cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Categorically Black, White, or Wrong: The Emergence of an 'Actuality Requirement' and Identity Adjudication in Title VII Litigation

Categorically Black, White, or Wrong exposes an alarming, inconspicuous movement within antidiscrimination law. Unabashedly, a band of federal courts are denying Title VII protection to individuals alleging "categorical discrimination" — invidious, differential treatment — in the workplace on the basis of race, sex, national origin, color, and religion. Per these courts, a plaintiff, for example, who self-identifies as Christian — yet who is misperceived as Muslim and suffers resulting harassment or termination due to her employer’s misperception and related animus — cannot assert an actionable Title VII discrimination claim. Accordingly, such a plaintiff can only maintain a Title VII action if she is “actually” Muslim or if she brings forth allegations of invidious, differential treatment based upon her “actual” Christian identity. Thus, this article posits that courts have imposed upon categorical discrimination plaintiffs a puzzling “actuality requirement” to benefit from Title VII protection. In its comprehensive treatment of misperception discrimination cases and the judicially-created actuality requirement, this article reveals a seismic shift in statutory interpretation since Title VII’s enactment — from judicial pliability to judicial intransigence — of which jurists, practitioners, and policy makers need to be aware to quell further impairment of Title VII’s meaning, protection, and efficacy. Categorically Black, White, or Wrong illustrates that the imposition of an actuality requirement denotes the birth of an unorthodox interpretation of antidiscrimination legislation — an interpretative methodology this article is first to describe as “anti-anticlassificationist.” This article zeroes in on three unexamined, critical implications of such statutory interpretation: the emergence of a minimalist “actuality defense” for defendants; the inundation of identity adjudication in all intentional discrimination cases; and with respect to adjudicating a discrimination plaintiff’s race, the inherent reification of a discredited view of race as a fixed, biological construct. Uniquely, Categorically Black, White, or Wrong excavates heretofore unexplored Fifth Circuit and Third Circuit precedent, longstanding EEOC directives, Title VII statutory provisions, as well as recent Supreme Court precedent which effectively substantiate that courts’ anti-anticlassificationist interpretation and attendant actuality requirement are categorically wrong. In doing so, this article provides persuasive intra-statutory support which affirms that all categorical discrimination plaintiffs — individuals who have allegedly suffered invidious, differential treatment on the basis of their “actual” or “mistaken” religious, gender, ethnic, racial or color identity — are entitled to vindicate their statutory rights to be free from unlawful discrimination.
A Brief History of Mnemonics

The history of mnemonics, the study and development of memory aids, will be discussed in detail. A brief discussion on the impact of the behaviorist and cognitivist movements will be reviewed and a synopsis of the last 50 years of research in the area will be summarized. Future implementation and the direction that research should take from here, will also be discussed.
Fast algorithms for Quadrature by Expansion I: Globally valid expansions

Abstract The use of integral equation methods for the efficient numerical solution of PDE boundary value problems requires two main tools: quadrature rules for the evaluation of layer potential integral operators with singular kernels, and fast algorithms for solving the resulting dense linear systems. Classically, these tools were developed separately. In this work, we present a unified numerical scheme based on coupling Quadrature by Expansion , a recent quadrature method, to a customized Fast Multipole Method (FMM) for the Helmholtz equation in two dimensions. The method allows the evaluation of layer potentials in linear-time complexity, anywhere in space, with a uniform, user-chosen level of accuracy as a black-box computational method. Providing this capability requires geometric and algorithmic considerations beyond the needs of standard FMMs as well as careful consideration of the accuracy of multipole translations. We illustrate the speed and accuracy of our method with various numerical examples.
Protection and Control of Systems with Converter Interfaced Generation (CIG)

The protection of converter interfaced generation and associated circuits and components is challenging due to (a) insufficient separation between fault and load currents caused by converter interfaced sources, (b) large fault contributions from utility side -- small fault contributions from inverter based sources and (c) requirement to operate in utility connected mode as well as islanded mode. These issues are common for wind systems, PV systems and &#x03BC;Grids. They are addressed with the proposed dynamic state Estimation Based Protection (EBP) method applied to each component of a converter interfaced system and associated components. The paper discusses the issues, presents the EBP method and the integration of the method with the inverter controls for the purpose of increasing the reliability of these systems. Several examples are provided which compare the proposed method with traditional protection functions.
Completing the color palette with spray-processable polymer electrochromics.

The field of electrochromic polymers has now reached an important milestone with the availability of a yellow to fully transmissive, cathodically coloring, solution-processable electroactive polymer. This is in addition to previously published electrochromic polymers that have neutral state colors that span from orange, red, magenta, blue, cyan, green, and black, that also attain highly transmissive states upon switching. With this, the full color palette is now complete allowing the largest variety of colors for transmissive and reflective electrochromic display applications. Here, we report on how we have been able to obtain this full color palette through synthetic modifications and color tuning utilizing electron rich and donor−acceptor repeat units, electron-donating substituents, and steric interactions with our 3,4-alkylenedioxythiophene family of polymers. Additionally, using solubilizing pendant groups for both organic and aqueous compatibility, we have been able to create this color palette with...
Influence of Urine Volume on Output of Corticoids by Normal Human Subjects.

SummaryThe influence of urine volume upon excretion of corticoids has been determined in normal human subjects. There was a direct correlation with increases in urine volume resulting in an increase in steroid output whether measurement was made on a long time basis (day by day), or a short time basis (minute by minute). Subjects tested under waterloads and salt loads and with ADH also demonstrated the same positive correlation. As a corollary, clearances of steroids were measured and found to be about 1 ml/min. for free corticoids and about 4 ml/min. for bound steroids.
Serum Albumin Regeneration Following Intravenous Amino-Acids (Hydrolyzed Casein) in Hypoproteinemia Produced by Severe Hemorrhage.∗:

SummaryThe intravenous injection of a mixture of ammo-acids (enzymic hydrolysate of casein) was followed in a few hours by a significant increase in the serum albumin concentration of fasting dogs rendered hypoproteinemic by a severe hemorrhage. Since the serum globulin concentration and the relative red cell volume both decreased, it is inferred that the increase in serum albumin concentration was due to a regeneration.
Using Least Squares To Solve Systems of Equations

The method of least squares (LS) yields exact solutions for the adjustable parameters when the number of data values n equals the number of parameters p. This holds also when the fit model consists of m different equations and m = p, which means that LS algorithms can be used to obtain solutions to systems of equations. In particular, nonlinear LS solves systems of nonlinear equations. An important example in chemistry is the case of reagents whose concentrations are coupled through multiple equilibrium relations. The capability of nonlinear LS in this application is examined for three programming environments, Excel Solver, FORTRAN, and KaleidaGraph, on a number of equilibrium problems having up to 10 unknown concentrations. FORTRAN and KaleidaGraph perform well in all the examples, but Solver presents difficulties that render it inadequate in several cases unless the problem is reformulated in terms of a smaller number of adjustable concentrations. When the input quantities (equilibrium constants, prepa...
Reinforcement learning with Marr

To many, the poster child for David Marr's famous three levels of scientific inquiry is reinforcement learning — a computational theory of reward optimization, which readily prescribes algorithmic solutions that evidence striking resemblance to signals found in the brain, suggesting a straightforward neural implementation. Here we review questions that remain open at each level of analysis, concluding that the path forward to their resolution calls for inspiration across levels, rather than a focus on mutual constraints.
Current Status of Management of Occupational Health for Radiation Workers in Nanjing Military Command

[Objective]To analyze the status and existing problem of occupational health management for radiation workers in Nanjing Military Command, and put forward corresponding countermeasures.[Methods]Combination of supervision and on-site investigation practice was adopted for analysis and summary. [Results]The problems of occupational health management for radiation workers in Nanjing Military Command were analyzed from 4 aspects: the training of radiation protection laws and knowledge, individual dose monitoring, occupational health examination as well as management of occupational health files.[Conclusion]To solve the problems of occupational health management for radiation workers, it was necessary to formulate military occupational health management laws, to implement qualification certification for military radiation health technique service organization, to establish effective system for radiation protection training and occupational health examination, to regularize occupational health files and to strengthen radiation protection supervision.
PID control model and method based on process neural network identification

Concerning PID process control of nonlinear dynamic system,a control model and its method of PID parameter adaptive tuning based on Process Neural Network(PNN) identification were proposed in the paper.Using the learning mechanism of PNN for time-varying input-output signals of dynamic system,the PID control with parameter adaptive matching was implemented by tracing change sensitivity information of the output with the controlling input of the controlled object by identifying the controlled object under certain optimal control rule.The PID control system structure and corresponding realization mechanism based on PNN identification were presented in the paper and the experimental results verify the effectiveness of the model and algorithm.
Human mucin glycoproteins: varied structures predict diverse properties and specific functions

It has been clear for some time now that mucin glycoproteins have extensive, highly glycosylated tandem repeat domains. What is becoming increasingly apparent, however, is the diversity of unique sequences present on different mucins. Variations in mucin-unique sequences clearly result in major differences in physical and biological properties. MUC1-unique sequences are needed for membrane binding, while MUC2-unique sequences apparently mediate polymerization. As the sequences of other mucins are determined, undoubtedly additional structures will be determined that confer specific properties and functions upon this interesting class of glycoconjugates.
CHAPTER 11 – Heteropolysaccharides II: Proteoglycans and Peptidoglycans

Proteoglycans are high-molecular-weight complex molecules with diverse structures and functions. They are polyanionic substances containing a core protein to which at least one glycosaminoglycan chain is covalently attached. Proteoglycans are major components of connective tissue and they participate with other structural protein constituents, namely, collagen and elastin, in the organization of the extracellular matrix. Collagens are extracellular proteins of connective tissue and they make up about one third of all body protein. They are a family of related glycoproteins in which hydroxylysyl residues provide the sites for attachment of glucose, galactose, or an α glucosylgalactose residue via a β-O-glycosidic linkage. Collagen exists predominantly as fibrous protein; however, in the basement membrane of many tissues, including kidney glomeruli and the lens capsule, it is present in a nonfibrous form. Elastin is a fibrous, insoluble protein that is not a glycoprotein but is present with collagen in the connective tissues. Elastin fibers can be separated into amorphous and fibrillar components. The amorphous component consists of elastin, which is characterized by having 95% nonpolar amino acid residues and two unique lysine-derived amino acid residues, desmosine, and isodesmosine. Peptidoglycans are components of bacterial cell walls and they consist of heteropolysaccharide chains crosslinked by short peptide chains. These cell walls bear the antigenic determinants, when exposed to humans and other mammalian species develop specific antibodies to defend against bacteria. The cell wall, which is about 25 nm wide, consists of peptidoglycans and polyol phosphate polymers known as teichoic acids.
Treating Nicotine Dependence and Preventing Smoking Relapse in Cancer Patients.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Despite the well-documented harmful effects of smoking, many cancer patients continue to smoke. Smoking cessation is critical to address in this population given the associated increase in treatment toxicity, risk of second primary tumors, decrease in treatment response and higher disease-specific and all-cause mortality with continued smoking following a cancer diagnosis. This review seeks to summarize the latest recommendations and guidelines on smoking cessation treatment for patients diagnosed with cancer, and the evidence behind those recommendations. Areas covered: We reviewed the latest evidence for smoking cessation treatments for cancer patients and the clinical guidelines and recommendation available for oncologists and health care providers. The unique aspects of nicotine dependence among patients diagnosed with cancer, and key challenges and barriers that cancer survivors and health care providers experience when considering smoking cessation treatments, and available cl...
The Inhibition of Lymphocyte Blastogenesis By L-Asparaginase

The effect of the enzyme L-asparaginase on in vitro lymphocyte blastogenesis was studied. E.coli L-asparaginase has a reversible inhibitory effect on phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or specific antigen-induced lymphocyte blastogenesis. Five and one international units (I.U.) L-asparaginase per milliliter of culture media, suppressed lymphocyte blastogenesis almost completely. 0.5 I.U./ml. L-asparaginase showed a significant suppression and 0.1 I.U./ml. showed mild suppression. The effect was not due to direct toxicity of the enzyme, asparagine breakdown products, nor impure products of the enzyme preparation. The lymphocytes freed of L-asparaginase by washing after culture with the enzyme for up to 72 hours had normal responsiveness to PHA. The inhibitory effects of 0.1 I.U./ml. and 0.5 I.U./ml. of L-asparaginase were completely or partially counteracted by simultaneous administration of 2µmole/ml. L-asparagine, respectively. L-glutamine also counteracted the effect of L-asparaginase partially, but to a lesser degree than L-asparagine. Cell-density studies showed that 1 I.U./ml. of L-asparaginase, sufficient to inhibit the lymphocyte blastogenesis almost completely at the cell density of 0.5 x 10 6 and 1 x 10 6 lymphocytes, had less effect at higher cell population of 2.5 x 10 6 and 5 x 10 6 . Lymphocytes once stimulated by PHA were partially resistant to L-asparaginase added during a later phase of the incubation period. The possible mechanism of this inhibition of L-asparaginase on lymphocyte blastogenesis was discussed. It is suggested that depletion of L-asparagine (both exogenous and endogenous) from the culture media would be the probable cause of this inhibitory effect.
Viscoanesthesia. Part II: toxicity to intraocular structures after phacoemulsification in a rabbit model.

Abstract Purpose To investigate the toxicity of a solution that combines sodium hyaluronate 1.5% with lidocaine (0.5%, 1.0%, or 1.65%) to intraocular structures. Setting Center for Research on Ocular Therapeutics and Biodevices, Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Methods Phacoemulsification was performed in both eyes of 29 rabbits. They were divided into 3 groups; in each group (n = 7), 1 viscoanesthetic solution was used before capsulorhexis. After irrigation/aspiration, 0.2 mL of the solution was purposely left in the capsular bag. In 1 rabbit in each group, the solution was injected into the vitreous cavity through a posterior capsulorhexis. In 8 rabbits used as controls, balanced salt solution (BSS®) (n = 4) or sodium hyaluronate 1.5% (n = 4) was injected into the vitreous cavity. Enucleations were performed 15, 30, and 60 days postoperatively. Histological sections were cut and stained with hematoxylin-eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, and Masson trichrome stains. Results Light microscopic evaluation of the eyes enucleated after 15, 30, and 60 days in the study and control groups showed similar findings in intraocular structures such as the ciliary body and retina. No evidence of an inflammatory reaction, cell necrosis, or cell degeneration was observed in the histological sections. Conclusions The use of viscoanesthesia during phacoemulsification appeared to be safe, with no histologic abnormalities observed with the 3 lidocaine concentrations. The efficacy of the anesthetic effects of these solutions will be addressed in clinical trials.
FRI0001 Folinic acid supplementation reverses macrocytosis without altering efficacy in patients with arthritis treated with methotrexate

Background Methotrexate is known to cause folate deficiency which can be manifested early on as macrocytosis in a complete blood count. Some clinical manifestations of folate deficiency such as cytopenia, anorexia, stomatitis, and gastrointestinal intolerance are also observed during low dose methotrexate (MTX) treatment in various forms of arthritis. Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of daily folinic acid supplementation in reversing macrocytosis noted in some patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatric arthritis (PsA) treated with low dose methotrexate and folic acid and to see if it altered the disease modifying activity of the drug. Methods Twenty-eight patients were studied. There were 20 women and eight men with an age range of 34–82 years. Twenty-four patients had RA and four had PsA. They were all treated with low dose MTX between 5–15 mg. weekly and folic acid two mg. orally daily, as well as a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug and in some patients low dose oral prednisone. Additionally, 16 patients took hydroxychloroquine sulfate, eight patients sulfasalazine, and two patients auranofin. All patients had normal thyroid function. Twenty-three patients (82%) developed macrocytosis after an interval of three to four years on MTX and folic acid. A favourable response was noted in two patients by reversal of their macrocytosis when their daily folic acid dose was increased to three mg. For 21 patients the folic acid was discontinued and supplemented orally with five mg. folinic acid daily. Of the five patients who did not develop macrocytosis, four took weekly MTX of seven and a half mg. or less. One took 15 mg. MTX weekly but also received intramuscular testosterone every three weeks for hypogonadism. Results Patients were followed for three to seven years. Of the 21 patients on folinic acid supplementation, 20 (95%) had a reversal of their macrocytosis in 12–15 months. There was no exacerbation of their underlying arthritis. This was determined by joint count, tenderness, limitation of motion and flexion contractures of affected joints. When the folinic acid was discontinued and folic acid reinstituted, macrocytosis recurred in two to three years in five patients and responded to another course of folinic acid. Eight patients who had active disease from the onset continued to have active disease and six were subsequently given etanercept injections. The remaining 13 patients continued to show improvement of all parameters of disease activity. The one non-respondent had active PsA. Conclusion These observations suggest that reversal of macrocytosis can be accomplished with daily use of five mg. folinic acid without diminishing the effectiveness of low dose MTX in patients with RA and PsA.
Infrared dielectric dispersion in divalent europium chalcogenides

Abstract The infrared reflectivity of EuO, EuS and EuSe have been measured at room temperature. The results were analyzed by classical dispersion theory to obtain dielectric response and the long wavelength optical phonon frequencies of these materials. Distortion of the valence electrons by short range forces appears to be an important factor in determining the effective charges of the ions.
Shock Waves and Reaction-Diffusion Equations. By Joel Smoller

(1986). Shock Waves and Reaction-Diffusion Equations. By Joel Smoller. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 93, No. 4, pp. 315-318.
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Theories of Excitation

The effects of various pharmacologic agents on the chemoreceptors are presented as the experimental basis from which the different theories of chemoreceptor excitation have evolved. Proponents of the various hypotheses have selectively emphasized or interpreted certain observations since the entire body of data does not support one concept.
Using modeling and simulation in analyzing sleep behavior issues: a state of the art overview

Behaviors learned at school-age are more likely to be sustainable over time. As school-age children age, they change their sleeping patterns. As they experience these changes, the probabilities of developing less healthy behavior increase. Less healthy behavior has been associated to the development of chronic diseases and incidence of riskier behavior. The problem of sleeping behavior in childhood and adolescence has been the subject of continuous scrutiny since the beginning of the study on behavioral issues. Most researchers in this field use statistical models to describe and analyze the effects of environmental, biological, and behavioral factors on sleeping patterns. This paper provides an overview of most relevant studies and methodologies used by researchers working in this specific area. The initial search identifies a large number of references which were reduced to about 38 articles based on contents and quality. The descriptive analysis of the literature reveals heterogeneity among the scientific approaches due to the different statistical models, techniques, and methods used for analyzing the sleeping behavior problem. The authors found that application of modeling and simulation (M&S) is absent from the analysis of development of healthy sleeping behavior.
Direct ink writing of organic and carbon aerogels

The use of additive manufacturing to 3D print aerogels has the potential to impact several important technologies such as energy storage, catalysis, and desalination. While there has been a great deal of focus on graphene aerogels, reports of 3D printed conventional carbon aerogels (CAs) are sparse. Activated CAs are particularly compelling because in addition to having a lower cost than a comparable graphene aerogel, they can achieve much higher surface areas (>3000 m2 g−1). Herein we report a 3D printable ink based on traditional resorcinol–formaldehyde sol–gel chemistry that can produce a final activated carbon aerogel with surface areas approaching 2000 m2 g−1 and good electrical conductivities (∼200 S m−1). Direct ink writing (DIW) is used to then fabricate electrodes, which demonstrate excellent electrochemical properties with a high specific capacitance of 215 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 and 83% capacitive retention at higher current densities (10 A g−1). The DIW electrode significantly outperformed its bulk counterpart and provides an example of how one can use 3D printed aerogel electrodes to overcome mass transport limitations and boost energy storage performance.
Abstract WMP27: Current Generation Anticonvulsant Prophylaxis After Ischemic Stroke

Introduction: Ischemic strokes (IS) are the leading cause of seizure development in the elderly and recent reports associate post-IS seizures with increased morbidity and mortality. Yet, there is a...
Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus

Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) results from the inability of the late distal tubules and collecting ducts to respond to vasopressin. The lack of ability to concentrate urine results in polyuria and polydipsia. Primary and acquired forms of NDI exist in children. Congenital NDI is a result of mutation in AVPR2 or AQP2 genes. Secondary NDI is associated with electrolyte abnormalities, obstructive uropathy, or certain medications. Management of NDI can be difficult with only symptomatic treatment available, using low-solute diet, diuretics, and prostaglandin inhibitors.
Exercise Considerations in Older Adults: Intensity, Fall Prevention, and Safety

This article addresses four questions that arise when the general recommendation for regular exercise is applied to older adults at risk for frail health. These questions are 1) What is the proper intensity of endurance training? 2) What is the proper intensity of strength training? 3) Can certain types of exercise prevent falls? and 4) Is exercise safe?
"A world we don't know": the spatial configuration of sensory practices and production of knowledge in and around Mexican seismic monitoring

A single technoscientific knowledge project can entail many different kinds of knowledge production. Here,I show how a Mexican technoscientific knowledge project about seismicity requires diverse sensory practices and the production of knowledge about many kinds of environmental and social conditions. I argue that Mexican territorial politics frame this knowledge. Further, I demonstrate that these politics become evident in the very ways that knowledge about Mexico is configured spatially, that is, in topological and topographic ways that technicians and engineers come to understand and relate to Mexican territory. After situating this argument within contemporary critical attention to the production of geographic knowledge, I address it ethnographically. First, I describe how Mexican seismic monitoring is undertaken from the headquarters of the Centro de Instrumentacion y Registro Sismico (CIRES). Then, I deal with the arrangements of power that structure seismic monitoring and social conditions in what CIRES engineers and technicians call "the field." As I relate the sensory work and knowledge production that field teams do when they leave CIRES headquarters, I show how the things that field teams can know are shaped by territorial politics, and consequently reflect them.
Monolayer MoS2 Nanoribbon Transistors Fabricated by Scanning Probe Lithography

Monolayer MoS2 is a promising material for nanoelectronics; however, the lack of nanofabrication tools and processes has made it very challenging to realize nanometer-scale electronic devices from monolayer MoS2. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of monolayer MoS2 nanoribbon field-effect transistors as narrow as 30 nm using scanning probe lithography (SPL). The SPL process uses a heated nanometer-scale tip to deposit narrow nanoribbon polymer structures onto monolayer MoS2. The polymer serves as an etch mask during a XeF2 vapor etch, which defines the channel of a field-effect transistor (FET). We fabricated seven devices with a channel width ranging from 30 to 370 nm, and the fabrication process was carefully studied by electronic measurements made at each process step. The nanoribbon devices have a current on/off ratio > 104 and an extrinsic field-effect mobility up to 8.53 cm2/(V s). By comparing a 30 nm wide device with a 60 nm wide device that was fabricated on the same MoS2 flake, we found the na...
Probability Distribution and Risk of the First Occurrence of k Extreme Hydrologic Events

AbstractStatistical techniques have been developed for assessing structures to confront extreme events such as floods. Among them are probability distribution functions (PDFs). For example, the wai...
Development of a UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method to measure urinary metabolites of selected VOCs: Benzene, cyanide, furfural, furfuryl alcohol, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone.

Abstract We report on the development of an ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for simultaneously measuring eight biomarkers of volatile organic compound (VOC) exposure, with potential application to e-cigarette aerosol biomonitoring. Phenylmercapturic acid (PMA) and trans, trans-muconic acid (tt-MA) are metabolites of benzene; 2-aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid (ATCA) is a metabolite of cyanide; N-2-furoylglycine (N2FG) is a metabolite of furfural and furfuryl alcohol; 5-hydroxymethylfuroic acid (HMFA), 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furoylglycine (HMFG), and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) are metabolites of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural; and 5-hydroxy-N-methylpyrrolidone (5HMP) is a metabolite of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. A pentafluorophenyl-modified silica column was used for chromatographic separation. The overall run time for the method is about 6 min per sample injection. The method has low to sub-nanograms per milliliter sensitivity, linearity over 3 orders of magnitude, and precision and accuracy within 15%. The method was used to measure human urine samples. Results showed that people with known benzene exposure (daily cigarette smokers) had higher levels of tt-MA and PMA compared with non-smokers. The method is advantageous for high-throughput analysis of selected VOC metabolites in large-scale, population-based studies such as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Quantifying these urinary biomarkers is important to public health efforts to understand human exposure to VOCs from various sources, including tobacco products and electronic nicotine delivery systems.
Vascular Injuries in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background Vascular injuries associated with total knee arthroplasty can have limb and life-threatening consequences. The aims of this study were to conduct a meta-analysis of the overall rate of vascular injuries after total knee arthroplasty and to conduct a systematic review of specific major and minor vessel injuries. Methods All English-language literature published from January 1, 1998, to November 30, 2018, was queried in 4 unique databases using a common search term. This yielded 404 results, of which 270 were unique. Two reviewers then assessed studies for eligibility. All non-human studies, cadaver studies, studies describing only human images, and human studies with non-acute pathology were excluded. The final study included 10 large epidemiological studies and 68 case series or studies. Data from the literature were abstracted into a comma-separated database spreadsheet using Microsoft Excel. A meta-analysis was then performed. Pooled statistics were calculated with weighting by inverse variance assuming a random effect model. I was calculated as a quantifier of heterogeneity and interpreted according to the Cochrane manual. All data analysis was performed using R software. Results Among the 1,419,557 total knee arthroplasties reported in 10 studies, there were 767 major vascular injuries (0.05% [54 per 100,000 total knee arthroplasties]). Amputation or long-term neurological complications occurred in approximately 21% of patients after major vascular injury. Presentation after 24 hours occurred in 36% of cases. The most frequently injured vessels were the geniculate arteries, popliteal artery, superficial femoral artery, and anterior tibial artery. The injuries that were most likely to result in amputation were femoral artery occlusion, popliteal artery transection, and popliteal artery arteriovenous fistula. Conclusions Amputation and long-term neurological complications are common complications after a vascular injury associated with a total knee arthroplasty. Preoperative consultation with vascular surgery physicians may be a prudent approach before a surgical procedure for patients with known peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, or smoking; however, more data on risk factors are needed. Awareness by the surgical team and implementation of specific strategies during a surgical procedure such as gentle manipulation of the knee and careful retraction may further reduce the rate of injuries. Level of evidence Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Diagnosis of Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy

Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) continues to be an easily overlooked, life-threatening, yet treatable cause of heart failure. Furthermore, its elusive diagnosis leads to late or misdiagnosis. As therapeutic advancements such as tafamidis usher in a promising new era in the management of ATTR-CM, the need for disease awareness and efficient diagnostic evaluation is crucial. With newer inexpensive imaging modalities and techniques, such as longitudinal strain imaging, T1 mapping on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and cardiac scintigraphy, the diagnosis of ATTR-CM no longer requires invasive evaluation with tissue biopsy. Here, the authors review current diagnostic tools to help clinicians diagnose ATTR-CM.
Community interactions and sanitation use by the urban poor: Survey evidence from India’s slums:

While the current scholarship on open defecation overwhelmingly focuses on increasing access to sanitation facilities as the solution, millions of people around the world still practise open defeca...
Why do we want to talk?: Evolution of neural substrates of emotion and social cognition

Abstract Cognitive and emotional processes are now known to be intertwined and thus the limbic system that underlies emotions is important for human brain evolution, including the evolution of circuits supporting language. The neural substrates of limbic functions, like motivation, attention, inhibition, evaluation, detection of emotional stimuli and others have changed over time. Even though no new, added structures are present in the human brain compared to nonhuman primates, evolution tweaks existing structural systems with possible functional implications. Empirical comparative neuroanatomical evidence is presented here in support of such changes in the limbic system, including the amygdala and the orbitofrontal cortex. Given their possible functional significance, these alterations may further enable and enhance human interest and motivation to communicate beyond what is seen in other primates living in complex social groups. The argument here is that even though emotion processing is likely needed for increased social complexity independent of language, the reason why humans want to talk may be related in part to the enhancement of socioemotional processes resulting from the reorganization and rewiring of underlying neural systems some of which are interconnected to the language areas. Neurodevelopmental disorders in humans affecting both language and sociability fuel such arguments.
Topology-optimized Nanostructures for High-NA Lensing Optics

We demonstrate a large-scale computational approach, based on topology optimization, for designing high-NA large-area single-piece metalenses. We report on a variety of nanostructures with broadband and wide-angle functionalities.
Simultaneous Transmit and Receive with Shared-Aperture Arrays

An approach based on shared aperture antenna array is researched for simultaneous transmit and receive (STAR) applications. The proposed configuration is a $10\times 10$ antenna array of circularly-polarized (CP) elements with 50 elements, somewhat sparsely distributed, dedicated for Tx while the remaining elements dedicated for Rx. The high isolation is achieved between Tx and Rx elements at the expense of higher sidelobe levels, which is an inherent property of sparse antenna arrays. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed STAR configuration, numerical modelling is conducted using multilevel fast multipole method (MLFMM) solver in Altair FEKO.
E-cigarette use and concurrent risk behaviors among adolescents.

Abstract Purpose Although electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is on the rise among adolescents, its relationship with risk behaviors is unclear. This study aimed to examine whether e-cigarette use was related to other risk behaviors and whether age and sex play a role in those associations. Methods Data from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System was used. Weighted logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationships among variables of interest. Fundings The results showed that e-cigarette users, compared to nonusers, had higher odds of using other types of substances, as well as being involved in other risk behaviors including driving-related behaviors, sexual activity-related behaviors, and violence-related behaviors. Furthermore, some of these relationships are moderated by age and sex. Discussion Our findings suggest that e-cigarette use is linked to other risk behaviors among adolescents. Policy makers and educators should address multiple risk behaviors as part of comprehensive tobacco-free policies and youth substance use prevention programs.
Six factors that increase the activity of antibiotics in vivo

The traditional study of antibiotic activity in vitro obviously cannot incorporate all host factors that may increase or decrease the activity, which may be bacteriostatic and/or bactericidal. Some specific host factors which canincrease the activity of antibiotics, thus producing host-antibiotic synergy, are: 1) biotransformation of the administered antibiotic to a more active molecule, 2) pH of the infected focus, 3) elevated temperature of the host, 4) effect of heat labile serum factors on bacteria exposed to antibiotics, 5) effect of local tissue factors on antibacterial activity, and 6) effect of phagocytic cell son bacteria exposed to antibiotics. A seventh host factor, which increases the practical antibiotic effect, but not its actual activity, is concentrating mechanisms which are most conspicuous in the kidney and the liver. Conversely, host factors which maydecrease the activity of antibiotics in vivo are: 1) biotransformation (metabolism) of the antibiotic to less active forms, 2) pH of the infected focus, 3) binding to albumin or other serum or tissue components, 4) antagonism by local tissue components other than pH (e. g., bile, cations, osmolarity), 5) anaerobic conditions (low Eh), 6) nutritional factors on bacterial metabolism, 7) foreign body effect, and 8) barriers to drug entry into precise locus where bacteria dwell (e. g. abscess cavity, cerebrospinal fluid, intracellular location). These barriers do not change the actual activity of antibiotics — only their practical effects, by excluding them and thus lowering their concentrations. The same is true of a ninth factor, physiological mechanisms which remove antibiotic from systemic compartments, as in secretion of antibiotic by liver and kidney.
Microbiology, Histopathology, and Radiographic Findings in Silent Sinus Syndrome.

BackgroundThe histopathology and microbiology associated with silent sinus syndrome (SSS) have not been well described.ObjectiveThis study details the histopathological and microbiological characte...
النظام المصرفي الإسلامي الخالي من الفائدة : تحليل نظري (Islamic Interest-Free Banking: A Theoretical Analysis)

Arabic Abstract: في هذا البحث تحليل فني منهجي للخصائص الرئيسية للنظام المصرفي الإسلامي باستخدام الأدوات والمفاهيم الاقتصادية الحديثة، مع تقديم نموذج نظري لنظام مصرفي لا يسمح بسعر الفائدة، ويمكن اعتباره متسقا بوجه عام مع المبادئ الإسلامية. ولهذا البحث أربعة أهداف، أولها: إبراز إمكانية صياغة منطقية للنظام المصرفي الإسلامي حتى في إطار قواعد المدرسة الكلاسيكية الجديدة. وثانيها: التوضيح بأنه في الصياغة المنهجية، لا يبدو النموذج الذي يستند إليه هذا النظام غريبا تماما على التفكير الاقتصادي الحديث، بل إن صورا تشبهه قد ظهرت في كتابات اقتصاديين بارزين مثل: فيشر (1945)، وسايمونز (1948)، وفريدمان (1969). وثالثها: بيان أنه في ظل ظروف معينة قد يكون هذا النظام أكثر استقرارا نسبيا من النظام المصرفي التقليدي، المبني على سعر الفائدة، في مواجهة أنواع معينة من الصدمات. ورابعها: اقتراح كيفية تنفيذ النظام المصرفي الإسلامي على نحو يعظم المنفعة منه English Abstract: This paper presents essential features of an Islamic banking system that is interest-free and consistent with the rules of Shariah (Islamic Law). An analytical model is used, employing tools and concepts of modern economics. The purpose of the exercise is fourfold: first, to show that the Islamic banking system can be formulated in a neoclassical framework; second, to demonstrate that, when cast in this formal way, the model underlying Islamic banking is not totally alien to conventional economic thinking (indeed, it is pointed out that variants of such a system have appeared in the writings of a number of eminent economists, such as Fisher (1945), Simons (1948), and Friedman (1969); third, to argue that there may be circumstances in which an Islamic banking system would be relatively more stable than the traditional interest-based banking system in the face of certain types of shocks; finally, to propose how the Islamic banking system should be implemented so as to maximize its inherent benefits.
Designing Arbitrarily Large Metasurfaces using Inverse Mapping Technique

We introduce an inverse mapping technique to design efficient large-scale metasurfaces. A small metasurface is optimized using adjoint optimization, a design map is obtained using the optimization data and used for designing efficient large-scale metasurfaces.
Greedy Matching in Bipartite Random Graphs

This paper studies the performance of greedy matching algorithms on bipartite graphs G=(J,D,E). We focus primarily on three classical algorithms: RANDOM-EDGE, which sequentially selects random edge...
Proteomics of Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens

This chapter is intended to be a relatively brief overview of proteomic techniques currently in use for the identification and analysis of microorganisms with a special emphasis on foodborne pathogens. The chapter is organized as follows. First, proteomic techniques are introduced and discussed. Second, proteomic applications are presented specifically as they relate to the identification and qualitative/quantitative analysis of foodborne pathogens.
Cholesterol-lowering in hamsters fed rice bran at various levels, defatted rice bran and rice bran oil.

This study was conducted to determine the relative cholesterol-lowering effects of several levels of full-fat rice bran in hamsters. In addition, the separate effects of defatted rice bran and/or crude rice bran oil were investigated at levels equivalent to those present in 43.7% full-fat rice bran. Diets containing 10.9, 21.8, 32.8 or 43.7% full-fat rice bran, 35% defatted rice bran and/or 9% rice bran oil were fed to 4-wk-old male hamsters. All diets contained 10% total dietary fiber, 9% fat and 3.2% nitrogen; hypercholesterolemic diets contained 0.3% cholesterol; two diets were cholesterol-free, i.e., 10% cellulose and 43.7% full-fat rice bran. After 21 d, plasma and liver cholesterol, plasma triglycerides and liver weights were significantly greater in hamsters fed the 10% cellulose diet with 0.3% cholesterol compared with those fed the cholesterol-free cellulose diet. In animals fed cholesterol-free diets, plasma cholesterol values were significantly lower in those fed the 43.7% full-fat rice bran diet than in those fed the cellulose diet. In animals fed cholesterol-containing diets, plasma and liver cholesterol were significantly lower in animals fed the 43.7% full-fat rice bran diet than in those fed the cellulose diet. Plasma cholesterol reductions were significantly correlated to the level of rice bran in the diet. In cholesterol-fed hamsters, total liver cholesterol content was significantly lower in those fed the defatted rice bran diet with rice bran oil compared with those fed the cellulose diet. Full-fat rice bran was the only treatment that significantly lowered both plasma and liver cholesterol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Positive subjective measures in abuse liability studies and real-world nonmedical use: Potential impact of abuse-deterrent opioids on rates of nonmedical use and associated healthcare costs.

Objective: To quantify the potential impact of reductions in positive subjective measures from human abuse liability studies on real-world rates of nonmedical use of prescription drugs and associated healthcare resource utilization and costs. Design: Positive subjective endpoints “overall drug liking,” in-the-moment “drug liking,” and “drug high” E max s (peak effects) were recorded from published studies. Nonmedical use data were obtained from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and Drug Abuse Warning Network surveys. Multivariate regressions evaluated the association between the positive subjective endpoints and nonmedical use rates, controlling for prescription volume, whether the drug is an opioid, and controlled substance schedule. A published budget-impact model was used to assess healthcare resource utilization and cost impacts of abuse-deterrent opioid formulations. Results: A five-point reduction in overall drug liking/drug liking/drug high E max was associated with a 0.25/0.10/0.05 (standard errors: 0.11/0.12/0.07) percentage point decrease in the NSDUH lifetime nonmedical use rates. Those decreases yielded a 11.3/4.2/2.1 percent reduction compared to the samples’ lifetime nonmedical use rates of 2.21/2.38/2.36 percent. On the basis of a number of assumptions, these reductions were associated with private payer cost reductions for a morphine and oxycodone abuse-deterrent formulation in the ranges of $147.9-324.1 million and $230.7-958.7 million, respectively. Conclusions: Reductions in overall drug liking were significantly associated with reduced real-world nonmedical use, healthcare utilization, and costs. Associations using drug high and drug liking were directionally consistent with this finding though not statistically significant. A reduction in positive subjective measures associated with an abuse-deterrent formulation has potential to reduce abuse and associated healthcare utilization and costs.
The Liberationist Catholic Church in Brazil

Promised Land: Base Christian Communities and the Struggle for the Amazon. Madeleine Cousineau Adriance. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995. 202 pp. Women, Religion, and Social Change in Brazil's Popular Church. Carol Ann Drogus. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1997. 226 pp. Claiming the Virgin: The Broken Promise of Liberation Theology in Brazil. Robin Nagle. New York: Routledge, 1997. 224 pp. The Brazilian Popular Church and the Crisis of Modernity. Manuel A. Vasquez. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. 302 pp.