cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 2269: Deficiency in Rhomboid-3 Causes a Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Adult Drosophila

The identification of genes that cause or modify cardiac dysfunction is required to understand the complex biology that is responsible for dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure in humans. Model systems of human heart failure facilitate the screening and identification of genetic mutants that affect cardiac function. We hypothesized that a genome wide-screen in Drosophila would identify mutations that cause dilated cardiomyopathy. As part of a systematic, genome wide screen in Drosophila to identify candidate genes that cause dilated cardiomyopathy we employed optical coherence tomography (OCT) to examine the cardiac function in awake, adult Drosophila . We examined flies with molecularly-defined genomic deficiencies along the 3L chromosome from the Dros-Del and Excelixis collections and identified a set of mutants that had dilated cardiomyopathy manifest as enlarged end-diastolic dimension (EDD), end-systolic dimension (ESD) and impaired fractional shortening (FS). Strains Df(3L)4238, Df(3L)ED4196, Df(3L)ED207, and Df(3L)ED4191, that had dilated cardiomyopathy and further analysis suggested that rhomboid 3 (dRho3) was the candidate gene. Next, we examined available mutants that spanned the candidate region and identified a cardiac abnormality in rhoughoid (ru1) a mutant that is localized to dRho3 locus. We determined that ru1 encodes a truncated form of dRho3. To validate our findings, we determined that the cardiac expression of dRho3 rescued the abnormal phenotype observed in Df(3L)4238 and ru1 mutants. Since dRho3 is involved in the processing of Spitz, a fly ortholog of epidermal growth factor (EGF), we examined the effects of downstream components of the dRho3 pathway. The cardiac expression of active, but not inactive, Spitz, or EGF receptor (EGFR) rescued the abnormal cardiac phenotype observed in Df(3L)4238 and ru1 mutants. Furthermore, the post-developmental cardiac specific expression of a dominant negative EGFR resulted in a progressive deterioration of cardiac function. Our results demonstrate that abnormalities in dRho3 or the EGFR signaling pathway causes dilated cardiomyopathy and suggests that EGFR signaling is necessary to maintain post-developmental cardiac function in adult Drosophila . This research has received full or partial funding support from the American Heart Association, National Center.
Analytic Solutions for Pulsatile Flow Through Annular, Rectangular and Sector Ducts Filled with a Darcy–Brinkman Medium

Oscillatory (or pulsatile) flow in ducts filled with a Darcy–Brinkman medium is studied. Analytic solutions (some in closed form) are derived for the annular duct, the rectangular duct and the sector duct. These exact solutions also serve as accuracy standards for approximate and numerical solutions. The problem is governed by two parameters, a non-dimensional frequency and a porous medium factor, which is inversely proportional to the Darcy number. The effects of these parameters on the amplitude and phase lag of the flow are discussed.
A Mutation in the Surfactant Protein C Gene Associated with Familial Interstitial Lung Disease

Interstitial lung diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders that are poorly understood at a molecular level.1,2 The cause is often unknown, and the histologic diagnoses used in adults may represent different disease processes in children.3–5 For example, cases of desquamative interstitial pneumonitis reported in infants are often more severe and refractory to treatment than those reported in adults.6,7 Many of these cases probably represent chronic pneumonitis of infancy.8,9 The lungs in patients with chronic pneumonitis of infancy are characterized by interstitial thickening with mesenchymal cells, rather than by an inflammatory infiltrate, and an alveolar infiltrate . . .
Molecular Doping Control at a Topological Insulator Surface: F4-TCNQ on Bi2Se3

Recent electrical measurements have accessed transport in the topological surface state band of thin exfoliated samples of Bi2Se3 by removing the bulk n-type doping by contact with thin films of the molecular acceptor F4-TCNQ. Here we report on the film growth and interfacial electronic characterization of F4-TCNQ grown on Bi2Se3. Atomic force microscopy shows wetting layer formation followed by 3D island growth. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is consistent with this picture and also shows that charge transferred to the molecular layer is localized on nitrogen atoms. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy shows a work function increase and an upward shift of the valence band edge that suggest significant reduction in carrier density at the Bi2Se3 surface.
Colossal Hopping Magnetoresistance of GaAs/ErAs Nanocomposites

A theory of bound magnetic polaron (BMP) hopping, driven by thermodynamic fluctuations of the local magnetization, has been developed. It is based on a two-site model of BMP’s. The BMP hopping probability rate was calculated in the framework of the “Golden Rule” approach by using the Ginzburg-Landau effective Hamiltonian method. The theory explains the main features of hopping resistivity observed in a variety of experiments in dilute magnetic semiconductors and magnetic nanocomposites, namely: (a) negative giant magnetoresistance, the scale of which is governed by a magnetic polaron localization volume, and (b) low magnetic field positive magnetoresistance, which usually preceeds negative magnetoresistance.
Outcome studies in adequacy of dialysis

The theoretical constructs indicate that for a 70-kg high transport anephric patient, adequate dialysis requires a weekly Kt/V of 2.0-2.25. The prospective cohort studies, with one exception, suggest that better survival requires a weekly Kt/V > 1.89. Multivariate analyses confirm the statistical association of patient survival with higher Kt/V and with higher CCr. The use of initial values in one study, mean values in two studies, and time-dependent values in another makes comparison difficult. In general, higher values are associated with better survival and are consistent with the values suggested by theoretical constructs (i.e., Kt/V 2.0-2.25).
Sorted neighborhood for the semantic web

Entity Resolution (ER) concerns identifying logically equivalent entity pairs across databases. To avoid Θ(n2) pairwise comparisons of n entities, blocking methods are used. Sorted Neighborhood is an established blocking method for relational databases. It has not been applied on graph-based data models such as the Resource Description Framework (RDF). This poster presents a modular workflow for applying Sorted Neighborhood to RDF. Real-world evaluations demonstrate the workflow's utility against a popular baseline.
Science gendered : nutrition in the United States, 1840-1940

Aux Etats-Unis, la science de la nutrition est principalement gouvernee par des femmes de 1840 a 1940
Visible Light-Gated Cobalt Catalysis for a Spatially and Temporally Resolved [2+2+2] Cycloaddition

The ability to exert spatial and temporal control over a transition-metal catalyst offers diverse opportunities for the fabrication of functional materials. Using an external stimulus such as visible light to toggle a catalyst between an active and dormant state has proven to be an effective approach for controlled, radical methodologies. Outside of radical bond formation, there is a dearth of evidence that suggests traditional transition metal catalysis can similarly be controlled with visible light energy. Many cobalt complexes that catalyze the [2+2+2] cycloaddition are assisted by UV photolysis, but strict photocontrolled methods are unattainable due to high levels of thermally driven reactivity. Herein, we disclose the first light-controlled, cobalt-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition via a dual cobalt and photoredox catalyst manifold. We demonstrate the power of this method with a spatially and temporally resolved technique for arene formation using photolithography.
Apropriações Tecnológicas e Uso de Laboratório de Informática pelos Professores na Escola Municipal Érico Veríssimo, Simões - PI

O objeto de analise deste trabalho foi o uso do laboratorio de informatica pelos os professores da Escola Erico Verissimo municipio de Simoes – PI e tem como objetivo Identificar o nivel de dominio dos professores com o computador e suas principais ferramentas; analisar as prioridades estabelecidas por eles na hora da elaboracao e execucao das aulas e apoio pedagogico junto ao laboratorio de informatica descobrir tambem o que dificultam na vida dos profissionais da educacao que nao desfrutam gratuitamente desses laboratorios e recursos digitais para fins pedagogicos. Observar como e o funcionamento do laboratorio de informatica da escola e sua relacao com o desenvolvimento do ensino aprendizagem dos alunos. Analisar a contribuicao do mesmo para uma aprendizagem significativa, identificando os desafios dos professores e alunos diante do uso desses laboratorios de informatica como mecanismo de ensino. Esse trabalho se constitui em uma pesquisa de campo e bibliografica. O estudo foi fundamentado nas ideias de diferentes autores que versam a respeito do tema, dentre esses estudiosos temos Carvalho (2012), Costa (2015) Pereira (2009) e Sousa (2010) . Durante a pesquisa pode-se verificar que e possivel incluir no planejamento o uso do laboratorio de informatica, por ser uma importante ferramenta de ensino. A presente pesquisa tem como proposito principal, investigar se os professores estao utilizando o laboratorio de informatica implantado na escola para fins pedagogicos. Relatar dados da Escola em ralacao a frequencia do uso do laboratorio de informatica; Mostrando os principais direcionamentos com intuito de melhorar o funcionamento da sala de informatica.
Processing and managing the Kepler mission's treasure trove of stellar and exoplanet data

The Kepler telescope launched into orbit in March 2009, initiating NASA's first mission to discover Earth-size planets orbiting Sun-like stars. Kepler simultaneously collected data for ∼160,000 target stars at a time over its four-year mission, identifying over 4700 planet candidates, 2300 confirmed or validated planets, and over 2100 eclipsing binaries. While Kepler was designed to discover exoplanets, the long term, ultra-high photometric precision measurements it achieved made it a premier observational facility for stellar astrophysics, especially in the field of asteroseismology, and for variable stars, such as RR Lyraes. The Kepler Science Operations Center (SOC) was developed at NASA Ames Research Center to process the data acquired by Kepler from pixel-level calibrations all the way to identifying transiting planet signatures and subjecting them to a suite of diagnostic tests to establish or break confidence in their planetary nature. Detecting small, rocky planets transiting Sun-like stars presents a variety of daunting challenges, from achieving an unprecedented photometric precision of ∼20 parts per million (ppm) on 6.5-hour timescales, supporting the science operations, management, processing, and repeated reprocessing of the accumulating data stream. This paper describes how the design of the SOC meets these varied challenges, discusses the architecture of the SOC and how the SOC pipeline is operated and is run on the NAS Pleiades supercomputer, and summarizes the most important pipeline features addressing the multiple computational, image and signal processing challenges posed by Kepler.
Proactive infectious disease approach to dermatologic patients who are taking tumor necrosis factor-alfa antagonists: Part II. Screening for patients on tumor necrosis factor-alfa antagonists.

Tumor necrosis factor–alfa levels are linked to disease severity in patients with inflammatory conditions, such as psoriasis. Inhibitors of this cytokine are commonly used with significant success in the treatment of such inflammatory disorders. Their use, however, can be plagued by infectious complications. An awareness of potential infections associated with these therapies is critical in order to maximize preventive efforts both before and during therapy. This review provides a guide for dermatologists caring for patients in need of this type of biologic therapy to preemptively address the infectious risks. Part II of this continuing medical education article reviews recommended screening methods for patients undergoing evaluations for tumor necrosis factor inhibitor therapy for psoriasis or other dermatologic diseases, and discusses possible prophylactic strategies to use, including the appropriate use of immunizations.
Impact of chronic hepatitis C virus infection on the survival of patients with oropharyngeal cancer

BACKGROUND Although an association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and oropharyngeal cancers (OPCs) has been reported, to the authors' knowledge the clinical significance of this epidemiological finding remains unknown. Therefore, the authors analyzed the oncologic outcomes of HCV-infected patients with OPCs. METHODS In this retrospective cohort study, all patients with OPCs who were seen at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center between January 2004 and December 2015 were reviewed. HCV infection was defined as detectable HCV RNA in the serum. Five-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates were compared between patients infected with HCV and those not infected. RESULTS A total of 161 patients were examined. The majority of the patients were white (141 patients; 88%) and male (132 patients; 82%) and had TNM stage III or IV disease (147 patients; 91%). The OPC involved the tonsils (83 patients; 52%), base of the tongue (67patients; 42%), or the soft palate (11 patients; 7%). The median follow-up after an OPC diagnosis was 3 years (range, 1-13 years). HCV-infected patients (25 patients) and HCV-uninfected patients (136 patients) were comparable with regard to smoking and alcohol status. In multivariate analysis, HCV was associated with increased cancer-specific mortality (hazard ratio, 2.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-6.85 [P = .02]) and risk of OPC progression (hazard ratio, 5.42; 95% confidence interval, 2.64-11.14 [P = .0008]) independent of age and cirrhosis status. Antivirals were administered after the diagnosis of OPC in 8 of the 25 HCV-infected patients (32%). HCV-infected patients who received antivirals were found to have better 5-year overall survival (70% vs 12%; P = .005) and progression-free survival (72% vs 19%; P = .005) compared with patients who did not. CONCLUSIONS The early detection of HCV is important in patients with OPC because this infection may affect their oncologic outcomes. Cancer 2017. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Comparative study of perovskite-type scintillator materials CsCaI3 and KCaI3 via first-principles calculations

Several members of a large family of perovskite-like halides with a common chemical formula, ABX3 (A = monovalent, B = divalent, and X = halogen ion), are being investigated for their interesting properties and potential technological applications. CsCaI3 and KCaI3 are two such ionic compounds who are of interest in the quest for superior and cost-effective alternatives to NaI or CsI based scintillators. They are the subject of this first-principles based computational study. Both are wide-gap materials having primarily I 5p and Ca 3d characters near the valence and conduction band edges, respectively. Although built from [CaI6] octahedral motifs, structural differences between the two compounds is reflected in anisotropic electron effective mass and distinctive formation and migration of self-trapped holes. We discuss these properties as they relate to scintillation decay and proportional light yield.
Emerging investigator series: the role of vegetation in bioretention for stormwater treatment in the built environment: pollutant removal, hydrologic function, and ancillary benefits

Vegetation influences both the hydrologic and pollutant-removal performance of bioretention cells for green infrastructure stormwater management in the built environment. Vegetation can intercept rainfall, lessen erosive sheetflow, ameliorate bioretention soil media clogging to maintain infiltration capacity, and decrease total stormwater volume through transpiration. Plants influence multiple pollutant removal processes, including phytoextraction, in planta phytotransformation, and alteration of the rhizosphere and associated microbial community. We present the current state of knowledge of vegetative influence on pollutant-removal performance and mechanisms, including for total suspended solids, nitrogen, phosphorus, toxic metals, hydrocarbons, pathogens, and emerging contaminants in urban stormwater. Additional benefits and opportunities for vegetation in bioretention include improved aesthetics of stormwater infrastructure, lessened irrigation/fertilizer demand, provision of urban micro-habitats, thermal attenuation, public education, increased resilience for climate change adaptation, and the potential for air quality improvement as well as biomass and/or food production. We describe plant traits and species that improve pollutant removal and hydrologic function, such as plant biomass and growth rate. We identify key areas of future research need, including a focus on transferrable findings/mechanistic studies, a better understanding of root system/rhizosphere impacts, quantification of the impact of plant shoot harvesting, and further study of emerging organic contaminants and metals. We conclude that vegetation in bioretention systems produces measurable water quality and hydrologic performance benefits, but that plant processes could be substantially further researched and developed to improve stormwater systems.
Mentalizing the Classroom: Pedagogies Toward Making the Other Matter in Social Activism and Public Theology

The article introduces mentalization to the classroom space in theological education. Sometimes referred to as a theory of mind, mentalization describes the capacity of individuals or groups to und...
Using exemplar responses for training and evaluating automated speech scoring systems

Automated scoring engines are usually trained and evaluated against human scores and compared to the benchmark of human-human agreement. In this paper we compare the performance of an automated speech scoring engine using two corpora: a corpus of almost 700,000 randomly sampled spoken responses with scores assigned by one or two raters during operational scoring, and a corpus of 16,500 exemplar responses with scores reviewed by multiple expert raters. We show that the choice of corpus used for model evaluation has a major effect on estimates of system performance with r varying between 0.64 and 0.80. Surprisingly, this is not the case for the choice of corpus for model training: when the training corpus is sufficiently large, the systems trained on different corpora showed almost identical performance when evaluated on the same corpus. We show that this effect is consistent across several learning algorithms. We conclude that evaluating the model on a corpus of exemplar responses if one is available provides additional evidence about system validity; at the same time, investing effort into creating a corpus of exemplar responses for model training is unlikely to lead to a substantial gain in model performance.
DANNA 2: Dynamic Adaptive Neural Network Arrays

Following from the original Dynamic Adaptive Neural Network Array (DANNA) model, we propose a new digital neuromorphic architecture named DANNA 2. Through this paper, we introduce our new hardware design and software simulator, and we explain how DANNA2 can improve network density, training convergence, and element performance as compared to the DANNA model. We propose two network arrays types catering to FPGA and VLSI use cases. Using simulation results for both control and classification problems, we show improved training convergence and simulation performance.
Large-Scale Fault Rupture Tests on Pipelines Reinforced with Cured-in-Place Linings

AbstractCured-in-place linings (CIPLs) are flexible fiber-reinforced polymer linings used to rehabilitate aging pipelines in situ. They also can strengthen utilities against transient and permanent...
Roots, Return Narratives, Reclaiming “European Americans”: A Review Essay

Evangelia Kindinger’s Homebound: Diaspora Spaces and Selves in Greek American Return Narratives and Theodora Patrona’s Return Narratives: Ethnic Space in Late-Twentieth-Century Greek American and I...
Using social media to call for help in Hurricane Harvey: Bonding emotion, culture, and community relationships

Abstract Social media plays a key role in disaster rescues, and it can facilitate feelings of support when people need rescue or want to tap into neighborhood relationships. Using semi-structured interviews of people affected by Hurricane Harvey in the Greater Houston area, we addressed our research questions around notions of social support. Using photo elicitation analysis and constant comparison analysis, three overarching themes emerged from the data that inform how social support functions in this context: (1) appreciation posts are a form of emotional support; (2) resources are a form of instrumental support; and (3) helpfulness is a form of informational support. Importantly, these support functions are not isolated, and they can appear in response to an explicit request, as an anticipated need, and as an emergent reaction to a different form of social support. We also find some support for intercultural differences especially considering that our Chinese respondents preferred to use WeChat to request resources and rescues, while other non-Chinese respondents predominately used Facebook. In addition, we found that neighborhood relationships were strengthened, and social support was spread through social media.
Engineered reproductive tissues

Engineered male and female biomimetic reproductive tissues are being developed as autonomous in vitro units or as integrated multi-organ in vitro systems to support germ cell and embryo function, and to display characteristic endocrine phenotypic patterns, such as the 28-day human ovulatory cycle. In this Review, we summarize how engineered reproductive tissues facilitate research in reproductive biology, and overview strategies for making engineered reproductive tissues that might eventually allow the restoration of reproductive capacity in patients. This Review summarizes progress in the development of engineering strategies employed in reproductive science and medicine, with a focus on biomaterials and microfluidic approaches.
Roots of Purshia tridentata show eccentric growth

Abstract Many publications have described eccentric growth (non-uniform growth of secondary xylem) caused by the death of the vascular cambium. The purpose of the present research was to determine if roots of Purshia tridentata (Pursh) DC exhibited eccentric growth. Eccentric growth in roots of P. tridentata was studied with three sequential segments 8 mm apart for 5 roots. Data of the three sequential segments provided a method to determine changes in eccentric growth along roots. Each wood segment was subdivided into ten sectors of 36° each. The areas of xylem rings within each sector from year to year within each segment were used to determine vascular cambium activity. For more than 95% of all rings, areas of at least one sector were significantly different from areas of other sectors for all roots. Except for one first- and second year xylem rings, all other xylem sectors were eccentric. Among sequential 8 mm root segments more than one-half of segment pairs were statistically different. The above results demonstrate that root eccentricities were very localized both within individual segments (sectors within each segment) and along roots (from one segment to the next segment). In summary, the five root samples were eccentric and showed very similar ring patterns, growth rates and eccentricity patterns. To our knowledge this is the first publication to show eccentric growth of roots similar to eccentric growth of stems.
Post-Translational Modifications of G Protein-Coupled Receptors Control Cellular Signaling Dynamics in Space and Time

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a large family comprising >800 signaling receptors that regulate numerous cellular and physiologic responses. GPCRs have been implicated in numerous diseases and represent the largest class of drug targets. Although advances in GPCR structure and pharmacology have improved drug discovery, the regulation of GPCR function by diverse post-translational modifications (PTMs) has received minimal attention. Over 200 PTMs are known to exist in mammalian cells, yet only a few have been reported for GPCRs. Early studies revealed phosphorylation as a major regulator of GPCR signaling, whereas later reports implicated a function for ubiquitination, glycosylation, and palmitoylation in GPCR biology. Although our knowledge of GPCR phosphorylation is extensive, our knowledge of the modifying enzymes, regulation, and function of other GPCR PTMs is limited. In this review we provide a comprehensive overview of GPCR post-translational modifications with a greater focus on new discoveries. We discuss the subcellular location and regulatory mechanisms that control post-translational modifications of GPCRs. The functional implications of newly discovered GPCR PTMs on receptor folding, biosynthesis, endocytic trafficking, dimerization, compartmentalized signaling, and biased signaling are also provided. Methods to detect and study GPCR PTMs as well as PTM crosstalk are further highlighted. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of the implications of GPCR PTMs in human disease and their importance for drug discovery. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Post-translational modification of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) controls all aspects of receptor function; however, the detection and study of diverse types of GPCR modifications are limited. A thorough understanding of the role and mechanisms by which diverse post-translational modifications regulate GPCR signaling and trafficking is essential for understanding dysregulated mechanisms in disease and for improving and refining drug development for GPCRs.
Advancing health equity in patient safety: a reckoning, challenge and opportunity.

COVID-19 and police brutality have simultaneously heightened public awareness of disparities in health outcomes by race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status, and the underlying structural drivers of systemic racism and social privilege in the USA.1 2 Increasingly major professional associations such as the American Medical Association, American Hospital Association, and Association of American Medical Colleges are decrying racism and inequities, and many individual healthcare organisations are committing to addressing health disparities. Hospitals, clinics and health plans are looking inwards to identify organisational biases and discrimination, and developing outward interventions to advance health equity for their patients. Looking in the mirror honestly takes courage; frequently the discoveries and self-insights are troubling.3 At their best, discussions about racism and inequities are challenging.4 Within the quality of care field, disparities in patient safety are relatively understudied.5 6 Thus, Schulson et al ’s study in this issue of BMJ Quality and Safety, finding that voluntary incident reporting systems may underdetect safety issues in marginalised populations, is an important sentinel event.7 Implicit bias in providers and structural bias in safety reporting systems might explain this underdetection of problems. In this editorial, I summarise the practical lessons for advancing health equity sustainably, with the hope of accelerating equity in patient safety. I present a framework for advancing health equity, describe common pitfalls and apply the framework to patient safety to inform research and policy recommendations. The wider health disparities field has been criticised for spending too many years describing the phenomenon of inequities before emphasising interventions and solutions. The patient safety field should move faster, incorporating major advances that have occurred regarding how to reduce health disparities.8 9 While equity issues in patient safety have been understudied, the principles for successfully advancing health equity align well with the culture and toolkit …
Two AUVs Guidance Method for Self-Reconfiguration Mission Based on Monocular Vision

In this work, we propose a method for AUV to reconstruct the docking ring autonomously under the guidance of visual information. The proposed method is based on the knowledge of self-reconfiguration of two AUVs in underwater environment. In order to enable long distance performance, we make use of blue-green light beacons. The light beacons are detected by using YOLO V3 algorithm. In addition, P4P algorithm is applied to resolve the problem of relative poses of AUVs. In case of short distances, we use Aruco marker to precisely guide the AUV towards the docking ring. In addition, we use KCF algorithm to shorten the recognition time, and Kalman filter method to eliminate the interference of occlusions and jitters. The feasibility of the proposed method is verified by performing multiple experiments. Under the reasonable control flow and visual algorithm, the proposed solution avoids the situation where the accuracy of long-distance monocular recognition is low and is easy to be misjudged. The underwater multi-target integrated guidance method based on monocular vision is convenient for the recovery of underwater AUV, and can effectively take into account the advantages of wide effective guidance range and high precision of close range guidance.
Marxismo e filosofia della praxis; da Labriola a Gramsci: by Marcello Mustè, Roma, Viella, 2018, 329 pp., €29.00 (soft cover), ISBN: 9788867289967

In revisiting the decisive role that praxis has had in the development of Italian Marxism, Muste’s complex study, the result of an impressive amount of research, knits together themes and reconstru...
Can free innovation create value? Stock market reactions to firms' releases of open technologies

This study examines whether and how firms create value by making their innovations free and non-proprietary, a possibility that runs counter to the central tenet in strategy regarding the control o...
Modern Legal Theory & Judicial Impartiality

Introduction: Legal Theory and the Problem of Impartiality Legal Positivism: The Theory of HLA Hart Max Weber and the Virtues of Legal Positivism Ronald Dworkin and the Proper Methodology of Legal Theory Ronald Dworkin's 'Law as Integrity' Law and Reason: Beyond Impartiality Racial Segregation Statutes in Apartheid South Africa: Public Reason in Action.
Extreme retrofocus zoom lens for single-shot single-lens HDR photography and video

Traditional high dynamic range (HDR) photography is performed by capturing multiple images of the same scene with different exposure times, which are then digitally combined to produce an image with great detail in both its light and dark areas. However, this method is not viable for moving subjects since the multiple exposures are not captured simultaneously. Recently an alternative method has been developed in which beamsplitters are utilized to simultaneously record the same image on three identical sensors at different illumination levels. This process enables single-shot HDR photography as well as continuous HDR video. This paper describes the design of a 2.5x zoom lens for use in this application. The design satisfies the challenging working distance and ray angle constraints imposed by the placement of two beamsplitters between the lens and the image plane. The particular importance of first-order layout when designing a retrofocus zoom lens is also discussed.
An innovative gate oxide characterization technique in the failure analysis of 0.13/spl mu/m process technology based MOSFET device

In the present study, failure analysis was carried out to determine the failure mechanism of the 0.13/spl mu/m process technology based microprocessor product that failed leakage test at production test floor, after constant voltage stress in the burn-in ovens. This follows by an innovative physical characterization technique to provide significant insights to the root-cause analysis of gate oxide breakdown induced failure by combining both wet chemical etching and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on the same sample. While wet chemical etch is used to confirm gate oxide breakdown as the failure mechanism, TEM is employed to characterize the transformation of silicon substrate crystal structure through a novel TEM sample preparation technique.
What's new in endocrine surgery.

Abstract "What's New in Surgery" evolves from the contributions of leaders in each of the fields of surgery. In every instance the author has been designated by the appropriate Council from the American College of Surgeons' Advisory Councils for the Surgical Specialties. This feature will be presented in issues of the Journal throughout the year beginning in 2001 (formerly published in one issue, Feburary, of each volume of JACS ).
Reconciling Contradictions: Identity Formation in Individuals with Giftedness and Learning Disabilities

Our knowledge is extremely limited regarding the educational experiences of students who are gifted with learning disabilities, and there has been no research on how these dual exceptionalities aff...
Inhibition of transfer ribonucleic acid methylating enzymes by cytotoxic analogs of adenosine

Abstract Several purine derivatives have been found to inhibit tRNA methylases of either animal or bacterial origin. The experiments reported here show that arabinosyl adenine, 6-chloropurine ribonucleoside, 2,6-diaminopurine ribonucleoside, 6-methyl-aminopurine ribonucleoside, and 6,6′-dimethylaminopurine ribonucleoside are inhibitors of tRNA methylation. The ribonucleosides of methylaminopurine and dimethylaminopurine inhibit guanine tRNA methylation by competition with the methyl donor, S -adenosyl methionine, for the enzyme. 6-Chloropurine ribonucleoside inhibits the reaction non-competitively. All of these analogs, along with isopentenyladenosine, 6-furiurylamino purine ribonucleoside, and 7-deazaadenosine, which we showed earlier to be inhibitors of tRNA methylation, are cytotoxic and have shown some usefulness as antitumor agents.
Social cataloging tools: a comparison and application for librarians

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight the recent developments in interface design and company development of social networking sites.Design/methodology/approach – This paper focuses on Shelfari, Goodreads, Visual Bookshelf and LibraryThing, explaining what librarians need to know about each site. Findings –Each tool featured in this paper may find its niche among users it is more likely that only one or two will emerge as the standard for social cataloging sites.Originality/value – For those who are brand new to social catologing tools, this paper will serve as a useful introduction.
What Determines the Value of Corporate Votes

This paper studies the determinants of the value of voting rights in U. S. corporations. Results support the hypothesis that the price of a vote is determined by the expected additional payment vote holders will receive for their votes in case of a control contest. The size of this differential payment is a function of the probability that a vote is pivotal in a control contest and the magnitude of the private benefits obtainable by controlling the company. Simple proxies for these two factors explain up to 30 percent of the variation of the voting premium across companies and through time. My findings also suggest that the value of managerial perquisites are, at least partially, reflected in the price of votes.
An extension of Tukey's method of multiple comparisons to experimental designs with random concomitant variables

SUMMARY A procedure is provided for the construction, of simultaneous confidence intervals on all contrasts of a set of parametric functions, or tests of hypotheses concerning them, in an analysis of covariance wherein the dependent and concomitant variates have a joint (p + 1)dimensional normal distribution. This new procedure is analogous to Tukey's method of multiple comparisons in the analysis of variance, both in application and in the conditions which are necessary for its use. The probability distribution of the range of adjusted parametric functions, suitably studentized, is derived and its critical values tabulated. The procedure is demonstrated using a two-way cross classification model. 1. ITTRODUCTION In many practical design and analysis of experiments situations, especially in psychometric settings, it is possible to obtain cheaply concomitant information in addition to the main response variable. Frequently, this information represents the realization of random variables. It is this situation which we shall address in the sequel. More precisely, we consider the model
Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer and Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope Observations of Radiative Shocks in the Cygnus Loop

We report a combination of high and low spectral resolution far-ultraviolet spectral data for several groupings of bright radiative shock filaments in the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant. The high-resolution spectra were obtained with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite and cover the 905-1187 A spectral region at 0.1-0.3 A resolution, depending on observing aperture. The low-resolution data were obtained with the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) and cover the 850-1850 A spectral region at ~3 A resolution. These data sets complement each other, with the HUT data providing the broader context of a wider range of emission lines and the FUSE data resolving line profiles from nearby airglow emissions and allowing detailed line profiles to be studied. Relative line intensities and line profiles change on a wide variety of spatial scales. O VI λλ1032, 1038 emission is much more generally distributed than the optical filaments. The FUSE data provide direct insight into the effects and variability of self-absorption in the strong resonance lines of O VI and C III λ977. Variability of the central reversals in O VI with position indicate a patchy O VI distribution, with self-absorption occurring locally within the remnant. Self-absorption in C III could be due to the interstellar medium, the local regions of the remnant, or a combination. We also find evidence for overlying molecular hydrogen absorption effects on some lines and suggest an interstellar (foreground) origin. It is likely that these effects have had significant impacts on many previous investigations that based their results on the interpretation of low-resolution spectral data where these effects could not be seen.
Delayed Disaccharidase Development in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Retardation

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) affects almost 10% of infants born in the United States. It may be responsible for delayed gastrointestinal function and is an important cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. The New Zealand White rabbit provides an optimal model for the study of naturally occurring IUGR. At term, birth weight is determined by fetal position within the bicornuate uterus. The small intestinal disaccharidase enzymes are indicators of bowel maturity and function. To examine potential differences in disaccharidase development between normal and IUGR fetuses, this rabbit model was investigated. Jejunum was harvested at multiple stages in rabbit development including the third trimester fetus, neonate, and adult. Lactase, maltase, and sucrase enzyme activity, as well as total protein content, was determined. Results were analyzed by the 2-tailed t test and ANOVA. Lactase activity appeared in the mid-third trimester, peaked in the early neonatal period, then declined to adult levels. Maltase activity appeared in the early third trimester and gradually rose to adult levels. Sucrase remained at trace levels until the mid-neonatal period, reaching adult levels by weaning. Both lactase and maltase activity were depressed in IUGR fetuses compared with their normal littermates. This pattern of disaccharidase depression continued into the neonatal period until catch-up growth occurred at 2 wk when levels equalized. This report describes differential small intestinal disaccharidase development between normal and growth-retarded rabbit fetuses in a naturally occurring model of IUGR.
Ng-nitro-L-arginine, an NOS inhibitor, reduces tolerance to morphine in the rat locus coeruleus.

Ng-nitro-L-arginine (L-NArg), a potent nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, has been implicated as a potential mechanism for attenuating the development of tolerance to opioid drugs and for suppressing opioid withdrawal. Neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) express opioid receptors and these neurons exhibit both tolerance to chronic administration of opioids and antagonist-precipitated withdrawal hyperactivity. This study tested the hypothesis that L-NArg would attenuate the development of opioid tolerance in LC neurons. Challenge doses of morphine were administered while recording single-cell extracellular activity in brain slices from rats who had been concurrently treated for 5 days with morphine (75 mg morphine sulfate base pellets) and L-NArg (10 mg/kg, ip, bid). The average ED50 for morphine of cells from rats who received L-NArg injections and morphine pellets was similar to that in cells from rats who had been implanted with sham pellets (14.5–18 nM). In contrast, the average ED50 of cells from morphine pelleted animals who received saline injections was substantially higher (34.5 nM). These results demonstrate that L-NArg attenuates the development of tolerance to morphine in LC neurons. Synapse 29:233–239, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ca++-induced fusion of fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum with artificial planar bilayers.

Addition of fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles to the aqueous phase of a black lipid membrane (BLM) causes a large increase in BLM conductance within 10 min. The conductance increase is absolutely dependent on three conditions: The presence of at least 0.5mm Ca++, an acidic phospholipid such as phosphatidylserine or diphosphatidylglycerol in the BLM phospholipid mixture, and an osmotic gradient across the SR vesicle membrane, with the internal osmolarity greater than the external. These requirements are identical to conditions under which the fusion of phospholipid vesicles occurs. When the early part of the time course of conductance rise is examined at high sensitivity, the conductance is seen to increase in discrete steps. The probability of a step increases with the concentration of Ca++ in the medium, with the fraction of acidic phospholipid in the BLM, and with the size of the osmotic gradient across the SR vesicle membrane. On the other hand, the average conductance change per step is independent of the above parameters, but varies with the type and concentration of ions present in the aqueous phase. For a given ion, the mean specific conductance per step is independent of the ion's concentration between 10 and 100mm. The probability distribution of the step-conductances agrees well with the distribution of SR vesicle surface areas, both before and after sonication of the vesicles. The evidence indicates that SR vesicles fuse with the BLM, thereby inserting SR membrane conductance pathways into it. Each discrete conductance jump appears to be the result of the fusion of a single SR vesicle with the BLM. This technique may serve as a general method for inserting membrane vesicles into an electrically accessible system.
Free-edge effect on the effective stiffness of single-layer triaxially braided composite

Abstract Free-edge effect is known to play an important role in the failure of triaxially braided composites, especially under transverse tension loading conditions. However, there is little understanding available regarding the free-edge effect on the elastic property of the material. The emphasis of the present study is to examine the impact of the free-edge effect on the effective elastic response of a single-layer triaxially braided composite. Transverse tension straight-sided coupon specimens with various widths are tested and analyzed. The experimental results demonstrate an obvious increase in the tangent modulus and failure strength as the specimen width increases. The surface out-of-plane displacement contours present a continuous out-of-plane warping behavior distributed periodically along the free edges in an antisymmetric way. A meso-scale finite element model is utilized to study the coupon specimens; it is found to correlate well with the experimental data in predicting elastic properties and out-of-plane warping behavior. The results indicate that free-edge effect is an inherent factor of the antisymmetric braided architecture of bias fiber bundles. By conducting a dimensional analysis, the relationships between effective moduli and specimen width are quantified using Weibull equations; this method could potentially be used to predict the material properties of large structural components using small-scale test data.
The mechanism of interferon induction by UV-irradiated reovirus.

Abstract When reovirus is irradiated with UV-light, its ability to induce interferon in rodent cells increases by a factor of about 200; for the group C mutant ts447 irradiation with UV-light increases its ability to induce interferon at 38° by a factor of more than 10 4 . Titers of more than 5×10 6 international units of interferon/10 7 cells are readily achieved. The mechanism that causes UV-irradiation to become such a potent inducer of interferon has been investigated. Incomplete transcripts of reovirus ds RNA segments terminated at the site of a UV-hit were shown to be very unlikely candidates for interferon inducers since they are only formed in very small amounts and the dose-response relationships between UV-dose and synthesis of such incomplete transcripts on the one hand and ability to induce interferon on the other hand are quite different. By contrast, UV-irradiation has a profound labilizing effect on the inner reovirus capsid shell, as evidenced by developing inability of cores to resist digestion by chymotrypsin, accessibility of virion RNA to ribonuclease, and lability to concentrated salt solutions such as CsCl. These in vitro observations were shown to parallel the situation in vivo , where increasing doses of UV-irradiation caused increasing amounts of the dsRNA of infecting virus particles to be liberated into the interior of the cell. No doubt this was due to the increasing instability of the subviral particles to which parental reovirions are converted soon after infection. The dose-response relationships between UV-dose and amount of parental dsRNA liberated into the interior of the cell on the one hand and ability to induce maximal amounts of interferon on the other were the same. Reconstruction experiments with naked dsRNA showed that unirradiated and UV-irradiated dsRNA were equally potent as interferon inducers. It was also whown that neither reovirus cores, nor reovirus top component particles (empty virus particles that lack RNA) can induce interferon in either the unirradiated or UV-irradiated state. It was concluded that UV-irradiated reovirus is a very potent inducer of interferon by virtue of the fact that UV-irradiation labilizes its inner capsid shell and causes some of the dsRNA in parental virus particles to be liberated into the interior of the cell. The mechanism by which such liberated intracellular dsRNA induces interferon was not investigated; however it was noted that the UV-dose that converted reovirions into optimal interferon inducers also caused them to produce maximal cytopathic effects. The relationship between the development of cytopathic effects and the induction of interferon remains to be defined.