cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linear Dynamic Models With Mixture of Experts Architecture for Recognition of Speech Under Additive Noise Conditions

This letter presents a new approach to enhance speech feature estimation in the log spectral domain under noisy environments. A mixture of linear dynamic models with an architecture similar to the so-called mixture of experts (ME) is investigated to describe the clean speech feature distribution parametrically. Switching Kalman filters are adapted to the proposed model, and they estimate the clean speech components by means of a generalized pseudo-Bayesian (GPB) algorithm. Experimental results suggest that compared with previous methods, the proposed approach can be more powerful to compensate the noisy speech features for robust speech recognition
Characterization of an iron-dependent regulatory protein (IdeR) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a functional homolog of the diphtheria toxin repressor (DtxR) from Corynebacterium diphtheriae

The DtxR protein from Corynebacterium diphtheriae is an iron-dependent repressor that regulates transcription from the tox, IRP1, and IRP2 promoters. A gene from virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv was recently shown to encode a protein, here designated iron-dependent regulator (IdeR), that is almost 60% homologous to DtxR from C. diphtheriae. A 750-bp PCR-derived DNA fragment carrying the M. tuberculosis ideR allele was subcloned to both high- and low-copy-number vectors. In Escherichia coli, transcription from the C. diphtheriae tox, IRP1, and IRP2 promoters was strongly repressed by ideR under high-iron conditions, and ideR restored normal iron-dependent expression of the corynebacterial siderophore in the C. diphtheriae dtxR mutant C7(beta)hm723. The M. tuberculosis IdeR protein was overexpressed in E. coli and purified to near homogeneity by nickel affinity chromatography. Gel mobility shift experiments revealed that IdeR bound to a DNA fragment that carried the C. diphtheriae tox promoter/operator sequence. DNAse I footprint analysis demonstrated that IdeR, in the presence of Cd2+, Co2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, or Zn2+, protected an approximately 30-bp region on DNA fragments carrying the tox, IRP1, or IRP2 promoter/operator sequences. IdeR reacted very weakly in Western blots (immunoblots) with antiserum against the C. diphtheriae DtxR protein, suggesting that the immunodominant epitopes of DtxR may be located in its poorly conserved carboxyl-terminal domain.
Three-dimensional effects inside a dc arc plasma torch

Three-dimensional (3-D), quasi-steady heat and flow patterns inside a direct current arc plasma torch are calculated for different parameter settings by using Steenbeck's minimum principle. Of particular interest is the axial position of the anode arc-root at the anode surface and the resulting shape of the arc plasma. The predicted anode arc-root attachment position and the arc shape are in reasonable agreement with experimental observations.
Topical nepafenac after intravitreal injection: a prospective double-masked randomized controlled trial.

Purpose:To evaluate if a single drop of nepafenac can reduce the ocular discomfort after intravitreal injections compared with placebo.Methods:One hundred and twenty patients undergoing intravitreal injections of bevacizumab or ranibizumab received a drop of nepafenac or placebo (Systane Ultra) afte
Preadmission Do Not Resuscitate advanced directive is associated with adverse outcomes following acute traumatic injury.

Abstract Background Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders have been associated with poor outcomes in surgical patients. There is limited literature on admitted trauma patients with advanced directives indicating DNR status before admission (preadmission DNR [PADNR]). Methods A retrospective review of the trauma registry of a suburban county was carried out for admitted trauma patients with age ≥41 years, who were admitted between 2008 and 2013. Results Of 7,937 admitted patients, 327 had a preadmission advanced directive indicating DNR. PADNR patients were significantly older (87 vs 69 years), with more frequent comorbidities, and were more often admitted after a fall (94.2% vs 65.8%). PADNR patients had a higher Injury Severity Score (14 vs 11). They also had significantly increased rates of pneumonia, sepsis, myocardial infarction, and death (33.6% vs 5.9%). On multivariate logistic regression, the presence of a preadmission advanced directive indicating DNR status was independently associated with a 5.2-fold increased odds of mortality. Conclusion An advanced directive indicating DNR is associated with adverse outcomes following trauma.
On Multiscale Modeling: Preserving Energy Dissipation Across the Scales with Consistent Handshaking Methods

A mesh objective crack band model was implemented within the generalized method of cells micromechanics theory. This model was linked to a macroscale finite element model to predict post-peak strain softening in composite materials. Although a mesh objective theory was implemented at the microscale, it does not preclude pathological mesh dependence at the macroscale. To ensure mesh objectivity at both scales, the energy density and the energy release rate must be preserved identically across the two scales. This requires a consistent characteristic length or localization limiter. The effects of scaling (or not scaling) the dimensions of the microscale repeating unit cell (RUC), according to the macroscale element size, in a multiscale analysis was investigated using two examples. Additionally, the ramifications of the macroscale element shape, compared to the RUC, was studied.
Growth and sporulation of Bipolaris sorokiniana in response to methionine and ethylene.

Methionine and ethylene both reduced mycelium growth of Bipolaris sorokiniana when grown on Czapek's medium or on media containing grass leaf infusion. Methionine and other amino acids reduced sporulation as did ethylene and the precursors of ethylene, S-adenosylmethionine and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid.
Epulides in the dog: a review.

This article is based on a review of the literature and the study of pathology sections obtained from various veterinary pathology laboratories. Epulis is a non-specific, clinical designation for a localized, exophytic growth on the gingiva. Four reactive epulides occur in human beings, namely focal fibrous hyperplasia (fibrous epulis), pyogenic granuloma, peripheral giant cell granuloma (giant cell epulis), and peripheral ossifying fibroma (calcifying fibrous epulis). The first three also occur in dogs but only focal fibrous hyperplasia appears to be common. The peripheral ossifying fibroma has not yet been reported in dogs. Odontogenic tumors occurring on the gingiva (i.e., as epulides) are referred to as peripheral odontogenic tumors. Three types have been reported in dogs. One, the common fibromatous epulis, is equivalent to the rare peripheral odontogenic fibroma in human beings. Another, the acanthomatous epulis, appears to be a form of ameloblastoma but differs from the peripheral ameloblastoma in human beings in that it invades bone; its biological behavior is therefore that of the human intraosseous ameloblastoma. The third, a rare lesion, has been referred to in the veterinary literature as a calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor, although it is not the canine counterpart of the human CEOT. The term, amyloid-producing odontogenic tumor, has been suggested as being appropriate for this lesion.
Decreased coenzyme A levels in ridA mutant strains of Salmonella enterica result from inactivated serine hydroxymethyltransferase

Summary The RidA/Yer057/UK114 family of proteins is well represented across the domains of life and recent work has defined both an in vitro activity and an in vivo role for RidA. RidA proteins have enamine deaminase activity, and in their absence the reactive 2-aminoacrylate (2-AA) accumulates and inactivates at least some pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP)-containing enzymes in Salmonella enterica. The conservation of RidA suggested that 2-AA was a ubiquitous cellular stressor that was generated in central metabolism. Phenotypically, strains of S. enterica that lack RidA accumulated significantly more pyruvate in the growth medium than wild-type strains. Here we dissected this ridA mutant phenotype and showed it was an indirect consequence of damage to serine hydroxymethyltransferase (GlyA; E.C. 2.1.2.1). The results here identified a fourth PLP enzyme as a target of enamine stress in Salmonella.
Relaxor based ferroelectric single crystals for electro-mechanical actuators

The piezoelectric properties of relaxor based ferroelectric single crystals, such as Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3−PbTiO3 (PZN-PT) and Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3−PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) were investigated for electromechanical actuators. In contrast to polycrystalline materials such as Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZTs), morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) compositions were not essential for high piezoelectric strain. Piezoelectric coefficients (d33’s ) >2200 pC/N and subsequent strain levels up to >0.5% with minimal hysteresis were observed. Crystallographically, high strains are achieved for oriented rhombohedral crystals, though is the polar direction. Ultrahigh strain levels up to 1.7%, an order of magnitude larger than those available from conventional piezoelectric and electrostrictive ceramics could be achieved, possibly being related to an E-field induced phase transformation. High electromechanical coupling (k33) >90% and low dielectric loss <1%, along with large strain make these crystals promising candidates for high performance solid state actuators.
Wind-Driven Variability of the Subtropical North Pacific Ocean

AbstractThe Argo array provides a unique dataset to explore variability of the subsurface ocean interior. This study considers the subtropical North Pacific Ocean during the period from 2004 to 2011, when Argo coverage has been relatively complete in time and space. Two distinct patterns of Argo dynamic height transport function () are observed: in 2004/05, the gyre is stronger, and in 2008/09 it is weaker. The orientation of the subtropical gyre also shifts over time: the predominantly zonal major axis shifts to a more northwest–southeast orientation in 2004/05 and to a more southwest–northeast orientation in 2008/09.The limited temporal range of the Argo observations does not allow analysis of the correlation of ocean transport and wind forcing in the basin for the multiyear time scale (6–8-yr period) typical of the dominant gyre patterns. The meridional geostrophic transport anomaly between 180° and 150°E is computed both from Argo data (0–2000 db) and from the Sverdrup relation (using reanalysis winds...
A Longitudinal Perspective on the Association between Cognition and Temperamental Shyness

Moderate, yet relatively consistent, associations between cognitive performance and shyness have been reported throughout the child and adult literatures. The current study assessed longitudinal associations between cognition (i.e., executive functioning) and parent-report temperamental shyness from infancy to early childhood and used temporal order to explore directionality of the relations. Two hundred eleven children contributed data at multiple ages (5-months, 10-months, 2-years, 3-years, and 4-years). The results indicated a complex pattern of association between cognition and shyness in early development and provided tentative support for both cognitive ability and temperament as causal agents at different developmental time points.
A Person-Centered Approach to the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder:

This article addresses psychotherapy with a person described as possessing a borderline personality disorder (BPD), or possessing features consistent with this diagnosis. In particular, a selection...
Desire and the Enrapture of Capitalist Consumption: Product Red, Africa, and the Crisis of Sustainability

This chapter examines the Vanity Fair special edition dedicated to Product Red as exemplar of colonial rationality sedimented in the project of globalization. The unabashed purpose of the Product Red campaign is revealed as demand creation aimed at the sophisticated consumers of the Global North. Africa in this regard appeases profligate consumption while offering up to the modern sophisticate the unlimited sexual pleasures of the jungle in its naked freedom, bereft of the staid hetronormativity of Victorian-like sensibilities. The narrative of the campaign for Product Red, by such deployment, is the embodiment of the “Age of Aquarius” with Africa’s redemption as its signifying event, ushering in an era of universal “peace, unity, and love.” The continent’s progeny, now steeped in abjection, will assume its natural place in the space of civilization. Global capital is sustained in the Product Red campaign by the offering up of Africa as solution through the promise of its redemption. For the sophisticated, selfliberation can be realized through consumption at the same time that global crisis of production is resolved by Africa’s “natural” entrepreneurship. All becomes well with the world as desire for the black body is freed from the trope of transgression.
Evaluation of palliative care nursing education seminars.

Abstract Purpose More than 50 million people die each year around the world. Nurses are crucial in providing care to these individuals and their families as they spend the most time at the bedside with patients and families. Yet many nurses have received little or no education about palliative care. Methods/Sample The Open Society Institute (OSI) and the Open Medical Institute (OMI) partnered with End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) to develop an international nursing palliative care curriculum. This international curriculum was implemented with two training courses held in Salzburg, Austria in October 2006 ( n =38) and April 2008 ( n =39) representing 22 Eastern European/Central Asian countries. Participants were asked to establish goals in disseminating the palliative care information when they returned to their country. The participants were mentored/followed for a 12-month period to evaluate their palliative care knowledge as well as challenges encountered. Key Results The participants provided excellent ratings for the training courses indicating that the courses were stimulating and met their expectations. The 12-month follow-up demonstrated many challenges (i.e., lack of funds, institutional support, fear of death), in advancing palliative care within each participant's setting/country as well as many examples of successful implementation. Conclusions There is an urgent need for improved palliative care throughout the world. The ELNEC-International curriculum is designed to address the need for increased palliative care education in nursing. In order to improve the quality of life for those facing life-threatening illnesses around the world, ongoing support is needed for world-wide palliative care educational efforts.
The Future of Preferential Affirmative Action

In the autumn of 1985, the debate over affirmative action—which goes back at least 15 years—heated up again. The Reagan administration, it appeared from newspaper reports, was preparing to revise the executive order of 1965 that had been the basis of affirmative action, as well as the federal regulations that specified how federal contractors were to fulfill their affirmative-action requirements. A political uproar ensued in the wake of the newspaper reports, as could have been expected, and after some dispute within the administration about just what was to be done, a new quiet descended. Either revision had been abandoned, or a better control over leaks was being enforced.
Congenital syphilitic nephrosis

The following are Scully and Yamazaki (1949) criteria for the diagnosis of congenital syphilitic nephropathy in an infant: unequivocal concomitant evidence of congenital syphilis and/or consistently positive reaction in serologic tests for syphilis beyond the age of 12 weeks evidence of syphilitic disease in the mother unmistakable evidence of nephrosis or nephritis in the absence of causes other than syphilis and the prompt disappearance of renal abnormalities on the administration of adequate antisyphilitic therapy and their nonrecurrence. The author presents data for eleven cases identified as fulfilling these criteria over the period 1977-91 in Childrens Hospital Bangkok Thailand. All of the cases were aged one day to two months with a mean of 24 days; 6 were boys and 5 girls. Evidence of congenital syphilitic nephrotic syndrome was confirmed in the infants by clinical serologic and laboratory findings long bone X-rays and renal biopsy. Two of the infants died because of necrotizing enterocolitis and sepsis respectively while the other nine made complete recoveries following therapy with penicillin.
Long-lived picture priming in normal elderly persons and demented patients

Normal elderly control participants showed short-term (10-min delay) and long-term (12 months delay) priming on the Gollin Figures Test. Nearly all patients with Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia showed short-term priming, but the magnitude of their priming was less than that of controls. Significant long-term priming was not observed for the dementia groups. Differences between controls and dementia patients on the short-term priming test may depend upon structural–perceptual processes that are intact in dementia patients and controls and explicit memory functions available only to controls. The same model could account for differences between normal elderly and dementia patients on the long-term priming test, but several other explanations are also plausible. (JINS, 1998, 4, 336–341.)
Activity Patterns and Foraging Behavior of the Endangered Grand Cayman Blue Iguana, Cyclura lewisi

The historic rarity of the critically endangered Grand Cayman blue iguana, Cyclura lewisi, has prevented detailed research on this species prior to this decade. This study primarily used focal animal observations, transect sweeps, and radio-telemetry to document the behavioral ecology of a captive-bred, reintroduced population of adult C. lewisi in a botanic park on Grand Cayman. Activity budgets and foraging budgets are presented for each sex in each season, and for all data combined. Distributions of basking time and active time differed between the two seasons. Iguanas both emerged earlier and retreated later in the summer than in the fall. Of the small percentage of time spent active, iguanas mostly foraged and engaged in locomotion. Iguanas spent little time in trees or bushes or inside of retreats during the day. Observations of extensive tongue-touching of retreats, substrates, and feces suggest an importance of chemosensory ability in C. lewisi. Iguanas primarily consumed plant matter, of which the majority was non-cultivated plants in the park and surrounding area. Limited geophagy, coprophagy, and consumption of invertebrates were observed. Supplemental feeding contributed little to the overall diet of iguanas, but appeared to make iguanas more aggressive towards humans. Iguanas were heavily habituated to human and vehicular disturbances, which were common occurrences. Aspects of the behavioral ecology of C. lewisi reported here will assist in the conservation of this and other endangered iguanas.
Effects of evaluative feedback on math self-efficacy, grade self-efficacy, and math achievement of ninth grade algebra students : a longitudinal approach.

EFFECTS OF EVALUATIVE FEEDBACK ON MATH SELF-EFFICACY, GRADE SELF-EFFICACY, AND MATH ACHIEVEMENT ON NINTH GRADE ALGEBRA STUDENTS: A LONGITUDINAL APPROACH Deborah J. B. Thompson May 12, 2007 The double-blind study used two intact ninth grade high school Algebra One classes for a total sample size of 46. Within each of the classes the participants were assigned randomly to one of three treatment groups: self-referenced feedback, socialreferenced feedback, and a control group. Self-referenced feedback compared the student’s performance to his or her previous performances. Social-referenced feedback compared the student’s performance to that of the other students in the class. The control group did not receive comparative feedback but innocuous comments such as “study your notes before class.” Six measurements of math self-efficacy, grade self-efficacy, and math achievement were taken over a five-month interval. Research questions investigated how students’ math self-efficacy, grade self-efficacy, and math achievement changed over time; and whether students’ math self-efficacy, grade self-efficacy, and math achievement varied by treatment group over time. Results of multilevel analysis indicated that all three of the dependent variables changed over time with significant pvalues for the intercepts and slopes using a linear unconditional growth model. No
What Big Agency Men in Europe Think of Copy Testing Methods

Although research directors of large European advertising agencies and their U.S. counterparts generally have similar overall outlooks, their opinions differ on advertising campaign measures, such ...
Individual-Level Predictors of Community Aftercare Completion

The importance of prison treatment for substance-using offenders in reducing recidivism and relapse has garnered much attention and acceptance over the past 30 years. The role of community aftercare as a continuum of the treatment process has been broadly acknowledged as essential in enhancing posttreatment success. However, our understanding of individual-level factors influencing a client’s willingness to participate and engage in aftercare remains limited. This article presents findings of individual-level factors found to be associated with successful completion of aftercare among a sample of 259 ex-offenders admitted to aftercare following 12 months of in-prison drug treatment.
Second-person pronoun use in French language discussion fora

This article examines the use of second-person pronouns in on-line French language discussion fora, with specific focus on Doctissimo and Meilleur du chef , two fora from which approximately 400,000 words were collected for this corpus. Two hundred discussion threads (i.e., series of linked postings), with a minimum of fifteen postings (i.e., messages) and a maximum of twenty per thread, were analysed in three different ways in order to determine whether tu , vous -singular, or neither could be considered the default address pronoun. The results of the analysis suggest that while tu is clearly preferred in many cases, its use has not become systematic.
Comparison of males versus females with culture-confirmed early Lyme disease at presentation and at 11–20 years after diagnosis

Abstract Background Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne infection in the United States with 300,000 estimated cases per year. Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the presenting clinical features and long-term outcome of males versus females with culture-confirmed early Lyme disease. Methods 174 males and 109 females with culture-confirmed erythema migrans were entered into a prospective study with follow-up visits scheduled at six months, 12 months and annually thereafter for up to 20 years. Results Males and females with early Lyme disease had a similar likelihood of having multiple erythema migrans skin lesions and had a similar number of additional subjective symptoms, such as fatigue, at study entry. Among the 71 males and 57 females able to be followed up for 11–20 years, there were no significant differences in baseline symptoms, rate of seroreactivity to Borrelia burgdorferi , or in frequency of post-treatment symptoms. Females, however, were significantly more likely than males to return for follow-up visits ( P = 0.0003). Conclusion Males and females with culture-confirmed early Lyme disease had similar clinical features, rates of seropositivity, and long-term outcomes.
Relationship of Serum Albumin and Circulation Function and Prognosis of Septic Children

Objective To investigate the relationship of serum albumin and circulation function and the prognosis of septic children.Met-hods A retrospective study was carried out on 92 septic children.These children were divided into 2 groups by the level of serum albumin:hypoalbuminemia group(albumin 35 g/L)and albumin-normalled group(albumin:35-50 g/L).The circulation function and the prognosis of both groups were analyzed.Results Compared with albumin-normal group[20/56(35.71%)with dysfunction of circulation,and 8/56(14.29%)died],there were 23/36 cases(63.89%)with dysfunction of circulation and 15/36(41.67%)died in hypoalbuminemia group.Signifiant difference was found between 2 groups.Conclusion The level of serum albumin is related with the circulation function and the prognosis of septic children.
Controlling Sulfuryl-Transfer Biology.

In humans, the cytosolic sulfotransferases (SULTs) catalyze regiospecific transfer of the sulfuryl moiety (-SO3) from 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate to thousands of metabolites, including numerous signaling small molecules, and thus regulates their activities and half-lives. Imbalances in the in vivo set points of these reactions leads to disease. Here, with the goal of controlling sulfonation in vivo, molecular ligand-recognition principles in the SULT and nuclear receptor families are integrated in creating a strategy that can prevent sulfonation of a compound without significantly altering its receptor affinity, or inhibiting SULTS. The strategy is validated by using it to control the sulfonation and estrogen receptor (ER) activating activity of raloxifene (a US Food and Drug Administration-approved selective estrogen receptor modulator) and its derivatives. Preventing sulfonation is shown to enhance ER-activation efficacy 10(4)-fold in studies using Ishikawa cells. The strategy offers the opportunity to control sulfuryl transfer on a compound-by-compound basis, to enhance the efficacy of sulfonated drugs, and to explore the biology of sulfuryl transfer with unprecedented precision.
Engineering energy-aware web services toward dynamically-green computing

With the emergence of commodity computing environments (i.e. clouds), information technology (IT) infrastructure providers are creating data centers in distributed geographical regions. Since geographic regions have different costs and demands on their local power grids, cloud computing infrastructures will require innovative management procedures to ensure energy-efficiency that spans multiple regions. Macro-level measurement of energy consumption that focuses on the individual servers does not have the dynamism to respond to situations where domain-specific software services are migrated to different data centers in varying regions. Next-generation models will have to understand the impact on power consumption for a particular software application or software service, at a micro-level. A challenge to this approach is to develop a prediction of energy conservation a priori. In this work, we discuss the challenges for measuring the power consumption of an individual web service. We discuss the challenges of determining the power consumption profile of a web service each time it is migrated to a new server and the training procedure of the power model. This potentially promotes creating a dynamically-green cloud infrastructure.
Functional Implications of Renal Tumor Enucleation Relative to Standard Partial Nephrectomy.

Objective To compare the surgical precision for optimizing nephron-mass preservation of tumor enucleation (TE) vs standard partial nephrectomy (SPN), with primary focus on functional outcomes. TE is presumed to optimize preservation of parenchymal mass and function but this has not yet been rigorously studied and quantified. Materials and Methods Robotic partial nephrectomy patients who had appropriate pre- and postoperative studies for analysis of parenchymal mass preservation specific to the operated kidney were included. Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging and estimated glomerular filtration rate were required to be Results Analysis included 57 TE and 53 SPN. Median age, body mass index, and tumor size were comparable. Percent parenchymal mass preserved in the operated kidney with TE was 96% (interquartile range [IQR] = 90-100) vs 89% (IQR = 83-96) for SPN (P = .003). Precision of excision or reconstruction was 101% (IQR = 96-105) for TE vs 94% (IQR = 88-100) for SPN (P Conclusion Our analysis, which specifically focuses on the functional implications of TE, demonstrates that TE maximally spares normal parenchyma compared to SPN. Thus far, functional differences remain marginal and not statistically significant. Clinical significance of these findings in various clinical settings will require further investigation.
Investigation of Geometry, Frequency and Material's Effects in Lock-In Thermography Applications in Semiconductor Packages

Lock-In Thermography (LIT) is a powerful non-contact and non-destructive technique that can be utilized to detect high-resistance defects inside semiconductor package. Its advantages over other non-contact and non-destructive techniques are its high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), its fast acquisition time, and its capability to pinpoint high-resistance defects in three-dimensional space, or (x, y, z) coordinates. The current LIT applications interpret LIT data based on the conclusions drawn from semi-infinite model. However, semiconductor package has finite dimensions, which is considered a finite model, not semi-infinite model. This paper studies the effects of geometry towards the accuracy of the interpretation of LIT data based on semi-infinite model. The study was performed numerically using finite element method, combined with analytical solution. The results of the study show that finite dimensions in semiconductor package can affect phase angles that are different from those predicted by semi-infinite model. Since defect's z-coordinate is determined by phase angle, inaccurate results of defect's z-coordinate may be obtained from semi-infinite model. Several other factors -- such as thermal diffusivity of material, convection heat transfer coefficient (h), and lock-in frequency (flock-in) -- can also affect the value of phase angle.
Information technology and public administration: the view from the profession

This chapter first points out the need for a reader on information technology by reviewing the importance given computing education by MPA programs and practitioners. Next, the chapter surveys current textbooks' and general public administration journals' treatments of the topic. Three highly respected public administration journals and six textbooks are reviewed. The journals are found to barely treat the topic of computing, whether as a main focus or as merely a mention in articles. The textbooks also barely mention computing. In addition, there is no consistent rubric or chapter topic under which computing is discussed. The need for a reader on information technology and computer applications in public administration is apparent. The chapter then turns to the consideration of what hands-on skills in computer applications should be a mark of a graduate degree inpublic adminstration. It is suggested that there are six generic skills with a seventh one on the horizon. Finally, the chapter concludes by briefly discussing a range of issues that public administrators should be conversant with if they are to successfully utilize computer applications in the delivery of public sector services.
Residual Effects: Young Adult Diagnostic Drinking Predicts Late-Life Health Outcomes.

Objective:This study examined the residual effects of young adult diagnostic drinking on health outcomes four decades later in late life. Results were differentiated by drinking status during midlife.Method:A subsample of Vietnam Era Twin Registry members, all of whom had a lifetime diagnosis of alcohol dependence, was grouped according to life span drinking patterns as assessed by the Lifetime Drinking History interview in 2001. Those drinking at diagnostic levels (endorsing three or more alcohol dependence symptoms) before age 30 were then grouped based on their midlife drinking status (i.e., drinking at diagnostic levels vs. at minimal [nonsymptomatic] levels throughout midlife). Linear (or logistic) regression models were used to examine the association between life span drinking patterns and health outcomes in late life (about age 64).Results:Those who drank at diagnostic levels in young adulthood and in midlife exhibited significant health liabilities on every late-life health measure; those who dra...
Topological and combinatorial coverage hole detection in coordinate-free wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor network WSN coverage completeness is an important quality of service QoS. It is frequently assumed that events occurring in the sensor field can always be detected. However, this is not necessarily the case, particularly if there are holes in the sensor network coverage. This paper introduces a novel centralised method for detection and relative localisation of WSN coverage holes in coordinate-free networks. We identify sensor nodes that surround or bound coverage holes, called 'hole boundary-nodes', by processing information embedded in a communication graph, which is non-planar in general. We create a hole-equivalent planar graph that has the same number and position of holes as the original sensor network graph while preserving the embedding. Finally, we build a plane simplicial complex, called maximal simplicial complex, which contains the information regarding coverage holes. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the proposed method and evaluate its accuracy and run time.
Do exchange rate changes improve the trade balance: An asymmetric nonlinear cointegration approach

This paper examines the impact of real effective exchange rate on the trade balance of eight countries in the context of several nonlinear techniques, especially the nonlinear auto-regressive distributed lag model (NARDL). The advantages of the NARDL approach vis-a-vis earlier approaches is that it provides more efficient short-run and long-run coefficient estimates and allows through the distributed lag and the long-run dynamics a single common cointegrating vector. Both parts are allowed to be asymmetric. While previous studies have relied on models that ignored the time series properties of the variable and some have used the linear ARDL and obtained mixed results, the current paper uses the nonlinear auto-regressive distributed lag model (NARDL). We show that this is due to the assumption that the relationship is symmetric in nature. Results from long-run cointegration analysis, short-run analysis and half-lives, all provide evidence indicating that when depreciation is separated from appreciation, it is shown to have significant effects on the trade balance but in an asymmetric model.
The Poetics of the Orphan in Abdelkébir Khatibi's Early Work

Like many North African, Francophone, and world writers whose lives span the historic divide of independence from colonialism, Abdelkebir Khatibi’s work focuses in large part upon the idea of encounter, or, in French, “rencontre.” In this paper I focus upon the figure of the orphan in La memoire tatouee and Le lutteur de classe a la maniere taoiste , two of his earliest texts. By focusing upon the orphan as a multivalent term, and by following Khatibi’s emphasis upon language, literature, and even life itself as a game or experiment, we can see how Khatibi creates an ethics of encounter that derives its meaning from recuperating a negatively connotated word and transforming it into a term of positive value. With the term “orphan,” he shows how through encountering the Other, by extending beyond into the unknown, by exceeding the circumscriptions of ancestry, identity, and national culture, the individual rises into a new status of free living. Moreover, it is equally through the practice of writing that life redounds with life; writing for Khatibi is never a mimetic representation of life per se but a space for experimenting, for discovery, and for exceeding the parochial nature of an individual’s physical placement in the world. In this sense, the orphan status of his writing shows itself through his aggressively restless, polyphonic, and ageneric writing that uses the localization of genre only as a hinge to push against in the quest to articulate a new relation to the world.
Gender and State Supreme Courts: Explaining Male and Female Judges' Concurring and Dissenting Behavior

In this paper I build on previous research by exploring gender differences in judging on state supreme courts while controlling for ideology and institutional features. This paper provides an important contribution to the study of gender and judging by examining a large number of votes for a relatively large sample of women judges across a number of issue areas in criminal law. Utilizing a multinomial LOGIT model, I find significant differences between men and women's willingness to express disagreement in the form of concurring and dissenting votes. Specifically, I find that female judges evidence a stronger tendency to express disagreement through concurring rather than dissenting votes as compared to their male counterparts. I also find evidence that ideology and institutional design condition the relationship between gender and judicial decision-making.
Strategies of High-Performing Teaching Hospitals

Teaching hospitals are large and complex, and under constant financial pressure. In this study, we examine the financial performance of 80 large teaching hospitals in the 20 largest cities in the U.S. over the last five years, to identify which strategic and operational management factors separate high-performing hospitals from lower-performing ones. Results suggest that growth strategies should continue to be sought for improving long-term financial condition. Operational efficiency was less important than market share, economic status of surrounding community, hospital size, and teaching intensity. This study's findings should help guide strategic planning for teaching hospitals.
The Two-Electron Atom

The Indistinguishability of identical particles in quantum mechanics plays a very important role. In macroscopic, classical physics we can tag our particles (by painting infinitesimally small labels on them!) so we can distinguish those labelled, 1, 2, etc., even though they have exactly the same mass, internal constitution, etc. The impossibility of such a tagging procedure plays a very fundamental role in quantum mechanics.
“Alms for Oblivion”: An Essay on Objective Time and Experienced Time

If one should hesitate to ask the professional philosopher about time, having despaired of finding a viable definition of anything other than an abstract succession, it might be not unprofitable to inquire of the poet. Suppose, therefore, we were to stop a poet at a street corner somewhere and ask him about time. He might reply with a reference to St. Augustine’s profound and evasive remark about it.
External Ion Access in the Na/K Pump: Kinetics of Na+, K+, and Quaternary Amine Interaction.

Abstract Na/K pumps build essential ion gradients across the plasmalemma of animal cells by coupling the extrusion of three Na+, with the import of two K+ and the hydrolysis of one ATP molecule. The mechanisms of selectivity and competition between Na+, K+, and inhibitory amines remain unclear. We measured the effects of external tetrapropylammonium (TPA+) and ethylenediamine (EDA2+) on three different Na/K pump transport modes in voltage-clamped Xenopus oocytes: 1) outward pump current (IP), 2) passive inward H+ current at negative voltages without Na+ or K+ (IH), and 3) transient charge movement reporting the voltage-dependent extracellular binding/release of Na+ (QNa). Both amines competed with K+ to inhibit IP. TPA+ inhibited IH without competing with H+, whereas EDA2+ did not alter IH at pH 7.6. TPA+ competed with Na+ in QNa measurements, reducing Na+-apparent affinity, evidenced by a ∼−75 mV shift in the charge-voltage curve (at 20 mM TPA+) without reduction of the total charge moved (Qtot). In contrast, EDA2+ and K+ did not compete with Na+ to inhibit QNa; both reduced Qtot without decreasing Na+-apparent affinity. EDA2+ (15 mM) right-shifted the charge-voltage curve by ∼+50 mV. Simultaneous occlusion of EDA2+ and Na+ by an E2P conformation unable to reach E1P was demonstrated by voltage-clamp fluorometry. Trypsinolysis experiments showed that EDA2+-bound pumps are much more proteolysis-resistant than Na+-, K+-, or TPA+-bound pumps, therefore uncovering unique EDA2+-bound conformations. K+ effects on QNa and IH were also evaluated in pumps inhibited with beryllium fluoride, a phosphate mimic. K+ reduced Qtot without shifting the charge-voltage curve, indicating noncompetitive effects, and partially inhibited IH to the same extent as TPA+ in non-beryllium-fluorinated pumps. These results demonstrate that K+ interacts with beryllium-fluorinated pumps inducing conformational changes that alter QNa and IH, suggesting that there are two external access pathways for proton transport by IH.
Moderate Sedation for Pipeline Embolization of Posterior Circulation Disease: Technical Note from a Single Center

Objective Flow diversion has been an important addition to endovascular neurosurgery, but its use in the posterior circulation remains controversial. Our goal is to describe the safety and efficacy of moderate sedation during flow diversion for posterior circulation lesions (aneurysms or dissecting pseudoaneurysms). Methods The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients who underwent placement of a Pipeline embolization device for a posterior circulation lesion using moderate sedation at a single institution from August 2012 through November 2017. Clinical data and outcomes were evaluated. Results Fifteen consecutive patients were identified: 8 female, 7 male (mean age 52.2 ± 16.3 years, range 15–81). Eleven lesions were located in the vertebral artery, 1 in the posterior inferior cerebellar artery, 2 in the posterior cerebral artery, and 1 in the basilar artery. All patients underwent flow diversion with Pipeline embolization devices. One patient experienced an acute occlusion of the basilar artery during the procedure that required revascularization. Mean fluoroscopy time was 35.6 ± 16.5 minutes (range 15.5–75). Mean follow-up time was 12.7 ± 8.8 months (range 3–36). No patient had new neurologic deficits in the perioperative or postoperative period. Conversion to general anesthesia was not required in any case. Conclusions Moderate sedation is safe and feasible in patients undergoing flow diversion for posterior circulation lesions. In addition, its use may allow for more rapid identification of procedural complications, facilitating emergent treatment and decreasing procedure-related morbidity.
Effects of Phenelzine Administration on Mitochondrial Function, Calcium Handling, and Cytoskeletal Degradation after Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury.

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in the production of peroxynitrite (PN), leading to oxidative damage of lipids and protein. PN-mediated lipid peroxidation (LP) results in production o...
Principles for Patient and Family Partnership in Care: An American College of Physicians Position Paper

In this position paper, the American College of Physicians (ACP) examines the rationale for patient and family partnership in care and reviews outcomes associated with this concept, including greater adherence to care plans, improved satisfaction, and lower costs. The paper also explores and acknowledges challenges associated with implementing patient- and family-centered models of care. On the basis of a comprehensive literature review and a multistakeholder vetting process, the ACP's Patient Partnership in Healthcare Committee developed a set of principles that form the foundation for authentic patient and family partnership in care. The principles position patients in their rightful place at the center of care while acknowledging the importance of partnership between the care team and patient in improving health care and reducing harm. The principles state that patients and families should be treated with dignity and respect, be active partners in all aspects of their care, contribute to the development and improvement of health care systems, and be partners in the education of health care professionals. This paper also recommends ways to implement these principles in daily practice.
High Patient Activation Is Associated With Remission in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background High levels of patient activation (having the knowledge, skills, and confidence to effectively manage one's care), have been associated with improved outcomes in many chronic conditions. There have been few studies of the effects of activation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We performed a large, prospective Internet-based study to assess the relationship between patient activation level and clinical remission in patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Methods We administered the Patient Activation Measure (Insignia Health) to 1486 cohort participants. Patients completed a follow-up survey within 13 months (median, 189 days). We collected demographic and clinical data; anxiety and depression were assessed using Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System instruments. We used bivariate analyses and multivariable logistic regression to identify characteristics associated with low or high patient activation and to evaluate the association between levels of patient activation and subsequent disease activity. Results Higher anxiety (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29-0.36) and depression (aOR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.29-0.37) scores were associated with a decreased odds of high patient activation. After we adjusted for education status, smoking, medication use, and other confounders, we found that patients with high activation at baseline were more likely to be in clinical remission during the follow-up period (aOR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.20-2.45). Conclusions In a large, prospective Internet-based cohort of patients with IBD, we found a strong association between patient activation and clinical remission. These findings suggest that patient activation affects disease outcomes.
Photoinduced Charge Transfer in Single-Molecule p-n Junctions.

We measured photoinduced charge separation in isolated individual C60-tethered 2,5-dithienylpyrrole triad (C60 triad) molecules with submolecular resolution using a custom-built laser-assisted scanning tunneling microscope. Laser illumination was introduced evanescently into the tunneling junction through total internal reflection, and the changes in tunneling current and electronic spectra caused by photoexcitation were measured and spatially resolved. Photoinduced charge separation was not detected for all C60 triad molecules, indicating that the conformations of the molecules may affect the excitation probability, lifetime, and/or charge distribution. A photoinduced signal was not observed for dodecanethiol molecules in the surrounding matrix or for control molecules without C60 moieties, as neither absorbs incident photons at this energy. This spectroscopic imaging technique has the potential to elucidate detailed photoinduced carrier dynamics, which are inaccessible via ensemble-scale (i.e., averagin...