cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fast acting, long stroke, bistable solenoids with moving permanent magnets. I

The force produced by conventional solenoids is an attraction force exerted across the air gap. It is, therefore, weakest at the beginning of motion when the gap is fully open. For that reason, such solenoids cannot be considered for fast-acting applications when the stroke is large. A new category of actuators is described, capable of providing high initial accelerations and, therefore, fast motion, even when the air gap is large. The concept consists in using the repulsion force that a stationary energized coil can exert on a moving permanent magnet. An experimental assessment of the performance capabilities of this type of actuator is presented. A mathematical model of their dynamics, suitable for design and optimization purposes, is also presented. >
The Effect of Oil Layers on the Hydrocarbon Emissions from Spark-Ignited Engines

Abstract Measured amounts of oil were added to the engine cylinder of a single-cylinder CFR engine to determine the effect of oil layers on exhaust hydrocarbon emissions. The exhaust hydrocarbon concentration increased in proportion to the amount of oil added when the engine was fueled on isooctane. Addition of 0·6 cm3 of oil produced an increase of 1000 ppmC in exhaust hydrocarbon emissions at a coolant temperature of 320°K. Gas chromatographic analysis of the exhaust determined that fuel and fuel oxidation species, not oil oxidation products, were responsible for most of the increase. Similar experiments performed with propane fuel showed no increase in exhaust emissions when oil was added to the cylinder. These measurements have determined that the increase in tailpipe hydrocarbon concentration consists of fuel related species and is proportional to both the amount of oil added and the solubility of the fuel in the oil. Thus, we believe that the principal source of this increase in exhaust hydrocarbon ...
Delivering Patient Value by Using Process Improvement Tools to Decrease Patient Wait Time in an Outpatient Oncology Infusion Unit

By using the systematic PDCA tool, the authors were able to identify opportunities to reduce waste in the system and streamline patient care.
Radiological Consequences of BORAX/SPERT/SNAPTRAN Experiments

Three series of destructive reactor experiments were examined from the viewpoint of fission product dispersal to the environment and fission product retention in the fuel, coolant, and structural s...
Hand and wrist problems in the gymnast

The exact pathomechanics of problems in the wrists of gymnasts are yet to be defined. This article discusses injuries and overload phenomena in the wrist and skin problems, fractures, and sprains of the hand, including mallet finger.
Preparation of Physical Therapists for Employment in Public Schools

Physical therapists are providing services increasingly to children in public school environments because of justified needs as mandated, in part, by Public Law 94-142. Many of these therapists have attained competencies for such employment by participating in short courses or through professional experiences, self-study, and related didactic instruction. A course designed to prepare physical therapists for employment in a public school setting was offered to graduate pediatric students in the Division of Physical Therapy at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Specific content areas included in-depth knowledge of the public school system, interdisciplinary programming, and continuing education for public school teachers. Teaching units and observation sessions are outlined. Recommendations are offered for developing similar courses that can be incorporated into a graduate pediatric curriculum and are beneficial for preparing physical therapists for public school settings.
Prediction of Thermochemical Properties for Gaseous Ammonia Oxide

Ammonia oxide (NH3O), a zwitterionic tautomer of hydroxylamine (NH2OH), has been identified to explain the high reactivity of NH2OH. Recent evidence has shown that ammonia oxide exists in the condense phase and aqueous solution. However, neither experimental nor theoretical data of its thermochemical properties are presently available. In this work, thermochemical parameters of ammonia oxide are calculated, under standard conditions, using isodesmic reactions at several theoretical methods (HF, MP2, B3LYP, G2, G2MP2, G3, G3B3, and CBS-Q) and several basis sets (Dunning correlation-consistent and Pople-style). To monitor the computed values, the values of hydrogen peroxide are calculated by the same methods and compared with the experimental data. The quantum chemistry calculations predict the value of molar enthalpy of formation to be (55.7 ± 2.9) kJ·mol−1 and molar Gibbs energy of formation to be (103.8 ± 2.9) kJ·mol−1, for gaseous ammonia oxide at 1 atm and 298.15 K. The determined molar entropy and mol...
A Revision of the Genus Polea Green (Homoptera: Coccoidea: Asterolecaniidae)

The adult females of Polea ceylonica and a new species, P. selangorae , have been described and illustrated with measurements included for the various morphological characters. A diagnosis of the genus is presented.
Home Ranges and Territorial Behavior of the Yellow-Pine Chipmunk, Eutamias Amoenus

About 600 chipmunks, Eutamias amoenus, were live-trapped and observed on a study area of 42 acres in yellow pine forest in central Washington. Observation of dyed chipmunks showed that home ranges revealed by live-trapping are reasonably accurate. Evidence that male yellow-pine chipmunks are more active and have considerably larger home ranges than do females is consistent with studies of other mammals. Annual home ranges of adult males averaged 947 by 534 feet and covered 4.07 acres; those of adult females averaged 686 by 368 feet and had a mean area of 2.32 acres. Some ranges were elongate despite a relatively uniform habitat. Adult breeding females had an average of 6.4 neighboring females overlapping their home ranges, the mean area of overlap being 21.7 per cent and number of captures 25.8 per cent. Most chipmunks that were recaptured in the second and fifth years occupied their original home ranges. in 43 homing tests 88 per cent (15 of 17) of the chipmunks returned from points 430 to 1500 feet from home, 57 per cent (12 of 21) from half a mile, and 25 per cent (one of 4) released 1 mile distant. Seventy-seven per cent of the males but only 25 per cent of the females returned half a mile. a shift of home range was accomplished by 7.8 per cent of the females and 11.9 per cent of the males recaptured the second year. Twenty-eight per cent (13 of 46) of the young animals caught in June and July were recaptured in the autumn. Evidence from spacing of chipmunks and from observations of aggressive behavior near the den indicated that they are territorial.
The Political Socialization of Nations

There are two polar forms of international reality. Hobbes, Machiavelli, and Rousseau sketched one version for us. It is a world in which the interests of nations are put ahead of the interests of the collectivity of states, in which power competition and rivalry dominate, in which each national actor-like Rousseau's hunter-would prefer to catch a hare and gratify his own hunger rather than cooperate in the more general social purpose of trapping a stag that could satisfy the wants of all, and in which the sum of national positions is either constant or zero (Rousseau, 1947). This is a world of conflict, a state of nature among nations where war is the typical outcome. Adam Smith, however, envisioned another kind of world. It is a system in which each nation, pursuing its own self-interest, rightly conceived, actually promotes the general interest. In the most extreme formulation of this view, each individual or state "'neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it.... He intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was not part of his intention" (Smith, 1946). There follows an international harmony of interests.
Sociology of Africa: A Non-Orientalist Approach to African, Africana, and Black Studies:

Whichever nomenclature is used to describe the study of black peoples and the African Diaspora – whether Africana, Black or African Studies – the approach that is taken is critically important to academia in terms of its potential to provide a direct response and challenge to the intrinsic Eurocentric and Orientalist bias of the US educational system. Unlike other area and ethnic studies disciplines, this field was established as a link between the community and academia. However, in recent history, approaches have become polarized and the field has lost momentum as a consequence of arbitrary boundaries and politicized knowledge. In this article, the Orientalist perspective and Afro-centric knowledge in Black Studies are examined in their historical and political context. This analysis culminates in a proposed approach to use the Sociology of Africa as a new model for Afro-centric knowledge and teaching in this field.
A Saddlepoint Approximation Method for Uncertainty Analysis

The availability of computationally efficient and accurate methods for probabilistic computation is crucial to the success of applications of probabilistic design using complex engineering simulation models. To address this need, a Saddlepoint Approximation method for probabilistic engineering analysis is introduced. A general performance function is approximated at the Most Likelihood Point with either linear or quadratic forms and the Saddlepoint Approximation is then applied to evaluate the probability associated with the performance. The proposed approach provides highly accurate probabilistic results while maintaining minimum computational requirement. Two examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Empowering Girls through Sport? Sports Advice Books for Young Female Readers.

Advice books by female athletes are among the top selling sports books for young readers in the US Though they have received little attention to date, sports advice books are important to examine because of how they function as a form of conduct manual instructing girls in specific understandings of female identity. Implying that girls face unique challenges in a sexist society, sports advice books articulate a feminist concern with girls’ well-being and present themselves as empowering girls by enabling girls’ self-transformation. Examining the ways that girls are urged to transform, this study interrogates the subjectivity and world view sports advice books offer to readers within the wider context of globalization and neoliberalism. It argues that the postfeminist construction of female subjectivity within girls’ sports advice books operates to support ideologies that do more to limit, than liberate, girls.
Fire danger analysis based on the theory of safety science

The concept of safe science and the development of safe science theory are briefly introduced,and the concept of generalized fire danger and the outlook of relative fire safety are put forward through the analysis of fire danger based on the theory of safety science.It is suggested that the target of inherent fire safety can be reached through measures such as fire deficiency correction,fire science and technology research,fire safety knowledge publicity and education,fire legal system enhancement,et al.
Laser treatment of bladder hemangioma.

AbstractBladder hemangiomas may occur singly or in association with systemic arteriovenous malformations. A total of 13 patients with bladder hemangiomas underwent treatment at this university. All patients had recurrent bleeding and neodymium:YAG laser energy was delivered endoscopically to the hemangioma. No treatment-related bleeding occurred in any patient, and all had a significant decrease in the frequency and intensity of bleeding episodes. Followup cystoscopic examinations have shown either complete eradication of the hemangioma or a marked decrease in size. Neodymium:YAG laser irradiation provides results superior to alternative therapy and is the preferred treatment for most patients with bladder hemangioma.
Readability assessment of online patient resources for breast augmentation surgery.

Background Patients increasingly rely on Internet resources for medical information. Well-informed patients are more likely to be active participants in their health care, contributing to higher satisfaction and better overall outcomes. Access to online patient material, however, can be limited by inadequate functional health literacy. The National Institutes of Health and the American Medical Association recommend that educational content be written at a sixth-grade reading level. This study aims to assess the readability of online patient resources for breast augmentation surgery. Methods A Web search for "breast implant surgery" was performed using the largest public search engine. After sponsored results were excluded, the 12 most accessed sites were identified. Patient-directed information from all relevant articles immediately linked from the main site was downloaded and formatted into plain text. The readability of 110 articles was evaluated using 10 established analyses, both overall and by Web site. Results The overall average readability of the 12 most popular Internet resources for breast augmentation was at a thirteenth-grade reading level (Coleman-Liau, 13.4; Flesch-Kincaid, 12.7; FORCAST, 11.3; Fry, 13; New Dale-Chall, 12.9; New Gunning Fog, 13.8; Raygor Estimate, 15; and Simple Mesaure of Gobbledygook Formula, 14.3). The Flesch Reading Ease index was 41, which falls into a "difficult" reading category. No individual article or Web site was at the recommended sixth-grade level. Conclusions Online resources for breast augmentation are above recommended reading levels. This may potentially serve as a barrier to patients seeking this type of surgery. Plastic surgeons should be aware of potential gaps in understanding and direct patients toward more appropriate resources.
Centrosymmetric Materials: Isotropic

For centrosymmetric isotropic materials it is only necessary to set (6.1) so that (6.2) in the equations for the centrosymmetric cubic case.
Percutaneous Repair of Paravalvular Prosthetic Regurgitation Acute and 30-Day Outcomes in 115 Patients

Background—Percutaneous repair has emerged as a potential therapy for patients with prosthetic paravalvular regurgitation. However, there is a relative paucity of data on the feasibility and outcome of this procedure. Methods and Results—All patients in whom percutaneous paravalvular regurgitation closure was attempted at our hospital were identified and included. Under echocardiographic and fluoroscopic guidance, patients underwent implantation of ≥1 an Amplatzer Septal Occluder, Duct Occluder, Muscular Ventricular Septal Defect Occluder, or Vascular Plug II. Percutaneous repair of 141 paravalvular defects was attempted in 115 patients (age, 67±12 years; men, 53%) with heart failure, hemolytic anemia, or both and who were at high risk of open surgery (mean estimated Society of Thoracic Surgeons mortality, 6.9%). Devices were implanted in 125 defects (89% of total defects), including in 19 patients with multiple defects. Because of the complexity of the procedures, wire exteriorization was required in 29 ...
Muscle Fibers Secrete FGFBP1 to Slow Degeneration of Neuromuscular Synapses during Aging and Progression of ALS.

The identity of muscle secreted factors critical for the development and maintenance of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) remains largely unknown. Here, we show that muscle fibers secrete and concentrate the fibroblast growth factor binding protein 1 (FGFBP1) at NMJs. Although FGFBP1 expression increases during development, its expression decreases before NMJ degeneration during aging and in SOD1 G93A mice, a mouse model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Based on these findings, we examined the impact of deleting FGFBP1 on NMJs. In the absence of FGFBP1, NMJs exhibit structural abnormalities in developing and middle age mice. Deletion of FGFBP1 from SOD1 G93A mice also accelerates NMJ degeneration and death. Based on these findings, we sought to identify the mechanism responsible for decreased FGFBP1 in stressed skeletal muscles. We show that FGFBP1 expression is inhibited by increased accumulation of the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in skeletal muscles and at their NMJs. These findings suggest that targeting the FGFBP1 and TGF-β1 signaling axis holds promise for slowing age- and disease-related degeneration of NMJs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is critical for all voluntary movement. Its malformation during development and degeneration in adulthood impairs motor function. Therefore, it is important to identify factors that function to maintain the structural integrity of NMJs. We show that muscle fibers secrete and concentrate the fibroblast growth factor binding protein 1 (FGFBP1) at NMJs. However, FGFBP1 expression decreases in skeletal muscles during aging and before NMJ degeneration in SOD1 G93A mice, a mouse model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We show that transforming growth factor-β1 is responsible for the decreased levels of FGFBP1. Importantly, we demonstrate critical roles for FGFBP1 at NMJs in developing, aging and SOD1 G93A mice.
Low-power LLC resonant AC-DC converter for phone charging applications

A single-stage LLC resonant AC-DC converter is presented to replace conventional flyback type converters for phone charging application. Single-stage flyback AC-DC converter is widely used in low-power AC-DC converters, especially phone charging applications. However, for flyback AC-DC converter, the switching frequency is limited due to the hard-switching and switching losses. Its output current ripple is also higher than other topologies. On the other hand, LLC resonant AC-DC converter can achieve higher switching frequency thanks to zero voltage switching (ZVS). Higher switching frequency can reduce the output current ripple, and it allows to reduce the size of the passive components and the cost. For better quality and reliability with long lifespan of a charger, a compact 135 kHz, 10W (5V/2A) single-stage LLC resonant AC-DC converter is implemented and analyzed to verify its feasibility.
'Getting to No': Narratives and Reconciliation in Japan-ROK Relations

A strong conventional wisdom asserts that the ways that Japan remembers its past (its national narrative) inhibits reconciliation in East Asia. But this paper argues that this gets the causal arrow backwards: unfriendly narratives in East Asia are a symptom — not a cause — of states’ poor relations. When strategic factors compel countries to reconcile, they harmonize their narratives; otherwise, countries have many reasons to eschew reconciliatory narratives. I argue that narratives are strategically created and employed by elites to serve their policy goals, and that narratives are highly malleable and thus amenable to change in keeping with changing agendas. I support these arguments with evidence from the French narrative toward Germany after World War II (which changed from adversarial to highly reconciliatory), and from the case of the Korean narrative toward Japan (which has remained adversarial).
Polymersomes and Filomicelles

Amphiphilic block copolymers represent a major field of research in the design and creation of innovative materials for biomedical applications. Self-directed assemblies of such copolymers have been of great value in the development of novel drug delivery systems. Polymeric vesicles (polymersomes) and worm-like micelles (or filomicelles) are particularly appealing due to their structure and composition that provides them with specific and tunable properties. The work reviewed at an introductory level in this chapter highlights some of the features of such aggregates and reviews the synthesis of their components, their assembly, and characterization. Degradation and drug release kinetics are described as well as their application in therapeutics.
Using 3D Modeling and Prediction as a Lens into Student Design Processes

3D modeling, designing, and printing are gaining popularity at schools, libraries, and makerspaces. Side by side researchers and educationists are getting eager to find ways in which prediction can play an important and versatile role in teaching and learning of STEM courses, mathematics in particular. Prediction can be used to serve as an informal assessment by instructors, a means for student motivation, and help improve conceptual understanding and reasoning. Yet we have little understanding of how 3D designing and fabrication tools can help improve student learning to enable them to make better predictions. In this paper, I propose ways by which 3D designing and fabrication tools can help students make better predictions and how it can support enhance student engagement and learning of Engineering design skills.
Controversies in Healthcare-Associated Infection Surveillance

The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the controversies in surveillance of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). A review of the existing literature on surveillance practices in healthcare settings was performed, and the results were summarized with particular emphasis on controversial areas. There are challenges to HAI surveillance including variability and subjectivity in surveillance processes and application of standard definitions, resource intensiveness of standard surveillance, and differences between clinical definitions and surveillance case definitions. Several emerging strategies have been used to address some of these limitations with varying degrees of success, including algorithmic and automated surveillance, use of objective laboratory based definitions, and risk adjustment. Ongoing efforts to improve HAI surveillance remain critical to provide accurate and valid data as the basis for performance improvement activities.
Interfacial Adsorption of Neutral and Ionic Solutes in a Water Droplet.

Direct (solute–water) and indirect (water–water) contributions to adsorption at an air–water interface are identified using the Widom potential distribution theorem and quantified using molecular dynamics simulations of a liquid water droplet containing either neopentane or iodide-like solutes with charges of 0 or ±1. The results are used to quantitatively compare direct and indirect energetic and entropic contributions to adsorption, as well as to critically test surface capillary wave, linear response (LR), and mean field (MF) predictions. The negative signs of the total adsorption energies and entropies of both the anionic and cationic solutes are found to result from indirect adsorption induced changes in water–water interactions, rather than from surface capillary wave perturbations, which are found to be asymmetric with respect to solute charge. The LR and MF approximations both accurately describe the adsorption of neutral (hydrophobic) solutes, while for ionic solutes the MF approximation is entir...
Use of nets treated with food-grade coatings on dry-cured ham to control Tyrophagus putrescentiae infestations without impacting sensory properties

Abstract Dry-cured hams may become infested with the ham mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae during aging. Food-grade coatings have been developed to control mite infestations as a potential alternative to replace methyl bromide, but dipping or spraying these coatings requires additional labor and processing steps. Nets composed of polyester, a polyester/cotton blend and cotton were infused with coatings that consisted of propylene glycol, and either propylene glycol alginate and carrageenan or xanthan gum. Results indicated that the polyester/cotton blend and cotton nets that contained propylene glycol were effective at controlling mite infestations in assays with ham cubes covered in nets. The polyester nets slowed mite growth but were not effective at controlling mite reproduction due to low absorbance of the coatings. Polyester/cotton blend nets treated with coatings on whole hams were not different from control hams with respect to flavor, texture and moistness. Mite infestation tests on whole hams indicated that coated nets with greater stitch densities were effective at controlling mite growth. Future research will include the optimization of coating formulations and scaled-up testing in dry-cured ham plants.
Optimal Band-pass Ladder Design

This chapter presents design techniques of switched-capacitor band-pass filters of the lossless-discrete-integrator (LDI) type (and wave digital filters with the same forms of transfer functions) which exhibit, simultaneously, good amplitude selectivity as well as good approximation to a constant group delay in the passband in an optimum manner. All the available degrees of freedom are exploited to shape both the amplitude and delay responses, by contrast with the available methods of delay equalization which yield sub-optimal designs. As noted earlier, due to the factor (1 — λ 2), which multiplies the delay functions,a standard frequency transformation from lowpass to bandpass will not transform a linear phase lowpass filter into a linear phase band-pass characteristic. This means that the design of SC band-pass filters with prescribed phase response, or on both amplitude and phase bases, should be dealt with independently. The technique preented here is a generalization of the low-pass case discussed in Chapter 3. However, the band-pass problem is a three-band approximation problem in the amplitude domain, and when combined with the requirement of phase linearity in the passband, it becomes much more difficult than the low-pass case. Hence, it requires special treatment and examination of the design parameters. Again, the technique is given in relation to switched-capacitor filters for the sake of brevity, but the resulting transfer functions are easily identified with the corresponding wave digital filters.
A new set of bounds for the effective permittivity of a random medium

In this paper a modification of the method of moments is used to obtain a first-order approximation to the electric field in a random medium subjected to 1) a constant electric field and 2) a constant electric-displacement vector. The results are then used in two classical variational principles to obtain bounds on the effective permittivity of the medium. These bounds are seen to involve integrals of three-point correlation functions involving both the permittivity and the natural logarithm of the permittivity. The paper concludes with a simplification of these bounds for a special mathematically defined material termed a two-phase cell material.
Computational framework for simulating rock burst in shear and compression

Abstract This paper presents results from a series of numerical modeling tests conducted with the objective of developing a computational framework for studying rock burst events. A commercially available distinct element code with its explicit time-stepping scheme is adopted for modeling the initial quasi-static and the subsequent dynamic response of rock burst in compression and shear. Ground reaction curves are introduced to discuss criteria for stability of a failure through stress analyses. Energy balance equations are analyzed for assessing the rock burst intensity by estimating radiated seismic energy once conditions of instability emerge. Two methods are discussed for estimating radiated seismic energy: tracking of the energy conversion during failure; recording the kinetic energy that is damped by mechanical damping schemes. Modeling approach and methodologies for studying compressive-type rock burst are developed and calibrated against available analytical solutions with respect to radiated seismic energy and excavation convergence. Factors participating in the intensity of rock burst in compression are examined by modeling a rectangular tabular excavation supported by a single pillar with ductile, semi-brittle, and brittle failure responses under different compressive loading . A shear-type rock burst along a strike-slip fault model is simulated and modeling approach is calibrated by checking the resulting slip distribution, radiated seismic energy, and seismic moment against analytical solutions. Factors contributing to the occurrence and intensity of shear-type rock burst are explored by simulating different slip scenarios under different loading conditions. With presented analyses, this paper provides a computational framework calibrated for studying rock burst events and, as a reference for treatment of more complex cases, shows how Young's modulus of the rock, failure stress drop, rock brittleness , and slip-weakening behaviors of faults govern the rock burst occurrence and intensity.
An Atypical Presentation of Varicella Zoster (VZV) Vasculopathy.

Background: VZV vasculopathy in immunocompetent or immunocompromised individuals can be unifocal or multifocal involving likely both anterior and posterior circulations in the brain. It can cause ischemic stroke, aneurysm, subarachnoid and intracranial hemorrhages, and carotid dissection in central nervous system (CNS). Case Description: 65 year old female with history of hypertension presents with two days of generalized weakness along with a week of sudden onset severe generalized headache. Upon presentation, she was afebrile, normotensive, non-toxic appearing, and alert and oriented, with 4/5 right sided hemibody weakness and patchy multimodal sensation decrease as well as increased reflexes on the left hemibody. We performed head computerized tomography (CT) which was unremarkable, head and neck CT angiography positive for diffuse narrowing in both anterior and posterior circulations. Her magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain was positive for bilateral cortical watershed infarcts. The patients’ cerebrospinal fluid results were suggestive of bacterial meningitis, however only VZV PCR was positive. The patient was started on acyclovir iv for 14 days with improvement of her symptoms and imaging findings in 3 months. Discussion: Patients’ non-toxic appearance with no signs of infection might be falsely reassuring for patients presenting with CNS vasculopathy. Our case raises awareness of the need of CSF studies to rule out an underlying infectious etiology in these cases. Also our case is unique due to VZV meningitis presenting with a CSF profile similar to bacterial meningitis. Patients with intracranial diffuse vasculopathy should be treated empirically until CSF studies have been completed.
Radiation vs Chemical Damage to DNA

Ionizing radiation is considered to cause its damage to cellular DNA via OH free iradicals and by direct ionization of the DNA (1). In attempting to simulate the OH portion of this damage we have used hydrogen peroxide (2). We showed that the probable mechanism of damage production by this agent was through OH radicals produced by its interaction with variable valency metal ions bound to DNA (in a Fenton type reaction). Previously it had been shown that hydrogen peroxide treatment causes single-strand breaks (SSB) (but not double-strand breaks, DSB) in cellular DNA (3). More recently the reaction of hydrogen peroxide with DNA was found to give the same range of base-damaged products as that formed by low-LET ionizing radiation (4). Therefore, the spectrum of all damage types and their relative yields produced in the individual moieties of the DNA (sugar and base) by OH radicals is the same for hydrogen peroxide as for low-LET ionizing radiation (5). When cells are treated with hydrogen peroxide at 0°C, killing does not occur until the number of SSB present (and the base damage concomitantly produced) is 2,600 times higher than that present when equivalent cell kill is induced by ionizing radiation (2). Clearly although the same damage types are formed by hydrogen peroxide their presence is inconsequential to the cell survival. We conclude that it is not the chemical structure of the OH radical-damaged sites per se which is responsible for the ionizing radiation-induced cell killing. It is the concentration of these damaged sites in local regions of the DNA (producing what we have called locally multiply damaged sites, LMDS) which is responsible for the effectiveness of ionizing radiation in inducing cell killing.
Abstract 264: Differential expression of HPRT in prostate cancer leads to investigation of its ADCC effects

As 1 in 41 American men will die of prostate cancer, this study proposes hypoxanthine- guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) as another therapeutic target in the repertoire of prostate cancer immunotherapeutic targets. We evaluated the HPRT enzyme because of its role in the purine salvage pathway, nucleotide synthesis, and cell cycle progression. To evaluate the role of HPRT in prostate cancer, PC3 and DU145 prostate cancer cells were used because of their markedly different levels of HPRT expression. Flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy showed the surface localization of HPRT while immunohistochemistry revealed HPRT upregulation within tissue. We consistently found a significant association between HPRT and the plasma membrane of DU145 cells, but found no HPRT presence on the surface of PC3 cells. Flow cytometry showed insignificant (p = 0.14) changes in fluorescence when PC3 cells were exposed to HPRT antibodies, while there was a significant increase in fluorescence on DU145 cells (p = 0.0004). To confirm this finding, we used gold conjugated antibodies to determine the distribution of HPRT across the membrane with an electron microscope. This analysis further supported the surface presence of HPRT on DU145 cells as the gold weight percentage of DU145 cells increased significantly when exposed to HPRT antibodies (p 0.05). These results strongly indicate a unique relationship between prostate cancer cells and HPRT and supports the use of an HPRT antibody to harness the patient’s immune system in treating subsets of prostate cancer. Citation Format: Michelle H. Townsend, Kelsey A. Bennion, Zac E. Ence, Eliza E. Bitter, Abi M. Felsted, John E. Lattin, McKay D. Reese, Stephen R. Piccolo, Kim L. O9Neill. Differential expression of HPRT in prostate cancer leads to investigation of its ADCC effects [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 264.
Defects in the Exocyst-Cilia Machinery Cause Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease and Aortic Stenosis

Background: Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease is a congenital defect that affects 0.5% to 1.2% of the population and is associated with comorbidities including ascending aortic dilation and calci...
Metric for Quantifying Switching Variability in Resistive Switching Devices

Resistive switching or resistive RAM devices typically have large variability in cycle-to-cycle and device-to-device switching. It is a major aspect of ongoing research to address this device reproducibility, but there has so far been a lack of consensus to quantify this performance. We introduce a quantitative measure, which can be easily extracted from a cumulative distribution function (CDF) plot commonly used to illustrate device variability. We show how this measure remains constant with regard to the scale of the device, the measurement voltage used, whether the device is ohmic or non-linear, and regardless whether this measure is extracted from the CDF for the device resistances or currents. This will allow future studies on device variabilities to be better quantified and will also enable meta-analysis of results already published in the literature to be conducted with a potential systematic review.
Criminalizing Sex: A Unified Liberal Theory (Book Introduction)

Starting in the latter part of the 20th century, the law of sexual offenses, especially in the West, began to reflect a striking divergence. On the one hand, the law became significantly more punitive in its approach to sexual conduct that is nonconsensual, as evidenced by a major expansion in the definition of rape and sexual assault, and the creation of new offenses like sex trafficking, child grooming, and revenge porn. On the other hand, it became markedly more permissive in how it dealt with conduct that is consensual, a trend that can be seen, for example, in the legalization or decriminalization of sodomy, adultery, and adult pornography. This book explores the conceptual and normative implications of this divergence. At the heart of the book is a consideration of a deeply contested question: How should a liberal system of criminal law adequately protect individuals in their right not to be subjected to sexual contact against their will, while also safeguarding their right to engage in (private consensual) sexual conduct in which they do wish to participate? The book develops a framework for harmonizing these goals in the context of a wide range of nonconsensual, consensual, and aconsensual sexual offenses (hence, the “unified” nature of the theory) - including rape and sexual assault in a variety of forms, sexual harassment, voyeurism, indecent exposure, incest, sadomasochistic assault, prostitution, bestiality, and necrophilia.Taking on a diverse collection of moral and legal puzzles, arising out of real-world cases of alleged sexual misconduct, the book situates the theory of sexual offenses in the current cultural context - including the #MeToo movement and the ongoing revision of the American Law Institute's Model Penal Code.
Neurological Complications of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): Encephalopathy

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic. Neurological complications of COVID-19 have not been reported. Encephalopathy has not been described as a presenting symptom or complication of COVID-19. We report a case of a 74-year-old patient who traveled from Europe to the United States and presented with encephalopathy and COVID-19.
Hitting the Right Notes: Cataloging, Collections, and Collaborative Communication

George Darden, long an assistant conductor and accompanist at New York’s Metropolitan Opera, was for several decades the “preparation pianist to the stars,” including Domingo, Horne, Pavarotti, Fle...
The Emotional Job Demands of Special Education: A Qualitative Study of Alternatively Certified Novices’ Emotional Induction:

As of 2015, approximately one in five special educators received licensure through an alternative pathway. Although evidence suggests that emotional exhaustion contributes to special educator attri...
Intermediate-term outcomes after robotic ureteral reconstruction for long-segment (≥4 centimeters) strictures in the proximal ureter: A multi-institutional experience.

Purpose To report our intermediate-term, multi-institutional experience after robotic ureteral reconstruction for the management of long-segment proximal ureteral strictures. Materials and methods We retrospectively reviewed our Collaborative of Reconstructive Robotic Ureteral Surgery (CORRUS) database to identify all patients who underwent robotic ureteral reconstruction for long-segment (≥4 centimeters) proximal ureteral strictures between August 2012 and June 2019. The primary surgeon determined the specific technique to reconstruct the ureter at time of surgery based on the patient's clinical history and intraoperative findings. Our primary outcome was surgical success, which we defined as the absence of ureteral obstruction on radiographic imaging and absence of obstructive flank pain. Results Of 20 total patients, 4 (20.0%) underwent robotic ureteroureterostomy (RUU) with downward nephropexy (DN), 2 (10.0%) underwent robotic ureterocalycostomy (RUC) with DN, and 14 (70.0%) underwent robotic ureteroplasty with buccal mucosa graft (RU-BMG). Median stricture length was 4 centimeters (interquartile range [IQR], 4-4; maximum, 5), 6 centimeters (IQR, 5-7; maximum, 8), and 5 centimeters (IQR, 4-5; maximum, 8) for patients undergoing RUU with DN, RUC with DN, and RU-BMG, respectively. At a median follow-up of 24 (IQR, 14-51) months, 17/20 (85.0%) cases were surgically successful. Two of four patients (50.0%) who underwent RUU with DN developed stricture recurrences within 3 months. Conclusions Long-segment proximal ureteral strictures may be safely and effectively managed with RUC with DN and RU-BMG. Although RUU with DN can be utilized, this technique may be associated with a higher failure rate.
Are narcissistic hiring managers more susceptible to candidate flattery? A within-subjects experimental simulation

Abstract Despite decades of research on job candidate ingratiation tactics, few studies have examined if hiring manager personality traits might influence the effectiveness of candidate tactics. Undergraduates (n = 254) played the role of a hiring manager in a low-fidelity simulation and completed a measure of non-clinical narcissism. Candidate flattery and qualifications were experimentally manipulated. Contrary to predictions, results showed that candidate flattery demonstrated strong negative effects on perceptions of candidate fit and the likelihood of being invited for an interview during preliminary recruitment stages. Although hiring manager narcissism was found to attenuate the negative effects of candidate flattery, these findings broadly suggest that jobseekers have more to lose than gain by flattering hiring managers.
Jacques Callot’s billows, puffs, and plumes

How can we know the difference between a cloud in the sky and a puff of smoke from a fire? Jacques Callot’s series of etchings Les Miseres et maleurs de la guerre (1633) is not usually considered f...
Trend Analysis on Road Traffic Collision Occurrence in Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES Road traffic collisions (RTC) result in a significant number of preventable deaths worldwide. In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly launched, "The Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020)" with the stated goal to "reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by 50% by 2020." This study aims to analyze trends in RTC numbers and subsequent deaths with respect to road safety laws in Nigeria and to suggest suitable interventions. METHODS Annual reports for the period 2007-2017 were obtained from the Federal Road Safety Corps of Nigeria. These reports were analyzed for trends in RTC, including reported causes, fatalities, injuries, and casualties. RESULTS Overall total injuries, casualties, and fatalities increased by 74.7%, 61.2%, and 9.6%, respectively. Analysis showed that the 3 main causes of RTC were speed violation, loss of control, and dangerous driving. CONCLUSIONS Although current trends do not suggest that Nigeria will accomplish its initial goal of decreasing fatalities by 50% by 2020, there has been a reduction in the number of crashes resulting from dangerous driving. Further interventions such as implementing automated speed monitoring, collaboration, and data sharing between federal and regional agencies, and improving the state of road networks should be implemented to decrease fatalities further.
The Role of the Ionosphere in Providing Plasma to the Terrestrial Magnetosphere—An Historical Overview

Through the more than half century of space exploration, the perception and recognition of the fundamental role of the ionospheric plasma in populating the Earth’s magnetosphere has evolved dramatically. A brief history of this evolution in thinking is presented. Both theory and measurements have unveiled a surprising new understanding of this important ionosphere-magnetosphere mass coupling process. The highlights of the mystery surrounding the difficulty in measuring this largely invisible low energy plasma are also discussed. This mystery has been solved through the development of instrumentation capable of measuring these low energy positively-charged outflowing ions in the presence of positive spacecraft potentials. This has led to a significant new understanding of the ionospheric plasma as a significant driver of magnetospheric plasma content and dynamics.
Geometric computation of value set contours of affine uncertain systems

In this paper we present an efficient algorithm to compute exact value set contours of affine uncertain transfer functions. This algorithm is based on a generalization of line-sweep algorithms developed for computational geometric applications and preserves the geometric parametrization of value set contours.
Regulation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α-mediated pathways in alcohol fed cytochrome P450 2E1 deficient mice

Fatty acids are substrates and inducers for cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha). Previously, we have shown that the ethanol-induced CYP2E1 expression in rat is accompanied by the inhibition of the expression of the PPARalpha gene and the reduction in polyunsaturated fatty acid content. To further analyze the effect of CYP2E1 and ethanol in PPARalpha-mediated fatty acid homeostasis, the expression of PPARalpha and retinoid x receptor alpha (RXRalpha) and their target genes was examined in ethanol fed CYP2E1 deficient mice. Our data demonstrated that the expression of PPARalpha and RXRalpha genes was activated in the livers of CYP2E1-null mice suggesting a compensatory effect for the absence of CYP2El. In addition, the expression of PPARalpha target genes, which included the liver fatty acid-binding protein, malic enzyme, and CYP4A1 genes, was induced indicating the activation of PPARalpha-mediated pathways in CYP2E1 deficient mice. Ethanol inhibited the expression of some of the PPARalpha target genes in wild-type mouse livers, and the inhibitory effect of ethanol was particularly prominent in the CYP2E1-null mice. Morphologically, centrilobular fat accumulation was detected in the ethanol fed CYP2E1-null mouse livers suggesting that inhibition of PPARalpha-mediated pathways might be responsible for the ethanol-induced fatty liver in CYP2El-null mice. In addition, the expression of CYP2E1 was not changed in the PPARalpha-null mice. These data suggest that CYP2E1 and ethanol can regulate PPARalpha-mediated fatty acid homeostasis. CYP2E1-induced lipid peroxidation might play a major role in lipid metabolism, PPARalpha only becomes important when the CYP2E1 level is low and polyunsaturated fatty acids increase.
Thomas Manns Religiosität der Gnade

Der folgende Aufsatz zeigt, das Thomas Manns religiose Haltung durch einen eigentumlichen Widerspruch zwischen agnostischer Skepsis und einer undogmatischen Glaubigkeit gekennzeichnet ist. Dem Zweifel an einem persolichen Gott widerspricht die Erfahrung einer gutigen Behutung in seinem Leben, die er als “gnadige Fuhrung von Oben” begreift. Wahrend noch im Zauberberg das Geheimnis des Menschen im Mittelpunkt von Thomas Manns Interesse steht, tritt im Umkreis des Josephromans eine Wendung zum Religionshistorischen und Mythischen ein, die zu der Grundidee eines Bundes zwischen Mensch und Gott im Dienste des Fort-schritts zur wahren Humanitat fohrt. In diesem Zusammenhang gewinnt auch der Begriff der Gnade erhohte Bedeutung. Er erweist sich als Leitmotiv, das die folgenden Werke durchzieht. Thomas Manns Schuldbewustsein ruft das Bedurfnis nach Reinigung hervor, das nur durch eine religiose Instanz befriedigt werden kann. So zeichnet sich eine ganz undogmatische Modifizierung der Gottesvorstellung ab. Im Zusammenhang mit der Audienz beim Papst im Jahre 1953 wird Gott als unbekannter Gnadenspender impliziert, an den Gebete gerichtet werden konnen. Letzten Endes erweist sich die Liebe zum Schonen im platonischen Sinn als Zugang des begnadeten Kunstlers zum Gottlichen. Am Beispiel Michelangelos zeigt Thomas Mann, das sinnliche (auch homoerotische) Liebe im Werk fruchtbar wird. Dies entspricht auch seinen eigenen Erfahrungen - trotz seiner Sorgen um den Zerfall seiner Schopferkraft im hohen Alter.