cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serum Protein MALDI Profiling to Distinguish Upper Aerodigestive Tract Cancer Patients From Control Subjects

Background: There are no reliable blood markers for the early detection and monitoring of aerodigestive tract tumors. Recent studies have suggested that serum protein patterns may be able to distinguish cancer patients from control subjects. Methods: We used matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization (MALDI) mass spectroscopy to obtain serum protein patterns from patients with head and neck cancer (n = 99) or lung cancer (n = 92) and from control subjects (n = 143) at risk for the development of these cancers. From the mass spectra, we predicted the cancer status of patients using a simple classification procedure based on a t test feature selection and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). We cross-validated the data with 200 random data simulations to establish a range of the LDA tuning parameter, which was used to construct receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Average total protein levels were higher in case patients than in control subjects, although the differences were not statistically significant. Ten individual m/z peaks, from 5 to 111 kd, appeared frequently in head and neck cancer patients but not in control subjects. Using the 45 top predictors, selected by spectral mass and LDA, we observed that ROC curves differed from those expected under the null hypothesis, suggesting that spectral profiles from the sera of patients with head and neck cancer statistically significantly differed from the sera of control subjects. The model developed on head and neck cancer patients could also be used to identify patients with lung cancer. Conclusions: The pattern of protein spectra in total serum reliably distinguished cancer case patients from control subjects. Incorporation of MALDI assays into prospective longitudinal trials to assess the true predictive values of protein spectra in cancer detection is needed.
Agile Requirements Engineering Practices: An Empirical Study

An analysis of data from 16 software development organizations reveals seven agile RE practices, along with their benefits and challenges. The rapidly changing business environment in which most organizations operate is challenging traditional requirements-engineering (RE) approaches. Software development organizations often must deal with requirements that tend to evolve quickly and become obsolete even before project completion. Rapid changes in competitive threats, stakeholder preferences, development technology, and time-to-market pressures make prespecified requirements inappropriate.
A New View of the Neonatal Brain: Clinical Utility of Supplemental Neurologic US Imaging Windows

Anterior fontanelle imaging has traditionally been the mainstay of neonatal cranial ultrasonography (US). However, this traditional approach has limited diagnostic accuracy, which has led to increasing use of two alternate neurologic US imaging techniques: posterior fontanelle imaging and mastoid fontanelle imaging. These alternate techniques can help detect pathologic conditions and structural malformations in the neonatal brain. Posterior fontanelle imaging allows improved detection of intraventricular hemorrhage. This technique better demonstrates subtle differences in echogenicity between clot and a choroid glomus and depicts clot extending into the occipital and temporal horns. Mastoid fontanelle imaging is particularly useful in detecting hemorrhage involving the brainstem, cerebellum, and subarachnoid cisterns. It greatly facilitates clot detection in the fourth ventricle and cisterna magna because the tissues surrounding these structures are normally echogenic. Mastoid fontanelle imaging can also ...
Complications of Antidepressants, Anticonvulsants, and Antiarrhythmics for Chronic Pain Management

Adjunctive drugs play an important role in the management of chronic pain states. Recent analysis of previous studies has confirmed the efficacy of both anticonvulsant and antidepressant medications in the treatment of a variety of chronic pain conditions. There are few trials investigating the use of antiarrhythmic drugs in chronic pain. The studies that exist do suggest that antiarrhythmics may be of use in some cases. There are serious toxicities associated with all of these agents. Many of these are so troublesome as to require cessation of the drug. There are also some alarming idiosyncratic reactions associated with their use. Recent advances have included the introduction of gabapentin and lamotrigine. Both of these have significantly fewer side effects and are better tolerated. Currently there is little clinical data regarding their efficacy in chronic pain states. Newer antidepressants do not appear to be significantly better than placebo in treating pain. Their faster onset and fewer side effects may make them better tolerated in the treatment of associated depression. Antiarrhythmic agents, due to potentially lethal side effects, are best reserved for resistant pain unresponsive to more conventional drugs.
Iliac artery stenting versus surgical reconstruction for TASC (TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus) type B and type C iliac lesions.

Abstract Objective The TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) document did not define the best treatment for moderately severe iliac artery lesions, ie, TASC type B and type C iliac lesions, because of insufficient solid evidence to make firm recommendations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of risk factors on outcome of iliac stenting and operative procedures used to treat TASC type B and type C lesions. Methods Over the 5 years from 1996 to 2001, 188 endovascular and direct aortoiliac surgical reconstruction procedures were performed in 87 women and 101 men with TASC type B and type C iliac lesions and chronic limb ischemia. The criteria prepared by the Ad Hoc Committee on Reporting Standards (Society for Vascular Surgery/International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery (SVS/ISCVS) were followed to define variables. Both univariate analysis (Kaplan-Meier method) and multivariate analysis (Cox proportional hazards model) were used to determine the association between variables, cumulative patency rate, limb salvage, and survival. Results Indications for revascularization were disabling claudication (73%), limb salvage (25%), and blue toe syndrome (2%). Patients in the surgery group (n = 52) had significantly higher primary patency rates compared with patients in the stent group (n = 136) at univariate analysis (Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test; P = .015). Primary patency rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 85%, 72%, and 64% after iliac stenting, and 89%, 86%, and 86% after surgical reconstruction, respectively. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis enabled identification of poor runoff (ie, runoff score >5 for unilateral procedures or >2.5 for bilateral outflow procedures; relative risk, 2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-4.2; P = .001) as the only independent predictor of decreased primary patency in all patients. However, stratified analysis including only patients with poor runoff revealed that patients undergoing iliac stenting had significantly lower primary patency rates compared with those undergoing surgical reconstruction (Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test; P = .05). External iliac artery disease and female gender were also identified as independent predictors of decreased primary stent patency. Conclusions Poor infrainguinal runoff is the main risk factor for decreased primary patency after surgical reconstruction and iliac stenting to treat TASC type B and type C iliac lesions. However, primary patency is less affected by poor runoff in patients undergoing surgical procedures. The presence of poor runoff, external iliac artery disease, and female gender are independent predictors of poor outcome after iliac stenting, and therefore these risk factors should determine the need for surgical reconstruction.
High doses of inhaled budesonide and adrenal function in children with severe asthma

Background: The use of inhaled steroids is common in the treatment of bronchial asthma in children. Aim: To assess adrenocortical function in children with severe asthma receiving inhaled budesonide for six or more months. Material and methods: Children with severe asthma that required 800 µg/day or more of inhaled budesonide and that did not required systemic steroids for more than six days in the last four months to control their disease, were studied. Serum cortisol was measured one hour after administration of 0.25 mg of ACTH (Cosyntropin®) intravenously. The test was considered normal if post stimulation serum cortisol was over 18 µg/ml. Results: Twenty children (aged 5 to 14 years, 15 males), were studied. The stimulation test was normal in 17 children. Conclusions: Alterations in adrenal function are present in a small proportion of asthmatic children who require 800 µg/day of inhaled budesonide (Rev Med Chile 2006; 134: 60-4). (Key words: Adrenal cortex function tests; Asthma; Budesonide; Hydrocortisone)
Using a Sample Estimate of the Variance in the Miller-Orr Cash Management Model

We examine the bias in the Miller-Orr cash management model that arises from using a sample estimate for the variance of the net cash flow. The target cash balance is biased downward because the model is nonlinear in the net cash flow variance and its true value is unknown and must be estimated. Simulation analysis is used to measure the magnitude of the bias. We examine techniques for reducing bias in the model.
The not face: A grammaticalization of facial expressions of emotion

Facial expressions of emotion are thought to have evolved from the development of facial muscles used in sensory regulation and later adapted to express moral judgment. Negative moral judgment includes the expressions of anger, disgust and contempt. Here, we study the hypothesis that these facial expressions of negative moral judgment have further evolved into a facial expression of negation regularly used as a grammatical marker in human language. Specifically, we show that people from different cultures expressing negation use the same facial muscles as those employed to express negative moral judgment. We then show that this nonverbal signal is used as a co-articulator in speech and that, in American Sign Language, it has been grammaticalized as a non-manual marker. Furthermore, this facial expression of negation exhibits the theta oscillation (3-8 Hz) universally seen in syllable and mouthing production in speech and signing. These results provide evidence for the hypothesis that some components of human language have evolved from facial expressions of emotion, and suggest an evolutionary route for the emergence of grammatical markers.
From Mecca with tolerance: religion, social recategorisation and social capital

Does participation in mass religious rituals promote intergroup conflict or does it promote intergroup tolerance? We assess these claims by examining the effects of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca (the hajj) on sociopolitical views of Muslims in Russia’s North Caucasus. Participant observation during the hajj and a quasi-experimental focus group study of pilgrims and non-pilgrims produced paradoxical findings. While the hajj strengthened their ingroup pride as Muslims, the pilgrims came through as more outgroup-tolerant and prosocial than the non-pilgrims. We develop a synthetic theoretical solution: in high-identity-value, high-diversity common group settings social recategorisation and social capital become transitive – that is, inclusive views and social capital effects within an ingroup extend to outgroups. This means that intergroup conflict could be reduced by not only maximising contact across conflicting groups, but also by bringing together as many subgroups as possible within each conflicting gro...
Radiation Mechanisms and Electromagnetic Interference in Ceramic Electronic Packages

A full-wave electromagnetic analysis for characterizing typical electromagnetic shielding practices in ceramic electronic packages is presented. Typically in printed circuit board emissions, the power plane emissions, and exposed surface nets are considered, however, the signal interconnect from the PCB to an electronic package can also be a significant source of radiation and hence an electromagnetic interference (EMI) issue. In this paper we describe electromagnetic radiation mechanisms resulting from high-frequency and high-speed applications in ceramic multilayer electronic packages and review the typical practice of implementing via fences to mitigate and reduce the EMI risk within a package substrate and also for the case when the package is part of a package/board configuration.
Quantum mechanical studies of CH3ClO3 isomers and the CH3O2+ClO reaction pathways

The geometries, harmonic vibrational frequencies, and relative energetics of CH3ClO3 isomers have been examined using quantum mechanical methods. At the G2MP2 level of theory, the lowest-energy structure is found to be the CH3OClO2 form followed by the chain-type CH3OOOCl isomer located 7.9 kcal mol-1 higher. The QCISD(T) method predicts that the CH3OOOCl structure is located lower than CH3OClO2. The two higher-energy structures are CH3OOClO and CH3ClO3 across all energy levels. Interisomerization transition states have been determined, and the role of the formation of CH3ClO3 structures in the various pathways of the reaction CH3O2 + ClO is also examined.
Responsive Leadership in Social Services A Practical Approach for Optimizing Engagement and Performance

Responsive Leadership in Social Services: A Practical Approach for Optimizing Engagement and Performance emphasizes the importance of effective supervision as a key component of quality leadership....
Comprehensive Modeling and Visualization of Cardiac Anatomy and Physiology from CT Imaging and Computer Simulations

In clinical cardiology, both anatomy and physiology are needed to diagnose cardiac pathologies. CT imaging and computer simulations provide valuable and complementary data for this purpose. However, it remains challenging to gain useful information from the large amount of high-dimensional diverse data. The current tools are not adequately integrated to visualize anatomic and physiologic data from a complete yet focused perspective. We introduce a new computer-aided diagnosis framework, which allows for comprehensive modeling and visualization of cardiac anatomy and physiology from CT imaging data and computer simulations, with a primary focus on ischemic heart disease. The following visual information is presented: (1) Anatomy from CT imaging: geometric modeling and visualization of cardiac anatomy, including four heart chambers, left and right ventricular outflow tracts, and coronary arteries; (2) Function from CT imaging: motion modeling, strain calculation, and visualization of four heart chambers; (3) Physiology from CT imaging: quantification and visualization of myocardial perfusion and contextual integration with coronary artery anatomy; (4) Physiology from computer simulation: computation and visualization of hemodynamics (e.g., coronary blood velocity, pressure, shear stress, and fluid forces on the vessel wall). Substantially, feedback from cardiologists have confirmed the practical utility of integrating these features for the purpose of computer-aided diagnosis of ischemic heart disease.
Method to Determine Maximum Allowable Sinterable Silver Interconnect Size

Abstract The use of sintered-silver for large-area interconnection is attractive for some large-area bonding applications in power electronics such as the bonding of metal-clad, electrically-insulating substrates to heat sinks. Arrays of different pad sizes and pad shapes have been considered for such large area bonding; however, rather than arbitrarily choosing their size, it is desirable to use the largest size possible where the onset of interconnect delamination does not occur. If that is achieved, then sintered-silver's high thermal and electrical conductivities can be fully taken advantage of. Toward achieving this, a simple and inexpensive proof test is described to identify the largest achievable interconnect size with sinterable silver. The method's objective is to purposely initiate failure or delamination. Copper and invar (a ferrous-nickel alloy whose coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is similar to that of silicon or silicon carbide) disks were used in this study and sinterable silver was...
Defeating DDoS using Productive Puzzles

In this paper, we present Productive Puzzles, a novel puzzle mechanism for defending against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Productive puzzles aim to use tasks from real applications and services — as opposed to repetitive cryptographic computations that only serve the security purpose — as the work to be completed by the client, therefore making meaningful use of the client resources that would be wasted otherwise. We prove that tight bounds on the probability of successful cheating can be achieved by using only a small number of tasks in a productive puzzle. Hardness of productive puzzles is dynamically adjusted based on the server load and the cost of processing the client's request, consequently making it harder for adversaries to leverage expensive requests in their attacks. Furthermore, a novel cache algorithm is introduced to prevent the puzzle solution replay attack that is a common threat to all puzzle based DDoS defense mechanisms. We evaluate the effectiveness of the productive puzzle scheme in a realistic experimental environment, and show that it provides nearly optimal puzzle based defense against DDoS attacks.
Post-Liver Transplant Management of Hepatitis C

Recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection confers higher complication and mortality rates in liver transplant (LT) recipients. Prior treatment with interferon (IFN)-based regimens yielded poor response and many adverse reactions. Recently, direct-acting antiviral agents have replaced IFN-based therapy; these are highly effective in LT patients, regardless of previous treatment experience or presence of advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis, and even with hepatic decompensation. However, specific clinical conditions frequently encountered in this population may still impact the safety and tolerability of HCV treatment, and should be carefully considered prior to initiation of therapy. Once a difficult-to-treat disease and a threat to graft and patient survival, recurrent HCV has now become highly curable and will cease to be a major cause of graft loss or patient mortality in LT recipients.
Hydrogen segregation to inclined twin grain boundaries in nickel

Low-mobility twin grain boundaries dominate the microstructure of grain boundary-engineered materials and are critical to understanding their plastic deformation behaviour. The presence of solutes, such as hydrogen, has a profound effect on the thermodynamic stability of the grain boundaries. This work examines the case of a grain boundary at inclinations from . The angle corresponds to the rotation of the (coherent) into the (lateral) twin boundary. To this end, atomistic models of inclined grain boundaries, utilising empirical potentials, are used to elucidate the finite-temperature boundary structure while grand canonical Monte Carlo models are applied to determine the degree of hydrogen segregation. In order to understand the boundary structure and segregation behaviour of hydrogen, the structural unit description of inclined twin grain boundaries is found to provide insight into explaining the observed variation of excess enthalpy and excess hydrogen concentration on inclination angle, but the explan...
The Interaction of Weak and Strong Fields on the Sun

The problems associated with unresolved flux elements are discussed. It is pointed out that the hypothesis that these fields are strong does explain various problems of solar magnetic fields, but, as all invisible phenomena, is difficult to test. It is pointed out that Zeeman splitting measurements, which give the true field, have revealed field strengths down to the lower limit of conventional spectroscopy (about 400 gauss) for years. Not one spectrogram showing larger splitting in plages or network has been produced. The power-law distribution of weak-field strengths suggests a hierarchy of field strengths, and the simple arithmetic of weak-field elements and tiny pores is on the edge of ruling out strong fields, and further improvement in resolution should do so. Observations in the 12μ lines have shown plage fields of a few hundred gauss and broadening of the σ components due to field variation within the field of view. These data have been explained away on the basis of height variation in the field, but the requisite transverse field strength or center-limb behavior are not observed.
Recruitment and Retention of Volunteers in a Citizen Science Network to Detect Invasive Species on Private Lands

Volunteer citizen monitoring is an increasingly important source of scientific data. We developed a volunteer program for early detection of new invasive species by private landowners on their own land. Early detection of an invasive species, however, subjects the landowner to the potentially costly risk of government intervention to control the invasive species. We hypothesized that an adult experiential learning module could increase recruitment and retention because private landowners could learn more about and understand the social benefits of early detection and more accurately gauge the level of personal risk. The experiential learning module emphasized group discussion and individual reflection of risks and benefits of volunteering and included interactions with experts and regulatory personnel. A population of woodland owners with >2 ha of managed oak woodland in central Minnesota were randomly assigned to recruitment treatments: (a) the experiential learning module or (b) a letter inviting their participation. The recruitment and retention rates and data quality were similar for the two methods. However, volunteers who experienced the learning module were more likely to recruit new volunteers than those who merely received an invitation letter. Thus the module may indirectly affect recruitment of new volunteers. The data collection was complex and required the volunteers to complete timely activities, yet the volunteers provided sufficiently high quality data that was useful to the organizers. Volunteers can collect complex data and are willing to assume personal risk to contribute to early detection of invasive species.
Beam propagation of Gaussian and annular beams at 2 μm in the presence of thermal lensing

The impact of Gaussian and annular beams on thermal lensing is experimentally tested by characterizing the propagation of 2 μm light in BK7. The effect of annular beams for high power propagation is discussed.
What All the Fuss Isn't About: The Eighth Circuit's Misapprehension of APA Purposes in Hawkes Co. v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

On April 10, 2015, in Hawkes Co. v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit held that a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jurisdictional determination made pursuant to the Clean Water Act is subject to judicial review as final agency action under the Administrative Procedure Act. Jurisdictional determinations are threshold decisions of the Corps assessing whether a piece of land is subject to regulation under the Clean Water Act. The Eighth Circuit’s decision contradicts a previous decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which held pre-enforcement judicial review of Corps jurisdictional determinations improper under the Administrative Procedure Act. This Comment argues that the Eighth Circuit’s analysis inappropriately relied on the costs of permitting under the Clean Water Act. This Comment urges the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse the Eighth Circuit’s decision and to follow instead the reasoning of the Fifth Circuit. Not only would the Eighth Circuit’s decision in this case disrupt the system of review in place for agency action under the Administrative Procedure Act, it would complicate jurisdictional jurisprudence by creating two discrete sets of jurisdictional case law subject to different standards of review in the courts.
The Design of a Cognitive Apprenticeship to Facilitate Storytime Programming for Librarians.

The majority of research that has been conducted on structuring mentorship programs has been on career support in terms of transferring tacit and explicit knowledge from the supervisor to the protege. While the instructional design literature touts that cognitive apprenticeships provide a great framework for constructivist and situated learning environments, little research has been done examining how much time should be allocated to the various phases of the apprenticeship framework. The purpose of this study was to explore whether the use of a cognitive apprenticeship framework could be used to mentor new librarians. Data was collected and analyzed in three phases. Phase 1 consisted of a needs assessment to determine the skills necessary for programmers to deliver a curriculum based storytime. Phase 2 data collected during the implementation of the cognitive apprenticeship included observation and reflective journals. Data collected during Phase 3 consisted of participant interviews immediately following the implementation of the cognitive apprenticeship, and three months after the conclusion of the study. All data was coded and analyzed using a phenemonological approach. The researchers found the need for flexibility when utilizing a cognitive apprenticeship model, based on participant prior knowledge and experience, the importance of the modeling and coaching stages of the model, participant desire for working with other programmers being trained.
Cascadia subduction tremor muted by crustal faults

Deep, episodic slow slip on the Cascadia subduction megathrust of western North America is accompanied by low-frequency tremor in a zone of high fluid pressure between 30 and 40 km depth. Tremor density (tremor epicenters per square kilometer) varies along strike, and lower tremor density statistically correlates with upper plate faults that accommodate northward motion and rotation of forearc blocks. Upper plate earthquakes occur to 35 km depth beneath the faults. We suggest that the faults extend to the overpressured megathrust, where they provide fracture pathways for fluid escape into the upper plate. This locally reduces megathrust fluid pressure and tremor occurrence beneath the faults. Damping of tremor and related slow slip caused by fluid escape could affect fault properties of the megathrust, possibly influencing the behavior of great earthquakes.
Skin deformation during shoulder movements and upper extremity activities.

Abstract Background The necessity of sternal precautions for patients following cardiac surgery with median sternotomy has been questioned by clinicians, researchers, and even patients. The primary purpose was to determine if sternal skin deformation during shoulder movements and upper extremity activities is compressive or distractive and if there are any significant differences between the skin deformation at different positions during shoulder movements and upper extremity activities. The secondary purpose was to determine if sternal skin deformation is correlated with scapular stabilizer muscle strength. Methods The research design was a cross-sectional non-experimental descriptive study. A 3D electromagnetic tracking system was used to measure sternal skin deformation quantified by strain. Findings The sternal skin strain was − 10.8 (SD 6.2) % and − 9.8 (SD 6.1) % at 90 and 180° flexion (P = 0.45), − 2.7 (SD 3.4) % and − 10.4 (SD 7.9) % at 90 and 180° abduction (P Interpretation Our data does not support the restriction for most of the shoulder movements and upper extremity activities following cardiac surgery. The only exception is bilateral shoulder extension. We propose a strategy for preoperative physical therapy to stabilize scapular muscles to decrease mechanical loading translated from shoulder to sternum.
Teaching Network Administration in the Era of Virtualization: A Layered Approach

Teaching network administration for undergraduate students possesses a number of challenges. On one hand, network administration requires a wide spectrum of ad-hoc technologies from service management to physical connection. It is hard to select a critical set of technologies to fit into one course as well as maintain a clear organization and flow among these technologies. On the other hand, the rapid pace of technology advancement in the field of IT requires up-to-date technologies (e.g., Cloud Computing) to be included in a timely manner. In this study, we present our design of an undergraduate network administration course. Different from the literature, the novelties of this design are multi-fold. First, we identify a group of administration tasks, which, for the first time, is presented to the students in a top-down approach according to the Internet protocol stack. Second, given our prior lesson with virtualization, we adopt a hybrid approach that combines both physical and virtual technologies in the lab design (rather than solely resorting to virtualization). Finally, being aware of the implication of desktop virtualization and network virtualization to network administration, we design labs that cover desktop virtualization, and Cloud Computing based on Amazon AWS cloud.
Autonomy and couples’ joint decision-making in healthcare

Respect for autonomy is a key principle in bioethics. However, respecting autonomy in practice is complex because most people define themselves and make decisions influenced by a complex network of social relationships. The extent to which individual autonomy operates for each partner within the context of decision-making within marital or similar relationships is largely unexplored. This paper explores issues related to decision-making by couples (couples’ joint decision-making) for health care and the circumstances under which such a practice should be respected as compatible with autonomous decision-making. We discuss the concept of autonomy as it applies to persons and to actions, human interdependency and gender roles in decision-making, the dynamics and outcomes of couples’ joint decision-making, and the ethics of couples’ joint decision-making. We believe that the extent to which couples’ joint decision-making might be deemed ethically acceptable will vary depending on the context. Given that in many traditional marriages the woman is the less dominant partner, we consider a spectrum of scenarios of couples’ joint decision-making about a woman’s own health care that move from those that are acceptably autonomous to those that are not consistent with respecting the woman’s autonomous decision-making. To the extent that there is evidence that both members of a couple understand a decision, intend it, and that neither completely controls the other, couples’ joint decision-making should be viewed as consistent with the principle of respect for the woman’s autonomy. At the other end of the spectrum are decisions made by the man without the woman’s input, representing domination of one partner by the other. We recommend viewing the dynamics of couples’ joint decision-making as existing on a continuum of degrees of autonomy. This continuum-based perspective implies that couples’ joint decision-making should not be taken at face value but should be assessed against the specific cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds and personal circumstances of the individuals in question.
PAUL BOWLES: TRANSLATING FROM TANGIER

This essay examines the complex relationships between American writer Paul Bowles and Moroccan writers/storytellers whose works he translated (Ahmed Yacoubi, Larbi Layachi, Mohammed Mrabet, and Mohamed Choukri), with attention to reasons for Bowles’s turn to translation, the unique character of his translations of oral stories, the status of the “original” in these cases, as well as the surrounding postcolonial and Orientalist contexts of this translation activity. It advances the notion that Bowles’s translation activity is at once collaborative, dialogic, and mutually beneficial, motivated by the translator’s genuine interest in preserving and making more widely available local cultural production that might otherwise have gone unnoticed and unrecorded.
Urban green spaces, recreation and spiritual experiences

This paper presents a conceptual discussion of the relationship between urban and urban proximate nature areas, recreation and spiritual experiences. The paper’s discussion is grounded in scholarsh...
Gastrointestinal microbiota and mucosal immune gene expression in neonatal pigs reared in a cross-fostering model

Cross fostering is employed to equalize the number of piglet between litters ensuring colostrum intake for their survival and growth. However, little is known about the impact of cross fostering on the intestinal microbiota and mucosal immune gene expression of the neonatal pig. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of maternal microbial communities on the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota and mucosal immune gene expression in young pigs reared in a cross-fostering model. Piglets were given high quality colostrum from birth dam or foster dam upon birth. Twenty-four piglets were randomly assigned at birth to 1 of 3 treatments according to colostrum source and postcolostral milk feeding during, as follow: treatment 1 (n = 8), received colostrum and post-colostral milk feeding from their own dam; treatment 2 (n = 8), received colostrum from foster dam and returned to their own dam for post-colostral milk feeding; and treatment 3 (n = 8), received colostrum and post-colostral milk feeding from foster dam. Genomic DNA was extracted, and the V1-V3 hypervariable region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis was also performed to quantify the expression of toll-like receptors (TLR) 2, TLR 4, TLR 10, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interferon gamma (IFNγ), and interleukin (IL) 4 and IL 10. Data analysis revealed that microbial communities were varied according to the GI biogeographical location, with colon being the most diverse section. Bacterial communities in both maternal colostrum and vaginal samples were significantly associated with those present in the fecal samples of piglets. Cross-fostering did not affect bacterial communities present in the piglet GI tract. However, the mRNA expression of TLR and inflammatory cytokines changed (P < 0.05) with biogeographical location in the GI tract. Higher mRNA expression of TLR and inflammatory cytokines was observed in ileum and ileum associated lymph tissues. This study suggests an impact of colostrum and maternal microbial communities on the microbiota development and mucosal immune gene expression in the newly born piglet. This study revealed novel information about the distribution and expression patterns of TLR and inflammatory cytokines in the GI tract of the young pig. Future studies are needed to determine the role and clinical importance of the mucosal microbiota and mucosal gene expression in health, productivity, and susceptibility to the development of GI disease, in piglets.
Neuronal Intestinal Dysplasia and its Relation to Other Motility Disorders

During infancy at least six intestinal motility syndromes are known to occur. These are: (1) aganglionosis (Hirschsprung’s disease); (2) meconium plug syndrome (also known as neonatal small left colon); (3) microcolon of prematurity; (4) CPAP belly syndrome (found in infants treated on a ventilator with continuous positive airways pressure); (5) megacystis microcolon intestinal hypoperistalsis (neonatal hollow viscus myopathy); and, (6) neuronal intestinal dysplasia.
Retinal Vasculopathies: Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common causes of visual loss worldwide. It afflicts both type I and type II diabetics, and the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy increases with both the duration and severity of the underlying metabolic disease. It tends to follow a predictable progression from nonproliferative to proliferative disease. The underlying biochemical changes that lead to diabetic retinopathy are reviewed. The differentiating clinical findings of nonproliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy are then discussed along with treatment options. Finally, the importance of screening examinations is stressed.
A seat at the table? Reflections on Black geographies and the limits of dialogue:

This commentary uses the Black Geographies Symposium, held at UC Berkeley from October 11-12, 2017, as a point of departure to discuss the political and intellectual limits of calls for dialogue. W...
An international perspective on improving occupational conditions for direct care workers in home health

The occupational health and safety of direct care workers in the home health setting has been the focal point of a somewhat scarce, though highly important, body of research. Although the demand for home care services continues to expand with the rapidly growing population of older adults worldwide, home care workers - such as home health aides and personal care attendants - do not have the same level of protections by workplace safety policies such as those implemented in hospitals and nursing homes. This commentary synthesizes international perspectives on the occupational health and safety of home care workers, including the problem of workers’ rights violations and abuse by clients and their families. Prior policy and practice efforts have focused on improving the training, supervision, job satisfaction, and retention of home care workers, but have focused less on addressing issues of abuse. This paper recommends potential strategies to be developed and tested to provide a stronger support system for home care workers, more fully integrate them into the care team, and improve the occupational health and safety of this diverse, rapidly expanding workforce.
Integrating management information with soil quality dynamics to monitor agricultural productivity.

Abstract Sustainably utilizing global resources is critical for ensuring soil security which is pertinent for biomass production, climate change mitigation, environmental quality, biodiversity conservation and thus human wellbeing. A plethora of soil quality assessment metrics encapsulated in different concepts exist, with each typically biased towards identifying the interrelationship between agricultural production and specific physical, chemical or biological soil attributes. Because of diversity in soil classifications and crop requirements, considerable variation exist between these metrics making it difficult for end-users to select a suitable method. Here, Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) method is used to integrate the physical and chemical soil properties into a Soil Quality Index (SQI) which is then used to evaluate soil quality dynamics vis-a-vis crop yields over two growing seasons. Field data was acquired from 5 sites under No-Till (NT), Conventional Till (CT) management and Natural Vegetation (NV) land use. This SQI was computed under the hypothesis that site specific soil physico–chemical attributes depended on soil type, management, and depth. Under CT management Pw (Pewamo silty clay loam) had the highest soil quality; KbA (Kibbie fine sandy loam) soils had higher quality under NT management; whereas CtA (Crosby Celina silt loams) had relatively higher quality under NV land use. Soil bulk density (ρb), Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), Available Water Content (AWC) and Electrical Conductivity (EC) were the significant soil parameters influencing soil quality. The correlation between SQI and corn (Zea mays) yields was 0.6, whereas SQI and Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) yield was 0.9. Future research will evaluate SQI dynamics vis-a-vis socio-economic indicators and key climate variables.
Tunisia: Changing Patterns of Women’s Representation

Benstead traces women’s descriptive political representation in Tunisia from the first woman elected to parliament in 1959 to the introduction of the law of parity following the Arab spring, which commits the state to ensuring equal representation in elected institutions. Under Ben Ali’s state feminism, the Constitutional Rally for Democracy (RCD) implemented a 20% party quota in 1999, which it increased to 30% in 2009. After the Arab spring, civil society advocated legislative quotas calling for vertical alternation between male and female candidates. However, when women won only 28% of seats in the 2011 and 2014 national elections, activists achieved a horizontal provision for local elections (expected in 2018) requiring that women also head half of all lists.
Cytogenetics and genetic introgression from wild relatives in soybean

Cultivated soybean, wild soybean, and 23 perennial Glycine species contain 2n = 40 chromosomes. Accessions of G. hirticaulis and G. tabacina have diploid (2n = 40) and tetraploid (2n = 80) chromosome numbers. In contrast, G. tomentella includes accessions with four cytotypes (2n = 38, 40, 78, or 80). Meiosis of G. max and G. soja F1 is normal and gene exchange is easy. Occasionally, accessions of the two species differ by chromosome structural changes (reciprocal translocation/paracentric inversion). The segregating populations inherit undesirable traits such as vining, lodging susceptibility, lack of complete leaf abscission, seed shattering, and small black coated seeds because of genetic drag. The introgression of useful genes from 26 wild perennial Glycine species to soybean has been restricted because of crossability barriers and requires extensive hybridization, immature seed rescue, and cytogenetic manipulations. This review paper discusses cytogenetics, gene pools of the soybean and the production of fertile G. max plants using 78-chromosome G. tomentella (PI 441001) as a paternal and maternal parent in crosses with G. max cv. ‘Dwight’ (2n = 40). Thus, reporting breaking of the intersubgeneric crossability barriers for the first time.
Racial Differences in Quality of Life in People Receiving Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Topic Significance & Study Purpose/Background/Rationale Intensive chemotherapy followed by hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is associated with life-changing complications that impact multiple dimensions of quality of life (QOL). Although the need to address quality of life concerns is well-established, understanding racial differences in QOL by transplant type is largely understudied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate QOL in African Americans compared to Whites by transplant type before and after HCT. Methods, Intervention, & Analysis This secondary data analysis (n = 91) compared patient-reported QOL (global QOL, functional ability, and symptoms) and objectively measured functional ability (30-Second Sit to Stand and Timed Stair Climb) by race (African Americans, n = 43; Whites, n = 48) and type of transplant (autologous, n = 57; allogeneic, n = 34). Data were collected prior to HCT, during pre-engraftment (day 8 post HCT), and seven weeks after hospital discharge. Two-way ANOVAs were used to examine the effects of race (African American compared to Whites), transplant type (autologous compared to allogeneic), and interaction effects (race x transplant type) on patient-reported QOL and objectively measured functional ability. Findings & Interpretation Africans Americans were more likely to undergo autologous (n = 33, 77%) than allogeneic HCT (n = 10, 23%), X2 (1) = 6.93, p Discussion & Implications The trajectory of recovery following HCT differs by race and type of transplant. Racial differences in QOL exist prior to HCT and immediately following HCT with African Americans generally reporting better QOL. Following HCT, QOL differences in African Americans compared to Whites disappear, except for constipation, while allogeneic HCT results in worsening QOL.
Demystifying Emerging Nonvolatile Memory Technologies: Understanding Advantages, Challenges, Trends, and Novel Applications

With CMOS scaling moving toward an end, some “out-of-the-box” non-volatile memory (NVM) technologies come to life and promise to break the “memory wall”, fill the gap between memory and processor computation, and to cope with the limitations of conventional memory technologies that become limited in fulfilling the new requirements of the changing market trends. With the emergence of distinct NVM technologies, such as STT-RAM, PCM, and ReRAM, the concept of “universal memory” seems to be now achievable and about to have a far-reaching impact on the computing market. This paper studies each of the distinctive emerging non-volatile memories (STT-RAM, PCM, ReRAM) and presents their benefits, current limitations and trends, as well as their potential novel applications in a broad range of fields.
Common Causes, Diagnostic Evaluation, and Treatment in Women

Chronic urogenital pain requires a thorough diagnostic evaluation to guide appropriate treatment. Common causes in women include endometriosis, interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome, localized vulvar pain syndrome, and pudendal neuralgia. Presented are the diagnostic evaluation and treatment of these common sources of chronic pain.
Art and the Social Work Profession: Shall Ever the Twain Meet?:

Despite evidence of widespread increasing interest in the arts as mechanisms for personal and social change, social work is conspicuous for its lack of organized conceptual attention to this area. ...
Obstructive Sleep Apnea as the First Presentation of Juvenile Nasal Angiofibroma.

CITATIONLobl M, Zandieh SO. Obstructive sleep apnea as the first presentation of juvenile nasal angiofibroma. J Clin Sleep Med. 2019;15(9):1373–1375.
Metric based on the arctangents of the logderivatives for evaluating scattering properties of pseudopotentials

Abstract To improve first-principles calculations of materials properties, we introduce a new metric based on the arctangent of the logderivatives, and demonstrate its effectiveness for evaluating scattering properties of pseudopotentials and projector augmented wave (PAW) data sets. This metric is simpler and easier to obtain compared to modern metrics, accurately represents the agreement between pseudo and all-electron logderivatives, and reliably identifies ghost states without resorting to equation of state, density of states, or band structure calculations. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the arctangent metric can be used as a filter or screening metric during development of pseudopotentials, vastly reducing the development time for both hand-tuning and automated optimization. We found that screening by the arctangent metric reduces the search space of new pseudopotentials by at least 50% in the systems we studied.
Atomic Layer Deposition of Two-Dimensional Layered Materials: Processes, Growth Mechanisms, and Characteristics

Summary Since the discovery of graphene, there has been an ever-increasing interest in two-dimensional (2D) layered materials with exceptional properties. To this end, a variety of synthesis methods have been developed. However, it is still challenging to produce large-scale high-quality single-crystalline 2D materials. In this regard, atomic layer deposition (ALD) has recently shown great promise and has stimulated more and more research efforts, ascribed to its unique growth mechanism and distinguished capabilities to achieve nanoscale films with excellent uniformity, unrivaled conformality, and atomic-scale controllability. This review comprehensively summarizes recent progress on ALD for 2D atomic sheets, including 25 different materials and more than 80 ALD processes. This work highlights different technical routes to ALD, their precise controllability, and their underlying principles for 2D materials. It is expected that this work will help boost more research efforts for controllable growth of high-quality 2D materials via ALD.