cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Meteorological Conditions on the Wet Deposition of Mercury in Southern Florida

Abstract Source–receptor relationships for mercury (Hg) and other trace elements wet deposited in southeastern Florida were investigated using daily event precipitation samples collected over a 1-yr period in 1995–96. Data collected in Davie, Florida, showed significantly higher (2.2 times) volume-weighted mean (VWM) Hg concentrations during the spring and summer seasons relative to winter. A meteorological tracer analysis, utilizing the ratio of trace elements lanthanum (La) to cerium (Ce), determined that “feed” air to precipitation cells arriving at the site incorporated local urban emissions more frequently during the spring and summer seasons. Using Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) data, analysis of precipitation-cell path histories for events collected at 17 sites in southeastern Florida over 1 month in the summer of 1995 showed significantly higher (2.0 times) VWM Hg concentrations in events with easterly cell paths than in those with westerly paths for storms arriving at Everglade...
Chondroitin sulfate and electron lucent bodies in the pericellular rim about unshrunken hypertrophied chondrocytes of chick long bone

Direct observation of unstained, 1 mm thick blocks of fresh epiphyseal cartilage from tibia of 15- and 18-day-old chick embryos revealed shrunken chondrocytes on its cut surfaces but unshrunken chondrocytes deep within the tissue blocks. The unshrunken hypertrophied chondrocytes are rimmed with refractile substance identified as chondroitin sulfate removable with hyaluronidase. This substance is stained metachromatically red with toluidine blue, and is stained with ruthenium red and with ruthenium red-OsO4. The latter, observed with the electron microscope, is present as an electron dense rim, specifically about the unshrunken, hypertrophied chondrocytes between the plasma membrane and lacunar wall. By rendering the chondroitin sulfate electron dense with RR-OsO4, electron lucent bodies (ELB) were revealed specifically about the hypertrophied chondrocytes. The ELB contain an electron dense core with radiating fibrils. The content and source of ELB, also found in the intercellular matrix, are not known. The 0.1% toluidine blue solution containing 0.2 M MgC12 or 0.4% NaCl or KCl stained juxtanuclear clusters of granules metachromatically red. The location of intracellular granules was believed to represent a cluster of Golgi-derived vesicles. The pericellular metachromatic, RR-OsO4-positive rim is believed to be an accumulation of externalized juxtanuclear metachromatic granules. The possibility that the ELB may also be externalized content of Golgi vesicles was entertained.
Dialectical Inquiry in Strategic Planning: A Case of Premature Acceptance

Evidence from several field studies supports the claim that dialectical inquiry aids strategic decision making. This evidence is not conclusive, however, and findings from other studies have indicated that a devil's advocate approach may be superior. A fundamental difference between the two is that dialectical inquiry requires specification of an alternative course of action. It is possible that the benefits of strategic assumptions analysis can be realized without this specification—i.e., through a devil's advocate approach.
An experimental analysis of intertemporal allocation behavior

If the future is uncertain, optimal intertemporal decisions rely on anticipating one's own optimal future behavior as is typical in dynamic programming. Our aim is to detect experimentally stylized facts about intertemporal decision making in a rich stochastic environment. Compared to previous experimental studies our experimental design is more complex since the time horizon is uncertain and termination probabilities have to be updated. In particular the decision task is non-stationary as in real life which seriously complicates the task of diagnosing behavioral regularities. In this study we give some illustrative results and provide some general perspectives. Our main result is that subjects'reaction to information about termination probablilities are qualitatively correct.
The ITAM in Nef Influences Acute Pathogenesis of AIDS-Inducing Simian Immunodeficiency Viruses SIVsm and SIVagm without Altering Kinetics or Extent of Viremia

The role of the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) that is unique to the Nef protein of the acutely pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus SIVsmPBj was studied in the context of two AIDS-inducing simian immunodeficiency virus molecular clones. NefY(+) variants of SIVagm9063-2 and SIVsmE543-3 replicated in and induced proliferation of unstimulated pig-tailed macaque PBMC. The pathogenesis of the NefY(+) and NefY(-) clones of SIVagm9063-2, SIVsmE543-3, and PBj6.6 were evaluated by intravenous inoculation of pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina). Introduction of the ITAM did not increase plasma viral RNA levels nor alter the kinetics of viremia compared with the NefY(-) versions of each clone. Clinical symptoms were not observed in animals inoculated with the NefY(-) variants. In contrast, characteristic PBj symptoms were observed in animals inoculated with any of the three NefY(+) clones. Blunting and fusion of intestinal villi and multifocal infiltration of mononuclear cells were observed in the gastrointestinal tracts of macaques inoculated with the NefY(+) versions. Lesions were associated with active viral replication, as demonstrated by simian immunodeficiency virus-specific in situ hybridization. However, only the macaque inoculated with wild-type NefY(+) SIVsmPBj developed fatal disease; lesions were more widespread and severe in this animal. A switch to macrophages as a viral reservoir and the presence of interleukin-6 in plasma was unique to the macaque infected with PBj6.6. Overall, these data suggest that the ITAM in SIV Nef alters the pathogenesis of simian immunodeficiency virus regardless of the viral background. The change in pathogenesis occurs without enhancement of viral replication. However, NefY(+) variants of SIVagm and SIVsm did not fully recapitulate the virulence of SIVsmPBj, implicating additional viral factors in this unique virus pathogenesis.
Trabecular rods have higher levels of non-enzymatic glycation than plates

Non-enzymatic glycation (NEG) detrimentally affects cancellous bone's mechanical integrity. In particular, it may help explain the fragility of osteoporotic bone, which is composed primarily of thinner and more rod-like trabeculae. Hence, the goal of our project was to investigate the relationship between the extent of NEG and trabecular morphology. Individual trabeculae were extracted from mechanically tested and stained human cancellous bone. They were imaged using microcomputed tomography, and both trabecular shape and microdamage morphology were characterized. The extent of NEG was measured in each trabeculae and tested for correlation with trabecular structure. Results indicated that more rod-like trabeculae formed crack-like microdamage (p&#60;0.05) and had a trend for higher NEG content (p=0.20) than plate-like trabeculae. These data suggest that the high glycation level in trabecular rods and the presence of harmful linear microcracks weaken the trabecular network present in osteoporotic bone.
Differential inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in systemic and pulmonary vessels after endotoxin

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is associated with vascular hypocontractility in systemic vessels after endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration. Although lung iNOS is increased aft...
Adverse Effects of Medications for ADHD: Cardiac Autonomic Dysfunction and Stimulant Therapy

Investigators at University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, report cardiac autonomic dysfunction and arterial stiffness among children and adolescents with ADHD treated with stimulants.
Bidirectional-reflectance measurements for various snow crystal morphologies

Abstract An understanding of snow optical properties is vital to accurately quantifying the effect of snow cover on the Earth's radiative energy balance. Central to these models is the need for accurate bidirectional reflectance data for various snow surface types. However, few studies in this area exist and none focus specifically on surface hoar—a well-known surface crystal type often responsible for avalanches. In this study, it is postulated that the bidirectional reflectance distribution of the snow's surface before and after surface hoar growth will be predictably and quantifiably different when viewed in the visible wavelengths. To test this hypothesis, a methodology for reliably growing surface hoar in a lab setting was developed. Temporal changes in crystal habit were documented using computed tomography and visible microscopic imaging. A spectrometer was used to measure bidirectional-reflectance factors (BRF) both before and after surface hoar growth. Analysis of the results revealed three primary conclusions: 1) Surface hoar growth is accompanied by a departure from Lambertian scattering. The effect is more apparent the larger the surface hoar grains. 2) The incident lighting and viewing geometries at which maximum and minimum BRF values occur are difficult to discern. 3) In the transition from rounded grains to surface hoar, spectral albedo (as calculated by averaging the BRF over a hemispheric solid angle at 510 nm) decreases slightly.
Posttranslational Modifications of Myelin Basic Protein

Abstract Posttranslational modifications of myelin basic protein are reviewed with emphasis on their roles in creating the observed protein microheterogeneity. The identification of five in vivo phosphorylation sites is briefly described.
Rauchen und Infektion der tiefen Atemwege

Zigarettenrauchen wirkt sich nicht nur auf die Atemwege, sondern auch auf das Lungenparenchym ungunstig aus. Das FEV ist bei akuten chronischen Rauchern vermindert. Langerfristiges Rauchen hat einen ungunstigen Einflus auf die mukoziliare Aktivitat. Nach neueren Forschungsergebnissen litten 1981 in den USA annahernd acht Millionen Menschen an chronischer Bronchitis. Zwischen dem Auftreten der chronischen Bronchitis und der Menge und Dauer des Zigarettenrauchens besteht ein direkter Zusammenhang. In Studien an Patienten mit Exazerbationen der chronischen Bronchitis wurden als haufigste bakterielle ErregerHaemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae undBranhamella catarrhalis nachgewiesen. Zu den nicht bakteriellen Erregern zahlenMycoplasma pneumoniae und bestimmte Viren. Antibiotika sollten gegen diese moglichen Erreger wirksam sein. Resistenz vonH. influenzae gegen Ampicillin/Amoxicillin wird heutzutage in mindestens 12% der Falle beobachtet, regelmasig beobachtet man eine Resistenz vonH. influenzae gegenuber Erythromycin. Eine gute Behandlungsalternative bieten Cephaclor, Trimethroprim/Sulfamethoxazol und Amoxicillin/Clavulansaure. Pneumonien durchS. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, B. catarrhalis undLegionella pneumophila beobachtet man haufig bei Rauchern und Patienten mit chronisch obstruktiver Lungenerkrankung. Blutkulturen sollten bei allen stationar behandelten Patienten angelegt werden. Penicillin G bzw. V ist das Mittel der Wahl. Bei β-Laktamase-produzierendenH. influenzae kann Cephaclor oder Trimethroprim/Sulfamethoxazol gegeben werden, beiB. catarrhalis-Infektionen Cephaclor, Erythromycin, Tetracyclin oder Trimethroprim/Sulfamethoxazol. Bei Legionella-Infektionen ist Erythromycin das Mittel der Wahl. Bei einer empirischen Therapie ist die Kombination von Erythromycin plus Cefamandol oder Ceftriaxon angezeigt. Patienten mit chronisch obstruktiver Lungenerkrankung sollten mit Pneumokokken- und Influenza-Vakzine immunisiert werden.
Effects of phenytoin on normal activity and on penicillin-induced bursting in the guinea pig hippocampal slice.

We used both intracellular and field potential recordings to study the effects of phenytoin (20 to 40 μg per milliliter) on CA3 and CA1 neurons of guinea pig hippocampal slices, with or without exposure to the convulsant sodium penicillin G. Phenytoin did not change resting membrane potential, input resistance, action potential amplitude or duration, or the threshold intensity for activating action potentials or bursts with intracellular current pulses. Suppression of penicillin-induced bursting was associated with an increased threshold for orthodromically activating neurons. The intrinsic bursting mechanisms of the cells remained intact. Phenytoin seemed to suppress penicillin-induced epileptiform activity by decreasing synaptic transmission.
Ion-Beam Amortization of Ca2La2(SiO4)6O2 Single Crystals

Single crystals of Ca2La8(SiO4)6O2 were irradiated with 1.5 MeV Xe+, 1.5 MeV Kr+, 1.0 MeV Ar+ and 0.8 MeV Ne+ ions to investigate the effects of recoil-energy spectrum, temperature, and crystallographic orientation on irradiation-induced amorphization. The irradiations were carried out using the HVEM-Tandem Facility at Argonne National Laboratory. The structural changes and the ion fluence for complete amorphization in the electron transparent thickness of the specimens were determined by in situ transmission electron microscopy. The displacement dose determined for complete amorphization was approximately 0.6 dpa for the Xe+, Kr+, and Ar+ ion irradiations but increased to 1.4 dpa for the Ne+ ion irradiations, which may reflect an effect of lower recoil energies. The ion fluence for complete amorphization increased exponentially with temperature over the range from 25 to 400°C. Amorphization was not observed at 500°C. The activation energy associated with this simultaneous annealing process was estimated to be 0.13 eV, and the critical amorphization temperature was estimated to be 438°C for the 1.5 MeV Kr+ irradiations.
Enhanced Enteric Excretion of Urate in Rats with Chronic Renal Failure

1. The potential contribution of enteric pathways to the extra-renal excretion of uric acid in chronic renal failure was evaluated by measuring [14C]-urate and 36Cl- transport in isolated, short-circuited segments of jejunum, ileum and distal colon from normal rats and rats with chronic renal failure (five-sixths nephrectomized) 6 weeks after surgery. Plasma and urine creatinine and urate concentrations were also determined to establish urate status in chronic renal failure. 2. A 40% reduction in creatinine clearance was observed in the group with chronic renal failure, resulting in a two-fold increase in plasma creatinine concentration (0.064 +/- 0.001 mmol/l, n = 9, to 0.120 +/- 0.008 mmol/l, n = 14). In contrast, there was no change in plasma urate concentration, despite a 75% reduction in urate clearance. 3. The transport studies demonstrated alterations in intestinal urate transport in rats with chronic renal failure compared with normal rats. Net absorption of urate was observed in the distal colon of control rats, whereas a significant secretory flux was observed in rats with chronic renal failure (from 0.88 +/- 0.16 to -1.62 +/- 0.81 nmol h-1 cm-2, n = 12). Urate secretion was induced in the jejunum of the group with chronic renal failure (-0.15 +/- 0.25 in control and -1.67 +/- 0.35 nmol h-1 cm-2 in chronic renal failure, n = 11). Urate transport across the ileum was not altered in chronic renal failure and there was no net flux of urate in either the normal group or the group with chronic renal failure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Enzymatic hydrolysis of pilocarpine

Evidence has been presented that the en-zyme, apparently an esterase, is probablycation dependent. Enzyme activity is lostby heating or with the addition of variouschelating agents: EDTA (ethylene dia-minetetraacetate), trien, penicillamine,neomycin sulfate, kanamycin sulfate, andethambutol hydrochloride. Unpublishedobservations in our laboratory have estab-lished that the enzyme responsible for pilo-carpine hydrolysis is not cholinesterase.
WAVE PROPAGATION IN A PLATE WITH DEFECTS

A significant number of commercial and military airplanes currently in service have exceeded their design service lives. It is of great importance to monitor the initiation and propagation of flaws in such aging aircraft structures to ensure their safety and integrity. This paper is concerned with the nondestructive evaluation of corrosion cracks emanating from rivet holes in typical aircraft structural components. Conventional NDE techniques require point-by-point inspection, a time-consuming and often unreliable process. Guided waves, which direct wave energy along the plate, carry information about the status of the material in their path and offer a more efficient tool for the inspection of structural components. Using a pitch-catch technique, with one transducer as a transmitter wave and two or more transducers as receivers placed at different positions around the rivet hole, guided waves can be launched and detected to inspect plate-like structures, line by line, thus increasing the inspection efficiency significantly. By studying the characteristics of the received signals, information about the condition of the rivet holes can be obtained.
The Culture of School and How it Shapes Literacy Learning

In considering the consequences of education on human development, Cole (2005) takes a cross-cultural and historical perspective that leads him back to the earliest classrooms of Indo-European civilization. He notes the historical depth of educational traditions, inferring great stability based on the arrangement of a Sumerian classroom in the ancient city of Mari, Syria.1 This classroom likely originated in the city’s second golden age under the Amorite dynasty that lasted from roughly 1,900 BCE through 1759 BCE, when the city was sacked by Hammurabi, sixth king of Babylon.
The trench MOS barrier Schottky (TMBS) rectifier

A new rectifier structure, called Trench MOS Barrier Schottky (TMBS) rectifier has been modeled and fabricated with excellent trade-off characteristics. Two-dimensional numerical simulations have demonstrated coupling between the charge in the N/sup -/ drift region and the metal on the trench sidewalls resulting in an improved electric field distribution. For epitaxial layer doping of 1/spl times/10/sup 17/ cm/sup -3/, simulations show that breakdown voltages of three times the plane parallel breakdown can be achieved with low leakage current. The measured forward drops for the 0.5 /spl mu/m devices at 60 A/cm/sup 2/ and 300 A/cm/sup 2/ were 0.2 V and 0.28 V respectively. Due to smaller drift region resistances, TMBS rectifiers can be operated at large current densities (/spl ap/300 A/cm/sup 2/) resulting in small device sizes. >
Dynamic Performance of a Permanent Magnet Brushless DC Motor for UAV Electric Propulsion System - Part I

The dynamic performance of a permanent magnet brushless DC motor (PMBDCM) for electric propulsion of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system is presented. A relationship between the aircraft motion equations and the machine equations was established and used to study the influence of machine dynamic performance on aircraft motion path from takeoff to steady level flight. Simulations results showed loss of altitude and exacerbative thrust when system was operated in speed control mode. The work presented here is aimed at establishing the basis for development of improvement schemes to be presented in the second part of this paper.
Investigating munitions mobility in oscillatory flows with Inertial Measurement Units

Understanding the mobility, burial, and re-exposure of underwater munitions is important for the management and remediation of contaminated underwater sites. We have embedded nine degree-of-freedom Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) into large caliber munitions to investigate their response to various oscillatory forcing and interaction with the seabed. We deployed an 81 mm mortar replica in a large oscillatory water tunnel on a fixed flat bed and measured its response to oscillatory flows with periods from 2 to 10 s and orbital velocity amplitudes of approximately 0.01 to 0.2 m/s. For each period, the orbital velocity was increased until the replica munition moved. As the orbital velocity approached the critical threshold velocity for motion, the replica mortar rocked back and forth from one fin to another before rolling down the tunnel a distance of up to 0.4 m. The processed rotation and translation values agreed well with the displacement obtained via optical tracking using a camera and LED to backlight the target. Following successful laboratory testing, a replica of the 155 mm Howitzer was fabricated and instrumented with two IMUs. The larger target was placed on the seabed in the nearshore off the coast of Dry Tortugas, Florida to investigate its response to waves and interaction with the sediment. The wave climate during the deployment was predominantly calm with a significant wave height of approximately 0.28 m, peak period of 5.9 s and peak near-bed wave orbital velocity amplitude of 0.07 m/s. The hydrodynamic forcing was not strong enough to mobilize the Howitzer replica, with the exception of one storm event, which produced significant wave heights of 0.9 m, peak period of 7.7 s and peak near-bed wave orbital velocity amplitude of 0.18 m/s. The 155 mm Howitzer replica was observed to wobble in response to the wave group forcing, but was never mobilized. Consequently, we believe the observed wave forcing represents the near threshold conditions for the onset of motion of replica munitions of the overall size, shape, and density of the 155 mm Howitzer.
Imaging Mass Spectrometry – Molecular Microscopy for Biological and Clinical Research

Imaging mass spectrometry has seen tremendous advances over recent years and has become an important tool for molecular discovery in intact tissues with high molecular fidelity and spatial resolution. This chapter will focus on MALDI Imaging Mass Spectrometry (IMS) because it is the most useful technology for the mapping of metabolites, lipids, peptides and proteins at high sensitivity in intact tissue sections. Desorption of biomolecules is accomplished by direct laser irradiation of an array of spots (i.e., pixels) on the tissue to map the location of specific molecules. Both fresh-frozen and formalin-fixed tissue sections can be imaged without the need for specific targeting reagents such as antibodies. Molecular images of this nature are produced based on specific m/z (mass-to-charge) values, or ranges of values. Thus, each specimen gives rise to many hundreds of specific molecular images from a single raster of the tissue. In a complementary approach, where only discrete areas within the tissue are of interest, such as in anatomic pathology, we have developed a histology-directed approach that integrates mass spectrometry and microscopy. Mass spectra are collected from selected discrete areas of cells within the tissue for laser ablation and analysis, and these are then correlated with microscopic images of the tissue section.
Evaluation of external vibratory stimulation as a treatment for chronic scrotal pain in adult men: A single center open label pilot study.

Abstract Background and aims Chronic scrotal pain is a common yet poorly understood urologic disease. Current treatment paradigms are sub-optimal and include anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids as well as invasive surgical management such as microdenervation of the spermatic cord. In this study, the efficacy of external vibratory stimulation (EVS) was evaluated as an alternative treatment option for idiopathic scrotal pain. Materials and methods Ten consecutive patients presenting to an academic urology clinic between December 2016 and April 2017 with scrotal pain were prospectively enrolled. After a comprehensive history and physical exam, patients were presented with and oriented to a spherical vibratory device that they were instructed to use topically each day for four weeks. Average and maximum pain severity, frequency, and bother scores were tracked at 2-week intervals using a visual analog scale (0–10) via survey. Descriptive statistics facilitated interpretation of individual changes in pain. Results Nine men, with a median age of 46 years, completed at least 2 weeks of the study intervention. 78% (7/9) of men achieved some improvement in daily scrotal pain levels. Overall, average pain decreased from 4.9 to 2.7 (p = 0.009) while maximum pain severity decreased from 6.3 to 4.0 (p = 0.013). The frequency of pain also decreased for 55.6% (5/9) of men. No severe side effects were noted by any of the participants though several patients reported mild paresthesia only during application of the device. The majority of men expressed interest in continuing treatment after conclusion of the study. Conclusion External vibratory stimulation has been suggested as a promising non-invasive tool to alleviate chronic pain. As a proof-of-concept, we implemented EVS to treat men with idiopathic orchialgia. The majority of patients noted benefit in both severity and frequency of pain. Given its low risk profile, EVS deserves further evaluation and inclusion in treatment guidelines as a promising experimental therapy for a disease with few conservative treatment options available to providers. Implications In this longitudinal study, external vibratory stimulation was found to decrease chronic scrotal pain without any adverse effects. The use of this non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical therapy to treat chronic scrotal pain has the potential to decrease physician and patient dependence on surgical procedures and opioid prescriptions. Future randomized, double blind clinical trials with a placebo arm are required to corroborate these findings and establish the true efficacy of EVS.
Follow-up of indeterminate cytologic diagnoses of solid pancreatic lesions: atypia versus suspicious (one institution's experience).

Introduction A comparison of the long-term risk of malignancy between indeterminate cytological diagnoses, namely, atypical versus suspicious for malignancy, from endoscopic ultrasound-guided (EUS) fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of a pancreatic mass has not been well characterized. The primary aim of this study was to compare the risk of malignancy between patients with such indeterminate diagnoses. Secondarily, we investigated whether serologic markers serve as predictors of risk of malignancy in the setting of indeterminate cytological diagnoses. Materials and methods We reviewed 484 cases of EUS-FNA on solid pancreatic lesions, performed at a single academic tertiary care center from 2004 to 2017. Patients with solid pancreas mass lesions who had atypical or suspicious final cytology were identified for further clinical outcome analysis. Results Of the 484 patients with pancreas mass lesions, 53 (11%) were given an indeterminate final cytologic diagnosis, with 28 atypical and 25 suspicious for malignancy. Follow-up was completed for 22 and 20 patients from atypical and suspicious diagnoses, respectively. Of patients with follow-up, 15 (68%) and 18 (90%) had subsequent diagnoses of malignancy from atypical and suspicious groups, respectively. There was no statistical difference in predicting risk of malignancy between the two groups (P = 0.24). Serologic markers were available in 29 of 42 patients with follow-up. Serologic markers were elevated in 21 of 29 patients and all were subsequently diagnosed with malignancy. Elevated serologic markers correlated with future risk of malignancy (P = 0.0026). Conclusion The risk of subsequent malignancy is high for both atypical and suspicious pancreatic solid lesions but there exists no statistical difference between the two. Combined serologic markers with indeterminate cytology proved to be a good predictor of malignancy.
On the qualitative structure of a mechanical assembly

A mechanical assembly is usually described by the geometry of its parts and the spatial relations defining their positions. This model does not directly provide the information needed to reason about assembly and disassembly motions. We propose another representation, the non-directional blocking graph, which describes the qualitative internal structure of the assembly. This representation makes explicit how the parts prevent each other from being moved in every possible direction of motion. It derives from the observation that the infinite set of motion directions can be partitioned into a finite arrangement of subsets such that over each subset the interferences among the parts remain qualitatively the same. We describe how this structure can be efficiently computed from the geometric model of the assembly. The (dis)assembly motions considered include infinitesimal and extended translations in two and three dimensions, and infinitesimal rigid motions.
Miscellaneous Expert Witness Roles in the Civil Courts

In addition to assisting in child custody disputes and evaluation of psychic damages, the psychiatrist may be asked to assume the following roles in the civil courts: 1. The assessment of an individual’s competency to manage business affairs, to make contracts, to make a will, to be a witness, or to marry. 2. The evaluation of the degree of mental illness of an individual who is being sued. 3. The assessment of the mental status of parties in conflict over divorce. 4. Providing expert testimony for either the defendant or plaintiff in a medical malpractice suit. 5. Providing information regarding the psychological effects of repressive practices in suits involving the civil rights of certain classes of individuals such as mental patients who are prisoners.
Regression of swine atherosclerosis: susceptibilities of various lesion features.

Atherosclerosis, with its accompanying complications, is an only too common disease of man, especially in the Western World. Since it is prevalent, to some degree, in the coronary arteries of most males, even those of fairly young age, as well as those of many females, especially those over 50 years of age, any hope of successful treatment must be based, to a large degree, on the possibility that existing lesions can be made to regress under an appropriate regimen. Over the years the questions: will pre-established atherosclerotic lesions regress; and if so, which type(s) and/or stage(s) and under what circumstances? have been addressed by many investigators. Some have studied the lesions in man, while others have approached the problem by experimental procedures involving a variety of species.
Taft, Frankfurter, and the First Presidential For-Cause Removal

In the fall of 1912—while one of the most consequential presidential campaigns in United States history raged around them—William Howard Taft, Felix Frankfurter, and a handful of officials within the federal government initiated a process to remove two members of the Board of General Appraisers for inefficiency, neglect of duty, and malfeasance in office. The process culminated in President Taft’s for-cause dismissal of the two members, Thaddeus Sharretts and Roy Chamberlain, on the very last day that he served as President, after he received a report recommending their firing from a “committee of inquiry” that included Frankfurter. Taft’s firing of Sharretts and Chamberlain was the first presidential for-cause removal. To this day, it remains the only time in the history of the nation that the President has expressly removed for cause an executive branch “officer of the United States” whose tenure is protected by statute after providing notice to the officer, holding a hearing, and finding that the statutory predicates for removal have been met. Taft’s action involved decisions by two individuals—Taft himself and Frankfurter—who would go on to become Justices of the United States Supreme Court and to author two of the most consequential opinions on the President's authority to remove subordinates, Myers v. United States and Wiener v. United States. It involved the construction and application of statutory language—“inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office”—that Congress still uses to mark some kind of “independence” from presidential control on behalf of an administrative agency. Echoes of the issues that Taft and Frankfurter confronted in 1913 may be heard in Myers and Wiener, in Justice Sutherland’s opinion for the Court in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, and in recent controversies over the scope of the President’s power to remove subordinate officers within the executive branch. Despite all of the foregoing, the episode has escaped scholarly attention and been the subject of no relevant legal discussion. No account of President Taft’s removal of the two Board members appears in the various treatments of the President’s removal power, or in the large literatures devoted to Taft and Frankfurter, two towering figures in American legal history. Indeed, it is widely, but mistakenly, assumed that no President has ever removed an officer for cause and that (in the words of the dissenting opinion in Free Enterprise Fund v. Public Co. Accounting Oversight Board) “it appears that no President has ever actually sought to exercise [the removal] power by testing the scope of a ‘for cause’ provision.” As a corrective, this article tells the story of Taft’s for-cause removal of the two general appraisers on his last day in office, following a process started in the midst of his 1912 reelection battle with future President Woodrow Wilson and former President Theodore Roosevelt. It then explores the episode’s implications for present-day understandings of the development of the American administrative state and the doctrine of the separation of powers.
The Promise of Neuroscience for Law: Hope or Hype?

This chapter addresses the potential contributions of neuroscience to legal policy in general and criminal justice in particular. The central question is whether neuroscience is relevant to legal policy. The chapter begins with speculation about the source of claims for the positive influence of neuroscience. It then turns to the scientific status of behavioral neuroscience. The next section considers the two radical challenges to current policies that neuroscience allegedly poses: determinism and the death of agency. The penultimate section addresses the question of the specific relevance of neuroscience to legal doctrine, practice, and institutions. The final section points to some areas warranting modest optimism. The general conclusion, however, is that neuroscience is scarcely useful at present but may become more relevant as the science progresses.
PASSIVE RESPONSES IN DENDRITES

This chapter describes a dendritic fiber that is considered essentially as a leaky cable. It presents treatment that is based on the work of Wilfrid Rail and the state of depolarization of a neuron as a function of the spatial and temporal distribution of the synaptic input. The chapter describes the model for a small patch of membrane. An elementary patch of membrane is represented by the electrical analog. This analog is similar to the model used for a passive cable. It differs from the latter in having three separate pathways with their associated batteries and conductances: one for the resting condition; one for excitation; and one for inhibition.
Effects of River Hydrology and Physicochemistry on Anchovy Abundance and Cymothoid Isopod Parasitism

The flow regime of a river is an important driver of many ecosystem components. However, few studies explore how differences in flow rates and water chemistry can influence communities of parasites and their hosts. Here, we investigate the impact of dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, water temperature, and river flow on the abundance and prevalence of cymothoid isopod parasitism (Lironeca ovalis) of the Bay Anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli) in the Alafia and Hillsborough rivers of Tampa Bay (Florida). We also explore seasonality by comparing monthly samples preserved throughout 2005-2007. Although both the Alafia and Hillsborough rivers had similar average water temperatures and salinity, and similar wet and dry season cycles, the upstream damming of the Hillsborough River had numerous negative effects on water flow rate, dissolved oxygen content, and acidity. This disruption in water quality corresponded with a lower abundance of anchovy hosts, fewer free-swimming cymothoids, and low prevalence of anchovy parasitism. Anchovies were much more abundant in the Alafia River, but flow negatively affected abundance-a negative effect that could be mitigated by positive changes in water temperature, salinity, and pH. Flow rates also negatively affected free-swimming cymothoid abundance; however, water flow was less important in predicting their parasitism of anchovies. In Alafia, fewer anchovies were parasitized when dissolved oxygen was high and water acidity was low, but more were parasitized during the wet season. These findings corroborate predictions that flow can moderate habitat stability and complexity which, in turn, can impact opportunities for parasitism of host communities.
Lipoprotein receptor signalling in atherosclerosis

The founding member of the lipoprotein receptor family, low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) plays a major role in the atherogenesis through the receptor-mediated endocytosis of LDL particles and regulation of cholesterol homeostasis. Since the discovery of the LDLR, many other structurally and functionally related receptors have been identified, which include low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP)1, LRP5, LRP6, very low-density lipoprotein receptor, and apolipoprotein E receptor 2. The scavenger receptor family members, on the other hand, constitute a family of pattern recognition proteins that are structurally diverse and recognize a wide array of ligands, including oxidized LDL. Among these are cluster of differentiation 36, scavenger receptor class B type I and lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1. In addition to the initially assigned role as a mediator of the uptake of macromolecules into the cell, a large number of studies in cultured cells and in in vivo animal models have revealed that these lipoprotein receptors participate in signal transduction to modulate cellular functions. This review highlights the signalling pathways by which these receptors influence the process of atherosclerosis development, focusing on their roles in the vascular cells, such as macrophages, endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and platelets. Human genetics of the receptors is also discussed to further provide the relevance to cardiovascular disease risks in humans. Further knowledge of the vascular biology of the lipoprotein receptors and their ligands will potentially enhance our ability to harness the mechanism to develop novel prophylactic and therapeutic strategies against cardiovascular diseases.
A Comparison of Inquiry-Based Conceptual Feedback vs. Traditional Detailed Feedback Mechanisms in Software Testing Education: An Empirical Investigation

The feedback provided by current testing education tools about the deficiencies in a student's test suite either mimics industry code coverage tools or lists specific instructor test cases that are missing from the student's test suite. While useful in some sense, these types of feedback are akin to revealing the solution to the problem, which can inadvertently encourage students to pursue a trial-and-error approach to testing, rather than using a more systematic approach that encourages learning. In addition to not teaching students why their test suite is inadequate, this type of feedback may motivate students to become dependent on the feedback rather than thinking for themselves. To address this deficiency, there is an opportunity to investigate alternative feedback mechanisms that include a positive reinforcement of testing concepts. We argue that using an inquiry-based learning approach is better than simply providing the answers. To facilitate this type of learning, we present Testing Tutor, a web-based assignment submission platform that supports different levels of testing pedagogy via a customizable feedback engine. We evaluated the impact of the different types of feedback through an empirical study in two sophomore-level courses. We use Testing Tutor to provide students with different types of feedback, either traditional detailed code coverage feedback or inquiry-based learning conceptual feedback, and compare the effects. The results show that students that receive conceptual feedback had higher code coverage (by different measures), fewer redundant test cases, and higher programming grades than the students who receive traditional code coverage feedback.
Characters and Their Stories

In this chapter, Eastman focuses on characters’ motivations (or how they want to be seen), their goals (or what they think they need to do, or have, in order to be seen that way), their flaws (or how they hurt themselves and other people) and their revelations (or how they learn to behave differently). It includes examples from The Comedy of Errors, Hamlet, Richard III, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice, and others, as well as brief examples from non-Shakespearean works like Shawshank Redemption and Cool Hand Luke.
Patterns and Predictors of Successful Treatment Discontinuation in Retinal Vein Occlusions With Macular Edema in the Real World

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE To identify factors associated with successful treatment discontinuation in eyes with retinal vein occlusions (RVOs) and macular edema (ME) in real-world settings. PATIENTS AND METHODS Retrospective study of 214 eyes with RVO and ME with 24-month follow-up at five academic centers. Regression analyses identified factors associated with (1) successful treatment discontinuation for at least 6 months without fluid recurrence and (2) best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 24 months. RESULTS Forty percent of eyes with branch RVO and 35% with central RVO (CRVO) / hemi-retinal RVO (HRVO) successfully discontinued therapy without fluid recurrence, with median time to discontinuation of 6 and 7 months, respectively. Lower 6-month central subfield thickness was associated with greater likelihood of treatment discontinuation within 24 months for eyes with CRVO/HRVO (P = .001), whereas better 6-month BCVA was associated with better 24-month BCVA for all RVO subtypes (P < .001). CONCLUSION Early anatomic response at 6 months is associated with greater likelihood of stopping treatments. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2021;52:84-92.].
The COVID-19 pandemic and reproductive genetic counseling: Changes in access and service delivery at an academic medical center in the United States.

The COVID-19 pandemic widely disrupted the delivery of healthcare services, including genetic counseling. To ensure continuity of care, the reproductive genetic counselors at a large academic medical center in the United States rapidly transitioned their practice from 90% in-person patient consultations to a predominantly telehealth model. The present study describes this transition in regard to patient access to genetic counseling and genetic screening. A chart review of patients seen by the reproductive genetic counselors from January 2020 to August 2020 was completed. The time frame included the three months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the first five months during COVID-19. Patient demographics and clinical and appointment data were compared between the pre-COVID-19 and during-COVID-19 timeframes. Overall, 88.6% of patients were seen via telehealth during COVID-19 and there was no significant difference based upon patient age (p = .20), indication for appointment (p = .06), or gestational age (p = .06). However, non-English speaking patients were more often seen in-person than by telehealth (p < .001), and more patients residing farther from the clinic were seen via telehealth (p = .004). During-COVID-19 results for prenatal cell-free DNA screening and expanded carrier screening were delayed (p < .001). Additionally, after consenting to screening, patients seen during COVID-19 were more likely to not complete a sample collection for their intended screening when compared to those seen pre-COVID-19 (OR = 6.15, 95% CI = 1.43-26.70, p = .015). Overall, this study supports that access to genetic counseling services and genetic screening can be maintained during a global pandemic like COVID-19. Genetic counselors are well-equipped to pivot swiftly during challenging times; however, they must continue to work to address other barriers to accessing genetic services, especially for non-English speaking populations. Future studies are needed to pose solutions to the obstacles confronted in this service delivery model during a global pandemic.
The Implicit Estimation of Default Intensities and Recovery Rates

This article covers the implicit estimation of the parameters in the Jarrow/Turnbull (1995) default risk model. We demonstrate by means of a simulation analysis that joint estimation of the default intensity and the recovery rate by non-linear least squares is numerically unstable. Therefore, we suggest a stepwise estimation procedure. We fix the recovery rate and estimate the default intensity conditional on the recovery rate. This can be done for various recovery rates. We show that if data - either real world data or simulated data - does not deviate too much from the Jarrow/Turnbull model, the recovery rate can be estimated by an analysis of the pricing errors (observed prices vs. model prices) resulting from the alternative combinations of default intensities (estimated conditionally on the recovery rate) and recovery rates (). Applying this technique to German AA bank bond data shows that empirical bond prices deviate too much from the Jarrow/Turnbull model to apply our stepwise procedure. Insofar, the recovery rate cannot be estimated from market prices. Therefore, it has to be withdrawn from exogenous sources, such as estimates based on observed recoveries when defaults occur. Taking such values from related literature and conditionally on them estimating default intensities from market prices provides a method easy to implement.
Entre Bustamante y Burke: El proyecto histórico de Lucas Alamán: Between Bustamante and Burke:Lucas Alamán’s Historical Project

The article explores the influences of Carlos Maria de Bustamante’s Cuadro historico and Edmund Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France on Lucas Alaman’s views on the writing of history and on the process of Mexican independence in his magisterial Historia de Mejico (1849-1852). Alaman thought that independence was inevitable and appropriate for Mexico, but that the violence of the decade-long insurgency had been the wrong way to achieve it. He critiqued Bustamante at length for his errors and myth-making, and echoed Burke in condemning theoretical political innovations and the socially and politically destructive effects of revolution.
Highly Compact Array MIMO Module for EMI Immune 5G Wireless Communications

A highly compact MIMO array antenna module with electromagnetic interference (EMI) immune capability is designed, implemented, and characterized for secure 5 GHz Wi-Fi applications. The size of the array antenna is greatly reduced by shrinking the gap between array elements to 2 mm (0.033λ 0 ). The mutual coupling between array elements is effectively suppressed by adding diagonally placed meander-line (ML) ring resonators under each element without degrading antenna gain and directivity performance. Compared with a conventional 2 × 2 array antenna module, the demonstrated 2 × 2 one shows 65% area reduction. The resonant frequency of the fabricated structure matches well with the target frequency. The feeding locations of the patch elements are optimized for a symmetric design. A mutual coupling reduction of more than 13 dB has been demonstrated.
COSTS, COSTS, COST … GIVE ME A BREAK!

The proliferation of articles in library literature about costs, cost studies, and the concepts of analysis and accounting is a positive sign of activity in the cost‐competitive library world. Many articles, no matter the topic, contain some comments on costs. The articles in this bibiliography were selected because cost is the significant or entire emphasis on the material. I used traditional and library literature and ERIC sources, restricted the titles to the past 10 years, and excluded non‐United States publications.