cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydrodynamic relaxation times of DNA from decay of flow dichroism measurements

The relaxation of the flow dichorism signal of native DNA molecules after rapid (∼0.004 sec) stoppage of the flow has been studied in the narrow-channel flow dichroism apparatus previously described. The flow dichroism signal decays with a spectrum of relaxation times. The slowest relaxation time accounts for about 0.40 of the total signal for shear gradients in the range of 100–300 sec−1 and for about 0.25 of the total signal for shear gradients in the range of 5,000– 20,000 sec−1. This longest relaxation time in dilute aqueous salt solution at 25°C for T4-DNA molecules is measured as 0.45 sec; in the molecular weight range from 125 × 106 to 12 × 106, the relaxation time varies as. M(1.6±0.1). The relaxation time is proportional to η/T for large (sixfold) changes in solvent viscosity and for temperature changes between 25 and 0°C, showing that the molecular relaxation is hydrodynamically limited. An accurate analysis of the data at short times to determine the shorter relaxation times was not possible. A theoretical prediction based on the Zimm-Rouse theory of polymer dynamics for the longest relaxation time is in good agreement with the observed value, but the theory predicts that 87%, of the total signal should decay with this relaxation time, whereas experimentally only a smaller fraction of the total signal does so. This discrepancy occurs because the theory is applicable to low hydrodynamic shear stress flows and the experiments were made at higher shear stresses.
Nuclear actin and myosins at a glance

Actin and myosin II form the archetypical molecular motor complex. Myosin II, like all members of the myosin superfamily, is an actin-activated ATPase that uses the energy released when ATP is hydrolyzed to do work. Although we typically associate work with muscle contraction, cell motility and cell
Overdrive suppression of atrial pacemaker tissues in the alert, awake dog before and chronically after excision of the sinoatrial node.

Abstract In characterizing pacemakers of the canine right atrium, cycle lengths after rapid atrial pacing were measured in the alert, conscious dog. Using implanted bipolar electrodes on the atrial appendage, pacing was established at a rate 100 percent above the spontaneous heart rate and was continued for 30, 60, 120 or 180 seconds. The average control cycle length subtracted from the first recovery cycle after cessation of pacing was termed the corrected recovery time. To study comparative responses of the Sinoatrial (S-A) node and subsidiary atrial pacemakers, corrected recovery time was measured before and at intervals after excision of the S-A node. Junctlonal regions frequently (but not invariably) assumed control instantaneously after sinus nodal excision, with subsidiary atrial pacemaker dominance occurring within a few minutes to hours; such control was relatively unstable for a few days. Subsidiary atrial pacemaker dominance gradually stabilized with development of consistent P waves and P-R intervals of 80 to 100 ms. Corrected recovery time after 1 minute of rapid atrial pacing averaged 267 ms before excision of the S-A node, 3,500 to 4,500 ms immediately after and for the 1st week after excision, but progressively decreased toward control levels during the 1st to 20th week thereafter. Thus, corrected recovery time first increased greatly, then regularly decreased with time after excision of the S-A node, but remained high for several weeks in subsidiary atrial pacemakers as compared with control dominance by S-A pacemaker tissues. However, the ultimate assumption of comparable corrected recovery time by the subsidiary pacemakers implies important alterations in electrophysiologic characteristics. One minute of fast pacing elicited longer periods of overdrive suppression than did 30 seconds of pacing, but these periods were not systematically further increased by 2 or 3 minutes of pacing. Although atropine greatly attenuated overdrive suppression in the awake dog model, propranolol altered it little or not at all during quiet rest, with modest exaggeration during alert attention.
Terahertz spectroscopy of single crystal HMX

We present the results of terahertz spectroscopic studies on single crystals of the energetic material HMX at various temperatures and crystal orientations. Distinct intermolecular vibrational modes are observed in the range from 55-75 cm/sup -1/.
Trapped charge characterization and removal on floating-gate transistors

Floating-gate transistors that have contacts to the lowest metal to the polysilicon floating-gate were fabricated to determine if the lowest metal flow alone could normalize charge across multiple floating gates. The metal contacts did not normalize charge for different numbers of contacts to polysilicon; however, a decreased variance of trapped charge was found when compared to polysilicon floating-gates that have no contacts to lowestmetal. The charge leakage from the floating-gate was negligible after one year, suggesting that layout may play a critical factor in leakage.
The Witt kernels of purely inseparable quartic extensions

Abstract For a purely inseparable quartic field extension L / k , we determine the Witt kernel W ( L / k ) of quadratic k -forms that split hyperbolically over L . In particular, we show that W ( L / k ) is generated (as a W ( k )-module) by quadratic Pfister forms of dimension four.
The Impact of Antiplatelet Medication on Hand and Wrist Surgery

Purpose To quantify the impact of maintaining antiplatelet medication during hand and wrist surgery on bleeding and functional outcomes. Methods This prospective cohort trial compared operative outcomes and complications of hand and wrist surgery in patients without interruption of daily antiplatelet medications (n = 107 procedures) with control patients (n = 107 procedures). We determined rates of complications requiring reoperation for each group. We compared measures of surgical site bleeding (extent of ecchymosis or hematoma formation), patient-rated outcome assessment ( Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score and visual analog scales of pain and swelling), and 2-point discrimination between groups. Data were collected preoperatively and postoperatively at 2 and 4 weeks. We confirmed control and antiplatelet populations to be similar for data analysis according to health status (Short Form-12) and percentage of bony procedures. Results One patient receiving antiplatelet medication required reoperation for surgical site bleeding after wrist arthrodesis (0.9%). There were no complications in the control group. The extent of postoperative ecchymosis was similar in the antiplatelet and control patients at 2 weeks (16 vs 19 mm) and 4 weeks (1 vs 1 mm). Hematoma rates were not increased for patients receiving antiplatelet medication (17% vs 14% at 2 wk). Patient-rated function scores were equivalent at baseline and at follow-up between groups. A total of 22 control patients and 20 patients receiving antiplatelet medication had transiently increased 2-point discrimination (≥ 2-mm change) postoperatively. Conclusions Bleeding-related perioperative complications were rare when continuing antiplatelet medications without interruption for hand and wrist surgery. Maintenance of antiplatelet medication does not appear to negatively affect patient-rated or objective measures of function, although surgical-site bleeding may be greatest in patients taking higher-dose antiplatelet medication and undergoing bony procedures. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic II.
Incident atrial fibrillation and risk of death in adults with chronic kidney disease.

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently occurs in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, the long-term impact of development of AF on the risk of death among patients with CKD is unknown. Methods and Results We studied adults with CKD (glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation) identified between 2002 and 2010 who were enrolled in Kaiser Permanente Northern California and had no previously documented AF. Incident AF was identified using primary hospital discharge diagnoses or ≥2 outpatient visits for AF. Death was comprehensively ascertained from health plan administrative databases, Social Security Administration vital status files, and the California death certificate registry. Covariates included demographics, comorbidity, ambulatory blood pressure, laboratory values (hemoglobin, proteinuria), and longitudinal medication use. Among 81 088 adults with CKD, 6269 (7.7%) developed clinically recognized incident AF during a mean follow-up of 4.8±2.7 years. There were 2388 cases of death that occurred after incident AF (145 per 1000 person-years) compared with 18 865 cases of death during periods without AF (51 per 1000 person-years, P <0.001). After adjustment for potential confounders, incident AF was associated with a 66% increase in relative rate of death (adjusted hazard ratio 1.66, 95% CI 1.57 to 1.77). Conclusion Incident AF is independently associated with an increased risk of death in adults with CKD. Further study is needed to understand the mechanisms by which CKD is associated with AF and to identify potentially modifiable risk factors to decrease the burden of AF and subsequent risk of death in this high-risk population.
Information Security Compliances and Knowledge Management Capabilities in International Diversification

Information security compliance has become one of the top priorities for firms to remain competitive in this era. It is even more challenging to comply with foreign standards and laws, when a firm aims to internationalize its operations and remain competitive. This paper discusses the role of information security compliances in international diversification phenomena. Specifically, drawing from the organizational information processing theory, this paper proposes that the fit between knowledge management capabilities of a firm and the requirements of information security compliances influences the degree of international diversification of the firm. Unlike much of prior academic literature focusing on American firms, this paper discusses how certain American security compliances possess challenges for foreign firms to diversify their businesses in the US. Both implications and limitations are then discussed.
Multi-targeted Suppression of the RAS-AKT Signaling Network in NSCLC

CN07-04 Lung cancer is a genetically heterogeneous disease characterized by the acquisition of somatic mutations in numerous protein kinases, including components of the RAS and PI3K / mTOR / AKT signaling cascades. In signaling networks, inhibition of one axis may be insufficient since other components compensate. There is concern that such effects may impede therapeutic efficacy. The AKT and RAS pathways intersect at various points rendering this network highly redundant and suggest that combined MEK and mTOR inhibition may be a promising drug combination that can overcome its intrinsic plasticity. MEK inhibitors in combination with mTOR inhibitors exhibited dose-dependent synergism in human lung cancer cell lines that was associated with suppression of proliferation rather than enhancement of cell death. Concurrent suppression of MEK and mTOR inhibited ribosomal biogenesis by forty percent within twenty-four hours and was associated with a decreased polysome / monosome ratio, which suggests reduced protein translation efficiency. Furthermore, the combination of MEK and mTOR inhibitors was significantly superior to either drug alone, or the MEK inhibitor at the maximum tolerated dose in nude mice bearing human lung tumor xenografts or heterotransplants. Except for a PTEN mutant tumor that was highly vascularized when grown in mice, all tumor models had sustained tumor regressions and minimal toxicity. These data (a) provide evidence that both pathways converge on factors that regulate translation initiation, and (b) support therapeutic strategies in lung cancer that simultaneously suppress the RAS and AKT signaling network. The mechanistic rationale for combining targeted therapies is complex, primarily because the functional relationship between disease, genetics and targeted therapies is not well understood. Rationally designed combinations will require a better understanding of the intricacies of feedback regulation within signaling networks and elucidation of as yet uncharacterized branches. By exploiting the regulatory elements and integration points within such networks, we may be able to overcome the emergence of drug resistance that ensues when only one component of a network is suppressed and in addition to cancer, apply this concept to other diseases that have dysfunctional RAS and PI3K / mTOR / AKT signaling.
Pornography Defined: Sexual Involvement Theory, Narrative Context, and Goodness-of-Fit

Unlike a single erotic image, imagery within a story provides a context to judge whether a product is pornographic. Pornography is defined as a commercial product in the form of fictional drama designed to elicit or enhance sexual arousal. It embodies a sexual fantasy of an intended audience by presenting explicit sexual activities between predominantly sexually motivated (and to a lesser extent power-motivated) characters whose mission is to experience erotic reality without the constraints of everyday reality, social norms, and conventional morality. The protagonist overcomes apparent obstacles (taboos on "deviant" sexual objects or linkages) to the sexual mission with ease, and thus, fails to undergo a transformation in character in the process of pursuing the mission. Mosher's (1980) sexual involvement theory posits that subjective response to pornography is a function of the match to the person's sexual script. Deep involvement in the pornographic image or fantasy requires goodness-of-fit to preferre...
Is Bigger Really Better? : The Effect of Nonprofit Facilities Projects on Financial Vulnerability.

This study investigates the effect of a capital facilities project on nonprofit financial vulnerability metrics. The author employs a difference-in-differences technique to model the relationship between facilities investments and financial vulnerability indicators using data for a matched-pair sample of nonprofit organizations that invested and did not invest in a facilities project. Overall the findings suggest that investments in facilities are associated with temporary increases in an organization's net assets ratio and decreases in its surplus ratio after a project is completed, and that the costs associated with facilities projects (for example, debt) place strain on nonprofit finances. The study's findings have implications for the financial management of nonprofit organizations, particularly in regard to the associated costs of capital expansion.
Determination of tin in water related products by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and validated by ICP-MS

Objective:To develop a method for the determination of Tin in water related products by Graphite furnace atomic absorption Spectrometry(GFAAS) and validated by ICP-MS.Methods: The samples is soaked in simulated water for 24 hours.Calcium nitrate was used as matrix modifiers,Tin was determined by GFAAS and ICP-MS.Results: The method showed good linearity(r=0.9993) in the range of 0~10 μg/L,the detection limit was 0.21 μg/L.The recoveries ranged from 96.3% to 102.2%,the relative standard deviation(RSD) were between 1.6%~3.7%.Conclusion: The method is simple,accurate and low background inferference.It can be applied to determine Tin in water related products.
Book Review: 'Economic Thought Before Adam Smith: An Austrian Perspective on the History of Economic Thought', Vol. I, and 'Classical Economics: An Austrian Perspective on the History of Economic Thought', Vol. I, by Murray N. Rothbard

The author reviews Murray Rothbard's "Economic Thought Before Adam Smith: An Austrian Perspective on the History of Economic Thought", Vol. I, and "Classical Economics: An Austrian Perspective on the History of Economic Thought, Vol. I."
Low Lean Mass Predicts Incident Fractures Independently From FRAX: a Prospective Cohort Study of Recent Retirees.

Whether low muscle mass predisposes to fracture is still poorly understood. In the diagnosis of sarcopenia, different thresholds for low lean mass have been proposed but comparative data for these criteria against hard outcomes such as fractures are lacking. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of low lean mass according to different thresholds used in operational definitions of sarcopenia and their association with 3-year fracture incidence in a cohort of healthy 63- to 67-year-old community dwellers. In a longitudinal analysis of 913 participants (mean age 65.0 ± 1.4 years) enrolled in the Geneva Retirees Cohort (GERICO) study, lean mass was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and low trauma clinical fracture incidence was recorded over a 3-year period. Prevalence of low lean mass ranged from 3.5% to 20.2% according to the threshold applied. During a follow-up of 3.4 ± 0.9 years, 40 (4.4%) participants sustained at least one low trauma fracture. After multivariate adjustment including Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) probability with femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD), low lean mass, as defined by Baumgartner thresholds, was associated with higher fracture risk (odds ratio [OR], 2.32; 95% CI, 1.04 to 5.18; p = 0.040). It also added significant predictive value beyond FRAX (likelihood ratio test for nested models, 4.28; p < 0.039). No significant association was found for other definition thresholds. The coexistence of sarcopenia and a T-score <-2.5 at spine or hip was associated with a 3.39-fold (95% CI, 1.54 to 7.46; p = 0.002) increase in low trauma fracture risk. In conclusion, low lean mass, as defined by the Baumgartner thresholds, is a predictor of incident fractures in a large cohort of healthy 65-year-old community dwellers, independently of FRAX probability. The increased risk is related to the threshold for low lean mass selected. These findings suggest that identification of sarcopenia should be considered in fracture risk assessment beyond usual risk factors. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Traceable Dynamic Calibration of Force Transducers by Primary Means.

We describe an apparatus for traceable, dynamic calibration of force transducers using harmonic excitation, and report calibration measurements of force transducers using this apparatus. In this system, the force applied to the transducer is produced by the acceleration of an attached mass, and is determined according to Newton's second law, F = ma. The acceleration is measured by primary means, using laser interferometry. The capabilities of this system are demonstrated by performing dynamic calibrations of two shear-web-type force transducers up to a frequency of 2 kHz, with an expanded uncertainty below 1.2%. We give an account of all significant sources of uncertainty, including a detailed consideration of the effects of dynamic tilting (rocking), which is a leading source of uncertainty in such harmonic force calibration systems.
Modeling the Expansion of Oil Production in South Texas and Mexico

This study develops a dynamic output adjustment model that characterizes the expansion of U.S. oil production firms into Mexico. Using a Cobb-Douglas framework that differentiates U.S. and Mexican plants, we derive the comparative, static, risk-free, dual-country production levels for the multinational operations in each of the two countries when there are no capital constraints and perfect information. Given capital and labor constraints on Mexican production, the article uses an optimal control framework to derive the optimal production levels over time during a fixed adjustment period. This provides a pragmatic strategy for planning a growth path for investment in foreign operations.
Size dependence of structural stability and magnetization of nickel clusters from real-space pseudopotentials

We examine the structural stability and magnetization for nickel clusters containing up to 500 atoms by performing first-principles calculations based on pseudopotential in real space computed within density-functional theory. After structural relaxation, Ni clusters in this size range favor either an fcc structure, which is a crystal structure in bulk, or an icosahedral structure, which is expected for small clusters. The calculated total magnetic moments per atom of energetically stable clusters agree well with experiment, wherein the moments decrease nonmonotonically toward the bulk value as the cluster size increases. We analyze the spatial distribution of the local magnetic moment, which explains why the magnetic moments of Ni clusters are enhanced compared to their bulk value.
Household Arrangements of the Middle Aged

This chapter explores the living arrangements of middle-aged people in Latin America—people who survived the young adult years and have not yet entered old age. In a strict sense, middle age could be considered ages 35 to 49; since much of our discussion considers young adulthood as ending around age 30 (Chapter 5) and old age as beginning around age 60 (Chapter 7), however, I consider here the middle generation in the broad sense as being between 30 to 59 years of age. Since I also try to look at five-year age groups within this broader range, it is often possible to still consider the 30- to 34-year-old group as being young and the 50- to 54 and 55- to 59year-old groups as being old.
Electrical and seismic response of saline permafrost soil during freeze - Thaw transition

Abstract We conducted laboratory studies on the geophysical signals from Arctic saline permafrost soils to help understand the physical and mechanical processes during freeze-thaw cycles. Our results revealed low electrical resistivity (
Abstract 17004: Five-coordinate H64Q Neuroglobin as a Ligand-trap Antidote for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Background: Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a leading cause of poisoning deaths worldwide, with no available antidotal therapy. Neuroglobin (Ngb) is a six-coordinate hemoprotein, with the heme ir...
WORLD WAR I AND THE PARADOX OF WILSONIANISM

One hundred years ago, on April 6, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson led the United States into the First World War. Four days earlier, in his war message to Congress, he gave his rationale for declaring war against Imperial Germany and for creating a new world order. He now viewed German submarine attacks against neutral as well as belligerent shipping as a threat to the whole world, not just the United States. “The present German submarine warfare against commerce is a warfare against mankind,” he claimed. “It is a war against all nations.” He now believed that Germany had violated the moral standards that “citizens of civilized states” should uphold. The president explained: “We are at the beginning of an age in which it will be insisted that the same standards of conduct and responsibility for wrong done shall be observed among nations and their governments that are observed among the individual citizens of civilized states.” He focused on protecting democracy against the German regime of Kaiser Wilhelm II. “A steadfast concert for peace,” he said, “can never be maintained except by a partnership of democratic nations. No autocratic government could be trusted to keep faith within it or observe its covenants.” Wilson called on Congress to vote for war not just because Imperial Germany had sunk three American ships, but for the larger purpose of a new world order. He affirmed: “We are glad, now that we see the facts with no veil of false pretense about them, to fight thus for the ultimate peace of the world and for the liberation of its peoples, the German peoples included: for the rights of nations great and small and the privilege of men everywhere to choose their way of life and of obedience. The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundation of political liberty.”
Abstract 17210: Von Willebrand Factor Level and Duration of Atrial Fibrillation

Background: We have recently reported that patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) have CD40L - a marker of platelet and inflammation activity - significantly elevated only within the first year, but particularly first month of dysrhythmia. Relationship between Von Willebrand factor (VWF) level and duration of atrial fibrillation is poorly defined. Methods: In order to determine if VWF is a time-dependent marker of prothrombotic status, plasma VWF antigen measured by latex immunoassay in 425 consecutive NVAF patients was analysed according to the duration of atrial fibrillation ( 12 months: n=251) and compared to 100 controls with normal sinus rhythm (NSR). Results: The mean VWF antigen level in NVAF patients with 12 months duration (156±54%, p=0.11) but significantly higher compared to NSR controls (143±48%, p=0.003, see Figure). NVAF patients with higher CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc scores when divided into three values: 0, 1, or >2 had significantly elevated VWF level in all groups of dysrhythmia duration: 12 months (p=0.0004). Also higher intensity of spontaneous echocardiographic contrast was associated with significantly higher VWF level in all three groups of atrial fibrillation duration. Conclusions: VWF remains steadily elevated throughout the course of dysrhythmia in NVAF patients with higher CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc scores and in those with higher intensity of left atrium blood stagnation.
Platelet life span in normal, splenectomized and hypersplenic rats.

blood for a number of days, and then disappear. Their eventual fate is not known. Conceivably, the spleen might be an important site of platelet destruction, and the increased platelet level following splenectomy might be due to a decreased destruction of platelets. Likewise, the decreased level in hypersplenism might be due to an increased destruction. One approach to this problem is to label platelets in vitro, and then study their localization in the normal animal. The spleen contains a considerable amount of the label in such experiments,14 apparently supporting the concept that the spleen normally destroys a large fraction of platelets. However, this evidence may be criticized on the grounds that in vitro labeling and handling may damage the platelets and lead to abnormal tissue localization. The body may handle its own intact platelets differently. Another approach to the problem is to study the possible influence of the spleen on the platelet life span by in vivo tagging. If the spleen is the main destructor of platelets, their life span might be prolonged after splenectomy, all(l shortened in hypersplenism. Following this approach, we have found the platelet life span to be the same in normal, splenectomized, and hyper
Differential regulation of the c-MYC P1 and P2 promoters in the absence of functional tumor suppressors: implications for mechanisms of deregulated MYC transcription.

The c-MYC polypeptide plays critical roles in cellular proliferation and differentiation and its dysregulation can lead to abnormal growth, neoplasia and death [1,2]. MYC normally initiates a cell cycle progression program culminating in S phase whilst enforced MYC expression can inhibit cellular differentiation programs and excessive levels of MYC lead to the induction of apoptosis (programmed cell death) [1–3]. The MYC polypeptide functions as a transcriptional activator (a member of the basic-helix-loop-helix family of heterodimerizing proteins) and as such is very likely the master regulator of many genes in diverse cellular contexts [1,2,4]. The pivotal contributions of the MYC polypeptide to cellular gene control and physiology are accomplished by its own tight regulation [1,2,5]. The c-MYC polypeptide and its mRNA are extremely short lived in vivo and are generally expressed at low levels in normal proliferating cells [2,5]. Minor fluctuations in MYC protein and/or mRNA levels can have dramatic outcomes on cellular physiology. Consequently, mammalian MYC gene expression is subject to tight control at multiple levels.
Organization and Expression of Human VH Genes

The variable regions of immunoglobulin heavy chains are encoded by the three germline gene segments: V(ariable), D(iversity) and J(oining). These segments are joined during precursor B cell differentiation to form a functional VHDJH variable region gene. In the mouse there are hundreds of different VH gene segments that can be subdivided into families based on nucleotide sequence homology (reviewed in Alt, et al., 1987). Various studies of transformed and normal murine B lineage cells have shown that chromosomal position of VH segments is a major determinant of their rearrangement frequency, resulting in a preferential rearrangement of VH segments proximal to the cluster of JH elements (Yancopoulos, et al., 1984, 1988; Reth, et al., 1986; Perlmutter, et al., 1985). This preferential rearrangement phenomenon leads to the biased expression of JH-proximal VH segments in primary B cell repertoires; for example, these gene segments are the major contributors to the Ig heavy chain mRNA produced by B lineage cells of the fetal liver (Yancopoulos, et al., 1988). In contrast, B cells in peripheral lymphoid organs of adult mice appear to utilize most VH segments at equal frequency; that is the representation of different families in the peripheral Ig heavy chain mRNA repertoire correlates with the complexity of each family and is not related to chromosomal position (Yancopoulos, et al., 1988; Dildrop, et al., 1985). These findings led to the proposal that an initially biased repertoire is randomized, probably by cellular mechanisms, in the transition from primary to peripheral lymphoid tissues (Yancopoulos, et al., 1988).
THE ROLE OF ALLELOPATHIC BACTERIA IN WEED MANAGEMENT

Allelopathic bacteria encompass those rhizobacteria that colonize the surfaces of plant roots, produce, and release phytotoxic metabolites, similar to allelochemicals, that detrimentally affect growth of plants. Practical application of this group of bacteria to agriculture could contribute to biological weed management systems that have less impact on the environment than conventional systems by reducing inputs of herbicides. Allelopathic bacteria have been investigated for potential as inundative-type biological control agents on several weeds. Because allelopathic bacteria generally do not attack specific biochemical sites within the plant, unlike conventional herbicides, they offer a means to control weeds without causing direct selective pressure on the weed population, therefore, development of resistance is not a major consideration. Additionally, the use of allelopathic bacteria appears to be environmentally benign relative to herbicides. These characteristics make allelopathic bacteria an attractive approach for managing crop weeds in a sustainable manner, even within the boundaries of conventional agriculture systems. However, recent evidence suggests that indigenous allelopathic bacteria might be exploited under certain crop and soil management practices that are inherently part of sustainable agricultural systems. The development of “weed-suppressive” soils in diverse sustainable systems is encouraging because indigenous populations of allelopathic bacteria may develop in several soils and environments using similar practices. The recent demonstrations of apparent weed-suppressive soils may lead to development of specific management strategies for the establishment and persistence of native allelopathic bacteria directly in soils conducive to annual weed infestations.
Entropy contributions to phase stability in binary random solid solutions

High entropy alloys contain multiple elements in large proportions that make them prone to phase separation. These alloys generally have shallow enthalpy of mixing which makes the entropy contributions of similar magnitude. As a result, the phase stability of these alloys is equally dependent on enthalpy and entropy of mixing and understanding the individual contribution of thermodynamic properties is critical. In the overall vision of designing high entropy alloys, in this work, using density functional theory calculations, we elucidate the contributions of various entropies, i.e., vibrational, electronic and configurational towards the phase stability of binary alloys. We show that the contribution of electronic entropy is very small compared to the vibrational and configurational entropies, and does not play a significant role in the phase stability of alloys. The configurational and vibrational entropies can either destabilize or can collectively contribute to stabilize the solid solutions. As a result, even those systems that have negative mixing enthalpy can show phase instability, revealed as a miscibility gap; conversely, systems with positive mixing enthalpy can be phase stable due to entropic contributions. We suggest that including entropic contributions are critical in the development of theoretical framework for the computational prediction of stable, single-phase high entropy alloys that have shallow mixing enthalpies, unlike ordered intermetallics.
Genitourinary Tract Infection Due to Mycobacterium avium intracellulare Complex Infection in Pretransplant Setting With Recurrence Following Transplant: A Case Report

Genitourinary (GU) tract infection with Mycobacterium avium intracellulare complex (MAI) is very rare and, to our knowledge, has never been reported in the solid organ transplant literature. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 61-year-old Somali-born woman had a history of liver cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis C infection. She was diagnosed as having and treated for latent tuberculosis infection and GU tract infection due to MAI. She received a total of 17 months antimycobacterial therapy consisting of azithromycin, ethambutol, and moxifloxacin. Within 5 months of the initiation of antimicrobial therapy, there was documented sterilization of urine mycobacterial cultures. Liver and kidney transplant was performed 3 months after finishing the treatment course. One year following transplant, GU tract infection due to MAI recurred. She declined further diagnostic testing as well as mycobacterial therapy. She died 15 months following transplant for reasons not related to infections. CONCLUSION: The treatment of MAI infection in solid organ transplant candidates and recipients is challenging, and the duration of therapy in this population is not known. The recurrence of infection following transplant in this case may argue in favor of a duration that extends beyond the date of transplant. The combination of a fluoroquinolone and ethambutol may successfully prevent reactivation of tuberculosis in patients with history of latent tuberculosis infection and deserves further evaluation.
Persistence of prices in the Eurozone capital cities: Evidence from the Economist Intelligence Unit City Data

Abstract Using the Economist Intelligence Unit City Data, this paper studies price differences in the Eurozone by comparing the prices of individual goods between twelve Eurozone countries. To estimate the persistence of prices, I employ a cross-sectionally augmented panel unit root test that accounts for contemporaneous as well as serial correlation. Based on the test, the estimated half-lives are 13 months for traded goods and 16 months for non-traded goods. Price differences for certain traded goods such as food or cars revert to parity much faster than prices for alcohol. To further refine the persistence estimates, I use the sequential panel selection method to determine the stationarity of individual cross-sections for each good that rejects the unit root. The distribution of stationary cross-sections between the Eurozone countries appears fairly balanced. The half-lives based only on stationary-cross-sections are reduced to 6 months for traded goods and 7 months for non-traded goods.
The Power to Exclude

Under modern doctrine, the federal government has an inherent authority to exclude aliens from entering the United States. In contrast, states lack any power to exclude aliens from entering their own borders. Though well settled, this dichotomy stands in tension with our Constitution’s structural design. It is a bedrock principle that the federal government only has those powers that are enumerated in the Constitution. In many respects, modern doctrine inverts our constitutional order. The states, which have the strongest claim to a general power to exclude cannot exercise that power. Congress, which has the weakest claim to an inherent power to exclude, can exercise that power with few discernible limits. Does the federal government have the power to exclude aliens? Yes, though the answer is not as straightforward as many of us have assumed. There are four plausible candidates in Article I to support an exclusionary power: the Naturalization, Commerce, Law of Nations, and Migration of Importation Clauses. However, none of these clauses, standing by itself, supports an enumerated power to prevent foreign aliens from entering the United States. Rather, the strongest argument in support of an exclusionary power is an implied authority. It is both “necessary” and “proper” for Congress to restrict entry to aliens in order to more effectively naturalize citizens and, perhaps, regulate commerce. This authority is incidental, and does not “flatten the principle of state sovereignty.” Therefore, the exclusionary power does not amount to a “great substantive and independent power” that improperly aggrandizes Congress’s reach over states, their officials, and individual Americans. This authority belongs solely to Congress, and is not an inherent executive power.
Design and Performance of the Icepod LC-130 Deep and Shallow Radar Sounders

This paper describes the design and operation of two radar systems developed for the Icepod, a 2.5m long cylindrical sensor housing, 60cm in diameter built on a metal frame clad with fiber-glass. The pod which attaches to the outside of an LC-130 contains three compartments each roughly 60cm diameter by 45cm long plus a cone fore and aft. Each compartment can house a variety of sensors. Input power is +28Vdc provided from the main aircraft bus and an in-line UPS. Power is filtered and divided down for supply to individual sensors. Heat is provided to sensors and sensor components via heating pads, monitored and controlled from inside the aircraft. The pod is connected to the rear troop door of a New York Air National Guard LC-130 by an arm that can be raised for take-off and lowered for deployment. The arm is attached to a door plug that is fitted into the starboard troop door frame located behind the starboard wing. Figure 1 shows the Icepod installed onto the aircraft.
On chain recurrent sets of typical bounded Baire one functions

Abstract In this note we present some results on typical properties of the chain recurrent sets of bounded Baire one functions. In particular we show that typical members of bounded Baire one functions have closed chain recurrent sets and μ ( A ( f ) ) = 0 , where μ is an arbitrary finite Borel measure on the unit interval and A ( f ) is the closure of the set of chain recurrent points of f or any of its subsets.
The unsteady drag of a translating spherical drop with a viscoelastic membrane at small Reynolds number

Abstract This manuscript quantifies the hydrodynamic drag of a spherical droplet translating in unsteady Stokes flow when the droplet has a thin, complex membrane. All forces (e.g., Stokes drag, Basset forces, unsteady memory forces, etc.) have the same functional form as the drag of a clean spherical droplet, as long as one replaces the interior viscosity with an effective (frequency-dependent) one that depends on the viscoelastic moduli of the membrane. The shear elastic moduli of the membrane do not modify the unsteady drag of the droplet – only the dilatational modes matter. We demonstrate how this result can be obtained using simple symmetry/scaling arguments. The results are written for any linearly viscoelastic membrane, but we in particular examine the cases of a purely viscous membrane, purely elastic membrane, one-mode Maxwell membrane, and one-mode Kelvin-Voigt membrane. For the latter two models, we quantify how the membrane relaxation time alters the time-dependent motion of the droplet.
Regional and county flows of particulate matter damage in the US

Despite several decades of declining emissions, the health costs of particulate matter (PM2.5) in the U.S. remain substantial, with more than $1 trillion in annual damages. We analyze the inter-county impacts of PM2.5 for 2008, 2011, and 2014 and find that even though emissions from point sources have fallen over this period, the share of PM2.5 attributable to pollution transported across county and state boundaries is still considerable in many localities. Importantly, the benefits of reduced emissions are not uniformly distributed nationwide, with 26% of counties—concentrated in the South, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest—experiencing worsening health damages since 2008. Around 30% of all U.S. counties receive 90% of their health damages from emissions in other counties, and these damage-importing counties also tend to have lower median incomes. Our results support continued state and federal cooperation to meet air quality standards and reduce the damages caused by PM2.5 from transported air pollution.
Does state malpractice environment affect outcomes following spinal fusions? A robust statistical and machine learning analysis of 549,775 discharges following spinal fusion surgery in the United States.

Objective Spine surgery is especially susceptible to malpractice claims. Critics of the US medical liability system argue that it drives up costs, whereas proponents argue it deters negligence. Here, the authors study the relationship between malpractice claim density and outcomes. Methods The following methods were used: 1) the National Practitioner Data Bank was used to determine the number of malpractice claims per 100 physicians, by state, between 2005 and 2010; 2) the Nationwide Inpatient Sample was queried for spinal fusion patients; and 3) the Area Resource File was queried to determine the density of physicians, by state. States were categorized into 4 quartiles regarding the frequency of malpractice claims per 100 physicians. To evaluate the association between malpractice claims and death, discharge disposition, length of stay (LOS), and total costs, an inverse-probability-weighted regression-adjustment estimator was used. The authors controlled for patient and hospital characteristics. Covariates were used to train machine learning models to predict death, discharge disposition not to home, LOS, and total costs. Results Overall, 549,775 discharges following spinal fusions were identified, with 495,640 yielding state-level information about medical malpractice claim frequency per 100 physicians. Of these, 124,425 (25.1%), 132,613 (26.8%), 130,929 (26.4%), and 107,673 (21.7%) were from the lowest, second-lowest, second-highest, and highest quartile states, respectively, for malpractice claims per 100 physicians. Compared to the states with the fewest claims (lowest quartile), surgeries in states with the most claims (highest quartile) showed a statistically significantly higher odds of a nonhome discharge (OR 1.169, 95% CI 1.139-1.200), longer LOS (mean difference 0.304, 95% CI 0.256-0.352), and higher total charges (mean difference [log scale] 0.288, 95% CI 0.281-0.295) with no significant associations for mortality. For the machine learning models-which included medical malpractice claim density as a covariate-the areas under the curve for death and discharge disposition were 0.94 and 0.87, and the R2 values for LOS and total charge were 0.55 and 0.60, respectively. Conclusions Spinal fusion procedures from states with a higher frequency of malpractice claims were associated with an increased odds of nonhome discharge, longer LOS, and higher total charges. This suggests that medicolegal climate may potentially alter practice patterns for a given spine surgeon and may have important implications for medical liability reform. Machine learning models that included medical malpractice claim density as a feature were satisfactory in prediction and may be helpful for patients, surgeons, hospitals, and payers.
Abstract 14540: Preliminary Efficacy and Feasibility of an Emotion Regulation Intervention on Physical Activity and Depressive and Anxious Symptoms in Individuals in Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an important part of overcoming an acute cardiac event, but can be undermined by debilitating levels of depression and anxiety, which can leave cardiac patients at ri...
Making Images Move: Handmade Cinema and the Other Arts: Gregory Zinman, 2020 Oakland, University of California Press pp. xvi + 293, notes, index, $45.00 (paper)

In Making Images Move: Handmade Cinema and the Other Arts, Gregory Zinman explores the history of camera-less filmmaking in an exciting intervention that ennobles an underdiscussed mode of film pro...
Incidence of uterine leiomyoma in relation to urinary concentrations of phthalate and phthalate alternative biomarkers: A prospective ultrasound study

Abstract Background Numerous studies suggest that some phthalates have adverse reproductive effects. However, literature on the association between phthalates and incidence of uterine leiomyomata (UL) is limited and inconsistent, with no existing prospective studies. Objectives We examined the association of urinary concentrations of phthalate and phthalate alternative biomarkers with UL incidence. Methods We conducted a case-cohort analysis within a subgroup of 754 participants in the Study of the Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF), a prospective cohort of premenopausal Black women aged 23–35 years who were recruited during 2010–2012. We quantified fourteen phthalates and two phthalate alternative [1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, diisononyl ester (DINCH)] biomarkers in urine collected at baseline, 20 months, and 40 months. Transvaginal ultrasounds identified UL at baseline and every 20 months during 60 months of follow-up. We evaluated the individual biomarkers, molar sum of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate [ΣDEHP] and potency-weighted sum of anti-androgenic [WΣAA] biomarkers. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between biomarkers and UL incidence. We then used quantile g-computation to examine joint associations of multiple phthalate biomarkers with UL incidence. Results Most individual biomarkers showed weak-to-moderate inverse associations with UL incidence. HRs comparing highest vs. lowest quartiles of mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP) and mono-hydroxyisobutyl phthalate (MHiBP) concentrations were 0.63 (95% CI: 0.40, 1.01) and 0.61 (95% CI: 0.38, 0.96), respectively. Inverse associations for specific phthalates were stronger among women with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. HRs comparing detectable vs. nondetectable concentrations of DINCH biomarkers were 0.92 (95% CI: 0.62, 1.35) for cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid mono hydroxyisononyl ester (MHNCH) and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.38, 1.18) for cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid mono carboxyisoocytl ester (MCOCH). For the DEHP metabolite of mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), we observed weak-to-moderate positive associations. HRs comparing highest vs. lowest quartiles for MEHP and ΣDEHP were 1.29 (95% CI: 0.82, 2.06) and 0.96 (95% CI: 0.61, 1.50), respectively. In the mixtures analysis, the HR for a joint quartile increase in phthalate biomarker concentrations was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.73, 1.08). Discussion In this prospective ultrasound study of reproductive-aged Black women, urinary concentrations of phthalate and DINCH biomarkers were not appreciably associated with higher risk of UL, either individually or jointly.