cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE POTENTIAL FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY IN NORTH CAROLINA

As many states have restructured their electric power industry, they have established a ''systems benefit charge'' to help fund those activities that will no longer be funded by utilities in the new structure. Examples include weatherization of low-income housing, efficiency programs, and renewable energy development. Varying amounts have been collected and allocated depending on state needs and abilities. One question that arises is what are the potential results of funding the different types of programs. What is the potential for energy efficiency or for renewable power, and what would be accomplished given the amount of funding that the system benefit charge may provide? The purpose of this project is to provide an initial estimate of the potential for energy efficiency and renewable energy in North Carolina. This potential could be funded by a public benefits fund resulting from a green power program being considered in the state. It concentrates on electric energy savings and production. Savings in buildings can include improvements to space conditioning as well as improvements to lighting or other appliances. Distributed power potential, through use of combined heat and power and renewables such as photovoltaic, wind, and biomass were examined. The goal is to provide information to decision makers who are developing a green power program in North Carolina. It will not be a complete and detailed study of all efficiency potentials but is more of a scoping exercise to determine the relative impacts and begin the process for a more definitive study at a later date. Statewide energy savings potential cannot be directly measured but must be calculated. First, the word ''potential'' means that the savings have not occurred yet. Second, the savings are often only indirectly measured by estimating what energy use there would have been without the changes in technology or behavior. Calculations through sampling and statistical analysis or by simulation are a necessary part of any mechanism to determine energy savings potential. There are currently several methods for calculating savings. Extrapolation of savings achieved from specific programs, surveys of existing building stock or energy-using activities, computer calculations of representative building types, and economic simulations all provide insight into the amount of energy that could be saved.
The effect of epinephrine on platelet aggregation in normal and atopic subjects.

Abstract The effect of epinephrine on platelet aggregation was determined in 25 patients with allergic rhinitis, 26 patients with asthma, and 23 normal subjects. Three doses of epinephrine (0.42, 0.83, 3.3 μg) were evaluated in each preparation. Although 7 (28 per cent) of the patients with allergic rhinitis exhibited abnormalities in the pattern of platelet aggregation after addition of 0.83 μg of epinephrine, the mean results in this patient group were not significant compared to results in 23 normal subjects. At a lower epinephrine concentration (0.42 μg), 9 (36 per cent) of these patients showed abnormal responses that were significant. In asthmatic patients the mean aggregation-disaggregation curve differed significantly from the normal mean curve at all concentrations of epinephrine, and these abnormalities appeared 4 to 7 minutes after stimulation of platelets by epinephrine. It was demonstrated that humoral factors were involved in these reactions by incubating platelet-poor plasma (PPP) from 3 asthmatic patients with normal platelets prior to epinephrine stimulation. Normal platelet aggregation was subsequently impaired by this procedure. It was also shown that abnormal platelet aggregation in asthmatic patients could be partially reversed by prior incubation of their platelets with normal plasma. These results suggest that asthmatic patients have a humoral factor that specifically alters the receptor control mechanism of secondary platelet aggregation. However, since normal plasma partially restores a normal aggregation profile to asthmatic platelets, the platelet receptor in these patients is not permanently altered.
Food Insecurity, Hunger, and Obesity Among Informal Caregivers.

Introduction Increasing numbers of US residents rely on informal caregiving from friends and family members. Caregiving can have substantial health and financial impacts on caregivers. This study addressed whether those impacts include adverse nutritional states. Specifically, we examined household food insecurity, individual hunger, and obesity among caregivers compared with noncaregivers.
Temperature distribution control in scanned thermal processing of thin circular parts

Scan thermal processing is enabled by guidance of the heat source trajectory during fabrication. For thin, cylindrically symmetric parts, this is performed by their rapid revolution under a radially or axially translated torch, with its power modulated so as to implement a specified thermal distribution as it sweeps the product surface, and thus to generate desirable material features. A new analytical description of the thermal field in thin disk-shaped parts, based on superposition of Green's functions, was developed for off-line analysis. A multivariable linearized model with least-squares identification of its varying parameters was also derived for real-time emissivity compensation and prediction of delayed temperature data. This model is embedded to a thermal distribution control scheme, driving the scanned torch motion and power by a new real-time simulated annealing optimization strategy, using temperature feedback from randomly sampled surface locations by an infrared pyrometer. The thermal regulator is validated computationally and experimentally.
Dissecting the role of CB1 receptors on chronic liver diseases

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality worldwide.1 Although the most effective therapy for patients with ALD is alcohol cessation, targeted therapies are needed in patients with progressive disease and active drinking, and for those with life-threatening conditions such as alcoholic hepatitis. The development of such therapies is hampered by poor knowledge of the main disease drivers. During the last two decades, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the hepatic wound-healing response to repeated exposure to alcohol have been partially delineated. ALD is characterised by steatosis, inflammatory infiltrate mainly composed of polymorphonuclear cells, hepatocellular injury and progressive fibrosis. The cellular and molecular basis includes paracrine stimulation by damaged hepatocytes, the innate immune system, oxidative stress and the resulting activation of non-parenchymal cells. Several inflammatory and fibrogenic mediators are released at the areas of tissue repair and perpetuate inflammation, leading to progressive fibrosis and organ failure. Among these mediators, a growing body of evidence indicates that endogenous cannabinoids have an important role in hepatic wound healing and represent promising druggable targets for therapy.2 The endocannabinoid system is composed of endocannabinoids (anandamide (AEA), 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG)), cannabinoid receptors (CB) (CB1 and CB2), and the enzymes involved in endocannabinoid biosynthesis and degradation.2 The degradation enzymes include fatty acid amide hydrolase and monoglyceride lipase for degradation of AEA and 2-AG, respectively. CB1 receptors are expressed at high …
In Vitro Resistance Study of AG-021541, a Novel Nonnucleoside Inhibitor of the Hepatitis C Virus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase

A novel class of nonnucleoside hepatitis C virus (HCV) polymerase inhibitors characterized by a dihydropyrone core was identified by high-throughput screening. Crystallographic studies of these compounds in complex with the polymerase identified an allosteric binding site close to the junction of the thumb and finger domains, approximately 30 A away from the catalytic center. AG-021541, a representative compound from this series, displayed measurable in vitro antiviral activity against the HCV genotype 1b subgenomic replicon with a mean 50% effective concentration of 2.9 μM. To identify mutations conferring in vitro resistance to AG-021541, resistance selection was carried out using HCV replicon cells either by serial passages in increasing concentrations of AG-021541 or by direct colony formation at fixed concentrations of the compound. We identified several amino acid substitutions in the AG-021541-binding region of the polymerase, including M423(T/V/I), M426T, I482(S/T), and V494A, with M423T as the predominant change observed. These mutants conferred various levels of resistance to AG-021541 and structurally related compounds but remained sensitive to interferon and HCV polymerase inhibitors known to interact with the active site or other allosteric sites of the protein. In addition, dihydropyrone polymerase inhibitors retained activity against replicons that contain signature resistance changes to other polymerase inhibitors, including S282T, C316N, M414T, and P495(S/L), indicating their potential to be used in combination therapies with these polymerase inhibitors. AG-021541-resistant replicon cell lines provide a valuable tool for mechanism-of-action studies of dihydropyrone polymerase inhibitors. The clinical relevance of in vitro resistance to HCV polymerase inhibitors remains to be investigated.
Geologic characteristics in the vicinity of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig experienced a catastrophic explosion and fire. At the time, it was drilling about 70km southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. A couple of days later it lay on the sea floor in more than 1500m of water. The drilling riser that extended from the sea floor to the water surface was destroyed and the blow-out preventer malfunctioned, causing a massive leak of crude oil and natural gas. Early attempts by British Petroleum (BP) and its drilling sub-contractors failed to cap the well. It continued to flow, at times intermittently, for more than 100 days. In total, it is estimated that at least five million barrels of oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico, undoubtedly the largest oil spill in U.S. history. Due to the proprietary nature of petroleum exploration and production, few details have been made public concerning the well from which the Deepwater Horizon spill originated. There is information about the geologic characteristics in the general vicinity of that well site, however. One source of information is the Gulf of Mexico Hydrate Research Consortium (GoMHRC) which has studied a hydrate/carbonate mound in Mississippi Canyon Block 118 (MC118) about 23 kilometers northwest of the spill site in preparation for installing a sea-floor observatory. It is managed by the University of Mississippi. Another source is a remarkable earthquake that occurred about 18 kilometers northeast of the spill site. Fig.1 shows the location of the spill site relative to that of the sea-floor observatory and the earthquake epicenter. Presented below is a discussion of what can be learned from these two sources.
Automated vehicle detection in forward-looking infrared imagery

We describe an algorithm for the detection and clutter rejection of military vehicles in forward-looking infrared (FLIR) imagery. The detection algorithm is designed to be a prescreener that selects regions for further analysis and uses a spatial anomaly approach that looks for target-sized regions of the image that differ in texture, brightness, edge strength, or other spatial characteristics. The features are linearly combined to form a confidence image that is thresholded to find likely target locations. The clutter rejection portion uses target-specific information extracted from training samples to reduce the false alarms of the detector. The outputs of the clutter rejecter and detector are combined by a higher-level evidence integrator to improve performance over simple concatenation of the detector and clutter rejecter. The algorithm has been applied to a large number of FLIR imagery sets, and some of these results are presented here.
MetaExtract: an NLP system to automatically assign metadata

We have developed MetaExtract, a system to automatically assign Dublin Core + GEM metadata using extraction techniques from our natural language processing research. MetaExtract is comprised of three distinct processes: eQuery and HTML-based extraction modules and a keyword generator module. We conducted a Web-based survey to have users evaluate each metadata element's quality. Only two of the elements, title and keyword, were shown to be significantly different, with the manual quality slightly higher. The remaining elements for which we had enough data to test were shown not to be significantly different; they are: description, grade, duration, essential resources, pedagogy-teaching method, and pedagogy-group.
Stakeholder‐Centric Governance and Corporate Social Performance: A Cross‐National Study

Because prior research has largely adopted an agency theory perspective and focused extensive effort on examining shareholder-centric corporate governance mechanisms and their outcomes for shareholders or select groups of stakeholders, relatively little work has focused on whether governance structures can maximize outcomes for all stakeholders. We adopt an integrated, stakeholder-agency theory perspective to explore a set of corporate governance mechanisms that potentially can help firms generate greater engagement with a broad array of stakeholders. We test the relationship between stakeholder-centric governance and corporate social performance using a sample of 342 firms in 24 countries over four years and find that certain corporate governance mechanisms can indeed be construed as ‘stakeholder-centric’ as they positively impact corporate social performance. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Not just a fecal matter

Gut microbiota influences both local and systemic inflammation and modulates the efficacy of traditional cytotoxic chemotherapies and immunotherapy in murine models. Although intact commensal gut microbiota are thought to be required for optimal responses to cancer therapeutics, the specific effect of commensal flora on the therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint blocking agents and their immune-related intestinal toxicity remains uncertain. In a new study, Vetizou et al. found that gut microbiota was required for the anticancer effects of antibodies targeting cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) in sarcoma, melanoma, and colon cancer mouse models. Anti–CTLA-4 controlled tumor progression in specific pathogen-free but not in germ-free mice or mice treated with broad spectrum antibiotics. In addition, the researchers found that CTLA-4–induced activation of splenic effector CD4+ T cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) was decreased in the latter cohorts, suggesting an impaired antitumor immune response in animals lacking the normal microbiota. Oral feeding of antibiotic-treated mice with certain bacterial species, such as B. thetaiotaomicron ( Bt ), B. fragilis ( Bf ), Burkholderia cepacia ( Bc ), or the combination of Bf and Bc , restored the anticancer response to anti–CTLA-4, whereas a number of other bacterial isolates failed to do so. Moreover, fecal microbial transplantation from patients with metastatic melanoma treated with the anti–CTLA-4 antibody ipilimumab into germ-free mice confirmed that the immunotherapy favored the outgrowth of Bf with anticancer properties. Last, intestinal reconstitution of antibiotic-treated animals with the combination of Bf and Bc did not increase but rather reduced histopathological signs of colitis induced by CTLA-4 blockade, suggesting that certain commensals could be real “anticancer-probiotics.” The recent clinical success with anticancer immune therapies is hampered by the fact that durable responses are seen in only a subset of patients. It is still unclear what ultimately separates responders from nonresponders, but theoretical sources of interpatient heterogeneity likely include environmental differences, in addition to host- and tumor-specific genetic variability. The gut commensals play an important role in shaping individual systemic immune responses, and the study by Vetizou and colleagues suggests that manipulating the microbiota may modulate the efficacy and/or toxicity of cancer immunotherapies. M. Vetizou et al. , Anticancer immunotherapy by CTLA-4 blockade relies on the gut microbiota. Science 10.1126/science.aad1329 (2015). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/350/6264/1079.abstract
Persistent abnormal umbilical cord Doppler velocimetry in a monoamniotic twin with cord entanglement.

The management of monoamniotic twin pregnancies remains controversial. Umbilical cord entanglement with constriction of the vessels contributes to the increased perinatal mortality with this condition.1 The prenatal diagnosis of cord entanglement is now possible with the advent of improved ultrasonographic resolution and color Doppler flow sonography; however, even if the diagnosis is suspected, there is no clear management pathway to follow. The use of umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry has been advocated as an adjunctive management tool; but, again, no agreement exists on the appropriate response to abnormal results. Some authors employ continuous fetal monitoring in the hospital2 and others suggest less frequent testing,3 but these are empiric recommendations. Abnormal Doppler sonographic findings range in severity from the presence of a diastolic notch or increased venous velocity to absent or reversed diastolic velocity. The latter findings, in singleton gestations, have been associated with intrauterine growth retardation, fetal distress, and fetal death.4 We report a case of monoamniotic twins with cord entanglement diagnosed at 22 weeks and, in one twin, absent end diastolic Doppler velocimetry that persisted until delivery at 32 weeks. Good perinatal outcomes were obtained with twice-weekly fetal monitoring (nonstress test or biophysical profile with Doppler examination or both). This case raises questions about the interpretation of and response to Doppler sonographic data in cases of suspected cord entanglement.
A Preliminary Report on Social Learning Behavior in the Hypnotic Situation: Modeling or Mimicry

In a review of research employing a model to enhance hypnotizability, it was noted that in most cases the model portrayed all, or nearly all, of the behaviors to be later elicited. In such cases, there is no way to determine whether the resultant behavior is true modeling — with its implication of generalization — or merely mimicry (in the sense of specific imitation). In the present study, subjects observed either a Good or a Poor Model who passed or failed, respectively, 4 of 12 suggestions from the HGSHS:A. When total scores were analyzed, enhancement (Good Model) and decrement (Poor Model) of hypnotizability were observed. However, when the analysis compared those items demonstrated by the model with those not demonstrated, only subjects exposed to the Poor Model exhibited any suggestion of generalization. Furthermore, when these results were compared to previously obtained norms, not even the subjects exposed to the Poor Model showed changes greater than those normally occurring in a test-retest situation. Because the comparison norms could serve only a quasi-control, conclusions must be tentative. However, there is sufficient evidence to call for a much closer examination of what hypnotic researchers have been labeling as “modeling.”
Phonological repetition blindness.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, 1992.
Chapter 2 Mammalian Alkaloids II

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses that endogenous mammalian alkaloids occur in tissues and fluids at very low levels, and none has ever been isolated in amounts sufficient to allow determination of optical properties by direct measurements. Biological testing in vitro and in vivo was performed almost entirely with racemic mixtures composed of optical isomers with different biological profiles. A recent report that optically active tetrahydroharmine racemized in the presence of acid suggests that TBCs are subjected to racemization during workup and afford partially racemized material. For this reason it is difficult to judge whether the biological data reported for mammalian alkaloids are real or unreliable owing to optical inhomogenity. This field of research, although exciting and important in connection with problems associated with alcohol addiction, drug abuse, and disorders originating from interference with dopamine and serotonin formation and metabolism will only mature and become meaningful when appropriate standards and controls are implemented. A close collaboration of biochemists and clinicians with organic chemists is highly recommended so that research can result in medically meaningful advances.
Protecting tourism labor? Sustainable labels and private governance

This paper examines the application of private governance through certification labels and industry initiatives in the tourism industry. These efforts are sold as a way to achieve decent working conditions for tourism workers who participate in global value chains in the global South. The question at hand is, are these mechanisms an effective way to support tourism labor? Specifically, this research documents two main findings. First, I evaluate the programs through a tourism global value chain approach and demonstrate how tour operators use language about sustainability and the certification of accommodation suppliers for brand product differentiation and marketing. My findings demonstrate that these programs do not support tourism workers. Second, even with certification and recommendations, the standards are limited and do not include measures to protect against precarious employment, gendered divisions of labor, and emotional labor demands. Thus, these initiatives do not fully protect tourism workers. Finally, I argue a new governance research approach focused on workers’ rights and empowerment provides insights into achieving a more equitable international tourism landscape. This has implications for a governance analysis focused on rights and ‘synergistic’ governance strategies.
INVESTIGATION ON SYNTHETIC TEST EQUIPMENT FOR HIGH VOLTAGE THYRISTOR VALVES

On the basis of analyzing the working principle, advantages and defects of several foreign synthetic test equipments, and according to the technical guidance on current intensity of high voltage series valve distributed by CIGRE and the test standards on the valves for SVC and HVDC distributed by IEC, a main current scheme of a new type of versatile synthetic test equipment is proposed. Through the improvement of high voltage resonance circuit, the operational test circuit for the bi-directional valves for SVC and HVDC is improved; the voltage of HV circuit is risen to 75kV by means of replacing the large current source by AC and DC power-supply system. The proposed main circuit is suitable to the operational tests of one-way valve component in HVDC and the bi-directional valves at SVC and TCSC at voltage level of ±600kV.
Viral and mycoplasma pneumonias.

Influenza and infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae are common nonbacterial causes of pneumonia. Pneumonia also sometimes occurs as a complication of a viral infection such as varicella. This article describes the clinical picture seen with each type of infection and gives current recommendations for prophylaxis and therapy.
Diagnosis and treatment of allograft rejection in heart-lung transplant recipients

Six patients received heart-lung transplants between March, 1981, and January, 1982. There were four women and two men between 26 and 45 years of age, three with primary pulmonary hypertension and three with congenital heart disease and pulmonary hypertension (Eisenmenger's syndrome). Immunosuppression was primarily with cyclosporin-A, with additional corticosteroid, azathioprine, and rabbit antihuman thymocyte globulin. Six episodes of allograft rejection in four patients (10, 11, 21, 24, 53, and 86 days after transplantation) were detected by means of transvenous endomyocardial biopsy. All patients experienced pulmonary edema early after transplantation (reimplantation response), and two patients required mechanical ventilatory support for allograft rejection at 10 and 11 days. Treatment of rejection consisted of intravenous methylprednisolone (four episodes) or augmented oral prednisone (two episodes), with resolution. No episode thought to be pulmonary rejection has occurred in the absence of cardiac findings. Four patients are alive from 6 to 15 months after transplantation and are functionally normal. Early experience with heart-lung transplantation suggests (1) that allograft rejection can be detected by cardiac findings and successfully treated by augmented corticosteroids, (2) that lung rejection does not occur in the absence of cardiac findings, (3) that the frequency and severity of rejection episodes are not greater than with standard cardiac transplantation, and (4) that the frequency of rejection episodes is highest within the first 60 days after transplantation.
Arterial ligation for pediatric epistaxis: developmental anatomy.

BackgroundAnatomic studies of adult skulls have aided in the design of operations for the surgical ligation of nasal feeding vessels in the treatment of severe epistaxis. Lack of appropriate specim...
Wildlife biometrics training at the University of Georgia: Adding quantitative emphasis to a wildlife management program

This case study describes the rapid evolution of a quantitatively oriented wildlife program from one with little quantitative emphasis. Until recently, wildlife programs, including ours, have relegated quantitative courses such as statistics and modeling to other departments. A recent trend at the University of Georgia has been the hiring of faculty who, although classically trained in ecology and resource management, also specialize in quantitative skills. This blend of expertise provides the opportunity to teach specialized courses in quantitative wildlife biology and to integrate quantitative approaches into the overall curriculum. Quantitative integration occurred in concert with, but not at the expense of, other aspects of the wildlife program. Until recently, the only quantitative course taught in the wildlife program was Estimation of Parameters of Fish and Wildlife Populations, which emphasizes model building and estimation in a decision-making context and is targeted at advanced graduate students. Alone, this course did not meet the needs of the wildlife program in terms of quantitative training. Recently, 4 new quantitative wildlife courses were introduced into the program at the advanced undergraduate and graduate levels. These courses focus on population dynamics, wildlife-habitat modeling, design of experiments, and quantitative decision making. Emphasis at the graduate level is in a rigorous understanding of methods and principles appropriate for research and management applications. Most graduate students now take several "in house" quantitative courses and have one or more quantitative wildlife faculty on their committees. Numerous other quantitative courses are available in other departments on campus, and opportunities exist for dual degree programs (e.g., Ph.D. in forest resources, M.S. in statistics) for students wishing to specialize in these areas. Challenges remain in bringing about a true integration of quantitative methods in our graduate and undergraduate programs. We anticipate a transition period during which rethinking must occur about how and when key undergraduate courses are taught to achieve a true integration of quantitative methods.
Validity theory: Reform policies, accountability testing, and consequences:

Educational policies such as Race to the Top in the USA affirm a central role for testing systems in government-driven reform efforts. Such reform policies are often referred to as the global education reform movement (GERM). Changes observed with the GERM style of testing demand socially engaged validity theories that include consequential research. The article revisits the Standards and Kane’s interpretive argument (IA) and argues that the role envisioned for consequences remains impoverished. Guided by theory of action, the article presents a validity framework, which targets policy-driven assessments and incorporates a social role for consequences. The framework proposes a coherent system that makes explicit the interconnections among policy ambitions, testing functions, and the levels/sectors that are affected. The article calls for integrating consequences into technical quality documentation, demands a more realistic delineation of stakeholders and their roles, and compels engagement in policy rese...
Effects of vehicle power on passenger vehicle speeds

ABSTRACTObjectives: During the past 2 decades, there have been large increases in mean horsepower and the mean horsepower-to–vehicle weight ratio for all types of new passenger vehicles in the United States. This study examined the relationship between travel speeds and vehicle power, defined as horsepower per 100 pounds of vehicle weight.Methods: Speed cameras measured travel speeds and photographed license plates and drivers of passenger vehicles traveling on roadways in Northern Virginia during daytime off-peak hours in spring 2013. The driver licensing agencies in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia provided vehicle information numbers (VINs) by matching license plate numbers with vehicle registration records and provided the age, gender, and ZIP code of the registered owner(s). VINs were decoded to obtain the curb weight and horsepower of vehicles. The study focused on 26,659 observed vehicles for which information on horsepower was available and the observed age and gender of drivers ma...
A dielectric based waveguide integrated in a multilayer PCB for ultra high speed communications

This paper presents an electromagnetic dielectric wave guiding methodology for ultra-high speed signaling in a multilayer PCB environment. Two dielectric materials, one of which has a higher dielectric constant than the other, are embedded between the two ground planes of an internal PCB layer to enable wave propagation. Different transmission properties can be achieved by varying the dimensions or material properties of the dielectric waveguide. PCB integrated dielectric waveguides can achieve wide operating frequencies in the millimeter wave region of the frequency spectrum thus showing potential to push high speed bus designs to faster data rates than is currently possible.
Chapter 10 – Future of graphene revolution and roadmap

Critical assessments of graphene science to improve its benefits to the society is discussed here. We identify that large-scale production process is the most important aspect of graphene technology to be recognized and solved. A sustainable, scalable, high quality, inexpensive method to produce graphene is vital for use in electronics and composite materials industries. Additionally, it is critical to assess the quality of graphene produced by high-throughput methods. Finally, the life cycle assessment of graphene that accounts for work place hazards, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and long-term impact on the environment is to be established. Safety concerns about using this material in real life has to be balanced with its fabulous properties prior to its widespread use. In the concluding remarks, we discuss the socioeconomic impact of graphene in education, market investments and job creation. Graphene stimulated numerous new theories in fundamental science, which are already finding their right place in textbooks. Careful investigations and standardized protocols in the field as well as responsible utility of graphene and its composite materials are necessary for critical applications of graphene in the broader service of our society.
An Unsuspected Finding of t(9;22): A Rare Case of Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive B-Lymphoblastic Lymphoma

While rare, cases of isolated extramedullary disease of B-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma (B-LBL) without morphologic bone marrow involvement have been described. In this report, we illustrate the case of an elderly gentleman who presented with isolated testicular and vertebral LBL involvement but had no morphologic bone marrow involvement. The initial plan of treatment was to treat along the lines of Philadelphia negative B-ALL/LBL. During this time, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and PCR testing for BCR-ABL1 rearrangements were being performed on the marrow specimens as a part of routine diagnostic workup. While the FISH returned negative, PCR testing unexpectedly detected BCR-ABL1 fusion transcripts at a low level of 0.48%. Given their presence, we performed FISH for BCR/ABL1 rearrangement in both testicular and L5 vertebral specimens which were 80-90% positive. He subsequently received rituximab, hyper-CVAD, and dasatinib, along with prophylactic intrathecal prophylactic chemotherapy. The patient achieved a prolonged remission but eventually relapsed, 4 years later. Had it not been for this fortuitous discovery, the patient would not have been treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. We emphasize that FISH and PCR testing for BCR-ABL1 rearrangement are integral to arriving at an accurate diagnosis and should be routinely tested on B-LBL biopsy specimens.
Cryptococcus neoformans infective endocarditis of native valves in an immunocompetent host

Abstract With the emergence of Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the resulting immunocompromised state, Cryptococcus neoformans infections have gained more importance in clinical practice. Cryptococcal infections in immunocompetent hosts continue to be uncommon. We present a rare case of Cryptococcus neoformans infective endocarditis (IE) in a young immunocompetent male. As per our literature review, this is the first reported case of native valve Cryptococcus neoformans endocarditis in an immunocompetent host. All cases till date have been reported in patients with underlying immunocompromised state or prosthetic valve.
Postmodernism in Geography

Postmodernism entered geography in the early 1980s as part of the reaction to the consolidation of positivist spatial science as the dominant disciplinary paradigm. Its impact grew in association with three streams of critical rethinking that together defined a new, postpositivist Critical Human Geography: Marxist Geography and geopolitical economy, humanistic Cultural Geography, and geographical feminism. In each stream, postmodernism focused attention on the distinctiveness of the present, on what is new and different in the contemporary period. In addition to defining an empirical condition of contemporary life, especially in the geographies arising from Postmodern Urbanism, postmodernism also expressed itself as a method of textual and visual representation and, most controversially, as a comprehensive epistemological critique of all modes of modern geographical enquiry. Postmodern approaches have been particularly influential in geographical studies of globalization and urban economic restructuring; in rethinking such core concepts as space, place, region, and environment; and in expanding geography's impact on both the social sciences and the humanities. Although still controversial, with few geographers specifically labeling themselves postmodernists, postmodernism has probably had a more intense and far-reaching impact on geography than it has on any other social science discipline.
Domains of the Escherichia Coli BtuB Protein Involved in Outer Membrane Association and Interaction with Colicin Translocation Components

The lethal action of colicins, which are the bacteriocins active on cells of Escherichia col., can occur through several different mechanisms. Some colicins form a pore or channel in the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, thereby leading to dissipation of the proton motive force and leakage of cytoplasmic ions and metabolites. Other colicins act in the cytoplasm as nucleases, leading to disruption of the genome or inactivation of ribosomes. Whatever their mechanism, all colicins require specific uptake systems to mediate their attachment to susceptible cells and their efficient translocation to their appropriate sites of action. The multiphasic uptake process is comprised of multiple gene products and provides an experimentally accessible model for a process of profound biological significance, namely, the passage of macromolecules across cellular membranes.
Spurious Signal Response of Broadband Solid–State Frequency Multipliers at Millimeter and Submillimeter Wavelengths

Heterodyne instruments at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths often use wideband fixed-tuned frequency multipliers, in conjunction with broadband power amplifiers driven by frequency synthesizers, as the local oscillator (LO) source. At these frequencies the multipliers use Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) based Schottky varactor diodes as the nonlinear element, and like most other harmonic generators are susceptible to spurious signal interference. The state-of-the-art LO sources at these wavelengths use high power MMIC amplifiers at the initial stages, and are used to drive the subsequent multiplier stages to have enough LO power to pump the mixers. Because of the high input power environment and the presence of noise in the system, the multipliers become vulnerable to spurious signal interference. As the spurious signals propagate through the receiver system, they generate inter-modulation products which might fall in the passband of the heterodyne instrument and seriously degrade its performance. In this paper spurious signal response of solid-state frequency multipliers at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths is investigated. Results of numerical harmonic balance simulations and laboratory experiments, which were found to show good agreement, are presented here.
Futility and Patients Who Insist on Medically Ineffective Therapy

As medical decisions fall under more scrutiny and society demands increasing transparency of care, it is likely that more opportunities for conflicts will emerge. Similarly, with increasing demand and a static supply, the issue of who receives treatment and for how long naturally will arise. This mismatch leads to discussions of resource utilization and limitation of care in light of patients' values and rights. Clinicians should always be forthcoming with the uncertainty of prognostication while also articulating the severity of a patient's disease in relation to the risk and benefits of an intervention. However, dispute over treatment course and the idea of futile care can arise for in a variety of reasons, both from the clinician and the patient. Without identifying the cause of these conflicts, it is impossible to have effective communication. At times, it is important to utilize various negotiating skills when resolving these disagreements. Regardless of the approach, practitioners need more training in and exposure to these types of conflicts. In this review, we provide a framework for the origins and current state of futility, challenges in the application of the term, and recommendations on how to approach conflict in these situations.
Protected–permissive left turn phasing with flashing yellow arrow signal: study of red intervals for an effective phase transition

Protected–permissive left turn (PPLT) phasing has been popular and widely used in many urban intersections in North America because of its operational benefits. A significant number of intersection...
Conformational analysis of apolipoprotein E3/E4 heteromerization.

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is a 299 residue, exchangeable apolipoprotein that has essential roles in cholesterol homeostasis and reverse cholesterol transport. It is a two-domain protein with the C-terminal (CT) domain mediating protein self-association via helix-helix interactions. In humans, the APOE gene is polymorphic with three common alleles, e2, e3, and e4, occurring in frequencies of ~ 5%, 77%, and 18%, respectively. Heterozygotes expressing apoE3 and apoE4 isoforms, which differ in residue at position 112 in the N-terminal domain (C112 in apoE3 and R112 in apoE4), represent the highest population of e4 carriers, an allele highly associated with Alzheimer's disease. The objective of this study was to determine if apoE3 and apoE4 have the ability to hybridize to form a heteromer in lipid-free state. Refolding an equimolar mixture of His-apoE3 and FLAG-apoE4 (or vice versa) followed by pull-down and immunoblotting indicated formation of apoE3/apoE4 heteromers. Forster resonance energy transfer between donor fluorophore on one isoform and acceptor on the other, both located in the respective CT domains, revealed a distance of separation of ~ 46 A between the donor/acceptor pair. Similarly, a quencher placed on one was able to mediate significant quenching of fluorescence emission on the other, indicative of spatial proximity within collisional distance between the two. ApoE3/apoE4 heteromer association was also noted in lipid-associated state in reconstituted lipoprotein particles. The possibility of heteromerization of apoE3/apoE4 bears implications in the potential mitigating role of apoE3 on the folding and physiological behavior of apoE4 and its role in maintaining cholesterol homeostasis.
Risks and Benefits of Using a Commercially Available Ventricular Assist Device for Failing Fontan Cavopulmonary Support: A Modeling Investigation

Fontan patients often develop circulatory failure and are in desperate need of a therapeutic solution. A blood pump surgically placed in the cavopulmonary pathway can substitute the function of the absent sub-pulmonary ventricle by generating a mild pressure boost. However, there is currently no commercially available device designed for the cavopulmonary application; and the risks and benefits of implanting a ventricular assist device (VAD), originally designed for the left ventricular application, on the right circulation of failing Fontan patients is not yet clear. Moreover, further research is needed to compare the hemodynamics between the two clinically-considered surgical configurations for cavopulmonary assist, with Full and inferior vena cava (IVC) support corresponding to the entire venous return or only the inferior venous return, respectively, being routed through the VAD. In this study, we used a numerical model of the failing Fontan physiology to evaluate the Fontan hemodynamic response to a left VAD during the IVC and Full support scenarios. We observed that during Full support, the VAD improved the cardiac output while maintaining blood pressures within safe ranges, and lowered the IVC pressure to 20 mmHg. The findings in this study may be helpful to surgeons for recognizing the risks of a cavopulmonary VAD and developing coherent clinical strategies for the implementation of cavopulmonary support.
A Framework for Enhancing Health Information Data Security: Application of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to Breach Analysis

Health information security breaches continue to be a pervasive problem in a variety of health care environments. Security breaches compromise the integrity of sensitive health information and serve as a barrier to health care provider, stakeholder, and patient trust in the full integration of transformative health informatics tools (e.g. shareable electronic health records) into the US health care system. While the logistics of security breaches are technological in nature, security breach awareness and prevention require exploring the complex web of the health care environment and understanding how the environment itself paves a path for potential security problems. In an effort to better understand the nature of data security breaches in health care environments, the authors propose an innovative application of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to security breach analysis. The authors build on their previous research on electronic health records engagement, breach analysis, and audit procedures in various health care settings. For the purpose of demonstration, the current paper analyzes the most relevant breach occurrences based on volume of patient records from the Health and Human Services (HHS.GOV) breach dataset. Breach types were mapped to relevant CFIR constructs. The authors present the results of the CFIR mapping and discuss the potential uses of the CFIR constructs to support health information security practitioners in their efforts to improve the health data security environment.
Determination of kinetic properties of Sm(III)/Sm(II) reaction in LiCl–KCl molten salt using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

Electrochemical and kinetic properties of samarium (Sm) in LiCl–KCl eutectic salt were investigated at various concentrations and temperatures. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) were performed to determine diffusion coefficient and the rate constant (k0). In addition, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was conducted for further understandings on the kinetic behaviors of Sm(III)/Sm(II) couple. The values of the diffusion coefficients were in the range of 3.54 × 10−6 to 9.58 × 10−5 cm2 s−1 and the values of k0 were estimated to be in the range of 0.63 × 10−2 to 1.11 × 10−2 cm s−1. The values of i0 for Sm(III)/Sm(II) were computed by obtaining the charge transfer resistance from the curve fitting analysis, ranging from 1.04 × 10−3 to 2.97 × 10−3 A cm−2.
Unraveling the Genetics Behind Equid Cardiac Disease

There have been some advances in understanding the genetic contribution to ventricular septal defects in Arabians, sudden death in racehorses, and atrial fibrillation in racehorses. No genetic analyses have been published for aortic rupture in Friesians or atrioventricular block in donkeys despite strong evidence for a genetic cause. To date, no genetic mutation has been identified for any equid cardiac disease. With the advancement of genetic tools and resources, we are moving closer to discoveries that may explain the heritable basis of inherited equid cardiac disease.
Stability of pyrrhotite under experimentally simulated Venus conditions

Abstract The stability of pyrrhotite (Fe1-xS; Fe7S8) was tested under simulated Venus conditions in two different temperature/pressure regimes and three different gas mixtures. The two regimes correlate to the average conditions in the lowlands (460 ​°C/92 ​bar) and the conditions found at the top of Maxwell Montes, 11 ​km above the planetary radius (380 ​°C/42 ​bar). The three gas mixtures consisted of 99.999% CO2, 100 ​ppm SO2 in CO2, and 100 ​ppm of COS in CO2. All experiments lasted between 24 and 96 ​h. Analysis using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) revealed that pyrrhotite was stable at all tested temperature/pressures and gases. Our results further expand on our knowledge of the chemical reactions that may take place on Venus and highlights the need for in situ measurements of the near surface geology and atmosphere.
Optical Transfer Technologies for Radio Transcription Discs

The bulk of recorded radio content prior to the introduction of magnetic tape in the late 1940s was made on lacquer transcription discs. These discs have proven highly unstable and are considered a...