cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Approaches to informed consent for hypothesis-testing and hypothesis-generating clinical genomics research

Massively-parallel sequencing (MPS) technologies create challenges for informed consent of research participants given the enormous scale of the data and the wide range of potential results. We propose that the consent process in these studies be based on whether they use MPS to test a hypothesis or to generate hypotheses. To demonstrate the differences in these approaches to informed consent, we describe the consent processes for two MPS studies. The purpose of our hypothesis-testing study is to elucidate the etiology of rare phenotypes using MPS. The purpose of our hypothesis-generating study is to test the feasibility of using MPS to generate clinical hypotheses, and to approach the return of results as an experimental manipulation. Issues to consider in both designs include: volume and nature of the potential results, primary versus secondary results, return of individual results, duty to warn, length of interaction, target population, and privacy and confidentiality. The categorization of MPS studies as hypothesis-testing versus hypothesis-generating can help to clarify the issue of so-called incidental or secondary results for the consent process, and aid the communication of the research goals to study participants.
Sex Differences in the Choice of a Male or Female Career Line An Analysis of Background Characteristics and Work Values

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972, this article identifies similarities and differences in social background characteristics, academic ability, and wo...
Experimental Characterization of In Vivo Wireless Communication Channels

In vivo wireless medical devices have a critical role in healthcare technologies due to their continuous health monitoring and noninvasive surgery capabilities. In order to fully exploit the potential of such devices, it is necessary to characterize the in vivo wireless communication channel which will help to build reliable and high-performance communication systems. This paper presents preliminary results of experimental characterization for this fascinating communications medium on a human cadaver and compares the results with numerical studies.
Sulfur K-edge XAS and DFT studies on NiII complexes with oxidized thiolate ligands : Implications for the roles of oxidized thiolates in the active sites of fe and co nitrile hydratase

S K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy data on a series of NiII complexes with thiolate (RS-) and oxidized thiolate (RSO2-) ligands are used to quantify Ni−S bond covalency and its change upon ligand oxidation. Analyses of these results using geometry-optimized density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the Ni−S σ bonds do not weaken on ligand oxidation. Molecular orbital analysis indicates that these oxidized thiolate ligands use filled high-lying S−O π* orbitals for strong σ donation. However, the RSO2- ligands are poor π donors, as the orbital required for π interaction is used in the S−O σ-bond formation. The oxidation of the thiolate reduces the repulsion between electrons in the filled Ni t2 orbital and the thiolate out-of-plane π-donor orbital leading to shorter Ni−S bond length relative to that of the thiolate donor. The insights obtained from these results are relevant to the active sites of Fe- and Co-type nitrile hydratases (Nhase) that also have oxidized thiolate ligands. DFT ca...
Sequential Methods for Comparing Years of Life Saved in the Two‐Sample Censored Data Problem

Summary. This research develops nonparametric strategies for sequentially monitoring clinical trial data where detecting years of life saved is of interest. The recommended test statistic looks at integrated differences in survival estimates during the time frame of interest. In many practical situations, the test statistic presented has an independent increments covariance structure. Hence, with little additional work, we may apply these testing procedures using available methodology. In the case where an independent increments covariance structure is present, we suggest how clinical trial data might be monitored using these statistics in an information-based design. The resulting study design maintains the desired stochastic operating characteristics regardless of the shapes of the survival curves being compared. This offers an advantage over the popular log-rank-based design strategy since more restrictive assumptions relating to the behavior of the hazards are required to guarantee the planned power of the test. Recommendations for how to sequentially monitor clinical trial progress in the non-independent increments case are also provided along with an example.
Kinetics of the renaturation of yeast tRNA3Leu

Yeast tRNA3Leu is one of several tRNA molecules which can adopt a stable, biologically inactive, denatured conformation. The circular dichroism of the native and denatured conformers differs, providing the basis for the present study of the mechanism for the renaturation process. Conversion of the denatured structure to the native takes place in two steps: a rapid change occurring immediately on addition of Mg++, followed by a slower, strongly temperature-dependent step which returns the molecule to its biologically active state. Optimal kinetic data for the second step could be obtained at 285 nm. Analysis of the time dependence of Δe285 by the Guggenheim method demonstrated that this step follows first-order kinetics. The temperature dependence of the rate constants over the range 32–41°C yielded the following parameters for the rate-limiting step: Ea = 69 kcal/mole, ΔH‡ = 69 kcal/mole, and ΔS‡ = 146 cal/mole deg. Values of this magnitude are typical of order—order transitions in nucleic acids.
Work and family research in IO/OB: Content analysis and review of the literature (1980–2002)

Abstract This monograph reviews 190 work–family studies published in IO/OB journals from 1980 to 2002. The results of a content analysis are presented which catalog these articles with respect to the study focus, nature and direction of the proposed effects, and predictor, criterion, and mediator variables examined. Then a narrative review of the articles is presented, organized in terms of the following topical areas: (1) work–family conflict, (2) work role stress, (3) work–family assistance, (4) work schedules, (5) job-related relocation, (6) career and job-related outcomes, (7) gender and the relationship between work and family domains, (8) dual-earner couples, and (9) relationships among life domains. The review concludes with a discussion of recurring themes in the literature and the identification of blind spots in the IO/OB perspective on work and family. Specific suggestions for future research are also provided.
Prospects for planet formation in multiple stellar systems

As I review here, planet formation in multiple stellar systems is far from exceptional. However, it appears that binaries with projected separation in the 5–100AU range have different initial conditions and end result properties than wider systems, probably because they undergo different physical processes. In addition, very tight binaries, with projected separation less than a few AU, seem to fulfill all the known requirements to form planetary systems, suggesting that circumbinary planets are very likely to exist.
Bilateral sertoli cell tumor of testes with feminizing and masculinizing activity occurring in a child

A case of an unusual, histologically atypical, bilateral Sertoli cell tumor of testis, in association with masculinization and feminization effects, that occurring in a 5-year-old boy, is presented. Although Sertoli cell tumors are not infrequent, this case is morphologically and endocrinologically unique.
Onset of puberty in CD-1 mouse pups exposed prenatally through weaning to endophyte-infected tall fescue seed

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of feeding endophyte - infected (Acremonium coenophialum) tall fescue seed to CD-1 mouse dams (P(1)) during gestation and lactation, and on the subsequent growth and sexual maturity (onset of puberty) of their male and female offspring (F(1)). Forty-eight 21 d old pups (24 male and 24 female F(1) mice) were weaned from dams fed one of two diets containing 50% rodent chow (w/w) and 50% KY-31 tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) seed. The seed in Diet 1 was noninfected, while the seed in Diet 2 was 80% endophyte-infected. At weaning (21 d), the F(1) pups were fed rodent chow, ad libitum throughout the remaining experimental period. At 24 d, they were paired with sexually mature non-treated virgin CD-1 mice (fed 100% rodent chow) for one parturition cycle. Male F(1) mice were sacrificed at 84 d to determine testicular development. The age at the birth of the first litter for Diet 2 F(1) male (76.8 +/- 2.2 d) and female (58.4 +/- 2.1 d) was significantly greater (P 0.05) in either mean parturition weight or number of F(2) pups born per litter. However, total F(2) litter wight (11.38 +/- 1.14 g) and mean weight per F(2) pup (1.40 +/- 0.04 g) for Diet 2 female F(1) mice litters were lower (P 0.05) from the Diet 1 males.
A study of the occurrence of anabaseine in Paranemertes and other nemertines

A colorimetric technique for measuring μg amounts of anabaseine in tissue extracts was developed in order to investigate the distribution of this nemertine toxin. The chromophore of the assay was isolated and characterized as 3-(p-dimethylaminobenzylidene)-anabaseine. In Paranemertes the anterior proboscis contains 27 per cent, the median and posterior proboscis parts about 1 per cent, and the body proper 69 per cent of the total anabaseine. The body integument contains at least fifteen times the amount of anabaseine present in the visceral tissues. The high concentrations of anabaseine found in proboscis and body surface secretions indicate that anabaseine is stored in the continuous integument covering the nemertine. The anterior proboscis contains about seventy times the anabaseine necessary to paralyze an annelid its own size. Anabaseine is the only paralyzing constituent of the proboscis venom, and it also protects against potential predators. It was found in three of the five hoplonemertine genera studied, but was absent in the other three nemertine orders. Two other paralytic substances were observed in certain nemertine species.
In vitro and in vivo studies on stilbene analogs as potential treatment agents for colon cancer

Based on the potential of resveratrol as a colon cancer chemopreventive agent, a set of 26 stilbenes were synthesized and tested against the colon cancer cell lines HT-29 and Caco-2. (Z)-4-(3,5-Dimethoxystyryl)aniline (4), (Z)-methyl-4-(3,5-dimethoxystyryl)benzoate (6), and (Z)-1,3-dimethoxy-5-(4-methoxystyryl)benzene (10) showed strong inhibitory activity in vitro. In vivo studies using HT-29 xenografts in immunodeficient mice were conducted with 4, 6 and 10, together with their corresponding trans isomers (3, 5, and 9, respectively), at the dose of 10 mg/kg body weight. Tumor volume was significantly lowered in 3-, 4-, and 9-treated groups. The cis- and trans-amino analogs (4 and 3, respectively) had similar effect on tumor growth, a 40% decrease compared to the control. Analysis of the serum revealed that 4 isomerized to 3, which may explain their similar effects in SCID mice. Stilbenes 5, 6, 9, and 10 retained their configurations in the serum. Stilbenes 6 and 10 lacked tumor-suppressive effect in SCID mice; the serum levels of these analogs were low (18.8 and 15.5 ng/mL, respectively). Stilbene 9, while weakly active in vitro demonstrated good activity in vivo, was found at higher levels in the serum (69.9 ng/mL) compared to 10. The anti-tumorigenic activity of these stilbene analogs may be partly linked to their effects on proteins involved in cell proliferation, as observed by lowered expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and upregulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p27, in the tumor tissues. Overall, identification of the anti-tumorigenic potential of these compounds provides opportunities for their use against colorectal cancer.
Hot rolling of bulk metallic glass in its supercooled liquid region

Large homogeneous strains as high as 1400% which are induced by strain rates of up to 70 s −1 are achieved by hot rolling Zr 44 Ti 11 Cu 10 Ni 10 Be 25 in its supercooled liquid state. This technology permits us to create thin amorphous sheets with excellent surface finish and allows us to precisely replicate small features down to 300 nm in size.
Disease-specific nutrition therapy: one size does not fit all.

Introduction The delivery of adequate nutrition is an integral part of the care of the critically ill surgical patient, and the provision of nutrition may have a greater impact on outcome than many other therapies commonly employed in the treatment of certain disease states.
Adaptive feature selection for hyperspectral data analysis

Hyperspectral data can potentially provide greatly improved capability for discrimination between many land cover types, but new methods are required to process these data and extract the required information. Data sets are extremely large, and the data are not well distributed across these high dimensional spaces. The increased number and resolution of spectral bands, many of which are highly correlated, is problematic for supervised statistical classification techniques when the number of training samples is small relative to the dimension of the input vector. Selection of the most relevant subset of features is one means of mitigating these effects. A new algorithm based on the tabu search metaheuristic optimization technique was developed to perform subset feature selection and implemented within a binary hierarchical tree framework. Results obtained using the new approach were compared to those from a greedy common greedy selection technique and to a Fisher discriminant based feature extraction method, both of which were implemented in the same binary hierarchical tree classification scheme. The tabu search based method generally yielded higher classification accuracies with lower variability than these other methods in experiments using hyperspectral data acquired by the EO-1 Hyperion sensor over the Okavango Delta of Botswana.
Susceptibility of dielectric-loaded, vacuum-breakdown discharges in DC

This work presents a novel, simplified theory of breakdown susceptibility in dielectric-loaded systems operating in DC, with multipactor targeted as the effect of lowest-order. Limits for susceptibility are drawn with the well-known characteristics of secondary-emission [1], and 2-D particle-in-cell modeling is used to monitor the evolution of discharges via time-traces of surface-field characteristics plotted against E ⊥ /E || susceptibility planes. Susceptibility in DC is shown to predict and model the general behavior of DC discharges, which may then be used to devise methods for restoring or forcing operating modes to desirable, non-multiplicative regimes.
Advanced flip-chip package solution for 28nm Si node and beyond

Next generation flip chip package with <100um fine bump pitch is developed in a cost effective Bump-on-Trace (BOT) package structure for 28nm Si technology node. This is foreseen to be a mainstream for mobile applications in next generations. The key challenges of this new technology include warpage control of molded underfill (MUF) for < 4 mils of thin die, packaging yield due to finer pitch of bumping/substrate design and thermal/mechanical effect on chip-package-interaction (CPI) [1–2]. CPI due to the use of fragile extreme low-k (ELK) dielectric material in the back-end-of-line (BEOL) layers has been fully characterized. The well-integrated Si/bump/package processes enable reliable CPI and assembly yield. An aggressive and reliable Si/bump/package design and CPI approaches are also discussed.
Extension of Laramide magmatism in southwestern North America into Trans-Pecos Texas

The Red Hills intrusion hosts the easternmost porphyry copper-molybdenum system in southwestern North America and consists of quartz-sulfide stockwork veins in sericitized porphyritic quartz monzonite. Zircon U-Pb and molybdenite Re-Os analyses yield ages of 64.2 ′ 0.2 Ma and 60.2 ′ 0.3 Ma, respectively, indicating that the Red Hills intrusion and mineralization are distinctly older than all other Tertiary magmatism (48-17 Ma) in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas, including the nearby 32 Ma Chinati Mountains caldera. The Red Hills intrusive system is contemporaneous with and genetically related to other Laramide magmatic systems (75-54 Ma) that host porphyry copper deposits in Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northern Mexico. These results significantly extend the Laramide magmatic province eastward and suggest that Laramide subduction-related magmatism and deformation are coextensive over a broad area of southwestern North America.
A fast and accurate FPGA based QRS detection system

An accurate Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) based ECG Analysis system is described in this paper. The design, based on a popular software based QRS detection algorithm, calculates the threshold value for the next peak detection cycle, from the median of eight previously detected peaks. The hardware design has accuracy in excess of 96% in detecting the beats correctly when tested with a subset of five 30 minute data records obtained from the MIT-BIH Arrhythmia database. The design, implemented using a proprietary design tool (System Generator®), is an extension of our previous work and uses 76% resources available in a small-sized FPGA device (Xilinx Spartan® xc3s500), has a higher detection accuracy as compared to our previous design and takes almost half the analysis time in comparison to software based approach.
High false-positive rate of human immunodeficiency virus rapid serum screening in a predominantly hispanic prenatal population.

High False-positive Rate of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Rapid Serum Screening in a Predominantly Hispanic Prenatal Population
Modeling and experimental studies of thermal degradation of glass fiber reinforced polymer composites

This study developed a numerical model that simulated the degradation rate and temperature profiles of a glass fiber reinforced polyester resin composite exposed to a constant heat flux in a cone calorimeter. By considering the thermal properties of the composite structure consisting of alternating layers of pure polymer and polymer-infused glass fiber mat, the numerical model seeks to reproduce the experimental data from the cone calorimeter test. The final results are achieved through adding a simulated heat flux from the pilot ignition of the degraded gas of the polyester resin. The good agreement between the predicted and experimental results suggests that such models are cost-saving tools over the process of designing and manufacturing of composites for meeting fire safety requirements, without having to fabricate many samples for testing and final selection. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Northeast water polynya: Polar sea cruise results

Motivated in part by model predictions that Arctic regions will be subject to disproportionate warming as the Earth's radiative balance shifts, the National Science Foundation recently established a new Global Change Research Program known as Arctic System Science (ARCSS). While ARCSS recognizes the Arctic system as a central element of global climate, it also acknowledges that there is insufficient data on physical, chemical, and biological processes in the Arctic to understand its role in climate change. In the same time frame, the Arctic Ocean Science Board created the International Arctic Polynya Program to focus on critical roles that polynyas may play in the dynamics of the Arctic environment. Although they comprise only a small part of the Arctic region, these open bodies of water in sea ice can account for a significant fraction of the midwinter energy exchange between atmosphere and ocean. Polynyas are also believed to be sites of dense-water formation and elevated biological activity. The concept of physical, chemical, and biological processes occurring at enhanced rates in an Arctic region small enough to be studied directly has focused attention on polynyas as potentially excellent models of the consequences of global change at high latitudes.
AT4 receptors: Specificity and distribution

The AT4 receptor specifically binds Angiotensin (Ang) IV and is distinct from the AT1 and AT2 receptors which bind Ang II and Ang III. The AT4 receptor in bovine adrenal cortex has a Kd of 0.74 +/- 0.14 nM and a Bmax of 3.82 +/- 1.12 pmol/mg prot. Competition curves demonstrated the following rank order of affinity: Ang IV >> Ang III >> d-Arg - Ang II >> Sar1,Ile8 - Ang II = Ang II = Ang II (1-7) >> DuP753 = CGP42112A = PD 123177. AT4 receptors were present in many tissues from several mammalian species including human and monkey. AT4 and AT1/AT2 receptors revealed a differential distribution in the rat kidney.
Contrast enhancement of multi-displays using human contrast sensitivity

Study of contrast sensitivity of the human eye shows that we are more sensitive to brightness differences at low intensity levels than at high intensity levels. We apply this fact effectively to achieve brightness seamless-ness in multi-projector displays. Multi-displays, popularly made of a rectangular array of partially overlapping projectors, show severe spatial variation in brightness. Existing methods achieve brightness uniformity across the display by matching the brightness response of every pixel to the pixel with the most limited contrast leading to severe compression in the contrast of the display. In this paper, we propose a method that allows a constrained variation in brightness guided by the human contrast sensitivity function such that it is imperceptible to the human eye. This achieves a seamless multi-display with a dramatic improvement in the contrast making the display practically usable.
Lung localizing antibodies in anti-lung and anti-kidney serum.

SummaryLocalization of antibodies in lungs was examined by fluorescent antibody technic after injection of rabbit anti-rat lung and anti-rat kidney serum into rats. Although both sera gave positive staining in lungs, anti-lung serum contained significantly higher amount of lung localizing antibodies than anti-kidney serum. The localizing components in both sera seemed to be fixed in the same region of alveolar walls.
Radiation by patch antennas on a circular cylinder using the FE-BI method

Conformal antennas are typically mounted on surfaces which possess some curvature. However, no rigorous design analysis techniques are available for printed antennas on curved surfaces. Hence, most often planar designs are used and thus the curvature is not considered until expensive prototypes are built. Often, it is desirable to enclose each radiating element within a metallic cavity in order to suppress spurious substrate coupling. In the present paper the authors give a rigorous finite element-boundary integral (FE-BI) formulation for the analysis of wrap-around and cylindrical-rectangular cavity-backed patch arrays on a cylindrical surface. The paper presents the first rigorous solution for cavity-backed antennas embedded in a circular cylinder. The analysis technique is validated for single cylindrical-rectangular patches and for an array of four such elements. Results are also presented which give an understanding of the radiation properties for both circumferentially and axially polarized elements. >
A comparison of six monoclonal antibodies for detection of cytokeratins in normal and neoplastic canine tissues.

Twenty normal canine tissue specimens, both fetal and adult; 19 epithelial neoplasms; and 18 nonepithelial neoplasms were examined using 6 commercially available monoclonal antibodies differing in their recognition of various molecular weight cytokeratins in human tissues. Fresh tissue samples were fixed in 100% ethanol and paraffin embedded prior to sectioning. The intermediate filament proteins were identified by an avidin-biotin-immunoperoxidase method. Primary antisera used included AE1/AE3, CAM-5.2, 35BH11, 34BE12, PKKl, MAK-6 cytokeratins, and vimentin. Monoclonal antibodies detected cytokeratins in a wide variety of canine epithelial tissues and neoplasms. Normal mesenchymal tissues and neoplasms, and stromal elements of epithelial tissues, showed no reactivity with anti-cytokeratins, but reacted positively with vimentin. Although PKKl, CAM-5.2, and MAK-6 were the most consistently reactive anti-cytokeratins, the full panel of monoclonals was required to detect cytokeratins in all of the epithelia evaluated. Immunohistochemical methods using antibodies di- rected to the intermediate filament proteins of the cy- toskeleton are useful in the diagnostic laboratory for discriminating between the broad categories of sar- coma and carcinoma. A variety of antibodies for sub- dividing the various cytokeratin proteins are now available. 7,1l There are more than 19 subclasses of cy- tokeratins identified on the basis of molecular weights, charge specificities, and immunoreactivities with monoclonal antibodies possessing restricted specifici- ties l0,1l Characterization of the particular subclass of cytokeratin intermediate filaments has the clinical util- ity of being able to distinguish poorly differentiated epithelial malignancies from nonepithelial malignan- cies, particularly the lymphomas and melanomas, but also from other undifferentiated sarcomas. Further characterization of the intermediate filaments of the cytoskeleton offers information regarding the degree of differentiation of the neoplasm, thus assisting in tumor grading, which may have value regarding treatment and prognosis? There have been several studies noting the clinical use of cytokeratin antibodies for detection of intermediate filament proteins in canine tis- sues l,4,l0,l2 In the present study, we have utilized al- cohol-fixed tissues and an expanded repertoire of com- mercially available cytokeratin monoclonal antibodies to immunohistochemically characterize normal epi- thelial structures and epithelial-derived neoplasms of
Identification of Carboxylesterase-Dependent Dabigatran Etexilate Hydrolysis

Dabigatran etexilate (DABE) is an oral prodrug that is rapidly converted to the active thrombin inhibitor, dabigatran (DAB), by serine esterases. The aims of the present study were to investigate the in vitro kinetics and pathway of DABE hydrolysis by human carboxylesterase enzymes, and the effect of alcohol on these transformations. The kinetics of DABE hydrolysis in two human recombinant carboxylesterase enzymes (CES1 and CES2) and in human intestinal microsomes and human liver S9 fractions were determined. The effects of alcohol (a known CES1 inhibitor) on the formation of DABE metabolites in carboxylesterase enzymes and human liver S9 fractions were also examined. The inhibitory effect of bis(4-nitrophenyl) phosphate on the carboxylesterase-mediated metabolism of DABE and the effect of alcohol on the hydrolysis of a classic carboxylesterase substrate (cocaine) were studied to validate the in vitro model. The ethyl ester of DABE was hydrolyzed exclusively by CES1 to M1 (Km 24.9 ± 2.9 μM, Vmax 676 ± 26 pmol/min per milligram protein) and the carbamate ester of DABE was exclusively hydrolyzed by CES2 to M2 (Km 5.5 ± 0.8 μM; Vmax 71.1 ± 2.4 pmol/min per milligram protein). Sequential hydrolysis of DABE in human intestinal microsomes followed by hydrolysis in human liver S9 fractions resulted in complete conversion to DAB. These results suggest that after oral administration of DABE to humans, DABE is hydrolyzed by intestinal CES2 to the intermediate M2 metabolite followed by hydrolysis of M2 to DAB in the liver by CES1. Carboxylesterase-mediated hydrolysis of DABE was not inhibited by alcohol.
Increased In Vivo Insulin Resistance in Nondiabetic Pima Indians Compared with Caucasians

Pima Indian adults have the highest reported prevalence of non-insulin-dependent (type II) diabetes mellitus and an extraordinary prevalence of obesity. Before development of fasting hyperglycemia, insulin concentrations in the Pimas are elevated both during fasting and after a glucose challenge, suggesting resistance to insulin action. To determine if Pima hyperinsulinemia is associated with resistance to insulin- mediated glucose disposal and if there are racial differences in insulin resistance not attributable to obesity, insulin resistance and the plasma insulin response to oral glucose were measured in Pima Indians and Caucasians with normal glucose tolerance and varying degrees of obesity. Fasting insulin concentrations, adjusted for obesity, age, and sex, were similar in both groups, and similar relationships were found in the Pima and Caucasian subjects between obesity, fasting insulin levels, and the insulin response to oral glucose. Resistance to exogenous insulin was measured by the steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG) technique, where a mixture of insulin, glucose, and somatostatin is infused, and the plasma glucose concentration attained is taken as a measure of insulin resistance. SSPG concentrations in both Pimas and Caucasians correlated significantly with obesity and with the fasting insulin concentrations. SSPG levels were significantly higher in the Pimas ( P < 0.01) and remained so even after adjustment for obesity, age, and sex (35 ± 1 2 mg/dl higher in Pimas than in Caucasians, P < 0.01), indicating that hyperinsulinemia in the Pimas reflects a resistance to insulin action and that a greater degree of insulin resistance occurs in nondiabetic Pimas than in similarly obese Caucasians. This resistance to insulin-mediated glucose metabolism may contribute to the high incidence of diabetes in the Pima Indian population.
Charter School Funding Issues.

Although a great deal has been written about charter schools, rather little attention has been given to their funding. The first part of this article raises four current issues in the funding of regular public schools across the U.S. and shows how these issues carry over to the funding of charter schools. The second part explores four additional issues that have arisen in the funding of charter schools that go to the core identity of charter schools and the nature of the students they enroll. In both parts, extra attention is paid to developments in California, one of the most active charter school states.
A New Fuzzy Increment Inverse Control for Unknown Nonlinear Discrete Dynamical System

A new fuzzy increment inverse control based on input/output fuzzy hyperbolic model is proposed for general unknown nonlinear discrete-time dynamical system in this paper. The increment inverse controller is derived from the input/output fuzzy hyperbolic model, and it is based on property of hyperbolic tangent function and reduces the complexity of system. The stability of control system is derived. The simulations demonstrate the performance of proposed fuzzy increment inverse control.
Antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae in children with acute otitis media treatment failure.

Abstract Objectives The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a major cause of treatment failure in children with acute otitis media (AOM). This study aimed to analyze the types of bacterial strains in fluid isolated from the middle ear of children with AOM who did not respond to oral antibiotic treatment. We also determined the antibiotic resistance of the most frequently isolated bacterial strain (Streptococcus pneumoniae) found in these children. Methods This was a prospective study of 157 children with AOM aged from 6 months to 7 years admitted due to unsuccessful oral antibiotic treatment. All children underwent a myringotomy, and samples of the middle ear fluid were collected for bacteriological examination. Results Positive bacterial cultures were obtained in 104 patients (66.2%), with Streptococcus pneumoniae (39.69%), Haemophilus influenzae (16.03%) Staphylococcus aureus (16.03%), Staphylococcus haemolyticus (6.9%) and Streptococcus pyogenes (5.34%) found most frequently. The majority (65.4%) of S. pneumoniae strains were penicillin-intermediate-resistant or penicillin-resistant, and 67.2% strains of S. pneumoniae were multidrug-resistant. Conclusions We identified S. pneumoniae as the most frequently isolated pathogen from the middle ear in children with AOM treatment failure and determined that the majority of strains were antibiotic-resistant. We propose that the microbiological identification of bacterial strains and their degree of antibiotic resistance should be performed prior to therapy in order to choose the most appropriate antibiotic therapy for children with AOM treatment failure.
Diabetic nephropathy: Nonsteroidal MRA added to RAS blockade reduces albuminuria

A new study reports that addition of the nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist finerenone to renin–angiotensin system (RAS) blockade resulted in a reduction in albuminuria in patients with diabetic nephropathy. Such a strategy might provide an opportunity to maximize the beneficial effects of RAS blockade without increasing the risk of hyperkalaemia.
Fast pyrolysis of 13C-labeled cellobioses: gaining insights into the mechanisms of fast pyrolysis of carbohydrates.

A fast-pyrolysis probe/tandem mass spectrometer combination was utilized to determine the initial fast-pyrolysis products for four different selectively 13C-labeled cellobiose molecules. Several products are shown to result entirely from fragmentation of the reducing end of cellobiose, leaving the nonreducing end intact in these products. These findings are in disagreement with mechanisms proposed previously. Quantum chemical calculations were used to identify feasible low-energy pathways for several products. These results provide insights into the mechanisms of fast pyrolysis of cellulose.
Making science education relevant.

For as long as I can remember, I have been worried about our failure as a nation to grasp and apply basic scientific principles. I believe that the vast majority of attempts to teach science and engineering to the average student are doomed to failure for one simple reason: Unlike our educators, our students are not convinced that science and engineering are important. I think we need to shift our focus from “important science” to “science that's important to the public.” To do so, we must rethink what material should be covered and how to best present it in our writing, publications, and courses. I tried out this approach at the University of Virginia. I offered a course called Responsible Citizenship in a Technological Democracy for undergraduates with no science, math, or engineering background. I presented a series of public policy issues (especially ones for which the conventional wisdom is wrong) and introduced the science and engineering concepts needed to understand each one. Then the students used these concepts to analyze the issues. Topics included electric cars, the hydrogen economy, and paper cups, and scientific subjects such as statistics, risk, and precision versus accuracy ([ 1 ][1]). I found that students cared about getting public policy right. When confronted with evidence that conventional wisdom is wrong, they were motivated to understand the science and engineering concepts. Suddenly, they too considered science important. 1. [↵][2]IEEE Central Virginia Section, Responsible Citizenship in a Technological Democracy ([www.cvaieee.org/html/resp\_citizen/responsible\_citizenship.html][3]). [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text" [3]: http://www.cvaieee.org/html/resp_citizen/responsible_citizenship.html
THE TECHNICAL OF THE AMMONIA PROCESS COMBINED REMOVING SO_X AND NOX FROM FLUE GAS

The main pollutants from coal-fired boiler are SOx and NOx.Equipment for desulfurization and denitrification step by step are expensive and have a lower efficiency.But Ammonia process Combined removing SOx and NOx from flue gas,possesses many marked technical advantages: high desulfurization efficient,getting tow results removing SOx and NOx,no waste water and no waste residues,the desulfurizer used fewer and the utilization ratio higher,having fuel economized.So it has a wide exploiting prospect.
Assigning Swimmers To Events In A Dual Swimming Meet

AbstractIn a swimming meet involving two or more teams, each team is allowed to use each swimmer only three times. Also, the number of swimmers from each team who can compete in each event is limited. This paper addresses the problem of determining which swimmers to assign to each non-diving event in a dual meet so as to maximize the number of points scored. The problem is formulated as a zero-one mathematical programming problem.
Staphylococcus-induced urolithiasis in estrogen-treated ovariectomized nude mice

Nine of 24 ovariectomized nude mice developed ulcerative skin lesions 28 d after implantation with human breast cancer cells and slow-release estrogen pellets. Aerobic culture of samples from the skin lesions yielded Staphylococcus intermedius. By day 45 postimplantation, all mice displayed ulcerative skin lesions, and 5 mice exhibited hunched posture, listless behavior, cyanosis, anorexia, and dehydration. This subset was euthanized but not necropsied. When additional animals became moribund, the investigator elected to end the study at day 51. At necropsy, all 20 but 1 had cystitis and urolithiasis, characterized by relatively large struvite stones and crystals that had filled the urinary bladders of the research animals and caused severe thickening of the bladder walls. Gram-positive cocci were observed microscopically in both the kidneys and bladders of the necropsied animals. Spontaneous urolithiasis has not previously been documented to occur in association with infection of female nude mice by S. intermedius.
Examining Hysteresis in Composite xLi2MnO3·(1−x)LiMO2 Cathode Structures

This paper reports the results of an initial investigation into the phenomenon of hysteresis in the charge–discharge profile of high-capacity, lithium- and manganese-rich “layered–layered” xLi2MnO3·(1–x)LiMO2 composite cathode structures (M = Mn, Ni, Co) and “layered–layered-spinel” derivatives that are of interest for Li-ion battery applications. In this study, electrochemical measurements, combined with in situ and ex situ X-ray characterization, are used to examine and compare electrochemical and structural processes that occur during charge (lithium extraction) and discharge (lithium insertion) of preconditioned cathodes. Electrochemical measurements of the open-circuit voltage versus lithium content demonstrate a ∼1 V hysteresis in site energy for approximately 12% of the total lithium content during the early cycles, which is markedly different from the hysteresis commonly observed in other intercalation materials. X-ray absorption data indicate structural differences in the cathode at the same stat...
Qualification of 128 Gb MLC NAND Flash for SMAP space mission

Screening and qualification of a 128 Gb multi-level-cell (MLC) NAND Flash device for the Soil Moisture Passive Active (SMAP) mission (http://smap.jpl.nasa.gov/) is presented here. The MLC technology used in this high density device requires testing above and beyond the typical space test flow.
Assessing the internal consistency of the event-related potential: An example analysis.

ERPs are widely and increasingly used to address questions in psychophysiological research. As discussed in this special issue, a renewed focus on questions of reliability and stability marks the need for intuitive, quantitative descriptors that allow researchers to communicate the robustness of ERP measures used in a given study. This report argues that well-established indices of internal consistency and effect size meet this need and can be easily extracted from most ERP datasets, as demonstrated with example analyses using a representative dataset from a feature-based visual selective attention task. We demonstrate how to measure the internal consistency of three aspects commonly considered in ERP studies: voltage measurements for specific time ranges at selected sensors, voltage dynamics across all time points of the ERP waveform, and the distribution of voltages across the scalp. We illustrate methods for quantifying the robustness of experimental condition differences, by calculating effect size for different indices derived from the ERP. The number of trials contributing to the ERP waveform was manipulated to examine the relationship between signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), internal consistency, and effect size. In the present example dataset, satisfactory consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.7) of individual voltage measurements was reached at lower trial counts than were required to reach satisfactory effect sizes for differences between experimental conditions. Comparing different metrics of robustness, we conclude that the internal consistency and effect size of ERP findings greatly depend on the quantification strategy, the comparisons and analyses performed, and the SNR.
Peripheral inflammatory injury alters the relative abundance of Gα subunits in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and in the rostral ventromedial medulla of male rats.

Abstract A diverse array of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is implicated in the modulation of nociception. The efficacy and potency of several GPCR agonists change as a consequence of peripheral inflammatory injury. Whether these changes reflect alterations in expression of the G proteins themselves is not known. This study examined the expression of transcripts and proteins for the α subunits of three classes of heteromeric G proteins in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) of male rats four days and two weeks after intraplantar injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) or saline. Levels of Gα transcript in the dorsal horn or RVM were unchanged by CFA treatment. However, in the dorsal horn, Gαi protein decreased in cytosolic and membrane fractions four days after CFA treatment. Levels of Gαz protein decreased in the membrane fraction. Levels of the other Gα subunits did not differ. Levels of the Gα subunits were unchanged two weeks after CFA treatment. In the RVM, Gαz protein levels decreased in the cytosolic fraction four days after CFA treatment. No other differences were observed. Two weeks after CFA, the levels for all Gα subunits trended higher in the RVM. These data indicate that peripheral inflammatory injury induces subtle changes in the abundance of Gα subunits that is specific with respect to class, subcellular compartment, tissue, and time after injury. These changes have the potential to alter the balance of the different subcellular signaling pathways through which GPCR agonists act to modulate nociception.
Geology of the Ahuachapan Area, Western El Salvador, Central America

The Ahuachapan area lies in Western El Salvador between the town of Ahuachapan and the Guatemalan border. It is within an E-W trending graben which transgresses the entire republic and which is believed to have formed from the collapse of a geanticline at the end of the Pliocene. Quaternary volcanism along the margins and within the graben largely filled it with volcanic debris, consisting of flat-lying tuffs, agglomerates and lavas. The sequence in the area, beginning with the oldest, is: ancient agglomerate, laminar andesite, massive andesite, blue ignimbrite, gray agglomerate, lower brown tuff, pink ignimbrite, gray ignimbrite, pumice and upper brown tuff. The thickness of these rocks attains a maximum of 425 meters. The strata are disrupted by a number of northeast-trending normal faults. Volcanic activity is still in progress at various centers in the region.
Who Has Standing to Sue the President Under the Emoluments Clauses

Three pending lawsuits challenge President Trump's practice of accepting payments and other benefits from foreign governments through his businesses as violative of the Foreign Emoluments Clause. They also allege that the President's practice of accepting payments and benefits from state or federal governmental units violates the Domestic Emoluments Clause. These actions raise interesting questions about the meaning of two little-discussed provisions of the Constitution. But before reaching the merits the courts will first have to grapple with issues of justiciability - in particular, with the question whether plaintiffs have "standing" to bring their claims in federal court. This article explains why, under the Supreme Court's Article III standing case law, the plaintiffs in the three pending actions do have standing to sue, and to demand most, if not all, of the relief that they seek.
Long-term trends in fall age ratios of black brant

Accurate estimates of the age composition of populations can inform past reproductive success and future population trajectories. We examined fall age ratios (juveniles:total birds) of black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans; brant) staging at Izembek National Wildlife Refuge near the tip of the Alaska Peninsula, southwest Alaska, USA, 1963 to 2015. We also investigated variation in fall age ratios associated with sampling location, an index of flock size, survey effort, day of season, observer, survey platform (boat- or land-based) and tide stage. We analyzed data using logistic regression models implemented in a Bayesian framework. Mean predicted fall age ratio controlling for survey effort, day of year, and temporal and spatial variation was 0.24 (95% CL = 0.23, 0.25). Overall trend in age ratios was −0.6% per year (95% CL = −1.3%, 0.2%), resulting in an approximate 26% decline in the proportion of juveniles over the study period. We found evidence for variation across a range of variables implying that juveniles are not randomly distributed in space and time within Izembek Lagoon. Age ratios varied by location within the study area and were highly variable among years. They decreased with the number of birds aged (an index of flock size) and increased throughout September before leveling off in early October and declining in late October. Age ratios were similar among tide stages and observers and were lower during boat-based (offshore) than land-based (nearshore) surveys. Our results indicate surveys should be conducted annually during early to mid-October to ensure the entire population is present and available for sampling, and throughout Izembek Lagoon to account for spatiotemporal variation in age ratios. Sampling should include a wide range of flock sizes representative of their distribution and occur in flocks located near and off shore. Further research evaluating the cause of declining age ratios in the fall population is necessary to inform management and predict long-term population dynamics of brant. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.
Approvals in 2017: gene therapies and site-agnostic indications.

In 2017, FDA Oncology approved 17 new drug and biologic applications, 32 supplemental drug and biologic applications, and two biosimilar applications in oncology. These actions included landmark approvals of two chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies and the first site-agnostic, biomarker-defined approval. Three next-generation sequencing 'oncopanels' designed to detect hundreds of somatic genetic aberrations were also approved.
Avant-garde orientalism: the eastern ‘other’ in twentieth-century travel narrative and poetry

David LeHardy Sweet’s Avant-Garde Orientalism: The Eastern ‘Other’ in Twentieth-Century Travel Narrative and Poetry approaches the question of Orientalism via ‘the role of experimental Modernism’ (...