cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hypoalbuminemia at admission is associated with increased incidence of in-hospital complications in geriatric trauma patients

Abstract Background Elderly patients are at an increased risk of protein–energy malnutrition (PEM) which increases the risk of morbidity/mortality. We evaluated the association between hypoalbuminemia at the time of emergency department (ED) admission and in-hospital complications among geriatric trauma patients. Methods This was an ambidirectional cohort study of geriatric (≥55 years) trauma patients treated at a Level I trauma center between May 2013 and March 2014. The exposure of interest was albumin level at ED admission ( Results A total of 130 patients met study eligibility. Of these, 85 (65%) patients were in the PEM group. After adjusting for tube feeding and injury severity score, PEM at admission was associated with a 2-fold increase in the risk of 30-day overall hospital complications (hazard ratio 2.1, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 3.8). Conclusion Serum albumin level at ED admission, but not prealbumin level, is a significant predictor of in-hospital complications in geriatric trauma patients.
Combined effects of HIV and marijuana use on neurocognitive functioning and immune status

The current study examined the independent and combined effects of HIV and marijuana (MJ) use (no use, light use, and moderate-to-heavy use) on neurocognitive functioning among a convenience sample of HIV-positive (HIV+) and HIV-negative (HIV-) individuals recruited from HIV community care clinics and advertisements in the Greater Los Angeles area. MJ users consisted of individuals who reported regular use of MJ for at least 12 months, with last reported use within the past month. Participants included 89 HIV+ (n = 55) and HIV- (n = 34) individuals who were grouped into non-users, light users, and moderate-to-heavy users based on self-reported MJ use. Participants were administered a brief cognitive test battery and underwent laboratory testing for CD4 count and viral load. HIV+ individuals demonstrated lower performance on neurocognitive testing than controls, and moderate-to-heavy MJ users performed more poorly on neurocognitive testing than light users or non-users. Moderate-to-heavy HIV+ users performed significantly lower on learning/memory than HIV- moderate-to-heavy users (MD = -8.34; 95% CI: -16.11 to -0.56) as well as all other comparison groups. In the domain of verbal fluency, HIV+ light users outperformed HIV- light users (MD = 7.28; 95% CI: 1.62-12.39), but no HIV group differences were observed at other MJ use levels. HIV+ MJ users demonstrated lower viral load (MD = -0.58; 95% CI: -1.30 to 0.14) and higher CD4 count than non-users (MD = 137.67; 95% CI: 9.48-265.85). The current study findings extend the literature by demonstrating the complex relationship between HIV status and MJ use on neurocognitive and clinical outcomes.
Multirate operation of switched-mode power converters

A class of pulse-width modulated (PWM) systems that includes many switched-mode power converters is considered. A new multirate low-frequency sampling PWM scheme is introduced that not only provides the possibility for new types of operation, but also unifies the switching logic corresponding to established PWM schemes. An exact nonlinear discrete-time model is used to develop multirate nonlinear controllers and observers based on map-inversion concepts. This nonlinear design methodology is widely applicable, requiring only that the continuous-time small-signal average model be controllable and observable. >
Notes on the history of Southwestern Mande

Even the most cursory glance at the literature will reveal that the consonant systems of the Southwestern Mande languages are of great interest to Africanists. In the last ten years, the particular problem of consonant gradation in Southwestern Mande has been dealt with by Welmers (1962; 1969; 1971), Manessy (1964), Meeusen (1965), Bird (1971), and Dwyer (1973). The problem of accounting for the consonant alternations in the various languages, as well as the correspondences between languages, is a challenging one, and I should like to deal systematically with certain aspects of it. I shall start by addressing myself to a limited problem in Kpelle, where I shall argue, following several other scholars, that a historical low tone homorganic nasal must be reconstructed, which triggered various consonant alternations. Then I shall turn to broader questions which arise as a result of this analysis.
Modular-DNA Programmed Molecular Construction of “Fixed” of 2D and 3D-Au Nanoparticle Arrays

Specifically designed dimeric, planar trimeric, tetrameric, pentameric, and 3D hexameric assemblies of Au nanoparticles were constructed from self-assembling DNA modules that contain disulfide groups, for attachment to the nanoparticles, and covalently linked 2,5-bis(2-thienyl)pyrrole (SNS) monomers. Treatment of these arrays with horseradish peroxidase and H2O2 (HRP/H2O2) results in bond formation between the SNS monomers that cross-links or ligates the DNA modules making the assemblies permanent (“fixed”).
Cross immunity study of two different influenza A3 virus vaccine strain

Objective To explore the cross immunity response between two similar strains of influenza A3 virus vaccine from 2007 to 2008.Methods Healthy adults aged 18-60 years old without history of flu vaccination were inoculated AnfluTM(52 cases)or VAXIGRIP(R)(137 cases)influenza split vaccine.A micro-hemagglutination inhibition(HI) assay was used to test the serum specimens collected from the subiects before and after vaccination.The seroconversion rate,geometric mean titer(GMT)and antibody protective rate were used to evaluate the effect.Results The seroconversion rates of AnfluTM and VAXIGRIP(R) tested by A/Hiroshima/52/2005 virus antigen were 82.7%(95%CI:69.2%-91.8%)and 80.3%(95%CI:72.4%-86.5%)respectively and there was no significant difference(χ2=0.141,P>0.05).The seroconversion rates of AnfluTM and VAXIGRIP(R) tested by A/Wisconsin/67/2005(H3N2)-like virus antigen were 71.2%(95%CI:56.7%-82.8%) and 73.7%(95%CI:65.4%-80.8%) respectively and there was no significant difference observed (χ2=0.126,P>0.05).GMT of AnfluTM and VAXIGRIP(R) tested by A/Hiroshima/52/2005 virus antigen after vaccination inereased 11.5(95%CI:7.5-17.5)times and 13.0(95%CI:10.0-16.9)times without significant difierence(F=0.497,P>0.05).GMT of AnfluTM and VAXIGRIP(R) tested by A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2)-like virus antigen after vaccination inereased 9.5(95%CI:6.3-14.3)and 10.9(95%CI:8.5-13.7)times,and there was no significant difference either(F=0.554,P>0.05).The antibody protective rate of two vaccines before and after immunity tested by A/Hiroshima/52/2005 virus antigen were 48. 1% and 54. 7% before vaccination and 98. 1% and 95.6% after vaccination respectively without significant difference ( χ2= 0. 135 - 0. 673,P > 0. 05 ). The antibody protective rates of two vaccines tested by A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2)-like virus antigen were 11.5% and 13.9% before vaccination and 80. 8% and 86. 1% after vaccination respectively,and there was no significant difference (χ2=0. 178 -0. 834, P > 0.05 ). But the results tested by A/Hiroshima/52/2005 virus antigen were higher than those of A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2)-like virus antigen (χ2= 7. 111 -52. 155, P < 0. 01 ). Conclusion The two similar seasonal influenza vaccine strains recommended by WHO had a good cross immunity response, but the systematic error of test existed in two similar stains and the same strains should be used. Key words: Influenza A virus, H3N2 subtype; Influenza vaccine strain; Cross immunity; Evaluation studies
"Temprano hay que ser hombre": Masculinidades, educación sexual y confesión en Amor Mundo de José María Arguedas

El proposito de este articulo es entender la funcion de la sexualidad para la construccion de las identidades masculinas en Amor mundo (1967) de Jose Maria Arguedas. Identifica la masculinidad subalterna del nino San- tiago y la masculinidad dominante del hacendado don Guadalupe. Pro- pone que la interaccion de ambos personajes es dada a traves de una dinamica aprendiz (Santiago)/ maestro (don Guadalupe). Intenta resolver como estas identidades son jugadas basicamente en el terreno de las relaciones sexuales. Ademas como la sexualidad masculina establece re- laciones con el poder y el placer, con las identidades femeninas, con el fantasma de la culpa y con la confesion como acto edificante.
Optimization of high-speed CMOS optical modulators with interleaved junctions

Modern microprocessors performance is often limited by the data delivery rate through conventional electrical interconnects. Optical interconnects offer a viable path to relieving this interconnect bottleneck and significantly increasing the capability of modern computers and datacenters. Here, we present a model and experimental validation for the high-speed performance of CMOS optical modulators using interleaved junctions. This model is benchmarked against two generation of CMOS modulators. The model uncovers the underlying bandwidth limitations of existing devices and suggests improvements that would enable 35 GHz optical modulators in microelectronics CMOS.
Electronic properties of MoS2/MoOx interfaces: Implications in Tunnel Field Effect Transistors and Hole Contacts.

In an electronic device based on two dimensional (2D) transitional metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), finding a low resistance metal contact is critical in order to achieve the desired performance. However, due to the unusual Fermi level pinning in metal/2D TMD interface, the performance is limited. Here, we investigate the electronic properties of TMDs and transition metal oxide (TMO) interfaces (MoS2/MoO3) using density functional theory (DFT). Our results demonstrate that, due to the large work function of MoO3 and the relative band alignment with MoS2, together with small energy gap, the MoS2/MoO3 interface is a good candidate for a tunnel field effect (TFET)-type device. Moreover, if the interface is not stoichiometric because of the presence of oxygen vacancies in MoO3, the heterostructure is more suitable for p-type (hole) contacts, exhibiting an Ohmic electrical behavior as experimentally demonstrated for different TMO/TMD interfaces. Our results reveal that the defect state induced by an oxygen vacancy in the MoO3 aligns with the valance band of MoS2, showing an insignificant impact on the band gap of the TMD. This result highlights the role of oxygen vacancies in oxides on facilitating appropriate contacts at the MoS2 and MoOx (x < 3) interface, which consistently explains the available experimental observations.
Sleep quality affects cognitive functioning in returning combat veterans beyond combat exposure, PTSD, and mild TBI history.

The purpose of this study was to determine how sleep quality affects cognitive functioning in returning combat veterans after accounting for effects of combat exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) history. This was a cross-sectional assessment study evaluating combat exposure, PTSD, mTBI history, sleep quality, and neuropsychological functioning. One hundred and nine eligible male Iraq/Afghanistan combat veterans completed an assessment consisting of a structured clinical interview, neuropsychological battery, and self-report measures. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling, combat experiences and mTBI history were not directly associated with sleep quality. PTSD was directly associated with sleep quality, which contributed to deficits in neuropsychological functioning independently of and in addition to combat experiences, PTSD, and mTBI history. Combat experiences and PTSD were differentially associated with motor speed. Sleep affected cognitive function independently of combat experiences, PTSD, and mTBI history. Sleep quality also contributed to cognitive deficits beyond effects of PTSD. An evaluation of sleep quality may be a useful point of clinical intervention in combat veterans with cognitive complaints. Improving sleep quality could alleviate cognitive complaints, improving veterans' ability to engage in treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record(c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Unconstrained Impedance Control Using a Compact Series Elastic Actuator

Series elastic actuators offer high fidelity force control with inherent low impedance above their controllable frequency bandwidth. As a result they well suited for interaction with humans, in which safety is paramount. Their high force fidelity suggests that they may be a suitable for impedance control, in which the interaction between motion and force is controlled. The authors model the unconstrained actuator, and perform tests to evaluate the ability of series elastic actuators to mimic different stiffness. Series elastic actuators are found to be adequate for unconstrained impedance control at input frequencies below 3 Hz.
Tool rake face temperature distribution when machining Ti6Al4V and Inconel 718

Procedia Manufacturing is an open access journal focusing entirely on publishing high quality conference proceedings. Procedia Manufacturing enables fast dissemination of its content so that conference delegates can publish their papers in a dedicated online issue on Sciverse ScienceDirect under the Creative Commons license BY-NC-ND (for further details see our open access license policy.)
Confocal Raman Microscopy Investigation of Molecular Transport into Individual Chromatographic Silica Particles.

Porous silica is used as a support in a variety of separation processes, including chromatographic separation and solid-phase extraction. The resolution and efficiency of these applications is significantly impacted by the kinetics of partitioning and molecular transport into the interior of the porous particles. Molecular transport in porous silica has been explored previously by measuring chromatographic elution profiles, but such measurements are limited to relatively low retention conditions, where within-particle molecular transport must be inferred from elution profiles of solutes emerging from a packed column. In this work, a measurement of within-particle molecular transport is carried out using confocal Raman microscopy to probe the time-dependent accumulation of pyrene from an aqueous mobile phase into the center of individual C18-chromatographic particles. The measured time constants for pyrene accumulation were much slower than diffusion-limited transport of solute in solution to the particle ...
Daily dosing of gentamicin using ideal body weight for the treatment of intrapartum chorioamnionitis: a pilot study.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether daily dosing of gentamicin using ideal body weight in the treatment of chorioamnionitis is effective.Materials and methods: We conducted a prospective...
Adjustments in Agricultural Production under the Assumption of a Lower General Price Level and Reduced Foreign Demand for Agricultural Products during the Next Ten Years

It should be understood that whatever is said in this paper represents only a development from the hypothesis stated in the title and that the writer accepts no responsibility for the validity of the hypothesis itself. The establishment of its correctness or incorrectness is a separate topic and although there has been a good deal of evidence given in support of the truth of the statement, the fact has not been so incontrovertibly proved as to leave no room for skepticism. It is necessary also to arrive at some assumption regarding the relationship of the level of agricultural prices to prices of nonagricultural commodities. If agricultural prices decline less than the level of non-agricultural commodity prices the purchasing power of farm products would increase and the effects of a reduced price level would be less harmful to agriculture than if agricultural prices declined more rapidly than non-agricultural prices. If the price level of two groups decline at the same rate, agriculture would not be injured or benefitted in so far as changes in purchasing power were concerned. If the present situation were to continue for ten years, agriculture would suffer severely. Let us assume, therefore, that the prices of agricultural products and those of the things farmers buy move together until the purchasing power of agricultural products is 100 and then decline at the same rate for the next decade. This assumption is perhaps more optimistic than is justified. There is no basis for believing that the discrepancy in purchasing power of agricultural products will be eliminated soon or that non-agricultural prices will decline as rapidly as agricultural prices during a period of declining prices. The reverse might be closer to the truth. However, as the title presupposes a gloomy outlook for the next decade, perhaps this discussion should show the situation in its best possible light rather than in its worst. Before passing to some specific aspects of the prospective situation brief consideration should be given to the question of
Impact of Neuronal Membrane Damage on the Local Field Potential in a Large-Scale Simulation of Cerebral Cortex

Within multi-scale brain dynamics, the structure-function relationship between cellular changes at a lower scale and coordinated oscillations at a higher scale is not well understood. This relationship may be particularly relevant for understanding functional impairments after a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) when current neuroimaging methods do not reveal morphological changes to the brain common in moderate to severe TBI such as diffuse axonal injury or gray matter lesions. Here, we created a physiology-based model of cerebral cortex using a publicly released modeling framework (GENESIS) to explore the possibility that performance deficits characteristic of blast-induced mTBI may reflect dysfunctional, local network activity influenced by micro-scale neuronal damage at the cellular level. We operationalized micro-scale damage to neurons as the formation of pores on the neuronal membrane based on research using blast paradigms, and in our model, pores were simulated by a change in membrane conductance. We then tracked changes in simulated electrical activity. Our model contained 585 simulated neurons, comprised of 14 types of cortical and thalamic neurons each with its own compartmental morphology and electrophysiological properties. Comparing the functional activity of neurons before and after simulated damage, we found that simulated pores in the membrane reduced both action potential generation and LFP power in the 1 to 40 Hz range of the power spectrum. Furthermore, the location of damage modulated the strength of these effects: pore formation on simulated axons reduced LFP power more strongly than did pore formation on the soma and the dendrites. These results indicate that even small amounts of cellular damage can negatively impact functional activity of larger-scale oscillations, and our findings suggest that multi-scale modeling provides a promising avenue to elucidate these relationships.
Measuring Toxic Effects and Time to Treatment Failure for Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab in Melanoma.

Importance Nivolumab plus ipilimumab (nivo + ipi) is a standard treatment of advanced melanoma. Two randomized trials describe high objective response rates by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. The trials assessed toxic effects using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), which may underestimate incidence of clinically significant immune-related adverse events (AEs). Objective To describe detailed toxic effects and time to treatment failure of patients with melanoma treated with nivo + ipi in a prospective cohort. Design, Setting, and Participants A cohort of 64 adults with advanced or unresectable melanoma were examined at a single tertiary cancer and enrolled in an expanded access program of nivo + ipi conducted from December 2014 to January 2016. Interventions Intravenous nivolumab (1 mg/kg) and ipilimumab (3 mg/kg) administered every 3 weeks for up to 4 doses, followed by nivolumab (3 mg/kg) every 2 weeks or pembrolizumab (2 mg/kg) every 3 weeks until unacceptable toxic effects, disease progression, or complete response. Main Outcomes and Measures Clinically significant immune-related AEs were defined as CTCAE grade 2 or higher or any immune-related AEs requiring systemic steroids. Time to treatment failure was defined as the interval between initiating therapy and the earliest of clinical progression, new locally directed or systemic treatment other than anti–programmed cell death 1 protein (anti–PD-1) monotherapy, or death. Results Overall 64 adults with advanced or unresectable melanoma were enrolled (male to female ratio, 1:1; median [range] age, 56 [22-82] years); 25 patients (39%) received all 4 doses of nivo + ipi, and 31 patients (48%) received no maintenance anti–PD-1 therapy. Most who discontinued treatment (n = 31 [80%]) stopped because of toxic effects. Among those patients who were progression free at 12 weeks, time to treatment failure was similar between those who did or did not modify therapy for toxic effects. Fifty-eight patients (91%) had a clinically significant immune-related AE (median, 2/patient), and 46 patients (72%) required systemic steroids. Infliximab or mycophenolate was required in 16 patients (25%) for steroid-refractory immune-related AEs. Seven patients (11%) developed hyperglycemia, 32 patients (50%) had an emergency department visit, and 23 patients (36%) required a hospital admission related to an immune-related AE. Four of 31 patients (13%) who stopped combination therapy early for toxic effects developed a new, clinically significant immune-related AE more than 16 weeks after the last treatment. Conclusions and Relevance We observed a 91% incidence of clinically significant immune-related AEs leading to frequent emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and systemic immunosuppression. Immuno-oncology trials should routinely report these metrics. Most patients do not tolerate 4 doses of nivo + ipi; however, 4 doses may not be required for clinical benefit.
A bridge between oceans: Overland migration of marine birds in a wind energy corridor

Located at the shortest overland route between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, Mexico's Tehuantepec Isthmus is a globally important migratory corridor for many terrestrial bird species. The Pacific coast of the Isthmus also contains a significant wetland complex that supports large multi-species aggregations of non-breeding waterbirds during the boreal winter. In recent years, extensive wind energy development has occurred in the plains bordering these wetlands, directly along the migratory flyway. Using recent studies of movement patterns of three marine-associated bird species—reddish egrets (Egretta rufescens), brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), and red knots (Calidris canutus)—from the northern Gulf of Mexico, we assess the use of the isthmus as a migratory corridor. Our data provide evidence that marine birds from the Gulf region regularly overwinter along the Pacific coast of Mexico and use the isthmus as a migratory corridor, creating the potential for interaction with terrestrial wind farms during non-breeding. This study is the first to describe migration by marine-associated bird species between the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific coast. These data contribute new information toward ongoing efforts to understand the complex migration patterns of mobile marine species, with the goal of informing integrated conservation efforts for species whose year-round habitat needs cross ecoregional and geopolitical boundaries. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The Joint Effects of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Age on the Incarceration and Sentence Length Decisions:

The current study adds to the literature examining the effects of race, ethnicity, gender, and age on sentencing decisions. The results indicate that Black and male defendants were more likely to b...
Electron critical gradient scale length measurements of ICRF heated L-mode plasmas at Alcator C-Mod tokamak

A profile for the critical gradient scale length (Lc) has been measured in L-mode discharges at the Alcator C-Mod tokamak, where electrons were heated by an ion cyclotron range of frequency through minority heating with the intention of simultaneously varying the heat flux and changing the local gradient. The electron temperature gradient scale length (LTe−1 = |∇Te|/Te) profile was measured via the BT-jog technique [Houshmandyar et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 87, 11E101 (2016)] and it was compared with electron heat flux from power balance (TRANSP) analysis. The Te profiles were found to be very stiff and already above the critical values, however, the stiffness was found to be reduced near the q = 3/2 surface. The measured Lc profile is in agreement with electron temperature gradient (ETG) models which predict the dependence of Lc−1 on local Zeff, Te/Ti, and the ratio of the magnetic shear to the safety factor. The results from linear Gene gyrokinetic simulations suggest ETG to be the dominant mode of turbulence in the electron scale (k⊥ρs > 1), and ion temperature gradient/trapped electron mode modes in the ion scale (k⊥ρs < 1). The measured Lc profile is in agreement with the profile of ETG critical gradients deduced from Gene simulations.
Gender-based outcome differences for emergency department presentation ofnon-STEMI acute coronary syndrome

Abstract Background It is known that women generally have worse mortality outcomes than men with regards to ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. However, less is known about contemporary gender differences in non-STEMI acute coronary syndrome, particularly those presenting to emergency departments within a regionalized system of care with standardized protocols. Methods Retrospective registry data from 2010 to 2016 were examined from the North Texas Mission: Lifeline system of care, representing 33 hospitals around the Dallas Texas metropolitan area. We explored gender-based differences using multivariate logistic regression model, controlling for patient's age, baseline condition, and hospital factors. Results There were 16,861 patients who presented directly to emergency departments with NSTEMI, and 6513 (38.6%) were women. At baseline, women were older (68.04 vs. 63.7 years, p Conclusion Emergency department NSTEMI protocols should consider potential gender disparities that exist for women. Overall, women had worse outcomes, which persist even in an urban system of care with standardized protocols.
Case 4: Volunteer Insurgence

When data collection for a research study undertaken at a nonprofit think tank goes awry, a senior researcher must decide whether to come clean about misreported results and risk losing valuable grant funding. In this case, Handy and Russell introduce ethical dilemmas that arise when workers at different levels of an organization—part-time, volunteer, and senior staff—are not on the same page. Likewise, this case asks the question of whether or not personal integrity should be compromised for the greater good, inviting readers to contemplate how personal and professional ethics coincide or clash in their own workplaces.
Sequencing Plant Genomes

The first decade of the twenty-first century witnessed the development and commercialization of the so-called “second-generation” sequencing techniques. These short-read sequencing methods produced such large amounts of sequence data at such low prices that the costly and time-consuming physical map-based sequencing techniques, used to generate the human and the Arabidopsis genomes, were largely abandoned. The rise of second-generation sequencing at the cost of physical mapping resulted in a tremendous increase in the number and diversity of plant genome projects, a proliferation in the number of individuals and institutions involved in genome sequencing endeavors, and an overall decrease in the quality of resulting genome assemblies. Single-molecule (“third-generation”) sequencing techniques, which came onto the scene more recently, provide much longer (and currently lower quality) reads than second-generation techniques, and a combination of second- and third-generation technologies is resulting in higher quality, more complete genome assemblies than second-generation techniques alone. At present, excellent results are being obtained by assembling genomes with third-generation reads, polishing the resulting contigs/scaffolds with second-generation (Illumina) data, and using Hi-C chromatin conformation capture and/or optical mapping techniques to increase contig/scaffold accuracy. Because improvements in sequencing have occurred so quickly, bioinformatics tools for assembling, analyzing, and annotating genomes have not been standardized; indeed, such tools can vary widely with regard to input needs, output quality, and scalability. With hundreds of plant genomes in various states of completion, much is being learned about general trends in plant genome evolution – for example, the predominance of polyploidy and paleopolyploidy events in angiosperms and the enormous contribution of LTR retrotransposons to genome size expansions/contractions in land plants. Plant genome sequencing projects have also made apparent the difficulties associated with identifying and quantifying gene numbers. While genome sequences are powerful tools, they are simply maps; they contain information about genomic landmarks and their possible functions, but they are not equivalent to the complex organisms they represent. Nonetheless, like any maps, they represent a means by which one can explore more expeditiously. Integration of genome sequence maps with chromatin configuration, biochemical, and developmental data is critical in advancing understanding of how genes and genomes function and evolve in vivo.
Legal Aspects of Predicting Dangerousness

It is difficult to imagine a rational legal system refraining entirely from making dispositions that rest, at least in part, on the anticipation of violent or otherwise dangerous behavior. For example, one justification for warrantless arrest is that the arrested person is by his criminal conduct posing an immediate threat to others. The granting or denial of bail depends sometimes on such an assessment. But, although we cannot shun the business of making these decisions, there are times when the process bristles with social and moral conundrums. The legal system must try to solve these in the light of its deepest level of principle.
Spinal Cord injury in the Elderly

Caring for individuals who have sustained a spinal cord injury (SCI) requires the nurse to understand the pathophysiology of the disorder, the sequelae following the injury, and nursing care activities. Additional knowledge is required of the nurse when the patient with SCI is elderly. This article discusses the changes associated with normal aging, the special problems of the geriatric patient, and the management of the elderly patient who has sustained an SCI.
Localization in sensor networks

The development of large scale distributed sensor systems is a significant scientific and engineering challenge, but they show great promise for a wide range of applications. The capability to sense and integrate spatial information with other elements of a sensor application is critical to exploring the full potential of these systems. In this article we discuss the range of application requirements, introduce a taxonomy of localization mechanisms, and briefly discuss the current state of the art in ranging and positioning technologies. We then introduce two case studies that illustrate the range of localization applications.
Four-Point Resistance Measurements of Wires Written with a Scanning Tunneling Microscope

We review briefly our work on using the Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) to break down organometallic precursor gases to form metallic lines. We are particularly interested in the transport properties of wires smaller than 100 nm. This requires four-probe measurements of the wires and therefore a good method for locating the probes on the substrate and for bringing the STM tip to the probes. We have built a UHV STM inside a commercial Scanning Electron Microscope in order to accomplish this. This instrument is briefly described here.
Meiosis-specific recombinase Dmc1 is a potent inhibitor of the Srs2 antirecombinase

Cross-over recombination products are a hallmark of meiosis because they are necessary for accurate chromosome segregation and they also allow for increased genetic diversity during sexual reproduction. However, cross-overs can also cause gross chromosomal rearrangements and are therefore normally down-regulated during mitotic growth. The mechanisms that enhance cross-over product formation upon entry into meiosis remain poorly understood. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Superfamily 1 (Sf1) helicase Srs2, which is an ATP hydrolysis-dependent motor protein that actively dismantles recombination intermediates, promotes synthesis-dependent strand annealing, the result of which is a reduction in cross-over recombination products. Here, we show that the meiosis-specific recombinase Dmc1 is a potent inhibitor of Srs2. Biochemical and single-molecule assays demonstrate that Dmc1 acts by inhibiting Srs2 ATP hydrolysis activity, which prevents the motor protein from undergoing ATP hydrolysis-dependent translocation on Dmc1-bound recombination intermediates. We propose a model in which Dmc1 helps contribute to cross-over formation during meiosis by antagonizing the antirecombinase activity of Srs2.
Abstract 3630: RNA nanoparticles as a carrier for targeted drug delivery into cancer cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the US; the inefficiency of chemotherapeutic treatments has severely limited the treatment options in patients with CRC metastasis. Polyvalent RNA nanoparticles have demonstrated metastatic tumor homing without accumulation in normal organ tissues surrounding metastatic tumors; the flexibility in constructing trimers also enables the assembly of polyvalent nanoparticles to carry drug molecules for therapeutic purposes. The purpose of our study was to: (i) demonstrate PI3K/mTOR inhibitor conjugation to RNA nanoparticles, and (ii) pH-sensitive intracellular drug delivery by folate receptor targeting (FA)-3WJ-PI-103 nanoparticles in CRC cells. Methods. (1) PI-103-3WJ-Folate nanoparticle binding, internalization and drug release was evaluated in HT-29 (human CRC), SK-OV-3 (human ovarian cancer), JAR (human choriocarcinoma), HCT116 (human CRC), and Caco-2 (human CRC) cell lines. (2) Confocal microscopy was used to examine RNA nanoparticle binding and internalization by endocytosis. (3) Western blot was used to confirm drug delivery with PI-103-3WJ-Folate nanoparticle. Results. (1) Drug release from fully assembled RNA nanoparticles was confirmed after 3WJ-PI-103 nanoparticles (5 µM) incubation in PBS pH 2.5, 3, 3.5 for 4h at 37°C and analysis of pAkt (Ser473) expression, a marker of PI3K inhibition; 1.5 mM 3WJ-PI-103 was minimum dose required to inhibit PI3K/Akt signaling in cancer cell lines. (2) Rapid folate-receptor mediated RNA nanoparticle internalization was observed within 2-4 h in HT29, HCT116, JAR and SK-OV-3 cell lines by confocal microscopy. (3) Cancer cells were treated with FA-3WJ-PI-103 nanoparticles directly to evaluate all steps of targeted receptor-mediated drug delivery-receptor binding, endocytosis, pH-triggered drug release and endosomal drug escape into the cytoplasm. HCT116 and JAR cells were treated with FA-3WJ-PI-103 in 0% and 1% folate-free media for 4h, media was replaced and evaluated 3h later for PI3K pathway activation. PI3K/Akt signaling was inhibited after direct treatment with FA-3WJ-PI-103 nanoparticles at 5 mM drug concentration; 3WJ-PI-103 particles were used as a control. Conclusions. A critical finding of our current study was the ability to conjugate PI3K/mTOR inhibitor PI-103, via a pH-selective linker, to RNA nanoparticles and the demonstration of intracellular drug delivery into cancer cells and drug release in a pH-dependent fashion. Our results demonstrate the potential of receptor-selective drug delivery to cancer cells with high FRα expression and represents a promising approach for treatment of CRC metastases. Citation Format: Piotr G. Rychahou, Sijin Guo, Eun Y. Lee, Nicole Rychagov, Jon Thorson, Peixuan Guo, B. Mark Evers. RNA nanoparticles as a carrier for targeted drug delivery into cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3630.
Caribbean Exceptions: The Problem of Race and Nation in Dominican Studies

The analytic paradigms of race and nation have dominated scholarship on the Dominican Republic and have framed social and cultural analysis in ways that have limited the theorizing of Dominican materials to a narrow focus on identity. These gatekeeping concepts have been especially influential in shaping Dominican studies in the United States and in defining the predominant questions of interest in the field. This article assesses the conceptual limits of race and nation as persistent modes of analysis applied to the Dominican Republic and evaluates how these restrictive themes both shape and are shaped by conventional ideas about Dominican society. We argue for deeper engagement with homegrown scholarship and voices on the ground in order to move beyond repetitive and provincial concerns with “Dominicanness” and to trouble the far-too-common portrayal of the country as a novel racial problem. Resumen Los paradigmas analiticos de raza y nacion han dominado las cuestiones academicas sobre la Republica Dominicana y han enmarcado el analisis socio-cultural de la isla de manera que se ha limitado la teorizacion a un estrecho enfoque en la identidad. Estos conceptos barrera (“gatekeeping concepts”) han sido especialmente formativos en la creacion de los estudios dominicanos en los Estados Unidos y han definido las cuestiones dominantes en este campo academico. El siguiente ensayo critico evalua los limites conceptuales de raza y nacion como modos persistentes de analisis aplicados a la Republica Dominicana y analiza como estos temas limitantes forman ideas convencionales sobre la sociedad dominicana. Argumentamos por un compromiso mas profundo con la produccion academica de la isla y tambien por un compromiso con otras voces locales no-academicas para ir mas alla de nociones repetitivas y provinciales sobre la “dominicanidad”. Complicamos la muy repetida imagen del pais como un siempre nuevo problema racial que merece mas investigacion.
Environmental Cooperation in Conflict Zones: Riparian Infrastructure at the Armenian–Turkish Border:

Due to historical grievances, Armenia and Turkey experience severe international conflicts and do not maintain diplomatic ties. Yet, as a vestige of the Soviet period, when Armenia was not an indep...
Elevated Intrabolus Pressure Predicts Abnormal Timed Barium Esophagram in Esophagogastric Junction Outflow Obstruction.

Background/aims Timed barium esophagram (TBE) is used the classification of esophageal motility disorders and assessing esophageal function. Currently, there are no published studies examining the relationship between high-resolution manometry and TBE in patients with esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO). This study seeks to evaluate this relationship and identify manometric variables that may indicate further evaluation using TBE. Methods Retrospective review of medical records identified patients with a diagnosis of EGJOO per the Chicago classification version 3.0. TBE was performed using standard protocol. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on complete emptying or persistence of standing barium column at 5 minutes. Results Eleven patients were identified with EGJOO who underwent both high-resolution manometry and TBE within 3 months. Five patients had no standing barium column at 5 minutes, while 6 patients had a persistent barium column. Mean age of each group was 54.0 years and 57.8 years, respectively. Patients with abnormal TBE were found to have significantly elevated intrabolus pressure (IBP) compared with patients who had a normal TBE. Conclusions In our study, we found significant differences in IBP between these patient groups. These findings suggest that patients with EGJOO and elevated IBP may prompt further clinical evaluation with TBE in order to clarify clinical diagnosis and guide therapeutic intervention.
Visual Field Loss in Patients With Diabetes in the Absence of Clinically-Detectable Vascular Retinopathy in a Nationally Representative Survey.

Purpose Neuroretinopathy is increasingly being recognized as an independent cause of vision loss in diabetes. Visual field loss, as detected by frequency doubling technology (FDT)-based visual perimetry, is a sign of neuroretinopathy and occurs in early stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Here, we hypothesized that FDT visual field testing could identify patients with diabetic neuroretinopathy in the absence of clinically detectable microvascular DR. Methods All National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2008 participants receiving fundus photography and visual field screening by FDT were included in this study. Participants with self-reported glaucoma, use of glaucoma medications, or determination of glaucoma based on disk features were excluded. Visual fields were screened using FDT protocol in which participants underwent a 19-subfield suprathreshold test. Results Patients with diabetes but no DR were more likely to have ≥1 subfield defects at 5%, 2%, and 1% probability levels than patients without diabetes (41.3% vs. 28.6%; 27.4% vs. 17.5%; 15.9% vs. 9.4%; all P < 0.0008). Multivariable regression showed that each additional glycated hemoglobin % (HbA1c) was associated with 19% greater odds of having ≥1 visual subfield defects in those with diabetes without DR (odds ratio: 1.19, 95% confidence interval: 1.07-1.33; P = 0.0020). Conclusions Patients with diabetes have visual field defects in the absence of clinically detectable DR, suggesting neuroretinopathy precedes classical microvascular disease. These defects become more frequent with the onset of visible retinopathy and worsen as the retinopathy becomes more severe. Longitudinal studies are required to understand the pathogenesis of diabetic neuroretinopathy in relation to classic DR.
Travelling with Susie King Taylor

Susie King TaylorA¢â¬â¢s 1902 memoir of her Civil War experiences, Reminiscences of My Life in Camp , comprises a complex document testifying to the contest over the meaning of the Civil War in historical memory as well as the struggle of freed people, and black women in particular, to insert themselves into public dialogues as authorized subjects. Viewing TaylorA¢â¬â¢s narrative, the positioning of its author and the changing conditions of its reception, through the lens of black womanist theory and travel literature criticism presents an opportunity to consider the nature of knowledge in a way that resists dichotomizing authenticity and objectivity, or experience and interpretation.
8 – Weather Systems

Publisher Summary Rainfall that sustains life on Earth is not the bounty of cloud microphysical processes alone. Without vigorous and sustained motions, the atmospheric branch of the hydrological cycle would stagnate. Much of the ascent that drives the hydrologic cycle in the Earth's atmosphere occurs in association with weather systems with well-defined structures and life cycles. A small fraction of these systems achieve the status of storms capable of disrupting human activities and, in some instances, inflicting damage. This chapter introduces the structure and underlying dynamics of weather systems and their associated weather phenomena. The chapter deals with large-scale extratropical weather systems (baroclinic waves and the associated extratropical cyclones) and their embedded mesoscale fronts. It discusses some of the effects of terrain on large-scale weather systems and some of the associated weather phenomena. It describes the modes of mesoscale organization of deep cumulus convection and a special form of organization in which a mesoscale convective system acquires strong rotation. These tropical cyclones tend to be tighter, more axially symmetric, and more intense than their extratropical counterparts.
ON SIGNAL ESTIMATION, DETECTION AND INTERFERENCE MITIGATION IN LIGO

This article analyzes the data for the gravitational wave (GW) events observed in the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors, from the viewpoint of signal estimation, detection and interference mitigation. It is shown that the GW events are buried in detector noise and that the GW channel in the LIGO detector does in fact pick up strong 60*n Hz electromagnetic interference (EMI) from power lines. Removal of EMI is a challenging problem and this article analyzes various methods including parametric models to estimate the amplitude and frequency of each impulse. The possibility of EMI from terrestrial and non-terrestrial sources is considered and interference mitigation techniques are investigated.
Speech, Drugs, and Patent Infringement

The modern law of induced patent infringement contradicts the Patent Act and violates the First Amendment. As currently applied, the law unconstitutionally restricts speech, discourages the entry of generic drugs, and helps keep medicine prices high. Under current doctrine, a generic drugmaker is liable for induced infringement if its drug label so much as hints at using a product in a way that is covered by a patent. This is true even when there is no evidence that prescribers read generic drug labels and in cases when only an in-depth inquiry into the language of the label might promote infringement. As I show, this doctrine flies in the face of a simple reading of the statute. And by restricting lawful and non-misleading speech for such an attenuated purpose, it also violates the First Amendment. Modern patent inducement law should be revised because it unconstitutionally prolongs drug monopolies and undermines a key statutory path to generic competition. Revisiting the roots of inducement doctrine also leads to the surprising conclusion that method-of-use patents—a cornerstone of pharmaceutical intellectual property—are weaker than generally supposed.
Modeling the Flow State Sensitivity of Actuation Response on a Stalled Airfoil

In this work, we perform direct numerical simulations of leading-edge momentum injection of a NACA0009 airfoil at poststall angles of attack. It is found that the lift response is highly dependent ...
Flexible remembering

Although highly specific memory is critical in many contexts, the ability to recall knowledge in a more abstract or “gist-based” manner is crucial in allowing transfer of learning to new situations and to complex forms of thought such as using analogies and drawing inferences based on the classification of events and objects. Yet it is unknown whether we can flexibly and intentionally alternate on demand between recollection of gist and recollection of detail, particularly for events from a single context. In a randomly cued test of item-specific versus category-based recognition, younger—and to a lesser extent, older—adults demonstrated such flexible remembering. Gist control was higher in younger than in older adults, and in older adults it correlated with measures of frontal function.