cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nutrient Transporter Expression in the Jejunum in Relation to Body Mass Index in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery.

Nutrient tranters (NT) facilitate nutrient absorption and contribute to the regulation of circulating nutrients. In this cross-sectional study, we determined the associations between the level of obesity; mRNA abundance for NTs; and serum concentrations of amino acids, short-chain fatty acids, and glucose in patients with morbid obesity undergoing a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Proximal jejunal samples were obtained at the time of surgery from 42 patients (90% female, age = 42.6 ± 11.9 years, pre-operative body mass index (BMI) = 55.5 ± 11.3 kg/m2) undergoing a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. RNA was extracted from the jejunal mucosa and quantitative real-time–PCR was performed for the NTs studied. BMI negatively correlated with jejunal mRNA abundance of the amino acid NTs TauT (r = −0.625, p < 0.0001), ASCT2 (r = −0.320, p = 0.039), LAT1 (r = −0.304, p = 0.05). BMI positively correlated with jejunal mRNA abundance of the lactate/short-chain fatty acid NT SMCT1 (r = 0.543, p = 0.0002). Serum concentrations of the short-chain fatty acids, butyric, valeric, and isocaproic acid correlated positively with BMI (n = 30) (r = 0.45, r = 0.44, r = 0.36, p ≤ 0.05; respectively). Lower jejunal mRNA abundance for the amino acid NTs TauT, ASCT2, and LAT1 could protect against further obesity-related elevations in circulating amino acids. The positive correlation between BMI and the jejunal mRNA abundance of the high-affinity short-chain fatty acid/monocarboxylate transporter SMCT1 is intriguing and requires further investigation.
The Securitization of the Kurdish Minority in Turkey: Ontological Insecurity and Elite's Power Struggle as Reasons of the Recent Re‐Securitization

This article analyzes the treatment of the Kurdish minority by the government of Turkey. The uninterrupted power of the AKP (Justice and Development Party/Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi) that since 2002 has created a de facto dominant party democracy (today going toward totalitarianism) and is implementing a strategy of securitization (Buzan, Waever, & de Wilde, 1998) of the issue of the Kurdish minority since the interruption of the ceasefire with the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) in July 2015. The article argues that this strategy has been implemented for three main reasons: the reduced ontological security (Giddens, 1991) of Turkey because of the recent violent conflicts in Syria and Iraq, the risk of loss of power of the ruling party and the elites (Snyder, 2000) because of the recent entrance in the Parliament by the HDP (People's Democratic Party, a pro-Kurdish party), and the ideological threat posed by HDP to the AKP regime (a left-wing progressive ideology opposed to the moderate Islamist ideology of AKP). The purpose of this study is to fill a research gap in the area of why the post-July 2015 era constitutes a new context shaping the AKP's perception and management of the Kurdish issue. The methodology followed in this research is a qualitative case study analysis based on process tracing of the recent Turkish treatment of the Kurdish minority and, in particular, the recent events of the second part of 2015 and the beginning of 2016. The article starts with a brief historical overview of Turkish democracy and a theoretical overview on the securitization theory. Then, it analyzes the past and current securitization of the Kurdish issue, arguing that the causes of the recent intensification of this securitization since the summer of 2015 have to be found in these three factors: the low level of ontological security of the state; the fear of losing the power by the AKP ruling elite; and the threat to the political ideology of the AKP posed by the HDP.
Vector-Borne Pathogen and Host Evolution in a Structured Immuno-Epidemiological System

Vector-borne disease transmission is a common dissemination mode used by many pathogens to spread in a host population. Similar to directly transmitted diseases, the within-host interaction of a vector-borne pathogen and a host's immune system influences the pathogen's transmission potential between hosts via vectors. Yet there are few theoretical studies on virulence-transmission trade-offs and evolution in vector-borne pathogen-host systems. Here, we consider an immuno-epidemiological model that links the within-host dynamics to between-host circulation of a vector-borne disease. On the immunological scale, the model mimics antibody-pathogen dynamics for arbovirus diseases, such as Rift Valley fever and West Nile virus. The within-host dynamics govern transmission and host mortality and recovery in an age-since-infection structured host-vector-borne pathogen epidemic model. By considering multiple pathogen strains and multiple competing host populations differing in their within-host replication rate and immune response parameters, respectively, we derive evolutionary optimization principles for both pathogen and host. Invasion analysis shows that the [Formula: see text] maximization principle holds for the vector-borne pathogen. For the host, we prove that evolution favors minimizing case fatality ratio (CFR). These results are utilized to compute host and pathogen evolutionary trajectories and to determine how model parameters affect evolution outcomes. We find that increasing the vector inoculum size increases the pathogen [Formula: see text], but can either increase or decrease the pathogen virulence (the host CFR), suggesting that vector inoculum size can contribute to virulence of vector-borne diseases in distinct ways.
Souls, the Final Frontier: Human Intuitions of Mind in Star Trek

In this article, the author investigates the religiously resonant nature of aspects of certain narratives within the popular science fiction mythology of Star Trek as well as the implications of the religiosity implicit in that mythology. Drawing on literature from social and evolutionary psychology as well as popular culture studies, the author claims that various Star Trek series both explicitly and implicitly utilize the religiously resonant concept of the soul. The use of the soul as a narrative device relies on most humans' psychological tendencies toward essentialist thinking and offline social reasoning. The author argues that by narratively affirming the idea of souls, Star Trek narratives occasionally constitute religiously resonant fantasy as opposed to depicting a fully rationalist and non-religious human future, as some anti-religionists argue.
Bicarbonate Elution of Uranium from Amidoxime-Based Polymer Adsorbents for Sequestering Uranium from Seawater

Uranium adsorbed on amidoxime-based polyethylene fibers in simulated seawater can be quantitatively eluted using 3 M KHCO3 at 40 °C. Thermodynamic calculations are in agreement with the experimental observation that at high bicarbonate concentrations (3 M) uranyl ions bound to amidoxime molecules are converted to uranyl tris-carbonato complex in the aqueous solution. The elution process is basically the reverse reaction of the uranium adsorption process which occurs at a very low bicarbonate concentration (∼10−3 M) in seawater. In real seawater experiments, the bicarbonate elution is followed by a NaOH treatment to remove natural organic matter adsorbed on the polymer adsorbent. Using the sequential bicarbonate and NaOH elution, the adsorbent is reusable after rinsing with deionized water and the recycled adsorbent shows no loss of uranium loading capacity based on real seawater experiments.
Vegetational zonation in a swamp forest, Middle Pennsylvanian, Illinois Basin, U.S.A., indicates niche differentiation in a wetland plant community.

Abstract A rich fossil flora occurs in the roof shale of the Middle Pennsylvanian (Moscovian) age, Springfield Coal flanking the Galatia channel, a river deposit approximately 1 km in width and 150 km long, partially contemporaneous with the Springfield peat swamp. Siltstone and sandstone, > 30 m thick, were deposited in the channel during the final estuarine phase. The river formed under seasonal subhumid climate during early deglaciation as marine waters retreated from the land surface. It existed continuously through glacial maximum, under increasingly humid climate, as a low-sediment or black-water river with peat along its flanks. During early deglaciation, under subhumid climate and sea-level rise, the river became a sediment-laden estuary, drowning the peat swamp and burying vegetation in place under extensive mudflats. This buried flora was studied in three underground mines in southern Illinois, permitting vegetation to be characterized spatially. Three transects, comprising 100 sites, a total linear distance of ~ 12 km, reveal distinct zonation perpendicular to the channel margin. An innermost belt, 0.5 to 2.5 km wide, consists almost exclusively of the pteridosperm Neuropteris flexuosa. North of a river bend, three belts succeed the N. flexuosa zone: mixed pteridosperms and marattialean tree ferns; mixed arborescent lycopsids and marattialians; lycopsids with rare marattialians. South and inside the same bend, N. flexuosa is succeeded by mixed lycopsids, particularly Sigillaria, and marattialean ferns. Within the transects, marattialian ferns have wider distribution than other groups, suggesting broader environmental tolerances. Neuropteris flexuosa channel-margin mono-dominance may reflect high sedimentation rates, elevated nutrient conditions, or floating-seed dispersal. Lycopsid dominance in interior areas conforms with tolerance of deep, standing water. The spatial scale examined affects our perception of community assembly. Overall, distinct vegetational zonation suggests niche-assembly; however, within vegetational bands, there is considerable small-scale spatial variation suggesting stochastic properties.
New Thoughts on Atypias of the Breast: Flat Epithelial Atypia, Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia, and Lobular Neoplasia

The widespread use of screening mammography as well as advances in imaging techniques has resulted in increased detection of high-risk breast lesions. These same imaging advances have also opened up the discussion regarding the necessity of routine surgical excisions for all types of breast atypia. In this chapter, the microscopic appearance and diagnostic criteria for flat epithelial atypia (FEA), atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), and lobular neoplasia will be described, highlighting the important clinical and pathologic differences between classic and variants of lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). The risk of upgrade to invasive carcinoma and/or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and its impact on the current management recommendations for each category of atypia will be reviewed with an emphasis on the importance of pathologic-radiologic concordance. Finally, the impact of breast magnetic response imaging (MRI) on diagnosis and management decisions will be addressed.
Voters’ Perceptions of Trust in 2016 Presidential Candidates, Clinton and Trump: Exploring the Election’s Outcome:

This study explored voters’ perceptions of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump regarding their general trust in the two 2016 presidential candidates, voters’ demographics, five underlying drivers of t...
Electrocatalytic Reduction of Dioxygen to Hydrogen Peroxide by a Molecular Manganese Complex with a Bipyridine-Containing Schiff Base Ligand

The synthesis and electrocatalytic reduction of dioxygen by a molecular manganese(III) complex with a tetradentate dianionic bipyridine-based ligand is reported. Electrochemical characterization indicates a Nernstian dependence on the added proton source for the reduction of Mn(III) to Mn(II). The resultant species is competent for the reduction of dioxygen to H2O2 with 81 ± 4% Faradaic efficiency. Mechanistic studies suggest that the catalytically active species has been generated through the interaction of the added proton donor and the parent Mn complex, resulting in the protonation of a coordinated phenolate moiety following the single-electron reduction, generating a neutral species with a vacant coordination site at the metal center. As a consequence, the active catalyst has a pendent proton source in close proximity to the active site for subsequent intramolecular reactions.
Performance of perfect space-time codes under linear MMSE equalization and BLAST based decoding for large data rates

Space-time block codes which follow the perfect coding principle are a new class of full-rate linear-dispersion codes which are also fully diverse. These codes are therefore optimal in terms of the diversity-multiplexing tradeoff put forward by Zheng and Tse. However, this condition is dependent on the decoding method also being optimal, hence some form of maximum-likelihood decoding should be employed. For large multiple-input multiple-output arrays where latency and throughput are the limiting factors it is more practical to use linear equalization based receivers. In this paper we explore the effects of linear minimum mean-square error (MMSE) based decoding with and without optimal ordering and symbol cancellation (BLAST) on various perfect space-time block codes up to 8 × 8 arrays both with and without channel coding for bits per channel-use up to 48. These results are compared to equivalent spatial multiplexing systems using the same linear de-multiplexing used in many state-of-the-art commercial systems.
Nicotinic cholinergic regulation of tetrahydrobiopterin levels in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells.

Catecholamines (CA) in adrenergic neurons are maintained at a relatively constant level despite wide variations in neural activity1. The mechanism of this regulation is the modulation of the conversion of tyrosine to dopa, the rate limiting step in CA biosynthesis. The enzyme catalyzing this step, tyrosine hydroxylase2 (TH; EC 1.14.16.2; 1-tyrosine, tetrahydropteridine:oxygen oxidoreductase, 3-hydroxylating), is subject to a variety of regulatory mechanisms. Acutely, TH is regulated by negative feedback inhibition of TH by intracellular CA3 and activation through phosphorylation of TH by four second messenger-activated protein kinases4. At the chronic level the quantity of TH is regulated through trans-synaptic mediated increase in the synthesis of enzyme molecules5.
Cerebellum development and medulloblastoma.

Abstract In the last 20 years, it has become clear that developmental genes and their regulators, noncoding RNAs including microRNAs and long-noncoding RNAs, within signaling pathways play a critical role in the pathogenesis of cancer. Many of these pathways were first identified in genetic screens in Drosophila and other lower organisms. Mammalian orthologs were subsequently identified and genes within the pathways cloned and found to regulate cell growth. Genes and pathways expressed during embryonic development, including the Notch, Wnt/β-Catenin, TGF-β/BMP, Shh/Patched, and Hippo pathways are mutated, lost, or aberrantly regulated in a wide variety of human cancers, including skin, breast, blood, and brain cancers, including medulloblastoma. These biochemical pathways affect cell fate determination, axis formation, and patterning during development and regulate tissue homeostasis and regeneration in adults. Medulloblastoma, the most common malignant nervous system tumor in childhood, are thought to arise from disruptions in cerebellar development [reviewed by Marino, S. (2005)]. Defining the extracellular cues and intracellular signaling pathways that control cerebellar neurogenesis, especially granule cell progenitor (GCP) proliferation and differentiation has been useful for developing models to unravel the mechanisms underlying medulloblastoma formation and growth. In this chapter, we will review the development of the cerebellar cortex, highlighting signaling pathways of potential relevance to tumorigenesis.
- Photodissociation of SO 2 at 200 nm: Evidence of an anisotropy effect

This chapter deals with the ultrafast dynamics of SO 2 , SO 2 clusters, and SO 2 clustered with water. The experiments investigate both bound and dissociative processes in the monomer and cluster species. Currently, the interest lies in sulfur isotope effects in the photodissociation of SO 2 excited by 200 nm pulses to the C/D state. The scientific community is interested in isotope effects in heavy atoms for fundamental reasons as well as for the information inferred about the earth's early atmosphere. A preliminary investigation of SO 2 yields evidence for anisotropy effects. The polarization of the pump and probe beam are found to have a profound effect on the ability to observe the neutral state dynamics of SO fragments that result from the photodissociation of SO 2 with 200 nm light. The evidence for these observations as well as plausible explanations of the results is presented.
Inviting Engagement, Supporting Success: How to Manage a Transcription Center

This article lists and examines the practical considerations and proven approaches for managing a participatory project focusing on transcription of digitized materials and engagement with the publ...
Converting to Privatization: A Discourse Analysis of Dyslexia Policy Narratives.

In this study, I analyze written testimony submitted to the state legislature regarding Connecticut’s 2014 Act Concerning Dyslexia and Special Education (PA-14-39), in order to engage with the disc...
A behavioral economics-based telehealth intervention to improve aspirin adherence following hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome.

Purpose A significant number of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are nonadherent to aspirin after hospital discharge, with an associated increased risk of subsequent cardiovascular events. The purpose of this pilot study was to test the efficacy of a telehealth intervention based on behavioral economics to improve aspirin adherence following hospitalization for ACS. Methods We enrolled 130 participants (c¯X = 58 ± 10.7 years of age, 38% female, 45% black) from two hospitals. Patients were eligible if they owned a smartphone and were admitted to the hospital for ACS, prescribed aspirin at discharge, and responsible for administering their own medications. Consenting participants were randomized to the intervention or usual care group. The intervention group was eligible to receive up to $50 per month if they took their medicine daily, with $2 per day deducted if a dose was missed. All participants received an electronic monitoring (EM) pill bottle containing a 90‐day supply of aspirin, which was used to measure adherence calculated as the proportion of prescribed drug taken using the EM device. Based on the skewness in the adherence distribution, quantile regression was used to evaluate the effect of the intervention on median adherence over time. Results After 90 days, adherence fell in the control group but remained high in the intervention group (median adherence 81% vs 90%, P = .18). Rehospitalization was higher in the control group (24% vs 13%, P = .17). Conclusion A loss aversion behavioral economics‐based telehealth intervention is a promising approach to improving aspirin adherence following hospitalization for ACS.
Maximum Entropy Multi-Task Inverse RL

Multi-task IRL allows for the possibility that the expert could be switching between multiple ways of solving the same problem, or interleaving demonstrations of multiple tasks. The learner aims to learn the multiple reward functions that guide these ways of solving the problem. We present a new method for multi-task IRL that generalizes the well-known maximum entropy approach to IRL by combining it with the Dirichlet process based clustering of the observed input. This yields a single nonlinear optimization problem, called MaxEnt Multi-task IRL, which can be solved using the Lagrangian relaxation and gradient descent methods. We evaluate MaxEnt Multi-task IRL in simulation on the robotic task of sorting onions on a processing line where the expert utilizes multiple ways of detecting and removing blemished onions. The method is able to learn the underlying reward functions to a high level of accuracy and it improves on the previous approaches to multi-task IRL.
Early prediction of placenta accreta spectrum in women with prior cesarean delivery using transvaginal ultrasound at 11 to 14 weeks.

Background There is a growing body of evidence that sonographic signs of placenta accreta spectrum can be observed in the first trimester of pregnancy. The most significant marker is placental location next to or in the scar niche in women with a prior cesarean delivery. Objective This study aimed to assess the performance of transvaginal ultrasound in the early prediction of placenta accreta spectrum in women with a prior cesarean delivery. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort of women with a history of cesarean delivery who had transvaginal ultrasound at 11 to 14 weeks’ gestation between September 2016 and May 2018. Ultrasound reports were reviewed and graded for suspicion of placenta accreta spectrum as follows: Grade 0 (no suspicion) if the placenta is not next to the scar; Grade 1 (intermediate suspicion) if the placenta is next or on the scar; Grade 2 (high suspicion) if the placenta was inside the scar niche. In addition, all images were reviewed and graded by trained specialists blinded to the outcome. The primary outcome was a histologic diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of first-trimester transvaginal ultrasound to detect placenta accreta spectrum were assessed. Results In this study, 467 patients were included, and 8 (1.7%) had placenta accreta spectrum at delivery. Using the original report, 442 patients (94.6%) were Grade 0, 20 (4.3%) Grade 1, and 5 (1.1%) Grade 2. The revised grading had 456 patients (97.6%) with Grade 0, 5 (1.1%) with Grade 1, and 6 (1.3%) with Grade 2. Patients with Grade 2 yielded a sensitivity of 62.5% (95% confidence interval, 24.5–91.5), specificity of 100% (95% confidence interval, 99.2–100.0), positive predictive value of 100% (95% confidence interval, 97.0–100.0), and negative predictive value of 99.4% (95% confidence interval, 98.4–99.7). Any sonographic suspicion of placenta accreta spectrum (Grade 1 or Grade 2) had a sensitivity of 75% (95% confidence interval, 34.9–96.8), specificity of 95.9% (95% confidence interval, 93.6–97.5), positive predictive value of 24% (95% confidence interval, 14.8–36.4), and negative predictive value of 99.6% (95% confidence interval, 98.5–99.9). The blinded image review yielded a better specificity (99.1% vs 95.9%; P=.001) and a positive predictive value (63.6% vs 24%; P=.02) with similar sensitivity (87.5% vs 75%; P=.52) and negative predictive value (99.8% vs 99.6%; P=.55). Conclusion Transvaginal ultrasound between 11 and 14 weeks’ gestation in women a with prior cesarean delivery can identify at least 3 of 4 cases of placenta accreta spectrum. A finding of placental implantation within the scar niche has high positive predictive value for placenta accreta spectrum. Prospective studies are needed to assess routine screening for placenta accreta spectrum at 11 to 14 weeks’ gestation in women with a prior cesarean delivery.
A New Species of Lestodiplosis (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) Preying on Pineus (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), with a Redescription of Lestodiplosis juniperina (Felt)

A new species, Lestodiplosis pinei Gagne (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), from the United States is described from males, females, pupae and larvae. Larvae are egg predators of Pineus strobi Hartig, Pineus pini Goeze and Pineus cembrae (Cholodkovsky) (Hemiptera: Adelgidae). This is the first North American record for P. cembrae, which was found feeding on Pinus cembra L. planted at Arnold Arboretum in Massachusetts. Lestodiplosis juniperina (Felt) is redescribed as similar to L. pinei and for having once been considered to include specimens now identified as L. pinei. Lestodiplosis cerasi Felt and Lestodiplosis novangliae Felt are new synonyms of L. juniperina.
Unintended consequences of rangeland conservation structures

Abstract By the 1930’s vast areas of the western US were severely degraded by overgrazing and erosion. In response, Congress authorized conservation work including the construction of erosion control and water storage, distribution, and conveyance structures. Thousands of structures such as check dams, water spreaders, and contour berms were built during the 1930s and 40s to control water and sediment in an attempt to restore degraded rangelands. However, across most of the western US, these soil and water conservation measures were implemented without the benefit of local hydrologic data or technical design guidance. Many of the established conservation practices had been developed for humid regions and were untested for use in semiarid areas that are characterized by highly variable rainfall and flash floods. As a result, many structures proved ineffective and were subsequently abandoned. Even in cases where structures were effective, many never received maintenance after their initial construction. Although structurally compromised, abandoned and unmaintained structures continue to alter surface runoff patterns and can greatly exacerbate erosion. Four sites in Arizona, USA were selected to characterize the multi-decadal impacts of conservation structures. Breaches have formed in 100% of contour berms (n = 67) while 96% of water spreader berms (n = 26) were compromised. Localized failures in these structures has created concentrated flow paths that reorganized routing of runoff and sediment thus transforming sheetflow regimes to concentrated flow regimes. This study emphasizes the unintended legacy impacts of soil and water conservation structures and highlights their role as a potential constraint on contemporary resource management.
Trends in antimicrobial resistance legislation 2011-2019: A review of the US policy response to the antimicrobial resistance threat and its public health Impact.

Background Antimicrobial resistance is a continued global threat to public health. In recognition of this threat, the executive branch of the United States government consolidated guidelines through the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and Executive Order 13676. Methods An analysis was conducted to assess the US government's response to this growing threat. Human and animal health legislation from 2011 to 2019 was reviewed using the congressional legislative database where 28 pieces of antimicrobial distinct legislation was identified. Results The majority of the bills identified were human health related and common themes found were incentivizing the development of new products, biodefense, expanded scope of use, and stewardship. Much fewer were identified pertaining to animal health; of those identified, common themes included stricter veterinary oversight, barriers to approval pathways for new products, and stewardship. Conclusions The public health impact of these legislative efforts is in part related to a broader political tension of the role of government vs local authorities in managing regulatory enforcement and guidelines.
Cookie Cutter vs. Character: The Micro Structure of Small Business Lending by Large and Small Banks

The informational opacity of small businesses makes them an interesting area for the study of banks', lending practices and procedures. We use data from a survey of small businesses to analyze the micro level differences in the loan approval processes of large and small banks. We provide evidence that large banks ($1 billion or more in assets) employ standard criteria obtained from financial statemetits in the loan decision process, whereas small banks rely to a greater extent on information about the character of the borrower. These cookie-cutter and character approaches are compatible with the incentives and environments facing large and small banks.
It’s Not Good

This chapter features a list of notes and questions compiled by Meegan Meeks, a student in my English 200: Advanced Composition class, for a work-in-progress drafting conference I require for all students in this class when we are working on major essays. When I first saw this list, all I could do was smile. This is exactly the kind of intellectual, affective, and creative work we want student writers to be engaged in. As I tell students in all my classes, this is how writing gets produced. It is exactly the process I follow myself: drafting, receiving feedback, reflecting, doing additional research, reading, rereading, rethinking, and then drafting some more. In some ways, this kind of revision is writing, as we plunge happily back into the chaos of mature meaning-making. Here we get to see a community college student joyfully engaged in this process.
Palate-referenced Articulatory Features for Acoustic-to-Articulator Inversion

The selection of effective articulatory features is an important component of tasks such as acoustic-to-articulator inversion and articulatory synthesis. Although it is common to use direct articulatory sensor measurements as feature variables, this approach fails to incorporate important physiological information such as palate height and shape and thus is not as representative of vocal tract cross section as desired. We introduce a set of articulator feature variables that are palate referenced and normalized with respect to the articulatory working space in order to improve the quality of the vocal tract representation. These features include normalized horizontal positions plus the normalized palatal height of two midsagittal and one lateral tongue sensor, as well as normalized lip separation and lip protrusion. The quality of the feature representation is evaluated subjectively by comparing the variances and vowel separation in the working space and quantitatively through measurement of acoustic-to-articulator inversion error. Results indicate that the palate-referenced features have reduced variance and increased separation between vowels spaces and substantially lower inversion error than direct sensor measures.
Quality, patient safety, and professional values

From the time of Earnest Codman until recently, measuring and improving quality has variably been viewed as a supportive group in the hospital, or an irritating "fringe" movement in health care. A more thoughtful view of quality improvement (QI) is that it is a central tenet of surgical professionalism, and really what we signed up for when we accepted the responsibility of healing patients using surgery as our methodology. The following article uses a patient safety event to highlight the successful use of a well-known method of improving care, while engaging trainees in the principles of physician engagement, accountability, and professionalism.
What to the Indian is the Fourth of July? - William Apess in Democratic Context

Theorists who investigate the idea of “the people” in democratic theory often focus on the ways in which excluded groups seek to become full members of the more encompassing demos. This approach is especially pronounced when historical figures in American political thought are considered. Frederick Douglass is often seen as an exemplar, in seeking to foster a vision of the American demos that did not yet exist at the time of his speeches and writings. Yet those who attempted to shape visions of the American demos did not always seek inclusion – in the case of many American Indian actors, they sought instead a measured political separation. This paper will investigate the attempts of Pequot orator William Apess to shape a vision of the American nation and of separate Indian nations in the 1820’s and 1830’s. The essay will look particularly at Apess’s attempt to claim moral citizenship in the human community without claiming political citizenship in the United States, and will consider the challenges posed by this attempt to claim political equality without political membership. The essay will focus especially on Apess’s “An Indian’s Looking-Glass for the White Man” (1833) and his “Eulogy on King Philip” (1836), while seeking to put them within the context of David Walker’s work on race in America and the Cherokees’ attempt to resist government-mandated Removal.
Internal and Sustainable Growth Rates in the Presence of Scale Economies

Corporate finance theory provides both precise and approximate formulas for the maximum growth rate of a firm, typically called the internal growth rate (when no external funds are permitted) and the sustainable growth rate (when the capital structure is held fixed). The assumption in these approaches is that the firm experiences constant returns to scale in that sales and assets grow in parallel. Yet empirical studies repeatedly find that the production functions facing firm display modest increasing returns to scale in that seldom must assets double to double sales. Firms can grow faster when bound to using only internal sources of funding and when firms maintain a constant debt-equity ratio in the presence of scale economies. Using homogeneous production functions, the revised formulas increase the maximum rate of growth that a firm could achieve and have the traditional formulas as a special case of the more general formulas for internal and sustainable growth.
A Primer on the One-Parameter Rasch Model.

The Rasch measurement model improves on traditional test construction by creating tests in which the personâs ability is independent of the sample of items used and the norm group used to calibrate the test. This article is an introductory review of the Rasch Model and describes properties of the Item Characteristic Curve (ICC) and discusses the utility of having person ability and item difficulty on a common scale.
Chapter 6.7 Application of microdialysis in pharmacokinetic studies

Abstract This chapter focuses on the recent advances and applications of microdialysis in pharmacokinetic studies. The first section addresses the technical and theoretical issues regarding microdialysis experiments with an emphasis on obtaining pharmacokinetic data. The principles and methodologies for microdialysis probe calibration are examined. Various setups for microdialysis sampling and subsequent data analysis are also illustrated. The second section includes research articles since the year 2000, chosen from an extensive literature review to report and discuss the utilization and implications of microdialysis sampling in pharmacokinetics. These articles are discussed in three subsections dealing with the kinetics of drug delivery to specific targets, the kinetics of drug transport and metabolism, and the use of microdialysis to study the effects of pathophysiology or surgical intervention on pharmacokinetics. A concluding section briefly underscores the critical need to characterize microdialysis recovery in pharmacokinetic investigations.
Reducing interface recombination for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 by atomic layer deposited buffer layers

Partial CuInGaSe2 (CIGS) solar cell stacks with different atomic layer deposited buffer layers and pretreatments were analyzed by photoluminescence (PL) and capacitance voltage (CV) measurements to investigate the buffer layer/CIGS interface. Atomic layer deposited ZnS, ZnO, and SnOx buffer layers were compared with chemical bath deposited CdS buffer layers. Band bending, charge density, and interface state density were extracted from the CV measurement using an analysis technique new to CIGS. The surface recombination velocity calculated from the density of interface traps for a ZnS/CIGS stack shows a remarkably low value of 810 cm/s, approaching the range of single crystalline II–VI systems. Both the PL spectra and its lifetime depend on the buffer layer; thus, these measurements are not only sensitive to the absorber but also to the absorber/buffer layer system. Pretreatment of the CIGS prior to the buffer layer deposition plays a significant role on the electrical properties for the same buffer layer/...
Thetic and Categorical, Stage and Individual, Weak and Strong

In his classic work on the interpretation of the English existential construction, Gary Milsark (1974) proposed a two-way distinction in interpretations of determiner phrases, a two way classification of one-place predicates, and a generalization about their ability to combine. Milsark proposed that DPs can be given a ‘cardinality’ interpretation or a true ‘quantificational’ interpretation. The distinction between the two types of interpretation, or construal, trifurcates the syntactic category DP into those DPs which are unambiguously quantificational, unambiguously cardinal, or ambiguous between the two construals. The distinction between the two construals is illustrated by a subtle ambiguity in (1-2):
The Duty to Capture

The duty to capture stands at the fault line between competing legal regimes that might govern targeted killings. If human rights law and domestic law enforcement procedures govern these killings, the duty to attempt capture prior to lethal force represents a cardinal rule that is systematically violated by these operations. On the other hand, if the Law of War applies then the duty to capture is fundamentally inconsistent with the summary killing already sanctioned by jus in bello. The following article examines the duty to capture and the divergent approaches that each legal regime takes to this normative requirement, and evaluates internal debates within these regimes over when a duty to capture might apply. At issue in these debates, regardless of the body of law that applies, is the scope and content of the concept of necessity, i.e. when is it truly necessary to target an individual with lethal force. The key question is whether a unified and trans-regime understanding of the concept could promote doctrinal unity across legal regimes. However, this article concludes that the concept of necessity stubbornly defies such attempts; necessity is a term of art with a distinct history and meaning in each body of law, and unification of these meanings can only come at the cost of betraying the fundamental precepts of one legal regime over the other. Part I begins by examining the scope of international humanitarian law and concludes that the current literature often unduly constrains its application; a new analysis is offered of the classification of armed conflicts, the level of organization required before a non-state actor can be a party to an armed conflict, and the legal geography of armed conflict. Part II examines the concept of necessity and concludes that military necessity (destruction of “life and limb” related to the war aim) is fundamentally incompatible with human rights law and its understanding of necessity as the least-restrictive means. Finally, Part III concludes that the IHL regime, and its permissive notion of military necessity, should apply when the state is acting as a belligerent against other co-equal belligerents, but that human rights law, and its more restrictive notion of necessity, should apply when the state acts as a sovereign over its own subjects. However, being a U.S. citizen does not automatically make an individual a "subject" under a sovereign, as opposed to a belligerent. Rather, this article concludes that belligerency is always a relationship between collectives, and that the relevant question is whether the United States stands in a relationship of belligerency to a non-state organization of which the individual is a member.
Traditional, Interpretive, and Reception Based Content Analyses: Improving the Ability of Content Analysis to Address Issues of Pragmatic and Theoretical Concern

This paper argues for a subtle but important shift in the way we view content analysis which allows for the introduction of two new variants on this methodology. Previously, content analysis has been seen as a method for quantifying the content of texts. This paper argues that we should view content analysis as a method for counting interpretations of content. Based on this reconceptualization, this paper suggests two new varieties of content analysis. Reception based content analysis allows researchers to quantify how different audiences will understand text. Interpretive content analysis is specially designed for latent content analysis, in which researchers go beyond quantifying the most straightforward denotative elements in a text. These new forms of content analysis are contrasted with traditional content analysis, and the appropriate conditions for their use are discussed.
The Metaphysics of Super-Substantivalism

Recent decades have seen a revived interest in super-substantivalism, the idea that spacetime is the only fundamental substance and matter some kind of aspect, property or consequence of spacetime structure. However, the metaphysical debate so far has misidentified a particular variant of super-substantivalism with the position per se. I distinguish between a super-substantival core commitment and different ways of fleshing it out. I then investigate how general relativity and alternative spacetime theories square with the different variants of super-substantivalism.
Lost Decade, Market Efficiency and Technical Trading Rules: Evidence from Greece

We apply several well-known technical indicators to the daily data for the Athens Composite Share Price from 1/2/2000 to 12/31/2012. Our findings strongly support the predictive power of technical trading rules; further, we ask whether this predictive power of technical analysis can be exploited to beat the profitability of the buy-and-hold strategy considering both transaction costs and risk. We conclude that it is possible to beat the buy-and-hold strategy even considering transaction costs and risk.
Senescence does not alter activation or inhibition of striatal adenylate cyclase

Abstract The effects of senescence on the striatal adenylate cyclase system were investigated in 8–10 and 28–30 month old male, CDF(F-344) rats. No difference was observed between the two groups of animals in the activation of adenylate cyclase by dopamine, manganese chloride or sodium fluoride. Similarly, the potency and efficacy of morphine and acetylcholine to inhibit adenylate cyclase activity were not different in the two groups of rats. Thus, the components of the adenylate cyclase system, as well as the coupling of this system to the dopamine, opiate and muscarinic receptors are not changed during senescence.
A scholarly look at “thick” journals today: the crisis of the institution

This article explores the history of the “thick journals” since the 1990s, and analyses the role and functions of thick journals in the twenty-first century Russian literature. Thick journals are conceptualized as a Soviet sociocultural institution, carrying out scholarly and various other functions (assessing the current state of literary field; providing analysis of contemporary literary processes; directing literary processes through the selection of texts; maintaining the literary canon; structuring the reader's life through serialization; maintaining the atmosphere of social insurance and traditionalism; establishing direct communication with, education of the reader; etc.). The article explores the links between the collapse of the USSR and the crisis the institution of thick journals is undergoing today, and gives some provisional conclusions and predictions as to what the future development of this type of publication may be in contemporary Russia.
Beyond the Manual: Using Research and Evidence in Social Work Practice

There is a growing divide in social work between those that believe social work interventions should be based on either art or science. We argue that these positions create a false dichotomy within the profession, possibly due to the language associated with clinical work and research. In this introduction article of the Special Issue: Beyond the Manual, we outline the debate within social work around the art and science split and then offer a new approach to framing the issue. We argue that social workers are regularly approaching their work with clients using art and science simultaneously and describe a new frame for the profession. In an effort to articulate and promote this new frame, this special issue was born. This introductory article concludes with a brief description of the topics and articles included in the issue to orient the reader to the content included within it.
Reliable analysis for nonlinear Schrödinger equations with a cubic nonlinearity and a power law nonlinearity

The tanh method and the sine-cosine method are effectively used for reliable analysis for the nonlinear Schrodinger equations with cubic and power law nonlinearities. A variety of exact solutions with distinct structures are formally derived for each equation. The study reveals the power of the two proposed algorithms.
Morphological mechanics of springy polymers

The mechanics of “springy” or “hard elastic” row-crystallized polymers were investigated. It was found that their unique tensile and physical properties could be explained by adhesive fracture mechanics and simple beam deflection. The deformed lamellae had an apparent negligible modulus of flexural rigidity. An adhesive failure model was designed which duplicated all the tensile characteristics of springy polymers, including constant lateral contraction, critical stress, peel stress, rehealing, energetic elasticity, and cyclic strain behavior. The ideal relative density change as a function of strain was found to be the same for all springy polymers. Dynamic infrared analysis showed that the molecular orientation decreased during the deformation of springy polypropylene films. The latter is due to the deflection of lamellae. Rehealing was accompanied by a time-dependent reversal of orientation. The enthalpic elasticity is derived from the strain energy of the lamellar network.
Optical Unit for Reflection Densitometry

An optical unit for the measurement of reflection density is described. In conjunction with a sensitive densitometer, optical densities up to 4.0 can be measured with highly selective spectral filtration. The unit utilizes 45° incident radiation with measurement of normally reflected radiation as specified for use with photographic materials. The stray light level amounts to less than 1 part in 100 000, and the unwanted specular radiation to less than 1 part in 10 000. Problems in the design and evaluation of this unit are reviewed.
HLA Determinants in Chronic Active Liver Disease: Possible Relation of HLA‐Dw3 to Prognosis

Thirty-eight patients with severe chronic active liver disease (CALD) were found to have a significantly higher frequency of HLA-Dw3 (68%) than 91 healthy controls (24%) (P less than 0;0001). The association of CALD was statistically significantly stronger with the D locus than with the B locus of HLA. The response to treatment was significantly worse in patients with HLA-Dw3 than in patients who lacked this antigen.
Mathematical Modeling of Homogeneous-Heterogeneous Reactions in Monolithic Catalyst

Abstract —A one-dimensional model was developed for homogeneous-heterogeneous combustion in catalytic monoliths. The model was applied to carbon monoxide oxidation. The conditions for which both homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions occur were investigated. A two-section reactor was modeled also and found to perform better than a constant-cross section reactor at high temperature.