cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The New Political Economy of Regulation: Looking for Positive Sum Change in a Zero Sum World

Economists and others have long argued that the American regulatory system is unnecessarily inefficient. Critics charge that the system is both substantively inefficient, in that it sometimes specifies inefficient means for achieving a regulatory goal, and procedurally inefficient, in its over-reliance on rules. These arguments have led to a wave of regulatory reform experiments in the federal bureaucracy, many of which seek to promote positive-sum changes in regulatory policy through bargaining among private- and public-sector stakeholders. As several commentators have noted, most of these regulatory reforms have not met expectations in that participants in the bargaining process sometimes forgo positive-sum changes in the status quo. Those same commentators have offered a variety of explanations for these failures, most of which (we argue) are unpersuasive. We propose an another explanation drawn from the standard bargaining literature in economics. We argue that in the context of political conflict over policy changes, participants in these bargaining processes view positive sum policy changes in zero sum terms. That is, they bargain strategically, using their power to veto these positive-sum changes in order to extract further policy concessions from other stakeholders. This revelation has important implications for the future of this kind of regulatory reform.
The Party and the Political System

Soka Gakkai has been called a “multiphasic mass movement”.1 Its expansion, while being phenomenal in terms of numbers, has been just as remarkable in terms of its areas of involvement. As has been indicated, the goal seems to be one of creating a “total involvement society” wherein continual active participation of the individual is not the only consideration, but wherein every phase of the individual’s life is satisfied within the Gakkai framework. The ultimate goal of this organization is nothing less than a “revolution” (using non-violent tactics) at every level of society. Regarding the “levels of sociopolitical organization” at which efforts for change may be directed — i.e., government, regime and community — the Gakkai aspirations would be to change not only the existing government and the regime (i.e., “fundamental rules of the political game in society”), but the community as well.2 This means that they seek to change the basic Japanese social organization and structure, including the fundamental values of society, and replace them with a new system based on those “Buddhist” values inherent in Nichiren Buddhism.
The effects of calcium chloride, sodium chloride, and tripolyphosphate injections on the tenderness, water holding capacity and microscopic structure of beef muscle

76 INTRODUCTION 77 MATERIALS AND METHODS 8 0 Sources, injection and storage of muscle 80 Sensory analysis 80 Shear force determination 82 Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) 83
Using Skills Gained Through Volunteerism in Job Searches: A Workable Strategy

A number of recent theoretical and empirical articles have examined various aspects of volunteerism. Research which has established the increasing importance of career development as a primary goal of many volunteers has largely been concerned with individuals already established in their careers. This article extends current research by focusing on recent or soon-to-be college graduates. It integrates career-development volunteerism research with recent work from the job search literature. The paper includes specific suggestions for obtaining volunteer experience which targets employer-identified desirable job skills.
Design of Flexible Antenna for UWB Wireless Applications Using ANN

This paper presents the design of UWB flexible wireless antenna for WLAN, 5G, and WiMAX applications. The design is a pentagonal shaped radiating element placed on top of flexible polyimide substrate and simulated using the wellknown 3-D electromagnetic (EM) simulator HFSS, v.18.1. As the EM simulator required large computing cluster to solve the design under consideration in addition to the time consumed, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is used to implement the design and eliminate the factor of time and cost for the aforementioned structure. ANN with 1 hidden layer of 15 neurons based on Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm is presented. An error of less 6% is produced during the leaning, validation, and testing processes. The implemented ANN is a good candidate to represent the design and eliminate the factor of simulation time in addition to the cost of large computing cluster.
Acute Retroviral Syndrome Presenting with Hemolytic Anemia Induced by G6PD Deficiency

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common enzyme defect described in humans. Hemolysis in affected patients is usually triggered by circumstances involving free radical damage. While acute HIV infection is known to be a state of overwhelming oxidative stress, virus-induced hemolytic events in G6PD-deficient patients has rarely been reported. Despite an estimated overall prevalence of 6.8%⁻13% of this disorder in the HIV population, clinically significant hemolysis has been largely attributed to the use of offending medications rather than HIV infection itself. Here, we present a patient whose first episode of G6PD deficiency-associated hemolysis occurred as the main presentation of acute HIV infection.
A Rare Catch in a Nonhealing Wound.

Introduction Mycobacterium smegmatis is a common microbe found in soil, dust, and water that rarely causes infections in humans. Case report A 45-year-old man with a past medical history of hypertension presented with a nonhealing surgical wound in his anterior chest wall, measuring 0.5 cm x 0.5 cm x 0.3 cm with minimal serosanguinous drainage, that had been present for more than 1 year. Wound swab showed M smegmatis. He required a 3-month course of antibiotic treatment and advanced wound care that included packing the sinus wounds with silver-alginate dressings for the first 2 weeks followed by iodoform packing; once the infection and drainage had improved after 2 months of treatment, packing was changed to a collagen dressing. He responded well to treatment, and the ulcers completely closed at the end of his 3-month course. Conclusions This case illustrates the importance of considering atypical microbial infections in the workup for chronic nonhealing wounds.
Diet-based sodium regulation in 6th instar grasshoppers, Schistocerca americana (Drury) (Orthoptera: Acrididae).

This study analyzed sodium intake by Schistocerca americana (Drury) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) grasshoppers using three different seedling wheatgrass based diet treatments to simulate a natural food source. Sodium is a key nutrient for grasshopper cells, nerves, and reproduction. Grasshoppers acquire sodium from plants that they consume. However, it is unclear if grasshoppers self-regulate their sodium intake. Additionally, if grasshoppers self-regulate their sodium intake, the extent to which they do is uncertain. Newly molted 6 th instar grasshoppers were fed one of three diets in which the level of sodium that they had access to was varied. The S. americana grasshoppers consumed significantly less of the 0.5 M added sodium only diet when presented with an option to choose between this diet and a no-sodium-added diet ( t = 9.6026; df = 7; P < 0.0001). Grasshoppers in the 0.5 M added sodium only treatment consumed a significantly lower amount of food ( P < 0.0001) as well as gained a significantly lower average mass ( P < 0.0001) compared to the grasshoppers in the no-sodium-added only treatment. Our results generally correlated with previous studies on Locusta migratoria (L.) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) and information about the ecological tolerances and nutritional requirements of grasshoppers. Our data suggests that S. americana grasshoppers are capable of self-regulating their sodium intake. Additionally, we show that high concentrations of sodium in grasshopper diets have a negative effect on body mass. Our study illustrates that diet-based sodium regulation is a factor in the relationship between insect herbivores and their environments.
Recent advances in estimating contact angles using molecular simulations and enhanced sampling methods

The contact angle between a solid surface and the interface between two coexisting fluids, which characterizes the relative preference of the surface for one fluid over another, plays an important role in many areas of science and technology. In recent years, significant progress has been made in both our understanding of contact angles estimated using molecular simulations, and our ability to perform such estimation with greater accuracy and efficiency. In this review, we highlight recent advances in these areas with a focus on two simulation approaches, which employ droplet geometries and free energies, respectively, for estimating contact angles.
Association of Primary Anesthesia Type with Postoperative Adverse Events After Transcarotid Artery Revascularization.

Objectives The literature remains sparse regarding the influence of primary anesthesia type (monitored anesthesia care [MAC] v general anesthesia) on 30-day adverse events after transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR). The objective of this study was to report the association of primary anesthesia type with 30-day adverse events after TCAR. Design Retrospective cohort analysis of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Registry from 2012–2016. Setting Multi-institutional. Participants The final analysis included 625 patients who underwent TCAR. Interventions The primary exposure was anesthesia type, categorized as MAC (defined as regional anesthesia, local anesthesia, or MAC) or general anesthesia. The primary endpoint was 30-day mortality. Secondary 30-day endpoints included pulmonary, renal, and cardiac complications; sepsis; deep venous thrombosis; stroke; blood transfusion; embolism/thrombosis of ipsilateral carotid vessel; and redo surgery. Measurements and Main Results The prevalence of MAC was 73.4%. A 93% decrease was observed in the odds of 30-day mortality (p = 0.003) in patients who received MAC. Mean (standard deviation) hospital stay (2.99 [5.92] d v 4.30 [9.15] d; p = 0.037) and case duration (88.45 [39.48] min v 105.85 [63.77] min; p Conclusions The majority of studies on this topic pertain to carotid endarterectomy patients, and this retrospective analysis sheds light on outcomes after TCAR. Overall, the authors urge additional risk stratification and preprocedural optimization to carefully select patients who may undergo MAC.
Red Teaming a Multi-Colored Bluetooth Bulb

Given the proliferation of Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, their security has become an important concern due to the nature of their usage. In this work, we demonstrate several ways of exfiltrating data in a Bluetooth-enabled electric bulb. We have developed four different ways of exfiltrating data and analyzed them for generality, throughput, efficiency, and stealthiness.
Does a Higher American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR TI-RADS) Score Forecast an Increased Risk of Malignancy? A Correlation Study of ACR TI-RADS With FNA Cytology in the Evaluation of Thyroid Nodules

BACKGROUND Ultrasound has become the initial approach to evaluating thyroid nodules, facilitating the distinction between benign and malignant nodules based on composition, echogenicity, nodule border or margin, shape, the presence of calcifications, and nodule dimensions. The American College of Radiology (ACR) recommended the Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) as a classification system to standardize thyroid ultrasound reports and to predict the probability of malignancy in thyroid nodules using a scoring system (TR1-TR5) based on multiple ultrasound characteristics and nodule size. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is recommended as the next step for nodules that warrant further workup. The authors assessed the accuracy of the ACR TI-RADS based on the corresponding FNA cytology results (Bethesda system diagnoses I-VI). METHODS ACR TI-RADS ultrasound reports and corresponding FNA cytology diagnoses from January 1, 2018 to August 30, 2018 were evaluated. RESULTS From January 1, 2018 to August 30, 2018, 2306 thyroid ultrasound-guided FNAs were performed at our institution. Of 2306 cases, 361 had ACR TI-RADS reports available. The majority of FNAs were TR4 (180; 49.9%) or TR3 (108; 29.9%). No TR2 or TR3 nodules were associated with Bethesda category V or VI diagnoses. The majority of TR4 nodules (142 of 180; 78.9%) and TR5 nodules (42 of 65; 64.6%) exhibited benign (Bethesda category II) cytology. Fourteen TR5 cases (21.5%) had malignant (Bethesda category VI) cytology. CONCLUSIONS Although there were no TR2 or TR3 malignant (Bethesda category VI) diagnoses, and there were only a few malignancies in the TR4 and TR5 categories, the current results reassert the notion that the ACR TI-RADS scoring system shows at least some correlation between benign or malignant cytology diagnoses, as illustrated by the greater number of malignant cases in the higher ACR TI-RADS categories.
Relationship of patient age to tumor factors and outcomes among patients undergoing sentinel node biopsy for melanoma.

Abstract Introduction Patient age has been intermittently associated with demographics and outcomes in cutaneous melanoma. We looked at the association of age and patient demographics, tumor features, and melanoma-related outcomes in patients undergoing sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy for melanoma. Methods We reviewed demographics (age, gender), tumor features (mean Breslow thickness, ulceration, SLN positivity rates), and outcomes (all-site relapse, progression to stage IV, death from melanoma, complications) from a university-based prospective database of 1633 patients. Patients were grouped by decade of age and the impact of age was examined by univariable and multivariable analyses. Results Increasing age was directly associated with number of patients referred for SLN biopsy, male gender, head and neck (H&N) tumor location, mean Breslow thickness, tumor ulceration, and with all –site relapse, progression to stage IV, death from melanoma and complication rates. Increasing age was indirectly associated with SLN positivity rates. Comparing ages 60, these trends reached statistical significance for male gender, H&N location, SLN positivity, all-site relapse, progression to stage IV (development of metastases) and death from melanoma. Conclusions Referrals for SLN biopsy increase with increasing patient age, yet increasing age is associated with lower SLN positivity rates. This occurs despite the fact that older patients have thicker, more ulcerated tumors, and higher melanoma-related relapse and death rates.
Representing translation: the representation of translation and translators in contemporary media: edited by Dror Abend-David, New York and London, Bloomsbury Academic, 2019, 224 pp., £88.20/£84.67 (hardcover/e-book), ISBN 9781501333873/9781501333880

During the latter part of the twentieth century, translation studies closely examined the representations of translation and translators in fiction, taking what is described as a “fictional turn” –...
Workplace Sedentary Behavior and Productivity: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Reducing sedentary behavior in the workplace has become an important public health priority; however, some employers have expressed concerns regarding the potential for reduced productivity if employees are not seated while at work. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the relationship between workplace sedentary behavior (sitting time) and work productivity among full-time office-based employees, and further to investigate other potential factors associated with productivity. A 19-item online self-report survey was completed by 2068 government employees in Kansas. The survey assessed workplace sedentary behavior, work productivity, job satisfaction, and fatigue. Overall, office workers reported high levels of sedentary time (mean > 78%). The primary results indicated that sitting time was not significantly associated with productivity (β = 0.013, p = 0.519), but job satisfaction and fatigue were positively (β = 0.473, p 91% of the time) reported lower job satisfaction and greater fatigue as compared with the lowest level of sitting time (<75% of the time). Taken together, these results offer promising support that less sitting time is associated with positive outcomes that do not seem to come at the expense of productivity.
Physiologic Response to Angiotensin II Treatment for Coronavirus Disease 2019-Induced Vasodilatory Shock: A Retrospective Matched Cohort Study

Objectives To assess the early physiologic response to angiotensin-II treatment in patients with coronavirus disease 2019-induced respiratory failure and distributive shock. Design Retrospective consecutive-sample cohort study. Setting Three medical ICUs in New York during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak. Patients All patients were admitted to the ICU with respiratory failure and were receiving norepinephrine for distributive shock. Interventions The treatment groups were patients who received greater than or equal to 1 hour of angiotensin-II treatment. Time-zero was the time of angiotensin-II initiation. Controls were identified using a 2:1 hierarchical process that matched for 1) date and unit of admission; 2) specific organ support modalities; 3) age; 4) chronic lung, cardiovascular, and kidney disease; and 5) sex. Time-zero in the control group was 21 hours post vasopressor initiation, the mean duration of vasopressor therapy prior to angiotensin-II initiation in the treated group. Measurements and main results Main outcomes were trajectories of vasopressor requirements (in norepinephrine-equivalent dose) and mean arterial pressure. Additionally assessed trajectories were respiratory (Pao2/Fio2, Paco2), metabolic (pH, creatinine), and coagulation (d-dimer) dysfunction indices after time-zero. We also recorded adverse events and clinical outcomes. Trajectories were analyzed using mixed-effects models for immediate (first 6 hr), early (48 hr), and sustained (7 d) responses. Twenty-nine patients (n = 10 treated, n = 19 control) were identified. Despite matching, angiotensin-II-treated patients had markedly greater vasopressor requirements (mean: 0.489 vs 0.097 µg/kg/min), oxygenation impairment, and acidosis at time-zero. Nonetheless, angiotensin-II treatment was associated with an immediate and sustained reduction in norepinephrine-equivalent dose (6 hr model: β = -0.036 µg/kg/min/hr; 95% CI: -0.054 to -0.018 µg/kg/min/hr, p interaction=0.0002) (7 d model: β = -0.04 µg/kg/min/d, 95% CI: -0.05 to -0.03 µg/kg/min/d; p interaction = 0.0002). Compared with controls, angiotensin-II-treated patients had significantly faster improvement in mean arterial pressure, hypercapnia, acidosis, baseline-corrected creatinine, and d-dimer. Three thrombotic events occurred, all in control patients. Conclusions Angiotensin-II treatment for coronavirus disease 2019-induced distributive shock was associated with rapid improvement in multiple physiologic indices. Angiotensin-II in coronavirus disease 2019-induced shock warrants further study.
Twitter Is the Megaphone of Cross-platform Messaging on the White Helmets

This work provides a quantitative analysis of the cross-platform disinformation campaign on Twitter against the Syrian Civil Defence group known as the White Helmets. Based on four months of Twitter messages, this article analyzes the promotion of urls from different websites, such as alternative media, YouTube, and other social media platforms. Our study shows that alternative media urls and YouTube videos are heavily promoted together; fact-checkers and official government sites are rarely mentioned; and there are clear signs of a coordinated campaign manifested through repeated messaging from the same user accounts.
Determinants of Online Collaborative Consumption Behavior: The Application of the Theory of Reasoned Action in the Context of Apparel

Recently, collaborative consumption (CC) is impacting the fashion industry with emerging companies such as Rent the Runway and ThredUp. As such, various mainstream retailers (e.g., Patagonia, Ann Taylor) are beginning to change the way they do business in order to account for the growing popularity of collaborate consumption (CC). Keyes (2018) reported that growth in the resale market is expected to increase 15% between 2017 and 2022, which is notably higher than the 2% expected growth for total retail in same period. Given the aforementioned trends, the current study employs the theory of reasoned action(TRA) as a theoretical underpinning to explore the impact of consumers’ collaborative consumption motivations on their intentions to engage in online collaborative consumption for apparel products. The study’s results provide interesting insights into the relationships among consumers’ CC motivations, attitudes toward CC, subjective norms, and intentions to engage in online CC.
Investigation of relationships between fecal contamination, cattle grazing, human recreation, and microbial source tracking markers in a mixed-land-use rangeland watershed

Abstract The United States National Forests are mixed-use lands that support human recreation and cattle grazing. Overuse by humans or cattle, however, can lead to the fecal contamination of local waterways. Until recently, the source of these contaminants was a subject of conjecture; however, microbial source tracking tools have become widely used and are proving to be a valid methodology to identify the contamination source. This study aims to analyze and model the quantity and sources of fecal contamination in the Mink Creek watershed in southeastern Idaho. The U.S. Forest Service Caribou-Targhee National Forest (USFS) manages this watershed. Previous research has indicated that some localities within the watershed exceed US EPA standards for coliform bacteria. In 2019, water samples were collected before livestock began grazing and throughout the spring, summer, and fall after livestock grazing had ended. Fourteen sites were sampled seven times during the field season, allowing the water to be analyzed for total coliforms and E. coli bacteria. Microbial source tracking techniques using Bacteroides bacteria, which are known to live in specific digestive tracks, were used to identify the source of E. coli at each sampling location. The analysis indicated that E. coli counts exceeded state regulatory limits 35% of the time. These exceedances were associated with DNA source tracking markers for humans (58.8%), cattle (5.9%), or both cattle and humans (5.9%). Unknown sources were responsible for the Bacteroides bacteria 29.4% of the time. A statistical model was developed to estimate E. coli using the datasets of microbial source tracking measures, the presence or absence of humans, cattle, the proximity of the sampling date to a holiday, and other seasonal factors. The resulting model showed good performance indices at all the 14 sites based on a K-fold cross-validation scheme (R2 = 0.83 and NSE = 0.69). The results demonstrated that E. coli exceedances have a close association with human recreation and unknown sources and negatively influenced by dissolved oxygen.
Consistent Three-Dimensional Elasto-Plastic Model to Study Unsaturated Soil Behavior with Considerations of Coupled Hydro-Mechanical Hysteresis:

This paper presents a consistent three-dimensional elasto-plastic model to study unsaturated soil behavior with consideration of coupled hydro-mechanical hysteresis. The model was first formulated ...
A slow and sustained release of methotrexate (MTX) from a new polymeric dicalcium phosphate dehydrate cement (P-DCPD)

A novel and injectable polymeric dicalcium phosphate dehydrate cement (P-DCPD) was developed that is mechanically strong and has excellent cohesion. Methotrexate (MTX) is an anticancer drug for many tumors including bone cancer. The current study assessed the performance of MTX loaded P-DCPD (MTX-P) in vitro. The applied properties of MTX-P include MTX release, effects on cell viability of human breast cancer MCF 7 cells and murine osteoblastic MC3T3 cells. The impacts of MTX-P on the injectability, setting time, material microstructure and mechanical strength were also evaluated. A slow and sustained MTX release from MTX-P was observed. Eluents collected from MTX-P were cytotoxic to MCF7 cells. MT3T3 cells, however, were much less sensitive to MTX-containing eluents. MTX-P was injectable. A remarkable delay of the setting time was observed in 0.5% MTX-P (45.7 ± 1.9 min) and 1% MTX-P (49.5 ± 3.4 min) as compared to control-P (11.8 ± 1.2 min), respectively. The compressive strength was significantly reduced in 0.5% MTX-P (16.49 ± 2.43 MPa) and in 1% MTX-P (10.68 ± 3.97 MPa) as compared to control-P (53.09 ± 8.64 MPa). The inferior performance of MTX-P observed might be due to the insufficient crystal formation and uneven distribution of MTX within P-DCPD matrices. Our data may shed some light on the future application of MTX-P in the treatment of bone defects after tumor excision with a plethora of applications by including other anticancer drugs because of its safety and degradability. Further material optimization and in vivo validation are required to achieve a clinically applicable product.
Dairy Cow Postpartum Disease

Reproductive efficiency is the backbone of successful dairy production. The need to maximize the time a cow spends near peak milk production necessitates the production of a calf in each calendar year. Because gestation length is essentially fixed, cows must be rebred as quickly as possible to assure financial success. Inefficient reproductive performance is one of the most frequent and economically significant problems in dairy production.1,2 Consequently, the decision whether to breed, treat, or cull a dairy cow with reproductive disease is paramount to the success of a dairy. Considerable controversy exists concerning the impact of reproductive disease on cow performance and the benefits of various management interventions, especially the use of therapeutic agents, in combatting these diseases.
Microgravity Surveys for Evaluation of Elevation Changes Due to Reservoir Impoundment

This note, (1) assesses the potential of microgravity surveys for the evaluation of elevation changes due to reservoir impoundment; (2) determines what size reservoirs are likely to produce elevation changes large enough for detection by microgravity surveys; and (3) assesses the role of coupled microgravity and surface leveling or ground-water-level monitoring surveys in areas with permeable bedrock. The paper describes microgravimeters and detectable elevation changes, crustal deflection observations and calculations, and associated gravity changes. Conclusions drawn from the study are presented. In spite of the stringent survey demands and time-dependent interfering effects, repeated microgravity surveys show promise of being a valuable tool for studying elevation changes, or mass change effects associated with reservoir impounding or both. The study of the response times of crustal deflection to load application, and the time lag between reservoir filling and the arrival of pore pressure changes as a function of depth and distance from the reservoir is of great importance in understanding crustal deflection and possible earthquake-inducing mechanisms. It is also noted that the length of the traverse line is not a limiting factor in assessing the accuracy of a microgravity survey.
Abstract 20541: Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) Modulates Oxidative Stress via Nrf2: Roles of Intracellular and Extracellular NAMPT

We previously identified the nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT, also known as pre-B cell colony enhancing factor or PBEF), as a candidate gene promoting both acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) with circulating extracellular NAMPT (eNAMPT) potently inducing NFkB signaling in lung endothelium. We also confirmed the intracellular NAMPT (iNAMPT) enzymatic activity is strongly associated with apoptosis inhibition in neutrophils, which prolongs the half-life of infiltrated neutrophil, to exacerbate acute lung inflammation. In this study, we further characterize the novel function of NAMPT via oxidative stress modulation through Nrf2, which is a key regulator in cellular adaptive response to pro-inflammatory oxidative stimulation. Direct exposure to eNAMPT activates Nrf2, and its down-stream signaling, by upregulation of cellular Nrf2 protein levels. In addition, eNAMPT promotes NAMPT expression, in a positive feedback loop to increase both iNAMPT and eNAMPT, presumably via Nrf2 dependent oxidative stress transcriptional pathways. However, NAMPT protein expression is increased by Nrf2 knockdown (by specific siRNA) in human pulmonary endothelial cells or in lung tissue of Nrf2 knockout mice, which suggests that NAMPT expression is regulated by Nrf2, via non-classic transcriptional pathways. Interestingly, over-expressed iNAMPT directly binds to Nrf2, thereby inhibiting its transcriptional activity; in addition, over-expressed iNAMPT binds and inhibits Keap1, which leads to accumulation of Nrf2 in the cytosol. These novel findings characterize the complex modification of intracellular adaptive response to oxidative stress via Nrf2, by extracellular NAMPT, as well as intracellular NAMPT. These studies provide new molecular mechanisms of NAMPT-mediated acute lung inflammation and oxidative stress modulation.
Microsoft Cloud Compuring/Software+Services

Cloud Computing is a relatively new topic that has taken over the computing world by storm with promises of cost savings, increased flexibility and infinite scalability, while harnessing the full power of today’s very powerful devices. With advances by Microsoft, Amazon, and other leaders in computing, this field is slated as the fastest growing segment of the technology industry in terms of investment, development and recruitment. Join us in the Microsoft Cloud Computing / Software+Services workshop to learn about the Azure ecosystem and Windows Azure – our internet-scale cloud services platform, which provides an operating system and a rich set of developer services that allow you to build new applications to run from the cloud or enhance existing applications with cloudbased capabilities. We will also discuss our vision of the future – what we consider the natural evolution of cloud computing – the intersection of the cloud and software running on-premise and devices, which we call “Software-plus-Services”. We will share why the intersection of the cloud, the on-premise server and rich clients is the future of computing.
Statewide Water Planning: The Georgia Experience

Several states in the southeast have acknowledged the need for statewide water planning but have yet to act. In contrast, Georgia is on the cusp of completing the Georgia Comprehensive Statewide Water Management Plan (SWMP). The SWMP provides for resource assessments, forecasts, and regional water planning. Over the past three years, an extensive effort has been made to implement the SWMP. This article describes the planning process undertaken in Georgia. Several of the recommended practices are also highlighted and critiqued with respect to their potential to affect aggregate water use in the state.
A 15-GHz wireless interconnect implemented in a 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS technology using integrated transmitters, receivers, and antennas

Using a 6-metal, copper 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS technology, a 15-GHz on-chip wireless interconnect system has been demonstrated. The transmission frequency and distance (5.6 mm) of on-chip wireless interconnection have been almost doubled compared to the previously reported system. In addition, an integrated transmitter for on-chip wireless interconnection has been demonstrated. Lastly, the RF potential of CMOS technology for >10 GHz is assessed.
Field theory anomalies involving the energy-momentum tensor

Generalized Ward-Takahashi identities (WTI's) of the energymomentum tensor in a free spinor field theory with SU(3) currents were analyzed for possible non-canonical behavior (anomalies). The WTI's, derived by a functional integration technique, are the divergence equations for the axial-vector, vector, and tensor currents in n-point functions (n-pf's), i.e. Green's functions, involving the energy-momen­ tum tensor and all possible combinations of vector, axial-vector, scalar, and pseudo-scalar external currents (V, A, S, and P). In addition the trace identities (Tl) of the n-pf's involving the energymomentum tensor were investigated. The WTI's and trace identities were first checked by naive manip­ ulation of single loop Feynman diagrams, (i.e. ignoring divergences and surface terms in shifts of integration variables). Then defining "physical" amplitudes in terms of a Pauli-Villars type regularization and a self-consistent renormalization scheme (by addition of polynomial counterterms), possible anomalies of the WTI's and Tl were defined. As a result of the regularization, 1/m-terms of n-pf's having a coef­ ficient m in the axial-vector WTl and the trace identity were found to contribute to posssbls anornalisso Using ths couritsrteriTiS in a selfconsistent manner, it was found that all the tensor and vector WTI's could be satisfied (thus satisfying Poincare and gauge invariance, respectively), while anomalies were found in the axial-vector WTl and trace identity.
Bayesian blocks: Wavelets and beyond

Bayesian Blocks is a technique for detecting and characterizing signals in noisy time series. This time-domain method establishes a representation with some features of wavelet expansions, but at the same time relaxing some of their restrictions. With Bayesian Blocks all details of the representation are flexible and determined by the data through optimization of a piecewise constant model. As with wavelets, Bayesian Blocks can effect denoising without explicit smoothing and the concomitant loss of information through degraded resolution.
The (Non)Violent World of YouTube: Content Trends in Web Video

In this content analysis, we examined violence in Web-based entertainment. YouTube videos (N?=?2,520) were collected in 3 different categories: most viewed, top rated, and random, with additional comparisons between amateur and professional content. Frequencies of violent acts and the context of violence (e.g., characteristics of perpetrator and victim, justification, consequences) were compared both between these categories of YouTube videos and with existing research on television violence. The results showed far less violence as a percentage of programming on YouTube than there is on television. Moreover, the violence that was present showed more realistic consequences and more negative context than television violence. Post hoc comparisons illustrated several differences in the presentation of violence between make and category of video. Language: en
Using Salmon Survey and Commercial Fishery Data to Index Nearshore Rearing Conditions and Recruitment of Alaskan Sablefish

AbstractWe examined physical and biological indices from Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. surveys and commercial fisheries to index nearshore rearing habitats used by age-0 and age-1 Sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria in the eastern Gulf of Alaska and as indicators for their recruitment to age2 during the period 2001–2013. The best-fitting general linear model used to estimate age-2 Sablefish recruitment included chlorophyll-a concentration during late August and an index of juvenile Pink Salmon O. gorbuscha abundance during the age-0 stage of Sablefish. The model and biophysical indices from 2012 and 2013 produced a forecast of 23 million age-2 Sablefish for 2014 and a forecast of 8 million Sablefish for 2015. This study highlights the opportunity to use proxies for direct ambient physical and biological observations of rearing habitats in estimating groundfish recruitment to older ages.Received November 6, 2014; accepted April 10, 2015
Improving long-term ACS management: is there a role for the new antiplatelets?

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a major health burden, resulting in increased hospital admissions and significant morbidity and mortality. Platelet activation, which leads to thrombin generation, is highly implicated in ACS, and antiplatelet agents represent the current standard of care. Established antiplatelet agents include acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), thienopyridines (clopidogrel, ticlopidine), and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors. Recently, antiplatelet therapy for ACS has evolved to include more potent inhibitors (e.g., prasugrel, cangrelor, and ticagrelor). During the acute phase of an acute coronary event, both anticoagulation and dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and a thienopyridine are guideline recommended as first-line treatment. While anticoagulation is usually limited to the acute in-patient phase, dual antiplatelet therapy is recommended for 12 months. Despite the efficacy of antiplatelet agents in ACS, in many patients the residual risk of death from cardiac events, myocardial infarction, stroke, and refractory ischemia remains high. Dual therapy (i.e., ASA or clopidogrel plus a vitamin K antagonist [VKA]), and triple therapy (two antiplatelets plus a VKA) are associated with increases in bleeding complications. New oral anticoagulants that offer a novel mechanism of action may, when added to the current standard of care, provide a more comprehensive response to thrombin generation. In this review, we examine the pathology of ACS, investigate antiplatelet therapies and describe emerging anticoagulants that may be of benefit when used as combination therapy with antiplatelet agents for secondary prevention in ACS patients. (J Interven Cardiol 2012;25:425–432)
A Linguistic Approach to Language Processing in Broca's Aphasia: A Paradox Resolved

Linguistic interest in aphasia is partially due to the fact that focal in juries to different parts of the brain not only lead to selective cognitive disorders, but may also lead to dam age of distinct components of lan guage or of specific linguistic processing mechanisms. Thus, aphasie deficits following brain damage can serve as a testing ground for theoretical models of the normal mental grammar. In addi tion, linguistic theories of grammar have been utilized in the attempt to provide an explanation for the defi cits that occur on the grounds that aphasie language can be understood only in relation to the normal, intact brain and mental grammar. The speech of patients who have focal lesions in Broca's area is often characterized as agrammatic be cause many of the grammatical or function words are missing from their sparse and labored speech pro duction. The comprehension of many of these patients has interested linguistic aphasiologists because it too has often been characterized as agrammatic or asyntactic. Specifi cally, the comprehension of these patients is at chance for sentences just when correct interpretation of a sentence depends on a proper ap preciation of its syntactic structure. However, the same kinds of sen tences that are difficult to compre hend pose little difficulty for these patients when they are asked to make meta-linguistic judgments about sentences' grammatical ac ceptability. The fact that they can accurately distinguish welland in formed instances of the very same sentence constructions that reduce them to guessing in comprehension tasks is perplexing because it seems to entail the paradox that these indi viduals' syntactic processing is both damaged and undamaged at exactly the same points! In short, their syn tax is there but not there.
Use of Fast DNA Footprinting and Real-Time Fluorescence Spectroscopy to Characterize Novel, Biologically Revlevant Transcription Initiation Intermediates for E. Coli RNA Polymerase

RNA polymerase (RNAP) is a complex molecular motor responsible for catalyzing the synthesis of RNA from DNA in a promoter sequence-dependent manner. Knowledge of the mechanism of transcription initiation is crucial to understanding the regulation of gene expression. However, the RNAP-DNA intermediates on the pathway to open complex formation during transcription initiation are extremely short-lived and thus have been very difficult to characterize using traditional structural methods. Here, we present work focused on developing rapid, solution-based methods that allow us to characterize RNAP-DNA structures in the millisecond time regime. These include: fast DNA footprinting (using hydroxyl radical and permanganate probes) to characterize the interaction of RNAP with the DNA backbone and the extent of thymine base unstacking; stopped-flow FRET experiments to monitor DNA bending in real time; and 2-aminopurine fluorescence experiments to characterize the kinetics of DNA opening. In a related project, we utilize thin layer chromatography and fluorescence spectroscopy to characterize the short (2, 3 and 4-mer) RNA products made by RNAP during repeated rounds of abortive cycling before the enzyme progresses to forming full-length RNA transcripts. These combinatorial approaches have allowed us to determine the timing of loading of duplex DNA into the RNAP active site cleft and the kinetic mechanism of large-scale RNAP conformation changes leading to initial RNA synthesis. These research activities have successfully developed new methods to characterize transient intermediates in solution and to begin to develop a detailed structural-mechanistic picture of transcription initiation.
Meeting the Needs of Older Students in Higher Education

Accepted: 03.08.2014 The number of students 25 years of age and older enrolled in higher education has been escalating over the past 50 years. What is higher education is doing to prepare for this growth? With adults constituting almost half of today’s student body, it is important to consider whether the academy is prepared to serve this society of adult learners. The purpose of this paper was to examine the literature on andragogy in higher education to determine if higher education is serving this segment of nontraditional students. Findings show that there has been a substantial increase of adult students enrolled in college and university classes, higher education is not doing the job needed to teach adult learners effectively, adults should be taught andragogically, andragogy is not being used in the higher education classrooms, and colleges and universities need to prepare to teach adult students andragogically. Insufficient empirical research has been conducted on andragogy despite its 40year history of being considered the principal model of adult learning. However, with validated and reliable instruments available to measure the constructs of andragogy, clearer validation of andragogy in higher education is promising. Predictive research can be completed to study the effect of andragogical practices on learning and student satisfaction outcomes. There is the need for further research on andragogy in an attitude of mutuality and reciprocity to develop further the field of adult education. This attitude of mutuality and reciprocity is innovative.
Latest Advances in Sleep Medicine: Obstructive Sleep Apnea

This article is a review of the pertinent scientific data regarding obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as presented in the medical literature. Attention regarding the diagnosis of OSA focused on the debate regarding home testing as compared with in-laboratory polysomnography (PSG), with a surprising result of possibly more cost benefit from PSG. New advances abound in the treatment of OSA, including those directed at preventing pharyngeal collapsibility. Multiple studies reviewed the comparative effects of oral appliances in conjunction with CPAP, with little difference between the two noted, especially for mild OSA. Finally, a number of studies evaluated both risks of OSA and outcomes from the use of CPAP, including functional outcomes, direct cardiac benefits, and overall cardiac mortality.
Measles virus receptors: SLAM and CD46

The success of vaccination against measles in developed countries has significantly reduced the incidence of measles-related morbidity and mortality. However, measles is still the leading cause of mortality in children from underdeveloped countries due to low vaccination coverage, high transmissibility of the measles virus as well as primary and secondary vaccine failure. As with any viral disease, the identification of the host molecule to which the measles virus binds and gains entry into the host cell is a major step in understanding the molecular pathology of the disease. Two cell surface receptors, CD46 and signaling lymphocyte-activation molecule (SLAM), have been identified as measles virus receptors. CD46 is ubiquitously expressed on all nucleated cells and acts as a receptor for the Edmonston strain and all vaccine strains derived from it. SLAM is selectively expressed on some T and B cells and is utilised by the Edmonston strain and wild-type strains that cannot use CD46 for cell entry. Understanding the structural and functional variations in measles virus receptors with regard to host response can facilitate the development of new vaccines as well as provide new insights into measles virus tropism and pathogenesis and, importantly, into possible mechanisms for vaccine non-response. Our review focuses on the structure of measles virus receptors, measles virus receptor function, isoforms and polymorphic forms.
Analysis of the Role of the Active Site Residue Arg98 in the Flavoprotein Tryptophan 2-Monooxygenase, a Member of the l-Amino Oxidase Family

The flavoprotein tryptophan 2-monooxygenase catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of tryptophan to indoleacetamide. We have previously identified tryptophan 2-monooxygenase as a homologue of L-amino acid oxidase [Sobrado, P., and Fitzpatrick, P. F. (2002) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 402, 24-30]. On the basis of the sequence comparisons of the different LAAO family members, Arg98 of tryptophan 2-monooxygenase can be identified as an active site residue which interacts with the carboxylate of the amino acid substrate. The catalytic properties of R98K and R98A tryptophan 2-monooxygenase have been characterized to evaluate the role of this residue. Mutation of Arg98 to lysine decreases the first-order rate constant for flavin reduction by 180-fold and the second-order rate constant for flavin oxidation by 26-fold, has no significant effect on the K(d) value for tryptophan or the K(i) value for the competitive inhibitor indoleacetamide, and increases the K(i) value for indolepyruvate less than 2-fold. Mutation of this residue to alanine decreases the rate constants for reduction and oxidation an additional 5- and 2-fold, respectively, and increases the K(d) value for tryptophan and the K(i) value for indolepyruvate by 31- and 17-fold, respectively, while having an only 2-fold effect on the K(i) value for indoleacetamide. Both mutations increase the value of the primary deuterium isotope effect with tryptophan as a substrate, consistent with a later transition state. Both mutant enzymes catalyze a simple oxidase reaction, producing indolepyruvate and hydrogen peroxide. The pH dependences of the V/K(trp) values for the mutant enzymes show that the anionic form of the substrate is preferred but that the zwitterionic form is a substrate. The results are consistent with the interaction between Arg98 and the carboxylate of the amino acid substrate being critical for correct positioning of the substrate in the active site for efficient catalysis.