cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Statistical distribution of natural fractures and the possible physical generating mechanism

We have fitted field measurements of fracture spacings (from the vicinity of Lake Strom Thurmond, Georgia, U.S.A.) to the Weibull, Schuhmann and fractal distributions. The fracture spacings follow a fractal and Weibull distribution which implies that they were formed as a result of a repetitive fragmentation process. The limited variation of the fracture density with orientation in the study area suggests that the stress distribution generating these fractures may be uniform.
Does homozygosity contribute to the asymmetry of common white leg markings in the Arabian horse

Common white and facial markings have a multifactorial mode of inheritance in Equus caballus and result from the absence of melanocytes in the unpigmented areas. Directional asymmetry and fluctuating asymmetry apparently account for the total asymmetry of common white leg markings. Using computerized records obtained from the Arabian Horse Registry of America, Inc., and the International Arabian Horse Association, studies were carried out to determine if homozygosity increases the total asymmetry in common white leg markings by presumably promoting fluctuating asymmetry. The results were as follows: (1) Arabian horses that are symmetrical and asymmetrical for common white leg markings have similar distributions of inbreeding coefficients; (2) Arabian and half-Arabian horses have similar concordance values, in general, for specific white markings in both their forelegs and hind legs. It is concluded that homozygosity does not contribute to the total asymmetry of common white leg markings in the Arabian horse.
Pin-ing down PMN priming

In this issue of Blood , Boussetta et al provide novel insights into how TNFα primes human neutrophils and report that a specific conformational change switches the phagocyte NADPH oxidase into a more productive state.[1][1] The phagocyte NADPH oxidase generates an array of reactive oxidants that
Reproductive ecology of Actinonaias ligamentina (Bivalvia:Unionidae) in a regulated river

Factors affecting the reproductive success of freshwater mussels in lotic systems are poorly understood. Gravidity, fecundity, and fertilization success of Actinonaias ligamentina were examined at 4 sites along a 63-km reach of the Green River immediately below the Green River Dam, Kentucky. No gravid females were collected at the site closest to the dam, and the percentage of gravid females at downstream sites ranged from 20 to 36%. Not all females became gravid, despite the presence of early stages of ova in the gonadal fluid. This observation suggests that female A. ligamentina undergo a resting stage and, therefore, might not become gravid every year. Fecundity differed among sites and increased with distance from the dam. Fertilization rates ranged from 32 to 97% among sites and increased with distance from the dam. Fertilization rate was independent of local mussel density and position in the mussel bed. The high fertilization rates observed in the upstream portions of mussel beds indicate that freshwater mussel sperm have the ability to travel to distant females in lotic systems. Therefore, females are not necessarily dependent upon nearby males for fertilization. Successful fertilization of A. ligamentina at low mussel densities in the Green River suggests that natural recovery of rare endangered species might be possible if host fish and suitable conditions for juvenile survival and growth are present.
Preliminary investigation of the impact of visual feedback on a camera-based mouse-replacement system

This paper reports the design, implementation, and results of a carefully designed experiment that examined the performance of a camera-based mouse-replacement interface that was supported with visual feedback. Four different visual feedback modes were tested during the pointing-task experiment. Quantitative results, based on three metrics, do not show statistically significant difference between these modes. Qualitative feedback from the participants of the experiments, however, shows that user experience is improved by static and animated visual feedback during the pointing task.
An XML-based system for synthesis of data from disparate databases.

Diverse data sets have become key building blocks of translational biomedical research. Data types captured and referenced by sophisticated research studies include high throughput genomic and proteomic data, laboratory data, data from imagery, and outcome data. In this paper, the authors present the application of an XML-based data management system to support integration of data from disparate data sources and large data sets. This system facilitates management of XML schemas and on-demand creation and management of XML databases that conform to these schemas. They illustrate the use of this system in an application for genotype–phenotype correlation analyses. This application implements a method of phenotype–genotype correlation based on phylogenetic optimization of large data sets of mouse SNPs and phenotypic data. The application workflow requires the management and integration of genomic information and phenotypic data from external data repositories and from the results of phenotype–genotype correlation analyses. Our implementation supports the process of carrying out a complex workflow that includes large-scale phylogenetic tree optimizations and application of Maddison's concentrated changes test to large phylogenetic tree data sets. The data management system also allows collaborators to share data in a uniform way and supports complex queries that target data sets.
Focused ultrasound: an effective technique for unleashing the power of immunotherapy in the tumor microenvironment?

The tumor microenvironment presents significant barriers to the infiltration of anti-tumor immune effector cells as well as to the delivery of cancer therapeutics. In part, physical parameters such as high interstitial pressure, defective vascular elements and abnormally dense stromal elements contribute significantly to poor uptake of immune cells. However, growing evidence also shows that tumor-cells can produce inflammatory cytokines as well as express certain surface receptors that drive both the accumulation of immunosuppressive cells as well as block the activation of antigen-specific immune effector cells, such as CD8+ T cells, which are able to traverse the physical barriers to the interior of tumors.
Prediction boundaries and forecasting of non linear hydrologic stage data

This paper analyzes and forecasts hydrologic stage data in the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, the northernmost extent of the Florida Everglades. Analysis indicates that the process dynamics are chaotic, for which several attractor invariants are evaluated. A connection is made between the Kolmogorov-Sinai (KS) entropy of the phase-space trajectories and limits of temporal stage predictability. Evaluation of the KS entropy establishes a boundary for forecast time periods. Comparisons are presented between inferences produced by linear statistical models and the nonlinear attractor invariants. A nonlinear estimator (feedforward neural network), along with several linear models are employed to perform temporal forecasts of stage data. The observed degradation of forecast accuracy is consistent with the limits inferred from the attractor entropy. The nonlinear estimator is found to have better prediction accuracy than the linear models for prediction intervals beyond several days.
The effects of R-salbutamol on behavior and physiology of finishing pigs.

Salbutamol has potential for use as a repartioning agent in swine. The aims of this experiment were to determine effects of salbutamol on behavior and physiology of finishing pigs. The study used 192 pigs (88.8 +/- 0.9 kg of BW) housed in groups of 6 in 32 pens and assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: 1) control-0 mg/kg of salbutamol, 2) 2R--control diet with 2 mg/kg of the pure R-enantiomer of salbutamol, 3) 4R--control diet with 4 mg/kg of pure R-salbutamol, or 4) 8RS--control diet with 8 mg/kg of a 50:50 mixture of the R- and S-enantiomers. All diets were offered ad libitum for 4 wk. Salbutamol diets were replaced with control diets 24 to 48 h before slaughter. Behavioral responses to handling during weighing were recorded immediately before assignment to the treatments (wk 0) and at weekly intervals over the next 4-wk period. Behavioral and heart rate (HR) responses to a 10-min human presence test in the home pen were measured during wk 0, wk 1, and wk 3. Heart rate responses to a 36-min transportation were recorded. One pig from each pen had blood collected 4 times: during wk 0, 2, 4, and at exsanguination. Blood was analyzed for NEFA, creatine kinase, glucose, lactate, blood urea nitrogen, ammonia, insulin, cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. Data were analyzed using PROC GLM of SAS, with pen as the experimental unit. Treatment had no effect on time spent lying laterally, overall activity, or time spent alert. Treatment had no effect on handling measures (P > 0.05) or on behavioral responses to human presence (P > 0.05), with all pigs willing to spend similar amounts of time close to and touching the human. However, during the human presence test in wk 1 and wk 3, control pigs had HR around 10 peats per minute less (P 0.05). However, at certain 1-min time points, control pigs had greater HR than salbutamol-treated pigs (P < 0.05). There were no treatment differences in lactate, epinephrine, or norepinephrine concentrations at any point. During wk 4, control pigs had less creatine kinase (P < 0.02) and greater blood urea nitrogen (P < 0.005) compared with pigs fed all the salbutamol treatments. The home pen behavior, handling, human presence test, and transport results indicate that salbutamol-treated pigs do not show marked differences in home pen time budgets and behavioral and HR responses to handling and transportation compared with control pigs. Thus, salbutamol did not have a negative effect on finishing pig well-being during this study.
Detecting Dominant Motions in Dense Crowds

We discuss the problem of detecting dominant motions in dense crowds, a challenging and societally important problem. First, we survey the general literature of computer vision algorithms that deal with crowds of people, including model- and feature-based approaches to segmentation and tracking as well as algorithms that analyze general motion trends. Second, we present a system for automatically identifying dominant motions in a crowded scene. Accurately tracking individual objects in such scenes is difficult due to inter- and intra-object occlusions that cannot be easily resolved. Our approach begins by independently tracking low-level features using optical flow. While many of the feature point tracks are unreliable, we show that they can be clustered into smooth dominant motions using a distance measure for feature trajectories based on longest common subsequences. Results on real video sequences demonstrate that the approach can successfully identify both dominant and anomalous motions in crowded scenes. These fully-automatic algorithms could be easily incorporated into distributed camera networks for autonomous scene analysis.
Enhancing Auditor Professional Skepticism: The Professional Skepticism Continuum

SUMMARY: This summary is based on a paper by Glover and Prawitt (2013) that was commissioned and published by the Standards Working Group of the Global Public Policy Committee, a working group tha...
Malnutrition and Energy Restriction Differentially Affect Viral Immunity

Protein-energy malnutrition is associated with a decrease in immunity and an increase in infectious disease. Both of these effects are exacerbated in aging. Conversely, energy restriction (ER) without malnutrition extends the lifespan in animals and retards the age-related decline in various parameters of immune function. Recent evidence suggests, however, that aged ER mice exhibit an increased mortality in response to primary influenza infection compared with age-matched controls. Underweight may contribute to this outcome due to an inability to meet the energy demands associated with the immune response to primary viral infection. The energetic costs of immune responsiveness must be considered in the undernourished aging population and emerging studies of ER in humans.
Are Eyewall Replacement Cycles Governed Largely by Axisymmetric Balance Dynamics

The authors question the widely held view that radial contraction of a secondary eyewall during an eyewall replacement cycle is well understood and governed largely by the classical theory of axisymmetric balance dynamics. The investigation is based on a comparison of the secondary circulation and derived tangential wind tendency between a full-physics simulation and the Sawyer‐Eliassen balance model. The comparison is made at a time when the full-physics model exhibits radial contraction of the secondary eyewall during acanonical eyewall replacement cycle.It is shownthat theSawyer‐Eliassen model is unable to capture the phenomenology of secondary eyewall radial contraction because it predicts a net spindown of the boundary layer tangential winds and does not represent the boundary layer spinup mechanism that has been articulated in recent work.
Creeping wave radiation analysis from an infinite, conformal cylindrical dipole array

In this paper two distinct methods by which creeping wave radiation field can be obtained from its eigenfunction series has been shown. For the continuing investigations, the results for the creeping wave propagation constant results from (6) will be presented at the time of the conference for validation.
How Do Linguistically Diverse Students Fare in Full- and Half-Day Kindergarten? Examining Academic Achievement, Instructional Quality, and Attendance

Research Findings: This study investigated the effects of full- and half-day kindergarten programs on classroom instructional quality and children's academic achievement. Considerations were given for how the length of the school day, language status (English language learner [ELL] and non-ELL), and children's attendance patterns influenced achievement. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently and were interpreted to note the convergence (or lack thereof) of the findings. Quantitative results revealed no difference in the quality of instruction being offered in full- and half-day classrooms. Additionally, full-day kindergarten positively impacted children's academic achievement in literacy but not in mathematics, regardless of children's language status. In regard to language development, ELL children benefited more from full-day kindergarten than did their English-speaking peers, whereas all (ELL and non-ELL) children enrolled in full-day kindergarten made greater language gains when...
Technologies for Photonic Sensor Systems

Sensor systems provide a critical capability for maintaining situational awareness for defense and security applications. Advances in sensor system technology over the last fifty years have created sophisticated systems to collect, detect, process, and respond to radiation over much of the electromagnetic spectrum.In this article, we discuss the physical processes important to the design of photonic sensing, review programs advancing sensor technologies at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and provide some insight to future capabilities.
Understanding the Components of Quality Improvement Collaboratives: A Systematic Literature Review

Context In response to national efforts to improve quality of care, policymakers and health care leaders have increasingly turned to quality improvement collaboratives (QICs) as an efficient approach to improving provider practices and patient outcomes through the dissemination of evidence-based practices. This article presents findings from a systematic review of the literature on QICs, focusing on the identification of common components of QICs in health care and exploring, when possible, relations between QIC components and outcomes at the patient or provider level.
Electrostatic microprobe for determining charge domains on surfaces

An electrostatic microprobe was developed to measure charge on wipes and various test surfaces. The device is constructed on an optical microscope platform utilizing a computer controlled XY stage. Test surfaces can be optically imaged to identify microscopic features that can be correlated to the measured charge domain maps. The ultimate goal is to quantify charge on wipe cloths to determine the influence of electrostatic forces on wipe sampling efficiency. We found that certain wipe materials do not extensively charge while others accumulate charge by making contact with other surfaces (through the triboelectric effect). Charge domains are found to be nonuniform.
Counting functions satisfying a higher order strict avalanche criterion

The strict avalanche criterion was introduced by Webster and Tavares [3] in order to combine the ideas of completeness and the avalanche effect. A cryptographic transformation is complete if each output bit depends on all the input bits, and it exhibits the avalanche effect if an average of one half of the output bits change whenever a single input bit is complemented. To fulfil the strict avalanche criterion, each output bit should change with probability one half whenever a single input bit is complemented. This means, in particular, that there is no good lower order (fewer bits) approximation to the function. This is clearly a desirable cryptographic property since such an approximation would enable a corresponding reduction in the amount of work needed for an exhaustive search.
Birds in the Roman sky: Shooting for the sublime in La Grande Bellezza

The movie La Grande Bellezza stages the most recognizable sights and sounds of the city of Rome, in a referential gesture that brings us back to the past glories of Italian cinema. This is why the movie has been accused of pandering to foreign – mostly American – audiences, an accusation that was in fact encouraged, rather than prevented, by the winning of the 2014 Oscar as best foreign movie. This essay argues, instead, that Paolo Sorrentino anchors his movie in the aesthetics of the sublime as a profoundly ethical category, based in our emotional and affective response to infinity and loss. In the movie, Rome not only serves as a postcard-like, picturesque backdrop for a sublime perception of historical time; the city’s skies open up to inhuman and even saintly figures, and remind us that what is needed in today’s Italy falls nothing short of a profound ethical and political reformation.
Galbraith versus the Market: A Review Article:

J. K. Galbraith's THE NEW INDUSTRIAL STATE is an important new book which is influencing discussions on many aspects of modern economic life. In this review article, E. T. Grether discusses Galbrai...
A clinically applicable high-pressure liquid chromatographic method for measurement of serum theophylline, with detailed evaluation of interferences

A high-pressure liquid chromatographic method for the routine measurement of serum theophylline that is accurate, specific, and sensitive is presented. It is technically simple, requires only 50 microliter serum, and takes relatively little technician time. Values for theophylline in sera obtained by this method correlate well with those obtained by use of a gas-liquid chromatographic method (r = 0.980) and with values obtained by the commonly used spectrophotometric method (r = 0.939) when the latter is free of interference. The assay has been employed for two years in a routine clinical chemistry laboratory, with interassay coefficients of variation of 2.4-3.2%. Interferences have been identified at an incidence rate of 3.8% of all specimens, and interfering substances include cephazolin, chloramphenicol, sulfamethoxazole, and sulfisoxazole. A calculation technic that allows a reliable and clinically useful estimation of a range of concentrations of theophylline in the serum when these interferences are present is described. In contrast, the incidence of interferences with the spectrophotometric method is 4.9%, and in this method the interferences prevent the analysis of theophylline. Of 33 samples having interferences by use of the spectrophotometric method, the high-pressure liquid chromatographic technic yielded precise values for theophylline in 21 and reliable estimates of ranges of concentrations of theophylline in the remaining 12.
Micellar and solvent effects on the geometrical isomerism of hydroxamic acids and their anions

Hydroxamic acids and their anions exhibit geometrical isomerism due to amide-like resonance and an increase in the C-N bond order which can be monitored by 1 H-NMR spectroscopy. N-Phenylpropiono-and dodecanohydroxamic acids, 1a and 2a, respectively, exist as E-isomers in DMSO-d 6 and CD 3 OD but 1a is an E-Z mixture in D 2 O. The corresponding hydroxamate ions, 1b and 2b, also exist as E-isomers in DMSO-d 6 , but Z-isomers form on addition of D 2 O and Z-2b is dominant with XD 2 o ≥ 0.9. In CD 3 OD E- and Z-isomers coexist, but Z-2b becomes dominant on addition of D 2 O. The E:Z ratio of 1b is very similar in cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr) and in D 2 O, but only Z-2b is detected in cationic CTABr micelles and in anionic, zwitterionic, and nonionic micelles. Formation of Z-2b in micelles and water-rich mixed solvents is favored by hydrophobic interactions between phenyl and n-alkyl groups, despite the proximity of anionoid oxygens. In micelles of sodium dodecyl sulfate the N-phenyl residue of 2b is in a more aqueous region of the micelle-water interface than in micelles of the other surfactants.
Delayed Introduction of Parenteral Phosphorus Is Associated with Hypercalcemia in Extremely Preterm Infants

Background Early parenteral nutrition (PN) provides essential macro- and micronutrients for extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants 1.45 mmol/L] in the first week of life while receiving PN solutions at our large quaternary center prompted investigation and 2 plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles to reduce rates of hypercalcemia. Objective We compared 2 cohorts of ELBW infants separated by PDSA cycles to evaluate and reduce the incidence of abnormal iCa concentration. Methods Data were recorded for 150 premature infants with mean birth weight of 726 ± 164 g, 48% male, and mean gestational age of 26 ± 2.1 wk. This process included an internal practice analysis and PDSA cycles monitored prospectively over 3 y. From December 2011 to September 2012, 66 infants received 0-1.2 mmol parenteral phosphorus supplementation/(kg ⋅ d) beginning at 72 h of life. In the second protocol, 84 infants born September 2012 to July 2013 received earlier phosphorus supplementation within 24 h of life. The peak whole blood iCa and serum phosphorus concentrations in the first week of life were monitored. Results Early introduction of phosphorus was significantly associated with a decreased mean peak iCa (1.64 ± 0.27 mmol/L to 1.50 ± 0.23 mmol/L, P = 0.001), and the incidence of severe hypercalcemia (iCa > 1.60 mmol/L) decreased from 50.0% to 21.4% (P = 0.002) in the first week of life. There was no difference in mortality, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, renal calcifications, seizures within 7 d of birth, brain calcifications, or intracranial hemorrhage between cohorts. Conclusion Early introduction of phosphorus in PN solutions is associated with reduced incidence of whole blood iCa abnormalities in the first week of life and should be considered for ELBW infants. Ongoing evaluation of optimal mineral provision to this population after birth should be performed.
Keeping quality and flavor, and microorganisms, proteases and lipases in raw cow and goat milk at collection and after storage.

Raw cow and goat milks for retail sale in Connecticut were examined at collection and after storage at 4.4 and 7.2°C for 7 d for keeping quality, flavor, microorganisms, protein degradation on storage, and protease and lipase activity. Some milks were bottled at the farm, others were placed in containers supplied by the customer. Goat milk retained a satisfactory flavor significantly longer than cow milk. There was no correlation of keeping quality with any microbial count made at collection except for number of coliform bacteria. Significant differences were found in enzyme activity and protein degradation between cow and goat milk. No significant difference was found between milk bottled at the farm and that collected in sterile containers. Over 82% of raw milk samples met the 30,000 per ml state standard for total aerobic count (SPC) and 72% met the coliform standard of 50 per ml.
Role of NPM in the Control of Genetic Stability and Tumorigenesis.

Nucleophosmin (NPM, B23, NO38) is a nucleolar protein directly implicated in cancer pathogenesis as the NPM gene is found mutated and rearranged in a number of haematological disorders. In addition, the region of chromosome 5 where NPM maps to (5q35) is deleted in a proportion of de novo human myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and loss of chromosome 5 is extremely frequent in therapy-related MDS (t-MDS). NPM is a multifunctional protein, and its role in oncogenesis is controversial as NPM has been attributed both oncogenic and tumour suppressive functions. To study the function of Npm in vivo, we generated a hypomorphic Npm mutant series [ Npm +/− < Npm hy/hy < Npm −/−] in the mouse, and we found that Npm is essential for embryonic development and the maintenance of genomic stability. Npm −/− and Npm hy/hy mutants display aberrant organogenesis and die between E11.5 and E16.5 due to severe anemia resulting from defects in primitive haematopoiesis. Furthermore Npm inactivation leads to unrestricted centrosome duplication and genomic instability. We demonstrate that Npm is haploinsufficient in the control of genetic stability and that Npm heterozygosity accelerates oncogenesis both in vitro and in vivo . Importantly, Npm+/− mice develop a haematological syndrome with features of human MDS. Our findings unravel an essential developmental role for Npm and implicate its functional loss in tumourigenesis and MDS pathogenesis.
CREDIT MARKETS AND MONETARY POLICY

This chapter discusses credit markets and the monetary policy. Financial markets are an important part of the economy. Corporations raise funds by borrowing in the credit market or selling ownership shares on the stock market. The commodities market trades futures contracts in goods, stabilizing mineral and agricultural markets. Bonds are an important part of the credit market. Borrowers sell bonds to the lenders who supply funds. The demand for credit depends on the interest rate, expectations about inflation and income, and government policies. Interest rates are set by the forces of supply and demand. Borrowers and lenders compete and this competition brings interest to equilibrium. Inflation is built into the interest rate through market forces. Higher expected inflation rates increase credit demand but reduce the supply of loans. Interest rates must rise in this situation, unless government regulations intervene. Federal Reserve policies that alter the credit supply affect investments and aggregate demand through the interest rate link. Monetary policy is an alternative to fiscal actions. The variable lag between interest rates and investment spending adds to the uncertainty of monetary policies.
mm-Wave tunable colpitts oscillators based on FinFETs

The characteristics of compact tunable Colpitts oscillators built using FinFET transistor technology are presented. As compared to a conventional single gate MOSFET, the use of common-mode FinFET architecture allows for a more relaxed oscillatory criterion for Colpitts oscillator design, while adaption of independent-mode FinFETs bestows a Colpitts oscillator with a simple and efficient means for tunable performance. The frequency can be tuned to an extent of ∼5% of center frequency without the need of any extra components such as varactors. The effect of supply voltage and FinFET dimensions on the oscillation frequency has also been investigated. The oscillation criterion is relaxed when compared to that of an identical design in single gate MOSFET due to the increase of gm by a factor of 2 in case of a common-mode FinFET. No separate capacitors are used between the gate and source as part of a conventional Colpitts oscillator: The higher gate-source capacitance of the FinFET is conveniently utilized to substitute the external capacitor thus reducing parasitics and achieving the mm-wave frequency of 65 GHz and 165 GHz. The phase noise of the oscillator is −95 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset, for the case of 65 GHz circuit, which deteriorates in higher frequency versions. The compact and tunable characteristics of the proposed oscillator, along with its high frequency potential, make it suitable for applications such as on-chip wireless interconnects required for kilo-core computing that have hard limits on area and power but requires very precise tuning of the carrier.
Radiation therapy primes tumors for nanotherapeutic delivery via macrophage-mediated vascular bursts

Efficient delivery of therapeutic nanoparticles (TNPs) to tumors is critical in improving efficacy, yet strategies that universally maximize tumoral targeting by TNP modification have been difficult to achieve in the clinic. Instead of focusing on TNP optimization, we show that the tumor microenvironment itself can be therapeutically primed to facilitate accumulation of multiple clinically relevant TNPs. Building on the recent finding that tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) can serve as nanoparticle drug depots, we demonstrate that local tumor irradiation substantially increases TAM relative to tumor cells and, thus, TNP delivery. High-resolution intravital imaging reveals that after radiation, TAM primarily accumulate adjacent to microvasculature, elicit dynamic bursts of extravasation, and subsequently enhance drug uptake in neighboring tumor cells. TAM depletion eliminates otherwise beneficial radiation effects on TNP accumulation and efficacy, and controls with unencapsulated drug show that radiation effects are more pronounced with TNPs. Priming with combined radiation and cyclophosphamide enhances vascular bursting and tumoral TNP concentration, in some cases leading to a sixfold increase of TNP accumulation in the tumor, reaching 6% of the injected dose per gram of tissue. Radiation therapy alters tumors for enhanced TNP delivery in a TAM-dependent fashion, and these observations have implications for the design of next-generation tumor-targeted nanomaterials and clinical trials for adjuvant strategies.
Valence Bond Spin Models: Ground States and Excitations

This report is about quantum spin Hamiltonians which are Antiferromagnetic Isotropic in Spin Space Short Range.
Opening Doors: Teaching LGBTQ-themed Young Adult Literature for an Inclusive Curriculum

LGBTQ themes are often neglected in many schools' curriculum. Currently, an LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum framework is not required in most school districts across the county. Therefore, it is importa...
Creativity as a Stepping Stone toward a Brighter Future.

If IQs continue to rise over generation, why has the world been unable to solve basic recurrent problems? This paper argues that creativity, which is overlooked in IQ tests and showing no signs of a similar increase, may be part of the reason of why the Flynn Effect has not led to a better world. Creativity’s predictive power for traditional positive outcomes, such as school or work performance, is significant but slight. However, there are other ways that creativity can help to make a better world. Two exemplar ways that are discussed in this paper are how creativity can (a) help people lead happier and more meaningful lives and (b) focus a spotlight on talented members of underrepresented groups who are overlooked by traditional measures. Both of these directions can lead to a world that is better equipped to solve larger issues.
Comparison of protein solution structures refined by molecular dynamics simulation in vacuum, with a generalized Born model, and with explicit water

The inclusion of explicit solvent water in molecular dynamics refinement of NMR structures ought to provide the most physically meaningful accounting for the effects of solvent on structure, but is computationally expensive. In order to evaluate the validity of commonly used vacuum refinements and of recently developed continuum solvent model methods, we have used three different methods to refine a set of NMR solution structures of a medium sized protein, Escherichia coli glutaredoxin 2, from starting structures calculated using the program DYANA. The three different refinement protocols used molecular dynamics simulated annealing with the program AMBER in vacuum (VAC), including a generalized Born (GB) solvent model, and a full calculation including explicit solvent water (WAT). The structures obtained using the three methods of refinements were very similar, a reflection of their generally well-determined nature. However, the structures refined with the generalized Born model were more similar to those from explicit water refinement than those refined in vacuum. Significant improvement was seen in the percentage of backbone dihedral angles in the most favored regions of phi, psi space and in hydrogen bond pattern for structures refined with the GB and WAT models, compared with the structures refined in vacuum. The explicit water calculation took an average of 200 h of CPU time per structure on an SGI cluster, compared to 15-90 h for the GB calculation (depending on the parameters used) and 2 h for the vacuum calculation. The generalized Born solvent model proved to be an excellent compromise between the vacuum and explicit water refinements, giving results comparable to those of the explicit water calculation. Some improvement for phi and psi angle distribution and hydrogen bond pattern can also be achieved by energy minimizing the vacuum structures with the GB model, which takes a much shorter time than MD simulations with the GB model.
Transport in aquatic canopies

This is the first book that reviews problems in different fluid mechanics disciplines that led to the concept of canopy, or penetrable roughness.
Studies on The Inhibition of Thermolysin

The neutral proteases are a group of metallo endopeptidases primarily of microbial origin which have a similar substrate specificity and have neutral pH activity optima. These enzymes have been isolated fromBacilli, Streptomyces, Aspergilli,andPseudomonas among others.1 All of these enzymes catalyze the hydrolysis of peptide bonds of which the imino group is contributed by a hydrophobic amino acid, particularly leucine and phenylalanine. The neutral proteases isolated fromB. subtilis,2 B. megaterium,3 -5 B. cereus 6,7andB. thermoproteolyticus 8,9,10contain a single zinc atom and are stabilized by calcium and other divalent cations. These enzymes generally lack cysteine in their structures and Pangburnet a1.11recently reported similarity in sequences of theB. subtilis neutral protease and thermolysin. In spite of the great similarity in catalytic and structural properties these enzymes differ markedly in thermal stability
Transcription—The Synthesis of RNA

Synthesis of messenger RNA by transcription of the genetic information contained in DNA constitutes the first stage of protein biosynthesis. In the second stage (translation), mRNA serves as the template that directs amino acid polymerization. The term transcription is well chosen: a sequence of deoxyribonucleotides in DNA becomes transcribed into a sequence of ribonucleotides in RNA. Transcription retains the genetic information in the form of nucleotide sequences but alters the type of nucleotide. In addition to generating mRNAs, transcription produces ribosomal, transfer, and small RNAs. The basic mechanism of transcription is similar in all cells and requires catalysis by RNA polymerase (DNA-dependent RNA polymerase).
A Gloss on Robert s. Cohen’s Ambiguities of Science

Victor Weisskopf, who like Robert S. Cohen has an interactive understanding of science, society and nature, and a concern for the ecological whole, has stated: “Compassion without curiosity is ineffective. Curiosity without compassion is inhuman.”1 By curiosity Weisskopf means science; and his compassion is global concern. Cohen’s professional contributions move from the scientific part to the philosophical whole and from the social whole to the personal part. His life and work show both extraordinary intellectual curiosity and profound social and ethical insight. This present essay is a gloss on ‘Reflections on the Ambiguity of Science’ which appeared in Foundations of Ethics in 1983.2 He meditated on two quotations, one by C. S. Lewis, “What we call man’s power over nature turns out to be a power exercised by some men over other men, with nature as an instrument;” the other by Max Horkheimer, “The ideological dimension of science comes to light, above all, in what science closes its eyes to.” Some of the philosophical and ethical concerns of Horkheimer and Cohen were pressed on my consciousness as a student under the former at the University of Frankfurt in 1930–31. My appreciation for Cohen emerges from long association and friendship with him at Boston University.
Corn germ protein: Functional properties in a model system and in food products.

Processed high-protein blended food products, enriched with proteins, vitamins, and minerals, were developed to supplement the human diet. Defatted corn germ protein flour (CGPF) has considerable potential for use as a supplement in a variety of foods and, as such, provides a new protein source for both domestic and foreign markets. Highly dispersible CGPF has good potential as a balanced protein supplement in food formulations. The large corn crop, together with the high germ percentage in the corn kernel, would provide an adequate source for the expanded use of germ as food.
Expression of the APRT gene in an adenovirus vector system as a model for studying gene therapy.

Most protocols for gene therapy which correct metabolic defects involve the use of retrovirus vectors to introduce normal cellular genes into mutant somatic tissue (1–2). Although retroviruses have many advantages in gene therapy, such vectors containing endogenous promoters readily undergo deletion and rearrangement as well as recombination, which makes them unstable and potentially pathogenic (3–4). Human adenoviruses have been studied as possible helper independent gene transfer and expression vectors (5–8). The aprt gene is a good model system for studying the parameters of gene therapy and gene transfer. It is constitutively expressed in all cell types (9), its deficiency does not affect cell morphology or cell growth in culture; it is small (2.8 kb), and conversion from aprt− to aprt+ is easily selected. Many aprt− mutant cell lines are available (10) and can be used as target cells for in vitro studies.
On Some Human Uses of Phenomenology

Is it at all legitimate to subject phenomenology to questions of such a pragmatic, if not utilitarian, nature as that of its human uses? Isn’t it below the dignity of a true science and particularly of a philosophy which started out with the ambition of being a rigorous science to submit to this kind of a cross examination? In fact, Edmund Husserl in his historic manifesto article on “Philosophy as a Rigorous Science” solemnly disclaimed all pretensions that it could bring aid and comfort to modern man in his dire need for a philosophy of life (Weltanschauung).
Fourier Transform on R

We define and study the Fourier transform in this chapter. Rather than working with functions defined on the circle, we consider functions defined on the real line R. Among many books, the reader can consult [E, G] and [GS] for applications of Fourier transforms to applied mathematics, physics, and engineering. See [F1] for an advanced mathematical treatment.
Gangs and Counter-Gang Strategies

This chapter focuses on gangs and counter-gang strategies and how they have contributed to violence. It begins with a conceptualization of gangs. After an examination of the different elements that constitute a gang, the chapter discusses the structure of gangs, focusing on the differences between vertical and horizontal structures. It then turns to an examination of Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and the 18th Street gangs. It analyzes the origins of these organizations and the different factors that resulted in the expansion of these street gangs throughout Central America. The chapter focuses on the role of tough on crime strategies as well as the consequences of such initiatives. Next, it explores the relationship between Central American street gang members and the penitentiary system. It also explores the relationship between these gangs and the United States and analyzes the policies of the current administration. The chapter concludes with some policy recommendations.
Ice-sheet modulation of deglacial North American monsoon intensification

The North American monsoon, the dominant source of rainfall for much of the arid US Southwest, remains one of the least understood monsoon systems. The late Pleistocene evolution of this monsoon is poorly constrained, largely because glacial changes in winter rainfall obscure summer monsoon signatures in many regional proxy records. Here, we develop deglacial records of monsoon strength from isotopic analyses of leaf wax biomarkers in marine sediment cores. Reconstructions indicate a regional decrease in monsoon rainfall during the Last Glacial Maximum, and that the deglacial trajectory of the North American monsoon closely tracks changes in North American ice cover. In climate model simulations, North American ice cover shifts the westerlies southwards, favouring the mixing of cold, dry air into the US Southwest. This process, known as ventilation, weakens the monsoon by diluting the energy fluxes required for convection. As the ice sheet retreats northwards, the monsoon strengthens, and local ocean conditions may play a larger role in regulating its intensity. We conclude that on glacial–interglacial timescales, ice-sheet-induced reorganizations of atmospheric circulation have a dominant influence on the North American monsoon. The intensity of the North American summer monsoon was modified by changes in the extent of the Laurentide Ice Sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum and subsequent deglaciation, according to isotope records and numerical simulations.
Acute management of cervical spine trauma

Traumatic cervical spine injuries represent a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in sports. Appropriate management of such injuries is critical to minimizing harm and facilitating optimal long-term recovery and outcome. Management strategies begin with emergency preparedness amongst sideline providers and extends to paramedic services and medical teams in the acute care setting. This chapter outlines the principles of treatment across the care continuum, with a primary focus on hospital-based care. Diagnostic imaging and equipment considerations are reviewed, with discussion of corticosteroid administration, therapeutic hypothermia, and traction of the cervical spine. Approaches to cervical spine stabilization and return to play are also detailed, with an emphasis on patient-centered care and individualized treatment approaches to the athlete.
Fictions of Integration: American Children's Literature and the Legacies of Brown v. Board of Education

This book examines how children’s and young adult literature addresses and interrogates the legacies of American school desegregation. Such literature narrates not only the famous battles to implement desegregation in the South, in places like Little Rock, Arkansas, but also more insidious and less visible legacies, such as re-segregation within schools through the mechanism of disability diagnosis. Novelizations of children’s experiences with school desegregation comment upon the politics of getting African-American children access to white schools; but more than this, as school stories, they also comment upon how structural racism operates in the classroom and mutates, over the course of decades, through the pedagogical practices depicted in literature for young readers. Lesley combines approaches from critical race theory, disability studies, and educational philosophy in order to investigate how the educational market simultaneously constrains how racism in schools can be presented to young readers and also provides channels for radical critiques of pedagogy and visions of alternative systems. The volume examines a range of titles, from novels that directly engage the Brown v. Board of Education decision, such as Sharon Draper’s Fire From the Rock and Dorothy Sterling’s Mary Jane, to novels that engage less obvious legacies of desegregation, such as Cynthia Voigt’s Dicey’s Song, Sharon Flake’s Pinned, Virginia Hamilton’s The Planet of Junior Brown, and Louis Sachar’s Holes. This book will be of interest to scholars of American studies, children’s literature, and educational philosophy and history.
Mexiletine Usage in a Chronic Pain Clinic: Indications, Tolerability, and Side Effects.

BACKGROUND Intravenous lidocaine has multiple applications in the management of acute and chronic pain. Mexiletine, an oral lidocaine analogue, has been used in a number of chronic pain conditions although its use is not well characterized. OBJECTIVES To report our experience using mexiletine in a chronic pain population, specifically looking at tolerability, side effects, and EKG changes. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective, cohort study. SETTING Three chronic pain clinics within a hospital system in Detroit, MI. METHODS All patients who had a mexiletine prescription between August 2015 and August 2016 were queried via the electronic medical record. Each chart was examined for demographics, QTc changes on EKG, length of use, and reasons for stoppage. RESULTS There were 74 total patients identified in the chronic pain management clinics as receiving at least 1 mexiletine prescription over the 1-year time period. Twice as many women as men received mexiletine prescriptions. Neuropathic pain was the most common primary diagnosis (64%) which included diabetic neuropathy, radiculopathy, and others. Fibromyalgia was the next most common primary diagnosis (28%). A QTc change on the EKG showed a mean decrease of 0.1 ms and median increase of 1.5 ms. At 6 months (180 days), approximately 30% of the patients remained on mexiletine therapy, and 28% remained on the therapy at 1 year (360 days). Median duration of use was 60 days and the mean was 288 days. Neurologic and gastrointestinal side effects were the most commons reason for stoppage. All side effects were mild and resolved with stoppage. After side effects, lack of response, or loss of efficacy, were the next most common reasons for stoppage. LIMITATIONS Pain relief and outcomes were not specifically examined due to confounding factors including interventional treatments and multiple treatment modalities. This was a retrospective, cohort study limited to our specific clinic population with a relatively high loss to follow-up rate. CONCLUSION Mexiletine is rarely a first line option for chronic pain management and is often used when multiple other modalities have failed. By reporting our experience, we hope other clinicians may have more familiarity with the drug's use in a chronic pain practice. It appears reasonably tolerable, may not require frequent EKG monitoring, and can be an appropriate adjunct in the chronic pain population. More research is needed regarding efficacy and dose titration for mexiletine in chronic pain. KEY WORDS Chronic pain, mexiletine, IV lidocaine, pain, neuropathic pain, neuropathy, fibromyalgia, QTc, tolerability.
Bonding of H in O vacancies of ZnO : Density functional calculations

We investigate the bonding of H in O vacancies in $\mathrm{ZnO}$ using density functional calculations. We find that H is anionic and does not form multicenter bonds with Zn in this compound.