cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cars, the Customs Service, and Sumptuary Rule in Neoliberal Ghana

This essay probes the role of commodities in the crafting of state power, working from the vantage point of contemporary Ghana, a polity at once post-socialist and staunchly neoliberal, least-industrialized and highly cosmopolitan. Among the many commodities which Ghana's citizens and state bodies identify with and rely upon, cars are of critical significance. In what follows, I explore the raft of interventions surrounding car importation and allocation imposed by Ghana's Customs Service, and the resulting public critique, in an effort to capture the shifting contours of state authority in the context of an electoral and economic transition spurred by neoliberal reform.
Efficient Clearance of Early Apoptotic Cells by Human Macrophages Requires M2c Polarization and MerTK Induction

Mer tyrosine kinase (MerTK) is a major macrophage apoptotic cell (AC) receptor. Its functional impairment promotes autoimmunity and atherosclerosis, whereas overexpression correlates with poor prognosis in cancer. However, little is known about mechanisms regulating MerTK expression in humans. We found that MerTK expression is heterogenous among macrophage subsets, being mostly restricted to anti-inflammatory M2c (CD14(+)CD16(+)CD163(+)CD204(+)CD206(+)CD209(-)) cells, differentiated by M-CSF or glucocorticoids. Small numbers of MerTK(+) "M2c-like" cells are also detectable among circulating CD14(bright)CD16(+) monocytes. MerTK expression levels adapt to changing immunologic environment, being suppressed in M1 and M2a macrophages and in dendritic cells. Remarkably, although glucocorticoid-induced differentiation is IL-10 independent, M-CSF-driven M2c polarization and related MerTK upregulation require IL-10. However, neither IL-10 alone nor TGF-β are sufficient to fully differentiate M2c (CD16(+)CD163(+)MerTK(+)) macrophages. M-CSF and IL-10, both released by T lymphocytes, may thus be required together to promote regulatory T cell-mediated induction of anti-inflammatory monocytes-macrophages. MerTK enables M2c macrophages to clear early ACs more efficiently than other macrophage subsets, and it mediates AC clearance by CD14(bright)CD16(+) monocytes. Moreover, M2c cells release Gas6, which in turn amplifies IL-10 secretion via MerTK. IL-10-dependent induction of the Gas6/MerTK pathway may, therefore, constitute a positive loop for M2c macrophage homeostasis and a critical checkpoint for maintenance of anti-inflammatory conditions. Our findings give new insight into human macrophage polarization and favor a central role for MerTK in regulation of macrophage functions. Eliciting M2c polarization can have therapeutic utility for diseases such as lupus, in which a defective AC clearance contributes to initiate and perpetuate the pathological process.
Development of an 24Am applicator for intracavitary irradiation of gynecologic cancers

Sealed sources of 241Am that emit primarily 60 keV photons produce relative dose distributions in water comparable to those from 137Cs or 226Ra sources and can produce dose rates of up to 100 cGy/hr at 1 cm in water. Also, 241Am gamma rays can be effectively shielded by thin layers of high atomic number materials (HVL is 1/8th mm of lead) placed on the applicator or inside some body cavities (for example, hypaque in bladder, barium sulphate in rectum). These properties of 241Am sources open a new approach to optimizing intracavitary irradiation of various cancers by allowing a reduction in dose and volume of irradiated critical organs or by increasing tumor doses. The relative ease with which highly effective shielding is achievable with 241Am sources would allow the design and fabrication of partially shielded applicators which can produce asymmetric dose distributions to allow unidirectional irradiation of localized lesions. Design and dosimetry characteristics of a gynecological applicator containing 241Am sources are presented. The applicator consists of a 2, 3, or 4 segment vaginal plaque (loaded with 2 and 5 Ci 241Am sources) and a tandem made up of a single 8 Ci 241Am source. Dose rates at 2 cm from the plaques are 42.0, 47.4, 58.3 and 56.7 cGy/hr for 5-5, 5-4-5, 5-5-5, and 5-4-4-5 Ci plaques, respectively. The 5-4-5 Ci plaque in combination with the 8 Ci tandem produces dose rates of 60.0 and 22.8 cGy/hr to points A and B, respectively. Surface dose rates on the plaque applicators are 143, 124, 142 and 132 cGy/hr for 5-5, 5-4-5, 5-5-5 and 5-4-4-5 Ci applicators, respectively. The shielding effect of a 0.5 mm thick lead foil on one side of the 5-4-5 Ci applicator is found to be a factor of 16.8; for example, the dose rate at 2 cm from the unshielded side is 42.0 cGy/hr compared to a dose rate of 2.5 cGy/hr at 2 cm from the shielded side. Initial clinical experience with this applicator in the treatment of recurrent gynecological lesions is also presented.
Accountability in morphological borrowing: Analyzing a linguistic subsystem as a sociolinguistic variable

Principles of structural borrowing have been proposed, relating to structures of the languages involved and sociodemographic circumstances of their respective societies. This article quantitatively evaluates the roles of both linguistic and social factors in structural borrowing via examination of language contact data from Aruba and Curacao, where creole Papiamentu is in contact with Spanish, Dutch, and English. Variationist methods, rooted in Labov's Principle of Accountability, are applied in a novel way to the system of verbal morphology to flesh out factors promoting borrowing. Linguistic factors are found to be quantitatively stronger, and only one nonlinguistic factor was found to promote borrowing. Results are discussed in light of prevailing theories of language contact. Findings contribute to our understanding of the long-term consequences of language contact and the relationship of contact-induced change to a more general sociolinguistic theory of language variation and change.
Social deprivation of infant rhesus monkeys alters the chemoarchitecture of the brain: I. Subcortical regions

Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) reared during the first year of life without social contact develop persistent stereotyped movements, self-directed behaviors, and psychosocial abnormalities, but neurobiological mechanisms underlying the behaviors of socially deprived (SD) monkeys are unknown. Monkeys were reared in total social deprivation for the first 9 months of life; control monkeys were reared socially (SR) with mothers and peers. Subjects were killed at 19-24 yr of age. Because the behaviors of SD monkeys are reminiscent of changes in striatal or amygdalar function, we used immunocytochemistry for substance P (SP), leucine-enkephalin (LENK), somatostatin, calbindin, and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) to evaluate qualitatively and quantitatively patterns of neurotransmitter marker immunoreactivity within subcortical regions. In SD monkeys, the chemoarchitecture of the striatum was altered. Neuronal cell bodies and processes immunoreactive for SP and LENK were depleted markedly in patch (striosome) and matrix regions of the caudate nucleus and putamen; the average density of SP-immunoreactive neurons was reduced 58% relative to SR monkeys. Calbindin and TH immunoreactivities were diminished in the matrix of caudate and putamen of SD monkeys. TH-immunoreactive neurons, but not cresyl violet-stained neurons, in the substantia nigra pars compacta were decreased (43%) in SD monkeys. Peptide-immunoreactive terminals were reduced in the globus pallidus and substantia nigra in SD monkeys. The nucleus accumbens was the least affected of striatal regions. Striatal somatostatin immunoreactivity wa qualitatively and quantitatively similar in SD and SR monkeys. Several regions, for example, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, amygdala, and basal forebrain magnocellular complex, that were in the same sections and are enriched in these markers did not appear altered in SD monkeys, suggesting a regional specificity for vulnerability. The altered chemoarchitecture of some basal ganglia regions in adult monkeys that experienced social deprivation as infants suggests that the postnatal maturation of neurotransmitter phenotypes in some structures is influenced by social environment. Abnormal motor and psychosocial behaviors resulting from this form of social/sensory deprivation may result from alterations in peptidergic and dopaminergic systems within the basal ganglia.
Egg-Mass Variability and Differential Parasitism of Choristoneura parallela (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) by Endemic Trichogramma minutum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

The fireworm Choristoneura parallela (Robinson) is a major pest in New Jersey cranberry bogs where it produces two generations each year. Eggs are laid in compact, single-layered masses of a few to >300 eggs on the leaves of various plant species, and are parasitized by the endemic generalist egg parasite, Trichogramma minutum Riley. In preparation for an augmentative biological control program using T. minutum, we assessed egg-mass variability and parasitism rates in a series of unmanipulated field populations. We examined 193,950 eggs from 1,789 egg masses on 17 plant species, which represented 12 samples taken from three bogs (one sample per generation per bog each year for 2 yr). Egg-mass size, shape, and density (number of eggs per unit area within masses) differed across samples and plant species. Egg masses on narrow-leafed species (e.g., redroot, swamp candles, and grasses) tended to be longer and narrower than those on broad-leafed species (e.g., brier, red maple, leatherleaf, marsh Saint John's wort, and marsh fern). Relatively few eggs per mass on certain plant species (e.g., marsh fern) indicate possible host preferences, whereas unusually high (e.g., grasses, sweet pepperbush) or low (e.g., marsh fern) densities indicate additional host plant influences on egg mass structure. Overall, T. minutum parasitized 4,309 eggs (2.2%) from 271 egg masses (15.1%) on 12 plant species, which included the 11 most common fireworm host plants. Parasitism rates for egg masses varied from 1.6 to 44.9% across samples, and only 11 parasitized masses were completely parasitized (4.1%). Parasitized masses had fewer eggs and lower density than nonparasitized masses, but did not differ in length, width, area, or circumference. T. minutum exhibited an apparent preference for masses on sweet pepperbush and marsh Saint John's wort over those on leatherleaf. This preference was not fully explained by egg number or density, and might be associated with other differences among egg masses or host plants. These results indicate potentially complex tritrophic interactions that could have important implications for the development, monitoring, and success of biological control programs.
A Framework for Understanding Tribal Courts and the Application of Fundamental Law: Through the Voices of Scholars in the Field of Tribal Justice

Through an examination of scholarly articles, this paper examines traditional tribal justice systems set in tribal communities in an effort to establish a framework for understanding tribal courts and the unique challenges they face. The research presented describes a spectrum of traditional aspects within tribal courts, and analyzes the impact that changing social dynamics have had on the tribal court construct.A rigorous review of available research concerning traditional tribal courts showed scholars repeatedly arguing that traditional law, also called fundamental law, which existed before Western style courts, exists beyond the tribal court setting and is fundamental to a tribal member’s way of living and engaging the world. As a result, this paper draws four important conclusions. First, the concept of justice in indigenous communities is shaped by fundamental law. Second, through the application of fundamental law, a traditional tribal court expresses a sovereign tribal nation’s definition of justice, and reflects the values of a tribal nation. Third, the traditional tribal court model offers an opportunity to craft indigenous jurisprudence that serves to protect and sustain tribal justice concepts and customary life ways. Finally, the design of a tribal traditional justice system and the use of fundamental law create unique opportunities for traditional tribal courts to influence the court systems of other sovereigns.
Cellular redistribution of 45Ca in rabbit renal artery determined by electron microscopic autoradiography: changes in response to K+-induced depolarization and nitrendipine.

Redistribution of Ca++ in response to K+-induced depolarization and/or nitrendipine (10(-6) M) was studied in isolated rabbit renal arteries using 1) isometric tension measurements, 2) 45Ca uptake measurements and 3) 45Ca electron microscopic autoradiography. Renal artery rings developed a mean tension of 1.67 +/- 0.30 g in response to high K+. Preincubation with 10(-6) M nitrendipine for 1 hr inhibited 80% of the initial portion and 100% of the sustained portion of the K+-induced contraction, without affecting rest tension. Using the modified lanthanum technique, cellular uptake of 45Ca increased 25% in muscles exposed to K+-substituted solution compared to control muscles (P less than .001). Preincubation with nitrendipine for 1 hr inhibited the K+-induced increase, whereas exposure to nitrendipine alone decreased 45Ca uptake compared to control muscles (P less than .001). Electron microscopic autoradiography of control renal arteries showed that relative 45Ca activities for the plasma membrane (PM), sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and mitochondria were higher than the cytoplasmic 45Ca activity, whereas activities for the nucleus were similar to that for the cytoplasm. Exposure to high K+ solution substantially decreased 45Ca activities of both the PM and SR (P less than .001), but changes in relative activities of other sites were insignificant. Muscles exposed to nitrendipine alone or nitrendipine plus high K+ had SR and PM activities intermediate with values from control and high K+ groups. Thus, Ca++ is released from both the SR and PM during exposure to high K+ and this Ca++ may contribute to the Ca++ pool involved in a depolarization-induced contraction.
A case of large atrial myxoma presenting as an acute stroke

Left atrial myxomas are rare primary cardiac tumors. Their incidence is estimated to be about 0.1% of total cases. Neurological complications resulting from cardiac myxomas are seen in 20-35% of patients. Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is preferred over transthoracic echocardiogram for evaluation of left atrial myxoma. Three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography ensures better visualization of intracardiac structures. It has been used prior to surgery for diagnostic support in the surgical treatment of cardiac masses. We present a case of a 46-year-old Hispanic male who developed acute ischemic stroke of left frontal lobe and was also found to have multiple 'silent' cerebral infarcts in the MRI of the brain. On further workup, he was found to have a left atrial myxoma on 3D TEE. This was resected with the assistance of intra-operative 3D TEE imaging. We present this case to increase awareness and to stress at early evaluation of secondary causes of ischemic cerebrovascular accident, outside the realm of hypercoagulability. This case also exhibits the need for basic cardiac workup in young individuals who present with symptoms of intermittent palpitations or chest pain to minimize significant morbidity or mortality.
To Replicate or Not to Replicate

To replicate or not to replicate experiments and studies seems to be a burning question in the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) community. This question is equally relevant to the field of mobile computing, where researchers face unique challenges when attempting to replicate studies of mobile device usage in the field. Some of those challenges are inherent in conducting such studies to understand complex socio-technical systems, which involve different technologies and diverse populations of users from different social, economic, and cultural backgrounds. However, those same challenges point to a great opportunity to expand our knowledge of how people use and interact with their mobile devices and understand how those interactions evolve over time.
The relationship between water motion and living rhodolith beds in the southwestern Gulf of California, Mexico

Free living, nodular aggregates of non-geniculate coralline algae (rhodoliths) have occurred since the Cenozoic in diverse marine environments around the world. Fossil rhodolith morphology and distribution have been widely used as paleoecological indicators, particularly of water motion. However, few studies have verified these relationships in living beds. The relationship between water motion and rhodolith movement was examined in three subtidal rhodolith beds off the southwestern coast of the Gulf of California, one dominated by wave action and two dominated by tidal currents. Field experiments and simultaneous video and current measurements taken during winter 1996 showed that rhodoliths in the shallow margins (4.5 m depths) of wavedominated beds moved frequently due to threshold-level velocities from wind-propagated waves. Rhodoliths did not move in the middle and at deep margins of the bed due to attenuation of wave energy. Historical wind records and waveforcasting analysis indicate that shallow rhodolith movement is frequent only in the winter. In deep tidally dominated beds, maximum yearly tidal currents were not sufficient to move rhodoliths. Video and SCUBA surveys showed that bioturbation is an important mechanism for rhodolith movement in all beds. Rhodoliths in 12-m-deep tidally dominated beds and in the deep margins of wave-dominated beds appear to move only occasionally due to bioturbation and severe storms. Results imply that rhodolith morphology and distribution are dependent on a combination of factors. These factors, especially bioturbation, should be considered when using rhodoliths as paleoecological indicators.
Nutritional and metabolic bone disease in a zoological population - A review of radiologic findings

The radiologic survey technique used at the National Zoological Park has disclosed many cases of nutritional and metabolic bone disease of various types. This communication discusses calcium deficiency states seen in lion cubs associated with a meat diet, the increased need for calcium noted in egg-laying lizards, problems found in New World monkeys, antelopes (due to selenium and/or vitamin E deficiency), hypervitaminosis D, and lead poisoning noted in young primates. In all of these diagnoses, the use of routine radiographic studies has been extremely helpful, first in detecting that a bone or soft tissue abnormality is present, and then in the differential diagnosis of the etiology of this abnormality. As more is learned of the necessary nutriments for exotic species kept in captivity, it is expected that the nutritional disturbances described in this article will be seen with decreasing frequency.
Reactions at Solid Interfaces

This article discusses some of the changes which can occur at interfaces due to reaction or annealing. For chemically unstable interfaces, the atomic recombinations result in formation of new phases, which can even be amorphous in the initial stages. When no further chemical evolution takes place, physical rearrangement can have important consequences on the structure and properties. Examples are drawn from work on Ti-Si, Pt-GaAs, Ti-Si-O-N, Al-Si and TiSi2-Si.
INACTIVATION OF GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIAL ENDOTOXINS BY PAPAIN.

SummaryReduced crystalline papain inactivated the pyrogenic and lethal activities of purified Gram-negative bacterial endotoxins. Because of the possible presence of peptide, ester and amide linkages within the macromolecular toxin and the known ability of the enzyme to split linkages of all 3 types, it was not possible from these results to implicate a specific linkage or group in endotoxin activity. It was suggested that this purified enzyme may prove useful for further studies on the chemical nature of the active groups within the endotoxin molecule.
Quantitative Molecular Level Understanding of Ethoxysilane at Poly(dimethylsiloxane)/Polymer Interfaces

Because of the wide applications of silicone adhesives, it is important to study adhesion mechanisms of silicone elastomers to polymers. Adhesion properties are believed to be directly related to the molecular structures at the adhesive/substrate interfaces. To improve adhesion, adhesion promoters such as silanes are commonly used to modify the interfacial structures. It is difficult to study buried interfacial molecular structures between two materials in situ using conventional analytical techniques. In this study, sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy was used to investigate molecular structures at buried silicone/poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) interfaces. Environmental-friendly epoxysilanes including (3-glycidoxypropyl)triethoxysilane (γ-GPES), (3-glycidoxypropyl)methyldiethoxysilane (γ-GPDES), and (3-glycidoxypropyl)dimethylethoxysilane (γ-GPDMES) and their mixtures with methylvinylsiloxanol (MVS) were used as adhesion promoters to modify silicone adhesion properties to PET. Var...
Laboratory Interaction Between Introduced Chrysomya rufifacies and Native Cochliomyia macellaria (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Larvae of the introduced blow fly Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) were reared with larvae of the native blow fly Cochliomyia macellaria (F.) on ground beef. C. rufifacies reduced C. macellaria survivorship at a variety of densities and proportions at both 22 and 29°C. No effect of C. macellaria on C. rufifacies survivorship was observed. The addition of C. macellaria increased the time period from egg to adult in C. rufifacies . The reduction in C. macellaria survivorship was so great as to outweigh any drop in C. rufifacies fitness resulting from increased development time; the interaction appears to be a highly asymmetric case of competition. The interaction was not observed to influence the sex ratio of the resulting adults.
Analysis of the Impact of Human Capital Investment on the Income of Rural Residents in China

Human capital investment is important to the income of Chinese rural residents. This paper analyzed the impact of the income of Chinese rural residents based on the cross-sectional data of China’s 31 provinces. It is showed that if the investment of human capital rise 1%,then it will promote China’s rural residents per capita net income increase of 0.23%,which representing an increase of 3.5614% of investment in fixed assets. Moreover,this paper used cluster analysis based on samples of the per capita income and human capital investment,showed that polices should more bias to the Guizhou,Yunnan,Tibet,Shaanxi,Xinjiang,Gansu,Qinghai,Ningxia and Guangxi,thus promote the harmonious development of the western region.
Mineral, Lipids, and Proteins Associated with Soft Tissue Deposits

A wide variety of crystalline deposits occur as a result of pathophysiologic disturbances in soft tissues of humans [3–5,43,44,38,56]. These include mineral deposits, e. g., calcium phosphates and carbonates, the calcium salts of organic molecules, and crystals of non- mineral materials. Many examples of each of these categories exist, and a list of the most commonly encountered soft tissue crystalline deposits is presented in Table I. The biochemical disturbances associated with crystal deposition in soft tissues differ, but in general, abnormal crystal deposition can be attributed to one or more of the following mechanisms: increased local or systemic supersaturations of the tissue, exposure of agents that promote crystal deposition (nucleators), and loss or destruction of agents that in healthy tissue prevent mineral deposition (inhibitors).
Investigating the Impact of the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on Trace Metal Concentrations in Bottom Sediments Retrieved from the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) of Alabama and Western Florida, Gulf of Mexico

The changes in the metal concentrations in sediments from the eastern Gulf of Mexico OCS can be explained by the presence of a new source for these metals. These metals were released from the damaged Macondo Well which resulted in the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill during the spring of 2010. One-hundred and twenty sediment samples were collected during the fall months for the years 2008-2012 from the eastern OCS. The Tukey range test was used to compare measurement six metal concentrations between the relict sand deposits of the northern Gulf of Mexico OCS to the relict carbonate sediments off of western Florida OCS. Tests indicated that nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the seasonal average concentrations in the relict sand deposits after the spill. These higher concentrations are also reflected in the V to Ni ratio being at its lowest value in the relict sand (0.82) in the north, which is closer to the damaged well.
Integration of Point-of-Care Ultrasound Training into Undergraduate Medical Curricula—A Perspective from Medical Students

The utility of point of care ultrasound training during medical school is becoming more and more evident. At the Loma Linda University School of Medicine, we have formally integrated ultrasound education into the curriculum of all four years. Exposure begins in the first few months of Year 1 and takes form in a variety of educational mediums through Year 4. Whether students receive training through mandatory sessions during physical diagnosis courses or extracurricular workshops provided through the Ultrasound Interest Group—the experience equips learners of at all different skill levels with the confidence to apply what they have learned to patient care. The successful integration of ultrasound training into the medical curriculum can be attributed to progressive administration, devoted faculty and eager students. The perspective of medical students during the integration process is described in this paper.
Intestinal Failure: New Definition and Clinical Implications

Intestinal failure (IF) is a state in which the nutritional demands of the body are not met by the gastrointestinal absorptive surface. It is a long-recognized complication associated with short bowel syndrome, which results in malabsorption after significant resection of the intestine for many reasons or functional dysmotility. Etiologies have included Crohn’s disease, vascular complications, and the effects of radiation enteritis, as well as the effects of intestinal obstruction, dysmotility, or congenital defects. While IF has been long-recognized, it has historically not been uniformly defined, which has made both recognition and management challenging. This review examines the previous definitions of IF as well as the newer definition and classification of IF and how it is essential to IF clinical guidelines.
Field theories for gauged symmetry-protected topological phases: Non-Abelian anyons with Abelian gauge group Z2 - 3

Dijkgraaf-Witten (DW) theories are of recent interest to the condensed matter community, in part because they represent topological phases of matter, but also because they characterize the response theory of certain symmetry protected topological (SPT) phases. However, as yet there has not been a comprehensive treatment of the spectra of these models in the field theoretic setting even for Abelian gauge groups, the goal of this work is to fill the gap in the literature, especially for a selection of DW models with Abelian gauge groups but non-Abelian topological order. Particularly, we focus on the appearance of non-Abelian statistics in type-III twisted DW theories with Abelian gauge groups ${\mathbb{Z}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{\bigotimes}3}$. There are only 22 distinguishable line operators, and their fusion rules and correlation functions are calculated. The flux insertion operators have quantum dimension 2, which clearly demonstrates the non-Abelian topological order of type-III twisted DW theories.
Computing with Probability

In this chapter we present some of the ways in which probability can be put to use in scientific computation. We begin with a class of Monte Carlo methods (so named in honor of that town’s gambling casinos) where one evaluates a nonrandom quantity, for example a definite integral, as the expected value of a random variable.
Development of lead chalcogenide nanocrystalline (NC) semiconductor ionizing radiation detectors

Nanocrystalline (NC) semiconductor materials exhibit exploitable properties — such as tunable energy band gap, and charge carrier multiplication — which arise due to the strong quantum confinement effect. If the highly uniform multiplicities of excitons can be developed across macroscopic NC samples, then one can potentially quench the statistical counting noise associated with charge carrier creation in the bulk material. Lead chalcogenide (PbSe and PbTe) NC particles of different sizes and shapes were synthesized by changing the reaction conditions and their characterization is reported. Closely packed NC assemblies of PbSe were formed by drop-casting the NC dispersion on various metal contacts, making use of its self-agglomerating nature. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the NC assembly were studied to evaluate its property as an NC assembly diode, followed by an alpha particle impingement experiment from the Am-241 source. The viability and continuing empirical challenges of using lead chalcogenide NC materials as a basis for the detection of ionizing radiation are discussed.
La apologética en la "Introducción del Símbolo de la Fe" de fray Luis de Granada

espanolEn 1583 fray Luis de Granada vuelve a salir a la palestra literaria con la publicacion de la Introduccion del Simbolo de la Fe, una obra que va mas alla de las meras pretensiones literarias. Concretamente en el primero de los cuatro volumenes se dispone a elaborar una defensa de unos principios metafisicos de cuno tomista necesarios para una sana teologia. Fray Luis es consciente de que se viven unos tiempos convulsos y se adhiere al esfuerzo catequizador de la Contrarreforma. La apologetica que fray Luis lleva a cabo no consiste en entrar en sofisticados debates para rebatir los argumentos contrarios. Mas bien se trata de una obra dirigida a un publico amplio, no para sacar a la luz controversias teologicas, sino para poner de manifiesto, haciendo gala de su destreza literaria, la verdad y belleza de los principios metafisicos de la teologia escolastica que se veian ahora amenazados por la irrupcion del protestantismo. EnglishIn 1583, Louis of Granada returned to the literary scene with the publication of a new book entitled Introduction of the Symbol of Faith, intended to be more than a mere literary work. The first of the four volumes aims at defending some Thomistic metaphysical principles, which are necessary for a sound theology. Luis of Granada, fully aware that he was living in an historical period marked by religious turmoil, adhered himself to the catechizing effort of the Counter-Reformation. The apologetics carried out by Louis of Granada do not consist in rebuking opposing arguments; the book –addressed to a wide range of readers– did not intend to create theological controversies but to show, using literary means, the truth and the beauty of the metaphysical principles of the Scholastic philosophy under threat since the outbreak of the Protestant Reformation.
Examining Child and Word Characteristics in Vocabulary Learning of Struggling Readers

ABSTRACTAlthough instruction has been shown to be effective at increasing vocabulary knowledge and comprehension, factors most important for promoting the acquisition of novel vocabulary are less known. In addition, few vocabulary studies have utilized models that simultaneously take into account child-level, word-level, and instructional factors to better understand the acquisition of novel vocabulary from informational text. Sixty-eight children with reading difficulties in Grades 3–5 were randomly assigned to either vocabulary strategy instruction or traditional comprehension instruction with both groups reading the same set of expository texts. Crossed random-effects models were used to predict item-level variance in vocabulary acquisition. Results indicated main effects for condition favoring vocabulary instruction, child-level predictors (vocabulary and knowledge of the content), and word-level factors (frequency and imageability). One interaction was significant, indicating that students with highe...
The Missing LINC for Genetic Cardiovascular Disease

As of 2014, cardiovascular disease (CVD) was listed as the underlying cause for 1 of every 3 deaths in the United States.1 Many forms of CVD have a strong genetic component, and the number of causal genes elucidated greatly depends on the type of CVD under study. Understanding the molecular basis of CVD can guide medical decisions of the practitioner, patient, and family members. Currently, gene panels are used in the clinical setting to screen for disease-causing variation. Panels vary greatly in size depending on the number of genetic causes of the disease in question. There is often a great deal of phenotypic overlap between the inherited CVDs. To accommodate these variable phenotypes, many testing laboratories now use large panels that include >75 genes. Another route that is more commonly being used is the use of whole exome sequencing and whole genome sequencing to identify causal and contributory variants.2,3 Whole exome sequencing or whole genome sequencing can begin with focus on rare variants in genes most commonly associated with disease, and, if no attractive candidates are identified, the search is broadened to include genes not currently associated with disease. Such broad searches can lead to the identification of new disease genes; a great benefit in the research context, but a burden in the clinical-setting making disease risk assessment more difficult. It is also an ever-evolving target to determine the amount of validation necessary to deem variants pathogenic and therefore reportable, especially when variants are unique to individuals or to individual families.4 It can be especially troubling when the disease in question involves sudden death where there is significant risk for surviving family members. It is imperative that new, potential CVD genes continue to be validated using a variety of methods, including family studies, animal- and …
Pathology: Premalignant and Malignant Diseases and Molecular Genetics

The pathology chapter covers the surgical pathology and cytology of normal pancreas, as well as premalignant and malignant pancreatic processes. Brief radiological and macroscopic findings are presented, to correlate with the detailed microscopic findings. Several illustrative gross photos, microphotographs, and tables are included. Most common hereditary syndromes and their associated risks for pancreatic cancer are listed. Molecular genetics of the following entities are discussed and compared: pancreatic intraductal neoplasia (PanIN), pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN), and pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms. A helpful table summarizing cystic fluid analysis features of various cystic pancreatic lesions is included. The most current pathologic grading and staging criteria are listed, including Baltimore consensus on grading of dysplasia in PanIN, IPMN, and mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN) and AJCC eighth edition of pancreatic tumor staging.
Greater Lymph Node Retrieval Improves Survival in Node-Negative Resected Gastric Cancer in the United States

Purpose Guidelines in western countries recommend retrieving ≥15 lymph nodes (LNs) during gastric cancer resection. This study sought to determine whether the number of examined lymph nodes (eLNs), a proxy for lymphadenectomy, effects survival in node-negative disease. Materials and Methods The US National Cancer Database (2003-2011) was reviewed for node-negative gastric adenocarcinoma. Treatment was categorized by neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) vs. initial resection, and further stratified by eLN. Kaplan-Meier and Weibull models were used to analyze overall survival. Results Of the 1,036 patients who received NAT, 40.5% had ≤10 eLN, and most underwent proximal gastrectomy (67.8%). In multivariate analysis, greater eLN was associated with improved survival (eLN 16-20: HR, 0.71; P=0.039, eLN 21-30: HR, 0.55; P=0.001). Of the 2,795 patients who underwent initial surgery, 42.5% had ≤10 eLN, and the majority underwent proximal gastrectomy (57.2%). In multivariate analysis, greater eLN was associated with improved survival (eLN 11-15: HR, 0.81; P=0.021, eLN 16-20: HR, 0.73; P=0.004, eLN 21-30: HR, 0.62; P 30: HR, 0.58; P<0.001). Conclusions In the United States, the majority of node-negative gastrectomies include suboptimal eLN. In node-negative gastric cancer, greater LN retrieval appears to have therapeutic and prognostic value, irrespective of initial treatment, suggesting a survival benefit to meticulous lymphadenectomy.
Characterization of a muscle membrane ATPase glycoprotein.

In straited muscle (SM), the contraction-relaxation cycle is controlled by unique interfacing elements of the sarcotubular membrane system consisting of the transverse tubules (TT) and the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). The TT membranes are continuous invaginations of the sarcolemma (SL), and comprise over 80% of the surface membrane of SM. The topic of TT membranes has been reviewed recently.1
Abstract 4591: Integration of genomic analysis and assessment of pre-analytic variables in the HD-SCA workflow: A technical validation study

The liquid biopsy allows assessment of multiple biological analytes over time to provide dynamic temporal information with the potential for improving clinical management and guiding treatment decisions. While the promise of liquid biopsies for prediction and response monitoring are intensely investigated, the pre-analytic variables are of primary concern for its implementation in diagnostic clinical medicine, including such categories as collection method, shipping conditions, and sample storage. Here we utilize an integrated high-definition single cell analysis (HD-SCA) workflow for genomic analysis of rare cells and cfDNA from the liquid biopsy to characterize the effects of pre-analytical variation and reproducibility of data analysis from the same cohort of patients. The results presented here confirm consistent rare cell enumeration and morphometric characterization between 24h and 48h time to assay (TTA), with a high efficiency and capacity for both copy number variation (CNV) and single nucleotide variation (SNV) analysis at the single cell level. Additionally, the freezing process neither diminishes or increases the DNA quantity, nor does it affect the DNA quality for CNV or SNV analysis. The integration of genomic information is imperative to reveal essential disease-implicated mutational profiles, but effective molecular diagnostic tests require reproducible coverage over a broad dynamic range. The performance of the HD-SCA platform quantified here may be utilized as a guide for implementation into patient care and/or research biorepository processes. Citation Format: Stephanie Nicole Shishido, Mariam Rodriguez_Lee, Anand Kolatkar, Liya Xu, Sara Restrepo-Vassalli, Lisa Welter, Anders Carlsson, Emily Greenspan, Shelley Hwang, Kathryn Waitman, Jorge Nieva, Kelley Bethel, James Hicks, Peter Kuhn. Integration of genomic analysis and assessment of pre-analytic variables in the HD-SCA workflow: A technical validation study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4591.
Effects of Probiotic VSL#3 on Recovery from Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis in Mice

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects as many as 1.6 million Americans every year. This condition is a chronic intestinal disease that also includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Probi...
Un/Sent Stream: a review of Torkwase Dyson's recent exhibition, Dear Henry; Davidson Gallery; March 15–May 5, 2018

Artist Torkwase Dyson's Spring 2018 exhibition at Chelsea's Davidson gallery is framed around an im/possible salutation. A stunning collection of what the artist calls “water table” paintings and a...
OpenClock: A Testbed for Clock Synchronization Research

Clock synchronization protocols have always been tested and compared in controlled environments. The hardware variability of different platforms, and network variability in communication channels is often ignored. Most of the synchronization algorithms are not tested for faults, failures or adversarial attacks because it is hard to reproduce them on different devices. The presence of few clocks on a single device limits the use of one device to test multiple synchronization protocols at once. For fair comparison of multiple synchronization protocols, we assert that it is essential for their disciplinable clocks to be derived from the same clock hardware, and that they process the same network traffic. We propose OpenClock, a clock synchronization testbed that manages synchronization resources and provides multiple disciplinable clocks on a single platform. OpenClock features a rich set of clocks for modular and extensible design, and an attack simulator for testing algorithmic resilience. Users can leverage the attack capability to find vulnerabilities, and test the resilience of synchronization algorithms. We prototype OpenClock on an embedded platform and ×86 desktop. We evaluate variants of PTP and NTP protocols on the embedded platform under various clock parameters, disciplining mechanisms, and attack scenarios.
Inpatients Sign On: An Opportunity to Engage Hospitalized Patients and Caregivers Using Inpatient Portals.

Background Inpatient portals are online patient portals linked to electronic health records that provide hospitalized patients and caregivers secure access to real-time clinical information and tools to enhance their communication with providers and hospital experience. Objective The main objective of this commentary was to provide a perspective that inpatient portals are innovative tools poised to engage patients and caregivers during hospitalization and, thus, enhance patient-centered care. Results Inpatient portals are desired by patients and caregivers and may contribute to improved recognition of their inpatient care team, knowledge of their treatment plan and overall inpatient experience. A sociotechnical systems approach is recommended to mitigate potential unintended consequences of inpatient portal use and support effective portal design, implementation and evaluation. Conclusions This article highlights the potential of using inpatient portals to engage hospitalized patients and caregivers and proposes next steps to evaluate this emerging technology.
Effect of micro-nutrients on the growth and sporulation offusarium solani F.Aurantifoliae bhat. and prasad

The two isolates (F 1 and F 2) ofFusarium solani responsible for lime twig disease were tested for their trace element requirements. The effect of zinc, iron, copper and manganese singly and in all possible combinations on growth and sporulation of the two isolates was studied and it was found that in both of them iron and zinc, singly and in all combinations, played a remarkable role. Best growth and sporulation took place where the medium was supplemented with a combination of zinc, manganese and iron. Copper either singly or in mixtures was less effective for sporulation while zinc had a key role in this process.
Racial/ethnic disparities in renal cell carcinoma: Increased risk of early-onset and variation in histologic subtypes

Urology Care Foundation; National Cancer Institute Cancer CenterUnited States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USANIH National Cancer Institute (NCI) [P30CA023074]; Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention (NACP) [U54CA143924, U54CA143925]
The association between type of sexual assault and post-assault alcohol misuse is moderated by avoidance among recipients of a sexual assault medical forensic examination.

Objective:The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the type of sexual assault (intoxicated vs. non-intoxicated) and post-assault avoidance on post-assault alcohol misuse amo...
Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program Is Not Associated With Additional Patient Safety Improvement

In 2013 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that it would begin levying penalties against hospitals with the highest rates of hospital-acquired conditions through the Hospital-...
Alohamora: Reviving HTTP/2 Push and Preload by Adapting Policies On-the-Fly

Author(s): Kansal, Nikhil | Advisor(s): Netravali, Ravi | Abstract: Despite their promise of improved performance, HTTP/2's server push and link preload features have seen minimal adoption, largely because designing performant push/preload policies requires complex reasoning about the subtle relationships between page content, browser state, device resources, and network conditions. Static policies and guidelines that sufficiently generalize across these diverse conditions remain elusive.We present Alohamora, a system that automatically generates push/preload policies using Reinforcement Learning (RL). Alohamora trains a neural network that, given inputs that characterize the page structure and execution environment, outputs a push/preload policy for the page load at hand. To ensure efficient and practical training despite the large space of potential policies, number of pages served by a given site, and high mobile page load times, Alohamora introduces several key innovations: a faithful page load simulator that can evaluate a policy in several milliseconds (compared to 10s of seconds for a regular page load), and a page clustering strategy that appropriately balances insights for push/preload with the number of pages required during training. Experiments across a wide range of pages and mobile execution environments reveal that Alohamora is able to accelerate page loads by 19-57% and 12-34% for page load time and Speed Index, respectively.
An in vivo reporter for tracking lipid droplet dynamics in transparent zebrafish

Abstract Lipid droplets are lipid storage organelles found in nearly all cell types from adipocytes to cancer cells. Although increasingly implicated in disease, current methods to study lipid droplets require fixation or static imaging which limits investigation of their rapid in vivo dynamics. To address this, we created a lipid droplet transgenic reporter in whole animals and cell culture by fusing tdTOMATO to Perilipin-2 (PLIN2), a lipid droplet structural protein. Expression of this transgene in transparent casper zebrafish enabled in vivo imaging of adipose depots responsive to nutrient deprivation and high-fat diet. Using this system, we tested novel regulators of lipolysis, revealing an unexpected role for nitric oxide in modulating adipocyte lipid droplets. Similarly, we expressed the PLIN2-tdTOMATO transgene in melanoma cells and found that the nitric oxide pathway also regulated lipid droplets in cancer. This model offers a tractable imaging platform to study lipid droplets across cell types and disease contexts.
Missed Opportunities in New-onset Seizures in the Emergency Department.

New onset motor seizures, especially generalized convulsive seizures, are common but frightening to patients and bystanders, and typically result in evaluation in the emergency department (ED). Emergency physicians are challenged to confirm whether the event precipitating the visit was indeed a seizure rather than a mimic such as stroke, syncope, non-epileptic spell, or migraine. When a true seizure is suspected, the next step is to identify a precipitating cause.