cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
American civil–military relations today: the continuing relevance of Samuel P. Huntington's The soldier and the state

Fifty-five years after it was first published, Samuel Huntington's The soldier and the state remains an essential starting point for serious discussions of American civil–military relations. In part this is due to the boldness and ambition of the author. Huntington brought theory to a research area that had suffered from too little theorizing and then went on to formulate concepts that scholars and practitioners of civil–military relations still find useful. These include: the conceptualization of the military as a profession; the articulation of the two central forces shaping the nature of military institutions as the functional and the societal imperatives; and the formulation of subjective and objective control as the two main patterns of civilian control. This review article briefly revisits these concepts and argues that they retain utility in illuminating important issues in American civil–military relations today. It also argues, however, that Huntington's contributions were productive but not perfect. Some of his specific definitions, such as the content of military expertise, are debatable. Some of his central concerns, such as whether the United States could sustain a strong military over an extended period of time, are no longer central today. Finally, in some places the literature has moved beyond what Huntington offered. The best example is the ongoing debate over how the country's political leaders and its most senior military officers should interact. It is precisely on this point that Huntington's objective control is the weakest. While The soldier and the state certainly does not deserve uncritical acceptance, it does continue to merit a fair hearing. Current discussions of American civil–military relations are likely to be more reasonable and productive if Huntington is given a voice.
Metal Artifacts Reduction in Computed Tomography: A Bilateral Reprojection Approach

Reducing artifacts owing to metallic objects in Computed Tomography (CT) is a challenging task. These metal induced anisotropic streaks are both signal dependent and difficult to distinguish from sharp edges. The method we propose is based on a non-iterative reprojection-reconstruction framework. It first identifies metal regions and bilateral filtering is used to deal with the streak artifacts. Refined projection data is obtained by replacing metal traces with projections of the bilateral filtered image. Metal regions were superimposed back for the final reconstruction. Experimental results demonstrate a significant reduction in the metal artifacts while preserving the edges for the underlying object.
A sodium-specific condensed film of α-cyclodextrin at the mercury ∣ water interface

Abstract α-Cyclodextrin adsorption at the mercury ∣ water interface exhibits several condensed phases, depending on the anions and cations present. At low charge densities the interface can be covered by a condensed film of α-cyclodextrin. In the presence of sodium ions, a condensed film containing both α-cyclodextrin and Na+ can be observed at a negatively charged electrode. This highly sodium-specific film contains three α-cyclodextrin molecules for every two Na+ cations, and can be characterized by the interfacial solubility product [αCD]3[Na+]2=1.65×10–6 M5 at 25°C. This film exhibits isomer-specific inhibition of reduction processes; its formation can be stochastic.
Role of cholesterol in the distribution of haloperidol and trifluoperazine in blood and plasma.

Abstract The distribution of labeled haloperidol, trifluoperazine, and tolmetin (control) in human blood and plasma was investigated in vitro by the use of immuno- and physico-chemical techniques. Cholesterol was discovered to have a significant binding affinity for haloperidol and trifluoperazine; somewhat lesser affinity was noted for cholesterol oleate ester. Haloperidol had a much higher affinity for cholesterol and the high density lipoproteins than did trifluoperazine, which had a binding affinity also for albumin. Haloperidol demonstrated little, if any, binding to albumin. As anticipated, tolmetin was bound almost completely to albumin. The significance of the erythrocyte membrane, in terms of its binding affinity for anti-psychotic drugs, storage function, service as a vehicle for drug transport, establishment of a distribution equilibrium between plasma and erythrocytes, and maintenance of a drug blood-level, was confirmed by our studies. Binding to erythrocyte membranes, however, was weaker than binding to plasma. Explanation, implication, and clinical application of these findings are offered.
Does methylphenidate constrict cognitive functioning

It has been suggested that stimulants enhance attention in children with (attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity) (ADDH) by producing a generalized constriction or "over-focusing." Such a phenomenon might be expected to adversely affect performance on tasks, such as those in the Wallach-Kogan (W-K) battery, which explicitly call for cognitive flexibility or "divergent thinking." Nineteen ADDH children, 6 to 10 years of age, were tested on two modified subtests of the W-K battery at baseline, following placebo, and following three different dosages (.3, .6 and 1.0 mg/kg) of methylphenidate. Contrary to the hypothesis, methylphenidate did not decrease but rather sustained output on the tests, which contrasted with a decline in productivity seen across nondrug days. Some ADDH subjects displayed particularly large increases in output following methylphenidate and may represent an atypical subgroup of children who became overaroused on medication.
Regulation of platelet-activating factor (PAF) biosynthesis via coenzyme A-independent transacylase in the macrophage cell line IC-21 stimulated with lipopolysaccharide

Abstract The regulation of PAF synthesis by the macrophage cell line IC-21 challenged with bacterial endotoxin was investigated. The LPS-induced increase in cellular PAF levels was rapid, sustained and attained maximal levels within 30 min following LPS stimulation. PAF accumulation was accompanied by the activation of the CoA-independent transacylase and acetyl-CoA: lyso-PAF acetyltransferase, whereas the release of free [ 3 H]arachidonic acid in prelabeled cells reflecting the activation of phospholipase A 2 , occurred primarily within the initial 1–5 min of treatment with LPS. Cell lysates from LPS-stimulated macrophages exhibited a markedly increased enzymatic activity that was capable of both acylation of l-[ 3 H]alkyl-2-lyso-GPC (lyso-PAF) and deacylation of l-[ 3 H]alkyl-2-acyl-GPC generating [ 3 H]lyso-PAF via CoA-independent transacylation of exogenous lysoplasmenylethanolamine compared with extracts from resting macrophages. Pretreatment of the cells with LPS for 5 and 30 min enhanced significantly the transfer of [ 14 C]arachidonic acid from l-[ 3 H]alkyl-2-[ 14 C]arachidonoyl-GPC into plasmenylethanolamine in prelabeled cell homogenates following the addition of exogenous lysoplasmenylethanolamine. Taken together, these data suggest that the CoA-independent transacylase, but not phospholipase A 2 , is a key enzyme responsible for the prolonged generation of lyso-PAF and that the increased capability of CoA-independent transacylation followed by CoA-dependent acetylation of lyso-PAF can sustain the biosynthesis of PAF in LPS-stimulated IC-21 macrophages.
The management of neonatal pulmonary hypertension

Most neonates with clinically significant pulmonary hypertension (PH) will have either persistent PH of the newborn (PPHN) or bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Cyanotic congenital heart disease must be actively ruled out as part of the differential diagnosis of PPHN. The maintenance of ductal patency with prostaglandins E1 or E2 in cases of doubt is safe and potentially beneficial given their pulmonary vasorelaxant properties. Specific tools in the treatment of PPHN include modern ventilatory strategies, inhaled nitric oxide, sildenafil, prostacyclin and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Rarely will a cardiac lesion be primarily responsible for neonatal PH although pulmonary vein stenosis and the persistence of an arterial duct must be considered, particularly in the older preterm baby with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
Stability of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 superconductor in molten halide salts

Abstract Stability of preformed Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 phase in molten halide salts is described here. Salt systems containing Li + and other halides except chlorides are negative in their ability to stabilize the Bi-2212 phase. Among all the salt systems evaluated, only some of the alkali chloride salt systems proved positive in stabilizing the Bi-2212 phase.
Participant report of therapist-delivered active ingredients in a telephone-delivered brief motivational intervention predicts taking steps towards change.

AbstractObjective: Given the widespread potential for disseminating Motivational Interviewing (MI) through technology, the question of whether MI active ingredients are present when not delivered in person is critical to assure high treatment quality. The Participant Rating Form (PRF) was developed and used to evaluate therapist-delivered active ingredients in phone-delivered MI with hazardous drinking Emergency Department patients. Method: A factor analysis of all PRFs completed after receiving one call (n = 256) was conducted. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine whether PRF factors predicted a measure of motivation to change – taking steps – at the second call (n = 214). Results: The majority of participants were male (65%), with a mean age of 32 years and with an average alcohol ASSIST (Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test) score of 20.5 (SD = 7.1). Results of the factor analysis for the PRF revealed Relational (working collaboration) and Technical (MI behaviours) fact...
Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal Performance and Microbial Population Changes at High Organic Loading Rates

A laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor was operated and the dynamics of Rhodocyclus-related phosphorus-accumulating organisms (PAOs) population was monitored. After the system reached a steady state and showed a stable enhanced biological phosphorus removal status, the organic loading rate was increased from 160 to 1,020 g COD m−3 cycle−1 in five steps. When the P storage capacity reached maximum at 330 g COD m−3 cycle−1 , the system lost the stability and the effluent phosphorus concentration fluctuated. As the organic loading rate increased from 160 to 1,020 g COD m−3 cycle−1 , the PAO population decreased from 83.8±4.9 to 32.2±16.2 % and internal polyphosphate content decreased from 0.20 to 0.03 mg P mg VSS−1 . Phosphate-accumulating metabolism was weakened as the organic loading rate increased and PAO population decreased concomitantly, whereas glycogen-accumulating metabolism increased at high organic loading rates as supported by the increased intracellular glycogen content and production of a ...
Genetic instability on chromosome 16 in a human B lymphoblastoid cell line

Mutagenesis at theaprt locus in TK6 human lymphoblasts has been found to occur at an unusually high rate (1.2 × 10−9) for a homozygous diploid locus. Evaluation of linked microsatellite polymorphisms demonstrated that loss of heterozygosity (LOH) accompanies conventional intragenic sequence alterations in each APRT− mutant. LOH occurred without allele preference. The extent of loss was highly uniform, ranging from 16q12 to 16qter in 36/38 APRT− mutants. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), used in conjunction with microsatellite analysis, demonstrated that the loss was not attributable to physical deletion, nondisjunction, or nondisjunction with reduplication of the remaining chromosome. LOH thus appears to be recombinationally mediated. FISH analysis also detected translocations affecting chromosome 16 in 4/20 APRT− mutants examined. APRT− mutants appear to arise as part of a genetic instability phenomenon since three distinct genetic alterations affecting chromosome 16 are recovered in single clones at a detectable rate. These events may be mechanistically related to early events in gene amplification.
Roles of the creatine kinase system and myoglobin in maintaining energetic state in the working heart

The heart is capable of maintaining contractile function despite a transient decrease in blood flow and increase in cardiac ATP demand during systole. This study analyzes a previously developed model of cardiac energetics and oxygen transport to understand the roles of the creatine kinase system and myoglobin in maintaining the ATP hydrolysis potential during beat-to-beat transient changes in blood flow and ATP hydrolysis rate. The theoretical investigation demonstrates that elimination of myoglobin only slightly increases the predicted range of oscillation of cardiac oxygenation level during beat-to-beat transients in blood flow and ATP utilization. In silico elimination of myoglobin has almost no impact on the cytoplasmic ATP hydrolysis potential (ΔGATPase). In contrast, disabling the creatine kinase system results in considerable oscillations of cytoplasmic ADP and ATP levels and seriously deteriorates the stability of ΔGATPase in the beating heart. The CK system stabilizes ΔGATPase by both buffering ATP and ADP concentrations and enhancing the feedback signal of inorganic phosphate in regulating mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation.
Bulk and Interfacial Aqueous Fluoride: An Investigation via First Principles Molecular Dynamics†

Using first principles molecular dynamics simulation, we have studied a fluoride anion embedded in a periodically replicated water slab composed of 215 water molecules to mimic both bulk and interfacial solvation. In contrast to some recent experiments, our findings suggest that there are only small structural changes for fluoride and its first solvation shell in the bulk. Moreover, the presence of fluoride does not significantly alter the rotational dynamics of nearby water. In addition, we have computed the molecular dipole moments using Wannier centers. At the interface, the presence of fluoride increases the molecular dipole moments of nearby water molecules, whereas in the bulk, the dipole moments for water appear to be essentially invariant to the presence of fluoride in the vicinity. Previous studies of the air-water interface have showed interfacial water to have higher average HOMO energies and, thus, likely to be more prone to electrophilic attack. With the addition of fluoride, the most likely reactive site for electrophilic reactions shifts to the anion. This finding could explain the known large increase in reaction rates for heterogeneous process of interest in atmospheric science. The reactive properties of other anions near the air-water interface are of general interest in heterogeneous chemistry and can be elucidated using a similar type of analysis, as performed here for the fluoride anion.
Chemotactic Cytokines Mediate Leukocyte Recruitment in Fibrotic Lung Disease

In rodents, bleomycin administration results in a route-, dose-and strain-dependent pulmonary inflammatory response. Given intratracheally, this response is characterized by increases in leukocyte acc
Visualization of supersonic flow around a sharp-edged, sub-boundary-layer protuberance

Innovations in conventional surface and planar laser scattering visualizations revealed complex structures in the Mach 2.5 flow past a sharp-edged, sub-boundary-layer ramp with swept sides that is one type of micro vortex generator (MVG). The incoming flow separated over the leading edge despite the ramp angle being below the threshold for incipient separation. The separation produced a weak trailing horseshoe vortex system. The flow over the top of the MVG separated off the slant edges to produce a large primary vortex pair. Extra details were revealed at the trailing edge with at least two pairs of singularities. Vortex filaments spring from these singularities. Symmetry breaking from the confluence of the two primary vortices was observed as an unsteady wake to result in a train of possibly ring or hairpin vortices trailing downstream.
Two non-vesicular ATP release pathways in the mouse erythrocyte membrane

Abstract Erythrocytes are exceptionally suited for analysis of non-exocytotic release mechanisms of ATP, because these cells under physiological conditions lack vesicles. Previous studies have indicated, that Pannexin1 (Panx1) provides a key ATP permeation pathway in many cell types, including human and frog erythrocytes. Here we show that erythrocytes of Panx1−/− mice lend further support to this conclusion. However, ATP release, although attenuated, was still observed in Panx1−/− mouse erythrocytes. In contrast to Panx1+/+ cells, this release was not correlated with uptake of extracellularly applied dyes, was insensitive to Panx1 channel blockers, and was inhibited by dipyridamole and stimulated by iloprost. Thus, in erythrocytes, two independent pathways mediate the release of ATP. We also show that glyburide is a strong inhibitor of Panx1 channels.
Sovereign Debt Ratings: A Judgmental Model Based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process

The major rating agencies assign quality rating to international security offerings. These ratings serve as indicators of perceived sovereign risk associated with such offerings. A review of the ratings process followed by the major rating agencies (in particular, the Standard & Poor's Corporation) reveals that ratings are assigned with considerable reliance on informal judgment. Informal judgmental systems, however, can induce serious inconsistencies in the relative importance assigned to criteria used in assigning rating and lead to biased ratings. This paper presents a formal judgmental model for assigning sovereign debt ratings that avoids the potential inconsistencies of informal systems. Model use is illustrated by relying on descriptions of the ratings process published by Standard and Poor’s Corporation. While the model proposed in this paper provides a framework for the rating agencies to ensure consistency in their ratings process, we suggest a complementary relationship between multivariate statistical classification models typically used to assess economic and political risk and the proposed model which assigns country risk ratings.
Nitrogen additions to pristine, high-latitude, forest ecosystems: consequences for soil nitrogen transformations and retention in mid and late succession

We hypothesized that differences in microbial and plant N demand in balsam poplar and white spruce stands would control in situ net N transformation and retention following N addi- tions. Throughout the study, N fertilizer (NH4NO3) was added in three increments during the growing season, giving an annual N addition of 100 kg ha � 1 yr � 1 . In balsam poplar, fertilization induced a large (� 285%) increase in annual net nitrification but tended to reduce net ammonifi- cation. In white spruce, fertilization generally stimulated net N mineralization (via higher net ammonification) while net nitrification increased only slightly or remained unchanged. For 0- 20 cm soil cores of both stand types, fertilization rapidly increased extractable DIN pools; however, the absolute amount of this increase was significantly larger in white spruce than in balsam poplar. In both stands, extractable NO � -N in 20-30 cm mineral cores increased within the first year following N additions, indicating that leaching of NO � -N was fairly rapid. Fertilization did not significantly alter microbial biomass N or C. After four years of fertilizer additions there were slight but insignificant changes in fine-root C:N and % N. The immediate alteration of N transformation rates and extractable DIN pools, notably the higher NO � -N at the 20-30 cm depth, may indicate that this ecosystem is sensitive to atmospheric N deposition. However, we also theorize that plants and microbes in this ecosystem, in which the extractable DIN pool is dominated by NH þ (NH þ -N: NO � -N = 18-30), might be poorly adapted or physiologically unable to assimilate significant quantities of NO � .
Effect of feeding Rabon to dairy cows over extended periods.

Five dairy cows were fed Rabon® insecticide (2-chloro-1-(2,4,5-trichlorophenyl) vinyl dimethyl phosphate) at levels ranging between 36-252 ppm of an air-dry ration (during an entire gestation period. One of the cows was carried through an additional gestation period. Milk residues were generally nondetectable (<0.005) but were occasionally as high as 0.014 ppm. Rabon was detected in only 1 tissue sample and then at a level of only 0.02 ppm. House fly, Musca domestica L., larval mortality generally was related to the amount of Rabon appearing in the feces. Feeding or the insecticide did not appear to have an adverse effect on the general health or reproductive performance of the cows.
Toxicity, Penetration, Excretion, and Metabolism of Carbofuran in Larvae of the Tobacco Budworm and the Corn Earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The fate and toxicity of carbofuran applied topically to larvae of the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.), and the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), were determined. Carbofuran was most toxic to the earliest instars and least toxic to the fifth instar, and more toxic to H. zea than to H. virescens. Carbofuran penetrated the cuticle of the corn earworm more readily than that of the tobacco budworm in both the third and fifth instars, which corresponded with the toxicity shown. The in vivo metabolism of carbofuran was studied by injecting the insecticide into H. virescens and H. zea larvae. Overall, rate of excretion of carbofuran was higher in H. zea than in H. virescens ; however, H. virescens metabolized earbofuran more readily than H. zea. The three metabolites identified in both H. uirescens and H. zea were 3-hydroxy carbofuran, 3-keto carbofuran, and 3-keto carbofuran phenol, similar to those reported in mammals, plants, and other insects.
VARIETIES OF ALTRUISM

Discussions of altruism occur in three importantly different contexts. During the past four decades, evolutionary theory has been concerned with the possibility that forms of behaviour labelled as altruistic could emerge and could be maintained under natural selection. In these discussions, an agent A is said to act altruistically towards a beneficiary B when A's action promotes the expected reproductive success of B at expected reproductive cost to A. This sort of altruism, biological altruism, is quite different from the kind of behaviour important to debates about ethical and social issues. There the focus is on psychological altruism, a notion that is concerned with the intentions of the agent and that need have no connection with the spread of anyone's genes. Psychological altruists are people with other-directed desires, emotions or intentions (this is a rough preliminary characterization, to be refined below). Finally, in certain kinds of social scientific research, the important concept is that of behavioural altruism. From the outside, behavioural altruists look like psychological altruists, although their motives and preferences may be very different.
Assessing Decreased Sensation and Increased Sensory Phenomena in Diabetic Polyneuropathies

Loss of sensation and increased sensory phenomena are major expressions of varieties of diabetic polyneuropathies needing improved assessments for clinical and research purposes. We provide a neurobiological explanation for the apparent paradox between decreased sensation and increased sensory phenomena. Strongly endorsed is the use of the 10-g monofilaments for screening of feet to detect sensation loss, with the goal of improving diabetic management and prevention of foot ulcers and neurogenic arthropathy. We describe improved methods to assess for the kind, severity, and distribution of both large- and small-fiber sensory loss and which approaches and techniques may be useful for conducting therapeutic trials. The abnormality of attributes of nerve conduction may be used to validate the dysfunction of large sensory fibers. The abnormality of epidermal nerve fibers/1 mm may be used as a surrogate measure of small-fiber sensory loss but appear not to correlate closely with severity of pain. Increased sensory phenomena are recognized by the characteristic words patients use to describe them and by the severity and persistence of these symptoms. Tests of tactile and thermal hyperalgesia are additional markers of neural hyperactivity that are useful for diagnosis and disease management.
Achieving far transfer in an integrated cognitive architecture

Transfer is the ability to employ knowledge acquired in one task to improve performance in another. We study transfer in the context of the ICARUS cognitive architecture, which supplies diverse capabilities for execution, inference, planning, and learning. We report on an extension to ICARUS called representation mapping that transfers structured skills and concepts between disparate tasks that may not even be expressed with the same symbol set. We show that representation mapping is naturally integrated into ICARUS' cognitive processing loop, resulting in a system that addresses a qualitatively new class of problems by considering the relevance of past experience to current goals.
Design and implementation of a large-scale context fusion network

We motivate a context fusion network (CFN), an infrastructure model that allows context-aware applications to select distributed data sources and compose them with customized data-fusion operators into a directed acyclic information fusion graph. Such a graph represents how an application computes high-level understandings of its execution context from low-level sensory data. Multiple graphs by different applications interconnect with each other to form a global graph. A key advantage of a CFN is reusability, both at code-level and instance-level, facilitated by operator composition. We designed and implemented a distributed CFN system, Solar, which maps the logical operator graph representation onto a set of overlay hosts. In particular, Solar meets the challenges inherent to heterogeneous and volatile ubicomp environments. By abstracting most complexities into the infrastructure, Solar facilitates both the development and deployment of context-aware applications. We present the operator composition model, basic services of the Solar overlay network, and programming support for the developers. We also discuss some applications built with Solar and the lessons we learned from our experience.
Rescue of renal hypoplasia and cystic dysplasia in Bcl-2 -/- mice expressing Bcl-2 in ureteric bud derived epithelia.

Bcl-2 is the founding member of a family of proteins that influence apoptosis. Loss of bcl-2 results in renal hypoplasia/cystic dysplasia at birth. Here, we examined whether re-expression of bcl-2 throughout the ureteric bud and its derived epithelia would restore a normal renal phenotype in bcl-2 −/− mice. Re-expression of bcl-2 in the ureteric bud/collecting duct of bcl-2 −/− mice increased nephron numbers, diminished glomerular hypertrophy, and increased nephrogenic zone size. Unlike bcl-2 −/− mice which have gross renal cyst formation, few renal cysts were present in mice re-expressing bcl-2. We have previously shown increased apoptosis and proliferation, as well as aberrant protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B expression, accompanied cystic changes in bcl-2 −/− mice. These changes were not observed when bcl-2 was re-expressed in the ureteric bud/collecting duct system. Thus, expression of bcl-2 in the ureteric bud/collecting duct resulted in increased nephron numbers partially rescuing renal hypoplasia/cystic dysplasia in bcl-2 −/− mice. Developmental Dynamics 237:2450–2459, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Activation of the insular cortex during dynamic exercise in humans

1. The insular cortex has been implicated as a region of cortical cardiovascular control, yet its role during exercise remains undefined. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine whether the insular cortex was activated during volitional dynamic exercise and to evaluate further its role as a site for regulation of autonomic activity. 2. Eight subjects were studied during voluntary active cycling and passively induced cycling. Additionally, four of the subjects underwent passive movement combined with electrical stimulation of the legs. 3. Increases in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) distribution were determined for each individual using single-photon emission-computed tomography (SPECT) co-registered with magnetic resonance (MR) images to define exact anatomical sites of cerebral activation during each condition. 4. The rCBF significantly increased in the left insula during active, but not passive cycling. There were no significant changes in rCBF for the right insula. Also, the magnitude of rCBF increase for leg primary motor areas was significantly greater for both active cycling and passive cycling combined with electrical stimulation compared with passive cycling alone. 5. These findings provide the first evidence of insular activation during dynamic exercise in humans, suggesting that the left insular cortex may serve as a site for cortical regulation of cardiac autonomic (parasympathetic) activity. Additionally, findings during passive cycling with electrical stimulation support the role of leg muscle afferent input towards the full activation of leg motor areas.
Status of clinical and academic emergency medicine at 111 veterans affairs medical centers

Study objectives: To assess the current state of clinical and academic emergency medicine at Veterans Affairs medical centers in the nation's largest health care system. Design and interventions: Written survey mailed to 111 Veterans Affairs medical centers. Setting: One hundred eleven Veterans Affairs medical centers affiliated with medical schools and designated as providing acute medical care. Participants: Veterans Affairs physicians and administrative managers responsible for Veterans Affairs medical center emergency departments. Measurements and main results: All 111 Veterans Affairs medical centers surveyed were included in the results. All provide emergency patient care; all but one of these Veterans Affairs EDs (99%) are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The mean ED census is 55 patients per day (or slightly more than 20,000 patients annually). The mean percentage of admitted patients is 26%, 31% of whom are admitted to ICUs. Acute, unscheduled ambulance patients are transported from home to 106 (96%) Veterans Affairs medical centers, and 105 (95%) accept patient transfers directly from other hospitals' EDs. House staff rotate through 60 (55%) of these EDs as part of their training; emergency medicine house staff rotate through four (7%) of these EDs. There are emergency medicine residency-trained and/or emergency medicine board-certified physicians in 21 (19%) of these Veterans Affairs EDs. At the time of the survey, 29 (26%) of the respondents were either actively recruiting (12) or planning to recruit (17) emergency medicine staff physicians, including 13 seeking an ED director. In five cases, an independent emergency medicine service/section is responsible for their ED, three of which are affiliated with a division/department of emergency medicine at their medical school. Conclusion: In many EDs at Veterans Affairs medical centers, nonemergency medicine staff physicians and house staff unsupervised by emergency physicians care for patients seeking emergency medical care. In addition, there is a growing need for more emergency medicine staff physicians and emergency medicine house staff in the Veterans Affairs system. Organized emergency medicine should initiate efforts to inform administrators and legislators responsible for Veterans Affairs policy making and funding.
Switching logic synthesis for reachability

We consider the problem of driving a system from some initial configuration to a desired configuration while avoiding some unsafe configurations. The system to be controlled is a dynamical system that can operate in different modes. The goal is to synthesize the logic for switching between the modes so that the desired reachability property holds.In this paper, we first present a sound and complete inference rule for proving reachability properties of single mode continuous dynamical systems. Next, we present an inference rule for proving controlled reachability in multi-modal continuous dynamical systems. From a constructive proof of controlled reachability, we show how to synthesize the desired switching logic. We show that our synthesis procedure is sound and produces only non-zeno hybrid systems.In practice, we perform a constructive proof of controlled reachability by solving an Exists-Forall formula in the theory of reals. We present an approach for solving such formulas that combines symbolic and numeric solvers. We demonstrate our approach on some examples. All results extend naturally to the case when, instead of reachability, interest is in until properties.
Engineering of Contact Resistance between Transparent Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Films and a-Si:H Single Junction Solar Cells by Gold Nanodots

The viability of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as a transparent conducting electrode on a-Si:H based single junction solar cells was explored. A Schottky barrier formed at a SWCNT/a-Si:H interface was removed by introducing high work function gold nanodots at the SWCNT/a-Si:H interface. This allows comparable device performance from SWCNT-electrode-based a-Si:H solar cells to that obtained by using conventional transparent conducting oxides.
A framework for partitioning parallel computations in heterogeneous environments

In the paper we present a framework for partitioning data parallel computations across a heterogeneous metasystem at runtime. The framework is guided by program and resource information which is made available to the system. Three difficult problems are handled by the framework: processor selection, task placement and heterogeneous data domain decomposition. Solving each of these problems contributes to reduced elapsed time. In particular, processor selection determines the best grain size at which to run the computation, task placement reduces communication cost, and data domain decomposition achieves processor load balance. We present results which indicate that excellent performance is achievable using the framework. The paper extends our earlier work on partitioning data parallel computations across a single-level network of heterogeneous workstations.
Predicting Pertussis in a Pediatric Emergency Department Population

Cases of pertussis, a potentially life-threatening illness in infants younger than 6 months of age, are at a 40-year high. Children frequently present to emergency departments for initial evaluation. Quick recognition of the illness allows rapid triage, isolation, and prevention of nosocomial transmission. A retrospective, case-control chart review was conducted of pediatric emergency department patients (0 to 18 years of age) presenting between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2004. Analysis focused on the exploration of medical history and physical examination variables as predictors using laboratory verification of the presence of pertussis as a binary outcome variable. Infants younger than 2 months who have a cough or choking associated with cyanosis, as well as a cough and rhonchi on physical examination, have a high likelihood of pertussis and should be identified in triage, isolated immediately, and tested for pertussis. This may lead to appropriate therapy for this population and decrease the transmission of pertussis to other patients and staff in the pediatric emergency department.
MINIMA: a symbolic approach to qualitative algebraic reasoning

The apparently weak properties of a qualitative algebra have lead some to conclude that we must turn instead to extra-mathematical properties of physical systems. We propose instead that a more powerful qualitative algebra is needed, one that merges the algebras on signs and reals. We have invented a hybrid algebra, called Q1, allows us to select abstractions intermediate between traditional qualitative and quantitative algebras. The power of our algebra is demonstrated in three ways: First, analysis of Q1 shows that the algebra is robust, sharing many properties of reals, but including several that are unique. Second, these properties enable symbolic manipulation techniques for canonicalization and factorization distinct from those applied to the reals. Finally, these manipulation techniques hold much promise for tasks like design and verification, as suggested by a simple design example.
Homotopy Pushouts and Pullbacks

We begin the chapter by discussing homotopy pushouts and homotopy pullbacks in the first two sections. These are analogues in the homotopy category of pushouts and pullbacks. They have many applications in homotopy theory and are necessary for the proofs in Section 6.4. That section contains the statement and proof of many of the major theorems of classical homotopy theory.
Safety and pharmacokinetics of pravastatin used for the prevention of preeclampsia in high-risk pregnant women: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Background Preeclampsia complicates approximately 3–5% of pregnancies and remains a major cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. It shares pathogenic similarities with adult cardiovascular disease as well as many risk factors. Pravastatin, a hydrophilic, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitor, has been shown in preclinical studies to reverse various pathophysiological pathways associated with preeclampsia, providing biological plausibility for its use for preeclampsia prevention. However, human trials are lacking. Objective As an initial step in evaluating the utility of pravastatin in preventing preeclampsia and after consultation with the US Food and Drug Administration, we undertook a pilot randomized controlled trial with the objective to determine pravastatin safety and pharmacokinetic parameters when used in pregnant women at high risk of preeclampsia. Study Design We conducted a pilot, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of women with singleton, nonanomalous pregnancies at high risk for preeclampsia. Women between 12 0/7 and 16 6/7 weeks' gestation were assigned to daily pravastatin 10 mg or placebo orally until delivery. Primary outcomes were maternal-fetal safety and pharmacokinetic parameters of pravastatin during pregnancy. Secondary outcomes included rates of preeclampsia and preterm delivery, gestational age at delivery, birthweight, and maternal and cord blood lipid profile (clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT01717586). Results Ten women assigned to pravastatin and 10 to placebo completed the trial. There were no differences between the 2 groups in rates of study drug side effects, congenital anomalies, or other adverse or serious adverse events. There was no maternal, fetal, or neonatal death. Pravastatin renal clearance was significantly higher in pregnancy compared with postpartum. Four subjects in the placebo group developed preeclampsia compared with none in the pravastatin group. Although pravastatin reduced maternal cholesterol concentrations, umbilical cord cholesterol concentrations and infant birthweight were not different between the groups. The majority of umbilical cord and maternal pravastatin plasma concentrations at the time of delivery were below the lower limit of quantification of the assay. Pravastatin use was associated with a more favorable pregnancy angiogenic profile. Conclusion This study provides preliminary safety and pharmacokinetic data regarding the use of pravastatin for preventing preeclampsia in high-risk pregnant women. Although the data are preliminary, no identifiable safety risks were associated with pravastatin use in this cohort. This favorable risk-benefit analysis justifies using pravastatin in a larger clinical trial with dose escalation.
The Merchant's River of Gold: Civic Boosterism and the McClellan-Kerr Navigation System by Anne Elizabeth Phillips

This is a thesis written by Anne Elizabeth Phillips about the McClellan-Kerr Navigation System connecting Oklahoma to the Mississippi River and its economic benefits to the state.
Reduction of surgical site infections after laparoscopic gastric bypass with circular stapled gastrojejunostomy

Background: Circular stapled gastrojejunostomy (GJ) is favored by many surgeons during laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). However, it has been associated with higher rates of surgical site infection (SSI). Objectives: To study the impact of introducing standard technical modifications (intervention) on the incidence of SSI after LRYGB with circular stapled GJ. Setting: Tertiary academic medical center. Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent primary LRYGB between May 2010 and September 2014 were separated into preintervention and postintervention cohorts. The intervention consisted of the use of a stapler cover, wound irrigation, antibiotic application to the wound, and primary wound closure. Predictor variables studied included patient demographic characteristics, the intervention, and other operative and perioperative factors. The primary outcome studied was SSI. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine factors independently associated with SSI. Results: Three hundred thirty patients underwent LRYGB (preintervention n ¼ 200, postintervention n ¼ 130). Patients’ characteristics were similar in both groups. A 21-mm stapler and chlorhexidine-based skin preparation were more frequently used in the postintervention group. SSI rate decreased from 15% to 3.8% (P o .01) after the intervention. On multivariate analysis, the intervention (OR .28, 95% CI .09–0.86, P ¼ .026), use of chlorhexidine-based prep (OR .37, 95%CI .15–.93, P ¼ .034), and maintenance of patient temperature (OR .47 95%CI .26–0.85, P ¼ .012) were independently associated with reduced SSI rates. Conclusion: Use of a stapler cover, wound irrigation, wound antibiotic application, and primary wound closure were associated with a significantly lower wound infection rate after LRYGB with the circular stapled GJ. The observed SSI rates after our intervention are similar to those reported after hand-sewn and linear stapled techniques. In addition, other factors associated with decreasing the likelihood of developing SSI were use of chlorhexidine-based prep and maintaining intraoperative normothermia. (Surg Obes Relat Dis 2016;12:4–10.) r 2016 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. All rights reserved.
Body Boundarylands: Locating South Asian Ethnicity in Performance and in Daily Life

In the South Asian diaspora, ethnic identities take varying forms of representation. In this essay, I explore the issues of representation and self-representation of ethnicity in the expressive physical form of dance—the South Indian classical dance style, Bharata Natyam, as practiced in the Southern California area.3 Ethnicity is performed not only on stage in the strictly performative arena complete with costume and lighting, but also in varying forms in daily life, embodied in clothing, language-use, accent, local slang, and body language. The performance of ethnicity also unfolds off stage as part of a continuum. Such performativity in daily life influences the formation of identity. By drawing on the impact that my own study of Bharata Natyam has had on my personal and professional identity in the U.S., I hope to illuminate theoretical aspects of ethnicity in relation to performances, on and off stage.
Biopolymeric Mucin and Synthetic Polymer Analogs: Their Structure, Function and Role in Biomedical Applications

Mucin networks are viscoelastic fibrillar aggregates formed through the complex self-association of biopolymeric glycoprotein chains. The networks form a lubricious, hydrated protective shield along epithelial regions within the human body. The critical role played by mucin networks in impacting the transport properties of biofunctional molecules (e.g., biogenic molecules, probes, nanoparticles), and its effect on bioavailability are well described in the literature. An alternate perspective is provided in this paper, presenting mucin’s complex network structure, and its interdependent functional characteristics in human physiology. We highlight the recent advances that were achieved through the use of mucin in diverse areas of bioengineering applications (e.g., drug delivery, biomedical devices and tissue engineering). Mucin network formation is a highly complex process, driven by wide variety of molecular interactions, and the network possess structural and chemical variations, posing a great challenge to understand mucin’s bulk behavior. Through this review, the prospective potential of polymer based analogs to serve as mucin mimic is suggested. These analog systems, apart from functioning as an artificial model, reducing the current dependency on animal models, can aid in furthering our fundamental understanding of such complex structures.
Depleted Uranium Toxicity, Accumulation, and Uptake in Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda) and Aristida purpurea (Purple Threeawn)

Yuma Proving Grounds (YPG) in western Arizona is a testing range where Depleted uranium (DU) penetrators have been historically fired. A portion of the fired DU penetrators are being managed under controlled conditions by leaving them in place. The widespread use of DU in armor-penetrating weapons has raised environmental and human health concerns. The present study is focused on the onsite management approach and on the potential interactions with plants local to YPG. A 30 day study was conducted to assess the toxicity of DU corrosion products (e.g., schoepite and meta-schoepite) in two grass species that are native to YPG, Bermuda (Cynodon dactylon) and Purple Threeawn (Aristida purpurea). In addition, the ability for plants to uptake DU was studied. The results of this study show a much lower threshold for biomass toxicity and higher plant concentrations, particularly in the roots than shoots, compared to previous studies.
Two new species of Verbesina (Asteraceae, Heliantheae) from México

Verbesina textitlana B.L. Turner, sp. nov. and Verbesina etlana B.L. Turner, sp. nov. are described from Oaxaca, Mexico. The former belongs to the Sect. Verbesinaria DC., sensu Robinson and Greenman (1899), where it nestles next to V. oaxacana and cohorts; the latter relates to V. scabrida Rzed. and cohorts. Photographs of the types are provided, along with maps showing distribution of the taxa concerned. Phytologia 94(3): 343-349 (December 1, 2012).
Reported Emotional Stress Following a Disaster

The social effects of disaster upon this quasiisolated rural area are still in the process of becoming. Seventeen months after the storm, references were continually being made to this disastrous event and to "pre" and "post" conditions of community institutions and activities. Regarding those dire predictions of panic behavior that would ensue in American communities under conditions of disaster, it is reassuring to point out that for this small segment of American society there were practically no manifestations of hysterical or panic behavior at any time during the crucial periods of impact and isolation. This study in part substantiates the thesis of the toughness of culture in that a very substantial part of the pre-disaster socio-cultural systems survived intact along with their supporting values, with changes being fitted into the patterns of social life existent in the area prior to the disaster.