cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional Verification of MOS Circuits

This report describes the ideas behind Silica Pithecus, a program which verifies synchronous digital MOS VLSI circuits. Silica Pithecus accepts the schematic of an MOS VLSI circuit, declarations of the logical relationships between the inputs signals (e.g., which inputs are mutually exclusive), and a specification of the intended digital behavior of the circuit. If the circuit fails to meet its specification Silica Pithecus returns to the designer the precise reason it fails to do so. Unlike previous verification systems, Silica Pithecus employs a realistic electrical model. It also automatically generates the constraints on the inputs of a circuit which ensure the circuit will exhibit its intended digital behavior. These constraints are necessary for hierarchical verification. Silica Pithecus operates hierarchically, interactively, and incrementally.
Regional Expression of the BCRP/ABCG2 Transporter in Term Human Placentas

The breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP, ABCG2) is an efflux transporter that removes xenobiotics that cross the placenta back to the maternal circulation, thereby limiting exposure of the fetus to drugs and chemicals. Currently, variability of BCRP expression within the placenta is not known. Ten placentas were collected from healthy women undergoing elective Cesarean sections at term. Villous samples were dissected in defined regions (medial, intermediate, and peripheral) and BCRP mRNA and protein were quantified. There were no regional differences in mRNA expression of housekeeping genes (GAPDH, RPL13a, PRL, 18S). GAPDH had the lowest correlation with BCRP Ct values and was used for BCRP mRNA normalization. No differences in placental BCRP mRNA and protein were observed among the sample sites (<20% variability). Sampling site does not affect the expression of BCRP, supporting the utility of single site sampling protocols to assess the interindividual regulation of this transporter in human placentas.
Quaternary tectonic setting of the 1983 Borah Peak earthquake, central Idaho

The 1983 Borah Peak earthquake was accompanied by extensive surface faulting along a part of the Lost River fault that has abundant evidence of latest Quaternary (last 15,000 yr) offset. This fault and two similar range-front normal faults along the Lemhi Range and Beaverhead Mountains lie in an area of basinand-range structure in central Idaho that is part of a roughly V-shaped belt of latest Quaternary surface faulting that extends from the Wasatch fault, through the Yellowstone area, to the Lost River fault. The position of this belt may be related to the outward migration of a thermal front associated with the northeastward progression of late Cenozoic silicic volcanism along the YellowstoneSnake River Plain axis. The central segments of the Lost River, Lemhi, and Beaverhead faults have been active more recently, and probably more active throughout Quaternary time, than the southern and northern segments. The main 1983 surface faulting occurred in an area of high structural relief along a central segment of the Lost River fault that has ruptured in latest Quaternary time, which suggests that comparable areas along other range fronts in the area should be regarded as likely sites of future surface faulting. Other perspective of fault behavior suggest additional possible sites, and all segments of the range-front faults are regarded as capable of surface faulting.
Increased parasitemia in chicken malaria (Plasmodium gallinaceum and Plasmodium lophurae) following x-irradiation.

Several investigators have recently studied the action of X-rays on malarial parasites both in vitro and in vivo. As far as we are aware, however, no one has reported on the intensification of malarial parasitemia by X-rays. Zain and Wolf (1943) could find no difference in infections induced by exoerythrocytic stages of Plasmodium gallinaceum in brain tissue and those induced by similar brain material after irradiation in vitro with 200 r of X-rays. They also attempted to cure infections by irradiating chickens with 2 doses of X-rays varying from 150 to 400 r (maximal total dose of 700 r). The first dose was given on the day of infection or 2 to 3 days after infection and the second one was given 3 or 4 days later. They concluded that the treatment did not suppress the exoerythrocytic stages but seemed to induce an increase of such stages?possibly as an indirect consequence of an activation of the reticulo-endothelial system. Bennison and Coatney (1945), working with X-rays, found (1) that the trophozoites of P. gallinaceum were inactivated in vitro by 20,000 r but not
Living Alone during Middle Adulthood

During the last half-century, the number of one-person households has consistently increased faster than other households. An overlooked part of this process has been the adults who live alone while they are between 25 and 54 years of age. Through recent decades, the growth in the number of these households has been affected by the longer delay before marriage, increase in divorce, and a decline in traditional family values. A majority of these lone adults have never married, have had college education, have had no children, have been dating have good or excellent health, and are working for pay. Whether living alone during middle adulthood is, on balance, beneficial to the person, to the person's significant others, or to society in general depends on the circumstances.
A Longitudinal Examination of the Influence of Mentoring on Organizational Commitment and Turnover

Over 1,000 U.S. Army officers responded to two surveys over a two-year period. Results indicated that mentoring was positively related to affective commitment and continuance commitment and negativ...
Lipid transfer between human serum high density lipoproteins and egg yolk lipoproteins in incubation mixtures

Ultracentrifugally isolated human serum high density lipoproteins of d 1.063-1.21 (HDL) were incubated with egg yolk lipoproteins of d < 1.006 for up to 24 hr at various concentrations. Transfer of HDL cholesterol esters to egg yolk lipoproteins occurred simultaneously with transfer of glycerides from egg yolk lipoproteins to HDL. These observations show that exchange of lipids can take pIace between lipoproteins in the absence of other serum proteins and enzymes. The mole ratios of HDL cholesterol esters to glycerides approached an integral value of 1 : 1 during the course of the incubation. These results suggest that lipid components form complexes within the HDL structure.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Broad-Spectrum Xenobiotic Degrader Achromobacter xylosoxidans ADAF13.

ABSTRACT Achromobacter xylosoxidans ADAF13, isolated from farmland soil, possesses a large number of putative degradation genes and pathways that break down a wide variety of aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, endocrine disruptors, and other high-impact xenobiotics. These properties make this strain an excellent candidate for further development as a broad-spectrum bioremediation agent.
Teacher Self-Regulatory Climate: Conceptualizing an Indicator of Leader Support for Teacher Learning and Development

ABSTRACTFew studies that examine organizational conditions conducive to teacher learning utilize social-psychological theory to explain how leader actions specifically support teachers’ psychological needs as learners. We apply self-determination theory to the conceptualization of a new construct, Teacher Self-Regulatory Climate (TSRC), defined as a set of school-wide organizational and normative conditions capable of addressing teachers’ psychological needs for learning and development. In this article, we assess the validity and reliability of TSRC through confirmatory factor analysis in a large urban school district with over 2,000 teachers. Our findings support its concurrent validity with respect to transformational leadership and collective teacher efficacy.
Kant, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche: Mourning the Death of God

Kant repeatedly warns us about the ineffectiveness of political revolution, an ineffectiveness caused by the perpetuation of unrecognized prejudices and patterns of thought. But the intellectual revolution he initiates has left us with unresolved anxieties that continue to manifest themselves in academic, political, and religious domains. Kant’s transcendental idealism entails that God is epistemically inaccessible, but Kant invokes God to support our moral vocation. Following Kant’s Copernican turn, Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel conceive of God in ways that would be barely recognizable to medieval theologians. With Marx, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche, God disappears entirely or functions only as a pernicious psychological force.
Noise Injection Techniques to Expose Subtle and Unintended Message Races

Debugging intermittently occurring bugs within MPI applications is challenging, and message races, a condition in which two or more sends race to match with a receive, are one of the common root causes. Many debugging tools have been proposed to help programmers resolve them, but their runtime interference perturbs the timing such that subtle races often cannot be reproduced with debugging tools. We present novel noise injection techniques to expose message races even under a tool's control. We first formalize this race problem in the context of non-deterministic parallel applications and use this analysis to determine an effective noise-injection strategy to uncover them. We codified these techniques in NINJA (Noise INJection Agent) that exposes these races without modification to the application. Our evaluations on synthetic cases as well as a real-world bug in Hypre-2.10.1 show that NINJA significantly helps expose races.
Molecular Sieving Across Centimeter-Scale Single-Layer Nanoporous Graphene Membranes.

Molecular sieving across atomically thin nanoporous graphene is predicted to enable superior gas separation performance compared to conventional membranes. Although molecular sieving has been demonstrated across a few pores in microscale graphene membranes, leakage through nonselective defects presents a major challenge toward realizing selective membranes with high densities of pores over macroscopic areas. Guided by multiscale gas transport modeling of nanoporous graphene membranes, we designed the porous support beneath the graphene to isolate small defects and minimize leakage through larger defects. Ion bombardment followed by oxygen plasma etching was used to produce subnanometer pores in graphene at a density of ∼1011 cm–2. Gas permeance measurements demonstrate selectivity that exceeds the Knudsen effusion ratio and scales with the kinetic diameter of the gas molecules, providing evidence of molecular sieving across centimeter-scale nanoporous graphene. The extracted nanoporous graphene performanc...
Opportunism and the Related Consequences in the IPO Setting

Despite the presence of a number of studies that examine financial reporting at the IPO, a link between opportunism and post-IPO penalties (including litigation) remains undocumented. The absence of this link may stem from noise introduced by relaxed legal requirements (along with other unique features) in the IPO setting or, alternatively, it might relate to methodological issues that make detecting a link difficult. Yet, evidence of this link is important, as it indicates the presence of ex ante incentives to report conservatively. Accordingly, this paper studies the occurrence of opportunism at the IPO and tests its connection to consequences. In contrast to recent research documenting IPO firms’ conservative reporting (relative to their own reporting as private firms), we find no evidence to suggest that the average IPO firm reports more conservatively than similar public firms. These findings leave a role for post-IPO settling up mechanisms when abnormal accruals reflect opportunistic misreporting. Consistent with the notion that ex post settling-up mechanisms play an important role in the IPO setting, we document a connection between IPO opportunism and subsequent penalties for the firm and, to a limited extent, its managers. Further analysis indicates that in the presence of increased incentives to manipulate, this relation strengthens. At the same time, we also find evidence that reporting discretion that more likely reflects private information (as opposed to opportunism) is less likely to trigger penalties.
A dynamic prediction error based adaptive multiple-model control scheme for robotic manipulators

This paper first proposes a new dynamic prediction error based adaptive controller for robotic manipulators with uncertain parameters. Unlike most prediction errors used in the robotics literature, a dynamic prediction error is generated from an adaptive predictor of a parametrized and dynamic manipulator model. A multiple-model adaptive control scheme is then developed using multiple prediction errors and multiple controllers, incorporated with multiple parameter estimators and a control switching mechanism. The use of an adaptive dynamic predictor for parameter estimation leads to a new, effective and simple control structure. Multiple controllers are constructed with different parameter estimators, and a most appropriate control signal is selected by the control switching mechanism which is designed to find the model that best approximates the manipulator dynamics. Closed-loop system stability and output tracking are proved and the detailed analysis is given. Simulation results demonstrate the desired control system performance.
Correlates of state goal orientation for an MBA team project using a real-time performance feedback mobile application

ABSTRACTEmployees are increasingly using mobile applications for performance appraisals. Using 117 working master of business administration students engaged in team-based class projects, the authors utilized a new mobile app, DevelapMe, to provide team peers with real-time feedback. The authors investigated the correlates of state goal orientation. Using openness to receiving critical feedback, three reliable sender-based scales were found: sender explain, trust sender, and sender identify self. All three scales had a significant positive relationship to learning goal orientation, two of three with prove performance goal orientation, and none with avoid performance goal orientation. Practice in receiving peer-based real-time feedback can prepare students for using such mobile apps at work.
β-Catenin-Dependent Wnt Signaling: A Pathway in Acute Cutaneous Wounding.

Background:Acute wound healing is a dynamic process that results in the formation of scar tissue. The mechanisms of this process are not well understood; numerous signaling pathways are thought to play a major role. Here, the authors have identified β-catenin–dependent Wnt signaling as an early acut
Adult Chiari I Malformations: An Analysis of Surgical Risk Factors and Complications Using an International Database.

Background Chiari I malformations are common in adults and a frequent procedure in neurosurgical practice. Despite several studies, there is no consensus about the indications or surgical technique for this common condition. Increasing emphasis on value-based care has emphasized reduction of readmissions and reoperations and is particularly relevant in Chiari, which has traditionally been associated with a high complication rate. Objective To provide a contemporary surgical profile of risk factors and complications for Chiari I malformations in adults. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried to determine 30-day outcomes after surgery for Chiari I malformations in adults between 2005 and 2016. Demographics, clinical risk factors, and postoperative events were analyzed, along with reoperation and readmission reasons. Results A total of 672 adult patients were identified in the cohort, with a female predominance (80%). The overall cohort readmission rate was 9.3%, and 6.8% of patients returned to the operating room. Obesity (45.7%) was predictive of both readmission and reoperation risk. Male sex and American Society of Anesthesiologists class were predictive for reoperations. The most common reason for reoperation was cerebrospinal fluid leak, which was responsible for nearly two thirds of reoperations and 4% of the cohort. Conclusions Surgery for Chiari in adults is common and carries a definitive risk profile, including rates of readmission and reoperation higher than other common neurosurgical procedures. This cohort provides a representative sample of contemporary neurosurgical outcomes in surgery for Chiari I malformations.
Scheduling, Isolation, and Cache Allocation: A Side-Channel Defense

Despite the isolation mechanisms that are available to cloud service providers, like virtual machines and containers, the problem of side-channel vulnerabilities due to shared caches and multicore processors remains a threat. We present a hardware-software mechanism that improves the isolation of cloud processes in the presence of shared caches on multicore chips. Our technique can enable cache-side-channel free computing for Linux-based containers and virtual machines by com-bining the Intel CAT architecture that enables cache partitioning with novel scheduling techniques and state cleansing mechanisms. We evaluate our system using a CPU-bound workload and demonstrate cache-side-channel-free computation that is correct by construction. Our system allows Simultaneous Multithreading to remain enabled and does not require application level changes.
Hochkalorische parenterale Ernährung in der Onkologie - Tierexperimentelle Ergebnisse -

Die metabolischen und ernahrungsphysiologischen Folgen der Kachexie konnen beim Tumorpatienten tiefgreifende Veranderungen hervorrufen, die bis hin zum Tod an Mangelernahrung fuhren. In vielen Fallen ist die Tumorkachexie einfach durch die Unfahigkeit des Patienten bedingt, ausreichend Nahrung aufzunehmen oder zu absorbieren. Die Begleiterscheinungen eines chirurgischen Eingriffes, der Chemotherapie oder der Bestrahlung bzw. ein mechanischer Effekt des Tumors selbst, behindern die normale Verdauung der Nahrung sowie ihre Aufnahme aus dem Darm. In der letzten Zeit wurde eine grose Anzahl von Produkten zur adjuvanten, oralen bzw. Sondenernahrung entwickelt. Ihre erfolgreiche Anwendung setzt jedoch einen gut motivierten Patienten voraus, der einen normal funktionierenden Gastrointestinal-trakt besitzt, so das er die zusatzlich angebotene Nahrung auch verwerten kann.
Spirituality for Individual Success

Concurrent with the increasing interest in spirituality, more employees are seeking avenues for spiritual expression in workplace and career. Career theory is examined as a lens through which spirituality and individual success may be examined. Holistic models are discussed through which spirituality and career development may be examined. Because spirituality can be expressed in entrepreneurial pursuits, whereby individuals seek to incorporate personal morals and values directly into a business venture, spiritual entrepreneurship will also be explored. The chapter concludes with an examination of the personal benefits of spirituality in terms of career, health, and relationships.
Using Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed in a Community-Based Participatory Research Approach to Environmental Health Literacy

In 2002 the Community Outreach & Engagement Core (COEC) program of the Sealy Center for Environmental Health & Medicine and the NIEHS-funded Center in Environmental Toxicology (CET) at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston TX (UTMB) implemented a unique outreach and education methodology based on the pedagogical principles of Paulo Freire and Augusto Boal’s community-oriented applied theatre system, the Theatre of the Oppressed (TO). This project – dubbed Community Environmental Forum Theatre – grew out of the UTMB COEC’s adoption of a Community Based Participatory (CBPR) approach to environmental public health research, with a complementary emphasis on enhancing Environmental Health Literacy (EHL) within project partner communities. The dialogic engagement embodied in Freire’s “democratizing pedagogy” and its mirror image in Boal’s inclusive and multi-perspectival body of dramatic technique have proven effective in promoting EHL via sustainable engagement with community partners in research.
Bi-objective Mixed Integer Program for Energy Storage Sharing Considering Storage Lifetime Maintenance

This paper provides a bi-objective mixed integer program for managing energy storage sharing considering lifetime maintenance for the storage system. Energy storage can provide Energy Arbitrage to the energy system to enhance its economic performance by charging at off-peak price and discharging at peak price. The contract balance strategy proposed previously is demonstrated to maximize the energy arbitrage and fairly distribute stored energy. However, maximizing energy arbitrage requires frequent changes of the battery charging state. In this work, we extend the contract balance strategy to achieve the battery lifetime maintenance to avoid that frequent changes of the charging state which could affect the life of the battery. Since there exist nonlinear terms in the formulation of the proposed strategy, several techniques such as piecewise McCormick relaxation are employed to linearize the formulation. Comparison results between the strategies with and without the battery lifetime maintenance are presented to illustrate the efficacy of our maintenance strategy.
Meeting the 24‐hr movement guidelines: An update on US youth with autism spectrum disorder from the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health

The purpose of this study was to examine how adherence to the physical activity (PA), screen-time (ST), and sleep duration guidelines differ between youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and youth with typical development (TD). A secondary objective was to assess how PA, ST, and sleep duration varied among youth with ASD by age and ASD severity. Utilizing the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health data, parental reports of time spent by youth in PA, ST, and sleep were used to determine adherence to the 24-hr movement guidelines for 1008 youth with ASD and 34 489 youth with TD. Multivariate logistic regression analyses determined that children with ASD were less likely to meet the guidelines for PA, ST, and sleep duration, and adolescents with ASD were less likely to meet the guidelines for PA and ST than participants with TD. Furthermore, logistic regression analyses determined adolescents with severe ASD to be less likely to meet the sleep guideline compared to adolescents with mild ASD. Overall, youth with ASD were significantly less likely to adhere to all three guidelines. The findings highlight the breadth of health behaviors that require intervention to counteract the poorer health status among youth with ASD. Autism Res 2019, 12: 941-951. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: New health recommendations suggest children and adolescents should have at least 1 hr of physical activity, no more than 2 hr of screen-time (e.g., television), and 9-11 hr of sleep (or 8-10 hr for children aged 14 or older) every day. This article looked at how children and adolescents with autism meet these new guidelines. The two main results were that: (a) children with autism were less likely to meet all three guidelines compared to children without autism, and (b) adolescents with autism were less likely to meet the guidelines for physical activity and screen-time.
Was That Logical? Demonstrating Decision-Making Constraints in the Contemporary Workplace Environment.

Courses: Organizational Communication, Small Group Communication, Organizational Decision-making, and Communication Technology.Objective: The objectives of this activity are twofold: (1) to engage ...
Complete Genome Sequence of Klebsiella pneumoniae Podophage Patroon.

ABSTRACT Carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important opportunistic pathogen due to its drug resistance. This study reports on the isolation and characterization of a podophage, named Pylas, infecting this bacterium. The complete genome of phage Pylas is described, and it is distantly related to the well-studied phage N4.
Division of labour in territorial defence and pup retrieval by pair-bonded California mice, Peromyscus californicus

Division of labour allows group-living species to efficiently complete tasks while minimizing resource expenditure. This generally involves task allocation between individuals. In territorial defence and parental care specifically, division of labour can be completed using different strategies, often involving one or more individuals defending the territory while others care for offspring. Little is known, however, about division of labour by monogamous and biparental mammals. We investigated labour division strategies across territorial defence and pup retrievals by monogamous, biparental, territorial California mice along with the role of vocal communication in coordinating these behaviours. Male and female pair-bonded California mice display aggression towards same-sex intruders and retrieve pups while alone, but how pairs complete these tasks while together remains unknown. We found that California mouse pairs used one of two strategies during territorial defence: (1) joint defence or (2) divided defence. Overall, these strategies were not altered by the intruder sex or the birth of pups. However, postpartum individuals spent more time alone in the nest and pairs spent less time together investigating intruders. Pup retrievals, conversely, followed a sex-specific strategy where mothers retrieved pups in 89% of pairs while males retrieved pups in 11% of pairs. This study shows for the first time that a monogamous and biparental rodent uses different strategies to divide labour during vital tasks of territorial defence and pup retrieval. Moreover, we found that vocal communication via sustained vocalizations were predictive of aggressive behaviour but not retrieval behaviour, indicating that vocalizations may only play a role in coordinating specific behaviours. Importantly, these strategies were task dependent and robust across intruder sex and parental status, providing a framework for better understanding division of labour in mammals.
Social support moderates D-dimer and self-rated successful aging within people with HIV and older adults

Many factors can influence perceptions of successful aging (SA), including social isolation and poor physical health. We hypothesized that social support attenuates the negative effect of plasma D-dimer, a correlate of HIV and aging, on SA. Participants included 230 adults (134 people with HIV; PWH, 96 HIV-), ages 36-65, segregated into age cohorts with up to 5 yearly visits. Multilevel modeling examined longitudinal within-person associations between D-dimer, social support, and SA. Social support moderated the relationship between D-dimer and SA and was significant among PWH and older individuals (ages 56-65), but not HIV- or younger cohorts. This association was significant only at extreme levels of social support, with significant decreases in social support potentiating the negative impact of D-dimer on SA and significant increases in social support facilitating increased SA. Despite declining health, high social support may improve SA in PWH and older adults, and low support may be especially problematic for older adults.
Utilizing the Analytical Hierarchy Process to determine the optimal lunar habitat configuration

Abstract Discussion over how to construct a sustainable lunar base has been ongoing since before the Apollo program, with no clear answers emerging. In this study, a decision support tool known as the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used to narrow down what the optimal characteristics of a lunar habitat would be. The mathematical basis for AHP, as well as its criticisms, are briefly detailed. AHP is subsequently applied to lunar habitats after the central design characteristics and judging criteria for such characteristics are determined. Ultimately, we determined that inflatable habitats should be slightly favored over rigid habitats for lunar applications and greatly favored over other habitat concepts. Hybrid structures may provide an appropriate compromise between inflatable and rigid habitats. AHP also suggested that utilizing a Vectran restraint layer and deploying the habitat using columnation and compartmentalization are much more desirable than their alternatives. Further, it also suggested that an inflatable habitat should be cylindrical and pressurized to sea level pressure. A sensitivity analysis is conducted on these results. Through this study, the use of AHP to make quantitative, impartial decisions, given complex aerospace problems with many influential criteria and potential options, is demonstrated.
Efficient Two-Layered Monitor for Partially Synchronous Distributed Systems

Monitoring distributed systems to ensure their correctness is a challenging and expensive but essential problem. It is challenging because while execution of a distributed system creates a partial order among events, the monitor will typically observe only one serialization of that partial order. This means that even if the observed serialization is consistent with the system specifications, the monitor cannot assume that the system is correct because some other unobserved serialization can be inconsistent with the system specifications. Existing solutions that guarantee identification of all such unobserved violations require some combination of lots of time and large clocks, e.g. O(n) sized Vector Clocks.We present a new, efficient two-layered monitoring approach that overcomes both the time and space limitations of earlier monitors. The first layer is imprecise but efficient and the second layer is precise but (relatively) inefficient. We show that the combination of these two layers reduces the cost of monitoring by 85-95%. Furthermore, the two-layered monitor permits the use of O(1) sized Hybrid Logical Clocks.
Use of a State Registry to Compare Practices of Physicians and Nurse Practitioners in Completing Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Forms

Background: Understanding the role of nonphysicians in Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) completion is limited. Objectives: To examine the role that nurse practitioners (NPs) p...
Danger From Beneath: Groundwater-Sea-Level Interactions and Implications for Coastal Archaeological Sites in the Southeast US

Coastal low-lying archaeological sites are known to be at risk due to sea-level rise associated with climate change. However, not all of the potential impacts of sea-level rise on these sites have ...
Intra-abdominal and Anorectal Abscesses

Intra-abdominal and anorectal abscesses are common pathologies seen in both inpatient and outpatient settings. To decrease morbidity and mortality, early diagnosis and treatment are essential. After adequate drainage via a percutaneous or incisional approach, patients need to be monitored for worsening symptoms or recurrence and evaluated for the underlying condition that may have contributed to abscess formation.
Identification of the JNK-Active Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cluster Associated with an Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment.

BACKGROUND Although an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) is key for tumor progression, the molecular characteristics associated with the immunosuppressive TME remain unknown in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Our previous functional proteomic study of TNBC tumors identified that C-JUN N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway-related molecules were enriched in a cluster associated with the inflammatory pathway. However, the role of the JNK pathway in the TNBC TME is still unclear. METHODS Transcriptomic analysis was conducted using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets. The effect of JNK-IN-8, a covalent pan-JNK inhibitor, on TNBC tumor growth, lung metastasis, and the TME was measured in TNBC syngeneic mouse models (n = 13 per group). Tumor (n = 43) or serum (n = 46) samples from TNBC patients were analyzed using multiplex immunohistochemistry or Luminex assay. All statistical tests were 2-sided. RESULTS CIBERSORT analysis revealed that TNBC patients with high pJNK level (n = 47) had more regulatory T cell (Treg) infiltration than those with low pJNK level (n = 47) (P = .02). Inhibition of JNK signaling statistically significantly reduced tumor growth (P < .001) and tumor-infiltrating Tregs (P = .02) while increasing the infiltration of CD8+ T cells in TNBC mouse models through the reduction of C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2). Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) were the predominant cells secreting CCL2, and inhibition of JNK signaling reduced CCL2 secretion of human primary macrophages. Moreover, in patients with TNBC (n = 43), those with high levels of CCL2+ TAMs had more Treg and less CD8+ T cell infiltration (P = .04), and serum CCL2 level was associated with poor overall survival (hazard ratio = 2.65, 95% confidence interval = 1.29 to 5.44; P = .008) in TNBC patients (n = 46). CONCLUSIONS The JNK/C-JUN/CCL2 axis contributes to TNBC aggressiveness via forming an immunosuppressive TME and can offer novel therapeutic strategies for TNBC.
Memory B cells and plasma cells: The differentiative continuum of humoral immunity

Immunological memory is a composite of lasting antibody titers maintained by plasma cells in conjunction with memory T and B cells. Memory B cells are a critical reservoir for plasma cell generation in the secondary response. Identification of memory B cells requires that they be distinguished from naive, activated, and germinal center precursors and from plasma cells. Memory B cells are heterogeneous in isotype usage, immunoglobulin mutational content, and phenotypic marker expression. Phenotypic subsets of memory B cells are defined by PD-L2, CD80, and CD73 expression in mice, by CD27 and FCRL4 expression in humans and by T-bet in both mice and humans. These subsets display marked functional heterogeneity, including the ability to rapidly differentiate into plasma cells versus seed germinal centers in the secondary response. Memory B cells are located in the spleen, blood, other lymphoid organs, and barrier tissues, and recent evidence indicates that some memory B cells may be dedicated tissue-resident populations. Open questions about memory B cell longevity, renewal and progenitor-successor relationships with plasma cells are discussed.
Recruiting custodial grandmothers using Facebook.

OBJECTIVES Recruitment through Facebook is gaining favor as an approach for research, including clinical trials, because of the platform's ability to reach broad and diverse populations. As older adults increase their social media use, recruitment through Facebook has become a viable option. The purposes of this paper are to report the methodological process and lessons learned from recruiting custodial grandmothers (CGMs) for a cross-sectional study examining parenting self-efficacy and psychological well-being. PARTICIPANTS A total of 113 people consented and accessed the survey online, with 40 (35.4%) completing surveys. The final sample comprised 68 grandmothers, with 59% recruited via Facebook. METHODS Facebook recruitment for the online survey included creating a dedicated Facebook study page, accessing existing Facebook pages for custodial grandparents, and using paid advertising. Face-to-face recruitment strategies also were used with paper surveys. RESULTS We compared the characteristics of those completing online surveys versus paper surveys. CGMs completing the survey online were significantly younger and more likely to be Caucasian than those completing the paper survey. CONCLUSIONS Findings indicated online recruitment via Facebook is an advantageous method to reach CGMs. However, additional research is needed to determine if other online and social media platforms would be useful in recruiting this population.
Legally Blind: Hyperadversarialism, Brady Violations, and the Prosecutorial Organizational Culture

Recently, in Connick v. Thompson (2011), the Supreme Court held that the failure of several prosecutors to disclose to the defense the blood type of the perpetrator, which did not match the defendant’s blood type, was not a systematic defect that required training of staff. According to the Court the prosecutors’ misconduct, and lack of training in Brady discovery duties, did not constitute “deliberate indifference” by the municipality, which would have entitled the exonerated defendant to relief under §1983. This Article criticizes the decision--and Brady policies in general—for their narrowness and excessive reliance on indications of intent or bad faith. Assessing police and prosecutorial conduct on the basis of intent ignores important insights about the pervasive organizational culture of law enforcement and its impact on daily work practices in both settings. Classic social science research on the criminal justice system demonstrates that prosecutorial ignorance of exculpatory evidence would, in the usual case, stem from a conviction-focused organizational culture. As prosecutors are socialized into their role in the system, they are indoctrinated reading a case in a conviction-friendly light. The literature on cultural cognition shows how opinions and values can shape factual perception. Therefore, making the prosecutors watchdogs of exculpatory evidence is inherently problematic. Moreover, reliance on law school education and bar preparation to educate prosecutors about their Brady obligations is likely to miss the mark, as it fails to take into account the personal investment of prosecutors in a conviction. The Article concludes by making some suggestions for institutional reform, recommending more sensitive hiring practices, changes in professional trainings, and reforms in law school pedagogy and bar testing. ∗ Associate Professor, University of California, Hastings College of the Law. I am grateful to Rory Little and Tom Oster, as well as to the participants of the Constitutional Law Colloquium at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, for their helpful comments, and to Ryan Newby and James Nolan for their excellent research assistance. I am also grateful to all my friends at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa for their support during my work on this Article. Please address all correspondence to aviramh@uchastings.edu.
Extrahepatic manifestations of chronic hepatitis B

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and its complications are global health problems. Approximately 400 million people are chronic HBV carriers worldwide. The spectrum of chronic HBV infection ranges from asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier state to chronic hepatitis with progression to cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease. It is estimated that 15% to 40% of people with chronic HBV will progress to cirrhosis. Several extrahepatic syndromes are associated with chronic HBV infection. These syndromes contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality. The mechanism of extrahepatic syndromes seen with chronic viral hepatitis appears to be immune-mediated. including deposition of circulating immune complexes, induction of local immune complex formation by viral antigens, reaction with tissue antigens by viral-induced autoantibodies, or a direct viral reaction to extrahepatic tissue sites. Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a rare, but serious, systemic complication of chronic HBV infection affecting the small- and medium-sized vessels. PAN ultimately involves multiple organ systems, some with devastating consequences, though the hepatic manifestations are often more mild. HBV-associated glomerulonephritis (GN) occurs mainly in children, predominantly males, in HBV endemic areas of the world. In children, GN is usually self-limited with only rare progression to renal failure. In adults, course of GN may be more relentless, progressing slowly to renal failure. A serum-sickness like "arthritis-dermatitis" prodrome is also seen in some patients acquiring HBV infection. The joint and skin manifestations are varied, but the syndrome spontaneously resolves after the onset of clinical hepatitis without significant sequelae. Occasionally, the arthritis following the acute prodromal infection may persist; however, joint destruction is rare. The association between HBV and mixed essential cryoglobulinemia remains controversial. Finally, skin manifestations of HBV infection typically present as palpable purpura. Though papular acrodermatitis of childhood has been reported to be caused by chronic HBV, this association remains controversial.
Introduction to Semiconductor Devices: Optoelectronic devices – emitters, light amplifiers, and detectors

The primary optoelectronic devices of importance in lightwave communications systems are emitters, amplifiers, modulators, and detectors. Emitters are the front-end components of a lightwave communications system. The signal is input into the fiber using emitters. The most important emitters are light emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers. As we will see, most communications systems use lasers due to their much higher power and relatively large modulation bandwidth as compared with LEDs. In addition to front-end emitters, modern lightwave communications systems utilize optical amplifiers for long distance communications. The natural attenuation of lightwave signals propagating through a fiber optic cable can be compensated by the use of amplifiers placed at periodic spatial intervals. In this way, very long distance fiber transmission lines can be made for transcontinental and transoceanic communications. The most attractive amplifiers in long distance lightwave networks are all optical devices since these structures are less costly and typically less noisy than their optoelectronic alternatives. In this chapter, we discuss the two most important semiconductor emitters, LEDs and lasers. The operating principles of these devices as well as various device types will be presented. Since the basic physics utilized in lasers, i.e., stimulated emission, is common to optical amplifiers, the chapter includes a discussion of the two most important optical amplifiers used in lightwave communications systems. These are EDFAs and SOAs. Finally, the chapter concludes with a discussion of photodetectors. LEDs The LED has become one of the most ubiquitous compound semiconductor devices. It is commonly employed in numerous applications including clocks, appliances, calculators, lighting, and signs. LEDs make up the largest share of commercial optical semiconductor products.
Early onset scoliosis: what the primary care provider needs to know and implications for practice.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to discuss the role of the primary care provider in the detection of and referral for early onset scoliosis. An overview of scoliosis including etiology, natural history, guidelines for physical examination, current practice for scoliosis screening, and available treatments will be discussed. Data sources: PubMed, OVID Medline, Psychinfo. Search terms: juvenile scoliosis, childhood onset scoliosis, early onset scoliosis, idiopathic scoliosis, and infantile scoliosis. Conclusions: Scoliosis is classified depending on the magnitude, location, direction, and cause of the curve, and can lead to a variety of health effects if not treated. The greater the scoliosis curve and the earlier it presents, the more likely it may affect thoracic growth, inhibit cardiopulmonary function, and cause psychosocial distress. Implications for practice: Routine scoliosis screening should be incorporated into each healthcare maintenance visit beginning in infancy and continue into adolescence until the child reaches skeletal maturity. Curves with a scoliometer reading greater than 5° should be referred, and conservative treatment should be considered for curves that surpass 20°. If scoliosis is detected early, it may be possible to stabilize the curve from progressing and even prevent thoracic deformity and secondary complications from occurring.
A lumped minority carrier storage model for transistors and diodes

Minority carrier storage in transistors has been treated by Ebers and Moll. In particular their results are convenient for estimation of storage delay in saturated transistors. The basic assumptions in their approach amount to use of the linear diffusion model of the transistor and to a rational approximation for the transcendental transport factor (approximately a ). The present paper shows that the same results can be arrived at from a lumping approximation of the diffusion process in the base region of the transistor. This approach makes possible some simple extensions applying to more complicated cases in addition to giving a novel view of the Ebers-Moll results. Here the key characteristic of behavior of the transistor used is linearity of the minority carrier density-current relationship. A five-element lumped model is used to duplicate the Ebers-Moll treatment. The element values are determined uniquely by the values for a_{N}, a_{I}, \omega_{N}, \omega_{I} , and I co . After the equilibrium conditions are solved in terms of the variables minority carrier density and current, voltage is brought in as a variable through the relationship p = p n , e qV/KT.
Floating ring: a new tool for visualizing distortion in map projections

The authors present a new method for interactive visualization of distortion in map projections. The central idea is a floating ring on a sphere (globe) that can be interactively positioned and scaled. As the ring is manipulated on the globe, the corresponding projection of the ring is distorted using the same map projection parameters. They apply this method to study a real and angular distortion. This method is particularly useful when analyzing large geographical extents (such as in global climate studies) where distortions are significant, as well as visualizations for which information is geo-referenced and perhaps scaled to the underlying map. It serves as a reminder that distortion exists in maps and provides information about the degree, location, and type of distortion.
Emotions in Continental Philosophy

Although the topic of emotions was long ignored in British and American analytic philosophy and psychology, it remained a rich and exciting subject in Continental Philosophy. Kierkegaard and Nietzsche celebrated the passionate life. In phenomenology Martin Heidegger, Max Scheler, Emmanuel Levinas, Jean-Paul Sartre, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Gabriel Marcel, and Paul Ricoeur all made major contributions. Heidegger pursued a highly original thesis concerning the vital role of moods in human life, notably angst and boredom. Jean-Paul Sartre added the tantalizing thesis that our emotions are strategies to help us cope with the difficulties in life. Max Scheler gave us the stunning expression, “the emotional a priori,” the idea that emotions are basic structures of human existence. In this essay, I want to expand on the contributions of the classic phenomenologists and existentialists and do more of what they were doing by way of an “original” project of phenomenological investigation. (This follows publication of the first two volumes of a three-part study of the emotions, Not Passion's Slave and In Defense of Sentimentality, both published by Oxford University Press.)
Quadriceps and Hamstrings Coactivation During Common Therapeutic Exercises

Context: Anterior tibial shear force and knee valgus moment increase anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) loading. Muscle coactivation of the quadriceps and hamstrings influences anterior tibial shear force and knee valgus moment, thus potentially influencing ACL loading and injury risk. Therefore, identifying exercises that facilitate balanced activation of the quadriceps and hamstrings might be beneficial in ACL injury rehabilitation and prevention. Objective: To quantify and compare quadriceps with hamstrings coactivation electromyographic (EMG) ratios during commonly used closed kinetic chain exercises. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-seven healthy, physically active volunteers (12 men, 15 women; age = 22.1 ± 3.1 years, height = 171.4 ± 10 cm, mass = 72.4 ± 16.7 kg). Intervention(s): Participants completed 9 separate closed chain therapeutic exercises in a randomized order. Main Outcome Measure(s): Surface electromyography quantified the ...