cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonsecretory and Light Chain Escape in Patients With Multiple Myeloma.

Abstract Background Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by the secretion of monoclonal protein by malignant plasma cells in the vast majority of cases. We identified and analyzed patterns of disease relapse and progression associated with disappearance of the paraprotein ("nonsecretory [NS] escape"), or conversion from production of intact Ig molecule to its associated light chain ("LC escape"). Patients and Methods We retrospectively reviewed medical records and a database of 791 consecutive patients with symptomatic MM. Results Twenty-eight (3.5%) patients had disease evolution associated with either NS (n = 13) or LC (n = 15) escape. The event occurred at a median of 37 months (range, 3-156 months) after the diagnosis of MM, and after a median of 3 chemotherapy regimens (range, 1-8 regimens). Presence of extramedullary disease at progression was detected in 8 (29%) patients. Sensitivity to chemotherapy before and after escape was present in 21 (75%) and 14 (50%) patients, respectively. After a median follow-up of 55 months, 19 (68%) patients died, and progressive MM was the cause of death in 18 patients. The median overall survival after escape was 20 months (95% confidence interval, 9-25 months), and no significant difference was found between the NS and LC groups (P = .44). The median overall survival after diagnosis of MM was worse in patients with NS/LC escape than in those without escape (52 vs. 94 months; P = .018). Conclusions Our study describes the largest series of NS and LC escape in MM to date. The development of this phenomenon is associated with more aggressive clinical features, frequent resistance to chemotherapy, and worse clinical outcome.
Electron-Beam Sources for Pumping Large Aperture KrF Lasers

Krypton-fluoride lasers have been shown to be promising candidates for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) drivers. These lasers can be effectively pumped with electrical discharges or energetic elec...
Pharmaceutical Lifecycle Extension Strategies

The combination of higher costs of drug development and an increasing share of generics has lead pharmaceutical firms to focus on alternative strategies to make profits. An important development in the pharmaceutical industry is the focus on strategies that increase the returns from an already approved drug. Firms have various possibilities to extend the lifecycle and profitability of a branded drug, before and after its patent has expired. These lifecycle extension strategies can be divided into marketing strategies (pricing, promotion, divestiture, differentiation, over-the-counter drugs, and branded generics), R&D strategies (new indications, reformulations, combination drugs, and next-generation drugs), and legal strategies (generic settlements and patenting). For example, when the patent of the blockbuster drug Prilosec was about to expire in 2001, its manufacturer was pursuing many different lifecycle extension strategies concurrently. Already 6 years before patent expiry its legal, marketing, and R&D experts had started with the development of over 50 different strategies to soften the impact of the patent expiry, such as a next-generation product, introducing branded generics, and improving the patent protection of the product. This chapter provides a comprehensive framework to classify the various lifecycle extension strategies, gives an in-depth overview of the research on the different strategies, and identifies gaps in our knowledge on these strategies to guide future research.
Optical Properties of Human Skin

Despite the many years since optical spectra from human skin were first obtained, only recently have quantitative models of cutaneous optics been applied. This chapter aims to present the optics of human skin conceptually and quantitatively, to examine the structures and pigments that modify cutaneous optics, and to discuss current research in this area and its applications to photomedicine. Introductory sections on the structure of skin and on optical phenomena in turbid media are included in addition to the general introduction below. This chapter does not offer an exhaustive review of all studies related to the optics of human skin, but attempts to include those reliable studies pertinent to its goals. The interested reader can find thorough and more historical reviews in (1–3).
Role of Adenosine in the Regulation of Breathing

Adenosine acts within the central nervous system as a neuromodulator that inhibits neuronal activity and causes sedation and decreased motor activity. It seemed possible that the motor function of breathing would also be modulated by adenosine. We therefore studied the effects of adenosine and a methylxanthine antagonist on neural mechanisms of respiration in a paralyzed, vagotomized, glomectomized cat model, using phrenic nerve activity to represent respiration. Theophylline alone leads to an approximate doubling of respiratory output by its actions on neural brainstem mechanisms. An analogue of adenosine, N6(L-2-phenylisopropyl)adeno-sine (PIA), causes a dose-related inhibition of respiration whether given systemically or into the third ventricle. This depression was reversed by administration of theophylline and prevented by pretreatment with theophylline. Finally, we show that a long-lasting (> 1 h) depression of respiration develops after a short exposure to severe hypoxia. We suggest that the depression is related to endogenous release of adenosine during the hypoxia, for it can be prevented by pretreatment with theophylline. We conclude the endogenous adenosine can be implicated in the tonic modulation of breathing.
Canonical correlation analysis of brain prefrontal activity measured by functional near infra-red spectroscopy (fNIRS) during a moral judgment task.

Abstract Individuals differ in the extent to which they make decisions in different moral dilemmas. In this study, we investigated the relationship between functional brain activities during moral decision making and psychopathic personality traits in a healthy population. We measured the hemodynamic activities of the brain by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). FNIRS is an evolving non-invasive neuroimaging modality which is relatively inexpensive, patient friendly and robust to subject movement. Psychopathic traits were evaluated through a self-report questionnaire called the Psychopathic Personality Inventory Revised (PPI-R). We recorded functional brain activities of 30 healthy subjects while they performed a moral judgment (MJ) task. Regularized canonical correlation analysis (R-CCA) was applied to find the relationships between activation in different regions of prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the core psychopathic traits. Our results showed a significant canonical correlation between PFC activation and PPI-R content scale (PPI-R-CS). Specifically, coldheartedness and carefree non-planfulness were the only PPI-R-CS factors that were highly correlated with PFC activation during personal (emotionally salient) MJ, while Machiavellian egocentricity, rebellious nonconformity, coldheartedness, and carefree non-planfulness were the core traits that exhibited the same dynamics as PFC activation during impersonal (more logical) MJ. Furthermore, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and left lateral PFC were the most positively correlated regions with PPI-R-CS traits during personal MJ, and the right vmPFC and right lateral PFC in impersonal MJ.
Effective Use of Renewable Electricity for Making Renewable Fuels and Chemicals

If the electrochemical upgrading of CO2 is directed at products with the market sizes and environmental footprints of fuels then even very inexpensive, renewable electricity may not be sufficient to permit economic operation. If instead, the upgrading is directed at higher value products, then the size of the markets will likely be too small to offer a significant environmental benefit. An alternative approach would be to use the renewable electricity to ameliorate environmental burdens other than CO2, for example, wet or solid wastes that would otherwise be disposed in a landfill. In all cases there are interesting opportunities to pursue and deploy research on heterogeneous catalysis.
Biology, Ecology and Management of Plant Parasitic Nematodes in Minnesota

Agriculture is a major part of the economy in Minnesota which is located in the Northcentral United States with a total of more than 10.5 million hectares of farmland. Corn (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) are two major crops grown in Minnesota with 3.5 and 2.8 million hectares grown in 2012, respectively (Vilsack and Clark 2014). The state is the country’s largest producer of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris), sweet corn and green pea (Pisum sativum) for processing. Other crops include wheat (Triticum aestivum), oats (Avena sativa), barley (Hordeum vulgare), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), rye (Secale cereale), dry edible bean (Phaseolus angularis), canola (Brassica napus), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), flax (Linum usitatissimum), potato (Solanum tuberosum), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) and vegetable crops (Vilsack and Clark 2014). In Southern Minnesota, corn-soybean annual rotation is the most common cropping system. Wheat, oats, barley, canola, sunflower, dry bean and potato are mainly grown in the northern areas. A number of plant parasitic nematodes have been found in Minnesota fields and orchards associated with various agricultural crops and other plants (Table 6.1). However, only a few of them have been investigated for their economic importance in Minnesota. The soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines) is the most important nematode, and has been the focus of research in the state. Lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) are probably the second-most important group of plant-parasitic nematodes and there is some research of its biology and management in Minnesota. The emphasis of this review will be on the soybean cyst nematode and lesion nematodes. A brief summary of other potential important plant parasitic nematodes is also included.
Improved estimation of dynamic connectivity from resting-state fMRI data

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been widely used for neuronal connectivity analysis. As a datadriven technique, independent component analysis (ICA) has become a valuable tool for fMRI studies. Recently, due to the dynamic nature of the human brain, time-varying connectivity analysis is regarded as an important measure to reveal essential information within the network. The sliding window approach has been commonly used to extract dynamic information from fMRI time series. However, it has some limitations due to the assumption that connectivity at a given time can be estimated from all the samples of the input time series data spanned by the selected window. To address this issue, we apply a time-varying graphical lasso model (TVGL) proposed by Hallac et al., which can infer the network even when the observation interval is at only one time point. On the other hand, recent results have shown that the individual’s connectivity profiles can be used as “fingerprint” to identify subjects from a large group. We hypothesize that the subject-specific FC profiles may have the critical effect on analyzing FC dynamics at a group level. In this work, we apply a group ICA (GICA) based data-driven framework to assess dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC), based on the combination of GICA and TVGL. Also, we use the regression model to remove the subject-specific individuality in detecting functional dynamics. The results prove our hypothesis and suggest that removing the individual effect may benefit us to assess the connectivity dynamics within the human brain.
Sexual function after cancer: paying the price of survivorship

Sexual dysfunction is one of the most prevalent and distressing treatment side effects for millions of female cancer survivors, yet the majority of survivors do not receive necessary information, support, or treatment for these sexual consequences. Cancer can devastate the body and impair sexual function and body image. Furthermore, all primary modalities of cancer treatment (surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy) have the potential to negatively impact sexual function. Assessment and identification by clinicians can be done efficiently and easily with short validated tools using a style of inquiry which starts by acknowledging how common sexual dysfunction is amongst cancer survivors rather than asking direct questions. Sexual concerns are impacted by psychological, biological, and interpersonal factors, and a multidisciplinary approach to treatment allows clinicians to comfortably inquire, assess, and refer if treatment is beyond their comfort or expertise.
Decision Support for Excipient Risk Assessment in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Excipients have always been a key input into pharmaceutical products, profoundly affecting product quality. Currently, most of our knowledge of excipient critical quality attributes is empirical, gained through experience, and shared through publications and other sources. The behavior of excipients is complicated, with many different failure modes that depend on the type of dosage form. Even within the same dosage form, there can be multiple failure modes depending on the manufacturing method. This complex behavior creates many possible combinations to assess when designing a formulation or evaluating regulatory submissions. Formulation science could be improved if data from different sources could be made widely available through an interactive system using a consistent, structured format to help formulators and regulators assess the risk of excipient usage for a particular dosage form with a particular manufacturing method. This paper describes a decision support system that was created for assessing excipient risk in different types of formulations and considering different types of manufacturing methods, dosage forms, and excipient functionality. The Excipient Risk Assessment System consists of a database that stores knowledge about factors that affect formulation design and a decision support processor that manages selections for creating formulation scenarios and assigning risk. Formulation and risk assessment data are provided by formulation science experts. This enables the system to assess compatibility among excipients, functionality, dosage forms, and manufacturing methods selected for formulations. The interface guides users through the creation of formulation scenarios and displays customized, interactive risk assessment reports for users to search and explore.
Segmental Arterial Mediolysis: An Unusual Case Mistaken to be a Strangulated Hernia.

Introduction Segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM) is a rare nonatherosclerotic, noninflammatory vasculopathy causing arterial wall necrosis that leads to strictures, dissections, and aneurysms, particularly in medium-sized abdominal arteries. Awareness of SAM is important because, unlike vasculitides, immunosuppressive treatment may worsen the disease process. Case A 58-year-old man with multiple medical comorbidities presented with acute epigastric pain and a right incarcerated inguinal hernia that was interpreted as showing bowel strangulation on computed tomography. The hernia was unable to be reduced in the emergency department, so the patient was taken for open reduction by the surgical service. Intraoperatively, he was noted to have a ruptured superior mesenteric artery aneurysm. Conventional angiography demonstrated a bead-like appearance of several jejunal branches of the superior mesenteric artery, raising concern for a vasculitis. His hospital course included rheumatologic consultation, and initial recommendations were to start immunosuppressive therapy for treatment of polyarteritis nodosa. Further testing demonstrated normal antinuclear antibody, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, and complement levels. Due to a lack of systemic symptoms or signs and otherwise unremarkable laboratory evaluation, the patient ultimately was diagnosed with SAM and immunosuppressive therapy was halted. Discussion Unexplained medium arterial stenosis, dissection, aneurysm, and hemorrhage should raise suspicion for possible SAM. The initial management approach should focus on treatment of the acute hemorrhage, usually involving endovascular stenting or coil embolization. Unlike vasculitides, SAM does not benefit from, and may actually be harmed by, immunosuppressive therapy. Conclusions Clinicians involved in the longitudinal care of emergency department patients should be aware of this rare clinical entity in order to initiate appropriate treatment.
Characteristics of Schools with Youth Sports Concussion-Related Educational Policies and Practices.

Background School policies and practices designed to educate athletes, parents, and coaches about youth sports concussions may be a way to reduce concussion risk and improve both the recognition and management of concussions. Methods Nationally representative data from the 2014 School Health Policies and Practices Study (SHPPS) were used to assess associations between school demographic characteristics (eg, school level, metropolitan status, and school type) and school policies and practices addressing youth sports concussion-related education for athletes, parents, and coaches. Results Overall, many schools had policies and practices that addressed youth sports concussion-related education for athletes, parents, and coaches. There was significant variability in the adoption of policies and practices by some school demographic characteristics. Middle schools, private schools, and urban schools were less likely to adopt many of the policies and practices than high schools, public schools, and rural schools, respectively. For other school characteristics, no consistent patterns of associations emerged. Conclusions These findings suggest that middle, private, and urban schools, in particular, are more likely to lack youth sports concussion-related educational policies and practices and may need information or resources about the importance of education related to preventing, recognizing, and responding to concussions.
Modeling oil dispersion under breaking waves. Part I: Wave hydrodynamics

The dispersion (transport and breakup) of oil droplets under breaking waves is essential for evaluating the impact of oil spills on the environment, and for designing countermeasures. In this part of the work (Part I), the hydrodynamics of a wave breaker in a 1.0 m deep tank obtained experimentally by Rapp and Melville (Philos Trans R Soc Lond A Math Phys Eng Sci 331(1622):735–800, 1990) using the dispersive focusing method was investigated numerically using Reynold-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) within the CFD code ANSYS Fluent. The renormalization group (RNG) k–e turbulence closure model was adopted to simulate wave turbulence, and the transient water–air interface was captured using volume of fluid (VOF) method. The simulated surface excursion and velocity fields matched closely the experimental observations during wave breaking. The energy dissipation of the wave crest showed good agreement with recent laboratory work and numerical simulations through evaluating the breaking parameter. The RANS approach was able to reproduce the turbulent kinetic energy field engendered by the breakers and simulated the residual turbulence within about two wave periods after the passage of the wave train. The VOF scheme Compressive provided a better agreement with the observation than the Geo-reconstruct scheme. The approach herein suggests that RANS method coupled with VOF in ANSYS Fluent is capable of capturing the major hydrodynamic forces and turbulence, and thus could be used to predict environmental processes within the breaking waves such as oil droplet formation and transport.
Calpastatin overexpression protects against excitotoxic hippocampal injury and traumatic spinal cord injury.

Small molecule inhibitors of calcium-dependent proteases, calpains (CAPNs), protect against neurodegeneration induced by a variety of insults including excitotoxicity and spinal cord injury (SCI). ...
Therapeutic Alliance Formation for Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism: Relation to Treatment Outcomes and Client Characteristics

Therapeutic alliance may influence treatment outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study examined the trajectory of alliance, observationally-measured at four timepoints during a 16-week mindfulness-based treatment targeting emotion regulation problems in adolescents and young adults with ASD (n = 37, mean age = 15.28, 78.40% male). Variability in alliance as a function of client characteristics and the degree to which alliance predicted emotion regulation outcomes were assessed using parent-report forms. Results demonstrate that alliance fluctuates throughout treatment. Moreover, stronger alliance predicts decreased dysphoria at posttreatment. Results also suggest that increased ASD symptom severity and depression predict weaker alliance early and throughout treatment. Findings highlight a need for clinicians to consider the importance of developing strong alliance for clients with ASD.
Jarosz, Anna (2019). English Pronunciation in L2 Instruction: The Case of Secondary School Learners

This article reviews English Pronunciation in L2 Instruction: The Case of Secondary School Learners
The Global Cross-Section of Crime and Punishment

I investigate in parallel the cross-country determinants of crime and punishment in the largest possible sample of countries with data on homicides, victimization by common crimes (ICVS), incarceration rates, the death penalty, and constructed measures of prisoners per crime. I find that income inequality, the current teen birth rate, and lower levels of development are associated with more crime, while common law legal systems, (formerly) socialist systems, and moderate levels of development are associated with more prisoners; common law systems are also more likely to retain the death penalty. Unlike the previous literature, I find no support for links between crime and democracy, between crime and the children of teenagers, or, outside the richest countries, between incarceration rates and political structure and social policy. While models with a small number of plausible covariates predict much of the variation of homicide and incarceration rates between major developed countries, they predict only one seventh of the actual US incarceration rate.
Driving Out Fear in the Nontraditional Classroom: Five Practical Strategies From Neuroscience to Build Adult Student Success:

Although enrollment of nontraditional students in higher education is skyrocketing, the failure rate of these students is staggering. They come to a university full of fear and misgivings for a var...
Bombs, Bodies, and Ghosts: Navigating Rhetorical Legacies of Nuclear Technology in Recent Caribbean Science Fiction

Aquest article analitza el poder retoric de les armes nuclears i la forma en que la ciencia-ficcio recent ha desafiat els populars arxius nuclears. El relat “Gamenon” (2014), de l'autor dominica Rey Emmanuel Andujar, reflexiona sobre els efectes mediambientals, humans i geopolitics de la guerra nuclear. A mes, el relat “Las extranas decisiones de Vladimir Denisovich Jimenez” (2016), de l'autora cubana Yasmin Silvia Portales es pregunta si existeix un lloc per allo queer al marc d'una estructura de poder basada en la supremacia nuclear. Finalment, la novel·la Trabajo extra (2014), de l'autor cuba Erick Mota, utilitza material radioactiu per debatre la explotacio laboral i models alternatius de desenvolupament. Aquests texts desafien la retorica nuclear colonitzadora a la mesura que creen espais pel record i el dol.
Self-Expanding Anchors for Stabilizing Percutaneously Implanted Microdevices in Biological Tissues.

Percutaneously implanted miniaturized devices such as fiducial markers, miniaturized sensors, and drug delivery devices have an important and expanding role in diagnosing and treating a variety of diseases. However, there is a need to develop and evaluate anchoring methods to ensure that these microdevices remain secure without dislodgement, as even minimal migration within tissues could result in loss of microdevice functionality or clinical complications. Here we describe two anchoring methods made from biocompatible materials: (1) a self-expanding nitinol mesh anchor and (2) self-expanding hydrogel particles contained within pliable netting. We integrate these anchors into existing drug-screening microdevices and experimentally measure forces required to dislodge them from varying tissues. We report similar dislodgement forces of 738 ± 37, 707 ± 40, 688 ± 29, and 520 ± 28 mN for nitinol-anchored microdevices, and 735 ± 98, 702 ± 46, 457 ± 47, and 459 ± 39 mN for hydrogel-anchored microdevices in liver, kidney, fat, and muscle tissues, respectively—significantly higher compared with 13 ± 2, 15 ± 3, 15 ± 2, and 15 ± 3 mN for non-anchored microdevices (p < 0.001 in all tissues). The anchoring methods increased resistance to dislodgement by a factor of 30–50× in all tissues, did not increase the required needle gauge for insertion, and were compatible with percutaneous implantation and removal. These results indicate that anchoring significantly improves microdevice stability and should reduce migration risk in a variety of biological tissues.
Onset of Senescence and Steatosis in Hepatocytes as a Consequence of a Shift in the Diacylglycerol/Ceramide Balance at the Plasma Membrane.

Ceramide and diacylglycerol (DAG) are bioactive lipids and mediate many cellular signaling pathways. Sphingomyelin synthase (SMS) is the single metabolic link between the two, while SMS2 is the only SMS form located at the plasma membrane. SMS2 functions were investigated in HepG2 cell lines stably expressing SMS2. SMS2 overexpression did not alter sphingomyelin (SM), phosphatidylcholine (PC), or ceramide levels. DAG content increased by approx. 40% and led to downregulation of DAG-dependent protein kinase C (PKC). SMS2 overexpression also induced senescence, characterized by positivity for β-galactosidase activity and heterochromatin foci. HepG2-SMS2 cells exhibited protruded mitochondria and suppressed mitochondrial respiration rates. ATP production and the abundance of Complex V were substantially lower in HepG2-SMS2 cells as compared to controls. SMS2 overexpression was associated with inflammasome activation based on increases in IL-1β and nlpr3 mRNA levels. HepG2-SMS2 cells exhibited lipid droplet accumulation, constitutive activation of AMPK based on elevated 172Thr phosphorylation, increased AMPK abundance, and insensitivity to insulin suppression of AMPK. Thus, our results show that SMS2 regulates DAG homeostasis and signaling in hepatocytes and also provide proof of principle for the concept that offset in bioactive lipids’ production at the plasma membrane can drive the senescence program in association with steatosis and, seemingly, by cell-autonomous mechanisms.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The SAGE Encyclopedia of Political Behavior explores the intersection of psychology, political science, sociology, and human behavior. This encyclopedia integrates theories, research, and case studies from a variety of disciplines that inform this established area of study. Aimed at college and university students, this one-of-a-kind reference covers voting patterns, interactions between groups, what makes different types of government systems appealing to different societies, and the impact of early childhood development on political beliefs, among others. Topics explored by political psychologists are of great interest in fields beyond either psychology or political science, with implications, for instance, within business and management. This title will be available online on SAGE Knowledge, the ultimate social sciences library.
Effect of Hypnosis on Anxiety: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial with Women in Postmenopause

Anxiety is common, yet often under-treated, among women in postmenopause. This study examined the effect of a hypnotic intervention designed to reduce hot flashes, on anxiety levels of postmenopausal women. Anxiety was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subscale, and a visual analog scale. Additionally, hypnotizability was tested as a moderator of anxiety reductions. Significant reductions in anxiety were found from baseline to endpoint and follow-up and hypnosis was superior to the control condition. Additionally, ratings of Current Anxiety decreased from pre-session to post-session at each weekly visit and the pre-session scores reduced continuously. Hypnotizability was found to moderate anxiety reductions, but regardless of hypnotizability level participants, on average, experienced significant symptom improvement from baseline scores. These data provide initial support for the use of hypnosis to reduce symptoms of anxiety among postmenopausal women.Trial registration: This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on February 11, 2011 under Identifier number NCT01293695 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01293695?term=Elkins&cond=hot+flashes&draw=2&rank=2 ).
Preclusion in Class Action Litigation

Despite the intense focus that courts and commentators have trained upon class litigation for the last twenty-five years, a central feature of the class-action lawsuit has received no sustained attention: the preclusive effect that a judgment in a class action should have upon the other, non-class claims of absentees. The omission is a serious one. If claim and issue preclusion were to operate in their normal mode when a claim is certified for class treatment, absentees would sometimes face a serious threat of having their high-value individual claims compromised. Such a threat, in turn, can create ex ante conflicts of interest within a class that can prevent certification if left unresolved. Those few courts that have recognized this problem have thrown up their hands in a remarkable expression of judicial helplessness, refusing to certify socially desirable classes for fear of the preclusive consequences. Worse, most courts have failed to address the problem at all, certifying classes that place the high-value claims of absentees at risk.It is not merely a lack of diligence that has produced this state of affairs. The reluctance of courts to address preclusion problems at the outset of a class proceeding has resulted from a deep confusion about the positive-law foundations of a judgment's preclusive effects. While the lessons of Erie have taken firm root in our analysis of the broad rules of decision that courts set forth when they shape the common law, those lessons have not yet assumed their proper place in our analysis of the more specialized rules of decision that courts articulate when they attach preclusive force to a judgment.This Article offers the first systematic examination of these important doctrinal and conceptual issues. It explains the threat that claim and issue preclusion can pose to class members when those doctrines are applied, unaltered, to class litigation. It then offers a more careful account of the positive-law foundations of a judgment's preclusive effect, situating preclusion within the conceptual tradition that is already well established in our analysis of the common law. Most important, the Article marks out the path that will allow courts to reclaim their proper role in constraining the preclusive effects of the class-action lawsuits that they shepherd to judgment.
Influence of Dynamic Compression on Phase Transformation of Martensitic NiTi Shape Memory Alloys

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) exhibit high damping capacity in both austenitic and martensitic phases, due to either a stress-induced martensite phase transformation or a stress-induced martensite variant reorientation, making them ideal candidates for vibration suppression devices to protect structural components from damage due to external forces. In this study, both quasi-static and dynamic compression was conducted on a martensitic NiTi SMA using a mechanical loading frame and on a Kolsky compression bar, respectively, to examine the relationship between microstructure and phase transformation characteristics of martensitic NiTi SMAs. Both endothermic and exothermic peaks disappear completely after experiencing deformation at a strain rate of 103 s−1 and to a strain of about 10 pct. The phase transformation peaks reappear after the deformed specimens were annealed at 873 K (600 °C) for 30 minutes. As compared to samples from quasi-static loading, where a large amount of twinning is observed with a small amount of grain distortion and fracture, samples from dynamic loading show much less twinning with a larger amount of grain distortion and fracture.
The Role of the Lightwand

The lightwand has been used in airway management for more than five decades and was first described to assist direct laryngoscopic orotracheal intubation in 1957 [1]. Soon after, in 1959, a study reported the successful use of the lightwand, based on the principle of transillumination of the throat, to facilitate nasotracheal intubation in 29 of 30 patients with severe trismus [2]. The authors noted three concerns that are still valid today: the need for a dark room to appreciate transillumination in the neck, the difficulty in transilluminating patients with thick necks, and the risk of thermal injury [2]. The lightwand was first used as a commercial stylet, later that year [3]. However, the initial interest in the device soon waned, probably because of the difficulty in transillumination of the light through red rubber tracheal tubes that were being used at that time. The lightwand regained popularity with the advent of clear, plastic tracheal tubes in 1985. It was reported to be useful in accurately determining the position of tracheal tubes, with 96 % accuracy, in less than 5 s [4] and was used to facilitate difficult tracheal intubation in adults [5]. Currently, many lightwand devices (e.g., Flexilum™, Concept Corporation, Clearwater FL; Surch Lite™, Aaron Medical, Clearwater FL and Tubestat™, Xomed, Jackonville FL) are available from different manufacturers (Fig. 10.1). The Trachlight™ (Laerdal, Wappingers Falls, NY) was the most widely used and studied of these devices (Fig. 10.2); however, the manufacturer discontinued this product in 2009 due to declining sales.
Mammary gland development and tumorigenesis in estrogen receptor knockout mice.

Estrogens are important for the development of the mammary gland and strongly associated with oncogenesis in this tissue. The biological effects of estrogens are mediated through the estrogen receptor (ER),3 a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. The estrogen/ER signaling pathway plays a central role in mammary gland development, regulating the expression and activity of other growth factors and their receptors. The generation of the ER knockout (ERKO) mouse has made it possible to directly understand the contribution of ER in mammary development and has provided an unique opportunity to study estrogen action in carcinogenesis. A mammary oncogene (Wnt-1) was introduced into the ERKO background to determine if the absence of the ER would affect the development of tumors induced by oncogenic stimulation. The development, hyperplasia, and tumorigenesis in mammary glands from the ERKO/Wnt-1 mouse line are described. These studies provide the impetus to evaluate the effect of other oncogenes in mammary tumorigenesis in the absence of estrogen/ER signaling.
Conceptual approach to the application of neural network for short-term load forecasting

The feasibility of using a simple neural network for short-term load forecasting is investigated. A combined linear and nonlinear neural network is developed. The forecasts are computed using weights which are reestimated using only very recent observations. The model operation is tested by using load data obtained from a winter-peaking utility in the Northeastern USA. The results show that the error in most weeks is small, less than 4-5%. This validation test proves that the method is feasible and able to produce accurate forecasts under normal conditions. >
Utah Can Model Federal Immigration Reform

The U.S. is a country founded on immigration with a core value in welcoming and integrating those who arrive seeking a better life for themselves, their children, and future generations; yet historically, fear of the unknown has led citizens to treat immigrants with resentment, blame, and xenophobia.
Variability of Modern River Deltas

ABSTRACT Depositional facies in deltaic sediments result from interacting dynamic processes (climate, hydrologic characteristics, wave energy, tidal action, etc.) which modify, and disperse transported riverine sediment. These processes, which vary in both intensity and frequency, control the eventual sedimentary framework of a delta. Approximately 400 similar process and form parameters were compared in 50 major world deltas in order to investigate the variations between these deltas and to generate distinctive deltaic frameworks. In addition, field studies were conducted in some 16 of these deltas to field check the data and to gather additional subsurface and spatial data. The results of this study indicated that no one delta model could be formulated to use as a basis for predicting vertical sequences in all of the deltas. The study also indicated that sand body distribution, geometry, and characteristics are primarily a function of wave energy distributions, river mouth dynamics, subsidence, and alongshore currents. The following deltas are used as examples in illustrating the common deltaic vertical sequences: Mississippi (U.S.A.), Klang (Malaysia), Danube (Romania), Burdekin (Australia), Nile (Egypt), Niger (Nigeria), Ord (Australia), Sao Francisco (Brazil), and Senegal (Senegal).
Decomposition of sources of errors in seasonal streamflow forecasting over the U.S. Sunbelt

Seasonal streamflow forecasts, contingent on climate information, can be utilized to ensure water supply for multiple uses including municipal demands, hydroelectric power generation, and for planning agricultural operations. However, uncertainties in the streamflow forecasts pose significant challenges in their utilization in real-time operations. In this study, we systematically decompose various sources of errors in developing seasonal streamflow forecasts from two Land Surface Models (LSMs) (Noah3.2 and CLM2), which are forced with downscaled and disaggregated climate forecasts. In particular, the study quantifies the relative contributions of the sources of errors from LSMs, climate forecasts, and downscaling/disaggregation techniques in developing seasonal streamflow forecast. For this purpose, three month ahead seasonal precipitation forecasts from the ECHAM4.5 general circulation model (GCM) were statistically downscaled from 2.8deg to 1/8deg spatial resolution using principal component regression (PCR) and then temporally disaggregated from monthly to daily time step using kernel-nearest neighbor (K-NN) approach. For other climatic forcings, excluding precipitation, we considered the North American Land Data Assimilation System version 2 (NLDAS-2) hourly climatology over the years 1979 to 2010. Then the selected LSMs were forced with precipitation forecasts and NLDAS-2 hourly climatology to develop retrospective seasonal streamflow forecasts over a period of 20 years (1991-2010). Finally, the performance of LSMs in forecasting streamflow under different schemes was analyzed to quantify the relative contribution of various sources of errors in developing seasonal streamflow forecast. Our results indicate that the most dominant source of errors during winter and fall seasons is the errors due to ECHAM4.5 precipitation forecasts, while temporal disaggregation scheme contributes to maximum errors during summer season.
Learning theological ethics through the Heidelberg Catechism

This article looks to the logic of grace and gratitude in the Heidelberg Catechism (HC) in order to examine a disposing pattern of sensibility and affection as well as four lessons for a contemporary Protestant theological ethic. It also suggests a revision of the catechism’s basic theology in light of the current ecological crisis and in conjunction with a theocentric strand in Reformed theologies of creation.
The acetabulum: The elusive home run of THR

Abstract The objective is to describe the current factors for optimizing positioning of the acetabular component in THR. The emphasis in cup placement today is personalizing the component position for each patientʼs anatomy rather than a “one size fits all” (always put the cup in the same position such as 45° inclination and 15° anteversion). To individualize, the arthroplasty requires remembering the operation is on both sides of the joint (combined anteversion) and implanting the cup in the functional plane of that patient, which requires knowledge of the pelvic tilt at surgery and the changes in the spine−pelvic−hip construct between standing and sitting for that patient. To individualize, the cup position will demand higher precision than has been accepted in the past, such as computer navigation, to augment the experience and instinct of the surgeon in performing total hip replacement. In conclusion, acetabular cup placement is an elusive home run because the complexity of its positioning for each patient requires new preoperative planning, and more precise intraoperative positioning.
Impact of tumor location on medulloblastoma subtyping and treatment.

Bolstered by technology that allows for extensive and rapid genomic interrogation, the scientific literature has exploded with reports on the molecular composition of medulloblastoma. This influx of information has redefined medulloblastoma as a heterogeneous disease comprised of vastly different subtypes. Although the current consensus is that medulloblastoma has four general molecular subtypes (WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4) [1], key questions remain: Are these four subtypes the most clinically relevant? Do more subtypes, or even subdivisions within subtypes, exist that will impact therapy? Clinical trials are being designed to address these questions, but current therapeutic options lag far behind the blistering pace set by recent scientific discoveries. Predictably, as more targeted therapies become available, disease subtyping and genomic interrogation of each tumor will become even more crucial to patient care. The problem that oncologists currently face is what is clinically relevant today, and what will be relevant in the immediate future? Clinically, the identification of the SHH and WNT subtypes of medulloblastoma is poised to have the most immediate impact. Targeted inhibitors of the SHH pathway, which are currently in Phase 2 trials (NCT00939484, NCT01125800, NCT01601184), are promising agents for treating SHH medulloblastoma. Therefore, knowing a tumor is of the SHH subtype is immediately useful to the clinician seeking therapeutic options for a patient with relapsed disease. With an overall survival greater than 90% on current clinical trials, patients with WNT medulloblastoma have the best outcome [2,3]. It is widely believed that reduced-intensity therapy, which would decrease the risk of therapy-related morbidity, can be administered to this population without compromising their outcome. Clinical trials of reduced therapy for WNT medulloblastomaarebeingdeveloped;thus,pretreatmentidentificationofWNT
Characteristics of headgear release mechanisms: Safety implications

The risk of serious eye injury caused by a headgear appliance is a significant concern. Various safety release mechanisms have been developed in order to help prevent this type of injury, but little testing has been done. The purpose of this study was to test 18 headgear release mechanisms. Four characteristics were evaluated: force at release, extension at release, consistency of release, and performance at different rates of pull. At the point of release, mean force values ranged from 5.33 pounds to 32.83 pounds, and mean extension values ranged from 0.84 inches to 2.93 inches. Consistency was based on the percent standard deviation, and the appliances were ranked relative to each other. Nine of the 18 appliances had statistically significant differences in the two pull rates for either variable or both, but the clinical significance is uncertain. The results show a wide range of performance among the 18 appliances tested and indicate that some perform better than others.
Variation and Aviation: Language and Statistical Power Rejoinder to R.R.A. van Doorn

Large datasets from aviation accident databases allow for advanced statistical analyses. The results from one such analysis of helicopter night-time accidents show that this type of study is likely to separate the researcher from what can be understood in an aviation context.
Interventions to Improve Interactions between Drug Abusing Mothers and Their Drug-Exposed Infants: A Review of the Research Literature

Substance abuse during pregnancy continues to be a large public health problem throughout the United States. It has been established through several studies that healthy mother-infant interactions are essential for optimal infant development. This relationship can be severely compromised when a mother is using drugs during and after pregnancy. A review of the literature was performed to ascertain what are the most effective interventions for enhancing mother-infant interactions of drug-abusing mothers. Ten studies were identified as meeting the criteria of using an intervention to enhance the mother-infant interaction of drug-abusing mothers and their infants. A synthesis of the findings suggests that abstinence is an important factor in determining success of interventions, as well as enhancing the mother's self-esteem or self-efficacy through education or a counseling process. In order to determine the best intervention, or combination of interventions for this high-risk population, more research is needed.
A behavioral model of ethical and unethical decision making

A model is developed which identifies and describes various factors which affect ethical and unethical behavior in organizations, including a decision-maker's social, government and legal, work, professional and personal environments. The effect of individual decision maker attributes on the decision process is also discussed. The model links these influences with ethical and unethical behavior via the mediating structure of the individual's decision-making process.
Interactions of von Willebrand factor on mica studied by atomic force microscopy

Abstract Three-dimensional molecular level images of uncoated human von Willebrand factor (vWF), a plasma glycoprotein, have been obtained using atomic force microscopy (AFM). However, the structural detail obtained by AFM was found to depend on the interactive forces between the hydrophilic mica surface and the vWF, relative to the tracking force of the probe tip acting on the protein. vWF on mica was characterized by AFM in air, under two deposition conditions, which differed with respect to the amount of vWF on the surface and the degree of sample hydration. Under hydrated conditions, the vWF had weak adhesion to the mica and was moved easily by the AFM probe tip. This resulted in tip-induced organization of vWF into molecular aggregates oriented approximately perpendicular to the fast scanning direction. In contrast, under dehydrated conditions, three-dimensional images of individual vWF molecules were observed at approximately 10 nm lateral resolution. Extended vWF molecules up to 600 nm in length were imaged, but most molecules were in the 50–300 nm range with 15–45 nm globular subunits. AFM images obtained using the constant force imaging mode indicated height measurements of 3–5 nm for most of the vWF molecules.