cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE EMPIRE BUILDER: WAR AND THE SUBJECT OF THE HUMANITIES

In Carl von Clausewitz's 1832 political treatise On War, the military general is given the form of the humanist scholar. But it isn't until the establishment in the United States of the discipline of the Humanities, between the world wars, that this traditional figure of knowledge is given official discursive status. Using Clausewitz and the rhetoric of the most recent "crisis in the Humanities", we pose the question, "where in fact are our military institutions located?".In order to show the interdependence of these two apparently discrete histories, one would have to redefine modern warfare and humanist scholarship in terms of each other. To this end, we frame the humanist ideals of rational debate, erudition and cultural appreciation, and the production of truth and beauty, as historically linked to the epistemology of war. We address a recent tactical example of this perpetual war — the closing of the humanities department at the University of Minnesota.
Unilateral versus bilateral endoscopic stenting in patients with unresectable malignant hilar obstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and study aims Endoscopic stent placement is used for palliative management of unresectable malignant hilar obstruction, which could be achieved by either unilateral or bilateral stent insertion. Materials and methods A literature search was performed to identify studies that reported outcomes of metallic biliary stent placement in patients with malignant hilar obstruction. Weighted pooled rates (WPR) along with 95 % confidence intervals (95 %CI) were calculated to determine and compare outcomes including technical and functional success, early and late adverse events, post procedure cholangitis, and stent occlusion between two groups. Results A total of 21 studies with 1292 patients were included. WPR of technical success was significantly higher in the unilateral group (97 %, 95 %CI: 93 –98 %) vs. bilateral group (89 %, 95 %CI: 84 –92 %) (P = 0.0.003). WPR for functional success in the unilateral and bilateral groups were 96 % (95 %CI: 91 –98 %) and 94 % (95 %CI: 91 –97 %), respectively (P = 0.48). The rate of early and late complications was comparable between the two groups. Conclusion In patients with unresectable malignant hilar obstruction, unilateral and bilateral metallic stenting techniques are comparable in terms of efficacy and safety.
Coexistence of equilibria in a New Keynesian model with heterogeneous beliefs

Abstract The recent macroeconomic literature has been stressing the importance of considering heterogeneous expectations while addressing monetary policy. In this paper we consider a standard New Keynesian model, described by a two-dimensional nonlinear map, to analyze the bifurcation structure when agents have heterogeneous expectations and update their beliefs based on past performance. Depending on the degree of reactivity of the monetary policy to inflation and output deviations from the target equilibrium, different kind of dynamics may occur. We find that multiple equilibria and complicated dynamics, associated to codimension-2 bifurcations, may arise even if the monetary policy is set to respond more than point for point to inflation, as the Taylor principle prescribes. We show that if the monetary policy accommodates for a sufficient degree of output stabilization, complicated dynamics can be avoided and the number of coexisting equilibria reduces.
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners

This chapter discusses the considerations when assessing culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
Deep Learning-Based BSDE Solver for Libor Market Model with Applications to Bermudan Swaption Pricing and Hedging

The Libor market model, also known as the BGM Model, is a term structure model of interest rates. It is widely used for pricing interest rate derivatives, especially Bermudan swaptions, and other exotic Libor callable derivatives. For numerical implementation the pricing of derivatives with Libor market models is mainly carried out with Monte Carlo simulation. The PDE grid approach is not particularly feasible due to the “Curse of Dimensionality”. The standard Monte Carlo method for American swaption pricing more or less uses regression to estimate the expected value as a linear combination of basis functions as demonstrated in the classical paper by Longstaff and Schwartz [Longstaff01]. However, [Longstaff01] only provides the lower bound for American option price. Another complexity arises from applying Monte Carlo simulation is the computation of the sensitivities of the option, the so-called “Greeks”, which are fundamental for a trader's hedging activity. Recently, an alternative numerical method based on deep learning and backward stochastic differential equations (BSDEs) appeared in quite a few researches [Weinan17, Jiequn17]. For European style options the feedforward deep neural networks (DNN) show not only feasibility but also efficiency to obtain both prices and numerical Greeks. The standard LMM implementation requires dimension five or higher in factor space even after PCA, which cannot be solved by traditional PDE solvers, such as finite differences or finite elements methods. In this paper, a new backward DNN solver is proposed for Bermudan swaptions. Our approach is representing financial pricing problems in the form of high dimensional stochastic optimal control problems, FBSDEs, or equivalent PDEs. We demonstrate that using backward DNN the high-dimension Bermudan swaption pricing and hedging can be solved effectively and efficiently. A comparison between Monte Carlo simulation and the new method for pricing vanilla interest rate options manifests the superior performance of the new method. We then use this method to calculate prices and Greeks of Bermudan swaptions as a prelude for other Libor callable derivatives.
Privacy and Confidentiality of Genetic Information: What Rules for the New Science?

This review covers the ethical, legal, and policy issues associated with the generation and dissemination of genetic information. First, conceptual issues, such as the definition of terms and the description of two modes of analysis, are addressed. Research findings on public attitudes toward privacy and genetics and other factors relevant to policy making are also reviewed. Second, the example of genetic research is used to highlight the importance of attention to the intrinsic harms associated with violations of genetic privacy. Subtopics include national databases and biobanks, gene brokers, and pharmacogenomics. Third, the example of insurer access to genetic information is used to highlight the importance of attention to discrimination and other instrumental harms associated with failures of regulation. Fourth, a summary of the preceding sections leads into an outline of a program for realizing the benefits of the new science in a manner that affirms rather than erodes privacy and other important values.
Jo-1 autoantigen-specific B cells are skewed towards distinct functional B cell subsets in anti-synthetase syndrome patients.

Anti-Jo-1 autoantibodies which recognize histidyl-tRNA synthetase identify patients with the rare rheumatologic disease, anti-histidyl-tRNA synthetase syndrome (Jo-1 ARS), a phenotypically distinct subset of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). Jo-1-binding B cells (JBCs) are implicated in disease pathogenesis, yet they have not been studied directly. We therefore aimed to characterize JBCs to better understand how they expand and function in Jo-1 ARS. We enrolled 10 IIM patients diagnosed with Jo-1 ARS, 4 patients with non-Jo-1 IIM, and 8 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. We phenotypically characterized peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) ex vivo using flow cytometry to define the B cell subsets in which JBCs reside. We further tested their ability to differentiate into antibody-secreting cells following stimulation in vitro. The majority of JBCs were IgM+ (not class-switched). Compared to non-JBCs in the same donors, JBCs contained a higher percentage of autoimmune-prone CD21lo cells and were increased in the CD21lo IgM+ IgD− CD27+ memory subset relative to healthy donor B cells. Whereas non-JBCs were present in the anergic BND B cell subset, JBCs were nearly absent from this compartment. JBCs were detected among plasmablasts in some donors, but a reduced frequency of JBCs differentiated into CD38hi24− plasmablasts compared to non-JBCs present in the same wells following in vitro stimulation. JBCs are enriched for autoimmune-prone CD21lo B cells, some of which exhibit a memory phenotype in the peripheral repertoire of Jo-1 ARS patients. JBCs undergo limited class switch and show reduced capacity to differentiate into antibody-secreting cells. This suggests complex B cell biology exists beyond class-switched cells that differentiate to secrete anti-Jo-1 autoantibody (i.e., what is captured through serum autoantibody studies). New Jo-1 ARS therapies should thus ideally target non-class-switched JBCs in addition to those that have undergone IgG class-switching to most effectively block cross-talk with autoreactive T cells.
Microheart: A microfluidic pump for functional vascular culture in microphysiological systems.

Abstract Advances in microphysiological systems have prompted the need for long-term cell culture under physiological flow conditions. Conventional laboratory pumps typically lack the ability to deliver cell culture media at the low flow rates required to meet the physiological ranges of fluid flow, and are often pulsatile or require flow reversal. Here, a microfluidic-based pump is presented, which allows for the controlled delivery of media for vascular microphysiological applications. The performance of the pump was characterized in a range of microfluidic systems, including straight channels of varying dimensions and self-assembled microvascular networks. A theoretical framework was developed based on lumped element analysis to predict the performance of the pump for different fluidic configurations and a finite element model of the included check-valves. The use of the pump for microvascular physiological studies demonstrated the utility of this system to recapitulate vascular fluid transport phenomena in microphysiological systems, which may find applications in disease models and drug screening.
Assessment of Care Handoffs Among Hospitalist Physicians and 30-Day Mortality in Hospitalized Medicare Beneficiaries.

Importance Inpatients treated by hospitalist physicians, who often work contiguous days, experience handoffs at the end of a scheduled shift block. Evidence suggests that transitions of patient care, or handoffs, among physician trainees are associated with adverse patient outcomes. However, little is known about the association between handoffs and patient outcomes among attending physicians, even though similar concerns apply. Objective To examine the association between inpatient handoffs of hospitalist physicians and patient mortality among hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study analyzed a random sample of Medicare beneficiaries who were hospitalized with a general medical condition between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2016, and treated by a hospitalist. The study compared outcomes of patients with low vs high probability of physician handoff based on date of patient admission relative to the admitting hospitalist’s last working day in a scheduled block, hypothesizing that otherwise similar patients admitted toward the end of a physician’s shift block would be more likely to be handed off to another physician compared with patients admitted earlier in the shift block. Data analysis was performed from July 1, 2018, to January 12, 2021. Exposure High vs low probability of physician handoff. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcome was patient 30-day mortality rate. Results A total of 1 074 000 patients (mean [SD] age, 75.9 [13.7] years; 57.4% female; 82.1% White) were studied. Multivariable regression models adjusted for beneficiary clinical and demographic characteristics and hospital fixed effects (a within-hospital analysis, effectively comparing patients treated at the same hospital). Among 597 288 hospitalizations, no overall difference in 30-day mortality was observed between patients admitted in the 2 days prior (days −1 and −2) to the treating hospitalist’s last working day (a high handoff probability) compared with days −6 and −7 (a low handoff probability) (adjusted rate, 10.6%; 95% CI, 10.5%-10.7% vs 10.6%; 95% CI, 10.5%-10.7%; adjusted difference, 0.0%; 95% CI, −0.2% to 0.1%). However, in an exploratory analysis, among patients with high illness severity, defined as those in the top quartile of estimated mortality, 30-day mortality was higher for those with high vs low likelihood of physician handoff (adjusted mortality, 27.8%; 95% CI, 27.6%-27.9% vs 26.8%; 95% CI, 26.6%-27.1%; absolute adjusted difference, 1.0%; 95% CI, 0.5%-1.4%). Conclusions and Relevance In this national analysis of Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with a general medical condition and treated by a hospitalist physician, physician handoff was not associated with increased mortality overall.
Policy Brief: New Mexico House Bill 206, Utility Affordablity and Relief Act

The Utility Affordability and Relief Act, New Mexico House Bill 206 addresses the looming utility disconnection crisis for the tens of thousands of low-income New Mexicans who are behind on utility payments due to the COVID-19 crisis, and more broadly seeks to improve utility affordability, reduce energy burden, and increase utility access of low-income New Mexicans. This policy brief describes the COVID-19 utility arrears crisis and the challenge with utility affordability and access more generally, and provides a section-by-section summary of H.B. 206.
Parent-Reported Outcomes of Early Childhood Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy for the Treatment of Spastic Diplegia.

Background A selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is employed to treat spastic cerebral palsy. The surgical techniques and patient care protocols vary among hospitals. One of the variations is the age cut-off for SDR. We have been advocating SDR to be performed early - especially at ages 2 and 3. With this study, we are reporting the feasibility and parent-reported surgical outcomes of receiving SDR at an early age for the treatment of spastic diplegia. Objectives Our aim is to examine the safety and benefits of receiving SDR at the ages of 2 and 3 for the treatment of spastic diplegia. Methods The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Washington University School of Medicine approved this retrospective quality of life survey and chart review (approval #202009056). The subjects of this study were children and teens (ages: 3.9-18.1) with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy who underwent SDR at ages 2 or 3 between years 2005 and 2019 at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Only domestic patients that were minors at the time of the study were selected to be participants in compliance with IRB regulations to protect patient health information that could potentially be breached by sending information to an incorrect or dated email. Thus, all contact was made through postal mail. The study included 141 patients from a total of 362 eligible patients. Parents of eligible patients were sent the research survey via postal mail. Only patients who responded to the survey were included in this study. The survey included questions on demographic information, quality of life, health perception, motor and ambulatory functions, braces and orthotics, pain issues, side effects of SDR, and post-SDR treatment. Results The study included 141 diplegic patients. Of all patients at the time of the study, 91% reported an improvement in walking, 92% in standing, and 89% in sitting. In daily life activities, 87% of patients became more independent after SDR. 65% of patients were able to walk without a walking aid and about 4% were not able to walk. 11% of all patients relied mostly on a wheelchair. Moreover, 43% of patients were able to run independently. Regarding post-SDR orthopedic surgery, 48% of patients received at least one type of orthopedic surgery, with Achilles tendon lengthening, hamstring lengthening, and calf muscle release being the most common types. Conclusions SDR performed at an early age through a single-level laminectomy was proved feasible and safe. A follow-up until the adult age (18 years) showed improvements in walking and other motor functions. The results support the implementation of early-age SDR for the treatment of spastic diplegia.
Genetic mapping and phenotypic analysis of shotH.3.2 in Drosophila melanogaster.

Genetic screens are used to identify genes involved in specific biological processes. An EMS mutagenesis screen in Drosophila melanogaster identified growth control phenotypes in the developing eye. One mutant line from this screen, H.3.2, was phenotypically characterized using the FLP/FRT system and genetically mapped by complementation analysis and genomic sequencing by undergraduate students participating in the multi-institution Fly-CURE consortium. H.3.2 was found to have a nonsense mutation in short stop (shot), anortholog of the mammalian spectraplakin dystonin (DST). shot and DST are involved in cytoskeletal organization and play roles during cell growth and proliferation.
Integer Overflow Detection with Delayed Runtime Test

Detecting integer overflow vulnerabilities is critical for software security. Many techniques have been proposed to dynamically detect integer overflow vulnerabilities by instrumenting integer overflow tests into target programs. Their major drawback is that they can produce many false positives. In this paper, we propose an approach to eliminate the false positives stemming from incorrectly or not considering the sanitization code in target programs that is designed by developers to catch integer overflows. Unlike prior work that performs integer overflow test at arithmetic operations, our approach delays the test until the locations where the result of the arithmetic operation is about to be used by sensitive operations. This approach allows the sanitization code to filter out integer overflows before our integer overflow tests take place. As a result, it will not produce false positives for integer overflows that can be caught by the sanitization code. We have implemented a prototype and our evaluation shows that it can effectively detect integer overflow vulnerabilities without producing false positives.
Integrating active learning activities and metacognition into STEM writing courses

While active learning is highly recognized and recommended in the educational community, instructors are still struggling with how to incorporate active learning tools into writing courses. In this article, we have 1) described specific challenges that we have encountered in the course of Molecular Cell Biology Laboratory-Critical Thinking through Writing (BIOL3810-CTW); 2) introduced the active learning approaches and metacognition integrated into this writing-intensive course; 3) demonstrated the effectiveness of these active learning approaches, and 4) shared the principles of integrating active learning activities into writing courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and beyond.
Quality Assurance and Characterization of Adhesives Used for NIC Target Assembly

AbstractUltraviolet (UV)-cured adhesives are used to assemble targets for the National Ignition Campaign. Since cure behavior and adhesive strength are critical to successful, leak-free production of targets, it is desirable to establish a testing procedure to verify the viability of adhesives. To measure reaction conversion, we used Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, viscometry, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) each specially adapted to allow UV exposure within the measuring instrument. We found that photo-DSC was the most sensitive technique of those we investigated for measuring conversion and reaction rate. The effect of adhesive age was measured. We found that as adhesives aged the total heat of reaction dropped.
Estimating homeless populations through structural equation modeling

This article overviews the results from a test of a model of homeless populations throughout the 3,141 counties of the United States. The data were extracted from the 1990 Census, a Census Bureau survey of its enumerators at completion of the census, and other governmental sources. The model was tested using the generally weighted least squares algorithm, as implemented under the Extended LISREL model. It was found that urbanization, servicetization, McKinney funding, and systematic error arising out of more vigilant enumeration efforts in urban areas, collectively explained 80% of the variation in rates of homelessness. The model was then used to correct for enumeration error and to estimate the actual levels of homelessness in both 1990 and 1995. The 1990 estimates were compared with the results of independent estimates for selected localities. After the adjustment for uneven enumeration efforts, the model suggests that a population of 479 thousand homeless persons in 1990, had declined to 383 thousand by 1995
Fairy Tales, Sexuality, and Gender in France, 1690-1715: Nostalgic Utopias

Between 1690 and 1715, well over one hundred literary fairy tales appeared in France, two-thirds of them written by women. This 1996 book explores why fashionable adults were attracted to this new literary genre and, integrating socio-historical, structuralist, and post-structuralist approaches, considers how it became a medium for reconceiving literary and historical discourses of sexuality and gender. The first part of the book considers how the marvellous is used to legitimize the genre, to exemplify theories of 'modern' culture, and to reaffirm women's potential as writers. The second part examines how specific groups of tales both reiterate and unsettle late seventeenth-century discourses of love, masculinity and femininity through conventions such as the romantic quest, the marriage closure, chivalric heroes and good and evil fairies.
The Evolution and Development of Human Social Cognition

Humans’ ancestors experienced intense selection pressures to develop enhanced social-cognitive abilities, facilitating the coevolution of an extended childhood, larger brain, and increased social complexity. This chapter describes the emergence of human social-cognitive abilities from an evolutionary developmental perspective, focusing on the importance of social interaction and epigenetic inheritance. The development of shared attention and referential communication, empathy, social learning, and theory of mind is discussed as it occurs in human children, and research demonstrating the importance of parent–child interactions and individual differences in maternal behavior during the development of these abilities is highlighted. A discussion of how these abilities are expressed in mother-reared and enculturated chimpanzees is also included and indicates that these animals possess substantial social-cognitive competencies, which, under certain rearing conditions, can be modified to resemble a more Homo sapiens way of thinking. This is strongly suggestive that our common ancestor with chimpanzees also possessed the neurological plasticity to adapt its behavior and cognition in response to changes in environmental conditions.
Academic Journals Covering the North American Jewish Community

Scholarly articles and book reviews in the field of Jewish Studies. Sponsored by the Association for Jewish Studies and published by Cambridge University Press.
MCDOCK: a Monte Carlo simulation approach to the molecular docking problem.

Prediction of the binding mode of a ligand (a drug molecule) to its macromolecular receptor, or molecular docking, is an important problem in rational drug design. We have developed a new docking method in which a non-conventional Monte Carlo (MC) simulation technique is employed. A computer program, MCDOCK, was developed to carry out the molecular docking operation automatically. The current version of the MCDOCK program (version 1.0) allows for the full flexibility of ligands in the docking calculations. The scoring function used in MCDOCK is the sum of the interaction energy between the ligand and its receptor, and the conformational energy of the ligand. To validate the MCDOCK method, 19 small ligands, the binding modes of which had been determined experimentally using X-ray diffraction, were docked into their receptor binding sites. To produce statistically significant results, 20 MCDOCK runs were performed for each protein–ligand complex. It was found that a significant percentage of these MCDOCK runs converge to the experimentally observed binding mode. The root-mean-square (rms) of all non-hydrogen atoms of the ligand between the predicted and experimental binding modes ranges from 0.25 to 1.84 A for these 19 cases. The computational time for each run on an SGI Indigo2/R10000 varies from less than 1 min to 15 min, depending upon the size and the flexibility of the ligands. Thus MCDOCK may be used to predict the precise binding mode of ligands in lead optimization and to discover novel lead compounds through structure-based database searching.
Enabling Peer-to-Peer Interactions for Scientific Applications on the Grid

P2P and Grid communities are actively working on deploying and standardizing infrastructure, protocols, and mechanisms, to support decentralized interactions across distributed resources. Such an infrastructure will enable new classes of applications based on continuous, seamless and secure interactions, where the application components, Grid services, resources and data interact as peers. This paper presents the design, implementation and evaluation of a peer-to-peer messaging framework that builds on the JXTA protocols to support the interaction and associated messaging semantics required by these applications.
Empower Foster Parents toward Caring Relations with Children.

Foster parents face many challenges in caring for children in foster care. Perhaps the major challenge is to achieve a caring environment for children who have experienced trauma and much change. Thus, this article provides ideas and strategies for nurturing foster parents toward a caring relationship with their children.
Ethnic differences in sexual behavior, condom use, and psychosocial variables among black and white men who have sex with men

We examined ethnic differences in psychosocial variables and sexual behavior with male partners for a sample of Black and White men who have sex with men (N = 515). Within the samples we defined bi...
Crushed ore agglomeration and its control for heap leach operations

Abstract Based on the extensive experience of heap leaching operations, crushed ore agglomeration can be successfully considered and utilized as a pretreatment step for the heap leaching of ores containing significant amounts of fines and clay minerals. The drum agglomeration is considered as a pretreatment step for the heap leaching of copper and gold ores whereas the agglomeration of uranium and nickel ores has received less attention over the past years. The acceptance of binder application for acidic leaching systems is limited primarily due to the lack of acid-tolerant binders. The use of binder depends mainly upon the cost considerations, impact on recovery and safe practice. Of equal importance are the quality control and characterization tools for the agglomerates to ensure better heap performance. This paper attempts to provide a concise overview of available quality control and characterization tools for crushed ore agglomeration with industrial examples from the gold, copper, nickel and uranium operations. Consequently, different agglomeration-heap leaching systems and their differences are summarized. The requirements for effective agglomeration, characteristics for an ideal agglomerate and integrated flowsheet of crushed ore agglomeration-heap leaching system are discussed.
Near infrared whole body imaging

Near infrared imaging (NIR), using dyes that emit between 700 and 900 nm, overcome many of the absorption and light scatter problems that have been associated with whole body and tissue imaging. This review summarises current areas in which NIR provides an excellent non-invasive technology for tracking and investigating molecular movement in vivo.
Comparison of transduction efficiency among various lentiviruses containing GFP reporter in bone marrow hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

HIV-derived lentiviral vectors have been used widely to transduce non-dividing cells, such as hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), in the setting of gene therapy. In this study, we screened lentiviral vectors for their ability to drive expression of the murine MHC class II chaperone, invariant chain (Ii) and a GFP reporter. The vectors included T2A vector with T2A-separated Ii and GFP under the same MSCV promoter, dual-promoter vectors with separate promoters for Ii and GFP (called MSCV or EF1a according to the promoter driving Ii expression), and a vector with EF1a driving a fusion of Ii/GFP (called Fusion vector). T2A and MSCV induced the highest levels of Ii and GFP expression, respectively, after direct transfection of 293T cells. All vectors except the Fusion vector drove expression of functional Ii, based on the enhancement of MHC class II level, which is a known consequence of Ii expression. Comparing the vectors after they were packaged into lentiviruses and used to transduce 293T, we found that MSCV and EF1a vectors mediated higher Ii and GFP expression. In ckit + bone marrow (BM) cells, MSCV still induced the highest Ii and GFP expression, whereas EF1a induced only robust Ii expression. Regardless of the vector, both Ii and GFP levels were significantly reduced in BM cells compared to 293T cells. When in vivo expression was assessed in cells derived from MSCV-transduced BM-HSCs, up to 80% of myeloid cells were GFP + , but no Ii expression was observed. In contrast, transplantation of EF1a-transduced BM-HSCs led to much higher in vivo Ii expression. Thus, among those compared, dual-promoter vector-based lentivirus with the EF1a promoter driving the gene of interest is optimal for murine BM-HSC transduction.
Two-particle transfer in O (6) nuclei☆

Abstract We present the first comparison between empirical two-neutron transfer strengths in Pt and Os nuclei and the predictions of the O (6) limiting symmetry of the interacting boson approximation model.
Frequency modulated X-ray diffraction II. Structures of multi-element disordered systems

Abstract The general theory of frequency modulated X-ray diffraction (FMXRD) described in paper I (Shevchik 1977) is applied to the problem of the determination of the structures of multi-element liquids and disordered solids. It is shown that the greatest advantage that FMXRD should have over conventional X-ray diffraction methods is that it can provide the radial distribution functions centred about particular elements in a multi-element system. Additional anticipated advantages of FMXRD are: (1) Compton scattering contributions should be negligible, and (2) electronic charge densities about particular atoms should be extractable directly from the diffraction data. It appears that the FMXRD techni que in some cases might be a more useful method for probing the local structure of particular elements than the X-ray absorption (EXAFS) technique.
Cardiolipin Affects the Supramolecular Organization of ATP Synthase in Mitochondria

F1F0 ATP synthase forms dimers that tend to assemble into large supramolecular structures. We show that the presence of cardiolipin is critical for the degree of oligomerization and the degree of order in these ATP synthase assemblies. This conclusion was drawn from the statistical analysis of cryoelectron tomograms of cristae vesicles isolated from Drosophila flight-muscle mitochondria, which are very rich in ATP synthase. Our study included a wild-type control, a cardiolipin synthase mutant with nearly complete loss of cardiolipin, and a tafazzin mutant with reduced cardiolipin levels. In the wild-type, the high-curvature edge of crista vesicles was densely populated with ATP synthase molecules that were typically organized in one or two rows of dimers. In both mutants, the density of ATP synthase was reduced at the high-curvature zone despite unchanged expression levels. Compared to the wild-type, dimer rows were less extended in the mutants and there was more scatter in the orientation of dimers. These data suggest that cardiolipin promotes the ribbonlike assembly of ATP synthase dimers and thus affects lateral organization and morphology of the crista membrane.
Potential Roles of Black Churches in HIV/AIDS Prevention

Abstract This study examines the role of Black churches in AIDS/HIV prevention. This is a pilot survey study design administered to 11 churches represented by 11 ministers and one church member. The analysis is both qualitative and quantitative. The results showed that most of the ministers had spoken with their congregation on HIV/AIDS. A few ministers had previously sponsored or taken part in HIV/AIDS workshops and disseminated HIV/AIDS educational material in the African American community. None of the churches had an established HIV/AIDS prevention program. Most of the ministers were receptive to implementing an HIV/AIDS prevention program, provided that it did not violate the church doctrines. The findings in this study suggest that Black churches represent an important potential resource for HIV/AIDS prevention. For success, the initial strategy should involve the minister in the early planning stage. Future research should focus on expanding the scope of this study and improving communication betwe...
Hadronic signature of critical behavior and final state randomization

Abstract Hadronic observables are examined in search for signatures of critical behavior in quark-hadron phase transition. The 2D Ising model is used to simulate hadronic cluster formation on the surface of the expanding cylinder in a heavy-ion collision. Two measures involving the fluctuations of the produced hadrons in bins of various sizes are investigated. They are found to exhibit the canonical power-law behavior near the critical temperature. Final-state randomization is found not to have significant effect on the critical exponents.
Embedded plasmonic-enhanced quantum well infrared photodetector

Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) is an attractive candidate for long-wave infrared detection but is limited due its low quantum efficiency and its polarization sensitivity. Here we propose a detector with an embedded plasmonic structure surrounding the detector that is protected. Our detector uses an array of pillars surrounded by a plasmonic metal and contacted from the top making one “super pixel”. This structure is within close proximity of the active medium and is protected by the top contact. This configuration also eliminates non-absorbing semiconductor eliminating significant dark current.
Optimal self-employment income tax enforcement

Abstract Most models of optimal income tax enforcement assume that income is either random or solely remunerates labor, neglecting that auditing strategies may depend on observable inputs. This paper outlines a model to optimally monitor self-employed entrepreneurs when, in addition to reported profits, the tax collection agency also observes the number of workers employed (or any other input variable) at each firm. We show that, by conditioning the monitoring strategy only on labor input, it is optimal for the IRS to audit firms in a way that generates some empirical regularities, like the missing middle. We also show that the optimal direct mechanism can be implemented by an indirect monitoring strategy that is consistent with actual IRS practices. In particular, the IRS calculates inputted income as function of labor. Whenever an entrepreneur reports profits that are lower than inputted income, she is randomly monitored. Finally, we formalize a model of optimal presumption taxation, in which inputted income is the tax base, to compare revenue collection across tax systems.
Canine transmissible venereal sarcoma: Leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) reactivity of various lymphoid tissues of dogs with tumors at different stages of growth

Leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) reactivity of various lymphoid tissues of dogs with canine transmissible venereal sarcoma (CTVS) at different stages of growth was determined by the tube LAI test. Tumors were classified at the time of excision into progressor, steady state, and regressor stages of growth. The LAI reactivity to CTVS antigen extract of spleen, draining and non-draining lymph-node cells, and peripheral blood leukocytes of regressors (non-adherence index--NAI of 172.8 +/- 46.8, 148.1 +/- 64.7, 138.7 +/- 47.3, and 172.2 +/- 60.7, respectively) was significantly greater than that of progressors (46.1 +/- 20.0, 38.5 +/- 21.5, 50.2 +/- 30.0, 24,6 +/- 37.2, respectively, p less than 0.001) and normal dogs (47.5 +/- 22.8, 54.6 +/- 24.6, 26.7 +/- 14.0, 50.9 +/- 22.4, respectively, p less than 0.001). In contrast, LAI reactivity of progressor lymphoid tissues to CTVS antigen extract did not differ significantly from that of normal dogs. LAI reactivity of lymphoid tissues from steady state tumor bearers (97.9 +/- 39.2, 80.7 +/- 47.3, 87.1 +/- 40.0, 85.1 +/- 53,9, respectively) was intermediate between and significantly different from LAI reactivities of regressor (p less than 0.05) and progressor (p less than 0.01) lymphoid tissues. Significant LAI reactivity observed in regressors suggests the presence of a functional effector cell mechanism associated with spontaneous regression of CTVS. The three distinct patterns of LAI reactivity observed in tumor-bearing dogs appear to correlate with the clinical course of tumor growth.
Production of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters via the In Situ Transesterification of Soybean Oil in Carbon Dioxide-Expanded Methanol

The production of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) by direct alkali- and acid-catalyzed in situ transesterification of soybean flakes in CO2-expanded methanol was examined at various temperatures and pressures. Attempts to synthesize FAME from soy flakes via alkaline catalysis, using sodium methoxide as a catalyst, in gas-expanded methanol were unsuccessful. However, performing the reactions in 54 mL of a 1.2 N sulfuric acid-methanol mixture containing 50% mole fraction CO2 resulted in an 88.3 (±1.5)% conversion of the triacylglycerol (TAG) in 22.5 g soy flakes to FAME within 10 h. Decreasing the total volume of the liquid phase by one-third from 54 mL to 36 mL, while keeping the mmol of acid and all other variables constant, resulted in an 88.2(±5.0)% conversion of triglyceride to FAME. Quantitative HPLC analysis showed that 99.8 and 92.3% of the total mass balance for FAME, TAG, and free fatty acid (FFA) could be accounted for in the reactions performed at the liquid-phase volumes of 54 and 36 mL, respectively. The overall results show that the introduction of CO2 into the system increases the rate of reaction by as much as 2.5 fold in comparison to control reactions without CO2. Additionally, we observed a direct correlation between FAME yield and the concentration of acid catalyst. We also determined by nitrogen analysis that at least 82.9% of protein is retained in the lipid-free soy flakes after acid-catalyzed in situ transesterification in CO2-expanded methanol.
Gradient correction in Thomas-Fermi theory.

A new derivation of the Weizsacker-type gradient corrections to Thomas-Fermi (TF) kinetic energy functional is presented. The development is based on the first-order reduced density matrix as obtained from the one-body Green's function in the mean-path approximation devised for the purpose, using the Feynman path-integral approach; the mean-path approximation turns out to be essentially equivalent to the eikonal approximation used in quantum collision theory for high-energy collisions. This derivation agrees with the conventional gradient expansion truncated at second order, in that it gives the kinetic energy functional of the TF-(1/9)W model, that is, the sum of the original TF kinetic energy and (1/9) of the Weizsacker gradient correction. However, in the present derivation, TF-(1/9)W results from a reduced density matrix of closed form; the original TF local relation between particle, density, and one-body potential is preserved; and the kinetic energy density contains a Laplacian of particle density with a factor half of that from the gradient expansion. Most significantly, the TF-(1/9)W kinetic energy functional is the consequence of representing both the diagonal and off-diagonal elements of the density matrix correctly to zero order through the mean-path approximation to the one-body Green's function, whereas in the conventional TF approximation, the zero order of the gradient expansion, off-diagonal elements are not correct to the same order. Other results of the present approach include a nonlocal exchange energy functional of density, a one-body effective potential that contains a contribution from the kinetic energy functional derivative, and the construction of closed-form density matrices that give various kinetic energy functionals of TF-\ensuremath{\lambda}W form (justifying various existing empirical \ensuremath{\lambda} values). Also presented are the results of numerical calculation for rare-gas atoms of TFD-\ensuremath{\lambda}W models (TFD denotes Thomas-Fermi-Dirac) with \ensuremath{\lambda}=(1/3), 0.186, (1/6), and (1/9). .AE
Pīrān und Zeyāratgāh: Schreine und Wallfahrtsstätten der Zarathustrier im neuzeitlichen Iran

Pīrān und Zeyāratgāh: Schreine und Wallfahrtsstatten der Zarathustrier im neuzeitlichen Iran , by Robert Langer, Peeters: Leuven, 2008, xviii + 1 DVD + illustrations + 708pp. ISBN 978 90 429 2193 1...
The Role of the Toxicology Laboratory in Emergency Medicine

The toxicology laboratory can provide diagnostic and prognostic information relevant to an alleged acute poisoning. To do this effectively, the clinician must cooperate by providing suitable specimens to and dialogue with the laboratory. The many simple laboratory tests that enable prompt qualitative results relevant to diagnosis as well as those more elegant procedures required for prognosis are briefly described. The toxicologist, by promptly reporting the results of these tests to the clinician and assisting in their interpretation, helps insure optimal patient care.
Prepollination degeneration in mature synergids of pearl millet: an examination using antimonate fixation to localize calcium

The pattern of degeneration in mature synergids of pearl millet prior to pollination was examined by transmission electron microscopy after conventional and antimonate fixation to precipitate loosely sequestered calcium (Ca). The extent of degeneration and the distribution of Ca in a synergid varied among samples, and also between some sister synergids. However, there seemed to be no difference between sister synergids in the total amount of precipitates present in each cell. Characteristic signs of degeneration in the antimonatefixed synergids were: a gap above the filiform apparatus with fibrillar material, precipitates, and fusing or disintegrating membranes; increased precipitates in the nucleus, nucleolus, and endoplasmic reticulum; fusion or collapse of a few vacuoles in the chalazal core with precipitates and flocculent material deposited nearby. The numerous mitochondria and proplastids in the micropylar portion of the synergid remained intact and mostly free of precipitates. The shape and content of the chalazal vacuoles appeared to be disparate and dependent on the fixation procedure as well as the extent of degeneration within a synergid. The results suggest that the sister synergids of pearl millet undergo autonomous degeneration apparently in two independent sequences that may be spatially and temporally separated. The vacuoles appear to be dynamic organelles that store Ca in association with some other material. A high concentration of Ca may be localized along or between the common wall of the two filiform apparatuses.
Numerical Analysis of a Novel Thermoplastic Sandwich Core Material

A numerical investigation of the behavior of a novel thermoplastic honeycomb core material was conducted. This sandwich core material, known as Norcore, consists of interconnected cells in a unique configuration of truncated pyramid with sloping cell walls. A finite element model of the unit cell structure was constructed using shell elements. Mechanical properties of polycarbonate core specimens of 25.4 mm and 50.8 mm thickness without facings reported by the manufacturer were used for comparisons with finite element analysis.
Mechanics of the push-out process from in situ measurement of the stress distribution along embedded sapphire fibers

Abstract The basic mechanics of the fiber push-out process are studied by measuring the stress distributions along c-axis sapphire fibers in γ-TiAl matrices. The stress measurements were made in situ during fiber push-out tests using a piezo-spectroscopy method. By focussing an optical microprobe into a sapphire fiber, the frequency shift distribution of the characteristics R lines of Cr3+, and hence the stress distribution along the fiber were determined at each increment of applied load. By comparing the measured stress distributions with ones calculated using finite element method, key mechanical parameters including residual stress before composite slicing, debond length at each load, debond energy and the frictional stress along the interface in both debonding and sliding phases were determined. Two coating systems (Mo/Al2O3 and CVD-C/Al2O3) were studied. The results also show that while the debond energies differ by an order of magnitude, the frictional stresses are very similar in magnitude, suggesting that the interface morphology is of greater importance than the nature of the coating.
A CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF HUMAN NEUROGLIA.

The results and conclusions of the above investigation are: 1. The term glio-sarcoma should be dropped, as unscientific and misleading in its significance. 2. The problems regarding neuroglia demand varied methods for their adequate study. 3. With all the means at our command, the absolute determination of the relation of cells and fibres in individual cases remains difficult and at times impossible. 4. No criterion has yet been offered to determine a fundamental distinction between glioma and sarcoma (Stroebe); and secondly, between glioma and so-called gliosis (Weigert). 5. The development of neuroglia in all probability is from cells with protoplasmic processes to cells with differentiated and independent fibres. 6. Herein lies a possible reconciliation of the conflicting views concerning the ultimate structure of human neuroglia.