cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Model specification and interpretation: A reply to Greenberg

I appreciate David Greenberg's validation of the two main conclusions in my paper on the age-crime relationship (Britt, 1992). First, we both find evidence of mathematical-form invariance ; Greenberg with a modified chi square density function and I with a gamma density function. Second, we both find limited evidence of parametric invariance. In both of our papers, the strongest evidence for parametric invariance comes from the distribu tions for property crimes, while the strongest evidence of variability in the parameters appears in the homicide and aggravated assault distributions. Although I am encouraged to have my work supported, there are two difficulties with Greenberg's paper worth noting. First, Greenberg's modification of the chi-square density is flawed and generates nonsensical cumulative probabilities. Probability density functions, such as the gamma or the (modified) chi-square, are defined as continuous functions and must have values ranging from 0 to 1 (i.e., 0</(x) < 1). Furthermore, the cumulative probability distribution function must sum to 1 over the range of valid values. For a continuous probability function [/(jc)], the cumulative probability function is obtained by integrat ing over the range of all possible values (i.e., J*TM/ (*) dx1). In our analy ses, this relationship takes the following forms. For the gamma density function,
Temperature Dependent Development of Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae) Nymphs

ABSTRACT Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae) is a key pest of fruit and vegetable crops, forages, and cotton (Gossypium spp.) in the western United States. Accurate models describing relationships between temperature and L. hesperus development are critical to the study of seasonal L. hesperus population dynamics. Development of L. hesperus nymphs was assessed at nine constant temperatures from 10 to 37.8°C. The relationships between temperature and development for each L. hesperus instar, and for the entire nymphal stage, were best described by six-parameter biophysical models indicating both low- and high-temperature inhibition of development. Development rates asymptotically approached zero with decreasing temperature in the lower thermal range, and decreased with increasing temperatures above 32.2°C. Nymphs did not survive from egg hatch to adulthood at either 10 or 37.8°C, and nymph mortality was >90% at both 12.8 and 35.0°C. The fifth instar exhibited the longest stadium, whereas the shortest...
Emerging Themes from EBV and KSHV microRNA Targets

EBV and KSHV are both gamma-herpesviruses which express multiple viral microRNAs. Various methods have been used to investigate the functions of these microRNAs, largely through identification of microRNA target genes. Surprisingly, these related viruses do not share significant sequence homology in their microRNAs. A number of reports have described functions of EBV and KSHV microRNA targets, however only three experimentally validated target genes have been shown to be targeted by microRNAs from both viruses. More sensitive methods to identify microRNA targets have predicted approximately 60% of host targets could be shared by EBV and KSHV microRNAs, but by targeting different sequences in the host targets. In this review, we explore the similarities of microRNA functions and targets of these related viruses.
Processing Speed in Childhood and Adolescence: Longitudinal Models for Examining Developmental Change.

The primary aim of the present study was to examine longitudinal models to determine the function that best describes developmental change in processing speed during childhood and adolescence. In one sample, children and adolescents (N= 503) were tested twice over an average interval of 2 years on two psychometric measures of processing speed: Visual Matching and Cross Out. In another sample, children and adolescents (N= 277) were tested four times, every 6 months, on Cross Out. Age-related changes in performance on both tasks were examined using six longitudinal models representing different hypotheses of growth. Linear, hyperbolic, inverse regression, and transition models yielded relatively poor fit to the data; the fit of the exponential and quadratic models was substantially better. The heuristic value of these latter models is discussed.
Turbulent heat transfer in a serpentine channel with a series of right-angle turns

Abstract Turbulent heat transfer in a two-dimensional serpentine channel with a series of right-angle turns was numerically studied. The standard k—e model was incorporated for turbulence closure. The governing equations were solved by the finite volume technique. The numerical model was validated by comparing the predicted Nusselt number distributions with the experimental data obtained by the naphthalene sublimation technique. The comparison of numerically predicted values of average Nusselt number with the experimental data was fair with a maximum error of 17.4%. Calculations were made for a wide range of geometric and flow parameters (Re = 15 000–60 000). Consideration was given to high (Pr = 7.0) and low (Pr = 0.7) Prandtl number fluids. Correlations for average Nusselt number and frictional factors were developed using the method of least squares. Heat transfer was found to be more sensitive to the Reynolds number in a high Prandtl number fluid than for a low Prandtl number fluid. The maximum values of heat transfer enhancement and friction factor were found in channels with a relatively small undulation height (1–1.5 times the channel width).
Stress Induced Change of Electronic Structure in a Polydiacetylene Crystal

A stress induced change of phase in a single crystal of the polydiacetylene, TCDU, is observed wherein a change of electronic configuration of the polymer from a butatriene to an acetylenic electro...
Predicting Stock Splits with the Help of Prior Firm-Specific Experiences

There is evidence of abnormal stock returns at and following stock split announcements. The successful prediction of splits could enhance investor returns, but few studies try to do so. We hypothesize that a neglected aspect of prior prediction studies is companies that previously split with favorable stock market responses are more likely to split again. Firms in industries with a record of favorable post-split performance may also be more likely to split. We find that inclusion of these factors enhances split prediction accuracy. We find that when this factor is included our split prediction model leads to significant abnormal returns.
Inclusion of Students With an Intellectual Disability in the General Education Classroom With the Use of Response Cards

The passage of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act and the No Child Left Behind Act has highlighted the importance of all students having access to the general education curriculum. Because students with disabilities are being included in the general education classroom in greater numbers, teachers need to implement research-based instructional strategies. To extend research on one effective strategy, the authors used a single case ABAB reversal design to investigate the effects of using response cards on active student responding and on-task behavior for five students with intellectual disabilities during science and social studies lessons in the general education classroom. Results suggest increased active student responding and on-task behavior for all five participants. A discussion of study limitations, implications, and future research directions is included.
Combined Wake and Pulsed-Jet Effects on Separation on a Turbine Airfoil

pressure-gradientregionwithmaximumjetvelocityequaltothelocalfreestreamvelocityandajetdutycycleof10%. Several different timings of the vortex generator jets with respect to the wakes were considered. In cases without vortex generator jets, the boundary layer momentarily reattached in response to the wake passing, but separated between wakes. The vortex generator jets also caused reattachment, and if the vortex-generator-jet pulsing frequency was sufficiently high, separation was largely suppressed for the full wake passing cycle. The timing of the vortex generator jets with respect to the wakes was not very important. The jet pulsing frequency needed for separation control was about the same as found previously in cases without wakes. The background freestreamturbulence effect was negligible in the presence of the larger wake and vortex-generator-jet disturbances.
Virtual manufacturing: an overview

Abstract Virtual Reality (VR) allows a user to navigate and interact with a three dimensional and dynamic simulation of a real or fictitious world. Virtual Manufacturing (VM) is the name given to an evolving area of research that aims at integrating diverse manufacturing related technologies under a common umbrella, using VR technology. The scope can range from integration of the design sub-functions such as drafting, finite element analysis, and prototyping to integration of all the functions within a manufacturing enterprise. Technologies for VR include the hardware for input-output and computation, the electronics for integrating the hardware systems, and the software. Each technology is made up of numerous subtechnologies. . These technologies are still in their evolving and developmental stage and further advances are required. VM can be used for concurrently simulating all the activities and functions involved throughout the life cycle of a product. Some example applications are presented.
α-7 Nicotinic Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulators have Varying Kinetic Effects on Desensitization and Current Amplitude

The α-7 nicotinic receptor is an important neuronal subtype of ligand gated ion channels. It forms a pentameric homomer that is activated by acetylcholine or nicotine to evoke rapidly activating and desensitizing currents. Activation of α-7 receptors has been implicated as a therapeutic strategy in schizophrenia and Alzheimer disease. Small molecule positive allosteric modulators (PAM's) have been shown to enhance α-7 currents, and are classified as type 1 or type 2 PAMs. The type 1 PAMs enhance the current amplitude but do not alter desensitization, while the type 2 PAMs enhance the current amplitude but also slow the desensitization of the receptor. In order to understand the mechanism of action of the type 1 and type 2 PAM's, we tested three modulators on the QPatch automated patch-clamp system using GH4C1 cells stably expressing the rat α-7 receptor. We also explored the effect of repeated applications of these agents on their modulatory activity. Consistent with previously published data, PNU-120596 showed type 2 PAM activity accompanied with a decreasing magnitude of potentiation with repeated applications. Estimated EC50 values for PNU-120596 were stable with repeated compound application. NS-1738 produced a type 1 PAM activity, and a cumulatively increased potentiation following repeated applications, accompanied by an approximate 3-fold increase in EC50. In contrast, SB-206553 had similar potency and effects on the potentiation with repeated application. These results indicate that the different α-7 receptor PAMs have different rates of activation and desensitization, in addition to their type 1 or 2 effects on receptor desensitization.
Theory of collisional angular-momentum mixing of Rydberg states

A theory for the collisional angular-momentum mixing of the Rydberg states of sodium atoms in rare gases is presented. The theory involves a coupled-state calculation based on a pseudopotential interaction between the valence alkali-metal electron and the rare-gas atom. The theory is in good agreement with experiment. (AIP)
Derivation of 2D fields of aerosol and trace gases parameters by integrated analysis of multi-instrument MFRSR dataset from DOE ARM program CART site

We present results from a preliminary analysis of the multi-instrument MFRSR dataset from ARM CART (SGP) site Extended Facilities (Northern Oklahoma and Southern Kansas). Single-instrument retrievals are performed using our previously reported direct-diffuse algorithm. Retrieval products include daily time series of the aerosol optical depth, column mean aerosol particle size, NO 2 and ozone column amounts. The distribution of MFRSR sites at the SGP (central and extended facilities) allows us to combine the retrievals from the individual instruments into series of 2D images. These 2D images facilitate the investigation of spatial and temporal variability of aerosols and trace gases. These images can be also used to evaluate satellite aerosol data products (e.g. MODIS, TOMS, EO-1).
Brick Cheese: pH, Moisture, and Quality Control

Abstract This study was designed to measure the effects of using cool wash water and curd particles of three sizes to control acid precursors, pH, moisture, and quality of Brick cheese containing the maximum amount of moisture. Curd cut with 6-mm knives was given a single washing treatment at 35.6 C for 15 min before hooping; the resulting cheese was compared with that obtained by cutting curd with 3-, 6-, or 9-mm knives, heating to 35.6 C, then treating with water before hooping. Curd of each size was divided into three lots and submerged in water equal to 50, 25, or 12.5% of the volume of the original milk; these lots of curd were subdivided, so that portions were held in the water at 14, 21, or 29 C for 15, 30, 45, or 60 min. Moisture, 8 wk after making, was increased by using less wash water, larger knives, and short exposures to water. The pH of the cheese was lowered by using smaller amounts of water, larger knives, and shorter periods of washing. Effects of temperature of washing on pH were insignificant. Effects of treatments on salt absorption could not be detected by judges. Quality of the control lots was superior to that obtained by the experimental variations. Variation in size of knives, amount and temperature of water alone did not affect the differences in quality from the control. Prolonging the washing treatment decreased quality, especially with smaller curd particles and larger volumes of water. A schedule for commercial manufacturing is recommended.
No horn of singularities for the double well anharmonic oscillator

Abstract We consider the one-dimensional quantum mechanical potential V = g 2 ( x 2 −1/ g 2 ) 2 , which has pseudo-particle solutions. It has been suggested that the work of Bender and Wu, and Simon on the anharmonic oscillator shows that the energy levels for V , considered as an analytic function of g 2 , have a horn of singularities asymptotic to the real g 2 axis. This implies that the eigenvalues of the hamiltonian could not be written as a Borel sum. It is shown here that there is no such proof, and indeed, this potential does not have a horn of singularities. Further, the known singularity-free region allows the possibility of Borel summability.
Fat Supplemented Grain Rations for Veal Production

Abstract Two studies were used to compare growth responses and carcass qualities of 36 Holstein bull calves fed a) whole milk; b) calf starters with 5% animal fat; c) calf starters without supplemental fat; and d) digestible energy (DE) to digestible protein (DP) ratios of 22.9, 24.4, 24.6, 26.1, 28.3, 34.6, and 40.4 kcal DE per gram DP in the calf starters. All calves fed the calf starter rations were offered 3.9 kg of whole milk daily until weaning at 6 weeks of age. Calves continued on the whole milk diet in Study I were offered milk at 10% of body weight to begin and gradually increased to a maximum of 15%. In Study II milk intake was gradually increased to satiety in 3 feedings daily. Average initial weights of starter-fed calves were 57.6 kg (Study I) and 72 kg (Study II). Milk fed calves weighed 41.9 (Study I), and 52 kg (Study II), initially. Weights at slaughter of starter-fed calves were 110 (Study I) and 125 kg (Study II). Milk-fed calves weighed 104 (Study I) and 125 kg (Study II). Average daily gains (kg) and feed efficiency (kg dry matter per kg gain) of milk-fed calves were: .77, 1.24 (Study I) and 1.11, 1.38 (Study II). Comparative responses from calf starters containing 5% fat and different DE:DP ratios were: 1.04, 2.27 (ratio 34.6:l); .87, 2.60 (ratio 40.4:l) in Study I, and 1.14, 2.47 (ratio 26.1:l); 1.12, 2.39 (ratio 24.6:l) in Study II. Without added fat observed values included: 1.09, 2.43 (ratio 28.3:l) in Study I, and 1.26, 2.58 (ratio 24.4: 1) ; 1.24, 2.48 (ratio 22.9:l) in Study II. The DE:DP ratio of 34.6:l was optimal for protein and energy utilization and animal growth response. A ratio of 40.4:l was too wide (P .05) by treatments. Acceptable veal can be produced with high energy grain rations.
Plasmonic effect on photon antibunching and blinking behavior of single quantum dots near gold nanoparticles

In this work, we investigated how the blinking statistics and the photon antibunching behavior of single CdSe/CdS core/shell quantum dots(QDs) get modified in the presence of gold nanoparticles(Au NPs) overcoated with a silica shell of varying thickness.(Au@SiO2). The Au@SiO2 NPs have distinct plasmon resonance peaks which overlap with the absorption and emission of QDs, thereby effectively increasing the mutual plasmon-exciton interactions between them. From the second-order photoluminescence intensity cross-correlation measurements, we observed that in the regime of low excitation power, the relative ratio of the biexciton/exciton (BX/X) quantum yield (QY) and lifetimes of the single QDs in presence of the plasmonic substrates get significantly modified as compared to the QDs on glass. An electrodynamics model was developed to further quantify the effect of plasmons on the emission intensity, QY and lifetimes of X and BX of single QDs. The theoretical studies also indicated that the relative position of the QDs and orientation of the electric field are the critical factors regulating the emission properties of Xs and BXs.
Stabilization of native structure by the closed disulfide loop of staphylococcal enterotoxin B

Abstract The extent and rate of reduction of aqueous staphylococcal enterotoxin B by dithiothreitol in the absence or presence of the denaturant guanidine hydrochloride were directly proportional to the extent and rate of enterotoxin B unfolding. Thus, the single disulfide bond of native enterotoxin B must be positioned in a region of tertiary structure. Reduction followed by alkylation with iodoacetamide or iodoacetic acid of enterotoxin B unfolded in 8 M urea resulted, after refolding in dilute alkaline buffer, in aggregation of the alkylated monomer with a significant increase in viscosity. Also, the stability of alkylated enterotoxin B toward denaturation by guanidine hydrochloride was greatly diminished as compared to unmodified enterotoxin B. However, the refolded, alkylated enterotoxin derivatives retained the ability to completely precipitate rabbit antibody specific for native toxin. Tryptic hydrolysis of a single peptide bond in the 92–112 disulfide loop also significantly lowered the stability of the protein to guanidine denaturation. It is proposed, therefore, that the closed disulfide loop of enterotoxin B stabilizes a minor domain of structure whose disruption increases the conformational flexibility of the toxin molecule without extensive denaturation and loss of biologic specificity.
High School Size and Extracurricular Participation A Study of a Small College Environment

This investigation examined carry-over effects of high school size on the extracurricular participation of 142 students attending a small liberal arts college. Procedures used in previous research to examine extracurricular activities of students at a large university were replicated so that the findings of both investigations could be compared. In agreement with earlier findings, students in smaller high schools showed greater high school extracurricular participation, but they were not more involved college participants. Overall, participation declined from high school to college, but this decline was not as great as in the large university study. Prior extracurricular history showed no relationship to absolute amount of involvement in the small college, and students who were low participators in high school actually gained in participation from high school to college. Females were more involved participants in five different high school activities, but they lost their extracurricular advantage in colle...
VALIDITY OF THE BETHE-YANG HYPOTHESIS IN THE DELTA FUNCTION INTERACTION PROBLEM

We give an explicit verification of the Bethe–Yang hypothesis in the one‐dimensional delta‐function interaction problem.
Methane–air detonation experiments at NIOSH Lake Lynn Laboratory

Abstract The methane–air detonation experiments are performed to characterize high pressure explosion processes that may occur in sealed areas of underground coal mines. The detonation tube used for these studies is 73 m long, 105 cm internal diameter, and closed at one end. The test gas is 97.5% methane with about 1.5% ethane, and the methane–air test mixtures varied between 4% and 19% methane by volume. Detonations were successfully initiated for mixtures containing between 5.3% and 15.5% methane. The detonations propagated with an average velocity between 1512 and 1863 m/s. Average overpressures recorded behind the first shock pressure peak varied between 1.2 and 1.7 MPa. The measured detonation velocities and pressures are close to their corresponding theoretical Chapman-Jouguet (CJ) detonation velocity (DCJ) and detonation pressure (PCJ). Outside of these detonability limits, failed detonations produced decaying detached shocks and flames propagating with velocities of approximately 1/2 DCJ. Cell patterns on smokefoils during detonations were very irregular and showed secondary cell structures inside primary cells. The measured width of primary cells varied between 20 cm near the stoichiometry and 105 cm (tube diameter) near the limits. The largest detonation cell (105 cm wide and 170 cm long) was recorded for the mixture containing 15.3% methane.
The Negotiation of Meaning in the Military

The relationship of individual style to formal and informal codes of action and value in the military are examined. Three examples taken from the author's experience in the Army Reserves illustrate the conditions in which individuals can manipulate the formal system to their own interests. Although the ability to negotiate meanings in the military is strongly linked to the individual's status within the organization, the full weight of that identity is largely a function of acumen and personal style; that is, the judicious management of both formal and informal military codes and practices.
Nilpotent variety of a reductive monoid

In this paper we study the variety M nil of nilpotent elements of a reductive monoid M. In general this variety has a completely different structure than the variety G uni of unipotent elements of the unit group G of M. When M has a unique non-trivial minimal or maximal G×G-orbit, we find a precise description of the irreducible components of M nil via the combinatorics of the Renner monoid of M and the Weyl group of G. In particular for a semisimple monoid M, we find necessary and sufficient conditions for the variety M nil to be irreducible.
The Iron Fist in the Latex Glove: The Intersection of Public Health and Criminal Justice

The intersection of public health and criminal justice involves reducing negative human outcomes, disease and crime, respectively. In this article, we examine the public health approach in detail and how it relates to criminal justice research and practice and how each discipline achieves legitimacy. We demonstrate the public duties of the criminal justice system and how it already performs some public health duties and how we can better integrate public health approaches at the academic, bureaucratic, and street levels.
Thermal Properties of Gold Nanoshells in Lipid Vesicles Studied by Single Particle Tracking Measurements

Photothermal therapy employing nanomaterials is a promising approach to selectively treat targeted tissues with abnormal characteristics such as tumors. While vital research has focused on the use of these materials in biomedical applications, net effects of these materials in biological environments are still not well understood. For reliable biomedical applications, it is crucial to quantitatively evaluate thermal properties of these materials in biological and physiological environments. To this end, we have developed a highly integrated measurement platform and examined local thermal properties of single gold shell nanocrystals in biomimetic environments. These nanoshells consist of a silica core with an outer gold coating. For quantitative measurement of the local thermal profile of gold nanoshells, we monitor lipid phase transitions triggered by gold nanoshell thermal excitation. Dried lipid layers with adsorbed gold nanoshells were placed in an aqueous environment. Photothermal excitation of the gold nanoshells induced localized liposome budding as the lipids were raised above their transition temperature. Single particle tracking of gold nanoshells in solution and within liposomes revealed larger diffusion rates for the confined nanoparticles, likely due to a raised local temperature.
An internal combustion engine platform for increased thermal efficiency, constant‐volume combustion, variable compression ratio, and cold start

SUMMARY An internal-combustion engine platform, which may operate on a portfolio of cycles for an increased expansion ratio, combustion under constant volume, variable compression ratio, and cold start, is introduced. Through unique thermodynamic cycles, the engine may be able to operate on a much greater expansion ratio than the compression ratio for a significantly improved thermal efficiency. This improvement is attained without involving a complex mechanical structure or enlarged engine size, and at the same time without reducing the compression ratio. The engine with these features may serve as an alternative to the Atkinson cycle engine or the Miller cycle engine. Furthermore, based on the same engine platform, the engine may operate on other cycles according to the load conditions and environmental considerations. These cycles include those for combustion under constant volume, variable compression ratio under part load conditions, and cold start for alternative fuels. It is believed that the introduced thermodynamic cycles associated with the engine platform may enable a future internal combustion engine that could generally increase the thermal efficiency by about 20% under full and part load conditions and overcome the cold start problem associated with diesel fuels or alternative fuels such as ethanol and methanol. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Split-bolus MDCT urography with synchronous nephrographic and excretory phase enhancement.

OBJECTIVE. Our purpose was to evaluate the utility of CT urography performed using a split contrast bolus that yields synchronous nephrographic and excretory phase enhancement.MATERIALS AND METHODS. Five hundred consecutive patients referred for evaluation of possible urinary tract abnormalities (327 for painless hematuria) underwent CT urography with unenhanced scanning of the abdomen and pelvis and scanning during concurrent nephrographic and excretory phase enhancement produced by administration of a split contrast bolus. The enhanced abdomen scan was obtained with abdominal compression; the enhanced pelvis scan was obtained after release of compression. Findings from axial sections and coronal maximum intensity projections were correlated with clinical follow-up and, as available, with laboratory and other imaging studies including cystoscopy, ureteroscopy, urine cytology, surgery, and pathology. Follow-up management for each patient was determined by the clinical judgment of the referring physician.R...
Age associated changes in mitogen induced proliferation and cytokine production by lymphocytes of the long-lived Brown Norway rat

Abstract The long-lived, inbred Brown Norway (BN) rat demonstrates an age associated decrease in lymphoproliferation in response to ConA; however, these declines only become apparent after the age of median survival, 31 months. Significant declines in IL-2 production after ConA stimulation also occur after median survival. In contrast, production of IFN after ConA stimulation increases with age in BN rats. This increase in IFN production begins about 12 months of age and plateaus at about median lifespan. The imbalance in ILK-2 and IFN production may reflect a dysregulation that results in a decreased proliferative response of lymphocytes with increasing age.
Fingering Convection: the Interplay of Small and Large Scales

: Direct numerical simulations of two-dimensional fingering convection are presented. They show the growth of a finger-zone from a region of high gradients of temperature and salinity set in the initial conditions and the appearance of large-scale convective cells in the homogeneous layers above and below it. The interaction between the finger-zone and the convection is described and the vertical fluxes are compared with a theoretical scaling law.
Na/H Exchanger Regulatory Factors Control Parathyroid Hormone Receptor Signaling by Facilitating Differential Activation of Gα Protein Subunits

The Na/H exchanger regulatory factors, NHERF1 and NHERF2, are adapter proteins involved in targeting and assembly of protein complexes. The parathyroid hormone receptor (PTHR) interacts with both NHERF1 and NHERF2. The NHERF proteins toggle PTHR signaling from predominantly activation of adenylyl cyclase in the absence of NHERF to principally stimulation of phospholipase C when the NHERF proteins are expressed. We hypothesized that this signaling switch occurs at the level of the G protein. We measured G protein activation by [35S]GTPγS binding and Gα subtype-specific immunoprecipitation using three different cellular models of PTHR signaling. These studies revealed that PTHR interactions with NHERF1 enhance receptor-mediated stimulation of Gαq but have no effect on stimulation of Gαi or Gαs. In contrast, PTHR associations with NHERF2 enhance receptor-mediated stimulation of both Gαq and Gαi but decrease stimulation of Gαs. Consistent with these functional data, NHERF2 formed cellular complexes with both Gαq and Gαi, whereas NHERF1 was found to interact only with Gαq. These findings demonstrate that NHERF interactions regulate PTHR signaling at the level of G proteins and that NHERF1 and NHERF2 exhibit isotype-specific effects on G protein activation.
The ABCD and ABCD2 Scores and the Risk of Stroke following a TIA: A Narrative Review

The California, ABCD, and ABCD2 risk scores (ABCD system) were developed to help stratify short-term stroke risk in patients with TIA (transient ischemic attack). Beyond this scope, the ABCD system has been extensively used to study other prognostic information such as DWI (diffusion-weighted imaging) abnormalities, large artery stenosis, atrial fibrillation and its diagnostic accuracy in TIA patients, which are independent predictors of subsequent stroke in TIA patients. Our comprehensive paper suggested that all scores have and equivalent prognostic value in predicting short-term risk of stroke; however, the ABCD2 score is being predominantly used at most centers. The majority of studies have shown that more than half of the strokes in the first 90 days, occur in the first 7 days. The majority of patients studied were predominantly classified to have a higher ABCD/ABCD2 > 3 scores and were particularly at a higher short-term risk of stroke or TIA and other vascular events. However, patients with low risk ABCD2 score < 4 may have high-risk prognostic indicators, such as diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) abnormalities, large artery atherosclerosis (LAA), and atrial fibrillation (AF). The prognostic value of these scores improved if used in conjunction with clinical information, vascular imaging data, and brain imaging data. Before more data become available, the diagnostic value of these scores, its applicability in triaging patients, and its use in evaluating long-term prognosis are rather secondary; thus, indicating that the primary significance of these scores is for short-term prognostic purposes.
Tuberculosis in New York city: recent lessons and a look ahead

Summary In the late 1980s and early 1990s, after decades of decline, the incidence of tuberculosis began to rise in New York city, reaching a peak of 3811 cases by 1992. The epidemic took root in a setting of inadequate treatment regimens, homelessness, a diminished public-health system, and the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In addition, a subepidemic of drug-resistant tuberculosis occurred throughout New York city, most notably in a series of well documented nosocomial outbreaks. By 1994, using broadened initial treatment regimens, directly observed therapy, and improved US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for hospital control and disease prevention, New York city began to effectively halt the progression of the epidemic. By 2002, tuberculosis rates in New York city reached an historic low of 1084. However, given the presence of a large reservoir of latently infected individuals in the city and an ongoing tuberculosis pandemic, New York city continues to face significant challenges from this persistent pathogen.
History in the Service of Politics: A Reassessment of G. G. Gervinus

The year 1971 marks the centenary of the death of Georg Gottfried Gervinus. This fact might seem to warrant attention only of antiquarians, since Gervinus appears in most textbooks (if at all) as a professor dismissed from the University of Gottingen for protesting the revocation of the Hanoverian constitution in 1837. But two facts about his reputation inspire greater attention. First, Gervinus was buried with unseemly haste by a host of unflattering necrologists, from Ranke on down, in the very year of the founding of the German Empire. Second, he has again achieved some attention recently as one of the few German democrats among the nineteenth-century professorate, thanks to publications in both East and West Germany. As an opponent of the “reactionary class compromise which underlay the unification of the Reich from above,” he has become an object of veneration in East Germany. In the west, the publication of his Introduction to the History of the Nineteenth Century and the subsequent Treason Trial against Gervinus has focused attention on the fate of those who sanctioned democratic revolution in the reactionary 1850's.3 In both cases, in obscurity and tendentious revival, Gervinus has been blamed or praised more for what he stood for than for what he was.
Luminescent α-diimine complexes of ruthenium(II) containing scorpionate ligands

Abstract We describe the synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of several Ru(II) complexes of the type cis-L2Ru(Z)n+, where L is an α-diimine [e.g. 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy) or 1,10-phenanthroline (phen)] ligand and Z is a bis-coordinated scorpionate ligand such as tris-(1-pyrazolyl)methane (HC(pz)3, pz=1-pyrazolyl; n=2) or tetrakis-(1-pyrazolyl)borate anion (B(pz)4 −; n=1). The complexes each exhibit strong visible absorption assigned as a π*(L)←dπ(Ru) metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) transition characteristic of the cis-L2Ru2+ kernel. A corresponding MLCT excited state emission is observed in room temperature CH3CN solution, although emission energies, lifetimes, and quantum yields are reduced relative to Ru(bpy)3 2+. Electronic spectra and cyclic voltammetry measurements indicate that the relative π-acceptor abilities of the coordinated Z are: Z=(1H-pyrazolyl)2∼(pz)2B(pz)2
The Radical Jesus: You Cannot Serve God and Mammon:

Based on philological considerations and contextualization of the very earliest Jesus traditions, especially Luke 16:13, this article argues that at the core of the concern of Jesus of Nazareth was...
Psychopharmacology and psychosomatic disorders

Abstract Consultation liaison psychiatrists often must prescribe anxiolytic sedatives, antidepressants, and neuroleptic drugs which are additions to the pharmacologic agents required to treat patients with common somatic conditions. The interaction of these agents and their appropriate use is reviewed.
Parenting a Child with Disabilities: Personal Reflections

This paper describes the complex experience of being the parent of a child with significant developmental disabilities. The author, who is the mother of a child with an autistic spectrum disorder, considers several phases that many parents pass through and some of the associated difficulties; the uncertainty, the dread, and the profound loss that surround the diagnosis of a disability. Based on her own experience, the author identifies the valuable role of a developmental, psychodynamic framework in understanding, processing and navigating these challenges. The paper discusses the significant contributions that psychoanalytically oriented clinicians can make in supporting parents' efforts to make sense of their own and their child's experience, and to manage the ongoing processes of adaptation, acceptance, and the challenges of parenting.
Does energy availability predict gastropod reproductive strategies

The diversity of reproductive strategies in nature is shaped by a plethora of factors including energy availability. For example, both low temperatures and limited food availability could increase larval exposure to predation by slowing development, selecting against pelagic and/or feeding larvae. The frequency of hermaphroditism could increase under low food availability as population density (and hence mate availability) decreases. We examine the relationship between reproductive/life-history traits and energy availability for 189 marine gastropod families. Only larval type was related to energy availability with the odds of having planktotrophic larvae versus direct development decreasing by 1% with every one-unit increase in the square root of carbon flux. Simultaneous hermaphroditism also potentially increases with carbon flux, but this effect disappears when accounting for evolutionary relationships among taxa. Our findings are in contrast to some theory and empirical work demonstrating that hermaphroditism should increase and planktotrophic development should decrease with decreasing productivity. Instead, they suggest that some reproductive strategies are too energetically expensive at low food availabilities, or arise only when energy is available, and others serve to capitalize on opportunities for aggregation or increased energy availability.
Tactical allocation of effort among multiple signals in sage grouse: an experiment with a robotic female

Males in many species have complex, multicomponent sexual signals, and there may be trade-offs between different signal components. By adjusting their signaling behaviors, males may be able to produce more attractive courtship displays in the face of these trade-offs, but this possibility has rarely been tested. In this study, we examined adaptive adjustment of display behaviors during courtship in a lek-breeding bird, the greater sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). We measured the potential trade-off between display quantity (display rate) and quality (a temporal feature of displays) in a wild population of sage grouse using controlled approaches of a robotic female to experimentally induce changes in male display rate. We found that males who are more successful in mating can increase quantity without a decline in quality, with only unsuccessful males expressing an apparent trade-off. Male mating success was also positively correlated with responsiveness to changes in receiver distance, suggesting that successful males may avoid a trade-off by tactically adjusting their display rate—saving energy by displaying at low levels when females are farther away and at higher levels as females approach. Alternative explanations for this differential response to female proximity are discussed. Our results suggest that to be successful, males may need both the ability to produce attractive signals and the ability to effectively allocate their display effort by responding to female behaviors. Key words: acoustic localization, communication, greater sage grouse, multiple traits, plasticity, sexual selection, trade-off. [Behav Ecol]
Communicating Policy Change in Programs To Train the Underprivileged

Employing and training the underprivileged means changing employment stand ards. Conflicts arise in communicating the new policies, This article discusses some of the conflicts and the means of the...
Experimental study of gain-guided waveguide-array (1*10) CO/sub 2/ laser

A new type of waveguide-array CO/sub 2/ laser excited by an RF discharge is reported. In this device, laser beams are guided by means of periodic gain regions distributed in lateral space and form a one-dimensional array. Experiments indicate that the 1*10 array laser is perfectly locked in phase. In the far field, both symmetrical and antisymmetrical field distributions have been observed. >
Single-Stage Offline SEPIC Converter with Power Factor Correction to Drive High Brightness LEDs

An interleaved SEPIC converter with LED current dimmable and input power factor correction is proposed as a high performance driver for the high brightness white LEDs. The converter is controlled with voltage mode PWM and run in discontinuous conduction mode so that the inductor current follows the rectified input voltage. The critical design constraints and equations for both the power stage and control loop are highlighted and detailed. A practical evaluation board with 110V input and 60V, 700mA output is developed to verify the proposed design. The proposed converter can be used to drive a wide number of high brightness LEDs for industrial or commercial lighting applications.
Metabolomics Identifies Perturbations in Human Disorders of Propionate Metabolism

Background: We applied untargeted mass spectrometry-based metabolomics to the diseases methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) and propionic acidemia (PA). Methods: We used a screening platform that used untargeted, mass-based metabolomics of methanol-extracted plasma to find significantly different molecular features in human plasma samples from MMA and PA patients and from healthy individuals. Capillary reverse phase liquid chromatography (4 μL/min) was interfaced to a TOF mass spectrometer, and data were processed using nonlinear alignment software (XCMS) and an online database (METLIN) to find and identify metabolites differentially regulated in disease. Results: Of the approximately 3500 features measured, propionyl carnitine was easily identified as the best biomarker of disease ( P value 1.3 × 10−18), demonstrating the proof-of-concept use of untargeted metabolomics in clinical chemistry discovery. Five additional acylcarnitine metabolites showed significant differentiation between plasma from patients and healthy individuals, and γ-butyrobetaine was highly increased in a subset of patients. Two acylcarnitine metabolites and numerous unidentified species differentiate MMA and PA. Many metabolites that do not appear in any public database, and that remain unidentified, varied significantly between normal, MMA, and PA, underscoring the complex downstream metabolic effects resulting from the defect in a single enzyme. Conclusions: This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that metabolomics can expand the range of metabolites associated with human disease and shows that this method may be useful for disease diagnosis and patient clinical evaluation.
Function-based failure propagation for conceptual design

When designing a product, the earlier the potential risks can be identified, the more costs can be saved, as it is easier to modify a design in its early stages. Several methods exist to analyze the risk in a system, but all require a mature design. However, by applying the concept of “common interfaces” to a functional model and utilizing a historical knowledge base, it is possible to analyze chains of failures during the conceptual phase of product design. This paper presents a method based on these common interfaces to be used in conjunction with other methods such as risk in early design to allow a more complete risk analysis during the conceptual design phase. Finally, application of this method is demonstrated in a design setting by applying it to a thermal control subsystem.
Equality in Contemporary Political Thought An Examination and an Assessment

This article reviews selected aspects of recent and contemporary Anglo-American political thought on equality. The focus of analysis is the continuing controversy in the United States between neoconservatives and egalitarians concerning the definition of basic equality, the meaning of equality of opportunity, and the proper policies neces sary to guarantee to all citizens equal opportunity for occupational attainment. An issue central to this debate is whether equality of opportunity is consistent with treating diferent individuals in different ways. In three interrelated sections, the definition of equality-as-similarity and the various meanings of the derivative equal opportunity doctrine are considered, and the neoconservative critique of egalitarian public policies is discussed together with egalitarian counter arguments. The concluding section contains an evaluation of neoconservative and egalitarian arguments. A central idea which emerges from this survey of contemporary thought about equality is th...
Fast architectures for pattern recognition and classifier training

A systolic architecture is presented for the classification of patterns using the maximum likelihood algorithm. A unique feature of the architecture is the capability of online training. By use of recursive expressions, the classification functions can be updated taking into account all the previous parameters. The proposed architecture is capable of classifying an N-dimensional pattern in (N+1)/2 cycles. It features full use of symmetry properties to speed up computations and to reduce storage requirements. >
An Object Oriented Intelligent Control Architecture

A new intelligent control system architecture is proposed which uses an object-oriented paradigm to decompose an intelligent control problem into objects representing sensors, a sensor manager, and a conroller. Each object is instantiated from a class, and possesses data, functions, and knowledge inherited through a class structure. In addition, each object updates its own specific state-related data and facts during system operation. The benefits of this new independent-intelligence/ object-oriented architecture include flexibility of system configuration, efficient construction of specific control application software using generic object classes for the components, and robustness. An example is described for a vision based robotic weld seam tracking system currently under development.
Superconducting Field Winding for a 10-MVA Generator

A research program funded by the U. S. Department of Energy has been underway since 1976 to develop advanced concepts for superconducting generators to be used in large central power stations. The background and scope of the program have been reported previously[1]. A prototype 10-MVA machine is being constructed and will be tested under full load while connected to a power system. The first part of the present program has concentrated on the analysis of advanced concepts to solve key problems identified through earlier experiments and analyses[2,3].
Turning Cobwebs into Walls

Bureaucratic institutions tend to become rigid and self-justifying. The thoughtless separation of routines from the goals they were once supposed to pursue is a kind of mission drift, and the way this process is seen, or not seen, is a kind of perceptual drift. The fictional world of Ursula LeGuin's The Dispossessed illustrates how perceptual drift can reinforce inauthentic governance, and what might be done about it. Using the experiences of the book's main character as our primary "data," we introduce an analytic tool—the causal attribution journal—that makes visible what perceptual drift obscures. The journal method is a phenomenological tool that promotes clarity and agency by bringing common but often obscured patterns into view. It illuminates the vital role of perceptual dynamics in efforts to secure democratic governance.