cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selective IgA deficiency and neoplasia.

From the Immunodeficiency Cancer Registry, it has appeared that there is an increasing frequency of neoplasia in individuals who have a selective absence of serum IgA. Approaching this question from another point of view, we have found that of 4,120 sera drawn in this cancer-oriented hospital, 12 sera had a total absence of IgA and 3 additional sera had less than 10 mg/dl. The incidence of IgA deficiency in a cancer hospital is thus 1 : 342 or 1 : 273, which is statistically similar to that previously found for other patient groups studied in the USA (average of two studies, 1 : 418), but it is substatistically increased over the incidence of IgA deficiency found in normal blood donors (average of five studies 1 : 1,677). Analysis of these sera by diagnostic categories showed that of 1,517 sera of patients with lymphoproliferative disorders, 6 were IgA deficient (frequency 1 : 253), and of 249 sera of patients with gastrointestinal neoplasm, 2 were IgA deficient (frequency 1 : 125). We conclude that, in the absence of IgA, certain organ systems, the gastrointestinal and lymphoid tissue may be at increased risk for malignant change and that the protective, anti-neoplastic role of IgA requires investigation.
Lipid and protein structures in the permeability barrier of mammalian epidermis.

The epidermis of terrestrial vertebrates has evolved to provide a barrier to water permeation that is essential for survival in a desiccating environment. It has been realized for decades that this barrier is provided by lipids, but it was only during the 1980s that the molecular structure and physical arrangement of these lipids were defined. During the past several years, it has become apparent that in the performance of their function, epidermal lipids interact with proteins, and in some instances are covalently linked to protein structures. It is the purpose of this review to inspect and evaluate those instances where lipids and proteins interact in providing the epidermal barrier. For the benefit of those whose experience does not include dermatology, it will be desirable to briefly review the macroscopic and microscopic anatomy of the skin, as well as the biochemistry of the epidermal lipids.
A direct approach for finding loop transformation matrices

Loop transformations, such as loop interchange, reversal and skewing, have been unified under linear matrix transformations. A legal transformation matrix is usually generated based upon distance vectors or direction vectors. Unfortunately, for some nested loops, distance vectors may not be computable and direction vectors, on the other hand, may not contain useful information. We propose the use of linear equations or inequalities of distance vectors to approximate data dependence. This approach is advantageous since (1) many loops having no constant distance vectors have very simple equations of distance vectors; (2) these equations contain more information than derection vectors do, thus the chance of exploiting potential parallesism is improved. In general, the equations or inequalities that approximate the data dependence of a given nested loop is not unique, hence classification is discussed for the purpose of loop transformation. Efficient algorithms are developed to generate all kinds of linear equations of distance vectors for a given nested loop. The issue of how to obtain a desired transformation matrix from those equations is also addressed.
Symmetric Cryptography in Javascript

We take a systematic approach to developing a symmetric cryptography library in Javascript. We study various strategies for optimizing the code for the Javascript interpreter, and observe that traditional crypto optimization techniques do not apply when implemented in Javascript. We propose a number of optimizations that reduce both running time and code size. Our optimized library is about four times faster and 12% smaller than the fastest and smallest existing symmetric Javascript encryption libraries. On Internet Explorer 8, our library is about 11 times faster than the fastest previously existing code. In addition, we show that certain symmetric systems that are faster than AES when implemented in native x86 code, are in fact much slower than AES when implemented in Javascript. As a result, the choice of ciphers for a Javascript crypto library may be substantially different from the choice of ciphers when implementing crypto natively. Finally, we study the problem of generating strong randomness in Javascript and give extensive measurements validating our techniques.
Mexiletine block of disease-associated mutations in S6 segments of the human skeletal muscle Na+ channel

1. Over twenty different missense mutations in the a-subunit of the adult skeletal muscle Na + channel (hSkM1) have been identified as a cause of myotonia or periodic paralysis. We examined state-dependent mexiletine block for mutations involving the putative binding site in S6 segments (V445M, S804F, V1293I, V1589M and M1592V). Whole-cell Na + currents were measured from wild-type (WT) and mutant channels transiently expressed in HEK cells. 2. Use-dependent block (10 ms pulses to _10 mV, at 20 Hz) in 100 µM mexiletine was reduced modestly by mutations in IVS6 (V1589M, M1592V) and enhanced by the mutation in IS6 (V445M). For mutations in IIS6 (S804F) and IIIS6 (V1293I) use-dependent block was not statistically different from that of wild-type channels. 3. Resting-state block (10 ms pulses to _10 mV from _150 mV, at 0.1 Hz) of S6 mutants was comparable to that of WT (dissociation constant for resting channels, K R = 650 ± 40 µM, n= 9). The S6 mutant with the greatest change in KR was V445M (KR = 794 ± 45 µM, n= 5), but this difference was only marginally significant (P = 0.047). 4. A modified technique for estimating local anaesthetic affinity of inactivated channels was developed to reduce errors due to slow inactivation and to failure of drug binding to reach equilibrium. Mexiletine affinity for inactivated channels was reduced by mutations in IVS6 (V1589M: dissociation constant for the inactivated state (K I) = 44.7 µM; M1592V: KI = 40.0 µM) and increased by the mutation in IS6 (V445M: KI = 15.0 µM), compared to wild-type channels (KI = 28.3 µM). 5. We conclude that the disease-associated S6 mutations in domains I–IV cause at most a 2-fold change in inactivated state affinity and have even less of an effect on resting block. Model simulations show that the reduced use-dependent block of IVS6 mutants derives primarily from an increased off-rate at hyperpolarized potentials, whereas the enhanced use-dependent block of the IS6 mutant was due to a higher affinity for inactivated V445M channels.
Brain-Stem Auditory-Evoked Potentials in Spasmodic Torticollis

• The pathophysiology of idiopathic spasmodic torticollis is uncertain. Cerebral, basal ganglia, brain-stem, and cervi-comedullary lesions have been implicated. Some investigators have found evoked-potential abnormalities, while others have not. We recorded brain-stem auditory-evoked potentials in six patients with otherwise normal result of examinations and laboratory studies. Brain-stem auditory-evoked potentials were recorded from Cz-A1 and Cz-A2 with rarefaction clicks delivered at 11.1/s and 70 dB above sensory threshold with 40-dB contralateral masking. Analysis time was 10 ms, filter bandpass was 150 to 3000 Hz, and 4000 averages were replicated. Patients and age-matched controls were compared by Student's t test. One patient had I-III and I-V interpeak latencies (IPLs) beyond clinical norms (99% tolerance limit). Mean IPLs ipsilateral to torticollis were 2.32 ± 0.2 (I-III), 1.96 ± 0.4 (III-V), and 4.16 ± 0.3 (I-V). Contralateral IPLs were 2.0 ± 0.2 (I-III), 2.0 ± 0.2 (III-V), and 3.9 ± 0.5 (I-V). Control values were 2.04 ± 0.2 (I-III), 1.86 ± 0.2 (III-V), and 3.86 ± 0.4 (I-V). Absolute latencies, V/I amplitude ratios, and III-V IPLs did not differ significantly between patients and controls, nor did IPLs contralateral to torticollis. Ipsilateral I-III and I-V IPLs were greater in patients than in controls. These findings are consistent with those of some clinical reports and with experimental evidence that brain-stem lesions produce torticollis. They imply brain-stem dysfunction ipsilateral to head deviation in at least some patients with torticollis.
Large pipeline and new safety issues likely to change 1st line recommendations for multiple sclerosis

ABSTRACT Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is chronic neurodegenerative disorder which can result in significant morbidity. Currently, there are not evidence-based guidelines for the choice of which first-line agent to start with, when to switch, or what to switch to, when treating MS. This review article discusses recent changes related to the treatment of MS and reviews disease modifying therapies in the pipeline for treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
The Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) Open-Reading Frame 29 Protein Acts as a Modulator of a Late VZV Gene Promoter

Transient expression assays have shown that the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) open-reading frame (ORF) 29 gene product can act as a modulator of VZV gene expression. The ORF 29 protein alone does not appear to have any effect on transcription; however, in its presence, changes in the level of reporter gene activity mediated by the VZV immediate early (IE) 62 major transactivator are seen. Increased expression was observed in human fibroblasts, MeWo cells, HeLa cells, and T cells. In contrast, the presence of the ORF 29 protein results in a down-regulation of IE62 activation in PC-12 rat neuronal cells. Competition filter binding assays indicate that the ORF 29 protein binds specifically to the glycoprotein I promoter. Since transcripts for ORF 29 and ORF 62 have been detected in latently infected ganglia, the gene regulatory properties of the ORF 29 protein may be relevant to maintenance or establishment of VZV latency.
Defect-tolerant processor arrays

In this paper we describe the design and optimization of a defect tolerant MIMD processor array, for maximum performance per wafer area, targeted at applications that have a large number of operations per memory word. The optimization includes trade-offs between number of processors, amount of local memory, performance and topology of the interconnection network and yield. The yield analysis considers the use of partially good cells to increase harvest rates.
A Child-Focused Intervention for Coping With Procedural Pain: Are Parent and Nurse Coaches Necessary?

Objective: To examine the efficacy of training children to cope with immunization pain without the assistance of trained coaches and determine whether untrained parents or nurses are more effective at decreasing children’s distress. Methods: We compared the procedural coping and distress behavior of 31 3- to 7-year-old children trained in coping skills to 30 who did not receive training. The behavior of the untrained parents and nurses was evaluated as it related to child coping and distress. Results: Children demonstrated understanding of the training, but they did not use the coping skills during the procedure. In general, the nurses’ behavior was associated with child coping and parents’ behavior with child distress. Conclusions: More extensive child training or the involvement of coaches for procedural distress might be necessary. Nurses’ behavior appears to center on encouraging child coping, and parents tend to comfort child distress.
Far lateral disc excision at L5-S1 complicated by iliolumbar artery incursion: case report.

Objective and importance Paramedial approaches to far lateral discs at the L5-S1 space joint have advantages but may also bring the surgical space closer to large branch arteries of the internal iliac artery. I report incursion into an iliolumbar artery that required laparotomy to control hemorrhage. Surgeons performing extraforaminal disc explorations at L5-S1 need to evaluate preoperative magnetic resonance imaging scans for an enlarged iliolumbar artery near the disc space. Clinical presentation The patient presented with a right L5 radiculopathy and a far lateral disc at L5-S1, as indicated by analysis of her magnetic resonance imaging scan. Intervention A midline incision and an extraforaminal exposure were performed. Arterial bleeding occurred when an anular disc fragment was removed with a pituitary rongeur under direct vision with microscopic magnification. Emergency laparotomy demonstrated hemorrhage from a branch of the internal iliac artery 2 cm from its origin. Conclusion Iliolumbar artery variants may be at the margins of extraforaminal disc exposure at L5-S1. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging scans should be evaluated for this vasculature structure.
Mineral physics machines

The field of mineral physics will benefit from an era of big physics machines that will produce intense beams of X rays, neutrons, and high-energy particles. The new super accelerators are being built as tools for high-energy physics experiments and for materials science research. Mineral physics studies are among the most sophisticated to be conducted. High-intensity X rays will be used to solve complex crystal structures, to detail the steps of fast mineral phase changes, and to penetrate to the sample chambers of high-pressure cells. Neutron beams powerful enough to penetrate surface layers of the earth's crust will be used to probe for mineral deposits.
On filter consistency of discrete-time nonlinear systems with partial-state measurements

Linearized filters, such as the extended Kalman filter (EKF), often become inconsistent, when applied to observable nonlinear systems with partial-state measurements (where the full state cannot be reconstructed from the measurements at each time step). Relying on a novel decomposition of the observability matrix with respect to different measurement sources (sensors), we show that the standard EKF acquires spurious information from the measurements of each source, which erroneously reduces the uncertainty of the state estimates and hence causes inconsistency. With this key insight, we propose two EKF algorithms which compute the Jacobians in such as way so as to ensure that all decompositions of the observability matrix have nullspace of correct dimension. In the first, the linearization points are selected so as to minimize linearization errors under the constraints that the decompositions of the observability matrix have the appropriate nullspace. In the second, we project the most accurate measurement Jacobian (i.e., computed using the latest, and thus the best, state estimates as in the standard EKF) onto the actual information-available directions. We test the proposed algorithms in a two-radar target tracking example and show that significant performance improvement over the standard EKF is attained.
Serial optical coherence scanner for brain imaging and mapping

The serial optical coherence scanner reconstructs macroscopic tissues at microscopic resolution using intrinsic optical contrasts. The anatomy, nerve fiber architectures and fiber orientations are shown in ex-vivo rat brains.
PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATION MEMBERS' PERCEPTIONS OF DRINKING PROBLEMS IN CLERGY AND OTHER HELPING PROFESSIONALS

This study examined how members of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. (PCUSA) rated symptoms of problem drinking exhibited by clergymen compared to other helping professionals. Vignettes presenting case histories of a clergyman, counselor, or teacher who had experienced negative consequences of alcohol use were mailed to 255 randomly selected members from a Mid-western Presbytery; 181 (71%) returned usable response forms. Seventy-six percent rated the target in the vignette as a “problem drinker” regardless of occupation. Occupation was associated with respondents' ratings of the severity of the drinking; however, contrary to our hypothesis, respondents perceived the drinking of clergy as more severe than the drinking of the control occupations. Also, clergymen were seen as needing professional help more frequently than members of the control occupations. Occupation was not associated with participants' decisions about whether the target should keep his job or how much his drinking would interfere with his work.
Seven-Plus on the IP Richter Scale: Administrative Process

Over sixty op-eds have been published in iP Frontline, an IP & Technology Magazine, under the “Seven-Plus” umbrella title. Most have examined recent cases addressing substantive issues. Ones collected here, however, center on process rather than substance.Published between 2004 and 2010, these eleven comments have been edited and often updated here. They address a range of matters of central interest in copyright, patent and trademark law such as rulemaking process requirements, standards for direct and collateral review of agency action, matters that influence intramural and court jurisdiction, the constitutionality of means for appointing officials and the extent to which PTO boards can properly refuse to permit citation of their own opinions.
Frailty scores and the writing on the wall.

The recent interest in frailty as a predictor of poor outcomes after invasive procedures derives partly from the increasing use of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in the treatment of elderly high-risk patients with aortic stenosis. Historically, many of these patients were either never
The Use of Predischarge Misconduct Discovered after an Employee's Termination as a Defense in Employment Litigation

This Article discusses whether an employer can justify a termination based upon evidence it discovers after an employee's termination. I survey various areas of the law including the NLRB's treatment of this issue. While this article was written before the McKesson decision, the authorities cited are still useful.
Rodrigo's Chronicle

The first in the "Rodrigo" series, this short article introduces my alter ego Rodrigo and his straight man, "the Professor." In a wide-ranging conversation, the two discuss Rodrigo's origins, education, and his hopes to obtain a postgraduate degree in America. They talk about affirmative action, the LSAT, and the decline of the West, among other topics. The reader learns about the young man's ethnic background, his parents, and his hopes and plans.
Particle size and protein content of six fractions of the Sf 20 plasma lipoproteins isolated by density gradient centrifugation.

A procedure is described for the separation of plasma Sf > 400 and Sf 20-400 lipoproteins each into three fractions. Serum samples are overlayered with a sodium chloride density gradient in a preparative ultracentrifuge tube and thin layers are removed at the top of the tube after successive centrifugations at different speeds in a swinging bucket rotor. The procedure was evaluated by electron microscopy of the Sf > 400 lipoprotein fractions and schlieren analysis of the Sf 20-400 lipoprotein fractions. Protein content of each fraction was measured by elemental N, C, H, and lipid-P analysis. Protein coverage was calculated for all fractions on the assumption that there is a surface layer 20 A thick. For the entire Sf > 400 lipoprotein spectrum and for a part of the Sf 20-400 lipoprotein distribution the proportion of surface covered by protein was constant (approximately 20% coverage). Therefore, for these portions of the lipoprotein spectrum, the increase in surface: volume ratio as particle size decreases is approximately compensated for by an increase in the weight percentage of protein.
Pulmonary manifestations of polymyositis/dermatomyositis.

The idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are a group of connective tissue diseases marked by varying degrees of muscle inflammation and clinical involvement of multiple organs, most notably, the lung. Pulmonary manifestations consist primarily of interstitial lung disease (ILD), which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in myositis patients. Several myositis-specific antibodies have been discovered, as well as antibodies targeting various aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase enzymes. These antibodies are associated with various clinical features and a risk for developing ILD, and their presence carries a prognostic value in myositis patients. Steroids remain the first-line treatment for myositis-associated ILD and the antisynthetase syndrome, though other traditional immunosuppressants have demonstrated efficacy in numerous studies. While a majority of patients experience either stabilization or improvement in lung imaging and function, fatal progression is still reported in a significant number of cases. Further research is needed to develop more effective and targeted therapies.
Temporal protection of chick embryo against endotoxin by isoproterenol, polymyxin B sulfate, and hydrocortisone.

SummaryThe temporal relations of protection by a glucocorticoid (Solu-Cortef), a cationic cyclic polypeptide (polymyxin B sulfate), and an N-alkyl substituted sympathomimetic (Isuprel) against a lethal effect of E. coli endotoxin was shown. Solu-Cortef was protective at least 24 hr before and 4 hr after endotoxin; polymyxin G sulfate, 6 hr before and 0.5 hr after endotoxin; and Isuprel, 1 hr before and after endotoxin.
Thyrotoxicosis and the heart

Many patients with thyrotoxicosis have clinical features that reflect the effects of excess thyroid hormone on the cardiovascular system. Thyrotoxicosis can aggravate preexisting cardiac disease and can also lead to atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, or worsening of angina pectoris. In elderly patients, these cardiac manifestations may dominate the clinical picture and warrant the measurement of the serum thyrotropin concentration. In the absence of preexisting cardiac disease, treatment of thyrotoxicosis usually results in a return of normal cardiac function.
Brodifacoum induces early hemoglobinuria which is mediated via oxidative stress

Brodifacoum (BDF) is a superwarfarin that is used primarily as a rodenticide. By reducing vitamin K levels, BDF acts as a potent anticoagulant. Since its’ introduction as a rodenticide, there have been increasing number of reports of human cases of accidental or intentional BDF ingestion with high mortality rate. Currently, there is no biomarker for early detection of BDF ingestion in humans. Since we demonstrated earlier that warfarin can induce acute kidney injury with hematuria, we tested whether BDF would also lead to change in urinary biomarkers. BDF was administered to Sprague Dawley rats via oral gavage. Urinalysis was performed at different times after BDF administration. We observed that within a few hours the animals developed BDF-dose-dependent transient hemoglobinuria, which ceased within 24 hours. This was accompanied by a transient decrease in hematocrit, gross hemolysis and an increase in free hemoglobin in the serum. At later times, animals developed true hematuria with red blood cells in the urine, which was associated with BDF anticoagulation. Early hemoglobinuria but not late hematuria was diminished or prevented by treatment with N-acetylcysteine (antioxidant). We propose that transient early hemoglobinuria with consecutive late hematuria are novel biomarkers of BDF poisoning.
The Effect of Product Reviews on the Purchase Intent of Bundled Products

Product ratings and reviews have become effective tools, providing consumers information about the consumption experience without the actual purchase (Herr et al. 1991; Chatterjee 2001). Although much attention has been paid to the influence of product ratings on perceived quality and purchase intentions (Liu 2006), no research has examined their effects in the context of bundles. Since bundling has become a common practice (Brough and Chernev 2012; Harris and Blair 2006), providing a better understanding of how product reviews affect purchase intentions would seem important. This research investigates whether consumer purchase intentions improve when individual product ratings in a bundle increase.
Molecular Analysis of the PseudomonasSyringae Pv. Syringaeice Gene and Construction and Testing of Ice- Deletion Mutants for Biological Frost Control

The ice region of P. syringae pv. syringae strain Cit7 is restricted to a single continuous 4.2 Kb region. Two SstII fragments internal to the 4.2 Kb ice region of P. syringae pv. syringae Cit7 exhibited homology to unique EcoRI fragments from all Ice+ strains of P. fluorescens, Pseudomonas viridiflava, Erwinia herbicola, and P. syringae examined by Southern blot analysis. Homology of ice DNA within different strains of P. syringae pv. syringae was higher than in interspecific comparisons by dot blot analyses, although considerable variation in location of SalI restriction sites within this region these shows was abundant. Two internal SstII restriction fragments hydridized to each other as well as to other distal non-overlapping restriction fragments within the ice region of P. syringae strain Cit7. Forty-four percent of randomly selected Tn5insertions in the P. syringae pv. syringae strain Cit7 ice region exhibited at least a partial Ice+ phenotype. Many closely adjacent Tn5 insertions produce a -5C Ice phenotype that differ quantitatively by a factor of over 106. Deletions internal to the cloned ice region of P. syringae strain Cit7 and TLP-2 were constructed in vitro that spanned 1.2 and 0.9 Kb respectively. Ice- deletion mutants of these two strains were constructed by homologous recombination of homologous deletion ice plasmids with appropriate Ice+ recipient P. syringae strains.
Culture of embryonic stem cell lines from zebrafish.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the culture of Embryoniv stem cell lines from Zebrafish. Despite its many advantages for studies of embryo development and human disease, one deficiency of the zebrafish model has been the lack of methods for targeted mutagenesis using embryonic stem (ES) cells. A similar strategy applied to zebrafish would complement other genetic methods currently available, such as large-scale random mutagenesis antisensebased gene knockdown and target selected mutagenesis approaches to increase the utility of this model system. To address this problem, our laboratory has been working to establish zebrafish ES cell lines that are suitable for use in a gene targeting approach. This chapter illustrates that the germline competent ES cells are genetically altered in culture by targeted incorporation of foreign DNA by homologous recombination followed by in vitro selection of cell colonies that have undergone the targeting event. This chapter describes the methods for the derivation of germline competent zebrafish ES cell cultures along with a protocol for the efficient introduction of plasmid DNA into the cells by electroporation and in vitro selection of homologous recombinants.
Missing Data Analysis in Practice, by Trivellore Raghunathan

This text provides a practical approach to applying methods for exploring the sensitivity of results to missing data. Each chapter includes interesting examples and exercises using real data to exp...
Drinking motives and alcohol outcome expectancies as mediators of the association between negative urgency and alcohol consumption.

Abstract Objective To determine whether the effects of negative urgency, a unique facet of impulsivity marked by engaging in potentially unhealthy and rash behaviors in order to cope with anxiety or negative moods, on drinking behavior can be explained by positive and negative alcohol outcome expectancies and specific drinking motives (i.e., coping and enhancement). Methods College students ( N = 194) completed web-based surveys in exchange for course credit. Students completed measures of negative urgency, comprehensive effects of alcohol, drinking motives, and alcohol use behaviors. Results Results of path analysis indicated significant indirect effects of negative urgency and alcohol use through both alcohol outcome expectancies and enhancement motives. The effects of enhancement motives on drinking were mediated by positive alcohol outcome expectancies. The effects of coping motives on drinking were not attributable to negative expectancies. Conclusions Individuals high on negative urgency may consume alcohol in order to ameliorate their emotional distress due to strong desires to increase positive and decrease negative experiences associated with drinking. Emotion-focused impulsivity's influence on drinking outcomes can be ascribed to enhancement motives for drinking as well as positive and negative alcohol outcome expectancies. Prevention efforts should target drinking motives and alcohol outcome expectancies among those higher in negative urgency.
Ethics in the Pediatric Emergency Department: When Mistakes Happen: An Approach to the Process, Evaluation, and Response to Medical Errors

The emergency department (ED) is an environment that is conducive to medical errors. The ED is a time-pressured environment where physicians aim to rapidly evaluate and treat patients. Quick thinking and problem-based solutions are often used to assist in evaluation and diagnosis. Error analysis leads to an understanding of the cause of a medical error and is important to prevent future errors. Research suggests mechanisms to prevent medical errors in the pediatric ED, but prevention is not always possible. Transparency about errors is necessary to assure a trusting doctor-patient relationship. Patients want to be informed about all errors, and apologies are hard. Apologizing for a significant medical error that may have caused a complication is even harder. Having a systematic way to go about apologizing makes the process easier, and helps assure that the right information is relayed to the patient and his or her family. This creates an environment of autonomy and shared decision making that is ultimately beneficial to all aspects of patient care.
Reading Pegmatites: Part 3—What Lithium Minerals Say

THIS IS THE THIRD OF SEVERAL ARTICLES THAT ARE MEANT TO INFORM MINERAL MINERS, COLLECTORS, AND AMATEUR SCIENTISTS ABOUT THE GEOLOGIC ENVIRONMENTS OF THE MINERALS THEY COLLECT (previous two: London ...
Examining the racial-ethnic continuum and perceptions of police misconduct

Some research suggests a racial-ethnic hierarchy exists as to perceptions of police, with African-Americans exhibiting the most negative attitudes, Whites the most positive, and Hispanics holding m...
Benefits of Acceleration Measurement in Velocity Estimation and Motion Control

Abstract Accurate velocity information is important in various motion control applications. Conventional methods for velocity estimation utilize the measurement of position; for example, the velocity is estimated based on the difference of successive encoder counts or by a model based Kalman filter applied to the encoder output. It becomes a challenge to apply these methods to wide range of working conditions with robustness and accuracy. Recently, a new velocity estimation scheme using an encoder and an accelerometer with a kinematic model, i.e. a kinematic Kalman filter(KRF) has been suggested and applied to linear motor systems. The most attractive feature of the KKF is its robustness to model uncertainty and parameter variations. This paper investigates the performance of the KKF in more detail. It is shown that the KKr can be used with low resolution encoders without significant performance degradation. A reliable and cost effective way of measuring angular acceleration is also suggested using MEMS accelerometers. Experimental results with a low resolution encoder show the superiority of the KKF.
Socio-spatial Networks, Multilingualism, and Language Use in a Rural African Context

A GIS spatial perspective can provide important insights into many poorly understood sociolinguistic phenomena such as multilingualism in rural Africa. By relying on ethnographic and individual-based sociolinguistic information as well as on high spatial-temporal resolution data, our interdisciplinary team composed of linguists and geographers aims to (i) make original contributions to the cartographic representation of multilingualism and (ii) develop spatial-analytical models able to capture a complex array of linguistic, cultural, and spatial variables for a compact rural area of Cameroon.
An integrated approach to topside design

Current U.S. Navy ships employ multiple federated Radio Frequency (RF) apertures to perform Radar, Electronic Warfare (EW), Communication (Comms), Signals collection, and Information Operations (IO) functions. Historically, each function (and hence system) has its own aperture, electronics, operators, and logistics/maintenance infrastructure. This approach results in systems competing for limited space and optimum placement and results in an inefficient use of resources and Electro Magnetic Interference/Compatibility (EMI/EMC) problems. To improve the performance of RF systems the Office of Naval Research (ONR) developed technologies through the Integrated Topside (InTop) program that provide control of the electromagnetic spectrum through adaptive wide band apertures & signal processing to maximize war fighting capability. Several innovative approaches in RF system design and wide band apertures were developed to reduce cost and improve performance. In addition, InTop uses an open RF architecture (hardware & software) that is scalable to meet multiple platform needs and facilitate best of breed technology, competition and cost effective upgrades for apertures and electronics throughout the life cycle of the ship.
Ultrasound for Intraoperative Confirmation of Antegrade Ureteral Stent Placement During Laparoscopic Pyeloplasty.

Objective To describe our ultrasound technique for confirming intraoperative, antegrade-placed ureteral stent position during laparoscopic pyeloplasty. Background Disadvantages of retrograde stent placement include the need to reposition the patient into and out of the lithotomy position. Antegrade stent placement can reduce procedure time but requires confirming appropriate distal placement into the bladder with cystoscopy, percutaneous drain placement, or instillation of methylthioninium chloride or indigo carmine. Materials and Methods A 3-way 20-French Foley catheter is placed after induction with general anesthesia. Laparoscopic transperitoneal dismembered pyeloplasty is performed. Intraoperatively, the bladder is filled retrograde with 300ccs normal saline. After completing the posterior suture line of the ureteral anastomosis, a 4.8-French, 26-cm ureteral stent is placed antegrade down the ureter using a 5-French exchange catheter and guidewire. The stent is passed over the guidewire into the bladder. The proximal curl is then placed into the renal pelvis and the anastomosis is completed. Without patient repositioning, an intraoperative bladder ultrasound is performed to identify the distal stent curl within the bladder lumen. Results This technique demonstrated that ultrasound can guide antegrade stent placement in adult, laparoscopic ureteral surgery. It eliminated the need for intraoperative repositioning of the patient for intraoperative cystoscopy to confirm stent placement and was performed successfully during 8 laparoscopic pyeloplasty cases without failure. Ultrasound is likely more sensitive compared with looking for the presence of vesicoureteral reflux after stent placement, prevents stent malposition, and avoids the use of intravesical dyes that upon reflux can stain tissues and obscure surgical planes. Conclusion Here we demonstrate successful use of intraoperative ultrasound to confirm appropriate distal stent positioning in the bladder of an adult patient following antegrade stent placement for laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty. To our knowledge, this has been described in pediatrics, but never in adult patients.
Effect of TELEmedicine for Inflammatory Bowel Disease on Patient Activation and Self-Efficacy.

Introduction Limitations in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care necessitate greater patient activation and self-efficacy, measures associated with positive health outcomes.
The influence of the starting Cu-Sn phase on the superconducting properties of subsequently reacted internal-Sn Nb/sub 3/Sn conductors

We have studied the reaction conditions and properties of a high-Sn, internal-Sn Nb/sub 3/Sn conductor whose overall Cu-Sn composition was Cu-29 at.%Sn. By adjusting the mixing heat treatment during which the Cu and Sn interdiffuse prior to A15 reaction, it is possible to substantially surround the Nb filaments with /spl alpha/ and/or /spl epsi/-phase Cu-Sn. It does not seem possible, however, to homogeneously mix the Cu and Sn prior to A15 formation. The T/sub c/ distributions, measured both by SQUID and heat capacity, showed no dependence on significantly different mixing heat treatments. Magnetization measurements at 4.2 K and 12 K also showed that there were no significant differences in the H/sup */, H/sub c2/ and J/sub c/ (as indicated by /spl Delta/m). This implies that the composition and reaction behavior of the A15 phase is independent of the Cu-Sn phase in contact with the Nb filament prior to the reaction heat treatment and that scoping experiments on high-Sn, high-J/sub c/ internal-Sn conductors can be considerably simplified. Our studies suggest a new Cu-Nb-Sn intermetallic phase with a composition of Cu-23 at.%Nb-62at.%Sn.
Tuesday, 10:02 a.m., August 31, 2010—Central Standard Time—Chicago, IL

Caleb put his phone back in his pocket after sending the message to Delta asking if he was still wonderful. He arrived within seconds only to find the gallery doors locked, putting his status of wonderful in jeopardy.
Sentencing Guidelines and Judicial Discretion: Balancing Deterrence and Retribution

This chapter examines the interplay between legislatures, which enact sentencing guidelines ex ante, and judges (courts), which implement actual sentences ex post, subject to legislative guidelines. The hypothesis is that legislatures pay at least some attention to the goal of deterrence and so tend to enact tough-on-crime policies as signals to would-be offenders that law-breaking will result in harsh punishment. In contrast, judges confront actual offenders after the fact and so are more inclined to impose what they perceive to be “fair” punishments based on the circumstances of the case, subject to any binding constraints imposed by the legislature. The theme of the chapter is that the interplay between legislatures and judges reflects an evolving balance between the competing goals of deterrence and retribution.
Pterostilbene as a Potent Chemopreventive Agent in Cancer

Pterostilbene (Pter, trans-3,5-dimethoxy-4′-hydroxystilbene), a natural analog of resveratrol accumulated in grapevine leaves and blueberries, has attracted immense interest in the scientific community due to its potent biological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and anticancer effects. This chapter focuses on summarizing the up-to-date information related to the pharmacological effects and cellular/molecular mechanisms of pterostilbene with an emphasis on cancer. Numerous preclinical studies have reported on the proapoptotic and anticancer properties of pterostilbene against a variety of cancers, both in vitro and in vivo. Pterostilbene, like resveratrol, acts through various mechanisms, targeting specific signaling pathways and affecting epigenetic regulators of cell growth and metastasis. Pterostilbene has also been reported to sensitize cancer cells to standard chemotherapy. Pterostilbene’s protective and therapeutic effects have been observed in different cancers, including breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate, among others. Pterostilbene, with improved bioavailability, conferring a superior pharmacokinetic profile and greater anticancer efficacy, may become a stronger candidate than resveratrol for clinical development with potential applications in cancer. Clinical trials examining the chemopreventive and therapeutic potential of pterostilbene are warranted.
The association between race/ethnicity and peripartum hysterectomy and the risk of perioperative complications.

Objective To compare perioperative outcomes by patient race/ethnicity. Methods A retrospective cohort study identified 7 331 638 childbirth hospitalizations for women aged 12-55 years in the USA between 2004-2014. Peripartum hysterectomy, in-hospital mortality, perioperative complications, length of stay, and cost of hysterectomy data were analyzed using SAS. Results Among childbirth hospitalizations (52.9% white, 13.5% black, 23.0% Hispanic, 5.2% Asian, and 5.4% other), peripartum hysterectomy occurred in 6619. The incidence of peripartum hysterectomy was 90.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 87.7-93.0) per 100 000 hospitalizations, and higher for black (111.0, 95% CI 104.5-117.4), Hispanic (104.9, 95% CI 99.1-110.8), and Asian women (119.6, 95% CI 109.1-130.2) compared to whites (75.7, 95% CI 72.8-78.5). After adjustment, Hispanic women had an 18% higher odds of undergoing peripartum hysterectomy (odds ratio [OR] 1.18, 95% CI 1.08-1.29; P=0.004) than white women. Non-white women had a 2-3-fold higher odds of in-hospital mortality (ORblack 2.76, 95% CI 1.44-5.30; ORHispanic 1.99, 95% CI 1.04-3.82; ORAsian+other 2.44, 95% CI 1.11-5.40. Black and Asian/other women were more likely to undergo blood transfusions. Conclusion Women of color have higher rates of peripartum hysterectomy and experience higher rates of poor perioperative outcomes and mortality.
A Bioorthogonal Small Molecule Selective Polymeric "Clickase"

Synthetic polymer scaffolds may serve as gatekeepers preventing the adhesion of biomacromolecules. Herein, we use gating to develop a copper-containing single-chain nanoparticle (SCNP) catalyst as an artificial "clickase" that operates selectively on small molecules that are able to penetrate the polymeric shell. Whereas the analogous clickase with surface ammonium groups performs highly efficient copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) reactions on both alkynylated proteins and small molecule substrates, the new SCNP clickase with polyethylene glycol (PEG) groups is only active on small molecules. Further, the new SCNP resists uptake by cells allowing extracellular click chemistry to be performed. We describe two proof of principle applications that illustrate the utility of the bioorthogonal activity. First, the SCNP catalyst is able to screen for ligands that bind proteins, including proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC)-like molecules. Second, the nonmembrane permeable SCNP can efficiently catalyze the click reaction extracellularly, thereby enabling in situ anticancer drug synthesis and screening without the catalyst perturbing intracellular functions.
Integration of GaN and Diamond Using Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth.

Growth of single-crystalline GaN on polycrystalline diamond is reported for the first time. The structure was achieved using a combined process including selective diamond growth on GaN/Si wafers u...
K. Aaron Smith & Dawn Nordquist (Eds.) (2018). Functionalist and Usage-based Approaches to the Study of Language. In honor of Joan L. Bybee

This article reviews Functionalist and Usage-based Approaches to the Study of Language. In honor of Joan L. Bybee
Aggregate Airs: Atmospheres of Oil and Gas in the Greater Chaco

In the Greater Chaco region of northwest New Mexico, new fracking technologies are stirring up lands, chemicals, and relations that concentrate attention in the surround. This article argues that extraction’s cumulative atmospheric effects are experienced by Dine residents of the region in ways that cannot be accounted for by the agencies that manage oil and gas. The state’s presumption of atmospheric commensurability is reinforced by techniques of settler governance that fragment ecological and ontological domains like air and land. This fragmentation often preempts the possibility for Indigenous claims to meaningfully disrupt administrative or judicial actions. Unfolding extraction’s atmospheres across three cases, I examine how scale mediates the problem of commensurability. I describe how prevailing approaches to regulating impacts of the oil and gas industry manipulate scale in ways that obscure the cumulative effects of extraction. Drawing on fieldwork with Dine residents of the region who have mobilized to study how fracking affects their wellbeing, and I show how this scalar work facilitates the commensuration of extraction’s impacts across Indigenous and non-Indigenous worlds––as well as when this commensuration fails.
Regional heterogeneity in rat Peyer's patches through whole transcriptome analysis.

Peyer’s patches are gut-associated lymphoid tissue located throughout the intestinal wall. Peyer’s patches consist of highly organized ovoid-shaped follicles, classified as non-encapsulated lymphat...
Fibroblasts From Common Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tendon Grafts Exhibit Different Biologic Responses to Mechanical Strain

Background:Different tendons are chosen for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction based on perceived advantages and disadvantages, yet there is a relative paucity of information regarding...
RAGE!, Retaliation, and Retribution: Recurring Themes in August Wilson’s Work:

Following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and so many others, recent protest in Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, DC, LA, Portland and a host of other locations,...
What impacts Jewish orthodox womens’ mikvah experience?

Jewish law requires married females to immerse in a ritual bath conducted under the observation of a female mikvah attendant, in order to resume marital sexual relations post menstruation. Previous...
Social Media, Mining and Profiling in

The phenomenal rise of social media services in recent years presents new opportunities and challenges to both information consumers and service providers. With its growing popularity, social media has the potential to mine actionable patterns from a large amount of data to understand user behavior and to meet users' information needs. Profiling has the potential to better describe users and their relationships in social media. This entry introduces data mining and profiling in social media and discusses the characteristics of social media data in the context of research that is being undertaken in this area. Keywords: community detection; cybersecurity; data mining; sentiment analysis; social media; social network analysis
Probabilistic Deduplication of Anonymous Web Traffic

Cookies and log in-based authentication often provide incomplete data for stitching website visitors across multiple sources, necessitating probabilistic deduplication. We address this challenge by formulating the problem as a binary classification task for pairs of anonymous visitors. We compute visitor proximity vectors by converting categorical variables like IP addresses, product search keywords and URLs with very high cardinalities to continuous numeric variables using the Jaccard coefficient for each attribute. Our method achieves about 90% AUC and F-scores in identifying whether two cookies map to the same visitor, while providing insights on the relative importance of available features in Web analytics towards the deduplication process.
Polar ordering at the liquid-vapor interface of n-alcohols (C1-C8)

Abstract Vibrational spectra of the liquid-vapor interfaces of methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, pentanol, hexanol, heptanol and octanol were obtained in the CH and OH stretching region using infrared-visible sum-frequency generation. All alcohols studied are polar oriented at such interfaces with the alkyl chain pointing away from the liquid. For hexanol, heptanol, and octanol, the spectra show the presence of trans-gauche defects in the alkyl chain. For all alcohols, the shift of spectra to lower frequency in the OH stretching region indicates a well-ordered hydrogen-bonding network at the interface.