cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Initial Microstructure on Final Intergranular Phase Distribution in Liquid‐Phase‐Sintered Ceramics

The glass-melt penetration of dense TiO{sub 2} polycrystals (where the grains are initially in contact) and the sintering of SiO{sub 2}-coated TiO{sub 2} powders (where the grains are initially separated) have been used to investigate the influence of initial particle separation on final microstructures. Grains that were initially in sintered contact resisted penetration by the liquid and retained crystalline boundaries. However, grains that were initially separated by liquid had a tendency to form a final state where they were separated by a glass film {approximately}1 nm thick. The results imply that crystalline grain boundaries and those that contain a thin amorphous film represent two local thermodynamic minima that are separated by an energy barrier. These observations are in agreement with a thermodynamic model that predicted such a barrier for this system, and these observations show that the stable phase distribution in liquid-phase-sintered ceramics can be dependent on the path.
A Measure of Segregation Based on Social Interactions

We develop an index of segregation based on two premises: (1) a measure of segregation should disaggregate to the level of individuals, and (2) an individual is more segregated the more segregated are the agents with whom she interacts. We present an index that satisfies (1) and (2) and that is based on agents' social interactions: the extent to which blacks interact with blacks, whites with whites, etc. We use the index to measure school and residential segregation. Using detailed data on friendship networks, we calculate levels of within-school racial segregation in a sample of U. S. schools. We also calculate residential segregation across major U. S. cities, using block-level data from the 2000 U. S. Census.
The impact of source traffic distribution on quality of service (QoS) in ATM networks

A principal attraction of ATM networks is that the key QoS parameters of every call are guaranteed by the network when appropriate cell-level traffic controls are imposed at the user network interface (UNI) on a per call basis, utilizing the peak cell rate (PCR) and sustainable cell rate (SCR) values for the traffic sources. The issue of providing QoS guarantees in the real world, through traffic controls applied on a per call basis, is rendered uncertain. This paper adopts a radically different, high level approach to the issue of QoS guarantees. It aims at uncovering through systematic experimentation a relationship, if any exists, between the key high level user traffic characteristics and the resulting QoS measures in a realistic operational environment. Based on the observation that the network provider cares for two factors, namely, to maximize the link utilization and to ensure the QoS guarantees for every user traffic, this paper proposes a two-phase strategy. Under the first phase, the average "link utilization" computed over all the links in a network is maintained within a range, specified by the underlying network provider, through high level call admission control, i.e. by limiting the volume of the incident traffic on the network, at any time. The second phase is based on the hypothesis that the number of traffic sources, their nature-audio, video, or data, and the bandwidth distribution of the source traffic, admitted subject to a specific chosen value of "link utilization" in the network, will exert a unique influence on the cumulative delay distribution at the buffers of the representative nodes and, hence, on the QoS guarantees of each call. Extensive simulations reveal that, for a given link utilization level held uniform throughout the network, while the QoS metrics are superior in the presence of many calls each with low bandwidth requirement, they are significantly worse when the network carries fewer calls of very high bandwidths. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of guaranteeing QoS for each and every call through high level traffic controls. The findings also underscore two additional important contributions of this paper. First, the network provider may guide and maintain the network at a desired network operating point (NOP) by exercising control over the input and system parameters including link utilization, call admittance etc. Second, the finding constitutes a vulnerability of ATM networks which a perpetrator may exploit to launch a performance attack.
Sources and distributions of sedimentary organic matter in the Columbia River drainage basin, Washington and Oregon1

Nonwoody angiosperm tissues and gymnosperm woods are the major types of vascular plant debris in bottom sediments from 16 sites within the Columbia River and its tributaries. In tributary sediments relative abundances of these types of tissue vary regionally and are consistent with drainage basin vegetation. Within the extensively dammed main river, vascular plant debris mixtures are more uniform, indicating downstream mixing of sedimentary material from reservoir to reserwoir. Vascular plant tissues account for an average of a third of the total sedimentary organic matter at the 16 river sites. The remaining organic material has an atomic C:N of 10-l 5 and a stable carbon isotope composition similar to “average” land plants. Organic matter in sediments of the Columbia River system is generally enriched in nonwoody angiosperm tissues and ligninpoor organic matter in comparison to Columbia River-derived organic matter in modern marine sediments from the southern Washington continental shelf.
Determining gene response patterns of time series gene expression data using R

Background The rapid advancement of sequencing technologies has not been without challenges. The extensive size of genomes as well as the need to comprehend the vast complexities of genomic information has fostered the need to utilize more robust computational methods and statistical analysis tools. In a gene expression study involving multiple treatments, a time series analysis of differentially expressed genes provides great insights into the replicates. Such information is useful in identifying the potential sources of variation that cannot be easily extrapolated from a generalized experimental approach. It is also essential to be able to group the identified gene expression patterns in order to attain meaningful interpretations. Materials and methods The experiment employs the use of R software to identify gene expression patterns in a dataset involving parathyroid tumor treatments [1]. The treatments were generated in a three day time interval. The R tool provides important packages that are ideal for gene expression studies and also delivers significant visualization and inference resources [2]. The proposed approach for this analysis consists of two stages. First, the Kruskal-Wallis test is used to identify differentially expressed genes. Second, patterns of differentially expressed genes are determined using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test.
Urquhart's Law: Probability and the Management of Scientific and Technical Journal Collections Part 2. Probability in the Development and Management of a Central Document Delivery Collection

Part 1 of this three-part paper discussed the genesis of the law formulated by Donald J. Urquhart on the use of scientific and technical (sci/tech) journals through interlibrary loan and central document delivery. It concentrated on the study of such use conducted by Urquhart in preparation for the establishment of the National Lending Library for Science and Technology (NLL), which became the central document delivery library of Britain. The focus of Part 1 was on the statistical and probabilistic bases of this law. In Part 2 the emphasis shifts to how Urquhart utilized probability to develop and manage the NLL's sci/tech journal collection. Urquhart based his collection development and management policies on a high-loan core of journals, causing the stability of sci/tech journal use over time to become the main theoretical issue. Part 2 analyzes the controversy over this issue between Urquhart and his successor, Maurice B. Line.
The influence of vergence adaptation on open-loop vergence dynamics.

Abstract The objectives of this experiment were to measure the effect of sustained convergence on the open-loop vergence peak velocity and open-loop vergence amplitude, and to assess the correlation between changes in the phoria and changes in open-loop vergence peak velocity induced by sustained convergence. Subjects sustained convergence on a target that required 12° of convergence for 5 minutes. Convergence and divergence movements of 4° from the 12° convergent position were measured before and after sustained convergence. Following sustained convergence, the open-loop vergence peak velocity and vergence amplitude both increased for convergence (regression slope = 3.68, r = 0.47). Vergence velocity and vergence amplitude both decreased for divergence (regression slope = 1.76, r = 0.36). After sustained convergence, a convergent shift in the phoria was noted in most cases. This shift correlated with changes in open-loop peak vergence velocity more for convergence (regression slope = 1.1, r = 0.33) than for divergence (regression slope = 0.71, r = 0.22). The results might be due to shifts in disparity detection brought about by the period of sustained convergence.
Minimal sensor integrity: measuring the vulnerability of sensor grids

Given the increasing importance of optimal sensor deployment for battlefield strategists, the converse problem of reacting to a particular deployment by an enemy is equally significant and not yet addressed in a quantifiable manner in the literature. We address this issue by modeling a two stage game in which the opponent deploys sensors to cover a sensor field and we attempt to maximally reduce his coverage at minimal cost. In this context, we introduce the concept of minimal sensor integrity which measures the vulnerability of any sensor deployment. We find the best response by quantifying the merits of each response. While the problem of optimally deploying sensors subject to coverage constraints is NP-complete [Chakrabarty et al., IEEE Trans. Comput., to appear], in this paper we show that the best response (i.e., the maximum vulnerability) can be computed in polynomial time for sensors with arbitrary coverage capabilities deployed over points in any dimensional space. In the special case when sensor coverages form an interval graph (as in a linear grid), we describe a better O(min(M2, NM)) dynamic programming algorithm.
Prions: The New Biology of Proteins

Each chapter ends with a concluding summation and references Human and animal diseases: clinical symptoms, epidemiology, and neuropathology Human diseases Animal diseases Variant CJD Neuropathology The infectious agent and the prion hypothesis Hypothesis for the infectious agent Evidence supporting the prion hypothesis Criticisms of the prion hypothesis In vitro generation of prions The prion protein: structure, conversion, and mechanism of propagation Structural features of the cellular and scrapie prion protein isoforms Molecular mechanism of PrPC to PrPSc conversion Other factors involved in PrP conversion Peptide models used to understand PrP structure and conversion Cell biology, genetic and putative function of the normal prion protein Cellular biology of the normal prion protein A signaling role for the prion protein? PrP ligands indicate a potential role in apoptosis A putative role of PrP in copper metabolism PrP knockout animals and doppel Prion strains, species barriers, and multiple conformations of the prion protein Prion strains Species barrier Multiple conformations of PrP From the mouth to the brain Prions in the gastrointestinal tract The immune-system connection From the lymphoid organs to the brain: peripheral nerves or blood-brain barrier? Neurodegeneration in prion diseases Characteristics of brain degeneration Is PrP the cause of TSE neurodegeneration? Mechanism of neuronal apoptosis Neuronal apoptosis in TSEs involves the ER-stress pathway A role for the proteasome in TSE pathogenesis? The diagnosis problem and current tests Importance of early diagnosis Difficulties of diagnosis Current status of TSE diagnosis in humans Postmortem detection of BSE in cattle The need for detection of PrP in blood Novel approaches under development for premortem early diagnosis Spectroscopic techniques Conformational antibodies PrP concentration by binding to specific ligands PrP amplification Therapeutic approaches Targets for TSE therapy Compounds under development for TSE treatment Immunization approach Cyclic amplification of prion protein misfolding: rationale, applications, and perspectives The rationale behind PMCA Applications of PMCA in prion diagnosis In vitro generation of infectious prions by PMCA Application of PMCA to understand the prion replication process Other diseases of protein misfolding Protein misfolding and disease Structural determinants of misfolding and aggregation Mechanism and driving forces in protein misfolding and aggregation Kinetics and intermediates of misfolding and aggregation Interactions between misfolded proteins Prions: a common phenomenon in biology? The yeast prions The inherent infectious nature of misfolded aggregates Why are protein misfolding disorders other than TSE not infectious? How common is the prion phenomenon in nature?
Differences in Anger, Hostility, and Interpersonal Aggressiveness in Type A and Type B Adolescents.

This study investigated self-reported anger, hostility, interpersonal aggressiveness, and self-confidence in 19 Type A and 11 Type B adolescent boys ages 15 and 16. It was hypothesized that Type As would report greater trait anger and aggressiveness, less confidence in interpersonal relating, and would endorse a pattern of expression of anger and aggressiveness that would differ from Type Bs. No significant differences were found between Type As and Type Bs on measures of global anger and aggressiveness, and no significant relationship between interpersonal hostility and self-confidence was demonstrated. Type As, however, were found to be more likely than Type Bs to report that they lose their temper and that they act in physically aggressive, verbally aggressive, and passive aggressive ways. Results were discussed in terms of the similarity of this pattern in Type A adolescent boys to that described for adult Type A men.
Surface components of airborne particulate matter induce macrophage apoptosis through scavenger receptors.

Epidemiology studies have linked mortality, increased asthma morbidity, and other respiratory disorders in urban areas to increases in fine airborne particulate matter (PM) concentrations. However, neither the bioactive components of PM nor the biological mechanisms of the reported health effects have been elucidated. A number of studies have implicated soluble metals, the strong acid fraction, and/or other components of PM as possible bioactive mediators. Alveolar macrophage (AM) apoptosis, mediated through scavenger receptors (SR), may be important in the response to inflammatory particles. Therefore, this study explores the hypothesis that organic and metallic components of PM induce apoptosis by interacting with SR. Freshly isolated AM from Balb/c mice were incubated with PM 1648 samples untreated or extracted with Milli-Q water, acetone, or cyclohexane, acid digested, or heated at 100 or 500°C. Cell viability was assessed by trypan blue exclusion and apoptosis was demonstrated by examination of cell morphology and cell death ELISA. Untreated PM induced necrosis and apoptosis in AM. Treatment of PM by organic extraction, acid digestion, or high heat modified the particle surface composition and apoptosis was decreased. Apoptosis induced by untreated, acetone extracted, and high heat-treated PM was blocked by polyinosinic acid or 2F8 antibody. These results demonstrate that PM-induced apoptosis is mediated by Class A Type I/II SR. Altering the surface characteristics of PM interferes with recognition by SR, resulting in decreased apoptosis of AM. Therefore, altering the surface chemistry by removal of one or more PM components, such as the various treatments conducted in this study, is sufficient to alter PM bioactivity. These results may also help explain why PM from many different sources, with differences in composition, are all bioactive, since it is the overall matrix that is important, not just one component.
The Group of Automorphisms of the Modular Function Field.

Let F be the field of modular functions of all levels on the upper half plane, with, say, Fourier coefficients in the field of all roots of unity. One can define in an obvious way two types of automorphisms of F. First we note that F is a Galois extension of Q(j), where j is the modular function. We have therefore the Galois group U of automorphisms of F over Q(j). Second, if ~ is an element of G(~ (rational 2 x 2 matrices with positive determinant), then the map f~foe gives an automorphism of F. Shimura [4] has determined the structure of the group of automorphisms of F, and in particular has shown that it is equal to UGh. We shall give another proof of this fact, based on an entirely different principle than Shimura's arguments. Let a be an automorphism ofF. If crj =j, then (~sU and we are done. The whole point is to prove that if ~r moves j, then we can compose cr with some e so as to fix j, Let A be an abelian curve having invariant j, defined over Q(j), say by a Weierstrass equation y2=4x3-g 2 x-g3. As is standard (cf. [4]), we can identify F with the field obtained by adjoining to Q(j) all the x-coordinates of the points of finite order on A. For any positive integer N let A N be the group of points of period N on A. Let p be a prime number, and let
Postpositivist Inquiry: Implications of the "New Philosophy of Science" for the Field of the Education of the Gifted.

In this paper I sketch the outlines of an emerging postpositivist paradigm for inquiry and research. This new paradigm is the product of recent thinking in philosophy, the natural sciences, and the social sciences—the so-called "new philosophy of science" (Phillips, 1987)— and has been embraced primarily, but not exclusively, by investigators using qualitative methods. Drawing heavily upon the work of Lincoln and Guba (Lincoln & Guba, 1985; Guba & Lincoln, 1989), I delineate the axioms (basic beliefs) underlying this approach and then consider the methodological implications that follow logically from the axioms. Finally, I suggest some applications of postpositivist inquiry in the field of the education of the gifted.
A Review of Literature on Teaching Engineering Design Through Project‐Oriented Capstone Courses

Teaching engineering design through senior project or capstone engineering courses has increased in recent years. The trend toward increasing the design component in engineering curricula is part of an effort to better prepare graduates for engineering practice. This paper describes the standard practices and current state of capstone design education throughout the country as revealed through a literature search of over 100 papers relating to engineering design courses. Major topics include the development of capstone design courses, course descriptions, project information, details of industrial involvement, and special aspects of team-oriented design projects. An extensive list of references is provided.
Invitation from the ISSCC 2007 Technical Program Chair

The conference theme is 'The 4 Dimensions of IC Innovation,' in recognition of the emerging synergisms between the various aspects of integrated circuit realization. A common theme among many of the papers is how to control power consumption in deep-submicron technologies while pushing for higher performance and functionality. This requires careful optimization among the four dimensions of IC design (technology, devices, circuits, and architecture).
Liquidity implications of reverse logistics for retailers: A Markov chain approach

Abstract The reverse logistics process can generate periodic negative cash flows that are difficult to predict and account for, but are important when managing retailer liquidity. Uncertainties surrounding reverse logistics create the possibility that the retailer may be strained in meeting short-run financial obligations or opportunities. The current research offers a Markov chain approach to modeling the expectations, risks, and potential shocks associated with cash flows stemming from retail reverse logistics activities. Managerial recommendations for avoiding liquidity problems stemming from reverse logistics activities are provided.
Selective detection and quantification of oxidized abasic lesions in DNA.

The C4‘-oxidized abasic site (C4-AP) and 1,4-dioxobutane (DOB) are oxidized abasic lesions that are produced by a variety of DNA damaging agents. For instance, C4-AP accounts for ∼40% of the lesions produced by the antitumor agent bleomycin. These lesions exhibit interesting and unique biochemical and biological effects in DNA. We have developed a simple, selective method for detecting femtomole quantities of C4-AP and DOB in DNA. The method takes advantage of the selective reactivity of the 1,4-dicarbonyl groups in the lesions with a biotinylated probe. Pretreatment of the DNA sample with DNA polymerase β enables one to distinguish between C4-AP and DOB. The adducts are quantified using a fluorescent assay. This is the first method for quantifying these lesions that does not require degradation of the biopolymer. It will be useful for analyzing the levels of these oxidized abasic lesions in DNA.
Survey of regional laser centers: a Minnesota perspective.

BACKGROUND Laser use in medicine is rapidly expanding as patients seek treatment for medical and cosmetic purposes. Concern is mounting about the unsupervised use of lasers and similar devices by nonphysician personnel. Minnesota is currently one of the few states with no legislation regarding the uses of lasers. OBJECTIVE To determine whether laser centers in Minnesota meet professional standards and guidelines for patient safety. METHODS AND MATERIALS Public resources were used to identify all businesses with laser services in Minnesota cities with a population of at least 1,000 people. Each laser center was contacted, and a “secret shopper,” a person who posed as a potential patient administered a telephone survey. RESULTS A wide range of physicians and nonphysician personnel offer laser services in Minnesota. Supervision was not standardized and varied widely across the laser centers. CONCLUSIONS As the demand for laser services increases, the use of lasers must be clearly defined and regulated to prevent patient injury. The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.
Time-Dependence and Shocks

None of the hydraulically driven oceanic or atmospheric flows discussed in the introduction to this book are steady, and very few are approximately so. A~striking example of unsteadiness was discovered by Worthington (1969) who, in 1967, placed an array of 30 moored current meters in the Denmark Strait in order to measure the deep velocities of the overflow. When Worthington returned a year later he found that all but one of the instruments had been destroyed or could not be recovered. The surviving current meter showed a history of rapid velocity fluctuations ranging from near zero to 1.4 m/s, most likely due to the meandering of the edge of the jet-like overflow back and forth across the instrument. Worthington concluded “the currents associated with the overflow water were too strong on this occasion to be measured using existing mooring technology”.
Size of a 3-uniform linear hypergraph

This article provides bounds on the size of a 3-uniform linear hypergraph with restricted matching number and maximum degree. In particular, we show that if a 3-uniform, linear familyF has maximum matching size and maximum degree such that 23 6 (1 + 1 1 ), thenjFj .
Authorities' Beliefs about Foreign Exchange Intervention: Getting Back Under the Hood

This paper presents the results of a survey of monetary authorities with respect to their beliefs about foreign exchange intervention. The survey provides evidence on new intervention issues that would be difficult to investigate otherwise, such as conditional response times, non-foreign exchange factors in intervention and beliefs about profitability. At the same time, the survey provides new evidence on issues that have been investigated with other methods, such as channels of effectiveness, effect on currency components, profitability, and motivations for secrecy. Respondents disagreed with the predominant views on intervention's effect on volatility and common arguments against intervention. The exchange rate regime of a central bank explains its beliefs about several important aspects of intervention, including factors in a successful intervention and the potential profitability of intervention.
Idea-Systems in Law: Images of Nineteenth-Century Germany

The extent to which ideas within a legal culture are systematically related to each other may have a far greater influence on the characteristics of that culture than is generally supposed. Particularly, where a single system of legal concepts controls central elements of legal culture, that system is likely to have a major impact on goals, methods, and values within the culture and on the relationships between legal culture and political power. The characteristics and roles of idea-systems in law thus deserve the careful attention of scholars.Yet scholars seldom have focused on the role of idea-systems in law, except in regard to Roman law's influence on the development of civil law. In this essay, therefore, I explore this phenomenon in the course of reviewing two books that contribute significantly to advancing our understanding of legal idea-systems in general, and their roles in nineteenth-century German law in particular.
Accuracy of AOA-Based and RSS-Based 3D Localization for Visible Light Communications

In this study, we investigate angle-of-arrival (AOA) and received signal strength (RSS) based localization methods for visible light communication (VLC) systems. We show that while AOA-based localization allows the receiver to locate itself via a least squares estimator by exploiting the directionality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), RSS-based approach takes Lambertian pattern of LEDs into account and better deals with further improving the localization accuracy via a nonlinear least squares (NLS) estimator. In order to reduce the complexity of the NLS estimator, we develop an analytical learning rule based on the Newton-Raphson method and use the result of AOA-based localization as an initial point for the learning rule. As a benchmark, we also derive generic analytical expressions of the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) for RSS-based localization.
Promoting a Teacher/Leader-Designer Perspective for Public School Teachers

Abstract Teacher leadership proponents have attempted to influence teachers to assume leadership roles within and beyond their respective schools. In this article, we expand upon this initiative and propose a Teacher/Leader-Designer perspective for public school educators. This concept not only emphasizes “teachers as leaders”, but also “teachers as designers.” This added quality will inspire teachers to assume an active responsibility in integrating technology in their respective classrooms. Similar to the original intent of a Teacher-Leader, individuals who adopt a Teacher/Leader-Designer perspective can enhance their self-efficacy and possibly help change the nature of schools. Specific characteristics of a Teacher/Leader-Designer are detailed in this article.
Glass-crystal growth mode for testosterone propionate

The recently discovered glass-crystal (GC) growth mode in some glass-forming liquids is characterized by strong and abrupt growth rate enhancement just in the vicinity of the glass transition temperature. GC growth previously has been observed in only 10 compounds. The data on testosterone propionate presented here indicate the fastest GC growth acceleration observed to date. Moreover, testosterone propionate is the first compound to show a helically twisted morphology concomitant with GC growth. It has been previously stated that an aryl ring is a prerequisite of GC growth, but testosterone propionate obviates that claim.
Experimental study on inhibitive effect of Chinese medicine Danling on fibrosis

Objective To observe the inhibitive effect of Danling on the proliferation of cultured rabbit conjunctival fibroblast,and provide new measures to prevent proliferative vitreoretinopathy.Methods Cultured rabbit conjunctival fibroblast in vitro was selected as study object.The contrast groups were treated with 5-FU,Dexamethasone and Hydrocortisone,and the experimental were treated with Danling,Salviae Miltiorrhizae,Sea Ear Shell.After incubated of 48 hours,the proliferative and morphological alteration of fibroblast was detected by MTT.Results Danling and Salvia Miltiorrhizae inhibited the proliferation of fibroblast in certain concentrations with a dose-dependent manner;Sea Ear Shell didn't inhibit the proliferation obviously.Hydrocortisone and 5-FU both inhibited the proliferation of fibroblast in certain concentrations,Dexamethasone stimulated the light proliferation of fibroblast at low concentration,but inhibited its at high concentration.After 48 hours' effect of Danling and Salviae Miltiorrhizae,part of fibroblast contracted to the round shape and didn't adhere to the wall.Conclusion Danling can prohibit the proliferation of fibroblast effectively,and will be a new medicine to prevent and treat proliferative vitreoretinopathy.
LC-MS-Based Metabolomic Investigation of Chemopreventive Phytochemical-Elicited Metabolic Events

Phytochemicals are under intensive investigation for their potential use as chemopreventive agents in blocking or suppressing carcinogenesis. Metabolic interactions between phytochemical and biological system play an important role in determining the efficacy and toxicity of chemopreventive phytochemicals. However, complexities of phytochemical biotransformation and intermediary metabolism pose challenges for studying phytochemical-elicited metabolic events. Metabolomics has become a highly effective technical platform to detect subtle changes in a complex metabolic system. Here, using green tea polyphenols as an example, we describe a workflow of LC-MS-based metabolomics study, covering the procedures and techniques in sample collection, preparation, LC-MS analysis, data analysis, and interpretation.
Ciprofloxacin-Induced Renal Failure

Acute renal failure (ARF) is a common diagnosis in hospitalized patients, particularly in intensive care units (ICU). Determining the cause and contributing factors associated with ARF is crucial during treatment. The etiology is complex, and several factors often contribute to its development. Medications can cause acute tubular necrosis, acute interstitial nephritis, and crystal-induced or post-obstructive nephropathy. There have been several case reports of ARF secondary to fluoroquinolones. Here we report the development of acute renal failure within a few days of initiating oral ciprofloxacin therapy and briefly describe the different types of renal failure secondary to fluoroquinolone administration. Clinical studies demonstrate that using fluoroquinolones with other potentially nephrotoxic medications requires monitoring of renal function to limit the renal toxicity with these medications. Also, the risk-benefit profile of patients requiring fluoroquinolones should be considered.
Domestic Socialism: Monopoly and Deregulation

Here, you can't just say “workers,” because the whole working society has a common denominator of losses and limitations. For the worker it means he earns little and is cheated; the writer, that he is not allowed to write or told to write as he doesn't wish to; for the teacher, that he must say things that are untrue … thus, all are in some way oppressed by the system. Lech Walesa (quoted in Singer, 1985: 764) In this chapter, I lay out the institutional design of European socialism and assess its long-term consequences for the party, the society, and the economy. As we will discover, in the early years the institutions that defined socialism produced strong regimes, weak societies, and robust economic growth. Socialist institutions, therefore, served the interests of the party in general and its leadership in particular. However, as these regimes matured, a quite opposing set of outcomes began to materialize. These regimes depended for their very survival on maximizing growth and safeguarding the economic and political monopoly of the party, yet their institutional structure began gradually but surely to undermine growth and to deregulate the party's monopoly. European socialism, therefore, began to devolve and to decline long before it officially ended. SIMILARITIES AMONG PARTY-STATE DICTATORSHIPS All dictatorships feature by definition a political monopoly or, put differently, certain political results (see especially Przeworski, 1986; Bunce, 1991a, 1991b).
Abstract 4766: Establishment of drug sensitivity and resistance testing using focused drug libraries to develop targeted therapies for patients with leukemia

Despite major advancements in pediatric leukemia therapy, toxicities and morbidity from chemotherapy regimens have been detrimental. Advances in genomic research as well as precision medicine have helped identify specific mutations that may be susceptible to targeted therapy in leukemic patients. Overall, the use of targeted drug therapy is rising in the pediatric oncology field. To complement genomic analysis of leukemia patients, our laboratory is working on the development of a drug sensitivity and resistance screening library, that would provide functionally relevant drug response data of the patient9s leukemia cells. Development of this assay included the preparation of pre-dosed library plates allowing for rapid initiation of the assay. Cells were treated for 72 hours and cell viability was determined. Preliminary work in our laboratory used a library of 56 anti-cancer and targeted agents, which were tested on 16 AML cell lines and 10 ALL cell lines. Biological replicates were preformed for each cell line and drug response data in the form of IC50s and Area Under the Curve (AUC) were calculated. Hierarchical clustering was performed to determine similar responses between cell lines. Our results identified several cell lines that showed hypersensitivity to specific drugs. Among them, the AML cell line KG-1a showed sensitivity to three FGFR inhibitors including Ponatinib, which was previously reported. Validation of the screening results was done using a 10-concentration drug dose response assay. Further testing will include expansion of our drug library and application to ex vivo patient samples. The results from these studies can lead to the establishment of a drug sensitivity and resistance assay that could provide specifically engineered therapies for each patient. This form of personalized therapy would lead to diminished toxicities from systemic therapies as well as allow increased cure rates. Citation Format: Apurvi Patel, Justin J. Montoya, Daniel H. Wai, Robert J. Arceci, David O. Azorsa. Establishment of drug sensitivity and resistance testing using focused drug libraries to develop targeted therapies for patients with leukemia. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4766.
Low resting metabolic rate in exercise-associated amenorrhea is not due to a reduced proportion of highly active metabolic tissue compartments

Exercising women with menstrual disturbances frequently display a low resting metabolic rate (RMR) when RMR is expressed relative to body size or lean mass. However, normalizing RMR for body size o...
Modeling of Defect Evolution and TED under Stress based on DFT Calculations

The incorporation of strain in order to improve mobility has become an important element in CMOS device scaling. In this work, we have developed a new moment-based model of extended defect kinetics and further studied the impact due to stress on the energies of impurities, point defects and particularly extended defects. We specifically look at point defect clusters which control transient enhanced diffusion (TED). The results enable comprehensive models for dependence of nanoscale device structures on stress which can be used for process optimization.
Hemodynamic Consequence of Hand Ventilation Versus Machine Ventilation During Transport After Cardiac Surgery.

Objectives The hemodynamic consequences of ventilation of intubated patients during transport either by hand or using a transport ventilator have not been reported in patients after cardiac surgery. The authors hypothesized that bag-mask ventilation would alter end-tidal CO2 during transport and hemodynamic parameters in patients post-cardiac surgery. Design A prospective, randomized trial. Setting A university-affiliated tertiary care hospital. Participants Cardiac surgery patients. Interventions Thirty-six patients were randomized to hand ventilation or machine ventilation. Hemodynamic variables including blood pressure, heart rate, peripheral saturation of oxygen, and end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) were measured in these patients prior to transport, every 2 minutes during transport and upon arrival in the intensive care unit (ICU). Pulmonary artery pressure (PA) pressures were measured at origin and at destination. Measurements and Main Results Outcomes were changes from baseline in end-tidal CO2, hemodynamic changes from baseline and pulmonary artery pressure changes from origin to destination. The average transport time between the 2 groups was not different: 5 minutes for patients ventilated by hand and 5.47 minutes for patients ventilated with a transport ventilator (p = 0.369 by 2-sided t-test). The difference in all measured changes in ETCO2 between hand-ventilated and machine-ventilated patients during transport was 2.74 mmHg (p = 0.013). The difference between operating room and ICU ETCO2 from each cohort was 1.31 mmHg (p = 0.067). The difference in PAmean measured at origin and destination was 0.783 mmHg (p = 0.622). All other hemodynamic variables were not different during transport. Conclusions Hand ventilation during transport was associated with greater change from baseline of ETCO2 compared to machine ventilation during transport after cardiac surgery, but this did not translate into any difference in hemodynamic changes upon arrival in ICU. A hemodynamic benefit of machine transport ventilation to cardiac patients was not demonstrated.
Geographic variation of extranodal sites of mucosal associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALToma): Analysis of series from two institutions.

e18534 Background: MALToma represents about 5% of Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). Prior studies report stomach to be the most common site of involvement (35-50%), while skin (16%) or salivary glands (...
Protective covenants as a safeguard in interfirm relationships

Entrepreneurial firms face a trade-off when receiving corporate venture capital (CVC) funding. On the one hand, entrepreneurial firms may need to abdicate some ownership or sufficient control to mo...
Integrating active learning labs in precalculus: Measuring the value added

The need to incorporate active learning (AL) in higher education has become a prominent issue discussed by major leadership organizations such as the Conference Board of Mathematical Sciences (CBMS...
CONFLICT, INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND PRESIDENT TRUMP’S ISOLATIONIST POLICIES

This paper draws attention to President Trump’s isolationist policies and aims to show that it is reminiscent of the era of the Smoot–Hawley Tariff of the 1930s. This paper posits that the isolationism coupled with the Trump government’s brash and uneasy relationship with other governments of the world will only harm the US economy because history has shown that isolationism does not work.,This paper briefly discusses the relationship between conflict and international trade and whether trade and economic interdependence are tools that are relevant in preventing the initiation, escalation and settlement of conflicts. It also draws a comparison between President Trump’s increasingly isolationist policies and the political climate of the USA in the 1930s, with particular reference to the Tariff Act of 1930. This paper finally explores the present tensions with other countries and likely consequences for America.,A direct relationship exists between conflict and trade because the presence of good trade relationships does not take away from but only helps to maintain peace and friendly relationships among nations. Furthermore, Trump’s isolationist policies are certainly going to harm the USA in the long run and a big part of that is because of the personality of the President himself.,This paper is an original work of the author and it strives to remind us of a similar past in US history, and warn of the dangers of the present course of the Trump administration.
How the State Education Agencies Addressed Gifted Education in the Title II Sections of Their ESSA State Plans.

In 2015, the U.S. Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that included provisions to support gifted and talented learners. The U.S. Department of Education’s Consolidated State Plan ...
The Risk of Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Following Vitreoretinal Surgery-A Population-based Study.

Purpose To determine the risk of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) following vitreoretinal surgery. Design Retrospective, population-based cohort study. Methods All residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, undergoing scleral buckle and/or vitrectomy between 2004 and 2015 were included in the operative cohort. The fellow nonoperative eyes were included in the comparison cohort. The study and comparison cohorts consisted of 344 and 277 eyes, respectively. The main outcome measure was the development of POAG. Secondary glaucomas were excluded. The probability of glaucoma in operative eyes and nonoperative fellow eyes was compared. The observed rate of POAG in the operative eyes was also compared to the rate of POAG in the population of Olmsted County. Results The mean age was 64.7 years and the median follow-up period was 4.9 years. There were 58, 57, and 229 study eyes in the scleral buckle, scleral buckle with vitrectomy, and vitrectomy only cohorts, respectively. The 10-year cumulative probability of developing glaucoma was significantly greater in the operative group (8.9%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.8%–14%) compared to the nonoperative group (1.0%, 95% CI 0–2.4%; P = .02). None of the eyes in the scleral buckle group developed glaucoma. The 10-year probability of POAG was 17.5% (95% CI 0–34.9%) and 10.0% (95% CI 3.0%–17.0%) in the scleral buckle with vitrectomy and vitrectomy alone cohorts, respectively. The rates of POAG in operative eyes undergoing scleral buckle with vitrectomy and vitrectomy alone were significantly greater than the rate of POAG for the Olmsted County general population (1.0%, P Conclusions The risk of POAG is increased after vitrectomy.
Plant Resistance to Viruses: Engineered Resistance

Plant viruses can cause severe economic losses to agriculture. The use of resistant plant cultivars is the most valuable and effective strategy to control virus diseases and mitigate their impact. The application of the concept of pathogen-derived resistance (PDR) has widened the horizons of virus control. First demonstrated with tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in Nicotiana tabacum plants expressing the TMV coat protein gene, pathogen-derived resistance has been applied successfully against a wide range of viruses in many plant species. Numerous transgenic plants expressing various viral genes or other antiviral factors have been engineered, of which some have been tested in the field, and a few have been released commercially and well-adopted by growers. Field environmental safety assessment studies have shown extraordinarily limited, if not negligible, risks associated to transgenic crops expressing viral genes. Recently, studies on RNA silencing have provided new insights into virus–host interactions. The exploitation of the sequence-specific antiviral pathways of RNA silencing has facilitated the design of virus-derived transgene constructs for more predictable resistance. Altogether, engineered resistance has expanded the scope of innovative approaches for virus control by providing new tools to develop resistant crop cultivars and increasing opportunities to implement effective and sustainable management strategies.
Evaluation of Hybrid Course Implementation in Construction Engineering

Engineering educators call for a widespread implementation of hybrid instruction to respond to rapidly changing demands of 21st Century 1 . In response to this call, a junior-level course in the Construction Engineering department entitled Construction Equipment and Heavy Construction Methods was converted into a hybrid instruction model. The overarching goal in the hybrid course development was to take the content that can be engaged outside the class to an online platform so that class time can be used more efficiently for authentic, realistic, open-ended problems and homework assignments. This study reports the design, development and evaluation of this hybrid course and provides practical implications for hybrid course development.
An Inductive Approach to Examining Racial Majority Versus Minority Expectations and Appraisals of Police Legitimacy in a Small-Town Context:

In the wake of significant media coverage of officer involved shootings and civil unrest to protest police behaviors toward Black suspects, policing is confronting a time where public perceptions o...
Trade Credit and Contract Enforcement Reforms: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in India

Large literature on financial development, legal origin and institutional environment suggests a negative association between use of trade credit and legal rights for secured creditors like banks and financial institutions. In countries with weak legal institutions, firms credit-rationed from banks take costly credit from suppliers. We test this hypothesis using exogenous variation in legal institutions in India. The present study uses the establishment of Debt Recovery Tribunals in different states in India at different points in time as a natural experiment and tests this proposition. Using a large panel of 1661 firms over the period of 1992-2002, for the sample firms, the difference-in-differences estimates suggest that better enforcement of legal rights of banks and financial institutions reduces the use of trade credit as proportion of total borrowings and the ratio of trade credit to bank credit by almost 2% and 13% respectively with cost saving of $0.12 mn, which is about 1% of the total interest paid by the median firm. The results suggest this effect as a demand-side effect. In addition, we test recent phenomenon of liquidation advantage of suppliers over other creditors in theoretical trade credit literature. We find strong evidence for collateral liquidation theory and financial constraints theory of trade credit, while weak evidences for product quality theory and firm riskiness theory. We also find that firms having prior relationship with the private sector bank tend to use less of trade credit and substitute with bank credit, while having a prior relationship with a public sector bank do not make such difference. The results are robust to various specifications and after controlling for state-specific trends.