cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical Utility of Fetal Short-Lag Spatial Coherence Imaging.

Abstract In this study, we evaluate the clinical utility of fetal short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) imaging. Previous work has documented significant improvements in image quality with fetal SLSC imaging as quantified by measurements of contrast and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). The objective of this study was to examine whether this improved technical efficacy is indicative of the clinical utility of SLSC imaging. Eighteen healthy volunteers in their first and second trimesters of pregnancy were scanned using a modified Siemens SC2000 clinical scanner. Raw channel data were acquired for routinely examined fetal organs and used to generate fully matched raw and post-processed harmonic B-mode and SLSC image sequences, which were subsequently optimized for dynamic range and other imaging parameters by a blinded sonographer. Optimized videos were reviewed in matched B-mode and SLSC pairs by three blinded clinicians who scored each video based on overall quality, target conspicuity and border definition. SLSC imaging was highly favored over conventional imaging with SLSC scoring equal to (28.2 ± 10.5%) or higher than (63.9 ± 12.9%) B-mode for video pairs across all examined structures and processing conditions. Multivariate modeling revealed that SLSC imaging is a significant predictor of improved image quality with p ≤ 0.002. Expert-user scores for image quality support the application of SLSC in fetal ultrasound imaging.
Guiding students to understand CS concepts and develop process skills with POGIL

This workshop introduces Process -Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) to CS instructors. In a POGIL classroom, teams of 3- to 4 learners work on activities with a particular structure based on learning cycles. Through scripted inquiry and investigation, learners discover concepts and construct their own knowledge. Using assigned team roles and other scaffolding, learners develop process skills and individual responsibility. The teacher is not a lecturer, but an active facilitator who helps all students to be engaged and achieve the learning objectives. POGIL is an evidence-based approach, and has been shown to significantly improve student performance.
Can Simplifying Financial Aid Offers Impact College Enrollment and Borrowing? Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Evidence

Recent policy and research efforts have focused on simplifying the college-going process, improving transparency around college costs, and helping students make informed decisions. In 2012, the Oba...
Liability of Bank Directors in Germany: A Call for Public Enforcement

The financial crisis has wiped out wealth on a massive scale. Still, several years later, we have yet to see a high-ranking bank executive being held personally liable for the damage done. Behind this is what one could call a defunct system of director liability in Germany—with strict rules of conduct on the books, but hardly any enforcement in practice. Whilst this is a danger to good corporate governance in general, it is particularly pernicious for banks. The most promising way forward is to allow the regulator to play an active role in enforcing directors’ duties in the financial sector. Such powers exist de lege lata once a bank has gone into bankruptcy. This mechanism fails however, when banks are being bailed out. Therefore, it seems only reasonable to expand the supervisor’s powers in this regard. In turn, this would allow to correct for more onerous parts of substantive D&O liability and to scale back criminal enforcement in the area of corporate law. Having an effective public enforcement regime in place would make both of these wholly superfluous. Building on the current legal debate in Germany, this paper explores the case for public enforcement of director’s duties in the financial sector and, by drawing on comparative practical insights from Australia—the only country where a similar enforcement power has been implemented already—aims to sketch out some of the critical features of such a legal regime.
Minimum Size Sampling Plans

What is the smallest number of units that need be sampled from a lot for the probability to be at least (% that the lot will be rejected if it contains P% defective units or more? This article answers the preceding question and describes the resulting m..
The Quark Model Pion and the PCAC Pion

An important problem in the theory of strong interactions is furnished by the least massive hadrons, the pseudoscalar meson octet. The difficulty is that there are two such octets.
Cancer: Clinical Challenges and Opportunities

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Gene expression profiling of lung cancer may provide one method to increase our understanding of this very heterogeneous disease and potentially identify new approaches for early diagnosis, prognosis or treatment. This brief review examines some of the issues that are associated with the clinical presentation of this disease and some important questions that might be addressed using gene expression profiling experiments when applied to human lung cancer.
Studies on the mechanism of action of D-amino acid transaminase

Bacterial D-amino acid transaminase catalyzes the synthesis of D-glutamate and D-alanine for the bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan. The enzyme is likely present in all bacteria but is absent in mammalian cells. The mechanism of action of several enzyme-activated inhibitors (suicide substrates) of bacterial D-amino acid transaminase is reviewed with the objective of defining an inhibitor that might be a useful antimicrobial agent. Site-directed mutagenesis is being used to elucidate the mechanism of action of the enzyme.
Terms and Concepts of Medicine

The concept of medicine is defined with “art” as its proximate genus in one of the two most eminent – “authoritative” – English-language dictionaries of medicine, but with “art and science” in this role in the other; and as the specific differences within these genera the two dictionaries give the respective concerns, “preventing or curing disease” and “the diagnosis and treatment of disease and the maintenance of health” [20]. The I.E.A. dictionary [4] leaves medicine undefined.
PHYSICAL MAPPING OF SV40-LAMBDA HYBRID GENOMES

ABSTRACT Hybrid DNA molecules formed by linking fragments from defective simian virus 40 genomes to segments of phage λ DNA have been propagated in monkey kidney cells and their structures have been determined.
Robust Orbit Determination with Flash Lidar Around Small Bodies

This work explores the limits of using flash lidar measurements around an asteroid for relative orbit determination by comparing different filtering methods and testing the robustness of these meth...
On the boundedness of solutions of a class of third-order rational difference equations

We consider the difference equation xn+1=α+xnCxn−1+xn−2 with α>0 and C>0. If αC2≥1, we show that for all positive initial conditions the solutions of the difference equations are bounded. If αC2<1,...
Toward an Energy-Efficient Bridge-to-Digital Intracranial Pressure Sensing Interface

This work presents an integrated solution for lowering the power consumption in interface circuits for bridge sensors, which consume power because of their low resistances particularly in implantable microsystems, such as intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring application. The proposed direct bridge-to-digital interface uses a pseudo-pseudo differential (PPD) structure, in which the converter not only provides key benefits of traditional fully-differential interface circuits but also can reduce their complexity with single-ended architecture. It occupies 0.0667 mm2in 0.35-μm standard CMOS technology, where the interface provides 9.13 effective number of bits (ENOB), while cutting the power consumption of a 3 kΩWheatstone bridge down to 363 µW at 1.8 V supply, and sampling rate of 3.72 kHz in post-layout simulations.
A Comparison of Critical Time Interval Between Young and Old Subjects

Earlier research showed that human quiet upright stance posture is intermittently controlled through both open and closed loop control mechanisms. Critical time interval (CTI), the duration describing the time interval between the intermittent control signals is essential to understand the switch frequency of between the open and closed loop control. Yet the value of CTI, in particular the differences between young and older adults remain insufficiently investigated and thus un-clarified. In this research, intermittent critical time interval (ICTI) method was proposed to evaluate the differences of CTI between young and older adults. Consistent to conventional CTI method, it was found that young adults have larger CTI than older adults. The results from the ICTI method have smaller variation and better consistency across participants compared to the conventional CTI method. It is suggested that the higher frequency of intermittent control signals among older adults could be an indicator of lack of confidence or capacity in maintaining quiet upright stance.
Multibranched endovascular aortic aneurysm repair in patients with and without chronic aortic dissections.

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to compare multibranched endovascular aneurysm repair (MBEVAR) of postdissection thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) and pararenal aortic aneurysms (PRAAs) with MBEVAR of degenerative TAAAs and PRAAs and to assess the role played by the preoperative correction of potential complicating factors, such as true lumen compression and false lumen origin of vital branches, using adjunctive maneuvers. Methods From July 2005 to July 2017, there were 162 patients who underwent elective MBEVAR of TAAAs and PRAAs. Data on demographics, procedural details, and outcomes were collected prospectively. Results The mean age was 73 ± 8 years, and 119 of 162 (74%) were men; 19 of 162 (12%) had prior aortic dissections. Patients with dissections were younger (65 ± 11 years vs 74 ± 7 years; P = .002) and were less likely to have smoked (13/19 [68%] vs 135/143 [94%]; P = .002) or to have peripheral artery disease (0/19 [0%] vs 35/143 [24%]; P = .01) compared with those without dissections. Patients with prior dissections were more likely to have Crawford type II (10/19 [53%] vs 22/143 [15%]; P = .001) and type III (6/19 [32%] vs 16/143 [11%]; P = .03) TAAAs and were more likely to require at least one pre-MBEVAR adjunctive procedure (14/19 [74%] vs 55/143 [38%]; P = .006) compared with those without dissection. There was no difference in perioperative death, stroke, or paraplegia rates between the two groups. Median follow-up was 2.4 years (interquartile range, 0.8-4.7) and did not differ significantly between the two groups. There were no significant differences in branch vessel occlusion, endoleak rate, or aneurysm-related death between the two groups. Conclusions Patients with chronic type B aortic dissection are more likely to have extensive aneurysms and more likely to require adjunctive procedures to provide the appropriate anatomic substrate for MBEVAR, but this does not appear to affect the conduct of MBEVAR or its outcomes.
Retaining Experienced, Qualified Teachers:

One process for retaining experienced, qualified teachers is to provide them with opportunities to grow professionally (Blase & Blase, 2001). The intent of this paper is to provide information about meeting the needs of experienced, qualified rural teachers, especially in the area of professional development. A story line of one rural science teacher’s journey with professional development opportunities and experiences is shared. Her principal’s role is also described. Also included is a comparison between the teacher’s experiences and research about professional development. The paper concludes with recommendations for those involved in rural schools, especially in administrative positions will be shared. The recommendations focus on strengthening professional development opportunities and experiences for teachers.
Sustainable Process Intensification Using Building Blocks

Process intensification (PI) is a design concept that offers innovative solutions for making a substantial improvement in terms of cost, energy efficiency, emission, environmental footprint, proces...
Application of Trifluoroacetic Acid as a Theranostic Agent for Chemical Ablation of Solid Tissue.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as a theranostic chemical ablation agent and determine the efficacy of TFA for both noninvasive imaging and tissue destruction. Materials and Methods Fluorine-19 magnetic resonance imaging (19F-MRI) was optimized at 7 T using a custom-built volume coil. Fluorine images were acquired with both rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement and balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) sequences with varying parameters to determine the optimal sequence for TFA. The theranostic efficacy of chemical ablation was examined by injecting TFA (100 μL; 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0M) into ex vivo porcine liver. 19F and proton MRI were acquired and superimposed to visualize distribution of TFA in tissue and quantify sensitivity. Tissue damage was evaluated with gross examination, histology, and fluorescence microscopy. Results The optimal 19F-MRI sequence was found to be bSSFP with a repetition time of 2.5 ms and flip angle of 70°. The minimum imageable TFA concentration was determined to be 6.7 ± 0.5 mM per minute of scan time (0.63×0.63×5.00 mm voxel), and real-time imaging (temporal resolution of at least 1 s-1) was achieved with 2M TFA both in vitro and in ex vivo tissue. TFA successfully coagulated tissue, and damage was locally confined. In addition to hepatic cord disruption, cytoskeletal collapse and chromatin clumping were observed in severely damaged areas in tissues treated with 0.5M or higher TFA concentrations. Conclusions TFA was determined to be a theranostic agent for chemical ablation of solid tissue. Ablation was both efficacious and imageable in ex vivo healthy tissue, even at low concentrations or with high temporal resolution.
Immunoadsorbent Chromatography of Hypoxanthine-Guanine Phosphoribosyltransferase

Recent evidence indicates that the virtual absence of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) in patients with the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is due in most if not all instances to a mutation(s) on the gene coding for the HGPRT protein (Kelley and Meade, 1971; Rubin, et al., 1971; Arnold, Meade and Kelley, 1972). This mutation(s) results in the synthesis of a normal amount of a catalytically defective yet immunoreactive HGPRT enzyme protein. We have purified normal human HGPRT from erythrocytes and have prepared a highly specific antiserum in rabbits (anti-HGPRT) which displays a single precipitin line on immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoresis with both normal hemolysate and hemolysate from patients with the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. We have succeeded in coupling a partially-purified preparation of anti-HGPRT to cyanogen bromide activated sepharose and will present data which indicates that this technique is a promising method for the rapid isolation of both normal and mutant HGPRT.
Conversion from Gastric Plication to Sleeve Gastrectomy

Laparoscopic greater curvature plication for the treatment of morbid obesity has important clinical application as a, less expensive alternative to gastric bypass, duodenal switch, or sleeve gastrectomy. The operation is being performed in increasing numbers worldwide; many of these operations will eventually fail to maintain the weight loss achieved in the first 2 years following plication. Understanding the procedural steps involved in performing greater curvature plication allows the surgeon to plan and successfully convert a plication to sleeve gastrectomy. Review of the operative points in performing gastric plication, reversal of gastric plication, and preparation for sleeve gastrectomy are highlighted. Important innovations in immunoflorescent perfusion mapping improve results and assure vascular integrity of sleeve gastrectomy. Safe revision of gastric plication to sleeve gastrectomy is technically straightforward and can be done safely with favorable results for improved weight loss in the morbidly obese patient.
Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm due to Type IB Endoleak

A 75-year-old female with oxygen-dependent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease developed rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysm sac due to Type IB endoleak. Patient underwent coil embolization of the anterior and posterior branches of right hypogastric artery followed by deployment of an iliac extension limb from the right common iliac limb to the right mid external iliac artery. Patient died 3 weeks later due to respiratory failure.
Geometric-confinement suppression of flow-boiling instability using perforated wick: Part i CHF and conductance enhancement

Abstract Bubbles formed in flow boiling merge and pickup momentum downstream and inhibit liquid supply to the heated surface. To investigate these competitions between the phases adjacent to the heated surface (hydrodynamic instabilities) and to establish leading-edge liquid supply tracks, the flow-boiling canopy wick (FBCW) was previously introduced. The FBCW is a periodic, 3-D porous (sintered, metallic powder) and perforated structure enabling capillary suction to optimally separate and direct the liquid and vapor paths adjacent to the heated surface, while the liquid track is formed between the periodic perforations. Here, addition of levees (geometric confinement) on the edge of the perforations ensures the hydrodynamic stability (by diverting the vapor stream and wall-stabilizing the liquid track), thus extending the liquid track between the levees. The irrigated canopy is connected to porous posts and monolayer-evaporator for liquid supply and the vapor generated over the monolayer wick escapes through the perforations. This thin evaporation wick results in large thermal conductance. The critical heat flux (CHF) or dryout limits (e.g., liquid-vapor hydrodynamic instability, capillary-viscous) of this leveed FBCW are examined using analytical and numerical (CFD, including the VOF technique) simulations. The CFD results for saturated water at 1 atm and for a horizontal, rectangular channel heated at the lower surface show the surface liquid track is stabilized by the levees and the flow-boiling CHF and thermal conductance are enhanced significantly beyond the plain surface, reaching the capillary-viscous dryout limit. The leading-edge liquid track irrigation of the wick allows for use of smaller liquid velocities. The results for the FC-72 fluid are also presented.
Nodal modulator is required to sustain endoplasmic reticulum morphology

Nodal Modulator (NOMO) is a widely conserved type I transmembrane protein of unknown function, with three nearly identical orthologs specified in the human genome. We identified NOMO1 in a proteomics approach aimed at the identification of proteins that support the structural integrity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Overexpression of NOMO1 imposes a sheet morphology on the ER, while depletion of NOMO1 and its orthologs causes a collapse of ER morphology concomitant with the formation of membrane-delineated holes in the ER network. These structures are positive for the autophagy marker LAMP1, and LC3 is profoundly upregulated upon NOMO depletion. In vitro reconstitution of NOMO1 revealed a dimeric state that is mediated by the cytosolic tail domain, with each monomer featuring a "beads on a string" structure likely representing bacterial Ig-like folds. Based on these observations and a genetic epistasis analysis including the known ER-shaping proteins Atlastin2 and Climp63, we propose a role for NOMO1 in the functional network of ER-shaping proteins.
Familiness and innovation outcomes in family firms: The mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation

Despite having characteristics conducive to innovation, family firms are often thought to be less innovative than their nonfamily counterparts. A potential contributor to this innovation paradox is...
Seeing the height at the end of the (wind) tunnel

![Graphic][1] Without street signs or GPS, animals develop specific and effective strategies for getting where they need to go. To efficiently navigate, honeybees fly lower when facing into the wind and higher when flying with the wind. To understand how some bees determine flight routes
SAILING VESSEL STABILITY, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE PRIDE OF BALTIMORE CASUALTY

Stability is a critical element in the design and safe operation of sailing vessels. This paper discusses U.S. Coast Guard requirements for the intact stability of sailing vessels with emphasis on wind heel and dynamic stability criteria for passenger and sailing school vessels. The effects of deck edge immersion, downflooding, range of stability and intended route are examined in detail. The relationship between wind velocity and righting energy, as formulated in the U.S. Navy's small craft criteria, is analyzed. The PRIDE OF BALTIMORE casualty is reviewed as an example of wind effects on a sailing vessel under various conditions of sail.
Reading John Keats

John Keats (1795–1821), one of the best-loved poets of the Romantic period, is ever alive to words, discovering his purposes as he reads - not only books but also the world around him. Leading Keats scholar Susan J. Wolfson explores the breadth of his works, including his longest ever poem Endymion; subsequent romances, Isabella (a Boccaccio tale with a proto-Marxian edge admired by George Bernard Shaw), the passionate Eve of St Agnes and knotty Lamia; intricate sonnets and innovative odes; the unfinished Hyperion project (Keats's existential rethinking of epic agony); and late lyrics involved with Fanny Brawne, the bright (sometimes dark) star of his last years. Illustrated with manuscript pages, title-pages, and two portraits, Reading John Keats investigates the brilliant complexities of Keats's imagination and his genius in wordplay, uncovering surprises and new delights, and encouraging renewed respect for the power of Keats's thinking and the subtle turns of his writing.
IL-1β microinjections into the nucleus tractus solitarius in rodents alter cardiorespiratory patterning consistent with endotoxemia (686.19)

Endotoxemia increases heart (HR) and respiratory (fR) rates and disrupts cardio-respiratory coupling (CRC). We previously identified expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the nTS during endoto...
Lockouts Involving Replacement Workers: An Empirical Public Policy Analysisand Proposal to Balance Economic Weapons under the NLRA

The replacement lockout doctrine originated when unions had superior bargaining power and engaged in whipsaw strikes to pressure employers to agree to their bargaining demands. Originally, the NLRB permitted employers to lockout employees merely to synchronize with and not precipitate economic conflict. In the 1980s, the lockout doctrine was significantly expanded, paradoxically, at a time when unions were no longer able to use their economic weapons. The specter of replacements for strikers or locked out workers certainly diminished union bargaining power. This effect was intensified as the centralized structure of bargaining, which facilitated the whipsaw strike in the 1950s and 1960s, gave way to more decentralized negotiations. This pitted more isolated unions against stronger employers. The research in this paper examines only one employer practice that reveals the gross imbalance of competition between workers and employers. If employers are permitted to exploit this imbalance to the extent that labor markets permit, then the institution of collective bargaining is consigned to a bleak future. The potential demise of the NLRA threatens not only unions; it also raises troubling questions about what institution will mediate the widening gulf between employers who seek to maximize profits, and employees who confront fiercely competitive labor markets that compel them to work harder and longer, but for less pay and less security.
Translational genetics to identify the druggable space of neurological diseases (S9.001)

OBJECTIVE: To explore the use of genes identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for drug targeting in 3 neurological diseases with different biological backgrounds: multiple sclerosis (MS), schizophrenia (SCZ), and Alzheimer disease (AD). BACKGROUND: Recent advances in genetics have identified dozens or even hundreds genetic loci that influence susceptibility of common neurological diseases. These findings can help us understand complex pathways and disease mechanisms, but also guide drug repositioning and discovery. DESIGN/METHODS: We used the most recently published large-scale genetic studies in MS, AD, and SCZ to identify the putatively associated genes. Then we leveraged drug-gene interaction data to identify genes that are targeted by a drug or a known chemical compound. In a sensitivity analysis we expanded the list of tested genes by using direct protein-protein interactions (PPIs). RESULTS: We identified 160 genes in MS, 343 genes in SCZ, and 32 genes in AD. In MS, 20[percnt] of genes (n=33) are druggable, with overall 138 distinct gene-drug interactions. These included daclizumab, and dinoprostone (prostaglandin E2), abatacept, and the general interferon family. In SCZ 18[percnt] (n=61) of the genes are druggable, with ~600 interactions. A similar pattern emerged in AD, with 16[percnt] (n=5) of the genes been druggable and 49 distinct interactions. In the sensitivity analysis, we identified 793 genes with direct PPIs to MS-genes. 30[percnt] (n=241) of these had at least one drug interaction. In this level we identified MS-approved drugs and several drugs under investigation for use in MS, e.g. rituximab. In SCZ 24[percnt] of the PPI-enriched genes were druggable, whereas in AD 36[percnt]. CONCLUSIONS: We illustrate that the currently approved or investigational drugs in 3 different neurological diseases are directly or indirectly associated with GWAS-findings. We discuss how this information can be used in drug discovery, drug repositioning, and patient selection Study Supported by: Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center Disclosure: Dr. Patsopoulos has personal compensation for activities with Merck & Co., Inc. as a consultant. Dr. Wong has nothing to disclose.
Benign multicystic mesothelioma: a case report of three sisters

Benign multicystic mesothelioma (BMCM) is a rare tumor of the abdomen-peritoneum of unknown etiology. This benign tumor was initially described by Plaut in 1928 when he observed loose cysts in the pelvis during a surgery for a uterine leiomyoma.2 The mesothelial origin was later confirmed by electron micro-scopy by Mennemeyer and Smith in 1979.3 To date, there are approximately 140 cases of BMCM reported in the literature.4 This disease primarily occurs in pre-menopausal women and is associated with a history of pelvic inflammatory disease, prior abdominal surgery, and endometriosis.4,5 The pathogenesis of this disease remains controversial, with possible etiologies including a neoplastic versus a reactive process.5 In the literature, a few case reports discuss a possible genetic or familial association with BMCM.6 Specifically, one report describes a man with familial Mediterranean fever who developed BMCM. Although familial Mediter-ranean fever is associated with malignant mesothelioma, he had only BMCM, and did not suffer from malignant mesothelioma.6 A genetic evaluation and chromosomal analysis were not able to identify a specific genetic cause of the family’s pattern of disease. This case report describes two female siblings diagnosed with BMCM. In addition, a third sister also had findings consistent with BMCM, however, the discrete histological diagnosis was never confirmed.
Therapeutic targets for neuroprotection and/or enhancement of functional recovery following traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant public health concern. The number of injuries that occur each year, the cost of care, and the disabilities that can lower the victim's quality of life are all driving factors for the development of therapy. However, in spite of a wealth of promising preclinical results, clinicians are still lacking a therapy. The use of preclinical models of the primary mechanical trauma have greatly advanced our knowledge of the complex biochemical sequela that follow. This cascade of molecular, cellular, and systemwide changes involves plasticity in many different neurochemical systems, which represent putative targets for remediation or attenuation of neuronal injury. The purpose of this chapter is to highlight some of the promising molecular and cellular targets that have been identified and to provide an up-to-date summary of the development of therapeutic compounds for those targets.
The Judiciary in South Africa: Independence or Illusion?

In this chapter I explore judicial independence and legal transformation in South Africa. My central thesis is that judicial independence is one of the key ingredients to ensuring that the transformative possibilities embodied in the Constitution become a reality for the majority of South Africans. Despite widespread approval of the principle of judicial review amongst legal scholars, many have warned that an unelected body sitting in judgment of the powers and functions of elected representatives may erode the basic tenets of democracy. This is particularly so in the case of economic or social policy where courts in their judgments may be at odds with the executive, the legislature and popular sentiment on these matters. Two issues that come to mind are the death penalty and procedural rights for the criminally accused, where evidence suggests that the Court's judgments are not viewed favorably by significant sections of the population. I argue that because of the lingering effects of authoritarianism, racism, sexism, and other forms of prejudice - cultural by-products of colonialism and apartheid - an independent judiciary may rise above these sentiments and ensure that South Africa remains committed to the promises of rights embodied in the Constitution. But my thesis also considers judicial independence in light of the racial and gender transformation of the judiciary. I argue that although thus far the courts, and particularly the Constitutional Court, has demonstrated an impressive independence, the political and racial loyalties of some sectors of the public to the governing party may pose a threat to judicial independence.
Analysis of linear viscoelastic behaviour of alginate gels: effects of inner relaxation, water diffusion, and syneresis.

The mechanical behaviour of ionically cross-linked alginate gels is investigated here in detail. To determine the range of linear response of the materials, uniaxial, unconfined compression and torsional deformation experiments are performed, obtaining both the stress–strain and the viscoelastic behaviour of the gels. On-line measurements of the radii of the cylindrical gel samples in these experiments are also reported. The linearity range in the gel mechanical response is found to be rather limited, up to 6% strain, at most, contrary to more optimistic conclusions usually reported in the literature. We confirm the presence of a stress–diffusion coupling phenomenon in our alginates, i.e., the migration of water from/into the gels in response to the applied deformation. A phenomenon of inner (constitutive) relaxation of the network component of the gels is also clearly identified, and observed to occur, in parallel with solvent diffusion, upon compression. At sufficiently longer times after a deformation step, syneresis is always observed, with concomitant nonstandard viscoelastic effects, such as the growth of a normal force in torsion, and a size dependent decay of the longitudinal force in compression. We applied a two-fluid model, recently developed by two of the present authors [D. Larobina and F. Greco, J. Chem. Phys., 2012, 136(13), 134904], to simulate the relaxation tests upon torsional and compressive deformations, and to fit our own experiments. The model is found to well describe the coupling between constitutive relaxation and diffusion, and to reproduce the available force and radii data before the advent of syneresis.
Evaluation and prospects for storm-time corrections in the International Reference Ionosphere

IRI2000 [Radio Sci. 36 (2) (2001) 261] now contains a geomagnetic activity dependence based on an empirical storm-time ionospheric correction model STORM [Geof. Int. 39 (1) (2000) 29; Radio Sci. 37 (5) (2002) 1070] The storm correction is driven by the previous time-history of ap, and is designed to scale the quiet-time F-layer critical frequency (foF2) to account for storm-time changes in the ionosphere. The quality of the storm-time correction has been evaluated by comparing the model with the observed ionospheric response during all the significant geomagnetic storms in 2000 and 2001. The model output was compared with the actual ionospheric response at 15 stations for each storm. The comparisons show the model captures the decreases in electron density particularly well in summer and equinox conditions, but has less quality during winter conditions. The value of the model has been quantified by comparing the data with the IRI2000 model, which contains the storm correction, and with IRI95, which has no geomagnetic activity dependence. The results of this study illustrate that the root mean square error (RMSE) with IRI2000 has a 28% improvement over IRI95 during the storm days, a significant improvement. A similar model for TEC is currently being developed based on data from ground-based dual frequency GPS observations. During the Bastille Day storm the GPS data over Florida showed dramatic changes. Data such this will be used to develop an empirical storm-time TEC correction model adopting a similar approach, as was done for the F-region model.
Uveal Lymphoma: Clinical Features, Diagnostic Studies, Treatment Selection, and Outcomes

Objective To describe the clinical features, ancillary diagnostic studies, and treatment selection in a cohort of patients with uveal lymphoma. Design Retrospective clinical review. Participants A total of 22 patients (34 affected eyes) diagnosed with uveal lymphoma between 1997 and 2013. Methods Data were collected regarding patient characteristics, clinical features on ophthalmic examination, ancillary imaging studies, and primary treatment selection. Main Outcome Measures Relapse defined as lymphoma recurrence in the initial site of presentation, the contralateral eye, or other systemic site and overall survival. Results Fifteen patients were male (68.2%). Median age at diagnosis was 68.0 years. The choroid was involved in 21 cases (95.5%), and 1 case (4.5%) was ciliochoroidal. Other ocular adnexal structures were affected in 13 patients (59.1%), including the conjunctiva in 4 (18.2%), the orbit in 7 (31.8%), and both the conjunctiva and orbit in 2 (9.1%). Bilateral disease was present in 12 patients (54.5%). The most common presenting symptom was decreased vision in 15 patients (68.2%). The median delay in diagnosis was 4.0 months. Yellow-white choroidal infiltrates were observed on fundus examination in 34 eyes (100.0%) with corresponding hypofluorescence in 100% of cases when indocyanine green angiography was performed. Infiltrates were located anterior to the arcades (67.6%), most commonly in a diffuse (32.4%) or superotemporal (32.4%) distribution. B-scan ultrasonography detected extrascleral extension in 22 patients (75.9%) with a pattern of crescentic thickening in 19 (86.4%). Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma was the predominant (76.2%) histologic subtype. External beam radiotherapy (72.7%) was most commonly chosen for primary treatment. Systemic imaging at the time of diagnosis revealed that the majority of cases (77.3%) were localized to the eye; none of the patients developed new systemic disease (median follow-up, 30.3 months). Conclusions Uveal lymphoma has distinctive clinical features. Overlap with ocular adnexal structures is common, and ancillary imaging is essential for evaluating the full extent of ocular disease and presence of systemic involvement.
The vertex ideal of a lattice

We introduce a monomial ideal whose standard monomials encode the vertices of all fibers of a lattice. We study the minimal generators, the radical, the associated primes and the primary decomposition of this ideal, as well as its relation to initial ideals of lattice ideals.
Joint control and compressed sensing for dynamic spectrum access in agile wireless networks

In this paper, a cross-layer framework for joint distributed sensing, estimation and control in agile wireless networks is presented. A network of secondary users (SUs) opportunistically accesses portions of the spectrum left unused by a licensed network of primary users (PUs). A central controller (CC) schedules the spectrum bands detected as idle for access by the SUs, based on compressed measurements acquired by the SUs. The sparsity in the spectrum occupancy dynamics is exploited: leveraging the spectrum occupancy estimate in the previous slot, the CC needs to estimate only a sparse residual uncertainty vector via sparse recovery techniques, so that only few measurements suffice. The sensing probability of the SUs and the spectrum scheduling are adapted over time by the CC, based on the current spectrum occupancy estimate, and jointly optimized so as to maximize the SU throughput, under constraints on the PU throughput degradation and the sensing cost incurred by the SUs. A compact state space representation and decoupling of the state estimator from the CC are proposed: the estimator provides a maximum-a-posteriori spectrum estimate, as well as false-alarm and mis-detection error probabilities for the bins detected as busy and idle, respectively, based on which the CC performs scheduling and sensing decisions. Simulation results demonstrate improvements up to 11% in the SU throughput over a static sensing scheme.
The influence of semantic and acoustic similarity on retention of short sentences

Short sentences were used as the learning material in retroactive-interference (RI) and proactive-interference (PI) designs. The relative influence of acoustically and semantically similar interfering sentences in the two designs was studied. Significant PI but no significant RI effect was found. Both acoustically and semantically smimlar material interfered with retention, with the latter having a more powerful influence.
Mountains and arid climates of middle latitudes

Simulations from a global climate model with and without orography have been used to investigate the role of mountains in maintaining extensive arid climates in middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Dry climates similar to those observed were simulated over central Asia and western interior North America in the experiment with mountains, whereas relatively moist climates were simulated in these areas in the absence of orography. The experiments suggest that these interior regions are dry because general subsidence and relatively infrequent storm development occur upstream of orographically induced stationary wave troughs. Downstream of these troughs, precipitation-bearing storms develop frequently in association with strong jet streams. In contrast, both atmospheric circulation and precipitation were more zonally symmetric in the experiment without mountains. In addition, orography reduces the moisture transport into the continental interiors from nearby oceanic sources. The relative soil wetness of these regions in the experiment without mountains is consistent with paleoclimatic evidence of less aridity during the late Tertiary, before substantial uplift of the Rocky Mountains and Tibetan Plateau is believed to have occurred.
Race and treating other people's children as adults

Juvenile offenders are sometimes transferred to a criminal court where they may stand trial as adults. The rationale for this current trend cannot be justified based on evidence from developmental psychology, the evidence of consistent positive effects for particular intervention strategies, and ethical arguments for justification of punishment. The rationale in actuality reflects the selective manipulation of the alternative conceptions of young people as dependent and vulnerable or as autonomous and responsible to continue to justify policies that entail cultural and racial discrimination. Discretionary decisions at various stages of the justice process amplify racial disparities as minority youths proceed through the system and result in more severe dispositions than for comparable White youths.
Neutralizing Antibody Against Interleukin-6 Attenuates Posthemorrhagic Vasospasm in the Rat Femoral Artery Model

OBJECTIVE The degree to which inflammation contributes to the development of posthemorrhagic vasospasm is controversial. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between various inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin [IL]-1alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6) and the development of experimental vasospasm. METHODS Posthemorrhagic vasospasm was produced in the rat femoral artery model. A latex pouch was placed around each femoral artery, and one pouch was injected with autologous blood and the other with saline as an internal control. Animals were killed at various time points (1 h to 16 d) after surgery (blood exposure), and the degree of vasospasm was assessed by image analysis of artery cross sectional area. Levels of inflammatory cytokines were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the ability of a polyclonal antibody against rat IL-6 to inhibit vasospasm was tested. RESULTS The rat femoral artery model produced a biphasic vasospasm response, with maximal chronic delayed vasospasm occurring at 8 days after hemorrhage. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed a significant increase in IL-6 concentrations in blood-exposed arteries relative to saline-exposed arteries at multiple time points (6, 12, 24, and 48 h) after hemorrhage (P < 0.0001). A relative increase in IL-1alpha levels was noted at 24 hours (P < 0.01). IL-1beta levels were similarly elevated in both blood- and saline-exposed arteries, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels were not detectable. Administration of a neutralizing polyclonal antibody against rat IL-6 directly into the blood-exposed periarterial pouch at the time of initial surgery resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in the degree of vasospasm compared with vehicle-treated controls at 8 days after hemorrhage (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that cytokine-mediated inflammation is active in the setting of posthemorrhagic vasospasm produced by the rat femoral artery model. In particular, the profound increase in IL-6 levels after exposure to hemorrhage and the ability of a polyclonal antibody against IL-6 to reduce vasospasm suggest that IL-6 may play a prominent role in the development of vasospasm in this model.
The development of interattitudinal consistency: The shared-consequences model

A model of interattitudinal consistency was proposed to address: (a) the factors mediating political expert-novice differences in interattitudinal organization and (b) the processes mediating the development of interattitudinal organization among political novices. In Experiment 1, both expertise and situationally induced thought (among novices) heightened the extent to which pairs of policies were viewed as instrumentally influencing the attainment of a common set of values, which in turn influenced the structural balance of participants' attitudes. Moreover, both expertise and thought (among experts) heightened the ideological consistency of participants' attitudes. In Experiment 2, thought related to values or implicational relations increased the structural balance of novices' attitudes, whereas ideology-related thought increased the ideological consistency of experts' attitudes. Discussion focuses on a general consequences-based model of interattitudinal structure.
Chemiluminescent solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and interations with intact skin

We report the synthesis and characterization of a novel nanoparticle formulation designed for skin penetration for the purpose of skin imaging. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), a drug delivery vehicle, were used as the matrix for targeted delivery of peroxide-sensitive chemiluminescent compounds to the epidermis. Luminol and oxalate were chosen as the chemiluminescent test systems, and a formulation was determined based upon non-toxic components, lotion-like properties, and longevity/visibility of a chemiluminescent signal. The luminescence lifetime was extended in the lipid formulation in comparison to the chemiluminescent system in solution. When applied to porcine skin, our formulation remained detectable relative to negative and positive controls. Initial MTT toxicity testing using HepG2 cells have indicated that this formulation is relatively non-toxic. This formulation could be used to image native peroxides present in tissue that may be indicative of skin disease.
Low velocity impact properties of nanoparticulate syntactic foams

The low velocity impact response of nanoparticulate syntactic foams is studied. Nanoparticulate syntactic foams are prepared by mixing nanoclay in low density syntactic foams composed of glass microballoons and epoxy matrix. The volume percentage of microballoons is maintained at 60% while the nanoclay concentrations in the composite are set at 1%, 2% and 5% so that the density of the composite does not increase significantly. The impact test results show that the maximum load bearing capacity and initiation energy is obtained when 1% nanoclay volume fraction is incorporated. The SEM images also reveal the effect of incorporation of nanoclay on the fracture behavior of syntactic foam. Two types of microballoons are used to investigate the effect of radius ratio on the impact resistance of fabricated syntactic foams. The syntactic foam having higher wall thickness microballoons has shown more impact resistance. This work has demonstrated the possibility of achieving higher impact properties in syntactic foam without significant increase in density.
Influence of cell density and receptor number on the binding and distribution of cell surface epidermal growth factor receptors

Previous studies have shown that cell density influences the expression of receptors for at least four growth factors. The data presented in this report demonstrate that epidermal growth factor receptors are regulated differently on cells expressing over a million receptors as opposed to cells expressing approximately fivefold fewer receptors. Specifically, we show that BT-20, MDA-468, and A-431-R1 cells, which exhibit a large number of epidermal growth factor receptors, preferentially down-regulate the high affinity class of these receptors as cell density increases. In addition, we show that these cells express cell surface epidermal growth factor receptors that are localized predominantly to the periphery of the cells. In contrast, A-549 and BSC-1 cells, which exhibit fewer cell surface epidermal growth factor receptors and which reduce all affinity classes of epidermal growth factor receptors as cell density increases, exhibit a diffuse cell surface distribution of these receptors at both low and high densities.
Admission control for statistical QoS: theory and practice

In networks that support quality of service, an admission control algorithm determines whether or not a new traffic flow can be admitted to the network such that all users will receive their required performance. Such an algorithm is a key component of future multiservice networks because it determines the extent to which network resources are utilized and whether the promised QoS parameters are actually delivered. The goals in this article are threefold. First, we describe and classify a broad set of proposed admission control algorithms. Second, we evaluate the accuracy of these algorithms via experiments using both on-off sources and long traces of compressed video; we compare the admissible regions and QoS parameters predicted by our implementations of the algorithms with those obtained from trace-driven simulations. Finally, we identify the key aspects of an admission control algorithm necessary for achieving a high degree of accuracy and hence a high statistical multiplexing gain.