cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High School Academics: Increasing the Standard

Beyond heightened academic requirements, student athletes face a multitude of tasks including weight training, practice, film review, and travel for competition. This makes the student’s life complex. As student athletes progress through their educational experience, they experience higher structured time demands in regard to their sport participation, this being very true for college freshman. “Many studies over the past ten years have documented the disconnect between what high school teachers teach and what postsecondary instructors expect with regard to students’ preparation for first-year credit-bearing courses in college” (Venezia & Jaeger, 2013, p. 119). As a result, states have adopted the Common Core in an attempt to level the educational field and prepare students for college rigor and their chosen career field. Meanwhile, the NCAA has also increased its initial eligibility rules to ensure incoming student athletes are ready for college rigor and athletic participation. However, the state and NCAA academic requirements have increased at different rates. As a result, student athletes are potentially unprepared for the academic rigors and challenges of college. In this study, I compared all 50 state course completion requirements to the 2014 NCAA initial eligibility standards. The results of this study show the specific qualitative differences in the interscholastic and intercollegiate academic requirements. Based on these differences, I provide recommendations of how interscholastic policy makers can adjust their academic requirements to align them better to those at the intercollegiate level. Subscribe to TPE
Using Indocyanine Green Extraction to Predict Liver Function After Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Purpose To test the hypothesis that mid-treatment measures of the retention of indocyanine green after 15 minutes (ICGR15) would improve the prediction of posttreatment liver function in the setting of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods and Materials Between 2006 and 2015, 144 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma received 175 courses of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Patient data, such as age, sex, portal vein thrombosis, cirrhosis, Child-Pugh (CP) score, prior liver-directed therapies, and liver function tests, including albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) and ICG clearance, and dosimetric data, such as tumor volume and radiation dose, were collected. Toxicity was evaluated as a 2-point increase in CP score or a change in ALBI score at 3 months from start of SBRT. Logistic or linear regression was used to build toxicity prediction models based on patient and tumor characteristics and ICG clearance variables. Performance of the models for the binary CP outcome was summarized using area under the curve and receive operating characteristic curves. Likelihood ratio tests were used to evaluate whether the model fit improved after incorporating the ICG variable information. Results In multivariable analysis age, baseline ICGR15, and change in ICGR15 were associated with toxicity defined by increased CP score. For the continuous ALBI outcome, being female, having cirrhosis, and increasing radiation dose were associated with increased toxicity. When incorporating ICGR15 into these models, an increase in ICGR15 from baseline to mid-treatment was most consistently significantly associated with an increase in toxicity. Conclusions Incorporation of ICGR15 variables significantly improves the prediction of post-SBRT liver function. The use of ICGR15 can facilitate the delivery of the maximum safe dose of radiation for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and has the potential to improve uncomplicated tumor control and survival.
Theoretical Approaches to US Foreign Policy

This chapter analyzes the main theories that have guided US foreign policy. First, it introduces the main doctrines, actors, and current debates regarding US foreign policy. Second, it introduces the realist political thought and analyzes how much realism has guided US foreign policy. Afterward, it introduces the liberalist political thought and an analysis of the main debates within liberalism. A special place is given to the Democratic Peace theory, a liberalist theory that has guided US foreign policy since Woodrow Wilson. Realism and liberalism are the main theories in international relations and political science, and it is important for this work to touch upon them in discussing the US foreign policy. But, these theories are only analyzed in the context of how much they have influenced the US policymaking and not in much detail about theoretical concepts.
Beyond Sensory Coding: The Cognitive Context of Olfactory Neurodynamics

The local field potential from the mammalian olfactory system displays several oscillatory modes. Gamma oscillations (40–100 Hz) are associated with odor stimulation in the olfactory bulb (OB) and are enhanced with odor discrimination learning in a 2-alternative choice task when odors are very similar. Beta oscillations (15–30 Hz) are associated with learning in a go/no-go task. These two oscillatory modes represent different cognitive states, and different networks appear to support them. Gamma oscillations are produced locally within the OB, while beta oscillations rely on bidirectional connections with the rest of the olfactory and limbic systems. These results help elucidate the context-dependent sensory representation seen at every neurophysiological level in the OB.
Geometric Growth and the Hand-Held Calculator.

The idea appealed to me, but I suggested that the teacher "back off" and ask the same question about payment schemes be fore (1) and (2) were introduced, especially since each of the students in this class had a hand-held calculator. The suggested rou tine (which has since been used) was the following: Have the students prepare a table ?sting the window number, the price per window using method b, the total pay ment (to the window just completed) using ?>, and the total payment using method a. By using a hand-held calculator having eightor nine-digit displays, table 1 can be prepared in a few minutes. A break was purposely made in this table after window 19. No student contin ued to a complete table past this point, as all had noticed that the "game was up" at window 14 and strategy b would be opti mal. Several students did complete the table as illustrated. A question that follows very naturally would be "How much would I have to pay per window so that both strategies would yield the same final total?" With a calcu lator one quickly solves
Demonstration of Isoantigenic Receptors on Human Epidermal Cells and Established Cell Lines

This paper describes mixed agglutination and serum absorption experiments for the demonstration of A, B, H, M, N, D, C, E, c and e isoantigens in human epidermal cells and cultured cells. It was found that only A, B and H antigens are present on human epidermal cells and that this does not appear to be related to the secretor status of the donor. The same antigens were also examined on six different established human cell strains (HeLa, EE, ERK-1, Maben, Chang conjunctiva, Chang liver), and one established mouse cell strain (L). It was found that the H antigen persists in established human cell cultures. The M antigen which is not seen in normal epithelial cells can be demonstrated on HeLa cells by mixed agglutination reaction and by absorption experiments. Guinea pig antisera against established cell lines of human origin were found to contain a small fraction of agglutinins with H specificity, but no anti-M, anti-N or anti-Rh agglutinins.
Expression of Fibronectins by Cells in Culture

Studies of FN in vivo usually do not allow determination of the sources(s) of the FNs detected. Analyses of FN in cell cultures can obviously be performed using the same immunolocalization techniques applied to FN in tissue sections (Sections 2.4. and 3.3) and the various quantitative immunoassays (Sections 2.5, 2.6, and 2.7) used in studies of FN in body fluids (Section 3.2) but also allow application of other methods. Tissue culture readily lends itself to investigations of the biosynthesis of FN by identified cell types, allowing proof of their ability to synthesize FN and analyses of the type of FN synthesized and of its fate (secretion as a soluble molecule, or incorporation into an insoluble matrix).
The Role of Nutrition in the Cause and Prevention of Digestive Cancers

The nutritional factors associated with digestive cancers are numerous and vary widely by geographic region and cancer type. The factors related to risk include micronutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, riboflavin, calcium, and zinc. Macronutrients such as dietary fat and fiber have been studied mainly in association with colorectal cancers but because different aspects of the human diet are complexly interrelated, the role of these factors in other digestive cancers can not be excluded. Non-nutritive exposures in the diet such as alcohol or carcinogens and mutagens resulting from poor food preservation also show association to digestive cancer risk, particularly cancers of the upper gastrointestinal tract. The evidence linking diet to cancer risk is strong and world-wide trends in stomach cancer suggest to many that large scale prevention by dietary change may be feasible.
Minimally Invasive Evacuation of Spontaneous Cerebellar Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Objective Spontaneous cerebellar intracerebral hemorrhage (scICH) constitutes ∼10% of all cases of spontaneous ICH, with a mortality of 20%–50%. Suboccipital craniectomy (SOC) is commonly performed for scICH causing brainstem compression or hydrocephalus. However, SOC requires long anesthesia times and results in a high complication rate. We present a series of patients who minimally invasive scICH evacuation as an alternative to traditional SOC. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the operative records for patients presenting to a single center from January 1, 2009 to March 1, 2017. All patients who had undergone evacuation of scICH were included in the present study. Clinical and radiographic variables were collected, including admission and postoperative Glasgow coma scale (GCS) scores, preoperative and postoperative hematoma volumes, and modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores at long-term follow-up. Results We identified 10 patients who had presented with scICH requiring surgery. All scICH evacuations were performed through a minicraniectomy positioned in the suboccipital area as close to the hematoma as possible. The mean patient age was 64.1 years. The mean presenting GCS score was 8.6, the mean initial hematoma volume was 25.4 mL, the mean procedure time was 57 minutes, and the mean postoperative hematoma volume was 2.8 mL. The mortality rate was 10% and mean long-term follow-up mRS score was 2. Conclusions Minimally invasive scICH hematoma evacuation is a feasible alternative to SOC with numerous advantages that could lead to improved radiographic and clinical results.
An Antidote for Gobbledygook: Organizing the Judge's Partisan Gerrymandering Toolkit into a Two-Part Framework

The Supreme Court appears ready to limit extreme partisan gerrymanders. However, defining "extreme" is a challenging proposition, since individual states differ in their political geography and legal circumstances. Many measurement tools have emerged that probe the questions of whether a redistricting map is extreme, or violates the principle of partisan symmetry. Here we provide a framework for categorizing these tests. Our framework explains how measures should be interpreted and identifies which tests will be most effective, given the specific facts of a particular state. Broadly, the tests can be divided into two categories: those that identify inequality of opportunity, i.e. a systematic deprivation of one side's ability to elect representatives; and those that identify inequality of outcome, i.e. a durable distortion in the amount of representation. In each case, the baseline for comparison is what would occur under districting processes in which partisan interests are not the overriding consideration. A general thread is that of "significance testing," in which a district or statewide districting scheme can be defined as more extreme than the great majority of possibilities that could arise incidentally through a districting process driven by criteria other than extreme partisanship. Such tests are most often done with well-established classical statistical tests, but can also include recently-developed measures such as the efficiency gap. Many of these measures can be evaluated by a judge or clerk, with minimal need for reliance on expert witnesses. It is even now possible to evaluate, with mathematical rigor, whether a specific scheme is extreme relative to the virtually uncountable universe of possible maps. Taken together, these methods for detecting extremes comprise a statistical toolbox to address a wide variety of circumstances that may arise in the post-Whitford, post-Benisek environment.
Methodological Problems in Evaluating Drug Misuse Intervention Programmes

In response to the problem of widespread illicit drug use in the late 1960’s, numerous intervention programmes were instituted in the absence of careful planning and tested hypotheses. A great amount of resources in time, energy, and money has been expended in preventive efforts. As the costs of these programmes have spiraled upward, with few apparent successes, the trend has been toward critical assessment of the efficacy of these efforts.
Don’t fear the meter: How longer time limits bias managers to prefer hiring with flat fee compensation

Abstract Time limits and deadlines are pervasive in organizational settings. Managers work under time limits themselves and also manage time limits for others. While the motivational effect of time limits on individual and group performance has been studied, little is known about how time limits shape people’s consequential decisions that involve reasoning about others’ behavior. We investigate the effect of time limits on managers’ choice of compensation schemes for hiring temporary workers in games with financial consequences. We find a biased preference among managers for flat fees over time-metered fees, particularly under longer time limits, resulting in lost earnings for managers. The sub-optimal choices occur because managers over-estimate task completion time, which in turn is driven by both beliefs about workers’ behavior and about the perceived scope of the task. The bias is accordingly eliminated only when both workers’ incentives are decoupled from time limits and managers are provided with information about the scope of work. The robust effect of longer time limits on preference for flat fees, even when the time limits are irrelevant and non-informative, is observed regardless of whether task quality is fixed or variable, and persists among actual managers.
1452 Development of a Postoperative Opioid Prescription Practice Algorithm for Benign Gynecologic Surgery (POPP Algorithm)

Study Objective To determine if gynecologic surgery patients have satisfactory postoperative pain control when the POPP algorithm is used to guide the quantity of opioid medication prescribed. The secondary aim is to see if this algorithm leads to less opioid tablets prescribed after gynecologic surgery compared to past opioid prescription records. Design Prospective observational study, with a secondary comparison to a de-identified, retrospective dataset Setting A large military medical center Patients or Participants Women ≥18 years-old undergoing benign gynecologic surgery Interventions Using existing data on opioid use after gynecologic surgery, we developed a simple algorithm to guide physicians in their opioid prescribing practices. Using the algorithm, the physician prescribes a set quantity of opioids, accounting for the type of surgery performed and the presence of certain patient characteristics. Patient demographic and background information are collected, both from a brief survey and the medical record. The researcher contacts patients 2 weeks post-operatively to conduct a brief survey to determine postoperative pain satisfaction and the quantity of opioid tablets remaining. Measurements and Main Results Upon study completion, data analysis will determine if the algorithm provided patients with adequate opioid medication by looking at the number of patients that required refills, the median number of tablets consumed after each procedure type, correlation of opioid use with other factors, and patient perception of pain control. We will compare quantity of opioids prescribed using the POPP algorithm to the quantity prescribed to a retrospective cohort of similar patients. We will adjust generalized linear models using patient and surgical co-variates to identify if algorithm prescribing is significantly lower than non-algorithm prescribing. Conclusion Preliminary data demonstrates the POPP algorithm, when used for patients undergoing benign gynecologic surgery, results in satisfactory postoperative pain control, an adequate quantity of opioid medication for most patients, and less excess opioids dispensed.
A case study on the efficacy of root phenotypic selection for edaphic stress tolerance in low-input agriculture: Common bean breeding in Mozambique

Abstract Increasing common bean production, through the development and release of new phosphorus (P) efficient cultivars with improved root phenotypes in Mozambique was made possible by integrated physiology, agroecology, and social science research into a breeding pipeline. Social science research on small-holder farmers identified increased production in low fertility soils and ability to improve soil as primary constraints. Identification of root phenes improving P capture by physiological research enabled breeding to select for specific phene states rather than coarse yield-based metrics. This selection process targeted root phenes such as basal root whorl number (BRWN), basal root growth angle (BRGA) and long, dense root hairs. Agroecological research identified positive impacts of P efficient bean lines for enhanced utilization of rock phosphate, reduced soil erosion, greater biological nitrogen fixation, and acceptable competition with maize in polyculture. Socioeconomic research evaluated factors affecting adoption, dissemination and marketing and assessed the impacts of adoption of the new varieties on food security, farm income, women, children and men in specific rural populations. This case study illustrates how trait-based breeding programs, and specifically root ideotype breeding, can successfully utilize a multidisciplinary approach to release new varieties likely to be accepted by farmers and have broad impact on food security, small-holder farmer income and soil health.
Evaluation of lead equivalence of radiation protection apparatuses as a function of tube potential and spectral shaping filter.

PURPOSE This study aims to evaluate the lead equivalence (LE) of radiation protective apparatuses under various combinations of tube potentials and spectral shaping filter. METHOD In this study, the commercially available 3M™ Lead Foil Tape 421, with nominal lead thickness of 0.1 mm, was employed to determine the LE of four different radiation protective apparatuses. The LE of protective apparatus was determined by utilizing the X-ray transmission curves obtained with the lead foil tape at 60-120 kVp in combination with the spectral shaping filters of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 mmCu. The experimental setup and test method, for the transmission measurements with narrow beam geometry, was performed in accordance to ASTM Designation F2547-18 Standards. All measurements were obtained using cardiovascular interventional angiography system. RESULTS A much larger discrepancies between the measured LE and stated (nominal) LE were observed at low tube potential ( 80 kVp) and thicker spectral shaping filters, the measured LE appears to be more consistent with the manufacturer specified nominal thickness for the protective apparatus investigated. On the other hand, for the lead protective eyeglasses, the measured lead equivalence of both the lead side shield and the lens of eyeglasses (0.38 and 0.85 mmPb respectively) are consistent across all tube voltage. CONCLUSION The conventional specification of LE without considering spectral shaping filter is a valid measure for tube voltages at and above 80 kVp. The measured LE generally exceed the specifications. The difference is most significant at lower tube potentials, and especially with thicker spectral shaping filters. At higher voltages (>100 kVp), the measured LE and the nominal LE are in good agreement with each other irrespective of the spectral shaping filter thickness.
Extending the mixed-effects model to consider within-subject variance for Ecological Momentary Assessment data

Ecological Momentary Assessment data present some new modeling opportunities. Typically, there are sufficient data to explicitly model the within-subject (WS) variance, and in many applications, it is of interest to allow the WS variance to depend on covariates as well as random subject effects. We describe a model that allows multiple random effects per subject in the mean model (eg, random location intercept and slopes), as well as random scale in the error variance model. We present an example of the use of this model on a real dataset and a simulation study that shows the benefit of this model, relative to simpler approaches.
Correlations of lymphatic vessel density and clinicopathologic parameters in gastric carcinoma detected by D2-40

Objective To investigate the correlations of lymphatic vessel density (LVD)and clinicopathologic parameters in gastric carcinoma. Methods The expression of monoclonal antibody D2-40 was detected by immunohistochemistry and to count LVD in gastric carcinoma. Results LVD mean was 18.19.7 in 52 cases of gastric carcinoma. 19. 9010. 13 and 16. 449.62 in the peritumoural and intratumoural area,respectively, were significantly higher than 6.583.87 in normal gastric tissue (P＜0.05 ).23.211.6 of poorly-differentiated was significantly higher than 15.75.9 of differentiated in peritumoural area( P＜0.05 ). 21. 910. 8 in lymphatic metastasis was obviously higher than 14.95.9 in non-metastasis( P＜0.05). LVD of edges in gastric carcinoma was not related with invasion depth and clinical stage(P＞0.05 ). There no was significant difference between LVD in peritumoral and intratumoural areas (P＞0.05). Conclusion LVD in the peritumoural and intratumoural area were significantly higher than in normal gastric tissue, and closely associated with differentiation degree and mestasis. It is suggest that LVD increasing may be concerned with metastasis in gastric carcinoma. Key words: Stomach neoplasm; D2-40; Lymphatic vessel density; Metastasis
Evaluation of Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Integration With Hospital Electronic Health Records by US County-Level Opioid Prescribing Rates.

This cross-sectional study assesses the level of electronic health record (EHR) and prescription drug monitoring program integration in hospitals in US counties with vs without high opioid prescribing rates.
Catora: congestion avoidance through transmission ordering and resource awareness in delay tolerant networks

The proliferation of wireless mobile devices encourages research into their employment to form delay tolerant networks (DTN) for such applications as disaster response, military communications, and crowdsourcing. Within a DTN, messages are exchanged between nodes following a store-carry-forward paradigm, which is notably susceptible to congestion and can lead to a crippling in network performance. A DTN’s time-dynamic topology departs from traditional network definitions in its unpredictable and volatile nature, thus prohibiting the effective adoption of traditional network solutions to this problem. In this paper, the Catora system is proposed as a multi-copy message exchange and buffer management system designed to both aid in the delivery of prioritized messages and mitigate congestion and its degradation. Operating around the distinct ordering of messages for transfer, delivery, and deletion, Catora propagates messages so as to balance their dissemination, hasten the delivery of high priority messages, and avoid congestion through strategic buffer management. Simulations using two real-world datasets demonstrate Catora’s capability to quickly deliver more messages at reduced overhead costs when compared to benchmarks and the state-of-the-art, even when the network suffers from congestion.
Delayed hypoxia during pediatric posterior spinal fusion secondary to intraoperative pneumothorax: Case report

Rarely will a pneumothorax caused intraoperatively not manifest signs such as hypoxia, tachypnea, and tachycardia until later. If this occurs, diagnosis and treatment with needle decompression or chest tube must happen quickly for patient safety.
Abstract IA-18: Epithelial cell plasticity in pancreatic cancer: The function and fate of metaplastic tuft cells

The pancreas is a notoriously plastic organ. In pancreatitis and early in the transformation process, pancreatic acinar cells give rise to a relatively homogeneous metaplastic duct phenotype. By modulating developmental transcription factor networks metaplastic duct cells then transdifferentiate to other epithelial derivatives including chemosensory tuft cells and neuroendocrine-like adenocarcinoma. To determine the function of metaplastic tuft cells (MTCs), we ablated the taste receptor associated G-protein GNAT3 in the context of pancreatic neoplasia. We found an accelerated progression of benign pancreatic neoplasia to pancreatic cancer, a phenotype attributable to a reactive upregulation of CXCL1 and CXCL2, and a resulting influx of immunosuppressive granulocytic MDSCs. To determine the fate of MTCs, we used a novel dual recombinase system to lineage trace their fate through pancreatic cancer progression, finding that they give rise to a unique subset of cells within invasive adenocarcinoma. Citation Format: Howard C. Crawford. Epithelial cell plasticity in pancreatic cancer: The function and fate of metaplastic tuft cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer; 2020 Sep 29-30. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(22 Suppl):Abstract nr IA-18.
Media Rituals and Memory: Exploring the Historical Phenomenology of American Local Television:

For more than two decades during the mid-20th century, local entertainment television shaped daily experience across the United States. Although often viewed as trivial by historians, these extinct...
The dynamic effect of coronary artery bypass grafting on the instantaneous wave-free ratio in the collateral donor artery of a patient with chronic total occlusion

Physiological assessment is challenging in patients with multivessel disease (MVD) with a chronic total occlusion (CTO) and may result in inappropriate treatment decisions. We report herein, for the first time to our knowledge, on the dynamic changes of the instantaneous wave-free ratio in the CTO collateral donor artery before and after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Our case highlights the paramount importance of collateral circulation when interpreting invasive indices of coronary stenosis severity to guide decision-making for CABG in MVD patients with a CTO. This may be particularly relevant to reduce the risk of early graft failure in patients with MVD undergoing CABG.
Same-Sex and Different-Sex Relationships: Is it Time for Convergence?

Two long-term shifts in the family have remade family law in the United States. One involves the fight of same-sex families for recognition. Barred access to marriage and in many jurisdictions to adoption, same-sex couples have fought for the expanded use of contract and newly created statuses to forge families of choice. During the same period, different-sex couples have also forged new types of families as marriage has become optional, and couples age and bear and raise children in the context of more fragile relationships. The courts have responded to these two developments through the use of different doctrines, sometimes extending, for example, domestic partnerships and civil unions solely to partners who could not marry, or sometimes interpreting equitable principles to recognize same-sex partners without a biological tie as parents of a child while addressing the parental standing of traditional step-parents through a different set of legal doctrines. This chapter argues that three developments, in particular, may drive that convergence. The first is the ability of same-sex couples to marry. This raises the issue of whether marriage will become a bright-line marker between committed couples and those in more contingent relationships, particularly in determining parental responsibility at birth. The second involves the continuing role of functional parentage. Will doctrines such as parentage by estoppel, de facto parentage, and psychological parentage that helped same-sex parents gain recognition be extended to stepparents and other different sex partners or will they decline in importance? Third, the chapter considers recognition of more than two legal parents and argues that the key to acknowledging the role of sperm donors, stepparents and other third parties is the creation of statuses that may involve the unequal allocation of parental rights and responsibilities. In all cases, however, evolving family law principles should not depend on the sex of the parties.
Improved print quality in fused filament fabrication through localized dispensing of hot air around the deposited filament

Abstract Bonding between polymer filaments deposited during Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is a critical process that determines the quality of the printed part. This process is governed by the temperature history of the deposited filament. In general, the longer the filament stays above glass transition temperature, the greater is the quality of bonding. This paper presents a technique to enhance FFF quality by localized dispensing of hot air from nozzles integrated with the main polymer-dispensing nozzle, thereby providing a hot micro-environment around the filament. The temperature field during this process is measured using infrared thermography. It is shown that under the correct process conditions, this approach results in significantly reduced heat transfer from the filament, thereby increasing the cool down time and improving the quality of bonding with the adjacent filaments. The improved thermal history of the filament due to hot air dispensing is shown to translate into increased neck size, leading to 35% increase in thermal conductivity, 19% increase in tensile strength and 145% increase in tensile toughness. Compared to other thermal techniques for improving the FFF process proposed in the past, the present approach provides a highly localized, in situ thermal enhancement of the local environment around the deposited filament, and integrates seamlessly with the filament-dispensing nozzle. It is expected that the technique described here may help improve the quality of FFF process and enable the printing of parts with improved thermal and mechanical properties.
Statistical Mechanical Treatment of Binary Liquid Mixtures

The material presented in this lecture is adapted from my lecture notes. First, we will discuss modeling binary liquid mixtures using statistical mechanics. Second, we will show how to calculate the entropy of mixing of a binary liquid mixture in the context of the micro-canonical ensemble using a lattice description. Third, we will discuss the range of validity of the lattice theory description to model binary liquid mixtures. Fourth, we will implement the lattice theory description. Fifth, we will derive expressions for the chemical potentials of the two components comprising the binary liquid mixture. Finally, we will discuss several molecular characteristics of ideal solutions, including what happens when deviations from these characteristics occur.
Endocannabinoid signaling pathways: beyond CB1R and CB2R

The search for cannabinoid receptors other than CB1R and CB2R has been ongoing for over a decade. A number of orphan receptors have been proposed as potential cannabinoid receptors primarily based on phylogenic arguments and reactivity towards known endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids. Seven putative cannabinoid receptors are described and discussed, and evidence for and against their inclusion in this category are presented.
Pricing Jonstan's

This case is intended for MBA audiences and is used for the first-year and second-year elective, Data Analysis and Optimization. Swati Su's boss had been planning to raise prices for their brand, Jonstan's, across all forms and sizes for each of its four major customers (consisting of the largest retailers in the United States). When Su questioned his thinking, he offered two justifications. Excerpt UVA-M-0807 Aug. 9, 2011 Pricing Jonstan's Swati Su was not so sure her boss knew what he was doing. He had been planning to raise prices for their brand, Jonstan's, across all forms and sizes for each of its four major customers (consisting of the largest retailers in the United States). When Su questioned his thinking, he offered two justifications. He said, “First, prices of the resin used to manufacture Jonstan's have recently jumped by about 5%.” Although Su knew this to be true and understood the importance of having a “story” or “reason” for price increases, she believed the manufacturer's price for Jonstan's should not be based on cost alone—but also on “what the market will bear.” His second justification came after reading the book Power Pricing, by two well-known marketing academics, Robert J. Dolan and Hermann Simon. As her boss explained it to Su, price was the single most important driver of profit; a 10% increase in price had a bigger impact on the bottom line than a 10% decrease in unit costs, a 10% decrease in fixed costs, or even a 10% increase in unit sales volume. He said: . . .
Are Throat Pain and Otalgia Predictive of Perineural Invasion in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx

Purpose Head and neck cancer is often associated with pain and perineural invasion (PNI). The purpose of this study was to determine the association of pain complaints and the microscopic identification of PNI in patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Patients and Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed including patients diagnosed with OPSCC from 2010 to 2019. Patients diagnosed and operated on with curative intent at 2 institutions were included. The primary predictor variable was pain (measured as no pain, ear pain, throat pain, or simultaneous pain). Other variables were patient demographics, p16 status, and TNM staging. The primary outcome variable was the histologic presence of PNI. Chi-square analysis was performed to test for any significant associations between pain, T stage, overall stage, and p16 status in relation to PNI outcome. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to control for cancer staging variables when testing the association between pain and PNI. Results The final sample was composed of 157 subjects of whom 126 were men. The mean age was 59.7 years. Seventy-seven (49.0%) presented with no pain, while 35 (22.3%), 39 (24.8%), and 6 (3.8%) presented with both throat/ear pain, throat pain only, and ear pain only, respectively. Patients with simultaneous pain had 3.41 times higher odds of PNI compared to the no pain group (P = .02), although only pathologic T stage 4 and a diagnosis on the base of the tongue were independent postoperative predictors of PNI (P Conclusions Our study demonstrates that otalgia is a preoperative predictor of PNI in OPSCC and also demonstrates a trend of increasing pain complaints with PNI.
Healthy volunteers in US phase I clinical trials: Sociodemographic characteristics and participation over time.

Background Increasing the diversity of research participants is an important focus of clinical trials. However, little is known regarding who enrolls as healthy volunteers in Phase I clinical trials, which test the safety and tolerability of investigational new drugs. Despite the risk, healthy volunteers can derive no medical benefit from their participation, and they are financially compensated for enrolling. Objective This study’s purpose is to describe sociodemographic characteristics and clinical trial participation histories of healthy people who enroll in US Phase I trials. Methods The HealthyVOICES Project (HVP) is a longitudinal study of healthy individuals who have enrolled in Phase I trials. We describe self-reported sociodemographic information and Phase I trial history from HVP recruitment (May-December 2013) through the project’s end three years later (December 2016). Trial experiences are presented as medians and quartiles. Results The HVP included 178 participants. Nearly three-fourths of participants were male, and two-thirds were classified as racial and ethnic minorities. We found that some groups of participants were more likely to have completed a greater number of clinical trials over a longer timeframe than others. Those groups included participants who were male, Black, Hispanic, 30-39-years-old, unemployed, had received vocational training in a trade, or had annual household incomes of less than $25,000. Additionally, the greater the number of clinical trials participants had completed, the more likely they were to continue screening for new trials over the course of three years. Participants who pursued clinical trials as a full-time job participated in the greatest number of trials and were the most likely to continuing screening over time. Implications Participation as a healthy volunteer in US Phase I trials is driven by social inequalities. Disadvantaged groups tend to participate in a greater number of clinical trials and participate longer than more privileged groups.
The Beneficial Effect of Providing Kidney Transplantation Information on Transplantation Status Differs Between For-profit and Non-profit Dialysis Centers.

Informing end-stage kidney disease patients about kidney transplantation options increases the likelihood of kidney transplant waiting list (WL) enrollment and live donor kidney transplant (LDKT) receipt. Patients in for-profit dialysis centers have lower rates of WL enrollment and LDKT receipt. This study examined if the ownership status of dialysis centers modified the association between informing patients about transplantation options and patients' transplantation status. Multi-level analysis using mixed-effect multinomial logistic regression was performed using the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) data (January 2005 to December 2017). The study showed that informing patients improved the odds of WL enrollment and LDKT receipt. However, the effect of informing patients on transplantation status was less pronounced at for-profit as compared with non-profit centers (Non-profit: WL-enrollment OR: 2.23 [95%CI: 2.07-2.40], LDKT receipt OR: 3.35 [95%CI: 2.65-4.25]; For-profit: WL-enrollment OR: 1.73 [95%CI: 1.66-1.79], LDKT receipt OR: 2.35 [95%CI: 2.08-2.66]), although, the odds of informing patients was higher for for-profit centers, and type of patients informed were similar across both types of centers. Information provided by for-profit centers was potentially less effective than those provided by non-profit centers. Standardized guidelines for transplantation information provision are needed, in order to ensure similar informational quality across centers.
The relationship of non-cognitive factors to academic and clinical performance in graduate rehabilitation science students in the United States: a systematic review.

Purpose Rehabilitation science programs utilize cognitive and non-cognitive factors to select students who can complete the didactic and clinical portions of the program and pass the licensure exam. Cognitive factors such a prior grade point average and standardized test scores are known to be predictive of academic performance, but the relationship of non-cognitive factors and performance is less clear. The purpose of this systematic review was to explore the relationship of non-cognitive factors to academic and clinical performance in rehabilitation science programs. Methods A search of 7 databases was conducted using the following eligibility criteria: graduate programs in physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, United States-based programs, measurement of at least 1 non-cognitive factor, measurement of academic and/or clinical performance, and quantitative reporting of results. Articles were screened by title, abstract, and full text, and data were extracted. Results After the comprehensive screening, 21 articles were included in the review. Seventy-six percent of studies occurred in PT students. Grit, self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, and stress were the most commonly studied factors. Only self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, and personality traits were examined in clinical and academic contexts. The results were mixed for all non-cognitive factors. Higher grit and self-efficacy tended to be associated with better performance, while stress was generally associated with worse outcomes. Conclusion No single non-cognitive factor was consistently related to clinical or academic performance in rehabilitation science students. There is insufficient evidence currently to recommend the evaluation of a specific non-cognitive factor for admissions decisions.
Virtue In Vitro: Virtue Ethics as an Alternative to Questions of Moral Status

If we step back and examine this volume as a whole, we see that all of the authors have attempted to provide an overview of some of the different worldviews, which have given rise to the immense controversy surrounding the use of human embryonic stem cells in research. In addition, some have also tried to offer or defend a framework that they hope will give us more substantive guidance regarding these issues (namely, Fan and Yu, McKenny, and Song). However, only Brenda Almond, in “Using and Misusing Embryos, the Ethical Debates,” has tried to answer the question of whether it is permissible to use embryos for stem-cell research by appealing to what she seems to think are moral intuitions that all informed, rational beings are likely to share, while trying to avoid many of the problems that other theories of moral status encounter.
Identification of the cornea-specific keratin 12 promoter by in vivo particle-mediated gene transfer.

PURPOSE. Keratin 12 (K12) is a cornea epithelial cell-specific intermediate filament component. To provide a better understanding of its expression, it is necessary to identify and characterize the promoter of Krtl. 12 gene. METHODS. The 2.5-kb DNA 5' to Krtl.12 gene was sequenced. K12 promoter-j3-gal DNA constructs were prepared and used in vivo to transfect rabbit corneas, conjunctivas, and skin by particlemediated gene transfer (Gene Gun). In vitro, the DNA constructs were transfected into cultured T-antigen-transformed rabbit corneal epithelial (RCE-T) cells and human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 fibroblasts with lipofectamine. The promoter activity was assessed by measuring j3-gal (j3-galactosidase) activity using histochemical staining with 5-Bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-j3-D-galactoside and enzyme assay with o-nitrophenyl /3-D-galactopyranoside. RESULTS. There are four Pax-6 pair box binding elements found between —910 and -2000 bp 5'-flanking the transcription initiation site of the Krtl. 12 gene. None of promoter constructs can be expressed by HT-1080 cells. Cotransfection of Pax-6 cDNA with K12 promoter-j3-gal constructs containing Pax-6 elements results in a fourfold increase of /3-gal activities in RCE-T cells but not HT-1080 fibroblasts. The data of in vivo transfection in the rabbit by Gene Gun indicate that reporter gene constructs containing 0.6-kb and longer DNA fragments 5'-flanking Krtl. 12 gene are effectively expressed in corneal, but not conjunctival or epidermal epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS. The particle-mediated gene transfer is a suitable technique for in vivo deliver)' of transgenes to corneal epithelial cells. The 2.5-kb DNA fragment 5'-flanking Krtl. 12 contains corneal epithelial cell-specific regulatory cis-DNA elements. Pax-6 is a positive transcription factor essential for keratin 12 expression. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1998;39:2554-256l)
Bulk Telephony Metadata Collection and the Fourth Amendment: The Case for Revisiting the Third-Party Disclosure Doctrine the Digital Age

Thus far, two United States District Courts have considered the legality of the National Security Agency’s bulk data collection and have reached opposite conclusions. This Paper argues that federal courts should seize on the opportunity presented by the Snowden leaks to reexamine the continued vitality of the current third-party disclosure doctrine in Fourth Amendment cases. Specifically, this Paper will argue that Smith v. Maryland simply cannot continue to act as the “North Star” for judges navigating the “Fourth Amendment waters” of the digital age. Instead, this Paper argues that Smith should apply more narrowly in the digital age. In doing so, this Paper advocates that courts apply a modified, two-step test to third-party disclosures rather than applying the traditional binary rubric that courts have drawn from Smith and United States v. Miller — i.e., if information is disclosed that information is unprotected. Specifically, this Paper suggests that courts ask first, what individuals reasonably expect the scope of their disclosure to be and, second, whether a particular surveillance program is capable of revealing information beyond what those individuals reasonably expected to reveal. If the technology reveals information beyond that which individuals reasonably expected to reveal, then the use of such technology implicates the Fourth Amendment.
Myotonic dystrophy: Report of a case

A brief description of the systemic and oral manifestations and the inheritance pattern of a family with myotonic dystrophy (MD) is presented. Relevant intraoral findings in this case included constricted maxillary and mandibular dental arches with adequate intercuspation and functional occlusion. A possible explanation for these atypical findings is discussed. Considerations for providing complete dental care and treatment for patients with MD are emphasized.
Continuous on-line identification of nonlinear plants in power systems with missing sensor measurements

A novel robust artificial neural network identifier (RANNI) model is proposed in this paper. This RANNI can continuously track the dynamics of the plant model on-line when some sensor measurements are unavailable. A static synchronous series compensator (SSSC) connected to a small power system is used as a test system to examine the validity of the proposed model. In the simulation, one sensor is assumed to be missing; simulation results show that the proposed RANNI tracks the plant dynamics with good precision during the steady state, the small disturbance, and the transient state after a large disturbance. The proposed RANNI is readily applicable to other plant models in power systems.