cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Defeaters to best interests reasoning in genetic enhancement

Pre-natal genetic enhancement affords us unprecedented capacity to shape our skills, talents, appearance and perhaps subsequently the quality of our lives in terms of overall happiness, success and wellbeing. Despite its powerful appeal, some have raised important and equally persuasive concerns against genetic enhancement. Sandel has argued that compassion and humility, themselves grounded in the unpredictability of talents and skills, would be lost. Habermas has argued that genetically altered individuals will see their lives as dictated by their parents’ design and therefore will not acquire an appropriate self-understanding. How should we view enhancement efforts in light of these concerns? I propose that we begin by adopting a defeasibility stance. That is, I ask whether our belief that genetic enhancements serve in the best interests of the child is reason to genetically enhance, underscoring a sort of epistemic vulnerability. I utilize the epistemological notions of defeasible reasons, undercutting (also called undermining) and overriding (or rebutting) defeaters in order to better understand and systematically evaluate the force of such concerns. I argue that close examination of both objections using this framework shows that we have reason to enhance, a reason that is defeasible but as yet, undefeated.
Testing the scenario hypothesis

Decision support tools are known to influence and facilitate decisionmaking through the thoughtful construction of the decision environment. However, little research has empirically evaluated the effects of using scenarios and forecasts. In this research, we asked participants to recommend a fisheries management strategy that achieved multiple objectives in the face of significant uncertainty. A decision support tool with one of two conditionsScenario or Forecastencouraged participants to explore a large set of diversified decision options. We found that participants in the two conditions explored the options similarly, but chose differently. Participants in the Scenario Condition chose the strategies that performed well over the full range of uncertainties (robust strategies) significantly more frequently than did those in the Forecast Condition. This difference seems largely to be because participants in the Scenario Condition paid increased attention to worst-case futures. The results offer lessons for designing decision support tools.
Total Syntheses of Vancomycin-Related Glycopeptide Antibiotics and Key Analogues

A review of efforts that have provided total syntheses of vancomycin and related glycopeptide antibiotics, their agylcons, and key analogues is provided. It is a tribute to developments in organic chemistry and the field of organic synthesis that not only can molecules of this complexity be prepared today by total synthesis but such efforts can be extended to the preparation of previously inaccessible key analogues that contain deep-seated structural changes. With the increasing prevalence of acquired bacterial resistance to existing classes of antibiotics and with the emergence of vancomycin-resistant pathogens (VRSA and VRE), the studies pave the way for the examination of synthetic analogues rationally designed to not only overcome vancomycin resistance but provide the foundation for the development of even more powerful and durable antibiotics.
Relation of Left Atrial Appendage Remodeling by Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Outcome of Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation.

The left atrial appendage (LAA) is a nonpulmonary vein trigger site in atrial fibrillation (AF). The association of LAA structural remodeling (SRM) identified by late gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (LGE-MRI) and AF ablation outcome has never been described. This study sought to investigate the clinical significance of LAA-SRM in AF patients who undergo ablation therapy. Consecutive patients with AF who underwent catheter ablation therapy within 14 days following MRI scan were included in this study. LAA-SRM was assessed using LGE-MRI images to quantify the extent of LAA-LGE. Patients were followed for arrhythmia recurrence after the ablation procedure. A total of 74 patients were included in the study, 68% were male, with a mean age of 72 years. Mean LAA-LGE extent was 9%. There were 37 arrhythmia recurrences (50%) observed over a mean follow-up period of 18 months. The recurrence rate was significantly higher (73.3% vs 37.5%; p = 0.045) in patients with LAA-LGE extent in the highest tier (T4) compared with the lowest tier (T1). LAA-LGE extent was independently associated with arrhythmia recurrence (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.054; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.008 to 1.103). In addition, there was an approximately fourfold increased risk of arrhythmia recurrence (adjusted HR 4.117, 95% CI 1.260 to 13.459) in patients with advanced LAA-SRM (T4 vs T1). In conclusion, the extent of LAA-SRM identified by LGE-MRI is associated with arrhythmia recurrence after AF ablation.
Inferring the ancestry of parents and grandparents from genetic data

Inference of admixture proportions is a classical statistical problem in population genetics. Standard methods implicitly assume that both parents of an individual have the same admixture fraction. However, this is rarely the case in real data. In this paper, we show that the distribution of admixture tract lengths in a genome contains information about the admixture proportions of the ancestors of an individual. We develop a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) framework for estimating the admixture proportions of the immediate ancestors of an individual, i.e., a type of splitting of an individual9s admixture proportions into further subsets of ancestral proportions in the ancestors. Based on a genealogical model for admixture tracts, we develop an efficient algorithm for computing the sampling probability of the genome from a single individual as a function of the admixture proportions of the ancestors of this individual. This allows us to perform probabilistic inference of admixture proportions of ancestors, using only the genome of an extant individual. We perform extensive simulations to quantify the error in the estimation of ancestral admixture proportions under various conditions. As an illustration, we also apply the method on real data from the 1000 Genomes Project.
Fast Algorithms for High Frequency Wave Propagation

High frequency wave propagation is computationally challenging due to the very large number of unknowns that are needed in direct numerical approximations. We will present new fast algorithms for the solution of the linear systems, which follow from discretization of the Helmholtz equation and its related integral equation formulation. For the Helmholtz equation we present a new type of preconditioner, which, together with the GMRES iterative method, results in a near optimal computational complexity. The cost of the preconditioner scales essentially linearly with the number of unknowns and the number of iterations is independent of frequency. In the integral equation case, a directional fast multilevel technique also results in a near optimal computational complexity.
Heterogeneity of Hepatitis B Infection Among Pregnant Asian American and Pacific Islander Women.

Introduction Perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is a key driver of racial health disparities in liver cancer and mortality in the U.S. This study documents the prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among pregnant women across racial/ethnic groups and among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to assess the need for intervention, and then identifies the individual correlates of hepatitis B virus infection among Asian American and Pacific Islander pregnant women. Methods Using the 2014–2015U.S. birth rate population data, this study estimates a series of logistic regression models to examine the associations between individual-level correlates and hepatitis B virus infection among Asian American and Pacific Islanders pregnant women. Data were analyzed in July 2017. Results Among Asian American and Pacific Islander pregnant women, Chinese American mothers are ten times more likely to experience hepatitis B virus infection than are Asian Indian and Japanese American mothers. Foreign-born mothers are significantly more likely to experience hepatitis B virus infection during pregnancy than those of their U.S.-born counterparts. Maternal SES characteristics are important correlates of hepatitis B virus infection among pregnant women. Conclusions Studies must disaggregate the pan-ethnic Asian American and Pacific Islander category to examine the health and health disparities of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Given the heterogeneity of hepatitis B virus infection prevalence among Asian American and Pacific Islander pregnant women, the effectiveness of prevention and intervention programs depends on careful consideration of ethnicity in conjunction with group-specific factors.
Student Factors That Influence Clerkship Grades and Matching Into a Surgical Residency

Objective Evaluate the relationship between medical school factors (including preclinical mentorship, order of clerkships, and clerkship grades) and matching into surgical specialties. Design Clerkship information, match data, and data on structured preclinical research obtained from 2010 to 2015 for a single institution was obtained and analyzed using multivariate analysis. Setting University of Michigan Medical School. Participants Seven hundred and forty-six students who took both the Internal Medicine and Surgery clerkships between 2010 and 2015 and have since participated in the match. Results Among 740 students studied, 243 matched into a surgical field. Higher Shelf scores were associated with higher clerkship grades in Surgery and Internal Medicine. Honors or High Pass in Surgery were associated with matching into a surgical field. Structured preclinical research in Surgery and order of clerkship were not associated with matching into a surgical field. Conclusions Students who went into surgery were more likely to receive Honors or High Pass. Preclinical choices geared toward a surgical specialty (e.g., order of clerkship and structured research) were not associated with matching into a surgical field. These data may help guide school specific advice for students.
Some Effects Of An Ekman Boundary-Layer Parameterization On Various Models Of Atmospheric Flow

The traditional Ekman boundary-layer parameterization is introduced into the quasigeostrophic Eady baroclinic instability model and into the deformation flow model, to couple the planetary boundary layer with the inviscid interior flow aloft. An explicit time-dependent version of this parameterization is then introduced into an unbalanced zero potential vorticity model to evaluate the initial transient response. It is noted that the adaptation of the geostrophic flow to the same parameterization is different in each of the balanced models. The characteristic flow response reflects thedifferent constraints imposed by each model. Further, the zero potential vorticity condition constrains the evolution of the baroclinic geostrophic part of the flow, which leads to an unphysical flow response when the Ekman boundary-layer parameterization is employed with this unbalanced model. The barotropic part of the flow does, however, evolve in a physically consistent manner spinning down to reflect the introduction of low momentum air pumped into the interior from the boundary layer. Moreover, the transient spin-up processis shown to have an insignificant effect on this spin-down process.
Judicial Deference to the Administration in the United States

This report on the U.S. law governing judicial deference to decisions by administrative officials argues that there may be a number of reasons why courts may determine as a matter of fact that aspects concerning the making of an administrative decision—including the administrator’s expertise and experience in technical or scientific matters, the administration’s consistency in similar matters, or the care with which the administration justifies its action—warrant some degree of deference to the administrative decision. But the most widely applicable and important type of judicial deference in U.S. law is required as a matter of law in order to preserve the meaningfulness of the zone of discretion which the legislature is normally understood to have delegated to administrative agencies when they are given adjudicative or rulemaking power. These doctrines of de jure judicial deference, the most celebrated of which is Chevron deference, are part of the American system of rather broad diffusion of powers of governance, a pattern that includes but is not limited to the American versions of separation of powers and federalism. Substantial judicial deference to administrative agencies is thus of particular importance to U.S. law because it is part of the system of divided powers that we have in the United States, which is in turn part of the broader pattern of a strongly market-centered (that is, not state-centered) political economy.
Variant-specific changes in persistent or resurgent Na+ current in SCN8A-EIEE13 iPSC-derived neurons

Missense variants in the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) gene, SCN8A, are linked to early-infantile epileptic encephalopathy type 13 (EIEE13). EIEE13 patients exhibit a wide spectrum of intractable seizure types, severe developmental delay, movement disorders, and elevated risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). The mechanisms by which SCN8A variants lead to epilepsy are poorly understood, although heterologous expression systems and mouse models have demonstrated altered sodium current (INa) properties. To investigate these mechanisms using a patient-specific model system, we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from three patients with missense variants in SCN8A: p.R1872>L (P1); p.V1592>L (P2); and p.N1759>S (P3). Using small molecule differentiation into excitatory neurons, iPSC-derived neurons from all three patients displayed altered INa. P1 and P2 had elevated persistent INa, while P3 had increased resurgent INa compared to controls. Further analyses focused on one of the patients with increased persistent INa (P1) and the patient with increased resurgent INa (P3). Excitatory cortical neurons from both patients had prolonged action potential (AP) repolarization and shorter axon initial segment lengths compared to controls, the latter analyzed by immunostaining for ankyrin-G. Using doxycycline-inducible expression of the neuronal transcription factors Neurogenin 1 and 2 to synchronize differentiation of induced excitatory cortical-like neurons (iNeurons), we investigated network activity and response to pharmacotherapies. Both patient neurons and iNeurons displayed similar abnormalities in AP repolarization. Patient iNeurons showed increased burstiness that was sensitive to phenytoin, currently a standard treatment for EIEE patients, or riluzole, an FDA-approved drug used in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and known to block persistent and resurgent INa, at pharmacologically relevant concentrations. Patch-clamp recordings showed that riluzole suppressed spontaneous firing and increased the AP firing threshold of patient-derived neurons to more depolarized potentials. Our results indicate that patient-specific neurons are useful for modeling EIEE13 and demonstrate SCN8A variant-specific mechanisms. Moreover, these findings suggest that patient-specific iPSC neuronal disease modeling offers a useful platform for discovering precision epilepsy therapies.
Out of the Blue: A Case of Blue Subungual Discoloration Associated with Prolonged Tetracycline Use.

Tetracycline derivatives are antibiotics such as minocycline and doxycycline that have been commonly utilized for inflammatory dermatological conditions such as acne and rosacea. Hyperpigmentation of the skin, nails, thyroid, oral mucosa, teeth, and bones is a known but rare side effect of prolonged tetracycline use. The hyperpigmentation typically takes months to years to develop. There may also be residual changes to the skin after discontinuation of the medication. For this reason, the time tetracyclines are used should be minimized and patients should be monitored for the skin findings. Subungual discoloration carries a broad differential including infectious, inflammatory, metabolic, malignant or systemic diseases. Knowledge of this side effect is crucial in order to avoid unnecessary testing in determining the etiology of the subungual discoloration. We report on a case of a patient who has been on long-term minocycline use for adult acne management. He was initially on minocycline for six years, but due to minocycline-induced hyperpigmentation of his ears and fingernails, he had switched to doxycycline. One year later, the skin hyperpigmentation of the ears regressed; however, the blue subungual hyperpigmentation of his hands progressively become more prominent without any other significant symptoms.
Iatrogenic issues in breast pathology

Modern breast imaging techniques include digital mammography, 3-dimensional tomography, high-resolution ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging. Each of these has enabled the diagnosis of ever smaller, largely non-palpable lesions, not all of which require surgery. As these techniques evolved, so too did methods of accurately targeting and sampling the lesions, necessitating methods to mark the areas should surgical localization be needed. These methods have introduced heretofore unseen histologic changes to both breast tissue and lymph nodes, especially sentinel lymph nodes. These changes are the topic of this review.
Determining anatomical frames via inertial motion capture: A survey of methods.

Abstract Despite the exponential growth in using inertial measurement units (IMUs) for biomechanical studies, future growth in “inertial motion capture” is stymied by a fundamental challenge - how to estimate the orientation of underlying bony anatomy using skin-mounted IMUs. This challenge is of paramount importance given the need to deduce the orientation of the bony anatomy to estimate joint angles. This paper systematically surveys a large number (N = 112) of studies from 2000 to 2018 that employ four broad categories of methods to address this challenge across a range of body segments and joints. We categorize these methods as: (1) Assumed Alignment methods, (2) Functional Alignment methods, (3) Model Based methods, and (4) Augmented Data methods. Assumed Alignment methods, which are simple and commonly used, require the researcher to visually align the IMU sense axes with the underlying anatomical axes. Functional Alignment methods, also commonly used, relax the need for visual alignment but require the subject to complete prescribed movements. Model Based methods further relax the need for prescribed movements but instead assume a model for the joint. Finally, Augmented Data methods shed all of the above assumptions, but require data from additional sensors. Significantly different estimates of the underlying anatomical axes arise both across and within these categories, and to a degree that renders it difficult, if not impossible, to compare results across studies. Consequently, a significant future need remains for creating and adopting a standard for defining anatomical axes via inertial motion capture to fully realize this technology’s potential for biomechanical studies.
Negative childhood experiences and disordered eating in adolescents in a weight management program: The role of depressive symptoms

Abstract Objective Stress negatively impacts adolescent weight status and eating behaviors. Previous research investigating this association has focused on traumatic events in childhood, but little is known about the impact of commonly experienced stressful life events and weight-related outcome. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the association between negative life events and weight-related outcomes (i.e., weight status, disordered eating behaviors, insulin sensitivity) in a sample of treatment-seeking adolescents with overweight and obesity. A further aim of the study was to examine the potential mediating role of depression. Method Adolescents (N = 170; M age = 14.8; 62% female) presenting to an interdisciplinary weight management program completed measures related to negative life events, disordered eating patterns, and depressive symptoms prior to initiating treatment. Weight status and insulin sensitivity (using fasting glucose and fasting insulin) were objectively measured. Results Stressful experiences during childhood were significantly related to weight status, F = 2.78, p Discussion Findings from the present study suggest that relatively common stressful events may be associated with development of disordered eating patterns in adolescents with overweight or obesity presenting to treatment. Providers working in weight management settings should consider assessing a range of potentially stressful life events and their potential weight-related implications.
Situation analysis of GMP follow-up inspection in vaccine manufacturers

Objective To evaluate current situation of GMP management in domestic vaccine manufacturers through GMP follow-up inspections and analysis of observations. Methods According to the yearly inspection plan by Department of Drug and Cosmetics Supervision in China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA), inspectors from Center for Food and Drug Inspection in CFDA were assigned to perform GMP follow-up inspections at 36 vaccine manufacturers throughout the country in 2016. Results The inspections observed a total of 421 defects, including 38 major defects and 383 minor defects. Conclusion In general, domestic vaccine manufacturers implement the requirement of GMP, but management still needs improvement. Manufacturers should continue to raise quality management ability to ensure the vaccine quality. Key words: Good manufacturing practice; Vaccine manufacturers; Defects
Science studies and economics: An informal history

Duke’s Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Science and Cultural Theory (CISSCT) hosted a two-year program on “Science Studies and Economics” from 2018-2020. This is a draft of a talk that was to be given in that program in March 2020, but was cancelled with Duke’s coronavirus closure. Written for a general audience, the talk was not directed to economists, philosophers of economics, or historians of economics, but rather toward attendees affiliated with CISSCT. The talk historicizes the difficult relationship between economics and science studies. The absence of detailed references is a result of the talk’s informal nature.
Liver Transplantation in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease in the United States

Abstract Background Up to 30% of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) develop chronic liver disease via etiologies including sickle cell hepatopathy, acquired viral hepatitis, or secondary hemochromatosis. It is unclear how many patients with SCD ultimately undergo liver transplantation (LT) and what factors are associated with survival after LT. In this study, we examined LT outcomes in these patients by reviewing the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) and our institutional experience. Methods Analysis of the SRTR identified 23 LT recipients and five simultaneous liver and kidney transplantation (SLKT) recipients with SCD. Patient demographics and graft and patient survival were analyzed. Two patients with SCD at our institution underwent SLKT. Results Review of the SRTR revealed that recipients with SCD had significantly higher model for end-stage liver disease scores (33 versus 21, P = 0.004), preoperative intensive care unit admission (43.5% versus 19.1%, P = 0.007), preoperative dialysis (17.4% versus 4.9%, P = 0.009), and were more likely to be status 1 (26.1% versus 12.1%, P = 0.041) when compared with the reference population of African American LT recipients. Despite being higher risk at the time of LT, patients with SCD had equivalent posttransplant graft and patient survival when compared with the reference population (P = 0.5 and P = 0.2, respectively) and a 2:1 propensity score–matched group (P = 0.5 and P = 0.2, respectively). Two recent SLKT recipients with SCD from our institution have performed well with stable allograft function. Conclusions Data from the SRTR demonstrate that patients with SCD can expect equivalent graft and patient survival after LT despite exhibiting more comorbidities at the time of LT. The low number of patients with SCD who underwent LT in the SRTR in comparison with the rate of chronic liver disease in this population raises the question as to whether a disparity in access to LT exists for this complex population.
Two-component generalized bent-cable models

This paper presents an innovative Bayesian method for assessing the status and progression of HIV infection using biomarkers such as the CD4 count and viral load variables. A distribution of viral ...
Left Ventricular Systolic Function

This chapter will provide an overview of the evaluation of left ventricular systolic function by echocardiography. Various parameters of systolic function will be discussed and the different methods of obtaining these will be reviewed. In addition, we will review the basic principles of stress echocardiography and the key concepts in performing and interpreting stress echocardiograms.
Evaluation of resilient modulus constitutive equations for unbound coarse materials

Abstract This paper presents the evaluation of some of the most commonly used constitutive equations related to the resilient modulus of unbound aggregates. In this study, the resilient modulus of 18 different aggregate base and subbase materials were measured in the laboratory by following AASHTO T-307. Four different constitutive models including K-θ Model, Uzan Model, Modified Uzan Model, and AASHTO recommended MEPDG model were evaluated for the selected test aggregates. The model parameters (e.g., ki parameters) were obtained through multiple regression analysis by using the resilient modulus data. The regressed coefficients of the equations were evaluated and comparable results were achieved while comparing to other available values in the literature. All four selected models performed well for the selected aggregates and most of the goodness of fit (R2) were found more than 0.90.
Expanding access to secondary education: Evidence from a fee reduction and capacity expansion policy in kenya

Abstract I investigate the Kenyan government’s 2008 public secondary school expansion policy which lowered school fees and increased capacity. This policy rapidly increased the proportion of students continuing from primary to secondary school, particularly from areas with low initial primary to secondary transition rates. Using this regional variation in exposure to the program together with birth-cohort variation, I show that the program increased female educational achievement, delayed childbirth and related demographic behaviors, and shifted employment away from agriculture towards skilled work.
School Counselors’ Perceptions and Understandings of Lockdown Drills: Navigating the Paradox of Safety and Fear:

This research sought to develop an initial understanding of how mandated policies related to lockdown safety drills are enacted in response to active shooter scenarios within PK-Grade 12 public sch...
COVID-19 and Criminal Justice: Foreword to the Chicago Law Review Online Symposium (preprint)

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the boundaries of our criminal legal system, testing the entrenchment of patterns in incarceration, policing, and surveillance. During a time in which new concerns arose about racial injustice and mass incarceration, prompting searching scrutiny, this pandemic created opportunities to rethink old ways of handling criminal cases. We thank our authors and their respective centers for contributing to—and the University of Chicago Law Review Online for hosting—this symposium, which explores both sides of the pandemic: the crisis itself and its potential to transform criminal justice.
Friends Need a Bit More: Maintaining Invariants Over Shared State

In the context of a formal programming methodology and verification system for ownership-based invariants in object-oriented programs, a friendship system is defined. Friendship is a flexible protocol that allows invariants expressed over shared state. Such invariants are more expressive than those allowed in exisiting ownership type systems because they link objects that are not in the same ownership domain. Friendship permits the modular verification of cooperating classes. This paper defines friendship, sketches a soundness proof, and provides several realistic examples.
The "Lemons" Problem in C2C Markets

Asymmetric information and adverse selection widely exist in used product markets. However, current C2C markets have two significant features: dynamic online evaluation system and “smarter” buyers (defined as customers with more prior information). In our primary analysis on the first feature, we find that higher quality used items are available in C2C markets and the size of the markets becomes larger. This suggests that the “lemons” problem is alleviated in current C2C markets. Further research about the impact of “smarter” buyers on C2C markets and empirical testing on the “lemons” problem in C2C markets are underway.
Claudin-1 Binder Enhances Epidermal Permeability in a Human Keratinocyte Model

Tight junctions (TJs) are complex biochemical structures that seal the intercellular space and prevent the free movement of solutes across epithelial cell sheets. Modulating the TJ seal is a promising option for increasing the transdermal absorption of drugs. Within TJs, the binding of the claudin (CLDN) family of tetratransmembrane proteins through cis- and trans-interactions is an integral part of seal formation. Because epidermal TJs contain CLDN-1 and CLDN-4, a binder for these CLDNs may be a useful modulator of the permeability of the epidermal barrier. Here, we investigated whether m19, which can bind to CLDN-1/-4 (also CLDN-2/-5), modulates the integrity of epidermal TJs and the permeability of cell sheets to solutes. Treatment of normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) with the CLDN binder reduced the integrity of TJs. A CLDN-1-specific binder (a monoclonal antibody, clone 7A5) also weakened the TJ seal in NHEKs. Although m19 attenuated the TJ barrier in human intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2), 7A5 did not. Treatment of NHEKs with 7A5 enhanced permeation of a paracellular permeation marker. These findings indicate that CLDN-1 is a potential target for modulating the permeability of the epidermis, and that our CLDN-1 binder is a promising candidate molecule for development as a dermal absorption enhancer.
Is the College Campus a Safe Haven for Drug Dealers

In Dorm Room Dealers A. Rafik Mohamed and Erik Fritsvold present a detailed examination of college-student drug dealers based on six years of ethnographic research on one campus and its surroundings in Southern California. Unlike the mass media’s stereotypical image of drug dealers, the fifty dealers Mohamed and Fritsvold studied were primarily white males from upper-middle-class and affluent families. Approximately thirty of the dealers sold “street drugs,” with their main source of revenue being marijuana; the other twenty dealers mostly sold prescription drugs, such as Adderall. The authors depict a drug-dealing world almost totally shielded from law enforcement scrutiny despite the thirty-year “war on drugs” that has led to the United States having the highest incarceration rate of any industrialized democratic country in the world. How were these young men, and a few women, able to avoid the long reach of the law? According to Mohamed and Fritsvold, the answer is simple: race and class privilege. While minority drug dealers in poor communities employ an array of techniques to avoid law enforcement scrutiny, dorm room dealers conduct their business with little thought to ever getting caught or, in the unlikely event they did get caught, suffering any significant consequences. Stories throughout the book reinforce what the authors call the “rational recklessness” of the dealers they studied. The dealers did little to hide marijuana (or its odor) or drug paraphernalia and regularly had drugs on their person and in their car. In one case, one of the highervolume drug dealers was stopped by border patrol at a checkpoint. The officer asked if there was any marijuana in the car, and the dorm room dealer replied “I’m not that type of person” and was allowed to go free. Examples like this, combined with lack of supervision or sanctions from college administrators, illustrate how race and class privilege make dorm room dealers “anti-targets” in the war on drugs.
Assessing the collective disease association of multiple genomic loci

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) facilitate large-scale identification of genomic variants that are associated with complex traits. However, susceptibility loci identified by GWAS so far generally account for a limited fraction of the genotypic variation in patient populations. Predictive models based on identified loci also have modest success in risk assessment and therefore are of limited practical use. In this paper, we propose a new method to identify sets of loci that are collectively associated with a trait of interest. We call such sets of loci "population covering locus sets" (PoCos). The main contribution of the proposed approach is three-fold: 1)We consider all possible genotype models for each locus, thereby enabling identification of combinatorial relationships between multiple loci. 2) We use a network model to incorporate the functional relationships among genomic loci to drive the search for PoCos. 3) We develop a novel method to integrate the genotypes of multiple loci in a PoCo into a representative genotype to be used in risk assessment. We test the proposed framework in the context of risk assessment for two complex diseases, Psoriasis (PS) and Type 2Diabetes (T2D). Our results show that the proposed method significantly outperforms individual variant based risk assessment models.
Temperature dependence of sapphire fiber Raman scattering.

Anti-Stokes Raman scattering in sapphire fiber has been observed for the first time. Temperature dependence of Raman peaks’ intensity, frequency shift, and linewidth were also measured. Three anti-Stokes Raman peaks were observed at temperatures higher than 300°C in a 0.72-m-long sapphire fiber excited by a second-harmonic Nd YAG laser. The intensity of anti-Stokes peaks are comparable to that of Stokes peaks when the temperature increases to 1033°C. We foresee the combination of sapphire fiber Stokes and anti-Stokes measurement in use as a mechanism for ultrahigh temperature sensing.
Effects of a palatal lift prosthesis upon the speech intelligibility of a dysarthric patient

Abstract This report describes the construction and objective evaluation of the effects of a palatal lift prosthesis upon the speech intelligibility of a single dysarthric patient. Tape recordings of three 50 item word lists were made prior to insertion of the prosthesis (L1), 7 days after insertion of the appliance (L2), and 68 days after insertion of the device (L3). Six judges listened individually to each list and wrote down each word as they heard it from the tape. In all instances the patient was most intelligible after 68 days and least intelligible before the appliance was inserted. Differences between the intelligibility score means for L1 and L3 and L2 and L3 were statistically significant (P
Energy intake patterns in obese women with binge eating disorder.

Objective: For binge eating disorder (BED) to be accepted as a distinct diagnostic category in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, it must be demonstrated that the criteria identify a diagnostic entity that is distinct from bulimia nervosa and obesity. This study examined the difference in total energy intake per day, patterns of energy intake throughout the day, and nutrient content of foods consumed in obese individuals who met the criteria for BED (on binge and non-binge days) and those who did not. Research Methods and Procedures: Twenty women, 12 who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, criteria for BED and 8 matched obese controls, participated in the study. All participants underwent six random 24-hour dietary recall telephone interviews conducted by experienced interviewers using the Nutrition Data Software System. Results: The BED group ingested significantly more kilocalories on days when they had binge eating episodes than the obese control group on average. The BED group ate significantly more in the evening on binge days than their control group counterparts. There is some indication in the data that those with BED may be restricting caloric intake. Finally, data indicated that the BED group ate significantly more protein, carbohydrate, and fat on binge days than on non-binge days. However, the proportion of kilocalories from each nutrient shifted on BED binge days compared with non-binge days to favor consumption of fat over carbohydrates. Discussion: More research needs to be done to determine if these findings are reproducible. Then, the neurobiological underpinnings of these differences in nutrient intake patterns and nutrient selection can be studied to help to determine the biological basis of the disorder.
Percutaneous Transluminal Balloon Angioplasty of Abdominal Aortic Coarctation in an Infant

Abdominal aortic coarctation is rare in children. We report successful percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty of an abdominal aortic coarctation in an infant who presented with heart failure.
The Cauchy problem for the hyperbolic–elliptic Ishimori system and Schrödinger maps*

We show an improved local in time existence and uniqueness result for Schrodinger maps and for the hyperbolic–elliptic nonlinear system proposed by Ishimori in analogy with the two-dimensional classical continuous isotropic Heisenberg spin (2d-CCIHS) chain. The proof uses fairly standard gauge geometric tools and energy estimates in combination with Kenig's version of the Koch–Tzvetkov method, to obtain a priori estimates for classical solutions to certain dispersive equations.
Microbial community diversity in a 21-year-old temperate alley cropping system

Soil physical and chemical properties in the crop alleys and tree rows in alley cropping systems vary greatly due to differences in litter quality and microclimate under trees compared to the alleys. Variations in soil properties influence microbial diversity and function, and thus, in alley cropping systems, bacterial diversity could be different between soils in tree rows and crop alleys. The objective of this study was to compare and contrast soil bacterial diversity in the crop alleys and tree rows in a 21-year-old alley cropping system in Northeast Missouri, USA. Soil samples were taken in three parallel transects to a depth of 10 cm in the tree row and at the middle of the alley in a silver maple (Acer saccharinum) alley cropping system with a companion maize (Zea mays)—soybean (Glycine max) rotation. Soil bulk density, C and N concentrations were similar between the different transects while minor differences were observed between crop alleys and tree rows. No significant difference in bacterial diversity was observed between the tree rows and alley soil based the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles, band richness (19.6 and 22.8 for tree row and alley, respectively) and Shannon–Weiner diversity (2.958 and 3.099 for tree row and alley, respectively). Identification of bacterial genera revealed dominance of gram +ve as well as gram −ve bacteria in both soil types. Ordination plot revealed no clustering effect based on location (transect) or on the cropping system in the different samples. Bacterial diversity in crop alleys most likely was influenced not only by the maize-soybean rotation, but also by the tree rows contributing both above and belowground litter for the past 21 years.
Improved survival in patients with nonischemic advanced heart failure and syncope treated with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator

The purpose of this study was to assess whether in patients with syncope and heart failure due to nonischemic cardiomyopathy, treatment with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) compared with conventional medical therapy is associated with a reduction in sudden death and total mortality. Patients with advanced heart failure who have syncope have been shown to be at high risk for sudden death. Further risk stratification has been difficult in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy in whom inducibility on electrophysiologic study is not predictive of future risk. Of 639 consecutive patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy referred for heart transplantation, 147 patients with history of syncope and no prior history of sustained ventricular tachycardia or cardiac arrest were identified. Outcomes were compared for the 25 patients managed with an ICD and 122 patients managed with conventional medical therapy. There were no differences in the baseline variables in the 2 groups of patients, including age, ejection fraction, and medical treatments for heart failure, but patients receiving an ICD were more likely to have had nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (56% vs 15%, p = 0.001). During a mean follow-up of 22 months, there were 31 deaths, 18 sudden, in patients treated with conventional therapy, whereas there were 2 deaths, none sudden, in patients treated with an ICD. An appropriate shock occurred in 40% of the ICD patients. Actuarial survival at 2 years was 84.9% with ICD therapy and 66.9% with conventional therapy (p = 0.04). Thus, in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy and syncope, therapy with an ICD is associated with a reduction in sudden death and an improvement in overall survival.
Performance of lithium tetrafluorooxalatophosphate in methyl butyrate electrolytes

Methyl butyrate (MB) has been investigated as a co-solvent for lithium-ion battery electrolytes to improve the performance at low temperature (−10 to −30 °C). The cycling performance of graphite/LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 cells with 1.2 M lithium tetrafluorooxalatophosphate (LiFOP) in 2:2:6 EC/EMC/MB was compared to 1.2 M LiPF6 in both 3:7 EC/EMC and 2:2:6 EC/EMC/MB. The LiFOP/MB electrolyte has a good operational temperature window and comparable cycling performance to the LiPF6 electrolyte at both room temperature and low temperature (−10 °C). However, after accelerated aging the LiFOP/MB electrolyte has worse performance at very low temperature (−30 °C) compared to LiPF6 electrolytes. Ex-situ surface analysis was conducted by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy to provide insight into the performance differences.
Ecological Change, Changes in Violence, and Risk Prediction

The article summarizes recent research linking changes in a neighborhood's position in the overall urban mosaic with changes in violence. Baltimore neighborhoods in the 1970s, which were either becoming further entrenched in an underclass status or gentrifying, experienced increasing levels of relative violence. Evidence indicated that declining relative status or declining stability was linked to these increases in violence. This article explores the theoretical and policy implications of an ecological perspective on the shifting violence levels. Policymakers concerned with stemming violence can use an ecological orientation to develop proactive policies and assist in resource allocation decisions.
Effect of cold-storage of bean leaves on photosynthetic reactions of isolated chloroplasts. Inability to donate electrons to photosystem II and relation to manganese content☆

Abstract 1. 1. Chloroplasts from bean leaves which have been aged in darkness at o °C do not carry out Hill reactions. They reduce NADP with reduced 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) in a reaction that is insensitive to 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU). They reduce NADP with hydroquinone, p-phenylenediamine or benzidine, and reduce DCIP with hydroxylamine, 1,4-diphenylsemicarbazide, 1,5-diphenylcarbohydrazide or manganous ion in DCMU-sensitive reactions. 2. 2. Chloroplasts from aged leaves have low fluorescence yields at high light intensity even in the presence of DCMU. 3. 3. When chloroplasts from aged leaves are extracted with water they lose the ability to use manganous ion but retain the ability to use other donors for reduction of DCIP. 4. 4. Plastid manganese decreases on aging leaves and increases on restoration of photosynthetic activity by illumination of leaves. 5. 5. It is concluded that chloroplasts from aged leaves have a defect in photosynthetic electron transport which makes them incapable of reducing the photo-oxidant generated by Photosystem II. The relation of this defect to the loss of plastid manganese and the site of electron donation by exogenous manganese are discussed.
On Characterization and Correctness of Distributed Deadlock Detection

Distributed deadlock detection requires identifying the presence of certain properties in the global state of distributed systems. Distributed deadlock detection is complicated due to the lack of both global memory and a common physical clock, and due to unpredictable message delays. We characterize the formation and detection of distributed deadlocks in terms of the contents of local memory of distributed nodes/sites. We describe how the interaction between deadlock detection and deadlock resolution can lead to the detection of false deadlocks that are impossible to avoid due to inherent system limitations. We define shadow, phantom, and pseudo deadlocks in the proposed framework. We give examples of existing incorrect deadlock detection algorithms to illustrate how they violate the developed requirements for distributed deadlock detection. The characterization provides an insight into the properties of distributed deadlocks, expresses inherent limitations of distributed deadlock detection, and yields new correctness criteria for distributed deadlock detection algorithms.
Domains in the 1α Dynein Heavy Chain Required for Inner Arm Assembly and Flagellar Motility in Chlamydomonas

Flagellar motility is generated by the activity of multiple dynein motors, but the specific role of each dynein heavy chain (Dhc) is largely unknown, and the mechanism by which the different Dhcs are targeted to their unique locations is also poorly understood. We report here the complete nucleotide sequence of the Chlamydomonas Dhc1 gene and the corresponding deduced amino acid sequence of the 1α Dhc of the I1 inner dynein arm. The 1α Dhc is similar to other axonemal Dhcs, but two additional phosphate binding motifs (P-loops) have been identified in the NH2- and COOH-terminal regions. Because mutations in Dhc1 result in motility defects and loss of the I1 inner arm, a series of Dhc1 transgenes were used to rescue the mutant phenotypes. Motile cotransformants that express either full-length or truncated 1α Dhcs were recovered. The truncated 1α Dhc fragments lacked the dynein motor domain, but still assembled with the 1β Dhc and other I1 subunits into partially functional complexes at the correct axoneme location. Analysis of the transformants has identified the site of the 1α motor domain in the I1 structure and further revealed the role of the 1α Dhc in flagellar motility and phototactic behavior.