cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combustion synthesis of YBa2Cu3O7−x: glycine/metal nitrate method

Abstract A combustion synthesis method has been developed to simply and rapidly prepare YBa2Cu3O7−x and YBa2Cu3O7−x/Ag from an aqueous solution of the metal nitrates and glycine. Glycine served both as the fuel for combustion and as a complexant, important to prevent inhomogeneous precipitation of individual components prior to combustion. Ash collected following combustion consisted of well-mixed, soft agglomerates of barium carbonate, yttrium oxide, cupric oxide, and/or copper metal, depending on the ratio of fuel to oxidant. This mixture was calcined at 900°C for 4 h to convert the product to YBa2Cu3O7−x. Samples sintered at 950°C for 8 h and annealed in oxygen at 450°C for a like time showed a Tc (midpoint) of 92.5 K with a width of 1.4 K and a high degree of phase-purity. This synthesis method is well suited to the preparation of a wide variety of multicomponent ceramics.
Reduced in vitro phosphorylation of synapsin I (site 1) in Alzheimer's disease postmortem tissues.

Abstract Homogenates prepared from the temporal cortex and hippocampus of individuals who had histopathologically confirmed Alzheimer's disease exhibited reduced in vitro cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylation of synapsin I, a neuronal phosphoprotein. One specific phosphorylation site (site 1) was affected while two other sites, which are phosphorylated by calcium/calmodulin kinase II, exhibited no such differences. Other phosphoproteins such as pyruvate dehydrogenase, did not show these differences. The reductions were not observed in either cerebellum or thalamus of Alzheimer's disease brain. Analysis by immunoblots indicated that the reductions were not caused by a decrease in absolute amounts of the protein. The reduced AD synapsin I phosphorylation was not overcome by the addition of purified cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. No differences were detected in total cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity between the control and Alzheimer samples. However, dephosphorylation of the synapsin I prior to the in vitro phosphorylation reversed the differences observed between the control and AD homogenates. Thus, the reduced in vitro phosphorylation of the synapsin I in the Alzheimer homogenate reflects a reduced phosphorylatability of the protein due to either an increased phosphate content or some other alteration of the phosphorylation site.
Therapeutic effect of N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced rat mammary cancer.

Abstract Virgin Sprague-Dawley rats received a single i.v. injection of 40 mg N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)/kg body wt. at 50 days of age. After the first palpable mammary tumor reached 10 mm in size, the animals were sequentially allocated to one of 4 groups: (I) placebo diet, (II) 10 μg tamoxifen s.c. 3 times per week, (III) 3 mmol N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (4-HPR)/kg diet, or (IV) both (II) and (III). Weekly measurements of initial tumors and subsequent tumors were made throughout the study. 4-HPR administration resulted in a complete regression (non-palpable state) of the first mammary tumor in 6 animals (22%) and partial regression or non-progression in 5 others (19%). Tamoxifen alone induced only partial response in 9 animals (33%). 4-HPR and tamoxifen resulted in 19% total and 26% partial response. The data suggests therapeutic value of 4-HPR in MNU-induced rat mammary carcinoma.
Wellness coaching frontline worker training in mental health

Purpose – Mental health frontline workers can and do provide fundamental support in the wellness of people with serious mental illness. The City University of New York offered a non‐credit Certificate in Wellness Coaching to this group. The purpose of this paper is to describe the certificate and the program outcomes.Design/methodology/approach – Primary data collected through course evaluations, reports, and observations to describe perceptions of personal and professional usefulness and applicability, as well as challenges.Findings – Participants reported using wellness concepts personally and professionally and perceived personal development in communication and leadership. Participants and faculty identified internal and external supports and barriers to transitioning into the role of wellness coach.Originality/value – The paper presents a replicable model which taught frontline workers wellness concepts that benefit themselves and consumers and helped participants identify ways to expand capacity wit...
Isms dimensions: toward a more comprehensive and integrative model of belief-system components

Psychological research on beliefs, values, worldview, and ideology has been limited by inadequate structural models to organize the plethora of constructs. The present studies investigate the potential of a dimensional model based on lexical, dictionary-represented -ism concepts to form an organizing structural model. Four isms factors found previously in college samples are shown to replicate in community-sample data with better controls for acquiescent responding. But analyses also reveal a 5th factor involving egalitarianism and inequality-aversion, increasing the comprehensiveness of the structural model. Relations of frequently used constructs (values, authoritarianism, social dominance orientation) to the isms dimensions are detailed, demonstrating both the integrative and value-adding potentials of the model. The possibility of potential additional nonlexical factors (Trust in Government, Ethnocentrism, Xenophobia, and Nativism) is evaluated. Factors identified in these studies are demonstrated to show interesting relations with political-party preference, subjective well-being, and change over time in the Big Five personality dimensions.
Fast computation of MoM matrix elements over a wide frequency range using a new interpolation technique

This paper presents an interpolation algorithm, in the context of Method of Moments (MoM), for computing the matrix elements for planar microstrip structures over a wide frequency range. Three different interpolating functions are implemented depending upon the distance between the basis and the testing functions. It is demonstrated that the use of the proposed impedance matrix interpolation scheme can result in significant savings in the computation time with little or no compromise in the accuracy of the solution.
MODELING VENTURI SCRUBBER PERFORMANCE FOR H2S REMOVAL FROM OIL-SHALE RETORT GASES

A mathematical model has been developed for predicting the removal of hydrogen sulfide from oil shale retort gas streams in a venturi scrubber, using dilute ammonium hydroxide solutions in water. The model has been compared to experimental data obtained by the Laramie Energy Technology Center in a 150-ton oil shale retort system. The effects of liquid pH and of the liquid-to-gas ratio on H2S removal, as predicted by the model, generally agree with the observed behavior. The new model is different from previous ones in that the details of diffusion and the shifting of chemical equilibria due to pH gradients in the liquid phase are accounted for.
Saturated–unsaturated flow in a compressible leaky-unconfined aquifer

An analytical solution is developed for three-dimensional flow towards a partially penetrating largediameter well in an unconfined aquifer bounded below by a leaky aquitard of finite or semi-infinite extent. The analytical solution is derived using Laplace and Hankel transforms, then inverted numerically. Existing solutions for flow in leaky unconfined aquifers neglect the unsaturated zone following an assumption of instantaneous drainage due to Neuman. We extend the theory of leakage in unconfined aquifers by (1) including water flow and storage in the unsaturated zone above the water table, and (2) allowing the finite-diameter pumping well to partially penetrate the aquifer. The investigation of model-predicted results shows that aquitard leakage leads to significant departure from the unconfined solution without leakage. The investigation of dimensionless time-drawdown relationships shows that the aquitard drawdown also depends on unsaturated zone properties and the pumping-well wellbore storage effects.
The Impact of Negative Relations on Performance and Satisfaction in Group Work

This paper reports on a case study conducted to guide the design and implementation of a group support system. Network analysis of student self-reported interactions was conducted to obtain a better understanding of social relations, which are critical in informing the design of systems that support sociability. Building on previous research on group dynamics, the study examined the impact of negative relations and frequency of communication on performance and satisfaction among 13 groups of students. Results show that group members disliked by others were less likely to perform well; group members were less likely to feel satisfied with the group process when they disliked others; and frequent communication with others could make a person more likeable and help him/her perform better. We conclude by providing suggestions about how to incorporate findings from network analysis into the design of communication technologies to support group work
Identification of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus LANA Regions Important for Episome Segregation, Replication, and Persistence

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) is a 1,162-amino-acid protein that mediates the maintenance of episomal viral genomes in latently infected cells. The two central components of episome persistence are DNA replication with each cell division and the segregation of DNA to progeny nuclei. LANA self-associates to bind KSHV terminal-repeat (TR) DNA and to mediate its replication. LANA also simultaneously binds to TR DNA and mitotic chromosomes to mediate the segregation of episomes to daughter nuclei. The N-terminal region of LANA binds histones H2A and H2B to attach to mitotic chromosomes, while the C-terminal region binds TR DNA and also associates with chromosomes. Both the N- and C-terminal regions of LANA are essential for episome persistence. We recently showed that deletion of all internal LANA sequences results in highly deficient episome maintenance. Here we assess independent internal LANA regions for effects on episome persistence. We generated a panel of LANA mutants that included deletions in the large internal repeat region and in the unique internal sequence. All mutants contained the essential N- and C-terminal regions, and as expected, all maintained the ability to associate with mitotic chromosomes in a wild-type fashion and to bind TR DNA, as assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA). Deletion of the internal regions did not reduce the half-life of LANA. Notably, deletions within either the repeat elements or the unique sequence resulted in deficiencies in DNA replication. However, only the unique internal sequence exerted effects on the ability of LANA to retain green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression from TR-containing episomes deficient in DNA replication, consistent with a role in episome segregation; this region did not independently associate with mitotic chromosomes. All mutants were deficient in episome persistence, and the deficiencies ranged from minor to severe. Mutants deficient in DNA replication that contained deletions within the unique internal sequence had the most-severe deficits. These data suggest that internal LANA regions exert critical roles in LANA-mediated DNA replication, segregation, and episome persistence, likely through interactions with key host cell factors.
A Comparative Analysis of Sustainable Approaches to Building End-of-Lifecycle: Underlying Deconstruction Principles in Theory and Practice

Although there are multiple deconstruction guidelines available from different institutes and governmental agencies, it is not clear how much of these documents address critical challenges in real world applications. This study aims to identify underlying deconstruction tasks in both theory and practice to gain a better understanding of sustainable approaches to building end-of-life operations. We use narrative analysis on ten deconstruction guidelines to elicit fundamental deconstruction tasks and concepts in theory. We also conduct a case study on deconstruction and demolition of a university building to identify critical aspects of deconstruction in practice. The comparison results indicate that deconstruction tasks corresponding to safety and engineering survey are the most emphasized tasks addressed in the deconstruction guidelines. On the other hand, more practical issues such as contracts & specifications and organizational plan related tasks are less reflected in the guidelines. Furthermore, our case study analysis also revealed that even though it is possible to fully disassemble a building to recycle and reuse its components as a sustainable approach, it is not the most cost effective building end-of-life alternative for owners.
Effect of Subendocardial Resection on Sinus Rhythm Endocardial Electrogram Abnormalities

Background Patients with sustained ventricular tachycardia after acute myocardial infarction frequently have characteristic abnormalities of left ventricular endocardial electrical activity, including fractionated (prolonged, multicomponent, low-amplitude), split (having discrete widely separated deflections), and late (extending after the end of the QRS complex) electrograms. The exact cause and source of these electrograms are not clear. Methods and Results In this study, endocardial electrograms from 18 patients were recorded with a 20-electrode array from the same area immediately before and immediately after resection of subendocardial tissue at the time of surgery for ventricular tachycardia. Electrograms could be compared before and after resection from 298 of 360 (83%) of the electrodes. Before resection, split electrograms were present in 130 (44%) and late components in 81 (27%) of the recordings. Recordings made after resection showed fewer abnormalities, including complete absence of split ele...
Salamanders ( Plethodon cinereus) go for more: rudiments of number in an amphibian.

Techniques traditionally used in developmental research with infants have been widely used with nonhuman primates in the investigation of comparative cognitive abilities. Recently, researchers have shown that human infants and monkeys select the larger of two numerosities in a spontaneous forced-choice discrimination task. Here we adopt the same method to assess in a series of experiments spontaneous choice of the larger of two numerosities in a species of amphibian, red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus). The findings indicate that salamanders "go for more," just like human babies and monkeys. This rudimentary capacity is a type of numerical discrimination that is spontaneously present in this amphibian.
Nonsplitting Macro Patches for Implicit Cubic Spline Surfaces

Macro patches are important for generating quadric or cubic implicit spline surfaces from the input of a polyhedron. All existing macro patches split the triangular facets of the polyhedron; this paper presents cubic nonsplitting macro patches (NMP) that do not split these facets. The NMP's are based on a necessary and sufficient condition for nonsplitting constructions of implicit cubic spline surfaces. This condition can be satisfied for most practical applications, so the NMP's lead to an efficient and powerful spline surface scheme using implicit cubics. The free parameters in an NMP are set using a new technique for excluding topological anomalies such as extraneous sheets, splits, unwanted holes, self-intersections, and unwanted handles. Each cubic patch obtained by this technique best approximates, in a least-squares sense, a quadric patch from a single algebraic component of a monotone polynomial derived from the input data.
A straightforward route to electron transporting conjugated polymers

We report a straightforward synthetic method to generate solution processable electron transporting polymers with low band gap and wide absorption range from readily available acceptor monomers. We show the efficacy of this approach using widely used electron acceptor 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole. The polymers have absorption up to 750 nm with electron mobility comparable to PCBM.
Evaluation of propagation characteristics for PCB traces with periodic roughness using ASM-FDTD method

This paper presents an efficient technique to evaluate the propagation characteristics of PCB traces with periodic roughness. This technique is based on the application of the array-scanning-method finite-different time-domain technique in which only a single periodic element needs to be modeled. Numerical examples are used to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of this approach.
Lyn- and ERK-mediated vs. Ca2+ -mediated neutrophil O responses with thermal injury.

We evaluated the dependency of neutrophil O 2 − production on PTK-Lyn and MAPK-ERK1/2 in rats after thermal injury. Activation of PTK-Lyn was assessed by immunoprecipitation. Phosphorylation of ERK...
A mirror-image lead time inventory model

The production-operations literature is rife with the inventory model where the demand rate, D, is iid, but where the lead time, L, is deterministic. Here we present a mirror-image lead time model where the reverse is true; that is, where D is deterministic and L is iid. This lead time model is interesting: first, it is subject to order crossover; second, because of order crossover, the optimal order cycle and order quantity could be smaller; and third, the optimal cost incurs inventory savings due to the reduction in the variance of the lead times in crossover situations. We perform this analysis in the context of three inventory reorder point, order quantity models that differ only in the characterisation of the shortage cost. These are Model 1 that uses the shortage cost per stockout occasion; Model 2 with the shortage cost per unit short; and Model 3, where the shortage cost is per unit short per unit time. Also, we develop response surfaces (for the normal approximation) for the optimal cost, C*, the...
TGF-β signalling and reactive oxygen species drive fibrosis and matrix remodelling in myxomatous mitral valves

Aims Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is associated with leaflet thickening, fibrosis, matrix remodelling, and leaflet prolapse. Molecular mechanisms contributing to MMVD, however, remain poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that increased transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signalling and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are major contributors to pro-fibrotic gene expression in human and mouse mitral valves. Methods and results Using qRT–PCR, we found that increased expression of TGF-β1 in mitral valves from humans with MMVD ( n = 24) was associated with increased expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2). Increased levels of phospho-SMAD2/3 (western blotting) and expression of SMAD-specific E3 ubiquitin-protein ligases (SMURF) 1 and 2 (qRT–PCR) suggested that TGF-β1 signalling occurred through canonical signalling cascades. Oxidative stress (dihydroethidium staining) was increased in human MMVD tissue and associated with increases in NAD(P)H oxidase catalytic subunits (Nox) 2 and 4, occurring despite increases in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). In mitral valves from SOD1-deficient mice, expression of CTGF, MMP2, Nox2, and Nox4 was significantly increased, suggesting that ROS can independently activate pro-fibrotic and matrix remodelling gene expression patterns. Furthermore, treatment of mouse mitral valve interstitial cells with cell permeable antioxidants attenuated TGF-β1-induced pro-fibrotic and matrix remodelling gene expression in vitro . Conclusion Activation of canonical TGF-β signalling is a major contributor to fibrosis and matrix remodelling in MMVD, and is amplified by increases in oxidative stress. Treatments aimed at reducing TGF-β activation and oxidative stress in early MMVD may slow progression of MMVD.
High-Resolution Image Reconstruction Techniques for Circular-Aperture Array Imaging Systems

The data acquisition of most conventional acoustic imaging systems is conducted by planar aperture arrays, in either stationary or synthetic-aperture modes. This allows us to utilize the property of shift invariance, which provides significant improvement and simplification for system analysis and computational complexity, especially for backward propagation or Fourier-transform based image reconstruction algorithms.
The Relation Between Instrumental Musical Activity and Cognitive Aging

Objective: Intensive repetitive musical practice can lead to bilateral cortical reorganization. However, whether musical sensorimotor and cognitive abilities transfer to nonmusical cognitive abilities that are maintained throughout the life span is unclear. In an attempt to identify modifiable lifestyle factors that may potentially enhance successful aging, we evaluated the association between musical instrumental participation and cognitive aging. Method: Seventy older healthy adults (ages 60‐83) varying in musical activity completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. The groups (nonmusicians, low and high activity musicians) were matched on age, education, history of physical exercise, while musicians were matched on age of instrumental acquisition and formal years of musical training. Musicians were classified in the low (1‐9 years) or high (10 years) activity group based on years of musical experience throughout their life span. Results: The results of this preliminary study revealed that participants with at least 10 years of musical experience (high activity musicians) had better performance in nonverbal memory ( 2 .106), naming ( 2 .103), and executive processes ( 2 .131) in advanced age relative to nonmusicians. Several regression analyses evaluated how years of musical activity, age of acquisition, type of musical training, and other variables predicted cognitive performance. Conclusions: These correlational results suggest a strong predictive effect of high musical activity throughout the life span on preserved cognitive functioning in advanced age. A discussion of how musical participation may enhance cognitive aging is provided along with other alternative explanations.
A Typology of Social Structure and the Patterning of Social Institutions: A Cross-Cultural Study

T HIS paper has three disparate, but related aims. First, based on a crosscultural statistical method, it attempts to construct an empirically-based typology of social structure. Second, it attempts to demonstrate the usefulness of this typology-and, more importantly, the usefulness of the method by which it was constructed-for the classification of societies and, hence, for comparative research. Third, and most important, this classification is used to explore some attributes of structural patterning and some principles of structural change.
Human hippocampal-dependent tasks: is awareness necessary or sufficient?

The hippocampus has been shown to be required for the acquisition of declarative or explicit memory. Whether all hippocampal-dependent forms of learning and memory are explicit is an open question. Controversy has emerged about the existence of implicit hippocampal-dependent tasks. Two implicit tasks that may involve the hippocampusare a relational eye tracking task (Ryan et al. (2000) Psychol Sci 11:454–461) and transitive inference (Greene et al. (2006) J Cognit Neurosci 18:1156–1173; Greene et al. (2001) Mem Cognit 29:893–902). Recently, it was shown that both of these tasks may depend upon task awareness (Smith et al. (2006) J Neurosci 26:11304–11312; Smith and Squire (2005) J Neurosci 25:10138–10146). It is argued that in both cases, distinct, explicit versions of the tasks were created, which do not disprove the implicit nature of the original tasks. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Effect of Replica Placement on Routing Robustness in Distributed Hash Tables

To achieve higher efficiency over their unstructured counterparts, structured peer-to-peer systems hold each node responsible for serving a specified set of keys and correctly routing lookups. Unfortunately, malicious participants can abuse these responsibilities to deny access to a set of keys or misroute lookups. We look to address both of these problems through replica placement. Using Chord as an example, we present an equally-spaced replication scheme and prove that it can be tuned to produce any desired number of disjoint routes. To be specific, we prove that d disjoint routes can be produced by placing 2d-1 replicas around a fully populated Chord ring in an equally-spaced fashion. In this situation, we also prove that there exists a route to at least one replica, which contains only uncompromised nodes, even if an attacker controls more than a quarter of the contiguous identifier space in the system. Simulation experiments demonstrate that this scheme performs better than previously proposed replica placement schemes in rings that are sparsely populated, populated in clusters, or populated partially by compromised nodes
Leptospira broomii sp. nov., isolated from humans with leptospirosis.

Isolates of Leptospira from two human cases of leptospirosis in Denmark and France were studied using DNA–DNA relatedness, G+C content, 16S rRNA gene sequence data and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. These isolates differed from previously described species of Leptospira and are defined as Leptospira broomii sp. nov. The type strain is 5399T (=ATCC BAA-1107T=KIT 5399T).
REMOTE WETLAND ASSESSMENT FOR MISSOURI COTEAU PRAIRIE GLACIAL BASINS

Missouri Coteau prairie glacial wetlands are subject to numerous anthropogenic disturbances, such as cultivation, construction, and chemical inputs from upland land-use practices. High wetland density and temporal variability among these ecosystems necessitate synoptic tools for watershed-scale wetlands assessment and comprehensive monitoring. We developed a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) classification model for Missouri Coteau prairie glacial wetlands in North Dakota, USA and derived two indices that provide data salient to landscape-scale wetland assessment and monitoring. One, the Basin Buffer Index (BBI), delineates areas of natural vegetation that buffer waters from anthropogenic disturbance. The second, the Hydric Vegetation Index (HVI), delineates areas of hydric vegetation communities essential to prairie glacial wetland function. The model was developed by spectrally characterizing structural attributes common to glacial basins, such as hydroperiod, canopy architecture, and plant life-form and evaluating the potential for spectral detection of the natural vegetation buffers that surround these wetlands. Spectral separation among community zones in the green, red, and mid-infrared regions were evident in hyperspectral data and were convolved to fit multi-spectral satellite sensors. Model application using Landsat ETM+ and SPOT 5 satellite data over the central North Dakota study area produced classifications for buffer delineation and hydric community detection with 89 and 85% accuracy, respectively. By integrating remote sensing technology with those structural factors fundamental to wetland quality (i.e., land-use and natural vegetation buffers surrounding water bodies), we illustrate a method for evaluating wetland condition at a landscape scale.
Ultramafic intrusions in the Lewis Hills Massif, Bay of Islands Ophiolite Complex, Newfoundland: Implications for igneous processes at oceanic fracture zones

The Coastal Complex of western Newfoundland has been interpreted as oceanic crust and upper mantle which formed in an oceanic fracture zone. Within the Coastal Complex, a suite of peridotite bodies and associated basaltic dikes occur. The least-deformed peridotites in these bodies have cumulate textures and have apparently been separated from any gabbroic cumulates which formed in association with them. Intrusive relationships with surrounding metamorphic and cumulate rocks are well preserved and suggest that the peridotite bodies are crystal mush intrusions derived from mobilized ultramafic cumulates which were originally deposited within relatively small isolated magma chambers. These processes are believed to be characteristic of ridge-transform intersections or “leaky” transform regions. Two petrologically distinct types of peridotite have been identified. One type has lithologies and mineral chemistry similar to those of many oceanic plutonic rocks, and these lithologies may be interpreted as differentiates produced in the evolution of typical Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalts (MORBs). The second type of peridotite, although lithologically similar to the first, has relatively high CaO/Al 2 O 3 ratios and relatively low TiO 2 and Na 2 O. This second type of peridotite cannot be simply related to the genesis of typical MORBs. Chilled margins and fine-grained dikes along the margins of some of these peridotite bodies are high-magnesium basalts.
Performance analysis of stochastic timed Petri nets

A performance analysis method is defined and presented for stochastic timed Petri nets (STPNs), a time extension of regular Petri nets that can model systems with concurrency, asynchronous time-dependent protocols, and random processing times. The main result is that the state evolution of a STPN can be viewed in terms of the evolution of another process, the generalized firing process. The performance of the first process can be studied by analyzing the performance of the second. The time-related performance measures for the generalized firing process are obtained by deriving state equations and using these equations to iteratively calculate the steady-state probability distribution. An equivalent discrete-state Markov process is never constructed. >
PARTIALLY CONSTRAINED COMPLIANT STAGES FOR HIGH RESOLUTION IMPRINT LITHOGRAPHY

This paper presents design of partially constrained compliant stages for high-resolution (sub 100 nm) imprint lithography machines. The kinematic designs of the stages allow passive alignment of two flat surfaces and enable shear-free separation. This stage is a critical component in a new lithography process known as Step and Flash Imprint Lithography (SFIL). The orientation stage requirements are distinct from those used in traditional photolithography since the depth of focus of projection optics allows for larger errors in the alignment process. Experiments have been performed to demonstrate sub 100nm imprints on silicon substrates.
Competition and the Curve

In judging pedagogical issues, most law professors favor their own experiences as students:the best way to teach is the way they were taught. I suspect that I am no different in this respect. Unlike most faculty, however, I was taught without the grading game playing a central role in my education. My undergraduate education was at a small, public, interdisciplinary, liberal arts college, with no departments, no majors, no curricular requirements to speak of, no tests and, most critically, no grades. I loved my education. It stays with me today. I attribute that retention and enthusiasm to the learning environment of my college. And I attribute that environment largely to the absence of competitive grading structures. I went on to a law school that worked diligently to avoid a competitive atmosphere - there was no ranking, many academic rewards were distributed without a primary reliance on grades, and diversity of student opinion and background were cherished. I finished my student career by obtaining my masters in law at a law school with no rankings, and the most generalized grading system one can find in the United States:pass, fail, honors. I believe that the de-emphasis of grades and ranking in my educational background encouraged, for most students, creativity of thought, academic integrity, intellectual enthusiasm, and deep learning. Naturally, then, I will argue here that law schools rely too much on grading systems (as opposed to evaluation systems); that requiring norm-referenced grading undermines an effective learning environment; and that ranking is wholly counterproductive in a program designed to prepare individuals to serve justice. I begin with the question:why grades? I conclude that the primary reasons for our reporting of grades are not educational but economic:we grade because we need to sort our students for the marketplace. Part two of the article then examines the arguments and assumptions supporting institutionalized grading norms as a basis for that sorting. Part three explores what the choice to rate and rank students reveals about the values law schools prefer and the values that are discounted. The final section of the article provides some thoughts on change and resistance. For those readers who agree with the thesis that the grading practices of most law schools have profound negative effects, what reforms - institutionally or personally - can mediate these effects?
A Few Bad Apples: Communication in the Presence of Strategic Ideologues

I propose a very simple model of strategic communication. The motivation is to help explain widespread persistent disagreement about objective facts. In the model, there is a message sender and a receiver, and two possible states of the world, left or right. The sender is one of three types: honest, or a leftist or rightist "ideologue." The honest type observes a private signal in {0,1,...,N} and reports this truthfully. Ideologues strategically choose any message from this set to maximize the receiver's belief in their preferred state, ignoring any private information they may have. I show that a small presence of ideologues can have a large effect on communication: while we might expect ideologues to just send extreme messages, in most equilibria ideologues use "strategic understatement," and in many cases actually mix over all non-neutral (non-N/2) messages to mimic honest types and gain credibility. This distorts the interpretation of these messages such that all messages on a side of the spectrum (above or below N/2) have the same effect on receiver beliefs. This coarsened communication is less informative than even the weakest non-neutral messages in the absence of ideologues. I show by example how ideologues can cause large delays in the time required for receiver beliefs to converge to truth.
Spatial probability learning and brain stimulation in rats

Five rats were run for 3,000 trials with ICS as a reinforcer on a 70:30 spatial probability problem employing a correction procedure. All Ss responded to the more frequently rewarded side most of the time. However, none completely maximized.
A virus, probably of rabbit origin, encountered during intratesticular transmission experiments.

As inoculation into rabbit testicles has been found to be a useful method for the propagation of certain viruses, this procedure was employed in an attempt to transmit a hypothetical virus of rheumatic fever to animals. Whole blood obtained from patients during the acute stage of the disease was injected into the testicles of rabbits. These were removed aseptically after 4 days, ground with sand and Locke's solution, and centrifuged at low speed for 2 minutes; 1 to 2 cc. of the supernatant fluid was injected intratesticularly into other rabbits. In 7 series transfers were carried on in this manner every fifth day for five or more generations. The rabbits used in the first few generations of each series had been previously injected subcutaneously with benzol in order to lower their resistance; later, normal rabbits were employed. Aerobic and anaerobic cultures of the testicles made at each transfer were almost invariably sterile; and dark field examination revealed no spirochetes.In three series the rabbit...
Isolation and Characterization of Escherichia coli Sequence Type 131 and Other Antimicrobial-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacilli from Clinical Stool Samples from Veterans

Emerging multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacilli (GNB), including Escherichia coli sequence type 131 (ST131) and its resistance-associated H30 subclone, constitute an ever-growing public health threat. Their reservoirs and transmission pathways are incompletely defined. To assess diarrheal stools as a potential reservoir for ST131-H30 and other MDR GNB, we cultured 100 clinical stool samples from a Veterans Affairs Medical Center clinical laboratory (October to December 2011) for fluoroquinolone- and extended-spectrum cephalosporin (ESC)-resistant E. coli and other GNB, plus total E. coli We then characterized selected resistant and susceptible E. coli isolates by clonal group, phylogenetic group, virulence genotype, and pulsotype and screened all isolates for antimicrobial resistance. Overall, 79 of 100 stool samples yielded GNB (52 E. coli; 48 other GNB). Fifteen samples yielded fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli (10 were ST131, of which 9 were H30), 6 yielded ESC-resistant E. coli (2 were ST131, both non-H30), and 31 yielded susceptible E. coli (1 was ST131, non-H30), for 13 total ST131-positive samples. Fourteen non-E. coli GNB were ESC resistant, and three were fluoroquinolone resistant. Regardless of species, almost half (46%) of the fluoroquinolone-resistant and/or ESC-resistant non-E. coli GNB were resistant to at least three drug classes. Fecal ST131 isolates closely resembled reference clinical ST131 isolates according to virulence genotypes and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles. Thus, a substantial minority (30%) of veterans with diarrhea who undergo stool testing excrete antibiotic-resistant GNB, including E. coli ST131. Consequently, diarrhea may pose transmission risks for more than just diarrheal pathogens and may help disseminate clinically relevant ST131 strains and other MDR GNB within hospitals and the community.
Plasma cell myeloma: literature review and case study.

1. Karen Ferreira, MS, MLS (ASCP)CM[⇑][1] 1. Department of Pathology, Hematology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI 1. Address for Correspondence: Karen Ferreira MS, MLS (ASCP)CM, Department of Pathology, Hematology, Rhode Island Hospital, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903 401-444-4215, KAFerreira{at}Lifespan.org 1. Explain the pathophysiology of multiple myeloma. 2. Outline the different subsets of presentation. 3. Correlate the immunophenotype with the clinical and genetic aspects of myeloma. 4. List the results of the laboratory tests routinely evaluated in multiple myeloma. Introduction Plasma cell myeloma (multiple myeloma, myelomatosis, medullary plasmacytosis, Kahler's disease) is a B-cell neoplasm resulting from the expansion of a single clone of plasma cells (PC). The PCs synthesize a monoclonal immunoglobulin (paraprotein), a monoclonal immunoglobulin light chain (Bence-Jones protein) or both.1 The Bence-Jones proteins may lead to renal failure and the paraproteins can lead to peripheral blood (PB) hyperviscosity.2 Plasma cell myeloma (PCM) is clinically heterogeneous and may present with no symptoms or as an extremely aggressive disease.3 PCM is usually confined to the bone marrow (BM), with extramedullary involvement seen only in end stage cases.4,5 Epidemiology and Etiologies PCM constitutes 10-15% of all hematologic malignancies and 1% of all malignancies.6,7,8 PCM incidence increases with age with 40% of patients presenting under 60 years and only 2% occurring under the age of 40. The median age at diagnosis is 70. Incidence is greater in men than women (1.4:1), and occurs twice as frequently in African Americans than in Caucasians. The risk of PCM increases by 3.7 fold for individuals with a first degree relative with the disease.9,10 In 2007 approximately 20,000 new cases were diagnosed and 11,000 patients died from the disease.11,12 Clinical Features/Diagnostic Criteria The patients usually present with bone pain and pathologic fractures (due to lytic bone lesions). Anemia (due to bone marrow replacement of clonal PCs), recurrent infections (decreased normal immunoglobulin levels), and renal failure (Bence Jones deposition in kidneys) are common findings. Other clinical findings include hyperviscosity syndrome, hypercalcemia (increased osteoclastic activity), and epidural… ABBREVIATIONS: PCM – plasma cell myeloma, PC – plasma cell, PB – peripheral blood, BM – bone marrow, NCAM - neural cell adhesion mutation, VDC – cyclophosphamide, dexamethazone, bortezimib 1. Explain the pathophysiology of multiple myeloma. 2. Outline the different subsets of presentation. 3. Correlate the immunophenotype with the clinical and genetic aspects of myeloma. 4. List the results of the laboratory tests routinely evaluated in multiple myeloma. [1]: #corresp-1
Comparison of the incidence of osteoradionecrosis with conventional radiotherapy and intensity‐modulated radiotherapy

Background Modern techniques of radiotherapy are supposed to decrease the incidence of osteoradionecrosis of the mandible (ORNM). The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of ORNM after intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in comparison to conventional 3D conformal radiotherapy techniques (conventional RT). Methods We conducted a retrospective study of consecutive unselected patients treated in a single institution between 2002 and 2012. To minimize confounding effects, only patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma without surgery of the primary site were included. Results The cohorts included 145 patients in the conventional RT group and 89 patients in the IMRT group. Total incidence rate of ORNM was similar for both groups with rates of 11% versus 10% (n = 16 for conventional RT and n = 9 for IMRT; p = 1.0). Subanalysis revealed more ORNM in T4 classified lesions with IMRT (p = .007). Analysis of different risk factors showed no statistically significant difference between ORNM and no-ORNM patients. Conclusion We found no reduction in ORNM with IMRT. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2016
DVT prophylaxis strategies following total joint arthroplasty

Abstract Routine prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism is indicated following total joint arthroplasty. Prophylactic strategies differ in efficacy and safety, and variable risk exists among patients. Many strategies have been successfully used for chemoprophylaxis as well as mechanical prophylaxis with the use of pneumatic compression. Advances in battery technology and pump miniaturization have expanded the use of pneumatic compression in the post-discharge setting with mobile devices. Pneumatic compression is contraindicated in certain patients, and not all patients tolerate the devices. Mobile pneumatic compression is a valuable adjunct to venous thromboembolic risk mitigation strategies, but does not eliminate the need for pharmacologic agents.
Multi-Channel Smart Antennas in Wireless Networks

Mobile ad hoc and mesh networks provide a network-centric operation scheme to provide reliable wireless connection spanning a large distance with relatively low price. In such wireless networks, smart antennas with directional antenna technology is identified as a promising technology to significantly enhance the capability of greatly improving spatial reuse and routing performance. This paper proposes the use of multi-channel beamforming techniques in a wireless ad hoc network that allow simultaneous communications with multiple users in different directions. In the proposed system, a node can significantly increase the capacity of information it can handle. In addition, the proper use of multi-channel beamforming techniques eliminates the deafness problem, thereby secures high data rate channels for prioritized information transmission and dynamically optimize the resource allocation among different data streams.
Global Trends in Post-Conflict and Post-Socialist Education—Reshaping the Future

The purpose of this chapter is to organize and examine the major themes in the literature concerning education in post-conflict societies. Although special focus will be given to the literature most relevant to education in BiH, this chapter will attempt to present an overview of all of the literature in this subfield of international comparative education. The title of this chapter directly borrows from the 2005 World Bank publication entitled ‘Reshaping the Future—Education and Post-Conflict Reconstruction’. This notion of ‘reshaping the future’ is a central tension in post-conflict education: ‘The twin mandate of reform and reconstruction offers both significant opportunities and enormous challenges to societies emerging from conflict’ (World Bank, 2005, p. 2). This notion is also known as ‘building it back better’, referring to the theoretical promise of creating an education system more viable and effective than it was prior to the conflict (Wright, 2006).
Sequence-Specific Conversion of βA- to βS-Globin by Small Fragment Homologous Replacement In Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells.

Abstract 3754 Introduction: An ultimate goal of gene therapy is the development of effective strategies to correct mutant genomic sequences in pathologic cells. To that end, studies have been undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic potential of an oligo/polynucleotide-based sequence-specific gene modification strategy, small fragment homologous replacement (SFHR) in the correction of the mutation giving rise to sickle cell anemia. Small DNA fragments (SDFs) comprising the sickle cell anemia mutation (an A>T transversion in codon 6) and flanking DNA sequences in the human b-globin gene were introduced into Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells (HSPCs). The studies presented indicated modification at the level of DNA, RNA, and protein when cells were differentiated into erythrocytes. Methods: In this study, SFHR was used to convert A>T in codon 6 of the b-globin gene in CD34+/CD38-/Lin- HSPCs isolated from full term umbilical cord blood as a proof of principle. HSPCs were transfected with a defined number of a 559-bp SDF using the Amaxa electroporation (nucleofection) system. After growing the transfected cells in stem cell media containing EPO for different time intervals up to 32 days, RNA was extracted and DNase I-treated before further analysis. Erythrocytes were also analyzed using antibodies that differentiate between wild-type hemoglobin A (HBA) and sickle cell hemoglobin S (HBS). Results: RFLP analysis of a 430-bp PCR product generated from mRNA-derived cDNA with the DdeI enzyme indicated conversion of b A - to b S -globin. Sequencing of the 430-bp amplicon showed the A > T conversion. Analysis of the transfected wild-type HSPC-derived erythrocytes with HBA and HBS specific antibodies demonstrated the presence of a subpopulation of cells expressing HBS. These data are consistent with previous studies showing both conversion of b S - to b A -globin in SC1 cells and b A - to b S -globin in HSPCs after electroporation and microinjection of SDF, respectively. Conclusion: These studies represent a critical next step in developing SFHR as a therapy for sickle cell disease, in that they demonstrate long-term SFHR-mediated modification of b-globin following mass transfection by electroporation of HSPCs. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Possible Alternative Predictors of Failure of Fecal Microbiota Transplant for Therapy of Recurrent C difficile Infection.

Possible Alternative Predictors of Failure of Fecal Microbiota Transplant for Therapy of Recurrent C difficile Infection
Evaluation of flow schemes for near-neutral pH electrolytes in solar-fuel generators

The electrochemical performance of three different types of membrane-containing electrolyte-flow schemes for solar-driven water splitting has been studied quantitatively using 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional multi-physics models. The three schemes include a recirculation scheme with a well-mixed bulk electrolyte, a recirculation scheme with laminar flow fields, and a fresh-feed scheme with laminar flow fields. The Nernstian potential loss associated with pH gradients at the electrode surfaces, the resistive loss between the cathode and anode, the product-gas crossovers, and the required pumping energy in all three schemes have been evaluated as a function of the operational current density, the flow rates for the electrolyte, and the physical dimensions of the devices. The trade-offs in the voltage loss, safety considerations, and energy inputs from the balance-of-systems required to produce a practical device have been evaluated and compared to membrane-free devices as well as to devices that operate at extreme pH values.