cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Framework for the Integration of System Engineering and Functional Analysis Techniques to the Goal and Scope of Life Cycle Assessment

With the increased concern over the impact that products and processes have on the environment, tools such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) have been developed to assess environmental impacts. However, several issues are present in this tool; chief among them is the difficulty of comparing LCA studies. The attributed reasons for this issue are the lack of standardized assumptions and practices, the definition of the functional unit and the identification of reference flows. In this work, it is hypothesized that system engineering and functional analysis concepts are a promising approach to provide guidelines for system definition, system boundary definition, and reference flows identification. Based on this premise, this work delineates a framework to address some of the issues present in the early stages of LCA, and to ultimately help enable comparisons between different LCA studies. This framework was initially exercised with some simple examples to demonstrate the initial feasibility of the model. With the insights gained from these simple test cases, the proposed process was applied to a practical case study to assess the utility of the framework through the use of the SimaPro® software. The application of this framework through the case study demonstrated that the proposed approach holds promise. In particular, the case demonstrated that application of system engineering methods was a useful construct. Furthermore, the importance of decoupling consumer use from the reference flows and functional unit definition processes proved to be very useful. The implication of these two results is that the possibility of re-using already existing data, models, and projects becomes feasible since the framework creates an easy to adapt structure.
Computer program for calculation of kinetic and pharmacologic parameters using a `direct linear plot' derived algorithm

Data processing using nonparametric statistics was performed using a 'direct linear plot' algorithm of ECB. ECB (Eisenthal and Cornish-Bowden) is a computer program designed to calculate the Km and V parameters in enzyme kinetics. It is also suitable for estimation of EC50 (ligand or drug concentration for 50% effect) in pharmacological studies.
Trimetaphosphate and fluoride actions on mineralization at the enamel-solution interface.

The presence of trimetaphosphate ions (TMP) in calcium phosphate solutions inhibited the rehardening of softened enamel surfaces. TMP decreased, whereas fluoride increased, the rates of calcium, phosphate, and fluoride reactions with etched enamel surfaces. The mechanisms of action of TMP and fluoride were independent of each other and possibly synergistic.
Hyponormal Operators with Rank One Self-Commutator and Quadrature Domains

This paper studies the class of pure hyponormal operators with rank one self-commutator satisfying the condition that their spectra are quadrature domains.
THE VOLUME OF COMMUNIST PROPAGANDA IN CHICAGO

From the birth of the American Communist Party in Chicago in I9I9 Chicago has been one of the chief radiating centers for Communist propaganda in the United States. Although the political capital of the Party was removed to New York about I924, and the Mid-West center declined in national importance, it has always remained a stronghold of the Party. During the period with which we are concerned, Chicago continued to be an active relay center for propaganda directed from Moscow, and an important congregating center for Party specialists. Chicago's peak as a consumer of Communist propaganda originating either locally or externally was in I932. This statement rests upon the data which are critically summarized in this report.' Since there are no accepted methods of measuring the volume of propaganda, it has been necessary to invent procedures for this purpose. We have defined propaganda as the manipulation of symbols to influence controversial attitudes. In accordance with such a definition, the propagandist may be defined as one who spends at least a certain quota of his time in the deliberate dissemination of contentious symbols. It must be emphasized that this excludes all who unwittingly transmit these symbols.
Failure and opportunity: environmental groups in US climate change policy

The United States has failed to develop an effective policy to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases responsible for climate change. This policy failure is the result of many factors, one of which is the inherent limitations of ‘interest group politics’ in producing the kinds of broad political and economic changes required to reduce the threat of disruptive climate change. This article first examines interest group politics in environmental policymaking, emphasising the role of groups in institutionalising the broad social movement that produced modern environmentalism in America. It then explores the nature of climate change and its political and policy implications, and explains why an interest-group-centred model of policymaking is insufficient to address the threat posed by climate change. It then analyses what kind of political actions might be better suited to produce the kinds of dramatic policy developments the likely consequences of climate change compel us to make.
Estate and Class in a Colonial City: Oaxaca in 1792

Colonial Latin American societies have generally been presented as systems of estates following forms that were firmly entrenched in Europe before the Spanish conquest in America, an estate being “a legally defined segment of the population of a society which has distinctive rights and duties established by law” (Lenski 1966:77). Lyle McAlister suggests that the American equivalent of a threefold European system of noble—clergy—commoner estates was represented by broad racial classifications: Spaniards—Castas—Indians.
Fine granularity clustering-based placement

In this paper, we address the problem of improving the efficiency of placement algorithms. We employ a fine granularity clustering technique to reduce the original placement problem size. The reduction is feasible because a global placer may not need to operate on the bottom level netlist in order to achieve a competitive result. In general, placement algorithm efficiency is well correlated with the number of nodes in the netlist. Reducing the size of the placement problem (the number of nodes to be placed) leads to greater efficiency. We propose two new clustering algorithms. One applies net absorption, and the other is based on wire-length prediction. We have integrated those algorithms into our fast placer implementation (FPI) framework. We demonstrate experimentally that FPI achieves significant speedup while maintaining placement quality comparable to the state-of-the-art standard cell placer.
Icc.NET: targeting the .NET common intermediate language from standard C

The Core of the Microsoft .NET platform includes a new virtual machine (VM), the Common Intermediate Language, also known as MSIL. Unlike most other VMs, including the Java VM, MSIL is specifically designed to support a wide range of languages. While it is designed primarily for type-safe object-oriented languages, it also has facilities that support both low-level languages and very high-level languages. For example, it accommodates unsafe pointer arithmetic and tail calls. This paper describes the implementation of a MSIL back end for lcc, a retargetable compiler for Standard C. C is at one end of the range of languages that MSIL intends to support and lcc is just about the simplest 'real' C compiler that is widely available. Porting lcc to MSIL thus provides a realistic test of how well MSIL supports this class of languages and provides a glimpse at its performance costs. This effort succeeded but static initializations, function pointers, separate compilation and address arithmetic were major problem areas These problems also suggested improvements to lcc's code-generation interface and they exposed a long-standing error in the lcc front end. Preliminary measurements suggest that programs compiled by the MSIL back end run two to three times slower than those compiled by lcc native Intel x86 back end, but the MSIL programs have some important diagnostic benefits.
SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE FIRST CHARGE-COMPENSATED MONOCARBOLLIDE(OCTACARBONYL)TRIOSMIUM COMPLEX

Abstract The trinuclear osmium complex [Os3(CO)8(η5-7-NMe3-7-CB10H10] (1) has been synthesized by heating [Os3(CO)12] with nido-7-NMe3-7-CB10H12 in bromobenzene. The structure has been established by X-ray diffraction.
Orthotopic Nonauxiliary Total Bowel Transplantation Using Rats: Technical Procedure

A procedure for nonauxiliary orthotopic total bowel transplantation is described, in which the graft from jejunum to distal colon is transplanted with portal venous drainage in end-to-end fashion in a one-stage procedure. The early postoperative mortality (within 4 days) was 23.8% in this study and presently is approximately 20% in our laboratory. It is noteworthy that the incidence of venous thrombosis is very low in this model. Continuous venous infusion, vascular perfusion, and luminal irrigation with Euro-Collins solution were employed in this preparation. The technique described is expected to prove useful for orthotopic nonauxiliary bowel transplant investigation because of its technical simplicity, low early postoperative mortality, and low incidence of vascular complications.
Digital Marketing: The Time for a New “Academic Major” Has Arrived:

The rapidly emerging digital economy is challenging the relevance of existing marketing practices, and a radical redesign of the marketing curriculum consistent with the emerging student and business needs of the 21st century is required. To remain relevant to our students and to the ultimate consumers of our output, businesses, the marketing curriculum must evolve with both the changing technological environment and the way marketing is perceived by its own academic architects. After an overview of recent marketing trends, this article describes the need for a fundamental change in the teaching of marketing in today’s environment, performs a curriculum audit of existing digital marketing initiatives, and then details a new curriculum reflective of marketing in a digital age and an approach to implement it. Finally, the new major is discussed in the context of specific challenges associated with the new age of marketing. The approach developed here provides other universities a target to serve as one meas...
Buckling of Rectangular Symmetric Angle-Ply Laminated Plates Determined by Eigensensitivity Analysis

Closed-form approximate solutions for uniaxial and biaxial compressive buckling of rectangular symmetric angle-ply laminates are developed from eigensensitivity analysis. Boundary conditions, which consist of the various combinations of clamped and simply supported edges, are incorporated through appropriate edge condition parameters. Calculated results, presented for elastic moduli ratios up to 40, compare quite favorably with the corresponding buckling loads obtained from the Ritz method.
User experience with Agent99 Trainer: a usability study

Usability is a critical measure of a system's success. This study focuses on evaluating the usability of Agent99 Trainer, a Web-based multimedia training system for deception detection training. Common measures and evaluation methods for system usability are reviewed. After briefly introducing the design of Agent99 Trainer, this paper focuses on presenting the evaluation methods used in the study and the results. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using questionnaires for testing the following system usability attributes: learnability, usefulness, ease of use, effectiveness, and user satisfaction. The results of this evaluation indicate that Agent99 Trainer is a well-designed system with good usability. Several features that make Agent99 Trainer a useful and valuable tool are discussed, and lessons learned from this evaluation for future system improvement are summarized.
Raman microspectroscopic model of human breast tissue: implications for breast cancer diagnosis in vivo

Raman spectroscopy has the potential to provide real-time, in situ diagnosis of breast cancer during needle biopsy or surgery via an optical fiber probe. Understanding the chemical/morphological basis of the Raman spectrum of breast tissue is a necessary step in developing Raman spectroscopy as a tool for in situ breast cancer diagnosis. To understand the relationship between the Raman spectrum of a sample of breast tissue and its disease state, near-infrared Raman spectroscopic images of human breast tissue were acquired using a confocal microscope. These images were then compared with phase contrast and hematoxylin- and eosin-stained images to develop a chemical/morphological model of breast tissue Raman spectra. This model fits macroscopic tissue spectra with a linear combination of basis spectra derived from spectra of the cell cytoplasm, cell nucleus, fat, β-carotene, collagen, calcium hydroxyapatite, calcium oxalate dihydrate, cholesterol-like lipid deposits and water. Each basis spectrum represents data acquired from multiple patients and, when appropriate, from a variety of normal and diseased states. The model explains the spectral features of a range of normal and diseased breast tissue samples, including breast cancer. It can be used to relate the Raman spectrum of a breast tissue sample to diagnostic parameters used by pathologists. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Faculty and Academic Institution: A Covenantal Relationship

Over the past few decades universities and academic health centers seem to be shifting from faculties composed predominantly of tenured or tenure-track faculty members to faculties who are increasingly made up of nontenure track or part-time members. This trend may have deleterious effects on the academic endeavors and other activities of the institution. This paper examines the nature of the relationship between faculty members and the educational institutions focusing on whether the relationship is contractual or covenantal. The authors conclude that the nature of the relationship is primarily covenantal and offer proposals to extend this relationship to faculty members who are either part-time or not on the tenure track.
The ontogeny of face identity: I. Eight- to 21-week-old infants use internal and external face features in identity

A paradigm was designed to study how infants identify live faces. Eight- to 21-week-old infants were seated comfortably and were presented an adult female, dressed in a white laboratory coat and a white turtle neck sweater, until habituation ensued. The adult then left the room. One minute later either she or an identically garbed confederate returned. Looking time did not increase above habituation levels when the original experimenter returned, but increased substantially when the confederate entered the room. Furthermore, internal features alone could serve as the basis of face identity. Looking times of infants who had habituated to experimenters with masked outer features of hair, ears and neck also markedly increased when a second identically dressed experimenter returned. Identity in this instance could only be based on internal facial characteristics. A second study assessed the contributions of internal and external facial features to identity. Infants were habituated to an experimenter in a short wig. One minute later they saw her again, either in the same short wig or in a long one. Alternatively, they saw a second experimenter wearing either the short wig or the long one. Infants looked longer only to the stranger wearing the long wig. Very brief looking times occurred to the familiar adult, regardless of wig, and to the stranger wearing the familiar wig. This paradigm provides an approach to discover rules used by infants of different ages to process and identify adult faces and to establish the bases of face preference.
Effects of differential encoding on recall

An interrelation between language and thought was investigated, with manipulations of lexical categories as the independent variable, and speed and power of recall as the dependent variables. Fifty S s were each shown two sets of pictures of familiar objects. Each set of objects could be validly and exhaustively categorized by two entirely different four-category systems. The categories for one of the object-sets were based on simply defined attributes—shape and color. The categories for the other were based on complexly defined attributes—class and locus. Subjects were given one of the possible category systems prior to exposure to a set of objects, then were given either the same system or the other category system during the recall task. It was found that S s recalling objects in reference to the same categories by which they encoded them were superior in both speed and power of recall to S s recalling inconsistently with encoding, and to control S s who had been given no categories prior to exposure.
On the analytical computation of the interference statistics in cellular systems

We provide a general analytical framework for the computation of the interference statistics in mobile radio cellular systems. This approach, which takes into account log-normal shadowing, distance path loss, best cell site selection and power control based on signal strength, applies to various cellular environments, including narrowband systems (e.g., IS-54 and GSM) and CDMA systems. Some examples of application are provided.
Cenozoic tectonics of New Guinea

Major hydrocarbon discoveries have been made in eastern and westernmost New Guinea, and there is great potential for additional discoveries. Although the island is a type locality for arc-continent collision during the Cenozoic, the age, number, and plate kinematics of the events that formed the island are vigorously argued. The northern part of the island is underlain by rocks with oceanic island arc affinities, and the southern part is underlain by the Australian continental crust. Based on regional sedimentation patterns, it is argued herein that the Cenozoic tectonic history of the island involves two distinct collisional orogenic events.The first Cenozoic event, the Peninsular orogeny of Oligocene age (35–30 Ma), was restricted to easternmost New Guinea. Emergent uplifts that shed abundant detritus resulted from the subduction of the northeastern corner of the Australian continent beneath part of the Inner Melanesian arc. This collision uplifted the Papuan ophiolite and formed the associated mountainous uplift that was the primary source of siliciclastic sediments that largely filled the Aure trough. Between the Oligocene and Miocene, the paleogeography of the region was similar to present-day New Caledonia. The continental crust under central and western New Guinea remained a passive margin.The second event, the Central Range orogeny, began in the latest middle Miocene, when the bulldozing of Australian passive-margin strata first created emergent uplifts above a north-dipping subduction zone beneath the western part of the Outer Melanesian arc. The cessation of carbonate shelf sedimentation and widespread initiation of siliciclastic sedimentation on top of the Australian continental basement is dated at about 12 Ma. This collision emplaced the Irian ophiolite and created the present mountainous topography forming the spine of the island.
Effects of Subcutaneous Transmitter Implants on Mourning Doves

Abstract An important assumption of telemetry studies is that radiomarking does not negatively affect study animals. To test this assumption for mourning doves (Zenaida macroura), we evaluated whether subcutaneous transmitter implants (STI) would affect bird weight in cage studies and hunting mortality in field studies. At three weeks post-implantation, caged adult birds in the sham surgery and control groups gained and STI birds lost weight. Males gained and females lost weight. When percent weight change (PWC) for caged adult and juveniles were pooled the trends were similar, suggesting a STI treatment effect. In the field study, 16.3% of observed mortalities of STI birds during July–November 1998–2000 occurred during the first 3 days post-release. The overall 45-day summer period survival rate was relatively high, 0.9446 (95% CI = 0.8907–0.9986), when birds were entered into the population at-risk on the fourth day post-release. Although most observed mortalities were hunting-related (62.7%), similar d...
HERPETOFAUNA OF THE YUTAJÉ–COROCORO MASSIF, VENEZUELA: SECOND REPORT FROM THE ROBERT G. GOELET AMERICAN MUSEUM–TERRAMAR EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWESTERN TEPUIS

Abstract The Yutaje–Corocoro massif is a highly eroded sandstone table mountain, with internal drainage mainly to the central valley of the Rio Corocoro, a stream in the headwater drainage of the Rio Manapiare—some 100 km east of the middle Rio Orinoco, at the northern edge of the State of Amazonas in southern Venezuela. The rocky soil supports a mosaic of diverse scrubland and forest, with small tepui meadows at the higher elevations. The herpetofauna is depauperate, as is typical of the Venezuelan tepuis. Eight species of amphibians and reptiles were collected during a 7-day period in the dry season (February). This sample includes two new frogs (Hyalinobatrachium eccentricum, n. sp., Centrolenidae; Colostethus undulatus, n. sp., Dendrobatidae) and a new genus and species of lizards (Adercosaurus vixadnexus, n. gen. & sp., Teiidae), all of which were found in humid montane mossy forest at 1700–1750 m elevation. Another new lizard (Tropidurus panstictus, n. sp., Tropiduridae) was discovered at lower elev...
Evaluation of Automated Teleretinal Screening Program for Diabetic Retinopathy

Importance Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness, but its detrimental effects are preventable with early detection and treatment. Screening for diabetic retinopathy has the potential to increase the number of cases treated early, especially in populations with limited access to care. Objective To determine the efficacy of an automated algorithm in interpreting screening ophthalmoscopic photographs from patients with diabetes compared with a reading center interpretation. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cohort analysis of 15 015 patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes in the Harris Health System in Harris County, Texas, who had undergone a retinal screening examination and nonmydriatic fundus photography via the Intelligent Retinal Imaging System (IRIS) from June 2013 to April 2014 were included. The IRIS-based interpretations were compared with manual interpretation. The IRIS algorithm population statistics were calculated. Main Outcomes and Measures Sensitivity and false-negative rate of the IRIS computer-based algorithm compared with reading center interpretation of the same images. Results A total of 15 015 consecutive patients (aged 18-98 years); mean 54.3 years with known type 1 or 2 diabetes underwent nonmydriatic fundus photography for a diabetic retinopathy screening examination. The sensitivity of the IRIS algorithm in detecting sight-threatening diabetic eye disease compared with the reading center interpretation was 66.4% (95% CI, 62.8%-69.9%) with a false-negative rate of 2%. The specificity was 72.8% (95% CI, 72.0%-73.5%). In a population where 15.8% of people with diabetes have sight-threatening diabetic eye disease, the IRIS algorithm positive predictive value was 10.8% (95% CI, 9.6%-11.9%) and the negative predictive value was 97.8% (95% CI, 96.8%-98.6%). Conclusions and Relevance In this large urban setting, the IRIS computer algorithm-based screening program had a high sensitivity and a low false–negative rate, suggesting that it may be an effective alternative to conventional reading center image interpretation. The IRIS algorithm shows promise as a screening program, but algorithm refinement is needed to achieve better performance. Further studies of patient safety, cost-effectiveness, and widespread applications of this type of algorithm should be pursued to better understand the role of teleretinal imaging and automated analysis in the global health care system.
In Our Hands

What a humbling experience it is to have been selected to present the Twenty-Fifth Mary McMillan Lecture. The emotions I experienced when informed of my selection by American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) President Jane Mathews ranged from the highest level of excitement to a similar level of fear. As the initial excitement abated, I was quickly overcome by the awesome responsibility of this distinguished lectureship, named in honor of Mary McMillan and established in recognition of the leadership she provided to our Association and to the profession of physical therapy. I did not have the privilege of knowing Ms McMillan; however, I believe I have been influenced greatly by what I have read and heard from others regarding her dreams for this profession. It appears she possessed unending energy and vision!…
Comparison of simplified models for nitramine propellant combustion

Although 1,3,5-Trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) and Octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) are very similar molecularly and their burning rates as a function of pressure are nearly identical, it is well known that they differ significantly in temperature sensitivity, especially at low pressures. To understand these differences better, three simple models were applied to HMX and RDX combustion. Both the Denison–Baum–Williams and Li–Williams–Margolis models have previously been calibrated for use with RDX. However, the RDX calibration of the Ward–Son–Brewster model was developed in the present work. All three models were compared with relevant measured data including: burning rate, flame stand-off/thickness, combustion stability, and temperature sensitivity. It was shown that all models are capable of accurately determining the burning rate of HMX and RDX as a function of pressure at the baseline initial temperature, but only two of the models are capable of capturing the variation in t...
Comparative Aminolysis Kinetics of Different Active Ester Polymer Brush Platforms in Postpolymerization Modification with Primary and Aromatic Amines

The kinetics of aminolysis between two different active ester polymer brush platforms, poly(4-pentafluorophenyl acrylate) (poly(PFPA)) and poly(N-hydroxysuccinimide-4-vinyl benzoate) (poly(NHS4VB)), are compared using primary and aromatic amines with varying reactivity toward postpolymerization modification. UV–vis was used to monitor the aminolysis of both brush platforms with 1-aminomethylpyrene (AMP), 1-aminopyrene (AP), and Ru(bpy)2(phen-5-NH2)(PF6) (Ru2+A). Using a pseudo-first-order kinetics model, the pseudo-first-order rate constant (k′) was calculated for each system. The k′ of poly(PFPA) modified with AMP, AP, and Ru2+A were 2.46 × 10–1, 5.11 × 10–3, and 2.59 × 10–3 s–1, respectively, while poly(NHS4VB) can only be functionalized with the alkyl amine, albeit at a slower rate constant, k′ of 3.49 × 10–3 s–1, compared to that of poly(PFPA) with AMP. The kinetics of surface-initiated photopolymerization of PFPA from oxide surfaces was also investigated as an effective method to control grafting den...
Decision Support framework for Electricity Production Vulnerability Assessment

Interdependencies among critical infrastructures become more and more complex as technology advances. Through interdependencies the disruption of one infrastructure can cascade into other infrastructures. With the rapid growth in demand of electricity, vulnerability assessment of electricity production and its availability has become essential. One of the critical components of the electricity production value chain is extraction and delivery of fuels. This paper presents the preliminary results of a research project that aims to analyze the vulnerability associated with delivery of fuels and to ensure availability of fuel supplies, by providing insight into likely vulnerability. In this research project, a framework for electricity production vulnerability assessment was proposed. Different data sources were integrated into a data warehouse to allow interactive analysis of enormous historical datasets for coal transactions and coal transportation. The analyses help decision makers understand the impact of fuel delivery disruption and the vulnerabilities in the coal transportation system.
An Agar Plate Method for Culturing Hookworm Larvae: Analysis of Growth Kinetics and Infectivity Compared With Standard Coproculture Techniques

An agar plate (AP) method has been developed for culturing infectious larvae of the hookworm Ancylostoma ceylanicum. The third-stage larvae reared using the AP method displayed similar morphology to those cultured using Baermann or Harada-Mori coproculture techniques. The yield of viable larvae from the AP method (50%) was comparable to that of the Baermann (47%), and both were superior to Harada-Mori (2.1%). Third-stage larvae cultured by the AP method established patent infection in naturally permissive laboratory hosts, although the yield of adult worms was reduced compared with animals infected with L3 obtained by Baermann culture. The AP method is useful for defining growth requirements for hookworm development, as well as characterizing the effects of bacterially expressed compounds on hookworm larvae in vivo.
HOW TO RULE OUT THE FALSE ALARM OF OIL PIPELINE LEAK DETECTION BASED RAREFACTION WAVE

The main cause which get in the way of pipeline's safety traffic is continually leakage accidents, with the development of automation level, plenty of pipelines realized automatic detection for leakage of pipeline, however, the rate of the false alarm was very high for several reasons. Aimed at some crude oil pipeline of Xinjiang oilfield, a variety of operating conditions was analyzed in the paper, a lot of ways to rule out the false alarm was presented, it had a good effect in practice.
The Pythagorean Theorem

The Pythagorean Theorem is one of the oldest, best known, and most useful theorems in all of mathematics, and it has also surely been proved in more different ways than any other. Euclid gave two proofs of it in the Elements, as Proposition I,47, and also as Proposition VI,31, a more general but less well-known formulation concerning arbitrary ‘figures’ described on the sides of a right triangle. The first of those demonstrations is based on a comparison of areas and the second on similarity theory, a basic distinction that can be used as a first step in classifying many other proofs of the theorem as well.
Microfluidic Chromatin Immunoprecipitation for Analysis of Epigenomic Regulations

Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, play important roles in gene expression and regulation, and are highly involved in cellular processes such as stem cell pluripotency/differentiation and tumorigenesis. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) is the technique of choice for examining in vivo DNA-protein interactions and has been a great tool for studying epigenetic mechanisms. However, conventional ChIP assays require millions of cells for tests and are not practical for examination of samples from lab animals and patients. Automated microfluidic chips offer the advantage to handle small sample sizes and facilitate rapid reaction. They also eliminate cumbersome manual handling. In this chapter, we review recent works on microfluidic ChIP development and discuss the design criteria for these microfluidic assays.
Monetary Accommodation, Conflicting Claims, and the European Monetary System

The double-digit inflation of the 1970s has been followed by a prolonged period of disinflation in Europe. This disinflation began after the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) of the European Monetary System (EMS) got underway in March 1979. Reminiscent of such episodes as those of Chile in 1982 and Mexico in 1994 that were discussed in the preceding chapter, however, the ERM system of pegged exchange rates unravelled in 1992–3 amidst rising unemployment and pressures for more accommodative policies. In this case, with German reunification leading to higher and higher German interest rates in the early-1990s, other ERM participants were forced to raise their own interest rates to maintain parity with Germany. The attempts to tighten in the midst of recession conditions were accompanied by rampant speculation against the weaker ERM currencies and losses of foreign exchange.
The role of the Chinese economy in the world economy: A U.S. perspective

Abstract In this paper I first review the amazing progress that free market economic reforms have brought to the Chinese people after years of central control and suppression of markets. Thanks to greater economic freedom, economic growth increased sharply and hundreds of millions of people have been removed from poverty. By all accounts, however, economic freedom in China has a long way to go. The U.S. perspective should be that these market reforms continue. These further reforms toward economic freedom and economic growth in China will be beneficial to the United States. Such reforms would include a greater transparency about the monetary policy strategies, more openness of the capital accounts and less exchange rate and stock market intervention. Such economic reforms should be welcomed and encouraged by the United States and other countries.
What's wrong with this library, August 1988

An extrapolation of its present rate of growth reveals that in the not too distant future Physical Review will fill bookshelves at a speed exceeding that of light. This is not forbidden by relativity, since no information is being conveyed. I first heard this joke from Rudolf Peierls in 1961. Since then the size of Physical Review has doubled, doubled again, and is on the verge of completing its third doubling. Physical Review Letters is nearly as big as Physical Review was in 1961. The journals of other physical societies have undergone comparable expansions, as have the numbers and sizes of the commercially published physics journals. I was recently asked to address a group of Cornell alumni and librarians on how the library is used by a typical physical scientist. I did point out that they had selected a distinctly oddball specimen, but they persisted. So to give them a sense of the calamitous conditions we have created, I went systematically through the current periodicals section of the Cornell Physical Sciences Library to count how many journals I felt I ought to look at but didn't. My criterion was stringent: a journal made my list only if it would be downright embarrassing to admit that I never looked. I had to be able to imagine a colleague responding to my confession with amazement: “You never look at X ?!” Counting only once those with multiple versions ( A, B, C ,…) I still found 32. In one case, uncertain whether an admission that I never looked would occasion a blush or merely a nervous giggle, I randomly opened a random issue and found an article I had not seen before, expanding interestingly upon earlier work of my own. That information had not been conveyed. It is in this context that we must view the resistance of many scientists to current efforts by library administrators to make draconian cuts in their subscription lists. Keeping up with everything is driving the libraries into bankruptcy. Early signs of this problem and how physicists might respond surfaced over ten years ago. My colleague Ken Wilson and I, physics department representatives on the library committee and therefore conscious of the looming catastrophe, responded to announcements of two new physics journals by writing a letter to Physics Today announcing that our library could not afford any more subscriptions.
Raising your Eminence inside the Enterprise Social Network

Companies are motivating their employees to become socially engaged in enterprise social networks as a means to raise employee engagement. This is also beneficial for employees as it provides an opportunity for them to get a voice and raise their eminence. Unfortunately, not all employees are born "social butterflies" and many have difficulties in becoming more socially active. Failing to engage in an effective manner creates frustration which over time decreases their activity and lowers their chance to become socially eminent. This paper is a first of a kind study that reveals insights on social behavioral patterns of socially eminent employees. We extracted a comprehensive set of tips and recommendations to help employees become more socially eminent and investigate if and how eminent employees engage differently than others. We conducted interviews with top socially eminent employees and a quantitative inspection of bloggers behavioral patterns. Furthermore, we show that indeed best practices stated by socially eminent employees are fulfilled by eminent bloggers and less by others. We also found differences in how socially eminent employees engage compared to less eminent employees.
Parental monitoring, the parent-child relationship and children's academic engagement in mother-headed single-parent families

Abstract This longitudinal study of 110 mother-headed single-parent families examined the influence of parental monitoring, parent-child attachment and observed parent-child relationship quality on the child's academic engagement. Special interest resided in how parent-child relationship quality moderated the relationship between parental monitoring and academic engagement. Analyses indicated that observed relationship quality and parental monitoring predicted children's academic engagement. However, this relationship was not uniform. Parental influences on academic engagement are most prominent in mother-headed families with a female child. Family income also matters. These preliminary findings have import for school-family research, policy, and practice.
Removal of calcium hydroxide from Weine Type II systems using photon-induced photoacoustic streaming, passive ultrasonic, and needle irrigation: a microcomputed tomography study.

Objective This study compared the effectiveness of Er:YAG laser-activated irrigation (PIPS), passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) with EndoUltra and standard needle irrigation (SNI) in the removal of calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2] from the mesial roots of Weine Type II mandibular molars. Material and Methods Thirty mandibular molars were screened by µCT for the presence of mesial roots with complex intra-canal anatomy and a common apical foramen. The teeth were enlarged to a standardized 25/.06 preparation and filled with Ca(OH)2 paste. Specimens were divided into three groups (n=10) according to the technique used for Ca(OH)2 removal: PIPS, at 15 Hz and 20 mJ using a 9 mm long, 600 µm diameter tip; PUI using a 15/.02 tip; and SNI (30 Ga. side-vented needle). Equal volumes of 8.25% NaOCl and 17% EDTA were used in all groups. µCT was used to measure the initial amount of Ca(OH)2 present and to assess the residual volume of Ca(OH)2 following each irrigation protocol. Data were analyzed using Tukey HSD and Kruskal-Wallis tests (α=5%). Results The mean volume of Ca(OH)2 before removal was significantly higher in the coronal third than in the middle and apical third (p 0.05). PIPS (median 0%; IQR: 0-0) showed significant higher Ca(OH)2 removal in the apical third than PUI (median 100%, IQR: 85-100) and SNI (median 47%; IQR: 16-72) (p<0.001). Conclusions PIPS laser-activation was more effective for the removal of Ca(OH)2 from mesial roots of mandibular molars with Weine Type II canal configurations than PUI with EndoUltra and SNI.
Structural studies of the Ca(2+) regulatory domain of Drosophila Na(+)/Ca (2+) exchanger CALX.

CALX, the NCX homolog in Drosophila, involves in light-mediated Ca2+ homeostasis in sensory neuronal cells. CALX exhibits a unique negative Ca2+ regulatory property mediated by Ca2+ binding at its intracellular regulatory domain. Our structural studies of individual CBD1 or CBD2 domain reveal that CBD1 is the only Ca2+ binding domain in CALX. Crystal structures of the entire Ca2+ regulatory domain CBD12 from two alternative splicing isoforms, CALX1.1 and CALX1.2, demonstrate that CBD1 and CBD2 form an open V-shaped conformation with four Ca2+ ions bound on the CBD domain interface. The structures together with Ca2+ binding analyses strongly argue that the Ca2+ inhibition of CALX is achieved by interdomain conformational change induced by Ca2+ binding at CBD1. The conformational difference between the two isoforms also raises a hypothesis that alternative splicing residues adjust the interdomain orientation angle between CBD1 and CBD2 to modify the Ca2+ regulatory property of the exchanger. These studies not only establish structural basis to understand the inhibitory Ca2+ regulation and the alternative splicing modification of CALX, but also shed light on the general Ca2+ regulatory mechanism of other mammalian NCX proteins.
Abstract 657: Inhibition Of MMPs In Hypertensive Cerebropathy Protects Blood-Brain Barrier In Dahl-Salt Sensitive Rats

Hypertensive cerebropathy is a pathological condition associated with cerebral edema and breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Previous studies have shown that increased activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) leads to alteration in the extracellular matrix (ECM) which is associated with impairment of the neurovasculature, resulting in destruction of the BBB. However, the molecular pathways leading to this condition remains obscure. In this study, we hypothesize that pharmacological inhibition of MMPs modulates BBB disruption by decreasing MMP activity and thus ameliorating hypertensive cerebropathy. Methods: We used Dahl-salt sensitive (Dahl-SS) and Lewis rats which were fed a high salt diet. The groups were 1) Dahl-SS, 2) Dahl-SS+GM6001 (non-specific MMP inhibitor), 3) Lewis, and 4) Lewis+GM6001. GM6001 was given at 0.5mg/mL by intra-peritoneal injection on alternate days for 3 weeks. Blood pressure was measured by tail-cuff. The brain tissues were analyzed for oxidative stress, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity and tight junction proteins by Western blot and Zymography. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the collogen/elastion ratio. Results: Mean arterial blood pressure was 169.10 ± 0.57 mm Hg in hypertensive Dahl-SS rats compared to 134.12 ± 1.2 mm Hg in Dahl-SS+GM6001 rats. The mean arterial pressures in Lewis and Lewis+GM6001 groups were 96.66 ± 0.54 and 87.69 ± 2.9 mm Hg respectively. There was an up-regulation in p47 (oxidative stress) and nitrotyrosine protein expression but down-regulation in super oxide dismutase-1(SOD-1) and tight junction proteins levels (zonula-occluden-1 and occludin) in hypertensive Dahl-SS and Lewis rats compared to GM6001 treated rats. MMP-9 protein expression as well activity was increased in hypertensive Dahl-SS and Lewis rats compared to GM6001 treated rats. Brain section stained for collagen and elastin showed an increase in collagen level in hypertensive Dahl-SS and Lewis rats compared to GM6001 treated rats, whereas the elastin level decreased in hypertensive Dahl-SS and Lewis rats compared to GM6001 treated rats. Conclusion: Our results suggest that in hypertensive Dahl-SS rats, pharmacological inhibition of MMPs attenuates high blood pressure and prevents disruption of blood brain barrier.
Radiofrequency saturation induced bias in aqueductal cerebrospinal fluid flow quantification obtained using two-dimensional cine phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose To explore the extent of bias in cerebrospinal fluid flow estimates due to radiofrequency saturation, and its possible impact on the use of two-dimensional cine phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis and characterization of normal pressure hydrocephalus in patients. Theory and Methods Theoretical signal equations were generated to describe saturation dependence on velocity. An experimental set of phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging scans with two different flip angles was used to show bias in flow estimates in a flow phantom, and in six different healthy volunteers. The cerebral aqueduct was targeted as the flow region of interest. Results Data from a constant flow phantom showed a spatial distribution of voxels with significant bias in flow at the periphery of the flow region. The velocity difference (bias) maps of the cerebral aqueduct correlated with the spatial velocity gradients around peak systole and peak diastole, and high correlation with temporal velocity gradients during transition between systole and diastole. The aqueductal stroke volume for θ = 30° were found to be significantly higher than for θ = 10° using a Wilcoxon signed rank test. Conclusion This work shows the extent of bias in cerebrospinal fluid flow quantification due to radiofrequency saturation effects. This clinical relevance of this error was presented with respect to shunt responsiveness among normal pressure hydrocephalus patients. Magn Reson Med 79:2067–2076, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
The Poet(ry) of Frankish enchantment: the Ifranjiyyāt of Ibn Qaysarānī

In this article, I examine the life and career of forgotten Levantine poet Ibn al-Qaysarānī (d. 1154) and explore his largely obscure poetic legacy, especially his fascinating Ifranjiyyāt (Poems on...
Concomitant Mediastinoscopy Increases the Risk of Postoperative Pneumonia After Pulmonary Lobectomy

Mediastinoscopy is considered the gold standard for preresectional staging of lung cancer. We sought to examine the effect of concomitant mediastinoscopy on postoperative pneumonia (POP) in patients undergoing lobectomy. All patients in our institutional database (2008–2015) undergoing lobectomy who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy were included in our study. The relationship between mediastinoscopy and POP was examined using univariate (Chi square) and multivariate analyses (binary logistic regression). In order to validate our institutional findings, lobectomy data in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) from 2005 to 2014 were analyzed for these associations. Of 810 patients who underwent a lobectomy at our institution, 741 (91.5%) surgeries were performed by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and 487 (60.1%) patients underwent concomitant mediastinoscopy. Univariate analysis demonstrated an association between mediastinoscopy and POP in patients undergoing VATS [odds ratio (OR) 1.80; p = 0.003], but not open lobectomy. Multivariate analysis retained mediastinoscopy as a variable, although the relationship showed only a trend (OR 1.64; p = 0.1). In the NSQIP cohort (N = 12,562), concomitant mediastinoscopy was performed in 9.0% of patients, with 44.5% of all the lobectomies performed by VATS. Mediastinoscopy was associated with POP in patients having both open (OR1.69; p < 0.001) and VATS lobectomy (OR 1.72; p = 0.002). This effect remained in multivariate analysis in both the open and VATS lobectomy groups (OR 1.46, p = 0.003; and 1.53, p = 0.02, respectively). Mediastinoscopy may be associated with an increased risk of POP after pulmonary lobectomy. This observation should be examined in other datasets as it potentially impacts preresectional staging algorithms for patients with lung cancer.