cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exact Parallelization of the Stochastic Simulation Algorithm for Scalable Simulation of Large Biochemical Networks.

Comprehensive simulations of the entire biochemistry of cells have great potential to help physicians treat disease and help engineers design biological machines. But such simulations must model networks of millions of molecular species and reactions. The Stochastic Simulation Algorithm (SSA) is widely used for simulating biochemistry, especially systems with species populations small enough that discreteness and stochasticity play important roles. However, existing serial SSA methods are prohibitively slow for comprehensive networks, and existing parallel SSA methods, which use periodic synchronization, sacrifice accuracy. To enable fast, accurate, and scalable simulations of biochemistry, we present an exact parallel algorithm for SSA that partitions a biochemical network into many SSA processes that simulate in parallel. Our parallel SSA algorithm exactly coordinates the interactions among these SSA processes and the species state they share by structuring the algorithm as a parallel discrete event simulation (DES) application and using an optimistic parallel DES simulator to synchronize the interactions. We anticipate that our method will enable unprecedented biochemical simulations.
Impact of Compliance with Anatomical Guidelines of “Bell-Bottom” Iliac Stent Grafts for Ectatic or Aneurysmal Iliac Arteries

To evaluate the impact of compliance with anatomical guidelines on outcomes of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair using “bell-bottom” stent grafts (BBSGs). This is a retrospective review from January 1999 to May 2012 of patients who underwent endovascular infrarenal abdominal aneurysm repair and whose iliac limbs were greater than 18 mm in diameter. Computed tomography angiography was utilized for compliance with anatomical guidelines as stated in manufacturer’s instructions for use (IFU). The primary outcome observed was iliac limb events. The secondary outcome observed was the need for re-intervention due to BBSG failure. Of the 376 BBSGs, 55 (15%) in 27 patients met IFU. Aneurysm exclusion was achieved in all patients. The mean follow-up was 44 ± 30 months. Twenty-eight patients (11%) had 29 iliac limb events (12 type 1b endoleaks, 4 aneurysm sac growth, 4 stenosis/kink, 4 retrograde migrations, 2 component separations, 2 ruptures and 1 limb occlusion); all among patients treated outside of IFU (p < 0.04). The rate of aneurysm sac enlargement was similar between both groups, at 56%, respectively, between those treated within and those treated outside of IFU. On multivariate regression analysis, larger common iliac artery (CIA) (HR 1.088, 95% CI 1.016–1.166, p = 0.016), greater CIA tortuosity (HR 2.352, 95% CI 1.004–5.509, p = 0.048) and limbs with more than two characteristics that did not meet IFU criteria (HR 3.84, 95% CI 1.15–12.83, p = 0.03) were associated with higher rates of BBSG events and re-interventions. BBSGs effectively seal ectatic CIAs. But rates of iliac limb events and re-interventions are higher among patients who do not meet IFU criteria. The larger CIA diameter, the greater CIA tortuosity and more than two criteria not met by IFU were associated with BBSG failure and re-intervention.
To Kill a Microglia: A Case for CSF1R Inhibitors

Microglia, the brain's immune sentinels, have garnered much attention in recent years. Researchers have begun to identify the manifold roles that these cells play in the central nervous system (CNS), and this work has been greatly facilitated by microglial depletion paradigms. The varying degrees of spatiotemporal manipulation afforded by such techniques allow microglial ablation before, during, and/or following insult, injury, or disease. We review the major methods of microglial depletion, including toxin-based, genetic, and pharmacological approaches, which differ in key factors including depletion onset, duration, and off-target effects. We conclude that pharmacological CSF1R inhibitors afford the most extensive versatility in manipulating microglia, making them ideal candidates for future studies investigating microglial function in health and disease.
Prospective validation of a rapid CT-based bone mineral density screening method using colored spinal images

To prospectively validate a method to accurately and rapidly differentiate normal from abnormal spinal bone mineral density (BMD) using colored abdominal CT images. For this prospective observational study, 196 asymptomatic women ≥ 50 years of age presenting for screening mammograms underwent routine nonenhanced CT imaging of the abdomen. The CT images were processed with software designed to generate sagittal colored images with green vertebral trabecular bone indicating normal BMD and red indicating abnormal BMD (low BMD or osteoporosis). Four radiologists evaluated L1/L2 BMD on sagittal images using visual assessment of grayscale images, quantitative measurements of mean vertebral attenuation, and visual assessment of colored images. Mean BMD values at L1/L2 using quantitative CT with a phantom served as the reference standard. The average accuracy and time of interpretation were calculated. Inter-observer agreement was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Mean attenuation at L1/L2 was highly correlated with mean BMD (r = 0.96/0.91, p < 0.001 for both). The average accuracy and mean time to assess BMD among four readers for differentiating normal from abnormal BMD was 66% and 6.0 s using visual assessment of grayscale images, 88% and 15.2 s using quantitative measurements of mean vertebral attenuation, and 92% and 2.1 s using visual assessment of colored images (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Inter-observer agreement was poor using visual assessment of grayscale images (ICC:0.31), good using quantitative measurements of mean vertebral attenuation (ICC:0.73), and excellent using visual assessment of colored images (ICC:0.90). Detection of abnormal BMD using colored abdominal CT images was highly accurate, rapid, and had excellent inter-observer agreement.
COVID-19-related jock tax revenue losses in US states

The rise of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus led to the postponement, and possible cancellation, of the remainder of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2019–20 season. Major League Baseball'...
Validation of LACE Spacecraft Vibroacoustic Prediction Model

The purpose of this article is threefold:• To verify that the VibroAcoustic Payload Environment Prediction System (VAPEPS), as developed by the Lockheed Missile and Space Company and monitored by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), is a viable means of predicting spacecraft component responses to an acoustic environment.• To address the determination of important parameters in the creation of a Statistical Energy Model in order to achieve accurate results using VAPEPS.• To present a technique for deriving component random vibration test levels from these results.
Perspectives of Women Who Forgo Post-mastectomy Breast Reconstruction: A Mixed Methods Analysis.

Despite a growing body of evidence suggesting improved psychosocial well-being and survival after post-mastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR), rates remain stagnant at approximately 40%. Although PMBR access and utilization have been well reported, there is much less known from the point of view of women who decide not to undergo PMBR. This study uses a mixed methods approach to fill that gap by investigating the patient-level decisions that lead to foregoing PMBR. Methods A concurrent triangulation model under mixed methods research (MMR) was employed using in-depth qualitative interviews and the BREAST-Q questionnaire. Interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached and were analyzed using iterative methodologies under the grounded-theory framework. Reliability checks included inter-rater reliability using Cohen's kappa statistic (mean kappa = 0.99) and triangulation. Results Interviews with 8 patients who declined PMBR revealed (1) lack of trust in plastic surgeons; (2) reliance on self-developed support; (3) desire to resume normal life; (4) perceived lack of equivalency between reconstructed and natural breasts. Concurrent triangulation between the data revealed dissonance between the BREAST-Q scores for psychosocial well-being and reported levels of satisfaction. Conclusions Women in this study highlighted certain deficits in the current pathway to reconstruction: lack of trust, resources, and counseling. Such feelings of suspicion and reported opposition to PMBR are at odds with low scores for satisfaction with breasts and sexual well-being. These findings can be used to guide efforts that engender confidence, provide support, empower vulnerable patient groups, and increase utilization of PMBR.
Failure of preoperative co-morbidity indices to predict the successful use of the composite scapula free flap for maxillofacial reconstruction in patients with significant medical co-morbidities.

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of validated preoperative patient co-morbidity assessments, including the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP), with the use of the composite scapula free flap (CSFF) in maxillofacial reconstruction in patients with significant medical co-morbidities. A retrospective cohort review was performed at an academic institution, covering the period from July 2010 through January 2019. All patients who underwent reconstruction with a CSFF with significant medical co-morbidities were included. Co-morbidity assessments and risk factors were analyzed by comparing predicted versus observed early and late medical and surgical complications. Forty-five patients met the inclusion criteria. The surgical complication rate was 47%; the medical complication rate was 38%. Over 90% of patients returned to successful function at 3 months post-surgery. The ACS-NSQIP prediction of complications ranged from 58% to 75% for accuracy, 76% to 100% for sensitivity, and 50% to 69% for specificity. The prediction of a serious complication was statistically significant in patients with a Charlson Co-morbidity Index ≥7. Age ≥80 years did not significantly increase the risk of a serious complication (P = 0.23). The ACS-NSQIP failed to predict the successful use of the CSFF for patients with significant co-morbidities undergoing maxillofacial reconstruction. The selection of patients who will tolerate complex reconstruction cannot be based solely on co-morbidity charts and standardized preoperative indices.
Non-functional neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas: Advances in diagnosis and management

Nonfunctional neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas (NF-PNETs) are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms. Although rare, the incidence of NF-PNETs is increasing significantly. The classification of PNETs has evolved over the past decades and is now based on a proliferation grading system. While most NF-PNETs are slow growing, tumors with more aggressive biology may become incurable once they progress to unresectable metastatic disease. Tumors of higher grade can be suspected preoperatively based on the presence of calcifications, hypoenhancement on arterial phase computed tomography, positron emission technology avidity and lack of octreotide scan uptake. Surgery is the only curative treatment and is recommended for most patients for whom complete resection is possible. Liver-directed therapies (thermal ablation, transarterial embolization) can be useful in controlling unresectable hepatic metastatic disease. In the presence of unresectable progressive disease, somatostatin analogues, everolimus and sunitinib can prolong progression-free survival. This article provides a comprehensive review of NF-PNETs with special emphasis on recent advances in diagnosis and management.
Chapter 6 Thermoelectric properties of the transition metal pentatellurides: Potential low-temperature thermoelectric materials

Summary In summary, we have presented an overview of the transport properties of a group of materials called pentatellurides. These materials exhibit a plethora of transport phenomena as outlined and presented in this review. The transport properties of these materials make them interesting and promising for potential low-temperature thermoelectric applications. Obviously we do not have a complete theoretical picture and description of these materials. Much more work, including detailed band structure calculations as a function of temperature, is needed. In addition, very careful structural studies as a function of temperature will be necessary to a proper under-standing of the role of the structure in any forthcoming theoretical description. An extensive amount of experimental data is being produced, and it is our hope that this will inspire more theoretical involvement in these materials. Understanding the origin of the anomaly will be key to the further development of these materials for potential use as a low-temperature thermoelectric material.
Development of novel serotonin 7-targeting compounds based on the 2-dimethylaminotetralin scaffold (1059.13)

The serotonin (5-HT) 7 G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) is the most recent 5-HT receptor cloned, and is expressed in both the periphery and the CNS. Reports propose 5-HT7 receptors are involved in a wide range of CNS functions, including modulation of circadian rhythms, sleep, pain, body temperature, and cognition. 5-HT7 receptors couple to Gαs, leading to activation of adenylyl cyclases and production of cAMP. Due to paucity of available, selective 5-HT7 ligands, the complexity of CNS processes and to a limited number of studies examining 5-HT7, however, there is no consensus about 5-HT7 receptor CNS neuropharmacological function. We have begun an iterative 5-HT7 receptor structure-based ligand synthesis program to develop novel 5-HT7-targeting phenylaminotetralin (PAT) compounds. A molecular model of the 5-HT7 receptor was built by homology to the recently reported structure of the 5-HT1B GPCR, and computational ligand docking studies were undertaken. Computational results were validated by experimenta...
Suicides in active-duty enlisted Navy personnel.

Cases of completed suicide among U.S. Navy enlisted personnel occurring from 1974 through 1985 were identified and compared with similar rates in the U.S. general population and in the U.S. Army. Although the Navy suicide rate was the lowest of the three groups, this rate increased between 1976 and 1983. This was in contrast to national and Army trends during the same period. Young white males in the apprentice/recruit and blue-collar occupations had the highest rates of completed suicide in the Navy. Recommendations for prevention and treatment are discussed.
Pregnancy following operation for congenital absence of vagina

Abstract This is a report of a case of successful childbearing following an operation for the construction of an artificial vagina in a patient who presented the following anomalies: Agenesia of the vagina, left tube and ovary, left round ligament, left infundibulopelvic and left uterosacral ligaments, together with agenesia of left kidney and the presence of an abdominal ninth rib on the left side. In this case the Graves' operation for the construction of an artificial vagina was eminently successful, although a modification in the technique has been suggested. The patient is now pregnant for the second time. It is very important in the aftercare of patients operated upon for vaginal agenesis to stretch the artificial vagina twice weekly for six months. If they are married they should have coitus twice weekly during this time. The tendency to contraction of the artificial vagina, however, is over at the end of six months.
The effect of sugars on viscosity of pectin solutions: I. Comparison of corn sirup with sucrose solutions

Abstract The relative viscosity of citrus pectin solutions in the range of 0 to 0.20% in 23.5% sucrose, in 23.5% corn sirup solids, and in mixtures of these was measured to investigate the interaction between pectin and sugar or corn sirup saccharides. Sucrose was found to increase the viscosity of pectin solutions whereas corn sirup solids reduced it. The interaction was found to involve conformational changes in the pectin micelle of the type reported by Liberti and Stivala for a number of polyelectrolytes. The results obtained conform better to the Liberti and Stivala interpretation of interaction than to the Fuoss interpretation. The difference between sucrose and corn sirup solids was ascribed to the possible effect of dextrins present rather than to the effect of dextrose or maltose.
Multilevel Local Anesthetic Nerve Blockade for the Treatment of Generalized Vulvodynia: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACT Introduction Vulvodynia is a common pain disorder among women with a major impact on sexual functioning and quality of life. There are few published studies addressing the treatment of the pain of generalized vulvodynia or of generalized vulvodynia accompanying localized pain in the region of the vulvar vestibule. Aim A prospective, noncontrolled pilot study was conducted to assess the efficacy of a novel treatment using caudal epidural, pudendal nerve block, and vulvar infiltration of local anesthetic agents. Main Outcome Measures The main outcome measure was vulvar pain as assessed by the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ). The secondary outcome measures were depressed mood evaluated with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and sexual functioning assessed by the Female Sexual Functioning Inventory (FSFI). Methods Thirty‐two women with vulvodynia met inclusion criteria and 26 women completed the study. The protocol included five treatment sessions with multilevel local anesthetic nerve blockade and a follow‐up contact or visit 2–3 months later. Results There were significant improvements in vulvar pain as determined by both the sensory and affective components of the MPQ and in depression as assessed by the BDI. However, there were no changes in sexual functioning on the FSFI. Conclusion Serial multilevel nerve block administered for the treatment of vulvodynia is a neurophysiologically based modality that may be effective and merits a placebo‐controlled study. McDonald JS and Rapkin AJ. Multilevel local anesthetic nerve blockade for the treatment of generalized vulvodynia: A pilot study. J Sex Med 2012;9:2919–2926.
Body composition at birth in preterm infants between 30 and 36 weeks gestation.

Summary Background The American Academy of Pediatrics calls for aggressive management of preterm infants to achieve body composition approximating that of the healthy infant in utero. Air displacement plethysmography (ADP) has been validated for assessment of body composition in preterm infants and could be used to monitor their nutritional status during hospitalization. Comparative datasets on body composition at birth among healthy, live-born preterm infants are lacking. Objective The aim of this study is to provide the first descriptive fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) data from healthy newborn preterm infants at birth as a proxy for healthy in utero body composition. Methods Body mass and volume were obtained using ADP within 72 h of birth in 98 singleton, appropriate-for-gestational-age preterm infants. FM and FFM were calculated using the Fomon equation. Results Measurement with ADP was feasible and well tolerated by infants as young as 30 weeks gestation and <72 h of age. FFM and FM increased linearly over the gestational age range period at rates of 171 and 46 g week−1, respectively. Mean values obtained by ADP by gestational week were similar to the previously published reference data from chemical analysis on stillbirths. Conclusions Body composition assessment using ADP is feasible in newborn preterm infants and provides group estimates similar to that of the reference fetus. In the future, integrating body composition information into the nutritional management of preterm infants may help to identify new strategies to optimize growth and development in this vulnerable population.
Trauma Patients: Health Insurance Reform Is Only the Beginning.

With the passing of the Affordable Care Act and the need for policymakers to focus on implementing the individual mandate, the article by Osler et al1 comes at a most needed time. This article adds to the nationaldebateby findinga surprising and interesting result: excessive deaths associated with increased insurance coverage among nonelderly adult trauma patients. The implications of the study are immediately evident; however,wemust interpret the resultswithin the correct context. The study reports an interesting association that is not causation. As a high-level study, with little sensitivity analysis to test for robustness of the findings, there are many epiphenomena that could confound the results. First, in 2008, an amendment to the original law passed2 thatdevelopedstandards foruniformbillingandcodingacross Massachusetts.Asdocumentedpreviously, injury coding is an imperfect process.3-5 In a review of Veteran Affairs discharge records, only 74%of patientswith injuries had an injury code documented.3 As a result, establishing uniform coding practices would only lead to improved injury coding and subsequent increases in injury-related mortality rates. Interestingly, the implementation of uniform coding across the state coincides with the increase in mortality rates in the study. Second, during the period of increased mortality, more nonelderly adults with injuries had insurance when visiting the hospital. Newly insured patients who would have previously been admitted for lack of access to services could now be safely discharged to outpatient specialty services. This increase in discharges of insured patients would result in a disproportionate increase in the number of sicker trauma patients being admitted to the hospital. Overall, the results of the study add to the national debate and require further study. If the findings prove true, the study adds to the growing discussion that health insurance is onlyone—albeit an important—aspectof the solution toournation’s health care crisis.
iPGA: incremental principal geodesic analysis with applications to movement disorder classification.

The nonlinear version of the well known PCA called the Principal Geodesic Analysis (PGA) was introduced in the past decade for statistical analysis of shapes as well as diffusion tensors. PGA of diffusion tensor fields or any other manifold-valued fields can be a computationally demanding task due to the dimensionality of the problem and thus establishing motivation for an incremental PGA (iPGA) algorithm. In this paper, we present a novel iPGA algorithm that incrementally updates the current Karcher mean and the principal sub-manifolds with any newly introduced data into the pool without having to recompute the PGA from scratch. We demonstrate substantial computational and memory savings of iPGA over the batch mode PGA for diffusion tensor fields via synthetic and real data examples. Further, we use the iPGA derived representation in an NN classifier to automatically discriminate between controls, Parkinson’s Disease and Essential Tremor patients, given their HARDI brain scans.
An atypical case of reverse Takotsubo cardiomyopathy during general anesthesia in a 30-year-old male with post-traumatic stress disorder.

AKOTSUBO CARDIOMYOPATHY, also referred to as transient left ventricular ballooning syndrome or stressinduced cardiomyopathy, describes a rapid-onset, yet reversible systolic dysfunction that typically is triggered by an acute, stressful event. The pathophysiology is not completely understood, and similar presentations have been described as a result of the endocrine crisis of pheochromocytoma, 1 subarachnoid hemorrhage, 2 and Guillain-Barre syndrome. 3 A wide heterogeneity of presentation suggests that multiple overlapping mechanisms such as neurogenic catecholamine-induced myocardial stunning, 4 microvascular dysfunction, 5 and multivessel epicardial spasm 6,7 may play a role. Symptoms mimic an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Patients present with ischemic electrocardiographic changes, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, and a balloon-like contractility pattern that portrays a unique wall-motion abnormality that extends beyond the myocardial territory of a single coronary artery. The classic form presents as transient apical ballooning with basal hypercontractility. In more rare cases of reverse Takotsubo, the opposite is observed—transient dilatation of the basal segments of the heart with hyperkinesis of the apex. It has been estimated that 0.5% to 2% of patients with symptoms of an acute coronary syndrome may have Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. 7,8 Of these, 95% are postmenopausal women with a median age of 63 years. 4 For the first time, the authors present a case of anesthesia-induced reverse Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in a young, healthy male with a history of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this atypical patient, anesthesia, perioperative stressors, and chronic psychologic distress may have triggered transient left ventricular ballooning.
Beneficial and Detrimental Effects of Glycemic Control on Cardiovascular Disease in Type 2 Diabetes

Epidemiological data demonstrates that improved regulation of blood glucose correlates with better cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. Conversely, some interventional studies have demonstrated that tight glycemic control has no benefit or can even result in worse CV outcomes. These conclusions parallel the paradox that glycemic control has proven beneficial for microvascular outcomes, while few studies have demonstrated significant macrovascular benefits. This imprecise understanding conveys the need to better comprehend the mechanisms of glycemic control and its impact on CV disease. Such variations in data also require a more comprehensive approach to diabetes and CV disease in which multiple biomarkers such as low density lipoprotein (LDL), low adiponectin, elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and well established clinical parameters such as high blood pressure, weight, and functional status are incorporated into clinical decision making. Reliance on one parameter in isolation such as glycemic control and one biomarker such as HbA1C does not provide an accurate assessment of CV outcomes.
The Multivariate Dimensionality of Personal Control and Future Time Perspective Beliefs in Achievement and Self-Regulation.

We examined the relations between college students' control beliefs and future time perspective (FTP) and their academic achievement and studying using canonical correlation. We identified two statistically significant canonical correlations. One associated primarily competency belief, as reflected by self-efficacy, and FTP connectedness with grades. The other associated primarily contingency beliefs, as reflected by locus of control and causal attributions, and FTP connectedness and valence with studying. Results support a distinction between competency and contingency in personal control beliefs and suggest that these have somewhat different motivational consequences. Results also indicate that future time perspective beliefs play a role in motivating achievement and studying.
Staged Discovery and the Politics of Maya Hieroglyphic Things

ABSTRACT Anthropologists of science conventionally examine the cultural politics of natural sciences. However, historical and social sciences also have cultural contexts and consequences. This article extends science studies to public engagement with Maya hieroglyphic decipherment. In the 1970s several scholars claimed to discover Maya hieroglyphs’ grammatical structure. Linda Schele popularized decipherment through sites including the Maya Meetings, public workshops at the University of Texas–Austin. As archaeologists and competing camps of hieroglyph experts challenged Schele and her colleagues’ interpretations, the Maya Meetings established a public of witnesses committed to these experts’ claims. The Maya Meetings cultivated assent through highly regulated practices enabling participants to imagine that they independently confirmed decipherments. Public engagement bolstered experts’ problematic claims to have imparted “voice” and “history” to the ancient Maya by transforming this complex medium into writing. I show how such public engagement did not simply democratize knowledge production and intensified hierarchies within Maya studies. [public science, Maya hieroglyphs, witnessing, anthropology of science] RESUMEN Los antropologos de la ciencia examinan la politica cultural de las ciencias naturales. Sin embargo, las ciencias historicas y sociales tambien tienen contextos culturales. Este ensayo amplia los estudios culturales de la ciencia a la participacion del publico en el desciframiento de los jeroglificos mayas. Durante la decada de 1970, unos expertos pretendieron haber descubierto la estructura gramatical de los jeroglificos. Linda Schele popularizo las tecnicas de desciframiento a traves de talleres publicos en la Universidad de Texas–Austin. Mientras unos arqueologos y campos de epigrafistas dasafiaron el desciframiento, los talleres establecieron un publico de testigos comprometidos con estos expertos. Los talleres permitieron a los participantes que imaginaran que habian confirmado los desciframientos. La participacion publica reforzo los reclamos problematicos de expertos que habian impartado “voz” e “historia” a los antiguos mayas. Muestro como la participacion publica no democratizo la produccion de conocimiento y intensifico jerarquias en los estudios mayas.
The Construction of Madhhab Authority: Ibn Taymiyya's Interpretation of Juristic Preference ( Istihsān )

This essay analyzes Ibn Taymiyya's discussion of juristic preference (istihsān) as a valid method of law-finding. Ibn Taymiyya rejects the interpretation of leading Hanbalīs of juristic preference as contrary to analogy and explains it instead as specification of the ratio legis (takhsīs al-'illa). His changed understanding of juristic preference leads him to re-interpret several of Ibn Hanbal's rulings that are based on this legal principle. How Ibn Taymiyya does this is illustrated with Ibn Hanbal's ruling on usurpation of agricultural land. Ibn Taymiyya does not question the actual ruling but rather rejects the rationalization adduced for it by previous Hanbalīs, such as Abū Ya'lā and Ibn 'Aqīl. By attributing his own position to Ibn Hanbal, Ibn Taymiyya undermines the authority of earlier prominent Hanbalīs, increases the authority of the eponym of the school, and enhances his own position as the living heir of Ibn Hanbal.
Modeling of one-dimensional turbidity currents with a dissipative-Galerkin finite element method

A finite element computational algorithm for the solution of one-dimensional, unsteady turbidity currents is presented. The layer-averaged governing equations form a hyperbolic system consisting of three equations, namely continuity and momentum equations for the flow, and mass conservation equation for the sediment. Tracking the front of a propagating turbidity current is akin to the problem of predicting the propagation of a dam-break wave over a dry bed. The standard Galerkin formulation does not give good results when applied to the highly nonlinear flow regime near the front, so the dissipative-Galerkin technique (Petrov-Galerkin technique) which has a selective damping property, is used. The numerical model is applied to the case of a turbidity current developing along a sloping bottom. The computed results compare favorably well against both the relationship proposed by Britter and Linden (1980) to estimate the speed of density currents fronts and the experimental observations made by Altinakar, Gr...
Blessed or Not? The New Spinster in England and the United States in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries:

After 1870, single women in England and America began to speak favorably about spinsterhood. With new acceptable means to earn money and with a growing openness about the fragility of happiness in marriage, employed or financially independent middle-class women no longer regarded marriage as necessary for financial support or self-respect. In magazine articles, single women compared their lives to those of their married friends and told readers that spinsterhood, with its financial and intellectual independence, could be a rational choice. Though social commentators worried and warned of loneliness, these bachelor women enjoyed the amenities and companionship afforded by an urban setting. Novelists distrusted the spinsters' advocacy of single-blessedness as stories ended with the new female protagonists marrying. A minority that some times wavered, the new spinsters, by demonstrating a respectable option, helped to reverse traditional scorn for old maids and to pave the way for those who would later deman...
A Note on Physical Components

Many differing definitions of physical components of tensors exist in the literature. Most of these agree when defined relative to orthogonal coordinate systems. The purpose of this paper is to compare existing definitions and to clarify the situation in an oblique coordinate system. The conclusion is reached that any mapping of the tensor into the relevant Rn which is one to one, structure preserving and having physical significance can define physical components. In der Literatur existieren viele sich unterscheidende Definitionen der physikalischen Komponenten von Tensoren. Die meisten dieser Definitionen stimmen uberein, wenn sie bezuglich eines orthogonalen Koordinatensystems vorgenommen wurden. Die Absicht dieser Arbeit ist, die vorhandenen Definitionen zu vergleichen und die Situation in einem schiefwinkligen Koordinatensystem zu klaren. Als Schlusfolgerung ergibt sich, das jede Abbildung des Tensors in den ausgezeichneten Rn, sofern sie eindeutig und strukturerhaltend ist und physikalische Bedeutung besitzt, physikalisch Komponenten definieren kann.
Protecting High Energy Barriers: A New Equation to Regulate Boost Energy in Accelerated Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

Molecular dynamics (MD) is one of the most common tools in computational chemistry. Recently, our group has employed accelerated molecular dynamics (aMD) to improve the conformational sampling over conventional molecular dynamics techniques. In the original aMD implementation, sampling is greatly improved by raising energy wells below a predefined energy level. Recently, our group presented an alternative aMD implementation where simulations are accelerated by lowering energy barriers of the potential energy surface. When coupled with thermodynamic integration simulations, this implementation showed very promising results. However, when applied to large systems, such as proteins, the simulation tends to be biased to high energy regions of the potential landscape. The reason for this behavior lies in the boost equation used since the highest energy barriers are dramatically more affected than the lower ones. To address this issue, in this work, we present a new boost equation that prevents oversampling of ...
Integrating and assessing information competencies in a gateway course

Information competency instruction is an essential component of the strategic mission of Fletcher Library at Arizona State University West. Instuction programs include drop‐in basic skills classes, course‐integrated instruction taught by subject librarians, and an online tutorial currently under development. From summer 1999 through summer 2000, faculty members and subject librarian for the Integrative Studies Program collaborated to integrate information competency instruction and assessment into the program’s gateway course. Two sessions were developed and taught by the librarian. A prelimanry assessment programms developed to evaluate student outcomes and to serve as the foundation of a future programmatic assessment program. This paper reports on the resulting sessions, the assessment, modifications made as a result of the information gathered and its place in the development of programmatic competencies.
View from the front lines: An emergency medicine perspective on clostridial infections in injection drug users

Injection drug use (IDU), specifically non-intravenous “skin-popping” of heroin, seems to provide optimal conditions for Clostridial infection and toxin production. IDU is therefore a major risk factor for wound botulism and Clostridial necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTI) and continues to be linked to cases of tetanus. Case clusters of all 3 diseases have occurred among IDUs in Western U.S. and Europe. Medical personnel who care for the IDU population must be thoroughly familiar with the clinical presentation and management of these diseases. Wound botulism presents with bulbar symptoms and signs that are easily overlooked; rapid acquisition and administration of antitoxin can prevent neuromuscular respiratory failure. In addition to Clostridium perfringens, IDU-related NSTIs can be caused by Clostridium sordellii and Clostridium novyi, which may share a distinct clinical presentation. Early definitive NSTI management, which decreases mortality, requires a low index of suspicion on the part of emergency physicians and low threshold for surgical exploration and debridement on the part of the surgeon. Tetanus should be preventable in the IDU population through careful attention to vaccination status.
Perceived barriers to success for minority nursing students: an integrative review.

The objective of this paper was to identify barriers to successful program completion faced by underrepresented minority nursing students. This paper reveals that minority nursing student’s face multiple barriers to success including lack of financial support, inadequate emotional and moral support, as well as insufficient academic advising, program mentoring, technical support, and professional socialization. An additional theme—a resolve to succeed in spite of the identified barriers—was identified. This body of literature focuses solely on successful minority students’ experiences, revealing a significant gap in the research. The findings of this paper highlight the need to create and maintain nursing programs capable of aggressively supporting minority student needs. Recommendations for future research are included.
Therapeutic perspectives in food allergy.

Summary The therapeutic perspectives in food allergy are thus based upon known principlesand mechanisms of tissue injury mediated by immunologic reactions. A thorough knowledge of these, together with new approaches to the identification, elimination, and modification of these reactions, is essential in the management of the patient with food allergy.
Reproduction in the Audubon Cottontail in Arizona

The Audubon cottontail, Sylvilagus audubonii arizonae , is a common mammal of the desert regions of southern Arizona. It is found from the lowest elevations in the state, about 100 feet above sea level in southwestern Arizona, to an elevation of about 4,000 feet above sea level on the slopes of the desert mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona. This cottontail is found in the vegetational types classified by Nichol (1943) as: Creosote bush–atriplex desert, characterized by Larrea tridentata and Atriplex canescens ; Palo verde–cacti desert, where palo verde, Cercidium microphyllum , and sahuaro, Carnegiea gigantea , are the dominant larger plants; and Desert-grassland, characterized by mesquite, Prosopis juliflora , yucca, Yucca elata , and a great variety of grasses. It is also found in several types of chaparral country where such species as scrub oak, Quercos turbinella , smooth sumac, Rhus ovata , jojoba, Simmondsia chinensis , and a variety of other shrubs form a dense cover. In some parts of southeastern Arizona, at about 4,000 feet elevation, it is found in the oak woodland where Mexican blue oak, Quercus oblongifolia , Emory oak, Q. Emoryi , beargrass, Nolina microcarpa , skunk bush, Rhus trilo-bata , and manzanita, Arctostaphylos pringlei , are characteristic larger plants. In this vegetational type the Audubon cottontail is replaced by a larger species of cottontail, S. floridanus holzneri , which extends its range up into the forest of yellow pine, Pinus ponderosa . This species of cottontail sometimes occurs with audubonii in the lower fringe of the oak woodland. The published literature on the desert cottontail is fragmentary. In late 1951 I began a study to determine the breeding season and litter size of the desert cottontail and to gather miscellaneous items on its life history. From December, 1951, to September, 1955, I collected 407 …
P1-280: Amyloid and glucose metabolism in early versus late-onset Alzheimer's disease: A comparative [11C]PIBand [18F]FDG PET study

each participant was reviewed by a panel of neuropsychologists and neurologists, to establish a diagnosis of cognitively normal, MCI, or dementia. Plasma CRP was measured from a blood draw performed at baseline using immunoassays. Results: The median age of subjects was 80 years (interquartile range: 75 84) and 51% were men. We compared patients with MCI (N 313) with cognitively normal subjects (N 1,570), and adjusted the analyses by sex, age, and education (as continuous variables). A CRP level in the upper quartile ( 0.33 mg/dl) was significantly associated with MCI of all types (odds ratio [OR] 1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00, 2.01), and with non-amnestic MCI (OR 2.05, 95%CI 1.12, 3.77), but was not associated with amnestic MCI (OR 1.21, 95%CI 0.81, 1.82). With additional adjustment for conventional vascular risk factors (current cigarette smoking, diabetes and hypertension; ever vs. never) and history of coronary heart disease and stroke (ever vs. never), we observed a marginal association of CRP 0.33 mg/dl with MCI of all types (OR 1.40, 95% CI 0.98, 2.00), but the association with non-amnestic MCI remained statistically significant (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.01, 3.51). Conclusions: Our study findings suggest that plasma CRP is associated with prevalent non-amnestic MCI in elderly non-demented persons. This association suggests that inflammation may have a role in the pathogenesis of non-amnestic MCI.
Diel Variation in Decapod Crustacean and Fish Assemblages in New Jersey Polyhaline Marsh Creeks

Diel variation in fish and decapod crustacean abundance and species assemblages were examined in two studies to determine patterns of subtidal and intertidal marsh creek habitat use in a southern New Jersey estuary. In the first study, two subtidal marsh creeks were sampled with weirs from April-November 1988 (n = 42) and seines from July-November 1988 (n = 33), while in the second study two intertidal creeks were sampled with weirs from July-October 1989 (n = 28). Fish and decapod species assemblages captured in subtidal weir, subtidal seine and intertidal weir, as measured by both relative abundance and canonical discrimination analyses, were all highly affected by diel period. Total abundance and abundances of 15 species of fish and decapods exhibited significant diel differences, some of which were strongly influenced by season and life history stage (i.e. size cohorts). A detailed examination of the most abundant species, Menidia menidia, reveals that adults were more abundant during the day in early summer, suggesting diurnal reproductive movements into the creeks. In contrast, young-of-the-year cohorts were significantly more abundant at night during the late summer and fall, suggesting nocturnal movement into shallow marsh creek habitats. Our observations of strong diel differences in species assemblages point out the need for both day and night sampling in marsh habitats, if the importance of these habitats to fishes and decapods are to be fully understood.
Novel N-substituted 3α-[bis(4'-fluorophenyl)methoxy]tropane analogues : Selective ligands for the dopamine transporter

A series of N-substituted 3α-[bis(4‘-fluorophenyl)methoxy]tropane analogues has been prepared that function as dopamine uptake inhibitors. The N-methylated analogue of this series had a significantly higher affinity for the dopamine transporter than the parent compound, N-methyl-3α-(diphenylmethoxy)tropane (benztropine, Cogentin). Yet like the parent compound, it retained high affinity for muscarinic receptors. A series of N-substituted compounds were prepared from nor-3α-[bis(4‘-fluorophenyl)methoxy]tropane via acylation followed by hydride reduction of the amide or by direct alkylation. All compounds containing a basic tropane nitrogen displaced [3H]WIN 35,428 at the dopamine transporter (Ki range = 8.5−634 nM) and blocked dopamine uptake (IC50 range = 10−371 nM) in rat caudate putamen, whereas ligands with a nonbasic nitrogen were virtually inactive. None of the compounds demonstrated high binding affinity at norepinephrine or serotonin transporters. Importantly, a separation of binding affinities for ...
Eight Days in Inner Space: My Experience at the Moon Desert Research Station

The author spent the week from February 28 through March 7, 2006, at the Mars Desert Research Station (a.k.a. "Moon Desert Research Station", or "MDRS", for the duration of the Moonbase simulation) near Hanksville, Utah, as a crewmember for the first Moonbase mission simulation (hereafter referred to as 'Artemis Moonbase Sim 1" or "Moonbase Sim 1") conducted at that site. This paper reports selected crew activities and experiences during Moonbase Sim 1, summarizes data from the author's research projects on water reclamation, spacesuit biomechanics, and crew time allocation, and makes recommendations for future efforts in both simulation and actual mission preparation. The author's primary research project on water reclamation involved installing flow meters and performing various water tests in order to evaluate usage rates and quality of the water used by the crew. Used (gray) water draining from the sinks and shower in the crew habitat module is routed through PVC pipes into the GreenHab, which consists of a series of aerobic and anaerobic water tanks, filters, and a UV treatment device, all housed in a greenhouse-like structure next to the MDRS habitat module. Flow meters measure gray water flow rates coming into and going out of the GreenHab. The water data collected during the Moonbase Sim 1 are summarized in the paper, along with recommendations for further developments in water reclamation systems. Some of the projects undertaken by other crewmembers include a study on color differentiation within a substantially monochromatic environment, the development of a virtual reality tour of the MDRS and local environs, a crew psycho-social survey, and the development of an "Early Space Frontier Diet". Results of these projects can be reviewed at this website address: www.marssociety.org/MDRS/fs05/0311/sum.asp Finally, this paper offers observations and recommendations in the areas of overall simulation design, system and equipment design, crew selection, personnel policies, and facilities requirements.