cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the invariant mass conjecture in general relativity

An asymptotic symmetries theorem is proved under certain hypotheses on the behaviour of the metric at spatial infinity. This implies that the Einstein-von Freud-ADM mass can be invariantly assigned to an asymptotically flat four dimensional end of an asymptotically empty solution of Einstein equations if the metric is a no-radiation metric or if the end is defined in terms of a collection of boost-type domains.
Automated discovery of information services in heterogeneous distributed networks

The Global Information Grid (GIG) will be comprised of collections of different service capability domains (SCDs). Each SCD offers a set of information services, such as voice over IP (VoIP), video delivery, and information translation, and is managed as a separate system. The GIG information services will include several types of communications services (e.g., VoIP and streaming video), translation services (e.g., document translation and data translation) and information services (e.g., content discovery and domain name service). These different services may be described using various methods, including specification documents and lookup tables, and will have associated service level agreements (SLAs). As SCDs become richer in their service offerings and more dynamic in their service availability, the discovery of end-to-end services meeting end-user needs becomes extremely challenging. Currently manual methods are employed to map end-user needs to the end-to-end service combinations that GIG deployments can support. Such manual methods are inefficient and error prone. Automation of end-to-end service discovery within the GIG is highly desirable, but is an exceedingly complex task. Current efforts to automate service discovery, for example, the service location protocol or the service oriented architecture, provide service discovery through registration and strict service type definitions. These require coordination across all SCDs for all possible information technology (IT) service offerings. Ideally, individual SCDs would describe their services through individual service description documents. Then mapping of end-user service requests to appropriate collections of SCD services could be performed automatically. This requires the development of semantic reasoning and ontology for service descriptions and service capability matching. This paper describes our approach for automated discovery of information services on GIG-like network deployments.
Status of the Arachis germplasm collection in the United States.

Abstract An extensive working collection of Arachis germplasm is maintained by the USDA at the Southern Regional Plant Introduction Sta. in Griffin, GA. Much of this collection is maintained also under long-term seed storage at the Nat. Seed Storage Lab. in Ft. Collins, CO. The working collection consists of 9027 accessions of A. hypogaea and 684 accessions of Arachis species. About half of the A. hypogaea accessions are unimproved landraces collected in the crop's centers of diversity in South America. The other half is comprised of germplasm obtained from countries outside of South America. The U.S. germplasm collection of peanut was the first major germplasm collection to have a working core collection. Research has verified that this core collection can be used to improve the efficiency of germplasm utilization. This has stimulated a great amount of germplasm evaluation work and has resulted in the identification of numerous sources of resistance to several economically significant pathogens. Consider...
CT of eosinophilic granuloma of the skull with sonographic correlation

2Eosinophilic granuloma is a benign disorder usually of chi ldren and young adults. Although its identity is still con­ troversial, some authors consider this disease a distinct pathologic entity to be differentiated from Letterer-Siwe and Hand-Schuller-Christian disease [1-3]. The skeleton is most commonly affected, but occasionally the skin, lung, and gastrointestinal tract are involved . The skull is the most frequent site of bony involvement, and it is occasionally accompanied by a palpable soft-tissue mass [4]. Although the conventional radiographic findings are well documented, the computed tomographic (CT) appearance has not yet been described. We present the CT and ultrasound findings of two patients with eosinophilic granuloma of the skull.
Multiuser multistage detector for mode 1 of FRAMES standard

In code/time division multiple access (C/TDMA) systems, both multiple access interference (MAI) and intersymbol interference (ISI) arise. MAI is present due to the CDMA format while the ISI is due to the channel multipath. In this paper we present a type of multistage detector that overcomes these problems and in addition has complexity proportional to the number of CDMA users, is computationally efficient, and is suitable for pipeline implementation that allows fast data processing. The simulation results are compared to the single user bound for the average bit error probability (BEP).
'Toto, I Have a Feeling We're Not in Kansas Anymore': Using the Wizard of Oz to Introduce Students to the Skills of Witness Examination

In the classroom, exercises designed to give students experience questioning witnesses before handling real cases for clients in clinics or in practice usually involve simulations. In these simulations, a student "witness" is asked to memorize a sheet of facts that she hypothetically "observed." Unfortunately, this leads to a dynamic quite different than the one students will face when questioning their clinic clients or other witnesses. An actor pretending to be someone else will struggle as a witness, of course, but the struggles will be to try to remember something on the "fact sheet" or to fill in its gaps. This article outlines an exercise that clinic and trial advocacy instructors can use, with very little advance preparation, to present a more realistic experience. In this simulation, the "witnesses," though fellow students, will struggle not with fictional memories, but with their own memories, when they take the stand as "Dorothy" from The Wizard of Oz. As student attorneys ask questions to try to elicit certain facts that Dorothy observed, they see themselves and other students struggle to obtain the desired testimony. They also see Dorothy answer questions correctly, incorrectly, and not at all (i.e., "I do not know" or "I do not remember"). Even after a witness who saw the movie the previous night takes the stand, challenges and problems continue. The students' struggles provide opportunities for the instructor to introduce important lessons about direct and, to a more limited extent, cross-examination.
Pressure drop of segmented diesel particulate filters

Segmented, Silicon-Carbide Diesel Particulate Filters appear to be automotive industry's popular choice for reducing particulate emissions of Diesel Engines, particularly for light duty platforms. Since flow resistance represents an important performance feature of a filter, it is important that reasonable prediction tools for such filters are developed for use in their development, design, applications and regeneration control. A model for predicting pressure drop of segmented filters is presented here: an existing, well-accepted pressure drop model for monolithic (non-segmented) filters is customized to one for a segmented filter using a 'weighted number of inlet channels' based on equivalent filtration wall area of a monolithic filter. Flow resistance data collected experimentally on segmented filters are used to demonstrate the accuracy of the new model. It is exhibited that segmentation could increase a filter pressure drop by up to 30 - 35% depending on the particulate loading, thus necessitating choosing higher cell density segmented filters to diminish this effect. Relative significance of the four components of filter pressure drop is also discussed for both monolithic and segmented filter with or without particulate loading.
Pareto optimization of radar receiver low-noise amplifier source impedance for low noise and high gain

In radar receivers, the low noise amplifier (LNA) must provide very low noise figure and high gain to successfully receive very low signals reflected off of illuminated targets. Obtaining low noise figure and high gain, unfortunately, is a well-known trade-off that has been carefully negotiated by design engineers for years. This paper presents a fundamental solution method for the source reflection coefficient providing the maximum available gain under a given noise figure constraint, and also for the lowest possible noise figure under a gain constraint. The design approach is based solely on the small-signal S-parameters and noise parameters of the device; no additional measurements or information are required. This method is demonstrated through examples. The results are expected to find application in design of LNAs and in real-time reconfigurable amplifiers for microwave communication and radar receivers.
Consultants and Direct Democracy

Proponents of direct legislation maintain that the initiative and popular referendum empower ordinary citizens to set the agenda of politics. Some argue it shifts “ultimate authority from representatives in state legislatures, city councils, and even Congress to the people themselves” (Schmidt 1989, vii). Such elections, so the argument goes, produce greater voter interest in elections and higher voter turnout. Those in favor of the process also contend that it is an important check on special interests which exert too much control over elected politicians (Magleby 1984, chap. 2; Cronin 1989).Critics of direct democracy raise concerns about the quality of deliberation voters give to issues. Voters can be confused by ballot question wording or respond negatively to the length of the ballots. Moreover, because voters lack the simplifying devices of partisanship and candidate appeal, they may be more susceptible to the manipulations of campaign consultants.How well do these longstanding arguments for and against direct legislation reflect our actual experience with the process in the 1990s? Arguments for direct democracy depend largely on how the process is conducted. If the process can be manipulated by special interests or relies on questionable tactics, then many of the advantages claimed for the process disappear. In this article, we argue that political consultants play a significant role in the conduct of direct democracy. These consultants normally work directly for organized interests without the constraints imposed by candidates or parties.
Treatments Based on Phenotypic Variants in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Copyright: © 2013 Afshar K. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Referring physicians may ask, “My patient with COPD is on her inhalers, so why does she continue to complain of worsened shortness of breath?”
Penetrating orbital injuries.

Seemingly trivial adnexal injuries may be associated with extensive injuries to the globe, orbit, and brain. A meticulous ophthalmologic examination and orbital and brain computed tomography (CT) scans (axial and coronal views) are essential for complete evaluation of these patients. The ophthalmologist must remain an active participant in the management of these patients to preserve the integrity of the globe. Language: en
Heritabilities, Gene Interactions, and Correlations Associated with Certain Traits in the Domestic Fowl

Abstract 1. STATISTICAL AND GENETICAL ANALYSIS THE purpose of statistical procedure in breeding work is to furnish more critical information for the construction of intelligent breeding plans than can be obtained by a more or less intuitive analysis of the data concerned. A primary purpose of this paper is to show that many kinds of information can be extracted from the records of a particular flock by statistical procedure, then interpreted and applied in a practical way to formulate the breeding plan of the flock or strain. It might be well to point out at this time that the same techniques applied to another strain of birds may lead to estimates which will dictate a very different breeding plan. In order to present a report of this work in the most coherent manner it was decided to partition the report into sections according to the topics investigated. Ordinarily one would not…
Myocardial Stress Flows in Obstructive Cad Are Higher With Regadenoson Than Dipyridamole

Cut-off myocardial blood flow values associated with clinically significant ischemia in patients undergoing PET/CT have been reported with dipyridamole. Little is reported on MBF in stenotic vessels ≥70% as compared to non-stenotic vessels using regadenoson and Rb82. 731 patients (482 males, 65
Pseudomonas aeruginosa AlgU contributes to posttranscriptional activity by increasing rsmA expression in a mucA22 strain

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas aeruginosa thrives in multiple environments and is capable of causing life-threatening infections in immunocompromised patients. RsmA is a posttranscriptional regulator that controls virulence factor production and biofilm formation. In this study, we investigated the expression and activity of rsmA and the protein that it encodes, RsmA, in P. aeruginosa mucA mutant strains, which are common in chronic infections. We determined that AlgU regulates a previously unknown rsmA promoter in P. aeruginosa. Western blot analysis confirmed that AlgU controls rsmA expression in both a laboratory strain and a clinical isolate. RNase protection assays confirmed the presence of two rsmA transcripts and suggest that RpoS and AlgU regulate rsmA expression. Due to the increased amounts of RsmA in mucA mutant strains, a translational leader fusion of the RsmA target, tssA1 , was constructed and tested in mucA , algU , retS , gacA , and rsmA mutant backgrounds to examine posttranscriptional activity. From these studies, we determined that RsmA is active in mucA22 mutants, suggesting a role for RsmA in mucA mutant strains. Taken together, we have demonstrated that AlgU controls rsmA transcription and is responsible for RsmA activity in mucA mutant strains. We propose that RsmA is active in P. aeruginosa mucA mutant strains and that RsmA also plays a role in chronic infections. IMPORTANCE P. aeruginosa causes severe infections in immunocompromised patients. The posttranscriptional regulator RsmA is known to control virulence and biofilm formation. We identify a new rsmA promoter and determine that AlgU is important in the control of rsmA expression. Mutant mucA strains that are considered mucoid were used to confirm increased rsmA expression from the AlgU promoter. We demonstrate, for the first time, that there is RsmA activity in mucoid P. aeruginosa strains. Our work suggests that RsmA may play a role during chronic infections as well as acute infections.
What Does It Mean for Something to Be “Scientific”? Community Understandings of Science, Educational Attainment, and Community Representation Among a Sample of 25 CBPR Projects

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) seeks to conduct relevant, sustainable research that is tailored to the needs of the communities with which it is engaged through equitable collaboration between community representatives and professional researchers. Like other participatory approaches to research and planning, CBPR has been criticized for the potential to engage a biased sample of community representatives and, thereby, undermine the fundamental purpose of the approach. Moreover, the varying educational levels and areas of expertise, especially regarding science literacy, among those participating in CBPR has raised concern about the ability for true collaboration to exist within CBPR projects. This article presents findings from a qualitative study of 25 CBPR research projects and explores matters of science literacy, community representation, and the nature of CBPR. Ultimately, it is suggested that those who engage in CBPR should carefully consider the potential for biased community representation and seek to purposely and mindfully avoid any partiality.
Repairing the ditched amalgam

Fractured or ditched margins are the most common problem associated with amalgam restorations. Unfortunately, continuously replacing dental amalgams takes its toll on a tooth. Good restorative practices demand that we limit the number of restorative procedures to which we subject a tooth. This paper looks at an effective technique for sealing the margins of ditched amalgam restorations. This technique allows the practitioner to repair the ditched area of the amalgam without replacing the amalgam restoration.
The Place of Institutions

The purpose of the preceding two chapters was to take as seriously as possible the central claims of those who have argued that Keynesian full employment failed because the economic policies pursued by its advocates were inherently unsound. Apart from the manifest economism of the stance adopted by those who have advanced such arguments, it has been argued here that such arguments confront significant obstacles even on their own terms. The causal relationship that some attempt to establish between the practice of Keynesianism in the 1950s and 1960s and the onset of stagflationary economic conditions of the mid-1970s, as it has been shown, for example, encounters a number of significant theoretical and empirical obstacles. The evidence presented in Chapters 6 and 7 is such that satisfactory explanations about how and why Keynesian beliefs were abandoned are not to be found in the economic realm — at least not in an economic realm that ignores or neglects wider institutional, that is to say, political and social, forces.
Beyond the single species climate envelope: A multifaceted approach to mapping climate change vulnerability

Federal land management agencies and conservation organizations have begun incorporating climate change vulnerability assessments (CCVAs) as an important component in the management and conservation of landscapes. It is often a challenge to translate that knowledge into management plans and actions, even when research infers species risk. Predictive maps can improve current CCVAs and assist in quantifying and visualizing species climate change vulnerability across large areas. We assessed the climate change risk for Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) habitat at two spatial scales in Utah and Nevada. At the local scale, multiple species climate envelopes were evaluated with additional stressors (fire, conifer encroachment, invasive grass, and human impact) to create risk maps for mesic (Strawberry) and xeric (Sheeprock) sage-grouse landscapes in Utah. Both landscapes were predicted to be at risk, but Sheeprock was found to be at higher risk due to future climate change implications coupled with additional habitat-degrading stressors. By using models, we are able to integrate complex interactions, and visualize the distribution of risk across broad spatial scales, providing land managers and researchers a valuable tool for CCVA and action plans.
Direct mapping of UV surface plasmon interference

We present the first direct observation of the UV SPPs using a UV compatible near field scanning optical microscope system. Subwavelength interference phenomenon in 1D and 2D are both observed.
Squamous cell carcinomas escape immune surveillance via inducing chronic activation and exhaustion of CD8 + T Cells co-expressing PD-1 and LAG-3 inhibitory receptors

// Ameet K. Mishra 1 , Tanya Kadoishi 1 , Xiaoguang Wang 1 , Emily Driver 3 , Zhangguo Chen 1, 2 , Xiao-Jing Wang 3 , Jing H. Wang 1, 2 1 Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA 2 Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA 3 Department of Pathology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA Correspondence to: Jing H. Wang, email: jing.wang@ucdenver.edu Keywords: squamous cell carcinoma, immune evasion, PD-1, LAG-3, Smad4 loss Received: July 14, 2016 Accepted: October 28, 2016 Published: November 09, 2016 ABSTRACT Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second commonest type of skin cancer. Moreover, about 90% of head and neck cancers are SCCs. SCCs develop at a significantly higher rate under chronic immunosuppressive conditions, implicating a role of immune surveillance in controlling SCCs. It remains largely unknown how SCCs evade immune recognition. Here, we established a mouse model by injecting tumor cells derived from primary SCCs harboring Kras G12D mutation and Smad4 deletion into wild-type (wt) or CD8 −/− recipients. We found comparable tumor growth between wt and CD8 −/− recipients, indicating a complete escape of CD8 + T cell-mediated anti-tumor responses by these SCCs. Mechanistically, CD8 + T cells apparently were not defective in infiltrating tumors given their relatively increased percentage among tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). CD8 + TILs exhibited phenotypes of chronic activation and exhaustion, including overexpression of activation markers, co-expression of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3), as well as TCRβ downregulation. Among CD4 + TILs, T regulatory cells (Tregs) were preferentially expanded. Contradictory to prior findings in melanoma, Treg expansion was independent of CD8 + T cells in our SCC model. Unexpectedly, CD8 + T cells were required for promoting NK cell infiltration within SCCs. Furthermore, we uncovered AKT-dependent lymphocyte-induced PD-L1 upregulation on SCCs, which was contributed greatly by combinatorial effects of CD8 + T and NK cells. Lastly, dual blockade of PD-1 and LAG-3 inhibited the tumor growth of SCCs. Thus, our findings identify novel immune evasion mechanisms of SCCs and suggest that immunosuppressive mechanisms operate in a cancer-type specific and context-dependent manner.
D2D Communications in the Uplink: A Context-Aware Approach with Punishment

Device-to-device (D2D) communication is one of the most promising solutions to the dramatic increase of wireless networks traffic load. In D2D communications, mobile nodes can communicate in a semi-autonomous way, with minimal or no control by the base station (BS). In this context, we address the problem of the coexistence of cellular and D2D tiers in the uplink frequencies, where a D2D source is allowed to transmit without direct control of its scheduling by the base station (BS). In order to limit the interference, we add a punishment mechanism triggered by the BS to limit the activity of disturbing terminals. We propose a context- aware channel access mechanism for a D2D source, where the context-awareness is obtained by 1) observing the topology and the wireless transmissions in the proximity of the D2D source, and 2) exploiting the past knowledge learned thanks to a Bayesian network approach. To design the channel access mechanism, we study the tradeoff between maximizing the end-to-end throughput and minimizing the interference to the cellular tier. We then evaluate the performance improvement of the proposed solution, showing the effectiveness of the learning mechanism and the advantages of context awareness.
Mapping cell-specific functional connections in the mouse brain using ChR2-evoked hemodynamics (Conference Presentation)

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has transformed our understanding of the brain’s functional organization. However, mapping subunits of a functional network using hemoglobin alone presents several disadvantages. Evoked and spontaneous hemodynamic fluctuations reflect ensemble activity from several populations of neurons making it difficult to discern excitatory vs inhibitory network activity. Still, blood-based methods of brain mapping remain powerful because hemoglobin provides endogenous contrast in all mammalian brains. To add greater specificity to hemoglobin assays, we integrated optical intrinsic signal(OIS) imaging with optogenetic stimulation to create an Opto-OIS mapping tool that combines the cell-specificity of optogenetics with label-free, hemoglobin imaging. Before mapping, titrated photostimuli determined which stimulus parameters elicited linear hemodynamic responses in the cortex. Optimized stimuli were then scanned over the left hemisphere to create a set of optogenetically-defined effective connectivity (Opto-EC) maps. For many sites investigated, Opto-EC maps exhibited higher spatial specificity than those determined using spontaneous hemodynamic fluctuations. For example, resting-state functional connectivity (RS-FC) patterns exhibited widespread ipsilateral connectivity while Opto-EC maps contained distinct short- and long-range constellations of ipsilateral connectivity. Further, RS-FC maps were usually symmetric about midline while Opto-EC maps displayed more heterogeneous contralateral homotopic connectivity. Both Opto-EC and RS-FC patterns were compared to mouse connectivity data from the Allen Institute. Unlike RS-FC maps, Thy1-based maps collected in awake, behaving mice closely recapitulated the connectivity structure derived using ex vivo anatomical tracer methods. Opto-OIS mapping could be a powerful tool for understanding cellular and molecular contributions to network dynamics and processing in the mouse brain.
Another bridge across the access to justice gap: LII’s virtual reference desk

ABSTRACTThe Legal Information Institute (LII) has been at the forefront of access to justice for 25 years as the first organization to publish online the United States Code. More than just publishing the law online, the LII has been the leader in helping people find and understand the law since 1992, through innovative technologies they've created or employed for use with their collections and through partnerships with other like-minded organizations, groups, and individuals. Two decades later, the LII was inspired to help more people trying to find and understand the law. This summer will mark the third anniversary of the LII's virtual Reference Desk.
Layered Elastomeric Fibrous Scaffolds: An In-Silico Study of the Achievable Range of Mechanical Behaviors.

Our goal herein is to understand the mechanisms underlying soft tissue and scaffold behaviors by developing a physically based micromechanical model as a means to connect the macroscopic behaviors to the underlying microstructural phenomena. Because of its well-documented capacity for generating elastomeric fibrous materials with a wide range of realizable architectures, the electrospun scaffold was used as the exemplar biomaterial. Fibrous network geometries based on a random walk algorithm were first generated to form the basis for subsequent micromechanical simulations. A basic understanding of randomly oriented fibrous network phenomena was then developed, and subsequently expanded on using networks with aligned fibers. Simulation results were then compared with experimental observations of electrospun scaffolds to evaluate the validity of the simulations. The effects of fiber alignment, tortuosity, and material properties on macroscopic mechanical behavior of the material have been presented both ind...
Design of a low cost DC/AC inverter for integration of renewable energy sources into the smart grid

The Sun has the potential to provide 89,300 tera Watts of power to our planet. Our ability to convert even a fraction of this energy for human use makes a significant impact on current energy generation and consumption trends. World-wide we now add more renewable energy capacity every year than (combined) fossil fuel energy capacity. Solar panels provide a reliable, renewable, non-polluting energy source by converting the Sun's energy to electricity. The biggest challenge faced in this effort to ‘mainstream’ solar energy is system cost. The system presented in this paper addresses this by integrating readily available, low-to-moderately priced components into the inverter design. In order to reduce cost the system utilizes a motor control unit, in a novel way, as a switching device. Reliability of these systems is also an issue in the field and the system described in this paper addresses this issue by ensuring the use of components that have proven track records in industry and digital control allows for robustness, flexibility and scalability of the design. The cost effective inverter system presented in this paper has the potential to help accelerate the growth of residential solar energy usage in developing nations as well as in developed countries.
De-sacralizing the European: music appreciation (then) and music listening (now)

Common approaches to teaching music listening emphasise ‘attentive listening’ and ‘active listening’ (Campbell, Patricia Shehan. 2005. “Deep Listening to the Musical World.” Music Educators Journal...
Aseptic Processing for the Citrus Industry

Aseptic processing and packaging of citrus juices is just beginning in the United States, but has enjoyed commercial success in other parts of the world including Europe, Japan, Australia, and Canada.Paper published with permission.Compilation Copyright © 2018 ASME
"Minimally invasive research?" Use of the electronic health record to facilitate research in pediatric urology.

Summary Background The electronic health record (EHR) was designed as a clinical and administrative tool to improve clinical patient care. Electronic healthcare systems have been successfully adopted across the world through use of government mandates and incentives. Methods Using electronic health record, health information system, electronic medical record, health information systems, research, outcomes, pediatric, surgery, and urology as initial search terms, the literature focusing on clinical documentation data capture and the EHR as a potential resource for research related to clinical outcomes, quality improvement, and comparative effectiveness was reviewed. Relevant articles were supplemented by secondary review of article references as well as seminal articles in the field as identified by the senior author. Findings US federal funding agencies, including the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, the National Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration have recognized the EHR's role supporting research. The main approached to using EHR data include enhanced lists, direct data extraction, structured data entry, and unstructured data entry. The EHR's potential to facilitate research, overcoming cost and time burdens associated with traditional data collection, has not resulted in widespread use of EHR-based research tools. Conclusion There are strengths and weaknesses for all existing methodologies of using EHR data to support research. Collaboration is needed to identify the method that best suits the institution for incorporation of research-oriented data collection into routine pediatric urologic clinical practice.
Territorial boundaries and history

This article evaluates the theory of boundary legitimacy put forward in A John Simmons’s recent book Boundaries of Authority. I believe Simmons is correct to hold that questions about the legitimacy of political boundaries are distinct from questions about the justice of political institutions. But I argue that Simmons’s own theory makes legitimate boundaries depend far too strongly on historical processes in the past, with implausible implications. I conclude with some thoughts about how a broadly Kantian theory might take on board the most important insights of Simmons’s work.
The Democratic and Educational Potential of Political Blogs

Weblogs (“blogs”) have grown up. Once viewed as a personal outlet for daily diaries, chitchat, and rants, blogs have become an important public space that is transforming social and political relations. Blogs are used for many purposes, but political blogs are a locus of community building, organizing, informing, and shaping public opinion. Because they are free for those with access to a computer and the Internet, they have vastly increased the number, range, and diversity of voices gaining an outlet for their views — although with this growth has also come an increase in misinformation and unproductive “noise.” Educators are only beginning to explore ways of using blogs in their teaching, as well as ways of teaching students how to use, read, and evaluate blogs for a range of learning purposes. In the political arena, learning with and through blogs creates a number of opportunities for students to express their own ideas and encounter a broad range of challenging views (including, for example, international views) they might have very little access to through other media. Learning to become critical interpreters of news and opinion on blogs, as with other areas of critical media literacy, is increasingly important.
Perturbation Analysis for Investment Portfolios Under Partial Information with Expert Opinions

We analyze the Merton portfolio optimization problem when the growth rate is an unobserved Gaussian process whose level is estimated by filtering from observations of the stock price. We use the Kalman filter to track the hidden state(s) of expected returns given the history of asset prices, and then use this filter as input to a portfolio problem with an objective to maximize expected terminal utility. Our results apply for general concave utility functions.We incorporate time-scale separation in the fluctuations of the returns process, and utilize singular and regular perturbation analysis on the associated partial information HJB equation, which leads to an intuitive interpretation of the additional risk caused by uncertainty in expected returns.The results are an extension of the partially-informed investment strategies obtained by the Black-Litterman model, wherein investors' views on upcoming performance are incorporated into the optimization along with any degree of uncertainty that the investor may have in these views.
Molecular Photon Upconversion Solar Cells Using Multilayer Assemblies: Progress and Prospects.

Molecular photon upconversion via triplet–triplet annihilation (TTA-UC) is an intriguing strategy to increase solar cell efficiencies and surpass the Shockley–Quiesser (SQ) limit. In this Perspective, we recount our group’s efforts to harness TTA-UC by directly incorporating metal ion linked multilayers of acceptor and sensitizer molecules into an organic–inorganic hybrid solar cell architecture. These self-assembled multilayers facilitate both upconverted emission and photocurrent generation from the upconverted state with a record contribution of 0.158 mA cm–2 under 1 sun solar flux. We recount the progression toward this record and the mechanistic insights learned along the way, summarize the rate- and efficiency-limiting events, and outline improvements that must be made to produce a viable TTA-UC solar cell that can surpass the SQ limit. We also discuss the potential impact that efficient TTA-UC and photocurrent generation could have on existing record solar cells.
Dietary zinc and parturition in the rat

The number and appearance of uterine myometrial gap junctions in spontaneously delivering rats was evaluated as a function of dietary zinc. Based on quantitative electron microscopy, the number of gap junctions detected in the tissue from zinc-deficient rats was only 49 or 39% ofad-libitum-fed controls, dependent on the basis of comparison (per cell or per 1000 μm membrane). Moderate food restriction (pair-feeding to the voluntary intake of the zinc-deficient rats) reduced the number to 70% of thead-libitum-fed control. The results are interpreted as contributory to the irregular and poorly synchronized uterine pressure cycle patterns previously detected in zinc-deficient female rats and may indicate poor compliance to estrogen-controlled gene expression.
Features Associated With Long-Term Survival in Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Abstract Background Of women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), 20% to 30% survive ≥5 years. We evaluated data from a large breast cancer program to identify features associated with MBC survival. Patients and Methods Women diagnosed with MBC in or after 1999 were included. Long-term MBC survival was defined as ≥5 years from date of MBC diagnosis (n = 122), short-term MBC survival as ≤2 years (n = 191). Differences were assessed using t tests, Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney tests, χ2, and Fisher exact tests. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using multivariate logistic regression models. Results Long-term survivors were significantly (P Conclusion Diagnosis of de novo MBC, premenopausal status, ER-positive status, and HER2-positive status were positively associated whereas triple-negative status, brain metastases, and visceral with bone metastases were inversely associated with long-term survival. These findings can be applied to better prognosticate survival for MBC patients.
Strategic planning for utility-scale solar photovoltaic development – Historical peak events revisited

Abstract Rapidly growing utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) holds promise for addressing the energy and environmental challenges posed by high electricity demand days (HEDDs). We assessed the implications on strategic planning of future solar development in an emerging solar market, New York State (NYS) in the U.S., by synthesizing information on electrical infrastructure, tax assessment, geographical constraints and measured meteorological data. Considering three solar PV penetration scenarios (4500 MW, 6000 MW, and 9000 MW), we examined the impact of distributed utility-scale solar farms on peak demand reduction and ramping requirements during historical peak events. Our results reiterate that, across NYS, a wealth of low-value land exists to support utility-scale solar PV and that generation from these resources can reduce peak demand by up to 9.6% under the 9000 MW scenario. In addition, peak demand reduction displays locational and temporal dependency. Contingent upon local meteorology, a solar farm can reduce demand during the peak hour by anywhere between 10 and 74% of its rated capacity during summer HEDDs. However, the highest ramping requirements are more likely to occur during winter than summer. Furthermore, because developers cannot predict performance during the annual system peak, current capacity valuation methodologies for solar projects may not be adequate to promote a healthy competitive market for solar. Incorporating a broader spectrum of peak demand conditions into variable resource capacity valuation would improve strategic planning, not only in NYS, but across growing solar markets worldwide.
Optimal barrier strategy for spectrally negative Lévy process discounted by a class of exponential Lévy processes

In this paper, we extend the optimality of the barrier strategy for the dividend payment problem to the setting that the underlying surplus process is a spectrally negative Levy process and the discounting factor is an exponential Levy process. The proof of the main result uses the fluctuation identities of spectrally negative Levy processes. This extends recent results of Eisenberg for the case where the accumulated interest rate and surplus process are independent Brownian motions with drift.
The Use of Oral Anticoagulants in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation in the Emergency Department.

Abstract Background and aim Atrial Fibrillation is the leading cause of embolic stroke, yet less than half of high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation are on adequate stroke prevention with oral anticoagulants. Guidelines for the primary prevention of stroke recognize the emergency department as a location for physicians to identify atrial fibrillation and initiate anticoagulants. We sought to compare anticoagulant prescription rates in patients with atrial fibrillation in various provider settings to identify opportunities for improvement in cardioembolic stroke prevention. Methods A retrospective cohort study of 436 patients with atrial fibrillation presenting to the emergency department from 2014 to 2018 was performed. Baseline characteristics, stroke risk, and rates of anticoagulant prescription were compared across 3 groups: (1) patients discharged from the emergency department, (2) patients admitted under observation status, and (3) patients admitted to inpatient hospital service. Results Among 436 patients (47% women, 51% Hispanic), we identified 105 in the emergency department cohort, 131 in the observation cohort and 200 in the inpatient cohort. The average CHA2DS2-VASc score was 2.5 in the emergency department cohort, 2.6 in the observation cohort and 3.3 in the inpatient cohort. Anticoagulants were prescribed for high-risk patients (CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥ 2) in 17.5% (7/40) of the emergency department cohort compared to 73% (38/52, P Conclusion Patients with atrial fibrillation are more likely to be prescribed anticoagulants if admitted to inpatient or under observation status compared to the emergency department.
Intraoperative Radiation Exposure for Patients with Double-Curve Idiopathic Scoliosis in Freehand-Technique in Comparison to Fluoroscopic- and CT-Based Navigation.

Background In the operative treatment of idiopathic scoliosis, posterior correction and fusion in freehand technique is a proven procedure and is frequently performed. Malpositioned pedicle screws can result in serious neurovascular complications. Intraoperative fluoroscopy and neurophysiological measurements are performed to ensure the correct position of pedicle screws. Newer procedures with fluoroscopic- and computertomographic-assisted navigation are advertised as less dangerous and with a more accurate screw position. Hypothesis Is the freehand technique used in the surgical treatment of idiopathic scoliosis safer than other methods with regard to complications caused by screw malposition and intraoperative radiation exposure? Material and Methods Register data of 34 consecutive idiopathic scoliosis patients with two structural curves (Lenke 3 and 6) were collected prospectively in our scoliosis center and were retrospectively analyzed. The following parameters were evaluated: total radiation product, time of fluoroscopy, number of fused segments, time of operation, blood loss, screw-related complications and number of instrumented pedicle screws. All values were given as mean ± standard deviation and statistically analyzed. Finally, our data were compared on accuracy of screw placement and radiation exposure to data from literature with screw placement under navigation. Results Average age at the time of surgery was 23.6 ± 12 years. The average thoracic curve was 69.2 ± 14.2° preoperatively and 21.7 ± 12.8° postoperatively (correction 69.9%), the average lumbar curve was 64.3° ± 10.8° preoperatively and corrected to 15.6 ± 10.4° postoperatively (correction 76.2%). The total radiation product per patient was 145.7 ± 86.1 cGy*cm², the time of fluoroscopy 31.7 ± 23.5 s (11.5 segments), the time of operation 267.2 ± 64.1 min and the blood loss 700.4 ± 522.3 ml. A total of 803 pedicle screws were placed. No screw-associated complications were detected in the entire collective. The comparison of our data with freehand placement of pedicle screws to literature data showed a noticeable higher radiation exposure for the patient during fluoroscopic- and computertomographic-assisted navigation. Discussion The results showed that positioning of pedicle screws with freehand technique in patients with idiopathic scoliosis is accompanied with considerably lower intraoperative radiation exposure compared to fluoroscopic- or computertomographic-assisted navigation. An increased radiation exposure of these typically young patients is associated with an increased long-term risk for the occurrence of radiation-induced malignant diseases. With appropriate surgical experience, placement of pedicle screws in freehand technique is safe and effective and with similar accuracy than screws placed under navigation, but produces significantly less radiation exposure to the patients.
Linked Fate and Mental Health among African Americans

Abstract Linked fate, the feeling that what happens to one's group may indelibly shape one's own life, is variously conceptualized as an aspect of ethnoracial identity, expression of political solidarity, and/or sense of ethnoracial consciousness. In this study, I contend that, within the context of stigmatization, linked fate may also be compellingly conceptualized as an expression of collective threat and vulnerability with potential relevance for the mental health of African Americans, in particular. Nevertheless, existing research on race and mental health has remained silent on this issue, as linked fate has received little scholarly attention from researchers interested in mental health. Building on prior research on ethnoracial identity, stigmatization, and mental health among African Americans, I introduce linked fate as a neglected, yet important phenomenon among stigmatized minorities, which is deeply associated with ethnoracial identification and should also be considered when examining the consequences of ethnoracial identification on the mental health of African Americans. Using nationally-representative data and logistic regression, I find that linked fate not only fails to be health-protective but is significantly associated with poorer mental health among African Americans in the form of increased suffering from major depression, bipolar I, and anxiety disorders.
The Structuration of Identification on Organizational Members’ Social Media:

The structurational model of identification is applied to test structures that may lead to sharing organizational membership on social media and increased organizational identification. We propose ...
Metal artifact suppression at the hip: diagnostic performance at 3.0 T versus 1.5 Tesla

This work aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of a metal artifact suppression sequence (MAVRIC-SL) for imaging of hip arthroplasties (HA) at 1.5 and 3 Tesla (T) field strength. Eighteen patients (10 females; aged 27–74) with HA were examined at 3.0 and 1.5 T within 3 weeks. The sequence protocol included 3D-MAVRIC-SL PD (coronal), 3D-MAVRIC-SL STIR (axial), FSE T1, FSE PD and STIR sequences. Anatomical structures and pathological findings were assessed independently by two radiologists. Artifact extent and technical quality (image quality, fat saturation and geometric distortion) were also evaluated. Findings at 1.5 and 3.0 T were compared using a Wilcoxon signed rank test. While image quality was better at 1.5 T, visualization of anatomic structures and clinical abnormalities was not significantly different using the two field strengths (p > 0.05). Fat suppression and amount of artifacts were significantly better at 1.5 T (p < 0.01). Inter- and intra-reader agreement for different anatomic details, image quality and visualization of abnormalities ranged from k = 0.62 to k = 1.00. MAVRIC-SL at 1.5 T had a comparable diagnostic performance when compared MAVRIC-SL at 3.0 T; however, the higher field strength was associated with larger artifacts, limited image quality and worse fat saturation.
Impact of proteins on food color

Proteins are not normally associated with color; however, pigments and proteins in food impart or impact food color and appearance. In this chapter, we discuss food color measurement and food properties such as water-binding protein that affect the appearance. We then look at protein pigments and how processing can create alterations in proteins creating changes in color and appearance. Finally, browning reactions involving proteins with a focus on the Maillard reaction are reviewed.
Heart disease in the South

Abstract Autopsy observations in 1,045 cases of death due to heart disease at the Charity Hospital of Louisiana in New Orleans over a period of six years were studied statistically. Table III gives the etiological distribution of these deaths in order of frequency: Etiology Number Percentage Hypertensive heart disease 423 40.5 Arteriosclerotic heart disease 217 20.7 Syphilitic cardiovascular disease 190 18.2 Rheumatic heart disease 117 11.1 Congenital heart disease 23 2.2 Toxic heart disease 22 2.1 Bacterial infection 22 2.1 Anemia 7 0.7 Avitaminosis 5 0.5 Combined 5 0.5 Hyperthyroidism 4 0.4 Pulmonary disease 4 0.4 Other types 3 0.3 Unknown 2 0.2 Trauma 1 0.1