cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a Rapid Automated Influenza A, Influenza B, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus A/B Multiplex Real-Time RT-PCR Assay and Its Use during the 2009 H1N1 Swine-Origin Influenza Virus Epidemic in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Rapid, semiautomated, and fully automated multiplex real-time RT-PCR assays were developed and validated for the detection of influenza (Flu) A, Flu B, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) from nasopharyngeal specimens. The assays can detect human H1N1, H3N2, and swine-origin (S-OIV) H1N1 Flu A viruses and were effectively used to distinguish Flu A infections (of all subtypes) from Flu B and RSV infections during the current S-OIV outbreak in Milwaukee, WI. The analytical limits of detection were 10(-2) to 10(1) TCID(50)/ml depending on the platform and analyte and showed only one minor cross-reaction among 23 common respiratory pathogens (intermittent cross-reaction to adenovirus at >10(7) TCID(50)/ml). A total of 100 clinical samples were tested by tissue culture, both automated assays, and the US Food and Drug Administration-approved ProFlu+ assay. Both the semiautomated and fully automated assays exhibited greater overall (Flu A, Flu B, and RSV combined) clinical sensitivities (93 and 96%, respectively) and individual Flu A sensitivities (100%) than the Food and Drug Administration-approved test (89% overall sensitivity and 93% Flu A sensitivity). All assays were 99% specific. During the S-OIV outbreak in Milwaukee, WI, the fully automated assay was used to test 1232 samples in 2 weeks. Flu A was detected in 134 clinical samples (126 H1N1 S-OIV, 5 H1N1 [human], and 1 untyped) with 100% positive agreement compared with other "in-house" validated molecular assays, with only 2 false-positive results. Such accurate testing using automated high-throughput molecule systems should allow clinicians and public health officials to react quickly and effectively during viral outbreaks.
H-phosphonate oligonucleotide synthesis on a polyethylen glycol/polystyrene copolymer

Abstract The scale of oligonucleotide synthesis can be increased by a factor of 2–3 by using a polyethylene glycol/polystyrene copolymer support in place of controlled-pore glass. This support allows synthesis on a scale of 30 μmole in a standard 10–15 μmole cartridge. In addition, the recovery and reuse of H-phosphonate monomers are reported and a system for automation of the trityl assay is described.
What Went Wrong: Multiple Perspectives on an Adolescent's Decision to Refuse Blood Transfusions

Persons with religious beliefs that conflict with mainstream medical practice create a tension for clinicians between honoring the different religious perspectives of the individual or carrying out what they believe to be their professional obligation. This is a patient presentation of an adolescent Jehovah's Witness who refuses blood transfusions. The major issue in this patient is the conflict among three values (1) respect for religious beliefs, (2) respect for a competent person's right to refuse treatment, and (3) the ability of an adolescent to make good decisions for himself. Other dilemmas presented by this patient are the lack of a coordinated plan of care, the lack of communication with the patient and family, and the lack of attention to social factors that influence the patient's situation and his resulting care.
Performing Masculinity and the Self: Love, Body, and Privacy in Hu Shi

H U SHI (1891-1962) IS AT ONCE THE QUINTESSENTIAL public man and private person of modern China. He was the nation's most influential intellectual leader, scholar, and educator from 1917, when he returned to China after having completed his PhD work at Columbia University, until 1948, when he left for the United States on the eve of the Communist takeover of Beijing. His multifaceted roles during these years included a stint as China's ambassador to the United States (1938-42). While fame and stature turned him into an object of constant public gaze, he himself fed curiosity for such scrutiny: he was a most prolific producer of autobiographical records that he selected for publication, circulated among close friends, and duplicated for safekeeping in multiple locations. At the same time, he was a private person who vigilantly guarded the innermost secrets of his private life. The voluminous diaries, memoirs, and correspondence-a veritable autobiographical archive-that he assembled and preserved were a testimony to a lifelong effort on his part to set the parameters for how his private life was to be gazed at, constructed, and appreciated. It is as though he had inscribed his own life to provide a master narrative for his future biographers, thereby purging from the source anything that was not already scripted by him, and to foreclose unwanted prying-voyeuristic and otherwise-into his private life. While Hu Shi's autobiographical archive will remain a prodigious source of information about his life and times, this article treats it as a repository of cultural artifacts as well as a mine of information. Inspired by Judith Butler's notion of performativity and drawing on the insights from feminist auto/biographical and masculinity studies, this article situates Hu Shi in the discursive processes through
No Child Left Behind and the Transformation of Federal Education Policy, 1965–2005

No Child Left Behind and the Transformation of Federal Education Policy, 1965–2005. By Patrick J. McGuinn. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2006. 320p. $40.00 cloth, $19.95 paper. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is an attempt by the federal government to regulate educational policy in the 50 states. By imposing on states a set of standards, benchmarks of yearly progress, and imposing sanctions on failing schools, the U.S. Department of Education has made a significant step from being more than a federal bully pulpit and a perch for fading politicians to a genuine ministry of education. This is ironic because the U.S. Constitution reserves to the states educational policy, except when it comes to enforcing civil rights. The strong bipartisan support for NCLB is a political, policy, and constitutional sea change in American history. How—and more importantly, why—did this happen?
Calculations and diagnostic applications of Stark-broadened absorption line profiles for the L-shell ions of argon

We calculated Stark-broadened absorption line profiles for n = 1 to n = 2 inner-shell transitions in the L -shell ions of Ar for electron number densities between 5 × 10 23 cm -3 and 5 × 10 24 cm -3 and for temperatures in the range 100–600 eV. These line profiles are used to calculate the frequency-dependent optical depth of hot, dense Ar plasmas. We also investigated the possibility of using Stark-broadened absorption line profiles for diagnostic applications.
Midwest Regional Burn Injury Study: Characteristics of Clothing-Related Burn Accidents

Data pertaining to clothing-related bum injuries and deaths are beneficial to the CPSC and other organizations when revising flammability standards and identifying textile products that present hazards to consumers. Existing sources of bum injury data do not adequately sample rural and urban midwest communities. This study evaluates the number and characteristics of clothing-related bum injuries and deaths in Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota for fiscal year 1980 to provide a greater understanding of variables contributing to burn injuries and deaths among a larger segment of the U.S. population. Sources of information for bum injury data were inpatient hospital medical records and files on fire-related deaths at the state fire marshals' ofhces in these states. Multidimensional cross-classification matrices were constructed and analyzed using a log-linear model to determine the relationships among accident variables. Significant interdependent variables in bum injury accidents and deaths were sex and age of victim, activity and location of accident, and the use of flammable liquids and gases.
The Effect of Cultural Orientation on Persuasion

The objective of this research is to assess the cross-cultural generalizability of persuasion effects predicted by dual process models. In two experiments, the impact of motivation, congruity of persuasive communication and the diagnosticity of heuristic cues on the processing strategies and product evaluations of members of a collectivist culture were compared with findings documented in past research in individualist cultures. This research supports the view that perceptual differences in cue diagnosticity account for systematic differences in persuasive effects across cultures. It is also suggested that existing theoretical frameworks, specifically the dual process models of persuasion, are robust across cultures and can help predict and explain cultural differences.
Computational analysis of the dinitramine and chlorine derivatives of benzene and s-tetrazine

Abstract Optimized HF/3-21G∗ geometries were computed for s-tetrazine (I) and for the dinitramine and chlorine derivatives of I and of benzene. These structures were used to calculate the electrostatic potentials and average local ionization energies of these molecules. HF/3-21G∗ and MP2/6-31G∗ geometries were also computed for pentazine (VI), which is as yet unknown, and shown to correspond to energy minima. The electrostatic potential on the surface of I is strongly negative above the electron-attracting ring nitrogen atoms and positive above the ring and the hydrogen atoms, fully consistent with the structures of complexes that s-tetrazine is known to form with other molecules. Previously developed relationships were used to estimate the Hammett constants σm and σp of the dinitramine group, N(NO2)2, and the pKa values of s-tetrazine, its dinitramine and chlorine derivatives, and pentazine. N(NO2)2 is found to be strongly electron withdrawing through induction and more weakly donating through resonance. In the s-tetrazine derivatives, the electron attracting power of the ring nitrogen atoms significantly increases the extents of conjugation of the N(NO2)2 and Cl, both resonance donors. However, the dominant effect of these substituents upon the ring is inductive deactivation toward electrophiles.
Comments on diffusion by divalent ions in alkali and silver halides

Abstract The theory of diffusion by complexes of divalent cations and cation vacancies is reviewed. First the microscopic diffusion coefficients for both the divalent ion and the host ion are expressed in terms of appropriate jump frequencies and correlation factors. Next the concentration dependence of the macroscopic diffusion coefficient for divalent ions is expressed in terms of the degree of association of the complexes and their distribution in the sample. A number of experimental arrangements are considered, involving chemical diffusion and tracer diffusion with and without carrier, and a number of examples are given of both correct and incorrect application of the analysis for experiments in the alkali halides. The results for diffusion of Cd in AgCl are re-examined, and it is suggested that inclusion of the concentration dependence indicates that Cd diffusion occurs by means of complexes at all temperatures. For Cd in AgBr it appears that proper treatment of the concentration dependence introduced by the complexes may remove the need for most or all of the previously proposed increase of mobility with concentration. Finally the relative contribution of complexes to diffusion of Ag and Cd in AgCl : Cd is obtained for use in interpreting experiments on tracer diffusion ofAg in this system.
The Contributions of Phonological and Morphological Awareness to Literacy Skills in the Adult Basic Education Population

The Adult Basic Education (ABE) population consists of a wide range of abilities with needs that may be unique to this set of learners. The purpose of this study was to better understand the relative contributions of phonological decoding and morphological awareness to spelling, vocabulary, and comprehension across a sample of ABE students. In this study, phonological decoding was a unique predictor of spelling ability, listening comprehension, and reading comprehension. We also found that morphological awareness was a unique predictor of spelling ability, vocabulary, and listening comprehension. Morphological awareness indirectly contributed to reading comprehension through vocabulary. These findings suggest the need for morphological interventions for this group of learners.
Relation of severe coronary artery narrowing to insulin or thiazolidinedione use in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (from the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes Study).

Patients with diabetes continue to die of coronary artery disease (CAD) at rates 2 to 4 times higher than patients without diabetes, despite advances in treatment of cardiovascular disease. The role of glycemic control therapies, independent of their glucose-lowering effects, on cardiovascular disease is a recurring question. We examined the association of glycemic control therapies with extent of CAD as measured by coronary angiogram obtained at baseline in 1,803 subjects in the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes (BARI 2D) trial who had type 2 diabetes mellitus, documented moderate to severe CAD, and no previous cardiac revascularization procedures. The association between glycemic control therapy use recorded at baseline and percent coronary artery stenosis and myocardial jeopardy index was analyzed by multiple regression models. Insulin use at study entry was associated with 23% fewer highly stenotic lesions (≥70%) (p
Osteoporosis and the aging spine

Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic disorder of the skeleton, characterized by low bone mass and micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue. This consequently increases bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture. Worldwide, it is believed that over 200 million women suffer from osteoporosis with the lifetime risk in women to be between 30 and 40 % and men to be 13 % (Sambrook and Cooper, Lancet 367(9527):2010–2018, 2006). Because of the aging population, numbers are expected only to increase. Fractures of the vertebral body, hip, and distal radius have long been thought of as the typical osteoporotic fractures, but due to the systemic effect of osteoporosis, patients are at an increased risk for fractures of nearly all other sites. Fractures of the vertebral body are the most common osteoporotic fracture, and unlike fractures of the hip or distal radius, only a minority result from falls. The prevalence of these injuries is nearly as high in men as in women and imposes a tremendous economic burden. Combined annual costs are estimated to be $20 billion in the USA and about $30 billion in the European Union (Cummings and Melton, Lancet 359:1761–1767, 2002).
Global weather and local butterflies: variable responses to a large-scale climate pattern along an elevational gradient

Understanding the spatial and temporal scales at which environmental variation affects populations of plants and animals is an important goal for modern population biology, especially in the context of shifting climatic conditions. The El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) generates climatic extremes of interannual variation, and has been shown to have significant effects on the diversity and abundance of a variety of terrestrial taxa. However, studies that have investigated the influence of such large-scale climate phenomena have often been limited in spatial and taxonomic scope. We used 23 years (1988-2010) of a long-term butterfly monitoring data set to explore associations between variation in population abundance of 28 butterfly species and variation in ENSO-derived sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) across 10 sites that encompass an elevational range of 2750 m in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California. Our analysis detected a positive, regional effect of increased SSTA on butterfly abundance (wetter and warmer years predict more butterfly observations), yet the influence of SSTA on butterfly abundances varied along the elevational gradient, and also differed greatly among the 28 species. Migratory species had the strongest relationships with ENSO-derived SSTA, suggesting that large-scale climate indices are particularly valuable for understanding biotic-abiotic relationships of the most mobile species. In general, however, the ecological effects of large-scale climatic factors are context dependent between sites and species. Our results illustrate the power of long-term data sets for revealing pervasive yet subtle climatic effects, but also caution against expectations derived from exemplar species or single locations in the study of biotic-abiotic interactions.
A Unified Model of Deformed Odd-Odd Nuclei for Nuclear Data Generation and Analysis

A unified model of deformed odd-odd nuclei has been formulated as an aid in nuclear data generation and evaluation. The model employs products of single-particle Nilsson wave functions as basis fun...
Abstract 1558: Imaging of metastatic B16F10 melanoma in mice using tumor-homing stem cells.

Tumors, like wounds, recruit cells from surrounding tissues and bone marrow. Some of these cells provide support and nutrition, while others participate in an inflammatory response. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exhibit this tropism toward wounds and other areas of pathology. Consequently, stem cell technology for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes is an emerging field in cancer biology. Like bone marrow MSCs, mouse neural progenitor cells (NPCs) tend to migrate toward cancer sites. We found that these cells migrate toward B16F10 lung melanomas, making them very good candidates for delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs, genes of interest, and imaging contrast agents. Among imaging techniques, bioluminescent imaging is non-invasive. Gaussia luciferase (Gluc) is particularly useful, as it is non-toxic and has stronger luminescence than other known luciferases. In the presence of its substrate coelenterazine (coel), Gluc luminescence peaks near 470 nm. In this study, we engineered NPCs to secrete Gluc. These Gluc-engineered cells were injected systemically to C57BL/6 mice bearing metastatic B16F10 lung melanoma and mice were given coel intravenously. Imaging of the mice on the Caliper IVIS Lumina II showed bioluminescence in disseminated areas. The distribution of bioluminescence suggested that the engineered NPCs migrated to the tumor sites and secreted Gluc. In confirmation, necropsy revealed black metastatic tumors in the locations emitting bioluminescence. Although IV injection of metastatic B16F10 lung melanoma cells usually generates lung tumors, we found dissemination of melanoma in other parts of the body. The Gluc-expressing NPCs could find the tumors as early as 2 days post tumor-cell injection, long before tumors were palpable. Thus, this system offers promise for improving cancer diagnosis. For improved imaging, this bioluminescence system can be coupled with other fluorescent dyes for red shifted output. Finally, the same sensitivity and tumor tropism suggests that the NPCs could be useful delivery cells for tumor-targeted therapeutics. Citation Format: Tej B. Shrestha, Sivasai Balivada, Matthew Basel, Marla Pyle, Stefan H. Bossmann, Deryl L. Troyer. Imaging of metastatic B16F10 melanoma in mice using tumor-homing stem cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1558. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1558
Anisotropic Dielectric Properties of GaN Epilayers on Sapphire

Polarized infrared reflectance from 300 to 1200 cm -1 at different incidence angles was measured at room temperature for sapphire and GaN/sapphire samples. A film of GaN was grown approximately 1.5 μm thick on c-plane sapphire by MOCVD with a thin GaN buffer layer. Because of the hexagonal structure of sapphire and GaN, their uniaxial optical properties are anisotropic. In the p-polarized reflective spectrum, we observed the mixed effect between the distinct infrared-active modes with dipole-moment oscillation perpendicular (E-mode) and parallel (A-mode) to the c axis. The contribution of the A-mode increased with increasing incidence angle. Therefore, we were able to obtain simultaneously the infrared dielectric functions parallel and perpendicular to the c axis, by fitting simultaneously three polarized reflectance spectra at three different incident angles with a suitable model. In the procedure, we adopted a new fitting technique, i.e., fitting the first numerical derivative of the polarized reflectance spectra to improve the accuracy of the phonon parameters and to overcome the inconsistency between the model and measurement in the whole frequency range. Excellent agreement has been obtained between the measured and fitted first derivative reflectance spectra for both the sapphire and GaN/sapphire samples. The dielectric information thus obtained for sapphire and GaN is of greater accuracy than those reported previously.
Application of High-Resolution Electron Microscopy to the Study of Magnetic Thin Films and Multilayers

ABSTRACTThe performance of a wide range of modern magnetic thin-film materials for information storage is found to depend dramatically on grain nucleation and coherence at interfaces. Three such systems, Fe/Pt Multilayers, CO/Pt Multilayers, and CoCrTa/Cr bilayers are considered here. High-resolution electron Microscopy (HREM) shows that ordered CoPt and FePt L1o structures can be formed and oriented, using coherence with the substrate, with their magnetically easy c-axes perpendicular to the film plane. This orientation results in the perpendicular magnetization required for Magneto-optic recording Media. Different sputtering gases used in producing CO/Pt Multilayers result in varying degrees of interfacial intermixing, which is shown to strongly affect the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy. The required high in-plane coercivity of longitudinal recording media is also correlated with the observed interface coherence and the resulting oriented growth of CoCrTa with the magnetically hard axis perpendicular to the film plane. Many features of the microstructure can be observed directly at the atomic level by HREM, and so the usefulness of this technique is emphasized in this paper.
Exposure of aquarium fish to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with special reference to toxicity and effects on uptake of radioactive dyes.

SummaryThe LD50 concentration of DMSO was found to be 1.9% in the case of glow tetras, neon tetras, guppies, mollies and tetras. Zebras and catfish appear to tolerate higher concentration of DMSO. In addition to the species differences, a striking increase in sensitivity to DMSO was noted in males. In almost every instance, all male fish died before the first female succumbed. No consistent difference in uptake of radioactive labeled dyes was noted in a group of fish exposed to DMSO when compared with a control group of fish not exposed to DMSO.
Effect of colchicine on synthesis of desoxyribonucleic acid in tissue cultured rat fibroblasts.

Summary1. In spite of its action in blocking mitosis, colchicine does not directly inhibit the synthesis of DNA. During the first 26 hours of treatment, DNA synthesis proceeds at the same rate as in untreated controls. 2. The result of colchicine treatment is a progressive increase in the number of cells belonging to the higher DNA classes, up to 26 hours. 3. Prolonged treatment eventually results in decreased growth.
Test for Evaluating Extrusion Resistance for Oil Well Packer Applications

Abstract A standard test has been modified such that the extrusion resistance of a cured compound can be determined. A simple visual rating system has been developed which can be used to quantify cured rubber extrusion resistance thus allowing easy comparison of the effect of various compounding materials. Twenty-three compounding ingredients have been investigated at various levels for their effect on extrusion resistance. Test results have been determined for several commercial oil well packer compounds. Thus compounds developed in the laboratory can be compared directly with known workable formulations. Excellent performance combined with improved processability is no longer just a dream but a real possibility. The modified annular orifice extrusion test is currently being used to develop superior compounds for the oilfield industry.
How Do Hospital Nurse Staffing Strategies Affect Patient Satisfaction

In this article, the authors evaluate the role of the nurse staffing mix on hospital patient satisfaction. Using three years (2009 to 2011) of hospital patient satisfaction data linked to data on the productive staffing hours of registered nurses (RNs), licensed vocational nurses, nurse’s aides, and contract nurses for 311 California hospitals, the authors analyze how nurse staffing levels affect 10 dimensions of patient satisfaction. The findings indicate that a higher level of RNs per bed appears to increase overall patient satisfaction. Conversely, hospitals with a higher proportion of nursing hours provided by contract nurses have significantly lower levels of patient satisfaction on scores related to overall patient satisfaction and nurses’ communication with the patient. The results have implications for RN staffing strategies and inform the broader literature on worker-skill mix and employment arrangements.
2008 APSA Teaching and Learning Track Summaries—Track Eight: Civic Engagement I

Political science has always pondered questions of civic engagement. Socrates described and defended his intimate engagement with Athens in the Apology and Aristotle argued in the Politics that it was only through engagement with the polis that humans could set forth and discuss notions of justice. Stephen Leonard ( 1999 ) and Hindy Schachter ( 1998 ) pointed out in earlier volumes of this journal that at the end of the nineteenth century the “founding fathers” of modern academic political science were motivated by ideas of improving citizens through civic education. And this has continued to be a focus for the American Political Science Association (APSA) through collaborative efforts such as the 1996 Task Force on Civic Education for the Next Century or, more recently, tracks during the association's Teaching and Learning Conference.
Toward single-ended absorption spectroscopy probes based on backscattering from rough surfaces: H 2 O vapor measurements near 1350 nm

We demonstrate feasibility of a new class of absorption spectroscopy sensors which use return scattering from native surfaces such as the piston of an automotive engine. Our demonstration experiment collects backscatter through a 2-mm-diameter aperture, consistent with a small sensor footprint. A 20 mW DFB laser is used, but only 10 µW is collected. We studied the noise associated with motion of the rough surface and found an RMS level of 7 %. Wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) was used to overcome this noise. We demonstrate WMS spectra of H2O vapor with a SNR of >400 for DFB scan ranges of 0.82 and 37 cm−1.
Ultrafast Photodection with an InAlAs/InGaAs Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor

Unmodified InAlAs/InGaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors were illuminated with visible-wavelength femtosecond pulses; electrical responses were measured electro-optically. 2.4-ps emitter photocurrent transients, corresponding to a bandwidth in excess of 200 GHz, were observed. Slow photocurrent components due to holes trapped in the base could be eliminated with appropriate base biasing. An equivalent-circuit model successfully accounts for the observed photocurrents.
Influence of population transfer on parametric four-wave mixing in sodium vapor

We look at the effects of population transfer on parametric four-wave mixing (PFWM) in Na vapor. We show experimentally that, during the laser pulse, phase matching conditions necessary for the generation of axial PFWM1 are destroyed by population transfer. Shortening of the PFWM pulse with respect to the laser pulse length is observed. In addition, by use of counterpropagating laser beams wherein the degree of temporal and spatial overlap in the medium is controlled, we show how simple measurements can provide direct evidence of population transfer spoiling of PFWM production.
Determination of crystal growth rates during rapid solidification of polycrystalline aluminum by nano-scale spatio-temporal resolution in situ transmission electron microscopy

In situ investigations of rapid solidification in polycrystalline Al thin films were conducted using nano-scale spatio-temporal resolution dynamic transmission electron microscopy. Differences in crystal growth rates and asymmetries in melt pool development were observed as the heat extraction geometry was varied by controlling the proximity of the laser-pulse irradiation and the associated induced melt pools to the edge of the transmission electron microscopy support grid, which acts as a large heat sink. Experimental parameters have been established to maximize the reproducibility of the material response to the laser-pulse-related heating and to ensure that observations of the dynamical behavior of the metal are free from artifacts, leading to accurate interpretations and quantifiable measurements with improved precision. Interface migration rate measurements revealed solidification velocities that increased consistently from ∼1.3 m s−1 to ∼2.5 m s−1 during the rapid solidification process of the Al th...
Growth of the IT Industry: India and the World

The information technology (IT) sector in an economy has many dimensions, each of which influences the growth process significantly. First, it brings in a new era of industrial revolution through its impact both locally and globally. This impact is generated through innovations in software technology and data processing capabilities. Managerial skills and work performance in plants get a tremendous boost. Second, the key component of the IT system is knowledge capital and organizational knowhow, which are always complementary to other inputs. This complementarity generates spillover effects in other industries using IT services. Third, the IT input is not subject to diminishing returns, so that its growth contributions need not decline over time, i.e., it has a steady state growth effect rather than a level effect. Finally, the investment in IT input through R&D and related expenditures helps improve the efficiency of the IT sector itself and this efficiency spreads to other manufacturing, processing, distribution and service sectors through learning by doing, externalities and forward linkages to other sectors.
SmartDeviceLink Application to Intelligent Climate Control

SmartDeviceLink (SDL) is an open-source software development kit (SDK) that enables a smart-device to connect to the vehicle, providing functions for safe and easy access to the vehicle human-machine interface (HMI) and the ability to programmatically control vehicle functions. This paper discusses a framework for developing intelligent control applications that implement personalized and context-aware features for automotive climate control systems. There is also a discussion of integration of wearables, internet-of-things (IoT) sensors, cloud and mobile machine learning.
Book Review: Off-Track and Online: The Networked Spaces of Horse Racing

A review of Off-Track and Online: The Networked Spaces of Horse Racing by Holly Kruse , Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2016.
Scoring points: How statistics helped change a rugby competition

A statistical analysis has inspired a change in how a major rugby tournament awards league points. Niven Winchester tells the story and discusses its possible implications
Effect of ISDN traffic on the link blocking probabilities

The authors present a mathematical model using a two-dimensional queuing model that obtains the link blocking probability in an ISDN (integrated-services digital network) environment for two types of traffic. The model can be applied to link reservation schemes, private virtual network (PVN), alternate routing, and priority traffic. This model is extended to networks, with several different types of traffic. >
Fetal and neonatal hematopoietic progenitors are functionally and transcriptionally resistant to Flt3-ITD mutations

The FLT3 Internal Tandem Duplication (FLT3ITD) mutation is common in adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) but rare in early childhood AML. It is not clear why this difference occurs. Here we show that Flt3ITD and cooperating Flt3ITD/Runx1 mutations cause hematopoietic stem cell depletion and myeloid progenitor expansion during adult but not fetal stages of murine development. In adult progenitors, FLT3ITD simultaneously induces self-renewal and myeloid commitment programs via STAT5-dependent and STAT5-independent mechanisms, respectively. While FLT3ITD can activate STAT5 signal transduction prior to birth, this signaling does not alter gene expression until hematopoietic progenitors transition from fetal to adult transcriptional states. Cooperative interactions between Flt3ITD and Runx1 mutations are also blunted in fetal/neonatal progenitors. Fetal/neonatal progenitors may therefore be protected from leukemic transformation because they are not competent to express FLT3ITD target genes. Changes in the transcriptional states of developing hematopoietic progenitors may generally shape the mutation spectra of human leukemias.
Childhood Adversities and Substance Misuse Among the Incarcerated: Implications for Treatment and Practice in Correctional Settings

Background : Incarcerated populations have high rates of childhood adversities and substance use problems. Moreover, childhood adversities are well-documented predictors of substance misuse. Object...
Reflective Capabilities of Mathematics Education Systems in China, Japan, and the United States

This chapter compares the reflective capabilities of three nation-states’ mathematics education systems. Situated in the theoretical framework of complexity and using methods suited for theory generation, I describe the results of my research study comparing the US mathematics education system with those in China and Japan. In particular, I detail how nation-state educational systems exhibit intelligent self-perpetuation, and I delineate a rubric for measuring the reflective thinking manifest by each systemic totality. I propose reasons for why the US mathematics education system seems more resistant to reform than those in China and Japan, and I make concrete recommendations for US educational stakeholders in their reform efforts.
Synthetic, Functional Thymidine-Derived Polydeoxyribonucleotide Analogues from a Six-Membered Cyclic Phosphoester.

A grand challenge that crosses synthetic chemistry and biology is the scalable production of functional analogues of biomacromolecules. We have focused our attention on the use of deoxynucleoside building blocks bearing non-natural bases to develop a synthetic methodology that allows for the construction of high molecular weight deoxynucleotide polymers. Our six-membered cyclic phosphoester ring-opening polymerization strategy is demonstrated, herein, by an initial preparation of novel polyphosphoesters, comprised of butenyl-functionalized deoxyribonucleoside repeat units, connected via 3′,5′-backbone linkages. A thymidine-derived bicyclic monomer, 3′,5′-cyclic 3-(3-butenyl) thymidine ethylphosphate, was synthesized in two steps directly from thymidine, via butenylation and diastereoselective cyclization promoted by N,N-dimethyl-4-aminopyridine. Computational modeling of the six-membered 3′,5′-cyclic phosphoester ring derived from deoxyribose indicated strain energies at least 5.4 kcal/mol higher than tho...
Physiologic Considerations in Trauma Patients Undergoing Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta is a new procedure for adjunctive management of critically injured patients with noncompressible torso or pelvic hemorrhage who are in refractory hemorrhagic shock, ie, bleeding to death. The anesthesiologist plays a critical role in management of these patients, from initial evaluation in the trauma bay to definitive care in the operating room and the critical care unit. A comprehensive understanding of the effects of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta is essential to making it an effective component of hemostatic resuscitation.
Alternating flux barrier design of vernier ferrite magnet machine having high torque density

This paper proposes a new topology for a single air gap spoke type vernier permanent magnet (SVPM) machine, that uses only ferrite permanent magnets (PMs), where alternating flux barriers are placed at the bottom of pair-wise magnets on the rotor. Overall, the alternating flux barrier topology reduces the manufacturing complexity, mechanical structural challenges and thermal issues, which are predominant problems for existing high torque density spoke type vernier machine solutions having a dual stator topology. In this paper, design innovations, obtained through analytical analysis and detailed discussion, are verified using finite element analysis (FEA). These results show that the improved SVPM design not only improves the torque density compared to that of the conventional SVPM by 57% but also effectively reduce the torque ripple down to 7.6%, the torque production even surpasses that of a benchmark rare earth interior permanent magnet (IPM) machine under same size and stator current density. The comparison draws the conclusion that the new ferrite single air gap SVPM topology shows considerable promise in low and medium speed applications both as a motor or generator.
Commandeering, the Tenth Amendment, and the Federal Requisition Power: New York v. United States Revisited

The Supreme Court's recent Tenth Amendment decisions, New York v. United States and Printz v. United States, have relied on the original understanding to hold that the Congress may not compel state officials to enact or administer federal programs. We present evidence from the field of taxation that raises questions about the Court's originalist approach to the Tenth Amendment. We explain why the results in New York and Printz are superficially supported by the history of the widely discredited system of requisitions that prevailed under the Articles of Confederation: the Constitution created a system of indirect and direct taxation to serve as the sources of revenue; it contains no mention of requisitions; and several proposed amendments that would have preserved a specific rule for requisitions went nowhere. But we also present evidence that both federalists and antifederalists believed that requisitions, although unwise as a matter of policy, were nonetheless permissible under the Constitution. We conclude that, although New York and Printz are unpersuasive on originalist grounds, their anti-commandeering principle might be justified on the basis of an alternative approach to constitutional interpretation. But the Court has not yet offered such an explanation.
Distinct Patterns of Atypical Functional Connectivity in Lower-Functioning Autism.

Abstract Background Functional magnetic resonance imaging research on autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) has been largely limited to individuals with near-average intelligence. Although cognitive impairment is common in ASDs, functional network connectivity in this population remains poorly understood. Specifically, it remains unknown whether lower-functioning individuals exhibit exacerbated connectivity abnormalities similar to those previously detected in higher-functioning samples or specific divergent patterns of connectivity. Methods Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 88 children (44 ASD, 44 typically developing; average age: 11 years) were included. Based on IQ, individuals with ASDs were assigned to either a lower-functioning group (mean IQ = 77 ± 6) or a higher-functioning group (mean IQ = 123 ± 8). Two typically developing comparison groups were matched to these groups on head motion, handedness, and age. Seeds in the medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, posterior superior temporal sulcus, insula, and amygdala were used to contrast whole-brain functional connectivity across groups. Results Lower-functioning ASD participants (compared with higher-functioning ASD participants) showed significant underconnectivity within the default mode network and the ventral visual stream. Higher-functioning ASD participants (compared with matched typically developing participants) showed significantly decreased anticorrelations among default mode, salience, and task-positive regions. Effect sizes of detected differences were large (Cohen’s d > 1.46). Conclusions Lower- and higher-functioning individuals with ASDs demonstrated distinct patterns of atypical connectivity. Findings suggest a gross pattern of predominantly reduced network integration in lower-functioning ASDs (affecting default mode and visual networks) and predominantly reduced network segregation in higher-functioning ASDs. Results indicate the need for stratification by general functional level in studies of functional connectivity in ASDs.
Synthesis of Non-NaturalO-Glycosylamino Acids Derived fromn-Pentenyl Glycosides; Model Studies and Proof of Principle for Glycopeptide Synthesis

Model studies on the transformation of the olefinic unit contained in n-pentenyl glycosides (NPGs) to glycoamino acids is described. The methodology involves a Horner-Emmons olefination with a protected glycine derived phosphonate, followed by asymmetric hydrogenation using Du-PHOS catalyst system. A variety of protecting group schemes have been investigated and their stereoselectivity in the hydrogenation reaction determined. With N-Boc and C-TSE ester protection, the diastereoselectivity in the reaction was measured by 1H NMR analysis with “racemic” product as a comparison. These modified glycoamino acids are also useful for peptide synthesis. The methodology appears to be general and was extended to include the synthesis a glycoamino acid containing the complex hexasaccharide Globo-H.
Education for children with disabilities: Will policy changes promote equal access in Kenya?

Policies to increase access to quality education have largely focused on reducing gender and income inequality; however, many children do not attend or fully participate in school because they have disabilities. Limited policy attention towards children with disabilities in developing countries is an obstacle to progress towards universal education. The limited knowledge and inadequate policies means many children with disabilities have limited access to quality education. In 2010, the legislative and policy context in Kenya changed significantly. The paper examines how the new constitution and the National Special Needs Education Policy Framework may impact the education of children with disabilities in coming years. The paper concludes that there is reason to be cautiously optimistic about the education of children with disabilities because of the new constitution and the National Special Needs Education Policy Framework make the government legally liable for their education.
Bulk Heterojunction Perovskite Solar Cells Incorporated with Zn 2 SnO 4 Nanoparticles as the Electron Acceptors

Perovskite solar cells were developed very fast in the past decade, but hybrid perovskite materials with unbalanced charge carrier diffusion lengths were not fully addressed by either conventional or planar heterojunction device structures. In this study, high-performance perovskite solar cells with bulk heterojunction device structures where CH3NH3PbI2.55Br0.45 is blended with an n-type high-electron-mobility Zn2SnO4 nanoparticle as the photoactive layer are reported. Systematic studies indicate that the CH3NH3PbI2.55Br0.45:Zn2SnO4 bulk heterojunction thin film possesses enhanced and balanced charge carrier mobilities, superior film morphology with enlarged crystal sizes, and suppressed trap density. Photoluminescence and time-resolved photoluminescence studies further demonstrate that there is an efficient photoinduced charge carrier transfer between CH3NH3PbI2.55Br0.45 and Zn2SnO4 nanoparticles. Thus, bulk heterojunction perovskite solar cells by the CH3NH3PbI2.55Br0.45:Zn2SnO4 thin film exhibit over 21.07% power conversion efficiency, which is more than 12% enhancement as compared to that (18.74%) observed from planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells by the pristine CH3NH3PbI2.55Br0.45 thin film. Moreover, bulk heterojunction perovskite solar cells possess significantly suppressed photocurrent hysteresis, dramatically enhanced device stability, and reproducibility. All these results demonstrate that high-performance perovskite solar cells can be realized through bulk heterojunction device structures.
A High Dynamic Range Closed-Loop Stiffness-Adjustable MEMS Force Sensor

We present a microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based closed-loop force sensor, capable of measuring bidirectional forces along one axis of motion. The device comprises an on-chip electrothermal displacement sensor and electrostatic actuators. It features a voltage-controlled stiffness-adjustment mechanism, providing the user with an additional means of tuning the sensor’s characteristics. This silicon-on-insulator device is an improvement on our previous design, offering a better dynamic range and a less complex calibration process. The sensor is fabricated based on a standard SOI MEMS process. It is then fully characterized and instrumented with a feedback controller. The closed-loop characterization reveals a ${1 {\sigma }}$ -resolution of 4.74 nN and a force sensing range of $- {211.7\, {\mu }\text {N}}$ to $\mathrm {211.5\, {\mu }N}$ , leading to a dynamic range of 92.9 dB. [2019-0248]
Codeployment of a percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair device and a ventriculoseptal defect occluder device to address complex mitral regurgitation with leaflet perforation.

An 80-year-old male with severe, complex mitral regurgitation (MR) after recent transcatheter aortic valve replacement presented in heart failure for percutaneous mitral valve repair and possible tricuspid valve repair. Transesopheageal echocardiography (TEE) demonstrated mixed Carpentier Types 1 and 2 components with annular dilation, two leaflet perforations, and excessive leaflet motion (P2 flail). There were three distinct MR jets appreciated reflecting a central coaptation defect and two posterior mitral valve leaflet perforations emanating from a cystic dilatation. Under TEE guidance transseptal puncture and percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair was performed with a MitraClip XTR device (Abbott, IL). A 10 mm Amplatzer Muscular VSD Occluder (Abbott, Abbott Park, IL) was deployed to close one of the perforations on the posterior leaflet with a significant reduction in MR severity. Attempts at crossing the remaining defect were unsuccessful and the procedure was concluded. The patient recovered uneventfully and transthoracic echocardiography on postoperative day (POD) 1 and again on POD 34 demonstrated normal systolic dominance on pulmonary venous Doppler interrogation, mild to moderate MR, and a mean transvalvular gradient of 5 mmHg. Both devices appeared firmly attached and stable. This is the first documented use of a VSD occluder device in this clinical scenario. Management of complex MR with an approach combining edge-to-edge repair for a central coaptation defect and leaflet flail with codeployment of a VSD occluder device to address a perforated leaflet is feasible and can achieve durable results.
How adequate is measles surveillance in the United States? Investigations of measles-like illness, 2010–2017

Given the availability of an effective and safe vaccine, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that global measles eradication is achievable, and measles elimination goals have since been es...
Gossiping Women and Talkative Nuns: The Transatlantic Feminism of María de Zayas and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

What happens when fiction realizes its full potential in the world of the living? This article asks us to consider how the art of writing and the art of living complement each other in ways that au...