cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Government Patent Use to Address the Rising Cost of Naloxone: 28 U.S.C. § 1498 and Evzio.

The rising cost of the opioid antagonist and overdose reversal agent naloxone is an urgent public health problem. The recent and dramatic price increase of Evzio, a naloxone auto-injector produced by Kaleo, shows how pharmaceutical manufacturers entering the naloxone marketplace rely on market exclusivity guaranteed by the patent system to charge prices at what the market can bear, which can restrict access to life-saving medication. We argue that 28 U.S.C. § 1498, a section of the federal code that allows the government to use patent-protected products for its own purposes in exchange for reasonable compensation, could be used to procure generic naloxone auto-injectors, or at least bring Kaleo to the negotiating table. Precedent exists for the use of § 1498 to procure pharmaceuticals, and it could give meaning to the federal government's recent declaration of a public health emergency around the opioid epidemic, discourage new market entrants from charging exorbitant prices, and yield important public health benefits.
Pulmonary valve stenosis in the adult patient: pathophysiology, diagnosis and management

### Learning objectives The most common form of right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction is pulmonary valve stenosis. Pulmonary stenosis (PS) occurs in isolation in 8%–10% of congenital heart disease but is often associated with other congenital lesions1 Subvalvar and supravalvar PS are less common but also seen in adults. PS and supravalvar PS are most often congenital and can be associated with genetic syndromes including Noonan, Alagille and Williams syndromes as well as congenital rubella. PS can also be an acquired condition such as rheumatic heart disease, carcinoid, infective endocarditis or result from trauma. Pulmonary valve disease is often accompanied by pulmonary regurgitation (PR) as a result of inherent abnormalities of the valve or from prior intervention. This review will focus primarily on isolated forms of pulmonary valve disease in adults. Abnormalities of the pulmonary valve, subvalvar or supravalvar region can lead to RVOT obstruction. The primary consequence of PS is pressure overload of the right ventricle, the degree of which is dependent on the severity of the stenosis. Pressure overload of the right ventricle results in increased contractility and dilation leading to increased wall stress and compensatory right ventricular hypertrophy. Increased muscle mass allows for the right ventricle to maintain a normal cardiac output. Right ventricular hypertrophy may cause a decrease in ventricular compliance and result in increased right ventricular end-diastolic pressures and increased right atrial pressures. Right-to-left shunting may occur if there is an interatrial communication. Over time, progressive right ventricular hypertrophy and stiffness can give rise to right ventricular diastolic and systolic dysfunction. Chronic severe PR results in right ventricular dilation. Increased right ventricular end-diastolic …
A Psychoanalytic Exploration of Dante's The Divine Comedy

David Dean Brockman connects spirituality with psychoanalysis throughout this book as he looks at Dante’s early writings, his life story and his "polysemous" classical poem The Divine Comedy. Dante wanted to create a document that would educate the common man about his journey from brokenness to growth and a solid integration of body, self, and soul. This book draws the resemblance between Dante’s poem and the "journey" that patients experience in psychoanalytic therapy. It will be the first total treatment of Dante’s work in general, and The Divine Comedy in particular, using the psychoanalytic method. This fascinating study of Dante’s The Divine Comedy will be of interest to psychoanalysts, psychotherapists, and psychiatrists, as well as those still in training. Academics and students of psychology, spirituality, religion, and literature may also be interested in Brockman’s in-depth study of Dante’s work.
Brain region-specific regulation of histone acetylation and efflux transporters in mice.

Multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) protect the brain by restricting the passage of chemicals across the blood-brain barrier. Prior studies have demonstrated the epigenetic regulation of MDR1 and BCRP in cancer cells treated with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors that enhance histone acetylation and gene transcription. In the present study, we tested the in vivo effects of two HDAC inhibitors, valproic acid (VPA; 400 mg/kg) and apicidin (5 mg/kg), on Mdr1 and Bcrp transporter expression in brain regions of adult male mice injected intraperitoneally daily for 7 days. VPA increased Mdr1 protein expression in the striatum (70%) and Bcrp protein in the midbrain (30%). Apicidin enhanced striatal Mdr1 protein (30%) and hippocampal Bcrp protein (20%). Transporter induction correlated with increased histone H3 acetylation in discrete brain regions. In conclusion, HDAC inhibitors upregulate transporter proteins in vivo, which may be important in regulating regional xenobiotic disposition within the brain.
Effects of Feed Form and Amino Acid Density on Productive and Processing Performance of Broilers

SUMMARY Limitations in beak size of newly hatched chicks have led the majority of broiler integrators in the United States to feed crumbles during the starter period. Previous research has reported improved growth performance on birds fed micro pellets during the starter period. However, research evaluating the effects of feeding micro pellets in the grower and finisher periods of broilers is sparse. Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of feeding varying feed forms on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broilers during the starter, grower and finisher periods. In experiment 1, birds were fed diets with 3 feed forms: mash, crumbles, and 3.3 mm micro pellets during the starter period from 1 to 14 d (25 birds/pen; 8 replicate pens/treatment). In experiment 2, a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of 3 feed forms (mash, 4.4 mm pellets, and 3.3 mm micro pellets) and 2 amino acid (AA) densities (88% and 96% of Aviagen recommendations Ross® 708 2014) were provided from 1 to 42 d (24 birds/pen; 7 replicate pens/treatment). In both experiments, birds fed 3.3 mm micro pellets during the starter period had lower feed conversion ratio compared with those that received mash and crumbles from 1 to 14 d (P
Editorial: The 12th Rothkopf Rankings

The author, Michael F. Gorman, presents the 12th ranking of universities according to their contributions to the operations research practice literature, thus continuing and expanding on the origin...
Early Academic Momentum: Factors Contributing to Community College Transfer Students’ STEM Degree Attainment:

Guided by the notion of academic momentum, this study drew data from longitudinal transcript records at a large public 4-year research university and examined factors that specifically contribute t...
21 cm Absorption as a Probe of Dark Photons

Dark radiation could have injected soft photons into the primordial plasma with energies far below the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) temperature. Measurements of the low energy tail of the CMB spectrum therefore open a new window into the properties of dark radiation. We present an example model where dark radiation, composed of dark photons, resonantly oscillate into ordinary photons during the cosmic dark ages, enhancing the low energy tail of the CMB. Our scenario can explain the stronger than expected 21 cm absorption observed by the EDGES experiment.
Cash Benchmarking For Integrated Health Care And Human Services Interventions: Finding The Value Added

Health-related social needs, which include food insecurity, housing instability, and lack of transportation, are strongly associated with poor health outcomes, more health care use, and higher heal...
Hybrid Unilamellar Vesicles of Phospholipids and Block Copolymers with Crystalline Domains.

Phospholipid (PL) membranes are ubiquitous in nature and their phase behavior has been extensively studied. Lipids assemble in a variety of structures and external stimuli can activate a quick switch between them. Amphiphilic block copolymers (BCPs) can self-organize in analogous structures but are mechanically more robust and transformations are considerably slower. The combination of PL dynamical behavior with BCP chemical richness could lead to new materials for applications in bioinspired separation membranes and drug delivery. It is timely to underpin the phase behavior of these hybrid systems and a few recent studies have revealed that PL–BCP membranes display synergistic structural, phase-separation, and dynamical properties not seen in pure components. One example is phase-separation in the membrane plane, which seems to be strongly affected by the ability of the PL to form lamellar phases with ordered alkyl chains. In this paper we focus on a rather less explored design handle which is the crystalline properties of the BCP component. Using a combination of confocal laser scanning microscopy and X-ray scattering we show that hybrid membranes of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(e-caprolactone) (mPEG-b-PCL) display BCP-rich and PL-rich domains when the BCP comprises crystalline moieties. The packing of the hydrophilic part of the BCP (PEG) favors mixing of DPPC at the molecular level or into nanoscale domains while semi-crystalline and hydrophobic PCL moieties bolster microscopic domain formation in the hybrid membrane plane.
Endurance of the Dorsal and Ventral Muscles in the Neck

Endurance of the muscles of the neck are rarely studied. This study measured the endurance index (EI) of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and upper trapezius muscles of the neck (trap). The vastus lateralis (VL) was used for comparison. Skeletal muscle endurance of twelve healthy subjects, age 19-22 years, were tested on their SCM and trap in random order on one day, VL was tested on a separate day. Participants were tested in the supine position for the SCM and VL muscles and the prone position for the trap. Muscle contractions consisted of a 5 Hz twitch electrical stimulation for 5 min. Muscle acceleration (resultant vector) was measured using a triaxial accelerometer. EI was the ending acceleration as a percentage of the maximal acceleration. The endurance index (EI) for the SCM, trap, and VL was 42.3 ± 13.0%, 42.3 ± 20.2%, and 92.9 ± 11.0%, respectively. The EI of the VL was significantly higher than the EI of the SCM (t(2,22) = 10.33, p < 0.001) and the trap (t(2,22) = 7.625, p < 0.001). The EI was not different between the SCM and the trap muscle (t(2,22) = 0.004, p = 0.997). In conclusion, the neck muscles had much less endurance than the muscles in the leg and could make fatigued athletes more susceptible to concussions caused by head impacts.
On kernel machine learning for propensity score estimation under complex confounding structures

Post marketing data offer rich information and cost-effective resources for physicians and policy-makers to address some critical scientific questions in clinical practice. However, the complex confounding structures (e.g., nonlinear and nonadditive interactions) embedded in these observational data often pose major analytical challenges for proper analysis to draw valid conclusions. Furthermore, often made available as electronic health records (EHRs), these data are usually massive with hundreds of thousands observational records, which introduce additional computational challenges. In this paper, for comparative effectiveness analysis, we propose a statistically robust yet computationally efficient propensity score (PS) approach to adjust for the complex confounding structures. Specifically, we propose a kernel-based machine learning method for flexibly and robustly PS modeling to obtain valid PS estimation from observational data with complex confounding structures. The estimated propensity score is then used in the second stage analysis to obtain the consistent average treatment effect estimate. An empirical variance estimator based on the bootstrap is adopted. A split-and-merge algorithm is further developed to reduce the computational workload of the proposed method for big data, and to obtain a valid variance estimator of the average treatment effect estimate as a by-product. As shown by extensive numerical studies and an application to postoperative pain EHR data comparative effectiveness analysis, the proposed approach consistently outperforms other competing methods, demonstrating its practical utility.
Barriers to Voice Therapy in Dysphonic Children

Summary Background The most common etiologies of dysphonia in the pediatric population are vocal fold nodules and muscle tension dysphonia. Vocal therapy is the first line treatment for these disorders in children. Despite this, not all children undergo therapy. The goal of this study is to examine how factors such as patient demographics and parental perceptions differ between children that choose to undergo or not to undergo voice therapy. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of all pediatric patients seen at a tertiary voice clinic between January 2014 and December 2017. Patients were included if diagnosed with vocal fold nodules and/or muscle tension dysphonia. Patients were divided into groups of children that received voice therapy at our institution and those that did not. Data include demographics, Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) scores and pediatric Voice Handicap Index (pVHI) scores. Distance to therapy site was approximated using patient zip codes. Results Three hundred and forty-six children were included, 224 (65%) boys and 122 (35%) girls. In the 2 years following initial diagnosis, 74 (21%) children participated in voice therapy at our institution. Patients who underwent voice therapy were older than those who did not (mean age: 9.1 [SD 3.5] vs 7.6 [SD 3.8] years; P = 0.004). Patients who received voice therapy were more likely to live closer to the therapy site (mean distance: 15.5 [SD 13.0] vs 24.3 [SD 23.9] miles; P Conclusion Older age, shorter distance to therapy site, and increased CAPE-V Overall Severity and Strain scores were associated with higher likelihood of receiving voice therapy. Gender, insurance status, and pVHI scores did not affect likelihood of receiving voice therapy. Patients may primarily consider ease of access and necessity of treatment when considering voice therapy.
Report of the Snowmass Subgroup on Extra Dimensions

In this report we summarize the work performed at Snowmass 2001 on the physics of extra dimensions. We divide these analyses into the following classes: searches for extra dimensional phenomena, identification of specific new physics scenarios, studies of black hole production and non-commutative QED.
Inclusion of Pain Management Services in Ambulatory Surgical Centers

The inclusion of pain management services would be an organic expansion of perioperative care at ambulatory surgery centers. Clinical evidence and research have promoted the need for acute perioperative pain control. The current trajectory within the United States healthcare system also increasingly supports the addition of perioperative pain services through regulatory agencies and economic factors. If well designed and implemented, pain management services may provide multifaceted benefits to all stakeholders – patients, local community, physicians, clinical providers, administrators, owners, and investors.
Media coverage about medical benefits of MDMA and ketamine affects perceived likelihood of engaging in recreational use

Research on the efficacy of ketamine in treating depression and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in treating post-traumatic stress disorder have been widely covered by the media. Given rece...
Mitigation of Transient Fluctuations During Flow Boiling in Microchannels via Adaptive Vapor Venting

Efficient thermal management is crucial for enhancing the performance and reliability of electronic devices. In this regard, flow boiling with microchannels promises high heat dissipation capability for a nominal temperature budget as it inherently takes advantage of high latent heat of vaporization along with high surface-area-to-volume ratio. However, the promise of high heat dissipation in flow boiling microchannels is limited by two-phase flow instabilities which cause large-amplitude temperature and pressure fluctuations. The current state-of-the-art thermal management techniques for enhancing heat transfer during flow boiling in microchannels operate in steady-state condition and provide sufficient continuous cooling to address the peak thermal loads. While such approaches can manage the thermal challenge, they result in significant cooling overdesign. To eliminate the overdesign, we introduce an adaptive vapor venting strategy which continuously adjusts to the varying vapor generation across different heat fluxes to completely mitigate two-phase fluctuations. Our results demonstrate that significant transient temperature fluctuations (±5 °C) in the conventional microchannels were completely eliminated with the incorporation of the adaptive vapor venting (within the experimental uncertainty). Furthermore, our results show that this strategy has the capability to handle transience and accordingly avoid the need for cooling overdesign.
Use of Reidentified Vehicles to Evaluate Differential Calibration Accuracy Between Weigh-in-Motion Stations

The objective of this paper is to examine the relationships between weight and length measurements for two separate weigh-in-motion (WIM) stations based on individual vehicles that cross both stations. Technologies and methods to reidentify vehicles crossing multiple WIM stations are improving; this change increases the need for and applicability of this analysis. The analysis in this paper is based on WIM data for vehicles in Oregon that include automatic vehicle identification information for identifying the specific vehicle matches with minimal error. Although the differential calibration accuracy alone cannot be used to determine which station, if either, is accurate, it can be used to trigger further investigation or recalibration, which is useful for network-level analysis and monitoring. To evaluate the accuracy of the individual WIM station, Class 9 front axle weight (A1W) and Class 9 axle 2 to 3 spacing are investigated. Then each axle weight, gross vehicle weight, axle spacing, and bumper-to-bum...
Genetic regulation of mouse stem cells: identification of two keratinocyte stem cell regulatory loci.

It is well documented that the bulge of hair follicle is a ‘niche’ for a significant population of mouse keratinocyte stem cells, and 95% of rodent clonogenic keratinocytes originate from the bulge region. The ability to form colonies in vitro is a well recognized test for keratinocyte stem cells. We analyzed the epidermis of seven mouse strains and their segregating crosses [(BALB/c×C57BL/6)F1; (BALB/c×CB6F1); (C57BL/ 6×CB6F1); (CBF1×CBF1)F2] for their clonogenic activity in vitro. We found that keratinocyte colony (KC) number is a new quantitative multigenic trait. The analysis of KC size in two parental strains (C57BL/6 and BALB/c), the F1 generation and the segregating crosses demonstrated that the size of KC is a quantitative complex trait also. We determined that mouse epidermis has at least two subpopulations of keratinocytes that gave small ( 2 mm2) colonies. The differences in the number of small and large colonies between parental strains (C57BL/6, BALB/c) were significant (P<0.01). A genome-wide scan of the intercross and the two backcrosses maps the number of small KC to the central region of mouse Chromosome 9 (genomewide P value=0.01). We define this locus as Ksc1. The proximal region of chromosome 4 is associated with the high number of large KC. We defined this locus as Ksc2. We found that Kscl and minor loci on chromosomes 6 and 7 map close, if not equal to, loci associated with mouse skin carcinogenesis. We conclude that mouse epidermis has at least two subpopulations of clonogenic keratinocyte stem cells that are regulated by different genes. We suggest that keratinocyte stem cells responsible for small colonies may play a major role in the regulation of resistance or sensitivity to skin carcinogenesis. Investigation of the genes regulating the stem cell number should provide new insight into the mechanisms of skin carcinogenesis, and should help to develop new approaches for therapies not only against active proliferating tumor cells but also quiescent tumor stem cells.
Hard X-Ray Observations of High Coronal Regions in Solar Flares

Abstract Using Hard X-ray data obtained from the Hard X-ray Telescope (HXT) onboard Yohkoh I have studied coronal sources in three limb flares, including one particularly interesting event on April 23 1998. The results for the April flare show: (1) the existence of an extended source located in the high corona (≈5000 km), and (2) dominant thermal and other sources do not come from the same looptop region. Preliminary results for the other two flares are also discussed.
Report from a quality assurance program on patients undergoing the MILD procedure.

Objectives. To characterize trends in pain and functional outcomes and identify risk factors in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and neurogenic claudication undergoing the “Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression” (MILD) procedure. Design. Retrospective observational cohort study. Setting. Academic multidisciplinary pain center at Stony Brook Medicine. Subjects. Patients undergoing the MILD procedure from October 2010 to November 2012. Methods. De-identified perioperative, pain and function related data for 50 patients undergoing MILD were extracted from the Center for Pain Management's quality assessment database. Data included numerical rating scale (NRS), symptom severity and physical function (Zurich Claudication Questionnaire), functional status (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI]), pain interference scores (National Institutes of Health Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System [PROMIS]), and patients' self-reported low back and lower extremity pain distribution. Results. No MILD patient incurred procedure-related complications. Average NRS scores decreased postoperatively and 64.3% of patients reported less pain at 3 months. Clinically meaningful functional ODI improvements of at least 20% from baseline were present in 25% of the patients at 6 months. Preliminary analysis of changes in PROMIS scores at 3 months revealed that pre-MILD “severe” lumbar canal stenosis may be associated with high risk of “no improvement.” No such impact was observed for NRS or ODI outcomes. Conclusion. Overall, pain is reduced and functional status improved in LSS patients following the MILD procedure at 3 and 6 months. Given the small sample size, it is not yet possible to identify patient subgroups at risk for “no improvement.” Continued follow-up of longer-term outcomes appears warranted to develop evidence-based patient selection criteria.
Effect of vascular, pleural, and alveolar pressures on filtration in isolated, perfused lobes of dogs

Abstract The vascular pressure ( Pvas ), pleural pressure ( Pl ), and alveolar pressure ( Palv ), play an important role in determining the state of the lung. In this paper, we vary these pressures systematically to measure their effect on the rate of weight gain of the isolated perfused lung. As the lung's lymphatic system was ligated, this rate is taken as the rate of transvascular filtration, J f . Designating the change in J f when Pvas alone is lowered by 8 cmH 2 O as 100%, we found the change in J f when all pressures are increased by 8 cmH 2 O is 0 ± 2% and that when Palv is raised from 8 to 14 cmH 2 O is −2 ± 5%. These results, together with the linear dependence of J f on Pvas and Pl , yield this empirical equation: J f = K ( Pvas − Pl − A ) where K and A are constants. The correlation of this equation with the Starling equation on transvascular filtration and the comparison of the mechanical equilibrium of the membrane surrounding fluid cuffs in the interstitia of the lung and that of the pleural membrane identify K as the filtration coefficient. and the interstitial fluid pressure in the lung closely approximates the pleural pressure for lungs undergoing moderate edema. The transmission of the pleural pressure to the interstitial fluid space is due to the action of the lung tissue and the surface tension. A similar dependence of J f on Pvas, Pl , and the tracheal pressure is found for alveolar edema.
Location of the Nodes of Metameric Color Stimuli

Two metameric color stimuli have spectral-power-distribution curves which, in general, intersect at three or more wavelengths within the visible spectrum. One of these wavelengths is located in the short-wavelength region, one in the middle-wavelength region, and one in the long-wavelength region. Recent work by Thornton puts these wavelengths at 448 ± 4 nm, 537 ± 3 nm, and 612 ± 8 nm, respectively. The rather precise locations of these nodes are examined in this paper. The method of generating metameric color stimuli is found to have a strong influence on the location as well as the frequency of occurrence of the nodes. Different methods will give different locations and frequency distributions, making it difficult to put much significance on Thornton's results.
Analysis of RNA associated with the poliovirus RNA replication complexes

Abstract Two size-classes of RNA replication complexes were isolated from the smooth microsomal fraction of poliovirus-infected HeLa cells: a complex that sediments at less than 70 S and another in the region from 100 S to 300 S. The virus-specific RNAs associated with the replication complexes were characterized by velocity sedimentation, acrylamide-agarose gel electrophoresis, and hybridization with poliovirus RNA. In vivo, the large replication complex contains predominantly single-stranded 35 S RNA, but only 8% of the RNA anneals to viral RNA. The small replication complex contains predominantly double-stranded RNA, and over 60% of this RNA anneals to viral RNA. These results suggest that the small replication complex may be the primary site of complementary RNA synthesis in the cell. About 50% of the RNA synthesized in vitro by the large replication complex is single-stranded RNA, whereas almost all of the RNA synthesized in vitro by the small replication complex is double-stranded RNA. However, between 20 and 30% of the RNA synthesized in vitro by both the large and the small replication complexes is complementary RNA. Possible reasons for the differences between the in, vivo and in vitro function of the replication complexes are discussed.
1450-nm high-brightness wavelength-beam combined diode laser array

We have demonstrated wavelength beam combining of a 1450-nm diode laser array with a novel smile compensation method. We have achieved 20-W cw from a 25-element single bar with an M(2) of 1.9 (fast axis) x 10 (wavelength-beam-combined dimension).
Long-term effects of large-volume liposuction on metabolic risk factors for coronary heart disease.

Abdominal obesity is associated with metabolic risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). Although we previously found that using liposuction surgery to remove abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) did not result in metabolic benefits, it is possible that postoperative inflammation masked the beneficial effects. Therefore, this study provides a long-term evaluation of a cohort of subjects from our original study. Body composition and metabolic risk factors for CHD, including oral glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, plasma lipid profile, and blood pressure were evaluated in seven obese (39 ± 2 kg/m2) women before and at 10, 27, and 84–208 weeks after large-volume liposuction. Liposuction surgery removed 9.4 ± 1.8 kg of body fat (16 ± 2% of total fat mass; 6.1 ± 1.4 kg decrease in body weight), primarily from abdominal SAT; body composition and weight remained the same from 10 through 84–208 weeks. Metabolic endpoints (oral glucose tolerance, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, blood pressure and plasma triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol concentrations) obtained at 10 through 208 weeks were not different from baseline and did not change over time. These data demonstrate that removal of a large amount of abdominal SAT by using liposuction does not improve CHD metabolic risk factors associated with abdominal obesity, despite a long-term reduction in body fat.
Another test of the effect of group composition on member behavior change

Three-person groups (N = 24) dedicated to addressing assertion deficits common to their (female) members were so composed that one member (a confederate) consistently enacted one of four prescribed conditions: (1) personal warmth/success in changing; (2) personal warmth/failure to change; (3) lack of warmth/success in changing; and (4) lack of warmth/failure to change. Both confederate warmth and success modeling influenced the level of assertion change behavior reported by group members. These results confirm propositions based on clinical observations that therapeutic groups benefit measurably by the presence of one or more "warmth generators" and "success models." The results also suggest that while group members are influenced to effect change by success modeling, they tend to attribute this influence to confederate warmth. In addition, they tend to attribute success in changing to warm persons and failure to change to persons who are lacking in warmth.
Rawls's Defense of the Priority of Liberty: A Kantian Reconstruction

The First Priority Rule (the Priority of Liberty) of John Rawls’s Justice as Fairness reads: “the principles of justice are to be ranked in lexical order and therefore the basic liberties can be restricted only for the sake of liberty.” The basic liberties are those commonly protected by constitutional regimes, including “freedom of speech and assembly; liberty of conscience and freedom of thought; freedom of the person . . . ; the right to hold personal property and freedom from arbitrary arrest and seizure. . . .” (p. 53). The Priority of Liberty treats these liberties as paramount and prohibits their sacrifice for the sake of efficiency, utilitarian and perfectionist ideals, or even other principles within Justice as Fairness (e.g., Fair Equality of Opportunity and the Difference Principle). The Priority of Liberty has always played a central role in Rawls’s political theory. Rawls himself notes that “the force of justice as fairness would appear to arise from two things: the requirement that all inequalities be justified to the least advantaged, and the priority of liberty. This pair of constraints distinguishes it from intuitionism and teleological theories” (p. 220). As we shall see, its importance in his work has if anything increased over time. Part of the reason for this greater prominence is Rawls’s growing ambivalence about the other distinctive elements of
A Comparative Study of Characteristic-Based Algorithms for the Maxwell Equations

Characteristic-based finite-difference and finite-volume schemes have been developed for solving the three-dimensional Maxwell equations in the time domain. A detailed eigenvector analysis for the Maxwell equations in a general curvilinear coordinate has also been completed to provide a basic framework for future finite-difference schemes. Although the basic concepts of the two algorithms are identical, the detailed formulations are vastly different for achieving split flux vectors according to the sign of the eigenvalues. A comparative study of these algorithms applied to an oscillating electric dipole is carried out to assess their relative merit for further development. In spherical coordinates, second-order windward numerical simulations of the radiating phenomenon are closely comparable in terms of accuracy and efficiency. These methods also demonstrate an ability to suppress reflected waves from the truncated boundary by a simple compatibility condition.
Study of Calcium(II), Copper(II), Magnesium(II), and Iron(III) Interference on Au(III) Binding to Native Hop Biomass Using ICP‐OES

Abstract Biosorption of metals from industrial effluents has been studied widely. The economic advantage of scavenging precious metals such as gold has increased the interest in recovery technologies. Hop biomass has been studied for its capability of uptaking Au(III) ions from aqueous solutions. The interference of Cu(II), Fe(III), Ca(II), and Mg(II) on Au(III) binding to hop biomass was studied using ICP‐OES for metal quantification. Portions of hop biomass were reacted with mixed solutions of Cu(II)–Au(III), Fe(III)–Au(III), Cu(II)–Au(III), and Mg(II)–Au(III) at different concentrations. The analysis of the Cu(II)–Au(III) solution showed that Cu(II) ions do not interfere in Au(III) binding at pH 3, 4, and 5. All Fe(III) concentrations seem to have no effect on the Au(III) binding at the pH that was investigated. The presence of Ca(II) increases about 50% the binding of Au(III) at pH 6 and decreases about 25% at pH 2, while the presence of Mg(II) ions increased the Au(III) binding to native hop biomass ...
High Detection Sensitivity of Ultraviolet 4H-SiC Avalanche Photodiodes

We report 4H-SiC p-i-n avalanche photodiodes (APDs) with very low dark current. When biased for a photocurrent gain M of 1000, a 100-mum-diameter device exhibits dark current of 5 pA (63 nA/cm2), corresponding to primary multiplied dark current of 5 fA (63 pA/cm2). The peak responsivity at unity gain is 93 mA/W (external quantum efficiency = 41%) at lambda = 280 nm. The excess noise factor corresponds to k = 0.1. Detection of several tens of femtowatts of ultraviolet light is reported.
Prospects for Active Matrix Displays on Plastic

We review the status of active matrix display fabrication on plastic substrates, specifically active matrix liquid crystal displays (AM LCDs). Research efforts in the U.S. and Europe are surveyed. Currently available transparent plastics, and active programs to improve these materials are described. Our work on thin film transistor (TFT) fabrication at 125°C is then reported, with a comparison of reactive sputtering and plasma enhanced CVD methods.
High-performance low-energy STT MRAM based on balanced write scheme

It is well known that high write time/energy in STT MRAM are aggravated by the asymmetry in write currents for '0'→'1' and '1'→'0' transitions. This asymmetry is primarily due to the source degeneration of the access transistor during write. In this work, we propose a design methodology which avoids the source degeneration of the access transistor, leading to balanced switching times for '0'→'1' and '1'→'0' transitions.This is achieved by using an additional (negative) bit-line voltage and reduced word-line voltage. The proposed method reduces write time (by ~40%) and write energy (by 65%), enhances reliability of MTJ, and significantly improves tolerance to process variation. In the proposed scheme, source-line can be directly connected to ground signal leading to a compact cell layout.
Litigation, liability, and incentives for care

Abstract In this paper, potential injurers are subject to a negligence standard and differ in cost of taking care; in the event of accident, the injurer's degree of care is private information in litigation that follows. Award of damages for pain and suffering will lead to a general increase in care and hence reduce the likehood of accident. A tighter negligence standard will lead some potential injurers to take more care and others to take less. Adoption of a rule under which the loser at trial must pay the litigation costs of the winner will reduce the pressure for punitive damages.
Selective increase of AMPA binding to the AMPA/quisqualate receptor in the hippocampus in response to acute stress.

The binding properties of ligands specific for two subclasses of glutamate receptors were studied by quantitative autoradiography after one hour of acute immobilization/shock stress. [3H] N-(1-(2-thienyl)cyclohexyl)-3,4 piperidine (TCP) and [3H]α-amino-3-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) were used to visualize the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor and the AMPA/quisqualate receptor types, respectively. While no change was observed in the binding properties of the [3H]TCP, [3H]AMPA binding was significantly increased in several areas of the hippocampus of acutely stressed rats relative to naive controls.
The spread of adaptation in human foveal and parafoveal cone vision

We investigated the spread of bleaching adaptation for human cone vision in the central fovea and at an eccentricity of 5 deg in the nasal retina. Cone thresholds measured after adaptation to a grating bleach were compared to those measured after a uniform bleach. We conclude that the foveal and parafoveal cone systems show excellent localization of the effects of adaptation. For areas 2.5-5 min removed from the bleach, our measurement show only small sensitivity losses amounting to between 0.10 and 0.25 log unit elevation in threshold, after taking account of optical scatter.
Bose condensation and momentum distribution in a simplified liquid-$sup 4$He ground state

Bose-Einstein condensation and the atomic momentum distribution are investigated for a simplified liquid /sup 4/He ground state obtained by ables, of a product of /sup 4/He-atom wave functions, each in its individual electronic and translational ground state. The momentum distribution is defined and evaluated by the method of redundant modes and generalized Tani transformation. Bose- Einstein condensation is found, with a condensate depletion of 6% owing to the purely kinematical repulsion arising from the Pauli exclusion principle. The noncondensed atoms are spread in momentum space by an amount of a few inverse Bohr radii. Dynarmical correlations would increase the depletion in a more realistic ground state. (auth)
Reflection electron microscopy methods for the study of surface structure

SUMMARY The techniques of reflection electron microscopy (REM) using TEM instruments and scanning reflection electron microscopy (SREM) using STEM instruments have been explored as means for the observation of surface structure with high spatial resolution, better than 1 nm in each case. Under the ordinary environment of a commercial TEM instrument, we have studied the contrast in REM images of atomic steps and made comparison with the calculated results from the multi-slice dynamical diffraction theory. Comparison has also been made between the REM images of defects and the calculated images based on the column approximation. The influence of surface resonances on the contrast has been investigated. By SREM performed in a modified HB5 STEM with attached high vacuum preparation chamber, we have observed the formation of periodically distributed Pd particles on the surface of cleaved MgO.
The opposite of speciation: Genetic relationships among the populations of Pleurocera (Gastropoda: Pleuroceridae) in central Georgia*

Abstract: The ranges of Pleurocera (formerly Goniobasis or Elimia) catenaria (Say, 1822) and P. proxima (Say, 1825) extend from Virginia south through the Carolinas into the piedmont and upper coastal plain of Georgia, where they intersect with populations of P. floridensis (Reeve, 1860). In contrast to the situation in surrounding states, however, Georgia populations of P. catenaria have been taxonomically subdivided and re-described under at least ten specific nomina, over a complex monographic history extending 150 years. To see if this increased nomenclatural diversity might signal higher levels of population divergence, we compared gene frequencies at 11 polymorphic allozyme-encoding loci among eight populations of P. catenaria and three populations of P. floridensis sampled from central Georgia region to three populations of P. proxima, which have never been taxonomically subdivided. Genetic variation was moderate within our 14 populations and high among them, as has been reported in many prior surv...
Formation and homolytic cleavage of the Ni(II)–styryl σ‐bond

A Ni–carbon σ-bond is formed from biscyclooctadienenickel(0) and styrene in the presence of organic acids. Homolytic cleavage of this bond gives free radicals. The mechanism of formation and disappearance of the radical-supplying species is deduced from kinetic and other data. A competing coordinated ligand insertion reaction is discussed.
Performance Modeling and Scalability Optimization of Distributed Deep Learning Systems

Big deep neural network (DNN) models trained on large amounts of data have recently achieved the best accuracy on hard tasks, such as image and speech recognition. Training these DNNs using a cluster of commodity machines is a promising approach since training is time consuming and compute-intensive. To enable training of extremely large DNNs, models are partitioned across machines. To expedite training on very large data sets, multiple model replicas are trained in parallel on different subsets of the training examples with a global parameter server maintaining shared weights across these replicas. The correct choice for model and data partitioning and overall system provisioning is highly dependent on the DNN and distributed system hardware characteristics. These decisions currently require significant domain expertise and time consuming empirical state space exploration.This paper develops performance models that quantify the impact of these partitioning and provisioning decisions on overall distributed system performance and scalability. Also, we use these performance models to build a scalability optimizer that efficiently determines the optimal system configuration that minimizes DNN training time. We evaluate our performance models and scalability optimizer using a state-of-the-art distributed DNN training framework on two benchmark applications. The results show our performance models estimate DNN training time with high estimation accuracy and our scalability optimizer correctly chooses the best configurations, minimizing the training time of distributed DNNs.
Structure-Function–Based Quantitative Brain Image Analysis

Many neurodegenerative dementias produce significant alterations in the brain that are often not detectable by neurologic tests or with structural imaging. PET is ideally suited for monitoring cell/molecular events early in the course of a disease as well as during pharmacologic therapy. During the past 2 decades, molecular neuroimaging using PET and magnetic resonance (MR) has advanced elegantly and steadily gained importance in the clinical and research arenas. Software- and hardware-based multimodality brain imaging allowing the correlation between anatomic and molecular information has revolutionized clinical diagnosis and now offers unique capabilities for the clinical neuroimaging community and neuroscience researchers at large.
Gene expression during liver regeneration.

Abstract The concentration of a group of messenger RNAs, some of which are expressed only (or mainly) in the liver and others of which are expressed in all tissues, was examined during liver regeneration. Most of the tissue-specific mRNAs did not change greatly in concentration or in transcription rate, but mRNAs such as actin and tubulin increased by as much as tenfold without an equivalent transcriptional increase. However, the mRNAs for “acute phase” proteins such as serum amyloid A and metallothionine did increase dramatically and increased transcription was easily detected. In addition to these findings, there was no increase in the rate of synthesis of the RNA constituents necessary to make ribosomes, pre-rRNA and mRNA for ribosomal proteins. Thus, the differentiated hepatocyte continues to function as a differentiated cell during the two or so replications necessary for regeneration, and many of the constituents necessary to increase cell mass may be supplied by increased preservation and utilization of transcribed RNAs.
Mitral Valve Repair Using ePTFE Sutures for Ruptured Mitral Chordae Tendineae: A Computational Simulation Study

Mitral valve (MV) repair using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sutures is an established and preferred interventional method to resolve the complex pathophysiologic problems associated with chordal rupture. We developed a novel computational evaluation protocol to determine the effect of the artificial sutures on restoring MV function following valve repair. A virtual MV was created using three-dimensional echocardiographic data in a patient with ruptured mitral chordae tendineae (RMCT). Virtual repairs were designed by adding artificial sutures between the papillary muscles and the posterior leaflet where the native chordae were ruptured. Dynamic finite element simulations were performed to evaluate pre- and post-repair MV function. Abnormal posterior leaflet prolapse and mitral regurgitation was clearly demonstrated in the MV with ruptured chordae. Following virtual repair to reconstruct ruptured chordae, the severity of the posterior leaflet prolapse decreased and stress concentration was markedly reduced both in the leaflet tissue and the intact native chordae. Complete leaflet coaptation was restored when four or six sutures were utilized. Computational simulations provided quantitative information of functional improvement following MV repair. This novel simulation strategy may provide a powerful tool for evaluation and prediction of interventional treatment for RMCT.
Electronic structure of Ce-filled skutterudites

The electronic structure of ${\mathrm{CeFe}}_{4}$${\mathrm{P}}_{12}$ and ${\mathrm{CeFe}}_{4}$${\mathrm{Sb}}_{12}$ have been studied with density-functional calculations. Both are small band-gap semiconductors within the local-density approximation. The Ce is near trivalent in both compounds, and the Ce 4f states hybridize strongly with both Fe 3d and pnictogen p states in the vicinity of the Fermi energy. The band gaps are the result of this hybridization. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Tourette-Like Symptoms Associated with Neuroleptic Therapy in an Autistic Child

Abstract A 5½-year-old autistic boy developed a Tourette-like syndrome after neuroleptic withdrawal. The child was studied prospectively and any abnormal movements were compared with predrug baseline assessment and information. Differential diagnosis and some of the difficulties in evaluating neuroleptic related abnormal movements are discussed. The need for a baseline assessment of patients before the administration of neuroleptics is stressed.
Transition-Edge Sensor Microcalorimeters for X-ray Beamline Science

An important and fast-growing technology in the realm of cryogenic detectors has recently been applied to beamline science: the superconducting Transition-Edge Sensor (TES). A TES consists of a thin metal film that is held in the superconducting-to-normal transition by a voltage bias. When a single X-ray photon is absorbed, the temperature and resistance of the film increase, which causes a negative-going current pulse with amplitude proportional to the deposited energy. The thin-film thermometer is typically coupled to a photon absorber composed of a high atomic number element such as bismuth or gold, so efficiencies near unity are possible for X-rays up to 10 keV. TESs are an example of a broader class of sensors called microcalorimeters that measure energetic events through a change in temperature. The energy resolution of a well-designed microcalorimeter is set by thermodynamic power fluctuations between the sensor and the local heat bath as well as by additional noise terms such as the Johnson noise ...