cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How healthy are the “Healthy volunteers”? Penetrance of NAFLD in the biomedical research volunteer pool

Healthy volunteers are crucial for biomedical research. Inadvertent inclusion of subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as controls can compromise study validity and subject safety. Given the rising prevalence of NAFLD in the general population, we sought to identify its prevalence and potential impact in volunteers for clinical trials. We conducted a cross-sectional study of subjects who were classified as healthy volunteers between 2011 and 2015 and had no known liver disease. Subjects were classified as presumed NAFLD (pNF; alanine aminotransferase [ALT] level ≥ 20 for women or ≥ 31 for men and body mass index [BMI] > 25 kg/m2 ), healthy non-NAFLD controls (normal ALT and BMI), or indeterminate. A total of 3160 subjects participated as healthy volunteers in 149 clinical trials (1-29 trials per subject); 1732 of these subjects (55%) had a BMI > 25 kg/m2 and 1382 (44%) had abnormal ALT. pNF was present in 881 subjects (27.9%), and these subjects were older than healthy control subjects and had higher triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and HbA1c and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.001 for all). The 149 trials included 101 non-interventional, 33 interventional, and 15 vaccine trials. The impact on study validity of recruiting NAFLD subjects as controls was estimated as likely, probable, and unlikely in 10, 41, and 98 trials, respectively. The proportion of pNF subjects (28%-29%) did not differ by impact. Only 14% of trials used both BMI and ALT for screening. ALT cutoffs for screening were based on local reference values. Grade 3-4 ALT elevations during the study period were rare but more common in pNF subjects than in healthy control subjects (4 versus 1). CONCLUSION NAFLD is common and often overlooked in volunteers for clinical trials, despite its potential impact on subject safety and validity of study findings. Increased awareness of NAFLD prevalence and stricter ALT cutoffs may ameliorate this problem. (Hepatology 2017;66:825-833).
Lack of recovery of murine hematopoietic stromal cells after irradiation-induced damage.

The rates of recovery of colony-forming units (CFU) and of hematopoietic stroma following x-irradiation were compared. Hematopoietic stromal function of femurs and spleens was assessed by assaying the number of CFU in those sites 6 wk after implanting them subcutaneously into isogeneic hosts. Whereas the number of CFU returned to preirradiation levels in 6 wk, the hematopoietic stroma did not recover significantly in 9 wk. The reasons for regeneration of CFU in a defective stroma were next investigated. Two contributing factors were identified: (1) Stromal damage following 950 rads is such as to retard the rate of regeneration of CFU without significantly limiting the eventual number of CFU in the site, and (2) Radiated mice contain factor(s), possibly humoral, which accelerate the rate of regeneration of CFU.
1) Copyright as Tort Law's Mirror Image, and 2) Of Harms and Benefits: Torts, Restitution, and Intellectual Property (reprinted from J. Legal Stud.)

This pair of papers involves a reprinting of "Of Harms and Benefits: Torts, Restitution, and Intellectual Property," 21 J. LEGAL STUDIES 449 (1992), along with an introduction to that article for students, entitled "Copyright as Tort's Mirror Image". Both involve comparisons between statutory intellectual property law and common law doctrines. "Copyright as Tort's Mirror" uses personal injury law to introduce students to copyright, making a link between the doctrines through the notion of "externalities". Just as tort law discourages wastefully harmful behavior by making perpetrators bear some of the costs inflicted, copyright law encourages beneficial behavior by enabling authors to capture some of the benefits generated. For persons trained in common law doctrines, therefore, it may be useful to approach copyright law initially as if copyright were tort law upside-down. While a full economic account of copyright needs to go far beyond the tort analogy (to consider factors such as industry structures, the "public goods" character of authorial work, and so on), the analogy to torts has many applications. Notably, it can help students understand some of the reasons why the law puts limitations on copyright. For example, consider the motto, "It takes two to tort", and its lesson that both plaintiffs and defendant may need incentives. In tort, the defense of comparative negligence serves to encourage potential victims to take care; in copyright, rules such as non-ownership of ideas encourage potential follow-on innovators to build on their predecessors. "Copyright as Tort's Mirror" also emphasizes the imperfection of the torts-copyright analogy. Among other things, I suggest, gratitude is often an easier emotion to achieve than forgiveness: The exchange of non-compensated benefits may therefore breed community in a way that the exchange of non-compensated harms might not. The piece being reprinted, "Of Harms and Benefits," primarily addresses the following puzzle: Why is copyright law more willing to internalize positive externalities than is the common law of restitution? Part of the answer lies in the difference in structure between the paradigmatic cases in restitution and copyright. The transaction-cost structure and autonomy implications are significantly different in the two contexts. The article also addresses the choice of "carrots" versus "sticks" as sanctions (in restitution, copyright, and personal injury torts), and offers observations on the packaging of rights, and the impact of institutional form (primarily legislature versus judiciary) on substantive rules.
Comparison of an Electrothermal Plasma Source to a Light Gas Gun for Launching Large Cryogenic Pellets for Tokamak Disruption Mitigation

AbstractFuture large tokamaks, such as ITER, will require a reliable technique for rapid energy dissipation to mitigate harmful effects from disruptions. Two main methods developed for disruption mitigation are massive gas injection and shattered pellet injection (SPI). Argon and neon are favorable materials for both injection methods. When launching pellets with SPI, it has proven difficult to launch intact pellets of pure argon and/or neon owing to their high material strength at cryogenic temperatures. In this work, we compare two methods of launching relatively high-Z pellets. An electrothermal plasma source is an experimental alternative to the fast opening, high-pressure, gas valve. The electrothermal source was used to launch Lexan™ pellets with approximately the same size and mass of comparable mixed gas (D2 and Ne) cryogenic pellets launched by gas guns. We describe comparisons of achieved pellet velocities, energy efficiencies of each system, and the implications of implementing each respective ...
Open space premium near commercial zones – a case study in the City of Corona, California

The study estimates the economic impact of urban open space on residential properties in the city of Corona, California. Using 4243 non-arms-length transactions and a spatial error model (SEM) hedo...
Abstract 21108: Early Evidence That the Female Genome Does Matter for Acute Coronary Syndrome Risk

Introduction: Women of all ethnicities have the highest rates of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) misdiagnosis, delayed treatment, and ACS-related near-term mortality. Known physiologic differences an...
Who seeks a surprise box? Predictors of consumers’ use of fashion and beauty subscription-based online services (SOS)

Abstract Subscription-based online services (SOS), the e-businesses that provide periodic delivery of a customized box of merchandise to consumers, have become a $5 billion industry with over 2000 SOS retailers in the United States. This new method of online shopping that removes consumers’ responsibility to select merchandise and visit stores is substantially changing consumers’ consumption habits and, further, their lifestyles. However, there is little information about who are the target customers of such SOS, and what consumer characteristics predict consumers’ use of SOS. This study surveyed 385 American consumers focusing on fashion and beauty SOS. Results revealed that SOS users are more likely to be female with high level of e-tailer trust and fashion consciousness. Age and exploratory product acquisition tendencies of consumers had no significant influence. Both supported and unsupported hypotheses testing results suggest implications regarding potential target market strategies to SOS retailers, and provide a better understanding of consumers who have used this new, effortless shopping method, for consumer researchers.
SDVisu: A tool for clustering-based visual exploration of static dependencies

A large body of research is available on software clustering, and many tools have been developed to comprehend large software systems. However, little attention has been paid to the area of visual clustering. In this paper, we leverage clustering-based visualization to explore static dependencies present in the code base. This paper describes SDVisu, a tool for clustering-based visual exploration of static dependencies. We discuss the key features of SDVisu and improvements for future work.
Effectiveness of a multi-level implementation strategy for ASD interventions: study protocol for two linked cluster randomized trials.

The Centers for Disease Control (2018) estimates that 1 in 59 children has autism spectrum disorder, and the annual cost of ASD in the U.S. is estimated to be $236 billion. Evidence-based interventions have been developed and demonstrate effectiveness in improving child outcomes. However, research on generalizable methods to scale up these practices in the multiple service systems caring for these children has been limited and is critical to meet this growing public health need. This project includes two, coordinated studies testing the effectiveness of the Translating Evidence-based Interventions (EBI) for ASD: Multi-Level Implementation Strategy (TEAMS) model. TEAMS focuses on improving implementation leadership, organizational climate, and provider attitudes and motivation in order to improve two key implementation outcomes—provider training completion and intervention fidelity and subsequent child outcomes. The TEAMS Leadership Institute applies implementation leadership strategies and TEAMS Individualized Provider Strategies for training applies motivational interviewing strategies to facilitate provider and organizational behavior change. A cluster randomized implementation/effectiveness Hybrid, type 3, trial with a dismantling design will be used to understand the effectiveness of TEAMS and the mechanisms of change across settings and participants. Study #1 will test the TEAMS model with AIM HI (An Individualized Mental Health Intervention for ASD) in publicly funded mental health services. Study #2 will test TEAMS with CPRT (Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching) in education settings. Thirty-seven mental health programs and 37 school districts will be randomized, stratified by county and study, to one of four groups (Standard Provider Training Only, Standard Provider Training + Leader Training, Enhanced Provider Training, Enhanced Provider Training + Leader Training) to test the effectiveness of combining standard, EBI-specific training with the two TEAMS modules individually and together on multiple implementation outcomes. Implementation outcomes including provider training completion, fidelity (coded by observers blind to group assignment) and child behavior change will be examined for 295 mental health providers, 295 teachers, and 590 children. This implementation intervention has the potential to increase quality of care for ASD in publicly funded settings by improving effectiveness of intervention implementation. The process and modules will be generalizable to multiple service systems, providers, and interventions, providing broad impact in community services. This study is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT03380078 ). Registered 20 December 2017, retrospectively registered.
Pharmacoeconomics and therapeutic drug monitoring.

The ever increasing rate of inflation and the reality that resources for medical care are limited has led to significant changes in the reimbursement for health care services. These influences have convinced health care policy makers to closely evaluate innovative health services in terms of the benefits and costs. New pharmaceutical services must be economically justified in order to exist in the future. This is crucial to the expansion and adoption of pharmaceutical services.
Resource use and defence by ruby-throated hummingbirds during stopover

Many migrants must forage en route when fuel reserves are depleted and access to resources can be influenced by a variety of factors, including the sex, age, and current fuel stores of individuals, as well as resource availability. The objective of this study is to determine the factors that influence the use and defence of resources by migrating ruby-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris). Our results illustrate that resource use: (1) is dependent on sex and resource defence, (2) decreases with fuel load and (3) increases with stopover duration as well as the number of unique feeders visited. Resource defence is closely tied to (1) competition, with the greatest conspecific density resulting in focal individuals being chased from feeders and (2) the interplay between resource quality and fuel load. Our research enhances our understanding of strategies migratory birds use to acquire and defend resources during stopover.
Exploring just sustainability across the disciplines at one university

AbstractWe examined The University of Vermont’s new sustainability requirement for undergraduates through the lens of just sustainability. We found that sustainability courses are proposed in diver...
Can the robot overcome technical challenges of thoracoscopic bronchial anastomosis

In patients with tumors of the right upper lobe encroaching upon the orifice of the lobar bronchus, right upper lobe sleeve resection is performed to avoid highly morbid right pneumonectomy while still achieving a negative resection margin. Although video-assisted and robotic lobar resections are quite common, most surgeons still use an open approach in patients who require a sleeve resection due to the additional complexity of the bronchial anastomosis.
Local spectral properties of reflectionless Jacobi, CMV, and Schrödinger operators

We prove that Jacobi, CMV, and Schrodinger operators, which are reflectionless on a homogeneous set e (in the sense of Carleson), under the assumption of a Blaschke-type condition on their discrete spectra accumulating at e, have purely absolutely continuous spectrum on e.
Psychotropic Medication Use and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk

Background: Prior studies evaluating psychotropic medications in relation to breast cancer risk are inconsistent and have not separately evaluated invasive and in situ disease. Methods: We estimated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of psychotropic medication use (any, typical antipsychotics, atypical antipsychotics, and lithium) with invasive and in situ breast cancer risk among Women9s Health Initiative participants (N = 155,737). Results: Prevalence of psychotropic medication use was low (n = 642; 0.4%). During an average 14.8 (SD, 6.5) years of follow-up, 10,067 invasive and 2,285 in situ breast tissues were diagnosed. Any psychotropic medication use was not associated with invasive breast cancer risk compared with nonusers (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.57–1.18). In situ breast cancer risk was higher among “typical” antipsychotic medication users compared with nonusers (HR, 2.05; 95% CI, 0.97–4.30). Conclusions: These findings do not support an association of psychotropic medication use with invasive breast cancer risk. The possible elevation in in situ breast cancer risk associated with “typical” antipsychotics could not be explained by differences in screening mammography utilization and merits further study. Impact: Our findings contribute to knowledge of the safety profile of psychotropic medications and may be useful to clinicians and patients considering use of these medications.
The Break-Up of Pakistan

Essay traces what the author identifies as the four phases of the 1971 conflict: the initiation of military hostilities in March 1971; Kissinger's visit to Peking; the war with India at the end of that year; and the transfer of power to Mujib.
Research and Application of Automatic Control of Ammonia Injection in Power Plant Based on Artificial Intelligence

Environmental protection has attracted increasing attention. Coal-fired boilers, as one of the main sources of nitrogen oxides, have adopted low-nitrogen combustion technology in large-scale coal-fired boilers and promoted denitrification technology in order to reduce the emission of NOx. This paper introduces the energy-saving and automatic control technology of the denitrification system after furnace and its subsidiary equipment. Emphasis is laid on the realization of NOx closed-loop control by using open external advanced control system and large data artificial intelligence prediction.
Combined and independent impact of coronary artery calcification and inflammation on risk for adverse cardiovascular events after percutaneous coronary intervention: Results from a large single-center registry.

PURPOSE Our study investigated the impact of coronary artery calcification (CAC) and systemic inflammation on risks for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND CAC and systemic inflammation are known to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. METHODS A total of 17,711 consecutive patients who underwent PCI in our hospital between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2015 were categorized according to the degree of CAC (moderate/severe vs. none/mild) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) level (≥2 vs. <2 mg/L). MACE was defined as death, myocardial infarction (MI), or target vessel revascularization (TVR) occurring over 1 year. RESULTS Within the four groups, patients with both moderate/severe CAC and elevated hsCRP (n = 1,814 [10.2%]) were older with more comorbid risk factors compared to those with moderate/severe CAC alone (n = 1,687 [9.5%]), elevated hsCRP alone (n = 7,597 [42.9%]) or neither abnormality (n = 6,613 [37.3%]). The analogous 1-year MACE rates were 21.2, 14.9, 11.5, and 7.8%, respectively (p-trend < .001). Results were unchanged after multivariable adjustment, suggesting synergistic adverse effects in patients with both CAC and elevated hsCRP. CONCLUSIONS The presence of both moderate/severe CAC and systemic inflammation confers a synergistic effect on risk for MACE following PCI, indicating the need for novel or more intense therapeutic interventions to mitigate risk in such patients.
Equity Stakes and Exit: An Experimental Approach to Decomposing Exit Delay

Exit delay is an important problem for entrepreneurs as well as managers, however it is not well understood. One reason for the limited understanding is that rational theories of delay and behavioral theories of delay both anticipate that delay increases with the magnitude of sunk cost and the degree of uncertainty. Accordingly it is difficult to disentangle the two forms of delay. Further within behavioral delay, there has been limited effort to isolate which of the numerous proposed mechanisms underpin it. We attempt to do both by conducting a laboratory experiment for which optimal exit is well-defined and in which an entrepreneur group with equity stakes is compared to an advisor group whose compensation was based only on quality. The experiment yields three findings. First, we find that equity stakes induce both rational delay and behavioral delay. Entrepreneurs with equity stakes have near optimal exit thresholds, but they have more pronounced asymmetric updating than advisors. Second these differen...
Improved Beta Cell Glucose Sensitivity Plays Predominant Role in the Decrease in HbA1c with Cana and Lira in T2DM

AIM To examine the effect of combination therapy with canagliflozin plus liraglutide versus each agent alone on beta cell function in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 45 poorly controlled (HbA1c = 7%-11%) T2DM patients received an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) before and after 16 weeks of treatment with: (i) liraglutide (LIRA); (ii) canagliflozin (CANA); (iii) liraglutide plus canagliflozin (CANA/LIRA). RESULTS Both liraglutide and canagliflozin significantly lowered HbA1c with no significant additive effect of the combination on HbA1c (0.89%, 1.43%, and 1.67% respectively). Insulin secretion during the OGTT, measured with (∆C-Pep/∆G)0-120, increased in the 3 groups (from 0.30 ± 0.06 to 0.48 ± 0.10; 0.29 ± 0.05 to 0.98 ± 0.23; and 0.24 ± 0.06 to 1.09 ± 0.12 in subjects receiving CANA, LIRA and CANA/LIRA respectively; P = 0.02 for CANA vs LIRA, P < 0.0001, CANA/LIRA vs CANA), and the increase in insulin secretion was associated with an increase in beta cell glucose sensitivity (29 ± 5 to 55 ± 11; 33 ± 6 to 101 ± 16; and 28 ± 6 to 112 ± 12, respectively; P = 0.01 for CANA vs LIRA, P < 0.0001, CANA/LIRA vs CANA). No significant difference in the increase in insulin secretion or beta cell glucose sensitivity was observed between subjects in LIRA or CANA/LIRA groups. The decrease in HbA1c strongly and inversely correlated with the increase in beta cell glucose sensitivity (r = 0.71, P < 0.001). In multivariate regression model, improved beta cell glucose sensitivity was the strongest predictor of HbA1c decrease with each therapy. CONCLUSION Improved beta cell glucose sensitivity with canagliflozin monotherapy and liraglutide monotherapy or in combination is major factor responsible for the HbA1c decrease. Canagliflozin failed to produce an additive effect to improve beta cell glucose sensitivity above that observed with liraglutide.
The Five-Dimensional Space of the Futures of Work: A View to 2030

We advance a structured view of the Futures of Work (FoW) using a futurist’s lens to advance two goals: advancing core dimensions to the FoW while outlining the Futurist’s approach to considering possible futures. Professional futurists point out that they do not predict the future, but rather, build a number of futures – in plural. These views of the futures are presented as scenarios to help decision makers consider alternatives and better understand interactions among the planning dimensions. The scenarios that drive planning are constructed by drawing on characteristics or dimensions that will shape our futures. It is these dimensions that we present here. We offer five foundational dimensions for the FoW, articulating them as opposing perspectives to frame the issue: (1) Virtuality versus Compressed working arrangements; (2) Atomistic work versus Holistic work; (3) Algorithmic versus Human decision-making; (4) Neoliberal capitalism versus Safety-net capitalism; (5) Ubermensch versus Nihilists. We use these dimensions to provide scenarios to illustrate their use. We conclude by reflecting on the shock of the 2020 pandemic and the roles of firm size relative to the futures of work.
Exploring Marketing Strategies of Boutique Hotels in Phuket During Green Season

The purpose of this study is to study marketing strategies during green season of boutique hotels in Phuket. A researcher adopted a qualitative methodology used an in-depth interview with the 20 owners and/or general managers of the hotel by snowball technique and analyzed as the content. A result of the study revealed that the current marketing strategies of boutique hotels in Phuket during green season are firstly focusing on promotion, followed by price, process, product, people, physical evidence, and place respectively. The hotels affiliate the online-travel agents (OTAs) to launch their promotion as another channel apart from their sales representation and their own websites.Moreover, some hotels work with the corporate companies by offering special package for MICE with the limitation for small groups not more than 50 persons. It makes the hotel can earn more income during the green season while some hotels spend time during green season to renovate their properties to be ready for the high season.
Structural Selectivity in Interaction of Neutral Amino Acids and Alkali Metal Ions with a Cationic Amino Acid Transport System

Abstract Inhibition of uptake of cationic amino acids by certain neutral amino acids in the presence of alkali metal ions has been studied in the Ehrlich ascites tumor cell, in the rabbit reticulocyte and in yeast. When a hydroxyl group is introduced on carbon 4 (for the reticulocyte) or carbon 5 (for the Ehrlich cell) of straight chain amino acids, a sharp shift in the selectivity among the alkali metal ions occurs in favor of Na+ or of Na+ and K+ in the two animal cells. This shift is associated with attainment of a maximal interaction between the neutral amino acid and the alkali metal, and is taken to support a bridging by the ion between the amino acid and the receptor site. Although in both potassium-treated and glucose-treated yeast neutral amino acids also become much more inhibitory to cationic amino acid uptake in the presence of alkali metal ions, no augmentation has been observed on introduction of a side chain hydroxyl group, and selectivity among the ions is weak. Hence a bridging function is doubted for that organism. The ions exert additional inhibitory effects, independent of the presence of a neutral amino acid, which appear to be competitive with H+.
Creep deformation of Ni/YSZ cermet in SOFCs

Creep deformation becomes relevant for a material when the operating temperature is near or even lower than half of the melting temperature (in degrees of Kelvin) of that material. For most of the SOFCs under development,creep deformation of the Ni/YSZ anode is significant and must be considered. The Ni/YSZ anode is a mixture of Ni and YSZ, or a cermet. Due to the reduction of NiO, the Ni/YSZ anode also contains a large number of voids, making it a porous cermet. In this complicated microstructure, creep deformation occurs predominately in the Ni phase. However, the creep behavior of the anode is different from that of bulk Ni, due to the presence of YSZ particles and voids. It will be crucial to develop constitutive models for the Ni/YSZ anode in order to develop predictive tools for failure analysis. In this paper, a micromechanics based constitutive model is developed for the Ni/YSZ cermet. The model takes into account the microstructure of the porous cermet, and is able to describe the creep behavior very well.
Wireless screenning of degradation kinetics in pharmaceutical gelatin films

We have developed a wireless sensing scheme for rapid screening of gelatin film physical degradation. The technique presents a new method for delineating the initial swelling (capacitive change) and subsequent dissolution (inductive change) phases. This is accomplished by incorporating super-paramagnetic nanoparticles into a gelatin film that is immobilized on top of a planar inductor. The degradation kinetics are measured wirelessly to identify the swelling and dissolution phases with sensitivities of 2313.4 kHz per absorbance unit during the first 60 minutes and 2214.2 kHz per absorbance unit from 60 minutes to 540 minutes.
Contradictions among Stakeholder Assessments of a Radical Change Initiative: A Cognitive Frames Analysis

This paper explores the concept of frames of reference by examining stakeholders assumptions regarding but transcending their technological frames. Specifically, the concept of technology frames (Orlikowski and Gash 1994) is expanded in order to identify stakeholders’ assumptions regarding the complementary organizational changes necessary to implement successful technological change. Through analysis of data from a case study, the paper identifies inconsistencies among various stakeholders’ reports of a change initiative and then identifies a possible resolution to these discrepant reports through an analysis of how stakeholders develop characteristic frames which shape how they understand the goals of the technological change efforts, the set of complementary organizational changes that are required, and their assumptions about what constitutes progress toward achieving these goals.
Spontaneous Activity: Signal or Noise?

It is thought that spontaneous electrical activity in the brain may contribute to the specifity of the neuronal connections laid down during development of the nervous system. David McCormick considers the evidence for this in a Perspective. A study of the visual system in awake baby ferrets that have not yet opened their eyes suggests that spontaneous activity could play a part in guiding and refining the formation of neuronal connections during development (Weliky and Katz).
Adverse vascular risk is related to cognitive decline in older adults.

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and related risk factors are associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). This association is less well-defined in normal cognition (NC) or prodromal AD (mild cognitive impairment, MCI). OBJECTIVE Cross-sectionally and longitudinally relate a vascular risk index to cognitive outcomes among elders free of clinical dementia. METHODS 3,117 MCI (74 ± 8 years, 56% female) and 6,603 NC participants (72 ± 8 years, 68% female) were drawn from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center. A composite measure of vascular risk was defined using the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile (FSRP) score (i.e., age, systolic blood pressure, anti-hypertensive medication, diabetes, cigarette smoking, CVD history, atrial fibrillation). Ordinary linear regressions and generalized linear mixed models related baseline FSRP to cross-sectional and longitudinal cognitive outcomes, separately for NC and MCI, adjusting for age, gender, race, education, and follow-up time (in longitudinal models). RESULTS In NC participants, increasing FSRP was related to worse baseline global cognition, information processing speed, and sequencing abilities (p-values <0.0001) and a worse longitudinal trajectory on all cognitive measures (p-values <0.0001). In MCI, increasing FSRP correlated with worse longitudinal delayed memory (p = 0.004). In secondary models using an age-excluded FSRP score, associations persisted in NC participants for global cognition, naming, information processing speed, and sequencing abilities. CONCLUSIONS An adverse vascular risk profile is associated with worse cognitive trajectory, especially global cognition, naming, and information processing speed, among NC elders. Future studies are needed to understand how effective management of CVD and related risk factors can modify cognitive decline to identify the ideal timeframe for primary prevention implementation.
External-emission dominance in pion-proton bremsstrahlung

The differential cross section for ..pi../sup + -/p ..-->.. ..pi../sup + -/p..gamma.. in the ..delta.. resonance region can be described in detail by an ''external-emission dominance'' calculation in which the matrix element is based on the first term in the soft-photon expansion of Low. The matrix element is gauge- and Lorentz-invariant and has no free parameters. (AIP)
Optimum impact force in motion control of multibody systems subjected to intermittent constraints

Abstract An optimization technique to evaluate the required impact force applied at a time step tn−1 such that the application of the constraints (holonomic and nonholonomic) at time tn is satisfied is presented. The methodology presented is applicable to both equality and inequality constraints. In the case of inequality constraints, these are converted to equality constraints through the introduction of a clearance function, which is found to be very useful in collision avoidance problems. This paper addresses the continuity of motion when a dynamic system is suddenly subjected to instantaneous constraint. The discontinuity in both velocity and acceleration could be avoided by properly choosing an impact force to satisfy the constraint whenever applicable. A discussion on collision avoidance which demonstrates the numerical procedures developed is presented.
Gastric pneumatosis: the role of CT in diagnosis and patient management

Gastric pneumatosis is rare, with causes ranging from benign to lethal. The purpose of this pictorial essay is to present a series of cases of gastric pneumatosis, review the causes, and demonstrate how computed tomography (CT) can help guide management. A range of primary gastric pathology can cause air in the wall of the stomach. However, gastric pneumatosis may reflect intraabdominal pathology arising from other hollow viscera, with indicators of the extragastric etiology on CT.
Green Jobs and a Strong Middle Class

Green jobs are critical to building a strong middle class, and millions of green jobs can be created through energy efficiency. The models already exist for this work, but we need sustained investment to bring them to scale.
Enhanced water sorption of a semi-interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)

ABSTRACT An attempt was made to enhance the water-sorption capacity of polymers of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) by preparing its semi-interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) with a hydrophilic polymer such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The effects of various factors, such as history of the polymer sample, chemical architecture of the IPN, presence of salt ions in the swelling medium, and temperature of the swelling medium, were investigated on the water sorption kinetics of the IPNs. The IPN was characterized by IR spectral analysis and various structural parameters, such as molecular weight between crosslinks (Mc), crosslink density (q) and number of elastically effective chains (Ve), were evaluated. The IPNs were also assessed for their antithrombogenic potential.
Generation of Ultrasonic Second and Third Harmonics Due to Dislocations. I

By representing the effective-tension term of a dislocation (string model) as a power series in displacement gradients, and retaining the first nonlinear term, expressions for the amplitudes of the second and third harmonics of an ultrasonic wave introduced into a solid containing mobile dislocations are obtained. In the case of the second harmonic, a lattice term, a dislocation term, and a cross term contribute to the amplitude and all three terms can be of comparable magnitude. In the case of the third harmonic, in a solid containing a reasonable density of mobile dislocations, the dislocation contribution to the amplitude is dominant and usually lattice effects can be neglected. Except in special circumstances, it is difficult to separate the three terms that contribute to the amplitude of the second harmonic, and dislocation dynamics, therefore, are more easily studied through the generation of third harmonics.
The development and function of the heart in embryos without nerves

The somatic muscle in frog embryos, from which the cord has been removed, was proven by Harrison (1904) to develop and differentiate normally. Such muscle tissue, when stimulated by an extremely fine needle point, will contract provided the needle perforates the skin and penetrates the muscle itself. The response produces a single quick bending of the body toward the side stimulated, the point of stimulation being the center of contraction. Other experiments show that the muscle tissue cannot be stimulated through non-nervous protoplasmic connections.In frog embryos from which the entire nervous system has been removed at the stage immediately following the closure of the neural folds, the heart functions normally. The rate is, however, slightly lower than in normal individuals. Microscopic examination shows that the cardiac muscle of such embryos has differentiated normally. The condition of this tissue very closely parallels the results obtained by Harrison in somatic muscle.The results of these experim...
Low-loss polymer thin-film optical waveguides

A method of preparation and deposition of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) thin film optical waveguides is presented. This method is devised to produce low loss optical waveguides. Since the processing conditions in the film deposition are crucial to minimizing the optical loss and since they affect the optical property of the films many different factors involved in this process will be identified and their effects on the resultant films will be explained. Finally the modal structures of some typical films will be analyzed and the resultant attenuation constant will be given. 1 .© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Postmodern policy analysis: Discourse and identity in welfare policy

Postmodern inquiry into the discursive construction of identity has the potential to make a distinctive, democratizing contribution to public policy analysis. More so than conventional approaches, a postmodern policy analysis offers the opportunity to interrogate assumptions about identity embedded in the analysis and making of public policy, thereby enabling us to rethink and resist questionable distinctions that privilege some identities at the expense of others. Public policy analysis can benefit from postmodernism's emphasis on how ‘discourse’ constructs ‘identity.’ A review of postmodernism and postmodern approaches to interrogating identity is followed by an exercise in postmodern policy analysis. Social welfare policy in contemporary ‘postindustrial’ America is shown to participate in the construction and maintenance of identity in ways that affect not just the allocation of public benefits, but also economic opportunities outside of the state. Mired in old, invidious distinctions (e.g., independent/dependent, contract/charity, family/promiscuity), welfare policy discourse today helps to recreate the problems of yesterday, particularly as a critical factor in reproducing women's poverty.
Generalized electromagnetic momentum and the Fresnel relations

The Dirac analogy between the dynamics of a single mode of the electromagnetic field and a simple harmonic oscillator is used to derive a generalized electromagnetic momentum from the average canonical momentum of harmonic oscillators. A new derivation of the Fresnel relations, based on conservation laws, is presented.
Initial bubble growth in polymer foam processes

Abstract Bubble nucleation and growth are the key steps in polymer foam processes. The thermodynamic specification of the critical cluster size for nucleation has been commonly used as the starting point for bubble growth analyses. To initiate the solution, a perturbation of the critical radius is required and the selection of this perturbation is somewhat arbitrary. Depending on the size and nature of the perturbation, significant differences can arise in the predicted bubble growth dynamics. In the present study, we consider a cluster to be nucleated when it reaches a supercritical state where the thermodynamic fluctuations cannot drive it back to subcritical conditions. for this purpose, a critical region is defined within which the thermodynamic fluctuations have significant effects on cluster growth. The state of the cluster at the upper bound of the critical region then provides the initial conditions for the bubble growth analysis. A perturbation solution in terms of the Peclet number has been used to determine the state of the cluster at the upper bound of the critical region (at nucleation) as well as the initial bubble growth stage. The predictions of the analytical solution compare well with the predictions from numerical solutions.
Is avian adeno-associated virus an endogenous virus of chicken cells?

The adeno-associated viruses (AAV) are defective parvoviruses which produce infective progeny only in cells co-infected with a ‘helper’ adenovirus (Ad)1 . Both human and simian AAV have been recovered from human and simian primary cell cultures following their inoculation with ‘AAV-free’ Ad. Whereas some studies have suggested that AAV exists in a latent state in these cells2,3, others have indicated that the AAV genome is capable of establishing and maintaining a latent state in defined laboratory conditions4–7 which mimic the situation proposed for the ‘latent’ AAV recovered from human and simian tissues. Here, avian adeno-associated virus (AAAV) was consistently recovered from limiting dilutions of purified and unpurified avian Ad stocks propagated in embryonating chicken eggs derived from two independently raised flocks of White Leghorn (WL) chickens but not when these Ad stocks were propagated in duck cells. These observations suggest that AAAV is a latent endogenous virus of at least some flocks of WL chickens.
Deal Breaker: Semaphorin and Specificity in the Spinal Stretch Reflex Circuit

Stretch reflex circuits are a prime example of wiring specificity in the vertebrate spinal cord. Homonymous sensory afferents and motoneurons typically form monosynaptic connections, while neurons innervating antagonistic or unrelated muscles do not. Pecho-Vrieseling et al. now show that the semaphorin Sema3E and its receptor Plexin-D1 prevent monosynaptic connectivity in the cutaneous maximus muscle stretch reflex circuit.
Applications of the singularity function method to orthotropic plate problems

Abstract The singularity function method is applied to solve structural problems of orthotropic rectangular and circular plates. Except in the work of Conway ( Int. J. Mech. Sci. 22, 209, 1980) and Selek et al. (Int. J. Mech. Sci. 25, 397, 1983), which considered the tapered circular plate, previous attempts at applying the singularity function method have always assumed material isotropy. In this work extensive results for displacements and moments are presented for material rigidities different in two orthogonal directions. In particular, Conway's isotropic plate results [7] are obtained as a special case from the present work.
JAMES WATT AS INTELLECTUAL MONOPOLIST: COMMENT ON BOLDRIN AND LEVINE*

In their 2003 Lawrence R. Klein Lecture, Michele Boldrin and David Levine argue that intellectual property rights may be damaging to social welfare. As empirical evidence for their theory they offer James Watt's steam engine patent, claiming that it delayed the Industrial Revolution by as much as two decades. We show that this claim, as well as the more general claim that Watt's story supports Boldrin and Levine's theory, rests upon a distorted summary of the historical record.
Combination of intracellular staining of retrogradely labeled neurons and anterograde fluorescent tracing: use of the confocal laser scanning microscope.

Abstract This report describes a combined retrograde tracing, intracellular injection and anterograde fluorescence labeling method using the application of confocal laser scanning microscopy. By simultaneously viewing the morphology of identified projection neurons and the distribution of anterogradely labeled fibers and terminals, this approach allows accurate characterization of the anatomical relationships between these two elements. To demonstrate this approach, the retrograde tracer Fast Blue was injected into the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) and the anterograde tracer tetramethylrhodamine-conjugated dextran was injected into the insular cortex in adult rats. After one week survival time, the brains were fixed and sectioned on a vibratome. Individual BNST projecting neurons identified in the amygdaloid complex on 120 μm thick sections were intracellularly injected with Lucifer Yellow under visual control and analyzed with confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results demonstrate that images from very thin optical sections can clearly show potential synaptic contacts between anterograde labeling and intracellularly labeled projecting neurons. Stacked images from optical sections show, in very great detail, the morphology of projection neurons in three-dimensions. Compared to other methodological combinations, the present method provides a more simple and efficient means to trace three successive components of a putative neuron chain.
Ignition and Combustion Enhancement of Boron with Polytetrafluoroethylene

The ignition and combustion properties of fuel-rich mixtures of boron and polytetrafluorethylene in air and argon were studied as a function of pressure at a heating rate of approximately 1×105 K/s to simulate heating rates that individual ingredients may be subjected to in propellant burning. Mixtures ranging from 20 to 100 wt% boron (balance polytetrafluorethylene) and pressures up to 7 MPa were considered in this study. Ignition of the samples was achieved by joule heating of a platinum filament within a pressure vessel of selected atmospheres. Ignition of the mixture was characterized by monitoring broadband light emission, whereas boron ignition specifically was verified by identification of the BO2 molecule using emission spectroscopy. At atmospheric pressure, none of the mixtures ignited within the duration of the experiment. Mixtures containing more than 80% boron did not consistently ignite under any conditions within the duration of the experiment. It was found that the ignition temperature for...
GENDER IN HISTORY AND MEMORY: A CONVERSATION WITH GAIL HERSHATTER

Interviewer’s Note: Among Western scholars, Gail Hershatter is one of the very few who conducted extended research in China right after such fieldwork became possible when the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) ended. Dr. Hershatter spent two years at Nankai University (1979–1981), collecting sources for her dissertation on Tianjin workers of the first half of the twentieth century. Her liuxuesheng (study abroad) life left undeletable marks in her academic career. Her solid scholarship benefited from her ability to dive into archives and to interview locals; her research projects and interests reflected her acute concern for the changes in Chinese society. Dr. Hershatter also exemplifies the new generation of China scholars’ departure from traditional sinology, in their effort to incorporate theories and approaches from the social sciences. Gail Hershatter received her PhD in history from Stanford University and has taught at University of California Santa Cruz for twenty-three years, four of them as Disting...
Planar flow model identification for improved navigation of small AUVs

Motivated by the desire to improve the navigation performance of small autonomous underwater vehicles, we seek simple methods for modeling the local flow that affects the vehicle's trajectory. We propose a low-complexity, planar flow field model that consists of a uniform flow component and a singular flow component. Assuming this simplified flow field model, we develop identification algorithms that can be performed quickly using small, sparse data sets collected by a platoon of vehicles. The basic approach involves estimating the uniform flow component, localizing an assumed flow singularity, and identifying the parameters which characterize the singular flow. In order to identify the singular flow component, we propose a least squares and a constrained least squares approach. In the latter case, the minimization is constrained to preserve the average divergence and circulation of the measured flow. Preserving divergence and circulation predictably results in a larger overall error because it eliminates two free model parameters, but it produces a flow model which more realistically captures the flow in the larger region of the measurement points. Numerical simulations and an initial experiment illustrate the parameter identification process as well as the benefits of incorporating a flow field model for vehicle navigation.