cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Visual Diagnosis: A 5-year-old Child Who Has Facial Palsy and Rash

1. Donald H. Arnold, MD, MPH* 2. David M. Spiro, MD, MPH† 1. *Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn 2. †Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Ore A 5-year-old girl who has a history of eczema and seasonal allergic rhinitis presents to the pediatric emergency department with the complaints of an enlarging rash and right-sided facial weakness. The patient was seen by her pediatrician 5 days ago and was diagnosed with a flulike illness. Her pediatrician recommended ibuprofen for relief of her symptoms. Two days ago, her mother noticed a rash on the girl's right leg that has expanded in size. On awakening this morning, she was unable to move the right side of her face. No other family members are ill. Physical examination reveals a well-appearing child in no acute distress. Her weight is normal for age, and vital signs are within normal limits. Facial asymmetry is evident, with right-sided facial weakness and a droop in the right corner of her mouth (Figure⇓). She cannot wrinkle her forehead or close her eye completely on the affected side. There is no nuchal rigidity, and Kernig and Brudzinkski signs are normal. A 5-cm round, symmetric, blanching erythematous rash with central clearing that is slightly warm is apparent on her right anterior thigh. There are no other rashes, and the remainder of the physical examination findings are normal. A brief video of her general examination is provided (Click for Video) . Figure. Right-sided facial weakness. A complete blood count demonstrates a hematocrit of 38% (0.38) and a white blood cell count of 5.6×103/mcL (5.6×109/L) with 45% neutrophils, 27% lymphocytes, and 14% monocytes. The platelet count is 274×103/mcL (274×109/L). Serum electrolyte, alanine transaminase, and aspartate transaminase values are normal. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is 24 mm/hr. Additional serum testing further supports the diagnosis after consideration of the child's environmental exposures and season of year. ### Lyme Disease With Erythema Migrans and Bell Palsy An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for Borrelia burgdorferi …
Increased prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders in panic disorder: clinical and theoretical implications.

BACKGROUND: Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) are a group of disorders characterized by recurrent gastrointestinal distress for which no structural or biochemical cause can be discerned. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is an FGID estimated to affect 10% to 25% of the United States population. IBS occurs in over 40% of individuals with panic disorder, and in patients with IBS, 25% to 30% have panic disorder, which has led to speculation about possible shared pathophysiology between the two. Less is known about the prevalence of other FGID in individuals with panic disorder. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of IBS and all the other FGID in patients with current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) panic disorder. INTRODUCTION: We assessed FGIDs in 73 treatment-seeking DSM-IV panic disorder patients via the Diagnostic Interview Questions for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders and made descriptive comparisons with a large convenience sample from an already-completed United States Household Survey (USHS), which employed the same diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: The prevalence of IBS and other FGIDs in both men and women with panic disorder were substantially higher than in the USHS respondents. Women with panic disorder had significantly more functional chest pain than men, but there was no gender difference in IBS. With the exception of functional anorectal and biliary disorders, the FGID prevalences were comparatively higher in panic disorder versus the USHS respondents. DISCUSSION: This survey supports earlier reports of a high prevalence of IBS in individuals with panic disorder and also suggests that the prevalence of several other FGIDs were comparatively high as well. Methodological limitations precluded direct statistical analysis. It may be that commonly overlapping psychiatric and often-painful FGIDs, and extra-intestinal disorders increase the risk for comorbidity in already-affected individuals via shared pathophysiology. One potential model for which there is some evidence for a role in stress, panic disorder, FGIDs and several extra-intestinal functional conditions is dysregulation of corticotropin-releasing factor function. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of FGIDs in DSM-IV panic disorder was comparatively higher than in USHS respondent community sample, which used similar FGID diagnostic criteria. The cause for the apparent close association of panic disorder with FGID may represent shared pathophysiology. Increased understanding of the mechanism of the overlap may allow for improved treatment of the significant proportion of the population suffering from comorbid psychiatric and functional medical conditions.
Multimedia processing on commodity graphics hardware

Driven by the need for interactive entertainment, modern PCs are equipped with specialized graphics processors (GPUs) for creation and display of images. These GPUs have become increasingly programmable, to the point that they now are capable of efficiently executing a significant number of computational kernels from non-graphical applications. In this introductory paper we first present a high- level overview of modern graphics hardwares architecture, then introduce programming tools available for application development on GPUs. Finally we present several multimedia applications that have been efficiently accelerated by GPUs.
The 150% Man, a Product of Blackfeet Acculturation1

Some work with the “levels of acculturation” concept seems to assume a continuum of change and often entails an unintended correlate of cultural loss and replacement. An assessment of individuals among the Blackfeet using two scales, one a measure of Indian orientation and the other of White orientation, reveals that this view may be incorrect. New ways can be learned without abandoning the old. The bicultural reservation community provides a variety of roles and situations for selective use of both. It is suggested that a matrix model would be more meaningful than the continuum model for the assessment of individual acculturation, and that more attention should be paid to situational factors.
Methods for Assessing Patient–Clinician Communication about Depression in Primary Care: What You See Depends on How You Look

Objective To advance research on depression communication and treatment by comparing assessments of communication about depression from patient report, clinician report, and chart review to assessments from transcripts.
A novel approach to controlling the phase angle of a variable switched reluctance motor for electric vehicle propulsion using the statistic matrix norm

Variable switched reluctance (VSR) motors are gaining importance for industrial applications. The paper will introduce a novel approach to simplify the computation involved in the control of VSR motors. Results are shown, that validate the approach and demonstrates the superior performance compared to tabulated control parameters with linear interpolation, which are widely used in implementations. >
A systems based modification of the NDVI to minimize soil and atmospheric noise

The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) equation has a simple, open loop structure. This renders the NDVI susceptible to large sources of error and uncertainty over variable atmospheric and soil background conditions, which is less than satisfactory in meeting the need for accurate, long term vegetation measurements for the Earth Observing System (EOS) program. In this study, a systems analyses approach is used to examine noise sources in existing VIs and to develop a stable, modified NDVI (MNDVI) equation. The MNDVI, a closed-loop version of the NDVI, was constructed by adding: (I) a soil and atmospheric noise feedback loop, and (2) an atmospheric noise compensation forward loop. The coefficients developed for MNDVI can be used with data uncorrected for atmosphere, as well as with Rayleigh corrected and atmospherically corrected data. In field observational and simulated data, as well as satellite imagery, the MNDVI was found to reduce combined soil and atmospheric noise to less than 4% for any complex soil and atmospheric situation. The resulting uncertainty, expressed as vegetation equivalent noise (VEN), was /spl plusmn/0.11 LAI units, which was seven times less than encountered with the NDVI (/spl plusmn/0.8 LAI), and three times less (/spl plusmn/0.36 LAI), than with the Soil Adjusted and Atmospherically Resistant Vegetation Index (SARVI). >
An Overview of Existing Research About Children’s Singing and the Implications for Teaching Children to Sing:

The purpose of this investigation was to identify the findings of the studies devoted to the child voice, most of which have occurred in the past 25 years, and to present a synthesis of these findi...
Effect of probenecid on the kinetics of epsilon‐aminocaproic acid

Healthy male subjects received, 1 wk apart, single oral doses of epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA) 100 mg/kg alone, EACA with probenecid (0.5 gm), or EACA 2 hr after 2.0 gm probenecid. Probenecid (2.0 gm) reduced the 8-hr urinary clearance and recovery of EACA by 50% without affecting plasma kinetics. Recovery of EACA in urine rose to 78% of the dose 48 hr after EACA. Plasma clearance of EACA did not differ from control EACA urinary clearance when 0.5 gm probenecid was given with EACA. In both cases all the EACA dose was recovered in urine within 8 hr. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1980) 28, 223–228; doi:10.1038/clpt.1980.154
A portrait of America's children: The impact of poverty and a call to action

The responsibility for children's services is disseminated between a multitude of advocacy organizations, social service agencies, and numerous departments within our government. A lack of conceptual integration and fiscal commitment is evident at the federal, state, and local levels. The examination of poverty and children's lack of economic security, inadequate medical care, homelessness, and nutrition inadequacies reveals a portrait of America's children that is both unsettling and alarming. The paper concludes with a call for action and the commitment that will be required to rectify this problem.
The Electrostatic Field

The properties of electrostatic fields have received by far the most adequate and abundant treatment. This chapter focuses on the more outstanding of these properties and of the methods which have been developed for their analysis. It considers the charge which is distributed in a completely arbitrary manner in any finite region of a homogeneous, isotropic dielectric, or upon the surfaces of conductors embedded in such a dielectric. The boundary conditions must evidently follow directly from the analytic properties of the integrals expressing the potential and its derivatives in terms of volume and surface densities of charge and dipole moment. The intensity of an electrostatic field may be measured by introducing a small test body of known shape and inductive capacity suspended by a torsion fiber and observing the torque. The stability of equilibrium depends on the direction of the torque.
Hepatic insulin gene therapy prevents diabetic enteropathy in STZ-treated CD-1 mice

Depending on the population examined, from 6 to 83% of people with diabetes mellitus exhibit symptoms of altered gut motility, manifesting as dysphagia, reflux, early satiety, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or constipation. Hyperglycemia-induced cell loss within the enteric nervous system has been demonstrated in both diabetic rodents and patients with diabetes. Glycemic control is recommended to prevent diabetic gastroenteropathy but is often difficult to achieve with current treatment modalities. We asked if hepatic insulin gene therapy (HIGT) could inhibit the development of diabetic gastroenteropathy in mice. Bowel length, bowel transit, colonic muscle relaxation, and the numbers of both stimulatory and inhibitory neurons in the colonic myenteric plexus were compared in groups of diabetic mice (DM), control nondiabetic mice (Con), and diabetic mice treated with HIGT (HIGT). Delivery of a metabolically responsive insulin transgene to the liver of STZ-diabetic mice with an adeno-associated virus, sero-type 8 (AAV8) produced near-normal blood sugars for over 1 month and prevented anatomic, functional, and neurohistologic changes observed in diabetic mice. We conclude that in addition to normalizing oxidative metabolism in diabetic rodents, HIGT is sufficient to prevent the development of diabetic gastroenteropathy.
Quantifying flood mitigation services: The economic value of Otter Creek wetlands and floodplains to Middlebury, VT

Abstract Functioning ecosystems can buffer communities from many negative impacts of a changing climate. Flooding, in particular, is one of the most damaging natural disasters globally and is projected to increase in many regions. However, estimating the value of “green infrastructure” in mitigating downstream floods remains a challenge. We estimate the economic value of flood mitigation by the Otter Creek floodplains and wetlands to Middlebury, VT, for Tropical Storm Irene and nine other floods. We used first principles to simulate hydrographs for scenarios with and without flood mitigation by upstream wetlands and floodplains. We then mapped flood extents for each scenario and calculated monetary damages to inundated structures. Our analysis indicates damage reductions of 84–95% for Tropical Storm Irene and 54–78% averaged across all 10 events. We estimate that the annual value of flood mitigation services provided to Middlebury, VT, exceeds $126,000 and may be as high as $450,000. Economic impacts of this magnitude stress the importance of floodplain and wetland conservation, warrant the consideration of ecosystem services in land use decisions, and make a compelling case for the role of green infrastructure in building resilience to climate change.
Animal Behavior : An Evolutionary Approach

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. This comprehensive volume looks at a range of topics covering the habits of a variety of animals, including how macaques teach their offspring, how rats transmit avoidance behavior, how supplementary feeding of tree frogs affects their breeding behavior, and more. Studies in animal behavior can
Aortic aneurysm mimicking a right atrial mass

We present a case of a 54-year-old female who was initially thought to have a cystic mass in the right atrium on two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. Careful transducer angulation and off-axis imaging showed this mass-like effect was produced by an aortic root aneurysm impinging on the right atrium.
Parsing the Relations of Race and Socioeconomic Status in Special Education Disproportionality

This study investigated how student and school-level socioeconomic status (SES) measures predict students’ odds of being identified for special education, particularly high-incidence disabilities. ...
The Formation of a West African Maritime Seascape: Atlantic Trade, Shipwrecks, and Formation Processes on the Coast of Ghana

Vessels engaged in the Atlantic Trade with West Africa contended with rough seas and dangerous shorelines that offered few natural harbors. To combat this, ships generally anchored offshore in deeper water and used small vessels for trade and communication with trading establishments on shore. While the underwater seascape was a determining factor in navigation, the surface landscape was both fashioned by, and played dramatic roles in, the development of trade and navigation. The intersection of ocean dynamics, dangerous seafloor and shoreline features, and shore-based trading centers formed the maritime seascape of the past, and informs our understanding of it in the present. A shipwreck , other maritime sites, and coastal adaptations for trade in this zone illustrate these interrelated and tenuous relationships and the formation processes of historical maritime trade in Elmina , coastal Ghana .
Multiple Unintended Pregnancies in U.S. Women: A Systematic Review

Abstract Background Each year, nearly one-half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended. Risk factors of unintended pregnancy have been studied without attention to whether the pregnancy was the woman's first unintended pregnancy or whether she had had more than one. Little is known about the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for multiple unintended pregnancies. The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic review of the extant literature on the risk factors for multiple unintended pregnancies in women in the United States, and whether these factors are specific to multiple unintended pregnancies. Methods PubMed, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Web of Science, and JSTOR databases were searched for empirical research studies performed after 1979, in the United States, with a primary outcome of multiple unintended pregnancies. Articles that did not establish the intendedness of the studied pregnancies were excluded. Results Seven studies were identified. For multiple unintended pregnancies, incidence rates ranged from 7.4 to 30.9 per 100 person-years and prevalence rates ranged from 17% to 31.6%. Greater age; identifying as Black or Hispanic; nonvoluntary first intercourse, particularly at a young age; sex trade involvement; and previous abortion were found to be associated with multiple unintended pregnancies. Use of intrauterine devices or combined oral contraceptives were found to decrease the risk of multiple unintended pregnancies. Conclusions This review suggests a small number of modifiable factors that may be used to better predict and manage multiple unintended pregnancies.
Teaching about the Nature of Technology

That technology, without our awareness, changes the way we think and act is not at all obvious. When that idea is raised, people almost always consider it only in superficial ways, and focus exclusively on how they think technology has positively changed their lives – how they now spend more time on the internet, playing games, listening to music, talking on the phone, and texting friends. Rarely do their responses reflect awareness that technology also changes the way we think, that it can change our behavior in harmful ways, and that it can take us down paths we would not willingly have chosen.
Cluster-Based Dynamic Backup in Cognitive Radio Networks

Recent years have shown an increase demand for wireless communication which creates new challenges in the field where intelligent spectrum utilization is necessary to maintain high network performance. The emergence of Cognitive Radios which provide opportunistic access to the spectrum, introduce an improvement in the spectrum utilization and the communication quality. Through dynamic spectrum access (DSA), secondary (unlicensed) cognitive users can opportunistically access the primary users' spectrum when it is free, but have to release the undesignated spectrum when the primary users emerge to provide reliable and efficient communications through the network. To maintain the highest level of quality of service among all the network users (primary and secondary) and to avoid any interruptions occurred by the primary users needed to use their licensed spectrum, we, in this work, aim to introduce a hybrid scheme in which the secondary users find options for a backup path, but they only solidify that path if they must vacate their original path. Our numerical results showed that through our proposed scheme, we were able to enhance the goodput and provide a higher satisfied ratio through dynamically backing up secondary users requests.
Hydroprocessing kinetics for oil fractions

Abstract The kinetics of hydroprocessing reactions (HDS, HDN, HDA) for complex mixtures such as petroleum distillates exhibit many “peculiarities”. Some examples: (1) the overall HDS or HDN reaction order for oil fractions is higher than that for individual organosulfur or organonitrogen species; (2) high-activity catalysts show lower overall order than low-activity catalysts; (3) tough feeds show higher overall order than easy feeds; (4) the overall HDS order decreases with increasing temperature; and (5) the overall order depends on reactor type (e.g., plug flow vs. stirred tank reactor). This paper discusses a theoretical means to explain these observations.
Revitalizing State Discrimination Law

Over the past few decades, federal discrimination law has become captive to an increasingly complex web of analytical frameworks. The courts have been unable to articulate a consistent causation or intent standard for federal law or to provide a uniform account of the type of injury the plaintiff is required to suffer. Part of this failure is demonstrated in the ever-increasing rift between how courts construct the discrimination inquiry for federal age discrimination claims and claims based on other traits, such as sex and race. Unfortunately, the courts are unnecessarily taking state employment discrimination claims into this federal morass. When considering state claims, courts often construe state statutes to adhere to federal standards without any principled basis for doing so.This article makes three central contributions. First, it describes how complex frameworks mold the federal discrimination inquiry. Second, it provides a historical narrative regarding the development of state employment discrimination law. This narrative demonstrates that much of the precedent used to justify importing federal standards to state claims should not apply to many of the cases in which it is used. It also shows that there are fundamental differences between state and federal statutes that militate in favor of interpreting them differently. Finally, the paper demonstrates how state law could become a model for further reform of federal anti-discrimination statutes.Interpreting state statutes in tandem with federal law creates state regimes that are unmoored from their statutory language and ignores key differences between federal and state protections. More importantly, the ongoing dialogue regarding causation and harm is largely driven by underlying assumptions about whether discrimination is still happening, about how it manifests itself, and about how and whether society should address such concerns. The proof structures the courts have designed to think about these issues in the federal context frame the discrimination inquiry narrowly and are procedurally confusing. Ignoring that states may have different preferences raises serious concerns about the proper role of federalism in employment discrimination law.Importantly, if courts would look at the way state statutes are constructed, they could discover a more elegant, unified way of considering discrimination claims, a way not marred by the recent disarray of federal law. Many states chose to prohibit a myriad of protected traits within one statutory regime. Further, many state employment discrimination statutes address not only employment, but also other areas such as fair housing.
Joining of physical vapor-deposited metal nano-layered composites

Abstract Joining of nanostructured metals by conventional processes, such as welding, often destroys the functionality of the material by disrupting its microstructure within the heat-affected zone. We present a lithography-based approach to joining of magnetron sputtered, nano-layered Cu/Nb composites without compromising the integrity of the nano-layered architecture by using a microstructure-preserving lap joint. We characterize the lap joint using scanning electron microscopy and nanoindentation, exploring potential variations in structure and mechanical properties within the parent material, overlap zone, and gap zone. Our work advances future applications of nanocomposite materials by paving the way towards practical, microstructure-preserving methods of joining them.
Comparing models for gesture recognition of children's bullying behaviors

We explored gesture recognition applied to the problem of classifying natural physical bullying behaviors by children. To capture natural bullying behavior data, we developed a humanoid robot that used hand-coded gesture recognition to identify basic physical bullying gestures and responded by explaining why the gestures were inappropriate. Children interacted with the robot by trying various bullying behaviors, thereby allowing us to collect a natural bullying behavior dataset for training the classifiers. We trained three different sequence classifiers using the collected data and compared their effectiveness at classifying different types of common physical bullying behaviors. Overall, Hidden Conditional Random Fields achieved the highest average F1 score (0.645) over all tested gesture classes.
Reversible Conformational Conversion of α-Synuclein into Toxic Assemblies by Glucosylceramide.

Summary α-Synuclein (α-syn) aggregation is a key event in Parkinson's disease (PD). Mutations in glycosphingolipid (GSL)-degrading glucocerebrosidase are risk factors for PD, indicating that disrupted GSL clearance plays a key role in α-syn aggregation. However, the mechanisms of GSL-induced aggregation are not completely understood. We document the presence of physiological α-syn conformers in human midbrain dopamine neurons and tested their contribution to the aggregation process. Pathological α-syn assembly mainly occurred through the conversion of high molecular weight (HMW) physiological α-syn conformers into compact, assembly-state intermediates by glucosylceramide (GluCer), without apparent disassembly into free monomers. This process was reversible in vitro through GluCer depletion. Reducing GSLs in PD patient neurons with and without GBA1 mutations diminished pathology and restored physiological α-syn conformers that associated with synapses. Our work indicates that GSLs control the toxic conversion of physiological α-syn conformers in a reversible manner that is amenable to therapeutic intervention by GSL reducing agents.
Does nalbuphine have a niche in managing pain

Nalbuphine has been commercially available for 40 years for the treatment of acute pain; few studies have centered on management of chronic pain. Nalbuphine unique pharmacology is an advantage in pain management. It is µ antagonist, partial κ agonist for G-proteins and beta-arrestin-2. Benefits are related to G-protein interactions resulting in less nausea, pruritus, and respiratory depression than morphine. At low doses, nalbuphine reduces side effects particularly respiratory depression without loss of analgesia when combined with potent opioids. Nalbuphine pharmacokinetics are moderately altered in renal failure. Several studies have found that nalbuphine reduces uremic pruritus. Nalbuphine has drawbacks: it is not an oral formulation, it causes withdrawal in patients on sustained released opioids, and it cannot be used to treat an opioid withdrawal syndrome. Nalbuphine, despite being a µ receptor antagonist produces a drug-liking effect and can be abused. There are very few deaths associated with nalbuphine alone in part due to the fact it is rarely used but also related to a ceiling on respiratory depression.
Initial experience using superflab as intravaginal packing during interstitial brachytherapy for advanced gynecologic cancer

Purpose Interstitial brachytherapy implemented for locally advanced gynecologic cancer can result in toxicity due to the proximity of organs at risk (OAR). We report our experience using superflab bolus as vaginal packing to displace OAR during interstitial brachytherapy. Material and methods Twelve patients with stage IB-IVA gynecologic cancer were treated with definitive chemoradiation including interstitial brachytherapy. A Syed template was used for a computed tomography (CT)-based pre-plan with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) fusion. A 1-2 cm superflab bolus was cut and sterilized. The tandem and obturator were placed, and superflab was then inserted into the vagina. Interstitial needles were then placed through the template and superflab as per the pre-plan under transabdominal ultrasound guidance. Prescription doses ranged from 85-90 Gy EQD2 including external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). 5-6 Gy per fraction was delivered biologically effective dose (BID) over 2-3 days in 1-2 implants. Toxicities were evaluated post-treatment, 1 month, and 3 months. Results The rectum, bladder, and sigmoid had significant average displacement from the prescription isodose line. The average reduction in D2cc between pre- and post-implant was 5.19 Gy per fraction (p < 0.0001), 7.19 Gy (p < 0.0004), and 1.78 Gy (p < 0.003) for the rectum, bladder, and sigmoid, respectively. The high-risk target volume (HR-TV) received a median D90 of 104% (range, 58-122%) of the prescription dose, and 92% (range, 71-131%) in the pre-/post-implant plans, respectively (p = 0.4). Conclusions Our initial experience with superflab as vaginal packing demonstrates technical feasibility and dosimetric improvement for OAR.
Prevalence of pelvic musculoskeletal disorders in a female chronic pelvic pain clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of 2 musculoskeletal pain disorders among women presenting to a referral chronic pelvic pain clinic. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study of 987 women (aged 14-79) presenting for evaluation from 1993 to 2000 at a university-based gynecologic chronic pelvic pain clinic. RESULTS: At the initial visit, all women completed standardized interviews and underwent a pelvic examination. Single-digit palpation of the levator ani and piriformis muscles was performed intravaginally. Among these women, 212 of 955 (22%) had tenderness of the levator ani muscles, while 128 of 943 (14%) had tenderness of the piriformis muscle (pain score > 3 of 10 on a visual analogue scale). Both levator ani tenderness and piriformis tenderness were associated with a higher total number of pain sites, previous surgery for pelvic pain, Beck Depression Inventory score, McGill Pain Inventory score and pain worsened with bowel movements (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Piriformis and levator ani pain are present in a significant proportion of female chronic pelvic pain patients. Further research into the natural course, diagnosis and treatment of pelvic musculoskeletal pain is needed to determine its true contribution to chronic pain.
The longitudinal structure of interannual variability observed in sea surface temperature of the equatorial oceans

The longitudinal structure of interannual variability (IAV) of sea surface temperature (SST) is examined diagnostically for the period 1949-97 (49 years) in the entire equatorial oceans (5°N-5°S). In the central-eastern Pacific to the east of 170°E, the mean SST is lower than 29°C, the variance of SST IAV is large, and the air-sea coupling on the IAV timescale is strong. There further appear two variance maxima of the SST IAV around 160°W and 90-100°W. The variability in the 38-47-month band (LF1) is dominant at 90-100°W, while both LF1 and the 51-68-month variability (LF2) are large at 160°W. The contribution of 18-32-month variability (QB) is also large but not as that of LF1 and LF2. The detailed propagation direction is changed according to the periodicity in this region, i.e., eastward in the LF2, but is westward in the QB and LF1. Strong air-sea coupling is identified in all LF1, LF2, and QB. In the Indian Ocean-western Pacific sector to the west of 170°E, the mean SST is higher than 28°C, the variance of SST IAV is small, and the air-sea coupling is weak on the IAV timescale. The SST IAVs in the dominant QB, LF1, and LF2 exhibit a common phase structure in the Indian Ocean-Pacific sector. These SST IAVs are in phase in the central-eastern Pacific, but are out of phase in the western Pacific with a node around 170°E indicating a standing seesaw-like oscillation in the Pacific. In the Indian Ocean, the SST IAVs lag from a few to several months behind those in the central-eastern Pacific. In the Atlantic sector, the longitudinal change in the mean and variance fields are similar to that appearing in the Indian Ocean-Pacific sector. The IAV of SST tends to lag behind that in the central-eastern Pacific in general, but does not show the other common phase structure in the QB, LF1, and LF2 in detail. The air-sea coupling is weak on the IAV timescale in the equatorial Atlantic.
Direct Shipment of Wine, the Commerce Clause and the Twenty-First Amendment: A Call for Legislative Reform

Many states prohibit out-of-state sellers of wine from shipping their product directly to consumers, but permit in-state wine producers to engage in such direct shipment. Recent lower federal court decisions have cast serious constitutional doubt upon the authority of a state to discriminate in this manner against wine producers and sellers from other states in favor of its own domestic wine industry. This issue is now before the Supreme Court of the United States. The outcome cannot be foreseen with certainty, but it is likely the Court will find this discrimination unconstitutional. The thesis of this Article is that States which presently prohibit direct shipment of wine to consumers from out-of-state sources but permit such direct shipment from in-state sources should now give serious consideration to repealing their bans on direct shipment of wine from out-of-state sources. The resolution of this issue by the Supreme Court cannot be predicted with certainty, but the Court's current Commerce Clause and Twenty-first Amendment jurisprudence weighs heavily in favor of the argument that differential treatment of direct shipments of wine from out-of-state and in-state sources violates the Commerce Clause and is not closely related to powers reserved to the States by the Twenty-first Amendment. Rather than facing the likely prospect of court-imposed remedies, State legislatures should craft reforms best suited to individual States' needs, such as tying repeal of the ban on direct shipment of wine from out-of-state sources to collection of state taxes on the transaction. States that have discriminatory direct shipping laws should repeal the ban on direct shipment of wine from out-of-state sources and enact legislation to regulate such direct shipment. Such a solution will serve several legitimate State interests. First, it will continue to permit in-state direct shipment of wine so as to encourage a State's domestic wine industry. Second, it would prevent minors from using direct shipment to make illegal purchases. Such legislation could require out-of-state vendors to obtain a license for a modest fee to ship limited amounts of wine directly to consumers, to collect and remit applicable State taxes, and to submit reports of such shipments. It could also provide that a carrier that delivers such a shipment must obtain the signature of an adult when the product is delivered. The system should be designed in such a way that it is not so cumbersome that out-of-state vendors are discouraged from applying for a license. Third, it would create a new market in which States could gain additional revenue. Finally, this approach will allow these States to craft legislative solutions that are responsive to their own local interests without having reform imposed upon them by a court. Thus, States that have discriminatory direct shipment laws should give serious consideration to enacting such legislation.
A Course on Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing: Overview and Initial Assessment

During the Fall 2016 and Fall 2017 semesters, a geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) course was offered at Illinois State University. The purpose of the course was to introduce students to basic concepts of GD&T and then allow students to complete practical exercises and laboratories to apply the concepts. This paper outlines the main topics and structure of the course, describes laboratory activities and how they tie GD&T concepts to solid modeling concepts, summarizes some of the assessment data gathered during the Fall 2016 and 2017 semesters, and analyzes student performance on concepts presented during both semesters. Preliminary results indicate that students appear to perform well on concepts that require only the recall of information (e.g., symbol identification, placing datum feature symbols on surfaces, etc.). Students did not perform as well on the application of concepts (e.g., recognizing the location of a datum reference frame origin, calculating the virtual size of a hole, correctly applying specified limit dimensions, etc.).
Rate of Passage of Chromium III Thru the Small Intestine

Chromium (Cr)(III), the biologically active form of Cr, is poorly absorbed from the G.I. tract. Absorption has been reported to be in the range of 0.4–3% of the dietary intake regardless of dose or chromium status (1–4). Because of poor absorption, Cr has been used as a marker for the passage of food and nutrients thru the G.I. tract. Both chromic oxide and Cr(III) chloride (Cl) have been utilized as dietary markers. The low level of absorption was tolerable as a marker however, an appropriate marker should transcend the G.I. tract at approximately the same rate as the diet. There are few reports that have studied the rate of passage of Cr(III) Cl added to the diet (5).
Reanalyses of Factor-Analytic Studies of Mathematical Abilities

The role of mathematics in modern society is steadily growing. Its methods and styles of thinking permeate an increasing number of fields. Achievement in mathematics is a critical factor that controls access to many careers, both scientific and non-scientific. However, individual differences in mathematical abilities exist that affect the students’ achievement in mathematics. The careful identification and development of each person’s mathematical abilities, even though difficult, is important. Improved instruments and strategies for such identification and development depend upon an understanding of the structure of the mathematical abilities they are identifying and developing. The present study was an attempt to clarify our understanding of that structure by examining and reanalysing factor-analytic studies of mathematical abilities.
Enabling the Smart Home Through a Semantic-Based Context-Aware System

This paper describes CasAware, a context-aware system allowing domestic distributed devices to interoperate and collaborate with each other exploiting the Internet of Things. CasAware’s main purpose is to improve inhabitants’ level of comfort and well-being, enforcing their safety, while optimizing time and energy consumption of appliances. The envisioned system leverages combined exploitation of various technologies ranging from Cloud Computing to Semantic Web technologies. In particular, it takes advantage of ontological modelling techniques to formalize the knowledge of different domestic domains (house, appliances, sensors and the pieces of information they share) and exploits semantic reasoning techniques to infer new insights from already known facts. Although the potential of semantic approach has been investigated in many recent researches, various challenges have to be faced in order to make it feasible on a large scale. These challenges are analyzed through three different motivating scenarios, which also contribute to elicit the requirements of the CasAware system.
Writing to Listen: Why I Write across Prison Walls.

This essay describes a prison-university writing exchange that culminated in the collection of audio and written essays "Why I Write" (http://www.why-i-write.com) and offers "writing to listen" as a strategy for communicating and listening across institutional and social boundaries. I argue that sound reveals the material conditions of speaking and writing; in our writing exchange, it reduced the anonymity at the heart of the project while also revealing the places and sounds that shape us as writers. I suggest that writing to listen also provides a framework for community listening that is inclusive of the many additional, intentional actions involved in making sure all participants in a partnership are being heard.
Novel Therapeutic Targets for Glaucoma: Disease Modification Treatment, Neuroprotection, and Neuroregeneration

Current treatments for primary open-angle glaucoma, be they medication or surgery, only manage the symptom of ocular hypertension. They do not address the underlying mechanisms of pathogenesis or pathophysiology of the disease. Therefore, they do not alter the progression of the glaucomatous pathological changes. In contrast, this chapter explores potential therapeutic targets that aim to correct and/or reverse the pathological changes based on our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the disorder. Therapies based on these targets, which are related to the trabecular meshwork, retina, or optic nerve, if proven successful, will revolutionize the treatment of this devastating blinding disease.
Steady-State Kinetics of a Linear Array of Interlocking Reactions

We investigate the steady-state kinetics of a linear array of subunits (e.g., enzymes) in which, besides end reactions, adjacent subunits can change state only when both subunits are in certain prescribed states, and then only simultaneously. That is the subunits undergo “interlocking11 reactions. This type of system is suggested by multienzyme complexes, in particular by the respiratory chain enzyme complex of the mitochondrial inner membrane. There is an exact formal analogy between this latter system and single file diffusion of molecules along a row of sites, across a membrane, between two baths. Various special cases are considered: one-way reactions only; reversible reactions near and far from equilibrium; a circular array of enzymes as well as a linear array. Some of these cases have been treated for an arbitrary number of enzymes in the array, but in other cases the results are limited to small arrays.
Physician Suicide in the United States:Updated Estimates from the National Violent Death Reporting System.

Physician suicide and well-being are critical issues but studies use varying methodologies and suicide is frequently underreported. This study sought to update data on physician suicides in the Uni...
Caregiver Strain, Social Support, and Mental Health Service Use Among Urban African American Mothers

Caregiver strain and social support have been identified as both facilitators and deterrents to parental mental health service use on behalf of their children. This study focused on the relationship between caregiver strain, social support, and mental health service use among African American mothers of children at-risk or meeting criteria for a disruptive behavioral disorder and living in urban communities of concentrated poverty. Mothers (n = 89), participating in a five-year NIMH funded study of school-based community mental health services, completed measures at baseline of caregiver strain and both perceived and received social support. Service use was calculated as the sum total of services (sessions) received. Associations between caregiver strain and service use were examined, and perceived and received social support were explored as potential moderators. Baseline covariates included child’s age, gender, symptom severity, and maternal employment status. Findings highlighted child symptom severity as the strongest predictor of caregiver strain and perceived social support as moderating the association between caregiver strain and service use. Mothers were more likely to utilize services when experiencing relatively high levels of perceived support or high caregiver strain but not both, highlighting the importance of their interrelationship. Received support did not moderate the association between strain and service use. In addition, mothers utilized services more often for sons than daughters and when unemployed. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
The Atomic Age of Data: Policies for the Internet of Things

This report I authored for the Aspen Institute explores policy challenges for advancing the promise and mitigating the risks of the Internet of Things (IoT). The report begins by describing the distinctive features of the IoT and mapping its applications and architecture. Its policy examination and recommendations fall into six principal areas of focus: Privacy; Data as Infrastructure; Equity, Inclusion, and Opportunity; Civic Engagement; Telecommunications Networks; and Security. The Report explores some of these policy questions in the context of the “smart city” use case.Recommendations include:-- Treat IoT data itself as infrastructure – an essential building block for all kinds of economic, social, and civic activity; -- Design-in security controls that reduce threats to connected devices and systems, and ensure that these security controls can be kept current; -- Design-in privacy controls that minimize collection of personally identifiable information and effectuate Fair Information Practice Principles;-- Promote broad accessibility of data and data analytics, which will require interoperable standards in many parts of the IoT ecosystem; -- Government should promote adoption and diffusion of technology, including building out IoT capabilities when it invests in infrastructure (known as a “dig once” proposal);-- IoT systems should ensure accessibility for the disabled and underserved through inclusion by design; The IoT should act as a vehicle for citizen participation and empowerment; -- Government should promote common standards for smart cities and other applications;-- Government should use procurement powers and regulatory powers to promote privacy and security.
The Activities of the Intersociety Committee on Manual of Methods for Ambient Air Sampling and Analysis

The Intersociety Committee on Manual of Methods for Ambient Air Sampling and Analysis is a collaborative effort of eight American professional societies; Air Pollution Control Association, American Chemical Society, American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, American Industrial Hygiene Association, American Public Health Association, American Society for Testing and Materials, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Its main objective is to produce standardized methods of sampling and analysis for routine investigations of air pollution. It is financially supported by the Air Pollution Control Office (APCO) of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Its administrative functions are handled by the American Public Health Association and its affairs are directed by an Executive Committee, consisting of one member from each of the eight constituent societies, which serves as a policy-making and editorial board.
Countercurrent Two-Phase Flow Regimes and Void Fraction in Vertical and Inclined Channels

Hydrodynamic characteristics of countercurrent two-phase flow in vertical and inclined channels are investigated. Experiments are performed using air and water at room temperature (25 to 27° C) and...
Peter Principle Packs a Peck of Phytoplankton

Biomechanical interactions between motile cells and environmental flows may cause the rapid formation of ecologically important phytoplankton patches.