cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal Selection of Radiotherapy as Part of a Multimodal Approach for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

A multimodal approach to treatment is a basic oncologic principle with proven survival benefits for most cancer types. However, existing guidelines recommend single modalities for treating each stage of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nonetheless, multimodal approaches can be considered for HCC, depending on the characteristics of the disease in individual cases. Radiotherapy (RT), an effective local modality, is a critical element of most multimodal approaches. Improved RTtechnology and increased understanding of the tolerance of the liver to radiation have contributed to the popularity of RT for treating liver tumors in clinical practice. Consequently, numerous reports have described the effects of RT on liver cancer, despite a lack of stringent evidence for its benefits. RT can be delivered using various technologies and approaches, which may be the source of some confusion. For example, high-dose ablative RT can be curative on its own, or high-dose ablative or conventional RT can complement other treatments such as radiofrequency ablation and transarterial chemoembolization. Combinations of systemic agents and RT can also be applied. This review discusses the optimal selection of RT as part of a multimodal approach for HCC.
A semi-automated workflow solution for multimodal neuroimaging: application to patients with traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity, placing a significant financial burden on the healthcare system worldwide. Non-invasive neuroimaging technologies have been playing a pivotal role in the study of TBI, providing important information for surgical planning and patient management. Advances in understanding the basic mechanisms and pathophysiology of the brain following TBI are hindered by a lack of reliable image analysis methods for accurate quantitative assessment of TBI-induced structural and pathophysiological changes seen on anatomical and functional images obtained from multiple imaging modalities. Conventional region-of-interest (ROI) analysis based on manual labeling of brain regions is time-consuming and the results could be inconsistent within and among investigators. In this study, we propose a workflow solution framework that combined the use of non-linear spatial normalization of structural brain images and template-based anatomical labeling to automate the ROI analysis process. The proposed workflow solution is applied to dynamic PET scanning with 15O-water (0–10 min) and 18F-FDDNP (0–6 min) for measuring cerebral blood flow in patients with TBI.
A Problem About Penetration and Perforation of Projectile Into SFC

In order to study penetration and perforation of the projectile into steel fiber concrete(SFC),the deformation and damage model of SFC medium was presented according to the medium state and the distribution relationship of energy in the process of penetration.The relationship of the energy transmission between pulverized zone and radial cracking zone was analyzed.The result shows that the scale relation of the projectile diameter and the character parameters of the strength is the main characteristic value which reveals the problem of penetration and perforation.A formula of penetration depth of cone-shaped projectile was proposed with broad scale relation.The formula can be applied to SFC medium and agrees well with the data of experiments.
Investigation and control of a family outbreak of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Haidian district, Beijing

Objective To explore infection sources and transmission routes of a family cluster of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), and to provide scientific evidence for disease prevention and control. Methods The data of patients including etiology, epidemiology, clinical symptoms and pathogen test results were collected. Serological diagnosis was conducted by indirect immunofluorescence (IFL) test to confirm the disease. Results This event was a family cluster of HFRS caused by Rattus norvegicus. The total 2 patients were infected the Hantavirus through intestinal transmission. There was one infected person without syndromes. Conclusion Cooperation of multiple departments was an important means for preventing HFRS. Rodent control, high risk people vaccination and environmental management were also essential measures for disease prevention and control.
Intermittent pressure steam purging for 1 000 MW ultra-supercritical units

The details on the intermittent pressure cycle purging for 2×1 000 MW ultra-supercritical units with or without the boiler circulating pump in the fourth-stage project of Zouxian Power Plant are presented.It was observed that the upper water-wall dried out when the purge control valve was open for a boiler without the circulating pump,and such phenomenon disappeared when the feed-water flow rate equaled to the purging steam flow rate with help of the circulating pump.The fuel should also be reduced to the lowest degree as dry-out occurred.The practice shows that the hydrodynamic performance in the water-wall is stable and the tube wall temperature of the heating surface is normal during intermittent pressure cycle purging with flame.
Human Rights, Harm, and Climate Change Mitigation

A number of philosophers have resisted impersonal explanations of our obligation to mitigate climate change, and have developed accounts according to which these obligations are explained by human rights or harm-based considerations. In this paper I argue that several of these attempts to explain our mitigation obligations without appealing to impersonal factors fail, since they either cannot account for a plausibly robust obligation to mitigate, or have implausible implications in other cases. I conclude that despite the appeal of the motivations for rejecting the appeal to impersonal factors, such factors must play a prominent role in explaining our mitigation obligations.
Regnase-1 Is an Endoribonuclease Essential for the Maintenance of Immune Homeostasis

Regnase-1, also known as Zc3h12a or MCPIP1, is responsible for endonucleolytic cleavage of mRNAs encoding proteins involved in inflammatory responses. Furthermore, Regnase-1-mediated mRNA decay (RMD) is critical for the maintenance of immune homeostasis. Regnase-1 controls the magnitude of innate and adaptive immune responses, and thereby dysfunction of this protein in mice leads to the development of spontaneous systemic inflammation. During the last several years, advances have been made in understanding molecular mechanisms of RMD. In this article, unique functions of Regnase-1 in controlling inflammation are discussed.
Usability evaluation of an interactive decision support system for user-guided design of scenarios of watershed conservation practices

This paper evaluated user interaction with the graphical user interface of WRESTORE, an environmental decision support system (EDSS) for watershed planning that utilizes user ratings of design alternatives to guide optimization. The following usability metrics were collected for stakeholders as well as surrogates (who are often used for DSS development due to time or cost constraints): task times across sequential sessions, percentage of time spent and of mouse clicking in different areas of interest, and trends in self-reported user confidence levels. Task times conformed to theoretical models of learning curves. Stakeholders, however, spent 15% more time and made 14% more mouse clicks in information gathering areas than surrogates. Confidence levels increased over time in 67% of stakeholders, but only in 29% of surrogates. Relationships between time spent or mouse clicking events and confidence level trends indicated that confidence ratings increased over time for users who conducted more information gathering. This study highlights the importance of increasing user interactions within information gathering areas of an interface to improve user-guided search, and suggests that developers should exercise caution when using surrogates as proxies for stakeholders. It also demonstrates a quantitative way to evaluate EDSS that could assist others developing similar tools.
Current trends and challenges in the postoperative medical management of Crohn's disease: A systematic review.

Abstract Background Crohn's disease is an aggressive chronic inflammatory disorder, and despite medical advances no cure exists. There is a great risk of requiring an operative intervention, with evidence of recurrence developing in up to 80–90% of cases. Therefore, we sought to systematically review the current status in the postoperative medical management of Crohn's disease. Data sources A systematic literature review of medications administered following respective therapy for Crohn's disease was performed from 1979 through 2016. Twenty-six prospective articles provided directed guidelines for recommendations and these were graded based on the level of evidence. Conclusions The postoperative management of Crohn's disease faces multiple challenges. Current indicated medications in this setting include: antibiotics, aminosalicylates, immunomodulators, and biologics. Each drug has inherent risks and benefits, and the optimal regimen is still unknown. Initiating therapy in a prophylactic fashion compared to endoscopic findings, or escalating therapy versus treating with the most potent drug first is debated. Although a definitive consensus on postoperative treatment is necessary, aggressive and early endoluminal surveillance is paramount in the treatment of these complicated patients.
From MARC to BIBFRAME 2.0: Crosswalks

One of the big challenges facing academic libraries today is to increase the relevance of the libraries to their user communities. If the libraries can increase the visibility of their resources on...
Three-dimensional stability analysis of slopes in hard soil/soft rock with tensile strength cut-off

Abstract Many collapse analyses of slopes in soils or soft rocks use the classical Mohr-Coulomb yield function to define the strength of geomaterials. In the presence of bonded particles and grains, this function predicts uniaxial tensile strength and even greater isotropic tensile strength. Testing for material properties, however, is typically carried out in the compressive regime; the tensile strength is then burdened by uncertainties, as it is a result of extrapolation of test results into the tensile regime. A three-dimensional limit analysis of slopes is presented with the geomaterial described by a yield surface with tensile strength cut-off. The multiplicity of admissible collapse mechanisms is enriched, as the tension cut-off allows construction of mechanisms that include rupture modes. Stability factors for slopes with tensile strength cut-off are reduced compared to those based on the classical Mohr-Coulomb strength envelope, with the largest drop for steep slopes subjected to seepage. The stability factor for a 70-degree slope subjected to seepage can be reduced by as much as 69% when tensile strength cut-off is considered.
Myocarditis and pericarditis are rare following live viral vaccinations in adults.

Reports of myocarditis and pericarditis following smallpox vaccination in adults suggested a need to assess inflammatory cardiac disease risk among adults who receive live viral vaccinations. From 1996 through 2007, among 416,629 vaccinated adults in the Vaccine Safety Datalink, we identified one probable pericarditis case and no cases of myocarditis in the 42 days following a live viral vaccination. Our self-controlled risk interval analysis found that, based on one case identified during the risk interval and 10 cases during the control interval, there is no increased risk of myopericarditis in the 42 days following vaccination (IRR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.07, 4.51). Our study suggests that the occurrence of myopericarditis following live viral vaccination is rare with an estimated incidence of 0.24 per 100,000 vaccinated, which is not higher than the background rate and is much lower than the incidence rates reported following smallpox vaccination.
Nanodroplet processing platform for deep and quantitative proteome profiling of 10-100 mammalian cells.

Nanoscale or single-cell technologies are critical for biomedical applications. However, current mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic approaches require samples comprising a minimum of thousands of cells to provide in-depth profiling. Here, we report the development of a nanoPOTS (nanodroplet processing in one pot for trace samples) platform for small cell population proteomics analysis. NanoPOTS enhances the efficiency and recovery of sample processing by downscaling processing volumes to 3000 proteins are consistently identified from as few as 10 cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate quantification of ~2400 proteins from single human pancreatic islet thin sections from type 1 diabetic and control donors, illustrating the application of nanoPOTS for spatially resolved proteome measurements from clinical tissues.
Reduction of Pairwise Comparisons Via a Duality Approach

As it was discussed in previous chapters, an appealing approach for eliciting qualitative data for an MCDM problem is to use pairwise comparisons. Next suppose that a decision maker wishes to elicit the relative priorities, or weights of importance, of n entities via a sequence of pairwise comparisons. As before, these n entities could be the decision criteria, or the alternatives to be examined in terms of a single decision criterion in some MCDM problem. Then, as it was illustrated in Chapter 3, the decision maker must elicit the value of n(n−1)/2 pairwise comparisons. Therefore, if an MCDM problem involves m alternatives and n decision criteria (multiple hierarchical levels are not considered at this point), then the total number of the required pairwise comparisons is equal to n(n−1)/2 + n(m(m−1)/2).
Coherent Phase Control of Photoionization and Photodissociation

A fundamental principle of quantum mechanics is that if a process can occur by more than one independent path, then the probability of that process occurring can be calculated by adding the probability amplitudes for each path and then squaring the sum. A well known example is the photoionization of an atom or a molecule. One route connecting the ground state g > with the continuum 39-1 > is direct ionization, with a probability amplitude that is proportional to 39-1
Multiple myeloma: circulating lymphocytes that express plasma cell antigens.

The bone marrow and peripheral blood of 14 patients with multiple myeloma were studied with murine monoclonal antibodies that identify antigens on plasma cells (R1–3 and OKT10). Peripheral blood lymphocytes expressing plasma cell antigens were found in six cases. Five of these cases expressed the same antigens that were present on the plasma cells in the bone marrow. Patients that showed such peripheral blood involvement were found to have a larger tumor burden and higher bone marrow plasma cell proliferative activity. In some patients, antigens normally found at earlier stages of B cell differentiation (B1, B2, and J5) were expressed by peripheral blood lymphocytes and/or bone marrow plasma cells.
Culture and the Urban Stage

Although a product of the same impersonal, natural process that brought forth the earthworm and the eagle, the amoeba and the dinosaur, man moves about within a personal, artificial world that he himself has built. The paradox of nature’s giving birth to a supranatural creature is central to our lives, and the constant search for its meaning a characteristic of our species (Becker, 1973, 1975; Eiseley, 1969). On the one hand, we view nature ambiguously. Are we in nature, or out of it? Are the animals our brothers, or are we their keepers, indeed their masters? Is our natural body, with its noises, smells, and impulses, a part of our highest aspirations, or is it something to be covered up, kept from view, and excused when it indelicately intrudes into our conversations? Is death nature’s ultimate reality? Or can we construct a self that is tough enough to transcend this biological event? On the other hand, we find ourselves in a similar ambiguous state when we seek to relate to our fellow humans. Unhooked from many of the genetically keyed responses that form the natural, social world of other creatures, we respond to each other through the medium of arbitrary symbols. Through this medium we communicate in a way no other animal can. We can, in a literal sense, talk about our selves.
Our Guerrillas, Our Sidewalks: A Journey into the Violence of Colombia

Part I: 1988 Chapter 1: Taking Chapter 2: Adapting Chapter 3: Staying Chapter 4: Negotiating Chapter 5: Terrorizing Chapter 6: Dying Chapter 7: Returning Chapter 8: Living Part II: 1994 Chapter 9: Silencing Part III: 2002 Chapter 10: Drinking
A Comparative Study of Algorithms and Methods for Facial Expression Recognition

Emotion Recognition is a critical component in the evolution of Human Computer Interaction (HCI). The advancement of Artificial Intelligent (AI) has enabled human and computer to achieve a symbiotic partnership where computers can understand human emotions (e.g., happy or sad) so that computer systems can adapt to human emotion reaction. Detecting and recognizing optimum human emotion is the first step towards this human and computer symbiosis. This paper first studies and compares different emotion recognition Machine Learning Algorithms. It then proposes the application of personalized emotion recognition learning; where a machine learns the emotions of a specific user to achieve higher emotion recognition accuracy.
Child Compared with Parent Perceptions of Child-Level Food Security.

Background There is a need to directly and accurately conceptualize and measure food insecurity in children as part of surveillance and public health efforts. Objective The aim of this study was to compare parent and child perceptions of child-level food security status via questionnaires within a large, ethnically diverse population. Methods Cross-sectional baseline data from a cluster-randomized controlled trial involving primarily low-income, Hispanic third- to fifth-grade students and their parents were used for analysis. The sample consisted of 2408 dyadic (parent and child) pairs. Parents completed the 8-item child-referenced Household Food Security Survey Module and their responses were compared with an adaption of the 5-item Child Food Security Assessment completed by their child. Levels of association between child and parent perceptions within dyads were calculated using Goodman and Kruskal's γ statistic. A mixed-effects binomial logistic regression model was used to model discordance as a function of child, parent, and household sociodemographic characteristics. Results The child sample was 53% girls, mean age of 9 y, and 63% were Hispanic. The parent sample was 86% women and 65% Hispanic. Child and parent perceptions of child-level food security agreed only 21.7% of the time. There was a weak positive association between child and parent perceptions of child-level food security (γ = 0.162, P < 0.001). Children perceived themselves as less food secure than their parents' perception 70.1% of the time. Household receipt of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits was associated with greater odds of discordant food security perceptions, whereas female children, older children, and parents not working were characteristics associated with lower odds of discordant perceptions. Conclusions Results, in combination with the existing literature, suggest that parent perceptions of child-level food insecurity may underestimate child-level food insecurity experiences. Inaccurate estimations or underestimations of the true prevalence of child-level food insecurity could be detrimental to maternal and child health efforts. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02668744.
Alterations in the whole brain network organization after prenatal ethanol exposure

Background People with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) often have structural or functional alterations of the central nervous system, including changes in brain network organization. These have been associated with neuropsychological deficits, but outcomes are not consistent across studies. We used a rat model of FASD to assess brain network alterations in males and females following ethanol exposure during a prenatal period similar to the first half of gestation in humans. Methods Pregnant Long Evans rats were given an ethanol-containing or isocaloric non-ethanol diet from gestation day 6 to 20. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed on offspring in young adulthood. Graph theoretical analysis was used to assess properties associated with the whole brain network organization, with a focus on segregation, integration, and small-world organization-a feature which allows specialized local information processing (segregation) and simultaneously efficient global information sharing (integration). Results Ethanol-exposed females showed a significant decrease in small-worldness compared with control females or with ethanol-exposed males. Compared to control females, the proportion of animals with atypically high path length (1 standard deviation higher than the grand average) was significantly higher in ethanol-exposed females, indicating that the alteration in small-world organization is driven by decreased network integration. No significant effects were seen in males. Conclusion The results revealed that prenatal ethanol exposure disrupts the balance between network segregation and integration in young adult female rats. The whole brain network is less integrated after ethanol exposure in the females, suggesting wide-spread reduction of long-range regional communication.
B Cell Endosomal RAB7 Promotes TRAF6 K63 Polyubiquitination and NF-κB Activation for Antibody Class-Switching.

Upon activation by CD40 or TLR signaling, B lymphocytes activate NF-κB to induce activation-induced cytidine deaminase and, therefore, Ig class switch DNA recombination, as central to the maturation of the Ab and autoantibody responses. In this study, we show that NF-κB activation is boosted by colocalization of engaged immune receptors, such as CD40, with RAB7 small GTPase on mature endosomes, in addition to signals emanating from the receptors localized on the plasma membrane, in mouse B cells. In mature endosomes, RAB7 directly interacts with TRAF6 E3 ubiquitin ligase, which catalyzes K63 polyubiquitination for NF-κB activation. RAB7 overexpression in Cd19+/creRosa26fl-STOP-fl-Rab7 mouse B cells upregulates K63 polyubiquitination activity of TRAF6, enhances NF-κB activation and activation-induced cytidine deaminase induction, and boosts IgG Ab and autoantibody levels. This, together with the extensive intracellular localization of CD40 and the strong correlation of RAB7 expression with NF-κB activation in mouse lupus B cells, shows that RAB7 is an integral component of the B cell NF-κB activation machinery, likely through interaction with TRAF6 for the assembly of "intracellular membrane signalosomes."
What is the decentered state

This article provides an introduction to discussions and empirical studies of the decentered state. The first section traces the historical origins of the concept of the decentered state. Group the...
Advanced Supplemental Controller for a Static Var Compensator in Power Systems

A supplemental controller for static var compensator (SVC) is developed for the voltage regulation in a power system. The control objectives are to suppress voltage fluctuations and to maintain voltage at nominal levels in different parts of power system within ANSI C84.1 limits (or ±5 % tolerance). Voltage fluctuations are mainly caused by disturbances such as random power load changes and loss of major equipment. These disturbances degrade voltage/power quality and could lead to catastrophic voltage collapse and black out. SVC itself can regulate voltage flicker but its robustness against the disturbances is inadequate. Therefore, an active disturbance rejection controller (ADRC) is applied to the SVC system for enhancing its performance. The ADRC is independent of the accurate mathematical model of the SVC system and able to compensate for external disturbances in real time. An ADRC is implemented on the power system with SVC in Simscape Power Systems. Simulation results demonstrate that the ADRC reach the control objectives successfully, and have superior performance to PI controller in disturbance rejection. In addition, the stability of the control system is justified. The comparison between both PI and ADRC is discussed.
How does preoperative opioid use impact postoperative health-related quality of life scores for patients undergoing lumbar microdiscectomy?

Abstract Background Context Narcotic use amongst patients suffering from lumbar radiculopathy is common, but the clinical benefit of narcotics for lumbar radiculopathy is likely minimal. It is unknown what the impact of preoperative use of narcotics has on outcomes related to lumbar microdiscectomy. Purpose Determine the impact that preoperative opioid use has on postoperative outcomes after lumbar microdisectomy. Study Design Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database. Patient Sample One hundred and twenty-six patients undergoing a microdiscectomy for a lumbar disc herniation. Outcome Measures Patient-reported outcomes measurement information system mental health scores (PROMIS MHS), patient-reported outcomes measurement information system physical health scores (PROMIS PHS) and oswestry disability index (ODI). Methods We analyzed a prospectively collected database of patients undergoing a lumbar microdiscectomy for preoperative opioid use. We measured the severity of lumbar pathology on MRI based on degree of facet/disc degeneration and cross-sectional area of the dural tube at the disc herniation. We tracked PROMIS MHS, PROMIS PHS and ODI for patients both preoperatively and postoperatively. A Mann-Whitney test was used to compare HRQOL scores and time to MCID for the opioid using cohort (OC) and the nonopioid using cohort (non-OC). We performed a linear regression analysis to determine correlation between preoperative opioid use and postoperative HRQOLs. Results There were 44 of 126 microdiscectomy patients in the OC (32.5%). There was no difference in the dural cross-sectional area (p=.91), degree of facet degeneration (p=.38), or disc degeneration (p=.5) between OC and non-OC. There were no differences in PROMIS PHS, PROMIS MHS or ODI between the OC and non-OC at the preoperative visit and all postoperative time points. There were no differences in time to reach MCID between the OC and non-OC for ODI (p=.9), PROMIS PHS (p=.64) or PROMIS MHS (p=.90). At three months out from surgery there was a statistically significant correlation between pre-op opioid use and ODI (p=.02), PROMIS MHS (p=.02) and PROMIS PHS (p=.049). Conclusions Our results demonstrate that patients that use opioids prior to lumbar microdiscectomy have equivalent postoperative outcomes as those that do not use opioids. Use of higher doses of opioids is associated with worse short-term outcomes.
School Psychology Review: Ending the 20th Century and Looking Ahead to the Future

The article examines the content, authorship, and types of articles published in School Psychology Review for the past 10 years. Results suggest that the journal publishes research and review artic...
Heteroerotic Failure and “Afro-queer Futurity” in Mohamed Camara’s Dakan

The year 1997 marked the release of Mohamed Camara’s film Dakan, which centers on two young men entangled in a homoerotic affair. Africa’s first LGBT film produced by an African filmmaker, Dakan fe...
Representations of Eritrea in Italian Documentaries (1951 – 2015)

This study presents an overview of documentaries on Eritrea and Eritreans made for an Italian audience between 1951 and 2015. During the immediate post-war years, Italian filmmakers visually constr...
The Usability of Using Educational Game for Teaching Foundational Concept in Propositional Logic

Propositional logic is a fundamental concept in Computer Science. However, some students are struggling with connecting natural language statements and propositional logic. This research designs an escape room computer game that requires players to interpret the logic statements to escape the room. This paper presents a pilot user study to test the usability of the environment. This study shows that students believe the game is a good environment for learning. Moreover, students who like or dislike playing computer games give the same score in system usability, showing that students’ attitudes toward computer games does not affect their given score in system usability.
A Stakeholder Approach to Sporting Events: A Case Study of Spokane Hoopfest

Spokane Hoopfest is the largest outdoor 3-on-3 street basketball tournament held on the final weekend of June in downtown Spokane, Washington annually. As the largest outdoor basketball event in the world, more than 1,000,000 visitors come to the Spokane area to enjoy the event annually and about 27,000 players on 7,000 teams coming from 42 states participate in the basketball event (Spokane Hoopfest Association, 2016). The Hoopfest event has given $46 million of economic benefit to the Spokane area annually. Even though the Hoopfest event has increased profit since 1990s, Spokane Hoopfest Association (SHA) has faced issues regarding the event operation. This case study was analyzed based on 1) Stakeholder theory that concerns how the environment of people affects organizations and/or how those people are affected by the organizations’ actions and 2) SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis to diagnose problems that SHA faces and to suggest recommendations for SHA.
Rethinking radial first.

Compared with transfemoral access (TFA), transradial access (TRA) for neurointerventional procedures is known to have superior safety, earlier ambulation, greater patient comfort, and possibly reduced cost with shorter hospital stay. The most compelling advantage is the lower rate of serious hemorrhagic access site complications, which is particularly relevant given the high rates of concurrent antithrombotic and/or thrombolytic medications used. TRA also has clear value over TFA where there is obesity, pregnancy, prior aortofemoral bypass or stents, and a type III aortic arch.1 Given the entrenched historical convention of using TFA, early advocates of TRA suggested a ‘radial first’ approach whereby a concentrated experience in TRA could more effectively yield sufficient proficiency. This messaging may have had unintended consequences of promoting the notion that TRA should be the default first option in all neurointerventional cases. The large volume of recent JNIS publications on this topic suggests otherwise: TRA should not be the default first choice. Instead, as these publications suggest, access decisions deserve a more thoughtful consideration of a variety of variables including the type of procedure being performed, the disease process being managed, and patient anatomy. Elective versus emergent, value of large catheters, and number of vessels that need catheterization are among several specific considerations when choosing access approach. Elective, single vessel neurointerventional cases seem well-suited for a TRA approach. A review of seven studies reported radial access procedural success for carotid artery stent placement with low rates of asymptomatic radial artery occlusion, forearm …
Piracy and the State: The Politics of Intellectual Property Rights in China

In this original study of intellectual property rights (IPR) in relation to state capacity, Dimitrov analyzes this puzzle by offering the first systematic analysis of all IPR enforcement avenues in China, across all IPR subtypes. He shows that the extremely high volume of enforcement provided for copyrights and trademarks is unfortunately of a low quality, and as such serves only to perpetuate IPR violations. In the area of patents, however, he finds a low volume of high-quality enforcement. In light of these findings, the book develops a theory of state capacity that conceptualizes the Chinese state as simultaneously weak and strong. The book draws on extensive fieldwork in China and five other countries, as well as on 10 unique IPR enforcement datasets that exploit previously unexplored sources, including case files of private investigation firms.
Romanticism in the Shadow of War: Literary Culture in the Napoleonic War Years

Introduction: border raids as cultural practice 1. Holcroft's Parisian expedition 2. After war: Manfred and the melodrama 3. Barbauld's sallies 4. Love beyond faith and hope: Percy and Mary Shelley on history and prophecy 5. The import of Hunt's 'Italianism' 6. Cockneys in Tuscany Select bibliography.
Tetracycline resistance genes in Salmonella from growing pigs and their relationship to antimicrobial use and resistance to other antimicrobials

ORAL PRESENTATIONS Discussion: Cross-resistance to different antibacterial agents including quinolones and nalidixic acid, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim and in some cases b-lactam antibiotics is a common phenomenon in Gram-negative bacteria (Gutmann et al., 1995). In this study adaptive resistance in Salmonella enterica and E. coli O157, O55 and K-12 was readily achieved by passage in sublethal concentrations of antibacterial agents, which conferred cross-resistance to other antibiotics and biocides. Interestingly, adaptive resistance to TLN by E. coli O157 appeared to confer a marked increased sensitivity to AMC, AMX and IPM and to a lesser degree to CHL, CS and GEN. Differences between the adaptiveand cross-resistance profiles between K-12, O55 and O157 suggest that strain-specific rather than global mechanisms are underlying the resistance observed, some of which may be facilitated by the additional genes O157 is known to possess over K-12 and potentally O55 (Perna et al., 2001). No obvious correlation could be drawn between Salmonella serotype and resistance to a particular class of antibiotics or group of biocides, however, this does not detract from the finding that in particular strain / antibiotic / biocide combination strong evidence of cross-resistance was observed.
ROLE OF THE THYMUS IN IMMUNE REACTIONS IN RATS : I. THE IMMUNOLOGIC RESPONSE TO BOVINE SERUM ALBUMIN (ANTIBODY FORMATION, ARTHUS REACTIVITY, AND DELAYED HYPERSENSITIVITY) IN RATS THYMECTOMIZED OR SPLENECTOMIZED AT VARIOUS TIMES AFTER BIRTH

Rats thymectomized at birth gained weight and otherwise developed normally, but were found to be very susceptible to intercurrent infections. Both Arthus reactivity and delayed hypersensitivity to BSA were markedly impaired in rats thymectomized during the first week of life and significantly impaired in rats thymectomized as late as 3 weeks after birth. The inhibition of Arthus reactivity in thymectomized rats was well correlated with their failure to develop significant titers of precipitating or hemagglutinating antibody. However, natural heteroagglutinin titers were not altered in these animals, and no abnormality of serum proteins, including gamma-globulin could be detected by paper electrophoresis. The loss of immunologic activity could not be corrected by injecting homogenates of spleen or thymus before and during the sensitization period. Splenectomy at birth did not influence Arthus or delayed reactivity.
On the stability of Murray's testosterone model

We prove the global asymptotic stability of a well-known delayed negative-feedback model of testosterone dynamics, which has been proposed as a model of oscillatory behavior. We establish stability (and hence the impossibility of oscillations) even in the presence of delays of arbitrary length.
Mechanical properties of the extra-fibrillar matrix of human annulus fibrosus are location and age dependent

The mechanical behavior of the annulus fibrosus (AF) of the intervertebral disc can be modeled as a mixture of fibers, extra-fibrillar matrix (EFM), ions, and fluid. However, the properties of the EFM have not been measured directly. We measured mechanical properties of the human EFM at several locations, determined the effect of age and degeneration, and evaluated whether changes in EFM properties correspond to AF compositional changes. EFM mechanical properties were measured using a method that combines osmotic loading and confined compression. AF samples were dissected from several locations, and mechanical properties were correlated with age, degeneration, and composition. EFM modulus was found to range between 10 and 50 kPa, increasing nonlinearly with compression magnitude and being highest in the AF outer-anterior region. EFM properties were not correlated with composition or degeneration. However, the EFM modulus, its relative contribution to tissue modulus, and model parameters were correlated with age. These measurements will result in more accurate predictions of deformations in the intervertebral disc. Additionally, parameters such as permeability and diffusivity used for biotransport analysis of glucose and other solutes depend on EFM deformation. Consequently, the accuracy of biotransport simulations will be greatly improved.
Nonlinear control under polytopic input constraints with application to the attitude control problem

This work studies the control problem for nonlinear affine systems, subject to polytopic input constraints. A new paradigm is suggested as an alternative to the minnorm approach, to regulate the system while allowing it to operate within or at its saturation limits and minimizing a given pointwise performance index. The control input is obtained through the solution of a quadratic programming optimization problem. The applicability and efficacy of the method are illustrated on the input constrained attitude control problem.
Interpreting the Women's Movement

Reva Siegel's fine lecture is both illuminating and provocative.' Illuminating: She convincingly establishes a striking parallelism be tween the doctrinal positions elaborated by the Supreme Court and those developed by the proponents of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in their struggle for ratification. As she explains, the women's movement did not really lose the ERA-the big loser was Article V, which failed to regis ter the movement's triumph, and the big winner was the Supreme Court, which reinterpreted the Equal Protection Clause in a way that created a "de facto" ERA. Provocative: She suggests that her case study poses a big problem for theories-like mine and Nino Scalia's (and countless others)-that defend a fundamental distinction between higher lawmaking and constitutional interpretation. We old fogies think that higher lawmaking is a matter for the People, interpretation is a matter for the Court. She urges us to dissolve the distinction between lawmaking and adjudication by confronting cases-like the one she describes-in which the Court seems to be re sponding directly to bottom-up movements by reinterpreting the Constitution. The women's movement, speaking for the People, did not make new higher law through Article V (Scalia). Nor did it make new law by gaining control of the political branches, and transforming the Court's personnel, in the manner of New Deal liberalism (me). It made new law by convincing the Court to change its interpretations of the Fourteenth Amendment in precisely the manner contemplated by the ERA. So good bye to the grand old distinction between lawmaking and interpretation, hello to postmodern fluidity. As Siegel recognizes, her essay suffices only to raise her provocative challenge, not to resolve it. To assess her thesis, we must move beyond a single case study to consider the Court's relationship to other social movements and see whether Siegel's claims are vindicated more
Shareholder-Authorized Corporate Political Spending in the U.K.

The U.S. is facing the advent of unfettered corporate political expenditures as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. This decision sets precedence to allow publicly-traded corporations to use vast amounts of corporate treasury money to fund political advertisements in federal election campaigns without any sort of disclosure or shareholder consent. Similar policy concerns have been addressed by U.K. laws in 2000. In this paper, we present evidence on the effect of the 2000 and 2006 Amendments to Companies Act of the United Kingdom that provide shareholders with the ability to consent or object to future corporate political spending and a new dual disclosure system that requires companies to report political spending to shareholders in annual reports, while the political parties to report the source of their funding to the voting public through the Electoral Commission. We obtain data on management proposals requesting shareholder voting on future corporate political expenditure by Britain’s publicly traded companies and the actual corporate political spending. We show that the U.K. Companies Act has not acted as a ban on corporate political spending. To the contrary, companies that seek approval of political budgets nearly always get them approved by shareholders. However, the political budgets that are sought by managers and approved by shareholders are typically modest – ranging from £50,000 to £100,000. In addition, actual corporate political spending for publicly-traded companies in the U.K. is far below the overall shareholder-authorized amounts. Lastly, our data reveal that since the 2000 Amendments, political spending appears to have migrated from publicly-traded companies to privately-held companies in the past decade.
Reforming Managed Care: Carving Out Women’s Rights in Health Care

Consumers want an advocate regarding health care, and they're looking toward Congress. A recent survey by the National Partnership for Women & Families shows that Americans are interested in legislation that would provide health care patient protections. This is favored by a surprising 91 percent of women and 88 percent of men. Even more surprising, this support crosses party lines.
Comparative efficacy and effectiveness: an opportunity for clinical pharmacology.

Over the past 10 or more years, the drug development paradigm has shifted radically as a consequence of the availability of generic formulations for many important drugs and the growing influence of major payers in controlling reimbursement of new medicines. The demand for health care in an aging and increasingly information-seeking population is steadily outstripping society's ability to pay for all possible treatments. Regulatory approval of new drugs is necessary but no longer sufficient for market access in many countries, including the United States. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2011) 90 6, 761–763. doi:10.1038/clpt.2011.240
Strategic product creation: Managing new interactions of technology, markets, and organizations

Abstract Product competition in a growing number of markets is undergoing a profound transformation. Some firms are now beginning to use new kinds of ‘flexible designs’ for products and organizations to pursue innovative product strategies that generate unprecedented levels of product variety and change. This article explores the ongoing changes in strategies for designing products and for organizing development processes that are driving this transformation of product competition. Different kinds of competitive conditions require different kinds of strategies. Basic strategy concepts and derived product strategies are compared for stable, evolving, and dynamic product markets. Concepts of modularity in products and organizations are argued to be the core concepts driving the new kinds of product strategies now emerging in dynamic product markets. Modular product design is distinguished from traditional approaches to designing products, and the potential competitive advantages to be derived from modular product design strategies are elaborated. Modularity in product designs allows the decoupling of processes for developing new products, enabling those processes to become concurrent, autonomous, and distributed and making possible the adoption of modular organization designs for product development. The ‘quick-connect’ electronic interfaces of shared CAD/CIM systems may allow firms to create electronically mediated product development networks that further enhance the flexibility of modular product creation processes. Modularity in products and organizations requires new concepts for strategically managing knowledge. Creating modular product architectures requires an intentional and disciplined decoupling of technology development and product development. As a consequence, modular product design leads to better understanding of the state of a firm's current knowledge and makes possible more effective strategic management of new technology development. A hierarchy of organizational knowledge that distinguishes know-how, know-why, and know-what forms of knowledge is presented as a basis for developing new strategies for leveraging and controlling knowledge in product creation networks. This article concludes by arguing that success - and perhaps even survival - in product competition will increasingly depend on more effective strategic management of product, organization, and knowledge architectures.
Vertical reduction mammaplasty utilizing the superomedial pedicle: is it really for everyone?

Background: Classically, the vertical-style reduction mammaplasty utilizing a superomedial pedicle has been limited to smaller reductions secondary to concerns for poor wound healing and nipple necrosis. Objectives: The authors reviewed a large cohort of patients who underwent a vertical-style superomedial pedicle reduction mammaplasty in an attempt to demonstrate its safety and efficacy in treating symptomatic macromastia. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 290 patients (558 breasts) who underwent a vertical-style superomedial pedicle reduction mammaplasty. All procedures were conducted by one of 4 plastic surgeons over 6 years (JDR, MAA, DLV, DRA). Results: The average resection weight was 551.7 g (range, 176-1827 g), with 4.6% of resections greater than 1000 g. A majority of patients (55.2%) concomitantly underwent liposuction of the breast. The total complication rate was 22.7%, with superficial dehiscence (8.8%) and hypertrophic scarring (8.8%) comprising the majority. Nipple sensory changes occurred in 1.6% of breasts, with no episodes of nipple necrosis. The revision rate was 2.2%. Patients with complications had significantly higher resection volumes and nipple-to-fold distances ( P = .014 and .010, respectively). Conclusions: The vertical-style superomedial pedicle reduction mammaplasty is safe and effective for a wide range of symptomatic macromastia. The nipple-areola complex can be safely transposed, even in patients with larger degrees of macromastia, with no episodes of nipple necrosis. The adjunctive use of liposuction should be considered safe. Last, revision rates were low, correlating with a high level of patient satisfaction.
Acetylcholine induced modulation of hippocampal pyramidal neurons

Applications of acetylcholine to hippocampal slices maintained in vitro resulted in slow depolarizations and simultaneous increases in membrane resistance (RN)in hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Increases in RN had both voltage dependent and voltage independent components. These effects were associated with increases in cell discharge frequency, and development of spontaneous as well as synaptically and directly evoked burst discharges. The increase in RN and burst firing lasted for hours. Muscarinic antagonists blocked these actions and in addition, produced a decrease in membrane resistance, which appeared to be due to blockade of a tonic effect of acetylcholine on postsynaptic membrane properties. These findings suggest that ACh acts as a neuromodulator in the hippocampus.