cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medical Therapy for Crohn’s Disease: The Present

Treatment options for Crohn’s disease have been developing and expanding rapidly over the past 10 years. Multiple classes of medications are currently available to treat Crohn’s disease, including 5-aminosalicylates (5-ASA), antibiotics, glucocorticoids, thiopurine immunosuppressives, methotrexate, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha antagonists, and anti-integrin therapies. Goals of treatment have expanded beyond relief of symptoms to include maintenance of long-term remission, avoidance of corticosteroids and their associated side effects, and prevention of disease complications such as fistulas, strictures, and abscesses. Additional aims of therapy are to avoid the need for surgical intervention, minimize the risk of colorectal cancer, and to maintain adequate nutrition and improve quality of life. The benefits of medications in achieving these outcomes must be balanced with the potential drawbacks, including the increased risks of serious infections, malignancies, and substantial financial burden for both individual patients and society.
Increased cytosolic Ca2+ inhibits AVP-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity in rat IMCT cells by activation of PKC.

In rat inner medullary collecting tubule (RIMCT) cells increasing cytosolic Ca2+ with a calcium ionophore inhibits arginine vasopressin (AVP)-stimulated adenylyl cyclase (AC). Inhibition by Ca2+ is...
On the Origin of Peritoneal Fluid Cells

Peritoneal fluid cells from mouse radiation chimeras were tested to determine their strain of origin by reaction with donor-specific and host-specific isoimmune sera. In all chimeras that retained donor hemopoietic grafts, peritoneal fluid cells were found to be of donor type. This was true regardless of the kind of hemopoietic tissue transplanted into the irradiated mouse. Donor hemopoietic transplant material included bone marrow, fetal liver, peripheral blood leukocytes, and peritoneal fluid cells from mice and bone marrow from rats. Irritation of the peritoneal cavity shifted differential counts but did not change the cytotoxicity results: all the free cells removed were of donor type.
Non-woven ballistic composites

Publisher Summary The first instinct of the technology student or fiber engineer is to assume that non-woven ballistic-resistant armor is a relatively new idea, since the machine technology to produce it postdates that of weaving and knitting by a considerable time period. In truth, non-woven armor in the form of quilting has been used since at least the Middle Ages. Indeed, British historians have determined that Viking chain mail, reinforced and supplemented by quilted, fiber-filled underlays were likely the secret to its ability to withstand even spear attacks in battles. The use of high strength polymer materials created advances in armor protection far above those anticipated just 35 years ago. Further improvements may be anticipated by the advent of new materials and nanoscale technologies that will permit even better armor performances against very high level ballistic threats. Improvements that utilize the strongest characteristics of each fiber assembly method will yield the optimum ballistic protection device instead of simple reliance on standard and unitary assembly techniques.
Modulating peripheral nerve damage from hyperglycemia/anoxia

INTRODUCTION Combined hyperglycemia and anoxia have a marked negative effect on peripheral nerve not seen with either alone. We studied whether nerve injury is related to the presence of hyperglycemia in the oxygenated state, anoxic state, or both. METHODS We performed recordings of the nerve action potential (NAP) from rat sciatic nerve in a perfusion apparatus with different metabolic substrates during anoxia and oxygenated state. RESULTS The NAP was best preserved when one of the perfusates contained no glucose. Transient improvements were seen with normoglycemic perfusates or perfusates that contained substrates that were poorly used in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis. Hyperglycemia has important negative effects in both the oxygenated and anoxic states. CONCLUSIONS Deleterious effects of hyperglycemia on the peripheral nerve may relate to metabolic products produced during the oxygenated state, such as glycogen and the effects of reperfusion after prolonged periods of anoxic metabolism. Muscle Nerve, 2016 Muscle Nerve 55: 735-740, 2017.
Expert-prescribed weighting for support vector machine classification

Support Vector Machines (SVM) are a family of algorithms that are used in classification and regression tasks. Often, multiple SVMs are combined in a coding scheme to provide multi-class classification capabilities. Generally, multi-class classification systems are evaluated on their accuracy of producing a correct coding by using test data and successful predictions are counted as a percentage of the whole, assuming that the test data set is a “good” representation of what the classification algorithm will see in its applied use. However, in practical applications, there may be situations where certain mistakes/confusions in classification are inconsequential to system operation. In this work, a method for integration of expert-defined allowable confusions into SVM systems is introduced, with an example implementation in a least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) tested on industrial data, and shown to improve overall performance of a multi-class classification system when an appropriate performance measurement method is formulated.
Applications of a class of nonlinear filters to problems in power electronics

A class of nonlinear filters with potential application in power electronics is considered. The class of filters is characterized by the inclusion of a sorting element in the signal path. The sorting operation allows these filters to suppress impulsive noise while preserving edges and monotonic sections of signals. They are generally simple to implement offline and should be included as an additional set of analysis tools for the power systems designer. Emphasis is placed on the median filter, since it is the most accessible filter of the class. A working knowledge of issues arising in design and implementation is developed. >
Space-based Ka-band direct radiating phased array antenna architecture for limited field of view

The paper presents the results of an ongoing study to investigate the feasibility of designing a direct radiating phased array antenna on a relay satellite for limited field-of-view.
Anonymous port scanning: Performing network reconnaissance through Tor

The anonymizing network Tor is examined as one method of anonymizing port scanning tools and avoiding identification and retaliation. Performing anonymized port scans through Tor is possible using Nmap, but parallelization of the scanning processes is required to accelerate the scan rate.
Salmonella Growth in Cooked Beef at Selected Cooling Rates

Results of this study support the present USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) cooling requirement for cooked meat products and remind the consumer to refrigerate such products. USDA FSIS requires food processors to cool certain cooked meat products between 4 and 49°C within 2 h. Our study evaluated the adequacy of that requirement by determining how cooling rates affected growth of salmonellae in cooked meats. Two strains of Salmonella sp. showing resistance to multiple antibiotics were compared with a susceptible strain, and were shown to be similar in growth capabilities. These antibiotic resistant strains were inoculated in ground beef or beef cubes. In experiments simulating precooking contamination, heavily inoculated (109 CFU/g) ground beef meatballs were cooked to 63°C (145°F) and cooled to either 23 or 4°C (40°F) within 2 to 6 h. Increases in the numbers of the surviving pathogen were small (ca. 0.1 log10/g) when the product was cooled to 4°C within 2 h. Surviving salmonellae increased greater than tenfold when the meats were cooled over intervals of 6 h. A 4-h cooling interval permitted an intermediate growth rate. Salmonella held in ground beef at 23°C for 6 h showed less than 1-log10 increase per gram. Experiments with Salmonella inoculated onto the surface of beef cubes after cooking also indicated that the 2-h cooling interval prevented substantive proliferation.
Roads Taken: The Great Jewish Migrations to the New World and the Peddlers Who Forged the Way

Forget any stereotype you might have of an old bearded Jewish peddler at the bottom of the socioeconomic pecking order. The itinerant peddlers described by Hasia Dinar in the fascinating, well-documented Roads Taken, are adventuresome young men eager to explore a new world far different from the one in which they grew up. They are like the little tailor in the fairy tales, out to seek their fortune by relying on their wits and pluck. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Association between dietary behavior and mortality among American adults with mobility limitations.

Abstract Background Limited research has evaluated the relationship between dietary behavior and mortality among those with mobility limitations. Objective To examine the association between dietary behavior and mortality in a national sample of American adults with mobility limitations. Methods Data from the 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were utilized. Participants were followed through 2011. Based on self-report, analyzed participants included those with mobility limitations (N = 1369). Dietary behavior was assessed from the alternate healthy eating index (AHEI). Results For the sample, 108,010 person-months occurred with an all-cause mortality rate of 2.07 per 1000 person-months. Dietary behavior was associated with reduced all-cause mortality risk when expressed both as a continuous variable and binary variable (i.e., meeting dietary guidelines). With regard to the latter, and after adjustments, those meeting dietary guidelines (vs. not) had a 40% reduced hazard of all-cause death (HR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.38–0.97; P = 0.03). Conclusion Among adults with mobility limitations, and thus, who unable to engage in sufficient physical activity, dietary behavior may have survival benefits.
Geospatial assessment of regional scale bioenergy production potential on marginal and degraded land

Abstract This study presents a GIS-based model developed for urban site-specific bioenergy production potential on marginal land parcels. The model is applied on a metropolitan region level, encompassing 101 cities and towns surrounding Boston in the northeastern United States. The ‘marginal’ land use category includes vacant and abandoned lands, portions of public and private lots, and degraded lands, with poor soil quality. Four different energy crops—miscanthus, switchgrass, poplar, and willow—were considered as biomass feedstocks for bioenergy production. A total marginal land area of 71,200 ha (712 km2) was identified that can be suitably used for bioenergy production, representing 20% of the total land area of the region. Spatial analysis revealed greatest marginal land densities close to the urban core. Statistical analysis found a weak positive correlation between population density and marginal land availability. Short-rotation hybrid poplar was identified as the highest yielding bioenergy crop for this region. Bioenergy potential calculations revealed that poplar can potentially yield up to 22 PJ (HHV) of yearly primary energy for this region that can be used for heat, conversion to transportation fuels, and/or electricity production. This is equivalent to >50% of current biomass primary energy use in Massachusetts and could potentially fulfill all of the core city of Boston’s heating demand. Hauling of biomass from the periphery to the urban core would add an estimated maximum of $7.20 per ton delivered. While the results reflect a maximum utilization scenario for marginal land, several logistical and social considerations are discussed that would impact practical implementation.
The Effects of Medical Marijuana Laws on Utilization of Prescribed Opioids and Other Prescription Drugs

More than half of the US population lives in a state that has adopted medical marijuana laws (MMLs). Studies show that most medical marijuana patients use marijuana for managing their pain with the overwhelming majority of them preferring it to opioids. Despite ongoing pro-marijuana policies and the growing trend of public acceptance, the evidence on how people change their prescription use due to the availability of marijuana as an alternative treatment is limited. Using the variations across state MMLs between 1996 and 2014 of Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) this paper estimates the effects of MMLs on prescription drug utilization, with a focus on opioids. I find that MMLs lead to a $2.47 decrease in per person prescribed opioid spending among young adults (ages 18-39) over a year. Most of this decrease results from the intensive margin of use and MML states that allow home cultivation experience even larger decreases. Furthermore, the decreasing effects are persistent over time and they get stronger following the years of implementation. MMLs also decrease the number of opioid pill use among young adults. I do not find any discernible impact on older populations' opioid utilization. I then investigate the effects on other prescriptions for which marijuana can be a potential substitute and find the allowance of dispensaries is generally associated with decreases, although the effects depend on the the type of MML, the margin of use and age.
Crosstalk between mAChRM3 and β2AR, via acetylcholine PI3/PKC/PBEP1/Raf-1 MEK1/2/ERK1/2 pathway activation, in human bronchial epithelial cells after long-term cigarette smoke exposure

Abstract Background Cigarette smoke extract (CSE) affects the expression of non-neuronal components of cholinergic system in bronchial epithelial cells and, as PEBP1/Raf-mediated MAPK1/2 and ERK1/2 pathway, promotes inflammation and oxidative stress. Aims We studied whether Acetylcholine (ACh) is involved in the mechanism of crosstalk between mAChRM3 and β2Adrenergic receptors (β2AR) promoting, via PI3/PKC/PBEP1/Raf/MEK1/2/ERK1/2 activation, β2AR desensitization, inflammation and, oxidative stress in a bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE) after long-term exposure to cigarette smoke extract (LECSE). Methods We evaluated mAChRM3 and Choline Acetyltransferase (ChAT) expression, ACh production, PEBP1, ERk1/2, and β2AR phosphorylation, as well as NOX-4, ROS production and IL-8 release in 16HBE after LECSE. The inhibitory activity of Hemicholinium (HCh-3) (a potent choline uptake blocker), LY294002 (a highly selective inhibitor of PI3 kinase), Tiotropium (Spiriva®) (anticholinergic drug) and Olodaterol (β2AR agonist), were tested in 16HBE after LECSE. Results mAChRM3, ChAT, ACh activity, pPEBP1, pβ2AR, pERK1/2, ROS, NOX-4 and IL-8 increased after LECSE in 16HBE LECSE compared to untreated cells. HCh-3 and LY294002 (alone or in combination) as well as Tiotropium (Spiriva®) or Olodaterol (alone or in combination) all reduced the levels of pPEBP1, pβ2AR, pERK1/2, ROS, NOX-4, and IL-8 in 16HBE LECSE compared to untreated cells. Conclusions LECSE promotes ACh production which enhances PI3/PKC/PEBP1/Raf-ERK1/2 pathway activation, heterologous β2AR desensitization, as well as release of inflammatory and oxidative mediators in bronchial epithelial cells. The use of anticholinergic drugs and long-acting β2-agonists, alone or in combination may be dampen these inflammatory mechanisms when used in combination in some epithelial cell types.
Polyphonic environmental planning processes: establishing conceptual connections between procedural and recognition justice

By drawing on Mikhail Bakhtin's notion of polyphony, this paper theorises polyphonic environmental planning processes. It argues that Bakhtin's vision of polyphony reveals new insights about the na...
Numerical Solution of the Equations of Compressible Viscous Flow

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the numerical solution of the equations of compressible viscous flow. Solutions of the equations of viscous compressible flow are required for the design of many aerodynamic devices, such as airplanes, missiles and jet engines. The chapter presents a faster computational method for solving the equations of fluid dynamics. This method was applied to solve the compressible form of the Navier-Stokes equations in two dimensions for supersonic flow past a flat plate with an incident shock wave and flow separation. The method was applied using the product term operator. The Courant, Friedrichs, Lewy (CFL) number in the coordinate direction along the plate was approximately unity, but the CFL number in the direction normal to the plate, because of the fine mesh point spacing, required to resolve the viscous boundary layer at the plate surface.
The educational attainment of maltreated youth involved with the child welfare system: Exploring the intersection of race and gender

Abstract Gaps in academic achievement between minority and White students are well documented in the literature. Research demonstrates that systemic inequities related to race are often the source of the achievement gap. Some reports, however, suggest that the achievement gap is not only due to racial differences, but rather the intersection of race and gender. While these reports use an intersectional approach to examine differences in educational attainment within the general population, this approach has not been tested among maltreated youth involved with the child welfare system. Using an intersectional framework, this study investigated whether race and gender alone or the intersection of race and gender predicted the educational attainment of 429 maltreated youth involved with the U.S. child welfare system. Secondary data analysis was conducted using two waves of data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW-I). After holding household poverty, maltreatment type and severity, and caregiver education constant, race and gender alone did not predict the likelihood of youth completing their education. However, when analyzing educational attainment based on the intersection of race and gender, Black males were significantly less likely to complete their education than White males, White females, and Hispanic females. These results highlight the prevalence of educational gaps for Black males who are victims of maltreatment and illustrates the importance of using an intersectional lens in maltreatment research and practice to identify such vulnerabilities.
Proteinase Inhibitors in Human Cervical Mucus and Their in vitro Interactions with Human Acrosin

Sperm migration, fertilization and implantation of the ovum takes place in the uterus, an environment that is controlled by sex hormones. The uterus is a target organ for these hormones. The ovary provides not only the oocytes, but also estrogens and gestagens in a sequence that warrants optimal conditions of this environment. The ovary itself is subject to control mechanisms resulting from programmed interaction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian system. It induces a sequence of biochemical processes in the uterus via steroid hormones before and after ovulation, which is triggered by LH release from the pituitary gland. These create favorable conditions for sperm migration and storage in the cervix, for sperm transport through the uterine cavity into the oviducts, for the fertilization process that takes place in the ampulla of the tube, and for the early development and implantation of the ovum. The changes in the uterine environment are synchronized in a very precise way with the biochemical events taking place in the developing ovum, thus providing optimal conditions that change from one day to another and from one topographical area of the uterus to another (i.e., cervix,oviduct, corpus uteri) during this critical time period [2, 4, 13].
Efficient Pitch-based Estimation of VTLN Warp Factors

To reduce inter-speaker variability, vocal tract length normalization (VTLN) is commonly used to transform acoustic features for automatic speech recognition (ASR). The warp factors used in this process are usually derived by maximum likelihood (ML) estimation, involving an exhaustive search over possible values. We describe an alternative approach: exploit the correlation between a speaker’s average pitch and vocal tract length, and model the probability distribution of warp factors conditioned on pitch observations. This can be used directly for warp factor estimation, or as a smoothing prior in combination with ML estimates. Pitch-based warp factor estimation for VTLN is effective and requires relatively little memory and computation. Such an approach is well-suited for environments with constrained resources, or where pitch is already being computed for other purposes.
The Forum…: Is Reilly's Law of Retail Gravitation Always True?:

This note presents some information which does not agree with Reilly's law of retail gravitation. The residents of Columbia, Missouri, showed no preference for patronizing the merchants of St. Loui...
Endocrine causes of recurrent pregnancy loss.

Abstract Objective: To review the available data on endocrine disorders and recurrent pregnancy loss. Findings: Our group found that most endocrine disorders do not seem to be correlated with a diagnosis of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). The exception to this is testing for thyroid stimulating hormone and thyroid antibodies, which is recommended due to a strong correlation with recurrent pregnancy loss and positive anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies. Conclusion: The available literature supports testing thyroid function and antibodies in women with RPL. Testing for other endocrine disorders is only warranted if otherwise clinically indicated, independent from a history of recurrent pregnancy loss.
Quantitative cartilage imaging using spectral photon-counting detector based computed tomography

Glycosaminoglycans (GAG) in the extracellular matrix of the articular cartilage are biomarkers of cartilage health. Loss of GAG has been associated with early stage osteoarthritis, with zonal depletion of intra-articular GAG levels occurring prior to cartilage degeneration. Detecting this biochemical change in articular cartilage may facilitate early diagnosis of osteoarthritis. GAG is negatively-charged and repels anionic contrast media. Increased uptake of anionic contrast agents could be correlated with depleted GAG levels in the cartilage. Photon-counting detector (PCD) based computed tomography (CT) offers high-resolution imaging and x-ray energy discrimination capabilities. This allows delineation of finer anatomical structures, and the generation of quantitative material maps using energy-resolved CT data. In this study, we demonstrate quantitative GAG imaging in porcine cartilage using a research whole-body PCD-CT system and an anionic contrast agent. Hind knee joints were harvested from euthanized pigs. GAG depletion mimicking early-OA was induced using trypsin treatment. Both the control group and the trypsin-treated group were incubated in an anionic gadolinium contrast prior to PCD-CT scanning. The specimens were scanned at ultra-high resolution using the PCD-CT system at 120kV, 330mAs, and [25, 51] keV energy thresholds. An image-domain material decomposition was employed to generate the mass density map for gadolinium in cartilage using energy-resolved PCD-CT data. The results showed significantly higher gadolinium uptake (p < 0.0001) in the trypsin-treated specimens, compared to the control specimens. We demonstrated high-resolution ex vivo cartilage imaging using PCD-CT to quantify gadolinium uptake in articular cartilage as an inverse marker of GAG.
Buy Now, Pay Later: Financing the Future

John’s predicament regarding payment options has certainly expanded as increased affluence has allowed him to buy more goods from more retailers, not only with cash but supplemented by a variety of additional payment methods. This dilemma regularly confronts millions of U.S. household and individual consumers.
Brrrr..... unintended Neonatal Hypothermia, a National Perspective

Introduction: Unintended hypothermia is associated with increased neonatal morbidity and mortality. Consensus transport quality initiatives identified unintended neonatal hypothermia (UNH) rate as a “must-have” performance metric. UNH is defined as “infant < 28 days with admission temperature < 36.5° upon arrival at the destination hospital (excluding active/passive cooling).” The investigators present the Ground and Air Medical qUality in Transport (GAMUT) Quality Improvement (QI) Collaborative UNH rates and hypothesize that through interviews of both high and low performers, features can be identified that differentiate better UNH performance. Methods: The GAMUT QI …
Ilú Keké – Transmisión en la eritá meta: produced by Luis Bran and Amanda Villepastour, Music Works NYC/Sendero Music, 2017, 21 track CD (73 minutes) with 32 page booklet, $15.99

Afro-Cuban religious music, particularly that associated with the tambor repertoire has been recorded with increasing frequency since the 1990s. A tambor is a musical ceremony in Regla de Ocha (San...
Volatile Organic Compound Profiling from Postmortem Microbes using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are by-products of cadaveric decomposition and are responsible for the odor associated with decomposing remains. The direct link between VOC production and individual postmortem microbes has not been well characterized experimentally. The purpose of this study was to profile VOCs released from three postmortem bacterial isolates (Bacillus subtilis, Ignatzschineria indica, I. ureiclastica) using solid-phase microextraction arrow (SPME Arrow) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Species were inoculated in headspace vials on Standard Nutrient Agar and monitored over 5 days at 24°C. Each species exhibited a different VOC profile that included common decomposition VOCs. VOCs exhibited upward or downward temporal trends over time. Ignatzschineria indica produced a large amount of dimethyldisulfide. Other compounds of interest included alcohols, aldehydes, aromatics, and ketones. This provides foundational data to link decomposition odor with specific postmortem microbes to improve understanding of underlying mechanisms for decomposition VOC production.
Pathogenesis and Clinical Management of Uterine Serous Carcinoma.

Uterine serous carcinoma (USC) is an aggressive variant of endometrial cancer that has not been well characterized. It accounts for less than 10% of all endometrial cancers and 80% of endometrial cancer–related deaths. Currently, staging surgery together with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, especially vaginal cuff brachytherapy, is the main treatment strategy for USC. Whole-exome sequencing combined with preclinical and clinical studies are verifying a series of effective and clinically accessible inhibitors targeting frequently altered genes, such as HER2 and PI3K3CA, in varying USC patient populations. Some progress has also been made in the immunotherapy field. The PD-1/PD-L1 pathway has been found to be activated in many USC patients, and clinical trials of PD-1 inhibitors in USC are underway. This review updates the progress of research regarding the molecular pathogenesis and putative clinical management of USC.
Copyright's Arc

In Copyright's Arc, Martin Skladany rejects a one-size-fits-all copyright regime. Within developed countries, copyright's incentives have spawned multinational corporations that create a plethora of slick, hyped entertainment options that encourage Americans to overconsume, whereas in developing countries, extreme copyright blocks the widespread distribution of entertainment, which impedes women's equality and human rights movements. Meanwhile, moderate copyright in middle-income countries helps foster artistic movements that forge inclusive national identities. Given these conditions, Skladany argues that copyright should vary between countries, following an arc across the development spectrum.
Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator Placement for Pediatric Trisomy 21 Patients with Refractory Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Case Series.

Background: Hypoglossal nerve stimulators (HNS) are an increasingly popular form of upper airway stimulation for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults who are unable to tolerate positive pressure treatment. However, HNS use is currently limited in the pediatric population. Case presentation: We present a case series detailing the anesthetic management of three pediatric trisomy 21 patients receiving HNS for refractory obstructive sleep apnea. The patients tolerated the procedure well and experienced no complications. The average obstructive apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) change was 87.4% with the HNS. Conclusions: Proper anxiolysis, safe and controlled induction, multimodal analgesia, and minimization of post-operative respiratory compromise are all necessary to ensure anesthetic and surgical success. After a tailored anesthetic regimen, proper device placement and close follow-up, our patients had a marked improvement in obstructive symptoms.
Iraqi Federalism and the Kurds: Learning to Live Together by Alex Danilovich (review)

IRAQ Iraqi Federalism and the Kurds: Learn- ing to Live Together, by Alex Danilovich. London: Ashgate, 2014. 181 pages. $109.95.Reviewed by Ibrahim Al-MarashiAlex Danilovich has provided a timely analysis of the development of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq, situat- ed within the literature on how federal struc- tures can serve as mechanisms to resolve conflicts in states divided by identity-based differences. The first two chapters - "Fed- eralism as a Tool to Manage Conflicts and Associated Risks" and "Introducing Iraq's Federal System" - lay the groundwork for Danilovich's central argument, namely, that what has transpired in Iraq illustrates the "paradox of federalism," whereby federal institutions designed to address differences within a nation and maintain its territorial integrity can simultaneously serve as the blueprint for that federal entity to become an independent state.In the subsequent chapters, Danilovich examines this paradox. Chapter 3 deals with federalism and the Kurdish armed forces, Chapter 4 with the KRG's inter- national foreign policy, Chapter 5 (guest- authored by Francis Owtram) with the federalization of oil and natural resources, Chapter 6 with the "peculiarities of Iraqi constitutionalism that combines the princi- ples of Islam and liberal democracy in one constitutional system .. ." (p. 13).The first critique deals with this last chapter, where the "peculiarities" of Iraq's constitution are derived from literature that focuses on the relationship between Sunni political Islam and democracy. Danilov- ich should have engaged more with the arguments he cited from Iraqi-American legal scholar Haider Ala Hamoudi, who contends that the Islamist language in the constitution was drafted to meet to the de- mands of the Islamist parties representing Iraq's Shi'i majority. These Shi'i parties have differing visions of the role of Islam in public life-something that the author needs to have acknowledged when exam- ining the Constitution and the judiciary. Although Danilovich mentions that the majority of those serving within judicial bodies are Shi'a, he neglects to point out which parties they represent and whether, in fact, they act in a concerted manner.While the author examines the incon- gruities in the Iraqi constitution, he fails to sufficiently contextualize how they emerged. He should have referred to the circumstances in which the constitution was written and adopted, how the drafting and public referendum on the document was a rushed process, how this process repre- sented conflicting Kurdish and Shi'i parties' demands, and how the US exerted pressure behind the scenes to hasten its completion. …
How Reliable Is Social Media Data? Validation of TripAdvisor Tourism Visitations Using Independent Data Sources

Social media data has been rapidly applied as alternative data source for tourism statistics and measurement in recent years due to its availability, easy collection, good spatial coverage at multiple scales, and rich content. However, frequent criticism towards the social media is the bias towards the population of social media users leading to unknown representativeness of the entire population. The purpose of this study is to cross-validate the reliability and validity of visitation pattern of tourist destinations retrieved from the social media using alternative independent data sources. The primary social media data is TripAdvisor reviews of Florida attraction points, restaurants, and hotels. The inferred visitation pattern was validated against two independent datasets: cellphone tracking data and official visitor surveys. The validity was explored in tourist origins, destinations, and travel flows. Repetitively, travel patterns inferred from the social media were found strongly correlated to those from cellphone tracking and surveys. The visitation data obtained from social media was concluded to be reliable and representative.
Contrastive Reasoning in Neural Networks.

Neural networks represent data as projections on trained weights in a high dimensional manifold. The trained weights act as a knowledge base consisting of causal class dependencies. Inference built on features that identify these dependencies is termed as feed-forward inference. Such inference mechanisms are justified based on classical cause-to-effect inductive reasoning models. Inductive reasoning based feed-forward inference is widely used due to its mathematical simplicity and operational ease. Nevertheless, feed-forward models do not generalize well to untrained situations. To alleviate this generalization challenge, we propose using an effect-to-cause inference model that reasons abductively. Here, the features represent the change from existing weight dependencies given a certain effect. We term this change as contrast and the ensuing reasoning mechanism as contrastive reasoning. In this paper, we formalize the structure of contrastive reasoning and propose a methodology to extract a neural network's notion of contrast. We demonstrate the value of contrastive reasoning in two stages of a neural network's reasoning pipeline : in inferring and visually explaining decisions for the application of object recognition. We illustrate the value of contrastively recognizing images under distortions by reporting an improvement of 3.47%, 2.56%, and 5.48% in average accuracy under the proposed contrastive framework on CIFAR-10C, noisy STL-10, and VisDA datasets respectively.
Diagnostic Criteria for Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema of the Upper Extremity: The Need for Universal Agreement

With advances in breast cancer treatments and resultant increased survival rates, emphasis has been placed on post-treatment complications such as breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), a chronic, negative sequela of breast cancer treatment. Accurate BCRL diagnosis necessitates longitudinal screening beginning at preoperative baseline. Prospective screening programs incorporating symptoms, objective measurements and clinical examination allow for early detection, early intervention, and improved BCRL prognosis. Currently, varied diagnostic criteria for BCRL exist, and this lack of consensus leads to variation in diagnostic and screening practices across institutions. This review outlines current diagnostic tools, including subjective and objective measurement methods and clinical examination. The merits of different criteria are evaluated and recommendations are made regarding measurement tools and diagnostic criteria for BCRL. Ultimately, the BCRL diagnostic process should be universalized and combine objective measurements, clinical evaluation, and symptoms assessment, and adhere to the best practices of the measurement tools used.
Clinical analysis of 2152 cases of abnormal uterine bleeding treated by NovaSure endometrial ablation.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficiency, postoperative hysterectomy rate, and influencing factors for therapeutic effect of the NovaSure endometrial ablation procedure in abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 2152 patients from the Department of Gynecology at the Third Xiangya Hospital, CSU from October 2010 to December 2018. RESULTS From the first year to the eighth year after operation, annual effective rate was above 95.24%, and the differences were not statistically significant. There are statistically significant differences between the effective and ineffective groups with regard to age, intrauterine polyps, total length of the uterus, systemic coagulation disorder, and preoperative hemoglobin. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk factors associated with systemic coagulation disorders (P = 0.027) and high total uterine length (P = 0.003) affected NovaSure efficacy in the treatment of AUB. By December 2019, the postoperative hysterectomy rate was 1.86% (40/2152) and the complication rate was 1.67% (36/2152). CONCLUSION NovaSure is a reliable treatment for AUB and serious medical complications because of its simple operation, low amount of bleeding, quick postoperative recovery, and safe and effective short-term and long-term efficacy. However, it should be carefully selected for patients with a total uterus length exceeding 10 cm.
AKAP Transduction Units: Context Dependent Assembly of Signaling Complexes

Publisher Summary This chapter emphasizes A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP) signaling complexes and explains their role in facilitating the bidirectional control of various signaling events. A well-defined biological role for AKAPs is to place protein kinase (PKA) in the proximity of enzymes such as phosphatases and phosphodiesterases that terminate cAMP signaling events. Several AKAP signaling complexes include both signal-transduction and signal-termination enzymes. This generates a locus to regulate the forward and backward steps of a given signaling process such as the clustering of second-messenger regulated kinases and phosphatases at the excitatory synapses of neurons by the AKAP79/150 family of anchoring proteins. The human form, AKAP79, and its bovine and murine counterparts, AKAP75 and AKAP150 respectively, are enriched in the synaptosomal and postsynaptic density fractions of neuronal lysates, and are present in dendritic spines. AKAP79-bound PKA enhances GluR1 phosphorylation on serine 845 in the cytoplasmic tail of the channel subunit, an important site for the regulation of channel function during the induction of long-term synaptic depression. AKAP79/150 maintains a kinase and a phosphatase in close proximity to the channel in a manner that allows second-messenger dependent changes in the phosphorylation status and activity of GluR1. AKAPs provide the platforms for the assembly of multiprotein signaling complexes in a variety of cellular compartments. Two factors contribute to the diversity of these signaling units. First, individual AKAP complexes may control distinct signaling events within the same subcellular compartment. Second, the recruitment and release of individual enzymes from the signaling complex provides a dynamic component to the composition of a given protein network.
Corruption in the Context of International Business

Abstract Corruption is widely accepted in the popular press as a problem for economic development and in conducting international business. Yet, it remains somewhat under-researched, particularly in an academic setting. This article describes corruption in the context of international business. It presents a critical evaluation of the conceptual and methodological issues associated with corruption. In doing so, it portrays the inherent complexities in studying this topic. The paper ends with recommendations for addressing the main concerns.
Proxy voting and the SEC

Abstract This paper analyzes the SEC's proxy regulations and assesses their effects on corporate governance. The proxy rules began in 1935 as a minimal series of disclosure requirements and a prohibition against fraud. By 1956, they imposed extensive and wide-ranging disclosure requirements on anyone wishing to communicate about voting issues and required that all such communications be cleared in advance — in essence, censored — by the SEC. I present evidence that since that time, the rules have significantly increased the costs of communication and coordinated action among shareholders. They have thus deterred shareholder initiatives and inhibited the development of a private market for information about voting issues.
Autonomous Command Operations of the WIRE Spacecraft

This paper presents the end-to-end design architecture for an autonomous commanding capability to be used on the Wide Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) mission for the uplink of command loads during unattended station contacts. The WIRE mission is the fifth and final mission of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Small Explorer (SMEX) series to be launched in March of 1999. Its primary mission is the targeting of deep space fields using an ultra-cooled infrared telescope. Due to its mission design WIRE command loads are large (approximately 40 Kbytes per 24 hours) and must be performed daily.
Juveniles, Sex Offenses, and the Scope of Substantive Law

Substantive criminal law is an important factor in determining whether a juvenile will be tried as a juvenile or transferred to adult court. In particular, the gravity of the offense with which the juvenile is charged is a key component of most states’ discretionary waiver statutes, and it disproportionately influences judges when deciding whether to transfer juveniles. As a general matter, sex offenses are considered serious crimes. And a number of serious sex offenses are criminalized because of the victim’s age. These severe penalties reflect a policy determination on the part of legislatures that when sexual activity is illegal, either in whole or in part, because of the age of one of the participants — a category of crimes that we refer to as "age-determinative sex offenses" — participation in that activity is a serious crime. The question we seek to answer in this Article is whether the justice system ought to distinguish between adult and juvenile offenders for these age-determinative sex offenses when assessing the seriousness or gravity of these crimes. We believe it should. In particular, this Article argues that, when the juvenile is in the same peer group as the victim — that is to say, the age difference between the victim and the offender is not large — substantive criminal law should recognize that an age-determinative sex offense is not nearly as serious as it would be if committed by an adult.
Classically restricted human CD8+ T lymphocytes derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected cells: definition of antigenic specificity.

Previous studies in murine and human models have suggested an important role for HLA Ia-restricted CD8+ T cells in host defense to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Therefore, understanding the Ags presented via HLA-Ia will be important in understanding the host response to Mtb and in rational vaccine design. We have used monocyte-derived dendritic cells in a limiting dilution analysis to generate Mtb-specific CD8+ T cells. Two HLA-Ia-restricted CD8+ T cell clones derived by this method were selected for detailed analysis. One was HLA-B44 restricted, and the other was HLA-B14 restricted. Both were found to react with Mtb-infected, but not bacillus Calmette-Guerin-infected, targets. For both these clones, the Ag was identified as culture filtrate protein 10 (CFP10)/Mtb11, a 10.8-kDa protein not expressed by bacillus Calmette-Guerin. Both clones were inhibited by the anti-class I Ab and anti-HLA-B,C Abs. Using a panel of CFP10/Mtb11-derived 15-aa peptides overlapping by 11 aa, the region containing the epitopes for both clones has been defined. Minimal 10-aa epitopes were defined for both clones. CD8+ effector cells specific for these two epitopes are present at high frequency in the circulating pool. Moreover, the CD8+ T cell response to CFP10/Mtb11 can be largely accounted for by the two epitopes defined herein, suggesting that this is the immunodominant response for this purified protein derivative-positive donor. This study represents the first time CD8+ T cells generated against Mtb-infected APC have been used to elucidate an Mtb-specific CD8+ T cell Ag.
Fusobacterium necrophorum presenting as isolated lung nodules

Fusobacterium necrophorum causes Lemierre's syndrome - a dramatic and distinct condition beginning with pharyngitis before proceeding to internal jugular vein septic thrombophlebitis and respiratory tract infection in otherwise healthy individuals. It is rare, but by far the most common pathway to parenchymal lung disease with this organism. Here we describe we a 34 year old healthy lady who was nontoxic without any antecedent illness who presented with lung nodules due to fusobacterium necrophorum as the sole manifestation of disease. Leading diagnostic consideration prior to culture data was pulmonary vasculitis. Identifying her disease process was a somewhat chance occurrence, and it began to resolve prior to antibiotic therapy. Though it would be difficult to recommend keen awareness of this organism given its rarity, it is important to consider that its scope may be broader than traditionally considered.
Comparison of the effects of wettability alteration and IFT reduction on oil recovery in carbonate reservoirs

Injection of chemicals in a carbonate reservoir may change wettability and reduce interfacial tension (IFT). The question is how much each mechanism contributes to the increase in oil recovery. There is lack of such information in the literature. The information is very important because it will guide us to select which chemicals to use, as some chemicals can effectively reduce IFT, whereas others can change wettability. This paper aims to compare the effects of different mechanisms in oil recovery related to chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) . Particularly, we compare the effects of wettability alteration and IFT reduction. Numerical simulation models are used. Our results show that wettability alteration plays important roles when IFT is high, and it is effective in the early time. IFT plays very important roles with or without wettability alteration and is effective during the entire process. Note that the matrix permeability is reasonably high so that the fluids can be redistributed. The implication is that anionic surfactants are preferred to cationic surfactants in chemical EOR, as the former are generally used to reduce IFT, whereas the latter are used to change wettability. Other observations are that in surfactant-induced wettability alteration with low IFT, gravity drive is a very important mechanism. Molecular diffusion of chemicals affects oil recovery rate in the early time, but not ultimate oil recovery. © 2012 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Terahertz Technology for Defense Related Applications

Terahertz technology for security and defense related applications has recently experienced an increase in interest with an emphasis on imaging of concealed explosives. Our research has focused on spectroscopy of explosives and novel THz taggants.
Analysis of input-dependent program behavior using active profiling

Utility programs, which perform similar and largely independent operations on a sequence of inputs, include such common applications as compilers, interpreters, and document parsers; databases; and compression and encoding tools. The repetitive behavior of these programs, while often clear to users, has been difficult to capture automatically. We present an active profiling technique in which controlled inputs to utility programs are used to expose execution phases, which are then marked, automatically, through binary instrumentation, enabling us to exploit phase transitions in production runs with arbitrary inputs. We demonstrate the effectiveness and programmability of active profiling via experiments with six utility programs from the SPEC benchmark suite; compare to code and interval phases; and describe applications of active profiling to memory management and memory leak detection.