cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Child Soldier Narrative and the Problem of Arrested Historicization

This essay proposes a comparative reading of child soldier narratives from Africa, most of them novels, and argues that the recent texts (those published since the mid-1990s) exhibit a lesser engagement with history than the war novels from the colonial and immediate postcolonial periods. One reason for this loss of historicity lies in the way the human rights frame is applied to the child soldier identity and conditions his or her story. The earlier war novels were written in the context of resistance struggles that highlight the agency of the subject whereas the recent emphasis on the victim status of the child soldier seems to compromise his agency. Looking to narrative as a part of the therapeutic process of recovery, these recent texts contrast a past loss of agency that pertains to the time of the war with a future regaining of agency through recovery. This narrative pattern serves to individualize the child soldier and to shift attention away from social and political conditions that brought on his...
Anticonvulsants for the Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome and Alcohol Use Disorders

Alcoholic patients suffer from harmful allostatic neuroplastic changes in the brain causing an acute withdrawal syndrome upon cessation of drinking followed by a protracted abstinence syndrome and an increased risk of relapse to heavy drinking. Benzodiazepines have long been the treatment of choice for detoxifying patients and managing alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). Non-benzodiazepine anticonvulsants (NBACs) are increasingly being used both for alcohol withdrawal management and for ongoing outpatient treatment of alcohol dependence, with the goal of either abstinence or harm reduction. This expert narrative review summarizes the scientific basis and clinical evidence supporting the use of NBACs in treating AWS and for reducing harmful drinking patterns. There is less evidence in support of NBAC therapy for AWS, with few placebo-controlled trials. Carbamazepine and gabapentin appear to be the most promising adjunctive treatments for AWS, and they may be useful as monotherapy in select cases, especially in outpatient settings and for the treatment of mild-to-moderate low-risk patients with the AWS. The body of evidence supporting the use of the NBACs for reducing harmful drinking in the outpatient setting is stronger. Topiramate appears to have a robust effect on reducing harmful drinking in alcoholics. Gabapentin is a potentially efficacious treatment for reducing the risk of relapse to harmful drinking patterns in outpatient management of alcoholism. Gabapentin’s ease of use, rapid titration, good tolerability, and efficacy in both the withdrawal and chronic phases of treatment make it particularly appealing. In summary, several NBACs appear to be beneficial in treating AWS and alcohol use disorders.
Systematic Analysis of Pleiotropy in C. elegans Early Embryogenesis

Pleiotropy refers to the phenomenon in which a single gene controls several distinct, and seemingly unrelated, phenotypic effects. We use C. elegans early embryogenesis as a model to conduct systematic studies of pleiotropy. We analyze high-throughput RNA interference (RNAi) data from C. elegans and identify “phenotypic signatures”, which are sets of cellular defects indicative of certain biological functions. By matching phenotypic profiles to our identified signatures, we assign genes with complex phenotypic profiles to multiple functional classes. Overall, we observe that pleiotropy occurs extensively among genes involved in early embryogenesis, and a small proportion of these genes are highly pleiotropic. We hypothesize that genes involved in early embryogenesis are organized into partially overlapping functional modules, and that pleiotropic genes represent “connectors” between these modules. In support of this hypothesis, we find that highly pleiotropic genes tend to reside in central positions in protein-protein interaction networks, suggesting that pleiotropic genes act as connecting points between different protein complexes or pathways.
Receptor Specificity of Influenza A H3N2 Viruses Isolated in Mammalian Cells and Embryonated Chicken Eggs

Isolation of human subtype H3N2 influenza viruses in embryonated chicken eggs yields viruses with amino acid substitutions in the hemagglutinin (HA) that often affect binding to sialic acid receptors. We used a glycan array approach to analyze the repertoire of sialylated glycans recognized by viruses from the same clinical specimen isolated in eggs or cell cultures. The binding profiles of whole virions to 85 sialoglycans on the microarray allowed the categorization of cell isolates into two groups. Group 1 cell isolates displayed binding to a restricted set of α2-6 and α2-3 sialoglycans, whereas group 2 cell isolates revealed receptor specificity broader than that of their egg counterparts. Egg isolates from group 1 showed binding specificities similar to those of cell isolates, whereas group 2 egg isolates showed a significantly reduced binding to α2-6- and α2-3-type receptors but retained substantial binding to specific O- and N-linked α2-3 glycans, including α2-3GalNAc and fucosylated α2-3 glycans (including sialyl Lewis x), both of which may be important receptors for H3N2 virus replication in eggs. These results revealed an unexpected diversity in receptor binding specificities among recent H3N2 viruses, with distinct patterns of amino acid substitution in the HA occurring upon isolation and/or propagation in eggs. These findings also suggest that clinical specimens containing viruses with group 1-like receptor binding profiles would be less prone to undergoing receptor binding or antigenic changes upon isolation in eggs. Screening cell isolates for appropriate receptor binding properties might help focus efforts to isolate the most suitable viruses in eggs for production of antigenically well-matched influenza vaccines.
Emerging concepts of air pollution problems, as seen by the political scientist.

The political scientist has become increasingly interested in the problems posed by air pollution. His specialized approach to these problems has developed in several directions. Until recently, the principal interests of the political scientist were those of the metropolitan area-governmental unit complex, federal-state-local relationships, and the clash of factions and pressure groups in a pluralistic society. While these are still of importance and of interest, there is now emerging a viewpoint of air pollution as a problem associated with current political emphasis on improving the quality of American life, our society having reached a new plateau after dealing primarily with such quantitative matters as economic security and full employment. There is also emerging an increased interest in application of economic yardsticks, such as cost-benefits ratio analyses, and in developing the economic motivation factor as elements in guiding political and administrative directions in control activity.
Adult-type glycine receptors form clusters on embryonic rat spinal cord neurons developing in vitro

The time course of development and the cellular and subcellular distributions of adult-type, strychnine-binding glycine receptors (GlyRs) were examined on rat spinal cord neurons in vitro using both the GlyR antagonist strychnine and a specific antibody against the receptor. Spinal cord neurons in vivo had no detectable adult-type GlyRs at embryonic day 14, the age used to establish cell cultures. After being placed in culture, neurons continued for several days to show no expression of adult-type GlyRs. This contrasted with the observation that these neurons began to express receptors for substance P within 24 hr in culture. Beginning after 5–7 d in culture, however, neurons began to express adult-type GlyRs on their surfaces, and the number of such receptors increased abruptly thereafter. Ultimately, about 80% of the neurons in heterogeneous spinal cord cultures came to express adult-type GlyRs, with all of them beginning to express the GlyRs at approximately the same time. The subcellular distribution of adult-type GlyRs on neurons was observed by fluorescence microscopy using both anti-GlyR antibody and a fluorescent derivative of strychnine. On neurons that had been in culture for more than 10 d, GlyRs were localized in focal clusters, or aggregates, that were distributed over both cell bodies and neurites. The apparent location of these clusters on the cell surface was confirmed by the observation that GlyRs could be labeled with the antibody on living neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Modeling Cutaneous Squamous Carcinoma Development in the Mouse

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is one of the most common cancers in Caucasian populations and is associated with a significant risk of morbidity and mortality. The classic mouse model for studying SCC involves two-stage chemical carcinogenesis, which has been instrumental in the evolution of the concept of multistage carcinogenesis, as widely applied to both human and mouse cancers. Much is now known about the sequence of biological and genetic events that occur in this skin carcinogenesis model and the factors that can influence the course of tumor development, such as perturbations in the oncogene/tumor-suppressor signaling pathways involved, the nature of the target cell that acquires the first genetic hit, and the role of inflammation. Increasingly, studies of tumor-initiating cells, malignant progression, and metastasis in mouse skin cancer models will have the potential to inform future approaches to treatment and chemoprevention of human squamous malignancies.
Relationships among Type, Production, and Stayability in Holstein Cattle

Abstract Records on 558,654 Holstein cows in the northeastern United States were used to calculate sire summaries for milk, fat, and stayability for 36, 48, 60, 72, and 84 mo. Predicted Difference Type was obtained from the Holstein-Friesian Association of America. Genetic correlations between production and stayability ranged from .20 to .55 with the lowest genetic correlations with 36- and 48-mo stayability. Genetic correlation between type and stayability were −.11, −.14, −.15, −.11, and −.09 for 36, 48, 60, 72, and 84-mo stayability. Stayabilities at different ages are correlated closely genetically. Sires selected for high first lactation production will have daughters which last longer. Screening bulls on 48-mo stayability would be the most desirable because of high genetic correlations with production and older stayabilities and because bulls can be evaluated at a younger age.
Real time application of artificial neural network for incipient fault detection of induction machines

This paper describes several artificial neural network architectures for real time application in incipient fault detection of induction machines. The artificial neural networks perform the fault detection in real time, based on direct measurements from the motor, and no rigorous mathematical model of the motor is needed. Different approaches used to develop a reliable fault detector are presented and compared in this paper. The designed networks vary in complexity and accuracy. A high-order fault detector neural network is discussed first. Then noise considerations are included in more complex fault detector models, since noise is an important factor in the design and analysis of real time fault detector neural networks. Simulation results show that with appropriate designs, artificial neural networks perform satisfactorily in real time incipient fault detection of induction machines.
Generating scalable polynomial models: key to low power high performance designs

As the need for power reduction techniques based on on-chip dynamic voltage scaling is on the rise, a design flow that can take full advantage of the performance/power tradeoffs is required. In this paper, we present a scalable polynomial model (SPM) based approach to precisely estimate the power and performance achievable through voltage scaling techniques. The main challenge here is generating accurate scalable polynomial models for timing and power and coming up with the right usage methodology. Novel techniques have been employed to generate piecewise polynomials for any given set of data without loss of accuracy. A new approach for incrementing the polynomial orders for reduction in run time is presented along with results. SPM libraries were generated for an entire library and validated at the cell level and design level. A complete usage model for designs using dynamic voltage scaling is also presented.
Gastric Volvulus After Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding for Morbid Obesity

2Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. ince it was approved for the management of morbid obesity in the United States in 2001 [1], laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding has become an increasingly popular form of bariatric surgery. Some surgeons favor laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding over Roux-en-Y gastric bypass because it is a less invasive procedure with a lower morbidity and mortality [1, 2]. Nevertheless, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding can have a variety of serious postoperative complications that do not occur with more traditional bariatric procedures. These complications include stomal stenosis with pouch dilatation, band slippage and gastric prolapse, band erosion, chronic gastric perforation, and, rarely, gastric volvulus [1–4]. Although it is a potentially life-threatening condition, gastric volvulus as a complication of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding has received little attention in the radiology literature [5]. We encountered two patients who had undergone laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding in whom band slippage precipitated gastric volvulus that was detected on barium studies, necessitating emergency surgical removal of the bands. We report our experience with these patients.
Rangeomorphs, Thectardis (Porifera?) and dissolved organic carbon in the Ediacaran oceans

The mid-Ediacaran Mistaken Point biota of Newfoundland represents the first morphologically complex organisms in the fossil record. At the classic Mistaken Point localities the biota is dominated by the enigmatic group of "fractally" branching organisms called rangeomorphs. One of the few exceptions to the rangeomorph body plan is the fossil Thectardis avalonensis, which has been reconstructed as an upright, open cone with its apex in the sediment. No biological affinity has been suggested for this fossil, but here we show that its body plan is consistent with the hydrodynamics of the sponge water-canal system. Further, given the habitat of Thectardis beneath the photic zone, and the apparent absence of an archenteron, movement, or a fractally designed body plan, we suggest that it is a sponge. The recognition of sponges in the Mistaken Point biota provides some of the earliest body fossil evidence for this group, which must have ranged through the Ediacaran based on biomarkers, molecular clocks, and their position on the metazoan tree of life, in spite of their sparse macroscopic fossil record. Should our interpretation be correct, it would imply that the paleoecology of the Mistaken Point biota was dominated by sponges and rangeomorphs, organisms that are either known or hypothesized to feed in large part on dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The biology of these two clades gives insight into the structure of the Ediacaran ocean, and indicates that a non-uniformitarian mechanism delivered labile DOC to the Mistaken Point seafloor.
Distributed MLEM: An Iterative Tomographic Image Reconstruction Algorithm for Distributed Memory Architectures

The processing speed for positron emission tomography (PET) image reconstruction has been greatly improved in recent years by simply dividing the workload to multiple processors of a graphics processing unit (GPU). However, if this strategy is generalized to a multi-GPU cluster, the processing speed does not improve linearly with the number of GPUs. This is because large data transfer is required between the GPUs after each iteration, effectively reducing the parallelism. This paper proposes a novel approach to reformulate the maximum likelihood expectation maximization (MLEM) algorithm so that it can scale up to many GPU nodes with less frequent inter-node communication. While being mathematically different, the new algorithm maximizes the same convex likelihood function as MLEM, thus converges to the same solution. Experiments on a multi-GPU cluster demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Postoperative nomogram predicting the 10-year probability of prostate cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy

Purpose A postoperative nomogram for prostate cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP) has been independently validated as accurate and discriminating. We have updated the nomogram by extending the predictions to 10 years after RP and have enabled the nomogram predictions to be adjusted for the disease-free interval that a patient has maintained after RP. Methods Cox regression analysis was used to model the clinical information for 1,881 patients who underwent RP for clinically-localized prostate cancer by two high-volume surgeons. The model was externally validated separately on two independent cohorts of 1,782 patients and 1,357 patients, respectively. Disease progression was defined as a rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, clinical progression, radiotherapy more than 12 months postoperatively, or initiation of systemic therapy. Results The 10-year progression-free probability for the modeling set was 79% (95% CI, 75% to 82%). Significant variables in the multivariable model include...
Modification of cysteine 111 in Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase results in altered spectroscopic and biophysical properties

Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) mutations are involved in about 20% of all cases of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS). Recently, it has been proposed that aberrant copper activity may be occurring within SOD at an alternative binding, and cysteine 111 has been identified as a potential copper ligand. Using a commercial source of human SOD isolated from erythrocytes, an anomalous absorbance at 325 nm was identified. This unusual property, which does not compromise SOD activity, had previously been shown to be consistent with a sulfhydryl modification at a cysteine residue. Here, we utilized limited trypsin proteolysis and mass spectrometry to show that the modification has a mass of 32 daltons and is located at cysteine 111. The reaction of SOD with sodium sulfide, which can react with cysteine to form a persulfide group, and with potassium cyanide, which can selectively remove persulfide bonds, confirmed the addition of a persulfide group at cysteine 111. Gel electrophoresis and glutaraldehyde cross-linking revealed that this modification makes the acid-induced denaturation of SOD fully irreversible. Furthermore, the modified protein exhibits a slower acid-induced unfolding, and is more resistant to oxidation-induced aggregation caused by copper and hydrogen peroxide. Thus, these results suggest that cysteine 111 can have a biochemical and biophysical impact on SOD, and suggest that it can interact with copper, potentially mediating the copper-induced oxidative damage of SOD. It will be of interest to study the role of cysteine 111 in the oxidative damage and aggregation of toxic SOD mutants.
Sales of food aid as sign of distress, not excess

In 1996 the sale and export of food aid from refugee camps near Uvira, Zaire, prompted a reduction in donated rations. However, research has revealed that the sales did not reflect an excess of food in the camps. They were provoked by the absence of important components of the food basket, by cultural aversion to the staple (maize) and oil provided, by difficulties in food preparation, and by the refugees' limited ability to diversify their diet and cover pressing non-food needs. Food sales improved the micronutrient content of diets but at the expense of energy lost from an already energy-deficient diet. At most 23% of the refugee households were eating sufficient and adequate diets; the poorest one-fifth of households were twice as likely to sell or exchange food as were other households and their diets were the worst. These findings demonstrate the perils of the gap between policy and practice in food-aid distribution.
Associations between Patient Religiosity and Alcohol Attitudes and Knowledge in an Alcohol Treatment Program

Studies, carried out in generalized populations, have shown inverse relationships between degree of religiosity and attitudes towards drinking, knowledge about alcohol, amount of alcohol consumed, and physical complications of alcohol abuse. Within a population of chronic male alcoholics, we found that the more religious patients had a more anti-alcohol attitude; however, none of the other correlations was statistically significant. Within this population, the least religious patients were more likely to change their attitude toward alcohol and to increase their knowledge of the deleterious effects of alcohol after 4 weeks of treatment on an inpatient rehabilitation unit.
The Integration Box (TIB): An Individual and Institutional Faith, Religion, and Spirituality at Work Assessment Tool

This chapter seeks to convey the developmental origins of Miller’s The Integration Box (TIB) theory and its accompanying psychometric scale (in the final stages of development). Social movements theory (Diani M. Sociol Rev 40(1): 1–25, 1992) was used in the development of the TIB theory allowing the theory to capture both the multivariate nature of workplace spirituality and their individual expressions. Specifically, this chapter will outline the original TIB theory and its development, delineate the most current rendition of the TIB theory, contextualize the theory referencing existing workplace spirituality research and psychometric scales, discuss a new organizational rubric for workplace spirituality instruments to assist in addressing future research considerations for the TIB and multidimensional theories, and position the new TIB instrument to serve as an individual and institutional faith, religion, and spirituality at work assessment tool. (The authors also wish to thank Jonathan Lea for his research and editing assistance.)
Predictive Flow Control to Minimize Convective Time Delays

To overcome the convective time delay issue for active closed-loop flow control, a model based predictive control algorithm is analyzed. From a controls perspective, forms of internal model control or model predictive control can be used to accommodate and minimize the effect of systems with pure time delays. Moreover, the Smith predictor is a commonly employed control technique to negate the pure time delay in a closed-loop system. This form of model predictive control is applied to the asymmetric vortex problem of an axisymmetric forebody (specifically a von Karman ogive with fineness ratio of 3.5). The full-order Navier-Stokes equations are numerically solved on the forebody at a high angle of attack and provide the plant process. Small port and starboard blowing patches are used to introduce fluidic disturbances at the nose of the ogive to augment the global flow state and produce a deterministic vortex state. As the active flow control technique exploits a convective instability, a convective time delay exists. Linear-time-invariant and non-linear time-invariant models are developed from the open-loop dynamics. A Smith predictor is employed within the full order CFD simulation. The results of the predictive control are compared to open-loop and model-free closed-loop behavior. It is shown that the predictive control developed in this paper while very suitable for control of this type of flow, is very sensitive to modeling uncertainties.
Pentose Cycle Flux and Fatty Acid Synthesis in Bovine Adipose Tissue Slices Incubated with 6-Aminonicotinamide

The effects of the purported inhibitor of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, 6-aminonicotinamide, on lipogenesis from acetate and the metabolism of glucose were investigated in bovine adipose tissue. The incorporation of [U-14C]acetate and tritium from [3-3H]glucose into fatty acids was stimulated by 6-aminonicotinamide proportionately, indicating that the pentose cycle provided the same percentage of NADPH required for fat synthesis in the absence and presence of 6-aminonicotinamide. Tissue samples incubated with 6-aminonicotinamide displayed higher maximal activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase than control samples. The cellular content of 6-phosphogluconate was increased by 6-aminonicotinamide by 40% in samples incubated with 2 mM glucose (plus 33 mU/ml insulin) and 10 mM acetate; 6-aminonicotinamide stimulated the production of L-lactate in either the absence or presence of acetate. Studies with 1-, 6-, and U-14C-labeled glucose indicated that 6-aminonicotinamide increased the proportion of utilized glucose metabolized by the pentose cycle in the absence, but not in the presence of acetate. Unlike results observed in rat adipose tissue, the primary effect of 6-aminonicotinamide was to increase the proportion of NADPH produced by the pentose cycle that was utilized for fat synthesis secondarily to the stimulation of lipogenesis by an unknown mechanism.
125 years of laboratory research in botany at The New York Botanical Garden

A brief history of laboratory research in botany is given with a focus on trends through time, impact on botanical research at The New York Botanical Garden, and its impact on the teaching of botany in university settings.
67 EVALUATION OF A 12-LEAD DIGITAL HOLTER SYSTEM FOR 24-HOUR Q-T INTERVAL ASSESSMENT.

Background Drug-induced Q-T prolongation may precipitate life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias; therefore, evaluation of the Q-T prolonging effect of new pharmaceutical agents in a “thorough Q-T/Q-Tc study” is being mandated by the FDA. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a 12-lead digital Holter system for a thorough Q-T/Q-Tc study. Methods Five healthy volunteers underwent 24-hour digital Holter monitoring (NorthEast Monitoring, Maynard, MA). The system provides automated Q-T analysis (AQA) and the option of onscreen manual over read (MOR) of automatic Q-T determinations. Each recording underwent a fully AQA followed by an onscreen complete MOR by an expert observer. The MOR was used as the reference standard for the validation of AQA. Each recording underwent a second analysis at 2 weeks following the first analysis to evaluate reproducibility. The effect of data sampling (5-min segment/hour), the system sensitivity to detect 5 ms increase in Q-T, and the ability to assess circadian variation were also evaluated. Results The fully AQA resulted in identical QT for the first and second analyses, but with obvious errors in Q-T measurements. Compared to the complete onscreen MOR, the 24-hour mean Q-T was longer with AQA (416 ± 41 vs 387 ± 30 ms, p
INFLUENZA IN THE ELDERLY : PREVENTION IS THE BEST STRATEGY IN HIGH-RISK POPULATIONS

Diagnosis of influenza can be difficult in the elderly because of coexisting disease or communication difficulties. However, since the infection often results in complications and may be lethal in these patients, early identification is imperative. Influenza virus vaccine (Fluogen, Fluzone, FluShield) may prevent infection or reduce the severity of complications, even though response may be attenuated in elderly patients. Newer vaccines under investigation may prove to be more efficacious. Education is necessary to improve rates of vaccination, particularly among residents and staff of nursing homes. Antiviral agents are important adjuncts in the fight against influenza, but they are not a substitute for vaccination.
Varieties of Artificial Crime Analysis: Purpose, Structure, and Evidence in Crime Simulations

Liang (2001) constructed the first crime pattern simulation for his dissertation, supervised by Liu and Eck, and publicly presented his analysis at the UCGIS Summer Assembly in 2001 (Liang, Liu, & Eck, 2001). His simulation implemented aspects of routine activity theory with two types of agents: store robbers and store managers. Managers were immobile, but updated their protection based on “news” of robberies transmitted using cellular automata. Robbers moved randomly around a street grid, copied from a small area of Cincinnati, and decided to rob a store they encountered based on a comparison of their capabilities with the store’s protection level. The resulting pattern of robberies looked surprisingly similar to the actual pattern of robberies in the same geographic area (Liu, Wang, Eck, & Liang , 2005). AbstrAct
Dear White People

Dear White People examines how Black college students experience racism, rejecting the post-racial ideal. Set at a fictional predominantly White institution [PWI], the film chronicles the lives of ...
On the taxonomic status of Eriogonum robustum (Polygonaceae), a rare endemic in western Nevada

Evidence from the morphology, genetics, and biogeography of a rare endemic from western Nevada, Erigonum robustum , is presented to determine the most accurate taxonomic classification. Previous authors have classified E. robustrum Greene both as a species and as a variety E. lobbii Torrey & Gray. However, results of a morphometric comparison for 9 characters establish that significant morphological differentiation exists between E. robustum and E. lobbii . In addition, results of a genetic study using protein electrophoresis indicated that genetic differentiation may exist between these 2 taxa. Furthermore, the 2 taxa are geographically, ecologically, and reproductively isolated. Finally, the selective pressures that act on E. robustum in a narrowly restricted cold-desert environment are different from those that act on E. lobbii in subalpine environment. Thus, all available data support a species-level taxonomic classification for E. robustum .
Making Fish Culture Sustinable

The challenges facing the population of fish throughout the world are critical. Overfishing, physical impediments, and the warming of the world oceans are threatening the population that includes small krill, tuna, trout, salmon, and whales. Some scientists predict that by 2050, the oceans could be fishless. Various solutions are being sought and some have been implemented that include conservation, the removal of dams on rivers, and aquaculture for ocean salmon and tuna. Aquaculture refers to the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of plants and animals in all types of water environments. Marine aquaculture refers to the culturing of species that live in the ocean. Herein, we explore the various threats to fish populations and efforts to mitigate them, especially in Japan.
Wetlands Protection: The Forgotten Agenda

As wetlands were left out of the North American Agreement for Environmental Cooperation, this chapter reiterates the importance of dealing with their protection not only at the national level (where Mexico and Canada both lag behind the United States), but also at a regional one as well. In this sense, the current international context of wetlands protection is addressed, presenting the administrative and organizational structures on which wetland protection presently takes place. Included also is a structured analysis of the opportunities and challenges associated with key, present-day North American wetland protection policies.
A universal parameterized gradient-based method for photon beam field size determination.

Purpose To propose a universal, parameterized gradient-based method (PGM) for radiation field size determination. Methods The PGM locates the beam profile's edge by parameterizing its penumbra region with a modified sigmoid function where the inflection point can be determined in a closed form. The parametrization was validated with filter-flattened (FF), flattening-filter-free (FFF) and wedged profiles measured on two Elekta linac models (Synergy and Versa HD). Gamma analysis with the delta dose function set to zero was used to quantitatively assess the parameterization accuracy. Field sizes of FF beams were calculated with the PGM and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) methods for comparison. To assess the consistency of the PGM and the FWHM method with geometric scaling across different depths, the calculated field size at a reference depth was scaled to other depths and compared with the field sizes calculated from the measured profiles. The method was also validated against a maximum-slope method (MSM) with wedge and FFF profiles. We also evaluated the robustness of the three methods with respect to measurement noise, varying scanning step sizes, detector characteristics, and beam energy/modality. Results Small distance-to-agreement (0.02 ± 0.02 mm) between the measured and parameterized penumbra region was observed for all profiles. The differences between the field sizes calculated with the FWHM method and the PGM were consistent (0.9 ± 0.3 mm), with the FWHM method yielding larger values. With geometrical scaling, the PGM and the FWHM method produced maximum differences of 0.26 and 1.16 mm, respectively. For wedge and FFF beams, the mean differences relative to FF fields were 0.15 ± 0.09 mm and 0.57 ± 0.91 mm for the PGM and the MSM, respectively. The PGM was also found to produce more consistent results than the FWHM method and the MSM when measurement noise, scanning step size, detector characteristics, and beam energy/modality changed. Conclusion The proposed PGM is universally applicable to all beam modalities (FF, wedge and FFF) for accurate field size determination. Compared to the FWHM and the MSM, it is more robust to variations in measurement condition and detection system.
Association of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 and risk of incident atrial fibrillation: Findings from 3 cohorts.

Background Multiple prospective studies have established an association between inflammation and higher risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), but the association between lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) mass and activity and incident AF has not been extensively evaluated. Methods Using data from 10,794 Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities (ARIC) study participants aged 53-75 years, 5,181 Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) participants aged 65 to 100 years, and 5,425 Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) participants aged 45-84 years, we investigated the association between baseline Lp-PLA2 levels and the risk of developing AF. Incident AF was identified in each cohort by follow-up visit electrocardiograms, hospital discharge coding of AF, or Medicare claims data. Results Over a mean of 13.1, 11.5, and 10.0 years of follow-up, 1,439 (13%), 2,084 (40%), and 615 (11%) incident AF events occurred in ARIC, CHS, and MESA, respectively. In adjusted analyses, each SD increment in Lp-PLA2 activity was associated with incident AF in both ARIC (hazard ratio [HR] 1.13, 95% CI 1.06-1.20) and MESA (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.05-1.46). Each SD increment in Lp-PLA2 mass was also associated with incident AF in MESA (HR 1.25, 95% CI 1.11-1.41). No significant associations were observed among CHS participants. Conclusions Although higher Lp-PLA2 mass and activity were associated with development of AF in ARIC and MESA, this relationship was not observed in CHS, a cohort of older individuals.
Algorithmic Approach for Intraoperative Salvage of Venous Congestion in DIEP Flaps.

Background Flap congestion is a frequently described intraoperative complication during autologous breast reconstruction with abdominal perforator flaps, which, if not addressed, can lead to detrimental results such as flap failure. Here, we describe our institution's algorithm of intraoperative salvage of congested flaps and present their outcomes. Patients and Methods All patient charts from 2002 to 2016 of a single plastic surgeon were reviewed for patients who underwent deep inferior epigastric perforator flap breast reconstruction resulting in 602 patients and 831 flaps. Of those, 38 women (6.3%) with 40 congested flaps (4.8%) were included in this study. Based on the algorithm guiding the selection of additional venous anastomosis, the patients' surgical details, outcomes, as well as their demographic characteristics are evaluated. Results Average age and body mass index of our cohort were 47.0 ± 8.0 years and 26.1 ± 3.9, respectively. Ten patients (26.3%) were current or former smokers while 20 (52.6%) required external radiation. Thirty-two congested flaps (80.0%) were predominantly salvaged with a superficial inferior epigastric vein (SIEV)-to-deep inferior epigastric vein (comitante) anastomosis. An SIEV-to-internal mammary vein comitante anastomosis was the second favorite option (5 flaps, 12.5%). Five patients suffered minor complications within a mean follow-up of 18.8 ± 12.3 months without flap failure, bleeding, or infection. Conclusions Venous flap congestion is an uncommon intraoperative intricacy during free tissue transfer for autologous breast reconstruction. Our proposed algorithm primarily recommends adding an additional venous anastomosis between the superficial and deep drainage system and results and favorable outcomes without major complications.
An Appraisal of the Primary Data Utilized in Canadian Penitentiary Statistics

Potentially, the most complete and accurate information concerning any broad class of law-violators is obtainable from statistics on inmates of penitentiaries. This is true because the longer term of the penitentiary convict makes possible a correspondingly more intensive study of his characteristics than can be made for the offender concerning whom we have only the information provided by the police, the courts, or the municipal jails. The research upon which this report is based grew out of an interest in evaluating, at least partially, the extent to which one major recommendation of the so-called “Archambault Report” has been implemented. The pertinent recommendation stressed “the need for formulating definite policies in regard to the compilation of statistics and definite principles of gathering such statistics which would be observed by all authorities throughout Canada.” More concretely, it recommended (p. 174) that “there should be a close cooperation between the [Department of Justice, Penitentiaries Branch] … and the [Dominion] Bureau of Statistics, with a view to formulating definite policies….” The major statistical section (forming the Appendix) of the Annual Report of the Commissioners of Penitentiaries , is a direct result of the foregoing recommendation.
Erratum: Author Correction: Identification and targeting of an FGFR fusion in a pediatric thalamic "central oligodendroglioma".

In the original version of this Article the Supplementary Information was missing. This file has now been added to the HTML version of this Article.
The Cytopathology of Metal Overload

Researchers have been able to demonstrate the cytotoxicity of copper overload in animal models. This has allowed them to not only localize the intracellular distribution of copper but also to study directly the subsequent organelle injury at the ultrastructural level. The lesions seen in copper overload appear to vary from species to species. In humans, marked mitochondrial abnormalities are seen in Wilson's disease while diet overloaded rats show nuclear destruction and various membranous abnormalities. Sequestration of copper within lysosomes appears to protect hepatocytes from its toxicity. However, the mechanism by which the metal is incorporated into lysosomes is not known.
The Significance of Hermeneutical Developments in Christian Exegesis for Jewish-Christian Relations

Patristic hermeneutics was oriented towards the development of rules and principles that would enable interpretations of the Bible, and its proper understanding within the delimitations of the Christian ethos. The rules and principles thus developed encompassed different methodologies that groups and individuals may use to gain insight into God’s revelation through Christ, His plan for salvation, the status of His chosen people, and even the roles and ramifications of eschatology and soteriology in the life of the Christian community. More often than not, however, the exegetical methods employed are informed by the literary culture of the community in which they find expression; the resultant new and creative paradigms, undergirded by rules and principles, are then applied to biblical texts. But rules and principles are intimately related. My paper would focus on this pivotal period of the nascent Church by concentrating on the development of its hermeneutical principles and the consequent effects on Jewish-Christian relations.
Finding Patterns in Time Series

Large datasets are often time series data, and such datasets present challenging problems that arise from the passage of time reflected in the datasets. A problem of current interest is clustering and classification of multiple time series. When various time series are fitted to models, the different time series can be grouped into clusters based on the fitted models. If there are different identifiable classes of time series, the fitted models can be used to classify new time series.
“Alone in a Sea of Rib-Tips”: Alvenia Fulton, Natural Health, and the Politics of Soul Food

While the intersection between alternative medicine and the natural food movement in radical white communities of the 1960s and 1970s is well known, the connection between these traditions and the simultaneous revolution in the black foodscape has not received adequate attention. This paper addresses this gap by exploring how an alternative healer and minister from the rural South, Alvenia Fulton, rose to prominence in Chicago during the 1960s and 1970s as one of the major figures in the transformation of the black diet by harnessing the star power of her celebrity clients. Fulton hybridized her apprenticeship in slave herbalism with concepts from white Protestant health food lectures into a corrective nutrition program to bring health and renewal to black communities that were struggling under the burden of structural and medical racism. When, in the 1960s, coronary heart disease peaked for black Americans, soul food became the iconic diet of the civil rights movement. To help her community while respecting their culture, Fulton struck a careful bargain to encourage more black Americans to eat raw, natural, vegetarian food by subtly reimagining the historical contents of the slave diet.
Estimation of the covariance structure of heavy-tailed distributions

We propose and analyze a new estimator of the covariance matrix that admits strong theoretical guarantees under weak assumptions on the underlying distribution, such as existence of moments of only low order. While estimation of covariance matrices corresponding to sub-Gaussian distributions is well-understood, much less in known in the case of heavy-tailed data. As K. Balasubramanian and M. Yuan write, ``data from real-world experiments oftentimes tend to be corrupted with outliers and/or exhibit heavy tails. In such cases, it is not clear that those covariance matrix estimators .. remain optimal'' and ``..what are the other possible strategies to deal with heavy tailed distributions warrant further studies.'' We make a step towards answering this question and prove tight deviation inequalities for the proposed estimator that depend only on the parameters controlling the ``intrinsic dimension'' associated to the covariance matrix (as opposed to the dimension of the ambient space); in particular, our results are applicable in the case of high-dimensional observations.
Incorporating Local Offset in the Global Offset Method and Optimization Process for Error Compensation in Machine Tools

Abstract Evaluation and compensation of machining accuracy of five-axis machine tools is often time consuming and requires high levels of operator expertise on the measurement instruments to achieve identification of error parameters. Faster compensation methods are necessary to reflect the current state of the machine in a manufacturing floor. The Global offset method has been developed for mass production, where the information from post-machining inspection of the workpiece on a coordinate measuring machine is utilized to determine the compensation parameters that are used in the machine tool controller to improve part quality. It makes compensation easy and convenient using part measurement data. This paper explains the incorporation of the Local offsets in the Global offset method utilizing an iterative and incremental approach to farther minimize the part feature errors. The Global-Local offset method explains not only the geometric errors but those affected by the deformation due to dynamic forces, thermos-mechanical changes and backlash (that are repeatable from part-to-part) in a machine tool, and part deformation due to cutting and/or clamping forces that are also repeatable. Using the Global-Local offset parameters, part feature error residuals were found to be less than 10% the feature tolerance.
A new chain coding mechanism for compression stimulated by a virtual environment of a predator–prey ecosystem

Abstract In this paper, the researcher introduces a new chain coding mechanism that employs a predator–prey agent-based modeling simulation with some modifications and simplifications and uses it in compression. In the proposed method, an image is ultimately represented by a virtual world consisting of three agent types: wolves, sheep, and paths. While sheep and paths do not change their locations during the program execution, wolves search for sheep to prey on. With each step, a wolf can determine its path by choosing between seven pertinent moves depending on the encountered information. The algorithm keeps track of the wolves’ initial locations and their movements and uses this as a new image representation. Additionally, the researcher introduces the ‘Lengthy Advance Move,’ the purpose of which is to group particular consecutive codes and further reduce the chain. This, in turn, allows the researcher to experiment with different variations of the algorithm. Finally, the researcher applies arithmetic coding on the series of movements for extra compression. The experimental results reveal that the current algorithm generates higher compression ratios than many standardized algorithms, including JBIG family algorithms. Most importantly, paired-sample t-tests reveal significant differences between the findings of the wolf-sheep predation algorithm and the other algorithms used as benchmarks for comparisons.
Abstract P2062: Vitamin D Supplementation Improves Vascular Function in Adolescents Suffering from Orthostatic Intolerance

Background: In previous work we identified a group of adolescents whose diagnostic workup for chronic unexplained nausea revealed underlying cardiovascular instability manifesting as orthostatic in...