cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oil Emulsification Using Surface-Tunable Carbon Black Particles

Emulsification of oil from a subsurface spill and keeping it stable in the water is an important component of the natural remediation process. Motivated by the need to find alternate dispersants for emulsifying oil following a spill, we examine particle-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions. Emulsions that remain stable for months are prepared either by adding acid or salt to carboxyl-terminated carbon black (CB) suspension in water to make the particles partially hydrophobic, adding the oil to this suspension and mixing. When naphthalene, a model potentially toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, is added to octane and an emulsion formed, it gets adsorbed significantly by the CB particles, and its transport into the continuous water is markedly reduced. In contrast to an undesirable seawater-in-crude oil emulsion produced using a commercially used dispersant, Corexit 9500A, we demonstrate the formation of a stable crude oil-in-seawater emulsion using the CB particles (with no added acid or salt), important f...
40Ar/39Ar geochronology of Roman volcanic province tephra in the Tiber River valley: Age calibration of middle Pleistocene sea-level changes

The close proximity of the Roman volcanic province to the Tyrrhenian Sea coastline provides a unique opportunity to combine clastic stratigraphy with 40 Ar/ 39 Ar geochronology to constrain the timing of Pleistocene sea-level oscillations. The main eruptions from the Monti Sabatini volcanic district occurred during the interval 560–280 ka, and the Alban Hills volcanic district main eruptions span 560–350 ka. The interfingering of volcanics from these two centers with fluvial and shallow-marine sediments of the Tiber River and delta provides a datable relative sea-level record for this portion of middle Pleistocene time. We calculate the timing of glacial terminations using analytical errors only, then assess age uncertainties that include analytical plus systematic errors; the latter is required to compare 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages with those from other dating methods. Terminations III, V, and VI occur at 278 (261, 285) ka (95% confidence interval), 430 (422, 442) ka, and 534 (520, 541) ka, respectively, when only analytical uncertainties are used to calculate the ages of bracketing volcanic horizons. The confidence interval expands significantly when full external errors are considered, with predicted ages of 276 (258, 289) ka, 430 (416, 448) ka, and 533 (512, 548) ka for the terminations. The resultant 40 Ar/ 39 Ar chronology is generally consistent with the deep-sea δ 18 O record of sea-level change tuned to Earth9s obliquity cycle for glacial terminations VI, V, and III. In addition, the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar constrained Tiber River delta sea-level record has the added benefit of identifying when coastal sections respond to complex (multistep) terminations.
Discussion on the Control of the Sky

With the rapid development of modern space technology and the need of war, the struggle to control the sky, after the struggles to control the sea, the sky and electromagnetism, becomes a new focus in modern war. To study the struggle to control the sky is to acquire the power of controlling the sky in future wars. The article starts from the basic elements of war control and discusses the connotation and extension of meaning that the struggle to control the sky has and differs with that of struggles for other objects. The control of the sky is essential to the victory of modern and future wars, seen from the function of the control of the sky in the few recent high-tech local wars. The present situation of space technology development and inscape for the struggle to control the sky show that modern wars have rudiments for the struggle and one of the most important elements of winning 21st-century wars is to "win the sky and space".
K-12 computer science certification in Missouri: panel discussion

Computer Science is not a certifiable area in Missouri, although twenty-five states currently certify computer science as a teaching area in the U.S. at some level. The Computer Science Teacher's Association (CSTA) has called for certification standards across the United States, and has produced a model curriculum for computer science. Accrediting bodies for schools of education currently accredit computer science programs for producing K-12 teachers. Many feel that one primary reason fewer students are choosing to major in computer science in college is because high school students are never exposed to computer science prior to entering college.
Leptin and leptin receptor gene polymorphisms and increases in body mass index (BMI) from olanzapine treatment in persons with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE The objective of the current investigation was to determine the relationship between polymorphisms of the leptin system (leptin gene and leptin receptor) and olanzapine-induced weight gain in persons with schizophrenia. DESIGN Pharmacogenetic association reanalysis of a longitudinal, open label, six week, fixed dose trial of olanzapine response and adverse effects. SUBJECTS Thirty-seven males and females with clinically symptomatic schizophrenia (age, 23-52) meeting DSM-IV criteria. MEASUREMENTS Baseline and endpoint weight, BMI, olanzapine dose, plasma levels, and psychopathology measures were completed in a prior study. These subjects were subsequently genotyped for the -1548 G/A polymorphism of the leptin gene and the Q223R polymorphism of the leptin receptor. The relationship between alleles at each locus, olanzapine plasma levels, and percent change in body mass index (BMI) from baseline were conducted. RESULTS Genotypes and alleles for each locus were not individually associated with olanzapine-induced weight gain in this study population. Changes in BMI from baseline increased significantly in persons with olanzapine plamsa levels >20.6 ng/mL for subjects carrying at least one G allele at both candidate loci compared to those who did not have a G allele at each (P = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that genetic variability in the leptin gene and leptin receptor may predispose some individuals to excessive weight gain from increased exposure to olanzapine.
A Framework for Adaptable Operating and Runtime Systems

The emergence of new classes of HPC systems where performance improvement is enabled by Moore’s Law for technology is manifest through multi-core-based architectures including specialized GPU structures. Operating systems were originally designed for control of uniprocessor systems. By the 1980s multiprogramming, virtual memory, and network interconnection were integral services incorporated as part of most modern computers. HPC operating systems were primarily derivatives of the Unix model with Linux dominating the Top-500 list. The use of Linux for commodity clusters was first pioneered by the NASA Beowulf Project. However, the rapid increase in number of cores to achieve performance gain through technology advances has exposed the limitations of POSIX general-purpose operating systems in scaling and efficiency. This project was undertaken through the leadership of Sandia National Laboratories and in partnership of the University of New Mexico to investigate the alternative of composable lightweight kernels on scalable HPC architectures to achieve superior performance for a wide range of applications. The use of composable operating systems is intended to provide a minimalist set of services specifically required by a given application to preclude overheads and operational uncertainties (“OS noise”) that have been demonstrated to degrade efficiency and operational consistency. This project was undertakenmore » as an exploration to investigate possible strategies and methods for composable lightweight kernel operating systems towards support for extreme scale systems.« less
Combined Cystourethropexy for the Treatment of Type 3 and Complicated Female Urinary Incontinence

AbstractWe treated 37 women with type 3 stress urinary incontinence or with an associated complicating factor, such as morbid obesity, a large or proximal diverticulum or a urethrovaginal fistula, via combined transvaginal cystourethropexy. All women with type 3 stress incontinence had failed a previous anti-incontinence operation. Patients in both groups underwent suprapubic needle suspension and an additional bladder neck support procedure. Among 33 patients who underwent preoperative urodynamic studies 30 had stable bladders (90%), while 3 had low pressure detrusor instability (10%). The success rate in achieving continence, including cured and improved patients, was 94.6% with a followup of 3 to 72 months. Four patients (10%) required temporary intermittent catheterization for 3 to 4 weeks but none presented with long-term voiding dysfunction. The added bladder neck support improved our results in these complicated female incontinence cases compared to the standard suprapubic needle suspension procedu...
Fibers to Organs: How Collagen Fiber Properties Modulate the Closing Behavior of the Mitral Valve

We developed a micro- and macro anatomically accurate MV finite element model by incorporating actual fiber microstructural architecture and a realistic structure-based constitutive model. Comparative and parametric studies were conducted to identify essential model fidelity and information for achieving desirable accuracy. More importantly, for the first time, the interrelationship between the local fiber ensemble behavior and the organ-level MV closing behavior was investigated using a computational simulation. These novel results indicated not only the appropriate parameter ranges, but also the importance of the microstructural tuning (i.e., straightening and reorientation) of the collagen/elastin fiber networks at the microscopic tissue level for facilitating the proper coaptation and natural functioning of the MV apparatus under physiological loading at the organ level. The proposed computational model would serve as a logical first step toward our long-term modeling goal—facilitating simulation-guided design of optimal surgical repair strategies for treating diseased MVs with significantly enhanced durability.
4800 B/S Speech Compression Techniques for Mobile Satellite Systems

This paper will discuss three 4800 bps digital speech compression techniques currently being investigated for application in the mobile satellite service. These three techniques, vector adaptive predictive coding, vector excitation coding, and the self excited vocoder, are the most promising among a number of techniques being developed to possibly provide near-toll-quality speech compression while still keeping the bitrate low enough for a power and bandwidth limited satellite service.
Cell Penetrating Activity of Bax Inhibiting Peptides (BIPs) and Its Utilization for Protein Transduction.

The cellular membrane has a strict regulation for molecular trafficking, and there is a strong need for the development of new technology for drug delivery into cells with minimum toxicity. Previously, we developed the cell permeable penta-peptides designed from Bax binding domain of Ku70 that are called “Bax Inhibiting Peptides (BIPs)” (i.e. VPMLK, VPTLK, VPALR). Among BIPs, VPTLK showed the best cell penetrating activity. We also found that one of the scrambled control mutant peptides (i.e. KLPVM) shows a strong cell permeable activity without an activity to bind and inhibit Bax-mediated cell death. We named these cell permeable peptides: BIP-derived cell permeable penta-peptides (BCPs). In this study, we determined the mechanism of membrane penetration by these penta-peptides. Human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVEC), Dami cells (human megakaryocytic cell line), and HeLa cells were used for the examination of cell entry of BCPs. Fluorescent dye (Fluorescein) was conjugated to the N-terminus of BCPs, and the cell entry of BCPs was monitored by FACS and confocal micropscope. BCP entered the cells in a dose dependent manner (10 uM-1.6 mM range was tested), and it did not show any significant toxicity even at 1.6 mM. The entry of BCP into the cells was detected within 15 minutes at 37C, and it reaches maximum approximately at 6 hrs of incubation. We found that BCPs entered the cells even at 0 or 4 C, suggesting that energy-independent mechanism is involved in the cell penetration of BCPs. We also tested whether BCPs has an ability to deliver a cargo protein (protein transduction activity) such as 30 kDa Green Fluorescent Protein across the cellular membrane. We used VPTLK and KLPVM for the examination of GFP delivery from the medium into the cell. Recombinant GFP proteins with and without VPTLK or KLPVM on the C-teminus were generated. The delivery of GFP was detected at a concentration as low as 20 nM within 6 hours of incubation at 37C. GFP without BCP was not imported into the cell, indicating that BCP has a cargo delivery activity (protein transduction). There are several bioactive proteins that can become effective therapeutics if they can be delivered into the cell. To be noted, BCPs are less toxic than the previously examined CPPs that had protein transduction activity, such as TAT peptide designed from the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). BCPs did not show significant toxicity to bone marrow stem cells and endothelial cells, indicating that BCPs are effective tools for drug delivery in stem cells, and vasculature cells. BCPs may become a useful tool to deliver bioactive molecules into the cells, to protect cells from damage, to regulate cellular activity, and to control differentiation.
Experimental investigation of the effects of mean shear and scalar initial length scale on three-scalar mixing in turbulent coaxial jets

In a previous study we investigated three-scalar mixing in a turbulent coaxial jet (Cai et al. J. Fluid Mech., vol. 685, 2011, pp. 495–531). In this flow a centre jet and a co-flow are separated by an annular flow; therefore, the resulting mixing process approximates that in a turbulent non-premixed flame. In the present study, we investigate the effects of the velocity and length scale ratios of the annular flow to the centre jet, which determine the relative mean shear rates between the streams and the degree of separation between the centre jet and the co-flow, respectively. Simultaneous planar laser-induced fluorescence and Rayleigh scattering are employed to obtain the mass fractions of the centre jet scalar (acetone-doped air) and the annular flow scalar (ethylene). The results show that varying the velocity ratio and the annulus width modifies the scalar fields through mean-flow advection, turbulent transport and small-scale mixing. While the evolution of the mean scalar profiles is dominated by the mean-flow advection, the shape of the joint probability density function (JPDF) was found to be largely determined by the turbulent transport and molecular diffusion. Increasing the velocity ratio results in stronger turbulent transport, making the initial scalar evolution faster. However, further downstream the evolution is delayed due to slower small-scale mixing. The JPDF for the higher velocity ratio cases is bimodal at some locations while it is always unimodal for the lower velocity ratio cases. Increasing the annulus width delays the progression of mixing, and makes the effects of the velocity ratio more pronounced. For all cases the diffusion velocity streamlines in the scalar space representing the effects of molecular diffusion generally converge quickly to a curved manifold, whose curvature is reduced as mixing progresses. The curvature of the manifold increases significantly with the velocity and length scale ratios. Predicting the observed mixing path along the manifold as well as its dependence on the velocity and length scale ratios presents a challenge for mixing models. The results in the present study have implications for understanding and modelling multiscalar mixing in turbulent reactive flows.
LGG-15. CARBOPLATIN IS SYNERGISTIC WITH MAPK INHIBITORS TRAMETINIB AND EVEROLIMUS IN LOW GRADE GLIOMA MODELS

AbstractPediatric lower grade glioma (LGG) can cause significant morbidity and mortality in patients. Tumors often initially respond to first line chemotherapies, such as carboplatin, but approximately 50% of the time tumors recur and require additional therapy. The discovery that aggressive LGG often have MAPK-ERK pathway, as well as mTOR activation, increases the number of treatment options available, such as trametinib, an ERK inhibitor, or everolimus, an mTORC1 inhibitor. Using preexisting and newly developed models for LGG, our lab sought to determine if there was synergy between carboplatin and the MAPK-ERK and mTOR inhibitors trametinib or everolimus. In the cell lines Res186 (derived from pilocytic astrocytoma grade I), and Res259 (derived from diffuse astrocytoma grade II), we found that the combination of carboplatin with either everolimus or trametinib decreased cellular proliferation in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). Both cell lines and drug combinations gave a combination index of <1, indicating synergy. Everolimus sensitized Res259 to carboplatin treatment, despite Res259 being resistant to everolimus treatment alone. Interestingly, the carboplatin and everolimus combination did not increase levels of apoptosis in cells, as measured by cleaved caspase 3 (CC3) staining and probing for cleaved PARP by western blot. We extended our findings to a human neural stem cell glioma model which has MAP kinase activation and confirmed that carboplatin and everolimus combined to suppress proliferation, as measured by BrdU incorporation, greater than either single agent (P<0.001 by ANOVA). Treatments again did not increase apoptosis as measured by CC3 immunofluroescence. Using BT40 patient derived xenografts, a low grade glioma-derived model that harbors a BRAF V600E mutation, preliminary data shows that the combining everolimus with carboplatin had superior growth suppression compared to either drug alone. In conclusion, the combination of carboplatin with everolimus demonstrates combinatorial efficacy in our in vivo and in vitro systems.
Inequality of Opportunity and Economic Growth: How Much Can Cross-Country Regressions Really Tell Us?

Income differences arise from many sources. While some kinds of inequality, caused by differential rewards to effort, might be associated with faster economic growth, other kinds, arising from unequal opportunities for investment, might be detrimental to economic progress. This study uses two new datasets, consisting of 117 income and expenditure household surveys and 134 Demographic and Health Surveys, to revisit the relationship between total inequality and economic growth. In particular, we ask whether inequality of opportunity, driven by circumstances at birth, has a negative effect on subsequent growth. Using the income and expenditure micro dataset, we find that while both total income inequality and inequality of opportunity are negatively associated with growth, the coefficient estimates are insignificant. The evidence is similarly equivocal using the Demographic and Health Surveys data. On balance, the data do not provide support for the hypothesis that inequality of opportunity is bad for growth.
Overview of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists for the Treatment of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Background It is estimated that 29.1 million people or 9.3% of the US population have diabetes, which contributes to considerable medical and financial burden. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterized by insulin resistance and insulin secretion impairment leading to hyperglycemia. The presence of insulin resistance is strongly correlated with obesity. Objective This article reviews the available glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and their role in the management of patients with diabetes, to help guide the selection of the most suitable agent for the individualized treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes. Discussion This article reviews the evidence from phase 3 clinical trials for each of the 5 GLP-1 receptor agonists by comparing them against one another and with other existing therapies, including metformin, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, and sulfonylureas. Incretin-based therapies have emerged as attractive agents for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. They target the GLP-1 hormone, which is partly responsible for insulin release and for attenuating hyperglycemia during meals (ie, the incretin effect). The 2 classes of incretin-based therapy currently available are GLP-1 receptor agonists and DPP-4 inhibitors, which prevent the breakdown of GLP-1. Both classes are attractive options, given their glucose-lowering effects without the adverse effects of hypoglycemia and weight gain. The different mechanisms of action of these therapies result in generally greater efficacy with GLP-1 receptor agonists, albeit at the expense of slightly increased gastrointestinal symptoms. These agents exert their effects by improving glucose-dependent insulin release, suppressing glucagon release, suppressing hepatic glucose output, and decreasing the rate of gastric emptying, thereby reducing appetite. Currently, 5 GLP-1 receptor agonists are available, including exenatide, liraglutide, albiglutide, dulaglutide, and lixisenatide; semaglutide may soon become available as the newest agent. With the exception of the investigational oral semaglutide, which has shown promising results, the other 5 agents are administered as subcutaneous injections, at different dosing intervals. Conclusion Currently, 5 GLP-1 receptor agonists are available for use in the United States. Although they are all in the same drug class, some significant differences exist among the various GLP-1 receptor agonists. The choice of a specific GLP-1 receptor agonist will depend on the patient preferences, potential adverse effects, and cost.
Tortura judicial y liberalismo político en la dedicatoria al Discurso sobre la injusticia del apremio judicial de Pedro García del Cañuelo

AbstractEl manuscrito de Discurso sobre la injusticia del apremio judicial (c.1795), de Pedro Garcia del Canuelo, se abre con una dedicatoria dirigida a Manuel Godoy. Esta—incluida aqui como apendice—contiene elementos esenciales que guian el desarrollo conceptual del ensayo, siendo uno de los mas significativos la ambivalencia discursiva entre los planteamientos de la soberania popular y la soberania monarquica. El Principe de la Paz, como se llamo a Godoy, rechazo proteger el Discurso. Consecuentemente, aunque el titulo ha sido mencionado y aludido de modo indirecto, el texto ha permanecido inedito hasta la fecha. El manuscrito es una pieza significativa en el desarrollo de la oposicion peninsular y continental al uso de la tortura judicial en cuanto una de las reivindicaciones mas importantes del liberalismo politico. En el caso de Espana, el proceso culmina en la aprobacion de la Constitucion de Cadiz en 1812, donde se establece la idea de la soberania popular y se prohibe el uso tanto del tormento co...
The value of 3D models and immersive technology in planning urban density

This project explores the difficulties of increasing density in a college town struggling with how to plan for population growth. It presents a concept idea for a section of Downtown Blacksburg, Virginia that meets the varied planning goals of the community. It also experiments with an innovative way of presenting plans with 3D computer models to prompt discussion about the vision by inviting a group of people to experience 3D models of the concept in an immersive display. A select group of participants completed surveys, viewed presentations of 3D computer models of conceptual developments in Blacksburg, and discussed their opinions and thoughts about the models and proposed ideas. The findings suggest that 3D modeling can be a better planning tool for helping decision-makers understand density and quality design than typical planning tools based on 2D presentations.
Alcohol synthesis from syngas over K2CO3/CoS/MoS2 on activated carbon

Supported K2CO3/Co–MoS2 on activated carbon was prepared by a co-impregnation technique and has been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and BET. Active ingredients ranged from 39 to 66% and included molysulfide and cobalt sulfide. XRD analysis indicates that cobalt and molybdenum sulfides are found in the Co3S4 and Co9S8 phases. These catalysts were performance tested in a fixed-bed reactor under higher alcohol synthesis conditions, 2000–2400 psig and 270–330 °C. Active chemicals on the carbon extrudates decreased the surface area dramatically, as measured by BET. Surprisingly, at the high level of active chemicals, alcohol productivity and selectivity were decreased. An increase in the reaction temperature led to a decrease in the selectivity of methanol and an increase in selectivity of hydrocarbons. Total alcohol productivity was also increased as gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) was increased. Co9S8 may play a role in the catalyst aging process. In prolonged reaction periods (140 h), sulfur is lost from the surface, possibly as H2S. The quantity of Co9S8 on the surface appears to increase as the catalyst ages.
16. Endolumenal Approaches to Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has a spectrum of presentations and treatment. Mild-to-moderate GERD is treated with lifestyle modification or medication. In more severe cases, formal laparoscopic or open surgical techniques are utilized. More recently, a search for an alternative and less invasive approach for the treatment of moderate-to-severe GERD has incorporated the endolumenal approaches described in this chapter. Despite significant investment, no single endolumenal treatment has enjoyed long-term use to date. Currently, two endolumenal approaches are clinically available and are discussed.
Vibrations of Chain Molecules

When chemical units are repeated on a chain in a regular fashion, all of the units have the same energy so they are potentially capable of resonating or coupling their vibrational motions. This intramolecular vibrational coupling can lead to development of a series of resolvable vibrational modes characteristic of the length of the coupled units.
Fluid dynamical limits of discrete kinetic theories

The determination of fluid dynamical limits is presented for a class of discrete kinetic theories. The interrelationship between the concepts of equilibria, conservation, and dissipation through that of entropy is shown to be critical. This relationship is provided by an abstraction of the classical physical entropy as it is manifest in Boltzmann’s H-theorem. Formal derivations of generalized compressible Euler systems and generalized incompressible Navier-Stokes systems are indicated. The implications of this analysis for the implementation of fluid simulations is discussed.
First Amendment Right to Record Police: When Clearly Established Is Not Clear Enough

Practically a citizen is restrained from freely exercising their right to film police activity in public even in circuits that have found the right clearly established. Because the reasonable restrictions have not yet been clearly articulated, a citizen has the recourse to film the police and merely hope that their unique situation is afforded First Amendment protections. Such uncertainty will inevitably lead to a chilling effect on the protected activity and encourage police officers to continue to limit the right to film police in public. My paper outlines the current Circuit decisions and demonstrates why a national standard outlining a right to record police activity would be a prudent policy decision if the Supreme Court grants certiorari.
Body Sensor Networks for Activity and Gesture Recognition

The last decade has witnessed a rapid surge of interest in new sensing and monitoring devices for health care applications. An important development in this area is that of Body Sensor Networks (BSN) that operate in a pervasive manner for on-body applications. Intelligent processing of the sensor streams from BSN is key to the success of applications that rely on this framework. In this chapter we dwell upon one application of BSN that involved processing of wearable accelerometer data for recognizing ambulatory or simple activities and activity gestures. We elaborate on the different steps such as feature extraction and classification involved in the processing of raw sensor data for detecting activities and gestures. We also discuss various aspects associated with a real-time simple activity recognition system such as computational complexity and factors that emerge considering that the sensors are worn by humans. While some of these factors are common to wireless sensor networks in general, the discussion of the chapter is focused on the BSN system developed by us for recognizing simple activities and activity gestures.
Induced Resistance in Wild Tobacco with Clipped Sagebrush Neighbors: The Role of Herbivore Behavior

Previous experiments showed that wild tobacco plants with experimentally clipped sagebrush neighbors experienced less damage by grasshoppers than tobacco plants with unclipped sagebrush neighbors. This result could have been caused by grasshoppers preferring not to feed near clipped sagebrush. This hypothesis was tested in field choice experiments using six grasshopper species feeding on an unresponsive and uniformly palatable food. When offered food that was either close to clipped sagebrush or close to unclipped sagebrush, grasshoppers showed no preference. When offered food that was either close to sagebrush (3 cm) or far from sagebrush (30 cm), grasshoppers preferred to feed far from sagebrush. However, this preference was similar whether or not the sagebrush had been clipped. Avoidance of feeding near clipped sagebrush, independent of changes in tobacco, was not found to contribute to our earlier result that tobacco near clipped sagebrush suffered less herbivory than tobacco near unclipped sagebrush.
Histopathological-molecular genetic correlations in referral pathologist-diagnosed low-grade "oligodendroglioma"

Allelic loss of chromosome 1p predicts increased chemosensitivity and better survival in oligodendroglial tumors. Clinical testing for 1p loss in oligodendroglial tumors at our hospital has allowed us to postulate that certain histological appearances are associated with 1p allelic status. Forty-four cases received for genetic testing were diagnosed by referring pathologists as pure low-grade oligodendroglioma. Central neuropathological review divided the series equally into 22 cases with classical oligodendroglioma histology and 22 with more astrocytic features. Molecular genetic analyses demonstrated 1p loss in 19 of 22 classic oligodendrogliomas (86%) and maintenance of both 1p alleles in 16 of 22 gliomas with astrocytic features (73%). No glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cell type (gliofibrillary oligodendrocyte, minigemistocyte, cellular processes) was associated with 1p allelic status. Fourteen of the 44 cases were treated with chemotherapy at tumor progression: 3 "astrocytic" gliomas with 1p loss responded to PCV chemotherapy and 2 classic oligodendrogliomas that maintained both 1p alleles included a responder and a non-responder. These results suggest that histological appearance correctly predicts genotype in approximately 80% of low-grade gliomas, but that tumor genotype more closely predicts chemosensitivity. As a result, such objective molecular genetic analyses should be incorporated into patient management and into clinical trials of low-grade diffuse gliomas.
Incisional Hernia: The Robotic Approach

Ventral abdominal hernias remain a challenge for the general surgeon. Optimal management is still being sought; however, ongoing research and advancements in technique have yielded acceptable recurrence rates, decreased surgical site infections, and shorter length of inpatient stay. Although little data exists supporting the robotic retromuscular ventral hernia repair, the benefit appears to be its ability to replicate an open operation, in a minimally invasive fashion. This chapter will provide details on preoperative care, detailed operative steps, and lastly postoperative management for patients undergoing robotic ventral hernia repair, including both single-dock Rives-Stoppa and double-dock bilateral transversus abdominis muscle release hernia repair techniques.
Treatment of persistent bronchopleural fistula with a manually modified endobronchial stent: a case-report and brief literature review

Bronchopleural fistulas (BPFs) carry significant morbidity (1,2) and mortality. Although surgery remains the cornerstone of care, no standard therapeutic approach to the management of BPFs has been established. Different BPF sizes and anatomical locations, along with variability in patient comorbidities often mandate conservative therapeutic strategies (1,3). The use of endobronchial stents has been described as an alternative when surgical approaches are limited (4,5). Stents protect the contralateral lung from spillage while allowing time for the BPF to heal.
Short Survey of Vehicular Communication Technology

With the advancements in technology, the hazards of driving are expected to go down. There are a number of safety features that are enabled by sensors and included in modern cars in order to make them safer. There are systems in place in the USA, Japan, and the European Union that are used for deployment of intelligent vehicle technology. Many scholars worldwide are actively doing research in vehicular communication (V2X) trying to make it practically applicable. The research shows the challenges and improvements that could be made in vehicular communication. The goal of this effort is to make driving conditions reliably safer in all weather conditions and at all times of the day and the year. This survey looks at the existing as well as developing technology in V2X.
Ice hockey officiating retention: a qualitative understanding of junior ice hockey officials' motivations in Canada.

ABSTRACTAn 8% annual growth internationally in registered ice hockey players has spurred the need for more officials. Understanding long-term motivations of these officials can help with retention....
Forerunners of Noh Theatre

Four performance genres preceding the appearance of noh are considered as antecedents: sarugaku (a comic and subversive genre), jushi (a ritual genre), okina sarugaku (a set of ritual pieces presenting elderly men), and ennen (monastic entertainments). These and other genres are described, and their contributions to the later noh tradition are evaluated.
Conclusion: Breaking the Chain (Reaction)

We have discussed myriad topics in this work, from bosons and black holes to zombies and interdimensional monsters. We now return to the points raised in the introduction, hopefully with our eyes opened to the idea that the reason why some people find science frightening is precisely the same reason why others find it the thrill of a lifetime—the unknown. How we communicate about our investigations of this unknown has the potential to send someone from one side of the fear/awe barrier to the other, because, as we have seen, words matter.
Effects of transition metal cation additives on the passivation of lithium metal anode in Li–S batteries

Abstract The effect of additives of transition metal cations (Zn2+, Cu2+, Co2+, Ni2+, and Mn 2+) on the passivation of lithium metal anode in Li–S batteries was investigated. The effects of transition cation additives on improving rate capability and Coulombic efficiency were observed in the following order: Zn2+ > Cu2+ > Co2+ > Ni2+ > Mn2+ > no salt. With Zn additives, less-accumulation of sulfur and smoother surfaces were observed using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) compared to that without additives. The result is consistent with Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance (EQCM) measurement, where less increase in mass changes of the anode for Zn additive as compared to Cu and no additive. The findings can be attributed to transition metal sulfides deposited on lithium surface cooperate with lithium sulfide and electrolyte decomposition product resulting in a smoother and more robust solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) films. The enhanced homogeneity of passivation layer greatly hinders the parasitic reactions between lithium metal and polysulfides as well as organic electrolyte, reducing the loss of active material and improving Coulombic efficiency. On the other hand, the uniform and mechanically strong SEI film introduces less undesired lithium plating and further accumulation on active sites, which significantly enhance the long-term stability due to improved surface morphology and chemistry. The results of this study provide a facile method of in-situ chemical formation of passivation layer protecting the lithium metal in batteries.
Benefit of Anakinra in Treating Pediatric Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis.

OBJECTIVE To assess the benefit of the recombinant human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist anakinra in treating pediatric patients with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)/macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) associated with rheumatic and nonrheumatic conditions. METHODS A retrospective chart review of all anakinra-treated patients with secondary HLH/MAS was performed at Children's of Alabama from January 2008 through December 2016. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and genetic characteristics, outcomes data, and information on concurrent treatments were collected from the records and analyzed using appropriate univariate statistical approaches to assess changes following treatment and associations between patient variables and outcomes. RESULTS Forty-four patients with secondary HLH/MAS being treated with anakinra were identified in the electronic medical records. The median duration of hospitalization was 15 days. The mean pretreatment serum ferritin level was 33,316 ng/ml and dropped to 14,435 ng/ml (57% decrease) within 15 days of the start of anakinra treatment. The overall mortality rate in the cohort was 27%. Earlier initiation of anakinra (within 5 days of hospitalization) was associated with reduced mortality (P = 0.046), whereas thrombocytopenia (platelet count <100,000/μl) and STXBP2 mutations were both associated with increased mortality (P = 0.008 and P = 0.012, respectively). In considering patients according to their underlying diagnosis, those with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) had the lowest mortality rate, with no deaths among the 13 systemic JIA patients included in the study (P = 0.006). In contrast, those with an underlying hematologic malignancy had the highest mortality rate, at 100% (n = 3). CONCLUSION These findings suggest that anakinra appears to be effective in treating pediatric patients with non-malignancy-associated secondary HLH/MAS, especially when it is given early in the disease course and when administered to patients who have an underlying rheumatic disease.
MeToo and lessons in stakeholder responsibility

Business ethics literature regularly examines obligations of firms. This article examines the contrary and relatively under‐explored notion of obligations of stakeholders. It does so by discussing incidents of sexual misconduct arising under the umbrella of the #MeToo movement. This article explores how the theory of stakeholder responsibility can aid firms in understanding and addressing complex issues associated with stakeholder irresponsibility. It examines the moral responsibilities of regime members in the context of #MeToo incidents to provide a conceptual framework for firms addressing issues associated with irresponsible stakeholder actions.
Do Early Simulations Work? Simulations in Gateway Political Science Courses at Community Colleges

Simulation methodology has moved toward using different types of real-world scenario-based learning constructs to improve applied understanding of political science concepts and theories. This type...
Cancer Survival Analysis using RNA Sequencing and Clinical Data

Abstract Survival outcomes were assessed in cancer patients from whom cancer tissue was analyzed with Illumina Hi-Seq ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing (RNA-Seq) (accessible on National Cancer Institute Genomic Data Commons (GDC) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)). Cancer-relevant genes with the most significant correlations with the clinical outcome of overall survival were assessed in Kaplan Meier survival analysis plots. In addition, clinical variables as well as the interaction of clinical variables and cancer relevant genes were assessed in survival analysis. Results show that TP53, BRCA1, NBN, MADIL1, and EP300 were significant predictors of overall survival for prostate cancer patients. While these genes and clinical variables (Gleason Score group and biochemical recurrence) were significant predictors of overall survival when assessed separately, the combination of gene levels along with Gleason score groups provided the most predictive power for overall survival. In this study, cancer-relevant genes predicted survival outcomes, although various genes may interact with genes currently known to contribute to cancer. These findings indicate that multiple cancer types should be assessed together to determine which genes are relevant for cancer in general and for specific cancer types. Future studies will assess all RNA sequencing results available on the Genomic Data Commons, including those not yet associated with cancer. These findings have implications for assessing gene-gene interactions and gene-environment interactions prostate cancer as well as for other types of cancer.
The Effect of Executive Compensation on Report Lags: An Empirical Evidence

The timeliness of financial reporting has been considered as an important factor that contributes to the well-functioning of an economy. This study extends the contemporary research stream by exami...
Supporting Student Wellbeing and Holistic Success: A Public Services Approach

Libraries can supplement traditional student success initiatives with a range of nontraditional programs that support students’ holistic wellbeing, including services that address financial barrier...
Half life: reflections on music, grief, and affectivity

This article explores how affect and music connect through bodily engagement and what happens when such connections are altered by the permanent rupture of a life cut short. Through auto-ethnograph...
Ownership, Control, and the Role of Equity in New Ventures

This technical note discusses how a high-potential start-up entrepreneur should use equity in building and growing a new venture. One of the most crucial things for entrepreneurs to understand is equity: Most high-growth ventures grow through equity partnerships, but most new ventures fail because relationships between founding partners and other equity partners become conflicted and impossible to repair. You need to share equity to build an enduring high-growth venture. But sharing equity without understanding how increases the probability for the venture breaking up and failing. The note addresses multiple topics regarding equity, including compensation, profit sharing, decision rights, and cap tables. Excerpt UVA-ENT-0226 Sept. 2, 2020 Ownership, Control, and the Role of Equity in New Ventures One of the most crucial things for a high-potential start-up entrepreneur to understand is how to use equity in building and growing the new venture. There are at least three reasons for this: 1. Most high-growth ventures grow through equity partnerships. That means equity deals get structured and restructured in a variety of ways as the venture evolves into a large, stable corporation—whether public or private. 2. At the same time, most new ventures fail not due to bad management, slow market uptake, or lack of cash, but because relationships between founding partners and other equity partners become conflicted and impossible to repair.
Facile Synthesis of Platinum Right Bipyramids by Separating and Controlling the Nucleation Step in a Continuous Flow System

Colloidal synthesis of metal nanocrystals with controlled shapes and internal structures calls for a tight control over both the nucleation and growth processes. Here we report a method for the facile synthesis of Pt right bipyramids (RBPs) by separating nucleation from growth and controlling the nucleation step in a continuous flow reactor. Specifically, homogeneous nucleation was thermally triggered by introducing the reaction solution into a tubular flow reactor held at an elevated temperature to generate singly-twinned seeds. At a lower temperature, the singly-twinned seeds were protected from oxidative etching to allow their slow growth and evolution into RBPs while additional nucleation of undesired seeds could be largely suppressed to ensure RBPs as the main product. Further investigation indicated that the internal structure and growth pattern of the seeds were determined by the temperatures used for the nucleation and growth steps, respectively. The Br- ions involved in the synthesis also played a critical role in the generation of RBPs by serving as a capping agent for the Pt{100} facets while regulating the reduction kinetics through coordination with the Pt(IV) ions.
Addiction to and dependence on benzodiazepines: Diagnostic confusion in clinical practice and research studies

Considerable confusion continues to surround basic concepts for abuse, addiction, tolerance, and dependence. Clinicians may be making decisions about prescribing these medications without clear definitions and distinctions. The terms are not equivalent in meaning and should not be used interchangeably in clinical application. Moreover, they may occur together or independently and are not etiologically related. Abuse is improper use outside the standard norms. Abuse implies a violation component and a control over the use of the drug. Addiction is a preoccupation with the acquisition and compulsive use of and a pattern of relapse to drugs is spite of adverse consequences. Pervasive to the criteria is a loss of control over drug use and a lack of volitional component in the drug use. In spite of problems in definitions, studies have clearly shown that abuse, addiction, tolerance, and dependence develop commonly in benzodiazepine use.
Statistical Neighbor Distance Influence in Active Contours

In this paper, we propose a new model for segmentation of images containing multiple objects. In order to take advantage of the constraining information provided by neighboring objects, we incorporate information about the relative position and shape of neighbors into the segmentation process by defining a new "distance" term into the energy functional. We introduce a representation for relative neighbor distances, and define a probability distribution over the variances of the relative neighbor distances of a set of training images. By minimizing the energy functional, we formulate the model in terms of level set functions, and compute the associated Euler-Lagrange equations. The contours evolve both according to the relative distance information and the image grey level information. Several objects in an image can be automatically detected simultaneously.
Paravertebral somatic nerve blocks for breast surgery in a patient with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Purpose Patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM), agenetic disorder resulting in idiopathic myocardial thickening, can present the anesthesiologist with significant management difficulties. This report reviews the physiology of this important disease process and describes the use of paravertebral nerve blocks (PVB) in the management of a patient with HOCM who presented for partial mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection.