cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Case Closed: Research Evidence on the Positive Public Health Impact of the Age 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age in the United States

Objective: In 2006, the nonprofi t organization Choose Responsibility called for repealing the 1984 National Minimum Drink- ing Age Act, which had led all 50 states to establish a minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) of 21 years, and allowing the states to lower their MLDA to 18 years. Two years later, the organization assembled a small group of college and university presidents (the Amethyst Initiative) to call publicly for a critical reexamination of the law. Public health and traffi c safety experts responded to these efforts by generating new re- search on the age 21 MLDA, thus warranting an updated review of the literature. Method: This review focuses primarily on research published since 2006, when Choose Responsibility began its public relations campaign to lower the MLDA. Results: Recent research on the age 21 MLDA has reinforced the position that the current law has served the nation well by reducing alcohol-related traffi c crashes and alcohol con- sumption among youths, while also protecting drinkers from long-term negative outcomes they might experience in adulthood, including alcohol and other drug dependence, adverse birth outcomes, and suicide and homicide. Conclusions: The age 21 law saves lives and is unlikely to be overturned. College and university leaders need to put into effect work- able policies, stricter enforcement, and other evidence-based prevention efforts that have been demonstrated to reduce underage drinking and alcohol-related problems on campus and are being applied successfully at prominent academic institutions (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, Supplement 17, 108-115, 2014)
Political Exclusion and Domination: Nomos XLVI

Political Exclusion and Domination: Nomos XLVI. Edited by Melissa S. Williams and Stephen Macedo. New York: New York University Press, 2005. 400p. $55.00. This book is a collection of 14 essays dedicated to John Rawls, and all of them fit perfectly with the overriding concern with justice that lies at the core of Rawlsian theory. My review concentrates on some of these essays.
Equations for the Magnetic Field Produced by One or More Rectangular Loops of Wire in the Same Plane

Beginning with expressions for the vector potential, the equations for calculating the magnetic flux density from up to three rectangular loops of wire in the same plane are derived. The geometry considered is the same as that found in some walkthrough metal detectors and electronic article surveillance systems. Equations for more or fewer loops can be determined by inspection. A computer program for performing the magnetic field calculation is provided in an appendix.
Heart failure switches the RV α1-adrenergic inotropic response from negative to positive

Right ventricular (RV) failure is a serious common clinical problem that is poorly understood. Therefore, for failing and nonfailing hearts, we examined the distinctive inotropic responses induced ...
Making the ideal (local) entrepreneur: Place and the regional development of high-tech entrepreneurial identity

Entrepreneurship research has begun to examine the construction of an occupational identity for entrepreneurs, arguing that this identity is intersected by a variety of discourses, including gender, class and race/ethnicity. Yet, these studies only partially account for the myriad ways that entrepreneurial identity, and occupational identity more broadly, may manifest across the US or globally. In this article, we discuss how high-tech entrepreneurial identities are constructed in conjunction with place-based ‘transcendent’ and ‘locale-specific’ discourses. Empirical results from two studies of high-tech entrepreneurs in the western US demonstrate that place both shapes and constrains the possibilities for constructing an ‘ideal entrepreneurial self’. The implications of our research suggest: (i) the importance of ‘relocating place’ to understand the regional shaping of entrepreneurial identity and occupational identity; (ii) the significance of place serving as a rich organizing discourse for studies of ...
Attraction and delay of gratification

The present study examined the degree to which differential attraction to the prizes could explain children's decisions in a delay of gratification situation. After rating the attractiveness of prizes, each child responded to four delay choice situations. While significant effects were obtained on only one choice pair, the results generalized to the other choices: nondelayers consistently perceived less discrepancy in attraction between the immediate and delayed rewards than did delayers. In general, the smaller discrepancy among nondelayers was due to a greater attraction to the immediate prize. As predicted, these results held only for “inconsistent” children and not for children who consistently delayed or did not delay across all four choices. The implications of this finding for trait-situation explanations of delay are discussed. While it was predicted that differential attraction would explain previously reported SES differences in delay tendencies, middle and lower SES children responded similarly, both in level of attraction to the prizes and actual delay behavior.
Signal parameter algorithms for trend analysis of digital data acquisition systems

A description is given of three integrated Fortran routines that calculate a comprehensive set of characterization parameters for any uniformly sampled discrete-time signal. The parameters and algorithms are based on IEEE Standard 194-1977, Pulse Terms and Definitions and IEEE Standard 181-1977, Pulse Measurement and Analysis by Objective Techniques. These subroutines are used extensively for trend analysis of the performance of digital data acquisition systems in the Nevada Test Site field instrumentation system. The algorithms are designed to be independent of pulse shape and polarity. >
Proposition 10, Book 2, in the Principia , revisited

In Proposition 10, Book 2 of the Principia, Newton applied his geometrical calculus and power series expansion to calculate motion in a resistive medium under the action of gravity. In the first edition of the Principia, however, he made an error in his treatment which lead to a faulty solution that was noticed by Johann Bernoulli and communicated to him while the second edition was already at the printer. This episode has been discussed in the past, and the source of Newton’s initial error, which Bernoulli was unable to find, has been clarified by Lagrange and is reviewed here. But there are also problems in Newton’s corrected version in the second edition of the Principia that have been ignored in the past, which are discussed in detail here.
Amplitude-based height-reconstruction techniques for synthetic aperture ladar systems

We examine the performance of amplitude-based height-estimation techniques for use with airborne synthetic aperture ladar (SAL) sensors in generating three-dimensional reconstructions of ground targets. Such techniques lend themselves to implementation more readily than phase-based techniques and are also more tolerant to phase instabilities that might be associated with SAL systems. For pairwise amplitude-comparison monopulse processing, we present analyses of the expected height sensitivity and bias of SAL systems in terms of the system parameters. We verify this analysis with simulations, and we also provide an overview of other SAL phenomena that affect height-estimation accuracy. We then propose an array-based joint-processing approach that can be applied instead of pairwise monopulse processing. We show that the joint-processing approach represents the maximum-likelihood estimator for obtaining the target height, and we demonstrate that the proposed approach significantly reduces bias-induced errors.
Optimizing KTP and LiTaO/sub 3/ channel waveguides for quasi-phase-matched second harmonic generation with high conversion efficiency

The conversion efficiency of quasi-phase-matched second harmonic generation (QPM-SHG) in waveguides can be enhanced significantly by optimizing the linear properties of the guiding structure. We describe here a method for fast and accurate computation of the modal properties of continuous, periodically poled, ferroelectric channel waveguides and a multiparameter optimization algorithm which we have used to maximize normalized internal SHG conversion efficiency. We present the phase-matching characteristics of these designs and discuss the possibility of high SHG conversion efficiency between lowest order transverse modes at the fundamental and second harmonic wavelengths near noncritically phase-matched regimes of operation.
Inventory management shrinkage and employee anti-theft approaches

With the advent of the current global recession, many companies are trying to remain competitive and reducing inventory shrinkage, especially through employee theft deterrence, are become more popular. Through multivariate statistical analysis of 212 managerial employees of both service and manufacturing firms from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, it was found that traditional attitudinal variables, such as degree of trust of co-workers, degree of co-workers loyal to company, and degree of mistrust particular co-worker may not be good predictors of the occurrence of employee theft and determining the effectiveness of management's proactive measures to counter such inventory shrinkage initiatives. It was also found that certain initiatives, such as properly managed audit programs do provide an effective defense against inventory shrinkage, especially employee theft.
Automated derivation of behavior vocabularies for autonomous humanoid motion

In this paper we address the problem of automatically deriving vocabularies of motion modules from human motion data, taking advantage of the underlying spatio-temporal structure in motion. We approach this problem with a data-driven methodology for modularizing a motion stream (or time-series of human motion) into a vocabulary of parameterized primitive motion modules and a set of meta-level behaviors characterizing extended combinations of the primitives. Central to this methodology is the discovery of spatio-temporal structure in a motion stream. We estimate this structure by extending an existing nonlinear dimension reduction technique, Isomap, to handle motion data with spatial and temporal dependencies. The motion vocabularies derived by our methodology provide a substrate of autonomous behavior and can be used in a variety of applications. We demonstrate the utility of derived vocabularies for the application of synthesizing new humanoid motion that is structurally similar to the original demonstrated motion.
Combustion and pyrolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate). II. A study of the gas‐phase inhibition reactions of flame retardant systems

A device to measure the flammability limits of the gaseous pyrolysis products of polymeric materials has been developed and applied to a study of untreated and flame-retarded poly(ethylene terephthalate). The results indicate that phosphorus-containing compounds, like bromine-containing compounds, are capable of inhibiting the gas-phase free radical combustion reactions of the pyrolysis products obtained from poly(ethylene terephthalate).
A THEORY OF MODULAR EVOLUTION FOR BACTERIOPHAGES

The modular theory of virus evolution has clear experimental support among the temperate bacteriophages of the enteric bacteria. However, there is also similar genetic and DNA heteroduplex evidence for such evolution among other families of bacteriophages: the virulent bacteriophages of the enterics comprise several families: the T-even group, the T3-T7 group (which has many members among different species of bacteria, including bacteria as widely divergent as E. coli and Caulobacter crescentus. It nicely explains the diffusion of very similar homologous bacteriophages into hosts whose own DNAs have diverged very greatly from each other in nucleotide sequence. It also accounts for the rigorous maintenance of regulatory schemes while units of function (including regions coding for proteins) diverge more rapidly. It should also be noted that the considerations that make modular evolution seem advantageous for bacteriophages apply equally well to viruses of higher organisms. Furthermore, the kinds of heteroduplex similarity observed among animal viruses are reminiscent of what is found for bacteriophages. Viruses found in widely divergent hosts show much greater similarity than would be expected; quite possibly animal viruses also evolve as a population of interchangeable modules.
Reduction of Flicker Noise in AlGaN/GaN-Based HFETs After High Electric-Field Stress

We report on the evolution of AlGaN/GaN-based heterojunction field-effect transistor (HFET) operation under high-electric-field stress. Specifically, a 10 ~ 15 dB decrease in the flicker noise is observed after stress in contrast with what has been nominally observed and reported in the literature in the realm of direct-current characteristics. Gate lag measurements revealed a trap state with an activation energy of 0.20 eV in the pristine devices, which manifests itself as a generation-recombination peak in the flicker noise spectrum. This trap state becomes undetectable in gate lag and noise measurements after high-field stress. Analysis shows that the phenomena observed are consistent with the change of surface charge profile during high-electric-field stress.
Development of an assay to determine single nucleotide polymorphisms in the prion gene for the genetic diagnosis of relative susceptibility to classical scrapie in sheep.

The objective of this study was to develop a reliable TaqmanH 59 Nuclease Assay for genotyping sheep for scrapie susceptibility. The sheep prion gene contains 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that may mediate resistance to classical scrapie, one at codon 136, alanine (A) or valine (V), and another at codon 171, arginine (R) or glutamine (Q). The R allele appears to confer resistance to classical scrapie, with the AA136 RR171 genotype the most resistant to scrapie and QR171 only rarely infected in the US sheep population. The Assays by Design SM protocol was used for development of probes and primers for codon 136 and Primer ExpressH for codon 171. Commercially available kits were used to isolate genomic DNA from blood or muscle. For validation, 70 SNP determinations for each codon were compared to commercial testing with an error rate of less than 1%. Then, 935 samples from blood (n 5 818) and muscle (n 5 117) were tested for both codons with 928 successful determinations and only 7 samples (,1% of total samples) that needed repeating. Genotypes were AA QQ (n 5 102; 11.0%), AV QQ (n 5 28; 3.0%), AA QR (n 5 396; 42.7%), AV QR (n 5 54; 5.8%), and AA RR (n 5 348; 37.5%). Thus, 86% of the sheep tested (n 5 798) contained R at codon 171 and were expected to be scrapie-resistant. This new TaqmanH 59 Nuclease SNP genotyping assay is accurate, easy to perform, and useful in the study of classical scrapie in sheep and its prevention through selective breeding programs to eliminate highly susceptible animals.
The Renege Case

Schools of Business, Accounting Programs, the AACSB accreditation standards, the accounting profession and society demand that we require ethical behavior and actions from our students, faculty and administration. Therefore, accounting departments desire to integrate into their programs a serious attempt to help students develop the skills and judgment with which to analyze situations and make ethical decisions.
Maternal-Fetal Contributors to the Insulin Resistance Syndrome in Youth

The life course approach to chronic diseases considers fetal life a critical period for the development of later, adult chronic diseases. Numerous studies have linked growth restriction in utero, as marked by low birth weight or thinness at birth, with an increased risk for the metabolic syndrome (MetS), insulin resistance (IR), poor glucose tolerance and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and indicators of early cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adulthood. The effects were strong and greatly enhanced by the presence of adult obesity. These findings were linked to poor fetal nutrition during intrauterine life and constitute the basis for “the thrifty phenotype” hypothesis. At the other end of the birth weight distribution, macrosomic infants of women with diabetes during pregnancy are a group exposed to overnutrition during the intrauterine life. They have also been shown to have an increased risk for obesity and T2DM as adults.
Stages and Standards in Literacy: Teaching Developmentally in the Age of Accountability:

This article describes a model of literacy development, as reflected in students’ spelling. The model, based on research that has identified five stages of word knowledge, explains the development ...
Do We Need Protectionism

This paper looks at trade protectionism in an attempt to determine whether mature economies entering the twenty-first century need to protect their domestic producers from foreign competition. Part I reviews and analyzes the most common arguments that have been offered in support of protectionist policies over the last few centuries. Part II discusses some protectionist features of NAFTA and the recently concluded Uruguay Round of GAIT to determine whether these provisions are in the best interests of the general public. Part III concludes that there is no need to protect domestic producers at the expense of the general public, and that the only trade policy that benefits the general public is one of total, immediate and unilateral free trade.
Portraits of White Racism: Introduction to the second edition

A merican race relations have changed dramatically since this book was originally published in 1977. A number of important new sociological cards have been dealt to the American people during the intervening fifteen years: “Hate” crimes have increased. Not only in Bensonhurst and Howard Beach, New York, or Forsythe County, Georgia, and Castro Valley, California, but also on major American university campuses. “In the last three years,” one reporter observes, “there have been episodes of racist graffiti, jokes, anonymous hate notes or brawls at 175 campuses, including top private schools like Smith College, Brown University and Colby College as well as big public universities like Michigan and Wisconsin” (Berger, 1989). Racism in the 1980s has been much more malevolent and overt than it was in the 1970s. A significant black middle class has emerged. Largely as a result of 1960s civil rights activities, economic well-being was achieved by a sizeable portion of the black community throughout the 1970s and 1980s. By 1981, the proportion of black Americans who enjoyed an income that supports a middle-class life-style exceeded 40 percent (Business-Higher Education Forum, 1990: 22). As a consequence, some sociologists (Wilson, 1987) argue that class forces and economic factors are more important variables than white racism for explaining the social location of African Americans. The significance of racism, according to this view, has declined in the last two decades.
Urban building extraction through object-based image classification assisted by digital surface model and zoning map

This study develops an object-based image classification methodology for urban land covers classification, using very high resolution aerial images, elevation data and city zoning maps. Logically structured classification rules based on spectral, spatial and contextual features of the segmented objects are first created and tested over a small urban area. The same rule set is then transferred and tested on two similar images covering larger urban areas. The land cover classification results through the transferability of the rule set prove the effectiveness of the methodology and produce satisfactory classification results with an overall accuracy of 91% as against 96% that was achieved over the small representative training area. The classification methodology based on the integrated use of multiple data produces satisfactory land cover classification. Its transferability considerably reduces both the processing time and the analyst’s efforts.
Applicability, Internal Structure, and basic Patterns of a Multicultural Brief Quality of Life Measure in a Sample of Psychiatric Patients with Comorbid Substance Use Disorders

Background: The measurement of quality of life as estimate of well being is assuming increasing importance in the evaluation of health and treatment efficacy. Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the applicability, internal structure and clinical patterns of the Multicultural Quality of Life Index (MQLI), a brief, self-rated, culturally informed, quality of life scale, in patients experiencing comorbid psychiatric and substance use disorders. Methods: Sixty-two consecutively admitted outpatients completed the MQLI. With this data, the applicability, internal consistency, factorial structure, and prediction of treatment adherence over a three-month period were assessed. Results: It was found that the MQLI was easy to administer. It had good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha 0.89). Factor analysis revealed that the first factor explained 53% of the variance, indicating the unidimensionality of the instrument around quality of life. Two MQLI items, interpersonal functioning and the availability of supports, significantly predicted treatment adherence. Conclusions: The MQLI is easy to use, it has a coherent structure, and is clinically useful in psychiatric patients with comorbid substance use disorders.
The Third Larval Instar and Puparium of Odontoloxozus longicornis (Diptera: Neriidae)

The life-history study of Odontoloxozus longicornis (Coquillett) by Olsen and Ryckman (1963) gives detailed descriptions of larval and pupal instars, but is lacking in some important respects concerning the larva of the third stage—that in which characteristic details for recognition are best developed. Since the species is 1 of only 2 members of its family in the Nearctic Region, and since it is the only New World species for which data on immatures are available, the accompanying figures are presented as a complement to those of Olsen and Ryckman. The material on which they are based was collected and reared at Harlingen, Texas, from the decaying stem of a papaya on January 9, 1932, by N. O. Berry, and is deposited in the U.S. National Museum.
Doctoral Degree Prestige and the Academic Marketplace: A Study of Career Mobility Within the Management Discipline

Using data collected from a national sample of 171 PhD holders, who were awarded terminal degrees in management between 1977 and 1987, we tested four hypotheses concerning career mobility within th...
Smoking cessation for the neurologic patient

Summary Given the vast health and socioeconomic effects of tobacco use, smoking cessation is no longer a topic reserved for the primary care physician. As a modifiable risk factor that can lead to stroke, dementia, multiple sclerosis, and other neurologic diseases, cigarette smoking should be addressed by all health care providers, including neurologists. Counseling, nicotine replacement therapies, and other medications are the mainstays of treatment. However, even brief advice from a health care professional at the end of a routine office visit can increase a patient9s chances of quitting. Armed with a better understanding of smoking9s effect on neurologic disease and available resources, such as toll-free quit lines and Web-based interventions, neurologists can help their patients who smoke take the first step to successful cessation.
Factors for Consideration in Designing Short-Term Insect-Host Plant Bioassays

Increasing emphasis is being placed on the refinement of insect-plant bioassay methodology and technique. Maxwell (1977) cited the need for a better understanding of insect behavior in order to design assays which accurately assess insect responses to plant chemicals. Equal attention is due plant growth behavior as well, as pointed out by Chapman (1974), since resistance to insects is plant age specific. These types of assays, whether conducted in laboratory or greenhouse, must also be carried out with limited environmental variation, in order to maintain the ecological basis of the insect-host plant relationship. Kennedy (1977) discussed olfactory assay techniques and after considering several aspects of insect olfactory behavior, suggested means by which to make olfactory assays more discriminating. Cook (1976) reviewed the methodology of phagostimulant insect-plant assays; however, additional insect, plant, and environmental factors warrant our further consideration.
Research advance and application of the hybrid between sorghum and Sudan grass in China

In this article, achievements about the cross between Sorghum and sudan grass during past 20 years were summarizd. The results showed as follows:the hybrid grass, which was selected through crossing between sorghum and Sudan grass, had the strong hybrid vigor, and displayed the characteristics of high yield, high quality, good palatability, high resistance to drought and disease, wide adaptability. The hybrid grass wound be used in animal husbandry and agriculture, which would play a important role in improving agricultural components,developing animal husbandry, and raising income of farmer and ecological reconstruction.
Monitoring of the Oxidation Rates of Carbohydrate,Fat,and Proteins in Patients with Chronic Severe Hepatitis

Objective To analyze the oxidation rates of carbohydrate,fat,and proteins in patients with chronic severe hepatitis.Methods Respiratory quotient(RQ)in 8 patients with chronic severe hepatitis was measured using indirect calorimetry after overnight fasting and at 7:00(limosis),10:00,14:00,and 19:00.After the normal saline and 5% glucose liquor were injected intravenously,RQ was dynamically measured again.Results The RQ early at the morning after overnight fasting was lowest among those measured at different time points.The oxidation rates of fat,protein,and carbohydrate were(63.88±31.60)%,(22.38±13.19)%,and(13.75±23.64)%,respectively,at this time point.When meals were added before sleeping,RQ at different time points increased,the oxidation rate of fat decreased to(48.13±28.24)%,the oxidation rate of carbohydrate increased to(37.25±24.05)%,and the oxidation rate of protein decreased to(14.75±10.73)%.RQ rapidly increased after glucose was injected intravenously.Conclusions Fat and protein are the main source of energy in patients with chronic severe hepatitis early at the morning after overnight fasting.Meals before sleeping and intravenous administration of glucose may improve the oxidation rate of carbohydrate and optimize the usage of fat and protein.
The effect of chlorpromazine on serum cholesterol in chronic schizophrenic patients

In a series of 6 separate controlled clinical trials of antipsychotic agents in chronic schizophrenic patients, it was shown repeatedly that chlorpromazine (CPZ) exhibited hypercholesterolemic activity. In the analysis of covariance, the adjusted final mean difference in serum cholesterol concentrations between the placebo and CPZ groups ranged from 14 to 28 mg. per 100 ml. This activity was dose related in that it occurred with a fixed daily dose of 600 mg. administered for 24 weeks, but not with a fixed daily dose of 150 mg. or 300 mg. over the same period of time. The serum concentration of triglycerides remained unaffected under similar experimental conditions. This action of CPZ appeared unrelated to thyroid function and liver function as presently measured in the clinical laboratory. A consistent relationship to body weight changes could not be demonstrated even though increased body weight was noted to be a consistent result of CPZ therapy. In view of its extensive use as long-term therapy, the possible role of CPZ as an atherogenic agent deserves consideration.
Effect of potassium ion on the stability and release rate of hydrogen peroxide encapsulated in silica hydrogels

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is encapsulated in silica hydrogels using sol-gel method and the effects of the K+ : Na+ ion ratio on gelation time, hydrogel structure, stability, and release rate of H2O2 were investigated. As the amount of K+ ions increased relative to the amount of Na+ ions at the same pH, the gel structure became less compact and the pore diameter increased. Hydrogen peroxide retention values up to 90 and 80% were observed at the end of 7 and 20 days, respectively, in the presence of K+ ions at low pH values when the initial H2O2 concentration was 19.9 wt %. Release rate of hydrogen peroxide decreased with decreasing pH for the two K+ : Na+ ion ratios studied. This work presents an environmentally friendly, low cost, and easy to scale up method to increase the stability of high initial concentrations of H2O2 at room temperature and customize the release rate. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 409–417, 2017
A Random Coefficient Investment Model

Grunfeld (1958), in his pioneering work on the determinants of corporate investment, has theorized that the market value of the firm, i.e., the value placed upon the firm by the securities markets, when taken in conjunction with an estimate of the replacement value of the physical assets of the firm, is a sensitive indicator of the expectations upon which corporate investment decisions are based. His analysis of the investment behavior of 11 large U.S. corporations during the years 1935–54 supported his theory. We, in this chapter, assume that the regression coefficient vector appearing in Grunfeld’s micro investment function is random across firms following a multivariate distribution, and use the panel data compiled by Grunfeld to illustrate the method developed in Chapter IV.
Anxiety: Challenges of Normal and Abnormal Responses

Anxiety is an important physiological and psychological response in humans, especially for those with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD). Anxiety contributes to improved attention, performance and survival in threatening situations. When the response becomes over-learned, habitual, or otherwise dysfunctional, increased anxiety can lead to disruptive behavior, inefficient brain patterns, and avoidance of pleasurable experiences. A brief review of the neuroanatomic underpinnings, assessment techniques and therapeutic strategies is presented. DSM-5 terminology is reviewed. Classes of medications are summarized.
The α-β phase transition in AlPO4 cristobalite: Symmetry analysis, domain structure and transition dynamics

Despite their crystallographic differences, the mechanisms of the α-β phase transitions in the cristobalite phases of SiO2 and AlPO4 are very similar. The β→α transition in AlPO4 cristobalite is from cubic (\(\left( {F\bar 43m} \right)\)) to orthorhombic (C2221), whereas that in SiO2 cristobalite is from cubic (\(\left( {Fd\bar 3m} \right)\)) to tetragonal (P43212 or P41212). These crystallographic differences stem from the fact that there are two distinct cation positions in AlPO4 cristobalite as opposed to one in SiO2 cristobalite and the ordered (Al,P) distribution is retained through the phase transition. As a result, there are significant differences in their crystal structures, domain configurations resulting from the phase transition and Landau free energy expressions. A symmetry analysis of the “improper ferroelastic” transition from \(F\bar 43m \to C222_1\)in AlPO4 cristobalite has been carried out based on the Landau formalism and the projection operator methods. The six-component order parameter, η driving the phase transition transforms as the X5 representation of \(F\bar 43m\)and corresponds to the simultaneous translation and rotation of the [AlO4] and [PO4] tetrahedra coupled along 110. The Landau free energy expression contains a third order invariant, the minimization of which requires a first-order transition, consistent with experimental results. The tetrahedral configurations of twelve α phase domains resulting from the β→α transition in AlPO4 cristobalite are of two types: (1) transformation twins from a loss of the 3-fold axis, and (2) antiphase domains from the loss of the translation vectors 1/2[101] and 1/2[011] (F→C). In contrast to α-SiO2 cristobalite, the α-AlPO4 cristobalite (C2221) does not have chiral elements (43, 41) and hence, enantiomorphous domains are absent. These transformation domains are essentially macroscopic and static in the α phase and microscopic and dynamic in the β phase. The order parameter, η couples with the strain components, which initiates the structural fluctuations causing the domain configurations to dynamically interchange in the β phase. An analysis of the MAS NMR data (29Si, 17O, 27Al) on the α α-β transitions in SiO2 and AlPO4 cristobalites (Spearing et al. 1992, Phillips et al. 1993) essentially confirms the dynamical model proposed earlier for SiO2 cristobalite (Hatch and Ghose 1991) and yields a detailed picture of the transition dynamics. In both cases, small atomic clusters with the configuration of the low temperature α phase persist considerably above the transition temperature, T0. The NMR data on the β phases above T0 cannot be explained by a softening of the tetrahedral rotational and translational modes alone, but require the onset of an order-disorder mechanism resulting in a dynamic averaging due to rapidly changing domain configurations considerably below T0.
Tooth-Brushing Ability After Left Stroke

Date Presented 4/8/2016This study evaluated tooth-brushing ability in people after left stroke, using their ipsilateral, nondominant, left limb. Rehabilitation of the ipsilateral hand and specific skills such as tooth brushing warrants additional consideration.Primary Author and Speaker: Andy WuAddi
Evolutionary Practice Problems Generation: Design Guidelines

This paper identifies design guidelines for the application of evolutionary techniques to the task of generating practice problems for learners in an Intelligent Tutoring System. To this end, we designed experiments that progressively incorporated an increasing number of the characteristics we expect to find in our target application. These features included noisy evaluations, overspecialization, and the need to mitigate user fatigue resulting from interactive evaluations of practice problems. As we did so, we evaluated the potential of recent breakthroughs in coevolutionary learning theory and identified the tradeoff specific to educational applications.
Characterization and Engineering of Seaweed Degrading Enzymes for Biofuels and Biochemicals Production

Exploitation of natural sources and increasing concerns of environmental pollution are motivating a growing interest in renewable and sustainable feedstocks for biochemicals and biofuels. Marine macroalgae have many advantages over terrestrial plant biomass, including high carbohydrate content which converts seaweed in a cogent alternative feedstock. Algal carbohydrates show a diverse sugar composition, which implies that specialized enzymatic systems are required for their conversion into biofuels and chemicals. Discovery and characterization of degrading enzymes and assimilating the relevant pathways is a key step in the depolymerization of algal polysaccharides into fermentable sugars and their metabolism by fermenting microorganisms. Current advances in metabolic engineering have generated new microorganisms capable of efficiently metabolizing macroalgal carbohydrates while producing ethanol, the target product. However, more research is required to unlock the full potential of macroalgae biomass as a feedstock for biochemical and biofuels production. This book chapter provides an overview of seaweed polysaccharides properties, degrading enzymes, and their application in the bioconversion of macroalgae into biofuels and biochemicals.
Could a coffee a day keep the inflammasome away

Increased expression of inflammasome-related genes predicts geriatric morbidity and mortality.
Surgical Anatomy of the Posterior Fossa

The anatomy of the posterior fossa is difficult to master given the complex three-dimensional relationships of its bony, dural, neural, and vascular elements. Neurosurgical approaches to deep locations in the posterior fossa risk collateral damage to neighboring eloquent structures. In this chapter, we will review the posterior fossa enclosure and its contents in relation to a variety of surgical approaches, starting from a posterior perspective and working stepwise anteriorly. Images from Dr. Al Rhoton Jr.’s laboratory are used to illustrate these surgical views.
Ad hoc machinery in debt restructuring? Rethinking the lock-in of institutional agreements

On September 10, 2015, the UN General Assembly voted to adopt basic principles on the sovereign debt restructuring process to establish a clear framework for managing financial crises. In this paper, I draw on insights from the neoliberal institutionalist literature on the “lock-in” of institutional agreements to show that there are clear procedures for debt restructuring when examining agreements among states in three institutions: the IMF, the Paris Club, and Export Credit Agencies (ECAs). For example, creditor states require that debtor states be under an IMF arrangement before debt restructuring. After debt restructuring is completed, creditor and debtor states can benefit from export credit facilities. The empirical part of the paper finds that three (Indonesia, Kenya, and Nigeria) out of fourteen developing countries identified in an IMF study examining export credits and Paris Club debt restructuring illustrate these agreements through the process of debt restructuring followed by the extension of new export credits from ECAs.
Cerebral Blood Flow: Physiology and Measurement Techniques

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) physiology is important to neurosurgeons who manage patients with cerebrovascular disease. The techniques to measure CBF and mathematical methods to calculate CBF have evolved over the past 50 years. These techniques have been refined to enable perioperative and intraoperative measurement of cerebral blood flow qualitatively and quantitatively. Some of the measurement techniques discussed in this chapter include PET, EEG, TCD, Xenon and thermal fusion.
Verbal and visual learning and memory deficits as trait markers for psychosis in bipolar disorder

ion, suggesting that the neurocognitive impairments commonly associated with schizophrenia may be present very early on in its course, and may thus potentially serve as prodromal markers for the onset of the disorder.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Dilemma: How Tightly to Regulate Electronic Cigarettes?

In response to mounting concern about the use of electronic cigarettes by young people, the commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently released an action plan together with a de...
Dense III-V/Si Phase Shifters for Optical Phased Arrays

In this work, we report a dense heterogeneous integration of III-V/Si phase shifters for optical phased arrays. The phase shifters have a V 2π of 0.9 V and optical loss of 0.15 dB at 1550 nm for 2π phase shift with low power consumption of less than 3 nW. We integrate those phase shifters in optical phased arrays with a pitch of 4 µm and the number of channel up to 240. 2D beamsteering is also demonstrated in a 32-channel optical phased array.
Surgery, radiation, and systemic therapies in patients with metastatic melanoma.

e19044 Background: To describe treatment patterns with surgery, radiation, and systemic (drug) therapies in patients with metastatic melanoma in the U.S. Methods: Using a large U.S. medical claims ...
Isolation and Analysis of Mouse and Human Skin γδ T Cells

Skin-resident and infiltrating γδ T lymphocytes are components of the cutaneous immune system that provide the first line of defense against pathogens and the environment. Research that employs the isolation and culture of T cells from murine and human skin can help delineate the molecular and cellular mechanisms utilized by T lymphocytes in skin-specific immunity. However, obtaining high numbers of T cells from epithelial tissue without resorting to long-term culture or transformation can be difficult. Here, specific approaches are described for the isolation and culture of γδ T lymphocytes from murine skin and human skin explant cultures. In addition, a protocol to assess the morphology and activation of epidermal γδ T cells in situ using immunofluorescent microscopy is detailed. These techniques can be used to analyze resident and infiltrating γδ T lymphocytes in the skin via flow cytometry, RNA-seq, or proteomics to further study inflammatory diseases, cancer, or autoimmunity. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Basic Protocol 1: Isolation, culture, and analysis of γδ T cells from murine epidermis Basic Protocol 2: Examination of γδ T cells in epidermal sheets to assess activation and morphology Basic Protocol 3: Preparation of human skin explant cultures for analysis of skin T cells Support Protocol 1: Counting live cells with hemocytometer Support Protocol 2: Preparing a Matrigel.
Initiating PCSK9 Inhibition in Hospital for ACS: We Can, But Does That Mean We Should?

ABSTRACT Type I interferons (alpha/beta interferons [IFN-α/β]) are the main innate cytokines that are able to induce a cellular antiviral state, thereby limiting viral replication and disease pathology. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) play a crucial role in the control of viral infections, especially in response to viruses that have evolved mechanisms to block the type I IFN signal transduction pathway. Using density gradient separation and cell sorting, we have highly enriched a population of bovine cells capable of producing high levels of biologically active type I IFN. These cells represented less than 0.1% of the total lymphocyte population in blood, pseudoafferent lymph, and lymph nodes. Phenotypic analysis identified these cells as bovine pDCs (CD3− CD14− CD21− CD11c− NK− TCRδ− CD4+ MHC II+ CD45RB+ CD172a+ CD32+). High levels of type I IFN were generated by these cells in vitro in response to Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR-9) agonist CpG and foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) immune complexes. In contrast, immune complexes formed with UV-inactivated FMDV or FMDV empty capsids failed to elicit a type I IFN response. Depletion of CD4 cells in vivo resulted in levels of type I IFN in serum early during FMDV infection that were significantly lower than those for control animals. In conclusion, pDCs interacting with immune-complexed virus are the major source of type I interferon production during acute FMDV infection in cattle.
Performance of a Nageotte hemocytometer method and a flow cytometric assay for residual leukocyte quantification in leukoreduced canine packed red blood cells.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performances of a manual Nageotte hemocytometer method and commercial fluorescent bead‐based flow cytometric assay for quantifying [rWBC] in leukoreduced canine packed red blood cell (pRBC) units. DESIGN: Prospective study. Five, commercially purchased, double leukoreduced canine pRBC units were spiked with canine leukocytes to create 6 pRBC standards with the following [rWBC]: < 0.1, 0.375, 1.5, 3.0, 6.0, and 24.0 WBC/µL. [rWBC] of each pRBC standard was measured with the Nageotte hemocytometer and flow cytometric techniques. Limit of detection (LoD), linearity, and bias were determined for each method. For each standard, accuracy and precision were calculated; the cumulative accuracy and mean precision for measurements between the LoD and 24.0 WBC/µL were also determined. SETTING: University veterinary blood bank and clinical pathology laboratory. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The Nageotte hemocytometer method had an LoD = 1.48 WBC/µL, inadequate linearity (R² = 0.92), and a significant negative proportional bias (slope best‐fit line = 0.52 ± 0.03). Between [rWBC] 1.5‐24 WBC/µL, the technique demonstrated poor cumulative accuracy (6.7%) but acceptable mean precision (17.3%). Relative to a 2 rWBC/µL threshold, at 1.5 WBC/µL the method was inaccurate (6.7%) with acceptable precision (16.6%). The flow cytometric assay had an LoD = 1.3 WBC/µL, acceptable linearity (R² = 0.99), and a mild positive proportional bias (slope best‐fit line = 1.11 ± 0.01). The technique had acceptable cumulative accuracy (80%) and mean precision (10.7%) for measuring [rWBC] between 1.5 and 24 WBC/µL. At 1.5 WBC/µL, this method was acceptably accurate (86.7%) and precise (16.0%). CONCLUSIONS: The flow cytometric assay demonstrated acceptable performance for quantification of [rWBC] in leukoreduced canine pRBC units. The Nageotte hemocytometer method should be used cautiously due to poor accuracy and significant negative bias.
The effect of post mastectomy radiation therapy on survival in breast cancer patients with N1mic disease.

Abstract Background The role of post mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) in patients with N1mic breast cancer has not been well defined. A retrospective analysis was performed using the SEER database to evaluate the impact of PMRT on survival in patients with N1mic breast cancer. Materials and methods Women with T1-T2, N1mic, M0 breast cancer who had undergone mastectomy were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables. Univariate analysis to assess for differences in survival with respect to covariates was performed using the log rank test while multivariate analysis was performed with Cox proportional hazards regression. Sub-cohort analysis with propensity score matching was used to assess differences in survival among patients undergoing PMRT vs no PMRT. Comparisons were considered statistically significant at P Results Among 5878 patients, 1202 (20%) underwent PMRT. On univariate analysis, PMRT was a significant predictor of CSS, but not OS. There was no difference in either OS or CSS between the PMRT vs no PMRT groups on multivariate Cox regression analysis and after propensity score matching. Conclusions Among patients with T1-T2, N1mic, M0 breast IDC from the SEER database, there was no difference in either OS or CSS among patients who underwent PMRT vs no PMRT. These results suggest that PMRT does not impact survival among breast cancer patients with N1mic disease. However, additional prospective studies with longer follow up are necessary for further evaluation.
“Their Page is Still Up”: Social Media and Coping with Loss

Young adults use social media (SM) to share life events, including loss of loved ones. In a national sample of U.S. young adults (n = 1,119), “grievers” were identified as those who had experienced...
Real-time online analysis of power grid

The unprecedented operational complexity and security risks in operating the Chinese UHV AC/DC power grid calls for a new generation of real-time (sec-order) online analysis systems to provide decision support. Our recent Digital Twin based online analysis research and development work to address the needs is presented. In addition, a high-level solution architecture for the future real-time online analysis systems is proposed for realizing: a) The delay of the virtual model to mirror the physical power grid is in sub-sec range; b) The downstream online analysis applications could have sec-order responsiveness.
Portrait of My Father: Frida Kahlo's Intimate Relation to Epilepsy

The painting Portrait of My Father (1951) by the Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo, is discussed by the author within the context of epilepsy and biographical events in the lives of both Frida and her father, the German Mexican photographer Guillermo Kahlo. The biographical accounts of the photographer's seizures are suggestive of juvenile absence epilepsy but cannot discount the possibility of posttraumatic epilepsy of mesial frontal origin.