cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Death, Grief, and Freedom of Speech: Does the First Amendment Permit Protection Against the Harassment and Commandeering of Funeral Mourners?

It is often said, albeit sometimes for rhetorical effect, that the First Amendment protects the speech we hate just as rigorously as the speech we value. In some ways, Synder v. Phelps tests our commitment to this principle as severely as any case in recent memory. There is virtually unanimity among Americans of all religions or political persuasions that the expressive conduct of the defendants directed at the mourners attending a funeral of a soldier killed in Iraq was despicable and contemptible. Indeed, it is hard for us to keep our minds focused on the free speech issues raised by this case given our visceral instinct simply to vent about the defendants’ utter lack of human decency. Yet the Phelps case does raise important questions about government’s ability, consistent with the First Amendment, to protect individuals who are uniquely vulnerable from hurtful speech at particular times and locations. In this article, we take up the question of whether certain kinds of speech directed at funeral mourners can be restricted without running afoul of constitutional guarantees and, assuming that some limitations on such speech are permissible, whether certain forms of restrictions on speech are more or less constitutionally appropriate ways of accomplishing this goal. Of particular significance, we analogize to and borrow from various lines of authority - residential picketing of abortion provider cases, abortion clinic access cases, hospital patient protection cases, tort cases dealing with the mishandling of human bodies, telephone and other harassment cases, and so-called “compelled speech” cases in which the First Amendment has been held not to permit individuals to be “used” as mere instruments for the speech of others - to suggest that categorical and doctrinal lines are and can be drawn to permit government to reach odious conduct of the kind at issue in Phelps. We point to two specific features of the Phelps scenario - the well-recognized vulnerability of the victims, and the distinctive way in which the speakers disregarded the victims’ essence as autonomous beings and misused the mourners’ torment as means to an end - that would justify some meaningful regulation under existing doctrine.
Technical Council on Forensic Engineering: Twenty-year Retrospective Review

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) formally established the Technical Council on Forensic Engineering (TCFE) in 1985. This paper reviews the 20-year history of the TCFE, beginning with several catastrophic events of the 1970s and early 1980s that led to its formation. The current committee structure of the Council is presented. Past activities and products of the TCFE are reviewed along with anticipated future directions.
Anglo-Saxon Law

Anglo-Saxon law is the name generally used to refer to the legal system that prevailed in Britain for approximately the five centuries before the Norman Conquest in 1066. It was the law of the Germanic tribes that ruled the nation following their victory over the Danes. It had much in common with the jurisprudence of related peoples on the Continent, and many customs of Anglo-Saxon law evolved into a form that survives in English and American common law.
Parallel Identification of Power System Dynamic Models Under Scheduling Constraints

In this paper we present two sets of parallel algorithms for identifying real-time, small-signal dynamic models of power systems using multiple sources of Synchrophasor data. The first problem is posed in terms of identifying the transfer matrix of single-input multiple-output (SIMO) power system models using linear least-squares (LLS), where parallelism can be implemented through parallel execution of matrix multiplications using multiple processors or workers. Given the constraints of sequential communication and limited local memory, which may arise due to multiple applications running in the workers at the same time, a novel scheduling algorithm is proposed to enable flexible deadlines that meet these constraints. The scheduling algorithm minimizes the total time of execution under constraints, and can be solved via integer programming. The second problem is posed as a similar parallel algorithm for identifying a linearized state-variable (SV) model of a power system using both linear and nonlinear least-squares (NLS) in presence of scheduling. The performance of all the algorithms are studied via simulations of an IEEE 145-bus, 50-machine power system model, and compared with their centralized, non-parallel implementation.
Results of HIV voluntary counseling and testing(VCT)in Nanshan District of Shenzhen City in 2012

Objective To understand the results of HIV voluntary counseling and testing(VCT) in Nanshan District,Shenzhen city.Methods The data of HIV/AIDS VCT outpatient of Nanshan district CDC in 2012 were collected and analyzed.Results Totally 730 people were consulted and tested for HIV in Nanshan District in 2012,including 625 males,accounted for 85.62% and 105 females accounted for 14.38%.Those unmarried accounted for 64.66% and 96.99% were in the age group of 15～44 years,88.49% above junior colleger.There were 21 male cases positive for HIV with a positive rate of 2.88%.The positive rates in the divorced or widows were the highest(16.67%),showing significant difference(P0.01);The transmission route of all the HIV positiveswere through sexual contact,thus unsafe sexual behavior was the main risk factor.Conclusions Health education and propaganda and enhancement of VCT service capability be carried out to interrupt the transmission of HIV infection.
Muscarinic receptor reserve of airway smooth muscle and the response to isoproterenol

It has been hypothesized that the muscarinic receptor reserve for contraction of airway smooth muscle is an important determinant of the potency with which isoproterenol relaxes submaximal muscarin...
Personifying the Poetess

The historical recovery and scholarly reconstruction of women’s poetry has enabled critics to expand the existing literary canon, to create new canons, or to reconsider the process of canonization itself. But in reclaiming a tradition of women poets, there is also the need to theorize and historicize a category that we assume to be self-evident: namely, the woman poet. It is a category that may be traced back to the nineteenth-century ‘Poetess’, less a person than a persona that emerges during a time when poetry is increasingly defined in terms of its personifying function. An essay entitled ‘Modern English Poetesses’ from the Quarterly Review of 1840, for example, begins: When we venture to lift a pen against women, straightway apparent facies; the weapon drops pointless on the marked passage; and whilst the mind is bent on praise or censure of the poem, the eye swims too deep in tears and mist over the poetess herself in the frontispiece, to let it see its way to either. (pp. 374–5) According to this account, we read in order to discover a picture of the Poetess in her poem. The face or figure appears (apparent facies) before us, ‘straightway’, no longer mediated by words but producing an unmediated, immediate response of sympathy in the reader. As ‘the eye swims too deep in tears’, the ‘I’ that reads no longer sees itself in the act of reading. We become sentimental readers, identifying with the personification and effacing ourselves in order to sympathize with the face of ‘the poetess herself in the frontispiece’.
Bedside repair of congenital upper eyelid entropion: A variation of the Quickert suture technique.

Abstract Purpose The current literature is void of any lasting bedside treatments for congenital upper eyelid entropion repair. Observations A six-day old male was born with bilateral upper eyelid entropion associated with a duplication of the long arm of chromosome 3q11.1-q24. Conservative management with ocular lubrication and observation did not yield spontaneous resolution, and surgical intervention was performed at the bedside with a Quickert suture technique. Conclusions and importance We discuss the novel use of this technique and review the relevant literature. Our technique is something not previously described in the literature for congenital upper eyelid entropion. It obtained satisfactory and sustained resolution.
The Pathogenesis of Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation in Sepsis

To the Editor. —We read with interest the excellent article by Levi et al 1 reviewing the pathogenetic mechanisms of the activation of coagulation and fibrinolysis in sepsis. It is noted that plasminogen activator activity can result from the activation of the contact-activated (intrinsic) coagulation pathway. However, several studies are cited that suggest that the activation of fibrinolysis was independent of activation of the coagulation system in sepsis. The temporal relationship between the appearance of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) after endotoxin and the increase in fibrinolytic activity as well as the abolition of fibrinolytic activation in endotoxin-treated chimpanzees given pentoxifylline, suggested that TNF-α was the mediator of this effect. We would like to suggest further insight into the mechanism of TNF-induced fibrinolytic activation. In a phase I (uncontrolled) study of TNF-α in human cancer patients, we have recently demonstrated the release of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA, an endothelial product as
Religion as Psychological, Spiritual, and Social Support in the Migration Undertaking

This chapter considers how migrants of various faiths from Latin America, Asia, and North and West Africa draw upon religion as a resource for psychological, social, and spiritual support during the migration process. Migrants rely on their faiths as they prepare their departure, during dangerous journeys, upon arrival, and beyond. Religion provides strength and motivation, and allows migrants to cope with the dislocations and traumas of contemporary migration. The analysis of religious support focuses on both the personal and the institutional aspects of religion as resource, demonstrating how migrants from various world regions rely on their respective faiths for spiritual companionship and religious institutions and movements that have emerged to support them along the migrant trail.
Trump's policy may undermine pro-growth intentions

In terms of energy policy, the Trump presidential campaign is largely aligned with mainstream Republican positions, evoking independence and deregulation. However, Trump's rhetoric and personality might inject uncertainties into long-term energy policies, increasing the risk inherent in energy related businesses.
Integrative genomic and transcriptomic analysis for pinpointing recurrent alterations of plant homeodomain genes and their clinical significance in breast cancer

A wide range of the epigenetic effectors that regulate chromatin modification, gene expression, genomic stability, and DNA repair contain structurally conserved domains called plant homeodomain (PHD) fingers. Alternations of several PHD finger-containing proteins (PHFs) due to genomic amplification, mutations, deletions, and translocations have been linked directly to various types of cancer. However, little is known about the genomic landscape and the clinical significance of PHFs in breast cancer. Hence, we performed a large-scale genomic and transcriptomic analysis of 98 PHF genes in breast cancer using TCGA and METABRIC datasets and correlated the recurrent alterations with clinicopathological features and survival of patients. Different subtypes of breast cancer had different patterns of copy number and expression for each PHF. We identified a subset of PHF genes that was recurrently altered with high prevalence, including PYGO2 (pygopus family PHD finger 2), ZMYND8 (zinc finger, MYND-type containing 8), ASXL1 (additional sex combs like 1) and CHD3 (chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 3). Copy number increase and overexpression of ZMYND8 were more prevalent in Luminal B subtypes and were significantly associated with shorter survival of breast cancer patients. ZMYND8 was also involved in a positive feedback circuit of the estrogen receptor (ER) pathway, and the expression of ZMYND8 was repressed by the bromodomain and extra terminal (BET) inhibitor in breast cancer. Our findings suggest a promising avenue for future research-to focus on a subset of PHFs to better understand the molecular mechanisms and to identify therapeutic targets in breast cancer.
The Political Economy of Intergovernmental Transfers—Evidence from Indian Disaster Relief:

India’s National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) is a discretionary federal grant that supports the sub-national governments with their disaster relief efforts. Evidence suggests that discretionar...
Using Longitudinal Self-Report Data to Study the Age–Crime Relationship

Given the growing reliance on longitudinal self-report data for making causal inferences about crime, it is essential to investigate whether the within-individual change in criminal involvement exists and is not a measurement artifact driven by attrition or survey fatigue—a very real possibility first identified by Lauritsen (Soc Forces 77(1):127–154, 1998) using the National Youth Survey (NYS). The current study examines whether the same threats to the validity of within-individual change in criminal involvement exist in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 cohort (NLSY97). We first estimate cohort-specific growth curve models of general crime, arrest, and substance use, and then test the difference between the age–crime curves of adjacent cohorts. We take a general approach to test cohort differences in the growth curve models, which advances the existing method separately modeling for each pair of adjacent cohorts. To explore the sources of cohort differences, we also estimate separate growth curve models by individual crime item and by demographic group. We document non-standard cohort differences between the age–crime curves of adjacent cohort pairs that are consistent with the findings of Lauritsen (1998) on measures of self-reported offending. However, the size of the cohort effects in the NLSY97 is substantially smaller than those in the NYS. We also found that the cohort effects were only evident in some of the survey items. Moreover, we did not identify any similar cohort issues in the longitudinal measure of arrest. The findings of cohort effects localized in a certain crime items and demographic groups may mitigate concerns over the limited validity of longitudinal self-report data. We discuss how the survey techniques used in the NLSY97 might explain our findings and suggest an area of future study to explicate remaining cohort differences.
Teaching transnational cinema: politics and pedagogy

The transnational turn has steadily become one of the liveliest and politically most urgent paradigms in the current landscape of film and media studies, one particularly susceptible to a variety o...
Stochastic Filtering in Manifolds

Abstract A nonlinear filtering problem is formulated where the state evolves in a compact Riemannian manifold and the observations evolve in a noncompact Riemannian symmetric space. Absolute continuity methods are used to obtain an expression for the conditional probability. A stochastic equation is obtained for the unnormalized conditional probability density. This equation is described in the bundle of orthonormal frames.
Higher Education Access and Choice for Latino Students: Critical Findings and Theoretical Perspectives: (Vol. 12). Edited by P. Perez and M. Ceja. New York, NY: Routledge, 2015, 209 pages, $106.80 (hardcover)

Research on Latina/o students has generally focused on understanding their educational progress by examining the educational inequities and institutional barriers Latina/o students experience throu...
Role of bevacizumab in the management of the patient with malignant pleural effusion: more questions than answers

Introduction: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a feature of metastatic cancer associated with significant morbidity and cost. The typical management of MPE is systemic chemotherapy and mechanical intervention. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an inducer of vascular permeability, has been shown to mediate fluid formation. Therefore, bevacizumab, an inhibitor of VEGF, offers theoretical promise for abolishing fluid formation in MPE.Areas covered: This review begins with a summary of VEGF physiology and evidence of its role in MPE pathogenesis. This is followed by an overview of bevacizumab and major trials that put it on the map of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The majority of the article is devoted to a review of the current evidence base for the use of bevacizumab for MPE control in metastatic pleural malignancy. The review concludes with considerations of patient selection and toxicity.Expert commentary: Evidence in support of bevacizumab administration for MPE management remai...
The Cobalt/Chromium Ratio Provides Similar Diagnostic Value to a Low Cobalt Threshold in Predicting Adverse Local Tissue Reactions in Patients With Metal-on-Metal Hip Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background A higher cobalt/chromium (Co/Cr) ratio is thought to be associated with corrosion of the trunnion and increased adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR) risk in patients treated with metal-on-metal (MoM) hip arthroplasty. The main aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of Co/Cr ratio in identifying ALTR in patients treated with MoM hip resurfacing arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods A total of 310 unilateral patients were included. All patients received a metal artifact reduction sequence magnetic resonance imaging to detect ALTR. Blood Co and Cr levels were measured. Results MoM THA patients had a higher Co/Cr ratio than MoM hip resurfacing arthroplasty patients (1.7, interquartile range 1.2-3.1 vs 0.9, interquartile range 0.7-1.3, P Conclusion Blood metal ions are strong, but not perfect, predictors of ALTR in patients with MoM hip arthroplasty. Higher Co/Cr ratios are associated with increased risk for ALTR in MoM THA. However, blood Co levels alone are as good a predictor of ALTR as the Co/Cr ratio. The most ALTR-sensitive cutoffs are lower than previously reported in the literature.
Teaching Machines and Programed Instruction

In this paper I have proposed that we are entering into a new phase in the use of teaching machines since at this time new equipment is becoming available. In this period we need recognize that we have a legacy of failure. The critical issue facing us is that of programing. While the capabilities of each teaching device imposes limits on our programing, it has been my experience that the psychological control that machines exert over us is more restrictive than the structural limitations of the equipment. As we “live” with each piece of equipment, we can loosen up and learn to make use of its unique attributes in unique ways. Illustrative of this is our use of the pointer advance and the slide projector. If the teaching machines of the “second machine revolution” are mechanistic in teaching, programers will have been mechanistic in making use of them. If the teaching machines of the “second machine revolution” are valid and exciting teachers, it will be because those who have programed them have given them interesting personalities and made use of their unique attributes in unique ways.
A monoclinic, pseudo-orthorhombic Au-Hg mineral of potential economic significance in Pleistocene Snake River alluvial deposits of southeastern Idaho

A mineral with the approximate composition of AugaHg6 - Au3sHg12 @tomlc Vo) has been identified in Pleistocene Snake River alluvial deposits in ioutheastem Idaho. The gold-mercury mineral occurs as very small grains or as polycrystalline masses composed of subhedral to nearly euhedral atrached crystals. Small aggregates of these crystals are mostly less than I pg in mass; the individual gtains are mostly less than 5 pm in maximum dimension, although acicular grains 10 pm across and about 150 lrm long have been observed. Vibratory cold-polishing techniques with 0.05-pm alumina abrasive for polished sections revealed a por6us internal texfure for most subiredral irystals after 48-i2 hours of fieatrnent. Thus, optical character (isotropic or anisotropic) could not be determined by reflected-light microscopy, and pore-free areas were too small for measurement of reflectance. Several hundred of the tiny particies of the mineral, concentrated by flotation, appear to be nearly the same color as native gold' but they are more brass-colored under the stereoscopic microscope at 80x. Elements other than gold and mercury were not detected by electron-microprobe analysis. X-ray-diffraction lines ratier than individual reflections (spots), on powdercamera_X-ray films of umotated spindles ofsingie grains tlat morphologically appear to be single crystals, indicate that individual subhedral or euhedral crystals aricomposed oflomains in random orientation. Thus, no material was found suitable for single-crystal X-ray-diffraction studies. The available X-ray dataare bestindexed according to a mono cliniccell: a 4.72g(2),b 5.243(8),c 4.546Q) A'P90.90(6f.
Some Representation Theory

The general background for Tate’s thesis involves locally compact groups, their representations, and duality theory. Many of these basic prerequisites are derived in this and the next chapter.
Identification of canine cytochrome P‐450s (CYPs) metabolizing the tramadol (+)‐M1 and (+)‐M2 metabolites to the tramadol (+)‐M5 metabolite in dog liver microsomes

We previously showed that (+)-tramadol is metabolized in dog liver to (+)-M1 exclusively by CYP2D15 and to (+)-M2 by multiple CYPs, but primarily CYP2B11. However, (+)-M1 and (+)-M2 are further metabolized in dogs to (+)-M5, which is the major metabolite found in dog plasma and urine. In this study, we identified canine CYPs involved in metabolizing (+)-M1 and (+)-M2 using recombinant enzymes, untreated dog liver microsomes (DLMs), inhibitor-treated DLMs, and DLMs from CYP inducer-treated dogs. A canine P-glycoprotein expressing cell line was also used to evaluate whether (+)-tramadol, (+)-M1, (+)-M2, or (+)-M5 are substrates of canine P-glycoprotein, thereby limiting their distribution into the central nervous system. (+)-M5 was largely formed from (+)-M1 by recombinant CYP2C21 with minor contributions from CYP2C41 and CYP2B11. (+)-M5 formation in DLMs from (+)-M1 was potently inhibited by sulfaphenazole (CYP2C inhibitor) and chloramphenicol (CYP2B11 inhibitor) and was greatly increased in DLMs from phenobarbital-treated dogs. (+)-M5 was formed from (+)-M2 predominantly by CYP2D15. (+)-M5 formation from (+)-M1 in DLMs was potently inhibited by quinidine (CYP2D inhibitor) but had only a minor impact from all CYP inducers tested. Intrinsic clearance estimates showed over 50 times higher values for (+)-M5 formation from (+)-M2 compared with (+)-M1 in DLMs. This was largely attributed to the higher enzyme affinity (lower Km) for (+)-M2 compared with (+)-M1 as substrate. (+)-tramadol, (+)-M1, (+)-M2, or (+)-M5 were not p-glycoprotein substrates. This study provides a clearer picture of the role of individual CYPs in the complex metabolism of tramadol in dogs.
The Comparative History of East Asian Literatures: A Sort of Manifesto

“World literature,” one of the growth fields in contemporary comparative literature, often begs the question of the “world” it reflects. Here it is suggested that East Asia from around 400 BCE to 1800 CE constituted a domain of circulation of literary, religious and philosophical texts that can well be taken as a “world.” Consequences for the future of comparative literary studies are intimated.
Application of laser scanning for rock mass characterization and discrete fracture network generation in an underground limestone mine

Abstract Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) is a useful technology for rock mass characterization. A laser scanner produces a massive point cloud of a scanned area, such as an exposed rock surface in an underground tunnel, with millimeter precision. The density of the point cloud depends on several parameters from both the TLS operational conditions and the specifications of the project, such as the resolution and the quality of the laser scan, the section of the tunnel, the distance between scanning stations, and the purpose of the scans. One purpose of the scan can be to characterize the rock mass and statistically analyze the discontinuities that compose it for further discontinuous modeling. In these instances, additional data processing and a detailed analysis should be performed on the point cloud to extract the parameters to define a discrete fracture network (DFN) for each discontinuity set. I-site studio is a point cloud processing software that allows users to edit and process laser scans. This software contains a set of geotechnical analysis tools that assist engineers during the structural mapping process, allowing for greater and more representative data regarding the structural information of the rock mass, which may be used for generating DFNs. This paper presents the procedures used during a laser scan for characterizing discontinuities in an underground limestone mine and the results of the scan as applied to the generation of DFNs for further discontinuous modeling.
Analytical techniques for cell fractions: XXV. Concentration and two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis of human urinary proteins

Due to the experimental and diagnostic possibilities found in the analysis of human urinary proteins, the authors have distinguished eight classes of protein in urine and initial studies for the development of clinical analysis. The authors discuss two methods for the concentrating of urinary proteins for analysis by high resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis.
A review on energy management, operation control and application methods for grid battery energy storage systems

Energy storage is the key means to improving the flexibility, economy and security of the power system. It is also important in promoting new energy consumption and energy Internet. Therefore, energy storage expected to support distributed power and micro-grid, promote open sharing and flexible trading of energy production and consumption, and realize multi-functional coordination. In recent years, with the rapid development of the battery energy storage industry, its technology has shown the characteristics and trends for large-scale integration and distributed applications with multi-objective collaboration. As a grid-level application, energy management systems (EMS) of battery energy storage system (BESS) were deployed at utility control centers as an important component of power grid management in real-time. Based on the analysis of the development status of BESS, this paper introduced its application scenarios such as reduction of power output fluctuations, accordance to the output plan at renewable energy generation side, power grid frequency adjustment, power flow optimization at power transmission side, and distributed and mobile energy storage system at power distribution side. The studies and application status of BESS in recent years were reviewed. The energy management, operation control methods, and application scenes of large-scale BESS were also prospected in the study.
Optimally Perturbed Identity Matrices of Rank 2

The problem of optimal antipodal codes can be framed as finding low rank Gram matrices $G$ with $G_{ii} = 1$ and $|G_{ij}| \leq \epsilon$ for $1 \leq i \neq j \leq n$. In 2018, Bukh and Cox introduced a new bounding technique by removing the condition that $G$ be a gram matrix. In this work, we investigate how tight this relaxation is, and find exact results for real valued matrices of rank $2$.
An Optimally Weighted Combination Method to Detect Novel Disease Associated Genes Using Publicly Available GWAS Summary Data

Abstract Gene-based analyses offer a useful alternative and complement to the usual single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) based analysis for genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Using appropriate weights (pre-specified or eQTL-derived) can boost statistical power, especially for detecting weak associations between a gene and a trait. Because the sparsity level or association directions of the underlying association patterns in real data are often unknown and access to individual-level data is limited, we propose an optimal weighted combination (OWC) test applicable to summary statistics from GWAS. This method includes burden tests, weighted sum of squared score (SSU), weighted sum statistic (WSS), and the score test as its special cases. We analytically prove that aggregating the variants in one gene is the same as using the weighted combination of Z-scores for each variant based on the score test method. We also numerically illustrate that our proposed test outperforms several existing comparable methods via simulation studies. Lastly, we utilize schizophrenia GWAS data and a fasting glucose GWAS meta-analysis data to demonstrate that our method outperforms the existing methods in real data analyses. Our proposed test is implemented in the R program OWC, which is freely and publicly available.
Does Addition of Intravenous Metronidazole to Oral Vancomycin Improve Outcomes in Clostridioides difficile Infection

Background Guidelines recommend adding intravenous (IV) metronidazole to oral vancomycin for fulminant Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). In this study, we compared dual therapy with IV metronidazole and vancomycin vs vancomycin monotherapy. We assessed prevalence of use and effectiveness of dual therapy in nonfulminant and fulminant CDI. Methods This was a 2-center retrospective study conducted from 2010 to 2018. Adult inpatients were included if they had a positive C. difficile polymerase chain reaction (PCR) performed on an unformed stool and received vancomycin within 2 days of testing. Patients were classified as having received dual therapy if IV metronidazole was given within the same time window, and otherwise classified as vancomycin monotherapy. The primary outcome was death or colectomy within 90 days after the index test. Logistic regression modeling was used to adjust for CDI severity and other established predictors of CDI outcomes. CDI recurrence was examined as a secondary outcome, adjusting for death as a competing risk. Results The study included 2114 patients (dual therapy, 993; monotherapy, 1121); 23% met the primary outcome. There was no association between dual therapy and the primary outcome (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], .79-1.45), which remained true when the analysis was restricted to patients with fulminant CDI (aOR, 1.17; 95% CI, .65-2.10). There was also no association between dual therapy and CDI recurrence. Conclusions Dual therapy with IV metronidazole and vancomycin was common for nonfulminant and fulminant CDI but was not associated with improved outcomes compared with vancomycin alone.
The effect of NAMPT deletion in projection neurons on the function and structure of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) in mice.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) plays a critical role in energy metabolism and bioenergetic homeostasis. Most NAD+ in mammalian cells is synthesized via the NAD+ salvage pathway, where nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is the rate-limiting enzyme, converting nicotinamide into nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). Using a Thy1-Nampt−/− projection neuron conditional knockout (cKO) mouse, we studied the impact of NAMPT on synaptic vesicle cycling in the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), end-plate structure of NMJs and muscle contractility of semitendinosus muscles. Loss of NAMPT impaired synaptic vesicle endocytosis/exocytosis in the NMJs. The cKO mice also had motor endplates with significantly reduced area and thickness. When the cKO mice were treated with NMN, vesicle endocytosis/exocytosis was improved and endplate morphology was restored. Electrical stimulation induced muscle contraction was significantly impacted in the cKO mice in a frequency dependent manner. The cKO mice were unresponsive to high frequency stimulation (100 Hz), while the NMN-treated cKO mice responded similarly to the control mice. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed sarcomere misalignment and changes to mitochondrial morphology in the cKO mice, with NMN treatment restoring sarcomere alignment but not mitochondrial morphology. This study demonstrates that neuronal NAMPT is important for pre-/post-synaptic NMJ function, and maintaining skeletal muscular function and structure.
A retrospective analysis of cost and survival outcomes based on consolidation regimens in primary central nervous system lymphoma.

e14544Background: Treatment for Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma (PCNSL) includes induction therapy consisting of polychemotherapy including high-dose methotrexate followed by consolidation ...
Real Exchange Rate Behavior Under Peg: Evidence from the Chinese RMB and Malaysian MYR

The exchange-rate behavior of the Chinese yuan (RMB) and the Malaysian ringgit (MYR) indicates that the real exchange rate volatility of both the pegged currency/the anchor currency (the US dollar), and the pegged currency/the non-anchor currencies (Japanese yen and British pound) are lower under the pegged regime. The dynamic behavior of the pegged currencies' real exchange rates is consistent with the anchor currency as the speed of convergence of the Big Mac real exchange rates of the RMB, MYR, and the dollar against the floating currencies are almost identical during the pegged period. This may be due to similar inflation rate movements in the related economies. These results do not support the opinion that China has manipulated the value of its currency.
How do corporate tax bases change when corporate tax rates change? With implications for the tax rate elasticity of corporate tax revenues

We construct a new database of extensive margin changes to multiple aspectsofcorporatetaxbasesforOECDcountriesbetween1980and2004.Weuseour data to systematically document the tendency of countries to implement policies that both lower the corporate tax rate and broaden the corporate tax base. This correlation informs our interpretation of previous estimates of the relationship between corporate tax rates and corporate tax revenues, which typically do not include comprehensive measures of the corporate tax base definition. We then re-examine the relationship between corporate tax rates and corporate tax revenues. We find that accounting for unobserved heterogeneity attenuates the relationship between corporate tax rates and corporate tax revenues, and increases the implied revenue-maximizing tax rate. Con- trolling for our new tax base measures does not substantively impact the magnitude of this relationship.
How to Debunk Animism

Tiddy Smith argues that common consent amongst geographically and historically isolated communities provides strong evidence for animism―the view that there are nature spirits. In this article, I argue that the problem of animistic hiddenness―the lack of widespread belief in nature spirits―is at least as strong evidence against animism that common consent is evidence for it, meaning that the evidence for animism that Smith provides is (at least) neutralized.
Hyperlipidemia Influences the Accuracy of Glucometer-Measured Blood Glucose Concentrations in Genetically Diverse Mice.

Abstract Background Glucometers are widely used in animal research due to simplicity and ease of utilization, but their accuracy in blood glucose assessment for hyperlipidemic mice is unknown. Methods Here, we compared blood glucose levels measured by a glucometer with plasma glucose levels measured by a standard enzymatic assay for 325 genetically diverse F2 mice derived from LP and BALB/c (BALB) Apoe−/− mice. Non-fasting glucose levels were measured before initiation of a Western diet and after 11 weeks on the diet. Results On chow diet, lab-measured plasma glucose levels were 279.5 ± 42.6 mg/dl (mean ± SD), while blood glucose values measured by glucometer were 138.7 ± 16.6 mg/dl. The two measures had no correlation (R2 = 0.006, p = 0.167). On the Western diet, plasma glucose levels rose to 351.1 ± 121.6 mg/dl, while glucometer-measured blood glucose fell to 128.7 ± 27.9 mg/dl. The two measures showed a moderate correlation (R2 = 0.111, p = 3.1E-9). Lab-measured plasma glucose showed strong positive correlations with plasma triglyceride and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, while glucometer-measured blood glucose showed an inverse correlation with non-high-density lipoprotein levels on the chow diet. Conclusions Our results indicate that hyperlipidemia affects the accuracy of glucometers in measuring blood glucose levels of mice.
Brain literacy for educators and psychologists

Foreward. Acknowledgements. Part I: What Educators Ned to Know About the Brain. Introduction and Conceptual Foundation. General Principles of Microstructure and Microfunction. General Principles of Macrostructure and Macrofunction. General Principles of Brain Development. Part II: Linking Brain Research to Literacy Research. Building a Reading Brain Neurologically. Building a Writing Brain Neurologically. Building a Computing Brain Neurologically. Part III: Linking Literacy Research to Brain Research. Building a Reading Brain Pedagogically. Building a Writing Brain Pedagogically. Building a Computing Brain Pedagogically. Part IV: Educational Applications of Brain-Literacy Links. Implications for Educational Policy. Implications for Classroom Practice. Glossary. References. Index.
Evaluation of an Automated Biological Monitoring System at an Industrial Site

The feasibility of using biological monitoring of industrial point sources as a tool for river management has been demonstrated by a number of laboratory simulations. However, it is another task entirely to move these techniques to an industrial setting. The necessary modifications of a computerized biological monitoring system to install it in the Celanese Corporation Plant on the New River in Virginia are described. The system employs the respiration rates of bluegills (Leoomis macrochirus) as an indicator of abnormal variations in the effluent.
The Constitutional Right to Watch Television: Analyzing the Digital Switchover in the Context of the First Amendment

Introduction 181 I. The Transition to Digital Television 184 A. A Brief History 184 B. The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act’s Effect on OTA-Only Households 187 II. The Digital Television Transition and the First Amendment 192 A. The Digital Television Transition Implicates the Rights of OTA-Only Households to Receive Information and Ideas 193 1. The Supreme Court recognizes the right to receive information in the television context 194 2. The Supreme Court interprets the right to receive information to imply a negative right 195 3. The digital television transition, as it affects OTAonly households, implicates a negative right 196 B. The Digital Television Transition Impermissibly Infringes on the Rights of OTA-Only Households to Receive Information and Ideas 197 1. Introducing the public forum doctrine 198
Immunoglobulin concentration in serum and seminal fluid from men with and without sperm-agglutinating antibodies

Serum and seminal fluid from infertile men with head-to-head (H-H) or tail-to-tail (T-T) sperm-agglutinating antibodies and fertile men devoid of sperm antibodies were examined for immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE. Only IgG, IgA, and IgE were demonstrated in the seminal fluid. No statistically significant differences in the serum or seminal fluid immunoglobulin concentrations were found between the fertile and the two infertile groups of men examined.
Factors affecting outcome following treatment of patients with cavernous sinus meningiomas

Object Although there is a considerable volume of literature available on the treatment of patients with cavernous sinus meningiomas (CSMs), most of the data regarding tumor control and survival come from case studies or single-institution series. The authors performed a meta-analysis of reported tumor control and survival rates of patients described in the published literature, with an emphasis on specific prognostic factors. Methods The authors systematically analyzed the published literature and found more than 3000 patients treated for CSMs. Separate meta-analyses were performed to calculate pooled rates of recurrence and cranial neuropathy after 1) gross-total resection, 2) subtotal resection without adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy or radiosurgery, and 3) stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) alone. Results were expressed as pooled proportions, and random-effects models were used to incorporate any heterogeneity present to generate a pooled proportion. Individual studies were weighted using the inverse...
The Future of BioPasteur

The purpose of this exercise is to let students experience a few biases that can be deleterious to strategic decision-making. In particular, students are induced to fall into a confirmatory trap, and to experience other biases such as anchoring and sampling bias. Although the exercise can be performed individually, it is a better vehicle to explore how some team-level dynamics and structural choices can either increase or reduce the probability of falling into such biases. The exercise creates a situation that mirrors the one leading to the Challenger disaster.
At the intersection of the humanities and engineering: Building a strong communication foundation for student success

Today's engineering students will work on global projects that are inherently interdisciplinary, whether in business, government, or non-profit sectors. In order to succeed in these settings, we need to provide opportunities for students to strengthen their communication skills in writing, speaking, and visual display of information. These skills are vital to students' success on teams, in project leadership, in program management, and in professional development after graduation. Communication skills are crucial to understanding the professional, ethical, and cultural contexts in which technology development and transfer occur. This paper will discuss an approach for technical writing in engineering programs that presents information about forms of engineering communication in a clear and accessible format, without reducing the information to templates for filling in the blanks. This format allows for complexity, while also drawing on a traditional and proven body of knowledge from logic. Writers will le...
Behavior-Based Early Language Development on a Humanoid Robot

We are exploring the idea that early language acquisition could be better modelled on an artifcial creature by considering the pragmatic aspect of natural language and of its development in human infants. We have implemented a system of vocal behaviors on Kismet in which "words" or concepts are behaviors in a competitive hierarchy. This paper reports on the framework, the vocal system's architecture and algorithms, and some preliminary results from vocal label learning and concept formation.
Influence of an invasive ant on grazing and detrital communities and nutrient fluxes in a tropical forest

Aim Pathways linking grazing and detrital subsystems of terrestrial ecosystems are important for ecosystem processes and function, but remain poorly understood. The invasion of a generalist predator creates a unique opportunity to study the effects of predation across these subsystems. We examine here, the effects of a non-native generalist predator, the little red fire ant (Wasmannia auropunctata, Roger) on both grazing and detrital invertebrate communities and ecosystem processes in a rain forest understorey. Location Gamba Protected Area Complex, south-western Gabon, Africa. Methods We measured abundances and diversities of understorey grazing and detrital invertebrate communities, soil nutrients, herbivory, litter fragmentation rates and leaf chemistry of a dominant understorey shrub inside and outside of 19 separate invasion fronts. We then explored possible trophic cascades and pathways of interaction using path analysis. Results Results suggest that invasive ants may alter herbivory regimes, grazing and detrital communities, and may indirectly alter litter decomposition and nutrient cycling in the soil by suppressing important microbivore and detritivore populations with consequences for leaf chemistry. Main conclusions These results demonstrate that generalist predators may be major drivers of both grazing and detrital subsystems by inducing strong shifts in adjacent communities that ultimately affect ecosystem processes.
Prediction of time-dependent PAH toxicity in Hyalella azteca using a damage assessment model.

A damage assessment model (DAM) was developed to describe and predict the toxicity time course for PAH in Hyalella azteca. The DAM assumes that death occurs when the cumulative damage reaches a critical point and was described by a combination of both first-order toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic models. In aqueous exposures, body residues increase in proportion to the water concentration. Damage is assumed to accumulate in proportion to the accumulated residue and damage recovery in proportion to the cumulative damage when damage is reversible. As a result, the toxicity time course, LC50(t), is determined by both a damage recovery rate and an elimination rate. The constant critical body residue (CBR) and the critical area under the curve (CAUC) models can be derived as two extreme cases from the DAM, and all three models were reanalyzed using a hazard modeling approach. As a result, the critical cumulative damage (DL) is the determinant of the concentration−time response relationship and not simply the CBR...
Effects of HIV gp120 on endothelium-dependent relaxation and eNOS expression

Introduction: Clinical studies indicate that HIV infection is associated with high incidence of cardiovascular disease. However, the mechanisms are unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of HIV gp120 on vasomotor function of porcine coronary arteries and eNOS expression. Methods: Coronary arteries were isolated from fresh porcine hearts and cut into rings, which were studied in 7 groups (TNF-α, gp120, TNF-α plus gp120, TNF-α plus gp120 and anti-gp120 antibody, TNF-α plus gp120 and anti-ICAM-1 antibody, or negative control). Vasomotor function was analyzed with myograph tension system in response to vasoreactive drugs (U46619, bradykinin or sodium nitroprusside). eNOS and ICAM-1 mRNA and eNOS protein levels were determined using RT-PCR and western blot or immunochemistry, respectively. Human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) were also included for eNOS and ICAM-1 expression. Results: Porcine coronary artery rings treated with TNF-α alone for 8 hrs or gp120 alone for 16 hrs did not show any changes of vasomotor function. However, the rings treated with TNF-α plus gp120 showed a 34.18% reduction of endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in response to bradykinin as compared to controls (P < 0.05). Anti-gp120 or anti-ICAM-1 antibody blocked this effect of TNF-α and gp120 treated vessels. The vessel contractivity (U46619) or endothelium-independent vasorelaxation did not show changes in all treated vessels. Only TNF-α plus gp120 group significantly reduced eNOS/GAPDH mRNA ratios by 28.86% as compared to controls (P < 0.05). eNOS protein levels were also substantially decreased in this group. ICAM-1 immunoreactivity was increased in all TNF-α treated vessels. Furthermore, HCAECs showed consistent data with pig vessels in response these treatments. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that HIV gp120 reduces endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation and eNOS expression in both porcine coronary arteries and HCAECs pre-treated with TNF-α; and blocking of ICAM-1 or gp120 reverses these effects. This study suggests that ICAM-1 may be an important mediator of gp120 induced endothelial cell injury.