cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The ABC's of Acid-Base Balance

A step-wise systematic approach can be used to determine the etiology and proper management of acid-base disorders. The objectives of this article are to: (1) discuss the physiologic processes involved in acid-base disturbances, (2) identify primary and secondary acid-base disturbances based upon arterial blood gas and laboratory measurements, (3) utilize the anion gap for diagnostic purposes, and (4) outline a stepwise approach for interpretation and treatment of acid-base disorders. Case studies are used to illustrate the application of the discussed systematic approach.
The Roles of Innate Information, Learning Rules and Plasticity in Migratory Bird Orientation

This paper and the following three papers were presented at the RIN97 Conference held in Oxford under the auspices of the Animal Navigation Special Interest Group, April 1997. The full proceedings, under the title Orientation and Navigation – Birds, Humans and Other Animals, can be obtained from the Director (£30 to Members, £50 to non-Members).Studies of the compass mechanisms involved in the migratory orientation of birds have revealed a complex web of interactions, both during the development of orientation behaviour in young birds and in mature individuals exhibiting migratory activity. In young birds, the acquisition of compass orientation capabilities involves the interplay of apparently genetically programmed information with a suite of innate learning rules. The latter canalise the ways in which experience with relevant orientation information from the environment impinges on development. There are many general similarities with the development of singing behaviour in songbirds, although that system is more thoroughly understood, especially at the neuronal level.Here we shall attempt to synthesise what is known about the development of compass mechanisms in a framework of innate information and learning rules. The way in which orientation behaviour develops leaves open the possibility for plasticity that enables birds to compensate for variability in the environmental cues that form the basis of their compasses. For at least some components of the system, behavioural plasticity remains into adulthood, allowing the bird on migration to respond in apparently adaptive ways to spatial and temporal variability in orientation information that it may encounter while enroute. We have studied these questions in the Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), a medium-distance North American emberizine nocturnal migrant. We will focus on that species, relating the results of our work to relevant studies on others.
Comparative tolerance of adults of differing ethnic backgrounds to lactose-free and lactose-containing dairy drink

Abstract Milk intolerance secondary to lactose malabsorption was investigated in 99 healthy adults (18 to 46 years old) of differing ethnic backgrounds. A breath hydrogen test (BHT) following a 250ml. oral dose of a 10% lactose solution identified 24 subjects as lactose malabsorbers. A lactose-free (LF) chocolate-flavored dairy drink and one containing 4.5% lactose (LC) were formulated to simulate low-fat chocolate milk. These were consumed in 240 ml. and 480 ml. volumes under double-blind conditions to determine milk intolerance. Only three of the lactose malabsorbers appeared intolerant to both 240 ml. and 480 ml. of the LC dairy drink. No statistically significant differences were found in the symptom prevalence reported by lactose malabsorbers (LM) and lactose absorbers (LA) after 240 ml. of LC and LF dairy drink. The difference in symptoms between the LM and LA was significant (p
A rapid route to ergot precursors via aza-claisen rearrangement

Abstract A new route to 4-substituted indoles involves aza claisen rearrangement of a meta-substituted N-allyl aniline followed by ozonolytic cleavage of the resultant 1,2,3-trisubstituted aniline derivative.
Realistic avatar eye and head animation using a neurobiological model of visual attention

We describe a neurobiological model of visual attention and eye/head movements in primates, and its application to the automatic animation of a realistic virtual human head watching an unconstrained variety of visual inputs. The bottom-up (image-based) attention model is based on the known neurophysiology of visual processing along the occipito-parietal pathway of the primate brain, while the eye/head movement model is derived from recordings in freely behaving Rhesus monkeys. The system is successful at autonomously saccading towards and tracking salient targets in a variety of video clips, including synthetic stimuli, real outdoors scenes and gaming console outputs. The resulting virtual human eye/head animation yields realistic rendering of the simulation results, both suggesting applicability of this approach to avatar animation and reinforcing the plausibility of the neural model.
Distributed incumbent estimation for cognitive wireless networks

We investigate distributed incumbent estimation algorithms for cognitive wireless networks, focusing on the 2.4 GHz ISM band. Our goal is to estimate the mean of the SNR distribution of the transmitted signals from incumbent networks that interfere with users at the edges of our APs' coverage area. This estimate is then used to determine the distance to the incumbent device. The wireless sensors we distribute along the edge of our network measure the SNRs of incumbents and communicate their measurements to a clusterhead (CH) over a noisy channel. Both the measurement and communication tasks are thus affected by noise. Each sensor sends one bit, plusmn1, that indicates whether the measured SNR is greater/less than that sensor's threshold. The clusterhead fuses these measurements to produce a maximum-likelihood estimate (MLE) of the mean of the SNR distribution. Unlike other approaches in distributed estimation, we assume each sensor uses a different threshold. We numerically compare the performance of our approach with others that assume all sensors use the same threshold. Our comparisons show that the multi-threshold approach performs: (1) as well as a single-threshold approach in which every node uses the same optimal threshold; and (2) much better than the single-threshold approach when its threshold deviates from the typically unknown optimal value. We also derive an approximate Cramer-Rao lower bound on the variance of our estimator.
Device scaling of high performance MOSFET with metal gate high-k at 32nm technology node and beyond

In this work, two different methodologies are used to quantitatively evaluate devices with metal high-k gate dielectrics for their scaling benefits over conventional polysilicon gate devices. For each method, device characteristics and ring oscillator delay calculations are performed. Our results show that aggressive channel length scaling continually provides transistor performance gain with the use of metal gate high-k technology. A band edge work function for the metal gate offers potential benefits for device scaling over conventional polysilicon gates for high performance (HP) application at the 32 nm CMOS technology node and beyond.
THE EFFECT OF PRE-IRRADIATION HEAT TREATMENT AND A BRIEF POSTIRRADIATION BETA ANNEAL ON SWELLING OF ALPHA URANIUM

Abstract The effect of pre-irradiation heat treatment and of a brief postirradiation anneal at a temperature in the beta range on the swelling of irradiated uranium during annealing at 620° C is described. The experimental data show that irradiated specimens deformed and recrystallized before irradiation decrease in density on annealing at 620° C substantially more than irradiated specimens quenched from a beta temperature before irradiation for burnups greater than 0.04 %. The data also show that extensive swelling of irradiated uranium on annealing at 620° C can be minimized by a prior brief anneal of the irradiated uranium in the beta phase. The interpretation of these results is supported with photomicrographs of the swelled specimens.
Inner product computations using periodized daubechies wavelets.

Inner products of wavelets and their derivatives are presently known as connection coefficients. The numerical calculation of inner products of periodized Daubechies wavelets and their derivatives is reviewed, with the aim at providing potential users of the publicly-available numerical scheme, details of its operation. The numerical scheme for the calculation of connection coefficients is evaluated in the context of approximating differential operators, information which is useful in the solution of partial differential equations using wavelet-Galerkin techniques. Specific details of the periodization of inner products in the solution differential equations are included in the presentation. Wavelets have found a well-deserved niche in such areas of applied mathematics and engineering as approximation theory, signal analysis, and projection techniques for the solution of differential equations.
88 Preliminary observations on the identity of the red algal genus Caloglossa (delesseriaceae, ceramiales) in the northwestern gulf of mexico

Phylogenetic analyses inferred from rbcL sequences indicates that specimens of Caloglossa (Harvey) G. Martens collected from Vermilion Bay, Louisiana and Galveston, Texas, reported as C. leprieurii (Montagne) G. Martens (1869) constitutes a separate taxon. Studies are presently being conducted to compare this northwestern Gulf of Mexico taxon with material of C. intermedia Kamiya et West in Kamiya et al. (2000, J. Phycol. 36:411-420) from the Western Atlantic coast and with C. apomeiotica West et Zuccarello in West et al. (1994, Bot. Mar. 37:381–390) from Baja California, Mexico.
Approximations to Brueckner theory for nucleon-nucleus collisions

Abstract The concept of quasiparticles has been very fruitful for the development of theories of many-body systems of strongly interacting particles. A central problem for a quantitative treatment is the interaction between the quasiparticles (the effective interaction between particles). The Brueckner reaction matrix theory and the Jastrow variational approach have been used extensively, especially for nuclei. Our present concern is the collisions between nuclei. An exact calculation of the effective interaction between the nucleons is then extremely complicated. Only the simplest extreme, the nucleon-nucleus optical potential, can be treated fully. Approximate treatments are called for. The present paper investigates some approximations to the Brueckner theory. We are primarily interested in the imaginary part of the one-body (one-nucleon) mean field, as it relates to the damping of collective motion. Of special interest is the increase at low density. Comparisons with Skyrme forces show that they exaggerate this density dependence.
Characterizations of degree one bivariate measures of concordance

We call a measure of concordance @k of an ordered pair (X,Y) of two continuous random variables a bivariate measure of concordance. This @k may be considered to be a function @k(C) of the copula C associated with (X,Y). @k is considered to be of degree n if, given any two copulas A and B, the value of their convex sum, @k(tA+(1-t)B), is a polynomial in t of degree n. Examples of bivariate measures of concordance are Spearman's rho, Blomqvist's beta, Gini's measure of association, and Kendall's tau. The first three of these are of degree one, but Kendall's tau is of degree two. We exhibit three characterizations of bivariate measures of concordance of degree one.
Petrophysics of Lower Silurian sandstones and integration with the tectonic-stratigraphic framework, Appalachian basin, United States

Petrophysical properties were determined for six facies in Lower Silurian sandstones of the Appalachian basin: fluvial, estuarine, upper shoreface, lower shoreface, tidal channel, and tidal flat. Fluvial sandstones have the highest permeability for a given porosity and exhibit a wide range of porosity (2–18%) and permeability (0.002–450 md). With a transition-zone thickness of only 1–6 m (3–20 ft), fluvial sandstones with permeability greater than 5 md have irreducible water saturation (Siw) less than 20%, typical of many gas reservoirs. Upper shoreface sandstones exhibit good reservoir properties with high porosity (10–21%), high permeability (3–250 md), and low Siw (20%). Lower shoreface sandstones, which are finer grained, have lower porosity (4–12%), lower permeability (0.0007–4 md), thicker transition zones (6–180 m [20–600 ft]), and higher Siw. In the tidal-channel, tidal-flat, and estuarine facies, low porosity (average 6%), low permeability (average 0.02 md), and small pore throats result in large transition zones (30–200 m; 100–650 ft) and high water saturations.The most favorable reservoir petrophysical properties and the best estimated production from the Lower Silurian sandstones are associated with fluvial and upper shoreface facies of incised-valley fills, which we interpret to have formed predominantly in areas of structural recesses that evolved from promontories along a collisional margin during the Taconic orogeny. Although the total thickness of the sandstone may not be as great in these areas, reservoir quality is better than in adjacent structural salients, which is attributed to higher energy depositional processes and shallower maximum burial depth in the recesses than in the salients.
A Method for Subsample Fetal Heart Rate Estimation Under Noisy Conditions

In this paper, we consider a new approach for estimating the fundamental period in fetal ECG waveforms. The fundamental period contains information that is indicative of the physiological condition of the fetus such as hypoxia and acidemia. Our method is based on the minimization of a cost function that measures the differences between the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of the fetal ECG waveform and the DFTs of its circularly shifted forms. By using the linear phase shift property of the DFT, we show that the minimization of this cost function is equivalent to finding the cosine waveform that matches best to the ECG power spectrum. The optimal cosine waveform is then used to estimate the fundamental period. We expand this method and discuss estimation of the fundamental period with subsample precision. Subsample estimates may be useful especially when a low sampling rate is used for a long period of monitoring. Comparison of performance of this method with Cepstrum and average mIn this paper, we consider a new approach for estimating the fundamental period in fetal ECG waveforms. The fundamental period contains information that is indicative of the physiological condition of the fetus such as hypoxia and acidemia. Our method is based on the minimization of a cost function that measures the differences between the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of the fetal ECG waveform and the DFTs of its circularly shifted forms. By using the linear phase shift property of the DFT, we show that the minimization of this cost function is equivalent to finding the cosine waveform that matches best to the ECG power spectrum. The optimal cosine waveform is then used to estimate the fundamental period. We expand this method and discuss estimation of the fundamental period with subsample precision. Subsample estimates may be useful especially when a low sampling rate is used for a long period of monitoring. Comparison of performance of this method with Cepstrum and average magnitude difference function methods shows that our approach achieves very accurate period estimation results for both simulated and real fetal EGC waveforms that are taken at different stages of the gestation under noisy conditions.agnitude difference function methods shows that our approach achieves very accurate period estimation results for both simulated and real fetal EGC waveforms that are taken at different stages of the gestation under noisy conditions.
Otitis Media in Children. I. The Systemic Immune Response to Nontypable Hemophilus influenzae

Twenty-one infants experienced 29 episodes of otitis media with effusion caused by nontypable Hemophilus influenzae (NTHI) during 2 y of observation. Bactericidal antibody was detected in acute serum of 26% of the subjects at a mean titer of 0.8 +/- 0.3 (log2) and was observed in convalescent serum of all of the individuals at a mean titer of 4.0 +/- 0.3 (log2, P less than .001). The serum bactericidal antibody response was not age-dependent (r = .08, P greater than .05). Serum concentrations of bactericidal antibody remained stable for the entire observation period in 90% of the children. The presence of serum bactericidal antibody correlated significantly with a reduction in the number of bacteria present in the middle ear fluid (P less than .025). Eight children experienced a second episode of otitis media with effusion caused by a different serotype of NTHI. All those who lacked bactericidal antibody against the organism causing the second episode possessed bactericidal antibody against the first strain at the time of the second episode. These data suggest that the immune response to NTHI in otitis media with effusion is type-specific. The occurrence of second episodes of otitis media with effusion due to different strains of NTHI in the face of preexisting heterologous bactericidal antibody suggests a lack of NTHI in the face of preexisting heterologous bactericidal antibody suggests a lack of cross-protection.
Introduction to special section: clinical research in smoking cessation.

Although tobacco smoking is becoming less common in the United States, it remains perhaps the most important behavioral problem treated by psychologists. Research interest in smoking has greatly increased among psychologists, but success rates of formal treatment programs for smoking cessation have remained stubbornly low. This article introduces a series of 9 reviews that examine the current status of several diverse areas of research in smoking cessation and provide directions for future efforts in these areas in an effort to promote more innovative investigations.
Stochastic robustness of linear time-invariant control systems

A simple numerical procedure for estimating the stochastic robustness of a linear time-invariant system is described. Monte Carlo evaluation of the system's eigenvalues allows the probability of instability and the related stochastic root locus to be estimated. This analysis approach treats not only Gaussian parameter uncertainties but also nonGaussian cases, including uncertain but bound variations. Confidence intervals for the scalar probability of instability address computational issues inherent in Monte Carlo simulation. Trivial extensions of the procedure admit consideration of alternate discriminants; thus, the probabilities that stipulated degrees of instability will be exceeded or that closed-loop roots will leave desirable regions can also be estimated. Results are particularly amenable to graphical presentation. >
Electron trapping and transport by supersonic solitons in one-dimensional systems

A one-dimensional chain of ions or molecules and electrons described by a Froehlich-type Hamiltonian with quartic phonon anharmonicities is investigated. It is shown that the anharmonic lattice supports supersonic solitons which under favorable circumstances may trap electrons and transport them along the lattice. For a lattice constant/soliton spatial extent quotient of the order of 0.1, rough estimates give electron trapping energies in the meV range. They imply a useful temperature range, up to tens of degrees K, for observing the new effect. The activation energy of a lattice soliton is proportional to the molecular mass and is therefore quite high (about 1 eV) for typical quasi-one-dimensional organic systems.
Biochemistry, physiology, and genetics of GPAT, AGPAT, and lipin enzymes in triglyceride synthesis

Triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis and storage in tissues such as adipose tissue and liver have important roles in metabolic homeostasis. The molecular identification of genes encoding enzymes that catalyze steps in TAG biosynthesis from glycerol 3-phosphate has revealed an unexpected number of protein isoforms of the glycerol phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), acylglycerolphosphate acyltransferase (AGPAT), and lipin (phosphatidate phosphatase) families that appear to catalyze similar biochemical reactions. However, on the basis of available data for a few members in which genetic deficiencies in mouse and/or human have been studied, we postulate that each GPAT, AGPAT, and lipin family member likely has a specialized role that may be uncovered through careful biochemical and physiological analyses.
Feminist Theory and Status Inconsistency Theory Application to Domestic Violence in Chinese Immigrant Familes

It is argued that domestic violence in Asian immigrant communities in the United States, specifically Chinese immigrant families, should be viewed as a distinct social problem. By presenting it as a distinct social problem, we validate the life experiences of women of color. However, many social science theories come from an Anglo-Western or European perspective and do not capture the realities of ethnic minority groups. Therefore, the goal of this article is to examine feminist and status inconsistency theories and their application to domestic violence in Chinese immigrant families. Merits and limitations of each perspective are highlighted. Directions for future research are also highlighted.
CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS IN NEUROSPORA CRASSA: INTERACTIONS BETWEEN CLOCK MUTATIONS

Mutations at four loci in Neurospora crassa that alter the period of the circadian rhythm have been used to construct a series of double mutant strains in order to detect interactions between these mutations. Strains carrying mutations at three of these loci have altered periods on minimal media: prd-I, several alleles at the oli‘ (oligomycin resistance) locus and four alleles at thefrq locus. A mutation at the fourth locus, cel, which results in a defect in fatty acid synthesis, also leads to lengthening of the period when the medium is supplemented with linoleic acid (182). The cel mutation was crossed into strains carrying the frq, prd-1 and oli‘ mutations, and the periods of the double mutant strains with and without 18:2 supplementation were determined. In addition, data from the literature for other combinations of loci and/or chemical effects on the period have been reanalyzed.-It was found that (1) both prd-1 and oli’ are epistatic to the effects of 182 on cel; (2) in the series of cel frq double mutant strains, the period-lengthening effect of 18:2 is inversely proportional to the period of the frq parent, indicating an interaction between frq and cel; (3) period effects reported in the literature can be described as changes by a fixed ratio or percentage of the period rather than by a fixed number of hours, and the data, therefore, can support a multiplicative as well as an additive model.-Several biochemical interpretations of these interactions are discussed, based on simple chemical kinetics, enzyme inhibition kinetics and the control of flux through metabolic pathways. LTHOUGH the endogenous daily oscillations known as circadian rhythms A have been described in the literature for decades and may be ubiquitous in eukaryotes, very little is known about the underlying biochemical mechanism, the “biological clock,” that generates such rhythms. Our laboratory is interested in identifying the components of the biological clock in the haploid fungus Neurospora crassa. One approach is to dissect the clock genetically by identifying loci that affect the rhythm and by analyzing relationships between these loci in an attempt to describe their effects in biochemical terms. The circadian rhythm in N. crassa is visibly expressed on solid agar media as a spore-forming (conidiation) rhythm in which “bands” of thick growth, producing aerial hyphae and conidiospores, alternate with “interbands” of thinner nonconidiating growth. The period of the rhythm is measured as the time in hours between successive band centers and is about 21.5 hr in our control strain (bd csp-I). A number of mutations that alter the period have been
Erlins restrict SREBP activation in the ER and regulate cellular cholesterol homeostasis

Cellular cholesterol levels are controlled by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) sterol sensing proteins, which include Scap and Insig-1. With cholesterol sufficiency, Insig inhibits the activation of sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs), key transcription factors for cholesterol and fatty acid biosynthetic genes, by associating with Scap–SREBP complexes to promote their ER retention. Here we show that the multimeric ER proteins erlins-1 and -2 are additional SREBP regulators. Depletion of erlins from cells grown with sterol sufficiency led to canonical activation of SREBPs and their target genes. Moreover, SREBPs, Scap, and Insig-1 were physically associated with erlins. Erlins bound cholesterol with specificity and strong cooperativity and responded to ER cholesterol changes with altered diffusional mobility, suggesting that erlins themselves may be regulated by cholesterol. Together, our results define erlins as novel cholesterol-binding proteins that are directly involved in regulating the SREBP machinery. We speculate that erlins promote stability of the SREBP–Scap–Insig complex and may contribute to the highly cooperative control of this system.
On the Inflated Tire Profile: Inflation and Axial Compression of a Composite, Initially Cylindrical Membrane

The analysis for the inflation of bias tires, based on the model of the net of inextensible cords, is reformulated in terms of bead point coordinates and the cross angle of cords in the initially cylindrical membrane. A simple numerical method of solution is described. An exact solution in a special case is given. Computations are presented for maximum cord tension, maximum cord-rubber shear stress, and bead tension. In the first reasonably successful analysis of the inflation of bias tires based on the model of the net of inextensible cords (1,2), an improper hyperelliptical integral was derived which involved three parameters of the inflated state. As indicated on Fig. 1, these parameters are rc, radial coordinate of the point of maximum distance from the axis of revolution; rw, radial coordinate of the point of maximum profile width; and Bc (not shown on figure), the cord cross angle at rc. These three parameters will be called the crown point, parabolic point, and crown angle, respectively. In this paper, the aforementioned analysis is reformulated to yield a force-deflection relation in terms of an initially cylindrical membrane which is brought into toroidal shape by inflation and axial compression. The parameters rc, rw, and/3c, the cord tension, cord-rubber interfacial
Preservice Teachers' Views of the Nature of Science during a Postbaccalaureate Science Teaching Program

The goals of this study were to determine preservice science teachers' views of the nature of science and to describe the changes in those views that occur during a teacher education program. Fifteen students in a postbaccalaureate secondary science teaching program at a large university participated in this study. The participants' views of science were ascertained by an investigator-developed survey and a follow-up interview administered before and after the university's science teaching methods sequence. Before entering the teaching program, the participants had a contemporary (i.e., postpositivist) view of scientific theory, knowledge, and the role of a scientist and a traditional (i.e., empiricist or positivist) view of scientific method. Initially, there was an equal number of traditional, mixed, and contemporary views of the different aspects of science. After completing the methods sequence, the number of contemporary views doubled and the number of mixed views decreased by more than half. The number of participants with an overall contemporary view of science rose from 2 to 7. Since there was little direct instruction about the nature of science, it is possible to make positive changes in preservice teachers' views of the nature of science in a teaching program in which contemporary teaching strategies such as conceptual change and cooperative learning are taught. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 34: 595–615, 1997.
Large falcine meningioma fed by callosomarginal branch successfully removed following contralateral interhemispheric approach

We report the case of a highly vascular facline meningioma removed following surgical ligation of a large callosomarginal feeding branch via a contralateral interhemispheric approach. Successfully addressing this vessel via a contralateral interhemispheric approach prior to any debulking allowed for en bloc Simpson Grade 1 tumor removal with minimal blood loss and short term tumor control without evidence of recurrence at 2 year follow up. A 56 year old man presented with first time generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Imaging revealed a right sided 5 cm falcine meningioma. The patient underwent pre-operative embolization of feeding branches, however, the most significant supply, arising from the right callosomarginal artery, could not be occluded. A bipartite frontotemporal craniotomy was performed. From a left sided interhemispheric approach the pericallosal and callosomarginal arteries were identified and the large callosomarginal tumor feeding branch were occluded using a straight Yasargil aneurysm clip. From the right the superior sagital sinus was ligated anteriorly and posteriorly. The sinus, falx, and adherent tumor were then removed en bloc. We present the case of a highly vascular falcine meningioma with a large callosomarginal feeding branch which was successfully occluded using surgical clipping of this vessel via a contralateral interhemispheric approach. This case provides an excellent example of one approach to directly dealing with large, deep interhemispheric feeding vessels unsuitable for embolization. A 3D animation of the surgical approach is provided for instructional purposes.
Between Biography and Ethnography

My point of departure in this essay is David Carrasco's Convocation Address at the Harvard Divinity School in September 2006. Speaking of the borderlands between Mexico and the United States, Carrasco projects an image of a vexed and ambiguous zone that is not merely geographic or political; it defines an existential situation of being betwixt and between, of struggle and suffering, that Karl Jaspers sums up in the term Grenzsituationen (borders/limit situations). The frontier throws up images of borderline experiences, of a destabilized and transgressive consciousness in which “dreams, repressed memories, psychological transferences and associations” possess greater presence than they do in ordinary waking life, and religious experiences emerge from the unconscious like apparitions. This interplay between borderlands and borderline phenomena—between “the differences we have with others and the conflicts within ourselves” also finds expression in the work of Gloria Anzaldua. “Mestiza consciousness,” she observes, may be identified with a “juncture … where phenomena collide.” This implies “a shock culture, a border culture, a third country” where migrants find themselves at the limits of what they can endure, border patrol agents are stretched beyond the limits of what they can control, and intellectuals find that orthodox ways of describing and analyzing the world do not do justice to the experiences involved.
Comparative safety and costs of stepping down asthma medications in patients with controlled asthma

Background Limited data exist regarding outcomes after stepping down asthma medication. Objective We sought to compare the safety and costs of stepping down asthma controller medications with maintaining current treatment levels in patients with controlled asthma. Methods Patients with persistent asthma were identified from the US Medical Expenditure Panel Survey years 2000-2010. Each patient had Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data for 2 years, and measurement was divided into 5 periods of 4 to 5 months each. Eligibility for stepping down asthma controller medications included no hospitalizations or emergency department visits for asthma in periods 1 to 3 and no systemic corticosteroid and 3 or less rescue inhalers dispensed in periods 2 and 3. Steps were defined by type and dose of chronic asthma medication based on current guidelines when comparing period 4 with period 3. The primary outcome of complete asthma control in period 5 was defined as no asthma hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and dispensed systemic corticosteroids and 2 or fewer dispensed rescue inhalers. Multivariable analyses were conducted to assess safety and costs after step down compared with those who maintained the treatment level. Results Overall, 29.9% of patients meeting the inclusion criteria (n = 4235) were eligible for step down; 89.4% (95% CI, 86.4% to 92.4%) of those who stepped down had preserved asthma control compared with 83.5% (95% CI, 79.9% to 87.0%) of those who were similarly eligible for step down but maintained their treatment level. The average monthly asthma-related cost savings was $34.02/mo (95% CI, $5.42/mo to $61.24/mo) with step down compared with maintenance of the treatment level. Conclusion Stepping down asthma medications in those whose symptoms were controlled led to similar clinical outcomes at reduced cost compared with those who maintained their current treatment level.
Thermal Modeling of Helium Cooled High-Temperature Superconducting DC Transmission Cable

The recent increase in distributed power generation is highlighting the demand to investigate and implement better and more efficient power distribution grids. High-temperature superconducting (HTS) DC transmission cables have the potential to address the need for more efficient transmission and their usage is expected to increase in the future. Thermal modeling of HTS DC cables is a critical tool to have in order to better understand and characterize the operation of such transmission lines. This paper introduces a general computational model for a HTS DC cable. A physical model, based on fundamental correlations and principles of classical thermodynamics, mass and heat transfer, was developed and the resulting differential equations were discretized in space. Therefore, the combination of the physical model with the finite volume scheme for the discretization of the differential equations is referenced as Volume Element Model, (VEM). The model accounts for heat transfer by conduction, convection and radiation obtaining numerically the temperature distribution of superconductive cables operating under different environmental, operational and design conditions. As a result, the model is expected to be a useful tool for simulation, design, and optimization of HTS DC transmission cables.
PRECISE DETERMINATION OF BACKBONE STRUCTURE AND CONDUCTIVITY OF 3D PERCOLATION NETWORKS BY THE DIRECT ELECTRIFYING ALGORITHM

This paper confirms the applicability of a newly developed efficient algorithm, the direct electrifying method, for identifying backbone for 3D site and bond percolating networks. This algorithm is based on the current-carrying definition of backbone and carried out on the predetermined spanning cluster, which is assumed to be a resistor network. The scaling exponents so obtained for backbone mass, red bonds, and conductivity are in very good agreement with some existing results. The perfectly balanced bonds in 3D backbone structures are predicted first time to be 0.00179 ± 0.00009 and 0.00604 ± 0.00008 of the backbone mass for bond and site percolations, respectively.
High-speed Huffman decoder architectures

The author presents pipelined and parallel architectures for high-speed implementation of Huffman decoders using look-ahead computation techniques. Huffman decoders are used in high-definition television, video, and other data compression systems. The achievable speed in these decoders is inherently limited due to their sequential nature of computation. The unequal code word length of the Huffman code words makes it difficult to apply look-ahead. This problem is overcome by representing Huffman decoders as finite state machines which can exploit look-ahead. The proposed approach is useful for high-speed Huffman decoder implementations where the number of symbols of the decoder is low. >
Stepping Stones: EMDR Treatment of Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Challenging Behavior

Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, Volume 4, Number 4, 2010 © 2010 EMDR International Association DOI: 10.1891/1933-3196.4.4.156 Practitioners have been seeking more e! ective means to support clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and to replace challenging behavior with more e! ective coping strategies. Challenging behaviors in the context of this article refer to behaviors that interfere with the client’s ability to interact successfully with their physical and social environment, and to live a ful" lling life. Examples of challenging behaviors include verbal and physical aggression, self-abuse, property destruction, and inability to participate in positive social interactions. The authors of this paper recognize that many people with IDD have trauma as a signi" cant root cause of their challenging behavior, but lack an e! ective means to recover from the underlying trauma. This article presents six case studies exemplifying how eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy can be adapted to meet the needs of individuals with IDD, to help them heal from traumatic experiences and overcome their challenging behaviors. Results indicate that using adaptations to the EMDR protocol makes the treatment model more e! ective with people with IDD and challenging behavior. These " ndings have implications for practitioners from multiple disciplines seeking to support clients who have experienced trauma and who have IDD.
Polymer degradation by crazing and its study by small angle scattering techniques

Craze formation and breakdown in polymers is reviewed with particular emphasis on the study of crazes by small angle scattering techniques. Small angle scattering, particularly when combined with information obtainable from transmission electron microscopy, has proved to be a powerful technique for the study of crazes. The existence of the three different radiations, X-rays, neutrons and electrons, has helped both in the interpretation of the basic form of craze scattering patterns and in permitting the study of a broad range of problems. X-ray scattering is particularly useful for the acquisition of information on crazes in bulk samples, this information being valuable to test and refine the models of craze formation and growth. The intensity of X-rays from synchrotron sources has permitted the study of such failure processes as mechanical fatigue and impact in real-time. Neutron radiation has proved useful in the study of environmentally-induced crazes while electron radiation is used for the examination of crazes in thin films. The majority of the work on crazing has been done in single phase amorphous polymers, particularly polystyrene and polycarbonate, but the rubber toughened styrenics, in which crazing is an important toughening mechanism, offer a fruitful field of study. It is in these latter systems, where intense crazing is seen, that impact processes can be studied by small angle scattering. Crazing and microcracking in semicrystalline polymers has also been examined by this technique but the lack of a clear picture of the morphology of the scattering entities has made small angle scattering less fruitful here than in amorphous polymers.
Sleep quality and health-related quality of life in HIV-infected African-American women of childbearing age.

A descriptive, correlational design was used to examine the associations of sleep quality and stage of illness with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in HIV-infected African-American women. Participants were recruited from 12 health clinics and AIDS service organizations (ASO) in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The sample consisted of 144 African-American women who ranged in age from 20 to 48 years (m ¼ 34.8, SD ¼ 6.8). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Medical Outcomes Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) were administered. Participants were categorized as good sleepers (PSQI global score <7) or poor sleepers (PSQI global score � 7) using the median global sleep quality score. Differences in HRQOL between good and poor sleepers, as measured by the SF-36, were tested using MANOVA. Good sleepers scored significantly higher (p < 0.0001) for each SF-36 quality of life dimension and the mental and physical health summary scores. Multiple regression analysis indicated that sleep quality is associated with HRQOL, independent of the individual’s stage of illness, more so with mental HRQOL than with physical HRQOL. The results suggest that treatment for poor sleep quality should be a primary concern for the treatment of HIV infection and a means for improving HRQOL.
THE RELATION OF THE SPLEEN TO BLOOD DESTRUCTION AND REGENERATION AND TO HEMOLYTIC JAUNDICE : I. REACTIONS TO HEMOLYTIC SERUM AT VARIOUS INTERVALS AFTER SPLENECTOMY

This investigation brings out three points. 1. During the first three or four weeks after splenectomy hemoglobinuria due to hemolytic serum was not followed by jaundice. 2. One month and more after splenectomy the red cells had an increased resistance to hemolysis. 3. Three and a half months after splenectomy and even later, jaundice occasionally occurred spontaneously. Attempts to explain these three phenomena have been based on the following possibilities: (1) that some function of the spleen is essential for the degradation of hemoglobin or for the elaboration of its derivatives; (2) that there is some interrelation between the spleen and the blood-forming organs or between the spleen and the blood-disintegrating mechanism, or perhaps both interrelations exist; (3) that there is a disturbance of the hemolyzing or bile-forming function of the liver dependent on the blood changes following splenectomy. This multiplicity of problems and likewise of possible explanations has rendered the presentation of the explanatory work in one communication extremely difficult. In the interests of clearness, therefore, the various phases are dealt with in separate papers.
Retention of inhaled 2-methylfuran and 2,5-dimethylfuran

The respiratory tract retention of 2-methylfuran and 2,5-dimethylfuran in the dog have been studied as part of a broad investigation of substances found in the vapor phase of cigarette smoke. Retention of 2-methylfuran tended to be higher than that of 2,5 dimethylfuran in the upper, lower and total respiratory tract. Uptake of 2-methylfuran ranged from 63–88% in these regions while it was only 53–62% for 2,5-dimethylfuran Retention of 2,5-dimethylfuran was lower than any of the other compounds studied However, the majority of either compound will be absorbed by the respiratory tract when inhalation occurs.
Optimal timing control of interconnected, switched systems with applications to robotic marionettes

We present an optimal timing control formulation of the problem of controlling autonomous puppets. In particular, by appropriately timing the different movements, entire plays can be performed. Such plays are produced by concatenating sequences of motion primitives and a compiler optimizes these sequences, using recent results in optimal switch-time control. Experimental results illustrate the operation of the proposed method.
Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act (Last Revised or Amended in 2005)

The status of electronic information technology has progressed rapidly in recent years. Innovations in software, hardware, communications technology and security protocols have made it technically feasible to create, sign and transmit real estate transactions electronically. However, approaching the end of the 20th Century, various state and federal laws limited the enforceability of electronic documents. In response, the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) was approved by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) in 1999. As of October 1, 2004, UETA had been adopted in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-Sign) was also adopted in 2000. The two acts give legal effect to real estate transactions that are executed electronically and allow them to be enforced between the parties to the transaction. In response, a few states have convened study committees or task forces to consider the question of recording electronic documents (see Report of Iowa State Bar Ass’n, Real Estate Modernization Comm., draft of Ch. 558B – Iowa Electronic Recording Act (2001); Conn. Law Revision Comm., An Act Establishing the Connecticut Real Property Electronic Recording System (Conn. Gen Assembly, Judiciary Comm., Raised Bill No. 5664, 2004)). In 2002, a drafting committee was established by the NCCUSL Executive Committee to draft a Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act. The Committee’s decision followed a recommendation of the NCCUSL Committee on Scope and Program. Their actions were in recognition of a strong recommendation from the Joint Editorial Board on Uniform Real Property Acts that a uniform act be drafted. The Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act was drafted to remove any doubt about the authority of the recorder to receive and record documents and information in electronic form. Its fundamental principle is that any requirements of state law describing or requiring that a document be an original, on paper, or in writing are satisfied by a document in electronic form. Furthermore, any requirement that the document contain a signature or acknowledgment is satisfied by an electronic signature or acknowledgment. The act specifically authorizes a recorder, at the recorder’s option, to accept electronic documents for recording and to index and store those documents.
Quantitative Friedman Test in Hydatidiform Mole and Vomiting of Pregnancy

Summary We are attempting to establish standards as a basis for a quantitative Friedman test. Using these standards, a differential diagnosis between normal pregnancy and hydatidiform mole was attempted in four cases. In two of the moles, definite evidence of a markedly excessive excretion of the substance responsible for the reaction was found. In the other two, such findings were not present. These latter moles did not present the typical pathologic picture; they probably had ceased to grow, or were actually undergoing degeneration. It is our impression, at the present, that the quantitative test, herein described, will be of real value in aiding the diagnosis of an active hydatidiform mole, but that it will be of questionable value in ruling out a mole that has ceased to grow or is undergoing degeneration. The single case of chorionepithelioma does not allow an expression of opinion. The data presented on vomiting of pregnancy would seem to open a new avenue of approach to a possible etiologic explanation of the condition. The presence of an excessive amount of the substance responsible for the reaction in the urine of vomiting, eases has been consistent and has been quite constant as to contrast with the findings in normal pregnancy. The factor of concentration of the urine due to dehydration must, of course, be ruled out. We feel that we are able to eliminate this factor, at least as far as relationship to specific gravity of the urine is concerned. As another link in the chain, we are at present repeating the work as outlined above on blood serum. While there is insufficient evidence to advance a hormonal explanation of the cause of vomiting of pregnancy, the evidence, to date, would seem important enough to warrant continued investigation.