cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complete correction of hyperbilirubinemia in the Gunn rat model of Crigler-Najjar syndrome type I following transient in vivo adenovirus-mediated expression of human bilirubin UDP-glucuronosyltransferase

Recombinant adenoviral vectors are useful for the in vivo expression of genes in hepatocytes. Adenoviral vectors deleted in E1a, E1b, and E3b were constructed and used to study in vivo expression of the major human bilirubin UDP-glucuronosyltransferase isoform (HUG Br1) under the transcriptional control of the cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate-early promoter-enhancer (H5.010CMV hugBr1). As a control, a recombinant adenoviral vector containing the beta-galactosidase reporter gene driven by the CMV promoter-enhancer was employed (H5. 010CMVlacZ). Recombinant virus was expanded following exposure to E1 transcomplementing (293) cells and concentrated to t titer of approximately 10(13) particles per milliliter. A rat model for Crigler-Najjar syndrome type I deficient in HUG Br1 (ie the Gunn rat) was injected with 5 X 10(9) plaque-forming units (p.f.u.) via the portal vein of either H5.010CMVhugBr1 or H5. 010CMVlacZ. Rats from each set were killed at 3 days, 11 days and 22 days after infusion. Liver total cellular DNA, RNA and protein were analyzed for the transgene and the transgene product at the specified times. Analysis of livers by Southern blot hybridization demonstrates sequence-specific hybridization to adenoviral vector DNA, and Northern blot hybridization demonstrates sequence-specific hybridization to transgene-derived RNA. DNA levels peak at approximately one copy number at 3 days and decline over 22 days. RNA and Western blot analyses demonstrate overexpression of message and protein at 3 days, declining over 22 days. In virto functional assay for bilirubin glucuronosyl-transferase activity demonstrates overexpression of bilirubin UDP-glucurosyltransferase function. In situ hybridization of frozen sections to detect expressed mRNA using beta-galactosidasederived 35S-labeled riboprobes demonstrates adenovirus-derived transgene expression in hepatocytes. Significant drops in serum bilirubin levels were noted following expression of HUG Br1 but not beta-galactosidase. The drop in serum bilirubin correlates with the appearance of bilirubin glucuronides in bile. In summary, recombinant adenoviral vectors were used to demonstrate in vivo complementation of the genetic defect in Gunn rat livers with the HUG Br1 cDNA leading to a resolution of hyperbilirubinemia lasting approximately 7 weeks. These studies suggest that delivery of the HUG Br1 cDNA might provide a reasonable therapeutic benefit for Crigler-Najjar syndrome type I patients, as safe and efficacious gene delivery systems are developed.
Novel Sampling for the Determination of Naphthalene in Air by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

ABSTRACTHere are reported two new sampling method approaches for the determination of naphthalene in ambient air for concentrations from 0.25 to 18.7 µg/L. The first method used for gas phase naphthalene analysis produced an average recovery of 88.8% and the second method using headspace sampling produced an average recovery of 93.8%. The second method showed better recovery than the former, so it was used for subsequent comparative gas-phase determination of naphthalene. The second method was validated at various naphthalene concentrations and humidity using a naphthalene gas generator to produce various naphthalene standards and a naphthalene-monitoring instrument. The naphthalene concentrations generated using the gas generator and determined second sampling method with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) were compared to the sensor measurements and were in good agreement. In summary, the sampling methods presented provided reliable gas-phase naphthalene determination when coupled with GC–MS.
From grid to field: Assessing quality of gridded weather data for agricultural applications

Abstract High quality measured weather data (MWD) are not available in many agricultural regions across the globe. As a result, many studies that dealt with global climate change, land use, and food security scenarios and emerging agricultural decision support tools have relied on gridded weather data (GWD) to estimate crop phenology and crop yields. An issue is the agreement of GWD with MWD and the degree to which this agreement may influence the utility of GWD for agricultural research. The objectives of this study were: (i) to compare the agreement of two widely used gridded weather databases (GWDs) (Daymet and PRISM) and MWD, (ii) to evaluate their robustness at simulating maize growth and development, and (iii) to examine how GWD compare relative to weather data interpolated from existing meteorological stations for which MWD are available. The U.S. Corn Belt, a region that accounts for 43 and 34% of respective global maize and soybean production, was used as a case of study because of its dense weather station network and high-quality MWD. Historical daily MWD were retrieved from 45 locations across the region, resulting in ca . 1300 site-years. To test the accuracy of GWDs, separate simulations of maize yield and development were performed, separately for the two GWDs and MWD, using a well-validated maize crop model. For both GWDs, small biases were observed for temperature and growing degree-days in relation with MWD. However, accuracy was much lower for relative humidity, precipitation, reference evapotranspiration, and degree of seasonal water deficit. There was close agreement in duration of vegetative and reproductive phases between GWD and MWD, with root mean square error (RMSE) ranging from 3 to 7 days for the different crop phases and GWDs. However, robustness of GWDs to reproduce maize yields simulated using MWD was lower as indicated by the RMSE (18 and 24% of average yield for Daymet and PRISM, respectively). There was also a high proportion of site-years (20 and 32% for Daymet and PRISM, respectively) exhibiting a yield deviation >15% in relation to the yield simulated using MWD. Data interpolation using a dense weather station network resulted in lower RMSE% for simulated phenology and yields relative to GWDs. Findings from this study indicate that GWD cannot replace MWD as a basis for field-scale agricultural applications. While GWD appear to be robust for applications that only require temperature for prediction of crop stages, GWD should not be used for applications that depend on accurate estimation of crop water balance, crop growth, and yield. We propose that the evaluation performed in this study should be taken as a routinary activity for any research or agricultural decision tool that relies on GWD.
Risk-Based Maintenance Optimization of Aging Highway Bridge Decks

This paper presents a practical approach for maintenance optimization of a network of aging highway bridge decks that integrates a stochastic deterioration model based on Bogdanoff's cumulative damage theory with an effective multi-objective optimization approach. The multi-objective maintenance optimization takes into account all relevant objectives, such as improving bridge deck condition, minimizing maintenance costs, and minimizing traffic disruption and associated user costs. The consideration of these three objectives enables to take full advantage of the available bridge inspection data and implicitly lead towards the minimization of the risk of failure due to bridge deck deterioration and maintenance activities. A multi-objective optimality index is proposed as an optimality criterion for priority ranking of the deficient bridge decks for maintenance. The obtained optimal maintenance project prioritization strategy achieves a satisfactory trade-off or compromise between the selected relevant and competing optimization objectives. The proposed approach is illustrated on a small network of ten bridge deck projects that are optimized for maintenance.
Seasonal dynamics of snail populations in coastal Kenya: Model calibration and snail control

A proper snail population model is important for accurately predicting Schistosoma transmission. Field data shows that the overall snail population and that of shedding snails have a strong pattern of seasonal variation. Because human hosts are infected by the cercariae released from shedding snails, the abundance of the snail population sets ultimate limits on human infection. For developing a predictive dynamic model of schistosome infection and control strategies we need realistic snail population dynamics. Here we propose two such models based on underlying environmental factors and snail population biology. The models consist of two-stage (young–adult) populations with resource-dependent reproduction, survival, maturation. The key input in the system is seasonal rainfall which creates snail habitats and resources (small vegetation). The models were tested, calibrated and validated using dataset collected in Msambweni (coastal Kenya). Seasonal rainfall in Msambweni is highly variable with intermittent wet - dry seasons. Typical snail patterns follow precipitation peaks with 2–4-month time-lag. Our models are able to reproduce such seasonal variability over extended period of time (3-year study). We applied them to explore the optimal seasonal timing for implementing snail control.
Anisotropic Mg Electrodeposition and Alloying with Ag-based Anodes from Non-Coordinating Mixed-Metal Borohydride Electrolytes for Mg Hybrid Batteries

Abstract A highly anisotropic electrodeposition was observed using the hybrid battery electrolyte Mg(BH4)2 with LiBH4 in diglyme. At low overpotentials high aspect ratio platelet morphologies are observed with a strong fiber texture composed of a {10-10} and a {11-20} component, the first evidence of behavior of this kind in magnesium battery electrolytes. At high overpotentials the deposit aspect ratio is indistinguishable but the texture is shown to be primarily composed of a {11-20} fiber texture. The kinetic parameters relative to the relevant crystallographic faces are extracted from electron microscopy images and compared with the observed bulk rate extracted from the electrochemical data. The use of polycrystalline Ag foil substrates with little preferred orientation at the surface allowed highly polycrystalline nucleation at lower overpotentials than that of platinum, likely due to Ag alloying with Mg. Characterization using focused ion beam (FIB) cross-sections with Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) elemental analysis confirm that the deposits are primarily Mg although Mg‐Ag alloys of various compositions were observed. It is proposed that the orientation at slow rates of growth is due to the underlying kinetics of adatom diffusion on Mg and that higher rates diminish the phenomenon due to decreased time for adatom diffusion and instead are governed by the rates of adatom formation or more specifically the adatom vacancy formation on the different low-index planes of Mg.
Association of adjuvant chemotherapy with improved overall survival for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) who achieve a pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCRT).

716Background: 15-20% of patients with locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma (LARC) achieve a pathologic complete response (pCR) following neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCRT). The role of adjuvant chemotherapy has been questioned. Methods: Patients with rectal cancer receiving nCRT in the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) 2006-2013 data set were evaluated. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). The association between OS and patient characteristics were examined using multivariable Cox regression models. Results: 2,903 patients were identified who achieved a pCR. The median follow up was 43.2 months. 2,102 received nCRT and 789 received nCRT + adjuvant chemotherapy. Factors significantly associated with OS included age (p<0.001), gender (p=0.011), Charlson-Deyo comorbidity score (CDI) (p<0.001), grade (p=0.029), clinical T stage (p=0.030), and CEA negativity (p=0.002), but not nodal status. The 3-year OS rate was 94% in the adjuvant therapy group as compared to 84% in the nCRT alone group (p<0.001)....
Postoperative atrial fibrillation following cardiac surgery: a persistent complication

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a common, expensive and potentially morbid complication following cardiac surgery. POAF occurs in around 35% of cardiac surgery cases and has a peak incidence on postoperative day 2. Patients who develop POAF incur on average $10 000-$20 000 in additional hospital treatment costs, 12-24 h of prolonged ICU time, and an additional 2 to 5 days in the hospital. POAF has been identified as an independent predictor of numerous adverse outcomes, including a 2- to 4-fold increased risk of stroke, reoperation for bleeding, infection, renal or respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, cerebral complications, need for permanent pacemaker placement, and a 2-fold increase in all-cause 30-day and 6-month mortality. The pathogenesis of POAF is incompletely understood but likely involves interplay between pre-existing physiological components and local and systemic inflammation. POAF is associated with numerous risk factors including advanced age, pre-existing conditions that cause cardiac remodelling and certain non-cardiovascular conditions. Clinical management of POAF includes both prophylactic and therapeutic measures, although the efficacy of many interventions remains in question. This review provides a comprehensive and up-to-date summary of the pathogenesis of POAF, outlines current clinical guidelines for POAF prophylaxis and management, and discusses new avenues for further investigation.
Growth and nonlinear saturation of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves in multi-ion species magnetospheric plasma

The growth and saturation of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves is essential to the magnetospheric dynamics. Determining and isolating the effects of multiple ion parameters such as temperatures, anisotropies, and relative abundances is important for quantifying these processes in the magnetospheric plasma. In order to study these process, we utilize a 2.5-D hybrid model (where ions are modeled with the particle-in-cell (PIC) method, and electrons are modeled as background neutralizing fluid) to study the nonlinear electromagnetic wave-particle interactions of hot H+, cold H+, cold He+, and cold or hot O+ ions for a broad range of typical magnetospheric parameters. The excitation of EMIC waves is driven by the temperature anisotropy of hot H+ in our model. As a result, we quantify the parametric dependence of the linear growth, the nonlinear saturation level of perpendicular magnetic fluctuations, and the temporal evolution of the ion temperature anisotropies. We establish the relation between key plasma parameters and the saturated EMIC wave power, using either power law fits or a nonlinear regression method. We construct the dispersion relation of the waves using the results of the model and investigate the energy content in the various branches of the dispersion (k∥−ω space), showing that the different modes can generate wave power in different regions of k space. We find that large O+ concentration reduces the growth and saturated amplitude of the waves; but the waves are less sensitive to the temperature of the O+ in the temperature range relevant to the magnetosphere.
Training adults with acquired brain injury how to help-seek when wayfinding: an understudied critical life skill

The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a group treatment protocol called NICE (Noticing you have a problem, Identifying the information you need for help, Compensatory strategies, Evaluating progress) to train help-seeking when wayfinding for individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI). Seven participants completed the NICE group treatment in an outpatient rehabilitation department at a university medical centre. A single subject multiple baseline design was employed to evaluate the efficacy of the NICE group treatment. The Social Behaviour Rating Scale and the Executive Function Route-Finding Task- Revised were repeated measures used to evaluate potential changes in help-seeking and wayfinding. Secondary outcome measures included pre- and post-treatment evaluation of social problem solving and social cognition. Results revealed that all participants improved on measures of help-seeking and wayfinding. Patterns of improvement and implications for rehabilitation are discussed. This is the first experimental study to evaluate the treatment of help-seeking behaviours and discuss its application to wayfinding in adults with ABI. Preliminary evidence supports further investigation of the NICE group treatment protocol.
Theorizing materialism through the Institutional Analysis and Development framework

Materialism in Western societies has been examined at both individual and cultural levels. However, the underlying institutions that engender and perpetuate materialism as an orientation toward con...
The elephant in the room: media ownership and political participation in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong’s open and law-abiding society, applying the political principle of “one country, two systems” presents a challenge to the Chinese government, particularly regarding its efforts to control media ownership. Focusing on the structure of media ownership in Hong Kong, this paper describes the ways in which the Internet – especially social media – has empowered activists and alternative media by providing a means of avoiding censorship and social control. This paper also describes the Chinese government’s use of political power and capital to censor and shape the media landscape in Hong Kong in order to dampen public interest in politics and influence public opinion. Finally, this paper attempts to identify potential solutions to this problem.
Ethics in Biomedical Animal Research: The Key Role of the Investigator

Abstract This chapter presents an overview of ethical principles that are essential for the proper conduct, and the continuing progress, of animal research aimed at understanding human disease. The chapter identifies fundamental principles of animal research ethics, and discusses ethical and empirical foundations of these principles. Guidelines are offered for applying these fundamental principles in the design and implementation of animal research projects. The chapter highlights several important ethical issues regarding which the biomedical research community has expressed lack of clarity or disagreement, and suggests considerations that are relevant for resolution of these issues. Recommendations are offered for participation by investigators in ethical discussion of their work, and of biomedical animal research generally. The general themes of the chapter are that investigators play the primary role in assuring the ethical conduct of biomedical animal research, and that a crucial foundation of ethical animal research is sound science.
Online Appendix for Hotel Demand Before, During, and After: Evidence from Charlotte, North Carolina

In this online appendix, we present the regression results containing all of the events included in our analysis. The tables in the main paper are subsets of the tables reported in this appendix. In each table, the first column reports the results for the subsample of hotels located in Charlotte’s city center (ZIP code 28202), the second column reports the results for the subsample of hotels located in Mecklenburg County but outside of the Charlotte city center, the third column reports the results for the subsample of hotels located in the Charlotte suburbs, and last column reports the results for the entire Charlotte metropolitan area. Therefore, in each table the spatial distribution of any net effects of various events on the hotel market can be ascertained.
Trends in domain-specific physical activity and sedentary behaviors among Chinese school children, 2004–2011

Dramatic increases in child overweight have occurred in China. A comprehensive look at trends in physical activity and sedentary behaviors among Chinese youth is needed. The study aimed to examine trends in domain-specific physical activity and sedentary behaviors, explore mean and distributional changes in predicted behaviors over time, and investigate how behaviors vary by residence. Using 2004–2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey data, adjusted means for MET-hours/week from physical activity and hours/week from sedentary behaviors were determined for school children (6–18 years), stratifying by gender, age group, and residence. Physical activity domains included in-school physical activity, active leisure (out-of-school physical activity), active travel (walking or biking), and domestic activity (cooking, cleaning, and child care). For each physical activity domain, the MET-hours/week measure was determined from the total weekly time spent (hours) in domain-specific activities and corresponding MET-values using the Compendium of Energy Expenditures for Youth. Sedentary behaviors included television, computer use, homework, and other behaviors (board games, toys, extracurricular reading and writing). For each sedentary behavior, the hours/week measure was determined from total weekly time spent in specific sedentary behaviors. Residence groups included megacities (population ≥ 20million), cities/towns (300,000 ≤ population < 20million), and rural/suburban areas (population < 300,000). Repeated measure linear mixed and quantile regression models were used to predict adjusted means. Little change in physical activity behaviors occurred over time, with the exception of statistically significant trends toward increased domestic activity among male children (p < .05). Across all gender and age groups, statistically significant trends over time toward an average increase in computer use were seen (p < .01); these increases were largely driven by those ≥50th percentile on the distribution. Children living in megacities (versus rural areas) reported higher levels of physical activity, homework, and computer use. Intensified, systematic intervention and policy efforts promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviors among children are needed.
Silvopasture Switchgrass Fertilized with Poultry Litter: Nutrient Removal, Soil Fertility, and Runoff Water Quality

Alternative use of poultry litter (PL) for forest rather than pasture fertilization would improve forest soil fertility and reduce nutrient build-up in pasture. Yield and nutrient uptake of Alamo s...
Analytic Model of a Coax-Fed Planar Cavity-Backed Metasurface Antenna for Pattern Synthesis

We present an analytic model of a coax-fed planar cavity-backed metasurface antenna for radiation pattern synthesis. The metasurface antenna consists of a printed cavity loaded with metamaterial elements which is excited by a coaxial connector. Each metamaterial element radiates a portion of the reverberating fields in the cavity, contributing to an overall beam pattern. To synthesize a desired pattern, the elements need to be arranged in an aperture and radiate with proper weights at their locations. The weight of each element is jointly determined by the geometry of the cavity and the metamaterial element’s resonant response. To predict and achieve the required weights, we first provide a full analytic description of the interaction of the cavity and the metamaterial elements. After verifying the analytical model through numerical simulations, we utilize it in an iterative scheme to solve for the metasurface structure that generates a prescribed pattern. Using the outlined procedure, three different antennas are designed, fabricated, and examined in experiments. Excellent agreement between measured and designed patterns is demonstrated, verifying the proposed analysis and synthesis process. Cavity-backed metasurface antennas with either static or dynamically reconfigurable radiation patterns may find application in communications, imaging and sensing.
Expansion coverage and preferential utilization of cancer surgery among racial and ethnic minorities and low-income groups.

Abstract Background The Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion demonstrated inconsistent effects on cancer surgery utilization rates among racial and ethnic minorities and low-income Americans. This quasi-experimental study examines whether Medicaid expansion differentially increased the utilization of surgical cancer care for low-income groups and racial minorities in states that expanded their Medicaid programs. Methods A cohort of more than 81,000 patients 18 to 64 years of age who underwent cancer surgery were examined in Medicaid expansion versus nonexpansion states. This evaluation utilized merged data from the State Inpatient Database, American Hospital Association, and the Area Resource File for the years 2012 to 2015. Poisson interrupted time series analysis were performed to examine the impact of Medicaid expansion on the utilization of cancer surgery for the uninsured overall, low-income persons, and racial minorities, adjusting for age, sex, Elixhauser comorbidity score, population-level characteristics, and provider-level characteristics. Results For persons from low-income ZIP codes, Medicaid expansion was associated with an immediate 24% increase in utilization (P = .002) relative to no significant change in nonexpansion states. No significant trends, however, were observed after the Affordable Care Act expansion for racial and ethnic minorities in expansion versus nonexpansion states. Conclusion Medicaid expansion was associated with greater utilization of cancer surgery by low-income Americans but provided no preferential effects for racial minorities in expansion states. Beyond the availability of coverage, these findings highlight the need for additional investigation to uncover other factors that contribute to race-ethnic disparities in surgical cancer care.
Electronic Donation or Steric Contraction: A Spectroscopic and Structural Analysis of Medium-Sized Constrained Rings for Potential Long-Range Hyperconjugation.

Herein, we report the 1JCH analyses, natural bond orbital analyses, and X-ray crystal structures of a number of C, O, and N constrained tricyclic cycles. These experiments provide access into the nature of the apparent Perlin effect previously reported in constrained tricyclic cycles, as well as evidence suggesting both steric contraction and long-range hyperconjugation account for the observed 1JCH perturbations. We report a true Perlin effect of 10.9 Hz in an azocane and large steric effect resulting in Δ1JC–H = 10.9 Hz in a cyclooctane.
Negation of the Right of Women with Disabilities in Palestine to Marry: Cultural Considerations for Disability

The right to marriage, family, and parenthood is embodied in Article 23 of the Convention on the Rights of Person’s with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to explore the access to marriage for women with physical disabilities in Palestine. Seventeen women who acquired their disability before the age of 16 were interviewed. Fourteen participants were not married. Although these unwed participants believed they had the physical capacity to marry, and some had suitors, their families prohibited marriage. Participants reported marriage censure was buttressed by strong community attitudes. Three participants had married, with the support of the their birth family, but with the strong disapproval of the husband’s family. The study explores the relationship between Palestinian cultural practices in regard to marriage and disability and argues that in Palestinian culture a prohibition of marriage results in the negation of the rights of women with disabilities. The study illuminates and raises questions of power and inequity and deepens our understanding of the intersection of gender, gender roles and disability in the Palestinian context, examines the tension between social justice for individuals and respecting a cultural context of collectivism and binding familial relations, and the cultural assumptions made about physical norms and capability.
Wharton's Jelly for Augmented Cleft Palate Repair in a Rat Critical-Size Alveolar Bone Defect Model.

Secondary alveolar bone grafts (ABGs) are the standard treatment for the alveolar defect in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP), but remain invasive and have several disadvantages such as dela...
Some ethical concerns related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Although there are many important concerns related to coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), ethical issues should remain the top priority since the humanistic dimension of the recent pandemic is of prime importance. This short commentary highlights some ethical concerns related to (COVID-19). Political misuse, caring for older adults, and spread of harmful information are the 3 main issues that are addressed. It is hoped that those who can influence communities at large consider these issues for better public's health.
Smoking-Free Policies and Smoking Behaviors among Historically Black Colleges and Universities Students in the United States

Background: There is limited research on the impacts of smoke-free policies on students’ attitudes and smoking behaviors at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States. This study examined African American students’ attitudes toward differential smoke-free campus policies and their smoking behavior at two HBCUs in the Mid-Atlantic region. Methods: In this original study, 202 African American undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at two urban HBCUs participated and completed the online and in-person surveys conducted between October and December 2019. Descriptive statistics (Chi-square χ2 and t-statistics) and multivariable logistic regression were used to examine differences in smoking attitudes and behaviors by smoking-free policies. Results: One of the two surveyed HBCUs supported a comprehensive smoke-free policy (CSFP), which prohibits any tobacco use, including smoking, anywhere on campus at any time. The other HBCU followed a regular smoke-free policy (RSFP), which limits smoking to certain designated areas. The majority of students at the two schools reported that the smoke-free policy had not affected their smoking behavior. The multivariable analysis did not indicate a statistically significant association between students’ attitudes toward smoke-free policies and their smoking behavior. Furthermore, the difference in smoking prevalence between the two schools was not statistically significant by policy type. Conclusions and Implications for Translation: Smoke-free polices have the potential to educate about smoking and impact attitudes toward smoking. Implementing and enforcing a comprehensive or regular smoke-free policy is an essential initiative to ensure a healthy learning environment for students. Understanding the context-specific factors that contribute to smoking behaviors among African American students provides additional important insights into developing programs for students at HBCUs. Copyright © 2020 Martin, Jr. et al. Published by Global Health and Education Projects, Inc. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0.
Accreditation Sanctions as Quality Signals in a Competitive Market for Students

Tuition-dependent colleges and universities face increasing competition for students. This study examined whether accreditation sanctions might serve as signals of quality and relate to enrollment....
The power of lists: the Women’s Press science fiction and the making of a genre

This article traces the development of a prolific area of cultural production: feminist science fiction. Though, in our moment, the subgenre is the focus of popular attention and voracious scholarl...
Recognizing Subacute Combined Degeneration in Patients With Normal Vitamin B12 Levels.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is commonly associated with dementia in patients over the age of 65 years; however, it can affect people of all ages. Recognizing the clinical sequelae of subacute combined degeneration is essential for the timely diagnosis and treatment of vitamin B12 deficiency. In this report, we describe a case of a young man presenting with several months of neuropathy, depression, and abdominal symptoms. His initial vitamin B12 levels were within normal limits, but an elevated methylmalonic acid level and subacute combined degeneration of his spine on MRI confirmed the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency. The patient later tested positive for autoantibodies associated with pernicious anemia. His symptoms improved with intramuscular injections of cyanocobalamin. This case highlights the importance of recognizing vitamin B12 deficiency in patients of all age groups even in the setting of apparently "normal" B12 levels.
Creation of a single cell RNA seq meta-atlas to define human liver immune homeostasis

The liver is unique in both its ability to maintain immune homeostasis and in its potential for immune tolerance following solid organ transplantation. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA seq) is a powerful approach to generate highly dimensional transcriptome data to understand cellular phenotypes. However, when scRNA data is produced by different groups, with different data models, different standards, and samples processed in different ways, it can be challenging to draw meaningful conclusions from the aggregated data. The goal of this study was to establish a method to combine human liver scRNA seq datasets by 1) characterizing the heterogeneity between studies and 2) using the meta-atlas to define the dominant phenotypes across immune cell subpopulations in healthy human liver. Publicly available scRNA seq data generated from liver samples obtained from a combined total of 17 patients and ~32,000 cells were analyzed. Liver-specific immune cells (CD45+) were extracted from each dataset, and immune cell subpopulations (myeloid cells, NK and T cells, plasma cells, and B cells) were examined using dimensionality reduction (UMAP), differential gene expression, and ingenuity pathway analysis. All datasets co-clustered, but cell proportions differed between studies. Gene expression correlation demonstrated similarity across all studies, and canonical pathways that differed between datasets were related to cell stress and oxidative phosphorylation rather than immune-related function. Next, a meta-atlas was generated via data integration and compared against PBMC data to define gene signatures for each hepatic immune subpopulation. This analysis defined key features of hepatic immune homeostasis, with decreased expression across immunologic pathways and enhancement of pathways involved with cell death. This method for meta-analysis of scRNA seq data provides a novel approach to broadly define the features of human liver immune homeostasis. Specific pathways and cellular phenotypes described in this human liver immune meta-atlas provide a critical reference point for further study of immune mediated disease processes within the liver.
Estimating Carcinogenic Potency from a Rodent Tumorigenicity Experiment

Rodent tumorigenicity experiments are conducted to determine whether a particular substance accelerates tumour development. The association between exposure to this substance and the risk of tumour development can be characterized by a measure of carcinogenic potency. The most commonly used potency measure, the dose effect on the lifetime risk of tumour, may be seriously biased, especially when control and exposed groups differ with respect to longevity. However, more appropriate measures, which account for age at death, are largely unavailable except in the special cases of instantly lethal or nonlethal tumours or tumours with observable onset. In this paper, we propose an estimate of carcinogenic potency based on a proportonal prevalence odds model which applies regardless of tumour lethality and can be calculated using standard statistical methodologies. Furthermore, we show how our estimator can be used to generalize available potency estimators to tumours of any lethality.
A Mechanism for Horizontal and Vertical Target Localization in the Mustache Bat (Pteronotus p. parnellii)

Considering their aerial existence, bats have an obvious need to extract both horizontal and vertical spatial information from the echoes of their emitted pulses. Behavioral studies indicate that bats can resolve the relative angular separations of pairs of targets to within 5° in both the horizontal and vertical planes (Peff and Simmons, 1971; Lawrence and Simmons, 1972; Airapetianz and Konstantinov,1974; Simmons et al., 1983). Bats appear to be equally adept at resolving the absolute location of single targets. Observations of the prey-catching behavior of Myotis, for example, indicate this bat points its head towards an insect with an accuracy of also about 5° (Webster and Durlach, 1963; Webster and Brazier, 1968). The present contribution examines the acoustic cues available for resolving the azimuthal and elevational coordinates of a target, and suggests how this information might be encoded within the bat’s central auditory system. The subject is the greater mustache bat (Fteronotus p. parnellii) a species which requires accurate spatial information because it hunts insects amid dense foliage.
Monopoly as a Coordination Problem

The contribution to the theory of monopoly that most people recall when considering Gordon TuUock’s work concerns the rent-seeking cost of monopoly. After Tullock published his justly famous 1967 article “The Welfare Costs of Tariffs, Monopolies, and Theft” economists could no longer think of the social cost of monopolies solely in terms of the dead-weight losses of Harberger triangles. Monopolists devote resources to securing and maintaining their monopoly positions. The value of those resources, in their best alternative use, represents a social costs of monopoly that is generally larger than that represented by the area between the demand curve and marginal cost curve over the range from the monopoly output to the competitive output. Without downplaying the importance of Tullock’s rent-seeking theory to understanding monopoly behavior, we want to emphasize another of his contributions that has important implications for the theory of monopoly, which has been largely ignored. There are two reasons for this oversight. First, the contribution we have in mind comes from his 1965 book The Politics of Bureaucracy and has been developed by, and primarily associated with the work of others, work that now goes by the name of principal-agent theory. Second, principal-agent theory has implications for monopolies that have not been recognized and which we develop in this chapter. So, as with so many other things we have written, this chapter is rooted in fundamental ways on the insights and contributions of Gordon Tullock.
"We Don't Need no Stinking Badges"-Modernists vs. Post-Modernists: Kant, Foucault, Weber, Loewith, Arendt

(2006). 'We Don't Need no Stinking Badges'-Modernists vs. Post-Modernists: Kant, Foucault, Weber, Loewith, Arendt. Administrative Theory & Praxis: Vol. 28, No. 3, pp. 311-329.
Allo immune response, epithelial mesenchymal transition and chronic allograft fibrosis – Is there a link?

Introduction Mechanisms of chronic rejection manifested by irreversible fibrosis remain unclear. Phenotypic conversion of renal tubular epithelial and endothelial cells of the allograft to mesenchymal cells [Epithelial/Endothelial to Mesenchymal Transitioning (EMT/EndOEMT)] in the onset of fibrosis in the transplanted organ is proposed hypothesis. Objectives To detect EMT by way of gene expression profiling related to EMT using qualitative CR and quantitative real-time PCR covering 84 genes related to EMT. Materials: Anti-HLA Class I chimeric monoclonal antibody to the constant region of HLA Class I antigen (Invivogen, San Diego CA), EMR8-5: (Abcam ® ,Cambrige MA), a monoclonal HLA-Class I antibody that reacts with the heavy chains of Human HLA Class I A, B, and C and Pooled Positive Serum (PPS) containing antibodies to all Class I and Class II HLA allo-antigen and some possible non-HLA antigens. Renal Epithelial Cell (REC) and Human Umbilical Endothelial Cell (HUEC) lines (Life Line Cell Technologies, Frederick MD) were used. A total of 37 paraffin embedded renal allograft biopsy samples with varying etiologies and varying percentages of fibrosis were retrieved from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL. An EMT RT 2 profiler PCR Array (Qiagen) specific for 84 EMT-related genes was used to assess the expression of these genes in 12 renal allograft biopsies and 2 cell cultures Results and conclusions The EMT Gene array profiling by realtime PCR indicated that in both in vitro cell cultures and biopsies there was significant changes in EMT related gene expressions. The overall gene expression pattern revealed up regulation of several EMT related genes in renal epithelial cells, HUEC, and in biopsy samples. The biopsy sample findings on EMT related gene expression array point in the direction of contributing towards finding a molecular signature of chronic allograft rejection.
A general paradigm of modeling two-dimensional overland watershed water quality

This paper presents the development of sediment and reactive chemical transport in two-dimensional overland watershed systems. Through decomposition of reaction network via Gauss-Jordan column reduction: (a) redundant fast reactions and irrelevant kinetic reactions are removed from the system; (b) fast reactions and slow reactions are decoupled; and (c) species reaction equations are transformed into two sets: equilibrium species mass action equations and kinetic-variable reaction equations. This enables our model to include as many types of reactions as possible, choose kinetic-variables instead of chemical species as primary dependent variables, and simplify the reaction terms in transport equations. In our model, five options are provided to solve the advection-dispersion transport equation: finite element method in conservative form, finite element method in advective form. Lagrangian-Eulerian approach, Lagrangian-Eulerian approach with finite element method in conservative form for boundary, and Lagrangian-Eulerian approach with finite element method in advective form for boundary. The production-consumption rate of chemical species is determined by reaction-based formulations. To improve the efficiency and robustness of the computation, there are three options in the reactive chemical transport to deal with the reaction term: fully-implicit, mixed predictor-corrector and operator splitting, and operator splitting. One example problem is employed to demonstrate the design capability of the model and the robustness of the numerical simulations.
Effect of Lysozyme on Resting Spores of Bacillus Megaterium

Resting spores of Bacillus megaterium ATCC 9885 were found to be markedly affected by lysozyme. Exposure to as little as 1.5 μg of lysozyme per ml caused the spores to lose refractility, the darkened spores to shed their coat structures, and the spore central bodies to lyse. The spores of seven other strains of B. megaterium and seven other Bacillus species were not similarly affected by lysozyme. Proteolytic enzymes such as pronase, trypsin, pepsin, and subtilisin did not induce the change. The action of lysozyme differed in certain important respects from that of common “physiological” germinants. Its action was considered to be direct via its enzymatic attack on exposed sites directly accessible in the resting spores of B. megaterium ATCC 9885. Images
Have Cuprates Earned Their Stripes

Physicists are struggling to understand how electrons behave in cuprate superconductors, and the outcome may resolve the question of how these materials become superconducting. In his Perspective, Norman discusses work reported in the same issue by Vershinin et al. in which scanning tunneling microscopy was used to study electrons in a cuprate above the superconducting transition temperature. The researchers found that the material displays a charge modulation that gives rise to a checkerboard pattern of electrons instead of a stripe pattern seen in other experiments. More needs to be learned about this system, but it indicates that a proper theory of high-temperature superconductivity may lie somewhere between a localized electron picture and one in which the electrons are itinerant.
Codification, Progressive Development, or Scholarly Analysis? The Art of Packaging the ILC's Work Product

As a tribute to Sir Ian Brownlie's contributions to the field of international law, this chapter briefly addresses the 'art of packaging' the International Law Commission (ILC)'s work product, a topic which has considerable implications for the Commission's own legacy within the field. There are two key decisions that must be made by the Commission when 'packaging' the outcome of a topic. First, the Commission must decide what it will call the product, having a menu of possibilities: 'draft convention', 'draft articles', 'principles', 'guidelines', 'report', and so on. Second, once finalized, the Commission must decide what to say when sending the work product to the General Assembly, including whether to recommend that it be transformed into an international convention. The Statute of the ILC originally envisaged two different types of projects by the Commission: 'progressive development' projects and 'codification' projects. Keywords: International Law Commission (ILC); Sir Ian Brownlie
Chapter 11 – Applications of Linear Differential Equations

This chapter discusses projects on applications of linear differential equations, such as Lanchester's Combat Models. Frederick William Lanchester was an English engineer who died after the end of World War II in 1946. He had a long time interest in aircraft and was one of the first to realize the extent to which the use of air power would alter warfare. The first combat model here was proposed in his 1916 book Aircraft in Warfare published during World War I. This project investigates some of Lanchester's work on modeling combat.
ORFEUS-SPAS: The Berkeley Euv Spectrometer

ORFEUS-SPAS, the Orbiting Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometers, on the Astro-SPAS space platform, is a joint project of NASA and the BMFT in the Federal Republic of Germany (see Kraemer et al. 1990, this volume). The Berkeley spectrograph for this mission will obtain high-resolution (λ/△λ > 7000) spectra of point sources between 390 and 1200 A. The Berkeley instrument incorporates a set of four novel spherically figured, varied line-space (SVLS) gratings used in a geometry that is similar to that of the classic Rowland mount to span this large wavelength interval. Two spectral detector units containing curved MCPs and delay-line anodes encode the arriving photons in digital format for telemetry. An additional optic directs the image of the source in the entrance aperture onto a sealed FUV detector which is used to track the source as it drifts during an observation, enabling a post-flight reconstruction of the spacecraft pointing vector. This in turn will allow us to define the wavelength of each recorded photon with precision.