cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Uncommon TGFBRI allele is not associated with increased susceptibility to colon cancer

Previous studies have suggested that an allele of the transforming growth factor-beta type I receptor (TGFBRI) gene that codes for six instead of the usual nine alanines in a polyalanine repeat is associated with an increased susceptibility to colon cancer, and that the six-alanine homozygote is seen only in individuals with some form of cancer. We evaluated this TGFBRI polymorphism in a population-based sample of 252 individuals with colon cancer and 362 age- and gender-matched controls from the state of Utah. TGFBRI genotypes were determined by PCR amplification and length determination of the polyalanine repeat. In addition to the common nine-alanine (9A) allele, we identified six- (6A), eight- (8A), ten- (10A), eleven- (11A), and twelve-alanine (12A) TGFBRI alleles. 6A/9A heterozygotes were seen in similar percentages of colon cancer cases (18.3%) and controls (16.0%). 6A/6A homozygotes were slightly more common in controls than in colon cancer cases (1.4% vs. 0.8%), and none of the controls with the 6A/6A genotype had any of the non-colonic cancers reported in previous studies. We conclude that the 6A TGFBRI allele is not associated with an increased susceptibility to colon cancer at the population level, and that the 6A/6A homozygote is not restricted to individuals with some form of cancer.
Comparison of human immunodeficiency virus related knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and behaviors among sexually active and abstinent young adolescents

Abstract Although young sexually active adolescents are at greater risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition than their abstinent peers, little is known about their respective HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and general risk behaviors. This study of middle school adolescents (n = 1379; mean age, 13.2 years) found that the sexually active boys, compared with their peers, were less knowledgeable about HIV, less fearful of HIV, less tolerant of people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), riskier in non-HIV-related attitudes and had a greater history of other risk behavior. A similar, but less marked pattern, was found for girls. It is suggested that physicians counsel all adolescents about HIV and sexuality during office visits and that early adolescent sexuality should prompt special efforts in HIV education/ counseling.
A six-step synthesis of (S)-5-ethenyl-3-(1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)pyridine (SIB-1508Y) from (S)-nicotine

Abstract The anti-Parkinson’s agent SIB-1508Y was prepared in six steps from (S)-nicotine in 20% overall yield. The strategy involves a regioselective formylation at C-5 of a 1,4-dihydronicotine intermediate.
New evidence that DNA encodes its packaging.

New experimental approaches combined with statistical models show that DNA sequence strongly influences how the genome is packaged into nucleosomes. The studies predict that genes regulated by fundamentally different mechanisms have distinct nucleosome positioning signatures encoded in their DNA.
G Protein-Gated Inhibitory Module of N-Type (CaV2.2) Ca2+ Channels

Voltage-dependent G protein (Gbetagamma) inhibition of N-type (CaV2.2) channels supports presynaptic inhibition and represents a central paradigm of channel modulation. Still controversial are the proposed determinants for such modulation, which reside on the principal alpha1B channel subunit. These include the interdomain I-II loop (I-II), the carboxy tail (CT), and the amino terminus (NT). Here, we probed these determinants and related mechanisms, utilizing compound-state analysis with yeast two-hybrid and mammalian cell FRET assays of binding among channel segments and G proteins. Chimeric channels confirmed the unique importance of NT. Binding assays revealed selective interaction between NT and I-II elements. Coexpressing NT peptide with Gbetagamma induced constitutive channel inhibition, suggesting that the NT domain constitutes a G protein-gated inhibitory module. Such inhibition was limited to NT regions interacting with I-II, and G-protein inhibition was abolished within alpha1B channels lacking these NT regions. Thus, an NT module, acting via interactions with the I-II loop, appears fundamental to such modulation.
Association of a myeloperoxidase promoter polymorphism with multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Myeloperoxidase (MPO) generates hypochlorous acid and other reactive oxygen intermediates leading to tissue damage. MPO is expressed in macrophages–microglia in multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions. A G→A substitution that abolishes an SP1 transcription factor consensus sequence in the promoter reduces gene expression. We studied the association of the genetic variant with MS. We did not find an association with gender, age at onset, susceptibility to, or the course and severity of MS in a population-based sample of 122 patients from Olmsted County.
Extrachromosomal DNA of pea-root (Pisum sativum) has repeated sequences and ribosomal genes.

Restriction endonuclease digestion and Southern blotting procedure were used to determine differences between extrachromosomal, nuclear, plastid, and mitochondrial DNAs from meristematic cells of cultured pea roots.
Degenerative Scoliosis: A Review:

Degenerative lumbar scoliosis is a coronal deviation of the spine that is prevalent in the elderly population. Although the etiology is unclear, it is associated with progressive and asymmetric degeneration of the disc, facet joints, and other structural spinal elements typically leading to neural element compression. Clinical presentation varies and is frequently associated with axial back pain and neurogenic claudication. Indications for treatment include pain, neurogenic symptoms, and progressive cosmetic deformity. Non-operative treatment includes physical conditioning and exercise, pharmacological agents for pain control, and use of orthotics and invasive modalities like epidural and facet injections. Operative treatment should be contemplated after multi-factorial and multidisciplinary evaluation of the risks and the benefits. Options include decompression, instrumented stabilization with posterior or anterior fusion, correction of deformity, or a combination of these that are tailored to each patient. Incidence of perioperative complications is substantial and must be considered when deciding appropriate operative treatment. The primary goal of surgical treatment is to provide pain relief and to improve the quality of life with minimum risk of complications.
A Modified Phosphatase Test for Cheese

Summary A phosphatase test for cheese is presented in detail with data showing its sensitivity. This method possesses a number of advantages. It is very accurate, as the final filtrates produced in this modification were clear and devoid of interfering substances. Conditions of incubation promote maximum phosphatase activity. The Folin-Ciocalteu color reagent and the BQC color reagent can be used interchangeably with proper color standards. Apparently, any natural or process cheese or cheese product can be tested without making adjustments in the buffer substrate or precipitating agent. In the new method the cheese sample is incubated with a sodium carbonate-bicarbonate buffer substrate at pH 9.55 for 18 to 24 hours at 32 to 37° C. This solution then is precipitated by a trichloracetic-hydrochloric acid reagent and some of the clear filtrate is placed in either a standard size or a small Mojonnier type extraction flask. Ethyl ether is used as the extracting agent but later is boiled off from an alkaline solution leaving the phenol behind. The phenol in this alkali solution then is determined colorimetrically by adding either the Folin-Ciocalteu or the BQC color reagent and comparing the developed blue colors against proper color standards. The sensitivity of this method is high. Tentatively, any value above 0.02 mg. phenol per 0.5 g. cheese, using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, or any value over 5.0 γ phenol per 0.5 g. cheese, using the BQC reagent, is considered to indicate cheese made from raw milk, improperly pasteurized milk or pasteurized milk contaminated with raw milk.
STRENGTH AND DUCTILITY OF CONCRETE BEAMS REINFORCED WITH CARBON FIBER-REINFORCED POLYMER PLATES AND STEEL

Seven concrete beams reinforced internally with varying amounts of steel and externally with precured carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) plates applied after the concrete had cracked under service loads were tested under four-point bending. Strains measured along the beam depth allowed computation of the beam curvature in the constant moment region. Results show that FRP is very effective for flexural strengthening. As the amount of steel increases, the additional strength provided by the carbon FRP plates decreases. Compared to a beam reinforced heavily with steel only, beams reinforced with both steel and carbon have adequate deformation capacity, in spite of their brittle mode of failure. Clamping or wrapping of the ends of the precured FRP plate enhances the capacity of adhesively bonded FRP anchorage. Design equations for anchorage, allowable stress, ductility, and amount of reinforcement are discussed.
Revisiting the effectiveness of interventions to decrease surgical site infections in colorectal surgery: A Bayesian perspective.

Objective To evaluate the evidence for interventions to decrease surgical site infections (SSIs) in colorectal operations using Bayesian meta-analysis. Background Interventions other than appropriate administration of prophylactic antibiotics to prevent SSIs have not been adopted widely, in part because of lack of recommendations for these interventions based on traditional meta-analyses. Bayesian methods can provide probabilities of specific thresholds of benefit, which may be more useful in guiding clinical decision making. We hypothesized that Bayesian meta-analytic methods would complement the interpretation of traditional analyses regarding the effectiveness of interventions to decrease SSIs. Methods We conducted a systematic search of the Cochrane database for reviews of interventions to decrease SSIs after colorectal surgery other than prophylactic antibiotics. Traditional and Bayesian meta-analyses were performed using RevMan (Nordic Cochrane Center, Copenhagen, Denmark) and WinBUGS (MRC Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge, UK). Bayesian posterior probabilities of any benefit, defined as a relative risk of Results A total of 9 Cochrane reviews met the search criteria. Using traditional meta-analysis methods, only laparoscopic colorectal surgery resulted in a significant reduction in SSIs and a recommendation for use of the intervention. Using Bayesian analysis, several interventions that did not result in “significant” decreases in SSIs using traditional analytic methods had a >85% probability of benefit. Also, nonuse of 2 interventions (mechanical bowel preparation and adhesive drapes) had a high probability of decreasing SSIs compared with their use. Conclusion Bayesian probabilities and traditional point estimates of treatment effect yield similar information in terms of potential effectiveness. Bayesian meta-analysis, however, provides complementary information on the probability of a large magnitude of effect. The clinical impact of using Bayesian methods to inform decisions about which interventions to institute first or which interventions to combine requires further study.
Human telomeres maintain their overhang length at senescence.

Normal human cells in culture enter replicative senescence after a finite number of population doublings. The exact molecular mechanisms triggering the growth arrest are poorly understood. A recent report on the disappearance of the G-rich 3′ telomeric overhang in senescent cells led to the hypothesis that loss of the 3′ G-rich overhang is the molecular signal that triggers senescence. Here, we describe a quantitative assay to measure the length of the G-rich 3′ telomeric overhangs from cultured cells. Using both this assay and the conventional nondenaturing hybridization assay for measuring G-rich overhangs, we show that normal human fibroblasts can maintain their overhangs at senescence. Furthermore, cells do not lose their overhangs when they bypass senescence after the inactivation of p53 and Rb. We thus conclude that a global reduction in overhang length is not the molecular signal that triggers replicative senescence.
Free To Be A Slave: Slavery As Metaphor In The Afro-Atlantic Religions

Scholars tend to regard enslavement as a form of disability inflicted upon the enslaved. This paper confronts the irony that not all black Atlantic peoples and religions conceive of slavery as an equally deficient condition or as the opposite of freedom and other rights that are due to respected human beings. Indeed, the religions of enslaved Afro-Latin Americans and their descendants—including Brazilian Candomble, Cuban and Cuban-diaspora Ocha (or Santeria) and Haitian Vodou—are far more ambivalent about slavery than most scholars and most Black North Americans might expect. In these religions, the slave is often understood to be the most effective spiritual actor, either as the most empowering servant of the supplicant's goals or as the most effective model for supplicants' own action upon the world. These ironies are employed to illuminate the unofficial realities of both the Abrahamic faiths and the North American practices of 'freedom'.
Planar double delay-line readout technique for microchannel plate detectors

A two-dimensional position-sensitive electrical readout system for microchannel plate detectors in spectroscopic applications has been devised. Two adjacent parallel coplanar delay lines are used. The difference in time of arrival of the electron event signal between the ends of the delay lines gives one coordinate of the centroid of each event pulse. The ratio of the event amplitudes on the two delay lines gives the orthogonal coordinate by means of charge partitioning. The performance characteristics of operational double delay lines for systems of this type are presented. >
A High Throughput Multiplier Design Exploiting Input Based Statistical Distribution in Completion Delays

Design methodologies such as Razor minimize power dissipation by slowing down circuits so as to eliminate timing slacks to the point where occasional timing errors are observed. The main challenge here is the design of efficient mechanisms to detect and recover from these infrequent errors without loss of functionality. We present a design for widely used Wallace multipliers where, because of the highly skewed input based statistical distribution in completion delays, the potential for power and performance gains is significantly higher. Clock periods can be potentially reduced by a factor of 2 or more, with very rare timing errors for random input distributions. For error recovery we present a novel approach that latches and holds logic values at key internal circuit nodes during every clock cycle beyond the next clock edge. This allows generation of the correct outputs for that clock period one clock cycle later in case of a timing error. Meanwhile, very fast error evaluation, exploiting a unique characteristic of carry ripple addition, allows this hold to be quickly released if an error is not detected, ensuring no impact on the circuit timing in error free operation. Our approach is shown to deliver comparable performance to the fastest multipliers at substantially reduced power and hardware costs.
Peace among Democratic and Oligarchic Republics

A list was compiled of virtually all significant military confrontations between republics throughout history. By including regimes only marginally republican, some forty cases were found from ancient Greece to the 1990s; about half of these had significant combat. Detailed historical investigation of each case reveals consistent patterns. A striking lack of wars between well-established democracies prevailed not only among modern states but also among earlier regimes commonly described as democracies, for example in medieval Switzerland. A historically more numerous class of republic is the oligarchies, where those in power hold equal rights but deny such rights to other important groups (e.g. South Africa). Remarkably, oligarchies scarcely ever made war on other regimes of their own type. Oligarchies did commonly fight democracies. It also appears that both types of republic, unlike all other regimes, have tended to form durable peaceful leagues among themselves. These reliable and general observations are not consistent with explanations solely in terms of institutional structures, but they can be understood in terms of domestic political culture. Leaders who negotiated with fellow citizens as equals invariably treated foreign leaders in the same non-violent manner, provided that they perceived the foreigners too as political equals.
Investigating Market Integration and Price Transmission of Different Rice Qualities in Iran

Rice production in most of Asian countries has been increased more rapidly than population and this has been led to increase in supply and proportionately decrease in the real price of rice in world and domestic markets. Furthermore, together with growth in production and national gross income of the country per-capita income has been increased and also demand for rice at national and international level quality has been increased. In this case studying the market conditions of different qualities of rice including marketing margins, causative relations among the prices, market integrations in long term and finally price transferring and market integration in short term is the important consequence that can help policymakers and planners in their decision makings on research, production, distribution and marketing of rice strategic product. So, using the statistics from Jihad Agriculture Organization of Guilan Province in case of the price of rice qualities (items) including Sadri momtaz (S1), Sadri darge yek (S2), Sadri mamooli (S3) and Khazar (K1) during 1999-2009 market conditions of different qualities of rice was studied. Results show that impulses in wholesale prices in Khazar rice rapidly influence on-farm prices, however, in case of other rice qualities the rate and speed of this influence is low. But in wholesale-retail market for Sadri quality rice impulses influence strongly in wholesale price and this shows intense integration of these two rice markets in Iran. It is suggested that according to the different quality of rice verities, support policy design and decision making process assigned separately
Monopolistic Output and International Trade

Relation to the author's previous article, 233. — I. Definitions and assumptions, 233. — II. Price policies of a monopolistic producer selling in both domestic and foreign market, 234. — III. A particular firm engaged exclusively in export trade, 237. — IV. Many exporters and importers in rivalry with one another: monopoly possibilities in the export trade, 238; monopsony possibilities in the import trade, 240; internal monopoly and monopsony, 242. — V. The international interest, 244. — VI. Assumptions, methods, criteria, 247. — VII. Conclusions, 249.
Selectivity and Mechanism of Hydrogen Atom Transfer by an Isolable Imidoiron (III) Complex

This article discusses a mechanistic study of hydrogen atom transfer by an isolable iron (III) imido complex, LᴹᵉFeNAd (Lᴹᵉ = bulky β-diketiminate ligand, 2,4-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenylimido)pentyl; Ad = 1-adamantyl).
The Properties of matter in white dwarfs and neutron stars

White dwarfs and neutron stars are stellar objects with masses comparable to that of our sun. However, as the endpoint stages of stellar evolution, these objects do not sustain any thermonuclear burning and therefore can no longer support the gravitational load of their own mass by generating thermal pressure. Rather, matter in their interiors is compressed to much higher densities than commonly found in normal stars, and pressure is created by degenerate fermion kinetic energy and particle interactions. As a result, white dwarfs and neutron stars offer unique cosmic laboratories for studying matter at very high densities. In this review we discuss the basic properties of condensed matter at extreme densities and summarize the extent to which these properties can be examined by observations of compact objects.
A feasibility study of inverse electrocardiography by convex optimization

Conventional solutions to the inverse problem of electrocardiography seek a solution based on a fixed cost function and a single constraint. In this presentation we introduce the idea of using many constraints to represent the available information about the solution and solving iteratively for an admissible solution which satisfies all the constraints.
Teaching Computer Science Graduate Students Scholarly Literature Review Techniques

Most today's students are comfortable and proficient in searching information using network-based electronic tools. Yet, our experience led us to believe that the majority of these students lacked the skills to effectively use the library to perform independent literature searches, correctly estimate the credibility of different information sources, or properly write scholarly literature reviews. To address this problem, we attempted to teach scholarly literature review (SLR) techniques as part of a Computer Science graduate course. Our preliminary results showed that with a few carefully designed SLR modules and assignments, CS graduate students could quickly and effectively learn to use proper literature review techniques in their research projects. The improvement in student learning was obvious, while the amount of class time spent on the SLR activities led by the librarian instructor was modest.
The effect of water temperature on air entrainment, bubble plumes, and surface foam in a laboratory breaking‐wave analog

Air-entraining breaking waves form oceanic whitecaps and play a key role in climate regulation through air-sea bubble-mediated gas transfer, and sea spray aerosol production. The effect of varying sea surface temperature on air entrainment, subsurface bubble plume dynamics, and surface foam evolution intrinsic to oceanic whitecaps has not been well studied. By using a breaking wave analog in the laboratory over a range of water temperatures (Tw = 5°C to Tw = 30°C) and different source waters, we have examined changes in air entrainment, subsurface bubble plumes, and surface foam evolution over the course of a breaking event. For filtered seawater, air entrainment was estimated to increase by 6% between Tw = 6°C and Tw = 30°C, driven by increases of about 43% in the measured surface roughness of the plunging water sheet. After active air entrainment, the rate of loss of air through bubble degassing was more rapid at colder water temperatures within the first 0.5 s of plume evolution. Thereafter, the trend reversed and bubbles degassed more quickly in warmer water. The largest observed temperature-dependent differences in subsurface bubble distributions occurred at radii greater than about 700 μm. Temperature-dependent trends observed in the subsurface bubble plume were mirrored in the temporal evolution of the surface whitecap foam area demonstrating the intrinsic link between surface whitecap foam and the subsurface bubble plume. Differences in foam and plume characteristics due to different water sources were greater than the temperature dependencies for the filtered seawater examined.
Evaluation of TLSOS in the bracing in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis trial (BrAIST)

Background The success of TLSOs in reducing the risk of curve progression varies widely across published reports. This variation has been linked to patient risk factors such as initial Cobb angle and maturity, and time in brace. Percentage correction has also been associated with outcomes. [1-3] However, no reports have examined characteristics of individual braces, and how these characteristics influence percentage correction, compliance, and eventual outcome.
Disorders of Calcium: Hypercalcemia

Hypercalcemia is defined as serum [Ca2+] >11 mg/dL or 1 mg/dL above the normal range. It is a common electrolyte disorder that is frequently encountered by the primary care physicians. Hypercalcemia affects multiple organs in the body, including the kidney, heart, brain, peripheral nerves, and gut. Although causes of hypercalcemia are varied, they fall into four major categories (Table 19.1): (1) hypercalcemia secondary to increased Ca2+ mobilization from the bone, (2) hypercalcemia due to increased absorption of Ca2+ from the gastrointestinal tract (GI), (3) hypercalcemia due to decreased urinary excretion of Ca2+, and (4) hypercalcemia due to medications.
Temperature Trend of the Last 40 Yr in the Upper Pacific Ocean

Abstract The linear temperature trend of the last 40 yr (1955–94) in the upper Pacific Ocean above 400 m is studied using an objectively analyzed dataset and simulations of an ocean general circulation model. Both the data and simulations suggest a warming trend in the western tropical Pacific (10°S–10°N) near the surface and in the eastern tropical Pacific above 400 m but a cooling trend in the thermocline of the western tropical Pacific. In the midlatitude North Pacific (30°–50°N), the temperature trend is positive east of 150°W but negative to the west. Simulated heat budget indicates that the temperature trend in the tropical Pacific may result from oceanic advection. In the central and western Pacific, the surface warming is associated with the reduction of cold advection from the off-equatorial divergent flow and the South Equatorial Current, while the cooling in the thermocline is related to the reduction of equatorward warm advection. In the eastern Pacific, the warming is associated with the redu...
Deficiencies In Care At Nursing Homes And Racial/Ethnic Disparities Across Homes Fell, 2006–11

Despite the increased use of nursing homes by minority residents, nursing home care remains highly segregated. Compared to whites, racial/ethnic minorities tend to be cared for in facilities with limited clinical and financial resources, low nurse staffing levels, and a relatively high number of care deficiency citations. We assessed the trends from 2006 to 2011 in those citations and in disparities across facilities with four different concentrations of racial/ethnic minority residents. We found that the number of health care–related deficiencies and the percentage of facilities with serious deficiencies decreased over time for all four facility groups. From 2006 to 2011 the average annual number of health care–related deficiencies declined from 7.4 to 6.8 for facilities with low minority concentrations (<5 percent) and from 10.6 to 9.4 for facilities with high minority concentrations (≥35 percent). In multivariable analyses, across-site disparities in health care–related deficiencies and in life-safety ...
Passive athermal silicon ring resonators with sol-gel claddings

Silicon ring resonators have high thermal sensitivity of about 0.1 nm/°C. Using sol-gels as cladding material we show that sensitivity can be reduced down to 2 pm/°C within the temperature range from 12 °C to 40 °C.
Hyperspectral Face Databases for Facial Recognition Research

Spectral imaging (SI) enables us to collect various spectral information at specific wavelengths by dividing the spectrum into multiple bands. As such, SI offers a means to overcome several major challenges specific to current face recognition systems. However, the practical usage of hyperspectral face recognition (HFR) has, to date, been limited due to database restrictions in the public domain for comparatively evaluating HFR. In this chapter, we review four publically available hyperspectral face databases (HFDs): CMU, PolyU-HSFD, IRIS-M, and Stanford databases toward providing information on the key points of each of the considered databases. In addition, a new large HFD , called IRIS-HFD-2014, is introduced. IRIS-HFD-2014 can serve as a benchmark for statistically evaluating the performance of current and future HFR algorithms and will be made publicly available.
Evaluation of Explanted CorMatrix Intracardiac Patches in Children With Congenital Heart Disease.

Background Animal data demonstrate that intracardiac patches of decellularized porcine small intestine submucosa (CorMatrix; CorMatrix Cardiovascular, Inc, Atlanta, GA) become repopulated with native cells, suggesting the possibility of a substrate for regenerative tissue in humans. We report the only prospective series to date of explanted CorMatrix patches placed in infants with congenital heart disease. Methods CorMatrix patches were implanted as the hemi-Fontan baffle in patients during their second stage of palliation. The patch material was explanted as part of the standard Fontan operation. Specimens were analyzed with the use of hematoxylin and eosin, Movat pentachrome, and trichrome stains. Results Of the 12 implantations, 10 specimens were explanted. Two patients did not undergo Fontan because of unfavorable hemodynamics. Acellular material, chronic inflammation, fibrosis, and foreign body giant cell reaction was seen in all explanted patches. Also noted in explanted specimens was calcification (n = 2), elastic fibers (n = 2), and eosinophils (n = 2). No explanted CorMatrix material showed evidence of ingrowth of native cells or transformation into cardiac tissue at a median of 21 months after implantation. Conclusions Although the CorMatrix remained pliable and most did not exhibit calcification, these intracardiac patches did not show evidence of native heart tissue ingrowth at a median of 21 months in vivo.
Communication Strategies for Empowering and Protecting Children

Communication with children and adolescents is an area that requires special attention. It is our job as health care professionals to ensure that the information being relayed is provided at a level that can be understood, to ensure patient safety as well as keep a child or adolescent engaged in their own medical care and decision making. This article discusses the importance of communication with children, adolescents, and their caregivers. It focuses on the overall importance of health literacy in communicating health care information to both caregivers and their children. Included are points to consider when communicating at different developmental stages, as well as strategies to help establish rapport. Lastly, the importance of technology and how it can help facilitate communication with this population is introduced.
X-RAY TECHNIQUES

A chapter of this length can be at most a guide to x-ray methods in geochemical analysis. To see why this is true, consider, for example, that the 1968 review in Analytical Chemistry of x-ray absorption and emission by Campbell and Brown1 lists 17 new books and 695 references, and that its counterpart by Merritt and Streib2 on x-ray-diffraction records over a third as many items of each kind. These reviews, which appear every two years, and several books3–6 are the main sources of information for this chapter. They are only a fraction of what should be consulted by anyone seriously interested in using x-ray methods in geochemistry.
Electromechanical Energy Conversion

This chapter contains sections titled: Magnetic and Electric Field-generated Forces Calculation of Electromagnetic Forces Exercises Problems ]]>
Exploiting heat-accelerated flash memory wear-out recovery to enable self-healing SSDs

This paper proposes a self-healing solid-state drive (SSD) design strategy that exploits heat-accelerated recovery of NAND flash memory cell wear-out to improve SSD lifetime. The key is to make each NAND flash memory chip self-healable by stacking an extra heater die, and to employ system-level redundancy to ensure SSD data storage integrity when one memory chip is being self-heated for memory cell wearout recovery. Based upon detailed thermal modeling and memory cell device modeling, we carried out simulations and performed detailed analysis. The results show that SSD lifetime can be improved by over five times at reasonable performance and energy consumption overhead.
Benefits of Developing an Individualized Quality Control Plan.

A clinical laboratory can benefit from developing an individualized QC plan (IQCP)2 in many ways. This editorial will explore some of the lessons we learned from developing our IQCPs and the advantages of interacting with clinical staff through the IQCP process. The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services adopted changes to the Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments (CLIA) interpretive guidelines on January 1, 2016, that give clinical laboratories the option to perform a minimum of two concentrations of QC each day or develop an IQCP (1, 2). An IQCP allows the laboratory to reduce the frequency of QC to the minimum recommended by the manufacturer provided the laboratory has conducted a thorough risk assessment. IQCPs apply to CLIA non-waived tests. Sites conducting CLIA waived testing only need to follow manufacturer instructions and pay a biennial fee for renewal of their CLIA certificate. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute approved the EP23-A guideline to help laboratories develop an IQCP (3). Many newer laboratory and point-of-care testing (POCT) instruments have built-in and manufacturer-engineered control processes, some conducted with each test, that can monitor the quality of the sample, the instrument, and the chemistry of the reactions, making external QC redundant. An IQCP allows a laboratory to balance external QC with the quality …
Metalinguistic truisms and the emancipation of the language sciences

Abstract In his influential critiques of the theoretical foundations of the language sciences, Nigel Love claims that modern linguistics is based on “a cultural metafiction” and that it must “emancipate itself from what is no more than a profoundly important but nonetheless culturally parochial way of construing linguistic phenomena.” This paper reviews Love's account of the historical sources and modern consequences of this cultural metafiction and asks why it is so frustratingly difficult to emancipate the language sciences from the epistemological presuppositions of this ethnocentric metafiction. In addressing these questions, the paper explores the accountability of the expert metalinguistic discourse of the language sciences to the normative rhetoric of lay metalinguistic practices – or, in Wittgenstein's distinctive use of the term, to the ‘grammar’ of those practices.
The Strategy Of Sustainable Waste Management: Landfill Management, Recycling, Reduction, And Pollution Prevention

In “The Strategy of Sustainable Waste Management: Landfill Management, Recycling, Reduction, and Pollution Prevention,” the enduring problem of solid waste management is presented. As such, this case study deals with a real-life scenario when a recent graduate in the area of journalism and professional writing attempts to branch out and complement her professional interests. With a fresh MPA in hand, Suzanne Rodgers lands a paid internship with a mid-sized city and takes on the responsibility of researching, planning, and implementing a policy and set of recommendations, for the Public Works Department. She interviews the key political and economic actors in Winterville, provides a comprehensive description of the city, researches and analyses the incentives and barriers to change and then sets out to develop a plan for a comprehensive residential recycling effort that contains two options: solid waste management and balancing a landfill fund. This plan and implementation strategy is addressed in a research portfolio. In the final analysis she is faced with the real world issues of public interests and pressures and at a town hall meeting receives the responses from the citizens of Winterville. In this fast moving three-part case study, Suzanne Rodgers faces the real world of citizen input, conflict, and the role of special interests and pressure groups in making and implementing urban policy. The case concludes with measurements that were used in Iowa’s Pollution Prevention Intern Program and a summary of the tonnage of waste and pollution reduction and diversion associated with the program from 2001-2014. Cost savings associated with the intern program over the same period are identified and 2014 yearly savings is presented.
Evaporation controlled particle patterns in a polymer droplet

Colloidal microspheres in aqueous polymer drops were previously shown to spatially order into stripes upon drying due to a combination of the phase separation of highly bridged particles and the Marangoni flow effect. In this work, the dynamics of contact line movement of a colloidal–polymer droplet under varying evaporation conditions was monitored in real-time. It was shown that slowing the evaporation rate decreased the contact angle and the resulting stationary contact line enabled a balance between capillary shear and Marangoni flows. Thus, particle deposition into concentric rings was dependent on contact line velocity and receding contact angle. Adding nanoparticles into a polymer–microparticle mixture did not perturb the hydrodynamic flows, subsequently nanoparticles were observed to deposit onto multiple rings and striped patterns. The presented colloidal assembly which is controlled by the bridging of chains between polymer-adsorbing particles was also shown to be effective in the formation of lines parallel to the contact line prepared in a dip-coating process.
Visible Social Interactions Do Not Support the Development of False Belief Understanding in the Absence of Linguistic Input: Evidence from Deaf Adult Homesigners

Congenitally deaf individuals exhibit enhanced visuospatial abilities relative to normally hearing individuals. An early example is the increased sensitivity of deaf signers to stimuli in the visual periphery (Neville & Lawson, 1987a). While these enhancements are robust and extend across a number of visual and spatial skill, they seem not to extend to other domains which could potentially build on these enhancements. For example, congenitally deaf children, in the absence of adequate language exposure and acquisition, do not develop typical social cognition skills as measured by traditional Theory of Mind tasks. These delays/deficits occur despite their presumed lifetime use of visuoperceptual abilities to infer the intentions and behaviors of others (e.g., O’Reilly, Peterson, & Wellman, 2014; Pyers & Senghas, 2009). In a series of studies, we explore the limits on the plasticity of visually-based socio-cognitive abilities, from perspective taking to Theory of Mind/False Belief, in rarely studied individuals: deaf adults who have not acquired a conventional language (Homesigners). We compared Homesigners’ performance to that of two other understudied groups in the same culture: Deaf signers of an emerging language (Cohort 1 of Nicaraguan Sign Language), and hearing speakers of Spanish with minimal schooling. We found that homesigners performed equivalently to both comparison groups with respect to several visual socio-cognitive abilities: Perspective Taking (Level 1 and Level 2), adapted from Masangkay et al. (1974), and the False Photograph task, adapted from Leslie & Thaiss (1992). However, a lifetime of visuo-perceptual experiences (observing the behavior and interactions of others) did not support success on False Belief tasks, even when linguistic demands are minimized. Participants in the comparison groups outperform the Homesigners, but did not universally pass the False Belief tasks. Our results suggest that while some of the social development achievements of young typically developing children may be dissociable from their linguistic experiences, language and/or educational experiences clearly scaffolds the transition into False Belief understanding. The lack of experience using a shared language cannot be overcome, even with the benefit of many years of observing others’ behaviors and the potential neural reorganization and visuospatial enhancements resulting from deafness.
The Coincidentalist Reply to the No-Miracles Argument

Proponents of the no-miracles argument contend that scientific realism is “the only philosophy that doesn’t make the success of science a miracle.” Bas van Fraassen argued, however, that the success of our best theories can be explained in Darwinian terms—by the fact they are survivors of a winnowing process in which unsuccessful theories are rejected. Critics of this selectionist explanation complain that while it may account for the fact we have chosen successful theories, it does not explain why any particular one of those theories succeeds. Against this I defend the claim that if selectionists manage to account for the former, they have no burden to account for the latter; the success of any particular one of our best theories might as well be an extraordinary coincidence. I refer to this enhanced selectionist reply as “coincidentalism” and argue that it is a serious but underappreciated response to the no-miracles argument. More generally, I argue the considerations raised in favor of this response show that versions of the no-miracles argument focusing on the success of particular theories are misguided.
CertificateLess Cryptography-Based Rule Management Protocol for Advanced Mission Delivery Networks

Assured Mission Delivery Network (AMDN) is a collaborative network to support data-intensive scientific collaborations in a multi-cloud environment. Each scientific collaboration group, called a mission, specifies a set of rules to handle computing and network resources. Security is an integral part of the AMDN design since the rules must be set by authorized users and the data generated by each mission may be privacy-sensitive. In this paper, we propose a CertificateLess cryptography-based Rule-management Protocol (CL-RP) for AMDN, which supports authenticated rule registrations and updates with non-repudiation. We evaluate CL-RP through test-bed experiments and compare it with other standard protocols.
Relationship between Ocean Carbon and Heat Multidecadal Variability

AbstractThe global ocean serves as a critical sink for anthropogenic carbon and heat. While significant effort has been dedicated to quantifying the oceanic uptake of these quantities, less research has been conducted on the mechanisms underlying decadal-to-centennial variability in oceanic heat and carbon. Therefore, little is understood about how much such variability may have obscured or reinforced anthropogenic change. Here the relationship between oceanic heat and carbon content is examined in a suite of coupled climate model simulations that use different parameterization settings for mesoscale mixing. The differences in mesoscale mixing result in very different multi-decadal variability, especially in the Weddell Sea where the characteristics of deep convection are drastically changed. Although the magnitude and frequency of variability in global heat and carbon content is different across the model simulations, there is a robust anti-correlation between global heat and carbon content in all simula...
Axenic Aedesaegyptidevelop without live bacteria, but exhibit delayed development and reduced oviposition

The mosquito gut microbiome plays an important role in mosquito development and fitness, providing a promising avenue for novel mosquito control strategies. Here we present a method for rearing axenic (bacteria free) Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which will greatly facilitate mechanistic studies documenting the structure and function of the microbiome. Through feeding sterilized larvae agar plugs containing attenuated Escherichia coli, mosquito development was observed in the absence of living bacteria. Axenic larvae were capable of full development into adults, which laid eggs that were subsequently hatched. However, axenic mosquitoes exhibited delayed development time and reduced egg clutch size in comparison to bacterially colonized mosquitoes. These findings suggest that mosquito development is not dependent on live bacteria, but their phenotype is modulated by the presence of microorganisms. This axenic system offers a new tool in which the mosquito microbiome can be systematically manipulated for a deeper understanding of microbiome host interactions.
Violent Christians, the Nigerian Public Square, and the Utility of Jesus’ Forgiveness Sayings for Tackling Religious Violence

This article explores the questions: Is Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness compatible with Nigerian Christians’ strategies of preemptive violence or counter-violent responses in light of harms done to them by people of other faiths? Are there some Christological reasons that might motivate Nigerian Christians to refrain from using violence as the only effective means available to them to protect Christian communities against attacks from people of other faiths? To answer these questions, I will focus on three main issues. Firstly, I will discuss the theological rhetoric of some pastors that are shaping Christian discourse on Christian-Muslim and Christian-traditional religion relations. Secondly, I will discuss the idea of ‘disciple’ and ‘non-disciple’ dialectics in Jesus’ thought vis-a-vis how his followers are to live in relation to his non-followers. Finally, I will also discuss Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness, highlighting some of its theological implications for tackling religious violence that are rooted in some Nigerian Christians’ anxieties about other religious faiths.
Evidence That the Rise in Temperature Produced by d -Amphetamine is Caused by a Peripheral Action of the Drug

It is not always easy to decide the extent to which certain “central” effects of drugs might be mediated peripherally or might result from interfering with a peripheral signal to the brain. We became concerned with this problem after the demonstration that the pronounced hyperactivity elicited by large doses of triiodothyronine in mice was markedly reduced by ganglionic blocking agents, such as chlorisondamine. Since amphetamine acts indirectly through the release of NE (1), we are investigating the possibility that those effect to which tolerance is readily acquired might result from a depletion of catecholamine stores at the locus of action.