cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conclusions: Transitions and the ‘Transatlantic’ Playground

Five contributions beg attention: (a) the transatlantic geographical boundaries were extended far beyond the ocean itself; (b) the pre-1945 history is shown to be not just relevant, but in many cases crucial to understanding/refining contemporary concepts, institutions, and behavioral patterns; (c) several new analytical dimensions were postulated, with the mind-set leading them all; (d) although transatlantic dynamics could not be placed under any specific theoretical arrangements, the recurring resort to self-help by disparate players suggest ‘realism’ of whatever stripe, should not be fully dismissed or remain far from any interpretive framework; and (e) the ever-present influence of transitions, of both short-term and long-term duration, with the key one being the global→ regional→ global, exposing how enveloped ‘transatlantic studies’ has been by globalizing forces. Policy-making implications at the global-local interface, national, regional, multilateral, and transnational levels then get surveyed. Together, the demand for another ‘family’-based rubric to encapsulate ‘transatlantic studies’ rings too loud to ignore.
Tri-Fly: Distributed Estimation of Global and Local Triangle Counts in Graph Streams

Given a graph stream, how can we estimate the number of triangles in it using multiple machines with limited storage?
Management of Autoimmune and Inflammatory Disorders in the Setting of Infection or Immunodeficiency

Host-microbiome symbiosis is contingent upon intact immune surveillance and competence. Compromised immunity with development of clinical infection may occur as a consequence of immunosuppressive therapy prescribed for treatment of inflammatory or autoimmune disease. Alternatively, autoimmune disorders not uncommonly develop in the context of underlying immune deficiency. In either setting, clinicians may need to develop strategies to suppress autoimmune-mediated inflammation in the setting of intercurrent infection. The optimal strategy is best informed by what host defenses are required to effect resolution of the infection, the current status of these defenses in a given patient, and recognition of how chosen therapies for managing autoimmunity and associated inflammation may (or may not) impact the ability of the needed defenses to eradicate specific pathogens.
Outcomes and indications for early hand therapy after multiple concomitant elective hand procedures.

Abstract Study Design Retrospective comparative study. Introduction Trigger finger and carpal tunnel surgery are common, but not without complications including pain and edema, which are treated with hand therapy (HT). There are limited data for the outcomes of multiple trigger finger releases (MTFRs) or combined trigger finger and carpal tunnel surgery and the subsequent need for HT. Purpose of the Study Based on our hypothesis that patients with more than 1 procedure may benefit from an early HT visit, we performed this study to compare the frequency of HT orders after single trigger finger releases (STFRs) and MTFRs and determine the reasoning for variation in the rate of HT orders after releases. Methods Subjects receiving either an STFR or an MTFR were identified. Patient-reported outcomes were recorded preoperatively and 2 weeks postoperatively. Results One hundred fifty-nine eligible subjects were identified; 33 MTFRs and 126 STFRs. MTFR subjects were prescribed postoperation HT at a higher rate compared with STFR subjects (66.7% vs 34.1%; P Discussion Patients with soft tissue dissection, edema, and stiffness would most likely benefit from HT services. It is important to identify these at-risk subpopulations to potentially alter their postoperative trajectories and improve outcomes. Conclusions Higher rates of referral to HT occur when there are multiple concomitant hand procedures. This suggests surgeons triage HT services based on need. Policies that disallow postoperative therapy will have a greater impact on patients with these indications.
Tolerance and mitigation strategies of proton exchange membrane fuel cells subject to acetylene contamination

Abstract Acetylene contamination in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) significantly depends on cell operating conditions. In this work, acetylene contamination is studied by varying the acetylene concentration, cathode potential and temperature. Hysteresis in the cell performance response is observed during cycling tests with variations in acetylene concentration and cathode potential and is attributed to the potential dependency of acetylene redox reactions. The tolerance of PEMFCs to acetylene is established at approximately 23 ppm for a commercially available catalyst-coated membrane. For a cell poisoned by acetylene at a concentration above the tolerance value, performance losses are eliminated by bringing the ohmic compensated cell voltage into the acetylene oxidation (cell voltage increase) or hydrogenation (cell voltage decrease) regions.
Brown Eyed Handsome Man : The Life and Hard Times of Chuck Berry

Brown Eyed Handsome Man: The Life and Hard Times of Chuck Berry draws on dozens of interviews done by the author himself and voluminous public records to paint a complete picture of this complicated figure. This biography uncovers the real Berry and provides us with a stirring, unvarnished portrait of both the man and the artist. Berry has long been one of pop music's most enigmatic personalities. Growing up in a middle-class, black neighborhood in St. Louis, his first major hit song, "Maybellene," was an adaptation of a white country song, wedded to a black-influenced beat. Thereafter came a string of brilliant songs celebrating teenage life in the '50s, including "School Day," "Johnny B. Goode," and "Sweet Little Sixteen." Berry's career rise was meteoric; but his fall came equally quickly, when his relations with an underage girl led to his conviction. It was not his first (nor his last) run in with the law. He scored his biggest hit in the early '70s with the comical (and some would say decidedly lightweight) song "My Ding-a-Ling." The following decades brought hundreds of nights of tours, with little attention from the recording industry. Bruce Pegg offers the definitive, though not always pretty, portrait of one of the greatest stars of rock and roll, a story that will appeal to all fans of American popular music.
Updated Imaging Features of Dysplastic Cerebellar Gangliocytoma.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to perform an updated review of the imaging features of dysplastic cerebellar gangliocytoma (DCG). METHODS Imaging findings were retrospectively reviewed in 14 patients with DCG. The analysis included size, location, cyst formation, calcification, intralesional hemorrhage, enhancement pattern, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). RESULTS In addition to revisiting many well-established imaging features of DCG, enhancement was much more common (64.3%) than previously reported, and small enhancing veins were also frequently encountered within or along the periphery of the lesions (50%). Dysplastic cerebellar gangliocytomas had an elevated ADC compared with normal cerebellum (967.8 ± 115.7 vs 770.4 ± 47.3 × 10 mm/s; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging within DCG should be an accepted imaging finding rather than being viewed as uncommon or atypical. Dysplastic cerebellar gangliocytomas typically have an elevated ADC compared with normal cerebellum, which may assist in differentiation from other posterior fossa neoplasms.
New Approaches for Solid Waste Management to Maximize Organic Waste Reutilization

The world population is estimated to reach to 9.7 B by 2050, resulting in increased demand for resources and increased production of waste. As a result, today’s waste disposal systems and approach to waste management will not be adequate for future applications. Therefore, a systematic approach to sustainable food, energy, and water management is needed to meet increased demand for resources and efficient waste utilization systems. Currently, the food, energy, and water (FEW) sectors use technologies developed to address the needs of a given sector (i.e., energy, water, food, or agriculture), and wastes from each sector are usually managed separately. Production systems underlying these sectors have traditionally treated pollution and waste as externalities that are diluted into the ambient environment, and separate infrastructure systems have consequently been developed with unnecessary inefficiencies that are increasingly problematic. Because neither landfilling nor industrial composting provide ultimate reutilization of organic waste, and neither can achieve both energy and nutrient recovery in one process from organic waste, we need to transition from a “Traditional Linear Waste Disposal” approach to a sustainable “Closed Loop Resource Recovery” approach. Exploring how FEW systems can efficiently be optimized to (1) repurpose or recycle organic waste products, (2) internalize traditional externalities, and (3) integrate wastes with resource inputs across systems, by deploying integrative management strategies is essential.
Bleeding and Thrombosis in Cancer Patients

Cancer patients can suffer both bleeding and thrombotic complications which can have effects ranging from needing to have new or different therapies to being fatal. Bleeding complications can be due to therapy-related causes such as drug-induced thrombocytopenia or due to the cancer itself such as found in acute promyelocytic leukemia. The same dynamic holds true for thrombotic complications. This chapter will review both bleeding and thrombotic complications of cancer and its treatment focusing on pathogenesis, recognition, and treatment.
Convergence-Rate-Matching Discretization of Accelerated Optimization Flows Through Opportunistic State-Triggered Control

A recent body of exciting work seeks to shed light on the behavior of accelerated methods in optimization via high-resolution differential equations. These differential equations are continuous counterparts of the discrete-time optimization algorithms, and their convergence properties can be characterized using the powerful tools provided by classical Lyapunov stability analysis. An outstanding question of pivotal importance is how to discretize these continuous flows while maintaining their convergence rates. This paper provides a novel approach through the idea of opportunistic state-triggered control. We take advantage of the Lyapunov functions employed to characterize the rate of convergence of high-resolution differential equations to design variable-stepsize forward-Euler discretizations that preserve the Lyapunov decay of the original dynamics. The philosophy of our approach is not limited to forward-Euler discretizations and may be combined with other integration schemes.
Protective Behavioral Strategies Predict Alcohol-Related Problems among Injured Patients Following a Brief Intervention

Abstract Background Alcohol protective behavioral strategies (PBS) have been proposed as mechanisms of change underlying interventions for reducing alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Few studies have examined PBS use among non-college student populations and no study has examined PBS use among adult injured patients. The current study tested types of PBS as mediators of the effects of a brief motivational intervention (BMI) delivered in the trauma care setting on alcohol-related problems. Method Secondary data analyses were conducted using data from a multisite randomized controlled trial of brief intervention in the trauma care setting. The current study used data from a subset of participants who reported having consumed alcohol at least once at 3-month follow-up (N = 324). Following a baseline assessment, participants were assigned to either brief advice (BA; n = 107), BMI (n = 119), or BMI with a telephone booster (BMI + B; n = 98). Participants completed measures of PBS at 3-month follow-up and of alcohol-related problems at baseline and 6-month follow-up. A multiple mediation model was conducted to simultaneously test the mediation effects of types of PBS. Results BMI and BMI + B relative to BA did not increase PBS use. However, more frequent use of certain types of PBS at 3-month follow-up were predictors of greater reductions in alcohol-related problems from baseline to 6-month follow-up. There were no statistically significant mediation effects. Conclusions The present study suggests that PBS use reduces alcohol-related problems among trauma patients and implications for future studies are discussed.
The Google fiber project

Rachel serves as a liaison between the many organizations and leaders in Kansas City with an interest in the ultra high-speed Google Fiber project and the Google Fiber team. She will talk about the Google Fiber Project - why Google is doing this, why they selected Kansas City for their first fiber-to-the-home network, what this might mean for the community, and the current status of the project. She will also touch on how STEM education -- including computer science -- can bolster infrastructure growth and innovation around the world.
The Psychology of Gray Hair.

Stress has long been associated with hair graying, yet there is little evidence to substantiate this claim. In a recent issue of Nature, Zhang et al. (2020) show that stress induces the release of noradrenaline from sympathetic nerves, which depletes the stem cells that give hair their color.
Reasons for long-term tunneled dialysis catheter use and associated morbidity.

Abstract Objective Tunneled dialysis catheters (TDCs) are generally used as a temporary means to provide hemodialysis until permanent arteriovenous (AV) access is established. However, some patients may have long-term catheter-based hemodialysis because of the lack of alternatives for other dialysis access. Our objective was to evaluate characteristics of patients with, reasons for, and mortality associated with long-term TDC use. Methods A retrospective single-institution analysis was performed. Long-term TDC use was defined as >180 days without more than a 7-day temporary removal time. Reasons for long-term TDC use and complications were recorded. Summary statistics were performed. Kaplan-Meier analysis compared mortality between patients with long-term TDC use and a comparison cohort who underwent AV access creation with subsequent TDC removal. Results We identified 50 patients with long-term TDC use from 2013 to 2018. The average age was 63 years, 44% were male, and 76% were African American. Previous TDC use was found in 42% of patients with subsequent removal after alternative access was established. Median TDC duration was 333 days (range, 185-2029 days). The primary reasons for long-term TDC use were failed (occluded) AV access (34%), nonmaturing AV (nonoccluded) access (32%), delayed AV access placement (14%), no AV access options (10%), patient refusal for AV access placement (6%), and medically high risk for AV access placement (4%). In 46% of patients, TDC complications including central venous stenosis (33.4%), TDC-related infections (29.6%), TDC displacement (27.8%), and thrombosis (7.9%) occurred. Overall, 47.6% required a catheter exchange during the prolonged TDC period. The majority (76.4%) had the catheter removed because of established alternative access during follow-up. The long-term TDC group, in relation to the comparator group (n = 201), had fewer male patients (44% vs 61.2%; P = .028) and higher proportion of congestive heart failure (66% vs 40.3%; P = .001). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no significant difference in survival at 24 months for the long-term TDC group compared with the comparator group (93.6% vs 92.7%; P = .28). Conclusions Patients with long-term TDCs experienced significant TDC-related morbidity. Whereas permanent access is preferable, some patients may require long-term TDC use because of difficulty in establishing a permanent access, limited access options, and patient preference. There was no difference in survival between the groups.
The Journey from Peruvian Guano to Artificial Fertilizer Ends with Too Much Nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay

By the mid-nineteenth century, farmers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed began importing fertilizers to restore productivity to depleted fields. This began with guano from remote Peruvian shores, which created a market for soil amendments that switched to artificial fertilizer in the twentieth century. The widespread use of artificial fertilizers and animal manures to supply reactive forms of nitrogen to crops resulted in increased productivity per unit area, but also many unintended consequences including; pollution of ground and surface waters, increases in weeds and agricultural pests, air pollution, reduced biodiversity and release of global warming gases. Nitrogen pollution of the Chesapeake Bay caused the onset of persistent eutrophication in the later half of the twentieth century. The USEPA is working with jurisdictions to reduce nitrogen pollution through a series of best management practices that facilitate preserving the current food system while reducing its impact on the environment. Moving the food system away from a focus on animal agriculture and toward producing crops for a whole-food-plant-based-diet will speed the recovery of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem from the ravages of excessive reactive nitrogen.
Breakthrough: Phase-Pure 2D Perovskite Films

Obtaining phase-pure 2D perovskite films will extend the understanding and applications in various optoelectronic fields. Recently in Nature Energy, Liang and coworkers first present phase-pure 2D perovskites by replacing BAI with BAAc, showing stronger ionic coordination with the perovskite framework. A PCE of 16.25% with enhanced stability was obtained.
Development and feasibility of quantitative functional coronary microvascular imaging for mice using uSPECT

1383 Objectives: Despite growing interest in Coronary Microvascular Disease (CMVD), there is a dearth of mechanistic understanding. Mouse models offer opportunities to understand molecular processes in CMVD, however, there are few quantitative methods for assessing the coronary microcirculation in mice. We have sought to develop quantitative mouse imaging to non-invasively assess coronary microvascular function. Methods: We examined two methods for quantifying coronary microvascular function in mice. Using MILabs U-SPECT+ system, we acquired dynamic cardiac images with 99mTc-Sestamibi in male and female C57BL/6 mice aged 6-16 weeks. We determined recovery and crosstalk coefficients and the influx rate constant from blood to myocardium (K1, n = 24). We then performed microsphere perfusion experiments (n=4) to determine constraints on the extraction-fraction curve. As an alternate method to assess coronary microvascular function, we labeled red blood cells using 99mTc and stannous pyrophosphate and measured intramyocardial blood volume (IMBV, n=6) under basal and hyperemic conditions (3% isoflurane). Results: Activity in the left ventricle ROI was highly correlated with activity in the isolated heart (R2=0.85, p<0.0001). The recovery coefficients for myocardial tissue (RT) and left ventricular arterial blood (RA) were 0.81±0.16 and 1.07±0.12, respectively. The assumption RT =1-FBV (Fraction Blood Volume), which is often used for large animals, did not hold in mice. Using a complete mixing matrix to fit a one-compartment kinetic model, we measured K1 of 0.57±0.08 min-1. Constraints on the extraction-fraction curve for 99mTc-sestamibi in mice for best-fit Renkin-Crone parameters were α=0.99 and β=0.39. Additionally, we found that wild-type mice increase their IMBV in response to hyperemic conditions by 22.9±3.3%. Conclusions: We have developed a framework for measuring K1 and change in IMBV in mice, demonstrating non-invasive µSPECT-based quantitative imaging of mouse microvascular function.
Phylogenetically diverse bacteria isolated from tattoo inks, an azo dye-rich environment, decolorize a wide range of azo dyes.

Purpose There has been an interest in the microbial azo dye degradation as an optional method for the treatment of azo dye-containing wastes. Tattoo ink is an extremely unique azo dye-rich environment, which have never been explored in terms of microorganisms capable of degrading azo dyes. Previously, we isolated 81 phylogenetically diverse bacteria, belonging to 18 genera and 52 species, contaminated in tattoo inks. In this study, we investigated if these bacteria, which can survive in the azo dye-rich environment, have an ability to degrade azo dyes. Methods We conducted a two-step azo dye degradation (or decolorization) assay. In step 1, a high-throughput degradability assay was done for 79 bacterial isolates using Methyl Red and Orange II. In step 2, a further degradation assay was done for 10 selected bacteria with a representative of 11 azo dyes, including 3 commercial tattoo ink azo dyes. Degradation of azo dyes were calculated from measuring optical absorbance of soluble dyes at specific wavelengths. Results The initial high-throughput azo dye assay (step 1) showed that 79 isolates had a complete or partial degradation of azo dyes; > 90% of Methyl Red and Orange II were degraded within 24 h, by 74 and 20 isolates, respectively. A further evaluation of azo dye degradability for 10 selected isolates in step 2 showed that the isolates, belonging to Bacillus, Brevibacillus, Paenibacillus, and Pseudomonas, exhibited an excellent decolorization ability for a wide range of azo dyes. Conclusions This study showed that phylogenetically diverse bacteria, isolated from azo dye-rich tattoo inks, is able to degrade a diverse range of azo dyes, including 3 azo dyes used in commercial tattoo inks. Some of the strains would be good candidates for future studies to provide a systematic understanding of azo dye degradation mechanisms.
Sonographic and genetic findings in a case of asymptomatic spontaneous uterine rupture.

An asymptomatic 25-year-old G4P0120 with history significant for cervical insufficiency and classical cesarean delivery 12.5 months prior to conception underwent routine transabdominal ultrasound at 36w4d; umbilical cord was found to be protruding into a fluid-filled pouch extruding from the lower uterine segment. During emergent cesarean delivery, a full-thickness uterine rupture was confirmed; the fetal cranium and umbilical cord were extrauterine. Maternal genotype revealed greater than expected minor allele frequencies for several collagen genes. Maternal gene expression (mRNA) and corresponding microRNA expression of these collagen genes differed several-fold between her G3 (cervical insufficiency, classical cesarean delivery) and G4 (uterine rupture) pregnancies. This case highlights that (1) cervical insufficiency, poor myometrial wound healing, and uterine rupture may co-occur and pathophysiology may be related to collagen abnormalities and (2) asymptomatic uterine rupture can be detected sonographically, even in late pregnancy. Clinicians should remain vigilant for the possibility of uterine rupture, particularly among high-risk patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Decolonising pedagogies in prison performance programmes: making Shakespeare secondary

Shakespeare’s elite cultural status bolsters the sense of achievement and empowerment experienced by participants in prison performance programmes; and yet, such engagements paradoxically risk furt...
Influence of Antagonistic Tensions on Distributed Friction Forces of Multisegment Tendon-Driven Continuum Manipulators With Irregular Geometry

In this article, we thoroughly analyze the effect of the single-tendon and antagonistic tendons actuation on the tension loss of multisegment tendon-driven continuum manipulators (TD-CMs) with irregular geometry. To this end, we propose a generic analytical modeling approach and an iterative algorithm that can solve the unknown correlation between the distributed friction force, tendons’ tension transmission loss, and planar deformation behavior of TD-CMs during tendons’ pulling and releasing phases. The proposed generic model solely relies on known input tendons’ tensions and does not require a priori knowledge of the manipulator’s shape and/or other experimental conditions. To investigate the influence of the actuation type on the tension loss and deformation behavior of TD-CMs, we fabricated two different TD-CMs and performed various simulation and experimental studies with the single-tendon and antagonistic tensions actuation. The obtained results indicate the importance of considering the effect of the distributed friction force and actuation type on the tension(s) loss of multisegment TD-CMs. Moreover, it clearly demonstrates the efficacy and accuracy of the proposed model in providing insights and understanding of tension transmission process in various types of actuations in multisegment TD-CMs with irregular geometry.
Analysis of purines and their nucleosides by the reverse phase partition mode of high pressure liquid chromatography.

Although the analysis of nucleotides in blood is now being carried out routinely by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) (1–4), and work is in progress to determine alterations casued by various disease states of free nucleotide concentrations in physiological fluids and cell extracts (5,6), less attention has been paid to free nucleoside levels in cells. Recent investigations, however, have focused attention on methylated nucleosides in cells as biological markers in cancer (7,8). Moreover, nucleoside concentrations are thought to be important in cardiac disease and birth defects. The intracellular level of adenosine, one of the physiological regulators of coronary blood flow, has been found to increase in cardiac hypertrophy and after brief periods of myocardial ischemia and hypoxia (9,10). In abnormalities in purine metabolic pathways caused by disease, the concentrations of purine bases and/or their nucleosides often are involved. For example in patients with adenosine deaminase deficiency, it has been observed that excess adenosine in cultured mammalian cells is toxic (11) and it has been postulated that accumulated adenosine is associated with severe immunological defects in children (12).
Extraversió, relaxació i suggestió

In this work we analize the possible relationship between extraversion and answer to suggestion and relaxation techniques.The results don't warrant the relationship between suggestion and physiological answer to relaxation, but they do between the answer to one suggestion test and the self answer to relaxation. On the other hand introvert subjects tend to answer physiologically to relaxation methods more than extrovert subjects.
In the hot seat: Insolation, ENSO, and vegetation in the African tropics

[1] African climate is changing at rates unprecedented in the Late Holocene with profound implications for tropical ecosystems and the global hydrologic cycle. Understanding the specific climate drivers behind tropical ecosystem change is critical for both future and paleomodeling efforts. However, linkages between climate and vegetation in the tropics have been extremely controversial. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is a satellite-derived index of vegetation productivity with a high spatial and temporal resolution. Here we use regression analysis to show that NDVI variability in Africa is primarily correlated with the interannual extent of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Our results indicate that interannual variability of the ITCZ, rather than sea surface temperatures or teleconnections to middle/high latitudes, drives patterns in African vegetation resulting from the effects of insolation anomalies and El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events on atmospheric circulation. Global controls on tropical atmospheric circulation allow for spatially coherent reconstruction of interannual vegetation variability throughout Africa on many time scales through regulation of dry season length and moisture convergence, rather than precipitation amount.
Nanolasers, high speed modulation, and energy efficiency

We study the general issue of energy-data-rate efficiency and high-speed modulation of semiconductor nanolasers for future on-chip interconnects. Recent progress in nanolasers will be presented including semiconductor membrane lasers and plasmonic enhanced lifetime shortening. This talk tries to address several important issues related to semiconductor nanolasers. The first is the feasibility of faster modulation than conventional semiconductor lasers due to smaller sizes as a result of Purcell enhancement of radiative recombination. The focus here is the data rate under large signal modulation and the effects of noise[1]. We found out that the noise or bit-error-rate poses a severe limit to the extremely high bandwidth predicted previously. But the noise-limited bandwidth is still significantly larger than the achievable bandwidth in a large laser. The second issue we address is the energy-data-rate efficiency. While this issue has received significant attention recently, we tried to address this issue in a more general theoretical framework of rate equations with special attention to the relationship to device sizes.[1] We will show that the future requirement of energy efficiency limits the size of semiconductor lasers for on-chip applications. The interplay of modulation rate, energy data efficiency, and device sizes will be considered in a comprehensive fashion. In addition to above theoretical consideration, we will also present our recent experimental results on improving existing semiconductor nanolasers.[2] Our recent approach is based on semiconductor membrane transfer. Semiconductor thin membrane as thin as 250 nm can be transferred from the original growth substrate for subsequent device fabrication. Results of recent fabrication and characterization will be presented. To study the plasmonic enhanced radiative processes in a metal-plasmonic laser, a series of plasmonic-semiconductor composite structures are studied in a systematic manner in order to determine the proximity effects of plasmonic resonance to operating wavelengths on lifetime shortening and enhancement of radiative and non-radiative processes.
NLRP12 suppresses host innate immune signaling to limit inflammation during emergency hematopoiesis (INM6P.404)

The hematopoietic system is capable of rapidly increasing myeloid cell production in response to tissue damage. NLRP12 is expressed in peripheral leukocytes and by osteoclasts and marrow progenitor cells. This NLR family member has been controversial but has been implicated in regulation of innate immune responses. We hypothesized that NLRP12 is a central regulator of innate immune reconstitution following an emergency hematopoietic event. To test this, wild type and Nlrp12-/- C57BL/6 female mice underwent a radiation-thermal combined injury (RCI) consisting of a 20% total body surface area, full thickness contact burn in addition to receiving a single whole body dose of 5 Gy γ-radiation. Following RCI, NLRP12-deficient mice display a lack of peripheral innate immune cell reconstitution as seen in wild type mice; specifically a ten-fold decrease in total numbers of splenic and pulmonary neutrophils and immature monocytes compared to wild type, and a three-fold increase in apoptosis of bone marrow granulocyte/monocyte progenitor cells resulting in a three-fold reduction of total bone marrow cells. Lack of NLRP12 results in a sustained increase in inflammation after injury, with significant increase in serum levels of TNFα, IL-6, IL-12, and type I interferons compared to injured, wild type mice that is inflammasome-independent. These data suggest that NLRP12 acts as an important regulator of inflammation during events that trigger immune hematopoeisis and reconstitution.
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S PLACE‐BASED INITIATIVES: WHY NOT INCLUDE SMALL BUSINESS LENDING COMPONENTS?

The Obama administration has orchestrated a cadre of pilot, comprehensive community-style, initiatives known collectively as the Ladders of Opportunity/Promise Zones. These Ladder of Opportunity in...
Boson Wave Equations

The dynamical quantum-mechanical wave equations of spin-0 pions, spin-1 vector particles, and massless spin-1 photons are formulated in a consistent one-particle fashion. For the spin-0 Klein-Gordon equation, the interpretation of negative-energy states as describing antiparticles is stressed. The relativistic bound-state Coulomb problem is then solved for π-mesic atoms. The parallel is made between the massive spin-1 and photon wave equations. The notion of currents, current conservation and gauge invariance for photon amplitudes is discussed in detail and linked to the principle of minimal replacement. Minimal coupling of photons to charged particles will be the basis of the general electromagnetic interaction to be considered in later chapters. Second-quantized field theories are briefly described, and an analogy is made between (relativistic) photons and nonrelativistic phonons.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease

In 1983, Langston et al. determined that a recreational opiate contaminant, N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), was responsible for an epidemic of parkinsonism in a group of California drug addicts (Langston et al., 1983). Two years later, Nicklas and Heikkila showed that 1-methyl-4-phenyl pyridinium (MPP+), a pyridine metabolite of MPTP, inhibited the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) enzyme NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) (Nicklas and Heikkila, 1985). Relevance of this finding to those with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) was established in 1989, when several groups announced Parkinson’s disease patients also manifested complex I abnormalities (Parker et al., 1989; Schapira et al., 1989; Mizuno et al., 1989).
Importance of salvage therapy in the management of high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia.

OBJECTIVE To assess the value of secondary therapy in the management of high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) after failure of initial multiagent chemotherapy. STUDY DESIGN Forty-nine women with high-risk GTN, including 29 who were treated primarily and 20 who were treated secondarily, completed treatment at the Brewer Trophoblastic Disease Center between 1986 and 2010. Initial chemotherapy consisted of etoposide, high-dose methotrexate with folinic acid, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide and vincristine (EMA-CO) in 29 patients who were treated primarily and in 10 patients who had received single-agent chemotherapy before being treated at our center. Patients who had incomplete responses or developed resistance to EMA-CO or had previously received EMA-CO were treated with drug combinations employing etoposide and a platinum agent with methotrexate and actinomycin D (EMA-EP), bleomycin (BEP), ifosfamide (VIP, ICE) or paclitaxel (TP/TE). Adjuvant surgery and brain radiation were used in selected patients. Clinical response and survival as well as factors affecting outcomes were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS Twenty-eight (57%) of the 49 patients developed resistance to EMA-CO: 13 (45%) of 29 treated primarily and 15 (75%) of 20 treated secondarily. Of the 13 patients who failed primary treatment with EMA-CO, 10 (77%) had lasting complete responses to EMA-EP (4), BEP (3), VIP (1), ICE (1) or TP/TE (1). Of the 15 patients who failed EMA-CO used as secondary therapy, 13 (87%) had lasting complete responses to EMA-EP (5), BEP (6) or ICE (2). Brain irradiation was given to 4 patients who developed brain metastases during treatment, 3 of whom survived. Operative procedures were performed to remove resistant foci of disease in the lungs (9) or uterus (2) in 11 (39%) of the 28 patients, 9 (82%) of whom survived. Survival was significantly influenced by hCG level at the start of salvage therapy (p<0.001), number of metastatic sites (p <0.02) and metastases to sites other than the lung and vagina (p<0.05). CONCLUSION Salvage therapy with platinum/etoposide-based drug regimens, often in conjunction with surgery and brain radiation, was successful in achieving cure in 82% of 28 high-risk GTN patients who failed initial multiagent chemotherapy and was ultimately responsible for survival in 53% of the 43 patients (88%) with high-risk GTN who were cured.
Physics, philosophy, and the nature of reality.

Both science and philosophy have been characterized as seeking to understand the nature of reality. They are sometimes even pitted against each other, suggesting that the success of science undermines the relevance of philosophy. But attending to the sort of understanding or explanation being sought offers a different picture: contemporary physics as practiced sometimes fails to provide a clear physical account of the world. This lies at the root of the dissatisfaction with standard quantum theory expressed by Einstein, Schrodinger, and John Bell. As an example, close consideration of Schrodinger's famous cat example suggests that physicists often have missed his point. What a philosophical disposition can contribute is not alternative physics, but rather the sort of careful attention to argument needed to extract a physical picture from a mathematical formalism.
Expression of the beta-amyloid transporter, LRP-1, in aging choroid plexus: implications for the CSF-brain system in NPH and Alzheimer's disease

Background The CSF system, including the choroid plexus, is an important route for removing the A-Beta peptides that, in high concentrations, injure neurons. Central retention of A-Beta peptides occurs when the blood-CSF and bloodbrain barriers suffer deficits in aging and disease. LRP-1, a transporter, which actively removes A-Beta from extracellular fluid, undergoes expression changes in senescence, which is a risk factor for NPH and AD. We hypothesize that LRP-1 activity in the 'barriers' is essential for the wellbeing of the brain's interstitial and cerebrospinal fluids. This study has assessed the expression of LRP-1 in the choroid plexus and cerebral capillaries of aging rats in order to elucidate the state of this A-Beta clearance transporter in senescence. Faulty A-Beta disposal from the CNS may predispose to NPH and the reduced CSF turnover rate in AD.
Preventing and Producing Violence: A Critical Analysis of Responses to School Violence

Do the strategies that schools adopt in response to "disciplinary problems," including violence, actually perpetuate violence? In this thoughtful article, Pedro Noguera traces the history of institutional disciplinary measures, showing that the underlying philosophical orientation toward social control exacts a heavy toll on students, teachers, and the entire school community by producing prison-like schools that remain unsafe. Noguera maintains that a "get-tough" approach fails to create a safe environment because the use of coercive strategies interrupts learning and ultimately produces an environment of mistrust and resistance. He offers alternative strategies for humanizing school environments, encouraging a sense of community and collective responsibility.
Particle creation and entropy generation in time-dependent quantum fields

Abstract Recently, this author has proposed a measure of nonequilibrium entropy S N for a quantum field in a dynamical spacetime which, motivated by the Uncertainty Principle, reflects in a natural way the average particle number〈 N 〉 and the dispersion ΔN . Superficially, this S N appears very different from the “correlational” entropy S 1 introduced by Hu and Kandrup. However, it is shown here that both S 1 and S N can be viewed in much the same sense as reflecting a “coarse-graining” of the full density matrix, so that they are in fact quite similar objects. This formal similarity sheds light on the special role of “random phase” initial data, which lead to subsequent increases in 〈 N 〉, ΔN , and S N .
Fatty Acid Accumulation in Maturing Flaxseeds as Influenced by Environment

The effects of temperature and light on boll and shoot maturity and on the accumulation of fatty acids in developing seeds of flax ( Linum usitatissimum L.) were determined in controlled environments. Palmitic and linoleic acids decreased but linolenic increased in percent as seed formation progressed. In the same period, oleic acid increased in percent in 1 variety and decreased in another. Increased temperatures hastened these changes and resulted in decreased iodine value of the oil at maturity. Calculated on a weight basis (mg per 1000 seeds), all 5 major fatty acids increased during seed formation. Increased temperatures initially accelerated the accumulation of all fatty acids, but the period of net fatty acid synthesis was eventually shortened in comparison with cooler temperatures. At 15° and 20°, linolenic acid accumulation closely paralleled the rate of boll maturation, measured by boll moisture content; at 30° linolenic accumulation ceased before maturation could be detected. A photoperiod of 20 hours accelerated plant maturity resulting in decreased seed weight in comparison with a photoperiod of 16 hours. Eight hour photoperiod favored late blossoming and depressed seed weight, oil content, and fatty acid content. Weights of linoleic and linolenic acids were high in both the 16 and 20 hour photoperiods. Linolenic acid was reduced in percent and weight per 1000 seeds at light intensities of 1200 ft-c as compared with 2700 ft-c.
Media Literacy Messages and Hostile Media Perceptions: Processing of Nonpartisan Versus Partisan Political Information

Partisans are poor judges of news content, rating neutral content as biased against their views (the hostile media perception) and forgiving biased content when it favors their side. This study tests whether a short news media literacy public service announcement (PSA) appearing before political programming can influence credibility and hostility ratings of the program and program host. Our findings suggest that a media literacy PSA can be effective, but its impact depends on the position of the news program and on the political ideology of the viewers. In this case, the media literacy PSA only influenced conservatives’ evaluations of the political program, improving perceptions of a neutral or congruent (conservative) host while further depressing ratings of an incongruent (liberal) host. Liberals’ evaluations of the program were unaffected by the PSA. Implications for media literacy messaging and information processing are discussed.
The nature of a correct theory of high-temperature superconductivity

The nature that a successful theory of high-temperature superconductivity must take is discussed. We conclude that cuprate-planes are not necessary, and that the main superconductivity will be in the charge-reservoir layers.
Transient analysis of dual enzyme reaction in cilia

The dual enzyme reaction in cilia and flagella is analyzed in this work. The ATP diffuses from the proximal end of cilium to the distal end and is hydrolyzed by the ATPase all the way as it diffuses. Furthermore, due the the assumed uniformly distributed ciliary kinase, ATP is regenerated from ADP. The transient mathematical model of this system forms two nonlinear partial differential equations of parabolic type which are solved numerically on a digital computer. It is shown that the previous approximate solutions of steady state system agree excellently with the present solutions for cilium length of 8μ. However, for longer cilium, the approximate solutions predict lower ATP concentration than that predicted by the present numerical solutions.
Estimating disequilibrium models with limited a priori price-adjustment information

Abstract Economic theory imposes few a priori conditions on price adjustment and thus requires econometric disequilibrium models to be both sufficiently general and computationally tractable. The switching regression model of Lee and Porter (1984) meets these requirements. Unlike previous models, price adjustment enters without an explicit adjustment equation or the restriction that price changes reveal the sign of excess demand. I apply the model to the U.S. commercial loan market from 1979–1984. The estimates suggest a pattern of excess demand consistent with the financial developments of the period.
A comparison of lidocaine, ropivacaine and dexamethasone toxicity on bovine tenocytes in culture

Peri-tendinous injection of local anaesthetic, both alone and in combination with corticosteroids, is commonly performed in the treatment of tendinopathies. Previous studies have shown that local anaesthetics and corticosteroids are chondrotoxic, but their effect on tenocytes remains unknown. We compared the effects of lidocaine and ropivacaine, alone or combined with dexamethasone, on the viability of cultured bovine tenocytes. Tenocytes were exposed to ten different conditions: 1) normal saline; 2) 1% lidocaine; 3) 2% lidocaine; 4) 0.2% ropivacaine; 5) 0.5% ropivacaine; 6) dexamethasone (dex); 7) 1% lidocaine+dex; 8) 2% lidocaine+dex; 9) 0.2% ropivacaine+dex; and 10) 0.5% ropivacaine+dex, for 30 minutes. After a 24-hour recovery period, the viability of the tenocytes was quantified using the CellTiter-Glo viability assay and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) for live/dead cell counts. A 30-minute exposure to lidocaine alone was significantly toxic to the tenocytes in a dose-dependent manner, but a 30-minute exposure to ropivacaine or dexamethasone alone was not significantly toxic. Dexamethasone potentiated ropivacaine tenocyte toxicity at higher doses of ropivacaine, but did not potentiate lidocaine tenocyte toxicity. As seen in other cell types, lidocaine has a dose-dependent toxicity to tenocytes but ropivacaine is not significantly toxic. Although dexamethasone alone is not toxic, its combination with 0.5% ropivacaine significantly increased its toxicity to tenocytes. These findings might be relevant to clinical practice and warrant further investigation.
Illusion and reality in Tahiti's tourist cocoons

This paper explores the idea of tourist ‘cocoons’ – carefully managed spaces of illusion – in Tahiti/French Polynesia. Using the concept of heterotopia, I focus on resort hotels, where 90% of tourists stay. In Tahiti, these include ‘natural’ landscapes (white-sand beaches, turquoise lagoons, and colorful fish darting through tropical coral), hotel architecture (with its neo-Polynesian structures and overwater bungalows), and hotel employees (with island-style clothing, crowns of leaves on their heads, and smiles on their faces). These cocoon-like environments are settings of total control. They are highly effective strategies for coping with the disjuncture between the larger reality of Tahiti (with its pesky mosquitoes, ordinary buildings, and everyday Tahitians) and the Tahiti of tourists’ imaginations. These fanciful cocoon-like heterotopias are far from static; they are constantly being spun in never-ending webs to provide the recognizable place markers of ‘Tahiti’ that communicate exactly what touris...
Evaluation of plants used for antimalarial treatment by the Maasai of Kenya

Semi-structured interviews with three Maasai herbalists led to the identification and collection of 21 species of plants used to treat malaria. Extracts were evaluated using in vitro antimalarial and cytotoxicity assays. Of the species tested, over half were antiplasmodial (IC50 20 microg/ml) against cultured KB cells. The results of this preliminary investigation support the traditional knowledge of Maasai herbalists and justify ethnomedical inquiry as a promising method, specifically, in antimalarial therapy, to yield leads for drug discovery.