cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Free IL-15 Is More Abundant Than IL-15 Complexed With Soluble IL-15 Receptor-α in Murine Serum: Implications for the Mechanism of IL-15 Secretion

IL-15 is a cytokine that is part of the innate immune system, as well as a proposed myokine released from skeletal muscle during physical exercise that mediates many of the positive physiological effects of exercise. Many of the immune functions of IL-15 are mediated by juxtacrine signaling via externalized IL-15 bound to membrane-associated IL-15 receptor-α (IL-15Rα). Serum and plasma samples also contain measurable concentrations of IL-15, believed to arise from proteolytic cleavage of membrane-associated IL-15/IL-15Rα complexes to generate soluble IL-15/IL-15Rα species. Here, we validate commercial assays that can distinguish the free form of IL-15 and IL-15/IL-15Rα complexes. These assays showed that most (86%) IL-15 in mouse serum resides in the free state, with a minor proportion (14%) residing in complex with IL-15Rα. Given the much shorter half-life of free IL-15 compared with IL-15/IL-15Rα complexes, these findings cast doubt on the currently accepted model for IL-15 secretion from cleavage of membrane-bound IL-15/IL-15Rα and suggest that IL-15 is released as a free molecule by an unknown mechanism.
Federal Generation Skipping Transfer Taxation: How Should the States Respond?

This Article provides an explanation of the generation skipping transfer (GST) tax system and provides a proposal for uniform GST legislation. The Article first gives an overview of the federal GST tax system, and gives a detailed explanation of those provisions which apply in determining the federal credit for state GST taxes. It goes on to extensively consider the credit provision, section 2604 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Next the author proposes that the states share in GST tax revenues by enacting a uniform state GST tax system. The Article recommends the simplest possible GST tax system in response to the complex federal tax system, considering various approaches to a uniform system and taking into account constitutional limitations. The Article concludes by recommending a specific system and by proposing key statutes.
Electromyographic biofeedback applications to the hemiplegic patient. Changes in upper extremity neuromuscular and functional status.

The efficacy of EMG biofeedback in improving neuromuscular and functional measures of involved lower extremities in an Experimental Group of chronic stroke patients (n = 7) was examined. Differences in pretreatment-posttreatment measures of the Experimental Group were compared with those of groups of chronic stroke patients receiving no treatment (n = 6), biofeedback treatment of the involved upper extremity only (n = 16), and general relaxation training (n = 8). All examinations were performed in a blind fashion. The Experimental Group showed significant improvement in active range of motion at the knee and ankle that appeared to result from increases in EMG output to muscles governing these movements. Experimental patients did not improve substantially in walking speed over different terrains but did require significantly fewer or less complex assistive devices to walk. Limitations in the design and implementation of this study are provided, and suggestions for future investigation are offered.
The Impact of Motivational and Metacognitive Cultural Intelligence on the Study Abroad Experience.

The current study used a time-lagged design to examine the effects of Metacognitive and Motivational Cultural Intelligence (CQ) prior to studying abroad on the experiential behavior of students during their study abroad trip and their future interest in work and study abroad opportunities. Using Hayes’ conditional process analysis, results indicated that Motivational CQ predicted Metacognitive CQ which predicted cultural experiences pursued while studying abroad which in turn predicted future interest in working/studying abroad. Implications for improving the study abroad experience and training of students for study abroad programs are discussed.
How to reduce CT-related potential increases in lifetime attributable risk of cancer

743 Learning Objectives: 1. CT-related small, estimated potential increase in lifetime attributable risk of cancer is influenced by the protocol used, age and sex of the patient. 2. This estimated risk is far less that the likely benefit to the patient for indicated examinations, and can be reduced. Abstract Body: Imaging studies that use ionizing radiation are an essential tool for the evaluation of patients. Utilization of CT increased from 3 million procedures in ’80 to 62 million in 2000, which was implicated for 2% of all cancers in America. PET-SPECT/CT utilization has increased 20% last year. Although the cause-and-effect relationship between low-level radiation, and cancer is still unclear, consensus statements suggest that low-level radiation may have a small risk of causing cancer, which depend on patient9s age and size, equipment settings and model, and the duration of procedure. For a given mAs setting, pediatric doses are much larger than adult doses. A reduction in the mAs setting proportionately reduces the dose and the risk. The ways to reduce radiation exposure induced by CT scans will be discussed and include: perform CT scanning only when necessary, keep the imaging field to possible minimum, design specific protocols optimized to reduce radiation exposure, avoid repetitive imaging. Points to consider: Average background radiation from natural and manmade sources is 3 mSv/year per person. Radiation doses from CT scans of chest (3 mSv), head (4 mSv), and abdomen (5 mSv) correlate to 150, 200, and 250 chest x-rays, respectively. Although low-level radiation from CT studies might carry a small risk for cancer, the risk is outweighed by the benefits of indicated CT studies, which can be reduced through technologic advances, adoption of "as low as reasonably achievable" (ALARA) concept, and the use of appropriateness rule.
Jasmonate signalling in Arabidopsis involves SGT1b–HSP70–HSP90 chaperone complexes

Plant hormones play pivotal roles in growth, development and stress responses. Although it is essential to our understanding of hormone signalling, how plants maintain a steady state level of hormone receptors is poorly understood. We show that mutation of the Arabidopsis thaliana co-chaperone SGT1b impairs responses to the plant hormones jasmonate, auxin and gibberellic acid, but not brassinolide and abscisic acid, and that SGT1b and its homologue SGT1a are involved in maintaining the steady state levels of the F-box proteins COI1 and TIR1, receptors for jasmonate and auxin, respectively. The association of SGT1b with COI1 is direct and is independent of the Arabidopsis SKP1 protein, ASK1. We further show that COI1 is a client protein of SGT1b–HSP70–HSP90 chaperone complexes and that the complexes function in hormone signalling by stabilizing the COI1 protein. This study extends the SGT1b–HSP90 client protein list and broadens the functional scope of SGT1b–HSP70–HSP90 chaperone complexes. Analysis of a new Arabidopsis mutant shows that SGT1b protein associates with chaperones to stabilize jasmonate receptor Col1 and auxin hormone F-box receptor TIR1. This study highlights the importance of chaperone complexes in hormone signalling.
Potentiation of 5-Fluorouracil-[6RS]leucovorin cytotoxicity by recombinant human Interferon-α2A in colon carcinoma cells

In Phase III randomized clinical trials in adults presenting with colorectal carcinoma, response rates to FUra-[6RS]LV in comparison to FUra administered alone are 33–48 % vs 7–15 % , respectively [1–4], with significant increases in time to disease progression [1, 2, 4] and increased patient survival [2, 4] reported. Although the use of FUra with [6RS]LV has improved response rates, there is a need to build upon this combination to develop more efficacious therapy for colorectal carcinoma. Recently, there has been an interest in the clinical utility of FUra in combination with interferons (IFN’s), specifically rIFN-α-2A. Single institutional trials utilizing 9 × 106 IU of rIFN-α-2Aa three times weekly and FUra (750 mg/m2/day × 5) given by infusion i.v. in previously untreated patients report response rates as high as 76 % [5], or lower, in the range of 26–35 % [6, 7]. These trials had been initiated from reports of studies conducted in cultured colon adenocarcinoma cells that had shown potentiation of the growth inhibitory or cytotoxic activity of FUra by IFN’s [8–11].
Protein Structure Prediction with EA immunological computation

Considerable research has been presented to develop a generalized technique to predict a polypeptide's molecular structure given its amino acid sequence. This is also known as the Protein Structure Prediction (PSP) problem which has direct applications to many scientific, medical, and engineering disciplines. Previous research with Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) to minimize the empirical CHARMM protein energy model and generation of the associated protein structure is extended using the fast messy genetic algorithm improved through the use of secondary protein structure information integrated with artificial immune system concepts. Good statistical results using historical metrics as well as a new spatial/temporal metric are obtained, thereby making the modified memetic algorithm a viable option for solving the PSP problem.
Effects of a Teacher Versus iPad-Facilitated Intervention on the Vocabulary of At-Risk Preschool Children

This study examined the effects of an adapted alternating treatments design (AATD) consisting of teacher-facilitated and iPad-facilitated instruction on at-risk preschool children’s vocabulary. Ins...
Leitura de legendas do cinema: uma outra forma de conhecimento

This work has the intention of if making gift in what the rank of special elements to the classroom is said inside. We inside have in question the case of the cinema as and also serving of the parameters of learnings of the pupil. The promotion of the art is one of the factors that make with that the pupil learns better, in this in case that, the cinema with legends serves as of reading because what happens it is that arresting the attention of the pupil, having interest for what it soon is displayed (the pupil) has more interest in the learning.
Climatology and Analysis of High-Impact, Low Predictive Skill Severe Weather Events in the Northeast United States

AbstractThis study identifies high-impact severe weather events with poor predictive skill over the northeast United States using Storm Prediction Center (SPC) convective outlooks. The objectives are to build a climatology of high-impact, low predictive skill events between 1980 and 2013 and investigate the differences in the synoptic-scale environment and severe weather parameters between severe weather events with low predictive skill and high predictive skill. Event-centered composite analyses, performed using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Climate Forecast System Reanalysis and the North American Regional Reanalysis, suggest low predictive skill events occur significantly more often in low-shear environments. Additionally, a plurality of low probability of detection (POD), high-impact events occurred in low-shear, high-CAPE environments. Statistical analysis of low-shear, high-CAPE environments suggests high downdraft CAPE (DCAPE) and relatively dry lower levels of the atmosphere ar...
Clinical outcome and subsequent sequelae of cement extravasation after percutaneous kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty: a comparative review.

BackgroundInjection of cement during vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty can leak into surrounding structures and could be symptomatic.PurposeTo identify the sites and incidence of cement extravasation ...
Pancreatic cancer subtypes: a roadmap for precision medicine

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is projected to become the second cause of cancer-related deaths by 2020. Although it has traditionally been approached as a disease, accumulated evidences p...
Economic Integration and Interdependence

This chapter is concerned with the relatively low propensity of MERCOSUR for intra-regional economic cooperation, low economic interdependence, scarce trade and intra-regional investment, and divergence in economic performance (which is greater than in the EU). These difficulties of the bloc arise from natural conditions of economic geography, the size and the number of the countries, demographic dispersion, and low diversification of production patterns. As regional cross-border transactions in MERCOSUR are relatively low, there is little interest in securing them in legal terms. In consequence, economic regimes of the bloc are much looser than those of the EU.
Intercellular calcium waves in rat pancreatic acini: mechanism of transmission

Digital-imaging microfluorimetry, together with microinjection of marker/messenger molecules, was utilized to investigate intercellular Ca2+ signaling in rat pancreatic acinar cells. Stimulation of acini with low concentrations of secretagogues [ 300 pM CCK, > 1 microM CCh), which induce a large "peak-and-plateau" intracellular Ca2+ signal, all cells in the acinus appeared to increase Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]) in synchrony. Microinjection of lissarhodamine, a marker of gap-junctional permeability, into cells previously loaded with fura 2 allowed the simultaneous measurement of gap-junctional coupling and [Ca2+]. Stimulation with supermaximal concentrations of agonists resulted in the attenuation of junctional permeability, whereas, during stimulation with physiological concentrations of agonist, junctional communication remained operable. Injection of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] into one cell of an acinar cluster resulted in the generation of a Ca2+ signal in the injected cell and adjacent cells. In contrast, injection of CaCl2 itself did not result in propagation of the signal. When CaCl2 was injected into cells that had been previously stimulated with a threshold concentration of CCK, propagation of a signal was observed between cells. On the basis of these data, a model is proposed in which Ca2+ acts as coagonist with Ins(1,4,5)P3 to potentiate the Ca(2+)-releasing action of Ins(1,4,5)P3 and, by diffusion of the two molecules through gap junctions, underlies intercellular signaling in acinar cells. Gap-junctional communication may be an important factor in amplifying a threshold signal produced in one cell throughout the acinus, resulting in enhanced stimulated secretion in acinar preparations compared with preparations of isolated cells.
Peer relations in early and middle childhood.

Child-child interaction is essentially egalitarian. Some relationships between children are more egalitarian than others, but peer relations are generally understood by children to be structured horizontally rather than vertically. The egalitarian nature of the social exchanges that occur between children and other children distinguish them clearly from the exchanges that occur between children and adults (Furman & Buhmester, 1985; Youniss, 1980).
To Sway Public Opinion: Early Persuasive Appeals in the Cherokee Phoenix and Cherokee Advocate

American Indian newspapers can trace their origins to two inaugural mass media efforts: the Cherokee Phoenix and the Cherokee Advocate. More than simply seeking to report the news of the day, these two pioneering publications were rhetorical communication tools, as described in their originating proposals, intended to negotiate new understandings of their people. This study offers a perspective that positions these early Cherokee newspapers as "transactional" agents for the Cherokee Nation during critical periods in its history.
Comment on Crises and Policy Responses

One of the key features of the Asian financial crisis was the sharp decline in stock prices and real estate prices in 10 countries at more or less the same time. A second feature was that the foreign exchange values of eight of the currencies of these countries declined and in some cases sharply; the currencies of the other two countries remained pegged to the U.S. dollar. A third feature was the large losses incurred by the banks headquartered in these countries; many if not most of these banks would have been bankrupt if they had been required to apply a “mark-to-market” valuation to their assets. Despite these losses, there were very few runs on these banks, because in effect they had been informally “nationalized” and became wards of their governments waiting for a more formal recapitalization.
On topology-based cohesive interface element insertion along periodic boundary surfaces

Abstract This paper extends the discontinuous element insertion program (DEIP) to insert cohesive interface elements along periodic surfaces of representative volume elements (RVE). The key enabler involves zipping the RVE mesh along its periodic surfaces, generating a topologically closed grid similar to a torus. Such models are relevant to modeling grain boundary sliding and cracking in polycrystalline materials, for which a two-dimensional example is provided with hexagonal-shaped grains.
Scam Awareness Related to Incident Alzheimer Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background Decreased scam awareness may be an early indicator of impending Alzheimer dementia and its precursor, mild cognitive impairment, but prior studies have not systematically examined the associations between scam awareness and adverse cognitive outcomes. Objective To test the hypothesis that low scam awareness is associated with increased risk for incident Alzheimer dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer disease pathology in the brain. Design Prospective cohort study of aging. Setting Community-based study in the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Participants 935 older persons initially free of dementia. Measurements Scam awareness was measured via questionnaire, incident Alzheimer dementia and mild cognitive impairment were documented in detailed annual cognitive and clinical evaluations, and Alzheimer disease neuropathology was quantified after death among a subset of persons who died (n = 264). Proportional hazards models examined associations between scam awareness and incident Alzheimer dementia and mild cognitive impairment. Regression models examined associations between scam awareness and Alzheimer disease pathology, particularly β-amyloid burden and tau tangle density. Results During a mean of about 6 years (SD, 2.4) of observation, 151 persons (16.1%) developed Alzheimer dementia. Low scam awareness was associated with increased risk for Alzheimer dementia (hazard ratio [HR], 1.56 [95% CI, 1.21 to 2.01]; P < 0.001), such that each 1-unit increase in scam score (indicating lower awareness) was associated with about a 60% increase in dementia risk. Low scam awareness was also associated with increased risk for mild cognitive impairment (HR, 1.47 [CI, 1.20 to 1.81]; P < 0.001). These associations persisted even after adjustment for global cognitive function. Finally, low scam awareness was associated with a higher burden of Alzheimer pathology in the brain, particularly β-amyloid (estimated increase [±SE] in β-amyloid per 1-unit increase in scam score, 0.22 ± 0.10 unit; P = 0.029). Limitation The measure of scam awareness used here is too weak for prediction at the individual level. Conclusion Low scam awareness among older persons is a harbinger of adverse cognitive outcomes and is associated with Alzheimer disease pathology in the brain. Primary Funding Source National Institute on Aging.
The Role of Mental Events in Behavior Therapy

The human ability “to see in the mind’s eye” has been of interest to those who ponder human behavior throughout recorded history. Systematic philosophical speculation within western civilization regarding mental imagery is often traced to Hume’s distinctions in the 18th century between the impressions arising from externally produced sensations and the faint images of these experiences that formed thought (Hume, 1912). Hume saw the primary distinction between these two types of mental experiences to be the greater force and vividness of the sensations. The question of how mental images are distinct from percepts has remained a key issue in philosophical inquiries on the topic.
The Data Link Layer

At the Physical Layer, messages consist of bits placed on the media but this technique does not scale to even small–to–moderate size networks. To build a network of any size, the media must be shared between multiple devices rather than dedicated to a single pair of devices. In order to do this, each device must have an address and there must be protocols to insure that each device can eventually send a message with a reasonable chance of that message reaching the correct destination.
Central limit theorems for Markov chains based on their convergence rates in Wasserstein distance

Many tools are available to bound the convergence rate of Markov chains in total variation (TV) distance. Such results can be used to establish central limit theorems (CLT) that enable error evaluations of Monte Carlo estimates in practice. However, convergence analysis based on TV distance is often non-scalable to high-dimensional Markov chains (Qin and Hobert (2018); Rajaratnam and Sparks (2015)). Alternatively, robust bounds in Wasserstein distance are often easier to obtain, thanks to a coupling argument. Our work is concerned with the implication of such convergence results, in particular, do they lead to CLTs of the corresponding Markov chains? One indirect and typically non-trivial way is to first convert Wasserstein bounds into total variation bounds. Alternatively, we provide two CLTs that directly depend on (sub-geometric) convergence rates in Wasserstein distance. Our CLTs hold for Lipschitz functions under certain moment conditions. Finally, we apply these CLTs to four sets of Markov chain examples including a class of nonlinear autoregressive processes, an exponential integrator version of the metropolis adjusted Langevin algorithm (EI-MALA), an unadjusted Langevin algorithm (ULA), and a special autoregressive model that generates reducible chains.
A Pragmatic Approach Towards Sinonasal Diseases

Sinonasal disease in its multiple forms affects billions of people worldwide. Although physicians train to precisely diagnose a patient and then treat appropriately, the sheer number of people afflicted with sinonasal disease precludes this approach. We argue that patients should first be treated with an intranasal corticosteroid for 2 weeks. Based on their perceived response, they should be triaged. Those who respond well can be instructed on how to continue to manage their disease. Those who do not would be referred to allergists or otolaryngologists for diagnosis and treatment. We believe this pragmatic approach is safe, provided first-line physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners recognize some warning symptoms and signs of serious, but infrequently occurring, sinonasal diseases that would not lend themselves to this proposed approach.
The Value of a Synthetic Model-based Training Lab to Increase Proficiency with Endoscopic Approaches to the Spine

INTRODUCTION The learning curve associated with endoscopic approaches to the spine is well established. In this study, we present our endoscopic training methodology and discuss the concepts and rationale of laboratory training as it relates to improving comfort and skill with endoscopic techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS A three-part endoscopic training laboratory for neurosurgical trainees and attendings was organized at the University of Miami, which included a lecture, instrumentation demonstration, and both synthetic model and cadaveric practice sessions. Participants completed pre- and post-lab surveys gauging their comfort and competency in the transforaminal approach to the lumbar spine. RESULTS There were a total of 22 participants, with eight completing the pre-lab survey and 10 completing the post-lab survey. Sixteen participants engaged in the lab practical, with six of these participants performing the transforaminal approach on both the model and the cadaver. An increase in comfort level was demonstrated on the post-lab survey (5.9/10) for the transforaminal approach as compared to the pre-lab survey (2.6/10). Additionally, participants found the training model to be an effective teaching aid for the transforaminal technique (8.8/10). CONCLUSIONS We believe that our study demonstrates the utility of simulated model-based training for gaining comfort and proficiency with endoscopic approaches to the spine and introduces a safe, cost-effective method of educating practitioners on novel endoscopic approaches.
NMR studies of materials loaded into porous-wall hollow glass microspheres

Abstract Porous-wall hollow glass microspheres (PWHGMs) are a form of glass materials that consist of 1-μm-thick porous silica shells, 20–100 μm in diameter, with a hollow cavity in the center. Utilizing the central cavity for material storage and the porous walls for controlled release is a unique combination that renders PWHGMs a superior vehicle for targeted drug delivery. In this study, loaded PWHGMs were characterized for the first time employing proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. A vacuum-based loading system was developed to load PWHGMs with various liquid materials followed by a washing procedure that uses solvents immiscible with the loaded materials. Immiscible binary model systems (chloroform/water, n-dodecane/water), as well as the hydrolysis reaction of isopropyl acetate, were investigated to obtain 1H NMR evidence of loading materials into PWHGMs and their subsequent release to the surrounding solutions. The unique 1H NMR peak shapes and relative integrals of the materials loaded in PWHGMs were distinguishable from those of the same materials in the surrounding solutions. Encounters of isopropyl acetate contained in the PWHGMs with acid protons from concentrated H2SO4 added to the surrounding solution become evident by the formation of the reaction product isopropanol. PWHGMs loaded with H2O and suspended in D2O were used to obtain quantitative release kinetics of H2O-loaded PWHGMs. A five-parameter double-exponential curve fit of experimental 1H NMR signal intensities as a function of time indicated two release rates for H2O from H2O-loaded PWHGMs suspended in D2O with one time constant of 18–20 min and another one of 160 min. The two disparate release-rate time constants are consistent with loaded PWHGMs with breached and unbreached porous walls. The results demonstrate that 1H NMR spectroscopy is particularly useful for investigating formulations and applications of PWHGMs in targeted drug delivery.
Simultaneous Observation of Carrier-Specific Redistribution and Coherent Lattice Dynamics in 2H-MoTe2 with Femtosecond Core-Level Spectroscopy

We employ few-femtosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) transient absorption spectroscopy to reveal simultaneously the intra- and interband carrier relaxation and the light-induced structural dynamics in nanoscale thin films of layered 2H-MoTe2 semiconductor. By interrogating the valence electronic structure via localized Te 4d (39-46 eV) and Mo 4p (35-38 eV) core levels, the relaxation of the photoexcited hole distribution is directly observed in real time. We obtain hole thermalization and cooling times of 15 ± 5 fs and 380 ± 90 fs, respectively, and an electron-hole recombination time of 1.5 ± 0.1 ps. Furthermore, excitations of coherent out-of-plane A1g (5.1 THz) and in-plane E1g (3.7 THz) lattice vibrations are visualized through oscillations in the XUV absorption spectra. By comparison to Bethe-Salpeter equation simulations, the spectral changes are mapped to real-space excited-state displacements of the lattice along the dominant A1g coordinate. By directly and simultaneously probing the excited carrier distribution dynamics and accompanying femtosecond lattice displacement in 2H-MoTe2 within a single experiment, our work provides a benchmark for understanding the interplay between electronic and structural dynamics in photoexcited nanomaterials.
Home Health Agencies: Empirical Evidence on the Patient-Driven Groupings Model’s Expected Effects on Agency Reimbursements:

Beginning January 1, 2020, Medicare’s Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) eliminated therapy as a direct determinant of Home Health Agencies’ (HHAs’) reimbursements. Instead, PDGM advances Medica...
Serratus Anterior Plane Block as a Primary Anesthetic Technique for Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery in a Child

Cystic fibrosis (CF) commonly affects those of European descent; however, it can also be found in those of Asian, African, and Caribbean descent. Patients with CF may have significant lung disease, and their perioperative management can be challenging for the anesthesiologist. In this case report, we describe the use of serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) and IV sedation as an alternative to general anesthesia with an endotracheal tube in a patient with CF pulmonary exacerbation presenting to the operating room for a video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).
Seeking Balance: Conservation Values and the Artist’s Voice

Traditional exhibition standards in museums may be challenged when an artist assumes an active role in determining the display parameters of a work or exhibition. Particularly with art created sinc...
“A Sword of Damocles”: Media Policy, Digital Cultures, and the Discourse of Press Code Reform

This article analyzes the evolution of media policy in Morocco, focusing on discourse surrounding 2016 revisions to Morocco’s press code. As part of a larger conservative turn in digital media policy post–Arab Spring, Moroccan authorities framed press code revisions as fulfilling commitments to the international community, adopting a more conciliatory approach than other oft-cited authoritarian states. This disparity makes it worth considering why Morocco’s new press code became the site of contentious and protracted struggle and what the policy-making process reveals about the intersection of neoliberal globalization, digital culture, and authoritarian politics. Policy analysis based on comparative reading of legal texts and discourse analysis demonstrates how the policy-making process works as a mechanism for authoritarian legitimacy on the world stage. I argue that revisions to Morocco’s press code demonstrate a reassertion of sovereign power alongside increased mechanisms for the legal and discursive distribution of responsibility to diverse stakeholders.
Robust System Identification for Anemia Management

Abstract Anemia is the condition in which patients suffer from the deficiency of the red blood cells to carry the oxygen in the body. One of the many causes of anemia is chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD is a disease in which kidneys are partially or completely damaged, which results in a deficiency of the oxygen-carrying red blood cells. CKD is common in older people, and external human recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) is required to maintain healthy levels of hemoglobin (Hb). In order to effectively address the impact of inter and intra-individual variability in dose-response characteristics in CKD patients, individualized patient-specific models are required instead of traditional population-based models. In this research, individualized patient models are developed by using patient-specific time-domain data with robust system identification techniques. For control-oriented system identification, two robust identification techniques are investigated: (1) l1 robust identification considering zero initial conditions and (2) Semi-blind robust system identification considering non-zero initial conditions. The performance of these two techniques is compared and it is shown that the Semi-blind robust identification technique gives better results as compared to l1 robust identification.
The Girl with Visual Seizures Who wasn't Seeing Things – Transient Blindness in a Young Girl

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the case of a girl named Lauren who was diagnosed with Gastaut-type idiopathic childhood occipital epilepsy, or Gastaut-type benign childhood epilepsy with occipital paroxysms (BCEOP). The routine EEG showed frequent right occipital spike–wave and polyspike discharges, single or in trains up to 1.5 s, with amplitudes up to 200 μ V. The posterior dominant rhythm was slightly slower on the right. Lauren was initially treated with valproic acid. Her spells subsided promptly, but returned several months later and did not respond to increasing doses. She was switched to carbamazepine with excellent results until a few breakthrough seizures prompted the addition of gabapentin. This patient presented with brief, stereotypic episodes of visual obscuration with mild confusion but preserved awareness. Her seizures are therefore complex partial in type. In this case, previous physicians either considered Lauren's symptoms to be psychogenically based, given the proximate psychosocial stressors, or else lumped her symptoms into migraine. Although it is important to consider the psychosocial factors that may contribute to a child's symptoms, ictal details should be carefully sorted out before assuming causality.
Towards Fast and Accurate Solutions to Vehicle Routing in a Large-Scale and Dynamic Environment

The delivery and courier services are entering a period of rapid change due to the recent technological advancements, E-commerce competition and crowdsourcing business models. These revolutions impose new challenges to the well studied vehicle routing problem by demanding (a) more ad-hoc and near real time computation - as opposed to nightly batch jobs - of delivery routes for large number of delivery locations, and (b) the ability to deal with the dynamism due to the changing traffic conditions on road networks. In this paper, we study the Time-Dependent Vehicle Routing Problem (TDVRP) that enables both efficient and accurate solutions for large number of delivery locations on real world road network. Previous Operation Research (OR) approaches are not suitable to address the aforementioned new challenges in delivery business because they all rely on a time-consuming a priori data-preparation phase (i.e., the computation of a cost matrix between every pair of delivery locations at each time interval). Instead, we propose a spatial-search-based framework that utilizes an on-the-fly shortest path computation eliminating the OR data-preparation phase. To further improve the efficiency, we adaptively choose the more promising delivery locations and operators to reduce unnecessary search of the solution space. Our experiments with real road networks and real traffic data and delivery locations show that our algorithm can solve a TDVRP instance with 1000 delivery locations within 20 min, which is 8 times faster than the state-of-the-art approach, while achieving similar accuracy.
A comparison of differential rotation measurements – (Invited Review)

Observers have long measured solar rotation with different techniques and obtained different results. This paper compares differential rotation measurements from four techniques: Doppler shift, Doppler feature tracking, magnetic feature tracking, and p-mode splittings. The different rotation rates measured by the first three techniques are interpreted as rotation rates of solar phenomena which depend on the properties and depth of that which is measured. This interpretation is supported by comparison with rotation measurements obtained from p-mode splittings except for Doppler features. The rotation rate of the plasma corresponds to the surface rate obtained by inversions; the rates of magnetic features correspond to the rotation rate at various depths within the convection zone. Supergranulation rotates at a rate greater than the maximum rotation rate within the convection zone, suggesting that supergranules are not simple convection cells anchored at a particular depth.
COOPERATIVE RESEARCH IN C1 CHEMISTRY

C1 chemistry refers to the conversion of simple carbon-containing materials that contain one carbon atom per molecule into valuable products. The feedstocks for C1 chemistry include natural gas, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methanol and synthesis gas (a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen). Synthesis gas, or syngas, is produced primarily by the reaction of natural gas, which is principally methane, with steam. It can also be produced by gasification of coal, petroleum coke, or biomass. The availability of syngas from coal gasification is expected to increase significantly in the future because of increasing development of integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power generation. Because of the abundance of remote natural gas, the advent of IGCC, and environmental advantages, C1 chemistry is expected to become a major area of interest for the transportation fuel and chemical industries in the relatively near future. The CFFLS will therefore perform a valuable national service by providing science and engineering graduates that are trained in this important area. Syngas is the source of most hydrogen. Approximately 10 trillion standard cubic feet (SCF) of hydrogen are manufactured annually in the world. Most of this hydrogen is currently used for the production of ammonia and in a varietymore » of refining and chemical operations. However, utilization of hydrogen in fuel cells is expected to grow significantly in the next century. Syngas is also the feedstock for all methanol and Fischer-Tropsch plants. Currently, world consumption of methanol is over 25 million tons per year. There are many methanol plants in the U.S. and throughout the world. Methanol and oxygenated transportation fuel products play a significant role in the CFFLS C1 program. Currently, the only commercial Fischer-Tropsch plants are overseas, principally in South Africa (SASOL). However, new plants are being built or planned for a number of locations. One possible location for future F-T plant development in the U.S. is in the Alaskan oil fields.« less
Amniotic Fluid as an Extended Milieu Intérieur

In 1854, the great French physiologist Claude Bernard introduced the concept of milieu int!erieur to biology. This idea advanced the (then) radical proposal that the many functions of physiology in the body served the common purpose of maintaining a stable, life-sustaining environment in the face of fluctuating and challenging conditions in the external world. Although largely ignored in the 19th century, the concept proved very influential to the work of physiologists in the early 20th century, most notably Walter Cannon (1932), who is credited with coining the term and promoting the general concept of homeostasis. Homeostasis is the property of a system, and of all living systems, to regulate conditions within the system to maintain constancy in a few, critical variables. Homeostatic regulation within organs, endocrine and neural systems, and behavior has come to be a central organizing principle in modern functional biology, with implications for fields as diverse as genetics, developmental science, and behavioral neuroscience. The work of naturalists of the 19th century also gave rise to similar concepts of complex networks of interacting biotic and abiotic factors in the environment. This conception of interlocking relationships among animals, plants, fungi, microorganisms, and the geochemical features of an environment eventually grew into the
Message Boards, Public Discourse, and Historical Meaning: An Online Community Reacts to September 11

Abstract This study examines messages posted to NYTimes.com in the first three days after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. It contributes to our understanding of the history of interactive mediated communication, especially in a time of crisis, by providing insight into how this online community immediately constructed meaning out of the attacks. Readers used this new technology to engage in geographically and temporally unrestricted public discourse. They exchanged opinions, released emotions, argued, supported, and reacted, with political commentary the most commonly featured discourse. With the eleventh anniversary of the attacks just behind us, the readers' dialogue offers a glimpse into the mediated public conversation at an important historic moment when people were just beginning to understand the tragedy's meaning and the possibilities of interactive, digital technologies. Understanding the elements of message-board content aids our understanding of how and why readers engage in public digita...
Tucker Tensor Regression and Neuroimaging Analysis

Neuroimaging data often take the form of high-dimensional arrays, also known as tensors. Addressing scientific questions arising from such data demands new regression models that take multidimensional arrays as covariates. Simply turning an image array into a vector would both cause extremely high dimensionality and destroy the inherent spatial structure of the array. In a recent work, Zhou et al. (J Am Stat Assoc, 108(502):540–552, 2013) proposed a family of generalized linear tensor regression models based upon the CP (CANDECOMP/PARAFAC) decomposition of regression coefficient array. Low-rank approximation brings the ultrahigh dimensionality to a manageable level and leads to efficient estimation. In this article, we propose a tensor regression model based on the more flexible Tucker decomposition. Compared to the CP model, Tucker regression model allows different number of factors along each mode. Such flexibility leads to several advantages that are particularly suited to neuroimaging analysis, including further reduction of the number of free parameters, accommodation of images with skewed dimensions, explicit modeling of interactions, and a principled way of image downsizing. We also compare the Tucker model with CP numerically on both simulated data and real magnetic resonance imaging data, and demonstrate its effectiveness in finite sample performance.
Acute-Phase Mental Health Consequences of Disasters: Implications for Triage and Emergency Medical Services

Abstract [Burkle FM: Acute-phase mental health consequences of disasters: Implications for triage and emergency medical services. Ann Emerg Med August 1996;28:119-128.] See related editorial, External Emergency Medical Disaster Response: Does a Need Exist?
Reliability Comparison of Aged SAC Fine-Pitch Ball Grid Array Packages Versus Surface Finishes

Pb-free solder joints exposed to elevated isothermal temperatures for prolonged periods of time undergo microstructural and mechanical evolution, which degrades the joint electrical performance. We report the effect of isothermal aging on the reliability of Sn–Ag–Cu (SAC) assemblies on three different surface finishes [immersion Ag (ImAg), electroless Ni/immersion Au (ENIG), and electroless Ni/electroless Pd/immersion Au (ENEPIG)]. The characteristic life for SAC alloys in 10- and 15-mm ball grid array packages on ImAg degraded over 40% after an 85 °C/12 months aging and over 50% during a 125 °C/12 months aging. ENIG and ENEPIG outperformed ImAg for all aging treatments. For passive components (2512 resistors) on ImAg, the reliability performance degraded 16.7%/28.1% after a 1-year aging at 85 °C/125 °C. Failure analysis showed dramatic intermetallic binary Cu–Sn and ternary Ni–Cu–Sn film growth at the bottom of the solder joint interfaces for ImAg and ENIG/ENEPIG. For 125 °C-aged samples, the cracks appeared at the corners of both package and board sides of the solder ball and propagated along (near) the intermetallic compound location. For the case of aged fine-pitch packages, the failures tended to start at the component side solder ball corner and then propagate along an angled path downward into the bulk solder.
The role of chest computed tomography (CT) as a surveillance tool in children with high-risk neuroblastoma.

Background Standardization of imaging obtained in children with neuroblastoma is not well established. This study examines chest CT in pediatric patients with high-risk neuroblastoma. Procedure Medical records and imaging from 88 patients with high-risk neuroblastoma, diagnosed at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital between January, 2002 and December, 2009, were reviewed. Surveillance imaging was conducted through 2013. Ten patients with thoracic disease at diagnosis were excluded. Event free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated. Size specific dose estimates for CT scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis were used to estimate absolute organ doses to 23 organs. Organ dosimetry was used to calculate cohort effective dose. Results The 5 year OS and EFS were 51.9% ± 6.5% and 42.6% ± 6.5%, respectively. Forty-six (58.9%) patients progressed/recurred and 41 (52.6%) died of disease. Eleven patients (14%) developed thoracic disease progression/recurrence identified by chest CT (1 paraspinal mass, 1 pulmonary nodules, and 9 nodal). MIBG (metaiodobenzylguanidine) scans identified thoracic disease in six patients. Five of the 11 had normal chest MIBG scans; three were symptomatic and two were asymptomatic with normal chest MIBG scans but avid bone disease. The estimated radiation dose savings from surveillance without CT chest imaging was 42%, 34% when accounting for modern CT acquisition (2011–2013). Conclusions Neuroblastoma progression/recurrence in the chest is rare and often presents with symptoms or is identified using standard non-CT imaging modalities. For patients with non-thoracic high-risk neuroblastoma at diagnosis, omission of surveillance chest CT imaging can save 35–42% of the radiation burden without compromising disease detection. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:976–981. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
What Do We Know About Real Estate Brokerage

Many facets of real estate brokerage have been examined in studies appearing in the literature over the last several years. This review attempts to organize the research around six questions concerning the brokerage industry: (1) What is the nature of the market for brokerage services and how does it influence the individual firm; (2) What factors determine broker and agent compensation; (3) How does brokerage participation influence time on the market and price; (4) Is the brokerage market efficient and equitable; (5) Must brokerage firms assume greater liability; and (6) How do brokerage markets vary internationally. In examining each question, the review points out the major focus of the research and summarizes important findings. Its purpose is to identify key issues facing the brokerage industry and suggest avenues for future study.
A Field System for Isoflurane Anesthesia of Multiple Species of Mesopredators

Abstract Inhaled isoflurane is one of many chemical immobilizing agents available for field anesthesia of wildlife. We examined the use of inhaled isoflurane for field immobilization of mesopredators. Five species of mammals were anesthetized in a wetland complex in south-central Nebraska with isoflurane; we developed an induction chamber to use with a portable anesthesia machine to provide anesthesia at the capture location. Sixteen raccoons (Procyon lotor), 20 striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), 4 Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), 2 American badgers (Taxidea taxus) and 1 mink (Mustela vison) were captured and immobilized; we radio-marked 11 raccoons and 9 skunks. Induction was smooth and uneventful for all species immobilized. Mean induction times for raccoons and skunks were 10.7 min (SD = 1.1) and 11.0 min (SD = 2.4) respectively. Mean handling times (post-induction) were 7.1 min (SD = 3.9) for raccoons and 7.3 min (SD = 4.8) for skunks. All animals, with the exception of opossums, wer...
Early memories as indicators of ego functioning.

Three of the earliest memories were obtained from 58 male college students who had been selected on the basis of their grade point placement in the top and bottom 10% of their class. Memories were rated employing the classification system developed by Levy. There was no support for the hypothesized relationship between structural features of early memories and academic performance in college.