cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nano-porous sulfur-polyaniline electrodes for lithium-sulfurbatteries

Abstract Here we report a nano-porous sulfur–polyaniline (SPANI) electrode with high sulfur loading, excellent cycling and rate capability for Li–S batteries. The SPANI has a high degree of interconnected nano-porous structures conducive to large sulfur loading and fast mass transportation. In addition, a disulfide chain on PANI is also functioned as the electrochemical redox component. While the main positively charged backbone chain in SPANI provides electron conductivity and electrostatic attraction force to stabilize polysulfide anions during cycling. As a result, the SPANI electrode demonstrates a high reversible capacity of 750 mA h g −1 with 89.7% of capacity retention over 200 cycles at 0.3 C, and an excellent high-rate response up to 2 C over 200 cycles with a good sulfur utilization. The covalently bonded sulfur on positively charged polymer substrate offers a new way to improve energy storage capabilities of Li–S batteries.
Measures of mortality risks

Different risks of death are not equivalent because of differences in timing. This paper develops measures of mortality risks that recognize the probability of death, the duration of life lost, and the role of discounting. These adjustments lead to a substantial reordering of the major causes of death. Recognition of duration-related issues explains much of the public's misperception of mortality risk probabilities, which may reflect duration-related concerns rather than biases in risk beliefs. Our estimates suggest that in forming their risk beliefs the public discounts years of life lost at a rate from 3.3–12.4 percent. Standardization of lifetimes at risk also alters the relative efficacy of regulatory policies for which we provide a variety of cost-effectiveness measures.
ED handoffs: Observed practices and communication errors

Abstract Objective The study objectives were to identify emergency department (ED) handoff practices and describe handoff communication errors among emergency physicians. Methods Two investigators observed patient handoffs among emergency physicians in a major metropolitan teaching hospital for 8 weeks. A data collection form was designed to assess handoff characteristics including duration, location, interruptions, and topics including examination, laboratory examinations, diagnosis, and disposition. Handoff errors were defined as clinically significant examination or laboratory findings in physician documentation that were reported significantly differently during or omitted from verbal handoff. Multivariate negative binomial regression models assessed variables associated with these errors. The study was approved by the institutional review board. Results One hundred ten handoff sessions encompassing 992 patients were observed. Examination handoff errors and omissions were noted in 130 (13.1%) and 447 (45.1%) handoffs, respectively. More examination errors were associated with longer handoff time per patient, whereas fewer examination omissions were associated with use of written or electronic support materials. Laboratory handoff errors and omissions were noted in 37 (3.7%) and 290 (29.2%) handoffs, respectively. Fewer laboratory errors were associated with use of electronic support tools, whereas more laboratory handoff omissions were associated with longer ED lengths of stay. Conclusions Clinically pertinent findings reported in ED physician handoff often differ from findings reported in physician documentation. These errors and omissions are associated with handoff time per patient, ED length of stay, and use of support materials. Future research should focus on ED handoff standardization protocols, handoff error reduction techniques, and the impact of handoff on patient outcomes.
A MAC Protocol for Cooperative MIMO Transmissions in Sensor Networks

Cooperative MIMO can achieve higher energy savings and lower delays in distributed systems by allowing nodes to transmit and receive information jointly. In this paper, we develop a new MAC protocol for enabling packet transmissions using cooperative MIMO. The paper also develops analytical models for evaluating the packet error probability, energy consumption and packet delays associated with the proposed MAC protocol. The analysis is validated against simulation results using the NS- 2 simulator. Our results show that the proposed MAC protocol has lower delays and lower energy consumption as compared to regular point to point MAC protocols.
INDEX: a platform for determining how people value the quality of their Internet access

The continuing exponential growth of the Internet and the emergence of new time-critical applications have led to the integration of a large number of different services on the Internet. In the process, the question of how to efficiently allocate bandwidth as a scarce resource has become a crucial issue for the continued proliferation of these new services. Future growth depends on the division of services into quality-differentiated market segments and the pricing structure of each segment. Successful growth requires service providers to offer combinations of quality and price that match user needs, but to do this, providers must understand the structure of user demand. Such understanding is lacking at present. This paper describes a platform designed to obtain a basic understanding of how individuals value Internet usage when offered different quality-of-service (QoS) choices. The Internet Demand Experiment (INDEX) has two main objectives: (a) measurement of user demand for Internet access as a function of QoS, pricing structure and application; and (b) the demonstration of an end-to-end system that provides access to a diverse group of users at attractive price-quality combinations. The data being collected is expected to reveal the correlation between user application and service demand, how demand varies with user experience, and to what extent users form discrete market segments. This paper gives an overview of both the technology employed at INDEX and the goals of the experimental design.
The Effect of the Antarctic Peninsula on the Temperature Regime of the Weddell Sea

Abstract Theoretical considerations as well as observational evidence lead to the conclusion that the frequent, strong, southerly and southwesterly surface winds along the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula do not necessarily indicate the presence of a low-pressure system in the central Weddell Sea. Such winds can, and frequently do, develop when cold air masses with a pronounced surface inversion move westward over the ice-covered sea and find their way blocked by the mountains of the Peninsula. Consequently, much colder air is found east of the mountain than on their west side. For the six months of fall and winter, the average west-east surface temperature difference amounts to 12°C at 65°S. The feedback mechanisms between the surface winds in the western and northern Weddell Sea, the resulting drift of ice, and the temperature regime of the entire Weddell Sea area are examined.
A review of insulin/insulin-like peptide in the central nervous system.

Insulin has been demonstrated within the brain of various animal species (1). Investigations undertaken in the chick demonstrated the presence of insulin in embryonic heads prior to the development of pancreatic insulin (2). These observations prompted a search for an extra-pancreatic source of insulin production within the brain. A surge of reports were subsequently noted (3–7) including the recent observations of brain insulin-like transcripts (8–12), thereby defending a central nervous system origin of insulin. On the other hand, there has been accumulating evidence supporting the fact that circulating insulin crosses the blood-cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) barrier and enters the CSF (13–14). Having entered the CSF, insulin was then observed to be taken up by the brain parenchyma at the circumventricular organs which lack a blood-brain barrier (15–17). Thus, there continues to be an ongoing controversy as to the exact origin of insulin within the CNS. Is it pancreatic or extra-pancreatic?
Summary of FY15 results of benchmark modeling activities

Sandia is participating in the third phase of an is a contributing partner to a U.S.-German "Joint Project" entitled "Comparison of current constitutive models and simulation procedures on the basis of model calculations of the thermo-mechanical behavior and healing of rock salt." The first goal of the project is to check the ability of numerical modeling tools to correctly describe the relevant deformation phenomena in rock salt under various influences. Achieving this goal will lead to increased confidence in the results of numerical simulations related to the secure storage of radioactive wastes in rock salt, thereby enhancing the acceptance of the results. These results may ultimately be used to make various assertions regarding both the stability analysis of an underground repository in salt, during the operating phase, and the long-term integrity of the geological barrier against the release of harmful substances into the biosphere, in the post-operating phase.
Designing a Decision Support System for Disaster Management and Recovery

Returning to basic function and then to normalcy is important after a disaster. This level of resilience allows businesses to reopen, social and emergency services to act quickly and effectively in aiding citizens, and returns a feeling of safety and comfort to those affected. Unfortunately, those tasked with responding and managing the disaster are often overwhelmed and their decision-making taxed, causing the response itself to be inefficient. One way to aid disaster response teams is the introduction of a decision support system (DSS) to support decision making capabilities in time-critical situations. The purpose of this research was to create a framework for disaster recovery and a prototype DSS to aid both command center workers and those in the field. Our goal was to help make response easier and more efficient, as well as evaluate our prototype design for usability.
Modeling Expert Computer Users to Aid Inexperienced Computer Users

The research described represents an ongoing effort devoted to the development of systematic methodologies for the construction of expert models that can be used to assist and instruct the inexperienced computer user. Two methodologies are described: one based on sorting and clustering procedures aimed at describing the subjective characteristics of the task or target materials, and one based on performance protocols for assessing the command selection strategies of users. The methodology for assessing subjective characteristics of the target materials yielded a consistent set of 10 target clusters from experienced and novice subjects that could be mapped directly into the database of the file selection and search task. Based on preliminary data, these more homogeneous search categories were shown to be useful for constructing frequency, sequence, and plan-based models of expert command selection that will be used to aid inexperienced computer users.
Epidemiological Features of Pneumoconiosis in Coal Industry of Qianwei County

Objective To investigate the epidemiological features of pneumoconiosis in coal industry of Qianwei county and to discuss the prevention and control measures to protect the worker's occupational health. Methods Diagnostic data of pneumoconiosis were collected and pneumoconiosis cases in coal industry were surveyed,especially detailed information of the 1 169 newly increased cases in 2001-2013,to retrospectively analyze the epidemiological characteristics.Results The pneumoconiosis cases in coal industry were increasing annually and 90 new cases were averagely added in each year during the period,reaching to 318 in 2013. The mean onset age and time of dust exposure were both decreasing,mainly in 40-49 years,and the proportion of cases with exposure time under 10 years was 21. 0%. The second and third stage cases in initial diagnosis together took up 32. 4% of the total. The job types of the cases were mainly the front-line coal mining,coal tunneling and digging. The mean disease upgrade time was 4. 9 ±4. 0. A proportion of 5. 0% of the cases were combined with tuberculosis. Conclusion The pneumoconiosis incidence in the coal industry in Qianwei county is in rapid growth since 2001,faster than the mean incidence in Leshan city. Both of the mean onset age of pneumoconiosis and the mean time of dust exposure are decreasing. The proportion of the second and third stage cases in initial diagnosis is relatively high. Overall,the dust hazards are severe and the occupational health monitoring measures is lagged behind; in addition,the epidemic status is not optimistic and the prevention and control measure should be strengthened.
In Vitro Nuclear Translocation of the Estrogen Receptor in the Hepatic Parenchymal Cell from Male Rats

Isolated, purified, viable parenchymal cells from adult male rat liver were characterized for the distribution of the estrogen receptor. Demonstration of the cytosol estrogen receptor required its partial purification by fractionation with ammonium sulfate. Crude cytosol from the isolated cells contained high levels of the recently described, male-specific, nonreceptor, steroid binding protein. The estrogen receptor found in the partially purified cytosol fraction of parenchymal cells was at a level near that found in similar preparations from whole liver. The properties of these partially purified cytosol estrogen receptors closely resembled those of cytosol estrogen receptors from whole liver of male or female rats, or from rat uterus. The distribution of the two classes of cytosol binding sites for estrogens was then studied after exposure of the cells to ethinyl estradiol. After in vitro incubation with ethinyl estradiol, cytosol and nuclear estrogen receptors were determined by exchange assay with [3H]estradiol. Cytosol estrogen receptor levels were rapidly diminished, while receptor levels in highly purified nuclei were rapidly increased. In contrast, levels of the nonreceptor, male-specific sex steroid binder in cytosol were not diminished following exposure of the cells to ethinyl estradiol. There was a similar steroid specificity (during exchange with [3H]estradiol) of cytosol estrogen receptors of cells not exposed to estrogen and of nuclear estrogen receptors of cells exposed to ethinyl estradiol for 30 min. The levels of occupied receptors calculated by exchange assay at the time of maximal occupation of the nuclear receptors compared well with the value obtained after incubating [3H]ethinyl estradiol with the cells. The data are consistent with estrogen receptor translocation from the cytoplasmic to nuclear compartment in the isolated parenchymal cell from adult male rat liver. Several differences were found comparing this translocation process in hepatic parenchymal cells from male rats to results obtained previously using this cell type from female rats. In male liver cells, the onset of translocation was slower, the nuclear retention of the receptor longer, and the half maximal concentration of ethinyl estradiol required for nuclear translocation approximately two-fold higher than in female liver cells.
Mechanism of cycling of migrating myoelectric complexes: Effect of morphine

Morphine was injected intravenously at various phases of the migrating myoelectric complex (MMC) cycle to study the oscillatory characteristics of MMCs by the premature initiation of phase IIIs. All injection timings were represented as a percentage of the normal MMC period at the most proximal duodenal electrode. During the initial 20% of the MMC cycle, the mechanism of initiation of MMCs was in an absolutely refractory state in the sense that a supramaximal dose of morphine (200-300 micrograms/kg) did not initiate a premature phase III. During the remainder of the MMC cycle, the control mechanism was in a relatively refractory state. As this state progressed, premature phase III activity was initiated with diminishing doses of morphine. This was called the relatively refractory state. The initiation of a premature phase III by morphine did not affect the phase III already in progress, except that its propagation velocity was increased. Truncal vagotomy did not affect the refractory characteristics of MMCs or the action of morphine. Only large doses of naloxone (2 mg/kg) blocked the above action of morphine. The study shows that the MMC cyclic phenomenon has the characteristics of relaxation oscillators that may result from enteric neural biological clocks. The period of these oscillators can be altered by stimulants such as morphine.
Effect of erythropoietin stimulating agents on vascular endothelial growth factor levels in patients with end stage renal disease.

BACKGROUND End stage renal disease (ESRD) is a debilitating disease that not only impacts quality of life, but also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and overall mortality. By improving our understanding of the molecular patterns seen in progression of chronic renal disease (CRD), we may be able to slow down and possibly even prevent progression renal failure. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been implicated as a major contributor to CRD disease progression, thus our aim was to profile the VEGF levels in patients with ESRD and to determine the effects of the erythropoietin stimulating agents (ESAs). METHODS Under institution review board (IRB) approval, plasma samples were collected from 77 patients prior to hemodialysis and heparin administration. Normal human plasma samples (female & male, 18-35 years old) were purchased from George King Biomedical Inc (Overland Park, KS). All samples were stored at -80 °C. Inflammatory biochips were purchased from RANDOX (Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland) to test VEGF on 77 ESRD and 48 normal samples. RESULTS The VEGF was significantly elevated in ESRD vs. normal (P<0.0001), ESRD+ESA vs. normal (P<0.0001), and ESRD-ESA vs. normal (P<0.0001). No difference was seen between ESRD+ESA and ESRD-ESA. Hemoglobin and free iron were significantly elevated in ESRD-ESA compared to ESRD+ESA (PHemoglobin=0.0007, PIron<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Our finding that VEGF was significantly elevated in ESRD vs. normal, aligns with the literature and suggests that VEGF may in fact play a key role in CRD progression. However, further studies to evaluate VEGF isomer levels are needed. While we saw lack of difference in VEGF levels between ESRD+ESA and ESRD-ESA, this may be due to the treatment algorithm used. Further investigation is warranted to determine whether the ESAs and hemoglobin levels show any influence on or crosstalk with the VEGF levels.
On the significance of RNA in human sperm

Our understanding of the molecular complexities of human spermatozoa continues to be rather rudimentary. This includes the unique packaging and structure of the sperm genome along with its paternally derived RNAs in preparation for their delivery to the egg. Both highlight the inadequacy in our understanding of how these genetic factors contribute to a healthy child. As a means to address this deficiency it was recently shown that human spermatozoal RNA isolated from the ejaculate can be used to transcriptionally profile the male gamete. It is fully expected that a genetic fingerprint characteristic of the normal fertile spermatozoon can be identified and that deviations from this profile can be detected.
Enhancement of Pancreatic Carcinogenesis by Raw Soy Protein Isolate: Quantitative Rat Model and Nutritional Considerations

Foods containing soybean products have been shown to modify the biochemical and physiological status of the pancreas of several species of experimental animals. Recently, these products have been implicated as a factor in the causation of pancreatic neoplasms. Extensive experimental studies into the possible mechanisms need to be undertaken. Experimental details of a rat/azaserine model for the study of pancreatic carcinogenesis are reviewed. Emphasis is given to the quantitative components of this model and the adaptation of this model to the two-stage (initiation-promotion) concept of carcinogenesis. Particular attention is devoted to considerations of the experimental diets. Application of these concepts to the study of the postinitiational effects of raw and heated soybean protein isolate with and without the addition of high levels of unsaturated fat were undertaken. The results indicate that raw soybean isolate enhanced the growth of azaserine-induced pancreatic foci; whereas, a high level of unsaturated fat had a minimal effect. The effects of the soybean isolate were abolished by heat treatments, but the effects of the unsaturated fat would not be expected to be abolished by similar treatment with heat.
A communication perspective on organisational stakeholder relationships: discursivity, relationality, and materiality

The purpose of this research is to rethink the notion of stakeholder communication and articulate a distinct ‘communication perspective’ on stakeholder relationships, one that takes seriously the c...
Achille Mbembe, Politiques de l’inimitié

Achille Mbembe, Politiques de l’inimitie (Paris, La Decouverte, 2016, 184 pp., ISBN 978-2-7071-8818-2) par Cristina Onesta
Legal Issues: What to Do with a Really Good Idea

People who are more creative than I am can come up with some amazing ideas. Sometimes, the people who come up with the ideas are working for the company or business who needs the idea to be generated, whether a TV or movie studio, manufacturer or distributor, or marketing department. However, when the creative mind is not an employee of the company, but brings their ideas to the company, complications can ensue. One such creative enterprise that may not seem to be a big part of the information industry is the toy industry. From the Lincoln Logs and Chutes and Ladders Game that I played with as a kid, through to the latest generation of Transformers and Barbie, to “Pie Face” a Hasbro game that at least one vendor described as “one of the most anticipated games of the 2015-2016 season”, toys are an $84 billion dollar industry that relies heavily on ideas. In September a trial will begin involving My Little Pony Princesses, a plastic unicorn doll filled with a glitter liquid and sold by Hasbro, but claimed as the idea of inventor Ellie Shapiro.
Comparative landscape of alternative splicing in fruit plants

Alternative splicing (AS) has played a major role in defining the protein diversity, which could be linked to phenotypic alternations. It is imperative to have a comparative resolution of AS to understand the pre-mRNAs splicing diversity. In the present research, we present a comparative assessment of the AS events in four different fruit plants including apple (Malus domestica), grape (Vitis vinifera), sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), and woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca), using spliced mapping of the expressed sequence tags and mRNA sequences. We identified a total of 2039 AS events in apple, 2454 in grape, 1425 in orange, and 631 in strawberry, respectively. In this study grape displayed the maximum number of genes (1588) associated with the splicing, followed by apple (1580), orange (1133) and strawberry (444). Transcripts mapping analysis shows that grape plant has relatively larger intron sizes than introns in other fruit species. The data provide a basis for further functional characterization of the genes undergoing AS and can be accessed at Plant Alternative Splicing Database (http://proteomics.ysu.edu/altsplice/plant/).
Abstract 122: Hyperinsulinmia Promotes Cardiac Dysfunction via Upregulation of Phosphodiesterase in Heart

Accumulating evidence suggests that hyperinsulinemia contributes to heart dysfunction. Here we show that insulin signaling is responsible for high fat diet (HFD) feeding-induced expression of phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D) in the myocardium of mice. The increased expression of PDE4D, in concert with reduced phosphorylation of phospholamban (PLB), promotes systolic and diastolic heart dysfunction. We revealed that insulin-mediated induction of PDE4D was dependent on β2AR-mediaed β-arrestin2-ERK pathway, which is transactivated in a GRK2-dependent fashion. Deletion of β2AR gene significantly attenuated insulin-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt, as well as the upregulation of PDE4D expression, which prevented the heart dysfunction. β-arrestin2 KO mice did not display increased PDE4D expression and did not develop systolic or diastolic dysfunction following HFD. In brief, these data indicate that chronic hyperinsulinimia leads to heart dysfunction by increasing PDE4D expression via β2AR-GRK2-β-arrestin2 -ERK pathway, which suggests that β2AR signaling could be an attractive therapeutic target for preserving or improving cardiac function in subjects with insulin resistance.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk After Hepatitis C Cure

With the recent introduction of direct acting antiviral agents for hepatitis C treatment, many patients are receiving these highly effective therapies. Patients with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis prior to antiviral treatment will have decreased but persistent risk of hepatocellular carcinoma following cure of hepatitis C. This review will discuss this risk and review current surveillance recommendations.
Startling acoustic stimuli elicit rapid hand extension following stroke

Loud startling acoustic stimuli can involuntarily elicit planned movements faster than is possible voluntarily. This phenomenon, known as startReact, is thought to be mediated through brainstem pathways. The startReact can be elicited in stroke survivors with a cortical lesion. This has been demonstrated for elbow motions, thought to have significant input from brainstem pathways. This study sought to determine if the startReact can also be elicited for hand movements following stroke, even though these are driven predominantly by the motor cortex.Data were collected from 8 stroke survivors performing rapid hand extension movements. StartReact responses could be elicited in 7 of 8 subjects. Across all subjects, the startling acoustic stimuli were able to decrease movement times substantially (∆ 57ms; p ≈ 0) when indicators of startle were detected. However, these responses were elicited less frequently than previous reports for startReact at the elbow. Nevertheless, the intact startReact response suggests that the integrity and actions of the pathways mediating this response should be considered when rehabilitating the hand following stroke.
A simple diagnostic measure of inattention bias in discrete choice models

This note introduces a simple, easy-to-understand measure of inattention bias in discrete choice models. The metric, ranging from 0 to 1, can be compared across studies and samples. Specifically, a latent class logit model is estimated with all parameters in one class restricted to zero. The estimated share of observations falling in the class with null parameters (representing random choices) is the diagnostic measure of interest – the random response share. We validate the metric with an empirical study that identifies inattentive respondents via a trap question.
Inpatient Outcomes After Elective Lumbar Spinal Fusion for Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the Absence of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Background To our knowledge, no prior study has evaluated outcomes after elective lumbar spinal surgery in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients without acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This review investigated the impact of HIV-positive status (without AIDS) on outcomes after elective lumbar fusion for degenerative disc disease (DDD). Methods Adult patients registered in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2002–2011) undergoing elective lumbar fusion for DDD were extracted. Multivariable regression techniques were used to explore the association of HIV positivity with outcomes after lumbar fusion. Results This cohort included 612,000 hospitalizations (0.07% were HIV positive) of lumbar fusion for DDD. Compared with HIV-negative patients undergoing lumbar fusion, HIV-positive patients were younger (47 vs. 55 years), male (61% vs. 42%), largely insured by Medicare (30% vs. 5%), and had higher rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (23.7% vs. 14.6%) (all P Conclusions Even in this selected cohort of well-controlled HIV patients, there were high complications, with concerning rates of death and respiratory complications. These data shed new light on elective spine surgery in HIV patients and may influence the treatment algorithm of surgeons who are familiar with older papers.
Students’ understanding of the concepts involved in one-sample hypothesis testing

Abstract Hypothesis testing is a prevalent method of inference used to test a claim about a population parameter based on sample data, and it is a central concept in many introductory statistics courses. At the same time, the use of hypothesis testing to interpret experimental data has raised concerns due to common misunderstandings by both scientists and students. With statistics education reform on the rise, as well as an increasing number of students enrolling in introductory statistics courses each year, there is a need for research to investigate students’ understanding of hypothesis testing. In this study we used APOS Theory to investigate twelve introductory statistics students’ reasoning about one-sample population hypothesis testing while working two real-world problems. Data were analyzed and compared against a preliminary genetic decomposition, which is a conjecture for how an individual might construct an understanding of a concept. This report presents examples of Actions, Processes, and Objects in the context of one-sample hypothesis testing as exhibited through students’ reasoning. Our results suggest that the concepts involved in hypothesis testing are related through the construction of higher-order, coordinated Processes operating on Objects. As a result of our data analysis, we propose refinements to our genetic decomposition and offer suggestions for instruction of one-sample population hypothesis testing. We conclude with appendices containing a comprehensive revised genetic decomposition along with a set of guided questions that are designed to help students make the constructions called for by the genetic decomposition.
Relation of contaminants to fish intersex in riverine sport fishes

Endocrine active compounds (EACs) are pollutants that have been recognized as an emerging and widespread threat to aquatic ecosystems globally. Intersex, the presence of female germ cells within a predominantly male gonad, is considered a biomarker of endocrine disruption caused by EACs. We measured a suite of EACs and assessed their associated impacts on fish intersex occurrence and severity in a large, regulated river system in North Carolina and South Carolina, USA. Our specific objective was to determine the relationship of contaminants in water, sediment, and fish tissue with the occurrence and severity of the intersex condition in wild, adult black bass (Micropterus), sunfish (Lepomis), and catfish (Ictaluridae) species at 11 sites located on the Yadkin-Pee Dee River. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), ethinylestradiol (EE2), and heavy metals were the most prevalent contaminants that exceeded effect levels for the protection of aquatic organisms. Fish intersex condition was most frequently observed and most severe in black basses and was less frequently detected and less severe in sunfishes and catfishes. The occurrence of the intersex condition in fish showed site-related effects, rather than increasing longitudinal trends from upstream to downstream. Mean black bass and catfish tissue contaminant concentrations were higher than that of sunfish, likely because of the latter's lower trophic position in the food web. Principal component analysis identified waterborne PAHs as the most correlated environmental contaminant with intersex occurrence and severity in black bass and sunfish. As indicated by the intersex condition, EACs have adverse but often variable effects on the health of wild sport fishes in this river, likely due to fluctuations in EAC inputs and the dynamic nature of the riverine system. These findings enhance the understanding of the relationship between contaminants and fish health and provide information to guide ecologically comprehensive conservation and management decisions.
Lysis of periadnexal adhesions for correction of infertility.

A series of patients is presented in whom lysis of periadnexal adhesions was carried out for correction of infertility. These 35 couples had been infertile for at least 1year prior to surgery. Seventy-seven per cent had been trying to conceive for more than 18months. Following diagnostic evaluation, periadnexal adhesions were found to be the sole cause of infertility in 83% of cases. Subsequent to surgery, 63% of the patients conceived, 82% within 18months, and 57% gave birth to at least one viable child. There can be no doubt that periadnexal adhesions represent true pathology. Although often seemingly insignificant in character, at the macroscopic level, they appear to play a major role at the microscopic level in impairing ovum pickup by the fallopian tube. Gynecologists should recognize the importance of these structures as mediators of a condition of relative sterility. Thus, despite the demonstration of tubal patency, the function of the rather delicate fimbria may be compromised by periadnexal adhesions, conglutinations, and hydatids so that only a fraction of those eggs that leave the ovary at ovulation reach the interior of the fallopian tube.
Four Paths to AI

There are a wide variety of approaches to Artificial Intelligence. Yet interestingly we find that these can all be grouped into four broad categories: Silver Bullets, Core Values, Emergence, and Emulation. We will explain the methodological underpinnings of these categories and give examples of the type of work being pursued in each. Understanding this spectrum of approaches can help defuse arguments between practitioners as well as elucidate common themes.
Computer Modeling: Policy Analysis and Simulation

A simplified description of Monte Carlo simulation is presented so that beginner risk analysts can understand how it works, how it can be applied to real-world problems, and how to get started using simulation. Four example simulation models are described briefly and their outputs are presented. The sample simulation model's outputs demonstrate the diversity of outputs that can be developed using simulation to analyze real problems and how simulation results can be used to rank risky decisions.
Metastatic and triple-negative breast cancer: challenges and treatment options.

The major current conventional types of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) treatments include surgery, radiation, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy. Introducing biological drugs, targeted treatment and gene therapy can potentially reduce the mortality and improve the quality of life in patients with MBC. However, combination of several types of treatment is usually recommended. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for 10–20% of all cases of breast carcinoma and is characterized by the low expression of progesterone receptor (PR), estrogen receptor (ER), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Consequently, convenient treatments used for MBC that target these receptors are not effective for TNBC which therefore requires special treatment approaches. This review discusses the occurrence of MBC, the prognosis and predictive biomarkers of MBC, and focuses on the novel advanced tactics for treatment of MBC and TNBC. Nanotechnology-based combinatorial approach for the suppression of EGFR by siRNA and gifitinib is described.
Magnetized Carbonyl Iron and Insoluble Zirconium Hydroxide Mixture Facilitates Bacterial Concentration and Separation from Nonfat Dry Milk

A mixture of magnetized carbonyl iron and insoluble zirconium hydroxide was investigated for its ability to concentrate various foodborne pathogens from 25-ml samples of reconstituted nonfat dry milk. Each sample was artificially contaminated with 10(3) to 10(6) CFU/25 ml of representative foodborne pathogens (Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus cereus spores) and processed for bacterial concentration with high-speed centrifugation for the primary concentration followed by a secondary concentration step involving the carbonyl iron-zirconium hydroxide mixture. Bacterial recoveries, as evaluated on the basis of loss to discarded supernatants, exceeded 75% for all organisms at all inoculum levels and were usually >90%. Recovery was confirmed by direct plating of the immobilized pellet, for which the valueswere similar albeit more varied. Additional experiments confirmed that the magnetized carbonyl iron-insoluble zirconium hydroxide mixture was relatively nontoxic to both Salmonella Enteritidis and L monocytogenes Overall, the entire concentration scheme resulted in a 25-fold reduction in sample volume with the recovery of viable bacterial cells. This novel compound shows promise for facilitating inexpensive, rapid, and effective bacterial concentration in food systems.
Delisting and ethics in the library: Anticipating the future of librarianship in a world that forgets

Traditional librarian ethics protect privacy and promote information access. The right to be forgotten and delisting have the potential to create a new online information ecosystem that disrupts ethical norms and redefines the role of librarians. Along with Internet filtering, the right to be forgotten and delisting are the harbingers of coming changes to content regulation and information access online. Librarians should engage with right to be forgotten F and delisting issues now to prepare for possible future disruptions of information flow in the library and shifts in information policies and laws around the world. This paper articulates the legal and ethical issues associated with delisting, lays the foundation for an international dialogue on delisting, and signals the need for future research. The international librarianship community needs a larger discussion about the issues related to the right to be forgotten and delisting, particularly on laws and policies on free speech and privacy.
Massive Spontaneous Hemothorax as a Complication of Apixaban Treatment

Introduction. Hemothorax is usually related to chest or iatrogenic trauma from procedures such as central lines and thoracentesis. Spontaneous hemothorax is defined as pleural fluid hematocrit greater than 50% of serum hematocrit in absence of natural or iatrogenic trauma affecting the lung or pleural space. Coagulopathy secondary to anticoagulant use has been associated with spontaneous hemothorax. We present a case of spontaneous hemothorax in a patient taking apixaban for venous thromboembolism disease. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of apixaban as a cause of spontaneous hemothorax. Case Presentation. A 56-year-old woman with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was diagnosed with upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) one month prior to presentation and was started on apixaban presented with dyspnea and left-sided pleuritic chest pain for two weeks. She was found to have left-sided large pleural effusion which was diagnosed as hemothorax. Other etiologies for spontaneous hemothorax were excluded and drainage by 12-French pigtail catheter achieved total resolution of hemothorax in three days. Discussion. Apixaban is a DOAC used to prevent stroke or thromboembolic events in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and to prevent recurrent venous thromboembolic disease. Events such as gastrointestinal, intracranial, and soft tissue bleeding have been well-documented. However, bleeding manifestation as hemothorax is seldom reported. Our patient presented with isolated left-sided large pleural effusion which was diagnosed as spontaneous hemothorax. 12-Fr pigtail catheter drainage was effective in the management of our patient and provided total resolution in three days. Conclusion. Spontaneous hemothorax is a rare complication of anticoagulant therapy and might not exhibit the usual radiological signs of traumatic hemothorax. Health care providers should have high index of suspicion for spontaneous hemothorax when evaluating new pleural effusion in patients receiving DOACs therapy. Drainage by small bore pigtail catheter might be as effective as larger chest tubes.
The unfolded protein response in metazoan development

Eukaryotic cells respond to an overload of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by activating signaling pathways that are referred to as the unfolded protein response (UPR). Much UPR research has been conducted in cultured cells that exhibit no baseline UPR activity until they are challenged by ER stress initiated by chemicals or mutant proteins. At the same time, many genes that mediate UPR signaling are essential for the development of organisms ranging from Drosophila and fish to mice and humans, indicating that there is physiological ER stress that requires UPR in normally developing animal tissues. Recent studies have elucidated the tissue-specific roles of all three branches of UPR in distinct developing tissues of Drosophila, fish and mammals. As discussed in this Review, these studies not only reveal the physiological functions of the UPR pathways but also highlight a surprising degree of specificity associated with each UPR branch in development.
Stoichiometry controls activity of phase-separated clusters of actin signaling proteins

Biomolecular condensates concentrate macromolecules into foci without a surrounding membrane. Many condensates appear to form through multivalent interactions that drive liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). LLPS increases the specific activity of actin regulatory proteins toward actin assembly by the Arp2/3 complex. We show that this increase occurs because LLPS of the Nephrin-Nck-N-WASP signaling pathway on lipid bilayers increases membrane dwell time of N-WASP and Arp2/3 complex, consequently increasing actin assembly. Dwell time varies with relative stoichiometry of the signaling proteins in the phase-separated clusters, rendering N-WASP and Arp2/3 activity stoichiometry dependent. This mechanism of controlling protein activity is enabled by the stoichiometrically undefined nature of biomolecular condensates. Such regulation should be a general feature of signaling systems that assemble through multivalent interactions and drive nonequilibrium outputs.
Low-temperature heat capacity measurements on insulating powders sealed under pressure

Abstract We have developed a method for measuring the heat capacity of insulating powders as they interact with a gas under pressure. The method is suitable for pressures up to 700 kPa and temperatures from 1.8 K to 300 K. It is based on a previous technique for measuring the heat capacity of powders by compressing them into copper-encased pellets, and it is designed for use with a Physical Property Measurement System (PPMS) from Quantum Design. In the new method, the pellet is sealed in an aluminum DSC pan in a controlled atmosphere prior to the measurement. To determine the method’s accuracy, we measured the heat capacity of two samples of calorimetric standard benzoic acid. One sample was sealed in 690 kPa nitrogen gas and the other was sealed under vacuum. We conclude that the accuracy of the new method is comparable to that of standard measurements on samples not sealed in DSC pans.
Effect of Block Length and Side Chain Length Ratios on Determining a Multicompartment Micelle Structure.

Previous work has identified the importance of the lipophilic–fluorophilic block length ratio Rl in predicting the morphology of linear lipophilic–hydrophilic–fluorophilic (hereafter referred to as...
Resolution of right bundle branch block after a premature ventricular beat: What is the mechanism?

The presence of bundle branch block on the electrocardiogram (ECG) does not always imply anatomic disease or complete block in the conduction system. We present an interesting ECG with resolution of the baseline right bundle branch block (RBBB) following a premature ventricular beat and discuss the possible mechanisms.
Intake of Watermelon or Its Byproducts Alters Glucose Metabolism, the Microbiome, and Hepatic Proinflammatory Metabolites in High-Fat-Fed Male C57BL/6 J Mice.

Background Watermelon intake has demonstrated effects on blood pressure regulation along with other health benefits. Objective We hypothesized that intake of whole watermelon and products made from watermelon rind (WR) and watermelon skin (WS) would remediate metabolic complications in C57BL/6 J male mice fed a diet modeling a Western-style diet. Methods Ten-week-old male C57BL/6 J mice were provided either a low-fat (LF) diet [10% fat (by energy), 8% sucrose (by energy) and no added cholesterol], a high-fat (HF) diet [45% fat (by energy), 20% kcal sucrose (by energy), and 1% (w/w) cholesterol], or an HF diet plus WS, WR, or watermelon flesh (WF) for 10 wk. Dried WF was provided at 8% of total energy (equivalent to 2 servings/d) and watermelon skin and rind were added at 2.25% (w/w, dry weight of additives) of diet. Animals were provided experimental diets ad libitum. Body weights, food intake, and glucose tolerance were determined. Serum insulin, inflammatory markers, microbiome, and the relative hepatic concentrations of 709 biochemicals were measured postmortem. Results The final body weight of the LF control group was significantly lower than that of the HF-fed control group (32.8 ± 0.9 g compared with 43.0 ± 1.7 g, P ≤ 0.05). Mice in treatment groups fed HF supplemented with watermelon products had final body weights similar to those of the HF-fed control mice. Serum insulin concentrations were reduced by ∼40% in mice fed an HF diet with WR supplementation compared with mice fed an HF diet alone (P ≤ 0.05). Depending on the individual species or group, microbiome populations changed significantly. Supplementation with WF resulted in a return to the basal hepatic concentrations of monohydroxy fatty acids and eicosanoids observed in LF-fed mice (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions In obese male mice, supplementation with each of the watermelon products to an HF diet improved fasting blood glucose, circulating serum insulin concentrations, and changes in hepatic metabolite accumulation. At a modest level of supplementation to an HF diet, fiber-rich additives made from WR and WS further improved glucose metabolism and energy efficiency and shifted the microbiome composition.
Quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) analysis of calcium aluminosilicate glasses based on molecular dynamics simulations

Abstract Quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) analysis of a series of calcium aliminosilicate (CaO-Al2O3-SiO2) glasses (103 compositions) have been performed based on structural information from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The definition of the structural descriptor has been explored to find the optimal form for a wide range of properties such as density, Young's modulus, hardness, and thermal expansion coefficient. In particular, different cation-oxygen single bond energies and types of short- and medium-range structural information (e.g., coordination number, network connectivity) used to define the structural descriptor Fnet were explored. The results show slightly different definitions might be needed to achieve desirable correlations between the descriptors and various properties. The work shows that QSPR analysis based on MD generated glass structures is a very promising approach to correlate a wide range of physical properties with glass compositions, hence a very valuable tool for new glass discovery and composition design.
Can We Talk About Money? Financial Socialization Through Parent–Child Financial Discussion

This multigenerational, qualitative research study explores family financial discussion processes that may lead to better financial preparation for emerging adults. Interviews were conducted with 9...