cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immunohistologic study of blood group substances in polyps of the distal colon. Expression of a fetal antigen

Forty-four polyps and 14 adenocarcinomas of the left colon from 28 patients were studied for the presence of blood group substances of the A, B system, using the method of specific erythrocytic adherence. Forty-one percent of all polyps and 57% of all cancers were found to have reactivity for blood group substances. Fifty-four percent of villous adenomas (seven of 13), 39% of tubular adenomas (five of 13), 14% of mixed tubulovillous adenomas (one of seven), and no hyperplastic polyps (zero of four) showed reactivity for blood group substances. Lesional blood group substance reactivity, when present, was the same as that for the patient’s own blood group type, with the exception of two patients of B blood group type, whose lesions had A-blood group substance reactivity. Cytologic atypia showed no correlation with the presence of blood group substances. Polyps with blood group substance reactivity were seen more frequently in patients with cancer. Twelve patients had both a cancer and a polyp studied, with both polyp and cancer showing similar blood group substance reactivity for nine of these patients. A, B, H-blood group substances in the left colon are normally absent in the adult and present only in the fetus. The reappearance of these fetal antigens in both polyps and cancers adds immunologic evidence to the theory that colonic adenocarcinoma evolves through a polyp-cancer sequence.
Auger Recombination in Chemical Vapor Deposition-Grown Monolayer WS2

Reduced dimensionality and strong Coulombic interactions in monolayer semiconductors lead to enhanced many-body interactions. Here, we report Auger recombination, i.e., exciton–exciton annihilation, in large-area chemical vapor deposition-grown monolayer WS2. Using ultrafast spectroscopy, we experimentally determine the Auger rate to be 0.089 ± 0.001 cm2/s at room temperature, which is an order of magnitude greater than the bulk value. This nonradiative recombination pathway dominates, regardless of excitation energy, for exciton densities greater than 8.0 ± 0.6 × 1010 cm–2 and below the Mott density. Higher-energy excitation above the A exciton resonance may initially produce a hot electron–hole gas that precedes exciton formation. Therefore, we use resonant excitation of the A exciton to ensure accuracy and avoid artifacts associated with other photogenerated species.
Vincristine-Laden Platelets Can Improve Platelet Counts in Patients with Refractory Thrombocytopenia.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of vincristine-laden platelets in patients with refractory thrombocytopenia. Patients and methods: Patients who received vincristine-laden platelets for refractory thrombocytopenia between 1991 and 2003 were included in this retrospective study. Vincristine (1 mg) was added to the platelets and the bag was incubated for 1 hour prior to transfusion. The following data were collected: age and gender of the patient, nature of the underlying disease causing thrombocytopenia, baseline renal and hepatic function, previous therapy for thrombocytopenia, platelet counts on days 0, 1, 3, 7, 15, 30 and 90 following vincristine-laden platelet transfusion, number of units of platelets transfused in the week prior to and the week after transfusion of vincristine-laden platelets. The rate of change in platelet count was calculated for each patient as a slope. Results: 20 patients were included in the study. The underlying disease causing thrombocytopenia was lung cancer (n=4), breast cancer following autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and acute myeloid leukemia (n=3 each), myelodysplastic syndrome (n=2), acute lymphoid leukemia, chronic lymphoid leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, multiple myeloma, ovarian cancer, aspergillosis, cytomegalovirus infection and systemic lupus erythematosus (n=1 each). The median rate of change of platelet count was 550/μL/day (range, −1000 to 12,800/μL/day) and was significantly greater than 0 (p=0.003, Wilcoxon rank sum test). There was a significant decrease in the number of units of platelets transfused in the week after vincristine-laden platelet transfusion (median, 6; range, 0–16) as compared to the week prior to the transfusion (median, 6.5; range, 0–17). The median change in the number of units of platelets transfused was −1.5 (p=0.031, Wilcoxon rank sum test). Patients were also compared based on their underlying diagnosis to evaluate if patients who did not have bone marrow involvement by their primary disorder did better than those who did have marrow involvement. Patients who had a hematological malignancy with bone marrow involvement had a median rate of change in platelet counts post-vincristine, of 15/μL/day (range, −32 to 2900/μL/day). Patients who had other disorders had a median rate of change of 1230/μL/day (range, −100 to 12,800/μL/day). These rates were not statistically significantly different (p=0.27, Wilcoxon rank sum test). There was no difference in the change in the number of units of platelets transfused between the two groups. The change in the number of units of platelets transfused in the hematological malignancy group was −1.0 (range, −7 to 6) as compared to −4 (range, −7 to 4) in the non-hematological malignancy group (p=0.18, Wilcoxon rank sum test). Conclusions: Vincristine-laden platelet transfusion significantly increased the platelet counts and decreased the need for platelet transfusion. Thus transfusion of vincristine-laden platelets is an easy, inexpensive method to manage refractory thrombocytopenia.
Soft electrothermal actuators using silver nanowire heaters.

Low-voltage and extremely flexible electrothermal bimorph actuators were fabricated in a simple, efficient and scalable process. The bimorph actuators were made of flexible silver nanowire (AgNW) based heaters, which exhibited a fast heating rate of 18 °C s−1 and stable heating performance with large bending. The actuators offered the largest bending angle (720°) or curvature (2.6 cm−1) at a very low actuation voltage (0.2 V sq−1 or 4.5 V) among all types of bimorph actuators that have been reported to date. The actuators can be designed and fabricated in different configurations that can achieve complex patterns and shapes upon actuation. Two applications of this type of soft actuators were demonstrated towards biomimetic robotics – a crawling robot that can walk spontaneously on ratchet surfaces and a soft gripper that is capable of manipulating lightweight and delicate objects.
In Transition, But to Where?: Winnicott, Integration, and Democratic Associations

Over the past decade, democratic theory has been becoming increasingly concerned with the social, cultural, and ecological environments that facilitate democratic subjectivities. In this context, scholars often turn to D.W. Winnicott. McIvor moves beyond a theory of democratic transitional objects to consider the developmental trajectory of the holding environment. Beyond objects of civic attachment, citizens need the capacity for negotiating conflict, which can be best approached through Winnicott’s concept of “integration.” McIvor argues that the difficult work of (democratic) integration is reflected in what Lichterman calls “reflexive” associations. Democratic associations (and selves) need spaces of antagonism and mutualistic collaboration in order to facilitate integration. By contrast, standard forms of civic volunteerism do little to develop citizens’ capacities for integration and, in turn, feed “false” selfhood.
Native Oxide Growth on Silicon Micro-Pillars

This paper presents a study on monitoring the native oxide growth on silicon micro-pillars. It also presents a comparison between the rates of oxide growth on pillars fabricated using the reactive ion etching (RIE) approach and the metal assisted chemical etching (MACE) approach. The native oxide growth is monitored using photoluminescence (PL) measurements. PL measurements showed that native silicon oxide grows at a higher rate on MACE pillars compared to RIE pillars. SEM images showed that the MACE pillars exhibit a porous outer layer while the RIE pillars show a dense outer layer. It is concluded that the porosity of the pillars enhances the native oxide growth.
Experimental demonstration of a delay compensating controller in a hybrid walking neuroprosthesis

A hybrid neuroprosthesis is a device that uses a combination of electric motors and functional electrical stimulation (FES) to provide gait assistance. Its closed-loop control performance can be potentially affected by the presence of electromechanical delay (EMD) during FES. In this paper, a tracking control scheme for a hybrid walking neuroprosthesis that combines electric motor actuation at the hip and FES actuation at the knee is presented. The knee joint controller uses a delay compensation technique to compensate for EMD during FES. This neuroprosthesis controller is combined within a finite state machine that also features gait detection, wherein force sensors in the foot can detect gait phases and create a fully automated and functional assisted gait cycle. Experiments were performed on an able bodied subject to demonstrate the efficacy of the tracking control scheme. Results from the experiments show a maximum error at the hip of less than 1 degree and a maximum error at the knee of 13.66 degrees. The maximum error at the knee is attributed to overshoot caused by the unidirectional actuation of the FES.
Understanding Police Deviance

Given the rampant negative reporting about the police and the perceived lack of public trust and confidence in law enforcement officials in the United States, one may be surprised to learn that allegations of acts of police brutality, serious misconduct, and corruption are extremely rare. Empirical evidence reveals that the overwhelming majority of American law enforcement personnel routinely conduct themselves professionally and with the public’s interests and concerns in mind. However, the few isolated incidents that have involved the excessive use of force by police or acts of corruption, among other forms of police deviance, have clearly tarnished the positive reputations of law enforcement personnel, not only locally but at times nationally. A number of respected criminology and criminal justice researchers have attempted to define police deviance, corruption, misconduct, and inappropriate behavior, but none of them have done so with universal agreement and often not reflecting practical realities. The author has proposed a new typology for the five most obvious categories of police deviance: (1) police corruption, (2) police criminality, (3) excessive use of force, (4) abuse of authority, and (5) police misconduct.
Memristor-based 3D neuromorphic computing system and its application to associative memory learning

3D integration technology offers a near term strategy for bypassing Moore's Law. Applying 3D integration to neuromorphic computing (NC) could provide a low power consumption, high-connectivity, and massively parallel processed system that can accommodate high demand computational tasks. This paper proposes a novel analog spiking nanoscale 3D NC system, wherein both neurons and synapses are stacked three-dimensionally, with monolithic inter-tier via (MIV) technology, and vertical resistive random-access memory (V-RRAM) structures. An application of the proposed system to associative memory learning is performed to demonstrate its capability in high demand computational tasks. The computational efficiency and performance improvement of the proposed architecture are demonstrated.
Quantitative Reference Intensity Analysis: Methodology and Means for Verification of Results

The success of any quantitative x-ray diffraction (XRD) analytical technique depends upon good control of particle size in the sample, elimination of preferred orientation of particles, and, in the case of the reference intensity method (RIM)1 , 2, the measurement of high-quality reference intensity ratios (ki, or RIR). The method developed in our laboratory eliminates preferred orientation by use of an aerosol suspension technique3 , 4 in which the sample particles are carried vertically into a glass fiber filter5 , 6.
The Triassic Timescale 2013

The current Triassic chronostratigraphic scale is a hierarchy of three series (Lower, Middle, and Upper) divided into seven stages (Lower = Induan and Olenekian; Middle = Anisian and Ladinian; and Upper = Carnian, Norian, and Rhaetian), further divided into 15 substages (Induan = upper Griesbachian and Dienerian; Olenekian = Smithian and Spathian; Anisian = Aegean, Bithynian, Pelsonian, and Illyrian; Ladinian = Fassanian and Longobardian; Carnian = Julian and Tuvalian; and Norian = Lacian, Alaunian, and Sevatian). Ammonoid and conodont biostratigraphies provide the primary basis for the chronostratigraphy. We argue here for reliance on ammonoid-based biostratigraphy for Triassic chronostratigraphic definitions. We advocate a four-stage Lower Triassic and the elevation of the very long Carnian and Norian stages to series. A sparse but growing database of precise radioisotopic ages supports the following calibrations: base of Triassic ~252 Ma, base Olenekian ~251 Ma, base Anisian ~247 Ma, base Ladinian ~242 Ma, base Norian ~221 Ma, and base Jurassic ~201 Ma. Triassic magnetostratigraphy is a series of multichrons at best, and needs vast improvement to make a serious contribution to the Triassic timescale.
Basic Brain Injury

Common Mechanisms – MVA, falls from a height, penetrating, sports-related, horse-related, assaults M > F 2:1
Assessment of Numerical Weather Prediction Model Reforecasts of the Occurrence, Intensity, and Location of Atmospheric Rivers along the West Coast of North America

AbstractAtmospheric rivers (ARs)—narrow corridors of high atmospheric water vapor transport—occur globally and are associated with flooding and maintenance of the water supply. Therefore, it is imp...
Intimate Partner Violence Screening in the Prenatal Period: Variation by State, Insurance, and Patient Characteristics

Objective To measure the proportion of women screened for IPV during prenatal care; to assess the predictors of prenatal IPV screening. Methods We use the CDC’s 2012 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, representative of births in 24 states and New York City (N = 28,581). We calculated descriptive and logistic regressions, weighted to deal with state-clustered observations. Results 49.2% of women in our sample reported being screened for IPV while pregnant. There were higher screening rates among women of color, and those who had not completed high school, never been married, received WIC benefits, initiated prenatal care in the first trimester, and were publicly insured. State screening rates varied (29.9–62.9%). Among states, mandated perinatal depression screening or training was positively associated with IPV screening. 3.6% of women in our sample reported prenatal IPV but were not screened during pregnancy. Conclusions for Practice Current efforts have not led to universal screening. We need to better understand when and why providers do not screen pregnant patients for IPV.
Management of the Renal Mass

In the modern world of cross-sectional imaging, up to 70% of renal masses are diagnosed as incidental findings on imaging obtained for unrelated reasons. In the work-up of these lesions, the clinician must differentiate benign from malignant and clinically dangerous from indolent. This chapter discusses the appropriate selection of imaging modality, as well as the work-up and initial management of major categories of renal mass.
Pseudocholinesterase Deficiency in a Patient with Subglottic Stenosis

Subglottic stenosis is a narrowing of the subglottic space, which extends from the inferior border of the vocal cords to the lower border of the cricoid cartilage. Patients often present with shortness of breath, which worsens with the degree of the stenosis. A common treatment for subglottic stenosis involves rigid bronchoscopy under general anesthesia. This chapter presents a case of a woman with subglottic stenosis who underwent a rigid bronchoscopy with balloon dilation under general anesthesia with propofol, fentanyl, and succinylcholine. Succinylcholine is a muscle relaxant of frequent choice for very short procedures as it is rapidly broken down by pseudocholinesterase, resulting in the short duration of clinical activity. At the conclusion of this case, the patient had prolonged weakness following the single dose of intravenous succinylcholine, which normally produces muscle relaxation for 7–10 min. The patient was supported until she recovered to baseline strength and was able to be successfully weaned from ventilatory support and sedation. Subsequent workup demonstrated a low level of pseudocholinesterase activity, explaining the prolonged muscle relaxation following succinylcholine administration. This chapter discusses the clinical manifestations and treatment options for subglottic stenosis, the anesthetic considerations for rigid bronchoscopy, the mechanism of action and side effects of neuromuscular blockade with succinylcholine, the management of a patient with residual neuromuscular blockade, and the pathology and genetics behind pseudocholinesterase deficiency.
Endocannabinoid signaling as an intrinsic component of the circuits mediating adaptive responses to repeated stress exposure in adult male sprague dawley rats.

Evidence implicates the endocannabinoid (eCB) system as a negative modulator of neural and endocrine responses to acute stressors. Recently, eCB signaling was also reported to contribute to habituation of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses to repeated homotypic stress. The present studies were initiated to distinguish a potential role of eCB signaling in the expression vs. the acquisition of habituation of the HPA axis response to repeated stress. In each of three experiments, adult male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to daily, 30-minute sessions of loud white noise (95 dB), which resulted in a progressive decrease in HPA axis response over successive days. Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) antagonist AM251 (0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg, i.p.) was used to examine the role of eCB signaling in homotypic stressor habituation and heterotypic (novel) stressor cross-sensitization of neuroendocrine activity. Pretreatment with high dose (2.0 mg/kg) AM251 before each of 7 consecutive, daily loud noise exposures (acquisition of habituation) resulted in potentiation of stress-induced HPA axis activation and disruption of habituation. After an 8th loud noise exposure without AM251 pretreatment, the same group of rats displayed a habituated plasma corticosterone (CORT) level similar to that of controls, indicating that CB1 receptor antagonist pretreatments did not disrupt the acquisition of habituation. In two additional experiments, rats acquired habituation to loud noise drug free, then lower doses of AM251 (0.5 and 1.0 mg.kg) were administered before a final exposure (expression of habituation) to the homotypic stressor and/or a novel heterotypic stressor. CB1 receptor antagonism disrupted the expression of CORT response habituation and some of the c-fos mRNA reduction associated with it and facilitated novel stressor sensitization in doses that did not potentiate acute responses to these stressors. Collectively, these data suggest a progressive intensification of neural eCB signaling at CB1 receptors with repeated stress exposures.
Natural Law, Freedom, and Tradition: A Catholic Perspective on Mediating Between Liberty and Fraternity

In this chapter, Jason A. Heron asks whether a Thomistic perspective on the natural law is of any use to ethicists, religious and secular, interested in both normativity and contextualization. Heron draws on the work of Thomas Aquinas, Vincent W. Lloyd, Richard Rodriguez, Michael Baxter, and Cristina Traina. The chapter argues that the Thomistic natural law tradition should be a critical dialogue partner in the conversation about moral normativity and social context. The natural law tradition provides ethicists with an effective way of speaking about the human capacity to speak in a variety of subsidiary moral registers indexed to the various social contexts in which humans act. The chapter contends that this subsidiary structuring of moral speech enables human communities to navigate the tensions of normative moral claims and context-dependent descriptions of choice and action.
MRI safety and imaging artifacts evaluated for a cannulated screw used for guided growth surgery.

Abstract Objective Percutaneously-placed cannulated screws are the implant of choice for treatment of skeletal deformity associated with growing children that have spastic cerebral palsy (CP). These patients often require MRI examinations throughout their childhood to evaluate associated comorbidities and frequently for research protocols. There are concerns related to the use of MRI when metallic implants are present. Therefore, this study characterized MRI safety and imaging artifacts for a cannulated screw commonly used for guided growth. Methods Standardized and well-accepted in vitro techniques were used to evaluate a cannulated screw (4.5 mm diameter x 50 mm length, 316 L stainless steel) for MRI issues. Static magnetic field interactions (i.e., translational attraction and torque) and artifacts were tested at 3-Tesla. Radiofrequency-related heating was assessed at 1.5-Tesla/64-MHz and 3-Tesla/128-MHz using relatively high levels of RF energy (whole-body averaged specific absorption rates of 2.7 W/kg and 2.9-W/kg, respectively). Artifacts were determined using T1-weighted, spin echo and gradient echo pulse sequences. Results The cannulated screw exhibited minor magnetic field interactions (14° deflection angle, no torque). The highest temperature changes at 1.5-Tesla/64-MHz and 3-Tesla/128-MHz MRI were 2.1 °C and 2.4 °C, respectively. The maximum artifact size on a gradient echo sequence extended 20 mm relative to the dimensions of the implant. Conclusions The in vitro tests performed on the cannulated screw indicated that there were no substantial concerns with respect to the use of 1.5- and 3-Tesla MRI. Therefore, a patient with this cannulated screw can safely undergo MRI by following specific conditions to ensure safety.
Academic Special Collections and the Myths of Copyright

This study compares the copyright and use policy statements posted on the websites of the special collections of Association of Research Libraries member libraries. In spring 2018, 99 academic special collections websites were viewed, and data was collected based on the following: 1) presence and content of a general copyright statement; 2) mention of copyright owners besides the special collections; 3) presence and accuracy of statements regarding fair use and public domain; 4) policies for patron-made copies; 5) whether the special collections required its permission and/or the copyright owner’s permission to publish; 6) whether any use or license fees were charged and how clearly fees were presented. Authors analyzed whether these policies reflect copyright law or went beyond it, unnecessarily restricting the use of materials or imposing fees where rights are in question. A majority of the sites included general copyright statements, mentioned other copyright owners, and mentioned fair use, but only a minority mentioned the public domain. Just more than half restricted how patrons could use patron-made copies. About half required the special collections’ permission to publish a copy, and a fifth said any third-party owner’s permission was also required for publication.
R-spondin 2 mediates neutrophil egress into the alveolar space through increased lung permeability.

R-spondin 2 (RSPO2) is required for lung morphogenesis, activates Wnt signaling, and is upregulated in idiopathic lung fibrosis. Our objective was to investigate whether RSPO2 is similarly important in homeostasis of the adult lung. While investigating the characteristics of bronchoalveolar lavage in RSPO2-deficient (RSPO2−/−) mice, we observed unexpected changes in neutrophil homeostasis and vascular permeability when compared to control (RSPO2+/+) mice at baseline. Here we quantify these observations to explore how tonic RSPO2 expression impacts lung homeostasis. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis demonstrated significantly elevated myeloperoxidase (MPO) expression in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells from RSPO2−/− mice. Likewise, immunocytochemical (ICC) analysis demonstrated significantly more MPO+ cells in BALF from RSPO2−/− mice compared to controls, confirming the increase of infiltrated neutrophils. We then assessed lung permeability/barrier disruption via Fluorescein Isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran instillation and found a significantly higher dextran concentration in the plasma of RSPO2−/− mice compared to identically treated RSPO2+/+ mice. These data demonstrate that RSPO2 may be crucial for blood-gas barrier integrity and can limit neutrophil migration from circulation into alveolar spaces associated with increased lung permeability and/or barrier disruption. This study indicates that additional research is needed to evaluate RSPO2 in scenarios characterized by pulmonary edema or neutrophilia.
Exposure measurement error and the characterization of child exposure to fecal contamination in drinking water

Characterizing fecal contamination exposure from drinking water can introduce exposure measurement errors, i.e., differences between the observed and true exposure. These errors can mask the true relationship between fecal contamination exposure and waterborne diseases. We present a framework to quantify the impact of measurement errors on exposure–outcome health effect estimates introduced by variability in measured drinking water fecal contamination levels and household versus community sampling strategies. We matched fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) data for >37,000 drinking water samples to children aged 0–72 months from 19 studies in low- and middle-income countries and took two complementary analytical approaches. We found that household-level exposure assessments may attenuate effect estimates of FIB concentrations in drinking water on diarrhea, and single water samples may attenuate health effect estimates of FIB concentrations on linear growth. To understand the health effects of fecal contamination exposure, measurement error frameworks can be used to estimate more biologically relevant exposures.
Synthesis of pyrroloindolines through formal [3 + 2]-cycloaddition of indoles with chiral N-2-acetamidoacrylyl oxazolidinones

Abstract Chiral N-2-acetamidoacrylyl oxazolidinones were produced and reacted with indoles under Lewis acid conditions to generate hexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole products in a formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition process. Optimal conditions included the use of tin(IV) chloride in methylene chloride at 0 °C. Pyrroloindoline products were obtained from various indoles with shorter reaction times (12 hr) up to 91% yield with high, >20:1 exo selectivity. A mechanism involving reversible conjugate addition followed by an enamine lone-pair-iminium capture, tautomerization, and tin-enolate protonation accounts for the selectivity. The method enables selective applications to pyrroloindoline targets and further refinement with chiral catalysts.
Effect of capture on throughput of variable length packet Aloha systems

Abstract The effect of the capture phenomenon on the throughput of a radio communications system using the Aloha random access protocol with variable length packets is examined. In a packet radio communications system, the base station typically receives stronger signals from near users than from far users, leading to the so-called ‘near/far effect’. The packet capture phenomenon, in which a packet captures the base station receiver when its signal-to-interface ratio exceeds some threshold, is a consequence of the near/far effect. System throughput with capture is obtained analytically in terms of a tagged packet's conditional capture probability using the most general packet length distribution, i.e. packet length is taken to be exponentially distributed. The maximum throughput and the channel traffic rate corresponding to the maximum throughput of a variable packet Aloha system with capture are both considerably higher than that of a comparable system without capture. Depending on the threshold, the maximum throughput and the channel traffic rate corresponding to maximum throughput of a variable packet Aloha system with capture can be as much as 67% and 120% higher (resp.) than that of a comparable system without capture. Consequently, not only throughput but also the stability of the system is enhanced by the capture effect.
Measuring Informal Work with Digital Traces: Mobile Payphone Operators in Rwanda

This paper illuminates the workings of an informal industry in one of the poorest countries in the world. I study payphone operators in Rwanda using 427 million digital traces recorded on the mobile phone network. I demonstrate how to extract economic behavior from these traces. They reveal every call that generates revenue, as well as operators' critical business decisions: entry, the daily decision of where and when to work, and exit. Over the period I study, thousands of informal workers enter the industry. New entrants learn to optimize their operations within the first two months. Patterns are suggestive of business stealing.
Randition: Random Blockchain Partitioning for Write Throughput

This paper proposes to support dynamic runtime partitioning of Tendermint, which is an in-development state machine replication algorithm that uses the blockchain model to provide Byzantine-fault tolerance. We call this variation Randition. We incorporate recent research from blockchain consensus and replicated state machine partitioning to allow Randition users to partition their blockchain for improved write performance at the cost of some Byzantine fault tolerance.
Shaping Diversity and Inclusion Policy with Research

The legal profession in England and Wales is perceived as pale, male, and stale (that is, white, male, and older), but is that actually the case? And, if it is, what could or should a representative body like the Law Society do about it? This Article considers the situation from the perspective of solicitors. It reviews the research that the Law Society has commissioned over the last twenty years and how the findings have impacted policymaking. This Article looks at the main initiatives resulting from the research and considers whether they have made a difference and what the continuing challenges are. Through the renewal of their annual practicing certificate (PC), all solicitors are automatically members of the Law Society of England and Wales, a body which represents their interests (from negotiating with and lobbying the profession’s regulators, government, and others, to offering training and advice). The Legal Services Act 2007 obliges the Law Society to encourage “an independent, strong, diverse and effective legal profession.”1 In addition, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), which is part of the Law Society Group but operates independently of the Law Society, requires law firms to run their business or carry out their “role in the business in a way that encourages equality of opportunity and respect for diversity.”2 The Law Society provides advice and support to help them do this. There is, therefore, both a legislative and regulatory requirement for the Law Society and law firms to promote diversity in the legal profession. There are many reasons why a diverse profession is desirable. Making the profession more diverse and representative will lead to benefits in
A network-based integrated framework for predicting virus-host interactions

Abstract Metagenomic sequencing has greatly enhanced the discovery of viral genomic sequences; however it remains challenging to identify the host(s) of these new viruses. We developed VirHostMatcher-Net, a flexible, network-based, Markov random field framework for predicting virus-host interactions using multiple, integrated features: CRISPR sequences, sequence homology, and alignment-free similarity measures ( and WIsH). Evaluation of this method on a benchmark set of 1,075 known viruses-host pairs yielded host prediction accuracy of 62% and 85% at the genus and phylum levels, representing 12-27% and 10-18% improvement respectively over previous single-feature prediction approaches. We applied our host-prediction tool to three metagenomic virus datasets: human gut crAss-like phages, marine viruses, and viruses recovered from globally-distributed, diverse habitats. Host predictions were frequently consistent with those of previous studies, but more importantly, this new tool made many more confident predictions than previous tools, up to 6-fold more (n>60,000), greatly expanding the diversity of known virus-host interactions.
Laryngeal Nerve and Airway Protection During Radiofrequency Ablation of Thyroid Nodules

Abstract Introduction: The thyroid sits in a pocket surrounded by multiple important structures including the trachea, recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) and vagus nerve, and common carotid artery. Un...
Metabolic Profiles for Evaluation of the Transition Period

Metabolic profiling as originally defined using the Compton Metabolic Profile procedure was insufficient for identifying herd problems. More recent research has better characterized metabolic dynamics around the time of calving and their relationship with high prevalence of metabolic and infectious disease problems. This, coupled with a series of factors including improved diagnostic tests, increasing herd size and recognition of transition cow health impact on herd performance, have revived interest in new testing protocols to assess herd periparturient disease risk. Cost and interpretation have been the limiting factors to widespread adoption of a metabolic profiling procedure. New strategies to reduce costs and yet maintain some useful diagnostic value have evolved either herd-based diagnostic or screening approaches. Use of pooled samples collected from pre-defined physiologic groups, and testing a wide array of analytes, have been advocated as a practical and economical method of screening the dairy herd for periparturient disease risk. Key diagnostic analytes identified as predictive for transition cow problems include non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), NEFA:cholesterol ratio; B-hydroxybutyrate, albumin, calcium, sodium and magnesium. The current challenge is development of diagnostically valid interpretation criteria for pooled samples. Most importantly, it must be remembered that metabolic profiles are almost useless without being coupled with animal and facility evaluations, body condition scoring and ration evaluation. The combination, used within a team approach, can be an extremely useful diagnostic tool in nutritional evaluations of the dairy herd.
Live two-photon imaging reveals distinct contribution of neutrophilic and stromal Toll-like receptor 4 in hyper-acute bone marrow response to systemic lipopolysaccharide insult (INC5P.324)

Produced in the bone marrow (BM) in large quantities, neutrophils are rapidly mobilized and released into circulation in response to inflammation and infection. How BM neutrophils are released as a result of CXCL12 and CXCL1/CXCL2 gradients have been studied at a long time scale (hours to days) following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. However, little is known about how neutrophil and BM stroma react during the hyper-acute (minutes to hours) phase. We performed intravital microscopy on mice that express GFP under the Lysozyme M (LysM) promoter. BM chimeras were generated to differentiate TLR4-mediated responses in hematopoietic and radio-resistant stroma. We observed a 2.5-fold increase in the speed and the formation of dynamic cellular clusters in 50% of BM neutrophils 30-60 minutes after LPS injection. The neutrophils achieved a peak average speed of 8.4 um/min, accompanied by their disappearance into circulation as evidenced by a 40% reduction in the GFP fluorescence after 90 minutes. BM chimera experiments revealed that while intra-marrow migration and cellular clustering are dependent on TLR4 signaling in neutrophils, their release into systemic circulation is dependent on stromal TLR4 signaling. Blocking CXCR2 signaling had the same effect as chimeras expressing TLR4-defective stroma, further revealing that BM stroma modulate TLR4-mediated neutrophil mobilization and release via CXCL1/CXCL2 chemokine signaling during the hyper-acute phase of marrow response to LPS.
Asthma: a modern perspective.

When viewed in the broad modern perspective, there is nothing about asthma that should mystify or depress the pediatrician. Although sometimes a difficult clinical problem, it is one for which rational approaches are available. The pediatrician who is willing to acquire the basic knowledge necessary for a modern understanding of asthma will find management of the asthmatic child to be one of the most intellectually appealing and emotionally gratifying aspects of his practice. Pediatricians who demand more from the allergist than the traditional rituals can be a major force in raising the standards of the practice of allergy.
Study of closely spaced YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// Josephson junction pairs

Using electron beam lithography and ion damage, high quality YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// superconductor-normal metal-superconductor in-plane Josephson junction pairs have been fabricated. These junctions operate at temperatures between 60 and 85 K and have spacing ranging between 150 nm and 800 nm. Central electrodes connecting to the area between the two junctions were made, allowing for simultaneous measurements of the individual junctions as well as the series. Josephson junction pairs with 150 nm spacing were found to have extraordinary properties under microwave radiation with different power. At low power the structure functioned as two independent Josephson junctions in series, while at high power it behaved as one single Josephson junction. A possible origin of this behavior could be that the applied microwave radiation induces weak link behavior in the YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// between the two junctions.
Effects of gas and droplet characteristics on drop-drop collision outcome regimes

Abstract Droplet-droplet collisions occur in many spray systems. The collision of two spherical droplets in a gas is considered in terms of the five primary phenomenological outcomes: slow coalescence (SC), bounce (B), fast coalescence (FC), reflexive separation (RS), and stretching separation (SS). The boundaries that separate these outcomes were investigated herein in terms of droplet viscosity and surface tension as well as gas pressure and density. Gas effects are not accounted for previous models, but can be important for hydrocarbon drops in pressurized sprays associated with many fuel systems. Based on a comprehensive review of available drop-drop collision data, phenomenological models were proposed herein for a wide variety of test conditions. For slow coalescence/bouncing (SC/B), increasing droplet viscosity and gas pressure were found to increase the probability of a bouncing outcome of the collision. For the B/FC boundary, increasing droplet viscosity and gas density were also found to increase bouncing probability. In both cases, the variations can be explained in terms of the stability of the gas layer that develops between the droplets. Additionally, the Brazier-Smith model for the FC/SS boundary was modified to increase robustness for a wide range of droplet viscosities. In general, the present models reasonably predicted collision outcomes for a large variety of gas pressures and densities as well as droplet viscosities and surface tensions. These are also the first models to include gas effects and the first models of the SC/B boundary. However, the droplet diameters of the data set were limited in range from 200 to 400 microns. Significantly larger droplet collisions may include effects on initial non-sphericity while significantly smaller drop collisions may include effects on non-continuum flow and gas viscosity.
The Body Politic: Childhood Obesity as a Symbol of an Unbalanced Economy.

As society's novices, children are becoming more susceptible to advertisers who target them as a profitable demographic. This creates an alarming trend of obesity and exacts a considerable financial, physical and ethical toll on the community. To view obesity as concurrent with malnourishment seems counter-intuitive, this study uses Butler's description of the body as the enactment of hegemony, in order to reveal a tension between our cultural and economic ideologies manifesting in children's bodies. To come closer to this, the social context of food is examined; its production and distribution in light of today's overabundance of mass-marketed low-quality foods, to show how this state of unbalance affects children's bodies. Next, literature from the health-related fields regarding the negative impact of advertising directed at children is examined, to support the argument for educational policies tailored to the current political context. As the ideology of consumerism becomes increasingly connected to c...
Dietary Phytoestrogens Increase Metabolic Resistance (Cold Tolerance) in Long-Chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase–Deficient Mice

We evaluated the role of dietary phytoestrogens (PE) in the disease phenotype of cold intolerance that characterizes long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase-deficient (LCAD-/-) mice, a model of inborn errors of mitochondrial fatty acid beta-oxidation. Male LCAD-/- mice were fed a standard diet containing endogenous PE, a PE-free diet, or a PE-free diet that was supplemented with genistein (250 microg/g diet). The standard diet did not restore complete cold tolerance, but it provided more resistance (P = 0.004) to cold challenge than the PE-free diet. There was a nonsignificant difference (P < 0.07) between LCAD-/- mice fed the genistein-supplemented diet and those fed the PE-free diet. There were no differences in end-point serum glucose concentrations among the 3 groups. Serum FFA were decreased in LCAD-/- mice fed the standard diet compared with those fed the PE-free diet (P = 0.005) and the diet supplemented with genistein (P < 0.001). Serum triglyceride concentrations were greater (P < 0.05) only in LCAD-/- mice fed the genistein-supplemented diet than those fed the standard diet. These results demonstrate the beneficial effects of dietary PE on metabolic tolerance in LCAD-/- mice. Furthermore, they suggest changes that could improve pediatric formula constituents, especially with regard to management of children with inborn errors of fatty acid oxidation.
Chemically induced folding of single and bilayer graphene.

Here we report chemically induced folding of thin graphene flakes. The folding occurs spontaneously when an intercalating species interrupts the adhesion between graphene and a supporting substrate. The morphology of induced folds suggests that the conjugated π network is capable of extremely sharp curvature. Adjacent folds are often parallel, suggesting preferential deformation along certain crystallographic planes.
Evaluating sex and gender competencies in the medical curriculum: a case study.

Abstract Background Sex and gender differences exist in the manifestation and prevalence of many conditions and diseases. Yet many clinician training programs neglect to integrate this information across their curricula. Objective This study aimed to measure the sex and gender medical knowledge of medical students enrolled in a program without an explicit directive to integrate sex and gender differences across a block system of core subjects. Methods A forced-choice instrument consisting of 35 multiple-choice and true or false questions was adapted from an evaluation tool used in the European Curriculum in Gender Medicine held at Charite Hospital, Berlin, in September 2010. Results Fourth-year (response rate 93%) and second-year (response rate 70%) students enrolled in Mayo Medical School completed the instrument. More than 50% of students in both classes indicated that topics related to sex and gender were covered in gynecology, cardiology, and pediatrics, and Conclusions Although this study represents only one medical school in the United States, information regarding sex and gender aspects of medicine is not consistently included in this curriculum without an explicit directive. These results can provide guidance for curriculum improvement to train future physicians.
Lupus erythematosus and nutrition: a review of the literature.

The purpose of this review was to search the scientific literature for dietary compounds that alleviate or exacerbate symptoms of lupus erythematosus (LE) in both animal and human models. A detailed literature review was undertaken to find articles showing a relationship between LE and nutrition by using MEDLINE/INDEX MEDICUS (1950-March 2000) for English-language articles, followed by cross-referencing. Aggravating substances appear to include excess calories, excess protein, high fat (especially saturated and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids), zinc, iron, and L-canavanine found in alfalfa tablets. Possible beneficial dietary compounds include vitamin E, vitamin A (beta-carotene), selenium, fish oils (omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids), evening primrose oil, flaxseed, a plant herb (Tripterygium wilfordii), dehydroepiandrosterone, and calcium plus vitamin D (if taking corticosteroids). Some people with systemic LE placed on food allergy elimination diets reported improvement in their LE symptoms; however, this may be related to a decrease of other substances in the diet. Also, although no direct evidence was reported on the beneficial effects of either bromelain or a vegetarian diet (possibly allowing fish), it is suggested that they might be beneficial. Limitations to this research are that the findings are based on relatively few studies, many of which were without control groups or extrapolated from animal models. No large-scale studies have been performed with LE patients to substantiate the benefit, if any, of these individual dietary interventions, and if they were conducted, the remission and exacerbation pattern of LE may interfere with elucidating their effectiveness. Also, dietary changes should not be attempted without a physician's approval/monitoring.
A Skeptical View of Educational Reform

When the assumptions of the educa tional reform movement are examined, they reveal a conservative view of teach ing and schools. Romanish argues that reform must view education in its broadest cultural context and avoid nar row aims. True reform must emerge out of a new educational ethic, one that em powers teachers as transformative intel lectuals.
Validating relativistic models of nuclear structure against theoretical, experimental, and observational constraints

Relativistic mean-field models of nuclear structure have been enormously successful at reproducing ground-state properties of finite nuclei throughout the periodic table using a handful of accurately calibrated parameters. In this contribution, we use powerful theoretical, experimental, and observational constraints on the equation of state of asymmetric nuclear matter--not employed in the calibration procedure--to validate two such models: NL3 and FSUGold. It is observed that FSUGold is consistent with all these constraints, except perhaps for a high-density equation of state that appears mildly softer than required by astronomical observations. It is argued that incorporating such constraints goes a long way in removing much of the ambiguity left over from the standard calibrating procedure.