cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-fidelity adaptive qubit detection through repetitive quantum nondemolition measurements.

Using two trapped ion species ({sup 27}Al{sup +} and {sup 9}Be{sup +}) as primary and ancillary quantum systems, we implement qubit measurements based on the repetitive transfer of information and quantum nondemolition detection. The repetition provides a natural mechanism for an adaptive measurement strategy, which leads to exponentially lower error rates compared to using a fixed number of detection cycles. For a single qubit we demonstrate 99.94% measurement fidelity. We also demonstrate a technique for adaptively measuring multiple qubit states using a single ancilla, and apply the technique to spectroscopy of an optical clock transition.
Enhancement of a stand-alone photovoltaic system’s performance: Reduction of soft and hard shading

Abstract A stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) system is the most promising solution to supply electric power to meet energy demand in isolated locations. This technology can offer an interesting alternative to other currently existing sources of energy. Due to space constraint in the remote offshore oil and gas industry, a stand-alone system is used for cathodic protection, telemetry and valve control. However in such an environment, dust accumulation and bird droppings have been critical issues to the operation of off-grid solar devices. These factors do not only reduce the available power of the modules but also makes the cost of solar devices ineffective since cleaning, especially on well-head towers, is very expensive due to the location. Hence this paper presents two technical solutions that have shown promising results in reducing the impact of these factors.
Test-retest reliability of assessment for intraventricular dyssynchrony by tissue Doppler imaging echocardiography.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability of intraventricular dyssynchrony (IVD) assessment by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) echocardiography. Limited response rates to cardiac resynchronization may improve with TDI screening for appropriate recipients. However, the clinical applicability of TDI will depend on the reliability of the test. Repeat TDI was prospectively performed (11 ± 11 days apart) in 15 patients with QRS intervals >120 ms and left ventricular ejection fractions
Association of eosinophilic esophagitis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

We report the association of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and provide genetic data indicating a linkage between EoE and HCM. The letter begins with an index patient diagnosed with both EoE and HCM and found to have a known genetic mutation for HCM. We then identify an odds ratio of nearly 8 for having both EoE and HCM following review of an electronic medical record with >1,000,000 individuals. Finally, via a candidate gene approach we identify significant association of HCM gene variants in a cohort of EoE patients versus control subjects. Collectively, we have identified a putative interaction between EoE and HCM with clinical and pathogenic implications.
The solid angle (geometry factor) for a spherical surface source and an arbitrary detector aperture

Abstract It is proved that the solid angle (or geometry factor, also called the geometrical efficiency) for a spherically symmetric outward-directed surface source with an arbitrary radius and polar angle distribution and an arbitrary detector aperture is equal to the solid angle for an isotropic point source located at the center of the spherical surface source and the same detector aperture.
Chapter 102 – Chlorantraniliprole: An Insecticide of the Anthranilic Diamide Class

Publisher Summary This chapter appraises the identity, metabolism, and toxicity of Chlorantraniliprole. It is a new insecticide belonging to the anthranilic diamide class of chemistry and is intended for the control of Lepidopteran, Coleopteran, and some Dipteran pests in commercial agriculture on both perennial and annual crops. Ingestion is the most effective method of entry and typically requires a lower dose for response. Chlorantraniliprole provides excellent plant protection since affected insects cease feeding almost immediately after contact with the product. The mode of action of Chlorantraniliprole is currently only shared with one other commercial insecticide active substance, flubendiamide. Insects exposed to Chlorantraniliprole exhibit general lethargy and muscle paralysis followed ultimately by death. Findings indicate that Chlorantraniliprole exhibits excellent differential selectivity for insect ryanodine receptors over mammalian ryanodine receptors. This selectivity is likely a major contributing factor to the mammalian safety observed with Chlorantraniliprole. It has no significant acute toxicity via the oral, dermal, and inhalation routes of exposure; is not an eye or skin irritant; and does not cause skin sensitization. The effects of Chlorantraniliprole on reproduction and development were investigated in developmental studies in both rat and rabbit and in a rat two-generation reproduction study. It has been manufactured and marketed for a limited time. No reports of adverse health effects in manufacturing personnel or agricultural workers have been received.
Permutations as Products of Transpositions

(1995). Permutations as Products of Transpositions. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 102, No. 5, pp. 438-440.
Adaptation of Existing Cutaneous Ureterostomy for Urinary Drainage After Renal Transplantation

AbstractWe adapted existing cutaneous ureterostomies for urinary drainage in 3 patients who underwent renal transplantation. Careful preoperative radiological evaluation of the ureteral anatomy and appropriate preoperative planning are necessary for such patients. The concentration of serum creatinine was 0.9, 1.3 and 1.5mg. per dl. at 2 months, 3 years and 10 years, respectively, after transplantation. All 3 patients have had bacteriuria that necessitated therapy with chronic suppressive antibiotics but clinical pyelonephritis has not occurred.
Fluorescence microscopy of actin- and microtubule-associated septins in mammalian cells.

Septins are a major component of the mammalian cytoskeleton. Septins associate with filamentous actin (F-actin) and microtubules, but the nature and significance of these interactions are not well understood. Fluorescence microscopy of F-actin- and microtubule-associated septins in fixed and living cells has been instrumental in uncovering septin functions in cellular morphogenesis and cytoskeleton-dependent processes (eg, cell division, cell migration). Here, we provide a detailed methodology for the visualization of endogenous septins by immunofluorescence microscopy, discussing sample preparation and reagents that are critical for optimal staining. In addition, we review approaches for the construction and expression of fluorescent septins and their time-lapse imaging with F-actin and microtubules. The recommended methodology is adaptable for high- and superresolution imaging of mammalian cells with various instrumentation, including wide-field and confocal microscopy as well as total internal reflection fluorescence and structured illumination microscopy.
Integrating mobile and cloud for PPG signal selection to monitor heart rate during intensive physical exercise

Heart rate monitoring has become increasingly popular in the industry through mobile phones and wearable devices. However current determination of heart rate through mobile applications suffer from high corruption of signals during intensive physical exercise. In this paper, we present a novel technique for accurately determining heart rate during intensive motion by classifying PPG signals obtained from smartphones or wearable devices combined with motion data obtained from accelerometer sensors. Our approach utilizes the Internet of Things (IoT) cloud connectivity of smartphones for PPG signals selection using deep learning. The technique is validated using the TROIKA dataset and is accurately able to predict heart rate with a 10-fold cross validation error margin of 4.88%.
Influence of landscape- and stand-scale factors on avian communities to aid in open pine restoration

Abstract Determining species occurrence in ecosystems of high conservation concern is especially important for recommending habitat management techniques and identifying suitable restoration sites. We investigated (1) how stand- and landscape-scale attributes affect occupancy of priority bird species associated with longleaf pine ( Pinus palutris ) ecosystems, (2) if these priority birds can be used as indicator species for desired open pine forest structure, and (3) if these indicator species are positively correlated with greater avian richness. We compared priority bird occupancy among 12 stand types (habitat types) throughout the historic range of longleaf pine in Mississippi. We found stands resembling the historic longleaf pine ecosystem were positively associated with Red-cockaded Woodpecker ( Picoides borealis ) and Bachman’s Sparrow ( Peucaea aestivalis ) occupancy probabilities, but were not significantly correlated with Northern Bobwhite ( Colinus virginianus ) or Brown-headed Nuthatch ( Sitta pusilla ) occupancy. Both of which were too generalized in their occurrence to be useful indicators. Red-cockaded Woodpecker and Bachman’s Sparrow occupancy probabilities positively correlated with desired forest structure metrics of longleaf pine ecosystems such as low midstory density ( 2 /ha) and 40–60% canopy cover suggesting they are effective indicators of historic longleaf pine conditions. Co-occurrence of Red-cockaded Woodpecker and Bachman’s Sparrow was positively correlated with avian richness, indicating these species can be used in conjunction as effective indicators for desired open pine endpoints used for restoration and management. Inclusion of priority bird species in management efforts provides assurance that restored areas will incorporate desired forest structure endpoints that have been linked to open pine priority bird presence. Correlation between priority bird species and avian species richness ensures restored areas provide suitable habitat for local avian communities.
Geographic access to assisted reproductive technology health care in the United States: a population-based cross-sectional study

Objective To evaluate the geographic distribution of assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinics and the number of ART clinics within U.S. Census metropolitan areas and to estimate the number of reproductive-age women who have geographic access to ART services in the United States. Design A population-based cross-sectional study. Setting Not applicable. Patient(s) None. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Number of U.S. reproductive-age women living in areas with no ART clinic, a single ART clinic, or more than one ART clinic. Result(s) There were 510 ART clinics in the United States in 2009–2013. Multiple ART clinics were present in 76 metropolitan areas (median population of 1.45 million people), where a total of 442 clinics were located. A single ART clinic was present in 68 metropolitan areas (median population of 454,000 people). Among U.S. reproductive-age women in 2010, 38.1 million (60.4% of the U.S. population) lived in an area with multiple ART clinics, 6.8 million (10.8% of the U.S. population) lived in an area with a single clinic, and 18.2 million (28.8% of the U.S. population) lived in an area (metropolitan and nonmetropolitan) with no ART clinics. Conclusion(s) Nearby geographic access to ART services is limited or absent for more than 25 million reproductive-age women (39.6% of the U.S. population) in the United States. This population estimate should spur continued policy and technological progress to increase access to ART services.
The reaction of Os 3 (CO) 12 with triphos {MeC(CH 2 PPh 2 ) 3 }: A case of multiple C-P and C-H bond activations

Abstract The reaction of Os3(CO)12 with the tripodal ligand 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane, triphos, results in the formation of the 48e trinuclear cluster complex Os3[μ-Ph2PCH2C(Me)(CH2PPh)CH2PC6H4](CO)7(η1-Ph). This new complex has been characterized by X-ray crystallography as well as by IR and NMR spectroscopy. The activation of the triphos ligand to yield the novel 9e donor ligand Ph2PCH2C(Me)(CH2PPh)CH2PC6H4 is unprecedented. The triphos ligand does not cap the triangular Os3 face; instead, the three phosphorus atoms are coordinated to only two of the metal atoms with the remaining osmium atom coordinated by an ortho-metalated aryl group. The triphos ligand is also transformed in several ways. Two C–P bonds are cleaved during the reaction, yielding an η1 phenyl ligand in the product and free benzene. The bonding in 1 has been examined by electronic structure calculations.
Michigan Local Leaders Say Property Tax Appeals are Common, Disagree with 'Dark Stores' Assessing

The issue of property tax appeals has been increasingly important in Michigan recently as “big box” stores (e.g. Lowe’s, Costco, etc.) have been able to significantly decrease their taxes by arguing property assessments should be based on the value of vacant comparable buildings rather than on their “highest and best use.” This is known as “dark stores” assessing, which has resulted in significant cuts in property tax revenue for some local governments. This report presents Michigan local government leaders’ views on the impact of tax assessment appeals — for big box stores and other types of property — in their jurisdictions, including effects on local fiscal health. It also provides local leaders’ opinions on decisions made by the Michigan Tax Tribunal, including about “dark stores” appeals policies. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the Spring 2016 wave of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS).
Contingency Management in an Introductory Psychology Course Produces Better Retention

An approach to teaching based on a variant of the Keller contingency management method of instruction was investigated. Two matched sections of introductory psychology students were taught the same material by the same instructor. One group received the Keller method, while the other group was taught using a traditional lecture approach. Students taught by the Keller method performed significantly better on a post-course quiz than did those receiving the traditional lecture approach. Students taught by the Keller approach spent significantly greater time in preparation, enjoyed the text material more, and felt they learned significantly more than those receiving the traditional lecture approach. On a long-term retention test given 5 months after course termination, those receiving the Keller method retained significantly more material than did those receiving the traditional approach.
Theoretical Background and Literature Overview

As stated in the introduction, the present thesis is based on a combination of reversible-deactivation radical polymerization via the RAFT process and supramolecular CD host/guest complexes. The RAFT process provides the opportunity to generate polymers with specific endgroups, e.g. guest functionalities for CD. These polymers can subsequently be exploited for the formation of novel complex macromolecular architectures, e.g. block copolymers, star polymers or miktoarm star polymers. The underlying theoretical background is described in the following sections as well as an overview of CD mediated complex macromolecular architectures that have been published in the literature so far.
Conformal properties of nonpeeling vacuum space-times

In a previous paper we investigated a class ofnonpeeling asymptotic vacuum solutions which were shown to admit finite expressions for the Winicour-Tamburino energy-momentum and angular momentum integrals. These solutions have the property that $$\psi _0 = O(r^{ - 3 - \in _0 } ), \in _0 \leqslant 2$$ and $$\psi _1 = O(r^{ - 3 - \in _1 } ), \in _1< \in _0 and \in _1< 1$$ withψ2,ψ3, andψ4 having the same asymptotic behavior as they do for peeling solutions. The above investigation was carried out in the physical space-time.
Corrupting Entrepreneurial Action

This Chapter assesses corruption’s corrosive effects on entrepreneurial action and argues that future progress will depend on getting past a pure law enforcement approach to the problem. Recommendations focus on measures that entrepreneurs can take directly and collaboratively—with or without regulatory support—to mitigate structural challenges that permeate many of the emerging markets they hope to enter. Some strategies seek to make internal compliance more affordable and less complex. Others promote knowledge sharing and the creation of innovative techniques to reduce opportunities for foreign officials to solicit bribes.
Polysiloxane/Polystyrene Thermo-Responsive and Self-Healing Polymer Network via Lewis Acid-Lewis Base Pair Formation

The use of thermo-reversible Lewis Pair (LP) interactions in the formation of transient polymer networks is still greatly underexplored. In this work, we describe the synthesis and characterization of polydimethylsiloxane/polystyrene (PDMS/PS) blends that form dynamic Lewis acid-Lewis base adducts resulting in reversible crosslinks. Linear PS containing 10 mol % of di-2-thienylboryl pendant groups randomly distributed was obtained in a two-step one-pot functionalization reaction from silyl-functionalized PS, while ditelechelic PDMS with pyridyl groups at the chain-termini was directly obtained via thiol-ene “click” chemistry from commercially available vinyl-terminated PDMS. The resulting soft gels, formed after mixing solutions containing the PDMS and PS polymers, behave at room temperature as elastomeric solid-like materials with very high viscosity (47,300 Pa·s). We applied rheological measurements to study the thermal and time dependence of the viscoelastic moduli, and also assessed the reprocessability and self-healing behavior of the dry gel.
Engineered Ribosomes for Basic Science and Synthetic Biology.

The ribosome is the cell's factory for protein synthesis. With protein synthesis rates of up to 20 amino acids per second and at an accuracy of 99.99%, the extraordinary catalytic capacity of the b...
Pusa hispida (Ringed seal)

These karyotypes are gifts of Dr. U. Arnason, Lund, Sweden and come from fibrous tissue cultures. Two males and three females were studied with similar results. A marked secondary constriction is found in the short arms of the first autosome which contains a broad C-band. These karyotypes. Q-bands and C-bands have been published by Arnason. The X was identified in autoradiographs of female cells and comprises 5.5% of the female haploid set; the Y is 2% (A + X). Tiny C-bands are limited to the centromeres, except in the constriction of the first autosome.
Genome Resequencing in Populus : Revealing Large-Scale Genome Variation and Implications on Specialized-Trait Genomics

To date, Populus ranks among a few plant species with complete genome sequences and other highly developed genomic resources. With the first reference genome among all tree species, Populus has been adopted as a suitable model organism for genomic studies in trees. However, far from being just a model species, Populus is a key renewable resource that plays a significant role in providing raw materials for the biofuel and pulp and paper industries. Therefore, aside from leading frontiers of basic tree molecular biology and ecological research, Populus leads frontiers in addressing global economic challenges related to fuel and fiber production. The latter fact suggests that research aimed at improving quality and quantity of Populus as a raw material will likely drive the pursuit of more targeted and deeper research in order to unlock the economic potential tied in biological processes that drive this tree species. Advances in genome sequence-driven technologies, such as resequencing individual genotypes, which in turn facilitates large scale SNP discovery and identification of large scale polymorphisms are key determinants of future success in these initiatives. In this treatise we discuss implications of genome sequence-enable technologies on Populus genomic and genetic studies of complex and specialized traits.
Lehrer’s Coherentism and the Isolation Objection

Among coherence theories of epistemic justification, Keith Lehrer’s version is second to none in its originality, detail, and precision. It is, without a doubt, the most refined coherence theory in circulation. In this paper I ask whether Lehrer’s coherentism withstands the familiar isolation objection to epistemic coherentism. Part 1 outlines Lehrer’s coherentism in its most recent garb. Part 2 states the isolation objection to coherentism without relying on the troublesome metaphor of “cutting off” empirical justification from the world. And Part 3 argues that Lehrer’s coherentism falls prey to the isolation objection because of a deficiency shared by all versions of epistemic coherentism.1
Evidence for fragmentation of strongly nonspherical dust particles in the tail of Comet West 1976 VI

Motion of 16 striae through the dust tail of Comet West 1976 VI are observed over a time interval of more than three days. Initiation times for most of the 16 striae are found to coincide with the times of discrete violent bursts of dust, determined from the motions of streamers. It is also found that fragments are subjected to repulsive accelerations between 0.6 and 2.7 the solar attraction, indicating submicron-size absorbing particles, while repulsive accelerations imparted to parent articles are slightly lower than the average acceleration of fragments. The sizes of the fragments are estimated to be between one tenth and a few tenths of a micron. No effect of the Lorentz force on striae motion is detected. It is concluded that the theoretical assumption that striae are products of fragmentation of friable dust particles ejected from the nucleus agrees with observations.
Perioperative Catheter Use as a Risk Factor for Surgical Site Infection After Cervical Surgery: An Analysis of 39,893 Patients.

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE To demonstrate the relationship between perioperative use of catheters and the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) after cervical spine surgery, after adjusting for patient's age, severity of comorbidity, surgical approach, and use of instrumentation. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Although the association between SSI and the use of arterial catheters (ACs) or central venous catheters (CVCs) is established in cardiac surgery, the relation in the cervical spine was not well elucidated. METHODS A private insurance database was analyzed. The incidence of SSI within 1 month postoperatively and the crude odds ratio (cOR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated based on the use of catheters. Subsequently, logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent factors for SSI. Independent variables of the regression analysis included Charlson comorbidity index with the score of age, the use of CVC, the use of AC, surgical approach (anterior or posterior), and instrumentation (fusion or decompression alone). RESULTS A total of 39,893 patients received cervical surgery between 2007 and 2015. Of these, 1.6% patients experienced an SSI. The incidence of SSI in patients treated with and without AC was 3.2% and 1.3%, respectively (cOR 2.44, 95% CI: 2.05-2.99, P < 0.001). Likewise, incidence of SSI in patients with and without CVC was 5.8% and 1.5%, respectively (cOR 2.61, 95% CI: 2.97-5.55, P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the adjusted OR was 1.66 in CVC use (95% CI: 1.08-2.46, P = 0.016), whereas the AC use was not significant variable (P = 0.086). CONCLUSION The use of CVC can be a potential risk factor for SSI regardless of age, severity of comorbidity, surgical approach, or presence of instrumentation. Although the essential benefits of catheters are undisputed, our data can bring up the surgeon's attention to appropriate management of the CVC. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.
Two-State Comparison of Total Joint Arthroplasty Utilization Following Medicaid Expansion

Abstract Background Although Medicaid expansion has improved access to primary care services, its impact on surgical specialty utilization remains unclear. The aim of this study is to determine whether Medicaid expansion is associated with increased utilization rates of total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in Illinois (which expanded Medicaid) relative to Missouri (which did not expand Medicaid). Methods Using administrative data sources, we analyzed 374,877 total hospitalizations (236,333 in Illinois and 138,544 in Missouri) for THA/TKA from 2011 to 2016 (Illinois’ Medicaid expansion date: January 1, 2014). Results The percentage of THA/TKA funded by Medicaid in Illinois was 2.4% in 2013 and 3.9% in 2016 (Missouri 2013: 2.7%; 2016: 2.6%). A difference-in-difference analysis (adjusted for patient age and gender, county-level Area Deprivation Index, and number of orthopedic surgeons) demonstrated a statistically significant increase in Medicaid-funded THA/TKA in Illinois in 2016 compared to 2013 (P = .012). Conclusion Our study demonstrates that Medicaid expansion in Illinois was associated with increased utilization of THA and TKA. Further study is needed to understand the impact of Medicaid expansion in other states and for other procedures.
Future of Patients in Healthcare Evaluation: The Patient-Informed Reference Case.

Abstract The “Reference Case” was developed to facilitate comparability among published cost-effectiveness analyses intended to contribute to decisions about the broad allocation of healthcare resources. Although the societal perspective is recommended for Reference Case analyses, empirical estimations rarely adequately represent the patient perspective, and more often, healthcare system or payer perspectives are used. In this commentary, we discuss the evolution of the Reference Case over the past 20 years and how it now needs to further evolve. This should begin with a patient-informed societal perspective. A realignment of the societal perspective to better include patient perspectives in CEA creates a conduit for patient inclusion. Engaging patients to both derive patient-informed value elements and prioritize value elements using stated preference methods will lead to patient inclusion in the societal perspective and a patient-informed Reference Case analysis.
A traction force threshold signifies metastatic phenotypic change in multicellular epithelia

Cancer metastasis has been believed as a genetically programmed process that is commonly marked by biochemical signals. Here using extracellular matrix control of cellular mechanics, we establish that cellular force threshold can also mark in vitro metastatic phenotypic change and malignant transformation in HCT-8 cell colonies. We observe that for prolonged culture time the HCT-8 cell colonies disperse into individual malignant cells, and the metastatic-like dispersion depends on both cell-seeding gel stiffness and colony size. Cellular force microscopies show that gel stiffness and colony size are also two key parameters that modulate cellular forces, suggesting the correlations between the cellular forces and the metastatic phenotypic change. Using our recently developed biophysical model, we construct an extracellular traction phase diagram in the stiffness-size space, filled with experimental data on the colony behavior. From the phase diagram we identify a phase boundary as a traction force threshold above which the metastatic phenotypic transition occurs and below which the cell colonies remain cohesive. Our finding suggests that the traction threshold can be regarded as an effective mechano-marker for the onset of the metastatic-like dispersion and malignant transformation.
Multi-Device Use: Understanding the Motivations behind Switching between Multiple Devices during a Task

Multi-device use has become a popular pattern of device use in recent years. However, empirical studies pertaining to motivations behind intention to use multiple devices have been limited. The obj...
Shock Index as a Predictor of Massive Transfusion and Emergency Surgery on the Modern Battlefield.

Abstract Background Shock Index (SI) has been used to predict the need for massive transfusion (MT) and emergency surgical procedures (ESP) in civilian trauma. We hypothesize that SI can reliably identify combat trauma patients that will require MT and ESP when applied to the resource-constrained, combat environment. Methods A retrospective review was performed within the Department of Defense Trauma Registry (2008-2016). SI was calculated using heart rate and systolic blood pressure on arrival to the initial facility with surgical capabilities. A threshold value of 0.8 was used to stratify patients into two groups (Group I, SI Results A total of 4008 patients were included. The mean age of the patients was 25.5 y, and the majority were predominately male (98%). Mechanisms of injury were blunt and blast injury (62%), penetrating injury (36.7%), and burn injury (0.5%). Overall, 77% of patients (n = 3070) were stratified to Group I, and 23% of patients (n = 938) were stratified to Group II, by SI. Group II patients had a significantly greater need for MT (8.4% versus 0.4%) and ESP (30.7% versus 6.5%), both P Conclusions SI is a significant predictor of the need for MT and ESPs in the military trauma population, representing a simple and potentially potent tool for triage and prediction of resource consumption in the resource-limited, austere setting.
Stratified zoning in central cities

Abstract I model a central city where citizens differ by income, and housing confers benefits on neighbors. Zoning separates citizens into neighborhoods by income. This maximizes total surplus and facilitates redistributing gains to a majoritarian governing coalition of citizens, which changes from rich to poor as the city grows. Non-members of the coalition may form suburbs. These theoretical results are supported by empirical facts compiled by Schnore and Varley (1955). It is difficult to justify stratified zoning on Paretian grounds, even when a municipal government can redistribute income. If stratified zoning is not a Pareto improvement before gains are redistributed, it will not be afterward under majority rule. Gains in total surplus increase as the distribution of income becomes less equal, which helps explain why neighborhood stratification has outpaced stratification of income in U.S cities in recent decades, as documented by Booza et al (2006) and Sampson (2016).
Suffering in silence: Graduate student infertility.

While fertility is a widely studied public health issue, infertility among college students is rarely examined. Research on fertility among college students focuses primarily on pregnancy preventio...
The Rule of Law, War, or Terror

Technological change and ideological confrontation made the twentieth century one of the most violent in recorded human history. Yet, one of its greatest legacies is the primacy of law, manifested both in the development of human rights norms and humanitarian law. Furthermore, the end of the Cold War and the collapse of state socialism produced a new wave of constitutionalism and the assertion of the centrality of the rule of law in both national and transnational affairs. The idea of the rule of international law was strengthened further in the last decade of the century with the advent of a reinvigorated multilateralism, particularly in the United Nations' endorsement of the Gulf War and later NATO's humanitarian intervention in the Balkans. It is this legacy of the exercise of power within a generally accepted, human rights oriented, legal framework that is now facing its greatest challenge through a combination of what Richard Falk has termed "megaterrorism" and the Bush administration's new war on terror.
A less aggressive approach to the management of super refractory status epilepticus

Febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES) is a rare catastrophic encephalopathy of unknown etiology. It commonly affects previously healthy children. FIRES is a subcategory of new-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE), term used specifically for adult population, and FIRES is used for pediatric population. Uniformly, both FIRES and NORES have poor outcomes with chronic drug-resistant epilepsy, severe neurological sequelae, and mortality in one-fifth of patients. We report a case of FIRES in a 9-year-old previously healthy child in whom a less aggressive approach was used to manage anesthetic resistant super refractory status epilepticus, which has reduced the potentially fatal complications of prolonged use of intravenous anesthetics and also the need for tracheostomy.
A Trajectory Approach to Supporting Therapy Animal Welfare in Retirement and Beyond

Retirement represents one of the greatest life milestones one can experience. It was conjured by humans to allow those who worked an opportunity to receive a well-deserved break and to enjoy life without employment obligations. There are certainly similarities and differences when comparing the process of retirement between people and therapy animals. Working therapy animals deserve the opportunity to retire with dignity. The primary goal of this chapter is to provide guidelines to consider for the safe retirement of therapy animals as well as highlight the implications of this retirement on the handlers as well as the clients. Attention in the chapter is also given to the leadership of the various organizations registering therapy animals to assure that a mechanism is in place to monitor the lifespan of therapy animals so they can be given the opportunity to transition into retirement years.
Targeting nectin-4 by antibody-drug conjugates for the treatment of urothelial carcinoma.

Introduction Nectin-4 is a tumor-associated antigen overexpressed in urothelial carcinoma and several other malignancies. It has emerged as a compelling target for novel tumor-directed therapies, particularly as a component of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), a growing class of anti-cancer therapeutic agents. Development of nectin-4-directed therapies has been led by enfortumab vedotin (EV), an ADC comprised of a fully human monoclonal antibody specific for nectin-4 conjugated via a cleavable linker to the microtubule inhibitor MMAE. EV was approved in 2019 as a first-in-class agent for the treatment of urothelial carcinoma. Areas covered This article discusses general principles relevant to ADC design and our current understanding of nectin-4 in normal physiology and malignancy, followed by a review of the development of EV as well as additional drug conjugate strategies targeting nectin-4. Expert opinion EV offers proof-of-concept for the clinical utility of nectin-4-directed therapies and provides further support for ADCs as an important class of anti-cancer agents. Future development of nectin-4-targeted approaches will benefit from a deeper understanding of nectin-4 biology in both health and disease, as well as a detailed exploration of the mechanisms underlying therapeutic activity and resistance.
Cervical cancer screening and treatment capacity: A survey of members of the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC).

Abstract Background Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in Africa, and in half of the sub-Saharan African countries, it is the most common cancer. Currently, there are scarce resources and limited infrastructure to support cervical cancer screening and treatment in many African countries. Objectives The aim of this study is to investigate the capacity of cervical cancer screening and treatment among members of the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC). Methods Data were collected from 183 participants through online surveys over a 3-month study period in 2016. Results The respondents reported large variations among different African countries. This study highlights the differences between African countries in the availability of screening programs as a result of the resources allocated to healthcare development. Radiation therapy capacity remained the most limited treatment modality available, followed by the lack of gynecologists or gynecologic oncologists who can perform radical hysterectomy. Conclusions This information is critical for physicians, public health educators, and policymakers aiming to improve the outcomes among women with cervical cancer in Africa.
Context-dependent persistency as a coding mechanism for robust and widely distributed value coding

Task-related information is widely distributed across the brain with different coding properties, such as persistency. We found in mice that coding persistency of action history and value was variable across areas, learning phases, and task context, with the highest persistency in the retrosplenial cortex of expert mice performing value-based decisions where history needs to be maintained across trials. Persistent coding also emerged in artificial networks trained to perform mouse-like reinforcement learning. Persistency allows temporally untangled value representations in neuronal manifolds where population activity exhibits cyclic trajectories that transition along the value axis after action outcomes, collectively forming cylindrical dynamics. Simulations indicated that untangled persistency facilitates robust value retrieval by downstream networks. Even leakage of persistently maintained value through non-specific connectivity could contribute to the brain-wide distributed value coding with different levels of persistency. These results reveal that context-dependent, untangled persistency facilitates reliable signal coding and its distribution across the brain.
Challenges in System-Level Design

This paper summarizes some of the challenges presented by very large integrated circuits. Today’s embedded applications require not just complex algorithms but multi-tasking systems that perform several different types of operations on the data. Those applications are run on systems-on-chips that embody complex, heterogeneous architectures. Furthermore, systems-on-chips are connected into even larger systems. The large amounts of state in systems- on-chips, along with the interactions between traditional functionality and performance, mean that we must expand the scope of system design and verification activities. We still need to solve all the traditional design problems, but we must also develop new methodologies that allow us to design and verify the long-term behavior of the system.
SPECIAL MECHANISMS IN ANOMALIES OF SEX DIFFERENTIATION.

Abstract 1. 1. In all vertebrates that have been carefully studied, the gonocytes (primordial germ cells) are found to arise extragonadally and to migrate into the sites of gonad differentiation. 2. 2. The germ cells, though genetically determined in vertebrates, cannot self-differentiate, but are dependent upon the medullary and cortical constituents of the gonadal primordia for the special influences that direct their differentiation as sperms or eggs. 3. 3. It is essential to distinguish between sex determination, occurring at fertilization, and sex differentiation which takes place much later in ontogenesis. 4. 4. It has been possible by experimental procedures to reverse completely the differentiation of young germ cells without altering their genic constitution. 5. 5. The most imminent need in the area of sexual differentiation is elucidation of the biochemical mechanisms intervening between sex genes and characters they determine. 6. 6. While there is no doubt that the embryonic gonads of vertebrates exert morphogenetic effects, the nature of these materials remains unknown. Until it becomes possible to define these agents chemically, it seems best to avoid terminology implying that they are steroidal hormones. 7. 7. Certain neural tissues (e.g., hypothalamus) are extremely sensitive to fluctuations in steroidal hormones during critical periods of development. After human fetuses have been exposed to abnormal concentrations of exogenous or endogenous steroids, a prognosis of reproductive competence is not justifiable merely on the basis that gross genital defects are not apparent before puberty. 8. 8. Many of the sexual anomalies observed clinically have been simulated by experiments on laboratory animals. Much of this information is helpful in providing explanations of the etiology of various types of human sex aberrations.
Performance Modeling of Scintillator-Based X-Ray Imaging Systems

We recently have been involved in developing x-ray detector systems for industrial NDE applications. A two-step process is commonly used to convert the x-ray flux transmitted through the part under test into a digitized image, with individual pixel values corresponding to the x-ray properties in different regions of the part. First, a scintillator material absorbs x rays and emits light in proportion to the amount of x-ray energy absorbed. Second, this light is converted into an electronic signal by a photodetector device. This electronic signal can then be digitized and stored in a computer system for image display and analysis.
ermC leader peptide: amino acid sequence critical for induction by translational attenuation

Abstract The ermC mRNA leader segment, which encodes a 19 amino acid leader peptide, MGIFSIFVISTVHYQPNKK, plays a key role in regulating expression of the ErmC methylase. The contribution of specific leader peptide amino acid residues to induction of ermC was studied using a model system in which the ErmC methylase was translationally fused to Escherichia coli β-galactosidase as indicator gene. Codons of the ermC leader peptide were altered systematically by replacement of leader DNA segments with double-stranded DNA constructed from chemically synthesized oligonucleotides. Missense mutations that resulted in reduced efficiency of induction involved codons for amino acid residues 5 to 9 (-SIFVI-). Nonsense mutations causing termination of the leader peptide at codons 10 (-S-) or 12 (-V-) remained inducible. These findings suggest that the codons for residues 5 to 9 of the leader peptide comprise the critical region in which ribosomes stall in the presence of erythromycin.
Protein Aggregation and Human Disorders

The deposition of insoluble proteinaceous material is a distinct pathological process associated with a broad range of disparate diseases. Modulating the self-aggregation of the proteins that form these deposits has emerged as a major therapeutic strategy for disease treatment. Keywords: aggregation; amyloid; prion; fibrils; polyglutamine repeat
The effects of hypohydration on central venous pressure and splenic volume in adult horses.

Background: Central venous pressure (CVP) is used in many species to monitor right-sided intravascular volume status, especially in critical care medicine. Hypothesis: That hypohydration in adult horses is associated with a proportional reduction in CVP. Animals: Ten healthy adult horses from the university teaching herd. Methods: In this experimental study, horses underwent central venous catheter placement and CVP readings were obtained by water manometry. The horses were then deprived of water and administered furosemide (1 mg/kg IV q6h) for up to 36 hours. Weight, CVP, vital signs, PCV, total protein (TP), and serum lactate were monitored at baseline and every 6 hours until a target of 5% decrease in body weight loss was achieved. The spleen volume was estimated sonographically at baseline and peak volume depletion. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the association of CVP and other clinical parameters with degree of body weight loss over time. Results: There was a significant association between CVP and decline in body weight (P < .001), with a decrease in CVP of 2.2 cmH2O for every percentage point decrease in body weight. Other significant associations between volume depletion and parameters measured included increased TP (P= .007), increased serum lactate concentration (P= .048), and decreased splenic volume (P= .046). There was no significant association between CVP and vital signs or PCV. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: These findings suggest that CVP monitoring might be a useful addition to the clinical evaluation of hydration status in adult horses.
A fast non-recursive algorithm and a parallel processor architecture for smoothing spline fitting

An operator factorization algorithm is proposed for the solution of the smoothing spline fitting problem, when the data are impaired by noise. The algorithm is decomposed into a number of independent procedures which can be realised concurrently by a corresponding set of processors, running in a parallel arrangement and operating on the whole set of the given data points (nodes set). The processor architecture is described and a complexity analysis is presented in terms of the computational complexity and storage requirements for the algorithm realization.
The role of adenosine in extended myocardial preservation with the University of Wisconsin solution

The purpose of this study was to determine the role that adenosine plays in enhanced myocardial preservation during cold storage with the University of Wisconsin solution. Hearts from adult rabbits were flushed with University of Wisconsin solution with or without adenosine and stored at 4° C for 24 hours. Interstitial fluid purine levels during the period of cold storage were estimated with cardiac microdialysis probes. In a second series of experiments hearts were flushed with University of Wisconsin solution with or without adenosine or St. Thomas' Hospital cardioplegic solution and stored for 18 hours (4° C). Functional recovery was assessed by reperfusing the hearts on a Langendorff apparatus (100 cm H 2 O), for 45 minutes with Krebs-Henseleit buffer. During cold storage dialysate adenosine concentrations in hearts flushed with University of Wisconsin solution were 20- to 40-fold greater than adenosine levels in hearts flushed without adenosine. After 45 minutes of reperfusinn hearts preserved with University of Wisconsin solution exhibited a rate-pressure product of 11,098 ± 576 mm Hg/min, significantly greater than that for hearts flushed with University of Wisconsin solution minus adenosine (8106 ± 780 mm Hg/min) and St. Thomas' Hospital solution (7317 ± 768 mm Hg/min). These results suggest that adenosine plays a major role in enhanced myocardial preservation with the University of Wisconsin solution, possibly by maintaining elevated interstitial fluid adenosine levels during the period of cold storage.
Recent developments in electrochemical paper-based analytical devices

Research into electrochemical sensing in paper devices has increased dramatically in the past few years because electrochemical methods allow sensitive, selective, and quantitative detection once incorporated into paper devices. This article provides a mini-review on recent advances in electrochemical paper-based analytical devices (PADs) that have been reported within the past 36 months. Specifically, this review discusses the recently reported PAD formats that have been successfully adapted into electrochemical sensing devices employing classic electrochemical concepts and methods. The electrochemical techniques coupled to those PADs include cyclic voltammetry, amperometry, coulometry, and potentiometry. The electrochemical systems employed by those PADs involve microelectrodes, convective mass transfer, surface-modified electrodes, flow injection, signal amplification, ion-selective electrodes, and ion-exchange membranes, respectively. This mini-review discusses general aspects of the aforementioned methods and the resulting electrochemical PADs.