cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NMR-detected order in core residues of denatured bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor.

The NMR characteristics of (14-38)Abu, a synthetic variant of BPTI that is partially folded in aqueous buffer near neutral pH, support a model of early folding events which begin with stabilization of the nativelike, slow exchange core (Barbar, E., Hare, M., Daragan, V., Barany, G., and Woodward, C. (1998) Biochemistry 37, 7822-7833 (1)). In partially folded (14-38)Abu, urea denaturation profiles for representative amide protons show that global unfolding is non-two-state and that core residues require a higher concentration of urea to unfold. Dynamic properties of pH-denatured (14-38)Abu and fully reduced and unfolded BPTI analogue were determined from heteronuclear NMR relaxation measurements at similar solution conditions. Differences at various sites in the polypeptide chain were evaluated from spectral density functions determined from T1, T2, and steady-state heteronuclear NOE data. Although denatured (14-38)Abu contains no persistent secondary structure, its most ordered residues are those that, in native BPTI, fold into the slow exchange core. The fully reduced analogue is significantly more mobile and shows less heterogeneous dynamics, but at 1 °C, restricted motion is observed for residues in the central segments of the polypeptide chain. These observations indicate that there is a developing core or cores even in highly unfolded species. Apparently the effect of 14-38 disulfide on unfolded BPTI is to preferentially order and stabilize residues in the core. The structure and dynamics of intermediates formed during protein folding are refractory to characterization because they are heterogeneous and their lifetimes typically fall below the resolution of conventional techniques. The structural hetero- geneity is related to the multiple, parallel pathways for fold- ing from a denatured ensemble to a native state; intermediates formed during the process are not well described as one or a few average structures, but rather as families of conforma- tions (2-4). To produce proteins representative of the conformational ensembles transiently formed at various stages of folding, a number of methods are used to obtain denatured forms that are unfolded to various degrees (5- 9). Our approach is to use chemical synthesis to prepare protein variants that are partially folded or fully denatured near physiological pH without added denaturant, so that comparisons among them at similar temperatures and buffer conditions are simplified (10, 11). For very early stages of protein folding, our models are unfolded variants of BPTI 1 that have no secondary or tertiary structure detected by CD or NMR. These include (R)Abu in which all six cysteines are
Performance of gear pumps in polymer processing

Within the past several years considerable interest has developed in the practice of retrofitting plasticating extruders with gear pumps. The primary motivation for this is to reduce surges and fluctuations in the extrusion rate, thereby improving product quality and reducing waste. It is shown that the effectiveness of a gear pump for this purpose is directly related to its volumetric efficiency, which depends upon the pump dimensions, the flow behavior of the polymer, and the operating variables of temperature, pressure differential, and pump speed. Experimental data on three thermoplastic materials using a pump having gear wheels of 36 mm diameter for both leakage and power are reported. These data have been correlated with semi-empirical equations.
Examining Placement Considerations for Students With Emotional Disturbance Across Three Alternative Schools

The continuum of educational environments exists to ensure the most appropriate and least restrictive educational setting for students with disabilities. One setting schools use to provide services...
Local Attachments: The Making of an American Urban Neighborhood, 1850 to 1920

Since the mid-19th century, the United States has been transformed from a rural society of small communities into an urban nation where most people live in cities. Surprisingly, writes Alexander von Hoffman, this transformation has not destroyed "local attachments" and created an impersonal atomized society. Instead, these attachments have flourished in the fundamental unit of urban society - the city neighbourhood. In "Local Attachments", von Hoffman explores the emergence of the modern urban neighbourhood in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries by examining Boston's outer-city neighbourhood, Jamaica Plain. Like other American urban neighborhoods of the era, Jamaica Plain experienced the arrival of many ethnic groups, a house-building boom for members of every social class and the creation of commercial, industrial and recreational boundaries within its boundaries. Despite this diversity, a vital neighbourhood culture bound the residents of the neighbourhood together. Businesses, churches, schools, clubs, charitable societies and political organizations spun a web of social ties that fostered a powerful sense of allegiance to the local community. Yet, in the end, political reformers and 20th-century mores shattered the unity of the turn-of-the-century neighbourhood and contributed to a decline in the quality of urban life.
A time-domain method with isotropic dispersion and increased stability on an overlapped lattice

A time-domain method on an overlapped lattice is presented for the accurate and efficient simulation of electromagnetic wave propagation through inhomogeneous media. The method comprises a superposition of complementary approximations to electromagnetic theory on a lattice. The discrete space-time (DST) method, is set on a pair of dual lattices whose field components are collocated on their respective lattice sites. The other, the time-domain element (TDE) method, is set on overlapping dual lattices whose field components are noncollocated. The TDE method is shown to be a generalization and reinterpretation of the Yee algorithm. The benefits of the combined algorithm over comparable methods include: (1) increased accuracy over larger bandwidths; (2) increased stability allowing larger time steps; (3) local stencil-satisfying boundary conditions on interfaces; (4) self-contained mathematical framework; (5) it is physically intuitive.
Spatiotemporal variation in deer browse and tolerance in a woodland herb

Herbivory can shape the dynamics of plant populations, including effects on survival and reproduction, and is in turn affected by environmental factors that vary in space and time. White-tailed deer are significant herbivores in North America that have been broadly documented to affect plant reproductive success. If variation in the frequency and impact of herbivory by deer correlates with a broad-scale latitudinal gradient, climactic effects may be important for shaping plant–herbivore interactions. Alternatively, a lack of broad-scale gradients would suggest local factors such as plant community composition and deer densities are affecting herbivory. To investigate broad-scale patterns of deer herbivory, we examined the frequency and reproductive consequences of deer browse over three years in 17 populations of Campanulastrum americanum spanning the latitudinal extent of its range. Even though deer are overabundant throughout the range of C. americanum, we found spatiotemporal variation in deer browse f...
vac2: a yeast mutant which distinguishes vacuole segregation from Golgi-to-vacuole protein targeting.

Abstract We have isolated four yeast mutants that are unable to partition maternal vacuoles into growing buds. Three of these vacuole segregation (vac) mutants also mislocalize the vacuolar protease carboxypeptidase Y (CPY) to the cell surface, a phenotype previously reported for vac strains. A fourth mutant, vac2-1, exhibits a temperature-sensitive defect in vacuole segregation but does not show a defect in protein targeting from the Golgi apparatus to the vacuole. Haploid vac2-1 cells grown at the non-permissive temperature do not secrete CPY or a second vacuolar protease, proteinase A (PrA). Furthermore, newly synthesized precursors of CPY are converted to mature forms with similar kinetics in both vac2-1 and wild-type cells. In addition, invertase is secreted normally from vac2-1 cells, indicating that post-Golgi steps in the secretory pathway are not blocked in this mutant. These results suggest that VAC2 function is necessary for vacuole division and segregation in yeast but is not involved in vacuole protein sorting events at the Golgi apparatus.
Patient safety room of horrors: a novel method to assess medical students and entering residents’ ability to identify hazards of hospitalisation

Background Patient safety curricula in undergraduate medical education (UME) are often didactic format with little focus on skills training. Despite recent focus on safety, practical training in residency education is also lacking. Assessments of safety skills in UME and graduate medical education (GME) are generally knowledge, and not application-focused. We aimed to develop and pilot a safety-focused simulation with medical students and interns to assess knowledge regarding hazards of hospitalisation. Methods A simulation demonstrating common hospital-based safety threats was designed. A case scenario was created including salient patient information and simulated safety threats such as the use of upper-extremity restraints and medication errors. After entering the room and reviewing the mock chart, learners were timed and asked to identify and document as many safety hazards as possible. Learner satisfaction was assessed using constructed-response evaluation. Descriptive statistics, including per cent correct and mean correct hazards, were performed. Results All 86 third-year medical students completed the encounter. Some hazards were identified by a majority of students (fall risk, 83% of students) while others were rarely identified (absence of deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis, 13% of students). Only 5% of students correctly identified pressure ulcer risk. 128 of 131 interns representing 49 medical schools participated in the GME implementation. Incoming interns were able to identify a mean of 5.1 hazards out of the 9 displayed (SD 1.4) with 40% identifying restraints as a hazard, and 20% identifying the inappropriate urinary catheter as a hazard. Conclusions A simulation showcasing safety hazards was a feasible and effective way to introduce trainees to safety-focused content. Both students and interns had difficulty identifying common hazards of hospitalisation. Despite poor performance, learners appreciated the interactive experience and its clinical utility.
Genetic Algorithm Approach In Adaptive Resource Allocation In Ofdm Systems

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a promising technology for high data rate transmission in wideband wireless systems for achieving high downlink capacities in future cellular systems. In this paper subcarrier and power allocation to each user at base-station is allocated to maximize the user data rates, subject to constraints on total power and bit error rate. First, each sub-channel is assigned to the user with best channel-to-noise ratio for the channel, with random power distributed by water filling algorithm. With the goal of minimize the overall transmit power while ensuring the fulfillment of each user’s data rate and bit Error Rate (BER), the needed allocation is proposed through genetic search. The proposed genetic search helps fast convergence and can handle large allocations of subcarriers to users without performance degradation. The simulation results show that genetic algorithm approach will be used where complex computations are involved and near optimal solution are acceptable for optimum resource allocation.
Defining and Teaching Evaluative Thinking Insights From Research on Critical Thinking

Evaluative thinking (ET) is an increasingly important topic in the field of evaluation, particularly among people involved in evaluation capacity building (ECB). Yet it is a construct in need of clarification, especially if it is to be meaningfully discussed, promoted, and researched. To that end, we propose that ET is essentially critical thinking applied to contexts of evaluation. We argue that ECB, and the field of evaluation more generally, would benefit from an explicit and transparent appropriation of well-established concepts and teaching strategies derived from the long history of work on critical thinking. In this article, based on previous work in the fields of education, cognitive science, and critical thinking, as well as on our experience as ECB practitioners, we propose several guiding principles and specific strategies for teaching ET that draw directly from research on the teaching of critical thinking.
Insights Into Energy Materials Through Aberration-Corrected STEM

With a 5-order aberration corrector, the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) can provide atomic resolution over a range of accelerating voltages from 40 – 300 kV. Quantitative imaging of light atoms is possible with annular dark field (ADF) imaging with simultaneous two-dimensional spectroscopic mapping of composition and electronic structure with high collection efficiency. Several case studies of materials of interest for energy applications will be presented, showing how microscopy data can be compared to results of density functional calculations to provide microscopic insights into functionality.
The Effectiveness of Pharmaceutical Advertising: A Case Study:

One of the basic problems of advertising research concerns the extent to which the cost of advertising in dollars alone differs from the cost of making a given number of impressions on a given numb...
Antihypertensive effects of oxprenolol and propranolol

The antihypertensive effects of the beta blockers oxprenolol and propranolol were compared in a randomized double-blind study of patients with standing diastolic pressures (SDP) exceeding 99 mm Hg when receiving hydrochlorothiazide alone. After 3 wk of hydrochlorthiazide with placebo, the latter was replaced with oxprenolol (n= 12) or propranolol (n = 14), 20 mg three times daily. Beta blocker was increased subsequently to 40 and 80 mg three times daily if SDP exceeded 89 mm Hg. Nine oxprenolol and 7 propranolol subjects were hospitalized for 24-hr monitoring. With oxprenolol, standing pressure declined from 135 +/- 2 (SE)/104 +/- 1 MM Hg to 128 +/- 3/90 +/- 2. SDP declined to under 91 mm Hg in 7 of 12 subjects, and to from 91 to 95 in 3 subjects. With propranolol, findings were 138 +/- 3/106 +/- 2 to 123 +/- 3/89 +/- 3; in 7 of 12 to less than 91 mm Hg and from 91 to 95 in 4 subjects. Decrements in supine and SDP were slightly (4 mm Hg) greater for propranolol than for oxprenolol. Both drugs gave similar 24-hr blood pressure control. We conclude that oxprenolol and propranolol used to supplement hydrochlorothiazide provide comparable reductions in blood pressure and smooth control over a 24-hr period in most patients with hypertension.
Derivation of Seismic Design Parameters for ECC and Multi-Material Special Moment-Resisting Frames

Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) are a special class of high-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious materials with high tensile ductility, energy absorption and damage tolerance. Various studies have demonstrated the advantages of ECC for seismic applications. However, real-life applications of ECC are still rare today due to a lack of design guidelines and high cost of the material. In this study, seismic design parameters were derived using FEMA P695 methodology for two different special moment frames: (1) frames entirely composed of reinforced ECC (R/ECC) and (2) reinforced concrete (RC) frames in which RC is replaced with R/ECC at the plastic hinge regions.
Laboratory study on plastifier ZSJ for oil well cement

The cement sheath down hole may be considered as a brittle microfissured material with some flaws in nature, and the microfissures and flaws make the sheath easy to crack down or scale from casings or well bore in continuous operations such as perforation, thus impacts later production of the oil/gaswell, sometimes even shortens the well life. Plastic cement solves cracking problem of cement sheath successfully. With high strength fiber added in, not only the strength, but also the flexibility is increased. In lab, a plastifier ZSJ was made from mixed short fiber with different length distribution (less than 4 mm),rubber powder(particle size within 0. 180～0. 280 mm), active particle and proper activator. Tests showed follow advantages of ZSJ : (1) It has good anti-salt contamination property and excellent compatibility with other additives: (2) It not only plays no role in operational property of cement slurry, but also improves dynamics property of cement stone to increase the compression strength, bending strength and impact resisting toughness in different extents. Perforating tests verified that the ZSJ cement stone could endure impaction in subsequent operations such as perforating. The cement bond quality was!improved, formation fluid channeling was prevented and oil well life was prolonged.
Optimizing Sampling Strategies for Riverine Nitrate Using High-Frequency Data in Agricultural Watersheds

Understanding linked hydrologic and biogeochemical processes such as nitrate loading to agricultural streams requires that the sampling bias and precision of monitoring strategies be known. An existing spatially distributed, high-frequency nitrate monitoring network covering ∼40% of Iowa provided direct observations of in situ nitrate concentrations at a temporal resolution of 15 min. Systematic subsampling of nitrate records allowed for quantification of uncertainties (bias and precision) associated with estimates of various nitrate parameters, including: mean nitrate concentration, proportion of samples exceeding the nitrate drinking water standard (DWS), peak (>90th quantile) nitrate concentration, and nitrate flux. We subsampled continuous records for 47 site-year combinations mimicking common, but labor-intensive, water-sampling regimes (e.g., time-interval, stage-triggered, and dynamic-discharge storm sampling). Our results suggest that time-interval sampling most efficiently characterized all nitra...
The Jordan Curve Theorem, Formally and Informally

(2007). The Jordan Curve Theorem, Formally and Informally. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 114, No. 10, pp. 882-894.
Effects of state-level medicaid policies and patient characteristics on time to breast cancer surgery among medicaid beneficiaries

Medicaid beneficiaries with cancer are less likely to receive timely and high-quality care. This study examined whether differences in state-level Medicaid policies affect delays in time to surgery (TTS) among women diagnosed with breast cancer. Using 2006-2008 Medicaid data, we identified women aged 18-64 enrolled in Medicaid diagnosed with breast cancer. Analyses examined associations of state-specific Medicaid surgery reimbursements, Medicaid eligibility recertification period (annually vs. shorter) and required patient copayment on time from breast cancer diagnosis to receipt of breast surgery. Patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy were excluded. Separate multivariable regression analyses controlling for patient demographic characteristics and clustering by state were performed for breast conserving surgery (BCS), inpatient mastectomy, and outpatient mastectomy. The study included 7542 Medicaid beneficiaries with breast cancer: 3272 received BCS, 2156 outpatient mastectomy, and 2115 inpatient mastectomy. Higher Medicaid reimbursements for BCS were associated with decreased time from diagnosis to surgery. A 12-month (vs. <12 month) Medicaid eligibility recertification period was associated with decreased TTS for BCS and outpatient mastectomy. Black Medicaid beneficiaries (compared with non-Hispanic White beneficiaries) were more likely to experience delays for all three types of surgery, while Hispanic beneficiaries were more likely to experience delays only for outpatient mastectomy. State-level Medicaid policies and patient characteristics can affect receipt of timely surgery among Medicaid beneficiaries with breast cancer. As delays in surgery can increase morbidity and mortality, changes to state Medicaid policies and health system programs are needed to improve access to care for this vulnerable population.
A Response to Professor Camp: The Importance of Oversight

In past writings and in an upcoming article by Professor Bryan Camp, The Problem of Adversarial Process in the Administrative State, 83 IND. L. J. ### (2008), Professor Camp criticizes the procedural protections Congress added in the tax collection process, noting the limitations of adversary proceedings in the IRS's tax collection process. In particular, Professor Camp strongly criticizes the collection due process (CDP) rights that were part of the landmark IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998. Given the size of the tax gap, and likely increasing calls for the IRS to do a better job in reducing that tax gap in light of budget deficits, the question of considering the appropriate use of agency resources is particularly relevant.While much of Professor Camp's argument is persuasive, it comes up short both as a descriptive and prescriptive model. Unquestionably, the IRS's collection process borrows heavily from inquisitorial models of agency action, and given the information asymmetry between the IRS and taxpayers themselves, the agency faces heavy obstacles to consider whether delinquent taxpayers are shirking their responsibilities or are genuinely facing financial hardship and are unable to pay what is due and assessed. But those insights are not sufficient to explain the dynamics of the entire collection process, which is best thought of as involving a range of interests meriting differing levels of procedural protection and personal IRS intervention. In this response, I situate IRS collection determinations within the broader landscape of administrative law, highlight the principles that administrative law scholars have emphasized in considering what is fair agency practice, and apply those principles to the collection context. I conclude that Professor Camp rightfully highlights some of CDP's problems, but misses its benefits and thus fails in prescribing the repeal of CDP. Yet, Professor Camp's article is a significant achievement for those considering tax collection. Its targeting of CDP's shortfalls highlights some of the problems of the legislative process, and allows us to consider how Congress and the IRS can improve collection rights and protect individual interests without sacrificing essential efficiency concerns associated with collecting taxes.
Pyogenic osteomyelitis and arthritis of the spine treated with combinations of antibiotics and gamma globulin. A preliminary report.

Eight cases of pyogenic osteomyelitis of the spine are presented in which a satisfactory clinical response was obtained with combinations of antibiotics with human gamma globulin. It is suggested that certain patients with this disease who are not responding to conventional methods of therapy may benefit from the administration of combinations of antibiotics and gamma globulin, and that prolonged maintenance therapy with antibiotics may be necessary to prevent recurrence.
The Need for Product Adaptation to Meet Changing Consumer Purchase Intentions in the 1980’s - The Automobile - A Case Study

The American automobile Industry is in serious trouble currently (1980) and has seen its market share eroded during the 1979 and 1980 model years. In fact, in 1980, the U.S. automobile manufacturers experienced the worst sales year in over 10 years and sustained heavy losses in 1980. While it is indisputable that the 1980 recession has been a contributing factor to the poor sales and profit performance of the U.S. auto manufacturers, there are more serious underlying market variables that have contributed heavily to the current poor market performance by the domestic manufacturers. It appears that the domestic manufacturers. It appears that the domestic manufacturers did not correctly analyze consumers’ perceptions as to the types of transportation vehicles that consumers wanted and/or needed to meet the changing market and environmental conditions. There is much evidence to indicate that the domestic manufacturers did not achieve an adequate product mix.
Multiresidue Determination of Pesticides in High-Organic-Content Soils by Solid-Phase Extraction and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

A multiresidue method based on solid-phase extraction cleanup and gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry was developed to analyze 120 pesticides and pesticide metabolites in 2 soils with organic matter contents of 4.0 and 5.2%. Among the pesticides and the pesticide metabolites studied (almost all of which were spiked Into soils at 0.075 ppm in triplicate), 107 (89%) of those spiked in soil containing 4.0% organic matter showed recoveries of 70-130%, as did 98 (82%) of those spiked in soil containing 5.2% organic matter. At a signal-to-noise ratio of 5 for all pesticides except chlorothalonil in soil containing 5.2% organic matter, limits of detection ranged from <1 to 15 ng/g.
Introduction to the sampling designs of the National Ecological Observatory Network Terrestrial Observation System

Global change drivers influence ecological processes at multiple scales and manifest across most of Earth as changes in biodiversity, biogeochemical cycles, infectious disease incidence, and ecohydrology. Small-scale investigations provide compelling evidence of specific effects of global change on local systems, but are of limited use in modeling complex ecological processes at continental-to-global scales. Long-term observations distributed across a diversity of habitat types are needed to improve the ability to forecast ecological change at large spatial and temporal scales. This special issue introduces the Terrestrial Observation System (TOS) of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), a long-term, continental-scale ecological research platform designed to deliver these large-scale datasets. The TOS measures biodiversity of key biota (soil microbes, insects, plants, small mammals), ecosystem productivity and biogeochemistry, infectious disease dynamics, phenology, and population dynamics. The articles in this special issue describe the scientific rationale for the sampling designs of the TOS, including an overview of protocols, locations, and frequencies of measurements. The science designs are a culmination of design requirements scoped by NEON and the National Science Foundation, best available practices put forth by the scientific community, input from technical working groups, and consideration of logistical and financial constraints by NEON staff. Within each site, measurements have been collocated to the extent possible to optimize linkages among different sampling elements. Integrated analyses of terrestrial observations with sensor-based, imagery, and remote-sensing data collected by other NEON subsystems can facilitate scaling of measured parameters to larger spatial and temporal scales. NEON is designed to collect data for 30 years, and make these data freely available on a public data portal (data.neonscience.org). Samples and specimens will be archived and available to the scientific community upon request. The open access approach to the Observatory will provide users with the resources necessary to map, understand, and predict the effects of global change drivers on ecological processes at a continental scale.
“Happiness Inventors”: Informing Positive Computing Technologies Through Participatory Design With Children

Background: Positive psychological interventions for children have typically focused on direct adaptations of interventions developed for adults. As the community moves toward designing positive computing technologies to support child well-being, it is important to use a more participatory process that directly engages children’s voices. Objective: Our objectives were, through a participatory design study, to understand children’s interpretations of positive psychology concepts, as well as their perspectives on technologies that are best suited to enhance their engagement with practice of well-being skills. Methods: We addressed these questions through a content analysis of 434 design ideas, 51 sketches, and 8 prototype and videos, which emerged from a 14-session cooperative inquiry study with 12 child “happiness inventors.” The study was part of a summer learning camp held at the children’s middle school, which focused on teaching the invention process, teaching well-being skills drawn from positive psychology and related areas (gratitude, mindfulness, and problem solving), and iterating design ideas for technologies to support these skills. Results: The children’s ideas and prototypes revealed specific facets of how they interpreted gratitude (as thanking, being positive, and doing good things), mindfulness (as externally representing thought and emotions, controlling those thoughts and emotions, getting through unpleasant things, and avoiding forgetting something), and problem solving (as preventing bad decisions, seeking alternative solutions, and not dwelling on unproductive thoughts). This process also revealed that children emphasized particular technologies in their solutions. While desktop or laptop solutions were notably lacking, other ideas were roughly evenly distributed between mobile apps and embodied computing technologies (toys, wearables, etc). We also report on desired functionalities and approaches to engagement in the children’s ideas, such as a notable emphasis on representing and responding to internal states. Conclusions: Our findings point to promising directions for the design of positive computing technologies targeted at children, with particular emphases on the perspectives, technologies, engagement approaches, and functionalities that appealed to the children in our study. The dual focus of the study on teaching skills while designing technologies is a novel methodology in the design of positive computing technologies intended to increase child well-being. [J Med Internet Res 2017;19(1):e14]
Growth impact of O3, NO2 and/or SO2 on pinus taeda

Seedlings of two full-sib families of loblolly pine expressing different degrees of sensitivity to O3 were exposed to 0.05 ppm O3, 0.10 ppm NO2, and/or 0.14 ppm SO2 for 6 hr/day for 28 consecutive days. The treatments were O3, NO2, SO2 (each used alone), O3+SO2, O3+NO2, and O3+NO2+SO2. Significant growth suppressions were noted with the relatively sensitive family in all but the the NO2 alone treatments. The O3+SO2 treatment had a more significant effect than O3 alone, but adding NO2 had an inconsistent effect. Significant growth suppressions were noted for the relatively non-sensitive family only in the O3+SO2 and O3+SO2+NO2 combination treatments. Adding NO2 to O3+SO2 had a slightly stimulatory effect. The relatively sensitive pine family suffered a 30% height growth suppression versus a 14% height growth suppression for the relatively insensitive family when exposed to the 3 pollutant combination. Symptoms were noted on less than 4% of the foliage in the most severe treatments. The pollutant concentrations used in this study were below the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for each pollutant.
Reconciling legal positivism and human rights: Hans Kelsen's argument from relativism

This article examines the conceptual relationship between legal positivism and human rights, challenging the common idea that the two are in tension or that there exists, at most, a contingent relationship between them, whereby legal positivists can only recognize the normative validity of human rights if they happen to be inscribed in positive law. To do this, I focus on the thought and writings of one of the “founding fathers” of modern legal positivism: the Austrian legal theorist and political philosopher Hans Kelsen. In the first part, I show that Kelsen's conception of legal positivism is inextricably tied to — and, indeed, logically stems from — his moral relativism. In the second, I show that this form of relativism is also the philosophical foundation for Kelsen's commitment to democracy and human rights. Finally, in the third part, I examine the specific conception of human rights that results from this relativistic foundation, contrasting it with the “natural law” version that legal pos...
Compressed beam-selection in millimeterwave systems with out-of-band partial support information

Compressed beam-selection (CBS) exploits the limited scattering of the millimeter wave (mmWave) channel using compressed sensing and finds the best beam-pair with limited overhead. The CBS procedure can further benefit from the knowledge of some additional structure in the channel. As mmWave systems are envisioned to be deployed in conjunction with sub-6 GHz systems, we use the spatial information extracted at sub-6 GHz as out-of-band side information about the mmWave channel. In particular, we formulate beam-selection as a weighted sparse signal recovery problem, and obtain the weights using sub-6 GHz angular information. Furthermore, we formalize the notion of spatial congruence between sub-6 GHz and mmWave, and numerically evaluate the degree of spatial congruence necessary for the success of the proposed approach. The simulation results illustrate that the proposed approach reduces the training overhead of the CBS approach by 3×.
Diagrammatic assessment of ecological integration of sex offenders with mental retardation in community residential facilities.

The treatment of sex offenders with mental retardation is receiving increased attention. Such offenders who are experiencing stress are more likely to use coping strategies effectively if they have a large network of nurturing environmental contacts and are, therefore, less insulated from their environment. In the present study an assessment tool ― the ECO-MAP ― was used that graphically illustrates the degree of integration of an offender. This instrument has proven to be extremely useful as a clinical aid in the intervention-planning process, the contracting phase of intervention, and in the evaluation of outcomes
The Design and Development of the Tumor-Targeting Nanopolymer Dach Platinum Conjugate AP5346 (Prolindac ™ )

AP5346 (Prolindac™) is a macromolecule consisting of a biocompatible and water soluble polymer to which a DACH-Pt is bound via a pH-sensitive chelat-ing group. It was rationally designed to increase delivery of the DACH Pt moiety to tumors by taking advantage of the increased permeability of tumor capillaries. Studies in murine and human tumor xenograft models demonstrated that the design goals were achieved. AP5436 was shown to have activity superior to oxaliplatin in most models and be capable of increasing Pt delivery to the tumor by 16-fold and to the tumor DNA by 14-fold in the B16 murine melanoma model. A phase 1 trial of AP5346 demonstrated activity in patients with far advanced cancers and documented a favorable toxicity and pharmacokinetic profile. AP5346 is now being tested in patients with Pt-sensitive ovarian cancers in a phase 2 trial.
Accountability of Peacekeepers in Peacekeeping Missions

This chapter focuses on the challenges of ensuring the accountability of peacekeepers in peacekeeping missions. Accountability for criminal misconduct involving corruption and resource exploitation is briefly discussed, but the main focus of the chapter is on sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by United Nations (UN) peacekeepers—one of the most widely documented areas in which lack of accountability for the transgressions of peacekeepers is most evident. The chapter includes a comprehensive and systematic survey, both empirical and theoretical, of the problem of sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as a discussion on the difficulties of policing peacekeepers. It concludes with suggestions and scenarios for transforming the current climate of impunity for peacekeepers into a culture of accountability and justice.
Sex differences in progression to mild cognitive impairment and dementia in Parkinson's disease.

Abstract Introduction Identification of factors associated with progression of cognitive symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) is important for treatment planning, clinical care, and design of future clinical trials. The current study sought to identify whether prediction of cognitive progression is aided by examining baseline cognitive features, and whether this differs according to stage of cognitive disease. Methods Participants with PD in the Pacific Udall Center Clinical Consortium who had longitudinal data available and were nondemented at baseline were included in the study (n = 418). Logistic and Cox regression models were utilized to examine the relationship between cognitive, demographic, and clinical variables with risk and time to progression from no cognitive impairment to mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) or dementia (PDD), and from PD-MCI to PDD. Results Processing speed (OR = 1.05, p = 0.009) and working memory (OR = 1.01, p = 0.03) were associated with conversion to PDD among those with PD-MCI at baseline, over and above demographic variables. Conversely, the primary predictive factor in the transition from no cognitive impairment to PD-MCI or PDD was male sex (OR = 4.47, p = 0.004), and males progressed more rapidly than females (p = 0.01). Further, among females with shorter disease duration, progression was slower than for their male counterparts, and poor baseline performance on semantic verbal fluency was associated with shorter time to cognitive impairment in females but not in males. Conclusions This study provides evidence for sex differences in the progression to cognitive impairment in PD, while specific cognitive features become more important indicators of progression with impending conversion to PDD.
Gallium nitride amplifiers beyond W-band

We have developed gallium nitride (GaN) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifiers that span different frequency ranges from Q-band (33–50 GHz) into G-band (140–220 GHz). We have designed, fabricated and tested a broadband amplifier with more than 11 dB of gain from 38 GHz to at least 110 GHz, and a broadband amplifier with gain across all of F-band (90–140 GHz) with peak gain of 18.9 dB and noise figure of 7.4 dB at 120 GHz. In G-band we have developed an amplifier with 8.7 dB small-signal gain at 149 GHz, and when two such amplifiers were placed in series, large signal power measurements gave 18.2 dBm of output RF power and 10 dB gain at 147 GHz. These results demonstrate 0.15 μm gate length GaN HEMTs are applicable for amplifiers through F-band and into G-band.
Ocular drug delivery targeted by iontophoresis in the suprachoroidal space using a microneedle.

Abstract Treatment of many posterior-segment ocular indications would benefit from improved targeting of drug delivery to the back of the eye. Here, we propose the use of iontophoresis to direct delivery of negatively charged nanoparticles through the suprachoroidal space (SCS) toward the posterior pole of the eye. Injection of nanoparticles into the SCS of the rabbit eye ex vivo without iontophoresis led to a nanoparticle distribution mostly localized at the site of injection near the limbus and 9 mm from the limbus). Iontophoresis using a novel microneedle-based device increased posterior targeting with >30% of nanoparticles in the most posterior region of SCS. Posterior targeting increased with increasing iontophoresis current and increasing application time up to 3 min, but further increasing to 5 min was not better, probably due to the observed collapse of the SCS within 5 min after injection ex vivo. Reversing the direction of iontophoretic flow inhibited posterior targeting, with just ~5% of nanoparticles reaching the most posterior region of SCS. In the rabbit eye in vivo, iontophoresis at 0.14 mA for 3 min after injection of a 100 μL suspension of nanoparticles resulted in ~30% of nanoparticles delivered to the most posterior region of the SCS, which was consistent with ex vivo findings. The procedure was well tolerated, with only mild, transient tissue effects at the site of injection. We conclude that iontophoresis in the SCS using a microneedle has promise as a method to target ocular drug delivery within the eye, especially toward the posterior pole.
A computational framework for the detection of subcortical brain dysmaturation in neonatal MRI using 3D Convolutional Neural Networks.

Abstract Deep neural networks are increasingly being used in both supervised learning for classification tasks and unsupervised learning to derive complex patterns from the input data. However, the successful implementation of deep neural networks using neuroimaging datasets requires adequate sample size for training and well-defined signal intensity based structural differentiation. There is a lack of effective automated diagnostic tools for the reliable detection of brain dysmaturation in the neonatal period, related to small sample size and complex undifferentiated brain structures, despite both translational research and clinical importance. Volumetric information alone is insufficient for diagnosis. In this study, we developed a computational framework for the automated classification of brain dysmaturation from neonatal MRI, by combining a specific deep neural network implementation with neonatal structural brain segmentation as a method for both clinical pattern recognition and data-driven inference into the underlying structural morphology. We implemented three-dimensional convolution neural networks (3D-CNNs) to specifically classify dysplastic cerebelli, a subset of surface-based subcortical brain dysmaturation, in term infants born with congenital heart disease. We obtained a 0.985 ± 0. 0241-classification accuracy of subtle cerebellar dysplasia in CHD using 10-fold cross-validation. Furthermore, the hidden layer activations and class activation maps depicted regional vulnerability of the superior surface of the cerebellum, (composed of mostly the posterior lobe and the midline vermis), in regards to differentiating the dysplastic process from normal tissue. The posterior lobe and the midline vermis provide regional differentiation that is relevant to not only to the clinical diagnosis of cerebellar dysplasia, but also genetic mechanisms and neurodevelopmental outcome correlates. These findings not only contribute to the detection and classification of a subset of neonatal brain dysmaturation, but also provide insight to the pathogenesis of cerebellar dysplasia in CHD. In addition, this is one of the first examples of the application of deep learning to a neuroimaging dataset, in which the hidden layer activation revealed diagnostically and biologically relevant features about the clinical pathogenesis. The code developed for this project is open source, published under the BSD License, and designed to be generalizable to applications both within and beyond neonatal brain imaging.
Actin Cytoskeleton and the Dynamics of Immunological Synapse

T lymphocytes traffic through tissues by different modes of amoeboid motility while scanning for antigenic peptides presented on the surface of Antigen-Presenting Cells (APCs). Effective T-Cell Receptor (TCR ) signaling, upon recognition of a peptide, leads to the formation of a cell-cell junction between the T lymphocyte and the APC . This junction has been termed as the immunological synapse (when it is radially symmetric and stable) or as the immunological kinapse (when it is asymmetric and mobile). Well-regulated coordination between the migratory behavior of T cells and the dynamics of immunological synapse is important for all the major facets of adaptive immune response. In this chapter we discuss how the actin cytoskeleton mediates this coordination by serving as a crucial platform for integrating and influencing signals from the TCR , adhesion and chemokine receptors. We also highlight key experimental approaches that have shaped our current understanding on the role of the actin cytoskeleton in the dynamics of the synapses and kinapses.
Profit-Optimizing Product Line Design, Selection and Pricing with Manufacturing Cost Consideration

Much of the literature on product line design or product line selection focuses on revenue or market share maximization, but in many cases, the true objective is to maximize profit. In this paper, we survey the literature on models that address decisions regarding the conceptual design of products to be offered, or the selection of products among a large set of potential products, and, in some cases, the prices of the offered products. We focus on the combined effects of multiple product offerings on both revenue and manufacturing costs, and emphasize models that would accommodate variable manufacturing costs, the cost of manufacturing facilities, and/or engineering design costs of some form. The paper concludes with promising directions for future research.
Andikape mobility: Haitian subjectivity at the juncture of disability, gender, and insecurity:

This article begins the study of the under-explored yet fundamental role of andikape (disability) mobility—the expression of subjectivity and the exercise of rights by the disabled—in Haitian histo...
Timing and Impact of Posttreatment PET/CT After First 6 Months on Patient Management and Outcomes in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of PET/CT on patient management and outcomes of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) after the first 6 months following...
Moral Distress and Attitudes About Timing Related to Comfort Care for Hospitalized Patients: A Survey of Inpatient Providers and Nurses.

Context:Providing nonbeneficial care at the end of life and delays in initiating comfort care have been associated with provider and nurse moral distress.Objective:Evaluate provider and nurse moral...
Part 1: Café-au-lait macule – Presentation and genesis

Cafe-au-lait macules (CALMs) are clinically significant presentations of isolated hyperpigmentation whose mechanism evades discovery. While not always of pathogenic origin, CALMs manifest in a number of diseases, implying a diversely regulated and interconnected developmental pathway. In this paper, we highlight a patient presenting with an undiagnosed, systemic condition and multiple CALMs as a backdrop for approaching the pathogenesis of hyperpigmentation. We underscore the key players in melanogenesis with the goal of better elucidating the mechanisms involved in pathogenic CALMs. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Patient care, Medical knowledge.
Event-Related Potential Evidence of Implicit Metric Structure during Silent Reading

Under the Implicit Prosody Hypothesis, readers generate prosodic structures during silent reading that can direct their real-time interpretations of the text. In the current study, we investigated the processing of implicit meter by recording event-related potentials (ERPs) while participants read a series of 160 rhyming couplets, where the rhyme target was always a stress-alternating noun-verb homograph (e.g., permit, which is pronounced PERmit as a noun and perMIT as a verb). The target had a strong-weak or weak-strong stress pattern, which was either consistent or inconsistent with the stress expectation generated by the couplet. Inconsistent strong-weak targets elicited negativities between 80-155 ms and 325-375 ms relative to consistent strong-weak targets; inconsistent weak-strong targets elicited a positivity between 365-435 ms relative to consistent weak-strong targets. These results are largely consistent with effects of metric violations during listening, demonstrating that implicit prosodic representations are similar to explicit prosodic representations.
Design of External Cavity Quantum Cascade Lasers for Combustion and Explosion Diagnostics

The main design principles of external cavity quantum cascade lasers with ultra-fast tuning in a broad spectral range for combustion and explosion diagnostics will be discussed. Specifically, laser active region design and overall system design will be covered.