cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Raman spectroscopic signature of blood and its potential application to forensic body fluid identification

Near-infrared (NIR) Raman spectroscopy was used to measure spectra of dried human blood samples from multiple donors. Two major questions addressed in this paper involve the influence of sample heterogeneity and potential Raman spectral variations that could arise between different donors of blood. Advanced statistical analysis of spectra obtained from multiple spots on dry samples showed that dry blood is chemically heterogeneous, and its Raman spectra could be presented very well as a linear combination of a fluorescent background and two Raman spectroscopic components that are dominated by hemoglobin and fibrin, respectively. Each sample Raman spectrum contains the same major peaks, but the relative contribution of the hemoglobin and fibrin components varies with the donor. Therefore, no single spectrum could adequately represent an experimental Raman spectrum of dry blood in a quantitative way, but rather the combination of hemoglobin and fibrin spectral components could be considered to be a spectroscopic signature for blood. This proof-of-concept approach shows the potential for Raman spectroscopy to be used in forensic analysis to identify an unknown substance such as blood.
Philosophy and Theory of Freedom of Expression

Within the United States, free speech is perhaps the preeminent right among all of the rights included in the Bill of Rights. The term free speech is, however, a popular misnomer for a concept more properly identified under the heading of freedom of expression. Free expression, in turn, represents an extremely complex, multidimensional construct whose popular acceptance, under the label of free speech, masks a significant level of controversy and conceptual confusion. With the exception of those few commentators and advocates who, like Justice Hugo Black, hold an absolutist view of free expression (i.e. that the constitution's prohibition on laws limiting free speech means that no legal restrictions can be imposed), the difficulty within the legal concept of freedom of expression resides in determining how to draw the line between protected and non-protected expression. In determining how to protect expression, the state will have to consider the nature and function of expression in relation to the values held by that society. That is to say, determining what types of expression should be protected depends not only upon the purpose for protecting free expression in a liberal democracy (i.e. why), it also depends upon a proper understanding of the nature of free expression (i.e. what it is and how it functions). These constructs are so interrelated that one could start with any of the three (i.e. why, what or how). Here, we will begin by considering what constitutes expression and how it functions. This is a descriptive task based on the nature of expression. We then explore why society should protect expression: what are the social values advanced by free expression. We then consider how these three factors relate in developing our ideas on regulating expression, along with certain pragmatic limitations imposed by the nature of regulating expression, and, finally, we consider what forms of expression ought to be protected to advance those social values.
Restoring the West’s Waters: Opportunities for the Bureau of Reclamation, Volume II: Phase Two Area Studies

This volume provides the background studies of places where the Bureau of Reclamation has made changes in project facilities/operations for environmental benefits.
The Inevitable Irrelevance of Affirmative Action Jurisprudence

When the Supreme Court decides Fisher v. Texas next term, which presents an Equal Protection challenge to the University of Texas’ race-preference admissions policy, the likely outcome is that it will not abolish affirmative action programs wholesale. Considering the present make-up of the Court, following Fisher, colleges, universities and graduate schools will remain free to pursue the Court’s previously announced goal of admitting individual students who as a group present a critical mass of diverse viewpoints. To meet this goal, schools must create programs that are narrowly tailored to achieve the compelling governmental interest in what has come to be considered viewpoint diversity; an assurance of otherwise under-represented voices in the classroom. In many instances, accepting students who will lend a differing viewpoint to the classroom is contrary to the current trend among schools to pursue favorable national recognition from various news outlets, most notably U.S. News and World Report. The problem lies with consideration of underrepresented students, who generally apply to schools with academic test scores that are not competitive with their majority peers. The disparity among minority and non-minority applicant test scores means that admitting a significant number of minority students would result in a potential decrease in a school’s mean entering standardized test scores, a number which factors significantly into a school’s national rank. For the most part, institutes of higher education have become so consumed with the goal of achieving the highest possible ranking that they are uninterested in constructing constitutionally permissible race-preference admissions programs, even in light of the Court’s continued guidance on the matter.
Reflections on Psychology and Law

The chapters in this book demonstrate how broad and versatile the field of psychology can be, in applying its concepts and methods to the study of the legal system, and especially to the role of the expert witness. The last chapter in this volume comes from Lawrence S. Wrightsman, Jr., who was the beneficiary of a festschrift. His comments are typical of the scholar and the man himself. He is humble, astute, and aware of the unfinished research that still engulfs the psychology and law field. His ability to see beyond psychological theories generated for one area of behavior and utilize those theories to understand and explain the behaviors that occur in the theorizing and practice of law is evident from his own description of his work. More importantly, Larry reminds scholars who study psychology and law (and any discipline) to focus on the source, in order to understand why behaviors occur and what can be done to transform them. In the end, Larry’s approach to his scholarly work derives from the legacy of his own training in psychology. He reminds us that psychology is really a discipline to be given away. Consequently, through his research, teaching, and numerous textbooks, Larry Wrightsman has given much to the field of psychology and law. Our greatest hope is that the present volume, and the future research it will stimulate, continues to give in his honor.
Socioeconomic Disconnection as a Risk Factor for Increased HIV Infection in Young Men Who Have Sex with Men

Abstract Purpose: HIV disproportionately affects young men who have sex with men (YMSM), particularly black YMSM. Increasingly, researchers are turning to social, economic, and structural factors to explain these disproportionate rates. In this study, we explore the relationship between socioeconomic disconnection and HIV status and factors related to HIV infection, including drug use, condomless anal sex, and binge drinking. We operationalize socioeconomic disconnection in this young population as lack of engagement in educational and employment opportunities. Methods: Baseline data were analyzed from a longitudinal cohort study of YMSM aged 16–20 years recruited from the Chicago area (N = 450). Bivariate analyses of the association of socioeconomic disconnection and HIV-positive status, drug and alcohol use, and condomless anal sex were assessed using chi-square tests. The relationship of socioeconomic disconnection and HIV-positive status was then examined in multivariate logistic regression models, co...
Abstract 1342: Genetic variations in the MUC16 gene encoding tumor marker CA125 and their association with the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Purpose: MUC16 is a cell surface mucin that is expressed at high levels by epithelial ovarian tumors, and is detected in serum as the CA125 antigen. MUC16 is clinically used as a tumor marker in the management of ovarian cancer and has been associated with prognosis. MUC16 is also thought to play an important role in ovarian tumor cell survival and metastasis. We studied the association of four tagging SNPs of the MUC16 gene (rs2547065 (C/G), rs1559168 (A/T), rs2121133 (A/G), rs2121133 (A/G)) and risk of ovarian cancer as well as the correlation of these SNPs with CA125 levels. Methods: MUC16 polymorphisms were genotyped using blood samples collected from 760 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 788 healthy controls enrolled in the New England Case-Control Study between 2003 and 2008. 388 cases had preoperative CA125 levels abstracted from medical records. Odds ratios and 95%CIs were calculated using logistic regression; polytomous (multinomial) logistic regression was used to estimate multivariate odds ratios by ovarian cancer histological subtype. The association between log normalized pre-operative CA125 levels and MUC 16 SNPs was evaluated using generalized linear models. Results: A significant association was observed between the rs2547065 polymorphism and ovarian cancer risk (per allele: OR=1.30, 95% CI: 1.11-1.52). The risk was greatest for women carrying two copies of the variant allele (OR=1.78, 95% CI: 1.29-2.45). When stratified by histological subtype, these associations were most apparent in the recessive model for women with serous invasive (OR = 1.69; 95%CI: 1.15-2.48) and clear cell (2.49 95% CI: 1.13-5.52) tumors. There were no significant associations between the other three MUC16 SNPs (rs1559168, rs2121133, rs12984471) and ovarian cancer risk. The rs2547065 polymorphism was not found to be associated with pre-operative CA125 levels in cases overall or in the subset of women with serous and clear cell cancers. Conclusions: These results suggest that women who carry one or more variant alleles of MUC16 SNP rs2547065 have an increased risk of ovarian cancer of the serous invasive and clear cell histological subtype. Further study of MUC 16 SNPs in relation to risk of ovarian cancer and their effect on CA125 levels is warranted. Citation Format: Kristina Williams, Kathryn Terry, Allison Vitonis, Daniel Cramer. Genetic variations in the MUC16 gene encoding tumor marker CA125 and their association with the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1342. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1342
Residential Moves by Elderly Persons to U.S. Central Cities, Suburbs, and Rural Areas

The 1975-1980 migration stream and net migration patterns of persons younger than 65 and 65 + were examined using data from the 1980 U.S. Census. Central cities and suburbs of metropolitan areas (SMSAs) and nonmetropolitan areas (NonSMSAs) were distinguished as origins and destinations. Most elderly movers relocated within a fairly limited geographic context and revealed strong preferences for metropolitan living. Suburban locations were more favored than central city locations. Net migration findings may provide misleading interpretations of older movers' locational choices. The migration patterns of the 65 + population were similar to those of the 45- to 64-year-old population but differed from those of the more youthful U.S. populations. These findings highlight migration streams of elderly movers who likely have experienced changed in their life styles or personal resources.
Specialization, Body Volume, and Geographical Distribution of Camallanidae (Nematoda)

Stromberg, P. C., and J. L. Crites. (Center for Lake Erie Area Research and Department of Zoology, The Ohio State University, 1735 Neil Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43210) 1973. Specialization, Body Volume, and the Geographical Distribution of the Camallanidae (Nematoda). Syst. Zool. 23:189-201.-The geographical distribution of the six genera and 130 species of nematodes within the Family Camallanidae Railliet and Henry, 1915 is plotted and discussed. The family is divided into three subfamilies, the Procamallaninae, Camallaninae and Paracamallaninae, based upon buccal capsule structure. The fauna within each zoogeographical region is characterized as to host type and degree of specialization. Some general principles of parasite biogeography are discussed and applied to the data to hypothesize a center of origin and patterns of dispersal for the family. The use of female body volume as a fitness character in temperate climates for dispersing species is discussed. Estimates of the mean female body volume of the genera within various geographical regions are given. These estimates are correlated with the distribution pattern of the family. [Camallanidae; parasitology; zoogeography.] The distribution of any group of organisms is the result of the interaction of numerous and often obscure factors. Darlington (1948) outlined clues and principles to elucidate the origin and dispersal of animal groups. Unfortunately, some of Darlington's clues cannot be applied to studies of helminth parasites. Thus parasitologists have been left to their own devices to explain the geographical distribution of various parasites. Manter (1967) established some valuable and workable principles concerning the relationship between host and parasites. When studies in host-parasite relationships and parasite distribution are combined with the distribution of the hosts, these principles may provide clues to the origin and dispersal of
Water Vapor Adsorption Properties of Ti-Containing Mesoporous Silica

Materials enabling intelligent humidity control were synthesized using fumed silica, tetraethylorthotitanate and quaternary alkylammonium surfactant (decyl-, dodecyl-, tetradecyl and hexadecyltrimethylammonium chlorides) as a liquid-crystal template under hydrothermal conditions. X-ray diffraction profiles and transmission electron micrographs indicated that a homogeneous hexagonal structure of SiO2-TiO2 was formed from those products. The mesostructured products had high BET surface areas from 540 to 863m2/g, with uniform pore diameters of 1.5-3nm. These physical quantities were controlled by varying the size of the organic template. Water vapor adsorption isotherms for these materials experienced a sharp increase in adsorption when the relative water vapor pressure (P/P0) was in the range of 0.4-0.6. Over this range of pressures, the maximum amount of adsorbed water was between 20 and 50mass%. The isotherms were classified as type V in the IUPAC notation, showed an unusually large hysteresis. The large hysteresis could be explained by the difference in contact angle between adsorption and desorption. For both the 2nd and 3rd. water vapor adsorption-desorption isotherms, any morphological change was not observed in the isotherms, meaning that these materials have high durability in their humidity control ability. A small shift of the broad Q4 29Si-MAS/NMR spectra indicated that a wider distribution of the Si-O-Si angles in the SiO4 tetrahedra when titanium was incorporated into the silica matrix.
Actions of chlorpromazine and of reserpine on spinal reflex activity in the cat.

Summary1. Chlorpromazine and reserpine inhibit spinal reflex activity. 2. The inhibition affects predominantly monosynaptic reflex pathways when submaximal stimuli and minimal doses of chlorpromazine or of reserpine are used. 3. The spinal effects of chlorpromazine and reserpine do not result from circulatory changes, unless these be local alterations in the circulation within the spinal cord. That possibility has not been studied.
Analysis of Fresh Mushroom Compost

Fresh mushroom compost is a byproduct of the edible mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) industry and represents the composted growing substrate that remains after a crop has been harvested to completion. Thirty samples were obtained from commercial mushroom farms in southeastern Pennsylvania and sent to a laboratory for analysis to determine plant nutrient content, bulk density, and particle size distribution of fresh mushroom compost. Fresh mushroom compost had an average pH of 6.6, with an average carbon:nitrogen ratio of 13:1. Organic matter content averaged 25.86% (wet weight), 146.73 lb/yard (wet volume) or 60.97% (dry weight). For the primary macronutrients, average total nitrogen content averaged 1.12% (wet weight), 6.40 lb/yard (wet volume) or 2.65% (dry weight), phosphorus measured 0.29% (wet weight), 1.67 lb/yard3 (wet volume) or 0.69% (dry weight), and potassium was 1.04% (wet weight), 5.89 lb/yard (wet volume) or 2.44% (dry weight). Average soluble salt content was 13.30 mmho/cm (wet weight basis). However, on a per acre basis, the calculated sodium absorption ratio of 0.38 was considered very low. The average bulk density of fresh mushroom compost was 574.73 lb/yard (wet volume basis), and 91% of the material measured £3/8 inch in diameter as determined on a wet weight basis. Overall, fresh mushroom compost is suitable as a natural organic fertilizer and soil amendment for agriculture and horticulture.
Assessing Callous-Unemotional Traits in Adolescents: Determining Cutoff Scores for the Inventory of Callous and Unemotional Traits

Objective This study aims to establish a cut score for the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits, a well-validated measure of callous-unemotional (CU) traits in youth for which there is currently no cutoff score. Method We analyzed data on 634 adolescents from high schools (n = 343) and juvenile detention centers (n = 291). Participants, their parents and guardians, and their teachers and staff members reported on participants’ CU traits and aggressive/violent behavior. Results All three reports of CU traits as well as intersource composites were associated with aggression, violence, and detained status. Parent report was a better indicator compared to self-reports and teacher reports. Appropriate cut scores based on each report and composite were determined. Conclusion We recommend that information from all available informants should be used whenever possible, but when only one informant report is feasible, parent reports are preferable.
Attosecond transient reflectivity of electron dynamics in germanium

Attosecond transient reflectivity in the extreme ultraviolet is developed for monitoring band-gap excitation dynamics in germanium. The investigations unravel the fastest carrier-scattering processes on the few-femtosecond time scale, and carrier thermalization on longer time scales.
Misplaced Paternalism and other Mistakes in the Debate over Kidney Sales

Erik Malmqvist defends the prohibition on kidney sales as a justifiable measure to protect individuals from harms they have not autonomously chosen. This appeal to 'group soft paternalism' requires that three conditions be met. It must be shown that some vendors will be harmed, that some will be subject to undue pressure to vend, and that we cannot feasibly distinguish between the autonomous and the non-autonomous. I argue that Malmqvist fails to demonstrate that any of these conditions are likely to obtain. His argument involves two common errors. First, he, like many, proceeds on a mistaken understanding of how to assess harm. What matters is not the balance of costs and benefits of vending, but a comparison of potential vendors' welfare across two possible courses of action. Second, Malmqvist's concerns about third-party pressure are predicated on an empirically unrealistic understanding of the operation of a regulated market. A widely underappreciated fact is that kidney sales will be relatively rare, and most who try to vend will be unable to. Because pressure on another to vend will not result in the desired outcome, few will exert it.
Sedimentological evidence for a deltaic origin of the western fan deposit in Jezero crater, Mars and implications for future exploration

Abstract We examine the stratigraphic architecture and mineralogy of the western fan deposit in the Jezero crater paleolake on Mars to reassess whether this fan formed as a delta in a standing body of water, as opposed to by alluvial or debris flow processes. Analysis of topography and images reveals that the stratigraphically lowest layers within the fan have shallow dips (
Finite sample complexity of rare pattern anomaly detection

Anomaly detection is a fundamental problem for which a wide variety of algorithms have been developed. However, compared to supervised learning, there has been very little work aimed at understanding the sample complexity of anomaly detection. In this paper, we take a step in this direction by introducing a Probably Approximately Correct (PAC) framework for anomaly detection based on the identification of rare patterns. In analogy with the PAC framework for supervised learning, we develop sample complexity results that relate the complexity of the pattern space to the data requirements needed for PAC guarantees. We instantiate the general result for a number of pattern spaces, some of which are implicit in current state-of-the-art anomaly detectors. Finally, we design a new simple anomaly detection algorithm motivated by our analysis and show experimentally on several benchmark problems that it is competitive with a state-of-the-art detector using the same pattern space.
Interaction of microorganisms within leafy green phyllospheres: Where do human noroviruses fit in?

Abstract Human noroviruses (hNoV) are one of the major causes of foodborne disease outbreaks linked to leafy greens. However, the interactions—including attachment and persistence—of hNoV with leafy greens are not well characterized. In the present review, three mechanisms are hypothesized for the interaction of hNoV with leafy green phyllospheres: 1) specific binding to histo-blood group antigen (HBGA)-like carbohydrates exposed on leaf surfaces and present on bacterial microbiota; 2) non-specific binding through electrostatic forces; and 3) internalization of hNoV through contaminated water (e.g. hydroponic feed water). To add more complexity, there is a rich diversity of microbial communities (i.e., bacteria, fungi, protozoa) residing in leafy green phyllospheres, and the attachment and persistence of hNoV could be largely impacted by these microorganisms through direct and indirect interactions. For instance, enzymes produced by bacteria and fungi could potentially compromise the structure of HBGA-like carbohydrate binding sites on leaves, leading to a reduction in hNoV binding. On the other hand, some bacteria also possess HBGA-like binding sites on their cell surface, which may provide extra binding locations for hNoV. There are also numerous metabolic compounds that can be produced by leafy greens and its microbial inhabitants and be subsequently distributed within leafy green phyllospheres. These compounds could theoretically play roles in enhancement or reduction in the attachment of hNoV. Overall, increasing the understanding of the various types of hNoV attachment and interactions with leafy green phyllospheres will be crucial for elucidating hNoV transmission via leafy greens as well as for the development of effective control measures.
Rituximab Effectively Reverses Papilledema Associated with Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis in Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome

PurposeA case of bilateral papilledema secondary to cerebral venous sinus thrombosis treated with Rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody.MethodsA 23 year old obese female with a one week histo...
Sleep disturbance among Chinese breast cancer survivors living in the USA.

Emerging evidence suggests Chinese breast cancer survivors, a largely understudied population, are at increased risk of sleep disturbance which can have significant impacts on quality of life and other important outcomes. This study aims to describe sleep disturbance among Chinese breast cancer survivors and to examine demographic and clinical correlates as well as psychosocial correlates of sleep disturbance. Data from 80 Chinese breast cancer survivors in the USA completed the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index as well as measures of quality of life, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress. Participants also completed measures of demographic factors and acculturation. Two thirds (66%) of survivors experienced elevated sleep disturbance. Approximately half (49%) reported sleep efficiency, the percentage of time in bed that is spent asleep, that was below the recommended cutoff. Compared to those without sleep disturbance, those with sleep disturbance had worse quality of life, more depressive symptoms, and more perceived stress (ps ≤ .01). This study is among the first to examine sleep disturbance among any Asian cancer population in the USA. Findings indicate Chinese breast cancer survivors may experience significant disparities in sleep disturbance relative to non-Hispanic Whites and suggest an urgent need for interventions to address sleep disturbance among Chinese breast cancer survivors.
Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) as a biomarker in sarcoma: A systematic review.

e22503Background: Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) has been reported in soft tissue sarcoma and osteosarcoma. In some patients, the ectopic production of HCG can lead to delays in diagnosis due t...
A Security-Aware Pre-partitioning Technique for 3D Integrated Circuits

Outsourcing the chip for fabrication is an efficient way to save money and reduce time to market. However, it raises numerous security challenges for chip designers, as some of the foundries try to identify the functionality of the chip to take its ownership. Furthermore, some foundries may insert a Trojan circuit to affect the functionality of the chip or steal valuable information about the design such as encryption key. Each Trojan may utilize low toggle (LT) nets to trigger its activation [1]. Hence, it is tough to detect a Trojan circuit during the testing step as it lies dormant for ages and waits until its rare activation conditions are met. Consequently, some mechanisms are required to neutralize the attacker's plans for inserting a Trojan circuit. 3D Integrated circuit (3D-IC) can be a practical solution to the challenges that threaten the security of the chip. One of the famous features of 3D-IC is its capability of split manufacturing of the chip, as the whole design can be distributed among different tiers in the 3D stack. Tiers containing critical logic blocks are sent to a trusted local foundry to be fabricated while the less significant tiers are sent to the less reliable foundries to save money. In this work, we propose a method to sabotage the trigger criteria for a hardware Trojan. To do so we obscure root LT nets by replacing each of them with a vertical interconnect known as Through Silicon Via (TSV) in a 3D-IC structure. A root (earliest ancestor) LT net is defined as a net that is the origin of other LT nets. As we will discuss in section IV, obscuring a root LT net will result in hiding the toggle characteristics of its offspring LT nets. Therefore, untrusted foundries will not be able to exploit LT nets for activating their Trojan circuits. They may even use the high toggle nets for enabling the Trojan circuit. Thus, the chance of Trojan circuit getting compromised during the testing process will be high. In the end, list of root LT nets obtained from our algorithm will be used in upcoming partitioning stage to boost the security of the design.
Remote Sensing as a Research Tool

Remote sensing of the polar oceans ice has revolutionized our view and thinking of sea ice as a global scale phenomenon. The record of pack ice extent and character from isolated ships and stations is woefully sparse even after careful compilations are made. Today the costs and hazards of in situ observations are great, and the time and space scales on which information is required create formidable requirements. Thus, remotely acquired data satisfy a major observational requirement in ice surveillance. Historically, isolated aircraft photographic flights over ice were made nearly throughout the century, and there have been flights with other observing instruments since the 1960’s. The first microwave scanning or image producing instrument in space was the Electrically Scanning Microwave Radiometer (ESMR) on Nimbus 5 launched late in 1972; it provided the first global year-round record of the ice-covered seas. Spaceborne visible light and infrared sensors have flown steadily for more than a decade. The future holds promise of instruments of improved capability for application to sea ice science and operations.
Polyphenols as Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Anti-cancer Agents

Historically, there has been a great deal of interest in the use of natural products to promote human health. A large number of publications have demonstrated that phytochemicals, especially polyphenols, have biological activities that suggest they could positively impact a variety of health problems including cancer. The number of polyphenols is extremely large and we are just now learning the vast number of cellular molecular targets they affect to act as chemopreventive and anti-cancer agents. An important problem yet to be resolved is to identify those key molecular targets impacted by polyphenols that are most critical in cancer progression. Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are important proteins that couple extracellular signals with intracellular signaling pathways that can contribute to all stages of cancer development. This review will focus on the various ways in which a number of polyphenols can inhibit RTKs. We will discuss the possibility that the inhibition of a multitude of RTKs, often impacted by single polyphenols, can be explained by a few molecular mechanisms. We will discuss the current clinical trials that have been done using polyphenols and approaches that are being used to overcome the issue of bioavailability. Finally, we will also discuss the challenges and possible solutions to advancing polyphenols for actual clinical use as anti-cancer agents.
Misrepresentation in Mediation: Efficacy, Expectations, and Ethical Norms

It’s not uncommon to hear mediators complain about the widespread use of misrepresentation in mediation. They also concur that candor is what gets cases settled. This dynamic tension highlights a unique aspect of many mediations: it is a process where the negotiator’s propensity to lie is frequently confronted by a neutral’s active encouragement of candor.
Utilizing the Dynamic Role of Objects to Enhance Cross-Cultural Climate Change Collaborations

AbstractEngagements between climate scientists and communities feature challenges but are also essential for successfully preparing for climate change. This is particularly true for indigenous peop...
Customer Engagement: Contemporary Issues and Challenges

In the past century, businesses have moved from Henry Ford’s mass marketing philosophy of giving the customer “a car in any color that they want as long as it is black” (signifying giving them no c...
Making Detroit Sound Great

After its 2010–11 contentious strike, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) reinvented itself as “the most accessible orchestra on the planet.” This post-strike vision and its subsequent strategies reflected corporate entrepreneurship’s two phenomena: corporate venturing and strategic renewal. The DSO’s entrepreneurial turn enabled the orchestra to be more flexible strategically and structurally, broadened its role to become both nonprofit cultural organization and social-service institution, and helped the DSO contribute to revitalizing Detroit. Still, as most activities took place in Downtown/Midtown and Metro Detroit neighborhoods, the DSO was still far from being a true advocate for citizens of its very own city.
Metrics of Mayhem

Social science has figured prominently in debates over the constitutional administration of capital punishment for more than a half-century, especially with respect to capricious and bias decision-making. Yet the weight given to this empirical evidence (or lack thereof) in judicial decision-making has, itself, been irrational and inconsistent. A key obstacle for litigants and scholars raising empirically anchored claims of capriciousness has been the absence of a workable definition from both capital statutes and the courts’ analysis of them. How is this phenomenon to be measured and what threshold showing must be made before these claims of constitutional error become cognizable to the Court? The science of statistics, at its core, is concerned with drawing inferences from data in the face of various types of uncertainty, and therefore provides a useful framework for identifying and quantifying the types of errors relevant to the assessment of the constitutionality of the operation of death penalty systems. In other words, statistical social science facilitates the measurement of the extent of mayhem in capital charging-and-sentencing that the Court has, in theory, labored to minimize for the past five decades. The purpose of this essay is to describe several statistical techniques that are capable providing doctrinally-relevant and empirically-informed assessments of the degree of capriciousness in capital charging-and-sentencing systems that can be “scrutinized [by the Court] with greater care than it had done it the past.”
Validated model of a thermoelectric heat pump clothes dryer using secondary pumped loops

Abstract The energy associated with clothes drying makes up 4% of the total residential electrical energy consumption in the US. The cost is high since most clothes dryers use electric resistance heating which is inexpensive but also energy inefficient. State-of-the-art vapor-compression heat pump clothes dryers offer significant energy savings but have limited market penetration in the US. In this work, a new configuration of clothes dryer was studied that utilizes a solid-state thermoelectric heat pump with pumped secondary water loops and conventional fin-and-tube water-to-air heat exchangers. Experimental results are presented for the thermoelectric dryer prototype with a combined energy factor of 6.89 lbBDW/kWh (specific moisture extraction rate of 1.71 kgw/kWh) and a dry time of 84 min for a standard load size of 8.45 lb (3.83 kg) with 57.5% starting moisture content. This is a 85% energy efficiency improvement over baseline electric resistance dryers. The efficiency and drying time results achieved are similar to vapor compression heat pump dryers. Compared to previous air-based thermoelectric clothes dryers, the energy efficiency has been increased by 6%, but drying time has been reduced by as much as 47% using secondary pumped loops and separate heat exchangers, which represents a significant advancement in the technology. In addition to the experimental prototype, a model was also developed to study the performance. The model was validated against experimental prototype data and used to identify the range of performance (dry time and efficiency) that could be expected of the design.
Recent Advances in Experimental Models of Breast Cancer Exosome Secretion, Characterization and Function

Breast cancer (BC) is responsible for 15% of all the cancer deaths among women in the USA. The tumor microenvironment (TME) has the potential to act as a driver of breast cancer progression and metastasis. The TME is composed of stromal cells within an extracellular matrix and soluble cytokines, chemokines and extracellular vesicles and nanoparticles that actively influence cell behavior. Extracellular vesicles include exosomes, microvesicles and large oncosomes that orchestrate fundamental processes during tumor progression through direct interaction with target cells. Long before tumor cell spread to future metastatic sites, tumor-secreted exosomes enter the circulation and establish distant pre-metastatic niches, hospitable and permissive milieus for metastatic colonization. Emerging evidence suggests that breast cancer exosomes promote tumor progression and metastasis by inducing vascular leakiness, angiogenesis, invasion, immunomodulation and chemoresistance. Exosomes are found in almost all physiological fluids including plasma, urine, saliva, and breast milk, providing a valuable resource for the development of non-invasive cancer biomarkers. Here, we review work on the role of exosomes in breast cancer progression and metastasis, and describe the most recent advances in models of exosome secretion, isolation, characterization and functional analysis. We highlight the potential applications of plasma-derived exosomes as predictive biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis, prognosis and therapy monitoring. We finally describe the therapeutic approaches of exosomes in breast cancer.
Tightening methods based on nontrivial bounds on bilinear terms

We develop tightening and solution methods for optimization problems containing bilinear terms. We focus on the bilinear term $$w=xy$$ with nonnegative variables $$x\in \left[{x}^{\mathrm{L}},{x}^{\mathrm{U}}\right]$$ and $$y\in [{y}^{\mathrm{L}},{y}^{\mathrm{U}}]$$ , where $$w$$ is semi-continuous and upper and lower bounded by $${w}^{\mathrm{U}}$$ and $${w}^{\mathrm{L}}$$ when positive. $${w}^{\mathrm{U}}$$ and $${w}^{\mathrm{L}}$$ are said to be nontrivial upper and lower bounds if $${w}^{\mathrm{U}}$$ is smaller than $${x}^{\mathrm{U}}{y}^{\mathrm{U}}$$ and $${w}^{\mathrm{L}}$$ is greater than $${x}^{\mathrm{L}}{y}^{\mathrm{L}}$$ , respectively. We derive a family of valid linear constraints and show that, when one of the nontrivial bounds is active, such constraints are tangent to one branch of the hyperbola that represents the bilinear term. We propose different preprocessing methods for generating strong constraints from the family. Computational results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods in terms of reducing optimality gap and computational time.
War and Words: The International Use of Force in the United Nations Charter Era

The evolution of the international strategic environment since World War II and the emergence of new security threats present challenges to the legal regime governing the use of force adopted in the U.N. Charter in 1945. These developments raise the question of whether the Charter’s use of force regime—a central pillar of the post-World War II international legal order—remains relevant and effective in regulating or constraining the behavior of states. In this chapter, we answer this question in part by looking at the actual behavior of states, in particular by examining the incidence of the transnational use of force from 1945 until today. We find that the level of transnational use of force has not significantly increased, despite the emergence of new security threats unanticipated at the Charter’s adoption. To gain deeper insight into the law’s role in contributing to the relative stability in the overall level of transnational violence, we also investigate how states engage with the Charter’s use of force regime by examining their justifications for military action. We find that states remain committed to the existing U.N. Charter’s legal framework. The proportion of transnational instances of the use of force for which states provide formal justifications to the Security Council has remained relatively static from 1945 through today. The changing patterns of justificatory discourse also reveal limited reliance by states on several legally contested bases for using force, suggesting an absence of state claims for the adaptation of the black letter law to accommodate these contested justifications. The one notable exception reflects evolving recognition that the right of states to exercise self-defense against nonstate actors located in other states prevails over the violation of the territorial integrity of the state where force is used. We also find increasing reliance by states on extralegal justifications, but these extralegal justifications frequently complement contested legal arguments. The use of extralegal justifications in this way suggests that even when states use force in circumstances that are difficult to reconcile with the black letter law of the Charter, they do not directly challenge the applicability of the Charter’s use of force regime.
Bilayer Luminescent Solar Concentrators with Enhanced Absorption and Efficiency for Agrivoltaic Applications

Luminescent solar concentrators are a promising route to environmentally integrated photovoltaics, acting as multifunctional systems that simultaneously generate electricity and transmit sunlight. ...
African Studies: Culture

The study of African culture follows four phases during each of which the focus, basic material, and interpretive framework has been quite different. Within and between these phases there has been a great deal of contention: in part because scholarship was dominated for a long time by Europeans rather than Africans, and in part because the sources are so vast and so relatively difficult to study. In the earliest phase, before the era of academic disciplines, missionary writings, and travelers' writings developed a contrastive model, where Africa was the antithesis of Europe. The first systematic work was based on a natural historical method of study, involving the collection and classification of cultural items, particularly material and artistic ones. The anthropological approach to culture as the entire lifeworld of a community, integrated by key propositions that reflected the social structure, succeeded the previous approach in the 1920s. Research involved field studies of ideas and materials in use in social life, and thereby moved away from the arts, music, and technical inventories toward the ideas that underlie and give meaning to them. Since the 1960s, study of a current and expanding creative production that relates to the present joys and dilemmas of life has replaced the traditional ‘worldview’ approach to culture. A great flowering of scholarship has been possible on the basis of new technologies of recording and a broad approach to culture itself. The historical connections between Africa and the rest of the world have replaced the conceptual separations, informing a new scholarship on diasporas. Most recently even the icons of traditionality are being restudied in light of the influences of global history.
Design and comparison of cascaded H-bridge, modular multilevel converter and 5-L active neutral point clamped topologies for drive application

This paper investigates the design procedure of cascaded H-bridge (CHB), modular multilevel converter (MMC) and five-level active neutral point clamped (5-L ANPC) topologies for medium-voltage and high-power industrial motor drive application. The design is performed using 1.7-kV insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) technology for CHB and MMC converters, and utilizing 3.3- and 4.5-kV IGBTs for 5-L ANPC topology. When designing the converters, the effect from leakage parameters of the multi-pulse transformer used together with the diode front-end rectifier stage is taken into account via a model. Also comparison is done between the designed converter topologies at three different voltage levels: 4.16-, 6.9- and 13.8-kV (only first two voltage levels in case of 5-L ANPC) and three different power levels: 1-, 3- and 5-MVA. The comparison is done from several points of view like capacitance requirements, diode front-end and inverter stage losses, semiconductor rating, semiconductor die size and parts count.
Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the anaerobically regulated pepT gene of Salmonella typhimurium.

Abstract The anaerobically regulated pepT gene of Salmonella typhimurium has been cloned in pBR328. Strains carrying the pepT plasmid, pJG17, overproduce peptidase T by approximately 70-fold. The nucleotide sequence of a 2.5-kb region including pepT has been determined. The sequence codes for a protein of 44,855 Da, consistent with a molecular weight of approximately 46,000 for peptidase T (as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel filtration). The N-terminal amino acid sequence of peptidase T purified from a pJG17-containing strain matches that predicted by the nucleotide sequence. A plasmid carrying an anaerobically regulated pepT::lacZ transcriptional fusion contains only 165 bp 5' to the start of translation. This region contains a sequence highly homologous to that identified in Escherichia coli as the site of action of the FNR protein, a positive regulator of anaerobic gene expression. A region of the deduced amino acid sequence of peptidase T is similar to segments of Pseudomonas carboxypeptidase G2, the E. coli peptidase encoded by the iap gene, and E. coli peptidase D.
Bone and the Innate Immune System

The immune system and bone are intimately linked with significant physical and functionally related interactions. The innate immune system functions as an immediate response system to initiate protections against local challenges such as pathogens and cellular damage. Bone is a very specific microenvironment, in which infectious attack is less common but repair and regeneration are ongoing and important functions. Thus, in the bone the primary goal of innate immune and bone interactions is to maintain tissue integrity. Innate immune signals are critical for removal of damaged and apoptotic cells and to stimulate normal tissue repair and regeneration. In this review we focus on the innate immune mechanisms that function to regulate bone homeostasis.
Actinide speciation in aquatic systems

Abstract Nuclear test explosions and reactor wastes have deposited an estimated 16 × 10 15 Bq of plutonium into the world's aquatic systems. However, plutonium concentration in open ocean waters is on the order 10 − 5 Bq/kg, indicating that most of the plutonium is quite insoluble in marine waters and has been incorporated into sediments. Actinide ions often are not in a state of thermodynamic equilibrium and their solubility and migration behavior is related to the form in which the nuclides were introduced into the aquatic system. Actinide solubility depends on such factors as the pH (hydrolysis), Eh (oxidation state), reaction with complexants (e.g., carbonate, phosphate, humic acid, etc.), sorption to surfaces of minerals and/or colloids etc., in the water. The most significant of these variables is the oxidation state of the metal ion. The simultaneous presence of more than one oxidation state for some actinides (e.g., plutonium) in a solution complicates actinide environmental behavior. Both Np(V)O 2 + and Pu(V)O 2 + , the most significant states in natural, oxic waters are relatively noncomplexing and resistant to hydrolysis and subsequent precipitation. The solubility of NpO 2 + can be as high as 10 − 4 M while that of PuO 2 + is limited by reduction to the insoluble tetravalent species, Pu(OH 4 ), (pK sp = 56). The net solubility of hexavalent UO 2 2+ in sea water is also limited by hydrolysis; however, it has a relatively high concentration due to formation carbonate complexes. The insoluble trivalent americium hydroxocarbonate, Am(CO) 3 (OH), is limiting species for the solubility of Am(III) in sea water. Thorium is found exclusively as the tetravalent species and its solubility is limited by the formation of quite insoluble Th(OH) 4 . The chemistry of actinide ions in the environment is reviewed to show the spectrum of reactions that can occur in natural waters which must be considered in assessing the environmental behavior of actinides. While much is understood about sorption of actinides on surfaces, the mode of migration of actinides in such waters and the potential effects of these radioactive species on marine bioto, much more is needed for a satisfactory understanding of the behavior of the actinides in the environment.
Sigma*-mediated electronic relaxation in 200nm photoexcited ammonia and heteroaromatics

Time-resolved photoelectron spectra of ammonia display combination bands of the umbrella and stretching modes associated with the N-H coordinate of * relaxation. Time-resolved photodissociation studies determine timescales <200fs. Similar * photochemistry is found in heteroaromatics.