cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scaling rates of true polar wander in convecting planets and moons

Abstract Mass redistribution in the convecting mantle of a planet causes perturbations in its moment of inertia tensor. Conservation of angular momentum dictates that these perturbations change the direction of the rotation vector of the planet, a process known as true polar wander (TPW). Although the existence of TPW on Earth is firmly established, its rate and magnitude over geologic time scales remain controversial. Here we present scaling analyses and numerical simulations of TPW due to mantle convection over a range of parameter space relevant to planetary interiors. For simple rotating convection, we identify a set of dimensionless parameters that fully characterize true polar wander. We use these parameters to define timescales for the growth of moment of inertia perturbations due to convection and for their relaxation due to true polar wander. These timescales, as well as the relative sizes of convective anomalies, control the rate and magnitude of TPW. This analysis also clarifies the nature of so called “inertial interchange” TPW events, and relates them to a broader class of events that enable large and often rapid TPW. We expect these events to have been more frequent in Earth’s past.
Transitioning to a New Regime or More of the Same

The overrepresentation of racial minorities in special education programs and the continued under-matriculation of racial minorities in postsecondary institutions demonstrate the deep intersectional legacies of racism, classism, sexism, and ableism (Reid & Knight, 2006).
A brief note on compactness of composition operators on H2

Let be a univalent (analytic) mapping from the unit disk into itself. Under a certain regularity condition on the bundary of , we show that the composition operator is compact on the Hardy space if...
Sport as a (mere) hobby: in defense of ‘the gentle pursuit of a modest competence’

In this essay, I defend sport as a (mere) hobby in contrast to sport as a ‘mutual quest for excellence through challenge’. With the assistance of ideas found in the novel Don Quixote, I raise quest...
Simulator-based training of generative models for the inverse design of metasurfaces

Metasurfaces are subwavelength-structured artificial media that can shape and localize electromagnetic waves in unique ways. The inverse design of these devices is a non-convex optimization problem in a high dimensional space, making global optimization a major challenge. We present a new type of population-based global optimization algorithm for metasurfaces that is enabled by the training of a generative neural network. The loss function used for backpropagation depends on the generated pattern layouts, their efficiencies, and efficiency gradients, which are calculated by the adjoint variables method using forward and adjoint electromagnetic simulations. We observe that the distribution of devices generated by the network continuously shifts towards high performance design space regions over the course of optimization. Upon training completion, the best generated devices have efficiencies comparable to or exceeding the best devices designed using standard topology optimization. Our proposed global optimization algorithm can generally apply to other gradient-based optimization problems in optics, mechanics and electronics.
A Robust Palladium-Free Activation Process for Electroless Copper Plating

A new activation process for electroless copper plating has been developed, which does not require the use of a palladium-based activation bath as typically employed in the plating industry. The activation bath of the new process described herein is entirely free of palladium and is based on colloidal metallic copper particles, which are nanoscopic in size. This bath can also be readily analysed and controlled. The new copper-based activation bath can be operated in such a way that colloid agglomeration and colloid oxidation are efficiently and effectively suppressed, while electroless copper plating quality and electroless copper bath stability is maintained. In addition, the new activation bath can be operated for several weeks without any detectable deterioration in electroless copper plating performance. Furthermore, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and FR4 coupons treated with the new copper-based colloidal activation bath can be vigorously rinsed with water for several minutes prior to immersion in the electroless copper bath without loss of plating quality. The new activation process performs comparably to an established palladium-based process operated at typical vertical equipment immersion times. Even though the electroless copper plating initiation is somewhat delayed for the new copper-based activation process, the final electroless copper deposit thicknesses are the same for both the new process and the palladium-based reference process. The adhesion of the electroless copper deposit obtained with the copper-based activation process is also similar to that obtained with the palladium-based reference activation system. Moreover, the electroless copper coverage performance of the new copper-based activation process, as determined by the backlight test, is comparable to that of the palladium-based reference process.
Posthypoxic action myoclonus (the Lance-Adams syndrome)

A 62-year-old man was resuscitated after an in-hospital pulseless electrical activity (PEA) cardiac arrest. He awakened after 24 hours but after another 24-hour interval, he had worsening action and stimulus-induced myoclonus.[1–3][1] He was able to relax fully without movement but any
The Inhibitory Effects of Nω-Nitro-L-Arginine Methyl Ester on Nitric Oxide Synthase Activity Vary Among Brain Regions in Vivo but Not in Vitro

We studied the effects of intracerebroventricular and intraperitoneal injection and the in vitro effects of Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, on the nitric oxide synthase activities of the cerebellum, brainstem, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and the remainder of the brain after dissections. Male rats were chronically implanted with lateral icv guide cannula. L-NAME was injected in doses of 0.2, 1, and 5 mg intracerebroventricularly, and 50 mg/kg intraperitoneally. L-NAME induced dose-dependent suppression of NOS activities in each brain region. The threshold dose was 0.2 mg; 1 mg L-NAME completely abolished brain nitric oxide synthase activity 90 min after the injection. Brain NOS activities returned to baseline level 48 h after the injection of 5 mg L-NAME. There were significant differences between the sensitivity of various regions to L-NAME after in vivo but not in vitro administration of the enzyme inhibitor. These findings indicate that intracerebroventricular injection of L-NAME is a useful tool for inhibiting brain nitric oxide synthase activities in vivo. The differences between the sensitivity of different brain regions to L-NAME as well as the relative fast recovery of nitric oxide synthase activities must be taken into account when L-NAME is administered intracerebroventricularly to rats.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) risk is mediated by multiple enhancer variants within CLL risk loci.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common adult leukemia in Western countries. It has a strong genetic basis, showing a ~ 8-fold increased risk of CLL in first-degree relatives. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 41 risk variants across 41 loci. However, for a majority of the loci, the functional variants and the mechanisms underlying their causal roles remain undefined. Here, we examined the genetic and epigenetic features associated with 12 index variants, along with any correlated (r2 ≥ 0.5) variants, at the CLL risk loci located outside of gene promoters. Based on publicly available ChIP-seq and chromatin accessibility data as well as our own ChIP-seq data from CLL patients, we identified six candidate functional variants at six loci and at least two candidate functional variants at each of the remaining six loci. The functional variants are predominantly located within enhancers or super-enhancers, including bi-directionally transcribed enhancers, which are often restricted to immune cell types. Furthermore, we found that, at 78% of the functional variants, the alternative alleles altered the transcription factor binding motifs or histone modifications, indicating the involvement of these variants in the change of local chromatin state. Finally, the enhancers carrying functional variants physically interacted with genes enriched in the type I interferon signaling pathway, apoptosis, or TP53 network that are known to play key roles in CLL. These results support the regulatory roles for inherited noncoding variants in the pathogenesis of CLL.
Imagination as Anchor and Cue: Latina/o Middle School English Learners in a College-Going Program

English learners have long been defined as faulty linguistic beings, liabilities in a school system that values immediate academic readiness to perform like those in the mainstream. With a need to look at the many other facets that constitute who English learners are and what they are capable of in their academic pursuits, this case study looked at how academically marginal middle school English learners used the imagining of college to anchor, cue, and redefine their practices, identities, and perspectives as students in the pursuit of post-secondary possibilities. The paper explores tensions and contrasts in learning identity and practices based on movement from being academically peripheral to participating in a new learning community with high expectations for academic performance. Findings reveal how English learners negotiated new expectations of academic performance that forced a realignment of practices and trajectory; and how their experiences surfaced new understandings of their identities as students.
Languaging Network Learning: The Emergence of Connectivism in Architectonic Thought.

As technological advancements and online education transform higher education, the achievement gap among students is widening rather than closing. Critics suggest that we need to reassess the promises of online education and the connectivism or network learning that is sometimes employed as its pedagogical underpinning. As scholars and practitioners struggle to define connectivism as a learning theory, many often exclude language as a feature in its conceptualization. This practice is at odds with architectonic thought, the philosophical tradition in which constructivist theories of learning are rooted. This article reveals the central role that language and texts play in architectonic thought and why they are inseparable from our understanding of knowledge and network learning. When we recognize language as a medium and model for reflection and criticality in the architectonic tradition, we are better positioned to use pedagogy and computer technology to transform online education and reorient our competing views of connectivism.
Locoregional and distant recurrence for HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer using AJCC 8 staging.

Abstract Introduction The objective of this study is to evaluate locoregional and distant failure for human papillomavirus-associated (HPV+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) using American Joint Committee on Cancer eighth edition (AJCC 8) staging. Materials and methods Retrospective cohort study of 457 patients with HPV + OPSCC, treated with platinum-based chemoradiation from 2002 to 2018, followed for a median of 4.3 years. Time to locoregional failure (TTLRF) and distant failure (TTDF) were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. Log-rank, recursive partitioning analysis (RPA), and multivariable Cox proportional hazards were used to evaluate associated factors and stratify risk. Results Rates of five-year locoregional control (LRC) and distant control (DC) were 92% (95% CI, 90–95%) and 89% (95% CI, 85–92%), respectively. Smoking, T4, N3, and stage III were associated with significantly worse TTLRF. RPA identified three distinct locoregional failure groups: cT1-3 and Discussion In the largest evaluation of HPV + OPSCC after platinum-based chemoradiation using AJCC 8, risk for locoregional recurrence was stratified by smoking, T category, N category, and overall stage. Risk of distant recurrence was only stratified by smoking status and not related to stage. This has implications for surveillance and clinical trial design.
Bears as Benefactors? Bear Veneration as Apicultural Risk Management in Roman Spain

Worship of bear deities in pre-Roman and Roman Spain seems to have occurred for rather pragmatic reasons having more to do with the activities of bears rather than bears themselves. I show that this reverence originated in an important mode of subsistence in Iron Age and Roman central Spain, beekeeping, upon which the predatory habits of the bear, common in the Peninsula until recent centuries, came increasingly to encroach. I demonstrate that Latin votive dedications made to a Celtiberian deity named Arco in the region of Segovia during the early Principate should ultimately be considered as a remection of the importance of indigenous honey production. By conceptualizing Arco, whose name in Celtiberian meant ‘bear’, as a rationalization of apicultural risk, we gain a powerful new tool in understanding both the importance of beekeeping in the Iberian Peninsula and how intimately connected in some areas it was with bears.
High-grade Urothelial Carcinoma with Malignant Melanocytic Differentiation.

Urothelial carcinoma usually shows divergent differentiation and variant histology with squamous and glandular morphology being most common. In this report, we present a case of divergent malignant...
Fatty Acid Metabolism and Cancer

Although normal cells depend on exogenous lipids to function and survive, excessive amount of body fat has been associated with increased risk for certain human cancers. Cancer cells can redirect metabolic pathways to meet energy demands through the regulation of fatty acid metabolism. The importance of de novo fatty acid synthesis and fatty acid oxidation in cancer cells suggests fatty acid metabolism may be targeted for anticancer treatment through the use of pharmacological blockade to limit cell proliferation, growth, and transformation. However, our current knowledge about fatty acid metabolism in cancer cells remains limited, and the investigations of such processes and related pathways are certainly warranted to reveal the clinical relevance of fatty acid metabolism in cancer diagnosis and therapy.
928-P: Psychosocial Factors in Diabetes-Specific Risk Taking among Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes

Background: Diabetes-specific risk taking (DSRT) refers to unhealthy, risky behaviors that put someone with diabetes at increased risk for suboptimal health outcomes (e.g., drinking alcohol with others who are unaware you have T1D). DSRT is associated with less engagement in T1D management and higher HbA1c. This study set out to determine if lower levels of parental involvement in T1D care and higher levels of diabetes distress, also associated with less optimal T1D outcomes, were associated with DSRT among adolescents with T1D. Methods: Participants were 104 adolescents with T1D (Mage = 13.50 years, SDage = 1.69 years, 53.8% female, MHbA1c = 8.74%, SDHbA1c = 1.24%) who enrolled with their caregivers in a randomized controlled trial integrating psychologists and dietitians into T1D care visits (35% enrollment). Adolescents completed baseline measures of parental involvement, diabetes distress, and DSRT; caregivers reported demographics; and HbA1c was collected from the electronic medical record. Hierarchical linear regression was used to examine whether parental involvement and diabetes distress predicted DSRT after controlling for participants’ sex, race, ethnicity and HbA1c. Results: The full model was statistically significant and accounted for 29.7% of the variance in diabetes-specific risk taking (F(2, 91)= 19.1, p Conclusions: Adolescents with more diabetes distress and less collaborative parental involvement in T1D management reported more diabetes-specific risk taking. While causality cannot be asserted, these results can inform targeted behavioral interventions to help youth who are more likely to take risks in their T1D care. Future research should consider other factors contributing to diabetes-specific risk taking. Disclosure C. Thomas: None. T. Wysocki: None. M. A. Alderfer: None. P. Enlow: None. R. M. Wasserman: None. A. Milkes: None. J. Pierce: None. S. Gurnurkar: None. M. Carakushansky: None. D. A. Doyle: None. J. S. Pendley: None. Funding National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DP3DK113235)
The Importance of Making Assumptions in Bias Analysis.

Quantitative bias analyses allow researchers to adjust for uncontrolled confounding, given specification of certain bias parameters. When researchers are concerned about unknown confounders, plausible values for these bias parameters will be difficult to specify. Ding and VanderWeele developed bounding factor and E-value approaches that require the user to specify only some of the bias parameters. We describe the mathematical meaning of bounding factors and E-values as well as the plausibility of these methods in an applied context. We encourage researchers to pay particular attention to the assumption made, when using E-values, that the prevalence of the uncontrolled confounder among the exposed is 100% (or, equivalently, the prevalence of the exposure among those without the confounder is 0%). We contrast methods that attempt to bound biases or effects and alternative approaches such as quantitative bias analysis. We provide an example where failure to make this distinction led to erroneous statements. If the primary concern in an analysis is with known but unmeasured potential confounders, then E-values are not needed and may be misleading. In cases where the concern is with unknown confounders, the E-value assumption of an extreme possible prevalence of the confounder limits its practical utility.
Rates and timing of short-term complications following operative treatment of tibial shaft fractures.

Introduction Tibial shaft fractures are a relatively common injury in orthopaedic surgery, with management options including intramedullary nail (IMN) fixation or open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) with plate osteosynthesis. Using a large national database, we sought to compare the prevalence and timing of short-term complications following either IMN or ORIF for tibial shaft fractures. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program was used to identify patients undergoing IMN or ORIF for the treatment of tibial shaft fracture between 2012 and 2018. Multivariate Poisson hurdle regression models were utilized to determine predictors of postoperative complications as well as the timing of postoperative complications. Results A total of 4963 tibial shaft fracture were identified, with 3601 patients undergoing IMN (72.6%) and 1362 undergoing ORIF (27.4%). Patients undergoing IMN had a lower mean age of 48.8 compared with 53.9 for plate osteosynthesis (P < .001). IMN patients were also more likely to be male (53.5%) compared with ORIF patients (44.2%, P < .001). In multivariate analysis, ORIF patients were significantly more likely to experience surgical site complications, including dehiscence, superficial, and deep infections (OR 2.04, P = .003). There was no difference in probability of VTE between constructs; however, patients who underwent ORIF were diagnosed with VTE earlier than those who underwent IMN (relative rate 0.50, P < .001). There was no difference between ORIF and IMN with regard to probability or timing of subsequent blood transfusion, major complications, or return to the operating room. Many patient factors, such as higher American Society of Anesthesiologists score, congestive heart failure, and hypertension, were independently associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications. Conclusions Postoperative complications within 30 days are common after the surgical treatment of tibial shaft fractures. The risk of developing specific complications and the timing of these complications vary depending on numerous factors, including potentially modifiable risk factors such as the method of fixation or operative time, as well as nonmodifiable risk factors such as medical comorbidities.
Genome-wide identification of novel sRNAs in Streptococcus mutans

Streptococcus mutans is a major pathobiont involved in the development of dental caries. Its ability to utilize numerous sugars and to effectively respond to environmental stress promotes S. mutans proliferation in oral biofilms. Because of their quick action and low energetic cost, non-coding small RNAs (sRNAs) represent an ideal mode of gene regulation in stress response networks, yet their roles in oral pathogens have remained largely unexplored. We identified 15 novel sRNAs in S. mutans and show that they respond to four stress-inducing conditions commonly encountered by the pathogen in human mouth: sugar-phosphate stress, hydrogen peroxide exposure, high temperature, and low pH. To better understand the role of sRNAs in S. mutans, we further explored the function of the novel sRNA, SmsR4. Our data demonstrate that SmsR4 regulates the EIIA component of the sorbitol phosphotransferase system, which transports and phosphorylates the sugar alcohol sorbitol. The fine-tuning of EIIA availability by SmsR4 likely promotes S. mutans growth while using sorbitol as the main carbon source. Our work lays a foundation for understanding the role of sRNAs in regulating gene expression in stress response networks in S. mutans and highlights the importance of the underexplored phenomenon of posttranscriptional gene regulation in oral bacteria. IMPORTANCESmall RNAs (sRNAs) are important gene regulators in bacteria, but the identities and functions of sRNAs in Streptococcus mutans, the principal bacterium involved in the formation of dental caries, are unknown. In this study, we identified 15 putative sRNAs in S. mutans and show that they respond to four common stress-inducing conditions present in human mouth: sugar-phosphate stress, hydrogen peroxide exposure, high temperature, and low pH. We further show that the novel sRNA SmsR4 likely modulates sorbitol transport into the cell by regulating SMU_313 mRNA, which encodes the EIIA subunit of the sorbitol phosphotransferase system. Gaining a better understanding of sRNA-based gene regulation may provide new opportunities to develop specific inhibitors of S. mutans growth, thereby improving oral health.
How Gender Discourses Hijack Couple Therapy—and How to Avoid It

This chapter is a result of our academic research pursuits intersecting with our own personal growth processes as family therapists. We share our own journeys in moving toward seeing how gender discourses, in the context of two dominant societal narratives, inform all of us—therapists, as well as female and male clients—about what we perceive as acceptable ways of thinking, feeling, and acting in intimate relationships. We discuss our grounded theory research study of 23 couple therapy sessions and the dominant gender discourses we discovered. We found three dominant gender discourses: Men should be the authority, women should be responsible for relationships, and women should protect men from shame. These discourses were pervasive and their presence very much impacted the progression of therapy and contributed to power inequalities between partners. We were surprised by how therapists unintentionally reinforced these discourses, though there were a few examples of therapists attempting to challenge discourses. As we have grown in our own consciousness about how we as therapists can perpetuate relational inequalities, we suggest practical applications for how clinicians, supervisors, and teachers can prevent gender discourses from hijacking couple therapy and help move relationships toward mutual support and equality.
Pharmacist's role in home i.v. therapy

The pharmacist's role in home i.v. therapy is described, and its relationship to the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act is discussed. Congress, in enacting the catastrophic coverage act, has recognized the need for pharmaceutical services in the provision of home i.v. therapy. Pharmacists must recognize their responsibilities in providing these services. These responsibilities include ensuring the quality of drug therapy, monitoring patient progress, advocating cost-effective therapy, and communicating with local health-care providers. Pharmacists should also educate hospital administrators about the effects of the act, suggest how the hospital can best provide home i.v. therapy, assume responsibility for overseeing the home i.v. therapy process, and help ensure compliance with the interpretive regulations of the act. Other responsibilities of pharmacists include educating potential beneficiaries about the need to pay the coinsurance and premiums for catastrophic coverage and advocating home i.v. therapy as a reasonable alternative to hospitalization. Pharmacists should become familiar with the Standards for the Accreditation of Home Care adopted by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations because these standards may be considered when the conditions for provider participation are established by the Department of Health and Human Services. The home i.v. therapy provision of the catastrophic coverage act presents challenges for pharmacists. Appropriate pharmacist involvement should help reduce costs and ensure optimal health care.
Recent Tevatron Searches

Here I present some recent results of the D0 and CDF collaborations on Large Extra Dimensions, Z', and SUSY searches. The experiments examine events produced by proton-antiproton collisions, with an integrated luminosity of approximately 200 events/pb per experiment. Unfortunately, despite careful searches, no new signals of physics beyond the standard model were observed. Therefore, I present the limits derived from the observations
Asset Allocation Implications of the Global Volatility Premium

The authors examined the role of volatility premiums in institutional investment portfolios. They began by defining and calculating standardized returns to volatility exposure for a variety of global asset markets. They found that shorting volatility offers not only a very high and statistically significant Sharpe ratio of approximately 1.0 but also substantial tail risk. Although classic diversification benefits are limited, the authors show that modest allocations to short volatility exposure could have enhanced long-term returns, in one case increasing the portfolio’s combined Sharpe ratio by 12%.
The effects of high level injection on the performance of high intensity, high efficiency silicon solar cells

SCAP2D, a two-dimensional numerical code for silicon solar cells, was used to explore the mechanisms controlling performance in high-efficiency cells, focusing on the point contact cell for which record efficiencies have been reported. It is demonstrated that accurate predictions of the intensity dependence of the short circuit current and open-circuit voltage of these cells can be obtained by the inclusion of free-carrier bandgap narrowing in the base and the reduction of the minority-carrier mobility in the base to approximately one-half the conventional value of D.M. Caughy and R.E. Thomas (1977). In addition, the value for the ambipolar Auger coefficient obtained by J. Dziewior and W. Schmid (1977) is retained, despite measurements which suggest it may be a factor of four larger. Bandgap narrowing due to high-injection conditions in the base may be another important limiting factor in silicon solar cells. >
Inductive Selectivity in Children's Cross-Classified Concepts.

Cross-classified items pose an interesting challenge to children’s induction as these items belong to many different categories, each of which may serve as a basis for a different type of inference. Inductive selectivity is the ability to appropriately make different types of inferences about a single cross-classifiable item based on its different category memberships. This research includes 5 experiments that examine the development of inductive selectivity in 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds (n = 272). Overall, the results show that by age 4, children have inductive selectivity with taxonomic and script categories. That is, children use taxonomic categories to make biochemical inferences about an item whereas script categories to make situational inferences about an item.
Perception is truth: How U.S. newspapers framed the “Go Green” conflict between BP and Greenpeace

Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the dynamics of a 10-year conflict between BP and Greenpeace in the framework of the environmental crisis. A qualitative framing analysis of newspaper content was employed to explain how the two organizations were framed in U.S. news reports. A discussion of six dominant frames and attributes that emerged from the sample under study is included, and an assessment of assigned accountability is provided.
Structural changes and impairment of function associated with freezing and thawing in muscle, nerve, and leucocytes

Abstract In some tissues, especially of skeletal muscle, leucocytes, and peripheral nerves, the effects of freezing to low temperatures, e.g., −78 or −150 °C, and thawing have been a total loss of function and a severe cellular structural disturbance. In the case of muscle, the fibers are converted during thawing into a highly condensed form, called thaw-rigor, in which the individual sarcomeres are shortened beyond a supercontracted state. This effect must be avoided if muscle is to be frozen and stored successfully. Leucocytes and especially the neutrophils are seriously affected by exposure to low temperature. The result is a general swelling of the cell and of its nucleus which is suggestive of damage to the membranes of the cell. Rat cutaneous nerves frozen and exposed to temperature below −15 °C showed after thawing a general disturbance of the myelin involving rupture and separaration of the lamellae. In the axoplasm the neurofilaments and neurotuabules are converted into small aggregates and the mitochondria appear to be swollen. Nerves frozen at −5 and some at −10 °C showed little change in structure, the myelin and axoplasm exhibiting a normal appearance. A check on viability by excitation from an electric stimulus indicated survival after exposure to −5 and in a few cases to −10 °C. A study of freeze substituted preparations established the presence of intracellular ice when the tissues were frozen rapidly to temperatures below −15 °C. Preliminary investigation of the effect of cryoprotective agents, glycerol and dimethyl sulfoxide, on cutaneous nerves shows in electron micrographs that the axoplasm and the Schwann cell cytoplasm are shrunken during direct exposure to 15% solutions.
The asymptotic normality of a simple batch epidemic process

Abstract A group of n susceptible individuals exposed to a contagious disease isconsidered. It is assumed that at each point in time one or more susceptible individuals can contract the disease. The progress of this simple batch epidemic is modeled by a stochastic process Xn(t), t∈[0, ∞), representing the number of infectiveindividuals at time t. In this paper our analysis is restricted to simple batch epidemics with transition rates given by [α 2 X n (t){n −X n (t) +X n (0)}] 1 2 , t∈[0, ∞), α∈(0, ∞) . This class of simple batch epidemics generalizes a model used and motivated by McNeil (1972) to describe simple epidemic situations. It is shown for this class of simple batch epidemics, that Xn(t), with suitable standardization, converges in distribution as n→∞ to a normal random variable for all t∈(0, t0), and t0 is evaluated.
Grain size dependence of scratch-induced damage in alumina ceramics

Variable depth single and double scratch experiments were conducted on alumina ceramics of three distinct grain sizes. Utilizing laser profilometry, SEM, and force transducers, an in-depth analysis of volume of material removed, microstructural damage features, and applied force, respectively, was performed as a function of grain size. In single scratches, for a given depth of cut the extent of lateral cracking and material removal volume increased with grain size. In interacting double scratches, a critical separation distance was observed where the extent of damage reached a maximum. For all three grain sizes, the volume of material removed at this critical separation distance reached four times the volume removed by a single scratch. This critical separation distance decreased with decreasing grain size. It was also noticed that the force required to create the second scratch in the vicinity of the first scratch reduced considerably depending on the separation distance. These results are rationalized on the basis of material properties and inherent flaw size. Intergranular fracture and grain dislodgement were found to be the dominant modes of lateral crack propagation.
A Dynamic Decision Model Applied to Hurricane Landfall

Abstract The decision to prepare for an oncoming hurricane is typically framed as a static cost:loss problem, based on a strike-probability forecast. The value of waiting for updated forecasts is therefore neglected. In this paper, the problem is reframed as a sequence of interrelated decisions that more accurately represents the situation faced by a decision maker monitoring an evolving tropical cyclone. A key feature of the decision model is that the decision maker explicitly anticipates and plans for future forecasts whose accuracy improves as lead time declines. A discrete Markov model of hurricane travel is derived from historical tropical cyclone tracks and combined with the dynamic decision model to estimate the additional value that can be extracted from existing forecasts by anticipating updated forecasts, rather than incurring an irreversible preparation cost based on the instantaneous strike probability. The value of anticipating forecasts depends on the specific alternatives and cost profile o...
A Simple Model of an International Lender of Last Resort

This paper develops a simple model of an international lender of last resort (ILOLR). The world economy consists of many open economies, each with a banking system and a central bank operating under a pegged exchange rate regime. The fragility of the banking system and the limited ability of a domestic central bank to provide international liquidity together can cause currency and banking crises. An international interbank market can help an economy with the needed international liquidity, but with potential costs of international financial contagion. An ILOLR can play a useful role in providing international liquidity and reducing international contagion.
Aminothienopyridazines as imaging probes of tau pathology: a patent evaluation of WO2013090497

Small-molecule ligands, amenable to positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of different types of neurodegenerative disease-associated amyloid deposits in the CNS of living patients, hold considerable promise for diagnostic purposes, as well as for monitoring disease progression and the effectiveness of treatments. The patent entitled ‘Heterocyclic Compounds as Imaging Probes of Tau Pathology' (WO2013090497) discloses the identification of a novel class of tau imaging agents, the aminothienopyridazines. Selected compounds from this class are described that can stain selectively tau pathology in brain tissue sections. Moreover, examples of this class of compounds exhibit absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and pharmacokinetics (ADME-PK) properties that are appropriate for CNS PET ligands.
Managing the Short-Term Interest Rate Exposure Inherent in Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loans

This paper develops a model for determining the level of, and changes over time in, the short-term interest rate exposure contained in adjustable rate mortgage loans (ARMs). Results of the study indicate that movements in the underlying adjustment index can create both upward-movement or downward-movement interest rate risk for lenders whose ARMs carry rate adjustment limits. The model presented here is useful for designing hedging strategies for ARM loans, and for analyzing the impact of new originations on the interest rate exposure of the ARM portfolio.
Rewiring cell signaling: the logic and plasticity of eukaryotic protein circuitry

Living cells rival computers in their ability to process external information and make complex behavioral decisions. Many of these decisions are made by networks of interacting signaling proteins. Ongoing structural, biochemical and cell-based studies have begun to reveal several common principles by which protein components are used to specifically transmit and process information. Recent engineering studies demonstrate that these relatively simple principles can be used to rewire signaling behavior in a process that mimics the evolution of new phenotypic responses.
Germination and seedling establishment of two native and one invading African grass species in the Brazilian cerrado

Introduced either accidentally or purposefully for the creation of cultivated pastures, African grasses are becoming major invaders of ecological reserves and national parks of the Brazilian savannas, the cerrado. African grasses are particularly good colonizers of disturbed sites. Germination in the field and laboratory, and seedling establishment in the field were studied for the African species Andropogon gayanus Kunth var. bisquamulatus (Hochst.) Hack., and for the native species Echinolaena infltxa (Poiret) Chase and Schizachyrium tenerum Nees. The African species had a higher and faster germination rate than the two native species, but its seedling mortality was higher. The main cause of seedling mortality in the field was herbivory by ants. It is suggested that the invasion of cerrado by African grasses depends on the kind of management being practised.
Silicon interaction with low-electronegativity metals: Interdiffusion and reaction at the Ca/Si(111) interface.

We present the first photoemission study of reactions which occur at an alkali-earth--silicon interface. Room-temperature results indicate extensive atomic interdiffusion with substantial ionic bonding. Analysis of the Si 2p core line shape, the Ca 3p core levels, the many-body losses, and the valence bands shows that the first reaction product (1< or =THETA< or =12 A) corresponds to a weakly metallic Ca-Si phase. A second component is Ca-rich but has Si present in two different bonding configurations. Core line-shape analysis facilitates evaluation of interface atomic concentrations and discussions of morphology.
Abstract 3578: A novel and selective 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 inhibitor, PF-5177624, blocks insulin-like growth factor-1 induced tumorigenesis in breast cancer cells

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3Ks) phosphorylate membrane phosphatidylinositides to generate phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate (PIP3); PIP3 serves as an important secondary messenger recruiting and activating proteins that contain a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain including AKT and 3’-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1). PDK1 is a 63-kDa Ser/Thr kinase with a catalytic domain near its N-terminus and a pleckstrin homology domain at its C-terminus. The PH domain is necessary for targeting PDK1 to the plasma membrane to phosphroylate the T-loop sites of numerous substrates such as AKT at the residue threonine-308 (T308). The phosphorylation at both T308 and the serine-473 residue by mTORC2, fully activates AKT to induce the downstream signaling pathways that are important for tumor progression. PDK1 also has been shown to phosphorylate p70S6K, isoforms of PKCs, and many other kinase substrates. The oncogenic activity of aberrant PI3K pathway signaling through PDK1 has been extensively validated. PDK1 is highly expressed in a majority of human breast cancers and cell lines, and elevated phosphorylation of PDK1 was associated with PIK3CA mutations in human breast tumors and cell lines. Therefore, targeting PDK1 in the PI3K/AKT pathway may provide an opportunity for breast cancer treatment. In this study, we demonstrate that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) stimulates PDK1 activity and a specific and potent PDK1 inhibitor, PF-5177624, inhibits IGF-1 stimulated downstream signaling in breast cancer cells, including a reduction in phosphorylation of both AKT (T308) and p70S6K. The inhibition of PDK1 activity through the IGF-1 axis is sufficient to induce in vitro anti-tumor activity in breast cancer cells such that PF-5177624 inhibits cell proliferation and cell transformation in breast cancer cells. Our data suggest that a specific and potent PDK1 inhibitor (PF-5177624) is likely to have antitumor activity in breast cancer cells and can be developed as a cancer drug for breast cancer patients. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3578. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3578
Simple games: An outline of the descriptive theory

In parliamentary bodies coalitions turn out to be either all-powerful or ineffectual. Conflicts which have such outcomes have been called simple games. This paper outlines their theoretical structure, sketching out their application to the United States Congress, the United Nations Security Council, or any other such body in which the acquisition of power is the payoff.
Development of a Targeted Polymorph Screening Approach for a Complex Polymorphic and Highly Solvating API

Elucidation of the most stable form of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) is a critical step in the development process. Polymorph screening for an API with a complex polymorphic profile can present a significant challenge. The presented case illustrates an extensively polymorphic compound with an additional propensity for forming stable solvates. In all, 5 anhydrous forms and 66 solvated forms have been discovered. After early polymorph screening using common techniques yielded mostly solvates and failed to uncover several key anhydrous forms, it became necessary to devise new approaches based on an advanced understanding of crystal structure and conformational relationships between forms. With the aid of this analysis, two screening approaches were devised which targeted high-temperature desolvation as a means to increase conformational populations and enhance overall probability of anhydrous form production. Application of these targeted approaches, comprising over 100 experiments, produced only the known anhydrous forms, without appearance of any new forms. The development of these screens was a critical and alternative approach to circumvent solvation issues associated with more conventional screening methods. The results provided confidence that the current development form was the most stable polymorph, with a low likelihood for the existence of a more-stable anhydrous form.
Studies into the generation and Diels–Alder reactions of 7,8-quinolyne with furan dienes

Reaction of an appropriate ortho-halo tosylate precursor with organolithium reagents provides the first conclusive route to the intermediate, 7,8-quinolyne. The transient existence of this hetaryne was confirmed by Diels–Alder reactions with furan derivatives that provide endoxide adducts. Chemical induced rearrangement of these adducts allows entry to key compounds of 10-hydroxy[h]benzoquinoline and its 7-substituted derivatives in modest yields.
A semiclassical adiabatic calculation of state densities for molecules exhibiting torsion: application to hydrogen peroxide and its isotopomers

A practical computational method is discussed for obtaining the rotational–vibrational molecular state densities of molecules with large amplitude torsional degrees of freedom (DoFs). This method goes beyond the traditional harmonic oscillator/rigid rotor or separable hindered rotor approximations in that it includes coupling between the torsion, the remaining vibrational modes, and the overall rotation. The method is based on the vibrationally adiabatic approximation whereby the torsional motion is assumed to be slow compared to the remaining vibrational DoFs although the nonseparability may be large. The torsional coordinate therefore parameterizes the rotational constants and the effective vibrational potential. A semiclassical method is then introduced to calculate the total state density in which the torsion is treated classically while the remaining coordinates are treated quantum mechanically. The method is also formulated for reactive problems in which the density of states is parameterized by a second large amplitude degree of freedom, the reaction coordinate. The performance of the method is assessed using the dissociation reaction of the hydrogen peroxide molecule and its isotopomers. It is found that the method performs well based on numerical tests. The torsional nonseparability is found to yield errors of factors of 2–3 in the statistical rate coeffi cient when compared with results of traditional separable models.
Autoimmune status epilepticus.

Autoimmune status epilepticus is a rare condition but one that has been increasingly recognized by neurologists and clinicians in the intensive care unit. As more cases are described in the literature and more antibody tests become commercially available, diagnosis is now feasible; however, early diagnosis remains a challenge. For practical purposes, status epilepticus may be considered as possibly autoimmune if it is refractory to anticonvulsant treatment and there is no other known cause; this may then lead to empiric immunomodulatory therapy. Major factors that raise the index of suspicion are recent cognitive or behavioral alterations, a history of malignancy or tumor, or presence of other neurological features. There is a lack of high level evidence in the literature for treatment of status epilepticus, and almost none for autoimmune encephalitis. Patients with autoimmune status epilepticus may be treated with immunomodulatory therapy, including steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), plasmapheresis (PLEX), and other immunosuppressive agents while maximizing their anticonvulsant therapy. For some patients, resective surgery may be necessary, such as hemispherectomy for Rasmussen’s encephalopathy. In the case of status epilepticus due to paraneoplastic autoantibodies, urgent and aggressive testing and treatment of a primary malignancy is needed. Importantly, any suspicion of autoimmune mediated status epilepticus should prompt the transfer of the patient to a specialized center with experience in refractory status epilepticus whenever possible.
The development of the sense of time in the young child.

(1946). The Development of the Sense of Time in the Young Child. The Pedagogical Seminary and Journal of Genetic Psychology: Vol. 68, No. 1, pp. 97-125.
Compressibilities for helium at temperatures from 70 to 120°K and pressures to 690 atm

Method, apparatus, and experimental results are presented from an investigation which is part of a major study of the low temperature compressibilities of pure gases.