cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cosmic-ray electron spectrum and its modulation near solar maximum

We have used a balloon-borne ionization spectrometer to measure the energy spectrum of cosmic-ray electrons in the range 20 Mev to 15 Gev. Balloon flights were made from Fort Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, in the summers of 1968, 1969, and 1970. Primary electron spectra were obtained for these three periods that show the effect of differing levels of solar modulation. In particular, a relatively strong decrease in the electron intensity between 300 Mev and 2 Gev was observed between 1969 and 1970, whereas neutron-monitor counting rates increased. It is shown that the data can be explained quantitatively by using the force-field approximation to the cosmic-ray transport equation if the rigidity dependence of the diffusion coefficient is generalized to be time-dependent. The parameters obtained in fitting the electron measurements, when they are applied to the 1968 proton energy spectrum, lead to general agreement with measurements under the assumption that the unmodulated proton spectrum is a power law in total energy.
Mixin layers: an object-oriented implementation technique for refinements and collaboration-based designs

A "refinement" is a functionality addition to a software project that can affect multiple dispersed implementation entities (functions, classes, etc.). In this paper, we examine large-scale refinements in terms of a fundamental object-oriented technique called collaboration-based design. We explain how collaborations can be expressed in existing programming languages or can be supported with new language constructs (which we have implemented as extensions to the Java language). We present a specific expression of large-scale refinements called mixin layers, and demonstrate how it overcomes the scalability difficulties that plagued prior work. We also show how we used mixin layers as the primary implementation technique for building an extensible Java compiler, JTS.
CONSTANS is a photoperiod regulated activator of flowering in sorghum

Sorghum genotypes used for grain production in temperate regions are photoperiod insensitive and flower early avoiding adverse environments during the reproductive phase. In contrast, energy sorghum hybrids are highly photoperiod sensitive with extended vegetative phases in long days, resulting in enhanced biomass accumulation. SbPRR37 and SbGHD7 contribute to photoperiod sensitivity in sorghum by repressing expression of SbEHD1 and FT-like genes, thereby delaying flowering in long days with minimal influence in short days (PNAS_108:16469-16474, 2011; Plant Genome_in press, 2014). The GIGANTEA (GI)-CONSTANS (CO)-FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) pathway regulates flowering time in Arabidopsis and the grasses (J Exp Bot_62:2453-2463, 2011). In long day flowering plants, such as Arabidopsis and barley, CONSTANS activates FT expression and flowering in long days. In rice, a short day flowering plant, Hd1, the ortholog of CONSTANS, activates flowering in short days and represses flowering in long days. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) that modify flowering time in sorghum were identified by screening Recombinant Inbred Lines (RILs) derived from BTx642 and Tx7000 in long days, short days, and under field conditions. Analysis of the flowering time QTL on SBI-10 revealed that BTx642 encodes a recessive CONSTANS allele containing a His106Tyr substitution in B-box 2 known to inactivate CONSTANS in Arabidopsis thaliana. Genetic analysis characterized sorghum CONSTANS as a floral activator that promotes flowering by inducing the expression of EARLY HEADING DATE 1 (SbEHD1) and sorghum orthologs of the maize FT genes ZCN8 (SbCN8) and ZCN12 (SbCN12). The floral repressor PSEUDORESPONSE REGULATOR PROTEIN 37 (PRR37) inhibits sorghum CONSTANS activity and flowering in long days. Sorghum CONSTANS is an activator of flowering that is repressed post-transcriptionally in long days by the floral inhibitor PRR37, contributing to photoperiod sensitive flowering in Sorghum bicolor, a short day plant.
STUDIES OF MINIMAL RESIDUAL DISEASE IN ACUTE LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA

During the past 2 decades, there has been considerable progress made in the treatment of childhood and adult lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Currently, 70% to 90% of adults achieve a complete remission, and 25% to 50% of these patients may experience prolonged disease-free survival and may be cured of their disease. Unfortunately, most adults with ALL will ultimately experience a recurrence and die of their leukemia. Although most children with ALL may now be cured with current therapeutic regimens, the ability to distinguish good-risk patients from those who are likely to relapse has important clinical implications. Relapse, in most pediatric and adult cases, is thought to result from residual leukemia cells that remain following achievement of "complete" remission but are below the limits of detection using conventional morphologic assessment of the bone marrow. Sensitive techniques are now available to detect subclinical levels of residual leukemia, termed minimal residual disease.
An Algorithm to Compensate the Effects of Spurious PLL Tones in Spectrum Sensing Architectures

In a nonideal PLL circuit, leakage of the reference signal into the control line produces spurious tones. When the distorted PLL signal is used as a sampling clock to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), it creates spurious sidebands in the sampled data as well. In spectrum sensing applications, the presence of spurious sidebands can lead to false detection of signals in otherwise empty channels. To remove the spurious sidebands, we first estimate the distortions to the sampled data and then compensate the data in the digital domain. To reduce hardware complexity and computation cost, we propose an algorithm that uses a Fourier Transform block (a typical component in spectrum sensing architectures) to estimate the sampling errors from the spurious sidebands. We also analyze the effects of the spurious sidebands on spectrum sensing. Computer simulations are included to show that the proposed solution can remove the spurious sidebands and improve the detection performance.
Structure-based prediction of RNA-binding domains and RNA-binding sites and application to structural genomics targets

Mechanistic understanding of many key cellular processes often involves identification of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and RNA binding sites in two separate steps. Here, they are predicted simultaneously by structural alignment to known protein– RNA complex structures followed by binding assessment with a DFIRE-based statistical energy function. This method achieves 98% accuracy and 91% precision for predicting RBPs and 93% accuracy and 78% precision for predicting RNAbinding amino-acid residues for a large benchmark of 212 RNA binding and 6761 non-RNA binding domains (leave-one-out cross-validation). Additional tests revealed that the method makes no false positive prediction from 311 DNA binding domains but correctly detects six domains binding with both DNA and RNA. In addition, it correctly identified 31 of 75 unbound RNA-binding domains with 92% accuracy and 65% precision for predicted binding residues and achieved 86% success rate in its application to SCOP RNA binding domain superfamily (Structural Classification Of Proteins). It further predicts 25 targets as RBPs in 2076 structural genomics targets: 20 of 25 predicted ones (80%) are putatively RNA binding. The superior performance over existing methods indicates the importance of dividing structures into domains, using a Z-score to measure relative structural similarity, and a statistical energy function to measure protein–RNA binding affinity.
Performance of Silicon Germanium Power Devices at Extreme Temperatures

In deep space missions, surface- and spacecraft are exposed to extreme low temperatures. For example, calculations indicate that temperatures of about 120 K (- 153degC) at the orbit of Jupiter and about 44 K (-229degC) at the orbit of Pluto. Even the moon, Mars, and asteroids can subject spacecraft to temperatures well below the conventional limit for electronic parts of -55degC. The utilization of electronics designed for and operated at low temperature is expected to increase efficiency and simplify thermal management of electronic systems. In this paper, the performance of engineering samples of silicon germanium (SiGe) power devices consisting of diodes and hetero-j unction bipolar transistors (HBT) were evaluated under low temperature and thermal cycling. The investigations were carried out to establish a baseline on the functionality and to determine suitability of such devices for use in space exploration missions under cryogenic temperatures. The power devices were evaluated in terms of their switching characteristics and DC current gain in the temperature range between -195degC and +85degC. The effects of thermal cycling and cold-restart capability were also investigated. All of the devices were able to maintain good operation between -195degC and +85degC. In addition, the limited thermal cycling had no effect on their switching performance or on their packaging, and they were able to cold start at -195degC.
Induction of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell responses to the human stromal antigen, fibroblast activation protein: implication for cancer immunotherapy.

Purpose: The propensity of tumor cells to escape immune elimination could limit, if not defeat, the long-term benefits of effective immunotherapeutic protocols. Immunologic targeting of tumor stroma could significantly reduce the ability of tumors to evade immune elimination. Murine studies have shown that inducing immunity against angiogenesis-associated products engenders potent antitumor immunity without significant pathology. It is, however, not known whether T cells corresponding to stromal products are present in humans. In this study, we describe a method to screen for human stromal products that have not triggered significant tolerance and could therefore serve as candidate antigens for cancer immunotherapy. Experimental Design: To identify candidates for human stromal antigens, we used an in vitro –screening method to determine whether dendritic cells transfected with mRNA encoding products, which are overexpressed in the tumor stroma, are capable of stimulating cytotoxic CD8 + (CTL) responses from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Results: CTL responses could be consistently generated against fibroblast activation protein (FAP) but not against matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) or MMP-14. To enhance the immunogenicity of the mRNA-translated FAP product, a lysosomal targeting signal derived from lysosome-associated membrane protein-1 (LAMP-1) was fused to the COOH terminus of FAP to redirect the translated product into the class II presentation pathway. Dendritic cells transfected with mRNA encoding the FAP-LAMP fusion product stimulated enhanced CD4 + and CD8 + T-cell responses. Conclusion: This study identifies FAP, a protease preferentially expressed in tumor-associated fibroblasts, as a candidate human stromal antigen to target in the setting of cancer immunotherapy, and shows that differential expression of stromal products is not a sufficient criteria to indicate its immunogenicity in a vaccination setting.
En route to early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease – are we there yet?

As therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) become available, it will become increasingly important to develop accurate and reliable tools for its early diagnosis. A recent paper by Georganopoulou et al. suggests that nanobiotechnology could help to overcome the limitations with the current diagnostic methods. The paper introduces a nanoparticle-based assay using antibodies that are specific for amyloid b-protein (Ab) oligomers with sub-femtomolar sensitivity. This assay appears to be more specific for AD than previous ELISAbased work and, if specificity of the assay for Ab oligomers can be established, the method developed might provide a sensitive, reliable diagnostic tool for AD.
The autonomic nervous system and personality.

In a sample of 35 male and 93 female undergraduate students (Mage =21.0, SD = 2.2), it was not possible to develop a meaningful scale to measure whether individuals have a dominant sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system or a dominant parasympathetic division balance using the items in Plutchik and Conte's inventory measuring psychophysiological reactivity. Replicable sex differences in response to the items were identified which may merit further study.
The Effect of Jacket-Side Liquid on the Burst Pressure Estimation of a Jacketed Vessel

This study is intended to clarify the influence of jacket-side liquid on determining the burst pressure of a jacketed vessel subjected to deflagrations inside the vessel chamber. The influence of jacket-side liquid is modeled as either being nearly incompressible due to its high bulk modulus or sustaining a constant level of jacket chamber pressure. Employing finite element analyses, this paper reveals how jacket-side liquid compressibility affects the interaction between the vessel shell (inner wall) and jacket (outer wall) when the vessel shell is subjected to an internal deflagration. The study results indicate that simply combing the separate burst pressures of the vessel shell and jacket can result in insignificant difference in calculating the burst pressure of the jacketed vessel that is made of ductile materials and has a relatively small gap between the vessel shell and jacket.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
MY APPROACH to using coronary artery calcium scoring in primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

1016/j.tcm.2015.05.019 blished by Elsevier Inc. n PracticeUpdate on March 23, 2015. Republished estimators. These tools use established ASCVD risk factors such as age, gender, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes, and smoking. The most recent risk score is the centerpiece of the 2013 ACC/AHA prevention guidelines, and it estimates 10-year risk for a heart attack or stroke. Treatment recommendations are proportional to absolute ASCVD risk. Statin therapy results in a fairly predictable relative risk reduction based on the magnitude of LDLcholesterol reduction. Treatment with statin therapy is indicated when the baseline risk is high enough that a net benefit can be expected. Based on the new guidelines, treatment with statin therapy is indicated in three main groups:
Parallel Conductive-AFM Lithography on LaAlO $_{3}$ /SrTiO $_{3}$ Interfaces

Nanoscale devices can be created at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface by metastable charging of the top LaAlO3 surface with a voltage-biased conductive-atomic force microscope (c-AFM) tip. In order to create scalable nanoelectronic circuits, it will be important to develop procedures that allow multiple tips to “write” nanostructures in parallel. Here, we demonstrate parallel writing of conductive nanostructures at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface using an array of c-AFM tips. Independent control over the writing process for each tip is achieved by holding the tip array at a fixed potential and varying the voltage applied to individual electrodes. The approach developed here should be applicable to 2-D tip arrays with millions of probes.
Weekly Energy Drink Use Is Positively Associated with Delay Discounting and Risk Behavior in a Nationwide Sample of Young Adults

Background: Energy drink use is associated with increased risk behavior among adolescents and college students. This study examined this relationship in a nationwide sample of young adults and also examined relations between energy drink use and delay discounting. Methods: Participants were 874 U.S. adults 18–28 years of age with past 30-day consumption of caffeine and alcohol. Participants completed an online survey of energy drink use, drug use, sexual activity, alcohol misuse (alcohol use disorders identification test [AUDIT]), sensation seeking (four-item Brief Sensation Seeking Scale [BSSS-4]), and delay discounting of monetary rewards and condom use. Results: Over one-third of participants (n = 303) reported consuming energy drinks at least once per week. Weekly energy drink users were more likely than less-than-weekly energy drink users to report a recent history of risk behaviors, including cigarette smoking (56% vs. 28%, p < 0.0001), illicit stimulant use (22% vs. 6%, p < 0.0001), and unprotected...
Liberia Bound: James R. Stewart, Garveyism, and the Making of Transnational Political Networks for African Liberation, 1949-1964

The paper provides a genealogy of the making of transnational political networks committed to African liberation before the 1960s through the largely unknown story of James R. Stewart, an African American activist based in Cleveland, Ohio, who succeeded Marcus Garvey as the leader of the Universal Negro Improvement Association. Stewart emigrated to Liberia in 1949 with the intention of fulfilling Garvey’s Pan-African dream of redeeming the continent from colonialism and uplifting peoples of African-descent globally. He corresponded regularly with Garveyites globally and sought to influence independence movements across the continent. Before his emigration, he saw Africans as in need of civilization from their allegedly more civilized brethren in the Diaspora. After he settled in Liberia, he came to see Africa as the vanguard for liberating black people globally. Stewart’s years in Liberia speak to the continued resonance of Garveyism in Africa and across the Diaspora after 1945, as well as to the underappreciated ways black radicals from the U.S. sought to advance African liberation. Stewart’s time in Liberia also provides a framework for appreciating African American history through a transnational perspective and the complexities of transnational political networks amongst African American activists committed to African liberation prior to the 1960s.
Calcium-induced calcium release supports recruitment of synaptic vesicles in auditory hair cells

Hair cells from auditory and vestibular systems transmit continuous sound and balance information to the central nervous system through the release of synaptic vesicles at ribbon synapses. The high activity experienced by hair cells requires a unique mechanism to sustain recruitment and replenishment of synaptic vesicles for continuous release. Using pre- and postsynaptic electrophysiological recordings, we explored the potential contribution of calcium-induced calcium release (CICR) in modulating the recruitment of vesicles to auditory hair cell ribbon synapses. Pharmacological manipulation of CICR with agents targeting endoplasmic reticulum calcium stores reduced both spontaneous postsynaptic multiunit activity and the frequency of excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs). Pharmacological treatments had no effect on hair cell resting potential or activation curves for calcium and potassium channels. However, these drugs exerted a reduction in vesicle release measured by dual-sine capacitance methods. In addition, calcium substitution by barium reduced release efficacy by delaying release onset and diminishing vesicle recruitment. Together these results demonstrate a role for calcium stores in hair cell ribbon synaptic transmission and suggest a novel contribution of CICR in hair cell vesicle recruitment. We hypothesize that calcium entry via calcium channels is tightly regulated to control timing of vesicle fusion at the synapse, whereas CICR is used to maintain a tonic calcium signal to modulate vesicle trafficking.
Inheritance of UMP synthase in dairy cattle

The inheritance of uridine-5'-monophosphate (UMP) synthase in dairy cattle was consistent with a two-allele, single-autosomal-locus model. Two phenotypes were associated with different levels of the enzyme in bovine erythrocytes. The predominant phenotype (assumed normal) had twice the concentration of UMP synthase as the second phenotype (deficient). A one-to-one correspondence between enzyme level and genotype identified one homozygote as normal, the heterozygote as deficient, and the other homozygote as unobserved. Three alternative hypotheses were rejected. The deficiency as homozygous recessive was rejected because 20 matings between assumed normal males and deficient females resulted in 10 normal and 10 deficient offspring. The hypothesis that the deficiency was homozygous dominant was rejected because the 95 percent confidence interval about the observed gene frequency, 0.0024 to 0.0146, did not contain the estimated gene frequency for equilibrium between an average 10(-5) mutation rate and selection against the deficiency as homozygous dominant. Analyses of female relatives implicated one bull as deficient (96 percent probability), as he had, independently, 2 deficient daughters, 5 deficient granddaughters from untested dams, and 3 deficient great-granddaughters from untested ancestors. The hypothesis that the deficiency was sex-linked was rejected because 3 of 9 tested sons of the putative deficient bull were deficient. Calf mortality is expected in 25 percent of matings between deficient animals.
An Examination Of Medicaid Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Initiatives Under Way In Six States

Medicaid waivers for Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) seek to hold hospitals and other providers accountable for measureable improvements in health care delivery. We explore the pol...
Abstract CN08-03: Oncogenic stress regulates sensitivity of tumor cells to elimination by natural killer cells and T cells

Natural killer (NK) cell receptors regulate the capacity of NK cells and in some cases T cells to attack tumor cells and infected cells. Cancer cells become susceptible to NK cells by up-regulating stimulatory ligands, such as the Raet1/Mult1/H60/ULBP/MICA families of proteins recognized by the NKG2D receptor. This presentation will discuss the role of activating receptors such as NKG2D in tumor surveillance in vivo and the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways responsible for induction of NKG2D ligands in cancer cells and their relationship to major pathways regulating tumorigenesis. Evidence will be presented that tumor associated stress pathways induce NKG2D ligands by acting at distinct levels of biogenesis (transcription, mRNA stabilization, protein stabilization). The role of NKG2D recognition in mobilizing lymphocytes against tumors in vivo will be discussed. Supported by grants from NCI, NIAID and Prostate Cancer Foundation. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):CN08-03.
Comparative Analysis of Technical Literature

A technique is presented for the analysis of technical publications by comparison—with special regard to factors influenced by intended audience and professional category of author (i.e., scientist-engineer or writer). Writing style and use of graphics are important considerations; “readability” may be assessed. The technique is illustrated with an analysis of two articles on the same subject from different publications. Although the technique is intended chiefly as a teaching tool, some of the principles involved may be useful to others interested in judging the character of publications in a field, perhaps to help select the most suitable outlet for an article or to aid in designing a paper for a specific publication.
A MEA Based QoS Unicast Routing and Wavelength Assignment Scheme

In this paper,a QoS unicast routing and wavelength assignment scheme in IP /DWDM(Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) optical Internet is proposed. In this scheme,MEA(Multi-Agent Evolutionary Algorithm) is used to solve the routing problem,and JFF( Joint First Fit) is integrated for wavelength assignment. The uncertainty in the link state parameters is handled by probability theory and the flexible QoS(Quality of Service) support is provided by fuzzy mathematics. By applying the principles in game theory and microeconomics,a fair pricing method is devised to achieve or approach the Pareto optimum under Nash equilibrium for the provider utility and the user utility. VC + + 6. 0 is used as the development tool to achieve the simulation and the simulation results show that the proposed scheme can effectively solve the QoS unicast routing and wavelength assignment problem in IP /DWDM optical Internet with good performance.
The potential of vegetable oils for lubricants

Vegetable oils offer significant advantages in terms of resource renewability, bio-degradability, and comparable performance properties to petroleum-based products. Petroleum-based lubricants render an unfavorable impact on the environment. With growing environmental concerns, seed oils are finding their way into lubricants for agricultural, marine, forestry and industrial applications. Their amphiphilic character makes them excellent candidates as lubricants. The wide use of vegetable oils is restricted due to their low thermo-oxidative stability and poor cold-flow behavior. This chapter will discuss the screening of various seed oils, genetically modified oils, and chemically modified oils as basestocks for lubricant formulations; and how oxidative stability and cold-flow properties can be improved with the use of chemical additives. Important lubricant properties, such as oxidative stability, low-temperature-flow properties, friction and wear behavior, and viscosities of these oils will also be discussed. Among these oils, the best ones are high-oleic vegetable oils which, when formulated with chemical additives, provide lubricants exhibiting improved low-temperature properties, and superior oxidative stability and wear properties.
The Cat-and-Mouse Inversion Game with Burger King

With inversions, taxpayers and the Treasury are playing a game of Cat and Mouse. The partnership structure employed in the Burger King-Tim Hortons inversion is the latest twist in this game, and indeed, the Mouse seems to be taunting the Cat. This article discusses the structure of the partnership that is used to give electing Burger King shareholders tax-free treatment and explains why the Treasury should challenge the transaction.
AN OPTIMIZATION OF MAXIMAL INVARIANCE IN A CLASS OF MULTIPLE VALUED ITERATIVE DYNAMICS MODELS OF NONLINEAR DISTURBED CONTROL SYSTEMS

We discuss an optimization problem on the maximal invariance of a class of multiple-valued iterative dynamics (MVID) models of discrete-time nonlinear control dynamical systems with singular disturbance. We study the inner and outer bounds of the maximal invariance, between which all noninterfering MVID models of nonlinear discrete-time control dynamical systems with singular disturbance reside. We also study the invariant fractal structure and an optimization of Lyapunov multipliers associated to it.
Adaptive core simulation employing discrete inverse theory. Part I: Theory

Use of adaptive simulation is intended to improve the fidelity and robustness of important core attribute predictions such as core power distribution, thermal margins, and core reactivity. Adaptive simulation utilizes a selected set of past and current reactor measurements of reactor observables, i.e., in-core instrumentation readings, to adapt the simulation in a meaningful way. A meaningful adaption will result in high-fidelity and robust adapted core simulator models. To perform adaption, we propose an inverse theory approach in which the multitudes of input data to core simulators, i.e., reactor physics and thermal-hydraulic data, are to be adjusted to improve agreement with measured observables while keeping core simulator models unadapted. At first glance, devising such adaption for typical core simulators with millions of input and observables data would spawn not only several prohibitive challenges but also numerous disparaging concerns. The challenges include the computational burdens of the sensitivity-type calculations required to construct Jacobian operators for the core simulator models. Also, the computational burdens of the uncertainty-type calculations required to estimate the uncertainty information of core simulator input data present a demanding challenge. The concerns however are mainly related to the reliability of the adjusted input data. The methodologies of adaptive simulation aremore » well established in the literature of data adjustment. We adopt the same general framework for data adjustment; however, we refrain from solving the fundamental adjustment equations in a conventional manner. We demonstrate the use of our so-called Efficient Subspace Methods (ESMs) to overcome the computational and storage burdens associated with the core adaption problem. We illustrate the successful use of ESM-based adaptive techniques for a typical boiling water reactor core simulator adaption problem.« less
“They Need to Give Us a Voice”: Lessons from Listening to Unaccompanied Central American and Mexican Children on Helping Children Like Themselves

Children make up half of the world's refugees, yet limited research documents the views of youth about migratory causes and recommendations. While there is wide recognition of migrant children's ri...
Carbon-13 and Nitrogen-15 Solid State NMR Investigation of the Structure and Chemical Interactions Among Nitrocellulose-Nitramine Propellant Formulations

The recently developed high resolution, solid-state NMR techniques, namely cross-polarization, magic angle rotation and high power proton decoupling have been applied to obtain C-13 and N-15 NMR spectra of nitrocellulose, RDX and HMX, both separately and in admixture as in typical propellant formulations. While the C-13 spectra were obtained at natural abundance, the N-15 spectra were obtained from N-15 enriched materials. The potential of this technique for detecting chemical interactions is explored by the spectra presented. C-13 spectra of cellulose with increasing degree of nitration (from 0 to 13% nitrogen content) illustrate the potential for analytical applications.
Effect of Motion Type and Inclination on Muscle Activity and Edema

The purpose of the study was to assess the lower limb muscle activity and the leg volume changes associated with different motion types and inclination. Participants were asked to run and walk at two different inclinations on a treadmill to quantify the muscle activity with EMG. The corresponding lower limb volume changes were recorded with a foot volumeter. Results found that running conditions led to a significant volume increase and a significantly greater muscle activity. The greatest increase in leg volume appeared in running with bigger inclination. However, walking with great inclination resulted in reduced leg volume. The research will provide invaluable insights in rehabilitation, fatigue prevention, prosthetics and sport shoes design.
Acceptance: The Missing Mental State

This article identifies a serious shortcoming in the traditional criminal law mental state hierarchy and proposes a new mental state-- called acceptance -- as a solution. Acceptance exists where the actor acts recklessly and, in addition, would have acted even ?had he known? that his conduct would ?cause the harm.? The article establishes, through close analysis of the wilful blindness and depraved-heart murder doctrines, that use of the mental state of acceptance is both practicable and necessary. When liability lines are drawn at the level of knowledge, the criminal law has rarely been satisfied to restrict liability to actual knowledge, but instead has relied on ambiguously defined crimes (such as depraved-heart murder) or has stretched the definition of knowledge (for example, through the wilful blindness doctrine) to push reckless conduct across the liability line to the knowledge side. These ?solutions? have failed. When contemporary criminal law draws a significant liability line between knowledge and recklessness, doctrine governing cases near the margin is both particularly vague and distinctly lacking in consensus in comparison to most areas of the criminal law. The article proposes that where the law requires knowledge, acceptance should be allowed to suffice. After justifying such an approach from both retributive and utilitarian perspectives, the article establishes, by examining the willful blindness and depraved-heart murder doctrines, that using acceptance would yield a better fit between criminal law and culpability concepts and would substantially diminish vagueness problems. The need for acceptance is also demonstrated in briefer examinations of three other criminal law areas: "knowledge of the law," attempt and battery. In support of the practicability of acceptance as a measure of culpability, the article also surveys the criminal law's use of hypothetical questions to determine culpability in several other areas. These include the doctrines of recklessness, entrapment, and the German concept of bedingter vorsatz.
The Legal Regulation of U.S. Crowdfunding: An Organically Evolving Patchwork

One must at first acknowledge the rapid growth of the crowdfunding market over the recent years, both within the United States and worldwide. With the conduct of diverse crowdfunding activities, various complex legal issues arose. While the laws and regulations in the United States endeavoured to keep pace, at both state and federal levels, with the diversity and evolution of crowdfunding businesses, there is at the date of this report no comprehensive legal framework encompassing crowdfunding as a whole. This report thus aims to shed some light on the existing legal framework in force in the United States and on some of the complex issues raised by crowdfunding activities.
Association Between Ethnicity and Dietary Behaviors in Chinese Han and Hui Nationalities

This cross-sectional study examined the association between sociodemographic characteristics, ethnocultural identity, dietary habits, and related health behaviors of the Chinese Han and Hui populations. Participants in the study were 662 male and female adults randomly selected from four Chinese cities in three provinces. A modified 23-question self-administered questionnaire was employed to collect data from the respondents pertaining to their ethnic group affirmation, demographic characteristics, dietary habits, food consumption patterns, and related health practices. A t -test was conducted to determine interactions between the parametric variables and Chi-square analyses were conducted to determine interactions between the nonparametric variables. Hans were more likely to have a higher level of education than Huis, Hans were more likely to drink water frequently vs. all other non-water drinks than Huis, both Hans and Huis were more likely to consume their last meal of the day between 17:00-24:00 PM, Huis were more likely to shop for fruits frequently, eat breakfast regularly, cook healthy food (all the time), and bake food more and fry it less frequently, married couples were more likely consume breakfast and shop for fruits more regularly than their single counterparts who were more likely to be have a higher level of education. The level of education does not appear to translate into adopting a healthier dietary behavior such consuming daily breakfast on a regular basis by the more educated single respondents. There is a need to develop both short-term and long-term strategies aimed at further improving the dietary habits and related health practices of both ethnic groups. However, there is a need for the Hans to focus more on improving 6 out of the 8 dietary factors such as consuming regular daily breakfast, and for the Huis to focus more on improving the level of education and 3 out of the 8 dietary factors.
Bruton's tyrosine kinase, a component of B cell signaling pathways, has multiple roles in the pathogenesis of lupus

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the loss of adaptive immune tolerance to nucleic acid containing antigens. The resulting autoantibodies form immune complexes that promote inflammation and tissue damage. Defining the signals that drive pathogenic autoantibody production is an important step in the development of more targeted therapeutic approaches for lupus, which is currently treated primarily with non-specific immunosuppression. Here, we review the contribution of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (Btk), a component of B and myeloid cell signaling pathways, to disease in murine lupus models. Both gain- and loss-of-function genetic studies have revealed that Btk plays multiple roles in the production of autoantibodies. These include promoting the activation, plasma cell differentiation, and class switching of autoreactive B cells. Small molecule inhibitors of Btk are effective at reducing autoantibody levels, B cell activation, and kidney damage in several lupus models. These studies suggest that Btk may promote end organ damage both by facilitating the production of autoantibodies and by mediating the inflammatory response of myeloid cells to these immune complexes. While Btk has not been associated with SLE in GWAS studies, SLE B cells display signaling defects in components both upstream and downstream of Btk consistent with enhanced activation of Btk signaling pathways. Taken together, these observations indicate that limiting Btk activity is critical for maintaining B cell tolerance and preventing the development of autoimmune disease. Btk inhibitors, generally well-tolerated and approved to treat B cell malignancy, may thus be a useful therapeutic approach for SLE.
How to use the Stability Formula; An Algorithm

The above calculations are admittedly a little long, but they are not difficult. Here we shall summarize the results of the calculation in the form of a specific algorithm that can be followed for any given vector field. In the two dimensional case the algorithm ends rather quickly. In general, it is much longer. Examples will be given in Section 4B following.
Critical Issues for Mental Health Management in Vocational Rehabilitation: DSM-5, ICD-10-CM, and Implementing the WHODAS

A review of critical issues for mental health management in vocational rehabilitation within the context of the implementation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF; WHO, 2001), including: the importance of competency in psychiatric diagnoses for vocational rehabilitation professionals working in mental health management; a review of the release of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5; APA, 2013), highlighting significant changes from the previous version; and the inclusion of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS; WHO, 2012), an instrument closely linked to the ICF, within the DSM-5 as a replacement for the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) that was in previous versions of the DSM.
A Survey of Selected Internet Pharmacies in the United States

Objective To determine whether differences in the provision of pharmacy services exist among different types of Internet pharmacies. Design Survey of selected pharmacies with a presence on the Internet. Data were abstracted onto a data collection form for further analysis. Data collection was limited to 3 weeks. Setting U.S.-based Internet pharmacies that allow patients to purchase prescription medications online. Pharmacies were identified using a metasearch engine with the search terms "Internet pharmacy" and "Internet pharmacist." Intervention Survey. Main Outcome Measures Comparisons of availability of 10 commonly used products representing a variety of product categories, prescription verification methods, and privacy issues; and determinations of site navigability, drug information and provider access, and payment methods. Sites were categorized as "chain pharmacy extensions," "mail order pharmacies," "independent pharmacy extensions," and "online pharmacies." Results: Thirty-three sites were reviewed. There was significant variation among the four types of pharmacies selling prescriptions over the Internet. Most pharmacies provided all of the drugs in the survey. Patients were required to provide their own prescription at 88% of the sites, and 75% of sites used mail or fax to verify prescription integrity. More than 50% of sites had privacy policies posted, and 64% used cookies. Chain pharmacy extensions required completion of an average of 10.2 pages to order drugs versus 2.4 to 4 pages for all other site types. Drug information was written at an eighth-grade reading level at 36% of the sites. More than two-thirds of the sites provided a toll-free telephone for a health care professional. Nearly 80% of the sites accepted health insurance, and 95% accepted credit cards; however, only 40% used a secure transmission mechanism for patient or payment information. Conclusion Internet pharmacies provide varying levels of service. Policies regarding the use of the Internet for obtaining medications should focus on improving the privacy of consumer information and ensuring the secure transmission of financial information.
Properties and Applications of Vapor Infiltration into Polymeric Substrates

Metalorganic vapor infiltration into polymeric substrates is a technique that can be used to modify the bulk interior of the polymer material. Founded within atomic layer deposition processing methodology, vapor infiltration occurs through pulses of a precursor gas and reactant to grow metals or metal oxides within a substrate rather than exclusively depositing on the surface. The infiltration behavior has been shown to vary based on the precursor and reactant exposure sequences. Key application areas have been demonstrated in lithographic patterning, nanostructure formation for catalysis, mechanical enhancement, and optical modification.
Cambodia’s Emerging Bilingual Education Programs—Success in a System in Crisis

This chapter explores the events that shaped Cambodia’s educational system into its present state as well as current efforts at educational reform. The dearth of qualified teachers resulting from the Cambodian genocide has had a lasting impact on all levels of education. Teachers at all levels lack deep content understanding so resort to didactic teaching methods emphasizing rote memorization. There are few up-to-date advanced textbooks in Khmer so university students wishing to study advanced topics must do so in a foreign language (usually English). No public universities offer doctoral degrees in STEM fields so Cambodian STEM students must be proficient enough in English to study in other countries. This situation along with lingering xenophobia leaves Cambodia’s 25 language minority populations largely unserved. In 2002, several Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) began bilingual programs to serve remote tribes whose communities lacked access to schools. After several years, the Ministry of Education adopted NGO models for bilingual education and worked with NGOs to expand bilingual education. In 2013, the Cambodian government enacted a law that allowed the use of indigenous languages in formal schooling on the condition that Khmer is not ignored. Additional ministry reforms target the English proficiency Cambodians need to study abroad or work in international corporations. The author will describe her role as part of current STEM education reform efforts at the university level.
Benefits of adaptive lessons for pre-class preparation in a flipped numerical methods course

A challenge with flipped instruction is the pre-class preparation, where students independently learn fundamental content outside the classroom. For this pre-class learning, instructors typically a...
Lady Mary Shepherd and David Hume on Cause and Effect

Shepherd propounds a theory of mind with a fair claim to be better than Hume’s at explaining the sources of commonly held human beliefs about causal necessity due largely to her relational theory of sense perception. In comparison with Hume’s account, it incorporates a more sophisticated treatment of mental representation, especially the role of relational structure and logical form. Most important, perhaps, Shepherd’s theory enforces the division, obscured by Hume, between the evidence of necessity and the metaphysical foundation of necessity.
Acute gouty arthritis following percutaneous cryoablation of renal cell carcinoma

Abstract We report a case of acute gouty monoarthritis of the left ankle in a 58-year-old female with chronic renal insufficiency after cryoablation of a 3.8 cm left renal cell carcinoma. The patient's symptoms resolved after intravenous Solumedrol and did not recur at her 1-month follow-up visit. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of acute gouty monoarthritis after cryoablation of a renal cell carcinoma lesion in a patient with underlying chronic renal insufficiency. Clinicians should be vigilant of the potential for this complication in at-risk patient populations.
The functional internal rotation scale: a novel shoulder arthroplasty outcome measure.

Background Shoulder arthroplasty, especially reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA), continues to increase in volume. Limitations in internal rotation can be challenging following RSA. Current patient-reported outcome measures are limited in assessing a patient's functional internal rotation following shoulder arthroplasty. To address this limitation, a questionnaire was developed. Methods A single-center prospective comparative cohort study was performed to determine the reliability of the questionnaire. A pilot group of patients who had at least 1 year of follow-up following shoulder arthroplasty was asked to complete the questionnaire. Reliability testing was performed using Cronbach's alpha test. Additionally, individual questions and total questionnaire scores were compared between patients who underwent anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and RSA. Results The questionnaire showed high reliability with all questions. A group of 23 anatomic TSA and 20 RSA patients were compared. RSA patients scored significantly lower on the questionnaire (35.2 out of 50 vs. 43.9, P = .001). Conclusion The questionnaire can be used in conjunction with other patient-reported outcome measures to help surgeons better assess patients' results following shoulder arthroplasty. The initial findings from our internal reliability study found that RSA patients had significantly lower scores and higher variability in internal rotation function vs. patients with TSA. Further studies are needed to determine the clinical importance of this questionnaire.
The effect of botulinum toxin on ureteral inflammation

The impact of onabotulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) on bladder afferent nerve pathways and chemosensory functions is an active area of investigation. There may be a role for BoNT-A in disorders of the ureter; however, no histologic studies have assessed the effects of BoNT-A on ureteral tissue. Our objective was to develop an animal model of ureteral inflammation and determine the impact of ureteral BoNT-A instillation on known mechanisms of inflammation. The safety and feasibility of a novel animal model of ureteral inflammation was assessed. Through open cystotomy, the effect of ureteral BoNT-A instillation on inflammation was determined through H&E, masson’s trichrome, Ki-67 stain, and prostaglandin E (PGE) synthase expression, a known marker of pain and inflammation in ureteral tissue. Urothelial microstructure was assessed using electron microscopy and standard histologic techniques. All experiments were carried to completion, and no systemic signs of botulinum toxicity were seen. BoNT-A exposure was associated with a decrease in PGE synthase expression in a dose-dependent fashion. BoNT-A exposure was not found to impact collagen deposition or cell proliferation. Disruption of tight junctions between urothelial cells was observed under conditions of inflammation. We describe the feasibility of a novel in vivo model of ureteral inflammation and report the first histologic study of the effects of BoNT-A on the ureter. Preliminary findings show that BoNT-A attenuates ureteral PGE synthase expression under conditions of inflammation. The application of BoNT-A may provide anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in the context of ureteral disorders.
Hepatitis C psychoeducation curriculum topics generated by group members

Educational programs for hepatitis C (HCV) have been created by professionals. There has not been a focus on whether what clients want to know about HCV differs from what providers want patients to...