cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood? Neighborhood Age Composition and Age Discrimination

Age discrimination is pervasive in the United States, yet little is known about the social contexts in which it occurs. Older persons spend much of their time in their neighborhoods, where a densit...
The 'Piratisation' of Environmental Activism

In Institute of Cetacean Research v Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Japanese whalers brought an action against Sea Shepherd, a Washington-based conservation organisation, under the US Alien Tort Statute and Washington law, alleging a violation of their right to free navigation at sea and piracy. The Ninth Circuit held that Sea Shepherd's activities amounted to piracy. This article deconstructs and criticizes the Ninth Circuit's decision on a number of grounds, and recommends a better test for interpreting and applying the "private ends" proviso under international law's definition of piracy.
Antioxidant supplementation normalizes elevated protein kinase C activity in the proximal tubules of old rats.

Aging is associated with increase in oxidative stress. Earlier, we have shown that higher basal protein kinase C (PKC) activity in the proximal tubules (PTs) of old rats contributes to the hyperpho...
Optimal Time-varying Operation of Nonlinear Process Systems with Economic Model Predictive Control

In the this work, we propose a two-layer approach to dynamic economic optimization and process control for optimal time-varying operation of nonlinear process systems. The upper layer, utilizing a Lyapunov-based economic model predictive control (LEMPC) system, is used to compute dynamic economic optimization policies for process operation. The lower layer, utilizing a Lyapunov-based MPC (LMPC) system, is used to ensure that the closed-loop system state follows the optimal time-varying trajectories computed by the upper layer over each finite-time operating window. To improve the computational efficiency of the two-layer structure, we allow both the LEMPC and the LMPC to compute control actions for two distinct sets of manipulated inputs thus decreasing the real-time computational demand compared to other one-layer EMPC schemes. Following a rigorous formulation and analysis of the proposed method, we demonstrate boundedness of the closed-loop system state and closed-loop economic performance improvement w...
Trophic Factor Supplementation: Effect on the Age-Associated Changes in Body Composition

Many of the changes in body composition associated with aging are similar to those found in states of growth hormone deficiency. Elderly people have also been found to have significant abnormalities in several trophic factor systems including growth hormone/insulin-like growth factors, and both male and female sex hormones. This has led to intense interest in the clinical effects of trophic factor supplementation in older individuals. This article reviews the age-related alterations in the growth hormone and sex steroid axes, as well as the effects of supplementation. In addition, important questions about the use of trophic factors in the elderly that must be addressed in future research are put forth.
Flood Forecasting in the United States NOAA/National Weather Service

Abstract In the United States, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) has official responsibility for issuing public routine river and flood forecasts, for the purpose of protection of life and property. The focus of this chapter is a discussion of the models and methodologies developed by the NOAA/NWS for flood forecasting. Since the formation of the 13 River Forecast Centers (RFCs), covering all U.S. states and territories, scientific and technological developments have been significant. Methodologies have evolved from the use of manually intensive graphical and hand-calculated modeling and forecast procedures, to locally developed event-based hydrologic modeling systems in the 1970s and 1980s. This was followed by the emergence of the mainframe computer system-based NWS River Forecast System (NWSRFS) in the late 1970s and early 1980s, developed by the NWS Office of Hydrology. The creation of NWSRFS and subsequent availability of UNIX-based computer workstations made the development of interactive hydrologic forecasting feasible in the early 1990s for use at RFCs for routine operations. This was a time of NWS modernization with the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS), Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD), and, within NWS hydrologic services, implementation of the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Services (AHPS). The modernization brought a significant infusion of hydrologic science and technology, including long lead-time probabilistic hydrologic forecasting, mainly for water resources applications, a world-wide-web presence, and the widespread use of gridded flash flood guidance. The NWS is currently in the process of implementing AWIPS-2 and RFCs recently completed the transition from NWSRFS to the Deltares-based (the Netherlands) Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) flood forecast system, called the Community Hydrologic Prediction System (CHPS) by the NWS. Significant emphasis is now being placed on implementation of distributed hydrologic modeling and hydrologic ensemble forecasting, especially for near-term and intermediate lead-time flood forecasting, as well as long lead-time forecast for water resources needs. NOAA/NWS RFCs are emphasizing development of improved streamflow routing with the use of dynamic, unsteady streamflow routing, including near real-time event-based flood inundation mapping, within CHPS. A detailed discussion of the models, forecast procedures, and systems used by NOAA/NWS/RFCs is presented.
Albendazole therapy in alveolar hydatid disease: a report of favorable results in two patients after short-term therapy.

Abstract Albendazole was administered preoperatively to two patients with active alveolar hydatid disease for 58 and 84 days. Vesicles of larval Echinococcus multilocularis obtained from surgical tissues were inoculated into red-backed voles for in vivo testing viability. No proliferation of the larval cestode had occurred when the animals were dissected three months post-inoculation. These findings suggest that short-term therapy with albendazole was effective in killing the larval cestode in these two cases. Albendazole was found to be hepatotoxic but resulting transaminase abnormalities have been reversible. Close monitoring of liver function and hematology is essential in patients under albendazole therapy.
Foster Appeals to The “Proletariat”

THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN of the Communist Party can be fully comprehended only by those who understand the threat it offered the American trade-union movement. To A. F. of L. leaders of the day this was obvious. To an undercover agent of the United States Department of Labor in the Far West the matter was equally plain. Reporting secretly, he wrote, The communists here [state of Washington] that are members of the various unions are pretty well known but proving that they are actually members of the party seems to be and is a very difficult task. All of them will sidestep a direct question as to their membership and in that they differ from the average I. W. W., the latter proud of his membership, hating the A. F. of L. and wanting the wide world to know it. Without access to the membership rolls it is well-nigh impossible to bring proof of membership, without which it seems impossible to suspend or expel them from their respective local or international unions.1
Excited Delirium and Sudden Death: A Syndromal Disorder at the Extreme End of the Neuropsychiatric Continuum.

Over the past decade, the excited delirium syndrome (ExDS) has raised continuous controversy regarding the cause and manner of death of some highly agitated persons who die in police custody, during physical restraint or incapacitation by electrical devices. At autopsy, medical examiners have difficulty in identifying any anatomic cause of death, but frequently cite psychostimulant intoxication as a contributing factor. The characteristic symptoms of ExDS include bizarre and aggressive behavior, shouting, paranoia, panic, violence toward others, unexpected physical strength, and hyperthermia. Throughout the United States and Canada, these cases are most frequently associated with cocaine, methamphetamine and designer cathinone abuse. Acute exhaustive mania and sudden death presents with behavioral symptoms that are identical to what is described for ExDs in psychostimulant abusers. Bell’s mania or acute exhaustive mania was first described in the 1850’s by American psychiatrist Luther Bell in institutionalized psychiatric patients. This rare disorder of violent mania, elevated body temperature and autonomic collapse continued to be described by others in the psychiatric literature, but with different names until the first cases of ExDS were recognized at the beginning of the cocaine epidemic by medical examiners. The first neurochemical pathology examinations of brain tissues from these cases after death revealed a loss of dopamine transporter regulation together with increases in heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) expression as a biomarker of hyperthermia. The similarity in the behavioral symptoms between extremely agitated psychostimulant abusers and unmedicated psychiatric patients suggests that a genetic disorder that leads to dysregulated central dopamine transporter function could be a precipitating cause of the acute delirium and sudden death. While the precise cause and mechanism of lethality remains controversial, the likely whys and wherefores of sudden death of ExDS victims are seen to be “biological”, since excessive dopamine in the brain triggers the manic excitement and delirium, which unabated, culminates in a loss of autonomic function that progresses to cardiorespiratory collapse.
Reduct: A Puzzle Game for Children About Evaluating Code

We present Reduct, a puzzle game to teach programming language semantics to novices, especially children. Unlike previous puzzle games, Reduct gamifies the actual evaluation steps involved in executing code. Players discover behavior of language constructs through play by evaluating code snippets towards a goal. The game progression covers several basic concepts of JavaScript ES2015, including functions, Booleans, ternary conditionals, arrays, Array.map(), variables, and more. To help reduce self-handicapping behavior, code representations begin in a concrete form and fade to abstract notation over time.
Period-doubling and Neimark–Sacker bifurcations in a larch budmoth population model

We investigate a discrete consumer-resource system based on a model originally proposed for studying the cyclic dynamics of the larch budmoth population in the Swiss Alps. It is shown that the moth population can persist indefinitely for all of the biologically feasible parameter values. Using intrinsic growth rate of the consumer population as a bifurcation parameter, we prove that the system can either undergo a period-doubling or a Neimark–Sacker bifurcation when the unique interior steady state loses its stability.
Evaluation of the percentage tissue altered as a risk factor for developing post-laser in situ keratomileusis ectasia.

Purpose To assess the currently recommended percentage tissue altered (PTA) metric for its ability to screen for ectasia after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Setting Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, California, USA, and Rothschild Foundation, Paris, France. Design Retrospective case series. Methods The study used a LASIK database created by 1 surgeon for LASIK cases with normal preoperative topography that had a minimum follow-up of 24 months with complete preoperative and intraoperative data to permit the calculation of PTA values to detect eyes at risk for developing ectasia. Results Of the eyes, 593 eyes had complete data and met the inclusion criteria. Based on measured flap thickness, 126 eyes (21%) had a PTA value of 40% or more (mean 44) and a percentage of that flap thickness accounted for the PTA (mean 66.7%; range 34% to 92%). The mean attempted laser ablation was 79.8 μm ± 29.2 (SD), and the mean residual bed thickness was 304.4 ± 29.2 μm (range 212 to 369 μm). No eye developed ectasia over a mean follow-up of 30 months. Conclusions The current PTA calculation when applied to a LASIK population with normal preoperative topography and flap thickness measured with ultrasound did not predict the risk for ectasia. Differences between study populations and assumptions might have accounted for the different outcomes obtained in the initially published PTA study.
Maize Residue Removal and Cover Crop Effects on Subsequent Soybean Crops

Residue management and cover crops are important cropping system components. Maize (Zea mays L.) residue removal and cover crop effects on soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seed moisture at harvest, grain yield, and seed mineral concentrations were examined. Maize residue removal treatments [low-residue removal (LRR) (grain harvest only), medium-residue removal (MRR) (stalks chopped and baled after grain harvest), and high-residue removal (HRR) (stalks cut and removed as silage)] under no-till maize/soybean rotations were established near Brookings, SD, in 2000. Subplot treatments, begun in 2005, were the absence or presence of the cover crops fall-planted slender wheatgrass [Elymus trachycaulus (Link) Gould ex Shinners] in maize and hairy vetch [Vicia villosa (Roth)] plus oats (Avena sativa L.) in soybean. Soybean data from 2009 through 2012 were evaluated. Across years and cover crops, LRR maintained 3587 ± 280 kg ha⁻¹ preseason maize residue, MRR had 2269 ± 227 kg ha⁻¹, and HRR had 1414 ± 172 kg ha⁻¹. Grain moisture was greater (P = 0.03) in LRR (119.6 ± 1.8 g kg⁻¹) than MRR (114.0 ± 1.4 g kg⁻¹) or HRR (114.7 ± 1.5 g kg⁻¹). Grain N was less (P = 0.04) under LRR (62.4 ± 0.5 g kg⁻¹) than MRR (63.4 ± 0.6 g kg⁻¹) or HRR (63.8 ± 0.5 g kg⁻¹). Only during 2012, which had a warm and very dry summer, did MRR (3294 ± 88 kg ha⁻¹) or HRR (3363 ± 141 kg ha⁻¹) have less grain yield than LRR (3766 ± 145 kg ha⁻¹). Cover crops reduced yield in 2012 (3233 ± 78 kg ha⁻¹ with cover crops; 3716 ± 102 kg ha⁻¹ without). Maize residue removal or cover crop cultivation reduced yield only during a growing season with a warm and very dry summer.
Community Cohesion and Countering Violent Extremism: Interfaith Activism and Policing Methods in Metro Detroit

Areas within Metro-Detroit, USA have been called “Shariaville” or labelled as containing “no-go zones” and yet the area lacks a definitive issue with radicalization. This article examines this gap between perceptions and reality of Metro Detroit by reflecting upon notions of community as experienced by community members and how that connects with ongoing debates regarding the role of community in countering violent extremism (CVE). Based on fieldwork conducted in Metro Detroit, this paper outlines two overlooked mechanisms that strengthen a multicultural community. This includes interfaith dialogue and activism as well as an emphasis on community methods. This article argues that mechanisms that strengthen community cohesion builds resilient societies which then remain uninterested in radicalization. Metro Detroit was chosen as the basis for this work due to its extremely diverse ethnic and religious populations, yet relatively low numbers of radicalized community members. Ethnographic fieldwork and interviews with key community members indicated a strong network of interfaith organizations and activism within Metro Detroit. Furthermore, law enforcement prioritizes policing at the community level while respecting the cultural norms and values of the diverse population. This article suggests that building on processes such as interfaith dialogues and effective community policing creates contexts within communities where violent extremism becomes less of a concern.
Characteristics of an IA+ Antigen-Presenting Tumor Cell Line

The controlling elements responsible for regulating Ag-specific proliferation appear to be associated with the gene products of the I region within the major histocompatibility complex. Numerous studies (1–5) have indicated that for efficient T-cell proliferation to occur, Ag must be presented to the T cell on the surface of an Ag-presenting cell (APC) in either direct or indirect association with Ia molecules expressed by the APC. A complication in studying the nature of the relationship of Ag to Ia has been that the APC population represents a small and variable population and is very likely comprised of several cell types. The ability to achieve homogeneous populations in sufficient quantities for molecular studies has been hampered by the fact that APCs in the peripheral organs (macrophages or dendritic cells) appear to be terminally differentiated and, as such, are relatively resistant to most cloning techniques. An alternative approach for deriving stable clones of APCs is to develop tumor cell lines which express antigen-presenting capacity; these cell lines can then be used as homogeneous populations to evaluate the interaction of Ag and Ia molecules on the surface of the APC. We have recently described several adherent tumor cell lines which possess morphological and functional characteristics of splenic dendritic cells, including constitutive expression of surface Ia molecules (6). We describe in this report that these cell lines (P388AD) have the ability to present Ag to primed T cells which have been depleted of endogenous APC.
The Role of Oxidative Stress in the Retinal Lesion of Ccl2/Cx3cr1 Deficiency Mouse on rd8 Background

The Ccl2 −/− /Cx3cr1 −/− deficiency mouse on rd8 background spontaneously develops a broad spectrum of age-related macular degeneration (AMD)-like lesions including abnormal retinal pigment epithelium, focal photoreceptor degeneration, and lipofuscin accumulation. Studies suggest that disturbance of multiple factors/pathways is involved in the pathogenesis of the retinal lesion of Ccl2 −/− /Cx3cr1 −/−/ rd8, which include endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammatory response, malfunction of microglia, and oxidative stress. This chapter summarizes the retinal pathological/molecular features of Ccl2 −/− /Cx3cr1 −/− /rd8; presents the evidences of enhanced oxidative stress relevant molecules in the retina of Ccl2 −/− /Cx3cr1 −/−/ rd8; reports two studies that directly or indirectly manipulated the status of oxidative stress to intervene the development of the retinal lesion of Ccl2 −/− /Cx3cr1 −/−/ rd8; and suggests that the oxidative stress plays an important role in causing the mouse retinal lesions that mimic human AMD lesions.
Familial Adenomatous Polyposis and Extracolonic Cancer

Our purpose is to focus attention on the cancer family history, coupled with an understanding of the natural history and extracolonic tumor spectrum of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), through a family study. This family report provides an example of how colorectal cancer (CRC) can be prevented by knowledgeable gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons who educate and compassionately counsel members of high-risk families so that their compliance with diagnostic screening and, ultimately, with protection through prophylactic colectomy, is achieved. A working pedigree of this extended family was constructed through interviews with the proband, followed by questionnaires sent to all primary and secondary relatives. Appropriately signed permission forms enabled us to secure pertinent medical and pathology records in order to ensure accuracy of historical information. Integral extracolonic tumors included medulloblastoma, papillary thyroid carcinoma, hepatoblastoma, and desmoid tumors. We conclude that, due in part to improved longevity as a result of being spared CRC, several family members have developed certain FAP integral extracolonic cancers.
High Energy Experiments with a Polarized Proton Beam and a Polarized Proton Target

During recent years there has been an increasing interest in the importance of spin in high energy strong interactions. This came from the very successful experiments using polarized proton targets at Berkeleyl), CERN2), and Argonne3). This work suggested that the further studies of spin, which require a polarized beam, might yield very exciting results. Around 1970 our group began working with the Argonne ZGS staff to accelerate a beam of polarized protons and scatter them from a polarized proton target. In 1973 a polarized beam was accelerated to multi-GeV energies for the first time. The ZGS now has a beam of 5 109 protons at 6 GeV/c with a polarization of more than 70%.
Team Prayer in Sports: Why an Action-Based Inquiry into a Coach’s Conduct Should Prevent Courts from Following Borden’s Confusion About the Reasonable Observer

Borden v. School District of the Township of East Brunswick, a 2008 Third Circuit case, provides the latest major appellate opinion on coach involvement in team prayer. The Third Circuit concluded that a coach’s actions with respect to team prayer must be evaluated in light of the coach’s history of involvement with religious practices. This comment attempts to explain that a judicially created reasonable viewer in Establishment Clause cases dealing with team prayer should only take account of a coach’s actions and not of his history. Part II of this comment will explain the relevant Supreme Court precedents regarding prayer in public schools. Part III will closely dissect two major federal circuit decisions addressing coach involvement in team prayer – the Fifth Circuit’s opinion in Doe v. Duncanville and the Third Circuit’s opinion in Borden. Part IV will explain why Judge McKee’s concurring opinion in Borden captures the appropriate method for courts to adopt when reviewing similar cases. Further, Part IV will discuss why Judge McKee’s approach will remove potential barriers for students and parents to confidently bring forth constitutional claims against their school district, when they otherwise would not have.
Operating system support for multi-user, remote, graphical interaction

The emergence of thin client computing and multi-user, remote, graphical interaction revives a range of operating system research issues long dormant, and introduces new directions as well. This paper investigates the effect of operating system design and implementation on the performance of thin client service and interactive applications. We contend that the key performance metric for this type of system and its applications is user-perceived latency and we give a structured approach for investigating operating system design with this criterion in mind. In particular, we apply our approach to a quantitative comparison and analysis of Windows NT, Terminal Server Edition (TSE), and Linux with the X Windows System, two popular implementations of thin client service. We find that the processor and memory scheduling algorithms in both operating systems are not tuned for thin client service. Under heavy CPU and memory load, we observed user-perceived latencies up to 100 times beyond the threshold of human perception. Even in the idle state, these systems induce unnecessary latency. TSE performs particularly poorly despite scheduler modifications to improve interactive responsiveness. We also show that TSE's network protocol outperforms X by up to six times, and also makes use of a bitmap cache which is essential for handling dynamic elements of modern user interfaces and can reduce network load in these cases by up to 2000%.
The Original Meaning of the Habeas Corpus Suspension Clause

The Habeas Corpus Suspension Clause of Article I, Section 9, is primarily a limit on Congress’ authority to authorize detention by the executive. It is not mainly concerned with the remedial writ of habeas corpus, but rather with the primary right of natural liberty. Suspensions of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus are statutes that vest very broad discretion in the executive to decide which individuals to hold in custody. Detention of combatants under the law of war need not rest on a valid suspension, whether the combatant is an alien or a citizen of the United States. The Suspension Clause does not affirmatively require that the federal courts have any jurisdiction to issue the writ of habeas corpus, and so does not interfere with Congress’ general control over the jurisdiction of the federal courts. The clause does not impose any limits on congressional authority with respect to the habeas corpus jurisdiction of state courts that would not exist in its absence.
Validation and Application of a Physically Nonlinear ID Computational Model for Bifurcated Arterial Networks

Reduced fluid-structure interaction models are the key component of hemodynamic simulation. In this work, a multi-purpose computational model applicable to specific physiological components such as arterial, venous and cerebrospinal fluid circulatory systems has been developed based on the Hamilton’s variational principle. This model encompasses a viscous Newtonian fluid structure interaction (FSI) framework for the large compliant bifurcated arterial networks and its subsystems. This approach provides the groundworks for a correct formulation of reduced FSI models with an account for arbitrary non-linear viscoelastic properties of a compliant vascular tree. The hyperbolic properties of the derived mathematical model are analyzed and used to construct the Lax-Wendroff finite volume numerical scheme, with second order accuracy in time and space. The computational algorithm is validated against well-known numerical and in vitro experimental data reported in the literature for the case of human arterial trees, comprising 55 and 37 main arterial vessels. Utilizing the physics based nonlinear constitutive framework, this model can be adequately tested, calibrated and applied for patient-specific clinical diagnosis and prediction.
Platelet-Neutrophil Interactions Are Lower in Cord Blood of Premature Newborns.

OBJECTIVE To quantify platelet-neutrophil interaction by flow cytometry, in newborn cord blood, as a function of gestational age. RATIONALE Little is known about platelet function markers in the newborn, and developmental variations in these markers are not well described. METHODS Cord blood samples were obtained from 64 newborns between 23 and 40 weeks' gestation. The neonates were grouped into three categories: preterm (< 34 weeks' gestation, n = 21), late preterm (34 to < 37 weeks' gestation, n = 22), and term (≥37 weeks' gestation, n = 21). We monitored the expression of P-selectin and the formation of platelet-neutrophil aggregates (PNAs) by flow cytometry while using adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP) or thrombin receptor-activating peptide (TRAP) as agonists. RESULTS PNAs were significantly lower in preterm compared to term neonates after TRAP or ADP stimulations (11.5 ± 5.2% vs. 19.9 ± 9.1%, p < 0.001, or 24.0 ± 10.1% vs. 39.1 ± 18.2%, p = 0.008, respectively). The expression of P-selectin also tended to be lower in preterm neonates, with significant positive correlations between P-selectin expression and PNA formation. CONCLUSIONS The potential formation of PNAs correlates with gestational age. This suggests that the development of functional competencies of platelets and neutrophils continues throughout gestation, progressively enabling interactions between them.
0153 Extreme Morning Chronotypes Are Often Familial And Not Exceedingly Rare: The Estimated Prevalence Of Familial Advanced Sleep Phase (FASP) In A Sleep Clinic Population

Author(s): Curtis, Brian J; Ashbrook, Liza H; Young, Terry B; Finn, Laurel; Fu, Ying-Hui; Ptacek, Louis J; Jones, Chris R
Collaborative Care for Depression of Adults and Adolescents: Measuring the Effectiveness of Screening and Treatment Uptake

Objective:This study analyzed effectiveness of screening, referrals, and treatment uptake of a collaborative care for depression intervention across 10 primary care clinics in Chicago.Methods:Betwe...
A critical appraisal of population viability analysis

Population viability analysis (PVA) is useful in management of imperiled species. Applications range from research design, threat assessment, and development of management frameworks. Given the importance of PVAs, it is essential that they be rigorous and adhere to widely accepted guidelines; however, the quality of published PVAs is rarely assessed. We evaluated the quality of 160 PVAs of 144 species of birds and mammals published in peer-reviewed journals from 1990 to 2017. We hypothesized that PVA quality would be lower with generic programs than with custom-built programs; be higher for those developed for imperiled species; change over time; and be higher for those published in journals with high impact factors (IFs). Each included study was evaluated based on answers to an evaluation framework containing 32 questions reflecting whether and to what extent the PVA study adhered to published PVA guidelines or contained important PVA components. All measures of PVA quality were generally lower for studies based on generic programs. Conservation status of the species did not affect any measure of PVA quality, but PVAs published in high IF journals were of higher quality. Quality generally declined over time, suggesting the quantitative literacy of PVA practitioners has not increased over time or that PVAs developed by unskilled users are being published in peer-reviewed journals. Only 18.1% of studies were of high quality (score >75%), which is troubling because poor-quality PVAs could misinform conservation decisions. We call for increased scrutiny of PVAs by journal editors and reviewers. Our evaluation framework can be used for this purpose. Because poor-quality PVAs continue to be published, we recommend caution while using PVA results in conservation decision making without thoroughly assessing the PVA quality.
Stereoregulation of Homogeneous Free Radical, Cationic and Anionic Polymerization Reactions

The preceding discussions have been concerned almost entirely with the sterochemical control and the formation of stereoregular polymers by heterogeneous catalysts, presumably at chiral active sites on the catalyst surface. This chapter is concerned with the formation of stereoregular polymers by homogeneous reactions, primarily ionic polymerization reactions, in which the active endgroup is freely accessible in a matrix of solvent molecules. The solvent matrix is not necessarily passive, and indeed except for free radical polymerization reactions (for which specific solvent effects on the stereochemistry of polymerization reactions has not yet been convincingly demonstrated) and for polymerization reactions of free carbanions (but probably not for free carbenium ions), solvation can play a very important role in the stereochemistry of propagation.
Feasibility of low-cost accelerometers in measuring functional recovery after major oncologic surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Low-cost consumer-based activity monitors (CAMs), such as the Fitbit, are popular for fitness and wellness tracking. Functional status is an excellent predictor of postoperative outcomes, yet objective measurements are resource-intensive. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of using activity monitors during the perioperative period in patients undergoing major oncologic surgery. METHODS An institution review board proved that a prospective study was conducted. CAMs were worn throughout the perioperative period and accelerometer data were collected. Baseline and 21-days follow-up functional measures included short physical performance battery, Community Health Activities Model Program questionnaire, mobility assessment tool-short form, and 400 m walk. RESULTS A total of 19 of 22 (86%) patients who wore a CAM during the perioperative period had analyzable data. Compliance with wearing the device varied significantly: 100% preadmission, 19% in-hospital, and 82% postdischarge. Median daily steps decreased from preadmission to postdischarge (77% median reduction). Established resource-intensive measures of functional status did not perform well as measures of decreased functional status and activity when comparing baseline to 21-day postdischarge assessments. CONCLUSIONS Activity monitors are a feasible, low-cost measure of perioperative activity for patients undergoing major surgery, and may be useful in identifying patients vulnerable to postsurgical complications.
Platinum ω-Alkenyl Compounds as Chemical Vapor Deposition Precursors. Mechanistic Studies of the Thermolysis of Pt[CH2CMe2CH2CH═CH2]2 in Solution and the Origin of Rapid Nucleation

The compound cis-bis(η1,η2-2,2-dimethylpent-4-en-1-yl)platinum, Pt[CH2CMe2CH2CH═CH2]2 (3), is a recently discovered chemical vapor deposition (CVD) precursor for the deposition of highly smooth pla...
Epstein–Barr virus-encoded latent membrane protein 1 and B-cell growth transformation induces lipogenesis through fatty acid synthase

Abstract Latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) is the major transforming protein of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and is critical for EBV-induced B-cell transformation in vitro. Several B-cell malignancies are associated with latent LMP1-positive EBV infection, including Hodgkin’s and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. We have previously reported that promotion of B cell proliferation by LMP1 coincided with an induction of aerobic glycolysis. To further examine LMP1-induced metabolic reprogramming in B cells, we ectopically expressed LMP1 in an EBV-negative Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL) cell line preceding a targeted metabolic analysis. This analysis revealed that the most significant LMP1-induced metabolic changes were to fatty acids. Significant changes to fatty acid levels were also found in primary B cells following EBV-mediated B-cell growth transformation. Ectopic expression of LMP1 and EBV-mediated B-cell growth transformation induced fatty acid synthase (FASN) and increased lipid droplet formation. FASN is a crucial lipogenic enzyme responsible for de novo biogenesis of fatty acids in transformed cells. Furthermore, inhibition of lipogenesis caused preferential killing of LMP1-expressing B cells and significantly hindered EBV immortalization of primary B-cells. Finally, our investigation also found that USP2a, a ubiquitin-specific protease, is significantly increased in LMP1-positive BL cells and mediates FASN stability. Our findings demonstrate that ectopic expression of LMP1 and EBV-mediated B-cell growth transformation leads to induction of FASN, fatty acids and lipid droplet formation, possibly pointing to a reliance on lipogenesis. Therefore, the use of lipogenesis inhibitors could potentially be used in the treatment of LMP1+ EBV associated malignancies by targeting a LMP1-specific dependency on lipogenesis. Importance Despite many attempts to develop novel therapies, EBV-specific therapies currently remain largely investigational and EBV-associated malignancies are often associated with a worse prognosis. Therefore, there is a clear demand for EBV-specific therapies for both prevention and treatment of viral-associated malignancies. Non-cancerous cells preferentially obtain fatty acids from dietary sources whereas cancer cells will often produce fatty acids themselves by de novo lipogenesis, often becoming dependent on the pathway for cell survival and proliferation. LMP1 and EBV-mediated B-cell growth transformation leads to induction of FASN, a key enzyme responsible for the catalysis of endogenous fatty acids. Preferential killing of LMP1-expressing B cells following inhibition of FASN suggests that targeting LMP-induced lipogenesis could be an effective strategy in treating LMP1-positive EBV-associated malignancies. Importantly, targeting unique metabolic perturbations induced by EBV could be a way to explicitly target EBV-positive malignancies and distinguish their treatment from EBV-negative counterparts.
Challenging the financialization of remittances agenda through Indigenous women’s practices in Oaxaca:

Remittances, money sent by migrants to their communities of origin, are increasingly being linked to global financial inclusion in what is being called the “financialization of remittances.” This i...
A Time Amplifier Assisted Frequency-to-Digital Converter Based Digital Fractional- N PLL

This article presents a wide input-range delay chain based time amplifier (TA) and its application to a 6.5-GHz digital fractional- $N$ phase-locked loop (PLL). The TA includes a delay-averaging linearity enhancement technique and the PLL is based on an improved dual-mode ring oscillator (DMRO) delta-sigma ( $\Delta \Sigma $ ) frequency-to-digital converter (FDC). The TA mitigates contributions to the PLL’s phase noise from DMRO flicker noise, which would otherwise degrade the PLL’s in-band phase noise, and from $\Delta \Sigma $ FDC quantization error, which would otherwise degrade the PLL’s phase noise at high bandwidth settings. This paper also presents a delay-free asynchronous DMRO phase sampling scheme, and the first experimental demonstration of a recently-proposed $\Delta \Sigma $ FDC digital gain calibration technique. The TA-assisted PLL achieves a random jitter of 145 fsrms, a total jitter that ranges from 151 to 270 fsrms as a result of fractional spurs, and a worst-case fractional spur of −49 dBc without requiring nonlinearity calibration.
Interest in Sex and Conversations About Sexual Health with Health Care Providers Among Older U.S. Adults.

Objectives: Sexual health is an important component of overall health and well-being for older adults. Despite this, little is known about the importance of sex to quality of life, as part of roman...
Non-Pediatric Nurses' Willingness to Provide Care to Pediatric Patients during a Disaster: An Assessment of Pediatric Surge Capacity in Four Midwestern Hospitals.

Objective To assess non-pediatric nurses' willingness to provide care to pediatric patients during a mass casualty event (MCE). Methods Nurses from 4 non-pediatric hospitals in a major metropolitan Midwestern region were surveyed in the fall of 2018. Participants were asked about their willingness to provide MCE pediatric care. Hierarchical logistical regression was used to describe factors associated with nurses' willingness to provide MCE pediatric care. Results In total, 313 nurses were approached and 289 completed a survey (response rate = 92%). A quarter (25.3%, n = 73) would be willing to provide MCE care to a child of any age; 12% (n = 35) would provide care only to newborns in the labor and delivery area, and 16.6% (n = 48) would only provide care to adults. Predictors of willingness to provide care to a patient of any age during an MCE included providing care to the youngest-age children during routine duties, reporting confidence in calculating doses and administering pediatric medications, working in the emergency department, being currently or previously certified in PALS, and having access to pediatric-sized equipment in the unit or hospital. Conclusion Pediatric surge capacity is lacking among nurses. Increasing nurses' pediatric care self-efficacy could improve pediatric surge capacity and minimize morbidity and mortality during MCEs.
Neuromonitoring and Sedation; Is There a Role?

Recent studies on accidental awareness under general anesthesia highlight the importance of measuring the depth of anesthesia and sedation in children. In order to balance sedation with appropriate (non) awareness, it is necessary to carefully consider the sedation plan. Neuromonitors, designed to measure the depth of anesthesia, have been available for the past few decades, but their use is becoming increasingly popular for sedation. This chapter aims to critically evaluate the current literature and provide an understanding of the neuromonitors available and their limitations. We will also highlight exciting new scientific research in the field.
Revised Huang-Carter nonlocal kinetic energy functional for semiconductors and their surfaces

Nonlocal kinetic energy functionals with a density-dependent kernel are the most accurate functionals available for carrying out orbital-free density functional theory simulations. Among them, the Huang and Carter (HC) functional [Huang and Carter, Phys. Rev. B 81, 045206 (2010)] is the most accurate for bulk semiconductors. A major hurdle in applying HC to nonbulk systems (such as clusters and surfaces which have at least one nonperiodic dimension where the density decays to zero) lies in its numerical instability for large values of the reduced density gradient, $s(\mathbf{r})\ensuremath{\propto}\frac{|\mathbf{\ensuremath{\nabla}}\mathbf{n}(\mathbf{r})|}{{\mathbf{n}}^{\mathbf{4}/\mathbf{3}}(\mathbf{r})}$, where $n$ is the electron density. We propose a revision to the HC functional, revHC, that allows it to achieve dramatically improved numerical stability, efficiency (in terms of timing to solution), and applicability. Not only does revHC reproduce all previously presented results for HC, but it extends them to a crucially important class of materials: surfaces. We show that surface energy trends of clean-cut and reconstructed surfaces of group IV and III-V semiconductors are recovered and, where available semiquantitatively, reproduce the experimental results.
Chapter 15 – Epithelial Cells

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on epithelial cells and their role in the pathogenesis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Epithelial cells play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma and COPD through participation in several inflammatory and immune processes. Epithelial cells achieve this by the production of inflammatory mediators and by being a part of an inflammatory cascade or through direct interaction with inflammatory cells via cell–cell adhesion molecules. Damage to epithelial cells is a prominent feature of asthma and chronic bronchitis. There are a number of mechanisms by which the epithelial cells are injured: The major constituent of eosinophil granules, major basic protein, is toxic to epithelial cells; neutrophils release neutrophil elastase, which is capable of causing epithelial cell detachment from the underlying matrix in in vitro assays; and acute inflammation is also associated with vasodilatation, leakage of fluid, and possible increases in hydrostatic forces, which can damage epithelium. Inadequate repair of airway epithelial cells is an important contributor to airway hyperresponsiveness and chronic inflammation.
Design of high-voltage, high-power, solid state remote power controllers for aerospace applications

Two general types of remote power controllers (RPC's), which combine the functions of a circuit breaker and a switch, were developed for use in dc aerospace systems. Power-switching devices used in the designs are the gate-turnoff thyristor (GTO) and MOSFET. The RPC's can switch dc voltages to 1200 V and currents to 1000 A. Seven different units were constructed and subjected to laboratory and thermal vacuum testing. Two of these were dual units that switch both positive and negative voltages simultaneously. The RPC's using MOSFET's have slow turnon and turnoff times which limit surge currents and voltage spiking from high di/dt. The GTO's have much faster transition times. All RPC's have programmable overload tripout proportional to I sq T and microsecond tripout for large overloads.
Parallel Hybrid Data Flow Algorithms: A Case Study

We have designed and implemented parallel compile-time analysis algorithms based on a family of general-purpose, hybrid algorithms for data flow analysis [MR90]. Recently, we have developed optimizations that improve algorithm performance by reducing the time taken for computation, communication and dynamic scheduling. The practicality of this improved algorithm is evidenced by empirical studies of the Reaching Definitions problem on a distributed-memory machine, the Intel iPSC/2.
Design of Analog-to-Digital Transformations Tuned to the System Simulation

The selection of analog-to-digital transformations for the accurate digital simulation of continuous-time dynamical systems is considered here. A technique for optimizing this process is proposed, that involves "tuning" the transformation to suit the specific analog system or sub-system. An essential component of this process is a technique for fast and approximate stability analysis of characteristic equations, which can be performed by adapting a recent numerical technique to this problem.
COTS acquisition: getting a good contract

Organizations that are acquiring a COTS based system must adapt many of their acquisition process activities that are traditionally used for acquiring non-COTS based systems. Much of this adaptation becomes quite difficult within government environments where the process is often constrained by government rules and regulations. This paper provides an experience report on COTS based acquisition for a government agency during the early stages of the process. The impact on requirements engineering and the steps for developing the Request For Proposal (RFP) and evaluating the proposals are outlined. The parties involved in the acquisition process are identified, and their relationship within a project governance structure are discussed. The final discussion provides some guidance as to how the early stages of the acquisition process should be adapted to minimize risk through the project.
Evaluation of real-world mobility in age-related macular degeneration

Previous research has suggested an association between poor vision and decreased mobility, including restricted levels of physical activity and travel away from home. We sought to determine the impact of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) on these measures of mobility.
Fairy Tales and the Art of Subversion: The Classical Genre for Children and the Process of Civilization

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Jack Zipes Year: 2006 Pages: 272 Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 9780415976701 (soft cover). Prices: £15.99(soft cover).
Variation of lateral ventricular volume during the cardiac cycle observed by MR imaging.

CSF pulsation suggests variation in the size of the cerebral ventricles during the cardiac cycle. The arterial blood flow and venous outflow are two major components that contribute to the variation. High-resolution MR imaging with cardiac gating provides sharp delineation of the cerebral ventricles with clear boundaries. Subtle changes in the size of the ventricles during the cardiac cycle are measurable with high precision and accuracy by using a sophisticated automated edge-detection algorithm. In 12 normal individuals, the cerebral ventricles were examined, and the size of the lateral ventricles showed a 10–20% change during the cardiac cycle. The pattern is complex but similar in appearance to the intracranial pressure pulse waveform. The variation suggests that the choroid plexus may play a greater role as a source of CSF pulsation than currently acknowledged.
Superconducting Magnets, Quench Protection

The sections in this article are 1 Coil Protection Circuits 2 Quench Detection 3 Magnet Protection Criteria 4 Quench Propagation 5 Electrical Integrity 6 Case Histories 7 Summary
QUANTITATIVE GENETICS OF SURVIVAL AND GROWTH IN IMPATIENS CAPENSIS.

When variation in life-history characters is caused by many genes of small effect, then quantitative-genetic parameters may quantify constraints on rate and direction of microevolutionary change. I estimated heritabilities and genetic correlations for 16 life-history and morphological characters in two populations of Impatiens capensis, a partially self-pollinating herbaceous annual. The Madison population had little or no additive genetic variance for any of these characters, while the Milwaukee population had significant narrowsense heritabilities and genetic correlations for several traits, including adult size, which is highly correlated with fitness. All genetic correlations among fitness components were positive, hence there is no evidence for antagonistic pleiotropy among these traits. Dissimilarity of heritabilities in the two populations supports theoretical predictions that long-term changes in genetic variance-covariance patterns may occur when population sizes are small and selection is strong, as may occur in many plant species.