cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Scalar field potential in inflationary models: Reconstruction and further constraints

We present quantitative constraints on the scalar field potential for a general class of inflationary models. (1) We first study aspects of the reconstruction of the inflationary potential from primordial fluctuation spectra. Specifically, we consider the case of a pure power law spectrum for the total perturbations (density modes as well as tensor gravitational modes); for this case the reconstruction of the potential can be done semianalytically. We find the solutions and present a series of figures. The figures show how the shape of the potential depends on the shape of the perturbation spectrum and on the relative contribution of tensor modes and scalar density perturbations. When tensor modes provide a significant fraction of the total, the potentials V(\ensuremath{\varphi}) are concave upward; when tensor modes provide a negligible contribution, the potentials are concave downward. (2) We show that the ratio scrR of the amplitude of tensor perturbations (gravity wave perturbations) to scalar density perturbations is bounded from above: scrR\ensuremath{\le}6.1. We also show that the average ratio 〈scrR〉 is proportional to the change \ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\varphi} in the field: 〈scrR〉\ensuremath{\approxeq}1.6\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\varphi}/${\mathit{M}}_{\mathrm{Pl}}$. Thus, if tensor perturbations are important for the formation of structure, then the width \ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\varphi} must be comparable to the Planck mass. (3) We constrain the change \ensuremath{\Delta}V of the potential and the change \ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\varphi} of the inflation field during the portion of inflation when cosmological structure is produced.
Optimal Software Reuse in Incremental Software Development: A Transfer Pricing Approach

This study develops optimal transfer pricing schemes that manage software reuse in incremental software development, namely, a development regime wherein users begin utilizing parts of the system that are released to them even before the system is entirely completed. In this setting, conflicts can arise between developers and users from divergent interests concerning the release of functionalities in the project. The release of functionalities is influenced by reuse, i.e., the effort spent by the development team to write code that can be reused within the same project or in future projects. For example, the development team may choose to spend extra effort to make certain portions of the system reusable because doing so could reduce the effort needed to develop the entire system. However, the additional effort spent on reuse could delay the release of certain critical functionality, making such a strategy suboptimal for the users. Thus, optimal reuse decisions for developers and users could be different. In addition, from the firm's perspective, reuse decisions must not only balance the objectives of developers and users for the current project, but reuse effort may be spent to benefit future projects. Our study also highlights the fact that reuse may not always be beneficial for the firm. To this end, we consider different instances of the user--developer conflict and provide transfer pricing schemes that operate under information asymmetry and achieve two key properties: firm-level optimality and truth revelation. This paper was accepted by Sandra Slaughter, information systems.
A game-theoretic analysis on the conditions of cooperation in a wireless ad hoc network

To enable proper functioning of wireless ad hoc networks, all nodes in the network are expected to cooperate in forwarding each other's packet. But relaying other nodes' packets involves spending energy without getting any immediate revenue. Hence, due to the constraints on available energy the nodes usually have in such networks, from an individual node's point of view, the best response is always not to cooperate. We model this problem as a repeated game and show analytically that given a suitable punishment mechanism, individual nodes can be deterred from their selfish behavior, and cooperation can emerge as the best response. We also show that generosity by other nodes cannot be part of a credible deterrent mechanism.
Mechanisms of Cell-Cycle Arrest in Spitz Nevi with Constitutive Activation of the MAP-Kinase Pathway

Spitz nevi are benign melanocytic nevi that overlap histopathologically with melanoma. We previously found copy number increases of chromosome 11p frequently paralleled by mutations in the HRAS oncogene mapping to this region. In this study, we explored mechanisms that inhibit proliferation in the presence of HRAS activation. We analyzed MAP-kinase activation using immunohistochemistry for phospho-ERK, cyclin D1, and microphthalmia transcription factor expression in 17 Spitz nevi with and 18 Spitz nevi without 11p copy number increase. We found relatively high levels of phospho-ERK and cyclin D1 expression suggesting MAP-kinase pathway activation in both groups of Spitz nevi. However, Spitz nevi with 11p copy number increases showed significantly higher levels of cyclin D1 expression and lower levels of microphthalmia transcription factor expression suggesting stronger MAP-kinase pathway activation in this group. Contrasting this apparent activation, the proliferation rate as assessed by Mib1 expression was low in both groups. An analysis of cell-cycle inhibitory proteins including p16, p21, and p27 showed that the majority of Spitz nevus cells expressed high levels of p16, with cells of the cases that had increased copy number of 11p expressing significantly higher levels than those of Spitz nevi with normal copy number of 11p. We propose that in benign nevi with constitutive activation of the MAP-kinase pathway, p16 functions as an essential mediator of oncogene-induced senescence preventing progression to melanoma.
Low-Energy Linac Structure for Pigmi

The higher radio frequency (450 MHz) and lower injection energy (250 keV) of the PIGMI (Pion Generator for Medical Irradiations) linac design seriously compound the problem of beam containment in the first few meters of the structure. The conventional quadrupole-focused, drift-tube linac represents the best solution for beam energies above 8 MeV, but because of the small space available for quadrupoles in the PIGMI designs, cannot provide the required focusing at lower energies. A satisfactory solution to this focusing problem has been found based on pure alternating phase focusing for the first few MeV, followed by a smooth transition to a pure permanent magnet quadrupole-focused structure at 8 MeV. The structure and its calculated performance are described.
Nonlinear CLOS guidance for missiles

The pitch and yaw dynamics for a Bank-To-Turn (BTT) missile couple in a nonlinear fashion through the missile's lateral acceleration and bank angle. Due to these nonlinear dynamics, a solution for the optimal command to line-of-sight (CLOS) guidance problem can be found only by numerical methods for solving two point boundary value problems. For practical implementation, closed-form solutions for the control commands in terms of the current states are necessary. Because the dynamic response of the missile to the roll rate command is much faster than the dynamics of the rest of the system states, a solution to the optimal CLOS guidance problem is obtained using perturbation techniques. These techniques exploit the separation of the system into slow and fast states by finding solutions to the reduced-order problems. Then these reduced-order solutions are combined to obtain approximate solution to the full-order problem. The resultant solution is a combination of acceleration and roll-rate commands as functions of the current system states.
Promises and challenges of digital libraries and document image analysis: a humanist's perspective

Current developments in document image analysis promise to expand dramatically the size and potential usefulness of digital libraries for many disciplines, and indeed to change fundamental aspects of the way the disciplines are defined and practiced. This article offers a tour of selected humanities uses of document images to date, a glimpse of the fundamental transformations in professional practices looming on the horizon for humanists and, along the way, a sidelong glance at humanists' persistent ambivalence as they hesitate at the threshold of the virtual library.
Converging slat collimators for PET imaging with large-area detectors

Parallel slat collimators are often employed in hybrid positron emission tomography (PET) to reduce the scatter fraction, decrease singles rates, and create a pseudo 2-D imaging geometry. Similar collimators or inter-slice septa may be used with newer classes of large-area dedicated PET cameras. While conventional parallel slat collimators are adequate for some applications, other collimator designs which produce pseudo 3-D imaging geometries have the potential to greatly improve performance for targeted volume-of-interest (VOI) imaging applications. We have investigated three types of converging slat collimators which may improve shielding of out-of-field-of-view (FOV) photons while greatly increasing sensitivity to the central FOV. Such collimators create a pseudo 3-D imaging geometry and maintain good shielding of scattered events. A series of Monte Carlo simulations were performed for 2-, 3-, 4-, 6-, and 8-head class systems equipped with parallel slat collimators, no collimators (fully 3-D), and the new converging slat designs. Collimator performance was measured in terms of trues sensitivity, singles rejection, scatter fraction, and noise-equivalent counts. The axially-focused slat collimators were found to provide greatly increased sensitivity to the central FOV while also providing better shielding of out-of-FOV events. Whole-body noise equivalent count (NEC) performance for fan slat collimators was nearly identical to that for conventional parallel slat collimators, and VOI NEC was nearly doubled using fan slat collimators. These results suggest that converging slat collimators may provide greatly improved VOI imaging while maintaining good whole-body imaging performance.
nsd, a Locus That Affects the Myxococcus xanthus Cellular Response to Nutrient Concentration

Expression of the previously reported Tn5lac Ω4469 insertion in Myxococcus xanthus cells is regulated by the starvation response. Interested in learning more about the starvation response, we cloned and sequenced the region containing the insertion. Our analysis shows that the gene fusion is located in an open reading frame that we have designated nsd (nutrient sensing/utilizing defective) and that its expression is driven by a σ70-like promoter. Sequence analysis of the nsd gene product provides no information on the potential structure or function of the encoded protein. In a further effort to learn about the role of nsd in the starvation response, we closely examined the phenotype of cells carrying the nsd::Tn5lac Ω4469 mutation. Our analysis showed that these cells initiate development on medium that contains nutrients sufficient to sustain vegetative growth of wild-type cells. Furthermore, in liquid media these same nutrient concentrations elicit a severe impairment of growth of nsd cells. The data suggest that the nsd cells launch a starvation response when there are enough nutrients to prevent one. In support of this hypothesis, we found that, when grown in these nutrient concentrations, nsd cells accumulate guanosine tetraphosphate, the cellular starvation signal. Therefore, we propose that nsd is used by cells to respond to available nutrient levels.
Selective cryolysis: a novel method of non-invasive fat removal.

Background and Objectives Excess fat poses a host of local and systemic problems. Various energy sources, for example, laser, ultrasound, and radiofrequency electric current have been studied as potential non-invasive treatments aimed at local destruction of subcutaneous fat. Cryosurgery at very low temperatures is routinely used for non-specific tissue destruction, however the potential for tissue-specific cold injury has not been investigated. This study describes non-invasive cold-induced selective destruction of subcutaneous fat. Materials and Methods Black Yucatan pigs under general anesthesia were exposed within test sites to preset temperatures of 20, −1, −3, −5, and −7°C for 10 minutes. Gross and histological assessments were performed immediately, 1 day, 2, 7, 14 and 28 days post-cold exposure for four pigs, and up to 3.5 months for one pig. Additionally, six pigs were exposed between −5°C and −8°C for 10 minutes, at sites covering approximately 15% body surface area, followed by serum lipid level determinations at various time points up to 3 months. Results A lobular panniculitis was induced by cooling, followed for some test sites by grossly obvious loss of several mm of subcutaneous fat occurring gradually during the 3.5 months study period. Loss of adipocytes, the appearance of lipid-laden mononuclear inflammatory cells, and local thickening of fibrous septae were noted. Typically there was no clinical or histological evidence of injury to skin, and no scarring. Serum lipids were not significantly increased. Conclusions Prolonged, controlled local skin cooling can induce selective damage and subsequent loss of subcutaneous fat, without damaging the overlying skin. Selective cryolysis warrants further study as a local treatment for removal of adipose tissue. Lesers Surg. Med. 40:595–604, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Somatic awareness and coronary artery disease in women with chest pain

Objective: To determine if there was a relationship between level of somatic awareness and coronary artery disease (CAD) in women with chest pain. Design: Descriptive, correlational study. Setting: Urban, university-affiliated, tertiary care hospital. Sample: Fifty-five women without a previous history of heart disease admitted to the hospital for evaluation of chest pain. Measures: Modified Somatic Perception Questionnaire (MSPQ); Patterson and Horowitz clinical criteria for classification of chest pain; Supplemented Rose Questionnaire for angina; age; and CAD risk factors. Results: A small but significant inverse correlation was found between level of somatic awareness as measured by MSPQ scores and degree of CAD ( r =−0.2932, p p Conclusions: Somatic awareness may be an important factor to consider in evaluating the awareness and response of women to symptoms of myocardial ischemia and to chest pain of both cardiac and noncardiac etiologies.
Prenatal sonographic findings in human disorganization syndrome.

Disorganization syndrome is characterized by amniotic bandlike birth defects associated with hamartomatous skin lesions, supernumerary and ectopic limbs and digits, and internal organ duplications. We report the prenatal sonographic features identifiable in human disorganization syndrome, which to our knowledge have not been reported previously.
Maintenance and loss of same-meaning structures in language death

(1980). Maintenance and loss of same-meaning structures in language death. WORD: Vol. 31, Studies Presented to Professor Robert A. Fowkes on the Occasion of his Retirement, 1978, pp. 39-45.
Semantic email

This paper investigates how the vision of the Semantic Web can be carried overto the realm of email. We introduce a general notion of semantice mail, in which an email message consists of an RDF query or update coupled with corresponding explanatory text. Semantic email opens the door to a wide range of automated, email-mediated applications with formally guaranteed properties. In particular, this paper introduces a broad class of semantic email processes. For example consider the process of sending an email to a program committee asking who will attend the PC dinner automatically collecting the responses and tallying them up. We define bothlogical and decision-theoretic models where an email process ismodeled as a set of updates to a data set on which we specify goals via certain constraints or utilities. We then describe a set ofinference problems that arise while trying to satisfy these goals and analyze their computational tractability. In particular weshow that for the logical model it is possible to automatically infer which email responses are acceptable w.r.t. a set ofconstraints in polynomial time and for the decision-theoreticmodel it is possible to compute the optimal message-handling policy in polynomial time. Finally we discuss our publicly available implementation of semantic email and outline research challenges inthis realm.
Update on coxsackievirus B3 myocarditis.

Purpose of review To present recent findings on the pathogenesis of coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) myocarditis based on animal models, with a focus on the role of T helper (Th) immune responses in disease progression.
Gastric inhibitory polypeptide and insulin secretion after infusion of acetylcholine, catecholamines, and gut hormones.

SummaryIn studies pertinent to pathophysiologic changes in diabetes and reactive hypoglycemia, we have investigated, in dogs, the effect of gastroenteropancreatic hormones upon gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), since it is a potent insulin-releasing hormone. Intravenous infusion of pharmacologic doses of vasoactive inhibitory polypeptide (VIP), acetylcholine, isoproterenol, epinephrine (with or without phentolamine or propranolol), serotonin, or pancreatic polypeptide (PP) did not change fasting plasma GIP levels, despite the fact that several of them increased plasma insulin. However, glucose-induced increase in GIP was inhibited by acetylcholine, iosproterenol, and epinephrine (aloninhibitory polypeptide (GIP), since it is a potent insulin-releasing hormone. Intravenous infusion of pharmacologic doses of vasoactive inhibitory polypeptide (VIP), acetylcholine, isoproterenol, epinephrine (with or without phentolamine or propranolol), serotonin, or pancreatic polypeptide (PP) did not change fasting pla...
Emergency Department Visits between Inpatient Visits: An Overlooked Quality Measure?

Healthcare costs are rapidly accelerating in the United States and payers are looking for a solution to contain out-of-control expenditures. Readmissions can be easily measured thus making them an attractive metric of quality care. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) wants to minimize its financial outlay while pushing for increased quality. By this theory, if a patient remains out of the hospital, then the care delivered is considered to be high quality. Currently, emergency department (ED) visits between inpatient visits are not calculated into readmission rates. This review examined the sparse literature on this issue and proposed ideas to better examine readmissions as a quality measure overall. CMS has targeted patient readmissions to hospitals as a quality-based means of adjusting financial reimbursement. In 2013, the national patient readmission rate reduced from 19.5% to 17.5%. This review determined that (a) the overlooked ED visits could be a metric for delivery of quality care; (b) decision analysis methods should be employed to determine whether or not these ED visits are actually a cost-effective means of keeping readmissions down and quality up; and (c) numerous process-based obstacles must be overcome before any reimbursement system would be impacted by ED visits. It is critical that changes to reimbursement or quality measures be fair and meaningful for providers and quality care for patients must remain the top priority to address ED visits between inpatient visits.
Discussian On Using Concurrent Engineer In The Development Process Of Large Stamping Of Cars

Strengths and weakness of using concurrent engineering(CE) and sequential engineering(SE) in the development process of large stamping parts for cars are compared,and the application and benefit of concurrent engineering in the development process of large stamping parts for cars is discussed in the article.
The "Cultural Soil" for Chinese Traditional Patriotism

With a mode of "agricultural patriarch", the closed and endocentric social structure of ancient China was based on the land and regarded the clan as its core, which embodied Chinese culture peculiarity different from other nations. The peculiarity was the "cultural soil" for Chinese traditional patriotism. In aspects of conception of nature, politics, moral principles and history, it emphasized individually on the theory that man is an integral part of nature, great unity in the world, individual morality and deep consciousness of taking people as base of the nation. In aspects of national characteristics, it attached importance to strength and "yang"-the masculine principle in nature. These features produced a positive effect on the formation of Chinese traditional patriotism. Meanwhile, the fact that Chinese traditional culture was partly closed, parochial and conservative also led to some negative effect on patriotism, causing the parochialism in scope, singleness in content, and blindness in style.
A molecular model of STIM1-Orai1 movement and binding and their influence on calcium dynamics in T cell receptor response

Calcium dynamics lie at the heart of many adaptive cellular signals and are thus tightly controlled. While the importance of calcium in immune cell modulation has long been known, it is only in recent studies that immune cell differentiation, maturation and response to T cell receptor signaling, have been linked to the dynamics of calcium. Postantigen binding calcium signaling is controlled by the release of internal stores from the endoplasmatic reticulum (ER) and the opening of channels in the plasma membrane (PM). The release of calcium from the ER allow the stromal interaction molecule 1s (STIM1s) to dimerize and localize at the ER-PM junction where they are then able to bind to calcium releaseactivated calcium channel protein 1s (Orai1s) at the PM. This causes the Orai1 channels to become permeable to calcium, causing a flux across the membrane. It is unclear if STIM1 and Orai1 are directed to bind by some signaling mechanism or simply co-localize because of normal diffusion constraints of molecular motion. We here present a stochastic model of STIM1 and Orai1 movement and interaction and relate them to observed patterns seen pre and post activation of the T cell receptor. With this simulation we have taken a sampling rate of molecule locations, similar to experimental observation, and determined observed rates of diffusion based on individual molecules that we simulated within our analysis. Thanks to our mode of simulation, we can model how the movement of individual molecules and the influx of calcium appear at the population level post T cell stimulation. Through our model, we find that diffusion trap mechanics are sufficient to describe the observed STIM accumulation at the ER-PM junction and that the boundary conditions of a diffusion trap and the decrease in diffusion due to STIM-Orai conjugate formations could account fully for the observed decrease in the rate of STIM motion after ER calcium release.
Management of Urinary Calculous Disease in Patients with Ureterocele

AbstractOf 37 adult patients with ureteroceles, 13 also had calculous disease (35 per cent). Of these 13 cases 7 had single ureters and 6 had duplicated ones. None had a metabolic or urinary abnormality such as hypercalcemia, gout, hypercalciuria or hyperuricuria. Two of the patients were a mother and daughter—the first reported familial incidence of ureterocele with calculous disease. A surgical technique is described for removal of the calculus, excision of the ureterocele and reimplantation of the ureter. The procedure was used in 4 of the 7 patients with single ureters, while the stone passed spontaneously in 2 patients and was treated by ureterolithotomy in 1. A modification of the technique was used in 2 of the 6 patients with duplicated ureters but other surgical procedures were used in the remaining 4. Of 10 stones that were analyzed 2 were struvite and none contained cystine or uric acid. Long-term followup is a requisite to assure control of this clinical entity.
Erratum for Sarwar et al., GcsR, a TyrR-Like Enhancer-Binding Protein, Regulates Expression of the Glycine Cleavage System in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.

Volume 1, no. 2, doi:[10.1128/mSphere.00020-16][1], 2016. On page 1, Importance section, line 5, “trichloroacetic acid cycle” should be “tricarboxylic acid cycle.” This error was due to a copyediting mistake. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1128/mSphere.00020-16
Safety and Efficacy of Extended Duration of Thromboembolic Prophylaxis Following Radical Cystectomy: An Initial Institutional Experience

Abstract Introduction We evaluated the safety and efficacy of extended duration of pharmacological prophylaxis for preventing symptomatic venous thromboembolism following radical cystectomy. Methods We recorded symptomatic venous thromboembolism and lymphocele events within 30 days of radical cystectomy among patients treated with extended duration of pharmacological prophylaxis (enoxaparin 40 mg subcutaneously daily for 30 days). We compared these outcomes to those in the cohort of patients who underwent radical cystectomy at our institution in the year prior to extended prophylaxis implementation. Unadjusted descriptive statistics and univariate analyses were performed using the Pearson test or the Fisher chi-square test for categorical variables and the Wilcoxon rank sum test for continuous variables. Results We analyzed the records of 52 patients who did and 82 who did not receive extended duration of pharmacological prophylaxis after radical cystectomy. Only 1 patient (1.9%) discharged home on extended prophylaxis was diagnosed with venous thromboembolism within 30 days of RC compared to 5 (6.1%) who had not received extended prophylaxis. In 3 patients symptomatic lymphocele developed within 30 days of radical cystectomy, including 1 (1.9%) who had received extended prophylaxis and 2 (2.4%) who had not. No patient in either cohort was rehospitalized for bleeding complications. Conclusions Our initial experience suggests that extended duration of pharmacological prophylaxis is associated with a lower rate of venous thromboembolism following radical cystectomy and it does not increase the risk of bleeding or symptomatic lymphocele. These data warrant validation in larger patient cohorts, ideally in the prospective clinical trial setting.
Day to Day Variation of Sea Level

Tide gauge data are submitted to a special averaging process that eliminates the diurnal and higher species tides. The process has been applied to simultaneous data from many locations in order to obtain records of sea level. A typical value for the standard deviation of these records is 15 cm if attention is confined to a spectral window containing periods between two days and a month.
Gerber, Alan S., and Eric Schickler. Governing in a Polarized Age: Elections, Parties, and Political Representation in America: New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2016 (softcover); 2017 (hardcover). 406 pages. $94.99 (hardcover); $34.99 (softcover).

If political scientists who study Congress were asked to name one scholar who has had the biggest influence on the disciple, most, without hesitating, would name David Mayhew. In fact, from at leas...
Dissonant Representations of Visual Space in Prefrontal Cortex during Eye Movements

We used local field potentials (LFPs) and spikes to investigate representations of visual space in prefrontal cortex and the dynamics of those representations during eye movements. Spatial information contained in LFPs of the frontal eye field (FEF) was differentially distributed across frequencies, with a majority of that information being carried in alpha and high-gamma bands and minimal signal in the low-gamma band. During fixation, spatial information from alpha and high-gamma bands and spiking activity was robust across cortical layers. Receptive fields (RFs) derived from alpha and high-gamma bands were retinocentrically organized, and they were spatially correlated both with each other and with spiking RFs. However, alpha and high-gamma RFs probed before eye movements were dissociated. Whereas high-gamma and spiking RFs immediately converged toward the movement goal, alpha RFs remained largely unchanged during the initial probe response, but they converged later. These observations reveal possible mechanisms of dynamic spatial representations that underlie visual perception during eye movements.
Short-Term Momentum: The Centered Momentum Effect

Finance researchers have established a strict timeline in the relationship between previous returns and future returns. Over a short-term period-generally defined as shorter than three months-there exists a reversal effect by which stocks that exhibited positive (negative) returns in the past will experience negative (positive) returns in the near future. Over an intermediate-term period-generally defined as between three and twelve months-there exists a momentum effect whereby stocks that exhibited positive (negative) returns in the past will experience positive (negative) returns in the future.This paper provides two contributions to the literature on the momentum effect. First, I demonstrate that centering the measurement dates of prior returns around company-specific earnings announcement dates causes a short-term momentum effect rather than a reversal. Second, I show that the short-term momentum effect created by the centering process retains its explanatory power even in the face of post-earnings announcement drift.
Automotive Field Data in Injury Biomechanics

A crucial component to understanding the biomechanics of injury is the study of real world injuries. These studies are essential to characterize the incidence and characteristics of impact injuries, to establish impact test configurations, and to evaluate the effectiveness of injury intervention measures. This chapter will describe the data sources for these evaluations, metrics of performance for injury, and representative applications, i.e., the generation of injury risk curves, measurement of societal costs of injuries, and estimating the mortality associated with specific injuries.
Geomorphology and Reef Building in the SE Gulf

The Gulf, a subtropical epicontinental sea, is home to the northernmost coral reefs on the western boundary of the Indo-Pacific. The basin has an area of 250,000 sq. km and is shallow and semi-restricted, which combined with its high-latitude and the presence of mountainous plateaus and deserts nearby, make the Gulf’s climate the most extreme endured by reef-building corals anywhere in the world (Riegl et al. 2011, Chaps. 2, 7, and 9). Despite the hostile conditions, the Gulf is home to about 40 species of scleractinian and 31 species of alcyonacean corals, representing an impoverished but typical segment of that of the Indo-Pacific. The Gulf is unique in many respects, most notably in terms of its water chemistry, inclement climate (hot summers but also cold winters), and the hardiness of the corals that inhabit it. These factors conspire to prevent the development of spectacular reef edifices, like those that exist in the adjacent Red Sea, but nonetheless the expression of coral growth is as varied and interesting as the prevailing climate. The Gulf marks the separation between the stable Arabian foreland, atop which the U.A.E. sits, and the unstable Iranian fold belt. This positioning generates a specific geological set-up which conveys primary control on the geomorphology of the basin and in turn, the opportunities for reef development. Of particular note is the influence that salt tectonics play in the creation of offshore banks and islands, all of which support coral communities. Secondary and more recent modification has been exerted by the flooding of the Gulf during the last transgression, with the majority of the basin having lain sub-aerially exposed for considerable periods in the last 100,000 years. This complex and rich genesis brings the Gulf to a crossroads in the present day; we witness an unprecedented level of coastal development and modification fueled by rising economic prosperity on the back of vast hydrocarbon discoveries. Many areas of spectacular coral growth have been lost to construction, but some remain, for now. This chapter will detail the status of these ecosystems and the factors that have shaped them through time.
Executive use of information technology in the public sector: An empirical examination

Abstract This paper aims to provide a composite sketch of the executive utilization of information technologies and its relation to agencies' use of such technologies in state and local government organizations in Arizona. The data were collected through mail surveys by a group of faculty members and graduate students at the School of Public Affairs, Arizona State University. The findings show that (1) regardless of their functional managerial responsibilities, executives surveyed in the study all reported involvement in decision making concerning information technology acquisition and management; (2) organizations that enjoy a higher level of information technology use tend to have managers who have positive attitudes toward information technology (IT); (3) executives' personal familiarity (personal use of) with information technology has only limited correlation with the organizations' technology adoption and use; (4) executives' attitudes toward, and personal involvement in, information technology, are directly related to their educational background and age. The paper concludes that positively shaped attitudes toward information technology on the part of public organization managers are essential in determining public organizations' technological innovation and service provision. Such attitudes do not grow with age, but are obtainable by way of education.
Development of xeno-free epithelial differentiation media for adherent, non-expanded adipose stromal vascular cell cultures.

Abstract Introduction Reconstruction of respiratory epithelium is critical for the fabrication of bioengineered airway implants. Epithelial differentiation is typically achieved using bovine pituitary extract (BPE). Due to the xenogenic nature and undefined composition of BPE, an alternative for human clinical applications, devoid of BPE, must be developed. The goal of this study was to develop two different BPE-free media, with and without select pituitary hormone (PH), which could initiate epithelial differentiation for use in human implantation. Methods The ability of the two BPE-free media to initiate epithelial differentiation of adherent, non-expanded stromal-vascular cells grown on porcine small intestinal submucosa was compared to traditional BPE-containing media (M1). Nanostring® was used to measure differences in gene expression of stemness (MSC), basal cell (basal), and ciliated markers (muco-cil), and staining was performed support the gene data. Results Compared to baseline, both BPE-free media upregulated epithelial and stemness genes, however this was to a lower degree than BPE-containing media. In general, the expression of basal cell markers (COL17A1, DSG3, ITGA6, KRT6A, LOXL2) and secreted mucous proteins (PLUNC, MUC5B, SCGB2A1) was upregulated. The gene expression of ciliated markers C9orf24, TUBA3 and DNCL2B but not of the key transcription factor for cilagenesis FOXJ1 were upregulated, indicating that mucus-secreting cell differentiation occurs more rapidly than ciliogenesis. The ability of the adherent stromal vascular cells to upregulate gene expression of both epithelial and stemness markers suggests maintenance of the self-renewal capacity of undifferentiated and/or basal cell-like cells contributing to proliferation and ensuring a persisting source of cells for regenerative medicine applications. Conclusion This study provides the initial step to defining a BPE-free epithelial differentiation medium for clinical translation. Thus, either of the proposed BPE-free medium are viable alternatives to BPE-containing medium for partial epithelial differentiation for human translational applications.
Judicial Institutions and the Political Economy of Retirements

I examine judicial retirements among elected and unelected state supreme court justices. I present new data relating to justices’ economic incentives to retire. I develop theoretical expectations for the rationality of judicial departures based upon political, economic, and institutional factors. Results demonstrate that both elected and unelected justices time their retirements upon their pension eligibility. Nevertheless, the electoral connection may constrain justices from securing some of these benefits. I find only limited evidence that justices retire in order to influence the politics of their successors and virtually no evidence that elected justices retire out of fear of losing reelection.
Glutathione S-Transferases

Any symposium which deals with the metabolic formation and inactivation of reactive metabolites must necessarily consider the prominent role played by glutathione (GSH) and the glutathione transferases since this simple tripeptide (Fig. 1) and the enzymes which employ GSH as a cosubstrate represent a very important factor in the protection of cellular constituents from the adverse effects of reactive chemicals. Thiols such as GSH are highly reactive as nucleophiles. In addition, thiols readily give up hydrogen atoms on reaction with radicals. Thus the importance of GSH in its spontaneous reactions with electrophiles and free radicals within the cell cannot be overemphasized. The remarkably high concentration of 10−4 to 10−2 M GSH (1) in aerobic cells cannot be serendipitous.
Early Nineteenth-Century Changes

The nineteenth century was a time of rapid changes for Americans and Europeans in particular. New inventions revolutionized economies. The American ideal of yeoman farmers faced challenges, as a nascent manufacturing sector burgeoned. Telegraphs and railroads pioneered the first large-scale private enterprises, quickly eclipsing in size and extent the textile manufacturers of England and the United States. Changing technology benefited the many but often at a severe cost to some people. The changing technology also inspired new forms of business organizations, including variations of limited liability firms.
Interactive Tools for Teaching Fourier Transforms

ABSTRACT Fourier transforms (FT) are universal in chemistry, physics, and biology. Despite FTs being a core component of multiple experimental techniques, undergraduate courses typically approach F...
Spontaneous Skull Base Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks and Their Relationship to Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension.

BackgroundThe association between spontaneous skull base cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) has been suggested, but its significance remains unclear.Obje...
TIFA and TIFAB: FHA-domain proteins involved in inflammation, hematopoiesis, and disease.

Forkhead-associated (FHA) domain–containing proteins are widely expressed across eubacteria and in eukaryotes. FHA domains contain phosphopeptide recognition motifs, which operate in a variety of phosphorylation-dependent and -independent biological processes, including the DNA damage response, signal transduction, and regulation of the cell cycle. More recently, two FHA domain–containing proteins were discovered in mammalian cells as tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF)–interacting proteins: TIFA and TIFAB. TIFA and TIFAB are important modifiers of the innate immune signaling through their regulation of TRAF proteins. Recent studies have also revealed distinct roles for TIFA and TIFAB in the context of immune cell function, chronic inflammation, hematopoiesis, and hematologic disorders. Collectively, these studies indicate the important role of TIFA- and TIFAB-dependent signaling in hematopoietic cells and their dysregulation in several human diseases. In this review, we summarize the molecular mechanisms and biological role of these FHA-domain homologues, placing them into the context of human disease.
Does stroke-induced sensorimotor impairment and perturbation intensity affect gait-slip outcomes?

People with chronic stroke (PwCS) demonstrate similar gait-slip fall-risk on both paretic and non-paretic side. Compensatory stepping and slipping limb control are crucial to reduce gait-slip fall-risk. Given the unpredictable intensities of real-life perturbations, this study aimed to determine whether recovery from paretic or non-paretic slips vary as a function of perturbation intensity among PwCS. Forty-four PwCS were assigned to non-paretic low intensity slip, non-paretic high intensity slip, paretic low intensity slip, or paretic high intensity slip group. Participants were subjected to a novel overground gait-slip with a distance of 24 cm (low) or 45 cm (high), under either limb. Recovery strategies, center of mass (CoM) state stability and slipping kinematics were analyzed. Both non-paretic high and low intensity groups demonstrated similar percentage of aborted and recovery stepping, however, paretic high intensity group demonstrated greater aborted stepping (p > 0.05). Both high and low intensity paretic slip groups demonstrated reduced post-slip CoM stability relative to the non-paretic slip groups (p < 0.05). Slip displacement was greater in paretic high group compared with non-paretic high group (p < 0.05). Greater slip displacement at higher intensity was noted only in paretic slip group (p < 0.05). The slip velocity was faster in paretic groups compared to non-paretic slip groups (p < 0.05). Paretic slips showed lower stability at both intensities associated with difficulty in modulating slipping kinematics and resorting to an increased aborted stepping strategy compared to non-paretic slip. These findings are suggestive of developing balance interventions for improving both compensatory non-paretic limb stepping and reactive control of slipping paretic limb for fall-risk reduction.
A 24Gb/s/pin 8Gb GDDR6 with a Half-Rate Daisy-Chain-Based Clocking Architecture and IO Circuitry for Low-Noise Operation

The demand for high-performance graphics systems used for artificial intelligence continues to grow; this trend requires graphics systems to achieve ever higher bandwidths. Enabling GDDR6 DRAM to achieve data rates beyond 18Gb/s/pin [1] requires identifying and solving factors that affect the speed of a memory interface. Prior studies have showed that the memory interface is vulnerable from the signal integrity (SI) and power integrity (PI) perspective, since it is based on a parallel interface using single-ended signaling. Furthermore, circuit schemes to mitigate process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variations in sub-nanometer DRAM process are required to improve performance. To achieve 24Gb/s/pin on a 1.35V DRAM process, this work proposes a GDDR6 DRAM with a half-rate clocking architecture and optimized I/O.
The Mistaken Ideas of General Regulatory Takings

This Article argues that the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Murr v. Wisconsin reveals a fatal defect in the Court’s “regulatory takings” doctrine. What the Court has done is to conflate a valid doctrinal idea with an invalid one. The difference between the two depends on whether the alleged taking is a government action directed against a specific piece of property or an action that affects a significant number of properties in the same essential way. The requirement that the government compensate property owners for specific actions (actions against a particular piece of property) relies on the Due Process Clause and on its dependent and subsidiary Takings Clause. It thus has a valid constitutional basis, with the underlying justification that it protects otherwise powerless individuals from unfair governmental treatment. However, a smaller group of decisions, initiated by Pennsylvania Coal v. Mahon and represented in modern law by Loretto v. Teleprompter Manhattan, Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council, and now Murr, applies these clauses to regulatory laws of general application. This is substantive due process. It rests on the now-rejected idea that property has some intrinsic constitutional contour that cannot be altered by positive law. In fact, property is a creation of positive law, as the Court has recognized in the procedural due process cases. Those who feel aggrieved by government action that reduces the value of their property by general regulation (which includes zoning, taxation and safety measures) must rely on the political process for satisfaction. This is fair because they will not be a powerless individual but a group of people with at least some access to that process. The Article thus concludes that the doctrine of regulatory takings should be abandoned.
Abiotic Stimuli-Responsive Protein Affinity Reagent for IgG

We describe an approach for the discovery of protein affinity reagents (PARs). Abiotic synthetic hydrogel copolymers can be "tuned" for selective protein capture by the type and ratios of functional monomers included in their polymerization and by the polymerization conditions (i.e., pH). By screening libraries of hydrogel nanoparticles (NPs) containing charged and hydrophobic groups against a protein target (IgG), a stimuli-responsive PAR is selected. The robust carbon backbone synthetic copolymer is rapidly synthesized in the chemistry laboratory from readily available monomers. The production of the PAR does not require living cells and is free from biological contamination. The capture and release of the protein by the copolymer NP is reversible. IgG is sequestered from human serum at pH 6.5 and following a wash step, the purified protein is released by elevating the pH to 7.3. The binding and release of the protein occur without denaturation. The abiotic material functions as a selective PAR for the F(ab')2 domain of IgG for pull-down and immunoprecipitation experiments and for isolation and purification of proteins from complex biological mixtures.
Short-Termism and Antitrust's Innovation Paradox

This Essay argues that there is an underappreciated link between the reasons large technology firms appear immune from the pressures of short-termism and the reasons Neo-Brandeisian antitrust advocates suggest breaking them up. The corporate short-termism hypothesis holds that short-term shareholder pressure depresses long-term investment because corporate managers are more concerned with meeting quarterly earnings targets than long-term growth. On this view, the reason “big tech” firms are immune from this dynamic is that they hold dominant positions in concentrated markets, with high cash flows and low capital intensity. As a result, their investor bases permit them to make significant long-term investments that divert cash from other uses. On the other side of the coin, Neo-Brandeisians argue big tech firms should be broken up for largely the same reasons: their dominant positions and high cash flows. My argument is that, given pervasive short-termism, if big tech’s unusual investment is systemically important for innovation and productivity growth, breaking them up poses an underappreciated macroeconomic risk. I conclude that this investment must be replaced by significant public R&D to alleviate this risk or that less disruptive alternatives should be considered to avoid harming long-term innovation.
Self-coding: A method to assess semantic validity and bias when coding open-ended responses:

Open-ended survey questions can provide researchers with nuanced and rich data, but content analysis is subject to misinterpretation and can introduce bias into subsequent analysis. We present a si...