cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
STABILITY AND CHANGE IN PATTERNS OF FRENCH PARTISANSHIP

CO ONVERSE AND DUPEUX, in their well-known study of politicization in the French and American electorates, suspect that the "flash party" phenomenon in France (the Gaullist R.P.F. in 1947-1951, the Poujadist U.F.F. in 1956, and the Gaullist U.N.R. in 1958) occurs because a considerable portion of the electorate is not anchored to self-reinforcing long-term partisan commitments.' While 75 percent of the American sample identified with a political party, less than half of the 1958 French sample identified with a party or a tendance such as "left" or "right." Noting that the difference in proportions able to classify the father's partisanship revealed an even greater cross-national difference-86 percent of the American sample but only 26 percent of the French sampleConverse and Dupeux compared levels of partisanship in the two samples after controlling for knowledge of father's partisanship. The controlling operation removed the cross-national difference in partisanship to the marginals, i.e. to the difference in the proportion of respondents in each sample who were aware of their father's partisanship. This led the authors to conclude that the difference in
From Complete Genomes to Measures of Substitution Rate Variability Within and Between Proteins

Accumulation of complete genome sequences of diverse organisms creates new possibilities for evolutionary inferences from whole-genome comparisons. In the present study, we analyze the distributions of substitution rates among proteins encoded in 19 complete genomes (the interprotein rate distribution). To estimate these rates, it is necessary to employ another fundamental distribution, that of the substitution rates among sites in proteins (the intraprotein distribution). Using two independent approaches, we show that intraprotein substitution rate variability appears to be significantly greater than generally accepted. This yields more realistic estimates of evolutionary distances from amino-acid sequences, which is critical for evolutionary-tree construction. We demonstrate that the interprotein rate distributions inferred from the genome-to-genome comparisons are similar to each other and can be approximated by a single distribution with a long exponential shoulder. This suggests that a generalized version of the molecular clock hypothesis may be valid on genome scale. We also use the scaling parameter of the obtained interprotein rate distribution to construct a rooted whole-genome phylogeny. The topology of the resulting tree is largely compatible with those of global rRNA-based trees and trees produced by other approaches to genome-wide comparison.
A Compact Digitally Controlled Fuel Cell/Battery Hybrid Power Source

A compact digitally controlled fuel cell/battery hybrid power source is presented in this paper. The hybrid power source composed of fuel cells and batteries provides a much higher peak power than each component alone while preserving high energy density, which is important and desirable for many modern electronic devices, through an appropriately controlled dc/dc power converter that handles the power flow shared by the fuel cell and the battery. Rather than being controlled to serve only as a voltage or current regulator, the power converter is regulated to balance the power flow to satisfy the load requirements while ensuring the various limitations of electrochemical components such as battery overcharge, fuel cell current limit (FCCL), etc. Digital technology is applied in the control of power electronics due to many advantages over analog technology such as programmability, less susceptibility to environmental variations, and low parts count. The user can set the FCCL, battery current limit, and battery voltage limit in the digital controller. A control algorithm that is suitable for regulating the multiple variables in the hybrid system is described by using a state-machine-based model; the issues about embedded control implementation are addressed; and the large-signal behavior of the hybrid system is analyzed on a voltage-current plane. The hybrid power source is then tested through simulation and validated on real hardware. This paper also discusses some important issues of the hybrid power source, such as operation under complex load profiles, power enhancement, and optimization of the hybrid system. The design presented here can not only be scaled to larger or smaller power capacities for a variety of applications but also be used for many other hybrid power sources
Detection and analysis of human motion by radar

Human motion has complex articulation and flexibility and, thus, is a non-rigid body motion. Radar returns from human with motions are subject to Doppler modulations that provide information about motion dynamics. In this paper, we first discuss radar backscattering from a walking human model and based on the model we derive motion trajectories and velocity patterns of human body parts. Then, we discuss how to analyze the radar backscattering from a subject of interest and how to use time-frequency transform to analyze micro-Doppler signatures of human movements. Finally, we introduce an example of the radar backscattering from human complex arm and leg motions. We characterize and explain micro-Doppler signature of the complex arm and leg motions.
Scale Efficient Network Development to Support Renewable Generation Development

Scale Efficient Network Extension (SENE) to connect remote renewable generation resources requires a new regulatory regime to facilitate construction of transmission in anticipation of uncertain generation development. This paper first discusses the conflicting requirements of such transmission development. While it is desirable to take advantage of significant economies of scale of high voltage/ultrahigh voltage (HV/UHV) transmission, there is a risk of part of these assets getting stranded, if generation does not eventuate. This is a trade-off that traditional cost-benefit analysis of transmission under the current regulatory regime does not take into account. On the other hand, a transmission asset that is scale efficient and does not have stranding risk may not necessarily have positive net market benefit. We have analyzed how these fundamentally different benefits and risks associated with transmission assets may be shared among various parties. Second, we have presented realistic case studies for three major renewable generation hubs in Australia to quantitatively demonstrate these trade-offs. We conclude the discussion on a number of insights to use the scale efficiency and market benefit concepts in a complementary way to shape future regulatory developments.
Making Sense of Cents: An Examination of Firms that Marginally Miss or Beat Analysts Forecasts

This paper examines the role of earnings quality in the future performance of firms that marginally miss or beat analysts' forecasts. We focus primarily on two groups of firms: those that miss their forecast but appear not to have attempted to exceed it by managing earnings, and those that exceed their forecast but appear to have done so through accruals or reducing discretionary expenditures. We find that while the miss/beat effect is initially stronger, earnings quality manifests itself over a longer horizon. During the first year, markets seem to react more strongly to the miss-beat effect, with firms that beat analyst forecasts despite a low quality of earnings outperforming firms that miss their forecasts despite reporting high quality earnings. During the second and third years, however, the performance of firms that missed their forecasts while maintaining high quality earnings exceeds the firms that beat their forecasts with low quality earnings. This holds for both future returns and future earnings changes. Our results suggest that while beating expectations has short-term benefits, there are negative long-term consequences associated with managing earnings in order to do so.
IUPAC Solubility Data Project 1973−2001

This is a history of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry Solubility Data Commission and the Solubility Data Project that it organized and supervised. It follows the progress of the project from a working party in 1973 to a Subcommittee of the Equilibrium Data Commission, 1976−1979, to The Solubility Data Commission, 1979−2001, when the Subcommittee on Solubility and Equilibrium Data (SSED) succeeded it.
Catalytic promiscuity in the biosynthesis of cyclic peptide secondary metabolites in planktonic marine cyanobacteria.

Our understanding of secondary metabolite production in bacteria has been shaped primarily by studies of attached varieties such as symbionts, pathogens, and soil bacteria. Here we show that a strain of the single-celled, planktonic marine cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus—which conducts a sizable fraction of photosynthesis in the oceans—produces many cyclic, lanthionine-containing peptides (lantipeptides). Remarkably, in Prochlorococcus MIT9313 a single promiscuous enzyme transforms up to 29 different linear ribosomally synthesized peptides into a library of polycyclic, conformationally constrained products with highly diverse ring topologies. Genes encoding this system are found in variable abundances across the oceans—with a hot spot in a Galapagos hypersaline lagoon—suggesting they play a habitat- and/or community-specific role. The extraordinarily efficient pathway for generating structural diversity enables these cyanobacteria to produce as many secondary metabolites as model antibiotic-producing bacteria, but with much smaller genomes.
Limiting acceptance angle to maximize efficiency in solar cells

Within a detailed balance formalism, the open circuit voltage of a solar cell can be found by taking the band gap energy and accounting for the losses associated with various sources of entropy increase. Often, the largest of these energy losses is due to the entropy associated with spontaneous emission. This entropy increase occurs because non-concentrating solar cells generally emit into 2π steradian, while the solid angle subtended by the sun is only 6.85×10^(-5) steradian. Thus, for direct normal irradiance, non-concentrating solar cells with emission and acceptance angle limited to a narrow range around the sun could see significant enhancements in open circuit voltage and efficiency. With the high degree of light trapping we expect given the narrow acceptance angle and the ray optics brightness theorem, the optimal cell thickness will result in a discrete modal structure for most materials. Thus, limiting the acceptance and emission angle can be thought of as coupling to only a subset of radiating modes, or, alternatively, as altering the modal structure such that some radiating modes become bound modes. We have shown the correspondence between the ray optics picture and the modal picture, by deriving the ray optics results for light trapping under angular restrictions using a modal formulation. Using this modal formulation we can predict the light trapping and efficiencies for various thin structures under angular restriction. We will discuss these predicted efficiencies and various options for implementing broadband and angle-specific couplers.
Social impairments in Rett syndrome: Characteristics and relationship with clinical severity

Background While behavioural abnormalities are fundamental features of Rett syndrome (RTT), few studies have examined the RTT behavioural phenotype. Most of these reports have focused on autistic features, linked to the early regressive phase of the disorder, and few studies have applied standardised behavioural measures. We used a battery of standardised measures of behaviour and functioning to test the following hypotheses: (1) autistic behaviour is prominent throughout childhood in RTT; (2) autistic features are more salient in individuals with milder presentation; (3) severity of autistic behaviour is associated with a wider range of behavioural problems; and (4) specific MECP2 mutations are linked to more severe autistic behaviour. Methods Eighty MECP2 mutation-positive girls with RTT (aged 1.6–14.9 years) were administered: (1) the Screen for Social Interaction (SSI), a measure of autistic behaviour suited for individuals with severe communication and motor impairment; (2) the Rett Syndrome Behaviour Questionnaire (RSBQ), covering a wide range of abnormal behaviours in RTT; (3) the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS); and (4) a modified version of the Rett Syndrome Severity Scale (RSSS). Regression analyses examined the predictive value of age and RSSS on autistic behaviour and other behavioural abnormalities. T-tests further characterised the behavioural phenotype of individual MECP2 mutations. Results While age had no significant effect on SSI or RSBQ total scores in RTT, VABS Socialization and Composite scores decreased over time. Clinical severity (i.e. RSSS) also increased with age. Surprisingly, SSI performance was not related to either RSSS or VABS Composite scores. Autistic behaviour was weakly linked with the RSBQ Hand behaviour factor scores, but not with the RSBQ Fear/Anxiety factor. Clinical (neurological) severity did not predict RSBQ scores, as evidenced by the analysis of individual MECP2 mutations (e.g. p.R106W, p.R270X and p.R294X). Conclusions Our data suggest that in RTT, autistic behaviour persists after the period of regression. It also demonstrated that neurological and behavioural impairments, including autistic features, are relatively independent of one another. Consistent with previous reports of the RTT phenotype, individual MECP2 mutations demonstrate complex associations with autistic features. Evidence of persistent autistic behaviour throughout childhood, and of a link between hand function and social skills, has important implications not only for research on the RTT behavioural phenotype, but also for the clinical management of the disorder.
Eliminating event cancellation in discrete event simulation

The cancellation of previously scheduled events not only results in a model running less efficiently, it precludes the application of some analysis techniques such as infinitesimal perturbation analysis. While same simulation languages (SIMSCRIPT, SIGMA) include an explicit facility for event cancellation, others do not (SLAM, GPSS, SIMAN). From computation theory, it is known that event cancellation is never necessary; but it is sometimes a convenient modeling technique. Unfortunately, there has been no general methodology developed for eliminating event cancellation from a simulation model. We present a simple general approach. Applications to two classical models where event cancellation is typically used serve as illustrations of the method.
Sensing polygon poses by inscription

Industrial assembly involves sensing the pose (orientation and position) of a part. Efficient and reliable sensing strategies can be developed for an assembly task if the shape of the part is known in advance. In this paper the authors investigate the problem of determining the pose of a convex n-gon from a set of m supporting cones, i.e., cones with both sides supporting the polygon. An algorithm with running time O(nm) which almost always reduces to O(n+m log n) is presented to solve for all possible poses of the polygon. As a consequence, the polygon inscription problem of finding all possible poses for a convex n-gon inscribed in another convex m-gon, can be solved within the same asymptotic time bound. The authors prove that the number of possible poses cannot exceed 6n, given m/spl ges/2 supporting cones with distinct vertices. Experiments demonstrate that two supporting cones are sufficient to determine the real pose of the n-gon in most cases. The authors' results imply that sensing in practice can be carried out by obtaining viewing angles of a planar part at multiple exterior sites in the plane. As a conclusion, the authors generalize this and other sensing methods into a scheme named sensing by inscription. >
A Proposed Prototype Coil R&D Program for ITER

AbstractThe ITER Magnetics R&D plan developed during the Conceptual Design Activity identified the need to build both central solenoid (CS) and toroidal field (TF) model coils. In the CDA plan both model sets were circular. The CS model coil would have an inner diameter of 2 m, a field of 13 T and no case, whereas the TF model coils would have a 4 m diameter, a field of 11 T field, and a surrounding case. The U.S. has proposed instead that the TF model coil be down sized and made noncircular, so that a 2 m x 3.5 m model can be combined with the CS model coils, still allowing full simulation of the ITER TF stresses. This smaller assembly of coils, which would use full-scale conductors, would be less expensive to build, and would be more suitable for conducting an extensive set of cyclic extended performance tests. To compensate for the loss of large coil fabrication with the down-sizing of the TF model coil, the U.S. has propose that a full-scale ITER TF magnet double pancake, or two layers of a nested she...
Improving the Evaluation of Neighborhood Intervention Programs

Federal agencies have initiated a whole host of neighborhood intervention programs. The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, the Urban Reinvestment Task Force (and Neighborhood Housing Services), the Neighborhood Strategy Areas, the Neighborhood Self-Help program, and neighborhood anticrime efforts are but the latter-day counterparts of earlier Model Cities, urban renewal, public housing, and economic development programs. In each case, the program is aimed at improving a neighborhood site.1 This focus on a collective unit of analysis distinguishes these intervention programs from others that are aimed solely at improving individual persons or households. In these latter types of programs—for example, employment, welfare, or educational programs—the individual person can be the unit of analysis in the design of any program evaluation.2
Re(I) NHC Complexes for Electrocatalytic Conversion of CO2

The modular construction of ligands around an N-heterocyclic carbene building block represents a flexible synthetic strategy for tuning the electronic properties of metal complexes. Herein, methylbenzimidazolium-pyridine and methylbenzimidazolium-pyrimidine proligands are constructed in high yield using recently established transition-metal-free techniques. Subsequent chelation to ReCl(CO)5 furnishes ReCl(N-methyl-N′-2-pyridylbenzimidazol-2-ylidine)(CO)3 and ReCl(N-methyl-N′-2-pyrimidylbenzimidazol-2-ylidine)(CO)3. These Re(I) NHC complexes are shown to be capable of mediating the two-electron conversion of CO2 following one-electron reduction; the Faradaic efficiency for CO formation is observed to be >60% with minor H2 and HCO2H production. Data from cyclic voltammetry is presented and compared to well-studied ReCl(2,2′-bipyridine)(CO)3 and MnBr(2,2′-bipyridine)(CO)3 systems. Results from density functional theory computations, infrared spectroelectrochemistry, and chemical reductions are also discussed.
Brownian Vortex Induced by Optical Tweezers

Previously overlooked non-conservative force exerted by optical tweezers drives a trapped particle into a Brownian vortex. When continuously changing power or temperature, the Brownian vortex reverse its flux.
Nonparametric rank based estimation of bivariate densities given censored data conditional on marginal probabilities

In this note we develop a new Kaplan-Meier product-limit type estimator for the bivariate survival function given right censored data in one or both dimensions. Our derivation is based on extending the constrained maximum likelihood density based approach that is utilized in the univariate setting as an alternative strategy to the approach originally developed by Kaplan and Meier (1958). The key feature of our bivariate survival function is that the marginal survival functions correspond exactly to the Kaplan-Meier product limit estimators. This provides a level of consistency between the joint bivariate estimator and the marginal quantities as compared to other approaches. The approach we outline in this note may be extended to higher dimensions and different censoring mechanisms using the same techniques.
Incidence, Risk Factors and Outcomes of New Onset Supraventricular Arrhythmias in African American Patients with Severe Sepsis

Purpose : New onset supraventricular arrhythmias (SVA) are commonly reported in mixed intensive care settings. We sought to determine the incidence, risk factors and outcomes of new onset SVA in African American (AA) patients with severe sepsis admitted to medical intensive care unit (MICU). Methods: Patients admitted to MICU between January 2012 through December 2012 were studied. Patients with a previous history of arrhythmia or with new onset of ventricular arrhythmia were excluded. Data on risk factors, critical care interventions and outcomes were obtained. Results: One hundred and thirty-one patients were identified. New onset SVA occurred in 34 (26%) patients. Of those 34, 20 (59%) had atrial fibrillation (AF), 6 (18%) had atrial flutter and 8 (24%) had other forms of SVA. Compared with patients without SVA, patients with new onset SVA were older (69 ± 12 yrs vs 59 ± 13 yrs, P=.003), had congestive heart failure (47% vs 24%, P=.015) and dyslipidemia (41% vs 15%, P=.002). Additionally, they had a higher mean mortality prediction model (MPM II) score (65 ± 25 vs 49 ± 26, P=.001) and an increased incidence of respiratory failure (85% vs 55%, P=.001). Hospital mortality in patients with new onset SVA was 18 (53%) vs 30 (31%); P=.024; however, in a multivariate analysis, new onset SVA was associated with nonsignificantly increased odds (OR 2.58, 95% CI 0.86-8.05) for in-hospital mortality. Conclusion: New onset SVA was prevalent in AA patients with severe sepsis and occurred more frequently with advanced age, increased severity of illness, congestive heart failure, and acute respiratory failure; it was associated with higher unadjusted in hospital mortality. However, after multiple adjustments, new onset SVA did not remain an independent predictor of mortality. Ethn Dis. 2016;26(2):205-212; doi:10.18865/ ed.26.2.205
Ecchordosis physaliphora: typical and atypical radiologic features

Ecchordosis physaliphora (EP) is a distinct clinical entity defined as a notochordal remnant found on the dorsal surface of the clivus, occurring in about 2 % of autopsies. The aim of this study is to introduce typical and atypical imaging features of EP, which can be confused with those of clival chordoma. Forty-one patients with clinical suspicion for clival chordoma visited the outpatient clinic from June 2007 to August 2015. A retrospective review was performed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) studies to revise the diagnosis to EP. Eight of 41 patients (19.5 %) manifested lesions on the dorsal surface of the clivus that were well circumscribed and homogenous, with no septations or osteolysis. The lesions were all hypointense on T1, hyperintense on T2-weighted MRI, and had no enhancement with gadolinium. A distinct T2-hypointense pedicle, which is the hallmark of EP, was seen in five patients (62.5 %) and defined as typical EP. A characteristic T2-hypointense rim was observed in three patients and defined as atypical EP (37.5 %). The mean largest diameter of the lesions was 1.1 cm (0.6-1.8 cm). Lesion size did not change in all the patients who were followed for a mean of 3.6 years (1.4-8.2 years) by separate MRI scans performed every 6 months to 1 year. EP and clival chordoma represent different spectra of the same pathology. As the two lesions have completely different prognoses, precise knowledge of the imaging features of EP is very important. Accurate diagnosis is essential for proper treatment planning.
Which way and how far? Tracking of translation and rotation information for human path integration

Path integration, the constant updating of the navigator's knowledge of position and orientation during movement, requires both visuospatial knowledge and memory. This study aimed to develop a systems-level understanding of human path integration by examining the basic building blocks of path integration in humans. To achieve this goal, we used functional imaging to examine the neural mechanisms that support the tracking and memory of translational and rotational components of human path integration. Critically, and in contrast to previous studies, we examined movement in translation and rotation tasks with no defined end-point or goal. Navigators accumulated translational and rotational information during virtual self-motion. Activity in hippocampus, retrosplenial cortex (RSC), and parahippocampal cortex (PHC) increased during both translation and rotation encoding, suggesting that these regions track self-motion information during path integration. These results address current questions regarding distance coding in the human brain. By implementing a modified delayed match to sample paradigm, we also examined the encoding and maintenance of path integration signals in working memory. Hippocampus, PHC, and RSC were recruited during successful encoding and maintenance of path integration information, with RSC selective for tasks that required processing heading rotation changes. These data indicate distinct working memory mechanisms for translation and rotation, which are essential for updating neural representations of current location. The results provide evidence that hippocampus, PHC, and RSC flexibly track task-relevant translation and rotation signals for path integration and could form the hub of a more distributed network supporting spatial navigation. Hum Brain Mapp 37:3636-3655, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PTH-214 An audit reviewing the impact of a nutrition multi-disciplinary team on wastage of adult parenteral nutrition bags

Introduction At our hospital prior to April 2014, patients commenced on parenteral nutrition (PN) were reviewed on a daily basis by the chemical pathology registrar and once weekly on a multi-disciplinary nutrition team (MDT) ward round. PN was prescribed and manufactured in advance where possible to help facilitate the work flow within the pharmacy aseptic unit. In April the nutrition MDT recruited a nutrition clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and introduced twice weekly consultant led MDT ward rounds. In addition, daily reviews of all PN patients are done by the CNS and a pharmacist with the registrar, for daily prescriptions. The aim of this audit was to assess the impact of the enhanced nutrition support MDT on: (1) the percentage of PN bags used for the intended patients, (2) the projected annual financial cost of wasted PN, (3) the percentage of PN bags that have been reallocated where cold chain storage is assured, (4) the cost saving incurred as a result of reallocating wasted PN bags. Method Prospective data was collected on adult PN bags over a three month period between October – December 2014. All PN bags ordered from an external provider and standard PN bags from the aseptic pharmacy department were included. Any PN bags from other hospitals and home PN bags were excluded. Information captured included: total number of adult PN bags, type of PN bag, reasons for wastage or return, why bag could not be reallocated, number of bags reallocated and the cost of the PN bag. The price for each PN bag was calculated based on the cost breakdown from the monthly PbR PN reporting for aseptic services. Results were compared to data collected during a previous audit undertaken between April–July 2014. Results 627 PN bags were ordered during the audit period. Out of which 91% (n = 568/627) were used for intended patient (an increase of 1%); the financial cost of wasted PN was £6,217 per annum (a decrease of 62%); 69% (n = 41/59) were reallocated (increase of 5%); and the cost saving was £8,926 per annum (an increase of 37%). Conclusion The inclusion of a CNS and a pharmacist to the daily ward rounds as well as daily prescribing of adult PN bags significantly improved the utilisation of PN bags appropriately and minimised waste. A system to highlight which PN bags are available for reallocation should be introduced locally to avoid available bags not being utilised. Disclosure of interest None Declared.
Is all inflammation within temporal artery biopsies temporal arteritis

Temporal arteritis peaks during the eighth decade, affecting patients with frequent comorbidities who are especially prone to adverse effects of corticosteroid therapy. Perivascular inflammation involving small periadventitial vessels is not uncommon in otherwise normal temporal artery biopsies (TABs). As ischemic events occur in patients with non-temporal artery--based inflammation, it has been recommended that any vascular inflammation within TABs be treated with corticosteroids. We sought to determine whether such patients are at increased risk for temporal arteritis-like adverse events compared with age-matched controls devoid of inflammatory infiltrates. TABs without transmural temporal arteritic damage accessioned between 2002 and 2012 were reviewed for inflammation (>15 perivascular lymphocytes) involving small blood vessels and/or temporal artery adventitia. Of 343 TABs, 278 (81%) were negative for transmural arteritis. Inflammation involving small vessels and/or temporal artery adventitia was present in 56 cases (20%). Age-matched controls were available for 39 cases. With a mean follow-up of 5 years (range, 1-11 years), 6/39 (15%) of patients developed stroke or cardiovascular events or died compared with 7/39 (18%) of age-matched controls. None of the patients with study-positive TAB had documented steroid therapy before or after TAB. Our results demonstrate that patients with inflammation involving only small vessels or temporal artery adventitia are not at increased risk for temporal arteritis-like adverse events, and suggest that the risks of protracted corticosteroid therapy in this elderly population likely exceed any potential benefits. We advise against diagnosing vasculitis in the absence of temporal arteritic damage.
Catatonia Education: Needs Assessment and Brief Online Intervention

Objectives There are no studies investigating physicians’ knowledge of catatonia. The authors aimed to assess and increase physicians’ awareness of catatonia.
Dysregulation of PINCH signaling in mesial temporal epilepsy

Mounting evidence suggests that inflammation is important in epileptogenesis. Particularly Interesting New Cysteine Histidine-rich (PINCH) protein is a highly conserved, LIM-domain protein known to interact with hyperphosphorylated Tau. We assessed PINCH expression in resected epileptogenic human hippocampi and further explored the relationships among PINCH, hpTau and associated kinases. Resected hippocampal tissue from 7 patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) was assessed by Western analyses to measure levels of PINCH and hyperphosphorylated Tau, as well as changes in phosphorylation levels of associated kinases AKT and GSK3β in comparison to normal control tissue. Immunolabeling was also conducted to evaluate PINCH and hpTau patterns of expression, co-localization and cell-type specific expression. Hippocampal PINCH was increased by 2.6 fold in the epilepsy cases over controls and hpTau was increased 10 fold over control. Decreased phospho-AKT and phospho-GSK3β in epilepsy tissue suggested involvement of this pathway in MTLE. PINCH and hpTau co-localized in some neurons in MTLE tissue. While PINCH was expressed by both neurons and astrocytes in MTLE tissue, hpTau was extracellular or associated with neurons. PINCH was absent from the serum of control subjects but readily detectable from the serum of patients with chronic epilepsy. Our study describes the expression of PINCH and points to AKT/GSK3β signaling dysregulation as a possible pathway in hpTau formation in MTLE. In view of the interactions between hpTau and PINCH, understanding the role of PINCH in MTLE may provide increased understanding of mechanisms leading to inflammation and MTLE epileptogenesis and a potential biomarker for drug-resistant epilepsy.
Tropical Cyclone Gale Wind Radii Estimates for the Western North Pacific

AbstractThe Joint Typhoon Warning Center’s (JTWC) forecast improvement goals include reducing 34-kt (1 kt = 0.514 m s−1) wind radii forecast errors, so accurate real-time estimates and postseason analysis of the 34-kt wind radii are critical to reaching this goal. Accurate real-time 34-kt wind radii estimates are also critical for decisions regarding base preparedness and asset protection, but still represent a significant operational challenge at JTWC for several reasons. These reasons include a paucity of observations, the timeliness and availability of guidance, a lack of analysis tools, and a perceived shortage of personnel to perform the analysis; however, the number of available objective wind radii estimates is expanding, and the topic of estimating 34-kt wind radii warrants revisiting. In this work an equally weighted mean of real-time 34-kt wind radii objective estimates that provides real-time, routine operational guidance is described. This objective method is also used to retrospectively produ...
Crafting alternatives to corporate restructuring: Politics, institutions and union power in France and Canada:

"This article explores how local trade unionists mobilize politics and institutions in the face of threats of restructuring. I focus on three issues: first, how differences in regime types and institutional ‘densities’ affect plant closures; second, power and the social relationships of local actors; and third, contingencies relating to the organizational characteristics of multinational corporations. I compare two workplaces in France and two in Canada in order to explain variations in union strategy, and find that the power resources and strategic capabilities of local unions that were decisive: unions that could effectively ‘invent’ alternative visions for their plants’ futures were most successful in mitigating negative outcomes from restructuring. I conclude by discussing the role of the state in plant closures and how unions can engage in contentious politics in an era of economic restructuring."
Review: Preaching Bondage: John Chrysostom and the Discourse of Slavery in Early Christianity, by Chris De Wet

Chris De Wet. Preaching Bondage: John Chrysostom and the Discourse of Slavery in Early Christianity . Berkeley: University of California Press, 2015. Pp. xiii + 329. ISBN: 9780520286214. $95.00. Slavery has attracted considerable attention in recent scholarship on Late Antiquity. This book, a Foucaldian reading of the scattered but abundant references to slavery in John Chrysostom's gargantuan oeuvre, constitutes a powerful and important contribution to that rising wave. Its first chapter, “Introducing Doulology: The Discourse of Slavery,” is broken into four sections. The first follows Jennifer Glancy in showing that ancient slavery was a sort of cultural habitus that was assumed into Christian discourse like some ancient corporal vernacular. It then turns to the economy of slavery, both as part of the supply and demand structure that commodified human bodies, and as a Foucauldian “carceral mechanism” that bound slaves into a web of power relations whose every fiber reproduced the system De Wet calls “kyricarchy.” This “carcerality” included obvious devices of domination, like chains and whips, but also social relations many of which tend to be recast by moderns as ameliorative of the slave condition, such as family relations, peculium , and even manumission. Thus, for De Wet, “outside of abolition there are no aspects of slavery that are truly in the greater interest of slaves” (24). We then turn to the “heteronomy of the body”— the way that ancient bodies were assumed to require domination from some exterior agent—and to “moral slavery” as conceptualized by the Stoics and Philo. These interiorized slavery as a condition of the soul, creating a moral code in which all bodies required domination. This universalization of slavery through metaphor rendered the institution banal and its practitioners indifferent to its inhumanity. The second chapter, “Divine Bondage: Slavery between Metaphor and Theology,” is concerned with Christian variations on the theme of heteronomy as these were manifested in slavery to the passions and sin. This notion traces to Paul, who described himself as the “slave of …
The stakeholders’ project in neuropsychological report writing: a survey of neuropsychologists’ and referral sources’ views of neuropsychological reports

AbstractObjective: Though some neuropsychological groups have proposed criteria and suggestions for clinical report writing there has never been professional consensus or accepted published guidelines on how to write reports. Given the paucity of guidelines and the evolving practice climate, we sought to survey neuropsychologists and referral source stakeholders to understand current report writing practices. Method: The data were collected in two SurveyMonkey surveys via professional list servs, email, and LinkedIn clinical interest groups. Results: Results of the survey indicate many neuropsychologists spend multiple hours writing reports that they believe will not be read completely by stakeholders. A striking 73% of referral sources reported slow turnaround time of neuropsychological reports negatively affected their patient care. Referral sources reported they value the diagnosis/impression and recommendations sections the most; in contrast, they did not find the history, behavioral observations, emo...
Rodlike Polymers Containing Nickel and Cobalt Metal Bis(dicarbollide) Anions: Synthesis and Characterization

Two approaches for the synthesis of rodlike polymers having metal bis(dicarbollide) anions connected by organic linkers, such as acetylene and 1,4-dibutyl-2,5-diethynylbenzene, in the backbone are reported. Route 1 involved connecting nido-bis(carborane) compounds, containing the linkers, via π coordination with Co or Ni metals. This reaction yielded small oligomers having one to six repeating units. Route 2 utilized a palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling copolymerization of diiodo-substituted cobaltocarboranes and a zinc-derivatized aromatic linker. This approach gave a mixture of oligomers and polymers. The polymers were separated from the smaller oligomers by dialysis and were characterized by 1H NMR, 11B NMR, 11B{1H} NMR, IR, UV–vis, TEM, and AFM techniques. End-group analysis and dynamic-light scattering experiments (DLS) determined that the average number of repeating units in the polymers ranged between 35 and 44. GPC analyses failed to aid the molecular weight determination due to the adsorption of ...
Use of prophylactic antibiotics in women with previable prelabor rupture of membranes.

OBJECTIVE To measure the effect of prophylactic antibiotics given at time of previable prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM) on latency. METHODS Single center, retrospective cohort study of singleton pregnancies with previable (<23 0/7weeks) PROM. Antibiotics were given at clinician discretion. The primary outcome was latency, defined as duration of time between previable PROM and delivery. Secondary outcomes included delivery at ≥ 23weeks, infant survival, and maternal morbidity. Bivariate analysis compared maternal covariates between women who did and did not receive antibiotics. Antibiotic effect on latency was modeled using a Cox proportional hazards ratio. RESULTS 213 women with previable PROM were identified; 77 (36%) remained pregnant and thus were included in this analysis. Forty (52%) of 77 received antibiotics. Compared to women who did not receive antibiotics, those who did had PROM at a later median (IQR) estimated gestational age, EGA, (22.2weeks [20.7, 22.5] vs. 19.3weeks [18, 20.7], p < 0.01). Median (IQR) latency was not different between women who did and did not receive antibiotics (2.2 [0.7, 3.9] vs. 1.5 [0.5, 4.6] weeks, p = 0.49). More infants survived to discharge among women who received antibiotics compared to those who did not [17(43%) vs. 3(8%), p < 0.01]. When adjusted for EGA at PROM, antibiotics were associated with longer latency (HR 0.57 [95% CI 0.33, 0.97], p = 0.01). Antibiotic use was not associated with differences in maternal morbidity. CONCLUSION After adjusting for EGA at PROM, antibiotic receipt was associated with longer latency. Larger prospective studies are needed to define the utility of prophylactic antibiotics in previable PROM.
The Obama Administration American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Local School Board Politics

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) 2009 funds were established by the Obama administration to stabilize the U.S. economy and support public education. This case examines how the dist...
Self-Ordering of Photospheric Magnetic Fields

We model the evolution of photospheric field elements by treating them as mean field structures undergoing a nonlinear self-interaction mediated by much smaller-scale, convectively driven plasma turbulence. Distributed fields can gather into discrete, strong elements of a minimum permitted scale. Also studied are the transport of flux from dissolving elements and to growing elements via weak intermediate fields and the cancellation of adjacent emements of opposite polarity.
Behavior of horses is affected by soy lecithin and corn oil in the diet

To test the hypothesis that dietary fats may improve tractability of horses, the effects of four total mixed diets on behavior were compared. The control diet (CON) contained chopped hay, corn, oats, beet pulp, molasses and a mineral mix; the three test diets contained an additional 10% (by weight) corn oil (CO), soy lecithin-corn oil (SL-CO), or soy lecithin-soy oil (SL-SO). Eight horses were fed each diet in random order for four 3-wk periods. Behavior was observed during the last week of each feeding period. Spontaneous activity was evaluated using a pedometer and was less in horses fed SL-CO than in controls (P = .022). Reactivity was evaluated as responses to pressure, loud noise, and sudden visual stimuli. Compared with results for control horses, reactivity was less in horses fed SL-CO during the visual stimulus test (P = .036), in horses fed CO in the noise test, the pressure test, and the visual stimulus test (P = .093, .108, and .116 respectively), and in horses fed SL-SO during the visual stimulus test (P = .108). These results provide the first quantitative evidence that dietary fats reduce the activity and reactivity of horses.
Characterizing the Electrical Behavior of an Open Channel via the Energy Profile for Ion Permeation

The fundamental importance of the energy profile in determining the permeability parameters (e.g., selectivity, conductance, and binding) of a channel with classical, static structure has been discussed elsewhere (Eisenman and Horn, 1983). Here we examine what happens to the current-voltage and conductance-concentration behaviors when a more dynamic view is taken, namely, one in which significant fluctuations in the energy profile can occur on the same time scale as ion translocation. The surfaces of proteins in solution execute thermally excited motion with a root-mean-square amplitude of 1 to 2 A (Karplus and McCammon, 1983; McCammon, 1984; McCammon and Karplus, 1983). If such motion extended into the pore, it would occur over a significant fraction of the estimated diameter of biological ionic channels and would be expected to perturb significantly the energy profile for ion permeation. Lauger et al. (1980; Lauger, 1984) were the first to extend barrier models of ionic permeation in order to allow for the possibility that the energy profile could fluctuate on the same time scale as ionic migration. They showed that when such fluctuations are coupled to ion translocation, even for a singly occupied channel, they lead to behavior usually associated with multiple occupancy, a conclusion supported by Ciani (1984).
Two Cases of Bilateral Vocal Fold Mobility Impairment After LMA Use In 7 Months

Objectives:To increase awareness of vocal fold mobility impairment secondary to laryngeal mask airway (LMA) use in the operating room.Methods:We report 2 cases of bilateral vocal fold mobility impa...
Observer-Based Output Feedback Control Design for Systems with Incrementally Conic Nonlinearities

This paper investigates the observer-based output feedback control design problem for a class of nonlinear systems, where the nonlinear time-varying terms satisfy an incremental quadratic inequality that is parameterized by a set of multiplier matrices. The incremental quadratic constraints include a broad class of incrementally conic nonlinearities, such as the globally Lipschitz nonlinearity, the sector bounded nonlinearity, and the polytopic Jacobian nonlinearity, as special cases. We present LMI-based sufficient conditions for the quadratic stability of the closed-loop system where the block diagonal parameterization and the block anti-triangular parameterization of the multiplier matrices are discussed separately. A simulation example is given to illustrate the theoretical results.
Recent and occult hepatitis B virus infections among blood donors in the United States.

BACKGROUND Characteristics of US blood donors with recent (RBI) or occult (OBI) hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are not well defined. METHODS Donors with RBI and OBI were identified by nucleic acid and serologic testing among 34.4 million donations during 2009-2015. Consenting donors were interviewed and their HBV S-gene sequenced. RESULTS The overall rate of HBV-infected donors was 7.95 per 100,000; of these, 0.35 per 100,000 and 1.70 per 100,000 were RBI and OBI, respectively. RBI (n = 120) and OBI (n = 583) donors constituted 26% of all HBV-infected (n = 2735) donors. Detection of HBV DNA in 92% of OBI donors required individual donation nucleic acid testing. Donors with OBI compared to RBI were older (mean age, 48 vs 39 years; p < 0.0001) with lower median viral loads (9 vs. 529 IU/mL; p < 0.0001). A higher proportion of OBI than RBI donors were born or resided in an endemic country (39% vs. 5%; p = 0.0078). Seventy-seven percent of all RBI and OBI donors had multiple sex partners, an HBV-risk factor. Of 40 RBI and 10 OBI donors whose S gene was sequenced, 33 (83%) and 6 (60%), respectively, carried HBV subgenotype A2; 18 (55%) and 2 (33%), respectively, shared an identical sequence. Infection with 1 or more putative HBV-immune-escape mutants was identified in 5 (50%) of OBI but no RBI donors. CONCLUSION RBI and OBI continue to be identified at low rates, confirming the importance of comprehensive HBV DNA screening of US blood donations. HBV-infected donors require referral for care and evaluation and contact tracing; their HBV strains may provide important information on emergent genotypes.
Letters of Recommendation

This paper provides helpful advice to faculty writing letters of recommendations for college graduates in health education and health promotion. An example of a letter of recommendation is included.
Śraddhā: Construct Definition from the Bhagavad-Gītā*:

In this article, the construct of śraddhā which is derived from a sacred Hindu text, the Bhagavad-Gītā is explicated. The analysis of text resulted in nine themes, and many behavioural outcomes of ...
Theories of REM and NREM Sleep

Theories of REM and NREM functions we have been assuming that the sleep state is doing something for the wake state; i.e., that NREM SWS restores energy for waking consciousness or that REM supports emotional memory consolidation for waking consciousness. But it is also possible that the functions of REM and NREM have more to do with the sleep states themselves rather than with waking consciousness. REM may be undoing something that NREM is doing since REM typically follows NREM in the sleep cycle. Or conversely, NREM SWS may be doing something important for the organism (e.g., immune system repair) but that function is costly, so REM functions to complete, complement, repair, or undo something that NREM had to do to accomplish its primary functions. In this scenario, SWS sleep repairs the immune system each night, but that is so onerous a job that NREM then requires REM to restore NREM’s functional capacity so that it can do its immune system repair again the following night.