cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Utilization of Antipsychotic Drugs in 26 Hospitals from Hangzhou Area during 2009-2011

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the clinical application of antipsychotic drugs in Hangzhou area.METHODS:Using DDD and consumption sum sorting method recommended by WHO,the utilization of antipsychotic drugs in 26 hospitals from Hangzhou area during 2009-2011 were evaluated and analyzed in terms of consumption sum and its rank(B),DDDs and its rank(A),DDC and the ratio of B/A.RESULTS:The consumption sum and DDDs of antipsychotic drugs increased year by year,and consumption sum and DDDs of antipsychotic drugs in 2011 were 1.8 times of 2009.Atypical antipsychotic drugs were effective with low side effects;the consumption sum of them was 98.92% in total,and their DDDs was 70.26% of total.Risperidone,olanzapine and aripiprazole were used more frequently in Hangzhou area,and their B/A value was 1 or close to 1.These drugs had a good performance-to-price ratio.CONCLUSIONS:The atypical antipsychotics drugs occupy a leading place in consumption sum and clinical use in Hangzhou area.
41 EXPANSION OF SUBPOPULATIONS OF BACTEROIDES THAT HYPERPRODUCE BETA-LACTAMASE PREVENTS CEFTRIAXONE-INDUCED DISRUPTION OF THE HUMAN INTESTINAL MICROFLORA IN A CONTINUOUS-FLOW CULTURE MODEL.

Background The indigenous intestinal microflora may generate beta-lactamase activity in response to beta-lactam antibiotic selective pressure. We hypothesized that expansion of subpopulations of Bacteroides fragilis group organisms that hyperproduce cephalosporinases could prevent disruption of the indigenous microflora in the face of ceftriaxone selective pressure. Methods In vitro mixing studies were performed to determine the ability of Bacteroides fragilis TAL3636 (BF3636), a hyperproducer of a broad-spectrum beta-lactamase, to raise the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of susceptible organisms to ceftriaxone. Continuous-flow (CF) cultures of human colonic microflora were established with or without the addition of BF3636 and increasing concentrations of ceftriaxone were added to the inflowing media. Beta-lactamase activity, ceftriaxone concentrations, and densities of bacterial populations were monitored. A mouse model was also utilized to evaluate the ability of BF 3636 to preserve colonization resistance in vivo. Concomitant with injections of ceftriaxone, mice received orogastric inoculation of CF culture containing BF3636, BF3636 culture alone, or normal saline (control group). Mice subsequently received a culture of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) by orogastric gavage. Stool samples were collected on succeeding days and plated for the presence of VRE and resistant Bacteroides species. Results In mixing studies, BF3636 raised the MBC of a ceftriaxone-susceptible Escherichia coli strain from
Epidemiological analysis of HIV/AIDS in Huaian City(2000-2010)

Objective To investigate the HIV infection and prevalence in Huaian,and provide evidence for the prevention of HIV/AIDS.Methods Descriptive epidemiological study was carried out to analyze HIV/AIDS data in Huaian.Results A total of 123 HIV and 47 AIDS were reported in Huaian during 2000-2010,including 33 deaths.The top three counties were Chuzhou,Lianshui,and Xuyi.95 cases were male,accounting for 55.88%.Seventy five were female,accounting for 44.12.The youngest was 1 year old,while the oldest was 74 years old.The majority was in the 20-39 age group,accounted for 67.06%.Heterosexual transmission and homosexual transmission were 59.41% and 15.88% respectively.Conclusion Comprehensive intervention measures should be taken aiming different population,emphasis should be put on the MSM and people with HIV spouse.
Plea decision-making by attorneys and judges

Approximately 95 % of convictions in the United States are the result of guilty pleas. Surprisingly little is known about the factors which judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys consider in these decisions. To examine the legal and extralegal factors that legal actors consider in plea decision-making, we replicated and improved upon a 40-year-old study by asking legal actor participants to review a variety of case factors, and then make plea decisions and estimate sentences for pleas and trials (upon conviction). Over 1,500 defense attorneys, prosecutors, and judges completed an online survey involving a hypothetical legal case in which the presence of three types of evidence and length of defendant criminal history were experimentally manipulated. The manipulated evidence impacted plea decisions and discounts, whereas criminal history only affected plea discounts (i.e., the difference between plea and trial sentences). Defense attorneys considered the largest number of factors (evidentiary and non-evidentiary), and although legal actor role influenced the decision to plead, it did not affect the discount. In replicating a landmark study, via technological advances not available in the 1970s, we were able to increase our sample size nearly six-fold, obtain a sample representing all 50 states, and include judges. However, our sample was nonrepresentative and the hypothetical scenario may or may not generalize to actual situations. Nonetheless, valuable information was gained about the factors considered and weighed by legal actors.
Method of Breast Reconstruction Determines Venous Thromboembolism Risk Better Than Current Prediction Models

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant source of morbidity in plastic surgery patients.1–6 Although many studies have focused on defining individual VTE risk factors,7–11 to date there have been no studies comparing the VTE risk in various methods of breast reconstruction. Attempts to define procedural VTE risk have been limited and often do not differentiate surgical technique or patient pathology.4,12–14 Accurately defining VTE risks should lead to improved patient selection, preoperative risk stratification, and possible reduction in the morbidity and mortality associated with VTE in breast reconstruction. Several scoring systems have been developed to estimate an individual’s postoperative VTE risk.12,13,15,16 Two such models are the Davison risk score (2008 version) and the 2005 Caprini Risk Assessment Model (2005 Caprini RAM).12,13 For both scoring systems, a calculated risk score of greater than or equal to 5 stratifies a patient into “high risk” for VTE.12,13 As originally reported, this estimates a VTE rate of greater than 20% in the absence of prophylactic measures.13 The 2005 Caprini RAM has become a preferred VTE model17,18 and is a recommended tool by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.19 This model takes into account dozens of patient parameters and the length of the procedure. Although originally developed for a broader population, the 2005 Caprini RAM has recently been validated in plastic surgery patients20 and has demonstrated superiority to other VTE risk models.17 However, the 2005 Caprini RAM has not been validated in specific procedures, including various methods of breast reconstruction. Breast reconstruction patients represent a unique group in plastic surgery. These individuals often have a history of breast cancer, require hormonal regimens, have multiple comorbidities, and undergo procedures that can reduce postoperative mobility. These factors have a known association with VTE risk.8,9,13,21 One retrospective study demonstrated a 2% prevalence of VTE in breast reconstruction patients.22 Additionally, a recent study looking at abdominal flaps reported a VTE rate of 4%.23 Neither of these studies examined whether patient factors or procedural factors had a greater impact on VTE rate. Our objective was to determine the utility of current VTE risk assessment models in this population. We also sought to evaluate the prevalence of symptomatic VTE in transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap reconstruction, latissimus dorsi flap reconstruction, and implant-based reconstruction.
Retraumatization: Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention, edited by M. P. Duckworth and V. M. Follette

What is most striking about Retraumatization: Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention is the scope of topics it contains. Chapters are devoted to examining retraumatization from perspectives ranging ...
Real-Time Driver Fatigue Detection Based on ELM

Driver fatigue is a serious road safety issue that results in thousands of road crashes every year. Image-based fatigue monitoring is one of the most important methods of avoiding fatigue-related accidents. In this paper, a vision-based real-time driver fatigue detection system based on ELM is proposed. The system has three main stages. The first stage performs facial features localization and tracking, by using the Viola–Jones face detector and the KLT algorithm. The second stage is the judgement of facial and fatigue status, applying twice ELM with an extremely fast learning speed. The last one is online learning, which can continuously improve ELM accuracy according to the user’s feedback. Multiple facial features (including the movement of eyes, head and mouth) are used to comprehensively assess the driver vigilance state. In comparison to backpropagation (BP), the experimental results showed that applying ELM has a better performance with much faster training speed.
Robustness, flexibility, and sensitivity in a multifunctional motor control model

Motor systems must adapt to perturbations and changing conditions both within and outside the body. We refer to the ability of a system to maintain performance despite perturbations as "robustness," and the ability of a system to deploy alternative strategies that improve fitness as "flexibility." Different classes of pattern-generating circuits yield dynamics with differential sensitivities to perturbations and parameter variation. Depending on the task and the type of perturbation, high sensitivity can either facilitate or hinder robustness and flexibility. Here we explore the role of multiple coexisting oscillatory modes and sensory feedback in allowing multiphasic motor pattern generation to be both robust and flexible. As a concrete example, we focus on a nominal neuromechanical model of triphasic motor patterns in the feeding apparatus of the marine mollusk Aplysia californica. We find that the model can operate within two distinct oscillatory modes and that the system exhibits bistability between the two. In the "heteroclinic mode," higher sensitivity makes the system more robust to changing mechanical loads, but less robust to internal parameter variations. In the "limit cycle mode," lower sensitivity makes the system more robust to changes in internal parameter values, but less robust to changes in mechanical load. Finally, we show that overall performance on a variable feeding task is improved when the system can flexibly transition between oscillatory modes in response to the changing demands of the task. Thus, our results suggest that the interplay of sensory feedback and multiple oscillatory modes can allow motor systems to be both robust and flexible in a variable environment.
Models of Debonding Caused by Vibrations, Heat and Humidity

This paper describes a 3D model for the process of debonding of two adhesively bonded rectangular components or solids caused by mechanical vibrations, temperature variations and moisture or humidity. These issues are very common in many parts of the world in which systems, such as automotive systems that have parts that are glued together, have to operate in adverse conditions of large variations in temperature and very high humidity. The model consists of a coupled system of dynamic equations for the displacements of the two components, the evolution equations for the temperature in each body and the evolution inclusions for the bonding field and the moisture field in the thin layer of glue on the contact surface. The solids may be either thermoelastic or thermoviscoelastic, and the viscosity may be of the short-memory or long-memory types. Then, this work presents 1D variations of the model. In particular, a model in which each of the components is described both as a rod and a beam so as to capture the tangential and vertical motions, which affect the strength of the bonding field. These models raise many interesting questions: theoretical, computational and experimental that are described in some detail. In particular, the 1D models may be used for parameter identification purposes, especially of the debonding source function.
The expression pattern of keratin 24 in tissue-engineered dermo-epidermal human skin substitutes in an in vivo model

The use of autologous tissue-engineered skin substitutes is a promising approach to cover large skin defects in patients. Preclinical investigation is pivotal to test and improve the quality of these bio-engineered substitutes. In the skin, the epidermis, formed mainly by keratinocytes, provides the first physical barrier protecting from the environment. Proper keratinocyte differentiation and, thus, formation of a stratified epidermis is essential for this function. Keratins, the main structural support of keratinocytes, play a vital role regarding differentiation of keratinocytes. Here, we examined the expression pattern of a recently described keratinocyte differentiation marker, namely Keratin 24, in our skin substitutes. Human epidermal keratinocytes, melanocytes, dermal fibroblasts, palmar fibroblasts or sweat gland cells were used to prepare skin substitutes. Fibroblast-containing collagen hydrogels were prepared, and keratinocytes or sweat gland cells and melanocytes were seeded onto the hydrogels. The generated tissue-engineered dermo-epidermal skin analogs were transplanted onto full-thickness skin wounds created on the back of immuno-incompetent rats. The skin substitutes were excised at different time points and histologically examined with regard to Keratin 24 expression. We observed the expression of Keratin 24 in keratinocytes of the upper stratum spinosum of the epidermis. In particular, we observed an intensified expression of Keratin 24 13 weeks after transplantation compared to 4 weeks after transplantation. Importantly, we noticed a markedly higher presence of Keratin 24 in more spinous layers if we used palmar fibroblasts or sweat gland cells in our skin substitutes compared non-palmar fibroblasts or epidermal keratinocytes. Our observations prove that the keratinocyte differentiation marker Keratin 24 is expressed in our dermo-epidermal skin substitutes in a normal pattern. This highlights that our bio-engineered skin analogs mature and reach homeostasis in an in vivo assay. These findings harbor favorable implications regarding future clinical application.
Deconstructing Universalism: Tagore's Vision of Humanity

In the article, I consider the debates on the issue of universality in contemporary Postcolonial and Poststructuralist Studies. I particularly draw on Rabindranath Tagore's ethical writings on univ...
The impact of load sharing on multi-drive propulsion drive system efficiency

This article investigates the efficiency of a propulsion motor drive system due to load sharing. Two 2250HP-rated induction motor drives controlled via indirect field oriented control are simulated. Load sharing with different configurations is studied to analyze the impact of individual drive loads on the multi-drive system efficiency. Motor losses, Inverter losses and propeller losses are accounted for in efficiency calculations. For each load torque shared, the individual drive efficiency is calculated to determine which load sharing scheme provides maximum system efficiency. The approach for load sharing and system efficiency maximization is applicable to ship propulsion motor drives for maximum efficiency beyond rated load torques, and to other multi-drive systems.
Training in the primary prevention and early detection of oral cancer: pilot study of its impact on clinicians' perceptions and intentions.

In this pilot study, we tested a new program for training medical care providers in the primary prevention and early detection of oral cancer. The training program consisted of two modules: (1) ora...
Holonomy, Second Fundamental Form, Mean Curvature

We begin by discussing a construction of fiat bundles. Let h: F → F be a diffeomorphism of a smooth manifold F. The product foliation defined by the inverse images of the projection ℝ × F → F is invariant under the action (t, y) n = (t+ n, h n (y)) of h n , n ∈ ℤ. This means that the quotient ℝ × ℤF carries a one-dimensional foliation transverse to the fibers of Mh=ℝ × ℤF →/ℤ ≅ S1. The effect of h on a point x ∈ M h is obtained as the endpoint of the unique horizontal lift of S1 to M h with initial point x. For the corresponding flow on M h transverse to the fibers, the map h is the Poincare map of the flow. The diffeomorphism h is called the monodromy of the fibration M h → S1. If h preserves a particular geometric structure on F, then there is a natural family of such structures on the fibers of M h → S1. The open Moebius band is an example of such a bundle. In this case F = (-1, 1) and h (y) = -y. It is the total space of the fibration ℝ × ℤℝ →S1 with (x,y) ∼ (x + n, (-1) n y) being the equivalence relation defining the total space. The leaves are circles, which are 2-fold coverings of the central circle y = 0, except for the central circle itself. If F = S1 and h:S 1 → S 1 is the rotation through an angle α, then the resulting foliation on ℝ × ℤℝ →S1=T2 is a linear foliation of the 2-torus. An interesting situation arises if h p = id for some positive integer p. This is the case if the angle α = 2π/ p. Then the monodromy of M h → S1is the cyclic group ℤ p .
Review of the “X chromosome-nucleolus nexus” hypothesis of autoimmune diseases with an update explaining disruption of the nucleolus

The “X chromosome-nucleolus nexus” hypothesis provides a comprehensive explanation of how autoantibodies can develop following cellular stress. The hypothesis connects autoimmune diseases with the impact of environmental factors, such as viruses, through epigenetic disruption. The inactive X chromosome, a major epigenetic structure in the female cell’s nucleus, is a key component of the hypothesis. The inactive X is vulnerable to disruption due to the following: (1) its heavy requirements for methylation to suppress gene expression, (2) its peripheral location at the nuclear envelope, (3) its late replication timing, and (4) its frequently observed close association with the nucleolus. The dynamic nucleolus can expand dramatically in response to cellular stress and this could disrupt the neighboring inactive X, particularly during replication, leading to expression from previously suppressed chromatin. Especially vulnerable at the surface of the inactive X chromosome would be genes and elements from Xp22 to the terminus of the short arm of the X. Expression of these genes and elements could interfere with nucleolar integrity, nucleolar efficiency, and future nucleolar stress response, and even lead to fragmentation of the nucleolus. Ribonucleoprotein complexes assembled in the nucleolus could be left in incomplete states and inappropriate conformations, and/or contain viral components when the nucleolus is disrupted and these abnormal complexes could initiate an autoimmune response when exposed to the immune system. Epitope spreading could then lead to an autoimmune reaction to the more abundant normal complexes. Many autoantigens reported in lupus and other autoimmune diseases are, at least transiently, nucleolar components.
Modification of CO2 Reduction Activity of Nanostructured Silver Electrocatalysts by Surface Halide Anions

This paper describes the effect of halide anions (X = Cl, Br, I) immobilized on the surface of nanostructured silver electrocatalysts on the efficiency and the mechanism of CO2 reduction to CO in a...
A RARE CASE OF GERM CELL TUMOR METASTASIZING TO THE RIGHT VENTRICLE

Reports have shown up to 9.1% of patients with known malignancy have a metastatic cardiac tumor. The most common intra-cardiac metastases are renal, liver, and uterine malignancies, usually through direct endovascular spread. Germ cell tumors are an extremely rare source of cardiac metastases. A 22
The Observable Representation

The observable representation (OR) is an embedding of the space on which a stochastic dynamics is taking place into a low dimensional Euclidean space. The most significant feature of the OR is that it respects the dynamics. Examples are given in several areas: the definition of a phase transition (including metastable phases), random walks in which the OR recovers the original space, complex systems, systems in which the number of extrema exceed convenient viewing capacity, and systems in which successful features are displayed, but without the support of known theorems.
On the wear of dynamically-loaded engine bearings with provision for misalignment and surface roughness

Abstract A computational model is developed to assess the effect of wear on the performance of an engine bearing. The model takes into account the variation of the film thickness under dynamic loading due to the wear of the bearing surface and shaft misalignment. The model adopts the mass-conservative cavitation algorithm to account for cavitation. To consider the surface roughness, the average flow model for the hydrodynamic pressure and the Kogut and Etsion model for the elastic-plastic contact pressure are implemented. A method for assessment of wear over long-term operation of an engine bearing to avoid failure is provided. To gain insight, results of a series of simulations with illustrative examples are presented. The simulations shows that the contact pressure is much smaller than the hydrodynamic pressure. The wear is directly related to the contact pressure, i.e. the surface roughness and the film thickness. The film thickness tends to remain nearly the same regardless of the surface roughness due to the much small contact pressure. Therefore, a small reduction of the surface roughness on the bearing surface decreases wear considerably.
Seeing doubles: On two of a kind:

This article expands upon a previously published study in this journal that examined a literary strategy which employs linguistic devices of doubling in biblical narratives that reference twins. It...
Semantic search in household energy consumption segmentation through descriptive characterization

With the widespread adoption of smart metering infrastructures, household energy consumption segmentation is receiving increasing attention. The objective is to transform the large volume of household daily load shapes into representative patterns through clustering methods, with the aim of program targeting and customer engagement. In the literature, there exists a high variation in the number of clusters that different studies have adopted. In order to address the challenge in the trade-off between cluster accuracy and ease of interpretation, in this paper, we introduce a data-driven characterization scheme for resultant clustered load shapes, with the aim of facilitating information retrieval of load shapes with specific semantic attributes. The characterization scheme extracts descriptive features from load shapes to explain their temporal pattern. Using segmentation results on a sample data set from Pecan Street Dataport, we show the feasibility of obtaining the semantic representation of load shapes and performing query analysis by accounting for their similarities. Furthermore, as an application case study, we demonstrated the identification/retrieval of suitable households with specific load types for the adoption of PV-battery system, with average self-sufficiency of 80%.
Research and Development in the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation Program

NASA’s Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation (NAS) Program provides a leading-edge computational capability supporting aerospace research and development applications. The NAS facility, located at NASA’s Ames Research Center (ARC), provides supercomputing services to over 1000 researchers from NASA, the Department of Defense, the aerospace industry, and university sites across the United States. In addition to providing advanced computational resources, the NAS Program acts as a pathfinder in the development, integration and testing of new, highly advanced computer systems for computational fluid dynamics and related disciplines. In fulfilling this role, the Program acquired early serial number supercomputers and integrated them into a new system paradigm that stresses networking, interactive processing, and supercomputer-workstation connectivity within a single uniform UNIX® software environment. The NAS system is described; and its pioneering advances in supercomputing operating system and communication software, local and remote networking, scientific workstations, interactive graphics processing and user interfaces are highlighted. Finally, some results of the newly initiated applied research effort are presented.
Information exchange between pairs of spike trains in the mammalian visual system

We have studied the neural firing patterns of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their target lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) cells. Reliable information transmission coexists with fractal fluctuations which appear in RGC and LGN firing patterns. Unexpectedly, these fluctuations appear not to be independent across LGN cells; information is also shared among pairs of LGN spike trains. Over short time scales, we find that clusters of spikes in the RGC neural firing pattern appear at the LGN output essentially unchanged, while isolated RGC firing events are more likely to be eliminated; thus the LGN action-potential sequence is not simply a randomly deleted version of the RGC spike train. Employing information-theoretic techniques, we estimate the information efficiency of the LGN neuronal output — the proportion of the variation in the LGN firing pattern that carries information about its associated RGC input — to be in the vicinity of 50% over counting windows below about 10 ms. We develop a new information-theoretic measure which helps determine at what time scale a neural spike train changes from a time code to a rate code.
Preparation of platinum nanoparticles using iron(II) as reductant and photosensitized H2 generation on an iron storage protein scaffold

The quest for efficient solar-to-fuel conversion has led to the development of numerous homogeneous and heterogeneous systems for photochemical stimulation of 2H+ + 2e− → H2. Many such systems consist of a photosensitizer, an H2-evolving catalyst (HEC), and sacrificial electron donor often with an electron relay between photosensitizer and HEC. Colloidal platinum remains a popular HEC. We report here a novel, simple, and high yield synthesis of Pt nanoparticles (Pt NPs) associated with human heavy chain ferritin (Hfn). The formation of the Pt NPs capitalizes on Hfn's native catalysis of autoxidation of Fe(II)(aq) (ferroxidase activity). Fe(II) reduces Pt(II) to Pt(0) and the rapid ferroxidase reaction produces FeO(OH), which associates with and stabilizes the incipient Pt NPs. This Pt/Fe-Hfn efficiently catalyzes photosensitized H2 production when combined with Eosin Y (EY) as photosensitizer and triethanolamine (TEOA) as sacrificial electron donor. With white light irradiation turnover numbers of 300H2 per Pt, 250H2 per EY were achieved. A quantum yield of 18% for H2 production was obtained with 550 nm irradiation. The fluorescence emission of EY is quenched by TEOA but not by Pt/Fe-Hfn. We propose that the photosensitized H2 production from aqueous TEOA, EY, Pt/Fe-Hfn solution occurs via a reductive quenching pathway in which both the singlet and triplet excited states of EY are reduced by TEOA to the anion radical, EY−˙, which in turn transfers electrons to the Pt/Fe-Hfn HEC. Hfn is known to be a remarkably versatile scaffold for incorporation and stabilization of noble metal and semiconductor nanoparticles. Since both EY and Hfn are amenable to scale-up, we envision further refinements to and applications of this photosensitized H2-generating system.
SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF MASSIVE AND HIGH-RISK SUBMASSIVE PULMONARY EMBOLISMS RESULTS IN RIGHT VENTRICULAR RECOVERY WITH LOW MORTALITY: INSIGHTS FROM THE LARGEST CASE SERIES

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common and highly lethal diagnosis. Surgical management has been marginalized despite recent promising outcomes. Survival and right ventricular (RV) recovery from the largest single center experience of surgically managed acute PE is reported. Surgical
Augmented and Virtual Reality Application Design for Immersive Learning Research Using Virtual Nature: Making Knowledge Beautiful and Accessible with Information Fidelity

Described are two applications using immersive augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for informal learning research. A critical design factor resulting from the authentication process in sourcing all text, media, and data is the high information fidelity (truth) in all signals transmitted to the human. The AR Perpetual Garden App was developed to annotate the Carnegie Museum of Natural History's dioramas and gardens to bring learning to all visitors. The Virtual UCF Arboretum was developed to represent the real UCF Arboretum in VR for immersive learning research. More like a virtual diorama or virtual field trip, they are open to independent exploration and learning. Unlike fantasy games or creative animations, these environments used accurate content, high information fidelity, to enhance immersion and presence. As data visualizations or simulations, and not point-clouds or interactive 360 VR video, they can show past, present, and future scenarios from data. As an application intended for informal learning, the needs of learners as well as the institutional stakeholders were integrated in a participatory design process by extending traditional user-centered design with expert-learner-user-centered design. The design patterns will be of interest to a broad community concerned with perception, emotions, learning, immersion and presence, and any who are developing educational, training and certification, or decision support applications with respect to improving natural knowledge.
Modeling the function of BAX and BAK in early human brain development using iPSC-derived systems

Intrinsic apoptosis relies on the ability of the BCL-2 family to induce the formation of pores on the outer mitochondrial membrane. Previous studies have shown that both BAX and BAK are essential during murine embryogenesis, and reports in human cancer cell lines identified non-canonical roles for BAX and BAK in mitochondrial fission during apoptosis. BAX and BAK function in human brain development remains elusive due to the lack of appropriate model systems. Here, we generated BAX/BAK double knockout human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), hiPSC-derived neural progenitor cells (hNPCs), neural rosettes, and cerebral organoids to uncover the effects of BAX and BAK deletion in an in vitro model of early human brain development. We found that BAX and BAK-deficient cells have abnormal mitochondrial morphology and give rise to aberrant cortical structures. We suggest crucial functions for BAX and BAK during human development, including maintenance of homeostatic mitochondrial morphology, which is crucial for proper development of progenitors and neurons of the cortex. Human pluripotent stem cell-derived systems can be useful platforms to reveal novel functions of the apoptotic machinery in neural development.
A Dual-Band Shared-Hardware 900 MHz 6.25 Mbps DQPSK and 2.4 GHz 1.0 Mbps Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Backscatter Uplink for Wireless Brain-Computer Interfaces

We present a dual-band, dual-mode shared hardware approach for backscatter based data uplinks. This all-digital approach yields a custom 900 MHz 6.25 Mbps differential quadrature phase-shift-keying (DQPSK) backscatter uplink and a 2.4 GHz 1.0 Mbps single sideband (SSB) BLE-compatible backscatter uplink from a single hardware device. The DQPSK mode achieves a per-bit modulator energy efficiency of 12.4 pJ/bit, while the SSB BLE backscatter mode achieves 198 pJ/bit, which is >50X lower than typical off-the-shelf BLE transmitters. The two modes are time-division multiplexed and share all the same hardware. Results from over-the-air testing are presented and confirm the successful reception of data streams from both modes using a custom full-duplex DQPSK receiver and unmodified Apple and Nordic Semiconductor BLE devices.
Community Land Trusts: Institutionalizing the Human Flourishing Theory of Property

Greg Alexander has made a powerful case that an owner of property in a free and democratic society will be required from time to time to provide resources, in ways appropriate to that owner, to support the development of other persons’ human capabilities. This essay explores a property law institution that has been established by community activists, housing activists, and public-spirited transactional lawyers—the Community Land Trust (CLT). The essay outlines the key features of a CLT and argues that the CLT movement has institutionalized in the fabric of American property law several key elements of the social obligation norm that Alexander has long championed as the core of his human flourishing theory of property. The essay explores how Alexander’s human flourishing theory can justify and explicate the CLT model. Finally, the essay considers the challenges of taking the CLT model to scale and reflects on the kind of property law reform promised by the CLT movement and Alexander’s human flourishing theory of property.
Electrophysiological ventricular substrate of stroke: a prospective cohort study in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.

Objectives The goal of the study was to determine an association of cardiac ventricular substrate with thrombotic stroke (TS), cardioembolic stroke (ES) and intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). Design Prospective cohort study. Setting The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study in 1987–1989 enrolled adults (45–64 years), selected as a probability sample from four US communities (Minneapolis, Minnesota; Washington, Maryland; Forsyth, North Carolina; Jackson, Mississippi). Visit 2 was in 1990–1992, visit 3 in 1993–1995, visit 4 in 1996–1998 and visit 5 in 2011–2013. Participants ARIC participants with analysable ECGs and no history of stroke were included (n=14 479; age 54±6 y; 55% female; 24% black). Ventricular substrate was characterised by cardiac memory, spatial QRS-T angle (QRS-Ta), sum absolute QRST integral (SAIQRST), spatial ventricular gradient magnitude (SVGmag), premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) and tachycardia-dependent intermittent bundle branch block (TD-IBBB) on 12-lead ECG at visits 1–5. Outcome Adjudicated TS included a first definite or probable thrombotic cerebral infarction, ES—a first definite or probable non-carotid cardioembolic brain infarction. Definite ICH was included if it was the only stroke event. Results Over a median 24.5 years follow-up, there were 899 TS, 400 ES and 120 ICH events. Cox proportional hazard risk models were adjusted for demographics, cardiovascular disease, risk factors, atrial fibrillation, atrial substrate and left ventricular hypertrophy. After adjustment, PVCs (HR 1.72; 95% CI 1.02 to 2.92), QRS-Ta (HR 1.15; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.28), SAIQRST (HR 1.20; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.34) and time-updated SVGmag (HR 1.19; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.32) associated with ES. Similarly, PVCs (HR 1.53; 95% CI 1.03 to 2.26), QRS-Ta (HR 1.08; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.16), SAIQRST (HR 1.07; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.14) and time-updated SVGmag (HR 1.11; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.19) associated with TS. TD-IBBB (HR 3.28; 95% CI 1.03 to 10.46) and time-updated SVGmag (HR 1.23; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.47) were associated with ICH. Conclusions PVC burden (reflected by cardiac memory) is associated with ischaemic stroke. Transient cardiac memory (likely through TD-IBBB) precedes ICH.
Demand Side Reform in the Poor People’s Court

A crisis in civil justice has seized the lowest rungs of state court where the great majority of American justice is meted out. Nineteen million civil cases are filed each year in the so-called “poor people’s court,” and seventy to ninety-eight percent of those matters involve an unrepresented litigant who is typically low-income and often a member of a vulnerable population. This Article challenges the predominant scholarly view in favor of “supply side” remedies for improving access to justice — that is, remedies focused exclusively on supplying counsel to litigants, either through adoption of “civil Gideon,” a universal civil right to counsel, or through the provision of “unbundled,” or limited, legal services — arguing that such an approach is practically and conceptually unworkable. Courts and legislatures have rejected attempts to expand a civil right to counsel and initial data suggests that the delivery of limited legal services produces anemic, if any, improvements in substantive fairness for the unrepresented.This Article sets forth a vision of “demand side” procedural and judicial reform as an alternative, or complementary, theory of civil justice. Demand side reform would charge courts, rather than parties, with the duty to advance cases and develop legally relevant narratives, thereby focusing on institutional change that would strengthen due process for the great majority of litigants in the American justice system. This proposal builds upon the Supreme Court’s recent holding in Turner v. Rogers that “alternative procedural safeguards” must be implemented to ensure due process for civil contemnors, and offers unrepresented litigants a viable mechanism for dispute resolution that — unlike the supply side approach — does not perpetuate court processes requiring party initiative and expertise.
Five Years of China WTO Membership: EU and US Perspectives About China's Compliance With Transparency Commitments and the Transitional Review Mechanism

China's accession to the WTO represents a goal achieved after nearly fifteen years of exhausting negotiations. However, many legal, political and social problems have not yet been tackled in terms of achieving real implementation of WTO provisions throughout the territory of the People's Republic of China. The Protocol requires a general and deep application of transparency, which will radically influence and change the Chinese legal system. There are a wide range of transparency related problems such as the formal publication of laws and regulations, procedural fairness in decision-making, the judicial review and the non-discrimination principle. The special precautionary instrument, the Transitional Review Mechanism (TRM), was included in the Protocol of China's Accession to the WTO, as requested by the US and supported by the EU. The TRM has the objective of monitoring and enforcement of implementation of WTO commitments, promoting transparency and the exchange of information in trade relations with China. Bilateral engagements and multilateral forums are both essential to bring China into full compliance with its WTO commitments.
Quantile regression analysis of length‐biased survival data

Length-biased time-to-event data commonly arise in epidemiological cohort studies and cross-sectional surveys. Ignoring length-biased sampling often leads to severe bias in estimating the survival time in the general population. We propose a flexible quantile regression framework for analysing the covariate effects on the population survival time under both length-biased sampling and random censoring. This framework allows for easy interpretation of the statistical model. Furthermore, it allows the covariates to have different impacts at different tails of the survival distribution and thus is able to capture important population heterogeneity. Using an unbiased estimating equation approach, we develop a new estimator that allows the censoring variable to depend on covariates in a non-parametric way. We establish the consistency and asymptotic normality for the proposed estimator. A lack-of-fit test is proposed for diagnosing the adequacy of the population quantile regression model. The finite sample performance of the proposed methods is assessed through a simulation study. We demonstrate that the proposed method is effective in discovering interesting covariate effects by analysing the Canadian Study of Health and Aging dementia data. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Electronic structure of Ca x C 60 fullerides

Photoemission and inverse photoemission studies of ${\mathrm{Ca}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ films show insulating character for x3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3 as states derived primarily from the LUMO orbitals of ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ are occupied. Metallic character is observed at higher Ca content as a second band of states is partially occupied. This band has mixed character since it is derived from the LUMO+1 orbitals of ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ and the Ca s states. These states are responsible for superconductivity in ${\mathrm{Ca}}_{5}$${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$.
A study of the advancing interface

Abstract A molecular model has been developed which predicts the dependence of the dynamic contact angle upon the capillary number when a liquid moves to displace a gas. As a basis for this analysis we have assumed that molecules at the contact line between the advancing liquid and the solid substrate move forward by two different mechanisms. One involves the diffusion of liquid molecules across the solid substrate. This process is dominant when the dynamic contact angle is less than 120°, and the rate of surface diffusion increases with increasing values of the dynamic contact angle. The other process involves a “tank tread” motion of the liquid molecules normal to the solid substrate; this latter mechanism predominates when the dynamic contact angle is 180°. At contact angles between 120 and 180°, both processes come into play. From the model used in this analysis one finds that there are several molecular parameters which have some influence on the relationship between the dynamic contact angle and the capillary number. Although the effect of these parameters may be secondary in nature, it is likely that a universal correlation for the dynamic contact angle which is valid for all fluids and solid substrates must include these variables along with the capillary number and the static contact angle.
Relative sensitivity of thyroid fine-needle aspiration by tumor type and size.

Background Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has high sensitivity. Previous studies demonstrated correlation between FNA sensitivity and PTC size, and lower sensitivity for follicular variant of PTC (FVPTC). Data are lacking for other types of thyroid carcinomas. Methods: 996 resected thyroid carcinomas at two institutions (6- and 10-year periods) were correlated with FNA diagnoses and clinical and radiologic data to determine sensitivity for each malignancy type. Results: There were 867 PTCs (371 FVPTC), 101 follicular carcinomas (FCs) (31 oncocytic), 16 medullary carcinomas, and 12 poorly differentiated carcinomas (PDCAR). Mean size of classical PTC (CPTC; 1.9 cm) was smaller than FVPTC (2.2 cm), FC (3.0 cm), oncocytic FC (3.0 cm), and PDCAR (2.8 cm) (P<0.003 each), but not medullary carcinoma (1.7 cm) (P=0.45). Sensitivity was higher for CPTC (88%), compared to FVPTC (78%; P<0.0001) and FC (71%; P=0.0006) and was lower for FC than PDCAR (100%; P<0.04). For tumors ≤1.0 cm, FNA sensitivity for CPTC was higher than for FVPTC (P=0.02). For tumors 1.1–2.9 cm, sensitivity for CPTC was better than FVPTC (P=0.0001) and FC (P=0.0008). Between size groups, only CPTC showed a significant change with decreased sensitivity for tumors ≥3.0 cm (P<0.003). Conclusion: FNA is more sensitive for CPTC, PDCAR, and medullary carcinoma. For CPTC, FNA sensitivity is highest for tumors 1.1–2.9 cm. FNA sensitivity is higher for CPTC than FVPTC for nodules <3.0 cm. FNA sensitivity is lower for FC than CPTC and PDCAR. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2013;41:871–875. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Regarding the Animal

This article traces the anthropocentric orthodoxy of public administrative thought and scholarship to suggest how nonhuman animals give shape to the field's theoretical discourse and inform, in important and unspoken ways, its everyday practice. Even critical approaches in public administration remain rooted in anthropocentrism and speciesism and do not offer fundamental alternatives to mainstream approaches. The article outlines several of the limiting and violent consequences for animals and humans of this anthropocentric mode of thought and ordering and suggests how this process, described as "radical othering," connects with other, more widely explored, human-to-human forms of marginalization in the field. It concludes by outlining personal, disciplinary, regulatory, and institutional possibilities for imagining a different kind of relationship with nonhuman animals.
Analysis of the diphtheria tox promoter by site-directed mutagenesis.

Abstract By oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis, we introduced alterations in the two putative -10 regions of the diphtheria tox promoter which are positioned at -50 and -56 from the GUG tox initiation signal. The -10 region positioned at -50 is favored in the expression of ADP-ribosyltransferase activity from the wild-type tox promoter in recombinant Escherichia coli; however, the promoter down mutation at position -50 is compensated for by increased activity of the -10 region positioned at -56.
The real estate takeover

Abstract In this article, I adopt a corporate takeover model to the problem of a developer who wants to renew an urban neighborhood. The problem outlined is a combination of the problems addressed by Grossman and Hart (1980) (. The Bell Journal of Economics 11 , 42–64) and Shleifer and Vishny (1986) (. Journal of Political Economy 94 , 461–488) in the corporate control literature. The relevant corporate story concerns value-improving monitoring performed by shareholders. Even though monitoring increases the value of the company for each investor, no shareholder would be willing to do it because there is an externality involved. Translating this into the language of urban redevelopment, no homeowner would do any improvement in the neighborhood unless he or she can internalize the benefit. The story in the urban renewal framework is more complicated. These property owners may differ in their valuation of even otherwise identical units since the owners may have different attachments to the neighborhood. I address some of these problems and also introduce the notion of dilution as the participating government agency's ability to force initial residents to sell to the developer or comply with costly new standards for development. Dilution increases the costs to potential holdouts.
Orbital Energy Transfer in Exactly Commensurate Satellites

We calculate the power transferred between an inner satellite with a circular orbit and coplanar outer satellite for six integer ratios. For these cases we calculate the maximum deviation of the outer satellite’s mean motion that will be corrected, and the time constant of the motion of the line of conjunctions toward the pericenter of the outer orbit. There is stability in commensurate motion. We give a procedure for calculating an upper limit to the order of the commensurability that is required for stability. Ganymede and Callisto would be stable in 7/3 commensurability but not in 16/7.