cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
AFib rotors: are we in the "driver" seat?

Great strides in catheter-based ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) have been made with pulmonary vein isolation serving as the cornerstone of the ablative approach. However, the optimal ablation strategy for persistent and long-term persistent AF remains unknown ([1,2][1]). Long-term
Evolution of ABA Standards Relating to Externships: Steps in the Right Direction?

This article analyzes the evolution of American Bar Association (ABA) Accreditation Standards relating to clinical legal education externship programs. The article explores and evaluates the historical debate among legal educators on the issue of whether the ABA's highly structured regulation of externships has been helpful to this form of clinical legal education. The article demonstrates that although ABA regulation of externships has limitations, it has been helpful to the development of externships programs. The article concludes that ABA regulation is likely to remain highly structured unless law schools demonstrate that sufficient instructional resources will be devoted to make externships quality educational experiences without detailed externship standards and interpretations.
Toxicology of a potent human RNase variant

A76 QBI-139 is a potent anticancer agent in xenograftmodels and is the first member of the EVade™ Ribonuclease family of proteins to be selected for IND-enabling studies. Destroying RNA in a cell-selective manner disrupts the process of translationand transcription, precluding proteins from being made and providing a new means to kill cancer cells. Pancreatic RNases are rendered inactiveinside cells due to the presence of the cytosolic ribonucleaseinhibitor protein (RI). Variants of pancreatic RNases that have diminishedbinding to RI while maintaining ribonucleolytic function have been used to kill cancer cells, forming the basis for the EVade™ RNase technology. TheRNases presented here are expressed in inclusion bodies in E.coli and purified by column chromatography. The engineered RNases are tested fortheir ability to inhibit the growth of human tumors implantedin the flanks of Foxchase nude mice (xenograft models). Sprague Dawley female rats and male and female beagle dogs were used in the toxicology studies. QBI-139 has shown similar tumor growth inhibition as FDA approved cancer drugs in the following xenograft models: prostate (DU145 cell line), pancreas (Bx-PC-3), lung (A549), and ovarian (SKOV-3) cancer. The effective doses of QBI-139 in the xenograft model include a once weekly dose of 75 mg/kg (226 mg/m2). The primary objective of this study was to determine the safety and exposure levels of QBI-139 in rats in dogs. A preliminary repeat dose study (1xwk for 4 weeks with two week recovery) study of 76 mg/kg (515 mg/m2) resulted in a reversible weight loss of eight percent with minimal effect on kidney and liver function by clinical chemistry. A single dose study in dogs using doses of 8.5, 15, 20, and 40 mg/kg (170, 300, 400, and 800 mg/m2) has been completed. No effects on the animals were observed at the lower doses. At the highest dose of 40 mg/kg (710 mg/m2), transient effects were seen on the short term activity levels of the treated dogs. The effects of multiple doses (twice in 72 hours) did not result in observation of significantly greater cumulative toxicity. QBI-139 is a potent anticancer drug in xenograft models and is well tolerated in rats and dogs. Severely toxic doses have not been reached in either rats or dogs. Additional repeat dose studies are underway in both rats and dogs to support the IND. The combination of efficacy and safety provides promise as the drug is carried forward into the clinic.
Intrauterine contraceptive devices.

In recent years the intrauterine contraceptive device has been recognized as an important means of family planning and population control. Its effectiveness exceeds that of traditional contraceptive methods but is less than that of oral contraceptives. The exact mechanism of contraception with the intrauterine device remains unknown. Although the method has definite advantages, particularly in certain patient populations, it is not without complications.
Chemical Kinetics: A CS Perspective

Chemical kinetics has played a critical role in understanding phenomena such as global climate change and photochemical smog, and researchers use it to analyze chemical reactors and alternative fuels. When computing is applied to the development of detailed chemical kinetic models, it allows scientists to predict the behavior of these complex chemical systems. This overview discusses algorithmic techniques for mechanism generation, consistency and completeness verification, and mechanism reduction, as well as ongoing research trends.
Environment-Genetic Influences on Immunocompetence

The immunological responses of an animal are changing continually in response to perceived environmental changes. This is because the genetic background, the lifelong environment of animals and their interaction greatly influence immunological responsiveness. An animal's genetic background influences all factors related to immunocompetence. Among these are age of onset of immunocompetence, responsiveness to specific antigens, antibody titers, type of antibody and immune response, as well as the persistence of the responses. Defense by immunity must require considerable resources, because chickens with a high antibody response are smaller and have poorer feed efficiencies than those chickens whose antibody response is lower. An increase in the effectiveness of one defensive factor may result in reduced effectiveness of another factor. For example, chickens selected for a high antibody titer response to antigen have reduced effectiveness of macrophages. Environmental stresses influence the immune response. Stress at the time of the animal's contact with antigen results in a reduced antibody response. After the antibody response begins, stress has little effect. Stress promotes the sensitization of cell-mediated immunity but inhibits its effectiveness. A short-term stressor such as weaning is followed, in about 24 h, by a short period of reduced immunocompetence, even though lymphoid mass may be reduced. Reduced immunocompetence during stressful periods can be reduced by employing adrenal blocking chemicals, or by socializing animals to their handlers.
A1-adenosine receptor antagonists block endotoxin-induced lung injury

Endotoxin produces a variety of biological effects on different cell types, such as priming of neutrophils and macrophages, which then release a number of important mediators of endotoxin-induced lung injury. However, the specific mechanism by which endotoxin initiates its cascade of pathophysiological events in the lung has not been described. Both A1 adenosine receptor activation and endotoxin induce the release of thromboxane A2 from the lung and inhibit adenylate cyclase. By acting on A1 adenosine receptors, adenosine promotes neutrophil chemotaxis and adherence to endothelial cells. We hypothesized that A1 adenosine receptor activation is essential to endotoxin-induced lung injury, and we used the highly selective A1-adenosine receptor antagonists, 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX) and 8-benzyl-7,[2-[ethyl(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-ethyl] theophylline (bamiphylline), to investigate whether selective blocking of the A1 adenosine receptor would prevent endotoxin-induced acute lung injury. An intra...
Establishing Communicative Validity: Discovering Theory Through Practice

In this article, I examine the process of establishing the communicative validity of research. Using Habermas’ ideal speech situation as a theoretical backdrop, I explore three moments in which the roles enacted by members of a research collective were implicitly or explicitly negotiated. I find that by examining moments of role negotiation we can explore the level of participation at which stakeholders engage in the process of knowledge production. When roles are explicitly negotiated, therefore, fluid, authentic participation is greater and communicative validity is enhanced.
Elucidation of White Matter Tracts of the Human Amygdala by Detailed Comparison between High-Resolution Postmortem Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Histology.

The amygdala is one of the anatomical structures that has attracted intensive interest because of its potential involvement in various neuropsychiatric disorders. In recent years, attempts have been made to evaluate the integrity of the axonal connections from and to the amygdala under pathological conditions using MRI. Although the amygdalar pathways have been extensively studied in the past using animal models, the current anatomical references for the human brain are limited to histology-based resources at a small number of slice locations, orientations, and annotations. In this study, we performed high-resolution MRI (250 m) of postmortem samples, followed by serial histology sections. The histology data served as the ground truth to identify amygdalar pathways, and the anatomical delineation of the assigned structures was extended to 3D using the MRI data. We could clearly define the detailed anatomy of the stria terminalis and amygdalofugal pathway, as well as the anatomy of the nearby basal forebrain areas, including the substantia innominata. The results could help us to understand the detailed white matter structures associated with the amygdala and serve as an anatomical reference by which to design and interpret in vivo MRI data.
Correlation consistent basis sets for actinides. II. The atoms Ac and Np–Lr

New correlation consistent basis sets optimized using the all-electron third-order Douglas-Kroll-Hess (DKH3) scalar relativistic Hamiltonian are reported for the actinide elements Ac and Np through Lr. These complete the series of sets reported previously for Th-U [K. A. Peterson, J. Chem. Phys. 142, 074105 (2015); M. Vasiliu et al., J. Phys. Chem. A 119, 11422 (2015)]. The new sets range in size from double- to quadruple-zeta and encompass both those optimized for valence (6s6p5f7s6d) and outer-core electron correlations (valence + 5s5p5d). The final sets have been contracted for both the DKH3 and eXact 2-component (X2C) Hamiltonians, yielding cc-pVnZ-DK3/cc-pVnZ-X2C sets for valence correlation and cc-pwCVnZ-DK3/cc-pwCVnZ-X2C sets for outer-core correlation (n = D, T, Q in each case). In order to test the effectiveness of the new basis sets, both atomic and molecular benchmark calculations have been carried out. In the first case, the first three atomic ionization potentials (IPs) of all the actinide elements Ac-Lr have been calculated using the Feller-Peterson-Dixon (FPD) composite approach, primarily with the multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) method. Excellent convergence towards the respective complete basis set (CBS) limits is achieved with the new sets, leading to good agreement with experiment, where these exist, after accurately accounting for spin-orbit effects using the 4-component Dirac-Hartree-Fock method. For a molecular test, the IP and atomization energy (AE) of PuO2 have been calculated also using the FPD method but using a coupled cluster approach with spin-orbit coupling accounted for using the 4-component MRCI. The present calculations yield an IP0 for PuO2 of 159.8 kcal/mol, which is in excellent agreement with the experimental electron transfer bracketing value of 162 ± 3 kcal/mol. Likewise, the calculated 0 K AE of 305.6 kcal/mol is in very good agreement with the currently accepted experimental value of 303.1 ± 5 kcal/mol. The ground state of PuO2 is predicted to be the Σ0g+5 state.
Electrophysiologic and Biochemical Mechanisms Underlying Malignant Ventricular Arrhythmias during Early Myocardial Ischemia

Sudden cardiac death accounts for over 300,000 deaths per year in the United States alone [111]. It most often occurs in the setting of diffuse coronary artery disease [9], and in about 25% of cases of sudden cardiac death, the event is the initial presentation of coronary disease [87]. Death is most often due to malignant ventricular arrhythmias including complex premature ventricular complexes or ventricular tachycardia which culminate in the development of ventricular fibrillation [23].
A One‐Step Approach to the Synthesis of High Aspect Ratio Titania Nanoflakes

High aspect ratio TiO2 nanoflakes are synthesized by a one-step modified surface hydrolysis method. Surface morphology and physical dimensions are characterized using scanning electron microscopy, laser diffraction analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. Microsized flakes having a thickness ≈40 nm are successfully synthesized by spreading an oil phase consisting of titanium tetraisopropoxide and a low surface tension hydrocarbon on the surface of water. Pure anatase phase crystalline titania nanoflakes are obtained by calcining at 400 °C without changing the shape and thickness of flakes. Relatively higher specific surface area (2-6 times) and less crystal defects enhance photocatalytic activities of nanoflakes due to more surface reaction sites and the suppression of fast recombination. By performing dye degradation under ultraviolet illumination, titania nanoflakes exhibit the higher photocatalytic efficiency over the commercial photocatalyst, Degussa P25. As far as it is known, this method is the most efficient and cost effective process for making low-dimensional nanomaterials in a continuous manner. These titania flakes can be easily separated from the treated water by simply sedimentation or filtration and therefore is very suitable for water purification application.
A Qualitative Exploration of Perceptions of Algorithmic Fairness

Algorithmic systems increasingly shape information people are exposed to as well as influence decisions about employment, finances, and other opportunities. In some cases, algorithmic systems may be more or less favorable to certain groups or individuals, sparking substantial discussion of algorithmic fairness in public policy circles, academia, and the press. We broaden this discussion by exploring how members of potentially affected communities feel about algorithmic fairness. We conducted workshops and interviews with 44 participants from several populations traditionally marginalized by categories of race or class in the United States. While the concept of algorithmic fairness was largely unfamiliar, learning about algorithmic (un)fairness elicited negative feelings that connect to current national discussions about racial injustice and economic inequality. In addition to their concerns about potential harms to themselves and society, participants also indicated that algorithmic fairness (or lack thereof) could substantially affect their trust in a company or product.
A novel lymphocyte differentiating factor in serum of patients with mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome

Sera from 13 patients with mycosis fungoides and 2 with Sezary syndrome were tested for activity that induces lymphocyte differentiation. Induction of Thy-1.2 antigen and surface immunoglobulin were used, respectively, to measure T- and B-cell differentiation. The indicator cells were null lymphocytes from the spleens of congenitally athymic nude mice. Normal serum induced some T-cell but no B-cell differentiation. The T-cell-inducing activity was ascribed to thymic hormone and declined with advancing age. A totally different pattern emerged with patient serum. T-cell-inducing activity was significantly more active than in normal serum (p less than 0.001). This activity did not decline with advancing age and was not inhibited by a concentration of ubiquitin, which blocks nonspecific beta-adrenergic induction. B- cell-inducing activity was also present. This novel serum factor (or factors) is a potent inducer of T- and B-lymphocyte differentiation and is associated with neoplastic lymphoproliferation of the T-cell series.
TCT-56 High-resolution Intravascular OCT-NIRF Molecular Imaging for In Vivo Assessment of Inflammation in Atherosclerosis and Vascular Injury

Current multimodality optical coherence tomography (OCT)-near infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging systems have a moderate NIRF lateral resolution (∼100 um). In this study, we developed a high-resolution (HR)-OCT-NIRF imaging system to investigate its potential for providing additional information
Change Management Models: A Comparative Analysis and Concerns

To better understand change management, we compare some popular change management models in relation to project management and organizations in this study. After a brief introduction of five major models, various advantages and disadvantages are identified for each. Lessons and implications for organizations and management are also introduced.
Room temperature bubble point, flow-through screen, and wicking experiments for screen channel liquid acquisition devices

Abstract This paper presents fundamental performance data for three of the influential factors that are required to design, size, and analyze screen channel liquid acquisition devices (LADs) for future in-space cryogenic propulsion systems. Bubble point, flow-through-screen, and wicking rate experiments are conducted on 14 different screen meshes, including three different metals (steel, aluminum, titanium), two different diameter screen samples (1.25″ and 2.50″), using multiple room temperature fluids (acetone, isopropyl alcohol, and water). Emphasis in the current work is on coarser meshes where there is a lack of reliable data. Corresponding analytical models from Hartwig and Darr (2014) are updated for each of the three influential factors, including a new evaporation rate-corrected wicking rate equation. Data obtained from this experiment will allow for efficient and accurate computational fluid dynamics simulations for flow out of a storage tank using LADs with mesh screens.
T-cell Activity against AML Improved by Dual-Targeted T Cells Stimulated through T-cell and IL7 Receptors

The development of engineered T cells to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is challenging due to difficulty in target selection and the need for robust T-cell expansion and persistence. We designed a T cell stimulated to kill AML cells based on recognition of the AML-associated surface marker CLEC12A, via secretion of a CLEC12AxCD3 bispecific "engager" molecule (CLEC12A-ENG). CLEC12A-ENG T cells are specifically activated by CLEC12A, are not toxic to hematopoietic progenitor cells, and exhibit antigen-dependent AML killing. Next, we coupled stimulation of T-cell survival to triggering of a chimeric IL7 receptor with an ectodomain that binds a second AML-associated surface antigen, CD123. The resulting T cells, identified as CLEC12A-ENG.CD123IL7Rα T cells, demonstrate improved activation upon dual target recognition, kill AML, and exhibit antitumor activity in xenograft models. Enhanced T-cell activation conferred by CD123.IL7Rα was dependent both on recognition of the CD123 target and on IL7Rα-mediated downstream signaling. Expression of a chimeric IL7R targeted to a second tumor-associated antigen (TAA) should improve T-cell activity not only against hematologic malignancies, but perhaps against all cancers.
A SIW Uniform Circular Antenna Array for 5G Applications Fed By a Radially-symmetric Eight-way SIW Power Divider

An eight-element uniform circular antenna array based on substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology is presented for 5G applications. Cylindrical SIW cavity-backed slot antennas are utilized as array antenna elements. An axially symmetric eight-way SIW power divider is also presented to feed the eight antennas in a circular configuration. The experimental results show an axially symmetric radiation pattern with a peak realized gain of 6.61 dBi, and radiation efficiency of ∼ 75%.
Spectral analysis and computation for homogenization of advection diffusion processes in steady flows

Advective diffusion plays a key role in the transport of salt, heat, buoys, and markers in geophysical flows, in the dispersion of pollutants and trace gases in the atmosphere, and even in the dynamics of sea ice floes influenced by winds and ocean currents. The long time, large scale behavior of such systems is equivalent to an enhanced diffusion process with an effective diffusivity matrix D*. Three decades ago, a Stieltjes integral representation for the homogenized matrix, involving a spectral measure of a self-adjoint operator, was developed. However, analytical calculations of D* have been obtained for only a few simple flows, and numerical computations of the effective behavior based on this spectral representation have apparently not been attempted. We overcome these limitations by providing a mathematical foundation for the computation of Stieltjes integral representations of D*. We explore two different approaches and for each approach we derive new Stieltjes integral representations and rigorous bounds for the symmetric and antisymmetric parts of D*, involving the molecular diffusivity and a spectral measure μ of a self-adjoint operator that depends on the characteristics of a randomly perturbed periodic flow. In discrete formulations of each approach, we express μ explicitly in terms of standard (or generalized) eigenvalues and eigenvectors of Hermitian matrices. We develop and implement an efficient numerical algorithm that combines beneficial numerical attributes of each approach. We use this method to compute the effective behavior for model flows and relate spectral characteristics to flow geometry and transport properties.
Influence of Loading Pressure and Sample Preparation on Ionic Concentration and Resistivity of Pore Solution Expressed from Concrete Samples

Pore solution expression is an established method to obtain samples of the liquid phase from cementitious systems. This experimental method applies pressure to a cementitious sample, forcing its liquid phase out of the pores. By collecting and studying the liquid phase in cementitious systems, it is possible to obtain information on its ionic concentrations. The ionic concentrations can be used for modeling calibrations and to estimate the resistivity of the pore solution. When the bulk resistivity of concrete is normalized by the pore solution resistivity, it is possible to determine the formation factor. The formation factor is related to the transport properties of the concrete and, as such, it can be used to estimate the rates of transport of ionic species within a concrete structure. The formation factor is currently being included in AASHTO PP84, Standard Practice for Developing Performance Engineered Concrete Pavement Mixtures, as an indicator of transport properties for quality control operations. Pore solution expression is included as one of the available procedures of AASHTO PP84-19 to determine the pore solution electrical resistivity. Previous studies on paste and mortar samples have demonstrated that increased loading pressure during the pore solution expression might impact the final ionic concentrations of the expressed solution. This study aims to verify if the pore solutions of concrete specimens are also influenced by the selected loading pressure and whether the potential consequent change in the measured ionic concentrations of the solution also has an impact on its resistivity. No appreciable trend in increased solubility was observed for the range of applied normal pressures between 600 and 985 MPa. Cyclic loading regimes increased the variability of alkali solubility. Sample preparation, in some cases, influenced the water content of the sample and induced unwanted alteration on the ionic concentrations of the mixtures under study.
Tall Building Construction Boom: A Global Snapshot

This chapter offers a fresh account on current tall building developments around the globe. By analyzing extensive data, the chapter contrasts building activities before and after the turn of the new century. It gives a brief review of the development of high-rise buildings in world’s continents, including Asia, Middle East, Europe, North America, South America, Central America, Africa, and Oceania. Importantly, it lays out the driving forces of constructing tall buildings, such as the rapid increase of urban population, demographic change, global competition and globalization, urban regeneration, and agglomeration. Overall, the chapter alerts about the massive vertical developments that are taking place in numerous cities around the globe.
Variations in native T1 values in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy with and without late gadolinium enhancement.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked genetic disorder leading to progressive skeletal and cardiac myopathy. Elevated myocardial T1 values correlate with fibrosis in most disease processes, but DMD skeletal and cardiac histopathology is defined by fibrofatty replacement that may result in a decrease in T1 values, due to the low T1 of fat. The study goal was to assess myocardial T1 values in DMD patients with and without late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). A retrospective analysis was performed on all patients with DMD referred for CMR at our institution from 7/5/2017 to 10/24/2018. T1 measurements were performed using breath-held modified Look Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) sequences at the basal and mid-ventricular levels. The cohort was separated into patients without the presence of LGE (LGE−) and patients with current or previous LGE (LGE+). A total of 207 CMR studies were analyzed. The LGE− group comprised 88 patients while 119 patients were in the LGE+ group. The LGE+ group was older, had larger indexed LV end-diastolic volume and lower LV ejection fraction (LVEF) compared to the LGE− group. T1 values in the LGE+ group were lower compared to the LGE− group (mid T1 1012 ms vs. 1035 ms; p = 0.002), with 5 CMR studies demonstrating mid T1 values < 900 ms. There was no correlation between mid T1 and LVEF in the LGE− group. In the LGE+ cohort, lower T1 values correlated with worse LVEF (r = 0.34, p = 0.0002). The association between mid T1 values and LVEF remained statistically significant on multivariable analysis when accounting for number of LGE segments, LVEDVi, and age (p = 0.009). This is the largest study assessing native T1 values in patients with DMD. The results demonstrate that patients with LGE had lower T1 values than patients without LGE. In the LGE+ group, lower T1 values correlated with worse LV systolic function. These results are consistent with the evolving recognition of fibrofatty replacement in advanced stages of DMD myopathy. Furthermore, our study supports that there is not a simple linear relationship between increasing T1 values and advancing disease progression reported in most other cardiomyopathies.
Pionic content of ϱNN and ϱNΔ vertex functions

Abstract The dynamical content of ϱ NN and ϱ N Δ vertex functions is studied with a mesonic model. A set of coupled integral equations satisfied by these vertex functions was solved self-consistently. These solutions indicate that the dominant mesonic content arises from di-pion dynamics. With the experimentally determined pion-baryon-baryon coupling constants and ranges as input, the model predicts a g ϱNN that agrees with the meson-exchange-potential results. On the other hand, it predicts a smaller f ϱNΔ and much softer form factors. Implications of the findings on the use of phenomenological coupling constants in nuclear reaction studies are discussed.
Hird, J. (2018). Spike and the blue chair.

Hird, J. (2018). Spike and the blue chair. London: Austin Macauley Publishers. 161 pp. (Pbk). ISBN: 9781788488426.
Neighborhood Effects on Missed Appointments in a Large Urban Academic Multispecialty Practice.

Missed appointments diminish the continuity and quality of care. To determine whether missing scheduled appointments is associated with characteristics of the populations in places where patients reside. Retrospective cross-sectional study using data extracted from electronic health records linked to population descriptors for each patient’s census tract of residence. A total of 58,981 patients ≥18 years of age with 275,682 scheduled appointments during 2014–2015 at a multispecialty outpatient practice. We used multinomial generalized linear mixed models to examine associations between the outcomes of scheduled appointments (arrived, canceled, or missed) and selected characteristics of the populations in patients’ census tracts of residence (racial/ethnic segregation based on population composition, levels of poverty, violent crime, and perceived safety and social capital), controlling for patients’ age, gender, type of insurance, and type of clinic service. Overall, 17.5% of appointments were missed. For appointments among patients residing in census tracts in the highest versus lowest quartile for each population metric, adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for missed appointments were 1.27 (CI 1.19, 1.35) for the rate of violent crime, 1.27 (CI 1.20, 1.34) for the proportion Hispanic, 1.19 (CI 1.12, 1.27) for the proportion living in poverty, 1.13 (CI 1.05, 1.20) for the proportion of the census tract population that was Black, and 1.06 (CI 1.01, 1.11 for perceived neighborhood safety. Characteristics of the places where patients reside are associated with missing scheduled appointments, including high levels of racial/ethnic segregation, poverty, and violent crime and low levels of perceived neighborhood safety. As such, targeting efforts to improve access for patients living in such neighborhoods will be particularly important to address underlying social determinants of access to health care.
The End of the Vietnam War and the Uphill Fight in Congress for a Peace Dividend

Cold War historians tend to overlook Congress’s role in shaping U.S. foreign policy, focusing instead on the executive branch. As a result, scholars have not sufficiently scrutinized the legislature’s influence on foreign relations. The 1970s saw the rise of an unusually activist Congress after public trust in the presidency eroded due to the combination of the unpopular Vietnam War and the extended political fallout from President Nixon’s Watergate scandal. This article helps fill in the historiographic gap by honing in on a specific political flashpoint in the House over the military budget for 1974. In 1973, a bipartisan coalition of Congress members tried to find a “peace dividend” in the budget by making significant cuts to Pentagon appropriations for the following year. This effort broadly polarized the House into a dovish faction and a hawkish faction, each coalescing around a charismatic leader. The doves followed the lead of Congressman Les Aspin (D-WI), while the pro-war House members rallied around Congressman F. Edward Hebert (D-LA). Government records, the memoirs of many of the legislators involved, and Congressman Hebert’s personal records, a part of Tulane University’s Louisiana Research collection, reveal the budget fight’s important implications concerning the history of the U.S. militarism.
Demo: Attacking Multi-Sensor Fusion based Localization in High-Level Autonomous Driving

To enable high-level driving automation [1], the Autonomous Driving (AD) system in an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) needs to perform centimeter-level localization of its own global positions on the map [2]. Such localization function is highly security and safety critical in the AV context, since positioning errors can directly cause an AV to drive off road or onto a wrong way. For outdoor localization, GPS is the de facto location source, and thus a direct threat is GPS spoofing, a long-existing but still unsolved security problem with practicality proven on many end systems. Fortunately, AV systems today predominantly use Multi-Sensor Fusion (MSF) algorithms [3] that are generally believed to have potential to practically defeat GPS spoofing [4]. However, no prior work has studied whether today’s MSF algorithms are indeed sufficiently secure under GPS spoofing, especially in AV settings. In this work, we perform the first study to fill this critical gap. We consider the attack goal as using GPS spoofing to cause large lateral deviations in the MSF output, i.e., deviating to left or right. This can cause the AV to drive off road or onto a wrong way.
Disrupted Blood‐Brain Barrier and Mitochondrial Impairment by Autotaxin–Lysophosphatidic Acid Axis in Postischemic Stroke

Background The loss of endothelial integrity increases the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage during ischemic stroke. Adjunct therapeutic targets for reperfusion in ischemic stroke are in need to pre...
World literature reviewHope or hype—cytokine therapy in ERCP-induced pancreatitis1

In a single-center study from Belgium, Deviere et al. reported the use of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL) 10 as prophylaxis against ERCP-induced pancreatitis. One hundred forty-four patients undergoing ERCP were randomized to receive either a placebo (group 0) or a single i.v. injection of 4 μg/kg (group 1) or 20 μg/kg (group 2) of IL-10 in a double-blinded manner. Seven patients were excluded on an intention to treat or per protocol basis. The primary endpoint of the study was the effect of IL-10 on serum hydrolases (amylase and lipase) measured at 4, 24, and 48 h after ERCP. Hyperhydrolasemia was defined as an increase in amylase and/or lipase levels more than three times normal values. The secondary endpoint was to evaluate changes in plasma cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis [TNF] serum levels) and the incidence of clinical acute pancreatitis. This was defined as hyperhydrolasemia associated with new or worsened abdominal pain persisting for more than 4 h after ERCP. The three groups were comparable for number of patients (groups 0, 1, and 2 consisted of 45, 48, and 44 patients, respectively) as well as for age, sex, underlying disease, indication for treatment, and baseline plasma levels of C-reactive protein, cytokines, and hydrolases. The authors found no significant difference in serum C-reactive protein, cytokine, and hydrolase plasma levels between the groups after ERCP. Overall, 43 of the 137 study patients developed hyperhydrolasemia. These were distributed as follows: 18 (40%) in group 0, 14 (29%) in group 1, and 11 (25%) in group 2 (p = 0.297, nonsignificant). Overall, 19 patients (of the entire study population) developed acute clinical pancreatitis and were distributed as follows: 11 (24.4%) in group 0, five (10.4%) in group 1, and three (6.8%) in group 2 (p = 0.038). Two severe cases were observed in the placebo group. Logistic regression identified three independent risk factors for post-ERCP pancreatitis: IL-10 administration (odds ratio [OR] = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.22–0.96, p = 0.039), pancreatic sphincterotomy (OR = 5.04, 95% CI = 1.53–16.61, p = 0.008), and acinarization (OR = 8.19, 95% CI = 1.83–36.57, p = 0.006). The authors conclude that a single i.v. dose of IL-10 30 min before the procedure independently reduces the frequency of post-ERCP pancreatitis.
Sarcopenia is associated with blood transfusions in head and neck cancer free flap surgery.

Objective To determine if sarcopenia is a predictor of blood transfusion requirements in head and neck cancer free flap reconstruction (HNCFFR). Methods A single-institution, retrospective review was performed of HNCFFR patients with preoperative abdominal imaging from 2014 to 2019. Demographics, comorbidities (modified Charlson Comorbidity Index [mCCI]), skeletal muscle index (cm2/m2), oncologic history, intraoperative data, and 30-day postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo score [CD]) were collected. Binary logistic regression was performed to determine predictors of transfusion. Results Eighty (33.5%), 66 (27.6%), and 110 (46.0%) of n = 239 total patients received an intraoperative, postoperative, or any perioperative blood transfusion, respectively. Sixty-two (25.9%) patients had sarcopenia. Patients receiving intraoperative transfusions had older age (P = .035), more frequent alcoholism (P = .028) and sarcopenia (P < .001), greater mCCI (P < .001), lower preoperative hemoglobin (P < .001), reconstruction with flaps other than forearm (P = .003), and greater operative times (P = .001), intravenous fluids (P < .001), and estimated blood loss (EBL, P < .001). Postoperative transfusions were associated with major complications (CD ≥ 3; P < .001). Multivariate regression determined sarcopenia (P = .023), mCCI (P = .013), preoperative hemoglobin (P = .002), operative time (P = .036), and EBL (P < .001) as independent predictors of intraoperative transfusion requirements. Postoperative transfusions were predicted by preoperative hemoglobin (P = .007), osseous flap (P = .036), and CD ≥ 3 (P < .001). A perioperative transfusion was predicted by sarcopenia (P = .021), preoperative hemoglobin (P < .001), operative time (P = .008), and CD ≥ 3 (P = .018). Conclusion Sarcopenia is associated with increased blood transfusions in HNCFFR. Patients should be counseled preoperatively on the associated risks, and the increased blood product requirement should be accounted in resource-limited scenarios. Level of Evidence 4.
A framework for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of patient decision aids: A case study using colorectal cancer screening.

Abstract Objective Patient decision aids are important tools for facilitating balanced, evidence-based decision making. However, the potential of decision aids to lower health care utilization and costs is uncertain; few studies have investigated the cost-effectiveness of decision aids that change patient behavior. Using an example of a decision aid for colorectal cancer screening, we provide a framework for analyzing the cost-effectiveness of decision aids. Methods A decision-analytic model with two strategies (decision aid or no decision aid) was used to calculate expected costs in U.S. dollars and benefits measured in life-years saved (LYS). Data from a systematic review of ten studies about decision aid effectiveness was used to calculate the percentage increase in the number of people choosing screening instead of no screening. We then calculated the incremental cost per LYS with the use of the decision aid. Results The no decision aid strategy had an expected cost of $3023 and yielded 18.19 LYS. The decision aid strategy cost $3249 and yielded 18.20 LYS. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for the decision aid strategy was $36,126 per LYS. Results were sensitive to the cost of the decision aid and the percentage change in behavior caused by the decision aid. Conclusions This study provides proof-of-concept evidence for future studies examining the cost-effectiveness of decision aids. The results suggest that decision aids can be beneficial and cost-effective.
Software process improvement: biting the bullet

Summary form only given. Many product development professionals believe that of all product development activities, software continues to be the most unpredictable. The completion date, feature set, quality and cost of software components are considered by many to be difficult if not impossible to predict. Many project managers take a leap of faith when forced to make commitments in these areas. As a result, project managers are generally reluctant to take on additional risk for their project by "biting the bullet" and diverting resources to process improvement activities. Yet it is these process improvement activities that can improve predictability, shorten project duration, reduce costs, and improve quality. An overview of a software quality system and software development policy is presented, some important lessons learned with the prominent industry standards are described, and implementation costs of the software process improvement program are discussed. A discussion around the benefits of this work conclude the presentation.
Enhancing the GLP-1 receptor signaling pathway leads to proliferation and neuroprotection in human neuroblastoma cells

Increasing evidence suggests that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), an incretin hormone of current interest in type 2 diabetes, is neuroprotective in both cell culture and animal models. To characterize the neuroprotective properties of GLP-1 and associated underlying mechanisms, we over-expressed the GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells to generate a neuronal culture system featuring enhanced GLP-1R signaling. In GLP-1R over-expressing SH-SY5Y (SH-hGLP-1R#9) cells, GLP-1 and the long-acting agonist exendin-4 stimulated cell proliferation and increased cell viability by 2-fold at 24 h at physiologically relevant concentrations. This GLP-1R-dependent action was mediated via the protein kinase A and phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling pathways, with the MAPK pathway playing a minor role. GLP-1 and exendin-4 pretreatment dose-dependently protected SH-hGLP-1R#9 cells from hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))- and 6-hydroxydopamine-induced cell death. This involved amelioration of elevated caspase 3 activity, down-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax and up-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein. In the presence of 6-hydroxydopamine, GLP-1's ability to lower caspase-3 activity was abolished with the phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor, LY2940002, and partly reduced with the protein kinase A inhibitor, H89. Hence, GLP-1R mediated neurotrophic and anti-apoptotic actions co-contribute to the neuroprotective property of GLP-1 in neuronal cell cultures, and reinforce the potential therapeutic value of GLP-1R agonists in neurodegenerative disorders involving oxidative stress.
At Home and Among Friends: Domestic Relations and Sociability

As has already been indicated, at the age of forty-five and very much at the height of his reputation as a successful advocate pleading before the highest court in the land, Kames’s thoughts turned seriously to marriage, and in August of 1741, he was united in the bonds of matrimony with Agatha Drummond, younger daughter of James Drummond, third laird of the sumptuous Blair Drummond estate, some eight miles northwest of Stirling, in southern Perthshire.
Junctional Transmission II. Presynaptic Mechanisms

The sections in this article are: 1 The Quantum Hypothesis 1.1 Binomial and Poisson Statistics 1.2 Experimental Tests of Quantum Hypothesis 1.3 Measurement of Mean Quantum Content 1.4 Measurement of Release Probability and Number of Available Quanta 1.5 Experimental Values of Statistical Release Parameters at Various Junctions 2 Spontaneous Miniature Potentials 3 Synaptic Vesicles 4 Synaptic Delay 5 Depolarization and Release 6 Divalent Cations 6.1 Evoked Release 6.2 Calcium Entry 6.3 Spontaneous Release 7 Facilitation 8 Posttetanic Potentiation 9 Presynaptic Inhibition 10 Conclusion
When Business Decisions of a Clients Create a Current Client Conflict of Interest: Implications in a Complex Ethical Landscape

Lawyers have an ethical duty to be loyal to their clients. Conflict of interest questions involving loyalty are increasingly at issue in the modern climate of mergers and acquisitions. When there is a traditional client conflict the courts favor disqualification, finding the risk to loyalty values too extreme. Yet, when there is a corporate affiliate situation, or when the conflict is created by client business decisions and not the law firm, the balance may and should be shifted. This Note argues that courts should follow the flexible, practical, balancing of facts and circumstances approach instead of a strict per se rule. This balancing of facts and circumstances must consider all facts that implicate loyalty, including the law firm's fault in creating the conflict. This Note concludes that a more flexible balancing approach, which includes whether the law firm is at fault in creating the conflict, adequately protects loyalty values while preventing the misuse of disqualification motions as a litigation tactic.
Survival in the New Corporatized Academy: Resisting the Privatization of Higher Education

Rapid and profound changes are occurring in higher education that we ignore at our peril. Struggling against shifts toward privatization, Dr. Robert Price, a professor at City College of San Francisco, described the changes proposed for his campus as a tsunami (Nichol, 2013) and Jack Hassard cautioned lest the “slow creep of privatization does not turn into an avalanche” (Hassard, 2012). These are apt descriptions for the formidable changes that are poised to sweep away everything in their path, with immediate and devastating consequences for educators, students, and the institutions they attend. The curriculum is also affected and this in turn determines what knowledge is most valued. These transformations have a tremendous influence on how we as a society understand, value, and put education to use, as well as how we as educators practice our profession, generate, and use knowledge. These disastrous changes have not come without warning however. They are reflective of the neoliberal project and have the potential for far-reaching, negative social, political, and economic outcomes. Integral to neoliberalism is a belief that the market has the best answer for a range of social concerns and that it is most capable of delivering results for a variety of social functions, among them education. Acknowledging and understanding these changes can aid in the struggle to resist the effects of the privatization of higher education.
Dose-dependent regulation of pair-rule stripes by gap proteins and the initiation of segment polarity

A key step in Drosophila segmentation is the establishment of periodic patterns of pair-rule gene expression in response to gap gene products. From an examination of the distribution of gap and pair-rule proteins in various mutants, we conclude that the on/off periodicity of pair-rule stripes depends on both the exact concentrations and combinations of gap proteins expressed in different embryonic cells. It has been suggested that the distribution of gap gene products depends on cross-regulatory interactions among these genes. Here we provide evidence that autoregulation also plays an important role in this process since there is a reduction in the levels of Kruppel (Kr) RNA and protein in a Kr null mutant. Once initiated by the gap genes each pair-rule stripe is bell shaped and has ill-defined margins. By the end of the fourteenth nuclear division cycle, the stripes of the pair-rule gene even-skipped (eve) sharpen and polarize, a process that is essential for the precisely localized expression of segment polarity genes. This sharpening process appears to depend on a threshold response of the eve promoter to the combinatorial action of eve and a second pair-rule gene hairy. The eve and hairy expression patterns overlap but are out of register and the cells of maximal overlap form the anterior margin of the polarized eve stripe. We propose that the relative placement of the eve and hairy stripes may be an important factor in the initiation of segment polarity.
Nyström discretization of an augmented combined field integral equation with static charge extraction

The electric field integral equation (EFIE) and the magnetic field integral equation (MFIE) suffer from a spurious interior resonance problem for closed structures. The linear combination of the two equations can remedy this issue, and the resulting formulation is referred as the combined field integral equation (CFIE). Due to its incorporation of the EFIE, the CFIE inherits a low-frequency breakdown problem. This breakdown is manifest through a poorly conditioned system matrix and poor accuracy for some problems. The CFIE also exhibits mesh instability due to the hypersingular EFIE.