cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Report of a Phase II Study of Clofarabine and Cytarabine in De Novo and Relapsed and Refractory AML Patients and in Selected Elderly Patients at High Risk for Anthracycline Toxicity

Purpose. To determine the efficacy and safety of clofarabine and cytarabine (Ara-C) in adult patients with relapsedorrefractoryacutemyeloidleukemia(AML)andin elderly patients with untreated AML and heart disease. Patients and Methods. Patients with relapsed/refractory AML and older patients for whom there was a concern over toxicity from additional anthracyclines received 5 days of clofarabine, 40 mg/m 2 per day i.v. over 1 hour, followed 4 hours later by Ara-C, 1,000 mg/m 2 per day i.v. over 2 hours. Results. Thirty patients were enrolled. The median agewas67years(range,38–82years)and18(60%)had received at least one prior therapy. Eleven (37%) patients had a history of cardiovascular disease and were considered to be at high risk for anthracycline toxicity. High-risk cytogenetic abnormalities were present in 14 (47%) patients. The overall response rate (complete remission [CR] plus partial remission) was 53%, includingaCRin14patients(47%).Responseswereobserved in all cytogenetic risk groups and in patients who had received up to five prior therapies. The median diseasefree survival interval was 9.5 months. The 30-day mortality rate was 20% (de novo AML, 8%; relapsed/ refractory AML, 28%). Of the 14 patients achieving a CR, half were able to proceed to curative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Conclusions. Clofarabine in combination with Ara-C is effective in both untreated and previously treated patients with AML. In addition, it represents a useful remission induction strategy to serve as a bridge to transplantation in older patients with AML. The Oncologist 2011;16:197–206
Evaluation of primary production in Lake Erie by multiple proxies

Direct measurements of rates of primary production in Lake Erie are few and uncertainties surround rate measurements based on radiocarbon and the light–dark bottle incubation methods. For these reasons, we conducted a series of simultaneous primary productivity measurements in Lake Erie in July and August of 2003, based on incubation with [14C]-NaHCO3, the light–dark bottle method, and incubation with 18O enriched water. Significant differences in the rates of primary production obtained by incubations with [18O]-H2O (0.19–34.60 mmol-O2 m−3 h−1), [14C]-NaHCO3 (0.03–90.50 mmol-C m−3 h−1), and light–dark bottles (0.06–60.78 mmol-O2 m−3 h−1) were evident in six out of nine comparisons. Within the epilimnion, [18O]-H2O rates of primary production were significantly different from rates based on [14C]-NaHCO3 and light–dark bottles in all four comparisons and lower rates were obtained in three out of four comparisons. Eutrophic conditions in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie were evident from the high primary production rates of 20.50–34.60 mmol-O2 m−3 h−1 ([18O]-H2O), 34.39–90.50 mmol-C m−3 h−1 ([14C]-NaHCO3), and 46.66–60.78 mmol-O2 m−3 h−1 (light–dark bottle). The photosynthetic quotient (PQ), or ratio of O2 production to CO2 consumption during photosynthesis, averaged 0.64±0.33 and 1.93±1.93, respectively, based on a comparison of [18O]-H2O to [14C]-NaHCO3 rates or light–dark bottle to [14C]-NaHCO3 production rates, respectively, demonstrating that photosynthesis in Lake Erie communities primarily follows expected stochiometric trends. The average of the ratio of production rates based on incubation with [18O]-H2O relative to those obtained by the light–dark incubation method was 0.66±0.33, indicating a tendency for the [18O]-H2O method to provide slightly lower estimates of production in Lake Erie. Lower estimates of primary production based on [18O]-H2O incubation relative to the other two approaches is most likely a consequence of consumption of labeled O2 within the cell or dilution of label by the release of O2 from supersaturated cells. This latter effect may be particularly characteristic of eutrophic environments.
Autonomic Coordinated Beamforming for Multi-user MIMO-BC

We propose a novel linear transmit beamforming technique for multi-user MIMO broadcast channels (BC). We lower bound the product of all users' received SINRs when MMSE receivers are employed by all users. The proposed closed-form solution for transmit beamforming maximizes the lower bound of the product SINRs in an autonomic way. Unlike the zero-forcing beamforming (ZFBF), which can completely cancel the interference but is not concerned with the signal strength, the autonomic beamforming (ABF) makes a balance between canceling the interference and maintaining the signal strength. Additionally, ABF loosens the constraint on the number of transmit antennas in ZFBF.
Effect of gamma radiation on the specific volume of polytetrafluoroethylene from −80°C. to +40°C

Specific volume vs. temperature relationships for γ-irradiated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) samples (1/2 in. diameter rods) have been studied over the −80 to +40°C. temperature range for radiation doses up to 890 Mrads. At low doses, the overall specific volume decreases with increasing dose. Between 100 and 300 Mrads the effect reverses, and the specific volume increases with dose up to 890 Mrads. As reported in the literature, an inflection point associated with the first-order crystalline transition appears in the specific volume curve near 19°C. for unirradiated PTFE. This inflection point loses definition and shifts to lower temperatures with increasing radiation dose. At 890 Mrads the inflection point has decreased about 50°C. to near −33°C. Effects noted in irradiated PTFE are attributed to chain scission, changes in per cent crystallinity, and eventual disordering of the crystallites with increasing radiation dose. No significant difference in results are detected between samples irradiated in air and samples irradiated in vacuum-sealed containers.
The Effect of Context on Imitation Skills in Children with Autism.

Children with autism exhibit deficits in imitation skills. Previous authors have suggested that they may have particular difficulty imitating in natural social interactions, but properly controlled experiments investigating this possibility have not been conducted. To investigate this possibility, children with autism and typically developing children were compared on a series of imitation tasks presented either in a structured-elicited or naturalistic-spontaneous condition. Modeled actions were counterbalanced across conditions. Results suggest children with autism imitated less than typically developing children overall; however, this differencewas mainly evident when theimitation taskwas presented in a spontaneouscontext. In addition, they exhibited less coordinated joint attention during imitation than the typically developing children. These findings support the hypothesis that children with autism are particularly impaired in their ability to imitate spontaneously. # 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Robust finite element solution for three-dimensional scattering

An edge-based finite element formulation with vector absorbing boundary conditions is presented for scattering by composite structures having boundaries satisfying impedance and/or transition conditions. Remarkably accurate results are obtained by placing the mesh a small fraction of a wavelength away from the scatterer.
Decentralising authoritarianism? The international intervention, the new ‘revolutionaries’ and the involution of Post-Qadhafi Libya

AbstractIn 2011, Libya became the only country of the Arab Uprisings where NATO and the Arab League intervened militarily, ostensibly to protect the civilian population, but in reality in support of the opposition National Transitional Council. This article argues that, since 2011, Libya has transitioned from Qadhafi’s centralised authoritarianism to a new decentralised authoritarianism where multiple centres of power coexist and sometimes overlap, while leaving room only for formal democratic institutions. This is the result of decisions taken by the ‘revolutionaries’ after the overthrow of the dictator, and a consequence of long-standing features of the Libyan state and society.
The Effects of Hypertension on Cerebral Artery Structure and Function, and Cerebral Blood Flow

Careful regulation of cerebral blood flow is required to maintain proper brain function. The cerebral arteries are particularly sensitive to the effects of hypertension, which alters the arteries in a manner that impairs the brains ability to tightly regulate perfusion. This chapter focuses the effects of hypertension on cerebral artery structure and function, with emphasis on myogenic reactivity and endothelium-dependent dilation. Hypertension causes a reduction in the lumen diameter of cerebral arteries and this is often associated with an increase in the wall-to-lumen ratio. Several circulating factors have been implicated in mediating this inward artery remodeling; these include aldosterone, angiotensin II, proinflammatory cytokines, and reactive oxygen species. Endothelium-dependent dilation in response to nitric oxide and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids is impaired in hypertension; this leads to increases in myogenic tone and impaired dilation. Dysfunction of ion channels, including calcium-activated potassium channels and transient receptor potential (TRP) V4 channels, has also been associated with impaired endothelial function in hypertensive models. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for the hypertension-associated vascular dysfunction is important because hypertension is associated with an increased risk of dementia and stroke and with increased ischemic injury in the event of a stroke.
How to plan today for tomorrow's potential disasters.

Hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes are not the only disasters that can disrupt a patient accounts department's operations. Localized fires, power outages, vandalism, and hardware or software failure can pose even greater threats to operations. To minimize downtime and resume normal operations, disaster preparedness strategies should be part of a department's daily procedures. Language: en
Overcorrection: A Procedural Evaluation

Recently overcorrection has been used to discourage inappropriate behaviors and encourage appropriate behaviors of severely and profoundly handicapped people. This procedure has combined verbal reprimands, verbal instructions, and manual guidance (if necessary) and dictates that an offender “overcorrect” his misbehavior. Two types of overcorrection training have been reported – restitutional overcorrection, in which the individual restores a disturbed setting or situation to a state vastly improved from that existing prior to the disruption, and positive practice overcorrection, requiring that the individual practice appropriate modes of responding several times following inappropriate behavior. This paper reviews the components of overcorrection, the rationale for its use, the two types of overcorrection training reported, the levels of instructional assistance, and some common misinterpretations. And it suggests extensions to the vocational and social development of the severely/profoundly handicapped.
Hydration force between mica surfaces in aqueous KCl electrolyte solution.

Liquid–vapor molecular dynamics simulations are performed to study the interaction forces between two mica surfaces in an aqueous KCl electrolyte solution. Strong repulsive hydration force is obtained within a distance of ∼2 nm between the two mica surfaces, which cannot be explained by the continuum theory of double-layer repulsion. We find that this short-range repulsive hydration force is much stronger than the double-layer force between mica surfaces. Whereas the simulation system is much smaller than the surface force measurement system, fundamental mechanisms of repulsive hydration force are revealed. In particular, important features of the step-like force oscillatory behavior during normal compression and force hysteresis during retraction are observed. Detailed analysis of the ionic density distributions shows that the “forced adsorption” of diffusive K+ ions onto mica surfaces during compression and the subsequent “slow desorption” of the absorbed K+ ions from mica surfaces upon retraction are r...
Intraspinal inoculation of mice in experimental poliomyelitis.

Discussion and SummaryA relatively simple technic for the intraspinal inoculation of mice which lends itself to routine laboratory use has been described. For Lansing poliomyelitis virus, it seems to be a more sensitive method of detecting virus than the intracerebral technic. The quantitation of virus titers by this method is consistent between two different technicians and on repeated tests by one technician from any one set of virus dilutions. It can be applied to the routine testing of serums for Lansing antibodies. The chief advantage of the technic is the marked shortening of the incubation period of Lansing infection in mice as com-1 pared to that following intracerebral inoculation.
Effects of monensin on development of the face fly and the horn fly.

Cattle feces containing selected concentrations of monensin (Rumensin®) that ranged from 3.125 to 100 ppm resulted in an LC50 and LC90 of 10.71 and 49.05 ppm, respectively, for the face fly, Musca autumnalis De Geer, and 24.71 and 59.12 ppm, respectively, for the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.). A dosage concentration response was seen with puparial weights of both species.
Plant-Soul: The Elusive Meanings of Vegetative Life

In this paper, I propose an ontological-hermeneutical approach to the question of vegetative life. I argue that, though it is a product of the metaphysical tradition that from Aristotle to Nietzsche ascribes to the life of plants but a single function, the notion of plant-soul is useful for the formulation of a post-metaphysical philosophy of vegetation. Offered as a prolegomenon to such thinking about plants, this paper focuses on the multiplicity of meanings, the obscurity, and the potentialities inherent in their life.
Application of moving percentile method in early alert of infection of hand-foot-and-mouth disease in Hainan Province

Objective To explore the application of moving percentile method in early alert of infection of hand foot mouth disease in Hainan Province. Methods The weekly data of hand- foot- and- mouth disease from 2009 to 2011 in Hainan Province were collected Moving percentile method was used to establish early alert model. P5, P10, P15,P20, ……P90,P95,were selected as the candidate alert threshold. After calculating and comparing sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value,negative predictive value, Youden index and ROC, the optimal alert threshold for hand-foot-and-mouth disease were chosen.Results P90 was chosen as the premium alert threshold for early alert of infection of hand-foot-and-mouth disease with389 warning signals. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and Youden index were92.92%, 90.17%, 80.98%, 96.59%, 0.8309, respectively.Conclusion Moving percentile could be used for early alert of infection of hand foot mouth disease in Hainan province.
Textual Substitution, Equality, and Assignment

We introduce textual substitution and illustrate its application to reasoning about equality and about the assignment statement in programming languages. We discuss Leibniz’s definition of equality and formalize it in terms of textual substitution (see Historical note 1.2). We give a proof format for showing equality of two expressions.
Neutralizing Antibodies and Multiple Sclerosis

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses binding antibodies (BAbs) and neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) that are the part of the immunologic reaction to beta-interferon treatment. BAbs, which include all antibodies that bind to a beta-interferon, occur in up to 80% of treated patients. In general, NAbs are considered a subset of BAbs that interfere with receptor binding of beta-interferon at the host's target cell membranes, preventing the drug's biologic effects. Moreover, patients with high levels of BAbs may be at elevated risk of developing NAbs. NAbs and BAbs are classified by the assay used in their detection. Other characteristics, such as site of binding, duration of action, and affinity, may also differ. Factors that play a role in the immunogenicity of a biopharmaceutical are primarily threefold: (1) those related to each agent, such as its chemical formulation, manufacturing method, route of administration, frequency, dose, and duration of treatment; (2) patient characteristics; and (3) unknown factors.
A Multicenter, Randomized, Dose Frequency Study of the Safety and Efficacy of Cerezyme® Infusions Every 4 Weeks Versus Every 2 Weeks in the Maintenance Therapy of Patients with Type 1 Gaucher Disease

Abstract Introduction: Cerezyme® (imiglucerase, Genzyme Corporation) is the current standard treatment for type 1 Gaucher disease (GD1). Most patients are infused every 2 weeks. A less frequent infusion schedule at the same total 4-week dose might be equally effective and more convenient. Objective: To compare the safety and efficacy of two dosing frequencies of Cerezyme for patients with GD1. Methods: A phase IV, multicenter, randomized 24-month trial enrolled 95 clinically stable adult GD1 patients (mean age 47 years; range 18–82 years) who had received Cerezyme ≥2 years. Patients were randomized to continue their total 4 week dose as 1 infusion every 2 weeks (Q2) or 1 infusion every 4 weeks (Q4). The primary analysis used a composite endpoint of relative change in hemoglobin level, platelet count, liver and spleen volumes, or progression of bone disease and bone crisis. A post-hoc analysis was performed based upon maintenance of therapeutic goals (Pastores et al. Sem Hematol 2004; 41(4 Suppl 5):4–14). Results: Mean 4-week doses (U/kg) of Cerezyme were 70.4±24.9 for Q2 (n=33) and 69.7±21.3 for Q4 (n=62). The primary analysis endpoint was maintained in 80.8% of Q2 and 63.2% of Q4 patients at 24 months. Per the post-hoc analysis, 100% of Q2 and 88.5% of Q4 patients maintained therapeutic goals at 24 months. No Cerezyme-related serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions: Infusing a total 4-week dose of imiglucerase every 4 weeks appears to be safe and well-tolerated in the majority of patients in this cohort and may be considered for some stable adult GD1 patients who have achieved therapeutic goals on Cerezyme therapy. The dosing frequency of Cerezyme, as with dose itself, must be individualized based upon physician judgment and patient needs as determined by regular and comprehensive monitoring. Long term follow-up of patients on a Q4 dosing regimen is necessary to determine other clinical outcomes, such as bone mineralization and marrow infiltration.
EXERCISE CAPACITY AFTER REPAIR OF EBSTEIN ANOMALY IN ADULTS: THE CONE ERA

Background: The circumferential “cone” repair has become the preferred method of repairing Ebstein anomaly of the tricuspid valve (TV). Reported surgical outcomes have been excellent. However, there have been no recent studies examining exercise or functional capacity in patients who have
Student Engagement: An Empirical Analysis of the Effects of Implementing Mandatory Web-Based Learning Systems

ABSTRACTStudent engagement has, and will continue to be, a key desire for educators. However, some policies that are aimed at increasing engagement may actually have the opposite effect. This study of 98 students investigates one mandatory policy to use a web-based learning system and presents the level of student engagement compared to other classes where the learning system was not used. Results show that students that were required to use the web-based material had lower engagement, thus providing evidence that participation is not synonymous with engagement. Implications for practice and research are proposed.
Accuracy of deformable image registration on magnetic resonance images in digital and physical phantoms.

Purpose Accurate deformable image registration is necessary for longitudinal studies. The error associated with commercial systems has been evaluated using computed tomography (CT). Several in-house algorithms have been evaluated for use with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but there is still relatively little information about MRI deformable image registration. This work presents an evaluation of two deformable image registration systems, one commercial (Velocity) and one in-house (demons-based algorithm), with MRI using two different metrics to quantify the registration error. Methods The registration error was analyzed first with synthetic MR images. These images were generated from inter-patient and intra-patient variation models trained on 28 patients. Four synthetic posttreatment images were generated for each of four synthetic pretreatment images, resulting in 16 image registrations for both the T1- and T2-weighted images. The synthetic post-treatment images were registered to their corresponding synthetic pre-treatment image. The registration error was calculated between the known deformation vector field and the generated deformation vector field from the image registration system. The registration error was also analyzed using a porcine phantom with ten implanted 0.35-mm diameter gold markers. The markers were visible on CT but not MRI. CT, T1-weighted MR, and T2-weighted MR images were taken in four different positions. The markers were contoured on the CT images and rigidly registered to their corresponding MR images. The MR images were deformably registered and the distance between the projected marker location and true marker location was measured as the registration error. Results The synthetic images were evaluated only on Velocity. Root mean square errors (RMSEs) of 0.76 mm in the left-right (LR) direction, 0.76 mm in the anteroposterior (AP) direction, and 0.69 mm in the superior-inferior (SI) direction were observed for the T1-weighted MR images. RMSEs of 1.1 mm in the LR direction, 0.75 mm in the AP direction, and 0.81 mm in the SI direction were observed for the T2-weighted MR images. The porcine phantom MR images, when evaluated with Velocity, had RMSEs of 1.8, 1.5, and 2.7 mm in the LR, AP, and SI directions for the T1-weighted images and 1.3, 1.2, and 1.6 mm in the LR, AP, and SI directions for the T2-weighted images. When the porcine phantom images were evaluated with the in-house demons-based algorithm, RMSEs were 1.2, 1.5, 2.1 mm in the LR, AP, and SI directions for the T1-weighted images and 0.81, 1.1, and 1.1 mm in the LR, AP, and SI directions for the T2-weighted images. Conclusions The MRI registration error was low for both Velocity and the in-house demons-based algorithm according to both image evaluation methods, with all RMSEs below 3 mm. This implies that both image registration systems can be used for longitudinal studies using MRI. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Rev. of Navigating Loss in Women's Contemporary Memoir, by AMY-KATERINI PRODROMOU

How much time are we allotted to grieve the loss of a child, a parent, or a spouse before our tears are no longer met with compassion but with raised eyebrows, muted annoyance, and exasperated sigh...
Single strain versus multi-strain probiotics supplementation against rheumatoid arthritis

We thank Dr. Giancarlo and Dr. Vincenzo for their comments on our recent publication Marietta et al (1) on the use of gut-derived commensals as a treatment option for autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Dysbiosis in RA patients has been well established (2, 3). We believe that reduced abundance of certain taxa might lead to an expansion of opportunist pathogens or perhaps loss of the homeostatic effects of those microbes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Dimensional Analysis on Forest Fuel Bed Fire Spread

A dimensional analysis was performed to correlate the fuel bed fire rate of spread data previously reported in the literature. Under wind condition, six pertinent dimensionless groups were identified, namely dimensionless fire spread rate, dimensionless fuel particle size, fuel moisture content, dimensionless fuel bed depth or dimensionless fuel loading density, dimensionless wind speed, and angle of inclination of fuel bed. Under no-wind condition, five similar dimensionless groups resulted. Given the uncertainties associated with some of the parameters used to estimate the dimensionless groups, the dimensionless correlations using the resulting dimensionless groups correlate the fire rates of spread reasonably well under wind and no-wind conditions.
Houston Methodist variant viewer: An application to support clinical laboratory interpretation of next-generation sequencing data for cancer

Introduction: Next-generation-sequencing (NGS) is increasingly used in clinical and research protocols for patients with cancer. NGS assays are routinely used in clinical laboratories to detect mutations bearing on cancer diagnosis, prognosis and personalized therapy. A typical assay may interrogate 50 or more gene targets that encompass many thousands of possible gene variants. Analysis of NGS data in cancer is a labor-intensive process that can become overwhelming to the molecular pathologist or research scientist. Although commercial tools for NGS data analysis and interpretation are available, they are often costly, lack key functionality or cannot be customized by the end user. Methods: To facilitate NGS data analysis in our clinical molecular diagnostics laboratory, we created a custom bioinformatics tool termed Houston Methodist Variant Viewer (HMVV). HMVV is a Java-based solution that integrates sequencing instrument output, bioinformatics analysis, storage resources and end user interface. Results: Compared to the predicate method used in our clinical laboratory, HMVV markedly simplifies the bioinformatics workflow for the molecular technologist and facilitates the variant review by the molecular pathologist. Importantly, HMVV reduces time spent researching the biological significance of the variants detected, standardizes the online resources used to perform the variant investigation and assists generation of the annotated report for the electronic medical record. HMVV also maintains a searchable variant database, including the variant annotations generated by the pathologist, which is useful for downstream quality improvement and research projects. Conclusions: HMVV is a clinical grade, low-cost, feature-rich, highly customizable platform that we have made available for continued development by the pathology informatics community.
Treinta años de transformación en la estructura agraria de El Salvador

No abstract availableRealidad: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades No. 41, 1994: 699-746
Process Scheduling under Ambiguity Uncertainty Probability Distribution

Abstract Distributionally robust optimization (DRO) has been gaining increasing popularity in decision-making under uncertainties due to its capability in handling ambiguity of distributions. However, it is a nontrivial task to approach the scheduling problem within the DRO framework. In this paper, we propose a novel DRO scheduling model under uncertain demand. We adopt max-out moment functions to characterize the ambiguity set, which includes a variety of distributions. In addition, we take into account recourse decisions made after random demands become known. In this way, a two-stage distributionally robust scheduling model can be developed, which can be approximately solved by linear decision rules. Applications in industrial-scale batch process scheduling show that, the proposed approach can leverage empirical data information with effect, better hedge against the inexactness of uncertainty distributions, and bring more profits.
On the Sum of Class Functions of Weyl Groups

It is well known that the Weyl groups play a key role in the theory of the structure of Lie algebras and their linear representations, as well as in the theory of Chevalley groups. Suppose g is a complex semisimple Lie algebra, h its Cartan subalgebra, Σ and Π denote its root system and the basis of the root system, respectively, and w α i indicates the reflection determined by αi ∈ Π. The so-called Weyl group, denoted by W,refers to the finite group generated by all w α i ( αi ∈ Π). There have been many works published on the structure and properties of W [6, 7]. The following Molien identity related to the global structure of W is well known [3]: $$\underset{w\in W}{\mathop{\Sigma}}\,\frac{1}{\det\left( 1-tw \right)}=\frac{1}{\prod{{{\left( 1-{{t}^{{{d}_{i}}}} \right)}^{,}}}}$$ (8.1) where d i signify the Poincare indices of g. In 1956, by topological methods based on Morse’s theory, Bott proved another identity [2]: $$\underset{w\in W}{\mathop \sum }\,{{t}^{l\left(w \right)}}=\prod{\frac{1-{{t}^{{{d}_{i}}}}}{1-{{t}^{,}}}}$$ (8.2) where l(w) refers to the Π-length of w;i.e.,wmay be expressed by the number of minimal products of w αi ( αi ∈ Π). This important formula may shed new light on our understanding the structure of W. In 1966, Solomon offered a purely algebraic proof of (8.2), thus solving the order problem of the Chevalley simple groups [5, 3].
Heavy metal contamination of soils in China: standards, geographic distribution, and food safety considerations. A review

This article reviews the conditions of heavy metal contamination of China’s soils. The article starts with a discussion of the official environmental standards of soils in China, in terms of heavy metal contamination, and the extent of that contamination. Then, the article discusses the geographic distribution of soil contamination, and the food safety impact. The problem in China is that the provinces with the highest rates of soil contamination are also provinces with the largest amount of food production. This results in high contamination of food, with 13.86 % of grain produced in China being affected by heavy metal contamination. Hunan Province represents the worst conditions: it is responsible for 32.1 % of China’s cadmium (Cd) emissions, 20.6 % of its arsenic (As) emissions, 58.7 % of its mercury (Hg) emissions, and 24.6 % of its lead (Pb) emissions. While Hunan Province produces about 15 % of the total rice output of the country, according to official data, 13 % ofthe total area of the province has been contaminated with waste and heavy metals from mines. In many areas, especially those closer to mines, the agricultural production exceeds the official food safety standards.
The Public Purpose of Political Economy

For too long the discipline of political science has ceded research on the dynamics of the national political economy to the field of economics. In this article, we explore the cost of this cession...
Nanopore Sequencing of an Expanded Genetic Alphabet Reveals High-Fidelity Replication of a Predominantly Hydrophobic Unnatural Base Pair

Unnatural base pairs (UBPs) have been developed and used for a variety of in vitro applications as well as for the engineering of semisynthetic organisms (SSOs) that store and retrieve increased information. However, these applications are limited by the availability of methods to rapidly and accurately determine the sequence of unnatural DNA. Here we report the development and application of the MspA nanopore to sequence DNA containing the dTPT3-dNaM UBP. Analysis of two sequence contexts reveals that DNA containing the UBP is replicated with an efficiency and fidelity similar to that of natural DNA and sufficient for use as the basis of an SSO that produces proteins with noncanonical amino acids.
Farm Exit Among Smallholder Farmers of Nepal: A Bayesian Logistic Regression Models Approach

To leave or not to leave farming? This is a dilemma facing a large number of farm households in a rural agrarian setting of Nepal where nearly two-thirds of the population is smallholder farmers. Using the uniquely detailed retrospective panel data collected in 2015 from farming households, we examine the influence of the access to cultivated land holding and land tenure on subsequent farm exit. We address the statistical modeling issue of complete separation by developing a robust Bayesian predictive model to predict the probability of farm exit. We use the Bayesian framework with weakly informative prior to carry out the logistic regression model and compare it with other available binary response models. Our results show that the size of cultivated land has a strong negative influence on farm exit, net of all other controls. Moreover, farmers who rented farmland from others or who rented farmland to others were significantly more likely to exit farming. We estimate that a farm household required at least 5 Katha of land (one-sixth of a hectare) per year to stay in farming.
Chapter 12 – Birds

These beloved, ubiquitous creatures have long been a special focus of investigative research in population genetics and evolution generally, and in the Avise lab in particular, where research has ranged from analyses of population genetic structure and intraspecific phylogeography to higher-level phylogeny, taxonomy, and systematics. The avian taxa examined in Avise’s lab are also catholic, ranging from numerous songbirds to woodpeckers and toucans, to many species of waterfowl.
Classification of critical phenomena in hierarchical small-world networks

A classification of critical behavior is provided in systems for which the renormalization group equations are control-parameter dependent. It describes phase transitions in networks with a recursive, hierarchical structure but appears to apply also to a wider class of systems, such as conformal field theories. Although these transitions generally do not exhibit universality, three distinct regimes of characteristic critical behavior can be discerned that combine an unusual mixture of finite- and infinite-order transitions. In the spirit of Landau's description of a phase transition, the problem can be reduced to the local analysis of a cubic recursion equation, here, for the renormalization group flow of some generalized coupling. Among other insights, this theory explains the often-noted prevalence of the so-called inverted Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transitions in complex networks. As a demonstration, a one-parameter family of Ising models on hierarchical networks is considered.
Sexuality education as a moral good: Catholic support for accurate, holistic sexuality information

Through the recent history of sexuality education as a field of its own, there have not been many strong, positive rhetorical connections between comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and Catholi...
Fall-related events in people who are lower limb prosthesis users: the lived experience.

To explore lived experiences, and identify common themes as well as vocabulary associated with fall-related events in lower limb prosthesis (LLP) users.Five focus groups of LLP users from across th...
Regulation of Wnt receptor activity: Implications for therapeutic development in colon cancer

Hyperactivation of Wnt/β-catenin (canonical) signaling in colorectal cancers (CRCs) was identified in the 1990s. Most CRC patients have mutations in genes that encode components of the Wnt pathway. Inactivating mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene, which encodes a protein necessary for β-catenin degradation, are by far the most prevalent. Other Wnt signaling components are mutated in a smaller proportion of CRCs; these include a FZD-specific ubiquitin E3 ligase known as ring finger protein 43 that removes FZDs from the cell membrane. Our understanding of the genetic and epigenetic landscape of CRC has grown exponentially because of contributions from high-throughput sequencing projects such as The Cancer Genome Atlas. Despite this, no Wnt modulators have been successfully developed for CRC-targeted therapies. In this review, we will focus on the Wnt receptor complex, and speculate on recent discoveries about ring finger protein 43regulating Wnt receptors in CRCs. We then review the current debate on a new APC–Wnt receptor interaction model with therapeutic implications.
The Practical Scope of the Central Limit Theorem

The \textit{Central Limit Theorem (CLT)} is at the heart of a great deal of applied problem-solving in statistics and data science, but the theorem is silent on an important implementation issue: \textit{how much data do you need for the CLT to give accurate answers to practical questions?} Here we examine several approaches to addressing this issue -- along the way reviewing the history of this problem over the last 290 years -- and we illustrate the calculations with case-studies from finite-population sampling and gambling. A variety of surprises emerge.
Competition of Inhibitors with The Secondary Quinone in Dark Adapted Thylakoid Membranes

A major class of herbicides are those which inhibit by blocking electron transfer from the primary acceptor, QA, to the secondary acceptor, QB, in the two-electron gate. The inhibitors are thought to displace QB, and to bind tighter than quinone or quinol at the binding site, which is presumed to be located in a hydrophobic environment which faces to the lumen side of the thylakoid membranes on the 32 kDa herbicide-binding protein. The dissociation constant of QB has previoiusly been estimated to be about 2 mM with respect to concentration in the membrane phase (1),(2). for comparative purposes, it would be useful to know the dissociation constants for inhibitors with respect to concentration in the membrane phase.
Phase formation and photoluminescence properties of Sm3+ doped Al5BO9 phosphor

Abstract A red emitting Sm3+ doped Al5BO9 novel phosphor has been synthesized by sol–gel technique using citric acid and disodium salt of EDTA as chelating agents. The synthesized polycrystalline samples were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and photoluminescence (PL) analysis. XRD reveals that the sample synthesized using disodium salt of EDTA shows better crystallization effect when compared to citric acid. Further, the synthesized Al5BO9 sample possessing orthorhombic crystal structure with end centred lattices. The photoluminescence analysis explains that the samarium doped Al5BO9 phosphor has excitable at 400 nm in the near-UV region and its emission maxima highly centred at 600 nm due to 4f–4f electronic transition of Sm3+ ion. The morphology and grain sizes of the phosphor are analyzed through Scanning Electron Microscopy.
Solid Catalysts for the Oxidation of Volatile Organic Compounds

The sections in this article are Introduction Significance of the Problem Applications of Catalytic Oxidation for VOC Control Catalytic Oxidation Scope of this Chapter Reactors and Process Configurations for Catalytic Oxidation Systems Reactors Process Configurations General Considerations Specific Problems in Chlorinated VOC (CVOC) Oxidation Catalyst Deactivation in CVOC Oxidation Byproducts Higher Temperatures Mixture Effects Deactivation Noble Metal Catalysts Pt catalysts Effect of Synthesis Conditions Support Effects Pt-Based Catalysts: Catalyst Deactivation Pd Catalysts Effect of Reduction Effect of Promoters Pd Catalysts: CVOC Oxidation Metal Oxide Catalysts Vanadium-Based Catalysts V-Based Catalysts: CVOC Oxidation Ceria-Based Catalysts Manganese-Based Catalysts Mn-Based Catalysts: CVOC Oxidation Effect of Water Vapor Byproducts Effect of Support Acidity Chlorine Retention Zeolite-Supported Mn versus Mn Perovskites Chromia-Based Catalysts Cr-Based Catalysts: CVOC Oxidation Effect of Support Deactivation Copper-Based Catalysts Cu-Based Catalysts: CVOC Oxidation Cobalt-Based Catalysts Co-Based Catalysts: CVOC Oxidation Nickel-Based Catalysts Tungsten-Based Catalysts Uranium-Based Catalysts U-Based Catalysts: CVOC Oxidation Kinetics Langmuir–Hinshelwood (L–H) Models Mars–van Krevelen (M–vK) Model Summary Keywords: volatile organic compounds; catalytic oxidation; catalyst deactivation; CVOC oxidation; noble metal catalysts; kinetics
Nonparametric Bayesian clustering ensembles

Forming consensus clusters from multiple input clusterings can improve accuracy and robustness. Current clustering ensemble methods require specifying the number of consensus clusters. A poor choice can lead to under or over fitting. This paper proposes a nonparametric Bayesian clustering ensemble (NBCE) method, which can discover the number of clusters in the consensus clustering. Three inference methods are considered: collapsed Gibbs sampling, variational Bayesian inference, and collapsed variational Bayesian inference. Comparison of NBCE with several other algorithms demonstrates its versatility and superior stability.
Wage Differentials Between the States: The Effect of Region and Unionization

Prior to World War II the United States' South lagged far behind its northern counterparts in terms of industrialization and economic growth. In fact, in the 1940's Franklin Delano Roosevelt proclaimed the South "the nation's number one economic problem" (Cobb,1982). However, in 25 short years the region found itself in a dramatic spurt of economic growth that changed the region's image into the more flattering "Sunbelt" South. From 19601975 Gross Regional Product nearly doubled and industrial output more than doubled (Cobb, 1982). Dixie's growth was not only limited to domestic firms, but by the 1970's the region was attracting around half of the United States' foreign industrial investment (Cobb, 1982). By 1978, many Southern states were attracting as much as $1 billion annually from foreign investments, led by South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia (Cobb, 1984). Manufacturing growth continued throughout the nineties. In the beginning of the decade eight of the top ten states, in terms of new manufacturing plants, were in the South (Applebome 1996). The backward Southern states of the mid-century were now viewed as some of the best "businessclimates" in the nation. In a 1980 survey, six southern states placed in the top ten business climates and the South's overall rank was better than the Midwest and Northeast traditionally industrial powerhouses. These rankings also seemed to have a significant relationship with regional growth in manufacturing employment. The rankings took into account factors such as tax rates, unemployment compensation levels, and labor relations history. Some of the most telling factors, though, were those describing unionization numbers and wage levels. Six of the seven states with the lowest union membership and five of the six lowest weekly manufacturing wage states were in the South (Cobb, 1982). Despite this economic growth, many argue that the wages of southern workers have not jumped to the level of their non-southern counterparts. This is the problem that this paper will address. Why have wages in the South seemingly remained at a lower level than the other regions of the United States, despite economic growth? What is determining the wage across the states? Is the market determining wage or are there other factors causing wages to be artificially high in some areas and low in others?
Can Relational Contracts Survive Stochastic Interruptions? Experimental Evidence

This paper tests the robustness of the "two-tiered market" in which efficient bilateral contracts emerge between firms and workers (Brown, Falk and Fehr, 2004). Our experiment introduces stochastic interruptions in firms' ability to offer contracts. Involuntarily laid off workers are eager to be reemployed; they are not selective about job offers and do not shirk. Firms' preference for these "temp workers" induces all workers to compete harder to enter relational contracts. Wages in low-tier markets rise dramatically, suggesting the stigma of unemployment is removed. The results show that interruptions may shorten relational contracts without harming market efficiency.
The Document Package Exam as a Teaching Tool

This Article discusses an exam technique that uses realistic hypothetical corporations to test on course material. These fact scenarios are more enjoyable for the students to complete than traditional exams. In addition, the technique helps the Author achieve important pedagogical goals. Students are given a document package composed of corporate articles of incorporation, bylaws, SEC filings, a Standard & Poors Company report, financial statements, and a trust indenture, for example. They have a few weeks before the end of the term to digest the material. They understand that in order to answer the take-home exam questions completely they will have to master the documents. This Article discusses the pros and cons of this testing method.
What's Going On: The Psychoanalysis Metaphor for Educating Lawyer-Counselors Essay

In this essay prepared for the Connecticut Law Review’s 2012 symposium, Reform of the Legal Education System for the 21st Century, I propose an alternative to the dominant metaphor of “lawyer as warrior” for educating the many lawyers whom clients will seek out as counselors even at early stages in their careers. My preferred metaphor is “lawyer as psychoanalyst” because it invokes the need for lawyer-counselors to understand clients’ idioms and meanings, or more generally “what’s going on” beyond the mere analysis and application of the rules of positive law. Like lawyers, psychoanalysts learn a technical discipline (whether either discipline constitutes a science) but need to apply it non-technically in the process of counseling patients. I consider implications of the metaphor for lawyer-counselors and their education, concluding with some preliminary and modest suggestions about how reflection on the “repressed positivistic” and “courting surprise” might benefit our students in the “what’s going on” aspect of client-centeredness.
Chapter 11 Oligopoly theory

Publisher Summary The oligopoly theory usually refers to the partial equilibrium study of markets in which the demand side is competitive, while the supply side is neither monopolized nor competitive. It is exclusively concerned with single period models. The two models that are mainly discussed are Cournot's and a model based on Chamberlin. In Cournot's model, it is assumed that the products of the firms are perfect substitutes and each firm decides the output levels with price being determined in the market. The Chamberlinian model allows for imperfect substitutability among the outputs of the firms, and each firm is assumed to name prices for their products. The chapter also presents some of the basic structure for the models of multi-period oligopoly. The time structure of none of these models is explicit; however, none of them makes sense when interpreted as strictly single-period models. Thus, for the best understanding of them, it is necessary to augment them by making the time relations explicit and by making an appropriate reformulation of the firm's objective functions. The chapter also examines various models in which the time structure is explicit and the firms seek to maximize discounted profit streams. The chapter also discusses models with entry and exit of firms.
The effects of age on multiscale entropy measurement of neurophysiological signal complexity (1125.6)

Complex physiological signals are neither deterministic nor random, showing a mixture of long-range dependencies and irregularities (i.e., information) over multiple time scales. In humans, aging and pathology are associated with diminished CNS neurophysiological complexity and impaired cognition. In this study, we computed multiscale entropy (MSE) to measure the time scale dependent complexity (i.e., information) of the resting state BOLD fMRI signal in humans over a large age span (N=138; ages 8-83; 58 male). Physiological noise (heart rate, respiration, head motion and local white matter [WM] signals) was removed from fMRI time courses using linear regression. Data were then bandpass filtered (.008-.1 Hz) to isolate low frequency fluctuations. MSE was computed with parameters m=2 and r=.2 for temporal scales 1-18. BOLD signal in gray matter (GM) and WM gained information with increasing temporal scale and exceeded the information gain from bandpass filtered white and 1/f noise. GM sustained the informa...