cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Battle for Implied Preemption: Products Liability and the FDA

A mere five years ago, the FDA began, for the first time in its 100 year history, to take the position that its prescription drug labeling regulations defeated the ability of injured plaintiffs to pursue common law tort claims based on the adequacy of the labeling. This position, radical to many and rational to others, places federal preemption of prescription drug labeling actions directly in the center of the debate over the proper roles of federal regulation and state tort laws in promoting product safety. The Supreme Court has added to that debate with a number of product liability preemption decisions in the past two decades. Seeking to promote both understanding and balance regarding the operation of preemption doctrine within products liability, this Article provides a comprehensive explanation of the applicability of preemption doctrine to prescription drug product liability actions. It explores the history of preemption doctrine as it relates to the food and drug laws, evaluates the arguments posited in favor of and against preemption, assesses the FDA's position on the application of that doctrine to current litigation, and provides direction to courts in defining the boundaries of implied preemption.
Recombinational DNA Repair of Damaged Replication Forks in Escherichia coli: Questions

▪ Abstract It has recently become clear that the recombinational repair of stalled replication forks is the primary function of homologous recombination systems in bacteria. In spite of the rapid progress in many related lines of inquiry that have converged to support this view, much remains to be done. This review focuses on several key gaps in understanding. Insufficient data currently exists on: (a) the levels and types of DNA damage present as a function of growth conditions, (b) which types of damage and other barriers actually halt replication, (c) the structures of the stalled/collapsed replication forks, (d) the number of recombinational repair paths available and their mechanistic details, (e) the enzymology of some of the key reactions required for repair, (f) the role of certain recombination proteins that have not yet been studied, and (g) the molecular origin of certain in vivo observations associated with recombinational DNA repair during the SOS response. The current status of each of these...
Mutational analysis of major, sequential IgE-binding epitopes in αs1-casein, a major cow's milk allergen

Abstract Background: Allergy to cow's milk is common in early childhood, and no therapy other than avoidance exists. In murine models of peanut allergy, immunotherapy with mutated, engineered, proteins appears promising. Objective: We sought to identify the critical amino acids (AAs) for immunoglobulin E (IgE) binding within the major B-cell epitopes of α s1 -casein, a major cow's milk allergen. This will provide the necessary information to alter the cDNA to encode a protein capable of activating milk-specific T cells, but with reduced IgE-binding capacity. Methods: For mutational analysis of the IgE-binding epitopes, peptides of 10-14 AAs in length were synthesized on a derivatized cellulose membrane with single or multiple AA substitutions. Membranes were immunolabeled with pooled sera from 15 cow's-milk-allergic patients and with 8 individual sera. Results: With the pooled sera, substitution of a single AA led to complete abrogation of IgE binding to 2 of 8 peptides and diminished binding in the remainder. Substitution of multiple AAs led to an abrogation of binding in the remaining peptides. In 4 of the 8 peptides, the critical AA identified with pooled sera did not result in significant reduction of IgE binding with 1 or more individual patients. For these patients, other critical AAs were identified, indicating a more heterogeneous pattern in IgE recognition. Conclusion: This study indicates that single or multiple AA substitutions within IgE-binding epitopes result in reduced binding of milk-specific IgE antibodies by patients' sera. However, for future immunotherapeutic interventions with mutated peptides, critical AAs should be evaluated with individual patient sera to determine B-cell-epitope heterogeneity. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;112:433-7.)
Fast Learning with Predictive Forward Models

A method for transforming performance evaluation signals distal both in space and time into proximal signals usable by supervised learning algorithms, presented in [Jordan & Jacobs 90], is examined. A simple observation concerning differentiation through models trained with redundant inputs (as one of their networks is) explains a weakness in the original architecture and suggests a modification: an internal world model that encodes action-space exploration and, crucially, cancels input redundancy to the forward model is added. Learning time on an example task, cartpole balancing, is thereby reduced about 50 to 100 times.
Subcutaneous access ports with fenestrated catheters for improved management of recurrent pleural effusions

Repeated percutaneous thoracentesis can involve serious complications, such as pneumothorax or infection. Alternatives such as placement of chest tubes or pleurodesis have their own potential complications. Creative options such as pleuroperitoneal shunting and video thoracoscopy have previously been used to avoid the disadvantages of repeated percutaneous thoracentesis. This paper describes an easy and effective method for managing these patients without repeated percutaneous thoracentesis. A port is inserted that can be accessed percutaneously and immediately for needed aspirations. We have successfully performed this procedure on 6 patients. Our hope is that the easy access using a short needle into the port aperture will allow the thoracentesis to be performed by appropriately instructed and supervised paramedical personnel. Also, with fewer postprocedure chest radiographs or hemothoraceses, future benefits from this procedure could include cost effectiveness.
Soil moisture states, lateral flow, and streamflow generation in a semi-arid, snowmelt-driven catchment

Hydraulic connectivity on hillslopes and the existence of preferred soil moisture states in a catchment have important controls on runoff generation. In this study we investigate the relationships between soil moisture patterns, lateral hillslope flow, and streamflow generation in a semi-arid, snowmelt-driven catchment. We identify five soil moisture conditions that occur during a year and present a conceptual model based on field studies and computer simulations of how streamflow is generated with respect to the soil moisture conditions. The five soil moisture conditions are (1) a summer dry period, (2) a transitional fall wetting period, (3) a winter wet, low-flux period, (4) a spring wet, high-flux period, and (5) a transitional late-spring drying period. Transitions between the periods are driven by changes in the water balance between rain, snow, snowmelt and evapotranspiration. Low rates of water input to the soil during the winter allow dry soil regions to persist at the soil–bedrock interface, which act as barriers to lateral flow. Once the dry-soil flow barriers are wetted, whole-slope hydraulic connectivity is established, lateral flow can occur, and upland soils are in direct connection with the near-stream soil moisture. This whole-slope connectivity can alter near-stream hydraulics and modify the delivery of water, pressure, and solutes to the stream. Copyright  2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of bile salts on gastric emptying and intestinal transit in the rat.

Summary Orally administered bile salts, sodium taurodeoxycholate and sodium deoxycholate, decreased gastric emptying and proximal intestinal transit rate in rats. The unconjugated bile salt (sodium deoxycholate) produced inhibition of gastric emptying comparable with that produced by the conjugated derivative (sodium taurodeoxycholate) at about 0.1 to 0.2 the dose. The effects on gastric emptying appeared to be proportional to the administered dose. The second intestinal segment showed an increase in transit rate with the highest bile salt dose. With all of the doses, there was an influx of fluid into the gastrointestinal tract which appeared to be proportional to the dose of bile salt given.
Development Planning and the MBA: Facilitating Ownership and Intentionality in Career Management

MBA students themselves may be able to help close the gap between their education and the workplace. Here we describe an educational intervention of assessment and reflection with a goal of creating a development plan linking work in the classroom and development on the job, in which organizational feedback and engagement is an active element. Follow up research points to the importance of helping students gain a sense of ownership and intentionality in managing their careers and professional development. These findings raise important questions regarding the selection and teaching of MBA students.
How Verified is My Code? Falsification-Driven Verification (T)

Formal verification has advanced to the point that developers can verify the correctness of small, critical modules. Unfortunately, despite considerable efforts, determining if a "verification" verifies what the author intends is still difficult. Previous approaches are difficult to understand and often limited in applicability. Developers need verification coverage in terms of the software they are verifying, not model checking diagnostics. We propose a methodology to allow developers to determine (and correct) what it is that they have verified, and tools to support that methodology. Our basic approach is based on a novel variation of mutation analysis and the idea of verification driven by falsification. We use the CBMC model checker to show that this approach is applicable not only to simple data structures and sorting routines, and verification of a routine in Mozilla's JavaScript engine, but to understanding an ongoing effort to verify the Linux kernel Read-Copy-Update (RCU) mechanism.
Stress Relaxation Behavior of Ethylene Propylene-Hexadiene Terpolymers

Abstract 1. The stress relaxation behavior of E/P/hexadiene polymer over wide temperature [Tg to (Tg+140°C)] and composition (molar E/P = 1.7 to 4.4) ranges is described. 2. Although Tg of the polymers is essentially constant (− 60° C), the onset temperature for rubbery flow characterized by an abrupt change in the rate of stress relaxation is highly dependent upon composition. It increases to a higher temperature as the ethylene content is increased. It is also affected by the catalysts used for polymer synthesis. 3. The time-temperature shift factor for one sample was found to follow the WLF equation over the temperature range from − 50° C to 0° C.
Non-iterative Voltage Stability

This report demonstrates promising capabilities and performance characteristics of the proposed method using several power systems models. The new method will help to develop a new generation of highly efficient tools suitable for real-time parallel implementation. The ultimate benefit obtained will be early detection of system instability and prevention of system blackouts in real time.
Measurements in a Transitioning Cone Boundary Layer at Freestream Mach 3.5

An experimental study was conducted in the Supersonic Low-Disturbance Tunnel to investigate naturally-occurring instabilities in a supersonic boundary layer on a 7 deg half- angle cone. All tests were conducted with a nominal freestream Mach number of M(sub infinity) = 3:5, total temperature of T(sub 0) = 299:8 K, and unit Reynolds numbers of Re(sub infinity) x 10(exp -6) = 9:89, 13.85, 21.77, and 25.73 m(exp -1). Instability measurements were acquired under noisy- ow and quiet- ow conditions. Measurements were made to document the freestream and the boundary-layer edge environment, to document the cone baseline flow, and to establish the stability characteristics of the transitioning flow. Pitot pressure and hot-wire boundary- layer measurements were obtained using a model-integrated traverse system. All hot- wire results were single-point measurements and were acquired with a sensor calibrated to mass ux. For the noisy-flow conditions, excellent agreement for the growth rates and mode shapes was achieved between the measured results and linear stability theory (LST). The corresponding N factor at transition from LST is N 3:9. The stability measurements for the quiet-flow conditions were limited to the aft end of the cone. The most unstable first-mode instabilities as predicted by LST were successfully measured, but this unstable first mode was not the dominant instability measured in the boundary layer. Instead, the dominant instabilities were found to be the less-amplified, low-frequency disturbances predicted by linear stability theory, and these instabilities grew according to linear theory. These low-frequency unstable disturbances were initiated by freestream acoustic disturbances through a receptivity process that is believed to occur near the branch I locations of the cone. Under quiet-flow conditions, the boundary layer remained laminar up to the last measurement station for the largest Re1, implying a transition N factor of N greater than 8:5.
The Pathway to Total Isomer Selectivity: n-Hexane Conversion (Reforming) on Platinum Nanoparticles Supported on Aluminum Modified Mesoporous Silica (MCF-17)

When pure mesoporous silica (MCF-17) was modified with aluminum (Al modified MCF-17), Lewis acid sites were created, but this material was inactive for the catalytic conversion (reforming) of n-hexane to isomers. When colloidally synthesized platinum nanoparticles were loaded onto traditional MCF-17, the catalyst showed very low activity toward isomer production. However, when Pt nanoparticles were loaded onto Al modified MCF-17, isomerization became the dominant catalytic pathway, with extremely high activity and selectivity (>90%), even at high temperatures (240–360 °C). This highly efficient catalytic chemistry was credited to the tandem effect between the acidic Al modified MCF-17 and the Pt metal.
Gliomatosis Peritonei Associated with a Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

The authors describe a seven-month-old male patient with non-teratomatous gliomatosis peritonei secondary to the placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. The glial nodules were discovered during microscopic examination of bilateral herniorrhaphy specimens. The glial nature of the implants was confirmed immunohistochemically. The pathogenesis and implications of this finding are discussed, and shunt-related tumor transplantations are briefly reviewed.
Queer Virginity and the Oxford Movement: Newman and Dalgairns

Part 1 of Same-Sex Desire examines religious communities and the Catholic priesthood as sites in the nineteenth century where same-sex desire was expressed in devotion and friendship. Chapter 1 considers the theology of Cardinal Newman and the homoaffective community of the monastery suggested by Aelred’s biographer, John Dalgairns. Earlier Christian models constructed nineteenth-century Catholicism. Religious life was queer in its separation from biologically-reproductive, heteronormative culture. Religious orders and monasticism, in their glorification of virginity, allowed safe expressions of same-sex desire, not involving genital sexuality or even physical affection. Rather, desire for God, often mediated by friendship with a person of one’s own gender, opened possibilities that a more sexually aware culture of later decades claimed with greater anxiety and self-awareness.
Reordering and Reflecting Factors for Simulation Studies With Exploratory Factor Analysis

This article describes the REREFACT R package, which provides a postrotation algorithm that reorders or reflects factors for each replication of a simulation study with exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The purpose of REREFACT is to provide a general algorithm written in freely available software, R, dedicated to addressing the possibility that a nonuniform order or sign pattern of the factors could be observed across replications. The algorithm implemented in REREFACT proceeds in 4 steps. Step 1 determines the total number of equivalent forms, I, of the vector of factors, η. Step 2 indexes, i = 1, 2 … I, each equivalent form of η (i.e., ηi) via a unique permutation matrix, P (i.e., Pi). Step 3 determines which ηi each replication follows. Step 4 uses the appropriate Pi to reorder or re-sign parameter estimates within each replication so that all replications uniformly follow the order and sign pattern defined by the population values. Results from two simulation studies provided evidence for the efficac...
Sozialgeschichten statt Heldengeschichten

»Personen, Manner sind es, welche die Geschichte machen, Manner wie Luther, wie Friedrich der Grose und Bismarck. Diese grose, heldenhafte Wahrheit wird immer wahr bleiben, und wie es zugeht, das diese Manner erscheinen, zur rechten Zeit der rechte Mann, das wird uns Sterblichen immer ein Ratsel sein.« [358]
Characterization of the Expression of Basigin Gene Products Within the Pineal Gland of Mice

The expression of Basigin gene products and monocarboxylate transporter-1 (MCT1) has been investigated within the mammalian neural retina and suggests a role for these proteins in cellular metabolism within that tissue. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the expression of these same proteins in the pineal gland of the mouse brain. Mouse pineal gland and neural retina RNA and protein were subjected to quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting analyses. In addition, paraffin-embedded sections of each tissue were analyzed for expression of Basigin gene products and MCT1 via immunohistochemistry. The results indicate that MCT1 and Basigin variant-2, but not Basigin variant-1, are expressed within the mouse pineal gland. The expression of Basigin variant-2 and MCT1 was localized to the capsule surrounding the gland. The position and relative amounts of the gene products suggest that they play a much less prominent role within the pineal gland than in the neural retina.
A Boltzmann constant determination based on Johnson noise thermometry

A value for the Boltzmann constant was measured electronically using an improved version of the Johnson Noise Thermometry (JNT) system at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), USA. This system is different from prior ones, including those from the 2011 determination at NIST and both 2015 and 2017 determinations at the National Institute of Metrology (NIM), China. As in all three previous determinations, the main contribution to the combined uncertainty is the statistical uncertainty in the noise measurement, which is mitigated by accumulating and integrating many weeks of cross-correlated measured data. The second major uncertainty contribution also still results from variations in the frequency response of the ratio of the measured spectral noise of the two noise sources, the sense resistor at the triple-point of water and the superconducting Quantum Voltage Noise Source (QVNS). In this paper, we briefly describe the major differences between our JNT system and previous systems, in particular the input circuit and approach we used to match the frequency responses of the two noise sources. After analyzing and integrating 44 days of accumulated data, we determined a value: k=1.380 641 0(81)×10lsupg-23l/supg J/K with a relative standard uncertainty of 5.9×10lsupg-6l/supg and relative offset -5.47×10lsupg-6l/supg from the CODATA 2014 recommended value.
Why Kinesthesia, Tactility and Affectivity Matter: Critical and Constructive Perspectives:

This article offers critical and constructive perspectives essential to understanding living bodies, and, in effect, to showing that kinesthesia, tactility and affectivity matter because they are c...
Philosophical Bibliography of Hector-Neri Castañeda (1991-1999)

[Editors’ Introduction. The first Festschrift for Hector-Neri Castaneda (Tomberlin 1983: 467—476) contains a bibliography of Castaneda’s publications up to 1982. A list of Castaneda’s publications up to 1986 (Landini 1986) can be found in the second Castaneda Festschrift (Tomberlin 1986). These bibliographies are supplemented by a list of Castaneda’s publications in the period 1986—1990 that appears in Castaneda 1990. The present list, compiled by Tomis Kapitan, aims at completing these previous bibliographies by listing Castaneda’s publications since 1991.]
GENETIC AND DEVELOPMENTAL ANALYSES OF LDH ISOZYMES IN TROUT

ABSTRACT. Tissue distributions and genetic and developmental aspects of three LDH isozyme systems specified by five loci in salmonids are described and a unifying system of their nomenclature is proposed. A fourth series of isozymes was shown to be an epigenetic modification of one autotetramer from the above.
Time-Dependent Multi-Physics Analysis of Inductive Power Transfer Systems

A multi-physics time-dependent model for design and analysis of inductive electric vehicle (EV) charging systems is presented. The model combines time-harmonic electromagnetic, time-dependent or steady-state thermal and fluid models that are all solved together using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Detailed coupled formulations for each physics and their corresponding boundary conditions are presented. The multiphysics model includes the fluid dynamics model that incorporates the air convection process and therefore results in more accurate thermal performance analysis. COMSOL Multiphysics software is used for performing the steady-state and time-domain FEA based multi-physics simulations on a case study inductive EV charging system. The results show that using the multi-physics model the behavior of the IPT system can be effectively analyzed. The multiphysics model is specifically helpful for choosing the proper cooling system and thermal insulation between the charging pad and the vehicle.
Quantitative comparison of photo- and electron-beam polymerizations based on equivalent initiation energy

Abstract Electron-beam (EB) and photopolymerization rely on radiation chemistry; however, fundamental differences arise in initiation and energy deposition. Since photopolymerization has been widely studied, a quantitative comparison would facilitate a better understanding of the kinetic and physical impact of the EB initiation mechanism, which is substantially more difficult to characterize. Here, a protocol was developed that enables investigation of EB and photopolymerized films of equivalent initiation energies. Using this protocol, the impact of the initiation mechanism on energy rate effects (EREs) was characterized for a series of five acrylate monomers. Differences in polymer conversion and physical properties were determined via Raman spectroscopy and dynamic mechanical analysis, respectively. In comparison to the EB-polymerized films of equivalent initiation energy and energy rate, the photopolymerized films had equal or lower conversions. Additionally, monomer chemistry was a key factor for differentiating ERE magnitude across the five-monomer series for both initiation mechanisms. Differences between initiation mechanisms were also demonstrated in Tg, FWHM of the tan δ peak, and the maximum tan δ peak height for two of the monomer formulations. Quantifying these differences not only improves knowledge of fundamental kinetics, but also provides a foundation for predictive chemical structure/processing parameter/polymer property relationships.
Evaluation of silicone elastomers as structural materials for microstructured adhesives

Microstructured (sometimes referred to as gecko-like) adhesives have numerous advantages over flat films, especially for practical applications on non-ideal surfaces that may be uneven or contaminated with dust. However, due to interdependence among material surface and bulk properties, the best material to fabricate such adhesives is still unknown. In this work, we analyzed eleven commercially available silicone elastomers to evaluate their use as flat and microstructured adhesives to address multiple material related questions that may impact the choice of the 'best' material for microstructured dry adhesives. To illustrate the applicability of the measured properties to modeling microstructured surfaces, we use stalk-shaped microstructures, whose contact mechanics are well understood. We demonstrate that there is no correlation between the adhesion strength of flat and microstructured adhesives; while bulk dissipation is the most important factor influencing the adhesion strength of flat elastomers, after microstructurization, interface toughness becomes more important. Therefore, microstructured elastomers loaded with high surface energy additives may demonstrate higher adhesion than their flat counterparts. We also compare the adhesion of flat and microstructured silicone elastomers on rough substrates. In this case, we show that while flat elastomer adhesion decreases with increasing substrate roughness, microstructured silicone adhesion actually increases with increasing roughness up to 0.19 [Formula: see text]m. This is the first time an increase in adhesion strength on rough surfaces is reported for materials stiffer than 1.0 MPa.
Evaluation of miscanthus productivity and water use efficiency in southeastern United States.

Abstract Second generation biofuels, such as perennial grasses, have potential to provide biofuel feedstock while growing on degraded land with minimal inputs. Perennial grasses have been reported to sequester large amounts of soil organic carbon (SOC) in the Midwestern United States (USA). However, there has been little work on biofuel and carbon sequestration potential of perennial grasses in the Southeastern US. Biofuel productivity for dryland Miscanthus × gigantus and irrigated maize in Georgia, USA were quantified using eddy covariance observations of evapotranspiration (ET) and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon. Miscanthus biomass yield was 15.54 Mg ha−1 in 2015 and 11.80 Mg ha−1 in 2016, while maize produced 30.20 Mg ha−1 of biomass in 2016. Carbon budgets indicated that both miscanthus and maize fields lost carbon over the experiment. The miscanthus field lost 5 Mg C ha−1 in both 2015 and 2016 while the maize field lost 1.37 Mg C ha−1 for the single year of study. Eddy covariance measurement indicated that for 2016 the miscanthus crop evapotranspired 598 mm and harvest water use efficiencies ranged from 6.95 to 13.84 kg C ha−1 mm−1. Maize evapotranspired 659 mm with a harvest water use efficiency of 19.12 kg C ha−1 mm−1. While biomass yields and gross primary production were relatively high, high ecosystem respiration rates resulted in a loss of ecosystem carbon. Relatively low biomass production, low water use efficiency and high respiration for Miscanthus × gigantus in this experiment suggest that this strain of miscanthus may not be well-suited for dryland production under the environmental conditions found in South Georgia USA.
Arquitectura y ornamento: subjetividad orientada a los objetos y política del post-trabajo

According to Antonie Picon in “Ornament: the politics of architecture and subjectivity”, the return of ornamentation as a practice today has several continuities with the classical ornament in terms of the subjectivity and politics.In this context, the first objective of this article is to revise the concept of subjectivity in contemporary ornament/architecture considering the ideas developed by the “object-oriented ontology” theory. Taking for instance an object created by a multi-agent system and manufactured with a clay extruder attached to a robotic arm, we wonder if the contemporary ornamental practice could continue to be referred as such, if the existence of the subject is no longer resolving and regulating its design and execution.Secondly, the idea is to speculate if designers, in the context of post-work and full automation theories, will rediscover the sense of architectural forms that might give a political meaning to the ornament today.
Superintendent Shortage: The Wrong Problem and Wrong Solutions:

Claims of an insufficient supply of superintendents and conclusions about the underlying causes of this condition have been widely accepted by policymakers, professors, and practitioners. As a resu...
Regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA through an interaction between the von Hippel-Lindau protein and AUF1

1881 INTRODUCTION: Cdx1 and Cdx2 are intestine-specific transcription factors known to regulate proliferation and differentiation. We previously have reported that Cdx1 and Cdx2 inhibit the proliferation of human colon cancer cells by inhibiting β -catenin/Tcf transcriptional activity. Herein we describe studies, which further elucidate this mechanism. METHODS: GST-β-catenin pull-down with in vitro-translated Cdx1 or Cdx2. Coimmunoprecipitation (CoIP) was performed using anti-c-myc and anti flag tagged techniques to analyze the interaction between β-catenin/Tcf complex and Cdx1 and Cdx2 in 293T and DLD1 cells. Immunocytochemical staining and confocal microscopy were performed to analyze the colocalization of the Cdx protein and β-catenin. RESULTS: GST-β-catenin pulldown showed β-catenin interacted with the Cdx protein. To test this interaction directly, we carried out CoIP studies. c-myc tagged Tcf was transfected with Cdx1 or Cdx2 expression vector into 293T or DLD1 cells, then immunoprecipitated using an anti c-myc antibody. Western blotting of the IP products found that Cdx1 and Cdx2 and β-catenin could be detected in the TCF IP complex. Conversely, when flag tagged Cdx1 or Cdx2 expression vectors were transfected into DLD1or 293T cells with β-catenin, we isolated β-catenin in the flag-IP products. This association can be observed in vivo. Full length Cdx protein co-localizes with b-catenin in DLD1 cells by immunofluorensence, however, an N-terminally truncated mutant does not. In summary, our results suggested that interaction between Cdx1 and Cdx2 and β-catenin/Tcf complex is a potential mechanism behind the inhibitory effect of Cdx1 and Cdx2 on β-catenin/Tcf transcriptional activity.
Disagreement and Change of View

In this final chapter I tie things together, in part, by addressing the concern that if the Benefits to Inquiry Argument is sound it will license an irrational dogmatism by allowing an agent to remain steadfast in her beliefs by appealing to some vague notion of potential future epistemic benefits. I conclude the project by discussing this worry within the context of intellectual humility and competing epistemic values. My discussion will shed light on the appropriate conclusions to draw about the scope and strength of my argument. I will also note some of the similarities between my view and three dynamic responses to disagreement, Thomas Kelly’s ‘Total Evidence View’ (2010), Jennifer Lackey’s ‘Justificationist View’ (2010a, b), and Han van Wietmarschen’s ‘Well-Groundedness’ (2013).
Content Modeling for Automated Oral Proficiency Scoring System

We developed an automated oral proficiency scoring system for non-native English speakers’ spontaneous speech. Automated systems that score holistic proficiency are expected to assess a wide range of performance categories, and the content is one of the core performance categories. In order to assess the quality of the content, we trained a Siamese convolutional neural network (CNN) to model the semantic relationship between key points generated by experts and a test response. The correlation between human scores and Siamese CNN scores was comparable to human-human agreement (r=0.63), and it was higher than the baseline content features. The inclusion of Siamese CNN-based feature to the existing state-of-the-art automated scoring model achieved a small but statistically significant improvement. However, the new model suffered from score inflation for long atypical responses with serious content issues. We investigated the reasons of this score inflation by analyzing the associations with linguistic features and identifying areas strongly associated with the score errors.
Predictors of viral suppression among youth living with HIV in the southern United States

Youth living with HIV (YLH) in the United States (U.S.) face significant problems with achieving viral suppression, especially in the South. To examine this issue, YLH with a detectable viral load ...
Acute Respiratory Events and Dosimetry of Total Body Irradiation Patients Using In Vivo Lung Dose Monitoring and Custom Lung Block Adaptation.

Abstract Purpose Most myeloablative regimens before stem cell transplant involved total body irradiation (TBI). Pulmonary complications from TBI contribute to treatment-related mortality and toxicity. We report the rate of acute respiratory complications after TBI at our institution. In an exploratory analysis, we investigated differences in dosimetry between patients who did and did not experience respiratory complications. Methods and Materials In this single institution retrospective study, 49 patients received TBI from 2016 to 2018 and had dosimetry data available for analysis. Patients were prescribed 1200 cGy to be delivered over 6 fractions. Lung doses were limited using custom lung blocks. Clinical lung complications (eg, coughing and shortness of breath) were reviewed for the hospitalization period during transplant, at 4 months after transplant, and at 1 year after transplant. Supplemental oxygen use during the hospitalization period was also reported. Median anterior-posterior diameter at the umbilicus, body mass index, and lung doses were compared between patients with and without respiratory complications using a Mann-Whitney U test. Results During the hospitalization period, 14% (n = 7) of patients used supplemental oxygen administered by nasal canula and 16% (n = 8) experienced respiratory symptoms. At the 4-month follow-up, 16% (n = 8) of patients had documented respiratory symptoms. Respiratory symptoms were grade 1 to 2 except for one grade 3 attributed to infection during the hospitalization period and another grade 3 due to infection during the 4-month follow-up. At 1-year post-TBI, 4% (n = 2) of patients reported grade 1 to 2 chronic cough. Patients with respiratory complications at the 4-month follow-up had a larger umbilical anterior-posterior diameter (31.5 cm vs 26.5 cm, P = .01) and body mass index (34.5 kg/m2 vs 29.7 kg/m2, P = .02) than patients without respiratory complication. Respiratory complications were not associated with higher lung doses. Conclusions There was no respiratory-related mortality using the individualized planning technique described here. Acute and chronic respiratory complications were minor, with the most significant intervention requiring antibiotics for respiratory infection.
Distant learning: The experiences of brazilian schoolteachers during the covid-19 school closures

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed several challenges to education, especially with the shift from traditional face-to-face to distance learning, affecting teaching and learning worldwide. While distance learning seemed to favor children of affluent families, students of low socioeconomic families faced additional challenges, like the lack of adequate resources to attend online classes and continue their education. Thus, in this study, schoolteachers’ experiences adapting their instructional strategies to distance learning were investigated. A qualitative case study examined and compared the experiences of a public-school and a private-school teacher with distance learning in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic school closures. The cases give insight into the strategies used and challenges experienced by the participants while attending to different student populations’ needs: marginalized and more affluent. Thematic analysis of the aggregated data indicated the participants’ similar distant teaching and learning experiences (disconnected interactions with their students) and distinct perspectives and commitments to teaching and their use of technology in education. Recommendations and implications for educators, administrators, and policymakers are included.
On (Not) Deserving Disadvantage

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights statute, giving rights to everyone, but is structured to require people claiming its protections to have a characteristic, “disability.” This structure presents an apparent paradox: how can a statute accord both civil rights to all and special rights to some? This contribution argues that the paradox can be dissolved by understanding discrimination “based on” disability as treating people unfairly because of a characteristic they have, in two critically different forms. One form is individual: the failure to accommodate mental or physical differences to enable individuals to work successfully, participate in public services, or experience public accommodations as others do. Another form is general: the failure to adjust the world of built structures or created policies that exclude people with disabilities. Recognizing this difference between exclusions rooted in the failure to accommodate and exclusions rooted in the failure to modify is critical to the disability anti-discrimination project. So is the recognition that there are other forms of unjust exclusion that disability anti-discrimination law does not address.
A content analysis of direct-to-consumer DNA testing on TikTok

Despite the fact that the internet is a popular source of health information, limited research has been conducted on the ways in which direct-to-consumer (DTC) DNA testing has been discussed by consumers on the internet, and on social media platforms specifically. The purpose of this study was to describe the content of 100 videos that addressed DTC DNA testing on TikTok, a video-sharing social network. The 100 videos included had a combined 77,498 comments and 9,680,309 likes.The majority (> 50%) of videos reviewed mentioned using DTC DNA testing kits to find family roots (94%), included information on commercial DNA testing kits (67%), and featured a person taking or talking about taking a DNA test (92%). These videos also received a majority of the total comments/likes. Neither the use of music (p = .06 and p = .07) nor the mention of using DNA testing to locate family (p = .08 and p = .09) had a significant effect on a video’s comments or likes, respectively. Genetic counselors, health care providers, and public health professionals should be aware that there is a need to present both benefits and disadvantages of DTC DNA testing on social media platforms. A greater presence of comprehensive information on social media platforms can increase the likelihood that one makes erudite decisions.
Visible-light optical coherence tomography: new anatomical and functional imaging capabilities in tissue imaging

While traditional optical coherence tomography (OCT) uses near-infrared light, visible-light OCT or vis-OCT takes advantage of the much higher tissue contrast within visible light spectral range to extract physiological and pathological information in addition to ultra-high (1.3 µm) resolution anatomical imaging. Using vis-OCT, for example, we detected retinal ischemia well before the onset of angiogenesis in diabetic mouse models; produced the first three-dimensional imaging of the entire Schlemm’s canal and limbal vascular network noninvasively; and detected ganglion cell damage when clinical biomarkers were normal in glaucoma mouse models. Working with collaborators, we are also aggressively developing human vis-OCT systems and clinical protocols to improve clinical management of diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.
Separation of Artifacts from Spin-Torque Ferromagnetic Resonance Measurements of Spin-Orbit Torque for the Low-Symmetry van der Waals Semi-Metal ZrTe$_\textbf{3}$

We measure spin-orbit torque generated by exfoliated layers of the low-symmetry semi-metal ZrTe$_3$ using the spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR) technique. When the ZrTe$_3$ has a thickness greater than about 10 nm, artifacts due to spin pumping and/or resonant heating can cause the standard ST-FMR analysis to overestimate the true magnitude of the torque efficiency by as much as a factor of 30, and to indicate incorrectly that the spin-orbit torque depends strongly on the ZrTe$_3$ layer thickness. Artifact-free measurements can still be achieved over a substantial thickness range by the method developed recently to detect ST-FMR signals in the Hall geometry as well as the longitudinal geometry. ZrTe$_3$/Permalloy samples generate a conventional in-plane anti-damping spin torque efficiency $\xi_{||}^{\text{DL}}$ = 0.014 $\pm$ 0.004, and an unconventional in-plane field-like torque efficiency $|\xi_{||}^{\text{FL}}|$ = 0.003 $\pm$ 0.001. The out-of-plane anti-damping torque is negligible. We suggest that artifacts similarly interfere with the standard ST-FMR analysis for other van der Waals samples thicker than about 10 nm.
Rents, Experiments, and the Perpetual Presence of Concessionary Weather Insurance

Geographers have interpreted the rise of weather insurance for small agricultural producers as emblematic of financialization’s inexorable march to capitalize the countryside. Yet this market has p...
Relationship between Achievement in Reading and Achievement in Selected Motor Skills in Elementary School Children

Abstract The study was designed to determine the relationships between achievement in reading and achievement in selected motor skills for children in grades 1, 3, 5. The Iowa tests of basic skills were used to determine reading achievement and the Johnson motor achievement battery was employed to measure achievement in selected motor skills. The Pearson product-moment coefficient of correlation was applied to compute the relationships between the reading and motor achievement variables. The subjects were divided into three reading achievement levels and Scheffe's method of comparing pairs of means from a two-way analysis of variance table was employed to determine if the achievement differences in the motor skills tests were significant. The following conclusions were drawn: a) Highly significant correlations were found to exist between achievement in reading and the throw and catch test and achievement in reading and the zig-zag run test; b) Little or no consistent relationship existed between achieveme...
A palette-driven approach to image color transfer

Color analysis of images for the purpose of color balancing, color contrast, and color correction is critical in image processing applications. Color analysis of images for the purpose of palette extraction has received less attention. Motivated by the question of how best to transfer color between two non-photorealistic images in such a way that artistic intent and image aesthetics are taken into consideration, we consider a palette driven approach to the image color transfer problem. Our goal is the transfer of chromatic content from a source image to a destination image with careful consideration given to "value structure" and artistic intent. We show examples of color transfers using our methods.
Predictive modeling of hospital readmissions using metaheuristics and data mining

Risk predictions of hospital readmission for heart failure patients are investigated.RBFNN, RF and PSO-SVM models are used to predict patient readmission risk.The PSO-SVM achieves 78.4% on overall accuracy and 97.3% on sensitivity.The PSO-SVM outperforms over traditional prediction models, including LACE scores. This research studies the risk prediction of hospital readmissions using metaheuristic and data mining approaches. This is a critical issue in the U.S. healthcare system because a large percentage of preventable hospital readmissions derive from a low quality of care during patients' stays in the hospital as well as poor arrangement of the discharge process. To reduce the number of hospital readmissions, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has launched a readmission penalty program in which hospitals receive reduced reimbursement for high readmission rates for Medicare beneficiaries. In the current practice, patient readmission risk is widely assessed by evaluating a LACE score including length of stay (L), acuity level of admission (A), comorbidity condition (C), and use of emergency rooms (E). However, the LACE threshold classifying high- and low-risk readmitted patients is set up by clinic practitioners based on specific circumstances and experiences. This research proposed various data mining approaches to identify the risk group of a particular patient, including neural network model, random forest (RF) algorithm, and the hybrid model of swarm intelligence heuristic and support vector machine (SVM). The proposed neural network algorithm, the RF and the SVM classifiers are used to model patients' characteristics, such as their ages, insurance payers, medication risks, etc. Experiments are conducted to compare the performance of the proposed models with previous research. Experimental results indicate that the proposed prediction SVM model with particle swarm parameter tuning outperforms other algorithms and achieves 78.4% on overall prediction accuracy, 97.3% on sensitivity. The high sensitivity shows its strength in correctly identifying readmitted patients. The outcome of this research will help reduce overall hospital readmission rates and allow hospitals to utilize their resources more efficiently to enhance interventions for high-risk patients.
Pregnenolone protects mouse hippocampal (HT-22) cells against glutamate and amyloid beta protein toxicity

In the present work we have examined whether the neurosteroid pregnenolone has any neuroprotective effects against glutamate and amyloid beta protein neurotoxicity using immortalized clonal mouse hippocampal cell line (HT-22). The neurosteroid pregnenolone protects HT-22 cells against both 5 mM glutamate and 2 μM amyloid beta protein induced cell death in a concentration dependent manner. Optimum protection was attained at 500 nM pregnenolone, against both 5 mM glutamate as well as 2 μM amyloid beta protein induced HT-22 cell death. Furthermore, using confocal immunoflourescence microscopy we observed that 20 hours of treatment with 5 mM glutamate resulted in intense nuclear localization of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in HT-22 cells as compared to control untreated cells. Interestingly, 500 nM pregnenolone treatment for 24 hours, followed by 20 hours treatment with 5 mM glutamate resulted in dramatic reduction in GR nuclear localization. These results show that (i) pregnenolone has neuroprotective effects against both glutamate and amyloid beta protein neuropathology and (ii) prevention of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) localization to the nucleus may be involved in the observed neuroprotective effects of pregnenolone against glutamate neurotoxicity.