cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studying Electrostatic Fields in Human Aldose Reductase with New Inhibitor as Probe

Our research focuses on electrostatics in the system of human aldose reductase (hALR2), a 36 kDa aldo-keto reductase, which plays an important role in diabetes control. Vibrational Stark effect (VES) spectroscopy is utilized to measure the electrostatic fields near the active site of hALR2, using nitrile-containing inhibitors as the probe. Herein, a new hARL2 inhibitor was synthesized and bound to wild type hALR2 (wt_hALR2) with binding constant of 200 nM. Two vibrational absorption peaks were observed in the nitrile region when it bound to wt_hALR2, indicating the probe was experiencing two different environments. To explore the source of the two peaks, electrostatics calculations were performed based on crystal structures of hALR2 bound with similar inhibitors. The calculated projection of the protein electrostatic field also had a two-peak distribution. Analysis of trajectories suggests that they might be correlated with a possible hydrogen bond between the nitrile probe and a nearby residue threonine 113. To further test this assumption, IR spectra of the inhibitor bound to a series of mutants were taken; especially, the inhibitor bound to mutant hALR2_T113A had a single peak, which was also confirmed by simulations. This approach provides precise local information on electrostatic fields.
Crack Trapping Effect of Recalcitrant Grain Boundary Islands in Fe-3wt%Si Alloy

In the polycrystalline Fe-Si alloy when a cleavage front transmits from one grain to another, it first penetrates stably through the grain boundary at a number of break-through points that distribute along the front quasi-periodically. As the critical energy release rate is reached, the unstable crack jump occurs and the recalcitrant grain boundary islands (RGBI) between the break-through points are left behind the verge of propagating, bridging across the crack flanks. Eventually, the RGBI are sheared apart, which leads to a 10%-30% increase in fracture resistance. In this paper, this process is investigated through an energy analysis. The influence of the size/spacing ratio of RGBI on the grain boundary toughness is discussed in detail.
Design, verification, and validation of self-checking software components

We propose a formal approach for adding fault detection to software. An assertion-based formalism is used to represent specifications and verify completeness and consistency. This specification is used to generate a flow graph, which is used to construct an exemplar-path tree. This representation is then used to generate an input set to exercise and verify the implementation. Previous software fault-tolerance (SFT) techniques emphasized algorithm-based fault tolerance (ABFT) which focused on detecting hardware faults that corrupted data structure contents. We propose a method that also detects hardware faults, which cause program flow errors. Our technique embeds two types of software checks. The first is based on the ABFT techniques described in the literature. The second type of check is used to detect faults that cause program flow errors. The exemplar-path tree provides information that can be used to predict a future program location, given the current location. During execution, program locations are recorded, along with expected locations, as determined from the exemplar-path tree. This information then is used to verify, that the future location is executed as expected. Hardware fault coverage has been estimated through experiments with the fault injection tool, SOFIT. Faults of differing durations were injected into memory, address bus, data bus, and CPU registers. The data presented, demonstrate the effectiveness of the method for detecting hardware faults.
An analysis of the proxy problem in distributed systems

The authors look at the problem of delegation of rights or proxy in distributed object systems. Two signature-based schemes for achieving delegation which require different inter-object trust assumptions are presented. These schemes have been instantiated using public key and secret key based cryptographic techniques. Additional trust implications which arise from these implementations are also considered. Then the authors consider the issue of revocation of delegations and propose several ways of achieving this. These solutions have been compared with the mechanism found in the Distributed System Security Architecture (M. Gasser et al., 1990). Finally, the authors consider the Kerberos authentication system (J. Steiner et al., 1988) and propose extensions to implement the delegation scheme. >
Learning navigation for recharging a self-sufficient colony robot

It is desirable that colony robots be autonomous and self-sufficient, which requires that they can perform their duties while maintaining enough energy to operate. In previous work, we reported the equipping of legged robots with high capacitance capacitors for power storage and the configuration of one of these robots to make practical use of its power storage in a colony recharging system. Research reported in this paper involves the learning of a control program that allows this robot to navigate to a charging station. The viability of the configuration and the learned control program were verified by observing the actual robot as it operated using the best of the solutions produced in simulation.
Wavelets applied to loseless compression and progressive transmission of floating point data in 3-D curvilinear grids

A method of lossless compression using wavelets is presented that enables progressive transmission of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) data in PLOT3D format. The floating point data is first converted to double-precision floating point format to maintain adequate precision throughout the transform process. It is then transformed using Haar wavelets-four times in two spatial dimensions, twice in the third spatial dimension, and twice in time for a total compression factor of 64 times. The double precision format will maintain enough precision during the transform to keep the process lossless. Next, the transformed data is compressed using Huffman coding and transmitted progressively using spectral selection. This allows most of the information to be transmitted in the first pass. Details are transmitted in later passes which ultimately provide for lossless reconstruction of the original data.
The Jewish Self-Hatred Octopus

This article points to an imbalance in studies of Jewish, and particularly German-Jewish, self-hatred, namely, they have focused on answering the question of what Jewish self-hatred is, while devoting relatively little attention to the question of how to identify instances of it. After offering some suggestions as to why that has been so, the article examines the effects of the imbalance; more precisely, it seeks to show how those effects amount to a serious problem in the study of Jewish self-hatred.
MORPHOLOGY AND ECOLOGY OF THE MARINE BENTHIC DINOFLAGELLATE SCRIPPSIELLA SUBSALSA (DINOPHYCEAE)1

The thecal surface morphology of Scrippsiella subsalsa (Ostenfeld) Steidinger et Balech was examined using the scanning electron microscope. This species is distinguished by a number of morphological characteristics. Apical plate 1′ is wide, asymmetric, and pentagonal, and it ends at the anterior margin of the cingulum. Intercalary plates 2a and 3a are separated by apical plate 3′. The apical pore complex includes a large Po plate with a raised dome at the center and a deep canal plate with thickened margins at plates 2′, 3′, and 4′. The intercalary bands are wide and deeply striated. The cingulum is deep, formed by six cingular plates; its surface is transversely striated and aligned with a row of minute pores. The cingular list continues around postcingular plate 1′” to form a sulcal list. The sulcal list is a flexible ribbon with a rounded tip that protrudes posteriorly, partially covering the sulcal plates. The hypotheca is lobed, and the antapical plates are irregularly shaped and wide in antapical view. The thecal surface is vermiculate to reticulate. A comparison in morphology and ecology is presented between S. subsalsa and other known Scrippsiella species.
A Comparative Evaluation of Unit Testing Techniques on a Mobile Platform

Software testing is generally an expensive, ad hoc and unpredictable process. Therefore, a better understanding of and an improvement of unit testing methods may improve the overall software testing process leading to more efficient test method selection and increased fault detection accuracy. The aim of this study is evaluate Black Box and White Box unit testing methods for the Android operating system. While several investigations have looked at unit testing using Black Box and White Box techniques, our research focuses explicitly on unit testing for Android applications. Test cases were created using JUnit and the program under test was seeded with errors by an outside party. We evaluated the performance of these two test methods on the difficulty of developing test cases for each method and the effectiveness of finding software errors in a controlled environment. Our results showed benefits and challenges for both testing techniques. Inferences and implications are also presented.
Somatic embryogenesis, secondary somatic embryogenesis, and shoot organogenesis in Rosa

Summary The influence of various 2,4-D concentrations (11.3–181 µmol/L) on induction of callus from leaf tissues of Rosa hybrida cvs. Carefree Beauty and Grand Gala and R. chinensis minima cv. Red Sunblaze was evaluated. Following transfer of callus to a regeneration medium containing different concentrations of thidiazuron (TDZ) (0–90.8 µmol/L), 6-benzyladenine (BA) (0–44.4 µmol/L), or 2.9 µmol/ L gibberellic acid (GA3), alone or in various combinations, the highest frequency of embryogenic (32 %) and organogenic (55.3 %) callus was induced on ‘Carefree Beauty’. Secondary somatic embryos were also induced on somatic embryos of ‘Carefree Beauty’. The effects of different concentrations of TDZ (2.3 µmol/L), BA (2.2 or 4.4 µmol/L), and abscisic acid (ABA) (3.8 or 7.6 µmol/L), alone or in combinations, on proliferation and germination of secondary somatic embryos were also evaluated. ABA was found to be the most effective in promoting proliferation and germination of somatic embryos. The growth rate of secondary embryogenic callus grown on ABA increased by 36fold, while germination rate of somatic embryos was more than five times higher than those derived from embryogenic callus grown on BA and TDZ. For R. chinensis minima cv. Red Sunblaze, only somatic embryogenesis (6.6 %) was observed; while, for R. hybrida cv. Grand Gala, only shoot organogenesis (3.3 %) was observed.
Pollen and sexual maturation of the pea weevil (Coleoptera: Bruchidae).

In laboratory and greenhouse tests, we investigated the effects of access to sources of pollen on o÷genesis, spermatogenesis, and copulation of post-hibernation pea weevils, Bruchus pisorum (L.). Also, we described the internal reproductive systems of the male and female weevils. The male weevil is sexually mature but the female is sexually immature when leaving hibernation. Females given pea, Pisum sativum L., pollen matured sexually in ca. 18 days. Females provided a mixture of alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., and other pollen for 14 and 21 days had significantly larger ovarioles than those provided with water only. Adults copulated regardless of whether they were provided or denied access to pollen, but the frequency of copulation was about twice as great when pollen was available. Females removed from hibernation in cold storage should be provided access to pea pollen for ca. 15 days before they are used in tests of host plant resistance.
Organization and function of academic psychiatric emergency services.

Psychiatric emergency services (PES) are evolving as freestanding, parallel components of emergency departments at many tertiary care medical centers in the U.S. While PES facilities provide an increasing percentage of first-line care for patients with psychiatric crises, the services they provide and their interactions with medical emergency services have not been systematically assessed. The purpose of this study was to examine PES structure, care processes, patient characteristics and relationship with medical emergency services by surveying PES directors with a 70-item questionnaire about PES facilities in 1998. This report presents information about staffing adequacy, medical evaluation and other procedures, length of stay, and aftercare. The response rate was 91% (n=51), and most sites (>90%) were academic training sites. A large percentage (92%) of PES sites were open 24 h a day, 7 days a week, and 94% had an attending psychiatrist present at least 8 h daily. PES psychiatrists performed initial medical evaluation at 55% of sites and were often responsible for medical clearance. Pharmacologic therapy was routinely initiated for patients being admitted in 92% of facilities and for patients being released in 70% of facilities. Mean (SD) length of stay in the PES was 9.0 (11.3) hours. The PES facilities were effective at referring patients to aftercare, and 51% of PES sites provided follow-up care. However, 69% of respondents reported inadequate referral options for patients with substance abuse. The mean recidivism rate was 18%, primarily attributed to substance abuse and medication noncompliance. The results of this survey show that PES facilities are organizationally complex units in which staff routinely perform medical clearance, initiate treatment, and coordinate aftercare. Our findings highlight the importance of adequate medical training for PES psychiatrists, the need for improved aftercare programming, and better access to substance abuse treatment for discharged patients.
Tests of Gastric Neuromuscular Function

Tests of gastric neuromuscular function are used to evaluate patients with symptoms referable to the upper digestive tract. These symptoms can be associated with alterations in the rates of gastric emptying, impaired accommodation, heightened gastric sensation, or alterations in gastric myoelectrical function and contractility. Management of gastric neuromuscular disorders requires an understanding of pathophysiology and treatment options as well as the appropriate use and interpretation of diagnostic tests. These tests include measures of gastric emptying; contractility; electrical activity; regional gastric motility of the fundus, antrum, and pylorus; and tests of sensation and compliance. Tests are also being developed to improve our understanding of the afferent sensory pathways from the stomach to the central nervous system that mediate gastric sensation in health and gastric disorders. This article reviews tests of gastric function and provides a basic description of the tests, the methodologies behind them, descriptions of the physiology that they assess, and their clinical utility.
Stand structure and growth of Abies magnifica responded to five thinning levels in northeastern California, USA

A 60-year-old red fir stand with 23,950 stems/ha was thinned to five stand densities. Thinning occurred in 1972, 1976, and 1980. Height, dbh, and crown characteristics were measured seven times at 4-7-year intervals from 1972 to 2002. Tree rings were measured retrospectively to determine growth of individual years. Periodic annual increment (PAI) was analyzed for quadratic mean diameter (QMD), height, crown volume, and basal area per ha. We found significant difference for all variables among thinning levels and among measurement periods (P < 0.002). Trees in heavily thinned plots grew more in height, dbh, and crown volume than trees in lightly thinned plots. The trends were true for the eight tallest trees per plot (=100 trees/ha) for height and dbh. Yet, both total and PAI stand basal area were greater in the lightly thinned plots than in the heavily thinned plots. Thinning intensity accelerated the transformation in diameter distribution from either reverse 'J' or skewed shape to a bell-shape. In addition, the heavier thinned plots increased stand vigor and health as indicated by less snow damage and stem deformities than the lighter thinned plots. Annual diameter growth was significantly related to average minimum temperature during the growing season. We conclude that thinning young red fir stands to a wide spacing will enhance stand development and minimize damage to the residual trees.
On the Reliability and Stability of Alienation Measures: A Longitudinal Analysis

Drawing on longitudinal data, the reliability and stability of four alienation measures (pozverlessness, meaninglessness, normlessness, and isolation) were investigated for a sample of 334 women between 1963 and 1971. The results indicated the empirical separability of the alienation variables, synchronic reliability of the measures at two points in time, and a high degree of stability in scale scores over the eight-year interval. These findings suggest the measurement feasibility of alienative world views which are relatively stable and enduring.
The influence of gender, age, education and household size on meal preparation and food shopping responsibilities.

Objective To examine the extent to which the gendered division of labor persists within households in the US in regard to meal planning/preparation and food shopping activities.
Flexibility in Visual Working Memory: Accurate Change Detection in the Face of Irrelevant Variations in Position.

Many recent studies of visual working memory have used change-detection tasks in which subjects view sequential displays and are asked to report whether they are identical or if one object has changed. A key question is whether the memory system used to perform this task is sufficiently flexible to detect changes in object identity independent of spatial transformations, but previous research has yielded contradictory results. To address this issue, the present study compared standard change-detection tasks with tasks in which the objects varied in size or position between successive arrays. Performance was nearly identical across the standard and transformed tasks unless the task implicitly encouraged spatial encoding. These results resolve the discrepancies in previous studies and demonstrate that the visual working memory system can detect changes in object identity across spatial
Cancer of the corpus uteri in white and black women in Michigan, 1985-1994: an analysis of trends in incidence and mortality and their relation to histologic subtype and stage.

BACKGROUND Cancer of the corpus uteri occurs more commonly among white women in the U.S., yet survival is poorer for black women. This study examined whether this trend has changed and also examined the relation of age and histologic subtype to differences in stage. METHODS This retrospective cohort study assessed incidence trends, mortality trends, and the relation of age and histologic subtype to stage for 12,079 incident cases and 2325 deaths registered between 1985 and 1994 in Michigan. Rate ratios compared incidence and mortality. Odds ratios quantified the contribution of age and histologic subtype to differences in risk for advanced stage, using Mantel-Haenszel univariate techniques and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS The overall incidence rate was 21.99 per 100,000, and the overall mortality rate was 3.82 per 100,000. Black women had a 40% lower risk (rate ratio [RR] = 0.60) of developing cancer of the corpus uteri but had a 54% greater risk (RR = 1.54) of dying from cancer of the corpus uteri. Black women were at greater risk of being diagnosed with either sarcoma or more aggressive adenocarcinoma. However, after adjustment for age and histologic subtype, black women still had an increased risk for advanced stage disease (2.63, 95% confidence interval = 2.19-3.16). CONCLUSIONS The disparity between white and black women persists in incidence and mortality trends for cancer of the corpus uteri. The greater frequency of more aggressive histologic subtypes experienced by black women accounts for only 10% of their excess risk for more advanced stage disease. Cancer 1998;83:1546-1554. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
Transferring Juvenile Defendants From Adult to Juvenile Court: How Maryland Forensic Evaluators and Judges Reach Their Decisions

The purpose of the study was to determine how often Maryland judges agreed with the opinions of forensic evaluators in deciding whether to transfer youthful defendants to juvenile court from adult court and to investigate which factors were most important in the opinions of the evaluators and the final decisions of the judges. Data were extracted from a sample of 200 waiver evaluations, and case outcomes were determined. Factors were examined with both univariate analysis and logistic regression models, to find correlates to and predictors of judges' decisions and evaluators' opinions. The most important factor influencing the decision of the judges was the forensic evaluators' opinions. Logistic regression analysis identified three factors that were significant predictors of the evaluator's opinion: public safety risk, history of the involvement of Department of Juvenile Services, and defendant's age at the time of the offense. The judges' decisions correlated strongly with the forensic evaluators' opinions.
Insulin-like Growth Factor I Prevents Mannitol-induced Degradation of Focal Adhesion Kinase and Akt

In our laboratory, we are interested in hyperosmolarity-induced apoptosis in neuronal cells. We have shown that high concentrations of glucose or mannitol induce apoptotic cell death in dorsal root ganglia in culture and in SH-SY5Y and SH-EP human neuroblastoma cells. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase that has a critical role for transmitting integrin-mediated-signals. In this study, we report that hyperosmolar treatment mediates FAK dephosphorylation and cleavage, which is prevented by insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) treatment. Mannitol treatment of SH-EP cells transfected with vector (SH-EP/pSFFV) results in concentration- and time-dependent dephosphorylation and degradation of FAK. Dephosphorylation and degradation of FAK are tightly correlated with apoptotic morphological changes, including the disruption of actin stress fibers, the loss of focal adhesion sites, membrane blebbing, and cell detachment. Treatment of SH-EP/pSFFV cells with IGF-I or transfection of IGF-I receptor prevents these changes. Treatment of cells with pharmacologic inhibitors of the mitogen-activated protein kinase or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathways does not affect mannitol-induced FAK dephosphorylation and degradation. However, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase is necessary for IGF-I-mediated protection against FAK alteration. Mannitol treatment also results in the degradation of Akt. Mannitol induces the activation of caspases-3 and -9 in a time course similar to the dephosphorylation and degradation of FAK. Treatment of the cells with ZVAD, a general caspase inhibitor, blocks the mannitol-induced FAK and Akt degradation as well as cell detachment and apoptosis. These results suggest that one of the pathways of mannitol-mediated apoptosis is through the degradation of FAK and Akt and that IGF-I protects the cells from apoptosis by blocking the activation of caspases, which may be responsible for the loss of FAK and Akt.
Spatial analysis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Northern New England, USA, 1997-2009.

Introduction An environmental trigger of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is supported by geographic disparities in ALS incidence and development of the disease in conjugal couples. This study aims to investigate the incidence of ALS in the Northern New England states of New Hampshire (NH), Vermont (VT), and Maine (ME). Methods We reviewed medical records and community databases to identify dwelling addresses of 688 patients diagnosed with ALS in 1997–2009 in NH, VT, and ME. We used spatial analysis to identify clusters of census block groups with statistically significant high incidence. Results We identified 11 clusters of statistically significant high incidence, each containing 6 or more cases of ALS. These 11 clusters are grouped in 4 distinct regions. Conclusions There appear to be areas of significant spatial clustering within Northern New England. Further analysis will be needed to confirm whether there is any correlation between these areas and potential environmental risk factors. Muscle Nerve, 48: 235–241, 2013
Graph rewriting and transformation (GReAT): a solution for the model integrated computing (MIC) bottleneck

Graph grammars and transformations (GGT) have been a field of theoretical study for over two decades. However, it has produced only a handful of practical implementations. GGT needs a widely used practical application to exploit its potential. On the other hand model integrated computing (MIC) has grown from the practical standpoint and is widely used and recognized in both industry and practice today. In the MIC approach, developing model-interpreters is time consuming and costly, proving to be a bottleneck. This reduces MIC's reach and impact on the programming community. In this paper I propose to use GGT methodologies to solve MIC's bottleneck problem. The solution should place the MIC technology such that it can play a defining role in the next generation of high-level programming languages.
Delay-adaptive full-state predictor feedback for systems with unknown long actuator delay

Stabilization of unstable systems with actuator delay of substantial length and of completely unknown value is an important problem that has never been attempted. We present a Lyapunov-based adaptive control design that achieves global stability, without a requirement that the delay estimate be near the true delay value. We solve the problem by employing a framework where the actuator delay is represented as a transport PDE, by estimating the delay value as the reciprocal of the convection speed in the transport PDE, and by using full state predictor-based feedback.
Elevated serum glucose levels and survival after acute heart failure: A population-based perspective

Background: Limited data are available about the characteristics, treatment and survival in patients without diabetes mellitus (DM), previously diagnosed DM and patients with hyperglycaemia who present with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Our objectives were to examine differences in these endpoints in patients hospitalized with ADHF. Methods: Patients hospitalized with ADHF during 1995, 2000, 2002 and 2004 comprised the study population. Results: A total of 5428 non-diabetic patients were hospitalized with ADHF, 3807 with diagnosed DM and 513 with admission hyperglycaemia. Patients with admission hyperglycaemia experienced the highest in-hospital death rates (9.9%) compared to those with diagnosed DM (6.5%) and non-diabetics (7.5%). Patients with diagnosed DM had the greatest risk of dying after hospital discharge. Conclusions: Patients with elevated blood glucose levels at hospital admission are more likely to die acutely. After resolution of the acute illness, patients with previously diagnosed DM need careful monitoring and enhanced treatment.
Transforming data from information to quality improvement: a panel discussion with electronic health record vendors.

This session explores the approaches taken by various electronic health record vendors to measuring and improving the quality of cancer care.
For whom the bell tolls: Neurocognitive individual differences in the acute stress-reduction effects of an attention bias modification game for anxiety.

The efficacy of attention bias modification training (ABMT) for anxiety is debated, in part because individual differences in task engagement and pre-training threat bias impact training efficacy. In the present study, an engaging, gamified ABMT mobile application, or “app,” was utilized in 42 (21 females) trait-anxious adults. EEG was recorded during pre- and post-training threat bias assessment to generate scalp-recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) reflecting neurocognitive responses to threat. Following app play (ABMT versus placebo), subjective anxiety and stress responses (observed and self-reported) were measured. ABMT, versus placebo, resulted in improved behavioral performance during the stress task for females, and in potentiation of the N2 ERP to threat for males, suggesting increased attention control. Training groups did not differ in self-reported anxiety. ABMT also resulted in improved performance during the stress task among those evidencing specific pre-training ERP responses: decreased P1, suggesting less attention allocation, but potentiated N170, suggesting enhanced attention selection and discrimination. Differences in behavioral threat bias did not moderate training effects. Results suggest that efficient allocation of attention to threat combined with enhanced discrimination between threat and non-threat may facilitate stress-reduction effects of ABMT. Targeting neurocognitive responses to threat to personalize ABMT and develop more effective methods of treatment delivery, such as gamification, are discussed.
Proceedings of the 47th Annual Southeast Regional Conference

On behalf of the School of Computing at Clemson University welcome to ACM's Southeast Regional Conference in 2009. This is a conference with a long history of providing a venue for exchanging ideas and seeing old friends. I hope you will take advantage of all of the program activities but I also hope that you will take advantage of the breaks and meals to interact with colleagues. This year's conference is held in very trying economic times. Much of the economic progress in recent years has been the result of technological innovations and development efforts by people in our profession. Many of the presentations at this conference are by students, the future of our profession. Support these students with suggestions and encouragement. This proceedings collects a wide range of material across the disciplines within computer science and software engineering. The research papers are reviewed by the program committee while the works in progress are an opportunity to hear about the latest ideas still being worked. Look through the material and identify new collaborators or at least interesting ideas.
Governing Crises: The International Politics of Crisis Economics in Spain and Romania

This study provides a critical review of the literature on the diffusion of crisis economics and provides an alternative theory of diffusion that responds to some of the gaps and limitations identified in the review. To do so, it first unpacks the mechanisms of international diffusion and domestic translation and then it connects them to the domestic institutional dynamics of Spain and Romania across the six crisis episodes. The main finding is that the enrollment of domestic state and non-state policy actors in international networks of authority is critical for understanding crisis resolution. At the same time, the final outcome of the crisis cannot be understood without analyzing the process through which domestic advocates alter the content of the ideas being diffused.
The role of procedure in the development of investment law: The case of section B of chapter 11 of NAFTA

Introduction Investment law, one of the fastest growing areas of international law, has emerged from the proliferation of bilateral and multilateral international investment agreements (IIAs). More than 2,600 IIAs have been negotiated, involving almost all countries. Most of these agreements provide for international arbitration as the means to settle disputes between investors and the host country. Many scholars argue that the emergence of multiple and varied mechanisms for the settlement of economic disputes and of treaties providing for investment arbitration may be exacerbating what is called a ‘fragmentation’ process of international law. Today, economic actors seeking relief under international law may be forced to go to different courts or tribunals in order to seek compliance (i.e. conformity to the rules of a particular regime, including dispute-resolution and interpretation provisions) and/or economic compensation for the State's breach of its obligations. This may be increasing the risk that tribunals will come to inconsistent, conflicting and incompatible decisions. Faced with this danger, the question addressed in this chapter is as follows: in the absence of a homogeneous, hierarchical meta-system capable of doing away with problems derived from multiple and varied mechanisms for the settlement of economic disputes, can agreed procedural tools be a source of co-ordination?
Blood Transfusion is Associated with Increased Perioperative Morbidity and Adverse Oncologic Outcomes in Bladder Cancer Patients Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Radical Cystectomy

Perioperative blood transfusion (PBT) has been inconsistently associated with adverse outcomes. Bladder cancer patients are unique as they frequently undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with resulting immunosuppression, which may be exacerbated by transfusion-related immunomodulation. We examined the effect of leukoreduced PBT on oncologic outcomes and perioperative morbidity in radical cystectomy (RC) patients who received NAC, quantifying exposure with a novel dose-index variable. The Johns Hopkins Radical Cystectomy database was queried for patients who had undergone NAC followed by RC from 2010 to 2013. Overall, 119 patients had available PBT and survival data. A multivariable Cox model evaluated risk factors, including pathologic stage, Charlson Comorbidity Index, age, race, year of surgery, surgical margin status, PBT, and preoperative hemoglobin for bladder cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS). Logistic regression models determined factors that were independently associated with perioperative morbidity. Median follow-up was 7.8 months (range 0.2–41.8), and during follow-up there were 25 deaths and 21 cancer deaths. PBT significantly predicted OS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.26, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.07–1.49; p = 0.005), CSS (HR 1.32, 95 % CI 1.11–1.57; p = 0.002), and morbidity (odds ratio [OR] 1.67, 95 % CI 1.26–2.21; p = 0.004) in univariate analyses. In multivariable models, PBT was significantly associated with morbidity (OR 1.77, 95 % CI 1.30–2.39; p = 0.0002), but not OS or CSS. Intraoperative transfusion was associated with decreased OS and CSS, and increased morbidity, whereas postoperative transfusion was only associated with increased morbidity. Intraoperative blood transfusion was associated with increased perioperative morbidity and worsened OS and CSS in patients undergoing RC who had NAC. Although PBT may be life-saving in certain patients, a restrictive transfusion strategy may improve outcomes.
Training to Proficiency: Reality v. the Courtroom:

The purpose of workplace training is to enable workers to successfully perform activities related to their work tasks so that they can satisfy the expectations of the company and its customers. Tra...
Retinal vascular nonperfusion in siblings with Dandy-Walker variant

We report the case of a 2-month-old girl with Dandy-Walker variant who presented with strabismus, pathologic myopia measuring −16.00 D in each eye, diffuse chorioretinal atrophy and pigment mottling in the macula of both eyes, and areas of retinal capillary nonperfusion in both eyes. The patient's brother also has Dandy-Walker variant and was found to have bilateral severe myopia, myopic fundi, tilted optic disks with peripapillary atrophy, extensive areas of white without pressure, areas of lattice degeneration, and several chronic-appearing atrophic retinal holes surrounded by pigmentation. We hypothesize that children with Dandy-Walker variant may present with refractive errors such as pathologic myopia and with diverse retinal findings, including retinal ischemia. A lower threshold for ophthalmologic examination may be considered in this population.
The spectrum of tightly knotted flux tubes in QCD

We fit the observed J++ mesonic mass spectrum with one and two parameter models in terms of energies for tightly knotted and linked chromoelectric QCD flux tubes. We predict a possible new state at approximately 1190 MeV and many new states above 1690 MeV.
Experimental study on single phase percolation in ultra low permeability core

In order to understand permeability change of single phase flow of gas,oil and water in cores from ultra low permeability reservoir,the cores from Fuyang reservoir of Chaoyanggou oilfield are used to conduct laboratory experiment.It has been verified that the threshold pressure and the degree of permeability decline of single phase flow are related with fluid property.The increasing degree of threshold pressure will increase with the decline of gas logging permeability,and the degree of permeability decline will increase with the decline of gas logging permeability.
Implications of the E6SU

Besides the ordinary 27-multiplet fermions in the usual ${\mathrm{E}}_{6}$ grand unified theories, two superheavy 27-multiplet fermions are added to form the ${\mathrm{E}}_{6}$\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}SU(3${)}_{\mathrm{H}}$ model. After both vertical and horizontal spontaneous symmetry breaking, the Fritzsch mass matrices of the ordinary fermions arise as a result of mixing of the ordinary fermions with the superheavy fermions. The charged-fermion masses and Kobayashi-Maskawa mixing follow as a consequence. The neutrino mass in this model is also discussed.
Temperature Problems in the Postoperative Period

Postoperative patients have difficulty maintaining thermal balance for several reasons. Normal thermoregulation is suppressed by anesthesia, neuromuscular blocking agents, and other drugs, and cool environmental conditions and exposure contribute to heat loss. Specific patient groups at high risk for hypothermia include infants, the elderly, and the neurologically impaired. Temperature drift, afterfall, shivering, malignant hyperthermia, and fever are among the temperature-related conditions requiring vigilant assessment and nursing action during the postoperative period.
Communication and Interdependence in Democratic Organizations

Until recently, research in organizational studies has tended to assume that interdependent relationships are patterned on the model of bureaucratic hierarchy. This essay explores two alternative models of interdependence found in democratic employee-owned organizations. Structuration theory is used as a framework for understanding differences between bureaucratic and democratic organizational systems and the principles through which they are structured. The analysis suggests that the types of systems differ in the nature of interaction occurring within them, in their methods of information processing, and in the amount of overt conflict they engender. Furthermore, new discourses may be required to reconceptualize the administrative, managerial, and technical practices required for democratic organizations to compete effectively with traditional bureaucracy.
Assessing wind and mammals as seed dispersal vectors in an invasive legume

Summary While some plants have modified seed structures to facilitate dispersal, many lack such specialised adaptations, making their mode of dispersal unclear. This can be particularly problematic for predicting shifts in species ranges or tracking the spread of invasive plants. As an example, the seed size and shape of the invasive legume, Lespedeza cuneata, suggest that wind and attachment to animals are not important for dispersal, yet populations can spread surprising distances within a few years. Using a series of experiments conducted in the laboratory and field, we tested wind and mammal fur as mediators of seed dispersal. To test wind dispersal, seed traps were arranged radially around a patch of L. cuneata and seeds were collected following dispersal. Attachment to mammal fur was tested by fitting pelts of a deer, coyote and raccoon to artificial torsos and determining seed retention in both the field and the laboratory. Laboratory trials also examined the influence of wet versus dry conditions. Our results showed that wind direction strongly influenced dispersal distance and seeds were readily dispersed by mammal fur. The number of seeds retained was species specific, depending on fur depth and mammal size, with seed retention increasing under wet conditions. Together, these results suggest that both wind and mammal fur contribute to the movement of L. cuneata across grasslands. Consequently, both dispersal vectors should be considered when designing and implementing control strategies.
Timeless Traces of Temporal Patterns

Long-exposure photographs present distinctive philosophical challenges. They do not quite look like things in motion. Experiences of such photos take time, but not in a way that mimics the time of the motion depicted. In fact, it would not be off base to worry that these photos fail, strictly speaking, to depict motion or things-in-time. And if they fail to depict motion, then it is an interesting question what, if anything, they succeed in depicting. These timeless traces of temporal patterns are thus a challenge to how we understand pictures. In addition to being representations, however, such photographs are recordings. They witlessly register aspects of scenes in a manner that can be replayed. The following shows that recording is a valuable and neglected tool for investigating representational practices. Aspects of what photos record also figure in their representational contents, and this provides a way of approaching the photography of events in time. This article proceeds by framing, and then answering, three questions. First, what do photos record about temporal patterns? Second, which aspects of such recordings also show up in photos’ representational contents? And third, do these pictures depict, rather than merely represent, such temporal patterns?
Application of Sentiment and Topic Analysis to Teacher Evaluation Policy in the U.S.

We examine the potential value of Internet text to understand education policy related to teacher evaluation. We discuss the use of sentiment analysis and topic modeling using articles from the New York Times and Time Magazine, to explore media portrayal of these policies. Findings indicate that sentiment analysis and topic modeling are promising methods for analyzing Internet data in ways that can inform policy decision-making, but there are limitations to account for when interpreting patterns over time.
Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation for Patients with Chemo-Refractory or Progressive Aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas.

Abstract Background: Patients (pts) with chemo-refractory (Cref) and/or progressive aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (A-NHL) generally have a poor clinical outcome. Autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) has limited efficacy in this setting. Studies reporting outcomes of allogeneic (Allo) SCT in pts with Cref A-NHL are limited. Methods: 108 pts with A-NHL underwent Allo-SCT between 1988 and 2007 at our institution. 46 A-NHL pts with Cref (i.e pts with Results: The median age was 46 years (range 22–63 yrs). 39 pts received matched sibling allografts, while 7 underwent unrelated donor SCT. All except 3 pts received myeloablative conditioning. 38 pts received BU/CY-based conditioning, while BEAM (n=5) or Flu/Bu (n=3) was employed in the remaining pts. Diagnosis included diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n=18), Burkitt's lymphoma (n=3), transformed lymphoma (n=5), mantle cell lymphoma (n=11) and T-cell lymphomas (n=9). The median number of prior therapies was 3 (range 1–8). 32 pts had Cref disease, while 14 had PD. 41 pts had stage III/IV disease, 23 had elevated LDH, while 36 had extranodal involvement. Median follow-up of surviving pts following Allo-SCT is 5-yrs. The 5-yr overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), and relapse rate for the whole cohort (n=46) was 38%, 34%, and 35% respectively. Rate of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was 43% (n=20). Among the 33 evaluable pts rate of chronic GVHD was 75%. Overall non-relapse mortality rate was 37%. No significant difference in the baseline characteristics of pts with Cref and PD was present. The 5-yr OS and PFS rates for pts with Cref and PD were 46% vs. 21% (p-value=0.01; log-rank test), and 46% vs. 7% (p-value=0.0002; log-rank test) respectively. On multivariate analysis only PD at the time of SCT predicted for worse OS and PFS. Conclusion: Our study shows encouraging efficacy of Allo-SCT in a group of A-NHL pts with Cref disease by CT scan-criteria who often fail following Auto-SCT. However outcomes of pts with PD remain dismal despite Allo-SCT, and our data question the practice to perform allografting in A-NHL pts with PD. We hypothesize that PET scans may help better define patients with aggressive NHL appearing not to have responded to salvage chemotherapy by standard CT criteria that still may derive significant benefit from allografting.
Altered Mechanical Properties of Kinesins with Mutations that Cause Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias (HSPs) are a genetically and clinically heterogeneous set of neurodegenerative diseases that all share an axonopathy of the corticospinal tract. To date, there are at least 70 distinct genetic loci that, when mutated, cause HSP in humans. One of those loci is the neuronally enriched kinesin transport motor, Kif5A. Of particular interest to this study is that 22 of the 25 mutations in Kif5A that have been shown to cause HSP are in the motor domain - the portion of the kinesin protein that has the dual responsibility of interacting with the microtubule and carrying out the ATPase cycle. Perhaps unsurprisingly, most of the mutations cluster to either the microtubule binding site or the nucleotide binding pocket. We have recombinantly-expressed Kif5A with each of the separate HSP-causing mutations and have performed a series of well-characterized in vitro assays (ATPase, stopped flow, microtubule affinity, microtubule gliding, single molecule motility) to better understand the altered catalytic properties that result from each mutation. In addition, we have performed molecular dynamics simulations to model the altered structural properties of each of the mutant proteins. We find that all mutations are loss-of-function mutations, and that there are separable functional deficits for each mutation that limit kinesin's ability to functionally transport cellular cargoes.
Sharp function and weighted Lp estimates for a class of pseudo-differential operators

On etablit des inegalites ponctuelles et le caractere borne de quelques operateurs pseudodifferentiels sur des espaces L p ponderes, dont les symboles appartiennent a une certaine classe
MOEX: Solvent extraction approach for recycling enriched 98Mo/100Mo material

Several promising pathways exist for the production of 99Mo/99mTc using enriched 98Mo or 100Mo. Use of Mo targets requires a major change in current generator technology, and the necessity for an e...
The good old days: Kurt Busiek’s usage of historicization in ‘Old Times’

ABSTRACTSuperhero comic book history is often separated into several periods known as ages. Broadly speaking, three ages are of particular import: Golden, Silver and Dark. These ages are used as a narrative framework Kurt Busiek’s ‘Old Times’, a story taking place in Busiek’s larger work, Astro City. An analysis of ‘Old Times’ (illustrated by Brent Anderson) reveals that while the surface narrative is about an old superhero trying to have one last adventure, Busiek’s referencing of the superhero comic ages is a story about the entire genre itself. Busiek’s acknowledges the timeless quality of superhero stories while still affirming them in a manner that remembers the past fondly. Therefore, Busiek’s Astro City can be seen as fitting Orion Kidder’s (2010) Historicization model of revisionary comics, as opposed to Geoff Klock’s (2002) assertion that Astro City tries to avoid the Dark Age. This article shows that rather than avoiding the overall history of superhero comics, Busiek’s ‘Old Times’ reconciles th...
Subsurface Damage (SSD) Assessment in Ground Silicon Carbide (SiC)

We assess subsurface damage in ground Silicon Carbide, by measurement of roughness evolution and material removal rate in sub-aperture finished spots, or by estimates via material property figures of merit or abrasive size used for grinding.