cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Participatory Medicine: A Home Score for Streptococcal Pharyngitis Enabled by Real-Time Biosurveillance: A Cohort Study

Globally, group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis affects hundreds of millions of persons each year (1, 2). In the United States, more than 12 million persons make outpatient visits for pharyngitis; however, clinicians cannot differentiate GAS pharyngitis from other causes of acute pharyngitis (for example, viral) on the basis of a physical examination of the oropharynx (3). The American College of Physicians and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that health care providers apply clinical scores to classify risk for GAS pharyngitis and direct management of adults with acute pharyngitis (Table 1) (4–6). When the clinical score indicates a low risk, consensus guidelines recommend that adult patients should be neither tested nor treated for GAS pharyngitis. The updated 2012 guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Society of America concur that clinical scoring systems may help identify patients with pharyngitis at sufficiently low risk for GAS pharyngitis that testing may not be necessary (7). Table 1 Data Elements Used to Compute the Centor, McIsaac, Clinical Biosurveillance, and Home Scores* We recently showed that the contemporaneous local incidence of GAS pharyngitis is an important predictor of this condition among patients presenting with a sore throat to CVS MinuteClinics, a large chain of retail health clinics where data are captured uniformly in a single electronic health record (8). Building on this framework, we derived a disease prediction model that we call the “home score” because it was designed for use at home by the patient without input from a clinician and relies on the patient to provide historical features but not physical examination findings (Table 1). The model also includes a local incidence variable for streptococcus, bringing biosurveillance data into the clinical process. We seek to evaluate whether this participatory medicine approach could reduce unnecessary outpatient and emergency department visits for pharyngitis not requiring antibiotic treatment.
Heat treatment of thin carbon films and the effect on residual stress, modulus, thermal expansion and microstructure

Thin carbon films are used to hermetically seal and improve the performance of devices exposed to extreme conditions. Such films, which are deposited by chemical vapor deposition, develop residual thermal stresses due to a mismatch in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the film and substrate. Residual stresses reduce the adhesion of the film, and are a common cause of coating failure. This work investigates heat treatment as a potential technique to reduce residual stresses in thin carbon films. The magnitude of the residual stress has been challenging to measure due to the associated size scales and mechanical properties. In this study, experimental measurements of mechanical properties and residual stresses in thin carbon films are performed using nanoindentation and Raman spectroscopy. The results relate surface residual stresses to film thickness and heat treatment temperature. The approach presented in this study is a nondestructive and non-intrusive method for measuring residual surface stress and properties in thin films, and is ideal for small or curved-surface specimens such as optical fibers and other photonic devices.
Dealers and Collectors of Indian Baskets at the Turn of the Century in California: Their Effect on the Ethnographic Sample

The basket collecting activities of dealers and amateurs between the 1860's and the 1920's in California is described. Four phases are defined: initial purchase by dealers of old traditional baskets; production of baskets in the form of white containers by Indians; height of basket buying “craze”; Indian response to expanded market with new copies of old baskets. Interviews with weavers, comments of collectors, and practices of dealers all indicate that baskets made for sale have different design compositions than those made for Indian use. Definition of these non-Indian factors for design change will assist in appropriate use of museum specimens collected during this same period for a subsequent study of the changes in design structure.
Bipedal bioelectrical impedance analysis reproducibly estimates total body water in hemodialysis patients

Formal kinetic modeling for hemodialysis patients requires accurate determination of in vivo dialyzer clearance, careful measurement of the actual dialysis time, and calculation of the patient's total body water (V) or urea space. Bipedal (BP) bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a simple method for the determination of V at the same time the patient is weighed. Because of better correlation with the Watson formula volume and a smaller coefficient of variation than urea kinetic volumes, BP-BIA estimates of V may be preferred in dialysis units that meet guidelines by following formal kinetic modeling data or use V estimates in calculating treatment time.
Additivity of the Stiles-Crawford effect for a Fraunhofer image.

Abstract Additivity of the Stiles-Crawford effect over pupil area was examined for a Fraunhofer image focused on the retina. Two hypotheses were compared: (1) the Stiles-Crawford effect is absent under these conditions because the wavefronts are flat near focus: and (2) the Stiles-Crawford effect is additive for all positions of focus. Consideration of wave-superposition principles along with dielectric waveguide theory leads to the prediction of additivity. Additivity was tested indirectly by comparing increment thresholds for focused and defocused test flashes viewed through an annular pupil, and directly by comparing thresholds for focused test flashes viewed through the annulus to those viewed through (1) a small, centered, circular pupil and (2) a small section of the annulus. Additivity was found to hold precisely for all conditions: the nonadditivity hypothesis was rejected.
Bose-Einstein condensation: Kinetic evolution obtained from simulated trajectories

In this paper, we present a method for simulating the kinetic evolution of a dilute gas of atoms that are cooled below the critical temperature for Bose-Einstein condensation. Our method gives insight into the formulation of physical kinetics by illustrating directly the decomposition of the distribution function into an infinite sum of single-particle trajectories. This approach is valid for the entire range of phase-space densities, although we limit the discussion here to exclude the region where the condensate fraction is close to unity and the effect of the mean field is significant. We present explicit calculations of finite number effects on equilibrium, the dynamic build-up of the ground state, and simulations of evaporative cooling.
Assessment of fetal status in multiple gestation pregnancies using interphase FISH.

The use of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for women with multiple gestation pregnancies has been evaluated. Women were referred for chromosome analysis because of advanced maternal age, abnormal ultrasound findings or a positive family history and/or prior to fetal reduction. FISH was successfully applied to all specimens obtained by amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS). Based on FISH results, fetal-fetal contamination of specimens following CVS was 11.5% in twin pregnancies and 16% in triplet or higher multiples. FISH detected trisomy 21 in three cases with no false negatives or positives. Whereas FISH may provide rapid and useful assessment of fetal status in decision-making regarding fetal reduction, the present study also highlighted the obstetrical difficulty of ensuring a sample representative of each fetus following CVS in addition to the possibility of not identifying clinically significant chromosome aberrations using currently available FISH probes.
Wegener's granulomatosis, acute laryngotracheal airway obstruction and death in a 17-year-old female: case report and review of the literature

Abstract Objective: To alert practitioners to the risk of sudden airway obstruction and death in patients with Wegener's granulomatosis. Design: Case report and literature review. Settings: University and Community hospitals. Patient: A 17-year-old white female. Intervention: (1) evaluation and treatment for mental status changes over 2 months. (2) Evaluation and surgical biopsy of nasal septal perforation under general anesthesia at a university children's hospital. (3) Evaluation and observation at a community hospital 2 days later. (4) autopsy. Results: Serology performed 3 days ante-mortem revealed (at 2 days post-mortem) cytoplasmic anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody positive at 1:128. Autopsy was significant for microscopic fibrosis and granulomas in the kidneys and essentially total obstruction of the subglottis and upper trachea by a 3.5 × 1 × 1 cm mass of fibrosis and granulomas overlying circumferentially necrotic mucosa. This mass was centered on the crico-tracheal junction. Conclusions: Wegener's granulomatosis can lead to proliferative tissue growth with acute airway obstruction in the larynx and trachea, and death. Any patient with WG under age 20, as well as patients with WG and laryngotracheal symptoms (e.g. stridor, hoarseness, wheezing) would benefit from evaluation of the airway.
The reification of age: Age stratification theory and the passing of the autonomous subject.

Sociology has always been charactereized by a joint interest in social structures and individual lives as well as in their interaction. Social gerontology, however, has developed in a lopsided manner with disproportionate attention focused on individual attitudes and behavior. The principal sociological theory of aging, the age stratification model (ASM), has failed to provide an adequate structuralist counterpoint to the prevailing reductionism in social gerontology. The problem with the ASM lies in its preoccupation with a functionalist understanding of structure that is grounded in the concept of role. Because of its view of structure as a framework of social roles, the ASM neglects the realm of autonomous individual activity and the corresponding dialectics between social action and social structures. To remedy this neglect of micro-macro linkage in the ASM, Seve's concept of use-time is presented as the basis of an alternative theory of aging and age relations.
Ricin Inhibits Activation of the Unfolded Protein Response by Preventing Splicing of the HAC1 mRNA

Ricin A chain (RTA) inhibits protein synthesis by removing a specific adenine from the highly conserved α-sarcin/ricin loop in the large rRNA. Expression of RTA with its own signal sequence in yeast resulted in its translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and subsequent glycosylation. Because RTA must unfold within the ER, it may be vulnerable to host defenses, such as the unfolded protein response (UPR). UPR was induced in cells expressing an active site mutant but not the wild type RTA, indicating that the active site of RTA played a role in perturbing the ER stress response. The inactive RTA without the signal sequence did not induce UPR, indicating that translocation into the ER was critical for induction of UPR. The wild type RTA inhibited activation of UPR not only due to ER stress induced by the protein itself but also by global effectors such as tunicamycin and dithiothreitol. Mature RTA without the signal sequence also inhibited UPR, providing evidence that inhibition of UPR occurred on the cytosolic face of the ER. RTA could not inhibit UPR when the spliced form of HAC1 mRNA was provided in trans, indicating that it had a direct effect on UPR upstream of HAC1-dependent transcriptional activation. Only the precursor form of HAC1 mRNA was detected in cells expressing RTA after exposure to ER stress, demonstrating that ricin inhibits activation of UPR by preventing HAC1 mRNA splicing. The RTA mutants that depurinated ribosomes but did not kill cells were not able to inhibit activation of UPR by tunicamycin, providing evidence that the inability to activate UPR in response to ER stress contributes to the cytotoxicity of ricin.
Effect of meal size and frequency on the thermic effect of food

Abstract Results from previous studies suggest that energy content and frequency of meals may affect total daily thermic effect of food (TEF). TEF response to 2 large meals, each representing 50% of daily energy needs, was compared to the TEF response to 4 small meals, each representing 25% of daily energy needs. Total 10-hour TEF, measured as increase in oxygen consumption from rest, did not differ between the large and small meal patterns (43.43 ±5.01 vs. 43.42±4.72 liters, respectively). Measured TEF was significantly greater than predicted response due to a more complete measurement period. An optimum pattern for energy intake to either maximize or minimize TEF was not observed.
Multi-parametric analysis and registration of brain tumors: Constructing statistical atlases and diagnostic tools of predictive value

We discuss computer-based image analysis algorithms of multi-parametric MRI of brain tumors, aiming to assist in early diagnosis of infiltrating brain tumors, and to construct statistical atlases summarizing population-based characteristics of brain tumors. These methods combine machine learning, deformable registration, multi-parametric segmentation, and biophysical modeling of brain tumors.
Database model for hierarchical control of manufacturing cell systems in a manufacturing shop

Abstract To access a large amount of static and dynamic data sets in achieving flexible manufacturing system (FMS) control functions, a corresponding database structure must be designed to effectively support the control. Within the context of a hierarchical manufacturing control architecture, this paper discusses the development of a semantic database structure for the control needs of manufacturing cell systems in a shop. A conceptual data model is first developed using entity-relationship diagrams (ERD), and the database is then implemented from a relational data model by a database management system. An application program is used to illustrate the production control command decomposition in a manufacturing shop that consists of several manufacturing cells. Feedback of control commands execution is also discussed. It is shown that the data flows in the hierarchical manufacturing control can be effectively supported by the developed databases and query interface.
Intestinal motility: II. Electro-motor correlations in the canine small intestine☆

Abstract The capacity to produce simultaneous pacesetter potentials that are correlated with rhythmic mass spasms over the entire segment of a Biebl loop has by special recording techniques demonstrated the following: In the hypermotile state the intestinal musculature is active throughout each electrical cycle of the BER. The longitudinal muscle contracts just before or at the origin of the pacesetter potentials and terminates just prior to the midpoint between pacesetter potentials. The circular muscle immediately follows and contracts just prior to the midpoint between pacesetter potentials and terminates before the next pacesetter potentials.
Steroids, triterpenoids and molecular oxygen

There is a close connection between modern-day biosynthesis of particular triterpenoid biomarkers and presence of molecular oxygen in the environment. Thus, the detection of steroid and triterpenoi...
Electron capture dissociation and 13C,15N depletion for deuterium localization in intact proteins after solution-phase exchange

For localization of deuterium atoms after solution-phase exchange with D2O, intact proteins are often digested prior to analysis by mass spectrometry (MS) and tandem MS (MS/MS). Amelioration of limitations associated with this approach (e.g., <70% sequence coverage and some D atom scrambling during MS/MS) were sought using intact proteins and two newer methods applied to tracking H/D exchange dynamics for the first time. Using 2−4-fold signal enhancements through depletion of 13C and 15N isotopes and implementing the new MS/MS technique of electron capture dissociation (ECD) yielded an increased number of c and z• ions observed (43 vs 25) for recombinant yeast ubiquitin (9.3 kDa). Initial determination of D atom content in consecutive c ion series (c4 − c7, c28, c31, c32, and c33) was demonstrated. The improved ion signal and experiment speed combined with narrower isotopic distributions markedly increases the degree of localization and feasibility of ECD-based MS/MS after solution-phase H/D exchange.
Nearly frictionless faulting by unclamping in long-term interaction models

In defiance of direct rock-friction observations, some transform faults appear to slide with little resistance. In this paper finite element models are used to show how strain energy is minimized by interacting faults that can cause long-term reduction in fault-normal stresses (unclamping). A model fault contained within a sheared elastic medium concentrates stress at its end points with increasing slip. If accommodating structures free up the ends, then the fault responds by rotating, lengthening, and unclamping. This concept is illustrated by a comparison between simple strike-slip faulting and a mid-ocean-ridge model with the same total transform length; calculations show that the more complex system unclamps the transforms and operates at lower energy. In another example, the overlapping San Andreas fault system in the San Francisco Bay region is modeled; this system is complicated by junctions and stepovers. A finite element model indicates that the normal stress along parts of the faults could be reduced to hydrostatic levels after ∼60–100 k.y. of system-wide slip. If this process occurs in the earth, then parts of major transform fault zones could appear nearly frictionless.
Organogenesis in callus tissue of Medicago sativa. The temporal separation of induction processes from differentiation processes

Abstract A callus culture system of alfalfa has been developed which demonstrates the quantitative control of root and shoot organogenesis by growth regulators of the auxin and cytokinin type. Unlike many conventional systems in which organogenesis has been studied, callus from alfalfa produces roots after induction by a 4 day exposure to relatively high kinetin and relatively low 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Shoots are produced after a 4 day induction period in relatively high 2,4-D concentrations and low kinetin concentrations. Differentiation does not occur on induction medium, but only upon transfer of tissue to growth regulator free regeneration medium. This system enables the temporal separation of organogenetic induction from subsequent differentiation. In addition, a diameter of 105 μm represents the lower limit for callus cellular aggregates that are morphogenetically competent. Single cells and small cellular aggregates are not competent, but become so upon subsequent growth.
A Comparison of Self-Reported Emotional and Trauma-Related Concerns Among Sexually Abused Children With and Without Sexual Behavior Problems

Numerous studies document concomitant features of sexual behavior problems (SBPs) among children 12 years of age or younger, but rarely does research involve child self-report assessments. This study provides the most comprehensive examination to date of self-reported concerns among children with SBP, using a large sample (N = 392) of clinically referred participants who reported sexual abuse histories. Children between the ages of 8 and 12 were categorized as demonstrating SBP (n = 203) or not demonstrating SBP (n = 189) as determined by scores on the Child Sexual Behavior Inventory. Children completed the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children, and caregivers completed the Child Behavior Checklist. Self-reports of children showed that those with SBP reported significantly greater concerns in all areas, including sexual preoccupation and sexual distress, than their peers not demonstrating SBP. Caregivers of children in the SBP group reported greater concerns of internalizing and externalizing problems than the caregivers of children who did not have SBP. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed. Specifically, it is recommended that future research improve on the manner in which sexual abuse and SBPs were defined and assessed.
Eosinophilia and the seroprevalence of schistosomiasis and strongyloidiasis in newly arrived pediatric refugees: an examination of centers for disease control and prevention screening guidelines.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published refugee health guidelines that recommend examination of the absolute eosinophil count (AEC) to screen for asymptomatic schistosomiasis and strongyloidiasis. We examined the predictive validity of an AEC >400 cells/microL to identify refugees with serologic evidence for schistosomiasis or strongyloidiasis. Our study revealed that eosinophilia was not predictive of serologic evidence of either a Schistosoma species or Strongyloides stercoralis infection in the pediatric refugees examined in this study.
Evaluating families' satisfaction with early hearing detection and intervention services in Massachusetts.

Purpose To determine levels of families' satisfaction and anxiety associated with the early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) process in Massachusetts, and to assess the relationship between a child’s hearing status and levels of family satisfaction. Method Surveys were mailed to families whose infants (a) passed their initial hearing screening (Group 1), (b) did not pass their initial screening but subsequently passed an outpatient rescreen or diagnostic evaluation (Group 2), or (c) were identified with permanent hearing loss (Group 3). Survey instruments measured families' satisfaction and anxiety associated with each stage of the EHDI process. Results Of the 4,138 families surveyed, 1,106 (27%) responded. Families reported satisfaction with screening services (Group 1 = 88%; Group 2 = 86%; Group 3 = 75%), and few reported anxiety prior to the hearing screening (Group 1= 4%; Group 2 = 15%; Group 3 = 19%). Among families requiring retesting services, 97% of Group 2 and 87% of Group 3 families wer...
THERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF CARBIDE PRECIPITATES IN A NIOBIUM-ZIRCONIUM- CARBON ALLOY

Precipitation-strengthened niobium alloys have shown promise as high-temperature structural materials for aerospace applications. The achievement of suitable properties and superior creep resistance at service conditions requires that the second phase particles remain relatively small, stable, and evenly dispersed in the matrix. The key to this development lies in the thermodynamic evolution of the precipitate phase. This paper focuses on the thermodynamic driving force for formation of carbides in a precipitation-strengthened refractory metal alloy of niobium; Nb-1%Zr-0.1%C commercially known as PWC-11. An examination of the free energies of formation of the different carbide phases, their evolution and stability at the high temperatures, and a comparison with experimental analysis was made.
Transient Absorption of Inhaled Vapors into a Multilayer Mucus–Tissue–Blood System

Previous studies have approximated the absorption of vapors into the walls of the respiratory tract as a steady state process. However, non-dimensional analysis indicates that the absorption of vapors in the conducting airways is time-dependent over the timescale of a breathing cycle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the mass transport of sample chemical species through a simple multilayer system composed of mucus, tissue, and blood components on a transient basis. Individual multilayer models were considered that represent the wall dimensions of the nasal extrathoracic (ET2), bronchial (BB), and bronchiolar (bb) airways. Sample vapors considered were acetaldehyde and benzene, which are highly soluble and moderately soluble in mucus, respectively. To determine absorption, mass transport was calculated based on an existing analytical steady state solution, a new analytical transient solution, and a numerical transient solution. Results indicated that concentrations within the mucus and tissue layers were highly time dependent in the ET2 and BB regions and moderately time dependent in the bb airways over the timescale of an inhalation cycle, which is approximately 1–2 s. Fluxes of vapors into the tissue and blood varied with time for approximately 6–8 s in the BB region and 0.6–0.8 s in the bb model. The associated transient blood uptake of acetaldehyde and benzene in the upper ET2 and BB regions varied from steady state values by a factor of approximately 30 after 1 s. Under similar conditions, transient uptake in the bb model varied from steady state conditions by a factor of approximately 1.3. Surprisingly, inclusion of chemical reactions in the mucus and tissue modified the transient uptake predictions only for very large values of reaction rate coefficients (K > 100 min−1). In summary, transient effects significantly impact the absorption of vapors into the walls of the upper respiratory tract (ET2 and BB regions) and may largely diminish the effects of chemical reactions over the timescale of an inhalation cycle. Furthermore, the transient analytical solution that was developed provides the basis for an improved boundary condition in future CFD simulations of air-phase transport and wall absorption.
Anoxic Injury of Endothelial Cells Increases Production of Nitric Oxide and Hydroxyl Radicals

Abstract Reactive oxygen radicals have been implicated as mediators of anoxic injury in brain, but the cellular source of these radicals is unknown. In the periphery, there is evidence that endothelial cells play a fundamental role in anoxic tissue injury. The objective of the present study was to examine the response of rat brain endothelial cells to anoxia/reoxygenation injury in vitro . The results demonstrate that brain endothelial cells produce hydroxyl radicals and have increased nitric oxide synthase activity after anoxic injury. The increased production of nitric oxide in the cerebral endothelial cells does not appear to be mediated by an increase in either inducible or constitutive nitric oxide synthase. The radical trap α-phenyl- tert -butyl nitrone blocked hydroxyl free radical production, but not nitric oxide. These data suggest that the cerebral microcirculation may be an important site of oxygen free radical production in the brain in ischemic stroke.
Analysis of the displacement field of a moving dislocation in a crystal

Abstract The method of stationary phase is applied to the asymptotic evaluation of the integrals that give the atomic displacements for a high velocity screw dislocation in a simple cubic lattice. The moving dislocation creates a wake behind it. Inside the wake there are large oscillatory displacements due to the emission of sound waves, while in front of the dislocation the displacements are given to a good approximation by continuum elastic theory. The strain field inside the wake is oscillatory and falls off as the square root of the distance from the dislocation core in the absence of dissipation; an exponential damping occurs if the phonons are assigned a finite lifetime. Special attention is given to the edge of the wake where the strain field decreases as the inverse cube root in the absence of damping. The comparison with the numerical evaluation of the atomic displacement is very good over the range of validity of the asymptotic formulae
Frequency response properties of lateral line superficial neuromasts in a vocal fish, with evidence for acoustic sensitivity.

The mechanosensory lateral line of fish is a hair cell based sensory system that detects water motion using canal and superficial neuromasts. The trunk lateral line of the plainfin midshipman fish,...
Exploring specimen size effects in plastic deformation of Ni3(Al, Ta)

In this paper we present a mechanical test methodology to explore specimen size effects in Ni 3 Al, where the overall test sample dimensions artificially limit the volume for substructure evolution and hence the availability of jogs/kinks along individual dislocation lines. The test methodology consists of using Focused Ion Beam milling to micromachine cylindrical compression samples that have diameters ranging from 5 to 20 microns into the surface of a bulk sample, which is followed by nanoindentation using a flat-ended tip to measure the mechanical properties of the microsamples in uniaxial compression. The initial test results show that there is a strong increase in the flow stress with decreasing sample size, although misfit between the flat indenter tip and the top surface of the compression samples complicates complete interpretation of the mechanical test results at this time.
Odor-associated Health Complaints: Competing Explanatory Models

Physical symptoms may be reported in workplace and community settings in which odorous airborne chemicals are present. Despite the relative frequency of such reports, clinicians, public health authorities and sensory scientists often experience difficulty interpreting odor-associated symptoms. The approach to interpretation advocated in this review involves: (i) understanding the toxicology of the agent(s) involved (in particular their relative irritant and odorant potencies); (ii) assessing exposure parameters (i.e. concentration and duration). Depending upon exposure concentration, duration and relative irritant and odorant potencies, a variety of pathophysiological mechanisms may be invoked in explaining odor-associated health symptoms. Some of these imputed mechanisms fall under the traditional scope of toxicology and others involve attitudinal and/or behavioral responses to odors.
Conducting Interdisciplinary Research to Promote Healthy and Safe Employment in Health Care: Promises and Pitfalls

Due to the complexity of human health, emphasis is increasingly being placed on the need for and conduct of multidisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary health research. Yet many academic and research organizations—and the discipline-specific associations and journals—may not yet be prepared to adopt changes necessary to optimally support interdisciplinary work. This article presents an ongoing interdisciplinary research project's efforts to investigate mechanisms and pathways that lead to occupational health disparities among healthcare workers. It describes the promises and pitfalls encountered during the research, and outlines effective strategies that emerged as a result. Lessons learned include: conflict resolution regarding theoretical and methodological differences; establishing a sense of intellectual ownership of the research, as well as guidelines for multiple authorship; and development and utilization of protocols, communication systems, and tools. This experience suggests a need for the establi...
Morpheme-Based Language Modeling for Arabic Lvcsr

In this paper, we concentrate on Arabic speech recognition. Taking advantage of the rich morphological structure of the language, we use morpheme-based language modeling to improve the word error rate. We propose a simple constraining method to rid the decoding output of illegal morpheme sequences. We report the results obtained for word and morpheme language models using medium (<64kw) and large (∼800kw) vocabularies, the morpheme LM obtaining an absolute improvement of 2.4% for the former and only 0.2% for the latter. The 2.4% gain surpasses previous gains for morpheme-based LMs for Arabic, and the large vocabulary runs represent the first comparative results for vocabularies of this size for any language. Finally, we analyze the performance of the morpheme LM on word OOV's.
Survival ofNeosartorya fischeriandTalaromyces flavusascospores in fruit powders

Recovery of ascospores of Neosartorya fischeri and Talaromyces flavus in apple, blueberry, grape, pineapple and strawberry powders (aw 0·23) stored at 25°C for up to 30 months as a function of heat activation treatments (none, 75°C for 15 or 30 min) was determined. Both moulds retained high viability. Ascospores of N. fischeri remained activated by the drying treatment used to prepare inoculum, and when stored in the fruit powders did not require heat activation. Conversely, T. flavus ascospores similarly prepared and stored required heat activation to recover maximal cfu/g.
Correlation of proton and nitrogen-15 chemical shifts by multiple quantum NMR☆

Techniques for the correlation of 1H and 15N chemical shifts based on zero and double quantum NMR are discussed. The indirect determination of nitrogen shifts from the proton signals provides a dramatic gain in sensitivity over direct observation of 15N signals. Examples are given of applications of the methods to samples with natural abundance 15N concentration and to a sample of 0.7 mM 65% 15N enriched tRNAƒMet in H2O. Two-dimensional 15H15N shift correlation spectra of 0.1 M samples with natural abundance 15N concentration in a 5 mm sample tube can be obtained in measuring times on the order of 1 hr.
Brief pastoral counseling

Most pastoral counselors, clergy, and psychotherapists assume that truly effective counseling requires months or even years. Research suggests otherwise. Studies have provided two startling findings. First, most persons come for four or fewer counseling sessions, whatever the counseling method employed. Second, the majority of any counseling's effectiveness occurs in the opening few sessions. Part One uses brief pastoral counseling as a framework for detailing specific issues and approaches: getting the problem clear, assigning homework between sessions, and focusing on strengths. Part Two connects many of the typical problems encountered in parish ministry to specific counseling interventions which work in only a few sessions. Using many examples formulated out of Stone's years of counseling experience, it allows the reader to visualize each approach and make use of it as a counseling strategy.
Yeast β-Glucan Amplifies Phagocyte Killing of iC3b-Opsonized Tumor Cells via Complement Receptor 3-Syk-Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Pathway

Anti-tumor mAbs hold promise for cancer therapy, but are relatively inefficient. Therefore, there is a need for agents that might amplify the effectiveness of these mAbs. One such agent is β-glucan, a polysaccharide produced by fungi, yeast, and grains, but not mammalian cells. β-Glucans are bound by C receptor 3 (CR3) and, in concert with target-associated complement fragment iC3b, elicit phagocytosis and killing of yeast. β-Glucans may also promote killing of iC3b-opsonized tumor cells engendered by administration of anti-tumor mAbs. In this study, we report that tumor-bearing mice treated with a combination of β-glucan and an anti-tumor mAb show almost complete cessation of tumor growth. This activity evidently derives from a 25-kDa fragment of β-glucan released by macrophage processing of the parent polysaccharide. This fragment, but not parent β-glucan, binds to neutrophil CR3, induces CBRM 1/5 neoepitope expression, and elicits CR3-dependent cytotoxicity. These events require phosphorylation of the tyrosine kinase, Syk, and consequent PI3K activation because β-glucan-mediated CR3-dependent cytotoxicity is greatly decreased by inhibition of these signaling molecules. Thus, β-glucan enhances tumor killing through a cascade of events, including in vivo macrophage cleavage of the polysaccharide, dual CR3 ligation, and CR3-Syk-PI3K signaling. These results are important inasmuch as β-glucan, an agent without evident toxicity, may be used to amplify tumor cell killing and may open new opportunities in the immunotherapy of cancer.
Racial differences in circulating natriuretic peptide levels: the atherosclerosis risk in communities study.

Background Natriuretic peptides promote natriuresis, diuresis, and vasodilation. Experimental deficiency of natriuretic peptides leads to hypertension (HTN) and cardiac hypertrophy, conditions more common among African Americans. Hospital‐based studies suggest that African Americans may have reduced circulating natriuretic peptides, as compared to Caucasians, but definitive data from community‐based cohorts are lacking. Methods and Results We examined plasma N‐terminal pro B‐type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) levels according to race in 9137 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study participants (22% African American) without prevalent cardiovascular disease at visit 4 (1996–1998). Multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses were performed adjusting for clinical covariates. Among African Americans, percent European ancestry was determined from genetic ancestry informative markers and then examined in relation to NTproBNP levels in multivariable linear regression analysis. NTproBNP levels were significantly lower in African Americans (median, 43 pg/mL; interquartile range [IQR], 18, 88) than Caucasians (median, 68 pg/mL; IQR, 36, 124; P <0.0001). In multivariable models, adjusted log NTproBNP levels were 40% lower (95% confidence interval [CI], −43, −36) in African Americans, compared to Caucasians, which was consistent across subgroups of age, gender, HTN, diabetes, insulin resistance, and obesity. African‐American race was also significantly associated with having nondetectable NTproBNP (adjusted OR, 5.74; 95% CI, 4.22, 7.80). In multivariable analyses in African Americans, a 10% increase in genetic European ancestry was associated with a 7% (95% CI, 1, 13) increase in adjusted log NTproBNP. Conclusions African Americans have lower levels of plasma NTproBNP than Caucasians, which may be partially owing to genetic variation. Low natriuretic peptide levels in African Americans may contribute to the greater risk for HTN and its sequalae in this population.
AuPd Metal Nanoparticles as Probes of Nanoscale Thermal Transport in Aqueous Solution

Water- and alcohol-soluble AuPd nanoparticles have been investigated to determine the effect of the organic stabilizing group on the thermal conductance G of the particle/fluid interface. The thermal decays of tiopronin-stabilized 3−5-nm diameter AuPd alloy nanoparticles, thioalkylated ethylene glycol-stabilized 3−5-nm diameter AuPd nanoparticles, and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-stabilized 22-nm diameter Au-core/AuPd-shell nanoparticles give thermal conductances G ≈ 100−300 MW m-2 K-1 for the particle/water interfaces, approximately an order of magnitude larger than the conductance of the interfaces between alkanethiol-terminated AuPd nanoparticles and toluene. The similar values of G for particles ranging in size from 3 to 24 nm with widely varying surface chemistry indicate that the thermal coupling between AuPd nanoparticles and water is strong regardless of the self-assembled stabilizing group.
Role of Crystallinity In Roughness of Ru/c Multilayers -An Amorphization Study

Single Ru films and Ru/C multilayers were sputtered on silicon substrates, in 2.5 mtorr Ar/O2 atmospheres with oxygen mole fractions from 0 to 5%. Reflectivities of the films were measured near 100eV and at 8048eV (CuKα). Critical angle measurements of the single films showed a loss of optical density consistent with full oxidation in the Ar/5%O2 sputtering atmosphere. Soft x-ray reflectivity of the multilayers was reduced from 24% with no added oxygen to < 1% for Ar/5%O2. Diffraction of CuKα x-rays and plan-view TEM showed that the added oxygen reduced Ru crystal size in all films but did not fully amorphize the Ru layers.
Stabilized Methods for Compressible Flows

This article reviews 25 years of research of the authors and their collaborators on stabilized methods for compressible flow computations. An historical perspective is adopted to document the main advances from the initial developments to modern approaches.
The American invasion of Grenada: a note on false prophecy

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the reasons, especially the assertions about the future, given by the US administration under President Reagan, to justify the decision to attack and invade the Caribbean island of Grenada. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology is analysis of existing records and reports on the assertions, events, and decisions leading to the invasion. Findings – The Reagan administration gave three main reasons for the invasion. They claimed that Americans on Grenada, particularly the students attending the St George’s University Medical School, would be harmed from continuing social disruption on Grenada; that the militarization of Grenada was intended as a means for the future export of terrorism or revolution to its Caribbean neighbors; and that the planned international airport at Point Salines was intended to be a future Soviet-Cuban military base. Each was false. Research limitations/implications – Decision making includes assumptions about the future and invites the use of foresight. Such foresight, of course, can be presumptively true and, thus, useful. But also it can be wrong, sometimes deliberately manipulated, leading to wrongheaded actions and devastating consequences. Practical implications – An analysis of the 1983 American invasion of Grenada illustrates the power of authority to distort the truth and corrupt morality, processes that re-occurred 20 years later with much greater consequences in the case of the 2003 American-led invasion of Iraq. Originality/value – The case study of the American invasion of Grenada can be used by decision makers and others to improve future decision-making situations. Before doing violence to other people, we need to ask what violence we are doing to truth.
Student Culture and the Contradictions of Equality at a Mexican Secondary School

This article examines the dynamic relationship between official school structures and forms of student subjectivity through an ethnographic account of student culture at a Mexican secondary school. Tightly interwoven discursive and organizational practices promoting solidarity and equality defined the “official” school structure. Students appropriated these resources to fashion a culture of equality which both accommodated and denied different student sensibilities. The article concludes with an analysis of student culture in terms of practice and cultural production theory.
Perovskite Solar Cells with Near 100% Internal Quantum Efficiency Based on Large Single Crystalline Grains and Vertical Bulk Heterojunctions

Imperfections in organometal halide perovskite films such as grain boundaries (GBs), defects, and traps detrimentally cause significant nonradiative recombination energy loss and decreased power conversion efficiency (PCE) in solar cells. Here, a simple layer-by-layer fabrication process based on air exposure followed by thermal annealing is reported to grow perovskite films with large, single-crystal grains and vertically oriented GBs. The hole-transport medium Spiro-OMeTAD is then infiltrated into the GBs to form vertically aligned bulk heterojunctions. Due to the space-charge regions in the vicinity of GBs, the nonradiative recombination in GBs is significantly suppressed. The GBs become active carrier collection channels. Thus, the internal quantum efficiencies of the devices approach 100% in the visible spectrum range. The optimized cells yield an average PCE of 16.3 ± 0.9%, comparable to the best solution-processed perovskite devices, establishing them as important alternatives to growing ideal sing...
Mitt Romney's Energy Plan

Whenever gasoline prices are substantially above historic norms – which they are today, as we don’t need to tell you – energy policy takes center stage in American politics. And whenever pollsters in presidential campaigns find swing states in energy country, you can bet that the stage will be lit like never before.We all know what President Obama’s selling on this policy stage; spend a ton of federal dollars on “clean energy,” leave no lobbyist left behind (the meaning behind the omnipresent call for an “all of the above energy strategy”), and hope against experience that subsidy can turn ugly economic ducks into beautiful, commercially viable swans. But what of Mitt Romney’s energy sales pitch? It’s better … but not by much.
The Emperor's New Genes: Sociobiology and War

This comment places the argument of Shaw and Wong in the context of the larger sociobiology debate from which it derives. The argument that war is genetically based, and that "inclusive fitness" favors warlike behavior, is not a new one. Critics have attacked the idea on fotir main grounds-that humans are not inherently aggressive; that human behavioral traits are shaped more by culture than genes; that human social groupings are not genetically based; and that behavioral traits would not be selected at the level of social groups even if they were genetically defined. Shaw and Wong do not engage these arguments, but merely repeat sociobiological premises that are both scientifically questionable and politically charged. As one who came to the study of international relations from a background in life sciences, I am favorably inclined toward the emerging field of " biopolitics. "1 Biological perspectives on human behavior have much to offer in the search for a better understanding of conflict and war. The roots of warfare in the earliest human societies may hold clues for the present task of our species-surviving in an age when large-scale war is suicidal. Regrettably, the article by Shaw and Wong, published in this issue of ISQ, does not
Comparative thermodynamic analysis of zinc binding to the His/Cys motif in virion infectivity factor.

HIV-1 virion infectivity factor (Vif) is an accessory protein that induces the proteasomal degradation of the host restriction factor, apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (APOBEC3G). Degradation of APOBEC3G requires the interaction of Vif with Cul5, the scaffold for an E3 ubiquitin ligase. A highly conserved region in HIV-1 Vif termed the HCCH motif binds zinc and is critical for recruitment of Cul5 and degradation of APOBEC3G. To gain thermodynamic and mechanistic insight into zinc binding to diverse Vif proteins, we have employed a combination of isothermal titration calorimetry, analytical ultracentrifugation, and Cul5 pull down assays. The proton linkage of zinc binding to HIV-1 Vif was analyzed under different buffer conditions and consistent with the release of two Cys-thiol protons upon zinc binding, supporting earlier EXAFS studies. Zinc binding to Vif proteins from HIV-1, SIVAgm, HIV-2, and SIVMac followed a trend in which the enthalpy of zinc binding became less fa...
Analysis of square-wave bouts to verify VO2max.

Submaximal and supramaximal square-wave bouts have been reported to consistently verify ‘true’ VO2max. Although a direct comparison between both protocols exists, knowledge on the statistical consistency between the protocols using the same group of participants is lacking. The purpose of this study was to conduct an analysis of the submaximal and supramaximal verification bout performed shortly subsequent to a graded exercise test (GXT). On 2 separate occasions, 6 males and 7 females (age: 29±9 years) completed a GXT protocol and an exhaustive, square-wave bout at either end-GXT power minus 2-stages or 105% end-GXT power. No differences (p>0.05) in VO2max were observed between the GXT and square-wave bouts. The typical error (ml/kg/min) for submaximal (1.09) and supramaximal (1.04) trials was similar. Likewise, similar relative measures of consistency were observed for the submaximal (ICC α=0.97, CV=2.4%) and supramaximal trials (ICC α=0.95, CV=2.3%). For a GXT lasting ~10–12 min, the submaximal or supramaximal protocols appear to be equally effective.