cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introduction to Lymphoproliferative Disorders in Adults

1. Susan J. Leclair, PhD[⇑][1] 1. University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, MA 2. Karen Ferreira, MT (ASCP) 1. Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI 1. Address for Correspondence: Susan J. Leclair, PhD, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Massachusetts, 285 Old Westport Road, Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300, sleclair{at}umassd.edu The study of lymphocytes as active agents of the immunology system began when the immune system was elucidated in the 1960s. With the advent of immunophenotyping in the 1980s, the possibility of separating lymphoproliferative disorders into subsets became a reality. With the 1999 elucidation of the human genome, it became possible to identify mutational status and prognostic significance for these disorders. With this information, targeted immunotherapy such as rituximab (anti-CD20) became a reality and a new use for an old medication, thalidomide, as an anti-angiogenesis agent also showed significant benefit. For chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the original diagnostic test were the complete blood count (CBC) and bone marrow examination. Due to the advent of flow cytometry, a bone marrow biopsy and examination are no longer required. Follow up tests now include a serum protein electrophoresis and immunoelectro-phoresis to assess immune function and various molecular tests for specific chromosomal aberrations. For multiple myeloma, the key diagnostic test is most often electrophoresis/immunoelectro-phoresis. Bone marrow biopsy examination is still required to assess tumor burden. In addition the pancytopenia often seen in patients must be evaluated. Flow cytometry is necessary to confirm the monoclonal nature of the plasma cells. The World Health Organization's classification of leukemias and lymphomas embraced the immunologic nature of these cells and the genomic alterations that can support such conditions. These articles explore the two most common malignant presentations of lymphocytes in adults: chronic lymphocytic leukemia and multiple (plasma cell) myeloma. Long thought to be found only in the elderly, these… [1]: #corresp-1
Report on a seminar on financing and service delivery issues in caring for the medically underserved.

Abstract Current national activities directed toward improving access to health care and assessing the potential effectiveness of various financing and service delivery strategies were reviewed by an invited group of 39 public and private sector health policy experts. Health care access problems of the medically underserved population were defined and a range of strategies for addressing them were presented. The seminar was held at Columbia, MD, July 6-7, 1988, sponsored jointly by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Health Resources and Services Administration, PHS.
R&D and firm performance in the semiconductor industry

AbstractWhile the semiconductor industry is still dominated by large vertically integrated firms, fabless firms, which outsource their manufacturing, are gaining market share. Fabless firms are considered to have an advantage in product innovation, as they can focus their innovation efforts on chip design and can benefit from investments in process innovation made by their manufacturing partners. However, there is little empirical evidence of the performance of fabless firms compared to vertically integrated firms. This research empirically examines the relationship between R&D and the financial performance of fabless and vertically integrated firms from 2000 to 2010. Our results show that fabless firms maintain higher gross and net margins, earn a higher return on assets (ROA) and have greater intangible value (Tobin’s q) than vertically integrated firms when controlling for size, capital intensity and R&D ratio (R&D/sales). This supports the argument that fabless firms achieve greater performance by foc...
PUMA-dependent apoptosis in NSCLC cancer cells by a dimeric β-carboline

Dimeric β-carbolines are cytotoxic against multiple NSCLC cell lines, and we report herein our preliminary studies on the mechanism of action of these dimeric structures. Dimeric β-carboline 1, which is more potent than the corresponding monomer in NSCLC cell lines, is a lysosomotropic agent that inhibits autophagy and mediates cell death by apoptosis, upregulating the pro-apoptotic BH3-only protein PUMA (p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis) in a dose dependent manner.
Examining the Merit of Grit in Women's Soccer: Questions of Theory, Measurement, and Application

The purpose of the current study was to examine the factorial validity of existing grit measures and to examine differences in the grit level of athletes across performance tiers (i.e., collegiate, professional, Olympic). Female soccer players (N = 305) of varying competitive levels completed measures of grit. Results revealed preliminary support for the 8-item Grit Scale factorial validity, as well as a significant age-adjusted difference in grit level between Division I and Division II collegiate athletes. Taken together, study results prompt questions regarding the theoretical underpinnings, and consequent measurement, of the grit construct in sport psychology practice.
Spinal Cord Stimulation Versus Reoperation for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome: a Prospective, Randomized Study Design

Retrospectively reported results of spinal cord stimulation compare favorably with those of neurosurgical treatment alternatives for the treatment of failed back surgery syndrome, including reoperation and ablative procedures. There has been no direct prospective comparison, however, between SCS and other techniques for pain management.
Whitelisting system state in windows forensic memory visualizations

Examiners in the field of digital forensics regularly encounter enormous amounts of data and must identify the few artifacts of evidentiary value. One challenge these examiners face is manual reconstruction of complex datasets with both hierarchical and associative relationships. The complexity of this data requires significant knowledge, training, and experience to correctly and efficiently examine. Current methods provide text-based representations or low-level visualizations, but levee the task of maintaining global context of system state on the examiner. This research presents a visualization tool that improves analysis methods through simultaneous representation of the hierarchical and associative relationships and local detailed data within a single page application. A novel whitelisting feature further improves analysis by eliminating items of less interest from view. Results from a pilot study demonstrate that the visualization tool can assist examiners to more accurately and quickly identify artifacts of interest.
EXPERIMENTAL APPLICATION OF A MULTIVARIABLE SELF-TUNING CONTROLLER TO A MULTICOMPONENT DISTILLATION COLUMN

Abstract The multivariable self-tuning controllers of Chien et al. incorporate a Smith predictor-type of time delay compensation (STC-TDC). These are applied to dual composition control of a pilot-scale multicomponent distillation process. Both versions of the STC-TDC, i.e., with and without decoupling, are compared with a standard dual-loop PI controller and are seen to provide excellent control in the face of significant process interactions and nonlinearities.
Degradation of piezoelectric device as an energy harvester under equivalent traffic stress condition

AbstractPiezoelectric materials have widely been used for applications in microelectromechanical systems, electromechanical devices, civil infrastructure, in transportation and smart devices. The p...
Fifty Shades of Yellow.

The neonatologist and pediatric gastroenterologist see different shades of yellow in newborns. The neonatologist sees yellow in the context of the Bhutani plot, which defines triggers for phototherapy or transfusion based on total bilirubin concentrations in the first 5 days of life (1). The neonatologist is the protector of the newborn brain. The gastroenterologist must look for a different shade of yellow, often hidden behind much brighter hues. This particular shade is often not appreciated early in life and may intensify without clinical signs until organ damage is irreversible. The newborn gastroenterology physician is the protector of the liver. The shades of yellow referred to here are obviously unconjugated and conjugated bilirubin (CB),2 respectively. Prolonged, excessive unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia leads to kernicterus, characterized by permanent physical and neurological deficits. The differential diagnosis of conjugated hyperbilirubinemia is broad and includes infectious, obstructive, metabolic, toxic, nutritional, and immunologic etiologies. The diagnosis requiring the most urgency is biliary atresia (BA). The causes of this disorder remain unclear but diagnostic confirmation requires imaging and histology that demonstrate inflammatory and fibrotic destruction of bile ducts. Surgery to establish an alternate path for bile flow (the Kasai procedure) (2) can delay the eventual need for liver transplant but only if performed early in the course of the disease. The earlier the better. BA fulfills a number of Wilson and Jungner's criteria (3) for newborn screening. The incidence of BA in the US (1 in approximately 15000) is similar to other …
Twisted and coiled polymer (TCP) muscles embedded in silicone elastomer for use in soft robot

Researchers are seeking to create robots that could conform to non-uniform objects during handling and manipulation. High performance artificial muscles are the key factors that determine the capabilities of a robot. Twisted and coiled polymeric (TCP) muscle embedded in soft silicone skin solves some of the problems of soft robots in attaining morphed structure using low voltages, contrary to other technologies such as dielectric elastomer and piezoelectric. Furthermore, the TCP actuation system does not generate noise like pneumatic systems. The TCP embedded skin shows great promise for robotics to mimic the flexible appendages of certain animals. In this paper, we present experimental results on the effect of muscle placement and the thickness of the artificial skin on the actuation behavior, which can be used as a benchmark for modeling. We demonstrate the effect of three different skin thicknesses and three different muscle locations within the skin, by taking experimental deformation data from stereo camera. In general, two modes of actuations (undulatory and bending) were observed depending on the muscle placement, skin thickness, applied voltage, and actuation time. The thinner skin showed two-wave undulatory actuation in most cases, whereas the 4 mm skins showed mixed actuation and the 5 mm skins exhibited one-wave undulatory actuation. In all cases, the increase in voltage resulted in higher magnitudes of actuation. In addition, we showed consistent strain of the TCP muscles from 18 samples from two batches that produced an average strain of 22% (batch 1) to 20% (batch 2) with standard deviation of 2.5–1.8% respectively.
Studies of the regulation of colicin Ib synthesis. II. The synthesis of col Ib-P9 specific RNA in vivo.

We have been able to demonstrate RNA which is present only in colicinogenic cells by using purified Col Ib-P9 plasmid DNA and [32P]-pulse labeled RNA in DNA-RNA hybridization experiments. The relative amount of plasmid specific RNA in colicinogenic cells can be increased by treatment with mitomycin C and correlates with the increase in colicin producing cells. Using competition hybridization we have shown that the Col Ib-P9 plasmid specific RNA from uninduced cells contains the same species of RNA found in induced cells and vice versa. There is a requirement of 3′, 5′-cyclic AMP and 3′, 5′-cyclic AMP receptor protein for both colicin Ib-P9 synthesis and plasmid specific RNA synthesis. It is suggested that colicin Ib synthesis is under transcriptional control.
Being-for-Itself

In the first section of this chapter, Hegel defines being-for-itself as the one. In the second section, he maintains that the one logically passes over into the many, with which it is identical. He calls both this passing over and the many “repulsion.” Since the many ones are deemed identical, the many coalesce into the one again. Hegel calls both this process and the one “attraction.” In the third section, we find the alternating determination of repulsion and attraction. In this process, Hegel discovers the identity of repulsion and attraction, which again gives us the infinite being-for-itself. The main idea proposed here is that the mode of determining we find in this perpetual alternation proves to be a quantitative mode of determining.
Mechanisms for Network Emergence:The Case of US Venture Capital

Cooperative networks are important for firm performance but how do networks form? Mechanisms identified in the literature for forming new cooperative ties typically assume the prior existence of th...
Adaptive sliding mode control for a second order nonholonomic planar four-link UMS

This article presents a novel solution to the stabilization problem of a second order nonholonomic planar four-link Active-Passive-Active-Active (APAA) underactuated mechanical system (UMS). Four rigid links are used to represent the mechanical system and a multi-mass-spring model is used to include the liquid slosh dynamics. Furthermore, it is assumed that the control inputs are available in form of two forces and a torque. The forces are applied to the prismatic joints and the torque is applied to the revolute joint. The overall control objective is to move the robot end-effector towards equilibrium point. The control methodology presented in this article is based on adaptive sliding mode. Firstly, the 3rd order chained form system is converted into a special structure containing nominal part and some unknown term. Then the system is stabilized using adaptive sliding mode control and the unknown term is computed adaptively. The controller and the adapted law are derived in a way that derivative of a suitable Lyapunov function becomes strictly negative. The effectiveness of the proposed control laws is illustrated by simulations.
Decision to Return to Sport After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Part I: A Qualitative Investigation of Psychosocial Factors

Context: Return-to-sport criteria after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury are often based on “satisfactory” functional and patient-reported outcomes. However, an individual's decision to ret...
What influences the influence of U.S. Courts of Appeals decisions

In this exploratory study, we develop models of factors that influence the citation or influence of judicial opinions written by U.S. Courts of Appeals judges. Prior studies of citation patterns in the U.S. Courts of Appeals largely focus on the judge’s career as the unit of analysis. Not surprisingly, this research suggests judge-level factors tend to influence the degree to which judges’ opinions are cited in subsequent decisions. Utilizing a dataset with a random sample of individual cases as the unit of analysis, we compare the effects of judge, panel, and case factors. Overall, while several case-level factors influence the number of citations a case receives, few judge- and panel-level variables affect citation rates. The findings suggest that opinion citation models based on judge- and/or panel-level attributes alone miss the influence of case attributes on citation rates.
Using Lean Management to Reduce Blood Culture Contamination

Article-at-a-Glance Background Blood culture contamination (BCC) is a common and avoidable complication of patient care and incurs considerable cost. A quality improvement (QI) initiative was undertaken at a large Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center to reduce the BCC rate. Methods Lean management QI methods, including a rapid process improvement workshop (RPIW), were used to identify root causes of variation in blood culture procedures and countermeasures (potential improvement strategies) to address each problem were developed. BCC rates were collected for five and one quarter years, including the pre-RPIW (baseline) period, and changes in the contamination rates were calculated. The observed change in BCC rates was compared to a forecast of the pre-RPIW trend and estimated BCCs avoided. Results for the primary medical center were compared with those of a similarly complex VA medical center during the same time periods using difference-in-differences methodology. Results Qualitative assessment of the processes of care identified four root cause problems, each of which was addressed with countermeasures. The BCC rate at the primary medical center decreased significantly from the baseline period in each year of follow-up, improving from 4.2% in the 19-month baseline period to 2.8% in the last 12 months of follow-up (April 2013–March 2014), while changes from baseline in the BCC rate at the comparison site were significant in only one year of follow-up. An estimated 261 BCCs were avoided at the primary medical center in the follow-up period. Conclusion The QI initiative was successful in reducing BCC rates and in producing continued improvement for nearly four years of follow-up. Further study will determine if these results are generalizable to other settings.
NMR relaxometry a new approach to detect geochemical properties of organic matter in tight shales

Abstract Understanding organic matter properties in terms of maturity and production potential are crucial for the initial assessment of unconventional plays. This is important since the amount of hydrocarbon that can be generated is a function of organic matter type and content in the formation and its thermal maturity. The complexity of shale plays in terms of constituent components has demonstrated that new analytical methods should be acquired to better understand hydrocarbon generation processes. In this study, a few samples from the upper and lower members of the Bakken Formation in the USA were selected from different depths and maturity levels. The samples were analyzed by a high frequency (22 MHz) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR relaxometry) equipment, followed by Rock-Eval pyrolysis (using the Basic/Bulk-Rock method for all samples and a multi-heating rate method, MHR, for the two least mature samples) and bitumen reflectance evaluations. Results showed NMR can detect different hydrogen populations within the samples and distinguish among phases, such as solid organic matter, hydrocarbons (mobile oil), and water by T1-T2 mapping. We were also able to relate different identified areas on NMR T1-T2 maps to geochemical parameters of the organic matter obtained from Rock-Eval pyrolysis (such as S1, S2, and HI) and with thermal maturity (vitrinite reflectance-equivalent).
Spatial Separation of Mitochondrial Calcium Uptake and Extrusion for Energy-Efficient Mitochondrial Calcium Signaling in the Heart

Summary Mitochondrial Ca2+ elevations enhance ATP production, but uptake must be balanced by efflux to avoid overload. Uptake is mediated by the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter channel complex (MCUC), and extrusion is controlled largely by the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCLX), both driven electrogenically by the inner membrane potential (ΔΨm). MCUC forms hotspots at the cardiac mitochondria-junctional SR (jSR) association to locally receive Ca2+ signals; however, the distribution of NCLX is unknown. Our fractionation-based assays reveal that extensively jSR-associated mitochondrial segments contain a minor portion of NCLX and lack Na+-dependent Ca2+ extrusion. This pattern is retained upon in vivo NCLX overexpression, suggesting extensive targeting to non-jSR-associated submitochondrial domains and functional relevance. In cells with non-polarized MCUC distribution, upon NCLX overexpression the same given increase in matrix Ca2+ expends more ΔΨm. Thus, cardiac mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and extrusion are reciprocally polarized, likely to optimize the energy efficiency of local calcium signaling in the beating heart.
Adverse early life environment induces anxiety-like behavior and increases expression of FKBP5 mRNA splice variants in mouse brain

Adverse early life environment (AELE) predisposes adult offspring toward anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are associated with prenatal injuries in key regions of the brain including prefrontal ...
Who’s your daddy? Behavioral and epigenetic consequences of paternal drug exposure

Substance use disorders (SUDs) reflect genetic and environmental factors. While identifying reliable genetic variants that predispose individuals to developing SUDs has been challenging, epigenetic factors may also contribute to the heritability of SUDs. Familial drug use associates with a wide range of problems in children, including an increased risk for developing a SUD. The implications of maternal drug use on offspring development are a well-studied area; however, paternal drug use prior to conception has received relatively little attention. Paternal exposure to several environmental stimuli (i.e. stress or diet manipulations) results in behavioral and epigenetic changes in offspring. The purpose of this review is to determine the state of the preclinical literature on the behavioral and epigenetic consequences of paternal drug exposure. Drug-sired offspring show several developmental and physiological abnormalities. These offspring also show deficits in cognitive and emotional domains. Examining sensitivity to drugs in offspring is a growing area of research. Drug-sired offspring are resistant to the rewarding and reinforcing properties of drugs. However, greater paternal motivation for the drug, combined with high drug intake, can result in addiction-like behaviors in offspring. Drug-sired offspring also show altered histone modifications and DNA methylation levels of imprinted genes and microRNAs; epigenetic-mediated changes were also noted in genes related to glutamatergic and neurotrophic factor signaling. In some instances, drug use resulted in aberrant epigenetic modifications in sire sperm, and these changes were maintained in the brains of offspring. Thus, paternal drug exposure has long-lasting consequences that include altered drug sensitivity in subsequent generations. We discuss factors (i.e. maternal behaviors) that may moderate these paternal drug-induced effects as well as ideas for future directions.
VWorld: an immersive VR system for learning programming

The growing development and commercialization of Virtual Reality (VR) allow more children to get access to this technology. VR features a new, more emotional relevant experience with a sense of presence and high interactivity. In this paper, we present VWorld, an immersive VR system designed to boost children's creativity and computational thinking skill. VWorld enables children to create their own virtual world by putting 3D objects on a miniature map, then explore the world and control the chosen objects by constructing program sequences. We present the design and implementation of VWorld system, with the design considerations of children in our VR environment, and conduct the preliminary evaluation and the future plan of the study.
Dialogues of empire and resistance within and beyond the colonial metropole: Insurgent empire: anticolonial resistance and british dissent, by Priyamvada Gopal, London and New York, Verso, 2019, 624 pp., $39.95 (hardcover), ISSN: 978-1784784126

In June 2006, BBC’s Start the Week radio show invited Scottish historian Niall Ferguson and postcolonial scholar Priyamvada Gopal to discuss the contemporary impacts of British colonial history. Du...
An integrated GPS/vision UAV navigation system based on Kalman filter

Unmanned system (UAS) is a new type of payload, which carry the perceptive communication processing and decision-making device. Navigation system, as an important part of the unmanned system, which lead to low accuracy by GPS and vision navigation insufficient features. To solve these problems, we propose an integrated GPS/vision UAV navigation system based on Kalman filter. First, we studied the basic theory of integrated navigation and smoothing processing, introduced the knowledge of combined navigation and path smoothing, and analyzed the problems of integrated UAV navigation technology in real application. Based on Kalman filter algorithm, we design the GPS and vision fusion navigation scheme and optimize the UAV navigation path. Finally, the performance improvement of the algorithm in positioning accuracy was verified using MATLAB simulation.
Making the Case for Equitable Growth: Comments on the 2020 David Gordon Memorial Lecture:

In this piece, I comment on Heather Boushey’s David Gordon Memorial Lecture at the 2020 Allied Social Science Association meetings in San Diego. I identify the theory of change presented in Boushey...
Ghana's New Region Creation Doctrine: The Jurisprudence of No Jurisdiction and the Faux Economics of Balkanisation

Ghana recently created six new regions, amid controversy over who was entitled to vote in the region-creating referenda and its likely economic consequences. The Supreme Court declined jurisdiction...
Yeast Particle Encapsulation of Scaffolded Terpene Compounds for Controlled Terpene Release

Terpenes are naturally occurring compounds produced by plants that are of great commercial interest in the food, agricultural, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries due to their broad spectra of antibacterial, antifungal, anthelmintic, membrane permeation enhancement, and antioxidant biological activities. Applications of terpenes are often limited by their volatility and the need for surfactants or alcohols to produce stable, soluble (non-precipitated) products. Yeast particles (YPs) are hollow, porous microspheres that have been used for the encapsulation of terpenes (YP terpenes) by passive diffusion of terpenes through the porous YP cell walls. We here report the development of a second generation YP encapsulated terpene technology that incorporates the stimuli-responsive control of terpene release using biodegradable pro-terpene compounds (YP pro-terpenes). YP terpenes and YP pro-terpenes were both produced, in which high levels of carvacrol, eugenol, thymol and geraniol were encapsulated. The YP pro-terpenes show higher encapsulation stability than YP terpenes due to pro-terpenes being non-volatile solids at room temperature and stable in suspensions at neutral pH. YP pro-terpenes and YP terpenes were evaluated for biological activity in antibacterial, antifungal and anthelmintic assays. The YP pro-terpenes retained the full biological activity of the parent terpene compound.
Genomic epidemiology of methicillin-resistant and -susceptible Staphylococcus aureus from bloodstream infections.

Background Bloodstream infections due to Staphylococcus aureus cause significant patient morbidity and mortality worldwide. Of major concern is the emergence and spread of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in bloodstream infections, which are associated with therapeutic failure and increased mortality. Methods We generated high quality draft genomes from 323 S. aureus blood culture isolates from patients diagnosed with bloodstream infection at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, New Hampshire, USA in 2010-2018. Results In silico detection of antimicrobial resistance genes revealed that 133/323 isolates (41.18%) carry horizontally acquired genes conferring resistance to at least three antimicrobial classes, with resistance determinants for aminoglycosides, beta-lactams and macrolides being the most prevalent. The most common resistance genes were blaZ and mecA, which were found in 262/323 (81.11%) and 104/323 (32.20%) isolates, respectively. Majority of the MRSA (102/105 isolates or 97.14%) identified using in vitro screening were related to two clonal complexes (CC) 5 and 8. The two CCs emerged in the New Hampshire population at separate times. We estimated that the time to the most recent common ancestor of CC5 was 1973 (95% highest posterior density (HPD) intervals: 1966-1979) and 1946 for CC8 (95% HPD intervals: 1924-1959). The effective population size of CC8 increased until the late 1960s when it started to level off until late 2000s. The levelling off of CC8 in 1968 coincided with the acquisition of SCCmec Type IV in majority of the strains. The plateau in CC8 also coincided with the acceleration in the population growth of CC5 carrying SCCmec Type II in the early 1970s, which eventually leveled off in the early 1990s. Lastly, we found evidence for frequent recombination in the two clones during their recent clonal expansion, which has likely contributed to their success in the population. Conclusions We conclude that the S. aureus population was shaped mainly by the clonal expansion, recombination and co-dominance of two major MRSA clones in the last five decades in New Hampshire, USA. These results have important implications on the development of effective and robust strategies for intervention, control and treatment of life-threatening bloodstream infections.
Oxidative stress and genotoxicity in 1,4-dioxane liver toxicity as evidenced in a mouse model of glutathione deficiency.

Abstract 1,4-Dioxane (DX) is a synthetic chemical used as a stabilizer for industrial solvents. Recent occurrence data show widespread and significant contamination of drinking water with DX in the US. DX is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a group 2B carcinogen with the primary target organ being the liver in animal studies. Despite the exposure and cancer risk, US EPA has not established a drinking water Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for DX and a wide range of drinking water targets have been established across the US and by Health Canada. The DX carcinogenic mechanism remains unknown; this information gap contributes to the varied approaches to its regulation. Our recent mice study indicated alterations in oxidative stress response accompanying DNA damage as an early change by high dose DX (5000 ppm) in drinking water. Herein, we report a follow-up study, in which we used glutathione (GSH)-deficient glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit (Gclm)-null mice to investigate the role of redox homeostasis in DX-induced liver cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. Gclm-null and wild-type mice were exposed to DX for one week (1000 mg/kg/day by oral gavage) or three months (5000 ppm in drinking water). Subchronic exposure of high dose DX caused mild liver cytotoxicity. DX induced assorted molecular changes in the liver including: (i) a compensatory nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) anti-oxidative response at the early stage (one week), (ii) progressive CYP2E1 induction, (iii) development of oxidative stress, as evidenced by persistent NRF2 induction, oxidation of GSH pool, and accumulation of the lipid peroxidation by-product 4-hydroxynonenal, and (iv) elevations in oxidative DNA damage and DNA repair response. These DX-elicited changes were exaggerated in GSH-deficient mice. Collectively, the current study provides additional evidence linking redox dysregulation to DX liver genotoxicity, implying oxidative stress as a candidate mechanism of DX liver carcinogenicity.
High-Dose Once-Weekly Semaglutide: A New Option for Obesity Management:

ObjectiveTo review the pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of high-dose once-weekly semaglutide for chronic weight management.Data SourcesPubMed/MEDLINE and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched (incepti...
Phrenic afferent activation modulates cardiorespiratory output in the adult rat.

Phrenic afferents project to brainstem areas responsible for cardiorespiratory control and the mid-cervical spinal cord containing the phrenic motor nucleus. Our purpose was to quantify the impact of small and large diameter phrenic afferent activation on phrenic motor output. Anesthetized and ventilated rats received unilateral phrenic nerve stimulation while contralateral phrenic motor output and blood pressure were recorded. Twelve currents of 40Hz inspiratory-triggered stimulation were delivered (20 seconds on, 5 minutes off) to establish current response curves. Stimulation pulse width was varied to preferentially activate large diameter phrenic afferents (narrow pulse width) and recruit small diameter fibers (wide pulse width). Contralateral phrenic amplitude was elevated immediately post-stimulation at currents above 35 µA for wide, and 70 µA for narrow pulse stimulation when compared to animals not receiving stimulation (time controls). Wide pulse width stimulation also increased phrenic burst frequency at currents ≥35 µA, caused a transient decrease in mean arterial blood pressure at currents ≥50 µA, and resulted in a small change in heart rate at 300 µA. Unilateral dorsal rhizotomy attenuated stimulation-induced cardiorespiratory responses, indicating phrenic afferent activation is required. Additional analyses compared phrenic motor amplitude to output before stimulation and showed that episodic activation of phrenic afferents with narrow pulse stimulation can induce short-term plasticity. We conclude that activation of phrenic afferents: 1) enhances contralateral phrenic motor amplitude when large diameter afferents are activated, and 2) when small diameter fibers are recruited the amplitude response is associated with changes in burst frequency and cardiovascular parameters.
Influence of Temperature and Stress Ratio on the Low-Cycle Fatigue Behavior of Trimarc-1 /Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo

The results of an experimental investigation of load-controlled isothermal low-cycle fatigue behavior of a titanium matrix composite (TMC) are discussed. The TMC was composed of Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo matrix (wire) reinforcedwith silicon-carbide (Trimarc-1) fibers. The composite panels were constructed by alternating layers of matrix wire and fiber using a wire-winding technique. The panels were unidirectional with a [0] 1 0 layup and fiber volume fraction 0.29. The longitudinal fatigue data showed good correlation with other TMC systems at both positive and negative stress ratios. The Walker equation was successful at correlating the longitudinal S-N data for stress ratios R = -1.3 and 0.1, and for predictions at R = 0.5 and 0.7. The maximum fiber stress versus cycles to failure for several unidirectional TMC systems at similar test conditions consolidate to a narrow band, indicating that the life is fiber dominated. The S-N behavior of the TMC, subjected to transverse fatigue loading, was successfully predicted using the matrix S-N data and a net-section model.
Urban bias revisited : urban and rural development in post-apartheid South Africa.

This study assesses the impact of South Africas post-apartheid development policies on socio-economic welfare with a focus on differences across geographical types (geo-types). I first analyze the design and implementation of post-apartheid policies through the lens of theories on urban bias and integrated rural-urban development. Next, I use national-level household survey data from the 1997 October Household Survey, the 2002 General Household Survey, and the first and second waves (2008 and 2010) of the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) to describe trends and differences in demographic and socio-economic characteristics across geo-types. In doing so, the data reveal large and persistent differences between households in the rural and urban categories from 1997 to 2010. / / Moreover, the disaggregated descriptive statistics for the four geo-type categories identified in the NIDS show that households in tribal authority and urban informal areas are far more vulnerable to poverty compared to their formal counterparts. Furthermore, regression analysis using the NIDS data demonstrates that, even after including numerous controls, geo-type of residence still has a significant effect on the probability of poverty. In light of these findings, the study examines further the specific challenges and resource deficiencies in urban informal and tribal authority areas. /
The motion of a sphere in the presence of a deformable interface: II. A numerical study of the translation of a sphere normal to an interface

Abstract The translation of a solid sphere perpendicular to an initially flat, but deformable interface is studied in the creeping flow limit for a wide range of values of the viscosity ratio, the Capillary number and the Bond number that characterize the system. This nonlinear interface deformation problem is solved using a numerical collocation technique to determine surface distributions of the hydrodynamic potential functions of Ladyzhenskaya for Stokes equation. No restriction is placed on the magnitude of the interface deformation. In general, the interface exhibits a continuously changing shape which depends on its shape at earlier times, and thus, on the prior history of the particle motion. In some circumstances, however, the interface is shown to approach a quasi-steady shape independent of prior conditions, which exhibits zero normal velocity for each instantaneous position and velocity of the particle.
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow in Virology

By describing 100 years of virus research (the era of adventure, the era of consolidation, and the era of unknown future), the author attempts to change concepts held toward virology.
The Press’s Right of Access to Polling Places: Does Democracy Die Ten Feet Behind Closed Doors?

The Third Circuit recently held in PG Publishing Company v. Aichele that a Pennsylvania statute did not violate the press’s constitutional rights by prohibiting media to access polling places. This decision conflicts with the Sixth Circuit’s decision in Beacon Journal Publishing Company, Inc. v. Blackwell. In Beacon Journal, the Sixth Circuit held that by prohibiting the press to access polling places, an Ohio statute violated the press’s constitutional rights. This Note examines this circuit split and argues that the Third Circuit misapplied the “experience and logic” test. Additionally, this Note advocates that courts should adopt a narrow definition of the press when allowing the press to access polling places.
Expression and subcellular localization of poliovirus VPg-precursor protein 3AB in eukaryotic cells: evidence for glycosylation in vitro.

Abstract The poliovirus-encoded, membrane-associated VPg-precursor polypeptide 3AB has been implicated in the initiation of viral RNA synthesis. We have expressed 3AB and 3A polypeptides in eukaryotic cells and examined their localization using indirect immunofluorescence and a direct in vitro membrane-binding assay. Results presented here demonstrate that both 3AB and 3A are capable of localizing in the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus in transfected HeLa cells in the absence of any other poliovirus protein. We have also shown that the carboxy-terminal 18 amino acids of 3A that constitute an amphipathic domain are important in membrane binding of 3A and 3AB. Additionally, we demonstrate that a significant fraction of both 3A and 3AB can be glycosylated in a membrane-dependent fashion during in vitro translation in reticulocyte lysate. We demonstrate that 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine, an inhibitor of glycoprotein synthesis, significantly inhibits poliovirus RNA synthesis in vivo. The implications of glycosylation of 3AB (and 3A) in viral replication are discussed.
TU-EF-204-02: Hiigh Quality and Sub-MSv Cerebral CT Perfusion Imaging

Purpose: CT Perfusion (CTP) imaging is of great importance in acute ischemic stroke management due to its potential to detect hypoperfused yet salvageable tissue and distinguish it from definitely unsalvageable tissue. However, current CTP imaging suffers from poor image quality and high radiation dose (up to 5 mSv). The purpose of this work was to demonstrate that technical innovations such as Prior Image Constrained Compressed Sensing (PICCS) have the potential to address these challenges and achieve high quality and sub-mSv CTP imaging. Methods: (1) A spatial-temporal 4D cascaded system model was developed to indentify the bottlenecks in the current CTP technology; (2) A task-based framework was developed to optimize the CTP system parameters; (3) Guided by (1) and (2), PICCS was customized for the reconstruction of CTP source images. Digital anthropomorphic perfusion phantoms, animal studies, and preliminary human subject studies were used to validate and evaluate the potentials of using these innovations to advance the CTP technology. Results: The 4D cascaded model was validated in both phantom and canine stroke models. Based upon this cascaded model, it has been discovered that, as long as the spatial resolution and noise properties of the 4D source CT images are given, the 3D MTF and NPS of the final CTP maps can be analytically derived for a given set of processing methods and parameters. The cascaded model analysis also identified that the most critical technical factor in CTP is how to acquire and reconstruct high quality source images; it has very little to do with the denoising techniques often used after parametric perfusion calculations. This explained why PICCS resulted in a five-fold dose reduction or substantial improvement in image quality. Conclusion: Technical innovations generated promising results towards achieving high quality and sub-mSv CTP imaging for reliable and safe assessment of acute ischemic strokes. K. Li, K. Niu, Y. Wu: Nothing to disclose. G.-H. Chen: Research funded, GE Healthcare; Research funded, Siemens AX.
Analytic Torsion, Flows and Foliations

We present an overview of the known results in Lefschetz formulas for flows, that is, on the problem of relating the topology of a manifold to the number and nature of periodic orbits of a vector field.
Human Rights and Sharia'h Justice in Nigeria

Human Rights and Sharia'h Justice in Nigeria M. Ozonnia Ojielo Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.law.ggu.edu/annlsurvey Part of the Human Rights Law Commons This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Academic Journals at Digital Commons: The Legal Scholarship Repository @ Golden Gate University School of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Annual Survey of International & Comparative Law by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons: The Legal Scholarship Repository @ Golden Gate University School of Law. For more information, please contact jfischer@ggu.edu. Recommended Citation Ojielo, M. Ozonnia (2003) "Human Rights and Sharia'h Justice in Nigeria," Annual Survey of International & Comparative Law: Vol. 9: Iss. 1, Article 7. Available at: http://digitalcommons.law.ggu.edu/annlsurvey/vol9/iss1/7
The Mystery of the switched titles: A Review of The Soft Side of Software, A Management Approach to Computer Documentation by Theresa Foehr and Thomas B. Cross & Creating Effective Documentation for Computer Programs by G. Prentice Hastings and Kathryn J. King

Late one night, after I had put to bed what I thought was my last review of computer user documentation books I could hear a faint rustling at my front door. I rushed to the door pulled it open quickly, and found no one. After glancing to the left and right. I chanced to look down. There they were two more books on computer user documentation. But what intrigued me most was that word "management" had fallen off the titles of one of the books. To which book did the word belong. I pondered to myself, Well, better get them inside and investigate.
Automation and Crew Performance: The Importance of Who and What:

In the past, “automation” in the cockpit has been associated with both an increase and a reduction in workload, performance, and crew communications. A reason for these apparently contradictory res...
Fractionation of menhaden oil ethyl esters using supercritical fluid CO2

Supercritical fluid CO2 was used to fractionate menhaden oil fatty acid ethyl esters to obtain concentrates of the esters of allcis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and allcis-4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Separation of the ethyl esters was found to occur primarily by carbon number, thus limiting the degree to which the ethyl esters of EPA and DHA could be concentrated. Urea fractionation of whole esters in order to remove saturates, monoenes and dienes prior to fractionation with supercritical fluid CO2 resulted in concentrates of EPA and DHA in purities exceeding 90%. Several criteria are given for the selection of crude oils in order to maximize both purity and yield of concentrates.
Probing of Metal-Binding Domains of RNA Hairpin Loops by Laser-Induced Lanthanide(III) Luminescence†

Direct laser excitation of aqueous Eu(III) bound to specific RNA fragments was used to probe the metal-binding sites of the anticodon loop of tRNA(Phe) from E. coli and of a tetraloop containing a GNRA consensus sequence. Binding of Mg(II) or Eu(III) to either RNA fragment resulted in a higher melting transition, but no global change in structure was observed. Aqueous Eu(III) exhibits a single weak excitation peak at 17273 cm(-1), the intensity of which increased upon addition of the tRNA loop fragment. Analysis of incremental increases in the luminescence intensity upon complexation with the tRNA loop indicated a stoichiometry of one high-affinity Eu(III)-binding site per loop fragment, with a Kd of 1.3 +/- 0.2 microM. Competition experiments between Eu(III) and Mg(II) were consistent with the two metal ions binding to a common site and with an approximately 30-fold lesser affinity of the tRNA loop for Mg(II) than for Eu(III). The rate of luminescence decay following excitation of Eu(III) bound to the tRNA loop corresponded to displacement of up to 4-5 (of a possible 9) waters of hydration on binding to the tRNA loop. By comparison, Eu(III) binds to the DNA analogue of the tRNA loop with an 8-fold lesser affinity and one fewer direct coordination site than to the RNA sequence, suggesting that a 2'OH of RNA is one of the direct ligands. In contrast with the absence of a shift in the excitation peak of aqueous Eu(III) upon formation of the tRNA loop complex, direct excitation of Eu(III) bound to a GNRA tetraloop fragment resulted in a substantially blue-shifted excitation peak (17290 cm(-1)). The tetraloop fragment also has a single Eu(III)-binding site, with a Kd of 12 +/- 3 microM. The bound Eu(III) was competed by Mg(II), although the relative affinity for Mg(II) was approximately 150-450-fold less than that for Eu(III). The Eu(III)-binding site of the tetraloop site is highly dehydrated, with approximately 7 water molecules displaced upon binding by RNA ligands, suggesting that the blue-shift of the excitation peak is the result of Eu(III) specifically bound in a nonpolar site within the GNRA loop structure.
Analysis and interpretation of variability in soundscapes along an urban–rural gradient

Abstract Urbanization has not only altered land cover types, but also changed acoustic environments to which animals must adapt or emigrate for effective communication. Although many studies have addressed the effects of urban noise on acoustic communication of vocal organisms, little work has been done to understand the acoustic characteristics and the interaction between biological and anthropogenic sounds across urban–rural landscapes. The objectives of this study were to investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of soundscape characteristics along an urban–rural gradient, and how soundscape properties are related to avian species community. We established 17 locations across the city of Lansing, Michigan from February to December 2006 to record environmental sounds. A multilevel regression model (MLRM) was used to understand the variability of acoustic power of biological and anthropogenic sounds (biophony and anthrophony) with temporal and spatial data structures. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was employed to investigate how bird species respond along an environmental gradient. We found that soundscape characteristics were associated with the structure and composition of urban–rural landscapes. Biophony was inversely correlated with anthrophony along an urban–rural gradient. The results of the MLRM showed that the acoustic variability of biophony and anthrophony were associated with landscape attributes. The CCA revealed that the distribution of bird species was significantly related to the percent area of different land cover types. The study suggests that recording acoustic characteristics in urban systems can offer opportunities to not only measure ambient noise levels, but also understand how each component of soundscape is related to another.