cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Loss of Betaglycan Expression in Ovarian Cancer: Role in Motility and Invasion

The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily members, TGF-beta, activin, and inhibin, all have prominent roles in regulating normal ovarian function. Betaglycan, or the type III TGF-beta receptor, is a coreceptor that regulates TGF-beta, activin, and inhibin signaling. Here, we show that betaglycan expression is frequently decreased or lost in epithelial derived ovarian cancer at both the mRNA and protein level, with the degree of loss correlating with tumor grade. Treatment of ovarian cancer cell lines with the methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine and the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A resulted in significant synergistic induction of betaglycan message levels and increased betaglycan protein expression, indicating that epigenetic silencing may play a role in the loss of betaglycan expression observed in ovarian cancer. Although restoring betaglycan expression in Ovca429 ovarian cancer cells is not sufficient to restore TGF-beta-mediated inhibition of proliferation, betaglycan significantly inhibits ovarian cancer cell motility and invasiveness. Furthermore, betaglycan specifically enhances the antimigratory effects of inhibin and the ability of inhibin to repress matrix metalloproteinase levels in these cells. These results show, for the first time, epigenetic regulation of betaglycan expression in ovarian cancer, and a novel role for betaglycan in regulating ovarian cancer motility and invasiveness.
Metabolie Profile Testing

Metabolic profiles have been used in efforts to predict periparturient problems and fertility, to diagnose metabolic disease, and to assess nutritional status. Results have been varied. Until knowledge and technology provide improved blood constituent panels, the metabolic profile should not be the first step in the diagnostic process. Rather, such profiles should follow an assessment of management practices and an evaluation of diet. However, these profiles may help to confirm the diagnosis, to convince dairy farmers that management changes are desirable, or to monitor improvement in herd animals. At this point, their major contribution has been to increase our understanding of the factors contributing to changes in blood constituent concentrations, which, in turn, has led to more efficient means of diagnosis. Except in cases of gross mismanagement, these profiles do not offer a "quick fix." In many of the reported cases in which diagnosis of herd problems was attributed to the metabolic profile, the clinician should have been able to identify the problem before the profile was conducted. Profiles are to be recommended when the cause of an existing problem is still not identified or resolved after a complete evaluation. The profile may aid in identifying a factor that has been overlooked. Profiles are not for clinicians who do not have an interest in upgrading their understanding of the factors involved, or who do not have a source of knowledgeable advice.
A Billiard Path Characterization of Regular Polygons

(1981). A Billiard Path Characterization of Regular Polygons. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 54, No. 2, pp. 73-75.
Life History and Some Factors Affecting the Population of Arzama densa in Louisiana

A noctuid moth, Arzama densa Walker, occurs commonly in southern Louisiana where its larva feeds on water hyacinth, Eichornia crassipes Solms., and pickerelweed, Pontederia cordata L. It has at least 2 generations each year in this area. An average of 66.5 days is required for development of 1 generation under controlled laboratory conditions of 21 °C and 14-hr photoperiod. Each female moth lays an average of 328 eggs in masses of 30–40 eggs. An average of 8.25% of the eggs are infertile. The incubation period is about 6 days. There are 6 or 7 larval stages in the life cycle. The larvae have large dorsocaudal spiracles in the 8th segment which enable them to feed below the water line. Some 6th instars undergo diapause which lasts from 25 to 120 days during fall and winter. Parasites and predators of eggs, larvae, and pupae significantly reduce field populations of the moth.
MR imaging of asymptomatic brainstem and spinal cord lesions in sisters with neurofibromatosis.

We report here two sisters who have neurofibromatosis and multiple CNS neoplasms and in whom asymptomatic brainstem and spinal cord lesions were discovered and evaluated by MR imaging of the head and spine
Effects of Weight Loss on Lean Mass, Strength, Bone, and Aerobic Capacity.

ABSTRACTPurposeThis study aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that exercise attenuates the reductions in lean mass, muscle strength, bone mineral density, and V˙O2max that accompany modest weight loss induced by calorie restriction (CR).MethodsOverweight, sedentary women and men (n = 52, 45–65 yr) were
Unsymmetrical Bimetallic Complexes with MII–(μ-OH)–MIII Cores (MIIMIII = FeIIFeIII, MnIIFeIII, MnIIMnIII): Structural, Magnetic, and Redox Properties

Heterobimetallic cores are important units within the active sites of metalloproteins but are often difficult to duplicate in synthetic systems. We have developed a synthetic approach for the preparation of a complex with a MnII–(μ-OH)–FeIII core, in which the metal centers have different coordination environments. Structural and physical data support the assignment of this complex as a heterobimetallic system. A comparison with analogous homobimetallic complexes, MnII–(μ-OH)–MnIII and FeII–(μ-OH)–FeIII cores, further supports this assignment.
Equalization of Expenditures and the Demand for Local Public Education: The Case of New Jersey

This article focuses on the goal of equalization of educational expenditures up to a minimum. The distribution of expenditures produced by three different aid formulas is examined. The response of local school districts to receipt of aid revenues is discussed, and an aid disbursement formula that could promote compliance with the aforementioned goal is proposed.
Long acting muscarinic antagonists for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a review of current and developing drugs

Long acting muscarinic receptor antagonists (LAMA) reverse airflow obstruction by antagonizing para-sympathetic bronchoconstricting effects within the airways. For years, tiotropium, has been the cornerstone LAMA for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management. Recently, new agents, aclidinium bromide, glycopyrronium bromide, and umeclidinium bromide, have been developed and introduced into clinical practice. Areas covered: This article reviews the clinical efficacy and adverse effects of currently available LAMAs in COPD treatment as well as developing LAMAs in early clinical trials and preclinical studies (V0162, TD-4208, CHF 5407, AZD9164, AZD8683, bencycloquidium). In addition, a new class of molecule that combines muscarinic antagonist and β2-adrenergic properties (MABA) is described and current developmental progress discussed (GSK-961081, THRX-200495). Expert opinion: Future key areas for developing drugs for the management of COPD include prolonged duration of action, optimal delivery systems, synergistic combinations with other drugs, maximization of benefits and minimization of adverse effects. The development of new LAMA and MABA molecules provides exciting progress towards simpler and more effective COPD management.
Analytic Theology as Declarative Theology

Analytic theology seeks to utilize conceptual tools and resources from contemporary analytic philosophy for ends that are properly theological. As a theological methodology relatively new movement in the academic world, this novelty might render it illegitimate. However, I argue that there is much in the recent analytic theological literature that can find a methodological antecedent championed in the fourteenth century known as declarative theology. In distinction from deductive theology—which seeks to extend the conclusions of theology beyond the articles of faith—declarative theology strives to make arguments for the articles of faith. It does it not to provoke epistemic assent to the truth of the articles, but serves as a means of faith seeking understanding. In this paper, examples are drawn from recent analytic discussions to illustrate the manner that analytic theology has been, is, and can be an instance of declarative theology, and thus a legitimate theological enterprise for today.
GRIN1 mutation associated with intellectual disability alters NMDA receptor trafficking and function

N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) play important roles in brain development and neurological disease. We report two individuals with similar dominant de novo GRIN1 mutations (c.1858 G>A and c.1858 G>C; both p.G620R). Both individuals presented at birth with developmental delay and hypotonia associated with behavioral abnormalities and stereotypical movements. Recombinant NMDARs containing the mutant GluN1-G620R together with either GluN2A or GluN2B were evaluated for changes in their trafficking to the plasma membrane and their electrophysiological properties. GluN1-G620R/GluN2A complexes showed a mild reduction in trafficking, a ~2-fold decrease in glutamate and glycine potency, a strong decrease in sensitivity to Mg2+ block, and a significant reduction of current responses to a maximal effective concentration of agonists. GluN1-G620R/GluN2B complexes showed significantly reduced delivery of protein to the cell surface associated with similarly altered electrophysiology. These results indicate these individuals may have suffered neurodevelopmental deficits as a result of the decreased presence of GluN1-G620R/GluN2B complexes on the neuronal surface during embryonic brain development and reduced current responses of GluN1-G620R-containing NMDARs after birth. These cases emphasize the importance of comprehensive functional characterization of de novo mutations and illustrates how a combination of several distinct features of NMDAR expression, trafficking and function can be present and influence phenotype.
Comprehensive Highly Multiplexed Single-Tube Liquid Bead Microarray Assay for Constitutively Activated Tyrosine Kinases in Chronic Myeloproliferative Disorders.

Chronic Myeloproliferative disorders (CMPDs) are malignancies characterized by excessive proliferation of one or more of the myeloid lineages driven by constitutively activated tyrosine kinases (CATKs). CATKs are increasingly serving as targets for cancer-specific therapy and newer and more potent TK inhibitors are becoming available for clinical use. CATKs in CMPDs may result from karyotypically evident or cryptic chromosomal translocations leading to TK gene fusions or from karyotypically silent gain-of-function point mutations. More than ten CATK genes have been shown to result in CMPDs by imparting a demonstrable positive growth drive. CATK inhibitors important in the treatment of CMPDs have different inhibitory profiles, making it critical to identify the specific mutation involved in patients receiving targeted therapy. Of these TK genes, ABL, PDGFRB, PDGFRA, FGFR1, ETV6, JAK2 and MPL are the most frequently involved. Since most of these TK genes can participate in chromosome translocations with a large number of partner genes, the resulting number of possible CATKs is rather large, making detection and identification a challenging task. To date, two classic (B2A2 and B3A2) and seven less common fusions of the ABL and BCR genes have been described. In addition, over twenty non-BCR-ABL mutations have been shown to have pathogenetic relevance in CMPDs. We have developed a simple, high-throughput assay with a fast turnaround time that solves the complex problem of detecting and identifying multiple translocations and point mutations. Two steps are involved in this expandable assay. The first is a multiplex RT-PCR reaction that amplifies fusion transcripts and point mutations described in CMPDs from peripheral blood or bone marrow. This PCR reaction employs internal specific primers targeted to each of eight BCR-ABL mutations (E1A2, E1A3, B2A2, B3A2, E6A2, E8A2, E15A2, E19A2) eight non-BCR-ABL mutations (FIP1L1-PDGFRA, BCR-PDGFRA, BCR-FGFR1, MYO18A-FGFR1, CDK5RAP2-PDGFRA, ETV6-PDGFRB, RABAPTIN-5-PDGFRB, H4-PDGFRB) and two gain of function mutations (JAK2V617F and MPLW515L) and a biotinylated common primer set to increase amplification efficiency. The second is a liquid bead microarray (Luminex) which uses optically encoded beads to detect probes specific for multiple known translocations in a single tube. To date, we have selectively detected four BCR-ABL and three non-BCR-ABL mutations from cloned patient samples and the cell lines SupB15 (E1A2 p190 BCR-ABL fusion), K562 (B3A2 p210 BCR-ABL fusion) and BV173 (B2A2 p210 BCR-ABL fusion). Dilution studies using these cell lines demonstrate detection down to between 1/1000 and 1/100000 cell equivalents without significant cross-talk.
Novel quantum phase transition from bounded to extensive entanglement.

The nature of entanglement in many-body systems is a focus of intense research with the observation that entanglement holds interesting information about quantum correlations in large systems and their relation to phase transitions. In particular, it is well known that although generic, many-body states have large, extensive entropy, ground states of reasonable local Hamiltonians carry much smaller entropy, often associated with the boundary length through the so-called area law. Here we introduce a continuous family of frustration-free Hamiltonians with exactly solvable ground states and uncover a remarkable quantum phase transition whereby the entanglement scaling changes from area law into extensively large entropy. This transition shows that entanglement in many-body systems may be enhanced under special circumstances with a potential for generating “useful” entanglement for the purpose of quantum computing and that the full implications of locality and its restrictions on possible ground states may hold further surprises.
Creating a Culture of Innovation

Innovation—the process of generating and implementing practical new ideas—can be difficult for organizations to do successfully. To make innovation a part of an organization, it is often necessary to change the culture in ways that bring more innovative processes into the workplace. In this chapter, I explore key factors that have to be part of a culture of innovation, including the need to favour innovation over efficiency and to tolerate failure. I also explore the importance of having an ecosystem to support the development of ideas. I illustrate these concepts with an example from the US military.
The impact of rape acknowledgment on survivor outcomes: The moderating effects of rape myth acceptance.

Objective Little is known about how rape acknowledgment relates to posttrauma functioning; recent research suggests the effect may depend on additional factors. In the current study, the moderating effect of rape myth acceptance (RMA) on the relationships between rape acknowledgment and mental health outcomes was examined. Method A sample of 181 female rape survivors recruited from a university completed an online survey assessing RMA, rape acknowledgment, depression symptoms, and alcohol use. Results Generally, the results supported that RMA moderated the influence of rape acknowledgment on depression symptoms and average quantity per drinking episode, but not frequency of alcohol use. The findings demonstrated that when individuals endorsed high levels of RMA, acknowledged rape survivors reported worse outcomes than unacknowledged rape survivors. Among individuals low on RMA, unacknowledged rape survivors reported worse outcomes than acknowledged rape survivors. Conclusion It is recommended that clinicians recognize the role of survivor beliefs, such as RMA, in the relationship between labeling sexual assault experiences and mental health consequences.
Using threshold concepts to restructure an electrical and computer engineering curriculum: Troublesome knowledge in expected outcomes

Virginia Tech is in the process of an intensive restructuring of its Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) department, driven by an NSF Revolutionizing Engineering Department (RED) grant. As a natural first step, discussion has centered on how the curriculum can be meaningfully enhanced to go beyond a mere reshuffling of core content without tangible changes in pedagogy. Accordingly, we have adopted the threshold concept framework, initially developed by Meyer and Land, as a lens to view elements of the curriculum that are often considered “troublesome” for students to learn and are both transformative and integrative in nature. We opted to frame the discussion of threshold concepts in terms of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), the knowledge associated with communicating concepts in such a way that others — primarily students — can understand. To capture PCK, we used an instrument called a “content representation” (CoRe). This paper describes one element of our sequential qualitative investigation, which had three primary stages: an individual reflection with CoRe, a series of focus groups discussing and synthesizing the CoRes, and the development of a culminating card sort workshop. The findings from the focus groups will be presented, which include the set of big ideas and the associated threshold concepts within ECE from the literature.
Affect and Film Music: A Brief History

Tracing the history of film music from The Birth of a Nation (1915) to The Dark Knight (2012), Wehrs shows how film music acts on both affects, defined by Carl Plantinga as “felt bodily states,” and emotions. Wehrs analyzes the way Max Steiner’s leitmotifs in Adventures of Don Juan (1948) cue audience response to the character, while Jerry Goldsmith’s more sophisticated score for First Knight (1995) links motifs to character and narrative development. Although current film music like Hans Zimmer’s for The Dark Knight has intense affective power, it cannot enhance character or plot development, Wehrs argues, because it is minimalist and tied to the sound design. Wehrs shows that Zimmer’s music contributes to emotionally flattened, dehumanized qualities of The Dark Knight.
Carapace Sequestrum in an African Spurred Tortoise, Geochelone sulcata

ABSTRACT A 12-year-old, 15.4-kg, captive-born, male African spurred tortoise, Geochelone sulcata, was presented for separation of the carapacial scutes. A CT scan was performed to determine the extent of damage to the carapace and to assess the integrity of the tissue beneath it. The scan revealed necrotic bone tissue consistent with sequestrum formation, as well as areas of possible communication with the coelomic cavity. Based on the scan results, it was decided to carry out conservative therapy followed by surgery to remove the sequestrum. The sequestrum was successfully removed surgically, and the defect was repaired with the application of dental acrylic and epoxy. This report illustrates the usefulness of CT scanning in the diagnosis of carapacial sequestra in chelonians.
A multiplex HRMS assay for quantifying selected human plasma bile acids as candidate OATP biomarkers.

Aim: Selected bile acids (BAs) in plasma have been proposed as endogenous probes for assessing drug–drug interactions involving hepatic drug transporters such as the organic anion-transporting poly...
Appropriate follow-up interval for biopsy confirmation of squamous intraepithelial lesions diagnosed by cervical smear cytology

Correlation of gynecologic cytology and histology is a routine component of quality assurance in all cytology laboratories. However, the appropriate interval for histologic follow-up has not been studied. We analyzed all cases with a cytologic diagnosis of squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) during a 1-year period that had histologic follow-up within 1 year of cytologic sampling. Six hundred ninety-six Papanicolaou smears with 811 corresponding biopsy specimens were identified. Of the cytologic diagnoses of SIL, 68% were confirmed by biopsy. Biopsy specimens were obtained most often at two times, one at the time of cytologic diagnosis and another 40 days later. The ratio of biopsy specimens with a diagnosis of SIL to those without was highest during the first 60 days. Approximately 1% of diagnoses took almost 1 year to be confirmed. A follow-up interval of 100 days detected 78% of all SIL diagnoses yet still permitted time to affect subsequent patient treatment in most cases if desired. We conclude that for clinical purposes, the interval for histologic follow-up of a cytologic diagnosis of SIL should be less than 60 days, but for quality assurance purposes, the interval should be approximately 100 days.
Crossbar and Quadrilaterals

Before thinking about adding any new axioms to our system, we shall prove several more incidence theorems that follow from the three axioms we already have. Among these is the very useful little theorem mentioned in Section 9.2 that is known as Crossbar. Crossbar can be stated as a theorem only after a formal definition of the interior of an angle has been given. We begin by extending the definition of in and on so that our theory encompasses such phrases as “△ABC is on a side of line r and “CD is in the ray-interior of ∠AVB.” Also, for example, we shall be able to talk about two segments being on opposite sides of line l.
H-Measures and Propagation Effects

It was an early observation that the knowledge of the proportions of materials used in a mixture is not sufficient for determining some of its effective properties,1 and I felt that developing a mathematical theory for such questions is of crucial importance for correcting the defects of the models which physicists proposed for explaining how the world functions. Of course, some properties are additive, and if it is the case for the density of mass \(\varrho\) and the density of linear momentum q, linked by the equation of conservation of mass \(\frac{\partial \varrho}{\partial t} + div (q) = 0, \), it leads to the observation (which I learned from Joel ROBBIN) that some quantities are coefficients of differential forms, for which weak topologies are natural. However, besides the need to introduce other topologies for other quantities, for example for the velocity of transport of mass u which results from writing q = _u, one also observes that conserved quantities may be hiding at various mesoscopic levels under the form of oscillations and concentration effects, and one needs to introduce more general mathematical tools for following their movement, i.e. develop a mathematical theory that could follow the evolution of microstructures, and discover which type of microstructures are bound to be observed as a consequence of various mathematical models, and assert which types are seen in nature.
Jane Austen and the Reformation: Remembering the Sacred Landscape

Jane Austen's England was littered with remnants of medieval religion. From her schooling in the gatehouse of Reading Abbey to her visits to cousins at Stoneleigh Abbey, Austen faced constant reminders of the wrenching religious upheaval that reordered the English landscape just 250 years before her birth. Drawing attention to the medieval churches and abbeys that appear frequently in her novels, Moore argues that Austen's interest in and representation of these spaces align her with a long tradition of nostalgia for the monasteries that had anchored English life for centuries until the Reformation. Converted monasteries serve as homes for the Tilneys in Northanger Abbey and Mr. Knightley in Emma, and the ruins of the 'Abbeyland' have a prominent place in Sense and Sensibility. However, these and other formerly sacred spaces are not merely picturesque backgrounds, but tangible reminders of the past whose alteration is a source of regret and disappointment. Moore uncovers a pattern of critique and commentary throughout Austen's works, but he focuses in particular on Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park, and Sanditon. His juxtaposition of Austen's novels with sixteenth- and seventeenth-century texts rarely acknowledged as relevant to her fiction enlarges our understanding of Austen as a commentator on historical and religious events and places her firmly in the long national conversation about the meaning and consequences of the Reformation.
The effects of the KEEP foster parent training intervention on child externalizing and internalizing problems

Children in foster care are at risk for externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. The KEEP foster parent training intervention has been found to effectively reduce parental reports of dail...
Monitoring therapeutic response of murine tumor allografts of colon carcinoma in response to combined immunotherapy and chemotherapy (Conference Presentation)

Immunotherapy, an emerging field in cancer therapeutics, in colon cancer aims to reduce pre-surgical tumor burden by regulating host immune checkpoints, and when used in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, may improve tumor therapeutic response. One such immune checkpoint is CCL2 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1)-mediated recruitment of monocytes, which differentiate into tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the tumor microenvironment that promote angiogenesis and tumorigenesis. Thus, CCL2 blockade may play an anti-tumor role via effects on tumor perfusion. However, there have been no studies investigating CCL2 blockade immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy in an animal model of colon cancer. Furthermore, there is a need to longitudinally assess tumor therapeutic response throughout treatment. In this study, CT26 murine colon carcinoma was injected into the flanks of Balb/c mice (n=80) to form tumor allografts. Mice in the key experimental group received combined chemotherapy (5-flurouracil) and immunotherapy (anti-CCL2), with appropriate controls. Tumor therapeutic response was monitored using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) by measuring the tumor perfusion metrics, hemoglobin concentration and oxygenation. End-point immunohistochemical analysis was used to quantify TAM fraction (CD68 and DAPI), TAM polarization (iNOS and CD206), and hypoxia (pimonidazole) to spatially and temporally correlate to DRS results. The central hypothesis was that decreasing TAMs via CCL2 blockade alters tumor perfusion, thereby increasing tumor response to 5-fluorouracil. This study may potentially demonstrate an effective immunotherapy approach (CCL2 blockade) and a viable method to longitudinally and non-invasively assess tumor therapeutic response to such immunotherapy (DRS) in mouse allograft models of colon cancer.
Impact of air–sea coupling on the simulated global tropical cyclone activity in the high-resolution Community Earth System Model (CESM)

Atmosphere–ocean coupling is critical for tropical cyclones (TC) formation and development. TCs derive their energy from the upper ocean, and the associated TC-ocean interactions can in turn modulate storm evolution. This study assesses the impact of ocean coupling on directly-simulated global TC activity in the high-resolution “TC-permitting” Community Earth System Model (CESM). Model-simulated global TC activity is evaluated in a 30-year fully-coupled CESM simulation (CPL), in which the 0.25° atmosphere component is coupled to the nominal 1° dynamic ocean (with ~ 0.27° horizontal grid spacing in the tropics). An atmosphere-only simulation (ATM) is branched from CPL, with sea surface temperature (SST) specified from CPL, which we use to isolate the effect of ocean coupling on TC activity. We find that the two-way ocean coupling can affect global TC frequency, geographical distribution, storm intensity, and interannual variability. ATM on average simulates 27% more major TC events than CPL globally, and the TC power dissipation is higher than CPL poleward of 12° latitude in both hemispheres. The lack of negative SST feedbacks in ATM allows TCs to have a longer intensification period and reach the maximum intensity at a higher latitude. In CPL, TC interannual variability is heavily influenced by El Nino/La Nina events. This relationship can be captured in ATM under strong events but is less predictable during weak and neutral years. Results help to better understand the connections and feedbacks linking air–sea coupling, tropical variability, and the directly simulated TC activity within the high-resolution Earth System Models.
Examining Multi-Phased Online Crowdsourcing Contests Using Quality Level and Quality Ambiguity

In traditional crowdsourcing markets such as 99Designs for logo designs, every contest is stand-alone and serves as the sole source of information for participants to learn about the contest. However, crowdsourcing for software development is different, in that a software development project is divided into sequentially-related phases, and each phase is posted as a separate contest. With sequential interdependency between contests for different phases, uncertainty and reduction in uncertainty through information gained propagates from one contest to subsequent contests for the same software development project. This study represents the first attempt to analyze the relationships between outcomes of phased contests in crowdsourced software development. Our results indicate that the sequential interdependence is quantifiable through the significantly positive influence of the outcome of an earlier phase on the outcome of its subsequent phase. We further find that the effect of sequential interdependence between two phases is greater if the earlier phase involves less uncertainty. We also find that a software project, for which conceptualization – the most unstructured problem solving phase – is conducted on the crowdsourcing platform, exhibits higher sequential interdependency among phases than when conceptualization is not conducted on the platform. In addition to providing the first evidence of the impact of sequential interdependency among contests and contest uncertainty on contest outcomes, our findings also generate important insights on the design of software development contests.
Synthesis and Characterization of the Platinum Cluster Complex Pt4(PF3)8

At temperatures approaching 200 °C, Pt(PF3)4 loses PF3 and yields a cluster, Pt4(PF3)8. This composition has been confirmed by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, but its structure is unknown. At higher temperature, the monomer yields platinum metal (confirmed by X-ray diffraction) and the expected quantity of PF3 gas. The PF3 produced contains no observable impurities. Ligands such as olefins do not replace the PF3 in Pt(PF3)4. However, ligands like P(OCH3)3 cause extensive replacement of the PF3 ligand.
Collaboration in Regulatory Science to Facilitate Therapeutic Development for Pregnant Women.

Background Therapeutic tragedies of the past, ethical concerns, and legal risks, among other factors have led to a conservative approach to clinical research during pregnancy, resulting in a de facto exclusion of pregnant women from most clinical therapeutics trials. As a result, there is a deficit of knowledge regarding the safety and proper dosing of medications during pregnancy, leaving prescribers with limited information available to support clinical decision-making. Additionally, there is little development of treatments for pregnancy-specific conditions. Methods This review describes the current need for therapeutic development in pregnant women, summarizes the history of regulations impacting this research area, and describes current efforts to increase the information used to help make decisions regarding the use of drugs during pregnancy and lactation. This is a brief review of the literature, federal regulations, and policies on research in pregnant women. Results While therapeutic development in pregnant women has been limited in the past, recent efforts by academic researchers, bioethicists, industry, advocacy groups, and federal agencies have sought to enhance strategies to increase the participation of pregnant women in clinical research that may benefit them and/or their fetus. Conclusion Collaborative efforts from all stakeholders, including industry, academia, advocacy groups, regulators, and other governmental agencies, if successful will increase the information needed to help make decisions regarding the use of drugs during pregnancy and lactation.
Making Sense of Christopher Dawson

Christopher Dawson identified with sociology, wrote extensively for the original Sociological Review, was a stalwart of the Sociological Society in the interwar years, achieved international recognition as a sociologist, engaged with Karl Mannheim and the Moot, and in the postwar period defended meta-history and the sociologically oriented historical work of people like Marc Bloch. He ultimately became regarded as the greatest Catholic historian of the twentieth century, and became a Harvard Professor and a cult figure for American and European Catholics. This paper describes this remarkable trajectory, his absence from the later self-understanding of British sociology, and his key ideas, including his Bellah-like account of the axial age and his extensive response to Weber’s Protestant Ethic and to the extension of these ideas in Ernst Troetlsch.
The Social Cost of Crime: Deterrence

This chapter lays out the economic theory of crime due to Gary Becker. Generally, this is a normative theory because it specifies a particular objective for the criminal law; namely, to minimize the costs of crime, consisting of the net harm to victims plus enforcement costs. As such, it does not necessarily strive to describe how criminal justice policy is actually structured, but how it should be structured to achieve the stated goal in the most efficient manner. The chapter reviews the principal policy prescriptions that come out of the model and compares them to actual practice. Particular attention is paid to the divergences, notably the prescribed reliance on fines over prison to the maximum extent possible, and the desirability of “probability-scaling” of punishments.
Range Image Sensors and Sensing Techniques

Range imaging sensors collect three-dimensional coordinate data from visible surfaces of objects in the scene. The output of a range sensor is termed a range image. Range images are unique in that the image pixels explicitly represent scene surface geometry in a sampled form. Since three-dimensional information is directly available in a range image, the problem of recognizing and localizing three-dimensional objects in a range image is to a great extent simplified. This is in contrast to a video sensor wherein the extraction of three-dimensional scene geometry from the pixel intensity values involves imposing specific constraints on the geometrical and physical properties of the objects in the scene, as is done in shape-from-shading, shape-from-texture, shape-from-shadows, etc. Range images are used in a wide variety of applications such as automated inspection, robot bin-picking, automated assembly, autonomous navigation, and medical diagnosis.
Maternal Bacteremia Caused by Staphylococcus Aureus With a Focus on Infective Endocarditis.

Background Sepsis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the pregnant patient. Injection drug use in pregnant populations has led to increased cases of bacteremia and infective endocarditis (IE) due to Staphylococcus aureus. We describe all cases of S. aureus bacteremia and IE among admitted pregnant patients at our hospital over a 6-year period. Methods This was a retrospective review of pregnant patients hospitalized with S. aureus bacteremia between April 2013 and November 2019. Maternal in-hospital mortality and fetal in-hospital mortality were the primary outcomes measured; the secondary outcome was the rate of 6-month maternal readmission. Results Twenty-seven patients were included; 15 (56%) had IE. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 29 (25-33) years; 22 (82%) patients had methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Infection onset occurred at a median (IQR) of 29 (23-34) weeks' gestation. Twenty-three (85%) mothers reported active injection drug use, and 21 (78%) were hepatitis C seropositive. Fifteen (56%) mothers required intensive care unit (ICU) care. Twenty-two (81%) patients delivered 23 babies; of the remaining 5 mothers, 3 (11%) were lost to follow-up and 2 (7%) terminated pregnancy. Sixteen (73%) babies required neonatal ICU care, and 4/25 (16%) infants/fetuses died during hospitalization. One (4%) mother died during hospitalization, and 7/26 (27%) mothers were readmitted to the hospital within 6 months for infectious complications. Conclusions Injection drug use is a modifiable risk factor for S. aureus bacteremia in pregnancy. Fetal outcomes were poor, and mothers were frequently readmitted secondary to infection. Future targeted interventions are needed to curtail injection drug use in this population.
URCSA as an Impossible Community

This article explores the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA), argues it as an “impossible community” and deliberates its existence as an “impossible possibility.” The argument stems from the arrival of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) as a faith, and eventually, a community called a church. The article contends that under normal circumstances, URCSA should not be in existence, yet it has survived for 25 years. The reasons for this survival shall be explored and argued. The Reformed doctrine, church history, and the composition of the church are employed to prove why I speak of an impossible community or an impossible possibility. The reasons provided shall form the basis of why we should celebrate the existence and sustenance of URCSA as an impossible community.
Medical Device Sterilization and Reprocessing in the Era of Multidrug-Resistant (MDR) Bacteria: Issues and Regulatory Concepts

The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria threatens humans in various health sectors, including medical devices. Since formal classifications for medical device sterilization and disinfection were established in the 1970s, microbial adaptation under adverse environmental conditions has evolved rapidly. MDR microbial biofilms that adhere to medical devices and recurrently infect patients pose a significant threat in hospitals. Therefore, it is essential to mitigate the risk associated with MDR outbreaks by establishing novel recommendations for medical device sterilization, in a world of MDR. MDR pathogens typically thrive on devices with flexible accessories, which are easily contaminated with biofilms due to previous patient use and faulty sterilization or reprocessing procedures. To prevent danger to immunocompromised individuals, there is a need to regulate the classification of reprocessed medical device sterilization. This article aims to assess the risks of improper sterilization of medical devices in the era of MDR when sterilization procedures for critical medical devices are not followed to standard. Further, we discuss key regulatory recommendations for consistent sterilization of critical medical devices in contrast to the risks of disinfection reusable medical devices.
Effect of External and Internal Loads on Tension Loss of Tendon-Driven Continuum Manipulators

We present a novel analytical modeling approach to investigate the combined effects of external loads (i.e., contact and gravitational loads) and internal distributed friction forces on tension loss of a generic variable-curvature tendon-driven continuum manipulator (TD-CM). Unlike previous studies, in our proposed approach, we do not assume the deformation behavior (e.g., bending shape/curvature) and friction distribution profile are known a priori and/or can be experimentally obtained/tuned before or during the experiments. Instead, we only assume the tendons’ tensions at the base of manipulator and magnitudes and locations of external forces are available while both deformation behavior and internal distributed forces are unknown and correlated. To evaluate the efficacy of the proposed approach, we performed different sets of simulation and experimental studies in the presence of both concentrated point and distributed surface contact loads. We compared the results of the performed studies with the results obtained by a friction-less modeling technique. This comparison clearly demonstrates the phenomenal performance of the proposed modeling approach in modeling tendon tension loss of a TD-CM experiencing both internal and external loads.
Linear optical responses beyond the electric dipole approximation on reflection and transmission: a perturbation treatment

There exist in a material a wide range of linear optical responses to external electromagnetic fields beyond the electric dipole process. These responses reveal more detailed information on properties of the material through their corrections to the zeroth-order dielectric tensor. These corrections introduce small yet distinguishable modifications to reflection and transmission. I here describe a perturbation method for computing these modifications. The method simplifies the computation of optical reflection and transmission that include first-order contributions from processes such as magneto-optic effects, electro-optic effects, surface and ultrathin films, electric quadrupole effects, photoelastic effects, and effects of meta-materials.
An Asynchronous Approach to Teaching Campaigns Online

As a result of the stay-at-home mandates related to Covid-19 across the world, higher education institutions scrambled to move their curricula online. With no clear guidelines on when face-to-face ...
On the myth of "red/near-IR carbon quantum dots" from thermal processing of specific colorless organic precursors

Carbon dots were originally found and reported as surface-passivated small carbon nanoparticles, where the effective surface passivation was the chemical functionalization of the carbon nanoparticles with organic molecules. Understandably, the very broad optical absorptions of carbon dots are largely the same as those intrinsic to the carbon nanoparticles, characterized by progressively decreasing absorptivities from shorter to longer wavelengths. Thus, carbon dots are generally weak absorbers in the red/near-IR and correspondingly weak emitters with low quantum yields. Much effort has been made on enhancing the optical performance of carbon dots in the red/near-IR, but without meaningful success due to the fact that optical absorptivities defined by Mother Nature are in general rather inert to any induced alterations. Nevertheless, there were shockingly casual claims in the literature on the major success in dramatically altering the optical absorption profiles of “carbon dots” by simply manipulating the dot synthesis to produce samples of some prominent optical absorption bands in the red/near-IR. Such claims have found warm receptions in the research field with a desperate need for carbon dots of the same optical performance in the red/near-IR as that in the green and blue. However, by looking closely at the initially reported synthesis and all its copies in subsequent investigations on the “red/near-IR carbon dots”, one would find that the “success” of the synthesis by thermal or hydrothermal carbonization processing requires specific precursor mixtures of citric acid with formamide or urea. In the study reported here, the systematic investigation included precursor mixtures of citric acid with not only formamide or urea but also their partially methylated or permethylated derivatives for the carbonization processing under conditions similar to and beyond those commonly used and reported in the literature. Collectively all of the results are consistent only with the conclusion that the origins of the observed red/near-IR optical absorptions in samples from some of the precursor mixtures must be molecular chromophores from thermally induced chemical reactions, nothing to do with any nanoscale carbon entities produced by carbonization.
Control of Spatial Quantum Correlations in Entangled Twin Beams

The spatial degree of freedom of quantum states of light can offer new possibilities for imaging and sensing applications, such as enhanced optical resolution, noiseless image amplification, and enhanced beam positioning. In order to take full advantage of the spatial degree of freedom for practical applications, it is necessary to control the quantum correlations between the spatial modes that make up a quantum state of light. In this talk, I will present our study of the spatial quantum correlations in bright entangled twin beams and show that it is possible to obtain full control over their distribution.
Cellular Studies on the Interrelationship Among Cancer, Aging and Cellular Differentiation

An experimental animal model and cellular system, based on the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), has been developed for the study of the interrelationship among cancer, aging and differentiation. Using this system, we have identified a progenitor-like cell which is present in primary and low passage mesenchymal cell cultures. The loss or absence of these cell.s is correlated with reduced in vitro proliferative capacity (cellular senescence), reduced response to growth promoting factors, and reduced susceptibility to in vitro neoplastic transformation. Based on these studies we propose a hypothesis on the central role of stem cells and/or progenitor cells in the interrelationship among cancer, aging and cellular differentiation.
Evolution of the book publishing industry: Structural changes and strategic implications

The book publishing industry, compared with other more “glamorous” industries such as automobiles or computers, has received relatively scant attention from academic researchers. Little has been written on the subject, despite the fact that it is an US$18 billion industry (in USA). The general perception is that publishing is a staid and old‐fashioned industry, with few changes since the invention of the movable type by Gutenberg in the fifteenth century. This view no longer holds true. In the past 15 years, many exciting challenges and changes have taken place that have altered the very foundations of the industry. The first major wave of change took place in the early 1980s, with the advent of the personal computing. Following that, shifts in consumer demand, and merger and acquisition activities have also affected the industry. The onset of the information superhighway promises even greater changes, but has also given rise to confusion and uncertainty as to the industry’s future.
Model Checking Large-Scale and Parameterized Resource Allocation Systems

In this paper, techniques are proposed for limiting state explosion in the context of resource allocation problems. It is shown that given any system organized into a--possibly irregular--network of n--possibly heterogeneous -- processes, model checking over that system can be reduced by an efficient, fully automatic and exact method to model checking over a certain small system. These results are established for correctness properties expressed in LTL\X. The precise size and topology of the small system are dependent on the large system, as well as the correctness specification. When the network is symmetric and the processes homogeneous, this new method provides an efficient solution to the Parameterized Model Checking Problem. As an application, it is shown how to efficiently verify a variety of solutions to the parameterized Dining Philosophers Problem.
Instrumentation on Multi-Scaled Scattering of Bio-Macromolecular Solutions

The design, construction and initial tests on a combined laser light scattering and synchrotron X-ray scattering instrument can cover studies of length scales from atomic sizes in Angstroms to microns and dynamics from microseconds to seconds are presented. In addition to static light scattering (SLS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), the light scattering instrument is being developed to carry out studies in mildly turbid solutions, in the presence of multiple scattering. Three-dimensional photon cross correlation function (3D-PCCF) measurements have been introduced to couple with synchrotron X-ray scattering to study the structure, size and dynamics of macromolecules in solution.