cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EXISTENTIAL PHILOSOPHY OF LAW

This essay is a continuation of my closing thoughts in my paper "Why Tolerate Law". This is a contemplation of the meaning of the universal "law" in its modern sense of nonscientific law: in the universe of language discourse that results in decisions of legality and illegality. I will further contemplate whether this universal can be naturalized to scientific law and seek to determine whether such meaning and naturalization are or can be an existential philosophy of law. This contemplation will require contemplating the attributes of existentialism as they exist in plebeian lives that includes nihilism and not solely from the more popular academic patrician existentialism that excludes nihilism. Law and its decisions of legality and illegality existentially exist in the universe of normative language in the same way that mathematics and numbers exist in scientific language: decisions of legality and illegality as are numbers are as particular and as real as any bricks or stones thrown at us, yet law as is mathematics is an abstract universal. However, unlike mathematics using rationality to go from aesthetics to particular and empirical pragmatic truth, the aesthetics of the universal law becomes particular and empirical as a social construct by irrational decisions of legality and illegality with their rationality running backwards from their pragmatic truth to aesthetics. The only descriptive "is" in law consists of the pragmatic truth of the empirical execution upon law through decisions of legality and illegality. The universal law is used and is useful as a universal to describe a social construct that is an unopposed normative language with a monopoly on violence to enforce its normative statements. It is the final arbiter through violence of all morality and ethics within the social construct that created it; it is essentially an unopposed ethics with a monopoly on violence whose goal is the survival of the social construct that created it in its struggle with the universe to survive.
“These Things”: Moore’s Habits of Adduction

Gilbert explores Moore’s distinctive method of adducing and gathering representative items while respecting their eccentric particularity. He takes the poet’s frequent use of the phrase “these things” as a marker for this characteristic balance between specificity and generality. Examining a series of poems in which Moore juxtaposes objects and instances without dissolving them into fixed categories, Gilbert argues that the poet tends to derive meaning from collections of things whose internal variety is precisely the source of their ideational power. Yet he distinguishes her procedures from more disjunctive modes of modernist assemblage, finding that discursive logic ultimately frames and authorizes her concatenations.
Mid-life social outcomes for a population-based sample of adults with ASD.

Adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) fall short of social outcomes of non-ASD peers in mid-life, as documented by currently published research. The aim of the current study was to extend what is known about social functioning, employment, independent living, and use of social services by examining details of the current life status for a population-based sample of adults with ASD (mean age = 35.5 years, range = 22.2-51.4). We collected outcome data via direct assessment and informant report for 169 individuals. Three-fourths of the sample had cognitive abilities in the intellectually disabled range. Social functioning outcomes, as a single measure, mirror those reported previously for other samples, including samples with a high proportion of individuals with normal range intellectual abilities, with 20% achieving the most independent outcomes and 46% requiring high levels of support across most life areas. Participant subgroups who achieved maximal outcomes represented a range of social and intellectual abilities for several outcome metrics. Participants used high levels of public and private supports, yet specific areas of clear, unmet need were also identified. Autism Res 2018, 11: 142-152. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay summary This paper describes the social functioning outcomes for 169 adults with autism spectrum disorders in mid-life. Adult participants spanned the full range of functional and cognitive ability levels, with over 75% functioning in the cognitively impaired range. While summary descriptions of outcomes for this sample were similar to those reported for other groups of adults, this report provides detailed information regarding employment outcomes, social relationships, leisure activities, participation in the community, residential situations, public service use, and involvement with law enforcement.
The Way of Divine and Human Handing-over: Pauline Apocalyptic, Centering Prayer, and Vulnerable Solidarity:

The premise of this article is that in order for apocalyptic theology to be a valid form of God-talk, it must be explicit in its existential orientation by articulating the role of apocalyptic Chri...
Integrated solder bump electromigration test chip and coupon cards for the characterization of Pb-free SAC solders under stress

As silicon power integrated circuits continue to shrink in scale to enable inclusion in mobile devices, the use of wafer level chip scale packages (WLCSPs) is becoming more common. Power devices are typically used in applications where a high current device relies on multiple solder connections to pass current in applications such as battery chargers and USB input switches where power transmission is important. In such applications, the traditional failure mechanism of crack propagation due to drop/shock or temperature cycling of the solder bumps can be overshadowed by electromigration failures in the Sn alloy, as relatively low current densities are required to cause voiding. To characterize the electromigration behavior of Pb-free solder bumps used in wafer level chip scale packages (WLCSPs), a combined test chip / PCB card has been designed for flexibility of test. This test vehicle combines the JEDEC recommended single ball and daisy chain type test structures on a single chip, along with a serpentine resistor specifically for characterizing the temperature of the Under-Bump Metallization (UBM) and die surface. This added resistor not only aides in the careful characterization of bump temperature near the liquidus point of the solder alloy, but also enables an asymmetrical thermal migration tests where die temperature is held higher than ambient temperature. Imaging of failed solder bumps after high stress EM testing linking lifetime data and rapid changes in the solder bump test vehicle will provide direction for high-reliability solder bump design and materials.
Context-dependent expression of a conditionally-inducible form of active Akt

Akt kinases are key signaling components in proliferation-competent and post-mitotic cells. Here, we sought to create a conditionally-inducible form of active Akt for both in vitro and in vivo applications. We fused a ligand-responsive Destabilizing Domain (DD) derived from E. coli dihydrofolate reductase to a constitutively active mutant form of Akt1, Akt(E40K). Prior work indicated that such fusion proteins may be stabilized and induced by a ligand, the antibiotic Trimethoprim (TMP). We observed dose-dependent, reversible induction of both total and phosphorylated/active DD-Akt(E40K) by TMP across several cellular backgrounds in culture, including neurons. Phosphorylation of FoxO4, an Akt substrate, was significantly elevated after DD-Akt(E40K) induction, indicating the induced protein was functionally active. The induced Akt(E40K) protected cells from apoptosis evoked by serum deprivation and was neuroprotective in two cellular models of Parkinson's disease (6-OHDA and MPP+ exposure). There was no significant protection without induction. We also evaluated Akt(E40K) induction by TMP in mouse substantia nigra and striatum after neuronal delivery via an AAV1 adeno-associated viral vector. While there was significant induction in striatum, there was no apparent induction in substantia nigra. To explore the possible basis for this difference, we examined DD-Akt(E40K) induction in cultured ventral midbrain neurons. Both dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic neurons in the cultures showed DD-Akt(E40K) induction after TMP treatment. However, basal DD-Akt(E40K) expression was 3-fold higher for dopaminergic neurons, resulting in a significantly lower induction by TMP in this population. Such findings suggest that dopaminergic neurons may be relatively inefficient in protein degradation, a property that could relate to their lack of apparent DD-Akt(E40K) induction in vivo and to their selective vulnerability in Parkinson's disease. In summary, we generated an inducible, biologically active form of Akt. The degree of inducibility appears to reflect cellular context that will inform the most appropriate applications for this and related reagents.
Using Mobile Application Development Technology to Teach Programming and SAD Concepts in MIS and CS Courses

Mobile Application Development is becoming a hot topic in both Computer Science and Information Systems programs. The popularity of the mobile phone platform has natural attractions to students, and the small form-factor provides intuitive and natural form factors and design constraints that mitigate scope-comprehension issues commonly experienced in courses that take a more traditional enterprise approach. This paper examines student and faculty perceptions of course interest and personal value in 25 elective mobile app development courses at 12 universities in the southwestern United States attended by over 250 students. Results indicate that students found an app development approach to be more interesting and personally-relevant compared to core courses taken that cover similar concepts using traditional desktop/enterprise technologies and approaches. Faculty appreciated the ability to teach the entire software develop lifecycle in a natural way, including third-party testing, assessment, distribution and marketing.
Impacts of Assimilating Smartphone Pressure Observations on Forecast Skill during Two Case Studies in the Pacific Northwest

AbstractOver a half-billion smartphones are now capable of measuring atmospheric pressure, potentially providing a global surface observing network of unprecedented density and coverage. An earlier...
Associations between Orofacial Clefting and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.

Background Orofacial clefting (OFC) is the most common developmental craniofacial malformation, and causal etiologies largely remain unknown. The opioid crisis has led to a large proportion of infants recovering from neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) due to in-utero narcotics exposure. We sought to characterize the prevalence of OFC in infants with NAS. Methods This cohort study analyzed live births at our institution from 2013 to 2017 to identify any association between OFC and NAS. Results Prevalence of OFC was 6.79 and 1.63 (per 1,000 live births) in the NAS and general population, respectively. Odds ratios for NAS patients having developed OFC, isolated cleft palate, isolated cleft lip, and combined cleft lip and palate compared with the general population were found to be 4.18 (P = 0.001), 5.92 (P = 0.001), 3.79 (P = 0.05), and 2.94 (P = 0.35), respectively. Analyses performed comparing the NAS and general populations to control for potential confounding variables influencing the NAS population yielded no significant differences with exception of in-utero exposure to physician prescribed opioids. Conclusions Prevalence of OFC in infants with NAS was higher than the general live birth population. Isolated cleft palate and isolated cleft lip, specifically, were significantly more prevalent in NAS patients compared with the general population and were associated with in-utero opioid exposure.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa Alters Its Transcriptome Related to Carbon Metabolism and Virulence as a Possible Survival Strategy in Blood from Trauma Patients

Trauma patients (TPs) are highly susceptible to infections, which often lead to sepsis. Among the numerous causative agents, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is especially important, as P. aeruginosa sepsis is often fatal. Understanding the mechanism of its pathogenesis in bloodstream infections is imperative; however, this mechanism has not been previously described. To examine the effect of trauma-induced changes in blood on the expression of P. aeruginosa genes, we grew strain UCBPP-PA14 (PA14) in blood samples from eight TPs and seven healthy volunteers (HVs). Compared with its growth in blood from HVs, the growth of PA14 in blood from TPs significantly altered the expression of 285 genes. Genes whose expression was significantly increased were related to carbon metabolism, especially malonate utilization and mannitol uptake, and efflux of heavy metals. Genes whose expression was significantly reduced included genes of the type VI secretion system, genes related to uptake and metabolism of amino acids, and genes related to biosynthesis and transport of the siderophores pyoverdine and pyochelin. These results suggest that during systemic infection in trauma patients, and to adapt to the trauma-induced changes in blood, P. aeruginosa adjusts positively and negatively the expression of numerous genes related to carbon metabolism and virulence, respectively. IMPORTANCE While a considerable body of knowledge regarding sepsis in trauma patients is available, the potential influence of trauma-induced changes in the blood of these patients on the pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is basically an unexplored area. Rather than using standard laboratory media, we grew P. aeruginosa in whole blood from either healthy volunteers or trauma patients. The specific changes in the P. aeruginosa transcriptome in response to growth in blood from trauma patients reflect the adaptation of this organism to the bloodstream environment. This knowledge is vital for understanding the strategies this pathogen uses to adapt and survive within the host during systemic infection. Such information will help researchers and clinicians to develop new approaches for treatment of sepsis caused by P. aeruginosa in trauma patients, especially in terms of recognizing the effects of specific therapies (e.g., iron, zinc, or mannitol) on the organism. Further, this information can most likely be extrapolated to all patients with P. aeruginosa septicemia.
Abstract P4-06-02: Chemoimmunotherapy with cyclophosphamide plus a toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist eradicates triple negative breast cancer in a murine model

Background. Toll-like receptors (TLR) recognize conserved molecular patterns expressed by microbes and together with other molecular sensors serve as a first line of defense, inducing soluble and cellular mediators of innate immunity and initiating key steps of an adaptive immune response. The use of TLR agonists for therapeutic purposes relies on the ability of these compounds to induce, at least partially, some of the immune events that occur during natural infections. For example, synthetic CpG-containing oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) act as TLR9 agonists, mimicking stimulation of the immune system by bacterial or viral DNA. CpG ODNs are being developed for cancer immunotherapy based on their capacity to stimulate innate and adaptive anti-tumor responses. In this study, we examined the efficacy of intratumorally administered CpG-ODN 1826 alone or in combination with immunomodulatory antibodies (anti-PD-1, anti-OX40, anti-CTLA4) or chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, paclitaxel) in the syngeneic mouse 4T1 breast tumor model. Methods. Tumors were implanted orthotopically in the mammary fat pads on the left and right flanks while only one tumor was injected with CpG-ODN 1826. Therapy began 12-14 days post tumor injection when tumors were 8-10 mm in diameter. CpG-ODN 1826 (100 ug) was administered intratumorally, while immunomodulatory antibodies (anti-PD-1 [200 ug], anti-CTLA4 [100 ug], anti-OX40 [400 ug]) and chemotherapies (cyclophosphamide [150 mg/kg], paclitaxel [10 mg/kg]) were administered intraperitoneally. Tumor volume was monitored on both flanks to assess direct and abscopal/systemic anti-tumor activity. Tumor tissue obtained during the treatment regimen was used to evaluate therapy-induced changes in the immune microenvironment. Results. CpG-ODN 1826, administered intratumorally over 5 consecutive days induced complete regressions in ˜50% of the treated tumors, but only delayed growth in the distant lesions. The immunomodulatory antibodies had little effect on their own and did not add to the therapeutic efficacy of CpG-ODN 1826. The best therapeutic efficacy was obtained with a combination of weekly cyclophosphamide + CpG-ODN 1826 resulting in complete regression of both the CpG injected tumors and the contralateral tumors in 100% of the mice. Conclusions. These data support the clinical investigation of the combination of a TLR9 agonist (CpG-ODN) with cyclophosphamide in women with breast cancer. Citation Format: Campbell MJ, Tandon V, Senman B, Li J, Esserman L. Chemoimmunotherapy with cyclophosphamide plus a toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist eradicates triple negative breast cancer in a murine model [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-06-02.
Selective Ah receptor modulators attenuate NPC1L1-mediated cholesterol uptake through repression of SREBP-2 transcriptional activity

The ability of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) to alter hepatic expression of cholesterol synthesis genes in a DRE-independent manner in mice and humans has been reported. We have examined the influence of functionally distinct classes of AHR ligands on the levels of Niemann-Pick C1-like intracellular cholesterol transporter (NPC1L1) and enzymes involved in the cholesterol synthesis pathway. NPC1L1 is known to mediate the intestinal absorption of dietary cholesterol and is clinically targeted. AHR ligands were capable of attenuating cholesterol uptake through repression of NPC1L1 expression. Through mutagenesis experiments targeting the two DRE sequences present in the promoter region of the NPC1L1 gene, we provide evidence that the repression does not require functional DRE sequences; while knockdown experiments demonstrated that this regulation is dependent on AHR and sterol-regulatory element-binding protein-2 (SREBP-2). Furthermore, upon ligand activation of AHR, the human intestinal Caco-2 cell line revealed coordinate repression of both mRNA and protein levels for a number of the cholesterol biosynthetic enzymes. Transcription of NPC1L1 and genes of the cholesterol synthesis pathway is predominantly regulated by SREBP-2, especially after treatment with a statin. Immunoblot analyses revealed a significant decrease in transcriptionally active SREBP-2 levels upon ligand treatment, whereas the precursor form of SREBP-2 was modestly increased by AHR activation. Mechanistic insights indicate that AHR induces proteolytic degradation of mature SREBP-2 in a calcium-dependent manner, which correlates with the AHR ligand-mediated upregulation of the transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 6 (TRPV6) gene encoding for a membrane calcium channel. These observations emphasize a role for AHR in the systemic homeostatic regulation of cholesterol synthesis and absorption, indicating the potential use of this receptor as a target for the treatment of hyperlipidosis-associated metabolic diseases.
Physical Activity and Cardiometabolic Risk Factor Clustering in Young Adults with Obesity.

INTRODUCTION There is a paucity of information on the clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors in young adults and how this clustering may vary based on whether or not they perform sufficient levels of physical activity. METHODS We analyzed baseline data from 346 young adults (23.3 ± 4.4 yr) participating in the Healthy Body Healthy U clinical trial from 2015 to 2018. Cardiometabolic risk factors were measured according to standard procedures and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) was determined by accelerometry. A cardiometabolic clustering score (ranging from 0 to 5) was created from five biomarkers according to whether or not a standard clinical risk cut point was exceeded (0, no; 1, yes): abdominal circumference (>102 cm (men) or >88 cm (women)), hemoglobin A1c (≥5.7%), HDL cholesterol (<40 mg·dL (men) or <50 mg·dL (women)), systolic blood pressure (≥130 mm Hg), and diastolic blood pressure (≥85 mm Hg). Cardiometabolic dysregulation (CD) was defined as a cardiometabolic clustering score ≥3. Multiple logistic regression determined the independent association between level of MVPA and CD, while adjusting for sex, race/ethnicity, sedentary time, and smoking. RESULTS The prevalence of CD was 18% (22% in men, 17% in women). We observed a nonlinear graded association between MVPA and CD. Participants performing 150-300 min·wk of MVPA significantly lowered their odds of CD by 66% (odds ratio, 0.34; 95% confidence interval, 0.16-0.75), whereas those exceeding 300 min·wk lowered their odds by 61% (odds ratio, 0.39; 95% confidence interval, 0.18-0.86) compared with those performing <150 min·wk, independent of obesity and the other covariables. CONCLUSION Recommended levels of moderate-intensity physical activity is significantly associated with lower odds of CD and thus may prevent or diminish the need for expensive pharmaceutical treatment over the remainder of the life-span.
Targeting Age-Related Pathways in Heart Failure.

During aging, deterioration in cardiac structure and function leads to increased susceptibility to heart failure. The need for interventions to combat this age-related cardiac decline is becoming i...
Common Orbital Disorders in Children

Orbital lesions in children range from simple cysts to life threatening tumors. They can affect both the visual function and/or result in cosmetic disfigurement. The pediatric orbit is shallower and its structures are more vulnerable than in adults. Proper diagnosis and management may require the cooperation between ophthalmologists, pediatricians and radiologists.
Inadvertant Weather Modification

This article is reproduced from the previous edition, volume 6, pp 2533–2537, © 2003, Elsevier Ltd.
Abstract 1081: DNA methylation at the intersect of chromatin structure and transcriptome diversity

Dysregulation of DNA methylation and mRNA alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (APA) are both prevalent in cancer, but they have been studied as independent processes. We discovered a DNA methylation regulated APA mechanism when we compared genome-wide DNA methylation and polyadenylation site usage between DNA methylation-competent and DNA methylation-deficient cells. Here we show that removal of DNA methylation enables CTCF binding and recruitment of the cohesin complex, which in turn, promotes proximal polyadenylation site usage. In this DNA de-methylated context, depletion of the RAD21 cohesin complex component can recover distal polyadenylation site usage. We also confirmed, using chromosomal conformation capture (3C), that CTCF and the cohesin complex mediate chromatin loops in the absence of DNA methylation to modulate polyadenylation site usage. Leveraging data from The Cancer Genome Atlas, we authenticated the relationship between DNA methylation and mRNA polyadenylation isoform expression in vivo. This DNA methylation regulated APA mechanism demonstrates how aberrant DNA methylation impacts transcriptome diversity and highlights the potential sequelae of global DNA methylation inhibition as a cancer treatment. Citation Format: Angela H. Ting, Vishal Nanavaty, Elizabeth Abrash, Byron Lee, Emily Fink, Tae Hyun Hwang, Changjin Hong. DNA methylation at the intersect of chromatin structure and transcriptome diversity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 1081.
Maximizing Spin-Orbit-Torque Efficiency of Pt / Ti Multilayers: Trade-Off Between Intrinsic Spin Hall Conductivity and Carrier Lifetime

Spin Hall metals with a giant spin Hall ratio ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\text{SH}}$ and relatively low resistivity are key to developing spin-orbit-torque-based technologies ($e.g.$ memory, logic, and oscillators) that require high energy efficiency, high endurance, and low impedance. The limit to which ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\text{SH}}$ can be enhanced in practice, and how, remain to be seen. This study establishes that the intrinsic spin Hall conductivity of Pt is robust against strain and moderate crystal disorder, but diminishes with carrier lifetime, which sets a practical limit for ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\text{SH}}$. Finally, an actual Pt/Ti multilayer near this limit is identified.
In response to Letter to the Editor LT-21-132

The SATA Task Force on TEE use during Transplant Surgery thanks Dr. Wigg et al. for sharing their experience of a patient death where a TEE probe was used in their letter to the editor "Is transesophageal echocardiography really safe during liver transplantation surgery in patients with high-risk varices." The authors describe a complex patient with pulmonary hypertension and speculate that bleeding caused by the probe contributed to adverse events and eventually death. Based on their experience, the authors question the safety of TEE use.
Managing QoS for Multimedia Applications in the Differentiated Services Environment

The overall quality of network connections has a significant impact on the performance of networked applications. As a result, Quality-of-Service (QoS) management for networked multimedia applications over IP is a significant and immediate challenge. While differentiated services (DiffServ) provide a sense of resource allocation and QoS, they do not guarantee QoS. This paper presents the design, implementation and evaluation of a content-aware bandwidth broker (CABB) that manages QoS for multimedia applications in a DiffServ environment. CABB allocates network resources to multimedia flows based on client requirements, the adaptability of the application, and its tolerance to network level parameters such as bandwidth, delay, and latency. It has been implemented and evaluated using the NS-2 simulator toolkit. Evaluations show that CABB improves network resource allocations and increases overall throughput. Furthermore multimedia application flows are better managed and controlled, improving perceived QoS and avoiding possible congestion at core routers.
The role of frailty index in predicting readmission risk following total joint replacement using light gradient boosting machines

Abstract Background Total joint replacement (TJR) is a costly and prevalent surgery among older persons. Readmission is the most commonly experienced postoperative adverse event and is an important component to consider before surgery. A preoperative evaluation of postsurgical complications can assist with appropriate postoperative discharge decisions and can improve informed consent. Purpose Our goal was to compare and use American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Physical Status Classification (ASA) versus modified frailty index (mFI-5) in readmission risk following TJR. Material & methods We implemented light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM) as the main machine learning technique on data from American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) between 2011 and 2017 to preoperatively predict risk of postoperative readmission. We also compared results to extreme gradient boosting (XGB), logistic regression and random forests machine learning techniques. We included 22 presurgical diagnoses and symptoms as well as ASA and mFI-5 scores. However, we randomly split our cohort into 80% training and 20% hold out test data, performing 5-fold cross validation on the 80% training dataset. Model comparisons were based on area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) obtained on the hold out data. A variable importance analysis was performed on the best modelling technique. Results Our analytic sample included 477, 616 surgeries. The readmission rate was 3.6% (n = 17 430). ASA class as a standalone predictor yielded an AUC of 0.607 and mFI-5 yielded an AUC of 0.585. LightGBM models using all the defined predictors resulted in an AUC of 0.67. Variable importance analysis on the final LightGBM model showed that ASA, age and mFI-5 are amongst the most important predictors. However, the frailty index can provide more detailed information on the requirement of care post-surgery. Conclusions There is value in measuring not only the diagnoses and symptoms, but also patient frailty. As standalone variables, both ASA and mFI-5 are moderately associated with post TJR readmission. The LightGBM model predicted post-TJR readmission with moderate accuracy. Future studies should also include socioeconomic and behavioral factors as potential predictors of readmission.
Current and Proposed Construction Research Studies

By literature review and completed questionnaires from universities, construction firms and contractor organizations, the current status of construction research is surveyed. The topics of current and proposed studies are listed with the individuals(s) and institution(s) conducting the research. The results of the study indicated that little research is conducted by individual contracting firms, and if studies are undertaken, they are usually directed toward the solution of specific and immediate problems. Universities, AGC, and a Stanford Workshop examined similar topics as contractors, but they involved long-range research studies that will benefit the entire industry. Since the construction is well below the national average for industry R & D investments, greater involvement in organized research is being advocated to solve immediate as well as long-range problems, or more government control can be expected.
STAP in heterogeneous clutter environments

STAP-based radar systems must operate in heterogeneous clutter environments. In this chapter, the author has introduced the aspects of space-time clutter heterogeneity that describes the impact of clutter heterogeneity on STAP performance and briefly highlights some techniques to enhance the STAP implementation in heterogeneous clutter environments. The chapter introduces five basic classes of clutter heterogeneity and related effects: amplitude heterogeneity, spectral mismatch, CNR-induced spectral mismatch, moving (Doppler-shifted) discretes, and related effects such as mismatched angle-Doppler loci. Using a basic model in describing the space-time clutter characteristics, the chapter investigates the potential impact of each class of heterogeneity on detection performance. Using the measured airborne radar data, the chapter also corroborated a fundamental space-time clutter model and several heterogeneous clutter models.
The NERV methodology: A lightweight process for addressing non-functional requirements in agile software development

Agile software development has become very popular around the world in recent years, with methods such as Scrum and Extreme Programming (XP). Literature suggests that functionality is the primary focus in Agile processes while non-functional requirements (NFRs) are either ignored or ill-defined. However, for software to be of good quality both functional requirements (FRs) and NFRs need to be taken into consideration; lack of attention to NFRs has been documented to be the cause of failure for many software projects. Hence special attention needs to be focused on NFRs in Agile software development. Requirements elicitation, implementation in design, development, and validation are important activities of software development. Agile has good processes to elicit functional requirements that are captured as user stories. However, NFRs elicitation has not been given enough attention within Agile processes. Additionally, reasoning and validating of NFRs have been lacking. This research proposes the “NERV Methodology: Nonfunctional Requirements Elicitation, Reasoning, and Validation in Agile Processes.” Current results show the artifacts developed in this research can potentially help software development organizations address NFRs in early Agile processes.
Constant-rate titrations in studies of chemical kinetics

Abstract The data obtained in a constant-rate thermometric titration of an aqueous solution of ethyl glycolate with standard sodium hydroxide can be used to evaluate the rate constant and change of enthalpy for the reaction and also to determine the percentage of glycolic acid present as an impurity in the ester.
A latching MEMS relay for DC and RF applications

A latching MEMS relay, based on thermal actuator, for both DC and RF applications are described. In contrast to electrostatic MEMS relays that require a voltage to hold a closed state, this relay is a true mechanical latching design where no power is required to hold a state. For DC applications, the relay can typically switch 250 mA of current in cold switching configuration, and up to 10 mA at 10 V in hot switching applications. For RF relay, based on the similar design, typical performance parameters are (at 6 GHz): isolation /spl sim/-40 dB, and > insertion loss <-1.0 dB and return loss <-15 dB.
Isotopic Evidence for Diet Among Historic Bedouin of Khirbat al‐Mudayna, Jordan

Interpreting the behaviours of nomadic groups from the archaeological record is particularly challenging owing to the ephemeral remains produced by their lifestyle. As such, human burials – even from isolated contexts – provide a wealth of information about these transient groups. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of a series of human skeletal remains (n = 22) from isolated burials were utilized to reconstruct the diet of historic (ca. 13th–19th century CE) Bedouin from the Khirbat al-Mudayna vicinity in modern-day Jordan. Carbon isotope values ranging from −17.7 to −12.5‰ point to variable dietary contributions from both C3- and C4-based foods, while corresponding faunal δ13C ratios ( = −19.0 ± 1.7‰, 1σ) exhibit depletion in 13C characteristic of a predominantly C3 diet. While mean human δ15N values ( = 12.7 ± 1.9‰, 1σ) may suggest that the majority of protein consumed by these nomads came from animal and not plant sources, elevated δ15N ratios in some fauna may be indicative of 15N-enriched soils as reported in some arid desert environments. Considerable variability in both δ13C and δ15N values also points to differences in individual life histories and subsistence economies over time. Despite a lack of temporal cohesion, these data illustrate the information that can be gleaned from the isolated interments of nomadic or semi-nomadic individuals. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Infectivity-destroying effect of humidity for dried coliphage T1.

Infectivity of dried coliphage T1 has been measured as a function of humidity, temperature, and atmospheric pressure. Loss of infectivity by a factor of 104 was caused by water vapor of approximately 40 to 85% saturation when the microorganisms were kept for 3 days at 34 C in evacuated containers. At humidities below 40% and above 90% saturation, no loss of infectivity occurred. At a temperature of 24 C, the infectivity loss was 20-fold. When the virus preparation was kept at 34 C and atmospheric pressure, some loss of infectivity was also found at humidities below 40% and above 90% saturation. Damage to tail proteins or to the phage chromosome is considered as a possible explanation for the inactivation.
Evaluation of a Commercial Latex Agglutination Test Kit for Cryptococcal Antigen

Two dozen Crypto-LA kits for detecting Cryptococcus neoformans capsular polysaccharide antigens were evaluated. Ten kits proved reliable for detecting and titering antigen in clinical materials. Fourteen kits were found to be inadequate.
Augmented Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster therapy in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Background Various trials report improved outcomes for adolescents and young adults (AYA) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated with pediatric- based regimens. This prompted the investigation of the pediatric Augmented Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (ABFM) regimen in AYA patients. Results were compared with the hyper–fractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, Adriamycin and dexamethasone (hyper-CVAD) regimen in a similar population.
Informing and Reforming the Marketplace of Ideas: The Public-Private Partnership for Data Production and the First Amendment

In 2011, the Supreme Court held that the First Amendment applied to the commercialization data in Sorrell v. IMS. While the case at issue dealt with state regulation of pharmacy data, the Court's holding extends to regulation of data in many contexts from government created databases to search engines and social media sites. This Article contains a critique of the decision, emphasizing that the majority and dissent take polar opposite positions without adequately addressing the normative foundations for data regulation and the institutional arrangements within which such regulation occurs. The critique provides a normative framework for the free flow of data and information that takes into consideration classic liberal principles, autonomy principles, and fairness. This normative framework is used to analyze the regulatory structures within data commercialization occurs, including intellectual property law, state law on open records, and information access initiatives. The Article offers three examples drawn from disputes involving tax assessment data, the data transparency projects of the Obama Administration, and protection of databases in Europe, to illustrate the issues raised by the Sorrell decision. The Article ends with a set of best practices for data commercialization that takes account of the normative framework and the First Amendment as applied to data.
Using team based process as an educational medium for an undergraduate production and operations management course

Summary form only given. The author describes how, when he was asked to teach an undergraduate Production and Operations Management course at Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA, he decided to employ a variety of instructional techniques with the ultimate goal of customer (student) satisfaction. Another important factor was interim evaluation. Since this course was a condensed 7 1/2 week program, he was only able to conduct one interim evaluation. If the course had been offered in the traditional 15-week semester, he would have conducted additional interim evaluations. The problem with the existing system of university instructor evaluations are that they occur at the end of the semester, which is too late to be responsive to student's needs. From the author's experience, students are not likely to give feedback to a professor, especially if it is in disagreement with the professor' s point of view. Finally, he divided the class into arbitrary teams. The purpose was to allow the students to get a feel for what it may be like to work in teams when they work for a company. The reason he formed the teams was because, in real life, one does not get to choose one's team members.
Virginia Satir: An Integrated, Humanistic Approach

This article traces professional and personal influences that helped Virginia Satir to shape her worldview. She was an integrative humanist who included body, mind, emotional, and spiritual processes to transform systems ranging from the molecular to the cosmic. Her theories and techniques offered a wellspring of hope and possibility to individuals as well as large assemblies. The presentation of a case with young, abused children demonstrates her use of self (through physical touch) by sensitively reframing the cycle of violence as an opportunity for safe, cooperative contact.
Diffusion of the elements of the Ib and IIb subgroups in silver

Data are given for the diffusion of the elements of the IB and IIB subgroups in single crystals of silver. With the exception of those for mercury in silver, the data indicate that the activation energies for diffusion of the atoms of a given subgroup in the same solvent are similar, but the frequency factors differ. From this, it is concluded that atomic size, provided solid solutions are formed, probably does not affect the activation energy. The relation of the present results to several of the more popular generalizations concerning diffusion is discussed.
“When a Daughter Elopes to Gretna, Generally It Is a Wicked Thing”: Female Consent, Clandestine Marriage, and Susannah Frances Reynolds’s Gretna Green; Or, All for Love

Progressive nineteenth-century Member of Parliament James Mackintosh worked to repeal An Act for the Better Preventing of Clandestine Marriages (1753), also known as Lord Hardwicke’s Act (LHA) or t...
Eosinophilia as an early indicator of pancreatic allograft rejection.

Weir MR, Bartlett ST, Drachenberg CB. Eosinophilia as an early indicator of pancreatic allograft rejection. Clin Transplant 2011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2011.01440.x. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Monitoring pancreas transplant recipients for rejection is an inexact science. Serial monitoring of urinary amylase has been used for patients with a bladder-drained pancreas. An increase in serum amylase and lipase has been utilized as an in vivo measure of pancreas rejection in patients with enteric pancreatic exocrine drainage. Decreases in urinary amylase or increases in serum amylase or lipase, respectively, in these two different types of surgical drainage would prompt a pancreas biopsy for histologic confirmation of rejection. Herein, we describe the case of an enteric-drained pancreatic transplant recipient who presented with peripheral eosinophilia at least one month before she developed increases in serum amylase and lipase. A pancreas allograft biopsy indicated eosinophilic acute cellular rejection. Peripheral eosinophilia may be a useful early indicator of pancreas graft rejection preceding changes in serum pancreatic enzymes by approximately one month.
InfoFilter: supporting quality of service for fresh information delivery

With the explosive growth of the Internet and World Wide Web comes a dramatic increase in the number of users that compete for the shared resources of distributed system environments. Most implementations of application servers and distributed search software do not distinguish among requests to different web pages. This has the implication that the behavior of application servers is quite unpredictable. Applications that require timely delivery of fresh information consequently suffer the most in such competitive environments. This paper presents a model of quality of service (QoS) and the design of a QoS-enabled information delivery system that implements such a QoS model. The goal of this development is two-fold. On one hand, we want to enable users or applications to specify the desired quality of service requirements for their requests so that application-aware QoS adaptation is supported throughout the Web query and search processing. On the other hand, we want to enable an application server to customize how it should respond to external requests by setting priorities among query requests and allocating server resources using adaptive QoS control mechanisms. We introduce the Infopipe approach as the systems support architecture and underlying technology for building a QoS-enabled distributed system for fresh information delivery.
Sonic hedgehog controls growth of external genitalia by regulating cell cycle kinetics

The faithful positioning and growth of cells during embryonic development is essential. In this study Seifert et al. demonstrate that inactivation of Sonic Hedgehog during development of the genital tubercle results in a prolonged G1 phase and a slower rate of growth.
Low frequency oscillations in semi-insulating gallium arsenide†

Low frequency oscillations associated with trap-controlled moving domains in high resistance semiconductors have been studied by a number of investigators. The mechanism involved is (in increase of the capture cross section of a repulsive centre with increase in the applied electric field. Although many of the features involved have been established by experimental studies, the modelling and analysis available have so far been incomplete. The present paper shows that computer studies can make a contribution to understanding of the domain behaviour and the effects of illumination. Using a simple functional form for the capture coefficient of a repulsive centre in GaAs, the non-linear equation obtained can be shown to result in a dipole domain propagating with constant velocity for bulk material. The threshold for domain nucleation was 860 volts/cm. Domain velocities were found to increase with illumination level and applied voltage, and for the model considered ranged from 0-25 cm/sec in the dark to 125 cm...
The concerted reduction of the high- and low-potential chains of the bf complex by plastoquinol

Abstract We have measured the equilibrium constant for the reaction by which the plastoquinol: plastocyanin oxidoreductase (bf complex) oxidizes plastoquinol. By destroying or removing plastocyanin from spinach thylakoids, the terminal electron acceptor for oxidation of plastoquinol was changed from the oxidized primary donor of Photosystem I (P700+) to oxidized cytochrome f (cyt f+). Because cytochrome f has a lower mid-point redox potential than P700, the equilibrium constant for oxidation of plastoquinol was lowered by this treatment. Chloroplasts were poised at high ambient redox potential (Eh) (about + 450 mV), to oxidize the cytochromes of the bf complex, and then excited by actinic flashes so that Photosystem II (PS II) produced excess PQH2. After such treatment, cytochromes b and f became partially reduced following flash excitation. Cytochrome f reduction occurred in two distinct phases: a rapid phase with t 1 2 = about 6–10 ms , and a slow phase with t 1 2 > 100 ms . The rapid reduction phase corresponded well in kinetics and extent to the rapid reduction phase of cytochrome b (cyt b). The slow phase of cyt f reduction was linked to re-oxidation of cyt b, with complex kinetics. From these results, and estimation of the concentration of plastoquinone (PQ) and plastoquinol (PQH2), we conclude that the concerted reduction of cyt b and f by PQH2 at the PQH2 oxidizing site (Qo-site) reached its local thermodynamic equilibrium at the end of the fast phase of cyt f reduction. At this point, there was not sufficient driving force in the PQ/PQH2 couple to further reduce both cyt f and cyt b, and cyt f reduction could occur only as cyt b became re-oxidized through the PQ-reductase site of the bf complex. From these data, we estimate that, at pH 7.3, the equilibrium constant for the concerted reduction of cyt b and cyt f by the PQ pool was approx. 10, which is consistent with the equilibrium constant calculated from measured values for the midpoint potentials of the redox components. By repeating these experiments at different values of pH, we have shown that the equilibrium constant is pH dependent, and follows the value expected from the measured pH-dependencies of midpoint potentials for the redox components. Our hypothesis is further supported by experiments in which, upon addition of MOA-stilbene, the re-oxidation of cyt b was strongly inhibited and the slow phase of cyt f reduction was greatly slowed, and in which, upon addition of benzoquinone (BQ), the rates of re-oxidation of cyt b as well as the slow phase of cyt f reduction were increased. The BQ-induced effects were largely reversed by addition of MOA-stilbene, indicating that the oxidation of cyt b by BQ is most likely catalyzed by the Qi-site. We conclude that the primary pathway for plastoquinol oxidation at the Qo-site is via a classical oxidant-induced reduction mechanism and does not occur via a semiquinone (SQ) cycle or any other mechanism that allows reduction of the high-potential chain without a concerted reduction of the low-potential chain.