cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Richard Zaner and “Standard” Medical Ethics

To an analytic philosopher, reading some of Richard Zaner’s writings can be strangely challenging. Such frustrations can lead to a belief that there is a strong divide between Zaner’s case-focused approach to bioethics and certain theoretical approaches, such as Engelhardt’s principle of permission or specified principlism. This apparent divide might lead one to think that practitioners of the two types of thinking will have difficulty in communicating with each other, and even more difficulty with working together. To think this way would be to discard a very productive union. More traditional forms of bioethical theory are important at least in part because of the impact that they can have upon clinical case judgment, and so should not only be compatible with methods of case analysis, but should also bring something useful to bear in such analysis. The reverse is true as well, that clinical case analysis should be compatible with, and contribute to, the larger bioethical theory. I argue that this sort of symbiotic and mutually supportive relationship does indeed exist between standard bioethics and Zanerian case analysis. In this article, I explicate just one contribution of Zanerian clinical analysis to more general thought about bioethical theory; in the process of doing so, I also show the compatibility of clinical and theoretical bioethics, as well as further ways in which the two types of thinking about medical ethics can productively interact.
Further Studies on the use of Fungicides for Control of Chalkbrood of the Alfalfa Leafcutting Bee

SummaryResults of this and other studies indicated that frequent dusting of nesting units of the alfalfa leafcutting bee with the common fungicide captan significantly reduced the incidence of chalkbrood. Treatments with another fungicide, benomyl, were less effective in disease control. Applications of either fungicide did not appear to adversely influence mortality of larval stages and/or adults of leafcutting bees. Some disruption of nest-recognition cues may have occurred since greater percentages of cells were lost to nest supersedure and unfinished cells were found in treated nests. As two methods of cell analysis produced different estimates of mortality factors, a need to standardize sampling procedures is indicated.
Crystal structure of a seven-coordinate manganese(II) complex with tris­(pyridin-2-ylmeth­yl)amine (TMPA)

Structural analysis of (acetato-κ2O,O′)(methanol-κO)[tris­(pyridin-2-ylmeth­yl)amine-κ4N,N′,N′′,N′′′]manganese(II) tetraphenyl­borate, [Mn(C2H3O2)(C18H18N4)(CH3OH)](C24H20B) or [Mn(TMPA)(Ac)(CH3OH)]BPh4 [TMPA = tris­(pyridin-2-ylmeth­yl)amine, Ac = acetate, BPh4 = tetra­phenyl­borate] by single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals a complex cation with tetra­dentate coordination of the tripodal TMPA ligand, bidentate coordination of the Ac ligand and monodentate coordination of the methanol ligand to a single MnII center, balanced in charge by the presence of a tetra­phenyl­borate anion. The MnII complex has a distorted penta­gonal–bipyramidal geometry, in which the central amine nitro­gen and two pyridyl N atoms of the TMPA ligand, and two oxygen atoms of the acetate ligand occupy positions in the penta­gonal plane, while the third pyridyl nitro­gen of TMPA and the oxygen from the methanol ligand occupy the axial positions. Within the complex, the acetate O atoms participate in weak C—H⋯O hydrogen-bonding inter­actions with neighboring pyridyl moieties. In the crystal, complexes form dimers by pairs of O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the coordinated methanol of one complex and an acetate oxygen of the other, and weak π-stacking inter­actions between pyridine rings. Separate dimers then undergo additional π-stacking inter­actions between the pyridine rings of one moiety and either the pyridine or phenyl rings of another moiety that further stabilize the crystal.
Vector Valued Stochastic Processes III Projections and Dual Projections

In the first part of this paper we study the optional and predictable projections of vector valued processes with separable range. The existence of the projections of measurable processes is proved in [1]. Moreover, in [1] we proved that the property of being right (respectively left) continuous is inherited by the optional (respectively predictable) projection, provided that the process has relatively compact range. In this paper we prove the existence of “weak projections” of weakly measurable processes and show that the weak right (resp. left) continuity is inherited by the weak optional (resp. predictable) projection, without restrictions on the range.
LncRNA HOTAIR regulates lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine expression and inflammatory response in macrophages

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as major regulators of a variety of cell signaling processes. Many lncRNAs are expressed in immune cells and appear to play critical roles in the regulation of immune response. Here, we have investigated the potential role of a well-known lncRNA, HOTAIR, in inflammatory and immune response. Our studies demonstrate that HOTAIR expression is induced in immune cells (macrophages) upon treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Knockdown of HOTAIR reduces NF-κB-mediated inflammatory gene and cytokine expression in macrophages. Inhibition of NF-κB resulted in down-regulation of LPS-induced expression of HOTAIR as well as IL-6 and iNOS expression. We further demonstrated that HOTAIR regulates activation of NF-κB and its target genes (IL-6 and iNOS) expression via facilitating the degradation of IκBα. HOTAIR knockdown reduces the expression of NF-κB target gene expression via inhibiting the recruitment of NF-κB and associated cofactors at the target gene promoters. Taken together, our findings suggest that HOTAIR is a critical player in NF-κB activation in macrophages suggesting its potential functions in inflammatory and immune response.
Gender differences and similarities in aggression, suicidal behaviour, and psychiatric comorbidity in borderline personality disorder

Objective We examined gender differences and similarities in aggression, impulsivity, suicidal behaviour, and psychiatric comorbidity in men and women with borderline personality disorder (BPD) compared with healthy controls. Method A community sample of 511 participants (healthy controls: 81 men and 82 women; BPD patients: 145 men and 203 women) were rigorously characterized using structured diagnostic interviews and symptom severity assessments. Results In comparison with women with BPD, men were less educated, had higher total Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS), BIS-motoric impulsiveness and BIS-non-planning impulsiveness subscale, total Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ), and BPAQ-physical aggression subscale scores. Men with BPD were more likely to have comorbid narcissistic, antisocial, paranoid, and schizotypal personality disorders, alcohol and substance use disorders but less likely to have dependent and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders compared to women with BPD. There was a trend toward higher maximum lethality of suicide attempts in men suicide attempters compared with women suicide attempters but no difference between men and women with regard to the proportion of suicide attempters or the number of suicide attempts. Conclusion Men with BPD are more impaired and may be at higher risk of dying by suicide compared to women with BPD.
Effect of Local Oscillator Performance on Ultrawideband Indoor Localization System

We discuss the performance of a commercial ultrawideband (UWB) ranging technique for indoor localization. We study the influence of the local oscillator's phase noise and frequency drift due to temperature variations on the range estimation and ranging stability. We analyzed the ranging stability in terms of Allan deviation, instead of conventional statistics such as standard deviation.
Use of databases in thermal analysis. Part 2

Abstract A powerful relational database manager (DB), Paradox 3.0, was previously applied satisfactorily by the author to ascertain values of reaction order ( n ) and rate constant ( k ) from isothermal TG (ITG) data. This DB possessed an extensive Paradox Application Language (PAL) which could be utilized to write scripts pertaining to the determination of kinetic parameters from TG data. The aim of this paper is to extend the application of DBs such as Paradox 3.0 to thermal analysis. Thus, PAL was employed to write a script (just as macros in spreadsheets were previously written and used in thermal analysis by the author) to determine values of n and activation energy ( E ) from non-isothermal TG (NITG) data. In this regard, a PAL script was written and applied to theoretical NITG data as well as to NITG data for calcium oxalate monohydrate, calcium carbonate, teflon and benzenediazonium chloride.
Increased Morbidity and Mortality of Scleroderma in African Americans Compared to Non-African Americans

Objective African Americans with scleroderma have more severe disease and higher mortality than non-African Americans. Differences in rates of diffuse disease, autoantibody status, or socioeconomic status have not completely explained this phenomenon. Our study evaluates these risks at our site. Methods A retrospective study comparing African American and non-African American patients with scleroderma seen from 2008 to 2016 was performed. Groups were matched by sex, age at first visit, date of first visit, disease duration at first visit, and limited versus diffuse cutaneous disease. Demographic, serologic, and clinical features were compared. Mortality risks were assessed by a Cox proportional hazards model with covariates of race, marital status, education, employment, insurance, and imputed household income. Results African Americans comprised 202 of 402 patients. They demonstrated reduced forced vital capacity and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide, more severe lung fibrosis, a higher prevalence of pulmonary hypertension, and more severe cardiac involvement. The autoantibody profile statistically differed between the 2 groups. Death during follow-up was 21% in African Americans versus 11% in non-African Americans (P = 0.005). African American race demonstrated an unadjusted hazard ratio for death during follow-up of 2.061 (P = 0.006) that declined with adjustment for socioeconomic covariates to 1.256 (P = 0.633). The only significant covariate was median income in tens of thousands of dollars by zip code (hazard ratio 0.845; P = 0.033). Conclusion African American patients with scleroderma have more severe pulmonary disease and higher unadjusted mortality than matched non-African Americans. Following adjustment for socioeconomic factors, African American race was not a significant risk factor for mortality; however, independent of race, a lower median household income predicted increased mortality.
Can the dual identity of policy entrepreneur and policy implementer promote successful policy adoption? Vertical greening policymaking in Shanghai, China

Both policy entrepreneur and policy implementer play critical roles in the policy process. Little attention has been devoted to how the identity overlap may influence policy change. This paper addr...
Más que “pálidas sombras”: nuevas posibilidades ecfrásticas en la narrativa de Efrén Hernández

El presente trabajo pretende examinar las referencias y descripciones de la fotografia y tambien de la escultura en un cuento temprano del escritor mexicano Efren Hernandez, “El senor de palo” (1932). Exploraremos como los diversos momentos ecfrasticos de esta obra apuntan hacia las propias preocupaciones vanguardistas del escritor sobre la interrelacion de las artes y las posibilidades (y limitaciones) de distintos medios de representacion artistica. En el cuento por analizar, veremos como las aproximaciones verbales del narrador al arte visual funcionan como interpretaciones activas y hasta como actos de creacion suplementarios e independientes a lo visto, en vez de ser copias o traducciones verbales sumisas al arte “original”
Wireless link pairing toward secured 6G networks

Hybrid wireless networks are foreseen to play a major role in the visioning and planning of the sixth generation (6G) network. Most of the 6G applications are human-centric, and thus high security and privacy are key features. Recently, physical layer (PHY) security has become an emerging area of research. This work introduces a novel, to the best of our knowledge, PHY security approach called wireless link pairing (WiLP). In WiLP, signals received from both air interfaces in a hybrid radio frequency and optical network are required for successful signal reconstruction and processing at the receiver. The transmitted packets based on the IEEE 802.11 standards are redesigned, and improvements in performance are validated via simulations and experimental measurements using software-defined radio platforms. The obtained results demonstrate improvements in bit-error rate (BER) and the secrecy capacity for multiple modulation and coding schemes.
Sensitization of silicon by singlet exciton fission in tetracene

Singlet fission can split a high energy singlet exciton and generate two lower energy triplet excitons. This process has shown near 200 percent triplet exciton yield. Sensitizing solar cells with singlet fission material, it can potentially increase the power conversion efficiency limit from 29 percent to 35 percent. Singlet fission in the tetracene is known to be efficient, and the energy of the triplet excitons are energetically matched to the silicon bandgap. In this work, we designed an optical measurement with an external magnetic field to determine the efficiencies of triplet exciton transfer from tetracene to silicon. Using this method, we have found that a passivation layer of 8 angstroms of hafnium oxynitride on silicon allows efficient triplet exciton transfer around 133 percent.
Physics-based dynamic model for the electro-thermal actuation of bio-inspired twisted spiral artificial muscles (TSAMs)

Abstract The reversible texture modulation behavior of cephalopods is driven by cutaneous muscles known as papillae. These papillae lead to the generation of complex dynamic 3D shapes on the skin of cephalopods that allows them to camouflage to their surroundings and optimize swimming efficiency by reducing the hydrodynamic drag. In a recent work, we developed Twisted Spiral Artificial Muscles (TSAMs) that mimic the behavior of papillae muscles. TSAMs are flat Archimedean spirals manufactured from inexpensive polymer fishing lines, able to provide output strains of almost 2000% with an input voltage of only 0.02 V/mm. In this study we extend the simple actuation static model proposed in our previous work to a physics-based dynamic model that describes the time varying electro-thermal actuation of TSAMs. The proposed model is experimentally validated on two types of TSAMs and excellent agreement is observed between the theoretical and experimental results. The proposed model is able to predict the dynamic vertical displacement of TSAMs from the value of the input voltage, given the geometrical, thermal, and electrical properties of the source materials. This model is essential to tailor the actuation and control of TSAMs and TSAMs-based smart devices such as self-morphing skins, and smart 3D displays.
Empiricism and Rights Justify the Allocation of Health Care Resources to Persons with Disorders of Consciousness

The unprecedented challenges to accessing health care in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic have illuminated the longstanding debate around allocation of resources to persons with disorders of consc...
Risk-based inspection for concrete pavement construction using fuzzy sets and bayesian networks

Abstract Construction inspection plays a critical role in Portland cement concrete pavement (PCCP) projects. Limited research has focused on identifying PCCP critical inspection activities and examining the relationship between these inspection activities and the quality of PCCP. To address this gap, a Fuzzy-Bayesian network model was developed based on 12 critical inspection activities of PCCP projects. Fuzzy set theory and Bayesian networks were employed to quantify the linguistic nature of the collected data and evaluate the causal relationships between model variables. A case study was conducted to test and validate the model. The case study results showed that air content, concrete mass per cubic foot, and cored thickness have the greatest impact on the PCCP quality. This study bridged the gap between theory and practice by developing a risk-based model that may help researchers and practitioners better understand how inspection risk is propagated from inspection activities to the quality of PCCP.
Collaboration in the competitive world of science: lessons to be learned from William T. Keeton.

The tremendous increase in the number of authors and institutional affiliations on papers published in the natural sciences over the last few decades is commonly interpreted as an indicator of an increase in the collaborative spirit. However, a closer analysis suggests that this development reflects an increase in cooperation (defined as a strategy to divide labor among participants), rather than a rise in collaboration (defined as a mutual engagement of participants in a coordinated effort to jointly solve a problem). An exception to this development was William T. Keeton (1933–1980), who, as a faculty member at Cornell University, pioneered research into pigeon homing. A direct result of his willingness to openly share ideas and collaborate with other investigators is the article by Hagstrum and Manley (J Comp Physiol A, 2015) in this issue of the Journal of Comparative Physiology A. Their study is based on data from experiments Keeton and his collaborators conducted some 40 years ago. Despite the age of these data, their analysis and the interpretation of the results are likely to stimulate fruitful discussion in the field of avian orientation.
Interrelationships between Ubiquinones and Vitamins and Hormones

Publisher Summary This chapter describes interrelationships among ubiquinones, vitamins, and hormones. Although there does not appear to be unequivocal evidence for the premise that any one vitamin has a central role in isoprerioid metabolism as related to ubiquinone, sufficient information is available to permit certain generalizations. Vitamin A deficiency leads to a marked increase of ubiquinone in liver, perhaps, because of the decreased rate of catabolism. The observation that essential fatty acid deficiency leads to changes in liver ubiquinone that are similar to those in vitamin A deficiency tends to minimize a direct involvement of the vitamin. The effect of vitamin E deficiency is minor compared with that of vitamin A. In addition to the effects of vitamins, changes in the ubiquinone content of liver can also be brought about by other dietary manipulations. The feeding schedule of animals is an important variable—for example, liver ubiquinone from pair-fed rats is different from that of ad libitum-fed rats.
Chapter 8. Antianginal Drugs

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the development and clinical studies of antianginal drugs. Glyceryl trinitrate and the other short-acting nitrates, commonly used sublingually to terminate the acute attack, are the only drugs of unquestioned value in angina. The chapter summarizes evidence for a beneficial effect of nitrates on collateral circulation in the heart. Nitrates, by dilating mainly the large coronary arteries, improve the blood supply to ischemic areas, while other coronary vasodilators, by acting primarily on smaller vessels, could actually divert blood from the ischemic regions. Few clinical trials have been reported with carbochromen and increased coronary blood flow has been seen with this drug in heart patients. Improved collateral circulation was also reported in one patient, after six-month treatment with carbochromen. The rationale for the use of β-blockers in angina is straightforward. In contrast to those of other organs, the adrenergic receptors in the heart are almost all of the β-type, including those that affect rate and force of contraction. The doses of propranolol required to elicit membrane activity are typically about four times the β-blocking dose.
The neural basis of decision-making during sensemaking: Implications for human-system interaction

We have created a high-fidelity model of 9 regions of the brain involved in making sense of complex and uncertain situations. Sense making is a proactive form of situation awareness requiring sifting through information of various types to form hypotheses about evolving situations. The MINDS model (Mirroring Intelligence in a Neural Description of Sensemaking) reveals the neural principles and cognitive tradeoffs that explain weaknesses in human reasoning and decision-making.
Providing soft bandwidth guarantees using elastic TCP-based tunnels

The best-effort nature of the Internet poses a significant obstacle to the deployment of many applications that require guaranteed bandwidth. We present a novel approach that enables two edge/border routers which we call Internet traffic managers (ITM) - to use an adaptive number of TCP connections to set up a tunnel of desirable bandwidth between them. The number of TCP connections that comprise this tunnel is elastic in the sense that it increases/decreases in tandem with competing cross traffic to maintain a target bandwidth. An origin ITM would then schedule incoming packets from an application requiring guaranteed bandwidth over that elastic tunnel. Unlike many proposed solutions that aim to deliver soft QoS guarantees, our elastic-tunnel approach does not require any support from core routers (as with IntServ and DiffServ); it is scalable in the sense that core routers do not have to maintain per-flow state (as with IntServ); and it is readily deployable within a single ISP or across multiple ISPs. To evaluate our approach, we develop a flow-level control theoretic model to study the transient behavior of established elastic TCP-based tunnels. The model captures the effect of cross-traffic connections on our bandwidth allocation policies. Through extensive simulations, we confirm the effectiveness of our approach in providing soft bandwidth guarantees.
Norm emergence under constrained interactions in diverse societies

Effective norms, emerging from sustained individual interactions over time, can complement societal rules and significantly enhance performance of individual agents and agent societies. Researchers have used a model that supports the emergence of social norms via learning from interaction experiences where each interaction is viewed as a stage game. In this social learning model, which is distinct from an agent learning from repeated interactions against the same player, an agent learns a policy to play the game from repeated interactions with multiple learning agents. The key research question is to characterize when and how the entire population of homogeneous learners converge to a consistent norm when multiple action combinations yield the same optimal payoff. In this paper we study two extensions to the social learning model that significantly enhances its applicability. We first explore the effects of heterogeneous populations where different agents may be using different learning algorithms. We also investigate norm emergence when agent interactions are physically constrained. We consider agents located on a grid where an agent is more likely to interact with other agents situated closer to it than those that are situated afar. The key new results include the surprising acceleration in learning with limited interaction ranges. We also study the effects of pure-strategy players, i.e., nonlearners in the environment.
Reactivation of chronic hepatitis B infection following intensive chemotherapy and successful treatment with lamivudine: A case report and review of the literature

Summary Background Hepatitus B virus reactivation has been reported in cancer patients following administration of chemotherapy or immunosuppressive therapy and may result in liver damage of varying degrees of severity Although treatment is supportive in nature, lamivudine, a nucleoside analogue has been found to suppress HBV replication as evidenced by reports of 13 cases in the medical literature Patients and methods We report a patient who achieved a successful outcome with lamivudine following reactivation of HBV during combination chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and provide a brief overview of the literature including the 13 published case reports Results Lamivudine therapy resulted in clinical improvement as well as in normalization of liver function tests and coagulation profile. Conclusions: Lamivudine has been found to suppress HBV replication manifested both by histology and serum HBV-DNA levels in chronic carriers of HBV who developed reactivation of hepatic disease following chemotherapy Physicians caring for such patients should be able to recognize this clinical challenge, and lamivudine should be considered.
E2A and HEB Are Required to Block Thymocyte Proliferation Prior to Pre-TCR Expression

Thymocytes undergoing TCRβ gene rearrangements are maintained in a low or nonproliferating state during early T cell development. This block in cell cycle progression is not released until the expression of a functional pre-TCR, which is composed of a successfully rearranged TCRβ-chain and the Pre-Tα-chain. The regulatory molecules responsible for the coordination of these differentiation and proliferation events are currently unknown. E2A and HEB are structurally and functionally related basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors involved in T cell development. To reveal the function of E2A and HEB through the stage of pre-TCR expression and alleviate functional compensation between E2A and HEB, we use a double-conditional knockout model. The simultaneous deletion of E2A and HEB in developing thymocytes leads to a severe developmental block before pre-TCR expression and a dramatic reduction of Pre-Tα expression. These developmentally arrested thymocytes exhibit increased proliferation in vivo and dramatic expansion ex vivo in response to IL-7 signaling. These results suggest that E2A and HEB are not only critical for T cell differentiation but also necessary to retain developing thymocytes in cell cycle arrest before pre-TCR expression.
Private Donations to Public Schools: Testing the Scope of Community

The role of community in determining and realizing the moral obligations individuals have toward one another has been long-debated in political theory. The values of community and justice are complementary but nevertheless often at odds with one another. In the realm of public education, this tension is exemplified by our dual commitment to providing the best education possible for our own children and to upholding equality of educational opportunity for all children. The recent practice of raising private funds for public schools appeals to both these moral intuitions. It is morally understandable that parents want to provide extra funding for schools in their community and admirable that they work hard to make it possible. At the same time, the inevitable inequality that results between schools in more and less affluent communities is difficult to swallow. I will use this practice of public school fundraising to bring into sharper focus competing claims regarding the moral relevance of the school district as a community boundary. Ultimately, I will argue that the moral boundary of the district is untenable because of its tendency to obscure injustices between districts.
Regulation of Dendritic Protein Synthesis by Miniature Synaptic Events

We examined dendritic protein synthesis after a prolonged blockade of action potentials alone and after a blockade of both action potentials and miniature excitatory synaptic events (minis). Relative to controls, dendrites exposed to a prolonged blockade of action potentials showed diminished protein synthesis. Dendrites in which both action potentials and minis were blocked showed enhanced protein synthesis, suggesting that minis inhibit dendritic translation. When minis were acutely blocked or stimulated, an immediate increase or decrease, respectively, in dendritic translation was observed. Taken together, these results reveal a role for miniature synaptic events in the acute regulation of dendritic protein synthesis in neurons.
Field dependence and classification: Implications for global information systems

This article describes research designed to assess the interaction between culture and classification. Mounting evidence in cross-cultural psychology has indicated that culture may affect classification, which is an important dimension to global information systems. Data were obtained through three classification tasks, two of which were adapted from recent studies in cross-cultural psychology. Data were collected from 36 participants, 19 from China and 17 from the United States. The results of this research indicate that Chinese participants appear to be more field dependent, which may be related to a cultural preference for relationships instead of categories. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Differential action of decidual luteotropin on luteal and follicular production of testosterone and estradiol.

Decidual tissue of the rat produces a hormone with physiological and biochemical characteristics similar to those of PRL. Because PRL affects both follicular and luteal production of testosterone and estradiol, it was of interest to determine whether decidual luteotropin affects basal and/or LHstimulated ovarian secretion of steroids and whether it differentially affects follicular and luteal synthesis of testosterone and estradiol. The uteri of pseudopregnant adult rats were scratched on day 5 to induce decidual tissue formation. Pseudopregnant animals without decidua were used as controls. Rats were either hypophysectomized on day 8 or left intact. They were treated with 1.5 IU hCG/day or with vehicle between days 8–9. On day 9, blood was obtained from the ovarian vein, and both corpora lutea and large antral follicles were isolated and incubated in vitro. The presence of the decidua significantly suppressed both basal and hCG-stimulated ovarian secretion of estradiol, yet enhanced progesterone producti...
Phase shift of a rotated quantum state observed in an x-ray scattering experiment.

The rotation of the reference frame of a particle is known to lead to a phase change of its wave function proportional to its angular momentum. This can manifest itself as an angle-dependent phase shift of a photon scattered by a fixed target, when the photon state is an eigenstate of the component of total angular momentum perpendicular to the scattering plane. This phase shift has been observed in the quantum beat pattern resulting from the transient excitation of {sup 57}Fe nuclei by synchrotron radiation.
Age, minimum alveolar anesthetic concentration, and minimum alveolar anesthetic concentration-awake.

Two defining effects of inhaled anesthetics (immobility in the face of noxious stimulation, and absence of memory) correlate with the end-tidal concentrations of the anesthetics. Such defining effects are characterized as MAC (the concentration producing immobility in 50% of patients subjected to a
Paradoxical adolescent reproductive decisions.

Abstract Objective To determine why teenagers who say they do not plan to parent if they become pregnant fail to use contraceptives consistently enough to avoid conceiving by default. Methods A racially diverse group of 333 inadequately contracepting, nulligravida teens, 45 (13.5%) of whom did not plan to parent if they became pregnant was studied. Participants completed scales assessing traditional teen pregnancy risk factors, deterrents to contraceptive use, expectations about the effect of pregnancy, the desire to remain non-pregnant, and sexual behavior. Results Teens who said they would not parent if pregnant were less apt to report boyfriends who wanted them to conceive (RR = 0.7; 95% CI = 0.5–0.9) and deterrents to contraceptive use (RRs around: 0.6; 95% CI: 0.3–0.9) and more apt to anticipate that childbearing would negatively impact their lives (RR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.6–2.2), to want to remain non-pregnant (RR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.8–2.4), and to have used contraception at last sexual intercourse (RR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.3–2.4). In the group that did not intend to parent the only difference between those who had and had not used contraception at last intercourse was their willingness to plan for sexual activity (OR: 4.6; 95% CI: 1.3–16.7). Conclusion This study suggests that further progress toward preventing unwanted teen pregnancies might be made by dispelling the notion that for young, unmarried women, unplanned sexual intercourse is preferable to planned sexual intercourse.
Some Applications of the Poisson Process

The Poisson process is a stochastic process that models many real-world phenomena. We present the definition of the Poisson process and discuss some facts as well as some related probability distributions. Finally, we give some new applications of the process.
LEADERS' BEHAVIOR AND GROUP MEMBERS' INTERPERSONAL GAINS

Early and late in 18 2-day solo-led psychodynamic groups for mental health professionals, 185 participants rated their own behavior and each other's on composite measures of Acceptance versus Rejection of Self (ARS) and of Others (ARO). Only on ARO were leaders consistently rated more favorably than members. Considered by group units, members' mean ratings of peers made modest but significant early-to-late advances on both measures. About two-thirds of all intergroup differences in members' net shifts were separately predictable from ratings of leaders by self and also by pooled group members each time. Groups' ARO shifts were best predicted by members' ratings of leaders toward Warm versus Cold. Leader self-ratings toward Accepts others versus Rejects others best predicted groups' ARS shifts. Featuring interpersonal behavior's two principal dimensions and bridging the common split between studies of group outcome versus group processes, these findings generally support Roger's (1959) theory of personality change.
The generalized extreme value distribution

Abstract This paper determines the type of asymptotic distribution for the extreme changes in stock prices, foreign exchange rates and interest rates. To find the correct limiting distribution for the maximal and minimal changes in market variables, a more general extreme value distribution is introduced using the Box–Cox transformation. Both the generalized Pareto distribution of Pickands [Ann. Stat. 3 (1975) 119] and the generalized extreme value distribution of Jenkinson [Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc. 87 (1955) 145] are strongly rejected in favor of the newly proposed Box–Cox–GEV distribution.
A laboratory study of the bidirectional reflectance from particulate samples

The Hapke (Hapke, B. [1981]. J. Geophys. Res. 86, 3039–3054) photometric model and its modifications are widely used to characterize telescopic, spacecraft, and laboratory observations of the bidirectional reflectance of particulate surfaces. Following work and methods laid out in a companion paper (Helfenstein, P., Shepard, M.K. [2011]. Icarus, in press), we deconstruct the Hapke model and, separating all empirical and ad hoc parameters (opposition surge, particle phase function, surface roughness), combine them into a single parameter called the surface phase function, F(α). We illustrate how to extract this function from scattering data sets acquired with the Bloomsburg University Goniometer (BUG). We show how this method can be used to rapidly and accurately characterize bidirectional reflectance data sets from laboratory and spacecraft measurements, often giving better fits to the data. We examine samples with strong color contrasts in different wavelengths. This allows us to examine the exact same surface, changing only the albedo to investigate how the amplitude and the detailed shape of the surface phase function might systematically depend on wavelength and albedo. We also examine the changes in scattering behavior that result when samples are compacted and find the surface phase function and single scattering albedo to be significantly changed. We suggest that these observations support the hypothesis that much of the scattering behavior attributed to the single particle phase function is instead cause by the surface micro-structure.
Reevaluating the Implications of Recurrent Falls in Older Adults: Location Changes the Inference

OBJECTIVES: To compare characteristics of indoor and outdoor recurrent fallers and explore some implications for clinical practice, in which a fall risk assessment for all recurrent fallers has been recommended. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Maintenance of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect, and Zest in the Elderly of Boston Study, a study of falls etiology in community-dwelling older individuals from randomly sampled households in the Boston, Massachusetts, area. PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred thirteen women and men, mostly aged 70 and older, with at least 1 year of follow-up. MEASUREMENTS: Data at baseline and from an 18-month follow-up examination were collected by questionnaire and comprehensive clinic examination. During follow-up, participants recorded falls on daily calendars. A telephone interview queried location and circumstances of each fall. RESULTS: One hundred forty-five participants reported recurrent falls (≥2) during the first year. Those who had fallen only outdoors had good health characteristics, whereas those who had fallen only indoors were generally in poor health. For instance, 25.5% of indoor-only recurrent fallers had gait speeds of slower than 0.6 m/s, compared with 2.9% of outdoor-only recurrent fallers; the respective percentages were 44.7% and 8.8% for Berg balance score less than 48. Recurrent indoor fallers generally had poor health characteristics regardless of their activity at the time of their falls, whereas recurrent outdoor fallers who fell during vigorous activity or walking were especially healthy. A report of any recurrent falls in the first year did not predict number of positive findings on a comprehensive or abbreviated fall risk assessment at the 18-month follow-up examination. CONCLUSION: Characteristics of community-dwelling older people with recurrent indoor and outdoor falls are different. If confirmed, these results suggest that different types of fall risk assessment are needed for specific categories of recurrent fallers. Language: en
The utility of routine electrolytes and blood cell counts in patients with chest pain

The objective of the study was to determine whether the routine screening laboratory tests, electrolytes (E) and hemoglobin and hematocrits (H/H), could have been safely avoided in ED patients presenting with chest pain. Retrospective case series over a 3-month period were reviewed. Acceptable indications for E and H/H test ordering were prospectively developed using American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) guidelines. Charts were reviewed to determine whether any indications were present, whether the E and H/H laboratory tests were abnormal, and whether the abnormal test affected treatment or disposition. Patients were excluded if they had an abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG) indicating ischemia or electrolyte abnormality. This resulted in 191 patients meeting inclusion criteria. Sixty-eight patients did not have any criteria for ordering E or H/H. Of these, only one (1.5%) had an abnormal laboratory test. The sensitivity of the guidelines for predicting an abnormal laboratory test was 96% (95 CI, 82 to 100%) and the specificity was 46% (95CI, 38 to 54%). There were no interventions, consultations, or any change in disposition based on E or H/H testing in these patients. Of the 123 patients that met at least one criteria for ordering laboratory tests, 27 (18%) had an abnormal result. It was concluded that practice guidelines may reduce the number of E and H/H tests ordered without missing significant abnormalities. A prospective trial is needed to validate these findings.
Fast-scanning spectroscopic method for the submillimeter: the FASSST spectrometer

A new FAst Scan Submillimeter Spectroscopic Technique (FASSST) is described. It uses voltage tunable Backward Wave Oscillators (BWOs) as primary sources of radiation. In contrast to the more traditional phase or frequency lock techniques, it uses fast scan (approximately 105 Doppler limited resolution elements/sec) and optical calibration methods. Its attributes include (1) absolute frequency calibration to approximately 1/10 of a Doppler limited linewidth (less than 0.1 MHz), (2) high sensitivity, (3) the ability to measure many thousands of lines/sec, and (4) simplicity. This system is made possible by (1) the excellent short term spectral purity of the broadly (approximately 100 GHz) tunable BWOs, (2) a very low noise, rapidly scannable high voltage power supply, (3) fast data acquisition, and (4) software capable of automated calibration and spectral line measurement.
An examination of the economic efficiency of class I railroads: A profit function analysis

This paper uses a system of translog profit and input demand equations to analyze price and technical efficiency in Class I railroads for the period 1978–1983. The results indicate that railroads are neither profit maximizers nor cost minimizers, that capital expenditures increase technical efficiency, and that deregulation led to greater economic efficiency. The average length of haul is negatively related to economic efficiency; track miles are negatively related to economic efficiency, market share positively affects economic efficiency; and, the ratio of freight to total revenue positively affects economic efficiency.
Postcolumn Techniques: A Critical Perspective for Ion Chromatography

Part I. General overview and systems with suppressors. Postcolumn techniques represent a particularly fast-growing area in ion chromatography (IC). The developments since 1985 are surveyed in this paper. A general overview of reagent introduction means, including membrane devices and reaction conduit designs - especially various geometrically deformed open tubular designs - is provided. Part II. Determination of metals, various ionic and ionizable species. This review discusses the direct and indirect absorptiometric, fluorometric, and electrochemical detection of metal species, including rare earth elements, alkyltin, and alkyllead compounds. Part III. New methods on the horizon. The final part of this three-part review discusses chemiluminescence detection. Photolytic methods for derivatization before electrochemical detection is suggested as an important avenue for exploration. The use of postcolumn reactors built of metal tubes, wires and powder for selective reductions, electrochemical generation of reagents, fluorescence enhancement by inclusion complex formation by cyclodextrins, the coupling of reversed-phase liquid chromatography to electron capture detectors, and post separation zone compression to sharpen otherwise broad chromatographic peaks are critically reviewed.
Multiple Extended Target Detection Using MIMO Radar and Compressed Sensing

The paper studies radar waveform and receiver filter design for the detection of multiple extended targets using a compressed sensing approach. A multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) radar system is considered and threshold based detection is used to indicate the presence or absence of each target sought in the presence of noise. The detection performance is illustrated with numerical results obtained from simulations, which compare mean square estimation/reconstruction error values as well as detection and false alarm rates to those achieved using statically defined waveforms and receiver filters typically used in a compressed sensing context. Results indicate that the MIMO radar waveforms and receiver filters implied by the proposed method have improved scene reconstruction and target detection performance.
Integration of gas chromatography mass spectrometry methods for differentiating ricin preparation methods

The investigation of crimes involving chemical or biological agents is infrequent, but presents unique analytical challenges. The protein toxin ricin is encountered more frequently than other agents and is found in the seeds of Ricinus communis, commonly known as the castor plant. Typically, the toxin is extracted from castor seeds utilizing a variety of different recipes that result in varying purity of the toxin. Moreover, these various purification steps can also leave or differentially remove a variety of exogenous and endogenous residual components with the toxin that may indicate the type and number of purification steps involved. We have applied three gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS) based analytical methods to measure the variation in seed carbohydrates and castor oil ricinoleic acid, as well as the presence of solvents used for purification. These methods were applied to the same samples prepared using four previously identified toxin preparation methods, starting from four varieties of castor seeds. The individual data sets for seed carbohydrate profiles, ricinoleic acid, or acetone amount each provided information capable of differentiating different types of toxin preparations across seed types. However, the integration of the data sets using multivariate factor analysis provided a clear distinction of all samples based on the preparation method, independent of the seed source. In particular, the abundance of mannose, arabinose, fucose, ricinoleic acid, and acetone were shown to be important differentiating factors. These complementary tools provide a more confident determination of the method of toxin preparation than would be possible using a single analytical method.
Seasonal variations in nutrient concentrations and speciation in the Chena River, Alaska

[1] To better understand the seasonal controls on nutrient abundances, speciation, and fluxes in a watershed underlain by discontinuous permafrost, we collected water samples biweekly from the Chena River during 2005–2006 to measure inorganic and organic N, P, and Si in dissolved and particulate phases. Nitrate concentrations were low (8–14 μM) during the winter and summer dry seasons but were elevated during the spring freshet (15–24 μM). Ammonium varied from 8 to 13 μM during the winter but dropped dramatically during the ice-open season to 0.1–3 μM. Phosphate was very low throughout the year (ranging from 0.03 to 0.3 μM), reflecting the pristine condition of the watershed. Dissolved silica was high in the winter and reached its minimum during the spring freshet. DIN was the dominant species in the total N pool (60%), followed by DON (30%) and PN (10%). Most of the phosphorous was present in the particulate phase (74%), with phosphate and DOP only comprising 19% and 7%, respectively. Seasonal variations in nutrient concentrations and speciation were mostly controlled by the hydrological flow regime and biological activity in the river. Annual nutrient export fluxes from the Chena River during 2005–2006 were 51.1 × 106 mole-N, 1.4 × 106 mole-P, and 197 × 106 mole-Si, corresponding to an annual yield of 9.8 × 103 mol-N km−2, 0.28 × 103 mol-P km−2, and 37.9 × 103 mol-Si km−2, respectively. Within the annual export fluxes, the spring freshet contributed about 18% of TN, 27% of TP, and 10% of Si, while the winter season contributed 11% of TN, 12% of TP, and 20% of Si. Continued climatic warming in northern watersheds will likely increase the export of nutrient species from watersheds.
Detecting chameleon dark energy via an electrostatic analogy.

The late-time accelerated expansion of the Universe could be caused by a scalar field that is screened on small scales, as in the case of chameleon or symmetron scenarios. We present an analogy between such scalar fields and electrostatics, which allows calculation of the field profile for general extended bodies. Interestingly, the field demonstrates a ``lightning rod'' effect, where it becomes enhanced near the ends of a pointed or elongated object. Drawing from this correspondence, we show that nonspherical test bodies immersed in a background field will experience a net torque caused by the scalar field. This effect, with no counterpart in the gravitational case, can be potentially tested in future experiments.