cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 2909: ApoFLIP: A bioactive peptide that restarts the apoptotic machinery in cancer cells

The cellular factors inhibiting apoptosis are often employed by cancer cells to resist therapy. c-FLIP is an endogenous inhibitor of apoptosis upregulated in many drug resistant tumors. Herein, we show that a peptide derived from c-FLIP is a potent inducer of apoptosis in both in vitro and in vivo cancer models. Mechanistic studies suggest that the apoptogenic peptide of c-FLIP (ApoFLIP) removes the inhibition of pro-apoptotic signaling at the level of activated death receptors by competing c-FLIPL off receptor complexes and clearing the way for activation of the caspase cascade. At the same time, ApoFLIP impairs the pro-survival signaling along the PI3K/Akt pathway by blocking the interaction between the p85 subunit of PI3K and c-FLIPL. The selectivity and apoptogenic potency of ApoFLIP in killing cancer cells suggests that simultaneous targeting of two or more hallmark features of cancer may prove to be a winning therapeutic strategy. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2909.
Planning Model for the Design and/or Retrofit of Industrial Water Systems

Planning models for industrial water systems are needed to address future environmental regulations, increasing costs of freshwater, variability on the quality of the available freshwater source, and bottlenecks caused by expansion of the capacity plant, among other reasons. In this paper, we present a method to address an increase in plant capacity associated with new water-using units planned to be added through time and/or an increase in the mass load of existing water-using units. We compare this method with two ad-hoc alternatives, which exhibit good performance for the examples shown.
299 DEVELOPMENT OF INFLAMMATORY ARTHRITIS FOLLOWING WITHDRAW OF EFALIZUMAB (RAPTIVA, MONOCLONAL ANTI-CD11a) FOR PSORIASIS

A 47-year-old African American male with a seven year history of plaque psoriasis was referred to rheumatology for the evaluation and management of arthritis. He had no history of previous joint pain or inflammatory arthritis associated with his psoriasis (psoriatic arthritis, PsA). He had participated in a three-month clinical trial of efalizumab for his psoriasis and had done well during the trail with an improvement in his skin disease. He was off efalizumab for approximately one month, and then obtained efalizumab on a compassionate basis. This course of therapy did not seem to improve the patients psoriasis to the extent experienced during the clinical trial. Over the next two months the patient developed worsening joint pain and stiffness, primarily in the knees and ankles. He presented to the emergency room where his left ankle joint was aspirated, yielding synovial fluid with a WBC count of 26,500. On exam in the rheumatology clinic, the patient was in moderate distress due to joint pain. There was synovitis of both knees and the left ankle. There was psoriatic involvement of 40% of his body surface area. Efalizumab in a humanized monoclonal antibody to CD11a that is FDA approved for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) is a member of the β2 integrin family that mediates the adhesion of leucocytes to endothelial cells as part of the migration of cells into tissues. The β2 integrin family consists of heterodimers of unique α chains and a common β chain (CD18). There are four members of the family, LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18), Mac-1 or CR3 (CD11b/CD18), p150, 95 (CD11c/CD18), and CR4 (CD11d/CD18). Binding of LFA-1 by efalizumab disrupts the interaction of LFA-1 with ICAM -1 on vascular endothelial cells. It is believed that the mechanism of action of efalizumab is the blocking of cutaneous entry of CD8+ T cells into the skin. Discontinuation of efalizumab has been associated with worsening of psoriasis. PsA is a chronic inflammatory seronegative arthritis which occurs in approximately 7% of individuals with psoriasis. The onset of arthritis may be coincident with the development of psoriasis or may not appear for many years after the start of skin disease. This report describes the temporal association of the development of inflammatory arthritis with the worsening of psoriasis following the discontinuation of efalizumab. While worsening of psoriasis is well described, this is the first report of the new onset of inflammatory arthritis.
Ear deformities: social and psychological implications.

In our culture, abnormalities of the ear tend to be stimuli for undue attention and jokes. For the child with microtic, protruding, or lop ears, for instance, such an abnormality may be a source of intense shame and anguish. To prevent detrimental effects, particularly in children, surgery should be advised and undertaken as soon as possible. Patients should be psychologically prepared for what realistically can be expected as to postoperative periods and overall cosmetic results.
NO increases permeability of cultured human cervical epithelia by cGMP-mediated increase in G-actin

Human cervical epithelial cells express mRNA for the nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) isoforms ecNOS, bNOS, and iNOS and release NO into the extracellular medium. N G-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester ...
The threat of racial progress and the self-protective nature of perceiving anti-White bias

In two studies we tested whether racial progress is threatening to Whites and whether perceiving anti-White bias assuages that threat. Study 1 revealed that Whites primed with racial progress exhibited evidence of threat (lower implicit self-worth relative to baseline). Study 2 replicated the threat effect from Study 1 and examined how perceiving discrimination may buffer Whites’ self-worth. After White participants primed with high racial progress attributed a negative event to their race, their implicit self-worth rebounded. Participants primed to perceive low racial progress did not experience fluctuations in implicit self-worth. Furthermore, among those primed with high racial progress, greater racial discounting (attributing rejection to race rather than to the self) was associated with greater self-worth protection. These studies suggest that changes to the racial status quo are threatening to Whites and that perceiving greater racial bias is a way to manage that threat.
POLG1 Mutations and Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

A 35-year-old man first diagnosed with autosomal recessive Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2 at 22 years of age had an abnormal gait and pes cavus at age 10 years.
A NOVEL MUTATION CAUSING COMPLETE THYROID BINDING GLOBULIN DEFICIENCY (TBG-CD MIA) IN A MALE WITH COEXISTING GRAVES DISEASE

ABSTRACT Objective: To report the case of an asymptomatic male diagnosed with Graves disease that, upon further testing, was found to have a complete deficiency of thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) as the result of a novel frameshift mutation in the TBG (SERPINA7) gene. Methods: The laboratory testing included total thyroxine (T4), free T4 by analog method and direct dialysis, and TBG measurements. Sequencing of genomic DNA was performed using peripheral blood. Results: A 35-year-old East Indian male was referred to endocrinology because of abnormal thyroid function tests (TFTs) done as part of a routine office visit: thyroid-stimulating hormone 0.01 mIU/L (reference range, 0.4 to 3.6 mIU/L) and total T4 3.0 μg/dL (reference range, 5.5 to 10.5 μg/dL). Upon further testing, serum free T4 (2.0 ng/dL; reference range, 0.8 to 1.8 ng/dL) and thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (355%; reference, <140%) were elevated and the diagnosis of Graves disease was made. TBG deficiency was suspected because the total T4 co...
Use of prasugrel in the setting of clopidogrel hypersensitivity: Case report and systematic review of the literature

Allergic reactions to clopidogrel soon after coronary stent implantation pose an important and challenging clinical problem. We describe a 44-year-old man who developed a diffuse maculopapular rash four days after initiation of clopidogrel with drug-eluting coronary stent placement. An initial treat-through strategy was unsuccessful due to patient intolerance to corticosteroids. Because of persistent hypersensitivity, clopidogrel was substituted with prasugrel which was continued successfully for one year without reaction. A systematic review of the literature was performed which identified 10 prior case reports of patients with clopidogrel hypersensitivity who were subsequently treated with prasugrel. Patient characteristics and clinical outcomes of these patients plus the current case were reviewed. There were 9 men and 2 women with ages from 44 to 76 years. All patients had undergone coronary stent procedures. Prasugrel was successfully used without cross-reactivity in 9 of the 11 patients (82%). Cross-reactivity was reported in two patients who developed hypersensitivity reactions to prasugrel similar to those experienced on clopidogrel. In conclusion, prasugrel can be used successfully in most patients with a history of clopidogrel hypersensitivity. However, potential cross-reactivity between these two thienopyridines may occur in some patients.
The Determinants of Manufacturing Exports From Latin America

Exports of manufactures from semi-industrialised countries (SICs) such as those in Latin America are determined by a number of demand and supply factors. Comparative advantage, market size and structure, as well as public policies play key roles on the supply side.
Computer Simulation and Receiver Study at VLF

Design of efficient communications receivers for use at Very Low Frequencies (VLF) is difficult due to the impulsive atmospheric noise commonly found at VLF. This study develops a computer simulation of the atmospheric noise process in the VLF band. This simulation is then combined with simulations of a proposed receiver design and used to adjust the parameters of the proposed receiver. The resulting receiver is distinguished by a wideband front end and three stages of Automatic Gain Control (AGC) combined with clippers, each operating in an independent bandwidth. Finally, the proposed receiver is compared with an existing design and found to offer a significant performance enhancement.
Synthesis of Hierarchical SnO 2 Nanowire–TiO 2 Nanorod Brushes Anchored to Commercially Available FTO-coated Glass Substrates

Growth of single-crystal SnO2 nanowires using a fluorine-doped SnO2 (FTO) thin film as both the source and substrate is demonstrated for the first time at relatively low temperature (580 °C) which preserves the integrity of the underlying glass support and improves scalability to devices. Furthermore, a microwave hydrothermal process is shown to grow TiO2 nanorods on these nanowires to create a hierarchical nanoheterostructure that will lead to efficient photogenerated charge carrier separation and rapid transport of electrons to the substrate. This process simplifies nanowire growth by using commercially available and widely used FTO substrates without the need for an additional upstream Sn source and can be used as a high surface area host structure to many other hierarchical structures.
Accelerating Large-Scale Graph Analytics with FPGA and HMC

Graph analytics that explores the relationship among interconnected entities is becoming increasingly important due to its broad applicability from machine learning to social science. However, one major challenge for graph processing systems is the irregular data access pattern of graph computation which can significantly degrade the performance. The algorithms, software, and hardware that have been tailored for mainstream parallel applications are, as a result, generally not effective for massive-scale sparse graphs from the real world due to their complexity and irregularity. To address the performance issues in large-scale graph analytics, we combine the emerging Hybrid Memory Cube (HMC) with a modern FPGA in order to achieve exceptional random access performance without any loss of flexibility or efficiency in computation. In particular, we develop collaborative software/hardware techniques to perform a level-synchronized breadth first search (BFS) on the FPGA-HMC platform. From the software perspective, we develop an architecture-aware graph clustering algorithm that fully exploits the platform's capability to improve data locality and memory access efficiency. For each input graph, this algorithm provides an efficient data layout that allows the FPGA to coalesce memory requests into the largest possible HMC payload requests so that the number of memory requests, which is the primary factor in runtime, can be minimized. From the hardware perspective, we further improve the FPGA-HMC graph processor architecture by adding a merging unit. The merging unit takes the best advantage of the increased data locality resulting from graph clustering. We evaluated the performance of our BFS implementation using the AC-510 development kit from Micron over a set of benchmarks from a wide range of applications. We observed that the combination of the clustering algorithm and the merging hardware achieved 2.8 × average performance improvement compared to the latest FPGA-HMC based graph processing system.
Notified access in coarray fortran

With the increasing availability of the Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) support in computer networks, the so called Partitioned Global Address Space (PGAS) model has evolved in the last few years. Although there are several cases where a PGAS approach can easily solve difficult message passing situations, like in particle tracking and adaptive mesh refinement applications, the producer-consumer pattern, usually adopted in task-based parallelism, can only be implemented inefficiently because of the separation between data transfer and synchronization (which is usually unified in message passing programming models).In this paper, we provide two contributions: 1) we propose an extension for the Fortran language that provides the concept of Notified Access by associating regular coarray variables with event variables. 2) We demonstrate that the MPI extension proposed by foMPI for Notified Access can be used effectively to implement the same concept in a PGAS run-time library like OpenCoarrays.
Governmentality, Biopolitics, and Curriculum Theorizing

This chapter develops an analytical framework for curriculum studies through synoptic analysis of Foucault’s theorization of governmentality and biopolitics. The chapter discusses contemporary coercive accountability discourses as a system of governmentality and concludes with Foucault’s analysis of the development of counter-conduct, which suggests that governmental systems contain spaces in which to contest, subvert, and reconfigure institutional power. The embodiment of counter-conduct in systems of biopolitical governmentality illustrates the subjective struggle noted by Pinar through which academic study contributes to the reconstruction of the self and the social.
The Skills Marketing Majors Believe They Acquire: Evidence From a National Survey:

Drawing from a panel survey of over 400,000 college graduates from over 600 different colleges and universities in the United States, this article addresses three questions related to skill change ...
Systematic Review of Methods Used for the Microvascular Assessment of Peripheral Arterial Disease

Lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (LEAD) is increasing in prevalence in low with approximately 202 million people affected with LEAD worldwide. Certain subgroups of individuals (cigarette smokers, diabetics) that are particularly high risk for LEAD and major adverse limb events (MALE). Conventionally, the ankle-brachial index (ABI) is the recommended screening test for LEAD. However, the ABI has several limitations, particularly in patients with diabetes. These limitations include increased measurement variability with severity of LEAD, non-compressible calcified arteries inability to detect arterial disease distal to the ankle precludes assessment of disease in the foot where many ulcers can occur, and underestimation of the extent of microvascular occlusive disease. In this systematic review, we discuss methods used for the assessment of microvascular disease and compare outcomes that encompass microvascular flow with the ABI and toe-brachial index (TBI).
Saphenous Nerve Entrapment

Entrapment of the saphenous nerve generally occurs where the nerve leaves the subsartorial canal. The nerve is the termination of the femoral trunk with the roof of the canal consisting of a dense fascial sheet, the tension of which varies with the activity of the involved adjacent musculature.
Cancer center staff effort related to electronic patient portal use: A growing demand.

e18012Background: Electronic portals provide patients with real-time access to personal health records (PHR). They are a convenient means of communicating with providers and have the potential to i...
Endotracheal Intubation Among the Critically Ill: Protocol for a Multicenter, Observational, Prospective Study

Background Endotracheal intubation can occur in up to 60% of critically ill patients. Despite the frequency with which endotracheal intubation occurs, the current practice is largely unknown. This is relevant, as advances in airway equipment (ie, video laryngoscopes) have become more prevalent, leading to possible improvement of care delivered during this process. In addition to new devices, a greater emphasis on airway plans and choices in sedation have evolved, although the influence on patient morbidity and mortality is largely unknown. Objective This study aims to derive and validate prediction models for immediate airway and hemodynamic complications of intensive care unit intubations. Methods A multicenter, observational, prospective study of adult critically ill patients admitted to both medical and surgical intensive care units (ICUs) was conducted. Participating ICU sites were located throughout eight health and human services regions of the United States for which endotracheal intubation was needed. A steering committee composed of both anesthesia and pulmonary critical care physicians proposed a core set of data variables. These variables were incorporated into a data collection form to be used within the multiple, participating ICUs across the United States during the time of intubation. The data collection form consisted of two basic components, focusing on airway management and hemodynamic management. The form was generated using RedCap and distributed to the participating centers. Quality checks on the dataset were performed several times with each center, such that they arrived at less than 10% missing values for each data variable; the checks were subsequently entered into a database. Results The study is currently undergoing data analysis. Results are expected in November 2018 with publication to follow thereafter. The study protocol has not yet undergone peer review by a funding body. Conclusions The overall goal of this multicenter prospective study is to develop a scoring system for peri-intubation, hemodynamic, and airway-related complications so we can stratify those patients at greatest risk for decompensation as a result of these complications. This will allow critical care physicians to be better prepared in addressing these occurrences and will allow them to improve the quality of care delivered to the critically ill. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02508948; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02508948 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/73Oj6cTFu). International registered report identifier (irrid) RR1-10.2196/11101.
Bathophenanthroline Disulfonate Ligand-Induced Self-Assembly of Ir(III) Complexes in Water: An Intriguing Class of Photoluminescent Soft Materials

Strong evidence of concentration-induced and dissolved electrolyte-induced chromophore aggregation has been universally observed in numerous water soluble bis-cyclometalated Ir(III) photosensitizers bearing the sulfonated diimine ligands bathophenanthroline disulfonate and bathocuproine disulfonate. This new class of aqueous-based soft materials was highly photoluminescent in their aggregated state where detailed spectroscopic investigations of this phenomenon revealed significant blue shifts of their respective photoluminescence emission spectra with concomitant increases in excited-state lifetimes and quantum yields initiating even at micromolar chromophore concentrations in water or upon the addition of a strong electrolyte. A combination of nanoscale particle characterization techniques, static and dynamic photoluminescence spectroscopic studies, along with atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of these soft materials suggests the formation of small, heterogeneous nanoaggregate structures, wherein the sulfonated diimine ancillary ligand serves as a pro-aggregating subunit in all instances. Importantly, the experimental and MD findings suggest the likelihood of discovering similar aqueous aggregation phenomena occurring in all transition-metal complexes bearing these water-solubilizing diimine ligands.
Modeling and Control of HVDC Systems

This chapter gives a brief overview of modeling and control of high voltage DC (HVDC) systems. First, different configurations of HVDC transmission systems are mentioned, which is followed by the state-space averaged modeling of line-commutated converter (LCC) HVDC systems and their control modes. Next, voltage source converter (VSC) HVDC modeling and control in a synchronously rotating dq reference frame is presented. Both grid-connected and islanded modes of control are discussed. Finally, modeling of multiterminal DC (MTDC) grids is briefly presented. The model of AC-MTDC grids in a unified framework is also given. At the end, different control philosophies of MTDC grid are elaborated. This includes discussion of four control options including DC voltage control, voltage droop control, and frequency droop control.
Lubiprostone in the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation: an update on health-related quality of life and patient-reported outcomes

Chronic idiopathic constipation, if inadequately treated, can be bothersome with a detrimental effect on patients' quality of life (QOL). This may also result in frequent health care visits, increasing the burden of this ailment's medical cost. Management strategies, focused on lifestyle changes, include increased exercise, a high-fiber diet, and toilet training. Pharmacologic options include fiber supplementation, laxatives, serotonergic agents, and prosecretory agents such as lubiprostone. In this review, we were able to conclude that lubiprostone, when used for chronic idiopathic constipation, has a significantly beneficial effect on both patients' symptoms and their QOL. In multiple randomized controlled trials, it has been found to have increased the number of spontaneous bowel movements at different time endpoints. Corresponding improvements were also observed for abdominal bloating, discomfort, stool frequency, and straining symptoms among patients.
A Stochastic Hybrid Structure for Predicting Disturbances in Mixed Automated and Human-Driven Vehicular Scenarios

Abstract In this work, we introduce a stochastic prediction method which can be utilized in applications such as cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) to predict interfering vehicles’ movements. One of the main criteria in the design of automated vehicle systems is their robustness against the disturbances resulted from the non-homogeneity of the vehicular environment. The non-homogeneity is mainly due to the human-driven and automated/autonomous vehicles co-existence. It is therefore imperative for the automated applications to be designed with the capability of handling the uncertain behaviors of human-driven vehicles in a robust manner. This paper presents a method for vehicle movements time-series forecasting using a powerful non-parametric Bayesian inference method, namely Gaussian Processes. The proposed methodology is evaluated using realistic vehicle trajectory data from NGSIM dataset and is shown to provide more accurate results compared to baseline methods that use constant velocity coasting.
100% robust and fast algorithm for second-harmonic-generation frequency-resolved optical gating

We demonstrate a novel algorithmic approach for second-harmonic-generation (SHG) frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) that always converges and is also faster for complex pulses. It takes advantage of the Paley-Weiner Theorem for generating significantly better initial guesses. It also uses a multi-grid approach, which allows the algorithm to operate initially on smaller arrays for early iterations and only on the complete array for the final few iterations. We tested it on sets of twenty thousand noisy FROG traces and have achieved 100% convergence even for pulses with time-bandwidth products of 100.
Sex and Education: Does Sexual Debut During Adolescence Lead to Poor Grades?

Context Because many U.S. teenagers experience their first sexual intercourse during high school, understanding whether sexual behavior and academic performance are related is important. However, research on sexual debut and grades has produced inconsistent findings. Methods Data collected over four years from a specific cohort (1,321 eighth- and ninth-graders) of a nationally representative longitudinal study, the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, were examined using fixed-effects regression models to assess the relationship between first sexual intercourse and grade point average (GPA). Results Overall, no relationship was found between students' first sexual intercourse and GPA. For black females and Latinos of either gender, having had first sexual intercourse was associated with a lower GPA (coefficients, -216 and -161, respectively, corresponding to grade point decreases multiplied by 100). For black females, this association was observed only in the context of romantic relationships (-243). The predicted GPAs for black females aged 14 or 15 who reported first intercourse in a romantic relationship were significantly lower than those for their counterparts who had not had intercourse, whereas at 18 this was reversed. For Latinos, the predicted GPAs of 14- and 15-year-olds who had had sex were also lower than those of their sexually inexperienced counterparts. Conclusions Although first sexual intercourse may not disrupt the academic performance of older adolescents, it may contribute to lower grades among younger minority adolescents. Further research is needed using such contextual variables as age, race, ethnicity, gender and relationship context.
Evaluation of an automated grid artifact detection system for quality control in digital mammography

PURPOSE Grid artifacts occur in digital mammography when synchronization between the grid assembly and generator is not achieved, including when malfunctions occur in the grid assembly or generator subsystems. Such artifacts are not explicitly monitored or evaluated by existing mammography quality control programs. In this study, we developed an automated method for quantifying the presence of grid artifacts in two-dimensional (2D) digital mammography images and assessed its utility as a supplement to existing quality control programs. METHODS Four digital mammography systems (Hologic Dimensions 3D 5000) were configured to automatically transfer 2D images to a server where the strength of the grid pattern, γmax , was quantified using a template-matching algorithm and stored in amySQL database. This analysis was performed on both American College of Radiology (ACR) phantom and clinical images. Changes in γmax were compared with image quality and service records to establish preliminary action limits for physicist intervention for each type of image. These action limits were applied around selected service events to evaluate their clinical utility. RESULTS All systems exhibited a gradual increase in γmax in ACR phantom images prior to having identical major components of the generator subsystem replaced, despite the absence of visible gridlines in the images. Retrospective analysis of phantom images suggested that physicists should consider AEC testing when γmax exceeds 0.050 and that clinical image quality may be affected when γmax exceeds 0.060. Eighteen of 19 visible grid artifacts were identified using a threshold γmax value of 0.065 in clinical images. Warning limits that indicate abnormal operation before visible degradation in image quality were also established. These warning limits were 0.046 and 0.041 for the 24 × 29 cm and 18 × 24 cm paddles, respectively. Specific malfunctions in the generator and grid subsystems can be detected by applying these limits. CONCLUSIONS Automated monitoring of γmax provides useful information about the status of digital mammography units without affecting clinical operations. When used with appropriate action limits, this type of monitoring can help physicists identify specific equipment malfunctions before they would be detected by other quality control tests and before they affect clinical images.
Digitally captured step counts for evaluating performance status in advanced cancer patients: A single cohort, prospective trial (Digi-STEPS).

TPS6651Background: Advanced cancer patients undergo dynamic changes in their functionality and physical activity over the course of their treatment. Monitoring patient function is important because...
Resistivity scaling and electron surface scattering in epitaxial Co(0001) layers

In situ and ex situ transport measurements on epitaxial Co(0001)/Al2O3(0001) layers with thickness d = 7–300 nm are used to quantify the resistivity ρ scaling due to electron surface scattering. Sputter deposition at 300 °C followed by in situ annealing at 500 °C leads to single-crystal layers with smooth surfaces (<1 nm roughness) and an epitaxial relationship: Co[0001]‖Al2O3[0001] and Co[ 101¯0]‖Al2O3[ 112¯0]. The measured ρ vs d data are well described by the classical expression by Fuchs and Sondheimer at both 295 and 77 K, yielding a temperature-independent product of the bulk resistivity times the mean free path ρo × λ and an effective room temperature λ = 19.5 ± 1.0 nm. The resistivity increases by 9%–24% upon air exposure for layers with d ≤ 21 nm, indicating a transition from partially specular (p = 0.55 ± 0.05) to completely diffuse (p = 0) surface scattering during native oxide formation. The overall results suggest that Co exhibits a resistivity scaling that is comparable to W and approximately 2× smaller than that of Cu and that the resistance of narrow Co lines can be reduced considerably by engineering the Co-liner interface to facilitate specular electron scattering.
Temperature approximations in chemical kinetics studies using single pulse shock tubes

Abstract Simulations of chemical kinetics processes in single pulse shock tubes are typically modelled by a constant pressure approximation. However, concerns have been raised by the use of such an approximation in the case when the post-reflected-shock-wave pressure profiles in a shock tube do not have perfect square wave profiles. This article discusses the validity of using the constant pressure approximation in such cases for modelling purposes. The constant pressure simulations are compared with changing pressure simulations. They show that the constant pressure simulations can be used as a sufficient modeling approximation for the shock tube chemistry of single reaction processes, complex reaction network models, highly diluted fuel mixtures and highly concentrated mixtures. Any discrepancies between the model predictions from the constant pressure approach and the changing pressure approach are minimal across a wide temperature range. A set of different types of chemical kinetic models and different physical conditions were tested for the comparison of the two approaches. The results justify using species measurements of quenched post rarefaction wave samples and chemical thermometer calibration methods with the constant pressure approximation in reporting reaction product data in single pulse shock tube studies. The study further confirms that the speciation results from the quenched samples obtained from single pulse shock tube experiments that have non-ideal pressure profiles can be well approximated as a constant pressure reaction process even for complex reaction networks and facilitate the reporting of modeling results as pertinent to single pressures, temperatures and times.
Design of dynamic screw pinch experiments for magnetized liner inertial fusion

Magnetic implosion of cylindrical metallic shells (liners) is an effective method for compressing preheated, premagnetized fusion fuel to thermonuclear conditions [M. R. Gomez et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 155003 (2014)] but suffers from magneto-Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities (MRTI) that limit the attainable fuel pressure, density, and temperature. A novel method proposed by Schmit et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 205001 (2016)] uses a helical magnetic drive field with a dynamic polarization at the outer surface of the liner during implosion, reducing (linear) MRTI growth by one to two orders of magnitude via a solid liner dynamic screw pinch (SLDSP) effect. Our work explores the design features necessary for successful experimental implementation of this concept. Whereas typical experiments employ purely azimuthal drive fields to implode initially solid liners, SLDSP experiments establish a helical drive field at the liner outer surface, resulting in enhanced average magnetic pressure per unit drive current, mild spatial nonuniformities in the magnetic drive pressure, and augmented static initial inductance in the pulsed-power drive circuit. Each of these topics has been addressed using transient magnetic and magnetohydrodynamic simulations; the results have led to a credible design space for SLDSP experiments on the Z Facility. We qualitatively assess the stabilizing effects of the SLDSP mechanism by comparing MRTI growth in a liner implosion simulation driven by an azimuthal magnetic field vs one driven with a helical magnetic field; the results indicate an apparent reduction in MRTI growth when a helical drive field is employed.
DieSchwarzschildsche Lösung indeDonderschen Koordinaten

Transformiert man die ausereSchwarzschildsche Losung derart, das sie bei Erhaltung der Kugelsymmetrie diede Dondersche Koordinatenbedingung erfullt, so tritt neben der Masse des Zentralkorpers noch eine weitere Konstante auf. Diese wird durch Berucksichtigung der inneren Losung fur den Fall eines schwachen Gravitationsfeldes bestimmt.
Adding Principle To Pragmatism: The Transformative Potential of 'Medicare-for-All'

“Medicare-for-All” should be more than a badge of political identity or opposition. This Article examines the concept’s potential to catalyze policy innovation in the U.S. health care system. After suggesting that the half century of existing Medicare has been as much “Gilded Age” as “Golden Age,” the Article arrays the operational possibilities for a Medicare-for-All initiative. It revisits America’s recent history of pragmatic rather than principled health policy, and identifies professional and political barriers to more sweeping reform. It focuses on four aspects of health policy that have become apparent: simultaneous inefficiency and injustice in medical care, neglect of the social determinants of health, inertia resulting from the legal architecture of health care, and the latent power of generational change. It concludes by explaining how a Medicare-for-All frame might prompt ethical re-engagement by the medical profession and help the health care system take specific steps on a path to improvement.
Reconfigurable Fault Tolerant Processor on a SRAM based FPGA

The hardware of the satellite system is mission-critical of the whole system. The commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components are commonly used in satellite systems due to their low cost. They are not hardened to withstand the space-born radiation, and thus, may fail, jeopardizing the entire mission. In low-cost satellite systems such as CubeSat, the reliability of the system can be greatly enhanced by applying fault tolerant design to the hardware architectures. This paper developed a configurable fault-tolerant system which consists of a majority voter circuit designed for masking and elimination of the induced soft errors and a memory scrubbing block designed to correct the faults induced and prevent system failure.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Thresholds Less Than or Equal to 8 mA in Pedicle Screw Testing During Lumbar Spine Procedures to Predict New Postoperative Lower Extremity Neurological Deficits.

Study design Retrospective observational study. Objective It has been shown that pedicle screw stimulation thresholds less than or equal to 8 mA yield a very high diagnostic accuracy of detecting misplaced screws in spinal surgery. In our study, we determined clinical implications of low stimulation thresholds. Summary of background data Posterior lumbar spinal fusions (PSF), using pedicle screws, are performed to treat many spinal pathologies, but misplaced pedicle screws can result in new postoperative neurological deficits. Methods Patients with pedicle screw stimulation testing who underwent PSF between 2010 and 2012 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) were included in the study. We evaluated the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) to determine how effectively low pedicle screw responses predict new postoperative lower extremity neurological deficits. Results One thousand one hundred seventy nine eligible patients underwent 8584 pedicle screw stimulations with lower extremity somatosensory evoked potentials (LE SSEP) monitoring for lumbar fusion surgery. One hundred twenty one of these patients had 187 pedicle screws with a stimulation response at a threshold less than or equal to 8 mA. Smoking had a significant correlation to pedicle screw stimulation less than or equal to 8 mA (P = 0.012). A threshold of less than or equal to 8 mA had a sensitivity/specificity of 0.32/0.90 with DOR of 4.34 [1.83, 10.27] and an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.61 [0.49, 0.74]. Patients with screw thresholds less than or equal to 8 mA and abnormal baselines had a DOR of 9.8 [95% CI: 2.13-45.17] and an AUC of 0.73 [95% CI: 0.50-0.95]. Conclusion Patients with pedicle screw stimulation thresholds less than or equal to 8 mA are 4.34 times more likely to have neurological clinical manifestations. Smoking and LE deficits were shown to be significantly correlated with pedicle screw stimulation thresholds less than or equal to 8 mA. Low stimulation thresholds result in a high specificity of 90%. Pedicle screw stimulation less than or equal to 8 mA can serve as an accurate rule in test for postoperative neurological deficit, warranting reevaluation of screw placement and/or replacement intraoperatively.Level of Evidence: 3.
Engaging Law Students in Leadership

Dedicated to “building a legacy of leadership in the law,” Elon University School of Law is preparing civic-minded lawyers to assume leadership roles in their communities, law firms, the legal profession, and in the public square. Defined as the process of influencing as persuading others to achieve a common purpose, leadership describes the lawyers’ task with individual and organizational clients; considered as a characteristic of people in positions of power, lawyers often assume the mantle of leading organizations. Whether defined as process or position, lawyering involves leadership in the private sector or in the public realm. Elon Law is breaking new ground in legal education through its dual focus on engaged learning and leadership in the law. Three years into development, Elon Law’s experience offers significant lessons for collegiate and graduate leadership service learning, as well as legal pro bono programs and professional development initiatives. This article considers the progressive structure of a comprehensive law & leadership program, and prescribes the Public Law and Leadership course as a model of engaged learning and leadership development that offers replication opportunities for programs that seek to engage students in public law and policy issues that affect local and national communities. Armed with leadership training and engagement experience, law graduates will be better prepared for professional practice, primed to exercise leadership within their communities, and positioned to engage in leadership of the profession and the public square.
Mechanisms for increased systemic fracture risk after index fracture

Abstract The single best predictor of future fracture risk is a prior fracture at any skeletal site. However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain incompletely understood. Here we review three potential mechanisms underlying increased risk. An index fracture may reflect preexisting deficits in bone quality or impairments in physical function. Second, fracture may cause biomechanical changes that increase future fracture risk. Third, fracture induces a period of systemic bone loss that is never fully recovered. Further investigation into these mechanisms can inform treatments that prevent future fractures for individuals with a prior history of fracture.
Circadian Interactomics: How Research Into Protein-Protein Interactions Beyond the Core Clock Has Influenced the Model of Circadian Timekeeping

The circadian clock is the broadly conserved, protein-based, timekeeping mechanism that synchronizes biology to the Earth's 24-h light-dark cycle. Studies of the mechanisms of circadian timekeeping have placed great focus on the role that individual protein-protein interactions play in the creation of the timekeeping loop. However, research has shown that clock proteins most commonly act as part of large macromolecular protein complexes to facilitate circadian control over physiology. The formation of these complexes has led to the large-scale study of the proteins that comprise these complexes, termed here "circadian interactomics." Circadian interactomic studies of the macromolecular protein complexes that comprise the circadian clock have uncovered many basic principles of circadian timekeeping as well as mechanisms of circadian control over cellular physiology. In this review, we examine the wealth of knowledge accumulated using circadian interactomics approaches to investigate the macromolecular complexes of the core circadian clock, including insights into the core mechanisms that impart circadian timing and the clock's regulation of many physiological processes. We examine data acquired from the investigation of the macromolecular complexes centered on both the activating and repressing arm of the circadian clock and from many circadian model organisms.
Morality, Public Law and Constitutional Democracy

This chapter studies Habermas’s discourse doctrines of law and constitutional democracy. It first examines Habermas’s concepts of the genesis of public law, public law as a system of knowledge and action, the relationship between morality and law, the facticity and validity of law, the distinction between moral and legal norm, and the source of the validity of law. It then examines the discursive concepts of constitutional democracy, the distinction between ethnos and demos, the distinction between nation-state, popular sovereignty, nationalism, constitutional patriotism, post-nation democracy, the three normative models of democracy, and global democracy.
Uncertainty Assessment in Structural Damage Diagnosis

This paper develops methods for the quantification of uncertainty in each of the three steps of damage diagnosis (detection, localization and quantification), in the context of continuous online monitoring. A model-based approach is used for diagnosis. Sources of uncertainty include physical variability, measurement uncertainty and model errors. Damage detection is based on residuals between nominal and damaged system-level responses, using statistical hypothesis testing whose uncertainty can be captured easily. Localization is based on the comparison of damage signatures derived from the system model. Both classical statistics-based methods and Bayesian statistics-based methods are investigated to quantify the uncertainty in all the three steps of diagnosis, i.e. detection, localization, and quantification. While classical statistics-based methods use the concept of least squares-based optimization, Bayesian methods make use of likelihood function and Bayes theorem. The uncertainties in damage detection, isolation and quantification are combined to quantify the overall uncertainty in diagnosis. The proposed methods are illustrated using two types of example problems, a structural frame and a hydraulic actuation system.
Frederick Douglass, Citizen Interpreter

Consent-based theories of constitutional fidelity emphasize that interpreters should sharply distinguish between their own judgments of political morality and their judgments about what the Constitution requires. An instrumental approach to constitutional reasoning is held to violate this basic obligation. This piece argues that one of the most exalted citizens of constitutional theory, Frederick Douglass, advocated the instrumental approach to interpretation that the classical concept of fidelity warns against. Many constitutional theorists would be unwilling to accept the conclusion that he was a faithless interpreter. Sharing the intuition that Douglass was an outstanding constitutional citizen, I begin to develop an account of a faithful interpretive practice for citizens that can defend these apparent subversions.
Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn caused by anti-Lan.

Background Antibodies to the high-incidence red blood cell (RBC) antigen Lan (Langereis) are typically immunoglobulin G and have been shown to fix complement and cause hemolysis of Lan antigen–positive RBCs. Only three cases of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) have been reported involving anti-Lan and all have been characterized as “mild.” Case Report A 26-year-old Hispanic female presented in her fifth pregnancy for routine obstetric care. Due to progressively rising anti-Lan titers, middle cerebral artery (MCA) Dopplers were performed. At 32 weeks of gestation, the antibody titer had reached 128; the MCA Doppler indicated that fetal anemia was severe. An intrauterine transfusion with Lan antigen–negative RBCs was performed and a viable infant was delivered 25 days later. Discussion Three cases of HDFN associated with anti-Lan have been previously reported. While these cases have been associated with somewhat variable serologic findings, none have resulted in fetal demise or severe symptomatology requiring pre- or postnatal intervention other than routine phototherapy. The current report, however, suggests that in some instances anti-Lan can result in a more severe form of HDFN requiring more aggressive prenatal therapy. Conclusion In spite of previous case reports suggesting that anti-Lan is associated with relatively mild HDFN, this case suggests that in some instances, this antibody can cause severe HDFN requiring prenatal intervention.
Is mild asthma really 'mild'?

Summary Current evidence suggests that patients with mild asthma are often under-recognised, and those that are diagnosed can remain with this initial classification and be treated accordingly, despite worsening of their condition. There is considerable overlap between mild and more severe asthma in terms of the underlying pathophysiology and poorly reversible airway changes, such as subepithelial fibrosis and airway wall remodelling, which are present very early in the progression of asthma in patients with normal lung function. Life-threatening exacerbations can also occur in patients with mild asthma. In view of these factors and given that asthma is a two-component disease (airway inflammation and smooth muscle dysfunction), recent studies have examined the effects of both early intervention with steroids and combination therapy comprising an inhaled steroid and a long acting β2-agonist. These studies suggest that early intervention is likely to provide better asthma control and possibly prevent or delay the worsening of disease and fatalities in patients considered to be mild asthmatics.