cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Statistical inference for a system of simultaneous, non-linear, implicit equations in the context of instrumental variable estimation

Abstract Statistical inference for a system of simultaneous, non-linear, implicit equations is discussed. The discussion considers inference as an adjunct to two- and three-stage least squares estimation rather than in a general setting. For both of these cases the non-null asymptotic distribution of a test statistic based on the optimization criterion and a test based on the asymptotic distribution of the estimator is found; a total of four. It is argued that the tests based on the optimization criterion are to be preferred in applications. The methods are illustrated by application to hypotheses implied by the theory of demand using a translog expenditure system and data on personal consumption expenditures for durables, non-durables, and energy for the period 1947– 1971.
Treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adults is an uncommon but devastating malignant proliferation of lymphoid precursors. Treatment programs for adult patients are largely based on pediatric regimens. However, cure rates in adults have been limited to 30-40% for the past several decades as opposed to the 80% cure rate in children. Treatment of adolescents and young adults is evolving with the adoption of more aggressive "pediatric-inspired" treatment programs. The role of allogeneic stem cell transplant is first remission remains controversial in spite of recent data suggesting improved outcomes in patients younger than 35. Kinase inhibitors in combination with standard chemotherapy have significantly improved outcomes in ALL associated with the Philadelphia chromosome. The treatment of ALL in the elderly remains challenging. Promising new agents such as nelarabine and clofarabine may improve the outlook. This article reviews the current state of the art for the treatment of ALL in adults.
Plasma resonance absorption of a metal foil

The transmission coefficient of a light polarized in the plane of incidence through a metal foil is calculated, taking into account the excitation of the longitudinal plasma oscillations in addition to the transversal waves inside the metal.
Genetic susceptibility to therapy-related leukemia after Hodgkin lymphoma or non-Hodgkin lymphoma: role of drug metabolism, apoptosis and DNA repair.

Genetic susceptibility to therapy-related leukemia after Hodgkin lymphoma or non-Hodgkin lymphoma: role of drug metabolism, apoptosis and DNA repair
ON THE FACTORIZATION OF f(n) FOR f(x) IN ℤ[x]

Let S be a finite set of rational primes. For a non-zero integer n, define , where |n|p is the usual p-adic norm of n. In 1984, Stewart applied Baker's theorem to prove non-trivial, computationally effective upper bounds for [n(n+1)⋯(n+k)]S for any integer k > 0. Effective upper bounds have also been given by Bennett, Filaseta, and Trifonov for [n(n + 1)]S and [n2 + 7]S, where S = {2, 3} and S = {2}, respectively. We extend Stewart's theorem to prove effective upper bounds for [f(n)]S for an arbitrary f(x) in ℤ[x] having at least two distinct roots.
LANGUAGE, POWER AND IDENTITY IN ANCIENT PALESTINE

Etude de la fonction de la langue hebraique dans l'ideologie de groupe des anciens Juifs. Trois periodes sont distinguees dans l'histoire sociale de l'hebreu. Jusque 300 av. J.-C., l'hebreu etait couramment parle par les Israelites/Juifs de Palestine mais cela jouait un role peu important dans la construction de l'identite collective. De 300 av. J.-C. a 70 ap. J.-C., l'hebreu fut remplace par l'arameen mais l'hebreu demeurait la langue du temple de Jerusalem et du Pentateuque. De 70 au 4 eme siecle, l'hebreu conserva son pouvoir evocatif mais perdit de sa signification pratique. L'analyse du changement de la fonction de l'hebreu est mise en parallele avec la structure de l'ancienne societe juive et son evolution en reponse aux differents modeles de domination imperiale
Social Scientists' Contributions to Environmental Management

To understand the role of social science in environmental management, we must explore the institutional settings within which such contributions take place. In the United States, much of this work is done in the context of environmental and social impact assessments, and is shaped by the legal requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. The issues of technological risk and waste management are likely to provide increasingly important contexts for social science input in the future. This article discusses the concepts of “socioeconomic impact assessment,” and of managing and “mitigating” impacts. It then examines the role actually played by social and behavioral scientists in the NEPA context—a role that has been quite paradoxical. Drawing from waste management experiences, the closing sections of the paper provide a brief analysis of some of the reasons behind this paradox and discuss implications for future work.
Maternal selenium supplementation and timing of nutrient restriction in pregnant sheep: effects on maternal endocrine status and placental characteristics.

To determine the effects of maternal Se intake and plane of nutrition during midgestation, late gestation, or both on hormone and metabolite concentrations in the dam and on placental characteristics, pregnant ewe lambs (n = 64) were assigned to 1 of 8 treatments arranged in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial array: Se level [initiated at breeding; adequate (3.05 μg/kg of BW) or high (70.4 μg/kg of BW)] and nutritional level [100% (control) or 60% (restricted) of NRC recommendations] fed at different times of gestation [d 50 to 90 (midgestation) or d 91 to 130 (late gestation)]. The control ewes had a greater (P = 0.01) percentage change in BW from d 50 than restricted ewes during both mid-and late gestation. Although blood urea N was not affected by either Se or nutritional level, restricted ewes had greater (P = 0.01) concentrations of circulating Se on d 66, 78, 106, 120, and 130 of gestation compared with control ewes. Both Se and timing of the nutritional level affected circulating progesterone; however, only nutritional level affected thyroxine and triiodothyronine concentrations in the dam. Nutrient restriction during late gestation decreased (P ≤ 0.01) fetal BW and fetal fluid weight compared with the control ewes (3.75 vs. 4.13 ± 0.10 kg and 1.61 vs. 2.11 ± 0.11 kg). Although neither Se nor nutritional level affected (P ≥ 0.1) placental, caruncular, or cotyledonary weights, cotyledonary cellular proliferation was decreased (P < 0.05) in ewes receiving a high concentration of Se compared with those receiving adequate Se. In addition, either Se or nutritional level affected vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFA), VEGFA-receptor 1, VEGFA-receptor 2, and NO synthase mRNA abundance in the cotyledonary tissue. In the caruncular tissue, either Se or nutritional level affected VEGFA-receptor 1, placental growth factor, and NO synthase mRNA abundance. Selenium supplementation and the duration or timing of nutrient restriction appear to influence the endocrine and metabolic status of the ewe, which may influence nutrient transport and placental function.
Flame Resistant Cotton/Polyester Carpet Materials

Cotton/polyester carpet materials are resistant to surface flame spread after esterification of the cellulosic fibers with polycarboxylic acid and suitable catalyst. The crosslinked cellulose-containing materials passed the required flammability standards for carpet when subjected to the methenamine pill test. This test is much less severe than the rigorous vertical flame test method required for textiles designated for other end uses. Cotton-containing carpet materials finished with 5-10% polycarboxylic acid, such as 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) or citric acid, and sodium phosphate, sodium hypophosphite, sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate catalyst were found to meet test method specifications when proper processing and fixation conditions were employed. Specific details of processing conditions and results of flammability tests are presented.
Vitamin D receptor upregulation in alloreactive human T cells.

Vitamin D deficiency is adversely associated with diseases characterized by inflammation. The combination of the high incidence of vitamin D deficiency in patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplants (SCT) and the potential role of vitamin D deficiency in influencing graft-versus-host disease led us to further characterize the expression of VDR on alloreactive T cells. We hypothesized that vitamin D receptor expression may directly regulate alloreactive T cell responses. To overcome existing limitations in measuring VDR in bulk cellular populations, we developed a flow cytometric assay to measure cytoplasmic VDR in human T cells. Upon stimulation, VDR was expressed extremely early and exhibited sustained upregulation with chronic stimulation. VDR expression was also coupled to cytokine production, proliferation, and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. In addition, VDR exhibited a maturation stage-specific pattern of expression, with greatest expression on cells known to mediate GVHD, naive and early memory T cells. Alloreactive T cells upregulated VDR, whereas the nonreactive T cells did not. Finally, repletion of vitamin D in vitro was sufficient to significantly reduce alloreactive T cell responses. These data suggest that vitamin D effects on T cells may be important in reducing graft versus host disease (GVHD) in the allogeneic stem cell transplant setting.
Reproducibility of intracortical inhibition and facilitation using the paired-pulse paradigm

We have evaluated the reproducibility of intracortical inhibition (ICI) and facilitation (ICF) studied with paired-pulse focal transcranial magnetic stimulation. Three investigators studied the same subjects (n = 4) in three different sessions. A high variability was shown across subjects [coefficient of variation, (cv) 67.3% for ICI and 21.2% for ICF]. Intersession variability was up to 37.1% for ICI and 22.7% for ICF. Interinvestigator variability was 17.3% for ICI and negligible for ICF. Our results may have implications for planning future studies.
Cataloging design abstractions

Abstractions are the essence of software design, and various enterprises, such as design patterns, architectural styles, programming cliches and idioms, attempt to capture, organize and present them to software engineers. This position paper explores the possibility of mounting a more comprehensive effort to catalog abstractions. Related efforts such as the design of textual and electronic dictionaries, markup languages for software artifacts and ontologies of computer science topics are surveyed to inform the effort. A set of derivative questions is presented to explore the problem space.
X-Ray Study of a New Variety of Serpentine (Ortho-Antigorite)

X-ray powder data show an ortho-hexagonal cell containing two structural layers. Close similarity with the data for amesite suggests a similar disposition of the layers within the unit cell. Evidence for a superlattice parameter is obtained indicating a structure similar to that discussed by Aruja and by Onsager.
Local and Systemic Therapy of Human Prostate Adenocarcinoma with the Conditionally Replicating Herpes Simplex Virus Vector G207

Prostate adenocarcinoma is the most common nonskin malignancy in males and the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States (Landis et al., 1998). Initial treatments of surgery or radiotherapy may cause impotence and/or incontinence from neural damage (Eastham and Scardino, 1998; Porter et al., 1998). When extraprostatic or metastatic disease develops, castration or pharmaceutical androgen ablation is utilized (Catalona, 1994). Androgen-resistant recurrence indicates a poor prognosis and justifies experimental chemotherapy (Oh and Kantoff, 1998). G207 (Mineta et al., 1995; Yazaki et al., 1995) is a multimutated herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV) vector that replicates within cancer cells, causing cellular death; however, replication is limited in normal cells, including those of the nervous system. In vitro, G207 at a low multiplicity of infection (MOI of 0.01) is oncolytic for multiple human prostate cancer cells. In athymic mice, a single intraneoplastic inoculation of G207 completely eradica...
The molecular and crystal structure of thallium (I) methoxide

Abstract An X-ray single-crystal structural study of thallium (I) methoxide, TlOCH3, has yielded the thallium arrangement along with a proposed over-all configuration of the molecule. Thallium (I) methoxide is orthorhombic with a = 13·80 A , b = 6·98 A , and c = 13·66 A . The probable space grou[ is Pca21; the unit cell contains sixteen TlOCH3 species. Two-dimensional Patterson and Fourier projections and least squares analyses gave the atomic positions of the heavy thallium atoms; the X-ray data were not sufficient to allow detection of the methoxide positions. Crystalline thallium (I) methoxide consists of tetrameric molecules in which the thallium atoms are at the corners of a regular tetrahedron. In this structure the average TlTl distance is 3·84 A. A structure is proposed for (TlOCH3)4 in which thallium and methoxide groups each occupy the corners of two interpenetrating concentric tetrahedra of different size resulting in a distorted cube such that the TlOTl angle is > 90° and the OTlO angle is
Reduction of the general fracture compliance matrix Z to only five independent elements

Summary In a system of plane parallel fractures, it is often assumed that resistance to slip on the fractures is independent of the direction of that slip. The fracture system then is transversely isotropic in its elastic properties and can be characterized by just two numbers: the compliances normal and tangential to the fractures, for example. But any relief on the fracture surfaces will destroy the symmetry and demand additional elastic constants. In general, a system of plane parallel fractures has a 3 times 3 matrix Z of fracture compliances which contributes to the overall 6times6 compliance matrix S of the fractured solid. For transversely isotropic fractures Z has only two independent elements, but for general fractures all that is known is that Z must be symmetric. This implies that six parameters are needed to describe a fracture system with triclinic behaviour. We find, however, that there is always a coordinate rotation which sets a symmetric pair of the off-diagonal terms of Z to zero, so Z has, in fact, only five independent elements. The zeros of the rotated Z show that particle displacements tangential to the fractures and parallel to the new coordinate axes are decoupled from each other. Despite this decoupling, the medium is still fully triclinic because displacement normal to the fractures still couples with all the other displacements.
Role of opinion leadership, social connectedness and information sources in the diffusion of IPM in Honduran subsistence maize agriculture

Abstract In 2002 – 2003, a survey of 120 small-scale maize farmers was conducted in four hillside communities in SE Honduras to quantify the role of pesticide information sources, local diffusion networks and social connectedness in influencing farmer knowledge and adoption of IPM. In each community, IPM training recipients and opinion leaders were identified and their role in affecting local spread of agro-ecological and pest management information was assessed. Farmers reported various sources of pest management advice, with friends and relatives, outreach agencies and pesticide sellers frequently cited. Information on pesticide alternatives for management of a key maize pest, the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda Smith, was gained mainly through interpersonal communication channels. IPM training recipients were socially well connected and up to 60% of them were consulted by their peers. Farmers connected to training recipients had a better appreciation of arthropod natural enemies and, in certain com...
Cautionary note on the use of the B subunit of cholera toxin as a ganglioside GM1 probe: Detection of cholera toxin A subunit in B subunit preparations by a sensitive adenylate cyclase assay

The Use of the B subunit of cholera toxin, a protein that binds specifically to ganglioside GM1, has provided a new paradigm for studying physiological functions of ganglioside GM1. The B subunit inhibited the growth of rat glioma C6 cells that had been pretreated with ganglioside GM1. In some preparations of the B subunit, the inhibition was endependent of adenylate cyclase activation and was due to the binding of the B subunit to ganglioside GM1 inserted onto the cell surface. However, in other preparations of the B subunit, there was an additional inhibitory effect due to small contaminations with the A subunit, which caused increases in intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels and concomittant growth inhibition. This vanishingly small contamination with the A subunit could not be detected by conventional protein sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDSPAGE) analysis but could be measured utilizing a sensitive adenylate cyclase activation assay. Thus caution must be used to ensure that any biological effects of the B subunit are not due to contaminating A subunit and are due solely to the binding of the B subunit to ganglioside GM1 exposed on the cell surface. This is especially important in cyclic nucleotide-sensitive systems.
Rearrangement of Nicotinic Receptor α Subunits during Formation of the Ligand Binding Sites

Muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) are pentamers that contain two alpha subunits a beta, gamma (or epsilon), and delta subunit. In this paper, we have characterized subunit processing and folding events leading to formation of the two AChR ligand binding sites. alpha subunit residues, 187-199, which are part of overlapping ACh and alpha-bungarotoxin (Bgt) binding sites on AChRs, were assayed using a monoclonal antibody (mAb) specific for these residues. We found that this region was inaccessible to the mAb early during AChR assembly but became accessible as the first of two Bgt binding sites formed later during assembly, indicating that the region changes conformation as the Bgt binding site appears. Without previous reduction, 20% of the alpha subunits could be alkylated by bromoacetylcholine bromide as the first ACh binding site formed, which further indicated that the disulfide bond between cysteines 192 and 193 does not form until the first ACh binding site appears soon after Bgt binding site formation. When alpha subunits were mutated to add a glycosylation site at residue 187, the number of Bgt binding sites increased threefold, AChRs assembled more efficiently, and 2.5-fold more AChRs reached the cell surface. Our results indicate that binding site formation involves a rate-limiting rearrangement of the alpha subunit that exposes the 187-199 region to the endoplasmic reticulum lumen and determines when cysteines 192 and 193 disulfide bond.
A modeling approach for burn scar assessment using natural features and elastic property

A modeling approach is presented for quantitative burn scar assessment. Emphases are given to: 1) constructing a finite-element model from natural image features with an adaptive mesh and 2) quantifying the Young's modulus of scars using the finite-element model and regularization method. A set of natural point features is extracted from the images of burn patients. A Delaunay triangle mesh is then generated that adapts to the point features. A three-dimensional finite-element model is built on top of the mesh with the aid of range images providing the depth information. The Young's modulus of scars is quantified with a simplified regularization functional, assuming that the knowledge of the scar's geometry is available. The consistency between the relative elasticity index and the physician's rating based on the Vancouver scale (a relative scale used to rate burn scars) indicates that the proposed modeling approach has high potential for image-based quantitative burn scar assessment.
Intraoperative hypothermia during primary surgical cytoreduction for advanced ovarian cancer: Risk factors and associations with postoperative morbidity

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the risk factors and potential morbidity associated with intraoperative hypothermia (IH) during cytoreductive surgery (CRS) for advanced ovarian cancer. Methods Demographic and perioperative data were collected for all patients with stage IIIC–IV ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal carcinoma who underwent primary CRS at our institution from 2001 to 2010. Only patients with carcinomatosis and/or bulky upper abdominal disease and residual disease of Results Two hundred ninety-seven patients met the inclusion criteria. An intraoperative temperature P =0.02), epidural anesthesia ( P =0.01), transfusion of fresh frozen plasma ( P P =0.01) were associated with IH. There was no association between IH and postoperative complications in general ( P =0.48) or specifically grade 3–5 complications ( P =0.34). Univariate analysis did show an association between hematologic complications and IH; however, this did not persist on multivariate analysis ( P =0.14). Conclusions In patients who underwent optimal primary CRS for advanced ovarian cancer, IH alone was not associated with the development of postoperative complications. Postoperative morbidity in these patients is multifactorial and further investigation into modifiable risk factors is warranted.
Conserved Serine/Threonine Kinase Encoded by CBK1 Regulates Expression of Several Hypha-Associated Transcripts and Genes Encoding Cell Wall Proteins in Candida albicans

The opportunistic fungal pathogen, Candida albicans, is reported to have several potential virulence factors. A potentially significant factor is the ability to undergo morphological transition from yeast to hypha. This alteration of form is accompanied by many changes within the cell, including alterations in gene expression and cell wall composition. We have isolated a gene that encodes a highly conserved serine/threonine kinase that appears to be involved in the regulation of proteins associated with the cell wall. We have assigned the designation CBK1 (cell wall biosynthesis kinase 1) to this gene. Mutants lacking CBK1 form large aggregates of round cells under all growth conditions and lack the ability to undergo morphological differentiation. Additionally, these mutants show an altered pattern of expression of several transcripts encoding proteins associated with the cell wall. The results suggest that the kinase encoded by CBK1 plays a general role in the maintenance and alteration of the cell wall of C. albicans in all morphologies.
EEG spatial decoding with shrinkage optimized directed information assessment

This paper proposes an approach to infer neural interactions from EEG data using a James-Stein estimator of directed information called shrinkage optimized directed information assessment (SODA). SODA uses shrinkage regularization on empirical histograms to deal with the high dimensionality of multi-channel EEG signals and the small sizes of many real-world datasets. It is designed to make few a priori assumptions, and can handle both non-linear and non-Gaussian flows across electrode sites. The use of James-Stein shrinkage allows the SODA algorithm to achieve higher sensitivity to directed neural interactions for a given specificity. We augment this through a central limit theorem-based approach that can assess the statistical significance of each discovered interaction. When evaluated on brain computer interface EEG motor activity data the neural decoding obtained using SODA outperformed several state-of-the-art approaches including Granger causality, MI, unregularized directed information, and spatial coherence. Our results show that SODA localizes 30% more directed interactions in regions that are consistent with Brodmann functional areas of motor activity.
Prevention of postoperative venous thromboembolism: an update.

background : Perioperative venous thromboembolism remains a major health problem. Each year, approximately 260,000 cases are diagnosed clinically, and the incidence of asymptomatic and undiagnosed cases is far greater. Despite the availability of effective strategies to prevent venous thromboembolism, prophylaxis is underutilized. According to recent epidemiologic surveys, approximately two thirds of hospitalized patients with clinical risk factors for venous thromboembolism do not receive adequate prophylaxis. methods : A comprehensive review of the English language literature was carried out to define effective antithrombotic regimens to prevent venous thromboembolism in discrete surgical patient populations. Reliable data are available for every group with the exception of patients with multiple trauma and spinal cord injury. conclusions : A wide variety of effective prophylactic methods are available to prevent venous thromboembolism. Individual patients can be assigned a level of risk based on clinical risk factors. The choice of prophylactic method is based on the level of risk, potential for complications, and costs. With the wide availability of proven methods, no patient at risk for venous thromboembolism should be left unprotected.
Simulation-based planning for planetary rover experiments

Time and resource limitations mean that current Mars rovers (and any future planetary rovers) cannot hope to achieve every desirable scientific goal. We must therefore select and plan for a subset of the possible experiments, maximizing some utility metric. The use of simulation in planning is appealing because of its potential for representing complex, realistic details about the rover and its environment. We demonstrate a planning algorithm that performs high-level planning in a space of plan strategies, rather than actual plans. In the current implementation, candidate strategies are evaluated by a simple simulation, and a genetic algorithm is used to search for effective strategies. Preliminary results are encouraging, particularly the potential for modeling uncertainty about the time required to complete actions, and the ability to develop strategies that can deal with this uncertainty gracefully.
Fabrication of long length Bi-2223 superconductor tape using a continuous electrophoretic coating process

We have developed a unique fabrication process for producing long lengths of Bi-2223 superconductor tapes. The process uses a continuous electrophoretic coating technique for sequentially depositing superconductor and silver layers on a substrate, by heat treating and rolling steps. The process offers a number of advantages over competing techniques. >
Zurko, Gartside and Lee: How Might They Affect Patent Prosecution?

Interactions between the Patent and Trademark Office [PTO] and the courts are more complex than for most agencies because agency decisions may be challenged collaterally as well as directly. Having patents upheld on collateral review is the ultimate concern to patentees, but patents must first be obtained.This paper focuses on direct challenges to PTO refusals to grant - primarily in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit - since the Supreme Court's landmark Zurko decison. It argues that, with the exception of its Lee decision, the Federal Circuit has tended to focus unduly on the record, ignoring Zurko's directive to review the PTO as an agency, not a court - and to review the reasoning in its opinions, not its decisons.
Elaboration through exhortation: troping Motets for the Common of Martyrs

It is common knowledge that the repertory of thirteenth-century Latin motets exhibits a great variety of poetic themes. Many of the earliest motets comment upon the feast of their parent chant and are therefore classified as ‘troping’; others praise the Virgin Mary – sometimes regardless of their associated chant; still others avoid obvious connections with the liturgy and either criticize, admonish or exhort listeners to reform. The classification of motet texts according to content has increased our understanding of overall themes and of the chronological relationships between them, but it has also raised questions. Some questions arise from the fact that the general categories of troping, Marian and hortatory texts are not mutually exclusive. Should we distinguish a ‘general’ Marian motet, like Virgo mater salutis (386) / JOHANNE (M 29), which superimposes general epithets and intercessions to the Virgin above a chant in honour of John the Baptist, from a ‘troping’ Marian motet, such as Flos de spina rumpitur (437), built over the Assumption tenor, REGNAT (M 34), which makes specific references to its associated feast? Or does this added taxonomic layer only distract us from the task of interpreting these texts?
Pathologic Changes in Aortic-Coronary Arterial Saphenous Vein Grafts

This is a pathologic study of segments of saphenous vein used as a graft between the aorta and a coronary artery in the surgical treatment of coronary atherosclerosis. Except for an occasional case with thrombotic occlusion of the graft, no lesions were observed in grafts which had been in place for less than 1 month. In each of two grafts in place for 1 month, mild fibrous thickening of the intima was present. Eight grafts which had been in place for 3½ months or longer consistently showed lesions, either organized thrombi (two grafts) or intimal fibrotic proliferative lesion (six grafts). In this group, five of the six grafts with intimal fibrous proliferation showed near or complete occlusion of the lumen. The intimal fibrous proliferative lesion appears primarily to be a response to arterial pressure within the segment of vein. Obstructive atherosclerosis in the artery beyond the anastomosis with the graft may favor the development of the intimal lesion. The intimal lesion may progress rapidly accordi...
The dedifferentiation problem

This article demonstrates that our more sophisticated theories of law lead us to a point where we are no longer able to distinguish law from culture, or society, or the market, or politics or anything of the sort. Not only are the various terms inextricably intertwined (something that other thinkers have observed) but we are no longer in a position to articulate any relations between these various terms at all. It is with this latter realization that the dedifferentiation problem kicks in. Because the various terms cannot be disentangled, we find ourselves in the odd position where there is nothing of any positive character to be said about their relations. Each is already the other and, thus, they can have no relation. This is rather bad news for the ways in which we have traditionally conceived theories of law—indeed any theory that gets off the ground by distinguishing law from a discrete something else (which, on first glance, would seem to include all legal theory).
Nanometrology Using a Quasiperiodic Pattern Diffraction Optical Ruler

This paper presents a nanometrology optical ruler imaging system to enable rapid wafer-scale nanometrology, particularly for scanning probe microscopes. The ruler is generated by the diffraction of a 10-8 stabilized laser by a metal thin-film pattern. Microfabrication techniques create a high-count quasiperiodic aperture array in the film which generates a translationally asymmetric feature-dense optical diffraction pattern well suited for the nanometrology application. An imager array samples the optical ruler and calculates its position by Fourier transform cross-correlation methods. Numerically, it is found that improving the imager by pixel count and size can reduce positioning errors down to 1/120th of the pixel size, after which further improvements yield no reduction in error. Experiments using a modest complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor imager demonstrate a positioning accuracy of 1/124th of the pixel size, or 29 nm. This system will enable high-precision high-throughput metrology and fabrication of nano- and microelectromechanical systems.
Users' perceptions of an automatic activity diary for medical annotation and analysis

Many health monitoring applications require that the patient keep a log of activities so that when the physiological data is analyzed off-line, the data can be correlated to what the patient was doing before or during health events of interest. However, patients often do a poor job of self-reporting, so it would be desirable to use context-awareness to automatically annotate the physiological data with the user's activity. This paper presents some of the issues that arise in the design and use of a health monitoring and activity annotation system, including results from an informal survey about users' concerns about the control of physiological and activity data.
Performance Measurement: A Proposal to Increase Use of SBIRT and Decrease Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy has negative implications for maternal and child health. Appropriate early universal Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for pregnant women is necessary to identify women at risk and reduce the likelihood of continued drinking. Because SBIRT is not consistently used, the development and use of performance measures to assure implementation of SBIRT are key steps towards intervention and reduction of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Practice guidelines provide ample support for specific instruments designed for SBIRT in prenatal care. An examination of existing performance measures related to alcohol consumption during pregnancy, however, reveals no comprehensive published performance measure designed to quantify the use of SBIRT for alcohol use in prenatal care. Process performance measures were developed that can determine the proportion of pregnant women who are screened during the course of prenatal care and the proportion of women requiring either brief intervention or referral to substance use disorder treatment who received those interventions. The measures require use of screening instruments validated for use with pregnant women. The two proposed measures would represent a significant step in efforts to assure appropriate intervention for women who drink during pregnancy, hold accountable providers who do not employ SBIRT, and provide a basis from which necessary systemic changes might occur. Pregnancy is a time when many women are motivated to stop drinking. That opportunity should be seized, with timely intervention offering assistance for pregnant women who have not stopped drinking of their own accord.
PTK, MAPK, and NOC/oFQ impair hypercapnic cerebrovasodilation after hypoxia/ischemia.

This study characterized the contributions of protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in nociceptin/orphanin FQ (NOC/oFQ)-induced impairment of hypercapnic pial ar...
Singing in a Strange Land: C. L. Franklin, the Black Church and the Transformation of America

C.L. (Clarence LaVaughn) Franklin was probably one of the most influential black preachers of the civil rights era and undoubtedly one of the most famous black preachers of his generation. As the p...
DRIVABILITY AND PULLOUT RESISTANCE OF HELICAL UNITS IN SATURATED SANDS

The results of an experimental investigation on the drivability of helix-shaped units into submerged sand and sand subjected to upward seepage flow are presented. In this research study, the helical units are used as structural anchoring elements. A testing program is conducted to study the effect of water existence in a sand deposit on the driving moment (torque) required to install helix-shaped units, with reference to torque required to install the same in dry sands. Dense sand is used in this study with water conditions varying from hydrostatic pressure to upward seepage flow with three different velocities. Measurements are recorded for the installation torque versus depth of installation. Based on the results of this study, it is concluded that the existence of water in the sand bed material facilitates the installation and reduces the torque required to drive the helical units. It is also found that helix drivability improves with the increase of the velocity of seepage flow, however, this seepage flow negatively reflects on the resistibility of these units to pullout forces. It is recommended that the design of both the driving technique and the pullout resistance of helix-shaped foundation units be balanced in a way that the easiness of installation and the obtained pullout resistance are optimized. It is also recommended that pullout resistance of anchors should not be compromised to achieve higher drivability.
Structural equation modeling of the effects of racism, LGBTQ discrimination, and internalized oppression on illicit drug use in LGBTQ people of color

BACKGROUND: Experiences with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) discrimination and racism have both been associated with mental health problems and illicit drug use. However, the cumulative effects of both forms of discrimination-and resulting internalized oppression-on illicit drug use in LGBTQ people of color (POC) has not been examined in the research literature. METHODS: Using online questionnaires, this study collected self-report data from 200 LGBTQ POC about their experiences with racism, LGBTQ discrimination, internalized racism, internalized LGBTQ discrimination, and illicit drug use. RESULTS: Two structural equation models yielded adequate fit indices in which experiences with racism and LGBTQ discrimination led to more internalized oppression, which then led to greater illicit drug use magnitude. LGBTQ discrimination was directly related to increased internalized oppression, which was positively associated with illicit drug use magnitude; the relationship between LGBTQ discrimination and illicit drug use magnitude was mediated by internalized oppression in both models. However, racism and the interaction between racism and LGBTQ discrimination did not show valid direct effects on internalized oppression or indirect effects on illicit drug use magnitude. CONCLUSIONS: LGBTQ POC can be the targets of both racism and LGBTQ discrimination, although the current study found that the most psychologically damaging effects may come from LGBTQ discrimination. Interventions meant to decrease or prevent illicit drug use in LGBTQ POC may benefit from helping participants examine the links among LGBTQ discrimination, internalized oppression, and illicit drug use as a coping strategy, focusing on substituting more adaptive coping. Language: en
Behavioral influences on prescription inhaler acquisition for persistent asthma in a patient-centered medical home

Abstract Background Medication adherence can be said to begin with the patient acquiring, or picking up their prescribed medications. There has been considerable study of asthma patients' adherence beliefs once they have possessed medication; however, little is known about attitudes that facilitate or impede their acquisition of such medication. Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the behavioral influences, motivation, and self-efficacy that may guide a patient's decision to pick up asthma controller medications from the pharmacy for the treatment of persistent asthma. Methods A chart review of patients with an asthma diagnosis treated at an academic family medicine practice identified 582 English-speaking adults prescribed an asthma medication. Participants were contacted in a randomized order via telephone and asked to complete an investigator-developed survey based upon the Theory of Planned Behavior. Descriptive statistics, chi square and t-tests were used for data analysis. Results 240 individuals were contacted, and 27 individuals consented and completed a survey. Eighteen individuals (67%) were prescribed a controller inhaler in the past year, fourteen of whom picked up their prescription from the pharmacy. Individuals who did not pick up their prescription reported more strongly than those who did that using their inhaler is important (P = 0.01). No other statistically significant differences were identified. Conclusion Use of an inhaler is important to the patient based upon survey results; however, this belief did not correlate with adherence. Future studies that investigate patient-specific motivators would allow practitioners to better target clinical interventions to improve medication adherence in patients with asthma.
Culturally Responsive Practice for Teacher Educators: Eight Recommendations.

In this article, we argue for the importance of all teacher educators engaging in a culturally responsive practice in their university classrooms. Whereas the literature is replete with recommendations regarding the use of a culturally responsive practice in P-12 settings, it is virtually silent on the use of such a practice in higher education settings. Given the changing demographics in our nation's schools, including in postsecondary settings, we strongly suggest this practice to maximize teacher candidates' learning and to influence their choice of teaching strategy and philosophy. We propose eight university teaching recommendations that are research-based and drawn from the work of various scholars who offer well-conceptualized and comprehensive texts that describe a culturally responsive practice.
Apolipoprotein A-I and Paraoxonase-1 Are Potential Blood Biomarkers for Ischemic Stroke Diagnosis

Background Blood biomarkers for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke diagnosis remain elusive. Recent investigations suggested that apolipoprotein (Apo), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), and paraoxonase-1 may be associated with stroke. We hypothesized that Apo A-I, Apo C-I, Apo C-III, MMP-3, MMP-9, and paraoxonase-1 are differentially expressed in ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, and controls. Methods In a single-center prospective observational study, consecutive stroke cases were enrolled if blood samples were obtainable within 12 hours of symptom onset. Age- (±5 years), race-, and sex-matched controls were recruited. Multiplex assays were used to measure protein levels. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Mann–Whitney U -test were used to compare biomarker values between ischemic stroke patients and controls, hemorrhagic stroke patients and controls, and ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients. The 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the difference of 2 medians were calculated. Results Fourteen ischemic stroke case–control pairs and 23 intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) case–control pairs were enrolled. Median Apo A-I levels were lower in ischemic stroke cases versus controls (140 mg/dL versus 175 mg/dL, difference of 35 mg/dL, 95% CI −54 to −16) and in ischemic stroke versus ICH cases (140 mg/dL versus 180 mg/dL, difference of 40 mg/dL, 95% CI −57 to −23). Median paraoxonase-1 was lower in ischemic stroke cases than in both ICH cases and matched controls. Median Apo C-I was slightly lower in ischemic stroke cases than in ICH cases. There were no differences between groups for MMP-3, MMP-9, and Apo C-III. Conclusion Apo A-I and paraoxonase-1 levels may be clinically useful for ischemic stroke diagnosis and for differentiating between ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes.
Career readiness: An analysis of text complexity for occupational reading materials

ABSTRACTThe Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the broader college and career readiness agenda encourage educators, researchers, and other stakeholders to focus on preparing students for life after high school. A key emphasis is literacy, as the ability to read and comprehend written language is critical to success in college and careers. Understanding the level of reading comprehension needed for college and careers has important instructional implications. This study examined text complexity levels of various career texts using the Reading Maturity Metric and compared them to expectations in the CCSS. Text samples were selected for jobs from the five job zones in the Occupational Information Network database. Text complexity demands for all careers were generally in the CCSS range of college and career readiness and increased as job zone and required preparation increased. Results could provide specific career-related targets to make the CCSS reading requirements more relevant for students.
Research on the Corrosion Influence of the HVDC Earth Electrode on the Nearby Transmission Line Towers and the Towers' Protective Measures

When DC current flows through the earth,there will be potential difference among different positions of the ground.If the DC earth electrode site near the transmission corridor,the DC current will flow among the towers with different equipotential surfaces through the shielding wires,which would lead to the corrosion of the towers' earth electrode.Actual parameters of DC earth electrode in the Jinping-Sunan ±800 kV UHVDC Transmission Project and the nearest AC transmission line(Er Zi Ⅱ line) under construction are exmplified here,the electrical model of the DC earth electrode,transmission line,ground wire tower grounding body and corresponding soil model are built under CDEGS program in this paper.The DC current flowing through each tower and its distribution character are fully and systematically researched.According to the earth electrode design as the operation total number of years and the calculation result of current value from tower into the ground,under ratio of anode operation,the corrosion quantity of each tower and the total corrosion quantity of the transmission are obtained.Some conclutions can be gotten from the calcultion results: the erossion quantity will be more with the increase of the resistivity of the middle earth layer and decrease of the grounding resistance of the tower,and the total corridor quantity is not more than 594 kg.In the end,some protective measures for the towers are given such as insulation between shielding wires and tower,filling grounding conductor with coke.
Tracking political elections on social media: applications and experience

In recent times, social media has become a popular medium for many election campaigns. It not only allows candidates to reach out to a large section of the electorate, it is also a potent medium for people to express their opinion on the proposed policies and promises of candidates. Analyzing social media data is challenging as the text can be noisy, sparse and even multilingual. In addition, the information may not be completely trustworthy, particularly in the presence of propaganda, promotions and rumors. In this paper we describe our work for analyzing election campaigns using social media data. Using data from the 2012 US presidential elections and the 2013 Philippines General elections, we provide detailed experiments on our methods that use granger causality to identify topics that were most "causal" for public opinion and which in turn, give an interpretable insight into "elections topics" that were most important. Our system was deployed by the largest media organization in the Philippines during the 2013 General elections and using our work, the media house able to identify and report news stories much faster than competitors and reported higher TRP ratings during the election.