cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Competitiveness of shallow water hydrocarbon development projects in Mexico after 2015 actualization of fiscal reforms: Economic benchmark of new production sharing agreement versus typical U.S. federal lease terms

Abstract Development of Mexican hydrocarbon reservoirs by foreign operators has become possible under Mexico's new Hydrocarbon Law, effective as per January 2015. Our study compares the economic returns of shallow water fields in the Gulf of Mexico applying the royalty and taxes due under the fiscal regimes of the U.S. and Mexico. The net present value (NPV) of the base case scenario is US$1.4 billion, assuming standard development and production cost (opex, capex), 10% discount rate accounting for the cost of capital and revenues computed using a reference oil price of $75/bbl. The impact on NPV of oil price volatility is accounted for in a sensitivity analysis. The split of the NPV of shallow water hydrocarbon assets between the two contractual parties, contractor and government, in Mexico and the U.S. is hugely different. Our base case shows that for similar field assets, Mexico's production sharing agreement allocates about $1,150 million to the government and $191 million to the contractor, while under U.S. license conditions the government take is about $700 million and contractor take is $553 million. The current production sharing agreement leaves some marginal shallow water fields in Mexico undeveloped for reasons detailed and quantified in our study.
Child Death Review Teams

One of the most well known responses to fatal child maltreatment has been the establishment of child death review teams. These are multidisciplinary work groups, comprised at the state or county level, that meet regularly to review the death of children. The goal is to study child and family characteristics and to examine the potential services that the child and family may have been receiving. With an eye toward prevention, child death review teams aim to identify missed opportunities to take protective action on behalf of children before their death. Child death review teams are governed by state statute and their operations are increasingly streamlined by the National Center for the Review and Prevention of Child Deaths. This chapter describes the activities and outcomes of child death review teams. There is wide spread use of child death review teams both inside and outside of the United States. The efficacy of review teams is unknown because of a lack of research. This chapter discusses the potential contributions that this policy and programmatic response have made in the arena of fatal child maltreatment.
Basic Applications of Differentiation

This chapter discusses the basic applications of differentiation. It uses the symbolic ideas and the increment approximation in some basic applications of differentiation. When functions are chained or composed, the rate of change of the first output variable changes the second output variable—their rates are related. Implicitly linked variables change with one another, but there are no explicit functions connecting them, only a formula involving both variables. Implicit differentiation is often an easier way to solve related rate. Essentially, this method is easier because implicit differentiation treats all variables equally. Many applications of calculus involve different quantities that vary with time but are linked with one another; the time rate of change of one variable determines the time rate of change of the other.
Electrical Energy Generation via Reversible Chemical Doping on Carbon Nanotube Fibers

Chemically modified carbon nanotube fibers enable unique power sources driven entirely by a chemical potential gradient. Electrical current (11.9 μA mg-1 ) and potential (525 mV) are reversibly produced by localized acetonitrile doping under ambient conditions. An inverse length-scaling of the maximum power as L-1.03 that creates specific powers as large as 30.0 kW kg-1 highlights the potential for microscale energy generation.
Hunter: next-generation code reuse for Java

In many common scenarios, programmers need to implement functionality that is already provided by some third party library. This paper presents a tool called Hunter that facilitates code reuse by finding relevant methods in large code bases and automatically synthesizing any necessary wrapper code. Since Hunter internally uses advanced program synthesis technology, it can automatically reuse existing methods even when code adaptation is necessary. We have implemented Hunter as an Eclipse plug-in and evaluate it by (a) comparing it against S6, a state-of-the-art code reuse tool, and (b) performing a user study. Our evaluation shows that Hunter compares favorably with S6 and increases programmer productivity.
Revascularization of Moyamoya Angiopathy in Older Adults.

Background Moyamoya angiopathy most often manifests in patients in the second and third decades of life. Although uncommon, it can also manifest later in life. We present our results in patients >50 years old with moyamoya angiopathy who were treated with surgical revascularization via either direct bypass or indirect bypass (encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis). Methods A retrospective review was conducted to identify patients with moyamoya disease who were treated with surgical revascularization at our institution between 2002 and 2015. Outcomes and complications were analyzed. Results We identified 33 patients with moyamoya angiopathy >50 years old (mean age 59.0 years ± 7.6) who were treated with surgical revascularization of 45 affected hemispheres. Of the affected hemispheres, 27 (60%) were treated with indirect bypasses and 18 (40%) were treated with direct bypasses. Neurologic complications occurred in 4 (12%) patients. The mean length of follow-up was 18.7 months ± 18.6; 4 patients were lost to follow-up. At last follow-up, 11 of 18 (61%) direct bypasses were patent. Treatment failed in 5 of 45 (11%) treated hemispheres (stroke in 2 and persistent transient ischemic attacks in 3). In terms of functional outcome at last follow-up, 16 of 29 (55%) patients were the same as before surgery, 10 (35%) were better, and 3 (10%) were worse (including 1 death). Conclusions Although uncommon, moyamoya angiopathy can manifest in older adults. Surgical revascularization is a reasonable treatment option with good functional outcomes and an acceptable complication rate.
Hematology and Serum Biochemistry Reference Intervals for Six-Week-Old, Farm-Reared Chinese Ring-Necked Pheasants ( Phasianus colchicus ) from Minnesota.

SUMMARY Chinese ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) are commonly farmed in intensive operations for purposes such as meat production, hunting preserves, or research. Under these conditions, pheasants frequently suffer medical ailments such as bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections or nutritional or metabolic disorders. Relatively little scientific information exists regarding clinical pathology reference intervals (RIs) for farm-reared pheasants. The objective of this study was to determine RIs for hematologic and serum biochemical variables for Chinese ring-necked pheasants from Minnesota at 6 wk of age. Blood samples from 119 clinically healthy Chinese ring-necked pheasants were analyzed using standard techniques. Reference intervals were generated in Microsoft® Excel® 2013 (Microsoft, Redmond, WA) using Reference Value Advisor freeware version 2.1 (Microsoft). Ninety-five percent RIs were determined using nonparametric methods that followed Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidel...
A Tumor Ultrasound-guided Incision (TUGI) Approach to Nipple-sparing Mastectomy: Balancing Oncologic Safety and Technical Outcomes.

Abstract Background Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) is a prevalent operation for patients with breast cancer. Indications have been limited to tumors accessible via radial, infra-mammary, or periareolar incisions out of concern for oncologic and technical safety. We study an alternative approach to NSM based on tumor ultrasound-guided incisions (TUGI) and report its oncologic and technical outcomes. Materials and Methods A retrospective chart review examined patients who underwent TUGI NSM between 2013 and 2016. Operative notes, postoperative notes, pathology reports, and postoperative photography were analyzed. Results Ninety-four patients had mastectomy with reconstruction performed over a 3-year period by the senior authors. Of those, 31 (33%) were NSM and 13 (14%) had the TUGI technique, forming the study group. The median tumor size was 1.5 cm, with a median distance from the nipple areolar complex of 5 cm. Sixty-two percent of the incisions were in the upper quadrants of the breast. Median operative time was 207 minutes. Zero patients had positive margins. One hundred percent of patients underwent immediate tissue expander placement, 46% with acellular dermal matrix. For final reconstruction, 23% had a free flap, 69% implant, and 8% are still pending. Eight percent of patients had wound infection, and 15% of patients had NAC necrosis. No cancer recurrence has been observed at a median follow-up of 17 months. Conclusion TUGI offers a valuable, oncologically sound alternative approach to traditional NSM. The technical results and outcomes support its use in selected patients with breast cancer undergoing NSM.
"Now Serving â€˜Tacos al CabrÃ³nâ€™: Student Use of Satirical Humor as a Form of Protest at Texas A&I"

During the 1970s Chicano activists at Texas A& I in Kingsville, Texas produced underground newspapers in which they utilized satirical humor and bilingual word play not only to assert their rights as students, but also to stand up for the rights of Mexican American workers in the community. In this essay, I argue that this Mexican American satire constituted a form of transnationalism; the humor represented a unique blend of Mexican and U.S. influences. It is indeed, an expression of what Walter Mignolo (2000) would describe as "border thinking," because through the venue of these newspapers, the students dismissed their subaltern position by reclaiming and redefining reality as they perceived it as Mexican American students at A&I. I conclude that their use of satirical humor constituted a yet-to-be explored form of cultural nationalism because it expressed pride in Mexican culture at the same time that it claimed the right for a distinctly Mexican American culture to exist within the framework of U.S society.
Against the Combination of Materialism and Direct Realism

Abstract The basic division between physical and phenomenal attributes is developed and defended. To deny this division, one can say observed objects are mere constructs from experience, whether from both actual and hypothetical experiences (phenomenalism) or from actual experiences only (reductive idealism). Alternatively, one can resort to neutral monism or to panpsychism. All four of these approaches are contrary to classical materialism. One could deny the phenomenal, but this denial is contrary to the observed facts. One could say the phenomenal is a direct copy or reflection of the physical, but then what the material world displays will be attributes of things as they are present in conscious awareness, which will make the basis for things be phenomenal attributes, contrary to classical materialism. A sophisticated version of realism is briefly sketched, which allows correspondence without direct copying but also avoids severing the linkage of experience with physical objects.
“Acts Specifically ‘Terrorist’ in Character”

As political leaders played a less direct role in the consequences of the settlement of the Hungaro-Yugoslav dispute, League officials, outside groups, jurists, and government functionaries filled the vacuum. The Committee for the International Repression of Terrorism first met in 1935. It approved several articles for an anti-terrorism convention. Some were bold and innovative, others made a confusing and difficult undertaking even more so. A few members championed the creation of an international criminal court. While these efforts demonstrated that the League could foster international cooperation, they also exposed deep divisions over Geneva’s role in combating terrorism. The British agreed to help draft a convention, but only if it was “limited to acts specifically ‘terrorist’ in character.” Much ambiguity surrounded this decision from the outset.
Energy Expenditure in Pregnant Women with Obesity Does Not Support Energy Intake Recommendations

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to identify factors that may predispose women to excess gestational weight gain (GWG). METHODS Seventy-two healthy women with obesity (30 class I, 24 class II, 18 class III) expecting a singleton pregnancy were studied at 13 to 16 weeks gestation. Energy expenditure (EE) was measured during sleep (SleepEE, average EE from 0200-0500 hours) in a whole-room calorimeter, and total daily EE (TDEE) over 7 days using doubly labeled water. Glucose, insulin, thyroid hormones, and catecholamines were measured. RESULTS Body composition explained 70% variability in SleepEE, and SleepEE accounted for 67% to 73% of TDEE. Though there was no evidence of consistent low metabolism, there was considerable variability. Low SleepEE was associated with insulin resistance and low triiodothyronine concentrations (both P = 0.01). Physical activity level was 1.47 ± 0.02. For women with SleepEE within 100 kcal/d of their predicted EE, TDEE was significantly less than the estimate (2,530 ± 91 vs. 2,939 kcal/d; P < 0.001) provided from the most recent gestational energy requirement model. CONCLUSIONS Pregnant women with obesity are inactive, possibly predisposing them to excess GWG. Current energy requirement models overestimate activity and may promote excess GWG in women with obesity. Furthermore, the observed large interindividual variability in basal metabolism may be important to consider when assessing the risk for excess GWG.
SOSA'S VIRTUE EPISTEMOLOGY

Ernest Sosa�s latest epistemology remains a version of virtue epistemology, and I argue here that it faces two central problems, pressing a point I have made elsewhere, that virtue epistemology does not present a complete answer to the problem of the value of knowledge. I will press this point regarding the nature of knowledge through variations on two standard Gettier examples here. The first is the Fake Barn case and the second is the Tom Grabit case. I will argue that Sosa�s latest virtue epistemology fails to handle either case acceptably, and that as a result, cannot explain the value that knowledge has over that of the sum of any of its proper subparts.
Phase I–II trial design for biologic agents using conditional auto‐regressive models for toxicity and efficacy

A traditional assumption in the design of chemotherapy phase I–II trial designs is that dose increases lead to both more toxicity as well as more efficacy. This assumption of monotonic rates of toxicity and efficacy has come into question as potential cancer treatments are less likely to be chemotherapy and are instead biologic agents. These biologic agents tend to have mechanisms of action that act as ‘on–off’ switches for cancer growth, so giving more of the biologic agents will not necessarily provide any more benefit (and possibly no further risk) to the patient. We propose the use of a conditional auto‐regressive (CAR) model as a way to estimate adaptively the rates of dose limiting toxicities (DLTs) and efficacy by smoothing the data collected for all doses in such a way that allows for non‐increasing rates of either outcome with dose. We present the study design for our CAR model approach and compare, via simulation, the operating characteristics of our design with two existing contemporary published approaches. We demonstrate that our CAR model approach is a viable design for an adaptive phase I–II trial that can accommodate a variety of toxicity–dose and efficacy–dose patterns.
Feature-interaction aware configuration prioritization

Unexpected interactions among features induce most bugs in a configurable software system. Exhaustively analyzing all exponential number of possible configurations is prohibitively costly. Thus, various sampling methods have been proposed to systematically narrow down the exponential number of configurations to be tested. Since testing all selected configurations can require a huge amount of effort, fault-based configuration prioritization, that helps detect bugs earlier, can yield practical benefits in quality assurance. In this paper, we propose CoPo, a novel formulation of feature-interaction bugs via common program entities enabled/disabled by the features. Leveraging from that, we develop an efficient feature-interaction-aware configuration prioritization technique for configurable systems by ranking configurations according to their total number of potential bugs. We conducted several experiments to evaluate CoPo on a public benchmark. We found that CoPo outperforms the state-of-the-art configuration prioritization methods. Interestingly, it is able to detect 17 not-yet-discovered feature-interaction bugs.
Integrating the Educators: Outcomes of a Pilot Program to Prime Basic Science Medical Educators for Success in Integrated Curricula

“Integrating the Educators” is a program to prepare early career basic scientists to teach effectively in integrated medical curricula, where connections between basic sciences and clinical application are highlighted and emphasized. Advanced PhD trainees received didactic training in best practices in medical education followed by 3 months shadowing clinician educator mentors. This combination of experiences was designed to contrast the methods, focus, and pace of teaching in the clinical setting compared to the typical basic science classroom. Trainees’ knowledge and attitudes shifted to recognize the faster pace and clinical focus necessary in integrated curricula.
Bidirectional Relations between Parent Warmth and Criticism and the Symptoms and Behavior Problems of Children with Autism

Family research in the field of ASD has focused on describing the impact of child challenges on parents, usually mothers, and given little attention to the ways in which mothers and fathers reciprocally influence the development of the child with ASD. The current study examined the direction of effects between the emotional quality of the mother-child and father-child relationships and the child's severity of ASD symptoms and emotional and behavioral problems across three time points spanning 2 years. Using parent Five Minute Speech Samples and teacher ratings of the severity of the child's ASD symptoms and emotional and behavioral problems, four cross-lagged structural equation models were employed to test bidirectional effects between parent warmth and criticism and child ASD symptoms and emotional and behavioral problems across three waves of data (approximately 12 months apart) in 159 families who had a child with ASD (initially aged 6 to 13 years). Mothers and fathers had an average age of 39.53 (SD=5.55) and 41.66 years (SD=6.19). Children with ASD were predominately male (86.2%) and white, non-Hispanic (76.7%). Crossed-lagged model results indicated bidirectional effects for both mothers and fathers. Warmth in the mother-child relationship and father-child relationship impacted child functioning at earlier time points. In the opposite direction, child functioning impacted father warmth and mother criticism at later time points. Findings indicate that the emotional quality of the parent-child relationships are bidirectionally related to the symptoms and emotional and behavioral problems of children with ASD. Important implications for supporting families are discussed.
Ketamine Sedation and Hypoxia: A Quality Improvement Project to Reduce Respiratory Events Receiving Intervention.

Abstract Background Ketamine is a well-studied and safe medication used for procedural sedation in the pediatric emergency department (ED). However, in our ED and urgent care (UC), we had higher rates of respiratory events receiving intervention (REs) than has been reported nationally. Objective A quality improvement (QI) project was initiated to address this problem with the following aim: during a 24-month period, we aimed to decrease REs during i.v. ketamine sedation from > 10% to Methods Inclusion criteria included patients in our EDs and UCs who received i.v. ketamine for procedural sedation. We organized a multidisciplinary team to identify key drivers for the primary outcome (i.e., REs) and establish interventions. We based process measures on key interventions and utilized 2 Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, which we evaluated with Shewhart P (provost) charts. Balancing measures included length of sedation, success of sedation, and length of stay. Results REs decreased from 11.4% to 4.9%; this rate was maintained for 12 months, starting 1 month after PDSA cycle 2 implementation. There was no difference in REs for length of stay, length of sedation, or success of sedation. Conclusions Using QI methodology, we reduced and maintained rates of RE to
Fermi surface topology and nontrivial Berry phase in the flat-band semimetal Pd 3 Pb

A study of the Fermi surface of the putative topological semimetal ${\mathrm{Pd}}_{3}\mathrm{Pb}$ has been carried out using Shubnikov--de Haas (SdH) oscillations measured in fields of up to 60 T. ${\mathrm{Pd}}_{3}\mathrm{Pb}$ has garnered attention in the community due to a peculiar Fermi surface that has been proposed theoretically by Ahn, Pickett, and Lee, Phys. Rev. B 98, 035130 (2018) to host a dispersionless band along $X\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}$ as well as multiple triply degenerate band crossings that, under the influence of spin-orbit coupling, lead to ten fourfold degenerate Dirac points. Analysis of the SdH oscillation data verifies the calculated multisheet Fermi surface, revealing a $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}$ centered spheroid that had not been resolved experimentally in prior studies. A comprehensive, angle-dependent analysis of the phase of the SdH oscillations convincingly demonstrates a nontrivial Berry phase for two bands along $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}\ensuremath{-}R$, supporting the theoretical predictions, while simultaneously evidencing interference between extremal orbits that mimics a trivial Berry phase at intermediate angles.
Body surface area calculation for dogs and cats using LiDCO and PICCO monitors

Background Cardiac output, stroke volume, and measurement of other hemodynamic parameters can be useful in the management of critical patients. Given the broad size disparity of veterinary patients, the raw values can vary widely. Their indexed values, however, allow for quick assessment of hemodynamic status and a more standardized target setting by the veterinary care team. Monitors such as lithium dilution cardiac output (LiDCO) and pulse contour cardiac output (PICCO) can display and record the data using indexed values as long as the correct body surface area (BSA) is used. In people, the BSA is calculated using the DuBois formula by entering the patient's weight and height; however, it does not apply to animals because the equivalent relationship is not represented by this formula. Given that the hemodynamic monitors are manufactured for use in human patients, the calculations need to the adapted for veterinary use. As such, the Dubois formula has been rearranged to calculate an assumed height to be entered in the monitor software along with the patient's weight. Once the information is entered, a correct BSA will be calculated by the monitor, and indexed data will be readily available for analysis. Key findings Tables with the calculated heights for dogs and cats were generated. The weights and calculated heights were computed into the LiDCO and PICCO monitors for verification, and the correct BSAs were displayed as a result. Significance The information supplied here allows clinicians and researchers to quickly input patient data into the hemodynamic monitor and obtain indexed data. Indexed data facilitates advanced hemodynamic monitoring by standardizing targets (goal-directed therapy) and allowing for quicker comparison between patients. The table could be used with any monitor that utilizes the DuBois formula for BSA calculation, but the resulting BSA should be validated before proceeding with hemodynamic monitoring.
Shared Identities: Intersectionality, Linked Fate, and Perceptions of Political Candidates:

Scholars of gender and race have long acknowledged the importance that descriptive representation plays for marginalized groups, if not substantively than symbolically. Yet, as candidate pools dive...
Cognitive Tests and Stool Frequency at Hospital Discharge Do Not Predict Outcomes in Hepatic Encephalopathy.

Objectives Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is associated with hospital readmissions and mortality. We sought to determine whether cognitive testing and stool frequency at discharge predicted 30-day readmission or death in cirrhotic patients admitted with overt HE. Methods We approached consecutive inpatients with cirrhosis and overt HE when they were within 48 hours of discharge. Patients underwent cognitive tests, including Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score (PHES), and stool frequency was documented. Chart review identified Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-sodium (MELD-Na) and the presence of non-HE extrahepatic organ failures. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate predictors of time to the primary composite outcome of hospital readmission for HE or death within 30 days, censoring for liver transplantation. Results Of 51 patients consented and enrolled, 14 patients met the primary composite outcome. In unadjusted Cox models, 4 variables predicted HE readmission or death: MELD-Na (hazard ratio [HR] 1.10 [1.01-1.20], P = 0.03), respiratory failure (HR 4.26 [1.47-12.35], P = 0.008), total number of HE extrahepatic organ failures (HR 1.79 [1.12-2.88], P = 0.02), and score on a PHES subtest, Number Connection Test A (per 30 seconds; HR 1.25 [1.06-1.47], P = 0.01). PHES and 24-hour stool frequency did not predict the primary outcome. When controlling for MELD-Na, respiratory failure predicted the primary outcome (HR 3.67 [1.24-10.86], P = 0.02). Conclusion Cognitive testing and stool frequency at discharge did not predict poor outcomes in patients admitted with HE, while respiratory failure appeared to be a strong predictor.
Localized surface plasmon resonance sensor for magnetic field detection

We report a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensor that consists of noble metal and ferromagnetic material. This hybrid system offers tunable LSPR frequencies by the refractive index change of the surrounding medium as well as the external magnetic field around the nanostructures. We used a gold nanoparticle with Co and Fe. The thin ferromagnetic layers coated on gold nanoparticles have a linear dependence between relative permittivity with an applied magnetic field. The underlying mechanism is the change of the dielectric constant of the ferromagnetic film when it has aligned magnetization in the same direction of the external magnetic field. Consequently, change of the LSPR absorption spectrum of the hybrid nanostructures.
Liposarcoma of the Fat Body in a Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps)

An 8-yr-old male bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) presented with lethargy, inappetence, and skin discoloration. Dorsoventral whole body radiographs revealed a homogenous left coelomic mass. A complete blood count revealed leukocytosis and monocytosis, while the plasma biochemistry revealed hypercalcemia, elevated lactate, and elevated creatinine. Coelomic ultrasonography was performed to further characterize the mass before surgical exploration and removal. Ultrasonography revealed a hyperechoic mass that was vascular with a hypoechoic, avascular center consistent with fluid accumulation. An exploratory coeliotomy was performed and the left fat body containing the mass was removed en bloc for histopathologic evaluation. Oil Red O staining confirmed a diagnosis of liposarcoma. Continued decline after discharge prompted a decision to euthanize the patient. Unfortunately, a necropsy was not elected.
Blue carbon stocks and exchanges along the California coast

Abstract. Salt marshes and seagrass meadows can sequester and store high quantities of organic carbon (OC) in their sediments relative to other marine and terrestrial habitats. Assessing carbon stocks, carbon sources, and the transfer of carbon between habitats within coastal seascapes are each integral in identifying the role of blue carbon habitats in coastal carbon cycling. Here, we quantified carbon stocks, sources, and exchanges in seagrass meadows, salt marshes, and unvegetated sediments in six bays along the California coast. In the top 20 cm of sediment, the salt marshes contained approximately twice as much OC as seagrass meadows did, 4.92 ± 0.36 kg OC m −2 compared to 2.20 ± 0.24 kg OC m −2 , respectively. Both salt marsh and seagrass sediment carbon stocks were higher than previous estimates from this region but lower than global and US-wide averages, respectively. Seagrass-derived carbon was deposited annually into adjacent marshes during fall seagrass senescence. However, isotope mixing models estimate that negligible amounts of this seagrass material were ultimately buried in underlying sediment. Rather, the vast majority of OC in sediment across sites was likely derived from planktonic/benthic diatoms and/or C 3 salt marsh plants.
PTH Increases Ca++ Transport in Rat Brain Synaptosomes in Uremia

Central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction is a major complication of patients with end stage renal failure. The clinical manifestations of this disorder are well described in several recent reviews (1). The biochemical basis for the CNS dysfunction of uremia is not well understood and is not completely corrected by dialysis. Studies of the CNS in humans and animals with renal failure have revealed no consistent pathologic changes (2) and biochemical studies in the brain of animal models of renal failure have also been generally unrevealing. The brain content of several ions (Na, K, Mg, Cl, bicarbonate) and water are normal (2,3), and so is brain intracellular pH (pHi) (3). Brain content of high-energy phosphate compounds (ATP, phosphocreatine) is also normal, although their turnover rate appears to be decreased (4). It appears that there may be altered permeability of the uremic brain to certain molecules, such as sodium, potassium, and inulin (5).
Turbulent Mixing of a Rocket Exhaust Jet With a Supersonic Stream Including Chemical Reactions

The equations for the turbulent mixing of a two-dimensional supersonic jet issuing into an ambient supersonic stream are formulated. Both streams consist of a mixture of chemically active and possibly reacting gases, therefore any heat release by chemical reaction is included; the net mass rate of production of species is obtained on the assumption that the reaction rate constant is given by an expression reducible to the classical Arrhenius law. The equations first given in terms of the x, and y coordinates, are expressed in dimensionless form and in terms of the % and \p coordinates, where \p is the stream function. The resulting expressions are all of the "heat conduction" type; they are put in a finite difference form by using the Crank-Nicolson method of substituting finite difference approximations for both the " t ime" and "space" derivatives. The mixture is assumed to consist of six species, namely H 20. H2, 02 , C02 , CO, and N2, and the oxidation of H2 and CO is assumed to take place according to a single-step chemical reaction. The solution of the problem is based on the simultaneous solution of 87V linear algebraic equations in 8N unknowns, N being the number of internal grid points at every step in the ^-direction, and 8 the total number of unknowns at each grid point, namely velocity, temperature, and concentration for each of the six species. A method of obtaining initial and boundary conditions from available in viscid jet flow solutions is discussed. The equations are programed for calculation on an IBM-704 computer. Finally, one typical case is considered, and plots of velocity, temperature, and concentration profiles are given for he initial stages of development of the mixing layer.
Environmental policy and regulatory constraints to natural gas production.

For the foreseeable future, most of the demand for natural gas in the United States will be met with domestic resources. Impediments, or constraints, to developing, producing, and delivering these resources can lead to price increases or supply disruptions. Previous analyses have identified lack of access to natural gas resources on federal lands as such an impediment. However, various other environmental constraints, including laws, regulations, and implementation procedures, can limit natural gas development and production on both federal and private lands. This report identifies and describes more than 30 environmental policy and regulatory impediments to domestic natural gas production. For each constraint, the source and type of impact are presented, and when the data exist, the amount of gas affected is also presented. This information can help decision makers develop and support policies that eliminate or reduce the impacts of such constraints, help set priorities for regulatory reviews, and target research and development efforts to help the nation meet its natural gas demands.
Trading Away Stability and Growth: United States Trade Agreements in Latin America

Since the early 1990s Latin American nations have been signing trade treaties with the United States that have brought small gains and high costs. Pending deals between the United States and Colombia and the United States and Panama are no different. Each is based on the same template that has been the cornerstone of US trade policy since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This paper analyses general equilibrium estimates of the gains from trade from numerous Latin American-US free trade agreements (FTAs) from the 1990s to the present, and juxtaposes such gains with the fiscal and regulatory costs associated with those treaties. It is clear that these nations are signing deals where the net benefits are ambiguous at best. Indeed, estimates show that the US-Colombia trade treaty pending in the US Congress would yield negative net welfare benefits for Colombia, cost the Colombian government $633 million in tariff revenue, and force Colombia to deregulate its financial and other sectors. The rest of the paper examines why Latin American nations would sign on to treaties that may not be in their interest. It is shown how many of the treaties signed are a result of asymmetric bargaining power between the US and a Latin American trading partner, a “race” to gain access to the US market before their competitors do, the dominance of right-wing political parties in Latin American countries at the time of negotiation, and a pervasiveness of “neo-liberal” ideas throughout elite decision-making circles throughout the nations that choose to sign treaties with the US.
The Rock-Melt Approach to Nuclear Waste Disposal in Geological Media

The effect of temperature rise due to decay heat has been a source of serious concern in conventionally proposed methods for disposal of nuclear waste in geologic media (1,2). Detrimental effects of increased temperatures can be manifested directly by degrading the waste form itself (3), or indirectly by alteration of surrounding geologic and hydrologic enviornment so as to enhance access of ground water to the waste (4).
"A Necessary Cost of Freedom"? The Incoherence of Sorrell v. IMS

On June 23, 2011 the Supreme Court decided an important case that has been largely overlooked – Sorrell v. IMS Health, Inc. In Sorrell the Court struck down a Vermont law prohibiting the sale for marketing purposes of physicians’ prescription records without their permission on the grounds that the law was not “content neutral.” The majority found that because the Vermont statute singled out marketing for special treatment the law constituted a form of “viewpoint discrimination.” “The First Amendment,” Justice Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion, requires us to tolerate speech we may not like as a “necessary cost of freedom.” This reading of “content neutrality” makes the commercial speech doctrine incoherent. By definition the doctrine only applies to speech which is “commercial” – that is, speech distinguished by its commercial content. After Sorrell any regulation of marketing could potentially fail the content neutrality test. Moreover, by casting the marketer as a “disfavored” speaker by virtue of regulation, Sorrell turns the rationale for the commercial speech doctrine upside down. The doctrine was not created to protect commercial speakers. It was created to carve out a limited area of First Amendment protection for truthful commercial speech in order to protect consumers’ right to receive accurate product information and to thereby promote the public interest in a properly functioning market. There is no indication in the case establishing the doctrine that the Supreme Court intended to protect merchants’ sales pitches as if they were “viewpoints.” Yet this is what Sorrell seems to provide. This article argues that Sorrell’s content neutrality test is misplaced with respect to commercial speech because it subverts the rationale for protecting some commercial speech and unduly burdens the government’s ability to protect the public from marketing practices which undermine public health, safety and welfare. The notion that unrestrained freedom for commercial speech is a “necessary cost of freedom” is not just wrong, it is dangerously wrong.
Abstract 2585: Bioactive compounds or metabolites from black raspberries modulate T lymphocyte function, myeloid cell differentiation and Jak/STATsignaling

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Bioactive phyotochemicals from natural products, such as black raspberries have direct anti-cancer properties on malignant cells in culture and in xenograft models. In addition, black raspberry components inhibit cancer progression in more complex rodent carcinogenesis models. Although mechanistic targets for black raspberry phytochemicals in cancer cells are beginning to emerge, the potential role in modulating host immune processes impacting cancer have not been systematically examined. We hypothesized that black raspberries contain compounds capable of eliciting potent immunomodulatory properties that impact cellular mediators relevant to chronic inflammation and tumor progression. In the present report, we studied both an ethanol extract from black raspberries (BRB-E) containing a diverse mixture of phytochemicals and two abundant phytochemical metabolites of black raspberries produced upon ingestion (Cyanidin-3-Rutinoside, C3R; Quercitin-3-rutinoside, Q3R). BRB-E inhibited proliferation of CD3/CD28 activated human CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. BRB-E also limited the viability of CD3+ T cells cultured in IL-2, and were potent inhibitors of IL-2-induced STAT5 phosphorylation. Conversely, BRB-E significantly enhanced the monokine-induced by gamma (MIG)-mediated chemotaxis of CD8+ T lymphocytes in transwell assays. This enhanced chemotaxis was associated with upregulated expression of CXCR3 on T lymphocytes. BRB-E also inhibited the in vitro expansion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC). Consistent with the reduction in MDSC, pre-treatment of immune cells with BRB E attenuated IL-6-mediated signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) phosphorylation. Finally, the C3R and Q3R metabolites were also found to be immunomodulatory, as C3R inhibited proliferation of CD3/CD28 activated T lymphocytes and STAT5 phosphorylation, while Q3R inhibited MDSC expansion and STAT3 signaling but not STAT5. Together these data indicate that black raspberries or their physiologically-relevant metabolites contain phytochemicals that affect immune processes relevant to carcinogenesis. Furthermore, specific components and their metabolites may be a source of lead compounds for drug development that exhibit targeted immunological outcomes or inhibition of specific STAT-regulated signaling pathways. Citation Format: Thomas A. Mace, Samantha King, Zeenath Ameen, Omar Elnaggar, Gregory Young, Kenneth Riedl, Steven Schwartz, Steven Clinton, Thomas Knobloch, Christopher Weghorst, Gregory B. Lesinski. Bioactive compounds or metabolites from black raspberries modulate T lymphocyte function, myeloid cell differentiation and Jak/STATsignaling. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2585. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2585
L‐β,β‐Dimethylcysteine attenuates the haemodynamic responses elicited by systemic injections of peroxynitrite in anaesthetized rats

1 There is direct chemical evidence that L-β,β-dimethylcysteine (L-penicillamine (L-PEN)) is a scavenger of peroxynitrite. The aim of this study was to determine whether L-PEN attenuates the haemodynamic responses elicited by peroxynitrite in pentobarbital-anaesthetized rats. 2 Peroxynitrite (1–20 μmol kg−1, i.v.) elicited dose-dependent reductions in mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and mesenteric and hindquarter vascular resistances. 3 L-PEN (2 mmol kg−1, i.v.) elicited relatively minor but significant increases in MAP and vascular resistances. The initial reductions in MAP and vascular resistances elicited by peroxynitrite were not diminished after administration of L-PEN whereas they were much shorter in duration. As such, the total reductions in MAP and vascular resistances were markedly reduced by L-PEN. 4 The finding that L-PEN (2 mmol kg−1, i.v.) did not affect the hypotensive or vasodilator responses elicited of the ATP-dependent potassium-channel agonist, cromakalim (3–18 μg kg−1, i.v.), suggests that this dose of L-PEN is not a nonselective inhibitor of vasodilation. 5 These findings suggest that L-PEN may effectively scavenge peroxynitrite in vivo and/or interfere with the mechanisms by which peroxynitrite elicits its vasodilator responses. British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 148, 7–15. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706692
Do structural changes in GABA neurons give rise to the epileptic state

Identifying the role of GABA neurons in the development of an epileptic state has been particularly difficult in acquired epilepsy, in part because of the multiple changes that occur in such conditions. Although once questioned, there is now considerable evidence for loss of GABA neurons in multiple brain regions in models of acquired epilepsy. This loss can affect several cell types, including both somatostatin- and parvalbumin-expressing interneurons, and the cell type that is most severely affected can vary among brain regions and models. Because of the diversity of GABA neurons in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, resulting functional deficits are unlikely to be compensated fully by remaining GABA neurons of other subtypes. The fundamental importance of GABA neuron loss in epilepsy is supported by findings in genetic mouse models in which GABA neurons appear to be decreased relatively selectively, and increased seizure susceptibility and spontaneous seizures develop. Alterations in remaining GABA neurons also occur in acquired epilepsy. These include alterations in inputs or receptors that could impair function, as well as morphological reorganization of GABAergic axons and their synaptic connections. Such axonal sprouting could be compensatory if normal circuits are reestablished, but the creation of aberrant circuitry could contribute to an epileptic condition. The functional effects of GABA neuron alterations thus may include not only reductions in GABAergic inhibition but also excessive neuronal synchrony and, potentially, depolarizing GABAergic influences. The combination of GABA neuron loss and alterations in remaining GABA neurons provides likely, though still unproven, substrates for the epileptic state.
Relationship between listeners' nonnative speech recognition and categorization abilities

Enhancement of the perceptual encoding of talker characteristics (indexical information) in speech can facilitate listeners' recognition of linguistic content. The present study explored this indexical-linguistic relationship in nonnative speech processing by examining listeners' performance on two tasks: nonnative accent categorization and nonnative speech-in-noise recognition. Results indicated substantial variability across listeners in their performance on both the accent categorization and nonnative speech recognition tasks. Moreover, listeners' accent categorization performance correlated with their nonnative speech-in-noise recognition performance. These results suggest that having more robust indexical representations for nonnative accents may allow listeners to more accurately recognize the linguistic content of nonnative speech.
STATISTICAL MECHANICS OF COUPLED PARTICLES IN THE SCHRODINGER REPRESENTATION

A perturbation treatment is presented for the operator u(t) giving the evolution of the state vector of a system of N particles coupled by 2-body forces. The total hamiltonian is divided into a diagonal part H/sub 0/ and offdiagonal pant H/sub 1/ in the representation with N-particle plane-wave states as basis. An effective pair-interaction operator H bar/sub 1/ is defined which includes vertex corrections of all orders, and the off-diagonal part of u is expressed exactly by an expansion which involves only H bar/sub 1/ and the exact diagonal part of u. A closed set of equations determining H bar/sub 1/ and the diagonal part of u are obtained by retaining only the leading terms in the expansion. These equations include all the corrections included in the Brueckner approximation and, in addition, they contain 3-body effects, iterated to all orders, which are omitted in that approximation. No one-to-one correspondence between the eigenstates of H/sub 0/ and those of the total hamiltonian is appealed to, and the ground state plays no special mole. The connection with statistical mechanics follows the fact that the partition function is TrSTAu(-i/ kT)!. The theory simplifies greatly for very large N. (auth)
Restoration of endodontically treated molar with root fracture.

Abstract The management of an unusual and extreme tooth and root fracture has been presented and discussed. A somewhat unorthodox approach was used in preparing the fractured root surfaces to fit the cast gold crown instead of making a crown to fit a prepared tooth surface. Diagnosis and treatment planning is a key factor in treating unusual patients. All factors must be carefully considered. Condition of adjacent teeth, periodontal support, size and form of remaining tooth structure, and occlusion are all important considerations. With careful and proper study, simple and conservative restorations can frequently be made that will provide excellent service for extended periods of time.
Social Change, Life Strain, and Delinquency among Chinese Urban Adolescents

Abstract Using Agnew's general strain theory (1992, 2006) as a theoretical framework, this study examines how China's ongoing social transformation has affected its youth, particularly in urban areas, and how general strain theory can be fruitfully applied to account for the country's rising rate of juvenile delinquency In particular, we analyze how the sources of strain, at both societal and individual levels, have led to a higher level of interpersonal strain, heightened negative emotions, and limited legitimate coping resources among Chinese urban adolescents, which, in turn, increase the likelihood of a delinquent response.