cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Housing Quotas for People with Disabilities: Legislating Exclusion

The transfer of people with disabilities from state institutions to residential housing is one of the great migrations in recent history, but finding adequate housing is difficult. Laws that enact housing quotas make this task even harder. Quotas can require a minimum distance between group homes, limit the number of group homes that can be allowed in a community, or limit the number of apartments in multifamily projects. This article considers the legality of these quotas under the federal Fair Housing Act, and their constitutionality as an equal protection violation.Part I describes the universe of housing models available for people with disabilities. Part II examines the problem of clustering that occurs when this housing locates in groups. Part III describes state statutes that require a minimum distance between group homes for people with disabilities, and federal housing subsidy legislation that contains quotas and preferences. It criticizes the dispersion strategy for housing that quotas implicitly require. Part IV considers the constitutionality of housing quotas under the equal protection clause of the federal constitution. Part V considers the legality of quotas under the federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it a violation to “otherwise make unavailable or deny, a dwelling to any buyer or renter because of a handicap." Part VI discusses more acceptable models for distributing housing opportunities.
Sampling-based Minimum Risk path planning in multiobjective configuration spaces

We propose a new sampling-based path planning algorithm, the Optimal Minimum Risk Rapidly Exploring Random Tree (MR-RRT*), that plans minimum risk paths in accordance with primary and secondary cost criteria. The primary cost criterion is a user-defined measure of accumulated risk, which may represent proximity to obstacles, exposure to threats, or similar. Risk is only penalized in areas of the configuration space where it exceeds a user-defined threshold, causing many graph nodes to achieve identical primary cost. The algorithm uses a secondary cost criterion to break ties in primary cost. The proposed method affords the user the flexibility to tune the relative importance of the alternate cost criteria, while adhering to the requirements for asymptotically optimal planning with respect to the primary cost. The algorithm's performance is compared with T-RRT*, another optimal tunable-risk planning algorithm, in a series of computational examples with different representations of risk.
Songs of the Cocos Flycatcher: Vocal Behavior of a Suboscine on an Isolated Oceanic Island

The conservative song development of suboscine birds may make them better subjects than the song-learning oscines for studying the genetic evolution of vocal behaviors. We used the Cocos Flycatcher (Nesotriccus ridgwayi) from Cocos Island, about 500 km southwest of Costa Rica in the eastern Pacific Ocean, to test whether isolation in a depauperate avifauna has reduced song stereotypy. Males sang two song forms and females one form. Measures of both temporal and frequency parameters for the three song forms revealed that variability of songs within and among individuals was not different from that of either a close relative in species-rich South America or two distantly related Empidonax flycatchers in species-poor North America. Thus, the impoverished acoustic environment apparently has not markedly affected the song stereotypy of the Cocos Flycatcher. Singing behavior of the Cocos Flycatcher was unusual, however, in that the female initiated and concluded most singing interactions with her mate and sang about twice as many songs as did the male. The significance of this reversed singing role of the two sexes is unclear.
Preparing General Mission Analysis Tool for Operational Maneuver Planning of the Advanced Composition Explorer Mission

The General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) is an open-source space mission design, analysis and trajectory optimization tool. GMAT is developed by a team of NASA, private industry, public and private contributors. GMAT is designed to model, optimize and estimate spacecraft trajectories in flight regimes ranging from low Earth orbit to lunar applications, interplanetary trajectories and other deep space missions. GMAT has also been flight qualified to support operational maneuver planning for the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) mission. ACE was launched in August, 1997 and is orbiting the Sun-Earth L1 libration point. The primary science objective of ACE is to study the composition of both the solar wind and the galactic cosmic rays. Operational orbit determination, maneuver operations and product generation for ACE are conducted by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Flight Dynamics Facility (FDF). This paper discusses the entire engineering lifecycle and major operational certification milestones that GMAT successfully completed to obtain operational certification for the ACE mission. Operational certification milestones such as gathering of the requirements for ACE operational maneuver planning, gap analysis, test plans and procedures development, system design, pre-shadow operations, training to FDF ACE maneuver planners, shadow operations, Test Readiness Review (TRR) and finally Operational Readiness Review (ORR) are discussed. These efforts have demonstrated that GMAT is flight quality software ready to support ACE mission operations in the FDF.
New and Unusual Species of Discomycetes

Botanical expeditions to various parts of North and Central America have provided collections of Discomycetes, some of which are of more than usual interest. Of the fungi collected, several are believed to be new species, and they are described in this paper. They belong in the following genera: Belonopsis, Cenangium, Ciboria, Coronellaria, Dasyscyphella, Helotium, Tryblidaria and Unguicularia. One variety of Helotium is raised to specific rank, and a new combination is made. The collections are deposited in the Herbarium of the University of Michigan. The color names inclosed in parentheses are from R. Ridgway's Color Standards and Nomenclature.
Quantitative arsenic speciation in mine tailings using X-ray absorption spectroscopy

X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (XAFS) was used to determine arsenic (As) oxidation state, local coordination (to a radius of nearly equal Aa around As), and the relative proportion of different As species in model compounds and three California mine wastes: fully oxidized tailings (Ruth Mine), partially oxidized tailings (Argonaut Mine), and roasted sulfide ore (Spenceville Mine). Mineralogy was characterized by Rietveld refinement of X-ray powder diffraction patterns. The spatial distribution of As in the mine wastes (at several micrometers spatial resolution) was determined by electron microprobe analyses. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis indicates that As (super 5+) is the dominant oxidation state in the mine samples, but mixed oxidation states (nominally As 0 and AS (super 5+) ) were observed in the Argonaut Mine waste. Non-linear, least-squares fits of mine waste EXAFS (Extended XAFS) spectra indicate variable As speciation in each of the three mine wastes: As (super 5+) in the Ruth Mine sample is sorbed on ferric oxyhydroxides and aluminosilicates (probably clay) in roughly equal portions. Tailings from the Argonaut Mine contain nearly equal 20% As bound in arsenopyrite (FeAsS) and arsenical pyrite (FeS (sub 2-x) Asx) and nearly equal 80% As (super 5+) in a precipitate such as scorodite (FeAsO 4 .2H 2 O); however, no precipitate was detected by X-ray diffraction or microprobe analysis, suggesting that the phase is poorly crystalline or has low abundance (total As in sample = 262 ppm). Roasted sulfide ore of the Spenceville Mine contains As (super 5+) substituted for sulfate in jarosite [KFe 3 (SO 4 ) 2 (OH) 6 ] or incorporated in the structure of an unidentified Ca- or K-bearing phase, and As (super 5+) sorbed to the surfaces of hematite or ferric oxyhydroxide grains. Determination of solid-phase As speciation in mine wastes by XAFS spectroscopy is a valuable first step in the evaluation of its bioavailability, because the mobility and toxicity of As compounds vary with oxidation state. As bound in precipitates, as in the Argonaut mine sample, is considered to be less available for uptake by organisms than when sorbed on mineral surfaces or coprecipitated with poorly crystalline phases, as found for the Ruth and Spenceville mine wastes.
Peptide-conjugated glass slides for selective capture and purification of diagnostic cells: Applications in urine cytology

Obtaining a clear view of the cells of interest in diagnostic cytology can be challenging when specimens are contaminated with blood or other obscuring cells. In this study, we present a powerful technique for the selective capture of diagnostic epithelial cells directly on a microscope slide, highlighting its applications in urine cytology and immunocytochemistry (ICC). Using phage-display biopanning, we identified and synthesized a series of peptides that bind with high affinity to urothelial cells but not blood cells. We developed methods for conjugating the peptides to glass slides, and we used these slides to selectively capture both normal and cancerous epithelial cells from urine contaminated with blood cells. Unlike non-selective microscope slides, the peptide-conjugated slides selectively retained the cells of interest, recovering up to 75% of urothelial cells, while up to 98% of blood cells were washed away. The slides are compatible with Papanicolaou and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining for cytology preparations, as well as ICC for detecting membrane-associated and nuclear cancer markers. We successfully detected the expression of carcinoembryonic antigen and survivin, two commonly measured bladder cancer markers. In addition to bladder cancer diagnostics, this technology has broad applications for increasing the quality of sample preparations in slide-based diagnostic testing.
Academic and Psychosocial Outcomes of a Physical Activity Program With Fourth Graders: Variations Among Schools in Six Urban School Districts:

The purpose was to examine academic achievement, school attachment, and peer acceptance before and after a comprehensive school-based physical activity program (CSPAP) with 378 children in 12 fourt...
The Diabolical Formula of the Mad Scientist

Each day that I walk on the campus where I teach, I am greeted by a bust of John Dewey that faces a pair of huge wooden double doors that seem to be as old as the over a hundred year old institution. The doors lead to the elevator I take to my office, and in many ways, both the bust and the doors set a tone for the institution and its mission. John Dewey is one of the most respected educators of our time, and spent many years as a faculty member at the institution. Dewey‘s teaching and research on democratic and child centered education guide my work in many ways and seeing the artifact each day reminds me of the mission of my work. As I walk through the huge wooden doors, they call forth an era where there was attention to detail and an appreciation for beauty and craftsmanship.
On the Control of Gonadotropin Secretion in the Rhesus Monkey

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the regulation of gonadotropin secretion in the rhesus monkey. The time courses of the circulating gonadotropic hormones during the menstrual cycle of the rhesus monkey are ascertained after long and arduous methodological struggles and are essentially identical to those described in the human female. These are perceived as being the resultant of relatively continuous or tonic secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) interrupted once every 28 days, on the average, by an abrupt, massive discharge of these hormones, which is represented as “cyclic” secretion by analogy to the basic schema postulated for the rat. In the rhesus monkey, the peak of this midcycle gonadotropin surge precedes ovulation by 37 hours, on the average. Moreover, the tonic secretion of LH and of FSH, as reflected by their concentrations in peripheral plasma at times other than during the preovulatory surge, appears to be controlled by a classical negative feedback loop involving, among other components, the ovary and the gonadotrophs of the adenohypophysis.
Prevalence of Multimorbidity in a Geographically Defined American Population: Patterns by Age, Sex, and Race/Ethnicity

Abstract Objective To describe the prevalence of multimorbidity involving 20 selected chronic conditions in a geographically defined US population, emphasizing age, sex, and racial/ethnic differences. Patients and Methods Using the Rochester Epidemiology Project records linkage system, we identified all residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, on April 1, 2010, and electronically extracted the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes associated with all health care visits made between April 1, 2005, and March 31, 2010 (5-year capture frame). Using these codes, we defined the 20 common chronic conditions recommended by the US Department of Health and Human Services. We counted only persons who received at least 2 codes for a given condition separated by more than 30 days, and we calculated the age-, sex-, and race/ethnicity-specific prevalence of multimorbidity. Results Of the 138,858 study participants, 52.4% were women (n=72,732) and 38.9% had 1 or more conditions (n=54,012), 22.6% had 2 or more conditions (n=31,444), and 4.9% had 5 or more conditions (n=6853). The prevalence of multimorbidity (≥2 conditions) increased steeply with older age and reached 77.3% at 65 years and older. However, the absolute number of people affected by multimorbidity was higher in those younger than 65 years. Although the prevalence of multimorbidity was similar in men and women overall, the most common dyads and triads of conditions varied by sex. Compared with white persons, the prevalence of multimorbidity was slightly higher in black persons and slightly lower in Asian persons. Conclusion Multimorbidity is common in the general population; it increases steeply with older age, has different patterns in men and women, and varies by race/ethnicity.
Environmental governance: disentangling the relationship between economic growth and rule of law on environmental policy stringency

Economic growth and the rule of law development are two important factors that affect the stringency of environmental policy. Due to the reversible causality between the two variables, a reduced-form relationship is likely to oversimplify their effects. This paper develops a equation system to illuminate the interactive relationships between rule of law, economic development and the stringency of environmental policies and tests the robustness of the variables using sensitivity and weak instrumental variable tests. Nine determinants of rule-of-law including presence of a parliamentary system, coup d’etats, and the degree of social fractionalization, are examined. We find that economic development, the rule of law, and their interactions have direct and indirect effects on a state’s environmental policies. We further find political coups have a significant impact on adherence to the rule of law. The nonparametric simulation indicates that long-run effect of rule-of-law development on environmental protection is likely considerably stronger than its direct effect.
Adaptive informative sampling with autonomous underwater vehicles: Acoustic versus surface communications

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are cost- and time-effective platforms for mapping and monitoring of aquatic environments. Previous works have shown the benefits of using informative adaptive sampling approaches for field estimation over running standard surveys. We are interested in extending these works into decentralized multi-robot approaches. Simulation experiments with two AUVs, comparing no data sharing with timed surfacing for data sharing, show that the system performs better when data is shared. We further explore the trade-off between using high-bandwidth surface Wi-Fi communications, at the cost of surfacing, and low-bandwidth underwater acoustic communications (acomms). Our simulation results show that for multi-vehicle decentralized adaptive sampling, we can increase modeling performance by having vehicles share their measurements. Furthermore, zero loss acomms can perform better than data sharing through timed surfacing events. However, when acomms throughput is reduced, modeling uncertainty increases.
Engineering Bifunctional Antibodies with Constant Region Fusion Architectures

We report a method to generate bifunctional antibodies by grafting full-length proteins into constant region loops of a full-length antibody or an antigen-binding fragment (Fab). The fusion proteins retain the antigen binding activity of the parent antibody but have an additional activity associated with the protein insert. The engineered antibodies have excellent in vitro activity, physiochemical properties, and stability. Among these, a Her2 × CD3 bispecific antibody (BsAb) was constructed by inserting an anti-Her2 single-chain variable fragment (ScFv) into an anti-CD3 Fab. This bispecific antibody efficiently induces targeted cell lysis in the presence of effector cells at as low as sub-picomolar concentrations in vitro. Moreover, the Her2 × CD3 BsAb shows potent in vivo antitumor activity in mouse Her22+ and Her21+ xenograft models. These results demonstrate that insertion of a full-length protein into non-CDR loops of antibodies provides a feasible approach to generate multifunctional antibodies for therapeutic applications.
Light scattering, aerosols, clouds, climate, Hendrik van de Hulst, and I

Abstract It is not often that I have the opportunity to write something that is not a scientific paper, and I am thankful for this opportunity to express my thoughts with regard to pursuits that are greater than those of science. In this van de Hulst essay, to honor Hendrik van de Hulst, I briefly summarize a few points from Hendrik's life that I find especially interesting, including his interests in spiritual (or religious) aspects of life, and his decision to avoid involvement in nucleation problems, a critical and basic uncertainty of current climate models. After that, I present briefly a few episodes from my own experiences as an apprentice of science and life.
Discipline and Redemption: The Dance of Penitence in Dante’s Purgatorio

In the context of Christian penitence, medieval preachers, confessors, and philosophers aligned dancing with lust, pride, and sacrilege. These negative attitudes toward dance colored medieval depictions of Purgatory and damnation. However, Dante’s Purgatorio offers a very different representation of purgatorial bodies. This article shows how dance in the Purgatorio is not associated with punishment, but rather moral discipline, self-transformation, and spiritual redemption. In conclusion, I address some of the deeper implications that Dantesque dancing may have on critical theory and performance today.
Review: The Virgin in Song: Mary and the Poetry of Romanos the Melodist, by Thomas Arentzen

Thomas Arentzen, The Virgin in Song: Mary and the Poetry of Romanos the Melodist . Divinations: Rereading Late Ancient Religion. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2017. xiii, 265pp, 10 black and white figures. ISBN: 9780812249071. $59.95. Thomas Arentzen's new book, revised from his 2014 Lund University dissertation, investigates the portrayal of the Virgin Mary in the poetry of Romanos, the sixth-century Christian who wrote several dozen metered works on various topics. It joins an expanding scholarly conversation about the poet that has emerged in force in the last decade. Georgia Frank, Leena M. Peltomaa, and Sarah Gador-Whyte have contextualized and interpreted the corpus of Romanos, particularly its treatment of Mary, as has Derek Krueger, who has co-authored work with Arentzen and edits the series in which this book appears. Arentzen frames his contribution as a corrective to two other approaches he discerns among prior studies of Mary's role in Christian thought: those that emphasize Mary's special capacity to convey information about her child (which is to say, a Christological focus), and those that place depictions of the Virgin inside the framework of monastic ideology. By contrast, Arentzen proposes to see Mary as a “separate sacred persona,” irreducible to the limited domains of theology or asceticism (164). There was, he argues, a “geographically and temporally specific” figure of Mary, given a voice by Romanos, that is distinctive to sixth-century Constantinople (32). A long first chapter introduces several issues that are meant as general background to observations made later in the book, then culminates in a plan of the chapters to follow and an explanation of Arentzen's approach. Orienting the reader to the style of his work, Arentzen notes that, in place of a logically-progressing analysis that …
Effects of real-time gait biofeedback on paretic propulsion and gait biomechanics in individuals post-stroke

Objectives Gait training interventions that target paretic propulsion induce improvements in walking speed and function in individuals post-stroke. Previously, we demonstrated that able-bodied individuals increase propulsion unilaterally when provided real-time biofeedback targeting anterior ground reaction forces (AGRF). The purpose of this study was to, for the first time, investigate short-term effects of real-time AGRF gait biofeedback training on post-stroke gait. Methods Nine individuals with post-stroke hemiparesis (6 females, age = 54 ± 12.4 years 39.2 ± 24.4 months post-stroke) completed three 6-minute training bouts on an instrumented treadmill. During training, visual and auditory biofeedback were provided to increase paretic AGRF during terminal stance. Gait biomechanics were evaluated before training, and during retention tests conducted 2, 15, and 30 minutes post-training. Primary dependent variables were paretic and non-paretic peak AGRF; secondary variables included paretic and non-paretic peak trailing limb angle, plantarflexor moment, and step length. In addition to evaluating the effects of biofeedback training on these dependent variables, we compared effects of a 6-minute biofeedback training bout to a non-biofeedback control condition. Results Compared to pre-training, significantly greater paretic peak AGRFs were generated during the 2, 15, and 30-minute retention tests conducted after the 18-minute biofeedback training session. Biofeedback training induced no significant effects on the non-paretic leg. Comparison of a 6-minute biofeedback training bout with a speed-matched control bout without biofeedback demonstrated a main effect for training type, with greater peak AGRF generation during biofeedback. Discussion Our results suggest that AGRF biofeedback may be a feasible and promising gait training strategy to target propulsive deficits in individuals post-stroke.
Ethnic and geographic variations in multimorbidty: Evidence from three large cohorts.

Abstract A common characteristic of patients seen at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is a high number of concurrent comorbidities (i.e. multimorbidity). This study (i) examines the magnitude and patterns of multimorbidity by race/ethnicity and geography; (ii) compares the level of variation explained by these factors in three multimorbidity measures across three large cohorts. We created three national cohorts for Veterans with chronic kidney disease (CKD:n = 2,190,564), traumatic brain injury (TBI:n = 167,954) and diabetes-mellitus (DM:n = 1,263,906). Multimorbidity was measured by Charlson-Deyo, Elixhauser and Walraven-Elixhauser scores. Multimorbidity differences by race/ethnicity and geography were compared using generalized linear models (GLM). Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify groups of conditions that are highly associated with race/ethnic groups. Differences in age (CKD,74.5, TBI,49.7, DM, 66.9 years), race (CKD,80.9%, TBI,76.4%, DM, 63.8% NHW) and geography (CKD,64.4%, TBI,70%, DM, 70.9% urban) were observed among the three cohorts. Accounting for these differences, GLM results showed that risk of multimorbidity in non-Hispanic blacks (NHB) with CKD were 1.16 times higher in urban areas and 1.10 times higher in rural areas compared to non-Hispanic whites (NHW) with CKD. DM and TBI showed similar results with risk for NHB, 1.05 higher in urban areas and 0.97 lower in rural areas for both diseases. Overall, our results show that (i) multimorbidity risk was higher for NHB in urban areas compared to rural areas in all three cohorts; (ii) multimorbidity risk was higher for Hispanics in urban areas compared to rural areas in the DM and CKD cohorts; and (iii) the highest overall multimorbidity risk of any race group or location exists for Hispanics in insular islands for all three disease cohorts. These findings are consistent among the three multimorbidity measures. In fact, our LCA also showed that a three class LC model based on Elixhauser or Charlson provides good discrimination by type and extent of multimorbidity.
Interviewing to Get the Job

Be prepared and informed about the entity and position. Present programs and ideas, but do not negotiate until offered the post. Do not accept or reject an offer before having time to reflect.
Acoustic Cavitation Thresholds in Water

The acoustic cavitation threshold of water has been measured by several observers and has been determined to be substantially below the theoretical threshold for inception based upon homogeneous nucleation of a cavity within the liquid. Recent progress has been made toward a theory of heterogeneous nucleation and results will be given in this paper which demonstrate that a Harvey-type [1] model can lead to accurate predictions of the cavitation threshold of water for a wide range of variables.
Judicial Interpretation in the Cost-Benefit Crucible

This article responds to Professor Adrian Vermeule's new book, Judging Under Uncertainty. Professor Vermeule argues that (1) no one can empirically determine whether judicial use of legislative history or other interpretive methods that go beyond simple enforcement of plain text has any positive net benefits, but (2) we do know that such interpretive methods impose costs, and therefore (3) courts should discard such interpretive methods. This article suggests that (1) it is far from clear how costly these interpretive methods are, (2) it is also not clear that discarding them would result in any cost savings, both because of costs that would remain if only some judges adopted Professor Vermeule's theory and because, even if all judges adopted it, cost savings from the use of simpler interpretive methods might be offset by other, new costs, such as the costs imposed by judicial enforcement of clear but erroneously drafted statutory text that leads to absurd results, and (3) there are institutional reasons to believe that courts do get net benefits from methods that permit them to look beyond plain statutory text in some cases; most notably, the fact that courts interpret statutes at the moment of implementation puts them in a good position to detect statutory drafting errors. For these reasons, the article recommends against adoption of Professor Vermeule's interpretive theory.
Regular Functions and Maps

In the preceding lecture, we introduced the basic objects of the category we will be studying; we will now introduce the maps. As might be expected, this is extremely easy in the context of affine varieties and slightly trickier, at least at first, for projective ones.
The Separation of Bacteria by Adsorption onto Ion Exchange Resins: II. Resolution of Binary Mixtures

The distribution of microbial cells in a mixed suspension containing several species of microorganisms, as well as dissolved and particulate matter, can be altered in three ways: (a) nonspecific concentration of the cells with no purification, (b) purification of the cells by removal of the dissolved or suspended contaminants with no concentration, and (c) resolution of the mixed cell suspension into its component species. All three of these processes may be operating separately or simultaneously depending upon the type of separation technique applied. Cells in a suspension can be concentrated by general techniques such as filtration, sedimentation, and drying (9), and by the more specific techniques of chemical flocculation (23) and microflotation (29). Dialysis (11) and ion exchange (28) have been principally applied to the purification of suspensions of their contaminants or undesired byproducts rather than of the cells themselves.
Some Recent Studies on the Subcellular Unit of Melanin Biosynthesis, the Melanosome

For twenty years, tyrosinase activity has been known to be attached to cytoplasmic particulates. In 1945, Herrmann and Boss [5] demonstrated the presence in the ciliary body of the bovine eye of cytoplasmic particulates that possessed succinoxidase activity and tyrosinase activity. Further studies by Lerner and his colleagues in 1949 [7] showed that tyrosinase activity was present on cytoplasmic particles obtained from HardingPassey mouse melanoma by differential centrifugation. The nature of the particles to which tyrosinase and succinoxidase activity were attached remained a mystery for the next ten years.
Spinal Cord Protection Strategies

Spinal cord protection and preservation during and after reconstruction of the descending thoracic aorta (DTA) is clinically important because spinal cord injury is still common in high-risk groups and it significantly worsens perioperative mortality and morbidity.1–3 There is a diverse set of aortic pathologies that may require reconstruction of the DTA (refer to Table 11.1 for their description and classification). Aortic repair for each of these pathologies carries a risk of spinal cord ischemia (SCI) that may present intraoperatively or postoperatively. In the contemporary era, there are three established options for reconstruction of the DTA – surgical repair (SR), thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), and hybrid repair (involving both SR and TEVAR). The type of DTA repair is important to understand as it may significantly influence the risk for SCI. The specific details of these aortic repair techniques are covered elsewhere in this textbook.
Quasi-particles probed by thermal conductivity in cuprates

The thermal condcutivity, measured in an intense field in LaSrCuO and Bi 2212, is discussed with emphasis on the anomalous nature of the enhancement below T c. In LaSrCuO, the data imply a logB dependence consistent with a quantum interference origin for the anomaly. In Bi 2212, we provide details of the recent experiment that uncovered plateau features in the field profile below 20 K, and discuss some recent models.
Evaluating narrow windows of maternal exposure to ozone and preterm birth in a large urban area in Southeast Texas

Evaluating narrow windows of maternal exposure to ozone and preterm birth in a large urban area in Southeast Texas
War Stuff: The Struggle for Human and Environmental Resources in the American Civil War

In this path-breaking work on the American Civil War, Joan E. Cashin explores the struggle between armies and civilians over the human and material resources necessary to wage war. This war 'stuff' included the skills of white Southern civilians, as well as such material resources as food, timber, and housing. At first, civilians were willing to help Confederate or Union forces, but the war took such a toll that all civilians, regardless of politics, began focusing on their own survival. Both armies took whatever they needed from human beings and the material world, which eventually destroyed the region's ability to wage war. In this fierce contest between civilians and armies, the civilian population lost. Cashin draws on a wide range of documents, as well as the perspectives of environmental history and material culture studies. This book provides an entirely new perspective on the war era.
The Body Electric

This book explores the hazards and hopes of artificial intelligence (“AI”) for people with disabilities, disorders, and impairments. Today, leading technology companies are harnessing AI to assist people with vision and hearing limitations, autism, dyslexia, speech disorders, and mobility challenges. Contrasting with these positive developments, AI also presents broad new challenges for human dignity, privacy, and autonomy. This tension presses the question: how can society ensure that AI assists, and does not disadvantage, people with disabilities? This question concerns nearly everyone: People often acquire disabilities as they age, and assistive technologies sometimes slip into general use as well. By telling the remarkable stories of users, inventors, and policy experts, this book sensitively charts the promises, perils, and pathways forward.
Intestinal Lengthening Procedures

Abstract Surgical interventions for bowel lengthening require not only the presence of bowel dilation, but also the presence of dilation that leads to impaired enteral tolerance and thus to the inability to wean parenteral support. The overarching goals of lengthening techniques of surgical intervention are to achieve uniformity in the diameter of the intestine along its length and to maintain adequate absorptive surface to allow maximal weaning from parenteral support. This chapter will discuss the major techniques of longitudinal excisional tapering enteroplasty, serial transverse enteroplasty, and longitudinal intestinal lengthening and tapering.
Integrated pH and Sodium Sensor Array Based on Iridium Oxide Film

We have developed a sensor array consisting of an iridium oxide (IrO x ) electrode for pH measurement, an iridium oxide based ion-selective sensor for sodium detection, and two silver chloride (AgCl) reference electrodes. The planar sensor array was fabricated on a flexible substrate with simple fabrication processes. The iridium oxide sensing film was synthesized by the sol-gel process. The sodium sensor was fabricated by deposition of a sodium-selective membrane on the iridium oxide film. The silver chloride reference electrodes were made by printing. The sensor array was tested in standard pH buffer solutions with or without the existence of sodium. In both scenarios, a promising sensitivity of 61.46 mV/pH in the pH ranges from acid to alkaline at the room temperature was achieved. The potential increases induced by the sodium interference were calibrated by the sodium sensor. The calibrated results show excellent pH responses with minimum interference. The pH and sodium sensor array demonstrates a unique capability to provide accurate pH detection in the environment containing sodium interference.
POST PCI HEMODYNAMICS: PREDICTIVE ACCURACY OF POST STENTING PD/PA FOR DETERMINING POST STENTING ISCHEMIA

Post-PCI FFR has been demonstrated to predict long-term major cardiovascular events (MACE). The role of resting gradient as a predictor of ischemia post-intervention has not been well studied. We evaluated the value of baseline Pd/Pa at predicting ischemic FFR (<0.81) following angiographically
Rough Justice: The International Criminal Court in a World of Power Politics

Introduction 1. A Framework for Analysis 2. Origins 3. The Phantom Court (1998-2002) 4. Caution and Consensus (July 2002-March 2005) 5. Breakthrough (2005-2008) 6. Power Plays (2008-2012) Conclusion: A Constrained Court
Mosaic Turner Syndrome Presenting with a 46,XY Karyotype

Although Turner syndrome is most commonly associated with a 45,X genotype, other mosaic genotypes are present in approximately half of all cases. We describe a case of Turner syndrome with a 46,XY genotype by conventional 5-cell karyotype who was subsequently found to have a mosaic genotype of 18% 45,X and 82% 46,XY by 50-cell FISH analysis. Individuals with a mosaic 45,X/46,XY genotype have a variety of phenotypic presentations ranging from male to female which are not correlated with the percentage of mosaicism. Our case represents an extreme example where the genotype is predominately 46,XY and the phenotype typical of Turner syndrome.
Testing ovarian cancer cell lines to train dogs to detect ovarian cancer from blood plasma: A pilot study

Abstract Ovarian cancer is known as a “silent killer” because of its nonspecific symptoms and generally late diagnosis due to the lack of reliable early detection tools. Medical detection canines have been shown to recognize the odor profile of malignant tumors of many types, including ovarian cancer, and may be utilized to help produce a much-needed early detection system for ovarian cancer. One significant drawback, however, is that to train detection canines on the odor signature of ovarian cancer, different samples or sets of samples must be used in every training session so that the canines do not begin to recognize an individual patient's odor signature or attune to patient-specific noncancerous olfactory cues. Therefore, numerous patient-derived samples must be obtained and stored for use in the training process. Ovarian cancer cell lines may be able to solve this obstacle, as they have low sample-to-sample variability and do not present patient-specific confounding olfactory cues. In this study, we attempted to train three medical detection dogs to alert to an ovarian cancer cell line (OVKATE) but not the culture media or nonmalignant cultured fallopian tube cells. Only one dog was able to discriminate between OVKATE and culture media and was able to be tested on other ovarian cancer cell lines (OVCAR-4, OVCAR-8, and SK-OV-3). The dog's responses suggest a common or related olfactory signature of malignant ovarian cancer cell lines. We then tested whether an OVKATE-trained dog recognized the blood plasma of patients with confirmed ovarian cancer. We did not find strong evidence that the dog recognized the blood plasma of a patient with confirmed ovarian cancer within three testing trials, with the dog only hesitating at the target odor, suggesting that while training on the cell lines may prepare medical dedication canines to recognize the blood plasma of patient with ovarian cancer, it is not a spontaneous switch to blood plasma. Despite this outcome, the behavior of the dog led us to believe that this method could help further the use of medical detection canines to inform the production of early detection tools for ovarian cancer, which would lead to earlier diagnoses and more favorable outcomes from therapy.
The changing landscape of esophageal disease.

Esophageal disease, both benign and malignant, is becoming more prevalent over time. There are several risk factors, such as diet and obesity, which are contributing to the increased prevalence. I chose to host this issue to make readers aware of the multiple facets of esophageal disease. There are multiple pertinent questions I wanted to address with this issue
Influence of High Total Dissolved Solids Concentration and Ionic Composition on γ Spectroscopy Radium Measurements of Oil and Gas-Produced Water.

Radium measurements in high total dissolved solids (TDS) fluids from oil and gas extraction can have unfavorable precision and accuracy, in part because these high-level impurities incur attenuatio...
Why Does the Food and Drug Administration Need to Ban Kratom

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is an herb with no current indication for medical use with potentially addictive properties, yet it is being used in the management of pain, depression, and anxiety. The agent’s pharmacology lends itself for concern regarding recreational misuse (Drugs of Abuse, 2017). Kratom’s increasing popularity for use in the USA is reflected by National Poison Data System data that in 2011 there were 13 cases reported to poison control centers while in 2017 there were 682 calls in response to kratom exposure (Kratom exposure in the US linked to serious medical outcomes, 2019; Post et al. in Clin Toxicol. 57:847–54, 2019). Subjects most commonly use kratom for the self-treatment of pain, mood swings, and opioid-related withdrawal symptoms (Grundmann in Drug Alcohol Depend. 176:63–70, 2017). Known serious adverse events include hallucinations, delusions, reduced respiratory drive, and death (Kratom: unsafe and ineffective, 2019). Additional anecdotally reported side effects include hypothyroidism, seizure, hepatotoxicity, coma, and injury to the posterior white matter of the brain (Anwar et al. in MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 65:748–9, 2016; Nelsen et al. in J Med Toxicol. 6:424–6, 2010; Sheleg and Collins in J Addict Med. 5:300–1, 2011; Castillo et al. in Proc (Baylor Univ Med Cent). 30:355–7, 2017). At this time, kratom remains without regulations on a federal level. The substance’s opioid-like pharmacology, ease of use, and lack of demonstrated safety or efficacy justify the need for continued extensive research (Brooks, 2019).
The Security Consequences of Bearing Witness

It is a central assumption of our research that threats to a fragile security and violence can continue during postconflict peacebuilding and that these threats are driven by many of the same socio...
Big Data vs. Clinical Trials in HPB Surgery.

Randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) are at the heart of “evidence-based” medicine. However, in surgical practice, RCTs remain uncommon. Conducting well-designed RCTs for surgical procedures is often challenged by inadequate recruitment accrual, blinding, or standardization of the surgical procedure, as well as lack of funding and evolution of the treatment strategy during the many years over which such trials are conducted. In addition, most clinical trials are performed in academic high-volume centers in highly selected patients, which may not necessarily reflect a “real-world” practice setting. Over the past decades, surgical outcomes research using nationwide administrative and registry databases has become increasingly common. Large databases provide easy and inexpensive access to data on a large and diverse patient population at a variety of treatment centers. Furthermore, large database studies provide the opportunity to answer questions that would be impossible or very arduous to answer using RCTs, including questions regarding health policy efficacy, trends in surgical practice, access to health care, impact of hospital volume, and adherence to practice guidelines, as well as research questions regarding rare disease, infrequent surgical outcomes, and specific subpopulation. Prospective data registries may also allow for quality benchmarking and auditing. This review outlines the role, advantages, and limitations of RCTs and large database studies in answering important research questions in surgery.
Severe Pulmonary Hypertension in the Setting of Complex Structural Heart Disease

Introduction Pulmonary hypertension (pHTN) complicating structural heart disease leads to distinct diagnostic and management dilemmas. We present a case of severe pulmonary hypertension in the setting of perimembranous VSD and severe AS. Case Report 76 yo female with restrictive VSD and severe AS presented with heart failure. Cardiac findings included RV heave and AS murmur. TTE revealed normal EF with severe pHTN, severe RV dysfunction, and severe AS. Her perimembranous septum was aneurysmal, with systolic jet velocity of 4.5 m/s. There was no CAD. RHC demonstrated PAP of 96/38/57 mmHg, PVR of 7.2 WU, PCWP 23 mmHg, CI of 3.04, and Qp/Qs of 1.1. The PCWP and PVR indicated pre- and post-capillary pHTN due to longstanding AS. She was deemed inoperable and was high risk for TAVR given aortic annular continuity with the VSD and ∼25% annular deficiency. There was concern that her elevated LVEDP was masking Eisenmenger physiology, and that relieving the AS may precipitate hypoxia. Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) was performed as bridge to decision. This enabled assessment of the integrity of the aortic annulus, the pulmonary pressure response to LV unloading, and development of right to left shunting after a decrease in LVEDP. Successful BAV was performed, and the patient was discharged. Following improvement in both PA pressures and her symptoms, a TAVR was offered. A self-expanding valve was selected to minimize risk of annular rupture. After successful deployment, her PAP were 78/42/54 and PCWP 23. She was diuresed and discharged. Summary Our case highlights important points in management of such complex patients with pHTN. Careful evaluation of hemodynamics is paramount in guiding decision making. The preserved PAPi with minimal shunting suggested the VSD was not significantly contributing to the severe pHTN. Additionally, BAV plays an important role as a bridge to determine potential response to TAVR. Although patients with WHO II pHTN can develop an irreversible pre-capillary component, such assessment can only be made following durable reduction in LVEDP. Lastly, interdisciplinary patient care is essential. Successful management of our patient required input from a multidisciplinary team consisting of pulmonology, structural cardiology, critical care cardiology and heart failure.
Genotyping Predicts Osteoporosis Risk after Lung Transplantation

Purpose Lung transplant recipients have the highest rates of osteoporosis and fragility fractures of any solid organ transplant population. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes important for bone metabolism have been identified. We hypothesized that risk alleles in these genes would be associated with decreased bone mineral density (BMD) following lung transplantation. Methods Between 2002 and 2018, 114 lung transplant recipients were genotyped at 18 loci important for bone health. Bisphosphenates, calcium, and vitamin D were given per protocol. Subject data including baseline characteristics and pre- and post- transplant bone densitometry scores were abstracted from medical records. Changes in t-scores at the hip, femoral neck, and lumbar spine were calculated over time using linear models. Associations between density t-score slopes and osteoporosis risk allele scores were determined with generalized estimating equations adjusted for body mass index and subject baseline characteristics. The impact of risk allele score on survival was determined by Cox proportional hazards models. Results During the study period, 28 subjects (25%) had osteopenia, while 68 subjects (60%) had osteoporosis. Following lung transplantation, BMD by t-score at the lumbar spine increased over time (median 0.09, p=0.0007). BMD was unchanged at the femoral neck (p= 0.4) and hip (p=0.2). The median number of risk alleles was 15 with interquartile range of 13-17. T-scores decreased by 0.012 per year per risk allele (Figure, p=0.009). Risk alleles were not associated with overall survival (HR 1.3, CI 0.9 - 2, adjusted p=0.2). Conclusion Osteoporosis was prevalent, but bone mineral density did not decrease for most recipients following transplantation and relatively spared the lumbar spine. However, subjects with increased genetic risk experienced increased loss in bone mineral density. Focused genotyping may be useful for identifying lung transplant candidates at increased risk for osteoporosis and guiding treatment strategies.
Reforming Health Care: The Single System Solution

A unified model of delivery, payment, and insurance addresses the weaknesses and inequities of the U.S. health care system laid bare by the Covid-19 pandemic by establishing a single system of univ...
Strategic Evolution of the Innovation Lab at the Aerospace Corporation

The traditional aerospace industry is undergoing tremendous shifts in focus, methodology, and speed of innovation, due in part to the “New Space” sector of well over 1,000 companies focused on creating alternative business models for accessing space. As a result, the Aerospace Corporation, a Federally Funded Research and Development Center, is evolving its role as an advisor to the U.S. government by elevating its innovation culture. In this paper, we describe the programs we created to stimulate an innovative culture, how those programs and the organization have evolved to address customers' strategic needs, and examples of employee innovation that have resulted from those programs.