cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The hp‐multigrid method applied to hp‐adaptive refinement of triangular grids

Recently the hp version of the finite element method, in which adaptivity occurs in both the size, h, of the elements and in the order, p, of the approximating piecewise polynomials, has received increasing attention. It is desirable to combine this optimal order discretization method with an optimal order algebraic solution method like multigrid. An intriguing notion is to use the values of p as the levels of a multilevel method. In this paper we present such a method, known as hp-multigrid, for high-order finite elements and hp-adaptive grids. We present a survey of the development of p-multigrid and hp-multigrid, define an hp-multigrid algorithm based on the p-hierarchical basis for the p levels and h-hierarchical basis for an h-multigrid solution of the p=1 ‘coarse grid’ equations, and present numerical convergence results using hp-adaptive grids. The numerical results suggest that the method has a convergence rate of for Poisson's equation. Published in 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Long-Term Memory and Extinction of Rabbit Nictitating Membrane Trace Conditioning

Abstract Long-term memory for and extinction of trace conditioning were examined using the rabbit nictitating membrane response (NMR) preparation. Rabbits were trained on four consecutive days with 80 trials of a 100-ms tone followed 500 ms later by a 100-ms periorbital electrical pulse. After a period of 1, 2, 3, or 6 months in their home cages, rabbits were given four consecutive days of 80 tone-alone extinction trials followed by a single day of 80 reacquisition trials. The results showed the following: (1) rabbit NMR conditioned responses following trace conditioning were reduced to approximately 55% of acquisition levels after an interval as short as a month between acquisition and extinction. All but one rabbit responded at baseline levels (
Raman, infrared and proton magnetic spectra of silver(I) complexes of dimethyl sulfide and thiourea

Abstract The silver complexes of dimethyl sulfide (Me2S), including the 1:1 complex, Ag(SMe2)NO3, and the 1:2 complex, [Ag(SMe2)2]PF6, were isolated and characterized, in addition to the complex, bis(thiourea)silver(I) nitrate, Ag(Tu)2NO3. Crystalline Ag(SMe2)NO3 and Ag(Tu)2NO3 were characterized using Raman, IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy, while the photosensitive [Ag(SMe2)2]PF6 was characterized only by IR. The Raman spectra of 2.0 M AgNO3 solution in neat Me2S and an aqueous solution of Ag(Tu)2NO3 were also examined to further support assignments. Vibrational assignments of most vibrational bands have been made and compared to the literature. Diagnostic bands for thiourea indicate that it is coordinated to silver through the sulfur atom.
Comparison of paradigms in problem solving: Matching to sample, responding to similarity, and oddity

The relative difficulty of learning matching-to-sample, responding-to-similarity, and oddity problems by college adults was compared. Results demonstrated that subjects took significantly more trials to learn matching as compared to oddity problems regardless of the paradigm (matching-to-sample or responding-to-similarity) employed, The findings indicated that matching and oddity tasks may not be comparable either in regards to the nature of cognitive processes involved or the ease of solution.
Pedogenic Thresholds and Soil Process Domains in Basalt-Derived Soils

Pedogenic thresholds occur where soil properties change abruptly and/or nonlinearly with a small increment in environmental forcing; soil process domains are the regions between thresholds where soils change much more gradually across a large range of environmental forcing. We evaluated thresholds and domains in basalt-derived soils on two rainfall gradients in Hawaii—one from 260 to 3,540 mm/y precipitation on 150,000-year-old substrate, the other from 600 to 3,760 mm/y on 4,100,000-year-old substrate. We identified thresholds associated with the initiation of biological uplift of nutrients at about 700 mm/y on the younger substrate, the depletion of primary minerals at about 2,100 mm/y on the younger and about 900 mm/y on the older substrate, and the initiation of anoxic conditions and associated Fe mobility at about 2,500 mm/y on the older substrate. These thresholds delineated process domains characterized by pedogenic carbonate accumulation and wind erosion (dry young substrate); by weathering and biological uplift of nutrients (intermediate rainfall young substrate and dry old substrate); by surface Fe enrichment and nutrient depletion (wet young substrate and intermediate rainfall old substrate); and by Fe mobilization and loss (wet old substrate). Soils on the older substrate were more highly weathered, lower in total and available P, and characterized by more crystalline clays than otherwise comparable soils on the younger substrate. Prior to European contact, Hawaiian cultivators developed an intensive rainfed agricultural system in the weathering/biological uplift domain on the younger substrate; we suggest that only this domain could support indigenous agricultural intensification in upland soils.
Tunable plasmonic-crystal superlens for subwavelength imaging

Here, we report a tunable plasmonic crystal (tPLC), where the polaritonic mode of a metallic array can be combined with the photonic mode of a hole array in a dielectric slab for achieving negative refraction and still possess an extra degree of freedom for tuning the tPLC as a superlens to operate at different frequencies. We numerically demonstrate the tunability of a single planar tPLC slab for subwavelength imaging (full width at half maximum, $0.38\ensuremath{\lambda}\ensuremath{\sim}0.42\ensuremath{\lambda}$) by just varying the fluid in the hole array, thereby enabling the realization of ultracompact tunable superlens and paving the way for a class of unique lens.
Comparison of orthodontic cements containing sodium fluoride or stannous flouride

A laboratory study was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of NaF and SnF2, when incorporated into zinc oxyphosphate cement, in reducing the solubility and increasing the microhardness of human enamel. The control cement contained no added fluoride, and the test cements were prepared to contain fluoride concentrations of either 1,000, 2,000, or 4,000 ppm from each of the two test fluorides. SnF2-containing cement provided significantly (P < .01) greater solubility reduction at all three concentrations than did NaF cement. SnF2 was also more effective than NaF in rehardening enamel surfaces. SnF2 is thus much more effective than NaF when added to orthodontic cement. Current topical treatment literature, both laboratory and clinical, is in accord with this conclusion.
A multi-purpose dynamic and tactile sensor for robot manipulators

In this article, a multi-purpose tactile/acceleration sensor system made of newly developed thick polymeric piezoelectric material and capable of sensing acceleration, contact force and pressure is developed and evaluated using analytical and experimental techniques, The sensor system is discretized and modeled by a single degree of freedom second order system from which equations of electromechanical dynamics are formulated to evaluate its performance. Analytical solutions are compared favorably with experimental results.
Further studies on the role of IL-12 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa corneal infection

Purpose Previous studies have shown that in Pseudomonas aeruginosaocular infection, IL-12 drives a Th1 T-cell response and IFN-γ production in susceptible (cornea perforates) C57BL/6 (B6) mice, and that after similar infection of resistant (cornea heals) BALB/c mice, no IL-12 is detectable in cornea at either the mRNA or protein levels. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test whether BALB/c mice are capable of responding to exogenous IL-12 administration, and whether disease responsiveness following P. aeruginosachallenge is modified. Methods Immunostaining, RT/PCR, recombinant cytokine injection, and histopathology were used. Statistical analysis was performed using an unpaired, two-tailed Student's t-test. Results Injection of BALB/c mice with recombinant (r) IL-12 converted these normally resistant animals to the susceptible phenotype as evidenced by corneal perforation within 5–7 days after infection. RT-PCR analysis of the corneas of rIL-12 vsPBS/BSA-treated mice showed a significant increase in IFN-γ and TNF-α mRNA levels in the rIL-12 vsPBS/BSA (vehicle)-treated mice at 3 and 5 days p.i. In addition, similar analysis of IL-4 mRNA levels showed decreased amounts of the cytokine in rIL-12 vsvehicle-treated mice. Injection of rIL-4 into susceptible B6 mice, however, failed to rescue these animals from corneal perforation following P. aeruginosachallenge. Conclusions These data provide evidence that BALB/c mice can respond to exogenous IL-12, that the cytokine promotes susceptibility by increasing IFN-γ and TNF-α production, with a concomitant reduction in IL-4 levels; and that injected rIL-4 fails to rescue susceptible B6 mice from corneal perforation after bacterial challenge.
Cabozantinib Inhibits Abiraterone's Upregulation of IGFIR Phosphorylation and Enhances Its Anti–Prostate Cancer Activity

Purpose: Abiraterone improves the overall survival of men with metastatic castration resistance prostate cancer. However, de novo or adaptive resistance to abiraterone limits its activity. Rational combinations of drugs with different mechanisms of action that overcome resistance mechanisms may improve the efficacy of therapy. To that end, we studied the molecular and phenotypic effects of the combination of cabozantinib plus abiraterone. Experimental Design: Three prostate cancer cell lines were used to interrogate the in vitro molecular and anti-proliferative effects of the single agents and combination of cabozantinib and abiraterone. The in vivo impact of the combination was assessed using the LAPC4-CR xenograft mouse model. Results: In vitro proliferation studies demonstrated single agent doses between 2 and 10 μM for abiraterone and cabozantinib inhibit prostate cancer cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner and the anti-cancer activity of abiraterone is enhanced when combined with cabozantinib. In vivo LAPC4-CR xenograft mouse studies also showed that cabozantinib can improve the anti-tumor activity of abiraterone. Cabozantinib, a multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, enhances the ability of abiraterone to inhibit AR activity in a cell line dependent manner. In addition our cell line studies demonstrate abiraterone stimulated IGF-1R phosphorylation with downstream activation of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2, and that this potential adaptive resistance mechanism was inhibited by cabozantinib. Conclusions: Cabozantinib can enhance the efficacy of abiraterone by blocking multiple compensatory survival mechanisms including IGF-1R activation and supports the assessment of the combination in a clinical trial.
The effect of temperature on fat consumption during the puparial stages of Glossina morsitans morsitans Westw. (Dipt., Glossinidae) under laboratory conditions, and its implication in the field

Analyses were carried out at Salisbury, Rhodesia, on the relationship between fat content and residual dry weight in newly emerged adults of Glossina morsitans morsitans Westw., following incubation at constant temperatures between 16 and 32°C for laboratory material, and between 20 and 30°C for field material. The same relationship was investigated for field-collected and laboratory-produced larvae. Sizespecific rates of fat consumption were calculated from these data, and it was shown that the rate of change at temperatures below 20°C was of a different order to that at higher temperatures. Fat reserves in teneral flies reared in the laboratory at 16–32°C were shown to be adequate in flies of 4 mg residual dry weight for survival at rest for at least 24 h after emergence, over the temperature range likely to be encountered in the field. Considerably longer periods of survival were indicated for flies of the same size emerging from field-collected puparia. The latter exhibited a marked seasonal variation in size with the largest puparia occurring at the time of lower temperatures. Smallest puparia occur in the hot-dry season, but even under these adverse conditions fat reserves of most tenerals are adequate for survival for at least 24 h. It was concluded that lack of fat was not likely to cause heavy mortality of stages passed within the puparium over the temperature range 16–32°C. After emergence, survival of smaller flies would depend on their ability to obtain a blood-meal within 24 h.
Identification and in Vitro Characterization of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Receptor Variants Associated with Abnormal Ovarian Response to FSH

Context: FSH mediates cyclic follicle growth and development and is widely used for controlled ovarian stimulation in women undergoing infertility treatment. The ovarian response of women to FSH is variable, ranging from poor response to ovarian hyperstimulation. Objective: We investigated whether genetic alterations of the FSH receptor (FSHR) contribute to this variability. Design and Patients: Our approach was to study women undergoing treatment with in vitro fertilization falling into the edges of the normal distribution of ovarian response to FSH, with respect to age. Setting: We conducted the study at the Yale Fertility Clinic. Methods: We extracted RNA from cumulus cells surrounding the oocytes of women undergoing in vitro fertilization and analyzed the FSHR mRNA by RT-PCR and sequencing. Results: We identified four abnormal FSHR splicing products (three exon deletions and one intron insertion) in the FSHR mRNA in 37% (13 of 35) of women tested. All alterations affected the extracellular ligand-bind...
Mutations in X-linked ichthyosis disrupt the active site structure of estrone/DHEA sulfatase

X-linked ichthyosis is an inherited genetic disorder of the skin that results from steroid sulfatase (STS) deficiency. Seven critical point mutations have been previously reported for the STS gene, six leading to amino acid substitutions and one to a premature termination of the polypeptide chain. The three-dimensional structure of the full-length human enzyme has been recently determined. Amino acid substitutions due to point mutations in X-linked ichthyosis are mapped onto the three-dimensional structure of human STS. In each case, the substitution appears to cause disruption of the active site architecture or to interfere with the enzyme's putative membrane-associating motifs crucial to the integrity of the catalytic cleft, thereby providing an explanation for the loss of STS activity.
The Bacterial Cytoskeleton: An Intermediate Filament-Like Function in Cell Shape

Various cell shapes are encountered in the prokaryotic world, but how they are achieved is poorly understood. Intermediate filaments (IFs) of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton play an important role in cell shape in higher organisms. No such filaments have been found in prokaryotes. Here, we describe a bacterial equivalent to IF proteins, named crescentin, whose cytoskeletal function is required for the vibrioid and helical shapes of Caulobacter crescentus. Without crescentin, the cells adopt a straight-rod morphology. Crescentin has characteristic features of IF proteins including the ability to assemble into filaments in vitro without energy or cofactor requirements. In vivo, crescentin forms a helical structure that colocalizes with the inner cell curvatures beneath the cytoplasmic membrane. We propose that IF-like filaments of crescentin assemble into a helical structure, which by applying its geometry to the cell, generates a vibrioid or helical cell shape depending on the length of the cell.
Implementation of a Software Feedback Control for the CMS Monitoring Lasers

Light monitoring will play a crucial role in maintaining energy resolution for the CMS lead tungstate crystal calorimeter in situ at LHC. Since 2003, a laser based monitoring system in its final design has been installed and used in beam tests at CERN. While the stability of the laser pulse energy and FWHM width, measured in 24 hours, is at 3% level, a long term degradation and a drift of the laser pulse center timing at 2 ns/day were observed. The degradation and drift were caused by the aging of the DC Kr lamp used to pump the Nd:YLF laser, and would affect the monitoring precision. This paper presents the design and implementation of a software feedback control which stabilizes laser pulse energy, width and timing by trimming the Nd:YLF laser pumping current. For laser runs lasted for more than 650 hours a stability of pulse energy and FWHM width at 3% level and a pulse timing jitter at 2 ns have been achieved when the laser pulse center timing is used as the feedback parameter.
Purification and Properties of a Polygalacturonic Acid Trans-Eliminase Produced by Bacillus pumilus

A strain of Bacillus pumilus produced an extracellular pectic enzyme with polygalacturonic acid as the substrate. This enzyme, with optimal activity at pH 8.0 to 8.5, produced reaction products that strongly absorbed light at 232 nm, indicating the presence of a pectic acid trans-eliminase (PATE). Neither pectin esterase nor polygalacturonase was detected in the cell-free culture fluid. Chromatographic examination of the end products revealed the presence of large quantities of unsaturated oligouronides unlike those found with B. polymyxa. It was found that the PATE was produced extracellularly during the negative logarithmic death phase of the organism. The filtrate from sonically treated cells did not show any activity for PATE or hydrolases for lower oligogalacturonides at any time during the growth cycle. The enzyme was inducible. Pectin, National Formulary (NF) was the best inducer, followed by polygalacturonic acid and galacturonic acid. Enzyme activity was markedly stimulated by calcium and other divalent ions. Copper and cobalt ions were inhibitory. The partially purified enzyme showed no significant activity on pectin containing a high methoxyl content (96% esterified). However, pectin NF with a lower methoxyl content (68% esterified) was attacked to a degree by the partially purified and crude enzyme preparations. The initial rate of PATE activity increased up to 60 C, about 16-fold higher than that observed at room temperature. The activation energy was calculated as 12,183 cal/mole. A protective action of calcium chloride against heat inactivation of the PATE was observed. Degradation of polygalacturonic acid by this enzyme produced several unsaturated oligouronides soon after its addition to the substrate. The major endproduct was thought to be different from that of other known PATE enzymes. Paper chromatographic studies and viscosity measurements disclosed the random cleaving nature of the enzyme an endo-PATE.
Origins of Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease: Birth Weight, Body Mass Index, and Young Adult Systolic Blood Pressure in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health

Purpose We evaluated the contributions of birth weight and current body mass index (BMI) to racial/ethnic disparities in systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the United States. Methods Participants were 10,046 young adults (ages 24–32) in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. SBP, BMI, and other contemporaneous factors were assessed at Wave IV (2007–2008); birth weight and other early life factors were reported at Wave I (1994–1995). Data were analyzed using sex- and race-stratified multivariable regression models. Results Racial/ethnic disparities in SBP were limited to black and white females. The black–white female disparity in SBP was 3.36 mmHg and was partially explained by current BMI, but not birth weight. Associations between birth weight and SBP were limited to males, in whom we found a decrease of 1.05 mmHg in SBP per 1-kg increase in birth weight (95% confidence interval, −1.90, −0.20). This inverse relationship strengthened after adjusting for BMI and other factors, and was strongest among black and white males. A significant association between BMI and SBP was found in all racial/ethnic and sex subgroups. Conclusions In this U.S. national cohort, birth weight is negatively associated with SBP among black and white young adult males.
Employment and Marriage among Inner-city Fathers

This article uses data from the Urban Poverty and Family Structure Survey of inner-city residents in Chicago to examine the effect of employment on the likelihood that single fathers marry. Our results show that employed fathers are twice as likely as nonemployed fathers to marry the mother of their first child. These results run contrary to Charles Murray's argument that welfare discourages employed, low-income men from marrying. They are consistent with William Julius Wilson's hypothesis that the rise in male joblessness is linked to the rise in never-married parenthood in the inner city. Our analysis also shows that couples are more likely to marry when the woman is a high school graduate. In this population, the enhanced earnings potential of a woman increases, not decreases, the likelihood of marriage. This result is inconsistent with the hypothesis that the closer a woman's earnings potential is to a man's, the less likely the couple is to marry. Neither employment nor education fully accounts for t...
Microenvironmental Regulators of Tissue Structure and Function Also Regulate Tumor Induction and Progression: The Role of Extracellular Matrix and Its Degrading Enzymes

It is now widely accepted that elements of the cellular and tissue microenvironment are crucial regulators of cell behavior in culture and homeostasis in vivo, and that many of the same factors influence the course of tumor progression. Less well established is the extent to which extracellular factors actually cause cancer, and the circumstances under which this may occur. Using physiologically relevant three-dimensional culture assays and transgenic animals, we have explored how the environmental and architectural context of cells, tissues, and organs controls mammary-specific gene expression, growth regulation, apoptosis, and drug resistance and have found that loss of tissue structure is a prerequisite for cancer progression. Here we summarize this evidence and highlight two of our recent studies. Using mouse mammary epithelial cells, we show that exposure to matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) stimulates production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that destabilize the genome and induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition, causing malignant transformation. Using a human breast cancer progression series, we find that ADAM-dependent growth factor shedding plays a crucial role in acquisition of the malignant phenotype. These findings illustrate how normal tissue structure controls the response to extracellular signals so as to preserve tissue specificity and growth status.
Cultural Narratives of Individualism and Collectivism: A Content Analysis of Textbook Stories in the United States and Japan

Besides teaching academic knowledge and skills, imparting cultural values and behavioral standard is also an important function of formal education. The present work examines stories sampled from American and Japanese school textbooks (Ns = 72 and 71, respectively) for their cultural values and characteristics. The study found that the stories in American textbooks highlighted themes of individualism such as self-direction and achievement, whereas the Japanese counterparts highlighted themes of collectivism such as conformity and group harmony. The study also found cultural differences in story characteristics (e.g., the narrator, attribution of the outcome, picture content) that are also related to individualism and collectivism. Implications and future directions are discussed.
3D displacement field reconstruction on an irregular domain from planar tagged cardiac MR images

An important application of deformable motion estimation theory is the estimation of heart motion from tagged magnetic resonance image sequences. In tagged MR images, the heart appears with a spatially encoded pattern that moves with the tissue. The position of the tag pattern in each frame of the image sequence can be used to obtain sparse measurements of the heart's 3D displacement field. In this paper, we propose a method for estimating a dense displacement field from sparse displacement measurements that is based on a multidimensional stochastic model for the smoothness and divergence of the displacement field and uses the Fisher estimation framework. The main feature of this method is that the displacement field model and the resulting estimate equation are defined only on the irregular domain of the myocardium. Simulation results are presented that demonstrate the accuracy of our method and show the effect of the tag pattern on the estimation error. >
Evidence for accretion disc reprocessing in QSO 0957+561

We use archival g- and r-band photometry of the gravitational lens system QSO 0957+561A, B to estimate the intrinsic variability of the quasar during 1996 February–June. The light curves span 234 d with temporal resolutions of about 2.5 d. Both light curves display a single large-amplitude event, of ∼0.1 mag (max-to-min) in about 100 d, followed by small-amplitude variations of ∼0.02 mag on time-scales of tens of days. We find the r-band variations lag those at g by 3.4−1.4+1.5 d for the large-amplitude event. This lag is greater than zero at no less than 98 per cent confidence. The delayed coupling of the rest-frame UV intrinsic variations strongly suggests the existence of a stratified reprocessing region extending ∼light-days from the putative central black hole source. The observed lag is consistent with that expected from a reverberation within an irradiated accretion disc structure. However, any definitive statement requires further detailed theoretical modelling and high-quality, signal-to-noise ratio of about 100, optical/IR simultaneous monitoring with about 3-d resolution for approximately 6 months.
Rapid detection of antigen binding by antibody fragments expressed in the periplasm of Escherichia coli

Bacterial expression systems can greatly facilitate protein engineering of antibodies. We have developed a system for high-level expression of antibodies, antibody fragments, or hybrid antibodies with novel effector functions in the periplasm of Escherichia coli. From 5 ml of cells, a simple extraction yields sufficient material for SDS-gel electrophoresis, detection and characterization of hapten binding. To demonstrate our system, heavy-chain variable regions and lambda 1 light chains of a mouse anti-NP antibody were synthesized as hybrid proteins with a bacterial signal peptide (Omp F). Each chain is secreted into the periplasm where processing (cleavage of the signal peptide), folding and heterodimer association take place. Periplasmic proteins are released by cold osmotic shock, and hapten-binding activity is easily detected without further manipulation. The ease of genetic engineering in this system will facilitate the production of immunoglobulin derivatives designed for specific applications, and expression of these molecules in a native state will allow the rapid screening of combinatorial libraries and the results of mutagenesis.
Enhancement of wood/polyethylene composites via compatibilization and incorporation of organoclay particles

Despite many advantages of wood–polyethylene composites, the shortcomings of this kind of composite include relatively low modulus, low notched impact resistance, relatively large thermal expansion, as well as substantial creep. In this article, in addition to using maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene as compatibilizer, organoclay was introduced into the polyethylene matrix so as to further enhance the thermal and mechanical performance. First, the influence of maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene type and loading on the morphology and properties of wood/HDPE composites was studied. Then, the effects of organoclay loading and of the compounding procedure on the wood/HDPE composites were investigated. The compatibilization was found to result in better polymer impregnation on the wood, reduced linear thermal expansion coefficients, and significantly improved mechanical properties. Incorporation of organoclay further reduced the thermal expansion and elevated the heat deflection temperature. More compatibilizer is needed to maintain the mechanical properties with the presence of clay. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:797–803, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers
Reliability Study of Interconnect Structures in IC Packages

This paper will focus on reliability study of interconnect structure for two areas. The first area is reliability of interconnect structure in thermal cycling test. Major work includes the fundamental study of ratcheting for passivation cracking. By combination with the upper limit of stress intensity factor for a finite crack in the passivation and the ratcheting failure mechanism, the life of passivation in thermal cycling can be obtained in terms of the lower bound of critical number of cycles of the crack initiation. The passivation crack criterion is established to identify the failure modes: no cracking and delayed cracking. Another area is the reliability of bond paid over active (BPOA) with copper bond pads. Major work includes stress analysis of the dielectric layer under probing with different parameters such as the thickness of the copper bond pad, dielectric, metallization and the passivation under different probing loads. The elastic plastic model in copper bond pad and metal lines are introduced. Finally comparison of the results between copper bond pad and aluminum bond pad will be presented
So Far, PCSK9 Inhibitors Work for All Heterozygous FH Patients.

Two proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) antibodies have obtained approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration: evolocumab (Amgen) and alirocumab (Sanofi/Regeneron). Per their package inserts, both are "indicated as an adjunct to diet and maximally tolerated statin therapy for the treatment of adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) or clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, who require additional lowering of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C)." Evolocumab has an additional indication for homozygous FH patients. Article see p 823 Several issues cloud the use of PCSK9 inhibitors in FH (also referred to as autosomal dominant hypercholesterolemia) patients and may be causing confusion for both clinicians and payers. First, what does "maximally tolerated statin" refer to? It may be interpreted as no statin in patients with complete statin intolerance or it may imply high-intensity statin therapy (atorvastatin 40 or 80 mg daily and rosuvastatin 20 or 40 mg daily). Second, which patients require additional lowering of LDL-C? Recent guidelines de-emphasize LDL-C goals, although many clinicians likely continue to treat to LDL-C target levels. Third, how should FH be diagnosed? No standard FH diagnostic criteria—or even International Classification of Diseases-9 or -10 codes—exist in the United States. FH can be clinically diagnosed with elevated LDL-C levels (usually >190 mg/dL) plus …
The Intersection of Originalism and Jot-for-Jot Incorporation

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decisions in District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. City of Chicago, lower court judges have produced many decisions about the meaning of the right to keep and bear arms. One of those opinions, a Seventh Circuit ruling in Ezell v. City of Chicago, contains a brief passage raising an intriguing question, about the interaction between originalism and the incorporation doctrine, that has largely escaped notice. The Ezell opinion asserts that Heller requires an originalist approach to the Second Amendment, meaning that judges should give it the meaning it had in 1791 when the Bill of Rights was ratified. But Ezell suggests that when considering whether a state or local government action violates the right to keep and bear arms, as incorporated into the Fourteenth Amendment, the analysis must be “carried forward in time” to the period around 1868 when that Amendment was added to the Constitution. That approach disregards the Supreme Court’s declaration in McDonald that every incorporated right, including the right to keep and bear arms, must mean exactly the same thing as applied to state and local governments through the Fourteenth Amendment as it means when applied to the federal government through the Bill of Rights. The Seventh Circuit cannot be correct in advising that judges should look to 1791 when considering a Second Amendment challenge to a federal law but should focus on 1868 in cases concerning state or local laws. The Supreme Court’s decision in McDonald clearly ruled out such a two-track approach.
UNITARITY AND TCP INVARIANCE IN K$sup 0$ $Yields$ 2$pi$ DECAY.

Unitarity and $\mathrm{TCP}$ invariance suffice to predict the as yet unmeasured phase ${\ensuremath{\phi}}_{00}$ of ${\ensuremath{\eta}}_{00}$. Quite severe restrictions are placed on the parameters of ${K}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2\ensuremath{\pi}$ decay and exclude the particular combination favored at present.
Empirical observability Gramian rank condition for weak observability of nonlinear systems with control

We provide a rank condition for weak observability by defining a modified empirical observability Gramian that explicitly incorporates system control. Based on this rank condition, we derive an upper bound on the local unobservability index of the system that guarantees weak observability. We also show a connection between the Fisher information matrix and the control explicit empirical observability Gramian. The utility of the control explicit Gramian is demonstrated in examples.
Finding Inconsistencies in Programs with Loops

Inconsistent code is an important class of program abnormalities that appears in real-world code bases and often reveals serious bugs. A piece of code is inconsistent if it is not part of any safely terminating execution. Existing approaches to inconsistent code detection scale to programs with millions of lines of code, and have lead to patches in applications like the web-server Tomcat or the Linux kernel. However, the ability of existing tools to detect inconsistencies is limited by gross over-approximation of looping control-flow. We present a novel approach to inconsistent code detection that can reason about programs with loops without compromising precision. To that end, by leveraging recent advances in software model checking and Horn clause solving, we demonstrate how to encode the problem as a sequence of Horn clauses queries enabling us to detect inconsistencies that were previously unattainable.
Tensile and Creep Properties of Rapidly Solidified Titanium Alloys Containing Complex Matrices and Fine Dispersoids

Titanium alloys containing alpha matrices with various rare earth compound dispersions were prepared by melt extraction. The melt extracted material was HIPped, extruded, and thermally exposed to yield various microstructures including transformed beta and equiaxed alpha. Tensile and creep tests were conducted on material in the different microstructural conditions. Trends in mechanical behavior as a function of alloy chemistry and process history are discussed. The alloys with a transformed beta microstructure had superior creep resistance. Alloys containing dispersoids had better tensile ductilities compared with those which did not contain a dispersoid. Portions of this work were carried out under Air Force Contract F33615-83-C-5034.
The Concordance of Subjective Measures and Military Pilot Performance in a study of Human-Interaction with Automation in a Complex Simulated Environment:

Eight pilots with military experience completed a study of human-interaction with automation in a complex and dynamic air-to-ground search and destroy mission. Each pilot completed 32 ten-minute scenarios. Performance measures and subjective measures of mental workload, situation awareness, trust, confidence, and automation reliability were recorded after each scenario. An analysis of the agreement of the subjective measures between scenario types was performed. The results indicated that there was a high level of agreement between all of the subjective measures. Further, the subjective measures were similar, but not identical to the performance measures ranked by scenario type. Design implications are discussed.
Some Observations on Latent Image Stability of Motion Picture Film

The observations reported are the result of an investigation to determine the effect of a delay between the exposure and development of modern motion picture films. The stability of the latent image in terms of speed, gradation, graininess, and color response has been studied. — In general, a definite speed increase was noted on negative emulsions, a decrease on positive emulsions. There were also changes in gradation and graininess. The detailed findings which vary considerably with the individual emulsion type are given, followed by a general discussion and interpretation of the results. A brief review of the literature is included.
Vortex Formation of Freely Falling Plates

The problem of a freely uttering or tumbling plate is studied using direct numerical simulation (DNS) by solving the Navier-Stokes equations and body dynamic equations simultaneously. The vortex formation in the transient process and periodic motion of the falling plate is investigated. The correlation between the body kinematics and force generation is discussed. The dierent roles played by viscous force in uttering and tumbling plates are also pointed out.
Effects of planting date on damage caused by the banded sunflower moth (Lepidoptera: Cochylidae) in the northern great plains

A 3-yr (1981, 1982, 1986) planting-date study of sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., was done at four sites. Achene damage caused by the banded sunflower moth, Cochylis hospes (Walsingham), was highest in sunflower planted early and lowest in sunflower planted late. Achene weight was highest in sunflower planted early in 1982 and 1986 and highest in sunflower planted late in 1981. The mean percentage of oil content varied among years and location. Planting sunflowers late in southeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota can reduce moth damage without appreciably reducing achene weight and oil content.
Corporate Political Contributions and Tax Avoidance

In this study we examine the channels through which corporate political contributions affect firm-level tax outcomes. Firms that make political contributions are more likely than other firms to be singled out in rifle-shot tax legislation and receive firm-specific tax relief. The ex-ante payoff to political contributions if rifle-shot tax relief is the only benefit of making political contributions is negative, but for some firms the ex-post payoff is enormous. Firms also receive tax benefits when members of their industry cohort make political contributions, regardless of the firm’s own political contributions, consistent with politicians taking actions that benefit an entire class of assets or type of investment. Finally, we find some evidence that political connections affect tax enforcement, resulting in lower tax burdens for politically active firms.
Speech Correlates of Stress and Coping

After several decades of dedicated research, the precise relationship between psychological and physiological components of acute stress response is still not known (Elliott et al., 1982). The problem is of particular interest for three reasons: (1) Psychological stimuli are among the most powerful activators of physiological stress responses (Mason, 1975). (2) Coping and defense mechanisms are able to protect the organism from arousal (Lazarus, 1964) or even prevent lethal consequences of hormonal stress response (MacLennan et al., 1983). (3) Without proper knowledge of the relationship between these variables, significant progress in stress response is unlikely. Individual responses show a wide variability, impeding experimental exploration. It is thought that this variability is at least in part a function of the large number of unknown mediators in the response. And, in turn, a great number of those mediators are psychological (Elliott et al., 1982).
The Market for Lemmings, or A Tale of Two Cultures

What is it that causes the masses of investors to panic and run for the doors? And who manages to lead the charge?
Building sustainable digital collections – a visual resources collection perspective

One enormous problem confronting visual resources (VR) collections internationally is the time, labor and expense of converting or creating digital collections while maintaining and even adding to the analog collection. It will take considerable time to reach the critical digital mass that will begin to reflect the richness already available in our analog collections. The analog collections must be maintained in tandem with the digital development. As one might logically conclude, this is twice the work. It is improbable that any of us will see our staffs doubling. This underscores the need to define clear goals for digital collection development that are reasonable given the level of staffing and the need for continuation of analog services for the foreseeable future. This conundrum may have an up side in that it will tend to encourage resource sharing and consortial development of digital resources.
Exposures to the environmental toxicants pentachlorophenol (PCP) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) modify secretion of interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β) from human immune cells

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) and Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) are environmental contaminants found in human blood. Previous studies have shown that PCP and DDT inhibit the lytic function of highly purified human natural killer (NK) lymphocytes and decrease the expression of several surface proteins on NK cells. Interleukin-1 βeta (IL-1β) is a cytokine produced by lymphocytes and monocytes, and anything that elevates its levels inappropriately can lead to chronic inflammation, which among other consequences can increase tumor development and invasiveness. Here, PCP and DDT were examined for their ability to alter secretion of IL-1β from immune cell preparations of various complexity: NK cells; monocyte-depleted (MD) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCS); and PBMCs. Cells were exposed to concentrations of PCP ranging from 5 to 0.05 µM and DDT concentrations of 2.5–0.025 μM for 24, 48 h, and 6 days. Results showed that both PCP and DDT increased IL-1β secretion from all of the immune cell preparations. The specific concentrations of PCP and DDT that increased IL-1β secretion varied by donor. Immune cells from all donors showed compound-induced increases in IL-1β secretion at one or more concentration at one or more length of exposure. The mechanism of PCP stimulation of IL1-β secretion was also addressed, and it appears that the MAPKs, ERK1/2 and p38, may be utilized by PCP to stimulate secretion of IL-1β.
U.S. Nutrition Assistance, 2018 — Modifying SNAP to Promote Population Health

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program helps 45 million low-income Americans pay for food each month. Expanding the program’s health emphasis would allow it to better address diet-related diseases and reduce government spending on health care.
Structure and polarization near the Li+ ion in ethylene and propylene carbonates

Research on fundamental interactions in Li-ion batteries is accelerating due to the importance of developing batteries with enhanced energy and power densities while maintaining safety. Improving electrode materials and controlling the formation of the solid electrolyte interphase during the first battery charge have been the main focus areas for research. Ion-solvent interactions in the electrolyte are also of great importance in tuning solvation and transport properties, however. Here we present ab initio density functional theory simulations of a Li+ ion in ethylene and propylene carbonates. The aim is to obtain a detailed analysis of local solvation structure and solvent polarization near the ion and in the bulk. The results indicate the significance of molecular polarization for developing accurate solvation models. The simulations illustrate the substantial differences between ion solvation in water and in organic materials.
Campaign and Battle Narratives in Thucydides

This chapter reviews the campaign and battle narratives of Thucydides’ History. It discusses the structural role of campaign narratives in the History, and then focusses on the prologues, actions, and speeches of the campaign narratives themselves. It also takes several battle narratives under examination, asking what questions these battle stories answer and how they function in the larger narrative. Finally, the chapter engages with the question of how these stories related to their ancient Athenian audience, which was the very first audience, as far as we know, to be able to read accounts of the military events of a recent war.
Response to Intervention: A Socio-cultural Perspective of the Problems and the Possibilities:

Over recent decades, achieving the goal of literacy for all children has become more challenging. Although gains have been made in students' achievement of basic literacy skills, there has not been...
A Toolkit for Snow-Cover Area Calculation and Display Based on the Interactive Multisensor Snow and Ice Mapping System and an Example for the Tibetan Plateau Region

This research develops a toolkit for snow-cover area calculation and display (SACD) based on the Interactive Multisensor Snow and Ice Mapping System (IMS). The paper uses the Tibetan Plateau region as an example to describe the toolkit’s method, results, and usage. The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) provides to the public IMS a well-used system for monitoring the snow and ice cover. The newly developed toolkit is based on a simple shoe-lace formula for a grid box area on a sphere and can be conveniently used to calculate the total area of snow cover given the IMS data. The toolkit has been made available as an open source Python software on GitHub. The toolkit generates the time series of the daily snow-covered area for any region over the Northern Hemisphere from 4 February 1997. The toolkit also creates maps showing snow and ice coverage with an elevation background. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) region (25∘–45∘N) × (65∘–105∘E) is used as an example to demonstrate our work on SACD. The IMS product...
I have an appointment with the spring: the contractual dimension of Confucianism

ABSTRACTThis essay explores the contractual dimension in Confucianism. It demonstrates that essential to Confucianism is the concept of three contracts: the contract of mind with oneself, the cultural contract with society and community; and the moral contract with humanity and the universe at large. Confucianism may not be labelled as contractualism. Nonetheless one would not have an adequate understanding of Confucianism without a view of the contractual dimension of Confucianism. Confucianism may not be labelled as realism. However, essential to Confucianism is the idea of the total unity of the self, society, and the world, and the total harmony of heaven, earth, and humankind.
Swelling of Transported Smoke from Savanna Fires over the Southeast Atlantic Ocean

We use the recently released Cloud Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) Version 4.1 (V4) lidar data to study the smoke plumes transported from Southern African biomass burning areas. Significant improvements in the CALIPSO V4 Level 1 calibration and V4 Level 2 algorithms lead to a better representation of their optical properties, with the aerosol subtype improvements being particularly relevant to smoke over this area. For the first time, we show evidence of smoke particles increasing in size, evidenced in their particulate color ratios, as they are transported over the South Atlantic Ocean from the source regions over Southern Africa. We hypothesize that this is due to hygroscopic swelling of the smoke particles and is reflected in the higher relative humidity in the middle troposphere for profiles with smoke. This finding may have implications for radiative forcing estimates over this area and is also relevant to the ORACLES field mission.