cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychiatric Aspects of Neurology

Neurological diseases are important to recognize in psychiatric settings and can cause mental disturbances that are increasingly relevant and common in the differential diagnosis of psychiatric symptoms. The associated clinical syndromes offer important insights into the biological substrates of human behavior. They also underscore the complex interplay between the forces of nature and nurture on mental function. In this chapter, we will emphasize psychiatric aspects of neurological problems and how the two areas have significant overlap. Some of the basic clinical features of common neurological disorders and their treatment are also summarized.
Elimination of Routine Contact Precautions for Endemic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus: A Retrospective Quasi-Experimental Study

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of discontinuation of contact precautions (CP) for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) and expansion of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) use on the health system. DESIGN Retrospective, nonrandomized, observational, quasi-experimental study. SETTING Two California hospitals. PARTICIPANTS Inpatients. METHODS We compared hospital-wide laboratory-identified clinical culture rates (as a marker of healthcare-associated infections) 1 year before and after routine CP for endemic MRSA and VRE were discontinued and CHG bathing was expanded to all units. Culture data from patients and cost data on material utilization were collected. Nursing time spent donning personal protective equipment was assessed and quantified using time-driven activity-based costing. RESULTS Average positive culture rates before and after discontinuing CP were 0.40 and 0.32 cultures/100 admissions for MRSA (P=.09), and 0.48 and 0.40 cultures/100 admissions for VRE (P=.14). When combining isolation gown and CHG costs, the health system saved $643,776 in 1 year. Before the change, 28.5% intensive care unit and 19% medicine/surgery beds were on CP for MRSA/VRE. On the basis of average room entries and donning time, estimated nursing time spent donning personal protective equipment for MRSA/VRE before the change was 45,277 hours/year (estimated cost, $4.6 million). CONCLUSION Discontinuing routine CP for endemic MRSA and VRE did not result in increased rates of MRSA or VRE after 1 year. With cost savings on materials, decreased healthcare worker time, and no concomitant increase in possible infections, elimination of routine CP may add substantial value to inpatient care delivery. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1-8.
Summary of Human Ankle Mechanical Impedance During Walking

The human ankle joint plays a critical role during walking and understanding the biomechanical factors that govern ankle behavior and provides fundamental insight into normal and pathologically altered gait. Previous researchers have comprehensively studied ankle joint kinetics and kinematics during many biomechanical tasks, including locomotion; however, only recently have researchers been able to quantify how the mechanical impedance of the ankle varies during walking. The mechanical impedance describes the dynamic relationship between the joint position and the joint torque during perturbation, and is often represented in terms of stiffness, damping, and inertia. The purpose of this short communication is to unify the results of the first two studies measuring ankle mechanical impedance in the sagittal plane during walking, where each study investigated differing regions of the gait cycle. Rouse et al. measured ankle impedance from late loading response to terminal stance, where Lee et al. quantified ankle impedance from pre-swing to early loading response. While stiffness component of impedance increases significantly as the stance phase of walking progressed, the change in damping during the gait cycle is much less than the changes observed in stiffness. In addition, both stiffness and damping remained low during the swing phase of walking. Future work will focus on quantifying impedance during the “push off” region of stance phase, as well as measurement of these properties in the coronal plane.
Recommendations for the Conduct and Reporting of Modeling and Simulation Studies in Health Technology Assessment

Models and simulations are valuable tools for addressing the uncertainty, tradeoffs, and heterogeneous preferences that complicate research questions in health technology assessment. This article presents recommendations for the conduct and reporting of modeling and simulation studies based on a systematic review of published recommendation statements, a survey of Web sites of international health technology assessment organizations, and input from experts and other stakeholders. The recommendations apply to mathematical models that represent structural relationships among model components and integrate information from multiple sources; they address model identification, estimation, verification, and validation, as well as the conduct of sensitivity, stability, and uncertainty analyses. They are organized into model conceptualization and structure, data, model assessment and consistency, and interpreting and reporting results. They should contribute to increased use and better conduct and reporting of modeling and simulation studies in health technology assessment.
Colluding to Create the American Society for Public Administration and the Consequent Collateral Damage

The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) was founded in December 1939. This did not occur ex nihilo. Rather, it was the desired end-result of an elaborate and detailed collusion by some early public administration professionals including Louis Brownlow, Luther Gulick, and William Mosher. With patience and careful planning beginning in 1937, they designed a scenario that would, as the events they were catalyzing unfolded, undermine the Governmental Research Association (GRA) and provide justification for the new organization. This pre-birth campaign is often skipped over lightly in histories of ASPA. In particular, their collusion caused some serious collateral damage, destroying the academic career of University of Chicago doctoral candidate Norman Gill. This revisionist history explores the detailed maneuverings of the leaders of the nascent ASPA against GRA and how they, seemingly obliviously, wrecked the intended professional path of an innocent researcher who worked for them.
Diarrhea in a Long-Term Kidney-Pancreas Recipient

For most American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week attendees, case-based clinical nephrology talks are one of the most exciting venues. The Nephrology Quiz and Questionnaire (NQQ) is the essence of clinical nephrology and represents what drew all of us into the field of nephrology. This year
Establishing reference intervals in the coagulation laboratory.

SummaryIntroduction Obtaining a reference interval (RI) is a challenge for any laboratory and becomes more complicated in the coagulation laboratory due to testing on samples with limited stability on reagents that are poorly standardized. Reference intervals are required to be able to evaluate results in relation to a patients’ hemostatic disorder. This becomes one of the most important tasks conducted in the coagulation laboratory. However, many laboratories lack the time, finances and in many cases the expertise to conduct this study. Methods Many RI are obtained from package inserts, or from publications written by experts in lieu of laboratories conducting their own studies. An overview of validating reference intervals and options for verifying or transference of reference intervals is discussed. Results Based on the confidence interval and the acceptability of risk laboratories are willing to accept, coagulation laboratories have options to conduct robust studies for their RI. Data mining or global reference studies may help to provide data for age specific ranges. Conclusions Pre-analytical variables and selection of healthy subjects have the largest impact on coagulation testing outcomes and need to be well controlled during the establishment of reference intervals. Laboratories have options in lieu of conducting a full validation on how to verify RI based on smaller RI studies or transference of RI after determining compatibility of the original RI study.
The Making of Everyday Heroes: Women’s Experiences With Transformation and Integration:

Heroes are not born heroic. They achieve prominence because they dare to enter into a voyage to become an entirely different human being: to transform. What happens to the hero on return? This is a...
Intraoperative and postoperative pain in cataract surgery

Technologic improvements in cataract surgery have not only improved visual outcomes, but also have minimized intraoperative and postoperative pain. We review the mechanisms, risk factors, and management of intraoperative and postoperative pain. Summaries of less common sources of physiologic pain have been included to reinforce recognition of when pain represents an expected physiologic reaction to surgery as opposed to signaling a more serious complication. We also discuss various current and emerging anesthetic and analgesic modalities.
Reproducibility in contouring the neurovascular bundle for prostate cancer radiation therapy.

Abstract Purpose Efforts to define the neurovascular bundle (NVB) for prostate radiation have varied. In this series, we sought to determine the reproducibility and reliability of contouring the classical posterolateral NVB on dedicated pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Methods and materials A total of 120 NVB structures were defined on 10 3-Tesla pelvic MRI scans in patients with prostate cancer but without extraprostatic extension. One pelvic radiologist served as the expert in contouring the right and left NVB for each case. Five radiation oncologists, with varying levels of experience, contoured the right and left NVBs on these same cases. The intraclass correlation coefficient across each rater and the expert, Pearson correlation coefficient between each rater and the expert, and the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) between each rater and the expert were calculated to evaluate contour agreement and overlap. Results The overall intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.89 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81-0.95). The Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.86-0.98) for rater 1, 0.98 (95% CI, 0.95-0.99) for rater 2, 0.94 (95% CI, 0.86-0.98) for rater 3, 0.98 (95% CI, 0.95-0.99) for rater 4, and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.63-0.93) for rater 5. The mean DSC was 0.72 (standard deviation [SD], 0.07) for rater 1, 0.72 (SD, 0.06) for rater 2, 0.73 (SD, 0.09) for rater 3, 0.74 (SD, 0.09) for rater 4, and 0.68 (SD, 0.13) for rater 5. Overall, across all raters, the average DSC was 0.72 (SD, 0.09). Conclusions The classic posterolateral NVB can be accurately and reliably contoured on 3-Tesla pelvic MRI scans by radiation oncologists.
THE NATIONAL BALANCE SHEET OF THE SOVIET UNION

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the national balance sheet of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union has always, apart possibly from a short period of war communism, possessed a reasonably comprehensive financial system with most of the paraphernalia usually associated with it—currency and deposit money; central, short term credit, long term credit and savings banks; and government securities and life insurance. One aspect of the financial system is much more developed and vastly more important in the Soviet Union than in capitalistic countries, the use of the banking system as a control device for the allocation and use of funds. The financial structure of the USSR is in many respects similar, at least in outward appearance, to that of more or less advanced non-Communist countries, although the similarity seems to have diminished rather than increased over the last forty years. The USSR has a central bank, the Gosbank, which issues paper money and keeps the government's deposits as central banks as many other countries do, and operates through a nation-wide system of branches and agencies.
Thermography of the hand and wrist: practical applications.

SUMMARY Thermography is a noninvasive imaging technique that visualizes extremely small but significant cutaneous sensory segment temperature alterations, which reflect physiologic changes not depicted by static techniques including CT and MR imaging. The equipment in current use, techniques of upper extremity examination, criteria for interpretation, a classic body of thermographic patterns associated with sympathetic nerve dysfunction, and theories relating to their mechanisms have been summarized. The particular contributions of thermography in diagnosing and corroborating acute, recurrent, and chronic clinical symptoms related to the hand and wrist have been illustrated and discussed.
Disease Management in Soybean: Use of Chemical Control and Application Technology

Although soybean is parasitized by fungal, viral and bacterial pathogens, only those diseases caused by fungi are controlled by chemical means to any large degree. The economic importance of the disease, the value of the crop in a given year, the price and effectiveness of the fungicide, and the comparative effectiveness of other control measures such as cultural practices combine to determine whether fungicides will be used to control a particular disease. The need for fungicides is determined partially by geographical location since many of the more destructive fungal diseases are prevalent in areas of the world where rainfall is high and temperatures are warm during the growing season. In addition, the type of disease will determine, to a limited extent, whether or not a fungicide will be effective in controlling a disease. Foliar diseases are, in general, easier to control with fungicides than stem and root diseases, because of ease of delivering the fungicide to the appropriate location. Chemical control of soybean diseases includes control of seedling diseases with seed treatments or soil-applied chemicals, control of root and stem diseases and control of foliar and pod diseases. Technological advances involved in delivering the chemicals and improvement of predictive systems have combined to make chemical control of soybean diseases a viable, effective part of disease management programs.
Biophysical Aspects of Actin-Based Cell Motility in Fish Epithelial Keratocytes

Cell motility is a fascinating dynamic process crucial for a wide variety of biological phenomena, including defense against injury or infection, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. A cell using actin-based motility to crawl across a substrate must coordinate the action of numerous individual molecular building blocks to achieve coherent cell movement. While the molecular basis of cell motility is beginning to be understood, relatively little is known about the large-scale mechanisms responsible for this remarkable self-organization that bridges many orders of magnitude in both space and time. In this chapter, we discuss the biophysical aspects of actin-based cell motility and the importance of their interplay with the underlying biochemical processes, focusing on fish epithelial keratocytes as a relatively simple model system. We review the current understanding regarding the mechanical and biochemical aspects of keratocyte motility, and at the same time highlight some gaps in our knowledge.
Controlling a Robot Arm for Target Reaching without Planning Using Spiking Neurons

Target reaching is one of the most important problems in robotics - object interaction, manipulation and grasping tasks require reaching of specific targets. We avoid the complexity of calculating the inverse kinematics and doing motion planning, and instead we use a combination of motor primitives. We propose a bio-inspired architecture that performs target reaching with a robot arm without planning. A spiking neural network represents motions in a hierarchy of motor primitives. Different correction primitives are combined using an error signal. We present experiments with a simulation of a robot arm to extensively cover the working space by going to different points and returning to the start point, and experiments to test extreme targets and random points in sequence. Robotics applications - like target reaching - can provide benchmarking tasks and realistic scenarios for validation of neuroscience models. Robotics can take advantage of the capabilities of spiking neural networks and the advantages of neuromorphic hardware to run them.
Associations between Psychopathic Traits and Readiness for Change: An exploratory analysis

Abstract Readiness to change (RTC) indicates an individual's recognition of a problem as well as confidence in their ability to change (Gaume, Bertholet, & Daeppen, 2016), and is hypothesized to play an important role in therapeutic processes aimed at changing offending behaviors (Polaschek & Ross, 2010). However, prior research has generally failed to consider RTC among severe offender subgroups ( Hodge & Renwick, 2002 ; Howells & Day, 2007) such as those with psychopathic personality features whom have often been characterized as resistant to treatment (Harris & Rice, 2006; Salekin, 2002). In the current sample of formerly incarcerated persons (N = 70), we explore the relationship between psychopathic personality traits, as measured by the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM; Patrick, 2010), and the unique components of RTC, as measured by an originally constructed assessment called the Change Readiness Scale (CRS). Each item of the CRS has been empirically supported and combined to form five subscales of change readiness (recognition, action, social bonds, human agency, and self-efficacy). Results show unique associations between the subscales of the TriPM and aspects of the RTC construct, yielding it necessary to further explore these relationships to better understand how these factors may contribute to treatment and justice system outcomes.
What's New in Genetic Skin Diseases

The discoveries of new genes underlying genetic skin diseases have occurred at a rapid pace, supported by advances in DNA sequencing technologies. These discoveries have translated to an improved understanding of disease mechanisms at a molecular level and identified new therapeutic options based on molecular targets. This article highlights just a few of these recent discoveries for a diverse group of skin diseases, including tuberous sclerosis complex, ichthyoses, overgrowth syndromes, interferonopathies, and basal cell nevus syndrome, and how this has translated into novel targeted therapies and improved patient care.
Embodying the Police: The Effects of Enclothed Cognition on Shooting Decisions:

The theory of enclothed cognition proposes that wearing physical articles of clothing can trigger psychological processes and behavioral tendencies connected to their symbolic meaning. Furthermore, past research has found that increases in power are associated with greater approach orientation and action tendencies. In this study, we integrate these two literatures to examine how embodying the role of a police officer through wearing a uniform would affect responses on a reaction-time measure known as the Shooter Task. This first-person video game simulation requires participants to shoot or not shoot targets holding guns or objects. The task typically elicits a stereotypical pattern of responses, such that unarmed Black versus White targets are more likely to be mistakenly shot and armed Black versus White targets are more likely to be correctly shot. Based on the relationship between power and action, we hypothesized that participants who were randomly assigned to wear a police uniform would show more shooting errors, particularly false alarms, than control participants. Consistent with our hypotheses, participants in uniform were more likely to shoot unarmed targets, regardless of their race. Moreover, this pattern was partially moderated by attitudes about the police and their abuse of power. Specifically, uniformed participants who justified police use of power were more likely to shoot innocent targets than those who were wary of it. We discuss implications for police perceptions and the theory of enclothed cognition more broadly.
Cerebral monitoring during transcarotid artery revascularization with flow reversal via transcranial doppler ultrasound examination

Abstract Objective Transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) is a hybrid technique for carotid artery revascularization that relies on proximal carotid occlusion with flow reversal for distal embolic protection. The hemodynamic response of the intracranial circulation to flow reversal is unknown. In addition, the rate and pattern of cerebral embolization during flow reversal has yet to be investigated. The aim of this study was to characterize cerebral hemodynamic and embolization patterns during TCAR. Methods A single-institution retrospective study of patients with carotid artery stenosis undergoing TCAR with intraoperative transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) was performed. Primary outcomes included changes in MCA velocity and MCA embolic signals observed throughout TCAR. Results Eleven patients underwent TCAR with TCD monitoring of the ipsilateral MCA. The average MCA velocity at baseline was 50.6 ± 16.4 cm/s. MCA flow decreased significantly upon initiation of flow reversal (50.5 ± 16.4 cm/s vs 19.1 ± 18.4 cm/s; P = .02). The reinitiation of antegrade flow resulted in a significant increase in the number of embolic events compared with baseline (P = .003), and embolic events were observed in two patients during flow reversal. Conclusions TCD monitoring of patients undergoing TCAR revealed that the initiation of flow reversal results in a decrement in ipsilateral MCA velocity. Furthermore, embolic events can occur during flow reversal and are significantly associated with the reinitiation of antegrade flow in the internal carotid artery. However, both of these hemodynamic events were well-tolerated in our cohort. These findings suggest that TCAR remains a safe neuroprotective strategy for carotid revascularization.
Dentition and occlusion development in African American children: mesiodistal crown diameters and tooth-size ratios of primary teeth.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the mesiodistal primary tooth size diameter and posterior sagittal tooth-size ratio in an African American population and compare to existing African American and European American norms. Methods: A sample of 1,124 African American children, 564 males and 560 females, was used to record crown size diameters employing indirect (cast) and direct (intraoral) measurement techniques. Results: African American males showed larger crown diameters than African American females for each of the 5 classes of primary teeth (α=0.05 level). Sexual dimorphism averaged 3.5% in the maxilla and 3.2% in the mandible. When inter-racial primary crown size comparisons were made between African American and European American children, African American males showed larger mean crown diameters for each class of primary teeth compared to European American males. The inter-racial comparisons in crown diameters of females showed fewer statistically significant differences in primary teeth classes. When crown size comparisons of the primary dentition’s posterior segments were made, African American males and females showed a larger primary posterior sagittal tooth-size-ratio compared to European American children. Conclusions: While intra- and inter-racial sex differences exist in the primary teeth of African American and European American children, with few exceptions, the mesiodistal crown size differences and sexual dimorphism appear to be larger for the African American population. African American children show a larger primary posterior sagittal tooth-size ratio (0.96) compared to European American children (0.94). (Pediatr Dent 2005;27:121-128)
The Impact of Sustained Immunization Regimens on the Antibody Response to Oligomannose Glycans.

The high mannose patch (HMP) of the HIV envelope protein (Env) is the structure most frequently targeted by broadly neutralizing antibodies; therefore, many researchers have attempted to use mimics...
Business Reopening Decisions and Demand Forecasts During the COVID-19 Pandemic

How quickly will American businesses reopen after COVID-19 lockdowns end? We use a nationwide survey of small businesses to measure firmsâ€™ expectations about th
Lunar Rover Optimization Platform for Wheel Traction Studies

Robotic mobility systems expand the reach of future scientific and exploration missions to celestial bodies. Understanding the traction performance of these systems is necessary knowledge that informs mission-level requirements, such as power budgets and navigation envelopes. This paper covers the design, development, and verification of the four wheeled Lunar Rover Optimization Platform (LROP). This mass optimized platform is targeted to emulate future medium class rovers weighing up to 90 kg. The LROP has the ability to conduct various wheel design experiments such as obstacle traversal, slope ascent, and drawbar pull over a wheel loading range of 4.5 to 22.7 kg. The platform also has the ability to shift its center of gravity (CG) laterally and longitudinally to explore the CG shift effects on mobility performance. This knowledge is valuable for future rover designers exploring different payload packaging solutions. In this paper results from obstacle traversal test with varying angle of attack (AOA) and longitudinal CG position are reported along with results from slope ascent testing which proved-out the LROPs capabilities.
The Demand for Capital Services

To begin the discussion of the demand for capital services, we consider maximization of net worth under standard neoclassical conditions of production: levels of output, variable input, and the services of each capital asset are constrained by a production function. The criterion of maximizing net worth may be derived as a necessary condition for maximization of utility subject to a fixed set of production possibilities and to competitive markets for all commodities. Alternative criteria for optimal capital accumulation have been proposed in great number. 1/ Only the criterion of maximum net worth may be derived from the maximization of utility. 2/
Cognition in breast cancer survivors: hormones versus depression

Background Objective Breast cancer survivors receiving hormone treatment and/or endorsing histories of receiving chemotherapy report changes in their cognitive capacity, which is often not supported by formal testing. To address these conflicting reports, this study examined survivors' applied cognitive capacity and its association with hormone treatment, depression, and selected demographics. Methods A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional survey design was employed. There were 357 women who completed a survey comprised of 69 questions. The survey included both investigator-developed questions and instruments from the PROMIS® system. Results There were significant main effects for hormone therapy, race, and depression. Depression explained the largest portion of variance of the perceived decreases in cognitive function among breast cancer survivors. Conclusions Survivor complaints of changes in cognitive function may be a predictor for evaluating the presence of mood disorders and less a function of hormone therapy or chemotherapy history. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Material Uniformity and the Concept of the Stress Space

The notion of the stress space, introduced by Schaefer [14], and further developed by Kroner [7] in the context of materials free of defects, is revisited. The comparison between the Geometric Theory of Material Inhomogeneities and the Stress Space approach is discussed. It is shown how to extend Kroner’s approach to the case of the material body with inhomogeneities (defects).
Prevention in Managed Care:: Joining Forces for Value and Quality

On January 15–16, 1997, about a year ago, more than 650 health professionals gathered in Atlanta to attend the conference, “Prevention in Managed Care: Joining Forces for Value and Quality.” The conference was designed to bring together key and diverse stakeholders in the public’s health—persons whose professional responsibilities and objectives are similar, who need to work together to improve the nation’s health, but who have not yet established relationships and networks for collaboration. The nine sponsoring organizations (pp. 123–124), representing public health agencies, managed care organizations, purchasers, foundations, and government, exemplified these organizations and health professionals. The conference format afforded opportunities for discussing preventive health issues such as immunization, cancer screening, adolescent health, and violence as well as issues of purchasing and contracting for preventive health services and of having data for intervention and fiscal decision making, performance measurement, accreditation, and assessment. As important, it was hoped that, through interacting and sharing perspectives on roles and responsibilities as part of the conference workshops, communication and partnerships for prevention would grow. Traditional public health leaders joined with managed care officials and providers, public and private sector purchasers of health benefits, and community health professionals and foundation leaders to discuss perspectives, responsibilities, and logistical and technical realities for bridging the chasm between public and private sector health responsibilities. For many individuals in public health, this was their first interaction with representatives from managed care organizations, and vice versa. These Proceedings include:
Colorimetric Determination of Color of Aerial Mycelium of Streptomycetes

Abstract Lyons, Allister J., Jr. (Northern Regional Research Laboratory, Peoria, Ill.) and Thomas G. Pridham. Colorimetric determination of color of aerial mycelium of streptomycetes. J. Bacteriol. 89:159–169. 1965.—For some time, streptomycete taxonomists have been seeking to describe more accurately the colors of aerial mycelium. Some of the descriptive systems involve many different color names and groups. Others combine many colors into a few groups. All the systems and methods leave much to be desired. To obtain an accurate description, a colorimeter with a reflectance attachment was used to examine streptomycete aerial mycelium of 37 strains, representing all of the major aerial mycelium color groups. Each color was characterized by three values: dominant wavelength in millimicrons, and purity and brightness in percentages. All colors of aerial mycelium were of low purity (< 25%). Most of the dominant wavelengths were in the yellow to yellow-green bands of the spectrum. Most of the color tabs matched visually with the streptomycete strains had purities of a higher value than those of the cultures. The reflectance instrument seems to allow an objective description, and its use may help to clarify the color problem with streptomycetes. It is concluded that present color descriptions are inadequate and that the significance of color in speciation requires critical examination.
Nonlinear Coordinate Unfolding Via Principal Curve Projections with Application to Nonlinear BSS

Nonlinear independent components analysis (NICA) is known to be an ill-posed problem when only the independence of the sources are sought. Additional constraints on the distribution of the sources or the structure of the mixing nonlinearity are imposed to achieve a solution that is unique in a suitable sense. In this paper, we present a technique that tackles nonlinear blind source separation (NBSS) as a nonlinear invertible coordinate unfolding problem utilizing a recently developed definition of maximum-likelihood principal curves. The proposition would be applicable most conveniently to independent unimodal source distributions with mixtures that have diminishing second order derivatives along the source axes. Application to multimodal sources would be possible with some modifications that are not discussed in this paper. The ill-posed nature of NBSS is also discussed from a differential geometric perspective in this context.
Concurrent engineering methods and models for satellite concept design

A common method of spacecraft concept design is to estimate size, mass, power and cost based on parametric or analogous relationships obtained from historical satellite data from similar systems that meet similar mission requirements. These are tried and true methods often used to perform early trade space analysis that depend heavily on the relevance and accuracy of the historical data. These methods fall short, however, when the goal is to generate a concept design for a system where the historical data is insufficient or irrelevant, mission requirements are not well defined, or the intent is to break from tradition and start a blank sheet design. Often this is the case for small satellites. In this paper it is shown how Concurrent Engineering Methods are used to create blank sheet concept designs by applying a “bottoms up” approach in a manner that can be accomplished by a single engineer. Simple mathematical models for some subsystems are presented that may be implemented using a spreadsheet. The rapid iterative nature of the concurrent engineering methodology is shown to converge to a design solution in a fraction of the time required by using non-concurrent bottoms up methods.
Analysis of Experimental and Computational Results for Incipient Separation and Dynamic Stall

ABSTRACT The role of unsteady separation in the dynamic stall phenomenon is very important. Recent results obtained using theoretical, experimental and computational/analytical fluid dynamic approaches have led to considerable insight into the flow past a pitching airfoil, at least for the low-speed case. The authors have briefly presented their unsteady Navier-Stokes (NS) analysis using vorticity, stream function and circulation variables in generalized orthogonal curvilinear coordinates. Some results are presented in terms of instantaneous vorticity contours for three flow configurations. Two of these configurations are for the constant-rate pitch-up motion, while the third is for the sinusoidally oscillating case. Some prevailing research issues have been compiled and subsequently discussed. Although the role of incipient separation in the dynamic stall phenomenon for low-speed flows is understood to a considerable degree, the corresponding high-Reynolds number flow, with its finer scales, remains unresolved. Some success has also been achieved in controlling the low-speed flow using the suction/injection mechanism. Experimental and computational techniques have played a key role in the progress to date. The dynamic stall problem constitutes an excellent model problem for study by a synergistic approach using theoretical, experimental and computational/analytical methods. Because of the numerous advantages of an integrated approach, researchers need to work closely to complement each other's efforts.
First Language Acquisition: Modulating word meanings

The utterances children hear don't consist of bare words strung together. Rather, depending on the language, words are usually modulated to include further information about the specific meaning to be conveyed. These modulations take the form of inflections, usually suffixes, added to word-stems, and of freestanding grammatical forms like prepositions. Some languages indicate the roles played by the referents of each noun phrase (e.g., agent, recipient, place, instrument) through word-endings added to the noun. They mark the doer of the action with nominative case, or where the event took place with locative case. On verbs, they can mark when an action took place with tense marking on the verb, or the general temporal “shape” of an action – whether it was completed, reiterated, or lasted for some time – with an aspectual ending on the verb, and so on. They may also mark gender on nouns (e.g., masculine, feminine, neuter) as well as on articles, adjectives, and sometimes verbs; and they can mark person (e.g., first, second, or third person on the verb) and number (e.g., singular or plural on nouns, verbs, and adjectives). Modulations like these are generally provided by the inflections of a language, but languages differ in how they add such information to nouns and verbs, the regularity of the forms they use, and the division of labor between grammatical particles (inflections or free grammatical morphemes) versus reliance on word order.
Effects of intra- and interspecific interactions on species responses to environmental change

Summary 1. The extent of directional environmental change expected in the next century underscores the need to understand density-dependent population regulation. 2. Direct density dependence generated by intraspecific competition and /or predator‐ prey interactions should buffer environmentally produced changes in density-independent growth rates ( r ). Density dependence generated by interspecific competition should magnify sensitivity to changes in r . 3. We tested these predictions by assembling protist communities in laboratory microcosms and subjecting the communities to directional environmental change. Two experiments used pairs of competing protists ( Colpidium striatum Stein and Tetrahymena thermophila Nanney & McCoy, and Paramecium tetraurelia Sonneborn and Blepharisma americanum Suzuki) along with single-species controls. Two experiments used predator‐prey pairs ( Didinium nasutum Muller or Euplotes patella Ehrenberg preying on Colpidium ) and controls containing only prey. We grew replicates of each species combination in two temperature regimes (constant or slowly increasing temperature). Independent of these experiments, we quantified the temperature dependence of r (intrinsic rate of increase) for each species. 4. Comparison of effects of temperature on r to effects on mean density revealed that intraspecific competition buffered species densities against temperature changes that increased r by over 200%. Interspecific interactions did not affect species responses to environmental change. Temperature change had weak effects on species densities, whether or not other species were present. 5. The results suggest that natural populations, regulated by direct density dependence, may be buffered against directional environmental change. Environmental change will have large effects when populations experience little density dependence, and when environmental change has different effects on the vital rates of different species.
Life Stressors and Mental Health

The last two decades have witnessed a growing societal concern with stress and its psychological toll. In fact, research on stress has grown exponentially during this period; the issues examined touch almost every specialization in basic and applied social science (Coyne & Downey, 1991). Researchers have examined a wide range of Stressors, including general Stressors involving acute life events (Thoits, 1983), role strains (Pearlin, 1989), and chronic difficulties (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), and such specific Stressors as technological disaster (Baum, Gatchel, & Schaeffer, 1983).
Use of the reverse hemolytic plaque assay to study the regulation of anterior lobe adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) secretion by ACTH-releasing factor, arginine vasopressin, angiotensin II, and glucocorticoids.

A reverse hemolytic plaque assay (RHPA) for ACTH was developed to study the responses of anterior lobe corticotropes to secretagogues-CRF, arginine vasopressin (AVP), angiotensin II (A-II), or to a 6- to 24-h pretreatment with corticosterone. Tests showed that optimal plaque formation was obtained after 3–4 h with 1:100–1:200 anti ACTH-(25–39) and 1:20–1:50 complement. Under optimal basal conditions, 6.6% of pituitary cells from normal male rats formed plaques. The addition of 50–90 μg/ml ACTH to the anti-ACTH for 48 h before its use in the RHPA resulted in a decrease in percentage of ACTH plaques to levels not different from those obtained with preimmune serum, or when complement was omitted from the assay (0.9–1.3%). There was a gradual increase in percentage of ACTH plaques to 9.8% of the population after exposure to increasing doses of CRF (0.1–10 nM). These same high percentages of ACTH plaques could also be obtained by the addition of 1 nM AVP or A-II with the lowest doses of CRF (100–500 pM). Expos...
One Hundred–Foot Walk Test for Functional Assessment of Clinic Patients

Abstract Background Gait velocity measurements provide functional assessment of patients with diverse diseases and allow predictions about future adverse events. The optimal distance for patient classification is uncertain. Methods Participants were identified in internal medicine clinics and had to be independently ambulatory. Study investigators collected medical information, used a qualitative test to assess gait and balance (G and B score), and measured gait velocity with a timed 100-foot walk. Results One hundred eighty-four patients participated in this study. The mean age was 57.8 ± 12.7 years; 50% of the participants were men. The mean gait speed was 3.33 ± 0.71 ft/sec. Gait speed decreased with age and with body mass index (BMI) and increased with height and male sex. Patients with more comorbidities had decreased speed ( P P P Conclusions A 100-foot walk test in clinic patients provides a practical functional assessment. Gait speed was slower in patients with multiple comorbidities and poor balance. Patients with increased heart rate responses during this test seem to have physiologic impairment. This test has the potential to predict adverse events and to quantitatively determine responses to therapeutic interventions but needs prospective evaluation in clinical studies.
The importance of systemic response in the pathobiology of blast-induced neurotrauma.

Due to complex injurious environment where multiple blast effects interact with the body, parallel blast-induced neurotrauma is a unique clinical entity induced by systemic, local, and cerebral responses. Activation of autonomous nervous system; sudden pressure-increase in vital organs such as lungs and liver; and activation of neuroendocrine-immune system are among the most important mechanisms that contribute significantly to molecular changes and cascading injury mechanisms in the brain. It has been hypothesized that vagally mediated cerebral effects play a vital role in the early response to blast: this assumption has been supported by experiments where bilateral vagotomy mitigated bradycardia, hypotension, and apnea, and also prevented excessive metabolic alterations in the brain of animals exposed to blast. Clinical experience suggests specific blast-body-nervous system interactions such as 1) direct interaction with the head either through direct passage of the blast wave through the skull or by causing acceleration and/or rotation of the head; and 2) via hydraulic interaction, when the blast overpressure compresses the abdomen and chest, and transfers its kinetic energy to the body’s fluid phase, initiating oscillating waves that traverse the body and reach the brain. Accumulating evidence suggests that inflammation plays important role in the pathogenesis of long-term neurological deficits due to blast. These include memory decline, motor function and balance impairments, and behavioral alterations, among others. Experiments using rigid body- or head protection in animals subjected to blast showed that head protection failed to prevent inflammation in the brain or reduce neurological deficits, whereas body protection was successful in alleviating the blast-induced functional and morphological impairments in the brain.
A comparison of soil and vegetation properties of seeded and naturally revegetated pyritic alpine mine spoil and reference sites

Abstract We compared physical and chemical soil properties and vegetation characteristics of seeded revegetated and naturally revegetated mine sites and native undisturbed reference sites on two high-elevation gold and copper mines using samples collected in August 1984. Because nitrogen is often the most limiting nutrient in alpine systems and levels of available nitrogen (NO3 and NH4) fluctuate, we measured nitrogen three times during the growing season. Significant differences in physical and chemical soil properties and vegetation characteristics were observed between reference area and seeded and naturally revegetated sites. Revegetated areas had high levels of P, K and Ca, reflecting use of fertilizer and lime in reclamation. However, extractable P was higher on reference than naturally revegetated sites. Limestone outcrops provided a favorable chemical environment for plant colonization of naturally revegetated sites. Larger pools of organic matter and total nitrogen existed on reference sites than on seeded or naturally revegetated sites. Both seeded and naturally revegetated sites exhibited lower overall levels and smaller fluctuations in NH4 and NO3 during the growing season than did the reference sites. The seeded revegetated site that had been fertilized the previous year was similar to the reference area in vegetation biomass and cover, while the site that had not been fertilized for 3 years had significantly less biomass and cover.
Splitting of tungsten wire in the knife-edge compression test

As-drawn tungsten wire has been known to split and rolled tungsten sheet to delaminate if mishandled. The mechanism of splitting of tungsten wire in a knife-edge compression test was studied for a number of tungsten wires of different diameter, composition, processing history, and origin. The micro-structure of these wires was examined by optical, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. Grain boundary composition was determined by Auger electron spectroscopy. A correlation between the number of transverse boundaries in the microstructure and the split load in the knife-edge compression test was observed; the greater the number of transverse boundaries, the lower the load required to induce a split. This relationship held for all wires, regardless of the history of the wire. It was concluded that transverse grain or subgrain boundaries are responsible for initiating splits in the knife-edge compression test. The mechanism of splitting is discussed.
Stereospecific modulation of tumorigenicity by opioid antagonists.

Abstract The effects of (+) and (−) isomers of naloxone in altering tumor response in A/Jax mice inoculated with S20Y neuroblastoma were determined. Mice given daily subcutaneous injections of 15 mg/kg (−)naloxone had a 71% tumor incidence, a 33% delay in the time before tumor appearance, and a 28% increase in survival time. Inoculation of neuroblastoma cells in control subjects resulted in 100% tumor incidence within 13 days. Animals given 15 mg/kg (+)naloxone were comparable to control subjects in all aspects of neural neoplasia. These results show that opioid antagonists exert a stereospecific action on neural cancers, and provide further evidence that endogenous opioid systems play an important role in neuro-oncogenic expression.