cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
POSTCATARACT ENDOPHTHALMITIS TREATED WITH SMALL GAUGE VITRECTOMY.

PURPOSE To discuss the use of minimally invasive, small gauge vitrectomy for acute postcataract endophthalmitis in patients with better than light-perception vision. PATIENT 71-year-old man presented with redness, pain, and decreased vision of his left eye 11 days after cataract extraction. His visual acuity was counting fingers at 1 foot and slit-lamp examination revealed severe conjunctival injection, corneal edema, and hypopyon. The clinical impression was of acute postcataract endophthalmitis. METHODS Patient was taken for immediate vitrectomy with simultaneous vitreous tap for culture, PCR, and injection of intravitreal vancomycin and ceftazidime. RESULTS Culture and PCR of vitreous sample were positive for Staphylococcus epidermidis. Vision improved to 20/20 1 month postoperatively with complete resolution of vitreous inflammation and retinal vasculitis. CONCLUSION In postcataract endophthalmitis with dense vitritis and diffuse retinal vasculitis, immediate, 25-gauge vitrectomy may result in return of baseline visual acuity.
Arterial stiffness in persons with paraplegia.

Background: Arterial stiffness recently has been identified as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. An accurate andnoninvasive estimate of arterial stiffness can be made through c...
Race and Ethnicity

This chapter addresses the impact of religious involvement on race in America by examining the research literature that has emerged over the past decade. Attention is paid to trends and patterns in religious participation and practices across racial-ethnic groups during that time period. The continued debate over religion as an integrative or divisive community force is also probed in depth, as are commonalities and differences in attitudes and outcomes across racial-ethnic and religious lines on a variety of issues. The concluding section offers thoughts on the state of the literature and suggested directions for future research.
Human neutrophil peptides and complement factor Bb in pathogenesis of acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura is primarily caused by the deficiency of plasma ADAMTS13 activity resulting from autoantibodies against ADAMTS13. However, ADAMTS13 deficiency alone is often not sufficient to cause acute thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Infections or systemic inflammation may precede acute bursts of the disease, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Herein, 52 patients with acquired autoimmune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and 30 blood donor controls were recruited for the study. The plasma levels of human neutrophil peptides 1-3 and complement activation fragments (i.e. Bb, iC3b, C4d, and sC5b-9) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Univariate analyses were performed to determine the correlation between each biomarker and clinical outcomes. We found that the plasma levels of human neutrophil peptides 1-3 and Bb in patients with acute thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura were significantly higher than those in the control (P<0.0001). The plasma levels of HNP1-3 correlated with the levels of plasma complement fragment Bb (rho=0.48, P=0.0004) and serum lactate dehydrogenase (rho=0.28, P=0.04); in addition, the plasma levels of Bb correlated with iC3b (rho=0.55, P<0.0001), sC5b-9 (rho=0.63, P<0.0001), serum creatinine (rho=0.42, p=0.0011), and lactate dehydrogenase (rho=0.40, P=0.0034), respectively. Moreover, the plasma levels of iC3b and sC5b-9 were correlated (rho=0.72, P<0.0001), despite no statistically significant difference of the two markers between thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura patients and the control. We conclude that innate immunity, i.e. neutrophil and complement activation via the alternative pathway, may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute autoimmune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, and a therapy targeted at these pathways may be considered in a subset of these patients.
Linear Subspaces and Affine Manifolds

The first three chapters of this book discuss the concept of linear subspaces and some of its important subsets — namely, affine manifolds, convex cones and sets. The notion of convexity plays a dominant role in nonlinear programming and is explored in depth in these chapters. Chapter 4 deals with convex and convex-like functions. As we will see later, certain convex sets can be associated with each of these functions. The important results of these chapters are used later to develop optimality conditions for nonlinear programs. The chapters also do contain several other related results which have been used elsewhere in the study of nonlinear programs or, in the opinion of the authors, are likely to be useful in advanced work in this area.
Sensitivity analysis of probabilistic graphical models

Probabilistic belief systems are used in artificial intelligence to model uncertainty. A popular framework for realizing probabilistic belief systems is to use graphical models, such as Bayesian networks and Markov networks. The topic of sensitivity analysis is concerned broadly with the relationships between local beliefs, such as network parameters, and global beliefs, such as values of probabilistic queries. Sensitivity analysis is crucial to probabilistic belief systems because we often need to revise our state of belief to incorporate new probabilistic information in the form of local belief changes. This work focuses on sensitivity analysis of probabilistic graphical models, by addressing central research problems such as the assessment of global belief changes due to local belief changes, the identification of local belief changes that induce certain global belief changes, and the quantifying of belief changes in general. Our results can be divided into the following parts. First, we develop procedures and complexity results for tuning Bayesian or Markov network parameters (single or multiple) to ensure certain query constraints. Second, we provide network-independent bounds on changes in query values due to arbitrary changes in Bayesian or Markov network parameters. Third, we propose a new distance measure for quantifying probabilistic belief changes, and use it to provide guarantees on global belief changes in Bayesian or Markov networks. Fourth, we provide algorithms and complexity results on the sensitivity of decisions induced by Bayesian networks. Finally, we discuss the philosophical topic of belief revision. Many of our results have been implemented in a program called SamIam (Sensitivity Analysis, Modeling, Inference and More), a graphical Bayesian network tool developed by the UCLA Automated Reasoning Group.
Supporting a Passion for New Ideas through Open APIs

Despite the many technological advances that the information industry has witnessed over the past decades, barriers to the full use of information remain. Part of this problem is due to the volume of content and data that is available today. But the information silos created by proprietary system interfaces and the resultant lack of open use of content are far more serious factors inhibiting the full use of information and ultimately the generation of new ideas. This paper will take a look at the current situation and offer some solutions to the current problem.
Evolution of vocal patterns: tuning hindbrain circuits during species divergence.

The neural circuits underlying divergent courtship behaviors of closely related species provide a framework for insight into the evolution of motor patterns. In frogs, male advertisement calls serve as unique species identifiers and females prefer conspecific to heterospecific calls. Advertisement calls of three relatively recently (∼8.5mya) diverged species - Xenopus laevis , X. petersii and X. victorianus - include rapid trains of sound pulses (fast trills). We show that while fast trills are similar in pulse rate (∼60 pulses/second) across the 3 species, they differ in call duration and period (time from onset of call to the onset of the following call). Previous studies of call production in X. laevis used an isolated brain preparation in which the laryngeal nerve produces compound action potentials that correspond to the advertisement call pattern (fictive calling). Here, we show that serotonin evokes fictive calling in X. petersii and X victorianus as it does in X. laevis . As in X. laevis , fictive fast trill in X. petersii and X victorianus is accompanied by an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-dependent local field potential wave in a rostral hindbrain nucleus, DTAM. Across the three species, wave duration and period are strongly correlated with species-specific fast trill duration and period, respectively. When DTAM is isolated from the more rostral forebrain and midbrain and/or more caudal laryngeal motor nucleus, the wave persists at species-typical durations and periods. Thus, intrinsic differences within DTAM could be responsible for the evolutionary divergence of call patterns across these related species.
Post-market surveillance study of FLXfit™ TLIF interbody fusion device: protocol for a prospective case series study

Background: Minimally invasive (MIS) lumbar fusion is a frequently utilized treatment for lumbar degenerative pathology. Interbody cages have been the preferred fusion construct in these procedures due to their ability to facilitate fusion and provide structural stability. However, due to the anatomic small access corridor of minimally invasive lumbar fusion procedures, the interbody cages used in these techniques are often limited in size, increasing the risk for pseudarthrosis and subsidence. Expandable interbody cages have been developed to overcome these risks in limitations. However, few clinical studies have been developed and initiated to describe the fusion rates, clinical outcomes, and complication rates in patients receiving these expandable cages. Methods/Design: A prospective case series of 30 patients receiving the FLXFit expandable interbody cage device is currently underway. Patients to undergo MIS transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) for degenerative pathology will be recruited based on their meeting of inclusion criteria and eligibility to receive the expandable cage device. Patient follow-up will occur at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years. The primary outcome will be fusion status at 1-year, as measured by computed tomography (CT) scan. Patient reported outcomes and radiographic measurements will be obtained preoperatively and at all postoperative time points. All complications, reoperations, and hospital readmissions occurring during follow up will also be recorded. Discussion: This protocol is designed to better describe the outcomes and complications following the utilization of the FLXFit expandable interbody cage device following MIS TLIF. The present manuscript provides the process for patient selection, intervention, and follow-up. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02805985; registered on June 15, 2016. Ethics: The study protocol has been approved by the Rush University Institutional Review Board (IRB), and will be performed under the ethical standards of the IRB. Informed consent: Signed informed consent will be obtained from each patient.
Questions, Questions: Using Problem-Based Learning to Infuse Disability Studies into an Introductory Secondary Special Education Course

This essay describes how an introductory special education course for future high school general education teachers became disability studies friendly through problem-based learning. Course structure and content are described, including opportunities for introducing disability studies concepts. Instructional challenges related to problem-based learning and maintaining a dual content focus are considered.
The finite length analysis of spatially-coupled codes for 1-D magnetic recording channels

Spatially-coupled (SC) codes have recently attracted significant attention due to their capability to achieve capacity approaching performance. Significant recent research has been devoted to the asymptotic study of SC codes. Although the asymptotic analysis is relevant, it cannot be directly applied in the finite-length setting due to cycle-free and averaging assumptions. In this paper, we consider the problem of finite length analysis of SC codes for magnetic-recording (MR) applications. First, we propose an efficient approach to enumerate certain combinatorial objects inside the Tanner graph representation of SC codes, objects that are found to lead to decoding errors in the high reliability regime. This enumeration approach exploits the structure of SC codes to dramatically decrease the complexity of the enumeration. Next, we consider the class of array-based SC codes with column weight 3 as a representative example, and identify the problematic combinatorial objects that cause performance degradation in the error floor area. We show that SC codes designed to have a minimal number of these problematic objects have a notable performance improvement in the error floor area.
Vertical microcavities with high Q and strong lateral mode confinement

We show that strong lateral photon confinement in a vertical Fabry-P\'erot microcavity can be achieved without sacrificing the quality factor $Q$ or the need for pillar structures. A submicrometer Gaussian-shaped defect inserted between two distributed Bragg reflectors confines the photons on resonance in a small modal volume $V$ on the order of ${(\ensuremath{\lambda}/n)}^{3}$ while maintaining a $Q$ up to ${10}^{5}$. This design minimizes light scattering induced by lateral dielectric discontinuities, and therefore our simulations demonstrate that the $Q/V$ is increased by nearly two orders of magnitude relative to cavities with an embedded mesa defect. We further discuss possible fabrication strategies for such devices, which are well suited for the study of cavity quantum electrodynamics with either organic or inorganic quantum emitters, and hold promise for the implementation of scalable quantum photonic networks.
An analysis of edge dislocation pileups against a circular inhomogeneity or a bimetallic interface

Abstract Equilibrium configurations of edge dislocation pileups against a circular inhomogeneity or a bimetallic interface are determined numerically for a given number N of dislocations, the applied shear stress τ , the size of the inhomogeneity, and the degree of material disparity. The increase of applied stress moves a pileup closer to the inhomogeneity and increases the density of dislocations within a pileup, which is more pronounced for smaller and softer inhomogeneities due to their weaker repulsion of dislocations. The configurational force exerted by the pileup on a circular inhomogeneity is equal to Nτb x , where b x is a Burgers vector of dislocations, plus a term dependent on dislocation positions and material properties. The configurational force on a bimetallic plane interface is equal to Nτb x , independently of dislocation positions and material properties. The stress concentration caused by dislocation pileups against different interfaces is evaluated and discussed, which is of importance for the study of interface cracking. In general, the increase of the shear modulus and the Poisson ratio disparities ( G 2 / G 1 and ν 2 / ν 1 , where the subscript 1 specifies the material in which dislocations reside) diminishes the interface stresses.
Postulates and Basic Elements of Quantum Mechanics: Properties of Operators

In this chapter I present a somewhat more formal introduction to the theory that underlies quantum mechanics. Although the discussion is limited mainly to single particles, many of the results apply equally well to many-particle systems. Some of the postulates of the theory depend on the properties of Hermitian operators, operators that play a central role in quantum mechanics. First I state the postulates, then discuss Hermitian operators, and finally explore some results that follow directly from Schrodinger’s equation.
An improved friction stir shear localization model and applications in understanding weld formation process in alloy Ti-6-4

This paper presents a coupled shear localization model incorporating both pin/workpiece contact and three-dimensional (3D) heat flow environment generated by friction heating between tool shoulder and workpiece. It represents a significant improvement over an early shear localization model presented by the same authors (2014, 2015) which was focused on shear localization process in front of pin such that shear band development can be treated as a one-dimensional (1D) thermal viscoplastic problem, without considering shoulder/workpiece heating effects and contact interactions between pin and workpiece. The current model includes a novel analytical-based 3D transient heat flow solution incorporating detailed spatial resolution regarding heat generation at shoulder/workpiece interface, which provides a transient temperature environment within which shear localization process can now be examined in a greater detail. Also, contact interactions between pin and workpiece are now treated explicitly by introducing a classical contact mechanics solution for describing contact behavior between a cylinder (pin) and cylindrical cavity (surrounding base metal). This refined shear localization model has been shown capable of providing more realistic and reasonable estimations for both temperature and welding torque when compared with available experimental data. A robust numerical procedure has also been developed and implemented for determining optimum welding speed for a given combination of stir tool rotational speed and welding travel speed, which shows a good agreement with experimental results for a number of applications.
Realizing the potential for leadership in social work

SummaryOngoing racism, structural inequity, dehumanizing institutional bureaucracies, unresponsive service delivery systems, and gaps in services for emerging needs are just some of the pervasive c...
Across the Continuum of Care: Transitional Housing Programs in the Midwest

For the next stop on our tour, we travel to Michigan. The state of Michigan offers a dramatic counterpoint and distinctive ecological context when compared with our Mississippi case study. Situated squarely in the Midwest, Michigan is the original home of the American automobile industry.
Sequence-of-Tense Phenomena in Complement Clauses

In Chapter 3, I discussed the previous literature that deals with tenses in embedded clauses. Based upon that discussion, I will propose in Chapters 4 and 5 my own account of the SOT phenomena in English and the lack thereof in Japanese. In this chapter, I will concentrate upon complement clauses and will turn to adjunct clauses in Chapter 5. My account starts with a discussion of the semantics of indirect discourse verbs and so-called propositional attitude verbs. Let us recapitulate the discussion of the SOT phenomena by traditional grammarians and modern descriptive grammarians. As mentioned in Chapter 3, they generally describe the SOT phenomena either in terms of the direct speech vs. indirect speech correlation or in terms of structural relations between the trigger and the target. It is usually not clear how they would interpret those sentences in which the SOT phenomena occur. As far as syntax is concerned, I will follow Curme in saying that the rule (or the phenomenon) is defined in terms of structural properties of tenses alone. On the other hand, I will adopt the view that when was in (1) is used for a simultaneous interpretation, it is not the right tense form for semantic interpretation.
Comparison of some Quantitative Studies of Trabecular Bone

Trabecular bone is arranged in densely packed plates through interconnecting rods to a delicate filigree. In thin slices, trabecular bone appears as “spicules” of varying width which are constantly being renewed (Arnold et al., 1966; Bromley et al., 1966) with progressive atrophy as a function of age. Many other factors (hormones, disease, radiation, etc.) may alter the rate of atrophy. An increase rate of atrophy may result in osteoporosis (decreased amount of bone). One of the better methods of evaluating osteoporosis is the determination of the quantity of tissue present in bone slices.
Three-Dimensional Treatment Planning and Conformal Dose Delivery — A Physicist’s Perspective

Radiation oncology is going through a new technological revolution comparable with the change brought about with the introduction of megavoltage medical linear accelerators. Imaging technologies such as x-ray computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) provide a fully three-dimensional (3D) model of the cancer patient’s anatomy that allows radiation oncologists to more accurately identify tumor volumes and their relationship to other critical normal organs. Increasing power and reliability of computers coupled with decreasing cost have spurred the development of powerful CT simulation and 3D radiation therapy treatment planning (3D RTTP) systems that are likely to replace the conventional radiation therapy x-ray simulator and two-dimensional (2D) dose-planning systems as the standard of practice early in the next century [1]. These advances in treatment planning have prompted medical accelerator manufacturers to use advanced electronics and computer technology to produce sophisticated treatment delivery systems capable of precise shaping of dose distributions via computer-controlled multileaf collimators and beam-intensity modulation [2].
Nonlinear ultrasound fields generated by a 256-element spiral array for boiling histotripsy

Boiling histotripsy (BH) is a HIFU approach that uses millisecond-long ultrasound bursts with high-amplitude shocks to mechanically fractionate tissue. In this work, the performance of a BH pre-clinical system operating at 1.5 MHz was characterized by hydrophone measurements in water and lesion formation capabilities were tested in ex vivo tissue. The system comprises a 256 element array driven by Verasonics Ultrasound Engine with a 1.2 kW external power source enhanced by an additional capacitor bank. The maximum pulse average acoustic power of the system was 2.2 kW (as measured by radiation force balance), sustained for 10 ms with <15% drop in amplitude. At the focus, a fully developed shock of 100 MPa amplitude formed at 275 W acoustic power. The steering range defined at -3 dB in both linear and nonlinear beam was 19 mm laterally and 38 mm axially forming the region where 100 MPa shocks can be achieved with less than twofold increase in acoustic power. Within the axial steering range, shock formation characteristics varied substantially due to changes in the effective transducer F-number. The system was successfully used to produce volumetric BH lesions in ex vivo tissue using electronic steering only. [Work supported by NIH R01EB7643, R01GM122859, and R01EB025187.]Boiling histotripsy (BH) is a HIFU approach that uses millisecond-long ultrasound bursts with high-amplitude shocks to mechanically fractionate tissue. In this work, the performance of a BH pre-clinical system operating at 1.5 MHz was characterized by hydrophone measurements in water and lesion formation capabilities were tested in ex vivo tissue. The system comprises a 256 element array driven by Verasonics Ultrasound Engine with a 1.2 kW external power source enhanced by an additional capacitor bank. The maximum pulse average acoustic power of the system was 2.2 kW (as measured by radiation force balance), sustained for 10 ms with <15% drop in amplitude. At the focus, a fully developed shock of 100 MPa amplitude formed at 275 W acoustic power. The steering range defined at -3 dB in both linear and nonlinear beam was 19 mm laterally and 38 mm axially forming the region where 100 MPa shocks can be achieved with less than twofold increase in acoustic power. Within the axial steering range, shock formation ...
Mountain-top mining particulate matter exposure increases markers of mitochondrially-driven apoptosis in rat cardiac tissue

Particulate matter (PM) exposure has been associated with adverse health effects in many different regions throughout the US. In the Appalachian region, research has shown that there is a higher in...
Dermatologic Cancer Pain Syndromes

Pain and pruritus are common symptom that dermatologic patients experience. The skin is comprised of three layers interspersed with sensory receptors that specialize in detecting changes or disruptions to the skin. The body’s response to various irritations (e.g., inflammation), or iatrogenic introduced foreign bodies (e.g., needles), can affect the skin and be perceived by the brain as pain.
Smithsonian Institution—Museum and Institutional Archives Programs

The Smithsonian Institution Archives is responsible for the Smithsonian's records of enduring value. Though the Institution was aware of the need to keep certain records permanently (dating back to...
Does diversity hurt students’ feeling of oneness? A study of the relationships among social trust, university internal brand identification, and brand citizenship behaviors on diversifying university campuses

ABSTRACTBased on a representative sample of students from four public universities in a Midwestern state, this study finds that universities’ campus diversity has positive influences on their stude...
Abstract 313: Inhibition of Resistin Protects against Heart Failure Injury by Targeting Gadd45α

Background: Resistin is an adipocyte-secreted hormone, increased Resistin levels are associated with the development of insulin resistance, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. However, the role o...
Instructive Advances in Chemical Microbiology Inspired by Nature's Diverse Inventory of Molecules.

Natural product antibiotics have played an essential role in the treatment of bacterial infection in addition to serving as useful tools to explore the intricate biology of bacteria. Our current ar...
UTILITY OF MULTIMODALITY IMAGING IN PREOPERATIVE PLANNING OF COMPLEX PROSTHETIC VALVE PARAVALVULAR LEAK WITH PSEUDOANEURYSM FORMATION

Multimodality imaging for 3D assessment of complex cardiac anatomy in preoperative planning. A 64-year-old male with history of bioprosthetic mitral valve (MV), bioprosthetic aortic valve (AV), tricuspid valve repair, chronic liver disease presented for worsening shortness of breath and edema.
Exploratory Surveys of Migratory Birds Breeding in the Western and Central Canadian Arctic 2005-2011

The Canadian Arctic and subarctic are the primary breeding areas of many species of North American water and land birds. Because of the Arctic's remote location and the logistical difficulties of w...
Nutrient management for organic farming: a case study.

There is increasing interest from farmers and consumers in foodgrownwithouttheuseofsyntheticpesticidesandinorganic fertilizers. This case highlights the history of one farmer in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina who has grown vegetables for 12yrusingonlycompostedturkey(Meleagrisgallopavo)litterfor a nutrient source. Since he began production, the concentration ofseveralplantnutrientshasincreasedasmuchasfivefoldinthe soil.Althoughtherewerenoapparentproblemswiththesoil,the certification board that oversees his production practices questioned this rapid change in nutrient status and the implications for the future. In presenting this case, students were shown a video recording of the farmer discussing his operations and his concerns for the future. The students were then asked to make practicalmanagementrecommendationstodealwiththecurrent trends of nutrient accumulation, to determine the conditions where excessively high nutrient concentrations may become a problem,andtoconstructawhole-farmnutrientbudgetthatconsiderstheinitialsourcesofnutrientsenteringthefarmandtheir ultimatefate.Afollow-upsessionallowedthestudentstodiscuss their ideas and critique each other using the available information.
BeCOTS: Bent Corner-Operated Tran-Similar Maps and Lattices

Abstract A field (2-parameter family of similarities) S ( x , y ) is Tran-Similar (TS) if there exist similarities U and V such that S ( x , y ) = U x ⋅ V y and U ⋅ V = V ⋅ U . The recently proposed COTS map, M , is defined in terms of a planar TS field, S , as M ( x , y ) = S ( x , y ) ⋅ A and is Corner-Operated (CO), i.e., controlled by the images A , B , C , and D of the four corners of the unit-square in parameter space. The CO property enables intuitive design of planar warps. The TS property has several benefits: (1) The COTS map distributes distortion evenly; (2) It may be used to create pleasing patterns in which consecutive instances along any given row or column are related by the same similarity; and (3) Point-Membership Classification and Integral-Property Computation may be performed in constant time. However, the COTS map is only defined when the four corners are coplanar. To remove this restriction, we propose the Bent COTS (BeCOTS) generalization of the COTS map to three dimensions. It is CO (operated by its four non-coplanar corners) and TS (inheriting the properties of COTS mentioned above). We discuss potential benefits of BeCOTS for supporting the design and parameterization of highly-complex, bent lattices, for accelerating their processing, and for reducing the cost of manufacturing a class of large architectural structures.
Towards MEMS-Tunable Phase Matching and Mode Conversion in Nanophotonic Waveguides

The advent of interconnected devices, sensors, and systems requires increasingly large data transmission rates. Optical communications has met these bandwidth needs due to the large information-carrying capacity of light, although new modulation and multiplexing approaches are required to keep up with increasing demand. To this end, mode-division multiplexing (MDM), in which light propagates in on-chip waveguides with distinct and orthogonal spatial mode shapes, may offer a promising solution. To date, however, most chip-scale MDM devices have relied on (de)multiplexing on-chip of fixed optical modes as opposed to tunable mode conversion. In this Letter we demonstrate a new approach to mode conversion and mode-division multiplexing (MDM) that takes advantage of MEMS-tunable optical phase matching. We show via simulations that the approach enables mode conversion with high purity. Measurements on fabricated devices demonstrate the feasibility of this new MEMS index perturbation and phase matching approach for on-demand and dynamic mode conversion for MDM data/communications links. [2020-0107]
A Short & Happy Guide to Advanced Legal Research (Table of Contents and Chapter 6 on The Ethics of Online Legal Research)

Legal research and writing are the skills every practicing lawyer relies on to be successful, but every practicing lawyer also needs to be aware of the ethical issues associated with online legal research. This chapter will explore the ethical duty lawyers have to their clients while conducting legal research online. ABA Model Rule 1.1 imposes a duty of competence upon all lawyers and defines competent representation to include “the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation.” Because conducting research is often an essential part of the “thoroughness and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation,” this ethical component applies directly to legal research. Today’s lawyers also need to understand whether litigation analytics and/or AI will be cost and time efficient for their client’s issue in order to be both competent and thorough. A lawyer’s duty of competence now includes a duty regarding technology, which includes new legal research technologies using artificial intelligence and litigation analytics. Lawyers must “keep abreast of changes in the law and its practice, including the benefits and risks associated with relevant technology.” Thirty-seven jurisdictions have adopted an “ethical duty of technology competence” as part of their rules of professional conduct, and Florida and North Carolina now require specific technology Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits. While there is not a consensus on what “technology” is — it can range from using email to creating smart contracts — conducting legal research online requires an understanding of the associated risks to your clients. The attached excerpt includes the table of contents for the book and the chapter on the ethics of online legal research. The chapter discusses the duty of competence related to AI and litigation analytics, cloud-based services and third-party vendors, preventing the inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of client information, and reasonable fees. The Short and Happy Guide to Advanced Legal Research is aimed at teaching law students cost-effective, time-efficient legal research. The intent of this book is to zero in on the legal research resources necessary to meet the needs of the researcher at any particular stage of civil litigation. Each chapter identifies free and fee-based legal research options as good, cheap, and/or fast. The emphasis is on how to find the necessary information in the most efficient manner. This book could be used as a supplement in pre-trial or civil litigation courses. This book is included in the West Academic study aid package, and if your school is a subscriber, the book is available for free to your students.
Do Urban Europeans Trust Their Fellow City Dwellers? Immigration, Group Threat, and Intergroup Contact in 63 European Cities

As societies become more diverse, especially with inflows of immigrants, some research finds lowered social trust as an inclusive integration eludes countries, cities, and neighborhoods. But previo...
Feasibility of a yoga, aerobic and stretching-toning exercise program for adult cancer survivors: the STAYFit trial.

The use of yoga as a mind–body practice has become increasingly popular among clinical populations and older adults who use this practice to manage age and chronic disease-related symptoms. Although yoga continues to gain popularity among practitioners and researchers, pilot studies that examine its feasibility and acceptability, especially among cancer survivors, are limited. Feasibility studies play a critical role in determining whether the target population is likely to engage with larger scale efficacy and effectiveness trials. In this paper we present feasibility and acceptability data from a 12-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted with adult cancer survivors. Participants n = 78 (Mean age: 55 years) were randomized to one of three groups: a Hatha yoga, aerobic exercise, or stretching-toning control group with group exercise classes held for 150 min/week for 12 weeks. Herein we report feasibility and acceptability, including enrollment rates, attendance, attrition and adverse events, and participant feedback and satisfaction data. Of the 233 adults screened, 109 were eligible and 78 randomized to one of the three intervention arms. Session attendance was high for all groups (75.5–89.5%) and 17 participants dropped out during the 12-week intervention. Program satisfaction was high (4.8 or higher out of 5) and no adverse events were reported. One cohort (n = 15) of the intervention transitioned to remote intervention delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Feasibility data from these participants suggested that synchronized group exercise classes via Zoom with a live instructor were acceptable and enjoyable. Participant feedback regarding most and least helpful aspects of the program as well as suggestions for future yoga interventions are summarized. Overall, the yoga intervention was highly feasible and acceptable. The feasibility parameters from this trial can aid researchers in estimating recruitment rates for desired sample sizes to successfully randomize and retain cancer survivors in short- and long-term yoga-based efficacy and effectiveness trials. The findings also provide evidence to clinicians who can recommend up to 150 min of a combination of exercises—aerobic, yoga, or stretching-toning to their cancer patients in order to improve health and wellbeing during cancer survivorship.
Algorithmic Imaginaries: The Political Limits of Legal and Computational Reasoning

As debates about how to promote a more egalitarian society have become increasingly salient, one approach that has gained traction is to inform socially consequential policy decisions using algorithms. Algorithmic reasoning suffers from many similar deficiencies as legal thought in the era of the “Twentieth-Century Synthesis,” which rendered questions of political economy, power, and structural inequality invisible or irrelevant. What might be the tenets of a radical algorithmic imaginary, and how might we bring about such a praxis?
Mapping Genes in Isolated Populations: Lessons from the Old Order Amish

The Amish , a socially and religiously isolated population with large communities in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana, have been frequent participants in genetic studies since the 1960s. Although initial studies focused on rare, recessive diseases, others since the 1990s, largely ours, have focused on common disorders and the genetic underpinnings of their risk factors. We have shown both by simulation and practical case studies that the genetic architecture of the Old Order Amish (OOA) includes rare variants having strong phenotypic effects, some of which have reached non-negligible frequencies due to a founder effect and genetic drift . In this chapter, we review our case studies on variants in four genes: ABCG8, APOB, APOC3, and COL1A2. While traditionally medical genetics studies carried out in isolated populations have focused on individuals who are homozygous for some mutation; the four case studies that we present focus on individuals who are heterozygous carriers of a single mutation. This genetic homogeneity of the Amish and the enrichment of these variants allow us adequate statistical power to characterize the phenotypic variation resulting from a single mutation. These case studies have provided biologic insights into the relevance of these genes to human health and disease reaching beyond the OOA population.
A single aromatic core mutation converts a designed “primitive” protein from halophile to mesophile folding

The halophile environment has a number of compelling aspects with regard to the origin of structured polypeptides (i.e., proteogenesis) and, instead of a curious niche that living systems adapted into, the halophile environment is emerging as a candidate “cradle” for proteogenesis. In this viewpoint, a subsequent halophile-to-mesophile transition was a key step in early evolution. Several lines of evidence indicate that aromatic amino acids were a late addition to the codon table and not part of the original “prebiotic” set comprising the earliest polypeptides. We test the hypothesis that the availability of aromatic amino acids could facilitate a halophile-to-mesophile transition by hydrophobic core-packing enhancement. The effects of aromatic amino acid substitutions were evaluated in the core of a “primitive” designed protein enriched for the 10 prebiotic amino acids (A,D,E,G,I,L,P,S,T,V)—having an exclusively prebiotic core and requiring halophilic conditions for folding. The results indicate that a single aromatic amino acid substitution is capable of eliminating the requirement of halophile conditions for folding of a “primitive” polypeptide. Thus, the availability of aromatic amino acids could have facilitated a critical halophile-to-mesophile protein folding adaptation—identifying a selective advantage for the incorporation of aromatic amino acids into the codon table.
Free metal ion depletion by “good's” buffers: III. N-(2-acetamido)iminodiacetic acid, 2:1 complexes with Zinc(II), Cobalt(II), Nickel(II), and Copper(II); Amide deprotonation by Zn(II), Co(II), and Cu(II)

Potentiometric, visible, infrared, electron spin, and nuclear magnetic resonance studies of the complexation of N-(2-acetamido)iminodiacetic acid (H2ADA) by Ca(II), Mg(II), Mn(II), Zn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) are reported. Ca(II) and Mg(II) were found not to form 2:1 ADA2- to M(II) complexes, while Mn(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), and Co(II) did form 2:1 metal chelates at or below physiological pH values. Co(II) and Zn(II), but not Cu(II), were found to induce stepwise deprotonation of the amide groups to form [M(H-1ADA)4-(2)]. Formation (affinity) constants for the various metal complexes are reported, and the probable structures of the various metal chelates in solution are discussed on the basis of various spectral data.
Multiple viral core proteins are determinants of reovirus-induced acute myocarditis.

Abstract Previously, we showed that the M1 gene (encoding a viral core protein, mu 2, whose function is unknown) was associated with the efficiently myocarditic phenotype of a reovirus variant, 8B. Here, we have extended our genetic analysis of 8B and conducted genetic analyses of two other reovirus strains (T1L [serotype 1 strain Lang] and Abney). Our results demonstrate that multiple viral core proteins are determinants of reovirus-induced myocarditis. In contrast to our previous association of mu 2 with induction of myocarditis, this provides strong evidence that a core function achieved through the interaction of multiple core proteins is responsible for induction of the disease.
Robust optical burst switching

Contention is inherent to optical burst switching; this may lead to some burst loss, which could be fatal for some kind of applications. In This work we propose a combination of contention reduction through congestion control and bursts retransmission to eliminate completely bursts loss. The simulation results indicate that this scheme can transform an optical burst switching to a robust burst forwarder. Simulation results also show that the retransmission technique is particularly suitable for metropolitan or local area network where the additional delay incurred by the retransmission is negligible.
On-Statin Resistin, Leptin, and Risk of Recurrent Coronary Events After Hospitalization for an Acute Coronary Syndrome (from the Pravastatin or Atorvastatin Evaluation and Infection Therapy-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 22 Study)

Resistin is an adipokine secreted by macrophages and inflammatory cells linked to insulin resistance and inflammation. Leptin is an adipokine regulator of appetite and obesity. Although circulating levels of both have been associated with atherosclerosis, few data have reported their relation to coronary events in the context of statin therapy. This study measured on-statin levels of both resistin and leptin through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in a nested case–control cohort (n = 176 cases with coronary death, myocardial infarction, or unstable angina pectoris observed in follow-up matched 1:1 to 176 controls) derived from the Pravastatin or Atorvastatin Evaluation and Infection Therapy-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 22 study, a randomized controlled trial of atorvastatin 80 mg/day versus pravastatin 40 mg/day in patients with a recent acute coronary syndrome. Resistin demonstrated a moderate association with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP; Spearman rho = 0.25, p
Incentives in U.S. Charter Schools: For-Profit and Nonprofit Choices

ABSTRACT This paper examines the relationship between policy, organizational type, and the utilization of extrinsic incentives. Charter school reform spread throughout the country in the 1990s, providing the unique opportunity to study over a thousand new public organizations and the innovative operational decisions they made. Traditional public schools typically use standard salary-based reward systems and are bound by collective bargaining agreements that limit the opportunity to innovate in the area of personnel practices. Many charter school advocates shared a belief that new ways of operating public schools could benefit students. Consistent with expectations, the paper finds that for-profit charter schools compared to non-profit charter schools utilize personnel practices with more extrinsic incentives such as merit pay, pay-for-performance, and rewards for professional development. Charter schools located in states with permissive state laws in regard to collective bargaining also use more teacher ...
Sublethal Levels of Oxidant Stress Stimulate Multiple Serine/Threonine Kinases and Suppress Protein Phosphatases in Jurkat T Cells

Abstract Sublethal concentrations of reactive oxygen intermediates including H 2 O 2 can alter human T cell function and inhibit proliferative responses but relatively little is known about the effects of low levels of oxidant stress on signaling pathways. In the present study, we investigated whether the exposure of Jurkat T cells to micromolar concentrations of H 2 O 2 might influence the activity of certain serine/threonine kinases and protein phosphatases important for T cell signaling as well as initiation of nuclear events. Jurkat cells treated with 100-200 μM H 2 O 2 exhibited rapid increases in cytosolic protein kinase C (PKC) activity without detectable translocation of PKC to the membrane/particulate compartment. The stimulation of PKC activity by H 2 O 2 was associated with an increase in the activation of kinases phosphorylating myelin basic protein (MBP), a substrate for mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and RRLSSLRA (S6 peptide; a substrate for the ∼90-kDa ribosomal S6 kinases). Optimal activation of MAP kinase in cells treated with H 2 O 2 was preceded by increases in protein tyrosine phosphorylations and occurred at sublethal concentrations of H 2 O 2 which did not markedly deplete intracellular ATP. Pretreatment of cells with the PKC inhibitors sangivamycin and H7 suppressed but did not block the stimulation of MAP kinase activity in response to H 2 O 2 or phytohemagglutinin. The activities of both protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP) and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) were reduced after H 2 O 2 treatment of intact cells. Furthermore, kinetic studies showed that H 2 O 2 was capable of suppressing the activities of PTP and PP2A before inducing optimal increases in MAP kinase activity. These results demonstrate that the exposure of T cells to sublethal levels of oxidant stress acutely stimulates the MAP kinase cascade and suggest that this activation may involve PKC-dependent and -independent pathways as well as inhibition of certain protein phosphatases.
Structure of the Madden-Julian Oscillation in the Superparameterized CAM

Abstract The detailed dynamic and thermodynamic space–time structures of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) as simulated by the superparameterized Community Atmosphere Model version 3.0 (SP-CAM) are analyzed. Superparameterization involves substituting conventional boundary layer, moist convection, and cloud parameterizations with a configuration of cloud-resolving models (CRMs) embedded in each general circulation model (GCM) grid cell. Unlike most GCMs that implement conventional parameterizations, the SP-CAM displays robust atmospheric variability on intraseasonal space and time (30–60 days) scales. The authors examine a 19-yr SP-CAM simulation based on the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project protocol, forced by prescribed sea surface temperatures. Overall, the space–time structures of MJO convective disturbances are very well represented in the SP-CAM. Compared to observations, the model produces a similar vertical progression of increased moisture, warmth, and heating from the boundary layer t...
The economics of the implementation of social policy: Searching for the missing link

Abstract Implementation of public policy is the missing link in much social science. Public agencies must convert “policy” as defined by law into cleaner water or cleaner air or safer workplaces or equal opportunity, and so forth. Using techniques of public choice, this article analyzes the choices of the bureaucratic decision-maker as he reacts to interest group pressure. He operates with incomplete and asymmetric information. The article draws on both economics and political science. Pollution control by the United States Environmental Protection Agency serves as an example.