cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coordinated Regulation of Embryonic and Adult Hematopoietic Stem Cell Activity by PTPN11 /Shp2.

Abstract 2630 Shp2, a tyrosine phosphatase with two SH2 domains, is implicated in malignant blood diseases. Germline dominant active mutations in PTPN11 that codes for Shp2 are found in approximately 50% of Noonan syndrome (NS) patients who have high risk of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML). Somatic gain-of-function mutations in PTPN11 have also been detected in nonsyndromic JMML, pediatric AML, B-cell precursor ALL and myelodysplastic syndromes. The majority of leukemia-associated PTPN11 mutations disrupt the auto-inhibitory interactions between its N-terminal SH2 and the phosphatase domain, resulting in elevated catalytic activity. However, the physiological function of Shp2 in normal hematopoiesis in adults remains to be elucidated, although a Shp2 function in embryonic hematopoiesis was documented previously. Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) homozygous for targeted exon 3 deletion are defective in differentiation to all blood cell lineages, suggesting its role in commitment/specification of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) during embryogenesis. Indeed, our previous experiments suggested a developmental blockage from mESC to mesoderm and hemangioblast differentiation by the exon 3 deletion. Notably, distinct mechanisms are involved in embryonic and adult hematopoiesis. Despite an essential role for specification of HSC fate from embryonic mesoderm, SCL/tal-1 was found dispensable for HSC maintenance and differentiation in adults. Similar observation was made for transcription factor Runx. We show here that inducible ablation of PTPN11/Shp2 in the hematopoietic compartment leads to severe cytopenia in bone marrow, spleen and periphery. Shp2 removal suppressed the number and function of HSCs and myeloid progenitors. Shp2-deficient HSCs failed to reconstitute irradiated recipient mice, due to combined defects in homing, self-renewal and survival. Therefore, PTPN11/Shp2 indeed plays an essential role in maintenance of a functional HSC pool in adult mammals. This study reveals a critical signaling component conserved in embryonic and adult hematopoiesis. Given the essential role of Shp2 in normal HSCs, developing a chemical that distinguishes wild-type and mutant Shp2 enzymes may be a therapeutic approach for elimination of leukemic stem cells (LSCs) harboring mutant PTPN11/Shp2 . Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Beyond Boundaries: Millennial Women and the Opportunities for Global Leadership

Although much of the literature on globalization focuses on the field of business and the overwhelming majority of world leaders are male, global growth in all sectors requires women’s full participation. Older generations of women were discouraged from seeking international assignments, but millennial women are more likely than men to have the education, experience, and interests required in the global arena. With few exceptions, corporations and other organizations are not doing a good job of preparing global leaders. Recent scholarship, however, points the way for millennial women to develop their own global competencies, which will position them for career success.
Experimental neurogenic cystitis.

Recent advances in basic and clinical research indicate that interstitial cystitis (IC) is a form of neurogenic inflammation, thereby opening new avenues for research into this painful disease. With this in mind, we have recently developed a rat model of neurogenic inflammation of the bladder produced by a central nervous system viral disease. As in IC, the inflammation in this model develops without direct injury or trauma to the bladder, is non-infectious, and is limited to the bladder.
Childe Harold’s Cultural Ecosystem

In Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage III & IV, Byron examines different theories of creativity, toying first with the idea of autopoetic genius and then with the idea of epigenetic reciprocity. In the epigenetic notion of co-creativity, which he traces to the way nature and culture interact, Byron finds new purpose and a sense of belonging. He takes the ocean for his model of the way free, open, dynamic systems create the conditions for individual self-realization, which is always a reciprocal, synergistic exchange of energies. Positing that freedom is a natural state in resilient, transformative systems, Byron advocates an anti-imperialist politics and a dynamic, non-teleological poetics that welcomes the ecotonal values of agonistic dialogism.
The Discourse of Usury and the Emergence of the Stereotype of the Jewish Usurer in Medieval France

A discourse on Jewish usury emerged in the mid-twelfth century, developed “legal teeth” in the thirteenth century, and was used to justify expulsions of Jews from western Europe by the early fourteenth century. Well-known texts mark this development: In a letter of 1146 preaching the Second Crusade, Bernard of Clairvaux wrote that “where there are no Jews, there Christian men Judaize even worse than they in extorting usury – if, indeed, we may call them Christians and not rather baptized Jews.”2 Around 1200, the Parisian theologians Thomas de Chobham and Robert de Courson asserted in their summae that “Jews have nothing except what they have gained through usury.”3 By 1215, legislation prohibiting Jews from extorting “heavy and immoderate usury from a Christian” was decreed at the Fourth Lateran Council and justified by the claim that “the perfidy of the Jews” in exacting usury increases so much that “in a short time they exhaust the wealth of Christians.”4 By 1290, Edward I King of England justified the expulsion of Jews by claiming that “the Jews did…wickedly conspire and contrive a new species of usury more pernicious than the old…to the abasement of our…people…for which cause We, in requital of their crimes and for the honour of the Crucified, have banished them from our realm as traitors.”5
Frequency of health risk assessment activities at U.S. worksites.

Data from the National Survey of Worksite Health Promotion Activities include information about health risk assessment (HRA) activities available at private sector worksites in the United States. HRA activities were found at 29.5% of all worksites. Of those worksites, 24% provided HRA questionnaires and 77.4% provided periodic health/physical examinations. Screening tests provided as part of the health/physical exams included blood pressure screening (55.4%), cancer screening (19.5%), blood tests for cholesterol (28.3%) and sugar (39%), and tests of physical fitness (15.1%). In most cases, the frequency increased as worksite size increased, regional variations were small, and there was significant variation among different industry types. HRA activities were overrepresented at worksites where the majority of workers were women, over 30 years of age, not blue collar, and not represented by a union. On-site health personnel increased the likelihod of the presence of HRA activities. At 85% of the worksites with HRA activities all permanent employees were eligible. The full costs of screening were paid by 87.9% of the worksites, activities were held on company time at 74.5%, and time off to participate was available at 78.2% of worksites. The most commonly mentioned benefit of HRA activities was improved employee health (47.1%). Other health promotion activities frequently found in association with HRA activities were smoking cessation (54.1%), care and prevention of back pain (50.8%), and stress management (49.6%).
Strength of thermally exposed alumina fibers. Part II: bundle behavior

Non-ideal bundle models that predict the effect of filament slack, misalignment and bonding were compared to the predicted ideal bundle stress-strain response and the measured response of an Alumina tow (Nextel™ 610) as a function of exposure temperature. The ideal bundle model assumes that the filaments are perfectly aligned, independent, and filament strength is characterized by single filament tests; the non-ideal bundle models relax these assumptions. The Nextel™ 610 tow was found to behave ideally until the sintering bonds between filaments were strong enough to resist fracture during testing. When bonded filament clusters existed throughout testing, the weakest filament in the cluster likely caused failure of the entire cluster. Therefore, the assumption of independence was not valid, and the measured bundle strength was lower than the ideal bundle prediction. The assumption that the strength distribution of the bonded filaments was the same as the filaments removed from bonded filament clusters also appears to be invalid. It is hypothesized that the effective decrease in strength of bonded filaments is a result of induced shear stresses that form along the bond line when bonded filaments are either bent or twisted. However, within a composite this motion is limited. The modeling indicated that 10% clustering can be tolerated with little degradation in composite properties as long as the clusters remain independent from their neighbors.
Computational Intelligence Framework for Automatic Quiz Question Generation

Computational intelligence techniques are attracting more and more attention in NLP and text analysis applications. This paper is devoted to their use in automatic question generation based on text analysis with the goal to develop the computational intelligence framework that should automate or semi-automate the process of quiz and exam question generation. The framework operation is based on information retrieval and NLP algorithms. It incorporates the application of production rules, LSTM neural network models, and other intelligent techniques. It allows generating multiple choice questions, true and false questions as well as "Wh"-type (What? When? How?) questions. Automation procedures for each type question generation are developed, presented and analyzed. The typical challenges in framework development and application are considered and possible solutions are discussed. The results of the framework application and its use for quiz generation in a real college class are presented and analyzed.
Harmonic Generation in an Octave Bandwidth Traveling-Wave Tube

In a helix traveling-wave tube (TWT) with a bandwidth exceeding one octave, the second harmonic of an input signal near the low end of the band will experience exponential growth. In such a case, we have found that the non-linear electron orbits in the beam, as opposed to the orbital bunching exhibited in the linear electron orbits [1], are the main source for second harmonic generation. This unexpected result is due to the synchronous amplification of the second harmonic. We demonstrate this phenomenon from the solution of the non-linear equations that we have formulated that govern evolution of the second harmonic field; these equations may include axial variations of the Pierce parameters. In several test cases, we compare the theory with simulation using the CHRISTINE code [2]. Good agreement between theory and simulation is found.
A Network Reconfiguration Method for Three-phase Distribution Network using Simplified Power Flow Model

This paper proposes a network reconfiguration method for unbalanced three-phase distribution network to optimize operation of distribution system such as decreasing real power loss, improving voltage profile and balancing load flow between branches. A simplified power flow model considering unbalanced parameters of distribution system is constructed based on existing measurement data by replacing nonlinear loss terms with linear approximation. Thus, mathematical model of network reconfiguration is developed and transformed into a mixed integer quadratic programming (MIQP) problem, which can be solved efficiently. Results of numerical tests demonstrates efficiency and effectiveness of proposed method.
Andrew Weiss. Big Data Shocks: An Introduction to Big Data for Librarians and Information Professionals. Chicago: American Library Association, 2018. 194p. Paper, $45.00 (ISBN: 978-1-5381-0323-4).

In Andrew Weiss’ book Big Data Shocks: An Introduction to Big Data for Librarians and Information Professionals, the author skillfully explores the intersections between libraries and big data by examining how this powerful technology is transforming and impacting (shocking) the world of libraries and information. The book is timely, given the intensity of the ongoing debates focused around campaigns of misinformation (Facebook and Google are two examples) coupled with the erosions of individual privacy that have been enabled by the use of big data technologies.
When service failure is interpreted as discrimination: Emotion, power, and voice

Abstract The service failure that customers experience may be appraised as an intentional, discriminatory act under certain circumstances. Using two studies, we examined the impact of a service failure, which is perceived as discrimination, on customers’ direct, face-to-face and indirect, online voice behavior, incorporating power as a boundary condition. In Study 1, we constructed a moderated mediation model involving perceived discrimination, anger, power, and two types of customer voice. The results showed that a low power state suppresses the impact of perceived discrimination on direct, face-to-face voice through anger, but not on indirect, online voice. In other words, low-power individuals may not confront service providers to speak up on site when they are angry at perceived discrimination; they rather express themselves indirectly in the online environment. Further, in Study 2, content analyses revealed that most customers avoid using the term, “discrimination” while making complaints despite their strong agreement on perceived discrimination.
Reduction of Transfer Threshold Energy for Laser-Induced Jetting of Liquids using Faraday Waves

Increasing the resolution of jet-based printing and deposition techniques is important for many industrial applications. This study couples flow focusing to a laser direct-write technique and uses surface-tension effects to reduce the size of the ejected droplet. Using experiments and simulations, the authors show that generating a transient meniscus-shaped liquid-air interface allows for the ejection of smaller droplets from liquid films. This approach is expected to impact the development of deposition techniques that incorporate multiple forms of energy to enhance droplet resolution.
Four Ways Free Market Capitalism Reinforces Legal-Rational Democracy

One, The Separation of the Economy from Government Control; Two, Contract Law and Patent Law; Three, The Encouragement of Science and Technological Application for the Production Process; Four, the Engendering of a Large, Prosperous, Well-Educated Middle Class. This majority middle-class tends to be lawful, and to moderate the power of the rich and the potential violence of the poor.
Exploring the Parameter Space of Point Spread Function Determination for the Scanning Electron Microscope-Part I: Effect on the Point Spread Function

The point spread function (PSF) of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) can be determined using a recently developed nanoparticle calibration method. Many parameters are involved in PSF determination and introduce a previously unstudied amount of uncertainty into the PSF size and shape. Signal type, support material thickness, reference particle size, PSF smoothing (K), and background correction were investigated regarding their effect on the PSF. Experimental data were complemented by CASINO simulations. Differences in detector position between the observed particles and the method's simulated reference particles caused shifting between secondary electron PSFs and backscattered electron PSFs. Support material thickness did not have a practical effect on the PSF at the tested voltages. Uncertainty in reference particle size varied the PSF full width at half maximum (FWHM) within ±0.7 nm at 2σ, with virtually no uncertainty in some cases. K and background correction within a reasonable range of values resulted in PSF FWHM differences within ±0.9 nm, except at 2 kV for K with an upper bound of ±1.9 nm due to increased noise. Tailoring K and background correction case-by-case would result in smaller differences. The interconnection of these parameters may help in future efforts to calculate their best selection.
Dopamine modulates the size of striatal projection neuron ensembles

SUMMARY Dopamine (DA) is a critical modulator of brain circuits that control voluntary movements, but our understanding of its influence on the activity of target neurons in vivo remains limited. Here, we use two-photon Ca2+ imaging to simultaneously monitor the activity of direct and indirect-pathway spiny projection neurons (SPNs) in the striatum of behaving mice during acute and prolonged manipulations of DA signaling. We find that, contrary to prevailing models, DA does not modulate activity rates in either pathway strongly or differentially. Instead, DA exerts a prominent influence on the overall number of direct and indirect pathway SPNs recruited during behavior. Chronic loss of midbrain DA neurons in a model of Parkinson’s disease selectively impacts direct pathway ensembles and profoundly alters how they respond to DA elevation. Our results indicate that DA regulates striatal output by dynamically reconfiguring its sparse ensemble code and provide novel insights into the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease.
The Effect of Thermodynemic Parameters on the Rlationship Between Exchangeable Sodium Percentage and Sodium Adsorption Ratio in Saline Soil of Iraq Central.

The study was conducted to determine the relationship between the exchangeable sodium percentage ESP and sodium adsorption ratio SAR in the soil solution. Some saline affected soils were selected at the locations Yosifya, Muwayliha, Imam, Eychreesh, Mahaweel, Ejbalah, Abe-Ghragg, Kifil, Elseneya and Eldagharaah. Using thermodynamic criteria to recalculate throught description quantitative concepts rather than analytical.The results indicate that the values ​​of SAR range from 0.96 - 26.80 (cmol Kg-¹)o·5 of the studied sites and this ratio increased when taking into account free ions 3.52 - 32.7 (cmol Kg-¹)o·5. The ESP Calculated laboratory was (2.0 - 9.0 %) and all of these were less than ESP % according to laboratory salinity accounts, and generally show increase in the values ​​of the proportion of ESP with increased SAR according to the approved indicators. The probability of these soils turning into sodic is unlikely to decrease pH and HCO3-¹ values ​​and increase concentrations of calcium and magnesium ions. The statistical results indicated that in order to predict soil ESP based on soil SAR the linear regression model for predicting soil ESP from SAR. ESP=1.95+1.05SAR with R²=0.92 can be recommended.
Kartographische Lernumgebungen im behördlichen Internetangebot

Statistische und geographische Grundkenntnisse sind essenziell, um tagtagliche Lebensaufgaben zu bewaltigen. Dieser Beitrag berichtet uber ein neues Web-Portal der U.S.-„FedStats“-Initiative, das fur amerikanische Schuler und Schulerinnen der „Middle School“ (Klassen 6–8) internetbasierte Lernumgebungen mit geographischen, kartographischen und statistischen Inhalten anbietet. Die Gestaltung der Lernumgebungen und des WebPortals basiert auf dem Konzept des nutzerzentrierten Designs und berucksichtigt die Lehrplane und nationalen Standards der amerikanischen Geographie- und Mathematikausbildung an „Middle Schools“. “MapStats for Kids” ist auf dem http://FedStats.gov Web-Portal integriert und erhalt im Durchschnitt 300 Zugriffe pro Tag.
Design of High Throughput FPGA-Based Testbed for Accelerating Error Characterization of LDPC Codes

We present a modular FPGA-based testbed to accelerate the study of low-density parity-check codes (LDPC). This testbed is composed of controller, codeword generator, noise generator, random number generator, LDPC decoder, and statistical analysis modules. The LDPC decoder module is replaceable to enable development or study of new or existing hard-decision-based decoders. We demonstrate our testbed's ability to reduce the timescale of error correction and error pattern analysis through case studies involving the Gallager B (GaB) and Probabilistic Gallager B (PGaB) algorithms. We contextualize the throughput and execution time performance of our framework, running on a Xilinx Zynq XC7Z020 FPGA, with reference CPU (Intel Xeon) and GPGPU (Tesla K40) implementations of the PGaB algorithm. While the single threaded CPU-based testbed and the reference GPU testbed achieve throughputs of 219 Kb/s and 3608 Kb/s respectively, the FPGA-based testbed achieves 9172 Mb/s. This corresponds to reducing the time scale of error correction analysis on PGaB, at previously untested error resolutions, to less than a day from an estimated 199 years on a single general purpose processor and 12 years on the GPU. We finally demonstrate the utility of our testbed by completing the first simulation on identifying all possible codewords with four errors that are not correctable by GaB. We reduce the time scale of this simulation, which requires processing 117 billion codewords, to 4.5 hours from an estimated 488 days on the GPU and 7803 days on CPU. Our open-source, modular and parameterized testbed allows researchers rapidly evaluate error correction performance of the target decoder algorithm and collect statistical data essential to exploring algorithmic improvement opportunities.
Creative destruction and regional health: evidence from the US

Building on the recent surge of interest in understanding the influence of entrepreneurship on individual health and well-being, we ask whether county-level creative destruction is associated with county-level health outcomes. Consistent with regional economics and epidemiology literature our unit of analysis is at the regional (i.e., county) level. Based on a sample of 3072 U.S. counties between 2009 and 2015, we find that creative destruction is negatively associated with the share of fair/poor health, the share of frequent physical distress, the share of frequent mental distress, and age-adjusted mortality. The results further show that creative destruction tamps the negative effects of unemployment, income inequality, and rural areas on health and mortality. The estimates are consistent for commuting zones as an additional unit of geographic analysis.
The Complex Interplay Between the Controlled Substances Act and the Gun Control Act

Federal narcotics policy and firearms regulation intersect at several points. One of these junctures is 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(3), which incorporates the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by reference and thereby prohibits violators of the CSA from possessing a firearm. This statutory intersection results in more than 14,200 individuals per year failing a background check for gun purchases, and more than 600 convictions per year for possession of guns by drug users. At the same time, the federal NICS background check database contains only 67,000 or so records of drug users, due to widespread under-reporting by state law enforcement agencies, courts, correctional institutions, and drug treatment facilities. Circuit courts have consistently upheld the constitutionality of §922(g)(3). Incorporation of the CSA into firearm prohibitions poses difficult policy trade-offs. On the one hand, longstanding problems with the CSA, including the trending conflict between federal and state marijuana laws, spill over into prosecutions for weapons violations and denials of prospective firearm purchases. Moreover, other substance abuse categories with higher correlations to gun violence, such as alcoholism, are entirely missing from the regulatory framework. On the other hand, the CSA has ended up playing a vital role in the firearm regulatory regime, and in gun violence prevention. This paper will explore the interplay between the CSA and gun control from both an ex ante perspective (background checks for gun purchases) and an ex post perspective (arrests and convictions for users-in-possession of firearms). It also proposes legislative and administrative refinements that could resolve some of the problems with the existing regime.
Anomalous edge response of cadmium telluride-based photon counting detectors jointly caused by high-flux radiation and inter-pixel communication.

This work reports an edge enhancing effect experimentally observed in cadmium telluride (CdTe)-based photon counting detector (PCD) systems operated under the charge summing (CS) mode and irradiated by high-flux x-rays. Experimental measurements of the edge spread functions (ESFs) of a PCD system (100 μm pixel size, 88 ns deadtime) were performed at different input flux levels from 4.5 × 105 count per second (cps) mm−2 to 1.5 × 109 cps mm−2 for the single pixel mode (SP) and the CS mode. A theoretical model that incorporates the impacts of inter-pixel communications and the arbitration process involved in the CS mode was developed to help explain the physical origin of the observed edge enhancing effect. Compared with the monotonically increasing ESF of the SP mode, the ESF of the CS mode measured at high-flux levels shows a peak at an intermediate location (50 μm from the edge). The peak became more pronounced with increasing flux levels. The theoretically calculated ESFs agreed well with experimental results with relative errors less than 5% at all flux levels and tested. These results indicate that the anomalous edge enhancing effect is jointly caused by the pileup effect and the CS circuit that introduces negative correlations between adjacent pixels. When the input flux is high enough to deliver photons to multiple adjacent pixels within the same deadtime period, the CS mode may treat the coincident x-rays as shared charges and thus introduce count losses in addition to the well-known pileup count loss. When a high contrast object partially blocks certain pixels from x-rays, the adjacent unblocked pixels have an increased probability of registering counts as a result of the negative correlation. This leads to a peak on the ESF at a pixel-to-edge distance half of the pixel pitch.
A Review of Wet Compounding of Cellulose Nanocomposites.

Cellulose nanomaterials (CNs) are an emerging class of materials with numerous potential applications, including as additives or reinforcements for thermoplastics. Unfortunately, the preparation of CNs typically results in dilute, aqueous suspensions, and the lack of efficient water removal methods has hindered commercialization. However, water may also present opportunities for improving overall efficiencies if its potential is better understood and if it is better managed through the various stages of CN and composite production. Wet compounding represents one such possible opportunity by leveraging water’s ability to aid in CN dispersion, act as a transport medium for metering and feeding of CNs, plasticize some polymers, or potentially facilitate the preparation of CNs during compounding. However, there are also considerable challenges and much investigation remains. Here, we review various wet compounding approaches used in the preparation of cellulose nanocomposites as well as the related concepts of wet feeding and wet extrusion fibrillation of cellulose. We also discuss potential opportunities, remaining challenges, and research and development needs with the ultimate goal of developing a more integrated approach to cellulose nanocomposite preparation and a more sophisticated understanding of water’s role in the compounding process.
Widespread occurrence of phthalate and non-phthalate plasticizers in single-use facemasks collected in the United States.

Single-use or disposable facemasks have been widely used by the public for personal protection against the spread of COVID-19. The majority of disposable facemasks are made of synthetic polymers such as polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate (as polyester), and polystyrene, and could therefore be a source of human exposure to plasticizers that are incorporated into these polymers during production. Little is known, however, about the occurrence of plasticizers in facemasks. In this study, we determined the concentrations of nine phthalate diesters and six non-phthalate plasticizers in 66 facemasks purchased in the United States. Among phthalate diesters, dibutyl phthalate, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, di-iso-butyl phthalate, and butyl benzyl phthalate were found in all facemask samples, at median concentrations of 486, 397, 254, and 92 ng/g, respectively. Among non-phthalate plasticizers, dibutyl sebacate (median: 3390 ng/g) and di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate (352 ng/g) were found at notable concentrations. Inhalation exposure to select phthalate and non-phthalate plasticizers from the use of facemasks was estimated to range from 0.1 to 3.1 and 3.5 to 151 ng/kg-bw/d, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the occurrence of phthalate and non-phthalate plasticizers in facemasks collected from the United States.
Gravity waves-induced airglow temperature variations, phase relationships, and Krassovsky ratio for OH(8,3) airglow, O2(0,1) atmospheric band, and O(1S) greenline in the MLT region

Abstract The gravity wave-induced secular variations and fluctuations of airglow intensity-weighted temperatures for OH(8,3) nightglow, O 2 (0,1) atmospheric band, and O( 1 S) greenline in the MLT region were simulated to study the wave effects’ on airglow temperatures. They were investigated with a time-dependent OH Chemistry-Dynamics (OHCD) model and a Multiple Airglow Chemistry-Dynamics (MACD) model with a small-scale linear gravity wave packet. The largest wave-induced airglow temperature secular variations are found to be ~0.8% in the O 2 (0,1) temperature and the largest wave-induced airglow temperature fluctuations are found to be ~0.25% in the O( 1 S) temperature. We also investigated the phase relationships between the airglow intensities and temperatures. Our results show that the airglow intensities lead the airglow temperatures most of the time. Also, airglow located at a higher altitude leads the airglow located at a lower altitude, indicating a downward phase progression, which is consistent with the phase of the wave packet we used. The Krassovsky ratio for these airglow emissions were calculated and found to be decreasing with increasing altitude. The amplitude of the Krassovsky ratio for OH(8,3) airglow, O 2 (0,1) atmospheric band, and O( 1 S) greenline were ~10, 6, and 4, respectively.
Evaluation of fatigue cracking performance of asphalt mixtures under heavy static and dynamic aircraft loads

Abstract This laboratory and analytical study investigated the pavement’s mechanical responses in terms of strains at the top and bottom of the asphalt surface layer for a number of modified asphalt mixtures. The purpose was to identify their potential for use in airfield aprons and taxiways that are subjected to heavy, slow-moving aircraft loads. The effects of these loads on fatigue behavior were evaluated in ABAQUS™ using the material properties determined in the laboratory. The findings indicated that a number of mixtures, including modified mixtures and warm mix asphalt, experience strain levels comparable to the FAA standard P-401 asphalt mixture.
Computation of Root-Mean-Square Gains of Switched Linear Systems

In this paper we compute the root-mean-square (RMS) gain of a switched linear system when the interval between consecutive switchings is large. The algorithm proposed is based on the fact that a given constant ? provides an upper bound on the RMS gain whenever there is a separation between the stabilizing and the antistabilizing solutions to a set of ?-dependent algebraic Riccati equations. The motivation for this problemis the application of robust stability tools to the analysis of hybrid systems.
Violence, Nonviolence, and the Palestinian National Movement

Why do some national movements use violent protest and others nonviolent protest? Wendy Pearlman shows that much of the answer lies inside movements themselves. Nonviolent protest requires coordination and restraint, which only a cohesive movement can provide. When, by contrast, a movement is fragmented, factional competition generates new incentives for violence and authority structures are too weak to constrain escalation. Pearlman reveals these patterns across one hundred years in the Palestinian national movement, with comparisons to South Africa and Northern Ireland. To those who ask why there is no Palestinian Gandhi, Pearlman demonstrates that nonviolence is not simply a matter of leadership. Nor is violence attributable only to religion, emotions or stark instrumentality. Instead, a movement's organizational structure mediates the strategies that it employs. By taking readers on a journey from civil disobedience to suicide bombings, this book offers fresh insight into the dynamics of conflict and mobilization.
Pregnancy in a Previously Conjoined Thoracopagus Twin with a Crisscross Heart

Background. Crisscross heart (CCH) is a complex, rare, congenital, rotational, cardiac abnormality that accounts for <0.1% of congenital heart defects (CHD). CCH is characterized by the crossing of the inflow streams of the two ventricles due to an abnormal twisting of the heart. A case of maternal CCH has not been previously reported. Case. We report a case of a primigravida with a CCH, who was separated at birth from her thoracopagus conjoined twin. Pregnancy was managed by congenital cardiology, maternal-fetal medicine, anesthesiology, and obstetrics. She underwent a 39-week vaginal delivery without maternal or neonatal complication. Conclusion. A successful term pregnancy outcome was achieved in a patient with CCH using a multidisciplinary approach to address her cardiac condition.
HELP IS ON THE WAY (OUT): PROHIBITING THE USE OF NONCOMPETITION AGREEMENTS IN THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSION

The use of noncompetition agreements in the mental health profession has created unfortunate consequences for patients and families seeking and receiving care within their respective communities. In addition to exacerbating issues in access and the availability of care in the mental health delivery system, noncompetition agreements (1) undermine the goals of therapy and injure the public's welfare; (2) potentially conflict with professional ethics and standards of practice guiding the mental health profession; and (3) conflict with promising proposals to reform mental health care delivery. This Note advocates that states adopt a statute prohibiting mental health practitioners from entering into noncompetition agreements with their employers as against public policy.
Time delay, crosstalk and repeater insertion models for high performance SoC's

Using a new physical model for the transient response of a distributed RLC interconnect with a capacitive load, novel compact expressions have been derived for: (1) the time delay, (2) the peak crosstalk for coupled lines, (3) the optimum number and size of repeaters, and (4) the time delay for repeater-inserted distributed RC and RLC lines. For practical ranges of line parameters, the maximum error between the compact models for time delay and crosstalk, and HSPICE simulations are 2% and 10% respectively. These new models are used to define a design space that illustrates a novel trade-off between number of repeaters and wire cross-section to achieve specified delay and crosstalk targets. For a 3 cm long interconnect, inserting 8 repeaters decreases peak crosstalk by 51% and wire cross sectional area by 83% without increasing the time delay, compared to a design without repeaters.
Chondro-Osseous Lesions of Soft Tissue

Soft tissue lesions can contain bone or cartilage matrix as an incidental, often metaplastic, phenomenon or as a diagnostic feature. The latter category includes a diverse group ranging from self-limited proliferations to benign neoplasms to aggressive malignancies. Correlating imaging findings with pathology is mandatory to confirm that a tumor producing bone or cartilage, in fact, originates from soft tissue rather than from the skeleton. The distinction can have dramatic diagnostic and therapeutic implications. This content focuses on the gross, histologic, radiographic, and clinical features of bone or cartilage-producing soft tissue lesions. Recent discoveries regarding tumor-specific genetics are discussed.
Coordinated maturational regulation of PHEX and renal phosphate transport inhibitory activity: evidence for the pathophysiological role of PHEX in X-linked hypophosphatemia.

The mechanism by which inactivating mutations of PHEX (phosphate-regulating gene with homologies to endopeptidases on the X chromosome) cause X-linked hypophosphatemia remains unknown. However, recent reports suggest errant PHEX activity in osteoblasts may fail to inactivate a phosphaturic factor produced by these cells. To test this possibility, we examined coordinated maturational expression of PHEX and production of phosphate transport inhibitory activity in osteoblasts from normal and hyp-mice. We assessed the inhibitory activity in conditioned medium by examining the effects on opossum kidney cell phosphate transport and osteoblast PHEX expression by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction during a 17-day maturational period. Inhibitory activity increased as a function of osteoblast maturational stage, with no activity after 3 days and persistent activity by 6 days of culture. More significantly, equal phosphate transport inhibitory activity in conditioned medium from normal and hyp-mouse osteoblasts (control 1.90 ± 0.12, normal 1.48 ± 0.10, hyp 1.45 ± 0.04 nmol/mg of protein/minute) was observed at 6 days. However, by 10 days hyp-mouse osteoblasts exhibited greater inhibitory activity than controls, and by 17 days the difference in phosphate transport inhibition maximized (control 2.08 ± 0.09, normal 1.88 ± 0.06, hyp 1.58 ± 0.06 nmol/mg of protein/minute). Concurrently, we observed absent PHEX expression in normal osteoblasts after 3 days, limited production at 6 days, and significant production by day 10 of culture, while hyp-mouse osteoblasts exhibited limited PHEX activity secondary to an inactivating mutation. The data suggest that the presence of inactivating PHEX mutations results in the enhanced renal phosphate transport inhibitory activity exhibited by hyp-mouse osteoblasts.
Genetic and molecular analysis of chlorambucil-induced germ-line mutations in the mouse.

Abstract Eighteen variants recovered from specific locus mutation rate experiments involving the mutagen chlorambucil were subjected to several genetic and molecular analyses. Most mutations were found to be homozygous lethal. Because lethality is often presumptive evidence for multilocus-deletion events, 10 mutations were analyzed by Southern blot analysis with probes at, or closely linked to, several of the specific locus test markers, namely, albino (c), brown (b), and dilute (d). All eight mutations (two c; three b; two d; and one dilute-short ear [Df(d se)]) that arose in post-spermatogonial germ cells were deleted for DNA sequences. No evidence for deletion of two d-se region probes was obtained for the remaining two d mutations that arose in stem-cell spermatogonia. Six of the primary mutants also produced low litter sizes ("semisterility"). Karyotypic analysis has, to date, confirmed the presence of reciprocal translocations in four of the six. The high frequency of deletions and translocations among the mutations induced in post-spermatogonial stages by chlorambucil, combined with its overall high efficiency in inducing mutations in these stages, should make chlorambucil mutagenesis useful for generating experimentally valuable germ-line deletions throughout the mouse genome.
Advertising and the Price and Quality of Legal Services: The Case for Legal Clinics

Because the holding in Bates v. State Bar of Arizona is narrow and because some lawyers remain opposed to advertising, the dispute over lawyer advertising continues. Many who favor restricting advertising contend that it will not benefit consumers. They argue that prices must either rise to cover the cost of advertising or, if prices do fall, that quality must also drop. This article addresses itself to both charges. The first section is theoretical, demonstrating how advertising could lower the costs of producing legal services. Advertising increases the volume of services a lawyer can expect to sell. Greater volume, in turn, allows greater specialization in production, more effective use of systems management, and the substitution of paralegals and capital for lawyer inputs. The authors argue that each of these changes will lower costs, thereby lowering prices without necessarily reducing quality. The second section is empirical, comparing the prices and particularly the quality of services produced by a heavy advertiser, the Legal Clinic of Jacoby & Meyers, and the traditional firms in the Los Angeles market with which the clinic competes. Quality is defined both subjectively and objectively, and original data are presented indicating that the quality of service that the clinic supplies is at least equivalent, and on some measures better, than the quality of service that traditional firms provide.
Lower bound on the Higgs mass in the presence of a heavy top quark

Abstract We demonstrate that for finite cut-off the Higgs-Yukawa model is only defined when the bare Higgs coupling λ 0 is positive. Next we argue that if we assume this theory to be trivial, the familiar fermion loop induced “vacuum instability” may not be realized. We give a scenario where there is no vacuum instability so that the lower bound on the Higgs mass can not be derived from the behavior of the effective potential. However, there still exists a lower bound on the Higgs mass for a given fermion mass due to the fact that λ 0 is positive. Finally, we discuss some important issues for establishing a physical lower bound on the Higgs mass.
Novel multianion MgSiAlOC oxycarbide glasses

Abstract New bulk oxycarbide glasses were synthesized for the first time by additions of SiC to magnesium aluminosilicate glass forming melts. Significant improvements in the glass transition temperature, microhardness, and refractoriness were achieved. The projected role of these new oxycarbide glass systems in the chemical and materials sciences and in the technology of novel glass-ceramics and composites is outlined.
A 10 Gb/s Low Swing Receiver for Power Optimization by Accelerated Bit Error Rate Testing

An improved low-swing current mode differential receiver is presented that was simulated to work at up to 10 Gb/s over 100 mm microstrip lines in FR-4 using 2 mW transmitter power and 1.2 mW receiver power. The proposed receiver architecture decouples the current to voltage conversion and the transmission line termination. It can accept lower swing signals than architectures such as CML or LVDS while maintaining low receiver power consumption. With this receiver we propose a methodology for optimizing transmitter power based on accelerated BER measurement using signal attenuation. This link was implemented using the 0.35 mum AMS SiGe process. Experimental results are shown for the link running at 2.5 Gb/s over 100 mm FR-4 microstrip lines with transmitter currents as low as 200 muA. These results also validate the accelerated BER measurement methodology for optimizing transmitter power.
Bioavailability of iron in hemodialysis patients treated with erythropoietin: evidence for the inhibitory role of aluminum.

The dose of recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) required to correct the anemia of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) varies among patients. The response to r-HuEPO is impaired if absolute or relative iron deficiency exists. Aluminum may cause a microcytic anemia in patients with ESRD, but the mechanism remains incompletely defined. Twenty-two patients in the Canadian Multicentre EPO trial were studied for 6 months. In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) was used as an indicator of irondeficient erythropoiesis. The relationship of FEP to the estimates of iron availability (serum iron, transferrin saturation, ferritin) and iron utilization (corrected reticulocyte count, hemoglobin) was evaluated by multiple linear regression analysis. The effect of aluminum on FEP was evaluated by adjusting the statistical model for this variable. All patients were iron replete as assessed by serum ferritin. FEP was not related to serum aluminum before administration of r-HuEPO, but it was significantly correlated with aluminum in the treated group. In hemodialysis patients treated with r-HuEPO, the proportion of the variability explained by the parameters of iron utilization and iron availability was 0.27. The effect of aluminum increased this to 0.59. In hemodialysis patients not receiving r-HuEPO, the proportion of variability in FEP explained by the model increased from 0.16 to 0.28 by adjusting for aluminum. The data support the hypothesis that aluminum interferes with the bioavailability of stored iron for erythropoiesis and thus may result in a microcytic anemia in patients with ESRD or may blunt their response to r-HuEPO therapy.
Design and evaluation of interventions promoting periconceptional multivitamin use

Abstract Background Periconceptional folic acid use reduces the risk of neural tube defects and possibly other birth defects. The effectiveness of two interventions to increase the use of multivitamins among women of childbearing ages was evaluated. Methods Quasi-experimental interrupted time series design with a nonequivalent control group. Participants included female members of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan aged 18 to 39 years residing in the three geographic service areas of California under study from 1998 through 2000. The central component of the direct mail/pharmacy information intervention was the mailing of “starter kits” of 100 multivitamins, while the provider education intervention used primary care providers to deliver the study message. Main outcomes included the use of multivitamins containing folic acid at least four times per week (“regularly”), intention to use multivitamins regularly, and knowledge and attitudes about multivitamins. Outcomes were measured via telephone interviews of nonpregnant women of childbearing age. Results A total of 3438 women were interviewed. There was a small but significant increase in the percentage of women using multivitamins in the direct mail/pharmacy information intervention group at the beginning of the intervention period ( p =0.006), but this increase was not sustained after the interventions ended. No other significant change was observed. Conclusions Despite our ability to reach many women of childbearing age with multiple messages about regularly using multivitamins, only a small temporary increase was found in the percentage of women using multivitamins who received the messages in the mail. Other interventions and further evaluation of the impact of food fortification with folic acid should be considered.
The Development of the Category-Recall Relationship in the Sorting-Recall Task.

Abstract The relationship between categorical organization and recall for children in grades two, four, and six (ages 8, 10 and 12 years, respectively), and for adults was investigated using the sorting-recall procedure. Subjects sorted unrelated words on individual cards into either two, four, or six categories prior to output, and recall performance improved significantly as a function of increased numbers of sorting categories. The category-recall relationship was shown to be independent of the effects of subject-determined item exposure time in sorting. This result was taken as evidence for a basic structural property of memory (“chunking”) that does not vary as a function of age. We further speculated that the slopes of the category-recall function obtained in this study suggest a limit on the size of organizational units in young children's memory.