cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clonal hematopoiesis and risk of acute myeloid leukemia

Nearly all adults harbor acute myeloid leukemia (AML)-related clonal hematopoietic mutations at a variant allele fraction (VAF) of ≥0.0001, yet relatively few develop hematologic malignancies. We conducted a nested analysis in the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study blood subcohorts, with up to 22 years of follow up to investigate associations of clonal mutations of ≥0.0001 allele frequency with future risk of AML. We identified 35 cases with AML that had pre-diagnosis peripheral blood samples and matched two controls without history of cancer per case by sex, age, and ethnicity. We conducted blinded error-corrected sequencing on all study samples and assessed variant-associated risk using conditional logistic regression. We detected AML-associated mutations in 97% of all participants (598 mutations, 5.8/person). Individuals with mutations ≥0.01 variant allele fraction had a significantly increased AML risk (OR 5.4, 95%CI: 1.8-16.6), as did individuals with higher-frequency clones and those with DNMT3A R882H/C mutations. The risk of lower-frequency clones was less clear. In the 11 case-control sets with samples banked ten years apart, clonal mutations rarely expanded over time. Our findings are consistent with published evidence that detection of clonal mutations ≥0.01 VAF identifies individuals at increased risk for AML. Further study of larger populations, mutations co-occurring within the same pre-leukemic clone and other risk factors (lifestyle, epigenetics, etc.), are still needed to fully elucidate the risk conferred by low-frequency clonal hematopoiesis in asymptomatic adults.
Near Infrared Spectroscopy to Evaluate Splanchnic Oxygenation in Neonates: Effect of Sensor Location

Purpose: Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been proposed as a biomarker to evaluate splanchnic oxygenation (sRSO2) in preterm neonates with mesenteric desaturation being predictive of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). The two sites commonly described for placement of NIRS probes on the abdomen include infra-umbilical and left para-umbilical. However, it may not always be possible to place NIRS probes at a single site for prolonged monitoring. The objective of this study was to assess limits of agreement between sRSO2 obtained simultaneously using NIRS probes placed over four sites on the abdomen. Methods: Since preterm infants have smaller …
Impact of contamination and aging effects on the long-term laser damage resistance of SiO2/HfO2/TiO2 high reflection coatings for 1054 nm

The laser damage thresholds of optical coatings can degrade over time due to a variety of factors, including contamination and aging. Optical coatings deposited using electron beam evaporation are particularly susceptible to degradation due to their porous structure. In a previous study, the laser damage thresholds of optical coatings were reduced by roughly a factor of 2 from the years 2013 to 2017. The coatings in question were high reflectors for 1054 nm that contained SiO2 and HfO2 and/or TiO2 layers, and they were stored in sealed PETG containers in a class 100 clean room with temperature control. At the time, it was not certain whether contamination or thin-film aging effects were responsible for the reduced laser damage thresholds. Therefore, to better understand the role of contamination, the coatings were recleaned and the laser damage thresholds were measured again in 2018. The results indicate that the contamination played the most dominant role in reducing the laser damage thresholds of these optical coatings, even though they were stored in an environment that was presumed to be clean.
Kinetic Isotope Effects Quantify pH-Sensitive Water Dynamics at the Pt Electrode Interface.

The pH-dependent kinetics of the hydrogen oxidation and evolution reactions (HERs and HORs) remain a fundamental conundrum in modern electrochemistry. Recent efforts have focused on the impact of t...
In Their Own Words: The Meaning of the Strong Black Woman Schema among Black U.S. College Women

Black girls are socialized to be “strong” under the premise that strength will serve as a means of psychological resistance to oppression prevalent within American society. Although research demonstrates that Black women who internalize ideals of strength (independence, emotional restraint, and self-sacrifice) reap some psychosocial benefits, strength is linked to several psychological consequences. The growing understanding of these consequences have put Black women at a crossroads—forced to reconcile the wisdom of matriarchs with the detriments of being strong. This tension has pushed Black women, especially young women, to reconsider their relationship with strength and redefine its meaning for themselves. The current study sought to qualitatively examine Black U.S. college women’s (n = 220; Mage = 21.88, SD = 3.96, range = 18–48) varying perceptions of strength, specifically focusing on the meaning women attributed to being a strong Black woman and their attributions to others’ perceptions of strength. Our results revealed that although Black college women recognize that strong Black women may be perceived negatively (e.g., angry) by others, they continue to perceive strength as a relevant aspect of Black womanhood and have redefined strength in novel ways. We conclude by discussing how researchers may advance our understanding of strength and the ways clinicians may support women in defining strength for wellness.
Three new species of Marcepania Jałoszyński (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae).

Three new species of the Oriental genus Marcepania Jaloszynski are described: M. halva sp. n. (Sumatra), M. krowka sp. n. (Sumatra), and M. daifuku sp. n. (Thailand). Previously Marcepania was known from Borneo, Malay Peninsula and Palawan. A female of M. halva was disarticulated to verify its generic placement and its fine structures are illustrated.
Sickle cell anemia: HBB haplotypes; clinical heterogeneity; iPSC modeling

Abstract The sickle hemoglobin gene is found on five common β-globin gene cluster haplotypes that are markers for the ancient origins of the associated β-globin gene. Fetal hemoglobin, by inhibiting the polymerization of sickle hemoglobin, is the major modulator of the clinical features of sickle cell disease. Each β-globin gene haplotype is associated with a “typical” fetal hemoglobin level although within each haplotype group there is a broad distribution. Likewise, there is considerable phenotypic heterogeneity among carriers of each haplotype. These realities render the prognostic value of knowing a patient's haplotype moot. The transcription factor genes BCL11A and MYB along with elements linked to the β-globin gene cluster modulate fetal hemoglobin gene expression, and as a result, the clinical features of the disease. Fetal hemoglobin levels in the Arab Indian haplotype of sickle cell anemia are two- to fourfold higher than in other haplotypes, and children with this haplotype have a milder disease. With aging, fetal hemoglobin levels fall, and the disease becomes more severe. The genetic basis of the high fetal hemoglobin associated with the Arab Indian haplotype is incompletely defined. Induced pluripotent stem cell lines from sickle cell anemia patients with different haplotype have been derived and made to undergo erythroid differentiation. They can be used to recreate primitive erythropoiesis and obtain erythroid cells that express fetal hemoglobin. As patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells provide a virtually unlimited supply of isogenic erythroblasts, they might constitute a potentially curative cellular therapy.
Shorter Treatment-Naïve Leukocyte Telomere Length is Associated with Poorer Overall Survival of Patients with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Background: Critically shortened telomeres contribute to chromosomal instability and neoplastic transformation and are associated with early death of patients with certain cancer types. Shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL) has been associated with higher risk for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) development and might be associated also with survival of patients with PDAC. We investigated the association between treatment-naive LTL and overall survival of patients with incident PDAC. Methods: The study included 642 consecutively enrolled PDAC patients in the Mayo Clinic Biospecimen Resource for Pancreas Research. Blood samples were obtained at the time of diagnosis, before the start of cancer treatment, from which LTL was assayed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. LTL was modeled as a continuous variable (per-interquartile range decrease in LTL) and as a categorized variable (short, medium, long). Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for overall mortality using Cox proportional hazard models. Results: Shorter treatment-naive LTL was associated with higher mortality among PDAC patients (HRcontinuous = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.01-1.28, p-value=0.03; HRshortest vs. longest LTL = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.05-1.59, Ptrend=0.01). There was evidence of a difference in the association between LTL and overall mortality by tumor stage at diagnosis; resectable tumors (HRcontinuous = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.73-1.12), locally advanced tumors (HRcontinuous = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.07-1.56), and metastatic tumors (HRcontinuous = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.96-1.42), Pinteraction=0.04. Conclusions: Shorter treatment-naive LTL is associated with poorer overall survival of incident PDAC patients. Impact: Peripheral blood LTL might be a prognostic marker for PDAC.
Benefits and Challenges of a Blended Online Youth Development Graduate Degree Program

While many academic degree programs target nontraditional students who are working professionals, the literature exploring the challenges facing nontraditional students has not considered the exper...
Hearing voices, demonic and divine: Scientific and theological perspective: by Christopher C.H. Cook, London and New York, Taylor and Francis, 2019, 256pp, £30.70 (paperback), ISBN 13: 978-0-367-58243-2; £83.26 (hardcover), ISBN 13: 978-1-4724-5398-3

It is tremendous relief that this book has been written. It takes us beyond the traditional question – if someone hears voices are they psychiatrically disturbed? And it takes us beyond the soothin...
Egg residue and depletion in Rhode Island Red hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) following multiple oral doses of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

Abstract Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim residues in eggs can cause risks to human health. The most common cause of residues in eggs results from failure to meet an appropriate withdrawal interval. The aim of this study was to determine the quantity and duration of sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim residues in eggs and evaluate the drug elimination parameters in egg components and whole egg to better estimate the withdrawal interval of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim following oral administration for 7 days at a purposed dosage regimen (time average 46 mg kg−1 day−1 for sulfamethoxazole, time average 25 mg kg−1 day−1 for trimethoprim). Residues of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim in albumen and yolk were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. A greater percentage of sulfamethoxazole was distributed into the albumen (91.53–96.74%) and a greater percentage of trimethoprim was distributed into yolk (63.92–77.36%) during treatment. The residues levels in whole egg declined below or reached the limit of quantification until 13 days for SMZ and TMP respectively. The withdrawal interval for SMZ and TMP were 43 days and 17 days respectively using the FDA tolerance method.
Improving The Quality Of Information, Communication Technology Based Theology Learning

This paper was motivated by a problem of poor understanding and the implementation of information communication technology-based learning in Christian theological schools, particularly in the use of various resources in improving the quality of learning. In many additions, lecturers have not maximally used information communication technology massively due to the lack of facilities and infrastructures as well as the inaccurate technical ability using it. The research method in this writing is qualitative literature. Researchers will be exploring many sources related to this topic in question and analyze the subjects to the research title. Result of this study provides input and strategies on how to use information communication and technology in learning Christian theology in order to achieve the quality of learning.
Support detection in super-resolution

We study the problem of super-resolving a superposition of point sources from noisy low-pass data with a cut-off frequency f. Solving a tractable convex program is shown to locate the elements of the support with high precision as long as they are separated by 2/f and the noise level is small with respect to the amplitude of the signal.
Gene manipulation with stereotaxic viral infection for psychiatric research: Spatiotemporal components for schizophrenia

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a highly polygenic disease with strong genetic predisposition. Although genetic susceptibility factors for SZ are likely to have an influence in some brain regions and related neural circuits during neurodevelopment, direct proof for spatiotemporal causality in the development of SZ, and the alteration of what gene function at what brain region during what developmental stage, remains to be elucidated. Gene manipulation by viral vector stereotaxically injected into a specific brain region is now becoming available for psychiatric research. This technique has several advantages, e.g., the exceptional spatiotemporal control, simultaneous manipulation of multiple genes, and its simple protocol. These properties can make this technique one of the most valuable approaches for research in SZ, which is a complex brain disorder with multifactorial, genetic, and developmental features. This review summarizes the benefits and actual use of this technique together with discussion of spatiotemporal aspect for SZ.
Eliminating bottlenecks in overlay multicast

Recently many overlay multicast systems have been proposed due to the limited availability of IP multicast. Because they perform multicast forwarding without support from routers, data may be delivered multiple times over the same physical link, causing a bottleneck. This problem is more serious for applications demanding high bandwidth such as multimedia distribution. Although such bottlenecks can be removed by changing overlay topology, a naive approach may create bottlenecks in other parts of the network. In this paper, We propose an algorithm that removes all bottlenecks caused by the redundant data delivery of overlay multicast, detecting such bottlenecks using a wavelet-based technique we recently proposed. In a case where the source rate is constant and the available bandwidth of each link is not less than the source rate, our algorithm guarantees that every node receives at the full source rate. Simulation results show that even in a network with a dense receiver population, our algorithm finds a tree that satisfies all the receiving nodes while other heuristic-based approaches often fail.
Study on Individual Differences in Thermal Stress Using Black Box Models

Transient human thermal response characteristics are investigated using two US Army experimental datasets as part of an on-going study to model thermal risk for the warfighter. This paper reports two black box models developed as initial steps to understand the effect of individual differences on transient thermal response and risk. In the first black box model, two transient climatic parameters and six individual characteristics are used as inputs to predict 12 thermal responses including two psychophysical outputs (temperature sensation magnitude, Tsens, and comfort vote, Disc) using experimental data from 35 subjects. For the second black box model, additional individual characteristics are used to model Tcore, Tskin, and the time limit for the individual tolerance to heat stress with heavy clothing, using data from 22 subjects. The insights developed using these component models will be used to develop a decision making framework to predict thermal risk for the warfighter.
Reasoning about Actions in Prioritized Default Theory

This paper shows how action theory in the language B can be naturally encoded using prioritized default theory. We also show how prioritized default theory can be extended to express preferences between rules and formulae. This extension provides a natural framework to introduce preferences over trajectories in B. We illustrate how these preferences can be expressed and how they can be represented within extended prioritized default theory. We also discuss how this framework can be implemented in terms of answer set programming.
Behavior Genetics and Aging

Publisher Summary There is substantial evidence in the literature that suggests that genetic influences remain important and substantially stable with aging, although there may be changes in the genetic architecture in the oldest old, particularly as mortality is approached. Identification of specific genetic influences has progressed for Alzheimer's disease, but progress in identifying specific alleles that affect general cognitive ability or cognitive decline has been limited. Continued effort is required to identify both specific genetic factors and specific environmental factors that are significant in change and stability in cognitive outcomes in aging. As these factors are identified, new opportunities will arise to model them explicitly, including interactions among factors and, ultimately, to develop a complex systems model that provides a good approximation of the true mechanisms. While the relationships among these risk factors are complex and present a challenge to disentangle, it is a challenge worth facing given the demographic factors leading to an increasing elderly population surviving to increasingly older ages.
A new α-galactosyl-binding protein from the mushroom Lyophyllum decastes

Abstract A new α-galactosyl binding lectin was isolated from the fruiting bodies of the mushroom Lyopyllum decastes. It is a homodimer composed of noncovalently-associated monomers of molecular mass 10,276 Da. The lectin’s amino acid sequence was determined by cloning from a cDNA library using partial sequences determined by automated Edman sequencing and by mass spectrometry of enzyme-derived peptides. The sequence shows no significant homology to any known protein sequence. Analysis of carbohydrate binding specificity by a variety of approaches including precipitation with glycoconjugates and microcalorimetric titration reveals specificity towards galabiose (Gal α1,4Gal), a relatively rare disaccharide in humans. The lectin shares carbohydrate binding preference with the Shiga-like toxin, also known as verocytoxin, present in the bacteria Shigella dysenteriae and Escherichia. coli 0157:H7, both of which are causes of outbreaks of sometimes fatal food-borne illnesses.
Constraints affecting teaching and learning of indigenous language by adult farmers in delta state, Nigeria

This paper examines constraints affecting teaching and learning in indigenous languages by adult farmers in Delta State. Data were collected from 200 randomly selected respondents in the study area. Data analysis was by the use of simple descriptive statistics. The following constraints were identified as affecting the teaching and learning of local languages by adult farmers: lack of extension agents trained in the use of local languages for the teaching of adult farmers, lack of textbooks, journals, and magazines or even newsletters written on the local languages, inadequate financial provision to sponsors the training of extension agents and books required for the use of local languages in teaching the adult farmers. Keywords : constraints, teaching and learning, indigenous knowledge, adult farmers Journal of Technology and Education in Nigeria Vol. 9(1) 2004: 61-64
PROMs in inflammatory arthritis: moving from static to dynamic

There are several advantages in using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in standard clinical practice, particularly if a questionnaire is distributed to each patient at each visit as a standard in the infrastructure usual care. The patients, being the most knowledgeable persons concerning their pain and global estimate, do most of the work by completing a questionnaire. Completion of the questionnaire helps the patients prepare for their visit as well as improving doctor–patient communication. Recently, the role of PROMs has expanded from the static phase of capturing and measuring outcomes at a single point of time to a more dynamic role. This dynamic role is aiming at driving improvement not only in the quality of inflammatory arthritis care but also in the patients' reported experience. Therefore, in addition to its value in tailoring treatment targets adapted to the patient's needs, PROMs also have the potential of modifying the disease impact through improving the patients' adherence to therapy and allowing the patients to monitor the changes in their condition. Though more attention has been given to the use of PROMs in routine clinical care, little was published regarding what could be done with the plethora of data gained from PROMs and how dynamic it can be enhancing the “patient-centered care” approach and improving patients' experience. This article highlights the value of adopting PROMs for arthritic patients in standard clinical practice and its impact on long-term patients' management.
Measurement of smoking topography during withdrawal or deprivation

Smoking behaviors were measured during two methods for changing serum nicotine, providing subjects with high and low nicotine cigarettes, or varying intercigarette intervals. The results showed adjustments in smoking behaviors when cigarettes that vary in nicotine delivery were used, but not when serum nicotine was modified by withdrawal (Exp. 1) or deprivation (Exp. 2). These results suggest inhalation patterns of individual cigarettes may not be sensitive to fluctuations in serum nicotine, while they are sensitive to cigarettes that vary in nicotine yield and draw resistance.
Oogenesis in Fundulus heteroclitus II. The transition from vitellogenesis into maturation

Abstract Female Fundulus heteroclitus collected in the vicinity of Woods Hole have asynchronous ovaries which continuously ovulate eggs during the breeding season (early May until early July). At this time, vitellogenic oocytes become competent to respond to exogenous deoxycorticosterone (DOC) by undergoing maturation when follicles reach a diameter of 1.3 mm. Follicular oocytes with a diameter of 1.35 ± 0.05 mm can also give a 100% response to exogenous gonadotropins under appropriate conditions in vitro , indicating that endogenous gonadotropin(s) most likely acts directly on the ovary in situ by promoting the synthesis of maturation-inducing steroid. A response equivalent to one female pituitary is provided by 0.49 μg ovine luteinizing hormone, 6.7 μg human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and 31 μg ovine follicle-stimulating hormone. The response to gonadotropins is slower than that achieved by exogenous DOC alone and is potentiated (23–24 times) by the addition of physiological levels (100 ng/ml) of cortisol to the incubation medium. The available cytological evidence suggests that the granulosa cells rather than “special cells” in the theca are the progenitors of maturation-producing steroid. Once follicular oocytes reach a diameter greater than 1.4 mm diameter in situ , they become irreversibly committed to complete the process of maturation and ovulation. Cessation of feeding eliminates the competence of 1.3-mm-diameter follicles to respond to exogenous DOC and also the recruitment of 1.4-mm-diameter follicles into maturational stages, but hCG injection or refeeding restores both processes. Two hormonal mechanisms which can regulate recruitment of vitellogenic follicles into maturation have thus been identified (gonadotropin and/or cortisol production), but the sensitivity of these mechanisms to the nutritional state of the animal has not yet been elucidated.
Rates of glaucoma medication utilization among older adults with suspected glaucoma, 1992 to 2002.

Purpose To determine rates of glaucoma medication utilization among glaucoma suspects in the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) and identify recent utilization patterns for various hypotensive drug classes. Design Cohort study. Methods By using MCBS data between 1992 and 2002 merged with Medicare claims data, utilization rates for glaucoma medication classes were calculated for survey participants ≥65 years with suspected glaucoma. Utilization trends over the 11-year period were identified. Results Each year, more than 85% of glaucoma suspects used no hypotensive medications. Between 1992 and 2002, utilization rates decreased substantially for β-blockers and miotics and increased for α-agonists, combination β-blockers–carbonic-anhydrase inhibitors, and prostaglandin analogues. Conclusion This study identifies recent changes in patterns of glaucoma suspects’ use of hypotensive medications by using patient-reported information, thus avoiding reliance on third-party databases. Such trends over time are important to recognize, because they reflect variations in patient care and have economic and clinical implications.
InAs-InAs/sub x/Sb/sub 1-x/ type-II superlattice midwave infrared lasers grown on InAs substrates

This paper reports a detailed study of InAs-InAs/sub x/Sb/sub 1-x/ type-II superlattice (SL) midwave infrared laser structures, in which the band-to-band radiative transitions are spatially indirect, from extended electron states in the conduction band to relatively localized heavy-hole states in the valence band. Due to the large valence band offset between InSb and InAs, the effective bandgap of InAs-InAs/sub x/Sb/sub 1-x/ type-II SL can cover a broad infrared wavelength range, from 3.0 /spl mu/m to far infrared (>10 /spl mu/m). Under CW optical pumping, stimulated light emission is observed from laser structures consisting of InAs-InAs/sub x/Sb/sub 1-x/ type-II SL active regions capped by AlAs/sub 0.16/Sb/sub 0.84/ cladding layers. The operating wavelengths are around 3.4 /spl mu/m, which is in good agreement with theoretical modeling. The overlap between electron and hole wavefunctions along the growth direction is calculated to be 0.89. Equivalent CW threshold current densities are 3.3 A/cm/sup 2/ and 56 A/cm/sup 2/ at sample temperatures of 5 K and 95 K, respectively. The corresponding characteristic temperature (T/sub 0/) is 32 K. These results demonstrate that the InAs-InAs/sub x/Sb/sub 1-x/ type-II SL is a very promising candidate material for midwave infrared semiconductor lasers. >
Those Who Left, Those Who Stayed: Exploring the Educational Opportunities of High-Achieving Black and Latina/o Students at Magnet and Nonmagnet Los Angeles High Schools (2001–2002)

Being that educational disparities, manifested through socioeconomic instability, were a major contributing factor to the Los Angeles riots, it is important to examine how public high schools are now shaping the postsecondary opportunities of underrepresented students. Using opportunity-to-learn (OTL) and bounded rationality as frames, this article examines the college preparatory experiences of Black and Latina/o students at a magnet and standard urban high school, specifically focusing on the experiences of high achievers. Findings indicate that students at the two schools had equally high college aspirations, but experienced very different college preparatory environments. Magnet students had access to more college-going resources and greater opportunities to learn, manifested directly from opportunities offered at their school and indirectly from the collective college-going culture shaped by the school, peers, and parents. Bounded rationality allowed students at the underresourced urban school to per...
Reliability and concurrent validity of three visual-analogue mood scales

The authors describe three 100-mm visual-analogue scales to measure anxiety, depression, and distress. Test-retest reliability coefficients, correlations within analogue scales, and correlations be...
Inclusion in the Policy Process: An Agenda for Participation of the Marginalized

ABSTRACT The past few decades have seen an increase in social exclusion, prompting governments and concerned publics worldwide to call for the creation of a “society for all”. Creating space for marginalized individuals and groups to participate in social, economic, and political exchange appears to be elusive despite great strides in technology, medicine, human and civil rights. We contribute to the current debate on “inclusive society” by suggesting that inclusion of vulnerable groups in the policy process may be a viable approach toward an inclusive society. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature, we present an overview of the concept of inclusion, pinpoint groups at risk of exclusion and extent of their exclusion. We then examine merits of inclusion in the policy process. Issues regarding measurement of inclusion are highlighted. The paper concludes with an overview of some direct interventions, e.g., institutional constructs,and indirect interventions, e.g., investment in human capital and...
Arbitrary crack representation using solid modeling

This paper describes the fundamental modeling approaches adopted for crack nucleation and propagation in a software system that is specifically designed to simulate problems with evolutionary geometry. Only the topological and geometrical aspects of crack modeling, and how these aspects affect the database representation in the system, are addressed in the present discussion. The following are the innovative features of the present crack modeling approach: (a) crack simulation is done with a true geometric representation of the structure, via solid modeling; (b) crack modeling relies on the sophisticated, topology-based data structure of this system to support linkage to the solid model, fast interaction and accurate representation of evolving flaw shapes; (c) the system provides the ability to specify flaws of arbitrary shape (including non-planar flaws), size and orientation at arbitrary locations in the geometric model; (d) the flaw is specified at the desired location in the actual structure geometry, rather than at a location in the mesh; (e) the system uses all its automatic and local remeshing capabilities for the simulation of flaw initiation and growth.
Stability in terms of two measures of hybrid systems with partially visible solutions

Abstract A smooth functioning system with some stability properties may break down abruptly due to unexpected disturbances and the entire mechanism may collapse. The system, in general, is made operable in a phased manner and after a finite time may again run smoothly, with some other stability properties. We explore this whole mechanism as a hybrid system and study the stability properties in terms of two measures so as to cater to a very general set up.
Extension of the Parker bound on the flux of magnetic monopoles.

The Parker bound on the flux of magnetic monopoles is extended and strengthened. A new limit on the survival and growth of a small galactic seed field is obtained which rules out the possibility that monopoles much lighter than 10 exp 17 GeV/sq c can provide the closure density of the universe.
On the propagation of gravity waves in a hydrostatic, compressible fluid with vertical wind shear

The speed of propagation of the vertical modes of gravity waves is found in a non-rotating hydrostatic and compressible fluid with a vertical variation of mean temperature and wind. The analysis is based on a set of linearized equations, and it is assumed that the basic flow as well as the perturbations are hydrostatic. We are therefore concerned with one of the possible wave-type solutions to the primitive equations as they are being used in studies of the general circulation of the atmosphere and in other dynamical studies of the atmosphere. In the case of a constant static stability it is found that the speed of propagation of internal gravity waves is determined by the Richardson number. If the (positive) Richardson number is smaller than 1/4, the waves will move with a speed determined by the basic flow at the bottom of the fluid. For Richardson numbers larger than 1/4 several vertical modes moving with different speed will exist. The speed of propagation is evaluated as a function of the vertical wave number and the vertical windshear for given values of the static stability. The speed of the external gravity waves is evaluated numerically. It is found that the main difference is the existence of a mode which has a numerically large phase speed and which has a maximum amplitude of the vertical velocity at the boundary. The modes of the internal waves move with almost the same speed as before. The amplitudes of vertical velocity and geopotential are computed as functions of pressure for the internal and external gravity waves. The results of this study which apply to a hydrostatic and compressible atmosphere are compared in the last section with certain general results, obtained in earlier investigations, for a non-hydrostatic, incompressible fluid. A sufficient condition for stability has been found and an upper and lower limit on the magnitude of the complex root has been determined. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1965.tb01423.x
On squeezing balloons. Cost control fails again.

Medical cost containment has been compared to squeezing a balloon — constraining one end causes the other end to bulge. The relentless rise in national health care expenditures — estimated to consume over $700 billion and more than 12 percent of our gross national product in 1991 — has inspired numerous countermeasures. During the past two decades these have included creating incentives to join health maintenance organizations; utilization-review programs to curb unnecessary care; health planning constraints to prevent excess numbers of beds and unnecessary duplication of technology; price controls; malpractice reforms; coinsurance and deductibles to reduce patient demand; reductions in . . .
GamiCAD: a gamified tutorial system for first time autocad users

We present GamiCAD, a gamified in-product, interactive tutorial system for first time AutoCAD users. We introduce a software event driven finite state machine to model a user's progress through a tutorial, which allows the system to provide real-time feedback and recognize success and failures. GamiCAD provides extensive real-time visual and audio feedback that has not been explored before in the context of software tutorials. We perform an empirical evaluation of GamiCAD, comparing it to an equivalent in-product tutorial system without the gamified components. In an evaluation, users using the gamified system reported higher subjective engagement levels and performed a set of testing tasks faster with a higher completion ratio.
Buyer Strategy in Bilateral Oligopoly

M ANY agricultural markets are characterized by an oligopolistic structure on both the buyer and the seller sides. Most traditional price theory models assume that at least one side of the market is purely competitive. The theoretically expected results of such a model are fairly well specified [1, 6]. In reality, however, a model which assumes that one side of the market is purely competitive is applicable in only a limited number of cases-retail sales to consumers, for example. These models are not applicable to many of the intermediate agricultural markets between the producer and consumer levels. Even though oligopolistic structures frequently exist on both the buyer and seller sides of intermediate markets, empirical work on the industrial organization of agriculture frequently pays little attention to the buyer side of these markets and its influence upon seller conduct and market performance. This criticism is not, however, limited to market structure research, since much of the research in agricultural economics still assumes a purely competitive buyer and/or seller structure. This paper is designed to indicate some of the interrelationships which exist in the market policies among buyers and between buyers and sellers in bilateral oligopolistically competitive markets. Emphasis is placed upon the strategies which food retailers utilize in their negotiative relationships with fluid milk processors. It was hypothesized that the concentration of milk purchases in the hands of a few retailers not only makes it possible for them to affect the market policies of one another but also has a significant impact upon the conduct or policies of milk processors.
CO on Titan: Evidence for a Well-Mixed Vertical Profile

Abstract We report new interferometric observations of the CO (2–1) rotational transition on Titan. We find that the spectrum is best fit by a uniform profile of 52 ppm, with estimated errors of 6 ppm (40 to 200 km) and 12 ppm (200 to 300 km).
Integration of anticoagulation, thrombolysis and coronary angioplasty for unstable angina pectoris.

Abstract Unstable angina pectoris remains a challenging acute ischemic syndrome to treat despite recent randomized trials that confirm the benefit of intravenous heparin. Coronary angioplasty, which is often required to treat the underlying arterial lesion, is adversely affected by the presence of thrombus with at least a 2-fold increase in abrupt closure. Four studies with heparin treatment prior to angioplasty indicate a reduction of abrupt vessel closure from 8–33% to 0–6% with apparent reduction of morbidity; no controlled trials are thus far available for heparin pretreatment. Another therapeutic alternative, thrombolytic therapy, has had quite equivocal results with several negative small studies. When angioplasty has been performed with thrombolytic therapy, a nonfibrin-specific plasminogen activator appears to be preferable. Newer studies that focus on thrombin inhibitors that bind to clotbound thrombin and potent antiplatetet agents are in the early phase of clinical investigation. This review offers current recommendations for the integration of heparin, thrombolysis, and coronary angioplasty for unstable angina pectoris.
Abstract #9: Gender Related Outcome Differences after Experimental Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) has been less well studied than moderate or severe injuries. Emerging clinical evidence from sports related mTBI suggests that females may have worse outcomes than males, yet few animal studies have addressed this issue. The present study compared neurobehavioral and neuropathological outcomes after experimental mTBI in male versus female mice subjected to controlled cortical impact (CCI) brain injury. Male and female C57BL/6 mice (20–25 g) were subjected to mild CCI (each n = 13) or sham injury (each n = 7). Fine motor co-ordination was evaluated by a beam walk (BW) test at 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, and 21 days after injury and cognitive function was assessed using the Morris water maze (MWM) at 15–18 days after injury. T2-weighted MRI was performed on all mice at 21 days after mild CCI, and the injury-mediated lesion volume in each mouse brain was calculated. Mild CCI caused only a slight increase in the number of foot faults in BW in both male and female mice, without significant gender differences. In the MWM, injured male mice did not show impairments in learning and memory, compared with shams. In contrast, in female mice the latency to locate a submerged platform was significantly increased when compared with either sham or male animals (p In contrast to long-held views that females may be somewhat protected from brain trauma by virtue of estrogen or progesterone, recent clinical evidence in mTBI suggests otherwise. The current study supports these clinical observations and demonstrates that cognitive impairments are found in female but not male mice following mTBI, with parallel larger lesion volumes. This model may be used to address potential mechanisms that may account for these gender differences.
Solving the disassembly-to-order problem using linear physical programming

This article focuses on a disassembly-to-order system for end-of-life (EOL) electronic products. The EOL system embodies a variety of cost and revenue functions, starting from the take-back step, till the disassembled items and recycled materials are sent to customers. Storage and proper disposal options are also included in the model with the appropriate financial measures. A thorough solution methodology, involving these functions in an environmentally conscious manner, is provided based on the linear physical programming algorithm. The algorithm embodies various environmental, managerial and financial targets, which may be either quantitative or qualitative. The introduction of intangible factors allows the model to obtain desirable levels of important targets viz., environmental damage and customer satisfaction. The model also fulfils the demand for items and materials without backorders.
Modeling Organizational Decisions Using the Human Problem Solving Paradigm

The status of human problem solving theories of organizations is evaluated along philosophical, methodological, and theoretical dimensions. Suggestions for future research center on how the paradigm might be applied to understanding the unstructured aspects of strategic planning. In this connection, some initial experiments with a simulation model of environmental perception and strategic choice are discussed.
Atlas of Human Parasitology, 5th Edition

The 5th edition of Ash and Orihel’s Atlas of Human Parasitology is a superb, up-to-date compendium of protozoan and metazoan parasites. It also covers vectors and uncommon parasites found in humans. The authors present the material in a clear and concise manner that encourages one to delve more deeply into the structure and function of these unique and fascinating organisms. It is a must for persons interested in medical zoology and geographic medicine. Laboratory personnel, directors, and teachers who need a refresher course or additional training will find the book very valuable. The Atlas of Human Parasitology is an essential treatise for helping to protect our citizens at home, deployed military personnel, and global travelers from parasitic infections. The quick keys to the identification of protozoans, helminths, and arthropods are helpful for distinguishing pseudoparasites from harmful ones. The labeling of various stages of the color images with letters, numbers, and arrows is extremely useful. Attention has been given to opportunistic infections found in patients with AIDS. This book opens new vistas in helping to understand the global impact of AIDS and parasitic infections. The glossary and current references provide a ready resource for those interested in learning more about host–parasite relationships. As an extra bonus, readers will find this edition a visual feast that integrates science and the arts. This book is highly recommended reading.
Pyrosequencing of the adult tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris, and characterization of messages important in metabolism and development

The adoption of Bt transgenic cotton has practically eliminated lepidopteran pests from this crop and has produced a secondary pest problem, with pierce-sucking insects such as the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) (Hemiptera: Miridae). The future of cotton genetic pest management is threatened by these insects and their development of resistance to chemical insecticides. Lygus lineolaris is also a pest of more than 100 other crops. The development of transcriptome data for this insect should be transformative in essentially all aspects of research on plant bug biology and the development of control strategies. The first 454 tarnished plant bug whole body (WB) and gut (G) transcriptomes were constructed (half plate for each). A total of 116 163 527 bases were obtained, representing 262 555 WB and 229 919 G reads (SRA048217) of which 232 058 (SRS280903) and 168 069 (SRS280894) reads, respectively, were available for assembly. The average read length was 233.1 and 208.5 bp for WB and G, respectively. The whole body and gut reads were assembled together (WB-G) to produce the most complete transcriptome possible from our sequencing effort and resulted in 6 970 contigs with an average length of 393 bp. The gut transcriptome alone was assembled into 3 549 contigs with an average length of 349 bp. The smallest contig was 55 bp and the largest was 3 466 bp, and there were 62 484 sequences that could not be assembled (singletons) among both transcriptomes. Overall transcriptome analysis was organized according to the Gene Ontology consortium, enzyme commission, and InerPro using the Blast2GO® program. We further characterized metabolic systems and messages associated with development.
Formation of mesosiderites by low-velocity impacts as a natural consequence of planet formation

It is argued here that, during the period of planet formation, mesosiderites originated by the low-velocity collisions of large metallic core fragments with the surface of a differentiated asteroid-size body. Relative velocities of the asteroids native to this region were low because it was distant from massive protoplanets. However, a few differentiated asteroids were destroyed by high-velocity collisions with interlopers perturbed by protoplanets into high eccentric orbits. These collisions reduced mantles and crusts to small silicate fragments, but left cores in the form of large, durable metal fragments. Mesosiderite-like pyroxenite-basalt-metal mixtures were formed when large core fragments accreted at low velocities to the regolith of an intact asteroid. Most of the olivine in mesosiderite and howardite breccias are attributed here to the mantles of the disrupted parent bodies. The low olivine contents indicate that the amount of debris accreted from disrupted asteroids was small relative to the volumes of the regoliths.
A Lyapunov approach for robust nonlinear state feedback synthesis

The authors apply the input/output linearization approach for nonlinear state feedback synthesis. The model uncertainty under consideration is a class of state model perturbations that satisfy appropriate matching conditions. The controller design uses a Lyapunov-based approach to guarantee uniform ultimate boundedness of the states and the output. >
French Behind Bars: A Qualitative and Quantitative Examination of College French Teaching in Prison

"YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES," was my gruff introduction to the prison where I would teach beginning French for three academic quarters in a college Program for the Incarcerated. Barefooted, I passed quietly through the metal detector before entering the first of two heavy, barred gates. I was shaking. In a nearby institution, a teacher had been attacked by an inmate only two months earlier. The orientation officer made certain