cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Jacobins at Justice: The (Failed) Class Action Revolution of 1978 and the Puzzle of American Procedural Political Economy

In 1978, top DOJ officials in the Carter Administration floated a revolutionary proposal that would have remade the consumer class action and, with it, the relationship of litigation and administration within the American regulatory state. At the proposal’s core was a “public action” for widespread small-damages claims that would have replaced Rule 23 with a hybrid public-private enforcement model. Similar to the False Claims Act, this new mechanism would have granted private plaintiffs the power to bring lawsuits and recover a finder’s fee if successful, but it also gave DOJ substantial screening authority and control, including the ability to take over suits or dismiss them outright. Despite months of shuttle diplomacy among interest groups, a pair of bills in Congress, and full-scale committee hearings, this creative blend of private initiative and public oversight soon fizzled. Yet the story of the proposal’s rise and fall nonetheless provides a venue for wider reflection about American civil procedure and the political economy that produces it. Indeed, the failed revolution of 1978 reveals a contingent moment when the American litigation system was splintering into the pluralistic, chaotic one we now take for granted, including hard-charging state attorneys general, a federal administrative state with litigation authority independent of DOJ, and a sophisticated and politically potent plaintiffs’ bar. In retrospect, the proposal may have been the last best chance to counter the centrifugal tendencies of an American state that was progressively empowering ever more institutional actors within the litigation system. More importantly, lurking in the background of the story of 1978 is the bracing possibility that the Rules Enabling Act, for all its virtues in revising technocratic procedural rules, has systematically enervated efforts to address larger procedural design questions in an increasingly dense and interconnected regulatory world.
Generational Perception and Satisfaction Differences Related to Restaurant Service Environment

The current study considers perception, satisfaction, and importance rating differences of aspects of the dining service environment in a casual-themed restaurant between members of three generatio...
Creating an Image

After the chip has been removed and properly cleaned, through either thermal or nonthermal means, it must be read and imaged. The process will require a number of different chip readers and various programmers. Programmers are not actually used to program the chip, but instead used to read the contents. Chips will come in various configurations and sizes. Some readers may also require the chip to be reballed for the pins inside the reader to contact the required Ball Grid Arrays. Once the chip is able to be “seen” by the actual reader, it must be imaged. The “image” is a process by which the content of the chip is copied and validated for changes. The image that is created is then read and rebuilt using forensic tools. The tools can decode the contents, rebuilding partitions, applications, and various forms of stored user data. Additional ways of searching such as regular expressions can be conducted.
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) analysis and evaluation of BRAF amplifications and mutations in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

255Background: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is an accessible method for characterizing tumoral alterations. We report cfDNA screenings of prostate cancer pts positive for BRAF amplifications/mutations in pts with metastatic CRPC. Methods: Guardant360 testing (Guardant Health, Inc.) assesses cell-free DNA analysis using sequencing to identify genomic alterations in 73 cancer-related genes in circulation. A total of 133 metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) pts in various stages of therapy had Guardant cfDNA analyses. Treatment histories prior to testing and concurrent cfDNA alterations were analyzed. Results: BRAF amplifications were detected in 32 (24%) mCRPC pts; 5 pts had concurrent BRAF mutations. Of the mutations detected, only one (K601E, n = 2) was a known activating mutation while all others were variants of unknown significance (VUS). One K601E mutation pt had no other cfDNA alterations. Additionally, 4 pts without BRAF amplification had VUS BRAF mutations. BRAF amplification pts had ≥ 2 ...
Genetic Assessment of Rare Blackbanded Sunfish (Enneacanthus Chaetodon) Populations in Virginia

Genetic assessment of rare blackbanded sunfish (Enneacanthus chaetodon) populations in Virginia By Diana Marie Kercher, B.S. A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2005 Major Director: Bonnie L. Brown Associate Professor, Department of Biology Enneacanthus chaetodon, the blackbanded sunfish, has become increasingly rare throughout its distribution in the Eastern United States. In Virginia, E. chaetodon maintains an endangered status and individuals persist in six populations. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite data were assessed to determine the genetic characters and gene diversity of the Virginia populations. The results of these analyses were then compared to five additional populations; four from New Jersey and one from North Carolina that were known to have relatively good fitness and were not impacted severely by habitat alteration. The results of this study are relevant to selection of proper management techniques and strategies for this species. Mitochondrial DNA analyses detected no variation in the Virginia populations but significant (P 0.2) of inbreeding. The New Jersey and North Carolina populations demonstrated lower amounts of inbreeding than populations in Virginia. New Jersey displayed a significant (P < 0.05) amount of subdivision among populations compared to Virginia. Hypothesis testing supported the contention that the regions are significantly different from one another and that Virginia populations may have gone through one or more population bottlenecks in the past, explaining the low levels of diversity observed and significantly high inbreeding coefficients. Captive breeding programs could be implemented as a management measure to increase population numbers and restore fish into areas where they have been known to inhabit in the recent past. From a proper management perspective, habitat protection and maintenance are more important than supplementation to population survival. Success of either approach with Virginia populations would provide a useful model for managing small populatioiis of blackbanded sunfish in other regions.
The role of contiguity in learning

One of the oldest assumptions in the field of learning is that temporal contiguity of the stimulus and response is necessary for learning to occur. It has generally been assumed that the response must occur in the presence of, or very soon after, the stimulus for an association to be established. The greater the degree of remoteness, the weaker is the remote association. These remote associations are presumed to be formed in the absence of stimuli–response (S–R) contiguity. Thus, if they truly exist, S–R contiguity is unnecessary for learning. For many years, it appeared that Ebbinghaus had effectively demonstrated their existence. Recent experiments have revealed serious flaws in Ebbinghaus's methodology. When these flaws are corrected, this particular challenge to the contiguity principle collapses.
Quantifying the Size of the Contraband Cell Phone Problem: Insights From a Large Rural State Penitentiary:

Cell phones are one of the most challenging forms of contraband for correctional facilities. The size of this problem is difficult to quantify. Confiscation data are only able to tell a partial sto...
Comparison of patients' reported pain following office hysteroscopy with and without endometrial biopsy: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND When performing office based gynecologic procedures, one must provide patients with appropriate counseling on anticipated pain prior to the procedure. The goal of this study was to investigate whether there is any difference in patients' pain perception when office hysteroscopy (OH) is performed alone compared with when it is performed with endometrial biopsy (EMB) for various gynecologic indications. METHODS A prospective study was performed of patients undergoing office hysteroscopy alone or in combination with endometrial biopsy between October 2015 and February 2017. Procedures were performed using standard gynecologic techniques. Patients described their post procedural pain using the visual analogue scale from 0-10 and data was compared between groups using SPSS version 24. RESULTS Group 1 had OH alone (N.=243) and group 2 had OH combined with EMB (N.=80). Patients who underwent both procedures had significantly higher reported median (range) pain scores than those undergoing OH alone (7 [0-10]. vs. 5 [0-10], P=0.004). The patients in-group 2 were significantly older than those in group 1 (42.6±7.6 vs. 36.6±6.5, P<0.0001). The patients in group 2 had higher gravidity (2 vs. 1, P=0.04), were more likely to have a tenaculum used during the procedure (36.3% vs. 21.4%, P=0.01) and were more likely to be diagnosed with uterine fibroids (73% vs. 31%, P<0.0001). After controlling for patients age, gravidity, tenaculum use and diagnosis of fibroids using a multivariable regression model, patients undergoing OH with EMB had a 0.51-unit pain score greater than those that had OH alone; however, this difference was not statistically significant (95% CI: -0.32, 1.33 P=0.23). CONCLUSIONS Patients undergoing both OH and EMB appear to report similar pain scores as those undergoing OH alone after controlling for confounding variables. The presence of fibroids was found to contribute to higher reported pain in the patients having OH in combination with EMB.
Acute Mountain Sickness is Reduced Following 2 Days of Staging During Subsequent Ascent to 4300 m.

Abstract Objective: To determine whether 2 days of staging at 2500–3500 m, combined with either high or low physical activity, reduces acute mountain sickness (AMS) during subsequent ascent to 4300...
Optical Geolocation for Small Unmanned Aerial Systems

This paper presents an airborne optical geolocation system using four optical targets to provide position and attitude estimation for a sUAS supporting the NASA Acoustic Research Mission (ARM), where the goal is to reduce nuisance airframe noise during approach and landing. A large precision positioned microphone array captures the airframe noise for multiple passes of a Gulfstream III aircraft. For health monitoring of the microphone array, the Acoustic Calibration Vehicle (ACV) sUAS completes daily flights with an onboard speaker emitting tones at frequencies optimized for determining microphone functionality. An accurate position estimate of the ACV relative to the array is needed for microphone health monitoring. To this end, an optical geolocation system using a downward facing camera mounted to the ACV was developed. The 3D positioning of the ACV is computed using the pinhole camera model. A novel optical geolocation algorithm first detects the targets, then a recursive algorithm tightens the localization of the targets. Finally, the position of the sUAS is computed using the image coordinates of the targets, the 3D world coordinates of the targets, and the camera matrix. A Real-Time Kinematic GPS system is used to compare the optical geolocation system.
Salience network connectivity is reduced by a meal and influenced by genetic background and hypothalamic gliosis

The salience network (SN) comprises brain regions that evaluate cues in the external environment in light of internal signals. We examined the SN response to meal intake and potential genetic and acquired influences on SN function. Monozygotic (MZ; 40 pairs) and dizygotic (15 pairs) twins had body composition and plasma metabolic profile evaluated (glucose, insulin, leptin, ghrelin, and GLP-1). Twins underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans before and after a standardized meal. The strength of SN connectivity was analyzed pre- and post-meal and the percentage change elicited by a meal was calculated. A multi-echo T2 MRI scan measured T2 relaxation time, a radiologic index of gliosis, in the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) and control regions. Statistical approaches included intraclass correlations (ICC) to investigate genetic influences and within-pair analyses to exclude genetic confounders. SN connectivity was reduced by a meal ingestion (β = −0.20; P < 0.001). Inherited influences on both pre- and post-meal connectivity were present (ICC MZ twins 26%, P < 0.05 and 47%, P < 0.001, respectively), but not percentage change in response to the meal. SN connectivity in response to a meal did not differ between participants with obesity and of normal weight (χ2(1) = 0.93; P = 0.33). However, when participants were classified as having high or low signs of MBH gliosis, the high MBH gliosis group failed to reduce the connectivity in response to a meal (z = −1.32; P = 0.19). Excluding genetic confounders, the percentage change in SN connectivity by a meal correlated to body fat percentage (r = 0.24; P < 0.01). SN connectivity was reduced by a meal, indicating potential participation of the SN in control of feeding. The strength of SN connectivity is inherited, but the degree to which SN connectivity is reduced by eating appears to be influenced by adiposity and the presence of hypothalamic gliosis.
Skeletal tumor burden on baseline 18F-fluoride PET/CT to predict bone marrow failure after radium-223.

11012 Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate if skeletal tumor burden on whole-body 18F-sodium fluoride PET/CT (Fluoride PET/CT) is able to predict bone marrow failure Radium-223 ther...
Defining and Measuring Students’ Interest in Biology: An Analysis of the Biology Education Literature

Students’ interest in their fields of study is an important motivating factor that affects their academic achievement and persistence in STEM. Here, the literature addressing students’ biology inte...
The Myocardial Interstitium: The Principal Therapeutic Target of the 21st Century?

![Figure][1] “Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement. If you can’t measure something, you can’t understand it. If you can’t understand it, you can’t control it. If you can’t control it, you can’t improve it.”― H. James Harrington [(
The First Anti-Sanctuary Law: Proposition 187 and the Transformation of Immigration Enforcement

Anti-sanctuary efforts are sweeping the country, as the federal government and a growing number of states impose stringent restrictions on the ability of cities and other localities to limit their involvement in federal immigration enforcement. Many are now wondering how far this movement will go. But where and how did this movement begin? This Essay argues that the roots of the contemporary anti-sanctuary movement can be traced to Proposition 187, a ballot initiative adopted by California voters in 1994. As the nation’s first anti-sanctuary law, Proposition 187 established the basic provisions featured in nearly every anti-sanctuary measure enacted since. Moreover, it led the federal government to reshape federal law and initiatives to enable the kind of federal-local cooperation that Proposition 187 envisioned. As a result, Proposition 187 did more than simply set the groundwork for the modern anti-sanctuary movement. It also led to a restructuring of the federalism relationship that made the proliferation of anti-sanctuary legislation like Proposition 187 more necessary. In other words, although Proposition 187 is largely remembered as a benefit- restricting measure, it is its anti-sanctuary efforts that constitute its most lasting legacy.
Estrangement, epochē, and performance: Bertolt Brecht’s Verfremdungseffek t and a phenomenology of spectatorship

During his period of exile in Scandinavia, Bertolt Brecht wrote “I don’t think the traditional form of theatre means anything any longer. Its significance is purely historic; it can illuminate the way in which earlier ages regarded human relationships […] [but] a modern spectator can’t learn anything from themz” (Brecht in Brecht on theatre: the development of an aesthetic. Trans. John Willett., Eyre Methuen Publishing, London, p. 66, 1964). To create a modern theatre fit for a modern audience, Brecht holds that not only would the content of plays have to change, but the experience of theatrical spectatorship itself. To fully capture how Brecht’s work differs from that of previous playwrights, a close analysis of spectatorial experience and perception is required. In this paper, I compare the aesthetic techniques used in Brecht’s epic theatre to the genetic phenomenology of Edmund Husserl. Reading Brecht’s Verfremdungseffekt (or estrangement effect) through a Husserlian lens, I argue that Brecht mobilizes phenomenological methodology in order to suspend the audience’s preconceived notions of theatre and to cultivate self-conscious, critically aware, and socially motivated spectatorship. Just as Husserl describes phenomenology as a presuppositionless science, so too does Brecht offer epic theatre as a way to free “[…] socially-conditioned phenomena from the stamp of familiarity” (Brecht 1964, p. 192).
The Effect of Hospital Volume on Outcomes of Patients with Occult Breast Cancer

With limited data in regards to management, occult breast cancer (OBC) poses a challenging surgical scenario. Current surgical management includes axillary lymphadenectomy (ALND) with or without mastectomy. We sought to investigate the impact of hospital volume on surgical approach and survival outcomes of patients with OBC. Patients with cT0N+ breast cancer were selected from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB, 2004–2014). Primary outcome was overall survival (OS), calculated using Kaplan–Meier methods compared according to hospital volume: community cancer center (CC), comprehensive community cancer center (COMP), and academic center (AC). Secondary outcome was the rate of modified radical mastectomy (MRM). We identified 574 patients with OBC, 11.1% were treated at a CC, 51.8% at a COMP, and 37.0% at an AC. Patients treated at CC had lower socioeconomic status compared with COMP or AC (23.1%, 14.1%, 19.3%; p = 0.005, respectively). There was no difference in access to radiation therapy (p = 0.888) or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.221). Patients treated at CC had worse OS compared with COMP or AC (87.04, 105.29, 108.06 mo, p = 0.026, respectively). There was an increased rate of MRM at CC compared with COMP or AC (54.7%, 41.2%, 30.5%, p = 0.003, respectively). A direct association seems to exist between hospital volume and outcomes of patients with OBC. Patients with OBC treated at AC were more likely to undergo breast-conserving approaches and had better survival than those treated at CC.
Dynamic Masking: A Proposal of Burden-Based Metrics for Masking in K-12 Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Ongoing masking of K-12 children has not been universally accepted despite recommendation from public health authorities. In states without universal mask mandates for schools, district administrators are forced to make masking decisions under significant local political pressures. There is a call for endpoints to masking to allow communities to tailor mitigation while keeping schools safe, focusing on harm reduction. METHODS: We reviewed existing measures for the safe opening of schools and designed a stepwise, accessible approach to the removal of masks in the K-12 setting. RESULTS: Focusing first on the assessment of school impact due to COVID-19 disease and then considering the context of existing community transmission levels allows for a metrics-based approach to masking that is flexible and practical, enabling school officials to adapt quickly to the pandemic landscape in their communities, independent of political pressures. CONCLUSIONS: While this proposal is preliminary, a dynamic metric system for masking may encourage those communities who wish to minimize masking to adopt masks during highest risk periods, protecting against SARS-CoV-2 transmission in schools and allowing for more holistic harm reduction. This approach may serve to guide districts during times of uncertainty when central guidance short of universal masking is lacking.
Modeling change in forest biomass across the eastern US

Predictions of above-ground biomass and the change in above-ground biomass require attachment of uncertainty due the range of reported predictions for forests. Because above-ground biomass is seldom measured, there have been no opportunities to obtain such uncertainty estimates. Standard methods involve applying an allometric equation to each individual tree on sample plots and summing the individual values. There is uncertainty in the allometry which leads to uncertainty in biomass at the tree level. Due to interdependence between competing trees, the uncertainty at the plot level that results from aggregating individual tree biomass in this way is expected to overestimate variability. That is, the variance at the plot level should be less than the sum of the individual variances. We offer a modeling strategy to learn about change in biomass at the plot level and model cumulative uncertainty to accommodate this dependence among neighboring trees. The plot-level variance is modeled using a parametric density-dependent asymptotic function. Plot-by-time covariate information is introduced to explain the change in biomass. These features are incorporated into a hierarchical model and inference is obtain within a Bayesian framework. We analyze data for the eastern United States from the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the US Forest Service. This region contains roughly 25,000 FIA monitored plots from which there are measurements of approximately 1 million trees spanning more than 200 tree species. Due to the high species richness in the FIA data, we combine species into plant functional types. We present predictions of biomass and change in biomass for two plant functional types.
Extensive Middle Amazonian mantling of debris aprons and plains in Deuteronilus Mensae, Mars: Implications for the record of mid-latitude glaciation

Abstract The mid-latitudes of Mars are host to a record of recent episodes of accumulations of ice-rich materials. The record includes debris aprons, interpreted to be debris-covered glaciers, that may represent the preserved remnants of a much more extensive ice sheet. We assessed the possibility of former glacial extents by examining debris aprons and the surrounding plains in Deuteronilus Mensae. Geomorphic units and stratigraphic relationships were mapped and documented from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Context (CTX) and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera images, and crater retention ages were estimated from crater size–frequency distributions. Three major units are observed within the study area: debris aprons, lower plains, and upper plains. Debris aprons exhibit characteristics typical for these features documented elsewhere and in previous studies, including integrated flow lineations and patterns, convex-upward profiles, and knobby and brain terrain surface textures. A lower bound on the age for debris aprons is estimated to be 0.9 Ga. Debris aprons are superposed on a lower plains unit having a lower bound age of 3.3–3.5 Ga. A 50–100 m thick upper plains unit superposes both debris apron landforms and lower plains units and has a best-fit minimum age of 0.6 Ga. The upper plains unit exhibits characteristics of atmospherically-emplaced mantle material, including fine-grained nature, sublimation textures, cyclic layering, draping character, and widespread spatial distribution. Fracturing and subsequent sublimation/erosion of upper plains on debris aprons has contributed to many of the surface textures on debris aprons. The upper plains unit has also been eroded from the lower plains and plateaus, evidenced by isolated blocks of upper plains in the interiors of craters and on the walls and tops of plateaus. While no conclusive evidence diagnostic of former cold-based ice sheets are observed in the plains within the study region, such landforms and units may have been poorly developed or absent, as is often the case on Earth, and would have been covered and reworked by later mantling episodes. These observations suggest that emplacement of thick ice-rich mantle deposits extended at least to near the Early/Middle Amazonian boundary and overlapped with the waning stages of glaciation in Deuteronilus Mensae.
Market Definition Under Price Discrimination

The 1992 Horizontal Merger Guidelines, issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), suggest that relevant markets for merger analysis may be defined for classes of customers on whom a hypothetical monopolist of the merging firms’ products would likely impose a discriminatory price increase. Although the DOJ and FTC had attempted to define markets based on the feasibility of price discrimination prior to 1992, the explicit endorsement by the 1992 Guidelines has led to an increased use of this practice by these agencies. We question whether market definition based on the feasibility of price discrimination is appropriate for many of the merger situations where its use has been proposed. Since application of price discrimination typically leads to narrower market definitions, inappropriate application may result in the DOJ and FTC allocating resources to challenge precompetitive or competition-neutral mergers.In this article we enumerate the difficulties associated with defining markets through price discrimination and describe the conditions under which it may be appropriate. To illustrate the principles involved we present two case studies and conclude with a discussion of the formidable supply-side obstacles to coordinated price discrimination.
Current Weed Control Strategies in Louisiana Rice

Rice was introduced into Louisiana in the late 1800’s and is currently grown on 162,000–243,000 hectares annually. Production is centered in two diverse areas: the southwestern coastal prairie and the Mississippi River floodplain of northeast Louisiana. Economic losses due to weeds, including weed control costs and direct losses are estimated to be $172 (US) per hectare annually. Red rice, barnyardgrass, and junglerice are common and troublesome weeds from the family Gramineae. Alligatorweed, dayflower, ducksalad, purple ammania, and eclipta are major aquatic or wetland broadleaf weeds. Problem terrestrial broadleaf weeds include hemp sesbania, Indian jointvetch, texasweed, and palmleaf morningglory. Crop rotation, cultural management, and chemical control each play significant roles in current weed control strategies. A rotation of one year in rice and two years in soybean is most common. Early planting and establishing a permanent flood as soon as possible in both dry- and water-seeded systems are cultural practices that are used to suppress terrestrial weeds. Herbicides are used on essentially all rice produced in Louisiana. Where red rice is the major weed of concern, molinate (4.5 kg/ha) is most often used preplant incorporated prior to early water-seeding with brief drainage. Where barnyardgrass and junglerice are most troublesome, foliar applications of propanil at rates of 3.4–4.5 kg/ha are used when weeds reach the 2–3-leaf stage. Thiobencarb or molinate (3.4 kg/ha) are increasingly used to enhance the performance of propanil and provide residual weed control, which tends to reduce the need for successive propanil treatments. Broadleaf weeds that are not controlled by molinate or propanil treatments are generally controlled by mid-season application of 2,4-D (0.6–1.7 kg/ha) in southwest Louisiana. In northeast Louisiana where 2,4-D use is restricted, aquatic and wetland broadleaf weeds are most often controlled with bentazon (1.1 kg/ha). Terrestrial broadleaf escapes can be controlled with triclopyr or bromoxynil (0.28–0.42 kg/ha). Rice flatsedge and yellow nutsedge escapes are controlled with bentazon (1.1 kg/ha).
Cross-Border Asset Sales: Shareholder Returns and Liquidity

We examine a sample of 1,458 divestitures of domestic assets by U.S. firms to foreign and domestic buyers over the period 1998-2008. Cross-border asset sales yield higher abnormal returns to the seller than domestic sales. This incremental return is driven by liquidity-constrained sellers engaging in cross-border transactions. Larger seller returns in these international deals are associated with favorable economic conditions in foreign buyers’ home markets relative to the U.S. and synergistic gains from U.S. expansion. We also find positive abnormal returns for buyers, albeit smaller than sellers’ returns, but no significant difference between buyer returns in cross-border and domestic transactions.
Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptor-1 Antagonism Reduces Oxidative Damage in an Alzheimer’s Disease Transgenic Mouse Model.

Abstract Reports from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarker work have shown a strong link between oxidative stress and AD neuropathology. The nonenzymatic antioxidant, glutathione (GSH), plays a crucial role in defense against reactive oxygen species and maintenance of GSH redox homeostasis. In particular, our previous studies on GSH redox imbalance have implicated oxidative stress induced by excessive reactive oxygen species as a major mediator of AD-like events, with the presence of S- glutathionylated proteins (Pr-SSG) appearing prior to overt AD neuropathology. Furthermore, evidence suggests that oxidative stress may be associated with dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, leading to activation of inflammatory pathways and increased production of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). Therefore, to investigate whether oxidative insults can be attenuated by reduction of central CRF signaling, we administered the type-1 CRF receptor (CRFR1) selective antagonist, R121919, to AD-transgenic mice beginning in the preclinical/prepathologic period (30-day-old) for 150 days, a time point where behavioral impairments and pathologic progression should be measureable. Our results indicate that R121919 treatment can significantly reduce Pr-SSG levels and increase glutathione peroxide activity, suggesting that interference of CRFR1 signaling may be useful as a preventative therapy for combating oxidative stress in AD.
An Effective Field Theory Model to Describe Nuclear Matter in Heavy-Ion Collisions

Relativistic mean field theory with mesons σ, ω, π and ρ mediating interactions and nucleons as basic fermions has been very successful in describing nuclear matter and finite nuclei. However, in heavy-ion collisions, where the c. m. energy of two colliding nucleons will be in the hundreds of GeV region, nucleons are not expected to behave as point-like particles. Analyses of elastic pp and ¯pp scattering data in the relevant c. m. energy range show that the nucleon is a composite object—a topological soliton or Skyrmion embedded in a condensed quark-antiquark ground state. Against this backdrop, we formulate an effective field theory model of nuclear matter based on the gauged linear σ-model where quarks are the basic fermions, but the mesons still mediate the interactions. The model describes the nucleon as a Skyrmion and produces a q¯q ground state analogous to a superconducting ground state. Quarks are quasi-particles in this ground state. When the temperature exceeds a critical value, the scalar field in the ground state vanishes, quarks become massless, and a chiral phase transition occurs leading to chiral symmetry restoration. We explore the possibility of a first order phase transition in this model by introducing suitable self-interactions of the scalar field. Internal structures of the Skyrmions are ignored, and they are treated as point-like fermions.
Comfort with Gays and Lesbians after a Class Discussion on Homophobia

ABSTRACT As some educators try to eradicate homophobia among their students, the literature on how classroom interventions lessen homophobia has netted inconsistent results. Most studies have found modest curriculum effects, while some have not. In addressing these inconsistencies, this study investigates the way some mitigating factors may either augment or dampen a student's response to class discussions. After collecting data on 748 students from 12 colleges, it appears that student comfort with gays and lesbians was influenced by the class itself and a mixture of other factors. Some of these crucial factors were peer and familial attitudes as well as the perceived cause of homosexuality, embracing conservative religious maxims, and endorsing traditional gender roles.
The Urban, Politics and Subject Formation

In contrast to more traditional debates about voting patterns, local versus state administrations, and individual rights and participatory democracy, this article addresses the question of urban politics through an analysis of subject formation. By taking subject formation as the analytical focus, research questions about 'politics' shift from traditional ones about local or state government and the development of consensus, for instance, to ones about the constitution of subjects who are governed and govern themselves in particular ways. Using the emergence of two increasingly commonplace subject forms in contemporary China - urban professionals and volunteers - as examples, the article considers how modes of self-regulation become political problems and also how subjects may be of the urban as well as located in the urban. The problematizations of socialist state planning have led to new governmental rationalities and technologies that not only produced new subject positions, but also new urban spaces, landscapes, economies and lifestyles. From this view, the article is an intervention into discussions about the 'where' of urban politics. It also argues that it is critical to examine politics as problematization and normalization if we are to understand what is at stake in the constitution of potential 'communities of action'.
User accessible reply capabilities in invoking and servicing operations

Many message passing languages and packages include some form of synchronous invocation. In a synchronous invocation, the invoker waits for the invocation's servicer to pass back results. A synchronous invocation can be viewed as a pair of asynchronous invocations: one-initiating the computation-with parameter values from the invoker to the servicer and the other-once the requested computation has completed-with the 'go-ahead' and return value from the servicer to the invoker. The target of the latter invocation is known as the reply operation, and a reference to it is known as a reply capability. This paper addresses the issues of making such reply capabilities directly accessible to user code. It presents the design and prototype implementation of a new version of the JR concurrent programming language, called xJR, in which the reply capability can be explicit. This paper gives xJR examples, including realistic ones, to highlight the additional flexibility the new features offer such as a non-lexical reply. These additional features do not impact the run-time performance of existing JR features and can even lead to more efficient code in some programming scenarios. Our experience with the prototype implementation indicates that an actual implementation would be fruitful and would preserve the prototype's performance advantages. Copyright © 2015John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Human growth hormone may not have biomechanical benefits, but is it detrimental?

Off-label usage of biopharmaceuticals has sometimes been the source of anecdotal clinical impressions that in turn have led to suboptimal patient care. In the case of human growth hormone, these issues are further confounded by controversies regarding inappropriate performance enhancements in athletics, which have been well publicized in the lay media. The laboratory research study by Baumgarten et al. is an important contribution in this area, in that it provides an objective assessment of the level of efficacy of human growth hormone for accelerating the healing of acute tendon-bone interface injuries. The model adopted, which involves acute rotator cuff repair in the rat, has become well established in the orthopaedic scientific literature for studying the pathophysiology and treatment of these common human injuries. The authors chose to concentrate on biomechanical outcome measures with their rationale being that, unless human growth hormone could demonstrably accelerate …
Pressureless Sintering of ZrB2–SiC Ceramics

A pressureless sintering process was developed for the densification of zirconium diboride ceramics containing 10-30 vol% silicon carbide particles. Initially, boron carbide was evaluated as a sintering aid. However, the formation of a borosilicate glass led to significant coarsening, which inhibited densification. Based on thermodynamic calculations, a combination of carbon and boron carbide was added, which enabled densification (relative density > 98%) by solid-state sintering at temperatures as low as 1950°C. Varying the size of the starting silicon carbide particles allowed the final silicon carbide particle morphology to be controlled from equiaxed to whisker-like. The mechanical properties of sintered ceramics were comparable with hot-pressed materials with Vickers hardness of 22 GPa, elastic modulus of 460 GPa, and fracture toughness of ∼4 4 MPa· m 1/2 . Flexure strength was ∼ 460 MPa, which is at the low end of the range reported for similar materials, due to the relatively large size (∼ 13 μm long) of the silicon carbide inclusions.
The AT&T View of Intelligent Networks (INs)

In order to facilitate the orderly evolution of network intelligence in the public domain, Bell Communications Research, a research and development facility of the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs), has proposed three distinct architectural variations (IN/1, IN/1+, and IN/2). Considerable collaboration in the phased introduction of these networks is essential to maintain uniformity and consistency of services throughout the nation. Vendors from all nations participate in supplying the networks components, interfaces, and software modules. To maintain any semblance of order, ITU (formerly CCITT) and ANSI publish stringent standards and well-defined protocol. Most companies follow these standards and implement networks, such as the CCS7 network and packet-switched networks. Based upon signaling and typical architecture, networks evolve, such as the 800 network, software defined network (SDN), and others. These rudimentary networks meet all the basic interface and signaling requirements of the first version of the public domain intelligent network, that is, IN/1.
Wall or machine suction rectal biopsy for Hirschsprung’s disease: a simple modified technique can improve the adequacy of biopsy

Suction rectal biopsy (SRB) may not include sufficient submucosa for histological diagnosis of Hirschsprung’s disease (HD) and a repeat biopsy is required. Substitution of the conventional syringe for sustained suction from a machine or wall suction unit could provide a more consistently adequate tissue biopsy. This study was conducted to compare the adequacy of SRB specimens using a conventional method of syringe suction (SSRB) with those taken by wall or machine suction (WSRB). Hospital records of patients who had a SRB between 2002 and 2004 were studied retrospectively. The biopsy was considered inadequate if there was insufficient submucosa and a repeat specimen was requested. SSRB were taken using the conventional SSRB technique. WSRB were taken with the same Noblett forceps but with suction from wall suction or from a portable suction machine. Ninety-five infants had 103 SRB, 24 had WSRB and all (100%) were adequate for histopathological diagnosis or exclusion of HD. Seventy nine conventional SSRB were undertaken in 71 infants of which 64 (81.02%) were adequate. The difference in adequacy between WSRB and SSRB was statistically significant (P = 0.02). There were no instances of haemorrhage or bowel perforation in either subgroup. WSRB with the Noblett biopsy forceps is more likely to produce an adequate specimen and to reduce the incidence of repeat biopsies.
Calculation of the Cost of an Adequate Education in Kentucky: A Professional Judgment Approach

What is an adequate education and how much does it cost? In 1989, Kentucky’s State Supreme Court found the entire system of education unconstitutional-“all of its parts and parcels”. The Court called for all children to have access to an adequate education, one that is uniform and has as its goal the development of seven capacities, including: (i) “sufficient oral and written communication skills to enable students to function in a complex and rapidly changing civilization . . . .and (vii) sufficient levels of academic or vocational skills to enable public school students to compete favorably with their counterparts in surrounding states, in academics or in the job market”. Now, over a decade later, key questions remain regarding whether these objectives have been fulfilled. This research is designed to calculate the cost of an adequate education by aligning resources to State standards, laws and objectives, using a professional judgment approach. Seven focus groups were convened for this purpose and the scholarly literature was reviewed to provide multiple inputs into study findings. The study produced a per pupil base cost for each of three prototype school districts and an total statewide cost, with the funding gap between existing revenue and the revenue needed for current operations of $1.097 billion per year (2001-02). Additional key resource requirements needed to achieve an adequate education, identified by professional judgment panels, include: (1) extending the school year for students and teachers, (2) adding voluntary half-day preschool for three and four year olds, and (3) raising teacher salaries. This increases the funding gap to $1.23 billion and suggests that significant new funding is required over time if the Commonwealth of Kentucky is to provide an adequate and equitable education of high quality for all children and youth as directed by the State Supreme Court.
Increased Incidence of Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury During Orthotopic Liver Transplantation: A Short Report

Intractable severe pulmonary edema during Orthotopic Liver Transplant (OLT) can be a fatal perioperative complication. We sought to characterize the incidence, timing, and related risk factors of severe pulmonary edema during OLT. We performed a retrospective observational survey of OLT cases performed between 2007 and 2011 at Miami Transplant Institute. Of all 632 OLT patients, a total of 9 patients (1.4%) had severe pulmonary edema during OLT. All these patients received blood transfusions before and after reperfusion (Packed red blood cell 8.9 ± 2.6 units, Fresh frozen plasma 12 ± 3.7 units, Platelets 5.4 ± 8.6 units). Eight episodes occurred after reperfusion (89%) and 1 before reperfusion (11%). Median time interval from last blood transfusion to severe pulmonary edema was 79 min (25-257 min). In the 8 patients that developed severe pulmonary edema post reperfusion, median time interval from reperfusion to severe pulmonary edema was 34 min (15-85 min). Perioperative mortality among severe pulmonary edema cases was 11% (1 in 9). Incidence of severe pulmonary edema was 1.4% in our patient population, and this number is much higher than that reported for TRALI in other large series (0.075 to 0.12%). Despite a large dose of steroids given at reperfusion, 89% of pulmonary edema episodes occurred within 2.5 hours of reperfusion. Also, heart failure and pulmonary embolism were unlikely based on intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography findings. These results may suggest an association between TRALI and the post reperfusion syndrome during liver transplantation that warrants further investigation.
A Phenomenal, Dispositional Account of Belief

This paper describes and defends in detail a novel account of belief, an account inspired by Ryle's dispositional characterization of belief, but emphasizing irreducibly phenomenal and cognitive dispositions as well as behavioral dispositions. Potential externalist and functionalist objections are considered, as well as concerns motivated by the inevitably ceteris paribus nature of the relevant dispositional attributions. It is argued that a dispositional account of belief is particularly well-suited to handle what might be called "in-between" cases of believing - cases in which it is neither quite right to describe a person as having a particular belief nor quite right to describe her as lacking it.
Effect of Antisite Defects on the Formation of Oxygen Vacancies in Sr2FeMoO6: Implications for Ion and Electron Transport

To face worldwide energy-related environmental concerns, solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology emerges as a promising route for clean and efficient production of electricity. Within this context, great efforts have been devoted to the development of SOFC devices able to run at intermediate temperatures and to retain electrochemical performance as good as in the high temperature regime. To this end, materials that have characteristics of mixed ionic and electronic conductors (MIECs) have been proposed as electrodes for SOFC applications. Among many proposed systems, MIEC electrodes based on strontium iron molybdenum oxide (Sr2Fe2–xMoxO6−δ) have been proven to be extremely efficient for intermediate temperature SOFC. However, to advance SFMO-based electrodes further, a detailed understanding of the physical and chemical processes involved and of the corresponding electronic and structural features is needed. As a first step in this direction, we investigate via quantum mechanics the Sr2FeMoO6 (SFMO) mater...
Cryopreservation of leucocytes of channel catfish for subsequent cytogenetic analysis

Channel catfish leucocytes cryopreserved with glycerol or dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) had significantly higher (P<0.05) viability and recovery rates than did cells cryopreserved with methanol. After 7 days of frozen storage, a 24 to 27% reduction of viability was observed for cells cryopreserved with glycerol; a 25 to 43% reduction for cells frozen with DMSO, and a 67 to 100% reduction for cells frozen with methanol. The concentration of cryoprotectants affected the viability of cryopreserved cells significantly (p<0.05). The viability reduction was 36% for cells frozen with 5% of cryoprotectants, 30% for cells frozen with 10% of cryoprotectants, and 49% for cells frozen with 15% of cryoprotectants. The viability of cells frozen at the slower rate (-2.7°C min−1) was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of cells frozen at the faster rate (-45°C min−1). Best results were obtained for cells cryopreserved with 10% of glycerol or DMSO and frozen at the slower rate. The chromosomes prepared from cells cryopreserved using this procedure were identical to those prepared from fresh cells, and to those reported in the literature for channel Catfish.