cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BP-neural network based-characterization of electrographic magnetohydrodynamic signals in MR

Electrocardiographs (ECG) signal collected during magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is affected by signal artifact because magnetic fields produce competing signals, from moving conductors in the large vessels. That is called the magnetohydrodynamic effect, which makes it difficult to recognize ST-T changes from ECG signal collected in a magnetic field (MRI). Resolving that problem is important both for accurate triggering (elimination of false triggers from tall peaked T waves) and for monitoring (identifying if or when patient develops ischemia or myocardial injury). This work describes an algorithm based on neural network that is designed to cancel this artifact for ECG signal acquired during MR imaging.
Analyse und Korrektur des geometrischen und thermischen Einflusses auf Einspritzratenmessungen bei Einsatz eines leitungsbasierten Messsystems

Emissionen und Verbrauch von Diesel Verbrennungsmotoren mit Direkteinspritzung werden stark vom Mischungsvorgang zwischen Luft und Kraftstoff wahrend des Einspritzvorgangs beeinflusst. Der zeitliche Einspritzverlauf ist dabei ein Haupteinflussfaktor auf die zu erwartende Mischungsqualitat und muss fur eine optimale Verbrennungsentwicklung bekannt sein. Ubliche Einspritzdauern im Bereich von wenigen Millisekunden erschweren eine direkte zeitlich hochauflosende Vermessung der Massen- beziehungsweise Volumenstromrate. In den letzten Jahrzehnten sind daher verschiedene indirekte Messverfahren entwickelt worden, die auf Basis von induzierten Duckanderungen in geschlossenen Kammern oder Leitungssystemen auf die gesuchte Einspritzrate schlussfolgern. Bei Verwendung einer mit Kraftstoff gefullten Messleitung wird durch den Einspritzvorgang eine Druckwelle entlang der Leitungsachse induziert, welche am Anfang der Leitung gemessen wird (Bild 1) [4,1]. Im theoretischen Idealfall korreliert die gemessene Druckanderung direkt mit der Einspritzrate, wobei sich in realen Anwendungen Umrechnungsfehler durch variable Geometrien und Temperaturen sowie Reibungseffekte innerhalb der Messsysteme ergeben. Zur Analyse der verschiedenen Einflussfaktoren wird ein vorhandenes Messgerat mit einem Heizsystem sowie zusatzlichen Druck und Temperaturmessstellen ausgestattet und gleichzeitig mittels eines 1D Simulationsmodells abgebildet. Auf Basis der Messund Simulationsergebnisse wird ein Verfahren zur Korrektur von Druckmessung entwickelt, welches eine realistische Ruckrechnung des Ratenverlaufs ermoglicht.
Health-Needs Assessment for West African Immigrants in Greater Providence, RI.

African immigrants in the United States may experience barriers to health-care access and effectiveness. This mixed-methods study used paper-based surveys of people (N=101) in the target population from Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia, recruited through convenience and snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 3 clergy members who pastor churches with large Nigerian, Ghanaian, and Liberian populations, respectively; and five physicians and a clinical pharmacist who serve African immigrants. Results Length of stay in the United States was associated with the health status of refugee children. Undocumented immigration status was associated with lack of health insurance. Cardiovascular diseases, uterine fibroids and stress-related disorders were the most prevalent reported conditions. Regardless of English fluency, many immigrants are unfamiliar with medical terminology. Conclusion African immigrants in the state of Rhode Island need more health education and resources to navigate the US health-care system. [Full article available at http://rimed.org/rimedicaljournal-2017-01.asp].
Clostridium: Clostridium acetobutylicum

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by Hanno Biebl, volume 1, pp 445–451, © 1999, Elsevier Ltd.
Obesity, Diet, and Inflammation in Psoriasis:

Obese patients with psoriasis are more likely to have both severe skin disease and treatment-resistant psoriasis than non-obese patients. Systemic inflammation is characteristic of both obesity and...
Spirituality and Extreme States

This article is a reflection on my journey to become a clinical psychologist following a psychotic episode in which I believed I was a reincarnation of Buddha and Christ with a mission to write a n...
A Mobile Game to Support Smoking Cessation: Prototype Assessment

Background: Cigarette smoking results in an estimated seven million deaths annually. Almost half of all smokers attempt to quit each year, yet only approximately 6% are successful. Although there are multiple effective interventions that can increase these odds, substantial room remains for improvement. One effective approach to helping smokers quit is contingency management, where quitting is incentivized with the delivery of monetary rewards in exchange for objective evidence (eg, exhaled carbon monoxide levels) of abstinence. Objective: We assessed the feasibility and promise of Inspired, a contingency management mobile app for smoking cessation that uses game-based rewards to incentivize abstinence from smoking instead of the monetary (or material) rewards typically used. We sought participant feedback and limited objective data on: the features and design of Inspired, interest in using Inspired when it becomes available, the likelihood of Inspired being an effective cessation aid, and the rank order preference of Inspired relative to other familiar smoking cessation aids. Methods: Twenty-eight treatment-seeking smokers participated in this study. Participants attended a single one-hour session in which they received an overview of the goals of the Inspired mobile game, practiced submitting breath carbon monoxide (CO) samples, and played representative levels of the game. Participants were then told that they could play an extra level, or they could stop, complete an outcome survey, receive payment, and be dismissed. A sign-up sheet requesting personal contact information was available for those who wished to be notified when the full version of Inspired becomes available. Results: Using binary criteria for endorsement, participants indicated that, assuming it was currently available and fully developed, they would be more likely to use Inspired than: any other smoking cessation aid (21/28, 75%), the nicotine patch (23/28, 82%), a drug designed to reduce smoking cravings (23/28, 82%), or a program involving attendance in training sessions or support group meetings (27/28, 96%). In the questionnaire, participants indicated that both the Inspired program (26/28, 93%) and the Inspired game would be “Fun” (28/28, 100%), and 71% (20/28) reported that the program would help them personally quit smoking. Fifty-eight percent of participants (15/26) chose to continue playing the game rather than immediately collecting payment for participation and leaving. Eighty-two percent of participants (23/28) signed up to be notified when the full version of Inspired becomes available. Conclusions: This was the first study to evaluate a game-based contingency management app that uses game-based virtual goods as rewards for smoking abstinence. The outcomes suggest that the completed app has potential to be an effective smoking cessation aid that would be widely adopted by smokers wishing to quit.
Tua culpa: When an Organization Blames Its Partner for Failure in a Shared Task

We examine the growing but understudied phenomenon of organizational blame shifting in the wake of failure in an interorganizationally shared task. Organizational blame shifting, which can take pri...
Classrooms as Communities of Practice: Designing and Facilitating Learning in a Networked Environment

Learning is a continuing social action that takes place through interactions with the environment and other individuals. Forming communities of practice provides participants with an environment th...
IgE myeloma with osteoblastic lesions

A 69-yr-old man with persistent anemia had multiple myeloma with an IgE- type kappa M component and Bence Jones proteinuria. Bone x-rays revealed occasional lytic lesions associated with a diffuse sclerotic reaction throughout the skeleton. Special bone histologic studies utilizing tetracycline labeling, undercalcified sections, and microradiography confirmed active osteoblastic activity. This case was compared with the four previously reported cases of IgE myeloma, one of which also had osteosclerosis.
High experience levels delay recruitment but promote simultaneous time-memories in honey bee foragers

Honey bee ( Apis mellifera ) foragers can remember both the location and time of day food is collected and, even in the absence of a reward, reconnoiter the food source at the appropriate time on subsequent days. This spatiotemporal memory (time-memory) is linked to the circadian clock and enables foragers to synchronize their behavior with floral nectar secretion rhythms, thus eliminating the need to rediscover productive food sources each day. Here, we asked if the establishment of one time-memory influences the formation of another time-memory at the same time of day. In other words, can two time-place memories with the same “time-stamp” coexist? We simultaneously trained two groups of foragers from a single hive to two separate feeders at the same restricted time of day. After five days of training, one feeder was shut off. The second feeder continued being productive four more days. Our results showed that (1) foragers with high experience levels at the first source were significantly more likely than low-experience foragers to maintain fidelity to their original source and resist recruitment to the alternative source, (2) nearly one-third of foragers demonstrated multiple, overlapping time-memories by visiting both feeders at the correct time, and (3) significantly more high-experience than low-experience foragers exhibited this multitasking behavior. The ability to maintain and act upon two different, yet contemporaneous, time-memories gives the forager bee a previously unknown level of versatility in attending to multiple food sources. These findings have major implications for understanding the formation and management of circadian spatiotemporal memories.
Volume, Quality, and Research of the Modern Hospital: The Survivable Strategy

The volume of a disease treated by a hospital and the quality of care delivered by a hospital have a known proportionate relationship. In the design of a new hospital, or the addition of new clinical services to an existing hospital, one of the central tenets is the ability to provide high-quality care that hopefully is combined with excellent outcomes. There are certain high-risk procedures known to require high-volume multimodality care to produce quality outcomes. Best examples of quality healthcare that are related to volume are high-risk surgical cases such as coronary artery bypass grafting, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, liver transplantation, esophagectomy, pancreatectomy, and other high-risk oncologic procedures. As a result, when creating or advancing new clinical programs, the need to research the regional patient population and to concentrate on the regional patient needs is crucial to the success of the new hospital. The ability to understand the critical clinical and organizational differences between low- and high-volume hospitals may help implement changes to improve care. Therefore, in this rapidly evolving environment with introduction of new medical and surgical technologies, implementation of electronic medical records, adherence to regulatory measures such as the Joint Commission and the Hospital Quality Alliance public reporting, changing needs of the resident patient population, the building of new clinical programs capable of adapting to the changing environment may be the best solution.
Nanoparticle enhanced MRI can monitor macrophage response to CD47 mAb immunotherapy in osteosarcoma

CD47 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) activate tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in sarcomas to phagocytose and eliminate cancer cells. Though CD47 mAbs have entered clinical trials, diagnostic tests for monitoring therapy response in vivo are currently lacking. Ferumoxytol is an FDA-approved iron supplement which can be used “off label” as a contrast agent: the nanoparticle-based drug is phagocytosed by TAM and can be detected with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We evaluated if ferumoxytol-enhanced MRI can monitor TAM response to CD47 mAb therapy in osteosarcomas. Forty-eight osteosarcoma-bearing mice were treated with CD47 mAb or control IgG and underwent pre- and post-treatment ferumoxytol-MRI scans. Tumor enhancement, quantified as T2 relaxation times, was compared with the quantity of TAMs as determined by immunofluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Quantitative data were compared between experimental groups using exact two-sided Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Compared to IgG-treated controls, CD47 mAb-treated tumors demonstrated significantly shortened T2 relaxation times on ferumoxytol-MRI scans (p < 0.01) and significantly increased F4/80+CD80+ M1 macrophages on histopathology (p < 0.01). CD47 mAb-treated F4/80+ macrophages demonstrated significantly augmented phagocytosis of ferumoxytol nanoparticles (p < 0.01). Thus, we conclude that ferumoxytol-MRI can detect TAM response to CD47 mAb in mouse models of osteosarcoma. The ferumoxytol-MRI imaging test could be immediately applied to monitor CD47 mAb therapies in clinical trials.
“I’m a Teacher, Unofficially”: How Home-Based Providers Perceive and Navigate Their Roles

Home-based child care is a widely used form of child care. However, little is known about the heterogeneous group of caregivers that make up the home-based provider workforce and how they view them...
COVID-19: Herd immunity and convalescent plasma transfer therapy.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), has spread worldwide triggering a pandemic. Its first case was reported in Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei province, and since then it has spread across world becoming one of the worst pandemics in the history of mankind1. Its basic reproductive number (R0) has been determined to be 2‐32.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Chapter 14 – Hippocratic Databases

Publisher Summary The Hippocratic Oath has guided the conduct of physicians for centuries. Inspired by its tenet of preserving privacy, it has been argued that future database systems must include responsibility for the privacy of data that they manage as a founding tenet. The explosive progress in networking, storage, and processor technologies is resulting in an unprecedented amount of digitization of information. It is estimated that the amount of information in the world is doubling every 20 months, and the size and number of databases are increasing even faster. In concert with this dramatic and escalating increase in digital data, concerns about the privacy of personal information have emerged globally. Privacy issues have been further exacerbated, now that the Internet makes it easy for new data to be automatically collected and added to databases. Privacy is the fight of individuals to determine for themselves when, how, and to what extent information about them is communicated to others. Privacy concerns are being fueled by an ever-increasing list of privacy violations, ranging from privacy accidents to illegal actions. Lax security for sensitive data is of equal concern.
Structure-properties relationships of novel cyclic olefinic copolymer/poly(L-lactic acid) polymer blends

Abstract The structure-properties relationships of novel cyclic olefinic copolymer (COC)/poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) polymer blends are investigated by varying the PLLA content from 5–20 wt % in COC matrix, forming an immiscible blends at all concentrations. Despite immiscibility, COC favors the formation of α- crystal form of PLLA in the blends, contrary to the α’- crystal form in neat PLLA due to non-covalent interactions of the chain moieties as evident from x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and differential scanning calorimetry. The COC/PLLA blends revealed tunable superior mechanical and barrier properties as compared to the neat counterparts. The tensile modulus, strength and toughness of COC/PLLA blends at 15 wt% are significantly enhanced ∼ 89 %, 103 % and one order of magnitude, respectively. Such reinforcement and super toughening mechanisms are pertaining to the effective dissipation of loads across the interfaces, enabling them to delay the crack growth by avoiding stress concentration sites. Likewise, the water vapor permeation (WVP) of the blends is reduced ∼ 4 times than neat COC.
Machine Learning Algorithms in Quantum Computing: A Survey

Machine Learning (ML) aims at designing models that learn from previous experience, without being explicitly formulated. Applications of machine learning are inexhaustible, including recognizing patterns, predicting future trends and making decisions, and they are capable of handling sizable quantities of multi-dimensional data in the form of large vectors and tensors. To perform these operations on classical computers, however, requires vast time and computational resources. Unlike the classical computers that rely on computations using binary bits, Quantum Computers (QC) benefit from qubits which can hold combinations of 0 and 1 at the same time via superposition and entanglement. This makes QCs powerful at handling and post processing large tensors, making them a prime target for implementing ML algorithms. While several models used for ML on QCs are based on concepts from their classical computing counterparts, utilization of the QC’s potential has made them the superior of the two. This paper presents an overview of the current state of knowledge in application of ML on QC, and evaluates the speed up, and complexity advantages of using quantum machines.
Eicosanoid Profiles in the Vitreous Humor of Patients with Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is a potentially blinding sequela of uncontrolled diabetes that involves a complex interaction of pro-angiogenic and inflammatory pathways. In this study, we compared the levels of pro-angiogenic arachidonic acid-derived mediators in human vitreous humor obtained from eyes with high-risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy versus controls. The results indicated that lipoxygenase and cytochrome P450-derived eicosanoids were elevated (5-HETE, 12-HETE, 20-HETE, and 20-COOH-AA), and there appeared to be no differences in levels measured in eyes with tractional retinal detachments versus those without. These results provide further insight into the pathogenesis of this disease and for the development of future potential therapeutic agents that target arachidonic acid metabolites to treat diabetic retinopathy.
Neurotransmitters and Neurometabolites in Late-Life Depression: A Preliminary Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study at 7T.

Abstract Background Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) methods have quantified changes in levels of neurotransmitters and neurometabolites in patients with major depression across the lifespan. The application of 7T field strengths and greater have not been a major focus of study in patients with late-life depression (LLD). Methods Nine LLD patients who met DSM-IV criteria for a current major depressive episode and nine non-depressed, healthy, age-matched controls underwent clinical and neuropsychological assessment and single-voxel 7T 1H-MRS at baseline and after 10-12 weeks of antidepressant treatment (Citalopram; patients only). Spectra were acquired from two brain regions implicated in both depressive symptoms and neuropsychological deficits in LLD, the anterior (ACC) and posterior cingulate (PCC). Levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate (Glu), glutathione (GSH), N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG), N-acetylaspartate (NAA), and myo-inositol (mI) were quantified relative to total creatine (tCr) using linear-combination modeling. Results Baseline Glu/tCr levels were not significantly different between groups. Decreased Glu/tCr levels after Citalopram treatment were observed in a subset of LLD patients. Exploratory analyses showed that LLD patients had lower NAA levels in the PCC relative to controls. Higher levels of ml in the LLD patients relative to the controls and decreases after Citalopram treatment had large effect sizes but were not statistically significant. Further, decreases in PCC Glu/tCr and increases in ACC GSH/tCr were associated with improvement in depressive symptoms. Limitations Sample size. Conclusions These preliminary results suggest a role of neurochemicals and neurometabolites in the neurobiology of LLD and antidepressant treatment response.
Shifting paradigms: The top 100 most disruptive papers in core pediatric surgery journals

Abstract Introduction The disruption score is a new bibliometric tool that has recently been utilized to identify studies that are innovative and shift paradigms. We sought to identify and characterize the top 100 most disruptive publications in pediatric surgery. Methods The 100 most disruptive and cited publications in 17 pediatric surgery journals were identified from a validated dataset and linked with the iCite NIH tool. The top 100 most disruptive publications were reviewed to determine study design, clinical focus, and perceived contribution. Results The publications included in the top 100 list were more disruptive than 99.5% of the entire PubMed universe. Journal of Pediatric Surgery (n = 45) had the most articles included. There was a weak correlation between citation count and disruption score (r = 0.27). Retrospective cohort studies (38%), contributions in clinical outcomes (39%), technical/technological innovations (31%), clinical focus in trauma (18%), and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (18%) were the most represented. The disruption score identified a unique subset of literature that has created new paradigms with long lasting influence and may be further applied as another tool to measure scientific impact. This wide array of literature highlights both technical and technological innovations as well as key moments in the history of pediatric surgery. Level of evidence V
Mechanical performance of 3D printed interpenetrating phase composites with spinodal topologies

Author(s): Zhang, Yunfei; Hsieh, Meng-Ting; Valdevit, Lorenzo | Abstract: The mechanical response of interpenetrating phase composites (IPCs) with stochastic spinodal topologies is investigated experimentally and numerically. Model polymeric systems are fabricated by Polyjet multi-material printing, with the reinforcing phase taking the topology of a spinodal shell, and the remaining volume filled by a softer matrix. We show that spinodal shell IPCs have comparable compressive strength and stiffness to IPCs with two well-established periodic reinforcements, the Schwarz P triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) and the octet truss-lattice, while exhibiting far less catastrophic failure and greater damage resistance, particularly at high volume fraction of reinforcing phase. The combination of high stiffness and strength and a long flat plateau after yielding makes spinodal shell IPCs a promising candidate for energy absorption and impact protection applications, where the lack of material softening upon large compressive strains can prevent sudden collapse. Importantly, in contrast with all IPCs with periodic reinforcements, spinodal shell IPCs are amenable to scalable manufacturing via self-assembly techniques.
CycFlowDec: A Python module for decomposing flow networks using simple cycles.

Abstract New algorithms for determining the expected flow through simple cycles in a closed network are presented. Current network analysis software do not implement algorithms for expected cyclic flow decomposition, despite its potential value. Decomposing networks into expected cycle flows provides a quantitative characterization of network cycles that can be further analyzed for sensitivity and correlative behavior. An efficient, general algorithm has been coded into CycFlowDec, an open source Python module available at https://github.com/austenb28/CycFlowDec .
The YPhi Motif Defines the Structure-Activity Relationships of Human 20S Proteasome Activators

The 20S proteasome (20S) facilitates turnover of most eukaryotic proteins. Substrate entry into the 20S first requires opening of gating loops through binding of HbYX motifs that are present at the C-termini of certain proteasome activators (PAs). The HbYX motif has been predominantly characterized in the archaeal 20S, whereas little is known about the sequence preferences of the human 20S (h20S). Here, we synthesized and screened [~]120 HbYX-like peptides, revealing unexpected differences from the archaeal system and defining the h20S recognition sequence as the Y-F/Y (Y{Phi}) motif. To gain further insight, we created a functional chimera of the optimized sequence, NLSYYT, fused to the model activator, PA26E102A.A cryo-EM structure of PA26E102A-h20S identified key interactions, including non-canonical contacts and gate-opening mechanisms. Finally, we demonstrated that the Y{Phi} sequence preferences are tuned by valency, allowing multivalent PAs to sample greater sequence space. These results expand the model for termini-mediated gating and provide a template for the design of h20S activators.
Testing and estimation of X-chromosome SNP effects: Impact of model assumptions.

Interest in analyzing X chromosome single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is growing and several approaches have been proposed. Prior studies have compared power of different approaches, but bias and interpretation of coefficients have received less attention. We performed simulations to demonstrate the impact of X chromosome model assumptions on effect estimates. We investigated the coefficient biases of SNP and sex effects with commonly used models for X chromosome SNPs, including models with and without assumptions of X chromosome inactivation (XCI), and with and without SNP-sex interaction terms. Sex and SNP coefficient biases were observed when assumptions made about XCI and sex differences in SNP effect in the analysis model were inconsistent with the data-generating model. However, including a SNP-sex interaction term often eliminated these biases. To illustrate these findings, estimates under different genetic model assumptions are compared and interpreted in a real data example. Models to analyze X chromosome SNPs make assumptions beyond those made in autosomal variant analysis. Assumptions made about X chromosome SNP effects should be stated clearly when reporting and interpreting X chromosome associations. Fitting models with SNP × Sex interaction terms can avoid reliance on assumptions, eliminating coefficient bias even in the absence of sex differences in SNP effect.
Renal oncocytoma with adverse pathologic features: a clinical and pathologic study of 50 cases.

Renal oncocytoma is the most common benign epithelial renal neoplasm. Several adverse features that would typically increase the stage of renal cell carcinomas are not uncommon in renal oncocytoma, including perinephric, sinus fat, or renal vein invasion. Herein, we report the largest single institutional series of renal oncocytoma with adverse pathologic features. The cohort comprised 50 patients, 38 were men (76%) and 12 were women (24%), with a mean age of 68 years (range, 50-87 years). All cases were diagnosed on nephrectomy specimens. No laterality predilection was noted. The tumors ranged in size from 1.5-15.7 cm (mean, 5.3 cm). Adverse pathologic features included perinephric fat invasion (n = 25; 50%), renal sinus fat invasion (n = 9; 18%), and renal vein invasion (n = 5; 10%). More than one adverse feature was seen in 11 tumors (22%). All tumors showed diffuse reactions to KIT (n = 40; 100%) and cyclin D1 (n = 27; 100%). Keratin 7 highlighted rare (<5%) scattered cells, as well as entrapped renal tubules (n = 21; 100%). Reaction to DOG1 was patchy in three tumors (n = 27; 11%) while reactions to vimentin (n = 31) and Hale colloidal iron special stain (n = 30) were negative. On follow-up, no tumor recurrence or metastasis was observed over a follow-up range of 1-144 months (mean, 54 months; median, 60 months). Our data suggest that adverse pathologic features in renal oncocytoma do not alter their benign course.
Foreign Dictators in U.S. Court

It’s almost impossible to sue a foreign government in U.S. courts. The Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, the court-created “act of state” doctrine, and other common law immunities shield foreign officials and governments from most lawsuits. For instance, courts have dismissed claims against China, Cuba, Venezuela, and Russia over allegations of torture, detentions, and election interference. Yet, foreign governments have unfettered access to U.S. courts as plaintiffs. And foreign dictatorships, including Russia, China, Turkey, and Venezuela, have leveraged this access to harass political dissidents, critics, and even newspapers in the United States. These doctrines create an asymmetry at the heart of this Article: foreign dictators and their proxies can access our courts as plaintiffs to harass their opponents, but their regimes are, in turn, immune from lawsuits here. This Article exposes this asymmetry and argues that U.S. courts and Congress should make it harder for foreign dictators to abuse our legal system. The Article offers three novel contributions. First, the Article provides the first systematic assessment of foreign dictatorships in U.S. court. While much of the literature is siloed by substantive area of law—focusing on contexts like human rights or property expropriations—this Article treats dictators as a trans-substantive category of litigants, worthy of special analysis. Second, the Article exposes how foreign dictators are increasingly taking advantage of U.S. courts and comity doctrines, especially as plaintiffs. In a misguided effort to promote harmonious foreign relations, courts have provided foreign dictators an array of protections and privileges that dictators are eagerly exploiting. Finally, the Article demonstrates that there is no historical, constitutional, or statutory obligation on U.S. courts to give foreign dictators these legal protections and unfettered access to our courts. Because of that, I offer four concrete proposals to both stymy dictators’ access to U.S. court as plaintiffs—through a proposed foreign sovereign anti-SLAPP statute—and weaken the protections that dictators enjoy as defendants. Simply stated, U.S. courts should not be instruments of foreign authoritarian oppression.
The Burden of Hepatitis C in the Injection Drug User Population

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is estimated to affect about 130 million people worldwide, but determining the actual incidence of HCV infection is complicated by the asymptomatic nature of the disease. Asymptomatic individuals do not physically manifest the disease but still have the potential to transmit the disease to others, and chronically infected persons face the risk of developing advanced liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.1 As HCV is most efficiently transmitted through large or repeated percutaneous exposures to blood, transfusions represented the main method of transmission before the virus was identified in 1989 and improved screening techniques were implemented in 1990.1,2 Transfusion-associated transmission of HCV has essentially been eliminated in most of the developed world, due to risk reduction measures such as screening blood donations and potential donors.3 Transmission via injection drug use is now the predominant mode of transmission in these countries, accounting for 60-75% of infections.2
Randomized, blinded, controlled clinical trial to assess gastroesophageal reflux and regurgitation in dogs undergoing general anesthesia after hydromorphone premedication with or without acepromazine or dexmedetomidine.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether premedication with hydromorphone alone or combined with acepromazine or dexmedetomidine affects the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and regurgitation in ...
Behavior of Concrete Bridge Decks Reinforced with MMFX Steel

Corrosion of steel reinforcement is considered to be one of the leading causes of deterioration of concrete bridges. This fact has led to the development of numerous technologies such as corrosionresistant steel that attempt to mitigate this expensive problem. The recent development of highstrength, high corrosion-resistant steel, commercially known as Micro-composite Multi-Structural Formable (MMFX) steel, is a promising technology. MMFX steel offers its high corrosion resistance without the use of the coating technologies. This characteristic was achieved by proprietary alteration of the steel composition and microstructure. In addition, the control of MMFX steel’s morphology of its microstructure has resulted in its higher strength. Use of MMFX steel could lead to potential savings through using less reinforcement ratios due to its higher strength characteristics and longer service life of structures because of its high corrosion resistance. Recently, many state transportation departments have begun to use MMFX steel as a direct replacement for regular Grade 60 steel in concrete bridge decks. However, despite these field applications, there is insufficient information about the behavior of such concrete bridge decks utilizing MMFX steel as main reinforcement. This paper evaluates the use of MMFX steel as main flexural reinforcement in concrete bridge decks in light of test results. Assessment of the effect of the arching action on the strength of bridge decks due to the use of this new steel is also presented.
Some Open Questions Related to Cuckoo Hashing

The purpose of this brief note is to describe recent work in the area of cuckoo hashing, including a clear description of several open problems, with the hope of spurring further research.
POLYSACCHARIDE STORAGE AND GROWTH EFFICIENCY IN RUMINOCOCCUS ALBUS

Hungate, R. E. (University of California, Davis). Polysaccharide storage and growth efficiency in Ruminococcus albus. J. Bacteriol. 86:848-854. 1963.-Ruminococcus albus strain RAM requires biotin, p-aminobenzoic acid, pyridoxamine, isovalerate, isobutyrate, 2-methylbutyrate, and either cysteine or sulfide. Rumen fluid and casein hydrolysate improve growth but are not essential. Up to 35% iodophilic polysaccharide is stored in cells from batch cultures and 17% in a continuous culture on a 10-hr cycle. The storage product is a polymer of glucose resembling starch. The yield of cells in continuous culture, corrected for stored starch, averaged 102 mg per mmole of cellobiose fermented to waste products. It is postulated that nine high-energy phosphates are derived from each cellobiose molecule. Conversions providing this number are discussed.
Fine-structure artifact of the velocity distribution of Cs beam tubes as measured by the pulsed microwave power technique (atomic frequency standard)

An artifact of the pulsed microwave power technique used to measure the velocity distributions of Cs beam tubes is shown. To predict these results, a simple theory is used that considers the Ramsey response function (i.e. output tube current vs. microwave frequency) as being a simple electrical-filter transfer function for the input of the pulse-modulated microwave power. Calculations that assume the principle of superposition are used to give predictions that are in close agreement with the measured results. This theory predicts how to set the pulse width so that the fine-structure artifact is minimized. >
Asset substitutability and monetary policy: An alternative characterization

Abstract A distance function is defined for a simple portfolio choice problem and then used to express the impact on asset prices of a change in an asset stock as the sum of a substitution and a wealth effect. Substitutes and complements are defined with reference to qualtity rather than price changes. This method of characterizing asset substitutability leads to simpler and more easily interpreted results when analyzing monetary policy that does the standard approach which expresses asset price changes in terms of the price elasticities of the asset demand functions.
T-box genes in development: From hydra to humans

The T-box gene family was uncovered less than a decade ago but has been recognized as important in controlling many and varied aspects of development in metazoans from hydra to humans. Extensive screening and database searching has revealed several subfamilies of genes with orthologs in species as diverse as Caenorhabditis elegans and humans. The defining feature of the family is a conserved sequence coding for a DNA-binding motif known as the T-box, named after the first-discovered T-box gene, T or Brachyury. Although several T-box proteins have been shown to function as transcriptional regulators, to date only a handful of downstream target genes have been discovered. Similarly, little is known about regulation of the T-box genes themselves. Although not limited to the embryo, expression of T-box genes is characteristically seen in dynamic and highly specific patterns in many tissues and organs during embryogenesis and organogenesis. The essential role of several T-box genes has been demonstrated by the developmental phenotypes of mutant animals.
Good measures on Cantor space

While there is, up to homeomorphism, only one Cantor space, i.e. one zero-dimensional, perfect, compact, nonempty metric space, there are many measures on Cantor space which are not topologically equivalent. The clopen values set for a full, nonatomic measure μ is the countable dense subset {μ(U): U is clopen} of the unit interval. It is a topological invariant for the measure. For the class of good measures it is a complete invariant. A full, nonatomic measure μ is good if whenever U, V are clopen sets with μ(U) < μ(V), there exists W a clopen subset of V such that μ(W) = μ(U). These measures have interesting dynamical properties. They a.re exactly the measures which arise from uniquely ergodic minimal systems on Cantor space. For some of them there is a unique generic measure-preserving homeomorphism. That is, within the Polish group of such homeomorphisms there is a dense, G δ conjugacy class.
Abstract 15588: Dietary Choline and Betaine Intakes are Associated with Incident Cardiovascular Disease Events and Left Ventricular Mass: The Jackson Heart Study

Introduction: Acute choline deficiency in rodent models causes lipid accumulation in liver, heart and arterial tissues. Alternatively, some studies reported an association between increased blood concentrations of total choline and cardiovascular disease. Several mechanisms have been described through which dietary intake of choline and its derivative betaine may be associated with subclinical atherosclerosis. Thus, we assessed the association between these two essential nutrients and cardiovascular risk. Methods: We analyzed data on food frequency questionnaire and baseline visit measurements on 3,924 Jackson Heart Study African American participants. Multivariable linear regression models were used to assess the association between choline and betaine intake with carotid intima-media thickness, coronary artery calcium, abdominal aortic calcium, and left ventricular mass. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to calculate associations between choline and betaine intake with time to inciden...
There Are No Sheep in Post-Structuralism

Progressive white scholars often proceed as if “incorporating race” and culture into our work automatically destabilized the whiteness of our intellectual and pedagogical practices. Diligently, we add brown and black references to our publications, assign readings by scholars of color, and weave material about race into our lectures. Many of our attempts to decenter whiteness, however, effectively reinstall white authority. Additive adjustments underscore the foundational white assumptions that organized our research questions or syllabus in the first place — as when we begin by defining what counts as feminist or queer pedagogy, and then blend in race themes to ensure our inclusiveness. Even when race and culture are central to our work, chances are that those of us who are white — and some who are not — appeal to white-referenced ways of naming and framing race and culture. As Wendy Kozol asks, “what do we mean by ‘race’?” What do we mean by “culture”?
Cleanroom, PSP, and the Software Development Impact Statement: Developing the Right Attitude

The traditional distinction between education as something which is done at a university and training as something which is done by industry, is not only incorrect but the focus on this distinction leads us to ignore more critical issues in the development of competent software engineers. The adequacy and success of a variety of delivery techniques for the education and training of software engineers are discussed using three software development tools as examples. From this foundation, I argue that our traditional understanding of training is too limited and must be modified to develop software engineers who are competent to meet the changing needs of their employers and their profession. The traditional distinction between education as something which is done at university and training as something which is done by industry is not only an incorrect distinction but the focus on this distinction leads us to ignore more critical issues in the development of competent software engineers. The adequacy and success of a variety of delivery techniques for the education and training of software engineers are discussed using three software development tools as examples. From this foundation, I argue that our traditional understanding of training is too limited and must be modified to develop software engineers who are competent to meet the changing needs of their employers and their profession
Activation of Plasmin with Urokinase in Ultrafiltered Milk for Cheese Manufacture

Abstract Havarti and Saint-Paulin cheeses were manufactured by traditional and UF techniques. Urokinase and KIO 3 were added individually and together to batches of retentate before cheese making. Cheeses were analyzed for solids, fat, total N, pH 4.6 soluble N, NPN, plasmin activity, plasmin plus plasminogen activity, and casein degradation. Eighty cheese samples were analyzed (two varieties, two replications, and five treatments sampled after 1, 28, 56, and 84 d). Urokinase increased plasmin activity in UF Havarti and Saint-Paulin cheeses. This increased pH 4.6 soluble N levels and NPN, increased proteolysis of β-casein, and slightly improved the flavor profile (only Havarti). Potassium iodate in UF cheese inhibited starter organisms, did not influence plasmin activity, and did not improve ripening. Activation of plasminogen may aid in ripening some UF cheese varieties.
Simultaneous magnetic resonance imaging of diffusion anisotropy and diffusion gradient

The theory of diffusion gradient-weighted MRI (DGWI) is presented in this paper. The Bloch-Torrey equation was modified to include the effect of intravoxel spatial-location variation of water diffusion (diffusion gradient) on MRI signal, in addition to the effect of intravoxel spatial-direction variation of water diffusion (diffusion anisotropy). An analytical solution for a diffusion-encoding spin-echo pulse sequence was derived. Unlike water diffusion which attenuates the image signal intensity, this newly derived solution relates the spatial gradient of the water diffusion with the phase of the image signal. This novel MRI technique directly measures both the water diffusion and its spatial gradient, and thus offers a noninvasive imaging tool to simultaneously investigate the intravoxel inhomogeneity and anisotropy of tissue structures. In addition, as demonstrated with our preliminary data, this new method may be utilized to delineate the interfaces of tissues with different diffusion. This method is an extension of the successful diffusion tensor MRI (DTI), but requires no additional data acquisition. In addition to the measured diffusion tensor, this new method provides measurements of the spatial derivatives of the three principal diffusivities of the tensor, thereby providing additional information for improving white matter fiber tractography.
A study of small crack growth in aluminum alloy 7075-T6

Abstract Previous studies of the growth of small fatigue cracks in aluminum alloy 7075-T6 are reviewed to compare observed behavior and explanations for that behavior. The results of small crack growth tests conducted in this work are then reported. Crack growth was monitored periodically between initial crack sizes of approximately 10 μm to final sizes of approximately 0.5 mm in rotating bending and plate specimens subjected to fully-reversed cycling. Both longitudinal and transverse stress components were present in the central region of the plate specimens, while rotating bending specimens experienced nearly uniaxial cyclic stress. Specimens were taken from rolled 7075-T651 with a pancake microstructure. Tests were conducted at a number of different strain amplitudes. Small cracks grew faster than large cracks for the same stress intensity range ΔK, as expected from previous research by others. When compared on the basis of ΔK, growth rates in the plate specimens varied from being little different than those in rotating bending specimens to approximately four times higher, depending on strain amplitude. The growth rates of cracks at different locations around the circumference of the rotating bending specimens varied little, in spite of the different microstructural orientations of the different locations. In both plate and rotating bending tests, some cracks exhibited marked decelerations and accelerations in growth rate, while others did not. For those cracks that did not exhibit such oscillations in growth rate plus those cracks that had grown large enough for such oscillations to have subsided, growth rates were found to be proportional to crack size and to amplitude of maximum shear strain to a power of approximately 4.5. Growth rate data from both rotating bending and plate specimens were well correlated by that strain parameter.
Non‐resonant firehose instability: Consequences for the theory of cosmic ray acceleration

Upstream from the supernova quasiparallel shock wave, the hot component representing cosmic rays is locked at the shock front due to scattering by magnetic field fluctuations, and is accelerated by the diffusive shock acceleration mechanism. The cosmic ray population, isotropic in the shock frame and drifting with the shock velocity relative to the interstellar plasma, is shown to be unstable with respect to a nonresonant beam type electromagnetic instability similar to a firehose mode. Solution of the dispersion relation for this instability is obtained using both analytical and numerical methods. For a power-like distribution of the cosmic ray particles, f(e) ∼ e−2, an expected consequence of diffusive shock acceleration, the maximum growth rate of the magnetic fluctuations corresponds to wavelengths that are significantly greater than the gyroradius at the upper edge of the energy spectrum. Because such extremely long fluctuations tangle magnetic field lines, diffusion of the cosmic ray particles increases significantly, resulting in an essential extension of the energy range for diffusive shock acceleration.