cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mononuclear Leukocytes Bind to Specific Hyaluronan Structures on Colon Mucosal Smooth Muscle Cells Treated with Polyinosinic Acid:Polycytidylic Acid : Inter-α-Trypsin Inhibitor Is Crucial to Structure and Function

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disorder whose etiology is linked to triggering events, including viral infections, that lead to immunoregulatory dysfunction in genetically susceptible people. Characteristic pathological changes include increased mononuclear leukocyte influx into the intestinal mucosa as well as mucosal smooth muscle cell (M-SMC) hyperplasia. Virus infection or viral mimic [polyinosinic acid:polycytidylic acid (polyI:C)] treatment of human colon M-SMCs in vitro increases cell surface hyaluronan (HA), and nonactivated mononuclear leukocytes bind to virus-induced HA structures by interactions that involve the HA-binding receptor CD44. In this study, confocal microscopy reveals increased HA on poly I:C-treated M-SMC surfaces within 3 hours, arrayed in coat-like structures. By 17 hours, novel, lengthy cable structures are evident, and these are primarily responsible for mediating leukocyte adhesion. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrates components of the inter-α-trypsin inhibitor (IαI) complex in both coat-like and cable structures. M-SMCs co-treated with polyI:C and a polyclonal antibody to IαI display HA in coats but with diminished cables, and they bind significantly fewer leukocytes than M-SMCs treated with polyI:C alone. Western blot data suggest that heavy chains of IαI are specifically associated with cable structures. Staining of tissue sections from patients with IBD demonstrates the presence of HA in inflamed colon tissue, and shows that HA-associated IαI staining increases in the mucosa of inflamed IBD specimens compared to noninflamed sections from the same patient, establishing a probable link between the observations in vitro and the progression of the inflammatory process in IBD.
Si BJT LNA circuit performance under radiation

A Si BJT low noise amplifier (LNA) circuit performance under radiated conditions is presented and discussed. The neutron fluence of 5.0E11 n/cm/sup 2/ showed shifts in LNA performance. The electron bursts produced dose rate upsets in the LNA at higher levels, requiring a 1 to 2 /spl mu/second recovery. High energy photon irradiation produced shifts indicating a radiation tolerant process and design, where this performance was not expected.
Volterrafaces: Discriminant analysis using Volterra kernels

In this paper we present a novel face classification system where we represent face images as a spatial arrangement of image patches, and seek a smooth nonlinear functional mapping for the corresponding patches such that in the range space, patches of the same face are close to one another, while patches from different faces are far apart, in L2 sense. We accomplish this using Volterra kernels, which can generate successively better approximations to any smooth nonlinear functional. During learning, for each set of corresponding patches we recover a Volterra kernel by minimizing a goodness functional defined over the range space of the sought functional. We show that for our definition of the goodness functional, which minimizes the ratio between intraclass distances and interclass distances, the problem of generating Volterra approximations, to any order, can be posed as a generalized eigenvalue problem. During testing, each patch from the test image that is classified independently, casts a vote towards image classification and the class with the maximum votes is chosen as the winner. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique in recognizing faces by extensive experiments on Yale, CMU PIE and Extended Yale B benchmark face datasets and show that our technique consistently outperforms the state-of-the-art in learning based face discrimination.
A model for ordered metric scaling by comparison of intervals

This paper presents a model of individual choice behavior for application to experimental situations in which a subject is required to compare utility intervals (differences in subjective value). This model is contrasted with a weaker model, which is also derived. Both models generate ordered metric scales, but differ in predictive power. An experiment on the utility of grades, which provides a test and comparison of the models, is presented.
A low-complexity algorithm for the on-chip moment computation of binary images

A fast, low-complexity algorithm has been developed for the computation of the geometric moments of binary images derived from pictures taken by low-cost, low-power consumption CMOS cameras. The complete algorithm is executed on the limited CPU and RAM resources that are available in the microprocessor chip that comes integrated with this type of cameras. We intend to utilize this moment-based approach to find the position and orientation of objects in the image plane, which has a wide range of applications from networked embedded robotics to the medical care field. In medical care applications it is envisioned that camera systems with on-chip processing of algorithms, such as the one described in this paper, will work in conjunction with a wireless body area network (WBAN) that measures vitals signs. The final goal is to have an accurate and cost effective system able to provide timely information to the medical personnel that is responsible for the care of the patients.
The Antitumor Agent, 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea

The new potent antitumor agent, 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU), is most stable at pH 4. In acid and in solutions above pH 7, it decomposes rapidly. In plasma, BCNU has a half-life of 20 min. in vitro , and less than 15 min. in vivo . Its alkylating action is not caused by the slow hydrolysis of the chlorine. BCNU is 80 per cent bound to human plasma protein at 0°. When administered intravenously to the dog, it enters the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) readily and disappears speedily from the plasma and the CSF. The total amount of unchanged drug excreted in the urine in 4 hr. is less than 0.1 per cent of the dose. Heating at 43° for 5 hr. converts BCNU partly into 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)urea.
Spacecraft reorientation in presence of attitude constraints via logarithmic barrier potentials

This paper proposes a methodology-based on convex navigation functions- for three-axis attitude reorientation for a rigid body spacecraft in presence of multiple constraints. In this direction, two types of attitude constrained zones are first defined, namely, the attitude forbidden and mandatory zones. The paper then utilizes a convex parameterization of forbidden and mandatory zones for constructing a logarithmic barrier potential function that is subsequently used for the synthesis of the attitude control laws. The feasible controller- which uses the feedback of the unit quaternions in the context of the proposed methodology- is then implemented using a modified integrator back-stepping method in order to compromise the actuator saturations. The paper concludes with a set of simulation results in order to evaluate the effectiveness, and demonstrate the viability, of the proposed methodology.
Quantified effects of chromosome-nuclear envelope attachments on 3D organization of chromosomes

We use a combined experimental and computational approach to study the effects of chromosome-nuclear envelope (Chr-NE) attachments on the 3D genome organization of Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) salivary gland nuclei. We consider 3 distinct models: a Null model - without specific Chr-NE attachments, a 15-attachment model - with 15 previously known Chr-NE attachments, and a 48-attachment model - with 15 original and 33 recently identified Chr-NE attachments. The radial densities of chromosomes in the models are compared to the densities observed in 100 experimental images of optically sectioned salivary gland nuclei forming "z-stacks." Most of the experimental z-stacks support the Chr-NE 48-attachment model suggesting that as many as 48 chromosome loci with appreciable affinity for the NE are necessary to reproduce the experimentally observed distribution of chromosome density in fruit fly nuclei. Next, we investigate if and how the presence and the number of Chr-NE attachments affect several key characteristics of 3D genome organization: chromosome territories and gene-gene contacts. This analysis leads to novel insight about the possible role of Chr-NE attachments in regulating the genome architecture. Specifically, we find that model nuclei with more numerous Chr-NE attachments form more distinct chromosome territories and their chromosomes intertwine less frequently. Intra-chromosome and intra-arm contacts are more common in model nuclei with Chr-NE attachments compared to the Null model (no specific attachments), while inter-chromosome and inter-arm contacts are less common in nuclei with Chr-NE attachments. We demonstrate that Chr-NE attachments increase the specificity of long-range inter-chromosome and inter-arm contacts. The predicted effects of Chr-NE attachments are rationalized by intuitive volume vs. surface accessibility arguments.
Nutrition Assistance Programs: Cause or Solution to Obesity

Three nutrition assistance programs-Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), and National School Lunch Program (NSLP)-serve as the backbone of the nutrition safety net in the USA. These programs have been successful in achieving many of their initial goals of improving food purchases, food intake, and/or nutritional status of low-income, vulnerable Americans. The emphasis in these programs has now broadened to also include an obesity prevention focus. Recent changes in program components demonstrate the revised objectives of the program. SNAP, WIC, and NSLP increase economic access to an adequate diet but access alone is unlikely to be the total solution to obesity prevention. An ecological approach, incorporating the nutrition programs, appears to be a more promising strategy to leverage the impact of SNAP, WIC, and NSLP.
Covariant energy density functionals: Nuclear matter constraints and global ground state properties

The correlations between global description of the ground state properties (binding energies, charge radii) and nuclear matter properties of the state-of-the-art covariant energy density functionals have been studied. It was concluded that the strict enforcement of the constraints on the nuclear matter properties (NMP) defined in Dutra et al. [Phys. Rev. C 90, 055203 (2014)] will not necessarily lead to the functionals with good description of the binding energies and other ground and excited state properties. In addition, it will not substantially reduce the uncertainties in the predictions of the binding energies in neutron-rich systems. It turns out that the functionals, which come close to satisfying these NMP constraints, have some problems in the description of existing data. On the other hand, these problems are either absent or much smaller in the functionals which are carefully fitted to finite nuclei but which violate some NMP constraints. This is a consequence of the fact that the properties of finite nuclei are defined not only by nuclear matter properties but also by underlying shell effects. The mismatch of phenomenological content, existing in all modern functionals, related to nuclear matter physics and the physics of finite nuclei could also be responsible.
The effects of calcium entry blockade on the vulnerability of infarcted canine myocardium toward ventricular fibrillation.

The effects of the calcium entry blockers diltiazem, KB-944 [diethyl 4-(benzothiazol-2-yl)benzylphosphonate] and bepridil on the vulnerability of ischemically injured myocardium toward fibrillation were determined in urethane-anesthetized dogs 4 to 7 days after anterior myocardial infarction. Diltiazem (3.0-30.0 micrograms/kg/min X 30 min), KB-944 (0.3-3.0 mg/kg) and bepridil (1.0-10.0 mg/kg) were administered i.v. to produce equivalent increases in atrioventricular nodal effective and functional refractory periods as a measure of slow calcium channel blockade. At dosages producing equivalent increases in atrioventricular nodal refractoriness, diltiazem and KB-944 failed to increase the electrical current threshold required to produce ventricular fibrillation, whereas bepridil elevated the fibrillation threshold from 4.2 +/- 0.5 mA predrug to 14.7 +/- 2.2 mA postdrug (P less than .01). Increases in atrial (128 +/- 6-185 +/- 29 msec, P less than .01) and ventricular (156 +/- 4-175 +/- 6 msec, P less than .05) refractory periods accompanied the increase in fibrillation threshold with bepridil. These findings suggest that calcium entry blockade per se does not reduce ventricular vulnerability toward fibrillation in the setting of recent myocardial infarction.
Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and Judicial Elections: Application and Remedy

Until recently, the question of whether ? 2 of the Voting Rights Act' applies to judicial elections seemed to have been resolved. Both the Fifth and Sixth Circuits had considered the issue and decided that the scope of ? 2 was broad enough to encompass judicial elections.2 The Attorney General of the United States and the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department agreed with this conclusion.3 Most district courts that had been presented with the issue also agreed that ? 2 applied with full force to elected judges.4 Commentators assumed that the issue was settled.5 The Fifth Circuit resurrected the controversy with its en banc opinion in League of United Latin American Citizens ("LULAC") v Clements.6 The majority held that ? 2 of the Act did not apply to judicial elections.7 This holding was founded on the argument that the language of ? 2(b), which provides that ? 2 is violated when protected minorities "have less opportunity than other members of
Secularism and State Policies toward Religion: Passive Secularism and the Christian Right's Challenge (1981–2008)

During the presidential campaign in August 1980, the Republican presidential nominee, Ronald Reagan (1911–2004), unlike his rival Jimmy Carter, accepted an invitation to address evangelical Christians in Dallas. To the audience of “10,000 conservative Christians, including 2,500 pastors,” Reagan said, “I know this group can't endorse me, but I want you to know that I endorse you and what you are doing.” That event was an important step forward in Reagan's alliance with the Christian Right led by evangelical leaders, such as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. The Christian Right was based on a decade-long activism as a reaction to several court decisions on issues such as the prohibition of Bible reading and organized prayer in schools, the legalization of abortion, and the removal of tax-exempt status of schools that practiced racial discrimination. Reagan's presidential inauguration in 1981 meant the beginning of a new era in state-religion relations in the United States. The conservatives, in general, and the Christian Right, in particular, gained a powerful ally at the White House, though some of them would later be disappointed by Reagan's lack of sufficient support for school prayer amendments and appointment of moderate conservative Sandra Day O'Connor to the Supreme Court. Reagan's presidency consolidated the alliance between the Christian Right and the Republican Party.
Electron-nuclear double-resonance investigations of V OD centers in CaO

Single crystals of CaO doped with deuterium have been grown by the submerged-arc-fusion method and ${V}_{\mathrm{OD}}$ centers were produced by $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ irradiation at 77 K. EPR and electron-nuclear double-resonance measurements yield the following spin Hamiltonian parameters: ${g}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}=2.0020(2)$, ${g}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}=2.0730(2)$, ${A}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}=+0.423(1)$ MHz, ${A}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}=\ensuremath{-}0.212(1)$ MHz, and $P=+0.188(1)$ MHz. Relative signs were obtained experimentally and the assignment of the absolute signs follows from the assumption of a positive dipolar interaction of the hole with the reported positive deuterium nuclear moment. The magnetic hyperfine interaction is essentially all dipolar and implies a slight outward $〈100〉$ relaxation of the axial oxygens. The measured electric field gradient at the deuteron is compared with the corresponding case in MgO and with other substitutional-impurity trappedhole centers in the cubic oxides.
Zika virus: review and obstetric anesthetic clinical considerations

Abstract Study Objectives To review the clinical and basic science literature regarding Zika viral illness and highlight relevant findings for obstetric anesthesiologists. This review provides a global review of Zika viral illness, transmission patterns, pathophysiology of disease, and anesthetic management of the parturient with Zika viral illness and associated comorbidities. Design Systematic review. Setting Large academic hospital. Subjects None. Interventions None. Measurements None. Main Results None. Conclusion With the rapid spread of Zika virus and expected increase of spread in the summer of 2016, this review provides anesthesiologists with current recommendations, physiologic alterations, and anesthetic considerations in regard to the parturient with Zika viral illness and associated diseases.
Exploring HPSS bandwidth - NERSC production experience

We have developed tools to help us analyze transfer logs from a production High Performance Storage System (HPSS) system at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC). These tools provide graphical displays of data transfer performance over relatively short (24 hour or less) time spans.
WOLFDIETRICH RASCH, Die literarische Décadence um 1900: (Munich: Beck, 1986). Pp. 284.

(1988). WOLFDIETRICH RASCH, Die literarische Decadence um 1900. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 63, No. 2, pp. 111-112.
Molecular mechanisms of neuroprotection in the eye.

Neurons are continuously subjected to fluctuating levels of oxidative stress, neurotransmitters and other compounds that have the potential of damaging the cells. Under physiological conditions the levels of these compounds do not reach pathological levels and the cells survive. Under pathological conditions, however, the compounds reach toxic levels and apoptotic cell death can be triggered. Endogeneous neuroprotective factors are molecules which can prevent the switch from survival to cell death. These factors work in several ways, only a few of which will be considered in this chapter.
Structural instability and water hammer signatures from shock-initiated implosions in confining environments

Abstract An experimental study is conducted to investigate the dynamic response and instability of cylindrical structures subjected to hydrostatic pressure in conjunction with explosive loading. Full-field displacements/velocities, and localized pressures, of imploding aluminum structures within a confining environment are captured during the experiments. Also, polyurea coatings of 1:1 volume ratios are evaluated as a possible energy mitigation technique. Two high-speed cameras are used to capture the imploding structures while seven dynamic pressure transducers measure the emitted pressure pulses. The specimens are confined inside a thick-walled cylindrical structure that had one end open to the hydrostatic pressure and the other end closed. This confinement configuration generates a water hammer at the closed end of the confinement. The results show that the pressure profiles of the hydrostatic and explosive initiated implosions are about the same after collapse. Moreover, the energy from the implosion's high-pressure pulses, present at the confinement's closed end, was greater than the energy of the explosive itself due to the water hammer effect. The polyurea coatings used in this study caused a sufficient phase shift in the implosion pressures such that the hammer and implosion high-pressure pulses were not superimposed; thus, the maximum pressures and energy after the implosion was reduced. However, the polyurea coatings did not significantly mitigate neither the hammer nor the implosion pressures individually. Finally, a non-linear Riks model from ABAQUS was used to show that the energy input requirement for dynamic-initiated implosions decreases rapidly as initial hydrostatic pressure increases.
Differential involvement of the microtubule cytoskeleton in insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) and IRS-2 signaling to AKT determines the response to microtubule disruption in breast carcinoma cells

The insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins serve as essential signaling intermediates for the activation of PI3K by both the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) and its close family member, the insulin receptor (IR). Although IRS-1 and IRS-2 share significant homology, they regulate distinct cellular responses downstream of these receptors and play divergent roles in breast cancer. To investigate the mechanism by which signaling through IRS-1 and IRS-2 results in differential outcomes, we assessed the involvement of the microtubule cytoskeleton in IRS-dependent signaling. Treatment with drugs that either stabilize or disrupt microtubules reveal that an intact microtubule cytoskeleton contributes to IRS-2- but not IRS-1-mediated activation of AKT by IGF-1. Proximal IGF-1R signaling events, including IRS tyrosine phosphorylation and recruitment of PI3K, are not inhibited by microtubule disruption, indicating that IRS-2 requires the microtubule cytoskeleton at the level of downstream effector activation. IRS-2 colocalization with tubulin is enhanced upon Taxol-mediated microtubule stabilization, which, together with the signaling data, suggests that the microtubule cytoskeleton may facilitate access of IRS-2 to downstream effectors such as AKT. Of clinical relevance is that our data reveal that expression of IRS-2 sensitizes breast carcinoma cells to apoptosis in response to treatment with microtubule-disrupting drugs, identifying IRS-2 as a potential biomarker for the response of breast cancer patients to Vinca alkaloid drug treatment.
Near-Optimal Regret Bounds for Thompson Sampling

Thompson Sampling (TS) is one of the oldest heuristics for multiarmed bandit problems. It is a randomized algorithm based on Bayesian ideas and has recently generated significant interest after several studies demonstrated that it has favorable empirical performance compared to the state-of-the-art methods. In this article, a novel and almost tight martingale-based regret analysis for Thompson Sampling is presented. Our technique simultaneously yields both problem-dependent and problem-independent bounds: (1) the first near-optimal problem-independent bound of O(√ NT ln T) on the expected regret and (2) the optimal problem-dependent bound of (1 + ϵ)Σi ln T / d(μi,μ1) + O(N/ϵ2) on the expected regret (this bound was first proven by Kaufmann et al. (2012b)).Our technique is conceptually simple and easily extends to distributions other than the Beta distribution used in the original TS algorithm. For the version of TS that uses Gaussian priors, we prove a problem-independent bound of O(√ NT ln N) on the expected regret and show the optimality of this bound by providing a matching lower bound. This is the first lower bound on the performance of a natural version of Thompson Sampling that is away from the general lower bound of Ω (√ NT) for the multiarmed bandit problem.
Compounding for Intrathecal Analgesic Agents

Abstract As a result of advances in technology and technique, and in response to unacceptable, tragic, and widely publicized violations of proper compounding procedure and practice, clear standards and requirements for both sterile conditions and careful procedures for compounding intrathecal medications have emerged. These standards and requirements differ from, and in some ways are far more stringent than, those for other compounded medicines. The standards and requirements include the nature of the physical space where compounding takes place, environmental monitoring of that space, personnel training, and regular testing to ensure that adherence to proper procedure is followed at every step of the compounding process. This chapter reviews the current status of these critical aspects of compounding intrathecal pharmaceuticals.
Work-Family Conflict in the Era of Globalization: Where Do We Go from Here?

In this cross-divisional symposium submitted to the organizational behavior, human resources management and international management divisions of the Academy of Management for the annual conference in 2015, we explore the various facets of what family conflict research for the past thirty years. In addition, we explore the implications of these research findings for the era of globalization. As the world globalizes rapidly, the pattern of work/family conflict are going to become similar across dissimilar nations and cultures. In other words, economic prosperity and rapid integration of various economies are going to create work pressures in all kinds of global organizations which will then be passed on to the employees and then work-family conflict will result. We explore the role of cultural variations and an individual level construct called occupational resilience in moderating the relationship between work and family domains. Our discussant is the most well-known researcher in this area, Dr. Ellen Kos...
Revisiting the Pacific Meridional Mode.

Numerous studies demonstrated that the Pacific Meridional Mode (PMM) can excite Central Pacific (CP) El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events and that the PMM is mostly a stochastic phenomenon associated with mid-latitude atmospheric variability and wind-evaporation-SST feedback. Here we show that CP sea surface temperature (SST) variability exhibits high instantaneous correlations both on interannual (ENSO-related) and decadal (Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO)-related) timescales with the PMM. By prescribing an idealized interannual equatorial CP ENSO SST forcing in a partially-coupled atmosphere/slab ocean model we are able to generate a realistic instantaneous PMM response consistent with the observed statistical ENSO/PMM relationship. This means that CP ENSO and the PMM can excite each other respectively on interannual timescales, strongly suggesting that a fast positive feedback exists between the two phenomena. Thus, we argue that they cannot be considered two independent dynamical entities. Additionally, we show that the interannual CP ENSO SST forcing generates atmospheric circulation variability that projects strongly on the Aleutian Low and North Pacific SST anomalies that exhibit the characteristic PDO pattern.
Mate choice behavior of female Eastern Gray Treefrogs (Hyla versicolor) is robust to anthropogenic light pollution

Human activities are drastically changing the amount of artificial light entering natural habitats. Because light pollution alters the sensory environment, it may interfere with behaviors ranging from prey detection and vigilance to mate choice. Here, we test the hypothesis that anthropogenic light pollution affects the mate choice behavior of female Eastern Gray Treefrogs (Hyla versicolor). We tested this hypothesis under two experimental light treatments that simulate the light pollution created by streetlights (expansion of lit areas and increased light intensity), and the light pollution created by headlights of passing vehicles (rapid fluctuations between bright and dark conditions). The hypothesis predicts that females tested under conditions simulating light pollution will show behavioral changes geared toward mitigating detection by predators, such as relaxed preferences, decreased choosiness for the normally preferred call, and differences in approach behavior (either more directional, faster, or stealthier movements, or no approach at all). Contrary to our prediction, we found that light pollution did not affect mate choice behavior in Gray Treefrogs, and should therefore neither interfere with population persistence nor affect the sexual selection regimes on male call traits of this species. However, we caution that this result does not imply that anthropogenic light pollution is of no concern for amphibian conservation, because behavioral responses to variation in nocturnal light levels (both in the natural as well as anthropogenically enhanced range) seem to be highly species‐specific in anurans. We encourage additional studies to help gage the vulnerability of anurans to anthropogenic light pollution.
Inverse Methods for Characterization of Contact Areas in Mechanical Systems

In computational structural dynamics problems, the ability to calibrate numerical models to physical test data often depends on determining the correct constraints within a structure with mechanical interfaces. These interfaces are defined as the locations within a built-up assembly where two or more disjointed structures are connected. In reality, the normal and tangential forces arising from friction and contact, respectively, are the only means of transferring loads between structures. In linear structural dynamics, a typical modeling approach is to linearize the interface using springs and dampers to connect the disjoint structures, then tune the coefficients to obtain sufficient accuracy between numerically predicted and experimentally measured results. This work explores the use of a numerical inverse method to predict the area of the contact patch located within a bolted interface by defining multi-point constraints. The presented model updating procedure assigns contact definitions (fully stuck, slipping, or no contact) in a finite element model of a jointed structure as a function of contact pressure computed from a nonlinear static analysis. The contact definitions are adjusted until the computed modes agree with experimental test data. The methodology is demonstrated on a C-shape beam system with two bolted interfaces, and the calibrated model predicts modal frequencies with <3% total error summed across the first six elastic modes.
Empirical moral rationalism and the social constitution of normativity

Moral rationalism has long been an attractive position within moral philosophy. However, among empirical-minded philosophers, it is widely dismissed as scientifically untenable. In this essay, I argue that moral rationalism’s lack of uptake in the empirical domain is due to the widespread supposition that moral rationalists must hold that moral judgments and actions are produced by rational capacities. But this construal is mistaken: moral rationalism’s primary concern is not with the relationship between moral judgments and rational capacities per se, but rather with developing a conception objectivity normativity that avoids Platonism. In light of this, I develop an alternative approach to translating moral rationalism into the empirical domain that builds on the common rationalist view that normative requirements are explained by the relationship between agents and the social structures and practices in which they are embedded. I propose that this social conception of normativity can be translated into a scientific framework by interpreting it as a claim about the importance of constraint-based explanation when accounting for norm-governed behavior. In order to develop this point more concretely and show that it is empirically tractable, I turn to research on macaque social organization that highlights the ways in which (proto)normative standards are generated by empirically observable social structures. The insights garnered from the macaque case allow me to then locate moral rationalism’s core claims about the relationship between morality and the standards of practical rationality within an empirically plausible framework.
Relaisschaltungen und Steuerprobleme

In Kap. 4 behandelten wir Schaltkreise, wobei wir uns die benutzten Schalter als von Hand betatigte Apparate vorstellten, die entweder offen oder geschlossen waren. Obwohl die dort dargestellten Gedankengange ebenso auf Schaltungen anwendbar sind, in denen andere bistabile Elemente vorkommen, wurden viele Probleme, die mit der Art des benutzten Schaltelementes eng zusammenhangen, vollstandig ignoriert. So wurde zum Beispiel angenommen, das es moglich ware, einen Schalter zu offnen und gleichzeitig einen anderen zu schliesen. Solche Idealisierungen sind fur den Aufbau einer Theorie erlaubt; in einem konkreten Problem des Schaltungsentwurfes jedoch mus sehr viel mehr Sorgfalt auf die Details des Schaltvorgangs verwandt werden. Das ist unmoglich, wenn man nicht auf den speziellen Typ von Schaltelementen, die man benutzen will, genauer eingeht. In diesem Kapitel werden wir uns noch immer der Vernachlassigung von Details schuldig machen, aber wir werden spezielle Schaltelemente einfuhren, die es uns erlauben, den Fehler moglichst klein zu halten. Zusatzlich wird uns die Einfuhrung der Relais gestatten, Schaltkreise mit komplizierten viel nutzlicheren Eigenschaften zu entwerfen, als es moglich ware, wenn die Schaltungen auf von Hand betatigte Schalter beschrankt wurden.
Membrane Bioreactors (MBRs) for Water Reuse in the USA

Water scarcity is a global problem, and the production of wastewater is growing correspondingly along with the ever-increasing water consumption. Wastewater can be used as an alternative water resource. Technological developments in treating municipal wastewater, such as membrane bioreactors (MBRs), provide high-quality effluents appropriate for water reuse. In this chapter, we review water reuse issues and standards, features and challenges of membrane bioreactor systems, and status of MBR applications in the USA. It can be concluded that MBRs are a superior wastewater treatment technology compared to conventional activated sludge systems, and they can help fulfill the growing water reuse demand.
Scurvy in a hemodialysis patient. Rare or ignored

Chronic kidney disease and dialysis brings with it a plethora of complications, including malnutrition. Strict dietary restrictions in hemodialysis (HD) patients further complicate the picture as it increases the risk of deficiency of micronutrients, specifically water-soluble vitamins. Today, there is a lack of concrete guidelines concerning recommendations on vitamin supplementation in HD patients. This lack of data is partly due to our incomplete understanding of handling of vitamins in a uremic state. There is a dire need for more data on the impact of dialysis and uremic state on water-soluble vitamins to facilitate appropriate preventative supplementation. We present a case of scurvy in a HD patient that will contribute toward the understanding of vitamin status in HD. We hope it will aid in screening HD patients for vitamin C deficiency and individualizing supplementation of vitamin C.
Non-Linear Filtering and Stochastic Mechanics

Many of the basic ideas of non-linear filtering for diffusion processes were developed in the early and mid sixties by Stratanovich, Kushner, Wonham and others [for references, see the paper by Davis and Marcus, this volume]. Indeed this line of development could be considered as an extension of linear filtering as viewed by Kalman and Stratanovich in the sense that non-linear filtering is considered as a theory of conditional Markov processes. In the late sixties; the innovations approach to non-linear filtering was emphasized by Kailath (and Frost in his Stanford doctoral dissertation). The idea of using the innovations in an essential way in the Gaussian case dates back to Wold and Kolmogoroff in a discrete-time situation and to Bode-Shannon in the continuous situation. In this approach the observation process is first whitened in a causal and causally-invertible fashion and the form of the filter then becomes transparent. The contribution of Kailath was to see that this approach extended to a non-Gaussian situation and to conjecture that the whitening of the observation process in a causal and causally invertible manner could also be carried out in the non-linear case.
Participation of retarded children in regular recreational activities at a community center.

Over a period of S years, 41 retarded children joined numerous kinds of ongoing leisure time activities at a community center. A followup study showed that 3/4 of them had done at least minimally w...
Rare case of atypical crescentic glomerulonephritis and interstitial lung disease with negative anti-GBM antibody and positive anti-MPO antibody.

A 70-year-old man presented with 1 month of haematuria and mild right-sided flank pain with no other symptoms. Diagnostic workup included serum studies which showed the presence of antimyeloperoxidase antibodies, a kidney biopsy which demonstrated necrotising crescentic glomerulonephritis with linear immunofluorescence of the basement membrane, and electron microscopy which exhibited thickening of the glomerular basement membrane. Incidentally, the patient was discovered to have a latent hepatitis B infection, which complicated immunosuppressive therapy. He was treated with a course of plasmapheresis and methylprednisolone, followed by entecavir for hepatitis B prophylaxis, and finally by rituximab. This case of glomerulonephritis was notable for its resemblance to the better known Goodpasture’s disease. Typically, Goodpasture’s syndrome exists on a spectrum from seronegative disease to double-positive disease that presents with both anti–glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) and cytoplasmic-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies/antiproteinase 3 antibodies (c-ANCA/anti-PR3). However, this patient’s glomerulonephritis was unique because he presented negative for anti-GBM antibodies and positive for perinuclear-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies/antimyeloperoxidase antibodies (p-ANCA/anti-MPO).
Contextual Factors Influencing External and Internal Training Loads in Collegiate Men's Soccer

Curtis, RM, Huggins, RA, Benjamin, CL, Sekiguchi, Y, Adams, WM, Arent, SM, Jain, R, Miller, SJ, Walker, AJ, and Casa, DJ. Contextual factors influencing external and internal training loads in collegiate men's soccer. J Strength Cond Res 34(2): 374-381, 2020-This study investigated factors influencing training loads (TL) in collegiate men's soccer. Total distance, high-speed running distance (>14.4 km·h), high-intensity heart-rate zone duration (HI HRZ, >70% heart rate relative to maximum), and session rating of perceived exertion were assessed daily from 107 male soccer players competing for 5 National Collegiate Athletics Association Division I teams. Differences between athlete role (starter and reserve), position (defender, midfielder, and forward), season phase (preseason, in-season, and postseason), days relative to match (MD-1 to MD-5+), days between matches ( 5 days), previous match outcome (win, loss, and draw), and upcoming opponent relative ranking (weaker, trivial, and stronger) were examined. Mean differences (MD) and effect sizes (ESs) with 90% confidence intervals were reported. There were trivial and insignificant differences by player role, position, or upcoming opponent strength, and small-moderate increases in preseason TL compared with in-season (ES [range] = 0.4-0.9). TLs were lower for MD-1 and higher for MD-5+ (ES [range] = 0.4-1.3) when compared with MD-2-4. External loads (ES = -0.40 ± 0.20) were less after wins compared with losses. TLs are increased in the preseason, when training sessions occur greater than 5 days from a match and after losses. Contextualizing factors affecting TLs has implications for developing workload prescription and recovery strategies.
Obama’s sustainable democracy promotion: assessing 7 years of policy performance

A decade ago, presidential candidate Barack Obama called for “sustainable democracy promotion” and pledged to double US investment on the intersection of development and democracy. This article, a follow-up on a similar one published early in the Obama Administration, looks at the rhetoric, policies, initiatives, spending, and outcomes of the Obama Administration’s democracy promotion efforts, with a special focus on the greater Middle East following Obama’s June 2009 Cairo speech extolling democracy and democratic institutions. The data suggest that despite the rhetoric, few new programs were initiated, some existing programs were allowed to wither and that the status of the world is less free and less democratic than it was at the beginning of the Obama presidency.
Cannabinoid-2 receptor activation ameliorates hepatorenal syndrome

Abstract Study rationale Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a life-threatening complication of end-stage liver disease characterized by the rapid decline of kidney function. Herein, we explored the therapeutic potential of targeting the cannabinoid-2 receptor (CB2-R) utilizing a commonly used mouse model of liver fibrosis and hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), induced by bile duct ligation (BDL). Methods Gene expression analysis, histological evaluation, determination of serum levels of renal injury-biomarkers were used to characterize the BDL-induced organ injury; laser speckle analysis to measure microcirculation in the kidneys. Key results We found that liver injury triggered marked inflammation and oxidative stress in the kidneys of BDL-operated mice. We detected pronounced histopathological alterations with tubular injury paralleled with increased inflammation, oxidative/nitrative stress and fibrotic remodeling both in hepatic and renal tissues as well as endothelial activation and markedly impaired renal microcirculation. This was accompanied by increased CB2-R expression in both the liver and the kidney tissues of diseased animals. A selective CB2-R agonist, HU-910, markedly decreased numerous markers of inflammation, oxidative stress and fibrosis both in the liver and in the kidneys. HU-910 also attenuated markers of kidney injury and improved the impaired renal microcirculation in BDL-operated mice. Conclusions Our results suggest that oxidative stress, inflammation and microvascular dysfunction are key events in the pathogenesis of BDL-associated renal failure. Furthermore, we demonstrate that targeting the CB2-R by selective agonists may represent a promising new avenue to treat HRS by attenuating tissue and vascular inflammation, oxidative stress, fibrosis and consequent microcirculatory dysfunction in the kidneys.
Harmonic-Enriched Reproducing Kernel Approximation for Highly Oscillatory Differential Equations

AbstractThe harmonic-enriched reproducing kernel (HRK) approximation together with collocation method is introduced to circumvent the discretization restriction for highly oscillatory partial diffe...
Pandemic Palliative Care Consultations Spanning State and Institutional Borders.

Many critically ill patients with COVID‐19 need specialty level palliative care to manage symptoms, conduct goals of care conversations, and facilitate medical decision making in ethically and emotionally charged situations. During the apex of the COVID‐19 crisis in New York, the Adult Palliative Care Service at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC)/NewYork‐Presbyterian (NYP) received a 7‐fold increase in consultation requests. This unprecedented increase in demand outpaced the palliative care team's ability to respond. We describe the rapid development and implementation of a scalable virtual consultation model staffed by out‐of‐state palliative care specialist volunteers.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study on the Prevalence of E-cigarette Use Among College Students.

E-cigarette use among young adults is a major public health concern. Approximately 17.7-40% of college students have tried or are currently using e-cigarettes. While a few studies have examined e-cigarette use among youth, opportunity exists to understand psychosocial factors that influence college students' e-cigarette behavior. The main purpose of this study is to examine the associations between the constructs of self-efficacy, knowledge, depression and anxiety symptoms, and e-cigarette use among college students. A retrospective cross-sectional survey (20-items) design was used for data collection. Bivariate analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to evaluate associations between the independent variables and the dependent variable. A total of 872 college students between the ages of 18 and 25 completed the survey in Qualtrics. A significant association between gender and frequency of e-cigarette use was found (χ2 = 22.94, p < .001). ANOVA results showed significant relationships between knowledge [F (3, 808) = 9.01, p < 0.001], self-efficacy [F (3, 808) = 4.85, p < 0.01], depression [F (3,808) = 8.31, p < .05], and e-cigarette use. Post hoc analysis revealed students who never used e-cigarettes scored higher on knowledge and self-efficacy than students who used every day, somedays or rarely, indicating never-users have higher knowledge of negative effects associated with e-cigarette use and have higher self-confidence than e-cigarette users. The study's findings highlight that modifiable factors such as knowledge about harmful effects of e-cigarettes and self-confidence are associated with low e-cigarette use. Interventions could be designed to target these modifiable factors.
Twisted moduli spaces and Duistermaat–Heckman measures

Abstract Following Boalch–Yamakawa, Li-Bland–Severa and Meinrenken, we consider a certain class of moduli spaces on bordered surfaces from a quasi-Hamiltonian perspective. For a given Lie group G , these character varieties parametrize flat G -connections on “twisted” local systems, in the sense that the transition functions take values in G ⋊ Aut ( G ) . After reviewing the necessary tools to discuss twisted quasi-Hamiltonian manifolds, we construct a Duistermaat–Heckman (DH) measure on G that is invariant under the twisted conjugation action g ↦ h g κ ( h − 1 ) for κ ∈ Aut ( G ) , and characterize it by giving a localization formula for its Fourier coefficients. We then illustrate our results by determining the DH measures of our twisted moduli spaces.
How the Work That Harvey and I Did at the Federal Energy Administration (Later Department of Energy) Shaped Our Research Careers and Led to Our Decades Long Collaboration and Friendship

Harvey and I began working together at the Federal Energy Administration, the predecessor to the Energy Information Administration. Our most intense period was when we were doing research on the fly to model the impacts of policies that were under consideration when the White House Energy Policy Office was developing Carter’s National Energy Plan. I describe here the equilibrium modeling and analysis we did to estimate the impacts of the National Energy Plan and other policy proposals. Because we were in untrodden territory, we wound up with decades worth of research questions from that short, intense period. I cover some of these areas and describe some of our work together after leaving Washington, and I mention the current state of the art in these areas and the areas where our research took different paths. I also point out some of the research questions that still need answers.