cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intrarenal dopamine D1-like receptor stimulation induces natriuresis via an angiotensin type-2 receptor mechanism.

We explored the effects of direct renal interstitial stimulation of dopamine D 1 -like receptors with fenoldopam, a selective D 1 -like receptor agonist, on renal sodium excretion and angiotensin type-2 (AT 2 ) receptor expression and cellular distribution in rats on a high-sodium intake. In contrast to vehicle-infused rats, sodium excretion increased in fenoldopam-infused rats during each of three 1-hour experimental periods ( 1 receptor expression by 38% ( P 2 receptor expression by 69% ( P 2 receptor expression by 108% ( P 2 receptor expression by 59% ( P 2 receptor protein expression was detectable in response to fenoldopam. Fenoldopam-induced natriuresis was abolished when either PD-123319, a specific AT 2 receptor antagonist, or SCH-23390, a potent D 1 -like receptor antagonist, was coinfused with F ( P 1 -like receptor activation increased urinary sodium excretion and the plasma membrane expression of AT 2 receptors in renal cortical and proximal tubule cells. D 1 -like receptor–induced natriuresis was abolished by intrarenal AT 2 receptor inhibition. These findings suggest that dopaminergic regulation of sodium excretion involves recruitment of AT 2 receptors to the outer plasma membranes of renal proximal tubule cells and that dopamine-induced natriuresis requires AT 2 receptor activation.
A SEMI‐AUTOMATED COLORIMETRIC METHOD FOR DETERMINATION OF AMINOPEPTIDASE ACTIVITY IN TURBID SOLUTIONS

A semi-automated colorimetric method to measure aminopeptidase activity using reflectance colorimetry is described. p-Nitroanilide derivatives of 12 amino acids were used to detect aminopeptidase activity in phosphate buffer and milk. Enzyme activity, in phosphate buffer, determined using spectrophotometry and colorimetry, was linearly correlated (R2= 0.991), indicating colorimetry can be used in place of spectrophotometry to measure aminopeptidase activity. Aminopeptidase activity determined colorimetrically in buffer was linearly correlated (R2= 0.981) with activity in milk, indicating colorimetry can be used to detect enzyme activity in turbid solutions such as milk and dairy products. Optimum substrate concentration differed for milk and phosphate buffer. Assays in milk required higher concentrations of chromogenic substrates (0.8–1.0 mM), than did assays in phosphate buffer (0.3–0.5 mM). The assay was more repeatable in milk (average coefficient of variation = 3.6%) than in buffer (average coefficient of variation = 14.0%). Aminopeptidase activity of cell free extracts from Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ32 were used to demonstrate the use of the assay. Enzyme profiles of this strain were similar in milk and in phosphate buffer. High activity was detected with p-nitroanilide derivatives of arginine, lysine, leucine, alanine, and methionine.
Toxicity of pyrethroids to marine invertebrates and fish: A literature review and test results with sediment-sorbed chemicals

Data on the acute and chronic toxicities of permethrin, fenvalerate, cypermethrin and flucythrinate to marine invertebrates and fish are reviewed. Generally, crustaceans are more sensitive than fish; oysters are comparatively insensitive. The mysid Mysidopsis bahia consistently is among the most sensitive crustaceans tested, with 96—h LC50s of less than 0.02 μg/L for permethrin and of less than 0.01 μg/L for fenvalerate, cypermethrin and flucythrinate. The potential for chronic toxicity to fish is minimal for permethrin, moderate for fenvalerate and relatively great for flucythrinate. Laboratory toxicity tests were conducted with sediment—source fenvalerate and cypermethrin under static and flow—through conditions to determine the degree of contamination necessary to achieve acute lethal effects on mysids, grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio) and pink shrimp (Penaeus duorarum). Mortality was observed in test animals only in systems where the concentrations of sediment—source pyrethroids were sufficient to establish lethal concentrations in the overlying water through sediment/water partitioning. For fenvalerate, lethal effects occurred at nominal sediment concentrations of 0.1 mg/kg (static and flow—through) for mysids and grass shrimp and at 10 mg/kg for pink shrimp. Nominal sediment concentrations of cypermethrin of 0.1 mg/kg (static) or 1.0 mg/kg (flow—through) resulted in mortality in mysids and grass shrimp, whereas 1.0 mg/kg was the only test concentration that caused mortality in pink shrimp in the static and flow—through test systems. The correspondence between aqueous concentrations and LC50s for test animals demonstrated the importance of quantitating the bioavailable portion of pyrethroids in field samples to characterize accurately the environmental risk associated with pyrethroid runoff after agricultural applications.
The Macroeconomic Effects Of 9/11

There has been an extensive discussion on the effects of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The economic literature on this issue appears to be unsatisfactory. In particular it shows three main shortcomings: it provides very different estimations of the costs, does not consider properly the macroeconomic implications, and it is fragmentary. The scope of this paper is to address some of these shortcomings. For this purpose, we will discuss the economic costs of the attacks and will provide a theoretical framework to illustrate and explain its macroeconomic effects.
Data Assimilation in a Baroclinic Coastal Ocean Model: Ensemble Statistics and Comparison of Methods

The performance of data assimilation methods in an idealized three-dimensional time-dependent coastal baroclinic model is assessed by computing ensemble error statistics. The analytical representer solution allows for computation of posterior error statistics for the variational generalized inverse method (GIM) as well as sequential methods such as the Kalman filter (KF) and optimal interpolation (OI). Computations can be made in a straightforward way, given the statistics of errors in the model equations and data. The GIM yields solutions with significantly smaller variance than that given by KF or OI if the data contain valuable information about the past flow. This is the case, for instance, when a large fraction of the model error is due to uncertainty in the wind stress. In the scope of the model presented here, the plausibility of simplifications made in a practical OI scheme is analyzed. The unified study of the GIM, KF, and OI allows for the demonstratation of how the forecast error covariance used in a practical OI sequential scheme may be optimized with the use of lagged covariances for the model solution. The effect of the misspecified input error statistics on the solution quality is also assessed. In some practically relevant cases the use of future data by the GIM, in contrast to KF and OI, compensates for incorrectly specified input error covariances.
Dynamic positioning sensing system for estimating size and depth of embedded object

In this study, we developed a dynamic positioning sensing (DPS) system for estimating size and depth of embedded objects. The DPS System is comprised of a tactile imaging sensor (TIS), a near infrared diffuse optical imaging (DOI) unit. The TIS have a flexible and transparent sensing probe, a LED (light emitting diode) module, and a CCD camera with lens. The light from the LED-illuminated probe is scattered when a force is applied to the probe, and captured by the camera as a tactile image. TIS determined the tumor size by correlating applied force, depth and number of pixel in tactile image. On the other hand, using a near infrared laser as source and the CCD camera as detector, we obtained the diffuse optical images. From these images, we computed the absorption coefficient of the embedded tumor phantom. We maneuvered the source-detector simultaneously for collecting diffuse optics information. We termed this maneuver as dynamic positioning. The TIS provided a priori location information. The combination of the absorption coefficient, tactile data, and dynamic positioning method improved the size and depth estimation. The experimental results showed that the TIS estimated the tumor phantom size with 7.23% error, while the DPS System measured the size with 0.8% error. The TIS depth estimation error was 41.83%, and the DPS System reduced depth measurement error to 20.67%.
Sonographic Appearance of the Torcular Herophili

The sonograms of 12 infants aged 2 days to 7 months were evaluated to determine if the torcular Herophili could be demonstrated routinely on cranial sonography. Sonography, which was performed for a variety of indications (prematurity, seizures, hydrocephalus, sepsis, congenital anomalies, and subarachnoid hemorrhage) demonstrated the torcular Herophili in all cases. It appeared as a variable-sized, anechoic, and triangular or elongated structure inferior to the occipital lobes, posterior to the cerebellum, and just inside the cranial vault. Correlation with computed tomographic scans was available in four patients. A detailed description of the normal anatomy of the torcular Herophili is provided. Knowledge of the variable sonographic appearance of the torcular Herophili is important to distinguish it from a pathologic entity.
Validation of IPSS criteria in more than 1,600 MDS patients

7079 Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a diverse group of clonal stem cell disorders characterized by bone marrow failure, dysmyelopoiesis and peripheral cytopenias and affecting predominantly an...
Morphology of the middle rectal arteries. A study of 30 cadaveric dissections.

The middle rectal arteries were studied in 30 cadavers of adult and older individuals (29 Caucasians and one Negro)_of both sexes (15 males and 15 females). The middle rectal artery was present in 56.7% of the cases, bilaterally (36.7%) or unilaterally (20%), originating from the internal pudendal (40%), inferior gluteal (26.7%), internal iliac (16.8%), and less frequently from other pelvic branches. The average external diameter of the middle rectal artery was found to be 1.7 mm, its average length about 7 cm, and the point of penetration in the rectal wall about 6 cm (average) superior to the anus. The most frequent sites of the rectal wall pierced by the middle rectal arteries were the anterior (50% of the cases) and posterior (45%) quadrants of the rectum, whether isolated or combined (43.3%). These anatomical features justify, when needed and possible, the preservation of the middle rectal artery in surgical interventions on related organs. The term middle rectal arteries in Nomina Anatomica should be changed to inferior rectal arteries and indented under internal pudendal artery; the current term inferior rectal arteries should be changed to anal arteries to follow the already adopted division of the terminal intestine into rectum and anal canal.
Wi-FM: Resolving Neighborhood Wireless Network Affairs by Listening to Music

FM radio, typically broadcast in the 87.5 to 108.0Mhz range, is widely available in urban areas and beyond. Contrary to GPS, it effectively penetrates buildings, contrary to 3G/4G or TV, FM radio receivers are becoming freely available in mobile devices. Indeed, nearly every smart phone and many other consumer electronics today have a built-in FM chip. In this paper, we demonstrate that this ubiquitous in-the-air and on-device FM radio availability presents a unique opportunity to address some of the fundamental wireless networking problems. In particular, we focus on the problem commonly arising in home networks where devices from neighboring, yet autonomous and non-collaborative, Wi-Fi networks systematically "step on each other's feet", i.e., interfere and degrade each other's performance. We show that the digital signal that accompanies broadcast FM radio has sufficient structure to enable effective scheduling relative to it. It thus provides a common reference for neighboring devices to harmonize their transmissions, yet without requiring any explicit communication among them. To the best of our knowledge, our system is the first to enable such mutually-beneficial, autonomous, and implicit harmonization among Wi-Fi devices across administrative network bounds.
Comparison of Application Rates of Some Soil Insecticides for Control of Western Corn Rootworm Larvae in Missouri

A comparison was made of several soil insecticide-rate combinations with the 0.75 lb rate of Bux 10® (m- (l-ethylpropyl) phenyl methylcarbamate mixture (1–4) with m -(I-methylbutyl) phenyl methylcarbamate) for control of larvae of Diabrotica virgifera LeConte. Baygon® (o-isopropoxyphenyl methylcarbamate) at 0.75 and 1.0; Dasanit® (O, O -diethyl O -[ p- (methylsulfinyl) phenyl] phosphorothioate) at 0.75 and 1.0; Dyfonate[ (O -ethyl S -phenyl ethylpliosphonodithioate) at 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.0; Furadan[ (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl methylcarbamate) at 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.0; Dursban[ (O, O -diethyl O -3,5,6-trichloro-2,-pyridyl phosphorothioate) at 0.75; Landrin [(3,4,5-trimethylphenyl methylcarbamate) at 1.0; and phorate at 1.0 1b actual toxicant per acre gave control comparable to the Bux 10 standard. Although these rates were not significantly different from the Bux 10 standard, it was concluded that under environmental conditions similar to 1967, Bux 10 at 0.75; Dasanit at 0.75 and 1.0; Dyfonate and Furadan at 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.0; and Landrin and phorate at 1.0 1b actual toxicant per acre would be expected to perform comparable to Dyfonate at 1.0 1b actual toxicant/acre, the best treatment in this study. Evaluation under differing environmental situations is required before a definite application rate can be determined.
Studies of the Chick Edema Disease 5. Long-Term Low-Level Feeding of Chick Edema Factor

Abstract INTRODUCTION FOR the most part, studies of the chick edema disease have been short-term, that is, of four weeks duration or less (Brew et al., 1959; Douglass and Flick, 1961; Flick et al., 1962, 1963a,b, 1965a,b; and Alexander et al., 1962. A few long-term or chronic studies have been reported (Allen, 1961. A few long-term or chronic studies have been reported (Allen, 1964; and Allen and Lalich, 1962. The studies in this report were made to extend our knowledge of the chick edema disease to include the chronic effects of feeding fat containing the chick edema factor (CEF) at low levels for twelve weeks. EXPERIMENTAL Day-old S. C. White Leghorn cockerels were used for these studies. On the day of receipt from the hatchery, the chicks were randomized in the shipping carton, wing-banded, weighed, and placed in cages with raised wire-mesh floors. Ten or eleven birds were placed in each cage and were fed and watered ad libitum. Room temperature …
Oxidation-reduction potential and lipid oxidation in ready-to-eat blue mussels in red sauce: criteria for package design.

BACKGROUND Ready-to-eat in-package pasteurized blue mussels in red sauce requires refrigerated storage or in combination with an aerobic environment to prevent the growth of anaerobes. A low barrier packaging may create an aerobic environment; however, it causes lipid oxidation in mussels. Thus, evaluation of the oxidation-reduction potential (Eh) (aerobic/anaerobic nature of food) and lipid oxidation is essential. Three packaging materials with oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of 62 (F-62), 40 (F-40) and 3 (F-3) cm3 m-2 day-1 were selected for this study. Lipid oxidation was measured by color changes in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) at 532 nm (TBARS@532) and 450 nm (TBARS@450). RESULTS Significantly higher (P 0.05) by OTR and remained negative (< -80 mV) during storage. Negative Eh values can support the growth of anaerobes such as Clostridium botulinum. The headspace oxygen concentration was reduced by about 50% from its initial value during pasteurization, and then further declined during storage. The headspace oxygen concentration was higher in trays packaged with higher OTR film. CONCLUSION Mussels packed with high OTR film showed higher lipid oxidation, indicating that high barrier film is required for packaging of mussels. Pasteurized mussels must be kept in refrigerated storage to prevent growth of anaerobic proteolytic C. botulinum spores under temperature abuse. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
Teaching Students to Engage with Evidence: An Evaluation of Structured Writing and Classroom Discussion Strategies

ABSTRACTIn their transition to college, students often struggle to identify and make connections between the main arguments, evidence, and empirical findings of articles from academic journals commonly assigned on political science syllabi. Which active learning techniques are most effective for teaching students to recognize and evaluate social science evidence? To address this question, we conducted an experiment with students from two first-year writing seminars in political science. Students were randomly assigned to either an in-class writing activity or a group discussion, both of which required them to summarize an article’s use of evidence. We find limited evidence that group discussions are more effective for teaching students to engage with evidence.
Environment, cancer, and molecular epidemiology: air pollution.

Most cancers result from human interaction with the environment. As may be expected, air pollution is the most frequent factor responsible for environmental carcinogenesis due to natural exposures (such as air contamination, background radiation, and asbestos) or man-made pollution (e.g., smoking). A challenging problem in clinical epidemiology has been the nonuniform distribution of cancer among populations equally exposed to carcinogenic circumstances. Recent findings made available through the development of molecular biology techniques have provided new insights into cancer susceptibility. The wide variations in the uptake and ability to activate xenobiotics are key phenomena in environmental carcinogenesis. The intracellular DNA repair systems are probably responsible for the end result of neoplastic transformation or normalcy in the presence of carcinogenic encounters.
TIMP1 promotes multi-walled carbon nanotube-induced lung fibrosis by stimulating fibroblast activation and proliferation.

AbstractPulmonary exposure to multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) may cause fibrosing lesions in animal lungs, raising health concerns about such exposure in humans. The mechanisms underlying fibrosis development remain unclear, but they are believed to involve the dysfunction of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. Using a mouse model of MWCNT exposure, we found that the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (Timp1) gene was rapidly and highly induced in the lungs by MWCNTs in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Concomitantly, a pronounced elevation of secreted TIMP1 was observed in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and serum. Knockout (KO) of Timp1 in mice caused a significant reduction in fibrotic focus formation, collagen fiber deposition, recruitment of fibroblasts and differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts in the lungs, indicating that TIMP1 plays a critical role in the pulmonary fibrotic response to MWCNTs. At the molecular level, MWCNT exposure significantly increased the expressio...
Information versus ideology: Shaping attitudes towards Native American policy

Abstract Native American policy is a complex and often poorly understood issue area. Native Americans enjoy a set of rights unique from any other population in the country as established in hundreds of treaties and a right to self-governance that predates the U.S. Constitution. Some scholars believe that American citizens would be more supportive of these policies if they had more information on the rights of tribes. This paper explores the impact of information on individual attitudes and preferences toward Native American policy in the USA. Using an original survey experiment, we test how information concerning the relationship between the U.S. and Native nations influences overall support for tribal sovereign rights and federal Indian programs and services. We find that information increases support for the rights of tribes to self-govern, but political ideology and other individual attributes dominate attitudes toward federally administered programs.
Tissue plasminogen activator for neonatal coronary thrombosis presenting with mitral valve regurgitation and impaired ventricular function

Objective Neonatal coronary thrombosis is a rarely reported disorder, with variable outcomes described. This study assessed the feasibility and safety of an institutional protocol using tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) administration for the treatment of neonatal coronary artery thrombi. Methods They reviewed the outcome of three neonates with clinical evidence of myocardial infarction secondary to coronary thrombosis. All three underwent the tPA treatment protocol. Results The three described cases presented at 5 hours, 15 hours, and 10 days of life. The patients identified underwent the tPA protocol at least once. There was clinical evidence of improvement in coronary flow, as well as demonstration of increased left ventricular function and decreased mitral regurgitation. No major adverse events occurred. Conclusion Thrombolytic therapy with this tPA protocol may be safe and effective in treating neonates with coronary thrombosis.
Expert Supervisors' Priorities When Working With Easy and Challenging Supervisees

Using Kemer, Borders, and Willse's (2014) concept map as a conceptual model, the authors aimed to understand expert supervisors' priorities with their easy and challenging supervisees. Experts' priorities with easy and challenging supervisees were represented in different parts of the concept map, and they seemed to individualize their work with challenging supervisees.
Esophageal dilation with either bougie or balloon technique as a treatment for eosinophilic esophagitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and Aims Esophageal dilation is a now recognized to be an important therapeutic modality in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). We aimed to evaluate the safety of esophageal dilation in EoE, especially regarding perforation risk, and to examine perforation risk by dilator type. Methods We conducted a systematic review of the published literature from January 1, 1950 to June 30, 2016 using PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Studies were included if they described patients with EoE who underwent elective esophageal dilation and also reported the presence or absence of at least 1 adverse event (eg, perforation, bleeding, pain, or hospitalization). We used random-effects meta-analysis to estimate the frequency of each adverse event. Results Of 923 identified articles, 37 met inclusion criteria and represented 2034 dilations in 977 patients. On meta-analysis, postprocedure hospitalization occurred in .689% of dilations (95% confidence interval [CI], 0%-1.42%), clinically significant GI hemorrhage in .028% (95% CI, 0%-.217%), and clinically significant chest pain in 3.64% (95% CI, 1.73%-5.55%). Nine perforations were documented, at a rate of .033% (95% CI, 0%-.226%) per procedure after meta-analysis. None of the perforations resulted in surgical intervention or mortality. Most (5/9) were reported before 2009 (rate, .41% [95% CI, 0%-2.75%]); from 2009 forward the rate was .030% (95% CI, 0%-.225%). Dilation method was described in 30 studies (1957 dilations), in which 4 perforations were detected. The estimated perforation rate for bougies was .022% (95% CI, 0%-.347%) and for balloons was .059% (95% CI, 0%-.374%). Conclusions Perforation from esophageal dilation in EoE is rare, and there is no evidence of a significant difference in perforation risk related to dilator type. Esophageal dilation should be considered a safe procedure in EoE.
On the Simulation and Mitigation of Anisoplanatic Optical Turbulence for Long Range Imaging

We describe a numerical wave propagation method for simulating long range imaging of an extended scene under anisoplanatic conditions. Our approach computes an array of point spread functions (PSFs) for a 2D grid on the object plane. The PSFs are then used in a spatially varying weighted sum operation, with an ideal image, to produce a simulated image with realistic optical turbulence degradation. To validate the simulation we compare simulated outputs with the theoretical anisoplanatic tilt correlation and differential tilt variance. This is in addition to comparing the long- and short-exposure PSFs, and isoplanatic angle. Our validation analysis shows an excellent match between the simulation statistics and the theoretical predictions. The simulation tool is also used here to quantitatively evaluate a recently proposed block- matching and Wiener filtering (BMWF) method for turbulence mitigation. In this method block-matching registration algorithm is used to provide geometric correction for each of the individual input frames. The registered frames are then averaged and processed with a Wiener filter for restoration. A novel aspect of the proposed BMWF method is that the PSF model used for restoration takes into account the level of geometric correction achieved during image registration. This way, the Wiener filter is able fully exploit the reduced blurring achieved by registration. The BMWF method is relatively simple computationally, and yet, has excellent performance in comparison to state-of-the-art benchmark methods.
Legislative Proposals to Enhance Capital Formation and Reduce Regulatory Burdens: Venture Exchanges

Improving the secondary markets for small capitalization firms will help investors achieve a higher return and reduce risk, improve entrepreneurs’ access to capital and promote innovation, economic growth and prosperity. The three key steps to improving secondary markets for small firms are: 1. improving the regulatory environment for existing non-exchange over-the-counter (OTC) securities traded on alternative trading systems (ATSs), primarily by (a) providing the same reduced blue sky burden that large companies currently enjoy, (b) re-establishing the list of marginable OTC securities and (c) removing impediments to market making caused by Regulation SHO; 2. amending the Securities Exchange Act to establish venture exchanges; and 3. improving the regulatory environment for secondary sales of private securities, primarily by codifying the so-called section 4(a)(1-1/2) exemption and ensuring that platform traded securities are eligible for the exemption. The discussion draft of the “Main Street Growth Act” is a very positive framework for establishing venture exchanges although some improvements are necessary for it to fully achieve its objectives. The improvements recommended include (1) amending the definition of venture security, (2) changing Regulation SHO as it applies to market-makers, (3) making it clear that large exchange listing requirement are inapplicable to venture exchanges, (4) permitting market maker support programs and (5) a few other relatively minor changes.
‘Cinderella of the Education System’: Margaret Thatcher’s Plan for Nursery Expansion in 1970s Britain

The Department of Education and Science, led by then Secretary of State Margaret Thatcher, published a White Paper in December 1972 calling for a dramatic expansion of public nursery education, so that it might be available within a decade to all families with 3- and 4-year-old children who chose to utilize it. While this failed policy is seldom remembered today, and Thatcher's efforts to promote the care and education of young children are not considered part of her considerable legacy, the White Paper's policy propositions challenge understandings about the formation and consistency of both Britain's child care policy and 'Thatcherism'. During this period, Thatcher believed that extending the frontiers of the state was appropriate to promote child welfare during the crucial first years of life. She conceived of nursery education as serving a developmental and educational purpose for all children, quite separate from welfare provisions for poor families or work supports for women. It is this crucial, albeit arbitrary, distinction which explains how nursery education was envisaged as an exception to her advocacy of cutting welfare spending.
Quantum optics: Nanotube chemistry tunes light

Room-temperature single-photon emission at several wavelengths in the near-infrared, including the telecom window, is realized by organic colour centres chemically implanted on chirality-defined single-walled carbon nanotubes.
Nomenclatural changes in the family Membracidae (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Membracoidea).

Nomenclatural changes are provided for names in the family Membracidae. The following replacement names are proposed: Gargara (Gargara) discoidea nom.nov. for Gargara (Gargara) discoidalis Ananthasubramanian, 1980; Tricentrus substitutus nom.nov. for Tricentrus yunnanensis (Yuan & Li, 2002); Indicopleustes esakii nom.nov. for Indicopleustes typicus Esaki, 1932; Neoproterpia nom.nov. for Proterpia Stal, 1867; Membracis expansa Walker, 1851 status revised is reinstated as valid on taxonomic grounds. The correct original spelling is fixed for Leptocentrus florifacialis Yuan in Yuan & Chou, 2002, and seven incorrect original spellings are documented for five additional species in which a correct spelling was later adopted by one or more of the original authors. The name Micrutalis minutus Buckton, 1902 is emended to Micrutalis minuta Buckton, 1902 and Brachytalis punctulatus Ramos is emended to Brachytalis punctulata Ramos in both cases to agree with the feminine gender of Micrutalis Fowler, 1895 and Brachytalis Metcalf & Bruner, 1925.
Deconstructing the Saudi Economy

To understand the scale of the difficulties Saudi faces, there are six structural areas where policy and approaches need to change in order to solve the problems. As noted, the need to balance oil wealth and the need for diversification are not new ideas for Saudi Arabia, they have been policy issues for a long time and long understood as weaknesses in the kingdom’s socioeconomic model. However, the Saudi economic infrastructure has not made sufficient progress to date to counter the dominance of oil, the challenges of a unique business environment and a bulging welfare provision. Saudi faces internal and external threats, and there is little time or room for complacency this time round. Falling global demand and the rise of alternative energy, especially shale gas, are elements beyond Saudi control. The International Energy Agency released a report in November 2012 which predicted the United States would overtake Saudi and Russia as the largest oil producer by 2017, a prediction made more solid by a 4 July 2016 report that stated the United States now has the largest oil reserves. This puts a somewhat different complexion on the “America” and “big oil” argument as the basis for US-Saudi relations, as well as arguments about US oil independence. In conversations I have had with focus groups since 2014, I have witnessed complaisance turn to real concern over the economic changes occurring in Saudi.
Meloy’s Biopsychosocial Model of Violence

This section summarizes Meloy’s model and presents the individual/psychological components, the social/environmental components, the biological components, and other miscellaneous factors that contribute to someone being violent.
Experimental Study of Petawatt Laser Produced Plasmas

The operation of the first 1 petawatt (PW) laser at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in 1996 provided a laser power which has not yet been equaled elsewhere and it enabled a range of novel scientific investigations which are reviewed here and briefly set in context with theoretical work and other related experiments.
Protecting Oceans from Urban Storm Water Runoff

Urban storm water runoff - storm water flowing through cities to receiving waters - is a major contributor to coastal water quality problems. This short article, which appeared as part of a journal issue on the problem of storm water, describes the problems that storm water causes for ocean water quality and function; provides a brief overview of the regulatory mechanisms that can help to address ocean storm water contamination, especially the Clean Water Act and the Coastal Zone Management Act; and describes as a case study the Santa Monica Bay estuary in southern California.
Genomics of Mineral Nutrient Biofortification: Calcium, Iron and Zinc

Dietary deficiencies affect nearly half of the people on the planet, who simply do not receive sufficient nutrition from the food they buy or grow. Inadequate calcium, iron, and zinc consumption create short and long term health problems, which in turn can magnify and stagnate national development. Dietary diversity, use of industrially fortified foods, and medical interventions are all effective solutions to this suite of related problems. However, each of these solutions requires infrastructure, economic support, and either education or access to markets, and thus are more suitable for the urban than rural poor. Biofortification, or the nutritional enhancement of staple and specialty crops, represents a low cost, sustainable, and potentially effective solution to addressing dietary deficiency and malnutrition in the rural poor. Recent progress on calcium, iron, and zinc biofortification using quantitative genetics, mutational genetics, and genetic engineering technologies will be discussed.
Sustainable Forestry in a World of Specialization and Trade

Since Adam Smith economists have recognize that specialization provides the basis for a modern economy since it promotes increased productivity, lower costs and intra regional and international trade. Industrial forestry seems to have recognized this economic reality and in the past fifty years has been moved from obtaining almost all of its industrial wood from the logging natural forests to the production of over one-third of society’s industrial wood production from a trees cropping regime of planting, growing and harvesting intensively managed forests. However, much of the modern environmental movement is opposed to specialization and stresses the concept of individual forest sustainability for a spectrum of outputs, an approach directly the opposite to that of economic specialization. This paper attempts to reconciled these conflicting approaches by recognizing the substantial differences in the outputs mix generated by different forests, referring to the commonly accepted Brundtland Commission definition of a sustainable system and applying this concept to the multiple outputs of the various forest.
Collagen cross-linking impact on keratoconus extracellular matrix.

Background Keratoconus (KC) is a common multifactorial ectatic corneal disease with unknown onset. KC most commonly appears in adolescence and affects approximately 1:400 people worldwide. Treatment options, for advanced KC cases, are collagen cross-linking (CXL) and corneal transplants. CXL is a new KC treatment that helps arrest the disease. Unfortunately, only a fraction of KC patients will qualify for CXL treatment. Our goal, in this study, was to begin to understand how CXL affects the corneal microenvironment and pave the way towards a more patient-driven CXL treatment. Methods Primary human corneal fibroblasts from healthy and KC donors were plated on transwell polycarbonate membranes and stimulated by a stable vitamin C. At 4 weeks, riboflavin was added followed by UVA irradiation. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and western blots were used to assess the effect of CXL on the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the resident cells, pre- and post CXL. Results Data shows CXL improved lamellar organization showing more organized collagen fibrils decorated with proteoglycans (PGs). The distribution of the collagen fibrils and interfibrillar spacing was also visibly improved, post-CXL. Lumican, mimecan, and decorin were the dominant PGs and were significantly upregulated in post-CXL cultures. ECM degradation proteins, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP-1, -3, and -9, but not MMP-2, were significantly downregulated post-CXL. TIMP-1 and -2 were not modulated by CXL. Conclusion The unknown effects of CXL on the human corneal microenvironment have hampered our ability to make CXL available to all KC patients. Our current study provides a deeper understanding on CXL activity, using our unique 3D in vitro model.
Formation of planktonic chromophoric dissolved organic matter in the ocean

Abstract Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is an important fraction of the marine carbon cycle that controls most light absorption and many photochemical and biological processes in the ocean. Despite its importance, the chemical basis for the formation of oceanic CDOM remains unclear. Currently, CDOM's optical properties are best-described by an electronic interaction (EI) model of charge transfer (CT) complexes which form between electron-rich donors and electron-poor acceptors. While terrigenous compounds such as lignin best fit this model, planktonic sources of CDOM have not yet been tested. Here, we have tested CDOM formed during an incubation experiment using a natural phytoplankton assemblage and throughout active growth, stationary phase and algal biomass decomposition. Absorbance of the derived planktonic CDOM generally decreased with increasing wavelength, similar to the reference Pony Lake (PLFA) and Suwanee River (SRFA) fulvic acid solutions used as models of terrigenous CDOM. Further, after 60 d of microbial degradation in the dark, CDOM exhibited fluorescence emission maxima continuously red-shifted into the visible band, consistent with PLFA and SRFA. Reduction of carbonyl-containing groups, key to CT complex formation, with sodium borohydride (NaBH 4) produced coherent results in planktonic CDOM and reference FAs. Absorption at 350 nm decreased by 50% for planktonic CDOM and by 30% for PLFA and SRFA, with corresponding increases in spectral slope (S ) values, indicating preferential loss of absorption well into the visible. Fluorescence likewise responded with enhanced emission at shorter wavelengths. Apparent quantum yields ( Φ) were similarly affected. Results from our work support prior observations that phytoplankton and bacteria are important sources of CDOM that color the ocean's “twilight zone”. We hypothesize that microbial processing of a variety of source substrates into more complex compounds represented as planktonic CDOM likely represents a semi-refractory pool of DOM in the ocean.
Low-intensity light-induced paclitaxel release from lipid-based nano-delivery systems

Light-induced drug release has been explored as a strategy for externally modulating the release of drug from delivery systems. This study reports the development of a solid lipid nanoparticulate s...
Subthreshold Spintronic Stochastic Spiking Neural Networks With Probabilistic Hebbian Plasticity and Homeostasis

The neural sampling core (NSC) proposed herein offers a spintronic device-based circuit and learning mechanism utilizing imprecise and stochastic components, similar to biological brains, to realize ultralow-power neuromorphic computations at subthreshold voltages. Leveraging principles from neural sampling, a biologically plausible theory from computational neuroscience, a spintronic stochastic spiking neuron with digital Postsynaptic potentials is proposed in conjunction with low-precision spintronic synapses utilizing a new event-driven Probabilistic Hebbian Plasticity Rule, and a novel homeostasis mechanism that balances neural activity across multiple timescales and process variation effects. The primary computational operation, the summation of presynaptic potentials weighted by their corresponding synaptic efficacy and the neuron’s homeostatic parameters, is performed in a parallel analog fashion using noisy and imprecise subthreshold components. It is demonstrated herein that the NSC is capable of learning orientation selectivity, much like the simple cells found in the visual cortex, in an unsupervised fashion at 311 nW per neuron and 1.9–7.7 nW per active synapse using a 200-mV supply voltage.
Plasmonic nano surface for neuronal differentiation and manipulation

Neurodegenerative diseases and traumatic brain injuries can destroy neurons, resulting in sensory and motor function loss. Transplantation of differentiated neurons from stem cells could help restore such lost functions. Plasmonic gold nanorods (AuNR) were integrated in growth surfaces to stimulate and modulate neural cells in order to tune cell physiology. An AuNR nanocomposite system was fabricated, characterized, and then utilized to study the differentiation of embryonic rat neural stem cells (NSCs). Results demonstrated that this plasmonic surface 1) accelerated differentiation, yielding almost twice as many differentiated neural cells as a traditional NSC culture surface coated with poly-D-lysine and laminin for the same time period; and 2) promoted differentiation of NSCs into neurons and astrocytes in a 2:1 ratio, as evidenced by the expression of relevant marker proteins. These results indicate that the design and properties of this AuNR plasmonic surface would be advantageous for tissue engineering to address neural degeneration.
A Better Place to Be: Republicanism and the Liberal Democracy Index

There are no indices of democracy that explicitly are based upon the concept of liberal democracy. Moreover, the political-theoretical concept of republicanism has never been incorporated into any indices of democracy. As a result, there is a disconnect between comparative Politics and Political theory when it comes to the empirical study of democracies. In this article, I discuss the creation of a liberal democracy index, which incorporates both the concept of liberal democracy and that of republicanism into evaluating and categorizing modern political regimes. I look at all sovereign states, both democracies and non-democracies and ultimately categorize all modern political regimes into seven categories, the highest of which is liberal democracy. There are some surprises in the findings in this study. For one thing, France is not a liberal democracy. On the other hand, Nicaragua is not a dictatorship. Only 49 sovereign states are dictatorships. Many states are democracies or republics but not both. The Liberal Democratic Index has the advantage of other indices in explicitly using liberal democracy and republicanism as its conceptual anchors. Instead of using a ranking system, which tends to subjective, this index uses a more objective categorical classification system. This index is much more in keeping with traditional political theory than are the other indices.
Justice for Sale: Political Exigency and the Development of a Legal System

Political security is often viewed as a necessary precondition for rulers to develop property- protecting legal institutions. I argue that because these institutions can build political support and generate revenue, domestically insecure rulers may also invest in them. I test this argument using newly collected 12th-century data on the operation of the nascent English common law system. Leveraging the 1192 shipwreck and subsequent kidnap of Richard I as an exogenous shock to domestic political security, I find that the catastrophe appears to have prompted the English Royal Court’s short-term deployment to raise political support in areas vulnerable to rebellion. I present suggestive evidence that this effect in vulnerable areas persisted into the medium-term, and appears to have expanded to the rest of the country. Drawing on this and other evidence of changes in Royal Court funding, activity, and organization between 1184 and 1203, I argue that the shock may have helped to bring about a permanent increase in the Court’s capacity and accessibility. These findings are relevant to studies of the common law and the political economy of legal institutions generally.
Decision Tools and Studies to Improve the Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infection in Nursing Home Residents: A Narrative Review

The overdiagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) in nursing home residents that results in unnecessary antibiotic treatment has been recognized for more than 2 decades. This has resulted in the publication of several decision tools for the diagnosis of UTI in nursing home residents. Given all of the decision tools available, how does one decide on the approach to improve the diagnosis of UTI in nursing home residents in the context of an antimicrobial stewardship program? To address this question, this paper reviews: (a) published decision tools for the diagnosis of UTI in nursing home residents; (b) randomized controlled trials to improve the diagnosis of UTI in nursing home residents; and (c) non-randomized studies to improve the diagnosis of UTI in nursing home residents. Review of published decision tools indicates that the diagnosis of UTI is based on the presence of urinary tract signs and symptoms. However, there is considerable variation in the diagnostic criteria among the decision tools and there is no consensus as to the best clinical criteria for the diagnosis of UTI in nursing home residents. Review of four randomized controlled trials of interventions to improve the diagnosis of UTI in nursing home residents found that different interventions and outcome measures of varying complexity were utilized. Although randomized controlled trials were, to some extent, successful, it was not clear in any trial if one or more components of an intervention contributed the most to the success and there was no evidence that an intervention was feasible or sustainable after a trial was completed. Review of non-randomized trials to improve the diagnosis of UTI in nursing home residents all had methodologic limitations that make interpretation problematic. Randomized controlled trials and non-randomized studies all focused on the process before an antibiotic is prescribed. An alternative approach that focuses on assessment of the post-prescription process (antibiotic time-out protocol) is reviewed; initial studies of this protocol were inconclusive because of design limitations and additional studies are required. Regardless of what interventions are utilized, there must be provider and nursing staff commitment and motivation to improve the management of residents with suspected UTI and methods to achieve improvement must be demonstrated to be feasible and sustainable given the resources available in nursing homes.
An Approach to Autonomous Contingency Management in Urban Air Mobility: The Communication Network Awareness Machine System

Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) has begun the modernization of the nation's air transportation system (NAS), with goals to improve system safety, increase operation efficiency and capacity, provide enhanced predictability, resilience and robustness [1]. The overall objective of the Air Traffic Management-eXploration (ATM-X) project is to facilitate the goals of NextGen by conducting research to enable the growing demand of new, mission variant, air vehicles with safe access to the NAS. The implementation and utilization of new and burgeoning technologies that are both flexible, scalable, and systematically user-focused are requisite for ATM-X to achieve its intention of NAS safe entry [2]. Researchers from NASA Langley's Flight Deck Integration Team have developed a system architecture that would allow ATM-X to leverage the necessary capabilities of an Increasingly Autonomous System (IAS), machine-agent that will promote the safe access and operation of air vehicles within what has become the byproduct of NextGen modernization, a Net-Centric airspace architecture and an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) community. Conducting flight operations within this type of architecture constrains the human-agent's natural ability to data manage. When the massive volume of data, its types, and the acquisition speed at which the data is ingested is observed it becomes evident that the human-agent will be functioning at an operational disadvantage. Therefore, the development and integration of intelligent machine-agents into the flight deck are a necessary implementation to achieve ATM-X overall objective of safe access and operation in the NAS.