cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Private Prisons and the Democratic Deficit

Outsourcing is a common form of privatization in the United States - calling on the private sector to deliver what were once government-provided services. A key question, centrally confronted is whether certain functions should be regarded as ‘‘inherently governmental’’ and thus precluded from outsourcing. This chapter examines privatization in the US prison context with a view to mapping out an answer to that question. Is there something ‘inherently governmental’ in the realm of prisons that should set restrictions on outsourcing? What might prison privatization teach us about other privatized governmental functions, such as those having to do with military matters? At the state level, there is currently a range of legislative initiatives involving specification of conditions under which prisons, specific prison services, and other governmental services may be contracted out. What can these privatization policies and approaches at the state level, particularly those dealing with private prisons, teach us about what activities are ‘inherently governmental’, as well as their procedural demands?
Abstract 314: The interaction between chronic alcohol consumption and melanoma skews the iNKT cell cytokine profile towards IL-4 dominance

Despite the growing evidence that alcohol consumption is associated with the incidence of many different types of cancer, there is little research regarding the effect of continued alcohol consumption on growth, progression and subsequent survival of cancer patients. Using a well-established mouse model we previously found that chronic alcohol consumption impairs the anti-melanoma functions of CD8+T cells and NK cells, and this leads to decreased survival of melanoma-bearing mice. The underlying mechanism for these effects is not known. Herein we examined the relationship of NKT cells to regulation of anti-tumor responses in alcohol consuming mice since NKT cells play important roles in the regulation of the anti-tumor immune response. The phenotype and function of invariant (i)NKT cells were examined in female B16BL6-bearing C57BL6 mice given 20% alcohol for three months. We found that alcohol consumption increased iNKT cells in the liver of mice not inoculated with melanoma, but did not alter iNKT cells in other organs. iNKT cells were dramatically increased in the blood and liver of chronic alcohol consuming, melanoma-bearing mice; however, these cells were not increased in the spleen or draining lymph nodes. Immature NK1.1- iNKT cells decreased 2-4 fold in the blood, spleen and liver of the alcohol-consuming, melanoma-bearing mice, suggesting that alcohol interacting with the melanoma tumors stimulates iNKT cells maturation. Upon activation, fewer iNKT cells produced IFN-gamma in these mice compared to water-drinking, melanoma-bearing mice. The ratio of IL-4:IFN-gamma-producing iNKT cells increased 2-fold as a result of the alcohol/tumor interaction, thus skewing the cytokine profile toward Th2 dominance. The Th2 dominant cytokine profile could negatively regulate the anti-tumor activities of CD8+ T cell and NK cells as well as increase myeloid derived suppressor cells, which we previously reported. Collectively, these data support an important role for iNKT cells in regulation of melanoma progression. (Supported by NIH grants R01AA07293 and K05AA017149, and WSU Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Program grant 13B-2957-1246). Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 314. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-314
Revision of the North American Rhymbomicrus Casey (Coleoptera: Endomychidae)

The North American species of Rhymbomicrus are revised. This genus, based upon a misidentified specimen, is redescribed, and selected structures are illustrated. Two new species, R. caseyi and R. stephani , are described and a key to the North American species is included. For each species the aedeagus is illustrated and known distribution and habitats are summarized.
The Wyden-Brown bill--short on state flexibility.

Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Scott Brown (R-MA) have introduced a bill that would advance, from 2017 to 2014, the date when states could establish their own federally supported alternatives to parts of the Affordable Care Act. But the bill has many problems.
Mineral clues to past volcanism

Over tens to hundreds of millions of years, Earth's climate has repeatedly swung from icehouse, with large ice sheets like today, to greenhouse, when even near-polar climates were temperate ( 1 ). The modern paradigm attributes these swings to a dynamic interplay of volcanism, which spews carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, and the chemical weathering of rocks on land, which removes CO2 from the atmosphere ( 2 ). Documenting how these driving forces have varied through time has been a challenge. On page [444][1] of this issue, McKenzie et al. ( 3 ) argue that volcanic CO2 emissions have been the main driver of climate change over the past several hundred million years. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aad5787
A Study on Foreign Teachers' Role in English Extra-Curriculum Activities

Extra curriculum is the beneficial accomplishment of college English teaching.It plays a very important role in promoting English teaching whose emphasis is on practice.Recently,it is an irresistible trend for foreign teacher taking part in Chinese college English teaching.On one hand,foreign teacher has advanced teaching method and technique.They effectively spread the second–language culture,stimulate Ss' learning enthusiasm and improve teaching quality.On the other hand,it is hard for us to master the teaching level and service period because of the limited enployment source.Furthermore,overly dependent upon foreign teacher will decrease the zest of Chinese teacher and the management will be loose.Therefore,we must look at the facts objectively,make best use of the advantages and improve the disadvantages,so that the extra curriculum can be deeply developed.
Psoas Abscess Following Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin for Bladder Cancer: A Case Report

AbstractAn 87-year-old man with an abdominal aortic aneurysm received intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. He presented 9 months later with a psoas abscess that mimicked a contained retroperitoneal abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture. The abscess cultures yielded Mycobacterium bovis. Recent transurethral resection and high voiding pressures after instillations of bacillus Calmette-Guerin may have led to distant dissemination of the drug.
Assessing quality assurance for sweat chloride testing.

Variations in sweat chloride tests were analyzed. A total of 1,806 sweat test results were analyzed for intra-assay and inter-assay variation in sweat chloride concentration and sweat weight. The mean and standard deviation of sweat chloride determinations for the negative population was 11.63 mmol/L (7.20 s.d.); for the borderline population was 50.01 mmol/L (6.27 s.d.); and for the positive population was 96.75 mmol/L (s.d. = 13.81). The percent of sweat tests that were negative was 86.77, borderline, 3.82, and positive, 9.41. The variation, represented as the standard deviation, between bilateral sweat chloride values on the same patient for negative results is 10.23 and for positive results is 14.60. The average variation within a patient with regard to sweat weight is 19%. Clinical laboratory scientists can use this information in assessing their own quality assurance procedures and patient results.
Erythroblastosis fetalis: A report of four cases

Abstract 1. 1. Four cases of erythroblastosis fetalis, two of congenital hydrops, one of icterus gravis neonatorum with recovery, and one in an infant who died four hours after birth are reported. Blood Kahn tests on all were negative. 2. 2. An interesting family history of many miscarriages, early infant deaths, and the death of three infants with severe jaundice was obtained from the mother of one of the cases of congenital hydrops. The family history in the other cases was not conclusive. 3. 3. Post-mortem examination of three of the cases revealed hepatomegalia, immature cells in the circulating blood, and extramedullary centers of hematopoiesis. Two of the infants had splenomegalia. 4. 4. Following frequent small transfusions totaling 720 c.c. of citrated blood to the patient with icterus gravis neonatorum, the liver and spleen gradually decreased in size, the jaundice diminished, the anemia improved, and the patient was apparently quite fully recovered in thirty days. 5. 5. Erythroblastosis fetalis may be suspected if the placenta is large, pale, and friable, and there is an increased amount of amniotic fluid which may or may not be yellow tinged.
Limits of sequences

In the previous chapter, we defined the real numbers as formal limits of rational (Cauchy) sequences, and we then defined various operations on the real numbers. However, unlike our work in constructing the integers (where we eventually replaced formal differences with actual differences) and rationals (where we eventually replaced formal quotients with actual quotients), we never really finished the job of constructing the real numbers, because we never got around to replacing formal limits LIM n→∞ a n with actual limits lim n→∞ a n . In fact, we haven’t defined limits at all yet. This will now be rectified.
HORMONE EFFECTS ON PHOSPHOINOSITIDE METABOLISM IN LIVER

Vasopressin, epinephrine and angiotensin II markedly stimulated the breakdown of phosphatidylinositol and release of myo-inositol in isolated rat liver cells, but these changes were not significant before 2 min. It is therefore concluded that the degradation of phosphatidylinostol is too slow to account for the increase in cytosolic \(C{{a}^{{{{2}^{ + }}}}}\) and activation of phosphorylase caused by these agonists, which occur within 2 s. Breakdown of PIP2 and release of IP3 induced by vasopressin and epinephrine occurred more rapidly than the breakdown of phosphatidylinositol, being significant at 3 s with 10−7 M vasopressin and 10−5 M epinephrine. The concentration-dependence curves for the effects of vasopressin or epinephrine on PIP2 breakdown or IP3 accumulation were not well correlated with those on cytosolic \(C{{a}^{{{{2}^{ + }}}}}\) or phosphorylase a. Furthermore, addition of Li+ ions enhanced, after 30–60 s, the effects of low concentrations of vasopressin and epinephrine on IP3 levels, but not on cytosolic \(C{{a}^{{{{2}^{ + }}}}}\) or phosphorylase a. These findings may be reconciled with the hypothesis that PIP2 breakdown and IP3 release are integrally involved in the effects of vasopressin and epinephrine on cytosolic \(C{{a}^{{{{2}^{ + }}}}}\), if it is postulated that an extremely small breakdown of the polyphosphoinositide is sufficient to alter cellular \(C{{a}^{{{{2}^{ + }}}}}\) fluxes. In addition, the failure of Li+ ions to modify the effects of the agonists on cytosolic Ca2+ or phosphorylase could be explained if only those changes in IP3 that occur within 30–60 s of hormone treatment control cell Ca2+ It is concluded that although much more experimentation is required, the bulk of existing evidence supports the hypothesis that PIP2 breakdown plays a primary role in the actions of Ca2+- dependent hormones in liver.
"Comfort" as a Critical Success Factor in Blended Learning Courses.

There are substantial quantitative research and anecdotal reports on blended learning and blended learning courses. However, few research studies focus on what happens at the classroom level. This research study aims to consider the highly contextual environment of effective blended learning courses by identifying the strategies instructors use to unify the face-to-face and online components of their courses to support student success. Using a case study model, interviews were conducted with three community college instructors who were identified as exemplary teachers of blended learning courses in their institutions. The research questions explored in this article are: (R1) What are exemplary community college teachers’ perceived obstacles to student success in blended courses? and (R2) What solutions or strategies do exemplary community college teachers employ to overcome perceived obstacles to student success in blended courses? The interviews were analyzed by the researchers to identify descriptive themes and sub-themes related to student success. It was found that “comfort” emerged as a mediating factor for student success, with “organization,” “communication,” and “support” acting as supporting themes. These findings will be reported as pedagogical strategies and scalable best practices for the design of blended courses that promote student success.
Survival of Listeria monocytogenes in Cold-Pack Cheese Food During Refrigerated Storage.

Duplicate lots of cold-pack cheese food were manufactured, according to nine different formulations, inoculated to contain ca. 5 × 102 Listeria monocytogenes (strains Scott A, V7, California or Ohio) colony forming units (CFU)/g and stored at 4°C. L. monocytogenes in cheese food was enumerated by surface-plating appropriate dilutions made in tryptose broth containing 2% (w/v) sodium citrate (TBC) on McBride Listeria Agar (MLA). Initial TBC dilutions were stored at 3°C and surface-plated on MLA after 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks if the organism was not quantitated by direct plating of the original samples. Selected Listeria colonies were confirmed biochemically. Populations of L. monocytogenes in cheese food manufactured without preservatives or acidifying agents generally decreased less than 10-fold after 182 d of storage. However, numbers of L. monocytogenes steadily decreased in cheese food containing 0.30% sorbic acid or 0.30% sodium propionate and which was acidified to pH 5.0 to 5.1 with lactic and/or acetic acid. In cheese food preserved with 0.30% sorbic acid, L. monocytogenes survived an average of 130 d in non-acidified cheese food and 112, 93 or 74 d in cheese food acidified with lactic acid, lactic plus acetic acid, or acetic acid, respectively. When 0.30% sodium propionate was substituted for sorbic acid, L. monocytogenes survived an average of 142 d in non-acidified cheese food and 118, 103 or 98 d in cheese food acidified with lactic, acetic, or lactic plus acetic acid, respectively.
Interactions of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors with Liquid-Disordered Domains Rich in n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are pentameric Ligand Gated Ion Channels critical to signaling across synapses and the neuromuscular junction. nAChR function is particularly sensitive to the surrounding lipids, with numerous experimental studies showing native function of reconstituted nAChRs only in membranes with cholesterol. It has been expected that cholesterol serves as a boundary lipid by binding to the nAChR in annular and possibly non-annular (embedded) sites; given the expectation of annular cholesterol it was further hypothesized that nAChR likely partitions into liquid-ordered (raft) phases of domain-separated membranes, but this has not been observed experimentally in simple domain-forming mixtures containing cholesterol. Furthermore, although n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are abundant in both the native nAChR torpedo membrane and the neuron, the role of these acyl chains in nAChR has not been studied experimentally.In the present research, we use Coarse-grained Molecular Dynamics Simulations via MARTINI to investigate spontaneous partitioning of nAChRs in domain-forming lipid mixtures based on the native torpedo lipid environment. We observe that, contrary to expectations, nAChR partitions into the liquid-disordered phase rich in n-3 PUFAs and low in cholesterol. When nAChR is partitioned into a cholesterol-poor liquid-disordered phase, binding of annular cholesterol is not observed, but cholesterol is stable in some non-annular embedded sites at some cholesterol concentrations. Most such non-annular sites seem to have a higher affinity for n-3 PUFAs than for cholesterol, however. One origin of nAChR's preference for the liquid-disordered phase becomes clear upon examining the equilibrated systems: the more flexible liquid-disordered phase can accommodate the deformation induced by the cone-shaped nAChR.
Robotic-Assisted Excision of Urachal Adenocarcinoma with Umbiliconeoplasty

The urachus is the embryological remnant of the allantois and provides ligamentous attachment from the dome of the bladder to the umbilicus. Both benign and malignant processes affect the urachus. Urachal carcinoma is a rare condition with an overall poor prognosis. Surgical resection is the mainstay of therapy, as chemotherapy and radiation have largely been shown to be ineffective. Initial surgical approaches included radical cystectomy, but partial cystectomy has proven an effective oncologic procedure. Minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures utilizing robotic assistance now accomplish the same surgical goals while minimizing pain, morbidity, and recovery time. Umbilical resection helps ensure negative margins in all cases of malignancy. After cancer control, attention is turned to restoration of the umbilicus, the key feature of the abdominal wall.
Inhibition of Fertilization with Specific Antibodies

Interest in using immunological procedures to study events and components in reproduction has increased recently, as indicated by the number of research papers published on the subject. From several review articles (Piko, 1967; Tyler et al, 1967; Edwards, 1970; Kirby, 1970; Shulman, 1971; Fox and Shivers, 1972), workshops (Society for the Study of Reproduction, Boston, Massachusetts, 1971), and international symposia (Geneva, Switzerland, 1968, and Varna, Bulgaria, 1971) dealing with the subject of immunoreproduction, one is led to conclude that many macromolecular components of reproductive tissues serve as antigens when exposed to the immune system of the same or different mammalian species and that specific antibodies produced against these antigens are useful for a variety of diagnostic purposes including studies on fertility and sterility.
Reflections on Moral Distress and Moral Success

This final chapter captures the voices of several leaders in health care and bioethics who responded to one or both of the following questions: 1. What do you think is the most significant or important reason that healthcare professionals might feel trapped and unable to do what they think is right (and hence experience moral distress)? 2. What does moral success look like to you? Can you give an example of moral success from your perspective with regard to healthcare?
Beginning with the Familiar

Given the inherent complexity of most scientific documents, the beginning has the steep challenge of orienting the audience.
Electrocatalytic reduction of NOx on La1−xAxB1−yB′yO3−δ: evidence of electrically enhanced activity

Abstract Solid-state electrochemical cells can be used to sense and reduce NO x from combustion exhaust gases. In the reduction process the products are N 2 and O 2 . For these cells to be effective in fuel-lean combustion exhaust, cathode materials with high selectivity for NO vs. O 2 are necessary. Numerous compositions of La 1− x A x B 1− y B′ y O 3− δ (where A is Sr or Ba; and B and B′ are transition metals) were investigated for heterogeneous catalytic activity and selectivity for NO reduction using temperature programmed reaction (TPR). Ceramic cells using these materials as cathodes were fabricated and used to electrocatalytically reduce NO in NO/He and simulated exhaust atmospheres. An enhanced electrocatalytic three-way activity for NO x reduction was demonstrated that increases the window of operation into fuel-lean conditions.
Characteristics and Finite-Difference Methods

We demonstrated in Chapter 2 that the equations describing the transient flow in closed conduits are hyperbolic, partial differential equations, and discussed a number of numerical methods available for their solution. The details of the method of characteristics [Lister, 1960; Streeter and Lai, 1962; Perkins et al. 1964; Abbott, 1966, Evangelisti, 1969; Gray, 1953] are presented in this chapter.
126 CASE PRESENTATION OF RENAL CELL CARCINOMA METASTATIC TO THE PITUITARY GLAND.

Purpose To present a case of renal cell carcinoma metastatic to the pituitary gland. Methods A 68-year-old white male who previously underwent a right radical nephrectomy for renal cell cancer presented with a 2-month history of diplopia and fatigue. Physical examination revealed an enlarged left pupil and a left-sided sixth nerve palsy. MRI showed a pituitary mass. On laboratory analysis, levels of TSH, T4, ACTH, cortisol, LH, and testosterone were all decreased. The patient underwent a transsphenoidal hypophysectomy. Results The specimen submitted to pathology was a 1.8 × 1.2 × 1.7 cm pituitary mass. Final pathologic results revealed the tumor to be metastatic renal cell carcinoma, clear cell type. CT chest/abdomen/pelvis and bone scan showed no other evidence of metastatic disease. The patient subsequently underwent gamma-knife radiosurgery, with a total dose of 1,600 cGy delivered. Follow-up scans continue to show no evidence of disease. The patient was also placed on replacement therapy for multiple hormonal deficiencies with a good response. Conclusions Metastatic disease in the pituitary gland accounts for approximately 1% of all pituitary tumors. Renal cell carcinoma metastatic to the pituitary is even more uncommon as by far the most common malignant tumors involving the pituitary gland are breast and lung cancer. Metastatic disease with renal cell carcinoma is almost always associated with diffuse involvement. Therefore, recurrent renal cell carcinoma presenting as an isolated pituitary metastasis is extremely rare. The majority of pituitary metastases are clinically silent; however, diabetes insipidus is the most common manifestation in patients with symptomatic disease. Metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the pituitary gland, in contrast, is more frequently associated with the unique features of anterior pituitary dysfunction and visual disturbances. MRI is the imaging procedure of choice, with several imaging characteristics being more indicative of pituitary metastases than pituitary adenomas. Multiple treatment modalities are available for pituitary metastases, including resection, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Transsphenoidal surgical resection is the mainstay of therapy. In most series, adjuvant radiation therapy has been used, and radiosurgery also plays a significant role. Chemotherapeutic agents have been widely used in the past with limited success. Recently, however, the discovery of the association of vascular endothelial growth factor with the von Hippel-Lindau protein has allowed the development of several antiangiogenic agents, which are likely to significantly improve the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
Preoperative Serum Albumin Levels Predict Treatment Cost in Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

Background Hypoalbuminemia (serum albumin Methods All adult patients at a single institution undergoing primary or revision THA or TKA between January 2014 and December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were stratified by preoperative serum albumin level. The primary outcome was total direct costs at index hospitalization. Secondary outcomes included LOS and readmission within 30 days. Multivariable regressions were utilized to adjust for demographics and comorbidities. Results Of 3,785 patients, 114 (3.0%) had hypoalbuminemia. After adjustment, hypoalbuminemia was associated with a 16.2% increase in costs (β = 0.162; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.112 to 0.213; p 4.5 g/dL. The increased total costs were significantly higher in revision ($4,322, p = 0.034) than in primary ($3,446, p Conclusions Hypoalbuminemia is associated with increased total direct costs, LOS, and readmissions following primary and revision THA and TKA. Future efforts to predict and address total costs should take into consideration the patient's preoperative serum albumin levels.
The α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist 18-Methoxycoronaridine decreases binge-like ethanol consumption in adult C57BL/6J mice.

Abstract Binge alcohol drinking is a health burden in the United States, which has an alarming economic impact. Unfortunately, medications available for alcohol abuse have low efficacy or adverse side effects, creating a need to evaluate novel therapies. Growing research suggests that 18-Methoxycoronaridine (18-MC), an α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) antagonist, may be effective at reducing ethanol consumption. However, its effects on binge-like ethanol consumption and other ethanol behaviors have not been examined. The present study examined the effect of α3β4 nAChRs antagonism on basal locomotor activity in male and female C57BL/6J mice. Next we tested the effect of 18-MC on binge-like ethanol consumption, ethanol-induced sedation, and ethanol metabolism. Finally, we tested the effect of α3β4 nAChRs on saccharin consumption to ensure effects were specific for ethanol. We observed that 18-MC decreased binge-like ethanol consumption without altering saccharin consumption, the sedative effects of ethanol, or ethanol metabolism. High doses of 18-MC caused locomotor sedation in C57BL/6J mice, but the effects were brief and likely did not contribute to differences in ethanol consumption. Our results support the involvement of the α3β4 nAChRs in binge-like ethanol intake, and further work should explore the use of 18-MC for treatment of alcohol use disorders.
Technical and environmental assessment of all-electric 180-passenger commercial aircraft

Abstract Aviation emissions contribute adversely to climate change and air pollution due to combustion emissions. While biofuels can reduce the lifecycle CO2 emissions and combustion soot emissions, and hybrid- or turbo-electric aircraft may result in reduced fuel burn and overall emissions, only all-electric aircraft offer a potential opportunity for zero in-flight emissions in the long term. Over the past decade, more than 70 all-electric conceptual, experimental, and commercial aircraft have been researched, with a particular focus on light aircraft. These designs are reviewed, along with progress in battery technology. An all-electric aircraft design and optimization program, TASOPTe, has been developed from an existing version for conventionally-powered aircraft, TASOPT. Both programs are largely based on first-principles, enabling the design of aircraft with unusually short design ranges. A series of optimized 180-passenger aircraft based on the Airbus A320neo configuration are designed and evaluated at 200–1600 nmi design ranges with 2–10 propulsors and 400–2000 Wh/kg batteries. The performance of these all-electric aircraft is compared to advanced conventionally-powered aircraft optimized for the same design ranges. Optimized all-electric aircraft are found to use two or four propulsors, depending on the design range and specific energy assumed. The design range limits for each specific energy are determined, which are restricted by aircraft weight and performance penalties. A factor of four increase in battery pack specific energy from current values of 200 Wh/kg to 800 Wh/kg enables 500 nmi flights. However, lower design ranges provide improved energy and environmental performance. The required grid power generation characteristics for commercial all-electric aircraft to become net environmentally beneficial are determined for each specific energy assumption. The entire energy conversion chain, including charging, transport, and discharging of electrical energy, is considered. Despite the higher total energy use, narrow-body all-electric aircraft have the potential for lower equivalent CO2 emissions than conventionally-power aircraft if the electrical grid transitions toward renewable energy. This is largely enabled by the complete elimination of all high-altitude emissions, which would remove associated non-CO2 warming.
Clinical implications of repeat tumor biopsy (RTB) in patients (pts) with advanced lung cancer (LC): The Cleveland Clinic (CC) experience.

8077 Background: RTB at disease progression (PD) is increasingly used to profile tumor biomarkers and identify drug resistance mechanisms. However, information on safety and clinical consensus on t...
Tahrir Patterns and Acoustical Analysis of Tekyeh in a Professional Iranian Classical Singer.

Summary Objectives “Iranian classical singing,” called “avaz” in Persian, contains the ornament called a tahrir which is composed of a chain of tekyehs. A tekyeh is a fundamental frequency gesture that quickly increases and then decreases. Performing artists produce different patterns of tahrir during their singing. The primary aim of the study was to determine and describe different tahrir patterns based on fundamental frequency and temporal measurements of tekyeh produced by a professional avaz singer. Methods A live unaccompanied recording was made of a professional avaz singer singing the popular song “Morghe Sahar” (Dawn Bird) with free meter. Tahrir patterns were determined through auditory and spectrographic examination of the recording. Quantitative measurements were determined to distinguish among the resulting patterns. Results Four primary tahrir patterns were identified. These patterns were categorized based on (1) the number of tekyehs, (2) fundamental frequency extent from the baseline to the tekyeh peak, (3) inter tekyeh interval duration, (4) tekyeh rate, and (5) tekyeh speed quotient. Pattern 1 consists of one tekyeh and is called a “zinat.” Pattern 2 is a multiple tekyeh gesture with relatively long plateau intervals. Pattern 3 is a multiple tekyeh gesture with relatively short plateau intervals. Vibrato-like Pattern 4 is also a multiple tekyeh pattern with short plateau intervals like Pattern 3 but with relatively small frequency extents. Conclusions Four uniquely distinguished tahrir patterns, defined via acoustical analysis and the number of tekyehs, were identified using visual and auditory inspection of the various tahrirs produced by the participant. For the singer, Patterns 1, 3, and 4 constituted 96% of all the tokens. None of the tekyehs produced by the participant studied here appeared to switch between vocal registers between the lower and upper notes. The results have ethnomusicological, physiological, acoustic, and pedagogical importance for Iranian classical singing.
Narrowband Optical Filtering with Wide Angular Acceptance for Free-Space Optical Communications§

We demonstrate improved angular acceptance for low-loss narrowband optical filtering for high-sensitivity photon-counting free-space applications. Using a silicon etalon, a GHz-class passband with 230% greater low-loss angular acceptance is achieved.
Black African and Latino/a identity correlates with increased plasmablasts in MS.

Objective To determine the influence of self-reported Black African and Latin American identity on peripheral blood antibody-secreting cell (ASC) frequency in the context of relapsing-remitting MS. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 74 subjects with relapsing-remitting MS and 24 age-, and self-reported ethno-ancestral identity-matched healthy donors (HDs) to provide peripheral blood study samples. Subjects with MS were either off therapy at the time of study draw or on monthly natalizumab therapy infusions. Using flow cytometry, we assessed peripheral blood mononuclear cells for antibody-secreting B-cell subsets. Results When stratified by self-reported ethno-ancestry, we identified significantly elevated frequencies of circulating plasmablasts among individuals with MS identifying as Black African or Latin American relative to those of Caucasian ancestry. Ethno-ancestry–specific differences in ASC frequency were observed only among individuals with MS. By contrast, this differential was not observed among HDs. ASCs linked with poorer MS prognosis and active disease, including IgM+- and class-switched CD138+ subsets, were among those significantly increased. Conclusion The enhanced peripheral blood plasmablast signature revealed among Black African or Latin American subjects with MS points to distinct underlying mechanisms associated with MS immunopathogenesis. This dysregulation may contribute to the disease disparity experienced by patient populations of Black African or Latin American ethno-ancestry.
Regulation and the Geography of Inequality

We live in an era of widening geographic inequality. Around the country, the spread between economically and culturally thriving places and those that are struggling has been increasing. “Superstar” cities like New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Atlanta continue to attract talent and grow, while the economies of other cities and rural areas are left behind. Troublingly, escalating geographic inequality in the United States has arrived hand-in-hand with serious economic, social, and political problems. Areas that are left behind have not only failed to keep up with their thriving peers; in many ways they have stagnated and seen opportunities evaporate. At the same time, superstar cities are running up against extreme housing affordability problems, rendering middle-class life all but unsustainable. To make matters worse, the widening gulf between dynamic and stagnant places increasingly feeds into a democratic crisis of unrepresentative government at the federal level. The dominant explanations for widening geographic inequality focus largely on inexorable economic trends. Forces like “agglomeration effects” and globalization have reshaped the economy, benefitting some areas and harming others. We think these explanations leave out a crucial factor: the effects of specific regulatory choices on economic geography. The Progressive Era and New Deal regulatory order in the United States promoted geographic dispersion in economic activity. The unraveling of this regulatory order around 1980 coincided with the reversal in geographic convergence and the beginning of an era of growing divergence. More specifically, regulatory policies in the areas of transportation, communications, trade, and antitrust helped construct an era of geographic convergence in the mid-twentieth century and deregulation in those same areas contributed to the rise of geographic inequality over the last generation. To combat geographic inequality and its attendant downsides, we make the case for reincorporating geographic factors into federal regulatory policymaking in transportation, communications, trade, antitrust, and other domains.
The Impact of Social and Clinical Complexity on Diabetes Control Measures.

Purpose: In an age of value-based payment, primary care providers are increasingly scrutinized on performance metrics that assess quality of care, including the outcomes of their patient population in key areas such as diabetes control. Although such measures often adjust for patient clinical risk factors or clinical complexity, most do not account for the social complexity of patient populations, despite research demonstrating the strong association between social factors and health. Methods: Using patient electronic health record data from 2 large community health center networks serving safety net patients, we assessed the effect of both clinical and social risk factors on poor glucose control among diabetics. Logistic regression results were used to estimate the impact of adjusting for both clinical and social complexity on provider performance metrics. Clinical complexity was measured at the patient-level using the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Social complexity was measured at the community-level using the Social Deprivation Index. Results: Clinical complexity alone was not consistently associated with poor diabetes control (ie, HbA1c > 9%) in diabetic patients with HbA1c testing during the study period. However, increasing social complexity was significantly associated with higher rates of poor diabetic control in both cohorts. After adding adjustment for social complexity down to the national median score, our models suggest that approximately 25% of providers would have 1 to 2% improvement in the assessment of their diabetes control measures, with 45% showing a 2 to 5% improvement, and 5% showing more than a 5% improvement. Conclusions: Providers caring for patients with greater social risk factors may benefit from having their performance metrics adjusted for the social complexity of their patient populations.
Bias in smart city governance: How socio-spatial disparities in 311 complaint behavior impact the fairness of data-driven decisions

Abstract Governance and decision-making in “smart” cities increasingly rely on resident-reported data and data-driven methods to improve the efficiency of city operations and planning. However, the issue of bias in these data and the fairness of outcomes in smart cities has received relatively limited attention. This is a troubling and significant omission, as social equity should be a critical aspect of smart cities and needs to be addressed and accounted for in the use of new technologies and data tools. This paper examines bias in resident-reported data by analyzing socio-spatial disparities in ‘311’ complaint behavior in Kansas City, Missouri. We utilize data from detailed 311 reports and a comprehensive resident satisfaction survey, and spatially join these data with code enforcement violations, neighborhood characteristics, and street condition assessments. We introduce a model to identify disparities in resident-government interactions and classify under- and over-reporting neighborhoods based on complaint behavior. Despite greater objective and subjective need, low-income and minority neighborhoods are less likely to report street condition or “nuisance” issues, while prioritizing more serious problems. Our findings form the basis for acknowledging and accounting for data bias in self-reported data, and contribute to the more equitable delivery of city services through bias-aware data-driven processes.
Brown Dwarfs and the TW Hya Association

I report the results of a survey for low-mass (0.030 <~ M <~ 0.013 M_solar) brown dwarfs in the direction of the TW Hya association using 2MASS. Two late-M dwarfs show signs of low surface gravity and are strong candidates to be young, very-low-mass (M ~ 0.025 M_solar) brown dwarfs related to the TW Hya association. 2MASSW J1207334-393254 is particularly notable for its strong H alpha emission. The number of detected brown dwarfs is consistent with the substellar mass function in richer star formation environments. Newly identified late-M and L dwarfs in the field are also discussed. Unusual objects include an L dwarf with strong H alpha emission, a possible wide M8/M9 triple system, and a possible L dwarf companion to an LHS star.
Polyethylene Glycol Fusion of Nerve Injuries: Review of the Technique and Clinical Applicability

Traumatic peripheral nerve injuries present a particular challenge to hand surgeons as mechanisms of nerve-healing pose serious limitations to achieving complete functional recovery. The loss of distal axonal segments through Wallerian degeneration results in the loss of neuromuscular junctions and irreversible muscle atrophy. Current methods of repair depend on the outgrowth of proximal nerve fibers following direct end-to-end repair or gap repair techniques. Investigational techniques in nerve repair using polyethylene glycol (PEG) nerve fusion have been shown to bypass Wallerian degeneration by immediately restoring nerve axonal continuity, thus resulting in a rapid and more complete functional recovery. The purpose of this article is to review the current literature surrounding this novel technique for traumatic nerve repair, paying particular attention to the underlying physiology of nerve healing and the current applications of PEG fusion in the laboratory and clinical setting. This article also serves to identify areas of future investigation to further establish validity and feasibility and encourage the translation of PEG fusion into clinical use.
A population study of screening history and diagnostic outcomes of women with invasive cervical cancer.

Background Despite advances to prevent and detect cervical cancer, national targets for screening have not been met in the United States. Previous studies suggested that approximately half of women who developed cervical cancer were not adequately screened. This study aimed to provide an updated examination of women's screening and diagnostic practices five years prior to an invasive cervical cancer diagnosis. Methods The study included women age 21 years and older diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer in 2013-2016 from three population-based state cancer registries in the United States. Medical records abstraction identified screening history and diagnostic follow-up. A mailed survey provided sociodemographic data. Screening was a Pap or human papillomavirus (HPV) test between 6 months and 5 years before diagnosis. Adequate follow-up was defined per management guidelines. Results Of the 376 women, 60% (n = 228) had not been screened. Among women who received an abnormal screening result (n = 122), 67% (n = 82) had adequate follow-up. Predictors of: (a) being screened were younger age, having a higher income, and having insurance; (b) adequate follow-up were having a higher income, and (c) stage 1 cervical cancer were being screened and younger age. Conclusion Unlike other cancer patterns of care studies, this study uses data obtained from medical records supplemented with self-report information to understand a woman's path to diagnosis, her follow-up care, and the stage of her cervical cancer diagnosis. This study provides findings that could be used to reach more unscreened or under screened women and to continue lowering cervical cancer incidence in the United States.
Monetary equilibrium

One implication of the concept of monetary equilibrium is that the money supply should vary with money demand. In a recent paper, Bagus and Howden (Rev Austrian Econ 24:383–402, 2011) argue that this conclusion is predicated on the assumption of price stickiness. The purpose of this paper is to suggest that the foundation of monetary equilibrium is the role of money as a medium of exchange. As such, changes in the demand for money result in changes in both nominal and real spending that are welfare-reducing. This proposition is then used to examine whether a monetary policy in which the central bank varies the money supply in response to money demand can be considered optimal. In addition, the paper considers how a free banking system with competitive note issuance would vary the money supply in response to changes in money demand. In both cases, the results are consistent with the concept of monetary equilibrium. In addition, these results can be obtained even when prices are perfectly flexible if trade is decentralized (i.e. not conducted in Walrasian markets). Price stickiness is therefore not a necessary condition to suggest that the money supply should vary with money demand.
Angiogenesis and Ocular Tumorigenesis

The development of a tumor is dependent on a number of genetic and epigenetic changes. An important step for the propagation and progression of many solid tumors is the induction of a tumor vasculature, i.e., “the angiogenic switch” (1,2). This ensures an adequate supply of oxygen and metabolites for tumor growth and metastasis. This switch is activated when the angiogenic balance tips in favor of proangiogenesis; this results in the increased production of proangiogenic factors and/or downregulation of antiangiogenic factors. The angiogenic switch may occur at any stage of tumor progression, depending on the nature of the tumor and the microenvironment. However, tumor angiogenesis differs from physiological angiogenesis in several respects: the vascular structure, the endothelial cell and pericyte interactions, blood flow, increased permeability, and delayed maturation (3, 4, 5, 6; Table 1).
Interrater reliability of flexicurve postural measures among novice users

Abstract. The purpose of this study was to establish the interrater reliability of the ﬂexicurve when used by novice testersto measure thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis in a community-based population. Three graduate students independentlymeasured 51 healthy women (aged 21 to 88 years). The ﬂexicurve was molded to the contour of the spine and traced onto a plainpiece of paper to calculate the Index of Kyphosis (IK) and Index of Lordosis (IL). Subjects were measured while standing in theirusual relaxed posture and again in their maximally erect posture. Intraclass correlation coefﬁcients (ICCs) were calculated todetermine the reliability among the three testers. IK measures were more reliable than IL measures with ICCs of 0.94 and 0.93for the relaxed and erect postures, respectively. ICCs for the IL were 0.60 when relaxed and 0.73 when maximally erect. Greatervariability in the lumbar measures may be attributed to difﬁculty in conforming the ﬂexicurve to the smaller, concave curvatureof the lumbar spine and interference from some subject’s clothing. Nevertheless, these ﬁndings indicate good reliability forﬂexicurve measures of thoracic kyphosis and support the use of this measurement when documenting clinical changes in postureor identifying postural abnormalities in community-based screenings.Keywords: Posture, spine, postural assessment, kyphosis, lordosis
Web Usage Mining — Languages and Algorithms

Web Usage Mining deals with the discovery of interesting information from user navigational patterns from web logs. While extracting simple information from web logs is easy, mining complex structural information is very challenging. Data cleaning and preparation constitute a very significant effort before mining can even be applied. We propose two new XML applications, XGMML and LOGML to help us in this task. XGMML is a graph description language and LOGML is a web-log report description language. We generate a web graph in XGMML format for a web site and generate web-log reports in LOGML format for a web site from web log files and the web graph. We show the simplicity with which mining algorithms can be specified and implemented efficiently using our two XML applications.
Time to Fine-Tune Military Rule of Evidence 412

Federal Rule of Evidence 412 was enacted to “protect rape victims from degrading and embarrassing disclosure of intimate details” without “sacrificing any constitutional right possessed by the defendant.” Military Rule of Evidence 412 was adopted with a similar goal of “shield[ing] victims of sexual assault from the often embarrassing and degrading cross-examination and evidence presentations common to prosecutions of such offenses” while still recognizing the right of the accused “to present relevant defense evidence.” The Federal Rule, and consequently the Military Rule, has been amended since its inception, but the intent has remained clear: protect the victim of a sexual crime without ignoring the compelling constitutional rights of an accused. Military Rule of Evidence 412, much like its federal counterpart, has generally been successful in meeting the intent behind its enactment by balancing these equally compelling, yet competing interests in a fair manner. However, as with any rule, unforeseen situations and unintended consequences can require refining the rule to comply with congressional intent. As currently drafted, and in application, the rule creates complications for both the Government and defense in nonconsensual sexual act cases which violate the spirit and intent behind MRE 412. This article explores these shortcomings and, to ensure MRE 412 complies with Congress’s intent, offers suggestions for amending the rule.
Final State Versus Empty Stack

It doesn’t matter whether we take NPDAs to accept by empty stack or by final state; the two methods of acceptance are equivalent in the sense that each type of machine can simulate the other. Given an arbitrary NPDA M that accepts by final state or empty stack, we will show how to construct an equivalent NPDA M’ with a single accept state for which acceptance by empty stack and by final state coincide