cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dis and the domination of hell

Soon after the Theban war starts, a strange event occurs. As the Argive seer Amphiaraus is raging on the battlefield, the earth gapes open and swallows him, chariot and all. Amphiaraus' plunge into hell not only marks the first day of fighting but also initiates a new stage in the involvement of the infernal powers in the Theban war, a development with significant implications for the Thebaid 's dialogue with the Aeneid . Augustan ideology is centrally concerned with control and order, the mastering of the destructive forces of the passions that bring about political and cosmic strife and that are represented in Virgil's epic especially by Juno and the Furies. But the reality of the Thebaid is that such control is elusive. As we saw in chapter 5, Jupiter and the heavenly gods, despite (or perhaps because of) their appropriation of Virgilian models, are subject to the passions and to the intertextual power of Juno and hell. They ultimately fail to understand the war, the world, and the problematic nature of their own actions. Philip Hardie has shown well the significance both of the cosmic outlook in the Aeneid for the poem's Augustan ideology and of the growing divide between heaven and hell, begun in the Aeneid , but expanded in its successors. When turning to Statius' Thebaid , however, he is less concerned with the political aspect of these ideas, though it is also important.
The Synthetic Teammate as a Team Player in Command-and-Control Teams:

Project overview. The current project is part of a larger effort that focuses on Human-Automation Teaming (HAT) interaction in the context of the development, integration, and validation of a compu...
New insights into broad spectrum communities of the Early Holocene Near East: The birds of Hallan Çemi

Abstract The Early Holocene in Near East was a pivotal transitional period that witnessed dramatic changes in climate and environment, human settlement, major changes in subsistence strategies focusing on a broad range of different plant and animal resources, and a radical restructuring of social relations. The remarkable corpus of avifauna from the Early Holocene site of Hallan Cemi in southeastern Turkey sheds new light on key issues about this dynamic period that has been termed the “Broad Spectrum Revolution”. The avifauna from this important site demonstrate how Hallan Cemi occupants took advantage of the site's strategic location at the junction of multiple environmental zones by extracting a diverse range of seasonally available resources from both near-by and more distant eco-zones to cobble together a stable subsistence economy capable of supporting this small community throughout the year. They give testimony to the impacts of resource utilization over time, especially on species unable to rebound from sustained human hunting. At the same time, they show how Hallan Cemi residents mitigated these impacts by replacing depleted resources with alternative, more resilient ones that could be more sustainably harvested. They open a window onto the growing investment in feasting and ritual activity that helped bind this community together. In so doing they provide a means of empirically evaluating the efficacy of contrasting explanatory frameworks for the Broad Spectrum Revolution that gave rise to the subsequent domestication of plant and animals in the Near East. Contrary to frameworks that cast these developments as responses to resource depression, lessons learned from the Hallan Cemi avifauna lend support to frameworks that emphasize the human capacity to strategically target, capitalize, and improve upon circumscribed resource rich environments in a way that permits more permanent occupation of these niches. And they underscore the degree to which social and ritual activities work together with ecological and economic facets of the lives of these people to both perpetuate and reshape these communities on the threshold of domestication and the emergence of agriculture.
On-column trypsin digestion coupled with LC-MS/MS for quantification of apolipoproteins.

Apolipoproteins measured in plasma or serum are potential biomarkers for assessing metabolic irregularities that are associated with the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). LC-MS/MS allows quantitative measurement of multiple apolipoproteins in the same sample run. However, the accuracy and precision of the LC-MS/MS measurement depends on the reproducibility of the enzymatic protein digestion step. With the application of an immobilized enzyme reactor (IMER), the reproducibility of the trypsin digestion can be controlled with high precision via flow rate, column volume and temperature. In this report, we demonstrate the application of an integrated IMER-LC-MS/MS platform for the simultaneous quantitative analysis of eight apolipoproteins. Using a dilution series of a characterized serum pool as calibrator, the method was validated by repeated analysis of pooled sera and individual serum samples with a wide range of lipid profiles, all showing intra-assay CV<4.4% and inter-assay CV<8%. In addition, the method was compared with traditional homogeneous digestion coupled LC-MS/MS for the quantification of apoA-I and apoB-100. Applied in large scale human population studies, this method can serve the translation of a wider panel of apolipoprotein biomarkers from research to clinical application.Currently, the translation of apolipoprotein biomarkers to clinical application is impaired because of the high cost of large cohort studies using traditional single-analyte immunoassays. The application of on-line tryptic digestion coupled with LC-MS/MS analysis is an effective way to address this problem. In this work we demonstrate a high throughput, multiplexed, automated proteomics workflow for the simultaneous analysis of multiple proteins.
A robust sliding mode observer for permanent magnet synchronous motor drives

This paper presents a sliding mode observer to estimate the position and speed of a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). The observer error under parameters' detuning is analysed. Simulation results showed that the observer is robust to the parameter uncertainties. An adaptive gain scheduling is used to increase the observer speed of convergence. A phase-compensation is introduced to minimize the unwanted phase lag introduced by the observer low pass filter. The observer lowest speed is 0.5 rad/s.
Microbiological Characterization of Human Milk 1.

Milk samples of five breast-feeding mothers were studied for bacterial population, flora, and source. In most instances, samples taken at postfeeding contained higher bacterial populations than prefeeding samples. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the predominant organism isolated from 100% of the samples. Increases were noticed in the appearance of Streptococcus mitis , Gaffkya tetragena , Streptococcus salivarius , Staphylococcus aureus , as well as Lactobacillus acidophilus , in the postfeeding samples. Main sources of bacteria were found to be the infant's mouth and maternal skin.
Difference in outcomes among patients undergoing open versus laparoscopy-assisted approach for gastric cancer: A multi-institutional analysis.

4082 Background: In the United States, gastric cancer is a relatively uncommon tumor. Overall surgical experience with minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has increased, however published reports on laparoscopic resection of gastric cancer are mostly limited to small, single institution experiences. Methods: Between 2000 and 2012, 880 patients who underwent surgical resection of a gastric cancer were identified from a multi-center database. Clinicopathological characteristics, receipt of peri-operative therapy, operative details, and oncologic outcomes were analyzed and defined. Results: Median patient age was 65.8 years and 42.6% (375/880) were female. Median tumor size at diagnosis was 4.0 cm (2.5-6.8 cm). A minority of patients received neoadjuvant therapy (207, 32.7%). Overall, 70 (8%) patients had a minimally invasive (MIS) approach: laparoscopic (60, 85.7%) and laparoscopic hand assist (10, 14.3%). Patients who underwent MIS resections were more likely to a smaller tumor (MIS: 3.0 cm vs. open: 4.5 cm) ...
Cuarteles de Invierno de Osvaldo Soriano: Extraterritorialidad y “Alegoria Nacional”

No habra mas penas ni olvido y Cuarteles de invierno de Osvaldo Soriano se presentan como partes de un mismo proyecto narrativo, no solo por la continuidad de ambiente entre ambas historias –a pesar de su absoluta independencia, ambas novelas comparten el escenario: un pueblo ideal de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Colonia Vela– sino tambien por responder a una misma voluntad de analisis politico del presente argentino. El epigrafe de Ana Maria Shua da cuenta de la recepcion inicial de estos textos de Soriano, que no es, como podria esperarse, inmediata a su produccion. Ambas novelas fueron escritas al calor de los hechos: la primera, acerca del breve y convulsionado ultimo gobierno de Peron entre 1973 y 1974, fue escrita en Argentina en 1974 y reescrita en Belgica al ano siguiente; la segunda, que registra el agobiante clima de la dictadura militar, esta fechada en su cenit, entre 1977 y 1979. Pero se trata, como es obvio, de textos que no se publicarian en la Argentina hasta 1982. No habra mas penas ni olvido , de hecho, aparecio en Espana dos anos antes que en Argentina, y Cuarteles de invierno se publico primero en traduccion al italiano. Finalmente, ambas novelas circularon en el pais forma casi conjunta, y en un contexto que distaba radicalmente del previsto en la etapa de produccion, si bien no habian pasado mas que unos anos para No habra mas penas ni olvido , y ni siquiera eso para Cuarteles de invierno . Su irrupcion en Argentina entre 1982 y 1983, cuando se convirtieron en best sellers instantaneos (circunstancia a la vez sintomatica del signo con que fueron leidos y determinante de la posterior minimizacion de su importancia), se dio entonces en una situacion historica que habia cambiado decisivamente, y que propiciaba una recepcion que tenia poco que ver con la prevista por Soriano. En su nuevo contexto, estas novelas encarnaron una lectura emblematica del furor de la redemocratizacion, con lo que perdieron gran parte de su poder primigenio.
Orgasm and SCI: what do we know?

narrative review To determine the percentage of persons with SCI able to achieve orgasm and ejaculation, the associations between ejaculation and orgasm and the subjective and autonomic findings during these events, and the potential benefits with regards to spasticity. Two American medical centers Data bases were searched for the terms orgasm and SCI and ejaculation and SCI. Search criteria were human studies published in English from 1990 to 12/2/2016. Approximately 50% of sexually active men and women report orgasmic ability after SCI. There is a relative inability of persons with complete lower motor neuron injuries affecting the sacral segments to achieve orgasm. Time to orgasm is longer in persons with SCIs than able-bodied (AB) persons. With orgasm, elevated blood pressure (BP) occurs after SCI in a similar fashion to AB persons. With penile vibratory stimulation and electroejaculation, BP elevation is common and prophylaxis is recommended in persons with injuries at T6 and above. Dry orgasm occurs approximately 13% of times in males. Midodrine, vibratory stimulation, clitoral vacuum suction, and 4-aminopyridine may improve orgasmic potential. Depending on level and severity of injury, persons with SCIs can achieve orgasm. Sympathetically mediated changes occur during sexual response with culmination at orgasm. Future research should address benefits of orgasm. Additionally, inherent biases associated with studying orgasm must be considered.
Oxidative stress predicts cognitive decline with aging in healthy adults: an observational study

Redox signaling, which can be assessed by circulating aminothiols, reflects oxidative stress (OS) status and has been linked to clinical cardiovascular disease and its risk factors. These, in turn, are related to executive function decline. OS may precede the pro-inflammatory state seen in vascular disease. The objective of this study is to investigate the association between aminothiol markers of OS and inflammation in cognitive decline, especially in the executive cognitive domain which is highly susceptible to cardiovascular risk factors and is an important predictor of cognitive disability. The study design is that of a longitudinal cohort study within the setting of a large academic institution with participants being university employees (n = 511), mean age 49 years, 68% women, and 23% African-American. These participants were followed for four consecutive years with a yearly cognitive assessment conducted using computerized versions of 15 cognitive tests. Peripheral cystine, glutathione, their disulfide derivatives, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. Lower levels of glutathione at baseline was associated with a decline in the executive domain over 4 years (covariate-adjusted relative risk (RR) for glutathione = 1.70 (95% CI = 1.02–2.85), p = 0.04). Furthermore, a longitudinal decline in glutathione level was associated with a faster decline in the executive domain (p = 0.03). None of the other OS markers or CRP were linked to cognitive decline over 4 years. Increased OS reflected by decreased glutathione was associated with a decline in executive function in a healthy population. In contrast, inflammation was not linked to cognitive decline. OS may be an earlier biomarker that precedes the inflammatory phase of executive decline with aging.
Learning Analytics Based Smart Pedagogy: Student Feedback

Learning Analytics is a dynamic interdisciplinary field that encompasses educational sciences and state-of-the-art technology, methods and systems from various fields of computing such as data science, data visualization, software engineering, human-computer interaction, statistics, artificial intelligence, with various stakeholders, e.g. instructors, students, department and college administrators, practitioners, university top managers, computer scientists, IT experts, and software developers. Despite some current achievements and initial developments in Learning Analytics, we are still in a very early stage of development of sophisticated technologies and well-thought practices, tools and applications in this field as well as understanding the impact of Learning Analytics on (a) student learning and privacy, and (b) faculty instruction and autonomy. This paper presents the up-to-date research findings and outcomes of a multi-aspect project on Smart Learning Analytics at Bradley University (USA). It describes the obtained research outcomes about student perception and attitude to Learning Analytics on an academic course level and corresponding Learning Analytics-based pedagogy.
The critique of intellect: Henri Bergson's prologue to an organic epistemology

Bergson never dared to entitle his own work in such a fashion. However, his philosophical contribution on the workings of intelligence deserves such a high title. This article seeks to elucidate Bergson's contribution to philosophy in terms of his anticipation of several developments in human understanding. The work begins by investigating the relation between thought and the world (“reality”) by reviewing a series of constructivist concepts. In many ways, constructivism is related to both structuralism and post-structuralism, however this work does not seek to detail these interrelations in any overt way. Instead, these concepts lay the groundwork for a review of Bergson's discussion of intellect in relation to life, psyche, and modern physics. Central concepts include limitation, circularity, and complementarity. Ultimately, the article seeks to display how Bergson's work is not only a precursor to constructivism but lays the foundation for a modified constructivism that can achieve a rigorous philosophical level. The proposed ground for the intellect is in the organic. Such an epistemological foundationalism would ultimately justify an evolutionary epistemology, in that, the structuring of the organic is evolving and thus the structuring of intellect would likewise evolve. Clarifying such an epistemology may aid in developing Delueze's an-organic bergsonism.
Effects of HIV-1 and HIV-1 Envelope Glycoproteins on Signaling Pathways in Human T Lymphocytes

HIV-1 infection is unique with regard to immune responses, in which there is evidence for immune paradox, i. e., both immune activation and immune suppression. Immune stimulation is evident by elevated levels of various cytokines and hyperimmunoglobulinemia, whereas immune suppression is associated with quantitative and qualitative deficiency of T cells, especially of CD4+ T cells (reviewed in Fauci, 1988). It appears that HIV-1 or its envelope glycoproteins (gp160, gp120) can induce these paradoxical changes by various mechanisms, including blocking CD4-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II interaction and by altering signal transduction pathway. In this chapter, I will review the role of HIV-1 and its glycoproteins in activation and downregulation of signaling pathways in human T cells.
Using maternal representational patterns to evaluate postpartum depression.

This paper investigates the link between maternal representational patterns and postpartum depression. A clinical case illustrates how (1) a young mother’s negative attachment to her own mother dis...
Financial Incentives for Promoting Participation in a School-Based Parenting Program in Low-Income Communities.

Although financial incentives are a well-accepted strategy for raising parent participation rates in prevention studies, they are rarely employed in practice due to concerns about their ethics, sustainability, and public acceptability. We sought to address these common concerns in the context of a larger prevention study using financial incentives to boost parent participation in a group-based parenting program implemented in an urban school district. We examined the extent to which the financial incentives delivered via bank debit cards ($15 for attending weekly group sessions, $5 for completing weekly practice assignments) motivated parents to enroll in the program and were associated with higher attendance and practice completion but poorer participation quality in group sessions, and how parents used the extra cash. Over 3 years, 67.4% (n = 372) of eligible families enrolled in a parenting program called the Chicago Parent Program. Most parents were African American (68%) or Latinx (24%); 67% reported annual household incomes < $20,000. Although 71.2% of parents reported that the financial incentives motivated their enrollment, the most important motivators pertained to wanting to be a better parent. Parents citing incentives as motivating their enrollment had higher attendance than those who did not (p = .01). Quality of parent participation was high and unrelated to whether financial incentives motivated enrollment. Parents reported using the extra cash to purchase items for their children (92%) and groceries (56%). Results suggest that financial incentives targeting low-income families of young children may improve parent participation rates without diminishing their intrinsic motivation to improve their parenting.
A Toy-Reaction-Network Zoo: Varieties of Behavior and Some Questions

In my local zoo, the most common animals are squirrels (not counting humans, birds, and insects). There is no exhibit called The Squirrel House. People aren’t interested in seeing more squirrels, which already roam freely along the walkways. The zoo is meant to exhibit the uncommon.
The Recursive Relationship between Substance Abuse, Prostitution, and Incarceration: Voices from a Long-Term Cohort of Women

Relying on interview data from a cohort of drug-involved women originally released from prison in the 1990s and interviewed between 2010 and 2011, this paper examines the role that prostitution pla...
Reading and relaxing

Judith Harries provides ideas for practitioners and parents to keep children reading and developing their literacy skills during the long summer holiday. This can be built on when they return to th...
Machine learning assisted segmentation of scanning electron microscopy images of organic-rich shales with feature extraction and feature ranking

Abstract Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image captures the high-resolution microstructure of a material. Segmentation of SEM image delineates and separates distinct components in the image. We tested an automated SEM-image segmentation workflow involving feature extraction followed by machine learning. For each pixel in the SEM image, 16 features are generated and then fed to a random forest classifier to determine the presence of four rock components, namely, (1) pore/crack; (2) rock matrix including clay, calcite, and quartz; (3) pyrite; and (4) organic/kerogen components. The most important features for the desired segmentation are wavelet transforms, Gaussian blur, and difference of Gaussians. The random forest classifier was trained using only 705, 2074, 17,373, and 15,000 pixels for the pore/crack, organic/kerogen, rock matrix, and pyrite components, respectively. For purposes of validation of the segmentation method, 5121, 4725, 4815, and 4775 pixels were used for the pore/crack, organic/kerogen, rock matrix, and pyrite components, respectively. The performance of the trained classifier, quantified in terms of overall F1 score, on the validation dataset was higher than 0.9. The newly developed method is significantly more reliable and robust in comparison with the popular histogram thresholding and object-based segmentation methods, especially for the matrix and pyrite components in shale samples.
Shelby, Race, and Disability Rights

Much has been written about the gradual, yet ongoing, evisceration of civil rights and the commitment to racial equality in contemporary American society so courageously fought for by generations of activists of all races. The Voting Rights Act of 19651 was famously paid for in blood by countless activists, notably three young men who were brutally lynched in Mississippi in 1964.2 Yet this was only one chapter in a painful struggle that stretches back decades; a struggle that featured a stinging criticism of the shameful Jim Crow system that infected all aspects of American society by towering figures such as the iconic W.E.B. Du Bois,3 St. Croix born Hubert Harrison4 and the legendary Trinidadian socialist polymath C.L.R. James.5
Security, privacy, and information-sharing aspects of healthcare artificial intelligence

Abstract This chapter addresses key topics in security, privacy, and information sharing related to the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI)-based solutions in healthcare. It addresses security and privacy concerns, including the risks and opportunities associated with emerging AI-based technologies in healthcare and potential challenges to its adoption due to regulatory interventions. It also discusses potential benefits and challenges associated with information sharing in an era of AI in healthcare, describing its value, technological, and other constraints, and shows how it can improve patient experience throughout the disease cycle. The chapter concludes with a discussion of desirable policy responses to security, privacy, and information-sharing challenges in healthcare AI applications around the world, as countries continue to introduce AI-based technologies to their healthcare systems.
A survey of attributes of surgical resident applicants deemed important to American College of Veterinary Surgeons board‐certified surgeons involved in resident selection and methods used to evaluate these attributes

OBJECTIVE To determine which attributes of residency applicants were most commonly assessed by large and small animal American College of Veterinary Surgeons diplomates and to determine which evaluation methods were perceived to assess those attributes. STUDY DESIGN Online survey. SAMPLE POPULATION American College of Veterinary Surgeons board-certified surgeons as of March 2019. METHODS An online survey was sent to eligible individuals. Respondents rated the importance of 23 attributes assessed by the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP) application as well the usefulness of interviews, conversations with people knowledgeable with the applicants, and review of the VIRMP packet for evaluating each of these attributes. Responses were compared between large and small animal practitioners and between individuals involved in residency selection (supervisors) and individuals not involved in residency selection (nonsupervisors). RESULTS Surveys were completed by 221 individuals (14.6% response rate). Seventeen of the 23 attributes were considered important by most respondents. Grade point average (GPA) and class rank were used as screening tools by 73% and 65% of supervisors, respectively. Letters of reference (LOR) were ranked as the most important part of the VIRMP packet. Conversations with people knowledgeable with the applicant was the only method judged by most respondents to be appropriate to evaluate all 23 attributes. Responses were similar between large and small animal supervisors and nonsupervisors. CONCLUSION Respondents considered conversations with people knowledgeable with the applicant to be the most useful methods for assessing a resident applicant, but LOR, GPA, and class rank were also important. IMPACT Resident applicants and mentors can use this information to strengthen applications.
DEBISim: A simulation pipeline for dual energy CT-based baggage inspection systems1.

Background Materials characterization made possible by dual energy CT (DECT) scanners is expected to considerably improve automatic detection of hazardous objects in checked and carry-on luggage at our airports. Training a computer to identify the hazardous items from DECT scans however implies training on a baggage dataset that can represent all the possible ways a threat item can packed inside a bag. Practically, however, generating such data is made challenging by the logistics (and the permissions) related to the handling of the hazardous materials. Objective The objective of this study is to present a software simulation pipeline that eliminates the need for a human to handle dangerous materials and that allows for virtually unlimited variability in the placement of such materials in a bag alongside benign materials. Methods In this paper, we present our DEBISim software pipeline that carries out an end-to-end simulation of a DECT scanner for virtual bags. The key highlights of DEBISim are: (i) A 3D user-interactive graphics editor for constructing a virtual 3D bag with manual placement of different types of objects in it; (ii) An automated virtual bag generation algorithm for creating randomized baggage datasets; (iii) An ability to spawn deformable sheets and liquid-filled containers in a virtual bag to represent plasticized and liquid explosives; and (iv) A GPU-based X-ray forward modelling block for spiral cone-beam scanners used in checked baggage screening. Results We have tested our simulator using two standard CT phantoms: the American College of Radiology (ACR) phantom and the NIST security screening phantom as well as on a set of reference materials representing commonly encountered items in checked baggage. For these phantoms, we have assessed the quality of the simulator by comparing the simulated data reconstructions with real CT scans of the same phantoms. The comparison shows that the material-specific properties as well as the CT artifacts in the scans generated by DEBISim are close to those produced by an actual scanner. Conclusion DEBISim is an end-to-end simulation framework for rapidly generating X-ray baggage data for dual energy cone-beam scanners.
A laboratory-scale binder jet additive manufacturing testbed for process exploration and material development

Binder jet additive manufacturing (BJAM) is capable of fabricating complex three-dimensional components from a variety of material classes. Understanding the fundamentals of BJAM, including spreading of thin layers of powder, powder-binder interactions, and post-processing is critical to develop robust process parameters for BJAM. Toward meeting these needs, this work presents the design, fabrication, and qualification of a testbed for modular, mechanized, BJAM. The testbed seeks to replicate the operating conditions of commercial AM equipment and features fully programmable motion control including powder spreading using a precision roller mechanism, powder supply via a vibrating hopper, and gantry positioning of an inkjet printhead. The inkjet deposition system allows for the use of variable nozzle diameters, the exploration of novel binder compositions, and full control of jetting parameters. Validation of the accuracy and repeatability of the machine and its subsystems, as well as the fabrication of exemplary stainless steel components, are described. The precision engineered testbed can therefore enable the study of the BJAM process, exploration of novel binder compositions, and processing of custom powders to further scientific research and industrial applicability of BJAM.
Testimony Before the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States

I have been asked to testify about “the Court’s role in our constitutional system,” in particular its role in resolving “major social and political issues” and proposals for reforms affecting judicial review of legislative enactments such as jurisdiction stripping, supermajority voting requirements, or congressional overrides. Recognizing that this Commission already comprises leading experts on these subjects, I will limit my comments to three discrete points that the Commission might find useful in its deliberations. I will discuss (1) the importance of different methods of constitutional interpretation to the Court’s role in our society, (2) the concept of “departmentalism,” which already exists, or can exist, within our present constitutional system, and by which the importance of the Supreme Court might be diminished, and (3) a proposal for eighteen-year, staggered term limits for Justices. The upshot of my remarks is that the current Supreme Court, if it were to follow a genuinely “originalist” approach to constitutional interpretation, is not in need of reform because on many controversial social and political questions the Constitution leaves the answers to the democratic process, and on other questions an originalist approach does not reliably lead to results that only one political party favors. Recognizing, however, that originalism might nevertheless be controversial, I suggest reinvigorating the concept of departmentalism in our political and constitutional culture. Departmentalism recognizes that the Supreme Court has the final say on interpretations of law in cases and controversies that come before it, and that its judgments in such cases are binding on the parties. The political branches need not follow the Supreme Court’s reasoning as a political rule, however, at least not until good faith requires accepting that a constitutional question has been fully settled. (And a single Supreme Court opinion does not, or ought not, settle all such questions.) Neither the argument on originalism nor departmentalism requires any affirmative action on the part of this Commission. To the extent these proposals are not satisfying, however, I also explore the possibility of imposing eighteen-year, staggered term limits on Supreme Court Justices. The National Constitution Center recently commissioned three teams — progressive, libertarian, and conservative — to draft new Constitutions for the United States. Team conservative, which I led, proposed eighteen-year, staggered term limits, as did the progressive team. Libertarian scholars have also endorsed this idea. In other words, eighteen-year, staggered term limits are a potential reform that persons of all backgrounds and political persuasions might support. The proposal would likely require a constitutional amendment, and it is hardly a perfect solution; indeed, in my view it is an unnecessary one. But it is probably the most plausible and politically achievable reform.
Stroke Among Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19: Results From the American Heart Association COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease Registry.

Background and Purpose: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be associated with increased risk for ischemic stroke. We present prevalence and characteristics of strokes in patients with laborato...
Effect of a fluorescent-pigment producing Rhizobium on the severity of Rhizoctonia solani seed and root rot of Phaseolus vulgaris

Common beans, Phaseolus vulgaris, are often inoculated with Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseloi (RLP) to alleviate the need for extensive nitrogen fertilization. Because rhizobia are competent rhizosphere colonizers and are known to produce bacteriocins and iron chelating compounds (siderophroes), rhizobia have the potential to reduce the severity of seed and root decay diseases. The objective of this study was to compare the ability of RLP strains to reduce the severity of seed decay and damping-off of P. vulgaris.
Cicero on Politics and the Limits of Reason: The Republic and Laws

Introduction 1. Reading the Republic 2. The dream of Scipio and the science of politics 3. Constitutional change and the mixed constitution 4. Political society and citizens' rights 5. Natural law 6. Legislation for the best practicable regime Conclusion.
Common Dimensions of Social Skills of Children and Adolescents: A Taxonomy of Positive Behaviors

Although much work has been done to derive empirically based taxonomies of child and adolescent problem behaviors, such is not the case for positive social behaviors. In the present study an extens...
The cascade structure in system theory

An overview is presented of results which show the central role of the cascade structure in linear system theory. The first group of results is related to the recursive realization problem while the second group of results is related to passive network synthesis.
The disjunction of image and word in US and Chinese soft power projection

This article compares US and Chinese national soft power strategies, using the cases of the US Shared Values Initiative for the Middle East in the aftermath of 9–11 and the present operation of Chinese Confucius Institutes in the US. Comparing these two national programs, I describe a consistent disjunction between visual image and spoken word for each. Regardless of variations in national approaches to soft power, this disconnect between seeing and talking is a limitation of soft power as a cultural tool of diplomatic communication. First, public diplomats’ unexamined folk theories about culture’s instrumental role in messaging emphasize spectacle in ways inimical to reciprocal engagement. Second, as a cultural policy of display, soft power image projection discourages opportunities for inter-cultural dialogue. Third, government-sponsored national image management and branding are often controversial elsewhere, in the process touching off boundary-patrolling public debates instead of helping to build int...
Developmental Characteristics of African American and Caribbean Black Adolescents' Attributions Regarding Discrimination

The present study examined discrimination attributions in the psychological well-being of Black adolescents. Findings are based on a representative sample of 810 African American and 360 Caribbean Black youth, aged 13 to 17, who participated in the National Survey of American Life (NSAL). Youth completed measures of perceived discrimination, discrimination attributions, depressive symptoms, self-esteem and life satisfaction. Approximately half the youth attributed discrimination to race/ethnicity (43%), followed by age (17%), physical appearance (16.5%) and gender (7.5%) and there were no ethnic, gender or age differences regarding discrimination attributions. Key findings suggest that the association between perceived discrimination and psychological did not vary according to discrimination attribution, which implies that discrimination is harmful for Black youth regardless of the attribution.
Pharmacokinetics of two common antiretroviral regimens in older HIV-infected patients: a pilot study

Objectives The pharmacokinetics (PK) of antiretrovirals (ARVs) in older HIV-infected patients are poorly described. Here, the steady-state PK of two common ARV regimens [tenofovir (TFV)/emtricitabine (FTC)/efavirenz (EFV) and TFV/FTC/atazanavir (ATV)/ritonavir (RTV)] in older nonfrail HIV-infected patients are presented. Methods HIV-infected subjects ≥55 years old not demonstrating the frailty phenotype were enrolled in an unblinded, intensive-sampling PK study. Blood plasma (for TFV, FTC, EFV, ATV and RTV concentrations) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs; for tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP) and emtricitabine triphosphate (FTC-TP) concentrations] were collected at 11 time-points over a 24-hour dosing interval. Drug concentrations were analysed using validated liquid chromatography–ultraviolet detection (LC-UV) or liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods. Noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis was used to estimate PK parameters [area under the concentration–time curve over 24 h (AUC0-24h) and maximal concentration (Cmax)]. These parameters were compared with historical values from the general HIV-infected population. Results Six subjects on each regimen completed the study. Compared with the general population, these elderly subjects had 8–13% decreased TFV AUC0-24h and Cmax, and 19–78% increased FTC and RTV AUC0-24h and Cmax. Decreased ATV AUC0-24h (12%) and increased Cmax (9%) were noted, while EFV exposure was unchanged (5%) with a 16% decrease in Cmax. Intracellular nucleoside/tide metabolite concentrations and AUC are also reported for these subjects. Conclusions This study demonstrates that the PK of these ARVs are altered by 5–78% in an older HIV-infected population. Implications of PK differences for clinical outcomes, particularly with the active nucleoside metabolites, remain to be explored. This study forms the basis for further study of ARV PK, efficacy, and toxicity in older HIV-infected patients.
Heat and Mass Transfer Considerations in Advanced Heat Pump Systems

Advanced heat-pump cycles are being investigated for various applications. However, the working media and associated thermal design aspects require new concepts for maintaining high thermal effectiveness and phase equilibrium for achieving maximum possible thermodynamic advantages. In the present study, the heat- and mass-transfer processes in two heat-pump systems -- those based on absorption processes, and those using refrigerant mixtures -- are analyzed. The major technical barriers for achieving the ideal performance predicted by thermodynamic analysis are identified. The analysis provides general guidelines for the development of heat- and mass-transfer equipment for advanced heat-pump systems.
Changes in Tobacco Smoke Exposure following the Institution of a Smoke-Free Policy in the Boston Housing Authority

Introduction To protect residents from tobacco smoke exposure (TSE), the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) prohibited smoking in BHA-owned apartments beginning in 2012. Our goal was to determine if the smoke-free policy reduced TSE for non-smoking BHA residents.
Conservative treatment of a rare case of multifocal adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast: case report and literature review.

Background Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast is a rare neoplasm accounting for 0.1% of all malignant breast tumors and presenting most commonly as a painful breast mass. Compared with the more common histological forms of breast cancer, it has a more favorable prognosis and lymph node involvement or distant metastases seldom occur. Case report A unique case of multifocal adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast presenting as a painful and well-defined lump and treated with conservative surgery with adjuvant radiotherapy is reported. Conclusions There is no consensus on the optimal management of this disease. A breast-conserving approach may be recommended even if mastectomy has been traditionally the treatment of choice. Chemotherapy, radiation, and hormonal therapy have been infrequently used and so far have had no defined role in this kind of neoplasm. The authors found no other reports in the literature focusing on a conservative approach to multifocal adenoid cystic carcinoma.
Isolation of Mutants of Staphylococcus aureus Lacking Extracellular Nuclease Activity

Abstract Suspensions of Staphylococcus aureus Foggi strain were exposed to nitrosoguanidine and screened on deoxyribonucleic acid-acridine orange-agar plates for loss of extracellular nuclease activity. All nuclease-deficient mutants lacked cross-reacting material when tested with antinuclease antibody. Coagulase and β-hemolysin were also lost in nuclease-deficient mutants, and all three enzyme functions were regained together upon reversion with ethyl methane sulfonate. These observations are consistent with the suggestion that the synthesis or the release, or both the synthesis and release, of certain extracellular enzymes may be subject to coordinated control mechanisms.
Online Information Retrieval: An Underutilized Educational Tool.

L'integration de la recherche en ligne dans les cursus des ecoles de commerce. Un curriculum type est propose et les aspects equipement et cout sont abordes
Advantages of process modeling as a key manufacturing tool to improve process efficiency and reduce costs

The authors describe the utilization of simulation techniques to achieve significant manufacturing improvements for a typical DoD circuit card manufacturing facility. Although the information presented describes the process flow of printed wire boards through the manufacturing cycle it can be used for improving any process-oriented system. Also included is information on selecting the proper hardware and software for various environments, data requirements, locating and processing this data, setting up and manipulating the various simulation parameters, type of output, proper output analysis, applications to other situations, validation techniques, and actual results showing a 90% reduction of work in process and a 83% reduction in cycle time. The authors describe in detail the approach to use for implementation in any aerospace environment or similar business dealing with small demand requirements of a high product mix. >
THE OLDER MAN'S HEART AND HEART DISEASE

Age-related changes in the cardiovascular system, 8 overt and occult cardiovascular disease, and reduced physical activity affect cardiovascular function in older men. With aging, there is a loss of myocytes in the left and right ventricles with a progressive increase in myocyte cell volume per nucleus in both ventricles. 52 With aging, there is a progressive reduction in the number of pacemaker cells in the sinus node, with 10% of the number of cells present at age 20 remaining at age 75. 39
Beta-endorphin in pregnancy.

Abstract Concentrations of maternal plasma beta-endorphin (β-EP) as measured by radioimmunoassay decline during pregnancy, reaching a nadir during the second trimester, rise during labor, remain elevated during the early postpartum period and are increased prior to elective cesarean section in the absence of labor. They decline in response to epidural anesthesia during labor and increase during induction of general but not regional anesthesia for cesarean section. Umbilical venous plasma β-EP levels are not affected by the route or mode of delivery nor the presence or absence of labor, but rise in conjunction with fetal distress. In the presence of fetal distress, umbilical arterial plasma β-EP levels appear to rise faster than umbilical venous β-EP concentrations. Amniotic fluid β-EP levels are higher during the second than third trimester. These data indicate that peripheral plasma β-EP concentrations reflect stress in both mother and fetus. In the mother, pregnancy itself does not appear to be stressful, whereas pain associated with labor rather than uterine contractions as such increase plasma β-EP levels. In the fetus, hypoxia and acidosis effectively raise plasma β-EP concentrations. The origin and physiologic significance of amniotic fluid β-EP, which appears to be unrelated to fetal maturity, remain to be established.
Surgery for early stage non-small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer accounts for 28.2% of all cancer-related deaths in the United States. Most patients present with advanced-stage disease, with only 15% having disease confined to the lung. Surgical resection is the optimal treatment for Stage I and II non-small cell lung cancer. Pre-resection staging includes various radiographic modalities, including PET scan and mediastinoscopy. Survival and local recurrence statistics favor full anatomic lobar resection over sublobar resection, although cases must be judged individually. Lobectomy via thoracoscopic approach appears to have equivalent outcome as lobectomy via thoracotomy. Characteristics of the counseling physician and the hospital volume at which the surgery is performed can also influence outcome. After surgical resection, stage IA patients have about 70% 5-year survival, but this falls below 50% for stage IIB patients. Methods that identify early-stage lung cancer patients at greatest risk for recurrence are needed to identify patients who may benefit from additional therapies. Semin. Surg. Oncol. 21:74–84, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Anesthetic Management of Interventional Neuroradiological Procedures

Interventional Neuroradiology (INR), a hybrid of traditional neurosurgery and neuroradiology, may be broadly defined as treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disease by endovascular access for the purpose of delivering therapeutic agents, including both drugs and devices (1–7). Development of novel materials and techniques has opened new therapeutic avenues and offered means to understanding CNS pathophysiology.
Incoherent Empire: a Critique of US Foreign Policy from the Perspective of Comparative and Historical Sociology

The invasion of Iraq in 2003 can be regarded as part of an effort to create what has been called a 'New American Empire'. Amid a supportive intellectual environment in which many commentators argued that the US could achieve empire status, George W. Bush's administration acted. Senior administration figures believed that the US had the power to remake Iraq, restructure the entire Middle East and eliminate terrorism and weapons of mass destruction around the world. However, the new imperialists forgot that effective power requires a combination of ideological, economic, military and political power. They relied overwhelmingly on just one aspect of military power-offensive fire power-in their efforts. This is insufficient to create an empire. In addition, the political and ideological shift globally during the late twentieth-century from imperialism towards nationalism is damaging to any effort to found an empire. This paper explores these issues in depth to argue that America's early-twenty-first century attempt at empire is failing.
The isolation and partial characterization of a herpesvirus from a case of bovine metritis.

A virus isolated from the uterine exudate of a cow with metritis had physical, chemical and cytopathogenic properties characteristic of a member of the herpesvirus group. Neutralization tests indicated that the virus was not related to any of the previously described bovine herpesviruses.
Control and Feedback in a Documentary Information Retrieval System.

This article addresses the problem of control in documentary information retrieval systems. The nature of control in IR systems is analyzed and it is shown why an IR system has to be looked at as an adaptive system. The mechanism of feedback realizing system's adaptation to the user is described. The algorithms of feedback are proposed and it is shown how they depend on the type of the collection of documents : static (no change in the collection between searches) and dynamic (when the change occurs between searches). The proposed algorithms are the basis for the development of the fully automated information retrieval systems