cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of 6-mercaptopurine on Antibody Production

Summary1. The effect of 6-MP on antibody response of hyperimmunized rabbits has been studied. 2. When given simultaneously with the antigen, 6-MP profoundly suppresses the formation of humoral antibody. When given prior to antigenic stimulation, the effect of 6-MP on antibody production is slight. There is no effect on amount of antibody in the serum when 6-MP is given during the height of antibody production. 3. It has been tentatively concluded that the action 6-MP is on the primary antibody response, rather than on the anamnestic response.
How the spine differs in standing and in sitting-important considerations for correction of spinal deformity.

Background context The current prevailing school of thought in spinal deformity surgery is to restore sagittal balance with reference to the alignment of the spine when the patient is standing. This strategy, however, likely accounts for increased rates of proximal junctional failure. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences between the spine in standing and sitting positions as these may elucidate reasons for deformity correction failure. Study design/setting A prospective, comparative study of 58 healthy patients presenting to a tertiary hospital over a 6-month period was carried out. Patient sample All patients presenting with a less than 3-month history of first episode lower back pain were included. Patients who had radicular symptoms, red flag symptoms, previous spine surgery, or visible spinal deformity during forward bending test were excluded. Pregnant patients were also excluded. Outcome measures Radiographic measurements including sagittal vertical axis (SVA), lumbar lordosis (LL), thoracolumbar angle (TL), thoracic kyphosis (TK), cervical lordosis (CL), pelvic incidence (PI), and pelvic tilt (PT) were collected. The sagittal apex and end vertebrae of all radiographs were also recorded. Methods Basic demographic data (age, gender, and ethnicity) was recorded. Lateral standing and sitting radiographs were obtained using EOS technology. Statistical analysis was performed to compare standing and sitting parameters using chi-square tests for categorical variables and paired t tests for continuous variables. Results Taking the standing position as the reference point, forward displacement of the SVA occurred during sitting by a mean of 6.39±3.87 cm (p Conclusions Sagittal spinal alignment changes significantly between standing and sitting positions. Understanding these differences is crucial to avoid overcorrection of LL, which may occur if deformity correction is based solely on the spine's standing sagittal profile.
Molecular biomarker-based biokinetic modeling of a PCE-dechlorinating and methanogenic mixed culture.

Bioremediation of chlorinated ethenes via anaerobic reductive dechlorination relies upon the activity of specific microbial populations – most notably Dehalococcoides (DHC) strains. In the lab and field Dehalococcoides grow most robustly in mixed communities which usually contain both fermenters and methanogens. Recently, researchers have been developing quantitative molecular biomarkers to aid in field site diagnostics and it is hoped that these biomarkers could aid in the modeling of anaerobic reductive dechlorination. A comprehensive biokinetic model of a community containing Dehalococcoides mccartyi (formerly D. ethenogenes) was updated to describe continuously fed reactors with specific biomass levels based on quantitative PCR (qPCR)-based population data (DNA and RNA). The model was calibrated and validated with subsets of chemical and molecular biological data from various continuous feed experiments (n = 24) with different loading rates of the electron acceptor (1.5 to 482 μeeq/L-h), types of elec...
Interaction of abl and raf with IL-7 signaling pathway and transformation of pre-B cells from resistant mice

Interaction of abl and raf with IL-7 signaling pathway and transformation of pre-B cells from resistant mice
REMOVED: Utilization of Behavioral Health Services by U.S. Army Medics

ABSTRACTThis article has been removed.A revised version is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21635781.2016.1272024.
Ultrastable, Redispersible, Small, and Highly Organomodified Mesoporous Silica Nanotherapeutics

Practical biomedical application of mesoporous silica nanoparticles is limited by poor particle dispersity and stability due to serious irreversible aggregation in biological media. To solve this problem, hydrothermally treated mesoporous silica nanoparticles of small size with dual-organosilane (hydrophilic and hydrophobic silane) surface modification have been synthesized. These highly organomodified mesoporous silica nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption–desorption, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, and solid-state 29Si NMR, and they prove to be very stable in simulated body fluid at physiological temperature. Additionally, they can be dried to a powdered solid and easily redispersed in biological media, maintaining their small size for a period of at least 15 days. Furthermore, this preparation method can be expanded to synthesize redispersible fluorescent and magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles. The highly stable and redisp...
Some Properties of Groupoids

(1963). Some Properties of Groupoids. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 70, No. 10, pp. 1051-1057.
Bribery and Its Ethical Implications for Aid Workers in the Developing World

Bribery is a complicated, multi-dimensional issue. Upon first glance, most westerners would immediately condemn it as an underhanded, unfair means of gaining an advantage in a competitive or legal situation, and so it is in virtually every case in the westernized world. However, the issue becomes much more complicated in the international context, particularly in developing nations, where giving and accepting bribes is often normal and expected. This paper serves to inform ethical decision-making in situations where the “right choice” is unclear with regards to bribery, primarily for individuals performing aid work in foreign countries with corrupt officials and police officers. In such contexts, a simple offering of food, money, or a small trinket may make the difference between a person being able to accomplish meaningful, life-changing work for the local populace or having that work significantly slowed at best and being thrown out of the country, robbed, or imprisoned in worse cases. The larger scale bribery issues in international business and the laws pertaining to them are also discussed.
Analysis of network surveillance data and quality control of measles in Jiangxi province from 2003 to 2012

Objective To analyze the network surveillance data and quality control of measles,and to evaluate the significance and running status of measles laboratory network in Jiangxi province.Methods Each surveillance indicator of the measles laboratory network in Jiangxi in recent 10 years were analyzed by statistics.Results From 2003 to 2012,measles IgM antibody was detected in 8 033 serum samples,the positive rate was 40.81%,while rubella IgM antibody was detected in 3 787 serum samples,the positive rate was 17.80%.Nineteen measles viral strains were isolated from 204 throat swab specimens,and 13 rubella virus strains were separated from the 204 specimens.The measles viral strains were proved to be H1a genotype and rubella virus strains were proved to be 1E genotype.The diagnosis rate of suspected measles specimens had improved from 16.60% in2004 to 100% in 2012.The proficiency test,serum reconfirmation and on-site evaluation of provincial-level laboratory were regarded as the best or excellent by national measles laboratory and WHO.The quality control indexes of the municipal-level measles laboratories has improved year by year and reached a higher level.Conclusion The serology and etiology laboratory surveillance network of measles and rubella has been established and operated well in Jiangxi,playing an important role in measles control and elimination.
Polarization effects in diode-laser-pumped Nd:YAG lasers

Applied stress has been reported previously as an effective means to obtain polarized emission in diode-laser-excited monolithic Nd:YAG lasers.1,2 In an effort to resolve some discrepancies concerning their polarization behavior, we conducted a systematic study of the polarization properties of these devices. Our findings indicate that the polarization of the pump radiation is a more important factor than previously realized in selecting the output polarization of the mini-YAG oscillator. This polarization effect is particularly important in the strain tuned monolithic oscillators,3 because it provides a means for independently partitioning the available energy between the two orthogonally polarized lasing modes of the birefringent oscillator. We also report the rather surprising result that the effect is strongly dependent on the wavelength of the pump radiation. This latter observation suggests the importance of spectral control of the diode-laser pump radiation in realizing well-behaved laser emission.
The Youthful Rise,Early Fall, and Short Span of Creativity

Few of the brightest children on an earlier era‘s radio program, “The Quiz Kids,” are prominent today; most child prodigies fade into obscurity as they grow older. For youngsters who enter music competitions, for example, “Victory [in youth] is not a guaranteed ticket into the classical music pantheon. Politics, personal health, changing musical fashions, and the mysterious vagaries of personality, not to mention sheer luck, can be as strong determining factors as raw talent in the trajectory of a career” (Holden, 1999, p. B14). True, a few child prodigies achieved renown: Mozart, Herbert Spencer, Norbert Wiener. But in general, later fame after a promising start is unlikely. “There is no correlation between status as a prodigy and overall productivity.” Thus, half of the Science Talent Search winners “do not even remain in science through college” (both quotes are from Root-Bernstein, 1999, pp, 461-462). One of the most well-known instances of youthful “burn-out” is the writer Henry Roth (1998). At age 28, in 1934, he wrote a widely acclaimed first novel, “Call It Sleep,” called “brilliant” and “one of the most genuinely distinguished novels written by a 20th-century American” by critics. Yet the novel was followed by “six decades of literary silence” until Roth wrote the first of a six-volume autobiography, which was published in 1994, a year before his death at age 89. Joseph Heller wrote Catch 22 in 1961, followed by 20 years of writer‘s block. Margaret Mitchell never wrote another novel after Gone with the Wind. Readers
State based single channel selection in multi-channel wireless networks

We present a scheme for identifying and selecting high performing channels in a multi-channel wireless network through the application of a state based approach. The proposed scheme can increase throughput and reduce delay; however a significant challenge is node coordination. In dedicated control channel schemes, data channels are selected based upon channel agreement between nodes. One widely implemented channel selection scheme is random selection which can lead to suboptimal network performance when one or more data channels are disadvantaged. Our proposed channel selection scheme is shown to overcome the inefficiency of random selection. We develop a theoretical performance model of our state based selection scheme and compare it against random selection. We then present simulation results to demonstrate a significant reduction in transmission errors by state based over random selection.
Distinctions Between Displacement and Separation

The previous chapter documents that the separation index (S) can reveal the presence of important aspects of residential segregation that cannot be reliably established by examining the more widely used dissimilarity index (D). Specifically, S reliably indicates whether groups are separated and live apart from each other in different areas of the city and experience substantially different residential outcomes – at minimum with respect to area racial composition and potentially also on other neighborhood outcomes that co-vary with area racial composition. High values on S thus signal that groups are residentially separated and reside apart from each other in areas that are polarized on racial composition. The same cannot be said for D. To the contrary, D can and sometimes does take high values when two groups are not residentially separated and in fact live together in the same neighborhoods and experience quantitatively similar residential outcomes on area racial composition. Thus, high values on D cannot and do not reliably signal the presence of group residential separation and neighborhood racial polarization.
Multicomponent Catalysts: Limitations and Prospects

There has been a recent surge of interest in multicomponent catalysts that combine properties of chemically diverse materials. A major factor in this increased interest is the widespread recognition that the scaling relationships for adsorption and transition state energies of reactions place significant constraints on making step-change improvements in catalyst performance using monofunctional catalysts. In this perspective, we review the fundamental rationale for multicomponent materials and describe several classes of materials that offer promise for improving activity and selectivity in catalysis. Our focus is on illustrating how recent advances in the ability to prepare precisely controlled multicomponent nanostructures have the potential to enhance the capability to design highly active and selective catalysts.
Excipients for the lyoprotection of MAPKAP kinase 2 inhibitory peptide nano-polyplexes.

Abstract Herein, excipients are investigated to ameliorate the deleterious effects of lyophilization on peptide-polymer nano-polyplex (NP) morphology, cellular uptake, and bioactivity. The NPs are a previously-described platform technology for intracellular peptide delivery and are formulated from a cationic therapeutic peptide and the anionic, pH-responsive, endosomolytic polymer poly(propylacrylic acid) (PPAA). These NPs are effective when formulated and immediately used for delivery into cells and tissue, but they are not amenable to reconstitution following storage as a lyophilized powder due to aggregation. To develop a lyophilized NP format that facilitates longer-term storage and ease of use, MAPKAP kinase 2 inhibitory peptide-based NPs (MK2i-NPs) were prepared in the presence of a range of concentrations of the excipients sucrose, trehalose, and lactosucrose prior to lyophilization and storage. All excipients improved particle morphology post-lyophilization and significantly improved MK2i-NP uptake in human coronary artery smooth muscle cells relative to lyophilized NPs without excipient. In particular, MK2i-NPs lyophilized with 300 mM lactosucrose as an excipient demonstrated a 5.23 fold increase in cellular uptake (p
Microfluidics contrasted to thrombelastography: perplexities in defining hypercoagulability.

BACKGROUND Elevated clot strength (maximum amplitude [MA]) measured by thrombelastography (TEG) is associated with thrombotic complications. However, it remains unclear how MA translates to thrombotic risks, as this measurement is independent of time, blood flow, and clot degradation. We hypothesize that under flow conditions, increased clot strength correlates to time-dependent measurements of coagulation and resistance to fibrinolysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Surgical patients at high risk of thrombotic complications were analyzed with TEG and total thrombus-formation analysis system (T-TAS). TEG hypercoagulability was defined as an r 59, MA >66 or LY30 <0.2% (based off of healthy control data, n = 141). The T-TAS AR and PL chips were used to measure clotting at arterial shear rates. T-TAS measurements include occlusion start time, occlusion time (OT), occlusion speed (OSp), and total clot generation (area under the curve). These measurements were correlated to TEG indices (R time, angle, MA, and LY30). Both T-TAS and TEG assays were challenged with tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) to assess clot resistance to fibrinolysis. RESULTS Thirty subjects were analyzed, including five controls. TEG-defined hypercoagulability by MA was detected in 52% of the inflammatory bowel disease/cancer patients; 0% was detected in the controls. There were no TEG measurements that significantly correlated with T-TAS AR and PL chip. However, in the presence of t-PA, T-TAS AR determined OSp to have an inverse relationship with TEG angle (-0.477, P = 0.012) and LY30 (-0.449, P = 0.019), and a positive correlation with R time (0.441 P = 0.021). In hypercoagulability determined by TEG MA, T-TAS PL had a significantly reduced OT (4:07 versus 6:27 min, P = 0.043). In hypercoagulability defined by TEG LY30, T-TAS PL had discordant findings, with a significantly prolonged OT (6:36 versus 4:30 min, P = 0.044) and a slower OSp (10.5 versus 19.0 kPa/min, P = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS Microfluidic coagulation assessment with T-TAS has an overall poor correlation with most TEG measurements in a predominantly hypercoagulable patient population, except in the presence of t-PA. The one anticipated finding was an elevated MA having a shorter time to platelet-mediated microfluidic occlusion, supporting the role of platelets and hypercoagulability. However, hypercoagulability defined by LY30 had opposing results in which a low LY30 was associated with a longer PL time to occlusion and slower OSp. These discordant findings warrant ongoing investigation into the relationship between clot strength and fibrinolysis under different flow conditions.
Osteoarthritis and articular cartilage use, disuse, and abuse: experimental studies

Recent investigations have distinguished 3 different patterns of articular cartilage use that have different consequences: normal use, marked decrease use (disuse), and use that damages the tissue (abuse). In vitro cyclic loading of cartilage in the physiologic range stimulates matrix synthesis. In vivo, lifelong moderate and probably even strenuous joint use does not cause cartilage degeneration in normal animal joints, i.e., joints with normal articular surfaces, alignment, stability, innervation, and muscle control. In contrast, static loading or the absence of loading causes matrix degradation and eventually loss of joint function. Abuse of normal joints by single or repetitive impact loads can lead to progressive degeneration of the articular surface. Normal use of abnormal joints, in particular joints with incongruous articular surfaces, malalignment, instability, or disturbances of joint or muscle innervation may also increase the risk of degenerative joint disease.
Decentralized Controller for Energy Storage Management on MVDC Ship Power System with Pulsed Loads

Medium voltage DC systems (MVDC) are gaining more interest in ship power systems. Although, MVDC system has many advantages for the ship power grid, it is challenging to ensure load-generation balance in the presence of pulsed loads. Therefore, proper energy management algorithm of the energy storage devices connected to the system should be developed. This paper proposes an automatic decentralized controller for the energy storage devices connected to the MVDC power system. The controller ensures load-generation balance, maintain the MVDC bus constant and ensures proper power sharing among the storage devices. The simulation results, using MATLAB, prove the adequacy of the proposed controller.
Hydrogels from norbornene-functionalized carboxymethyl cellulose using a UV-initiated thiol-ene click reaction

Chemically crosslinked cellulose hydrogels have wide applications in agriculture and biomedicine, but most crosslinking methods involve potentially toxic crosslinking chemistries or lack significant control over the final modulus of the material. To overcome these challenges, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) hydrogels were synthesized utilizing thiol-ene click chemistry. CMC was functionalized with norbornene groups through a base catalyzed, water-borne functionalization reaction with carbic anhydride, yielding a reactive norbornene group. Both reaction pH and anhydride concentration could be used to control the degree of norbornene functionalization of CMC up to 45% norbornene functionalization per CMC repeat unit. This new norbornene functionalized CMC (cCMC) was crosslinked though a UV-light initiated thiol-ene reaction with a 2,2′-(ethylenedioxy)diethanethiol (DEG) crosslinker. Both the ratio of thiols to norbornenes and the irradiation time could be varied at a constant polymer concentration to control the modulus over an order of magnitude. Interestingly, thiol to norbornene ratios of 1:2 and 1:1 yielded the same modulus values, which was attributed to the crosslinking limiting chain mobility early in the reaction and preventing increased crosslink density as the reaction progressed. Hydrolytic degradation of the hydrogels yielded two degradation regimes of initial burst release and continuous daily release. Burst release behavior was tied to the thiol to norbornene ratio used to fabricate the hydrogel, while the daily degradation rate could be correlated to the crosslinking density. Due to its straightforward synthesis and significant control over modulus and degradation rates, cCMC offers high utility for future applications where cellulose derived hydrogels are needed.
Application of identity vectors for EEG classification.

Abstract Background Finding an optimal EEG subject verification algorithm is a long standing goal within the EEG community. For every advancement made, another feature set, classifier, or dataset is often introduced; tracking improvements in classification without a consistent benchmark, such as a classifier-feature pairing tested on a publicly available dataset, makes it difficult to understand how and why these improvements occur. New Method Following on previous biometric experiments, I-Vectors and Gaussian Mixture Model-Universal Background Models are compared to an established Mahalanobis classifier. A second experiment then addresses the impact of epoch duration as a function of classification performance across all three classifiers. Results The experimental classification results indicate that I-Vectors are more robust than the other classifiers displaying less sensitivity to epoch duration, data composition, and feature selection. Comparison with Existing Methods This I-Vector based approach is compared against commonly used EEG classifiers, such as Mahalanobis and Gaussian mixture models. These classifiers are benchmarked using the publicly available PhysioNet database converted into three feature sets, spectral coherence, power spectral density, and cepstral coefficients. Conclusions The experimental results suggests I-Vectors provide reliable baseline performance by leveling the field between feature set and datasets making them well suited for EEG signal processing tasks.
Extracellular Vesicles from Wharton's Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells Suppress CD4 Expressing T Cells Through Transforming Growth Factor Beta and Adenosine Signaling in a Canine Model.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely investigated as potential therapeutic agents due to their potent immunomodulatory capacity. Although specific mechanisms by which MSC acts on immune cells a...
A Backstepping Boundary Observer for a Simply Supported Beam

This paper presents the development of a full-state observer for an Euler-Bernoulli beam system with simply supported boundary conditions. This problem is motivated by the necessity of estimators in control and diagnostic applications. The observer is developed using a backstepping procedure. The full state observer cannot be completed with a single observer system, and hence this paper presents the synthesis of two observer structures that together provide the desired convergence. The necessary feedback information is limited to the slope and the sheer force of the beam at one boundary, which are practically measurable values on a physical system. The observer estimates the full infinite dimensional beam system without any discretization of the model. The result of the technique developed in this paper is that the infinite dimensional observer estimates converge to the plant system states (representing the actual beam displacement) at an arbitrary exponential rate; numerical simulation results validating this behavior are provided.
Analysis of Salivary Glands and Saliva from Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti Infected with Chikungunya Viruses

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a medically important mosquito-borne virus transmitted to humans by infected Aedes (Stegomyia) species. In 2013–2014, Ae. aegypti transmitted CHIKV to humans in the Caribbean and in 2005–2006, Ae. albopictus transmitted CHIKV on La Reunion Island (Indian Ocean basin). CHIKV LR2006 OPY1 from the La Reunion epidemic was associated with a mutation (E1:A226V) in the viral E1 glycoprotein that enhanced CHIKV transmission by Ae. albopictus. CHIKV R99659 from the Caribbean outbreak did not have the E1:A226V mutation. Here, we analyzed the salivary glands and saliva of Ae. albopictus strains from New Jersey, Florida, Louisiana and La Reunion after infection with each virus to determine their transmission potential. We infected the Ae. albopictus strains with blood meals containing 3–7 × 107 PFU/mL of each virus and analyzed the mosquitoes nine days later to maximize infection of their salivary glands. All four Ae. albopictus strains were highly susceptible to LR2006 OPY1 and R99659 viruses and their CHIKV disseminated infection rates (DIR) were statistically similar (p = 0.3916). The transmission efficiency rate (TER) was significantly lower for R99659 virus compared to LR2006 OPY1 virus in all Ae. albopictus strains and Ae. aegypti (Poza Rica) (p = 0.012) suggesting a salivary gland exit barrier to R99659 virus not seen with LR2006 OPY1 infections. If introduced, LR2006 OPY1 virus poses an increased risk of transmission by both Aedes species in the western hemisphere.
Health Literacy, Health Numeracy, and Cognitive Functioning Among Bariatric Surgery Candidates

Inadequate health literacy or numeracy and probable cognitive impairment influence patients’ medical outcomes. The study purpose was to examine the prevalence of inadequate health literacy, inadequate health numeracy, and probable cognitive impairment among bariatric surgery candidates and examine associations with undergoing bariatric surgery. Patients (N = 314) completed measures assessing these constructs during a required pre-surgical psychological evaluation. Approximately 9.6%, 24.2%, and 29.5% of the sample had inadequate health literacy, inadequate health numeracy, and probable cognitive impairment, respectively. In univariate analyses, those with inadequate levels of health literacy, inadequate health numeracy, and probable cognitive impairment were less likely to undergo surgery. In a multivariate model, inadequate health literacy independently predicted a lower likelihood of undergoing bariatric surgery. Findings underscore the importance of assessing these factors.
The Politics of Hypocrisy: Baruch Spinoza and Pierre Bayle on Hypocritical Conformity:

Contemporary political theory has increasingly attended to the inevitability, and even advantage, of hypocrisy in liberal democratic politics, but less consideration has been given to the social an...
On the Superposition of Probabilities

Superposition methods—as used in many lattice diffusion calculations to estimate joint probabilities from limited information on lower order correlations—are here reviewed in the general inhomogeneous context. The Kirkwood-Kikuchi-Barker (KKB) superposition principle is shown to be a special case of the application of combinatorial Mobius function techniques over a Boolean lattice of partitions into clusters, or motifs which uses a logarithmic/exponential device. This method is conceptually distinct from the approach utilizing the linear algebra of probabilities over an equal a priori probability phase space. It is shown that the probabilities produced by KKB superposition in general fail to satisfy the basic rules of conservation of probability; and a new algorithm is given for embedding the Mobius formalism into probability space. The general problem of superposition of probabilities is formulated in terms of linear convex analysis. The concept of marginal coordinate systems generalizing both the Mobius formalism and the idea of conditional probabilities is introduced and pidgeonhole cluster coordinates developed. The linear convex formalism additionally permits the use of interior point methods for the determination of the permissible polytope in probability space and provides an exact representation of the configurational entropy which incorporating all correlations in finite structures. It is shown that knowledge of the permissible polytope in probability space can restrict the class of permissible structures so severely that entropy maximization is unnecessary; and it is suggested that this is particularly true in the case of ordered structures. The equilibrium configurational free energy computation is discussed in the light of linear convex theory and the ergodic hypothesis.
David Oliver: There's no dignity in hospital gowns

I’ve often wondered why on earth we routinely put so many patients into hospital gowns within minutes of their arrival at hospital. Sometimes referred to as “dignity gowns,” such dignity as they afford is only in comparison to being stark naked. They don’t come in a wide range of sizes or lengths, and they’re open along the back. You tend to get what you’re given and make do. The effect is to leave patients with lots of exposed flesh, with underwear or buttocks intermittently displayed and a feeling of extreme vulnerability, not to mention being cold if they have no other layers to wear. We should bear in mind that patients in hospital—even those attending for planned investigations or …
Comments on “Physicochemical Properties and Spectral Studies for Binary Systems of 2-Ethoxyethanol (1) + Water (2) and + Dimethyl Sulfoxide (2)”

The activation Gibbs energies, activation enthalpies and activation entropies reported by the authors were found to be internally inconsistent. Errors were also found in the numerical values of the Redlich–Kister equation coefficients for describing the excess molar volumes and viscosity deviations of both binary systems studied by the authors.
Deferentialism: A Post–originalist Theory of Legal Interpretation

In this paper, I present “Deferentialism,” a new conception of legal interpretation that has close affinities with originalism, while shedding much of its accumulated baggage. The new conception includes two dimensions of deference to original sources: one to a species of original meaning, and the other to a species of original intent. The dimensions are ordered. The first task is to identify the relevant original meaning; intent becomes constitutive, as opposed to merely evidential, only after that meaning has been identified.1 The first question in interpretation is: what does the law say, assert, or stipulate? Saying, asserting, and stipulating are speech acts—or, in more technical philosophical terminology, illocutionary acts—as are confirming, denying, ordering, and promising. Each of these involves taking a certain stance toward the content of the act. To say or assert something is to commit oneself to it being true, as is to confirm something in the special case in which it has been the subject of previous interest or inquiry. To deny something is to commit oneself to its being false. To order someone to do something is to direct that person to make it true that he or she does such-and-such, while to promise to do something is to commit oneself, often by asserting that one promises, to making it true that one does suchand-such. Stipulation is similar. For a proper authority to stipulate that, say, the speed limit on certain roads in New Jersey is sixty miles per hour is for the authority to assert that the speed limit is sixty miles per hour and for that very assertive act to be a, or the, crucial component in making what is asserted true. To discover what the law asserts or stipulates is, in the first instance, to discover what the lawmakers asserted or stipulated in adopting an
More Than Knee Pain: A Case of Hypertrophic Osteoarthropathy Secondary to Lung Cancer.

Abstract Background Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA) is a musculoskeletal pathology that often occurs as a paraneoplastic syndrome. 90% of HOA cases occur secondary to malignancy. 60 to 80% of which are lung cancers. Case Report We present a case of a 61-year-old man who had worsening knee pain. HOA was incidentally noted on extremity X-ray. The patient was found to have a soft-tissue attenuating mass on chest X-ray. The diagnosis of non–small cell lung cancer was made after bronchoscopy. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? HOA can be an indication of malignancy, most commonly lung cancer, so it is important to recognize the key radiographic findings associated with HOA. When treating patients with bone pain and clubbed digits, emergency physicians should strongly consider screening for more severe primary pathology.
When E-Commerce Personalization Systems Show and Tell: Investigating the Relative Persuasive Appeal of Content-Based versus Collaborative Filtering

In the e-commerce context, are we persuaded more by a product recommendation that matches our preferences (content filtering) or by one that is endorsed by others like us (collaborative filtering)?...
The Influence of the Opioid Epidemic on Firearm Violence in Kentucky Counties.

Abstract Background The opioid crisis is a major public health emergency. Current data likely underestimate the full impact on mortality due to limitations in reporting and toxicology screening. We explored the relationship between opioid overdose and firearm-associated emergency department visits (ODED & FAED, respectively). Methods For the years 2010 to 2017, we analyzed county-level ODED and FAED visits in Kentucky using Office of Health Policy and US Census Bureau data. Firearm death certificate data were analyzed along with high-dose prescriptions from the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting records. Socioeconomic variables analyzed included health insurance coverage, race, median household earnings, unemployment rate, and high-school graduation rate. Results ODED and FAED visits were correlated (Rho = 0.29, P Conclusions In addition to recognized nonfatal consequences of the opioid crisis, firearm violence appears to be a corollary impact, particularly in rural counties. Firearm injury prevention efforts should consider the contribution of opioid use and abuse.
Analysis of Long-Term Outcomes Following Surgical Contracture Release of the Elbow: A Case Series.

Background Elbow contracture is a debilitating condition with an incidence ranging from as low as almost 1% to as high as 20% and results in significant limiting consequences on a patient's activities of daily living (ADLs). Postoperative rehabilitation is important in maintaining the range of motion and sustaining an improved range of motion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term results of elbow contracture release surgery and the effect of an occupational therapy/physical therapy (OT/PT)-guided, self-directed rehabilitation program following surgery, without the use of continuous passive motion (CPM) devices. Methods We enrolled patients who had undergone elbow contracture release surgery from 2005 to 2016 at a single institution under the senior author. The evaluation included objective measurements of range-of-motion, strength, and neurological sensory testing. Provocative testing of the elbow and hand was performed. American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons-elbow (ASES-e), Simple Shoulder Test-elbow (SST-e), Disabilities of the Arm and Shoulder (DASH), Mayo Elbow Performance Index (MEPI), Short Form-36 (SF-36), and an investigator questionnaire were completed. Results We enrolled 19 patients, six female and 13 male, with an average follow-up of 58.9 months (SD± 39.8, Range 22-117). We showed improvement and sustained motion between preoperative and postoperative research visit flexion (p<0.001) and flexion extension-arc (p<0.01). The mean increase in flexion was 98° to 131° and the flexion-extension arc was 36°. Patients were satisfied with the decision to undergo surgery and had sustained ability to complete ADLs. Discussion This patient cohort demonstrated a statistically significant increase, as well as long-term maintenance in the flexion and flexion-extension arc. A self-directed, OT/PT-guided, therapy program without CPM was effective. Patients showed good outcomes and were satisfied with their ability to perform ADLs, decreased pain, and the decision to undergo surgery.
Can consumers’ visual attention be predictable? A saliency modelling-based approach on fashion advertisements

As collaborative research between engineering and fashion, the purpose of this study was to investigate if saliency models can be applied for predicting consumers’ visual attention to fashion image...
National Trends of Acute Osteomyelitis and Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters in Children.

OBJECTIVES Although a growing body of evidence suggests that early transition to oral antimicrobial therapy is equally efficacious to prolonged intravenous antibiotics for treatment of acute pediatric osteomyelitis, little is known about the pediatric trends in peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) placements. Using a national database, we examined incidence rates of pediatric hospitalizations for acute osteomyelitis in the United States from 2007 through 2016, as well as the trends in PICC placement, length of stay (LOS), and cost associated with these hospitalizations. METHODS This was a retrospective, serial cross-sectional study of the National Inpatient Sample database from 2007 through 2016. Patients ≤18 years of age with acute osteomyelitis were identified by using appropriate diagnostic codes. Outcomes measured included PICC placement rate, LOS, and inflation-adjusted hospitalization costs. Weighted analysis was reported, and a hierarchical regression model was used to analyze predictors. RESULTS The annual incidence of acute osteomyelitis increased from 1.0 to 1.8 per 100 000 children from 2007 to 08 to 2015 to 16 (P CONCLUSIONS Although PICC placement rates for acute osteomyelitis significantly decreased in the face of increased incidence of acute osteomyelitis in children, LOS and hospital costs for all hospitalizations remained stable. However, patients receiving PICC placements had longer LOS. Further studies are needed to explore the long-term outcomes of reduced PICC use.
Tick Paralysis

Tick paralysis is a toxin-mediated cause of acute flaccid paralysis. Most practitioners will go through their entire career without ever encountering a case. An important veterinary disease, tick paralysis is rare in humans. Although it has certain geographical proclivities, it exists worldwide. Although it tends to occur in young girls, it can occur in any age group. Due to its rarity, doctors often forget to consider tick paralysis in the differential diagnosis of the weak patient. Therefore it is perhaps not surprising that the literature is full of cases in which a mother stroking her child’s head or an alert nurse bathing her patient made the diagnosis serendipitously.
Simultaneous Determination of Proton Concentration in Two Compartments

Recently, elucidation of the role that cytoplasmic ions, such as calcium and protons, play in metabolic regulation has occupied considerable interest. Studies of this role have been facilitated by the development of procedures for trapping spectrally sensitive ion indicator dyes in the cell (1, 2). These methods have been limited generally to cytosolic measurements, as few means are available for measuring ions within other subcellular compartments of the intact cell. Since the transport of many metabolites across the inner mitochondrial membrane requires an ion gradient, and because these gradients play a vital role in energy conservation, a means for measuring matrix pH in intact cells would be useful.
Dynamical conditions of dense clumps in dark clouds - A strategy for elucidation

Chemical considerations and simplified dynamical modeling suggest that dark cloud cores may be incessantly evolving such that the time spent at high core densities decreases as the density increases. After reaching a high density, gravitationally contracting dark cloud cores may either form stars or expand to states of lower densities. Cloud mass and initial density are amongst the factors that may control the evolutionary fate of the core. This view is diametrically opposite of the common belief that dense cores may be in near mechanical equilibrium. Mutually consistent end-to-end modeling of the spectral line profiles and intensities is needed to discern the reality
Exogenous Hemochromatosis in Mediterranean Anemia.

A patient with Mediterranean anemia who received many blood transfusions over a period of years is presented. The pigment deposition in Mediterranean anemia, originally thought due to an inherited defect, is attributed to multiple blood transfusions. It is maintained that this abnormal pigment deposition represents another instance of exogenous hemochromatosis.
The Questionnaire Big Six in 26 Nations: Developing Cross‐Culturally Applicable Big Six, Big Five and Big Two Inventories

The Big Five is a useful model of attributes now commonly used in cross–cultural research, but without the support of strong measurement invariance (MI) evidence. The Big Six has been proposed as a...
High density metal cross-point laser linking

Laser-programmed inter-level metal connections have been developed as a means of achieving high-density linking for additive redundancy in restructurable logic and in wafer scale integration. The authors report on the successful linking of 8*8 cross-points of aluminium alloy lines separated by SiN/sub x/ insulation. Both processing and linking issues are addressed. The processing issues are extensions of the problems associated with any reliable two-level metal process with the added concerns of making structures for laser linking. The linking issues involve aiming a laser and forming a link with minimum peripheral damage to either the connecting metal lines or the underlying oxide and silicon. >
Time constants in the perception of a change in the direction of motion in humans

Motion signals are subject to spatio-temporal filtering at early stages of processing. In general, motion can be characterized by two parameters: speed and direction. This study sought to determine the time constants for the filtering of the directional component of the motion signal. In a forced-choice discrimination task, subjects were asked to choose the more abrupt change in direction of a target that moved through two 90 degrees corners. At each corner, direction of motion was low-pass filtered. Subjects were able to reliably perform this task if the filter time constants differed by >20 ms.
High temperature simulation of petroleum formation—II. Effect of inorganic sedimentary constituents on hydrocarbon formation

The role of some typical inorganic components of sedimentary rocks in the origin and maturation of petroleum has been investigated by high temperature simulation reactions. The temperature range of 400–440°C for 16 hr used in this study has been previously shown to be the zone of important maturation effects. Within this temperature interval, the possible roles of silicate clays, carbonates, and sulfides as catalysts in petroleum formation were examined as well as the effects of water and ammonia on yield and product composition. The carbon source for all experiments was the marine alga, Fucus sp. Of the substances tested, CaCO3 in the presence of water and ammonia significantly increased the yield of all reaction products (gas, volatile liquids, and organic extract) above the yields obtained from the straight pyrolysis of Fucus. Montmorillonite clay at the temperature of maximum hydrocarbon yield is associated with the destruction of asphaltenes but has no effect of n-alkane formation. Metallic sulfides are associated with the destruction of heavy alkanes by nearly 80%.
Submersed macrophyte growth at low pH: contrasting responses of three species to dissolved inorganic carbon enrichment and sediment type

Abstract Responses of three ecologically and morphologically contrasting submersed freshwater macrophyte species to water column dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) enrichment were determined for plants grown on different sediments. Relative growth rate (RGR) increased significantly (P
Stored waveform inverse Fourier transform (SWIFT) ion excitation in trapped-ion mass spectometry: Theory and applications

Abstract Stored waveform excitation produced by inverse Fourier transformation of a specified magnitude/phase excitation spectrum offers the most general and versatile means for broadband mass-selective excitation and ejection in Penning (FT-ICR) and Paul (quadrupole) ion trap mass spectrometry. Since the last comprehensive review of SWIFT excitation in 1987, the technique has been adopted, modified, and extended widely in both the ICR and quadrupole ion trap communities. Here, we review the principles, variations, algorithms, hardware implementation, and some applications of SWIFT for both ICR and quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry. We show that the most desirable SWIFT waveform is that optimized to reduce both the time-domain SWIFT maximum amplitude and the amplitude near the start and end of the SWIFT waveform. We examine the “true” magnitude excitation spectrum, obtained by zero-filling and forward Fourier transforming the SWIFT time-domain waveform, in order to evaluate the trade-off between spectral magnitude uniformity and frequency (mass) selectivity. Apodization of the SWIFT waveform is optimally conducted by smoothing the excitation magnitude spectrum prior to generation of the SWIFT waveform by inverse FT. When (as for broadband ejection in a quadrupole ion trap) it is important that ions be excited near-simultaneously over a wide mass range, the phase spectrum (before inverse FT to generate the SWIFT waveform) may be overmodulated or randomly modulated (“filtered noise field”), with the recognition that very substantial non-uniformity in the “true” excitation magnitude spectrum will result.
Practical Benefits Analysis of Travel Time Reliability from Automated Detection

Resources for roadway infrastructure capacity expansion remain scarce, competition for finances is ubiquitous, and the emphasis continues to shift to operations, management, and efficiency. These conditions point directly to economic benefit-cost analysis, yet economic appraisal of any sort continues to make only meager inroads into institutional decision making. Barriers to widespread practical application include a lack of understanding and inconsistent application. The concept and measure of travel time reliability is a quintessential example of those two barriers. This paper clarifies some of these issues. First is an exploration of how travel time reliability is measured and how it is valued for use in economic analysis. This has become increasingly prominent in just the past 10 years. One remarkable example from a ramp meter study is highlighted. To illustrate the issues further, this discussion is followed by an assessment of 15-min automated detector data during weekday peak periods over 3 years o...