cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Time to Decide? The Laws Governing Mothers' Consents to the Adoption of Their Newborn Infants

Adoption in the United States is a complex patchwork of law and practice that involves payments of nearly two billion dollars annually in fees and expenses. The adoptions that involve domestically born, voluntarily placed infants raise unique issues. In these as in all adoptions involving parental consent, two generally accepted goals of ethical and humane practice are first, avoiding unnecessary separation of families by ensuring that birth parents make informed and deliberate decisions and second, protecting the finality of placements. The two goals are ideally complementary, but in the case of domestic infant adoptions, there is a danger that pressure to increase the number of adoptions is causing the second one to eclipse the first. This Article surveys the present day adoption market in which these adoptions take place and in which demand for adoptable infants far exceeds supply. It examines best practices for conducting the adoptions, reviews the state laws governing mothers' consents to the adoption of their newborn infants, and evaluates those laws in light of cases around the country in which mothers have sought, usually unsuccessfully, to set aside their consents. Most state laws, in contrast to the laws of many other countries, provide that consent may be given and become irrevocable almost immediately after the child's birth. Under the laws in more than half the states, irrevocable consent can be established in fewer than four days. The Article concludes that the laws of most states do not sufficiently promote mothers' deliberate decisionmaking. It recommends laws that make it more likely mothers will be offered skilled, unbiased counseling; will receive clear, complete information; and will have adequate time to decide.
Conditions for continuous-wave operation of a 1.3-µm InGaAsP vertical-cavity laser

Long-wavelength InGaAsP/InP vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL’s) are promising for optical communication systems. However, room-temperature continuous-wave (cw) operation has not yet been achieved because of the high temperature dependence of the Auger recombination, the low thermal conductivity of the materials, insufficient mirror reflectivity, and device structures with poor heat-dissipation capabilities. Therefore design optimization considering thermal-resistance and size-dependent cavity loss is very important.
Improved Recovery of Microorganisms from Patients Receiving Antibiotics with the Antimicrobial Removal Device

Three hundred thirty-seven paired sets of blood cultures and ten sets of body fluid cultures from patients receiving antimicrobials were processed simultaneously by conventional methods with and without the use of an antimicrobial removal device (ARD) over a 13-month period of time in order to compare recovery rates. Forty-two significant pathogens were recovered: 19 by ARD processing only, four by conventional testing only, and the remaining 19 by both methods of processing. (P less than 0.001). Seventeen patient samples contained antimicrobics not active against the blood isolate (mainly Candida albicans). There was no difference (P greater than 0.1) between ARD-assisted and conventional methods in rate (frequency of cultures that were ultimately positive) or rapidity of detection of these microorganisms. In 17 subjects receiving antimicrobials active, in vitro, against the isolated microorganism, use of the ARD displayed a superior rate of recovery compared with conventional processing (P less than 0.001) and more rapidly detected organisms found both with and without ARD processing (P less than 0.04). Contamination rate was 3.7% for use of ARD compared with 0.6% without ARD (P less than 0.01). The ARD is a useful addition to conventional blood culture processing when used in a population of patients already receiving antimicrobial agents.
The Invisible Hand that Improves School Lunch Nutrition

How can increasingly scrutinized school lunch programs encourage children to make better food choices without being charged as “food police?” Placing restrictions on the use of prepaid lunch accounts use may influence nutritious food selection without eliminating free choice or reducing profitability.
Replies to commentators

I reply to three commentators—Friederike Moltmann, Daniel Rothschild, and Zoltan Szabo—on six topics—sense and reference, the unity of subject matter, questions, presupposition, partial truth, and content mereology.
Prolonged Exposure of Primary Human Muscle Cells to Plasma Fatty Acids Associated with Obese Phenotype Induces Persistent Suppression of Muscle Mitochondrial ATP Synthase β Subunit.

Our previous studies show reduced abundance of the β-subunit of mitochondrial H+-ATP synthase (β-F1-ATPase) in skeletal muscle of obese individuals. The β-F1-ATPase forms the catalytic core of the ATP synthase, and it is critical for ATP production in muscle. The mechanism(s) impairing β-F1-ATPase metabolism in obesity, however, are not completely understood. First, we studied total muscle protein synthesis and the translation efficiency of β-F1-ATPase in obese (BMI, 36±1 kg/m2) and lean (BMI, 22±1 kg/m2) subjects. Both total protein synthesis (0.044±0.006 vs 0.066±0.006%·h-1) and translation efficiency of β-F1-ATPase (0.0031±0.0007 vs 0.0073±0.0004) were lower in muscle from the obese subjects when compared to the lean controls (P<0.05). We then evaluated these same responses in a primary cell culture model, and tested the specific hypothesis that circulating non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) in obesity play a role in the responses observed in humans. The findings on total protein synthesis and translation efficiency of β-F1-ATPase in primary myotubes cultured from a lean subject, and after exposure to NEFA extracted from serum of an obese subject, were similar to those obtained in humans. Among candidate microRNAs (i.e., non-coding RNAs regulating gene expression), we identified miR-127-5p in preventing the production of β-F1-ATPase. Muscle expression of miR-127-5p negatively correlated with β-F1-ATPase protein translation efficiency in humans (r = – 0.6744; P<0.01), and could be modeled in vitro by prolonged exposure of primary myotubes derived from the lean subject to NEFA extracted from the obese subject. On the other hand, locked nucleic acid inhibitor synthesized to target miR-127-5p significantly increased β-F1-ATPase translation efficiency in myotubes (0.6±0.1 vs 1.3±0.3, in control vs exposure to 50 nM inhibitor; P<0.05). Our experiments implicate circulating NEFA in obesity in suppressing muscle protein metabolism, and establish impaired β-F1-ATPase translation as an important consequence of obesity.
Heritability of ADHD

A twin study design was used to examine the the genetic validity of attention deficit hypoeractivity disorder (ADHD)-related phenotypes.
Queering Curriculum: Truth or Dare, Secret Nude Sketches, and Closeted Video Recordings

In this article, two art teacher trainers explore the possibility of saddling critical pedagogy with queer theory in order to question the art curriculum’s potential for critiquing personal relationships. As a preadolescent boy, one author initiated his own sex education curriculum with his middle school peers by creating “secret nude sketches” in order to prompt conversations about sex and sexuality. The other author considers his efforts to challenge the conventions of assessment and personal reflection by radically combining these activities into an alternative mid-term examination. By paralleling their teaching and learning experiences, the authors begin to grapple with multiple aspects of their identities within and outside of the curriculum. This article suggests that approaching curriculum as a set of actions built toward conversations of understanding will help art teachers queer spaces between themselves, the classroom, the students, and the world.
Facile detection of biogenic amines in plasma using photonic crystal biosilica combining surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and thin layer chromatography

We developed a facile route for separating and detecting phenethylamine from plasma using photonic crystal biosilica, which serves as a new lab-on-chip platform combining surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensing and thin layer chromatography.
EVIDENCE FOR SIGNIFICANT SUBTERRANEAN STORAGE AT TWO HUNTER-GATHERER SITES: THE PRESENCE OF A MAST-BASED ECONOMY IN THE LATE ARCHAIC COASTAL AMERICAN SOUTHEAST

Excavations at two Late Archaic shell rings on St. Catherines Island, Georgia, revealed evidence of significant amounts of subterranean storage. Based on botanical evidence, ethonographic analogies, and interpretations of other Late Archaic sites, hickory nuts and acorns are the most likely resource being stored, and quantifying the capacity found at each ring highlights the prevalence and importance of mast storage. These findings are important because large-scale storage has rarely been proposed for Late Archaic coastal peoples and, therefore, its impact as a potential factor for social changes enacted during this time period, including increasing sedentism, formalization of intragroup relations, and regionalization of cultural identities, has yet to be explored.
Translatio imperii and the Matter of Troy in Angevin Naples: BL Royal MS 20 D I and Royal MS 6 E IX

During his reign, Robert of Anjou (r. 1309–43) presided over the significant expansion of the royal library, a cultural practice that enhanced his self-fashioning as a Mediterranean ruler. In the b...
Sensitivity of 3-Dimensional Sonography in Preoperative Evaluation of Parathyroid Glands in Patients With Primary Hyperparathyroidism.

Objectives Preoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism facilitates targeted surgery. We assessed the sensitivity of 3-dimensional (3D) sonography for preoperative localization of abnormal parathyroid glands. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism at a single site at our institution. We compared preoperative 2-dimensional (2D) sonography, 3D sonography, and sestamibi scans with final gland localization at surgery. Two readers reviewed the sonograms to assess inter-reader variability. Results From January 2010 through April 2015, 52 patients underwent parathyroidectomy after preoperative 2D sonography, 3D sonography, and sestamibi scans. Three-dimensional sonography had sensitivity of 88–92% compared with 69–71% for 2D sonography for gland localization. In patients in whom sonography and sestamibi scans localized abnormalities to the same side, the sensitivities were 100% (43 of 43) for 3D sonography and 96% (48 of 50) for 2D sonography. Three-dimensional sonography had significantly higher sensitivity for localization of glands smaller than 500 mg compared with 2D sonography (88% versus 58%; P = .012). There was better inter-reader agreement between the radiologists when using 3D sonography (κ = 0.65) compared with 2D sonography (κ = 0.41). Conclusions We found a significantly higher sensitivity and better inter-reader agreement for 3D sonography compared with 2D sonography for preoperative identification of abnormal parathyroid glands, especially among smaller glands.
The Big Crowd and the Small Enterprise: Intracorporate Disputes in the Close-But-Crowdfunded Firm

Equity crowdfunding is a financial innovation that allows small businesses and startups to access capital through soliciting investment over the Internet. The current literature on crowdfunding has focused on its theoretical background and on the development of crowdfunding exemptions from the securities laws permitting the practice. There is less discussion of the impact of crowdfunding on corporate governance. This article fills that gap by outlining the potential for a panoply of intracorporate disputes between and among majority shareholders and “crowd” minority shareholders, placing the discussion within the longstanding—if uneasy—divide in judicial treatment of disputes in public corporations and close corporations. From there, the article argues that courts adjudicating disputes in “close-but-crowdfunded” firms should adopt the contractual approach exemplified by Delaware law, and refrain from importing minority shareholder oppression doctrine into the crowdfunding context. The two primary justifications for providing special protections for close corporation minority shareholders are much weaker in the crowdfunding context. First, the mechanics of the crowdfunding process create both the incentive and opportunity to select appropriate terms upon which the founders will continue their relationship and which will be offered to the crowd. Second, and similarly, that same process undermines the inference that there are unwritten, yet reasonable, expectations about any shareholder’s role in the venture. Furthermore, the application of oppression doctrine in the crowdfunded firm would ultimately harm crowd and non-crowd shareholders alike, while undermining the potential gains from equity crowdfunding as a new source of capital accumulation.
Depletion perturbation theory for the constrained equilibrium cycle

Generalized perturbation theory for the coupled neutron/nuclide field is extended to the constrained equilibrium fuel cycle. A variational method is used to formulate the adjoint depletion equations for the two-point boundary value problem of the equilibrium cycle. The reactor operating constraints are treated using the methods of constrained sensitivity theory. A practical numerical algorithm is developed to solve the constrained equilibrium cycle adjoint equations and sensitivity coefficients are generated for several responses in a zero-dimensional, two-group example. In all cases, the sensitivities are in excellent agreement with the results of the direction subtraction of perturbed forward calculations.
The chemistry of heparin.

Although heparin was isolated in a pure, active form nearly six decades ago by McLean (41), the problems faced in solving its chemical structure have been complex enough that a recent circular (52) addressed to physicians states that “heparin is a heterogeneous substance whose exact structure is still unknown.” Nevertheless, since I wrote (25), in 1958 that “the major complex chemical structure of heparin is still one of the least understood”, much progress has been made, especially through the efforts of Cifonelli, Danishefsky, Dietrich, Lindahl, Linker, Perlin, Wolfrom, and their respective associates.- Even if we do not have, as yet, a complete picture of the heparin molecule, and the relationship between structure and biological properties is still unclear, we have made enough progress to hope for a solution in the near future.
The Anti-Immigrant Game

Laws such as Arizona's SB 1070 are not natural responses to undue hardship but are products of partisan politics.
Stable Isotope Analysis Enhances Our Understanding of Diamondback Terrapin ( Malaclemys terrapin ) Foraging Ecology

Dietary studies on generalist predators may provide valuable information on spatial or temporal changes in the structure of ecological communities. We initiated this study to provide baseline data and determine the utility of stable isotope analysis (SIA) to evaluate the foraging strategies of an opportunistic reptilian predator, the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin), which specializes in salt marshes and mangrove estuaries along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. We evaluated stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope values of multiple tissues from terrapins inhabiting mainland and island mangrove habitats in south Florida and potential food sources to examine spatial and temporal variations in terrapin resource use. We fit linear regression models to determine the best predictors of isotopic values for both terrapins and their prey, and Stable Isotope Bayesian Ellipses in R (SIBER) analysis to examine terrapin isotopic niche space and overlap between groups. We identified differences in terrapin isotopic δ13C and δ15N values among all sites. Blood and scute tissues revealed different isotopic compositions and niche overlap between sites, suggesting diets or foraging locations may change over time, and amount of variation is site specific. Niche overlap between size classes was larger for blood (short term) versus scute (long term), suggesting greater variability in food habits or resource isotopes over the long term versus short term. These results demonstrate the usefulness of SIA in examining the spatial and temporal variability in diamondback terrapin resource use within estuary systems and further define their niche within these dynamic food webs.
DNA Methylation as a Biomarker in Environmental Epidemiology

Abstract DNA methylation/methylomic signatures hold considerable promise as a biomarker of disease or exposure. There are limitations to consider when interpreting DNA methylation data as a biomarker of disease, including whether the tissue used is an appropriate target tissue, whether the results are likely due to shifts in cell populations rather than a direct epigenetic effect, and whether the study design would lead to DNA methylation changes that postdate the development of disease and are therefore not causal. DNA methylation typically occurs at CpG repeat regions in the genome that are overrepresented in promoter and regulatory areas known as CpG islands. Current methylomic arrays that are commercially available include the 850 K Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip array that interrogates ~ 850,000 CpG sites in the genome. Alternative sequencing methods include whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) that allows a more focused analysis of sites. Methods for preprocessing and normalization are discussed as well as calculation of differentially methylated regions and methods to adjust for cell type. We conclude by showcasing studies that exemplify the potential utility of methylation biomarkers in environmental epidemiology studies.
Labor force experiences of nonmetropolitan women

Data from a 1980 mail survey of nonmetropolitan households in Kentucky were used to examine the employment patterns of nonmetropolitan women and to suggest individual and structural explanations for the range of womens labor force experiences. The 1538 respondents were classified according to whether they worked fulltime or part-time and whether they resided in Appalachian or non-Appalachian counties. Overall the female labor force participation rate in this study was 48% with no significant differences in employment patterns between Appalachian and non-Appalachian women. Fulltime workers had higher levels of educational attainment than part-time workers and were less likely to be married or widowed had lower parity levels and were more likely to live on farms. Multivariate analysis indicated that education is the most important background characteristic influencing employment and has a significant positive effect on income occupational prestige and percent female in occupation. The results suggest that the opportunity structure within nonmetropolitan areas is a key factor in determining job characteristics and rewards. Employment in the secondary sector which is the primary arena for female employment in nonmetropolitan areas significantly depressed occupational prestige and increased sex segregation. It is concluded that residential occupational structure and individual factors all contribute to the understanding of the female labor force experience. The finding of no differences between the work experiences of Appalachian and non-Appalachian women indicates that structural and economic characteristics of regions rather than subcultural differences among regions may be the primary causes of labor market characteristics.
Evaluation of Remote Versus Face-to-Face Observation of Teacher Candidates in an Alternative Certification Program:

The University of Kentucky provides an alternative certification program to prepare teacher candidates in moderate and severe disabilities. Observations occur every semester that candidates are in ...
The Value of Surgical Graduate Medical Education (GME) Programs Within An Integrated Health Care System.

OBJECTIVE Surgical graduate medical education (GME) programs add both significant cost and complexity to the mission of teaching hospitals. While expenses tied directly to surgical training programs are well tracked, overall cost-benefit accounting has not been performed. In this study, we attempt to better define the costs and benefits of maintaining surgical GME programs within a large integrated health system. DESIGN We examined the costs, in 2018 US dollars, associated with the surgical training programs within a single health system. Total health system expenses were calculated using actual and estimated direct GME expenses (salary, benefits, supplies, overhead, and teaching expenses) as well as indirect medical education (IME) expenses. IME expenses for each training program were estimated by using both Medicare percentages and the Medicare Payment Advisor Commission study. The projected cost to replace surgical trainees with advanced practitioners or hospitalists was obtained through interviews with program directors and administrators and was validated by our system's business office. SETTING A physician lead, integrated, rural health system consisting of 8 hospitals, a medical school and a health insurance company. PARTICIPANTS GME surgical training programs within a single health system's department of surgery. RESULTS Our health system's department of surgery supports 8 surgical GME programs (2 general surgery residencies along with residencies in otolaryngology, ophthalmology, oral-maxillofacial surgery, urology, pediatric dentistry, and vascular surgery), encompassing 89 trainees. Trainees work an average of 64.4 hours per week. Total health system cost per resident ranged from $249,657 to $516,783 based on specialty as well as method of calculating IME expenses. After averaging program costs and excluding IME and overhead expenses, we estimated the average annual cost per trainee to be $84,171. We projected that replacing our surgical trainees would require hiring 145 additional advanced practitioners at a cost of $166,500 each per year, or 97 hospitalists at a cost of $346,500 each per year. Excluding overhead, teaching and IME expenses, these replacements would cost the health system an estimated additional $16,651,281 or $26,119,281 per year, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Surgical education is an integral part of our health system and ending surgical GME programs would require large expansion of human resources and significant additional fiscal capital.
The Epigenetic Regulator Ezh2 Is An Effective Target For Controlling Th1 Cell-Mediated Acquired Aplastic Anemia In Mice

Severe acquired aplastic anemia (AA) is a fatal disorder characterized by immune-mediated destruction of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Evidence in most AA patients indicates that IFN-g-producing T helper (Th)1 effector CD4 + T cells are important for mediating bone marrow (BM) failure in AA. However, the efficacy of standard therapies that typically include antithymocyte globulin and cyclosporine A is limited, and novel approaches are urgently needed. Ezh2 is a histone methyltransferase that specifically catalyzes trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27me3) and acts primarily as a gene silencer. We investigated whether Ezh2 regulatory control governs Th1 immune-mediated cytopenias in AA. We tested this hypothesis in a mouse model of AA using genetic approaches of Ezh2 inhibition. In naive CD4 + T cells, high levels of H3K27me3 are correlated with repressed expression of IFNG and TBX21 , the gene that encodes T-bet, which is essential for inducing IFN-g expression. Upon Th1 cell differentiation, the regulatory regions of both IFNG and TBX21 gene loci show a marked reduction of H3K27me3. We found that Ezh2 is required to induce Th1 cell differentiation and T cell-mediated AA in mice. Conditionally deleting Ezh2 in mature T cells had the effect of dramatically reducing the production of Th1 cells secreting high levels of IFN-g in vivo, decreasing BM-infiltrating Th1 cells during active disease, and rescuing mice from BM failure. In vitro culture assays confirmed that Ezh2-deficient T cells showed significantly reduced production of IFN-g under Th1-skewing conditions compared to wild-type (WT) T cells. This effect of Ezh2 deficiency on Th1 cell differentiation was accompanied by a marked decrease in the expression of both IFNG and TBX21 genes. These results stand in sharp contrast to the conventional view that Ezh2 and its catalyzed H3K27me3 may repress gene expression, and the corollary that loss of Ezh2 may result in increased production of IFN-g and T-bet. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, we found that upon Th1 cell differentiation in vitro, naive WT CD4 + T cells showed a significant reduction of H3K27me3 at the regulatory region of both IFNG and TBX21 gene loci, in agreement with previous reports. In contrast, high levels of Ezh2 were detected at the regulatory region of the TBX21 gene in activated WT CD4 + T cells, suggesting that Ezh2 may be required to promote TBX21 transcription during Th1 cell development. To test this possibility, we infected Ezh2-deficient CD4 + T cells with a retrovirus construct encoding T-bet. Ectopic expression of T-bet rescued Th1 cell differentiation of Ezh2-deficient T cells in vitro. Collectively, our findings identify a critical role for Ezh2 in regulating Th1 responses and AA. Given the availability of Ezh2-specific inhibitors newly developed for cancer therapy in clinical trials, we propose that targeting Ezh2 should be investigated as a new strategy for treating AA in patients. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Seminoma In A Young Phenotypic Female With Turner Syndrome 45,XO/46,XY Mosaicism: A Case Report With Review Of The Literature

Turner syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that occurs in an estimated 1 in 2500 female live births. It is estimated that 6%-12% of all Turner syndrome patients will be a mosaic with Y-chromosomal elements putting them at risk for gonadoblastoma and subsequent dysgerminoma. While 30%-50% of this population demonstrate gonadoblastoma, we only found 23 reported cases of dysgerminoma in the literature, and no reported cases of seminoma. We present the first case of seminoma in a phenotypic Turner 15-year-old female after prophylactic gonadectomy.
Using a 4K-3D Exoscope for Upper Airway Stimulation Surgery: Proof-of-Concept:

Objective:Demonstrate the potential of the 4K-3D exoscope during upper airway stimulation surgery (UAS).Methods:A proof-of-concept study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of the exoscope du...
Speech-Language pathologists’ decisions when designing an aided AAC display for a compilation case study of a beginning communicator

Purpose: The current study sought to identify decisions speech-language pathologists (SLPs) make and their rationale for those decisions when designing an AAC display for a hypothetical school-aged...
Constitutional Law and Economics

This chapter addresses a new and fertile research program: constitutional law and economics. Constitutional law and economics asks questions like, ‘What is the extent of the U.S. Congress’s power to regulate commerce?’; ‘How much legislative authority can be delegated to administrators?’; and ‘When should constitutional change happen through judicial updating rather than formal amendment?’ To address such questions, constitutional law and economics blends positive, normative, and interpretive analysis. This chapter describes all three but emphasizes interpretation, which is new to many economists and paramount to lawyers. After introducing these modes of analysis, we turn to constitutional law. Six processes make and sustain constitutions: bargaining, voting, delegating, entrenching, adjudicating, and enforcing. Economic theory illuminates these processes, and constitutional law reflects them. We cannot describe all of the relevant economic theory here, but we provide some snapshots. Afterwards, we apply the theory to concrete problems in constitutional law. We demonstrate what constitutional law and economics has achieved and showcase its potential.
Exploring Collections of research publications with Human Steerable AI

Understanding highly-dimensional data sets is a complex task. Traditionally, this problem has been tackled with linear pipelines that rely on mathematical models and algorithms to summarize relationships and structure, producing a visual representation of the data in a collapsed, low-dimensional form. The main issue with these traditional pipelines is that they are driven solely by algorithms or models, and without a human in the loop, they can potentially limit sense-making by masking expected or known structure in the data. Textual data, such as that contained in research publications, is one example of unstructured highly dimensional data, wherein the raw data must be converted to an abstract numeric representation that is highly dimensional. In recent years, Semantic Interaction has become an interesting approach to enabling model steering in Visual Analytics systems, as it provides mechanisms with which to adjust the parameter space, explore data, and test hypotheses. In order to facilitate this interaction modality, Semantic Interaction systems need to invert the computation of one or more mathematical models to support a bidirectional structure within their pipelines. Most examples of Semantic Interaction systems are limited to linear models to allow for this bidirectionality. In this paper we propose an inexpensive neural encoder approach to performing backward and forward computations within semantic interaction pipelines for analyzing textual data. We show that this approach allows for the efficient ”merging” of new instances into a previously trained model without retraining. It also provides a reverse link, allowing the parameters of a trained model to be affected by user interactions with the visual representation of data. To demonstrate the usefulness of this approach we present the Zexplorer system, a tool for exploring Large Document Collections of Research papers with Semantic Interaction. The Zexplorer system is built as an extension to Zotero, a widely used open source bibliography system.
Helical fluid-particle flow dynamics for controlling micron-particle deposition in a representative human upper lung-airway model

Abstract The transport and deposition of inhaled micron particles is largely determined by their inlet conditions, breathing rate, and the individual airway geometry. In this study, helical air-particle flow is introduced, which significantly affects the particle dynamics with applications to targeted drug delivery. Specifically, helical flow, which reduces axial momentum, can be controlled by varying the swirl number and hence the characteristics of the fluid-particle stream. In case of drug-aerosol delivery, the waste of inhaled drugs in the human upper respiratory tract due to inertial impaction can be mitigated by implementing a controlled helical flow with a modified inhaler. For example, 2 μm-particle deposition was reduced in the oral cavity for a helical fluid-particle stream with 10 l/min inhalation by 39.7% when the swirl number was increased from 0 to 0.6. Considering a 30 l/min inhalation flow rate, the deposition fraction of 2 μm-particles in the oral cavity was reduced by 73.5% as the swirl number increased from 0 to 2. A new non-dimensional parameter called the swirl number threshold (Sth), is also discussed, which is useful in assessing the impact of helical streams in drug-aerosol delivery. All computer experiments were performed with an enhanced version of the open-source computational fluid dynamics toolbox OpenFOAM.
Nerve Grafting in Head and Neck Reconstruction.

In head and neck reconstructive surgery, especially of the mandible, the long-span processed nerve allograft (PNA) is a technological advancement that provides improved quality of life for patients who require ablative surgery by allowing for functional sensory recovery (FSR) in the majority of patients treated with immediate reconstruction. Recently published clinical prospective and retrospective multisite controlled cohort studies of immediate nerve reconstruction at the time of ablative surgery, including pediatric patient populations, were reviewed for valid and predictable outcomes of FSR following the reconstruction of the inferior alveolar nerve using > 5-cm PNA allografts. Both adult and pediatric patients demonstrate high percentages of FSR within 1 year. Pediatric patients demonstrate robust recovery with 100% reaching FSR within 1 year, whereas 89% of adults achieved FSR during the same time span; the pediatric patient population reached FSR earlier when compared with adults. Control, nonallograft nerve repair patients never achieved FSR, reaching only S2 levels in both adults and pediatric groups. There were no adverse events; in fact, no patients demonstrated the occurrence of neuropathic pain when the nerve repair was performed immediately in contrast to delayed repair states. Long-span (> 5-cm) nerve allografts provide FSR in pediatric patients and the majority of adult patients and should be used in patients who require ablation of the mandible for head and neck reconstruction.
Rediscovering ‘Mexican June’: a nearly extinct landrace maize (Zea mays L.) variety

‘Mexican June’ was a popular white, open-pollinated maize variety grown in the southwestern and southern USA. It was well adapted to both semi-arid and humid, hot environments and it was utilized for forage and grain. Its production waned with the maize hybrid revolution of the 1930s and 1940s—even though it was proven to outperform the new hybrids in hot, dry climates of the Southwest. The rising popularity of locally grown heirloom crops has increased interest in landrace varieties. There is also increasing focus on desert-adapted crop genetic resources as the need for more climate resilient crops is recognized. We tested the yield performance of six accessions of ‘Mexican June’ in comparison with organic certified commercial hybrids in southern New Mexico. We also documented several plant and ear traits to distinguish variation across the accessions. Several accessions yielded at or near commercial hybrid levels, attesting to the adaptation of ‘Mexican June’ to hot, semi-arid environments. This finding demonstrates that ‘Mexican June’ may prove useful in non-GMO production systems, and as a genetic resource for the improvement of abiotic stress tolerance in new, more resilient varieties. Variation in plant, ear, and kernel traits between accessions of ‘Mexican June’ was consistent with the hypothesis that there is not a single variety of ‘Mexican June’, but multiple varieties that form a complex.
An evaluation of selumetinib for the treatment of neurofibromatosis type 1-associated symptomatic, inoperable plexiform neurofibromas

Introduction: Plexiform neurofibromas (PNs) are present in up to half of patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). PNs consist of a proliferation of abnormal cells in the nerve sheath and can l...
Iterated Vector Fields and Conservatism, with Applications to Federated Learning.

We study iterated vector fields and investigate whether they are conservative, in the sense that they are the gradient of some scalar-valued function. We analyze the conservatism of various iterated vector fields, including gradient vector fields associated to loss functions of generalized linear models. We relate this study to optimization and derive novel convergence results for federated learning algorithms. In particular, we show that for certain classes of functions (including non-convex functions), federated averaging is equivalent to gradient descent on a surrogate loss function. Finally, we discuss a variety of open questions spanning topics in geometry, dynamical systems, and optimization.
An investigation of cross-sectional associations of a priori-selected dietary components with circulating bile acids

BACKGROUND A growing body of literature suggests chronically higher bile acid (BA) concentrations may be associated with multiple health conditions. Diet may affect BA metabolism and signaling; however, evidence from human populations is lacking. OBJECTIVES We systematically investigated cross-sectional associations of a priori-selected dietary components (fiber, alcohol, coffee, fat) with circulating BA concentrations. METHODS We used targeted, quantitative LC-MS/MS panels to measure 15 circulating BAs in a subset of the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study (ATBC; n = 2224) and Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO; n = 986) comprising Finnish male smokers and United States men and women, respectively. We used multivariable linear regression to estimate associations of each dietary component with log-transformed BAs; exponentiated coefficients estimate proportional differences. We included the median of the dietary component quartile in linear regression models to test for trend. RESULTS In ATBC, fiber was inversely associated with multiple circulating BAs. The proportional difference was -10.09% (95% CI: -19.29 to 0.16; P-trend = 0.04) when comparing total BAs among those in the highest relative to the lowest fiber quartile. Alcohol, trans fat, and polyunsaturated fat were positively associated with BAs in ATBC. The proportional difference comparing total BAs among those in the highest relative to the lowest alcohol quartile was 8.76% (95% CI: -3.10 to 22.06; P-trend = 0.03). Coffee and monounsaturated fat were inversely associated with BAs. The proportional difference comparing total BAs among those in the highest relative to the lowest coffee quartile was -24.03% (95% CI: -31.57 to -15.66; P-trend < 0.0001). In PLCO, no dietary components were associated with BAs except fiber, which was inversely associated with tauroursodeoxycholic acid. CONCLUSIONS Alcohol, coffee, certain fat subtypes, and fiber were associated with circulating concentrations of multiple BAs among Finnish male smokers. Given the potential role of BAs in disease risk, further investigation of the effects of diet on BAs in humans is warranted.
Lethal Engagement: The Relationship Between Contextual Exposure to Police Killings and External Political Efficacy

Given the recent visibility of police officers using lethal force against unarmed African American citizens, many Americans are beginning to scrutinize the influence of law enforcement in their communities. In this study, we examine the relationship between contextual exposure to police killings and the perceived effectiveness of different forms of political participation. Our analysis relies upon the 2016 Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey, a multiracial, multiethnic and multilingual online survey. We hypothesize that the perceived effectiveness of electoral and non-electoral participation will be depressed in areas where high numbers of citizens are killed by police officers. Our findings demonstrate living in areas where there are a large number of police killings is related to feelings of inefficacy. African Americans are impacted by police violence more than White and Latina/o Americans. However, the effect of living in areas with high levels of police lethal force diminishes the effect of perceived external efficacy for each group. The evidence implies police violence may foster less faith among citizens in the political process.
14 Energy and Environmental Concerns

Publisher Summary There had been an impressive reduction in energy intensities (megajoules per 1980 GNP dollar) in all industrial market countries between 1973 and 1985. Efficiency improvements have been most impressive in the industrial sector, mainly because of improvements in the chemical processing industries. Energy intensity in industry for most industrial market countries has dropped 30% since 1974. U.S. industrial energy use dropped 17% while production increased 17%. Building and transportation improvements have also been substantial. Chemical engineers have played a key role in reducing energy consumption and showing that a healthy expanding economy can be achieved with reasonable energy use. It is clear that people will have enough solar fuel, and society has been struggling for centuries with devices to capture it effectively. Chemical engineers have an important role to play in raw material and reactor effluent processing and in process integration and optimal control. They need to apply semiconductor reactor analysis to solve the critical problem of depositing semiconductors over large areas. New and better semiconductor reactors will have to be designed and operated to accomplish this. Research emphasis should be shifted more toward reactor design and away from an overemphasis on materials and devices.
Research Spotlight: Modeling the giant impact crater on asteroid 4 Vesta

[1] The asteroid 4 Vesta is one of the largest rocky bodies in the asteroid belt, with a mean diameter of about 530 kilometers. An enormous impact crater, with a diameter of about 460 kilometers and a depth of about 13 kilometers, covers almost half of the asteroid's southern hemisphere. This summer, NASA's Dawn mission will orbit Vesta. To provide a framework for interpreting some of the expected observations of landforms, Jutzi and Asphaug modeled the formation of the impact crater, which was probably created by a collision with an approximately 50-kilometer-diameter object traveling at about 5 kilometers per second. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2010GL045517, 2011)
Reward processing and risky decision making in the aging brain.

Despite the graying of the world population and increasing relevance of decision competence across the life span, scant research has focused on whether or how reward processing and risky decision making may change across adulthood. Here, we review studies that have examined how age influences psychological and neural responses to financial incentives and risk. The findings suggest that while processing of basic rewards may be maintained across the adult life span, learning about new rewards may decline as a function of age. Further, these behavioral changes can be linked to relative preservation of striatal function in the face of age-related declines in the connectivity of the prefrontal cortex to the striatum. This frontostriatal disconnection may impair risky decision making, both in the laboratory and the real world. In addition to informing theory about how affect and cognition combine to guide choice, these novel findings imply that a deeper understanding of how the aging brain processes incentives may eventually inform the design of more targeted and effective decision aids for individuals of all ages.
Interests and Opportunities: Race, Racism, and University Writing Instruction in the Post-Civil Rights Era, Steve Lamos

Interests and Opportunities appears at a critical moment in university writing instruction, a moment when many colleges and universities are relegating the task of basic writing instruction to two-...
Using genetic algorithms to estimate the optimum width parameter in radial basis function networks

Radial basis function (RBF) networks are an attractive tool for modeling dynamic systems for control purposes. This paper presents a new methodology to find the optimum width parameters in the RBF network model. This methodology, which combines genetic algorithms and the orthogonal least squares method, is described in detail. Finally, two examples illustrate the usefulness of this method.
Missing the Forest for the Trees: A New Approach to Shareholder Activism

Shareholder activism has dominated corporate governance literature for the last decade. However, despite the abundance of research focusing on specific manifestations of activism, there is a dearth of literature tackling shareholder activism as a whole. This article puts forward a novel theory situating shareholder activism within a more complete framework, treating activism as a collection of diverse models that differ by motives, tools, and structures. This paper provides a more complete perspective on activism — an analytical understanding of activism as a model rather than an investigation of specific occurrences thereof — and a demonstration that different models of activism are present both in the U.S. and around the globe. In this way, the paper responds to calls from academia, practitioners, and the U.S. legislature for potential regulatory changes aimed at shareholder activism.By surveying eleven different countries and the models of activism prevalent therein, and by widening the framework to account for the myriad forms of shareholder activism, this paper fills an important gap in current corporate governance literature. In particular, the paper’s main argument is that calls for regulatory changes are currently framed both too specifically and too generally By targeting specific actors like hedge funds without accounting for how such reform may affect other players, these regulatory proposals operate too narrowly. Still, others increasingly call for the adoption of specific arrangements from foreign jurisdictions without considering a full model of activism. This paper tackles these issues by providing a comparative examination of different models and proposing a procedural framework for any discussion of shareholder activism.
Government support to private infrastructure projects in emerging markets

Driven by fiscal austerity and disenchantment with the performance of state-provided infrastructure services, many governments have turned to the private sector to build, operate, finance, or own infrastructure in power, gas, water, transport, and telecommunications sectors. Private capital flows to developing countries are increasing rapidly; 15 percent of infrastructure investment is now funded by private capital in emerging markets. But relative to needs, such private investment is progressing slowly. Governments are reluctant to raise consumer prices to cost-covering levels, while investors, mindful of experience, fear that governments may renege on promises to maintain adequate prices over the long haul. So investors ask for government support in the form of grants, preferential tax treatment, debt or equity contributions, or guarantees. These subsidies differ in how they allocate risk between private investors and government. Efficiency gains are greatest when private parties assume the risks that they can manage better than the public sector. When governments establish good policies--especially cost-covering prices and credible commitments to stick to them--investors are willing to invest without special government support. Privatizing assets without government guarantees or other financial support is possible, even where governments are politically unable to raise prices, because investors can achieve the returns they demand by discounting the value of the assets they are purchasing. But this is not possible for new investments (greenfield projects). If prices have been set too low and the government is not willing to raise them, it must give the investor financial support, such as guarantees and other forms of subsidy, to facilitate worthwhile projects that would not otherwise proceed. But guarantees shift costs from consumers to taxpayers, who subsidize users of infrastructure services. Much of that subsidy is hidden, since the government does not record the guarantee in its fiscal accounts. And taxpayers provide unremunerated credit insurance, as the government borrows based on its ability to tax citizens if the project fails, not on the strength of the project itself.