cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Julia Ivanova, director. Family Portrait in Black and White . 2011. 85 minutes. In Ukrainian and English, with English subtitles. Canada. Interfilm Productions. $24.99.

Julia Ivanova, director. Family Portrait in Black and White. 2011.85 minutes. In Ukrainian and English, with English subtitles. Canada. Interfilm Productions. $24.99.In rural Ukraine, Olga Nenya is a foster mother to twenty orphans, among them sixteen biracial children who were abandoned by their Caucasian mothers because they represented unacceptable relations with African students in a society where 99 percent of the population (according to the 2001 Census) is white. Left in orphanages, these mixed race kids would likely have remained unadopted. The film's opening features local neo-Nazis declaring that white people produce "imbeciles" when they mix with "subhumans" (namely, anybody who is not white) and bragging that the police let them beat up black people with impunity. One African student, describing the high level of racism to which Africans are subjected, says, "Living in Ukraine as an African is quite difficult. [Skinheads] want to harass you, anytime they see you. They see us as people who shouldn't be here."Hence, this is certainly not the ideal environment for these unwanted children. Yet because Ukraine is the only place they can call home, they simply do not have a choice. They live in a village, where their neighbors do not perceive them as "100 percent Ukrainians," though these orphans can only think of themselves as Ukrainians. Sometimes they even adopt the local racist views on Africa and Africans, as is the case with Sashka, aged fourteen. He is certainly the most patriotic one in the family. He willingly tells how much he loves his homeland, and how much he wants to live there. He even turns out to be just as prejudiced as ethnic Ukrainians, especially against Arabs and Africans. He refuses to talk to blacks on the streets, declaring, "What would I have in common with those niggers! Those foreigners come in [to our country] to sleep with our Ukrainian chicks!" Ironically, a couple of years later even Sashka admits that he is aware of the racism and is getting tired of it. He knows that people feel that he does not belong there, which is why he hopes to leave Ukraine when he turns eighteen.With Olga, too, it seems that the children have no choice, as she is the only one who volunteered to care for them. She took them in when they were just young toddlers, and raised them as the only mother the majority of them would ever know. Julia Ivanova followed this atypical family over the course of three years and offers a very interesting portrait of their improbable matriarch. Olga is presented at first as a positive, kindhearted person who sacrifices herself to provide a home for the children, whom she calls "precious diamonds. …
Understanding Culture Clashes and Catalyzing Change: A Culture Cycle Approach.

U.S. Americans repeatedly invoke the role of “culture” today as they struggle to make sense of their increasingly diverse and divided worlds. Given the demographic changes, cultural interactions and hybridizations, and shifting power dynamics that many U.S. Americans confront every day, we ask how psychological scientists can leverage insights from cultural psychology to shed light on these issues. We propose that the culture cycle—a tool that represents culture as a multilayered, interacting, dynamic system of ideas, institutions, interactions, and individuals—can be useful to researchers and practitioners by: (1) revealing and explaining the psychological dynamics that underlie today’s significant culture clashes and (2) identifying ways to change or improve cultural practices and institutions to foster a more inclusive, equal, and effective multicultural society.
Trends in Concurrent Orbital Floor Repair During Zygomaticomaxillary Complex Fracture Repair.

This retrospective cohort study examines the rates and outcomes of concomitant orbital floor fracture repair during zygomaticomaxillary complex fracture reduction.
Liftoff height and CH2O emissions from Jet-A and a surrogate fuel burning under MILD conditions

Abstract This communication conveys results from a study evaluating the liftoff height of flames burning jet-A and a surrogate fuel in MILD conditions. For some coflow conditions, the liftoff height of the surrogate fuel was higher than the jet fuel (i.e., 1300 K and 3% O2) while for other conditions the liftoff heights were statistically equivalent (i.e., 1500 K and 3% O2). Distributions of CH2O were measured using planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) to help further identify similarities and differences between the flames. Jet-A flames produced a broader region of CH2O for some conditions. Greater concentrations of CH2O agrees with liftoff height trends and results presented previously for small hydrocarbon fuels.
A U.S. population-based study of insurance disparities in cancer survival among adolescents and young adults.

Background Adolescents and young adults (AYA), patients age 15-39, may experience worse outcomes than pediatric and adult patients. The aim of this paper was to document survival disparities associated with insurance status across the AYA age continuum in the United States. Methods We utilized the Surveillance, Epidemiologic, and End Results database to identify 66 556 AYA patients between 2007 and 2014 with 10 International Classification of Childhood Cancer diagnoses and calculated the Cox proportional hazard ratios of death for those with public or no insurance status compared to private insurance. The odds ratios of having a late stage of diagnosis by insurance status were also calculated. Results Insurance status was a statistically significant predictor of death for lymphoid leukemia (age 15-19, 30-34, and 35-39), acute myeloid leukemia (age 15-19 and 25-29), Hodgkin lymphoma (all ages), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (age 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, and 35-39), astrocytomas (age 30-34), other gliomas (age 25-29, 30-34, and 35-39), hepatic carcinomas (age 25-29), fibrosarcomas, peripheral nerve and other fibrous tumors (age 30-34), malignant gonadal germ cell tumors (age 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, and 35-39), and other and unspecified carcinomas (age 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, and 35-39), independent of stage at diagnosis. This hazard increased with age for most cancer types. Insurance status strongly predicted the odds of a metastatic cancer diagnosis for lymphoma, fibrosarcomas (age 15-19), germ cell tumors, and other carcinomas. Conclusions AYA in the US experience disparities in cancer survival based on insurance status, independent of late stage of presentation. Patients age 26-39 may be especially vulnerable to health outcomes associated with poor socioeconomic status, treatment disparities, and poor access to care.
Acute Care Surgery Education in US Medical Schools: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature and Report of a Medical Student Experience.

OBJECTIVE There is currently little known about acute care surgery (ACS) education in US medical schools. The purpose of this paper was to systematically review the state of the literature describing ACS training at the medical school level and introduce an ACS education model provided to medical students at our institution. DESIGN We conducted a comprehensive literature review using the PubMed database to identify all articles related to ACS (trauma surgery, emergency general surgery, and surgical critical care) and undergraduate medical education. PARTICIPANTS A total of 376 articles were captured with our search strategy. The articles were reviewed for eligibility by 2 separate reviewers. RESULTS We identified 3 relevant articles for our literature review. All studies were performed at level 1 trauma centers. The duration of ACS rotations ranges from 1 to 4 weeks with variable night call schedules. While several curricular changes have improved student perceptions on ACS education, none of the studies have thoroughly evaluated the impact on students’ readiness or career choices for their postgraduate training. CONCLUSIONS The current lack of information on ACS education in medical school has left us with a need to better understand this area in order to improve students’ experience and exposure to the specialty. Future efforts should be placed on addressing current issues in ACS education and evaluating its impact on career choice of medical students.
Organized Leadership: From Crisis to Hope Hope Theory

A crisis is an event that forces unplanned organizational change because of loss or the perception of loss. Luke 6:46–49 provides an example of a crisis with the parable of the two builders and a flood. The second builder in the parable could survive and recover from this crisis with the correct application of Hope Theory and Appreciative Inquiry. The use of these two similar theories can accomplish this recovery by discovering their strengths, dream of creating new goals, and understand why these dreams are vital. The next step would be to design a plan to accomplish these goals and implement them. This path from Crisis to Hope can result in a new and stronger beginning for all by using this innovative process.
1,1'-Biaceanthrylene and 2,2'-Biaceanthrylene: Models for Linking Larger Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons via Five-Membered Rings.

We show that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) chromophores that are linked between two five-membered rings can access planarized structures with reduced optical gaps and redox potentials. Two ...
Mindfulness Interventions for Latinx Immigrant Couples: Contextual and Cultural Considerations

As Latinx are the largest minority and immigrant population in the United States, therapists are increasingly likely to work with this population. The high rates of psychological distress that Lati...
Maize farmer preferences for intercropping systems to reduce Striga in Malawi

In southern Africa the repeated cultivation of maize (Zea mays) and climate variability (especially frequent and extended droughts) have created conditions favouring parasitic weed infestation (e.g., Striga asiatica). In the past decade, Striga has reduced maize yields for smallholder farmers (cultivating less than two hectares), not only in southern Africa, but across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Parasitism of maize by Striga leads to significant grain yield losses. Intercropping legumes within maize-based systems has been shown to decrease Striga infestation and improve food security. Before cultivating these cropping systems, farmers consider different attributes associated with them (e.g., efforts or cost of inputs). Understanding farmers’ preferences for these attributes generates insights as how to increase adoption of intercropping as a Striga control practice. We use discrete choice experiments to identify the trade-offs which Malawian farmers are willing to accept among the attributes of choice scenarios for Striga control practices. Results indicate that farmers are willing (and in some cases unwilling) to sacrifice different fractions of maize yield for suppression of Striga, labour intensity, soil fertility and intercropped legume yield. Male and female farmers have heterogeneous preferences for these attributes. These findings have significant implications for Striga management and its effect on a crop that sustains the livelihoods of more than 80% of Malawians.
Area from image analyses accurately estimates dry-weight biomass of juvenile moss tissue

Mosses have long served as models for studying many areas of plant biology. Investigators have used two-dimensional measurements of juvenile growth from photographs as a surrogate for dry-weight biomass. The relationship between area and biomass, however, has not been critically evaluated. Here we grew axenic tissue cultures of ten Ceratodon purpureus isolates to study the relationship between these parameters. We measured area and biomass on replicate cultures with two distinct starting inoculum sizes each week for three weeks and examined the correlation between area and biomass as well as the influence of variation in inoculum size on both parameters. We found a strong correlation between area and biomass after two weeks of growth. Furthermore, we found inoculum size affected biomass during the first week of growth but not subsequent weeks and inoculum size had no detectible effect on area. These analyses provide experimental confirmation that area is a suitable proxy for biomass and provide clear guidelines for when inoculum size variation may affect downstream growth estimates.
Curving the resource curse: Negative effects of oil and gas revenue on nonviolent resistance campaign onset:

There is growing consensus that large oil and gas revenues in autocracies have multiple pernicious effects, from decreasing democratization to increasing armed conflict: the so-called “resource cur...
Activation of DNA-PK by hairpinned DNA ends reveals a stepwise mechanism of kinase activation.

As its name implies, the DNA dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) requires DNA double-stranded ends for enzymatic activation. Here, I demonstrate that hairpinned DNA ends are ineffective for activating the kinase toward many of its well-studied substrates (p53, XRCC4, XLF, HSP90). However, hairpinned DNA ends robustly stimulate certain DNA-PK autophosphorylations. Specifically, autophosphorylation sites within the ABCDE cluster are robustly phosphorylated when DNA-PK is activated by hairpinned DNA ends. Of note, phosphorylation of the ABCDE sites is requisite for activation of the Artemis nuclease that associates with DNA-PK to mediate hairpin opening. This finding suggests a multi-step mechanism of kinase activation. Finally, I find that all non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) defective cells (whether deficient in components of the DNA-PK complex or components of the ligase complex) are similarly deficient in joining DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) with hairpinned termini.
Channel Incentives in Sharing New Product Demand Information and Robust Contracts

Demand for a new product is often highly uncertain. As the developer of a new product, the manufacturer may reduce the uncertainty of the product’s demand through observing progress in his product development process or receiving demand signals directly from customers. This paper first shows that a centralized channel always benefits from improved demand information. Yet, to realize this benefit in a decentralized manufacturer–retailer channel, the manufacturer needs to disclose his private demand information to the retailer. We show that the manufacturer’s incentive to share his improved demand information depends on the supply contract signed with the retailer. Furthermore, mandating the manufacturer to disclose his improved demand information can actually reduce the total channel profit. We provide managerial insights by analyzing three widely used contract forms. We investigate whether these contracts are robust under an unanticipated demand information update observed by the manufacturer. We show that the quantity flexibility contract with a high return rate is not robust. The buyback contract, however, is robust and always achieves information sharing while preserving channel performance.
Sequential Left Abstract Fractional Landau Inequalities

We present uniform and \(L_{p}\) left Caputo–Bochner abstract sequential fractional Landau inequalities over \(\mathbb {R}_{+}\). These estimate the size of second and third iterated left abstract fractional derivatives of a Banach space valued function over \(\mathbb {R}_{+}\). We give an application when the basic fractional order is \(\frac{1}{2}.\) It follows [5].
Assessing the Prognostic Significance of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Patients With Melanoma Using Pathologic Features Identified by Natural Language Processing.

Importance Although tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are an important histopathologic characteristic reflecting host immune response in patients with melanoma, their prognostic value remains controversial. Because manual review of medical records is labor intensive, a survival analysis using a large patient cohort with comprehensive clinical and histopathologic characteristics is lacking. Objective To assess the prognostic significance of TILs among patients with cutaneous melanoma using a large cohort established through natural language processing (NLP) algorithms. Design, setting, and participants This retrospective cohort study analyzed the medical records of 14 436 patients with cutaneous melanoma at Brigham and Women's Hospital between June 1, 2004, and December 31, 2019. Patients were followed up to death or censored at their last clinical visit. Main outcome and measures The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). Survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier curves, the log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Results A total of 14 436 patients with cutaneous melanoma were identified in the institution's pathology information system. Using NLP, we established a study cohort of 2624 patients (1462 men [55.7%]; median age, 61 years [interquartile range, 50-72 years]) who had vertical growth phase melanoma with TIL status scored. Absent TILs were identified in 434 patients (16.5%), nonbrisk TILs in 1916 patients (73.0%), and brisk TILs in 274 patients (10.4%). The 5-year survival rate was 71.0% (95% CI, 65.5%-76.9%) among patients with an absence of TILs, 73.8% (95% CI, 71.1%-76.5%) among patients with nonbrisk TILs, and 85.2% (95% CI, 80.0%-90.7%) among patients with brisk TILs. Brisk TILs were significantly associated with improved OS (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.42-0.95; P = .03; 14.2% OS advantage at 5 years), and nonbrisk TILs were not associated with improved OS (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.68-1.11; P = .25), compared with the absence of TILs. Conclusions and relevance This study provides evidence based on a large patient cohort from a single institution that suggests that brisk TILs represent an independent prognostic factor for OS among patients with primary cutaneous melanoma. The study also suggests that NLP is a highly efficient tool to facilitate large-scale analyses that involve free-text clinical data.
Acute Ischemic Stroke Interventions in the United States and Racial, Socioeconomic, and Geographic Disparities.

Background and objectives In ischemic stroke (IS) patients, intravenous alteplase (tPA) and endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) reduce long-term disability, but their utilization has not been fully optimized. Prior research has also demonstrated disparities in the use of tPA and EVT specific to sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location. We sought to determine the utilization of tPA and EVT in the United States from 2016-18 and if disparities in utilization persist. Methods This is a retrospective, longitudinal analysis of the 2016-18 National Inpatient Sample.We included adult patients who had a primary discharge diagnosis of IS. The primary study outcomes were the proportions who received tPA or EVT. We fit a multivariate logistic regression model to our outcomes in the full cohort and also in the subset of patients who had an available baseline NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Results The full cohort after weighting included 1,439,295 IS patients. The proportion who received tPA increased from 8.8% in 2016 to 10.2% in 2018 (p $64,000, the odds ratio of receiving tPA was 0.81 (95% CI 0.78-0.85) and for having EVT was 0.84 (95% CI 0.77-0.91). Comparing patients living in a rural area to a large metro area, the odds ratio of receiving tPA was 0.48 (95% CI 0.44-0.52) and for having EVT was 0.92 (95% CI 0.81-1.05). These associations were largely maintained after adjustment for NIHSS, although the effect size changed for many of them. Contrary to prior reports with older datasets, sex was not consistently associated with tPA or EVT. Conclusion Utilization of tPA and EVT for IS in the United States increased from 2016 to 2018. Still, there are racial, socioeconomic, and geographic disparities in the accessibility of tPA and EVT for IS patients with important public health implications that require further study.
Linking individual differences in human V1 to perception around the visual field

A central question in neuroscience is how the organization of cortical maps relates to perception, for which human primary visual cortex (V1) is an ideal model system. V1 nonuniformly samples the retinal image, with greater cortical magnification (surface area per degree of visual field) at the fovea than periphery, and at the horizontal than vertical meridian. Moreover, the size and organization of V1 differs greatly across individuals. Here, we used fMRI and psychophysics in the same individuals to quantify individual differences in V1 cortical magnification and perceptual contrast sensitivity at the four polar angle meridians. Across individuals, the overall size of V1 and localized cortical magnification both positively correlated with contrast sensitivity. Moreover, increases in cortical magnification and contrast sensitivity at the horizontal compared to the vertical meridian were strongly correlated. These data reveal a tight link between cortical anatomy and visual perception at the level of individual observer and stimulus location.
Tax Consequences of Postpetition Income as Property of the Estate in an Individual Debtor Chapter 11 Case and Tax Disclosure in Chapter 11

In this article the authors discuss the tax consequences and ramifications of two changes to the Bankruptcy Code ("B.C.") made by the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 ("2005 Act"). One of the changes made by the 2005 Act is the addition of new B.C. Section 1115. B.C. Section 1115(a)(2) provides that during the pendency of a case in chapter 11, all earnings from services performed by a debtor who is an individual belong to the bankruptcy estate. As a result, the authors argue that Section 1398 of the Internal Revenue Code ("I.R.C.") which treats an individual and his/her bankruptcy estate as separate taxpayers is no longer symmetrical with the Bankruptcy Code and should be changed. Failure to change I.R.C. Section 1398 will also result in imposing substantial administrative burdens on the IRS. Another change made by the 2005 Act is the amendment of B.C. Section 1125(a)(1) to provide that adequate information in a chapter 11 disclosure statement requires the discussion of the material federal tax consequences of the plan. The authors argue that this change should not be interpreted to dispense with the need for discussion of state and local tax consequences of the plan in disclosure statements. The authors also point out that it is likely that the tax discussion in chapter 11 disclosure statements are now subject to the recently strengthened requirements of Treasury Department Circular 230.
“Healing a Hurting Heart”: FEMRITE’s Use of Narrative and Community as Catalysts for Traumatic Healing

Author(s): Stratford, Candice Taylor | Abstract: In 1996, a group of notable Ugandan women writers created FEMRITE, the Ugandan Women Writers Association. Over the last twenty years, it has become an essential element of Ugandan literary society, the largest and most successful women’s writing group in East Africa, and one of the most influential literary communities on the African continent. Because of cultural and political violence in the region, a large proportion of FEMRITE’s writings reflect various forms of trauma. This calls for engagement with trauma theories. I argue that through strategies of narrative recuperation and the establishment of communities, FEMRITE has created avenues for women writers, their subjects, and their readers to engender healing from trauma. After discussing FEMRITE’s social programs, such as interviewing war refugees or AIDS victims, I analyze two texts by FEMRITE author Beatrice Lamwaka to demonstrate the manifestations of trauma in her stories and the ways they are narrated, as well as the way Lamwaka uses narrative and community to work through her own personal trauma. Through an analysis of its organizations and publications, I show that FEMRITE offers a uniquely optimistic and socially persuasive approach to trauma and healing.
Banks and Brokers and Bricks and Clicks: An Evaluation of FINRA’s Proposal to Modify the 'Bank Broker-Dealer Rule'

This article evaluates the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s (FINRA) proposal to adopt a modified version of NASD Rule 2350, known as the “bank broker-dealer rule,” which, if approved by the SEC, would be designated as FINRA Rule 3160 within FINRA’s Consolidated Rulebook (the proposed rule change). The proposed rule change ostensibly seeks to prevent FINRA member firms, who offer broker-dealer products and services through contractual “networking arrangements” with financial institutions – both on and off the premises of those institutions – from undertaking certain business practices that might tend to confuse or harm financial institution customers. The proposed rule change also aims to prevent customer confusion by, inter alia, ensuring that certain disclosures are made to affected customers so they can understand and appreciate the distinction(s) between the financial institution’s products and services and those sold by the broker-dealer affiliate.
Chapter 67 Linking the Theory with the Data: That is the Core Problem of International Economics

Abstract The greatest problem for empirical analysis is how best to allow the context to affect the inferences. Econometric theory presupposes contextual “restrictions” that can be taken as given or assigned a probability distribution. These contextual inputs are rarely available. I illustrate this point with a review of the empirical work in international economics which has focused not on properties of estimators but instead how best to link the theory with the data. I argue that the two errors we should worry about are not rejecting a true null or accepting a false null but rather taking the theory too seriously and not taking the theory seriously enough.
Living Arrangements and Household Compositions of Elderly Couples and Singles: A Comparison of Hispanics and Blacks

Abstract Based on the 1989 and 1990 interview waves of the Panel Studies of Income Dynamics, this study compares living arrangements and household compositions of Hispanics and blacks aged 60 or older. As compared to black elderly couples, Hispanic elderly couples were more likely to head a household containing relatives. But black elderly couples were more likely than Hispanic elderly couples to head households containing grandchildren only. As compared to black elderly singles, Hispanic elderly singles were more likely to live as dependents in someone else's household. The effects of affordability, as measured by income, and health status on living arrangements varied among groups. For Hispanic elderly, immigrant status was a significant determinant of living arrangement for both couples and singles, but national origin was significant only for singles.
Integration of nitrogen cycle dynamics into the Integrated Science Assessment Model for the study of terrestrial ecosystem responses to global change

[1] A comprehensive model of terrestrial N dynamics has been developed and coupled with the geographically explicit terrestrial C cycle component of the Integrated Science Assessment Model (ISAM). The coupled C-N cycle model represents all the major processes in the N cycle and all major interactions between C and N that affect plant productivity and soil and litter decomposition. Observations from the LIDET data set were compiled for calibration and evaluation of the decomposition submodel within ISAM. For aboveground decomposition, the calibration is accomplished by optimizing parameters related to four processes: the partitioning of leaf litter between metabolic and structural material, the effect of lignin on decomposition, the climate control on decomposition and N mineralization and immobilization. For belowground decomposition, the calibrated processes include the partitioning of root litter between decomposable and resistant material as a function of litter quality, N mineralization and immobilization. The calibrated model successfully captured both the C and N dynamics during decomposition for all major biomes and a wide range of climate conditions. Model results show that net N immobilization and mineralization during litter decomposition are dominantly controlled by initial N concentration of litter and the mass remaining during decomposition. The highest and lowest soil organic N storage are in tundra (1.24 Kg N m−2) and desert soil (0.06 Kg N m−2). The vegetation N storage is highest in tropical forests (0.5 Kg N m−2), and lowest in tundra and desert (<0.03 Kg N m−2). N uptake by vegetation is highest in warm and moist regions, and lowest in cold and dry regions. Higher rates of N leaching are found in tropical regions and subtropical regions where soil moisture is higher. The global patterns of vegetation and soil N, N uptake and N leaching estimated with ISAM are consistent with measurements and previous modeling studies. This gives us confidence that ISAM framework can predict plant N availability and subsequent plant productivity at regional and global scales and furthermore how they can be affected by factors that alter the rate of decomposition, such as increasing atmospheric [CO2], climate changes, litter quality, soil microbial activity and/or increased N.
Observation of incompressibility at ν = 4 / 11 and ν = 5 / 13

The region of filling factors $1/3l\ensuremath{\nu}l2/5$ is predicted to support new types of fractional quantum Hall states with topological order different from that of the Laughlin-Jain or the Moore-Read states. Incompressibility is a necessary condition for the formation of such novel topological states. We find that at 6.9 mK incompressibility develops only at $\ensuremath{\nu}=4/11$ and $5/13$, while the states at $\ensuremath{\nu}=6/17$ and $3/8$ remain compressible. Our observations at $\ensuremath{\nu}=4/11$ and $5/13$ are first steps towards understanding emergent topological order in these fractional quantum Hall states.
Inelastic Behavior of Randomly Reinforced Polymeric Composites under Cyclic Loading

This study examines the development of damage in randomly reinforced polymeric composite materials. The material under consideration was made in a structural reaction injection molding process (SRIM) involving a continuous strand swirl mat of E-glass fibers and a urethane matrix. Theobjective of this work is to establish a predictive deformation model based on principles of viscoelasticity, damage mechanics and plasticity which maybe experimentally verified. Tests involving creep above a threshold stress level and recovery after load removal showed evidence of damage that was uniformly distributed throughout the coupon in the form of multitudes of matrix micro-cracks. Previous studies have shown that the material possesses a void content of about 5% and exhibits material property scatter of about 20%. The effects of damage could be assessed only when the scatter was separated by normalizing the data with individual coupon stiffness. Damage was measured through an increase in compliance and resulted in a permanent strain after load removel. The current study involves repeated loading. Compliance has been observed to increase with load cycle, while the permanent strain remains small and is neglected.Damage, as a function of load cycle, is incorporated into the non-linear viscoelastic model developed previously for creep/recovery response.Comparisons of the predictive model with experimental data are presented and show good agreement.
Optical Microscopy in Forensic Science

The microscope maintains a prominent position as an important tool for examination of trace amounts of evidence. The microscope is used by forensic scientists to locate, isolate, identify, and compare samples. Because of its low magnification, wide field of view, large working distance, and stereoscopic vision, the stereomicroscope is used for preliminary evidence evaluations. It also allows for comparative examinations for evidence such as paint, physical matches, questioned documents, and impression evidence. While the main advantage of the polarizing light microscope (PLM) is its use in the identification of samples, it is also used for comparison. The PLM offers higher magnification and provides information on the morphological, optical, chemical, and physical properties of the sample. Morphological properties are often used to identify and compare fibrous evidence such as human and animal hair as well as man-made and natural fibers. Optical properties such as refractive index, birefringence, pleochroism, and interference figures are combined with morphological properties to compare and identify forensic samples. Particle identification and microcrystalline testing can be used to determine the chemical properties of various types of evidence. Finally, physical properties such as color, solubility, melting point, and boiling points can also be used to identify and compare forensic samples. Keywords: stereomicroscope; polarizing light microscope; physical match; paint; impression evidence; drug; questioned document; glass; fiber; soil; hair; birefringence; refractive index; anisotropic; isotropic
Enacted Legislative Findings and the Deference Problem

The constitutionality of federal legislation sometimes turns on the presence and sufficiency of Congressional findings of predicate facts, such as the effects of conduct on interstate commerce, state discrimination justifying the abrogation of sovereign immunity, or market failures justifying intrusions on free speech. Sometimes a Congressional committee makes these findings in legislative history. Other times, Congress recites its findings in a statutory preamble, thus enacting its findings as law. Surprisingly, the Supreme Court has not distinguished between enacted and unenacted findings in deciding how much deference to accord Congressional findings. This is striking because the difference between enactedness and unenactedness is so vigorously contested on questions of statutory interpretation, with textualists objecting to any reliance on legislative history and even purposivists conceding some risks. Both formal and functional considerations suggest that the enactedness line should be significant for constitutional questions as well. This is not because Congress has some comparative advantage in finding legislative facts more reliably than other governmental institutions, which is pervasively assumed but unrealistic. Rather, Congress’s strongest claim for judicial deference is that legislative findings are highly normative and hence squarely within the legislative power. Recognizing this characteristic of modern factfinding clarifies and strengthens the claim for deference — but only as to findings satisfying the constitutional requirements of bicameralism and presentment.
A study of domino-parity and k -parity constraints for the TSP

Letchford (2000) introduced the domino-parity inequalities for the symmetric traveling salesman problem and showed that if the support graph of an LP solution is planar, then the separation problem can be solved in polynomial time. We generalize domino-parity inequalities to multi-handled configurations, introducing a superclass of bipartition and star inequalities. Also, we generalize Letchford's algorithm, proving that for a fixed integer k, one can separate a superclass of k-handled clique-tree inequalities satisfying certain connectivity characteristics with respect to the planar support graph. We describe an implementation of Letchford's algorithm including pruning methods to restrict the search for dominoes, a parallelization of the main domino-building step, heuristics to obtain planar-support graphs, a safe-shrinking routine, a random-walk heuristic to extract additional violated constraints, and a tightening procedure to allow us to modify existing inequalities as the LP solution changes. We report computational results showing the strength of the new routines, including the optimal solution of the TSPLIB instance pla33810.
Carrier quenching in InGaP/GaAs double heterostructures

Photoluminescence measurements on a series of GaAs double heterostructures demonstrate a rapid quenching of carriers in the GaAs layer at irradiance levels below 0.1 W/cm2 in samples with a GaAs-on-InGaP interface. These results indicate the existence of non-radiative defect centers at or near the GaAs-on-InGaP interface, consistent with previous reports showing the intermixing of In and P when free As impinges on the InGaP surface during growth. At low irradiance, these defect centers can lead to sub-ns carrier lifetimes. The defect centers involved in the rapid carrier quenching can be saturated at higher irradiance levels and allow carrier lifetimes to reach hundreds of nanoseconds. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a nearly three orders of magnitude decrease in carrier lifetime at low irradiance in a simple double heterostructure. Carrier quenching occurs at irradiance levels near the integrated Air Mass Zero (AM0) and Air Mass 1.5 (AM1.5) solar irradiance. Additionally, a lower energy pho...
Perceptions of pharmaceutical care among pharmacists offering compounding services

Abstract Objectives: To identify and describe pharmaceutical care practices implemented by independent community pharmacists who provide compounding services. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Independent community pharmacies in Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa in July 2006. Participants: 12 independent community pharmacists with compounding practices. Interventions: Semistructured telephone interviews. Main outcome measures: Response themes describing pharmaceutical care in compounding practices. Results: Most participants described having a closer relationship with patients receiving compounded preparations than with patients receiving only manufactured products. Higher compounded prescription volume was associated with a higher level of pharmaceutical care services for patients receiving compounded preparations. Patient health and prescription records, the nature and duration of patient counseling, and interaction with physicians differed depending on the type of preparation (compounded or manufactured) provided. Conclusion Community pharmacists provided descriptions of pharmaceutical care and their satisfaction with patient and pharmacist relationships in the context of providing compounded preparations. Pharmacists, especially those providing compounded hormone replacement therapy, developed a hybrid clinical-community practice.
Mycobacteria-Induced Suppression of Autoimmunity in the Central Nervous System

Mycobacterial suppression of central nervous system (CNS) autoimmunity has been demonstrated in various experimental models, epidemiological studies, and clinical trials. Recent studies have led to an increased understanding of the cellular and molecular interactions involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases and of mycobacterial immunity. Here, we review some of the mechanisms by which mycobacterial infection might modulate the clinical course of CNS autoimmunity. A more complete understanding of these mechanisms may lead to the development of novel immunotherapeutic tools for treating autoimmune diseases.
Analytic study of the influence of capillary pressure drop and permeability on glomerular ultrafiltration.

Abstract A mathematical model has been developed to study the influence of the axial intraluminal pressure drop and the capillary wall permeability on glomerular ultrafiltration. This analysis uses a slightly modified model proposed by Huss, Marsh, and Kalaba [(1975) Ann. Biomed. Eng. 3, 72–99] and studies the behavior of a typical glomerular capillary. The governing equations for the axial and radial transport of fluid have been derived, the latter based on Starling's hypothesis. The solution of the final nonlinear second-order differential equation provides predictions of the axial blood flow, the hydrostatic pressure, the plasma protein concentration, and the filtration rate along the capillary. An important result of this analysis is that, as the axial blood volume flow is increased, the total filtration rate approaches a maximum. This result is supported by previous experimental work of Brenner and his co-workers [(1972) Amer. J. Physiol. 223, 1178–1200]. The general formulation of the present analysis also provides appropriate means to study transcapillary fluid exchange in tissues other than the kidney.
NF-κB Serves as a Cellular Sensor of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Latency and Negatively Regulates K-Rta by Antagonizing the RBP-Jκ Coactivator

Successful viral replication is dependent on a conducive cellular environment; thus, viruses must be sensitive to the state of their host cells. We examined the idea that an interplay between viral and cellular regulatory factors determines the switch from Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) latency to lytic replication. The immediate-early gene product K-Rta is the first viral protein expressed and an essential factor in reactivation; accordingly, this viral protein is in a key position to serve as a viral sensor of cellular physiology. Our approach aimed to define a host transcription factor, i.e., host sensor, which modulates K-Rta activity on viral promoters. To this end, we developed a panel of reporter plasmids containing all 83 putative viral promoters for a comprehensive survey of the response to both K-Rta and cellular transcription factors. Interestingly, members of the NF-kappaB family were shown to be strong negative regulators of K-Rta transactivation for all but two viral promoters (Ori-RNA and K12). Recruitment of K-Rta to the ORF57 and K-bZIP promoters, but not the K12 promoter, was significantly impaired when NF-kappaB expression was induced. Many K-Rta-responsive promoters modulated by NF-kappaB contain the sequence of the RBP-Jkappa binding site, a major coactivator which anchors K-Rta to target promoters via consensus motifs which overlap with that of NF-kappaB. Gel shift assays demonstrated that NF-kappaB inhibits the binding of RBP-Jkappa and forms a complex with RBP-Jkappa. Our results support a model in which a balance between K-Rta/RBP-Jkappa and NF-kappaB activities determines KSHV reactivation. An important feature of this model is that the interplay between RBP-Jkappa and NF-kappaB on viral promoters controls viral gene expression mediated by K-Rta.
Identifying Recipients at High Risk for Graft Failure After Heart Retransplantation

Background The aim of this study was to identify recipient factors that are associated with a high risk of graft failure after heart retransplantation (HRT). Methods The prospectively collected United Network for Organ Sharing registry was used to identify patients undergoing HRT among 24,477 patients who had undergone cardiac transplantation between 1997 and 2009. The primary outcome was graft failure within 1 year of HRT. The impact of 35 recipient variables on the primary outcome was tested in exploratory univariate logistic regression analysis. Those factors found to be significantly associated with graft failure were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model. Results A total of 671 patients underwent HRT during the study period. Overall, 302 (45%) grafts failed after HRT at a mean follow-up of 4.3 ± 3.7 years. Three recipient factors were found to be associated with 1-year graft failure in the multivariate model: older age, increasing serum creatinine, and mechanical ventilation before HRT. Moreover, each decade increase in recipient age was associated with a 20% increase in odds of 1-year graft failure (odds ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 1.04; p = 0.005). Similarly, each 1-mg/dL increase in serum creatinine increased odds of graft failure by 58% (odds ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.27 to 1.97; p p Conclusions The risk of graft failure after HRT increases with an increasing number of significant recipient risk factors, namely older age, increasing serum creatinine, and mechanical ventilation. These risk factors should serve as relative contraindications to HRT, especially when present in combination, given the higher rate of graft failure in these patients.
Failure of global convergence for a class of interior point methods for nonlinear programming

Using a simple analytical example, we demonstrate that a class of interior point methods for general nonlinear programming, including some current methods, is not globally convergent. It is shown that those algorithms produce limit points that are neither feasible nor stationary points of some measure of the constraint violation, when applied to a well-posed problem.
Comparison of results of a pilot study of alternating vincristine/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide and etoposide/ifosfamide with IRS-IV in intermediate risk rhabdomyosarcoma: a report from the Children's Oncology Group.

Background. Over 50% of patients with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) have intermediate risk disease, with a 3-year failure-free survival (FFS) of 50%–70% depending on histology. Doxorubicin is active against RMS, but its role in improving outcome remains controversial. Ifosfamide is as active as cyclophosphamide in RMS, with the Fourth Intergroup RMS Study (IRS-IV) showing equivalent outcomes for patients treated with ifosfamide for the first 28 weeks compared to cyclophosphamide. Treatment with alternating cycles of non-cross-resistant chemotherapy has been used in a number of diseases with good results. Procedure. The results of a pilot study utilizing alternating courses of vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide/ifosfamide (VDC/IE) were compared for outcome and patient characteristics to a group of similar matched patients treated on IRS-IV. Results. The 5-year FFS for patients with parameningeal (PM) primaries on IRS-IV and the VDC/IE study were 72% and 82%, respectively (P ¼ 0.26); for patients with non-PM primaries, the estimated risk of failure for VDC/IE study versus IRS-IV was 0.54. Combining all disease sites and performing analysis for relative risk of failure for 46 VDC/IE patients and 342 IRS-IV patients, the relative risk of failure for the VDC/IE study compared to the IRS-IV study is 0.5 (P ¼ 0.06). Conclusions. VDC/IE is as effective therapy for intermediate risk RMS as IRS-IV therapy. It is being explored along with irinotecan in relapsed patients and newly diagnosed high-risk patients. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;50:33–36. 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence of human ribosomal protein L18.

Abstract Ribosomal protein L18 mRNA is overexpressed in human colorectal cancer compared to normal colon tissue. We report the nucleotide sequence of human L18 cDNA derived from a normal colon source. There were no mutational changes in segments of L18 cDNA derived from two tumor sources. The L18 cDNA was 690 base pairs long and predicts a single open reading frame of 564 nucleotides, encoding 188 amino acids with a Mr = 21621, it is homologous to rat L18 and Xenopus laevis L14.
Local energy decay for the wave equation on the exterior of two balls or convex bodies

An algebraic rate of decay of local energy, nonuniform with respect to the initial data, is established for solutions of the Dirichlet and Neumann problems for the scalar wave equation defined on the exterior Vℝ3 of two balls or of two convex bodies. That is, for given initial data f(x)=u(x), 0 and g(x)= ut(x, 0), if u solves utt in V with either u(x, t)=0 or un(x,t)+σ(x) u(x,t,)-0 (σ(x)≧0) on ∂V, then there exists a constant T0, depending upon (f, g), such that the local energy (the energy in any compact set) of u at t=T is bounded from above by QE(0)T−1 for T≧T0, where E(0) is the total initial energy of u and Q is a positive constant, independent of u, that depends upon ∂V.