cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Newton's Versus Halley's Method: a Dynamical Systems Approach

We compare the iterative root-finding methods of Newton and Halley applied to cubic polynomials in the complex plane. Of specific interest are those "bad" polynomials for which a given numerical method contains an attracting cycle distinct from the roots. This implies the existence of an open set of initial guesses whose iterates do not converge to one of the roots (i.e. the numerical method fails). Searching for a set of bad parameter values leads to Mandelbrot-like sets and interesting figures in the parameter plane. We provide some analytic and geometric arguments to explain the contrasting parameter plane pictures. In particular, we show that there exists a sequence of parameter values λn for which the corresponding numerical method has a superattracting n cycle. The λn lie at the centers of a converging sequence of Mandelbrot-like sets.
Nursing and Related Health Areas: Sources in U.S. Government Publications

Health‐related publications represent United States government publishing at its finest. But for a few major exceptions such as Index Medicus, many of these sources tend to be overlooked when ordering for the nursing reference collection, or lie buried in the Government Publications Depository collection, unknown and unused. Not only is the U.S. government the premier source for health statistics and indexes to the medical periodical literature, its agencies have also produced extensive bibliographies on health‐related topics and comprehensive treatises on disease. While prices of government publications have been on the increase in recent months and will undoubtedly continue to rise, in most cases they still compare favorably with the prices of trade publications.
Noninvasive, quantitative fluorescence sensing in 3D tissues: An approach to in vivo molecular characterization of engineered tissue constructs

A method for noninvasive, quantitative characterization of tissues using molecular fluorescence was applied to porcine knee cartilage. Experimental and computational results agreed to within 5% and were reproducible with statistical significance across multiple biological samples.
Effect of Hypoxia on Insulin Secretion by Isolated Rat and Canine Islets of Langerhans

The effect of pO2s reduced below physiological levels on GSIR by isolated islets of Langerhans was investigated with a microperifusion apparatus that provided control of pO2 and rapid dynamic response. Second-phase insulin secretion was reduced substantially by hypoxia. The response to lower pO2 was rapid and reversible. Although the steady, normoxic (pO2 = 142 mmHg) second-phase secretion rate varied widely from one islet preparation to another, the ratio of Sx to S142 for each preparation could be represented by a single curve that exhibited a continuous reduction with decreasing pO2. For rat islets perifused 1 day after isolation, the secretion rate was nearly 100% of the normoxic value at a pO2 of 60 mmHg, 50% at 27 mmHg (P50, the pO2 at which the S142 is reduced by 50%), and approximately 2% at 5 mmHg. Oxygen sensitivity of second-phase secretion rate declined after 1 wk of in vitro culture: P50 was 13 mmHg after 1 wk and remained at 10 mmHg after 2-5 wk of culture. Canine islets exhibited a P50 of 16 mmHg after 1 wk of culture. The reduction in insulin secretion is thought to be associated with the existence of pO2 gradients outside and inside the isolated islets, resulting in exposure of islet cells to low pO2 levels that decrease radially from the periphery to the core. We hypothesize that the effect of low pO2 on S is manifested through depletion of the energy stores of the beta-cells. The effect of hypoxia on S may be an important factor in some in vitro secretion studies and may play a critical role in the effectiveness of transplanted islets before their revascularization and of immunoisolated islet implantation devices.
From Political Outsider To Power Broker in Two “Great American Cities” Jane Jacobs and the Fall of the Urban Renewal Order in New York and Toronto

Beyond her well-known writings against urban renewal, Jane Jacobs guided the design and implementation of a pair of housing projects while she was a resident of New York in the 1960s and then Toronto in the 1970s. These two firsthand attempts to apply Jacobs's influential ideas on urbanism not only demonstrate her skills as a political activist but also illustrate how some Canadians forged powerful new urban coalitions just as U.S. city politics was becoming increasingly fragmented and incapacitated.
Inertia welding for assembly of copper squirrel cages for electric motors

Abstract The automotive industry is developing designs and manufacturing processes for new generations of electric motors intended for use in hybrid and electric vehicles. There is interest in replacing the aluminum traditionally used in induction motor rotors with copper to improve motor capability. This paper focuses on solid-state welding to join copper end rings to copper spokes in the fabrication of copper rotors. Inertia friction welding was explored to examine weldability of these copper components. A better understanding of inertia welding characteristics will help the advancements in its application for induction rotors. The limitations of this application are discussed.
Characterization of the Interaction of Bacillus subtilis PyrR with pyr mRNA by Site-Directed Mutagenesis of the Protein

The Bacillus subtilis PyrR protein regulates transcriptional attenuation of the pyrimidine nucleotide (pyr) operon by binding in a uridine nucleotide-dependent manner to specific sites on pyr mRNA and stabilizing a secondary structure of the downstream RNA that favors termination of transcription. The high-resolution structure of unliganded PyrR was used to guide site-directed mutagenesis of 12 amino acid residues that were thought likely to be involved in the binding of RNA. Missense mutations were constructed and evaluated for their effects on regulation of pyr genes in vivo and their uracil phosphoribosyltransferase activity, which is catalyzed by wild-type PyrR. A substantial fraction of the mutant PyrR proteins did not have native structures, but eight PyrR mutants were purified and characterized physically, for their uracil phosphoribosyltransferase activity and for their ability to bind pyr RNA in vitro. On the basis of these studies Thr-18, His-22, Arg-141, and Arg-146 were implicated in RNA binding. Arg-27 and Lys-152 were also likely to be involved in RNA binding, but Gln substitution mutations in these residues may have altered their subunit-subunit interactions slightly. Arg-19 was implicated in pyr regulation, but a specific role in RNA binding could not be demonstrated because the R19Q mutant protein could not be purified in native form. The results confirm a role in RNA binding of a positively charged face of PyrR previously identified from the crystallographic structure. The RNA binding residues lie in two sequence segments that are conserved in PyrR proteins from many species.
The Johns Hopkins University Adaptive Optics Program

ABSTRACT The Johns Hopkins University has recently started a a program to develop adaptive optics instrumenta- tion for astronomy. We have taken an evolutionary approach where the simplest element, wavefront tilt correction, is being developed first, along with a stellar coronagraph designed to fully utilize the higher resolu-tion images, and the more complex elements, to correct for higher order wavefront distortions, will be phased in as they are developed. A wavefront tilt correcting coronograph is now complete and is being commis- sioned at the Swope 40 inch telescope of the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. In this paper we describethis system and the initial results of its laboratory evaluation. 1. INTRODUCTION The ability to correct images produced by ground -based telescopes for the effects of atmospheric distor- tion has the potential to fundamentally change the entire field of astronomy. Once the technology to do this is developed, astronomers will be able to utilize not only the increased collecting area of very large tele-scopes but also their higher (diffraction limited) angular resolution. Currently, the angular resolving power ofground -based telescopes is limited by atmospheric distortion to -1 arcsec, even at the best astronomical sites.After the effects of atmospheric distortion are corrected, the new large 8 and 10 m telescopes of the 1990's will
Metastatic Potential is Positively Correlated with Cell Surface Sialylation of Cultured Murine Tumor Cell Lines

The ability of murine tumor cells to metastasize spontaneously from subcutaneous sites is positively correlated with the total sialic acid content of the cells in culture, the degree to which the sialic acid is exposed on the tumor cell surface, and, most strongly, with the degree of sialylation of galactosyl and N-acetylgalactosaminyl residues in cell surface glycoconjugates. These findings suggest that sialic acid on the cell surface may play a role in tumor cell metastasis.
Sample size and power determination for stratified clinical trials

This paper presents an ISO FORTRAN subroutine for determining the required sample size or power in a stratified clinical trial. The algorithm permits a post-accrual follow up period, censored observations, patient strata or risk groups, and unequal case allocation schemes. An example which illustrates use of the subroutine is provided.
No evidence for zoonotic transmission of H3N8 canine influenza virus among US adults occupationally exposed to dogs.

Objectives The zoonotic potential of H3N8 canine influenza virus (CIV) has not been previously examined; yet considering the popularity of dogs as a companion animal and the zoonotic capabilities of other influenza viruses, the public health implications are great. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against CIV among a US cohort. Design A cross-sectional seroepidemiological study was conducted between 2007 and 2010. Setting Recruitments primarily occurred in Iowa and Florida. Participants were enrolled at dog shows, or at their home or place of employment. Sample Three hundred and four adults occupationally exposed to dogs and 101 non-canine-exposed participants completed a questionnaire and provided a blood sample. Main outcome measures Microneutralization and neuraminidase inhibition assays were performed to detect human sera antibodies against A/Canine/Iowa/13628/2005(H3N8). An enzyme-linked lectin assay (ELLA) was adapted to detect antibodies against a recombinant N8 neuraminidase protein from A/Equine/Pennsylvania/1/2007(H3N8). Results For all assays, no significant difference in detectable antibodies was observed when comparing the canine-exposed subjects to the non-canine-exposed subjects. Conclusion While these results do not provide evidence for cross-species CIV transmission, influenza is predictably unpredictable. People frequently exposed to ill dogs should continually be monitored for novel zoonotic CIV infections.
Introduction of novel substrate oxidation into cytochrome c peroxidase by cavity complementation: oxidation of 2-aminothiazole and covalent modification of the enzyme.

The binding and oxidation of an artificial substrate, 2-aminothiazole, by an engineered cavity of cytochrome c peroxidase is described. The W191G mutant has been shown to create a buried cavity into which a number of small heterocyclic compounds will bind [Fitzgerald, M. M., Churchill, M. J., McRee, D. E., & Goodin, D. B. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 3807-3818], providing a specific site near the heme from which substrates might be oxidized. In this study, we show by titration calorimetry that 2-aminothiazole binds to W191G with a Kd of 0.028 mM at pH 6. A crystal structure at 2.3 A resolution of W191G in the presence of 2-aminothiazole reveals the occupation of this compound in the cavity, and indicates that it is in van der Waals contact with the heme. The WT enzyme reacts with H2O2 to form Compound ES, in which both the iron center and the Trp-191 side chain are reversibly oxidized. For the W191F (and perhaps the W191G) mutants, the iron is still oxidized, but the second equivalent exists transiently as a radical on the porphyrin before migrating to an alternate protein radical site [Erman, J. E., Vitello, L. B., Mauro, J. M., & Kraut, J. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 7992-7995]. Two separate reactions are observed between 2-aminothiazole and the oxidized centers of W191G. In the one reaction, optical and EPR spectra of the heme are used to show that 2-aminothiazole acts as an electron donor to the ferryl (Fe4+dO) center of W191G to reduce it to the ferric oxidation state. This reaction occurs from within the cavity, as it is not observed for variants that lack this artificial binding site. A second reaction between 2-aminothiazole and peroxide-oxidized W191G, which is much less efficient, results in the specific covalent modification of Tyr-236. Electrospray mass spectra of the W191G after incubation in 2-aminothiazole and H2O2 show a modification of the protein indicative of covalent binding of 2-aminothiazole. The site of modification was determined to be Tyr-236 by CNBr peptide mapping and automated peptide sequencing. The covalent modification is only observed for W191G and W191F which form the alternate radical center. This observation provides an unanticipated assignment of this free radical species to Tyr-236, which is consistent with previous proposals that it is a tyrosine. The oxidation of 2-aminothiazole by W191G represents an example of how the oxidative capacity inherent in the heme prosthetic group and the specific binding behavior of artificial protein cavities can be harnessed and redirected toward the oxidation of organic substrates.
Glucocorticoid and partial mineralocorticoid deficiency associated with achalasia

A number of patients with ACTH unresponsiveness resulting in glucocorticoid deficiency with normal mineralocorticoid activity have been described. This could be due to an inherited defect within the adrenal gland causing primary unresponsiveness to ACTH or to an inherited progressive degenerative process. The association of achalasia, lack of lacrimation, and glucocorticoid deficiency in two pairs of siblings with normal mineralocorticoid activity has been recently reported. Our case describes an 8.8-yr-old female with glucocorticoid insufficiency, partial mineralocorticoid deficiency, achalasia, and evidence of decreased lacrimation. Sodium depletion produced hyponatremia, and she was unable to increase her plasma aldosterone levels sufficiently, although PRA was markedly elevated. Our case may be part of a progressive degenerative process, possibly affecting both the autonomic nerve structures and the adrenal gland, leading not only to glucocorticoid deficiency but also to abnormal mineralocorticoid secretion.
Algorithmic Approach to Straight Line Trajectory Planning for Mechanical Manipulators

An algorithmic approach to straight line trajectory planning has been developed [4]. The trajectory set points for manipulator control are determined exactly on a straight line path. The problem is formulated as a maximization of the Cartesian distance between two consecutive servo time instant. The maximization is subject to the smoothness and torque constrains. The proposed approach has been simulated on a VAX-11/780 computer to verity its performance.
Patient-controlled Modalities for Acute Postoperative Pain Management

Although numerous clinical practice guidelines for pain management have been published throughout the last 12 years, inadequate pain relief remains a significant health care issue. Several patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) modalities are currently available for the treatment of acute postoperative pain, including intravenous (IV) PCA, epidural (PCEA), and oral PCA. Although PCEA and IV PCA are both commonly used modalities, IV PCA is considered the standard of care for postoperative pain management. Limitations of this modality do exist, however. Consequently, noninvasive PCA systems are under development to circumvent many of these limitations, including the fentanyl hydrochloride patient-controlled transdermal system (PCTS); (IONSYS™ Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Raritan, NJ) and a number of patient-controlled intranasal analgesia (PCINA) delivery systems. The objective of this article is to review the PCA modalities currently in use and to discuss those in development for the treatment of acute postoperative pain.
Contrasting the Thrombotic Phenotype of Donor-Matched Endothelial Outgrowth Cells and Endothelial Cells

Despite the increasing burden of cardiovascular disease, vascular tissue engineering strategies have had limited success in achieving long-term patency in grafts less than 4 mm in diameter. Graft failure is often due to occlusion by thrombosis or intimal hyperplasia. Recognizing the capacity of endothelial cells (ECs) to properly coordinate these processes in vivo, much research has investigated the use of ECs to line the lumens of vascular grafts to improve patency (Zilla et al. 1994). However, the limited availability of autologous ECs and the donor site morbidity resulting from EC harvest has limited the clinical potential of these cellularized constructs.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Development of Doctrine, or Denial?Balthasar's Holy Saturday and Newman's Essay

Edward Oakes generalized Newman's seven tests for doctrinal development as ‘internal logic’ and ‘developmental consistency’. Using this reduction, he claimed Newman's support for Balthasar's theology of Christ's descent into hell. In fairness to Newman and for a more adequate evaluation of Balthasar, I let Newman speak for himself. His norms are applied to both the traditional doctrine and Balthasar's. Since Balthasar's lacks all seven, it follows it is not a development of doctrine, but a corruption. Oakes' other arguments insufficiently counterbalance this deduction, while the traditional doctrine offers insights into the questions of pluralism and the salvation of the non-baptized.
Guns and Money in the Open Economy: The Exchange Rate and the Demand for Arms Imports

Can monetary policy, and the exchange rate, affect military capability? If weapons systems are purchased on international markets, then a depreciating currency can reduce the import of arms, affecting the relative capabilities of military rivals. In this research note, we analyze the demand for arms imports using an error correction model. We show that arms are a “normal” good, with the quantity demanded directly related to price and with exchange rates serving as an instrument for price movements that are normally unobserved. Such price movements are increasingly important given currency volatility and a reliance on imported technology.
Strategies for Helping Patrons When a Line Forms at the Reference Desk

Librarians who staff the reference desk at a community college are familiar with the moments when multiple patrons need assistance concurrently. Their needs can vary from technical issues to directional questions, such as the location of the restroom, to deeper reference questions that require the librarian's time and focused attention to conduct a reference interview and a thorough search. Balancing these multiple demands can be daunting to the new professional and frustrating to the seasoned veteran. The following article offers potential strategies for librarians who may encounter these spikes in activity.
Rapid improvement of peak flow in asthmatic patients treated with parenteral methylprednisolone in the emergency department: A randomized controlled study.

Abstract Study objective: Corticosteroids are thought to exert their physiologic effects in asthma over the course of several hours. In this study we tested the hypothesis that intravenous methylprednisolone improves airflow in a shorter time frame (2 hours) in adults with acute asthma. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 56 adult asthmatic patients with peak expiratory flow rates (PEFRs) less than 50% predicted after an initial albuterol aerosol treatment were studied. These patients were randomly assigned to treatment with either 125 mg of intravenous methylprednisolone or an equivalent volume of normal saline solution (placebo). Patients were also treated with identical schedules of nebulized ipratropium and albuterol. Patients were recruited from an emergency department at an urban academic medical center. The primary endpoints were changes in PEFR and in percent predicted PEFR over time. PEFRs were assessed at baseline and at 1 and 2 hours. Heart rate changes over time and the proportion of admissions in the 2 groups were also compared. Results: The increases in PEFR and percent predicted PEFR over time were both significantly greater in the methylprednisolone treatment group ( P =.002 and P =.005, respectively). The increases in geometric mean peak flow at 60 and 120 minutes were 79 and 96 L/min for the methylprednisolone group and 54 and 68 L/min for the placebo group. There was also a significantly different change in heart rates with time between the methylprednisolone and placebo groups ( P =.029), with the placebo group showing a moderate increase in heart rate over time. Although the proportion of patients admitted for status asthmaticus was less in the methylprednisolone treatment group (8/30) compared with the placebo group (10/26), this difference in proportions (–.118, 95% confidence interval –.363 to .127) was not significant. Conclusion: These data suggest that use of corticosteroids should be considered relatively early in the treatment of patients with acute asthma in whom initial bronchodilator therapy fails to produce an adequate response. [Lin RY, Pesola GR, Bakalchuk L, Heyl GT, Dow AM, Tenenbaum C, Curry A, Westfal RE: Rapid improvement of peak flow in asthmatic patients treated with parenteral methylprednisolone in the emergency department: A randomized controlled study. Ann Emerg Med May 1999;33:487-494.]
Metal-Ceramic Interactions:IV, Absolute Measurement of Metal-Ceramic Interfacial Energy and the Interfacial Adsorption of Silicon from Iron-Silicon Alloys

The surface and interfacial energies in the system Ni-A12O3 md Ni-ZrO2 were determined at elevated temperatures by means of equilibrium interfacial angle measurements. Coincidental measurements of surface tension and contact angle for iron and iron-silicon alloys in Al2O3 give values of interfacial energy. Application of Gibbs' isotherm indicates that interfacial adsorption of silicon takes place in this system.
The Allures and Illusions of Modernity: Technology and Educational Reform in Egypt

Much of the research to date on educational technology has focused on its implementation in wealthy countries. Yet instructional technology has a special allure in the developing world, where it holds the promise not just of improving schools but also of hastening modernization. This article examines a national educational technology effort in Egypt, illuminating the contradictions between the rhetoric of reform and the reality of school practices. The analysis points to underlying political, cultural, and economic factors that constrain attempts to improve Egyptian schooling with technology.
Diaphragm muscle development in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

Being born directly into the aquatic environment creates unique challenges for the breathing muscles of neonatal cetaceans. Not only must these muscles be active at the instant of birth to ventilate the lungs, but their activities must also be coordinated with those of the locomotor muscles such that breathing takes place only at the water's surface. At least one major locomotory muscle of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) has been demonstrated to be well developed and, therefore, able to power the neonatal dolphin's early movements (Dearolf et al. [2000] J Morphol 244:203-215). Thus, because of the demands for coordinated behavior with the locomotor muscles, it is hypothesized that the breathing muscles of bottlenose dolphins, represented in this study by the diaphragm, will also demonstrate adult morphology at birth. However, histochemical and biochemical analyses demonstrate that neonatal dolphins have immature diaphragms, with only 52% of the adult slow fiber-type profile (neonates: 34% slow-twitch fibers; adults: 66% slow-twitch fibers). The developmental state of the dolphin diaphragm is compared to those of other neonatal mammals, using a muscle development index (% slow-twitch fibers in neonatal muscle / % slow-twitch fibers in adult muscle). Fiber-type profiles reported in the literature are used to calculate index values for the diaphragms of altricial rats, rabbits, and cats, intermediate baboons and humans, and precocial sheep and horses. The dolphin is not unique in having an immature diaphragm at birth; however, there is a positive relationship between the developmental state of the diaphragm and the overall developmental state of the neonate. The presence of type IIc ("undifferentiated") fibers in the diaphragms of altricial developers (e.g., rats, rabbits, and cats) is correlated with the slow contraction speeds recorded from their diaphragms. The diaphragms of neonatal horses and dolphins express little to no type IIc fibers and, thus, may have the ability to contract at the speeds required for their increased ventilation rates. These results lead to the modification of the criterion for evaluating the developmental state of a muscle at birth. Thus, the developmental state of a neonatal muscle should be based on both its value of Dearolf et al.'s (2000) developmental index, as well as the percentage of type IIc fibers found in that muscle.
Side Effects of Minocycline: A Double-Blind Study

We studied the incidence and type of side effects of minocycline in a double-blind study. A total of 45 volunteers (18 men and 27 women) were given minocycline, and 44 volunteers (23 men and 21 women) were given placebo. The men in both the minocycline and placebo groups were significantly (P < 0.0001) larger than the women in the comparable groups. Minocycline dosage was 100 mg every 12 h for 5 days, and placebo was administered in an identical manner. Minocycline serum concentrations were determined in 12 volunteers at 1, 2, 4, and 6 h after the morning doses on days 1, 3, and 5 of the study. Side effects were recorded by volunteers in diaries and also through daily interviews and were evaluated by examination and electronystagmography. Peak minocycline serum concentrations were seen by day 3 and correlated with the peak onset of side effects. These concentrations were significantly higher in women than in men. Vestibular side effects occurred in 70.4% of the women on minocycline and significantly (P < 0.0001) exceeded the rate of the women on placebo (9.5%). Only loss of balance was significantly (P < 0.05) increased in the men taking minocycline as contrasted with men on placebo. Electronystagmography generally revealed no abnormalities. Side effects were usually not severe: four volunteers in the minocycline group and two in the placebo group discontinued their capsules because of side effects. It is concluded that women experience an unacceptably high incidence of side effects from minocycline, and this may be related to their higher serum concentrations, which in turn may relate to their smaller size.
Symptoms of Depression as a Risk Factor for Incident Diabetes: Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Epidemiologic Follow-up Study, 1971–1992

Symptoms of depression may predict incident diabetes independently or through established risk factors for diabetes. US men and women aged 25-74 years who were free of diabetes at baseline (n = 6,190) were followed from 1971 to 1992 (mean, 15.6 years; standard deviation, 6) for incident diabetes. Depressive symptoms were measured by using the General Well-Being Depression subscale and were categorized to compare persons with high (9%), intermediate (32%), and low (59%) numbers of symptoms. The incidence of diabetes was highest among participants reporting high numbers of depressive symptoms (7.3 per 1,000 person-years) and did not differ between persons reporting intermediate and low numbers of symptoms (3.4 and 3.6 per 1,000 person-years, respectively) (p < 0.01 for high vs. low). In the subset of participants with less than a high school education (a marker of low socioeconomic status), the risk of developing diabetes was three times higher (95% confidence interval: 2.0, 4.7) for persons reporting high versus low numbers of depressive symptoms. These results persisted following adjustment for established diabetes risk factors. Depressive symptoms had no impact on diabetes incidence among persons with at least a high school education. Results suggest an independent role for depressive symptoms in the development of diabetes in populations with low educational attainment.
Relative Deprivation, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV and AIDS Mortality: A Multilevel Analysis

Objectives: Previous studies on the covariates of sexually transmitted diseases have concentrated on absolute deprivation, often measured by poverty. The aim of this study was to examine the association between relative deprivation (income inequality) and sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV and AIDS mortality. Method: Ecological data based on 3080 counties were obtained from the Area Resource File. State level data on the 50 states and the District of Columbia were derived from the Statistical Abstract of the United States. Multilevel generalized linear models were fitted to the data. Results: State level relative deprivation (measured as the Gini coefficient of income inequality) was strongly and significantly associated with both sexually transmitted diseases (b=12.96, t=4.27, p=.000), and HIV and AIDS mortality (b=20.41, t=5.58, p=.000). Absolute deprivation (poverty) was also associated with sexually transmitted diseases, but the association was not as strong as that of relative deprivation. Furthermore, poverty was not significantly associated with HIV and AIDS mortality at the county level. Conclusion: It was concluded that to reduce sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS, attention should be placed on combating economic inequality and poverty. One tack is to reduce social marginalization of segments of the population.
Mothers Construct Fathers: Destabilized Patriarchy in La Leche League

This paper examines changing masculine ideals from the point of view of women homemakers through a case study of La Leche League, a maternalist organization dedicated to breastfeeding and mother primacy. We suggest two reasons for studying the League: first, an emerging literature suggests that changing norms are seeping into many such seemingly conservative groups, and second, the League continues to be highly successful among white, middle-class, married women. The paper looks at two aspects of masculinity, examining changes in the League through fieldwork, interviews, and content analysis, and finds that new norms of increased father involvement and decreased rights over women's bodies have both influenced League philosophy. We conclude that while in some respects a measure of the decline of men's patriarchal privileges, the League's changes also may contribute to a “restabilization” of male dominance in a modified, partial form.
Playing Well Together Creating Corporate Social Capital in Strategic Alliance Networks

Corporate social capital involves the likelihood of ego actors accessing and using the resources held by their network alters to facilitate work-related goals. Corporate social capital networks span multiple levels of analysis from individuals, to workteams, organizations, and organizational field-nets. Repeated interactions strengthen social capital ties by building trust and confidence among actors, reducing the temptation to behave opportunistically towards partners, and facilitating numerous favorable outcomes. However, these relations can become liabilities when agents use their individual social capital to benefit their organizations. Social capital concepts may help to explain the evolution of the strategic alliance network in the Global Information Sector, a multi-industry system whose collaborative agreements grew exponentially from 1989 to 2000, creating a complex network of overlapping partnerships. The evolving alliance network comprises a collective structure of corporate social capital, an o...
Local properties of RBF-SVM during training for incremental learning

Machine learning algorithms for large scale data are becoming more crucial in today's world. This is due to the unprecedented size of streaming data being collected by information technology. Incremental learning is considered one of the key concepts for learning from streaming data where a learned model is updated when new data becomes available in time. In this paper, we study RBF-SVM local incremental learning. The RBF-SVM decision function has been shown in the literature to have local properties which can be beneficial if they hold during learning as well. A learning machine that has local properties during learning is very desirable for incremental learning; this is because the machine will need to be updated only locally to accommodate the newly collected training data. We show via mathematical formalization and experimental verification that RBF-SVM preserves the local properties during learning. We also propose an estimate of the size of the regions in the learned model that need to be updated during the learning increments.
TOXIN AND ANTITOXIN OF AND PROTECTIVE INOCULATION AGAINST BACILLUS WELCHII.

Five cultures of Bacillus welchii have been studied and compared Four came from infected wounds in the western theatre of war, and one was obtained from a personal article of clothing. Each culture possesses the essential characteristics ascribed to that group of bacteria. The infectious processes caused by the five cultures in rabbits, guinea pigs, and pigeons, are local in character; and very few or no bacilli enter or are found in the general blood stream during life or immediately after death. Glucose broth cultures, injected intravenously, are fatal to rabbits. Death occurs, almost immediately or after a few hours. Agglutinative bacterial emboli have been ruled out as the cause of death, as has been an acid intoxication. The fluid part of the culture acts in the same manner as the full culture and irrespective of neutralization with sodium hydroxide. The full cultures and supernatant fluid are hemolytic when injected directly into the circulation of rabbits and pigeons, and the acute death produced may be ascribed to a massive destruction of red corpuscles. The passage of the fluid portion of glucose broth cultures through Berkefeld filters reduces materially the hemolytic and poisonous effects. Cultures of the Welch bacilli in plain broth to which sterile pigeon or rabbit muscle is added are highly toxic, and the toxicity is not noticeably diminished by Berkefeld filtration. The filtrates are hemolytic when injected intravenously and inflaming and necrotizing when injected subcutaneously and intramuscularly. The local lesions produced in the breast muscles of the pigeon closely resemble those caused by infection with the bacilli. The toxicity of these filtrates is not affected by neutralization with sodium hydroxide, but is materially reduced by heating to 62°C. and entirely removed by heating to 70°C. for 30 minutes. Successive injections of carefully graded doses of this toxic filtrate in pigeons and rabbits give rise to active immunity. The blood taken from the immunized rabbits is capable of neutralizing the toxic filtrate in vivo and in vitro. The filtrate has therefore been designated as toxin and the immune serum as antitoxin. The antitoxin neutralizes the toxin in multiple proportions. Hence the latter would seem to possess the properties of an exotoxin. Moreover, it neutralizes the hemolytic as well as the locally .injurious toxic constituent. Antitoxic serum prepared from a given culture of Bacillus welchii is neutralizing for the toxins yielded by the other four cultures of that microorganism. The antitoxin is protective and curative against infection with the spore and the vegetative stages of Bacillus welchii in pigeons. The limits of the protective and curative action are now under investigation.
Do Markets Reward Constitutional Reform? Lessons from America’s State Debt Crisis

America's 1840s state debt crisis presents a unique opportunity to identify whether the adoption of self-imposed fiscal constraints lowers sovereign borrowing costs. After nine states defaulted, 20 states adopted constitutional provisions that constrained the legislature’s ability to issue debt. The process of reform generates variation in the timing of these reforms. Exploiting this variation, I find that only states with tarnished reputations (i.e. states that defaulted during the crisis) were rewarded with lower borrowing costs following the adoption of these reforms. This suggests that institutional constraints can help sovereigns reestablish their commitment to debt repayment.
In Situ Detection of Hepatitis C Viral Antigens

A reliable detection system for HCV antigens in liver tissue may be used to identify the HCV cellular tropism and subcellular sites of viral replication Also, it can be used to study the relationship between viral expression and disease activity. Finally, it can facilitate the study of host-viral interactions at the cellular level (1).
Experiences of Using the OpenMP Accelerator Model to Port DOE Stencil Applications

The Department of Energy has a wide range of large-scale, parallel scientific applications running on cutting-edge high-performance computing systems to support its mission and tackle critical science challenges. A recent trend in these high-performance computing systems is to add commodity accelerators, such as Nvidia GPUs and Intel Xeon Phi coprocessors, into computer nodes so we can achieve increased performance without exceeding the limited power budget. However, it is well-known in the high-performance computing community that porting existing applications to accelerators is a difficult task given the numerous set of unique hardware features and the general complexity of software. In this paper, we share our experiences of using the OpenMP Accelerator Model to port two stencil applications to exploit Nvidia GPUs. Introduced as part of the OpenMP 4.0 specification, the OpenMP accelerator model provides a set of directives for users to specify semantics related to accelerators so that compilers and runtime systems can automatically handle repetitive and error-prone accelerator programming tasks, including code transformations, work scheduling, data management, reduction, and so on. Using a prototype compiler implementation based on the ROSE source-to-source compiler framework, we report the problems we encountered during the porting process, our solutions, and the obtained performance. Productivity is also evaluated. Our experience shows that the existing OpenMP Accelerator Model can effectively help programmers leverage accelerators. However, complex data types and non-canonical control structures can pose challenges for programmers to productively apply accelerator directives.
CNS Voltage-gated Calcium Channel Gene Variation And Prolonged Recovery Following Sport-related Concussion

Objectives: To examine the association between concussion duration and two calcium channel, voltage-dependent, R type, alpha 1E subunit (CACNA1E) single nucleotide polymorphisms (i.e., rs35737760 and rs704326). A secondary purpose was to examine the association between CACNA1E single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and three acute concussion severity scores (i.e., vestibule-ocular reflex test, balance error scoring scale, and Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing).
Vortex structure of low-aspect-ratio wings in sideslip

Wind tunnel experiments of low-aspect-ratio plates are performed at a chord-based Reynolds number of 8 × 10. Previous force and moment measurements reveal that the wings experience a roll stall event at increased angles of attack for non-zero sideslip angles. These measurements represent global effects of the flow on the plates. In the present paper, stereoscopic digital particle image velocimetry (S-DPIV) is used to reconstruct the volumetric mean flow field over wings at several different sideslip angles. These data offer local, quantitative information about the force distribution on the wings, particularly that which is associated with an asymmetrical orientation of the tip vortices (TVs). A detailed description of the vortex structure, in particular the TVs, is presented. Also, using the circulation of the TVs to estimate the lift coefficient captures the lift trend with sideslip angle and provides a reasonable magnitude as well.
PHACE syndrome is associated with intracranial cavernous malformations.

PHACE syndrome is a neurocutaneous disorder involving large facial hemangiomas in association with posterior fossa abnormalities, cerebral arterial anomalies, cardiac defects, and eye abnormalities. A recent consensus statement has delineated criteria necessary for the diagnosis of PHACE syndrome. Extracutaneous manifestations of PHACE syndrome predominately affect the cerebrovascular system. To date, there are no reports of cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) in children with PHACE syndrome. We reviewed the charts of children admitted to the Children’'s Hospital of Pittsburgh who met criteria for PHACE syndrome, and evaluated neuroimaging for cerebrovascular abnormalities, including the finding of CCMs. Six children met criteria for PHACE syndrome at our institution over a 10-year period. All children were female. All children had cerebrovascular abnormalities sufficient to meet major criteria for diagnosis. Four children (66.7 %) were found incidentally to have CCMs; all lesions measured less than 5 mm at the time of diagnosis and were asymptomatic. At present, CCMs are not listed among the diagnostic criteria for PHACE syndrome, and they have not previously been reported in association with PHACE syndrome. Hypoxic injury in utero may be the common denominator in the pathogenesis of many of the abnormalities already accepted in the criteria for PHACE syndrome and the formation of CCMs. In the setting of PHACE syndrome, we encourage clinicians to evaluate children for CCMs, which are readily apparent on the already-recommended screening MRIs.
Assessing the Accuracy and Readability of Online Health Information for Patients With Pancreatic Cancer

Importance The degree to which patients are empowered by written educational materials depends on the text’s readability level and the accuracy of the information provided. The association of a website’s affiliation or focus on treatment modality with its readability and accuracy has yet to be thoroughly elucidated. Objective To compare the readability and accuracy of patient-oriented online resources for pancreatic cancer by treatment modality and website affiliation. Design An online search of 50 websites discussing 5 pancreatic cancer treatment modalities (alternative therapy, chemotherapy, clinical trials, radiation therapy, and surgery) was conducted. The website’s affiliation was identified. Readability was measured by 9 standardized tests, and accuracy was assessed by an expert panel. Main Outcomes and Measures Nine standardized tests were used to compute the median readability level of each website. The median readability scores were compared among treatment modality and affiliation categories. Accuracy was determined by an expert panel consisting of 2 medical specialists and 2 surgical specialists. The 4 raters independently evaluated all websites belonging to the 5 treatment modalities (a score of 1 indicates that Results The 50 evaluated websites differed in readability and accuracy based on the focus of the treatment modality and the website’s affiliation. Websites discussing surgery (with a median readability level of 13.7 and an interquartile range [IQR] of 11.9-15.6) were easier to read than those discussing radiotherapy (median readability level, 15.2 [IQR, 13.0-17.0]) ( P = .003) and clinical trials (median readability level, 15.2 [IQR, 12.8-17.0]) ( P = .002). Websites of nonprofit organizations (median readability level, 12.9 [IQR, 11.2-15.0]) were easier to read than media (median readability level, 16.0 [IQR, 13.4-17.0]) ( P P P = .001). Among treatment modalities, alternative therapy websites exhibited the lowest accuracy scores (median accuracy score, 2 [IQR, 1-4]) ( P P Conclusions and Relevance Online information on pancreatic cancer overestimates the reading ability of the overall population and lacks accurate information about alternative therapy. In the absence of quality control on the Internet, physicians should provide guidance to patients in the selection of online resources with readable and accurate information.
UML-based Clinical Nutrition Diet for Diabetes Expert System for Configuration Design

Unified modeling language(UML) is an object-oriented modeling language standard.In this article,the prototype that diabetes clinical nutrition dietary configuration expert system,based on UML technology and methods to analysis and design the system.
New techniques in MR imaging of brain tumors.

The past decade has seen many new MR imaging techniques that have been applied to brain tumor imaging. As MR imaging is applied further to cellular and molecular imaging (e.g., imaging of gene transfer and expression), more possibilities for brain tumor diagnosis and treatment will become evident. The superior contrast, resolution, and lack of need for image coregistration suggest that MR imaging techniques may displace PET as the preeminent modality for studying brain and tumor physiology and chemistry for indications other than receptor-based imaging. Nevertheless, the new MR imaging techniques require further histologic, physiologic, and intraoperative validation in suitable animal models and in clinical studies, and should be used to complement PET. Application of echo-planar imaging and other fast imaging sequences can permit the merger of several MR imaging studies (e.g., perfusion imaging, DWI, and MRS(I) into a typical (1-hour) clinical time slot). Synergistic information provided by these new techniques might soon enable physicians to reach the ultimate goals of noninvasive tumor grading and avoidance of having to obtain a biopsy.
Synthesis and Characterization of an Unusual High Coordination Number Alkylmercury Complex with Topologically Linear Ligand

The organomercurial complex [Hg(CH2COCH3)(L)(OCLO3)] where L is topologically linear 2,6-bis([(2-pyridinylmethyl)oxy]methyl)pyridine has been isolated and characterized by X-ray crystallography. The new compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with unit cell parameters: a = 8.1680(3) A, b = 16.5794(5) A, c = 17.3957(5) A, β = 101.2944(13)°, V = 2310.11(13) A3, Z = 4. The mercury atom has short bonds to the acetonyl methylene carbon (2.101(3) A) and one terminal pyridyl nitrogen of L (2.161(2) A) with C–Hg–N angle of 170.67(10)°. A distended N2O3 pentagonal girdle involving the remaining four L donor atoms and one perchlorate oxygen complete a distorted pentagonal bipyramidal coordination geometry around mercury. The supramolecular solid state architecture is sustained by intermolecular interactions between pyridyl rings. The yielded product was confirmed by ESI–MS and 1H NMR. In solution, the acetonyl methylene protons have Δδ 0.013 ppm indicating hindered rotation around the methylene carbon–carbonyl carbon bond. In contrast, the solid state chirality of the multidentate ligand was lost in solution. The first non-inclusion monoalkylmercury complex with coordination number higher than six was prepared and characterized.
Annotation of Generic Units

A generic Ada unit is either a generic subprogram or a generic package. There are two kinds of annotations of a generic unit.