cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ethnic disparities are reduced in VA colon cancer patients.

Abstract Background Inequalities in access to care have been hypothesized to be the cause of ethnic disparities in colon cancer. The aim of this study was to determine if ethnic disparities in the outcomes of colon cancer patients exist in a system with equal access. Methods A review of 214 consecutive patients who underwent elective colon resection for adenocarcinoma at 1 institution was conducted. Statistical analysis was performed using independent t tests and χ 2 tests. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival estimates. Results Of the 214 patients who underwent colon cancer resection, 38% (n = 82) were African American, while 62% (n = 132) were Caucasian. There was no significant difference in the stage of disease at presentation and between the mean times from diagnosis to surgical resection for African American and Caucasian patients. Also, there were no differences in survival. Conclusion There does not appear to be a disparity in outcomes for colon cancer patients where equal access to medical care exists. This is based on findings of equal stages at presentation, time to referral, and survival among groups.
Morphology is Decoupled from Interspecific Competition in Plethodon Salamanders in the Shenandoah Mountains, USA

Interspecific competition plays an important role in structuring ecological communities and generating patterns of phenotypic diversification. In the Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia, strong interspecific competition between P. cinereus and P. shenandoah shapes the geographic distributions of these species and relegates P. shenandoah to sub-optimal habitat. However, while many Plethodon salamander communities exhibit phenotypic shifts resulting from interspecific competition, the morphological consequences of competition in this system have not been investigated. We examined head shape variability of Plethodon cinereus and P. shenandoah to determine whether phenotypic patterns of variation were consistent with the hypothesis of interspecific competition. Across all three mountains where P. shenandoah is found, we identified significant species-specific differences in head shape. We also found significant phenotypic shifts between allopatric P. cinereus located at lower elevations and sympatric P. cinereus located at higher elevations. However, there was no evidence of accentuated phenotypic divergence in the sympatric contact zone between the two species. Thus, while there was evidence of a character shift in P. cinereus, patterns of character divergence between species associated with interspecific competition were not found. These observations suggest that morphological variation is decoupled from ecological interactions in this system, and aggressive interactions between the two species do not elicit a phenotypic response as seen in other Plethodon communities.
Development of Imiquimod-Loaded Mucoadhesive Films for Oral Dysplasia

Oral squamous dysplasia, which can usually be readily visualized as leukoplakia during an oral examination and confirmed by histology, is often considered a premalignant condition. Current treatments, however, focus on the final stages of disease, and treatments such as surgery can lead to postoperative disabilities. Hence, this study was designed to develop a noninvasive, mucoadhesive drug delivery system loaded with an immune response modifier, imiquimod, as a treatment for precancerous dysplastic lesions. Blends of polyvinylpyrrolidone and carboxymethylcellulose were used to prepare mucoadhesive films that were backed with poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate). Because of the hydrophobic nature of imiquimod, four loading methods (sonication, linoleic acid, 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, and acetate buffer) were compared. The formation of imiquimod–cyclodextrin complexes and their solubility was studied by differential scanning calorimetry and phase solubility studies. All films achieved sustained release of drug for 3 h except those prepared by linoleic acid. The high solubility of imiquimod in acetate buffer facilitated high loading capacity and greater release (68%) of drug than did the other formulations (approximately 40%). In summary, a noninvasive and local approach with the potential to treat precancerous lesions may be achieved by this described mucoadhesive drug delivery system. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 102:593–603, 2013
Stampede RT: Programming Abstractions for Live Streaming Applications

We present StampedeRT, middleware designed to provide a natural programming model appropriate for live streaming applications. Such applications require pervasive access to multiple streaming data sources for distributed online analysis. One motivating example is a distributed robotics application which analyzes live camera feeds for control and planning. Most existing middlewares for streaming data focus on media streams and low-level transport characteristics such as delivery latency and efficient transfer, but do not define a programming model to succinctly express applications that manipulate and analyze the streaming content. StampedeRT provides for straightforward transport and manipulation of temporally-ordered data streams, enabling simple synchronization and correlation of data sources. We present an abstract programming model to support the aforementioned class of applications and then describe a concrete realization of the model as a distributed middleware architecture. We also evaluate our implementation of the architecture and present several motivating applications StampedeRT is designed to support.
Phage infection in vaginal lactobacilli: an in vitro study.

Objective: During bacterial vaginosis, an unexplained decrease of vaginal lactobacilli occurs. To identify whether these lactobacilli could be infected by phages, we isolated phages from vaginal lactobacilli and analyzed their potential virulence in attacking vaginal lactobacilli in vitro.
Outpatient glycemic control with a bionic pancreas in type 1 diabetes.

Background The safety and effectiveness of automated glycemic management have not been tested in multiday studies under unrestricted outpatient conditions. Methods In two random-order, crossover studies with similar but distinct designs, we compared glycemic control with a wearable, bihormonal, automated, “bionic” pancreas (bionic-pancreas period) with glycemic control with an insulin pump (control period) for 5 days in 20 adults and 32 adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The automatically adaptive algorithm of the bionic pancreas received data from a continuous glucose monitor to control subcutaneous delivery of insulin and glucagon. Results Among the adults, the mean plasma glucose level over the 5-day bionic-pancreas period was 138 mg per deciliter (7.7 mmol per liter), and the mean percentage of time with a low glucose level (<70 mg per deciliter [3.9 mmol per liter]) was 4.8%. After 1 day of automatic adaptation by the bionic pancreas, the mean (±SD) glucose level on continuous monitoring was lower than the mean level during the control period (133±13 vs. 159±30 mg per deciliter [7.4±0.7 vs. 8.8±1.7 mmol per liter], P<0.001) and the percentage of time with a low glucose reading was lower (4.1% vs. 7.3%, P = 0.01). Among the adolescents, the mean plasma glucose level was also lower during the bionic-pancreas period than during the control period (138±18 vs. 157±27 mg per deciliter [7.7±1.0 vs. 8.7±1.5 mmol per liter], P = 0.004), but the percentage of time with a low plasma glucose reading was similar during the two periods (6.1% and 7.6%, respectively; P = 0.23). The mean frequency of interventions for hypoglycemia among the adolescents was lower during the bionic-pancreas period than during the control period (one per 1.6 days vs. one per 0.8 days, P<0.001). Conclusions As compared with an insulin pump, a wearable, automated, bihormonal, bionic pancreas improved mean glycemic levels, with less frequent hypoglycemic episodes, among both adults and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus. (Funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and others; ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT01762059 and NCT01833988.)
Fully integrated control system for the Discovery Channel Telescope

The Discovery Channel Telescope control system incorporates very demanding requirements regarding fast serviceability and remote operation of the telescope itself as well as facility management tools and security systems. All system capabilities are accessible from a central user interface anywhere, anytime. Although the mature stage of telescope control technology allows focusing more on science rather than on telescope operation, the time and effort needed to integrate a large suite of software modules still impose a challenge to which reusing existing software is one of the answers, especially for advanced subsystems with distributed collaborative development teams. DCT’s large CCD camera presents enormous computational problems due to the overwhelming amount of generated data. Properly implemented preventive maintenance and reliability aspects of telescope operation call for historical and real time data in order to determine behavioral trends and permit early detection of failure factors. In this new approach utility monitoring and power conditioning and management are integral parts of the control system. Proposed real time spectral analysis system of sound and vibration of key mount components allows tracking mechanical component deterioration that could lead to performance degradation. Survival control cells and unmanned operation systems are other options being explored for operation in harsh climatic conditions.
Nondegenerate two-photon gain in GaAs

We present data indicating two-photon gain using extremely nondegenerate (END) photons in optically excited GaAs. These results are consistent with our demonstration of END two-photon absorption enhancement and points a possible way to two-photon lasing.
Exotic Nuclear Structures and Decays: New Nuclear Collective Phenomena

Studies of the properties of exotic nuclei have revealed a surprising richness and diversity in their shapes, structures, and decay modes far exceeding our understandings and expectations of even a decay ago1,2,3. By exotic is meant nuclei under extreme conditions not found in nuclei naturally in the earth; that is, nuclei far from stabiity with neutron numbers much larger or much smaller than those of the stable isotopes of a given element, or with Z well beyond 92, or with very high angular momenta even approaching fission limits. In this same decade, studies of heavy ion collisions as reported at this conference have been extended up to uranium on curium with possible evidence for the formations of giant nuclear molecules with combined Z up to 188, which may exist for periods very long compared to their collision times.
A multiscale mortar multipoint flux mixed finite element method

In this paper, we develop a multiscale mortar multipoint flux mixed finite element method for second order elliptic problems. The equations in the coarse elements (or subdomains) are discretized on a fine grid scale by a multipoint flux mixed finite element method that reduces to cell-centered finite differences on irregular grids. The subdomain grids do not have to match across the interfaces. Continuity of flux between coarse elements is imposed via a mortar finite element space on a coarse grid scale. With an appropriate choice of polynomial degree of the mortar space, we derive optimal order convergence on the fine scale for both the multiscale pressure and velocity, as well as the coarse scale mortar pressure. Some superconvergence results are also derived. The algebraic system is reduced via a non-overlapping domain decomposition to a coarse scale mortar interface problem that is solved using a multiscale flux basis. Numerical experiments are presented to confirm the theory and illustrate the efficiency and flexibility of the method.
Agricultural Research by the Private Sector

The private sector has assumed a larger role in developing improved technology for food and agriculture, with private agricultural R&D spending growing faster than public agricultural R&D spending over the past several decades. Major drivers have been new commercial opportunities afforded by scientific advances and liberalization of agricultural input markets. Along with rising private R&D investment, agricultural input industries have undergone significant structural changes. These developments have been pronounced in both high-income and developing countries. The rising importance of private R&D, however, does not imply a diminished role of the public sector, as most empirical evidence points to complementarities between public and private agricultural R&D.
Effect of Gastric Volume or Emptying on Meal-Related Symptoms After Liquid Nutrients in Obesity: A Pharmacologic Study

Background & Aims: Altered postprandial satiation influences food intake in obesity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of gastric motor functions to intra- and postprandial symptoms in obese, otherwise healthy, people. Methods: In a randomized, parallel-group, double-blind design, 40 obese (body mass index > 30 kg/m2) healthy volunteers (n = 10/group) received intravenous saline (placebo), atropine (.02 mg/kg), or erythromycin (1 or 3 mg/kg) to alter gastric volume and emptying after liquid nutrient meals, measured by validated imaging methods. The nutrient drink test assessed the volume ingested at maximum satiation, and intra- and early postprandial symptoms. Relationships between gastric motor functions, meal size, and symptoms were assessed by using multiple regression. Circulating levels of candidate upper-gut hormones involved in satiation were measured. Results: Relative to placebo, atropine retarded gastric emptying and increased gastric volumes; erythromycin accelerated gastric emptying and reduced gastric volumes during fasting. Although similar maximal tolerated volumes were recorded across treatments, intra- and immediate postprandial symptoms were increased by these perturbations, particularly nausea and bloating. Upper-gut hormonal profiles generally reflected changes in gastric emptying. Regression analysis showed that fasting predrug gastric volume was a significant predictor of intra- and postprandial bloating. Change in gastric volume postdrug or postmeal did not contribute additionally to predicting intra- or postprandial symptoms. There was significant (negative) association between gastric emptying and fullness score, and significant (positive) association with hunger score 30 minutes postprandially. Conclusions: In obese individuals, fasting gastric volumes and gastric emptying, but not postprandial gastric volumes, were associated with intra- and postprandial symptoms. Understanding the determinants of gastric volume may provide insights on mechanisms controlling satiation.
Diversity Is What You Want It to Be How Social-Dominance Motives Affect Construals of Diversity

We propose that diversity is a malleable concept capable of being used either to attenuate or to enhance racial inequality. The research reported here suggests that when people are exposed to ambiguous information concerning an organization's diversity, they construe diversity in a manner consistent with their social-dominance motives. Specifically, anti-egalitarian individuals broaden their construal of diversity to include nonracial (i.e., occupational) heterogeneity when an organization's racial heterogeneity is low. By contrast, egalitarian individuals broaden their construal of diversity to include nonracial heterogeneity when an organization's racial heterogeneity is high. The inclusion of occupational heterogeneity in perceptions of diversity allows people across the spectrum of social-dominance orientation to justify their support for or opposition to hierarchy-attenuating affirmative-action policies. Our findings suggest that diversity may not have a fixed meaning and that, without a specific delineation of what the concept means in particular contexts, people may construe diversity in a manner consistent with their social motivations.
Percutaneous left main invention an evolving perspective.

“ Third PCI patient ever treated. Forty-three year old man with severe angina pectoris since September, 1977. First angiogram (November 11) revealed severe stenosis of the main L.C.A…” (see [ Fig. 1 ][1] ). (The patient expired suddenly about 4 months after this procedure.) —Gruntzig ([1][2
Analyzing the Dynamics of Research by Extracting Key Aspects of Scientific Papers

We present a method for characterizing a research work in terms of its focus, domain of application, and techniques used. We show how tracing these aspects over time provides a novel measure of the influence of research communities on each other. We extract these characteristics by matching semantic extraction patterns, learned using bootstrapping, to the dependency trees of sentences in an article’s
Limits of the Regulatory State Idea: Science and the Cultural Constitution of Capitalist States

This paper is an empirically grounded theoretical critique of the idea of the â€œregulatory state.â€ The language of the â€œregulatory stateâ€ obscures the nature of the modern state as a constitutive â€œthing.â€ The modern state is crucially constituted through the co-productions of science and government. It needs to be investigated in terms of its discursive, practiced, and material dimensions, its meanings, its agencies, and its formation as a material entity composed of land, people and built environment. This critique is needed because the idea of the regulatory state too often leaves implicit the notion that capitalism exists prior to the state, and is thus only â€œregulatedâ€ as such post-hoc. The methods used are those of historical sociological case based analytics, utilizing archival materials. The purpose is to challenge the taken-for-granted distinction between the state and capitalist social organization. The implications for further research are the need to delve deeper into the complex entanglements of state and society, and the ironic role that science as culture played in constructing both those concrete entanglements and the abstract bounded categories that obscure them.
Immunotaxonomic investigations of the coleoptera.

Immunological comparisons of beetles involving 66 species from 24 families were made by photodensitometrically measuring the precipitin zones that developed in agar-gels. Comparisons at the intrageneric and intergeneric levels were most suitable for study using the photodensitometric technique, and results obtained at these levels agreed with predicted results based on morphological studies. Unusually high immunological correspondences of Melantotuis (Family Elateridae) and Oryzaephillus (Family Cucujidae) to Tenebrio molitor suggested previously unsuspected relationships. The high degree of reciprocal correspondence between members of the families Cerambycidae and Chrysomelidae indicated that relegation of these families to subfamilial status would be reasonable. An interfamilial cluster analysis revealed systematically useful data.
Heterogeneous reaction rates in an ionic liquid: quantitative results from two-dimensional multiple population-period transient spectroscopy.

The hypotheses that ionic liquids are structurally heterogeneous at the molecular level and, even further, that this heterogeneity can transfer to the rates of reactions run in ionic liquids is being actively debated. Here, this hypothesis is tested using multiple population-period transient spectroscopy (MUPPETS), an emerging type of multidimensional measurement that resolves the kinetics of subensembles within a heterogeneous sample. A previous MUPPETS study of the excited-state twisting and electronic relaxation of auramine indicated that an ionic-liquid solvent induces rate dispersion due to a combination of heterogeneous and homogeneous processes, but those data could not quantitatively separate these contributions [Khurmi, C.; Berg, M. A. J. Phys. Chem. Lett.2010, 1, 161]. New MUPPETS data that include phase resolution and subtraction of thermal gratings are presented here and are successfully modeled. The total range of reaction rates (10–90%) is a factor of 70. If the solvent effect is viewed as a...
Hardness and Frictional Properties of Alumina Coatings by AC Inverted Magnetron Sputtering Technique

Alumina thin film coatings of 500 nm thickness were deposited on silicon substrates by AC inverted magnetron sputtering technique at 350°C. The effect of deposition power and oxygen partial pressure on the hardness and frictional performances of the alumina coatings were investigated using a nanoindenter. The film hardness varied with both the power and the oxygen partial pressure with the power had more pronounced effect. The maximum hardness of 22 GPa was obtained at an optimum power of 5 kW and oxygen partial pressure of 40%. The coefficient of friction decreased with the increase in hardness.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Quantifying the association constant and stoichiometry of the complexation between colloidal polyacrylate-coated gold nanoparticles and chymotrypsin

Qualitative and quantitative insights into the capacity and association constant for the binding of chymotrypsin to polyacrylate-coated gold nanoparticles is determined using fluorescence quenching, optical absorption and circular dichroism spectroscopy, isothermal calorimetry, and gel electrophoresis. The collective data reveal a binding capacity and constant for this particular system of ~7 and ~2 × 10(6) M(-1), respectively. These values vary among the individual techniques, and not all techniques are able to provide quantitative information. The present study demonstrates that accurately quantifying the association between nanoparticles and biological materials requires using multiple approaches to ensure consistency among the binding parameters determined.
Competitive oxidation during buried oxide formation using separation by plasma implantation of oxygen (SPIMOX)

Aluminum nitride (AlN) thin films have been synthesized by ion-beam assisted deposition method. Film deposition has been performed on the substrates of silicon single crystal, soda-lime glass and alumin A. the influence of the substrate roughness on the film roughness is studied. the substrate temperature has been kept at room temperature and 473K and the kinetic energy of the incident nitrogen ion beam and the deposition rate have been fixed to 0.5 keV and 0.07 nm/s, respectively. the microstructure of the synthesized films has been examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the surface morphology has been observed by atomic force microscopy(AFM). IN the XRD patterns of films synthesized at both room temperature and 473K, the diffraction line indicating the alN (10*0) can be discerned and the broad peak composed of two lines indicating the a1N (00*2) and a1N (10*1) planes is also observed. aFM observations for 100 nm films reveal that (1) the surface of the films synthesized on the silicon single crystal and soda-lime glass substrates is uniform and smooth on the nanometer scale, (2) the average roughness of the films synthesized on the alumina substrate is similar to that of the substrate, suggesting the evaluation of the average roughness of the film itself is difficult in the case of the rough substrate, and (3) the average roughness increases with increasing the substrate temperature.
Feasibility and patient satisfaction with smoking cessation interventions for prevention of healthcare-associated infections in inpatients

Smoking increases hospitalization and healthcare-associated infection. Our primary aim of this pilot, randomized-controlled trial was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a tobacco cessation intervention compared with usual care in inpatients. S. aureus carriage, healthcare-associated infections and infections post discharge were exploratory outcomes. Current inpatient smokers from a university hospital facility were randomized to usual care or a face to face tobacco cessation counseling session where patients’ tobacco use and strategies for quitting were discussed. Patient engagement, satisfaction and withdrawal symptoms were measured at 1 week and 12 weeks post discharge. Nasal swabs were collected at enrollment and discharge and assessed for S. aureus colonization. P-values were calculated using Fisher’s exact and t-tests were used to compare groups. For the study’s primary outcome, participants reported the intervention as being generally acceptable and reported high overall levels of satisfaction, with a Likert scale score of at least 4/5 for all measures of satisfaction. No subjects utilized free tobacco cessation services after discharge. 83 % of the intervention group and 93 % of the control group smoked at least one cigarette after discharge. Secondary outcomes with regard to infections showed that, at discharge, 12 % of the intervention group (n = 17) and 18 % of the control group (n = 22) tested positive for S. aureus. After 3 months, 9 % of the intervention group developed infection, 41 % visited an emergency room, and 24 % were readmitted within 3 months post-discharge, compared to 27, 32 and 36 % of the control group respectively. With regards to the primary aim of this study, there were overall high levels of satisfaction with the intervention, indicating good feasibility and acceptance among patients. However, more intensive interventions in hospitalized patients and impact on healthcare-associated infections and post-discharge infections should be explored.
Jesus optional: First World War and the shifting institutional identity of the Syrian Protestant College in Beirut

AbstractBefore the First World War, foreign institutions in the Ottoman lands were protected from interference by the Ottoman government via treaties known as the Capitulations. During the war, Ottoman officials employed their newfound wartime powers by cancelling the Capitulations as part of an effort to reassert their sovereignty. This article examines the ramifications of these changed wartime political dynamics through the case of one particularly prominent American educational institution, the Syrian Protestant College in Beirut. It argues that the Ottoman government changed the institutional identity of the Syrian Protestant College by forcibly ending the controversial requirement that all students (Christian, Muslim or Jewish) study the Bible and attend Christian services. This paved the way for the secularization of the university and inadvertently helped ensure its enduring relevance in the region.
Distribution and drug tolerance analysis of 150 strains of yeast-like-fungi

Objective To investigate the distribution and drug tolerance of yeast-like-fungi isolates for rational clinical administrations.Methods One hundred and fifty samples of clinical yeast-like-fungi in the Southwest hospital,from Oct.2007 to Oct.2008 were identified with serological methods and API 20C AUX.Drug sensitivity tests were performed by using ATB fungus 3 strip.Results One hundred and fifty isolates were obtained including 94 C.albicans(62.67%),14 C.glabrata(9.33%),12 C.tropicalis(8.00%),10 C.famata(6.67%),6 C.guilliermondii(4.00%),6 C.parapsilosis(4.00%),and 8 other yeasts(5.33%).The samples were get from Department of Respiratory Medicine(54.67%),Geriatrics(9.33%),Dematology and Venereology(9.33%)and Hematology(8.67%).The number of samples sensitive to flucytosine,amphotericin B,fluconazole,itraconazole,voriconazole was 144(96.00%),150(100%),131(87.33%),104(69.33%),147(98%) respectively.Conclusions Fungi detection and drug sensitivity test is important for rational use of antifungal agents.
Final Remarks: An “Unfinished” Book

This chapter summarizes key results from previous chapters. While these chapters document the important progresses in generalizing several physical laws related to subsurface fluid flow and mechanical deformation, they may or may not provide the final forms of the generalizations. Thus, this book should be viewed as a starting point for revisiting these physical laws and for stimulating further research activities in the related areas.
Laser-Ultrasonics for Industrial Applications

Increased use of advanced materials and more stringent requirements for process and quality control are creating new needs for nondestructive inspection techniques. Ultrasonics is a widely used technique for defect detection in various materials and is being developed, and even in some cases actually applied for microstructural characterization. However, ultrasonics in its present state of implementation in industry suffers several limitations. Probing materials at elevated temperature is made difficult by fluid coupling problems. Inspecting specimens of complex shapes requires sophisticated robotic manipulators to properly orient the transducer. Furthermore, since the technique relies on a piezoelectric resonator to generate and receive ultrasound, it does not have the adequate bandwidth or sensitivity for some applications.
Clinical Genomics — Molecular Pathogenesis Revealed

The report by Punwani et al. is an exciting example of the application of contemporary molecular genomics to clinical medicine, especially with regard to congenital diseases. But full implementation of clinical genomics still has a long way to go.
Depletion and response of deep groundwater to climate-induced pumping variability

Groundwater constitutes a critical component of our water resources. Widespread groundwater level declines have occurred in the USA over recent decades, including in regions not typically considered water stressed, such as areas of the Northwest and mid-Atlantic Coast. This loss of water storage reflects extraction rates that exceed natural recharge and capture. Here, we explore recent changes in the groundwater levels of deep aquifers from wells across the USA, and their relation to indices of interannual to decadal climate variability and to annual precipitation. We show that groundwater level changes correspond to selected global climate variations. Although climate-induced variations of deep aquifer natural recharge are expected to have multi-year time lags, we find that deep groundwater levels respond to climate over timescales of less than one year. In irrigated areas, the annual response to local precipitation in the deepest wells may reflect climate-induced pumping variability. An understanding of how the human response to drought through pumping leads to deep groundwater changes is critical to manage the impacts of interannual to decadal and longer climate variability on the nation’s water resources. Drought affects deep groundwater through changes in natural recharge with a multi-year time lag. Rapid changes in US groundwater storage in response to climate variability reflect the human response to drought through groundwater pumping.
Too Big for Administrative Law? FSOC Designations and the Fog of 'Systemic Risk'

The Dodd-Frank Act empowers the Financial Stability Oversight Council to designate nonbank financial companies as systemically important, and thus subject them to enhanced prudential supervision and regulation by the Federal Reserve, if the FSOC finds that the company “could” pose a “threat” to U.S. financial stability. Questions of systemic financial risk require profoundly difficult predictive judgments, based on hypothetical judgments and worst-case scenarios, as evidenced not just by the 2007–2008 financial crisis that precipitated the law, but also by the broader intellectual and philosophical questions raised by the specter of low-probability, high-impact events — or, as they’re often called, “Black Swans.” This paper traces the evolution of that statutory and regulatory framework, beginning with the 2007–2008 financial crisis and requiring the FSOC to push the limits of arbitrary-and- capricious agency action — and, most likely, to exceed these limits. This preliminary draft was prepared for discussion at a conference on current issues in financial regulation, hosted by the Center for Study of the Administrative State, at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School on December 9, 2016.
The Continuing Impact of French Legal Culture on the International Court of Justice

This chapter proposes a reflection on comparative international courts rather than comparative international law more broadly understood. International courts are approached differently by various legal actors who may be influenced by their own national legal environments. Though there is a long tradition of scholarly thinking about the role of particular national traditions in shaping international law, be it substantive or procedural law, little attention has been paid to the influence of domestic legal cultures and languages on the design and internal organization of international courts. Yet, is there such a thing as a specifically international way of designing and running courts tasked with resolving international disputes? Focusing on the ICJ and its predecessor court, the Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ), this chapter aims to make the reach of domestic norms, in particular French legal culture, in the design and daily operation of international courts more salient.
Tensors, Learning, and “Kolmogorov Extension” for Finite-Alphabet Random Vectors

Estimating the joint probability mass function (PMF) of a set of random variables lies at the heart of statistical learning and signal processing. Without structural assumptions, such as modeling the variables as a Markov chain, tree, or other graphical model, joint PMF estimation is often considered mission impossible—the number of unknowns grows exponentially with the number of variables. But who gives us the structural model? What if we only observe random subsets of the variables, can we still reliably estimate the joint PMF of all? This paper shows, perhaps surprisingly, that if the joint PMF of any three variables can be estimated, then the joint PMF of all the variables can be provably recovered under relatively mild conditions. The result is reminiscent of Kolmogorov's extension theorem – consistent specification of lower-dimensional distributions induces a unique probability measure for the entire process. The difference is that for processes of limited complexity (rank of the high-dimensional PMF) it is possible to obtain complete characterization from only three-dimensional distributions. In fact not all three-dimensional PMFs are needed; and under more stringent conditions even two-dimensional will do. Exploiting multilinear (tensor) algebra, this paper proves that such higher-dimensional PMF completion can be guaranteed—several pertinent identifiability results are derived. It also provides a practical and efficient algorithm to carry out the recovery task. Judiciously designed simulations and real-data experiments on movie recommendation and data classification are presented to showcase the effectiveness of the approach.
Repurposing niclosamide for intestinal decolonization of vancomycin-resistant enterococci.

Abstract Enterococci are commensal micro-organisms present in the gastrointestinal tract of humans. Although normally innocuous to the host, strains of enterococcus exhibiting resistance to vancomycin (VRE) have been associated with high rates of infection and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Decolonization of VRE represents a key strategy to curb infection in highly-susceptible patients. However, there is a dearth of decolonizing agents available clinically that are effective against VRE. The present study found that niclosamide, an anthelmintic drug, has potent antibacterial activity against clinical isolates of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (minimum inhibitory concentration 1–8 µg/mL). E. faecium mutants exhibiting resistance to niclosamide could not be isolated even after multiple (10) serial passages. Based upon these promising in-vitro results and the limited permeability of niclosamide across the gastrointestinal tract (when administered orally), niclosamide was evaluated in a VRE colonization-reduction murine model. Remarkably, niclosamide outperformed linezolid, an antibiotic used clinically to treat VRE infections. Niclosamide was as effective as ramoplanin in reducing the burden of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium in the faeces, caecal content and ileal content of infected mice after only 8 days of treatment. Linezolid, in contrast, was unable to decrease the burden of VRE in the gastrointestinal tract of mice. The results obtained indicate that niclosamide warrants further evaluation as a novel decolonizing agent to suppress VRE infections.
The Control of Influenza

Influenza is essentially an uncontrolled disease. The effect of current vaccination programs on morbidity is insignificant, and that on mortality marginal. Although effective artificial immunization against influenza was demonstrated soon after the first isolation of the virus from man (Chenoweth et al., 1936), the antigenic variability of the virus has hampered vaccine production and precluded effective control (Table 11–1). The transient protection afforded by presently available inactivated virus vaccines is related, in part, to a rapid decline in vaccine-induced homologous antibody but also to vaccine obsolescence as the result of continuous viral mutation to antigens unlike or less like those of viral predecessors contained in the vaccine (Kilbourne, 1978).
Structure and Function of Membrane-Bound ATPase in Bacteria

An ATPase first came to be recognized as a firmly bound component of bacterial cytoplasmic membranes from studies of S. faecalis protoplast ghosts (Abrams et al., 1960). It was suspected at that time that the enzyme might be involved in ATP-dependent energy transduction processes occurring in the permeability barrier of the cell. Evidence accumulated in recent years by many investigators has now clearly established that bacterial membrane ATPases catalyze respiratory-linked ATP synthesis, ATP-dependent transhydrogenation and ATP-dependent solute transport across the cytoplasmic membrane (Harold, 1972; Abrams and Smith, 1974; Cox and Gibson, 1974). Harold (1972) has discussed the energy-linked functions of bacterial ATPase in terms of the chemosmotic theory of Mitchell (1966). In studies with S. faecalis an aqueous extraction procedure was devised which is generally applicable for releasing the ATPase (Abrams, 1965). In vitro reconstitution of the ATPase-membrane complex, first accomplished with the S. faecalis system (Abrams, 1965; Abrams and Baron, 1968b), permits restoration of ATPase-dependent energy transductions. The ATPases from many bacteria have been purified and are now fairly well characterized although there is still much to be learned and surprising new aspects continually appear. An example of the latter is the discovery of tightly bound nucleotide in the enzyme (Abrams and Nolan, 1972; Abrams et al., 1973; Smith and Abrams, 1974).
The Elephant in Law School Classrooms: Overuse of the Socratic Method as an Obstacle to Teaching Modern Law Students

This article contends that if law schools paid attention to the discoveries in the field of education, law school teaching would improve dramatically. Instead, the Socratic method continues to dominate legal education. The method dominates even though it can be shown not only (1) to be an ineffective method for fully achieving educational objectives; and (2) to be an elitist approach that discriminates against both minority and female students as well as the increasing number of law students with diverse learning styles. This article reviews findings in both legal education and education generally to demonstrate discoveries about the ways people learn and educational methods that have proved to be most effective in light of these discoveries. This article answers common objections to a departure from the purely Socratic approach. Moreover, this article demonstrates the method in which the author identified educational objectives for a first-year law school course (Civil Procedure) and then designed a diverse set of educational methods to achieve those objectives. Within this course, the Socratic method plays a part, but it is no longer King (or Queen) in the classroom. The professor employs the method when it serves the educational objectives. The result is a course that better serves the entire class - regardless of race, gender, or learning style.
Child care subsidy programs and child care choices: Effects on the number and type of arrangements

Abstract Despite strong evidence that stable, high-quality child care promotes young children's development, low-income children are less likely to participate in formal and high-quality care than higher-income children and may be more likely to experience multiple, concurrent arrangements due to parents' economic and employment constraints. Child care subsidy programs increase low-income children's access to formal, center-based care, but little is known as to whether subsidies also influence the use of multiple arrangements. This study uses difference-in-difference techniques to estimate the effects of child care subsidy program spending on parents' decisions about the number and type of care arrangements. Results show that state subsidy program spending is associated with a higher likelihood of using a single, center-based arrangement and a lower likelihood of using multiple arrangements. Findings suggest that the unaffordability of child care likely contributes to low-income parents' use of multiple arrangements, and that subsidy programs increase these families' access to center-based care.
Proteomic Analysis and Biochemical Correlates of Mitochondrial Dysfunction after Low-Intensity Primary Blast Exposure.

Abstract Service members during military actions or combat training are frequently exposed to primary blasts by weaponry. Most studies have investigated moderate or severe brain injuries from blast...
Structural Dynamics of Biomolecules Through Atomistic Simulations Guided by DEER Measurements

Double Electron-Electron Resonance (DEER) is a popular technique that exploits attached spin-labels to probe the collective dynamics of biomolecules in a native environment. Like most spectroscopic approaches, DEER detects an ensemble of states accounting for biomolecular dynamics as well as the intrinsic spin-labels flexibility. Therefore, the DEER data alone does not provide high-resolution structural information. To disentangle this variability, we introduce a minimally-biased simulation method to sample a structural ensemble that reproduces multiple experimental signals within the uncertainty. In contrast to previous approaches, our method targets the raw data itself, thereby it opens the possibility of an unbiased molecular interpretation of the experiments. After validation on the T4-Lysozyme, we applied this technique to interpret recent DEER data on a membrane transporter binding-protein (VcSiaP). The results highlight the large-scale conformational movement that occurs upon substrate binding and reveal that the unbound VcSiaP is more open in solution than the X-ray structure.
Composite physical-biological El Niño and La Niña conditions in the California Current System in CESM1-POP2-BEC

Abstract El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is recognized as one of the potentially predictable drivers of California Current System (CCS) variability. In this study, we analyze a 67-year coarse-resolution ( ∼ 1°) simulation using the ocean model CESM-POP2-BEC forced by NCEP/NCAR reanalysis winds to develop a model composite of the physical–biological response of the CCS during ENSO events. The model results are also compared with available observations. The composite anomalies for sea surface temperature (SST), pycnocline depth, 0m-100m vertically averaged chlorophyll, 0m-100m vertically averaged zooplankton, 25m-100m vertically averaged nitrate, and oxygen at 200m depth exhibit large-scale coherent relationships between physics and the ecosystem, including reduced nutrient and plankton concentrations during El Nino, and increased nutrient and plankton concentrations during La Nina. However, the anomalous model response in temperature, chlorophyll, and zooplankton is generally much weaker than observed and includes a 1–2 month delay compared to observations. We also highlight the asymmetry in the model CCS response, where composite model La Nina events are stronger and more significant than model El Nino events, which is a feature previously identified in observations of CCS SST as well as in tropical Pacific Nino-4 SST where atmospheric teleconnections associated with ENSO are forced. These physical–biological composites provide a view of some of the limitations to the potentially predictable impacts of ENSO teleconnections on the CCS within the modeling framework of CESM-POP2-BEC.
Going through a phase

Genetic screens uncover a bioactivation pathway for Lasonolide A involving enrichment in lipid droplets and cleavage into a cytotoxic, soluble metabolite by a lipid droplet-associated serine hydrolase. These findings identify enzymatically regulated phase partitioning as a drug activation mechanism.
Waiver in the Russian Criminal Process from the Point of View of Standards of European Court of Human Rights

The research deals with the case law of European Court of Human Rights against the Russian Federation on complaints of its citizens regarding violation of Article 6 of European Convention on Human Rights in criminal proceedings when it considers waiver. The author has defined and analyzed both the standards of waiver and the Court’s approaches to the establishment of waiver and the requirements and conditions developed by it. The author’s analysis of the decisions of European Court of Justice in respect of Russia, in which the court considered the legality of waiver in specific criminal cases when the Russian authorities claimed that the Applicant had waived his right, has led to the conclusion about misunderstanding of the Russian law executor of this legal phenomenon. As a result the defects of law enforcement are hidden behind the waiver of one’s right in the Russian criminal process.
Cohesin subunit RAD21: From biology to disease

RAD21 (also known as KIAA0078, NXP1, HR21, Mcd1, Scc1, and hereafter called RAD21), an essential gene, encodes a DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair protein that is evolutionarily conserved in all eukaryotes from budding yeast to humans. RAD21 protein is a structural component of the highly conserved cohesin complex consisting of RAD21, SMC1a, SMC3, and SCC3 [STAG1 (SA1) and STAG2 (SA2) in metazoans] proteins, involved in sister chromatid cohesion. This function is essential for proper chromosome segregation, post-replicative DNA repair, and prevention of inappropriate recombination between repetitive regions. In interphase, cohesin also functions in the control of gene expression by binding to numerous sites within the genome. In addition to playing roles in the normal cell cycle and DNA DSB repair, RAD21 is also linked to the apoptotic pathways. Germline heterozygous or homozygous missense mutations in RAD21 have been associated with human genetic disorders, including developmental diseases such as Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) and chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO) called Mungan syndrome, respectively, and collectively termed as cohesinopathies. Somatic mutations and amplification of the RAD21 have also been widely reported in both human solid and hematopoietic tumors. Considering the role of RAD21 in a broad range of cellular processes that are hot spots in neoplasm, it is not surprising that the deregulation of RAD21 has been increasingly evident in human cancers. Herein, we review the biology of RAD21 and the cellular processes that this important protein regulates and discuss the significance of RAD21 deregulation in cancer and cohesinopathies.