cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Pursuit of Legal Rights - And Beyond

Just over thirty years ago, in a seminal trilogy of books, Joel Handler and his collaborators made three foundational contributions to the study of public interest lawyers. The first was theoretical, defining public interest law as a positive externality producing legal activity; the second was organizational, conceptualizing public interest law as an industry with multiple sectors that provided legal services; and the third was practical, examining the conditions under which legal rights activities were likely to succeed or fail. Looking back, Handler’s work may be read to support two distinct, and seemingly oppositional, claims: first (optimistically), that public interest lawyers are essential to robust participatory democracy and progressive social change (and thus society should support the field’s expansion), and second (pessimistically), that those same lawyers are nonetheless (at best) doomed to fail and (at worst) destined by to be co-opted by the very political system they seek to transform. I call this the Paradox of Public Interest Law. In this Essay, I seek to evaluate the Paradox in light of the dramatically different political, economic, and intellectual context within which the public interest law movement now operates. I trace the arc of the movement’s change, emphasizing the role of ideological, organizational, and tactical complexity in driving new understandings of the meaning and practice of public interest law: from a coherent definition to a set of competing theories; from a nonprofit-centered view of the industry to one that incorporates a greater role for private sector delivery; and from an emphasis on the pursuit of legal rights in court as the central social change tactic to a broader focus on multiple advocacy strategies coordinated across multiple political domains. Evaluating these changes, I suggest that Handler’s optimistic hope for more public interest lawyers has been realized, while some of his pessimism has also been validated — but not entirely for the reasons that he imagined. In the end, Handler’s legacy teaches that the pursuit of legal rights — despite the risks — is still worth the fight.
Ethylene Propylene Copolymers: Crystal-Linity, Infrared, and Creep Studies

Abstract Density, infrared, and creep studies have been made of ethylene propylene copolymers containing up to about 50 mole per cent propylene and their homopolymers. The degree of crystallinity (volume fraction of polyethylene crystals), as measured by density and x-ray studies, decreases with increased propylene content. This change is also reflected in the intensity of the 13.7 μ band in the infrared spectra of the polymers. The measured amount of unsaturation (0.1–0.2 per cent) in the copolymers is too small to account for the presence of several infrared bands which are often attributed to unsaturation. An unsaturation of 0.90 per cent was obtained for a terpolymer where the third component was unsaturated. Indentation-creep studies showed the creep to be nearly proportional to the logarithm of time with a slope of 10 per cent creep per decade for 0.1–10 min. Compliance-temperature graphs were found to be quite similar to those for the styrene butadiene rubber SBR 1500.
Endobronchial anthracosis with concurrent primary lung cancer

An 86-year-old man was evaluated for asymptomatic persistent right upper lung (RUL) consolidation measuring 4×5 cm. He had worked as a welder in an automobile plant for 40 years and had, without protective gear, been exposed to smoke and dust from combustion of fuels. He had quit smoking 15 years prior to the work up for lung consolidation, with a previous 10 pack-year cigarette smoking history. He denied travelling to endemic areas of tuberculosis and sick contact exposure. His medications included hydrochlorothiazide and lisinopril for blood pressure control. Physical examination and laboratory work up were unremarkable. RUL consolidation …
Learning through dissonance: Critical service-learning in a juvenile detention center as field experience in music teacher education:

Though many pre-service music teachers have received exemplary instruction in their high school music programs, these programs may not be representative of the social, cultural, and economic divers...
1H, 13C and 15N NMR assignments and solution secondary structure of rat Apo-S100 beta.

The 1H, 13C and 15N NMR assignments of the backbone and side-chain resonances of rat S100β were made at pH 6.5 and 37°C using heteronuclear multidimensional NMR spectroscopy. Analysis of the NOE correlations, together with amide exchange rate and 1Hα, 13Cα and 13Cβ chemical shift data, provided extensive secondary structural information. Thus, the secondary structure of S100β was determined to comprise four helices (Leu3-Ser18, helix I; Lys29-Leu40, helix II; Gln50-Glu62, helix III; and Phe70-Ala83, helix IV), four loops (Gly19-His25, loop I; Ser41-Glu49, loop II; Asp63-Gly66, loop III; and Cys84-Glu91, loop IV) and two β-strands (Lys26-Lys28, β-strand I and Glu67-Asp69, β-strand II). The β-strands were found to align in an antiparallel manner to form a very small β-sheet. This secondary structure is consistent with predictions that S100β contains two ‘helix-loop-helix’ Ca2+-binding motifs known as EF-hands. The alignment of the β-sheet, which brings the two EF-hand domains of S100β into close proximity, is similar to that of several other Ca2+ ion-binding proteins.
The use of fluoxetine by veterinarians in dogs and cats: a preliminary survey.

Objective To describe the prescribing habits of a sample of small animal veterinarians pertaining to use of fluoxetine in dogs and cats. Design Exploratory descriptive survey using a questionnaire, available on paper and through email, distributed to small animal veterinarians by convenience sampling. Participants Veterinarians practicing small animal medicine in North America contacted by email and at local veterinary meetings. Results Of 127 initial respondents, 106 prescribed fluoxetine for dogs and/or cats. The majority (91 per cent) indicated the drug be given once every 24 hours. Respondents used one or more formulations of fluoxetine. Of those who prescribed fluoxetine for both dogs and cats (57 per cent), 80 per cent used a generic form. A third prescribed fluoxetine only for dogs (31 per cent) and 72 per cent of these prescribed the US Food and Drug Administration approved product that was available at that time. The primary use of fluoxetine was related to behaviour problems. Overall for dogs, uses of fluoxetine were organised into five major categories by the investigators: Anxieties, Aggression, Compulsive Disorders, Phobias/Fear and Other, Anxieties being the most common. Of those who prescribed fluoxetine, 12 per cent did so only for cats and the majority of these prescribed generic (58 per cent) and or compounded (42 per cent) forms. Overall for cats, uses of fluoxetine were organised into six major categories: Elimination behaviours, Anxieties, Aggression, Dermatologic/Grooming, Compulsive Disorders and Other, Elimination behaviours being most common. Conclusions This study indicates that practitioners prescribed fluoxetine in generic, proprietary and compounded formulations for a variety of behaviour problems of dogs and cats. The broad use by the respondents suggests how important psychotropic drugs are in veterinary medicine. Research, information and continuing education regarding such drugs and animal behaviour should be made available to the general practitioner.
Musculoskeletal trauma in children.

SUMMARY MR imaging has facilitated the study of pediatric injuries by demonstrating the extraosseous and cartilaginous component of these lesions. In injuries to the epiphysis and physis, osteochondral injuries and avulsion injuries, the cartilaginous component is usually the most important part of the lesion. Stress fractures and other injuries to the marrow also can be demonstrated with MR imaging. In the context of musculoskeletal injuries in children, MR is most valuable in demonstrating the extent of injuries to radiographically occult areas.
DEGENERATION OF IMMOBILIZED KNEE JOINTS IN RATS; HISTOLOGICAL AND AUTORADIOGRAPHIC STUDY.

This is a histological and autoradiographic study of certain factors responsible for degeneration occurring in immobilized normal rat knees. Knees which have been denervated, immobilized and denervated, and immobilized with and without weight-bearing were studied. The weight-bearing and non-weight-b
Synthesis and Characterization of Bio-based Epoxy Resins Derived from Vanillyl Alcohol

Vanillyl alcohol, a lignin derived aromatic diol, is a potential platform chemical for the production of renewable epoxy thermosets. A bio-based bisphenolic analogue, bisguaiacol (BG), was synthesized via electrophilic aromatic condensation of vanillyl alcohol and guaiacol, from which diglycidyl ether of BG (DGEBG) was prepared. In addition, three single aromatic diglycidyl ethers were synthesized from vanillyl alcohol (DGEVA), gastrodigenin (DGEGD), and hydroquinone (DGEHQ). All epoxies were characterized via 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FTIR, MS, and GPC. Dynamic mechanical analyses of the epoxies by themselves or blended with a commercial epoxy resin and cured with a diamine were conducted to determine the effect of the methoxy and methylene moieties on polymer properties. The thermomechanical results indicate that the methoxy lowers the glass transition temperature (Tg) yet increases the glassy storage modulus at 25 °C, while the methylene spacer between the aromatic ring and the epoxide further lowers the Tg in ...
CONTROLLING DACUS OLEAE1 BY FLUORESCENT YELLOW TRAPS

When three fluorescent yellow 15times 20 cm plates covered by Bird Tanglefoot® were vertically suspended in the canopy of each tree in a 21-tree semi-isolated olive grove near Athens, 9000 olive fruit flies were trapped from July-November. An additional 3300 flies were trapped by twelve fluorescent yellow traps placed in three barrier olive trees. At crop harvest, the olive fruit infestation was 5%, 15%, and 50% in a bait-sprayed, the fluorescent-yellow trap, and an untreated grove, respectively. The olive fruit fly adult population, as measured by McPhail protein-traps, was much larger in the untreated than in the yellow-trap grove. The results indicated that males may be more attracted to the yellow traps than females. They also showed increased trapping rates in trees of high crop production as well as in the west side of the tree. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG BEKAMPFUNG VON DACUS OLEAE MIT FLUORESZIEREND-GELBEN FALLEN In der Nahe von Athen, in einem teilweise isolierten Olivenhain mit 21 Baumen wurden von Juli bis November 9000 Olivenfliegen gefangen, wobei in jedem Baum drei fluoreszierend-gelbe Tafeln (15 times 20 cm) senkrecht in der Baumkrone aufgehangt wurden. Die Tafeln waren mit einem Leim, Bird Tanglefoot®, beschichtet. Zusatzlich wurden von zwolf solchen Tafeln, die in drei Barriere-Baume gehangt worden waren, noch 3300 Fliegen gefangen. Zur Zeit der Ernte war der Befall der Fruchte 5%, 15%, und 50% fur Baume, die mit Insektizid behandelt, bzw. mit gelben Fallen versehen oder unbehandelt waren. Die Populationdichte der Fliegen, bestimmt mit der Methode der Proteinfangglaser (McPhail), war wesentlich grosser in den unbehandelten als in den mit gelben Fallen ausgerusteten Baumen. Die Resultate zeigen, dass die meisten der angelockten Fliegen Mannchen waren und dass die meisten Fliegen in Baumen mit gutem Ertrag, dazu an die westliche Seite der Baume gefangen wurden.
Plate Loop Method for Determining Total Viable Count of Orange Juice

The plate loop count as described in Standard Methods for the Examination of Dairy Products. 13th Edition, was evaluated as a simplified technique for determining total viable counts in single strength orange juice. This procedure requires use of standardized loops (0.01 and 0.001 ml) for making serial dilutions instead of pipets and dilution bottles. Data show there is a statistically significant difference in results between the plate count and plate loop count procedures for determining total viable population of orange juice. However, since the difference is so small for normal operating conditions, the plate loop method is a reliable alternate to routine plating procedure. It can also be done without flaming the loop between samples. The plate loop count saves time and equipment, but requires analysts to be specially trained to maintain this degree of accuracy.
Randomized controlled trial comparing operative times between standard and robot-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy

Objective To compare the operative time between robot-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomies and standard laparoscopic hysterectomies. Methods A prospective, randomized controlled trial enrolled women aged 18–80 years attending Penn State Hershey Medical Center between April 23 and October 20, 2014 to undergo hysterectomy. Participants were randomized using a random number generator to undergo either robot-assisted or standard laparoscopic hysterectomy. The primary outcome was the total operative time (surgeon incision to surgeon stop, including robot docking time, if applicable). Intention-to-treat analyses were performed and the operative time was compared between the two treatments for non-inferiority, defined as a difference in operative time of no longer than 15 minutes. Results There were 72 patients randomized to each treatment arm. The mean operative time was 73.9 minutes (median 67.0 minutes; interquartile range 59.0–83.0 minutes) in the robot-assisted hysterectomy group and 74.9 minutes (median 65.5 minutes; interquartile range 57.0–90.5 minutes) in the standard laparoscopic hysterectomy group. The upper bound of the 95% confidence interval of the difference in operative time was 6.6 minutes, below the 15-minute measure of non-inferiority. Conclusion When performed by a surgeon experienced in both techniques, the operative time for robot-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy was non-inferior to that achieved with standard laparoscopic hysterectomy. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02118974
No Evidence of Racial Differences in Endothelial Function and Exercise Blood Flow in Young, Healthy Males Following Acute Antioxidant Supplementation

This study investigated the effects of acute antioxidant supplementation on endothelial function, exercise blood flow and oxidative stress biomarkers in 9 young African American compared to 10 Caucasian males (25.7±1.2 years). We hypothesized that African American males would have lower exercise blood flow and endothelial responsiveness compared to Caucasian males, and these responses would be improved following antioxidant supplementation. Ultrasonography was used to measure blood flow during handgrip exercise. Endothelial function was assessed using flow-mediated dilation, and lipid peroxidation was assessed by measuring levels of malondialdehyde-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. African American males exhibited lower endothelial function than Caucasians at baseline (8.3±1.7 vs. 12.2±1.7%) and the difference was ameliorated with antioxidant supplementation (10.7±1.9% vs. 10.8±1.8%), but the interaction was not significant (p=0.10). There were no significant changes in malondialdehyde-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances following antioxidant supplementation. There was a significant increase in brachial blood flow and forearm vascular conductance with exercise but no differences with antioxidant supplementation. There were no group differences in exercise responses and no differences with antioxidant supplementation, suggesting a lack of influence of oxidative stress during exercise in this cohort.
Validation of the Psychological Research Inventory of Concepts: An Index of Research and Statistical Literacy

The current set of three studies further evaluates the validity and application of the Psychological Research Inventory of Concepts (PRIC). In Study 1, we administered the PRIC to a sample of introductory psychology students and online (Mechanical Turk) participants along with measures assessing theoretically related concepts. We found evidence of concurrent validity by demonstrating that PRIC scores relate to education, cognitive effort, and general psychological knowledge. In Study 2, we demonstrated that advanced psychology majors score higher on the PRIC than college graduates who did not major in psychology, suggesting that the PRIC assesses domain-specific knowledge and may be useful in assessment of the undergraduate psychology major. Finally, in Study 3, we demonstrated that scores on the PRIC increase from the start to the end of a research methods course. Together, these studies provide further evidence that the PRIC may be a useful index of learning research methods and statistical knowledge im...
Promoting students’ science literacy skills through a simulation of international negotiations: The GlobalEd 2 Project

Abstract Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional design approach for promoting student learning in context-rich settings. GlobalEd 2 (GE2) is PBL intervention that combines face-to-face and online environments into a 12-week simulation of international negotiations of science delegates on global science issues. Although GE2 focuses on science, it is implemented in a social studies classroom. This manuscript describes the GE2 environment and evaluates its impact on middle school students’ scientific literacy compared to a comparison group receiving normal educational practice. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) analyses on GE2 and comparison groups demonstrates the significant positive impact of GE2 on two measures of scientific literacy (Socio-scientific Literacy and Scientific Inquiry), among middle-grade students from two states. Implications regarding instructional practice and future research are discussed.
Finite element analysis and simulation of liquid-assisted laser beam machining process

Laser beam micromachining (LBMM) process is one of the important advanced manufacturing processes which can shape almost all engineering materials with micron scale precision even for complex geometries. LBMM process when performed in air generates high heat flux causing thermal damage and poor surface finish on the substrate material. Liquid-assisted laser beam micromachining is considered as an alternate approach to the traditional laser beam micromachining process performed under air to reduce the thermal damages caused due to high heat of laser. The presence of liquid medium also helps in carrying away the molten material from the machining zone thereby preventing re-deposition. The focus of this research is to understand the effect of critical process parameters involved in liquid-assisted laser beam micromachining using finite element simulation technique. The study revealed that the width (diameter) and depth of the heat-affected zone decreased considerably with water film thickness of 0.50 mm and higher. Further experimentation is used to validate the results of the simulation model. The experimental results closely matched with the predictions of the simulation study. Micromachining performed under thin films of water and ethylene glycol showed better surface finish as compared to machining performed without water. This suggests that the liquid medium occupies the void during material removal due to laser beam and helps reducing the thermal damage.
Lamotrigine-induced sexual dysfunction and non-adherence: case analysis with literature review.

Background Optimal anti-epileptic drug (AED) treatment maximises therapeutic response and minimises adverse effects (AEs). Key to therapeutic AED treatment is adherence. Non-adherence is often related to severity of AEs. Frequently, patients do not spontaneously report, and clinicians do not specifically query, critical AEs that lead to non-adherence, including sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction prevalence in patients with epilepsy ranges from 40 to 70%, often related to AEDs, epilepsy or mood states. This case reports lamotrigine-induced sexual dysfunction leading to periodic non-adherence. Aims To report lamotrigine-induced sexual dysfunction leading to periodic lamotrigine non-adherence in the context of multiple comorbidities and concurrent antidepressant and antihypertensive pharmacotherapy. Method Case analysis with PubMed literature review. Results A 56-year-old male patient with major depression, panic disorder without agoraphobia and post-traumatic stress disorder was well-controlled with escitalopram 20 mg bid, mirtazapine 22.5 mg qhs and alprazolam 1 mg tid prn. Comorbid conditions included complex partial seizures, psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES), hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease and hydrocephalus with patent ventriculoperitoneal shunt that were effectively treated with lamotrigine 100 mg tid, enalapril 20 mg qam and lansoprazole 30 mg qam. He acknowledged non-adherence with lamotrigine secondary to sexual dysfunction. With lamotrigine 300 mg total daily dose, he described no libido with impotence/anejaculation/anorgasmia. When off lamotrigine for 48 h, he described becoming libidinous with decreased erectile dysfunction but persistent anejaculation/anorgasmia. When off lamotrigine for 72 h to maximise sexual functioning, he developed auras. Family confirmed patient’s consistent monthly non-adherence for 2–3 days during the past year. Conclusions Sexual dysfunction is a key AE leading to AED non-adherence. This case describes dose-dependent lamotrigine-induced sexual dysfunction with episodic non-adherence for 12 months. Patient/clinician education regarding AED-induced sexual dysfunction is warranted as are routine sexual histories to ensure adherence. Declaration of interest No financial interests. K.R.K. is Editor of BJPsych Open ; he took no part in the peer-review of this work. Copyright and usage © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license.
New and developing therapies for atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is a common inflammatory skin disease. New understanding in disease pathogenesis has led to a considerable number of promising new drugs in development. New topical agents can be especially helpful for children, providing an alternative to the need for chronic topical corticosteroid use. While many patients with mild or moderate disease can be managed with topical treatments, there are unmet needs for recalcitrant and severe cases. New and developing therapies hold promise for real advances in management of this complex disease.
Torn Palimpsest and Recycled Time: Copenhagen and Conclusion

In Michael Frayn’s 1998 play, Copenhagen, complementarity works not only as an extended metaphor but also as a topic of discussion for the characters. These fictional versions of Niels and Margrethe Bohr and Werner Heisenberg work through unsatisfactory explanations for their motivations, increasing uncertainty about the reason for and content of their meeting during the Second World War. Rather than fulfilling the hope shared by these characters, the play shows that their effort—the building up of an incomplete picture from multiple frames of reference—and the preservation of uncertainty are what allow the play to end with a more complicated definition of justice than that with which it began and with the suggestion that this more-complicated justice has been obtained.
Lymphedema following breast cancer: The importance of surgical methods and obesity.

Background Breast cancer-related arm lymphedema is a serious complication that can adversely affect quality of life. Identifying risk factors that contribute to the development of lymphedema is vital for identifying avenues for prevention. The aim of this study was to examine the association between the development of arm lymphedema and both treatment and personal (e.g., obesity) risk factors. Methods Women diagnosed with breast cancer in Iowa during 2004 and followed through 2010, who met eligibility criteria, were asked to complete a short computer assisted telephone interview about chronic conditions, arm activities, demographics, and lymphedema status. Lymphedema was characterized by a reported physician-diagnosis, a difference between arms in the circumference (> 2cm), or the presence of multiple self-reported arm symptoms (at least two of five major arm symptoms, and at least four total arm symptoms). Relative risks (RR) were estimated using logistic regression. Results Arm lymphedema was identified in 102 of 522 participants (19.5%). Participants treated by both axillary dissection and radiation therapy were more likely to have arm lymphedema than treated by either alone. Women with advanced cancer stage, positive nodes, and larger tumors along with a body mass index > 40 were also more likely to develop lymphedema. Arm activity level was not associated with lymphedema. Conclusions Surgical methods, cancer characteristics and obesity were found to contribute to the development of arm lymphedema. Vigorous arm activity post-surgery was not found to increase the risk of arm lymphedema.
An Algorithm that Determines whether a Polynomial Map is Bijective

One of the central problems in the study of polynomial maps is the determination of the bijective ones. Although there are many results in the literature on this subject, they can not be used on polynomial maps of high degrees due to memory limitation or the complexity of the algorithm.
Syringe and Needle Exchange Programs Worldwide: Part II

The first large-scale syringe and needle exchange (SANE) programs were established in The Netherlands and in the United Kingdom (UK) about 8 years ago. Since then, SANE programs have been established in Australia, Sweden, Canada, and the United States. To date, the most useful data concerning the impact of these programs have come from studies in the UK and from New Haven, San Francisco, Tacoma, and New York City in the US. Successful SANE programs require careful planning; those in charge should be familiar with the accomplishments, problems, and goals of established programs. Advance publicity and involvement of community activists, the local police precinct, and ward or district politicians are imperative for overcoming misunderstandings and prejudices and fostering a team approach. Pilot projects must be adequately funded. Other requirements include accessible facilities, convenient hours of operation (including evening hours), provision of mobile units if at all possible, and provision for sanitary disposal of discarded injection equipment in the neighborhood around the SANE programs. Programs also should have a strong evaluation component, preferably staffed by an independent university-affiliated research center. Periodic site visits are necessary to ensure that services promised in the protocol are actually delivered not only initially, but also over time. Problems with security and drug dealing in and around the building where the SANE program is located are likely, and appropriate measures should be taken to counter them.
Jesuit Higher Education in New Jersey, 1899-1900: Saint Peter’s College

The Society of Jesus (Jesuits) has made inestimable contributions to the development of Catholic education in the United States. This article provides a historical overview of one venerable Jesuit institution, Saint Peter’s College in New Jersey, the only Jesuit-operated institution of higher learning in the state. Special attention is given to the Ratio Studiorum and to other details of the delivery of Jesuit education circa 1900.
Analyzing Alibaba’s Co-located Datacenter Workloads

Warehouse-scale cloud datacenters co-locate workloads with different and often complementary characteristics for improved resource utilization. To better understand the challenges in managing such intricate, heterogeneous workloads while providing quality-assured resource orchestration and user experience, we analyze Alibaba’s co-located workload trace, the first publicly available dataset with precise information about the category of each job. Two types of workload—long-running, user-facing, containerized production jobs, and transient, highly dynamic, non-containerized, and non-production batch jobs— are running on a shared cluster of 1313 machines. Through workload characterization, we find evidences that imply that one workload scheduler makes seemingly independent scheduling decisions regardless of the co-existence of the other. This upsurges an imminent need for a more integrated, global coordinating system that transparently connect multiple resource schedulers together and cohesively coordinates the multiple heterogeneous workloads for greater efficiency. Our multifaceted analysis reveals insights that we believe are useful for system designers and IT practitioners working on cluster management systems.
Abstract 330: Systemic Blocking Exosome Formation/Release Improves Ischemic Hindlimb Repair in Diabetic db/db Mice

Background: Recent studies demonstrated that plasma exosomes from diabetic patients and animals lose their ability to maintain physiological properties of cardiomyocytes. Exosome inhibitor GW 4869 ...
Effect of residual shaft bow on the dynamic analysis of a double-stage geared rotor-bearing system with translational motion due to shaft deformation:

In this study, the dynamic responses of a double-stage geared rotor-bearing system with translational motion due to the effects of rotating shaft deformation were examined, which was lacking in pas...
Application of likelihood ratios and optimal decision thresholds in fire debris analysis based on a partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model

Abstract A set of 9000 computationally generated (in-silico) total ion spectra comprising samples containing ignitable liquids from ASTM E1618-14 classes mixed with pyrolyzed substrates (class IL) and samples containing a mixture of pyrolyzed substrates without ignitable liquid contribution (class SUB) was used to generate a partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model. The training data set was balanced in IL and SUB class composition and the IL class samples were composed of a uniform distribution of ignitable liquids from the ASTM E1618-14 defined classes. The number of components in the optimized PLS-DA model, 13, was determined by optimizing the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC AUC) as a function of the number of components. Ten cross validation folds had an average ROC AUC of 0.930 ± 0.006. The PLS-DA model was further challenged with a uniformly distributed and balanced IL/SUB validation set of 1000 computationally mixed total ion spectra, giving an ROC AUC 0f 0.93. The model which had been validated on computationally generated total ion spectra was tested on a set of “real” fire debris samples from large-scale burn tests that had been independently evaluated by an “informed analyst”. The results from this study demonstrate the application of a chemometric model to the forensic analysis of fire debris data and emphasize the connection between quantified strength of the evidence and categorical decisions based on a defined operational decision point on the ROC curve. The success of the PLS-DA model demonstrates the feasibility of applying chemometric methods to the analysis of fire debris as a means of introducing probabilistic statements of evidentiary value to the court.
Z-Meandering Miniaturized Patch Antenna Using Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing has been shown as a successful technology for the rapid prototyping of microwave devices and antennas. 3D printing capabilities enable design freedom with cost-effective prototype iterations, as well as exploring new 3D shapes that overcomes the 2D design constraints. In this paper, a 3D Z-meandering antenna miniaturization technique is presented. The resonance frequencies are 5 GHz and 4.6 GHz, for the 2D and 3D patch antennas, respectively, by keeping up the same ground plane and patch radius. The antennas are manufactured using fused deposition modeling of ABS and DuPont CB028 silver ink for the conductive layers.
Identification of adenovirus epidemic strains and analysis of hexon gene characteristics in Anqing area from 2013 to 2015

Objective To investigate the characteristics of human adenovirus (HAdv) epidemic strains and the variations of hexon protein and amino acid residues in acute respiratory infections in Anqing. Methods A total of 596 throat swab samples of children with acute respiratory infections were collected from influenza surveillance sites between 2013 and 2015 and detected with real-time fluorescent PCR adenovirus nucleic acid test kit. Hep cells were used to separate viruses from positive samples. PCR amplification of hexon gene and sequencing analysis were conducted. Homologous alignment and phylogenetic tree analysis were performed between the obtained sequences and those published in GenBank. Results HAdv-positive samples accounted for 11.4% (68). Thirty-four viruses were successfully isolated, including nine HAdv-3 (26.5%), 12 HAdv-7 (35.3%), 12 HAdv-14 (35.3%) and one HAdv-55 (2.9%). The 9 strains of HAdv-3 had a close genetic relationship with KX384958, sharing a homology of 99.8%-100%. Three mutations in main amino acid residues were found in them as compared with reference strains. The 12 strains of HAdv-7 were genetically related to KX897164 and KU361344 with a homology ranging from 99.8% to 100% and had seven major amino acid residue mutations in comparison to reference strains. The 12 strains of HAdv-14 were highly similar to JF420883 with a homology of 99.6%-99.9%, and possessed three major variations in amino acid residues in comparison to reference strains. The HAdv-55 strain was closely related to KP279748 and KX289874, showing a homology of 100% in both nucleotide and amino acid sequences. HAdv-7 strains had the greatest variations, followed by HAdv-14 strains. Conclusion From 2013 to 2015, the epidemic adenovirus strains causing acute respiratory infections in Anqing area were mainly HAdv-3, HAdv-7 and HAdv-14 with a small number of HAdv-55. The hexon genes of HAdv-55 strains were stable and no variation occurred. However, HAdv-3, HAdv-7 and HAdv-14 strains all had some variations in nucleotides and amino acids. Amino acid variations in the antigenic determinants of HVR1, HVR2 and HVR7 regions were detected. Key words: Acute respiratory infection; Adenovirus; Hexon
Use of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease: A Review

Importance Recent randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) reduce cardiovascular events in at-risk individuals with type 2 diabetes. Despite these findings, GLP-1RAs are underused in eligible patients, particularly by cardiologists. Observations To date, randomized clinical trials of albiglutide, dulaglutide, liraglutide, and injectable semaglutide have reported favorable cardiovascular outcomes. Most recently approved for clinical use, oral semaglutide has a favorable safety profile and is currently undergoing regulatory evaluation and further study for cardiovascular outcomes. Professional society guidelines now recommend GLP-1RA therapy for cardiovascular risk mitigation in patients with type 2 diabetes and established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) or multiple ASCVD risk factors, independent of glucose control or background antihyperglycemic therapy (other diabetes medications being used). Additional conditions suitable for GLP-1RA therapy include obesity and advanced chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate Conclusions and Relevance Findings from this review suggest that GLP-1RAs are safe, are well tolerated, and improve cardiovascular outcomes, largely independent of their antihyperglycemic properties, but they remain underused by cardiologists. This review provides a practical resource for cardiologists for initiating GLP-1RAs and managing the therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes and established ASCVD or high risk for ASCVD.
Disaster Management Program Compliance and Problems Encountered in Two Provinces in Central Luzon, Philippines

Disaster management is one area in the field that comes with a heavy burden of administrative functions and compliances. Thus, it is vital to consider among managers to put the best man in the field. The purpose of this study is to find out the disaster management program compliance of participants in two provinces in Central Luzon, Philippines. At the same time, identify the problems encountered during the implementation of the programs. This study used a descriptive design with the survey as a primary instrument in data gathering. 110 participants took part in the survey which came from the two selected provinces. The researcher created a questionnaire for the study which underwent validity and reliability test. This study analyzed the gathered data using SPSS 20 and employed the following statistical tools: frequency, percentage, rank, means, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson-r. The study found that the respondents ``moderately complied'' with disaster prevention and mitigation programs and disaster preparedness programs. On the other hand, respondents ``complied'' with the disaster response programs and disaster recovery and rehabilitation programs. There were no statistical differences in the responses of respondents with different disaster management programs. However, there is a significant relationship between the number of family members and disaster response programs. Based on the results of the study, the researcher recommended pertinent suggestions for the community, policy-makers, and local government units.
The Emergence of Artificial Intelligence within Radiation Oncology Treatment Planning.

Background The future of artificial intelligence (AI) heralds unprecedented change for the field of radiation oncology. Commercial vendors and academic institutions have created AI tools for radiation oncology, but such tools have not yet been widely adopted into clinical practice. In addition, numerous discussions have prompted careful thoughts about AI's impact upon the future landscape of radiation oncology: How can we preserve innovation, creativity, and patient safety? When will AI-based tools be widely adopted into the clinic? Will the need for clinical staff be reduced? How will these devices and tools be developed and regulated? Summary In this work, we examine how deep learning, a rapidly emerging subset of AI, fits into the broader historical context of advancements made in radiation oncology and medical physics. In addition, we examine a representative set of deep learning-based tools that are being made available for use in external beam radiotherapy treatment planning and how these deep learning-based tools and other AI-based tools will impact members of the radiation treatment planning team. Key Messages: Compared to past transformative innovations explored in this article, such as the Monte Carlo method or intensity-modulated radiotherapy, the development and adoption of deep learning-based tools is occurring at faster rates and promises to transform practices of the radiation treatment planning team. However, accessibility to these tools will be determined by each clinic's access to the internet, web-based solutions, or high-performance computing hardware. As seen by the trends exhibited by many technologies, high dependence on new technology can result in harm should the product fail in an unexpected manner, be misused by the operator, or if the mitigation to an expected failure is not adequate. Thus, the need for developers and researchers to rigorously validate deep learning-based tools, for users to understand how to operate tools appropriately, and for professional bodies to develop guidelines for their use and maintenance is essential. Given that members of the radiation treatment planning team perform many tasks that are automatable, the use of deep learning-based tools, in combination with other automated treatment planning tools, may refocus tasks performed by the treatment planning team and may potentially reduce resource-related burdens for clinics with limited resources.
The Frontlines of Peace: An Insider’s Guide to Changing the World: Severine Autesserre, New York, Oxford University Press, 2021, 221 pp., US$27.95, ISBN: 9780197530351

In her first two award-winning books (The Trouble with the Congo and Peaceland respectively), Severine Autesserre was at the forefront of two innovations in peacekeeping research. First was the use...
Capsaicin pretreatment alleviates postoperative pain and reduces primary sensory neuron Ca2+ activity

Abstract After surgeries, especially thoracotomy incision, patients develop unbearable pain. Opioids are used for reducing pain but often cause serious side effects. Previously, we found that capsaicin pretreatment of the incision area alleviated spontaneous and thermal pain in a postoperative pain animal model. In the present study, we aimed to monitor primary sensory neuron Ca2+ activity in in vivo dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in a postoperative pain model using Pirt-GCaMP3 treated with capsaicin or controls. Intraplantar injection of capsaicin (0.05%) alleviated spontaneous, mechanical, and thermal postoperative pain. The Ca2+ response in in vivo DRG and in in situ spinal cord was significantly enhanced in the ipsilateral side compared to contralateral side or naive control. Primary sensory nerve fiber length was significantly decreased in the incision skin area in capsaicin-pretreated animals detected by immunohistochemistry and placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) staining. Thus, capsaicin pretreatment alleviates postoperative pain by suppressing Ca2+ response due to degeneration of primary sensory nerve fibers in the skin.
Evolving Devil's Staircase Magnetization from Tunable Charge Density Waves in Nonsymmorphic Dirac Semimetals

While several magnetic topological semimetals have been discovered in recent years, their band structures are far from ideal, often obscured by trivial bands at the Fermi energy. Square-net materials with clean, linearly dispersing bands show potential to circumvent this issue. CeSbTe, a square-net material, features multiple magnetic-field-controllable topological phases. Here, it is shown that in this material, even higher degrees of tunability can be achieved by changing the electron count at the square-net motif. Increased electron filling results in structural distortion and formation of charge density waves (CDWs). The modulation wave-vector evolves continuously leading to a region of multiple discrete CDWs and a corresponding complex "Devil's staircase" magnetic ground state. A series of fractionally quantized magnetization plateaus is observed, which implies direct coupling between CDW and a collective spin-excitation. It is further shown that the CDW creates a robust idealized nonsymmorphic Dirac semimetal, thus providing access to topological systems with rich magnetism.
Purification of Protein Kinase C and Phorbol Ester Receptor Using Polyacrylamide-Immobilized Phosphatidylserine

A \(C{{a}^{{{{2}^{ + }}}}}\) + phospholipid-dependent protein kinase and a phorbol ester receptor were purified from a cytosolic extract of rabbit renal cortex by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and affinity chromatography on polyacrylamide-immobilized phosphatidylserine.Protein kinase activity was monitored by assaying \(C{{a}^{{{{2}^{ + }}}}}\) + phospholipid-dependent phosphorylation of histone H1, phorbol ester binding by measuring specific binding of [3H]- phorbol dibutyrate in the presence of \(C{{a}^{{{{2}^{ + }}}}}\) and phosphatidylserine. Both activities eluted together from the DEAE-cellulose column, bound to the affinity column in the presence of \(C{{a}^{{{{2}^{ + }}}}}\), and eluted symmetrically from the affinity column upon application of EGTA. Recovery from the affinity column was the same for both activities (usually 20–30%) and resulted in a high degree of purification.
Statistical Methods and Experimental Design for Inference Regarding Dose and/or Interaction Thresholds Along a Fixed-Ratio Ray

Statistical Methods and Experimental Design for Inference Regarding Dose andlor Interaction Thresholds Along a Fixed-Ratio Ray By Sharon Dziuba Yeatts A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006 Major Director: Dr. Chris Gennings Professor, Department of Biostatistics An alternative to the full factorial design, the ray design is appropriate for investigating a mixture of c chemicals, which are present according to a fixed mixing ratio, called the mixture ray. Using single chemical and mixture ray data, we can investigate interaction among the chemicals in a particular mixture. Statistical models have been used to describe the dose-response relationship of the single agents and the mixture; additivity is tested through the significance of model parameters associated with the coincidence of the additivity and mixture models. It is often assumed that a chemical or mixture must be administered above an unknown dose threshold in order to produce an effect different from background. Risk xiv assessors often assume that interactions are a high-dose phenomenon, indicating that doses below the unknown interaction threshold are associated with additivity. We developed methodology that allows the user to simultaneously estimate the dose threshold and the interaction threshold. This methodology allows us to test for interaction and, secondarily, to test for a region of additivity. The methodology and optimal design characteristics were illustrated using a mixture of nine haloacetic acids. The application of statistical optimality criteria to the development of experimental designs is vital to the successful study of complex mixtures. Since the optimal design depends on the model of interest and the planned method of analysis, developments in statistical methodology should necessarily correspond to consideration of the experimental design characteristics necessary to implement them. The Flexible Single Chemical Required methodology is based on an implicit statement of additivity. We developed a method for constructing the parameter covariance matrix, which forms the basis of many alphabetic optimality criteria, for the implicit FSCR models. The method was demonstrated for a fixed-ratio mixture of 18 chemicals; the original mixture experiment comprises the first stage data, and the optimal second stage design was presented. Waldtype procedures for hypothesis testing in nonlinear models are based on a linear approximation. As a result, likelihood ratio-based procedures may be preferred over Waldtype procedures. We developed a procedure for using the likelihood ratio-based lower confidence bound as an optimality criterion, which can be used to find the optimal second stage design for improving the inference on a particular model parameter. The method was xv demonstrated for a single agent, as a means of improving the inference on the dose threshold.