cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flow of a shear thinning fluid between intersecting planes

Abstract The non-inertial flow of a shear thinning fluid between intersecting planes is studied using a multi-parameter continuation technique. Unlike the classical linearly viscous fluid, it is found that boundary layers develop even in the case of non-inertial flows in both converging and diverging flow. The boundary layers develop due to the non-linearities in the equation which reflect the fact that the fluid can shear thin.
Image restoration based on multiple PSF information with applications to phase-coded imaging system

Conventional image restoration technique generally uses one point-spread function (PSF) corresponding to an object distance (OD) and a viewing angle (VA) in filter design. However, for those imaging systems, which concern a better balance or a new tradeoff of image restoration within a range of ODs or VAs, the conventional design might be insufficient to give satisfactory results. In this paper, an extension of the minimum mean square error (MMSE) method is proposed. The proposed method defines a cost function as a linear combination of multiple mean square errors (MSEs). Each MSE is for measuring the restoration performance at a specific OD and VA and can be computed from the restored image and its correspondent target image. Since the MSEs for different ODs are lumped into one cost function, the filter solved can provide a better balance in restoration compared with the conventional design. The method is applied to an extended depth-of-field (EDoF) imaging system and computer simulations are performed to verify its effectiveness.
Two new small-subunit ribosomal RNA gene lineages within the subclass gymnamoebia.

Abstract Phylogenetic analysis of small-subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences for gymnamoebae of the families Vexilliferidae, Paramoebidae, and Vannellidae identified two distinct lineages that are supported by gross morphological characters. This analysis indicates that paramoebids and vexilliferids are part of one lineage and that vannellids belong to another. A shared morphological character unique to the paramoebid/vexilliferid lineage members is the presence of dactylopodiate subpseudopodia. However, cell surface structures, normally used for taxonomic discrimination, range from simple hair-like filaments without any apparent organization (Neoparamoeba), to hexagonal glycostyles (Vexillifera) or more elaborate surface scales (Korotnevella). Taxa within the vannellid lineage all lack subpseudopodia and appear flabellate, spatulate or linguiform while in locomotion. Cell surface structures of taxa within the vannellid lineage range from filaments organized into hexagonal arrays (Lingulamoeba, Platyamoeb...
Genre criticism and historical context: The case of George Washington's first inaugural address

The inaugural address George Washington delivered on April 30, 1789, was shaped above all by his personal beliefs and by his view of the rhetorical situation as he assumed the presidency. His response to that situation, however, appears to have been modulated by a set of generic constraints derived from the rhetoric of office‐taking, from the inaugural speeches of Virginia's colonial governors, and, perhaps, from the accession speeches of eighteenth‐century British monarchs. Seen in this way, the first presidential inaugural emerges as a blend of the old and the new, as a product of personal considerations, situational constraints, and rhetorical customs.
Potential non-B DNA regions in the human genome are associated with higher rates of nucleotide mutation and expression variation

While individual non-B DNA structures have been shown to impact gene expression, their broad regulatory role remains elusive. We utilized genomic variants and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) data to analyze genome-wide variation propensities of potential non-B DNA regions and their relation to gene expression. Independent of genomic location, these regions were enriched in nucleotide variants. Our results are consistent with previously observed mutagenic properties of these regions and counter a previous study concluding that G-quadruplex regions have a reduced frequency of variants. While such mutagenicity might undermine functionality of these elements, we identified in potential non-B DNA regions a signature of negative selection. Yet, we found a depletion of eQTL-associated variants in potential non-B DNA regions, opposite to what might be expected from their proposed regulatory role. However, we also observed that genes downstream of potential non-B DNA regions showed higher expression variation between individuals. This coupling between mutagenicity and tolerance for expression variability of downstream genes may be a result of evolutionary adaptation, which allows reconciling mutagenicity of non-B DNA structures with their location in functionally important regions and their potential regulatory role.
Increasing regulators' confidence in point-nonpoint pollutant trading schemes

: One of the principal stumbling blocks to regulatory agencies' adopting pollutant trading schemes is the complex of uncertainties surrounding any change in institutions. This is especially true if nonpoint pollution sources are to be involved along with point sources. Regulators are understandably reluctant to switch from tried-and-true point source permit systems, even if trading schemes can be shown (on paper, at least) to result in lower public expenditures. We propose a set of practical criteria for point-nonpoint pollutant trading systems that promise to increase regulators' confidence that the new system will be equally effective in controlling pollution and at the same time more likely to capture efficiencies in pollution reduction practices.
Identification of Anthraquinone-Degrading Bacteria in Soil Contaminated with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Quinones and other oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (oxy-PAHs) are toxic and/or genotoxic compounds observed to be cocontaminants at PAH-contaminated sites, but their formation and fate in contaminated environmental systems have not been well studied. Anthracene-9,10-dione (anthraquinone) has been found in most PAH-contaminated soils and sediments that have been analyzed for oxy-PAHs. However, little is known about the biodegradation of oxy-PAHs, and no bacterial isolates have been described that are capable of growing on or degrading anthraquinone. PAH-degrading Mycobacterium spp. are the only organisms that have been investigated to date for metabolism of a PAH quinone, 4,5-pyrenequinone. We utilized DNA-based stable-isotope probing (SIP) with [U-(13)C]anthraquinone to identify bacteria associated with anthraquinone degradation in PAH-contaminated soil from a former manufactured-gas plant site both before and after treatment in a laboratory-scale bioreactor. SIP with [U-(13)C]anthracene was also performed to assess whether bacteria capable of growing on anthracene are the same as those identified to grow on anthraquinone. Organisms closely related to Sphingomonas were the most predominant among the organisms associated with anthraquinone degradation in bioreactor-treated soil, while organisms in the genus Phenylobacterium comprised the majority of anthraquinone degraders in the untreated soil. Bacteria associated with anthracene degradation differed from those responsible for anthraquinone degradation. These results suggest that Sphingomonas and Phenylobacterium species are associated with anthraquinone degradation and that anthracene-degrading organisms may not possess mechanisms to grow on anthraquinone.
Family interaction and caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients: correlates of depression.

Depression is ubiquitous in primary family caregivers of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients, but its relationship to the overall behavior patterns of these families has received little attention thus far. The focus of the exploratory study reported here was on one aspect of this issue — affective responses between caregiver and other family members as they relate to level of depressive symptoms in the primary caregivers. Family affective responses, especially negative responses, have proven of particular salience in studies of major psychiatric disorders. Would they be equally salient in a study of depressive symptoms in primary caregivers of Alzheimer's patients? Apparently so. Thirty caregivers and extended family members participated in problem-solving family interaction tasks that were videotaped, transcribed, and coded on affect. Two variables representing angry and sad responses of extended family members to the caregiver accounted for over 44% of the variance in caregiver depressive symptoms. The relevance of these findings for treatment approaches and future research efforts are discussed.
Data-driven optimization of time and frequency resolution for radar transmitter identification

An entirely new set of criteria for the design of kernels ( i.e. generating functions) for time-frequency representations (TFRs) has been recently proposed. 1,2,3 The goal of these criteria is to produce kernels (and thus, TFRs) which will enable accurate classification without explicitly defining, a priori, the underlying features that differentiate individual classes. These kernels, which are optimized to discriminate among multiple classes of signals, are referred to as signal class-dependent kernels, or simply class-dependent kernels. Here this technique is applied to the problem of radar transmitter identification. Several modifications to our earlier approach have been incorporated into the processing, and are detailed here. It will be shown that an overall classification rate of 100% can be achieved using our new augmented approach, provided exact time registration of the data is available. In practice, time registration can not be guaranteed. Therefore, the robustness of our technique to data misalignment is also investigated. A measurable performance loss is incurred in this case. A method for mitigating this loss by incorporating our class-dependent methodology within the framework of classification trees is proposed.
Neuropsychological Testing in Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Pilot Study

Diagnosing adult ADHD is frequently problematic because behavioral information from the patient's childhood, and multiple informants who can delineate the patient's current behavior, are often unavailable. This preliminary study was designed to explore whether objective neuropsychological testing may be a useful adjunct in the diagnosis of adult ADHD. Nineteen adults diagnosed with ADHD according to DSM-IV criteria, along with 10 controls, were assessed using a neuropsychological battery which comprised tests assessing linguistic, visual-spatial perceptual, academic, attentional and inhibitory control, mnestic and executive functions. Following preliminary analyses, designed to determine which variables best discriminated the groups, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the best measures both alone and in combination. Only three measures significantly (p < 0.01) distinguished the groups; Digits Backwards from the WAIS-R and two reaction time measures from a computerized task modeled after Luria's Competing Motor Programs. ROC curve analyses indicated that in combination these measures had greater than 90% accuracy for classifying ADHD and non-ADHD patients. While further research is necessary these preliminary findings suggest that neuropsychological testing may be a useful adjunct in the differential diagnosis of adult ADHD.
Autosomal recessive mutations in the development of Parkinson’s disease

Although Parkinson's disease was long considered a nongenetic disorder, it is now clear that there are multiple predisposing genes, and that the disorder can exhibit either Mendelian or non-Mendelian modes of inheritance. The identification of several of these genes has provided important insights into the pathogenesis of this common complex disorder. This article presents an overview of the genes associated with autosomal recessive Parkinson's disease, including Parkin (PARK2), PINK1 (PARK6), DJ1 (PARK7) and ATP13A2 (PARK9). Recently, it was recognized that mutations in the gene encoding glucocerebrosidase, the enzyme deficient in Gaucher disease, are associated with an increased incidence of parkinsonism. While Gaucher disease is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder, patients with Parkinson's disease can be Gaucher heterozygotes or homozygotes. Elucidating the basis for this association may shed light on new disease mechanisms that contribute to the development of parkinsonism.
Congenital myopathy, recurrent secretory diarrhea, bullous eruption of skin, microcephaly, and deafness: a new genetic syndrome?

We describe three siblings with congenital myopathy, bullous eruption of the skin, secretory diarrhea, apparent zinc deficiency, failure to thrive, deafness, and microcephaly. The parents are not consanguineous and there are no other affected relatives. This new syndrome, which follows an apparent autosomal recessive pattern, appears to be distinct from known syndromes of secretory diarrhea, myopathy, deafness, microcephaly, and zinc deficiency.
Probe point insertion for at-speed test

Some recent studies show that an at-speed sequential or functional test is better than a test executed at lower speed. Design-for-testability approaches based on full scan, partial scan, or silicon-based solutions like Crosscheck achieve very high stuck-at fault coverage. However, in all these cases, the tests have to be applied at speeds lower than the operation speed. In this paper, a design-for-test method which permits at-speed testing is introduced. The method is based on probe point insertion for improved observability. Improvements in fault coverage were made for all 16 of the ISCAS-80 benchmark circuits studied. Fault coverages between 99% and 100% were obtained for six circuits, and 100% ATG efficiency achieved on all but two circuits. >
Comparison of hybrid propulsion drive schemes

This paper provides a brief overview of a hybrid drives which have become popular in recent years. These drives combine two or more multilevel power inverters to obtain exceptional power quality which is necessary for Naval propulsion applications. Furthermore, for ship propulsion, where it may be difficult to obtain several isolated dc voltage sources, the inverter control can be set so that only one real dc power source is needed (or one per phase in the case of a series H-bridge type). Three types of hybrid drives considered and their advantages and limitations are described. Commonalities of the control of each hybrid drive type is discussed and three control schemes are applied to the various topologies in a set of simulation examples.
Ferrioxamine B derivatives as hepatobiliary contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging

Succinyl (SDF), phenylsuccinyl (PSDF), glutaryl (GDF), and phenylglutaryl (PGDF) derivatives of desferrioxamine B (DF) have been synthesized. In rats given the 59Fe(III) chelates of each these ligands at tracer levels, 82–94% of the 59Fe was eliminated within 1–2 days. 59Fe given as DF, SDF, and GDF chelates was excreted primarily in the urine, while nearly 50% of that given as PSDF and PGDF was excreted in the feces. Correspondingly, Fe-DF, Fe-SDF, and Fe-GDF (0.2 mmol/kg) produced early, marked renal, but no gastrointestinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enhancement. Fe-PSDF and Fe-PGDF (0.2 mmol/kg) produced marked and rapid MRI enhancement of the upper small intestine. In animals with cannulated bile ducts, 59Fe for 59Fe-PGDF (carrier added, 0.1 mmol/kg) appeared rapidly in the collected bile, but not in the intestinal contents, proving that the contrast agent reaches the bowel via the bile. These changes in the excretion and MRI enhancement patterns brought about by the presence of a phenyl substituent apparently were not related to changes in lipophilicity or protein binding. © 1991 Academic Press, Inc.
Dynamic surface pressure measurements on a square cylinder with pressure sensitive paint

The dynamic and static surface pressure on a square cylinder during vortex shedding was measured with pressure sensitive paints (PSPs) at three angles of incidence and a Reynolds number of 8.9×104. Oscillations in the phosphorescence intensity of the PSP that occurred at the vortex shedding frequency were observed. From these phosphorescent oscillations, the time-dependent changes in pressure distribution were calculated. This work extends PSP’s useful range to dynamic systems where oscillating pressure changes are on the order of 230 Pa and occur at frequencies in the range of 95–125 Hz.
Distribution of neotropical migratory bird species across an urbanizing landscape

Urbanization leads to long-term modification of landscapes by habitat loss, fragmentation, and the creation of new habitats. Species’ distributions respond to these modifications of habitat availability, but the combination of parameters and scale at which habitat alteration most strongly influences species distributions is poorly understood. We evaluated responses of neotropical migratory birds, a group known to be sensitive to habitat modification, across a gradient of urbanization in the southeastern United States. Thirteen Breeding Bird Survey routes, each with 40 to 50 point counts, were used to quantify species richness across the gradient of urbanization extending from downtown areas of Columbus, GA to natural woodlands. Buffers of 100, 200, and 1000 m radii were constructed from remote images around each counting point to quantify land-use with the goal of evaluating land-use parameters and scales that best described spatial variation in migrant bird species richness. Within each buffer we quantified the proportion of each cover type and within the 1000 m buffers we included several configuration parameters. We used an information-theoretic approach to separate models whose predictor variables were land-use parameters. Because measures of landscape configuration were all correlated with urban cover, these variables were entered separately. In 2002, the best model was composed of large-scale urban cover (negative effect) and mid-scale mixed hardwoods (negative and positive effect) and transitional cover (negative and positive effect) as well as the interaction between the latter two terms (positive effect). In 2003, the best model was composed of weighted edge density (negative effect), mid-scale mixed hardwood cover (negative and positive effect) and large scale transitional cover (positive effect) and the interaction between mixed hardwoods and weighted edge density (positive effect). Our results indicate that large scale habitat attributes influence the local species richness of migrant birds more than smaller scales. These results also indicate that urbanization, through increased urban cover or increasing edge contrast, has strong negative effects on species richness. Our findings support the contention that the conservation value of small woodlots in urban settings may be minimal and suggest that conservation of migratory birds will be best achieved by giving higher priority to sites where urban cover is still low and by preserving large areas of “green space” in urbanizing landscapes. The negative influence of urban cover combined with relatively minor effects of non-urban habitats on distributions of neotropical migratory birds indicates that continued urbanization of landscapes is a serious concern for conservation efforts.
Measuring Impulsivity-Reflection A Critical Review

This study was undertaken to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT), which was devised to measure conceptual tempo. The construct of impulsivity-reflection has been widely investigated by psychologists and educators. Epstein, Hallahan, and Kauffman (1975), in a recent review of literature, present evidence suggesting a significant relationship between impulsivity-reflection and the school learning problems of exceptional children. There are, however, general measurement problems associated with the MFFT that need to be considered. Data from this present study and from others may be interpreted to indicate that there are problems with the reliability and validity of the MFFT. The construct of impulsivity-reflection has validity, but the procedure used to measure this aspect of problem-solving needs to be re-examined. Studies using the MFFT should be interpreted with caution.
Secular Trends in Burmese Economic History, c. 1350–1830, and their Implications for State Formation

Scholars of Burma cannot, in good conscience, invoke the usual justification — lack of adequate primary materials — for failing to construct an economic history of the precolonial era. By comparison with Siam, Cambodia, the Malay principalities, or indeed any Indianized Southeast Asian society with the possible exception of Java, Burma offers a uniquely continuous and voluminous array of documents bearing on patterns of cultivation, monetization, taxation, and domestic and foreign trade from at least the fourteenth through the nineteenth centuries.
‘The embers of expiring sedition’: Maurice Margarot, the Scottish martyrs monument and the production of radical memory across the British South Pacific

Focusing on efforts by British political radicals in the later eighteen-thirties to commemorate Maurice Margarot as one of the ‘Scottish martyrs’ transported for sedition in 1794, this article argues that Chartist-era memorial practices represented a reaction to contemporary conservative built-form monuments which sought to use urban space to inculcate loyalism among metropolitan residents. Second, the article shows that divisions within radicalism during the eighteen-thirties meant that efforts to commemorate the martyrs constructed the radical past in a significantly restrictive way, emphasizing constitutionalist strands of the movement and marginalizing its more utopian, revolutionary or ‘Jacobin’ strains. Finally, by examining memories of political transportation with an eye to the domestic context, the article also seeks to make a contribution to ongoing debates about the place of empire within popular radicalism.
Religion in Social Change and Social Evolution

It is now time to try to pull together some of the themes and questions raised by the contributors to this book. My comments are not intended to settle controversies but merely to offer one more or less coherent opinion. My purpose is to help some readers to see the book as a whole. Other readers will need no help and may find my comments either wrong or nearly self-evident.
BTX biodegradation in activated sludge under multiple redox conditions

Activated sludge sequencing batch reactors were used to study BTX biodegradation under anoxic (denitrifying), microaerobic, and aerobic conditions. Toluene and m-xylene were biodegraded under denit...
Functional neuroanatomy of visuo-spatial working memory in turner syndrome

Turner syndrome (TS), a genetic disorder characterized by the absence of an X chromosome in females, has been associated with cognitive and visuo-spatial processing impairments. We utilized functional MRI (fMRI) to investigate the neural substrates that underlie observed deficits in executive functioning and visuo-spatial processing. Eleven females with TS and 14 typically developing females (ages 7-20) underwent fMRI scanning while performing 1-back and 2-back versions of a standard visuo-spatial working memory (WM) task. On both tasks, TS subjects performed worse than control subjects. Compared with controls, TS subjects showed increased activation in the left and right supramarginal gyrus (SMG) during the 1-back task and decreased activation in these regions during the 2-back task. In addition, decreased activation in the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and caudate nucleus was observed during the 2-back task in TS subjects. Activation differences localized to the SMG, in the inferior parietal lobe, may reflect deficits in visuo-spatial encoding and WM storage mechanisms in TS. In addition, deficits in the DLPFC and caudate may be related to deficits in executive function during WM performance. Together these findings point to deficits in frontal-striatal and frontal-parietal circuits subserving multiple WM functions in TS.
The underutilization of cardiac medications of proven benefit, 1990 to 2002.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate recent trends, we examined longitudinal national data on the outpatient use of warfarin in atrial fibrillation (AF), beta-blockers and aspirin in coronary artery disease (CAD), and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) in congestive heart failure (CHF). BACKGROUND Previous studies indicate that specific cardiac medications are underutilized. METHODS We used the National Disease and Therapeutic Index (NDTI) (produced by IMS HEALTH, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania) for 1990 to 2002, and the National Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys (NAMCS) for 1990 to 2000 to follow nationally representative samples of outpatient visits. For visits by patients with AF (total n = 14,634 visits), CAD (n = 35,295), and CHF (n = 33,008), we examined trends in the proportion of visits with the selected medications reported. RESULTS Warfarin use in AF increased from 12% in 1990, to 41% in 1995, to 58% in 2001 in NDTI; a similar moderation of recent increase was seen in NAMCS. For CAD in NDTI, beta-blocker use increased slowly from 19% in 1990, to 20% in 1995, then to 40% in 2001; NAMCS showed this same pattern. Aspirin use in CAD in NDTI increased from 18% in 1990, to 19% in 1995, to 38% in 2001; NAMCS, however, showed lower use rates. For NDTI, ACEI use in CHF increased from 24% in 1990 to 36% in 1996, but increased to only 39% by 2001, a general pattern also seen in NAMCS. CONCLUSIONS Both national datasets demonstrate continuing underutilization of these cardiac medications of proven benefit. Although use is increasing, it remains lower than expected, and some increases noted in earlier years have slowed. Substantial public health benefits would result from further adoption of these effective therapies.
Inactivation of the srtA gene affects localization of surface proteins and decreases adhesion of Streptococcus pneumoniae to human pharyngeal cells in vitro.

Inactivation of sortase gene srtA in Streptococcus pneumoniae strain R6 caused the release of -galactosidase and neuraminidase A (NanA) from the cell wall into the surrounding medium. Both of these surface proteins contain the LPXTG motif in the C-terminal domain. Complementation with plasmid-borne srtA reversed protein release. Deletion of murM, a gene involved in the branching of pneumococcal peptidoglycan, also caused partial release of -galactosidase, suggesting preferential attachment of the protein to branched muropeptides in the cell wall. Inactivation of srtA caused decreased adherence to human pharyngeal cells in vitro but had no effect on the virulence of a capsular type III strain of S. pneumoniae in the mouse intraperitoneal model. The observations suggest that—as in other gram-positive bacteria—sortase-dependent display of proteins occurs in S. pneumoniae and that some of these proteins may be involved in colonization of the human host.
Testing the stability of the suitability coefficients from an eastern Bering Sea multispecies virtual population analysis

Suitability coefficients are important for the estimation of predation mortality in a multispecies virtual population analysis (MSVPA) and subsequent use in the multispecies forecasting model (MSFOR). Testing the assumption of the stability of the suitability coefficients is important in assessing the robustness of the predictions made with MSFOR. We used different statistical methods to partially test this assumption for the eastern Bering Sea MSVPA model with eight species, using stomach content data for the years 1985e1989. Comparison of the estimates from two different sets of stomach content data (set one with all data and set two mainly with data from 1985) suggested that the differences between the two types of estimates were much reduced when the number of predator stomachs sampled increased. In a second approach, we contrasted the residual variances of partial data sets with the results from the fit of the total data set. Results suggested a small increase (w10.8%) in the variation of the suitability coefficients. Comparison of the means of the suitability coefficients associated with each predator species suggests that only 13 of the 50 possible pairwise contrasts were significantly different (aZ 0.05). In general, results suggested that the predator preferences and prey vulnerabilities remained stable over the time period studied. Therefore, MSFOR could be considered as a tool to advise fisheries managers within a multispecies context.
Hospital, Patient, and Local Health System Characteristics Associated with the Prevalence and Duration of Observation Care

In May 2013, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register outlining changes to the Medicare billing policy for observation care (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 2013). The proposed rule would limit the duration of an observation stay by automatically converting any stay in excess of two midnights to an inpatient admission. The proposed rule was issued in response to growing policy concerns over the increasing use and extended duration of observation stays among Medicare beneficiaries, as summarized in a July 2013 report from the Office of Inspector General (2013). These most recent developments are merely the latest in what has been a series of congressional hearings, lawsuits, and advocacy efforts focused on observation care policy (Center for Medicare Advocacy 2011, 2012; Morgan 2011). When patients present at the emergency department, their symptoms may warrant further close evaluation and monitoring rather than immediate hospitalization or discharge. In such cases, physicians may place the patient under observation care, defined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as “specific, clinically appropriate services, which include ongoing short-term treatment, assessment, and re-assessment that are furnished while a decision is being made regarding whether patients will require further treatment as hospital inpatients or if they are able to be discharged from the hospital” (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 2011). From the provider's perspective, observation care often uses fewer resources than inpatient care, can improve diagnostic accuracy, and may reduce patient risks associated with hospitalization (Farkouh et al. 1998; Baugh, Venkatesh, and Bohan 2011). However, observation care can also have unintended consequences for patients. For example, Medicare beneficiaries are responsible for a $147 deductible and 20 percent co-insurance for most outpatient services (up to 100 percent for some hospital charges). By contrast, if patients are admitted to the hospital, they pay a single $1,184 deductible for the first 60 days and are not responsible for any additional charges. Therefore, an observation stay can impose greater financial liability on patients than an inpatient admission (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 2012a). Evidence suggests that the burden is substantial for some patients, leading to growing interest in this issue among policy makers and Medicare advocacy groups (Armstrong 2010; Center for Medicare Advocacy 2010, 2011; Jaffe 2010). Several studies have described the increasing prevalence and duration of observation stays as well as the characteristics of patients and the costs and benefits associated with observation care (Cooke, Higgins, and Kidd 2003; Mace et al. 2003; Schuur, Venkatesh, and Bohan 2010; Venkatesh et al. 2011; Feng, Wright, and Mor 2012).
Vector quantization and clustering: a pyramid approach

A multi-resolution K-means clustering method is presented. Starting with a low resolution sample of the input data the K-means algorithm is applied to a sequence of monotonically increasing-resolution samples of the given data. The cluster centers obtained from a low resolution stage are used as initial cluster centers for the next stage which is a higher resolution stage. The idea behind this method is that a good estimation of the initial location of the cluster centers can be obtained through K-means clustering of a sample of the input data. K-means clustering of the entire data with the initial cluster centers estimated by clustering a sample of the input data, reduces the convergence time of the algorithm.
Sexual and Reproductive Health Care for Women with Intellectual Disabilities: A Primary Care Perspective

Adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) face multiple health disparities and challenges to accessing health care. Little is known about sexual health care of this population and about how to optimize women's reproductive health care for women with intellectual disabilities. Women with ID face important barriers to care, including lack of provider training and experience, hesitancy to broach the topic of sexual health, a lack of sexual knowledge and limited opportunities for sex education, disability-related barriers, higher prevalence of sexual abuse and assault, often underreported, lack of dialogue around this population's human right to consensual sexual expression, undertreatment of menstrual disorders, and legal and systemic barriers. We conducted a limited literature review related to six aspects of sexual health care of women with ID, including barriers to sexual health care, sex education, sexual abuse and consensual sexuality, contraception, screening for sexually transmitted infections and cervical cancer, and pregnancy and parenting. After providing background information about each topic, we suggest practice recommendations for primary care clinicians, using a rights-based framework.
Intravascular Lymphoma Masquerading as Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder: An Atypical Presentation (P4.164)

OBJECTIVE: Describe an unusual presentation of intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL). BACKGROUND: IVLBCL is an aggressive, rare disease characterized by preferential growth of neoplastic cells within small vessel lumina. Diagnosis is difficult due to its nonspecific clinical presentation. DESIGN/METHODS: A 64 year old woman presented with a ten day history of left leg pain, numbness, and acute bowel and bladder incontinence. MRI showed T2 hyperintensity and intramedullary enhancement of the conus medullaris. Labs and lumbar puncture were unremarkable. The incontinence persisted after five days of methylprednisolone. Three weeks later she developed paraplegia. MRI showed thoracic cord edema from T6 to T12 without enhancement. CSF contained 16 WBC and 60 protein. No improvement was seen after acyclovir, additional methylprednisolone, or plasmaphoresis. Three months later she had two ischemic strokes followed by respiratory failure. Within the next month she developed multiple cerebral infarcts with cortical hemorrhagic necrosis, and she succumbed to the disease. RESULTS: Final spine MRI showed cord edema from C5-C6 to the conus with thoracic and conus enhancement. Final brain MRI showed mixed age infarctions in the bilateral cerebral hemispheres and right cerebellum with regions of cortical hemorrhagic necrosis. Laboratory studies included negative NMO-IgG, ESR 64, CRP 88, fibrinogen 623, and LDH 493. CSF IgG and albumin were elevated, and CSF cytology showed scattered neutrophils and lymphoid cells. All other autoimmune, coagulopathy, paraneoplastic, and infectious labs were unremarkable. Autopsy revealed IVLBCL involving multiple organs. CONCLUSIONS: This is an unusual presentation of IVLBCL initially presenting as NMO spectrum disorder with a longitudinally extensive cord lesion. Disease progression later included extensive cerebral infarctions and cortical necrosis. Diagnosis requires tissue biopsy, which is often difficult in critically ill patients. Random skin biopsy reaches a sensitivity of 71.4[percnt] and may provide an early diagnosis in patients with aggressive, idiopathic CNS disease and suspected IVLBCL. Disclosure: Dr. Hupman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation for activities with Lundbeck Research USA, Inc., and Allergan, Inc. Dr. Singer has received research support from Allergan, Inc., Teva Neuroscience, and Ipsen.
Assessing mature technology: what is the effect of high-quality risk stratification evidence with exercise echocardiography and single-photon emission computed tomography imaging?

In this issue of the Journal , Metz et al. ([1][1]) provide a systematic review on the prognostic value of exercise myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and echocardiography (Echo). In the field of cardiac imaging there has been a shift from reports on its diagnostic accuracy toward risk
A Markov Chain-based quantitative study of angular distribution of photons through turbid slabs via isotropic light scattering

Abstract This paper describes a quantitative approach to approximate multiple scattering through an isotropic turbid slab based on Markov Chain theorem. There is an increasing need to utilize multiple scattering for optical diagnostic purposes; however, existing methods are either inaccurate or computationally expensive. Here, we develop a novel Markov Chain approximation approach to solve multiple scattering angular distribution (AD) that can accurately calculate AD while significantly reducing computational cost compared to Monte Carlo simulation. We expect this work to stimulate ongoing multiple scattering research and deterministic reconstruction algorithm development with AD measurements.
High dietary selenium intake alters tissue lipid and protein profiles and metabolisms of growing pigs

We previously demonstrated that high dietary Se intake induced mild hyperinsulinemia and up-regulated lipogenesis and protein synthesis signaling. The present study was conducted to reveal impacts ...
The Role of the Excluded Strand in Hexameric Helicase Unwinding

Replicative helicases are essential for DNA replication in organisms across all domains of life. The steric exclusion model of unwinding, where one strand is encircled by the hexameric helicase and the other is excluded from the central channel during unwinding, is widely accepted. However, many details of the helicase loading and unwinding mechanisms remain unknown. The role of the excluded strand is increasingly being recognized as a significant factor in helicase unwinding mechanisms. Recently, our group showed that an interaction between the excluded strand and the outer surface of the 3’-5’ MCM helicase from Sulfolobus solfataricus (Sso) is critical for unwinding activity.Using single-molecule FRET, we now show that this interaction also exists for the hexameric E.coli DnaB (EcDnaB) helicase, which has an opposite 5’-3’ polarity, and that similar dynamics are exhibited by both helicases. However, this interaction does not stimulate unwinding in the case of EcDnaB, and mutational analysis shows that disrupting the wrapping interaction instead leads to enhanced unwinding. This suggests that the wrapping interaction can have different roles that depend on helicase polarity and replisome architecture. Two hyperactive EcDnaB mutants were identified and characterized during the mutational analysis. These novel mutants have ∼20-fold enhanced unwinding activity that is not dependent on enhanced ATPase rates or the wrapping interaction. We hypothesize that these mutants may provide insight into the structural changes required for DNA unwinding by EcDnaB. Details of DNA unwinding mechanisms are continually being revealed, and it is likely that many helicases utilize an excluded strand wrapping interaction. However, the excluded strand interaction could play varying roles during DNA replication initiation and elongation depending on the local replisome architecture.
Development of Power Amplifier Based on PA52 Chip

In order to study the self-discharge characteristics of the spark gap of series compensation device,a high power amplifier which is suitable for power supply of spark gap self-discharge test is developed by utilizing a high current MOSFET power operational chip PA52.Therefore,this paper analyzed the definite relationship between the amplifier’s efficiency,output voltage and system power supply,adopted DC-DC isolated power supply modules to enhance the output voltage swing,and designed a negative feedback protection circuit to limit the current to improve the security of the power amplifier.This power amplifier can provide a maximum single-ended output voltage of 160V(peak to peak),a voltage gain of 20dB,a maximum current of 4A,a maximum power of 200W and a maximum efficiency of 75.3% with a 20(pure resistant load.The experimental results show that the power amplifier can meet the requirements of the test power supply for studying spark gap self-discharge characteristic due to its small nonlinear distortion,powerful load capacity and high efficiency.
Photoperiod-dependent fat pad mass and cellularity changes after partial lipectomy in Siberian hamsters

Long day (LD)-housed Siberian hamsters show compensatory mass increases in nonexcised white adipose tissue (WAT) after partial lipectomy, whereas hamsters exposed to short days (SDs) for 22 wk do not. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the cellularity changes underlying lipectomy-induced WAT compensation and whether the duration of SD exposure affects this compensation. Male Siberian hamsters were epididymal (E) or inguinal (I) WAT lipectomized (x) or sham-lipectomized (Sham) and either remained in LDs or were transferred to SDs and killed 6 or 12 wk later. In LDs, lipectomized hamsters showed compensatory mass increases in retroperitoneal WAT (RWAT) due to hyperplasia. IWAT mass also was increased by approximately 40% in LD-housed EWATx hamsters because of nonsignificant increases in adipocyte size and number at weeks 6 and 12, respectively. SD-housed hamsters responded to lipectomy by delaying the SD-associated body fat loss so that RWAT mass was reduced only one-third as much in lipectomized as in Sham hamsters, and the IWAT adipocytes of EWATx hamsters were larger than in Sham hamsters at week 6. At week 12, there was little indication of fat pad compensation by SD-housed hamsters. Collectively, the results of the present experiment and our previous study (16) suggest that the inhibitory effect of SDs on fat pad compensation after lipectomy increases with prolonged SD exposure.
Networking with Middleton and Jonson: Theater, Law, and Social Documents

AbstractThis essay examines the intersection of legal networks, theater performance, and social spaces in Jacobean London. Thomas Middleton's The Phoenix (1604) and Michaelmas Term (1604‐06) along with Ben Jonson's The Devil Is an Ass (1616) are replete with references to legal documents and their circulation, as well as with men of the law and legal business. This analysis re‐thinks Middleton's plays’ apparent reviling of law and legal characters and considers a new social space opened up by the refutation of hierarchical and judicial authority in The Devil Is an Ass. Using Bruno Latour's Actor‐Network Theory, the essay uses the staging of legal documents in circulation to reveal social networks in the plays’ imagined Londons. The virtual London on stage comes about through the mapping of a city of social and legal interactions. The actor‐network analysis can provide new ways of seeing the plays’ challenges to everyday urban practices, their questioning of the stabilization of social expectations, and th...
New Standards for Life Guard Training

(1978). New Standards for Life Guard Training. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 49, Including Leisure Today, pp. 70-72.
A walk on the warped side: Astrophysics with gravitational waves

With the discovery of gravitational waves from the binary black hole merger GW150914, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory entered a new era in observational astrophysics. In this talk, I will discuss the astrophysical implications of this discovery as well as the status of searches for other promising sources of gravitational waves.
Iranian classical music: the discourse and practice of creativity

Iranian Classical Music is a significant work that takes its place in a long series of publications whose main purpose is to explain the character of Persian classical music as it has existed since...
DC link voltage balancing technique for cascaded H-bridge multilevel converter with selective harmonic current mitigation-PWM

In low frequency modulation techniques, grid-tied cascaded h-bridge (CHB) converter need to meet power quality standards. In addition, the effects of grid voltage harmonics must be considered in modulation technique. Furthermore, the DC link voltages of grid-tied converter need to be regulated. In this paper, a selective harmonic current mitigation-PWM (SHCM-PWM) technique is used to meet the current harmonic limits of power quality standard, when the effects of grid voltage harmonics are considered in the equation set of optimization process. Additionally, a voltage balancing technique based on average power, which flows through each cell, is obtained to regulate the DC link voltages of CHB converter without using DC voltage sensors. By using the proposed voltage balancing technique, the CHB converter also does not need complex DC link voltage controller. As a result, the cost and complexity of grid-tied converter is significantly reduced. To validate the proposed voltage balancing technique with SHCM-PWM modulation technique, simulations and experiments conduct on 7-level grid-tied CHB converter.
EASY-An Instrument for Surveillance of Physical Activity in Youth.

ABSTRACTPurposePhysical activity (PA) promotion among youth is a public health priority, and there is a need for robust surveillance systems to help support such initiatives. Existing youth PA self-report instruments that are used for surveillance lack information regarding the types and contexts of
Two Notions of Metaphysical Modality

The paper explores the project of an ambitious modal epistemology that attempts to combine the a priori methods of Chalmers’ 2D semantics with Kripke’s modal metaphysics. I argue that such a project is not viable. The ambitious modal epistemology involves an inconsistent triad composed of (1) Modal Monism, (2) Two-Dimensionalism, and what I call (3) “Metaphysical Kripkeanism”. I present the three theses and show how only two of those can be true at a time. There is a fundamental incompatibility between Chalmers’ Modal Rationalism and Kripke’s modal metaphysics. Specifically, Chalmers’ conceivability entails possibilities that a Kripkean rejects as genuinely metaphysical. However, three positive stances in modal epistemology emerge from the combinations that the triad allows. One of those offers a promising way forward for 2D modal epistemologies. But it comes with a cost, as it requires abandoning modal monism and reshaping the scope of what a priori conceivability can give us access to.
Blood lipids in normal and subdiabetic rabbits before and after the induction of hypercholesterolaemia

Blood lipid values were determined in 48 normal, 56 subdiabetic and 6 overtly alloxan-diabetic rabbits before and after the initiation of experimental hypercholesterolaemia. Subdiabetes, induced by small doses of alloxan or by sequentially administered injections of cortisone and alloxan, is characterized by normoglyaemia changing to hyperglycaemia following repeated, normally nondiabetogenic small cortisone injections. Before cholesterol feeding, the subdiabetic rabbits attained considerably higher cholesterol, phospholipid, nonesterified fatty acid and total lipid levels than did the metabolically normal animals. The corresponding prefeeding levels of the alloxan-diabetic rabbits were also higher than normal, but their average cholesterol and phospholipid values remained lower than in the subdiabetic animals. During cholesterol feeding, the averages of all lipid fractions, especially in the subdiabetic and alloxan-diabetic animals, rose considerably for 8 weeks; thereafter, they tended to decline but continued to remain abnormally high, and only minor differences between the experimental groups persisted.