cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial evaluating alternate-day prednisone and fish oil supplements in young patients with immunonoglobulin A nephropathy

HIS REPORT provides an overview of a National Institutes of Health-sponsored, multicenter study in young patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). The study is somewhat unique in its attempt to “cross over” the age barriers, which usually are used in defining pediatric and adult clinical trials. Since IgAN often has similar clinical presentations in the first three decades of life, it seems appropriate for nephrologists caring for children and adolescents to combine forces with our counterparts caring for adult patients in attempting to define optimal treatment for all young patients with this disorder. The study will be performed in 44 pediatric and/or adult nephrology centers in the United States and Canada. Physicians interested in the study can receive additional information by calling the Central Office of the Southwest Pediatric Nephrology Study Group (toll-free line: l-800345&AN). The study will evaluate the effect of alternateday prednisone or daily fish oil supplements on the decline in renal function often seen in children, adolescents, and young adults with moderately severe IgAN. The primary outcome criterion will be the change in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), estimated by serial determinations of true creatinine clearance (Cc,). A secondary outcome criterion will be proteinuria. Patients under 30 years of age will be selected for entry based on predictors of progressive disease, ie, a renal biopsy showing glomerulosclerosis and/or
Blends of nylon 6 with an ethylene-based multifunctional polymer. I. Rheology–structure relationships

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the rheological behavior of a heterogeneous polymer blend system consisting of nylon 6 and an ethylene-based multifunctional polymer (CXA 3101, DuPont Co.). For comparison purposes, we also investigated the rheological behavior of two additional blend systems, namely blends of nylon 6 with a chemically modified polyolefin (Plexar 3, Chemplex Co.) and blends of nylon 6 with ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA). We have investigated the thermal and thermomechanical behavior of the blend systems, using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Also, we have attempted to identify the chemical structure of the functional groups present in the CXA 3101 and Plexar 3 resins, using infrared (IR) spectroscopy. This information has enabled us to interpret the observed rheological behavior. Furthermore, we have used both optical and scanning electron microscopies to investigate the state of dispersion of the constituent components in each of the blend systems. We have concluded that, during melt blending, chemical reactions have taken place between carboxyl or anhydride groups present in the CXA 3101 resin and the amino end groups of the nylon 6, forming a graft copolymer which then acted as an “interfacial agent.”
Food resource utilization among five species of embiotocids at King Harbor, California, with preliminary estimates of caloric intake

The diets of 5 species of embiotocids (Rhacochilus vacca, Embiotoca jacksoni, Hypsurus caryi ryi, Phanerodon furcatus and Micrometrus minimus) from King Harbor, Redondo Beach, California, USA, are examined by means of a dietary survey, field feeding observations and bomb calorimetry of prey items. Each species is shown to have statistically different diets from all others, with the exception of H. caryi which apparently is a dietary intermediate between E. jacksoni and P. furcatus. Dietary overlap between E. jacksoni and H. caryi appears to have resulted in some competitive exclusion along other niche parameters. Estimated caloric intakes suggest that R. vacca has the highest caloric yield per bite and the lowest feeding rate of the species studied. Possible energetic advantages are found for diet specialization in R. vacca.
Appearance of strong absorbers and fluorophores in limonene‐O3 secondary organic aerosol due to NH4+‐mediated chemical aging over long time scales

[1] This study investigated long-term chemical aging of model biogenic secondary organic aerosol (SOA) prepared from the ozonolysis of terpenes. Techniques including electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, NMR, and three-dimensional fluorescence were used to probe the changes in chemical composition of SOA collected by impaction on substrates and also of aqueous extracts of SOA. The addition of ammonium ions or amino acids to limonene SOA reproducibly produced orange-colored species that strongly absorbed visible radiation and fluoresced at UV and visible wavelengths. Simultaneous addition of H2SO4 to the SOA aqueous extracts inhibited this color transformation. These observations suggest the existence of aging processes leading to heavily conjugated molecules containing organic nitrogen. The presence of nitrogen in the chromophores was confirmed by the dependence of the absorption and fluorescence spectra on the amino acids added. In contrast to the strong change in the absorption and fluorescence spectra, there was no significant change in the ESI-MS, FTIR, and NMR spectra, suggesting that the chromophores were minor species in the aged SOA. Aqueous extracts of aged limonene + NH4+ SOA were characterized by an effective base-e absorption coefficient of ∼3 L g−1 cm−1 at 500 nm. Assuming particulate matter concentrations typical of polluted rural air gives an upper limit of 0.2 M m−1 for the aerosol absorption coefficient due to the aged limonene oxidation products. Biogenic SOA can therefore become weakly absorbing if they undergo aging in the presence of NH4+-containing aerosol.
Learning and recall in a dynamic theory of coordination patterns

A dynamic theory of learning and recall of coordination patterns is developed in the context of relative timing skills. Characterizing the coordination patterns in such skills by the collective variable, relative phase, we choose a model system in which the intrinsic pattern dynamics as well as the influence of environmental and memorized information are well understood from previous experimental and theoretical work. To describe learning we endow memorized information with dynamics which is determined by a phenomenological strategy. Similarly, additional degrees of freedom must be introduced to understand recall. As such recall variables we choose the relative strengths with which each memorized pattern acts on the pattern dynamics and model their dynamics phenomenologically. The resulting dynamical system that resembles models used in pattern recognition theory is shown to adequately describe the learning and recall processes. Moreover, due to the operational character of the theory, several predictions emerge that are open to experimental test. In particular, we show under which conditions phase transitions occur in the dynamics of the coordination patterns during learning and during recall. Considering different time scales and their relations we demonstrate how these phase transitions can be identified and observed. Other predictions include the influence of the intrinsic pattern dynamics on the recall process and the existence of history and hysteresis effects in recall. We discuss different forms of "forgetting" and differentiation of memorized information. The results show how a new theoretical view of learning and recall as change of behavioral dynamics can lead to a different understanding of these processes by providing testable predictions.
Continuity of Care and the Risk of Preventable Hospitalization in Older Adults

Importance Preventable hospitalizations are common among older adults for reasons that are not well understood. Objective To determine whether Medicare patients with ambulatory visit patterns indicating higher continuity of care have a lower risk of preventable hospitalization. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Ambulatory visits and hospital admissions. Participants Continuously enrolled fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries older than 65 years with at least 4 ambulatory visits in 2008. Exposures The concentration of patient visits with physicians measured for up to 24 months using the continuity of care score and usual provider continuity score on a scale from 0 to 1. Main Outcomes and Measures Index occurrence of any 1 of 13 preventable hospital admissions, censoring patients at the end of their 24-month follow-up period if no preventable hospital admissions occurred, or if they died. Results Of the 3 276 635 eligible patients, 12.6% had a preventable hospitalization during their 2-year observation period, most commonly for congestive heart failure (25%), bacterial pneumonia (22.7%), urinary infection (14.9%), or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (12.5%). After adjustment for patient baseline characteristics and market-level factors, a 0.1 increase in continuity of care according to either continuity metric was associated with about a 2% lower rate of preventable hospitalization (continuity of care score hazard ratio [HR], 0.98 [95% CI, 0.98-0.99; usual provider continuity score HR, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.98-0.98). Continuity of care was not related to mortality rates. Conclusions and Relevance Among fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries older than 65 years, higher continuity of ambulatory care is associated with a lower rate of preventable hospitalization.
Separation of dipolar and quadrupolar splittings in single crystal nitrogen-14 NMR

A new 2-dimensional Fourier technique is proposed to unravel overlapping resonances in single crystal 14N spectra due to proton-N dipolar couplings. One frequency domain is reserved for the proton decoupled quadrupolar spectrum, while the orthogonal frequency dimension shows the dipolar splittings alone, the quadrupolar interaction being eliminated by refocusing. [on SciFinder (R)]
Journals for Academic Veterinary Medical Libraries: Price Increases, 1983-1997

Abstract This is the twelfth annual price study based on the “Basic List of Veterinary Medical Serials, 2nd edition.” 1 The Basic List consists of three parts: core veterinary titles; an adjunct core list of serials in the biomedical and life sciences; and a list of relevant abstract and index titles. Prices are supplied by The Faxon Company. The indexing base is 1983. In the fourteen-year period from 1983-1997 the average price of titles in the combined core and adjunct core lists rose from $100.37 to $429.60. The price index rose 328 percentage points, an average annual increase of 23.43%. The average price of titles in the core list rose from $69.07 to $277.50. The price index in this category rose 301.74 percentage points, an average of 21.55% per year. The average price of the 85 titles on the adjunct core list was $131.30 in 1983 and $579.91 in 1997. The price index in this category rose 341.66 percentage points, an average of 24.4% per year. The eighteen selected abstract and index titles in this s...
A METHOD OF SAMPLING THE BALSAM WOOLLY APHID ON FRASER FIR IN NORTH CAROLINA

Populations of the balsam woolly aphid on Fraser fir trees were sampled without replacement. Sampling frequency was based on the embryological period of the aphid at mean monthly temperatures in the field. The sample for each date consisted of 16 pieces of bark, 1/2 in. diameter, from each of 10 trees. Precision of the method was usually within ±10% of the mean. The largest proportion of variance was within trees. Stratification of samples by levels within trees decreased variance estimates.Frequency distributions of counts of most stages of the aphid approximated the negative binomial distribution. Therefore, data were transformed to logarithms in order to approximate the normal distribution.
Isostatic rebound, active faulting, and potential geomorphic effects in the Lake Lahontan basin, Nevada and California

The high shoreline of the late Pleistocene (Sehoo) lake in the Lahontan basin is used as a passive strain marker to delineate the magnitude and character of regional deformation since 13 ka. The elevations of 170 high shoreline sites document that the once horizontal (equipotential) shoreline, which traverses almost 4° of latitude and 3° of longitude, is now deflected vertically about 22 m. Most of the deformation is attributed to isostatic rebound, but a small down-to-the-north regional tilting also appears to contribute to the overall deformation pattern. Active faults locally offset the high shoreline, but cannot explain the regional upwarping attributed to isostatic rebound since 13 ka. Preliminary models of the rebound yield an upper mantle viscosity of 10 18 Pa s that implies a Maxwell relaxation time of about 300 yr. The rapid Earth response, coupled with the rapid fall in lake level at the end of Pleistocene time, may have acted to divert some of the major rivers flowing into the basin from one terminal subbasin to another. The regional deformation caused by the rebound may also have acted to control the present location of Honey Lake. These shoreline data, therefore, support the potential for a link be
Modeling of unbalanced multiphase buck converters with applications to voltage regulator module control

Multiple parallel-input parallel-output low-output voltage converters serve high-current high-slew rate loads, often using current mode control to achieve tight output voltage regulation. One way to enhance slew rate performance is to combine unbalanced phases: a low inductance converter in parallel with one or more conventional phases can deliver fast slews without altering low-frequency performance. An unbalanced combination is facilitated by combining conventional current-mode controls with sensorless current mode (SCM) controls; The dynamic properties resulting from using equal and unequal filter inductances for parallel converters are investigated for a 12 V to 1.5 V 100 A VRM.
VizEval: An Experimental System for the Study of Program Visualization Quality

The VizEval Suite* is an environment designed to support experimentation with and evaluation of program visualization attributes that affect the users ability to grasp essential concepts. In this paper, we describe the VizEval Suite and an initial experiment conducted both as a test-bed of the VizEval Suite and to study how perceptual/cognitive characteristics of the visualization affect the users understanding of the program visualization. VizEval is designed to simplify the creation and analysis of such studies. Our experimental results show that some perceptual/cognitive characteristics that help one task (e.g., detection of critical information) may harm another (e.g., localization of critical items), and vice versa. The VizEval software is available for download at http://www.cs.uga.edu/~eileen/VizEval/.
The clinical course of alcohol dependence associated with a low level of response to alcohol.

Aims. To evaluate the clinical course of specific alcohol-related life problems and the risk for dependence on illicit drugs in individuals with relatively low and high levels of response (LR) to alcohol earlier in life. Subjects. From among 439 men who were part of the 15-year follow-up of sons of alcoholics and controls, 108 were identified as having fulfilled criteria for DSM-III-R alcohol dependence. Measures. The LR to alcohol was originally evaluated following the consumption of 0.61 g/kg of ethanol at age 20 by determining the levels of change in subjective feelings of intoxication, body sway and several hormones such as cortisol. From the 453 original subjects, 450 completed a face-to-face 10-year follow-up evaluation, and 439 completed the 15-year protocol. Findings. A comparison of the clinical course of 50 alcohol-dependent men with clearly low LR values at age 20 with that for 42 individuals whose LR scores were above the median revealed few differences. Those with a low LR had a slightly earlier age of onset of alcohol dependence (24.8 ± 3.41 vs. 26.6 ± 4.48 years), and this finding was unrelated to the presence of an alcohol-dependent father. Otherwise the members of the two groups demonstrated a similar course of alcohol dependence. There was no relationship between a low LR at age 20 and either the pattern of substances used or the rate of dependence on illicit drugs. Conclusions. The results indicate that for this sample a low LR to alcohol, while associated with a high risk for alcohol dependence, was not related to most aspects of the course of alcohol problems once dependence developed.
Is Stress More Than a Disease? A Comparative Look at the Adaptativeness of Stress

Since the pioneering work of Hans Selye in the 1930s (Selye, 1936, 1937) there has been a tremendous effort to understand how the nervous and endocrine systems coordinate the physiological response to stressors. Most work has focused on understanding the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and its role in stress. Within the last 20 yr scientists have purified and sequenced corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and its receptors (Vale et al., 1981; DeSouza, 1995). Receptors for corticotropin and the glucocorticoid hormones have been cloned and mechanisms of action elucidated (Mountjoy et al., 1992; Bamberger et al., 1996). Significant progress has been made in defining afferent neuronal circuitry controlling the HPA axis during stress (Herman and Cullinan, 1997) and the link between stress and many major disease states has been clarified. Although a good deal of Selye's original work addressed how organisms adapt to stressors (Selye, 1976), more recent studies have focused on diseaserelated aspects of stress. We are constantly bombarded, both in the scientific press and popular media, with reminders that stress is linked to feeding disorders, cancer, mental health, and reproductive and immune dysfunction as well as a host of other disorders. For a comparative biologist it is difficult to imagine that such a highly coordinated physiological response has evolved over millions of years simply to make animals sick. What are the adaptive features of stress? What are the evolutionary precursors of this response? Why has this response remained virtually unchanged in the vertebrate lineage? These are the questions that prompted the organization of this symposium. It does not take an exhaustive review of the literature to realize that most of what we do know about stress and adaptation comes largely from studies on laboratory mammals that have never seen their natural environment. In recent years, increasing numbers of comparative endocrinologists have become interested in how animals living in their natural environment deal with stress. Four assumptions lie at the heart of this research:
Get wired, go digital: Build a web-based learning community

Today’s undergraduates are not just traditional eighteen-year-olds but adults from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, many with families, seeking skills for their careers. They no longer want a “just in time” education. They seek a “just for you” customized education tailored to meet their specific lifelong learning requirements (Duderstadt, 1998). How can higher education respond to these challenges?
Reduced Vitamin A Levels of Chicks Fed Anaerobically Digested Sewage Sludge

Diets containing 20% of air-dried anaerobically digested Fort Collins sewage sludge were fed to broiler chicks. The diets were balanced in protein and had the same vitamin and mineral supplement. The sludge diets containing approximately 2,500 ME kcal/kg compared to 3,000 ME kcal/kg in the control feed. Birds gained less body weight on sludge diets and liver vitamin A levels were reduced. Extrusion of cord-sludge mixture prior to diet formulations made the diet much poorer for supporting growth, reduced feed efficiency, and lowered liver vitamin A levels. It was concluded that ingestion of the sewage sludge impaired the utilization of vitamin A from the diet.
Serum chemistry abnormalities in adult patients with seizures.

To determine whether checking serum chemistries is a useful procedure, records were reviewed to identify patients presenting to a university hospital emergency department (ED) with seizures. In a six-month period, 112 adult patient made 126 visits for evaluation and treatment of recent seizures. Analyzing each visit individually, 111 patient (88.1%) had serum electrolytes determined; 96 (76.2%) had a serum calcium level measured; and 92 (73%) had a serum magnesium level measured. The overall incidence of seizures due primarily to derangements in serum chemistry was 2.4%, including two hypoglycemic seizures and one seizure related to hemodialysis. Severe aberrations in serum chemistries occurred most frequently in alcoholics; nonalcoholics had relatively few abnormal test results unless they had preexisting renal failure or diabetes mellitus. In ED patients, the incidence of seizures due primarily to derangements in serum chemistry is very low. Grouping of patients by medical history can help direct test ordering by identifying those at risk for abnormalities in serum chemistry.
Choice of Forum Provisions in Intra-Corporate Litigation: Mandatory and Elective Approaches (The 2010 Pileggi Lecture)

Forum selection clauses are common in commercial agreements. They are also broadly respected and readily enforced, even when characterized as contracts of adhesion. In contrast, forum selection clauses in charters and bylaws governing intra-corporate disputes are exceedingly rare. This presentation, which accompanied the 2010 Pileggi Lecture at the Delaware Journal of Corporate Law, documents the incidence and evolution of forum selection clauses in publicly traded entities. It analyzes the specific language used in these provisions, observes that these provisions tend to arise in distinct clusters, and suggests that the incidence of these provisions has increased dramatically (though off a small base) since the recent Revlon decision in Chancery. It also explores the causes of the divergence in incidence, and considers whether forum selection clauses are likely to be enforced by the courts. The analysis concludes that forum selection clauses should be enforceable whether included in a charter or bylaw, and should bind all shareholders, without regard to whether they were adopted pursuant to a shareholder vote or whether the shareholder acquired stock before or after adoption of the provision. Privately held firms might best adopt elective forum selection provisions prior to an IPO, and publicly traded firms can adopt forum selection provisions in their charters or bylaws. Obtaining majority shareholder support for a charter amendment may be easier than some observers expect. If a corporation determines that it prefers not to amend its charter, board action is sufficient to amend the bylaws, as recently demonstrated by Chevron. The benefits of adopting a forum selection provision will likely exceed the costs for most entities. If this calculus is correct, there should be a large increase in the incidence of intra-corporate charter or bylaw forum selection provisions in coming years.
Cortical blindness: Etiology, diagnosis, and prognosis

We examined 15 patients with cortical blindness, reviewed the records of 10 others, and compared these 25 patients to those in previous studies of cortical blindness. Although cerebrovascular disease was the most common cause in our series, surgery, particularly cardiac surgery, and cerebral angiography were also major causes. Only 3 patients denied their blindness, although 4 others were unaware of their visual loss. Electroencephalograms (EEGs) were performed during the period of blindness in 20 patients and all recordings were abnormal, with absent alpha rhythm. Visual evoked potentials recorded during blindness were abnormal in 15 of 19 patients, but did not correlate with the severity of visual loss or with outcome. Bioccipital lucencies were found in computed tomographic (CT) scans of 14 patients; none of the 14 regained good vision. Recovery of vision was poor in all 8 patients who had a spontaneous stroke, but fair or good in 11 of the other 17 patients. Prognosis was best in patients under the age of 40 years, in those without a history of hypertension or diabetes mellitus, and in those without associated cognitive, language, or memory impairments. We conclude that the prognosis in cortical blindness is poor when caused by stroke; EEGs are more useful than visual evoked potentials for diagnosis; and bioccipital abnormalities shown on CT scan are associated with a poor prognosis.
Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory

The hippocampus shrinks in late adulthood, leading to impaired memory and increased risk for dementia. Hippocampal and medial temporal lobe volumes are larger in higher-fit adults, and physical activity training increases hippocampal perfusion, but the extent to which aerobic exercise training can modify hippocampal volume in late adulthood remains unknown. Here we show, in a randomized controlled trial with 120 older adults, that aerobic exercise training increases the size of the anterior hippocampus, leading to improvements in spatial memory. Exercise training increased hippocampal volume by 2%, effectively reversing age-related loss in volume by 1 to 2 y. We also demonstrate that increased hippocampal volume is associated with greater serum levels of BDNF, a mediator of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. Hippocampal volume declined in the control group, but higher preintervention fitness partially attenuated the decline, suggesting that fitness protects against volume loss. Caudate nucleus and thalamus volumes were unaffected by the intervention. These theoretically important findings indicate that aerobic exercise training is effective at reversing hippocampal volume loss in late adulthood, which is accompanied by improved memory function.
Biological seed treatment of corn with mycopathogenic fungi

Mycopathogenic fungi, Exobasidiellum sp., Gliocladium roseum, Gonatobotrys simplex, Sphaeronaemella helvellae, and Trichothedum roseum were tested and selected for their efficacy as biocontrol agents of seed- and soil-borne fungi colonizing corn (Zea mays) kernels, and for their interaction with different corn genotypes. Kernels of inbred corn lines were coated with conidial suspension of mycopathogens and germinated in seed germinators and greenhouse bench sand. Treatment with mycopathogens increased germination and seedling dry weight, reduced colonization of germinated kernels by seed- and soil-borne fungi, reduced infection of seedlings by pathogenic fungi and resulted in interaction with corn genotype. Gliocladium roseum was the most effective biocontrol agent of corn seed in this study. Zusammenfassung Biologische Beizung von Maiskornern mit mykopathogenen Pilzen Die mykopathogenen Pilzarten Exobasidiellum sp., Gliocladium roseum, Gonatobotrys simplex, Sphaeronaemella helvellae und Trichothedum roseum wurden auf ihre Wirksamkeit als biologische Bekampfungsagens gegen samen- und bodenbiirtige Pilzarten, die Mais-(Zea mays)Korner besiedeln, untersucht und selektiert; auserdem wurde ihre Wechselwirkung mit unterschiedlichen Maisgenotypen gepruft. Die Samen von Inzuchtmaislinien wurden mit Suspensionen der Mykopathogenkonidien gebeizt und in Samenkeimungskammem bzw. in Sand zum Keimen gelegt. Eine Behandlung mit den Mykopathogenen erhohte die Keimuiigsrate und das Samlingstrockengewicht, eine Besiedlung der gekeimten Korner durch samen- und bodenburtige Pilzarten wurde vermindert, eine Infektion der Salinge durch pathogene Pilze wurde reduziert, tuid hatte eine Wechselwirkung mit dem Maisgenotyp zur Folge. In dieser Untersuchung wurde G. roseum als wirksamstes sches Bekampfungsagens von Maiskornern eingestuft.
Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording

Due to the limits of conventional perpendicular magnetic recording, it appears that alternative technologies are needed at areal densities >500 Gb/in2. Heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) is a promising approach to extend areal densities to 1 Tb/in2 and beyond. All of the unique components necessary for a working HAMR system have been demonstrated. Although HAMR permits writing on high Hc media with lower magnetic fields and can produce higher write gradients than conventional magnetic recording, head/media spacing and the development of high Hc media with small grains remains challenging
Analysis of Critical-Speed Increase of Induction Machines via Winding Reconfiguration With Solid-State Switches

Commonly used speed-control concepts permit speed ranges up to two-three times the base speed via voltage to frequency (V/f), that is, field-weakening control. This paper teaches the extension of the speed-control range up to nine times the base speed through online reconfiguration of the motor windings via electronic switches. The switchover of the windings, either from a winding with p1 poles to p2 poles, or from series to parallel connection of the number of turns per phase-so-called (V/Nldrf) control-lasts less than a 60-Hz cycle. Such fast switchover causes small transients only, and therefore, this concept is applicable to most variable-speed drives.
Determinants of Inapparent and Symptomatic Dengue Infection in a Prospective Study of Primary School Children in Kamphaeng Phet, Thailand

Background Dengue viruses are a major cause of morbidity in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Inapparent dengue is an important component of the overall burden of dengue infection. It provides a source of infection for mosquito transmission during the course of an epidemic, yet by definition is undetected by health care providers. Previous studies of inapparent or subclinical infection have reported varying ratios of symptomatic to inapparent dengue infection. Methodology/Principal Findings In a prospective study of school children in Northern Thailand, we describe the spatial and temporal variation of the symptomatic to inapparent (S:I) dengue illness ratio. Our findings indicate that there is a wide fluctuation in this ratio between and among schools in a given year and within schools over several dengue seasons. The most important determinants of this S:I ratio for a given school were the incidence of dengue infection in a given year and the incidence of infection in the preceding year. We found no association between the S:I ratio and age in our population. Conclusions/Significance Our findings point to an important aspect of virus-host interactions at either a population or individual level possibly due to an effect of heterotypic cross-reactive immunity to reduce dengue disease severity. These findings have important implications for future dengue vaccines.
New Millennium DS2 electronic packaging an advanced electronic packaging "sandbox"

New Millennium Deep Space 2 (DS2), managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), consists of a pair of probes that will be carried to Mars by the Mars Polar Lander. After release from the Lander, both probes enter the atmosphere, impact and penetrate the Martian surface. After impact, a soil sample is taken and analyzed for the presence of water. Other scientific data is collected during descent and after impact. The proposed size and mass of the probes imposed enormous constraints on the packaging of the electronics. To fit the electronics within the probe envelope, the DS2 became a virtual advanced packaging experiment: Chip-on-Board (COB) technology, High Density Interconnect (HDI) technology, and novel flexible interconnects were used in a highly integrated package to meet the requirements. This paper describes the development and testing of the DS2 electronics package and possible follow-on developments at JPL.
Treatment adherence: An examination of why OEF/OIF/OND veterans discontinue inpatient PTSD treatment

AbstractTreatment noncompletion is common among Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND) veterans obtaining treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study examined causes of inpatient PTSD evidence-based treatment (EBT) discontinuation among 69 male OEF/OIF/OND veterans. Findings revealed a number of factors leading to noncompletion, including inpatient environment, EBT content, family obligations, medication use concerns, rule violations, treatment noncooperation, psychotic symptoms, and decompensation in functioning. Overall, these findings reveal clinically relevant causes of inpatient EBT discontinuation that may contribute to a shorter duration of treatment and potentially less beneficial clinical outcomes.
Citizen Evaluations of Federalism and the Importance of Trust in the Federation Government for Opinions on Regional Equity and Subordination in Four Countries

Regional equity and subordination are paramount issues in federal systems. Based on surveys of public attitudes in Canada, Germany, Spain, and the United States, we compare public perceptions of the performance of federalism with respect to system characteristics and people’s feelings about regional equity and subordination. We also examine institutional, social, and demographic factors plausibly related to those perceptions. These factors are found to be weakly or not at all associated with citizen evaluations and perceptions of regional equity and subordination. Instead, in all countries, public trust in the various orders of government, especially the federation government, is most associated with perceptions of regional equity and regional subordination. However, the nature of the interactive effect of these trust measures differs significantly in terms of impacts on the evaluative dimensions.
ASSESSING THE BIOTRIBOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF PYROLYTIC CARBON AND COBALT-CHROMIUM ALLOY AGAINST LIVING TISSUE: AN IN VITRO MODEL OF CARTILAGE WEAR

Introduction Currently, there is a focus on the development of novel materials to articulate against cartilage. Such materials should either eliminate or delay the necessity of total joint replacement. While cobalt-chromium (CoCr) alloy is still a material of choice and used for hemi-arthroplasties, spacers, and repair plugs, alternative materials are being studied. Pyrolytic carbon (PyC) is a biocompatible material that has been available since the 1980s. It has been widely and successfully used in small joints of the foot and the hand, but its tribological effects in direct comparison to cobalt-chromium (CoCr) remain to be investigated. Methods A four station simulator (Figure 1), mimicking joint load and motion, was used for testing. The simulator is housed in an incubator, which and provides the necessary environmental conditions for cartilage survival. Articular cartilage disks (14mm in diameter) were obtained from the trochleas of six to eight months old steer for testing and free-swelling controls. Disks (n=8 per material) were placed in porous polyethylene scaffolds within polypropylene cups and mounted onto the simulator to articulate against 28mm balls of either PyC or CoCr. Each ball was pressed onto the cartilage disk with 40N. In order to allow fluidal load support, the contact migrated over the biphasic cartilage with a 5.2 mm excursion. Concomitantly, the ball oscillated with ±30° at 1 Hz. Testing was conducted for three hours per day over 10 days in Mini ITS medium. Media samples were collected at the end of each three hour test. Upon test commencement, media was pooled (days 1, 4, 7, 10) and analyzed for proteoglycans/sGAGs and hydroxyproline. In addition, total material release into media was estimated by determining the dry weight increase of media samples. For this purpose, 1 ml aliquots of fresh and test media were dialyzed, lyophilized and weighed on a high precision balance. Disk morphology and cell viability were histologically examined. Results During each day of testing, cartilage control, CoCr and PyC samples released an average of 0.236, 0.253, re 0.268 mg/mL of glycol-proteins into the medium. After running-in (day 1), the increase was highly linear (R 2 >0.99) and similar for all three testing conditions. Proteoglycan/GAG (Figure 2) and hydroxyproline release (Figure 3) were also similar for both materials (p=0.46 re. p=0.12), but significantly different from control (p 0.33). Discussion The performance of PyC and CoCr was comparable using this in vitro simulation model, however appears not optimal. The observed surface fibrillation may lead to tissue breakdown in the long-term. The wear mechanism has yet to be elucidated but appears to be of adhesive nature. The lack of proteins in the medium might have suppressed boundary lubrication and thus may have played a role in the non-optimal performance of these materials. In summary, a live tissue model of articular cartilage found no difference comparing pyrolytic carbon with the current clinical gold standard CoCr.
Outbreak of Blackleg in Canola in North Dakota is Caused by New Pathogenicity Groups

Abstract In 2009, a blackleg outbreak was detected in canola fields of North Dakota. The disease, which is caused primarily by the fungus Leptosphaeria maculans, was observed in 88 of 99 fields sco...
Competition between rhythmic and linguistic meaning revisited: the effect of task demands

This paper revisits the conclusion of our previous work regarding the dominance of meaning in the competition between rhythmic parsing and linguistic parsing. We played five-note rhythm patterns in which each sound is a spoken word of a five-word sentence. We asked listeners to indicate the starting point of the rhythm while disregarding which word would normally be heard as the first word of the sentence. In four studies, we varied task demands by introducing differences in rhythm complexity, rhythm ambiguity, rhythm pairing, and semantic coherence. We found that task complexity affects the dominance of meaning. We therefore amend our previous conclusion: when processing resources are taxed, listeners do not always primarily attend to meaning; instead, they primarily attend to the aspect of the pattern (rhythm or meaning) that is more salient.
Uma apreciação feminista da teoria arendtiana

O pensamento politico de Hannah Arendt tem sido objeto de apreciacao nos diversoscampos do conhecimento e nao poderia deixar de ser analisado, tambem, sob uma perspectiva feminista. Este trabalho procura desenvolver tal analise, tendo como foco duas problematicas teoricas: de um lado, busca-se elucidar os limites da configuracao dos espacos publico e privado na teoria arendtiana e apontar suas implicacoes para a teoria e a pratica feminista; de outro lado, pretende-se encontrar, no pensamento da referida autora, elementos que podem funcionar como propulsores da luta feminista contra a opressao e a subordinacao. Se a primeira analise nos apresenta resultados bastante negativos para a discussao sobre o papel social da mulher, a segunda nos brinda com uma categoria portadora de grande potencial emancipatorio.
Study on Novel Current Control Strategy for Voltage Source PWM Rectifier with LCL Filter

It proposes a novel current control strategy for regulating grid current of three-phase pulse width modulating(PWM) voltage source rectifier(VSR) with LCL filter.The grid current feedback is used to control the power factor expediently,and a second differential link of grid current is designed to stabilize the system.To avoid high frequency noise problem caused by differentiator,AC currents and voltages are dealt in stationary α,β frame.Finally,a three-phase VSR with LCL filter system controlled by TMS320LF2407 is built.Simulated and experimental results verify feasibility of the proposed algorithm.
Epidemiological characteristics of human brucellosis in Peony District of Heze City from 2005-2012

[Objective]To analyze the epidemic characteristics of human brucellosis and infection status of key population in Peony District of Heze City in recent years,provide reference for the prevention of brucellosis. [Methods]The cases of brucellosis and surveillance results of key population in Peony District were analyzed by the descriptive method.[Results]183 cases of human brucellosis were reported in Peony District from 2005-2012. The cases occurred in Dusi Town and Huji Town accounted for 42. 08% and 33. 88% of total reported cases respectively. 75. 96%( 139 cases) of patients were people aged 20-49 years old,and 133 cases were farmers,accounting for 72. 68%. 146 cases occurred from March to July,accounting for 79. 78%. The infection rate of key population was 3. 18%. 18 strains of brucella were isolated from 98 blood samples.[Conclusion]The epidemic situation of human brucellosis shows an obvious upward trend in Peony District,and there are significant characteristics in occupation and seasonality. It is necessary to further strengthen the multi-department cooperation,and implement the control measures.
Transfer Learning Community: Overcoming Transfer Shock and Increasing Retention of Mathematics and Science Majors.

The College of Science at Texas A&M University developed a transfer student learning community with one 2-year institution after receiving National Science Foundation funds for scholarships to supp...
Ectomycorrhizal fungi slow soil carbon cycling

Respiration of soil organic carbon is one of the largest fluxes of CO2 on earth. Understanding the processes that regulate soil respiration is critical for predicting future climate. Recent work has suggested that soil carbon respiration may be reduced by competition for nitrogen between symbiotic ectomycorrhizal fungi that associate with plant roots and free-living microbial decomposers, which is consistent with increased soil carbon storage in ectomycorrhizal ecosystems globally. However, experimental tests of the mycorrhizal competition hypothesis are lacking. Here we show that ectomycorrhizal roots and hyphae decrease soil carbon respiration rates by up to 67% under field conditions in two separate field exclusion experiments, and this likely occurs via competition for soil nitrogen, an effect larger than 2 °C soil warming. These findings support mycorrhizal competition for nitrogen as an independent driver of soil carbon balance and demonstrate the need to understand microbial community interactions to predict ecosystem feedbacks to global climate.
Connecting 'Round the Clock: Mobile Phones and Adolescents' Experiences of Intimacy

Monikers for contemporary youth – “digital natives” (Palfrey & Gasser, 2008), “wired youth” (Mesch & Talmud, 2010) and “the app generation” (Gardner & Davis, 2013) – emphasize techno- logical immersion. Indeed a 2013 survey of 802 U.S.-based adolescents aged 12 to 17, conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, found that fully 78% of youth owns a mobile phone, more than a third of teens has a smartphone, and one in four accesses the Internet predominantly through their cellphone (Madden et al., 2012). The current chapter focuses on mobile phones and adolescents’ experiences of intimacy. Adolescence encompasses the period between middle school life (approximately age 13) and emerging adulthood (approximately age 18) (Arnett, 2004; Erikson, 1968). Intimacy refers to close interpersonal relationships, especially those characterized by mutuality, self-disclosure and validation (Sullivan, 1953). Mobile phones act as potent portals for connection: adolescents can use their mobile phones to communicate with others through text messaging or one of myriad apps for instant messaging, blogging, tweeting, or social networking.
Women, writing and politics in Sonallah Ibrahim's That Smell and Notes from Prison

ABSTRACTIn That Smell and Notes from Prison, Sonallah Ibrahim engages literary and feminist discourses in his political narrative against the Nasserist regime and the culture of commitment (iltizam) of the 1960s. Ibrahim's antihero is a newly released writer who is faced with the challenges of overcoming his failure to connect with women and society, and find a motivation to write. He realizes that most readers, writers and critics are not in favour of his literature of expose, which refuses to depict or treat the ugly reality as a beautiful one. In foreshadowing the 1967 defeat and the impotence of Arabs, That Smell and Notes from Prison warns of a prolonged cultural and literary decay should political corruption override basic human and women's rights in the Arab world.
Stability Determination of Asphaltenes through Dielectric Constant Measurements of Polar Oil Fractions

Asphaltenes represent the heaviest and the most polar fraction of crude oil. The interaction of asphaltenes with other fractions of crude oil can affect its overall polarity and stability. Because of the complex nature of the molecules constituting asphaltenes, determining the polarity of asphaltenes—and, thereby, predicting their stability—is, however, difficult. A more practical way to estimate asphaltenes instability would have important implications in predicting oil production performance. In this study, we present a method of combining dielectric constant measurements of crude oil fractions with a modified effective medium approximation to estimate the instability of asphaltenes. Furthermore, we show that the dielectric constant of resins fractions comprising mainly organic constituents with minimum impurities provide the best representation of crude oils, with regard to physical properties such as density and viscosity. Two new analytical correlations relating the overall dielectric constant of cru...
Mussolini, Fascism, and Intellectuals

Mussolini … tapped into the powerful subterranean human impulse to violent collective action for a utopian goal. William Pfaff Beyond question an amazing experiment is being made here, an experiment in reconciling individualism and socialism, politics and technology. It would be a mistake to allow feelings aroused by … the harsh deeds and extravagant assertions that accompanied the Fascist process … to obscure the potentialities and lessons of the adventure … [of] destiny riding without any saddle and bridle across the historic peninsula. Charles Beard In the 1930s travelers returned from Mussolini's Italy, Stalin's Russia and Hitler's Germany praising the hearty sense of common purpose they saw there, compared to which their own democracies seemed weak, inefficient and pusillanimous. Michael Ignatieff THE FASCIST CRITIQUES OF MODERNITY AND CAPITALISM It is important to emphasize at the outset that the attraction of Western intellectuals to right-wing dictators and dictatorships was far less widespread and durable than similar attitudes toward communist dictators and their political systems that persisted past World War II and in some instances up to the present. Correspondingly, there has been far less public awareness of and scholarly research about these largely forgotten expressions of political misjudgment. Nonetheless these more fleeting attitudes are also of importance and somewhat unexpectedly help to better understand the far more intense and durable attraction of the communist systems. Half-a-century ago Stephen Spender correctly pointed out that “some of the greatest modern writers sympathized with Fascism … [because it] offered political answers to criticisms of modern technological society made by the cultured and the lovers of past civilization.” Likewise Leon Surette observed that “fascism was not perceived in the 1920s as the face of evil – neither by the man in the street, by the media, or by the leaders of democratic nations.” Richard Wolin proposed a far-reaching reevaluation of fascism and its appeals to intellectuals: It would be comforting to think that … fascism was an anti-intellectual phenomenon attractive only to criminals and thugs … Many of the [European] continent's leading lights were clamoring to mount the fascist political bandwagon … An enumeration of fascism's literary and philosophical sympathizers … would include Ernst Junger, Gottfried Benn, Martin Heidegger, Carl Schmitt, Robert Brasillach, Pierre Drieu La Rochelle, Louis-Ferdinand Celine, Filippo Marinetti, Gabriele d'Annunzio, W.B. Yeats and Wyndham Lewis …