cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Continuum multiscale modeling of finite deformation plasticity and anisotropic damage in polycrystals

Abstract A framework for describing the deformation and failure responses of multi-phase polycrystalline microstructures is developed from micromechanical considerations and volume averaging techniques. Contributions from damage (i.e., displacement discontinuities such as cracks, voids, and shear bands) are captured explicitly in the framework’s kinematics and balance relations through additive decompositions of the total deformation gradient and nominal stress, respectively. These additive decompositions—which notably enable description of arbitrarily anisotropic deformations and stresses induced by damage—are derived following the generalized theorem of Gauss, i.e., a version of the divergence theorem of vector calculus. A specific rendition of the general framework is applied to study the response of a dual-phase tungsten (W) alloy consisting of relatively stiff pure W grains embedded in a more ductile metallic binder material. In the present implementation, a Taylor scheme is invoked to average grain responses within each phase, with the local behavior of individual grains modeled with finite deformation crystal plasticity theory. The framework distinguishes between the effects of intergranular damage at grain and phase boundaries and transgranular damage (e.g., cleavage fracture of individual crystals). Strength reduction is induced by the evolving volume fraction of damage (i.e., porosity) and microcrack densities. Model predictions are compared with experimental data and observations for the W alloy subjected to various loading conditions.
Real-Time Heart Model for Implantable Cardiac Device Validation and Verification

Designing bug-free medical device software is challenging, especially in complex implantable devices that may be used in unanticipated contexts. Safety recalls of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators due to firmware problems between 1990 and 2000 affected over 200, 000 devices. This encompasses 41% of the devices recalled and continues to increase in frequency. There is currently no formal methodology or open experimental platform to validate and verify the correct operation of medical device software. To this effect, a real-time Virtual Heart Model (VHM) has been developed to model the electrophysiological operation of the functioning (i.e. during normal sinus rhythm) and malfunctioning (i.e. during arrhythmia) heart. We present a methodology to construct a timed-automata model by extracting timing properties of the heart. The platform employs functional and formal interfaces for validation and verification of implantable cardiac devices. We demonstrate the VHM is capable of generating clinically-relevant response to intrinsic (i.e. premature stimuli) and external (i.e. artificial pacemaker) signals for a variety of common arrhythmias. By connecting the VHM with a pacemaker model, we are able to pace and synchronize the heart during the onset of irregular heart rhythms. The VHM has also been implemented on a hardware platform for closed-loop experimentation with existing and virtual medical devices. This integrated functional and formal device design approach has potential to help expedite medical device certification for safe operation.
Comparative Analysis of Strain and Stress in MBE and MOCVD grown GaN thin films on sapphire

In this study, the causes of biaxial and hydrostatic stress components in epitaxially grown thin GaN films on sapphire are analyzed. It is observed that growth by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) and by Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) are governed by very similar physical principles. Differences in the absolute stress values are mainly due to the difference in growth temperature. It is argued that in the case of MOCVD growth the onset of plasticity for higher growth temperatures is responsible for a larger stress relaxation in the buffer layer. It is further found that either process can result in highly off-stoichiometric GaN layers, as manifested by the large variations in the a and c lattice parameters caused by intrinsic point defects.
The Oak Ridge Competitive Electricity Dispatch (ORCED) Model

The Oak Ridge Competitive electricity Dispatch (ORCED) model has been used for multiple analyses of the impacts of different technologies and policies on the electricity grid. The model was developed over ten years ago and has been greatly enhanced since the initial documentation from June 1998 (ORNL/CON-464). The report gives guidance on the workflow and methodologies used, but does not provide a complete user's manual detailing steps necessary to operate the model. It lists the major resources used, shows the main inputs and outputs of the model, and describes how it can be used for a variety of analyses.
‘Ziegfeld Girls Coming Down A Runway’: Exhibiting Minerals at the Smithsonian

Between 1876 and 1997, the exhibition policies and practices of the mineralogical collections of the Smithsonian Institution went through a number of shifts. Focusing on the social and intellectual contexts of these shifts and their reception by museum-goers and reviewers, this article looks at the process by which natural history museums capture, discipline and display natural objects. The article builds on the premise that natural history museums and exhibitions exist, in part, to teach people how they should look at and think about nature. The author draws on Arturo Escobar’s idea of ‘regimes of nature’ to examine how shifts in exhibitionary practices manifest shifting understandings of nature in the United States. From 1876 to 1997, she identifies four different nature regimes represented in the Smithsonian mineral exhibits. These regimes propose different articulations between nature, the nation-state, US capital and the museum-going public and the author labels them ‘nature as resource’, ‘nature as ...
Counterpoint: Accessibility and Sprawl

This essay provides a counterpoint to Robert Bruegmann's perspective on accessibility and sprawl in this journal volume. Bruegmann's recent work on the history of urban form situates contemporary discussions of sprawl in a well-researched historical context; however, this essay takes a different perspective on several key points in Bruegmann's analysis, particularly in relation to cost-benefit analysis for transportation-disadvantaged populations.
Modeling Propagation in Negative Index Media Using Causal Complex Dispersion Relations

Starting from the causality of the permittivity and permeability of a medium, we investigate the causality of the propagation constant. We show that a reduced dispersion relation, obtained from the frequency dependence of the propagation constant by neglecting a linear frequency dependent term, obeys causality. The propagation constant is identical to the reduced propagation constant under appropriate limiting values of the physical parameters. We illustrate the causality of the reduced propagation constant through examples of (a) a nonmagnetic material where the permittivity is given by the Lorentz model, (b) a material where the permittivity and permeability are both Lorentz-type, and (c) an effective medium comprising a nonmagnetic material with Lorentz-type permittivity in a dispersionless host medium, where the effective permittivity is given by the Maxwell–Garnett rule. Causality of the propagation constant enables the use of simple operator formalisms to derive the underlying partial differential equations for baseband and envelope wave propagation, as demonstrated through an illustrative example of a negative index medium with gain.
Actors as Activists: The Theatre Arts Committee Cabaret, 1938–1941

Given the omnipresence of performers of all political stripes speaking for a variety of causes and candidates, it is difficult to remember a time when artist-activists were not an integral part of America's theatrical landscape. Indeed, under David Douglass's leadership, the American Company (formerly the Hallam Company) assuaged Puritan fears about the presence of ‘theatricals’ in staid eighteenth-century New England by performing benefits for local causes, thereby injecting its work with a social purpose. Throughout its history the American theatre has used performance as a propaganda weapon for such causes as abolition (Uncle Tom's Cabin, 1852), temperance (Ten Nights in a Bar Room, 1858), civil rights (A Raisin in the Sun, 1959), and currently the AIDS crisis (Angels in America, 1993). Political activism in the American theatre flourished in the 1930s, largely through the work and ideology of such enterprises as the Group Theatre, the Theatre Union, even the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, and similar left-wing movements that sought to produce plays that deal boldly with deep-going social conflicts, the economic, emotional, and cultural problems that confront the majority of people. The mission was realized mostly through traditional theatre means, i.e. plays or agit-prop dramas a la Federal Theatre Project's Living Newspapers. These have been chronicled in a number of useful surveys, most notably Gerald Rabkin's Drama and Commitment (1964), Sam Smiley's The Drama of Attack (1972), and especially Malcolm Goldstein's detailed look at the 1930s radical theatre, The Political Stage (1974).
The future of work in the digital diaspora: economic restructuring and education

The microprocessor and digital technologies have spawned an economic revolution enabling the global customization of mass production and services in close synchronization with the automation of consumer processes. An important outcome of this revolution is the embedding of educational processes within commercial transactions before the sale and following delivery, before which the transaction is not complete. These new processes demand that business and education work collaboratively in a new digital environment potentiating a global diaspora of highly interactive entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial commerce. The new methods of telecommunications will be so powerful and ubiquitous as to become the ESL of the new millennium. People will need to learn the methods and processes of digital work to participate in the new economy. Explores the belief that these trends have serious implications for the processes by which education prepares students for the world of work, how education and business work together, and how society prepares citizens for roles in the new economy.
Sitting at the table: securing benefits for pastoral women from land tenure reform in Ethiopia

Abstract The pastoral areas of Ethiopia are witnessing radical change in terms of both increasingly restricted mobility and access to vital resources. A cause and consequence of such constraints has been a move toward sedentarised forms of livestock and agricultural production. This is occurring in a political and socio-economic vacuum, in which the customary institutions responsible for resource allocation and access to land are becoming weaker, and where the Ethiopian government has yet to develop a clear policy or strategy for resource distribution and tenure security in pastoral areas. To date, pastoral women's property rights have been afforded a certain degree of protection by customary institutions; however, the impact on such protection is likely to be negative as these institutions weaken. Appropriate and effective government protection for women's property rights do not yet exist. Land tenure reform in pastoral areas appears imminent, partly due to increasing conflicts over access to resources, ...
Correlation of Serum 3α-Androstanediol Glucuronide with Acne and Chest Hair Density in Men

Serum 3α-androstanediol glucuronide (3α-Adiol-G) is considered to be an indicator of peripheral tissue androgen metabolism. Precursor circulating androgens are converted in peripheral tissue to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is ultimately metabolized to 3α-Adiol-G and secreted from the cell. Elevated serum 3α-Adiol-G concentrations have been reported in women in hyperandrogenic states. We studied 44 consecutive male medical students for chest hair density, acne, and serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), total testosterone (total T), free and albumin-bound (bioavailable) T (bio T), and 3α-Adiol-G concentrations. Although there was considerable overlap of serum 3α-Adiol-G values among the groups defined by hair density or acne scores, we found statistically significant correlations between serum 3α-Adiol-G and chest hairiness (P = 0.0034), acne (P = 0.0005), and a combined chest hairiness and acne score (P = 0.0018). There was no significant correlation between these clinical parameters and the l...
Re: β-Carotene: a Miss for Epidemiology

In an editorial in the December 15 issue of the Journal, Dr. James Marshall presents a compelling hypothesis about the apparent disagreement between the epidemiologic and experimental data regarding b-carotene as a chemopreventative agent (1). He argues that b-carotene may have been only a marker compound for one or more other protective phytonutrients. Indeed, there are ample data to support such reasoning. However, there is another equally compelling reason for the disparate findings on b-carotene. The synthetic form of b-carotene found in supplements, and hence used in most clinical trials, is the all-trans form. The naturally occurring form of this nutrient contains about 50% trans-isomer and several other forms, the most prevalent being 9-cis-b-carotene (2,3). While serum concentrations of the highly lipophilic 9-cis isomer are very low, even with supplementation of natural, mixed isomeric carotenoids (2), tissue concentrations of this compound have been measured at 10%–20% of total b-carotene (4). The 9-cis form of b-carotene has much greater antioxidant activity in humans than the synthetic all-trans form (2). Moreover, in vitro (5) and preliminary human data (3) indicate that the naturally occurring forms of b-carotene have a better ability to block malignant transformation than the synthetic alltrans isomer. Animal studies (6,7) suggest that the preferred form of carotenes for future studies should be the palm carotenoids, which contain lycopene, lutein, and a-carotene, in addition to the mixed isomers of b-carotene. In summary, Dr. Marshall’s assertion that further investigation of the antimalignant transformation activity of synthetic b-carotene supplements is not justified seems to be accurate. However, before we dismiss carotenes altogether, we should investigate the effect of palm carotenes in large-scale human trials.
Robust partitioning for hardware-accelerated functional verification

We introduce a method of partitioning for massively-parallel hardware accelerated functional verification. Our approach augments classical hypergraph partitioning to model temporal dependencies that maximize parallelization within the instruction memories of the machine. Simulation depth is further reduced by optimizing path criticality and cut directionality. Our techniques are demonstrated on an industrial accelerator containing 262,144 parallel processors, and benchmarked across designs containing up to 200 million gates.
Arthroscopic reduction and repair of a locked posterior shoulder dislocation.

Locked posterior shoulder dislocations are an uncommon but difficult problem for the orthopaedic clinician. Furthermore, they are often missed on initial presentation, resulting in signif- icant delays in treatment. Traditional treatment has involved formal open reduction, most commonly from an anterior approach, followed by transfer of the lesser tuberosity or subscapularis tendon into the anterior humeral head defect. We present the case of a patient with locked posterior shoulder dislocation, who was treated with arthroscopically assisted reduction followed by arthroscopic posterior stabilization. Use of this technique allows the surgeon to reduce the dislocation without performing an open arthrotomy, thereby decreasing the patient's overall morbidity. Furthermore, an arthroscopic technique used for stabilization allows visualization of the entire glenohumeral joint and enables the surgeon to directly address posterior disease, rather than compensating for the defect with an anteriorly based transfer. Key Words: Shoulder—Posterior dislocation—Arthroscopy.
Low-temperature solution process for preparing flexible transparent carbon nanotube film for use in flexible supercapacitors

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) possess high conductivity, mechanical strength, transparency, and flexibility, and are thus suitable for use in flexible electronics, transparent electrodes, and energy-storage and energy-harvesting applications. However, to exploit these properties, SWNTs must be de-bundled in a surfactant solution to permit processing and use. We report a new method to prepare a SWNT-based transparent conducting film (TCF) using the diazo dye 3,3′-([1,1′-biphenyl]-4,4′-diyl)bis(4-amino naphthalene-1-sulfonic acid), commonly known as Congo red (CR), as a dispersant. Uniform 20-nm-thick TCFs were prepared on rigid glass and flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. The CR-SWNT dispersion and the CR-SWNT TCFs were characterized via UV-Vis-NIR, Raman spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. The sheet resistivity of the CRSWNT TCF was ~34 ± 6.6 Ω/□ with a transmittance of 81% at 550 nm, comparable to that of indium tin oxide-based films. Unlike SWNT dispersions prepared in common surfactants, such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sodium cholate (SC), and Triton X-100, the CR-SWNT dispersion was amenable to forming TCF by drop coating. The CR-SWNT TCF was also very stable, maintaining a very low sheet resistivity even after 1,000 consecutive bending cycles of 8 mm bending radius. Further, manganese dioxide (MnO2) was electrochemically deposited on the CR-SWNT-PET film (MnO2-CR-SWNT-PET). The as-prepared MnO2-CR-SWNT-PET electrode exhibited high specific capacitance and bendability, demonstrating promise as a candidate electrode material for flexible supercapacitors.
CORE AND PERIPHERY RELATIONS: A CASE STUDY OF THE MAYA 1

How do indigenous peoples relate to the core over the longue duree? In this paper, we explore the implications of colonialism from a world-systems perspective, examining interactions in the economic and political structures in addition to the effects of landlessness for indigenous peoples in one case: the Maya. After reviewing world-systems theory and applying it to indigenousness, we discuss Ragin’s (1992) conceptualization of cases and the comparative historical method. Then we introduce the relational concept, a tool that allows us to employ both the comparative historical method and world-systems theory in our analysis of the Maya and their relationship to the state of Mexico. We then present our data, which consist of the economic and political conditions, along with the cultural implications of landholding across time among the Maya and in Mexico. We analyze these data using the relational concept to understand the consequences of colonialism and globalization for the Maya people.
Unlocking the gates to gene expression

In eukaryotes, genomic DNA is tightly packed into chromatin, and this structure must be disrupted to allow endogenous genes to be transcribed. In their Perspective, Fry and Peterson discuss new work (Soutoglou and Talianidis) describing how chromatin-remodeling enzymes can regulate different steps along the pathway leading to transcription.
Pentacene‐Zinc Oxide Vertical Diode with Compatible Grains and 15‐MHz Rectification

Vertical p-n junction organic-inorganic hybrid diodes are fabricated and characterized. The current density and rectification speed in the open atmosphere are higher than previously reported organic vertical diodes with relatively lower operating voltage, and the stability is encouraging.
Thirty Years of Meteorological Education at a Historically Black University

ABSTRACT Since 1975, the Jackson State University Meteorology Program (JSUMP) has played a unique role in the preparation of minorities for careers in the atmospheric sciences. Through external partnerships, incorporation of undergraduate research, summer internships, and involvement in activities of the professional societies, the JSUMP has graduated around 55 atmospheric scientists from underrepresented minorities between 1978 and 2008. In recent years, about half of the graduates have continued on to graduate school. These contributions are important to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) goal to develop a more diverse workforce, in particular for the National Weather Service. The JSUMP has also become active in outreach activities to K–12 schools and the general public through workshops, camps, and Web sites.
Phase-field method and Materials Genome Initiative (MGI)

Predicting and controlling the microstructure evolution within a material are considered as the “holy grail” of materials science and engineering. Many important engineering materials are designed by controlling their phase transformations and microstructure evolution. Examples include the improvement of mechanical properties through solid-state precipitation reactions in Ni-based superalloys and age-hardened Al alloys, the useful dielectric properties and electro-mechanical coupling effects by manipulating the phase transitions in ferroelectric crystals, and the memory effect of shape-memory alloys by utilizing martensitic transformations. Phase-field method has become the method of choice for modeling three-dimensional microstructure evolution for a wide variety of materials processes. This short article briefly discusses the potential roles that phase-field method can play in the Materials Genome Initiative.
Kinetics of defibrillation shock-induced response: design implications for the optimal defibrillation waveform

Introduction Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy is a well-established therapy for treating patients at high risk for sudden cardiac death. Recently formulated virtual electrode polarization theory is a promising foundation for the theory of defibrillation. Yet, continuing optimization of defibrillation therapy is limited to primarily empirical methods due to difficulties in assessing kinetics of cellular response in whole heart models of defibrillation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response of the myocardium in the context of virtual electrode polarization. Methods and results We used a Langendorff-perfused rabbit heart model of ICD therapy and voltage-sensitive fluorescent dye imaging in order to map kinetics of transmembrane potential during both mono- and biphasic shocks applied at various phases of the QT-interval. Cellular response was fitted to a single exponential function using the Levenberg-Marquardt method. Time constants () were measured in 45 288 optical records from 17 hearts. We found that cellular response depends upon both QTphase of application, intensity, polarity, and phase of the biphasic waveform. Shocks of larger strengths produce a faster response. The of the first-phase negatively polarizing response was significantly larger compared with the positively polarizing response at intensities below 200 V, but smaller at 200 V and above. The of the second phase negatively polarizing response was always slower than the positively polarizing response, regardless of amplitude, and timing. Overall, ranged from 1·6 ms to 14·2 ms. Conclusions The time constant of the membrane depends on the field, action potential phase and the shock polarity, but exceeds 1 msec. Therefore, we suggest using a slower shock leading edge, since the membrane cannot follow potentially damaging faster waveforms. (Europace 2002; 4: 27–39)
Armed With Cameras: The American Military Photographers of World War II

A chronicle of the frontline photographers of World War II recounts the sometimes harrowing exploits of the American Military Photographers, men armed with cameras who accompanied the Army, Marines, Air Force, and Navy into battle.
Identification of higher-order functional domains in the human ENCODE regions

It has long been posited that human and other large genomes are organized into higher-order (i.e., greater than gene-sized) functional domains. We hypothesized that diverse experimental data types generated by The ENCODE Project Consortium could be combined to delineate active and quiescent or repressed functional domains and thereby illuminate the higher-order functional architecture of the genome. To address this, we coupled wavelet analysis with hidden Markov models for unbiased discovery of “domain-level” behavior in high-resolution functional genomic data, including activating and repressive histone modifications, RNA output, and DNA replication timing. We find that higher-order patterns in these data types are largely concordant and may be analyzed collectively in the context of HeLa cells to delineate 53 active and 62 repressed functional domains within the ENCODE regions. Active domains comprise ∼44% of the ENCODE regions but contain ∼75%–80% of annotated genes, transcripts, and CpG islands. Repressed domains are enriched in certain classes of repetitive elements and, surprisingly, in evolutionarily conserved nonexonic sequences. The functional domain structure of the ENCODE regions appears to be largely stable across different cell types. Taken together, our results suggest that higher-order functional domains represent a fundamental organizing principle of human genome architecture.
International Studies Perspectives in 2016

International Studies Perspectives ( ISP ) is a journal dedicated to building bridges between different academic disciplines, between the academic and policymaking worlds, and between teacher and students globally conceived. Volume 17 of ISP also bridges two other groups of professionals. First, this volume bridges two publishing teams. ISP was published by Wiley until the end of 2015—and some articles in this volume were previously published online by Wiley. ISP is now published by Oxford University Press. The ISP editorial team bids a fond farewell with deep gratitude to the Wiley journal team. We are excited to be joining the notable ranks of OUP journals and working with an outstanding journal production team. Second, this volume bridges two editorial teams. Almost half of the articles to be published in this volume were accepted by the last editorial team. The present editorial team has embraced a more traditional role for ISP (traditional in terms of the original ISP mission statement) as a journal that publishes articles on pedagogy, informed policymaking, and trends in the discipline. In the past 18 months, submitting authors have found that articles that once were reviewed and often published in ISP are no longer considered to be good fits for the journal. For example, while in the past ISP published a number of simulations, the present editors will only review simulation papers that offer something innovative to the discussion such as proposals for measuring and evaluating student learning outcomes pre- and post-simulation. Submitting authors should keep in mind ISP ’s mission and carefully consider whether their work is a good match for ISP. Papers that involve hypothesis testing are not generally appropriate for ISP unless the results have clear implications for the practice of research, policymaking, or improved pedagogical techniques. Papers about policymaking must be grounded in the literature …
The Failing Faith in Class Actions: Dukes v. Wal-Mart and AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion

In Wal-Mart v. Dukes and AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion, the Supreme Court revamped the law concerning the Federal Arbitration Act and Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, allowing businesses to insulate themselves from class action suits by employees and consumers. Each decision has significant implications within its field (employment discrimination law and consumer law, respectively). Together, the two decisions allow companies to opt out of class action liability through contract and make it more difficult to bring class actions against corporations that do not use such contracts. Collectively, they reflect the belief of the five conservative Justices in the majority that companies must be protected from litigation that is large simply because companies are large. Big companies, like Wal-Mart and AT&T Mobility, that deal with thousands or millions of consumers and employees enjoy certain strategic advantages because of their size. Similarly, class actions pose certain strategic advantages because of their size. The current Court majority has used its power to protect companies from big litigation. In so doing, the Court has abdicated its responsibility to interpret federal laws on employment, arbitration, and class actions consistently with Congress’s intent to balance the interests of employees and consumers with those of large corporations. This article examines what Wal-Mart and AT&T mean for future employment class actions.
Antibody targeting soluble NKG2D ligand sMIC refuels and invigorates the endogenous immune system to fight cancer

Human tumor-derived soluble NKG2D sMIC paralyzes the immune system through multiple pathways. Targeting soluble MIC with a nonblocking sMIC-neutralizing anti-MIC antibody effectuated and revamped endogenous innate and adoptive antitumor responses. Therapy induced regression of primary tumors and eliminated metastasis in preclinical models.
Antisecretory effects of indomethacin on rabbit ileal mucosa in vitro.

Abstract Prior in vivo studies have shown that indomethacin, which inhibits prostaglandin (PG) synthesis, affects fluid transport in the small bowel, enhancing spontaneous fluid absorption and reducing the amount of fluid that accumulates in response to cholera toxin and other secretory stimuli. To further explore the mechanisms involved, we determined the effects of indomethacin on ion transport, cAMP concentration, and PGE 2 production in rabbit ileal mucosa in vitro. Indomethacin (1 mM), when added alone, had no significant effect on short-circuit current (either basal or glucose-stimulated), Cl fluxes, or cAMP concentration. Indomethacin did, however, inhibit the ion transport changes caused by several secretagogues: Effects of theophylline, Ca-ionophore A23187, and arachidonate were reversibly inhibited by at least 65%, whereas effects of dibutyryl cAMP, 16,16-dimethyl PGE 2 , cholera toxin, and heat-stable Escherichia coli enterotoxin were inhibited by about 30%. Indomethacin also inhibited the theophylline-evoked increase in cAMP concentration. Indomethacin decreased PGE 2 production under basal conditions and in the presence of theophylline and A23187, which may partly explain the antisecretory action of the drug. Since arachidonate increased PGE 2 release from the mucosa more than 10-fold and indomethacin did not inhibit this effect, indomethacin at high concentration (0.5–1 mM) appears to also inhibit the action of intestinal secretagogues by a prostaglandin-independent mechanism. This study also demonstrates that the antisecretory effect of indomethacin is not simply due to stimulation of an unrelated absorptive process.
Similarities and differences between pediatric and adult nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is highly common and potentially serious in children and adolescents. The term NAFLD refers to a spectrum of diseases ranging from accumulation of fat in the liver (simple steatosis or nonalcoholic fatty liver "NAFL") to the potentially progressive form of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) characterized by hepatocyte ballooning, inflammation, and often associated with fibrosis. While large prospective longitudinal studies in pediatric NAFLD are still lacking, growing evidence suggests that children with NAFL are at increased risk for cardiometabolic complications, while those with NASH and advance fibrosis are also at risk for significant liver-related morbidity including cirrhosis and its complications. Pediatric NAFLD shares features of adult NAFLD but also shows many different characteristics in terms of prevalence, histology, diagnosis and management. Translational studies suggest that NAFLD is a highly heritable disease in which genetic variations and environment closely interact to determine the disease phenotype and the progression to the more advanced forms of the disease. Changes in lifestyle, targeting gradual weight reduction, and physical exercise continue to be the mainstay of treatment for NAFLD in children. Recent advances in development of noninvasive diagnostic modalities and the potential for identifying effective pharmacological interventions may result in significant progress in the management of NAFLD in the pediatric population.
Genetic regulation of Quinate-Shikimate Catabolism in Neurospora Crassa

In recent years genetic mechanisms responsible for regulating several metabolic pathways have been elucidated in considerable detail in certain prokaryotes. By contrast, much less is known concerning regulatory mechanisms in eukaryotes. However, certain eukaryotic microorganisms, particularly various fungi, provide especially favorable material for combined genetical and biochemical investigations of specific regulatory systems. This paper summarizes briefly the present status of studies on one such system in Neurospora Crassa.
Probabilistic geodesic models for regression and dimensionality reduction on riemannian manifolds

We present a probabilistic formulation for two closely related statistical models for Riemannian manifold data: geodesic regression and principal geodesic analysis. These models generalize linear regression and principal component analysis to the manifold setting. The foundation of the approach is the particular choice of a Riemannian normal distribution law as the likelihood model. Under this distributional assumption, we show that least-squares fitting of geodesic models is equivalent to maximum-likelihood estimation when the manifold is a homogeneous space. We also provide a method for maximum-likelihood estimation of the dispersion of the noise, as well as a novel method for Monte Carlo sampling from the Riemannian normal distribution. We demonstrate the inference procedures on synthetic sphere data, as well as in a shape analysis of the corpus callosum, represented in Kendall’s shape space.
Medical school expansion: déjà vu all over again?

AbstractThe first two decades of the 21st century may well be viewed by future generations as the second great expansion of post-Flexnerian medical education in the United States. Given that medical schools are now significantly increasing class size for only the second time in 100 years, it is inst
C2-Symmetric Iron(II) Diphosphine–Dialkoxide Dicarbonyl and Related Complexes

Reaction of Fe(bda)(CO)3 (bda = benzylideneacetone) and Ph2P-2-C6H4CHO (PCHO) affords the bisphosphine bisalkoxide complex Fe[(Ph2PC6H4)2C2H2O2](CO)2 (1) arising from the head-to-head coupling of two formyl groups concomitant with oxidation of Fe(0) to Fe(II). Crystallographic studies show that 1 features cis alkoxide ligands that are trans to CO; the two phosphine groups are mutually trans with a P–Fe–P angle of 167.44(4)°. The pathway leading to 1 was examined, starting with the adduct Fe(PCHO)(CO)4 (2), which was obtained by addition of PCHO to Fe2(CO)9. Compound 2 decarbonylates to give tricarbonyl Fe(κ1,η2-PCHO)(CO)3 (3), which features a π-bonded aldehyde. Photolysis of 2 gives a mixture of 3 and isomeric hydride HFe(κ2-PCO)(CO)3. Complex 3 reacts with an additional equivalent of PCHO to afford 1, whereas treatment with PPh3 afforded the substituted product Fe(κ1,η2-PCHO)(PPh3)(CO)2 (4). In 4, the phosphine ligands are trans and the aldehyde is π-bonded. The geometry around Fe is pseudo trigonal bip...
Advances in research of tsutsugamushi disease epidemiology in China in recent years

Tsutsugamushi disease is prevalent mainly in the southern part of China.The main animal host is rodent,and the main transmitting vectors are chigger mites.The seasonal distribution of this disease in China can be divided into 2 types:①Summer type is prevalent in southern part.Main animal hosts are Rattus losea,R.tanezumi,and main vector mite is Leptotrombidium deliense;Prevalent in June to August;Tpye of Orientia tsutsugamushi(Ot)is Gil1iam.②Autumn-Winter type is prevalent in Jiangsu and Shangdong provinces.Main animal hosts are Apodemus agrarius,R.norvegicus,Tscherskia triton,and main vector mite is L.scutellare,Prevalent in October to December;Type of Ot is Kawasaki.Appropriate comprehensive prevention measures(including:environmental management,disinsection,deratization,personal protection and propaganda and education)have proved effective in prevention and control.
Increasing sensitivity and angle-of-view of mid-wave infrared detectors by integration with dielectric microspheres

We observed up to 100 times enhancement of sensitivity of mid-wave infrared photodetectors in the 2–5 μm range by using photonic jets produced by sapphire, polystyrene, and soda-lime glass microspheres with diameters in the 90–300 μm range. By finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for modeling, we gain insight into the role of the microspheres refractive index, size, and alignment with respect to the detector mesa. A combination of enhanced sensitivity with angle-of-view (AOV) up to 20° is demonstrated for individual photodetectors. It is proposed that integration with microspheres can be scaled up for large focal plane arrays, which should provide maximal light collection efficiencies with wide AOVs, a combination of properties highly attractive for imaging applications.
Continental Drift: Britain and Europe from the End of Empire to the Rise of Euroscepticism

In the aftermath of the Second World War, Churchill sought to lead Europe into an integrated union, but just over seventy years later, Britain is poised to vote on leaving the EU. Benjamin Grob-Fitzgibbon here recounts the fascinating history of Britain's uneasy relationship with the European continent since the end of the war. He shows how British views of the United Kingdom's place within Europe cannot be understood outside of the context of decolonization, the Cold War, and the Anglo-American relationship. At the end of the Second World War, Britons viewed themselves both as the leaders of a great empire and as the natural centre of Europe. With the decline of the British Empire and the formation of the European Economic Community, however, Britons developed a Euroscepticism that was inseparable from a post-imperial nostalgia. Britain had evolved from an island of imperial Europeans to one of post-imperial Eurosceptics.
The medicalization of obesity, bariatric surgery, and population health

This article examines how the medicalization of obesity validates the use of bariatric surgery to treat obesity in the United States and how expansions in access to bariatric surgery normalize surgical procedures as disease treatment and prevention tools. Building on this discussion, the article poses two questions for population health regarding health technology: (1) to what extent does bariatric surgery treat obesity in the United States while diverting attention away from the ultimate drivers of the epidemic and (2) to what extent does bariatric surgery improve outcomes for some groups in the US population while simultaneously generating disparities? We conduct a brief, historical analysis of the American Medical Association's decision to reclassify obesity as a disease through internal documents, peer-reviewed expert reports, and major media coverage. We use medicalization theory to show how this decision by the American Medical Association channels increased focus on obesity into the realm of medical intervention, particularly bariatric surgery, and use this evidence to review research trends on bariatric surgery. We propose research questions that investigate the population health dimensions of bariatric surgery in the United States and note key areas of future research. Our objective is to generate a discourse that considers bariatric surgery beyond the medical realm to better understand how technological interventions might work collectively with population-level obesity prevention efforts and how, in turn, population health approaches may improve bariatric surgery outcomes.
An Image-Based Effective Property Method for Strip Warpage Modeling

QFN (Quad Flat No Lead) package strip warpage simulation is challenging due to the size of the model and intricate features of the lead frame. A simple and efficient image-based approach is applied for a QFN lead frame strip, treating it as two half-etch layers. The approach is found to be accurate and efficient for simulating strip warpage as a function temperature, as demonstrated through validation with detailed 3D model and empirical measurements. For large strips over wide temperature range, Reuss method of averaging Young's modulus shows good correlation with empirical data on mold block.
Why Exempting Negligent Doctors May Reduce Suicide: An Empirical Analysis

This article is the first to empirically analyze the impact of tort liability on suicide. Counter-intuitively, our analysis shows that suicide rates increase when potential tort liability is expanded to include psychiatrists — the very defendants who would seem best able to prevent suicide. Using a 50-state panel regression for 1981 to 2013, we find that states that would hold liable psychiatrists (but not other doctors) for malpractice resulting in a suicide experienced a 12.8% increase in suicides. The effect is even stronger, 16.8%, when we include controls. We do not believe this is because suicide prevention doesn’t work. Rather, we theorize that it is because some psychiatrists facing potential liability choose not to work with patients at high risk for suicide. The article makes an important contribution to the law of proximate cause. Traditionally, one could not be liable for malpractice that causes another’s suicide — the suicide was considered a superseding and intervening cause. About half of states retain the old common law rule. Others have created exceptions for psychiatrists only, or for all doctors, and some have abandoned the old rule entirely. Our findings suggest that expanding liability for psychiatrists may have an adverse affect. Accordingly, this article suggests that the best policy might be to retain or revive the traditional no-liability-for-suicide rule for mental health specialists. The implications are enormous: over 40,000 people in the United States die each year from suicide.
AN ANALYSIS OF WOMEN SELF HELP GROUPS LINKAGES WITH BANK

In developed countries, banking system plays prominent role in the formal financial system and serves most of the population but in developing countries, mainly the low-income group, which is a large segment of the society, excludes from banking services, as a result, poor people have to depend either on their own sources or informal sources of finance at high cost. In India, the SHGs constitute a widely accepted development strategy for poverty reduction as they are perceived as powerful vehicle for the promotion of micro-credit and micro-finance especially for women. The SHG model was introduced as a core strategy for empowerment of women in the Ninth Plan (1997-2002) in India (Planning Commission), 2002. It is the largest and fastest-growing micro-finance programme in the developing world. Hence, the present study is undertaken to analyses the SHGs activities with Tuticorin Melur Co-operative Bank Ltd. in Thoothukudi from 2011-12 to 2015-16. This study analyses the phases of deposits bank deposits, pattern of providing loans to SHGs, loan recovery activities, savings of SHG. Trend lines are used for both the bank deposits and the loan distribution to SHGS. Both trend lines are increasing is the positive result for this present study. The questionnaire is made up of both closed and open-ended questions is to get the fullest true picture on which there is no predetermined idea. The details of the bank and Self Hel Groups activities were collected from the higher officials of the bank. This study stated that there exists a good relationship with banks and the repayment of loans is also done effectively. SHGs members are satisfied with services by cooperative banks, and overall performance of cooperative banks is good. 95% of the SHGs were repaying their loans amount correctly to the bank. SHG (Self Help Groups) movement has brought a silent revolution in the country.
The Flight of the Galaxies

On a clear, moonless night in the countryside away from city lights, with a good pair of binoculars, we can see many faint, fuzzy-looking patches of light distributed over the sky. These are the nebulae. They are there all the time.
Rape Myths and Hookup Culture: An Exploratory Study of U.S. College Students' Perceptions

The present study provides the first known systematic examination of the association of hookup culture endorsement and rape myth acceptance. Multivariate regression analysis was conducted to test the primary hypothesis that hookup culture endorsement would be the primary predictor of rape myth acceptance levels among a sample of 422 U.S. college students. Findings indicated the existence of a complex relationship in which rape myth acceptance increases or decreases based upon the form of hookup culture endorsement examined. Beliefs that hookups are harmless and elevate social status increased rape myth acceptance, whereas beliefs that hookups express sexual freedom decreased rape myth acceptance. Furthermore, results supported the hypothesis that hookup culture endorsement was the largest predictor of rape myth acceptance. Consistent with previous studies, the predictive power of gender and religiosity in determining levels of rape myth acceptance were shown to be significant. When controlling for levels of hookup culture endorsement, the explanatory power of these variables decreased, and hookup culture endorsement had the largest effect upon rape myth acceptance levels.
Men and Women Differ in the Biochemical Composition of Platelet-Rich Plasma.

Background:Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is widely used for a variety of clinical applications. However, clinical outcome studies have not consistently shown positive effects. The composition of PRP differs based on many factors. An improved understanding of factors influencing the composition of PRP is important for the optimization of PRP use.Hypothesis:Age and sex influence the PRP composition in healthy patients.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:Blood from 39 healthy patients was collected at a standardized time and processed into leukocyte-poor PRP within 1 hour of collection using the same laboratory centrifuge protocol and frozen for later analysis. Eleven female and 10 male patients were “young” (aged 18-30 years), while 8 male and 10 female patients were “older” (aged 45-60 years). Thawed PRP samples were assessed for cytokine and growth factor levels using a multiplex assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The platelet count and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein le...