cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural Characterization of Lateral-grown 6H-SiC a/m-plane Seed Crystals by Hot Wall CVD Epitaxy

The performance of commercially available silicon carbide (SiC) power devices is limited due to inherently high density of screw dislocations (SD), which are necessary for maintaining polytype during boule growth and commercially viable growth rates. The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has recently proposed a new bulk growth process based on axial fiber growth (parallel to the c-axis) followed by lateral expansion (perpendicular to the c-axis) for producing multi-faceted m-plane SiC boules that can potentially produce wafers with as few as one SD per wafer. In order to implement this novel growth technique, the lateral homoepitaxial growth expansion of a SiC fiber without introducing a significant number of additional defects is critical. Lateral expansion is being investigated by hot wall chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) growth of 6H-SiC am-plane seed crystals (0.8mm x 0.5mm x 15mm) designed to replicate axially grown SiC single crystal fibers. The post-growth crystals exhibit hexagonal morphology with approximately 1500 m (1.5 mm) of total lateral expansion. Preliminary analysis by synchrotron white beam x-ray topography (SWBXT) confirms that the growth was homoepitaxial, matching the polytype of the respective underlying region of the seed crystal. Axial and transverse sections from the as grown crystal samples were characterized in detail by a combination of SWBXT, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy to map defect types and distribution. X-ray diffraction analysis indicates the seed crystal contained stacking disorders and this appears to have been reproduced in the lateral growth sections. Analysis of the relative intensity for folded transverse acoustic (FTA) and optical (FTO) modes on the Raman spectra indicate the existence of stacking faults. Further, the density of stacking faults is higher in the seed than in the grown crystal. Bundles of dislocations are observed propagating from the seed in m-axis lateral directions. Contrast extinction analysis of these dislocation lines reveals they are edge type basal plane dislocations that track the growth direction. Polytype phase transition and stacking faults were observed by high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), in agreement with SWBXT and Raman scattering.
Multi-Criterion Active Learning in Conditional Random Fields

Conditional Random Fields (CRFs), which are popular supervised learning models for many Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks, typically require a large collection of labeled data for training. In practice, however, manual annotation of text documents is quite costly. Furthermore, even large labeled training sets can have arbitrarily limited performance peaks if they are not chosen with care. This paper considers the use of multi-criterion active learning for identification of a small but sufficient set of text samples for training CRFs. Our empirical results demonstrate that our method is capable of reducing the manual annotation costs, while also limiting the retraining costs that are often associated with active learning. In addition, we show that the generalization performance of CRFs can be enhanced through judicious selection of training examples.
ADZE: a rarefaction approach for counting alleles private to combinations of populations

Motivation: Analysis of the distribution of alleles across populations is a useful tool for examining population diversity and relationships. However, sample sizes often differ across populations, sometimes making it difficult to assess allelic distributions across groups. Results: We introduce a generalized rarefaction approach for counting alleles private to combinations of populations. Our method evaluates the number of alleles found in each of a set of populations but absent in all remaining populations, considering equal-sized subsamples from each population. Applying this method to a worldwide human microsatellite dataset, we observe a high number of alleles private to the combination of African and Oceanian populations. This result supports the possibility of a migration out of Africa into Oceania separate from the migrations responsible for the majority of the ancestry of the modern populations of Asia, and it highlights the utility of our approach to sample size correction in evaluating hypotheses about population history. Availability: We have implemented our method in the computer pro-gram ADZE, which is available for download at http://rosenberglab.bioinformatics.med.umich.edu/adze.html. Contact: ude.hcimu@zhceipzs
Proteases for Cell Suicide: Functions and Regulation of Caspases

Caspases are a large family of evolutionarily conserved proteases found from Caenorhabditis elegans to humans. Although the first caspase was identified as a processing enzyme for interleukin-1β, genetic and biochemical data have converged to reveal that many caspases are key mediators of apoptosis, the intrinsic cell suicide program essential for development and tissue homeostasis. Each caspase is a cysteine aspartase; it employs a nucleophilic cysteine in its active site to cleave aspartic acid peptide bonds within proteins. Caspases are synthesized as inactive precursors termed procaspases; proteolytic processing of procaspase generates the tetrameric active caspase enzyme, composed of two repeating heterotypic subunits. Based on kinetic data, substrate specificity, and procaspase structure, caspases have been conceptually divided into initiators and effectors. Initiator caspases activate effector caspases in response to specific cell death signals, and effector caspases cleave various cellular proteins to trigger apoptosis. Adapter protein-mediated oligomerization of procaspases is now recognized as a universal mechanism of initiator caspase activation and underlies the control of both cell surface death receptor and mitochondrial cytochrome c-Apaf-1 apoptosis pathways. Caspase substrates have bene identified that induce each of the classic features of apoptosis, including membrane blebbing, cell body shrinkage, and DNA fragmentation. Mice deficient for caspase genes have highlighted tissue- and signal-specific pathways for apoptosis and demonstrated an independent function for caspase-1 and -11 in cytokine processing. Dysregulation of caspases features prominently in many human diseases, including cancer, autoimmunity, and neurodegenerative disorders, and increasing evidence shows that altering caspase activity can confer therapeutic benefits.
Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in International Adoptees Within the First 6 Months After Adoption

Background. Vitamin D deficiency impairs bone health and development. Objective. To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in pediatric international adoptees. Methods. A prospective cohort (N = 189) study from a single international adoption clinic was conducted. Total 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] level was measured at the initial clinical assessment (within 6 months of adoption). Vitamin D deficiency was defined as a 25(OH)D <20 ng/mL (<8 nmol/L) and insufficiency as 25(OH)D <30 ng/mL (<12 nmol/L). Results. Vitamin D deficiency was diagnosed in 8% and insufficiency in 27% of the cohort. Lower body mass index and longer time in an institution were associated with vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency independent of age. Conclusions. Vitamin D insufficiency was common in our cohort of international adoptees. The significance of vitamin D insufficiency on bone development during the typical “catch-up” growth following international adoption needs to be determined.
Explaining Developer Attitude Toward Using Formalized Commercial Methodologies: Decomposing Perceived Usefulness

Although software development methodologies can improve software quality, developers typically have a negative attitude toward using them. To encourage a positive attitude, organizations must convince developers of the usefulness of methodologies. However, the traditional conceptualization of perceived usefulness PU may not be detailed enough to explain and engender positive developer attitudes toward methodologies. To determine the ways in which a methodology is useful, in this paper, the authors propose and test a multidimensional conceptualization of PU. A survey of software developers suggests that in the context of methodologies, PU is multidimensional, helping developers achieve a variety of objectives.
A Survey of Graduate Training Programs and Coursework in Forensic Psychology

An increasing number of graduate programs are available to students interested in the study of forensic psychology. The growth of forensic training opportunities is reflective of the wider developm...
Attack detection in all-optical networks

Summary form only given. Summary form only given. All-optical networks (AONs) may be attacked by nefarious users that misuse the network to disrupt the normal operations of nodes in the AON. Such attacks differ from failures and must therefore be treated differently. Most conventional diagnostics would fail to detect the attacks hence the authors present a new method for attack detection at nodes. Their method works for arbitrary modulations and rates and therefore is suitable for transparent networks.
Effect of Extreme Weather Events on Student Test Performance

North Carolina has faced a number of extreme weather systems over the past few years. Although there has been extensive research into the costs associated with these storms, one facet commonly overlooked is the effect on student achievement. Given the national attention to school accountability, it is important to understand how such events can adversely affect student performance on end-of-year tests. We explore the extent to which student scores on standardized tests are lowered. We apply these findings to the North Carolina school accountability model and estimate the number of schools that would have achieved their goals if the 1999-2000 storms had not occurred. We find that roughly twenty more schools would have met the standards for expected growth, exemplary growth, and school of distinction than actually occurred. These translate to between 5 and 15% more than the number observed in the affected area.
Learning ability of orphan foals, of normal foals and of their mothers.

The maze learning ability of six pony foals that had been weaned at birth was compared to that of six foals reared normally. The foals' learning ability was also compared to their mothers' learning ability at the same task; the correct turn in a single choice point maze. The maze learning test was conducted when the foals were 6 to 8 mo old and after the mothered foals had been weaned. There was no significant difference between the ability of orphaned (weaned at birth) and mothered foals in their ability to learn to turn left (6 +/- .7 and 5.1 +/- .1 trials, respectively) or to learn the reversal, to turn right (6.7 +/- .6 and 6.2 +/- .6 trials, respectively). The orphan foals spent significantly more time in the maze in their first exposure to it than the mothered foals (184 +/- 42 vs 55 +/- 15 s. Mann Whitney U = 7, P less than .05). The mothers of the foals (n = 11) learned to turn left as rapidly as the foals (5.9 +/- .7 trials), but they were slower to learn to turn right (9.8 +/- 1.4 vs 6.4 +/- .4 trials, Mann Whitney U = 33, P less than .05), indicating that the younger horses learned more rapidly. There was no correlation between the trials to criteria of the mare and those of her foal, but there was a significant negative correlation between rank in trials to criteria and age (r = -65, P less than .05) when data from the mare and foal trials were combined. The dominance hierarchy of the mares was determined using a paired feeding test in which two horses competed for one bucket of feed. Although there was no correlation between rank in the hierarchy and maze learning ability, there was a correlation between body weight and rank in the hierarchy (r = .7, P less than .05). This may indicate either that heavier horses are likely to be dominant or that horses high in dominance gain more weight. Maternal deprivation did not appear to seriously retard learning of a simple maze by foals, although the orphans moved more slowly initially. The lack of maternal influence on learning is also reflected in the lack of correlation between the mare's learning ability and that of her foal. Young horses appear to learn more rapidly than older horses.
A 0.6 V–2.4 V input, fully integrated reconfigurable switched-capacitor DC-DC converter for energy harvesting sensor tags

We present a fully integrated, reconfigurable switched-capacitor power supply solution for energy harvesting sensor tags. This converter generates an adjustable regulated output rail (1.2 V typical) from a DC input voltage of 0.6 V–2.4 V or an AC input voltage with amplitude of 0.8 V–2.6 V The converter is implemented in a 0.25-μm CMOS process and features on chip flying capacitors as well as an integrated storage capacitor (5 nF). The peak efficiency of the converter is 76% and it provides a maximum load current of 100 μA. To support large transient loads, the chip also features efficient multi-step charging of an external storage capacitor (up to 10 μF).
Molecular Assembly of Clostridium botulinum progenitor M complex of type E

Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is released as a progenitor complex, in association with a non-toxic-non-hemagglutinin protein (NTNH) and other associated proteins. We have determined the crystal structure of M type Progenitor complex of botulinum neurotoxin E [PTC-E(M)], a heterodimer of BoNT and NTNH. The crystal structure reveals that the complex exists as a tight, interlocked heterodimer of BoNT and NTNH. The crystal structure explains the mechanism of molecular assembly of the complex and reveals several acidic clusters at the interface responsible for association at low acidic pH and disassociation at basic/neutral pH. The similarity of the general architecture between the PTC-E(M) and the previously determined PTC-A(M) strongly suggests that the progenitor M complexes of all botulinum serotypes may have similar molecular arrangement, although the neurotoxins apparently can take very different conformation when they are released from the M complex.
Molecular Principles of Adhesion and Biofilm Formation

Oral bacteria are responsible for oral health and disease, including caries, periodontal disease, and endodontic infections. The development of oral diseases is intimately linked with the ability of oral bacteria to form and reside in an adherent multispecies consortium named biofilm. The oral biofilm provides a protective environment for the bacterial community and its formation is a genetically controlled process. In this chapter, we present a general overview of developmental mechanisms employed by individual members of the oral biofilm. The species composition of the oral biofilm and the oral microbiome is discussed historically and in the context of newly developed next-generation sequencing techniques. Furthermore, biofilm-specific regulatory mechanisms and phenotypic traits are explained to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of oral biofilm formation and its role in health and disease.
Improved Noncoherent UWB Receiver for Implantable Biomedical Devices

Goal: The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel noncoherent receiver architecture to improve the error performance of impulse-radio ultrawideband (IR-UWB) in bioimplanted devices. IR-UWB receivers based on energy detection are popular in biomedical applications owing to the low implementation cost/complexity and the high data rates that UWB can potentially support. Implanted devices suffer from severe frequency-dependent attenuation due to human blood and tissues, while most receivers in the literature are designed based on commonly used indoor wireless channel models. Method: We propose a novel receiver design that is based on judiciously combining the energies in different bands of the signal spectrum with a weighted linear combiner. We derive the optimum coefficients of the combiner. Results: The receiver retains almost all of the advantages of a conventional noncoherent detector, but can also compensate for attenuation properties of blood/tissue. The receiver design can be adapted to different implantation depths by simply varying the combiner weights. The receiver can also be considered to be a simple form of equalizer for noncoherent reception. Our simulations show about 2-dB improvement over other commonly used receivers. Significance: This receiver design is significant in that it can enhance critical battery life of implanted transmitters.
Survey on food safety knowledge among catering industry practitioners of the opening services in a certain troop

[Objective]To understand food safety knowledge among catering industry staffs of the opening services in a troop,and provide reference for food hygiene and safety.[Methods]Questionnaire survey was conducted among 1 828 catering industry practitioners randomly.[Results] The score on food safety knowledge was(71.02±12.65),and the pass rate was 70.24%.Score and pass rate increased with the increasing level of education and job seniority.The score and pass rate for males were higher than those for females,and were both the lowest for people less than 20 years old.The score and pass rate for health managers and cooks were higher than those for other workers.[Conclusion]The level on food safety knowledge of catering industry practitioners in this troop is acceptable,It is necessary to help them strengthen food safety training,to regulate their professional behavior and form a good food safety habit,especially for those who have low-education,short service lengthen,younger or cleaning and disinfection staffs.
Ion transport properties of fetal sheep alveolar epithelial cells in monolayer culture

Alveolar type II cells were isolated from late-term fetal sheep to investigate ion transport across fetal distal lung epithelium. In Ussing chambers, basal transepithelial potential difference (PD; reference apical side), equivalent short-circuit current (Ieq), and resistance were -0.10 +/- 0.05 mV, 0.10 +/- 0.08 microA/cm2, and 821.5 +/- 38.8 omega .cm2, respectively. Epinephrine (100 nM) increased PD from -0.13 +/- 0.19 to -1.37 +/- 0.20 mV and Ieq from 0.18 +/- 0.26 to 1.47 +/- 0.28 microA/cm2. Propranolol (100 nM) inhibited responses to epinephrine. Forskolin (10 microM) increased PD to -0.81 +/- 0.08 mV and Ieq to 1.02 +/- 0.12 microA/cm2. Mucosal amiloride (200 microM) and serosal bumetanide (10 microM) decreased the forskolin-stimulated PD by 23.42 +/- 4.73 and 25.57 +/- 3.9%, respectively. We conclude that in fetal sheep distal lung epithelium amiloride-inhibitable sodium absorption and bumetanide-sensitive chloride secretion are stimulated by forskolin and that epinephrine effects on ion transport are mediated by beta-adrenergic receptors.
Laser driven particle accelerator

In a conventional linear accelerator, particles (e−,e+) are accelerated by a TM mode in a disk loaded waveguide at a rate of ~20 MV/m. It is well known that the electric fields of high power laser beams can be as high as 1012 V/m. Such an ultrahigh field could be used to accelerate particles if a significant fraction of the transverse electric field of a laser beam could be converted into a longitudinal field propagating almost close to the speed of light. In the laser acceleration scheme known as the plasma beat wave accelerator this is precisely what happens.
HER2 Signaling Network in Advanced Breast Cancer: Opportunities for Combination Therapies

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide and the second-leading cause of cancer-associated mortality (Ferlay in Int J Cancer 136(5):E359–E386, 2015). Current treatment for breast cancer is based upon the identification of patients whose tumors express the estrogen receptor (ER positive) and/or demonstrate gene amplification or protein overexpression of HER2/ERBB2 (HER2 positive). Advances in sequencing technology have enabled large-scale studies to elucidate the genomic landscape of breast cancer and other malignancies through The Cancer Genome Atlas Network (Nature 490:61–70, 2012) project. Our understanding of the genomic landscape of breast cancer has rapidly expanded in recent years. In spite of these advances, HER2 amplification is the only genomic alteration that is routinely tested for in clinical practice, as it linked to the activity of approved HER2-targeted therapies. Other than ER and HER2, activating mutation of PIK3CA (targeted with p110 alpha-specific inhibitor, e.g., BYL719, GDC-0032) and loss of function of BRCA (targeted with PARP inhibitor, e.g., olaparib) might be considered as emerging targets in breast cancers since they are associated with in objective responses in different phases of clinical trials. Despite the advances, cases of drug resistance and recurrence of the disease still remain a huge challenge to overcome. An important aspect of drug resistance is the complexity of the HER2 signaling network (Fig. 8.1). This includes the crosstalk between HER2 and hormone receptors (HR); its function as a transcription factor; the regulation of HER2 by protein-tyrosine phosphatases; its downstream signaling cascades (e.g., PI3K-AKT-mTOR or RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK); interactions with other HER-family members (e.g., HER1 or HER3) and a complex network of positive and negative feedback-loops. However, our review will be restricted mainly to the critical role played by the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway in HER2+ breast cancer subtype.
In Vivo Systemic Transduction of the Vasculature Using rAAV6.

Abstract Our lab has previously reported the successful systemic delivery of AAV6 to skeletal muscle achieving nearly a 100% transduction of muscle fibers (Gregorevic et al., Nat Med 2004). We used the same technique to study the efficiency of recombinant adeno-associated virus pseudotype 6 vectors (rAAV6) to transduce vasculature. Because endothelial cells (EC) and smooth muscle cells of the vasculature can proliferate in vivo and AAV does not integrate in the genome efficiently; we used the Cre-loxP technology to study in vivo transduction of vasculature. For this, AAV6 constructs expressing Cre recombinase under the control of the CMV promoter were systemically injected into loxP-ROSA26 mice. In these transgenic mice Cre expression results in lacZ expression in the cells/tissues transduced with AAV. In order to determine the optimal dose for transduction of vasculature in vivo, 3 viral titers were used, 10^11, 10^12, 10^13 vector genomes (n=3 per viral dose). 4 weeks after transplant, muscle mononuclear cells were harvested from tibialis anterior, quadriceps and gastrocnemius muscles for culture in endothelial medium (abstract by Reyes). In this medium endothelial cells can be expanded for more than 10 cell doublings. LacZ and bgal staining of muscle EC cells (at multiple times during a 10 week culture) revealed 35–40% positive cells. In addition, tissue sections of the heart, liver, GI, spleen, esophagus and multiple skeletal muscles were analyzed for lacZ staining. We used multiple EC (vWF, CD31, CD34, Sca-1) and smooth muscle (smooth muscle actin and smooth muscle myosin) markers to determine AAV transduction efficiency of these two types of vascular cells in these tissues. Highest transduction was observed in the vessels of the heart and skeletal muscles obtaining approximately 50% at the lowest dose but nearly 100% at the highest dose (10^13). Vessel of the liver, GI and spleen obtained variable transduction at the lowest and intermediate dose, but more than 50% at the highest dose. In a second set of experiments, the same CMV-Cre AAV6 construct was injected into another type of floxed mice, ROSA26loxP-GFP. These transgenic mice constitutively express lacZ but when infected with a Cre expressing AAV, lacZ expression is replaced with enhanced GFP expression in tissues infected with AAV. The advantage of these mice is that GFP positive cells (AAV transduced cells) can be analyzed and sorted by flow cytometry. For these studies three mice were injected with the highest dose, 10^13. We analyzed the transduction efficiency of cells from the bone marrow and skeletal muscles. Whereas very poor transduction was observed in bone marrow cells (
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Three dimensional (3D) stereolithographic printing can be used to convert clinical imaging data into life size, patient-specific physical models replicating the anatomic characteristics of calcific aortic valve disease. Creation of these full-scale models requires a combination of several technologies including high spatial resolution electrocardiogram-gated computed tomography, computer-aided design software, and fused multimaterial 3D printing. By selecting specific print material properties, it is possible to replicate the geometry of the entire aortic root complex combining regions of compliant tissue with regions of hard and immobile “calcified” tissue. 3D printing of calcific aortic valve disease has been taken another step forward in replicating not only the anatomy but also the basic functional characteristics of these valves: stenosis and regurgitation. These functional models allow for accurate evaluation of diseased patient-specific physiology and represent a potentially very powerful new tool. Development of functional patient-specific models has several potential applications in medicine: training of medical teams for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures; investigating the flow dependency of aortic stenosis or regurgitation using flow phantoms; determining the accuracy and limitations of noninvasive imaging methods to quantify valve dysfunction; and evaluating patient-specific procedural adjustments a priori that may influence acute procedural success during catheter-based valve intervention. Functional 3D-printed models and accurate replication of patient-specific hemodynamics can create an environment for testing percutaneous valve devices and optimization of their design. Current effort is focused on applying these models to both predict and prevent paravalvular regurgitation.
House Price Shocks and Individual Divorce Risk in the United States

Households in the United States hold a significant portion of their total wealth in owner-occupied housing. Thus, changes in housing prices may have an important impact on the marital surplus the household enjoys. What happens to marriages of homeowners when there is a shock to housing prices? This question was addressed using household data from the panel study of income dynamics (PSID) and a quarterly MSA level house price index from the Federal Housing Finance Agency, controlling for local labor market conditions. House price shocks were calculated as the cumulative sum of residuals of a second order autoregressive model from the previous four years. Results showed that positive house price shocks stabilized marriage for all couples. A one standard deviation increase in the house price shock decreased the risk of divorce in the following year by about 13–18%. The results were driven by the younger cohort of households in the PSID, those with lower educational attainment, and those with relatively low family income. The findings are discussed in the context of theories on changes in marital surplus, and changes in the transaction costs surrounding divorce.
Hydration of an Acid Anhydride: The Water Complex of Acetic Sulfuric Anhydride

The complex formed from acetic sulfuric anhydride (CH3COOSO2OH, ASA) and water has been observed by pulsed nozzle Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. ASA was formed in situ in the supersonic jet via the reaction of SO3 and CH3COOH, and subsequently complexed with water using a concentric, dual injection needle that allows reagents to be introduced at different points along the expansion axis. Spectroscopic constants for the parent, fully deuterated, and CH313COOSO2OH species are reported. Both A and E internal rotor states have been observed and analyzed. The fitted internal rotation barrier of the methyl group is 219.598(21) cm–1 for the parent species, indicating that complexation with water lowers the internal rotation barrier of the methyl group by 9% relative to that of the free ASA. M06-2X/6-311++G(3df,3pd) calculations predict at least two distinct isomeric forms of ASA···H20. Spectroscopic constants for the observed species agree with those for the lower energy isomer in which the water inse...
Principles of deformity correction

Spinal deformity can be defined as malalignment of the spine in the coronal, sagittal, and/or axial planes. It is a common condition with a great clinical impact on health-related quality of life and the cost of care. Appropriate management may encompass a wide range of options including nonoperative care, limited decompression, limited fusion, and complex spinal realignment. Complex spinal realignment involves application of a broad spectrum of techniques for deformity correction and is often characterized by significant variability in surgical approach between providers. The presence of variability reflects an absence of an evidence-based approach to care and the need for guiding principles. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the impact of spinal deformity on health status and to detail principles of deformity correction that can guide clinicians in selecting appropriate surgical plans to maximize patient benefit while minimizing the risks and costs of care.
West African Immigrant Perspectives on Female Genital Cutting: Experiences, Attitudes, and Implications for Mental Health Service Providers

This small pilot study analyzed the experiences of female genital cutting (FGC) among West African immigrants in New York City from three West African countries (the Gambia, Guinea, and Mali) with FGC prevalence rates of 76, 97, and 89%, respectively, among girls and women aged 15 to 49 years. Nine women participated in two focus group sessions. In the first group, five female participants ranged in age from18–20, and in the second, four participants ranged in age from 31 to 44. Focus group data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Despite the small sample size, the findings of this exploratory study highlight important aspects of immigrant women’s experiences regarding FGC and indicate the need for further exploration. Participants drew from personal experiences to discuss FGC and their views of the practice. Salient themes that emerged included the secretive and violent nature of the practice, the primacy of matriarchal decision-makers, the fear among immigrant mothers that their children would be subjected to FGC without their consent, and health care encounters in the USA. The findings of this study are considered in light of their implications for research, service provision, and policy.
Modeling Study of High Temperature Pyrolysis of Natural Gas

High temperature pyrolysis (HTP) is a commercial process to convert methane to acetylene. The HTP process consists of two reaction zones, followed by a quenching zone. In this work, a pilot scale H...
The Anisotropic Electrical Conductivity of MBBA Containing Alkyl Ammonium Halides

The anisotropic electrical conductivity of MBBA containing alkyl ammonium halide dopants in the 10-6to 10-3 mole/liter concentration range was investigated. The conductivity data suggest the presence of associated cations and solvated anions. The anisotropic conductivity ratio, defined as (σ‖ -σ┴)/(1/3σ‖ +2/3σ┴), increases with decreasing radius of the halide ion and is shown to be an important physical parameter determining the figure of merit of the liquid crystal composition used in alphanumeric display devices.
Predication-based Semantic Indexing: Permutations as a Means to Encode Predications in Semantic Space

Corpus-derived distributional models of semantic distance between terms have proved useful in a number of applications. For both theoretical and practical reasons, it is desirable to extend these models to encode discrete concepts and the ways in which they are related to one another. In this paper, we present a novel vector space model that encodes semantic predications derived from MEDLINE by the SemRep system into a compact spatial representation. The associations captured by this method are of a different and complementary nature to those derived by traditional vector space models, and the encoding of predication types presents new possibilities for knowledge discovery and information retrieval.
Less Common Stereological Measures

This chapter deals with manual stereological measurements that provide access to geometric properties that are related to the curvature of the objects of analysis. It begins with the concept of the spherical image of surfaces and its relation to the number and connectivity of the features the surfaces enclose. The probe for this analysis is a plane that is visualized to sweep through the three dimensional structure. This probe is implemented through the disector, or more generally by serial sectioning. The concept of integral mean curvature is then developed with some insight into the meaning of this rather abstract notion. Plane probes yield a feature count in the plane which measures integral mean curvature. The same information may be obtained in a more general way through the area tangent count. Polyhedral features have edges and corners which contribute to the spherical image of the feature and its integral mean curvature. The latter property provides access to the mean dihedral angle at edges through a combination of counting measurements.
Incorporation of soft data to describe uncertainty of data in model calibration

In this work we present an intuitive and simple framework for incorporating “soft data” about the accuracy of different parts of calibration data into the calibration process. The framework makes use of a ranking method developed in operations research that requires only the specification of the importance order of the criteria used for ranking. The framework was demonstrated in the case of Fishtrap Creek catchment, where a short streamflow record with significant gaps was reconstructed using Support Vector Machines (SVM's). The reconstructed streamflow is inherently less accurate than the observed streamflow. Incorporating this educated judgment about the relative accuracy of the calibration data in the proposed framework resulted in identification of faulty model calibration as well as errors in SVM's prediction of extreme streamflow events, which would have gone to go undetected otherwise.
Sequence-Specificity and Energy Landscapes of DNA-Binding Molecules

A central goal of biology is to understand how transcription factors target and regulate specific genes and networks to control cell fate and function. An equally important goal of synthetic biology, chemical biology, and personalized medicine is to devise molecules that can regulate genes and networks in a programmable manner. To achieve these goals, it is necessary to chart the sequence specificity of natural and engineered DNA-binding molecules. Cognate site identification (CSI) is now achieved via unbiased, high-throughput platforms that interrogate an entire sequence space bound by typical DNA-binding molecules. Analysis of these comprehensive specificity profiles is facilitated through the use of sequence-specificity landscapes (SSLs). SSLs reveal new modes of sequence cognition and overcome the limitations of current approaches that yield amalgamated “consensus” motifs. The landscapes also reveal the impact of nonconserved flanking sequences on binding to cognate sites. SSLs also serve as comprehensive binding energy landscapes that provide insights into the energetic thresholds at which natural and engineered molecules function within cells. Furthermore, applying the CSI binding data to genomic sequence (genomescapes) provides a powerful tool for identification of potential in vivo binding sites of a given DNA ligand, and can provide insight into differential regulation of gene networks. These tools can be directly applied to the design and development of synthetic therapeutic molecules and to expand our knowledge of the basic principles of molecular recognition.
Molecular determinants of response and resistance to anti-PD-(L)1 blockade in patients with NSCLC profiled with targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS).

9015Background: Anti-PD-(L)1 therapy has revolutionized treatment for patients (pts) with NSCLC. We previously reported that non-synonymous tumor mutation burden (TMB) by whole exome sequencing ass...
Debt Capacity And Debt Financing

The pecking order theory of capital structure predicts that firms will finance a significant proportion of their financial deficit (investments + dividends – operating cash flows) with debt capital. I also hypothesize that the amount of debt financing a firm actually uses is also related to its unused debt capacity. The empirical analysis in this study confirms that firms follow the pecking order theory in financing their financial deficits. Further, it is shown that firms with more unused debt capacity finance more of their financial deficits with debt than other firms. Specifically, the data indicates that firms with the most unused debt capacity finance approximately 50% of their financial deficits with debt while firms with less unused debt capacity finance approximately 25% of their financial deficits with debt. The data also indicate that a failure to adjust for credit availability in an empirical analysis of financial deficit financing will significantly under estimate the degree to which firms follow the pecking order theory. It is also confirmed that most firms seem to have a target capital structure but the actual firm debt ratio only reverts to the target at a rate of 5-10% per year. Additionally, the data also shows that a combination of an investment grade credit rating and relatively low debt outstanding is a better proxy for credit availability than the more commonly used total assets.
Queer Polyfamily Performativity: Family Practices and Adaptive Strategies Among LGBTQ + Polyamorists

This research explores LGBTQ+ (queer) polyamorous family practices. This work is critical for family studies, as queer polyamorous families challenge heteronormativity, resist assimilationism, and ...
Literature about Latin America during the Era of World War I

This essay reviews the following works: The Intelligence War in Latin America, 1914–1922. By Jamie Bisher. Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Company, 2016. Pp. viii + 414. $75.00 paperback. ISBN: 9780786433506. Beyond Geopolitics: New Histories of Latin America at the League of Nations. Edited by Alan McPherson and Yannick Wehrli. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2015. Pp. viii + 269. $55.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9780826351654. Treacherous Passage: Germany’s Secret Plot against the United States in Mexico during World War I. By Bill Mills. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2017. Pp xii + 256. $29.95 hardcover. ISBN: 9781612348544. Colombia and World War I: The Experience of a Neutral Latin American Nation during the Great War and Its Aftermath, 1914–1921. By Jane M. Rausch. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2014. Pp. vii + 137. $91.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9780739187739. Latin America and the First World War. By Stefan Rinke. Translated by Christopher W. Reid. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2017. Pp. viii + 297. $29.99 paperback. ISBN: 9781107566064.
A randomised single-centre trial of inhaled liposomal cyclosporine for bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome post-lung transplantation

Introduction No proven treatments exist for bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) following lung transplantation. Inhaled liposomal cyclosporine (L-CsA) may prevent BOS progression. Methods A 48-week phase IIb randomised clinical trial was conducted in 21 lung transplant patients with BOS assigned to either L-CsA with standard-of-care (SOC) oral immunosuppression (L-CsA group) or SOC (SOC-alone group). Efficacy end-points were BOS progression-free survival (defined as absence of ≥20% decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) from randomisation, re-transplantation or death) and BOS grade change. Results BOS progression-free survival was 82% for L-CsA versus 50% for SOC-alone (p=0.1) and BOS grade worsened in 18% for L-CsA versus 60% for SOC-alone (p=0.05). Mean changes in ΔFEV1 and forced vital capacity, respectively, stabilised with L-CsA: +0.005 (95% CI −0.004– +0.013) and −0.005 (95% CI −0.015– +0.006) L·month−1, but worsened with SOC-alone: −0.023 (95% CI −0.033– −0.013) and −0.026 (95% CI −0.039– −0.014) L·month−1 (p Conclusions L-CsA was well tolerated and stabilised lung function in lung transplant recipients affected by BOS without systemic toxicity, providing a basis for a global phase III trial using L-CsA.
THE CONTEMPORARY AND THE POSTHUMOUS

Culture humanism are problematic notions that cannot be reduced to a singular meaning and that are often in conflict with one another. This essay examines these notions historically, in early German Romanticism and Nietzsche, with discussions of Novalis and the Schlegels, among others, and concludes with theoretical reflections on these themes and their contemporary significance.
Medications for the treatment of obesity in adolescents

While there are eight medications/combinations approved for the treatment of obesity in adults, the options for the treatment of obesity in adolescents remain limited. Evidence for obesity medication use in adolescents is limited due to the relatively small number of clinical trials that have been completed and the few adolescents that have been included in many of the trials. The goal of this review will be to present the current evidence for the medications approved for adolescents, medications not approved for adolescents but have adolescent data, and medications approved for adults with the prospect for use in adolescents. We will also discuss current limitations and next steps in the exploration of future treatment options.
ID Case Study: The Value of Intellectual Property in Innovative Product Development

A new category in the vacuum cleaner industry was created in 1979 when Black & Decker introduced its first Dustbuster hand vac. B&D sold more than a million Dustbusters in that first year and inspired competitors to rapidly flood the market with knockoffs. Enterprising manufacturers in Asia reverse-engineered the Dustbuster and tried to sell their reproductions in the U.S. market. B&D embraced its intellectual property and successfully litigated imitators because of patents covering its unique appearance and configuration.
Comparison of Two Therapies on Asthma Control in Children

Background: Childhood asthma carries significant morbidity. Aim/Objectives: Aim of the study was to compare efficacy of 2 commonly used therapies for asthma control in children with asthma. Methods...
Teriparatide and abaloparatide treatment for osteoporosis

Abstract Teriparatide (TPTD), approved in the United States in 2002, and abaloparatide (ABL), FDA-approved in 2017, are anabolic agents that interact with the PTH1 receptor in bone to increase the rate and extent of bone formation. Some clinical differences between the compounds may relate to the relative affinities of these agents to different conformations of the receptor (RG and R0). Both agents improve bone mass and help restore bone microstructure. When administered by daily subcutaneous injection over 18–24 months, these agents reduce the incidence of both vertebral and nonvertebral fractures. The fracture risk reductions occur more rapidly and are of greater magnitude than those seen with antiresorptive agents. Therefore these anabolic medications should be considered first-line therapy for patients at very high imminent risk of fracture, such as those with recent clinical fracture, recently diagnosed radiographic vertebral fracture, or history of multiple fractures. TPTD and ABL should be followed by potent antiresorptive agents to maintain or enhance bone mass and bone strength.
Secular Evolution of the Pulsar Triple System J0337+1715

The pulsar triple system J0337+1715 is remarkably regular and highly hierarchical. Secular interactions transfer angular momentum between inner and outer orbits unless their apsidal lines are parallel or anti-parallel. These choices correspond to orthogonal eigenmodes p and are characterized by e_(p,1)/e_(p,2) ~ a_(1)/a_(2) and e_(a,1)/e_(a,2) ~ (a_(1)/a_(2))^(−3/2)(m_(2)/m_(1)). Mode p dominates the current state so e1/e2 remains close to e_(p,1)/e_(p,2). A small contribution by Mode a causes e1 and e_(2) to oscillate with a period of ~10^(3) yr which should be apparent in a few years. These will reveal the effects of general relativity, and possibly the distortion of the inner white dwarf (WD). Phinney proposes that the epicyclic energy of a WD-pulsar binary reaches equipartition with the kinetic energy of a single convective eddy when the WD's progenitor fills its Roche lobe. We extend Phinney's theory to apply to modes rather than individual orbits. Thus we predict that Mode p and Mode a achieved equipartition with eddies in the giant envelopes of the progenitors of the outer and inner WD, respectively. The most effective eddies are those with lifetimes closest to the orbit period. These were far more energetic in the progenitor of the outer WD. This explains why Mode p overwhelms Mode a, and also why the inner binary's orbit is far more eccentric than orbits of other WD-pulsar binaries with similar orbit periods. Mode a's small but finite amplitude places a lower bound of Q ~ 10^(6) on the tidal quality parameter of the inner WD.
Spectro-temporal encoded multiphoton microscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging at kilohertz frame-rates

Two-Photon Microscopy has become an invaluable tool for biological and medical research, providing high sensitivity, molecular specificity, inherent three-dimensional sub-cellular resolution and deep tissue penetration. In terms of imaging speeds, however, mechanical scanners still limit the acquisition rates to typically 10-100 frames per second. Here we present a high-speed non-linear microscope achieving kilohertz frame rates by employing pulse-modulated, rapidly wavelength-swept lasers and inertia-free beam steering through angular dispersion. In combination with a high bandwidth, single-photon sensitive detector, this enables recording of fluorescent lifetimes at speeds of 88 million pixels per second. We show high resolution, multi-modal - two-photon fluorescence and fluorescence lifetime (FLIM) - microscopy and imaging flow cytometry with a digitally reconfigurable laser, imaging system and data acquisition system. These high speeds should enable high-speed and high-throughput image-assisted cell sorting.
Should Corporate Debt Include A Rating Trigger

Recent corporate debt offerings include a covenant specifying a pre-determined payment to debt-holders when the debt is downgraded. This article examines the incentive for equity-holders to increase firm risk and the associated costs, when debt includes a "rating trigger". Equity-holders of firms with a low risk profile and operating flexibility choose debt with a trigger, while equity-holders of firms with a high risk profile and less flexibility choose regular debt. A trigger that requires equity infusion better mitigates equity-holder debt-holder conflicts than a trigger paid by liquidating assets. A trigger that increases the coupon rate is not optimal.
Nursing’s Role in Translating Safe Communication Practices to Clinical Trial Management:

There is great emphasis on safety-related communication best practices in healthcare. However, little is known about safety-related communication within clinical trial management. Clinical trial pa...