cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pervasive Gabapentin Interference in the LC-MS/MS Analysis of Amphetamine.

Background: An LC-MS/MS urine confirmation assay was developed using a “dilute and shoot” sample preparation method that was subject to interference arising from gabapentin column overload in approximately 4% of patient samples, leading to interference in amphetamine analysis. Methods: The initial analysis method used dilute and shoot sample preparation followed by LC-MS/MS analysis. The improved assay used solid-phase extraction sample preparation followed by LC-MS/MS analysis. Results: The improved assay using solid-phase extraction and alternative chromatographic conditions resolved the gabapentin interference in amphetamine analysis. Conclusions: This experience illustrates the importance of thorough knowledge of likely comedications in a patient population and these drugs9 elimination mechanisms. Laboratorians should be aware of the phenomenon of mass effect LC-MS/MS interference, in addition to the more common LC-MS/MS interferences caused by matrix effects and isobaric compounds.
The Influence of trisomy 21 on facial form and variability.

Triplication of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21) results in Down syndrome (DS), the most common live-born human aneuploidy. Individuals with DS have a unique facial appearance that can include form changes and altered variability. Using 3D photogrammatic images, 3D coordinate locations of 20 anatomical landmarks, and Euclidean Distance Matrix Analysis methods, we quantitatively test the hypothesis that children with DS (n = 55) exhibit facial form and variance differences relative to two different age-matched (4–12 years) control samples of euploid individuals: biological siblings of individuals with DS (n = 55) and euploid individuals without a sibling with DS (n = 55). Approximately 36% of measurements differ significantly between DS and DS-sibling samples, whereas 46% differ significantly between DS and unrelated control samples. Nearly 14% of measurements differ significantly in variance between DS and DS sibling samples, while 18% of measurements differ significantly in variance between DS and unrelated euploid control samples. Of those measures that showed a significant difference in variance, all were relatively increased in the sample of DS individuals. These results indicate that faces of children with DS are quantitatively more similar to their siblings than to unrelated euploid individuals and exhibit consistent, but slightly increased variation with most individuals falling within the range of normal variation established by euploid samples. These observations provide indirect evidence of the strength of the genetic underpinnings of the resemblance between relatives and the resistance of craniofacial development to genetic perturbations caused by trisomy 21, while underscoring the complexity of the genotype–phenotype map.
Primary Salivary Type Lung Cancers in the National Cancer Database.

Background Primary salivary type lung cancers such as adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) and mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) are uncommon primary lung tumors that, given their rarity, remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to characterize the management and outcomes associated with these less common pulmonary malignancies. Methods Patients in the National Cancer Database diagnosed with primary lung and bronchial (not tracheal) MEC and ACC between 2004 and 2014 were identified. Adjusted mortality risk of surgically managed patients was evaluated in multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results In all, 699 MEC patients and 424 ACC patients were identified. The MEC tumors were smaller (mean size 3.1 cm versus 3.8 cm, p Conclusions Pulmonary MEC and ACC appear to have distinct physical and oncologic attributes in the National Cancer Database. Although the overall prognosis appears to be favorable, there are subsets of primary salivary type lung cancers with increased mortality risk, and efforts should be made to completely resect these tumors.
Salamanders and the Evolution of the Major Histocompatibility Complex

All species of eutherian mammals and birds that have been systematically investigated possess one homologous system of closely linked gene loci that is intimately involved with the immune responses of that species (Gotze, 1977). This gene cluster is called the major histocompatibility complex, or MHC. Products of genes within this complex induce differentiation of T cells, as measured by blast-cell transformation, clonal expansion, and the development of cytotoxic effectors. MHC gene products also induce B-cell differentiation, resulting in antibody production. Recently, the MHC has been recognized to be intimately involved in the recognition of a multiplicity of non-self antigenic determinants, with the acquisition of the T-cell repertoire, and with the cooperative interactions between subsets of T cells, between T and B cells, between lymphocytes and macrophages, and between cytotoxic effectors and their specific targets (Moller, 1978). Finally, constituent loci of the MHC are involved, either structurally or in some regulatory fashion, in the biosynthesis and activation of at least some components of the complement system (Meo et al., 1975; Lachman and Hobart, 1978).
Preparing African Public Administrators for Development Management: Student Learning Outcomes Assessment for Performance Improvement

AbstractThis paper identifies strategies that public administration programs in Africa can adopt to position themselves to meet present and future challenges. Using the Getting to Outcomes® model as a frame of reference, it shows how public administration programs can adapt this model in framing a program assessment plan with the active engagement of stakeholders. The paper focuses on how to assess public administration professionals’ learning outcomes to continue performance improvement, make programs more relevant to stakeholders, and help in addressing the challenges of growth and development.
Combining Biochemical Features and Evolutionary Information for Predicting DNA-Binding Residues in Protein Sequences

This paper describes a new machine learning approach for prediction of DNA-binding residues from protein sequence data. Several biologically relevant features, including biochemical properties of amino acid residues and evolutionary information of protein sequences, were selected for input encoding. The evolutionary information was represented as position-specific scoring matrices (PSSMs) and several new descriptors developed in this study. The sequence-derived features were then used to train random forests (RFs), which could handle a large number of input variables and avoid model overfitting. The use of evolutionary information together with biochemical features was found to significantly improve classifier performance. The RF classifier was further evaluated using a separate test dataset. The results suggest that the RF-based approach gives rise to more accurate prediction of DNA-binding residues than previous studies.
Using Web Text Mining to Predict Future Events: A Test of the Wisdom of Crowds Hypothesis

This chapter describes an algorithm that predicts events by mining Internet data. A number of specialized Internet search engine queries were designed to summarize results from relevant web pages. At the core of these queries was a set of algorithms that embody the wisdom of crowds hypothesis. This hypothesis states that under the proper conditions the aggregated opinion of a number of nonexperts is more accurate than the opinion of a set of experts. Natural language processing techniques were used to summarize the opinions expressed from all relevant web pages. The specialized queries predicted event results at a statistically significant level. It was hypothesized that predictions from the entire Internet would outperform the predictions of a smaller number of highly ranked web pages. This hypothesis was not confirmed. This data replicated results from an earlier study and indicated that the Internet can make accurate predictions of future events. Evidence that the Internet can function as a wise crowd as predicted by the wisdom of crowds hypothesis was mixed.
An Exploration of Career Decision-Making among Domestic and International Instructional Design Students

The factors that influence and impact graduate students in the context of their career decision-making within an instructional design graduate program remain unexplored. This mixed methods study captured actual career-related difficulties of graduate instructional design students through a conceptual framework based on Bandura (1986) and Lent et al. (Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45(1), 79–122, 1994) social cognitive career theory, emphasizing the importance of interactions with key factors such as career readiness, access to career information and consistent and reliable career information. Participants recorded their levels of career decision-making difficulty through an online survey, the Career Decision Making Questionnaire (CDDQ) (Gati et al. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 43(4), 510–526, 1996). The CDDQ was used to measure: 1) lack of readiness, 2) lack of information and 3) inconsistent information. This study indicates that the current level of support for graduate students in instructional design may not be robust enough to support their needs. The results demonstrate that graduate students have specific career needs and experience career decision-making difficulty regardless of country of origin, primarily in the pre-decision making phase and in working through internal and external sources of conflict.
Antitrust Analysis of Big Data

The term big data evokes a variety of contexts, encompassing many of the most frequently encountered in the modern economy. With its unrelentingly expansive scope, it seems perhaps inevitable that big data would enter as an important component in antitrust discussions. While big data can certainly present interesting antitrust issues, these issues are by no means unique. Indeed, as developed in this paper, the existing antitrust framework is well equipped with sophisticated tools and methods for analyzing just the kinds of issues big data presents. To accurately frame the inquiry, Part 2 provides background as to the characteristics defining big data. Part 3 then analyzes the proper role for antitrust in the big data revolution, focusing upon three popularly targeted areas of change: (3.1) market definition, (3.2) merger analysis, and (3.3) exclusionary conduct. Part 4 concludes.
Adapting Urban Water Systems to Manage Scarcity in the 21st Century: The Case of Los Angeles

Acute water shortages for large metropolitan regions are likely to become more frequent as climate changes impact historic precipitation levels and urban population grows. California and Los Angeles County have just experienced a severe four year drought followed by a year of high precipitation, and likely drought conditions again in Southern California. We show how the embedded preferences for distant sources, and their local manifestations, have created and/or exacerbated fluctuations in local water availability and suboptimal management. As a socio technical system, water management in the Los Angeles metropolitan region has created a kind of scarcity lock-in in years of low rainfall. We come to this through a decade of coupled research examining landscapes and water use, the development of the complex institutional water management infrastructure, hydrology and a systems network model. Such integrated research is a model for other regions to unpack and understand the actual water resources of a metropolitan region, how it is managed and potential ability to become more water self reliant if the institutions collaborate and manage the resource both parsimoniously, but also in an integrated and conjunctive manner. The Los Angeles County metropolitan region, we find, could transition to a nearly water self sufficient system.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Hydration and Swelling of Mixed-Layer Clays in the Presence of Carbon Dioxide

Swelling of clay minerals is an important phenomenon that is relevant to many problems in geoscience, oil and gas reservoirs, geophysics, and engineering. The phenomenon is even more complex when c...
Allosteric mechanism of the circadian protein Vivid resolved through Markov state model and machine learning analysis.

The fungal circadian clock photoreceptor Vivid (VVD) contains a photosensitive allosteric light, oxygen, voltage (LOV) domain that undergoes a large N-terminal conformational change. The mechanism by which a blue-light driven covalent bond formation leads to a global conformational change remains unclear, which hinders the further development of VVD as an optogenetic tool. We answered this question through a novel computational platform integrating Markov state models, machine learning methods, and newly developed community analysis algorithms. Applying this new integrative approach, we provided a quantitative evaluation of the contribution from the covalent bond to the protein global conformational change, and proposed an atomistic allosteric mechanism leading to the discovery of the unexpected importance of A’α/Aβ and previously overlooked Eα/Fα loops in the conformational change. This approach could be applicable to other allosteric proteins in general to provide interpretable atomistic representations of their otherwise elusive allosteric mechanisms.
Bioelectrical impedance analysis does not detect an increase in total body water following isotonic fluid consumption.

Purpose: To determine if single-frequency foot-to-foot bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) can detect acute changes in total body water (TBW) following consumption of isotonic saline. All partic...
Developing a graphitic white iron for abrasive wear application: Thermal and wear properties

Abstract Frictional heat generated in high speed sliding and rolling wear generates a significant amount of heat. Metal loses a large portion of hardness at high temperature, making it more susceptible to failures. Temperature rise due to abrasive wear on contact surface is a serious issue that limits the lifetime of many metal-to-metal contact wear systems. Five flake graphite containing white irons with different chromium and carbon contents (graphitic white irons) were designed, cast and investigated by the authors to solve this problem. This study examined the introduction of flake graphite into a white iron to increase the net thermal diffusivity, and to improve the abrasive wear resistance. Thermal diffusivity was measured using the laser flash method following ASTM E1461 and thermal diffusivity increased with increasing graphite volume percentage. Abrasive wear resistance was evaluated utilizing a dry sand/rubber wheel apparatus following ASTM G65 Procedure A, and it was found that 1 vol% graphite was equivalent to an increase in wear resistance resulting from a hardness increment of 2.3 HRC, which benefited from the evaluated thermal diffusivity. Several numerical models were established to correlate hardness, microstructure, thermal and wear properties with the developed carbon equivalent. Comparisons with other commonly used alloys showed that the graphitic white irons had comparable wear performance to a premium high molybdenum, high chromium, white iron, but the alloy cost was 90% lower.
Are results from randomized trials in anesthesiology robust or fragile? An analysis using the fragility index.

Aim In anesthesiology, the findings from randomized controlled trials often underpin guidelines influencing clinical decision-making and therefore directly affect patient care. The aim of this study is to evaluate the fragility index and fragility quotient of randomized controlled trials published in the eight highest ranked anesthesiology journals. In addition, we assess the extent to which risk of bias scores, loss to follow-up, Web of Science Citation Index, and journal impact factor influence fragility index and fragility quotient. Methods We included randomized trials published between 2014 and 2016 from the eight highest ranking anesthesiology journals based on Clarivate Analytics' Science Citation Index and Google Scholar Metrics: Anesthesiology subcategory. We included journals that published general anesthesia topics and omitted specialty anesthesia journals. The fragility index and fragility quotient for all included trials were calculated. Risk of bias for each trial was evaluated using the Cochrane 'risk of bias' Tool 2.0. Results One hundred and thirty one randomized control trials were included in this analysis. The median fragility index was 3 (interquartile range 1.0-5.5) with a fragility quotient of 0.03 (interquartile range 0.01-0.08). In 11% (14/131) of trials, the number of patients lost to follow-up was greater than the corresponding fragility index. Weak correlations were found between fragility index and total sample size (r = 0.13) and between fragility index and event frequency (r = 0.19). A near-negligible correlation was found between 5-year impact factor and fragility index (r = -0.03) and, similarly, between fragility index and Science Citation Index (r = -0.05). Ten trials were at high risk of bias with the randomization process found to be the domain at the highest risk of bias. Conclusion In assessing the fragility of randomized controlled trials published in the top eight anesthesiology journals, our study suggests that statistically significant results in these journals are disconcertingly fragile. The median fragility index calculated from our 131 primary studies reveals that only three nonevents must be replaced with events to negate statistical significance. Although a current scale does not exist for fragility index ranges, many trials published by the top journals in anesthesiology are based on concerning methodology and highly fragile outcomes. With small median sample sizes and few patient events characterizing a large number of these trials, many of today's current guidelines and clinical practices may be founded on research containing statistical significance but lacking clinical significance.
Polygenic risk of psychiatric disorders exhibits cross-trait associations in electronic health record data

Abstract Objective Prediction of disease risk is a key component of precision medicine. Common, complex traits such as psychiatric disorders have a complex polygenic architecture making the identification of a single risk predictor difficult. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) denoting the sum of an individual’s genetic liability for a disorder are a promising biomarker for psychiatric disorders, but require evaluation in a clinical setting. Methods We develop PRS for six psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, cross disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anorexia nervosa) and 17 non-psychiatric traits in over 10,000 individuals from the Penn Medicine Biobank with accompanying electronic health records. We perform phenome-wide association analyses to test their association across disease categories. Results Four of the six psychiatric PRS were associated with their primary phenotypes (odds ratios between 1.2-1.6). Individuals in the highest quintile of risk had between 1.4-2.9 times higher odds of the disorder than the remaining 80% of individuals. Cross-trait associations were identified both within the psychiatric domain and across trait domains. PRS for coronary artery disease and years of education were significantly associated with psychiatric disorders, largely driven by an association with tobacco use disorder. Conclusions We demonstrate that the genetic architecture of common psychiatric disorders identified in a clinical setting confirms that which has been derived from large consortia. Even though the risk associated is low in this context, these results suggest that as identification of genetic markers proceeds, PRS is a promising approach for prediction of psychiatric disorders and associated conditions in clinical registries.
Physiology of penile erection

The physiologic basis of erection is yet to be clear. Recently, we were able to identify the cavernous nerves which are responsible for erection. Using electroerection in the monkey, we were able to study the physiologic changes that occur during erection and detumescence. Basically, erection is a result of: (1) active relaxation of sinusoidal spaces in the corpora cavernosa, (2) active arteriolar dilatation, and (3) active venous constriction. On the contrary, detumescence is a passive phenomenon.
Association of Provider Performance with Changes in Insurance Networks

Medicaid managed care plans change provider networks frequently, yet there is no evidence about the performance of exiting providers relative to those that remain. To investigate the association between provider cost and quality and network exit. Observational study with provider network directory data linked to administrative claims from managed care plans in Tennessee’s Medicaid program during the period 2010–2016. 1,966,022 recipients assigned to 9593 unique providers. Exposures were risk-adjusted total costs of care and nine measures from the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) were used to construct a composite annual indicators of provider performance on quality. Outcome was provider exit from a Medicaid managed care plan. Differences in quality and cost between providers that exited and remained in managed care networks were estimated using a propensity score model to match exiting to nonexiting providers. Over our study period, we found that 21% of participating providers exited at least one of the Medicaid managed care plans in Tennessee. As compared with providers that remained in networks, those that exited performed 3.8 percentage points [95% CI, 2.3, 5.3] worse on quality as measured by a composite of the nine HEDIS quality metrics. However, 22% of exiting providers performed above average in quality and cost and only 29% of exiting providers had lower than average quality scores and higher than average costs. Overall, exiting providers had lower aggregate costs in terms of the annual unadjusted cost of care per-member-month − $21.57 [95% CI, − $41.02, − $2.13], though difference in annual risk-adjusted cost per-member-month was nonsignificant. Providers exiting Medicaid managed care plans appear to have lower quality scores in the year prior to their exit than the providers who remain in network. Our study did not show that managed care plans disproportionately drop high-cost providers.
Utilization of Lung Cancer Screening in the Medicare Fee-for-Service Population.

Background A number of organizations, including the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), recommend lung cancer screening (LCS) with low-dose CT (LDCT) imaging for high-risk current and former smokers. In 2015, Medicare issued a decision to cover LCS as a preventive health benefit; however, utilization by the Medicare population has not been thoroughly examined. Research Question Our objective was to evaluate the early use of LCS in the Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) population and determine the relationship(s) among beneficiary sociodemographic characteristics, geographic location, and use. Study Design and Methods This cross-sectional observational study used 100% Medicare FFS claims files for Medicare beneficiaries receiving LCS between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016. We estimated the LCS-eligible Medicare population using population and smoking data from the US Census Bureau and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We assessed variation in LCS rates by beneficiary characteristics and geography, using univariate and multivariate regression, the latter also including how interactions between geographic location and race/ethnicity influence screening. Results A total of 103,892 Medicare FFS beneficiaries received LCS in 2016, comprising 4.1% (95% CI, 3.9%-4.3%) of the estimated LCS-eligible Medicare population. Accounting for the interactions between race/ethnicity and US region, nonwhite (black, Hispanic) beneficiaries in all US regions were screened with lower frequency than white beneficiaries (P Interpretation The early adoption of LCS among Medicare beneficiaries was low. Our results suggest geographic and racial disparities in screening use, with populations in the South and those of nonwhite race/ethnicity being screened with lower frequency. Further work is needed to improve LCS uptake and ensure consistent use by all at-risk populations.
Watchful waiting is an appropriate option for peritoneal dialysis candidates with an asymptomatic ventral hernia

Expert consensus recommends that all ventral hernias be repaired prior to, or concomitantly with, peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter insertion. We examined the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing initial PD catheter insertion, with asymptomatic ventral hernias that were not repaired and rather managed using a watchful waiting approach. A single-center, retrospective review of patients undergoing PD catheter insertion from 2005–2019 was performed. Patients who did not undergo repair of a pre-existing ventral hernia at the time of their initial PD catheter insertion were included. The primary endpoint was ventral hernia repair following PD catheter insertion. Forty-one patients were included. Most patients presented with an umbilical hernia (78%). Six patients (15%) underwent ventral hernia repair at a median postoperative interval of 12 months [IQR 8–16], due to abdominal discomfort and hernia enlargement (n = 2) and incarceration (n = 2). Two patients remained asymptomatic, yet underwent ventral hernia repair at the time of renal transplantation. The cumulative incidence of ventral hernia repair within 12 and 24 months of PD catheter insertion was 13% and 21%, respectively. Watchful waiting may be an acceptable option for select patients with asymptomatic ventral hernias at the time of initial PD catheter placement. These findings highlight the need to better identify factors associated with asymptomatic ventral hernias that do not warrant concomitant repair to aid surgeons in the decision-making process.
Particle: ephemeral endpoints for serverless networking

Burst-parallel serverless applications invoke thousands of short-lived distributed functions to complete complex jobs such as data analytics, video encoding, or compilation. While these tasks execute in seconds, starting and configuring the virtual network they rely on is a major bottleneck that can consume up to 84% of total startup time. In this paper we characterize the magnitude of this network cold start problem in three popular overlay networks, Docker Swarm, Weave, and Linux Overlay. We focus on end-to-end startup time that encompasses both the time to boot a group of containers as well as interconnecting them. Our primary observation is that existing overlay approaches for serverless networking scale poorly in short-lived serverless environments. Based on our findings we develop Particle, a network stack tailored for multi-node serverless overlay networks that optimizes network creation without sacrificing multi-tenancy, generality, or throughput. When integrated into a serverless burst-parallel video processing pipeline, Particle improves application runtime by 2.4--3X over existing overlays.
Incidence of Leg-Length Discrepancy After Index Hinge Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Leg-length discrepancies are not commonly associated with total knee arthroplasty (TKA); however, hinge TKA is a complex form of knee reconstruction where functionality of all knee ligaments is replaced by the TKA construct. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the incidence of leg-length discrepancies after unilateral index hinge TKA and association with patient outcomes. Methods A retrospective review was performed of all patients who underwent unilateral index hinge TKA at a single academic institution from 1999 to 2019. Among 671 patients who underwent index hinge TKA, 188 (28%) had full-length standing anteroposterior hip-to-ankle radiographs available for review both preoperatively and postoperatively. All patients with a leg-length change ≥2 cm were also contacted with a standardized questionnaire to assess for complications. The mean age was 65 years, the mean body mass index was 33 kg/m2, and 52% were female. The mean number of prior surgeries was 2 (range, 0-12). Results The absolute mean and median change in leg lengths was 20 mm and 13 mm, respectively (range, 0-130 mm). Lengthening occurred in 119 (63%) patients compared with shortening in 69 (37%) patients. An absolute change in leg lengths ≥1 cm was observed in 109 (58%) patients, ≥2 cm in 63 (34%) patients, and ≥5 cm in 15 (8%) patients. Conclusion Large changes in the leg length are common after hinge TKA, likely secondary to altered soft-tissue constraints. Surgeons should be cognizant of potential changes in the leg length in the setting of hinge TKA and incorporate this into preoperative planning and patient counseling. Level of Evidence Level IV, therapeutic.
Influence of Comparative Education on Comparative Adult Education Research and Practice

Comparative Education bietet vielfaltige Moglichkeiten fur kulturell kontextualisierte Analysen zu landerspezifischen Besonderheiten von Bildungssystemen und Erwachsenenbildung. Ziel des Beitrags ist es komparative Zugange vorzustellen und deren Wirkungen zu erkennen und zu analysieren. Zwei Fragestellungen sind leitend: (1) Welchen Einfluss hat Comparative Education auf eine (komparative) Erwachsenenbildungsforschung? (2) Welche Faktoren werden dabei fur die Praxis der Erwachsenenbildung relevant und bedeutsam? Im Ergebnis werden ausgewahlte Schlusselfaktoren und -prinzipien sichtbar, die zukunftig zu einer moglicherweise groseren Wertschatzung vergleichender Forschung in der Erwachsenenbildung beitragen konnen.
Do Police Body-Worn Cameras Reduce Citizen Fatalities? Results of a Country-Wide Natural Experiment

This study assesses the effects of body-worn cameras (BWCs) on rates of fatalities arising from police-citizen encounters. While existing experimental research has not examined this outcome because it is so rare, the staggered roll-out of BWCs across the nation’s law enforcement agencies provides an opportunity for quasi-experimental analysis. Difference-in-difference (DID) analyses using Poisson models compare changes in U.S. law enforcement agencies’ fatality counts with changes in BWC acquisition. Using a federal law enforcement survey focused on body worn cameras (LEMAS-BWCS) and media-sourced data on fatal encounters from fatalencounters.org (FE), the research examines agencies acquiring BWCs between 2013/14 and 2015/16 and those that did not acquire them up to 2016 and had no plans to do so. It includes a fixed effects annual panel data analysis with data from 2005/06 to 2018/19 and two two-group analyses focusing on a pre-treatment period (2010/11 to 2012/13) and a post-treatment period (2016/17 to 2018/19). The latter includes a propensity score matched comparison. Two out of three DID analyses showed statistically significant negative effects of BWCs on citizen fatalities. The propensity score matched two-group analysis returned a non-significant negative effect. The research finds some evidence for BWC effects on citizen fatalities. However, there are important validity threats to this conclusion. These include the possibility that BWC acquisition serves as a marker for other policy changes focused on BWC-acquiring agencies in the 2013/14 to 2015/16 period and beyond.
Unforced Error: The Risks of Confrontation with Iran

During the 2017 presidential campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump was open about his hostility toward Iran and his disdain for the Obama administration’s diplomacy with that country. Since January, the Trump administration has been engaged in an Iran policy review. News reports and leaks suggest the review is highly likely to recommend a more confrontational approach to Iran, whether within the framework of the Iranian nuclear deal or by withdrawing from it. This paper examines the costs of four confrontational policy approaches to Iran: sanctions, regional hostilities, “regime change from within,” and direct military action. Increased economic sanctions are unlikely to succeed in producing policy change in the absence of a clear goal or multinational support. Indeed, sanctions on Iran are likely to meet with strong opposition from U.S. allies in Europe and Asia, who continue to support the nuclear deal. The second policy we examine — challenging Iranian proxies and influence throughout the Middle East — is likewise problematic. There is little coherent, effective opposition to Iran in the region, and this approach increases the risks of blowback to U.S. forces in the region, pulling the United States deeper into regional conflicts. The third option, so-called regime change from within, is a strategy that relies on sanctions and on backing for internal Iranian opposition movements to push for the overthrow of the regime in Tehran. This approach is not feasible: regime change — whether covert or overt — rarely succeeds in producing a stable, friendly, democratic regime. The lack of any good candidates for U.S. support inside Iran compounds this problem. The final policy alternative we explore is direct military action against Iranian nuclear or military facilities. Such attacks are unlikely to produce positive outcomes, while creating the risk of substantial escalation. Worse, attacking Iran after the successful signing of the nuclear deal will only add to global suspicions that the United States engages in regime change without provocation and that it cannot be trusted to uphold its commitments. We suggest an alternative strategy for the Trump administration: engagement. This approach would see America continue to uphold the nuclear deal and seek continued engagement with Iran on issues of mutual interest. Engagement offers a far better chance than confrontation and isolation to improve Iran’s foreign policy behavior and empower moderate groups inside Iran in the long term.
Properties of adjacency matrix of a graph and it's construction

This research paper studies about the adjacency matrix of a graph, as it is a fundamental matrix associated with any graph. This study about the properties of adjacency matrix and associated theorems is inevitable since the graph is stored in a computer in terms of its adjacency matrix.
In Support of a Renewable Energy and Materials Economy: A Global Green New Deal That Includes Arctic Sea Ice Triage and Carbon Cycle Restoration:

A Global Green New Deal (GGND)—that includes Arctic sea ice climate triage and carbon cycle climate restoration, and that, following Eisenberger (2020), would move us toward a renewable energy and ...
BESONDERE PROBLEME BEI DER BREMSUNG VON MEHRFELDRIGEN HAENGEBRUECKEN ZUR UEBERFUEHRUNG VON ROHRLEITUNGEN

ZUR NAEHERUNGSWEISEN BESTIMMUNG DER KNICKLAST VON MEHRFELDRIGEN EINWANDIGEN HAENGEBRUECKEN ZUR UEBERFUEHRUNG VON ROHRLEITUNGEN, DIE IN DER HOEHE DES ROHRES DURCH HORIZONTALE, AUS SEILEN BESTEHENDE WINDTRAEGER VERSTEIFT SIND, WIRD EINE ERSATZSTABBERECHNUNG VORGESCHLAGEN, WOBEI FUER ALLE DURCHHAENGENDEN SEILE EIN IDEELLER E-MODUL EINGEFUEHRT WIRD. AN HAND MEHRERER BEISPIELE WIRD DIE GUETE DIESER ANNAEHERUNG UNTERSUCHT. ES FOLGEN NOCH EINIGE BETRACHTUNGEN UEBER DIE VERFORMBARKEIT DIESER ART VON BRUECKEN. (A)
CD4 Raft Association and Signaling Regulate Molecular Clustering at the Immunological Synapse Site

T cell activation is associated with the partitioning of TCRs and other signaling proteins, forming an immunological synapse. This study demonstrates a novel function for the CD4 coreceptor in regulating molecular clustering at the immunological synapse site. We show using transgenic mouse and retroviral reconstitution studies that CD4 is required for TCR/protein kinase C (PKC) θ clustering. Specifically, we demonstrate that CD4 palmitoylation sequences are required for TCR/PKCθ raft association and subsequent clustering, indicating a particular role for raft-associated CD4 molecules in regulating immune synapse organization. Although raft association of CD4 is necessary, it is not sufficient to mediate clustering, as cytoplasmic tail deletion mutants are able to localize to rafts, but are unable to mediate TCR/PKCθ clustering, indicating an additional requirement for CD4 signaling. These studies suggest that CD4 coreceptor function is regulated not only through its known signaling function, but also by posttranslational lipid modifications which regulate localization of CD4 in lipid rafts.
Biosynthesis of hygrine from [5-14c]ornithine via a symmetrical intermediate in Nicandra physaloides

Abstract Radioactive hygrine (2.2% incorporation) was isolated from Nicandra physaloides plants which had been fed Dl -[5-14C]ornithine. A systematic degradation of the hygrine yielded products whose activity was consistent with the pyrrolidine ring of this alkaloid being labeled equally at the C-2 and C-5 positions. The result does not agree with the previous work of O′Donovan and Keogh, whose publication is critically examined.
The standing wave FEL/TBA: realistic cavity geometry and energy extraction

A set of parameters for standing wave free electron laser two beam accelerators (SWFEL/TBA) is evaluated for realistic cavity geometry taking into account beam-break-up and the sensitivity of output power to imperfections. Also given is a power extraction system using cavity coupled wave guides. >
Impact of Interruptions on Schedule Execution in Flexible Manufacturing Systems

Finite capacity scheduling software packages provide a detailed advance plan of production events. However, the execution of this advance plan is disrupted by a myriad of unanticipated interruptions, such as machine breakdowns, yield variations, and hot jobs. The alternatives available to respond to such interruptions include modifying the existing schedule, regenerating the complete schedule, or doing nothing and letting the production system gradually absorb the impact of the interruption. This article reports on a simulation study aimed at understanding the impact of an interruption on a schedule in order to build a knowledge base for intelligent selection of a response from a set of alternatives. The results of the experimental study are used to identify significant major factors and their interactions. The results are discussed to draw insights into the performance of a flexible manufacturing system following an interruption. The causes leading to particular performance anomalies are extensively discussed and mechanisms for propagation and absorption of the effect of interruptions in manufacturing systems are inferred. Practical implications for the development and implementation of schedules are deduced and areas for further research proposed. This study provides the groundwork necessary to proceed with the development of strategies for responding to interruptions.
Riding Routes and Itinerant Borders: Autonomy of Migration and Border Externalization

Despite technological upgrading of borders at the edges of Europe, “Fortress Europe” continues to fail as an effective means of controlling irregular migration. As a consequence, European states are restructuring their border regimes by externalizing migration management to non-EU countries beyond the border and creating new programs and policies to do so. Autonomy of Migration (AoM) offers a distinct way for thinking about border control mechanisms and goals of managing mobility. AoM does not read this off-shoring of borders through the lens of centralized and coordinated state powers, but develops an autonomous gaze that supplements these institutional readings of apparatuses of capture with a view that takes as its starting point the ways in which border architectures, institutions, and policies interact with and react to the turbulence of migrant mobilities. By engaging current EU externalization policies, this paper illustrates the shifting relationship between border control and mobility. Resumen A pesar de las actualizaciones tecnologicas recientes de la frontera en el perimetro de la Union Europea, la llamada “Europa Fortaleza”, tanto como metafora como realidad, continua sin poder controlar la migracion irregular. En respuesta, los estados miembros de la Union estan restructurando sus sistemas fronterizos externalizando la gestion migratoria a paises no miembros de la UE, delegando funciones de control migratorio a paises fuera de la frontera europea. El enfoque de la Autonomia de la Migracion (AoM) ofrece un anaisis poco comun para pensar los mecanismos de control fronterizo y sus objetivos de gestionar la movilidad humana. AoM no interpreta dicho desplazamiento de fronteras unicamente desde la optica del poder estatal centralizado. AoM ofrece una mirada autonoma de la movilidad, complementando esas lecturas institucionales que enfatizan los aparatos de captura. Asi, AoM enfatiza la turbulencia de las migraciones como parte constituyente, y no solo receptiva, de las arquitecturas, instituciones y politicas fronterizas. Este articulo sobre la externalizacion de las politicas fronterizas de la Union Europea ilustra la relacion productiva entre control migratorio fronterizo y movilidad migratoria.
Hepatic electrical stimulation reduces blood glucose in diabetic rats

AbstractBackground The aim of this study was to investigatethe feasibility and mechanisms of controlling bloodglucose using hepatic electrical stimulation (HES).Methods The study was performed in regular Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, streptozotocin-induced type 1 dia-betic rats and Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) ratschronically implanted with one pair of stimulationelectrodes on two lobes of the liver tissues. KeyResults (i) Hepatic electrical stimulation was effectivein reducing blood glucose by 27%–31% at time points60, 75 and 90 min after oral glucose in normal rats;(ii) HES reduced blood glucose in both fasting andfed states in both type 1 and type 2 diabetic rats;(iii) Chronic HES decreased the blood glucose level,and, delayed gastric empty and increased plasmaglucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) level; and (iv) Noadverse events were noted in any rats during HES.Histopathological analyses and liver function testsrevealed no electrode dislodgement, tissue damages orliver enzyme changes with HES. Conclusions &Inferences Hepatic electrical stimulation is capable ofreducing both fasting and fed blood glucose in normal,and type 1 and type 2 diabetic rats and the effect maybe partially mediated via an increase in GLP-1 release.Keywords blood glucose, diabetes, electricalstimulation, gastrointestinal hormones, glycemiccontrol, hyperglycemia.Diabetes affects millions of Americans. The patho-physiology of diabetes is complex although it is wellestablished that insulin resistance and pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction/failure are involved to a varyingextent in different subsets of patients.
Investigation of Students’ Perceptions of Online Course Quality

With the prevalence of online learning, considerable concerns and problems arise, particularly as it relates to the quality of this mode of instruction. this study used a web-delivered survey based on the quality benchmarks published by institution of Higher education Policy to investigate student’s perceptions regarding online course quality and to determine the underlying factors that contribute to those perceptions. a total of 176 online students participated in this study. By using factor analysis, reliability analysis, and hierarchical multiple regressions to analyze data, results of this study showed that peer-interactions, feedback from instructors, and online course structure were the main factors that affected students’ perceptions of online course quality. Student support was also an influencing factor of students’ perceptions. Findings of this study will provide valuable information that can serve both online instructors and administrators in providing effective online education.
Knowing the Territory: Pollsters, Population Change, Political Representation, and the Survival of U.S. House Incumbents

The 2010 midterm congressional elections resulted in the largest House seat change in 62 years, including the defeat of 54 incumbents. The end of a redistricting cycle is often a time when strategic politicians demur from challenging incumbents as they eye the start of the next cycle two year later. But it is a time when many districts’ populations have changed markedly from the start of the cycle while others have been stable. This variance allows for a test of two theories of political consultant use. Under the expertise-based theory of deliberative priming, candidates, especially incumbents, should invest in the services of pollsters to help gauge the electoral implications of population change. Under a party elite theory, candidates face an incentive to hire the polling firms closely tied to the party organization to affirm the party’s judgment of allied firms’ effectiveness. These theories are assessed empirically with district-level population change data drawn from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey as well as party and candidate expenditure data from the FEC that has been disaggregated into candidate spending for pollsters used by party congressional campaign committees (CCCs) and for those who had not been recent agents of the CCCs. Controlling for traditional indicators of House campaign competitiveness, incumbents depended in 2010 on the services of CCC-connected pollsters when their district populations had become destabilized but not on the unconnected kind. Greater spending on connected pollsters did not hurt incumbents’ vote share on election day to the extent that reliance on unconnected pollsters did. The study clarifies divisions within the political consulting industry and the extent and limits of parties’ support network of political consultants to help their candidates in choppy electoral waters.
Heuristic Introduction to the Discrete Memoryless Channel

The spirit of the problems discussed in the present monograph can already be gleaned from a consideration of the discrete memoryless channel, to a heuristic discussion of which the present chapter is devoted. In this discussion there will occur terms not yet precisely defined, to which the reader should give their colloquial meaning. This procedure is compatible with the purpose of the present chapter, which is to motivate the problems to be discussed later in the book, and not to carry forward the theory logically. The reader scornful of such unmathematical behavior or in no need of motivation may proceed at once to Chapter 2 without any loss of logical continuity. Such definitions as are given in the present chapter will be repeated later.