cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adult-Onset Autoimmune Chorea (S08.003)

Objective: To describe adults consecutively evaluated with autoimmune chorea (Mayo Clinic, 1997-2011). Background Data regarding adult-onset autoimmune chorea is limited. Design/Methods: Inclusion criteria: 1) chorea as the predominant complaint; 2) an autoimmune cause was suspected based on: presence of a paraneoplastic antibody or cancer (Paraneoplastic Group) or clinical/serological evidence of autoimmunity without cancer (Non-paraneoplastic Group). The Groups were statistically compared (Fisher or Wilcoxon tests). Results: Chorea-onset was acute/subacute in 36/38 patients (median-age 68 years; range, 18-87 [women, 22]) and affected whole-body (28 patients), hemi-body (5), or extremities only (5; upper, 4; lower, 1); median follow-up, 13 months (range, 1-228). Paraneoplastic Group: 17/38 patients; 16 had ≥1 cancer (small-cell lung, 4; hematological, 4; adenocarcinoma [2 each of breast, colon, prostate]; other, 3) and 5 had ≥1 paraneoplastic antibody (CRMP-5 IgG, 4; ANNA-1, 2; other, 2). Male sex (p=0.02), older age (p=0.001), severe chorea (p=0.04), and weight loss (p=0.04) were more common. Non-paraneoplastic Group: 21/38 patients; antiphospholipid syndrome, SLE (6 patients each) and spontaneous remissions were more common (p=0.02). Both groups were similar in respect of: coexisting neurological disorders (cognitive/personality change, 11; neuropathy, 9; other, 4), MRI findings (irrelevant to chorea), other coexisting autoimmune diseases (thyroid, 5; Sjogren disease, 4; other, 12), other antibody findings (antinuclear antibody, 20; phospholipid antibody, 16; SS-A/SS-B, 7; other, 9) and physician-reported treatment responses (p>0.05). Immunotherapy-responsiveness was documented in 18/21 patients (median treatment-duration, 1.5 months [range 0.25-228]): corticosteroids, 18; plasmapheresis, cyclophosphamide, chemotherapy, 2 each. Complementary steroid-sparing strategies employed included: hydroxychloroquine, azathioprine, 5 each; cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate, 1 each. Effective symptomatic therapies (13/24 patients) were: risperidone, 6; benzodiazepines, 3; fluphenazine, reserpine, divalproex, gabapentin, 2 each. Final outcomes (30 patients) were: remission, 14 (including 4 untreated patients); improved, 11; unchanged, 3; worsened, 2. Conclusions: Autoimmune chorea is usually rapid-onset and frequently remits. Male sex, older age and severe symptoms should strengthen the suspicion for cancer. Disclosure: Dr. O9Toole has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ahlskog has nothing to disclose. Dr. Matsumoto has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pittock has received research support from Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Bower has received personal compensation for activities with Teva Neuroscience and Merck & Co., Inc. as a consultant. Dr. Lennon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lachance has nothing to disclose. Dr. Fealey has nothing to disclose. Dr. McKeon has nothing to disclose.
The physical interaction of gases with crystalline solids: II. Two-dimensional second and third virial coefficients

Abstract The virial adsorption isotherm for a gas on a perfect crystal lattice surface is considered. The formal expressions for the two-dimensional second and third virial coefficients of a classical monatomic adsorbate are put into a form suitable for numerical evaluation. This is accomplished by expanding the Boltzmann factors in the general expressions as Fourier series in the translational symmetry coordinates of the surface lattice. Numerical calculations of the requisite Fourier transforms are presented for two fcc lattice planes interacting with gas atoms of different sizes. In addition, Fourier transforms of the Mayer function are presented for mutual interactions of adsorbed atoms given by a Lennard-Jones function. These results were used to calculate second and third virial coefficients for atoms adsorbed on several surfaces, including cases where the atoms are completely localized and where they are perfectly mobile. These results are compared with previous calculations, and some errors are corrected. In addition, the second virial coefficient for argon adsorbed on the (111) face of a solid xenon lattice is calculated and compared with experiment.
A pitfall in hemoglobin electrophoresis. Artefactual minor unstable hemoglobin results from improper specimen handling.

Blood specimens are commonly mailed for the purpose of hemoglobin studies, such as identification of abnormal hemoglobins and measurement of hemoglobins A2 and F. In a period of a few months, the author examined eight specimens sent from a referring laboratory, in which cellulose acetate electrophoresis ( p H 8.6) revealed a discrete minor band in a position approximately midway between the positions of hemoglobins A and S. For each specimen, tests for hemoglobin instability were positive. In one specimen, marked methemoglobinemia and sulfhemoglobinemia were also demonstrated. Further studies of fresh specimens obtained from the same subjects failed to demonstrate any hemoglobinopathy. The abnormal band in the original eight specimens was an artefact resulting from improper specimen handlingthat is, unduly long transit times without refrigeration. The artefactual band had electrophoretic mobility identical to that of methemoglobin derived from hemoglobin A.
Capture, Store, and Discharge. Shuttling Photogenerated Electrons across TiO2–Silver Interface

UV irradiation of TiO2 nanoparticles in the presence of Ag+ ions results in the quantitative reduction and deposition of silver on its surface. Continued UV irradiation following the deposition of Ag on the TiO2 surface causes a blue shift in the surface plasmon peak from 430 to 415 nm as these particles become charged with excess electrons. Under UV irradiation, both the charging and discharging of electrons occur at different rates, thus allowing the system to attain a steady state. Upon stopping the UV irradiation, a fraction of these electrons remain stored. The electron storage is dependent on the amount of Ag deposited on TiO2 nanoparticles with maximum capacity seen at 8.6 μM of Ag in a suspension containing 5.8 mM of TiO2. Such electron charging and discharging processes in semiconductor–metal composites need to be taken into account while evaluating the plasmon resonance induced effects in photocatalysis and photoelectrochemistry.
Strain increases airway smooth muscle contractile and cytoskeletal proteins in vitro

Mechanical stress contributes to lung development and the progression of some lung diseases, although its effects on individual lung cells are unknown. Because increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) is found in lung diseases where abnormal stress is present, we determined if strain (change in resting length) causes ASM hypertrophy independently of other in vivo influences. Cultured canine ASM cells were subjected to two levels of cyclic deformational strain for 14 days and compared with nonstrained cells by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting. Cells subjected to 16-30% strain demonstrated increases in total cellular protein, myosin, myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), and desmin, whereas the cellular contents of actin, vimentin, and tubulin were similar. Changes in myosin appeared mostly due to the smooth muscle isoform, whereas nonmuscle myosin was unchanged. The increases in myosin and MLCK were disproportionate to increases in total protein, suggesting selective changes in contractile proteins. These relative increases in content of proteins were not as pronounced with 0-16% strain, suggesting a graded response. These data suggest that strain per se can increase the contractile proteins of ASM cells independently of other in vivo factors and modulates cultured cell phenotype to a more differentiated state, since it increases smooth muscle-specific proteins, such as smooth muscle myosin isoforms and desmin.
Changes in conformational dynamics of basic side chains upon protein–DNA association

Basic side chains play major roles in recognition of nucleic acids by proteins. However, dynamic properties of these positively charged side chains are not well understood. In this work, we studied changes in conformational dynamics of basic side chains upon protein-DNA association for the zinc-finger protein Egr-1. By nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, we characterized the dynamics of all side-chain cationic groups in the free protein and in the complex with target DNA. Our NMR order parameters indicate that the arginine guanidino groups interacting with DNA bases are strongly immobilized, forming rigid interfaces. Despite the strong short-range electrostatic interactions, the majority of the basic side chains interacting with the DNA phosphates exhibited high mobility, forming dynamic interfaces. In particular, the lysine side-chain amino groups exhibited only small changes in the order parameters upon DNA-binding. We found a similar trend in the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for the free Egr-1 and the Egr-1-DNA complex. Using the MD trajectories, we also analyzed side-chain conformational entropy. The interfacial arginine side chains exhibited substantial entropic loss upon binding to DNA, whereas the interfacial lysine side chains showed relatively small changes in conformational entropy. These data illustrate different dynamic characteristics of the interfacial arginine and lysine side chains.
The Greater Game: Qing China in Central Eurasia

This article surveys Qing China's expansion into Central Eurasia in the context of “The Great Game,” a geopolitical contest between the British and Russian empires in that region. It argues that Manchu activities, policies, and roles in Tibet and Xinjiang made Qing China a significant third player in the struggle for regional dominance, which can be regarded as “The Greater Game.” This article specifically refers to the geopolitical concerns of Britain, China, and Russia in Asia and Europe in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to explain their effects on this Greater Game.
Electrophysiological delineation of the specialized atrioventricular conduction system in patients with congenital heart disease. I. Delineation of the His bundle proximal to the membranous septum.

The course of the His bundle proximal to membranous septum was electrophysiologically delineated during open-heart surgery in 80 patients: 21 patients with d-transposition of the great vessels, 19 with endocardial cushion defects, 12 with secundum atrial septal defect, 13 with tetralogy of Fallot, 7 with ventricular septal defect, and 8 with other congenital heart diseases. His bundle electrograms were found immediately adjacent to the atrioventricular (A-V) annulus in all patients. Electrograms of the His bundle were most commonly recorded along a line extending from the coronary sinus ostium toward the medial aspect of the tricuspid valve, starting 10 mm. anterior to the coronary sinus ostium on an area of 10 by 5 mm. in most patients with various forms of congenital heart disease. In most patients with endocardial cushion defects, His bundle electrograms were recorded immediately adjacent to the coronary sinus ostium, suggesting a posterior shift of the His bundle in these patients. This study correlates the anatomic location and the sites from which human His bundle electrograms are most commonly recorded. Also, because of the ease of the technique, its sensitivity, and the brief duration (3 to 5 minutes) required for the electrophysiological delineation of the His bundle, we think it prudent that this technique be used in all patients undergoing open-heart surgery in which the risk of injury to the His bundle is significant.
Biological Interactions of Selenium with Other Substances

Single subcutaneous injections of cadmium chloride in amounts much below toxic levels selectively damage the testis of rats and other laboratory animals (Parizek, 1957). The site and mode of cadmium action have not been satisfactorily established even though there is general agreement that testicular injury is secondary to vascular changes. It is believed that cadmium specifically damages the testicular artery-pampiniform plexus complex and its countercurrent exchange mechanism (Gunn et al., 1963). Mason et al., (1964) believe that because of the sluggish blood flow through the intratesticular course of the testicular artery and its end-arterial type of capillary bed, cadmium might produce increased permeability of the capillary wall and perhaps may act directly on the parenchyma of the testis. This next produces an intertubular edema, increased intratesticular pressure, and interference with the vascular supply to the testis, which causes ischemia and necrosis of the tissue.
QTL mapping of mandarin (Citrus reticulata) fruit characters using high-throughput SNP markers

Seedlessness, flavor, and color are top priorities for mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) cultivar improvement. Given long juvenility, large tree size, and high breeding cost, marker-assisted selection (MAS) may be an expeditious and economical approach to these challenges. The objectives of this study were to construct high-density mandarin genetic maps and to identify single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers associated with fruit quality traits. Two parental genetic maps were constructed from an F1 population derived from ‘Fortune’ × ‘Murcott’, two mandarin cultivars with distinct fruit characters, using a 1536-SNP Illumina GoldenGate assay. The map for ‘Fortune’ (FOR) consisted of 189 SNPs spanning 681.07 cM and for ‘Murcott’ (MUR) consisted of 106 SNPs spanning 395.25 cM. Alignment of the SNP sequences to the Clementine (Citrus clementina) genome showed highly conserved synteny between the genetic maps and the genome. A total of 48 fruit quality quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified, and ten of them stable over two or more samplings were considered as major QTLs. A cluster of QTLs for flavedo color space values L, a, b, and a/b and juice color space values a and a/b were detected in a single genomic region on linkage group 4. Two carotenoid biosynthetic pathway genes, pds1 and ccd4, were found within this QTL interval. Several SNPs were potentially useful in MAS for these fruit characteristics. QTLs were validated in 13 citrus selections, which may be useful in further validation and tentative MAS in mandarin fruit quality improvement.
Gender Discrepancies and Victimization of Students with Disabilities.

Students with disabilities have been recognized as disproportionately involved within the bullying dynamic. However, few studies have examined the interaction between disability status, gender, and grade level. The current study explored the gender discrepancies among students with and without disabilities in middle and high school on bullying, fighting, relational aggression perpetration, victimization, online victimization, and relational aggression victimizations. Results suggest that students with disabilities are more likely to be involved as victims and perpetrators. In addition, males are more likely to be perpetrators and victims, whereas females are more likely to experience online victimization and relational victimization. Furthermore, students in high school are more likely to report bullying, whereas students in middle school are more likely to report fighting. Interactions between school level, disability status, and gender were significant for victimization and perpetration.
The SAM domain inhibits EphA2 interactions in the plasma membrane

All members of the Eph receptor family of tyrosine kinases contain a SAM domain near the C terminus, which has been proposed to play a role in receptor homotypic interactions and/or interactions with binding partners. The SAM domain of EphA2 is known to be important for receptor function, but its contribution to EphA2 lateral interactions in the plasma membrane has not been determined. Here we use a FRET-based approach to directly measure the effect of the SAM domain on the stability of EphA2 dimers on the cell surface in the absence of ligand binding. We also investigate the functional consequences of EphA2 SAM domain deletion. Surprisingly, we find that the EphA2 SAM domain inhibits receptor dimerization and decreases EphA2 tyrosine phosphorylation. This role is dramatically different from the role of the SAM domain of the related EphA3 receptor, which we previously found to stabilize EphA3 dimers and increase EphA3 tyrosine phosphorylation in cells in the absence of ligand. Thus, the EphA2 SAM domain likely contributes to a unique mode of EphA2 interaction that leads to distinct signaling outputs.
Adults' Daily Walking for Travel and Leisure: Interaction Between Attitude Toward Walking and the Neighborhood Environment.

Purpose:Studies on how the interaction of psychological and environmental characteristics influences walking are limited, and the results are inconsistent. Our aim is to examine how the attitude to...
Creating virtual environments with 3D printing and photogrammetry

Digitizing the physical world through photogrammetry and 3d scanning has nowadays become part of our common vernacular in the creation of 3D virtual environments. However, it is near equally common for these technologies to be employed at the expense of design. The primary motivation behind our workshop is twofold: (1) to ensure that art creation for virtual environments continues to serve design, rather than dictate it, and (2) to encourage a more collaborative experience between physical and digital artists in computer graphics production. In our pipeline, 3D printing has enabled us to preserve our design at a very high fidelity as we transition into a physical format where we can safely leverage the talents of physical sculptors and painters without jeopardizing design intent. In turn, through photogrammetry we then digitize the physical sculptures and integrate them back into our native virtual environments. By employing both 3D printing and photogrammetry in a single pipeline, we have helped to maximize the value that both designers and artists can contribute to the creation of virtual environments.
An Architecture for Anomaly Detection

Anomaly detection systems have become popular over the years. Their basic principle is the comparison of the incoming traffic with a previously-built profile that contains a representation of the “normal” or expected traffic. The system flags anything that exceeds the normal activity (usually by means of thresholds) as an attack. Unfortunately, not everything that surpasses the expected activity is indeed an attack. Thus, anomaly detection systems have the proclivity of generating lots of false alarms. In this chapter we present an efficient architecture that can effectively be used to design anomaly detection systems and keep false alarms at a manageable level. We also present an implementation of this architecture that we have realized and experimented with.
Determining dominant driving forces affecting controlled protein release from polymeric nanoparticles

Enzymes play a critical role in many applications in biology and medicine as potential therapeutics. One specific area of interest is enzyme encapsulation in polymer nanostructures, which have applications in drug delivery and catalysis. A detailed understanding of the mechanisms governing protein/polymer interactions is crucial for optimizing the performance of these complex systems for different applications. Using a combined computational and experimental approach, this study aims to quantify the relative importance of molecular and mesoscale driving forces to protein release from polymeric nanoparticles. Classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been performed on bovine serum albumin (BSA) in aqueous solutions with oligomeric surrogates of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) copolymer, poly(styrene)-poly(lactic acid) copolymer, and poly(lactic acid). The simulated strength and location of polymer surrogate binding to the surface of BSA have been compared to experimental BSA release rates from nanop...
Shrinking Daughters: Rlm1-Dependent G1/S Checkpoint Maintains Saccharomyces cerevisiae Daughter Cell Size and Viability

The Rlm1 transcription factor is a target of the cell wall integrity pathway. We report that an rlm1Δ mutant grown on a nonfermentable carbon source at low osmolarity forms cell groups in which a mother cell is surrounded by smaller “satellite-daughter” cells. Mother cells in these groups progressed through repeated rounds of cell division with normal rates of bud growth and genetic stability; however, these cells underwent precocious START relative to wild-type mothers. Thus, once activated, Rlm1 delays the transition from G1 to S, a mechanism we term the cell wall/START (CW/START) checkpoint. The rlm1Δ satellite-cell phenotype is suppressed by deletion of either SLT2, which encodes the kinase that activates Rlm1, or SWI4, which is also activated by Slt2; suggesting that Slt2 can have opposing roles in regulating the START transition. Consistent with an Rlm1-dependent CW/START checkpoint, rlm1Δ satellite daughters were unable to grow or divide further even after transfer to rich medium, but UV irradiation in G1 could partially rescue rlm1Δ satellite daughters in the next division. Indeed, after cytokinesis, these satellite daughters shrank rapidly, displayed amorphous actin staining, and became more permeable. As a working hypothesis, we propose that duplication of an “actin-organizing center” in late G1 may be required both to progress through START and to reestablish the actin cytoskeleton in daughter cells.
Efficient Anytime Anywhere Algorithms for Vertex Additions in Large and Dynamic Graphs

Over the past decade, there has been a dramatic increase in the availability of large and dynamic social network datasets. Conducting social network analysis (SNA) on these networks is critical for understanding underlying social phenomena. However, continuously evolving graph structures require massive recomputations and conducting SNA is infeasible if the computations have to be restarted for every change. Many recent works have proposed large-scale graph processing systems and frameworks, but less attention has been given to scalable SNA algorithm designs that can efficiently adapt to dynamic graph changes. Moreover, continuously adapting to dynamic graph changes such as node/vertex/actor additions/deletions in a parallel/distributed computational environment can skew the initial graph partitions, leading to load imbalance issues and performance degradation. Previous approaches that focus on computing SNA measures on dynamic graphs either ignore this critical load-balancing aspect or focus only on measures that are straightforward and inherently adjustable to changes in the graph topology. In this work, we have designed an anytime anywhere closeness centrality algorithm that can efficiently incorporate vertex additions while avoiding massive recomputations, by leveraging a generic framework for designing parallel/distributed algorithms called anytime anywhere. Furthermore, we have also performed an analysis of the effectiveness of various processor assignment strategies to mitigate the load imbalances caused by dynamic graph changes.
Transcending Conflicts, Transforming Relations: Finding Peace in India’s Northeast

The recent post-insurgency years in Assam, one of the eight states of India’s northeastern periphery, are marked by a strong desire for peace, reconciliation and reconstruction. This paper, however, contends that advances in this direction were already being made during the most violent decades of Assam history. It delves into the transformative impact of violent ethno-nationalist conflicts and argues that they caused, among other changes, a realignment of ethnic relations and redistribution of political rewards and holdings; attempts by civil society organisations at identity reformation and redefinition of ethno-nationalist goals; the mainstreaming of ‘ethnic’ and fusion music, jewellery and clothing; and an unprecedented growth of local, successful entrepreneurial ventures. Violent conflicts are sustained because they are lucrative for everybody: armed forces, insurgent armies and state machinery alike. This paper argues that peace and reconciliation can also be equally rewarding. The need is for an adjustment of approach and a reframing of the conflict narrative. This might prevent violent conflicts from erupting in future besides having a salutary effect on the ones that are ongoing.
Quantitative Framework for Stochastic Nanopore Sensors Using Multiple Channels

Membrane protein channels employed as stochastic sensors offer large signal-to-noise ratios and high specificity in single molecule binding measurements. Stochastic events in a single ion channel system can be measured using current–time traces, which are straightforward to analyze. Signals arising from measurement using multiple ion channels are more complicated to interpret. We show that multiple independent ion channels offer improved detection sensitivity compared to single channel measurements and that increased signal complexity can be accounted for using binding event frequency. More specifically, the leading edge of binding events follows a Poisson point process, which means signals from multiple channels can be superimposed and the association times (between each binding event leading edge), allow for sensitive and quantitative measurements. We expand our calibration to high ligand concentrations and high numbers of ion channels to demonstrate that there is an upper limit of quantification, defin...
A Secure and Transparent Firewall Web Proxy

The LANL transparent web proxy lets authorized external users originating from the Internet to securely access internal intranet web content and applications normally blocked by a firewall. Unauthenticated access is still, of course, denied. The proxy is transparent in that no changes to browsers, user interaction, or intranet web servers are necessary. The proxy, a few thousand lines of C running on Linux, has been operating within Los Alamos National Laboratory's firewall since 1999.
Evaluating Functions over Lattices

An approach is presented for constructing algorithms to evaluate functions over convex, connected subsets of lattices. The approach produces algorithms that rapidly span the desired subset and uses all possible adjacency information. Every evaluation after the first has information available regarding the value of the function at a neighboring lattice point.
Diagnosing phases of magnetic insulators via noise magnetometry with spin qubits

Two-dimensional magnetic insulators exhibit a plethora of competing ground states, such as ordered (anti)ferromagnets, exotic quantum spin liquid states, and random singlet phases. Spin liquids, in particular, are collective phases of matter which have eluded discovery for several decades. Although there are many promising candidate materials for their realization, the central challenges for the clear diagnosis of a spin liquid has been the lack of experimental probes to access their emergent excitations. Here, the authors propose that spin qubit magnetometers grant access to these excitations and, therefore, can be used as a diagnostic of ground states in magnetic insulators.
Anatomic characterization of pulmonary accessory fissures in canine cadavers.

Accessory fissures in the lungs are well described in humans, considered a normal finding, being identified in 60% of autopsied lungs, and more prevalent in the right lung (Gesase, ; Nene, Gajendra, & Sarma, 2011). In dogs, interlobar fissures are well recognized, but there is the lack of anatomic characterization for accessory fissures in the accessible literature. The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify the prevalence and to describe the anatomic localization of accessory fissures. The lungs from 87 dog cadavers used to teach veterinary gross anatomy were collected. Accessory fissures were characterized for each lung lobe, specific lung lobe location, orientation, length and the number of accessory fissures per lobe. Accessory fissures were recognized in 48/87 (55%) of canine lungs, all located in the periphery of the individual lobes. We found a significant association between the presence of accessory fissures and the costal surface of the lung (p < 0.0001), the right lung (p < 0.004), the right cranial lung lobe (p < 0.002) and the left cranial lung lobe (p < 0.04). Histologic results showed normal alveolar and respiratory bronchioles to the level of the accessory fissures. Our results show that accessory fissures are a common finding and should be considered a normal variant. They are more prevalent in the right lung, in the costal surface, and in the right and left cranial lung lobes. An anatomic nomenclature for accessory fissures based on the current Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria and the human literature is proposed. Further studies include a comparison among anatomical accessory fissures, and radiographic and computed tomographic images.
Suicide Prevention in the Workplace

Suicide is a serious public health problem, the tenth leading cause of death in the United States overall and the fourth leading cause for Americans under the age of 65. The impact of suicide encompasses the emotional and fiscal burden of a broad spectrum of suffering with approximately half of the American population knowing someone or having personally experienced suicidal ideation, attempt, or loss to suicide. The demographic group with the highest suicide rate (19.72 per 100,000) is adults between 45 and 54 years of age, and most are employed at the time of death. As a complex health outcome, suicide is driven by multiple interacting risk and protective factors. Because environmental factors are critical in this mix, the workplace holds great potential for reducing suicide risk and preventing untimely loss of life to suicide. Several industry-specific cultural factors are provided. Promising suicide prevention initiatives are described including pro-mental health approaches, staff training, policy changes, screening, crisis intervention, and peer support.
The Impact of Juror Knowledge of Deductibility and Defendants’ Tax Rates on Punitive Damages Awards: Experimental Evidence

The US Tax Code allows defendants to treat punitive damages as an ordinary and necessary business expense, thereby reducing their taxable income. Legal scholars posit that jurors are unaware that punitive damages are tax-deductible. Consequently, they claim that there is an under-punishment problem because defendants are penalized at lower damages amounts than they would be if jurors were instructed about tax-deductibility. We conduct an experiment to test this claim. We provide mock jurors with information about tax-deductibility as well as information about the defendant’s (historical) effective tax rate (ETR) to provide some context to jurors to adjust their awards, if they choose to. We find that jurors who are explicitly instructed that punitive damages are tax-deductible award higher damages, but only when the defendant’s ETR is low. When the defendant’s ETR is high, instructing jurors about tax-deductibility does not result in significantly higher punitive damages awards. This result is surprising because defendants with a high ETR are likely to benefit more from tax-deductibility compared to defendants with a low ETR. Our results suggests that jurors evaluate tax-deductibility jointly with other elements of a defendant’s tax situation when that information is provided. Therefore, jury instructions about tax-deductibility of punitive damages should carefully consider the implications of providing additional information about the defendant’s tax situation. Our result should be of interest to regulators and scholars in law, accounting, and public policy.
Coma cluster gives up secrets of intergalactic gas

Extremely deep observations of the Coma galaxy cluster with the Chandra X-ray Observatory have found that the gas between galaxies, where the vast majority of the baryons lie, is far less viscous than expected.
Inhibitory Action of Amantadine during Influenza Viral Entry: A Hypothesis

Despite recent advances in our understanding of viral structure and replication, efforts to develop antiviral drugs have targeted the host cell machinery that is required for viral replication. The number of virus-specific enzymes available as useful antiviral targets is generally limited to replicases and proteolytic enzymes. In developing new antiviral strategies, it is therefore important to identify steps in the replication cycle which do not necessarily involve enzymatic activities. Such steps include receptor binding, penetration into the cytoplasm, viral uncoating, intracellular targeting and viral assembly. As these processes depend on molecular interactions which are virus-specific, they are less likely to have cellular counterparts.
The ethical relevance of two types of adverse health effects on research bystanders as applied to HIV, mosquito bednet and organ transplant trials.

Using cases from this symposium, I illustrate a distinction between clinical trials that harm research non-participants’ health and clinical trials that reduce a distinct health benefit to research...
Making Asthma Crystal Clear

Crystalline Findings in Asthma A recent study of Charcot–Leyden crystals, which are typically present in the airway mucus of persons with asthma and of persons with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasa...
Terrorism as Media Propaganda: A Theoretical Approach

Terrorism and communication are so pervasive and relevant in contemporary intellectual and practical discussions of societal problems that we encounter them singly and together in many disciplines. Terrorist behavior involves selection of appropriate verbal and nonverbal messages to achieve predetermined targets (Okigbo and Onoja 2017) and long-term planning and expert skills sharing—hallmarks of strategy and communication. This chapter provides a context for understanding terrorism as a form of strategic communication. Using references from the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), published documents and globally discussed acts of terrorism, it argues that a strategic communication view to understand terrorism is essential to providing a methodical approach to preventing and containing insurgences. The chapter also discusses persuasive and metaphoric forms of terrorism within the framework of prescriptive and emergent strategic communication, and shows the overall connections between terrorist acts and communication planning.
Alignments closed under a binary product

This paper is concerned with closure systems defined on groups such that the product of any two closed sets is again closed. The main objective of this paper is to show that if enough “small” subse...
Exploring supply chain network resilience in the presence of the ripple effect

Abstract This study aims to investigate overall supply chain network resilience (SCNR) in the presence of ripple effect, or risk propagation, i.e. the phenomenon that disruptions at a few firms in a supply chain network (SCN) can spread to their neighboring firms, then eventually spread to other firms in the SCN. We begin by developing a multi-dimensional quantitative framework to measure SCNR, which includes three resilience dimensions based on three different network performance indicators. Given this framework, we then systematically explore the determining factors of SCNR and present a comprehensive analysis of how network structure and node risk capacity influence different aspects of SCNR. Our results clearly indicate the following important implications for managers. First, the influence of network type on SCNR tends to be more significant in the short-term than it is in the longer-term, given the ripple effect. Second, SCNR can be improved more effectively by enhancing node risk capacity than by adjusting network structure. Third, tradeoffs exist between the robustness of the network against a disruption and its ability to recover from that disruption. Fourth, different network performance indicators can provide different perspectives on SCNR. Together these help show that the multi-dimensional framework enables a better characterization of the complexity of SCNR, and thus that it provides support for more informed managerial decision-making about investing in improving resilience. The paper concludes the discussion by addressing opportunities for further extending the research effort.
Microbial Niche Diversification in the Galápagos Archipelago and Its Response to El Niño.

The Galapagos Archipelago is located at the intersection of several major oceanographic features that produce diverse environmental conditions around the islands, and thus has the potential to serve as a natural laboratory for discerning the underlying environmental factors that structure marine microbial communities. Here we used quantitative metagenomics to characterize microbial communities in relation to archipelago marine habitats, and how those populations shift due to substantial environmental changes brought on by El Nino. Environmental conditions such as temperature, salinity, inorganic dissolved nutrients, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations varied throughout the archipelago, revealing a diversity of potential microbial niches arising from upwelling, oligotrophic to eutrophic gradients, physical isolation, and potential island mass effects. The volumetric abundances of microbial community members shifted with these environmental changes and revealed several taxonomic indicators of different water masses. This included a transition from a Synechococcus dominated system in the west to an even mix of Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus in the east, mirroring the archipelago’s mesotrophic to oligotrophic and productivity gradients. Several flavobacteria groups displayed characteristic habitat distributions, including enrichment of Polaribacter and Tenacibaculum clades in the relatively nutrient rich western waters, Leeuwenhoekiella spp. that were enriched in the more nutrient-deplete central and eastern sites, and the streamlined MS024-2A group found to be abundant across all sites. During the 2015/16 El Nino event, both environmental conditions and microbial community composition were substantially altered, primarily on the western side of the archipelago due to the reduction of upwelling from the Equatorial Undercurrent. When the equatorial upwelling resumed, concentrations of inorganic nutrients and DOC at the western surface sites were more typical of mesopelagic depths. Correspondingly, Synechococcus abundances decreased by an order of magnitude, while groups associated with deeper water masses were enriched, including streamlined roseobacters HTCC2255 and HIMB11, Thioglobacaceae, methylotrophs (Methylophilaceae), archaea (Nitrosopumilaceae), and distinct subpopulations of Pelagibaceriales (SAR11 clade). These results provide a quantitative framework to connect community-wide microbial volumetric abundances to their environmental drivers, and thus incorporation into biogeochemical and ecological models.
Public engagement in contested political contexts: reflections on the role of recursive reflexivity in responsible innovation

This special issue of the Journal of Responsible Innovation interrogates the political cultures and practices that render engagements among publics, emerging technologies, and institutions both dee...
Weight loss effects in usual primary care: Findings from 5 behavioral weight loss RCTs.

Abstract Primary care is an important setting for obesity treatment and behavior therapy is considered the first line. However, current practice often does not meet clinical guidelines and, furthermore, effects of usual care (UC) on weight loss are unclear. This makes it difficult to design sufficiently powered weight loss trials in primary care. This study analyzed data from UC control participants across 5 primary care-based randomized clinical trials of behavioral weight loss interventions to assess UC effects for 4 weight outcomes: body mass index (BMI), weight change (kg and %), and percent of participants achieving clinically significant 5% weight loss. Results indicated modest UC effects, suggesting modest weight loss is possible in usual primary care.
Bad Leaders: Some Realities, Reasons and Remedies

Bad leaders are a distressing and discomforting reality of organizational life. “Bad bosses” are characterized as such because they are ineffective, incompetent and/or abusive. After discussing some realities concerning bad leaders and their effect on organizations, five plausible reasons for this persistent workplace problem are offered. Possible remedies are suggested, such as repositioning the role of a leader, and integrating practices for achieving high performance and well-being. An action-oriented challenge and several points to ponder are offered to encourage further engagement to help mitigate the bad leader problem. Leaders and other organizational stakeholders can benefit from a better understanding of how they can help enhance performance, well-being and virtuous behavior at work.
Tensions in Representing Behavioral Data in an Electronic Health Record

Taking an action research approach, we engaged in fieldwork with school-based behavioral health care teams to: observe record keeping practices, design and deploy a prototype system addressing key challenges, and reflect on its use. We describe the challenges of capturing behavioral data using both paper and electronic records. Creating records of behaviors requires direct observation, and as a result the record keeping responsibility is challenging to distribute across a care team. Behavioral data on paper must be transferred and prepared for reporting, both inside the organization and to stakeholders outside of the organization. In prototyping a computerized working record, we targeted user needs for capturing details of a behavioral incident in the moment. Challenges persisted through the transition from paper to our prototype, and based on these empirical findings over two years of fieldwork, we present five tensions in representing behavioral data in an electronic health record. These tensions reflect the differences between entering behavioral data into the record for intraorganizational use versus interorganizational use.
Unemployment in Socially Disadvantaged Communities in Tennessee, US, During the COVID-19

Urban studies related to previous pandemics and impacts on cities focused on vulnerable categories including poor and marginalized groups. We continue this tradition and analyze unemployment outcomes in a context of a multi-dimensional social disadvantage that is unfolding during the ongoing public health crisis. For this, we first propose an approach to identify communities by social disadvantage status captured by several key metrics. Second, we apply this methodology in the study of the effect of social disadvantage on unemployment during the COVID-19 and measure the COVID-19-related economic impact using the most recent data on unemployment. The study focuses upon vulnerable communities in in the southeastern US (Tennessee) with a concentration of high social vulnerability and rural communities. While all communities initially experienced the impact that was both sudden and severe, communities that had lower social disadvantage pre-COVID were much more likely to start resuming economic activities earlier than communities that were already vulnerable pre-COVID due to high social disadvantage with further implications upon community well-being. The impact of social disadvantage grew stronger post-COVID compared with the pre-pandemic period. In addition, we investigate worker characteristics associated with adverse labor market outcomes during the later stage of the current economic recession. We show that some socio-demographic groups have a systematically higher likelihood of being unemployed. Compared with the earlier stages, racial membership, poverty and loss of employment go hand in hand, while ethnic membership (Hispanics) and younger male workers are not associated with higher unemployment. Overall, the study contributes to a growing contemporaneous research on the consequences of the Covid-19 recession. Motivated by the lack of the research on the spatial aspect of the COVID-19-caused economic recession and its economic impacts upon the vulnerable communities during the later stages, we further contribute to the research gap.
Process Dependent Instabilities In Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 Solar Cells Under Water Ingress

CIGS solar cell degradation due to the impact of moisture and heat treatment was studied as a function of sputtering pressure of the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) deposition. The devices were immersed in deionized water for up to 72 hours. The results were compared and showed decrease in efficiency with time. The performance loss was mainly driven by change in shunt resistance, impacting the FF. Decrease in current density and increase in series resistance were also noted. Interestingly, performance loss was found to be more drastic for the devices with TCO deposited at higher pressure than at lower pressure.
Racial disparities negatively impact outcomes in early-onset colorectal cancer independent of socioeconomic status

Background The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients under age 50 is rising for unclear reasons. We examined the effects of socioeconomic factors on outcomes for patients with early-onset CRC compared to late-onset CRC. Methods Patients with CRC from 2004 to 2015 in the National Cancer Database were included and categorized by age (under or over 50 years). Differences in demographic and socioeconomic factors, disease characteristics, and survival outcomes between early-onset versus late-onset CRC patients were assessed by Chi-squared test and Cox models. Results The study population included 1,061,204 patients, 108,058 (10.2%) of whom were under age 50. The proportion of patients diagnosed under age 50 increased over time: 9.4% in 2004-2006, 10.1% in 2007-2009, 10.5% in 2010-2012, and 10.7% in 2013-2015 (p Conclusions Early-onset CRC continues to increase. Patients with early-onset CRC are more likely to be Black or Hispanic and to present with stage 4 cancer. Early-onset Black patients showed worse OS compared to White patients in all income subgroups, even with private insurance.
Programmverification at Stanford: Past, Present Future

In late 1971 Shigeru Igarashi, Ralph London, David Luckham, and Robin Milner were working at the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. At the same time Niklaus Wirth was visiting the Computer Science Department at Stanford. Robin Milner was implementing LCF [25, 26], a formal system to reason about programs based on Dana Scott’s logic of computable functions.
The Firefly Machine

In 1964 I built a machine christened “polytalanton” (“many-oscillators”: Figure 1) in which 71 flickering neon lamps were each coupled electrically to all the others (Winfree, 1965, 1967a, 1971). (There were 71 because out of 100 constructed, 29 drifted outside the intended range of autonomous period during initial “wearing in”) The purpose of building this machine was just to “look and see what would happen,” on a hunch that groups of oscillators might synchronize together in fleeting alliances of “syntalansis” (“together-oscillation”) One hope was that by plotting the output of this population of interacting oscillators in the same format as biologists use to plot activity rhythms of multicellular animals, enough resemblances might be noticed to suggest some interpretation of the tantalizingly complex biological records.