 16. This prophesying slave-girl follows Paul and Silas, declaring them to be “slaves of the Most High God.” Her prophecy is proven to be true when Paul and Silas are arrested and are physically beaten; they are treated as slaves. Acts 16 is read intertextually along with the play Wasps by Aristophanes and the ancient novel by Heliodorus’, An Ethiopian Tale, as both texts portray female divining spirits. Ultimately, Cobb argues that Luke’s pythia is a focalizor, rising from her role in the narrative as the loud female slave who annoys Paul to an all-seeing truth-telling prophet and a mouthpiece for Lukan theology.
Transperineal prostate biopsy with cognitive magnetic resonance imaging/biplanar ultrasound fusion: description of technique and early results.

To describe our technique and early results performing transperineal prostate biopsy using cognitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/biplanar ultrasound fusion. Key components of this technique include use of the PrecisionPoint Transperineal Access System (Perineologic, Cumberland, MD) and simultaneous transrectal ultrasound guidance in the axial and sagittal planes. In total, 95 patients (38 studied retrospectively and 57 studied prospectively) underwent a transperineal MRI-targeted prostate biopsy using the technique detailed in this manuscript. All biopsies were performed by a single urologist (MAG). Data were collected with respect to cancer detection rates, tolerability, and complications. The subset of patients who were studied prospectively was assessed for complications by telephone interviews performed at 4–6 days and 25–31 days following the prostate biopsy. Between February 2018 and June 2019, 95 men underwent a transperineal prostate biopsy using MRI/biplanar ultrasound fusion guidance. Patients had a total of 124 PI-RADS 3–5 lesions that were targeted for biopsy. In total, 108 (87.1%) lesions were found to harbor prostate cancer of any grade. Grade group ≥ 2 prostate cancer was found in 81 (65.3%) of targeted lesions. The detection rates for grade group ≥ 1 and grade group ≥ 2 prostate cancer rose with increasing PI-RADS score. In 65 (68.4%) cases, the patient’s highest grade prostate cancer was found within an MRI target. Additionally, 12 of 55 (21.8%) patients who were found to have no or grade group 1 prostate cancer on systematic biopsy were upgraded to grade group ≥ 2 prostate cancer with MRI targeting. Only 1 (1.1%) patient received periprocedural antibiotics and no patient experienced an infectious complication. Self-limited hematuria and hematospermia were commonly reported following the procedure (75.4% and 40.4%, respectively) and only 1 (1.1%) patient developed urinary retention. We demonstrate the safety and feasibility of performing transperineal prostate biopsy using cognitive MRI/biplanar ultrasound fusion guidance. The described technique affords the safety benefits of the transperineal approach as well as obviates the need for a formal fusion platform. Additionally, this method can conveniently be performed under local anesthesia with acceptable tolerability.
Essential Facilities and Trinko: Should Antitrust and Regulation Be Combined?

I. INTRODUCTION II. COMPARING A TT it reinforced it in granting securities law precedent over antitrust in its 2007 decision in Credit Suisse Securities v. Billing. (12) The implicit assumption in the recent decisions is that regulation and antitrust are substitute methods for controlling market power. In fact, regulation and antitrust are complementary in this context, as well as in others. (13) Absent regulatory constraints on the direct exercise of market power over the local exchange (AT&T) or network elements (Trinko) through monopoly pricing, the regulated firm would have no incentive to subvert competition in related markets. …
A cohort of transperineal electromagnetically tracked magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasonography fusion‐guided biopsy: assessing the impact of inter‐reader variability on cancer detection

Objective To evaluate the ability to detect clinically significant prostate cancer (PCa) using a novel electromagnetically (EM) tracked transperineal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/ultrasonography (US) fusion-guided targeted biopsy (transperineal TBx) platform and the impact of inter-reader variability on cancer detection. Materials and methods A total of 176 patients with suspicious lesions detected on multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) underwent a systematic modified Barzel template biopsy (12-core) transperineal biopsy (transperineal SBx) and transperineal TBx with EM tracking (UroNav; Philips Healthcare, Best, the Netherlands) in the same setting. Cancer detection rates (CDRs) were stratified by Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) v2 scores and compared with Fisher's exact test. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), PSA density (PSAD), PI-RADS score, and subgroup analysis of individual readers' PI-RADS scores with respect to overall CDR and clinically significant CDR. Results The overall CDR was 76.7% (135/176), of which 76.3% (103/135) was clinically significant PCa. Among the 135 patients with PCa, transperineal TBx detected 90.4% of cases (122/135), either alone or in combination with transperineal SBx. The remaining 9.6% of cases (13/135) missed by transperineal TBx were diagnosed by transperineal SBx alone, of which three were clinically significant. Conversely, transperineal SBx missed 14% of cases (19/135), 14 of which were clinically significant PCa. Sensitivities for transperineal TBx and transperineal SBx were 90.4% and 85.9%, respectively. On a per-lesion basis, PI-RADS score (AUC 0.74) outperformed both PSA (AUC 0.59) and PSAD (AUC 0.63) in discriminating clinically significant from non-clinically significant PCa on transperineal TBx. Although not formally statistically tested, AUCs amongst different mpMRI readers appeared to display considerable variability. There were no adverse events, including sepsis. Conclusions Electromagnetically tracked transperineal TBx of MRI-visible lesions enhanced the ability of transperineal SBx to detect PCa, with greater sensitivity for clinically significant disease. These findings suggest transperineal TBx is a safe, alternative fusion platform for patients with a suspicious lesion on prostate MRI. The assessment of inter-reader variability, in conjunction with prediction of clinically significant PCa and CDR, is an important first step for quality control in implementing an MRI-based screening programme.
SCREAMing Twist on the Role of ICE1 in Freezing Tolerance.

The ICE1 transcription factor, also known as SCREAM (SCRM), is thought to be a master regulator of genes that impart freezing tolerance ([Yamaguchi-Shinozaki and Shinozaki, 2006][1]; [Knight and Knight, 2012][2]; [Guo et al., 2018][3]; [Shi et al., 2018][4]). In this issue of The Plant Cell , [
All The Same? On a Certain Pattern in Cross‐National Death Risk

This article considers whether a nation that fares relatively well (or badly) on a particular dimension of mortality risk tends also to do so on others. Working with 2016 data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study, we focus on six causes of premature death: transport accidents, other accidents, homicide, early-childhood diseases, and both communicable and noncommunicable diseases beyond early childhood. We consider data from all 26 nations that had populations of at least 50 million in 2016, as well as 15 clusters of smaller nations that are similar in longevity (e.g., Scandinavia). We use an analytic method that facilitates useful comparisons across nations, for it recognizes that some potential death risks can be underestimated because citizens die sooner from other causes. We estimate reductions in lifespan from each of the six causes relative to natural lifespan as defined by GBD. It emerges that, for all 15 pairings among the six causes, these reductions are positively correlated. We introduce metrics to summarize a nation's overall "safety status," and find that losses of longevity because of premature deaths are nearly three decades fewer in the safest countries than in the least safe ones. Turning to possible explanations for the cross-national differences, we find a strong association between a nation's safety status and both its economic wherewithal as indicated by the 2016 GDP per capita (adjusted for purchasing power parity) and its income inequality as reflected by its Gini coefficient.
‘Fantôme de devoir’: The Princesse de Clèves’s Haunting Duty

This article explores the ways in which the characters of Marie-Madeleine de Lafayette's La Princesse de Cleves manipulate the conventions surrounding death in seventeenth-century France. It argues...
Latinx Health Disparities Research During COVID-19: Challenges and Innovations.

Background The Center for Latino Health Research Opportunities (CLaRO) supports and facilitates research addressing substance abuse, violence/trauma, and HIV/AIDS among diverse and underserved Latinx populations. CLaRO runs a pilot awards program for early-stage investigators conducting Latinx health disparities research. This pilot awards program was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitating innovative responses for research continuity. Purpose The purpose of this commentary is to describe the challenges and innovative research methods developed in response to COVID-19 to continue Latinx health disparities research in the context of COVID-19. Methods/results This commentary provides a brief description of each CLaRO pilot project, the challenges introduced by COVID-19, and innovative research methods to continue Latinx health disparities research during and beyond COVID-19. Conclusions Despite the challenges COVID-19 presents to the continuity of health disparities research, it also presents unprecedented opportunities to innovate. Such innovation is essential for solving persistent scientific, public health, and clinical challenges underlying current and emerging health disparities.
Patterns and evidence of human rights violations among US asylum seekers.

Asylum seekers report exposure to human rights violations associated with a range of psychological and medical sequelae. Clinical evaluators can provide forensic evaluations that document evidence associated with their reports of persecution. The aim of this study was to characterize the forms of abuse experienced by asylum seekers, the psychological consequences of abuse, and the frequency with which clinician-evaluators found evidence that corroborated asylum seekers’ reports. We completed a retrospective chart review of 121 asylum seekers who received pro bono medical-legal evaluations through a human rights program and analyzed data using the constant comparative method. Eighty-eight percent of the clients reported experiencing multiple human rights abuses. Ninety-one percent of the clients who received psychological evaluations presented with symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, or trauma and stressor-related disorders. Clinician-evaluators found physical or psychological evidence consistent with the clients’ reports in 97% of cases. Forms, perpetrators, and psychological consequences of abuse varied significantly by gender and geographic region. Asylum seekers report diverse forms of persecution in their countries of origin that differ by gender and geographic region. Clinician-evaluators overwhelmingly found physical and psychological evidence consistent with the asylum seekers’ accounts of persecution.
In Search of Internationalization: Changing Conceptions of EMI Among Mexican University Instructors

I describe a professional development programme designed to prepare Mexican university instructors to use English as a medium of instruction (EMI). The programme includes an online introduction to EMI and internationalization and three weeks of face-to-face instruction in pedagogy and curriculum design. Using a critical theory framework, I analyse surveys and artefacts for how tension around the differences between EMI and internationalization inform instructors’ curriculum and pedagogy development. I examine instructors’ evolving perspectives of EMI and internationalization, from their initial conceptions of EMI as internationalization to their emerging understanding of English as a World Language and internationalization as cultural flows. Findings suggest that emphasis on curriculum and pedagogy development problematize policies that amalgamate EMI and internationalization and promote English as an add-on and cure-all.
A delay in colonoscopy after positive fecal tests leads to higher incidence of colorectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM A delay in performing colonoscopies after positive fecal tests in a screening program may risk neoplastic progression. Our objective is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of timing of a colonoscopy after a positive fecal test on the detection of colorectal cancer. METHODS Cochrane guidelines and PRISMA statement were followed for this review. Digital dissertation databases were searched from inception to June 1, 2020, and all studies reporting the detection rates of colorectal cancer on the basis of different time intervals between a positive fecal test and the post-test colonoscopy were included. We compared the detection rates of colorectal cancer (overall and advanced-stage) and advanced adenoma based on different time intervals. RESULTS A total of 361 637 patients from six observational studies were included for the analysis. The odds of detecting any colorectal cancer (odds ratio [OR] 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.23-2.03, P < 0.001), advanced-stage colorectal cancer (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.47-3.16, P < 0.001), or advanced adenomas (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.06-1.28, P = 0.001) are significantly higher if the colonoscopies are performed after 6 months from a positive fecal test, compared with within 6 months. There was no significant difference in the detection rates based on a 1-month, a 2-month, or a 3-month cut-off. CONCLUSIONS A delay of colonoscopies beyond 6 months after positive fecal tests is associated with a higher odds of detecting colorectal cancer. A timely follow up of patients with positive fecal tests is warranted.
Clinical use of shear-wave elastography for detecting liver fibrosis in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis.

Complications from liver cirrhosis are a leading cause of death in children with cystic fibrosis. Identifying children at risk for developing liver cirrhosis and halting its progression are critical to reducing liver-associated mortality. Quantitative US imaging, such as shear-wave elastography (SWE), might improve the detection of liver fibrosis in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) over gray-scale US alone. We incorporated SWE in our pediatric CF liver disease screening program and evaluated its performance using magnetic resonance (MR) elastography. Ninety-four children and adolescents with CF underwent 178 SWE exams, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and platelet measurements. Of these, 27 children underwent 34 MR elastography exams. We evaluated SWE performance using 6-MHz and 9-MHZ point SWE, and 9-MHz two-dimensional (2-D) SWE. The 6-MHz point SWE was the only method that correlated with MR elastography (r=0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.20–0.74; P=0.003). SWE of 1.45 m/s distinguished normal from abnormal MR elastography (79% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value [PPV], 55% negative predictive value [NPV], area under the receiver operating characteristic [AUROC] curve 0.94). SWE of 1.84 m/s separated mild–moderate (3.00–4.77 kPa) from severe (>4.77 kPa) MR elastography (88% sensitivity, 86% specificity, 78% PPV, 93% NPV, AUROC 0.79). Elevations of AST, ALT, GGT and thrombocytopenia were associated with higher SWE. AST-to-platelet ratio index of 0.42, fibrosis-4 of 0.29, and GGT-to-platelet ratio of 1.43 all had >95% NPV for SWE >1.84 m/s. Given its correlation with MR elastography, SWE might be a clinically useful predictor of liver fibrosis. We identified imaging criteria delineating the use of SWE to identify increased liver stiffness in children with CF. With multicenter validation, these data might be used to improve the detection and monitoring of liver fibrosis in children with CF.
TopBP1 comes into focus

Frattini et al. (2021) demonstrate that TopBP1 forms phase-separated nuclear condensates to promote activation of ATR in cells experiencing genomic stress.
Liver transplantation for acute liver failure in a SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive patient.

Current guidelines recommend deferring liver transplantation (LT) in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection until clinical improvement occurs and two PCR tests collected at least 24 hours apart are negative. We report a case of an 18-year-old, previously healthy African-American woman diagnosed with COVID-19, who presents with acute liver failure (ALF) requiring urgent LT in the context of SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity. The patient was thought to have acute Wilsonian crisis on the basis of hemolytic anemia, alkaline phosphatase:bilirubin ratio 2.2, elevated serum copper, and low uric acid, although an unusual presentation of COVID-19 causing ALF could not be excluded. After meeting criteria for status 1a listing, the patient underwent successful LT, despite ongoing SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity. Remdesivir was given immediately posttransplant, and mycophenolate mofetil was withheld initially and the SARS-CoV-2 PCR test eventually became negative. Three months following transplantation, the patient has made a near-complete recovery. This case highlights that COVID-19 with SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity may not be an absolute contraindication for transplantation in ALF. Criteria for patient selection and timing of LT amid the COVID-19 pandemic need to be validated in future studies.
Characterization of clostridium botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A) and fibroblast growth factor receptor interactions using novel receptor dimerization assay.

Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A) is a potent neurotoxin that serves as an effective therapeutic for several neuromuscular disorders via induction of temporary muscular paralysis. Specific binding and internalization of BoNT/A into neuronal cells is mediated by its binding domain (HC/A), which binds to gangliosides, including GT1b, and protein cell surface receptors, including SV2. Previously, recombinant HC/A was also shown to bind to FGFR3. As FGFR dimerization is an indirect measure of ligand-receptor binding, an FCS & TIRF receptor dimerization assay was developed to measure rHC/A-induced dimerization of fluorescently tagged FGFR subtypes (FGFR1-3) in cells. rHC/A dimerized FGFR subtypes in the rank order FGFR3c (EC50 ≈ 27 nM) > FGFR2b (EC50 ≈ 70 nM) > FGFR1c (EC50 ≈ 163 nM); rHC/A dimerized FGFR3c with similar potency as the native FGFR3c ligand, FGF9 (EC50 ≈ 18 nM). Mutating the ganglioside binding site in HC/A, or removal of GT1b from the media, resulted in decreased dimerization. Interestingly, reduced dimerization was also observed with an SV2 mutant variant of HC/A. Overall, the results suggest that the FCS & TIRF receptor dimerization assay can assess FGFR dimerization with known and novel ligands and support a model wherein HC/A, either directly or indirectly, interacts with FGFRs and induces receptor dimerization.
Film thickness of vertical upward co-current adiabatic flow in pipes

Abstract Average liquid film thickness is important for detailed mechanistic modeling of annular two-phase flow in engineering applications. The existing models and correlations either have large relative errors or narrow application range. Because of this, a new liquid film thickness model has been developed for vertical annular flow in pipes based on three databases. The model includes the pressure, liquid and gas velocities, diameter, and viscosity effects on liquid film thickness. Analysis indicates the film thickness to be a function of Weber numbers for both liquid and gas, and the viscosity number. The model is compared with film thickness data which considers a wide range of liquid and gas superficial velocities, system pressure, fluid properties, as well as several pipe diameters. The trend in the current and available film thickness models at various system conditions are analyzed, highlighting the improvement and widening applicability of the new model. The newly proposed film thickness model results in an average relative error of 14% considering the complete database.
Predicted, Momentary and Session RPE

The common method of rating perceived exertion is for individuals to estimate momentary RPE, also referred to as in-task or on-stimulus RPE. This method is used when individuals are asked to estimate RPE during any type of acute exercise or PA performance, including warm-up and recovery periods. Momentary RPE has many uses as noted in previous chapters, but does not provide information about an individual’s perception of physical exertion related to an exercise bout to be performed in the near future (predicted RPE) or that has already been performed in the recent past (session RPE). Therefore, the assessment of off-stimulus RPE values may provide additional information related to past performance and future participation of exercise and physical activity. A mismatch between predicted and/or session RPE values and momentary RPE for a given bout of exercise may help to identify an individual at risk of drop-out from an exercise program, especially if the predicted or session RPE values are greater than momentary RPE. In addition, a mismatch between session RPE and momentary RPE may affect an individual’s ability to properly report exercise intensity. The primary purpose of this laboratory experiment is to measure and compare an individual’s predicted, momentary and session RPE responses to exercise.
Sampling of ammonium ion in water samples by using the diffusive-gradients-in-thin-films technique (DGT) and a zeolite based binding phase

We have investigated the possibility of sampling ammonium ion using the diffusive-gradients-in-thin-films technique (DGT) by introducing a novel binding agent that is based on micro-sized zeolite. The performance of zeolite-DGT was characterized by measurement of the following parameters: (1) the diffusion coefficient of ammonium ion in hydrogel; (2) the adsorption rate of ammonium ion by the zeolite binding gel; (3) the elution efficiency, and (4) the effects of pH, ionic strength and interfering ions on DGT. The method was validated by studying the uptake of ammonium ion from in freshwaters by zeolite gels which was found to be fast enough to meet the requirements of DGT. The concentrations determined via DGT agreed well with the concentrations determined in bulk solutions. Sampling of ammonium ion using zeolite-DGT was consistent over the pH 3 to 8 range and the 0.001 to 10 mM ionic strength range. The method also performs predictably in natural waters containing various metal ions. The technique is considered to be a viable passive tool for sampling ammonium from aqueous solutions.
An alternative to the stay/switch equation assessed when using a changeover-delay

An alternative to the generalized matching equation for understanding concurrent performances is the stay/switch model. For the stay/switch model, the important events are the contingencies and behaviors at each alternative. The current experiment compares the descriptions by two stay/switch equations, the original, empirically derived stay/switch equation and a more theoretically derived equation based on ratios of stay to switch responses matching ratios of stay to switch reinforcers. The present experiment compared descriptions by the original stay/switch equation when using and not using a changeover delay. It also compared descriptions by the more theoretical equation with and without a changeover delay. Finally, it compared descriptions of the concurrent performances by these two equations. Rats were trained in 15 conditions on identical concurrent random-interval schedules in each component of a multiple schedule. A COD operated in only one component. There were no consistent differences in the variance accounted for by each equation of concurrent performances whether or not a COD was used. The simpler equation found greater sensitivity to stay than to switch reinforcers. It also found a COD eliminated the influence of switch reinforcers. Because estimates of parameters were more meaningful when using the more theoretical stay/switch equation it is preferred.
A novel technique for planning surgical approaches to the pineal region by using external cranial landmarks

Object The infratentorial supracerebellar approach to the pineal region presents special challenges during patient positioning. The head must be flexed and the body positioned to allow an operative trajectory under the straight sinus. Image guidance is not useful during positioning because registration and navigation take place after the head is fixed in its final position. Therefore, a reliable method of positioning based on external, easily identifiable landmarks to estimate the surgical trajectory along the straight sinus toward the pineal region is needed. Based on observation, the authors hypothesized that a line between 2 palpable external landmarks, the inion and the bregma, often approximates the surgical trajectory along the straight sinus. They tested this hypothesis by quantifying the relationship between the straight sinus and the bregma, and describe a method for estimating the working angle during patient positioning. Methods The midsagittal, Gd-enhanced, T1-weighted MR images of 102 patient...
Pancreas acinar cell differentiation. IV. Assay of nanogram levels of chymotrypsin by radioactively labeled synthetic substrate.

A procedure for synthesizing 14C-labeled N-benzoyl-l-tyrosine ethyl ester with the label in the benzoyl group has been described. Using this substrate, which is specific for chymotrypsin, and employing trypsin activation of chymotrypsinogen in an incubation medium containing radiolabeled BTEE, we have presented a method which permits assay of nanogram quantities of chymotrypsin activity in organ-cultured tissue. The radiolabeled product of enzyme hydrolysis, N-benzoyltyrosine, is readily separated by paper chromatography from the unreacted labeled substrate and measured by radioactivity counting.
Approach to the child with hypercalcaemia

Hypercalcaemia is rare in children. In adulthood, the causes are most frequently malignancy and primary hyperparathyroidism. In children, however, the aetiologies are diverse and age specific, and many have an underlying genetic basis. Hypercalcaemia is a serious condition that frequently leads to end-organ damage. In order to provide the most appropriate treatment, a key part of the management pathway is to establish the correct diagnosis promptly. When considering a practical approach to hypercalcaemia in children, it is helpful to consider the causes of hypercalcaemia according to the accompanying levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), indicating whether the causes are PTH dependent or PTH independent. This chapter reviews the recent advances in this area and presents a practical approach to the investigation and subsequent management of this condition.
Characterization of functional surface structures on human natural killer cells.

Publisher Summary NK cells have been identified in many vertebrate species and have been operationally defined as cells capable of mediating spontaneous in vitro cytotoxicity against a variety of target cell populations without apparent prior sensitization. NK cells have been considered distinct from specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) because they do not have clonally distributed specificity, restriction for products of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) at the target cell level or immunologic memory. Despite this apparent lack of specificity, NK cells have been implicated in a large number of diverse immunologic functions. Despite their homogeneous morphology, it has become apparent that NK cells are extremely heterogeneous and the precise relationships between NK cells, T cells, and myelomonocytic cells are not defined. In part, the heterogeneity of NK cells has become apparent through characterization of the cell surface antigens expressed by these cells. Because NK cells have been shown to secrete a variety of lymphokines, it is also not known which of these functions is mediated by direct cytotoxicity and that is mediated through lymphokine secretion. At a structural level, it is presumed that the granules in NK cells contain cytotoxins that are capable of mediating target cell lysis, but the biochemical characterization and purification of these granule constituents have only recently begun. This chapter discusses a number of recent studies that have begun to characterize the surface antigens of human NK cells. As has been the case for numerous antigens identified on other lymphoid and myeloid cells, it is possible to associate some surface antigens with specific functional activities of the NK cell.
I Would Kill for You: Love, Law and Sacrifice in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'

This paper reflects on themes of love, loyalty, and sacrifice in the film version of 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' Using the typology of Kierkegaard's knight of the infinite/knight of faith, the paper argues that Atticus does not stand for liberal principles of universal law but rather faith in the possibilities of friendship and neighborliness.