cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Notch locus of Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract The Notch locus appears to correspond to a 37 kb transcription unit. Homologous poly(A) + RNA is about 11.7 kb. Nine RNA coding regions have been detected and localized within the transcription unit by S1 nuclease analyses. These range in size from 130 to 7250 bp. Sequences within the 3′ coding region are variably used. Twenty-four Notch locus "point" mutations have been examined. Seven are associated with DNA insertions. Four insertions are associated with dominant mutations and are located within or very near RNA coding sequences of the 37 kb transcription unit. Three insertions are associated with recessive mutations and fall within intervening sequences. The positions of all insertions agree with the genetic map. It is estimated that, in the Notch region, one map unit corresponds to approximately 275 kb. On this basis, most of the 17 mutations that were not associated with DNA insertions can be placed within coding sequences of the 37 kb transcription unit.
Multibunch energy and spectrum control in the SLC high energy linac

Three intense bunches (two electron and one positron) are accelerated on each RF pulse in the SLC (SLAC Linear Collider) linac. Careful control of the energy and energy spectrum of each bunch is needed to provide acceptable beams at the collision point and the positron production target. The required RF amplitude, timing, and phase adjustment can be calculated and adjusted in real time to correct for changing conditions. BNS damping and energy feedback systems reduce the available reserve energy, which is limited. Observations and stability of actual beams are reviewed. Implications for a future collider are discussed. >
A General Framework for Quantitative Modeling of Dependability in Cyber-Physical Systems: A Proposal for Doctoral Research

The overarching objective of the proposed doctoral researches to build a qualitative and quantitative understanding of dependability in cyber physical systems (CPS).The existing body of knowledge includes frameworks and techniques for assessment, modeling, and simulation of the physical and cyber infrastructures, respectively, but such isolated analysis is incapable of fully capturing the interdependencies between these infrastructures. Understanding these interdependencies is a critical precursor to accurate representation and modeling of the CPS as a whole, especially with respect to dependability.The physical water distribution infrastructure, coupled with the hardware and software that support intelligent water allocation, comprise the model CPS that will be used as a case study for the proposed research. A preliminary literature review has been carried out on dependability modeling for CPS, with very sparse results. Allocation algorithms for water distribution have also been investigated,with game theory appearing to hold the most promise.An agent-based approach is suggested for linking the cyber and physical layers, where the agents retrieve information from sensors monitoring the physical components and provide this information to the cyber components. Fault injection will be used to investigate the propagation of failures between the cyber and physical layers. Markovian models will be used to capture the manifestation of cyber and/or physical faults as failures in water allocation, or containment of contaminants.
Virus-specific, CD8+ major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes in lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-infected beta2-microglobulin-deficient mice.

Following infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), normal adult mice generate virus-specific, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) which clear the virus after intraperitoneal infection or cause death following intracranial (i.c.) infection. We have investigated the response of beta2-microglobulin-deficient (beta2m-) mice of the H-2d haplotype (KOD mice) to LCMV infection. Unlike H-2b beta2m- mice, which generate CD4+ MHC class II-restricted CTL in response to LCMV, KOD mice generate high levels of CD8+ MHC class I-restricted, virus-specific CTL. These CTL are specific for the LCMV nucleoprotein epitope (residues 118 to 126) in association with the Ld class I molecule, analogous to the CTL response in wild-type mice. KOD mice are also susceptible to lethal LCM disease, with 75 to 80% of the mice dying 7 to 9 days following i.c. infection with virus. Similar to results with normal mice, lethal LCM disease in KOD mice is prevented by in vivo depletion of CD8+ T cells prior to i.c. infection. In contrast to wild-type mice, however, KOD mice cannot control LCMV and become persistently infected. Overall, these results demonstrate that beta2m is not an absolute requirement for presentation of endogenous antigen on Ld or for induction of virus-specific Ld-restricted CTL in vivo.
The origins of aggression sex differences: Evolved dispositions versus social roles

The ultimate causes of sex differences in human aggressive behavior can lie mainly in evolved, inherited mechanisms that differ by sex or mainly in the differing placement of women and men in the social structure. The present commentary contrasts Campbell's evolutionary interpretation of aggression sex differences with a social structural interpretation that encompasses a wider range of phenomena.
Fe biogeochemistry in reclaimed acid mine drainage precipitates--implications for phytoremediation.

At a 50-year-old coal mine drainage barrens in central Pennsylvania, USA, we evaluated the biogeochemistry of acidic, Fe(III)oxy(hydr)oxide precipitates in reclaimed plots and compared them to untreated precipitates in control areas. Reclaimed plots supported successional vegetation that became established after a one-time compost and lime treatment in 2006, while control plots supported biological crusts. Precipitates were sampled from moist yet unsaturated surface layers in an area with lateral subsurface flow of mine drainage above a fragipan. Fe(II) concentrations were three- to five-fold higher in reclaimed than control precipitates. Organically bound Fe and amorphous iron oxides, as fractions of total Fe, were also higher in reclaimed than control precipitates. Estimates of Fe-reducing and Fe-oxidizing bacteria were four- to tenfold higher in root-adherent than both types of control precipitates. By scaling up measurements from experimental plots, total Fe losses during the 5-yr following reclamation were estimated at 45 t Fe ha−1 yr−1.
Distributed control design with robustness to small time delays

Recent results by the authors have shown how to construct a class of structured controllers for large scale spatially interconnected systems via linear matrix inequalities. These controllers guarantee that the closed loop interconnected system is well-posed, stable and has H/sub /spl infin// norm less than unity. Of paramount importance in the control of interconnected systems is the requirement that the stability and performance of the controlled system be robust to arbitrarily small communication delays between subsystems; this amounts to a continuity property. In this paper, it is shown how to realize the structured controllers obtained from the linear matrix inequalities in order to ensure this continuity property for the closed loop system.
An Interview with Marlene Davis RN, BS, MSW, Nurse Consultant, State of California-Parole Headquarters

I had the privilege of interviewing Marlene Davis recently and not only learned about her role as Nurse Consultant with the State of California–Parole Headquarters but also gained insight into the health care needs of the prison population. Prisoners tend to experience higher infectious disease rates, more chronic conditions, higher rates of mental illness as well as the co-occurrence of substance abuse and mental illness than the general population (). Over the past decade, the prison population has been steadily increasing and the United States ranks first in the world in this regard (Join Together, 2007). A record number of drug offenders is one of the reasons for this increase (The Sentencing Project, nd). There is evidence that most individuals do not receive treatment, despite the fact that there are principles recommended by NIDA about drug treatment for criminal justice populations (; NIDA, n.d.). In addition whether ex-offenders are treated in prison and how much care is provided after they leave...
Causes of seasonality in the chemistry of a lake on the Orinoco River floodplain, Venezuela1

Lake Tinco, which lies on the Orinoco floodplain, passes through four seasonal phases (filling, through-flow, drainage, and isolation), during which the lake volume changes 20-fold. During filling and through-flow, when the lake is inundated by river water, floating grasses (Paspalum repens) and phytoplankton grow rapidly, causing depletion of inorganic N and P between inflow and outflow, although phytoplankton biomass does not accumulate because of flushing. Inundation of the surrounding forest has no quantifiable effects on concentrations of major ions or macronutrients. Following through-Row, phytoplankton biomass accumulates, and high abundances of blue-green algae increase N in the lake by fixation (15 kg ha-l). Quantities of some elements released by decomposition of floating grasses over a 4-week period are very high in relation to lake-water inventories (K, 126%; Cl, 66%; organic C, 170%; N, 74%; and P, 89%). Mass balance for Lake Tinco shows, on an annual basis, net retention of N (27%)-partly because most nitrogen fixation is limited to the isolation phase-and P (39%), and net yield of inorganic C (24%). There is neither detectable net retention nor yield of organic C, major cations, sulfate, or chloride. The major chemical transformation of river water during passage through the lake is conversion of inorganic N and P to organic forms.
Integrative Taxonomy of the Micrura alaskensis Coe, 1901 Species Complex (Nemertea: Heteronemertea), with Descriptions of a New Genus Maculaura gen. nov. and Four New Species from the NE Pacific

Micrura alaskensis Coe, 1901 is a common intertidal heteronemertean known from eastern and northwest Pacific (Alaska to Ensenada, Mexico and Akkeshi, Japan, respectively). It is an emerging model system in developmental biology research. We present evidence from morphology of the adults, gametes, and sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S rRNA genes that it is not one, but a complex of five, cryptic species. All five of these species co-occur at least in part of their geographic range (e.g. southern Oregon). Preliminary cross-hybridization experiments suggest that at least some of these species are reproductively isolated. The five species share characteristics of adult morphology (e.g. accessory buccal glands) and at least four are known to possess a unique larval morphotype--pilidium maculosum. We propose that these characters define a new genus, Maculaura gen. nov., which contains the following five species: Maculaura alaskensis comb. nov., Maculaura aquilonia sp. nov., Maculaura cerebrosa sp. nov., Maculaura oregonensis sp. nov., and Maculaura magna sp. nov. It is unclear which of the five species Coe originally encountered and described. We chose to retain the name "alaskensis" for the species that current researchers know as "Micrura alaskensis", although, presently, it is only known from Washington and Oregon, and has not been collected from Alaska. Maculaura aquilonia sp. nov. is the only member of the genus we have encountered in Alaska, and we show that it also occurs in the Sea of Okhotsk, Russia.
Reliability of a spinal metastasis prognostic score to model 1-year survival

Abstract Background Predicting survival after surgery for patients with metastatic spine disease can be challenging, with multiple variables that can influence a patient's overall survival. Predictive models have been developed to assist clinicians in providing a prognosis for patients. Recently, Ghori et al. reported a composite model taking into account a modified Bauer score, preoperative albumin, and ambulatory status of patients with spinal metastasis. Using an independent cohort, we sought to assess the reliability and validity of this composite model to predict 1-year survival in patients diagnosed with metastatic cancer to the spine. Purpose This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Ghori et al. composite model to predict 1-year survival in patients diagnosed with metastatic cancer to the spine, using an independent cohort. Study Design/Setting A retrospective study was carried out. Patient Sample The sample comprised 161 patients with spinal metastasis undergoing surgery. Outcome Measures Patients' modified Bauer score, preoperative albumin, and ambulatory status were assessed. Methods This study used a retrospective analysis of 161 patients with spinal metastasis who underwent surgical management from 2007 to 2013. The ability of this composite model to predict 1-year survival was compared with actual patient survival using multivariable logistic regression to control for confounders, as well as post-regression diagnostics. Results Our analysis revealed significantly lower 1-year mortality among patients with higher composite scores as compared with those with lower scores. Strong associations between scores and survival were appreciated in unadjusted analysis. The final model was able to account for 80% of the variation in the 1-year survival, and there was no evidence of lack of fit. Conclusion This study demonstrates, in an independent cohort of spinal metastases patients, that a composite model taking into account the ambulatory status, serum albumin, and modified Bauer score is able to better predict postoperative survival. These data serve to validate the use of this predictive model in determining the prognosis of patients with spinal metastasis.
Uptake of free fatty acids and chylomicron glycerides by guinea pig mammary gland in pregnancy and lactation.

Mammary tissue of lactating guinea pigs was shown to take up both free fatty acids and chylomicron glycerides from plasma approximately twenty times more rapidly than mammary glands from midpregnant animals. The rates of removal of both forms of lipid by lactating mammary gland are comparable with those of liver. Free fatty acids cross the placental membrane and are rapidly taken up by fetuses at midpregnancy. There is no transfer of chylomicron glyceride across the placental membrane.
A trial of topical acyclovir in genital herpes simplex virus infections

Seventy-seven patients with first episodes of genital herpes and 111 with recurrent episodes were enrolled in a double-blind trial comparing topical acyclovir with a placebo (polyethylene glycol ointment). Among acyclovir-treated patients with first-episode primary genital herpes, the mean duration of viral shedding (4.1 days) and the time to complete crusting of lesions present at the initiation of therapy (7.1 days) were shorter than among placebo recipients (7.0 and 10.5 days, respectively) (P less than 0.05). Acyclovir-treated patients with recurrent herpes had a shorter duration of viral shedding than placebo recipients (0.95 vs. 1.90 days) (P = 0.03). Among the patients with recurrent herpes, acyclovir reduced the time to crusting of lesions in men but had no effect on the symptoms or healing times in women. Topical acyclovir shortens the duration of viral shedding and accelerates healing of some genital herpes simplex virus infections.
Graph modification problem for some classes of graphs

The issue of determining the complexity of modification problems for chordal bipartite graphs has been raised multiple times in the literature. We show that the completion and deletion problems for chordal bipartite graphs are NP-hard. The corresponding problems for weakly chordal graphs are already known to be hard. As a byproduct, we obtain results on modification problems for a variety of related classes of graphs and also simplify the arguments for the class of weakly chordal graphs.
Responses of rat spinal dorsal horn neurons to intracutaneous microinjection of histamine, capsaicin, and other irritants.

Carstens, E. Responses of rat spinal dorsal horn neurons to intracutaneous microinjection of histamine, capsaicin, and other irritants. J. Neurophysiol. 77: 2499–2514, 1997. To investigate the spin...
Righteous Anger at the Wicked States: LESS CONVINCING FACTORS

The Constitution was a revolution that replaced the friendship league of the confederation mode of government with a complete, tri-partite national government, able to raise its own revenue by tax directly, to operate without recourse to the states, and to enact laws supreme over the states. The Constitution replaced supremacy of the states with sovereignty of the people and ended the one-state veto of congressional actions necessary for the common defense or general welfare. It is the thesis of this book that the revolution was caused first by anger at the states for their betrayal of the sacred, united cause, and most urgently by the need to raise revenue for the national defense. Others have suggested that the motivating purpose of the Constitution was to allow Congress to regulate commerce, to suppress insurrection, to umpire territory disputes among the states, or to allow creditors who authored the Constitution to get paid. Those factors, however, upon inspection look peripheral, as explained in the next chapters.
Hormone Replacement Therapy and Its Effects on Human Hearing

Hormone therapies can have very dramatic effects upon hearing abilities, depending on the timing, duration, and nature of the hormones. Overall, estrogen tends to be beneficial to hearing, consistent with its generally neuroprotective and neuromodulatory actions for neural and sensory systems. Indeed, menopausal women tend to benefit from estrogen hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in terms of hearing, but other serious side effects, including ovarian, uterine, and breast cancer risks, have to be taken into account carefully. The most common form of HRT prescribed clinically, so called “combination” HRT, consists of estrogen combined with progestin/progesterone. The largest clinical research study to date on its actions in post-menopausal women revealed decreases in auditory sensitivity (audiogram thresholds), declines in otoacoustic emission levels, and worse performance on hearing-in-background noise tests relative to controls (women who had never taken HRT). Other hormones, such as aldosterone, may be beneficial to hearing in older individuals who have reduced serum levels of this mineralocorticoid hormone. Thyroxine, given to patients suffering from hypothyroidism, also may be beneficial to hearing. And finally, examination of a series of otoacoustic emissions and evoked potential studies in different gender groups suggests that pre- or post-natal exposures to higher levels of testosterone correlate with declines in auditory processing.
Judgment and Decision-Making

Abstract The cognitive processes of judgment and decision-making (JDM), which are fundamental to all human behavior, have been studied extensively in laboratory experiments. Much JDM research has examined the ways in which people choose among predefined alternatives, but little research has been done on the generation of new alternatives. Studies of uncertain outcomes have identified a number of deficiencies, both in the ways that people interpret the probabilities that are communicated to them and also in the ways that they generate probabilities as expressions of their own uncertainty about outcomes. Similarly, experiments have shown that the value people attach to different outcomes is subject to framing effects that produce different evaluations of mathematically equivalent alternatives. Finally, research on information search reveals that people can vary in the degree to which they are motivated by accuracy versus attitude consistency and, thus, their inclination to seek information that is likely to confirm or disconfirm their existing beliefs. Many judgment deficiencies have been attributed to judgment heuristics, which are simple “rules of thumb” that some researchers believe are used to simplify the cognitive processing of complex JDM tasks. However, other researchers have challenged many of the assumptions made about heuristics and the biases they can produce. There has been increasing interest in examining the ways in which JDM processes are influenced by task constraints such as uncertainty, complexity, urgency, and delay, as well as the fundamental cognitive processes of attention, long-term memory, and working memory. Differences between people responding to the same JDM problem and a given person responding to different JDM problems have led some researchers to propose dual-system models that contrast a slow rational system with a rapid intuitive system. A related issue is the relative influence of systematic rational processes and immediate emotional reactions on JDM processes. One important question about JDM research is whether the many deficiencies that have been identified by researchers have real significance for real-life decisions or are merely laboratory artifacts arising from artificial conditions. This question underscores the importance of conducting field experiments with decision-makers who vary in their experience with different types of JDM problems. Currently, however, researchers lack a comprehensive taxonomy of situations, tasks, and person characteristics that can be used to systematically examine the generalizability of different JDM processes. In addition, JDM researchers need to establish stronger theoretical connections to closely related areas such as social cognition, attitudes and behavior, and especially fundamental cognitive processes of attention and memory
Financial Sector Forum/Board

In the wake of the Asian financial crises, the international financial community felt the need to consider whether changes in international governance – the global financial architecture – were needed to promote global financial stability. The experiences of these crises, combined with the earlier Mexican peso crisis in 1994, had illustrated a number of shortcomings in domestic financial systems and the international coordination of financial policies. Accordingly, on October 3, 1998, the G-7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors asked Hans Tietmeyer, then President of the Deutsche Bundesbank, to recommend new structures or arrangements to enhance cooperation and coordination among international supervisory and regulatory bodies and the relevant international financial institutions.
Over-Incarceration and Disenfranchisement with Population Growth

Disenfranchisement laws in many states prohibit convicted felons from voting. The removal of ex-convicts from the pool of eligible voters reduces the pressure politicians may otherwise face to protect the interests of this group. In particular, disenfranchisement laws may cause the political process to push the sentences for criminal offenses upwards. In this article, I construct a simple model with elected law enforcers who propose sentences to maximize their likelihood of election. I show, with the help of the median voter theorem, that even without disenfranchisement, elections typically generate over-incarceration, i.e. longer than optimal sentences. Disenfranchisement further widens the gap between the optimal sentence and the equilibrium sentence, and thereby exacerbates the problem of over-incarceration. Moreover, this result is valid even when voter turnout is negatively correlated with people's criminal tendencies, i.e. when criminals vote less frequently than non-criminals.
Robot-assisted intelligent emergency system for individual elderly independent living

With the ever increasing aging population and others in need of close monitoring, there is a profound demand for an efficient and economical counter-emergency system. This paper proposes a smart connected real-time voice and video communication and tele-controlled co-robot system to provide a highly secured counter-emergency solution for people living alone, especially for elder adults. A comprehensive personal emergency assistant tele-robotics guard system is provided pervasive emergency intelligence for independent living. It contains three modules: robot awareness module, wearable emergency analysis module, and remote control module. The robot in robot awareness module is able to find out he yell of "help". The wearable emergency analysis module can recognize the person's activates and predict the health condition. The remote control module can control the robot remotely by using mobile devices. This smart connected tele-robotics guard system will dynamically detect, alarm, tele-operate for emergency situations. The prototypes have designed and developed with vocal help request, and wearable sensors to actively protect a person in emergency situations even when he/she loses consciousness, mobility, or clear conversation capability. The latest prototype was deployed in a senior home facility for extensive testing, eliciting real-life data to conduct further improvements.
Influence of assigned material combination in a simulated total cervical disc replacement design on kinematics of a model of the full cervical spine: A finite element analysis study.

Background Although cervical total disc replacement (TDR) is becoming popular, there are no finite analysis (FEA) studies involving a model of the full spine cervical (C1-C7) and determination of the influence of materials assigned to different parts of a specified TDR design on biomechanics of the model when TDR implantation is simulated. Objective To determine the influence of assigned material combination, for a given cervical TDR design, on the kinematics of a model of the full cervical spine. Methods A three-dimensional solid model of the full cervical spine was constructed, a finite element mesh was obtained (INT Model), after which FEA was used to determine range of motion (ROM) at each of the intersegmental positions under three clinically-relevant loadings. INT model was then modified by simulated implantation of a notional endplates-and-mobile insert TDR design, at C5-C6 (TDR Model), and six clinically-relevant applied loadings were applied. Four variants of TDR Model were used, the difference between them being in the materials assigned to the endplates and the mobile insert. Under each of the loadings, principal motions at each of the intersegmental positions were determined and compared to counterpart motions when INT Model was used. Results Comparison of ROM results of INT Model with relevant experimental results reported in the literature showed that the model was validated. With TDR Model, the smallest overall mean of the absolute values of the % change in principal intersegmental motions (relative to corresponding results in INT Model) was when the material assigned to both the endplates and the mobile insert was poly(ether-ether-ketone). Conclusion In a simulated implantation of a notional endplates-and-mobile-insert TDR design in a model of the full cervical spine, material combination assigned to the parts of the design exerts a marked influence on the kinematics of the model.
Impacts of Neanderthal-Introgressed Sequences on the Landscape of Human Gene Expression

Regulatory variation influencing gene expression is a key contributor to phenotypic diversity, both within and between species. Unfortunately, RNA degrades too rapidly to be recovered from fossil remains, limiting functional genomic insights about our extinct hominin relatives. Many Neanderthal sequences survive in modern humans due to ancient hybridization, providing an opportunity to assess their contributions to transcriptional variation and to test hypotheses about regulatory evolution. We developed a flexible Bayesian statistical approach to quantify allele-specific expression (ASE) in complex RNA-seq datasets. We identified widespread expression differences between Neanderthal and modern human alleles, indicating pervasive cis-regulatory impacts of introgression. Brain regions and testes exhibited significant downregulation of Neanderthal alleles relative to other tissues, consistent with natural selection influencing the tissue-specific regulatory landscape. Our study demonstrates that Neanderthal-inherited sequences are not silent remnants of ancient interbreeding but have measurable impacts on gene expression that contribute to variation in modern human phenotypes.
Finalizing the Treatment Plan and Practice Evaluation

The Steps 5 and 6 of the evidence-based practice (EBP) model are (Step 5) to finalize the treatment plan and (Step 6) to implement it. Authors of books and articles on EBP frequently address these two steps only minimally as they mark the shift from making practice decisions back to ‘doing’ practice. We think these steps warrant some further exploration and discussion. We also think that practice evaluation, sometimes included as a step in EBP, deserves some further discussion. These issues will be the focus of this chapter.
Soft Law, Authoritative Advice, and Nonbinding Agreements

One of the most fascinating developments in the domain of international law in the last few decades is the astonishing proliferation of non-binding legal instruments, generally referred to as soft law. The forms and origins of various nonbinding legal instruments are quite varied, but what they have in common is the promulgation of norms, commitments, or directives, explicitly avoiding the imposition of legal obligations on the relevant parties. The legal status of soft law is debated in the literature, but my concern in this essay is different: I aim to provide an account of the rationale of soft law from the perspective of the practical reasons that can rationalize such instruments. The argument is focused on analyzing the idea of authoritative advice, suggesting that when authorities advise their putative subjects, they purport to give the subject what I call presumptive reasons for action. I explain here what presumptive reasons are and what their rationale is, suggesting it as a model for the practical reasons in play when soft law operates vertically, in cases of nonbinding directives of international authorities. Horizontal soft law, that normally comes in the form of international treaties, is also explained by employing the idea of presumptive reasons, coupled with the mutual accountability relations that such agreements invariably constitute.
Influence of mix design variables on engineering properties of carbon fiber-modified electrically conductive concrete

Abstract This research was inspired by the need to optimize the mix design of electrically conductive concrete (ECON) for field implementation. Carbon fiber was used for producing ECON with different mixing proportions and constituents. Calcium nitrite-based corrosion inhibitor admixture and methylcellulose were used as conductivity-enhancing agent (CEA) and fiber-dispersive agent (FDA) respectively. Five easy-to-change mix design variables were evaluated for their effects on electrical conductivity and strength of ECON: carbon fiber dosage, fiber length, coarse-to-fine aggregate volume ratio (C/F), CEA dosage, and FDA dosage. The results approved the effectiveness of the applied CEA in improving electrical conductivity while positively influencing strength. Conductivity was significantly influenced by: fiber content, C/F, fiber length, and CEA dosage. The dosages of Fiber, CEA, and FDA exerted significant influence on compressive strength. C/F and FDA dosage were significant variables influencing flexural strength.
Negotiating Demands for Justice: Public Interest Law as a Problem Solving Dialogue

Act 1, Scene 1: (A first-year law student enters the law professor’s office, fuming.)First-Year Law Student: Hey, Prof, am I right that you’re behind the new public interest law course?Law Professor: Well, yes. I, among others, actively lobbied to find a place for it in the law school curriculum and especially supported it as a mandatory course in the first year of legal study.First-Year Law Student: Excuse me, but where do you get off making this a required course in the first year?! In the name of correcting inequitable distributions of legal power, you are exploiting your own lopsided power advantage to force me to learn how to volunteer?! Did you ever think of asking my opinion on this? Your paternalism reeks.…Act 1, Scene 2: (The law professor engages in an aside, entreating the reading audience to understand the method behind the madness.)Have you placed any marks on this dialogue so far? Have you scratched out any words or rewritten any of the sentences? You were supposed to. You see, it represents an effort to create a collaborative, open-ended syllabus for my public interest law course. Rather than impose my professorial voice as the final word on the semester’s topics for class discussion, required texts, assigned readings and so on, I thought it would be more in keeping with the public interest theme to invite the students to share their ideas, suggestions, and concerns. Since it would have required a prohibitive time commitment to interview all ninety of them individually, I drafted this imaginary dialogue to give them an opportunity to participate in the construction of the course.I handed out the imaginary dialogue on the first day of class and asked the students to interlineate their reactions in the margins and to comment at length on the backside of the pages. I then placed the students in small groups and had them exchange papers outside of class to explore the spectrum of opinions. Reconvened as an entire class, we used the marked-up dialogues to formulate a working definition of public interest law and to share our expectations for the course. Finally, we negotiated the course syllabus, the alternative field projects, the selection of texts, the format for class discussion, and alternative methods for testing and grading.Indeed, I wanted the students to understand public interest law as a richly textured narrative taken from real life stories – beginning with their own. After all, how could they learn to relate to disadvantaged people if they couldn’t put into words their own subordination?
Respiratory Physiology in Liver Disease

In this chapter, we will discuss hepatic-pulmonary pathophysiologic interactions in acute and chronic liver disease. Most of our understanding of how liver disease compromises the key functions of the respiratory system comes from studies of physiologic extremes. From these data, we can infer how milder manifestations of liver disease may contribute to abnormalities in ventilation and gas exchange. In liver disease, it is well established that optimal ventilation is most often perturbed by altered respiratory mechanics from ascites, hydrothorax, and hepatic cachexia. Ventilation-perfusion (V-Q) mismatching may be caused or worsened by compressive atelectasis from ascites or hydrothorax, imbalanced matching in hepatopulmonary syndrome, dynamic small airway collapse from increased pulmonary blood flow, or any of the various causes typically seen in hypoxemic hospitalized patients. Diffusion abnormalities also have myriad causes, and a low diffusion capacity (DLCO) without alternative explanation may represent the uncommon but well characterized hepatopulmonary syndrome. Additionally, acute liver failure may be complicated by the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which itself hampers respiratory mechanics, V-Q matching, and gas diffusion. Patients with chronic liver disease are also at risk for ARDS as they are prone to sepsis and aspiration pneumonitis. Managing ARDS in these populations requires special consideration of extra-hepatic complications of liver failure such as elevated intracerebral pressure and tense ascites.
Outcomes after cricotracheal resection for idiopathic subglottic stenosis

Objectives Idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS) is a rare disease in which patients develop airway narrowing and dyspnea from relapsing subglottic and tracheal granulation and scar tissue that narrows the airway. Definitive management has involved surgical resection and reconstruction of the subglottis and trachea. However, treatment options remain highly variable at different institutions. Here, we present our outcomes and experience after cricotracheal resection (CTR) for iSGS at a high-volume tertiary care center. Methods A review of one surgeon's experience with a population of iSGS patients who underwent CTR between the years 1999 and 2017. The diagnosis of iSGS was one of exclusion and was based on history and microlaryngoscopy and bronchoscopy exams. Recurrence of subglottic stenosis was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival estimate analysis. Results Sixty-one patients met criteria for iSGS and underwent CTR. Our population was 97% female and had an average of 4.3 balloon dilations prior to CTR. Mean follow-up time after CTR was 7.14 years. Eight (13%) patients developed recurrence of subglottic stenosis after CTR. Mean and median time to recurrence after CTR was 12.5 years and 14.1 years, respectively. Conclusion Cricotracheal resection is associated with a small, long-term recurrence rate of stenosis. It remains an important option for individuals with refractory iSGS. It may be reasonable to consider early CTR in the management of certain patients with iSGS. Further research should investigate risk factors that predispose patients to recurrence after CTR. Level of evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 128:2268-2272, 2018.
Development of Empirical Weather Forecasting Techniques for Soaring Flight

A method for developing empirical weather forecasting techniques is described. The method is applied to the problem of forecasting conditions favorable for the Diamond distance and record flights in eastern Colorado USA. A simple set of forecasting rules for such conditions results. The development technique is general enough that it could be used to develop equivalent soaring forecast rules for other regions.
Corpus Studies: Second Language

Recent trends in the development of learner corpora will have a strong impact on the areas of second language acquisition and language pedagogy. Corpus linguistics provides a tool for exploring linguistic characteristics and patterns associated with language use in different contexts (e.g., talking among friends, giving a formal speech, writing a research paper). Corpora and information from corpus linguistics can also be used to inform second language instruction and assessment. Rather than relying on native speaker intuitions about how language is used, material developers and language teachers are able to inform pedagogical decisions based on information from corpus-based research.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Psychosocial Aspects

Theoretical models of the transmission dynamics of STDs and HIV help one understand how different behaviors (e.g., unprotected sex, delay of treatment, nonadherence to medical regimens) contribute to the spread of these diseases. Although each behavior is substantively unique, there are only a limited number of variables that need to be considered in attempting to predict, understand, or change any given behavior: behavioral intentions; skills abilities; environmental constraints; attitudes (and their underlying behavioral beliefs); norms (and their underlying normative beliefs); and self-efficacy (and its underlying efficacy beliefs). An integrative theoretical model incorporating these constructs is described and the role of theory in HIV prevention is discussed. Finally, the article considers the relations between biological and behavioral outcome measures in STD/HIV prevention research. Special attention is paid to the relationship between condom use and incident STDs. Although there is no simple relationship between these two variables, systematic relationships can be found when considerations of partner risk status and correct (as well as consistent) condom use are taken into account.
Decoding TDP-43 Dependent Cryptic Splicing in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Identifying Novel Disease-causing Genes

\sectionBackground Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a neurodegenerative disease that primarily effects motor neurons in both brain and spinal cord \citezarei2015comprehensive. Several independent studies conformed the deposition of TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP)-43 aggregates in the cytoplasm of the effected cells suggesting the role of TDP-43 in ALS. However, the molecular mechanism of TDP-43 in ALS is not well established. It is only recently reported that TDP-43 contributes to pre-mRNA splicing by inhibiting cryptic exons \citeling2015tdp. While this is a very interesting observation, it opens to several intriguing aspects of TDP-43 dependent splicing errors like preferential 5'/3' errors, enrichment of specific alternative splicing events and Intron retentions. A systematic characterization and decoding TDP-43 cryptic splicing is critical to better understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of ALS. However, none of the existing computational approaches are precisely designed for cryptic splice characterization, which advocates a strong need of robust genome-wise scalable pipeline. \sectionResults In this study we applied CrypSplice \citetan2016extensive, in-house novel cryptic splice site detection and characterization method on several publicly available TDP-43 datasets. Every junction is subjected to a beta binomial test and characterize to aid molecular inferences. Upon exploring 18 TDP-43 knock-down samples across different tissues and cell lines we found that genes that are targeted by cryptic splicing are enriched in cell cycle, autophagy and protein folding. While this is in good agreement with previous studies we uncovered a preferential enrichment of 5' splice site errors indicating a U1 spliceosome mediated mechanism. To infer a co-splicing network, similar cryptic splicing characterization was performed on a total of 236 samples covering 118 RNA binding proteins (RBPs) \citeyalamanchili2017data. A network of RBPs was constructed based on the induced cryptic load similarity w.r.t TDP-43 cryptic signature that are also validated by TDP-43 binding (eCLIP-Seq). We found other reported ALS genes like FUS, HNRNPA1 and TAF15 enriched in the neighboring genes of TDP-43 in the RBP network. Novel (putative) ALS-causing RBPs are identified and prioritized using Network Propagation, Guilt by association, and Cryptic signature similarity. \sectionConclusion Through a comprehensive CrypSplice analysis we uncovered a preferential enrichment of TDP-43 dependent 5' splice site errors. Network propagation and prioritization of RBP cryptic network yielded a list of (putative) novel ALS associated genes. Further follow-ups through genetic screening could discover more ALS causing genes and aid decoding the underlying molecular mechanism.
Recessive Action in Colm Tóibín’s Brooklyn

Colm Toibin’s 2009 novel Brooklyn accompanies Eilis Lacey, a native of Enniscorthy, Ireland of the 1950s on a reluctant voyage across the Atlantic. Her passage reconstructs a common experience of immigration and exile to New York for the Irish working class seeking to escape the lack of prospects in small-town Ireland after the Second World War. Caught as she is between two homes—the traditional Irish culture she emerges from and the new capitalist society of America to which she emigrates—Eilis is placed in a polemical relationship to the public sphere, staked on multiple grounds of in-betweenness: she is a woman, Irish, and an exile. Belonging, for her, is posited on a complex understanding of the tensions between national and transnational identities. Eilis’s parochialism, at first, and cosmopolitanism, later on, are both decisive characteristics that become driving forces behind her social integration and marriage prospects. She is initially barred from promising job and marriage opportunities due to her naivety and lack of sophistication. As an Irish female immigrant, Eilis becomes in the course of the novel a cosmopolitan from the margins, one of the newly uprooted, and ultimately a split self.
Increased Success of Single-Pass Large Vessel Recanalization Using a Combined Stentriever and Aspiration Technique: A Single Institution Study

Background Extensive evidence supports mechanical thrombectomy using stentrievers (SR) for acute large vessel occlusion (aLVO). Aspiration is also used as a first pass or adjunct technique during clot removal. Here we report technical results from mechanical thrombectomy cases using SR alone, aspiration alone (AD), or a combination of SR and aspiration (SA) as a first pass for aLVO. Methods An institutional stroke database was reviewed for patients presenting to a single academic institution with anterior circulation aLVO and who were treated with mechanical thrombectomy from 2011 to 2017. Patients managed with SR alone, AD, or a combination of these 2 techniques (SA) were identified. The rate of successful recanalization after the first thrombectomy attempt was compared between the 3 groups. Results A total of 353 patients were analyzed, including 215 in SR, 32 in AD, and 106 in SA groups. There was no significant difference for age and admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale between the groups. Successful recanalization rates after the first pass were 35.8% in the SR group, 34.4% in aspiration as a first pass technique, and 55.7% in SA, with a statistically significant higher rate of first pass success in the SA group (P = 0.002). Using balloon-guide catheter doubled the rate of successful first pass recanalization from 21.3% to 41.6% in the SR group (P = 0.005); however, the SA technique was more effective for first pass recanalization when compared with an SR and balloon-guide catheter combination (55.7% vs. 41.6%, P = 0.025). Conclusions The combination of SR and catheter aspiration can increase the rate of single pass successful recanalization compared with these techniques individually.
CHAPTER 2 – DNA Microsatellites as Genetic Markers at Several Scales

DNA microsatellites are genetic markers that can be useful in addressing questions at a variety of scales, ranging from the extremely fine grained to the fairly coarse grained. More specifically, this genetic tool can help solve problems ranging from individual-specific, such as determining gender, to questions of relatedness and parentage. The rise of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based microsatellite markers provides abundant opportunities but also calls for caution. Because of their suitability for addressing problems at a fairly wide range of levels of organization from within individuals to among populations or species, a considerable expansion of interest in the interactions across these scales is foreseen. Differences in mutation processes and rates between microsatellites and allozymes provide both opportunities and problems for analysis of population subdivision. In allozyme analyses, new alleles arise by point mutations, and allelic variation has usually been modeled under the assumption of infinite alleles. The need for careful assessment of the fit among the demographic parameters of the population analyzed (migration, drift, mutation rate) and the assumptions of the models used to analyze it cannot be overemphasized. Application of an inappropriate model can lead to the wrong conclusions about the patterns and processes of genetic differentiation.
CLINICAL APPROACH TO SECONDARY PREVENTION IN AORTIC ATHEROMA

Complex aortic plaques place patients at risk for cardioembolic events including stroke and TIA. Management in secondary prevention of these events is controversial. A 66-year-old diabetic patient presented with congestive heart failure. An echocardiogram was concerning for severe mitral