cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Movement-related dynamics of cortical oscillations in Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor

Recent electrocorticography data have demonstrated excessive coupling of beta-phase to gamma-amplitude in primary motor cortex and that deep brain stimulation facilitates motor improvement by decreasing baseline phase-amplitude coupling. However, both the dynamic modulation of phase-amplitude coupling during movement and the general cortical neurophysiology of other movement disorders, such as essential tremor, are relatively unexplored. To clarify the relationship of these interactions in cortical oscillatory activity to movement and disease state, we recorded local field potentials from hand sensorimotor cortex using subdural electrocorticography during a visually cued, incentivized handgrip task in subjects with Parkinson’s disease ( n = 11), with essential tremor ( n = 9) and without a movement disorder ( n = 6). We demonstrate that abnormal coupling of the phase of low frequency oscillations to the amplitude of gamma oscillations is not specific to Parkinson’s disease, but also occurs in essential tremor, most prominently for the coupling of alpha to gamma oscillations. Movement kinematics were not significantly different between these groups, allowing us to show for the first time that robust alpha and beta desynchronization is a shared feature of sensorimotor cortical activity in Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor, with the greatest high-beta desynchronization occurring in Parkinson’s disease and the greatest alpha desynchronization occurring in essential tremor. We also show that the spatial extent of cortical phase-amplitude decoupling during movement is much greater in subjects with Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor than in subjects without a movement disorder. These findings suggest that subjects with Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor can produce movements that are kinematically similar to those of subjects without a movement disorder by reducing excess sensorimotor cortical phase-amplitude coupling that is characteristic of these diseases. * Abbreviations : DBS : deep brain stimulation ECoG : electrocorticography
Differentiable Functions and Their Derivatives

One of the important problems in mathematics and in its applications in science and engineering is the following: if y = f(x), find the rate of increase of y with respect to x. For example, if y = 2x + 5, then y0 = 2x0 + 5, y1 = 2x1 + 5, and y1 — y0 = 2(x1 — >x0). Thus $$\frac{{{y_1} - {y_0}}}{{{x_1} - {x_0}}} = 2,$$ (1) (1) and the rate of increase of y with respect to x is 2. This example shows that the problem has a simple solution in all cases in which f is a linear function. Thus, if y = ax + b, then $$\frac{{{y_1} - {y_0}}}{{{x_1} - {x_0}}} = 2,$$ (2) Observe that, for this linear function f, the rate of increase of y with respect to x is the same, namelya, for everyx0 and xl.
Reye's syndrome in a young adult

Reye's syndrome (RS), originally known by the more descriptive name "encephalopathy with fatty degeneration of the viscera," was first described in children and is still seen mostly in them. However, there have been a few case reports of adult Reye's Syndrome (ARS) since the mid-1970s. The following report is a case of ARS in a previously healthy 26-year-old woman. Although the clinical description and the pathophysiology are well known in RS, the etiology and the pathogenesis are still far from clear. From available evidence a multifactorial cause seems likely, encompassing genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, and the convincing role of aspirin. Moreover, as there is increasing awareness of metabolic mimics, questions arise about the validity of some of the diagnoses of RS, even in Reye's original cases.
Impact of Pharmacists’ Religious and Personal Beliefs in Dispensing Contraceptives

Background: Until recently, pharmacies were not permitted to dispense any emergency contraceptives to women to prevent pregnancy. No legal statutes existed under which pharmacists with religious, moral or ethical objections could refuse to fill a prescription for contraceptives, nor were there direct guidelines describing the pharmacist’s professional obligations. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to explore the frequency of cases in which pharmacists have refused, due to their personal beliefs, to provide counsel regarding contraceptives or have refused to refer to a patient to a different pharmacist or healthcare provider. This study will compare and contrast the differences between independent pharmacies and chain pharmacies (i.e. time spent, location, most common recommended contraception). Finally, this study will compare the results evident between male pharmacists and female pharmacists. Method: Quantitative method employed uses two interview questions directed to pharmacists: (1) “I am moving in with my fiancee/boyfriend next month and I have never used contraceptives. What are my options?” (2) “If I use a condom and it breaks, do I have any choices to prevent pregnancy after the fact?” The survey was conducted in two locations, the greater Philadelphia area and Hershey, PA. The survey was conducted through face-to-face interactions with pharmacists, either employed at independent pharmacy or at a chain pharmacy. Data collected from each pharmacist included number of approximate age/gender; minutes spent in each consultation with a patient; the kind of privacy provided during the consultation; and the referrals given, if any. Results: Fifty (50) pharmacists were interviewed. No pharmacist indicated that counseling would be denied, although one (1) pharmacist refused to counsel on Plan B and four (4) pharmacists referred the interviewer to a doctor immediately, indicating that all medications require a prescription. Two (2) pharmacists spent more than 10 minutes providing the best possible counseling. Type: Student Project
Is immediate repeat biopsy necessary for men with atypical small acinar proliferation

e16049 Background: Atypical small acinar proliferation (ASAP) is a diagnosis that occurs in about 1-2% of prostate biopsies. Approximately, 30-40% of patients with ASAP may develop prostate cancer....
Carrier-envelope phase-dependent coherence in two-level systems interacting with few-cycle pulse pairs

We report a numerical study of the carrier-envelope phase-sensitive population inversion and polarization in two-level systems interacting with few-cycle optical pulse pairs.
Platelet Counts and Postoperative Stroke After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery.

BACKGROUND:Declining platelet counts may reveal platelet activation and aggregation in a postoperative prothrombotic state. Therefore, we hypothesized that nadir platelet counts after on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery are associated with stroke.METHODS:We evaluated 6130 adult CA
Evaluation of Early Therapeutic Effects after Near-Infrared Photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) Using Luciferase-Luciferin Photon-Counting and Fluorescence Imaging.

Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) is a newly developed cancer treatment that induces highly selective immunogenic cell death. It is based on an antibody–photoabsorber conjugate (APC) that is activated by NIR light. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of NIR-PIT as measured by luciferase–luciferin photon-counting and fluorescence imaging. Six days after subcutaneous injection of A431-luc-GFP cells tumors formed in a xenograft mouse model. The EGFR-targeting antibody, panitumumab, was conjugated to the photoabsorber, IRDye-700DX (pan–IR700), and was intravenously administered to tumor-bearing mice. Serial luciferase–luciferin photon-counting images and both green fluorescent protein (GFP) and IR700 fluorescence images were obtained from the same mice before and after NIR-PIT treatment (0, 10, 20, 30 min (early phase), and 24, 48 h (late phase) after NIR light exposure). Optical signal intensities were compared for each modality. IR700 fluorescence and luciferase–luciferin photo...
Chrysiogenetes phy. nov.

Chry.si.o.ge.ne' tes. M.L. fem. pl. n. Chrysiogenales type order of the phylum; dropping ending to denote a phylum; M.L. fem. pl. n. Chrysiogenetes the phylum of Chrysiogenales. Chrysiogenetes Keywords: Chrysiogenetes phy. nov.; Chrysiogenales ord. nov.
Cranial Cavernous Malformations: Natural History and Treatment

Cavernous malformations (CMs), also known as cavernous angiomas or cavernomas, are low-flow vascular malformations of the brain and spinal cord that consist of clusters of dilated sinusoidal channels lined with endothelial cells that do not exhibit intervening tight junctions. The involved blood vessels lack muscular and elastic layers, and blood at various stages of thrombosis and organization often fills the thin-walled vascular caverns. CMs are grossly distinct from adjacent brain and have a lobulated appearance sometimes likened to a mulberry, with a characteristic dark red or purple color. Hemosiderin and gliosis often surround CMs of the brain and spinal cord; no neural tissue is present inside the lesion. Except for developmental venous anomalies (DVAs) present in ≈33% of CMs,1 no abnormal vascularity is typically seen on digital subtraction angiography, leading CMs to be termed cryptic or occult vascular malformations (Figure 1). Multiple small hemorrhage events lead to a pathognomonic popcorn appearance on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging because of hemosiderin staining from blood products of various ages. Calcifications may be present on computed tomographic imaging (Figure 2). Figure 1. A 48-year-old woman presented with headaches. A , Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain with T2-weighted imaging demonstrated a 1.1-cm lesion in the cerebellar vermis with mixed signal intensity. B – D , Susceptibility-weighted imaging demonstrated hemosiderin within the lesion’s core and a developmental venous anomaly associated with the cavernous malformation (arrowheads). Figure 2. A 28-year-old woman presented with partial seizures without secondary generalization. A , Noncontrast computed tomography of the head demonstrated a 1.4-cm right posterior cingulate hyperdensity, with evidence of mild hemorrhage and calcification. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain demonstrated the cavernous malformation to have a core of mixed signal intensity, heterogeneous enhancement, and a rim of hemosiderin consistent with a cavernous malformation, as evidenced on ( B ) susceptibility-weighted imaging, ( C ) T2-weighted …
GROWTH OF A VILLAGE: USING FLUORIDE ANALYSIS AND ARTIFACT FREQUENCIES TO EXAMINE EARLY FORT ANCIENT/MISSISSIPPIAN HOUSEHOLD AND SITE FORMATION

Examining the formation histories of single-component prehistoric villages is difficult using only radiocarbon dating. This study investigates such a case with the added considerations of two relative dating techniques, artifact accumulation and fluoride dating, at the Guard site (12D29), an early (ca. AD 1000–1300) Fort Ancient/Mississippian village located in southeast Indiana. The goal was to assess the depositional history of the individual house basins and, if possible, to determine a relative sequence of construction within the village. The observed relationship between relative artifact frequencies and fluoride levels was statistically examined with the expected result being that fluoride concentrations and artifact frequencies are significantly correlated. Houses built initially contained lower relative artifact frequencies, whereas houses built more recently contained higher relative artifact frequencies. This pattern is further explored with artifact and fluoride distinctions in vertical stratigraphy, which show that some structures were slowly filled with midden trash, whereas others were more likely rapidly filled during the latter part of the village occupation, perhaps at the time of site abandonment. Overall, the results are very promising and consistent with the SunWatch site, the only other Fort Ancient culture site with a defined construction sequence, establishing a general pattern of village development in the study region.
The Application of Social Psychology

These examples are typical of problems that occur in our society. Many social psychologists believe they should devote themselves to solving such problems. Kurt Lewin (1951) argued that social psychologists should take an active interest in society’s problems and strive to use the discipline for social betterment. As we mentioned in Chapter 1, during the Second World War many social psychologists devoted their research efforts to the war effort. Lewin, for example, developed techniques for convincing housewives to change their food-buying habits. Other psychologists helped to select and train undercover agents, searched for ways to reduce battle fatigue, and developed means for increasing morale among soldiers. A concern with social problems was revived in the United States during the 1960s. Protests against oppression of black citizens and opposition to the Vietnam War were at a peak, prompting social scientists to think more carefully about the ills of American society. Psychologists began to ask whether their work might change the culture in significant ways. This commitment to helping solve practical problems has continued to the present day.
Vorticity Based Intermittency Measurements in a Single Stream Shear Layer

Intermittency, which can be defined as a binary function in which I(t) = 1 if vortical fluid occupies the point of interest and I(t) = 0 if the fluid state is irrotational, provides one of the fundamental quantities to describe of a turbulent shear flow that is bounded by an irrotational body of fluid.
VCSEL-Based Data Links

Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL)-based data links are attractive due to their low-power dissipation and low-cost manufacturability. This chapter reviews the foundations for this technology, as well as the device and module design challenges of extending the data rate beyond the current level. We begin with a review of data communications from the business perspective, and continue with a brief discussion of the current and future standards. This is followed by a survey of recent advances in VCSELs, including data links operating at 28 Gb/s. We review the recent efforts on ultra-fast data links and discuss the advantages of the different approaches. We also examine key design aspects of optical transceiver modules and we focus our discussion on novel applications in high-performance computing using both multi-mode and single-mode fiber optics. We highlight the importance of the device/component-level and system-level modeling and show some modeling examples with comparison to measured data. We conclude with a comparison of the VCSEL-based data links with other competing technologies, including silicon photonics and short-cavity edge emitting lasers.
Teaching CAD/CAM utilizing a simulated manufacturing project

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the individual components of a computer aided design/ computer aided manufacturing(CAD/CAM ) system and explains how these computerized segments should be interrelated in a manufacturing operation.CAD/CAM is the mainstay of information for the senior level course on factory automation. The course is supplemented with guest speakers from the industrial community giving first hand experiences in areas such as “Implementation of a CAD System,’’ “MRP and MRP II,” and “Robotics.”For the students to see CAD/CAM in operation, a tour of a major manufacturing plant that utilizes CAD/CAM is given and computer integrated manufacturing is also included in the course near the end of the semester. The chapter describes the manufacturing plant upon which the group project is based. This description is handed to the students at the outset of the course. The plant is located in a modern industrial park on a 5 acre site and the facilities include 40,000 square feet of office, warehouse, and manufacturing space.
Microencapsulated Immunoassays for Detection of Cytokines in Human Blood

Cytokines are produced by leukocytes in blood and may be used as indicators of malignancies or infections. The objective of this study was to develop a strategy for immunosensing cytokines in whole, unprocessed human blood. Microfluidic droplet generation was employed to fabricate ∼400 μm diameter microcapsules with a hydrogel shell and an aqueous core containing sensing microbeads. The hydrogel shell was composed of poly(ethylene glycol) forming a thin (∼10 μm) immunoisolation layer protecting antibody-modified microbeads inside the capsule from immune cells on the outside. The microbeads were functionalized with antibodies against cytokines of interest: interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. While nonfouling, a hydrogel shell was permeable to cytokine molecules; these molecules were captured on microbeads and were detected with fluorescently labeled secondary antibodies. Calibration of encapsulated immunoassays with known concentrations of cytokines revealed a limit of detection of 14.8 a...
Using nest captures and video cameras to estimate survival and abundance of breeding Piping Plovers Charadrius melodus

The estimation of abundance is fundamental to ecology and conservation but often is difficult or impossible to accomplish reliably. Recent improvements in wildlife cameras and ecological modelling have allowed for improved accuracy in estimates of abundance. In this study, we paired nest captures and high‐definition nest video camera monitoring with modelling for a novel approach to estimate survival and abundance of threatened Piping Plovers Charadrius melodus breeding on Missouri River sandbars. From 2005 to 2014, we captured individuals on nests and uniquely marked them and recaptured previously marked individuals. In 2015–2017, we resighted marked individuals using small, high‐definition video cameras deployed at nests, and counted the number of marked and unmarked breeding individuals associated with nests. We estimated apparent survival and derived estimates of the abundance of breeding individuals and population growth each year using a state‐space Jolly–Seber superpopulation model with the addition of a binomial band ratio model for data collected using nest video cameras. Apparent survival averaged 0.73 ± 0.03 (mean ± sd) throughout the study. The number of breeding individuals varied, with the population increasing from 2012 to 2017 following a major habitat creation event. This study provides one of the few examples of camera data being used to produce demographic parameter and abundance estimates for an avian species. The camera and modelling methods described in this study may be applicable to other avian species in which some portion of the breeding population is uniquely marked.
Plasticity and Ultimate Strength of Concrete

It is shown that the ultimate strength of concrete under multiaxial compression nay be derived from a simple theory of plasticity developed by the author. An example is included.
A mathematical model for evaluating the role of trypanocide treatment of cattle in the epidemiology and control of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and T. b. gambiense sleeping sickness in Uganda.

Abstract Background Human and animal African trypanosomiases impose a large economic and health burden in their endemic regions. Large strides have been made in the control of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), yet these efforts have largely focused on the non-zoonotic form of the disease. Using a mathematical model with a 10 year time horizon, we demonstrate the role of the cattle treatment with trypanocides in the epidemiology of zoonotic and non-zoonotic HAT in Uganda, and its potential implications on elimination and eradication of the disease. Methodology/principal findings We created two compartmental, deterministic models, each comprised of three sub-models: humans, the tsetse fly vector (Glossina fuscipes fuscipes), and cattle. We applied these models to two HAT foci in Uganda: the gambiense (chronic, non-zoonotic) form in the Northern Region, and the rhodesiense (acute, zoonotic) form in the Eastern Region. Parameters were derived from prior literature or assumed. In both foci we assumed G. fuscipes fuscipes expresses zoophilic biting behavior. With trypanocide treatment of cattle administered every 3 months, treatment in stage I (representing engagement in active or passive surveillance) had a larger impact on HAT burden than cattle treatment coverage. However increasing cattle treatment coverage allowed for further reduction in prevalence in both foci. Using these model parameters, our estimated R0 suggests humans cannot alone sustain the HAT epidemic in Uganda. Conclusions/significance Even in the absence of zoonotic transmission, loss of a preferred tsetse host species can affect HAT risk. Thus One Health strategies which integrate HAT and animal African trypanosomiasis control may improve the timeliness and sustainability of gHAT and rHAT elimination and eradication in Uganda. Furthermore, such strategies reduce the burden of a high-morbidity livestock disease of economic importance.
Validation of the Garmin Forerunner 920XT VO2max Estimation and the Polar RS300X Fitness Test

Several fitness watches have developed tests to estimate VO2max to provide important data and save money by reducing the need for a metabolic cart. Some watches provide results based on heart rate (HR) while others combine HR data with global positioning satellite (GPS) data. The purpose of this study was to validate VO2max from the fitness test on a Garmin Forerunner 920XT (HR and GPS-based) and a Polar RS300X (HR-based) fitness watch against a maximal graded exercise test (GXT) using a metabolic cart. 10 male and 7 female college students (age = 21.5 ± 2.9 years) participated in this study. Session 1 consisted of completing the Informed Consent, PAR-Q, and Garmin fitness test. Session 2 comprised the Polar fitness test and a maximal Bruce treadmill test using the metabolic cart. Maximal performance during the Bruce test was validated by obtaining age-predicted HRmax. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with a significance level of p < 0.05. Secondary analysis was conducted using Pearson correlations. VO2max from the Garmin, Polar, and metabolic cart tests were 47.82 (± 9.60), 45.53 (± 5.42), and 45.63 (± 8.84) ml/kg/min, respectively. ANOVA tests revealed no significant differences between any of the tests (p = 0.6 between the Garmin and the metabolic cart; p = 0.3 between the Polar and the metabolic cart). Pearson correlations revealed that the Garmin test was highly correlated with r = 0.83 (p < 0.001) while the Polar test was strongly correlated (r = 0.65, p < 0.001). The findings indicate that Garmin and Polar fitness tests may serve as an adequate substitute for testing using a metabolic cart. The Garmin test may be a more appropriate choice as the correlation was stronger and the Polar test tended to overestimate VO2max.
Survey of Recent Hacking Events

Iincrease in technology comes rapidly increasing security risks. These security risks can leave users vulnerable to many different malicious attacks. In this paper, recent hacking events are analyzed and categorized to understand the intention behind them and how they occurred. These attacks can range from code manipulation, phishing, software attacks, to IoT (Internet of Things) vulnerabilities and more. Such attacks can be used to cause great damage including making businesses lose money, lose trust from customers and the public about their products, etc. The analysis of recent hacking events shows how companies and other users are targeted and attacked, and the emerging trend of the attacks.
Decisions in the Dark: An Educational Intervention to Promote Reflection and Feedback on Night Float Rotations.

Night float rotations, where residents admit patients to the hospital, are opportunities for practice-based learning. However, night float residents receive little feedback on their diagnostic and management reasoning, which limits learning. Improve night float residents’ practice-based learning skills through feedback solicitation and chart review with guided reflection. Second- and third-year internal medicine residents on a 1-month night float rotation between January and August 2017. Residents performed chart review of a subset of patients they admitted during a night float rotation and completed reflection worksheets detailing patients’ clinical courses. Residents solicited feedback regarding their initial management from day team attending physicians and senior residents. Sixty-eight of 82 (83%) eligible residents participated in this intervention. We evaluated 248 reflection worksheets using content analysis. Major themes that emerged from chart review included residents’ identification of future clinical practice changes, evolution of differential diagnoses, recognition of clinical reasoning gaps, and evaluation of resident-provider interactions. Structured reflection and feedback during night float rotations is an opportunity to improve practice-based learning through lessons on disease progression, clinical reasoning, and communication.
Influence of dianhydride regiochemistry on thermomechanical and rheological properties of 3,3′- and 4,4′-polyetherimides

Abstract The design of linear high performance polyetherimides (PEIs) comprising 3,3′- and 4,4′-bisphenol-A dianhydride (bis-DA) and m-phenylene diamine (mPD) provided an opportunity to elucidate the influence of dianhydride regiochemistry on thermomechanical and rheological properties. This unique pair of regioisomers allowed the tuning of the thermal and rheological properties for high glass transition temperature polyimides for emerging engineering applications. Step-growth polycondensation enabled the production of high molecular weight PEIs for subsequent thermal and mechanical analysis. Monofunctional phthalic anhydride as an endcapper and monomeric stoichiometric imbalances enabled predictable number-average molecular weights ranging from 3,600 to 35,400 g mol−1, as confirmed with size exclusion chromatography coupled with light scattering detection for absolute molecular weight determination. The selection of the dianhydride regioisomer influenced the weight loss profile as a function of temperature, entanglement molecular weight (Me), glass transition temperature (Tg), tensile strain-at-break, zero-shear melt viscosity, average hole-size free volume (Vh), and the plateau modulus prior to viscous flow during dynamic mechanical analysis. The 3,3′- PEI composition interestingly exhibited a ~20 °C higher glass transition temperature than the corresponding 4,4′- PEI analog. Moreover, melt rheological analysis revealed a two-fold increase in Me for 3,3′- PEI, which pointed to the origin of the differences in mechanical and rheological properties as a function of PEI backbone geometry.
The Effect of Solvent and Molecular Weight on the Morphology of Centrifugally Spun Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) Nanofibers

Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) nanofibers were prepared by a centrifugal spinning technique, namely Forcespinning®. The effect of the molecular weight of PVP and selected solvents (N,N-dimethylformamide, DMF) and water) were studied in reference to the ultimate morphology of the developed nanofibers. For the analyzed molecular weights and selected solvents, long, continuous and bead-free nanofibers were obtained as depicted by scanning electron microscopy analysis. It was observed that the molecular weight and solvent selection did have an effect on ultimate fiber diameter. The smallest fiber diameters (27 nm for Mw 1,300,000 and 58 nm for Mw 360,000) were obtained from samples prepared with DMF as solvent. As for the influence of molecular weights, results revealed that solutions prepared with PVP of Mw 360,000 in both solvents resulted in thicker diameter compared to PVP of Mw 1,300,000 though samples prepared with this higher molecular weight presented a much larger standard deviation. Fibers obtained from PVP solutions (Mw 1,300,000) in DMF exhibited a highly homogenous porous surface while those prepared from aqueous solutions showed smooth fiber surface.
Predicting plasmid persistence in microbial communities by coarse-grained modeling

Plasmids are a major type of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) that mediate horizontal gene transfer. The stable maintenance of plasmids plays a critical role in the functions and survival for microbial populations. However, predicting and controlling plasmid persistence and abundance in complex microbial communities remain challenging. Computationally, this challenge arises from the combinatorial explosion associated with the conventional modeling framework. Recently, a plasmid-centric framework (PCF) has been developed to overcome this computational bottleneck. This framework enables the derivation of a simple metric, the persistence potential, to predict plasmid persistence and abundance. Here, we discuss how PCF can be extended to account for plasmid interactions. We also discuss how such model-guided predictions of plasmid fates can benefit from the development of new experimental tools and data-driven computational methods.
Southern Paiute: A Portrait

Turn to page 109 in this glossy, coffee table-style book. There you’ll see a black-and-white portrait of Eunice Tillahash Surveyor of the Shivwits Band of Southern Paiutes. You’d like to know her. ...
Understanding Empiricism: Locke, knowledge and the innate

The first and perhaps greatest classic of modern empiricism is John Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690). The work is divided into four books. The first criticizes innate knowledge, the second explains the origin of ideas in experience, the third discusses language and the fourth the nature and extent of knowledge. The result is an extended discussion of both versions of empiricism. In this chapter, we will focus on his defence of conceptual empiricism and his conception of scientific knowledge and its limits. Other aspects of his theory will be considered in Chapter 2 in connection with Berkeley's criticisms in Chapter 2. Locke on innate knowledge Locke's criticism of innate ideas and knowledge is part of his general theory of scientific knowledge. He opposed Descartes's rationalist theory and the Aristotelian-medieval theory. Among the examples of innate truths he considers are: Whatever is, is. It is impossible for the same thing to be and not to be. Do as one would be done to. Virtue is the best worship of God. God exists. Locke's discussion is divided into three parts. First, he attacks the claim that there are innate speculative truths such as (1) and (2). He rejects Descartes's claim that these are general maxims presupposed by all knowledge and so unlearned.
Coverage Estimation in the Presence of Occlusions for Visual Sensor Networks

Visual coverage is an essential issue in the research on visual sensor networks. However, because of the presence of visual occlusions, the statistics of visual coverage blend the statistics of nodes and targets and are extremely difficult to derive. By assuming the deployment of nodes as a stationary Poisson point process and ignoring boundary effects, this paper presents the first attempt to estimate the probability that an arbitrary target in the field is visually k-covered. The major challenge for the estimation is how to formulate the probability (q) that a node captures a target in its visual range. To tackle this challenge, we first assume a visual detection model that takes visual occlusions into account and then derive several significant statistical parameters of qbased on this model. According to these parameters, we can finally reconstruct the probability density function of qas a combination of a Binomial function and an impulse function. With the estimated coverage statistics, we further propose an estimate of the minimum node density that suffices to ensure a K-coverage across the field.
How patient-physician encounters in critical medical situations affect trust: results of a national survey

Patients' trust in physicians and in the medical profession is vital for a successful patient-physician relationship. Trust is especially salient in critical medical situations, such as serious side-effects, hospitalizations, and diagnoses of serious medical conditions, but most trust studies have been done with the general population or in routine primary care settings. This study examines the association between patient-physician encounters in such critical medical situations and patients' trust in their physician and in the medical profession in general. A random national telephone survey was conducted using validated multi-item questionnaire measuring trust and satisfaction with physicians and with the medical profession. A seven item questionnaire measured the patient-physician encounters in critical medical situations. A total of 1117 subjects aged 20 years and older with health insurance were included for analyses. Spearman rank order correlations were used to determine the association of encounter variables with trust in physicians and the medical profession. Prescription of medications by primary care physicians that patients believed might have side effects was negatively correlated with trust in physician (ρ = -0.12, p < 0.001, n = 1045) in multivariate analysis. A primary care physician evaluating the patient for a condition the patient believed was serious was positively correlated with trust in physician (ρ= 0.08, p < 0.01). Being hospitalized was positively correlated with trust in the medical profession (ρ = 0.12, p < 0.01, n = 475). Hospitalization, perceived seriousness of condition, and concerns about the risks of medications were found to be associated with patient trust in physicians or the medical profession. These findings highlight the salience of trust in serious physician-patient encounters and the role that patient vulnerability plays in determining patient trust.
Tax System Change: The Bulgarian Experience

This article will make an overview of the changes in the Bulgarian tax system throughout the years of democratic development of the country, the ups and downs of reforming and replacing the existing tax system and the attempts of the different types of government to influence the development of a modern European tax system in the country. The article will examine the transformation of existing taxes and will elaborate on the new ones emerging in the market economy access to full membership in the European Club.
Chapter 23 Monetary policy in the open economy

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the international aspects of monetary policy and presents the classical model of the open economy. The operation of the gold standard, the price–specie flow mechanism, purchasing power parity, and the monetary approach to the balance of payments are illustrated in the chapter. The Mundell–Fleming model that is an open economy version of the investment—saving/liquidity preference—money supply (IS–LM) model of monetary policy under conditions of short-run wage–price stickiness and capital mobility are discussed in the chapter. The distinction between fixed and flexible exchange rates is described in the chapter. The macroeconomic model is described in the chapter by drawing out the evidence on two central questions: the extent to which wages and prices are sticky and the international linkages among asset markets. Both issues are of central importance for the channels of transmission and the effectiveness of monetary policy. Classical monetary economics deals with the linkages among money, spending, and prices in the open economy. It is best represented by David Hume's price–specie flow mechanism. The simple model assumes full price flexibility and focuses on a money–goods economy with no nonmonetary assets.
Self-sustaining, low-Z wall coatings for reactors☆

Abstract We use a simple plasma-wall model based on sputtering and plasma impurity deposition to calculate equilibrium impurity densities in a plasma as a function of plasma edge temperature and wall material. We show how these impurity equilibria are unstable for all heavy elements, leading to the conclusion that low- Z coatings are desirable. Self-sustaining wall coatings can be produced if impurity densities are held above the equilibrium density by impurity injection because impurity deposition should then dominate erosion. We discuss metallurgical segregation effects which would maintain these coatings with the correct choice of materials.
Sociology as Documenting Dystopia: Imagining a Sociology without Borders – a Critical Dialogue Sociologie en tant que documentation de dystopia: imaginant une sociologie sans frontières – un dialogue critique La sociologia que documenta la dystopia: imaginando una sociología sin fronteras – un dialogo crítico

This is a dialogue between a teacher-student and a student-teacher in the discipline of sociology. Critical questions about the state of sociology are pursued in the context of a hegemonic American sociological enterprise. American sociology has become content with continuing to document dystopia, with exploiting those who struggle under societies' structural weight, leading to a discipline whose work reproduces the very structures of domination we study. Through this Freirean dialogue, we ponder epistemologies and pedagogies of justice, liberation, and humanity. We hope this critical dialogue will help spark more conversation towards imagining a sociology without borders – away from the imperialism of American sociological epistemology, methodology, and practice. L'article est un dialogue entre un professeur-etudiant et un etudiant-professeur dans la discipline de la sociologie. Des questions critiques au sujet de l'etat de sociologie sont poursuivies dans le cadre d'une recherche sociologique americaine hegemonique. La sociologie americaine est devenue contente de documenter le dystopia, et, en meme temps, d'exploiter ceux qui luttent sous le poids structural des societes, menant a une discipline dont le travail reproduit les structures de la domination memes qu'on etudie. Par ce freirean dialogue, nous considerons des epistemologies et des pedagogies de justice, de liberte, et d'humanite. Nous esperons que ce dialogue critique encouragera plus de conversation vers imaginer une sociologie sans frontieres – loin de l'imperialisme de l'epistemologie, de la methodologie, et de la pratique sociologiques americaines. Este es un dialogo entre un profesor-estudiante y un estudiante-profesor de sociologia. Se tratan cuestiones criticas sobre la situacion de la sociologia en un contexto americano. La sociologia americana se contenta con continuar su documentacion de la dystopia, con la explotacion de quienes sufren bajo el peso estructural de la sociedad y conduce a una disciplina cuyo trabajo reproduce las mismas estructuras de dominacion que estudia. A traves de un dialogo al modo de Freire, nos planteamos las epistemologias y las pedagogias de la justicia, de la liberacion y la humanidad. Esperamos que este dialogo critico pueda fomentar mas conversaciones acerca de la posibilidad de imaginar una sociologia sin fronteras, alejada del imperialismo de la epistemologia, metodologia y practica de la sociologia americana.
OPTIMIZATION OF ALKALI, BIG BLUESTEM PARTICLE SIZE, AND EXTRUDER PARAMETERS FOR MAXIMUM ENZYMATIC SUGAR RECOVERY USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY

Extrusion can be a viable continuous biomass pretreatment that industry can adopt readily due to its uniqueness (including pretreatment time less than 90 s) over other pretreatment methods. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the combined effect of alkali soaking and extrusion of big bluestem to improve the sugar recovery to nearly quantitative. In order to evaluate the combined effect of alkali soaking and extrusion on the performance of enzymatic saccharification, big bluestem (2-10 mm) was soaked in different alkali concentrations (0.5-2.5 % w/v NaOH) for 30 min at room temperature and then extruded using a lab scale single screw extruder at various barrel temperatures (45-225°C) and screw speeds (20-200 rpm). Statistical analyses confirmed that all the independent variables considered had a significant effect on sugar recovery. A proposed quadratic model to predict sugar recovery had high F and R2 values with a low p value, and adequately represented the relationship among the independent variables on sugar recovery. The optimum pretreatment condition found was the following: 90°C barrel temperature, 155 rpm screw speed, 2.0% alkali concentration, and 4 mm particle size resulted the maximum glucose, xylose, and combined sugar recovery of 90.1, 91.5, and 89.9%, respectively.
A Qualitative Study on Preparing Baccalaureate Nursing Students for Community/Public Health Nursing as Perceived by Nurse Educators and Administrators

AbstractÂ Background: Educational preparation of baccalaureate nurses remains entrenched in yesterdayâ€™s health care, hospital-centric environment. A culture change among nurse educators and in nursing education is needed to prepare competent practitioners capable of practicing from a health promotion/ disease prevention, community/population focused construct.Objective: This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological research design to determine the belief systems and values of baccalaureate nurse educators and administrators in preparing baccalaureate nursing students for community/public health nursing.Population: Thirteen nurse educators and six nurse administrators from two urban baccalaureate university schools of nursing participated in the study.Methods: An in-depth semi-structured interview based on Kotterâ€™s 8-Step Change model was conducted.Results: Six distinct belief systems and five personal and professional values emerged from analysis of the data. The six belief systems were: health care is really changing, nursing curriculum needs to change, nursing care begins in the community, nursing continues to be a growing and emerging profession, the baccalaureate nursing degree needs to be the entry level degree for nursing practice, and the motivation for being a nurse is to help others. The five values were: professionalism, compassionate care, collaborative practice, community service, and honesty, integrity, and credibility. Change, conflict, and challenge emerged as the major themes. Interpretation:Â A need for re-envisioning nursing education and practice to improve patient care and promote patient health and wellness from a community and population focused perspective is prompting the need for nurse educators and administrators to re-define and prepare a new nursing workforce for the 21st century. For a change in the educational approach to preparing baccalaureate nursing students to occur, it is critical that baccalaureate nurse educators and administrators acknowledge the role their belief systems and values play in preparing baccalaureate nursing students for practice in the changing national and global societal and health care environment.Conclusion:Â Further research is needed to determine the best curricular approach for preparing baccalaureate nursing students for community/public health nursing practice.
Dental enamel formation and its impact on clinical dentistry

The nature of tooth enamel is of inherent interest to dental professionals. The current-day clinical practice of dentistry involves the prevention of enamel demineralization, the promotion of enamel remineralization, the restoration of cavitated enamel where demineralization has become irreversible, the vital bleaching of dental enamel that has become discolored, and the diagnosis and treatment of developmental enamel malformations, which can be caused by environmental or genetic factors. On a daily basis, dental health providers make diagnostic and treatment decisions that are influenced by their understanding of tooth formation. A systemic condition during tooth development, such as high fever, can produce a pattern of enamel defects in the dentition. Knowing the timing of tooth development permits estimates about the timing of the disturbance. The process of enamel maturation continues following tooth eruption, so that erupted teeth can become less susceptible to decay over time. Mutations in the genes encoding enamel proteins lead to amelogenesis imperfecta, a collection of inherited diseases having enamel malformations as the predominant phenotype. Defects in the amelogenin gene cause X-linked amelogenesis imperfecta, and genes encoding other enamel proteins are candidates for autosomal forms. Here we review our current understanding of dental enamel formation, and relate this information to clinical circumstances where this understanding may be particularly relevant.
A semiclasical justification for the use of non-spreading wavepackets in dynamics calculations

A justification is given for the use of non-spreading or frozen gaussian packets in dynamics calculations. In this work an initial wavefunction or quantum density operator is expanded in a complete set of grussian wavepackets. It is demonstrated that the time evolution of this wavepacket expansion for the quantum wavefunction or density is correctly given within the approximations employed by the classical propagation of the avarage position and momentum of each gaussian packet, holding the shape of these individual gaussians fixed. The semiclassical approximation is employed for the quantum propagator and the stationary phase approximation for certain integrals is utilized in this derivation. This analysis demonstrates that the divergence of the classical trajectories associated with the individual gaussian packets accounts for the changes in shape of the quantum wavefunction or density, as has been suggested on intuitive grounds by Heller. The method should be exact for quadratic potentials and this is verified by explicitly applying it for the harmonic oscillator example.
Towards defining good practices for modeling time-varying selectivity

Abstract Changes in the observed size- or age-composition of commercial catch can occur for a variety of reasons including: market demand, availability, temporal changes in growth, time-area closures, regulations, or change in fishing practice, to name but a few. Two common approaches for dealing with time-varying selectivity in assessment models are the use of discrete time-blocks associated with an epoch in the history of the fishery, or the use of penalized random walk models for parametric or non-parametric selectivity curves. Time block periods, or penalty weights associated with time-varying selectivity parameters, are subjective and often developed on an ad hoc basis. A factorial simulation–estimation experiment, with discrete or continuous changes in selectivity, is conducted to determine the best practices for modeling time-varying selectivity in fisheries stock assessments. Both the statistical properties of the assessment model and the policy implications of choosing the wrong model are taken into consideration.
Macroeconomic Fluctuations, Inequality, and Human Development

This paper examines the two-way relationship between inequality and economic fluctuations, and the implications for human development. For years, the dominant paradigm in macroeconomics, which assumed that income distribution did not matter, at least for macroeconomic behavior, ignored inequality—both its role in causing crises and the effect of fluctuations in general, and crises in particular, on inequality. But the most recent financial crisis has shown the errors in this thinking, and these views are finally beginning to be questioned. Economists who had looked at the average equity of a homeowner—ignoring the distribution—felt comfortable that the economy could easily withstand a large fall in housing prices. When such a fall occurred, however, it had disastrous effects, because a large fraction of homeowners owed more on their homes than the value of the home, leading to waves of foreclosure and economic stress. Policy-makers and economists alike have begun to take note: inequality can contribute to...