cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In Search of the Molecules of Life

Abstract The remote detection of a chemical signature of extraterrestrial life ideally requires a broad and nonEarth-centric definition of life. Thus, our proposed approach to detection is based on fundamental thermodynamic assumptions, and some assumptions of how life might obtain energy from its environment. Life, defined as the ability to self-perpetuate, requires a continual input of energy and information. The energy must be tapped in controlled oxidation–reduction reactions between electron donors and acceptors along an electron transport chain. Therefore, the core chemical components of such electron transport chains should be detectable as a signature of life. On Earth, such core structures are principally molecules resembling the porphyrins, quinones, flavins, and nicotinamides (e.g., photosynthetic or respiratory pigments, redox enzymes, and cytochromes). Similar redox-active molecules, perhaps with different structures, might be associated with extraterrestrial life. To validate an approach based on redox signature, signature chemicals were extracted from soil and analyzed by different methods and equipment that may eventually form an integrated “laboratory on a chip” to be used on other planets or their moons. Its components are a supercritical fluid or solvent extraction module, a separation module, and a detection module with an electrochemical detector and electrospray tandem mass-spectrometer.
Drugs and personality: dependence of findings on method.

Past studies on relationships between drug use and personality are open to criticism on theoretical and methodological grounds. Properly conducted research may show relationships that have been previously undiscovered. The present studies examined 45 carefully selected, noninstitutionalized men in four matched groups of heavy, chronic drug users and a nonuser comparison group. A variety of instruments, all of which presumably measure the propensity to seek novel and varied sensations, were administered. When used to evaluate hypotheses derived from Optimal Level of Arousal (OLA) theory, data from this study showed an association between the trait measured and drug(s) of choice among men committed to the heavy, chronic use of particular substances. However, the association was not that anticipated by OLA theory. Instead, it appeared that, among heavy, chronic users, drug preference and sensation seeking are related to extraversion and introversion. The findings were consistent with a theory of psychologica...
THE NEW CORPORATE LANDSCAPE: AMERICA'S FASTEST GROWING PRIVATE COMPANIES

Analysis of the location of the fastest growing private companies in the United States suggests that a new corporate landscape is emerging. During the 1980s this corporate landscape has increasingly been dominated by companies in the service sector rather than in manufacturing. Sunbelt metropolises, especially in California, are more favored locations for the fast-growth firms than for the traditional Fortune 500 industrial and 500 service corporations. The fast-growth firms are also more likely to locate in suburban areas than the traditional corporations. These service, Sunbelt, and suburban characteristics of the new corporate landscape are interpreted as a consequence of the restructuring of the US economy.
Role of Hyaluronic Acid Treatment in the Prevention of Keloid Scarring

Background Keloids are benign dermal scars characterized by enhanced growth factor signaling, hyperproliferation activity and reduced extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition of hyaluronic acid. Our hypothesis is that high molecular weight HA can be used to replenish HA deposition in keloids thereby normalizing the keloid fibroblast phenotype.
Survival of the Fit-Up: The Evolution of the Berkeley Microlab

In July, 2009, the University of California at Berkeley began operation of a new 15,000 square foot clean room - the Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory. This laboratory will be the successor to The Berkeley Microlab. All equipment from the Berkeley Microlab and several satellite laboratories is being moved and reconnected in the new facility. Lab management has defined an 18 month tool by tool migration process; not a lab shutdown and restart, so that equipment downtime is minimized for the 500 plus researchers that use the facility. All tool connections are prepared in the new lab then a tool is moved, restarted, qualified, and released for general use in the new facility. This translates into running two operations during the transition process. The construction project delivered a clean room with house utilities distributed throughout all chases but no utility drops for fit-up. Selected strategies to facilitate this effort such as crimp tooling for house utility and exhaust connections, flex conduit and extra length cabling, and 'move litho last' will be presented and discussed. The new Marvell Lab will maintain and expand the Berkeley Microlab tradition of a professionally managed, self supporting, shared laboratory resource open to all academic researchers and selected industry members on a recharge basis with transparent billing and the lowest possible barrier to entry.
Calcium Transport Pathways of Pancreatic Acinar Cells

The control of [Ca2+]i in resting and stimulated pancreatic acinar cells is achieved by at least four Ca2+ transporting pathways. Conductive pathways in the plasma and ER membranes allow Ca2+ influx into the cytosol while ATP-fueled Ca2+ pumps remove Ca2+ from the cytosol. The contribution of these Ca2+ pathways to cytosolic Ca2+ is illustrated in the Figure 2. In the resting cells, [Ca2+]i is determined by the rates of Ca2+ influx and efflux across the plasma membrane. Cytosolic Ca2+ is buffered to approximately 150 nM. The rate of Ca2+ pumping across the plasma membrane is equal to the rate of Ca2+ influx, which keeps [Ca2+]i at a constant level. The buffering of cytosolic Ca2+ prevents large fluctuations in [Ca2+]i. The ER contains about 3 nmoles calcium/mg of cell protein. ER calcium is probably also buffered, which results in low free Ca2+ concentration in the ER interior. The Ca2+ permeability of the ER membrane is very low. The low ER free Ca2+ concentration and Ca2+ permeability result in a low rate of Ca2+ pumping by the ER Ca2+ pump. The low pump-leak turnover rate of Ca2+ across the ER membrane minimizes the contribution of the ER to [Ca2+]i in the resting cells. When the cells are stimulated, a sequence of events is initiated, the end result of which is a transient increase in [Ca2+]i. To produce the transient increase in [Ca2+]i, the activity of the four Ca2+ pathways is modified. The sequence of activation of each Ca2+ pathway has not been completely resolved. It is, however, likely that binding of agonist to a receptor is followed by activation of phospholipase C (PLC). PLC catalizes the breakdown of PIP2 to IP3 and diacylglycerol (DAG). In subsequent stimulation periods PIP2 is also hydrolyzed to IcP3. At the onset of stimulation, the properties of the Ca2+ buffer in the ER may be changed so that free Ca2+ concentration in the ER interior is increased. IP3 binds to specific receptors in the ER membrane and activates a Ca2+ conductance. This leads to Ca2+ efflux from the ER to the cytosol and K+ influx from the cytosol to the ER through a K+ conductive pathway. It is unclear if K+ influx is sufficient to balance the charge released as Ca2+. In the case of muscle SR, it was suggested that K+, Mg2+, and H+ influx are required to balance the charge released as Ca2+ (110).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Lake-Aggregate Mesoscale Disturbances. Part IV: Development of a Mesoscale Aggregate Vortex

Abstract Many studies have noted that cyclone development in the Great Lakes region during winter is the result of strong diabatic heating and low-level destabilization from the lakes. The exact mechanisms, however, by which this heating and moistening lead to sea level pressure falls, and to weak cyclones over the lakes (e.g., mesoscale aggregate vortices), have not been investigated previously. In this study, model output that includes all of the Great Lakes and none of the Great Lakes is analyzed to understand more completely the importance of synoptic-scale forcing, diabatic heating, and perturbation–synoptic-scale processes for the development of a mesoscale aggregate vortex over the region during a 48-h period between 0000 UTC 13 and 0000 UTC 15 November 1982. The analysis indicates that the sea level pressure falls and vortex development were not simply the hydrostatic result of heat from the Great Lakes “spreading” over a large region. Rather, the synoptic-scale flow contributed to vortex developm...
A Cross-Cultural View of Solution-Focused Therapy

This chapter begins with a discussion of the historical background of solution-focused therapy, its origin in the systems movement, and its theoretical roots in the philosophy of language. The main theoretical concepts of solution-focused therapy are presented (e.g., solutions, exceptions, cooperation, varieties of therapeutic relationship) and discussed in light of research-based psychological principles. Then, the main therapeutic techniques are presented with clinical illustrations and a detailed case illustration is provided. Finally, the theory and practice of solution-focused therapy are discussed from a cross-cultural perspective, with illustrations from or references to several cultures (Brazil, China, Italy, Korea, Pakistan).
Product Market Competition and the Cost of Corporate Public Debt

This study explores how competitive threats affect the yield spread of corporate bonds. I find that firms that face high levels of competition also face higher costs of debt. After controlling for common bond-level, firm-level and macroeconomic variables, I find that bondholders of firms that are subject to increased competition demand significantly higher credit spreads than holders of otherwise similar bonds. My analysis also reveals that information about competition is incorporated in corporate bond credit ratings. Combined, these findings provide strong evidence that competitive threats are being reflected in corporate debt prices and that competitive dynamics influence firms' access to capital.
A Novel Method for Tracer Concentration Plutonium(V) Solution Preparation.

Preparation of relatively pure low concentration Pu(V) solutions for environmental studies is nontrivial due to the complex redox chemistry of Pu. Ozone gas generated by an inexpensive unit designed for household-use was used to oxidize a 2 × 10–8 M Pu(IV) solution to predominantly Pu(VI) with some Pu(V) present. Over several days, the Pu(VI) in the solution reduced to Pu(V) without further reducing to Pu(IV). The reduction from Pu(VI) to Pu(V) could be accelerated by raising the pH of the solution, which led to an immediate conversion without substantial conversion to Pu(IV). The aqueous Pu was found to be stable as predominately Pu(V) for greater than one month from pH 3–7; however, at circumneutral pH, a sizable fraction of Pu was lost from solution by either precipitation or sorption to the vial walls. This method provides a fast means of preparing Pu(V) solutions for tracer concentration studies without numerous extraction or cleanup steps.
Going Symbolic : Presidential Use of Symbolic Rhetoric in Crime Control Policy

Research into the American Presidents’ role in crime control policy has consistently found that they rely on symbolic rhetoric in their crime speeches. The research to date, however, has been confi...
Time Study of Acute Gold-Induced Acceleration of Thyroidal I131 Release in the Hamster.

SummaryAnalysis of time sequence in pituitary and thyroid phenomena involved during acute response of hamsters to cold exposure indicates a rapidly activated neural component. Within 0.5-1 hour after cold, sensory perception of this temperature change has generated sufficient input into hypothalamic effector mechanisms to deplete pituitary TSH by 60%. After a latent period of 1.5 hours, accelerated release begins and results in 25-30% decrease of thyroidal I131 during 12 hours of cold. Thyroxine (10 μg) is capable of inhibiting thyroidal I131 release when administered as long as 2-3 hours after exposure to cold.
Prolonged perfusion with a membrane oxygenator in awake ponies.

Prolonged extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (PEMO) was performed in 6 adult ponies with the membrane oxygenator in a vein-to-artery bypass circuit. A flow rate equal to 46 per cent of control cardiac output was diverted through the PEMO circuit of 10 to 24 hours. Three of the 6 ponies were perfused for at least 20 hours and developed no complications. Immediately following initiation of PEMO, left ventricular output decreased: however, in the interval between 6 and 24 hours, left ventricular output was increased above control levels. Aortic pressure and left ventricular work were markedly elevated during PEMO. Pulmonary ventilation and oxygen uptake also decreased initially but were elevated during later stages of bypass. Pulmonary compliance did not change, except in those studies in which problems were encountered with perfusion techniques. Hepatic glycolysis and hyperglycemia occurred and were more severe in ponies with catheter-produced thrombi. Marked diuresis, which could be attributed only partially to the hyperglycemia, was present throughout PEMO. Based on the minimal morphologic changes observed in the ponies, extracorporeal circulation diverting one half of the cardiac output through a membrane oxygenator can be safely performed for up to 24 hours.
Fluorophore exchange kinetics in block copolymer micelles with varying solvent-fluorophore and solvent-polymer interactions.

Fluorescence spectroscopy was employed to characterize the kinetics of guest exchange in diblock copolymer micelles composed of poly(ethylene oxide-b-e-caprolactone) (PEO–PCL) diblock copolymers in water/tetrahydrofuran (THF) mixtures which encapsulated fluorophores. The solvent composition (THF content) of the micelle solution was varied as a means of modulating the strength of interactions between the fluorophore and solvent as well as between the micelle core and solvent. A donor–acceptor fluorophore pair was employed consisting of 3,3′-dioctadecyloxacarbocyanine perchlorate (DiO, the donor) and 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI, the acceptor). Through the process of Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET), energy was transferred from the donor to acceptor when the fluorophores were in close proximity. A micelle solution containing DiO was mixed with a micelle solution containing DiI at t = 0, and the emission spectra of the mixed solution were monitored over time (at an excitation wavelength optimized for the donor). In micelle solutions containing 5 and 10 vol% THF in the bulk solvent, an increase in the acceptor peak intensity maximum occurred over time in the post-mixed solution, accompanied by a decrease in the donor peak intensity maximum, indicating the presence of energy transfer from the donor to the acceptor. At long times, the FRET ratios (acceptor peak intensity divided by the sum of the acceptor and donor peak intensities) were indistinguishable from that determined from pre-mixed micelle solutions of the same THF content (in pre-mixed solutions, DiO and DiI were encapsulated within the same micelle cores). In the micelle solution containing 20 vol% THF, the fluorophore exchange process occurred too quickly to be observed (the FRET ratios measured from the solutions mixed at t = 0 were commensurate to that measured from the pre-mixed solution). A time constant describing the guest exchange process was extracted from the time-dependence of the FRET ratio through fit of an exponential decay. An increase in the THF content in the micelle solution resulted in a decrease in the time constant, and the time constant varied over five orders of magnitude as the THF content was varied from 5–20 vol%.
The Role of Persuasion in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: Review and Commentary

Centering on persuasion theory and research as it informs efforts in disease prevention and cure, Reardon examines strategies for motivating change in health-related behaviors, heightening probabilities of recovery from illness through social support and treatment compliance, and coping with serious and terminal illnesses. She then turns to an examination of Kreps’s policy arguments closing with an agenda for health-care persuasion research.
Report of the ALCTS Technical Services Workflow Efficiency Interest Group Meeting. American Library Association Midwinter Meeting. Boston, January 2016

The ALCTS Technical Services Workflow Efficiency Interest Group (TSWEIG) held its meeting at the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in Boston. The session began with a short business me...
Conditions under which adjustability lowers the cost of a robust linear program

The adjustable robust counterpart (ARC) of an uncertain linear program extends the robust counterpart (RC) by allowing some decision variables to adjust to the realizations of some uncertain parameters. The ARC may produce a less conservative and costly solution than the RC does but cases are known in which it does not. While the literature documents some examples of cost savings provided by adjustability (particularly affine adjustability), it is not straightforward to determine in advance whether they will materialize. The affine adjustable robust counterpart, while having a tractable structure, still may be much larger than the original problem. We establish conditions under which affine adjustability may lower the optimal cost with a numerical condition that can be checked in small representative instances. As demonstrated in applications, the conditions provide insights into constraint relationships that allow adjustability to have its intended effect.
Stimulus-Responsive Prochelators for Manipulating Cellular Metals.

ConspectusMetal ions are essential for a wide range of physiological processes, but they can also be toxic if not appropriately regulated by a complex network of metal trafficking proteins. Intervention in cellular metal distribution with small-molecule or peptide chelating agents has promising therapeutic potential to harness metals to fight disease. Molecular outcomes associated with forming metal–chelate interactions in situ include altering the concentration and subcellular metal distribution, inhibiting metalloenzymes, enhancing the reactivity of a metal species to elicit a favorable biological response, or passivating the reactivity of a metal species to prevent deleterious reactivity. The systemic administration of metal chelating agents, however, raises safety concerns due to the potential risks of indiscriminate extraction of metals from critical metalloproteins and inhibition of metalloenzymes. One can estimate that chelators capable of complexing metal ions with dissociation constants in the su...
Napoleonic Narrative and Visual Media in Paganini’s Spectacle for Paris

ABSTRACTNiccolo Paganini catered directly to his Parisian audience’s affinity for narrative and visual spectacle in an unconventional 1832 performance. His Le couvent du mont Saint-Bernard for violin, orchestra, and male chorus was a semi-staged work that employed musical and scenic conventions from opera, referenced a well-known Napoleonic narrative, and incorporated elements from contemporary visual media that were popular in France. This window into Paganini’s activities in Paris reveals the extent to which the violinist designed performances for specific audiences, setting a precedent for later virtuosi such as Franz Liszt, who was well known as a master of marketing.
Influence of Sample Reconstitution on Recovery of Salmonella Species from Low-Moisture Dairy Foods.

Recovery of Salmonella species from dry whole milk, lactic casein, non-instantized nonfat dry milk, rennet casein and sodium caseinate was compared under rapid and slow conditions of rehydration. For rapid rehydration, a 25-g portion of each product was blended or swirled with 225 ml of appropriate preenrichment medium. After 60 min, the flask contents were adjusted to pH 6.8 and incubated at 35°C. For slow rehydration, a 25-g portion of each product was gently added to 225 ml of appropriate preenrichment medium, allowed to soak undisturbed for 60 min at room temperature, and then incubated at 35°C without pH adjustment. Recovery of Salmonella by the slow rehydration (soak) method was equal or enhanced for all products tested except sodium caseinate. Use of a meter instead of test paper to adjust the pH of rapid rehydration (blend/swirl) preenrichments did not improve recovery of Salmonella . Examination of dry whole milk and non-instantized nonfat dry milk by the soak method should be limited to 25-g amounts since 100-g and 375-g composites were not completely wetted. Composites of lactic and rennet casein weighing ⩽375 g, however, may be examined by the soak method without loss of analytical sensitivity.
Space-Efficient Filters for Mobile Robot Localization from Discrete Limit Cycles

Robot localization is the problem of determining a robot's pose in an environment, typically within a given map or a similar representation. Different methods have been proposed to address this localization problem for robots with limited sensing. In this letter, we present a localization method for a robot equipped with only a contact sensor and a clock. We make the limits of localization accuracy precise by establishing the fundamental limits imposed by symmetry as revealed by the robot's sensors. Our method is based on finding periodic cycles and transient trajectories of the robot path as it bounces within an environment filled with obstacles. Based on the cycles and transient trajectories, space-efficient and automata-based combinatorial filters are synthesized to solve localization problems modulo symmetries. Experimental results from multiple simulations and from real robot demonstrations attest to the feasibility and practicability of our method.
Delayed diagnosis and management of second trimester abdominal pregnancy

Second trimester abdominal ectopic pregnancies are rare and life threatening. Early diagnosis and treatment are paramount in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. We describe an unusually late diagnosis of abdominal pregnancy despite multiple ultrasounds beginning in early pregnancy. A 28-year-old G2P1001 sought pregnancy termination at 22 weeks’ gestation after fetal anomalies were noted on an 18-week ultrasound during evaluation for elevated maternal serum alfa-fetoprotein. Due to abortion restrictions in her home state, she travelled over 500 miles for abortion care. During dilation and evacuation, suspected uterine perforation led to the finding of a previously undiagnosed abdominal pregnancy. At laparotomy, she underwent left salpingo-oophorectomy and removal of abdominal pregnancy and placenta. A multidisciplinary team approach was paramount in optimising the patient’s outcome. Abortion restrictions requiring travel away from the patient’s home community interrupted her continuity of care and created additional hardships, complicating management of an unexpected, rare and life-threatening condition.
INVITED EDITORIAL COMMENT: Behavioral Asset Pricing: Asset Pricing for Normal People

1. Meir Statman 1. is Glenn Klimek Professor of Finance at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, CA . (mstatman{at}scu.edu) Useful asset pricing models associate expected returns of investment assets, such as stocks and bonds, with factors or characteristics, such as risk and liquidity.
Leave No Stent Behind: Are Drug-Coated Balloons Enough for Femoropopliteal Disease?

Endovascular revascularization is recommended for patients who fail medical and exercise therapy for lifestyle-limiting claudication secondary to peripheral arterial disease.1 The cornerstone of endovascular intervention has been percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) since the advent of the procedure over 50 years ago.2 However, restenosis rates for PTA in the femoropopliteal circulation remain up to 50% at 2 years, resulting in the development of alternate techniques to improve postintervention patency.3,4 Stenting with nitinol self-expanding stents and drug-eluting nitinol self-expanding stents has reduced restenosis in the femoropopliteal artery compared with PTA; however, long-term patency even with stents remains suboptimal.3–5 In theory, stents may not maintain long-term patency because of the mechanical strain exerted from torsion, flexion, and extension of the femoropopliteal artery. Consequently, enormous resources have been devoted to the development of drug-coated balloons (DCBs) which deliver an antiproliferative drug to mitigate neointimal hyperplasia after PTA while also avoiding the continuous hazard of a chronic indwelling metallic endoprosthesis. See Article by Schneider et al DCBs which deliver paclitaxel have now been studied for over a decade as one potential option of facilitating antirestenotic drug delivery while avoiding the implantation of a stent.6 To date, long-term data on patency after DCB angioplasty have been lacking. The IN.PACT SFA trial (Randomized Trial of IN.PACT Admiral Paclitaxel-Coated Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty [PTA] Balloon Catheter vs Standard PTA for the Treatment of Atherosclerotic Lesions in the Superficial Femoral Artery [SFA] and/or Proximal Popliteal Artery [PPA]) randomized 331 patients in a 2:1 fashion to DCB versus standard PTA.7,8 The patient demographics were consistent with other studies with an average age of 68 years, 65% men and 45% with diabetes mellitus. The average lesion length was just under 9 cm with almost 60% of the lesions calcified. The …
WOMEN WITH HIV ARE LESS LIKELY TO RECEIVE PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION: A NATIONWIDE ANALYSIS

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been suggested to increase the risk of coronary artery disease and acute myocardial infarction. We evaluated length of stay and total hospital cost of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in males and females with HIV from the year 2004
A portable and economical LED-based photoacoustic imaging system for molecular imaging (Conference Presentation)

We characterized a commercially available LED-based photoacoustic system (Prexion Inc. Japan) that offered a tunable LED pulse repetition rate (1K Hz, 2K Hz, 3K Hz, and 4K Hz) and found that the temporal resolution of the scanner is dependent on the choice of repetition rate. The LED system have lower power, and averaging is used to minimize the noise. The power from the LED arrays at 690 nm and 850 nm with 70 ns pulse width was measured to be 9.85 mW/cm2 and 31.55 mW/cm2. Beam profiling showed that the average intensity at the center of the transducer was ~ 18% higher than the power on the edges of the transducer. The system had axial and lateral resolution of 268 μm and 590 μm, respectively. This system has frame rates of 30 Hz and 0.15 Hz. Pencil lead inside chicken breast could be detected up to 3.2 cm deep with a frame rate of 15 Hz. Indocyanine green (ICG), methylene blue (MB), and DiR were used as exogenous contrasts to measure the limit of detection using PLED-PAI. The limit of detection values for ICG, MB, and DiR are 9 μM, 0.75 mM, and 68 μM, respectively. For in vivo experiments, DiR (positive control), 400,000 stem cells labeled with DiR, and bare stem cells (negative control) were subcutaneously injected on the spinal cord of male mice. Results shows difference between labeled and unlabeled cells in photoacoustic intensity using PLED-PAI. This experiment shows the capability of this LED-based system to perform molecular imaging at a price point and device footprint nearly a log order smaller than systems based on an optical parametric oscillator laser.
The effect of stratification on gravitational coagulation and settling of aerosols

The differential equations describing the gravitational collision and coalescence of aerosol particles have been solved numerically, using an explicit two-step marching procedure, for the simple case of a single-component aerosol settling in a quiescent environment. The initial particle size distribution is arbitrary and is allowed to change in time due to coagulation and loss due to precipitation. These equations are solved at discrete heights, with the aerosol assumed to be homogeneous (well-mixed) in each height interval. The term describing precipitation allows for the transfer of mass from one height to the next lower and, so on, to the ground. This allows one-dimensional spatial stratification to develop when larger particles, that continue to grow due to coagulation, settle faster than the smaller particles. Numerical studies show that stratification in particle size and concentration can be significant in some cases. Stratification rates increase as the initial concentration of particles increases and as the range of initial particle sizes increases. Comparison of results from a well-mixed model and a height dependent model shows that significant differences in the predicted fallout rates can occur. 22 refs., 5 figs.
Onufrowicz (Onuf), Bronislav

Russian-American neuropsychiatrist and neuropathologist Bronislav Onufrowicz (1863–1928) – or as he preferred, Onuf – contributed the most important basic neuroscience studies from the USA during the nineteenth century. His classic studies include his animal experiments, performed with New York neurologist Joseph Collins (1866–1950), involving ablation of portions of the sympathetic chain, and his independent description of the nucleus of Onuf in the spinal cord.
It's the Rationale that Counts: A Reply to Newton

In "Discrimination and Disidentification: The Fair-Start Defense of Affirmative Action," I argued that affirmative action preferences are jus tified as a means of restoring the conditions of a fair start by negating an unfair competitive disadvantage caused by institutional racism and sexism. The argument draws on the work of Claude M. Steele, who has shown that the stereotypes about intellectual ability supporting structures of institutional discrimination cause
Performance Analysis of Iteratively Decoded 3- Dimensional Product Codes

The bit-error- rate (BER) performance of 3-dimensional (3D) product codes under iterative bounded-distance decoding of the component codes is considered and a framework for analyzing the BER-performance is presented. The performance analysis of iterative decoding is based on a graphical model of the underlying 3D product code, which is a tripartite 3-uniform hypergraph. The BER performance for 3D product codes shows a threshold behavior. The thresholds can be approximated by an exit-chart-like technique from the parameters of the component codes. In the case of a symmetric product code, for which all three component codes are based on the same linear t-error correcting code, asymptotically for large code lengths, the BER-threshold is determined by the threshold for the appearance of a k-core with k=t + 1 in the graphical model.
Kinetics and Mechanism of the Gold-Catalyzed Intermolecular Hydroalkoxylation of Allenes with Alcohols

The mechanism of the hydroalkoxylation of 3-methyl-1,2-butadiene (1) with 1-phenylpropan-1-ol (2) catalyzed by (IPr)AuOTf in toluene has been evaluated through a combination of kinetic analysis, deuterium labeling studies, and in situ spectral analysis of catalytically active mixtures. These data are consistent with a mechanism involving endergonic conversion of (IPr)AuOTf and 1 to the cationic gold π-allene complex (IPr)Au[η2-H2C═C═CMe2][OTf] (5·OTf), which undergoes outer-sphere addition of 2 followed by rapid protodemetalation to form 1-(3-methyl-2-butenyloxy)propyl)benzene (3a) as the kinetic product. The microscopic rate constants associated with the formation and consumption of 5·OTf are of similar magnitude, such that the kinetic behavior of catalytic hydroalkoxylation changes as a function of the relative and absolute concentrations of allene and alcohol.
Acute Pancreatitis: Updates for Emergency Clinicians.

Abstract Background Acute pancreatitis is a frequent reason for patient presentation to the emergency department (ED) and the most common gastrointestinal disease resulting in admission. Emergency clinicians are often responsible for the diagnosis and initial management of acute pancreatitis. Objective This review article provides emergency clinicians with a focused overview of the diagnosis and management of pancreatitis. Discussion Pancreatitis is an inflammatory process within the pancreas. While the disease is often mild, severe forms can have a mortality rate of up to 30%. The diagnosis of pancreatitis requires two of the following three criteria: epigastric abdominal pain, an elevated lipase, and imaging findings of pancreatic inflammation. The most common etiologies include gallbladder disease and alcohol use. After the diagnosis has been made, it is important to identify underlying etiologies requiring specific intervention, as well as obtain a right upper quadrant ultrasound. The initial management of choice is fluid resuscitation and pain control. Recent data have suggested that more cautious fluid resuscitation in the first 24 h might be more appropriate for some patients. Intravenous opiates are generally safe if used judiciously. Appropriate disposition is a multifactorial decision, which can be facilitated by using Ranson criteria or the Bedside Index of Severity in Acute Pancreatitis score. Complications, though rare, can be severe. Conclusions Pancreatitis is a potentially deadly disease that commonly presents to most emergency departments. It is important for clinicians to be aware of the current evidence regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and disposition of these patients.
Losing Institutional Memory: Lessons (Un)Learned from NATO Crisis Management

With 110,000 troops deployed across the globe, NATO remains the world’s most active international organization in conflict management. Yet how the organization learns from its military operations remains a mystery to scholars, the public and even several NATO officials. No formal lessons learned processes exist, and the organization’s Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC) only addresses operational lessons, which rarely are communicated to the North Atlantic Council. This paper identifies the determinants of NATO’s political and strategic institutional memory. It illustrates how norms among individuals in the secretariat and NAC sustain informal mechanisms of learning. Findings come from analyses of 30 survey-based, in-person interviews with ambassadors, diplomats and staff. Learning is critical for any organization to be effective, but particularly for an organization whose actions can have deadly consequences. The study represents a first step in mapping organizational learning in conflict management and identifying areas for reform.
The Professional Education of the Media Specialist

THE PROBLEM What is the message of today's educational world for those who are charged with the responsibility of educating the media specialist? Is it true, as Finn (3) implies, that the media field-as we in the Department of Audiovisual Instruction have known ithas had its chance and that "the audiovisual or educational media professional isn't good enough and that other educators must take over his function"? While there is no evidence that Finn in-
Exposure of Juncus effusus to seven perfluoroalkyl acids: Uptake, accumulation and phytotoxicity

The extensive use of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has led to perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) contamination in various environmental matrices. To remove PFAAs from contaminated water, this study investigated plant uptake of PFAAs by a native wetland plant species in the US, Juncus effusus. The results showed that J. effusus translocated selected PFAAs, including perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). During the 21-day experimental period, the uptake of PFAAs increased with increasing PFAAs exposure concentration and time. PFOS was largely accumulated in the roots with limited upward translocation. PFAAs with shorter carbon chain length were taken up by J. effusus roots and tended to accumulate in plant shoots. The highest removal efficiency (11.4%) of spiked PFAAs by J. effusus was achieved when it was exposed to PFAAs at around 4.6 mg/L for 21 days. The exposure to PFAAs stimulated the antioxidative defense system in J. effusus shoots but inhibited the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities and damaged the antioxidative defense system in J. effusus roots. These results warrant further studies to evaluate J. effusus's long-term performance in a PFAAs contaminated environment.
Emerging investigator series: transformation of common antibiotics during water disinfection with chlorine and formation of antibacterially active products

This study investigated the effect of chlorine disinfection on the following commonly prescribed antibiotics typically present in treated wastewater: ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, levofloxacin and ofloxacin. Antibacterially active transformation products formed from all of the fluoroquinolone class antibiotics: ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and ofloxacin. Trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole did not form products with detectable antibacterial activity. Experiments were performed in both ultrapure water and wastewater effluent. HPLC/MS was used to propose the structures of the transformation products in samples where antibacterially active products formed. Both chlorinated and non-chlorinated products were observed. The results indicate that antibiotic transformation products with antibacterial properties form in the wastewater chlorination treatment process. These products may be a source of antibiotic resistance in the environment and warrant a further investigation of their role.
About the Characteristic Function of a Set

In this paper we give a method, based on the characteristic function of a set, to solve some difficult problems of set theory found in undergraduate studies.
Computational aspects of multivariate polynomial interpolation: Indexing the coefficients

An algorithm is derived for generating the information needed to pass efficiently between multi-indices of neighboring degrees, of use in the construction and evaluation of interpolating polynomials and in the construction of good bases for polynomial ideals.
A Microwave-Optical Biosensor with 5.4ppm Label/Reference-free Long-term Stability and Single Photon Sensitivity in 28nm Bulk CMOS

This paper presents a hybrid microwave and optical sensing platform for real-time monitoring of biomolecular interactions. The microwave sensing unit is a 39G-42GHz superharmonic coupled QVCO for permittivity detection. A novel tank-perturbation based noise-cancellation readout scheme is proposed to achieve label-and-reference-free 5.4ppm long-term stability (8 hours). The optical sensing unit is an array of SPADs (single-photon-avalanche-diodes) for photon counting. It demonstrates first-time implementation in 28nm bulk CMOS, and achieves DCR (dark count rate) of 500/sec and PDE (photon detection efficiency) of 11.5% (520nm) under 1V excessive bias voltage. An enzyme denaturation experiment is performed to show that multi-parametric sensing provides a better profiling of complex biomolecular processes.
Predictors of voice outcome in pediatric non-selective laryngeal reinnervation.

OBJECTIVES Non-selective laryngeal reinnervation (NSLR) using the ansa cervicalis to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) is a promising treatment option for pediatric unilateral neuronal vocal fold movement impairment (VFMI). The aim is to describe our clinical outcomes with this technique and to identify preoperative characteristics that may predict postoperative voice outcomes. METHODS This is a cohort study of pediatric patients with unilateral neuronal VFMI, who underwent NSLR from March 2012 to July 2018. Pre- and postoperative Pediatric Voice Related Quality of Life (PVRQOL) questionnaires, Consensus Auditory Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) ratings, and objective voice measures were obtained. In addition, patients underwent preoperative laryngeal electromyography (LEMG). RESULTS Thirty-two patients were identified. Twenty-one had complete data sets for analysis. The mean duration of VFMI was 9.02 years (range 1.1-26.1 years). There were significant improvements in PVRQOL (P = .0005), in all CAPE-V subsets (P ≤ .0001 to .0195), mean and maximum intensities (P = .0342 and 0.0110, respectively), cepstral peak prominence (P = .0001), and cepstral spectral index of dysphonia (P ≤ .0001). A worse preoperative LEMG correlated with a greater change in maximum phonation time (P = .0162) and maximum intensity (P = .0346). Age at injury and duration of injury had no significant impact on voice outcomes; however, patients with concurrent posterior glottic insufficiency did have smaller changes in PVRQOL (P = .012). CONCLUSION NSLR is an effective treatment for pediatric unilateral neuronal VFMI even many years after initial RLN injury. LEMG may help predict voice outcomes of reinnervation in pediatric patients, but further data is still needed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 130:1525-1531, 2020.
An Honest Calling: The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln and Lincoln the Lawyer

Review of: "An Honest Calling: The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln" and "Lincoln the Lawyer," by Mark E. Steinler and Brian Dirck, respectively.
Design of an in-core fission-spectrum neutron irradiation facility with pneumatic sample transfer at a research reactor

Abstract The primary objective of the work being presented is to design and optimize a fast neutron irradiation facility with pneumatic sample transfer for use in fast neutron activation analysis. The facility will be used to improve uncertainties in the yields of fission products induced by fission neutrons. Various materials and geometric designs were researched and modeled in MCNP for the filtration of thermal neutrons from a research reactor core. These models yielded the finalized design of a layered cylindrical system to be placed in the 3-EL irradiation position in the core of the TRIGA MARK-II reactor at The University of Texas at Austin. The design balances the need to maintain high total neutron flux with the careful shaping of a neutron spectrum to be as close to the Watt fission spectrum as possible. The models indicate that thermal neutron flux may be reduced by at least five orders of magnitude while only reducing the overall fast neutron flux by less than an order of magnitude. The fast:(thermal+epithermal) fission ratio should exceed 100:1 with an integrated fast flux value (defined > 0.001 MeV) of at least 7.8×1011 n cm−2 s−1.
Next Steps for First Step: Building a Stronger Foundation of Oversight, Transparency, and Accountability

The article describes the oversight needed to ensure that First Step Act measures are implemented faithfully and that conditions of confinement in BOP facilities are identified and addressed. Humane conditions of confinement are a necessary precondition for a rehabilitative environment. With sufficient oversight, BOP can be held accountable for maintaining safe and humane environments that enable incarcerated populations to make the most of educational, vocational, substance use treatment, and other self-betterment activities. This in turn holds promise for reducing recidivism rates for those who exit BOP.
Hydrogen generation via the reaction of an activated aluminum slurry with water

Abstract Presented here is the formulation and characterization of a stable aluminum slurry fuel that reacts readily and exothermically with liquid water to produce hydrogen gas and AlOOH (boehmite). Bulk pure aluminum is first surface-treated with a gallium-indium eutectic, then ground into a powder and suspended in mineral oil containing 4–8 wt% fumed silica as a shear-thinning agent. Aluminum mass fractions of up to 65 wt% are shown here. This formulation results in a slurry fuel that can be pumped continuously at low power while remaining in suspension for over 2 months. The fuel is also shown here to exhibit a high degree of reaction completion (93.4%) with a total measured energy density of 28.7 MJ/L and specific energy of 17.5 MJ/kg. Finally, to show the feasibility of using this fuel for on-demand hydrogen production in a representative power system, a prototype continuous-flow reactor was developed, and validation experiments were performed, the results of which are presented here.
Mental health considerations for immigrants of Arab/MENA descent

Abstract This chapter presents issues related to immigration for Arab/Middle Eastern North African (MENA). A description of the MENA population is presented along with chronicling of the three established waves of immigration. An emerging fourth wave of immigration comprised primarily of refugees from Somalia, Iraq, Syrian Arab Republic, and the Sudan is also presented. Reasons for migration, acculturation processes, and factors related to acculturative stress are discussed. MENA immigrant’s experiences related to discrimination at multiple levels and issues related to identity and recognition are also presented in the chapter.
The Effect of Online Core Courses Enrollment on Student Success: The Case of University System of Georgia

This study examines the impact of online core courses on students’ academic and financial outcomes of postsecondary students. To do so, we analyzed data from a large sample of students in the Unive...
Ice Hockey Players’ Legitimacy of Aggression and Professionalization of Attitudes

The purpose of this investigation was to examine male ice hockey players’ (N = 85) perceived legitimacy of aggression and professionalization of attitudes across developmental age and competitive level. Findings were analyzed within the complementary conceptual frameworks of social learning theory, professionalization of attitudes, and moral reasoning. Ice hockey players completed a modified, sport-specific version of the Sport Behavior Inventory and a modified version of the Context Modified Webb scale. Results of the investigation revealed that as players increased in age and competitive level, perceived legitimacy of aggressive behavior increased, and their attitudes about sport became increasingly professionalized. Based on the conceptual framework in which the results are interpreted, intervention services by sport psychology practitioners are explored that are aimed at the athlete, the organization, and influential others.
The Toxicology Investigators Consortium Case Registry—the 2019 Annual Report

The Toxicology Investigators Consortium (ToxIC) Registry was established by the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) in 2010. The Registry collects data from participating sites with the agreement that all bedside medical toxicology consultation will be entered. This tenth annual report summarizes the Registry's 2019 data and activity with its additional 7177 cases. Cases were identified for inclusion in this report by a query of the ToxIC database for any case entered from 1 January to 31 December 2019. Detailed data was collected from these cases and aggregated to provide information which included demographics, reason for medical toxicology evaluation, agent and agent class, clinical signs and symptoms, treatments and antidotes administered, mortality, and whether life support was withdrawn. 50.7% of cases were female, 48.5% were male, and 0.8% were transgender. Non-opioid analgesics was the most commonly reported agent class, followed by opioid and antidepressant classes. Acetaminophen was once again the most common agent reported. There were 91 fatalities, comprising 1.3% of all Registry cases. Major trends in demographics and exposure characteristics remained similar to past years' reports. Sub-analyses were conducted to describe exposures in cases of self-harm, gender differences in substance use disorder, and trends in addiction medicine and pain management consultations.
Hybrid Approach to Fabricate Uniform and Active Molecular Junctions.

Molecules can serve as ultimate building blocks for extreme nanoscale devices. This requires their precise integration into functional heterojunctions, most commonly in the form of metal–molecule–m...