cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nitrogen-doped graphene/CoNi alloy encased within bamboo-like carbon nanotube hybrids as cathode catalysts in microbial fuel cells

Abstract Cost-effective catalysts are of key importance to the successful deployment of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for electricity generation from organic wastes. Herein, a novel catalyst prepared by one-step synthesis strategy is reported. The catalyst features N-doped bamboo-like carbon nanotube (BCNT) in which CoNi-alloy is encapsulated at the end and/or the middle section of the tube with many graphene layers inside inner cavities of BCNT (N-G@CoNi/BCNT). The prepared N-G@CoNi/BCNT exhibits a high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity with an early onset potential of 0.06 V vs. Ag/AgCl and a comparable exchange current density to that of commercial Pt/C. The excellent catalytic activity is further evidenced by a high electron transfer number of 3.63. When being applied in MFCs, the N-G@CoNi/BCNT yields an average current density of 6.7 A m−2, slightly lower than that of Pt/C but with a less mass transfer potential loss. The cost of the N-G@CoNi/BCNT for constructing a 1-m2 cathode electrode is 200 times lower than that of Pt/C. With such a competitive price and excellent electrocatalytic-activity resulting from its unique morphology, CoNi-alloy/nitrogen dopants, considerable specific surface area, and carbon-coated alloy/graphene hybridization, the present catalyst is a promising candidate for ORR catalysts in MFCs for energy recovery from wastes.
Haptically evoked activation of visual cortex

Thanks to the acceleration of research into multisensory processing in recent years, the idea that the brain is organized around parallel processing of separate sensory inputs is giving way to the concept of a ‘metamodal’ brain [1] organized around particular tasks in a modality-independent fashion. For example, it is now apparent that many cortical areas previously thought to be specialized for processing specific aspects of visual input are also activated during analogous haptic or tactile tasks. In this chapter, we review the circumstances in which haptic or tactile tasks are associated with visual cortical activity and what this means for our internal representation of the external world, i.e., how information about objects and events in the external world is stored in memory. By ‘haptic’, we mean tasks involving active motor exploration of stimuli, whereas ‘tactile’ refers here to tasks in which stimuli are applied to the passive finger or other skin surface.
Reference Services Review: content analysis, 2012-2014

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a retrospective analysis of content published in Reference Services Review between 2012 and 2014. Design/methodology/approach – This analysis utilizes the methods and format outlined by Katy Mahraj, author of Reference Services Review: content analysis, 2006-2011 (2012). The author manually reviewed the content of all journal issues from 2012 through 2014 using both print and online copies of the journal, accessed through the Emerald Group Publishing web site. Information reviewed included total number of articles per issue, author affiliations, article format and article content focus. The type, size and location of author institutions were confirmed using institutions’ official web sites as necessary. The results of this analysis are compared to Mahraj’s results to identify changing trends. Findings – Reference Services Review has published an average of 38 articles per year between 2012 and 2014. Articles have focused most commonly on information litera...
I would walk 500 miles: using travel costs to analyse the market for popular music concerts

ABSTRACTThis article examines the market for live performances of superstar musical artists. Using data on 56 concerts featuring acts such as Steely Dan, Willie Nelson and Def Leppard, we find that concertgoers have a higher willingness to pay for an increase in the artists’ top-10 albums than for an additional chart-topping single.
A general NMR-based strategy for the in situ characterization of sugar-nucleotide-dependent biosynthetic pathways.

A simple method for the study of sugar-nucleotide-dependent multienzyme cascades is highlighted where the use of selectively 13C-labeled sugar nucleotides and inverse 13C detection NMR offers fast, direct detection and quantification of reactants and products and circumvents the need for chromatographic separation. The utility of the method has been demonstrated by characterizing four previously uncharacterized sugar nucleotide biosynthetic enzymes involved in calicheamicin biosynthesis.
STUDY OF SUPERSONIC TWIN JET COUPLING USING HIGHER ORDER SPECTRAL ANALYSIS

The purpose of this paper is to understand non-linear processes occurring during the coupling of twin jet plumes using higher order spectral methods. To the best of our knowledge, most previous studies have used linear spectral analysis to document coupling and have focused on identifying configurations and conditions that produce coupling, without much knowledge of the ‘why’ and ‘how.’ Our work demonstrates the inadequacies of linear spectral analysis when closely spaced multiple screech sources exist in complex configurations. We use the cross-bicoherence for identifying the non-linear interactions. In order to evaluate the efficacy of the tool in identifying non-linear coupling we chose rectangular nozzles with spanwise oblique exit geometries. Jets from such nozzles are known to be rich in closely spaced complex screech source structures. In addition, they can produce multiple screech tones with the simultaneous presence of multiple feedback loops. The twin jets could be placed in two configurations, one that produced a ‘V’ shape in the inter-nozzle region and another that produced an ‘arrow head’ shape. The following significant findings emerged from our study: (i) some configurations that were apparently uncoupled by linear spectral analysis metrics were found to be nonlinearly coupled. (ii) two types of non-linear coupling were observed – one dominated by the fundamental and its interaction with higher modes, and another that displayed clusters of interactions between a frequency component and its sidebands. (iii) a new interaction density metric was developed to quantify non-linear coupling. (iv) a second metric known as the average interaction density was shown to increase sharply during coupling mode transition. Our results indicate that nonlinear spectral analysis has the potential to uncover twin jet coupling mysteries that have eluded researchers for many years.
An interactive segmentation & visualization technique for multispectral volume data

An interactive segmentation and visualization technique for volume data is presented which uses independent component analysis (ICA) and a three-dimensional histogram of the volume data. Volume segmentation becomes equivalent to clipping of the three-dimensional histogram in ICA space and results in a transfer function for hardware-accelerated rendering which provides immediate visual feedbacks to facilitate further exploration of the data. By applying this technique to a variety of volume data sets it is demonstrated that in many cases volume segmentation in ICA space is more intuitive and effective than in the original voxel space.
Defining ‘quality’ from the patient's perspective: findings from focus groups with Medicaid beneficiaries and implications for public reporting

Background With an increased emphasis on patient-centred outcomes and research, investigators seek to understand aspects of health care that are most important to patients. Such information is essential for developing report cards that present health-care quality information for consumers, which many states are adopting as a strategy to promote consumer choice. Objective This study examined the processes that women in Medicaid follow for selecting health plans and explored their definitions of 'good' and 'poor' quality health care. Design We conducted focus groups with Medicaid beneficiaries in four Texas communities, using quota sampling to ensure representation of different racial/ethnic, eligibility and geographic groups. Results We conducted 22 focus groups with 102 participants between October 2012 and January 2013. In a free-list exercise, 'doctors' represented the most important aspect of health care to participants, followed by cost, attention, coverage and respect. Discussions of health-care quality revealed an even mix of structural factors (e.g. timeliness) and interpersonal factors (e.g. communication), although few differences were observed by beneficiary characteristics. Participants linked themes in their overall framing of 'quality' - revealing processes of care that affect health outcomes (e.g. discontinuity of care resulting from poor communication with providers) and which were often mediated by advocate providers who assisted patients experiencing barriers to services. Discussion and conclusions Findings support other studies that highlight the importance of the patient-provider relationship. Patient-centred definitions of health-care quality can complement predominant provider-centred conceptual frameworks and better inform initiatives for public reporting of quality measures in these populations.
Chitin as a Measure of Mold Contamination of Agricultural Commodities and Foods

Chitin is a polysaccharide of β-(1→4)-linked 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-glucose (N-acetyl-d-glucosamine) that is found in the cell walls of fungi. In an effort to develop new methods to detect fungi in plant and animal tissues, chemical analyses based on fungal cell wall components have been evaluated. Chitin is not present in plant or most food animal tissues; therefore, the entire sample can be hydrolyzed and analyzed for fungal chitin. Acid, alkaline, and enzymatic hydrolysis have been used to cleave the β-(1→4)-glycosidic bond to produce glucosamine, chitosan, or N-acetylglucosamine. The major methods used to analyze these degradation products have included colorimetry; chromatography (gas chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, amino acid analysis); microscopy, using fluorescent, nonfluorescent or immunofluorescent dyes; near-infrared spectroscopy; and titrametric assays. Chitin has been used to estimate and quantify fungal growth in plants, wood, grains, hay, and foods. There was an increase in the chitin content as the mold increased; however, the chitin assay showed more variability than other assays for detecting fungal contamination. The future use of the chitin assay will depend upon improvements in sensitivity, assay time, simplified methodology and equipment, and development of reliable conversion factors for converting chitin to fungal dry weight.
Patent-Free Authenticated-Encryption As Fast As OCB

This paper presents an efficient authenticated encryption construction based on a universal hash function and block cipher. Encryption is achieved via counter-mode while authentication uses the Wegman-Carter paradigm. A single block-cipher key is used for both operations. The construction is instantiated using the hash functions of UMAC and VMAC, resulting in authenticated encryption with peak performance about ten percent slower than encryption alone.
Large-scale isolation and cytotoxicity of extracellular vesicles derived from activated human natural killer cells

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been the focus of great interest, as they appear to be involved in numerous important cellular processes. They deliver bioactive macromolecules such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, allowing intercellular communication in multicellular organisms. EVs are secreted by all cell types, including immune cells such as natural killer cells (NK), and they may play important roles in the immune system. Currently, a large-scale procedure to obtain functional NK EVs is lacking, limiting their use clinically. In this report, we present a simple, robust, and cost-effective method to isolate a large quantity of NK EVs. After propagating and activating NK cells ex vivo and then incubating them in exosome-free medium for 48 h, EVs were isolated using a polymer precipitation method. The isolated vesicles contain the tetraspanin CD63, an EV marker, and associated proteins (fibronectin), but are devoid of cytochrome C, a cytoplasmic marker. Nanoparticle tracking analysis showed a size distribution between 100 and 200 nm while transmission electron microscopy imaging displayed vesicles with an oval shape and comparable sizes, fulfilling the definition of EV. Importantly, isolated EV fractions were cytotoxic against cancer cells. Furthermore, our results demonstrate for the first time that isolated activated NK (aNK) cell EVs contain the cytotoxic proteins perforin, granulysin, and granzymes A and B, incorporated from the aNK cells. Activation of caspase -3, -7 and -9 was detected in cancer cells incubated with aNK EVs, and caspase inhibitors blocked aNK EV-induced cytotoxicity, suggesting that aNK EVs activate caspase pathways in target cells. The ability to isolate functional aNK EVs on a large scale may lead to new clinical applications. Abbreviations: NK: natural killer cells; activated NK (aNK) cells; EVs: extracellular vesicles; ALL: acute lymphoblastic leukaemia; aAPC: artificial antigen-presenting cell; TEM: transmission electron microscope; PBMC: peripheral blood mononuclear cells; FBS: foetal bovine serum.
A Predictive Model for Chemotherapy-Associated Thrombosis Based on Findings from a Prospective Outpatient Registry.

Abstract Background : Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant complication of cancer and particularly of newer anti-cancer therapies. The risk of VTE is estimated to be 0.04%/month (0.5%/year) in cancer patients. We conducted a prospective analysis to determine the frequency and risk factors for symptomatic VTE in cancer patients actively receiving chemotherapy. Methods : The Awareness of Neutropenia in Cancer (ANC) Study Group is currently enrolling patients with breast, lung, colon, ovary and other cancers, at 137 sites nationwide, with an accrual goal of 4,500 patients. Patients are registered at the time of initiation of a new chemotherapy regimen, and followed for the duration of 4 cycles. The association of VTE with clinical variables was studied in univariate analysis and in a multiple logistic regression model. No significant first-order interactions were observed between the variables in this model. A risk score for VTE was estimated for each subject from the weighted sum of model predictor variables from the multivariate model. Results : A total of 2,151 patients treated with at least one cycle of chemotherapy were available for analysis. Pulmonary embolism occurred in 11, and deep venous thrombosis in 35, for a VTE incidence of 2.14 % over median follow-up of 2.5 months (0.85%/month). Incidence of first VTE event was greatest in cycles 1 (0.93%/cycle) and 2 (0.88%/cycle), and declined in cycle 3 (0.53%/cycle). Incidence varied significantly by site of disease (p=0.01) with highest rates in patients with upper gastrointestinal (2.4%/month) and lung cancers (1.2%/month), and lymphomas (1.2%/month). Other clinical variables associated with development of VTE in univariate analysis included baseline platelet count ≥350,000, an ECOG PS ≥ 2, and baseline use of erythropoietin or colony-stimulating factors. Patients with VTE reported a chemotherapy delay of ≥ 7 days in 40% compared to 23.6% in patients without VTE (OR 2.15, p=0.01). Based on the results of the multivariate model (c statistic=0.73[.65,.81]) the population was divided into low, intermediate and high-risk based on tertiles of risk scores. Patients deemed high-risk had a VTE risk of 1.5%/month, which was a six-fold increase compared to those deemed low-risk (see Table). Conclusion : Symptomatic VTE is much more frequent in cancer patients on chemotherapy than previously estimated, even in patients with hematologic malignancies. VTE is associated with a nearly two-fold risk of significant delay in chemotherapy, which could impact on cancer outcomes. This is the first prospectively generated predictive model for chemotherapy-associated thrombosis, and can be used to define a high-risk study population for trials of thromboprophylaxis. Incidence of Chemotherapy-Associated VTE By Risk Categories Risk Score N VTE events Observed VTE Incidence(%) Predicted VTE Incidence(%) Low 648 4 0.62(0.24/month) 0.58(0.23/month) Intermediate 702 10 1.42(0.56/month) 1.48(0.59/month) High 799 30 3.75(1.5/month) 3.73(1.49/month)
“It Wasn’t Like That in the Movie”: Novelization and Expansion

In Chapter 2, I argue that novelizations make specific contributions to a given work’s adaptation network, particularly in their ability to attract reluctant readers, to expand readers’ understanding of characters and context, to provide alternative versions of a work’s narrative and outcome, and to affirm the set of recognizable reference points audiences come to associate with a given work. This chapter provides a brief overview of the history of novelization and its various subgenres, addresses how novelization aligns with other modes of adaptation and word-image negotiation, and considers what conversations about novelization reveal about medial biases and audiences’ expectations for adaptation. I examine processes by which novelizations can complicate readers’ understanding of particular works by providing alternate endings, as is the case in the novelizations of My Girl (1991) and Pretty in Pink (1986), or backstory and social context, as in the case of the novelization of Basic Instinct (1992). In an examination of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chosen (2003), the novelization of the show’s seventh season, I look also at the manner in which novelization can expand the range of intertexts through which a given work or franchise is viewed. Using novelizations of Grease (1978) and The Wizard of Oz (1993) as test cases, I consider also some challenges of adaptation posed by the seemingly “unwritable” genre of the musical. I conclude with a consideration of the contributions fan-produced tie-in writing make to adaptation networks.
Pathways to pulmonary hypertension in sickle cell disease: the search for prevention and early intervention

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) develops in a significant number of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. This review focuses on PH pathophysiology, risk stratification, and new recommendations for screening and treatment for patients with SCD.Areas covered: An extensive PubMed literature search was performed. While the pathophysiology of PH in SCD is yet to be fully deciphered, it is known that the etiology is multifactorial; hemolysis, hypercoagulability, hypoxemia, ischemic-reperfusion injury, oxidative stress, and genetic susceptibility all contribute in varying degrees to endothelial dysfunction. Hemolysis, in particular, seems to play a key role by inciting an imbalance in the regulatory axis of nitric oxide and arginine metabolism. Systematic risk stratification starting in childhood based on clinical features and biomarkers that enable early detection is necessary. Multi-faceted, targeted interventions, before irreversible vascul...
Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Dynamics on Manifolds

Several abstract developments are introduced that allow development of Euler–Lagrange equations and Hamilton’s equations within a geometric setting. This includes the assumption that the configuration manifold is a Lie group or a homogeneous space. In all cases, Euler–Lagrange equations and Hamilton’s equations are derived using variational arguments.
A comparison of narrative skill in Spanish-English bilinguals and their functionally monolingual Spanish-speaking and English-only peers:

Purpose:The Spanish and English narrative skills of young (mean age = 5.65 years) Spanish-English bilinguals were compared to functionally monolingual Spanish and English-only speakers’ narrative s...
Regulation of T helper cell responses during antigen presentation by norepinephrine‐exposed endothelial cells

Dermal blood vessels and regional lymph nodes are innervated by sympathetic nerves and, under stress, sympathetic nerves release norepinephrine (NE). Exposure of primary murine dermal microvascular endothelial cells (pDMECs) to NE followed by co-culture with Langerhans cells (LCs), responsive CD4+ T-cells and antigen resulted in modulation of CD4+ T-cell responses. NE-treatment of pDMECs induced increased production of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-17A while down-regulating interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-22 release. This effect did not require contact between pDMECs and LCs or T-cells and depended upon pDMEC production of IL-6. The presence of NE-treated pDMECs increased the proportion of CD4+ T-cells expressing intracellular IL-17A and increased IL-17A mRNA while decreasing the proportion of IFN-γ- or IL-22-expressing CD4+ T-cells and mRNA levels for those cytokines. Retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor gamma (ROR-γt) mRNA was significantly increased in CD4+ T-cells while T-box transcription factor (T-bet) mRNA was decreased. Intradermal administration of NE prior to hapten immunization at the injection site produced a similar bias in draining lymph node CD4+ T-cells towards IL-17A and away from IFN-γ and IL-22 production. Under stress, release of NE may have significant regulatory effects on the outcome of antigen presentation through actions on ECs with enhancement of inflammatory skin disorders involving IL-17/T helper type 17 (Th17) cells.
Proteomic identification of virulence-related factors in young and aging C. elegans infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Abstract The molecular mechanisms that distinguish immunosenescence from general age-related decline are poorly understood. We addressed this by exposing Day 1 and Day 5 adults of Caenorhabditis elegans to Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PA01, an opportunistic pathogen. Day 5 adult C. elegans exhibited greater vulnerability to infection as compared to Day 1 C. elegans. Using TMT6-plex isobaric labeling and reductive dimethylation, we identified 55 proteins whose levels were altered following infection of Day 1 and Day 5 adults. Proteins whose levels changed in response to infection at both ages were strongly enriched for locomotory functions underscoring the importance of pathogen avoidance mechanisms. In Day 1 C. elegans, proteins with reproductive functions were highly enriched, whereas, Day 5 worms showed elevated levels of factors representing stress response pathways such as unfolded protein response (UPR) and metabolic functions. We also found that PA01 infection is associated with elevated protein carbonylation, an irreversible marker for oxidative stress. We explored the function of UNC-60, a cytoskeletal protein whose levels were changed by both age and infection, and found that mutants of unc-60 have reduced lifespan. Overall, our data provide novel insights into the relationship between age and immunosenescence in metazoans. Significance There are gaps in our knowledge pertaining to how aging influences an organism's response to pathogen exposure. In C. elegans, pathogen exposure to P. aeruginosa PA01 results in shortened lifespan, which is more pronounced in Day 5, compared to Day 1 adult worms. The proteome has age-specific responses to this exposure, and notably affects development, reproduction, metabolism, protein folding/unfolding, locomotion, and response to stress. This study addresses the molecular links between aging and immunosenescence in invertebrates.
ICU Care of the Solid Organ Transplant Recipient

After studying this chapter, you should be able to Identify and approach the management of perioperative complications after solid organ transplantation. Recognize the role of immunosuppressive therapy in allograft preservation as well as patient toxicity. Discuss the evaluation and management of posttransplant organ rejection. Recognize the broad spectrum of infections that occur in this immunocompromised patient population. Describe the prophylaxis and treatment of infections after solid organ transplantation.
Evaluation of Radiative Flux and Tropospheric Chemistry Under Global Climate Change Scenarios

A detailed one dimensional radiation model coupled with a comprehensive regional scale photochemical model(STEM-II) is used to evaluate ground level ultraviolet radiation and changes in photochemical oxidant concentrations under potential global change scenarios. The simulations are conducted for a representative metropolitan region in eastern United States. The simulations involve perturbations to radiative flux based on trends of stratospheric ozone loss. The impact of increased radiative flux on tropospheric ozone is analyzed. In addition, the effects of tropospheric pollution levels on ground level radiative flux are studied. For the urban environment increased tropospheric ultraviolet radiation leads to an increase in photochemical production while ground level radiative fluxes are significantly reduced as a result of increased levels of tropospheric ozone production.
Light Yield and Light Collection Uniformity

Given the large size of the CsI[Na] detector, a crucial calibration was to probe the light collection uniformity along the crystal. A 241Am source was placed on the outside of the copper can at nine equally spaced positions along the length of the CsI[Na] detector to measure the light collection uniformity in the CsI[Na] crystal. The main γ-ray emission of this isotope only carries an energy of Eγ = 59.54 keV. This low energy ensures that interactions with the crystal occur in close vicinity to the source location. As a result, only a small volume of the crystal is irradiated for each source location. Comparing the total light yield, i.e., the number of SPE produced per unit energy, found at each position provides a measure for the nonuniformity in the detector response.
Development of a coalescence model due to turbulence for the population balance equation

Abstract The current research introduces a new mathematical framework to develop coalescence models for turbulent flows in the context of population balance equations. Previous researchers have modeled the coalescence term as two independent factors: the collision rate and the coalescence efficiency. In contrast, the new approach formulates the coalescence term as a single entity and directly accounts for the effect of turbulence on the probability of coalescence. It also considers the angle between the line of centers and the relative velocity of the bubbles. The coalescence model becomes complete when the interaction and the drainage times are incorporated in the new framework. The model is then tested successfully against experimental data from the literature. A few parametric runs to study the behavior of the coalescence kernel complete the paper.
RNA ligation precedes the retrotransposition of U6/LINE-1 chimeric RNA.

Long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1 or L1) amplifies via retrotransposition. Active L1s encode 2 proteins (ORF1p and ORF2p) that bind their encoding transcript to promote retrotransposition in cis. The L1-encoded proteins also promote the retrotransposition of small-interspersed element RNAs, noncoding RNAs, and messenger RNAs in trans. Some L1-mediated retrotransposition events consist of a copy of U6 RNA conjoined to a variably 5′-truncated L1, but how U6/L1 chimeras are formed requires elucidation. Here, we report the following: The RNA ligase RtcB can join U6 RNAs ending in a 2′,3′-cyclic phosphate to L1 RNAs containing a 5′-OH in vitro; depletion of endogenous RtcB in HeLa cell extracts reduces U6/L1 RNA ligation efficiency; retrotransposition of U6/L1 RNAs leads to U6/L1 pseudogene formation; and a unique cohort of U6/L1 chimeric RNAs are present in multiple human cell lines. Thus, these data suggest that U6 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) and RtcB participate in the formation of chimeric RNAs and that retrotransposition of chimeric RNA contributes to interindividual genetic variation.
Latent classes for chemical mixtures analyses in epidemiology: an example using phthalate and phenol exposure biomarkers in pregnant women.

Latent class analysis (LCA), although minimally applied to the statistical analysis of mixtures, may serve as a useful tool for identifying individuals with shared real-life profiles of chemical exposures. Knowledge of these groupings and their risk of adverse outcomes has the potential to inform targeted public health prevention strategies. This example applies LCA to identify clusters of pregnant women from a case–control study within the LIFECODES birth cohort with shared exposure patterns across a panel of urinary phthalate metabolites and parabens, and to evaluate the association between cluster membership and urinary oxidative stress biomarkers. LCA identified individuals with: “low exposure,” “low phthalates, high parabens,” “high phthalates, low parabens,” and “high exposure.” Class membership was associated with several demographic characteristics. Compared with “low exposure,” women classified as having “high exposure” had elevated urinary concentrations of the oxidative stress biomarkers 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (19% higher, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 7, 32%) and 8-isoprostane (31% higher, 95% CI = −5, 64%). However, contrast examinations indicated that associations between oxidative stress biomarkers and “high exposure” were not statistically different from those with “high phthalates, low parabens” suggesting a minimal effect of higher paraben exposure in the presence of high phthalates. The presented example offers verification of latent class assignments through application to an additional data set as well as a comparison to another unsupervised clustering approach, k-means clustering. LCA may be more easily implemented, more consistent, and more able to provide interpretable output.
The Andean Common Market's Common Regime for Foreign Investment

The Andean Group (ACM) was organized as a subregion of the Latin American Free Trade Association under the Agreement of Cartagena in 1969. This article analyzes its provisions and effects. It concludes that the ACM's Common Regime of Treatment of Foreign Capital seems to be a well-balanced set of rules representing an ambitious attempt at reconciling national and regional development interests with the need for foreign capital and technology on terms equitable and remunerative to those who supply them. It is not perfect on the one hand, but on the other hand it is almost certainly not so bad as some United States business interests would paint it. The Common Regime, however, is, more than perhaps anything else, an invitation to all the participants in the ACM economies to reason together and forge a mutually beneficial way forward built on disclosure and common concern.
Lithographically patterned nanowire electrodeposition

Lithographically Patterned Nanowire Electrodeposition (LPNE) is a new nanofabrication technique in which photolithography is used to define the position of electrodeposited nanowires on the surface of a dielectric such as glass or oxidized silicon. In LPNE, a resist-covered nickel film with a thickness of beween 6 and 100 nm is photopatterned. After development of the resist, the exposed nickel is dissolved in nitric acid under conditions that produce an “undercut” at the resist edges. This undercut functions as a horizontal trench into which metals (e.g., Au, Pt, Pd) can be electrodeposited using the exposed nickel edge present within this trench. As this trench is filled during electrodeposition, a nanowire with a precisely defined height and width is formed along the entire perimeter of the photoresist. LPNE nanowires can have minimum dimensions of 6 nm (h) x 20 nm (w) and lengths of more than 1 cm. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Measure What You Treasure: Elevating the Work of Architects in the Academy

In 1981, Tom Wolfe offered an answer to a question posed by this special issue of JAE: what is the value of the built work of architects in the academy? How do architecture schools, or “compounds” ...
Masking Real Unemployment: The Overall and Racial Impact of Survey Non-Response on Measured Labor Market Outcomes

A large and growing percentage of households are missed in the monthly Current Population Survey (CPS). For the survey as a whole, the rate of nonresponse is roughly 13 percent. This is higher for Blacks, with the share for young Black men being about 30 percent. The BLS's current methodology effectively assumes that, with adjustment for various characteristics, people who are not included in a follow up survey may not differ systematically from those who are included. The present paper, however, provides evidence that this may not be the case. With the rotation panel structure of the CPS data from 2003 to 2019, we investigate bias from nonresponse in CPS and its association with one's prior labor market status, paying particular attention to how the relationship differs by race, ethnicity, and gender. Our analysis suggests that people are considerably more likely to be missing in a subsequent observation if they are unemployed or not in the labor force in the prior observation. We also estimate what the real labor market outcomes might have been when adjusting for nonresponse and undercoverage. Findings indicate that the current methodology may underestimate the national unemployment and labor force participation rates by about 0.7 and 0.5 percentage points, respectively. The gap between observed and adjusted unemployment rates tends to grow beginning in 2015. The unemployment rate is more understated for Blacks than for whites, particularly with a gap of about 3.3 percentage points for young Black men (age 16 to 34). The unemployment rate for Black women is understated by around 2.4 percentage points.
Perspective on New Equations for Estimating Glomerular Filtration Rate.

The Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes 2012 Clinical Practice Guideline on Chronic Kidney Disease (1) recommends calculating estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using equations developed by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) for adults ≥18 years (2) and by the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) for ages <18 years (3). These equations were recommended because they used readily available information, serum/plasma/blood creatinine, plus age, sex, and race for adults, and height for children; and have been validated in large and diverse cohorts of people who had measured glomerular filtration rate (mGFR) as a basis for establishing accuracy.
Competition of Multi-Platform Ecosystems in the IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the most significant contemporary technology trends, and it has the potential to transform business and society. For example, consumer IoT devices, such as smartwatches and smart speakers, create significant value for consumers. This article proposes a novel analytical model that captures strategic behavior in the IoT context. We introduce the concept of a multi-platform ecosystem created by a firm that offers a system of platforms, such as a smartphone and a smart speaker. We analyze the competition of multiplatform ecosystems, and we show how multi-platform design choices affect consumer choices and market outcomes. Moreover, we formalize the IoT evolution, which results from firms adding new device capabilities over time. We identify distinct eras of competition, and we analyze the economic effects of each era. We show when a smart platform device that is a networked complement becomes a networked substitute for the incumbent platform. We also show that the degree of a smart device’s differentiation is the prime factor determining if it is profitable to keep a smart device distinct from the incumbent smartphone platform or copy familiar features. We provide managerial insights on multi-platform firms and multi-platform ecosystems and we identify opportunities for future research.
The Black Family: A Generational Causality of War

Historically, the black family in the United States has faced several challenges given the destructive experiences throughout the diaspora. Despite several hardships such as slavery, the Great Depression and following migrations in American history, the black family was somewhat intact until the Vietnam War. During the period of the first fully integrated war in America, the family structure for blacks also changed. Ironically, the structural change occurred during a period when American also codified some civil rights for black Americans with the 1964 Civil Rights bill and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. This essay will give a brief review of some of the structural changes for the black family and consider war as a compelling factor in the rise of single parenthood in the American black family.
Participatory Mapping and Management of Natural Resource Conflicts

Maps communicate our experiences about the landscape and are, therefore, ideal tools for negotiating disagreements over land-based resources. In managing resource conflicts, maps provide the opposing parties with the medium and tools to realize their priorities in cooperation or competition with each other. Maps are also assertions of power, and state maps were instrumental in conquering native lands in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. However, critical reviews of the Cartesian concept of mapping in the nineteenth century challenged beliefs that projected cartography as an objective science confined to professionals. The critiques created openings to redefine the map’s historical importance to highlight alternative mapping methods. Today, digital technology has transformed mapping from the art for a few cartographers and empowered non-state actors and communities with little or no background training to map their lands. The chapter discusses participatory mapping and distinguishes it from conventional and collaborative mapping practices. The chapter then reviews how digital mapping technology has improved participatory mapping and enhanced PGIS applications in conflict mitigation.
Station facilities and noise assessment: A multilevel analysis on light rail train stations

Noise is one of the most frequent consequences of traffic. Public transportation systems, such as the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) authority provides various modes of transportation. Even though the availability of commuting service for the public is a boon to communities, mass transit systems are potential sources of excessive sound levels in daily urban life. This article examines the nexus between the transit station facilities of light rail train (LRT) stations and noise implications at both station and neighborhood scales by studying selected LRT stations. A multilevel linear analysis was conducted to understand the degree of train station amenities and neighborhood characteristics that affect sound levels. Using a type II sound pressure level (SPL) meter, sound measurements were obtained during the weekdays and weekends over several weeks. Upon examining the station amenities, and built environment and sociodemographic characteristics of the neighborhood, findings of this comprehensive research reveal significant implications for sound levels. Stations with ticket vending machines and informative message boards include a higher degree of significance on SPLs, while shelters, crew rooms, bike lockers, restrooms, and windshields are significantly and negatively associated with the noise levels. Additionally, neighborhoods with dense roads, higher speed limits, more neighborhood facilities, and a higher number of transit routes have an increased likelihood of noise levels. Recommendations include creating transformative policies for implementation, and approaches addressing noise for transit authorities, transportation engineers, and planners are presented. Planning and engineering aspects of comfort, aesthetics, safety, and public health, as train stations are daily use spaces for commuters and surrounding communities, should also be considered. © 2021 Institute of Noise Control Engineering.
Coplanar Waveguide with FiniteWidth Ground Planes

This chapter looks at the characteristics of a conventional coplanar waveguide (CPW) and a conductor-backed coplanar waveguide (CBCPW) with finite-width top ground planes. Analytical expressions to determine the effective dielectric constant ?> eff and characteristic impedance Z 0 of a CPW with finite-width ground planes (FW-CPW) supported on a multilayer dielectric substrate are presented. A qualitative discussion of the modes that are supported by a conductor-backed CPW with top ground planes of finite width (FW-CBCPW) follows. The focus is on the dominant CPW mode and the microstrip-like mode (MSL).
The nature of adolescents' relationships with their "very important" nonparental adults.

As part of a larger program of research on the nature of adolescents' relationships with very important nonparental adults (hereafter referred to as “VIPs”), a community sample of 243 eleventh graders (mean age = 16.6 years) was surveyed, and a subgroup of 55 adolescents and their VIPs were interviewed about the nature and quality of their relationships. Results showed that (a) adolescent–VIP relationships were a normative component of adolescent development, not a result of problems in adolescents' lives; (b) adolescent–VIP relationships were generally of high quality (e.g., high support, low conflict, and high mutuality); (c) there were significant differences between kin and nonkin VIPs in terms of the duration of relationships and frequency of contact, but not in the quality of relationships; and (d) VIPs whom adolescents designated as extremely important were distinguished from other VIPs in terms of providing a higher level of social support and a higher frequency of contact. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Development of Rifapentine Susceptibility Tests for Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Two methods for testing the susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to rifapentine have been developed: the agar proportion method and the radiometric BACTEC technique. A critical concentration of 0.5 μg of rifapentine per ml is proposed for both methods since it provides a reliable means of distinguishing between susceptible and resistant M. tuberculosis isolates. It is recommended that two quality control M. tuberculosis strains be used at the introduction of these tests in a clinical laboratory: one that is pansusceptible (H37Rv) and one that is resistant to rifapentine. The resistant strain can be obtained from the American Type Culture Collection, where it is deposited under the number ATCC 700457.
Increased lymph node CD8+ T cell proliferation and memory cell markers upon conditional ablation of Langerhans cells in autoimmune mice (BA14P.215)

Systemic autoimmune diseases such as lupus are characterized by inflammation in many organs. The role of local tissue-resident immune cells in specific organ involvement in these diseases remains unclear. We evaluated the role of Langerhans cells (LC) as prototypic tissue-resident dendritic cells (DC) in eliciting local immune defects in the MRL model of lupus. Injection of diphtheria toxin (DT) in Lang-eGFP.DTR knock-in mice results in depletion of langerin+ dermal DC (dDC) and LC. To assess LC’s role in systemic autoimmunity, we introgressed the knock-in mutation from the stock B6 onto the MRL background. Serial DT injections every 7-10 days exacerbate inflammation in the skin (King et al) and cornea in MRL but not in B6 mice. To investigate underlying mechanisms, we assessed the effect of LC depletion on T cells in skin/eye draining cervical lymph nodes (cLN). There was a significantly higher proliferation of CD8+, but not CD4+, T cells in cLN of LC-ablated than control mice; such effect was not seen in spleen CD8+ T cells. Also, LC-ablated MRL, but not B6 mice, exhibited reduced CD62L on cLN T cells. Further, freshly isolated dDC were more efficient than LC in promoting the proliferation of CD8+, but not CD4+, cNL T cells. Such local regulation of CD8+ T cells may play a role in immune tolerance locally. A defect in this mechanism owing to reduced LC migration in MRL mice (Eriksson and Singh, 2008) may confer skin/eye inflammation, without affecting other organs
Is a Higgs vacuum instability fatal for high-scale inflation?

We study the inflationary evolution of a scalar field $h$ with an unstable potential for the case where the Hubble parameter $H$ during inflation is larger than the instability scale ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}_{I}$ of the potential. Quantum fluctuations in the field of size $\ensuremath{\delta}h\ensuremath{\sim}\frac{H}{2\ensuremath{\pi}}$ imply that the unstable part of the potential is sampled during inflation. We investigate the evolution of these fluctuations to the unstable regime and in particular whether they generate cosmological defects or even terminate inflation. We apply the results of a toy scalar model to the case of the Standard Model Higgs boson, the quartic of which evolves to negative values at high scales, and extend previous analyses of Higgs dynamics during inflation utilizing statistical methods to a perturbative and fully gauge-invariant formulation. We show that the dynamics are controlled by the renormalization group-improved quartic coupling $\ensuremath{\lambda}(\ensuremath{\mu})$ evaluated at a scale $\ensuremath{\mu}=H$, such that Higgs fluctuations are enhanced by the instability if $Hg{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}_{I}$. Even if $Hg{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}_{I}$, the instability in the Standard Model Higgs potential does not end inflation; instead the universe slowly sloughs off crunching patches of space that never come to dominate the evolution. As inflation proceeds past 50 $e$-folds, a significant proportion of patches exits inflation in the unstable vacuum, and as much as 1% of the spacetime can rapidly evolve to a defect. Depending on the nature of these defects, however, the resulting universe could still be compatible with ours.
Revolution and redistribution in Iran: poverty and inequality 25 years later

Despite nearly three decades of revolutionary government rule in Iran poverty and inequality remain the central issues of political debate in Iran. Public dissatisfaction, as demonstrated by the electoral success of the populist candidate in the 2005 presidential election, has been widely attributed to rising poverty and inequity. In this paper I use household survey data to describe the trends in poverty and inequality for the last three decades. The evidence shows that poverty, having substantially declined in recent years, is quite low by international standards and in comparison to pre-revolution years. Inequality improved significantly immediately after the Revolution but has remained relatively stable during the last 15 years. Significantly, poverty sharply declined and inequality decreased somewhat in the five years leading up to the election. Increased welfare of the poor over the period is also evident in access to basic services, such as electricity and safe water, as well as in ownership of household appliances. The wide gap between the evidence presented here, which shows improvement in the welfare of the poor, and popular sentiments in Iran, which indicate worsening poverty and inequality, raises important questions about the political economy of redistribution in Iran. I suggest that in the context of a distributive economy such as Iran's, in which wealth accumulation is seen to depend more on political access than individual productivity, more subjective feelings of envy and fairness may matter more than objective indicators of poverty and inequality.