cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Peri-intubation factors affecting emergency physician choice of paralytic agent for rapid sequence intubation of trauma patients

Abstract Introduction No study has assessed predictors of physician choice between the succinylcholine (Succ) and rocuronium (Roc) for rapid sequence intubation (RSI) during the initial resuscitation of trauma patients in the emergency department (ED). Methods We retrospectively evaluated of the use of Succ and Roc for adult trauma patients undergoing RSI at a Level 1 trauma center. The primary outcome was to identify factors affecting physician choice of paralytic agent for RSI analyzed by cluster analysis using pre-intubation vital signs and early mortality. The secondary outcome was to identify factors influencing physician choice of paralytic agent using a logistic regression model reported as adjusted odds ratios (aOR). Results The analysis included 215 patients, including 148 receiving Succ and 67 receiving Roc. The two groups were similar in regard to age, provider level of training, mean GCS (10 vs. 10) and median ISS (27 vs. 27). Cluster analysis using peri-intubation patient vital signs and early mortality indicates that patients with predominantly abnormal vital signs and early mortality were more likely to receive Roc (74%) than those without abnormal vital signs prior to intubation or early mortality (24%). Hypoxemia prior to RSI (aOR 12.3 [2.5–60.9]) and the use of video laryngoscopy (VL) (aOR 5.5 [1.2–24.6]) were associated with the choice to use Roc. Conclusions Roc was more frequently chosen for paralysis in the patient cluster with predominantly abnormal peri-intubation vital signs and higher rate of early ED mortality. The use of Roc was associated with hypoxemia prior to RSI and VL.
Volatile changes in Hawaiian noni fruit, Morinda citrifolia L., during ripening and fermentation.

Noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia L., Rubiaceae) has been used in traditional medicine throughout the tropics and subtropics and is now attracting interest in western medicine. Fermented noni juice is of particular interest for its promising antitumor activity. The present study collected and analyzed volatiles released at nine time intervals by noni fruit during ripening and fermentation using headspace autosampling coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.; Results: Twenty-three noni volatiles were identified and relatively quantified. In addition to volatiles previously identified in noni, four novel volatile 3-methyl-2/3-butenyl esters were identified via the synthesis of reference compounds. Principle component analysis (PCA) and canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) were used to facilitate multidimensional pattern recognition. PCA showed that ripening noni fruit cluster into three groups, pre-ripe, fully ripe (translucent) and fermented, based on released volatiles. CDA could 83.8% correctly classify noni samples when all ripeness stages were analyzed and 100% when samples were classified into the three PCA groupings.; Conclusion: The results of the present study confirm the identities of 3-methyl-2/3-butenyl esters, both novel and previously identified, through the synthesis of reference compounds. These esters constitute a large percentage of the volatiles released by fully ripe and fermented noni and likely produced from the decomposition of noniosides, a group of unique glucosides present in the fruit. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.; © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
An HbA1c of 25%-Is It Real?

A 63-year-old healthy woman presented for routine diabetes screening as part of an annual wellness exam. She has no personal or family history of diabetes or anemia. Her hemoglobin (Hb)2 concentration was 13.4 g/dL. Her hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was strikingly high, at 25.4% (reportable range, 3.5%–19%), measured by the cation-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method (Variant II Turbo, Bio-Rad). The WHO recommendations for use of HbA1c to diagnose diabetes mellitus use a cutoff of 15% is flagged for review. Of note, the patient had a normal fasting glucose and HbA1c in the past 2 years. This year, our laboratory switched HbA1c measurement from an immunoturbidimetric method (Tina-quant, Roche) to an HPLC method. The HPLC chromatogram of her HbA1c result showed a decreased fraction of nonglycohemoglobin A (HbA), and no variant peak was identified (Fig. 1). HbA1c is calculated as a percentage of the area of the “A1c” peaks in relation to the total area of hemoglobin peaks on the chromatogram. Fig. 1. HbA1c result of 25.4% measured by the HPLC method. Despite the …
A Community of Interest in the Due Process Calculus

This article offers a fresh attitude for procedural due process analysis in pursuit of an approach that coordinates and thus optimizes all the various interests affected by procedural design. Mathews lists 3 factors for evaluating procedures and those factors have dominated procedural design since 1976. The three factors have generated two types of balancing operations. One undertakes a cost/benefit analysis of additional and/or alternative procedures. The other trades the "government?s interest" against the "private interest." This article examines the second operation and offers an alternative to "Mathews balancing." In order to improve the due process calculus, this article demonstrates that balancing the government interest against the individual interest is flawed. First, balancing should not be the dominant method for developing procedural design. More importantly, the "government?s interest" factor is best understood as including all the interests of the community. The community establishes programs to serve its individual members and charges the government with responsibility for fairly and effectively implementing its goals. Thus, a procedural design strategy that sets the community against its individual members cannot fully realize either category of interests. Recognition of this commonality leads to expansion and enhancement of the procedural design factors, including cost, effectiveness, substantive impact, community maintenance, and "acceptability" (encompassing values such as satisfaction, cultural values and tradition, dignity, and equality and consistency). These factors become points of sensitivity whereby the community interests and those of its members are coordinated, rather than traded off, in procedural design. From these points of sensitivity come new guidance for the institutions engaged in procedural design: ex ante designers, legislators and administrative officials, as well as ex post designers, judges.
Imagination and Perceptual Development: Effects of Auditory Imaging on the Brainstem Evoked Potentials of Children, Adult Musicians, and Other Adults

In the present research, we examined the effects of auditory imaging on the brainstem reponses of children, adult musicians, and other adults. Previously, researchers have looked for efferent effects of attention on the brainstem auditory evoked potentials of adults, but have neglected to look for efferent effects of auditory imaging.
The Implications of Durability, Resilience and Energy Efficiency on the Advancement of Water Management in Wall Assemblies

As building, energy, and green codes become more stringent, new building technologies and innovations are being incorporated into the building envelope. When incorporating new technologies into building assemblies, traditional construction practices need to be adapted. However, as these adaptations of construction practices take place, they still need to maintain adherence to basic principles of water management to prevent moisture accumulation in building assemblies. A critical component of water management is water-resistive barriers. Water-resistive barriers are used in light-frame wall assemblies behind the cladding to control the ingress of water, which penetrates the cladding, and keep it from penetrating further into the wall. Traditional water-resistive barriers were asphalt-impregnated papers and felts, which were applied in shingle fashion over the wall studs or sheathing. Plastic building wraps have to a large extent replaced the traditional building papers, comprising 75 % of the U.S. housing market. Recently, new materials being used as water-resistive barriers include panel materials and fluid-applied coatings. Assessing the durability of water-resistive barriers has been complicated by this range of material types. Because of the shingle-fashion installation, durability assessment of traditional materials and building wraps has focused on the material durability. The new materials require additional durability assessments relating to compatibility and durability of adhesion, most importantly at panel and substrate joints. This article describes the framework for evaluating water-resistive barrier durability.
Optimizing Donor and Cord Blood Unit Selection for Banking and Transplantation

Graft failure and engraftment delays are barriers to the overall success of unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT). Cord blood potency—the likelihood of a given cord blood unit (CBU) to engraft in a timely fashion—is influenced by factors associated with cord blood donation, processing, and cell recovery at the time of thawing for transplantation. Postthaw colony-forming units (CFU), measured on the thawed CBU cryobag, have been shown to be the most sensitive predictor of engraftment after UCBT. Limited exploratory studies on cord blood segments have shown that CFU, viable CD34 + and expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase can serve as measures of cord blood potency. A composite scoring system, the Cord Blood Apgar, identifies those CBUs most likely to engraft. The current status of cord blood potency and its relationship to engraftment will be described in this chapter.
Effects of nitrogen and energy source on nutrient digestibility in the young pig.

Dried whole whey, lard or dried skim milk was added to a corn-soybean meal basal diet to determine the effect on apparent nitrogen (ND), energy (ED) and dry matter digestibility (DMD) in pigs weaned at 28 d. Four groups of four littermate barrows were allotted to the experimental diets and placed in individual metabolism pens for 12 d (3 d adjustment and three collection periods of 3 d each) after weaning. The study was a 4 X 3 factorial with diet and period as main effects. Addition of dried skim milk or dried whey to the diet resulted in higher values (P less than .05) for DMD and ED as compared with the basal or corn-soy and lard diet. Pigs fed added dried skim milk had improved (P less than .05) ND over pigs on other dietary treatments. All nutrient digestibility coefficients increased (P less than .05) from period 1 to period 2, and ND increased (P less than .05) from period 2 to 3. It was concluded that the young pig requires at least 6 to 9 d after weaning at 28 d to adjust to typical corn-soybean meal starter diets.
Studying Mineral Particulates of Biogenic Origin by Transmission Electron Microscopy and Electron Diffraction

The accurate characterization of very finely divided particles is often best accomplished by means of electron microscopy and, where feasible, electron diffraction. The purpose of this chapter is to describe or comment on some of the methods that I have found useful for the isolation, identification, and characterization of mineral particles of biogenic origin using techniques designed for the transmission electron microscope (TEM). These techniques are useful for determining the size, shape, and mineralogy of both crystalline and amorphous materials. The methods employed are generally applicable with minor modifications to both magnetic and nonmagnetic phases. As most textbooks on electron microscopy well illustrate, the variations on this theme are many. What follows are approaches that have been used successfully in a variety of instances by the author. The experienced transmission electron microscopist may wish to ignore much of what follows and will even occasionally remark, “I know a better way”; this chapter is not written for them. The content is not intended to be complete and rigorous. It is intended more as a gathering of ideas, hints, and suggestions that may prove useful to researchers, who are unfamiliar with TEM and electron diffraction, in general, or as it is applied to mineral samples specifically.
Rule by Violence, Rule by Law: The Evolution of Voter Suppression and Lynching in the U.S. South

Voter suppression, widespread and diverse, can be categorized as ad-hoc, extra-legal, often tending toward violence, or institutionalized, legal, and typically non-violent. We argue why regimes would prefer the latter, and thus that when legal approaches to voter suppression are developed they should replace violent, extra-legal approaches. We apply this idea to an important historical phenomenon: the lynching of blacks in the American South. In contrast with previous studies, we argue lynching was a political tool used to disenfranchise black citizens. We find that lynchings were more likely to take place prior to elections and in areas where the Democratic Party faced greater political threat, until Jim Crow suppression laws were in place. Once such laws were in place, the salience of political factors disappears. These results have important implications for understanding lynching and evolving forms of black voter suppression in the South, and contemporary voter suppression in America and elsewhere.
Agendamelding and out-group derogation: Examining how aggregated content can be used to prove in-group membership

Abstract This study is a mixed-method quantitative and qualitative content analysis that examined the overlapping presence of agendamelding theory and in-group out-group formation on the social media platform Reddit. The study looked at the top 10 posts for one month (n = 310) on the pro-Donald Trump subreddit /r/The_Donald. The results show that media choice was used to prove membership to the in-group, often by derogating the media used by the out-group. Specific patterns emerged within the derogative language as well. Links to left-wing and neutral news media sites were often commented on and criticized, while the content of the linked news article was ignored or changed. Right-wing news media sites, which were used as news sources rather than commentary, were typically posted without changes, unlike neutral news media sites, which were often posted in a mocking manner. As agendamelding suggests, participants sought to avoid dissonance by posting media to fit within the community.
Does time from diagnosis to treatment of high- or very-high-risk prostate cancer affect outcome?

Objective To determine whether time from diagnosis to treatment impacted outcomes in a multicentre cohort of high- and very-high-risk (VHR) patients with prostate cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP). Patients and methods In all, 1392 patients from three tertiary centres who underwent RP for either high-risk or VHR disease, from 2005 to 2015, were identified. The cohort was divided into tertiles based on time from diagnostic biopsy to RP. Cumulative incidence of biochemical recurrence (BCR), metastasis, and prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) were calculated for each tertile. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate for differences in all-cause mortality (ACM) amongst tertiles. Competing risks regression models, as well as Cox proportional hazards regression models, were fitted to assess the association between time-to-event outcomes and patient characteristics. Results The median (interquartile range [IQR]) time from biopsy to RP was 68 (50-94) days. The median (IQR) follow-up was 31 (12.1-55.7) months. The cumulative incidence of BCR (P = 0.14), metastasis (P = 0.15), and PCSM (P = 0.69) did not differ amongst time-to-treatment tertiles of VHR patients. Also, Kaplan-Meier estimates of ACM (P = 0.53) did not differ amongst time-to-treatment tertiles. Similarly, BCR, metastasis, PCSM, and ACM did not significantly differ amongst time-to-treatment tertiles in multivariable modelling. Conclusion In this pooled meta-dataset of patients with high-risk or VHR prostate cancer, time from diagnosis to RP did not appear to significantly contribute to differences in clinical outcomes. This finding supports the safety of enrollment of such patients into neoadjuvant clinical trials.
How Can I Tell If My Patient Has a Gastrointestinal Bleed? Is It an Upper Gastrointestinal Bleed (UGIB) or Lower Gastrointestinal Bleed (LGIB)?

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is categorized broadly by anatomic location of the bleeding lesion. Upper GI bleeding refers to bleeding in the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum that originates proximal to the ligament of Treitz. Upper GI bleeding is usually more severe than lower GI bleeding, although severe hemorrhaging can occur at any site. Endoscopy and colonoscopy are typically performed to identify the bleeding lesion and promote hemostasis. When treating a patient with a GI bleed, the emergency physician must rapidly provide stabilization and expedite definitive care.
Response to Selection for Increased Heat Tolerance in a Small Fish Species, With the Response Decreased by a Population Bottleneck

Many natural populations are likely to be impacted by increasing temperatures resulting from climate change. The selection pressures exerted by these impacts may allow some populations to adapt to the elevated temperatures – which could reduce climate change’s impact. At present, there is limited evidence for such “evolutionary rescue”. Moreover, the potential for adaptation may be reduced if populations have experienced population bottlenecks as an initial consequence of climate change or due to other human impacts. This study looked at the response to selection in laboratory populations subjected to selection for heat tolerance, in both normal and bottlenecked laboratory populations of the least killifish Heterandria formosa. The bottlenecked populations had undergone a single bottleneck and were found to have fewer microsatellite alleles and reduced genetic diversity. After four generations of selection, heat tolerance had increased – albeit by only 0.1 °C. The increased heat tolerance was more pronounced for normal populations than it was for those that had undergone a population bottleneck. These results show that some populations, under specific conditions, may be able to adapt to elevated water temperatures. However, this response may be too slow for species with a long generation time and further limited in populations that have undergone drastic reductions in population size. In addition, the observed potential for adaptation to physiological heat stress does not equate to evolutionary rescue from other stresses associated with climate change.
Patient Experience during the Support, Educate, Empower Glaucoma Coaching Program to Improve Medication Adherence: A Pilot Study.

Purpose To understand patients’ qualitative experiences with the Support, Educate, Empower (SEE) personalized glaucoma coaching program, provide a richer understanding of the components of the intervention that were useful in eliciting behavior change, and understand how to improve the SEE Program. Design A concurrent mixed-methods process analysis. Participants Thirty-nine patients with a diagnosis of any kind of glaucoma or ocular hypertension who were aged ≥40 years, were taking ≥1 glaucoma medication, spoke English, self-administered their eye drops, and had poor glaucoma medication adherence (defined as taking ≤80% of prescribed medication doses assessed via electronic medication adherence monitors) who completed the 7-month SEE Program. Methods All participants who completed the study were interviewed in-person using a semistructured interview guide after the intervention. Coders conducted qualitative analysis of transcribed interviews using Grounded Theory. Participants were then stratified into groups based on change in adherence, and thematic differences between groups were examined. Main Outcome Measures Themes that emerged from interviews categorized by the number of participants who expressed a theme and the number of representative citations. Results Participants expressed positive views toward the program overall (95%, n = 37/39). They perceived program components as working together to improve their medication adherence. Interactions with the glaucoma coach (38 participants, 184 citations), motivation to aid personal change (38 participants, 157 citations), personalized glaucoma education (38 participants, 149 citations), electronic reminders, and hearing their adherence score (37 participants, 90 citations) were most commonly cited by participants as helpful program elements contributing to improved adherence. Patients expressed a desire for personalized education to be a standard part of glaucoma care. Participants who demonstrated more improvement in adherence had a more trusting attitude toward the adherence score and a greater magnitude of perceived personal need to improve adherence. Conclusions Participants reported a highly positive response to the in-person glaucoma education and motivational interviewing intervention used in conjunction with automated adherence reminders.
Campus Solid Waste Reduction through the Trash to Treasure Move-Out Program

College and university campuses are large producers of solid waste, but they also can represent the cutting edge of creative and sustainable waste management strategies. As landfill tipping fees in...
Competency training of initial crew resource management course for cabin crew

This research is a mixed method study with the following objectives. (1) To identify competencies training of initial crew resource management course. (2) To validate and rank order the CRM training competencies. (3) To examine significant differences between ranking results from two certain groups of respondents. Definition of training competency has been done through literature review and in depth interview of 20 CRM instructors, while order ranking of training competencies has been done through questionnaires of 9 levels of importance. Population are airline employees, 400 sample used can divided into two groups; group one consists of instructors, chief pursers and supervisors and group two is junior cabin crew. Results finding can be concluded as follows; training competencies consist of (1) knowledgeable and skillful instructor, (2) appropriate curriculum, (3) follow up and evaluation system (4) trainee qualification and self-efficacy, (5) knowledge of organization's policies, procedures, guidelines and (6) sufficiency training facilities and training material. Rank order views from both groups were not much different, they rated knowledgeable and skillful instructor is the most important while sufficiency training facilities and training material was perceived least important.
A study of rare earth ion-adsorption clays: The speciation of rare earth elements on kaolinite at basic pH

Abstract Synthesized rare earth ion-adsorption clays (La, Ce, Nd, Dy and Y, ~ 400 ppm each) were prepared from kaolinite at various basic pH in open-air conditions. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were used to characterize the effect of pH on the adsorption mechanism of rare earth elements (REEs) on kaolinite. The crystal structure of kaolinite by XRD analysis is not altered after REE adsorption, suggesting that REEs are bound to the surface of kaolinite. Elemental analysis by XPS and ICP-MS show that the surface concentration of REEs on kaolinite is pH dependent, and a local maximum of the surface concentration is achieved at pH 10. Three characteristics of the La 3d5/2 XPS photoemission feature were measured and compared to those of standard La compounds to probe the speciation of REEs, and electrostatically bound hydroxides such as REE(OH)2+ are identified as the primary species on the surface of kaolinite. Compared to the typical ion-adsorption clays with intrinsic acidic pH, clays synthesized at basic pH exhibit similarly high rare earth ion-exchange efficiency with ammonium sulfate (AS), suggesting that rare earth ion-adsorption clays can exist in both acidic and basic environments.
How well do foreign firms compete in the United States

F oreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States has grown dramatically during the last two decades. The average annual growth rate amounted to 22 percent during the 1974-80 period and 16.7 percent during 1980-86. By the end of 1987, foreign firms, by various measures, controlled 3-4 percent of the U.S. economy as a whole and 7-10 percent of the manufacturing sector. By 1988, foreign firms controlled 15-20 percent of the U.S. banking sector. The position of the foreign direct investment in the U.S. reached $400 billion at the end of 1989. FDI in the United States is evidenced by U.S. affiliates engaged in a variety of manufacturing and service activities. The rapid growth of FDI in the U.S. in recent years stems from a number of causes: the relative U.S. political and economic stability, the sheer size and strength of the U.S. economy, and concerns about possible increased U.S. protectionism. Increased corporate restructuring activities in the 1980s also made more takeover targets available and attractive for foreign firms. Interest rate differences, exchange rate fluctuations, and incentives provided by state governments also motivated the flow of FDI into the U.S. Theories of foreign direct investment have suggested that subsidiaries of MNCs can manufacture successfully in foreign markets only if they possess ownership advantages. These ownership advantages must be sufficient to compensate for the costs of setting up and operating a foreign value-adding operation beyond those faced by indigenous producers. The foreign firm may have some firm-specific knowledge or assets that enable it simply to do a better job of managing. The apparently superior production-management skills of Japanese auto manufacturers are an example. Alternatively, the U.S. affiliate may be of greater value to the foreign firm because it has a potential role in the foreign firm's global strategy. For example, if there are strong advantages to vertical integration, foreign suppliers of upstream inputs may value downstream plants in the U.S. more than their rivals do. Foreign firms may also need to produce in the U.S. to appropriate the gains from their activities at home, such as R&D. Foreign-owned firms actually fail less often in the United States than do domestic firms.
Introduction to the AXIOM Interactive Language

In this chapter we look at some of the basic components of the AXIOM language that you can use interactively. We show how to create a block of expressions, how to form loops and list iterations, how to modify the sequential evaluation of a block and how to use if-then-else to evaluate parts of your program conditionally. We suggest you first read the boxed material in each section and then proceed to a more thorough reading of the chapter.
Steps Toward Sensor-Based Vehicle Navigation in Outdoor Environments Using a Fuzzy Behaviorist Approach

Because outdoor environments are typically dynamic and not fully predictable, real-time vehicle control in such environments requires many calculational and reasoning schemes to operate on the basis of incomplete, unreliable, and/or imprecise information. For such systems, in which all the uncertainties cannot be engineered away, approximate reasoning may provide an alternative to the complexity and computational requirements of conventional uncertainty analysis and propagation techniques. Two types of computer boards including custom-designed VLSI fuzzy inferencing chips have been developed to add an approximate reasoning capability to real-time control systems. All inferencing rules on a chip are processed in parallel, allowing execution of the entire rule base in about 30 μs i.e., at rates much faster than typical sensor sampling rates and therefore making control of “reflex-type” motions envisionable. The use of these boards and a proposed approach using superposition of sensor-based fuzzy behaviors for the development of qualitative reasoning schemes are first discussed. We then describe how a fuzzy behavior-based navigation scheme emulating human-like navigation in a priori unknown environments was implemented on one of the fuzzy inferencing boards and installed on a test-bed platform to investigate two control modes for driving a car on the basis of sparse and imprecise sensor data. In the first mode, the car navigates fully autonomously, while in the second mode the system acts as a driver's aid, providing the driver with linguistic-type fuzzy commands to turn left or right and speed up, slow down, or back up depending upon the obstacles perceived by the sensors. Experiments with both modes of control are described in which the system uses only three acoustic-range sonar sensor channels to perceive the environment. Simulation results as well as indoor and outdoor experiments are presented and discussed to illustrate the feasibility and robustness of the proposed approach for sensor-based functions such as autonomous navigation and/or safety-enhancing driver's aid.
The Effect of Heme Binding on the Tryptophan Residue and the Protein Conformation of Cytochrome b5

Abstract Circular dichroic measurements in peptide aromatic and visible absorption regions have been combined with fluorescence and sedimentation data to characterize the effects of heme binding to apocytochrome b5 upon the secondary and tertiary structure and the environment of the aromatic amino acid residues. At pH 7.5 heme binding causes a slight tightening of the tertiary structure and may increase the amount of ordered secondary structure. The environment of the "buried" tryptophan residue, which lies outside of the heme crevice, is also apparently unaltered in the apoprotein. This stable form of the apoprotein appears to retain the essential features of the tertiary structure required for heme binding and contrasts markedly with unfolded peptide species produced during reversible denaturation by nonpolar solvents.
Clinical aspects of cerebral angiography in children.

A series of 90 children subjected to cerebral angiography is reviewed. One hundred thirty-one cerebral angiograms were performed of which 117 were by the percutaneous method. All but 2 were done under general anesthesia. Cerebral angiography was of definite diagnostic value in 43.5 per cent of the patients. No fatalities were encountered in this series. Morbidity and complications were present in 35 per cent of the procedures but all were mild and transient. Complications believed to be due specifically to angiography were present in 20 per cent. It is felt that the morbidity and complications are affected in some way by general anesthesia and premedication. Morbidity in cerebral angiography in children is lower than in pneumoencephalography performed under the same conditions in a comparable group of children. Cerebral angiography is a useful and relatively harmless procedure in children when the proper precautions are taken and the indications are definite. The percutaneous technique is suitable for children of all ages.
Revisiting Chaos Theorem to Understand the Nature of miRNAs in Response to Drugs of Abuse.

Just like Matryoshka dolls, biological systems follow a hierarchical order that is based on dynamic bidirectional communication among its components. In addition to the convoluted inter-relationships, the complexity of each component spans several folds. Therefore, it becomes rather challenging to investigate phenotypes resulting from these networks as it requires the integration of reductionistic and holistic approaches. One dynamic system is the transcriptome which comprises a variety of RNA species. Some, like microRNAs, have recently received a lot of attention. miRNAs are very pleiotropic and have been considered as therapeutic and diagnostic candidates in the biomedical fields. In this review, we survey miRNA profiles in response to drugs of abuse (DA) using 118 studies. After providing a summary of miRNAs related to substance use disorders (SUD), general patterns of miRNA signatures are compared among studies for single or multiple drugs of abuse. Then, current challenges and drawbacks in the field are discussed. Finally, we provide support for considering miRNAs as a chaotic system in normal versus disrupted states particularly in SUD and propose an integrative approach for studying and analyzing miRNA data. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 2857–2868, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Pricing Problems with a Continuum of Customers: Solution of a Class of Non-Nested, Stochastic Stackelberg Games via the Inducible Region Approach

Pricing problems are formulated as non-nested, stochastic Stackelberg games, and studied by using the inducible region concept. It is shown that the inducible region can indeed be delineated, and the optimal pricing scheme can be constructed.
Marriage and the Family, Rights of Parents and Children: Reflections on the International Bill of Human Rights and the Convention of the Rights of the Child

Important international human rights documents recognize the right to marry and found a family as well as the rights and duties of parents and children. In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the foundational text for the modern human rights movement. It was followed by two Covenants in 1966: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Inter­ national Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). These documents became known collectively as the International Bill of Human Rights. While the UDHR differs from the two Covenants because it was origi­nally intended to be a statement of good intentions and not a document intended to create legal obligations between State Parties, it remains the linchpin for understanding documents such as the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).This paper offers some brief reflections on the written texts of the International Bill of Human Rights and the CRC. It provides an interpreta­tion in light of certain truths about humanity and society. It argues that these documents, when considered as an integral whole, reveal an interconnect­edness of the nature and meaning of the human person, his or her human dignity, as well as the rights of the family, parents and children.
For Colored Girls

Tyler Perry's cinema version of For Colored Girls is well done and thought provoking. The movie was originally a play by Ntozake Shange, a poet who compiled 20 of her poems about the African Americ...
Geometrically nonlinear structural analysis by direct stiffness method

Modified Newton-Raphson stiffness matrices and initial value formulations to geometrically nonlinear structural analysis for beam and plane stress triangular elements
Interference rejection by time selective sampling

In broadband receivers, small signals can be corrupted by the existence of large interferers operating in the presence of receiver nonlinearity. This paper proposes a time sampling scheme that keeps only samples that do not exceed a threshold amplitude and thus are not distorted by amplifier nonlinearities. After the receiver concept is described, preliminary measurements are presented to verify feasibility. Interferers plus a small message signal drive a standard commercial amplifier into saturation. Samples are taken using a high speed oscilloscope, sorted by amplitude and a subset selected for use in extracting the message signal. The error vector magnitude (EVM) of the extraction is plotted versus amplitude threshold and interference level. We discuss the effects that impact accuracy and the role of compressive sensing.
Inadequate Laboratory Technique for Amino Acid Analysis Resulting in Missed Diagnoses of Homocystinuria

The diagnosis of cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) deficiency and disorders of methionine remethylation depend on the demonstration of homocyst(e)inemia and homocystinuria. To be detectable in the usual analysis of amino acids, homocystine must remain as a free disulfide in the plasma or serum. However, homocystine undergoes an exchange reaction with free sulfhydryls, including cysteine, readily forming covalent disulfide bonds with these thiols, and gradually disappears as a free amino acid (1). Because preparation for quantitative amino acid analysis usually includes deproteinization, protein-bound homocysteine is not detected by standard methods (2)(3)(4). Homocysteine-cysteine mixed disulfide, also increased in the homocystinurias, undergoes a similar exchange. This phenomenon is still not appreciated by many laboratories that perform amino acid analyses, and lack of awareness of the phenomenon continues to result in missing the diagnosis of homocystinuria. This was brought to our attention by the case of an infant with CBS-deficient homocystinuria. Routine newborn screening had identified an increased concentration of blood methionine (5). Quantitative plasma amino acid analysis 1 week later disclosed isolated hypermethioninemia. …
Relectura de "El impostor" de Rima de Vallbona

El tema fantastico de la transmutacion de planos es uno de los mas antiguos en las letras hispanicas puesto que figura como el tema de uno de los enxemplos de El conde Lucanor, "Don lllan y el dean de Santiago". El mismo Borges lo contemporizo en "El brujo postergado" (Jorge LuisBorges, 121-125) y algunas de sus otras ficciones, al igual que otros destacados cultores de la literatura fantastica como Fuentes en su novela Aura o mas recientemente en su cuento, "Constancia".
A global model for cave ventilation and seasonal bias in speleothem paleoclimate records

Cave calcite deposits (speleothems) provide long and continuous records of paleoenvironmental conditions in terrestrial settings. Typical environmental proxy measurements include speleothem growth rate and variations in elemental and isotope geochemistry. Commonly the assumption is made that speleothems grow continuously and at a constant rate throughout the year. However, seasonal variation of growth rate may be the rule in many caves. Here we apply observations of modern calcite growth and cave-air CO2 concentrations and a model of factors controlling cave ventilation to construct a global model predicting where cave calcite growth may be seasonal. Previous models and measurements of calcite precipitation in caves demonstrate the retardation of speleothem growth by high cave-air CO2. Elevated CO2 is commonly dissipated by ventilation driven by density differences between cave and surface air. Seasonal cycles in atmospheric temperature, pressure, and humidity commonly drive these density contrasts. Modeling these changes latitudinally and globally indicates a geographic control on seasonal cave ventilation and thus on a principal controlling factor of speleothem growth. The model predicts that given constant water, calcium, and CO2 inputs, speleothems from temperate to boreal continental regions commonly accumulate more calcite in the cool season and less or none in the warm season. These models predict that proxies from temperate to boreal speleothems may be seasonally biased due to seasonal ventilation, whereas tropical and maritime records should not.
Spatial correlations of foF2 deviations and their implications for global ionospheric models: 2. Digisondes in the United States, Europe, and South Africa

[1] The deviations of foF2 from the monthly median, ΔfoF2, have been calculated for each UT for a limited selection of months and times at solar minimum using ionograms recorded by Digisondes in the United States, Europe and South Africa. The linear correlation coefficients between simultaneous (same UT) values of ΔfoF2 have then been calculated, with a view to determining the correlation lengths that are important for global ionospheric models. The results presented here are for station separations ranging from 66 km to several thousand kilometers, and complement those given in a companion paper that used values of foF2 from Australian ionosondes, the closest of which were 857 km apart. The correlation lengths derived from the two sets of data are used to specify midlatitude correlation lengths that can be used with global ionospheric models for different levels of solar activity.
Effect of thiol chemisorption on the transport properties of gold nanotubule membranes.

An electroless gold deposition method was used to deposit Au nanotubules within the pores of a polycarbonate template membrane. Membranes containing Au nanotubules with inside diameters of 2 and 3 nm were prepared for these studies. Thiols were chemisorbed to the inside tubule walls in order to change the chemical environment within the tubules. The effect of the chemical environment within the tubules on the transport properties of the tubule-containing membrane was investigated. Membranes modified with HS−C16H33 preferentially transported hydrophobic permeant molecules. When a homologous series of permeant molecules was used, the most hydrophobic permeant was preferentially partitioned into and transported by the HS−C16H33 derivatized membrane. In addition, the effect of alkyl chain length (R), in a homologous series of thiols R−SH, was investigated. Hydrophobic permeant molecules were preferentially partitioned into and transported by membranes containing the largest alkyl group. In contrast, membranes...
Present status of on-line analytical triangulation

Abstract Basic principles of solutions suitable for analytical aerial triangulation are outlined and analyzed in the context of existing on-line photogrammetric systems. Two basic categories of procedures are considered: those which primarily aim for a quality controlled data acquisition followed by an off-line adjustment, and those which make the adjustment a part of the on-line procedure proper. The discussion covers geometrical as well as numerical considerations and emphasizes practical and methodological aspects which may bring about a higher efficiency of work and a reduction of preparatory operations.
Role of MTA1 in cancer progression and metastasis.

The MTA1 protein contributes to the process of cancer progression and metastasis through multiple genes and protein targets and interacting proteins with roles in transformation, anchorage-independent growth, invasion, survival, DNA repair, angiogenesis, hormone independence, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Because the roles and clinical significance of MTA proteins in human cancer are discussed by other contributors in this issue, this review will focus on our current understanding of the underlying principles of action behind the biological effects of MTA1. MTA proteins control a spectrum of cancer-promoting processes by modulating the expression of target genes and/or the activity of MTA-interacting proteins. In the case of MTA1, these functions are manifested through posttranslational modifications of MTA1 in response to upstream signals, MTA1 interaction with binding proteins, and the expression of target gene products. Studies delineating the molecular basis of dual functionality of MTA1 reveal that the functions of MTA1-chromatin-modifying complexes in the context of target gene regulation are dynamic in nature. The nature and targets of MTA1-chromatin-modifying complexes are also governed by the dynamic plasticity of the nucleosome landscape as well as kinetics of activation and inactivation of enzymes responsible for posttranslational modifications on the MTA1 protein. These broadly applicable functions also explain why MTA1 may be a “hub” gene in cancer. Because the deregulation of enzymes and their substrates with roles in MTA1 biology is not necessarily limited to cancer, we speculate that the lessons from MTA1 as a prototype dual master coregulator will be relevant for other human diseases. In this context, the concept of the dynamic nature of corepressor versus coactivator complexes and the MTA1 proteome as a function of time to signal is likely to be generally applicable to other multiprotein regulatory complexes in living systems.
Improving software development and robustness through multiagent systems

With the goal of more efficient software development and implementation, this paper presents two ways to increase the effectiveness of a task driven by an algorithm through a single, strategic method. First, during design implementation, algorithms designed to complete the task are compared, and the best algorithm is chosen. Second, during runtime, multiple algorithms, predefined for the task, are compared using a specific input, and again, the best algorithm is chosen. Both of these methods are accomplished using intelligent agents that examine each algorithm, predetermine expected results, and then broadcast these results to each other so that each agent can intelligently determine whether or not its own algorithm is the best. Through this combination of multiagent systems and N-version programming, there is an increase in accuracy and efficiency as well as robustness. These agents assist in forming a basis for better algorithm development with fewer bugs during software testing. This paper contributes an important proof-of-concept agent that will spur future research that should develop improved agents able to provide a consensus algorithm that improves on all input algorithms.
“Deconstructing” Scientific Research: A Practical and Scalable Pedagogical Tool to Provide Evidence-Based Science Instruction

1Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America, 2Department ofPsychology, Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, United States of America, 3Department of Biological Chemistry; Molecular Biology Institute; Broad Stem Cell Research Center,University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
Synthèses de la d-gluco-(2,3:5′,6′)-2′-(R)-méthyl-3′-morpholinone (amide interne de l'acide muramique)

Abstract Alkaline hydrolysis of the N -acetyl group of benzyl 2-acetamido-4,6- O -benzylidene-3- O -( d -1-carboxyethyl)-2-deoxy-α- d -glucopyranoside with ethanolic potassium hydroxide gave the free crystalline amine, which was cyclized by heating or by treatment under very mild acidic conditions or with diazomethane into crystalline benzyl 4,6- O -benzylidene-α- d -glucopyranosido-(2,3:5′,6′)-2′-( R )-methyl-3′-morpholinone. Removal of the benzylidene group gave the crystalline 4,6-dihydroxy compound, characterized by a crystalline 4,6-diacetate and hydrogenolyzed into the amorphous title compound, which was characterized by a crystalline 1,4,6-tri- O -acetyl derivative. A similar series of transformations was applied to the β- d analog. In this series, the 4- O -acetyl, 6- O -acetyl, and 4- O -acetyl-6- O -trityl derivatives were obtained in addition to the 4,6-dihydroxy and 4,6-di- O -acetyl derivatives. The title compound is an important reference standard for the elucidation of the chemical structures of the cell wall of the bacterial spore.