cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clamped state solution of artificial neural network for real-time economic dispatch

This paper presents a novel method for the real-time economic dispatch using clamped state variable formulation of the Kennedy, Chua and Lin (1988) artificial neural network (ANN). An efficient economic power dispatch algorithm must use real-time load conditions and the loss penalty-factor for representation of transmission losses in power system. The approach described in this paper assumes that an interface program will calculate the penalty factors for the current power flow state, as calculated by a state estimation program. The proposed method employs an ANN to enhance the speed and capability of algorithms which may use heuristics for online use. The ability of processing feedbacks in a collective parallel analog mode enables a neural network to simulate the dynamics that represent the optimization of an objective function subjected to its constraints for a given optimization model. Different techniques may be used to simulate the neural dynamic system. In this study, the authors propose a new method of simulation called the clamped state variable (CSV) technique. The new approach is very simple and it takes smaller computer time for the algorithm to converge than the complete circuit simulation. The results obtained by the CSV method are very close to that of numerical methods and are reported in this paper. >
Maximum Crosstalk Estimation in Weakly Coupled Transmission Lines

Eliminating crosstalk problems in a complex system requires methods that quickly predict where problems may occur and that give intuitive feedback on how best to solve these problems. Solutions for the maximum crosstalk are often used for this purpose. Limit lines for maximum crosstalk in the frequency domain are available in the literature when signal lines are electrically small and weak coupling is assumed; however, little research has been performed for the case where signal lines are electrically large. This paper provides derivations for maximum crosstalk in the frequency domain when signal lines are electrically large and weak coupling applies. The coupling mechanisms are represented by distributed voltage and current sources. These sources result from aggressor circuit voltages and currents as well as mutual terms in the transmission line per-unit-length parameters. The maximum crosstalk expressions for the victim loads are represented by piecewise expressions dependent on the total electrical length of the aggressor circuit and the electrical length of the coupling region. Measurements and simulations are presented, which show the maximum crosstalk estimates can predict the maximum envelope of crosstalk within a few dB.
Quantifying transient post-overwash aquifer recovery for atoll islands in the Western Pacific

Marine overwash events for atoll islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, which cause salinization of fresh groundwater because of infiltrating seawater, pose a significant challenge for island community sustainability in regard to water supply. Understanding transient fresh groundwater development during a post-overwash period for a range of island sizes, geologic characteristics, and rainfall patterns is essential for water management. This paper presents a methodology for quantifying this development for an atoll nation, with methods applied to the 32 atolls of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) in the western Pacific. Using the numerical groundwater modelling code SUTRA, overwash events and post-overwash freshwater–seawater dynamics are simulated for the range of island widths (200 to 1100 m), geologic characteristics (hydraulic conductivity corresponding to leeward and windward islands), and rainfall patterns (western, central, and eastern regions) present in the FSM, thereby providing results for each atoll island. Results show that 10–17, 8–12, and 6–12 months are required to achieve 60% freshwater lens recovery for leeward islands in the western, central, and eastern FSM, respectively, with variation due to rainfall rate and island width. In contrast, 4–9 months is required for 60% recovery for windward islands. However, the natural thinness of the lend on windward islands typically precludes extensive use of groundwater under average rainfall conditions. Overwash characteristics (depth, duration, and seasonal timing) did not significantly affect recovery times. For the region of lowest rainfall (western FSM), 6–10 months is required to achieve potable groundwater at the typical depth of hand-dug wells. Results provide water resource managers and atoll island communities with important information regarding timing of potential fresh groundwater use following an overwash event. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ACID‐SENSITIVE SOY PROTEINS AFFECT FLAVOR

The acid-sensitive fraction (ASF) is easily removed from other soy proteins because it precipitates from 1 M NaC1 at pH 4.5. This precipitation provides the basis for an ASF assay. An ASF-containing sample series was compared by disc gel electrophoresis with an analogous series after ASF elimination. These two series were also evaluated by a trained 12-member taste panel. Six prominent and several minor proteins throughout the gels and unresolved protein near the top of the gels appear to be associated with ASF. Disc gel electrophoresis reveals that the water-extractable proteins, the acid-precipitated curd and the whey proteins contain ASF. Its removal significantly increased flavor scores; the most noticeable change is a decrease in the intensity of grassy-beany flavor. Evidently ASF has a greater affinity for grassy-beany flavor compounds than do non-ASF proteins.
Team Effectiveness in Academic Medical Libraries: A Multiple Case Study

Objectives: The objective of this study is to apply J. Richard Hackman's framework on team effectiveness to academic medical library settings. Methods: The study uses a qualitative, multiple case study design, employing interviews and focus groups to examine team effectiveness in three academic medical libraries. Another site was selected as a pilot to validate the research design, field procedures, and methods to be used with the cases. In all, three interviews and twelve focus groups, with approximately seventy-five participants, were conducted at the case study libraries. Findings: Hackman identified five conditions leading to team effectiveness and three outcomes dimensions that defined effectiveness. The participants in this study identified additional characteristics of effectiveness that focused on enhanced communication, leadership personality and behavior, and relationship building. The study also revealed an additional outcome dimension related to the evolution of teams. Conclusions: Introducing teams into an organization is not a trivial matter. Hackman's model of effectiveness has implications for designing successful library teams.
SPC06-2: Blind Adaptive Equalization for QAM Signals Using an Alphabet-Matched Algorithm

This paper presents a new blind adaptive channel equalizer, which is based on two well-defined cost functions, the constant modulus algorithm (CMA) [1] and the alphabet- matched algorithm (AMA) [2]. The equalizer takes into account both the amplitude and the phase of the equalizer output and is adaptive based on the received channel data. The new equalization scheme presented here is compared to the multimodulus algorithm (MMA), which has been proposed in [3,4] as an improved equalizer for non-constant modulus signals, such as QAM. It is shown to provide better performance than the MMA in terms of both average mean- squared error (MSE) and average symbol error rate (SER) for the channels tested.
Predictability of Atlantic tropical cyclones in the GFDL HiRAM model

The hindcasts of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) High-Resolution Atmospheric Model (HiRAM), which skillfully predicted the interannual variability of Atlantic tropical cyclone (TC) frequency, were analyzed to investigate what key circulation systems a model must capture in order to skillfully predict TCs. The HiRAM reproduced the leading empirical orthogonal function mode (M1) of the interannual variability of the Atlantic Hadley circulation and its impacts on environmental conditions. M1 represents the variability of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) intensity and width, and the predictability of Atlantic TCs can be explained by the lag correlation between M1 and SST in preceding months. Although the ITCZ displacement was not well predicted by the HiRAM hindcasts, it does not affect the prediction of the basin-wide hurricane count. The analyses suggest that the leading mode of the variability of the regional Hadley circulation can serve as a useful metric to evaluate the performance of global models in TC seasonal prediction.
Group treatment for postpartum depression: a systematic review

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious public health problem affecting 10% to 15% of women during the first year after delivery with negative consequences for both mother and infant. There is a need for evidence-based interventions to treat this disorder. Thus, the purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature regarding group treatment for PPD to determine the current state of knowledge regarding the efficacy of this treatment modality for reducing depressive symptoms in postpartum women. A systematic search of published and unpublished literature using the electronic databases Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Current Controlled Trials, and Dissertation Abstracts through March 2011, supplemented by hand searches, identified 11 studies which met inclusion criteria: six were randomized controlled trials and five were non-randomized trials which utilized non-equivalent control or comparison groups. All but one study showed statistically significant improvement in depression scores from pretreatment to post-treatment, suggesting that group treatment is effective in reducing PPD symptoms. The review provides initial support for the role of group therapy in the treatment of PPD; however, caution is advised in making generalized interpretations of the findings as there was considerable heterogeneity of the studies included and the quality of the studies was mixed. Overall, the review reveals significant gaps in the current evidence base for group treatment for PPD and recommendations for further research is discussed.
Household organophosphorus pesticide use and Parkinson’s disease

Background Household pesticide use is widespread in the USA. Since the 1970s, organophosphorus chemicals (OPs) have been common active ingredients in these products. Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been linked to pesticide exposures but little is known about the contributions of chronic exposures to household pesticides. Here we investigate whether long-term use of household pesticides, especially those containing OPs, increases the odds of PD. Methods In a population-based case-control study, we assessed frequency of household pesticide use for 357 cases and 807 controls, relying on the California Department of Pesticide Regulation product label database to identify ingredients in reported household pesticide products and the Pesticide Action Network pesticide database of chemical ingredients. Using logistic regression we estimated the effects of household pesticide use. Results Frequent use of any household pesticide increased the odds of PD by 47% [odds ratio (OR) = 1.47, (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13, 1.92)]; frequent use of products containing OPs increased the odds of PD more strongly by 71% [OR = 1.71, (95% CI: 1.21, 2.41)] and frequent organothiophosphate use almost doubled the odds of PD. Sensitivity analyses showed that estimated effects were independent of other pesticide exposures (ambient and occupational) and the largest odds ratios were estimated for frequent OP users who were carriers of the 192QQ paraoxonase genetic variant related to slower detoxification of OPs. Conclusions We provide evidence that household use of OP pesticides is associated with an increased risk of developing PD.
Distinct encounter complexes of PAI-1 with plasminogen activators and vitronectin revealed by changes in the conformation and dynamics of the reactive center loop.

UNLABELLED Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is a biologically important serine protease inhibitor (serpin) that, when overexpressed, is associated with a high risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer metastasis. Several of its ligands, including vitronectin, tissue-type and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (tPA, uPA), affect the fate of PAI-1. Here, we measured changes in the solvent accessibility and dynamics of an important unresolved functional region, the reactive center loop (RCL), upon binding of these ligands. Binding of the catalytically inactive S195A variant of tPA to the RCL causes an increase in fluorescence, indicating greater solvent protection, at its C-terminus, while mobility along the loop remains relatively unchanged. In contrast, a fluorescence increase and large decrease in mobility at the N-terminal RCL is observed upon binding of S195A-uPA to PAI-1. At a site distant from the RCL, binding of vitronectin results in a modest decrease in fluorescence at its proximal end without restricting overall loop dynamics. These results provide the new evidence for ligand effects on RCL conformation and dynamics and differences in the Michaelis complex with plasminogen activators that can be used for the development of more specific inhibitors to PAI-1. This study is also the first to use electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to investigate PAI-1 dynamics. SIGNIFICANCE Balanced blood homeostasis and controlled cell migration requires coordination between serine proteases, serpins, and cofactors. These ligands form noncovalent complexes, which influence the outcome of protease inhibition and associated physiological processes. This study reveals differences in binding via changes in solvent accessibility and dynamics within these complexes that can be exploited to develop more specific drugs in the treatment of diseases associated with unbalanced serpin activity.
Chemical Analysis for Assessment and Evaluation of Environmental Pollutants: Fact or Artifact

Due to the presence of both known and unknown sites and sources of environmental pollutants in many industrialized regions, there exists the possibility for releases of hazardous anthropogenic organics into the environment that present a potential hazard to human health. Many of these releases remain undetected until after the fact; i.e., endpoints of exposure surface in the indigenous population, chemical monitoring/biological monitoring or survey programs show a contamination or threat of release, or the pollutants affect the flora of fauna at the site of the contamination or release. An approach to early detection of environmental pollutants or release of these pollutants is the use of in situ monitoring methodologies via sentinel organisms. These situations require an approach by the environmental analytical chemist that provides data appropriate to assess and evaluate the situation so that effective measures can be instituted. The acquisition of such data requires analyses at trace levels, i.e., ppb or lower, thereby increasing the probability of interferences from artifacts of isolation or inadequately resolved components in the complex mixture under analysis. Considering these problems, an overall analytical strategy and an understanding of the analytical process is required for such cases of assessment and evaluation of environmental pollutants.
Co-constructing cultural landscapes for disciplinary learning in and out of school: the next generation science standards and learning progressions in action

The authors of this study are teacher-researchers, the first is a university researcher and former third and fourth grade teacher, while the second author is a university-based science educator. They report findings from a community-based study that Ralph, the first author, and his students conducted across two academic years (2001–2003) in order to illustrate the ways in which the next generation science standards and learning progressions can be appropriated as social-constructed practices inside and outside of school. The authors argue that what constitutes science learning in school is not a ‘state of grace’ dictated by standards. Rather, becoming a scientist within a community of learners is a cultural phenomenon that teachers and students co-construct and as such teachers can approach the next generation science standards and learning progressions as opportunities to create intentional, disciplinary practice-based learning communities inside and outside of school.
Agency in Institutional Reform: Creating the Ethiopia Commodities Exchange

Summary The role of agents and agency in institutional reform literature has largely been underplayed and decontextualized, even being described as a “black box.” Despite calls for linking individual agency with organizational and societal analysis, the specific contours of agency remain under-theorized. This paper presents and illustrates a framework for institutional entrepreneurism, outlining the essential role and specific actions institutional entrepreneurs can contribute to introducing, promoting, and crystallizing institutional reforms. The framework identifies how institutional entrepreneurial actions shift in their targets and responses as the resource needs change in different stages of the reform process. Using the example of establishing the Ethiopia Commodities Exchange (ECX), I illustrate each stage of institutional entrepreneurial action. The ECX experience illustrates institutional entrepreneurs as networked, political actors, who announce institutional reforms through cultural efforts that make it as easy as possible for stakeholders to comply with proposed reforms. The who and the how of agency may shift through the stages of institutional reform. The ECX experience confirms that institutional reform is political and requires engaging with both macro-level and micro-level politics and power. The paper closes with implications for policy and practice. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Role of Heme Oxygenase in Angiogenesis and Renal Carcinoma

Angiogenesis is a fundamental process by which new blood vessels are formed.1 Angiogenesis is increased during embryogenesis, and in pathological events, such as hypoxia, ischemia, inflammation, tumor growth and wound healing, in response to angiogenic factors. These factors increase vascular permeability, endothelial cell (EC) activation, migration, proliferation, and capillary formation1 and lead to the simultaneous production of a number of soluble mediators, including cytokines and acute-phase proteins, such as heme oxygenase -1 (HO-1).2 Several studies have demonstrated the relationship between cancer and increases of HO-1. Goodman, et al.3 found elevated HO activity in renal adenocarcinoma compared with juxtatumor or normal renal tissues. An elevation of HO activity was found in lymphosarcomabearing rats.4 This up-regulation of HO may be the result of local or circulating factors responding to oxidative stress and causing uncontrolled and uncoordinated cell growth. Induction of HO-1 biosynthesis during tumor growth has been investigated in an experimental solid tumor model (AH136B hepatoma) in rats.5 HO-1 was found only in tumor cells. Strong induction of HO-1 was also observed in solid tumors after occlusion or embolization of the tumor-feeding artery, indicating that ischaemic stress, which may involve oxidative stress, triggers HO-1 induction in the solid tumor.5 Others have shown that an HO inhibitor, zinc Protoporphyrin IX, injected intra-arterially into a solid tumor suppressed tumor growth to a great extent and HO-1 expression in the solid tumor may confer resistance of tumor cells to hypoxic stress.5
Pulse Afatinib for ERBB2 Exon 20 Insertion–Mutated Lung Adenocarcinomas

Abstract Introduction Genomic aberrations involving the erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 gene ( ERBB2 ) are driver oncogenes in approximately 2% of lung adenocarcinomas. However, the use of daily dosing of ERBB2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs)—including afatinib—has been fraught with plasma concentrations that barely achieve preclinical model inhibition, significant patient-reported toxicities, and limited clinical activity. We hypothesized that alternative dosing strategies could improve tolerability and efficacy. Methods We profiled lung cancer cell lines against TKIs and retrospectively evaluated the toxicity of and response to pulse afatinib (280 mg once weekly) in lung cancers with ERBB2 mutations. Results An ERBB2 exon 20 insertion–mutated lung cancer cell line had a 50% inhibitory concentration in response to afatinib that was higher than the reported plasma concentration of afatinib, 40 mg daily. Three patients with advanced ERBB2 -mutated lung adenocarcinomas were treated with off-label pulse afatinib. The 280-mg weekly dose was well tolerated with no reported rash and minimal diarrhea. One TKI-naive patient achieved a partial response for 5 months and another achieved stable disease for 11 months. Conclusions Pulse afatinib at a weekly dosing scheme induced antitumor activity in ERBB2 exon 20 insertion–mutated lung adenocarcinomas. Future clinical trials of alternative dosing schemes of ERBB TKIs as monotherapy or in combination with other therapies are warranted for ERBB2 -mutated tumors.
'More than a Domestic Mechanism': Options for Hybrid Justice in Sri Lanka

After years of resistance, the new government of Sri Lanka has now committed to launching a genuine transitional justice program to address, and redress, the grave international crimes committed by all sides in the almost 30-year conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). In addition to comprehensive political reforms focused on good governance, the devolution of power, security sector reform, and the rule of law, the future transitional justice process will reportedly involve four main pillars: a truth and reconciliation commission; a reparations process; an office to investigate and resolve disappearances; and an accountability mechanism. These building blocks find expression in a landmark consensus resolution by the Human Rights Council issued in September 2015 with Sri Lanka as a co-sponsor. Although this will be a Sri Lankan process, the resolution calls upon government actors to take advantage of “expert advice from those with relevant international and domestic experience” and to draw upon “international expertise, assistance and best practices.” In joining the resolution, Sri Lanka has affirmed the importance of including foreign personnel — including judges, defense counsel, prosecutors, and investigators, potentially drawn from among the Commonwealth states — in any judicial mechanism. The resolution thus embodies one of the key recommendations emerging from the Human Rights Council’s engagement in Sri Lanka: the imperative of establishing a hybrid tribunal of some sort to ensure an independent, impartial, and credible criminal process free of intimidation and political interference. Notwithstanding this pledge, government representatives, journalists, and others have expressed reticence about inviting international interference in, or ceding too much control over, the administration of justice for the crimes of the civil war. The term “hybrid tribunal” has emerged as a particular flashpoint in this discourse, with commentators rejecting the concept out of hand as somehow inherently violative of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. This chapter hopes to demonstrate that there are multiple ways that domestic judicial processes can be “internationalized” in order to bolster the perceived domestic and international legitimacy of a judicial process, take advantage of expertise developed in other societies facing similar transitional justice dilemmas, and benefit from material assistance from the international community whose members are committed to investing in the new Sri Lanka — all without sacrificing judicial sovereignty over the penal process.
Operative Variability Among Residents Has Increased Since Implementation of the 80-Hour Workweek

Background The ACGME instituted duty hour restrictions in 2003. This presents a challenge for surgical residents who must acquire a medical and technical knowledge base during their training. Although the effect of work hour limitations on operative volume has been examined, no study has examined whether duty hour reform has had an effect on operative volume variability. Study Design The ACGME operative log data of graduating general surgery residents from 1992 to 2015 were examined. Residents with the most and fewest total major cases were identified and case logs, learning styles, and evaluations were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using linear regression analysis, chi-square test, Student's t -test, and Wilcoxon rank sum test. Significance was defined as p Results One hundred and thirty-five residents graduated from 1992 to 2015. No change in overall operative volume was seen after the 2003 duty hour reform, however, there was an increase in operative variability. In addition, there was an increase in the variability of total major cases between the resident completing the most and fewest cases per class (183.3; p = 0.02) after the start of work hour restrictions. The residents who graduated with the highest operative volume were more likely to be action-based learners (odds ratio = 6.81; 95% CI, 2.84–16.34; p Conclusions After the implementation of the 80-hour workweek, we found a significant increase in operative variability. This might suggest a growing disparity in the operative experience among surgical residents and, consequently, a varying quality of graduating residents. Programs should therefore consider using learning styles and developing competency-based training curricula to ensure equitable training among all trainees.
An Improved Direct Method for Obtaining the Total White Cell Count in Avian Blood.

Because of the normal presence of nucleated erythrocytes and thrombocytes in avian blood, it has always been difficult to count accurately all of the white blood cells. For this reason, most direct methods have been based upon some technique providing for the recognition of specific types of cells in the counting chamber and then, from the percentage of these types found in the differential count made upon the stained smear, the total number of white cells per cu. mm. of blood have been calculated. To distinguish between the various types of white blood-cells, previous investigators have used a solution of vital neutral red alone,1 vital neutral red with formalin in a separate solution,2 or neutral red with a separate solution containing formalin plus crystal violet.3 Neutral red, however, stains both granulocytes and monocytes, and it is often difficult to distinguish the one from the other under the powers of magnification that can be used in conjunction with the counting chamber. On the other hand, if ...
Sulfapyridine Potentiation of Narcotic and Toxic Effects of Papaverine in Rats and Rabbits

Summary1. Sulfapyridine potentiates the anesthetic action of papaverine. 2. This is not dependent upon an increased concentration of sulfapyridine in the blood.
Chronic central serotonin depletion attenuates ventilation and body temperature in young but not adult Tph2 knockout rats

We report herein that constitutive central nervous system (CNS) serotonin (5-HT) depletion via tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (Tph2) knockout in rats leads to postnatal mortality and ventilatory and ther...
Alterations in whole-body arginine metabolism in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a condition characterized by systemic low-grade inflammation that could increase the production of nitric oxide (NO), of which arginine is the sole precursor. Arginine is derived from the breakdown of protein and through the conversion of citrulline to arginine (de novo arginine production). Objective: Our objective was to study whole-body arginine and citrulline and related metabolism in stable COPD patients. Design: With the use of stable isotope methodology, we studied whole-body arginine and citrulline rates of appearance, de novo arginine (citrulline-to-arginine flux) and NO (arginine-to-citrulline flux) production, protein synthesis and breakdown rates, and plasma amino acid concentrations in a heterogeneous group of patients with moderate-to-severe COPD [n = 23, mean ± SE age: 65 ± 2 y, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1): 40% ± 2% of predicted], and a group of healthy older adults (n = 19, mean ± SE age: 64 ± 2 y, FEV1: 95% ± 4% of predicted). Results: Although plasma arginine and citrulline concentrations were comparable between COPD patients and controls, whole-body arginine (P = 0.015) and citrulline (P = 0.026) rates of appearance were higher in COPD patients and related to a 57% greater de novo arginine production (P < 0.0001). Despite a higher whole-body arginine clearance in COPD patients (P < 0.0001), we found no difference in NO production. Conclusion: In stable patients with moderate-to-severe COPD, endogenous arginine production is upregulated to support a higher arginine utilization that is unrelated to whole-body NO production. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01173354","term_id":"NCT01173354"}}NCT01173354 and {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01172314","term_id":"NCT01172314"}}NCT01172314.
Reactivity of (Triphos)FeBr2(CO) towards sodium borohydrides

AbstractThe addition of CO to (Triphos)FeBr2 (Triphos = PhP(CH2CH2PPh2)2) resulted in formation of six-coordinate (Triphos)FeBr2(CO). This coordination compound was found to have cis-bromide ligands and a mer-Triphos ligand by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Once characterized, the reactivity of this compound toward NaEt3BH and NaBH4 was investigated. Adding 1 eq. of NaEt3BH to (Triphos)FeBr2(CO) resulted in formation of (Triphos)FeH(Br)(CO), while the addition of 2.2 eq. afforded previously described (Triphos)Fe(CO)2. In contrast, adding 2.2 eq. of NaBH4 to (Triphos)FeBr2(CO) resulted in carbonyl dissociation and formation of diamagnetic (Triphos)FeH(η2-BH4), which has been structurally characterized. Notably, efforts to prepare (Triphos)FeH(η2-BH4) following 2.2 eq. NaBH4 addition to (Triphos)FeBr2 were unsuccessful. The importance of these observations as they relate to previously reported (Triphos)Fe reactivity and recent developments in Fe catalysis are discussed.
North Carolina and Global Reproductive Health: For Better and Worse

North Carolina is home to several of the world’s leading reproductive health organizations, which, collectively, have contributed to major improvements in the health and lives of women and families throughout the world. Ironically, however, the Helms Amendment, a provision of US foreign policy that also has roots in North Carolina has significantly limited these beneficial contributions.
Protection of the kidney against ischemic injury by inhibition of 5'-nucleotidase.

We have evaluated the impact of inhibiting adenine nucleotide dephosphorylation on the metabolic and functional consequences of renal ischemia. Intramuscular injection of the ADP-analogue adenosine alpha, beta-methylene diphosphate (AMP-CP) achieved a 70% reduction in 5'-nucleotidase activity, as measured in crude extracts of rat kidney. AMPCP-treated animals had an increased residual nucleotide pool at the end of 45 min of ischemia compared with untreated rats. Assessment of renal ATP by 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR) in vivo during reflow demonstrates the following: 1) higher rapid initial recovery of ATP (69.3 +/- 1.2 vs. 50.0 +/- 0.5% control value, P less than 0.005), 2) accelerated rate of ATP restoration (0.20 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.11 +/- 0.01% control/min, P less than 0.005), and 3) significantly enhanced renal ATP content after 120 min (93.6 +/- 2.0 vs. 63.1 +/- 0.7% control, P less than 0.005). Kidney function, as measured by the rate of inulin clearance 24 h after the insult, was also significantly improved in AMPCP-treated rats (725 +/- 50 vs. 313 +/- 28 microliters.min-1.100 g body wt-1). Thus inhibition of 5'-nucleotidase results in enhanced metabolic and functional recovery from a renal ischemic insult.
Psychological Factors as Determinants of Noninvasive Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Response: Key Practical Aspects and Topics

Multiple factors contribute to patient acceptance and tolerance of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV). The contributions of psychological processes such as anxiety and depression to these outcomes are under-recognized by health-care providers. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies can help patients and their families achieve satisfaction with treatment. What follows is an examination of contemporary literature regarding the psychological determinants of NIPPV responses.
#SayHerName: using digital activism to document violence against black women

The year 2015 ws a particularly violent one in the United States for Black women. Almost two dozen transgender women of color were killed, and a former police officer stood trial for raping 13 Black womenwhile on duty, including a 17-year old who was raped on her mother's porch. Top national newspapers and online news media outlets didn't publish many stories about the 13 women in Oklahoma City nor was the topic of transgender women's murders covered. These sstories of brutality had the perfect elements to become national stories. The violence was extreme. The victimization of vulnerable groups was apparent. There were multiple victims. But the women who suffered violence in therse instances were not perceived as legitmate victims. They were Black women who were outside the white norm, so their stories remained mostly invisible in the mainstream media. Language: en
Introduction to the forum on the retirement of concepts

In the keynote address at the Haifa Workshop on Media Psychology in 2015, Dr Elihu Katz argued that as he approached what he declared would be his actual retirement, perhaps it was time to consider...
Deriving Menu Structures through Modal Block Clustering: A Promising Alternative to Hierarchical Techniques

Modal block clustering (MBC) is proposed as an approach more suited to the derivation of menu structures than hierarchical clustering techniques. Problems with the application of hierarchical techniques and pairwise similarity ratings (PWSR) from which the clusters are derived are discussed. MBC defines clusters based on the pattern of common command attributes and provides an objective way to determine the composition and number of menu panels to include in a menu structure. The method also objectively defines command redundancy for the menu panels. The method of MBC was applied to the 97 commands that comprise the CMS operating system resulting in 17 menu categories. The menu categories were used to design a help menu system. The MBC procedure provides a viable methodology for complex systems, such as CMS, which derive increased functionality from numerous command options. System designers can fruitfully and efficiently apply this methodology both to current systems and to proposed systems for which the...
Liver transplant length of stay (LOS) index: A novel predictive score for hospital length of stay following liver transplantation

An index to predict hospital length of stay after liver transplantation could address unmet clinical needs. Length of stay is an important surrogate for hospital costs and efforts to limit stays can preserve our healthcare resources. Here, we devised a scoring system that predicts hospital length of stay following liver transplantation. We used univariate and multivariate analyses on 73,635 adult liver transplant recipient data and identified independent recipient and donor risk factors for prolonged hospital stay (> 30 days). Multiple imputation was used to account for missing variables. We identified 22 factors as significant predictors of prolonged hospital stay, including the most significant risk factors: Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission (OR 1.75, CI 1.58-1.95) and previous transplant (OR 1.60, CI 1.47-1.75). The Length of Stay (LOS) index assigns weighted risk points to each significant factors in a scoring system to predict prolonged hospital stay after liver transplantation with a c-statistic of 0.75. The LOS index demonstrated good discrimination across the entire population, dividing the cohort into tertiles, which had odds ratios of 2.25 (CI 2.06-2.46) and 7.90 (7.29-8.56) for prolonged hospital stay (> 30 days). The LOS index utilizes 22 significant donor and recipient factors to accurately predict hospital length of stay following liver transplantation. The index further demonstrates the basis for a clear clinical recommendation to mitigate risk of long hospitalization by minimizing cold ischemia time. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
What makes ribosomes tick

In most organisms, gene expression over the course of the day is under the control of the circadian clock. The canonical clock operates as a gene expression circuit that is controlled at the level of transcription, and transcriptional control is also a major clock output. However, rhythmic transcription cannot explain all the observed rhythms in protein accumulation. Although it is clear that rhythmic gene expression also involves RNA processing and protein turnover, until two years ago little was known in any eukaryote about diel dynamics of mRNA translation into protein. A recent series of studies in animals and plants demonstrated that diel cycles of translation efficiency are widespread across the tree of life and its transcriptomes. There are surprising parallels between the patterns of diel translation in mammals and plants. For example, ribosomal proteins and mitochondrial proteins are under translational control in mouse liver, human tissue culture, and Arabidopsis seedlings. In contrast, the way in which the circadian clock, light-dark changes, and other environmental factors such as nutritional signals interact to drive the cycles of translation may differ between organisms. Further investigation is needed to identify the signaling pathways, biochemical mechanisms, RNA sequence features, and the physiological implications of diel translation.
Valuing nuclear energy risk: Evidence from the impact of the Fukushima crisis on U.S. house prices

Abstract Behavioral economics suggests that individuals overweight recent unexpected and/or rare events when updating beliefs. This study investigates the effect of such an event, the Fukushima nuclear crisis in 2011, on the learning process of a local environmental risk by evaluating how perceptions of the risk of a nuclear accident are capitalized into house prices near nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the U.S. Our results provide new evidence on the dynamics of the effect – spatially, the impact was concentrated in a 4-km radius around NPPs, and temporally, it peaked a half year later and dissipated one year after the crisis.
Clinical and Personal Utility of Genetic Risk Testing

On April 6, 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved marketing of the 23andMe Personal Genome Service, the first direct-to-consumer genetic test. This test uses genomic DNA collected from mail-in saliva collection kits to provide information on a patient's genetic risk of certain medical diseases or conditions.
Fast-Neutron Activation Analysis for Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Silicon in Coal, Coal Ash, and Related Products

Publisher Summary Nuclear activation analysis is a well-established technique suitable for qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis of nearly all elements. This chapter discusses fast-neutron activation analysis for oxygen, nitrogen, and silicon in coal, coal ash, and related products. Fast-neutron activation analysis for oxygen, nitrogen, and silicon is an accurate, rapid, and inexpensive method that can be used to supplement the classical coal analysis. This method helps to further quantify the old methods and permits a more meaningful, and from the scientific standpoint, more accurate and informative interpretation of results. Fast-neutron activation analysis can detect errors in the classical coal analysis. It can give stoichiometric balances if other data are correct and, thus, help the chemist to provide the coal upgrading engineer with necessary information rapidly while the tests are being conducted. In the case of oxygen, the question of whether oxidation or reduction of any interim products occurs during a run can be answered in a few minutes after the sample has been submitted for analysis. In many cases, a single accurate oxygen determination will tell the coal chemist and engineer more than the whole analysis, once the correlations of true oxygen with the different steps of analysis and industrial processes are available.
Analog Devices in Military Systems

Superconducting analog signal processing devices have potential applications in many military systems. Several promising applications are examined here, including delay lines, tapped-delay-line filters, dispersive delay lines, phase shifters, and low-noise oscillators. For each application, the devices and how they fit into a system are discussed. The advantages of superconductors over conventional technology are examined.
Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation

This chapter presents the historical background of kidney and pancreas transplantation. This includes solitary pancreas transplantation. The options for transplantation therapies for diabetic patients and the features that affect patient selection are reviewed. The current trends in kidney and pancreas transplantation are discussed in the context of contemporary medical management of diabetes. The surgical techniques utilized in pancreas transplantation are described as are surgical and medical complications of kidney and pancreas transplantation. Approaches to immunosuppression with current pharmacologic agents are addressed as well as the diagnosis and treatment of rejection in the pancreas allograft. Finally the effects of pancreas transplantation on the secondary complications of diabetes are reviewed.
Learning to Lead the Learning of Leaders: The Evolution of the University of Washington’s Education Doctorate:

The field of educational leadership has also come to recognize the central importance of improving the quality of leadership preparation across leaders’ careers, including at the doctoral level, fo...
An Opportunity to Strike a Blow? The United States Government and the Armenian Apostolic Church, 1956–1963

This analysis examines the influence of the United States government on the internal conflict within the Armenian Apostolic Church and the transnational Armenian community between 1956 and 1963. Du...
Microphysical Representations and Their Consistency with In Situ and Remote-Sensing Observations

The different microphysical schemes developed to date represent hydrometeors using parameters whose statistics—mean values, variances, correlations, and joint probability distribution—have not received much scrutiny, let alone validation against actual observations. This leads to some very problematic inconsistencies, which are described in this chapter, along with guidance on approaches to resolve them objectively.
Severe immune-related adverse events are common with sequential PD-(L)1 blockade and osimertinib

ABSTRACT Background Concurrent programmed death-ligand-1 (PD-(L)1) plus osimertinib is associated with severe immune related adverse events (irAE) in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Now that PD-(L)1 inhibitors are routinely used as adjuvant and first-line treatments, sequential PD-(L)1 inhibition followed by osimertinib use may become more frequent and have unforeseen serious toxicity. Methods We identified patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC who were treated with PD-(L)1 blockade and EGFR- tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), irrespective of drug or sequence of administration (total n=126). Patient records were reviewed to identify severe (NCI-CTCAE v5.0 grades 3–4) toxicity. Results Fifteen percent [6 of 41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 7% to 29%] of all patients treated with sequential PD-(L)1 blockade followed later by osimertinib developed a severe irAE. Severe irAEs were most common among those who began osimertinib within 3months of prior PD-(L)1 blockade (5 of 21, 24%, 95% CI 10% to 45%), as compared with >3–12months (1 of 8, 13%, 95% CI 0% to 50%), >12months (0 of 12, 0%, 95% CI 0% to 28%). By contrast, no severe irAEs were identified among patients treated with osimertinib followed by PD-(L)1 (0 of 29, 95% CI 0% to 14%) or PD-(L)1 followed by other EGFR-TKIs (afatinib or erlotinib, 0 of 27, 95% CI 0% to 15%). IrAEs occurred at a median onset of 20days after osimertinib (range 14–167days). All patients with irAEs required steroids and most required hospitalization. Conclusion PD-(L)1 blockade followed by osimertinib is associated with severe irAE and is most frequent among patients who recently received PD-(L)1 blockade. No irAEs were observed when osimertinib preceded PD-(L)1 blockade or when PD-(L)1 was followed by other EGFR-TKIs. This association appears to be specific to osimertinib, as no severe irAEs occurred with administration of other EGFR-TKIs.
A Compromise to Advance the Trade Agenda: Purge Negotiations of Investor-State Dispute Settlement

President Obama’s major trade initiatives, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, and obtaining fast-track trade negotiating authority from Congress, have run into a buzz saw of opposition, which has derailed prospects for U.S. trade liberalization for the time being.What began as the usual objections from the usual suspects — labor unions blaming trade for manufacturing decline and job loss; environmental groups blaming trade for climate change; anti-globalization activists sparing the developing world from development — has grown into a populist backlash against the TPP, which is portrayed as a secretive, corporatist plot to circumvent democratic processes and usurp national sovereignty. The nascent TTIP negotiations have been smeared with a similar taint.Characterizations of the TPP as a scheme to boost the fortunes of tobacco, oil and gas, banking, and pharmaceutical companies at the expense of worker protections, the environment, public health, and food and product safety have gone viral. And without so much as a single public repudiation of these claims by the president those perceptions are sticking.As is true of most populist causes, buried beneath the enabling mythology and hyperbole are some kernels of truth. One such truth, which this paper seeks to distill from the vacuous, anti-capitalist hyperventilation surrounding the trade agenda, is that the so-called Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism, which enables foreign investors to sue host governments in third-party arbitration tribunals for treatment that allegedly fails to meet certain standards and that results in a loss of asset values, is an unnecessary, unreasonable, and unwise provision to include in trade agreements. Although detractors may not know it by name, ISDS is a significant reason why trade agreements engender so much antipathy. Yet, ISDS is not even essential to the task of freeing trade. So why burden the effort by carrying needless baggage?Purging both the TPP and the TTIP of ISDS makes sense economically and politically, would assuage legitimate concerns about those negotiations, splinter the opposition to liberalization, and pave the way for freer trade.