cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantifying economic losses associated with levels of wheat streak mosaic incidence and severity in the Texas High Plains

Wheat streak mosaic (WSM), caused by the Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV), which is transmitted by the wheat curl mite (Aceria tosichella), is the most prevalent virus disease of wheat in the Texas High Plains. Infected plants initially exhibit mosaic symptoms, which lead to severe stunting, complete chlorosis and, in the most severe cases, eventually plant death. Wheat plants infected with WSMV have lower forage and grain yields and exhibit reduced water-use efficiency compared to non-infected plants. The disease impact on water-use efficiency raises an important issue of whether diseased fields should be irrigated as frequently as non-diseased fields. The issue becomes more relevant when energy costs and the dwindling water resources from the Ogallala Aquifer are taken into consideration. This study examined the potential economic losses due to WSM, using data collected from two fields in 2007 and 2009. A hand-held hyperspectral radiometer was used to quantify severity of WSM in multiple 1 m2 plots along two transects, each stretching from the edges of the fields to their centers. Grain yield declined exponentially (R2 = 0.79, P < 0.0001) with increasing disease severity, as measured by reflectance at 555 nm. For economic analysis, grain yield from each plot was used for determining cost adjustments and linked revenues in relation to WSM severity levels, which allowed calculations of potential profit reduction. The method enables one to compare losses associated with different levels of WSM severity to a baseline with little or no WSMV infection. Results show that losses from the disease are primarily an outcome of reduced revenue due to a decrease in grain yield, and, as expected, losses incurred per unit land area rapidly increase with increasing disease incidence and severity. Furthermore, producers incur additional marginal losses when irrigating fields with WSM because there is little or no return for irrigation inputs, as water-use efficiency of severely diseased wheat is drastically reduced. Results from this study are useful in estimating losses at differing levels of disease incidence and severity and represent the first step in development of an economic threshold for wheat streak mosaic.
Bilateral Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Secondary to Non-Traumatic Spontaneous Retinal Dialyses

A healthy 17-year-old boy reported worsening vision in the right eye since childhood. On presentation, visual acuity was counting fingers in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye; intraocular pressure was within normal limits. Fovea-involving chronic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) with retinal dialysis and subretinal bands was identified in the right eye, while there was macular subretinal fluid (SRF) and fovea-sparing asymptomatic RRD with retinal dialysis in the left eye. The patient underwent scleral buckling and cryotherapy in both eyes. Twelve months after presentation, with interval decrease in SRF, vision improved to 20/400 in the right eye and was 20/20 in the left eye. Our case describes an otherwise healthy adolescent male with bilateral rhegmatogenous retinal detachment secondary to non-traumatic spontaneous retinal dialysis. Bilateral spontaneous retinal dialyses are rare but may occur in pediatric patients. Scleral buckling and cryotherapy resulted in anatomical success in both eyes. Journal of Nature and Science (JNSCI), 2(6):e196, 2016
Regulatory Capital Requirement in Basel III

Capital adequacy requirement plays a central role in modern regulatory frameworks for commercial banking worldwide. One of the key lessons from the financial crisis of 2007–2008 is the lack of high quality and quantity of capital base during the stressed time period. I explain the regulatory capital requirement on commercial banks that aims to ensure resilient banks and banking systems since 2008. It starts with the concept of capital and then examines the role of the capital for banks to withstand negative business situations. Major insights underpinned in Basel III regarding the capital requirement are highlighted. The chapter itself can be viewed as an introduction on regulatory capital frameworks. These relevenat risk management topics are given extensively in subsequent chapters of this book. .
Energy Reallocation in a Smart Grid

When a malfunction occurs in a smart-grid electricity-provisioning system, it is vitally important to quickly diagnose the problem and to take corrective action. The self-healing problem refers to the need to take action in near real time in order to reallocate power to minimize the disruption. To address this need, we present a collection of integer linear programming (ILP) models that are designed to identify the optimal combinations of supply sources, the demand sites for generators to serve, and the pathways along which the reallocated power should flow. The models explicitly support multiple time periods and the uncertainty associated with alternative sources such as wind power. Model solutions are evaluated using a simulator configured with multiple, intelligent, distributed software agents.
Reconciling the deformational dichotomy of the 2016 Mw 7.8 Kaikoura New Zealand earthquake

Following the 2016 Mw 7.8 Kaikoura earthquake, uncertainty over the nature of the coseismic rupture developed. Seismological evidence pointed to significant involvement of the subduction megathrust, while geodetic and field observations pointed to a shallow set of intracrustal faults as the main participants during the earthquake. The addition of tsunami observations and modeling as reported in Bai et al. (2017) places additional constraints on the specific location of coseismic slip, which when combined with other observations indicates the simultaneous occurrence of shallow slip on the subduction interface and slip on overlying, upper crustal fault structures. This Kaikoura-style earthquake, involving synchronous ruptures on multiple components of the plate boundary, is an important mode of plate boundary deformation affecting seismic hazard along subduction zones.
Polymorphisms in base excision repair genes and breast cancer susceptibility.

Background. A growing body of evidence suggests that oxidative DNA damage represents an important pathway for breast carcinogenesis. Oxidative DNA damage is repaired in part by the base excision repair (BER) pathway. Polymorphisms in four BER genes (XRCC1, HOGG1, APE1 and MYH) were examined in relation to an index of oxidative DNA damage (apurinic sites in DNA) and risk of breast cancer. Methods. BER genotypes were examined in relation to levels of apurinic (AP) sites in DNA from participants in an on-going hospital-based case-control study conducted at UNC Memorial Hospital (LCCC 9830). An aldehyde reactive slot blot method was used to detect quantitate AP sites in freshly collected blood lymphocytes. Odds ratios for BER genotypes and breast cancer, and interactions with environmental exposures, were calculated using samples and information collected from the Carolina Breast Cancer Study (CBCS). The CBCS is a population-based case-control study of breast cancer in North Carolina that includes 2311 cases (894 African Americans, 1417 whites) and 2022 controls (788 African Americans, 1234 whites). Genotyping was conducted for both studies using the ABI 7700 Sequence Detection System (“Taqman”) with positive controls and 10% repeats. Results. In LCCC 9830, levels of AP sites were highest among participants with the following genotypes: XRCC1 codon 399 Arg/Arg; HOGG1 codon 326 Cys/Cys; APE1 codon 148 Asp/Asp; MYH codon 324 Gln/Gln. In the CBCS, odds ratios were close to the null for BER genotypes and breast cancer, and no statistically significant differences were observed in allele frequencies between cases and controls. A statistically significant dose-response relationship was observed between duration of smoking and breast cancer risk among women with the following genotypes: XRCC1 Arg/Arg (trend test P = 0.001) but not any Gln (P = 0.79); HOGG1 codon 326 any Cys (P = 0.01) but not Ser/Ser (P = 0.60); MYH 324 Gln/Gln (P = 0.008) but not any His (P = 0.95). There were no differences in odds ratios for smoking according to APE1 genotype. Odds ratios were elevated for duration of smoking among participants with combinations of two or more “at risk” BER genotypes (XRCC1 399 Arg/Arg, HOGG1326 any Cys, MYH 324 Gln/Gln): never smokers (referent), 20 years (OR = 2.2, 1.5–3.0) (trend test P
#IfTheyGunnedMeDown: An Analysis of Mainstream and Social Media in the Ferguson, Missouri, Shooting of Michael Brown

Focusing on the hashtag #IfTheyGunnedMeDown, this study examined the framing of mainstream newspaper coverage of social media activism in the aftermath of the 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown ...
Implementing a Mobile Health System to Integrate the Treatment of Addiction Into Primary Care: A Hybrid Implementation-Effectiveness Study.

Background: Despite the near ubiquity of mobile phones, little research has been conducted on the implementation of mobile health (mHealth) apps to treat patients in primary care. Although primary care clinicians routinely treat chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes, they rarely treat addiction, a common chronic condition. Instead, addiction is most often treated in the US health care system, if it is treated at all, in a separate behavioral health system. mHealth could help integrate addiction treatment in primary care. Objective: The objective of this paper was to report the effects of implementing an mHealth system for addiction in primary care on both patients and clinicians. Methods: In this implementation research trial, an evidence-based mHealth system named Seva was introduced sequentially over 36 months to a maximum of 100 patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) in each of three federally qualified health centers (FQHCs; primary care clinics that serve patients regardless of their ability to pay). This paper reports on patient and clinician outcomes organized according to the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. Results: The outcomes according to the RE-AIM framework are as follows: Reach—Seva reached 8.31% (268/3226) of appropriate patients. Reach was limited by our ability to pay for phones and data plans for a maximum of 100 patients per clinic. Effectiveness—Patients who were given Seva had significant improvements in their risky drinking days (44% reduction, (0.7-1.25)/1.25, P=.04), illicit drug-use days (34% reduction, (2.14-3.22)/3.22, P=.01), quality of life, human immunodeficiency virus screening rates, and number of hospitalizations. Through Seva, patients also provided peer support to one another in ways that are novel in primary care settings. Adoption—Patients sustained high levels of Seva use—between 53% and 60% of the patients at the 3 sites accessed Seva during the last week of the 12-month implementation period. Among clinicians, use of the technology was less robust than use by patients, with only a handful of clinicians using Seva in each clinic and behavioral health providers making most referrals to Seva in 2 of the 3 clinics. Implementation—At 2 sites, implementation plans were realized successfully; they were delayed in the third. Maintenance—Use of Seva dropped when grant funding stopped paying for the mobile phones and data plans. Two of the 3 clinics wanted to maintain the use of Seva, but they struggled to find funding to support this. Conclusions: Implementing an mHealth system can improve care among primary care patients with SUDs, and patients using the system can support one another in their recovery. Among clinicians, however, implementation requires figuring out how information from the mHealth system will be used and making mHealth data available in the electronic health (eHealth) record. In addition, paying for an mHealth system remains a challenge.
Surgical Management: Obstructing the Path

Despite a large number of conservative and surgical treatments described in the literature, management of chronic dislocation remains a challenge. Different treatment modalities with variable results have been described for treating recurrent temporomandibular dislocation. The surgical procedures can be categorized under two main headings: procedures that increase freedom of movement of the condyles (like eminectomy) and those that prevent excessive movement of the condyles by obstructing the path. This last category of treatment includes several procedures: – Minimally invasive techniques: arthroscopic scarification of the retrodiscal tissue, sclerosing agent, and botulinum toxin injections – Hard tissue surgery: down-fracture of the zygomatic arch (Dautrey procedure), articular eminence grafting procedures, and metallic obstacles (bone miniplates, mesh, and screws) – Soft tissue surgery: capsular plication, lateral pterygoid myotomy and temporalis scarification, temporal fascial flap, and anterior disc positioning – Tethering procedures: limitation of joint translation by tethering the condyle to the zygomatic arch
Reward-driven Training of Random Boolean Network Reservoirs for Model-Free Environments

Reservoir Computing (RC) is an emerging machine learning paradigm where a fixed kernel, built from a randomly connected ”reservoir” with sufficiently rich dynamics, is capable of expanding the problem space in a non-linear fashion to a higher dimensional feature space. These features can then be interpreted by a linear readout layer that is trained by a gradient descent method. In comparison to traditional neural networks, only the output layer needs to be trained, which leads to a significant computational advantage. In addition, the short term memory of the reservoir dynamics has the ability to transform a complex temporal input state space to a simple non-temporal representation. Adaptive real-time systems are multi-stage decision problems that can be used to train an agent to achieve a preset goal by performing an optimal action at each timestep. In such problems, the agent learns through continuous interactions with its environment. Conventional techniques to solving such problems become computationally expensive or may not converge if the state-space being considered is large, partially observable, or if short term memory is required in optimal decision making. The objective of this thesis is to use reservoir computers to solve such goaldriven tasks, where no error signal can be readily calculated to apply gradient descent methodologies. To address this challenge, we propose a novel reinforcement learning approach in combination with reservoir computers built from simple Boolean components. Such reservoirs are of interest because they have the potential to be fabricated by self-assembly techniques. We evaluate the performance of our approach in both Markovian and non-Markovian environments. We compare the performance of an agent trained through traditional Q-Learning. We find that
Aircraft Considerations for Aeromedical Evacuation

In summary, the USAF possesses a wide variety of aircraft with a proven capability of moving large numbers of patients. Each aircraft used in the AE role has specific strengths and weaknesses as described. While the civil air ambulance industry is highly capable of moving small numbers of patients, their experience with large numbers is limited. Therefore, in the event of a sudden disaster requiring AE of large numbers of patients, the expertise and capability of the USAF (through US Transportation Command) will be required.
Futurists and Their Methodologies

In essence, futures research is a process by which planners in an orderly and systematic fashion study the future and bring anticipations of the future to bear on present decisions. When we talk about anticipation, we are talking about three areas—the probable, the possible, and the preferable.
Abstract 865: Small molecule-mediated modulation of Ras elicits inhibition of phospho ERK signaling through negative feedback on SOS1

Oncogenic mutation of Ras is responsible for more than 30% of all human tumors. Therefore, pharmacological modulation of Ras has attracted great interest as a therapeutic strategy. Our laboratory has recently discovered small molecules that activate Son of Sevenless (SOS)-catalyzed nucleotide exchange on Ras and paradoxically inhibit downstream signaling. Here we describe how pharmacologically targeting SOS1 induces biphasic modulation of Ras-GTP and downstream ERK levels. We consistently observed this phenotype in a variety of cell lines expressing different Ras mutant isoforms, and using multiple chemotypes of compound. In elucidating the molecular mechanism, we observed that compound treatment caused an increase in phosphorylation at ERK consensus motifs on SOS1 that was not observed with the expression of a non-phosphorylatable S1178A SOS1 mutant, or after pre-treatment with an ERK inhibitor. Phosphorylation at S1178 on SOS1 is known to inhibit the association between SOS1 and GRB2 and disrupt SOS1 membrane localization. Consistent with this, we show that wild-type SOS1 and GRB2 dissociated in a time dependent fashion in response to compound treatment, and conversely, this interaction was enhanced with the expression of a S1178A SOS1 mutant. Pre-treatment with an ERK inhibitor prevented compound-induced inhibition of the association between SOS1 and GRB2. Furthermore, in cells expressing either S1178A SOS1 or a constitutively membrane-bound CAAX box tagged SOS1 mutant, we observed elevated Ras-GTP levels over time in response to compound, as compared to the biphasic changes in Ras-GTP exhibited in cells expressing wild-type SOS1. These results show that small molecule agonists of SOS1 cause paradoxical inhibition of Ras-GTP and MAPK signaling in Ras mutant cancer cells, through negative feedback on SOS1. Overall, these compounds provide us with the unique opportunity to better understand the biological functions of SOS and Ras in cancer cells, and may aid in the discovery of small molecules to treat Ras-driven tumors. Citation Format: Jennifer E. Howes, Denis T. Akan, Michael C. Burns, Qi Sun, Andrew J. Little, DeMarco V. Camper, Jason R. Abbott, Jason Phan, Taekyu Lee, Olivia W. Rossanese, Alex G. Waterson, Stephen W. Fesik. Small molecule-mediated modulation of Ras elicits inhibition of phospho ERK signaling through negative feedback on SOS1 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 865.
Real-Time and Digital PCR for Nucleic Acid Quantification

Quantitative measurements of the nucleic acid of pathogens are commonly used to determine the level of viral pathogens, such as cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, adenovirus, and BK virus in immunocompromised patients, and as a measure of the efficacy of antiviral treatment for human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus. Quantitative real-time PCR is the most common type of PCR for these applications and is used in both laboratory-developed and commercial assays. Quantitative real-time PCR is convenient as well as reasonably accurate and precise; however, the design of the assay and the practical implementation of the assay must be carefully considered. In particular, the selection of the target sequence, the design of the primers and probes, and the use of appropriate quantitative standards will each contribute to the final assay performance characteristics. Digital PCR, while less frequently used, is an emerging technology for quantitative measurement of nucleic acids. While this method provides less variable results than real-time PCR, it is generally less sensitive than real-time PCR, and the current platforms are not suitable for high-throughput testing [1]. In this chapter, the theories underlying these methods of quantitative nucleic acid detection are discussed, the practical considerations of assay implementation are considered, and the advantages and disadvantages of these two methods of quantitative PCR are described.
The lithium–water configuration encapsulated by uranyl peroxide cage cluster U24

Li and H2O encapsulated in the uranyl peroxide cage cluster U24 at 110 K are in square pyramidal and octahedral coordination environments, as dictated by the symmetry and topology of U24, in contrast to Li cations between the cages that are tetrahedrally coordinated by H2O. The ordered distribution of Li found here deviates from earlier studies at higher temperatures that reported a dynamic distribution.
Chemoprevention and therapeutic treatment of BRCA1 associated breast cancer in conditional knockout mice

679 Germline mutations of the breast cancer associated gene 1 (BRCA1) have been identified in about 50% of familial breast cancer cases and about 90% of familial breast and ovarian cancers. BRCA1 mutation carriers have a 50 to 80% lifetime risk for developing breast cancer by age 70. Current screening and chemoprevention strategies are suboptimal and consequently some women who are BRCA1 gene carriers elect to prophylactically have their breasts and/or ovaries removed to reduce their risk. Moreover, current chemopreventative drugs often give adverse effects, primarily due to poor specificity of the compounds to mammary tumor tissues. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop safe and effective drugs for the chemoprevention and therapeutic treatment of breast cancer. In the past years, we have created a mouse model carrying a tissue specific disruption of BRCA1 in mammary epithelium. The mutant mice developed mammary tumors at 7-12 months of age. Our analysis revealed that the tumor progression is accompanied by extensive genetic instability and alteration of a number of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Using this animal model and cell lines derived from mammary tumors, we have been studying effects of genistein, green tea, resveratrol, and Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP1) inhibitors on BRCA1-associcated tumor formation in order to provide better understand and therapeutic options of BRCA1-assicated breast cancer. Our study indicated that both genistein and resveratrol inhibit growth of tumor cells in culture, in soft agar colony formation and in an allograft nude mouse model. Genistein treated BRCA1 mutant cells were highly polypoid and displayed extensive chromosome abnormalities. Western blot analysis revealed significant increase of CHK2 phosphorylation upon genistein treatment. These observations suggest that genistein induced activation of cell cycle inhibitors may cause cell cycle arrest and cell death, which account for the reduced growth of mutant cells upon the drug treatment. We found that the apoptosis induced by resveratrol in the tumors is accompanied by the activation of NF-kB pathway, and is also partially due to the activation of CHK2 in DNA damage response. Of note, we failed to detect any preventive or therapeutic effects of green tea in both allograft and BRCA1 conditional animals tested. The effectiveness of PARP-1 inhibitors also seemed more specific to BRCA1 mutant embryonic stem cells rather than BRCA1 mutant mammary tumor cells. These data, although promising, remain to be tested in human BRCA1 associated breast cancer cells. Our long-term goal is to decrease cancer risk of BRCA-mutation carriers and find a safe and effective therapeutic method to cure this disease.
MRI: PROMISING DENTAL APPLICATIONS THAT SUGGEST CLINICAL UTILITY

Background Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research at the University of Minnesota has resulted in notable advancements, including capture of signal from densely calcified tissues. Application of this technology to address dental questions plus efforts to minimize the cost and size of MRI scanners suggests the potential adoption of MRI in regular clinical dental settings. Objective This abstract reviews advances in the areas that move this technology closer to adoption in dentistry: (1) capture of quickly decaying T2 signal, (2) coil development for dental applications, and (3) redesign of the MRI scanner for cost/size reductions. We present recent data suggesting that existing MRI technology can detect (cracks and blood flow within teeth. Materials and Methods Twenty-nine human teeth extracted after clinical diagnosis of a root crack/fracture were frequency matched to 29 control teeth. Teeth were scanned with MRI and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). A 4-member panel evaluated the images according to established criteria. Saline was pumped through microtubing inserted into an extracted tooth to resemble pulpal blood flow. Flow rates were controlled within the range of calculated rates of pulpal arterioles. The setup was imaged with a sweep imaging with Fourier transformation (SWIFT)-MRI saturation technique to distinguish the moving fluid from surrounding stationary fluid. Results CBCT and MRI demonstrated similar levels of sensitivity and specificity, despite nonoptimized MRI image processing and limited observer calibration. Images with selective saturation of flowing or still liquids allowed for successful visualization of fluid-flow through the extracted tooth. Discussion Using improved pre- and postprocessing MRI approaches, teeth should be rescanned to enhance sensitivity of detecting cracks. Panelists should be educated and calibrated, and a reliability assessment study should be performed again with a larger sample size. Studies in extracted tooth flow imaging should be conducted to determine the lower limit of flow detection and whole-dentition in vivo images of vascular flow in teeth obtained.
Development and Validation of a Pediatric Heart Failure Risk-Prediction Model for Children Listed for Heart Transplantion in the Current Era

Purpose Previous studies have developed validated risk-prediction models for pediatric heart failure (HF). However, ventricular assist device (VAD) use and organ allocation practices have shifted markedly over the last decade for pediatric heart transplant (HT) candidates. We sought to develop and validate a risk-prediction model in a contemporary cohort of pediatric HF patients. Methods Children Results The selected predictive model had 5 categorical variables: mechanical support [ECMO (Odds ratio, OR 6.3), VAD support (OR 1.3), vs no support], ventilator support (OR 2.5), cardiac diagnosis [congenital heart disease (CHD) (OR 2.3), vs. cardiomyopathy], renal dysfunction [dysfunction (OR 2.3), vs. normal], and weight categories at listing [25-50 kg (OR 2.0), 10-25 kg (OR 3.2), 5-10 kg (OR 3.7), and 0-5 kg (OR 5.6), vs. ≥50 kg]. The final model developed using the derivation cohort after internal cross-validation (N=2029; C-statistic 0.83, Hosmer-Lemeshow Goodness of Fit P=0.81) performed well in the independent validation cohort (N=1194, C-statistic 0.81, HL P=0.68), suggesting excellent prediction in a contemporary cohort of pediatric HF patients as shown in the calibration plot in Figure 1. Conclusion This heart failure risk-prediction model using 5 baseline clinical factors at the time of listing has excellent prediction characteristics for 30-day mortality in a contemporary cohort of children. The model may be useful to support decision-making surrounding referral for advanced cardiac therapies including HT and VAD support.
EMR Happy Hour: New Approach to Electronic Medical Record Continuous Learning.

We developed an innovative approach to peer-to-peer sharing of best practices using the Electronic Medical Record (EMR). Why? The challenges of EMR training are twofold: (1) even the most easily adopted EMR innovations and features must be communicated effectively to existing users, and (2) time
Adolescents and Students

Understanding the neurobiological development of the brain will help clinicians conceptualize why adolescents may be drawn to substance use. This includes poor impulse control, increased risk-taking behavior due to lack of response inhibition, and co-occurring psychiatric conditions such as mood disorder and ADHD. Parental attitudes toward substance use and societal views also contribute to substance use risks. Treatment should include behavioral methods, family dynamic therapy, and various pharmacology for life-threatening overdose and acute withdrawal. Adolescents generally can consent for their own substance treatment.
Consequence prediction for dust explosions involving interconnected vessels using computational fluid dynamics modeling

Abstract Combustible dust explosions continue to present a significant threat toward operating personnel and pneumatic conveyance equipment in a wide variety of processing industries. Following ignition of suspended fuel within a primary enclosure volume, propagation of flame and pressure fronts toward upstream or downstream interconnected enclosures can result in devastating secondary explosions if not impeded through an appropriate isolation mechanism. In such occurrences, an accelerated flame front may result in flame jet ignition within the secondary vessel, greatly increasing the overall explosion severity. Unlike an isolated deflagration event with quantifiable reduced pressures (vent sizing according to NFPA 68 guidance), oscillation of pressure between primary and secondary process vessels leads to uncertain overpressure effects. Dependent on details of the application such as relative enclosure volumes, relief area, fuel type, suspended concentration, duct size, and duct length, the maximum system pressure in both interconnected vessels can be unpredictable. This study proposes the use of FLame ACceleration Simulator (FLACS) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling to provide reliable consequence predictions for specific case scenarios of dust deflagrations involving interconnected equipment. Required minimum supplement to the originally calculated relief area (Av) was determined through iterative simulation, allowing for reduced explosion pressures (Pred) to be maintained below theoretical enclosure design strengths (Pes).
Circadian clock disruption and neuroinflammation in Parkinson's disease: a new perspective

Abstract Disturbance of the circadian system is one of the most common non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and often precedes the onset of the disease by many years. For decades, sleep disorders have mainly been considered a consequence of the neuropathology. However, research suggests that circadian disruption might actually contribute to the neurodegenerative process by dysregulating the immune system function. Chronic inflammation is known to be a crucial component of PD neuropathology. In fact, excessive activation of the inflammatory response and increased levels of proinflammatory mediators in the substantia nigra render dopaminergic neurons more vulnerable to neurodegenerative insults. Thus, animal and longitudinal studies with human patients have unraveled the existence of a strong bidirectional relation between circadian clock disturbances and inflammation suggesting that treatment of sleeping disorders could be a way to delay the onset and/or development of PD. This chapter will focus on the biologic evidence linking circadian system disruption, sleep disorders, and inflammation in the pathophysiology of PD.
Transitioning to zero-emission bus fleets: state of practice of implementations in the United States

Several states and transit agencies have recently introduced zero-emission buses (ZEBs) to their fleets, including battery electric buses, fuel cell battery electric buses, and fuel cell plug-in hy...
Evaluation of Quick Test for Lime Stabilization

The basic objectives of lime-soil mixture design are: (1) Establish an appropriate lime content for construction; and (2) evaluate the properties of the mixture. For the determination of design lim...
Gene duplication and rate variation in the evolution of non-photosynthetic pathways in plastids

Abstract While the chloroplast (plastid) is known for its role in photosynthesis, it is also involved in many other biosynthetic pathways essential for plant survival. As such, plastids contain an extensive suite of enzymes required for non-photosynthetic processes. The evolution of the associated genes has been especially dynamic in flowering plants (angiosperms), including examples of gene duplication and extensive rate variation. We examined the role of ongoing gene duplication in two key plastid enzymes, the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) and the caseinolytic protease (Clp), responsible for fatty acid biosynthesis and protein turnover, respectively. In plants, there are two ACCase complexes—a homomeric version present in the cytosol and a heteromeric version present in the plastid. Duplications of the nuclear-encoded homomeric ACCase gene and retargeting to the plastid have been previously reported in multiple species. We find that these retargeted copies of the homomeric ACCase gene exhibit elevated rates of sequence evolution, consistent with neofunctionalization and/or relaxation of selection. The plastid Clp complex catalytic core is composed of nine paralogous proteins that arose via ancient gene duplication in the cyanobacterial/plastid lineage. We show that further gene duplication occurred more recently in the nuclear-encoded core subunits of this complex, yielding additional paralogs in many species of angiosperms. Moreover, in six of eight cases, subunits that have undergone recent duplication display increased rates of sequence evolution relative to those that have remained single copy. We also compared rate patterns between pairs of Clp core paralogs to gain insight into post-duplication evolutionary routes. These results show that gene duplication and rate variation continue to shape the plastid proteome.
The Underused and Overused Privileges and Immunities Clause

In this Article, the authors argue that Article IV’s Privileges and Immunities Clause has been seriously underused due to a series of puzzling and highly dubious Supreme Court decisions imposing artificial and counterproductive limitations on the Clause’s reach. They urge that with the removal of these harmful and misguided doctrinal restrictions, the Clause would serve the important function it was intended to serve: the avoidance of interstate friction and the prevention of the degeneration of the nation’s federal system. At the same time, the authors warn against the dangerous and unsupportable efforts by libertarian scholars to misuse the doctrine growing out of this Clause’s interpretation to create a constitutional portal by which the Clause can be manipulated into a textual source of unenumerated individual rights that would seriously threaten core notions of American democracy. Careful examination of both the Clause’s constitutional text and doctrine, as well as the relevant historical context, demonstrates that the libertarian approach unjustifiably transforms a structural provision designed to deal exclusively with issues of constitutional federalism into a sweeping judicial power to create individual rights found nowhere in the Constitution’s text. It is, then, only by avoiding the doctrinal underuse and the scholarly overuse that the Privileges and Immunities Clause can serve the valuable structural role it was clearly intended to serve.
Breast cancer-related lymphedema after axillary lymph node dissection: does early postoperative prediction model work?

Early detection and timely intervention demonstrate the greatest promise of reducing the incidence of late-stage lymphedema in breast cancer patients undergoing axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). A nomogram was developed for predicting the risk of lymphedema (LE) in patients with ALND. This study’s aim was to test the early postoperative prediction model for the diagnosis of clinical and subclinical LE after ALND. Patients requiring ALND were identified preoperatively through our LE program database. Measurements using metered tape with bioimpedance spectroscopy (L-Dex® U400) were obtained preoperatively (n = 180) and at 3–6-month intervals postoperatively. The 5-year probability of LE after ALND was calculated using the Cleveland Clinic Risk Calculator. The discrimination of the nomogram was assessed by calculating the area under (AUC) the receiver operating characteristic curve. LE was present in 36.1 % (n = 65) of 180 patients with ALND. Of these 65 patients, 22 (12.2 %) had clinical LE and 43 (23.9 %) had subclinical LE. Statistical analyses showed significant differences in BMI and receipt of radiotherapy between patients with and without LE (p = 0.03 and p = 0.01, respectively). AUC was 0.601, 0.614, and 0.600 for the nomogram using any LE, clinical LE, and subclinical LE patients, respectively. The recently created prediction model for the diagnosis of LE in ALND is not accurate in predicting who will develop clinical or subclinical LE. Periodic monitoring of women with ALND is the most effective method to aid in reducing clinical LE incidence through early detection and timely intervention of LE.
Not Prepared to Care” and “Raising the Bar: Case Examples of Building University-Community Partnerships in Gerontological Social Work Research

This paper examines university-community partnerships in gerontological social work research. Utilizing a case study approach, the process of collaboration is explored within the context of a two-phase research project conducted jointly by agency social workers, social work students and a social work faculty member. The benefits and challenges of the university-community research partnership are discussed along with the implications for gerontological social work research, education and practice.
Desfontaines travesti : une « Dame angloise » traduit les Avantures de Joseph Andrews de Fielding (1743)

A partir de l’analyse de certains elements du paratexte de la premiere traduction francaise d’un texte de Henry Fielding, soit Les Avantures de Joseph Andrews, et du ministre Abraham Adams de Pierre-Francois Guyot Desfontaines, cet article montre comment la censure, entendue dans tous les sens que ce terme prend a l’epoque, influe sur la traduction et, simultanement, comment Desfontaines repond, dans le paratexte de sa traduction et dans d’autres textes, au phenomene de la censure. L’ensemble du paratexte du Joseph Andrews francais semble faire appel a une serie de procedes associes, au XVIIIe siecle, aux mecanismes de la censure politique et litteraire, qu’on lui donne le sens de critique ou d’interdiction d’un ouvrage. Le personnage de « La Dame Angloise » assume par Desfontaines, critique dans ses « notes » et dans sa « Lettre » les usages decrits par Fielding et, par la meme occasion, les coutumes de sa propre nation. De tels commentaires visent normalement a defendre le texte et les choix du traducteur contre les attaques des critiques et censeurs trop epris de morale.
Insights into the physiological role of CNS regeneration inhibitors

The growth inhibitory nature of injured adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS) tissue constitutes a major barrier to robust axonal outgrowth and functional recovery following trauma or disease. Prototypic CNS regeneration inhibitors are broadly expressed in the healthy and injured brain and spinal cord and include myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), the reticulon family member NogoA, oligodendrocyte myelin glycoprotein (OMgp), and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs). These structurally diverse molecules strongly inhibit neurite outgrowth in vitro, and have been most extensively studied in the context of nervous system injury in vivo. The physiological role of CNS regeneration inhibitors in the naive, or uninjured, CNS remains less well understood, but has received growing attention in recent years and is the focus of this review. CNS regeneration inhibitors regulate myelin development and axon stability, consolidate neuronal structure shaped by experience, and limit activity-dependent modification of synaptic strength. Altered function of CNS regeneration inhibitors is associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, suggesting crucial roles in brain development and health.
Increased Local Antitumor Effects of Interleukin 2 Liposomes in Mice with MCA-106 Sarcoma Pulmonary Metastases

The effects of liposome formulations of interleukin 2 (IL-2) and local route were studied in C57BL/6 mice with MCA-106 sarcoma pulmonary metastases. IL-2 liposomes made by hydration of powdered dimyristoyl-phosphatidylcholine with aqueous recombinant IL-2 had 95% of the IL-2 associated with the lipid fraction. When mice with pulmonary micro-metastases were treated once daily with free cytokine on days 5, 6, and 7 after tumor inoculation, the intrathoracic route was superior to the i.p. or s.c. routes. When IL-2 liposomes were administered by the local intrathoracic route, significantly better antitumor effects ( P < 0.01) were seen compared to empty liposomes or free IL-2 as determined by ( a ) increased survival and ( b ) reduced numbers of pulmonary metastases. Minimal toxicity was observed. Results indicate that local route and incorporation of IL-2 in liposomes may enhance therapeutic efficacy and facilitate more practical daily dosing regimens.
Residual Stress Characterization by Use of Elastic Wave Scattering Measurements

The presence of a state of residual stress in a material can impair its structural quality by adversely affecting its elastic limit, yield point, etc.1 Most common nondestructive measurements of residual stress use x-ray techniques.2 However, these techniques determine only the surface residual stresses, while in many practical cases knowledge of the bulk residual stresses is desired. Ultrasonic methods3,4 appear most natural for measuring bulk residual stress but are used infrequently, in part because of difficulty in adequately measuring small effects and in part because of the absence of theoretical results treating the inhomogeneous nature of residual stress fields.
Food, Hunger and Technology

This essay uses genetically modified crops as a springboard for examining the role ascribed to technology by the international institutional framework for responding to food insecurity. It argues that that food insecurity is a problem rooted in political will formation, rather than in the mechanics of food production. From this starting point, the chapter examines the failure of various global initiatives to end hunger, highlighting how these initiatives emphasized new technologies for increasing food production while giving short shrift to the thorny structural problems associated with hunger.
The competition between high culture and popular culture as seen in the New York Times.

The Sunday “Arts and Leisure” section of the New York Times for selected years is examined to gauge competition between “high” culture and “popular” culture. From 1962 through 1988 high culture consistently outranked popular culture in percentage of articles, but after 1988 popular culture gained steadily, and by 1993 accounted for 49 percent of articles as compared with only 39 percent for high culture. Most of the gain was accounted for by coverage of motion pictures. For two out of four sub-categories a significant correlation was found between editorial content and advertising, so that one cannot reject the hypothesis that advertising affects editorial coverage.
ESTUDO ECONÔMICO FINANCEIRO DE UNIDADES DE PRODUÇÃO FAMILIAR NAS ATIVIDADES DO LEITE E DO FUMO NO MUNICÍPIO DE TAQUARUÇU DO SUL – RS

A Regiao do Medio Alto Uruguai, localizada no Noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, contribui significativamente na producao leiteira do estado, e segundo o censo 2009, esta significância se obtem em funcao do relevo e do clima, pois favorecem a producao de pastagem de boa qualidade. A producao leiteira vem se tornando uma das pecas fundamentais na economia de nosso estado e hoje, sem duvida, o setor leiteiro e uma das pecas principais no desenvolvimento do Rio grande do Sul. N o Noroeste do Estado, a atividade leiteira e responsavel pela manutencao de 30% das familias no meio rural. A cultura de fumo no estado do Rio Grande do Sul apresenta grande importância na economia, sendo caracterizada pelo cultivo das pequenas propriedades rurais e a sua producao esta localizada no entorno das industrias de transformacao e beneficiamento. A ideia principal da presente pesquisa foi de caracterizar nas unidades de producao familiar do municipio de Taquarucu do Sul - RS o crescimento da atividade leiteira e a decadencia da atividade do fumo. Portanto os objetivos que fundamentam tal estudo foram de caracterizar a area utilizada pelas atividades em estudo quanto ao uso da terra; realizar um levantamento da utilizacao do fator trabalho; analisar viabilidade economica do fator capital nas atividades de leite e fumo; comparar os fatores de producao, terra, capital e trabalho nas atividades de leite e fumo. Cabe ainda salientar, a grande contribuicao desta pesquisa no apontamento das tendencias para o crescimento da producao leiteira e em relacao a producao fumageira, em vista que a decadencia da mesma esta levando produtores rurais migrarem para outras culturas, de acordo com a economia estadual e municipal, procurando fonte de renda e qualidade de vida, e assim buscar uma alternativa que vise transformar a propriedade rural autossustentavel e lucrativa.
Lab-on-a-chip devices for cell biology studies

Microtechnology offers the attractive possibility of modulating the microenvironment of single cells and, for the same price, obtain data at high throughput for a small cost. Microfluidic or "Lab on a Chip" devices, in particular, promise to play a key role for several reasons: 1) the dimensions of microchannels can be comparable to or smaller than a single cell; 2) the unique physicochemical behavior of liquids confined to microenvironments enables new strategies for delivering compounds to cells on a subcellular level; 3) the devices consume small quantities of precious/hazardous reagents (thus reducing cost of operation/disposal); and 4) the can be mass-produced in low-cost, portable units. Not surprisingly, in recent years there has been an eruption of microfluidic implementations of a variety of traditional bioanalysis techniques. I will review the latest efforts of our laboratory in the development of cell-based microdevices for cell biology studies, such as neuromuscular synaptogenesis, axon guidance, and chemotaxis.
KRAS Genomic Status Predicts the Sensitivity of Ovarian Cancer Cells to Decitabine

Decitabine, a cancer therapeutic that inhibits DNA methylation, produces variable antitumor response rates in patients with solid tumors that might be leveraged clinically with identification of a predictive biomarker. In this study, we profiled the response of human ovarian, melanoma, and breast cancer cells treated with decitabine, finding that RAS/MEK/ERK pathway activation and DNMT1 expression correlated with cytotoxic activity. Further, we showed that KRAS genomic status predicted decitabine sensitivity in low-grade and high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells. Pretreatment with decitabine decreased the cytotoxic activity of MEK inhibitors in KRAS-mutant ovarian cancer cells, with reciprocal downregulation of DNMT1 and MEK/ERK phosphorylation. In parallel with these responses, decitabine also upregulated the proapoptotic BCL-2 family member BNIP3, which is known to be regulated by MEK and ERK, and heightened the activity of proapoptotic small-molecule navitoclax, a BCL-2 family inhibitor. In a xenograft model of KRAS-mutant ovarian cancer, combining decitabine and navitoclax heightened antitumor activity beyond administration of either compound alone. Our results define the RAS/MEK/DNMT1 pathway as a determinant of sensitivity to DNA methyltransferase inhibition, specifically implicating KRAS status as a biomarker of drug response in ovarian cancer.