cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantifying the Linguistic Landscape: A study of Spanish-English variation in Pilsen, Chicago

Study of speech and written texts has provided significant insight regarding linguistic variation and its social correlates. Variation in the representation or display of language, however, remains a relatively understudied phenomenon. With this in mind, we present a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the variation observed in the Linguistic Landscape (LL) of Pilsen, Chicago. A community undergoing perceived processes of gentrification, Pilsen is an active site of economic, sociocultural change as well as newly intensified language contact. To investigate Pilsen’s displayed language variation, we implement a series of logistic regression models that analyze the distribution of both language and contextual framing observed on signs in four key areas in Pilsen. In doing so, we present an informed means with which to understand the sociolinguistic context of Pilsen as a community undergoing change and provide a replicable framework for future study of LLs that experience similar dynamics.
Ischemic Stroke: Do Not Forget Lyme Neuroborreliosis

Lyme neuroborreliosis is a rare cause of ischemic stroke; it has only been described in case reports and mostly in Europe. Diagnostic criteria have been proposed for Lyme neuroborreliosis but the association with a cerebral ischemic presentation is not always straightforward. We here describe the case of an 83-year-old man for whom we strongly suspect Lyme neuroborreliosis as the etiology of his stroke. This case reminds us of the importance of a thorough history taking (i.e., tick bite) and to perform the adequate ancillary tests accordingly (lumbar puncture) so as to propose validated treatment.
Asthma in the 1990s. A new approach to therapy.

PreviewDuring the past decade, researchers have achieved a better understanding of the underlying pathologic mechanisms of asthma, and new therapies have been made widely available. In spite of this, there has been a paradoxical rise of morbidity and mortality in patients with asthma. The recognition of asthma as a chronic inflammatory disease and the documentation of worldwide deterioration in its control have prompted a reevaluation of current management strategies, described by Dr Busse in this article.
On the Edge-Coloring Property for the Closure of the Complete Hypergraphs

Given a set N of n elements, we address the question of when do there exist disjoint partitions of N, each partition containing only subsets of h or fewer elements, such that every subset of N having h or fewer elements is in exactly one partition. The question is answered, at least partly, in the negative for n = kh + l, l = 1, 2,…,h - 2, and in the affirmative for l = 0.
Bond strengths and SEM evaluation of Clearfil Liner Bond 2.

PURPOSE To evaluate a dental adhesive system that uses a single conditioning/primer agent. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-five flat enamel and dentin bonding sites were prepared to 600 grit on human molar teeth. The Clearfil Liner Bond 2 adhesive system was used to bond Clearfil AP-X composite to both enamel and dentin. After 24 hours of water storage, shear bond strengths were determined using an Instron testing machine. Fifty V-shaped cavity preparations were prepared in human molar teeth with an enamel and cementum margin. Composite restorations were placed using the new adhesive system. The teeth were stored for 24 hours, thermocycled, stained with AgNO3 , sectioned and examined for microleakage. SEM examinations were also completed to evaluate the effects of the treatment steps on enamel and dentin surfaces. RESULTS Mean shear bond strengths for the experimental adhesive to enamel and dentin were 28.2 +/- 4.9 and 19.4 +/- 3.1 MPa. A t-test revealed that the enamel bond strength was significantly greater (P<0.05) than the dentin strength. No marginal leakage was observed from the enamel margins of the restorations. Three restorations showed minimal leakage from the cementum margins. SEM examinations showed resin penetration into both the conditioned enamel and dentin surfaces. The adhesive system produced high bond strengths to both enamel and dentin, exhibited very minimal microleakage and was easy to use.
Rapid modeling and design in virtual environments

We discuss the evolution and current status of investigations at our Graphics, Visualization, and Virtual Environments Laboratory. The progression of user interface technology has led us from display systems evaluation, to performance studies of graphics workstations, stereoscopic and head-mounted displays, user-input devices, and interactive techniques for virtual environments. We have been involved in prototyping applications for terrain visualization, situation awareness for command and control, maintenance procedures training, and interactive design. Our current emphasis is on developing techniques for rapid modeling of virtual environments, to support mission planning, rehearsal, and interactive design and visualization. We discuss in detail three examples of these applications, and we present a set of guidelines that we have found to be useful for quickly constructing effective virtual environments.
Radioembolization with Yttrium-90 Microspheres for the Treatment of Liver Metastases of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: A Multicenter Analysis.

Purpose To retrospectively assess the efficacy and safety of radioembolization with yttrium-90 (90Y) resin microspheres as a second-line option in patients with liver metastases from pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Materials and methods Thirty-three patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma that progressed despite systemic chemotherapy and other treatments directed at primary tumors and metastases were treated with 90Y radioembolization at 1 of 3 institutions from 2011 through 2017. Data from laboratory and imaging studies at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment were analyzed. Tumor response was assessed with Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors version 1.1 and adverse events with Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0. Results Imaging results showed partial response in 8 patients (42%), stable disease in 7 (37%), and progressive disease in 4 (21%). Median overall survival times after radioembolization and diagnosis of the primary tumor were 8.1 (95% CI, 4.8-12.5) and 20.8 (95% CI, 14.2-29.0) months, respectively. Radioembolization did not produce major hepatic toxicity, and changes in liver enzyme levels were rarely grade ≥ 3 during the 12-week follow-up. The exceptions were 3 patients with grade 3 increased alkaline phosphatase (week 2) and bilirubin levels (week 4), increased bilirubin level (week 12), and decreased albumin level (week 12), respectively. Most reported complications were grade ≤ 2, with 2 patients showing short-term radioembolization-related grade 3 abdominal distention, abdominal pain, fatigue, or ascites. Conclusions Yttrium-90 radioembolization provided a meaningful survival benefit in patients with liver metastases from pancreatic adenocarcinoma that progressed despite previous therapies. Adverse events and liver toxicity were tolerable and only occasionally severe (grade ≥ 3).
Defining Admissible Rewards for High Confidence Policy Evaluation.

A key impediment to reinforcement learning (RL) in real applications with limited, batch data is defining a reward function that reflects what we implicitly know about reasonable behaviour for a task and allows for robust off-policy evaluation. In this work, we develop a method to identify an admissible set of reward functions for policies that (a) do not diverge too far from past behaviour, and (b) can be evaluated with high confidence, given only a collection of past trajectories. Together, these ensure that we propose policies that we trust to be implemented in high-risk settings. We demonstrate our approach to reward design on synthetic domains as well as in a critical care context, for a reward that consolidates clinical objectives to learn a policy for weaning patients from mechanical ventilation.
Empirische Untersuchung III: Untersuchungsmethodik

Mittels einer am Computer simulierten Landstadt und einem Mixed-Methods-Ansatz sollte untersucht werden, ob ein modifiziertes Mikromerkmal der Umwelt Einfluss auf die wahrgenommene Verkehrssicherheit und Fusgangerfreundlichkeit sowie die subjektive und objektive Erholung hat. Hierfur sasen die Vpn vor drei direkt nebeneinanderstehenden, hochkant aufgestellten 27-Zoll Full-HD-Bildschirmen, die zu einem Bildschirm zusammengefugt wurden. Der mittlere Bildschirm stand direkt vor der Vpn, der linke und rechte Bildschirm in leicht nach vorn versetztem Winkel.
Shielding the Workforce: Does Subordinate Contract Frame Induce Leniency in Superiors' Decisions?

Organizations use penalty contracts to deter negative behavior, but these contracts are rarely used for subordinate performance. Prior studies focus on subordinates’ reactions to contract frame to address this paucity of penalty contracts. In contrast, we examine how subordinates’ contract frame affects superiors’ behavior, specifically their target-setting decisions, and whether a penalty contract increases superiors’ leniency, which could provide a potential explanation for the lack of performance penalty contracts in practice. We predict and find experimentally that superiors’ set more lenient targets for subordinates under a penalty contract compared to a bonus contract, as superiors can project their negative perceptions of penalties onto subordinates and seek to mitigate these perceptions. Further, we provide evidence that increasing the salience of subordinates’ contract choice to the superior during the target-setting process mitigates leniency under a penalty contract. We also find that these effects are present only in low Dark Triad superiors, as high Dark Triad superiors set similar targets regardless of subordinates’ contract frame and choice. This study provides some insight into the limited use of penalty contracts in practice, as these contracts could lead to greater leniency in superiors’ decisions. We identify a way to limit superiors’ leniency under a penalty contract through highlighting that subordinates’ chose the contract, which could increase the appeal of penalty contracts in practice.
17 – Batter Piles

Publisher Summary Batter piles are used for bridge abutments, retaining walls, and platforms. Batter piles are capable of resisting significant lateral forces. Lateral resistance of batter piles comes from two sources—horizontal component of the axial reaction and horizontal resistance due to soil (H). Batter piles should be avoided in situations where negative skin frictional forces can be present. Settling soil could induce large bending moments in batter piles.
Conic Sections in Early Modern Europe. Second Part: Philippe de la Hire on Conics

After the preliminary work on circles, La Hire moved to the conic sections. He defined them as had Apollonius: the section of a conic surface by a plane is a conic section. But he immediately moved beyond Apollonius, as had Desargues, by claiming that properties established for the base circle apply to the conic section. La Hire wrote in Philippe de La Hire (Nouvelle Methode en Geometrie pour les Sections des Superficies coniques et Cylindriques, Paris, 1673, p 15), following the first seventeen lemmas, “All that follows is a simple application of these lemmas …in all the conic and cylindrical sections.” The harmonic relation is preserved in a projection, and the projection he has in mind is of a base circle of a cone, in a base plane, and lines in that base plane associated with that circle, onto the plane that cuts the cone in the conic section. La Hire describes the projection of a line eg in the base plane: “cut at points e, f, p, g in three harmonic parts. …the lines drawn joining these points of division to the vertex A [of the cone] will meet line EG on the slicing plane in points E, F, P, G and by Lemma 5 or 6 it will be cut in these points E, F, P, G harmonically in 3 parts. …”
Reimagining high-throughput profiling of reactive cysteines for cell-based screening of large electrophile libraries.

Current methods used for measuring amino acid side-chain reactivity lack the throughput needed to screen large chemical libraries for interactions across the proteome. Here we redesigned the workflow for activity-based protein profiling of reactive cysteine residues by using a smaller desthiobiotin-based probe, sample multiplexing, reduced protein starting amounts and software to boost data acquisition in real time on the mass spectrometer. Our method, streamlined cysteine activity-based protein profiling (SLC-ABPP), achieved a 42-fold improvement in sample throughput, corresponding to profiling library members at a depth of >8,000 reactive cysteine sites at 18 min per compound. We applied it to identify proteome-wide targets of covalent inhibitors to mutant Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS)G12C and Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK). In addition, we created a resource of cysteine reactivity to 285 electrophiles in three human cell lines, which includes >20,000 cysteines from >6,000 proteins per line. The goal of proteome-wide profiling of cysteine reactivity across thousand-member libraries under several cellular contexts is now within reach. An improved workflow enables a 42-fold higher throughput of activity-based protein profiling.
Country Transparency and the Global Transmission of Financial Shocks

Abstract This paper considers the role of country-level opacity (the unavailability of information) in amplifying shocks emanating from financial centers. We provide a simple model where, in the presence of ambiguity about fundamentals (uncertainty about the probability distribution of returns), prices in periphery markets react more strongly to signals from the financial center, the more opaque the periphery market is. The second contribution is empirical evidence for more than 60 bond and equity markets in line with this prediction. Increasing the availability of information about public policies, improving accounting standards, and enhancing disclosure by governments and firms can reduce the response of peripheral asset markets to shocks from global financial centers.
Sudden Position Guide to Collection Management

The Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) Sudden Position series focuses on the job tasks of a variety of library positions. Series guides are intended to cover the essen...
Frames that matter: Increasing the willingness to get the Covid-19 vaccines.

Herd immunity against Covid-19 demands a high rate of vaccination, which may be challenging to meet given vaccine hesitancy in the U.S. How can Americans' willingness to get vaccinated be increased? Using a survey experiment, we apply seven framing treatments to a representative sample of 1642 U.S. residents that test ways to increase willingness: expert and political figure endorsements, demonstrations of receiving the vaccine, information about the vaccine's approval process, and information underscoring the pandemic's devastating economic impact. We find the approval process and the economy treatments increase the odds of higher vaccination willingness by 42% (p = 0.068) and 46% (p = 0.060), respectively. Additionally, we find suggestive evidence that the effectiveness of a message depends on whether a respondent finds the message/messenger credible. The study advances the understanding of vaccine hesitancy by demonstrating effective public health messaging strategy can facilitate greater acceptance of vaccination.
Bridge Inspection using Virtual Realty and Photogrammetry

This paper is divided into three major sections: (1) bridge inspection via virtual realty; (2) bridge monitoring via photogrammetry; and (3) potential impact and future development. The first section briefly covers the current regulations for conducting route bridge inspections. The second section gives an approach using QuickTime Virtual Realty (QTVR), which is described for recording bridge inspection data with a high level of photographic detail. The section covers the basic equipment (hardware and software) and procedures for documenting the physical condition of a bridge using virtual realty techniques. The third section provides a brief overview of photogrammetry including basic definitions, instruments, procedures, and applications. Topics discussed include aerial versus terrestrial photogrammetry; the central perspective projection; measurement by triangulation; photogrammetric camera types, characteristics, and calibration; and photogrammetric analysis fundamentals. The last section of the paper provides some concluding remarks regarding the potential impact of virtual realty and photogrammetry.
Isotopic Tracers in the Study of Carbohydrate Metabolism

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses isotopic tracers in the study of carbohydrate metabolism. Balance studies carried out both in vivo and in vitro upon plants as well as animals have enabled the biologist and biochemist to amass a great deal of information concerning metabolic processes. The ingestion of acetate by an animal produces no apparent effect upon the biological synthesis of carbohydrate. Administration to the animals of acetate labeled with carbon (C) 12 results in the formation of isotopic glycogen even though there has been no net increase in glycogen synthesis. The fasted, phlorizinized rat excretes an increased amount of urinary D-glucose when the amino acid alanine is administered; nevertheless, the extra D-glucose excreted contains very few of the carbon atoms originally furnished by the administered D,L-alanine.
Strategic trade policy and welfare

Foreign equity ownership is shown empirically to weaken significantly, and occasionally reverse, common strategic trade policy results. Existing levels of U.S. cross-ownership, for example, reduce the average optimal export subsidy by 47% relative to the Brander and Spencer (Journal of International Economics, 1985, 18, 83–100) value. In industries with particularly high cross-ownership and relatively small imputed labor rents, optimal subsidies fall to less than one-seventh of their former level. Previous studies, which overlook high rates of cross-ownership, overstate the effectiveness of strategic policies most sharply in sectors with above-average expected profitability, scope for strategic investments, and barriers to rent dissipation.
The mechanisms of early categorization and induction: smart or dumb infants?

Publisher Summary This chapter outlines a number of the most prominent and thorny questions and issues in the field and shows how the answers to these questions and issues have wide reaching significance to development and cognition in general. Moreover, the research with preschoolers suggests that surface properties of objects may continue to play an important role in categorization and induction. Preschoolers (and adults) are highly influenced in their category membership decisions by the predictability of perceptual and non-obvious features. Moreover, this pattern of behavior suggests that the well-known essentialist bias results from experiments that pit one type of property against another, which causes children to choose the type of property they have learned is a better predictor of category membership. The chapter concludes that the evidence presented here merely touches the surface of infants', developing concepts and categories for animates and inanimates and more steps are required before the field has a clear view of the structure, content, and mechanisms involved in early infant category and concept development.
A Combination of Spatiotemporal ICA and Euclidean Features for Face Recognition

ICA decomposes a set of features into a basis whose components are statistically independent. It minimizes the statistical dependence between basis functions and searches for a linear transformation to express a set of features as a linear combination of statistically independent basis functions. Though ICA has found its application in face recognition, mostly spatial ICA was employed. Recently, we studied a joint spatial and temporal ICA method, and compared the performance of different ICA approaches by using our special face database collected by AcSys FRS Discovery system. In our study, we have found that spatiotemporal ICA apparently outperforms spatial ICA, and it can be much more robust with better performance than spatial ICA. These findings justify the promise of spatiotemporal ICA for face recognition. In this paper we report our progress and explore the possible combination of the Euclidean distance features and the ICA features to maximize the success rate of face recognition.
Long-term Follow-up and Outcomes in Traumatic Macular Holes

Purpose To review presenting characteristics, clinical course, and long-term visual and anatomic outcomes of patients with traumatic macular holes at a tertiary referral center. Design Retrospective case series. Methods Twenty-eight consecutive patients with traumatic macular holes at a single tertiary referral center were reviewed. In addition to visual acuities and treatments throughout the clinical course, specific dimensions of the macular hole, including diameters, height, configuration, shape, and the presence of a cuff of fluid, were examined using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Results Twenty-eight patients were identified with a mean initial visual acuity (VA) of logMAR 1.3 (20/400) and a mean follow-up of 2.2 years. Eleven holes (39.3%) closed spontaneously in median 5.7 weeks. Eleven underwent vitrectomy with a median time to intervention of 35.1 weeks. Median time to surgery for the 5 eyes with successful hole closure was 11.0 weeks vs 56.3 weeks for the 6 eyes that failed to close ( P = .02). VA improved in closed holes ( P P P = .04), but VA did not improve in holes that did not close ( P = .22). There was no relation between initial OCT dimensions and final hole closure status, although there was a trend, which did not reach statistical significance, toward small dimensions for those that closed spontaneously. Conclusions A fairly high spontaneous closure rate was observed, with a trend toward smaller OCT dimensions. We found no relationship between hole closure and the OCT characteristics of the hole. Surgical intervention was less successful at hole closure when elected after 3 months.
Photoelectrochemical operation of a surface-bound, nickel-phosphine H2 evolution catalyst on p-Si(111): a molecular semiconductor|catalyst construct.

We demonstrate the covalent attachment and catalytic function of a nickel-phosphine H2 evolution catalyst to a p-Si(111) photoelectrode. The covalently assembled semiconductor|molecular construct achieves a synergistic improvement (ΔVonset = +200 mV) as compared to a solution of [(PNP)2Ni]2+ in contact with a p-Si(111)–CH3 photoelectrode.
Acute or chronic use of lacosamide does not alter its distribution between serum and cerebrospinal fluid

SummaryObjective The site of action for antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) is within the brain; however, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentration is highly variable. Lacosamide (LCM) is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults, and has linear pharmacokinetics in serum. Penetration across the blood–brain barrier (BBB) is unknown. This study aims to provide additional insights into the pharmacokinetics of LCM. Methods Thirty adults undergoing craniotomy for treatment of intractable epilepsy or brain tumor were recruited and were either taking LCM long term (group 1, n = 15), or were LCM naive, receiving LCM as prophylaxis for surgery (group 2, n = 15). All patients received one intravenous (IV) dose (15 min infusion) immediately prior to craniotomy. CSF and arterial blood were collected simultaneously following craniotomy. LCM concentrations were measured in serum and CSF. Results LCM concentration differences between groups 1 and 2 for both CSF and serum were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.0005), but there was no statistically significant difference in CSF/serum ratios (group 1 = 0.726 ± 0.231; group 2 = 0.556 ±0.241; p = 0.0585). LCM concentration in serum correlated positively with CSF concentration in group 1 (Pearson r = 0.8527, p < 0.0001). The time interval between the end of dose delivery and sample collection correlated positively with the CSF/serum ratio for the drug-naive group (Pearson r = 0.6525; p = 0.0084). Treatment with other AEDs did not affect LCM distribution between serum and CSF. Significance Although chronic dosing resulted in higher LCM concentrations in serum and CSF compared to drug-naive patients, the CSF/serum ratio was not affected by LCM pretreatment. These data suggest that LCM serum concentration may reliably predict CSF concentration.
Broadband Dielectric Investigation on 2,6-Dihydroxynaphthalene/Poly(vinyl ethyl ether) Mixtures

The relaxation dynamics of mixtures of 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalene and poly(vinyl ethyl ether) (DHN/PVEE), containing 1−20 wt % DHN, were investigated using dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (DRS). A single cooperative segmental relaxation was observed for all mixtures, which shifts to higher temperature and lower frequency upon addition of DHN. All mixtures are amorphous, as established by DSC. The fragility increases with DHN concentration, reflecting the combined contribution of the components. The modification of the DRS relaxation time of the PVEE α process by DHN was evaluated. Together with previously published data, a general feature of the influence of the guest component on the cooperative relaxation dynamics of the host in a miscible binary system becomes apparent: the influence of the guest approaches zero at approximately 60−100 °C above the Tg of the high Tg component, corresponding to the widely recognized critical temperature. The breadths of the α relaxations were found to be independent o...
Comparison of growth texture in round Bi2212 and flat Bi2223 wires and its relation to high critical current density development

Why Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox (Bi2212) allows high critical current density Jc in round wires rather than only in the anisotropic tape form demanded by all other high temperature superconductors is important for future magnet applications. Here we compare the local texture of state-of-the-art Bi2212 and Bi2223 ((Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10), finding that round wire Bi2212 generates a dominant a-axis growth texture that also enforces a local biaxial texture (FWHM <15°) while simultaneously allowing the c-axes of its polycrystals to rotate azimuthally along and about the filament axis so as to generate macroscopically isotropic behavior. By contrast Bi2223 shows only a uniaxial (FWHM <15°) c-axis texture perpendicular to the tape plane without any in-plane texture. Consistent with these observations, a marked, field-increasing, field-decreasing Jc(H) hysteresis characteristic of weak-linked systems appears in Bi2223 but is absent in Bi2212 round wire. Growth-induced texture on cooling from the melt step of the Bi2212 Jc optimization process appears to be the key step in generating this highly desirable microstructure.
Toxaphene Deposition to Lake Ontario via Precipitation, 1994-1998

Precipitation samples collected continuously at Point Petre on Lake Ontario from November 1994 through December 1998 were analyzed for total toxaphene (=sum of hexa-, hepta-, octa-, and nonachloro bornanes) and chlorobornane congeners (1997−98 only). Composite triplicate samples were collected during 4-week intervals throughout the 4-year study using heated wet-only samplers. These results represent the first detailed data for toxaphene in Great Lakes precipitation. Seasonal volume-weighted mean concentrations for total toxaphene in precipitation ranged from 0.25 to 1.5 ng/L. Highest concentrations were found during the four spring (March−May) periods at roughly twice the annual means. The pattern for hexa- through nona-homologues over the 4 years did not vary appreciably with average ratios (relative to hepta-) of 0.08:1.0:1.3:0.2. The volume-weighted mean concentrations for individual chlorobornane congeners were consistent in their season pattern with maximums seen in the spring. The major chlorobornan...
Recursive Isomorphism Types of Recursive Boolean Algebras

A Boolean algebra is recursive if B is a recursive subset of the natural numbers N and the operations ∧ (meet), ∨ (join), and ¬ (complement) are partial recursive. Given two Boolean algebras and , we write if is isomorphic to and if is recursively isomorphic to , that is, if there is a partial recursive function f: B1 → B2 which is an isomorphism from to . will denote the set of atoms of and () will denote the ideal generated by the atoms of .One of the main questions which motivated this paper is “To what extent does the classical isomorphism type of a recursive Boolean algebra restrict the possible recursion theoretic properties of ?” For example, it is easy to see that must be co-r.e. (i.e., N − is an r.e. set), but can be immune, not immune, cohesive, etc? It follows from a result of Goncharov [4] that there exist classical isomorphism types which contain recursive Boolean algebras but do not contain any recursive Boolean algebras such that is recursive. Thus the classical isomorphism can restrict the possible Turing degrees of , but what is the extent of this restriction? Another main question is “What is the recursion theoretic relationship between and () in a recursive Boolean algebra?” In our attempt to answer these questions, we were led to a wide variety of recursive isomorphism types which are contained in the classical isomorphism type of any recursive Boolean algebra with an infinite set of atoms.
Development and Cultural Genocide in the Sudan

Genocide is easily defined: 'the deliberate extermination of a people'. It appears to occur in human history primarily in association with the emergence of the state, or in the effort of an established regime to maintain or expand its domination, and is virtually unrecorded for 'traditional' or pre-state societies. Although the concept of 'development' is by contrast exceedingly ambiguous (other than as an ideal process or social form in an evolutionary typology), the meaning conveyed would be antithetical to the definition of genocide, being some form of material or moral improvement in social existence, rather than a means towards the rapid extinction of a cultural tradition. This short article claims that the regime in Khartoum under the 'leadership' of Omer Hassan al-Bashir continues to be characterised by political hegemony, economic disarray, cultural bias, and explicit racism, and that it has been carrying out a policy of genocide against the Nilotic-speaking peoples of the Southern Sudan known to the external world as the Shilluk, Dinka, Nuer, and Atuot. After a brief review of relevant phenomena from the pre-independence era, followed by an account of the emergence of a hybrid Western/Islamic notion of development, information is presented about some of the recent ways that international aid has been employed to undercut the very possibility of traditional culture and social organisation. In essence, it will be argued that al-Bashir seeks to 'develop' these Nilotic peoples by exterminating them culturally via his wider policy of re-creating the Sudan as a fundamentalist Islamic state.
Increases in densities of the citrus red mite, Panonychus citri [Acarina: Tetranychidae], in association with the argentine ant, Iridomyrmex humilis [Hymenoptera: Formicidae], in southern California citrus

We monitored the activities of the Argentine ant,Iridomyrmex humilis (Mayr), in 3 citrus orchards during 1984 and 1985. We also monitored densities of citrus red mite,Panonychus citri (McGregor), the adult spider mite destroyer,Stethorus picipes Casey [Col.: Coccinellidae], and the predatory mite,Euseius tularensis Congdon [Acarina: Phytoseiidae] during the same period in ant-present and ant-free plots in each orchard.
Use of intravenous proton-pump inhibitors in a teaching hospital practice.

Objective To evaluate intravenous proton-pump inhibitor (IV PPI) prescribing in a single academic teaching hospital. Methods A retrospective pilot study of 107 patients in a single United States military teaching hospital was conducted over a 1-month period. Clinical data were collected and analyzed for demographic features, prior medication use, admission hemoglobin level, service prescribing the IV PPI, indication for IV PPI, IV PPI treatment duration, gastroenterology consultant use, endoscopic findings, and blood products given. Indications for use were compared with current established guidelines to determine appropriate usage. Results A total of 683 doses of IV pantoprazole were prescribed over a 1-month period. Seventy-six patients (71%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 62–79%) who received IV PPIs did not meet the criteria for an appropriate indication for use. Ninety-nine patients in the study (93%; 95% CI, 86–96%) met criteria for an acceptable dosage given. The most common appropriate indication given was stress ulcer prophylaxis in a high-risk setting (13%; 95% CI, 8–21%) with appropriate use of this indication 45% of the time (95% CI, 29–62%). IV PPIs were appropriately prescribed most often by the medical intensive care unit (66.7%; 95% CI, 43–84%) and least often by the surgical wards services (16%; 95% CI, 7–33%). No discernable indication was given in 52% of cases (95% CI, 43–62%), and patients were not actually nil per os in 46% of these instances (95% CI, 34–59%). Conclusions Intravenous PPI prescribing habits in this military hospital facility are poor. A multifaceted approach including physician/pharmacist education, IV PPI ordering templates, and a consensus medical position statement from a major gastroenterological or prominent medical association may lead to more appropriate use.
New method for obtaining exact solutions of the Ising problem for finite arrays of coupled chains

A new exact method for calculating thermodynamic averages and multisite correlation functions for an arbitrary array of infinite linear chains interacting via the Ising Hamiltonian in a magnetic field is presented. The general analytical properties of such solutions for planar arrays have been discussed by Kramers and Wannier and by Ferdinand and Fisher, although no formal expressions could be given. The limit of an infinite planar array of chains, of course, was solved by Onsager. As shown by Ferdinand and Fisher the three-chain problem already has a specific-heat behavior remarkably similar to that of the Onsager case apart from the integrable singularity and serves as a good approximation to the infinite planar array. (AIP)
Abstract 3009: Identification of cancer specific ERG target gene signatures.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Introduction and Objective: ETS Related Gene (ERG) is aberrantly expressed in more than two-third of prostate cancers (CaP) due to gene fusions. CaP specific TMPRSS2- ERG fusion is a promising biomarker and potential therapeutic target. Cancer associated expression of ERG have also been described in several cancers. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying ERG induced oncogenic process in specific cancers are not clearly understood. Identification and thorough characterization of downstream target genes may aid to design effective therapeutic strategies for ERG expressing cancers. In this study, we have identified cancer specific ERG target gene signature of ERG expressing cancer cells that may be utilized as therapeutic targets for the treatment of ERG expressing CaP patients. Methods: Illumina BeadChips microarray analysis was performed to profile ERG specific RNA signature from ERG positive tumor cell lines and normal ERG expressing endothelial cells transfected with either ERG specific siRNA or non-targeting siRNA. Functional gene clustering and Venn diagram analysis was employed to show the overlap of the common and unique gene sets regulated by ERG in these cells. Gene expression was analyzed by Western blot, QRT-PCR, and immunofluorescence assays. Results: Biological function based gene clustering analysis identified two distinct gene signatures (normal and cancer specific) regulated by ERG. Knockdown of ERG in malignant cells resulted in overexpression of differentiation markers such as MSMB, KLK3, SLC45A3, NKX3.1, and NOV4 in prostate cancer (VCaP cells), and APC, DCC, CTNNB1, and NKD1 in colon cancer (COLO320 cells). In contrast, knockdown of ERG in normal endothelial-derived HUVEC cells resulted in the repression of differentiation markers such as CDH5, ANGEL2, and TIE1. Conclusions: We identified tumor specific ERG target gene signature using normal and various cancer cell lines. This study confirmed the cell context dependent role of ERG in tumor and in normal endothelial cells. These observations have the potential to enhance our understanding of ERG biological functions thereby facilitate the design of suitable therapeutic mechanism. Citation Format: Ahmed Mohamed, Lakshmi Ravindranth, Shilpa Katta, Shyh-Han Tan, Yongmei Chen, Gyorgy Petrovics, Albert Dobi, Shiv Srivastava. Identification of cancer specific ERG target gene signatures. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3009. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3009
Ultrafast pulse-shape-driven dynamics in optical waveguides

Fiber optics provide a convenient way to deliver light to remote locations otherwise optically inaccessible. Arguably, optical fibers represent the most effective means of delivering optical radiation through nearly arbitrary paths. The delivery of ultrashort pulses through fibers is a topic of interest for a variety of applications yet constitutes a challenge due to the physical interaction between the intense light fields and the bulk constituents of the fiber. The nonlinear optical effects that take place induce a variety of distortion on the pulses which alter the features of the optical field at the output of the fiber. The ability to control these nonlinearities and use them as means to passively control the pulse characteristics at the output end of the fiber would be of extreme practical use. Phase sensitive pulse measurement techniques are a crucial element needed for the characterization of the pulses and to control their shape so that fibers and femtosecond phenomena may coexist effectively and advantageously.
Luminance thresholds for the resolution of visual detail during dark adaptation.

Luminance thresholds for the visual resolution of various widths of alternating light and dark lines were determined at various times during dark adaptation. The finest gratings, representing high degrees of visual acuity, show only a single cone curve that drops from a high luminance threshold during the first moments of dark adaptation to a final steady level that is reached after about 7 to 10 minutes in the dark. Coarse gratings produce a duplex curve that shows an initial cone portion and a delayed rod portion. Visual acuity is a parameter that sets the position of a given curve on the log threshold axis. The higher the degree of resolution required, the higher the dark adaptation threshold. At a constant grating luminance, visual acuity rises rapidly to a maximum during dark adaptation; the higher the luminance, the earlier and more rapid the rise and the higher the maximum. Visual acuity increases at all dark adaptation times with increase in luminance.
Streptococcus endophthalmitis outbreak after intravitreal injection of bevacizumab: one-year outcomes and investigative results.

Purpose To report the 1-year clinical outcomes of an outbreak of Streptococcus endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection of bevacizumab, including visual acuity outcomes, microbiological testing, and compound pharmacy investigations by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Design Retrospective consecutive case series. Participants Twelve eyes of 12 patients who developed endophthalmitis after receiving intravitreal bevacizumab prepared by a single compounding pharmacy. Methods Medical records of patients were reviewed; phenotypic and DNA analyses were performed on microbes cultured from patients and from unused syringes. An inspection report by the FDA based on site visits to the pharmacy that prepared the bevacizumab syringes was summarized. Main Outcome Measures Visual acuity, interventions received, time to intervention, microbiological consistency, and FDA inspection findings. Results Between July 5 and 8, 2011, 12 patients developed endophthalmitis after intravitreal bevacizumab from syringes prepared by a single compounding pharmacy. All patients received initial vitreous tap and injection, and 8 patients (67%) subsequently underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). After 12 months follow-up, outcomes have been poor. Seven patients (58%) required evisceration or enucleation, and only 1 patient regained pre-injection visual acuity. Molecular testing using real-time polymerase chain reaction, partial sequencing of the groEL gene, and multilocus sequencing of 7 housekeeping genes confirmed the presence of a common strain of Streptococcus mitis/oralis in vitreous specimens and 7 unused syringes prepared by the compounding pharmacy at the same time. An FDA investigation of the compounding pharmacy noted deviations from standard sterile technique, inconsistent documentation, and inadequate testing of equipment required for safe preparation of medications. Conclusions In this outbreak of endophthalmitis, outcomes have been generally poor, and PPV did not improve visual results at 1-year follow-up. Molecular testing confirmed a common strain of S. mitis/oralis . Contamination seems to have occurred at the compounding pharmacy, where numerous problems in sterile technique were noted by public health investigators. Financial Disclosure(s) Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
Aggressivity, inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in boys at high and low risk for substance abuse

Aggressivity, inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are cardinal dimensions of externalizing behavior problems of childhood. They are diagnostic and clinical features of childhood disorders, and are thought to be linked to the subsequent development of adult disorders such as substance abuse (SA). Little is known, however, about the convergent and discriminant validity of these four constructs. We used multiple measures to develop indices of aggressivity, inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in a sample of 10- to 12-year-old boys (N=183) with and without a family history of SA. Data were taken from mother reports, child reports, teacher reports, and laboratory tasks. The study aims were (1) to test the convergent and discriminant validity of aggressivity, inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity; (2) to examine whether the data were consistent with a model specifying the four constructs as indicators of one superordinate factor; and (3) to differentiate boys with and without a family history of SA in construct scores. The results supported the convergent and discriminant validity of the four constructs. Although discriminable, the constructs covaried strongly and were consistent with a model specifying them as indicators of a single superordinate factor. Boys with a family history of substance abuse scored higher than control boys on aggressivity, inattention, and impulsivity scores, but the groups did not differ on hyperactivity scores. The results are discussed in terms of the role of childhood behavior problems in vulnerability to SA.
The generalized discrete-time epidemic model with immunity: a synthesis

Abstract A general formulation of the discrete-time epidemic model with permanent immunity is presented, following the general format of a model developed in the Soviet Union. This paper presents a stochastic form of the model on a discrete state space and a deterministic form on a continuous state space. An epidemic threshold theorem is derived for the deterministic form. Bounds are found for the final infection attack rate, and the relative error of these bounds is investigated for varying parameter values. A number of discrete-time epidemic models proposed by others are shown to be special cases of the general model formulated. Methods for parameter estimation are given for small populations when the data are in either sequential or final value form and for large populations when the data are in sequential form. Examples are given of analysis of epidemic influenza data from small and large populations.
Estimation of vertical stochastic scale parameters in the Earth's crystalline crust from seismic reflection data

[1] Its been shown that the statistical properties of a reflected seismic wavefield can be related to the statistical properties of the crust. In this paper, we report on a method to invert a reflected seismic wavefield for vertical stochastic parameters. The method is founded on a deconvolution, thresholding, and numerical integration procedure to estimate the Earth's bi-modal velocity perturbation. We then fit a von Karman autocorrelation function to the autocorrelation of the estimated velocity perturbation and record the von Karman parameters which result in the minimum misfit. Tests show that our scheme is successful at recovering the vertical characteristic length in synthetic seismic reflection data.
Anion-templated self-assembly of highly stable Fe(II) pentagonal metallacycles with short anion–π contacts

The crystal structures of the self-assembled metallapentacycles [{Fe5(bptz)5(CH3CN)10} ⊂ 2SbF6][SbF6]8 (1) and [{Fe5(bmtz)5(CH3CN)10} ⊂ SbF6][SbF6]9 (2) with the π-acidic ligands bptz (3,6-bis(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine) and bmtz (3,6-bis(2-pyrimidyl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine), respectively, revealed cationic pentagons templated by [SbF6]− ions. The short anion–π contacts established between the anions and the tetrazine rings play an important role in the stability of the pentagons.
Delta to alpha prime transformation of plutonium during microhardness testing

Metallic plutonium is a complex material that can exist in six allotropic phases at ambient pressures; and under stress, it can transform martensitically from the ductile face centered cubic delta phase to the brittle monoclinic alpha prime phase. This investigation found that the pressures generated during microhardness indentation are sufficient for the transformation to occur. Micrographs showing the transformation as well as pressure calculations are presented in support for this finding. Also, based upon the amount of material displaced by the indenter, it was determined that there is at least a 16% error in published hardness values of the delta phase that can be attributed to the delta to alpha prime transformation.
Degradation of turnip yellow mosaic virus by freezing and thawing in vitro: a new method for studies on the internal organization of the viral components and for isolating native RNA.

Abstract Turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) in water solution was degraded into its constituent RNA and protein components after freezing at −75° and subsequent thawing. This behavior of the virus has been utilized to develop a rapid and simple method for preparative isolation of its RNA. TYMV-RNA prepared by this new method was centrifugally more homogeneous than RNA prepared by phenol extraction before brief heating at 65°. After heating, the percentages of homogeneous, rapidly sedimenting RNA were the same. The preparations were also equally infectious. It has furthermore been demonstrated that the freezing degradation method is particularly suitable for use in studies of the macromolecular organization of the virion. Potentiometric titrations of TYMV and its protein capsids, before and after freezing, demonstrated the presence of prototropic groups on the RNA and protein, which are normally involved in, or hidden because of, the integration of these components as the virion.