cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sex differences in concussion symptoms of high school athletes

Abstract Context: More than 1.6 million sport-related concussions occur every year in the United States, affecting greater than 5% of all high school athletes who participate in contact sports. As ...
A fast revised simplex method for SVM training

Active set methods for training the support vector machines (SVM) are advantageous since they enable incremental training and, as we show in this research, do not exhibit exponentially increasing training times commonly associated with the decomposition methods as the SVM training parameter, C, is increased or the classification difficulty increases. Previous implementations of the active set method must contend with singularities, especially associated with the linear kernel, and must compute infinite descent directions, which may be inefficient, especially as C is increased. In this research, we propose a revised simplex method for quadratic programming, which has a guarantee of non-singularity for the sub-problem, and show how this can be adapted to SVM training.
Targeting mRNA for Alzheimer's and Related Dementias

Brain deposition of the amyloid beta-protein (A β ) and tau are characteristic features in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Mutations in the A β precursor protein (APP) and a protease involved in A β production from APP strongly argue for a pathogenic role of A β in AD, while mutations in tau are associated with related disorders collectively called frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Despite intense effort, therapeutic strategies that target A β or tau have not yet yielded medications, suggesting that alternative approaches should be pursued. In recent years, our laboratory has studied the role of mRNA in AD and FTLD, specifically those encoding tau and the A β -producing protease BACE1. As many FTLD-causing tau mutations destabilize a hairpin structure that regulates RNA splicing, we have targeted this structure with small molecules, antisense oligonucleotides, and small molecule-antisense conjugates. We have also discovered that microRNA interaction with the 3'-untranslated region of tau regulates tau expression. Regarding BACE1, we found that alternative splicing leads to inactive splice isoforms and antisense oligonucleotides shift splicing toward these inactive isoforms to decrease A β production. In addition, a G-quadruplex structure in the BACE1 mRNA plays a role in splice regulation. The prospects for targeting tau and BACE1 mRNAs as therapeutic strategies will be discussed.
Linkage and association on 8p21.2-p21.1 in schizophrenia.

In the past decade, we and others have consistently reported linkage to a schizophrenia (SZ) susceptibility region on chromosome 8p21. Most recently, in the largest SZ linkage sample to date, a multi-site international collaboration performed a SNP-based linkage scan (∼6,000 SNPs; 831 pedigrees; 121 from Johns Hopkins (JHU)), that showed the strongest evidence for linkage in a 1 Mb region of chr 8p21 from rs1561817 to rs9797 (Zmax = 3.22, P = 0.0004) [Holmans et al. 2009. Mol Psychiatry]. We have investigated this 8p21 peak region further in two ways: first by linkage and family-based association in 106 8p-linked European-Caucasian (EUC) JHU pedigrees using 1,402 SNPs across a 4.4 Mb region surrounding the peak; second, by an independent case-control association study in the genetically more homogeneous Ashkenazim (AJ) (709 cases, 1,547 controls) using 970 SNPs in a further narrowed 2.8 Mb region. Family-based association analyses in EUC pedigrees and case-control analyses in AJ samples reveal significant associations for SNPs in and around DPYSL2 and ADRA1A, candidate genes previously associated with SZ in our work and others. Further, several independent gene expression studies have shown that DPYSL2 is differentially expressed in SZ brains [Beasley et al. 2006. Proteomics 6(11):3414–3425; Edgar et al. 2000. Mol Psychiatry 5(1):85–90; Johnston-Wilson et al. 2000. Mol Psychiatry 5(2):142–149] or in response to psychosis-inducing pharmaceuticals [Iwazaki et al. 2007. Proteomics 7(7):1131–1139; Paulson et al. 2004. Proteomics 4(3):819–825]. Taken together, this work further supports DPYSL2 and the surrounding genomic region as a susceptibility locus for SZ. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Key Differences among Community Corrections Acts in the United States: An Overview

Passage of Community Corrections Acts (CCAs) in the early 1970s in Minnesota, Iowa, and Colorado foreshadowed similar developments in many other states over the ensuing 2 decades. On the basis of a...
Inheritance of Mefenoxam Resistance in Selfed Populations of the Homothallic Oomycete Phytophthora erythroseptica (Pethybr.), Cause of Pink Rot of Potato

The inheritance of mefenoxam resistance in the oomycetePhytophthora erythroseptica, causal organism of pink rot of potato, was investigated in two successive selfed generations of single oospore isolates. Fourteen parental isolates from three mefenoxam-sensitivity phenotypes (sensitive, intermediately resistant, and resistant) were used to produce S1 and S2 progeny isolates by selfing each isolate and germinating single oospore cultures from each isolate. The two generations of isolates were tested for mefenoxam sensitivity using the radial growth inhibition assay and calculating EC50 values. Twenty-four-hundred isolates from S1 and S2 generations were tested for mefenoxam sensitivity. Results demonstrated the lack of segregation for mefenoxam sensitivity among S1 and S2 progeny isolates from the resistant and sensitive parents. The majority of the S1 progeny isolates from the parents with intermediate resistance also possessed intermediate resistance, but demonstrated substantial quantitative shifts in response to mefenoxam more often toward increased insensitivity. A few isolates from the S1 progeny were sensitive to mefenoxam, and one isolate was mefenoxam-resistant. Similarly, the majority of the S2 progeny isolates from intermediately resistant parents also possessed intermediate resistance with some quantitative shifts in sensitivity to mefenoxam similar to those observed in S1 progeny, as well as a few isolates that were sensitive to mefenoxam. These results do not support the hypothesis that resistance to mefenoxam inP. erythroseptica is controlled by a single gene exhibiting incomplete dominance. Alternative hypotheses are proposed such as the genetics of mefenoxam resistance inP. erythroseptica is probably under the control of more than one major gene and perhaps some minor genes of additive effect.
Sex Differences in the Relationship between Self-Monitoring and Leader Behavior.

A laboratory study and afield survey found that Snyder's Self-Monitoring Test was significantly correlated with task-oriented leadership behavior (including Fiedler's Least Preferred Coworker Scale) only for female group leaders. There were no significant correlations between self-monitoring and social-emotional behavior of either male or female group leaders in either study. It was suggested that self- monitoring ability should enhance the enactment of nontraditional roles as in the case of women in leadership roles. Implications for self-monitoring and leadership training in groups are discussed.
Is there still a “Jerusalem School?” Reflections on the state of Jewish historical scholarship in Israel

This essay examines the study of Jewish history in Israel at the juncture of two currents: the ongoing expansion of an international community of Jewish studies scholars and the waning interest in the field in Israel itself. Mindful of the latter trend, it is easy to adopt a declensionist narrative, according to which the “Jerusalem School,” with its monolithic and Palestinocentric view of the past, has run its course. And yet, that framing occludes a number of novel tendencies in Israel, arising in the present “post-post-Zionist” moment, that expand the contours of Jewish historical scholarship in productive ways. They include: the well-known and controversial work of the “New Historians;” the work of a succeeding generation of scholars who have brought new intellectual and methodological openness to the study of Zionism; the work of Israeli scholars who have introduced a new measure of reflexivity through careful examination of the history of Jewish historiography; and the work of Israeli scholars who have eschewed the once-regnant view of an “immanent causality” in Jewish history. In conclusion, the article suggests that kernels of these trends were present in the founding generation of scholars at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, though the current generation of scholars is both more critical toward the Zionist nationalist narrative and more global in its orientation.
The barley scald pathogen Rhynchosporium secalis is closely related to the discomycetes Tapesia and Pyrenopeziza

Rhynchosporium secalis causes an economically important foliar disease of barley, rye, and other grasses known as leaf blotch or scald. This species has been difficult to classify due to a paucity of morphological features; the genus Rhynchosporium produces conidia from vegetative hyphae directly, without conidiophores or other structures. Furthermore, no teleomorph has been associated with R. secalis, so essentially nothing is known about its phylogenetic relationships. To identify other fungi that might be related to R. secalis, the 18S ribosomal RNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (ITS1, 5.8S rRNA gene, and ITS2) were sequenced and compared to those in databases. Among 31 18S sequences downloaded from GenBank, the closest relatives to R. secalis were two species of Graphium (hyphomycetes) and two other accessions that were not identified to genus or species. Therefore, 18S sequences were not useful for elucidating the phylogenetic relationships of R. secalis. However, analyses of 76 ITS sequences revealed very close relationships among R. secalis and species of the discomycete genera Tapesia and Pyrenopeziza, as well as several anamorphic fungi including soybean and Adzuki-bean isolates of Phialophora gregata. These species all clustered together with 100% bootstrap support. On the basis of these results, the teleomorph of R. secalis, if it exists, most likely will be a small apothecium produced directly on dead, infected host tissue. The ITS analysis also indicated that higher-level classifications within the discomycetes need to be revised, and that Tapesia and Pyrenopeziza probably do not belong in the Dermateaceae.
Serious Adverse Events During Ruxolitinib Treatment Discontinuation in Patients With Myelofibrosis

Ruxolitinib (INCB018424) is a JAK1 and JAK2 inhibitor recently evaluated for the treatment of myelofibrosis (MF) in early- and advanced-phase clinical trials. In 2 recent communications that focused on short-term and long-term ruxolitinib treatment outcome, respectively, the drug was shown to be effective in controlling constitutional symptoms and splenomegaly but was also associated with important adverse effects, including moderate to severe thrombocytopenia and anemia. The most recent of the 2 communications focused on 51 Mayo Clinic patients who participated in the original phase 1/2 ruxolitinib clinical trial and highlighted a high treatment discontinuation rate (92% after a median time of 9.2 months), primarily for loss of treatment benefit but also because of drug-associated adverse effects. The report also discussed the occurrence of sometimes severe withdrawal symptoms during ruxolitinib treatment discontinuation. This "ruxolitinib withdrawal syndrome" was characterized by acute relapse of disease symptoms, accelerated splenomegaly, worsening of cytopenias, and occasional hemodynamic decompensation, including a septic shocklike syndrome. In the current sponsor-independent analysis, we describe the details of these events in 5 severely affected cases (11%) among 47 Mayo Clinic patients with MF in whom ruxolitinib therapy had been discontinued. Our experience calls for full disclosure of the ruxolitinib withdrawal syndrome to patients with MF before initiating ruxolitinib therapy, and treatment discontinuation must be done under close physician supervision and preferably in a tapering schedule.
Effects of suprofen on the isolated perfused rat kidney.

Although suprofen has been associated with the development of acute renal failure in greater than 100 subjects, the mechanism of damage remains unclear. The direct nephrotoxic effects of a single dose of 15 mg of suprofen were compared in the recirculating isolated rat kidney perfused with cell-free buffer with or without the addition of 5 mg/dL of uric acid. There were no significant differences in renal sodium excretion, oxygen consumption, or urinary flow rates in kidneys perfused with suprofen compared with the drug-free control groups. In contrast, a significant decline in glomerular filtration rate was found after the introduction of suprofen to the kidney perfused with uric acid; no changes were found with suprofen in the absence of uric acid. A significant decrease in the baseline excretion rate of uric acid was found in rats given suprofen, compared with drug-free controls. However, the fractional excretion of uric acid was unchanged between the groups over the experimental period. In summary, su...
Superspace duality in low-energy superstrings

We extend spacetime duality to superspace, including fermions in the low-energy limits of superstrings. The tangent space is a curved, extended superspace. The geometry is based on an enlarged coordinate space where the vanishing of the d'Alembertian is as fundamental as the vanishing of the curl of a gradient.
Atomoxetine Prevents Dexamethasone-Induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Mice

Skeletal muscle atrophy remains a clinical problem in numerous pathologic conditions. β2-Adrenergic receptor agonists, such as formoterol, can induce mitochondrial biogenesis (MB) to prevent such atrophy. Additionally, atomoxetine, an FDA-approved norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, was positive in a cellular assay for MB. We used a mouse model of dexamethasone-induced skeletal muscle atrophy to investigate the potential role of atomoxetine and formoterol to prevent muscle mass loss. Mice were administered dexamethasone once daily in the presence or absence of formoterol (0.3 mg/kg), atomoxetine (0.1 mg/kg), or sterile saline. Animals were euthanized at 8, 16, and 24 hours or 8 days later. Gastrocnemius muscle weights, changes in mRNA and protein expression of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-γ coactivator-1 α (PGC-1α) isoforms, ATP synthase β, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) 1 β subcomplex, 8, ND1, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), myostatin, muscle Ring-finger protein-1 (muscle atrophy), phosphorylated forkhead box protein O 3a (p-FoxO3a), Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and ribosomal protein S6 (rp-S6; muscle hypertrophy) in naive and muscle-atrophied mice were measured. Atomoxetine increased p-mTOR 24 hours after treatment in naive mice, but did not change any other biomarkers. Formoterol robustly activated the PGC-1α-4-IGF1–Akt-mTOR-rp-S6 pathway and increased p-FoxO3a as early as 8 hours and repressed myostatin at 16 hours. In contrast to what was observed with acute treatment, chronic treatment (7 days) with atomoxetine increased p-Akt and p-FoxO3a, and sustained PGC-1α expression and skeletal muscle mass in dexamethasone-treated mice, in a manner comparable to formoterol. In conclusion, chronic treatment with a low dose of atomoxetine prevented dexamethasone-induced skeletal muscle wasting and supports a potential role in preventing muscle atrophy.
Competitive FIFO Buffer Management for Weighted Packets

Motivated by providing differentiated services on the Internet, we consider efficient online algorithms for buffer management in network switches. We study a FIFO buffering model, in which unit-length packets arrive in an online manner and each packet is associated with a value (weight) representing its priority. The order of the packets being sent should comply with the order of their arriving time. The buffer size is finite. At most one packet can be sent in each time step. Our objective is to maximize weighted throughput, defined by the total value of the packets sent. In this paper, we design competitive online FIFO buffering algorithms, where competitive ratios are used to measure online algorithms' performance against the worst-case scenarios. We first provide an online algorithm with a constant competitive ratio 2. Then, we study the experimental performance of our algorithm on real Internet packet traces and compare it with all other known FIFO online competitive algorithms. We conclude that for the same instance, the algorithms' experimental performances could be different from their competitive ratios; other factors such as packet flow characteristics and buffer sizes affect the outcome. Our algorithm outperforms other online algorithms when the buffer resource is limited.
Hematologic Abnormalities Associated With Lung Carcinoma

Leukocytosis, thrombocytosis, and anemia are often associated with lung cancer, and each can be a source or marker of morbidity or mortality. We report a patient with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung that was associated with leukocytosis, thrombocytosis, and anemia. In our patient, initiation
Species assemblage arriving at and emerging from trees colonized by Ips pini in the Great Lakes Region: Partitioning by time since colonization, season, and host species

The pine engraver, Ips pini (Say), colonizes jack, red, and white pines in the Great Lakes region. Males select suitable hosts, bore through the bark into phloem tissue, and emit aggregation pheromones. Pheromones attract conspecifics, which aid in overcoming tree defenses, and predators, which exploit these cues as kairomones. Sampling was conducted over 2 yr to characterize the assemblage of insects that arrive at and reproduce in trees colonized by I. pini, and how this assemblage is partitioned by host species, time after colonization, and seasonal phenology. Over 70 species from three orders were obtained. I. pini was most abundant, especially during late summer. The first natural enemy to arrive was Medetera bistriata Parent, which came simultaneously with I. pini. Other Diptera such as Lonchaea corticis Taylor and Zabrachia polita Coquillett were also abundant. Roptrocerus xylophagorum (Ratzeburg), a late instar parasitoid, arrived last. Its emergence most closely coincided with I. pini emergence, whereas the other species emerged substantially after I. pini. Host species did not affect total I. pini emergence but strongly affected natural enemies. Most R. xylophagorum and Monochamus spp. emerged from white pine, and most Z. polita emerged from red pine. I. pini had the highest ratio of emergence to arrival per log. Only the predator T. dubius and the parasitoid R. xylophagorum showed numerical responses to the number of emerging I. pini. Exclusion of insects during the first 2 wk of colonization decreased reproduction of I. pini and other wood borers in the spring, but not summer.
Immunohistochemical localization of colonic H-K-ATPase to the apical membrane of connecting tubule cells.

Previous studies indicate that the colonic H-K-ATPase mRNA is expressed as the distal nephron. However, the exact intrarenal localization of the colonic H-K-ATPase protein is still unclear. The goa...
Intragastric hypertonic saline increases vasopressin and central Fos immunoreactivity in conscious rats

Although experimental evidence supports peripheral osmoreceptor modulation of arginine vasopressin (AVP) release, a local osmotic signal required for osmoreceptor activation has yet to be identified using physiological sodium loads. Additionally, the central pathway involved in peripheral control of AVP has not been clearly established. Experiments were conducted to examine the effect of intragastric saline on portal venous osmolarity, plasma AVP (P(AVP)), and Fos immunoreactivity. In anesthetized rats, intragastric infusion (2.9 ml) of hypertonic (600 mosM) saline significantly increased portal venous osmolarity while systemic blood osmolarity remained constant. In conscious rats, intragastric hypertonic saline significantly elevated P(AVP) (3.6 +/- 1.3 to 5.8 +/- 1.9 pg/ml), whereas no changes were observed in plasma osmolarity in either the isotonic (296.2 +/- 1.4 to 297.6 +/- 1.1 mosM) or hypertonic (291.7 +/- 1.7 to 291.4 +/- 1.8 mosM) group. Finally, intragastric hypertonic saline significantly increased Fos immunoreactivity in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), area postrema (AP), lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBN), supraoptic nucleus (SON), and paraventricular nucleus (PVN). These results indicate that intragastric hypertonic saline produces a portal venous osmotic signal that triggers peripheral osmoreceptors to stimulate AVP release while activating the NTS, AP, and LPBN in addition to the SON and PVN.
Adsorption of copper on a γ-alumina support

Abstract The interaction of a Cu atom with two model γ-alumina surfaces was examined using configuration interaction theory. These two surfaces are centered on T d and O h coordinated Al atoms near the surface, with both surfaces fully hydroxylated. Copper was found to bind to non-hydrogenated oxygen atoms in the surface by 25 kcal/mol, with the possibility that an under coordinated aluminum site may bind copper much more strongly. Vacancies formed by the removal of hydrogen atoms, or by removal of OH groups, were found to bind Cu by values ranging from 40 to 98 kcal/mol. The interaction of a planar Cu 7 particle with an exposed T d coordinated Al atom at an OH vacancy site was found to lead to decomposition of the particle and partial absorption of the Cu into the alumina surface.
Single-bead arrays for fluorescence-based immunoassays on capillary-driven microfluidic chips

We report a concept for the simple fabrication of easy-to-use chips for immunoassays in the context of point-of-care diagnostics. The chip concept comprises mainly three features: (1) the efficient integration of reagents using beads functionalized with receptors, (2) the generation of capillary-driven liquid flows without using external pumps, and (3) a high-sensitivity detection of analytes using fluorescence microscopy. We fabricated prototype chips using dry etching of Si wafers. 4.5-μm-diameter beads were integrated into hexagonal arrays by sedimentation and removing the excess using a stream of water. We studied the effect of different parameters and showed that array occupancies from 30% to 50% can be achieved by pipetting a 250 nL droplet of 1% bead solution and allowing the beads sediment for 3 min. Chips with integrated beads were sealed using a 50-μm-thick dry-film resist laminated at 45 °C. Liquids pipetted to loading pads were autonomously pulled by capillary pumps at a rate of 0.35 nL s-1 for about 30 min. We studied ligand-receptor interactions and binding kinetics using time-lapse fluorescence microscopy and demonstrated a 5 pM limit of detection (LOD) for an anti-biotin immunoassay. As a clinically-relevant example, we implemented an immunoassay to detect prostate specific antigen (PSA) and showed an LOD of 108 fM (i.e. 3.6 pg mL-1). While a specific implementation is provided here for the detection of PSA, we believe that combining capillary-driven microfluidics with arrays of single beads and fluorescence readout to be very flexible and sufficiently sensitive for the detection of other clinically-relevant analytes.
Latino College Students at Highly Selective Institutions: A Comparison of Their College Experiences and Outcomes to Other Racial/Ethnic Groups

This study examines unique patterns of college engagement and outcomes among Latino undergraduate students attending highly selective institutions in comparison with those from other racial/ethnic groups. The study also identifies predictors of select college outcomes—that is, cognitive, affective, and civic outcomes—for this population. Findings did reveal not only the unique patterns of college experiences and outcomes among Latino college students but also student background characteristics and college environments that contribute to their college outcomes.
Cost control of therapy for i.v. catheter infections.

Intravenous catheter sepsis is an important challenge for physicians because it is associated with a high incidence of complications, and treatment can be very costly. Significant complications occur in about 25% of cases and include septic shock, suppurative thrombophlebitis, metastatic infection, and endocarditis. The risk of such complications is increased when catheter removal or appropriate antibiotic therapy is delayed, when Staphylococcus aureus is the pathogen, and probably when a prosthetic heart valve or pulmonary artery catheter is present. The optimum duration of antibiotic therapy for intravenous catheter sepsis has not been established and depends on the pathogen and on the presence of other risk factors for complications. A treatment duration of 1 week may be adequate for pathogens, such as coagulase-negative staphylococci or Candida, that are unlikely to cause complications, while > or = 2 weeks of antibiotic therapy is warranted for S aureus. Recent approaches that may help to reduce costs include shortening the duration of parenteral antibiotic treatment either by giving oral agents for part of the treatment period or by using a synergistic combination of antibiotics. Also, for infections in subcutaneously tunneled catheters, intraluminal administration of small volumes of highly concentrated antibiotics often is an effective alternative to prolonged systemic antibiotic therapy.
Unusual Timing of Copulations in the Australian Brush-Turkey

Recent studies of sperm competition have shown that the timing of copulations can be crucial to fertilization success. For example, in some birds copulations that occur near the time of laying are less likely to fertilize eggs than copulations that occur at other times. Thus, it was surprising to find that in Australian Brush-turkeys (Alectura lathami), most within-pair copulations (61.2%) occurred less than 1 h before laying, typically providing only 25 to 40 min for sperm to reach storage organs before potentially being flushed out by the descending egg. Brush-turkeys incubate their eggs in large mounds constructed by males; females lay an egg every few days and bury it within a chosen mound. Females usually solicited a copulation within 2 to 3 min after arriving at a mound to lay, but some males still forced copulations, particularly during the latter portion of laying visits. The unusual prevalence of copulations before laying probably results from males having little information about or control over female copulation behavior except when females need to lay in a males' mound. The prevalence of forced copulations during the latter part of laying visits may indicate conflict between the sexes over what constitutes adequate payment by females for use of a male's incubation mound. Neither sex showed any interest in copulating immediately after an egg was laid. This observation does not support the idea of a fertilization window after laying, but instead indicates that copulations at this time are probably ineffective in fertilizing eggs. Females also frequently made nonlaying visits to incubation mounds. The 38.8% of within-pair copulations that occurred during nonlaying visits may have been more likely to fertilize eggs, but the timing of these visits was controlled by females, who were probably less likely to be subject to male control when not laying.
New complete-data spaces and faster algorithms for penalized-likelihood emission tomography

The classical expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm for image reconstruction suffers from particularly slow convergence when additive background effects such as accidental coincidences and scatter are included. In addition, when smoothness penalties are included in the objective function, the M-step of the EM algorithm becomes intractable due to parameter coupling. The authors describe the space-alternating generalized EM (SAGE) algorithm, in which the parameters are updated sequentially using a sequence of small "hidden" data spaces rather than one large complete-data space. The sequential update decouples the M-step, so the maximization can typically be performed analytically. By choosing hidden-data spaces with considerably less Fisher information than the conventional complete-data space for Poisson data, the authors obtain significant improvements in convergence rate. This acceleration is due to statistical considerations, not to numerical overrelaxation methods, so monotonic increases in the objective function and global convergence are guaranteed. Due to the space constraints, the authors focus on the unpenalized case in this summary, and they eliminate derivations that are similar to those in Lange and Carson, J. Comput. Assist. Tomography, vol. 8, no. 2, p.306-16 (1984). >
Between Law and Society: Paralegals and the Provision of Justice Services in Sierra Leone and Worldwide

II. COMMUNITY-BASED PARALEGALS IN SIERRA LEONE 430 A. Prelude: Three Justice Problems 430 1. Paramount Chief’s Interference in Customary Legal System 430 2. Police Brutality Against a Civilian 432 3. An Abandoned Woman Accused of Witchcraft 433 B. Context 433 1. The Rule of Big Persons and the Patrimonial State 434 2. The Dualist Legal Structure 436 3. The Persistence of Violence 437 4. A Failed Social Infrastructure 439 C. Intervention 440 D. Three Justice Problems Revisited 443 1. Pa Lansana 443 2. Kadiatu T. 444 3. Macie B. 446 E. Characteristics and Challenges of Timap for Justice’s Methodology 447 1. Creative Services in an Institutional Vacuum 447 a. Wide Range of Methods 447 b. Mediation 448 c. Wide Range of Justice Issues 450 2. The Color of Law 451 3. Modified Professionalism 455 4. Agency and Community-Level Action 457 5. Engaging Legal Dualism 460 F. Model of Social Change Distilled 463 G. Sustainability 464
Induction of Adenovirus Specific T-Cells in Response to 15-Mer Peptides in Cord Blood

Abstract Human adenovirus (HAdV) infections are a serious life-threat in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients, particularly in children. In recent years, umbilical cord blood transplants (UCBT) emerged as an alternative stem cell source. The advantages are the rapid availability of donor cells, the possibility of using HLA-mismatched transplants and a lower risk of graft versus host disease. However, the immune response after UCBT is often delayed, leading to a higher risk of viral infections. Because no effective antiviral medication exists for severe HAdV infection adoptively transfer of HAdV specific T-cells from cord blood may be a promising treatment. The aim of this study was to see if it was possible to induce HAdV specific T-cells in response to five recently detected 15-mer peptides ( Haveman LM, Int. Imm. 2006), a pool of these five peptides or complete inactivated HAdV (MOI 10). Mitogen Concovalin A ( ConA) was used as control. Cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMC) derived from 34 uncomplicated full term deliveries were isolated and cultured with the different antigens. Proliferation expressed as Stimulation Index (SI) was determined. A SI>1.7 was seen as positive. In 14 neonates a response to in total 36 of the 5 different HAdV peptides could be seen and in 7 of them also a response to the pool of the peptides. Only in 3 neonates a response to complete HAdV could be detected (Figure 1). To induce HAdV specific T-cells CBMCs of 20 neonates were cultured with the different HAdV antigens in addition of interleukin 2 (40IU/ml) for 7 days. By using FACS analysis the upregulation of the activation markers CD25 and CD69 could be detected in response to the HAdV peptides (n=41) or to the complete HAdV (n=26). Induced HAdV specific T-cells expressed the cytotoxins IFN□, TNFα, perforin and granzyme B, produced by CD8+ T-cells, but in higher extent by CD4+ T-cells. This indicates that induced HAdV specific T-cells play an essential role in killing HAdV infections. No clear correlation could be seen between proliferation and the production of the cytotoxins. The induction of a specific immune response to HAdV peptides in cord blood is an important step towards adoptive therapy. Download : Download high-res image (118KB) Download : Download full-size image
Sleep-Disordered Breathing Exacerbates Muscle Vasoconstriction and Sympathetic Neural Activation in Patients with Systolic Heart Failure.

Background— Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is common in patients with heart failure (HF), and hypoxia and hypercapnia episodes activate chemoreceptors stimulating autonomic reflex responses. We tested the hypothesis that muscle vasoconstriction and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) in response to hypoxia and hypercapnia would be more pronounced in patients with HF and SDB than in patients with HF without SDB (NoSBD). Methods and Results— Ninety consecutive patients with HF, New York Heart Association functional class II–III, and left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40% were screened for the study. Forty-one patients were enrolled: NoSDB (n=13, 46 [39–53] years) and SDB (n=28, 57 [54–61] years). SDB was characterized by apnea–hypopnea index ≥15 events per hour (polysomnography). Peripheral (10% O2 and 90% N2, with CO2 titrated) and central (7% CO2 and 93% O2) chemoreceptors were stimulated for 3 minutes. Forearm and calf blood flow were evaluated by venous occlusion plethysmography, MSNA by microneurography, and blood pressure by beat-to-beat noninvasive technique. Baseline forearm blood flow, forearm vascular conductance, calf blood flow, and calf vascular conductance were similar between groups. MSNA was higher in the SDB group. During hypoxia, the vascular responses (forearm blood flow, forearm vascular conductance, calf blood flow, and calf vascular conductance) were significantly lower in the SDB group compared with the NoSDB group ( P <0.01 to all comparisons). Similarly, during hypercapnia, the vascular responses (forearm blood flow, forearm vascular conductance, calf blood flow, and calf vascular conductance) were significantly lower in the SDB group compared with the NoSDB group ( P <0.001 to all comparisons). MSNA were higher in response to hypoxia ( P =0.024) and tended to be higher to hypercapnia ( P =0.066) in the SDB group. Conclusions— Patients with HF and SDB have more severe muscle vasoconstriction during hypoxia and hypercapnia than HF patients without SDB, which seems to be associated with endothelial dysfunction and, in part, increased MSNA response.
Synthesis of Partially Hydrogenated Cycloparaphenylenes with Bent and Fused Structures Bearing Armchair Carbon Nanotube-like Connections.

The Diels–Alder reactions between 2 equiv of (E,E)-1,4-bis(4-bromophenyl)-1,3-butadiene and 1,4-benzoquinone led to the formation of a key intermediate with all four 4-bromophenyl substituents cis to one another. The subsequent nickel-mediated homocoupling reactions then produced partially hydrogenated cycloparaphenylenes, including a molecule bearing two units of tetrahydro[6]cycloparaphenylene (4H[6]CPP) fused together through two 1,4-dimethoxybenzene units in an armchair (6,6)carbon nanotube-like connection. Similarly, two 6H[9]CPPs were connected through three 1,4-dimethoxybenzene units in an armchair (9,9)carbon nanotube-like arrangement. A bent 8H[12]CPP and a bent 12H[18]CPP, which were fused intramolecularly with two and three 1,4-dimethoxybenzene units, respectively, to create the bent structures, were likewise synthesized. A molecule containing a bent 8H[12]CPP fused to a 4H[6]CPP was likewise constructed. The structures of these partially hydrogenated CPPs were established by X-ray structure an...
Introduction to Invertebrates of Inland Waters

Publisher Summary This chapter introduces freshwater invertebrates, with focus on those found in inland waters of North America. North American freshwater habitats support about 213 species of free-living oligochaete worms, 107 species of ectocommensal/predaceous branchiobdellidans, and 76 species of leeches. About 32 species of sponges colonize freshwater habitats in the continental North America. About 526 species of snails (Gastropoda) are present in North American freshwaters or humid terrestrial environments. The North American fauna of freshwater bivalves is the richest in the world, with about 350 species of mussels and clams, nine or so of which are exotic. The phylum Annelida consists primarily of three relatively diverse freshwater groups (oligochaete worms, leeches, and branchiobdellidans), a few species of polychaetes, and the leech-like Acanthobdella peledina , a temporary ectoparasite of salmonid fishes. Although the diversity of freshwater bryozoans is not high (24 ectoproct species in North America), they are actually quite common occupants of hard, relatively stationary, and biologically inactive substrates. The most successful terrestrial phylum and one of the most prominent freshwater taxa is Arthropoda. Its three subphyla with freshwater members—Chelicerata (water mites and a few semiaquatic spiders), Hexapoda (aquatic insects), and Crustacea (e.g., crayfish, fairy shrimp, copepods)—are all diverse and important components of lakes and streams. The chapter presents an overview of the aspects of the biology, ecology, and classification of freshwater and other inland aquatic invertebrates.
Hidden Markov Models and the Variants

This chapter builds upon the reviews in the previous chapter on aspects of probability theory and statistics, including random variables and Gaussian mixture models, and extends the reviews to the Markov chain and the hidden Markov sequence or model (HMM). Central to the HMM is the concept of state, which is itself a random variable typically taking discrete values. Extending from a Markov chain to an HMM involves adding uncertainty or a statistical distribution on each of the states in the Markov chain. Hence, an HMM is a doubly-stochastic process, or probabilistic function of a Markov chain. When the state of the Markov sequence or HMM is confined to be discrete and the distributions associated with the HMM states do not overlap, we reduce it to a Markov chain. This chapter covers several key aspects of the HMM, including its parametric characterization, its simulation by random number generators, its likelihood evaluation, its parameter estimation via the EM algorithm, and its state decoding via the Viterbi algorithm or a dynamic programming procedure. We then provide discussions on the use of the HMM as a generative model for speech feature sequences and its use as the basis for speech recognition. Finally, we discuss the limitations of the HMM, leading to its various extended versions, where each state is made associated with a dynamic system or a hidden time-varying trajectory instead of with a temporally independent stationary distribution such as a Gaussian mixture. These variants of the HMM with state-conditioned dynamic systems expressed in the state-space formulation are introduced as a generative counterpart of the recurrent neural networks to be described in detail in Chap. 13.
Is REBT marginalized?: A survey of counselor educators

A questionnaire of 200 counselor educators assessed the marginalization of REBT in their preferred personal theory and in teaching. REBT was marginalized in personal theory although three quarters were influenced by REBT in their theory of choice. REBT was not marginalized in teaching and a majority noted teaching REBT in classes. Reasons for marginalization, or objections to REBT were factored into three categories: preference for another theory, deficiencies in REBT theory, and deficiencies in REBT application. Recommendations are given to address marginalization.
The Shifting Microbiome in Surgical Stress

The development of rapid gene sequencing and analytical techniques over the past few decades has enabled researchers to enhance their understanding of the immensely complicated microbiota living within the human gut, including the role microbes play in the pathogenesis of several surgical disease states as well as the perioperative period. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent findings regarding the changing microbiome within presurgical conditions and during surgical stress states. Our close and constant contact with these microbial organisms has wide-ranging implications for the care of surgical patients. Perturbations of the symbiotic relationship between the microbiome and the host not only influence medical and surgical disease, but also influence an organism’s recovery.
Engineering liposomal nanoparticles for targeted gene therapy

Recent mechanistic studies have attempted to deepen our understanding of the process by which liposome-mediated delivery of genetic material occurs. Understanding the interactions between lipid nanoparticles and cells is still largely elusive. Liposome-mediated delivery of genetic material faces systemic obstacles alongside entry into the cell, endosomal escape, lysosomal degradation and nuclear uptake. Rational design approaches for targeted delivery have been developed to reduce off-target effects and enhance transfection. These strategies, which have included the modification of lipid nanoparticles with target-specific ligands to enhance intracellular uptake, have shown significant promise at the proof-of-concept stage. Control of physical and chemical specifications of liposome composition, which includes lipid-to-DNA charge, size, presence of ester bonds, chain length and nature of ligand complexation, is integral to the performance of targeted liposomes as genetic delivery agents. Clinical advances are expected to rely on such systems in the therapeutic application of liposome nanoparticle-based gene therapy. Here, we discuss the latest breakthroughs in the development of targeted liposome-based agents for the delivery of genetic material, paying particular attention to new ligand and cationic lipid design as well as recent in vivo advances.
The 2016 Mw5.1 Fairview, Oklahoma earthquakes: Evidence for long-range poroelastic triggering at >40 km from fluid disposal wells

Abstract Wastewater disposal in the central U.S. is likely responsible for an unprecedented surge in earthquake activity. Much of this activity is thought to be driven by induced pore pressure changes and slip on pre-stressed faults, which requires a hydraulic connection between faults and injection wells. However, direct pressure effects and hydraulic connectivity are questionable for earthquakes located at large distances and depths from the injectors. Here, we examine triggering mechanisms of induced earthquakes, which occurred at more than 40 km from wastewater disposal wells in the greater Fairview region, northwest Oklahoma, employing numerical and semi-analytical poroelastic models. The region exhibited few earthquakes before 2013, when background seismicity started to accelerate rapidly, culminating in the Mw5.1 Fairview earthquake in February 2016. Injection rates in the ∼2–2.5 km deep Arbuckle formation started to increase rapidly in 2012, about two years before the start of seismicity-increase. Most of the injection activity was concentrated toward the northeast of the study region, generating a relatively cohesive zone of pressure perturbations between 0.1 and 1 MPa. Much of the near-injection seismicity was likely triggered by pressure effects and fault-assisted pressure diffusion to seismogenic depth. Outside of the high-pressure zone, we observed two remarkably detached, linear seismicity clusters, which occurred at 20 to 50 km distance from the initial seismicity and 10 to 40 km from the nearest, high-rate injector. Semi-analytical models reveal that poroelastically-induced Coulomb-stress-changes surpass pore pressure changes at these distances, providing a plausible triggering mechanism in the far-field of injection wells. These results indicate that both pore-pressures and poroelastic stresses can play a significant role in triggering deep and distant earthquakes by fluid injection and should be considered for seismic hazard assessment beyond the targeted reservoir.
Cable Harness Construction for Severely Retarded Adults: A Demonstration of Training Technique:

Three severely retarded adults were taught to construct an eleven-wire cable harness similar to those available in many sheltered workshops. Individual training was used with two trainees who requi...
Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell–Derived Macrophages for Unraveling Human Macrophage Biology

Despite a substantial appreciation for the critical role of macrophages in cardiometabolic diseases, understanding of human macrophage biology has been hampered by the lack of reliable and scalable models for cellular and genetic studies. Human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived macrophages (IPSDM), as an unlimited source of subject genotype-specific cells, will undoubtedly play an important role in advancing our understanding of the role of macrophages in human diseases. In this review, we summarize current literature in the differentiation and characterization of IPSDM at phenotypic, functional, and transcriptomic levels. We emphasize the progress in differentiating iPSC to tissue resident macrophages, and in understanding the ontogeny of in vitro differentiated IPSDM that resembles primitive hematopoiesis, rather than adult definitive hematopoiesis. We review the application of IPSDM in modeling both Mendelian genetic disorders and host-pathogen interactions. Finally, we highlighted the potential areas of research using IPSDM in functional validation of coronary artery disease loci in genome-wide association studies, functional genomic analyses, drug testing, and cell therapeutics in cardiovascular diseases.
Energy-based crack initiation model for load-related top-down cracking in asphalt pavement

Abstract This paper aims at investigating the mechanisms of load-related top-down cracking (TDC) and developing a framework to predict the TDC initiation life for asphalt pavements. Firstly, a three-dimensional model is constructed to simulate the pavement responses to traffic loading. The critical pavement responses (e.g., shear and tensile stresses) are identified and related to TDC initiation at different locations (i.e., longitudinal wheel path, longitudinal non-wheel path, and transverse direction). Secondly, an energy-based TDC initiation model is developed, which involves seven sub-models and one cracking initiation criterion. The cracking initiation model takes into account the effects of aging and healing on the cracking performance of asphalt mixtures. If the load-induced damage to the asphalt pavement exceeds the limited strain energy of the asphalt mixture, the crack will initiate at the pavement surface. Accordingly, this study develops the sub-models to calculate the tensile and shear stress induced damage to the asphalt pavement, and the limited strain energy of the asphalt mixture in tension and shear modes of fracture. Finally, the TDC initiation model is used to predict TDC development for six pavement sections at National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) Test Track. The prediction results indicate that the load-related TDC always initiates in the longitudinal wheel path. Increased compaction density slightly prolongs the TDC initiation life of the asphalt pavement, while decreased compaction density significantly diminishes the TDC performance. The use of soft binder with more reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and the use of highly polymer modified asphalt are both beneficial for the improvement of TDC performance, but the addition of reclaimed asphalt shingles (RAS) is detrimental to the resistance of asphalt pavement to TDC. The model prediction results are in good agreement with the field observations to date.
Future of Research in Aquatic Food Products

There have been tremendous changes in aquatic food products over the past 25 years based on seafood research. The future of seafood research over the next 25 years is difficult to predict, but the ...