cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disorders of Glycogen Metabolism

The concentration of glycogen in the central nervous system (CNS) is approximately 0.1 g/100 g fresh tissue as compared to 1.0 g/100 g in muscle and 6–10 g/100 g in liver. Because of this low content and its rapid disappearance after death, the very presence of glycogen in the brain remained controversial until the late 1930s, when Kerr documented the presence of a polysaccharide indistinguishable from liver glycogen.1 Major fluctuations of tissue glycogen content are accompanied by even greater changes of water content (and volume).2 The advantages afforded the brain by the protection of the bony skull and the fibrous dura mater are attenuated by the metabolic vulnerability of the brain. The low brain tissue glycogen content renders this organ vulnerable to insult within several minutes of onset of hypoglycemia or hypoxia.
Association of Acquired Von Willebrand Syndrome with Primary (AL) Amyloidosis.

Abstract Easy bruising is a common clinical symptom in primary (AL) amyloidosis, and can occur through multiple mechanisms. Infiltration of amyloid fibrils into thin-walled capillaries leads to mechanical fragility predisposing to petechiae and purpura, with periorbital “raccoon-eye” purpura being pathognomonic of AL amyloidosis. Another mechanism predisposing to bleeding in AL amyloidosis is adsorption of coagulation factors to amyloid fibrils. In 1977, Furie et al. reported (New England Journal of Medicine) that elevation of the clotting times is most commonly due to deficiency of factor X, and other investigators have since reported deficiencies of factors II, V, IX, or XIII. We have demonstrated that remission of the underlying plasma cell dyscrasia after high dose melphalan chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation can lead to remission of the acquired factor X deficiency (Choufani et al., Blood 2001). From 2000–2004, four amyloidosis patients presented to Boston University Medical Center with bleeding and a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), but with no such factor deficiency. Instead, they were found to have abnormal von Willebrand ristocetin cofactor (vWF:RCo) and/or factor VIII (FVIII:C) activities, with normal vWF antigen (vWF:Ag), consistent with a functional defect in von Willebrand factor (vWF). None of the patients had a prior history or family history consistent with congenital von Willebrand's disease, thus they were diagnosed with acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AvWS). AvWS has most often been reported in association with other lymphoproliferative or myeloproliferative disorders. The aPTT was prolonged in three out of the four cases. Loss of high molecular weight multimers (HMWM) was observed in two of the four cases. Two of the patients were treated with high-dose intravenous melphalan followed by autologous stem cell transplantation and achieved remission of their underlying plasma cell disease; in addition, the bleeding diathesis ceased and the coagulation parameters normalized, indicating reversal of the AvWS with effective treatment of AL amyloidosis.
Annotating Temporally-Anchored Spatial Knowledge on Top of OntoNotes Semantic Roles

This paper presents a two-step methodology to annotate spatial knowledge on top of OntoNotes semantic roles. First, we manipulate semantic roles to automatically generate potential additional spatial knowledge. Second, we crowdsource annotations with Amazon Mechanical Turk to either validate or discard the potential additional spatial knowledge. The resulting annotations indicate whether entities are or are not located somewhere with a degree of certainty, and temporally anchor this spatial information. Crowdsourcing experiments show that the additional spatial knowledge is ubiquitous and intuitive to humans, and experimental results show that it can be inferred automatically using standard supervised machine learning techniques.
The Impact of Food Viscosity and Preference on Treating a Feeding Problem

Mechanical or manual manipulation of food (i.e., texture manipulation) can influence food consumption for children with feeding difficulties. The processes (e.g., using a blender, mashing food items with a fork, adding water) used to modify texture do not always produce a consistent viscosity. The differences may be due to varying liquid added to modify the texture and the liquid content of the food. An individual’s preference for food items has also been shown to influence acceptance of food. In the current study, we conducted a food viscosity assessment to determine the effect on bite acceptance with lip closure on the spoon for a high- and low-preferred food at high, medium, and low viscosities. Results indicated that both preference and viscosity of food affected bite acceptance with lip closure. The results suggest that viscosity of manipulated texture is one variable to consider in the consumption of preferred and nonpreferred foods for individuals with feeding difficulties.
Magnetic resonance imaging detection of prostate cancer in men with previous negative prostate biopsy

Use of transrectal ultrasound guided systematic prostate biopsy has poor diagnostic accuracy for prostate cancer (PCa) detection. Recently multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) of the prostate and MR/US fusion biopsy has been gaining popularity for men who have previously undergone a negative biopsy. We performed PubMed® and Web of Science® searches to identify studies on this subject, particularly focusing on studies consisting of patients who have had at least one previously negative biopsy. Across the literature, when a suspicious lesion is found on mpMRI, MR/US fusion biopsy has consistently demonstrated higher detection rate for any PCa and clinically significant PCa (csPCa) compared to the traditional repeat systematic biopsy (SB) approach. Furthermore, anteriorly located tumors are frequently identified using MR targeted biopsy (TB), suggesting that an MR guided approach allows for increased accuracy for detecting tumors commonly missed by systematic biopsies. We conclude that men with a prior negative biopsy and continued suspicion of PCa should strongly be encouraged to get a prostate mpMRI prior to a repeat biopsy.
A discrete-time robust adaptive actuator failure compensation control scheme

Abstract A robust adaptive control approach using output feedback for output tracking is developed for discrete-time linear time-invariant systems with uncertain failures of redundant actuators in the presence of the unmodeled dynamics and bounded output disturbance. Such actuator failures are characterized by some unknown inputs stuck at some unknown fixed values at unknown time instants. Technical issues such plant-model output matching, adaptive controller structure, adaptive parameter update laws, stability and tracking analysis, and robustness of system performance are solved for the discrete-time adaptive actuator failure compensation problem. A case study is conducted for adaptive compensation of rudder servomechanism failures of a Boeing 747 dynamic model presented in discrete time, verifying the desired adaptive system performance in the presence of uncertain actuator failures.
Nucleic acid content of reticulocytes and its relation to uptake of radioactive leucine in vitro.

Over the last two decades much evidence of an indirect nature has suggested that nucleic acids may be controlling factors in protein synthesis. A number of workers, notably Caspersson and Schultz (1, 2), Brachet (3), and Thorell (4), have shown that high concentrations of ribose nucleic acid are found in embryonic and neoplastic tissues. Although in many cases no direct measurements were made on the amount of protein synthesis, it was reasonably assumed that the types of tissues used were actively synthesizing protein. Spiegelman and Kamen (5) have raised the objection as to whether the correlation between the amount of ribose nucleic acid and protein synthesis was of any real value in determining the effect of nucleic acids on protein synthesis. They pointed out that equally good correlations can be obtained between protein synthesis and other phosphate fractions. Thorell (4), using bone marrow tissue, claimed evidence for the existence of different phases during the formation of protein in red blood cells, with correlated changes in the ribose nucleic acid. It has been shown by Borsook et al. (6) that reticulocytes, but not erythrocytes, rapidly incorporate radioactive amino acids. This suggested the possibility of measuring simultaneously both amino acid incorporation and nucleic acid content in a system in which both could be expected to be undergoing rapid change.
Aerodynamic and Laryngeal Characteristics of Place-Dependent Voice Onset Time Differences.

OBJECTIVE To investigate aerodynamic and laryngeal factors associated with place-dependent voice onset time (VOT) differences. METHODS The speech materials were /p∧, t∧, k∧/, each produced 15 times by 10 adult English speakers in the carrier phrase "say __ again". The sound pressure level was targeted within a ±3 dB range. Intraoral air pressure (Po) was obtained using a buccal-sulcus approach. VOT, Po, maximum Po declination rate (MPDR), duration of the laryngeal devoicing gesture (LDG), occlusion duration, and the duration of the Po drop to baseline (atmosphere) to the onset of voicing (PDOV) were determined for each stop. RESULTS VOT was longer for the alveolar and velar stops compared to the bilabial stop. A constant LDG was observed for all stops regardless of place of articulation. Occlusion duration, however, was significantly shorter for the alveolar and velar stops compared to the bilabial stop. Aerodynamically, Po was greatest for the velar stop, intermediate for the alveolar stop, and smallest for the bilabial stop. MPDR index showed a slower rate of Po drop for the velar and alveolar stops compared with the bilabial stop. PDOV was found to be longer for /p/ than /t/ and /k/. CONCLUSION Findings provide empirical evidence for the inter-related roles of Po, rate of Po change, and laryngeal factors in place-dependent variations of VOT.
'The Son You Love:' A D'var Torah on Parshat Vayera

The typical question commentators ask about the Akedah (the binding of Isaac) is whether, in Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac at God’s command, he passed God’s test of faith, or spectacularly failed it. That is a big question, but it is not the only question, or perhaps even the best question about the Akedah. This talk argues that Abraham actually failed his test long before the Akedah, long before God called him to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah. He failed his test by expelling Ishmael and Hagar. The talk explores the complex relationship between the expulsion of Ishmael and the near-death of Isaac. And it draws as one of its broader lessons a distinct Jewish duty to remain universal monotheists, tribal particularists, and family loyalists, all at once, even when those three categories do not entirely match up.
Studying the Night Shift: A Multi-method Analysis of Overnight Academic Library Users

Abstract Objective – This paper reports on a study which assessed the preferences and behaviors of overnight library users at a major state university. The findings were used to guide the design and improvement of overnight library resources and services, and the selection of a future overnight library site. Methods – A multi-method design used descriptive and correlational statistics to analyze data produced by a multi-sample survey of overnight library users. These statistical methods included rankings, percentages, and multiple regression. Results – Results showed a strong consistency across statistical methods and samples. Overnight library users consistently prioritized facilities like power outlets for electronic devices, and group and quiet study spaces, and placed far less emphasis on assistance from library staff. Conclusions – By employing more advanced statistical and sampling procedures than had been found in previous research, this paper strengthens the validity of findings on overnight user preferences and behaviors. The multi-method research design can also serve to guide future work in this area.
Large arboreal Galois representations

Abstract Given a field K, a polynomial f ∈ K [ x ] of degree d, and a suitable element t ∈ K , the set of preimages of t under the iterates f ∘ n carries a natural structure of a d-ary tree. We study conditions under which the absolute Galois group of K acts on the tree by the full group of automorphisms. When d ≥ 20 is even and K = Q we exhibit examples of polynomials with maximal Galois action on the preimage tree, partially affirming a conjecture of Odoni. We also study the case of K = F ( t ) and f ∈ F [ x ] in which the corresponding Galois groups are the monodromy groups of the ramified covers f ∘ n : P F 1 → P F 1 .
Juggling with Information Sources, Task Type, and Information Quality

This paper examines how individuals judge the accuracy, adequacy, relevance, and trustworthiness of different types of impersonal and interpersonal information sources and how task type influences their evaluation process. 53 participants from diverse backgrounds recruited via Amazon»s Mechanical Turk performed four simulated information seeking tasks. This study analyzed the data collected from participants» self-reported information seeking experiences in online logbooks and follow-up semi-structured interviews with 23 participants by applying both qualitative and quantitative methods. The findings suggest that task type and information source type affect individuals» information quality judgment, and they perceive websites are more accurate than interpersonal sources, though the latter can be trustworthy. Moreover, their understanding of the type of information also affects their quality judgment. For example, they prefer factual information to opinions in some situations.
4D nano-tomography of electrochemical energy devices using lab-based X-ray imaging

Abstract Electrochemical energy devices offer a variety of alternate means for low-carbon, multi-scale energy conversion and storage. Reactions in these devices are supported by electrodes with characteristically complex microstructures. To meet the increasing capacity and lifetime demands across a range of applications, it is essential to understand microstructural evolutions at a cell and electrode level which are thought to be critical aspects influencing material and device lifetime and performance. X-ray computed tomography (CT) has become a highly employed method for non-destructive characterisation of such microstructures with high spatial resolution. However, sub-micron resolutions present significant challenges for sample preparation and handling particularly in 4D studies, (three spatial dimensions plus time). Here, microstructural information is collected from the same region of interest within two electrode materials: a solid oxide fuel cell and the positive electrode from a lithium-ion battery. Using a lab-based X-ray instrument, tomograms with sub-micron resolutions were obtained between thermal cycling. The intricate microstructural evolutions captured within these two materials provide model examples of 4D X-ray nano-CT capabilities in tracking challenging degradation mechanisms. This technique is valuable in the advancement of electrochemical research as well as broader applications for materials characterisation.
Mass Spectrometry in the Health and Life Sciences

It is an honor to participate in this symposium, and to share with you the National Center for Research Resources’ perspectives on critical research technologies in general, and mass spectrometry in particular. First, however, I would like to briefly mention NCRR’s role as part of the largest biomedicai research organization in the world, the National Institutes of Health. Many of NIH’s components sponsor and conduct research on specific diseases, but NCRR is uniquely interdisciplinary. We offer a broad range of human, animal, technological, and other resources — that is, the infrastructure — that is critical to biomedicai researchers supported by the NIH. It would be difficult to cite a significant biomedicai research advance that has not begun with studies in animal models, perhaps been tested in a clinical environment by highly trained staff, or employed sophisticated instrumentation such as mass spectrometry along the way.
Drug Interactions in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Recipients of solid organ transplants not only are exposed to a large number of medications with potential interactions but also often have reduced renal function. These two factors markedly increase the risk for patient safety events.
Current Controversies in Prenatal Diagnosis 2: NIPT results suggesting maternal cancer should always be disclosed.

In essence, the debate crystalized around the potential health benefits of early cancer detection versus the potential anxiety that would be generated at a particularly vulnerable time during pregnancy. Dr. Plon drew upon her clinical experience in a cancer genomics clinic and emphasized the importance of not keeping “harmful secrets” from individuals. In contrast, Dr. Benn drew upon his experience as a clinical genetics laboratory director, focusing on his concerns regarding the release of a test that has not been designed or validated for cancer screening. After some audience questions, voting was repeated, and the majority of the audience once again voted in favor of disclosing incidental NIPT results that suggest maternal cancer.
Spinnability and rheological properties of globular soy protein solution

Abstract Spinnability and rheological properties of soy protein are studied for potential application in food products. It has been considered impossible to spin globular proteins due to the difficulty in extending the molecules to achieve high degree of intermolecular entanglement. In order to improve the spinnability of globular proteins, other polymers were incorporated. This paper shows a good spinnability of 100% globular soy protein. In this work, aqueous urea/reductant system is selected for efficient stretch and entanglement globular soy proteins for fiber spinning. In this system, hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic and electrostatic interaction were disrupted by urea, while disulfide bonds were cleaved by reductants. Moreover, the backbones of globular soy proteins were not severely destroyed, rendering the stretched globular protein spinnable and the spun fibers mechanically robust. Relationship between rheological properties and spinnability of globular soy protein solutions is quantified. In order to be spinnable, globular soy proteins should be highly stretched, and thus entangled with preserved backbones.
Language and Other Myths: ‘Die Grenzen meiner Sprache bedeuten die Grenzen meiner Welt’

In this chapter, the concept of ‘language’ is explored. It is argued that it is not really possible to study a particular language as a single entity, but only as a kind of moving target. Languages vary from place to place, time to time, speaker to speaker, and often even in a single speaker’s use. In other words, a more nuanced understanding of language, which takes into account the fact that English doesn’t exist, but Englishes do, is required. The recurring theme in this chapter is the reification of ‘language’, and how this reification causes confusion and misunderstandings about linguistic matters.
Influence of Tooth Spacing Error on Gears With and Without Profile Modifications

A computer simulation was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of profile modification for reducing dynamic loads in gears with different tooth spacing errors. The simulation examined varying amplitudes of spacing error and differences in the span of teeth over which the error occurs. The modification considered included both linear and parabolic tip relief. The analysis considered spacing error that varies around most of the gear circumference (similar to a typical sinusoidal error pattern) as well as a shorter span of spacing errors that occurs on only a few teeth. The dynamic analysis was performed using a revised version of a NASA gear dynamics code, modified to add tooth spacing errors to the analysis. Results obtained from the investigation show that linear tip relief is more effective in reducing dynamic loads on gears with small spacing errors but parabolic tip relief becomes more effective as the amplitude of spacing error increases. In addition, the parabolic modification is more effective for the more severe error case where the error is spread over a longer span of teeth. The findings of this study can be used to design robust tooth profile modification for improving dynamic performance of gear sets with different tooth spacing errors.
Stream broadening due to fluid shear across the wider transverse dimension of a free-flow zone electrophoresis channel.

While the pressure-gradient applied along the length of a free-flow zone electrophoresis (FFZE) chamber is known to produce a parabolic flow profile for the carrier electrolyte across the narrower channel dimension (typically the channel depth), additional fluid shear can arise across the channel width due to a variety of reasons. Most commonly, any variation in the pressure-drop or channel depth across this wider dimension can lead to a gradient in the liquid flow velocity along it, significantly altering the stream broadening and, thereby, the separation performance of the assay. This article assesses the effect of such fluid shear on stream broadening during the FFZE process by describing a mathematical framework for solving the relevant advection-diffusion equation based on the method-of-moments approach. A closed-form expression for the leading order term describing the additional contribution to the spatial stream variance has been derived considering a small linear gradient in the liquid velocity across the wider transverse dimension of the FFZE chamber. The noted analysis predicts this contribution to be governed by two Peclet numbers that are evaluated based on the axial pressure-driven flow and transverse electrophoretic solute velocities. More importantly, this contribution is shown to vary quadratically with the axial distance traversed by the analyte stream as opposed to the classical linear variation known for all other stream broadening contributions in FFZE systems. The results from the analytic theory have been validated with Monte Carlo simulations, which also establish a time and length scale over which the noted analytical results are applicable.
Occult Tubal Carcinoma Found at Opportunistic Salpingectomy: Incidence and Implications

Background: Opportunistic bilateral salpingectomy is one of the primary strategies available for preventing epithelial ovarian cancer. Case: An 81-year-old woman underwent a vaginal pelvic organ pr...
Are the CDC’s Corona Virus Statistics Fraudulent? An Accounting and Legal Analysis

This paper presents an overview of the Corona virus situation and examines the literature that seems to suggest that some, or perhaps much of the reporting of Corona virus deaths is actually the result of deliberate misclassification. The accounting and legal literature is also examined to determine whether the misclassifications amount to fraud.
Recurrent Spontaneous Intracranial Hemorrhage in a Patient With Jacobsen Syndrome.

Jacobsen syndrome (JS) is an 11q terminal deletion disorder. Affected individuals have developmental delay, cognitive impairment, heart defects, hypertelorism, broad nasal bridge, and a thin upper lip. Most patients with JS have Paris-Trousseau syndrome (PTS), which is characterized by neonatal thrombocytopenia and persistent platelet dysfunction due to 11q terminal deletion including FLI-I gene causing platelet alpha-granule abnormalities.1
Biomechanics of axial load transmission across the native human elbow.

BackgroundElbow and forearm motion are thought to affect elbow load transmission, yet little empirical evidence exists to quantify the biomechanics.MethodsEight fresh-frozen human cadaver upper ext...
Immune Deficiency Diseases

This article on immune deficiencies is a generalized over view of primary genetic disorders at birth and secondary immune deficiencies which occur after birth due to infection, malnutrition, aging, or from drugs, irradiation or cancer. Almost any disease can cause temporary or more permanent effects on the immune system. In particular infants are particularly susceptible to immune system problems with inadequate nutrition.
Sacral neuromodulation: sacral anatomy and optimal lead placement.

To develop an instructional video that correlates cadaveric anatomy with fluoroscopic images to assist in conceptualization of optimal placement of the foramen needle and lead to complete an efficient and successful sacral neuromodulation (SNM) procedure. A SNM procedure was performed and recorded on a fresh female cadaver. Fluoroscopic images were obtained during the procedure to highlight the bony relationships to the S3 foramen and nerve. Dissection of the anterior and posterior sacrum was completed to highlight the tract of the S3 nerve. Techniques to increase the likelihood of optimal foramen needle and thus lead placement were highlighted. This video demonstrates how achieving optimal foramen needle placement within the S3 foramen is key to optimal lead placement. Understanding the relationship of the bony landmarks on fluoroscopy to the S3 nerve and foramen, seen in the cadaveric dissections, are important in understanding how to achieve optimal lead placement. This optimization should lead to decreased operating room time, maximization of programming options, and decreased amplitude requirements.
Handheld Ultrasound Device Usage and Image Acquisition Ability Among Internal Medicine Trainees: A Randomized Trial.

Background There is insufficient knowledge about how personal access to handheld ultrasound devices (HUDs) improves trainee learning with point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Objective To assess whether HUDs, alongside a yearlong lecture series, improved trainee POCUS usage and ability to acquire images. Methods Internal medicine intern physicians (n = 47) at a single institution from 2017 to 2018 were randomized 1:1 to receive personal HUDs (n = 24) for patient care/self-directed learning vs no-HUDs (n = 23). All interns received a repeated lecture series on cardiac, thoracic, and abdominal POCUS. Main outcome measures included self-reported HUD usage rates and post-intervention assessment scores using the Rapid Assessment of Competency in Echocardiography (RACE) scale between HUD and no-HUD groups. Results HUD interns reported performing POCUS assessments on patients a mean 6.8 (SD 2.2) times per week vs 6.4 (SD 2.9) times per week in non-HUD arm (P = .66). There was no relationship between the number of self-reported examinations per week and a trainee's post-intervention RACE score (rho = 0.022, P = .95). HUD interns did not have significantly higher post-intervention RACE scores (median HUD score 17.0 vs no-HUD score 17.8; P = .72). Trainee confidence with cardiac POCUS did not correlate with RACE scores. Conclusions Personal HUDs without direct supervision did not increase the amount of POCUS usage or improve interns' acquisition abilities. Interns who reported performing more examinations per week did not have higher RACE scores. Improved HUD access and lectures without additional feedback may not improve POCUS mastery.
Islamic Finance: Panacea for the Global Financial System?

With the recent troubles in the global economy, some have proposed that a financial system based on sharia, or Islamic law is a better approach than traditional finance. The argument is made that Islamic finance is a safer approach, and less vulnerable to questionable financial transactions which may have led to the global recession beginning in 2008. This paper explores the basics of Islamic finance, and while agreeing that Islamic finance has an important role to play in the global financial system, concludes that it is not a viable substitute for traditional financial management.
Creation of an Off-campus Domestic Program Assignment: A Reflective Account

Study abroad is a well-known way to expose students to different cultures, but participation rates in the U.S. have remained troublingly low. This reflective account describes the creation of an authentic assessment for graduate students in a global education course in the form of an off-campus domestic program assignment as an accessible alternative to traditional study abroad. Benefits of the assignment include students’ use of critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, writing, public speaking, and knowledge application, all skills which employers value. Further, students are introduced to domestic off-campus programs as a form of study away which may be more inclusive, affordable, and accessible than traditional study abroad programs. Guidance is provided for individuals wishing to construct a similar assessment, including activities and resources used to orient students to the subject, organizational details of the assignment, examples of student work, and suggestions for tailoring the assignment to undergraduates and different disciplines.
Starch grain extraction in lime-plastered archaeological floors

This paper focuses on the recovery of archaeological starch grains from building interiors at pre-Columbian Maya sites in southern Mexico. In an effort to render analytical protocols more effective...
Specific recognition of a stem-loop rna structure by the alphavirus capsid protein

Alphaviruses are small enveloped viruses with positive-sense RNA genomes. During infection, the alphavirus capsid protein (Cp) selectively packages and assembles with the viral genomic RNA to form the nucleocapsid core, a process critical to the production of infectious virus. Prior studies of the alphavirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV) showed that packaging and assembly are promoted by Cp binding to multiple high affinity sites on the genomic RNA. Here, we developed an in vitro Cp binding assay based on fluorescently labeled RNA oligos. We used this assay to explore the RNA sequence and structure requirements for Cp binding to site #1, the top binding site identified on the genomic RNA during all stages of virus assembly. Our results identify a stem-loop structure that promotes specific binding of the SFV Cp to site #1 RNA. This structure is also recognized by the Cps of the related alphaviruses chikungunya virus and Ross River virus.
Providing for the People: Economic Change among the Salish and Kootenai Indians, 1875–1910

Recent years have seen important developments in efforts by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) of the Flathead Reservation to reclaim land and resources taken in the early twentieth...
Connecting food justice to farmworkers through a faith-based organization

Abstract Faith-based organizations (FBOs) support Latinx farmworkers in rural spaces across the U.S. Faith drives FBOs to operate in unique ways; however, there is little understanding about how faith shapes FBOs that work in food systems. At the same time, food justice scholars consistently call for making systemic changes to labor and immigration policies while working in solidarity with farmworkers. Even with these arguments, there is still a lack of food justice scholarship investigating immigration, rural spaces, and the FBOs that support farmworkers. Drawing on data from a five-month ethnography with the Valle Vista Farmworker Ministry, this paper begins to address these gaps. This article details how faith guides Valle Vista's activities, analyzes how faith impacts its ability to address injustices, and posits possibilities for food justice actors to study and ally with FBOs. Results reveal that Valle Vista's affiliation with the Church and people's faith guided the FBO in distinct ways. The Church influenced Valle Vista to focus on charity, a perspective aligned with food security, while individual actors' faith drove them to speak out against injustices and design educational and advocacy programs to support farmworkers, activities that aligned with a food justice perspective. These findings indicate that although some food justice actors may be hesitant to work with FBOs, especially with their focus on charity, FBOs could be sites for investigation and collaboration for food justice actors who endeavor to work in rural spaces with farmworkers.
Targeted Therapies in Melanoma: Translational Research at Its Finest.

Recent progress in melanoma drug development highlights the critical impact that translational research plays in advancing patient care. Prior to 2011, dacarbazine, IL-2, and IFNα-2b were the only US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment options for metastatic melanoma. These early therapies resulted in poor and inconsistent overall response rates (~10–15%; Eggermont and Kirkwood, 2004). A renaissance in melanoma therapeutics occurred with the recognition that molecular aberrations in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway (Figure 1) were present in a majority fraction of melanomas (Davies et al., 2002). These investigations resulted in the vigorous pursuit of small-molecule kinase inhibitors and the eventual FDA approval of three novel MAPK pathway inhibitors for the treatment of advanced melanoma (Figure 1). Although key insights into immune checkpoint blockade have generated a similar number of recent immunotherapeutic breakthroughs (Brahmer et al., 2012; Hamid et al., 2013; Hodi et al., 2010), this Editorial focuses on the development of molecular targeted therapies.
Design, Trading, and Innovation

This article questions the conventional theory purporting to establish that environmental benefit trading encourages innovation better than comparable traditional regulation. It argues that the induced innovation hypothesis, that high costs encourage innovation, suggests that trading would lessen incentives for innovation by lowering the cost of complying with conventional approaches. The conventional theory relies upon the incentive emissions trading creates for polluters to make additional reductions in order to sell credits. But emissions trading also creates incentives for half of the pollution sources (the credit buyers) to make less reductions than they would under a traditional regulation. By focusing analysis only upon the sellers of credits, the traditional theory systematically biases results. Trading's inferiority is especially apparent with respect to high-cost innovation. Even innovation that costs a lot now can prove economically and environmentally superior over the long run, because innovation can make costs of new techniques fall over time and some innovations provide very wide ranging environmental benefits. But trading encourages selection of the techniques with the cheapest current cost, not the cheapest long-term cost or the greatest long-term value. It also argues that design variables, such as the stringency of regulation and the quality of monitoring play an important role in encouraging (or failing to encourage) innovation. And it argues that neither traditional regulation nor environmental benefit trading stimulate innovation especially well, because government often regulates weakly. The article suggests an alternative economic incentive program that would maximize incentives for innovation and progress on environmental problems. This article forms part of a larger project arguing for an economic dynamic approach to environmental law and law and economics. The author's book, The Economic Dynamics of Environmental Law (MIT Press 2003), sets out the full theory.
Plug-in quantum software

Some quantum states are hard to create and maintain, but are a valuable resource for computing. Twenty-first century entrepreneurs could make a fortune selling disposable quantum states.
Automated Generation of Examples for a Tutorial in Case-Based Argumentation

Examples in our domain are argumentation problems involving small sets of legal cases that are related in interesting ways. We call these collections of cases Argument Contexts. We have identified several types of Argument Contexts that can be used to teach the Issues in our curriculum for case-based argumentation. We have developed a program that generates Argument Contexts that address these Issues and have other pedagogically desirable properties, such as being clear and concise. In a preliminary feasibility study a human tutor used examples generated by the program with encouraging results. Because assembling Argument Contexts by hand is time-consuming, we believe that our program can be a useful tool for law professors who teach reasoning with cases. Also, we plan to use it as a component of an intelligent tutoring system for case-based argumentation that we are currently developing.
Formation of the Peptide Bond

In order to convert carboxylic acids into acylating agents their hydroxyl group must be replaced by an electron-withdrawing substituent (X) to enhance the polarization of the carbonyl group and thereby the electrophilicity of its carbon atom. Thus the nucleophilic attack by the amino group (of the amino acid to be acylated) is greatly facilitated: Open image in new window
A perturbation-based testing strategy

Perturbation analysis involves changing the data state at a location in an executing program and determining the effect of that change on the program's remaining computation. This technique has been used to estimate propagation rates during fault sensitivity analysis, and also to compare test sets and testing strategies. This paper describes an error flow model that allows emphasis to be placed on propagation analysis, which is implemented using data state perturbation. A perturbation-adequate testing strategy is defined that is similar in concept to mutation testing, and some results are presented that support the coupling effect and the consistency of perturbation-adequate testing. Some observations are made that relate mutation to perturbation.
A TPL2 (MAP3K8) disease-risk polymorphism increases TPL2 expression thereby leading to increased pattern recognition receptor-initiated caspase-1 and caspase-8 activation, signalling and cytokine secretion

Objective IBD is characterised by dysregulated intestinal immune homeostasis and cytokine secretion. In the intestine, properly regulating pattern recognition receptor (PRR)-mediated signalling and cytokines is crucial given the ongoing host–microbial interactions. TPL2 (MAP3K8, COT) contributes to PRR-initiated pathways, yet the mechanisms for TPL2 signalling contributions in primary human myeloid cells are incompletely understood and its role in intestinal myeloid cells is poorly defined. Furthermore, functional consequences for the IBD-risk locus rs1042058 in TPL2 are unknown. Methods We analysed protein, cytokine and RNA expression, and signalling in human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) through western blot, ELISA, real-time PCR and flow cytometry. Results PRR-induced cytokine secretion was increased in MDMs from rs1042058 TPL2 GG risk individuals. TPL2 activation by the Crohn9s disease-associated PRR nucleotide-oligomerisation domain (NOD)2 required PKC, and IKKβ, IKKα and IKKγ signalling. TPL2, in turn, significantly enhanced NOD2-induced ERK, JNK and NFκB signalling. We found that another major mechanism for the TPL2 contribution to NOD2 signalling was through ERK-dependent and JNK-dependent caspase-1 and caspase-8 activation, which in turn, led to early autocrine interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 secretion and amplification of long-term cytokines. Importantly, Salmonella typhimurium -induced cytokines from human intestinal myeloid-derived cells required TPL2 as well as autocrine IL-1β and IL-18. Finally, rs1042058 GG risk carrier MDMs from healthy individuals and patients with Crohn9s disease had increased TPL2 expression and NOD2-initiated TPL2 phosphorylation, ERK, JNK and NFκB activation, and early autocrine IL-1β and IL-18 secretion. Conclusions Taken together, the rs1042058 GG IBD-risk polymorphism in TPL2 results in a gain-of-function by increasing TPL2 expression and signalling, thereby amplifying PRR-initiated outcomes.
Glutathione Peroxidase Activity in Intestinal and Liver Tissues of Rats Fed Various Levels of Selenium, Sulfur, and α-Tocopherol

The effects of various levels of selenium, alpha-tocopherol and sulfur on glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in intestinal and liver tissues were determined in male rats fed corn-soybean or Torula yeast diets. Rats fed corn-soybean diets had greater GSH-Px activity in the small intestine, colon and liver tissues, catalase activity and selenium in the liver, and body weight gains than those fed Torula yeast diets. GSH-Px activity in the small intestine, colon, and liver tissues as well as concentration of selenium in the liver increased with increasing levels of selenium in Torula yeast diets but not with corn-soybean diets. Tocopherol supplementation had no significant effect on GSH-Px activity in rats fed Torula yeast or corn-soybean diets supplemented with selenium. Supplemental sulfur decreased GSH-Px activity in the small intestine tissues and increased activity in colon tissues.
Comparisons of warfarin metabolism by liver microsomes of rats treated with a series of polybrominated biphenyl congeners and by the component-purified cytochrome P-450 isozymes☆

Abstract R - and S -warfarin metabolite profiles (regio- and stereoselectivity) have been determined with hepatic microsomes from untreated rats and rats treated with nine individual polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) congeners, a commercial mixture of PBBs, and, for comparison with phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene. The metabolic rates have been correlated with cytochrome P -450 ( P -450) isozyme concentrations in the microsomes determined by immunochemical quantitation techniques ( G. A. Dannan, F. P. Guengerich, L. S. Kaminsky, and S. D. Aust, (1983) J. Biol. Chem. , 258 , 1282–1288 ). The warfarin hydroxylase activities of the P -450 isozyme components of the various microsomal preparations ( F. P. Guengerich, G. A. Dannan, S. T. Wright, M. V. Martin, and L. S. Kaminsky (1982) Biochemistry , 21 , 6019–6030 ) were multiplied by the corresponding isozyme concentrations to obtain an assessment of the potential warfarin hydroxylase capacity of the microsomes, and the results were compared with actual activities. The results of these studies and comparisons indicate that substrate regio- and stereoselectivities of microsomal-bound P -450s are essentially retained on purification of the isozymes to homogeneity and reconstitution, that warfarin metabolism by microsomal preparations can be used to predict microsomal P -450 isozyme compositions, and that microsomal warfarin hydroxylase activity is greater than would be predicted based on the approx 20:1 ratio of P -450 to NADPH- P -450 reductase in the microsomes and on the known activities of constituent isozymes. Two P -450 isozymes which are induced by treatment of rats with phenobarbital appear to be more tightly linked to NADPH- P -450 reductase than does an isozyme induced by β-naphthoflavone.
Depth Distribution of Striped Bass and Other Fish in Lake Texoma (Oklahoma‐Texas) during Summer Stratification

Abstract In May and June 1982, before stratification, echolocator charts indicated that fish in the main basin of Lake Texoma (Oklahoma-Texas) were distributed from the surface to the bottom. With the onset of stratification and oxygen depletion in the hypolimnion in July, fish moved upward in the water column, avoiding anoxic conditions near the bottom. Stratification (defined more conspicuously by dissolved oxygen and conductivity than by temperature) became progressively more distinct in late summer, and by August temperatures in the epilimnion were greater than 28 C and dissolved oxygen in the hypolimnion was less than 2 mg/liter. Echolocator charts indicated that fish were concentrated immediately above the chemocline (8–12 m deep) where water temperature was 28.5 C and dissolved oxygen was 7.2 mg/liter. This concentration of fish included subadult and adult striped bass Morone saxatilis, which are known to congregate in the main basin of Lake Texoma during the summer. Despite the high temperatures i...
Transdermal delivery of levonorgestrel

This review of the research and development of transdermal delivery systems for levonorgestrel and combinations of levonorgestrel and estrogens also contains explanatory material on skin structure and absorption of drugs by diffusion and partition permeability and use of enhancers to facilitate absorption use of pro-drugs and derivatives and cutaneous side effects. Drug absorption entails diffusion through the lipophilic stratum corneum and the hydrophilic epidermis and between the two layers. Diffusion of levonorgestrel is driven by the saturated solution in the medium such as ethanol but the rate was insufficient. The target delivery rate for levonorgestrel used alone as a contraceptive is 35 mcg/day for transdermal use which would require a delivery rate of 0.3 mcg/sq.cm. Ethyl acetate was found to be the best "penetration enhancer" speeding absorption 17-fold in rat skin. Levonorgestrel in ethyl acetate diffused through human cadaver skin at a rate requiring a patch of 7.5 sq. cm. Use of pro-drugs and derivatives is based on the theory that even though the derivative may diffuse more slowly because of its larger size it is more soluble in both lipophilic and hydrophilic media. The best pro-drug was levonorgestrel-glycidol with a 32-fold increase in penetration. Pro-drugs have the drawback of requiring complete FDA approval. They are hydrolyzed in skin to the native steroid however. The type of transdermal delivery system needed for levonorgestrel is a membrane-based patch with a reservoir. Ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer systems have been tested or rabbits and in Phase I clinical trials. The micro-reservoir systems has been marketed for estradiol in a 3.5-day patch. A similar system has been developed experimentally using levonorgestrel and estradiol combined. Most transdermal systems cause mild skin irritation in a high proportion of users but the likelihood of contact allergy or urticaria with levonorgestrel is minimal. Development of a transderm system with levonorgestrel and ethyl acetate which is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) would be feasible as soon as the stability of levonorgestrel in ethyl acetate is defined.
The Evolution and Maturation of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in an Academic Practice

Abstract Background: The technique of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has evolved since its adoption in the late 1980s. We sought to document these changes and assess whether patient outcomes were influenced during this maturational process. Study Design: A prospective data base was used to record the outcomes of all LCs performed in an academic surgeon's practice. Trends over time among 1,165 consecutive patients were assessed by comparing the first 100 LCs (group I), the middle 100 LCs (group II), and the most recent 100 LCs (group III). Results: During a 93-month period with 1,165 patients undergoing LC, 25 procedures (2.1%) were converted to open cholecystectomy. Perioperative complications occurred in 31 patients (3%): grade I in 9 (0.8%), grade II in 16 (1.4%), grade III in 5 (0.4%), and grade IV (death) in 1 (0.1%). Length of hospital stay and convalescence were 1.1 ± 0.1 and 9.5 ± 0.5 days, respectively. Nineteen patients (2%) were readmitted early after operation and 10 (1%) developed long-term complications (port-site hernia or retained stone). In group III, cholangiography was largely replaced by intraoperative ultrasonography for ductal evaluation. Operating room time decreased, while the rates of conversion, morbidity, and readmission remained the same. Patients had higher ASA classifications in the latter two groups, whereas operative charges were greater in Group III than in Groups I and II. These trends occurred even though most procedures are currently performed by residents, and fewer LCs are being done. Conclusions: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has matured into a more efficient operation, yet remains safe with low morbidity when performed by residents at an academic institution.
Collaborations: The fourth age of research

Jonathan Adams analyses papers from the past three decades and finds that the best science comes from international collaboration.