cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Production of trans C18:1 and conjugated linoleic acid in continuous culture fermenters fed diets containing fish oil and sunflower oil with decreasing levels of forage

Previously, feeding fish oil (FO) and sunflower seeds to dairy cows resulted in the greatest increases in the concentrations of vaccenic acid (VA, t11 C18:1) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in milk fat. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of forage level in diets containing FO and sunflower oil (SFO) on the production of trans C18:1 and CLA by mixed ruminal microbes. A dual-flow continuous culture system consisting of three fermenters was used in a 3 × 3 Latin-square design. Treatments consisted of (1) 75:25 forage:concentrate (HF); (2) 50:50 forage:concentrate (MF); and (3) 25:75 forage:concentrate (LF). FO and SFO were added to each diet at 1 and 2 g/100 g dry matter (DM), respectively. The forage source was alfalfa pellets. During 10-day incubations, fermenters were fed treatment diets three times daily (140 g/day, divided equally between three feedings) as TMR diet. Effluents from the last 3 days of incubation were collected and composited for analysis. The concentration of trans C18:1 (17.20, 26.60, and 36.08 mg/g DM overflow for HF, MF, and LF treatments, respectively) increased while CLA (2.53, 2.35, and 0.81 mg/g DM overflow) decreased in a linear manner ( P < 0.05) as dietary forage level decreased. As dietary forage levels decreased, the concentrations of t10 C18:1 (0.0, 10.5, 33.5 mg/g DM) in effluent increased ( P < 0.05) and t10c12 CLA (0.08, 0.12, 0.35 mg/g DM) tended to increases ( P < 0.09) linearly. The concentrations of VA (14.7, 13.9, 0.0 mg/g DM) and c9t11 CLA (1.78, 1.52, 0.03 mg/g DM) in effluent decreased in a linear manner ( P < 0.05) as dietary forage levels decreased. Decreasing dietary forage levels resulted in t10 C18:1 and t10c12 CLA replacing VA and c9t11 CLA, respectively, in fermenters fed FO and SFO.
Statistical concepts in the planning and evaluation of drug safety from clinical trials in drug development: issues of international harmonization.

The assessment of the safety of new drugs during pre-marketing clinical studies is an important and integral part of the drug development and regulatory evaluation process. The International Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) is a project that brings together the regulatory decision-makers of Europe, Japan and the United States of America and the experts from the pharmaceutical industry in the three regions to seek ways to eliminate redundant and duplicative technical requirements among the developed countries for registering new medicinal substances and products. The ICH is developing guidelines or position papers to achieve the goal of harmonizing technical standards in three broad areas, namely, drug efficacy, safety and quality. Within the area of drug safety, this paper will discuss three of the safety topics because of their relevant statistical framework, and because these topics have not, to date, received any attention by the statistical community. The three issues under consideration by the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH), are. 1. Dose–response information to support drug registration (especially dose/toxicity relationship). 2. Studies in support of special populations; Geriatrics, A Draft Guideline. 3. ICH Draft Guideline 3 on The extent of population exposure required to assess clinical safety for drug intended for long-term-treatment of non-life-threatening conditions'. The ICH special population guideline concerning studies in geriatric patients is closely related to a recent Food and Drug Administration ‘Guideline for the study and evaluation of gender differences in the clinical evaluation of drugs’,4 which is another example of a ‘subgroup’ for whom specific interest exists to evaluate drug safety and efficacy.
The Hidden Problem of Uninformed Online Product Reviewers

Online product reviews sometimes display a consistent, positive bias. Prior research has largely focused on reviewer honesty but other possible explanations are lack of product knowledge and self-selection bias. A semantic Web method is proposed to deliver more accurate reviews to online customers. An agent-based model is used to show that such a method can significantly improve information delivery even with noisy knowledge data.
The Role of the Medullary Lateral Tegmental Field in the Generation and Baroreceptor Reflex Control of Sympathetic Nerve Discharge in the Cat

: Data from experiments with single neuron recordings as well as central microinjections of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA excitatory amino receptor antagonists that have led to a model of central sympathetic pathways that includes synaptic relays in the medullary lateral tegmental field (LTF) of the cat are summarized. Evidence is presented that (1) the LTF contains a population of tonically active sympathoexcitatory neurons that drive rostral ventrolateral medullary neurons, (2) blockade of non-NMDA receptors in the LTF significantly reduces basal levels of sympathetic nerve discharge (SND) and mean arterial pressure in baroreceptor-denervated cats, and (3) blockade of NMDA-mediated neurotransmission in the LTF prevents baroreceptor reflex control of SND. Thus, LTF neurons play an important role in the generation and baroreceptor reflex control of SND in the cat.
Ethics Education: Using Inductive Reasoning To Develop Individual, Group, Organizational, and Global Perspectives

Ethics education that prepares students to address ethical challenges at work is a multifaceted and long-term endeavor. In this article, the authors propose an inductive ethics pedagogy that begins the process of ethics education by grounding students in their own individual ethical principles. The approach centers on developing students' ethical self-knowledge in three ways: using an inductive method to aid students in learning ethics from a foundation of their own beliefs, distinguishing ethics from related concepts, and examining ethical conduct at four different levels of analysis—individual, group, organizational, and international perspectives. The authors define ethics and provide a model, new to the literature, that distinguishes ethics from related concepts, such as law, morality, or values. They include a discussion of ethical and cultural relativism and ethical absolutism relevant to the global context. This article is intended for the ethics educator in undergraduate and graduate business courses.
Diagnostic Imaging in Pregnancy

The decision to order diagnostic imaging in pregnancy is often filled with anxiety. Both the patient and provider may be fearful of the potential harmful effects of radiation on the fetus. The term radiation itself provokes images of atomic bombs and nuclear accidents. Although there is evidence that such massive doses of radiation may be associated with poor outcomes in pregnancy, it is the job of the clinician to educate women about the differences in dose and risk of radiation used in most diagnostic procedures. In many cases, diagnostic radiography is unavoidable in the evaluation and treatment of the pregnant women. In such cases, it is important to balance the potential benefits of the testing with an accurate assessment of the risk of the procedure. In short, the test is indicated when the benefits to maternal well-being outweigh the risk of harm to the mother or the fetus. While imaging with X-ray, CT, or nuclear medicine techniques are associated with exposure to ionizing radiation, almost all of these imaging studies are associated with radiation doses that are well below the acceptable limit for pregnancy. Ultrasound and MRI do not involve ionizing radiation and may provide an alternative option in some circumstances.
Automating and optimizing data transfers for many-core coprocessors

Orchestrating data transfers between CPUs and a coprocessor manually is cumbersome, particularly for multi-dimensional arrays and other data structures with multi-level pointers, which are common in scientific computations. This work describes a system that includes both compile-time and runtime solutions for this problem, with the overarching goal of improving programmer productivity while maintaining performance.We implemented our best compile-time solution, partial linearization with pointer reset, as a source-to-source transformation, and evaluated our work by multiple C benchmarks. Our experiment results demonstrate that our best compile-time solution can perform 2.5x-5x faster than original runtime solution, and the CPU-Coprocessor code with it can achieve 1.5x-2.5x speedup over the 16-thread CPU version.
A guaranteed training of binary pattern mappings using Gaussian perceptron networks

Training algorithms are introduced for single- and multiple-layered networks of Gaussian perceptrons. One characteristic of these algorithms is that they can guarantee that a network structure and the corresponding weights will be found for any arbitrarily given mapping relation of binary patterns. A number of computer simulation results are presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithms. >
Embedding simulation modeling in development of high autonomy systems

One of the key problems in developing a high autonomy system stems from the embedded nature of such a system where software and hardware components must be integrated to achieve the autonomy. Not all of the desired hardware and/or software components may be directly applicable for developing such an embedded system. This paper proposes a simulation embedded methodology that can remedy the potential difficulties in such circumstances. In this methodology hardware and/or software components that are not applicable during the development time are replaced by simulated models of the components. These simulated models are embedded into the real-time installation of the software unit of the system. The proposed methodology is demonstrated by developing an intelligent real-time control system. >
Characterization of Recombinant Fungal Phytase (phyA) Expressed in Tobacco Leaves

The phyA gene from Aspergillus ficuum coding for a 441-amino-acid full-length phytase was expressed in Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) leaves. The expressed phytase was purified to homogeneity using ion-exchange column chromatography. The purified phytase was characterized biochemically and its kinetic parameters were determined. When the recombinant phytase was compared with its counterpart from Aspergillus ficuum for physical and enzymatic properties, it was found that catalytically the recombinant protein was indistinguishable from the native phytase. Except for a decrease in molecular mass, the overexpressed recombinant phytase was virtually the same as the native fungal phytase. While the temperature optima of the recombinant protein remain unchanged, the pH optima shifted from pH 5 to 4. The results are encouraging enough to open the possibility of overexpressing phyA gene from Aspergillus ficuum in other crop plants as an alternative means of commercial production of this important enzyme.
The Mycobacterial Cell Envelope—Lipids

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) lipids are indelibly imprinted in just about every key aspect of tuberculosis (TB) basic and translational research. Although the interest in these compounds originally stemmed from their abundance, structural diversity, and antigenicity, continued research in this field has been driven by their important contribution to TB pathogenesis and their interest from the perspective of drug, vaccine, diagnostic, and biomarker development. This article summarizes what is known of the roles of lipids in the physiology and pathogenicity of Mtb and the exciting developments that have occurred in recent years in identifying new lead compounds targeting their biogenesis.
Rumination in bipolar disorder: evidence for an unquiet mind

Depression in bipolar disorder has long been thought to be a state characterized by mental inactivity. However, recent research demonstrates that patients with bipolar disorder engage in rumination, a form of self-focused repetitive cognitive activity, in depressed as well as in manic states. While rumination has long been associated with depressed states in major depressive disorder, the finding that patients with bipolar disorder ruminate in manic states is unique to bipolar disorder and challenges explanations put forward for why people ruminate. We review the research on rumination in bipolar disorder and propose that rumination in bipolar disorder, in both manic and depressed states, reflects executive dysfunction. We also review the neurobiology of bipolar disorder and recent neuroimaging studies of rumination, which is consistent with our hypothesis that the tendency to ruminate reflects executive dysfunction in bipolar disorder. Finally, we relate the neurobiology of rumination to the neurobiology of emotion regulation, which is disrupted in bipolar disorder.
A preliminary investigation of modified alginates as a matrix for gene transfection in a HeLa cell model.

Previous reports have demonstrated the effectiveness of chitosan as a transfection agent. These studies have noted the importance of polysaccharide backbone interactions with the cell surface as well as cationic groups in the transfection process. The present study focuses upon the potential utility of another polysaccharide hydrogel, alginic acid, as a transfection agent. Alginic acid was modified by carbodiimide-mediated linkage of several heterocyclic and aromatic amines to the carboxyl group of the alginate, giving the alginate polycationic characteristics through which binding to nucleic acids could be facilitated. The amines used for this modification include diaminoacridine, thionin, basic fuchsin, acridine yellow, and diaminomethyltriazine. Of all the conjugates tested, basic fuchsin-modified alginate produced the greatest increase in the transfection of a plasmid coding for β-galactosidase into HeLa cells. These studies demonstrate that other polysaccharide hydrogels can be used as transfection a...
GEL: a novel genotype calling algorithm using empirical likelihood

Motivation: Preliminary results on the data produced using the Affymetrix large-scale genotyping platforms show that it is necessary to construct improved genotype calling algorithms. There is evidence that some of the existing algorithms lead to an increased error rate in heterozygous genotypes, and a disproportionately large rate of heterozygotes with missing genotypes. Non-random errors and missing data can lead to an increase in the number of false discoveries in genetic association studies. Therefore, the factors that need to be evaluated in assessing the performance of an algorithm are the missing data (call) and error rates, but also the heterozygous proportions in missing data and errors. Results: We introduce a novel genotype calling algorithm (GEL) for the Affymetrix GeneChip arrays. The algorithm uses likelihood calculations that are based on distributions inferred from the observed data. A key ingredient in accurate genotype calling is weighting the information that comes from each probe quartet according to the quality/reliability of the data in the quartet, and prior information on the performance of the quartet. Availability: The GEL software is implemented in R and is available by request from the corresponding author at nicolae@galton.uchicago.edu Contact: nicolae@galton.uchicago.edu
The Equations of Motion Method: An Approach to the Dynamical Properties of Atoms and Molecules

This chapter is concerned with the equations of motion method as a many-body approach to the dynamical properties of atoms and molecules. In a wide range of spectroscopic experiments one is primarily concerned with just dynamical properties. These dynamical properties include excitation energies and oscillator strengths in optical spectroscopy, the dynamic or frequency-dependent polarizability in light scattering studies, photoionization cross sections, and elastic and inelastic electron scattering cross sections. These experiments probe the response of an atom or molecule to some external perturbation. If one is concerned with these properties one should develop a formalism which aims directly at these properties. Of course this idea is not novel. For example, one might try to calculate the appropriate Green’s functions whose poles, and residues at these poles, are directly the excitation energies and transitions densities, respectively. One could also attempt to solve the time-dependent Schrodinger equation directly, e.g., in the time-dependent Hartree—Fock approximation. The approach to these dynamical properties of atoms and molecules which we will discuss is based on the equations of motion formalism as suggested by Rowe.(1) This is a very practical formalism based on the equations of motion for excitation operators defined as operators that convert one stationary state of a system into another state.
Organizational communication: Relationships to organizational climate and job satisfaction.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine relationships among measures of organizational communication, organizational climate, and job satisfaction. Six hundred ninety-five employees of...
The development and validation of a geographic information system database for the poultry industry on the Delmarva Peninsula.

SUMMARY. A geographic information system (GIS) database of the poultry industry on the Delmarva Peninsula was developed through a cooperative agreement between the Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc., and the Virginia–Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. The purpose of this database was to facilitate disease surveillance and assist in managing the response to outbreaks and other emergencies. Two methods of data collection were employed and are described in this paper. The first method was to visit each poultry farm and collect the latitude and longitude coordinates with a handheld global positioning system unit. The second method used property ownership information, aerial photographs, and a GIS to determine the latitude and longitude of each poultry farm. There was no significant difference between the two methods in the accuracy of the results, but there was a large difference in the amount of time and money necessary to obtain the data. These findings indicate that whereas there are many ways ...
Should Family Physicians Routinely Screen Patients for Hepatitis C? Yes: Screening Makes Sense for High-Risk Adults.

For patients to receive appropriate care for their chronic infection and receive curative treatment, they must first know they are infected, and it all begins with screening.
The Fundamental Particles and Interactions Wall Chart, The Teaching of Contemporary Physics, and the Future of the SSC

The students of the current generation lack knowledge of science in general and physics in particular. Incorporation of contemporary topics can motivate students’ interest in physics as well as help produce the new physics teachers who will be needed in the next generation. More importantly for “big science” projects such as the SSC, such education can help provide a constituency recognizing the worth of the endeavors. Teachers who wish to incorporate new physics ideas have few sources of information or inspiration to which to turn. The Contemporary Physics Education Project has developed a “wall chart” for particle physics, which provides aid to teachers interested in particles, and is colorful and attractive enough to entice students’ into showing some interest in the subject. The development of chart will be described and the current version will be shown.
Open Partial Nephrectomy for Wilms' Tumor in a Cross-fused Pelvic Ectopic Kidney

Wilms' tumor is the most common pediatric solid renal tumor. Cross-fused renal ectopia is a rare congenital anomaly in which the left and right kidneys become fused and fail to ascend from the pelvis and abdomen. We report a case of a 5-year-old girl that underwent open partial nephrectomy on a cross-fused ectopic kidney, "pancake kidney," after incidental discovery of a solid renal mass found to be a Wilms' tumor. Thorough review of the literature shows that this combination of Wilms' tumor in the setting of cross-fused renal ectopia has only been reported twice previously.
Aggregation and gelation properties of preheated whey protein and pectin mixtures at pH 1.0-4.0

Abstract The objective of this work was to understand aggregation and gelation properties of mixtures with preheated whey protein (hWP) and pectin at 1:0–5:1 mass ratios quickly acidified to pH 1.0–4.0 with HCl under agitation. Aggregation properties were studied by measuring turbidity and zeta-potential of hWP–pectin mixtures at pH 1.0–4.0. Gelation properties were characterized for visual inspection of gel formation in vials and small strain oscillation tests. Temperature and time sweeps, also with addition of 5 mM N-ethylmaleimide or 10% urea, were used in rheological tests to understand molecular forces causing gelation. The quickly-acidified gels had less homogenous microstructures and lower strengths than those using slow acidification enabled with glucono-delta-lactone and without agitation. hWP, pectin, and their mixtures had different gelation properties at pH 1.0–4.0. At the studied conditions, pectin neutralized positive charges of hWP, induced gelation at pH 1.5–3.0, and changed properties of hWP gels. hWP gelled at pH 3.5–4.0, while the hWP–pectin mixtures did not. Gelation of hWP alone and its mixture with pectin involved different molecular interactions. Both physical forces (hydrophobic attraction and hydrogen bonds) and disulfide bonds were important to the gelation of hWP at pH 3.5–4.0, while physical forces dominated the gelation of hWP–pectin mixtures, with electrostatic attraction between the two polyelectrolytes playing a significant role. The findings suggest the gelation properties of hWP–pectin mixtures at pH 1.0–4.0 are dependent on the biopolymer ratio and composition.
Biliary excretion of phenol 3,6-dibromphthalein disulfonate in rats fed a protein-free diet.

SummaryPhenol 3,6-dibromphthalein disulfonate (diBSP) was shown to be excreted rapidly in the bile of rats as the unconjugated compound, confirming earlier observations of Javitt (6). In addition, it was demonstrated that diBSP and BSP share common hepatic transport systems. Finally, feeding a protein-free diet for 2 days did not affect the biliary excretion of diBSP, whereas the same diet was previously shown to result in decreased BSP excretion into bile accounted for by diminished excretion of conjugated BSP. The present findings support earlier conclusions that conjugation of BSP is an important determinant of the maximal rate of biliary excretion of BSP.
Therapeutic Exercise: Treatment Planning for Progression

Huber FE, Wells CL. St Louis, MO 63146, Saunders, 2006, paperback (with DVD), 400 pp, illus, ISBN: 072164077X; $49.95. The authors developed this text to provide an evidence-based therapeutic exercise guide with an emphasis on treatment progression for physical therapist students. Therapeutic exercise is a challenging subject to teach professional physical therapist students, and this text attempts to address this challenge. Several therapeutic exercise texts are currently available, but this book is unique in its presentation of basic exercise concepts and its inclusion of a wide spectrum of populations and disease states. The book contains 7 chapters. Chapter 1 starts with an introduction to general concepts of therapeutic exercise. This chapter also discusses the disablement model, documentation and writing goals, and patient education. A nice feature of the second chapter, “Addressing Functional Limitations and Disability With Therapeutic Exercise,” is the analysis of basic functional movement patterns geared for the beginning student. The next 5 chapters address specific impairments commonly treated …
Poly(ethylene oxide)-Assisted Macromolecular Self-Assembly of Lignin in ABS Matrix for Sustainable Composite Applications

In this effort, we report the compatibilization of biomass-derived lignin polymer in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) thermoplastic matrix without loss of mechanical properties via poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-mediated macromolecular self-assembly. ABS was blended with lignin in different concentrations, and blends with 10 wt % PEO (relative to lignin) were prepared. The relative tensile strength improved slightly at low lignin content but diminished rapidly as the lignin content was increased. However, the inclusion of PEO as an interfacial adhesion promoter helped avoid deleterious effects. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed that PEO plasticized the hard phase and thus lowered the activation energy (Ea) for its relaxation but caused stiffening of the soft phase and increased its Ea. Microscopy revealed that incorporating lignin in ABS led to the statistical dispersion of discrete lignin domains (300–1000 nm) which, after PEO addition, were reduced to smaller interconnected particles (200–500 nm). The...
Computed Tomography in the Prediction of Outcome in Head Injury

To determine the prognostic significance of computed tomographic (CT) findings in head injury, retrospective analysis was performed in 128 randomly selected severe head-injury patients managed with a standardized protocol. The minimal criterion for entry into this study was that the patients were unable to obey simple commands or utter formed words. Serial CT was performed on admission and 3-5 days, 2 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year after injury. A scale of severity of abnormalities was devised taking into account the size of the traumatic lesions on CT. The CT findings using the proposed scale were correlated with the clinical outcome and analyzed using linear logistic regression. Other characteristics such as midline shift, multiplicity, and corpus callosum and brainstem lesions were not included in the analysis either because they did not affect the prognosis or because too few of these lesions were present for statistical analysis. The correct prediction rate of outcome using the proposed scale for CT findings alone was found to be 69.7%. When CT findings were combined with the Glasgow Coma Scale score this rate was increased to 75.8%.
Small cell lung cancer: from the laboratory to the clinic.

Radiation therapy may be made more effective for SCLC by modifying dose fractionation, based on laboratory observation that SCLC cell lines are often relatively deficient in the ability to recover from doses of 2 Gy or less. Results of this approach will be known within a year. Radiation damage to the lungs may be reduced through the useof agents like PTX which can inhibit production of TNF, a likely initial mediator of radiation-related toxicity. Chemotherapy effectiveness may be improved by building on the observation that etoposide is a schedule dependent drug for SCLC lines, now confirmed in part by clinical trials
[Sex specific mortality in HIV/AIDS patients receiving antiretroviral therapy and risk factors in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region].

Objective To analyze the sex specific mortality in HIV/AIDS patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and risk factors in Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region (Xinjiang) , and provide evidence for the evaluation of the effect of HAART. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the mortality and survival of 8 061 male cases and 6 001 female cases of HIV infection, who received HAART during July 2004-June 2013 in Xinjiang. The information of the cases were downloaded from national antiretroviral therapy reporting sub-system in national HIV/AIDS reporting system. Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify the risk factors of deaths. Results The male cases were older and had lower CD4 value at baseline compared with the female cases. The major transmission route was injecting drug use in males, but sexual contact in females. The overall mortality of the male cases was higher than that of the females, which was 10.87/100 person-years during the first three month after receiving HAART, and 7.00/100 person-years two years later in males, but 4.77/100 person-years during the first three month and 3.00/100 person-years two years later in females. The results from Cox analysis showed that the risk factors were the CD4 value at baseline and transmission route. Compared with the cases who had lower CD4 value (CD4<200 cells/μl) at baseline, the HR for the cases who had higher CD4 value (CD4≥350 cells/μl) was 4.08 (95%CI: 2.96-5.62) in males and 5.11 (95%CI: 3.16-8.35) in females. Compared with sexual transmission, the HR for IDUs was 1.99 (95%CI: 1.66-2.40) in males and 1.77 (95%CI: 1.24-2.52) in females. The results of cumulative survival analysis showed that in conventional treatment group (CD4<350 cells/μl) , the five year survival rates were 81% and 87% for the males and females infected through sexual contact and 66% and 75% for the males and females infected through injecting drug use, and in early treatment group (CD4≥350 cells/μl) , the five year survival rates were 97% and 98% for the males and females infected through sexual contact and 86% and 97% for the males and females infected through injecting drug use. Conclusion In Xinjiang, the higher mortality in male HIV infection cases receiving HAART was related with lower CD4 value at baseline and higher infection rate through injecting drug use. Besides the weak intention for treatment and poor compliancy would be the deeper risk factors. Key words: Highly active antiretroviral therapy; Sex; Mortality; Survival analysis
Other Reasons for Glass—Steagall

One might wonder why and how Congress agreed to separate investment and commercial banking, considering the paucity of supporting evidence and the weight of evidence to the contrary showing that commercial banks did not fail because of their securities operations or holdings, did not engage in securities-related abusive practices, and were not guilty of conflicts of interest that damage consumers. While the restraint-on-competition, rent-seeking theory probably explains why Congress enacted the legislation and why it has not repealed it, the theory does not explain why passage came when it did. In particular, why was the law not enacted earlier, before commercial banks, through their securities affiliates, came close to dominating the securities business?
The New Territory: Land Grabs, the Transnational Land Regime and the Need for an International Property Right

This paper argues that the recent growth of the phenomenon of foreign direct land transactions, termed "FLTs," is indicative of an emerging transnational land regime that is uniquely differentiated from domestic land acquisition and prior colonial efforts. Grounded in the conceptual transformation of land from an instrumentality of state-sponsored entitlements to an international commodity, and the accompanying de-territorialization of states through market forces, this transnational land regime has emerged within a regulatory gap. Acknowledging these transformations and the resulting regulatory gap, this paper argues that new international legal structures and theories must be developed that address the unique positioning of land within the international sphere and protect all parties involved in FLTs. Drawing on the works of several property scholars, I therefore propose the conceptual development of an international real property right. An international real property right would be a first step in substantively establishing an international regulatory scheme that better addresses FLTs and the transnational land regime by (1) actively addressing the pluralistic concepts of real property present in international society, including concepts of land as both a commodity and a basic livelihood right; (2) reconceptualizing ownership of land as both a benefit wielding immense power and a social obligation; and (3) establishing an egalitarian right that can be legitimized across international institutions, thus combating the normative overfragmentation of competing property rights understandings.
Epigenetic Modification of MicroRNA-200b Contributes to Diabetic Vasculopathy.

Hyperglycemia (HG) induces genome-wide cytosine demethylation. Our previous work recognized miR-200b as a critical angiomiR, which must be transiently downregulated to initiate wound angiogenesis. Under HG, miR-200b downregulation is not responsive to injury. Here, we demonstrate that HG may drive vasculopathy by epigenetic modification of a miR promoter. In human microvascular endothelial cells (HMECs), HG also lowered DNA methyltransferases (DNMT-1 and DNMT-3A) and compromised endothelial function as manifested by diminished endothelial nitric oxide (eNOS), lowered LDL uptake, impaired Matrigel tube formation, lower NO production, and compromised VE-cadherin expression. Bisulfite-sequencing documented HG-induced miR-200b promoter hypomethylation in HMECs and diabetic wound-site endothelial cells. In HMECs, HG compromised endothelial function. Methyl donor S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) corrected miR-200b promoter hypomethylaton and rescued endothelial function. In vivo, wound-site administration of SAM to diabetic mice improved wound perfusion by limiting the pathogenic rise of miR-200b. Quantitative stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) proteomics and ingenuity pathway analysis identified HG-induced proteins and principal clusters in HMECs sensitive to the genetic inhibition of miR-200b. This work presents the first evidence of the miR-200b promoter methylation as a critical determinant of diabetic wound angiogenesis.
Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Effects of Hyperoxia and Stromal-Derived Factor-1α on Endothelial Progenitor Cells

In order for cutaneous wounds to heal in a timely manner, many requisites must be fulfilled, including infection control, resolution of inflammation, proper cell migration, differentiation, proliferation, deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM), sufficient delivery of oxygen and nutrients, wound contraction, and reepithelialization (Lazarus et al. Arch Dermatol 130:489–93, 1994). These events in turn require proper immune status, active angiogenesis/vasculogenesis, and avoidance of negative mechanical forces, such as weight bearing (Liu and Velazquez Antioxid Redox Signal 10:1869–82, 2008). Of all the above conditions, the most critical component for normal healing of full-thickness wounds is the formation of new blood vessels within the granulation tissue.
Comparison of familial and non-familial suicidal behaviors among people with major depressive disorder: Testing the discriminative predicting role of high-yield clinical variables

Abstract Background Suicidal behavior in first-degree relatives of people diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) increases the risk of suicidal behavior. Such an effect may be the result of genetic risk factors or environmental ones, including imitation, or both. Surprisingly few studies have examined this question and thus, there still is little known about the effect of first-degree family history of suicidal behavior on the type of suicidal behavior and profile of risk factors related to the diathesis for suicidal behavior. Even less is known about intra-familial risk transmission. Methods Patients with MDD (n = 252) experiencing a current major depressive episode and who had a previous suicide attempt were studied. Those with and without a family history of first-degree relatives who had made a suicide attempt or died by suicide were compared across clinical and suicide-related characteristics. Results Suicide attempters with (FDR+, n = 59) and without a first-degree relative with suicide attempt or suicide (FDR−, n = 193) were similar in terms of type or frequency of suicide attempts, level of lifetime aggression and impulsivity, age of onset of depression and age at first suicide attempt. Limitations Cross-Sectional study. Lack of additional external validators. Conclusions Contrary to our hypothesis and the concept of “genetic anticipation”, a first-degree family history of suicide attempt or suicide in currently depressed attempters with MDD was not associated with a range of clinical and suicide-related characteristics. Longitudinal studies incorporating external validators and potential biological markers may advance this area of research.
SECONDARY BATTERIES – LEAD– ACID SYSTEMS | Automotive Batteries: Conventional

The automotive battery is an essential component in more than 1 billion road vehicles in use currently, although it does not directly contribute to vehicle propulsion. It is the dominant application of lead–acid battery technology worldwide. Technical requirements are much more manifold than for other applications, including high-rate discharge at very low temperatures for cranking the engine, dampening of system voltage as in a smoothing capacitor, and undefined float recharge and cycling duty at various rates at low and high temperatures, combined with extended off periods when the vehicle is not in use. The onboard electricity buffer bridges supply of electrical appliances during periods of insufficient energy generation by the alternator, and stores energy when there is a surplus in generation. Although the number and type of electrical components are increasing, the automotive battery is monitored and managed for integration into strategies for vehicle comfort, safety, economy, and ecology, e.g., with braking energy recuperation and stop/start.
Laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation of primary and metastatic liver tumors. Technical considerations.

Background: Radiofrequency thermal ablation is a new technology for the local destruction of liver tumors. Since we first described laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation (LRFA) for the treatment of liver tumors, much has been learned about patient selection, laparoscopic ultrasound (LU) guided placement of the ablation catheter, monitoring of the ablation process, and patient follow-up.
Surgical Issues in the Transplant Recipient

Comprehensive care of renal transplant recipients involves multidisciplinary team starting with a thorough pretransplant evaluation and continuing as diligent postoperative care. Inherent in the nature of end-stage renal disease is accompanying comorbidity involving multiple organ systems, and many of these require surgical interventions. In this chapter we review common surgical diseases in the pretransplant period, their management, and current recommendations. The operation of renal transplantation and simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation along with diagnosis and management of posttransplantation surgical issues is detailed with special emphasis on surgical technique. We also discuss acute illness in the transplant recipient that require surgical consultation such as gastrointestinal hemorrhage, acute abdominal pain and describe current guidelines in their evaluation and management.
Penetration of Solutes, Viruses, and Cells Across the Blood-Brain Barrier

The endothelial barrier between the blood and interstitial or extracellular fluid of the central nervous system (CNS) closely regulates the composition of the immediate extracellular environment of brain cells. This regulation ensures that the ionic composition of the CNS interstitial fluid, so vital to the normal functioning of brain cells, remains stable in the face of fluctuations in the blood circulating through brain and cord (Bradbury 1979). The means by which the regulation is brought about is the endothelium’s restriction in the movement of solutes between blood and its selective transfer of certain solutes. When a bolus of the glycoprotein horseradish peroxidase (HRP, ~40 kDa) is infused into the systemic blood, the HRP is excluded from the brain’s interstitial fluid by a continuous belt of tight junctions between adjacent endothelial cells and by the paucity of endocytotic pits and vesicles (Reese and Karnovsky 1967). The junctions, being zonular, seal the intercellular cleft, thereby preventing movement of solutes from blood into CNS extracellular fluid and from interstitial fluid into blood (Bodenheimer and Brightman 1968). Smaller hydrophilic molecules such as heme-peptide, about 2 kDa in size, are also excluded from brain by the same mechanism (Brightman et al. 1970). The passive flooding of the interstitium with serum that would occur were the junctions patent is prevented by the junctional belts which thereby enable the endothelium to act on a solute. The endothelium can then selectively regulate a solute’s passage by, e.g., metabolizing it or by endocytosing it after it binds to its receptor on the luminal face of the endothelium.
Insights into the development of chemical probes for RNA

Over the past decade, the RNA revolution has revealed thousands of non-coding RNAs that are essential for cellular regulation and are misregulated in disease. While the development of methods and tools to study these RNAs has been challenging, the power and promise of small molecule chemical probes is increasingly recognized. To harness existing knowledge, we compiled a list of 116 ligands with reported activity against RNA targets in biological systems (R-BIND). In this survey, we examine the RNA targets, design and discovery strategies, and chemical probe characterization techniques of these ligands. We discuss the applicability of current tools to identify and evaluate RNA-targeted chemical probes, suggest criteria to assess the quality of RNA chemical probes and targets, and propose areas where new tools are particularly needed. We anticipate that this knowledge will expedite the discovery of RNA-targeted ligands and the next phase of the RNA revolution.
Meningioma: Association of mean and "hot spot" MIB1 with grade.

2030Background: The MIB1 labeling index is typically measured by counting cells in the region (‘hot spot’) with the highest proliferative activity. MIB1 is not currently one of the criteria used to...
The Global Burden of Diabetic Kidney Disease: Time Trends and Gender Gaps

Diabetes mellitus prevalence is increasing throughout the world as a consequence of growing rates of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and westernization of lifestyle. It is currently unknown to what extent these trends affect the global burden of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). This review seeks to describe the global burden of DKD and how it has changed throughout time using recently released results of the Global Burden of Disease 2017 Study. DKD prevalence has remained fairly stable at the global level and among many world regions since 1990. At the global level, the proportion of DKD deaths relative to other types of CKD is increasing. Certain world regions still have very high rates of DKD, whereas other world regions have decreasing prevalence and mortality. Screening will likely play an important role in mitigating the growing burden within high-risk regions.
Poly(α-hydroxy acid)-Based Nanoparticles for Drug/Gene Delivery for Cancer Therapy

Abstract In recent years, nanoparticle drug delivery systems have received increased attention in cancer therapy. Polylactic acid (PLA) and polylactic acid-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) are biodegradable polymers that are extensively used in nanoparticle formulations for anticancer drug delivery. PLA or PLGA nanoparticles are known to improve drug pharmacokinetics, safety, and, ultimately, therapeutic efficiency by passive or active targeting to tumors. This chapter will provide an overview of PLA and PLGA nanoparticles and their application as drug delivery systems in different cancers. The characteristics of PLA and PLGA nanoparticles, preparation methods, encapsulation of drugs with different physicochemical properties, surface modifications with targeting ligands, and copolymer associations for improved drug delivery properties, including drug release mechanisms, are discussed. Modifications in PLA/PLGA nanoparticles systems and their implication in their functional properties, tailored for drug delivery in specific cancer types, are detailed. The chapter concludes with the current experience, limitations, and overview of some of the ongoing and future trends in the applications of PLA/PLGA nanoparticles in cancer therapy.
Deep Brain Stimulation at End of Life: Clinical and Ethical Considerations.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an implanted neurological device effective in treating motor symptoms of Parkinson disease (PD), such as tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia. More than 150,000 patien...
Optimal Wireless Resource Allocation With Random Edge Graph Neural Networks

We consider the problem of optimally allocating resources across a set of transmitters and receivers in a wireless network. The resulting optimization problem takes the form of constrained statistical learning, in which solutions can be found in a model-free manner by parameterizing the resource allocation policy. Convolutional neural networks architectures are an attractive option for parameterization, as their dimensionality is small and does not scale with network size. We introduce the random edge graph neural network (REGNN), which performs convolutions over random graphs formed by the fading interference patterns in the wireless network. The REGNN-based allocation policies are shown to retain an important permutation equivariance property that makes them amenable to transference to different networks. We further present an unsupervised model-free primal-dual learning algorithm to train the weights of the REGNN. Through numerical simulations, we demonstrate the strong performance REGNNs obtain relative to heuristic benchmarks and their transference capabilities.
Mirabilis expansa Grown in Southern Illinois: Amino Acid Percentages Relative to Soil Amendments

English: Effects of structure and soil amendments on percentages of amino acids were examined with three hypotheses for the rare, ancient, drought resistant, indigenous Andean crop plant, Mirabilis expansa (Ruiz and Pav.) Standl. (Nyctaginaceae), grown in southern Illinois. ANOVA and LS-Means analyses were run as pair-wise comparisons. Percentages of amino acids, crude protein, and total protein were dependent variables. Peat and steer manure percentages, used to amend sand plots at the time of their construction, were the soil amendments. Significance for p-values was at .05 or less. ANOVAs indicated several amino acids were present in significantly different amounts between roots and leafy parts of plants. There was a statistically inconsistent effect from peat, and slight significance from steer manure. Exploratory analyses also indicate significantly different amounts of some amino acids between two indigenous varieties of the crop. Spanish: Efectos de la estructura y el suelo enmiendas sobre porcentajes de aminoAicidos fueron examinados con tres hipA³tesis para rara, antiguos, resistentes a la sequA­a, indA­genas andinos cultivo planta Mirabilis expansa (Ruiz and Pav.) Standl. (Nyctaginaceae), crecido en el sur de Illinois. ANOVA y anAilisis de LS medios fueron funcionados en SAS como comparaciones de pares. Porcentajes de proteA­na cruda, aminoAicidos y proteA­nas totales fueron las variables dependientes. Porcentajes de estiA©rcol turba y buey, utilizados para modificar parcelas de arena en el momento de su construcciA³n, fueron enmiendas de suelo. Es de importancia para los valores de p.05 o menos. ANOVA han indicado que varios aminoAicidos estaban presentes en cantidades significativamente diferentes entre las raA­ces y las partes de las plantas. Hubo un efecto estadA­sticamente inconsistente de la turba y leve importancia del estiA©rcol de buey. AnAilisis exploratorios tambiA©n indican significativamente diferentes cantidades de algunos aminoAicidos entre dos variedades autA³ctonas de la cosecha.