cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
‘To make something with nothing’: Le Corbusier's proposal for refugee housing—Les Constructions ‘Murondins’

This paper discusses the complex political trajectory of Le Corbusier's little-known project for war refugees, Les Constructions ‘Murondins’, and examines how it embodies a significant transformati...
Hormone Treatment of Cancer of the Prostate

The hormone treatment of prostatic cancer is based on the dependence of prostatic cells on the stimulus of androgens for their development and maintenance. The prostate gland remains small in eunuchoid individuals throughout puberty and shrinks after castration or the suppression of androgens, direct or indirect, by administration of estrogens (Huggins and Clarke, 1940). The extension of this study to the treatment of prostatic cancer as described by Huggins and Hodges (1941) showed that castration or estrogen therapy produced a dramatic response in about 80% of patients with disseminated prostatic cancer. If prostatic cancer is not amenable to cure by radical prostatectomy (stage A or B in Whitmore’s classification, 1963), hormone therapy should be instituted. Barnes (1959) has shown that delay in instituting anti-androgen therapy after prostatic cancer has been diagnosed results in a shorter average survival than if it had been begun immediately.
The Accelerator and the Virgin: The Rise & Fall of Two Cults

For pure science, the fifties and early sixties were a golden age: literally, that is to say, financially. Though in many respects they saw a flourishing of scientific achievement too, this is not what we are concerned with here. Rather we wish to discuss a social phenomenon, an era of unparalleled public, governmental support for the sciences which seems, in the early seventies, to be drawing to a close. With the culminating 1973 budget cuts of the Nixon Administration, catastrophic to the earlier well-heeled way of life of the sciences, some reflections are in order. We grant that at this same time a whole style of governmental expenditure is, at least temporarily, going out the window, so science is not being singled out right now. But at the time of its rise it was singled out; and one needs to remember that its decline began during the Johnson administration, when social programs and the like still flourished. Thus there is good reason to treat science as a special case.
Introduction to Cell Stress Responses in Cancer: The Big Picture

Cancer represents a major medical challenge of our time, exacerbated by the paradoxical combination of an age-related increase in cancer incidence and a demographic shift towards older populations worldwide. During the last 10 years, significantly improved strategies for molecular cancer prevention and targeted therapeutic intervention have become available, an encouraging sign indicating that decades of global commitment to biomedical research, implementing what is now known as the biological revolution of the late twentieth century, start bearing fruit for cancer patients and survivors. It has now become apparent that oncogene-driven tumorigenesis is associated with specific stress phenotypes including DNA damage stress, mitotic stress, metabolic stress, proteotoxic stress, and oxidative stress. Importantly, cancer cells depend on the counter-regulatory activation of cytoprotective stress response pathways enabling adaptive capabilities that antagonize the cytotoxic consequences of oncogenesis-associated cellular stresses, and cumulative research indicates that the essential nature of these stress response pathways represents a specific molecular vulnerability amenable to therapeutic intervention targeting this emerging Achilles heel of malignancy.
Comorbidity and Multimorbidity

Older adults often carry several chronic health conditions with varying degrees of severity and duration, and the combined effect can influence health outcomes. Conditions that co-occur with an index condition of interest are considered to be “comorbid” with the index condition, with the combination referred to as comorbidity. The term multimorbidity has recently been used to describe the totality of conditions. Methods for assessing comorbidity and understanding its impact are critical for the study of the epidemiology of aging. The presence of conditions in an individual can be based on self-reported diagnosis, administrative data or direct examination, each with its own strengths and limitations. Comorbid conditions are typically assessed as contributors to a health outcome, or as confounders or effect modifiers of a primary association. Some methods combine conditions into a single variable or index, including a simple tally or a weighted sum of conditions, which can be used to describe an individual’s overall health status and compare individuals or groups for degree of disease burden. Regarding impact in older adults, comorbidity (both clinical and subclinical) is associated with greater disability. When analyzing comorbidity data, the analysis of each condition and their interactions can provide greater insight into the pathways of the associations involved.
Examining Religious and Spiritual Development During Childhood and Adolescence

What does “spirituality” look like in a child? Does religion make a genuine difference in the lives of children and youth? How do we measure spiritual and religious development in children and adolescents? How can we characterize religious and spiritual development in its processes, sequences, and stages? These are a few daunting challenges facing our field, and I will address them here (to varying degrees of thoroughness). I first examine the historical neglect and recent attention regarding spirituality and religion and childhood and adolescence. Second, I explore definitional challenges inherent in this field. I then offer a selective review of very recent research literature that illuminates key issues in three emphases in the field: children’s religious concepts, social dynamics that influence religiosity and spirituality, and religion’s role in adolescent wellbeing and thriving. In addition, I problematize some assumptions about religious and spiritual development by challenging their implicit foundations derived from developmental theory.
Investigating pedestrian suggestions for external features on fully autonomous vehicles: A virtual reality experiment

Abstract The aim of this research was to identify potential external features on a fully autonomous vehicle (FAV) and investigate which features would help pedestrians to understand the intended behavior of a FAV at a crosswalk, improve their receptivity toward FAVs, and affect their crossing behavior. In the case of a FAV, technology may be primarily responsible for control of a vehicle, and therefore, interpersonal communication is not possible. The researchers wanted to identify potential interface/s on FAVs to make pedestrian-FAV interaction positive, in which pedestrians receive a clear message about the vehicle’s intended action. In an experimental study, thirty participants walked across a virtual crosswalk in front of a FAV. Four visual and four audible features were tested. At the beginning of the study, the participants responded to a baseline receptivity survey, and at the end, they replied to a demographic questionnaire and a pedestrian behavior questionnaire, gave ratings for the features, and completed a personal innovativeness scale and an after-study receptivity survey. Crossing time and waiting time were collected from the simulator data. The results showed that pedestrians’ receptivity toward FAVs significantly increased with the inclusion of external features. A walking silhouette or ‘braking’ in text were the most favored visual interfaces, while a verbal message was found to be the preferred audible feature. Females and people from 30+ age group reacted the most positively to the features. Those pedestrians who often commit errors or who show aggressive behaviors toward other road users rated the implementation of FAVs poorly, even with the external features. On the other hand, pedestrians who intentionally violate traffic rules and those who get distracted on the road were found to be more cautious in the presence of FAVs and appreciated the inclusion of the external features.
Evolution patterns of Peg3 and H19-ICR.

Abstract Mammalian imprinted domains are regulated through small genomic regions termed Imprinting Control Regions (ICRs). In the current study, the evolution patterns of the ICRs of Peg3 and H19-imprinted domains were analyzed using the genomic sequences derived from a large number of mammals. The results indicated that multiple YY1 and CTCF binding sites are localized within the Peg3 and H19-ICR in all the mammals tested. The numbers of YY1 and CTCF binding sites are variable among individual species, yet positively correlate with the presence of tandem repeats within the Peg3 and H19-ICRs. Thus, multiple YY1 and CTCF binding sites within the respective ICRs may have been maintained through tandem repeats/duplications. The unit lengths of tandem repeats are also non-random and locus-specific, 140 and 400 bp for the Peg3 and H19-ICRs. Overall, both Peg3 and H19-ICRs may have co-evolved with two unique features, multiple transcription factor binding sites and tandem repeats.
Doença de Graves: a visão do doente e impacto biopsicossocial – um relato de caso

Introducao: A descricao deste caso pretende enfatizar a importância do papel do medico de familia, nao apenas na suspeita clinica de doenca de Graves e complicacoes associadas, mas sobretudo na adaptacao do individuo a vivencia com a doenca, dada a morbilidade psicossocial associada a proptose disfigurativa e/ou diplopia, ambos sinais com um impacto marcado no estado funcional e bem-estar dos doentes. Descricao do caso: Mulher de 29 anos, sem antecedentes de relevo, e diagnosticada com doenca de Graves, com oftalmopatia causadora de dor retro-ocular e diplopia com impacto significativo na sua vida diaria. Apesar da estabilizacao da funcao tiroideia com o tratamento instituido, verificou-se progressao bilateral da exoftalmia. Neste contexto, desenvolveu um quadro de insatisfacao com a sua imagem corporal, alteracao da identidade (antes e apos o diagnostico) e depressao, que culminou em tentativa de suicidio por intoxicacao medicamentosa. Comentario: O medico de familia devera estar sensibilizado para o impacto negativo na saude mental e fisica, as aptidoes sociais e economicas, assim como a sua qualidade de vida dos doentes. Neste caso, a doente nao estava apenas fisicamente doente, mas tambem apresentava distress psicologico associado as alteracoes associadas a oftalmopatia, responsaveis por um impacto severo no funcionamento diario da doente. Palavras-chave: doenca de Graves, oftalmopatia de Graves, qualidade de vida, exoftalmia, hipertiroidismo.
Delay modulation with a glass chopper in pump-probe experiments

A delay modulator, made of glass plates rotating in a pump beam, is applied to measure time-resolved rates of transient processes in a pump-probe experimental setup. Glass plates modulate both delay and beam power. The contribution from the power modulation is subtracted by using a scaled-down measurement made with metal chopper blades. Delay modulation results obtained with this procedure are consistent with the derivative in delay of the usual power modulation and can show a larger signal to noise ratio.
Management of vaginal mesh exposure: A systematic review

Objectives: To identify various predisposing factors, the clinical presentation, and the management of vaginal mesh-related complications, with special emphasis on mesh exposure and the indications for and results of vaginal mesh removal. Methods: A systematic literature review was performed using a search strategy based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses criteria. PubMed was queried for studies regarding aetiology, risk factors, and management of vaginal mesh exposure from 1 January 2008 to June 2018. Full-text articles were obtained for eligible abstracts. Relevant articles were included, and the cited references were used to identify relevant articles not previously included. Results: A total of 102 abstracts were identified from the PubMed search criteria. An additional 45 studies were identified based on review of the cited references. After applying eligibility criteria and excluding impertinent articles, 58 studies were included in the final analysis. Conclusion: Numerous studies have found at least some degree of symptomatic improvement regardless of the amount of mesh removed. Focal areas of exposure or pain can be successfully managed with partial mesh removal with low rates of complications. With partial mesh removal, many patients will ultimately require subsequent mesh removal procedures. For this reason, complete mesh excision is an alternative for patients with diffuse vaginal pain, large mesh exposure, and extrusion of mesh into adjacent viscera. However, when considering complete mesh removal, it is important to counsel patients regarding possible complications of removal and the increased risk of recurrent stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse postoperatively. Abbreviations: MUS: midurethral sling; OR: odds ratio; POP: pelvic organ prolapse; PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses; SUI: stress urinary incontinence; TOT: transobturator; TVT: tension-free vaginal tape.
Follicular Dendritic Cell Sarcoma or Not? A Series of 5 Diagnostically Challenging Cases:

Imperfect or unusual presentation, morphology, or immunophenotype can make the diagnosis of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) very challenging. To illustrate this, we present 5 unique cases from the archives of our tertiary care academic medical center that presented a diagnostic challenge wherein FDCS was the top differential diagnostic possibility. The workup of these cases, including multiple expert consultations, highlights the importance of avoiding specific pitfalls in the diagnosis of FDCS.
Implementation of a brief screening tool to identify needs of cancer survivors.

e23075Background: Innovation in health care delivery is needed to improve care for cancer survivors. We report a pragmatic study intended to evaluate our experience with adopting screening guidelin...
CD46 facilitates entry and dissemination of human cytomegalovirus

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) causes a wide array of disease to diverse populations of immune-compromised individuals. Thus, a more comprehensive understanding of how CMV enters numerous host cell types is necessary to further delineate the complex nature of CMV pathogenesis and to develop targeted therapeutics. To that end, we establish a vaccination strategy utilizing membrane vesicles derived from epithelial cells to generate a library of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting cell surface proteins in their native conformation. A high-throughput inhibition assay is employed to screen these antibodies for their ability to limit infection, and mAbs targeting CD46 are identified. In addition, a significant reduction of viral proliferation in CD46-KO epithelial cells confirms a role for CD46 function in viral dissemination. Further, we demonstrate a CD46-dependent entry pathway of virus infection in trophoblasts, but not in fibroblasts, highlighting the complexity of CMV entry and identifying CD46 as an entry factor in congenital infection.
Wireless Power Transfer and High Data Rate Communication Using Load-Shift Keying Modulation

In this paper, an optimum broadband Conformal Strongly Magnetic Resonance (CSCMR) is designed which provides simultaneously high efficient power transfer and high data-rate communication through the same link. This wireless power transfer system is able to achieve 20 MHz bandwidth at the operating frequency of 115 MHz maintaining over 80% power transfer efficiency. The integrated planar broadband strongly coupled magnetic resonant system is able to deliver 30% of the given power to a 50 Ω load. Utilizing the large bandwidth, a high data rate digital communication through the same link is achieved, using backscattering modulation. The data transfer is accomplished with 6 Mbps data-rate and 30% overall system efficiency.
Recreating Community Among Gifted African American Students Through Group Counseling

Predominantly White Educational Institutions often fail to meet the needs of gifted African American students. Racial discrimination, lack of teacher cultural competence, and deficit ideologies cre...
Addendum to: Classifying 5d SCFTs via 6d SCFTs: rank one

The purpose of this addendum is to include important references to original work that had already appeared in the literature at the time of publication.
Spontaneous closure of myelomeningocele

Fetal repair of myelomeningocele has been increasingly offered to mothers of children with myelomeningocele after the seminal Management of Myelomeningocele (MOMs) trial, which demonstrated decreased reliance on ventriculoperitoneal shunt following fetal closure. We present the case of a fetus diagnosed with a lumbar myelomeningocele in utero whose mother refused in utero closure and who was subsequently born with a skin-covered defect. A fetal MRI was obtained on a mother with a male fetus diagnosed with open neural tube defect at 20 weeks of gestation. The child demonstrated spinal dysraphism extending from L2 to L5 and associated Chiari II malformation with lateral and third ventriculomegaly. Based on our institutional criteria and the criteria of the MOMs trial, the parents were offered fetal repair of the myelomeningocele; however, they declined because of concerns about risks to the mother. At birth, the patient was found to have a skin-covered meningocele. He underwent elective repair of his occult meningocele and detethering of his spinal cord. Intraoperative findings demonstrated spinal nerve roots attached to the arachnoid within the defect, and a closed, tubularized neural placode. This represents a unique case in which a fetus with a clinical picture consistent with open spinal defect was found to have a lesion more consistent with meningocele on postnatal operative interrogation. Knowledge that this can occur should be taken into consideration when discussing fetal closure, although the frequency of this occurrence is not known. Additionally, identification of this case sheds light on the mechanism by which occult myelomeningoceles form.
Facilities for Animal Research in Space with Special Reference to Space Station Freedom

The facilities being planned for animal research on Space Station Freedom are considered in the context of the development of animal habitats from early ballistic and orbital flights to long-term missions aimed at more detailed scientific studies of the effects of space conditions on the vertebrate organism. Animal habitats are becoming more elaborate, requiring systems for environmental control, waste management, physiological monitoring, as well as ancillary facilities such as a 1-G control centrifuge and a glovebox. Habitats in use or to be used in various types of manned and unmanned spacecraft, and particularly those planned for Space Station Freedom, are described. The characteristics of the habitats are compared with each other and with current standards for animal holding facilities on the ground.
Poduzeća SUFID i La Dalmatienne od osnutka do Drugoga svjetskog rata: crtice iz povijesti elektrifikacije Šibenika i okolice

U clanku se istražuju okolnosti osnivanja i rad poduzeca SUFID i La Dalmatienne. Poseban naglasak stavljen je na aspekt elektrifikacije Sibenika i njegove okolice s obzirom na ulogu tih pravnih subjekata. Prateci razvoj poduzeca u gotovo polustoljetnom razdoblju od kraja XIX. do prve polovine XX. stoljeca, težiste je stavljeno na prepoznavanje važnijih elemenata procesa modernizacije koji su bili izravna posljedica druge industrijske revolucije. Poduzeca su u tom razdoblju bila podložna svim promjenama s obzirom na ekonomske i politicke okolnosti.
Physician Acupuncture Integration Network (PAIN): Battlefield Acupuncture Instead of Opioids for Abscess Drainage in the Pediatric Emergency Department

Background: Opioid overdose deaths are an epidemic in the United States. The Joint Commission has mandated that non-pharmacologic therapies, for example acupuncture, be offered first to patients for pain. Traditional Acupuncture has been used to treat pain in China for thousands of years and has gained popularity globally. Acupuncture is recognized by the NIH as safe and effective for pain, and its usage in the Veterans Administration has helped to decrease opioid dosages. Auricular Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) is a protocol widely used in the …
Comment on Esbensen, Bertsch and Snover Concerning Reconciling Coulomb Dissociation and Radiative Capture Measurements

The RIKEN data on the Coulomb Dissociation (CD) of 8B were shown to be in good agreement with the Direct Capture (DC) data on the 7Be(p,g)8B reaction (that were known at that time) of Filippone {\em et al.} Yet recently it was claimed that the RIKEN2 CD data must be corrected in order to be reconciled with the slope of DC data. Considering the (correct) so called scale independent b-slope parameter of the RIKEN2 CD data, the resultant corrected b-slope parameter suggested by Esbensen, Bertsch and Snover is shown to be considerably smaller than the so called average b-slope parameter of DC data. The suggested corrections of the b-slope parameter lead to a large disagreement with DC data, in sharp contrast to the claim. The slope corrections are only significant for the RIKEN2 CD data. For the GSI kinematics, where in fact one may observe slope different than for DC (at least for the GSI1 data), they find a fortuitous cancellation that leads to a vanishingly small slope correction. Hence the validity of these correction based on the observed slopes can not be substantiated.
Do Entrepreneurship Skills Improve Project Performance? A Project-Based Learning Perspective:

This study examines the effect of entrepreneurship skillsets on project performance. Building upon the theory of planned behaviour, we examine the impact of individual entrepreneurship orientation ...
Rethinking emotional eating: Retrospective and momentary indices of emotional eating represent distinct constructs.

Abstract Emotional eating (EE) has been proposed as a key weight loss barrier. However, most investigations of EE rely on retrospective self-reports, which may have poor construct validity. This study evaluated concordance between a common self-report EE measure and a novel method for assessing momentary EE using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). We further assessed the utility of both measures for predicting both BMI and weight outcomes. Participants with overweight or obesity enrolled in a weight loss trial (N = 163) completed a self-report measure of EE and underwent an EMA protocol that assessed momentary emotions and eating behaviors. Momentary EE was derived from EMA data using generalized linear mixed-effects models. Linear regression models examined associations between both EE measures and concurrent BMI as well as weight losses over 30 months. Retrospectively self-reported EE and momentary EE were negatively correlated with one another (r = −0.27). Higher momentary EE and higher retrospectively reported EE both predicted higher concurrent BMI, and higher retrospectively reported EE predicted poorer weight loss outcomes at all time points (p
The New Normal? Patient Satisfaction and Usability of Telemedicine in Breast Cancer Care.

Telemedicine was adopted to minimize exposure risks for patients and staff during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This study measured patient satisfaction and telemedicine usability in breast cancer care. Adult breast cancer patients who had a telemedicine visit at a single academic institution (with surgical, radiation, or medical oncology) from 15 June 2020 to 4 September 2020 were surveyed anonymously. Patient and cancer characteristics were collected, and patient satisfaction and telemedicine usability were assessed using a modified Telehealth Usability Questionnaire with a 7-point Likert scale. Associations of satisfaction and usability with patient characteristics were analyzed using Wilcoxon rank-sum and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Of 203 patients who agreed to be contacted, 78 responded, yielding a response rate of 38%. The median age of the respondents was 63 years (range 25–83 years). The majority lived in an urban area (61%), were white (92%), and saw a medical oncologist (62%). The median patient satisfaction score was 5.5 (interquartile range [IQR] 4.25–6.25). The median telemedicine usability score was 5.6 (IQR 4.4–6.2). A strong positive correlation was seen between satisfaction and usability, with a Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) of 0.80 (p < 0.001). Satisfaction and usability scores did not vary significantly according to patient age, race, location of residence, insurance status, previous visit commute time, oncology specialty seen, prior telemedicine visits, or whether patients were actively receiving cancer treatment. Breast cancer patients were satisfied with telemedicine and found it usable. Patient satisfaction and telemedicine usability should not limit the use of telemedicine in future post-pandemic breast cancer care.
Discontinuing Cancer Screening for Older Adults: a Comparison of Clinician Decision-Making for Breast, Colorectal, and Prostate Cancer Screenings

While guidelines recommend against routine screening for breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers in older adults (65+ years) with <10-year life expectancy, many of these patients continue to be screened. How clinicians consider screening cessation across multiple cancer screening types is unknown. To compare and contrast clinicians’ perspectives on discontinuing breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer screenings in older adults. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews. Primary care clinicians in Maryland (N=30) We conducted semi-structured interviews with individual clinicians. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using standard techniques of qualitative content analysis to identify major themes. Participants were mostly physicians (24/30) and women (16/30). Four major themes highlighted differences in decision-making across cancer screenings: (1) Clinicians reported more often screening beyond guideline-recommended ages for breast and prostate cancers than colorectal cancer; (2) clinicians had different priorities when considering the benefits/harms of each screening; for example, some prioritized continuing colorectal cancer screening due to the test’s high efficacy while others prioritized stopping colorectal cancer screening due to high procedural risk; some prioritized continuing prostate cancer screening due to poor outcomes from advanced prostate cancer while others prioritized stopping prostate cancer screening due to high false positive test rates and harms from downstream tests; (3) clinicians discussed harms of prostate and colorectal cancer screening more readily than for breast cancer screening; (4) clinicians perceived more involvement with gastroenterologists in colonoscopy decisions and less involvement from specialists for prostate and breast cancer screening. Our results highlight the need for more explicit guidance on how to weigh competing considerations in cancer screening (such as test accuracy versus ease of cancer treatment after detection). Recognizing the complexity of the benefit/harms analysis as clinicians consider multiple cancer screenings, future decision support tools, and clinician education materials can specifically address the competing considerations.
Don't Throw Your Heart Away: Increased Transparency of Donor Utilization Practices in Transplant Center Report Cards Alters How Center Performance Is Evaluated.

BackgroundPublicly available report cards for transplant centers emphasize posttransplant survival and obscure the fact that some centers reject many of the donor organs they are offered (reflectin...
Health Equity and Small and Rural Public Libraries During COVID-19

Abstract Rural communities in the United States struggle with many health inequities that predate the COVID-19 Pandemic. This poster analyzes how public libraries responded to COVID-19 from March 2020 through March 2021 by utilizing the social media platform Facebook to continue sharing content that supports community health and wellness. It situates these responses in the context of health inequities in rural America. Although libraries in different parts of the country responded to COVID-19 in unique ways, common practices include sharing timely information about the pandemic and social services;adapting services to continue serving communities safely;and providing enriching educational content that also addresses social determinants of health. The poster concludes with a call to better understand the work small and rural public librarians do to address health inequities.
Unsettling origin stories

In the past decade or so, the field of International Relations (IR) has increasingly acknowledged pervasive racism in its institutional foundations and its research agendas. Writing in this context...
Electrospun membrane of PVA and functionalized agarose with polymeric ionic liquid and conductive carbon for efficient dye sensitized solar cell

Abstract Environmentally benign biopolymer nanofibrous membrane was fabricated and applied as a quasi-solid state (QSS) electrolyte in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). In this study, electrospun (PVA/PA/PIL/C) nanofibrous membrane was tailored from phthaloyl agarose (PA), poly(3-butyl-1-vinyl imidazolium iodide) (PIL) along with conductive carbon (C) incorporated in poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). The morphology, structure and physical properties (electrolyte uptake, porosity) of the membranes were analysed and their photovoltaic and electrochemical effects as electrolyte in DSSC device were studied. The best QSS-DSSC with PVA/PA/PIL/C membrane exhibited good short circuit current density (Jsc = 13.1mA/cm2), high open circuit voltage (Voc = 0.79V), comparable power conversion efficiency (η = 6.05%) and greater stability (up to 82% of its initial conversion efficiency after 500 h). This membrane based electrolyte enunciates the great outlook for the advancement of stable and efficient DSSCs.
Massachusetts' New Predatory Lending Law and the Expanding Rift Between Federal and State Lending Protection

Predatory lending practices in the mortgage industry cost Americans an estimated $9.1 billion each year. Predatory lending steals hard-earned equity from individuals and disproportionately affects minorities, low-income families, the elderly, and their respective communities. On August 9, 2004, the Massachusetts legislature approved legislation to combat this growing problem. This recent legislation provides strong protection against predatory lending. Despite this positive step, nationally-chartered institutions remain virtually unregulated as a result of weak federal protections and the unwillingness of federal agencies to investigate or prosecute predatory lending practices. This Note concludes that true reform in lending requires a greater delegation of regulatory authority to the states or, in the alternative, stronger federal protections that match the efforts of states such as Massachusetts.
The Heart Still Singing: Raymond Souster at 82

Poet Raymond Souster looks back over almost seventy years of poetry, discussing his very early development as a poet, his involvement with literary magazines, and his work as an anthologist. He discusses his relationships with Irving Layton and Louis Dudek, their work together, and their attempt to institute a new Canadian poetics. Souster speaks of the critical reception to his work, and argues that philosophy has no place in poetry.
On-chip interconnect inductance - friend or foe

Inductance associated with on-chip wires can no longer be ignored as chip operation frequencies increase into GHz regime. Because the magnetic field propagates a very long range, the extraction of wire inductance is not just dependent on the immediate neighboring environment. This paper discusses the various difficulties of extracting inductance of randomly placed wires in a typical chip environment. With dedicated return path, the wire inductance can be controlled and benefit the design of high-speed circuits. Specific examples are illustrated.
Hippocampal auto-associative memory

In the framework of autonomous navigation, the use of a cognitive map requires performing fast and robust storage of different pieces of information. Classical models of auto-associative memory have been proven to be limited in such a context because of the well known catastrophic interference phenomenon. Taking strong inspiration from the inner organization of the hippocampus, we present a model of auto-associative memory based on 4 distinct structures (EC, DG, CA3 and CA1) where information is processed along a loop at three distinct levels and has been tested successfully on a real robot.
Medical associations and accountability for physician participation in torture.

Doctors are integral to the practice of modern torture. Some devise torture techniques (like rectal water infusions) in order to minimize incriminating scars. Some monitor and treat prisoners undergoing torture in order to prevent them from unintentionally dying. Some falsify medical records and death certificates to assist regimes in concealing injuries or deaths from torture. Many claim to act under duress, but the example set by the majority of their national colleagues who either fight against torture or refuse to collaborate with the practice belies such claims. Torture doctors work for fascist dictatorships such as China, Uzbekistan, and North Korea. They also work for democracies such as the United States, Portugal, and Spain. Some see and ignore torture victims who are brought by police or soldiers to public clinics or hospitals. Others hold military rank or contracts with police and see tortured persons in government prisons. After World War II, only a few of the several hundred Nazi torture doctors and none of the Japanese torture doctors were punished. In 1947, the new World Medical Association (WMA) endorsed a British Medical Association working paper that asserted that doctors who participated in torture were personally responsible and should be individually punished to deter such acts. The WMA called on the German medical associations to expel such doctors, thereby revoking their medical licenses, and endorsed criminal "judicial punishment of such crimes". But doctors' torturing with impunity remained the rule for decades. A fair amount is known about Soviet-era psychiatric abuse of dissidents; none of the doctors involved were punished. Germany ignored Stasi torture doctors. Great Britain gave a free pass to physician participation in torture during decolonialization and the more recent "troubles" in Northern Ireland. Although, in 1992, the British Medical Association recommended that alleged torture doctors be "fully and fairly investigated and that those found culpable [be] barred from medical practice and from membership in professional associations", it explicitly said in 2009 that it would not investigate allegations against physicians]. The United States and its professional associations have allowed medicalized torture in "war-on-terror" prisons to pass without punishment or censure. There is sketchy knowledge of physician complicity with penal amputations and flogging across the Arab and Asian world, and the commonplace medical collaboration with torture in the world's prisons and police stations (for example, in India) is only dimly outlined. The Doctors Who Torture Accountability Project lists 89 countries where it is confirmed that doctors have collaborated with torture with complete impunity. (The site is unable to assess whether physicians have collaborated with torture in 49 additional countries, even though many of these countries are known to torture.) A huge amount of work is needed to discover the full extent of medical complicity with torture.... Language: en
The response of fibronectin to differing parenteral caloric sources in normal man.

The relationship between circulating fibronectin concentration and nutritional status was examined in eight healthy male (31 ± 1 yr old) volunteers in three nutritional states: the postabsorptive state, after 10 days of protein-caloric starvation, and during the 10th day of refeeding by total parenteral nutrition. Plasma fibronectin was significantly decreased from 330 ± 22 to 154 ± 11 μg/ml (p < 0.001) from the postabsorptive to starved state which was accompanied by appropriate changes in body weight, anthropometric measurements, and nitrogen balance. Plasma fibronectin levels were restored to 402 ± 39 μg/ml following 10 days of total parenteral nutrition. The plasma fibronectin response was greater (p < 0.05) during total parenteral nutrition with dextrose as the nonprotein calorie source as compared to a 50% dextrose/50% lipid regimen. These results suggest that the calorie source must be considered during interpretation of plasma fibronectin levels in patients undergoing parenteral nutrition. (Journa...
A blind source separation criterion where approximate disjointness meets independent component analysis

This paper proposes a sparseness-based blind source separation (BSS) method. In contrast to conventional approaches, we exploit the sparseness property and the ensuing approximate disjointness of the competing audio signals when represented in the short time Fourier transform domain to determine the linear separating matrix such that its outputs are maximally disjoint. By doing so, we deduce an iterative gradient descent to estimate the optimal separation matrix. Interestingly, the resulting optimization problem is shown to have strong links with independent component analysis using higher order statistics, and shares some similarity with non-stationarity-based BSS. The purpose of the proposed study is to provide some insight into the connection between the seemingly different sparseness and independence-based BSS criteria.
Nonword repetition and nonword reading abilities in adults who do and do not stutter.

Purpose In the present study a nonword repetition and a nonword reading task were used to investigate the behavioral (speech accuracy) and speech kinematic (movement variability measured as lip aperture variability index; speech duration) profiles of groups of young adults who do (AWS) and do not stutter (control).
Complex Cisplatin-double strand break (DSB) lesions directly impair cellular non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) independent of downstream damage response (DDR) pathways

The treatment for advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) often includes platinum-based chemotherapy and IR. Cisplatin and IR combination therapy display schedule and dose-dependent synergy, the mechanism of which is not completely understood. In a series of in vitro and cell culture assays in a NSCLC model, we investigated both the downstream and direct treatment and damage effects of cisplatin on NHEJ catalyzed repair of a DNA DSB. The results demonstrate that extracts prepared from cisplatin-treated cells are fully capable of NHEJ catalyzed repair of a DSB using a non-cisplatin-damaged DNA substrate in vitro. Similarly, using two different host cell reactivation assays, treatment of cells prior to transfection of a linear, undamaged reporter plasmid revealed no reduction in NHEJ compared with untreated cells. In contrast, transfection of a linear GFP-reporter plasmid containing site-specific, cisplatin lesions 6-bp from the termini revealed a significant impairment in DSB repair of the cisplatin-damaged DNA substrates in the absence of cellular treatment with cisplatin. Together, these data demonstrate that impaired NHEJ in combined cisplatin-IR treated cells is likely the result of a direct effect of cisplatin-DNA lesions near a DSB and that the indirect cellular effects of cisplatin treatment are not significant contributors to the synergistic cytotoxicity observed with combination cisplatin-IR treatment. Background: The biochemical mechanism of cisplatin-IR synergy is incompletely understood. Results: NHEJ of non-cisplatin damaged DNA substrates is unaltered by cellular cisplatin treatment while repair of cisplatin-DSB lesions is inhibited independent of cellular cisplatin treatment. Conclusion: Cisplatin-DSB compound lesions directly inhibit NHEJ while cisplatin-activated pathways do not impact NHEJ. Significance: The mechanism of cisplatin-IR synergy involves direct inhibition of NHEJ by compound cisplatin-DSB lesions.
Dynamics of Black Hole Pairs II: Spherical Orbits and the Homoclinic Limit of Zoom-Whirliness

Spinning black hole pairs exhibit a range of complicated dynamical behaviors. An interest in eccentric and zoom-whirl orbits has ironically inspired the focus of this paper: the constant radius orbits. When black hole spins are misaligned, the constant radius orbits are not circles but, rather, they lie on the surface of a sphere and have acquired the name ``spherical orbits.'' The spherical orbits are significant as they energetically frame the distribution of all orbits. In addition, each unstable spherical orbit is asymptotically approached by an orbit that whirls an infinite number of times, known as a homoclinic orbit. A homoclinic trajectory is an infinite whirl limit of the zoom-whirl spectrum and has a further significance as the separatrix between inspiral and plunge for eccentric orbits. We work in the context of two spinning black holes of comparable mass as described in the third-order post-Newtonian Hamiltonian with spin-orbit coupling included. As such, the results could provide a testing ground for the accuracy of the post-Newtonian expansion. Further, the spherical orbits could provide useful initial data for numerical relativity. Finally, we comment that the spinning black hole pairs should give way to chaos around the homoclinic orbit when spin-spin coupling is incorporated.
Applications of Prism‐Cell Light‐Scattering Spectrometer to Particle Sizing in Polymer Solutions

A prism-cell light-scattering spectrometer has been modified to accept both a diode-array detector for measurements of angular distribution of scattered intensity and a photomultiplier tube for measurements of time-dependent intensity-intensity correlation function. This spectrometer permits the practice of light scattering at small scattering angles down to a few degrees. Here we make a brief study of the reliability of characteristic linewidth distributions obtained by several methods of analysis on the correlation data, which correspond to a reasonably broad unimodal distribution. Then the prism-cell light-scattering spectrometer is used to characterize a polymer solution consisting of two different molecular weights. To obtain characteristic linewidth distribution, the correlation data are analyzed by both the constrained regularization method (CONTIN) and the maximum-entropy method (MEM).
Non-Avian Animal Reservoirs Present a Source of Influenza A PB1-F2 Proteins with Novel Virulence-Enhancing Markers

PB1-F2 protein, expressed from an alternative reading frame of most influenza A virus (IAV) PB1 segments, may possess specific residues associated with enhanced inflammation (L62, R75, R79, and L82) and cytotoxicity (I68, L69, and V70). These residues were shown to increase the pathogenicity of primary viral and secondary bacterial infections in a mouse model. In contrast to human seasonal influenza strains, virulence-associated residues are present in PB1-F2 proteins from pandemic H1N1 1918, H2N2 1957, and H3N2 1968, and highly pathogenic H5N1 strains, suggesting their contribution to viruses' pathogenic phenotypes. Non-human influenza strains may act as donors of virulent PB1-F2 proteins. Previously, avian influenza strains were identified as a potential source of inflammatory, but not cytotoxic, PB1-F2 residues. Here, we analyze the frequency of virulence-associated residues in PB1-F2 sequences from IAVs circulating in mammalian species in close contact with humans: pigs, horses, and dogs. All four inflammatory residues were found in PB1-F2 proteins from these viruses. Among cytotoxic residues, I68 was the most common and was especially prevalent in equine and canine IAVs. Historically, PB1-F2 from equine (about 75%) and canine (about 20%) IAVs were most likely to have combinations of the highest numbers of residues associated with inflammation and cytotoxicity, compared to about 7% of swine IAVs. Our analyses show that, in addition to birds, pigs, horses, and dogs are potentially important sources of pathogenic PB1-F2 variants. There is a need for surveillance of IAVs with genetic markers of virulence that may be emerging from these reservoirs in order to improve pandemic preparedness and response.
A Partial Grammar of Eskimo Folktales1

This is a partial generative grammar of covert but empirically discoverable narrative elements. The grammar is a theory which seeks to account for base narrative sequences in well-formed North Alaskan Eskimo folktales. The narrative elements are hierarchically organized into a categorial component with both context free and context sensitive rules. The theory claims some replicability and predictive power. FOLK NARRATIVE has resisted the dis
SURFACE MEMBRANE PROTEINS OF BIOMPHALARIA GLABRATA EMBRYONIC CELLS BIND FUCOSYL DETERMINANTS ON THE TEGUMENTAL SURFACE OF SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI PRIMARY SPOROCYSTS

Previous observations that in vitro adherence of Biomphalaria glabrata embryonic (Bge) cells to sporocyst larval stages of Schistosoma mansoni was strongly inhibited by fucoidan, a sulfated polymer of l-fucose, suggested a role for lectinlike Bge cell receptors in sporocyst binding interactions. In the present investigation, monoclonal antibodies with specificities to 3 major glycan determinants found on schistosomes, LacdiNAc, fucosylated LacdiNAc (LDNF), and the Lewis X antigen, were used in adhesion blocking studies to further analyze the molecular interactions at the host–parasite interface. Results showed that only the anti-LDNF antibody significantly reduced snail Bge cell adhesion to the surface of sporocysts, suggesting that fucosyl determinants may be important in larval–host cell interactions. Affinity chromatographic separation of fucosyl-reactive Bge cell proteins from fucoidan-bound Sepharose 4B revealed the presence of polypeptides ranging from 6 to 200 kDa after elution with fucoidan-contai...
Signal Integrity Impact of Ultra Low Power IO Initiatives

I/O power represents a sizeable portion of the overall power budget on a low power mobile platform. Significant fraction of that I/O power is used to ensure signal integrity on the high speed buses. While there is flexibility to trade off I/O power consumption against signal quality on Intel's current mobile and sub-note platforms, inefficiency still exists on wide I/O buses such as FSB and DDR2. In this paper, we will outline two novel bus termination schemes that can significantly reduce FSB and DDR2 I/O power consumption by further trading off signal quality on the new Low Power IA (LPIA) Ultra Small PC (UMPC) platforms.
Electrochemistry of aquodiethyllead(IV) ion

Summary Aquodiethyllead(IV) ion undergoes a two-electron reduction at the dropping mercury electrode. E 1/2 is −0.37 V vs . SCE in acidic solution and becomes more negative with a slope of 25 mV/pH unit in neutral and alkaline buffers. The diradical initially formed decays rapidly by disproportionation to tetraethyllead and lead metal and by transmetallation to diethylmercury. Disproportionation is the major decay path over the accessible concentration range.