cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Including Food 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in Intake Estimates May Reduce the Discrepancy between Dietary and Serum Measures of Vitamin D Status

The discrepancy between the commonly used vitamin D status measures-intake and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations--has been perplexing. Sun exposure increases serum 25(OH)D concentrations and is often used as an explanation for the higher population-based serum concentrations in the face of apparently low vitamin D intake. However, sun exposure may not be the total explanation. 25(OH)D, a metabolite of vitamin D, is known to be present in animal-based foods. It has been measured and reported only sporadically and is not currently factored into U.S. estimates of vitamin D intake. Previously unavailable preliminary USDA data specifying the 25(OH)D content of a subset of foods allowed exploration of the potential change in the reported overall vitamin D content of foods when the presence of 25(OH)D was included. The issue of 25(OH)D potency was addressed, and available commodity intake estimates were used to outline trends in projected vitamin D intake when 25(OH)D in foods was taken into account. Given the data available, there were notable increases in the total vitamin D content of a number of animal-based foods when potency-adjusted 25(OH)D was included, and in turn there was a potentially meaningful increase (1.7-2.9 μg or 15-30% of average requirement) in vitamin D intake estimates. The apparent increase could reduce discrepancies between intake estimates and serum 25(OH)D concentrations. The relevance to dietary interventions is discussed, and the need for continued exploration regarding 25(OH)D measurement is highlighted.
Suprascapular nerve anatomy during shoulder motion: a cadaveric proof of concept study with implications for neurogenic shoulder pain.

Background The suprascapular nerve (SSN) carries sensory fibers which may contribute to shoulder pain. Prior anatomic study demonstrated that alteration in SSN course with simulated rotator cuff tendon (RCT) tears cause tethering and potential traction injury to the nerve at the suprascapular notch. Because the SSN has been implicated as a major source of pain with RCT tearing, it is critical to understand nerve anatomy during shoulder motion. We hypothesized that we could evaluate the SSN course with a novel technique to evaluate effects of simulated RCT tears, repair, and/or release of the nerve. Methods The course of the SSN was tracked with a dual fluoroscopic imaging system in a cadaveric model with simulated rotator cuff muscle forces during dynamic shoulder motion. Results After a simulated full-thickness supraspinatus/infraspinatus tendon tear, the SSN translated medially 3.5 mm at the spinoglenoid notch compared to the anatomic SSN course. Anatomic footprint repair of these tendons restored the SSN course to normal. Open release of the transverse scapular ligament caused the SSN to move 2.5 mm superior-posterior out of the suprascapular notch. Conclusion This pilot study demonstrated that the dynamic SSN course can be evaluated and may be altered by a RCT tear. Preliminary results suggest release of the transverse scapular ligament allowed the SSN to move upward out of the notch. This provides a biomechanical proof of concept that SSN traction neuropathy may occur with RCT tears and that release of the transverse scapular ligament may alleviate this by altering the course of the nerve.
Beating in-order stalls with "flea-flicker" two-pass pipelining

Accommodating the uncertain latency of load instructions is one of the most vexing problems in in-order microarchitecture design and compiler development. Compilers can generate schedules with a high degree of instruction-level parallelism but cannot effectively accommodate unanticipated latencies; incorporating traditional out-of-order execution into the microarchitecture hides some of this latency but redundantly performs work done by the compiler and adds additional pipeline stages. Although effective techniques, such as prefetching and threading, have been proposed to deal with anticipable, long latency misses, the shorter, more diffuse stalls due to difficult-to-anticipate, first- or second-level misses are less easily hidden on in-order architectures. This paper addresses this problem by proposing a microarchitectural technique, referred to as two-pass pipelining, wherein the program executes on two in-order back-end pipelines coupled by a queue. The "advance" pipeline executes instructions greedily, without stalling on unanticipated latency dependences (executing independent instructions while otherwise blocking instructions are deferred). The "backup" pipeline allows concurrent resolution of instructions that were deferred in the other pipeline, resulting in the absorption of shorter misses and the overlap of longer ones. This paper argues that this design is both achievable and a good use of transistor resources and shows results indicating that it can deliver significant speedups for in-order processor designs.
An authoring technology for multidevice Web applications

The rapid proliferation of mobile computing devices has increased the complexity and cost of cross-platform application development. Multidevice authoring technology (MDAT) lets developers build a generic application common to multiple devices and customize it for specific devices. We developed MDAT an end-to-end development methodology and toolset, to reduce the complexity of creating interactive, form-based Web applications that execute on heterogeneous devices. Web application refers to conventional, servlet-based Web applications as well as portlet applications. A portlet is a Web application component that a Web portal server aggregates with other portlets.
B1 and T1 mapping of the breast with a reference tissue method.

Purpose To develop a method for mapping the B1 field using a reference signal from a tissue with known T1. Methods Flip angle correction factors were calculated in a region with a known “gold standard” T1; by comparing T1 values from a variable flip angle (VFA) sequence to the “gold standard” and correcting the value of the Ernst angle. The resulting partial B1 map was interpolated for all other regions. In the breast, fat is an ideal reference tissue because its T1 is spatially homogeneous and interpatient variability is low. This method was tested with scans of phantoms and patients (n = 4) on a 3T magnet. The performance of the method was evaluated by comparing the results of VFA T1 mapping with and without B1 correction to inversion recovery (IR) T1 maps. Results Phantom data determined that a linear inverse distance weighted interpolation accurately recovered the full B1 map. Use of interpolated maps to correct the VFA data in vivo, reduced the average difference in the T1 of parenchyma between VFA and IR results from 58% to 8%. Conclusion This proof-of-principle study showed that it is possible to recover a full and accurate map of the B1 field in the breast by using a reference tissue (fat) with an accurately measured T1. Magn Reson Med, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The process of reinnervation in the dentate gyrus of adult rats: time course of increases in mRNA for glial fibrillary acidic protein

The present study evaluates the time course of increased expression of the mRNA for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) within the dentate gyrus and hippocampus after unilateral lesions of the entorhinal cortex. Levels of GFAP mRNA were evaluated by dot blot hybridization of mRNA isolated from the hippocampus and quantitative in situ hybridization. For dot blot hybridization, RNA was isolated from pooled hippocampi obtained from animals killed at 12 hr, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 14, and 30 d postlesion. A separate set of animals killed at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 32 d were prepared for in situ hybridization. The dot blot analyses of mRNA isolated from the hippocampus revealed that on the side ipsilateral to the lesion, the levels of GFAP mRNA increased rapidly, reaching a peak at 2 d postlesion. The increases were not evident by 12 hr postlesion, but by 24 hr, levels of GFAP mRNA were 5-fold higher than control, and by 48 hr, the levels were over 6-fold higher than control. The levels of GFAP mRNA decreased after 2 d postlesion. At 4 and 6 d postlesion the levels were about 2-fold higher than control. At later postlesion intervals, mRNA levels were comparable to the control. At 2 d postlesion, the levels of GFAP mRNA were also increased about 2-fold over control levels on the contralateral side. After 2 d, the levels of GFAP mRNA on the contralateral side were comparable to the control. In situ hybridization revealed a complex pattern of changes in the levels of GFAP. At 2 d postlesion, the levels of GFAP mRNA increased dramatically throughout the hippocampus bilaterally. The increases were most pronounced in the denervated portions of the neuropil; however, the levels of GFAP mRNA were also substantially elevated in laminae that do not receive direct projections from the entorhinal cortex. GFAP mRNA levels were also increased in other areas that receive projections from the entorhinal cortex, including the septum, lateral-dorsal thalamus, and entorhinal cortex contralateral to the lesion. In addition, GFAP mRNA levels were increased in regions bordering the ventricles throughout the brain, and over the surface of the tectum. After 2 d postlesion, the increases in the levels of GFAP mRNA were for the most part restricted to areas containing terminal degeneration. The generalized increases throughout the hippocampus were no longer apparent. Areas bordering the ventricles continued to exhibit higher labeling than in control animals, but this effect was not as prominent as at 2 d postlesion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Uranyl triazolate formation via an in situ Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction

A two dimensional UO22+ coordination polymer, (UO2)3(C10H5N3O4)2(OH)2(H2O)2, has been synthesized under solvothermal conditions. The triazolate ligand, 1-(4-carboxyphenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxylic acid (CPTAZ) has been generated via a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 4-azidobenzoic acid and propiolic acid. Reactions of the UO22+ cation with both the in situ generated triazolate ligand and the presynthesized ligand have been explored. The structure, fluorescent and thermal behaviour of this material are presented, as is a discussion of the utility of in situ ligand formation versus direct assembly.
A story of microalbuminuria and diabetic nephropathy.

Context: It is estimated that more than 346 million people worldwide have diabetes mellitus . By the year 2030, it is predicted that diabetes will become the seventh leading cause of death in the world. Development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with diabetes adds significantly to the morbidity and mortality and significantly increases health care costs, even before the development of end stage renal disease (ESRD). Evidence acquisitions: Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Google Scholar, Pubmed (NLM), LISTA (EBSCO) and Web of Science have been searched. Results: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is increasing rapidly worldwide. It is the leading cause of new cases of ESRD in the USA. Interestingly, although DN is the most common cause of ESRD in diabetic patients, diabetes mellitus is also an independent and strong risk factor for ESRD ascribed to causes other than DN (e.g. hypertensive nephropathy). Conclusions: It is important to be aware of the pitfalls of using the urine albumin level in predicting development and progression of diabetic nephropathy in order to treat and advise the patients accurately. Research into finding new markers is rapidly evolving but current progress makes it likely we will be using the urine albumin level for some years into the future. Review Article
ZOBELE CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES: THE EVOLUTION OF A FAMILY COMPANY FROM FLYPAPER TO GLOBALIZATION (1919-2001)

Abstract The Zobele, located in Trento, Northern Italy, was founded in 1919 by Enrico Zobele Sr., who became famous when he invented his first “killer product” in 1930—flypaper. After the Second World War, the bombed-out factory was rebuilt by his sons, Luigi and Fulvio, who introduced new products for home hygiene and home care. The company globalized under the joint leaderships of Chief Executive Enrico Jr., son of Luigi, and Franco and Giovanni, sons of Fulvio. In 2001, Zobele Chemical Industries reported sales of US$75 million with profits of US$5.1 million. The company had 700 employees, factories in Italy, Spain, Brazil, Paraguay, India, Hong Kong, Mexico, and Malaysia with continuing expansions in Italy and China. This is a case study of the Zobele family and Zobele Chemical Industries, their past history, and present status. It centers on the challenges they face in ensuring global leadership in their served market niches, while maintaining the continuity of family ownership and control. This case presents the practical implications for family enterprises in their attempts to meet the challenges of a globalized marketplace.
Large changes in the population of cell wall proteins accompany the shift to cell elongation

The expression patterns of cell wall proteins in mung bean hypocotyls both before and during cell elongation have been investigated. The results suggest two clear conclusions. First, it is shown that there is a large population of cell wall-specific proteins (at least 20 abundant ones and perhaps as many as 250 minor ones) detectable on 2-D gels. Second, of these proteins more than half differ markedly in their levels of expression between non-elongating or elongating cells in the hypocotyl tissue. Some are up-regulated while others are down-regulated. Various controls ensure that cytosolic contamination is minimal and that the changes seen represent real switches in cell wall protein expression. The results indicate that this approach provides a sound strategy for the future identification and characterization of cell wall proteins specifically associated with cell elongation.
Which Came First, it or Productivity? Virtuous Cycle of Investment and Use in Enterprise Systems

While it is now well established that IT intensive firms are more productive, a critical question remains: Does IT cause productivity or are productive firms simply willing to spend more on IT? We address this question by examining the productivity and performance effects of enterprise systems investments in a uniquely detailed and comprehensive data set of 623 large, public U.S firms. The data represent all U.S. customers of a large vendor during 1998-2005 and include the vendor's three main enterprise system suites: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM), and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). A particular benefit of our data is that they distinguish the purchase of enterprise systems from their installation and use. Since enterprise systems often take years to implement, firm performance at the time of purchase often differs markedly from performance after the systems go live. Specifically, in our ERP data, we find that purchase events are uncorrelated with performance while go-live events are positively correlated. This indicates that the use of ERP systems actually causes performance gains rather than strong performance driving the purchase of ERP. In contrast, for SCM and CRM, we find that performance is correlated with both purchase and go-live events. Because SCM and CRM are installed after ERP, these results imply that firms that experience performance gains from ERP go on to purchase SCM and CRM. Our results are robust against several alternative explanations and specifications and suggest that a causal relationship between ERP and performance triggers additional IT adoption in firms that derive value from their initial investment. These results provide an explanation of simultaneity in IT value research that fits with rational economic decision-making: Firms that successfully implement IT, react by investing in more IT. Our work suggests replacing either-or views of causality with a positive feedback loop conceptualization in which successful IT investments initiate a virtuous cycle of investment and gain. Our work also reveals other important estimation issues that can help researchers identify relationships between IT and business value.
Central nervous system antigen (NS-5) and its presence during murine ontogenesis.

An antiserum raised by immunization of C3H.SW/Sn mice with cerebellum from 4-day-old C57BL/6J mice recognizes a cell surface component(s) [NS-5] present in different degrees on various parts of the mouse central nervous system. When analyzed by an antiserum-and complement-mediated cell cytotoxicity test and by the ability of various tissues to absorb anti-NS-5 antiserum activity, the antigen(s) was detectable on cerebellum, retina, olfactory bulb, cortex, basal ganglia, and medulla, but not on nonneural tissues with the exception of mature spermatozoa and 4-day-old kidney. The antigen(s) detected by the anti-NS-5 antiserum was found in similar quantities on young and adult rat and mouse cerebellum; however, it was not detectable on any of 16 clonal cell lines derived from the rat central nervous system. During preimplantation stages of murine development, the antigen could be detected on all cells of (2–4)-cell and (8–16)-cell stages and on the trophoblastic cells of blastocysts by indirect immunoflourescence. Embryos on day 9 of gestation, the earliest stage tested after implantation, expressed the antigen(s), but expression was restricted to the nervous system.
Role of neuraxial steroids in interventional pain management

The clinical introduction of cortisone in 1949 revolutionized medical care of patients with a host of diseases. Soon after that, the first use of steroids in epidural injections was described in 1952 and 1953. A variety of corticosteroid agents (hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, triamcinolone, betamethasone) have been applied neuraxially to treat spinal pain and other types of painful conditions. The utilization of neuraxial steroids had its empirical beginning in the 1950s and 60's. When steroid administration seemingly was effective for management of low back pain and sciatica, the concept was adapted for other types of neural blockade, including facet joint injections. It is postulated that corticosteroids reduce inflammation by inhibiting either the synthesis or release of a number of pro-inflammatory substances and by causing a reversible local anesthetic effect. Multiple complications of corticosteroid administration are two-fold: those resulting from withdrawal of steroids and those resulting from continued use of large doses. These include neural toxicity, separation of pituitary-adrenal axis, weight gain, osteoporosis, as well as many other complications. However, a review of the literature on epidural steroids or other types of neuraxial blockade mentions very few complications that can be directly attributed either to the chemistry or the pharmacology of the steroids, except for reports of adrenal suppression. This review describes various aspects of neuraxial steroids including historical concepts, mechanism of action, pharmacological aspects, side effects, complications and their role in treatment.
Overexpression of pknE Blocks Heterocyst Development in Anabaena sp. Strain PCC 7120

The upstream intergenic regions for each of four genes encoding Ser/Thr kinases, all2334, pknE (alr3732), all4668, and all4838, were fused to a gfpmut2 reporter gene to determine their expression during heterocyst development in the cyanobacterium Anabaena (Nostoc) sp. strain PCC 7120. PpknE-gfp was upregulated after nitrogen step-down and showed strong expression in differentiating cells. Developmental regulation of pknE required a 118-bp upstream region and was abolished in a hetR mutant. A pknE mutant strain had shorter filaments with slightly higher heterocyst frequency than did the wild type. Overexpression of pknE from its native promoter inhibited heterocyst development in the wild type and in four mutant backgrounds that overproduce heterocysts. Overexpression of pknE from the copper-inducible petE promoter did not completely inhibit heterocyst development but caused a 24-h delay in heterocyst differentiation and cell bleaching 4 to 5 days after nitrogen step-down. Strains overexpressing pknE and containing P hetR -gfp or P patS -gfp reporters failed to show developmental regulation of the reporters and had undetectable levels of HetR protein. Genetic epistasis experiments suggest that overexpression of pknE blocks HetR activity or downstream regulation. The filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena (Nostoc) sp. strain PCC 7120 (here called Anabaena) is capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen in specialized cells called heterocysts. During growth on nitrate- or ammonium-containing medium, Anabaena filaments possess only photosynthetic vegetative cells. When combined nitrogen becomes insufficient in the growth medium, approximately 10% of the vegetative cells differentiate into heterocysts semiregularly spaced along each filament. Genome-wide expression analysis revealed global changes in gene expression in Anabaena filaments upon nitro
Evaluation of social-cognitive versus stage-matched, self-help physical activity interventions at the workplace.

Abstract Purpose. To compare the effectiveness of stage-matched vs. social-cognitive physical activity interventions in a work setting. Both interventions were designed as minimal-contact, self-help programs suitable for large-scale application. Design. Randomized trial. Participants were randomized into one of the two intervention groups at baseline; the follow-up assessment was conducted 1 month later. Setting. A large, public university in the southeastern region of the United States. Subjects. Employees from two academic colleges within the participating institution were eligible to participate: 366 employees completed the baseline assessment; 208 of these completed both assessments (baseline and follow-up) and met the compliance criteria. Intervention. Printed, self-help exercise booklets (12 to 16 pages in length) either (1) matched to the individual's stage of motivational readiness for exercise adoption at baseline or (2) derived from social-cognitive theory but not matched by stage. Measures. Sta...
Comparisons of Scatterometer and TAO Winds Reveal Time-Varying Surface Currents for the Tropical Pacific Ocean

Abstract The differences between Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) anemometer and QuikSCAT scatterometer winds are analyzed over a period of 3 yr. Systematic differences are expected owing to ocean currents because the anemometer measures absolute air motion, whereas a radar measures the motion of the air relative to the ocean. Monthly averaged collocated wind differences (CWDs) are compared with available near-surface current data at 15-m depth from drifters, at 25-m depth from acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs), and at 10-m depth from current meters and with geostrophic currents at the surface from the TOPEX/Poseidon radar altimeter. Because direct current observations are so sparse, comparisons are also made with climatological currents from these same sources. Zonal CWDs are in good agreement with the zonal current observations, particularly from 2°S to 2°N where there are strong currents and a robust seasonal cycle, with the altimeter-derived anomalous currents giving the best match. At higher ...
Waste gas monitor reduces wasted volatile anesthetic.

Objective. The increasing focus on health care costs requires that all physicians evaluate practice behaviors. The primary emphasis in anesthesia has been limiting the use of expensive medications and interventions. Reducing waste is another approach, and volatile anesthetics are an appropriate target in that simple reduction of fresh gas flow (FGF) rates is effective. A monitor that measures and displays the cost of wasted volatile anesthetic was developed and used to determine if real-time display of the cost would result in decreased FGF rates, which, in turn, would decrease wasted anesthetic. Methods. The waste gas monitor (WGM) measures flow rate at the anesthesia machine's scavenger port, integrates this with agent concentration, and displays the calculated cost, real-time, on a portable computer screen. The WGM equipment was attached to the anesthesia machine in the gynecologic surgery operating room (OR) and those cases performed under general endotracheal anesthesia and lasting longer than one hour were eligible for inclusion. First year anesthesiology residents assigned to the study OR as part of a non-specialty rotation, were the subjects of the study. For each resident, after data were collected from at least two eligible baseline cases (Baseline Phase, WGM not visible and resident unaware of its presence), the monitor was introduced and data collection continued for at least three more eligible cases (Visible Phase). Results. Nine residents were initially enrolled, but due to scheduling difficulties only five residents completed the protocol. Data from cases using the WGM demonstrated a 50% decrease (3.58 ± 1.34 l/min vs. 1.78 ± 0.51 l/min (p = 0.009)) in the scavenger flow rates, which resulted in a 48% ($5.28 ± 0.68 vs. $2.72 ± 0.80 (p = 0.002)) decrease in hourly cost of wasted volatile anesthetic. There was no difference between the Baseline and Visible phases with regard to use of nitrous oxide or intravenous anesthetic agents. Conclusions. The WGM decreased wasted volatile anesthetic by encouraging decreased FGF rates.
High incidence of TERT mutation in brain tumor cell lines

TERT promoter gene mutations are highly recurrent in malignant glioma. However, little information exists regarding their presence in experimental brain tumor models. To better characterize systems in which TERT mutation studies could be appropriately modeled experimentally, the TERT promoter was examined by conventional sequencing in primary brain tumor initiating cells (BTIC), two matched recurrent BTIC lines, a panel of established malignant glioma cell lines, and two meningioma cell lines. Telomerase gene expression was examined by quantitative PCR. We found that all glioblastoma BTIC lines harbored a TERT mutation, which was retained in two patient-matched recurrent BTIC. The TERT C228T or C250T mutation was found in 33/35 (94 %) of established malignant glioma cell lines and both meningioma cell lines examined. Brain tumor cell lines expressed variably high telomerase levels. Thus, a high percentage of glioma cell lines, as well as two meningioma cell lines, harbors TERT mutations. These data characterize tractable, accessible models with which to further explore telomerase biology in these tumor types.
, Knowledgeable Judges Make a Difference: Judicial Beliefs Affect Juvenile Court Transfer Decisions

This study examined how judicial knowledge and attitudes about transfer affects transfer decisions by juvenile court judges. Participants included 232 juvenile court judges from around the country who completed a vignette survey that presented a prototypical case involving a serious juvenile offender. Participants were asked to decide whether the juvenile should be transferred and to rate his rehabilitative potential. Judges who believed in the deterrent effects of transfer were more likely to recommend that the juvenile be transferred and to rate him as having lower rehabilitative potential. More experienced judges saw greater rehabilitative potential in the juvenile and were less likely to transfer him to the criminal court. Overall, judges tended to think that transfer lacked general and specific deterrent effects, endorsed rehabilitative over punitive goals in sentencing, and felt positively about the juvenile justice system's effectiveness in handling serious offenders. Yet, a sizable minority of judges felt otherwise. The implications of the findings for judicial education and legal advocacy are discussed.
Kinetics of Homogeneous Brønsted Acid Catalyzed Fructose Dehydration and 5-Hydroxymethyl Furfural Rehydration: A Combined Experimental and Computational Study

We perform the first extensive experimental kinetic studies of fructose dehydration and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) rehydration at low temperatures over a wide range of conditions (T ∼ 70–150 °C; pH values 0.7–1.6 and initial concentrations of fructose (5–20%w/v) and HMF (2.5–10%w/v)). Guided from insights from our first-principles calculations, we perform kinetic isotope effect (KIE) experiments of labeled fructose to validate the rate-limiting step. Subsequently, we develop the first skeleton model for fructose dehydration and HMF rehydration that integrates the fundamental kinetic experiments and accounts for the KIE, as well as the distribution of fructose tautomers, which changes significantly with temperature, and a direct path of fructose conversion to formic acid. It is shown that the skeleton mechanism of two steps consisting of fast protonation and dehydration followed by intramolecular hydride transfer as the rate-limiting step can capture the experimental kinetics and KIE experiments well. ...
Reflections on the African American Experience, Social History, and the Resurgence of Conservatism in American Society

In his introductory essay to this volume, Peter Stearns suggests that conservatism is likely to prevail for a while and that social history in the United States needs some strategy sessions. Indeed, recent controversies over funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts, the Smithsonian Museum's Enola Gay Exhibition, and the National History Standards, issued by the National Center for History in the Schools, indicate growing resistance to efforts to create a more inclusive history of the United States. These are large issues and a great deal is at stake, but this is also a good moment to reflect on past efforts to broaden the scope of U. S. history. The struggle for a broader U. S. history is deeply rooted in American immigraS tion, ethnic, labor, and women's history, but it is perhaps most apparent in the field of African American history. Even a cursory consideration of the African American experience is instructive, because it highlights the ongoing connecv tion between the struggle for a fuller history and the fight for a more inclusive, just, and democratic society. A brief examination of the African American experience also suggests the need for a more sensitive treatment of the obstacles that its founders faced, the choices that they made, and the histories that they wrote. l Research on the African American experience emerged in the teeth of slavery, the fall of Reconstruction, and the rise of Sim Crow. The earliest writers, the 19th-century pioneers, confronted the expansion and consolidation of human bondage. As the slavery system moved from the tobacco-growing regions of the upper south to the cotton-producing areas of the deep south, the nation moved away from a tenuous commitment to emancipation following the American Revolution to a new commitment to slavery, as a right guaranteed by the constitution and sanctioned by God and nature. Jurists, scholars, and the clergy not only sanctioned the subordination of blacks as slaves, but justified the disfranchisement of all women, the brutal removal of Native Americans from their land, and the military conquest of Mexican territories. George Bancroft and other early chroniclers of the nation's history explicitly used religious beliefs and moral judgments to guide their narratives. They defined the enslavement of blacks, the disfranchisement of women, and the conquest of Mexicans and Native Americans as the white man's "manifest destiny." As such, early l9th-century historians excused social injustice and crafted a narrow white male nationalist history of the United States. As George Bancroft put it in his multivolume History of the United States, "Go forth, then, language of Milton and Hampden, language of my country, take possession of the North American continent! Gladden waste places with every tone that has been rightly struck on the English lyre, with every English word that has been spoken well for liberty and for man!"2
Influence of Broadband Excitation on the Performance of Diode Pumped Alkali Lasers

A three level model for optically pumped alkali metal vapor lasers is developed by considering the steady state rate equations for the longitudinally averaged number densities of the ground 2 S1/2 and first excited 2 P3/2, and 2 P1/2 states. For efficient operation, the collisional relaxation between the two upper levels should be fast relative to stimulated emission. By assuming a statistical distribution between the upper two levels, the limiting analytic solution for the quasi-two level system is achieved. A second limiting solution is identified for strongly bleached conditions where the atom recycle rate, limited by spin-orbit relaxation, fully specifies the output power. Performance in the intermediate regime depends significantly on pump laser bandwidth and requires numerical simulation. The ratio of populations for the two excited, 2 P3/2,1/2 states completes an analytic solution and depends primarily on pump laser bandwidth, threshold and alkali concentration.
Leg length and type 2 diabetes: what's the link?

Purpose of review Human leg length is determined by a complex interplay of genetics and environmental exposures during development, which may be associated with long-term metabolic disease risk. Here, we review recent literature on the link between relative leg length and type 2 diabetes in more and less economically developed societies, wherein the contextual influences on relative leg length are unique. We also hypothesize mechanisms underlying and mediating this association. Recent findings Evidence from more economically prosperous Western populations and contemporary adult populations in China and Brazil indicates that lower relative leg length is associated with greater risk for impaired glucose homeostasis and type 2 diabetes. In Brazil, this association was stronger among women with early menarche. Although still poorly defined and in need of further research, the potential mechanisms likely involve suboptimal early-life net nutrition that simultaneously leads to retarded growth and impaired glucose regulation. An untested hypothesis is that the association is mediated by differences in skeletal muscle mass. Summary Epidemiologic evidence from diverse settings points to humans with shorter legs relative to their stature having higher risk for type 2 diabetes. Although research is needed to test mechanistic hypotheses, the greatest potential for improving public health will come through identification of, and intervention upon, the upstream modifiable determinants of inadequate leg growth.
Numerical studies of the interaction of time-modulated multi-gigabit sequences with metamaterial structures at millimeter-wave frequencies: Invited Paper - Research Articles

It is shown with time domain simulations using the finite integration technique (FIT) that a metamaterial that acts as an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC), i.e. a metamaterial which produces an in-phase reflection, exhibits a time delay before its intended response can occur. A millimeter-wave metamaterial AMC is obtained as a generalization of a successfully designed microwave frequency AMC block consisting of an array of capacitively loaded loops (CLLs). It is also shown that while this time delay does distort millimeter-wave frequency signals composed of time-modulated multi-gigabit sequences, it does not have a detrimental impact on the overall system performance when these multi-gigabit/s signals interact with this CLL-based AMC. This time delay behaviour is demonstrated for several different but common communication-based modulation schemes. The presence of peculiar spikes in the output waveforms is tied to the time domain behaviour of the currents on the CLLs in the metamaterial AMC. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Maximization and Minimization Problems

Introduction Now we shall demonstrate how the inequalities that were derived in the preceding chapter can be used to treat an important and fascinating set of problems. These are maximization and minimization problems. In the study of algebra and trigonometry, the problems you encountered were all of the following general nature: Given certain initial data, and certain operations that were to be performed, you were to determine the outcome. Or, conversely, given the operations that were performed and the outcome, you were to determine what the initial data must have been. For example, you met three workmen, eager and industrious A , plodding and conscientious B , and downright lazy C . They were put to work digging ditches, constructing swimming pools, or building houses, and the problem was always that of determining how long it would take the three of them together to perform the job, given their individual efficiency ratings—or, given the time required for all three together, and the rates of effort of two of the three workers, it was required to find the rate of the third. Sometimes you were given triangles in which two sides and an included angle were known, and sometimes you were given three sides of the triangle. In each case, the problem was that of determining the remaining sides and angles.
Novel Nanostructured Passives for RF and Power Applications: Nanopackaging with Passive Components

Miniaturization of passive components, while mounting them close to the active devices to form ultrathin high-performance power and RF modules, is a key enabler for next-generation multifunctional miniaturized systems. Traditional microscale materials do not lead to adequate enhancement in volumetric densities to miniaturize passive components as thin films or thin integrated passive devices. With these materials, component miniaturization also degrades performance metrics such as quality factor, leakage current, tolerance, and stability. Nanomaterials such as nanocomposite dielectrics and magneto-dielectrics, nanostructured electrodes, and the resulting thin-film components have the potential to address this challenge. This chapter describes the key opportunities in nanomaterials and nanostructures for power and RF passive components. The first part of this chapter describes the role of nanostructured materials for high-density capacitors and inductors in power modules. The second part of the chapter describes application of nanoscale materials as nanocomposite dielectrics and magneto-dielectrics with stable and high permeability and permittivity for miniaturized RF modules.
Reversal Agents for the Direct Oral Anticoagulants

The vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) are associated with a significant rate of major and fatal bleeding complications. The new direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), even though having a better bleeding profile than the VKAs, are still associated with serious bleeding. The anticoagulation induced by the VKAs can be reversed with both vitamin K and prothrombin complex concentrates, whereas the DOACs were developed without specific reversal agents. Although there is controversy around the necessity of a reversal agent, most clinicians agree that having a reversal agent for the DOACs would be beneficial. Three reversal agents are currently in development.
The somatic mutational landscape in soft tissue sarcoma: Early results from TCGA data.

10508 Background: The widespread use of next-generation sequencing has uncovered the genomic landscape in many tumor types. Given the disease rarity and histologic diversity, much less is known abo...
The role of particle size on the performance of pumice as a supplementary cementitious material

Abstract A critical area overlooked in previous research on pumice is understanding how its physical characteristics influence its behavior as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM). This study investigated three pumices with different particle size distributions to observe whether these porous materials exhibit enhanced nucleation and growth of hydration products, in the same way as non-porous materials, and whether the rate of pozzolanic reaction can be changed through particle size. The effect of particle size on compressive strength, rheology and resistance to alkali silica reaction (ASR) was also evaluated. Results showed that reducing particle size increased the rates of cement hydration, pozzolanic reaction, and compressive strength gain, while also increasing mixture viscosity. Interestingly, particle size did not impact the yield stress of the mixture or the resistance to ASR. These new findings give insight about how the particle size of pumice can be used to overcome drawbacks reported in previous literature.
‘Society Stinks’: Suburban Alienation and Violence in the Early Films of Penelope Spheeris

Little scholarly work has been done on the early films of director Penelope Spheeris, yet they provide a fascinating alternative view of American suburbia. In particular, The Decline of Western Civilization (1981), her documentary of the punk rock scene in the Los Angeles area, and Suburbia (1983), her first narrative feature, provide a take on suburbia that runs counter to the dominant narratives of Reagan’s America. In the early 1980s, Reagan’s Morning in America posited suburbia as a place of renewal and revitalization, and the John Hughes teen films became the standard of the genre by positing suburban alienation as a rite of passage on the way to joining a normative social order. In contrast, Spheeris’s films counter these narratives by demonstrating that for many during the period, suburbia was a place of unfulfilled promises, social decay, and fatal violence.
Assessing the Reliability of Electrical Drivers Used in LED-Based Lighting Devices

Electrical components used in LED lighting devices have a significant impact on the reliability of lighting systems. Understanding the reliability of LED drivers requires a knowledge of the intended use of the device including environmental (e.g., temperature, humidity), electrical (i.e., voltage quality and transients), and mechanical (i.e., vibration) stresses that the products would experience. In addition, knowledge of the susceptibility of key electronic components (e.g., capacitors, switching transistors, diodes, ICs, and linear components) to these stresses is also important in understanding overall product reliability. Although this information is difficult to determine for an electronic assembly such as the LED lighting driver, accelerated tests can help provide insights regarding likely failure modes and provide a basis to project reliability and product lifetime. In this chapter we have investigated common failure modes in LED drivers under accelerated testing conditions.
Using Convolutional Neural Networks to Automatically Detect Eye-Blink Artifacts in Magnetoencephalography Without Resorting to Electrooculography.

Magnetoencephelography (MEG) is a functional neuroimaging tool that records the magnetic fields induced by neuronal activity; however, signal from muscle activity often corrupts the data. Eye-blinks are one of the most common types of muscle artifact. They can be recorded by affixing eye proximal electrodes, as in electrooculography (EOG), however this complicates patient preparation and decreases comfort. Moreover, it can induce further muscular artifacts from facial twitching. We propose an EOG free, data driven approach. We begin with Independent Component Analysis (ICA), a well-known preprocessing approach that factors observed signal into statistically independent components. When applied to MEG, ICA can help separate neuronal components from non-neuronal ones, however, the components are randomly ordered. Thus, we develop a method to assign one of two labels, non-eye-blink or eye-blink, to each component.
Shelf to Health: Does Product Innovation Change National Estimates of Dietary Impacts?

This paper presents a simulation process to augment nutrition surveillance in the United States which incorporates product innovation data. Traditional point-estimates of nutritional quality in a food category are compared to those based on distributions of nutrient compositions using product-level variability seen in the market. Nationally representative consumption patterns provide dietary intakes. Cookies are used as an example food category. Nutrient composition data from Global New Product Database (GNPD) for 5259 cookies launched 2005 to 2012 were matched to dietary intakes from 2005 to 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) over the 2 y cycles of NHANES for 8284 cookie consumers. Average dietary intakes from traditional NHANES and GNPD-based estimations produced similar mean values for energy, carbohydrates, sugars, total fat, and protein. Saturated fat, fiber and cholesterol contributions using new product compositions were significantly higher than traditional NHANES approaches, estimates of sodium were significantly lower. These differences become pronounced when comparing adult and child consumption patterns and over time. This process also simulated transfat consumption estimates not traditionally available within NHANES. On average cookies contributed 0.3 g/d (range 0 to 4.1 g/d). Much variability in food composition is seen in the market which is shown to influence estimates of the national diet. Numerous factors drive changes in the food supply, including health trends, firm strategic choices, and food policy. This evolution presents a challenge for dietary assessments and nutrition monitoring. The public health impact of variability in nutritional composition, subpopulation consumption patterns and market dynamics are particularly difficult to evaluate and are shown to influence estimates of the national diet.
Clinical Change in Adolescent Aggressive Behavior: A Group Therapy Approach

The effects of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on adolescent aggressive behavior were examined. Participants included 11 adolescent boys (6 African American and 5 white). The Youth Self Report, the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale were administered pretest (before group therapy) and posttest (after group therapy). Results revealed that adolescents reported statistically significant changes in aggressive behavior, attentional problems, somatic complaints, anxious/depressed behavior, and perceptions of intellectual and school achievement and status. Parents reported clinical changes in adolescent aggressive behavior, albeit not at the level of statistical significance. These findings suggest that group therapy can be an important mechanism to help adolescents examine their attributional biases and alter maladaptive patterns of interpersonal conflict.
Paper Tigers: Or How Much Will Courts Protect Rights in a Financial Crisis?

Constitutions often contain rules that are meant to constrain the behavior of future governments during crises. Anti-discrimination rules and protections against expropriation of private property are classic examples. But when crisis hits, politicians are typically tempted by their short-run interests to try to bypass these rules. Enforcement of such constitutional constraints is therefore often placed in the hands of courts. But can courts serve as effective enforcement mechanisms in crisis times? We argue that courts, deciding in the middle of a crisis, will often be tempted to convert what are supposed to be hard rules into softer standards, effectively negating the constraining effect of these provisions on policymakers. While existing literature has argued that weak courts are particularly likely to engage in such behavior when confronted by strong executives, we argue that similar dynamics can also develop between strong courts and weak executives. Using examples from the recent sovereign debt crisis in the Euro area, we illustrate both logics.
A Sufficient Condition for the Continuity of High Order Gaussian Chaos Processes

We obtain sufficient conditions for continuity and boundedness of m-th order Gaussian chaos processes, m ≥ 2. The results obtained are stated in Theorem 11.22, [2] in the case m = 2. However the proof given in [2] is not correct and it does not seem as though the approach taken can be modified to give a correct proof. We discuss in Remark 3.1, at the end of this paper, how the error in Theorem 11.22 was discovered and how this paper came about.