cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The ovalbumin gene: Alleles created by mutations in the intervening sequences of the natural gene

Abstract Two allelic forms of the natural chicken ovalbumin gene have been independently cloned. These alleles differ from each other by an Eco RI restriction cleavage site in one of the seven intervening sequences within the natural ovalbumin gene. Restriction endonuclease mapping and sequence analyses of these cloned genotypic alleles have shown identical sequence organization and molecular structures of the interspersed structural and intervening sequences except for the particular Eco RI cleavage site. Sequencing data of the cloned DNA suggest that this Eco RI site may be created or eliminated by a single base mutation in the intervening sequence of the ovalbumin gene. The occurrence of apparent homozygous and heterozygous allelic forms of the ovalbumin gene in individual hens and roosters within the same breed has been observed. 10 and 40% of the chickens examined are homozygous for the ovalbumin gene with and without the extra Eco RI site, respectively, while 50% of them are heterozygous. Further analysis of individual chicken DNA cleaved by restriction endonuclease Hae III has revealed that there may be a series of such mutational variations within the ovalbumin gene. We have identified two Hae III cleavage sites that do not occur in all of the chickens, thus giving rise to several additional allelic variations of the ovalbumin gene. At least one of these Hae III sites is situated in the intervening sequence of the ovalbumin gene, and its location has been mapped. Such allelic variations must be taken into consideration when determining eucaryotic gene structure by restriction mapping of the genomic DNA. Furthermore, this type of mutation within the intervening sequences of an eucaryotic gene has no known phenotypic manifestation. It represents an extrastructural silent mutation that must be taken account of in studies to estimate the rates of eucaryotic gene sequence divergence during evolution.
Some reminiscences of frank kerr and the work on the milky way and the magellanic clouds

Frank Kerr and I first met in 1952, when he was on the staff of the CSIRO Radiophysics Division, then housed on the grounds of the University of Sydney, and I was working at Mount Stromlo Observatory as the first Research Fellow of the newly created Astronomy Department of the Australian National University in Canberra.
Model Selection via Bilevel Optimization

A key step in many statistical learning methods used in machine learning involves solving a convex optimization problem containing one or more hyper-parameters that must be selected by the users. While cross validation is a commonly employed and widely accepted method for selecting these parameters, its implementation by a grid-search procedure in the parameter space effectively limits the desirable number of hyper-parameters in a model, due to the combinatorial explosion of grid points in high dimensions. This paper proposes a novel bilevel optimization approach to cross validation that provides a systematic search of the hyper-parameters. The bilevel approach enables the use of the state-of-the-art optimization methods and their well-supported softwares. After introducing the bilevel programming approach, we discuss computational methods for solving a bilevel cross-validation program, and present numerical results to substantiate the viability of this novel approach as a promising computational tool for model selection in machine learning.
Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution

Sociologists know that conflict is an integral part of social life. We also know that a key issue is how conflict is handled. Disputants may practice denial and avoidance, may continue an acrimonious ongoing argument, or resort to either violence or litigation. For example, teens may get into fights that could escalate from words to fists to weapons. Divorcing couples may be drawn into bitter long-term legal battles over child custody and support or division of marital property. Parents of a learning-disabled child may be drawn into a conflict with a school system over education for their child. Workers and management, environmental activists and developers, neighbors, community groups, and governments, as well as ethnic groups and nations may find their interests at odds and find themselves in the role of opponents in a conflict.
BEHAVIORAL PARAMETERS OF DRUG ACTION: SIGNALLED AND RESPONSE-INDEPENDENT REINFORCEMENT1

Four pigeons were initially trained under a multiple variable-interval 1-min variable-interval 1-min schedule of food reinforcement. For two of the pigeons, a signal was then presented whenever the reinforcer was available in one component; this resulted in positive contrast. For the other two pigeons, the reinforcer was presented independently of responding on a variable-time schedule in one component; this resulted in negative induction. After 30 to 50 sessions, however, a similar degree of differential responding occurred under both multiple schedules, i.e., high rates in the variable-interval component and low rates in the other component. Reinforcement frequency remained about the same in each of the schedule components. The stable performances then served as baselines for studying drug effects. In the high-rate component of both multiple schedules, small doses of d-amphetamine increased responding, whereas larger doses decreased responding. In the low-rate component of both multiple schedules, there was no rate-increasing effect at any dose of d-amphetamine; such an effect was found, however, with phenobarbital at a dose that decreased responding in the high-rate component. The drug effects thus depended on the interaction of pharmacologic variables (specific drug and dose) with behavioral variables (schedule components).
Reference data for interpreting widening between spinous processes in the lumbar spine.

Abstract Background Context Traumatic injury to the lumbar spine is evaluated and treated based on the perceived stability of the spine. Recent classification schemes have established the importance of evaluating the posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) to fully comprehend stability. There are a variety of techniques to evaluate the PLC, including assessment of interspinous distance. However reference data to define normal widening are poorly developed. Purpose Define normal interspinous widening in the lumbar spine. Study design Biomechanical and observational. To establish reference data for asymptomatic population and use the reference data to suggest criteria for routine clinical practice to be validated in future studies. Methods Interspinous distances were measured from lateral lumbar X-rays of 157 asymptomatic volunteers. Measurements from the asymptomatic population were used to define normal limits and create a simple screening tool for clinical use. Distances were calculated from the relative position of landmarks at each intervertebral level. The distances were normalized to the anterior-posterior width of the superior end plate of L3. The change in interspinous process distance from flexion to extension was calculated, and the change in interspinous widening between flexion and extension with respect to widening at the adjacent levels was also calculated. Results Seven hundred seventy-two thoracolumbar levels were available for analysis. The observed interspinous motion was slightly more than the interlaminar motion. However, the tips of the spinous processes were more difficult to identify in some images, so the interlaminar line distances were considered more reliable. Significant difference in interlaminar distances was not found between levels. The upper limit (UL) of normal spacing measured between the interlaminar lines was approximately 85% of the L3 end plate width at all levels except L5–S1, which was 105%. The UL of normal for interlaminar displacements between flexion and extension was 30% of the L3 end plate width at L1–L2 to L4–L5 and 40% at L5–S1. Conclusions This study provides normative data and methods that can be used in developing guidelines to objectively assess interspinous process widening. Simple rules can be applied to quickly assess interspinous widening. Additional research is required to validate these guidelines. A simple measurement such as spinous process widening is unlikely to be proven as an isolated clinically effective screening test but combining that with other patient evaluation’s screening modalities may prove to be a sensitive evaluation protocol for the screening of injuries to the PLC.
α-Synuclein, oxidative stress and apoptosis from the perspective of a yeast model of Parkinson's disease

The neuronal protein α-synuclein (α-syn) has been suggested to be one of the factors linked to Parkinson's disease (PD). Several organisms, including the rat, mouse, worm, and fruit fly, are being used to study α-syn pathobiology. A new model organism was recently added to this armamentarium: the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The yeast system recapitulates many of the findings made with higher eukaryotes. For example, yeast cells expressing α-syn accumulate lipid droplets, have vacuolar/lysosomal defects, and exhibit markers of apoptosis, including the externalization of phosphatidylserine, the release of cytochrome c, and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. This MiniReview focuses on the mechanisms by which α-syn induces oxidative stress and the mechanisms by which yeast cells respond to this stress. Three classes of therapeutics are discussed.
Generation of entangled photon pairs based on intra-cavity four-wave-mixing in dual-wavelength fiber ring laser

We have experimentally demonstrated a compact and efficient source of entangled photon pairs by using intra-cavity four wave mixing (FWM) in dual-wavelength Erbium doped fiber ring laser for the application in quantum key distribution systems.
Silica and titania nanoparticles impact on water quality: Experiments involving Ralstonia pickettii in nutrient-rich and poor media

According to CDC, the public is being bombarded with ads for cleansers, soaps, toothbrushes, and hand lotions, all containing antibacterial agents. Nanoparticles, which are materials at length scales less than 100 nm, have previously demonstrated antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. One of the hardiest bacteria is a Ralstonia pickettii species isolated from an ultrapure water (UPW) facility. These bacteria survive in water that only contains parts per trillion levels of organic and inorganic contaminants. The focus of this article is to demonstrate the effects of silica and titania nanoparticles on Ralstonia pickettii bacteria in term of growth and yields. Solutions of nanoparticles and calcium fluoride were researched for their effects on the growth rate and cell yield of Ralstonia sp. bacteria in a protein-rich and protein-poor media. The collective effect of CaF2 and 15 nm silica nanoparticles reduces the growth rate by 57% and the cell yield by 29% in protein-rich media. Titania nanoparticles returned similar results, where in nutrient-poor environments little to no growth occurred but in nutrient-rich media, the titania and CaF2 reduced the growth rate by 64% and the cell yield by 34%. Conversely, larger silica nanoparticles in nonprotein-rich media have negligible effects on cell yield and growth rate. The diminished bacterial growth rate provides paralleled insight into the long-term effects of nanotechnology effluent on the United States' wastewater treatment processes, which utilize several species of bacteria. Extrapolation of these results to current toxicological studies suggests that unregulated industrial nanoparticles' expulsion may lead to degradation in water quality. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 32: 279-284, 2013
Dynamic plastic deformation of hexagonal frames

Abstract The dynamic plastic response of a hexagonal frame to an internal pressure pulse of arbitrary shape is analyzed, including large-deformation geometric effects that result in redistribution of the bending and membrane reactions. Peak pressures of several multiples of the static yield load are considered, and the frame material is assumed to be rigid perfectly plastic. The effect of pulse shape on final plastic deformation is determined by numerically solving the governing sets of differential equations for a variety of parameter combinations. In the small deformation range, the permanent plastic deformation is shown to be dependent on an effective pressure, defined in terms of the first moment of the pressure pulse; the response duration is proportional to the pulse duration. In the large deformation range, the permanent plastic deformation is a function of the average pressure applied during the response, and the response duration depends on a characteristic time constant which is a function of material properties and hexagon size.
Downbeat prediction by listening and learning

The perception of downbeat is not yet very well understood, although it generally "feels" natural and intuitive to music listeners. We propose an unbiased and predictive modeling strategy of downbeat by combining psychoacoustic models of music listening with time-lag embedded segment learning. The model is causal, tempo independent, and could inform in a top-down manner a bottom-up beat tracker. Results with particularly complex music examples are presented
A True Aneurysm of the Profunda Femoris Artery: A Case Report and Review of the English Language Literature

A rare case of true aneurysm of the profunda femoris artery (PFA) is reported. Surgical management consisted of ligation of the aneurysm and decompression of the sac. Presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of true PFA aneurysms are discussed and the English language literature is comprehensively reviewed.
Spatio-temporal analysis of eukaryotic cell motility by improved force cytometry

Cell motility plays an essential role in many biological systems, but precise quantitative knowledge of the biophysical processes involved in cell migration is limited. Better measurements are needed to ultimately build models with predictive capabilities. We present an improved force cytometry method and apply it to the analysis of the dynamics of the chemotactic migration of the amoeboid form of Dictyostelium discoideum. Our explicit calculation of the force field takes into account the finite thickness of the elastic substrate and improves the accuracy and resolution compared with previous methods. This approach enables us to quantitatively study the differences in the mechanics of the migration of wild-type (WT) and mutant cell lines. The time evolution of the strain energy exerted by the migrating cells on their substrate is quasi-periodic and can be used as a simple indicator of the stages of the cell motility cycle. We have found that the mean velocity of migration v and the period of the strain energy T cycle are related through a hyperbolic law v = L/T, where L is a constant step length that remains unchanged in mutants with adhesion or contraction defects. Furthermore, when cells adhere to the substrate, they exert opposing pole forces that are orders of magnitude higher than required to overcome the resistance from their environment.
Opportunities for information visualization

Information visualization has been an active research topic for more than a decade. Products are starting to appear. This article discusses some of the research and commercial opportunities for information visualization over the next decade.
The Influence of Fumed Silica Properties on the Processing, Curing, and Reinforcement Properties of Silicone Rubber

Abstract The present study uses a commercial heat cured silicone rubber formula (including a process aid) and mixing techniques to investigate the effect of varying fumed silica properties—includin...
Lactic acidosis transiently increases metabolic rate of turtle myocytes

We measured O2 consumption as an estimate of metabolic rate in isolated calcium-tolerant ventricular myocytes of turtles (Chrysemys picta belli) at control pH 7.8 and in the same solution brought to pH 7.4 and 7.0 with additions of lactic acid. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that lactic acidosis caused metabolic depression by initiating downregulation of Na+ channels, and thus Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase (Na+ pump) activity, which we would measure as a decrease in O2 consumption. Myocyte O2 consumption was measured in reptilian N-tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid-buffered Ringer solution and in nomially Na(+)- and Ca(2+)-free solution, thus estimating the Na+ pump component of metabolic rate. Lowering extracellular pH from 7.8 to 7.0 resulted in a significant increase in metabolic rate of cells in Ringer solution but not those in Na(+)- and Ca(2+)-free solution. This result was unchanged by the addition of 2 mM Ca2+ to Na(+)-free cell suspensions, indicating that the difference was due to the presence of Na+. Addition of 100 microM amiloride to cells in Ringer solution at pH 7.0 abolished the increase in O2 consumption, suggesting that the apparent increase in Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity was secondary to Na(+)-H+ exchange. Intracellular pH was measured using 5,5-dimethyl[14C]oxazolidine-2,4-dione. Cells treated with amiloride and those in Na(+)- and Ca(2+)-free solution did not regulate intracellular pH following acidosis and maintained basal metabolic rate. These data suggest that the Na(+)-H+ exchanger is an important contributor to intracellular pH regulation in the myocyte but increases Na+ pump activity and metabolic rate immediately following acidosis.
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocols Are Valuable in Pancreas Surgery Patients.

Background There is increasing interest in implementing comprehensive perioperative protocols, including preoperative optimization and education, perioperative goal-directed fluid management, and postoperative fast tracking, to enhance recovery after surgery. Data on the outcomes of these protocols in pancreatic surgery, however, are limited. Study Design A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained pancreas surgery database at a single institution from August 2012 to April 2015 was undertaken. An enhanced recovery protocol was initiated in October 2014, and patients were divided into groups according to preprotocol or postprotocol implementation. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were tabulated. Statistical analysis was performed with Student's t -test and Fisher's exact tests, as well as equality of variances where appropriate, using SAS System software (SAS Institute). Results Three hundred and seventy-eight patients (181 men, mean age 54 years, BMI 28 kg/m 2 ) underwent elective pancreatic surgery during the study period, 297 patients preprotocol and 81 postprotocol. There were no significant differences in preoperative or intraoperative characteristics. Mean postoperative length of stay was significantly lower in the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery group (7.4 vs 9.2 days; p Conclusions Implementation of an enhanced recovery after pancreatic surgery protocol significantly decreased length of stay and hospital cost without increasing readmission or morbidity. Despite patient complexity and the potential need for individualization of care, enhanced recovery protocols can be valuable and effective in high-risk patient populations, including pancreatic surgery patients.
Pteridine levels and head weights are correlated with age and colony task in the honey bee, Apis mellifera.

Background. The age of an insect strongly influences many aspects of behavior and reproduction. The interaction of age and behavior is epitomized in the temporal polyethism of honey bees in which young adult bees perform nurse and maintenance duties within the colony, while older bees forage for nectar and pollen. Task transition is dynamic and driven by colony needs. However, an abundance of precocious foragers or overage nurses may have detrimental effects on the colony. Additionally, honey bee age affects insecticide sensitivity. Therefore, determining the age of a set of individual honey bees would be an important measurement of colony health. Pteridines are purine-based pigment molecules found in many insect body parts. Pteridine levels correlate well with age, and wild caught insects may be accurately aged by measuring pteridine levels. The relationship between pteridines and age varies with a number of internal and external factors among many species. Thus far, no studies have investigated the relationship of pteridines with age in honey bees. Methods. We established single-cohort colonies to obtain age-matched nurse and forager bees. Bees of known ages were also sampled from colonies with normal demographics. Nurses and foragers were collected every 3–5 days for up to 42 days. Heads were removed and weighed before pteridines were purified and analyzed using previously established fluorometric methods. Results. Our analysis showed that pteridine levels significantly increased with age in a linear manner in both single cohort colonies and colonies with normal demography. Pteridine levels were higher in foragers than nurses of the same age in bees from single cohort colonies. Head weight significantly increased with age until approximately 28-days of age and then declined for both nurse and forager bees in single cohort colonies. A similar pattern of head weight in bees from colonies with normal demography was observed but head weight was highest in 8-day old nurse bees and there was no relationship of head weight with age of foragers. Discussion. Although the relationship between pteridine levels and age was significant, variation in the data yielded a +4-day range in age estimation. This allows an unambiguous method to determine whether a bee may be a young nurse or old forager in colonies with altered demographics as in the case of single cohort colonies. Pteridine levels in bees do not correlate with age as well as in other insects. However, most studies used insects reared under tightly controlled laboratory conditions, while we used free-living bees. The dynamics of head weight change with age is likely to be due to growth and atrophy of the hypopharyngeal glands. Taken together, these methods represent a useful tool for assessing the age of an insect. Future studies utilizing these methods will provide a more holistic view of colony health.
Modeling Disease Spread at Global Mass Gatherings: Hajj as a Case Study

Due to the unique nature of the mass gatherings and the public health hazards they pose, comprehensive modeling of disease spread during these events is needed. Computational models are essential tools to estimate the arising of epidemics. In this paper, we present our ongoing efforts to model disease spread during the Hajj. We discuss the different aspects of modeling the spread of infectious diseases during the Hajj season. Although, the modeling approaches in this study are still under active research, we believe that once fully developed, these models can be used to provide reliable indicators for public health authorities to estimate the risk of local disease spread during the Hajj and global disease spread following the Hajj.
Inequality and Insurgency

Maldistribution of land in agrarian societies is commonly thought to be an important precondition of mass political violence and revolution. Others argue that because of the difficulty of mobilizing rural populations for political protest, land maldistribution is irrelevant except as part of an inegalitarian distribution of income nationwide. These rival inequality hypotheses have significant implications with respect to the kinds of reforms likely to reduce the potential for insurgency in a society. They are tested using the most comprehensive cross-national compilation of data currently available on land inequality, landlessness, and income inequality. Support is found for the argument that attributes the greater causal import to income inequality. Moreover, the effect of income inequality on political violence is found to hold in the context of a causal model that takes into account the repressiveness of the regime, governmental acts of coercion, intensity of separatism, and level of economic development.
Attempts to Demonstrate Virus-Neutralizing Substances in Saliva and Serum from Mumps Immunes.

Active immunity to experimental mumps parotitis in Macacus rhesus has been studied by Johnson and Good pasture,1 with the following conclusions: “The only reliable experimental method at present of inducing active immunity to mumps in monkeys is by causing a unilateral or bilateral clinical or subclinical specific parotitis by intraparotid inoculation”. They failed, except rarely, to demonstate any passive immunity to mumps in monkeys previously injected with the serum of persons immune to this disease, or any marked virus-neutralizing action of human convalescent serum.As a further step toward understanding the mechanism of active immunity to experimental mumps, the present study has been made concerning the virus-neutralizing properties of human and monkey saliva and of monkey serum.For this purpose it was decided to inject a number of normal Macacus rhesus monkeys by the usual transductal route with variously treated mixtures of mumps virus (saline suspensions of infected glands) and saliva (or serum) ...
Reassessing Evidence for Competitive Exclusion of Introduced Natural Enemies

Data presented by Ehler and Hall (1982; Environ. Entomol. 11: 1–4), suggesting that competitive exclusion among introduced natural enemies has probably occurred, may be interpreted differently. Possible biases in the entomological literature and success-directed selection of natural enemies for release might have produced an apparent inverse relationship between rate of establishment of introduced natural enemies and number of species released. Intense competition among beneficial species is not likely to occur during attempted colonization when pests are abundant.
Electrophysiologic properties of perhexiline.

Perhexiline maleate (Pexid), a promising clinical antiarrhythmic and antianginal drug, was evaluated for its electrophysiologic effects on the entire conduction system of the intact canine heart throughout a wide range of therapeutic and potentially toxic doses. Intracardiac conduction times were measured by bipolar intramyocardial and transvenous endocardial electrodes before and following the intravenous administration of each dose of perhexiline maleate, 3 mg/kg every 30 min for a total of 4 doses in 7 open-chest anesthetized dogs. Eight animals served as controls in which similar operative technique and electrophysiologic variables were recorded after infusion of the maleate diluent. In addition, the effects of perhexiline on atrial and ventricular thresholds to electrical stimulation were recorded, as well as the QRS and QT intervals, sinus rate, and rhythm disorders. It was observed that perhexiline did not significantly (p greater than .05) alter sinus rate, QT interval, QRS duration, PR interval, intra-atrial conduction time, atrioventricular nodal conduction time, and His-Purkinje conduction velocity. The drug did not affect the cardiac threshold to electrical stimulation of less than 0.1 ma. No ectopic atrial or ventricular activity emerged during the accumulated influence of the agent. From this study, it is concluded that perhexiline does not exert deleterious actions on the conduction system of the intact canine heart. In view of the negligible toxic effects and its efficacy in treating ventricular tachyarrhythmias in patients, the drug deserves further clinical evaluation.
Rape, sexual abuse, and its victims.

Despite controversy about the impact of sexual abuse on victims, accumulating evidence indicates that sexual abuse is a serious mental health problem. Rape fells under the larger category of sexual abuse, which includes molestation of children by adults in which overt coercion is not necessarily involved as it is in rape. The eradication of rape is contingent on educating our society to the meaning of the crime. Innovative and empa- thetic services to victims will serve as a deterrent by facilitating reporting, apprehension, and prosecution of assailants.
Radiology of arthritis.

SUMMARY The radiographic evaluation of the arthritides still relies primarily on the plain films that are readily available to every practicing clinician. The radiographic examination serves primarily to confirm the clinician’s diagnosis based on the history, clinical findings, and laboratory studies and to document the severity of the arthritic changes. On occasion, the radiographic studies will be diagnostic when other findings are equivocal and the diagnosis is in question. The radiographic studies, in association with the other data, should result in a firm diagnosis greater than 90% of the time. This review article has outlined the basic features of the common arthritides and hopefully will serve as a handy reference in office practice for the evaluation of a patient with arthritis. There will always be unusual or perplexing cases that may require reference to text books devoted exclusively to the radiology of arthritis and bone disease. Of course, you can always get some excellent help by consulting with your local radiologist.
Wildfire, climate, and invasive grass interactions negatively impact an indicator species by reshaping sagebrush ecosystems

Iconic sagebrush ecosystems of the American West are threatened by larger and more frequent wildfires that can kill sagebrush and facilitate invasion by annual grasses, creating a cycle that alters sagebrush ecosystem recovery post disturbance. Thwarting this accelerated grass–fire cycle is at the forefront of current national conservation efforts, yet its impacts on wildlife populations inhabiting these ecosystems have not been quantified rigorously. Within a Bayesian framework, we modeled 30 y of wildfire and climatic effects on population rates of change of a sagebrush-obligate species, the greater sage-grouse, across the Great Basin of western North America. Importantly, our modeling also accounted for variation in sagebrush recovery time post fire as determined by underlying soil properties that influence ecosystem resilience to disturbance and resistance to invasion. Our results demonstrate that the cumulative loss of sagebrush to direct and indirect effects of wildfire has contributed strongly to declining sage-grouse populations over the past 30 y at large spatial scales. Moreover, long-lasting effects from wildfire nullified pulses of sage-grouse population growth that typically follow years of higher precipitation. If wildfire trends continue unabated, model projections indicate sage-grouse populations will be reduced to 43% of their current numbers over the next three decades. Our results provide a timely example of how altered fire regimes are disrupting recovery of sagebrush ecosystems and leading to substantial declines of a widespread indicator species. Accordingly, we present scenario-based stochastic projections to inform conservation actions that may help offset the adverse effects of wildfire on sage-grouse and other wildlife populations.
Gender Differences in the Associations Among Sexual Abuse, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, and Delinquent Behaviors in a Sample of Detained Adolescents

Sexual abuse (SA) is highly prevalent among detained youth and is associated with a number of deleterious outcomes associated with self-regulation deficits; however, less is known about the consequences of SA for boys. Thus, the current study examined posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and associated symptoms in a sample of detained youth (612 boys, 214 girls). 9.2 % of boys and 51.0 % of girls endorsed SA. There were no gender differences in rates of symptoms endorsed by sexually abused girls and boys; however, sexually abused boys reported higher rates of symptoms in comparison to non-sexually abused boys. Results indicated that, for boys only, there were significant indirect effects of emotion dysregulation (ED), borderline personality features (BP), and dissociation on the association between SA and PTSS. Additionally, there was a significant, indirect effect of BP on the association between SA and delinquent behaviors for both boys and girls.
Automated closed-loop resuscitation of multiple hemorrhages: a comparison between fuzzy logic and decision table controllers in a sheep model.

Hemorrhagic shock is the leading cause of trauma-related death in the military setting. Definitive surgical treatment of a combat casualty can be delayed and life-saving fluid resuscitation might be necessary in the field. Therefore, improved resuscitation strategies are critically needed for prolonged field and en route care. We developed an automated closed-loop control system capable of titrating fluid infusion to a target endpoint. We used the system to compare the performance of a decision table algorithm (DT) and a fuzzy logic controller (FL) to rescue and maintain the mean arterial pressure (MAP) at a target level during hemorrhages. Fuzzy logic empowered the control algorithm to emulate human expertise. We hypothesized that the FL controller would be more effective and more efficient than the DT algorithm by responding in a more rigid, structured way. Ten conscious sheep were submitted to a hemorrhagic protocol of 25 ml/kg over three separate bleeds. Automated resuscitation with lactated Ringer’s was initiated 30 min after the first hemorrhage started. The endpoint target was MAP. Group differences were assessed by two-tailed t test and alpha of 0.05. Both groups maintained MAP at similar levels throughout the study. However, the DT group required significantly more fluid than the FL group, 1745 ± 552 ml (42 ± 11 ml/kg) versus 978 ± 397 ml (26 ± 11 ml/kg), respectively (p = 0.03). The FL controller was more efficient than the DT algorithm and may provide a means to reduce fluid loading. Effectiveness was not different between the two strategies. Automated closed-loop resuscitation can restore and maintain blood pressure in a multi-hemorrhage model of shock.
Quality-consciousness in large-scale content distribution in the internet

Content distribution is the primary function of the Internet today. Technologies like multicast and peer-to-peer networks hold the potential to serve content to large populations in a scalable manner. While multicast provides an efficient transport mechanism for one-to-many and many-to-many delivery of data in an Internet environment, the peer-to-peer networks allow scalable content location and retrieval among large groups of users in the Internet. Incorporating quality-consciousness in these technologies is necessary to enhance the overall experience of clients. This dissertation focuses on the architectures and mechanisms to enhance multicast and peer-to-peer content distribution through quality-consciousness. In particular, the following aspects of quality-consciousness are addressed: (1) client latency, (2) service differentiation, and (3) content quality. Data analysis shows that the existing multicast scheduling algorithms behave unfairly when the access conditions for the popular files changes. They favor the popular files while penalizing the files whose access conditions have not changed. To maintain the client latency for all files under dynamic access conditions we develop a novel multicast scheduling algorithm that requires no change in server provisioning. Service differentiation is a desirable functionality for both multicast and peer-to-peer networks. For multicast, we design a scalable and low overhead service differentiation architecture. For peer-to-peer networks, we focus on a protocol to provide different levels of service to peers based on their contributions in the system. The ability to associate reliable reputations with peers in a peer-to-peer network is a useful feature of these networks. Reliable reputations can help establish trust in these networks and hence improve content quality . They can also be used as a substrate for a service differentiation scheme for these networks. This dissertation develops two methods of tracking peer reputations with varying degrees of reliability and overheads.
State Delegations and Legislative Behavior in the Senate

Similarly to the House, studying state delegations in the U.S. Senate allows us to see how delegations are behaving within a chamber before analyzing agenda crossover across chambers. By analyzing the legislative behavior of same state senators, coupled with the analysis of House delegations in Chapter 3, I continue to build toward the theory of agenda crossover that is addressed directly in Chapter 5. Studying same state senators is similar to the study of representatives in the House in that the senators represent a defined geographic area. However, state delegations in the Senate are different from their counterparts in the House because each senator also shares her constituents with the other senator from the state. This multimember structure allows for interesting and straightforward comparisons between the two senators within a state delegation, and is likely why state delegations in the Senate have been studied more recently than those in the House. Based on the prominence scholars give to the electoral connection between members of Congress and their constituents, it seems intuitive to expect same state senators to appear similar in their legislative behavior. Yet the most recent scholarship on same-state senators suggests that they may actually have more to gain by distinguishing themselves from one other (Schiller 2000; Schiller and Cassidy 2011). In her book Partners and Rivals: Representation in U.S. Senate Delegations , Schiller compares the legislative behavior of senators from the same state and finds that these senators develop distinct legislative agendas and therefore are known to be experts in different issue areas. This runs somewhat counter to what scholars of representation might expect when studying senators from the same state. After all, the senators represent the same constituency, and therefore it is somewhat surprising that they do not focus on the same issues. However, Schiller finds that senators from the same state are incentivized to carve out a niche for themselves in Congress and become an expert in particular issue areas. On the one hand, this allows each senator to construct a legislative agenda that targets a subset of the state's policy interests, giving each senator as much leeway as possible to focus on issues he cares about. On the other hand, the number of potential issues relevant to the state is not limitless, and eventually the senators have to face the judgment of the voters every six years.
Family-Professional Partnerships Within Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (SWPBIS): Preliminary Evidence for the Partnering for Positive Behavior (PPB) Meeting Strategy

Abstract Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (SWPBIS) has been shown to be effective in improving prosocial student behaviors, which increases the likelihood of inclusive placements for students within school settings. However, to date, the SWPBIS model has lacked research-based knowledge about partnership-oriented family engagement practices that involve families and educators of students with mild to moderate problem behavior (i.e., problem behavior that does not require intensive, individualized intervention) using shared decision making to address student behavioral outcomes across home and school settings. This article reports the results of a pilot study examining Partnering for Positive Behavior (PPB), a partnership-oriented teacher-family member meeting strategy designed to address the needs of students struggling to meet classwide behavioral expectations. Participants were five educators in elementary and middle school settings. Data were analyzed utilizing a qualitative approa...
Monitoring of pear psylla for pest management decisions and research

Pear psylla, Cacopsylla pyricola (Foerster) (Homoptera: Psyllidae), is one of the key insect pests in North American pear production. In some growing areas, more than 50% of dollars spent to control arthropod pests in commercial pear are directed specifically at controlling this species. Control measures require accurate and timely information about dispersal, onset of egg-laying in spring, densities in the orchard, and age composition of the population. To meet these ends, a number of sampling methods have been developed to monitor pear psylla, the most common being (for pest management purposes) visual inspection of spurs and foliage for nymphs and eggs, and use of beat trays to monitor adults. Action thresholds have been developed for counts obtained with either method. However, threshold estimates are fairly narrowly defined, referring to a somewhat limited group of pear cultivars, type of injury to be prevented, and pest management program being used. Further refinement has been difficult because of an incomplete understanding of psylla's spatial distribution, seasonal changes in spatial distribution, and unknown or seasonally changing action thresholds. Beat trays and visual inspection of foliage have also been used to monitor pear psylla in various types of research projects, including studies of dispersal and biological control. Other sampling tools used in research include sticky traps, suction traps, and water pan traps. Density estimates obtained by these different sampling methods tend be positively correlated, albeit with high levels of unexplained variation. For counts obtained by sticky traps, much of the unexplained variation can be attributed to flight activity of the insect, which is known to depend (at a minimum) on sex, morphotype, reproductive status, time of year, time of day, leaf fall, and weather. Thus, if sticky traps are to be used in a pest management program for pear psylla, it must be recognized that counts on traps will include both density and (potentially large) behavioral components. I conclude this review with suggestions about the type of research that would improve monitoring techniques for this pest and assist eventually in developing a more effective control program.
Impact of Geometric Variability on Axial Compressor Performance

A probabilistic methodology to quantify the impact of geometric variability on compressor aerodynamic performance is presented. High-fidelity probabilistic models of geometric variability are derived using a Principal-Component-Analysis (PCA) of blade surface measurements. This probabilistic blade geometry model is then combined with a compressible, viscous blade-passage analysis to estimate the impact on the passage loss and turning using a Monte Carlo simulation. Finally, a mean-line multi-stage compressor model, with probabilistic loss and turning models from the blade-passage analysis, is developed to quantify the impact of the blade variability on overall compressor efficiency and pressure ratio. The methodology is applied to a flank-milled Integrally-Bladed Rotor (IBR). Results demonstrate that overall compressor efficiency can be reduced by approximately 1% due to blade-passage effects arising from representative manufacturing variability.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Formation Damage by Organic Deposition

Abstract Despite the myriad of published literature on asphaltene deposition in porous media, true understanding of its characterization is still lacking. A literature review of the state of the art in asphaltene research is provided, examples and theories involved in asphaltene deposition are expounded, and a discussion about the validation and critiques is conducted in this chapter. This work takes a detailed look at asphaltene deposition within the porous media, and provides a novel technique in the characterization of the deposition problem. Historically, permeability reduction has been attributed to pore volume change due to surface deposition. However, pore throats will also be blocked through retainment of particles that will potentially lead to severe conductivity and permeability reduction even when a large fraction of total pore volume still remains intact. Here we evaluate permeability reduction as a function of the combined effects of surface deposition and interconnectivity loss due to pore blockage. The effects of pore surface deposition and pore blockage are evaluated based on published experimental data on limestone, sandstone, and carbonate rock samples. We observed that surface deposition seems to be dominant in limestone due to the large pore throat size compared to the particle size. In sandstone samples, both the surface deposition and pore throat plugging seem to contribute fairly equally to permeability reduction. In the case of dolomite however, the pore blockage seems to be dominant, which results in an almost instantaneous sharp decrease in sample permeability. This work sheds some light on the inadequacies of the deposition model, and provides a solution for better future modeling work of asphaltene deposition in the near wellbore reservoir zones.
A rare case of Non Renal/ Non CNS malignant rhabdoid tumor originating from the omentum

Abstract Malignant Rhabdoid Tumor (MRT) is a rare and aggressive malignancy in pediatric patients. These tumors typically originate in the kidney and central nervous system (CNS). There are approximately 15 cases of non-renal/non-CNS MRT diagnosed each year in the United States, originating from the liver or other soft tissues. The development of MRT is associated with a deletion or inactivating mutation of the SMARCB1 tumor suppressor gene. The average age at diagnosis is 15 months. These tumors carry a poor prognosis due to advanced stage presentation and poor response to therapy. We present a case of a 9 year old male with symptoms suggestive of complicated appendicitis. Surgical exploration revealed the entire omentum studded with tumors and peritoneal carcinomatosis. Biopsy of the omentum and appendix confirmed the diagnosis of non-renal/non-CNS Malignant Rhabdoid Tumor. The omentum is often a site of metastasis for MRT, but is rarely a primary tumor site, as was suspected in this case.
Correlation Theory of Electromagnetic Ridiation Using Multipole Expansions

In electromagnetic theory a wide variety of important problems can be treated in spherical coordinates using multipole expansions. It is also reasonable to expect that these expansions would provide a useful formalism for the solution of problems in statistical electromagnetic theory. The main theme of this chapter is the extension of multipole expansions into the realm of correlation theory. In the initial sections of this chapter, we present the basic elements of the Debye potentials [1], including a detailed discussion of uniqueness. This formulation of the Debye potentials follows the presentation in the literature by Bouwkamp and Casimir [2] as well as that in the treatise by Papas [3]. The elegant formalisms of vector spherical harmonics and dyads are also employed [4]. While this use of vector spherical harmonics and dyads requires some patience in becoming accustomed to the notation [5], we believe that it is particularly worthwhile in several instances.
Communicating with the Public on Health Risks

Communication with the public on health risks dates from ancient times. Early examples can be found in the Bible. For centuries, warning signs and labels have been in general use to inform the public about various risks to health.
Predicting Military Construction Project Time Outcomes Using Data Analytics

Through its Department of Defense (DoD) agencies, and outside contractors, the USA invests billions of dollars each year in military construction (MILCON) projects. Although construction management...
Providing Health Information to Seniors: A Program Overview and Reliable Online Senior Health Resources

AbstractAcademic librarians at Virginia Commonwealth University collaborated to develop and conduct a one-hour long session aimed at seniors about finding reliable online senior health information....