cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Benefits of Isolating & Utilizing Fluorine from Phosphate Operations☆

Abstract In the period of 2008-2011 the restricted availability and price volatility of the mineral source of fluorine known as fluorspar (calcium fluorite) made commercial buyers around the world question whether there were alternative fluorine sources for chemical production. Presently there are significant opportunities for producers of phosphates from the minerals fluorapatite or francolite to offer a fluorine rich alternative to fluorspar or to sell fluorine-based chemicals isolated from fluorine containing waste streams from phosphate production. The technology to isolate fluosilicic acid (FSA) for sale or as a raw material for the production of downstream fluorine-containing chemicals is proven and available. The markets for fluorine-containing chemicals are valuable and growing in many different applications. This situation gives phosphate fertilizer and phosphate chemical producers the opportunity to serve new customers of fluorine-containing chemicals and reduces the environmental impacts from the disposal of fluorine containing waste streams. This presentation will further describe major features and events in the fluorine market and the opportunities and challenges in supplying a fluorine raw material alternative to fluorspar.
The eye in the sand: On creative remoteness

One bright October morning in 2012 a blue eyeball the size of a melon appears on Pompano Beach in Florida. No-one can say where it has come from, what creaturely skull once held it. It shows signs of having been plied out with a knife. The eyeball has a dark blue pupil, surrounded by an egg-blue iris, set in a steely blue sphere. 'It was very, very fresh,' declares the beachcomber Gino Covacci, who found the eyeball rocking in the surf. 'It was still bleeding.' He took it home in a bag, and put it in his fridge. Then he called the police. In footage he mimes holding the blue eyeball, standing atop a mass of tumbled jetsam: weeds, netting, shredded consumer goods. He stares aghast into the open cup of his palms. The camera pans out to the indecipherable sea. Dazzle and distance. What unfinished animal patrols there, sweeping the deeps with its blue, cyclopean beam?
A Hypothetico-Deductive Model for Teaching the Research Paper:

This article offers a pedagogical sequence for teaching the development of a thesis for the research report. The unit presented introduces students to a heuristic of research and shows students how...
Modeling and Experiments of the Hysteretic Response of an Active Hydrofoil Actuated by SMA Line Actuators

All movable control surfaces in surface ships and submarines, to date, involve a fixed stock (pivot axis) about which the appendage rotates. However, the location of the center of pressure on the appendage varies relative to the fixed stock over the range of angles of attack. The fundamental problem is that a parasitic and harmful hydrodynamic moment is created about the stock by the force-center being located some distance away from the stock centerline. Moreover, this force-center moves as the angle of attack changes. Preliminary research [1],[2] indicates that a control surface with a small fraction (order of 10%) of its aft section being continuously deformed can move the center of pressure to just about any desired position on (or off) the surface, for a given angle of attack, thus controlling the torque about the primary stock. Early studies on Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuated control surfaces also indicated that large increases in the lift generated by the control surface could be attained via smooth deflection of the trailing edge [3]. It is possible to position the center of pressure such that there is zero parasitic torque on the primary stock while getting the equivalent lift as a traditional appendage. The use of active materials to effect the shape control can result in an all-electric actuation system without the noise associated with hydraulically moving mechanical components. Furthermore, optimal shape control will result in a hydrodynamically more efficient control surface, delaying or avoiding boundary layer separation, a phenomenon associated with shear layer shedding in the wake, a process which is acoustically harmful.
Modeling the formation of layered, amphiphilic gels

Abstract The efficient formulation of layered gels that encompass both hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains could lead to novel materials with a range of vital functionalities. To facilitate the fabrication of these materials, we perform dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations to model the formation of two-layered stackable gels where the gels are incompatible and their respective solvents are immiscible. The bottom layer of the gel is created first and then a solution of new initiators, monomers and cross-linkers is introduced on top of this first layer. These components then undergo living copolymerization to form the second gel layer. We investigate all possible combinations using free radical polymerization (FRP) and controlled/living atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) to form the two-layered material. When the lower gel is formed via ATRP, the system forms connected, stacked gel layers. If, however, the lower gel is formed via FRP, the gels do not form interconnected layers. The presence of active radical chain ends in the lower gel grown by ATRP enables the formation of covalent bonds with the upper gel layer. On the other hand, the lack of active radicals in the lower FRP gel leads to a sharp interfacial region, with negligible inter-gel bonds connecting the two layers. Our simulations provide insight into the nanoscale nature of the interface between the gel layers and yield guidelines for forming mechanically robust, “stackable” amphiphilic gels.
Anchoring Pipeline Flow Diverter Construct in the Treatment of Traumatic Distal Cervical Carotid Artery Injury.

Background: Traumatic extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) dissections are uncommon and can be difficult to treat. Thinning of adventitia and dilatation may occur following arterial dissection, thus resulting in a fusiform pseudoaneurysm, which can subsequently cause bleeding, expanding, or pulsatile hematoma. Currently, medical management with anticoagulation remains the first line of treatment and yields good outcomes in 75% of cases with a mortality rate of 3-4%. Endovascular intervention is indicated with failure of medical therapy, progressive enlargement of a traumatic pseudoaneurysm, acute flow-related infarcts due to vessel occlusion, or when anticoagulation is contraindicated due to risk of pseudoaneurysm rupture and hemorrhage. Recognized interventional treatments include parent artery occlusion with or without revascularization, endovascular coil embolization, and covered stenting. Summary: A wide variety of endovascular stents are available that are capable of opening a stenosed vessel while obliterating the associated false lumen and providing a scaffold for embolization of the pseudoaneurysm. The use of the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) in the management of traumatic intracranial pseudoaneurysms has been described. However, there are few reports on the usage of the PED for treating traumatic extracranial ICA dissection and/or pseudoaneurysms. However, a potential complication of the use of PED in the extracranial ICA is a hypothetical tendency to migrate in a mobile vessel. Thus, the risk of migration of the PED has encouraged practitioners to adopt strategies to limit this risk. Key Messages: We describe different techniques employed to anchor the flow-diverting construct within tortuous, mobile vessels.
Geographic information science II: Mesogeography: Social physics, GIScience and the quest for geographic knowledge

The 20th century witnessed the rise of social physics: the application of models and techniques developed for physical processes to social phenomena. Social physics left an enduring legacy in human...
Resistance to DAAs: When to Look and When It Matters

This review provides an overview of HCV resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) with a focus on NS3 protease and NS5A inhibitor resistance. Treatment approaches for managing resistance are also covered including the use of newly approved therapies with improved resistance profiles. HCV RASs are frequently selected if the patient is not cured during treatment; NS5A RASs persist for prolonged periods of time (years) after treatment failure and may adversely impact retreatment responses. Newly approved regimens with improved potency and resistance profiles are less impacted by resistance and provide the best retreatment options for patients who previously failed DAA therapy. The clinical impact of HCV RASs has been lessened significantly with the introduction of new DAA treatment regimens. Routine testing for resistance is unlikely to impact retreatment approaches if newer regimens are accessible. Knowledge of factors, such as the presence of cirrhosis and prior treatment regimens, remain as the key to optimizing retreatment approaches.
Some results on counting linearizations of posets

Author(s): Bergman, George M | Abstract: In section 1 we consider a 3-tuple $S=(|S|,\preccurlyeq,E)$ where $|S|$ is a finite set, $\preccurlyeq$ a partial ordering on $|S|,$ and $E$ a set of unordered pairs of distinct members of $|S|,$ and study, as a function of $n\geq 0,$ the number of maps $\varphi:|S|\to\{1,\dots,n\}$ which are both isotone with respect to the ordering $\preccurlyeq,$ and have the property that $\varphi(x)\neq \varphi(y)$ whenever $\{x,y\}\in E.$ We prove a number-theoretic result about this function, and use it in section 7 to recover a ring-theoretic identity of G. P. Hochschild. In section 2 we generalize a result of R. Stanley on the sign-imbalance of posets in which the lengths of all maximal chains have the same parity. In sections 3-6 we study the linearization-count and sign-imbalance of a lexicographic sum of $n$ finite posets $P_i$ $(1\leq i\leq n)$ over an $n$-element poset $P_0.$ We note how to compute these values from the corresponding counts for the given posets $P_i,$ and for a lexicographic sum over $P_0$ of chains of lengths $\mathrm{card}(P_i).$ This makes the behavior of lexicographic sums of chains over a finite poset $P_0$ of interest, and we obtain some general results on the linearization-count and sign-imbalance of these objects.
Distress tolerance as a mechanism of PTSD symptom change: Evidence for mediation in a treatment-seeking sample.

Abstract Low distress tolerance, the perceived or actual inability to tolerate negative emotional states, is a transdiagnostic risk marker associated with greater PTSD symptoms and poorer treatment outcomes. However, the role of distress tolerance in PTSD symptom trajectories has not yet been explored. This study examined the mediating role of distress tolerance in PTSD symptom change among outpatients participating in a trial of computerized interventions for anxiety-related and mood-related risk factors. It was hypothesized that pre- to post-intervention change in distress tolerance would predict PTSD symptoms at three- and six-month follow-up, and mediate the effect of condition on PTSD symptoms above and beyond the effects of a competing mediator, anxiety sensitivity. Although condition differences in distress tolerance change were non-significant, distress tolerance change predicted month-three PTSD symptoms and mediated the direct effect of condition on month-three PTSD symptoms. After accounting for the direct effect of condition on month-six PTSD symptoms, distress tolerance change did not predict month-six PTSD symptoms. Findings suggest distress tolerance does play a longitudinal role in PTSD symptom change, and distress tolerance interventions may benefit certain samples who may otherwise not be able to immediately access, or remain in PTSD treatments.
Mechanisms coupling thrombin to metastasis and tumorigenesis

The association of malignancy and thrombophilia is bidirectional, as evidenced by four decades of studies in animal models showing that hemostatic system components support cancer progression. Consistent with this view, clinical studies have suggested that anticoagulants not only limit thromboembolic complications associated with cancer, but also improve survival by impeding cancer progression, and may even prevent the development of cancer. In order to fully capitalize on this association, a detailed understanding of the mechanisms coupling hemostatic factors to cancer pathogenesis is required. Multiple studies have shown that thrombin-mediated procoagulant functions strongly promote metastatic potential. In particular, the platelet/fibrin(ogen) axis has been shown to protect newly formed micrometastases from innate immune surveillance, contribute to creation of a metastatic niche by recruitment of prometastatic inflammatory cells, and promote the epithelial to mesenchymal transition of metastatic cells. Thrombin-mediated functions have also been shown to support tumor growth in some contexts, and have even been linked to tumorigenesis in the setting of inflammation-driven colon cancer. Here, local thrombin-mediated extravascular fibrin deposition, and specifically fibrin-αMβ2 integrin interaction, push intestinal inflammatory cells toward a pro-tumorigenic phenotype, resulting in the elaboration of key cytokines and growth factors that support the proliferation and survival of transformed intestinal epithelial cells. These studies reveal that hemostatic factors can serve as a bridge between pathological inflammation and the development of cancer. As a large proportion of cancers are caused by pathological inflammation, these studies suggest that therapies targeting the nexus between hemostasis and inflammation could be used to prevent cancer development.
Molecular based-phylogenetic relationships in the superfamily Criconematoidea using ITS1-rDNA.

Populations of nematodes of the superfamily Criconematoidea were obtained and identified morphologicallyfrom different geographical areas in the continental United States. This previous information was used to analyze theirphylogenetic relationship based on the first internal transcribed spacer ribosomal region. Phylogenetic analysis of theITS1-rDNA region showed monophyletic and paraphyletic groups in Criconematidae: A) species of Mesocriconemaand Criconemoides; and B) Bakernema, Criconema Hemicriconemoides and Xenocriconemella species. SubfamilyHemicycliophorinae, (Caloosia, Hemicaloosia and Hemicycliophora) and family Tylenchulidae (Paratylenchus andGracilacus) were not resolved because of the high variation of the marker Molecular phylogenetic analysis using theITS1-rDNA marker rejects the hypothesis of a common ancestor for criconematids with double sheath or cuticle amongothers characters. This molecular phylogenetic study showed that ITS1-rDNA sequences are too variable to studyphylogenetics of Criconematoidea. However, ITS1-rDNA is useful to identify and to characterize species within families.
Physical positioning markedly enhances brain transduction after intrathecal AAV9 infusion

Several neurological disorders may benefit from gene therapy. However, even when using the lead vector candidate for intrathecal administration, adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9), the strength and distribution of gene transfer to the brain are inconsistent. On the basis of preliminary observations that standard intrathecal AAV9 infusions predominantly drive reporter gene expression in brain regions where gravity might cause cerebrospinal fluid to settle, we tested the hypothesis that counteracting vector “settling” through animal positioning would enhance vector delivery to the brain. When rats are either inverted in the Trendelenburg position or continuously rotated after intrathecal AAV9 infusion, we find (i) a significant 15-fold increase in the number of transduced neurons, (ii) a marked increase in gene delivery to cortical regions, and (iii) superior animal-to-animal consistency of gene expression. Entorhinal, prefrontal, frontal, parietal, hippocampal, limbic, and basal forebrain neurons are extensively transduced: 95% of transduced cells are neurons, and greater than 70% are excitatory. These findings provide a novel and simple method for broad gene delivery to the cortex and are of substantial relevance to translational programs for neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.
4-Iodo-1H-indole-2,3-dione

The title compound, C8H4INO2, is an almost planar mol­ecule having an r.m.s. deviation of 0.03 A for all non-H atoms. In the crystal, mol­ecules dimerize through pairs of N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. These inversion dimers are linked through pairs of weak I⋯O inter­actions [3.184 (4) A] to form zigzag chains along [010]. The chains are linked in the c-axis direction by parallel-slipped π–π inter­actions [inter­centroid distance = 3.623 (3) A, inter­planar distance = 3.423 (2) A and slippage = 1.667 (5) A], forming corrugated sheets parallel to (011).
Structural cohesion and embeddedness in two-mode networks

The detection of structural cohesion is a key utility of social network analysis, but little work has been done to refine the detection of structural cohesion in two-mode networks. Most work on coh...
Mistakes as Pathways Towards Creativity in Counseling: A Case Example

ABSTRACTThe relationship between mistakes, improvisation, and counseling process is explored through the use of a case example involving a failed clinical intervention. Exploration of mistakes offe...
Landslides by liquefaction

Two studies, led by Bradley and Watkinson, used satellite imagery to show that irrigation of rice and other crops contributed to devastating landslides following the 2018 earthquake in Palu, Indonesia. They suggest that seismic shaking triggered liquefaction of saturated soils and led to sliding, despite very shallow slopes – a hazard that could threaten gently sloping irrigated terrains in other tectonically active regions.
Regeneration and expansion of autologous full-thickness skin through a self-propagating autologous skin graft technology.

New autologous skin regeneration technology yielded full-thickness skin as evidenced by clinical observation and skin biopsy 5 months after surgery, providing relief for debilitating split-thickness skin graft contracture in a pediatric burn case.
Effect of duration, and temporal modulation, of monochromatic light on emmetropization in chicks.

Abstract Previous experiments disagree on the effect of monochromatic light on emmetropization. Some species respond to wavelength defocus created by longitudinal chromatic aberration and become more myopic in monochromatic red light and more hyperopic in monochromatic blue light, while other species do not. Using the chicken model, we studied the effect of the duration of light exposure, modes of lighting, and circadian interruption on emmetropization in monochromatic light. To achieve this goal, we exposed one-week-old chicks to flickering or steady monochromatic red or blue light for a short (10 days) or long (17 days) duration; other chicks were exposed to white light for 10 days. Refraction and ocular biometry were measured. Activity was measured via a motion detection algorithm and an IR camera. The results showed that in both steady and flickering light, there was a greater increase in axial length and vitreous chamber depth in chicks exposed to red or white light compared to chicks exposed to blue light. With a longer duration of exposure, axial length and vitreous chamber depth differences were no longer observed, except at an intermediate time point. Chicks exposed to red light were more active during the day compared to chicks exposed to blue light. We conclude that our results indicate that with short duration monochromatic light exposure, chicks rely on wavelength defocus to guide emmetropization. With longer exposure from hatching, our results support the notion that responses to wavelength defocus can be transient and that the difference between species may be due to differences in experimental duration and/or interference with circadian activity rhythms.
Approvals in 2019: international review and a new agnostic molecular entity.

In 2019, the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence (OCE) approved 11 new drugs and biologic agents, 30 supplemental drug and biologic applications, and four biosimilar applications in oncology. These included two landmark approvals involving collaboration among international regulators as part of OCE Project Orbis, as well as the approval of three novel antibody–drug conjugates.
Case 19-2020: A 74-Year-Old Man with Acute Respiratory Failure and Unclear Goals of Care.

A Man with Acute Respiratory Failure and Unclear Goals of Care A 74-year-old man with lymphoma was admitted to the hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic because of rapidly progressive respiratory f...
Early Outcomes With the Liver-kidney Safety Net.

BACKGROUND A safety net policy was implemented in August 2017 giving liver transplant alone (LTA) recipients with significant renal dysfunction posttransplant priority for subsequent kidney transplantation (KT). This study was undertaken to evaluate early outcomes under this policy. METHODS Adults undergoing LTA after implementation of the safety net policy and were subsequently listed for KT between 60 and 365 days after liver transplantation contained in United Network for Organ Sharing data were examined. Outcomes of interest were receipt of a kidney transplant and postliver transplant survival. Safety net patients were compared with LTA recipients not subsequently listed for KT as well as to patients listed for simultaneous liver-kidney (SLK) transplant yet underwent LTA and were not subsequently listed for KT. RESULTS There were 100 patients listed for safety net KT versus 9458 patients undergoing LTA without subsequent KT listing. The cumulative incidence of KT following listing was 32.5% at 180 days. The safety net patients had similar 1-year unadjusted patient survival (96.4% versus 93.4%; P = 0.234) but superior adjusted survival (hazard ratio0.133, 0.3570.960; P = 0.041) versus LTA recipients not subsequently listed for KT. Safety net patients had superior 1-year unadjusted (96.4% versus 75.0%; P < 0.001) and adjusted (hazard ratio0.039, 0.1260.406; P < 0.001) survival versus SLK listed patients undergoing LTA without subsequent KT listing. CONCLUSIONS The safety net appears to provide rapid access to KT with good early survival for those able to take advantage of it. Survival of patients unable to qualify for KT listing after LTA needs to be better understood before further limitation of SLK, however.
Neo-trasformismo: Historical legacies and populist revolt:

There have been three main types of political outcome from the Great Recession. The first is an insurgency from the left exemplified by Podemos, now in decline, in Spain. It demands a return to cla...
Consumer Demand Shocks & Firm Linkages: Evidence from Demonetization in India

This paper investigates whether a consumer demand shock propagates through industry input-output networks. In November 2016, India demonetized 86% of its currency, creating a nationwide demand shock. We construct upstreamness measures to evaluate the impact of demonetization on firms based on their network position. In contrast to current literature, we find that the shock does not propagate through the network. Declines in revenues, payroll, and investment are limited to consumer facing firms. We identify pricing power, inventory frictions, and export intensity as viable explanatory mechanisms. The presence of these frictions suggests that downstream firms are particularly vulnerable to demand shocks.
Creating performances for teaching and learning: a practice session for pedagogy: by Chris McRae and Aubrey Huber, Cham, Palgrave, 2017, 187 pp., $81.91 (hardcover), ISBN 978-3-319-54560-8

Creating Performances for Teaching and Learning: A Practice Session for Pedagogy offers a jolt of inspiration for teachers, artists, creative practitioners, activists, and students committed to ped...
Scale-adaptive deep network for deformable image registration.

Purpose Multiresolution hierarchical strategy is typically used in conventional optimization-based image registration to capture varying magnitudes of deformations while avoiding undesirable local minima. A rough concept of the scale is captured in deep networks by the reception field of kernels, and it has been realized to be both desirable and challenging to capture convolutions of different scales simultaneously in registration networks. In this study, we propose a registration network that is conscious of and self-adaptive to deformation of various scales to improve registration performance. Methods Dilated inception modules (DIMs) are proposed to incorporate receptive fields of different sizes in a computationally efficient way. Scale adaptive modules (SAMs) are proposed to guide and adjust shallow features using convolutional kernels with spatially adaptive dilation rate learned from deep features. DIMs and SAMs are integrated into a registration network which takes a U-net structure. The network is trained in an unsupervised setting and completes registration with a single evaluation run. Results Experiment with two-dimensional (2D) cardiac MRIs showed that the adaptive dilation rate in SAM corresponded well to the deformation scale. Evaluated with left ventricle segmentation, our method achieved a Dice coefficient of (0.93 ± 0.02), significantly better than SimpleElastix and networks without DIM or SAM. The average surface distance was less than 2 mm, comparable to SimpleElastix without statistical significance. Experiment with synthetic data demonstrated the effectiveness of DIMs and SAMs, which led to a significant reduction in target registration error (TRE) based on dense deformation field. The three-dimensional (3D) version of the network achieved a 2.52 mm mean TRE on anatomical landmarks in DIR-Lab thoracic 4DCTs, lower than SimpleElastix and networks without DIM or SAM with statistical significance. The average registration times were 0.002 s for 2D images with size 256 × 256 and 0.42 s for 3D images with size 256 × 256 × 96. Conclusions The introduction and integration of DIMs and SAMs addressed the heterogeneous scale problem in an efficient and self-adaptive way. The proposed method provides an alternative to the inefficient multiresolution registration setups.
A review on clotting disorders and retinal hemorrhages: Can they mimic abuse?

Abstract Background The characteristic findings of abusive head trauma (AHT) include retinal hemorrhages (RH). RH have many etiologies in childhood, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of possible child abuse. The relationship between RH and thrombophilia in children is not well established. Objective In this literature review, we sought to assess whether retinal findings in pediatric patients with thrombophilia could mimic those of AHT. Methods A literature search was performed to identify all cases of thrombophilia in children less than 18 years old with ocular manifestations. Disorders of thrombophilia including protein C and S deficiency, factor V Leiden (FVL), prothrombin variant, MTHFR mutation, hyperhomocysteinemia, elevated factor VIII, and elevated lipoprotein (a) were considered. All cases of pediatric thrombophilia with retinal examination or intraocular bleeding were included. If provided, descriptions of the RH were reviewed. Results Our initial search yielded 514 results. Forty-three articles met our inclusion criteria. We identified 3 children with RH within the AHT usual age range ( Conclusions Based on previous reports, thrombophilia alone has not been shown to clearly mimic abusive head trauma. In reported cases of thrombophilia with RH, the clinical picture and ophthalmic findings are usually distinct from abuse.
The Analysis of Binomial Experiments

In Chapter 19, we discussed problems of the type: Givennbinomial trials with success probabilitypwhat is the probability of observing some given numberkof successes? For example, what is the probability that we observe 12 successes in 48 trials with succes probability 1/3? This is a problem in probability.
Enzyme loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles as anti-biofilm treatment strategy for chronic biofilm infections

The enzyme responsible for depleting a key metabolite required by biofilms, was encapsulated into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) PLGA nanoparticles in order to develop an adjunctive anti-biofilm treatment therapy.
Kinins, Airway Obstruction, and Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is a term that implies symptoms that are present in many organs, some of which are potentially fatal. The pathogenic process can either be IgE-dependent or non-IgE-dependent; the latter circumstance may be referred to as anaphylactoid. Bradykinin is frequently responsible for the manifestations of IgE-independent reactions. Blood levels may increase because of overproduction; diseases such as the various forms of C1 inhibitor deficiency (hereditary or acquired) or hereditary angioedema with normal C1 inhibitor are examples in this category. Blood levels may also increase because of an abnormality in bradykinin metabolism; the angioedema due to ACE inhibitors is a commonly encountered example. Angioedema due to bradykinin has the potential to cause airway obstruction and asphyxia as well as severe gastrointestinal symptoms simulating an acute abdomen. Formation of bradykinin in plasma is a result of a complex interaction among proteins such as factor XII, prekallikrein, and high molecular weight kininogen (HK) resulting in HK cleavage and liberation of bradykinin. These proteins also assemble along the surface of endothelial cells via zinc-dependent interactions with gC1qR, cytokeratin 1, and u-PAR. Endothelial cell expression (or secretion) of heat-shock protein 90 or prolylcarboxypeptidase can activate the prekallikrein-HK complex to generate bradykinin in the absence of factor XII, however factor XII is then secondarily activated by the kallikrein that results. Bradykinin is destroyed by carboxypeptidase N and angiotensin-converting enzyme. The hypotension associated with IgE-dependent anaphylaxis maybe mediated, in part, by massive proteolytic digestion of HK by kallikreins (tissue or plasma-derived) or other cell-derived kininogenases.
Evaluating the Biological Activity and Effects on Human Health of Fish Oil and Its Omega-3 Fatty Acids

This chapter reviews the background, chemistry and specific efficacy of fish oils, specifically ω-3 fatty acids in the treatment and prevention of disease. Epidemiologic evidence appears strong showing its protective effects, although clinical trials with definitive data are still deficient. The mechanism by which ω-3 fatty acids may work on the nervous system and its anti-inflammatory effects are presented. Efforts should be made to ensure dietary intakes should provide sufficient amounts of these essential fatty acids through moderate intake of cold water fatty fish.
Dietary fish oil modulation of macrophage amyloid P component responses in mice.

Arthritis-susceptible B10.RIII mice, maintained on either fish oil (FO) or corn oil (CO) diets (5% by weight), and amyloid-susceptible CBA/J mice fed chow diets were given 20 micrograms purified LPS by i.p. injection. Both strains of mice responded to LPS with a 20- to 30-fold increase in plasma amyloid P component (AP) levels. There were no differences in the response between males and females or between FO and CO treatment groups. The data demonstrated that cultured peritoneal macrophages (M phi) respond to LPS stimulation with increased secretion of AP. In contrast to plasma AP levels, the MO response to LPS stimulation, as measured by production of AP, was influenced by both gender and diet. Although M phi from both male and female mice on the CO diet and male mice on the FO diet responded similarly, those from female mice on the FO diet secreted only 25 to 35% as much AP as did the other three groups. There were no dietary effects on the LPS-induced serum amyloid A protein response nor was there detectable serum amyloid A protein produced by the M phi. These results demonstrate that unstimulated, resident peritoneal M phi secrete AP as a normal constituent and in increasing amounts in response to LPS stimulation.
Regional disparities affect treatment and survival of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma—A Texas Cancer Registry analysis

Background Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is often diagnosed at advanced stage and few patients qualify for resection. Effects of barriers to access on outcomes are unknown. We hypothesized that income and rural residence account for delays in treatment and decreased survival. Methods Texas Cancer Registry was queried for ICC patients from 2000 to 2008. Median household income (MHI) and urban/rural status were analyzed. Regression analyses were performed for (1) time-to- treatment (TTT), and (2) overall survival (OS). Results Among 1,089 patients, 20.2% patients resided in rural areas and MHI ranged $24,497–$81,113/year. Primary treatment included surgery for 9.5%, radiation 5.4% and chemotherapy 21.0%. Median TTT was 29 (range 0–235) days. Patients from low-income areas were less likely to receive treatment (below median MHI, 29.7% vs. above median MHI, 37.5%%; P = 0.007). MHI was associated with TTT (per $10,000/year: hazard ratio (HR) = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.01–1.09). Adjusting for stage, MHI was associated with OS (per $10,000/year: HR = 0.97; 95%CI: 0.94–0.99). Rural residence was neither associated with TTT nor OS. Conclusion Overall treatment rates for ICC patients are low. Regional income, not urbanization was associated treatment and survival independent of stage. Further research is needed to determine how regional prosperity relates to care access. J. Surg. Oncol. 2014; 110:416–421. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A morphologic study of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis and cell proliferation in regenerating rat liver; autoradiography with thymidine-H3.

Summary A morphologic study of DNA synthesis and cellular proliferation in regenerating rat liver has been made by means of incorporation of thymidine-H3 and autoradiography. Appreciable numbers of hepatocytes began to synthesize DNA between 12 and 18 hours after partial hepatectomy, the number increasing rapidly until a peak value of 29.4 ± 6.2 per cent was reached at 20 hours after hepatectomy, thereafter decreasing more slowly toward normal. The peak incidence of hepatocytes synthesizing DNA preceded the peak incidence of such cells in mitosis by about 6 hours. At equivalent periods of time 6–8 times as many hepatocytes were labeled as were in mitosis. At times when near maximal numbers of hepatocytes were synthesizing DNA, such active cells were predominantly located in zones 1 and 2 of the hepatic acinus. Some cells originally labeled in these areas at 20 hours after hepatectomy were apparently forced into zone 3 by further cellular proliferation. From 0 to 72 hours after hepatectomy about 80 per cent of all new hepatocytes were formed in zones 1 and 2. Synthesis of DNA in littoral and ductal cells began 8–12 hours later than it did in hepatocytes, reaching a peak between 36 and 48 hours after hepatectomy. During the entire period of regeneration studied, about 75 per cent of total DNA synthesis could be accounted for by hepatocytes, and hepatocytes in zones 1 and 2 accounted for about 80 per cent of this.
Global aspects of marine pollution policy: The need for a new international convention☆

Abstract The source and fate of marine pollutants are discussed in overview and exemplified with the case of radioactive wastes dumped at sea. Only 10% of marine pollutants originate with deliberate dumping; the other 90% come from land-based sources. Remarkably, there is no international convention regulating pollution from all sources, including land-based. The London Dumping Convention (LDC) is the chief international treaty for regulating and limiting dumping at sea. The LDC is moving away from regulation, however, and toward prohibition of most forms of dumping at sea. A new international ‘Convention for the Protection of the Oceans from Pollution’ (CPOP) is now needed, incorporating new waste management principles and having jurisdiction over all sources of marine pollution, including those from land-based sources. Such a convention could foster international cooperation in the prevention of marine pollution by serving as a clearing house for the exchange of technologies in the area of toxic waste source reduction and abatement. Possible hurdles to the formation of such an international instrument are discussed along with possible solutions.
Liberalism, Advanced Liberalism, and the Governmental Policy Challenge in Education.

Governmentality , as credited to Michel Foucault, was developed later on in the theorist’s life.In Foucault’s understanding of government, or governmentality, our sources of regulation are anchored in the programmes, policies, strategies, methods, thoughts and action of our everyday conduct. Governance becomes more a methodology, a practice or rational way of doing things, affecting the way in which power is exercised over ourselves and others. Thus as governance moves past fixed understandings concerning hierarchical power (state and civil society) subject freedom becomes participant in forms of state organization and regulation. Foucault’s approach towards liberalism begs an analysis rationalizing political and educational forms of governance as such an activity. Here liberalism may be viewed as a reflective way of doing things, a method for rationalizing government practices, in that the state will profit and boost control by actually doing less over a citizenry. Under advanced liberalism (neoliberalism) the pathways of state government and self-government collide with even less frequency. Control then is more characteristically the mandate of the individual as citizens become experts of themselves, exerting rituals of personal regulation over bodies, conduct, and minds. This paper scrutinizes the influences of both liberal and advanced liberal administrative streams in Canadian educational policy, asking stakeholders to think long and hard on what is asked of our profession.
The Three Sisters: Transsexual Male Siblings

This paper presents case material on three male siblings with a transsexual syndrome. It is probably the first such case recorded in the United States and may lead to the discovery of other such sibships, which could be of particular value in assessing the validity of some of the literature concerning the etiology of this disorder.
Early biomechanical changes in lower extremity vein grafts--distinct temporal phases of remodeling and wall stiffness.

Background The geometric and biomechanical changes that contribute to vein graft remodeling are not well established. We sought to measure patterns of adaptation in lower extremity vein grafts and assess their correlation with clinical outcomes. Methods We conducted a prospective, longitudinal study of patients undergoing infrainguinal reconstruction with autogenous conduit. In addition to standard duplex surveillance, lumen diameter (of a defined index segment of the conduit) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were assessed by ultrasound imaging at surgery and at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Graft dimensions and wall stiffness were correlated with clinical outcomes. Results There were 92 patients and 96 limbs in this study. On average, vein graft lumen diameter increased during the first month of implantation from 0.37 ± .01 cm to 0.45 ± 0.02 cm (mean ± SEM; P = .002), representing a relative change of +21.6% (median ± 14%; range, −31 to +67%) during this period. Of the entire cohort, 72% of grafts demonstrated appreciable dilation of the index segment during the first month. Index segment lumen diameter did not change appreciably beyond 1 month, with the notable exception of arm vein conduits, which showed continued tendency to dilate. PWV increased during the first 6 months (17.2 ± 1.2 m/s to 23.2 ± 2.4 m/s; P = .008), reflecting a nearly 40% increase in conduit stiffness (2.0 ± .6 Mdynes/cm to 3.3 ± .8 Mdynes/cm, P = .01). The greatest relative increase (25%) in PWV occurred from months 1 to 3. Loss of primary patency occurred in 24 cases (19 revisions, 5 occlusions), with a mean reintervention time of 7.6 months. Grafts that demonstrated early positive remodeling (lumen dilatation) had a trend of increased primary patency ( P = .08, log rank). Among the grafts that failed, a trend was noted toward greater wall stiffness at 1 month, 2.7 vs 1.5 Mdynes ( P = .08). Conclusion Vein graft remodeling appears to involve at least two distinct temporal phases. Outward remodeling of the lumen occurs early, and wall stiffness changes occur in a more delayed fashion. Early outward remodeling may be important for successful vein graft adaptation.
Monte Carlo study of the Abelian Higgs model

A Monte Carlo study of the Abelian Higgs model demonstrates a first-order phase transition between the Higgs phase and the Coulomb phase for a wide range of gauge and Higgs coupling constants. For small gauge coupling the discontinuity becomes very small, making it difficult to determine the order of the transition.
The effect of nanoconfinement on methyl methacrylate polymerization: Tg, molecular weight, and tacticity

Abstract The effect of nanoconfinement on the free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) is investigated using differential scanning calorimetry, gel permeation chromatography, and 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance. Both hydrophobic and hydrophilic 13 nm-diameter controlled pore glasses (CPG) are used for polymerization under nanoconfinement. The number-average and weight-average molecular weights increase under nanoconfinement because the onset of autoacceleration shifts to shorter times, whereas the polydispersity index at full conversion decreases relative to the bulk value. The tacticity changes from syndiotactic-rich triads for the bulk PMMA to a higher percentage of isotactic-rich triads in hydrophilic pores; the data are described by the first-order Markov model. In addition to the changes in molecular weight and tacticity, the glass transition temperature increases for both pore surfaces compared with the bulk, but the increase in hydrophilic pores is more pronounced.
Evidence for the role of sulfhydryl groups in a pH-dependent transition of ferredoxin:NADP oxidoreductase.

Abstract The pH profile of diaphorase activity of ferredoxin:NADP oxidoreductase suggests a pH-dependent transition between two forms of the enzyme. The apparent pH for this transition is about 8.0. The high-activity form, measured at pH 9.0, is strongly inhibited by increased salt concentration, whereas the low-activity form, measured at pH 7.0, is only weakly inhibited. Likewise, treatment of the enzyme with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) inhibits the high-activity form more severely than the low-activity form. The data presented suggest that either high salt or NEM treatment converts the enzyme into a low-activity, pH-independent form. The data indicate that an ionized sulfhydryl group may be necessary for the high-activity form. With the exception of the ferredoxin-cytochrome c acceptor system, all other electron acceptors showed a pH dependence similar to that of the diaphorase activity.
Kinking nonlinear elastic deformation of Ti3AlC2, Ti2AlC, Ti3Al(C0.5,N0.5)2 and Ti2Al(C0.5,N0.5)

Abstract In this paper four ternary MAX phases, Ti 3 AlC 2 , Ti 2 AlC, Ti 3 Al(C 0.5 ,N 0.5 ) 2 and Ti 2 Al(C 0.5 ,N 0.5 ), were fabricated by hot pressing or hot isostatic pressing. The microstructures were characterized and found to be comprised of plate-like grains, 70–130 μm in diameter and 5–10 μm thick. Because all compositions traced fully reversible, reproducible, hysteretic loops during uniaxial cyclic compression tests they were classified as kinking nonlinear elastic (KNE) solids. When the results were analyzed using our recently developed microscale incipient kink band (IKB) model, the various relationships predicted among the three independently measured values – stress, nonlinear strain and dissipated energy – were exceptionally well adhered to. From the results we estimate the critical resolved shear stresses, CRSS, of the basal plane dislocations to range from 24 to 60 MPa. We also show that the relationship between the CRSS and grain size is of a Hall-Petch type. The reversible dislocation density is estimated to be (1–9) × 10 13 m −2 at stresses that ranged from ≈300 to 650 MPa.
Determination of the sources of acoustic emission generated during the deformation of titanium

An investigation of the acoustic emission (AE) generated during the deformation of pure poly-crystalline alpha-titanium rod has been carried out. The goals of the investigation were to characterize the AE produced during deformation and identify the specific deformation processes responsible for the measured AE. The AE was found to depend on sample orientation, mode of testing, strain rate, test temperature, and purity. In all cases twinning and/or the initiation of dislocation slip processes were found to be the principal sources of acoustic emission.
Integrating web application security into the IT curriculum

Attackers are increasingly targeting web applications. Buffer overflows had been the most common vulnerability type since CERT began collecting statistics, but web application vulnerabilities like cross-site scripting have dominated vulnerability reports since 2005. Despite billions of dollars spent on network security, the amount lost to computer crime, much of it the result of the insecurity of web applications, grows every year. In part, this problems results from the fact that perimeter security techniques like firewalls do little to protect web applications.In order for students to be prepared for the current threat environment, we need to integrate web application security into the IT curriculum. Both information security and web programming classes need to cover this topic. This paper describes techniques, tools, and labs for integrating web application security into both types of classes. Some techniques, such as penetration testing using web proxies, are applicable to both types of classes. Other techniques, such as secure programming guidelines, are primarily useful in web programming classes, while some tools, like web application firewalls, are more important in information security classes.We use the open source web application security teaching tool WebGoat for introductory labs that teach the students about the nature of specific vulnerabilities like SQL injection. These labs also introduce students to open source web testing proxies, such as Burp Suite, which they use more deeply in later labs that focus on penetration testing of a complete web application. Students in security classes also learn how to use web vulnerability scanners and web application firewalls, while web programming classes focus on learning how to write code without common vulnerabilities.
Social Anxiety and Onset of Drinking in Early Adolescence.

The present study examines several types of social anxiety that may be associated with the onset of alcohol use in middle school students, and whether the relationship differs by sex and grade. Students in the seventh and eighth grades (N = 2,621) completed the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents and a measure of lifetime drinking via schoolwide surveys. Distinct aspects of social anxiety were associated with higher and lower rates of onset of alcohol use. A high level of fear of negative evaluation was associated with drinking initiation in boys and girls, while girls who reported no social anxiety or distress in new situations were more likely than other groups to have started drinking by early adolescence. Youths with either very low or very high levels of generalized anxiety had higher rates of drinking than youths with scores in between. These findings suggest that the relationship between social anxiety and initiation of alcohol use is complex and varies by type of anxiety symptomatology.