cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solutions to the Dirac equation in the background of 1 monopole with 2 singularities

We use the Nahm transform to construct explicit $L^2$ solutions to the Dirac equation in $\mathbb{R}^3$ in the background of one nonabelian $U(2)$ monopole with one positive and one negative Dirac singularity.
Pessimism, Narrative, and Meaning in Henry Céard’s Une belle journée

Henry Ceard's Une belle journee, a ‘plotless' novel, illuminates debates about pessimism in late nineteenth-century France by bringing to the fore the imperative to interpretation. The way that the...
Midline Shift vs. Mid-Surface Shift: Correlation with Outcome of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major health and socioeconomic problem globally that is associated with a high level of mortality. Early and accurate diagnosis and prognosis of TBI is important in patient management and preventing any secondary injuries. Computer tomography (CT) imaging assists physicians in diagnosing injury and guiding treatment. One of the clinical parameters extracted from CT images is midline shift, a measure of linear displacement in brain structure, which is correlated with TBI patient outcomes. However, only a tiny fraction of the overall tissue displacement is quantified through this parameter. In this paper, a novel measurement of overall mid-surface shift is proposed that quantifies the total volume of brain tissue shifted across the midline. When compared to traditional midline shift, mid-surface shift has a stronger correlation with TBI patient outcomes.
Pre-Emptive Radiofrequency Septal Ablation to Decrease the Risk of Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction After TMVR

A 74-year-old woman with prior transcatheter aortic valve replacement using a 23-mm SAPIEN3 valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California) presented with severe mitral annular calcification (MAC) and symptomatic severe mitral stenosis. She was not a surgical candidate and was referred for
Opioids or Steroids for Pneumonia or Sinusitis.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the frequency of opioid and corticosteroid prescriptions dispensed for children with pneumonia or sinusitis visits on the basis of location of care. METHODS: We evaluated 2016 South Carolina Medicaid claims data for 5 to 18 years olds with pneumonia or sinusitis. Visits were associated with 1 of 3 locations: the emergency department (ED), urgent care, or the ambulatory setting. RESULTS: Inclusion criteria were met by 31 838 children. Pneumonia visits were more often linked to an opioid prescription in the ED (34 of 542 [6.3%]) than in ambulatory settings (24 of 1590 [1.5%]; P ≤ .0001) and were more frequently linked to a steroid prescription in the ED (106 of 542 [19.6%]) than in ambulatory settings (196 of 1590 [12.3%]; P ≤ .0001). Sinusitis visits were more often linked to an opioid prescription in the ED (202 of 2705 [7.5%]) than in ambulatory settings (568 of 26 866 [2.1%]; P ≤ .0001) and were more frequently linked to a steroid prescription in the ED (510 of 2705 [18.9%]) than in ambulatory settings (1922 of 26 866 [7.2%]; P ≤ .0001). In logistic regression for children with pneumonia, the ED setting was associated with increased odds of receiving an opioid (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.69) or steroid (aOR 1.67). Similarly, patients with sinusitis were more likely to be prescribed opioids (aOR 4.02) or steroids (aOR 3.05) in the ED than in ambulatory sites. CONCLUSIONS: School-aged children received opioid and steroid prescriptions for pneumonia or sinusitis at a higher frequency in the ED versus the ambulatory setting.
CRISPRL and: Interpretable large-scale inference of DNA repair landscape based on a spectral approach.

Summary We propose a new spectral framework for reliable training, scalable inference and interpretable explanation of the DNA repair outcome following a Cas9 cutting. Our framework, dubbed CRISPRL and, relies on an unexploited observation about the nature of the repair process: the landscape of the DNA repair is highly sparse in the (Walsh-Hadamard) spectral domain. This observation enables our framework to address key shortcomings that limit the interpretability and scaling of current deep-learning-based DNA repair models. In particular, CRISPRL and reduces the time to compute the full DNA repair landscape from a striking 5230 years to 1 week and the sampling complexity from 1012 to 3 million guide RNAs with only a small loss in accuracy (R2R2 ∼ 0.9). Our proposed framework is based on a divide-and-conquer strategy that uses a fast peeling algorithm to learn the DNA repair models. CRISPRL and captures lower-degree features around the cut site, which enrich for short insertions and deletions as well as higher-degree microhomology patterns that enrich for longer deletions. Availability and implementation The CRISPRL and software is publicly available at https://github.com/UCBASiCS/CRISPRLand.
Decrease of Anticholinergic Drug Use in Nursing Home Residents in the United States, 2009 to 2017.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the time course of anticholinergic drug use in nursing home residents and assess if any temporal change in anticholinergic use varied by nursing home quality rating. DESIGN Retrospective repeated cross-sectional analysis of Medicare enrollment, Parts A, B, and D, claims data linked to the Minimum Data Set from 2009 to 2017. SETTING Medicare-certified nursing homes. PARTICIPANTS Long-term residents 65 years or older with nursing home stay of at least 100 consecutive days within a given calendar year. MEASUREMENTS Estimates of anticholinergic drug prescription rates between 2009 and 2017 were based on a binary variable indicating whether a resident received a drug with high anticholinergic activity, as defined by the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden scale, for at least 1 day during the initial 100 consecutive days of nursing home stay in a given calendar year. We used mixed effects logistic regression models to determine adjusted rates of anticholinergic use each year and test the interaction between nursing home quality rating and year, while adjusting for patient and nursing home characteristics. RESULTS The cohort included 786,858 100-day nursing home stays (299,354 unique residents) in 6,703 nursing homes for the years 2009 to 2017. Prescription rates were stable at approximately 34% to 35% between 2009 and 2011, then gradually decreased to 24.3% in 2017 (P < .0001), with the decline being more pronounced in nursing homes having high quality ratings (P < .0001). Rates for anticholinergic drugs in nursing homes with 4 to 5 star quality rating (33.7% in 2011 to 23.3% in 2017) showed a steeper decline over time relative to nursing homes with 1 to 2 star quality rating (34.2% in 2011 to 25.2% in 2017) (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS The use of drugs with high anticholinergic activity has declined from 2009 to 2017, with a greater decline in higher-quality nursing homes.
The Impact of Rapid Species Identification on Management of Bloodstream Infections: What’s in a Name?

Bloodstream infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Molecular rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs) are transforming care for patients with bloodstream infection by providing the opportunity to dramatically shorten times to effective therapy and speeding de-escalation of overly broad empiric therapy. However, because of the novelty of these tests which provide information regarding microbial identification and whether specific antibiotic-resistance mutations were detected, many front-line providers still delay final decisions until complete phenotypic susceptibility results are available several days later. Thus the benefits of mRDTs have been largely limited to circumstances where antimicrobial stewardship programs closely monitor these tests and intervene as soon as the results are available. We searched PubMed and Google Scholar for articles published from 1980 to 2019 using the terms antibiotic, antifungal, bacteremia, bloodstream infection, candidemia, candidiasis, children, coagulase negative staphylococcus, consultation, contamination, costs, echocardiogram, endocarditis, enterobacteriaceae, enterococcus, Gram-negative, guidelines, IDSA, immunocompromised, infectious disease or ID, lumbar puncture, meningitis, mortality, MRSA, MSSA, neonatal, outcomes, pediatric, pneumococcal, polymicrobial, Pseudomonas, rapid diagnostic testing, resistance, risk factors, sepsis, Staphylococcus aureus, stewardship, streptococcus, and treatment. With the data from this search, we aim to provide guidance to front-line providers regarding the interpretation and immediate actions to be taken in response to the identification of common bloodstream pathogens by mRDTs. In addition to antimicrobial therapy, additional diagnostic or therapeutic interventions are recommended for particular organisms and clinical settings to either determine the extent of infection or control its source. Pediatric perspectives are offered for those bloodstream pathogens for which management differs from that in adults.
Tracking Community Timing: Pattern and Determinants of Seasonality in Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Northern Florida

Community dynamics are embedded in hierarchical spatial–temporal scales that connect environmental drivers with species assembly processes. Culicoides species are hematophagous arthropod vectors of orbiviruses that impact wild and domestic ruminants. A better sense of Culicoides dynamics over time is important because sympatric species can lengthen the seasonality of virus transmission. We tested a putative departure from the four seasons calendar in the phenology of Culicoides and the vector subassemblage in the Florida panhandle. Two years of weekly abundance data, temporal scales, persistence and environmental thresholds were analyzed using a tripartite Culicoides β-diversity based modeling approach. Culicoides phenology followed a two-season regime and was explained by stream flow and temperature, but not rainfall. Species richness fit a nested pattern where the species recruitment was maximized during spring months. Midges were active year-round, and two suspected vectors species, Culicoides venustus and Culicoides stellifer, were able to sustain and connect the seasonal modules. Persistence suggests that Orbivirus maintenance does not rely on overwintering and that viruses are maintained year-round, with the seasonal dynamics resembling subtropical Culicoides communities with temporal-overlapping between multivoltine species. Viewing Culicoides-borne orbiviruses as a time-sensitive community-based issue, our results help to recommend when management operations should be delivered.
Have Recent Controlled Substance Laws Affected Disciplinary Actions of Nevada Professional Licensing Boards

The Nevada Legislature has implemented laws which have increased prescribing mandates for controlled substances, specifically: State Bill (SB) 459 implemented on January 1, 2016 and Assembly Bill (...
The Founders in Public Memory: D.C.’s Monumental Core and the Rhetorical Character of the George Mason Memorial

This paper argues that the George Mason Memorial’s obscurity is due to the memorialization of its subject in a way that does not conform with broader cultural understandings of how an American foun...
The impact of technological innovation on service delivery: social media and smartphone integration in a 311 system

Coproduction and digital service delivery are innovative strategies public managers use to improve service delivery. This article analyzes whether technological changes to coproduction systems impr...
Optimum maintenance of deteriorated steel bridges using corrosion resistant steel based on system reliability and life-cycle cost

Abstract Corrosion is a major deterioration mechanism of carbon steel bridges. Multiple maintenance actions have been proposed to meet the safety requirements for bridges subjected to corrosion, including preventive maintenance, such as repainting, and essential maintenance, such as girder replacement. Recently, corrosion-resistant steel has been adopted for bridge construction. However, a comprehensive comparison of different maintenance strategies is still an under-investigated research area, especially for the cost-effectiveness of using corrosion resistant steel to conduct essential maintenance. In this paper, a new type of corrosion-resistant steel, A709-50CR, is considered for girder replacement. Reliability- and risk-based bi-objective optimizations are conducted on a multi-girder carbon steel bridge to determine when and which carbon steel girders should be replaced under different target performance indicators. The objectives are to minimize the life-cycle failure probability/risk and the total life-cycle cost, including initial construction cost and life-cycle maintenance cost. Sensitivity analysis is performed on multiple factors associated with system reliability calculations, such as system models adopted and correlations among resistances of girders. The economic benefits of building an A709-50CR bridge and applying frequent repainting actions on a carbon steel bridge to avoid girder replacement are also investigated. The comparison of different construction and maintenance strategies for multi-girder steel bridges sheds light on their effectiveness.
Towards a Disaster Response System Based on CubeSat Constellations

One critical challenge of disaster response management during long-lasting natural disasters and pandemics is to have a reliable communication infrastructure. Amongst different established communication technologies, satellite communication has provided a promising communication solution in disaster situations. CubeSats are a new breed of satellites that can provide communication needs at a much lower cost. In our work, we exploit the CubeSat, cognitive radio (CR), and deep reinforcement learning (RL) technologies to develop a CR-powered CubeSat constellation-enabled intelligent and resilient communication infrastructure as a disaster response system. Furthermore, to fulfill the communication requirements of different applications and ensure satisfactory experiences of the end users, our proposed communication infrastructure also enables a Quality of Experience (QoE)-aware traffic stream delivery mechanism to optimize the communication management. In our simulation results, we will evaluate the performance of our proposed communication infrastructure from two main perspectives: (1) the capability of ensuring the communication quality, and (2) the effective usage of communication resources.
Pinch Force Required for Adults Over 50 Years of Age to Open Several Types of Food Containers

Many older adults have difficulty opening food packages, and even though they comprise the fastest growing segment of our population, the development of easy to open food packaging has been overlooked by the food industry (Costa and Jongen in Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 50(6):489–502. 10.1080/10408390802544553, 2010); Hensel in Food Technol 66(12):23–30, 2012). The ability to use pinch is required to open food packages, but there is limited evidence regarding how much pinch force is required for different types of food packaging. This study used sensor technology to identify the force required to open several types of food packages which are typically used by older adults. Individuals over the age of 50 opened 15 different food packages and the average force in pounds required to open each type was obtained. The average force employed differed by sex for many food products and ranged from 1.28 to 7.27 kg. The information obtained from this study is useful both for healthcare professionals working with older adults and individuals with pathology of the hand, and for the food packaging industry.
What Reading Does for the Mind.

EADING HAS cognitive consequences that extend beyond its immediate task of lifting meaning from a particular passage. Furthermore, these consequences are reciprocal and exponential in nature. Accumulated over time—spiraling either upward or downward— they carry profound implications for the development of a wide range of cognitive capabilities. Concern about the reciprocal influences of reading achievement has been elucidated through discussions of so-called “Matthew effects” in academic achievement (Stanovich, 1986;Walberg & Tsai, 1983).The term “Matthew effects” is taken from the Biblical passage that describes a rich-get-richer and poor-get-poorer phenomenon.Applying this concept to reading, we see that very early in the reading process poor readers, who experience greater difficulty in breaking the spelling-to-sound code, begin to be exposed to much less text than their more skilled peers (Allington, 1984; Biemiller, 1977-1978). Further exacerbating the problem is the fact that less-skilled readers often find themselves in materials that are too difficult for them (Allington, 1977, 1983, 1984; Gambrell,Wilson, & Gantt, 1981). The combination of deficient decoding skills, lack of practice, and difficult materials results in unrewarding early reading experiences that lead to less involvement in reading-related activities. Lack of exposure and practice on the part of the less-skilled reader delays the development of automaticity and speed at the word recognition level. Slow, capacity-draining word recognition processes require cognitive resources that should be allocated to comprehension. Thus, reading for meaning is hindered; unrewarding reading experiences multiply; and practice is avoided or merely tolerated without real cognitive involvement. The disparity in the reading experiences of children of varying skill may have many other consequences for
Scheduling parallel computations in a heterogeneous environment

A metasystem is a shared ensemble of workstations, vector, and parallel machines connected by local- and wide-area networks. The large array of heterogeneous resources in the metasystem offers an opportunity for delivering high performance on a range of applications. Achieving high performance requires effective scheduling of system resources. This dissertation explores one dimension of the scheduling problem--automatic scheduling of data parallel computations in local-area metasystems containing workstations and multicomputers. Scheduling requires that the problem be decomposed into a set of tasks and data and assigned to processors in a manner that reduces completion time. Problem decomposition is known as partitioning and task assignment is known as placement. Scheduling also requires that the best subset of available processors be selected. No existing system solves all of these problems. We show that scheduling can be performed automatically, efficiently, and profitably for a range of parallel computations in this environment. A framework has been developed to study the scheduling problem. The framework implements several scheduling heuristics that automate processor selection, partitioning, and placement. At the heart of the framework is a model for representing program and system resource information. From this information, a set of cost functions are constructed to predict computation and communication costs that guide the scheduling process. Scheduling results in a load balanced decomposition of the problem at an appropriate computation granularity. A framework simulator called Prophesy and a framework implementation in the Legion parallel processing system called Prophet have been completed. The Legion implementation has been applied to a number of real data parallel applications. The results indicate that excellent performance is obtained, scheduling overhead is small, and the costs of heterogeneous parallel processing, format conversion and routing, can be tolerated. A simulation study confirms the performance results and is validated by the experimental results.
PHASE TRANSITION IN DUSTY PLASMAS

We discuss the microphysical processes that trigger phase transitions in a dusty plasma not in thermodynamic equilibrium and subject to ion streaming. For pressures below the critical pressure Pc for condensation, the grains acquire a large random kinetic energy and form a weakly coupled fluid. If pressure is increased to greater than Pc, the grains lose their kinetic energy and reach a strongly coupled crystalline state. The dust heating in the fluid phase is due to an ion-dust two-stream instability, which is stabilized at P > Pc by the combined effect of ion-neutral and dust-neutral collisions. When the pressure is decreased from the crystalline state to below the critical pressure Pm for melting, transverse phonons are destabilized by ion streaming, which destroys the short range ordering of the dust grains and triggers melting. It is found that Pm < Pc. For Pm < P < Pc mixed phase states can exist. Although the system is not in thermodynamic equilibrium, the process resembles closely to a first order phase transition.
A neural network inversion system for atmospheric remote-sensing measurements

A neural network inversion system is being developed to retrieve physical properties of the atmosphere. The neural network is being trained with radiative transfer simulations, atmospheric measurements, and theoretical understandings about the physical properties and their signatures in satellite measurements. The learning and adjusting process will be very fast and automated. This study seeks to improve future remote-sensing algorithms by bridging visual understanding within the human brain and the retrieval techniques developed by researchers in scientific community. With the new inversion technique of remote-sensing measurements, we will greatly reduce the time and mass storage of conventional inversion methods.
The histone deacetylase inhibitor MS-275 promotes differentiation or apoptosis in human leukemia cells through a process regulated by generation of reactive oxygen species and induction of p21CIP1/WAF1 1.

Effects of the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor MS-275 have been examined in human leukemia and lymphoma cells (U937, HL-60, K562, and Jurkat) as well as in primary acute myelogenous leukemia blasts in relation to differentiation and apoptosis. MS-275 displayed dose-dependent effects in each of the cell lines. When administered at a low concentration (e.g., 1 micro M), MS-275 exhibited potent antiproliferative activity, inducing p21(CIP1/WAF1)-mediated growth arrest and expression of differentiation markers (CD11b) in U937 cells. These events were accompanied by an increase in hypophosphorylated retinoblastoma protein and down-regulation of cell cycle-related proteins including cyclin D1. However, at higher concentrations (e.g., 5 micro M), MS-275 potently induced cell death, triggering apoptosis in approximately 70% of cells at 48 h. In contrast to other HDAC inhibitors such as apicidin, the extrinsic, receptor-mediated pathway played a minimal role in MS-275 lethality. However, MS-275 potently induced a very early (e.g., within 2 h) increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), followed by the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Delta psi(m)) and cytosolic release of cytochrome c. These events culminated in activation of the caspase cascade, manifested by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, p21(CIP1/WAF1), p27(KIP), Bcl-2, and retinoblastoma protein degradation. MS-275 exposure also resulted in diminished expression of cyclin D1 and the antiapoptotic proteins Mcl-1 and XIAP. Administration of the free radical scavenger L-N-acetylcysteine blocked MS-275-mediated mitochondrial injury and apoptosis, suggesting a primary role for ROS generation in MS-275-associated lethality. Lastly, U937 cells stably expressing a p21(CIP1/WAF1) antisense construct were significantly more sensitive to MS-275-mediated apoptosis than controls, but they were impaired in their differentiation response. Together, these findings demonstrate that MS-275 exerts dose-dependent effects in human leukemia cells, i.e., p21(CIP1/WAF1)-dependent growth arrest and differentiation at low drug concentrations and a marked induction of ROS, mitochondrial damage, caspase activation, and apoptosis at higher concentrations.
REPRESENTATION DISPARITIES AND IMPARTIALITY: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF PARTY PERCEPTION OF FEAR, PREPARATION, AND SATISFACTION IN DIVORCE MEDIATION WHEN ONLY ONE PARTY HAS COUNSEL

While other authors have regarded both the presence and the absence of attorneys in family law mediation as cause for concern, little attention has been given to the questions raised when one party is represented and the other is pro se. This article presents data on mediating parties' premediation concerns, fears, and feelings of preparedness, as well as their postmediation satisfaction with the mediation process. The mediating parties are grouped based on each couple's representation status, for example, both represented by attorneys, both pro se, or one attorney-represented party and one pro se party (mixed representation cases). The data show that mixed representation cases are the most likely to report concern, fear, and unpreparedness. Mixed-representation cases also reported the lowest levels of satisfaction after the mediation. Some implications for mediation practice are discussed, as are suggestions for future research.
Adenomatoid Hyperplasia of the Palate

Focal hyperplasia ofthe minor salivary glands is uncommon and, when occurring intraorally, can mimic a salivary gland tumor. Until a report by Buchner in 1991, less than 20 documented cases ofthis lesion had been reported. 1 Buchner reported on a retrospective review of lesions submitted to an oral pathology laboratory and over a 12-year period was able to identify 40 specimens that met the criteria for focal or adenomatoid hyperplasia of minor salivary glands. I Previously, these lesions had been reported as being minor salivary. hypertrophy, salivary glandular hyperplasia, adenomatous hyperplasia ofminor salivary glands, and adenomatoid hyperplasia. I In a review of 53 cases reported in the literature, 32 cases occurred between the ages of 30 and 50 years. One case was reported between the age of0 and 9 years, and two cases between 50 and 70 years.!" In 52 cases in which the sex was known, 33 were reported in males (65%).1-4 No specific relationship to environmental factors or drugs was noted, although a number of factors have been reported to stimulate hypertrophy of salivary glands. These include alcohol, nutritional deficiencies, heavy metal poisoning, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and long-term use ofisoproterenol, thiouracil, phenylbutazone, and atropine. 1-6 Histologically, the lesion contains cluster or lobules of mucous glands that appear normal except for oc. casional enlarged acini. Fibrous tissue occupies the adjacent areas and may be somewhat increased above normal. There is mild acanthosis of overlying palatal surface epithelium.
Reducing postpartum depressive symptoms among black and Latina mothers: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE—To estimate the effectiveness of a behavioral educational intervention to reduce postpartum depressive symptoms among minority mothers. METHODS—We recruited 540 self-identified black or African American and Latina or Hispanic mothers during their postpartum hospital stay and randomized them to receive a behavioral educational intervention or enhanced usual care. The intervention arm received a two-step behavioral educational intervention that prepares and educates mothers about modifiable factors associated with symptoms of postpartum depression (physical symptoms, low social support, low self-efficacy, and infant factors), bolsters social support, enhances management skills, and increases participants’ access to resources. Enhanced usual care participants received a list of community resources and received a 2-week control call. Participants were surveyed prior to randomization, 3-weeks, 3-months, and 6-months later to assess depressive symptoms. The primary outcome, depression, was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (score of 10 or greater). RESULTS—Positive depression screens were less common among intervention vs. enhanced usual care post-hospitalization: 3-weeks (8.8% vs. 15.3%, p=.03), 3-months (8.4% vs. 13.24%, p=. 09) and 6-months (8.9% vs.13.7%, p=.11). An intention-to-treat repeated measures analysis for up to 6 months of follow-up demonstrated that mothers in the intervention group were less likely to
Imagery vividness ratings during exposure treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder as a predictor of treatment outcome

Within exposure-based trauma treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), imagery vividness during imaginal exposure of the traumatic memory is an understudied but potentially important predictor of treatment outcome. Further, to our knowledge, this relationship has only been studied in women to date, and never among individuals with PTSD and substance use disorders which could impact ability to produce vivid mental imagery and its impact. The current study investigated whether imagery vividness ratings during in-session exposure predicted post-treatment PTSD symptom severity in a sample of men and women with comorbid PTSD and substance use disorders, and also examined whether gender moderated this relationship. A sample of 71 participants who received an exposure-based trauma treatment were included in the analyses. PTSD symptom severity was assessed using both the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). Results varied according to method of assessing PTSD symptom severity. Higher imagery vividness was associated with better treatment outcome when assessed by the CAPS, with vividness in later sessions relating more strongly to outcome than vividness in earlier sessions. With the IES-R, higher imagery vividness ratings predicted more favorable treatment outcome for men, but less favorable treatment outcomes for women. Findings are discussed in the context of using imagery vividness to maximize treatment outcomes and future research directions involving scientific replication.
Modal identification using spectral moments

Abstract The use of spectral moments has been proposed for estimating natural frequencies of vibration and equivalent viscous modal damping ratios from ambient response measurements of dynamically excited structures. The moments tend to be relatively more stable than spectral ordinates and may be derived from raw, unsmoothed periodograms. Central to the analysis are the assumptions of white noise excitation, small damping, and uncoupled modes. Partial spectral moments are recommended for multi-degree-of-freedom dynamic systems, deviations from white noise excitation, and to ignore noisy regions of the spectrum at the frequency extremes. This paper presents an iterative algorithm for implementing the concept which eliminates severe bias errors that are identified in damping estimates obtained with the originally proposed algorithm based on partial spectral moments. An error analysis of the new algorithm, which does not make the small damping assumption, is conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of the parameter estimates to (i) presence of additive noise in the response measurements, and (ii) the non-whiteness of the excitation spectral density function. The results are compared with those from a similar analysis for the well-known maximum response natural frequency and half-power bandwidth damping estimators. Information is provided to help in selecting appropriate integration intervals for computing partial spectral moments.
Modifications in the CD36 binding domain of the Plasmodium falciparum variant antigen are responsible for the inability of chondroitin sulfate A adherent parasites to bind CD36

Adhesion of mature Plasmodium falciparum parasitized erythrocytes to microvascular endothelial cells or to placenta contributes directly to the virulence and severe pathology of P falciparum malaria. Whereas CD36 is the major endothelial receptor for microvasculature sequestration, infected erythrocytes adhering in the placenta bind chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) but not CD36. Binding to both receptors is mediated by different members of the large and diverse protein family P falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein-1 (PfEMP-1) and involves different regions of the molecule. The PfEMP-1-binding domain for CD36 resides in the cysteine-rich interdomain region 1 (CIDR-1). To explore why CSA-binding parasites do not bind CD36, CIDR-1 domains from CD36- or CSA-binding parasites were expressed in mammalian cells and tested for adhesion. Although CIDR-1 domains from CD36-adherent strains strongly bound CD36, those from CSA-adherent parasites did not. The CIDR-1 domain has also been reported to bind CSA. However, none of the CIDR-1 domains tested bound CSA. Chimeric proteins between CIDR-1 domains that bind or do not bind CD36 and mutagenesis experiments revealed that modifications in the minimal CD36-binding region (M2 region) are responsible for the inability of CSA-selected parasites to bind CD36. One of these modifications, mapped to a 3-amino acid substitution in the M2 region, ablated binding in one variant and largely reduced binding of another. These findings provide a molecular explanation for the inability of placental sequestered parasites to bind CD36 and provide additional insight into critical residues for the CIDR-1/CD36 interaction.
Molecular genetics of ion channel diseases

Molecular genetics of ion channel diseases. Many physiological processes depend upon the proper functioning of plasma membrane ion channels. This is most apparent in absorptive and secretory epithelia, and in electrically excitable tissues such as nerve and muscle. Disturbances in the operation of ion channels in these settings can alter normal physiology and cause disease. This review illustrates the use of molecular genetics in identifying hereditary diseases caused by mutations in genes which encode various skeletal muscle ion channels. Recent advances in the discovery of genetic mutations in the skeletal muscle voltage-gated sodium channel in certain forms of periodic paralysis, mutations in the skeletal muscle chloride channel gene in myotonia congenita, and defects in two distinct calcium channels that underlie disorders of excitation-contraction coupling (murine muscular dysgenesis, malignant hyperthermia susceptibility) will be presented. In each case, prior knowledge of abnormal ion channel function prompted the search for mutations in candidate genes. This work is beginning to shed new light on the relationship between ion channel structure and function by studies of naturally occurring channel mutations.
Phase I evaluation of thio-TEPA in combination with cisplatin for advanced gynecologic malignancies

Abstract Thirty-five patients with advanced gynecologic malignancies were entered into a phase I study evaluating thio-TEPA in combination with cisplatin (50 mg/m 2 ) intravenously every 4 weeks. Thirty-four patients were evaluable for toxicity and response, and one was evaluable for toxicity only. Median age was 53 years (range 28–72), and performance status ⩽2. Prior treatment included chemotherapy in 21 patients, radiation in 15, hormonal therapy in 3, and immunotherapy in 1. Thio-TEPA was given to three or more patients at each of the following dose levels: 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, and 60 mg/m 2 . Thio-TEPA's primary toxicity was myelosuppression; at 50 mg/m 2 , grade 3 or 4 granulocytopenia occurred in 13 of 17 cycles, and grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia occurred in 8 of 17 cycles. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of thio-TEPA was 40 mg/m 2 ; in 35 cycles at this dose, grade 3 or 4 granulocytopenia occurred in 19, and grade 3 or 4 thombocytopenia occurred in 10 cycles; median granulocyte nadir was 1100 (range 110 to 3600) and median platelet nadir was 90,00 (range 10,000 to 289,000). Fifteen patients received three or more cycles at one dose level; cumulative myelosuppression was observed in 11. Two cases of partial alopecia occurred at 40 and 60 mg/m 2 thio-TEPA. Responses were as follows: complete response, 5; partial response, 7; stable disease, 14; progressive disease, 8. In 16 patients with ovarian cancer (15 of whom had previously received cisplatin), there were 4 complete responses and 5 partial responses (overall response rate of 56%). The thio-TEPA dose recommended in combination with cisplatin (50 mg/m 2 ) in phase II trials is 40 mg/m 2 . Cumulative hematologic toxicity may occur with this regimen.
Teaching as Vocation

In Erikson’s seminal work, Identity, Youth and Crisis, he writes, “Evolution has made man a teaching as well as learning animal, for dependency and maturity are reciprocal” (Erikson, 1968). Erikson’s statement is reflected by the author’s view that the clinician’s work is teacher and psychotherapist. As a ubiquitous activity, teaching is inherently woven throughout all aspects of a clinician’s work. Yet according to Ursano and her colleagues, “there is great difficulty defining good teaching.” Few clinicians receive formal training for teaching. Teaching skills are not automatically obtained nor are they gradually acquired through modeling from one’s own lengthy exposure in training. To elucidate the qualities, attitudes, and skills for good teaching, the authors offer a creative perspective. Most clinicians would agree with the authors that the “core of psychotherapy itself is a teaching activity.” By establishing a common ground between teaching and psychotherapy, the authors draw from what is known and familiar in clinical work, the therapeutic alliance, to define an analogous concept, the “teaching alliance.” Acknowledging the teaching alliance is not “well studied nor well defined,” the authors provide a terse, rich outline for framing the relationship between teacher and student. By comparing teaching with the therapeutic process, we are able to identify the depth, richness, and complexity of teaching. Furthermore, their conceptualization of the teaching alliance offers insights and direction for elaboration and examination. Indeed, their summary tables serve as an incisive and comprehensive overview of the teaching alliance and clearly highlight key components of good teaching. The alliance, in teaching and therapy, is a unique relationship. Here, teacher and student, therapist and patient, bring to their relationship identifications from the past and the present and goals for the future. Explicit in the teaching alliance is an agreement that the best interests of both teacher and student will be served within a partnership of reciprocal responsibility. Consequently, according to the authors, the alliance poses for both parties a “complicated journey and an emotional and intellectual pursuit,” that is, a relationship that may activate both past and present, transference and countertransference, that may either facilitate or disrupt the teaching Psychiatry 70(3) Fall 2007 229
Assessment of 18O enriched water as a marker of total body water

Abstract The water content of biological systems was measured using a nuclear reaction technique. The method, which can be used to determine the total body water (TBW) in humans, has been tested on rabbits and mice. A measured amount of 18O enriched water was administered and the 18O concentration of the system was essayed using the 18O(p, α)15N reaction. The rate of the distribution of 18O injected into a rabbit was measured and the 18O exchange between intracellular and extracellular water volume was determined. The targets for the nuclear reaction analysis were prepared by anodic oxidation of the tantalum at constant voltage directly from serum and plasma without the addition of a buffer. The anodic constant of tantalum for plasma, serum, and urine was measured. The Ta2O5 targets were exposed to a proton beam with an energy of 0.73 MeV and the resulting reaction alpha particles were recorded.
Blind identification of time-varying channels using multistep linear predictors

Blind channel estimation for single-input multiple-output (SIMO) time-varying channels is considered using only the second-order statistics of the data. The time-varying channel is assumed to be described by a complex exponential basis expansion model (CE-BEM). The multistep linear predictors-based method for blind identification of time-invariant channels is extended to time-varying channels represented by a CE-BEM. Sufficient conditions for identifiability are investigated. Cyclostationarity of the received signal is exploited to consistently estimate the time-varying correlation function of the data from a single observation. record. An illustrative computer simulation example is presented.
A revision of the genus Metrocoris Mayr (Heteroptera: Gerridae) in the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines

The genus Metrocoris Mayr is revised for the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines. Five new species are described: M. sunda from the Lesser Sunda Islands, M. borneensis and M. tigrinus from Borneo, M. celebensis from Celebes, and M. luzonicus from Luzon. Redescriptions are given for 5 species previously recorded from the region: M. philippinensis Den Boer, M. strangulator Breddin, M. tenuicornis Esaki, M. squamifer Lundblad, and M. nigrofasciatus Distant. Keys to all species are given for males and females, accompanied by figures of key characters, and distribution maps are given for all species.
944-117The Effect of Pacing Site on the Upper Limit of Ventricular Vulnerability

The critical point hypothesis for the upper limit of ventricular vulnerability (ULV) predicts that the activation sequence should not affect the ULV shock strength. Conversely, it predicts that for shocks slightly weaker than the ULV, the time within the T-wave at which VF is induced should change with the activation sequence. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of pacing site (S1) on the ULV for a single shocking electrode configuration (S2). In 10 open-chest pigs with an elastic epicardial mapping sock, we determined the ULV for LV-apex (LVA). RV outflow tract (RVOT), and posterior LV-base (LVB) Sl sites for S2 shocks using an SVC catheter to small LVA-patch electrode configuration. For each Sl site, shocks (6/6 ms biphasic exponential) were delivered after 20 paced beats (SlS1 at 80% intrinsic RR interval) to scan the T-wave (measured through the S2 electrodes) in 10 ms steps beginning at the peak (Tpk). S2 shocks were delivered starting at 60V leading-edge voltage (LEV) and incremented in 40V steps until VF could not be induced at any point in the T-wave. Results: There was no significant difference in LEV (p = 0.48), leading-edge current (LEI) (p = 0.83), ortotal energy(TE) (p = 0.91) at the ULV for the three Sl sites. However, the timing of the S2 shock relative to Tpk (S2-Tpk) at which VF was induced for one step below the ULV varied with S1site. For both LVA and LVB, VF was induced later than Tpk while VF was induced earlier than Tpk for RVOT. S2-Tpk for LVA and LVB was significantly (p l 0.001) different from RVOT. There was no significant difference for LVA vs LVB (p = 0.10) LEV LEI TE S2-Tpk LVA 336 ± 63V 2.8 ± 0.72A 60 ± 2.5J 32.4 ± 17 ms LVB 344 ± 69V 2.8 ± 067A 6.1 ± 2.7J 20.6 ± 21 ms RVOT 356 ± 74V 2.7 ± 0.60A 6.2 ± 2.5J -19.1 ± 19 ms Conclusion For a single shocking electrode configuration, the ULV obtained by scanning the T-wave does not vary with ventricular pacing site. However, the position in the T-wave at which VF is induced just below the ULV is dependent upon pacing site. These results support the critical point hypothesis for the ULV. Additionally, they show that there is no one fixed point for shock delivery in the T-wave for determining the absolute ULV for all Sl sites
Information Seeking Beyond Initial Interaction.

This essay extends previous work on uncertainty and information seeking within close relationships by considering how relationship parameters correspond with the directness of people's information-seeking strategies. Because we believe that assumptions of uncertainty reduction theory (Berger & Calabrese, 1975) have been translated into the context of close relationships without attention to the unique features of that domain, we begin by reframing questions about uncertainty to reflect issues relevant to intimate associations. In particular, we reconsider the focus of uncertainty, the function of uncertainty reduction, and the nature of information seeking. We then discuss how relationship intimacy, power dynamics, and information expectancies correspond with information-seeking behavior within close relationships. In doing so, we highlight how the negotiation of relational uncertainty may function to sustain intimate associations.
Whole‐body imaging at 7T: Preliminary results

The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of whole body imaging at 7 T. To achieve this objective, new technology and methods were developed. Radio frequency field distribution and specific absorption rate were first explored through numerical modeling. A body coil was then designed and built. Multi-channel transmit and receive coils were also developed and implemented. With this new technology in hand, an imaging survey of the “landscape” of the human body at 7 T was conducted. Cardiac imaging at 7 T appeared to be possible. The potential for breast imaging and spectroscopy was demonstrated. Preliminary results of the first human body imaging at 7 T suggest both promise and directions for further development.
Design and methods of “diaBEAT-it!”: A hybrid preference/randomized control trial design using the RE-AIM framework

Abstract Background Diabetes prevention is a public health priority that is dependent upon the reach, effectiveness, and cost of intervention strategies. However, understanding each of these outcomes within the context of randomized controlled trials is problematic. Purpose To describe the methods and design of a hybrid preference/randomized control trial using the RE-AIM framework. Methods The trial, which was developed using the RE-AIM framework, will contrast the effects of 3 interventions: (1) a standard care, small group, diabetes prevention education class (SG), (2) the small group intervention plus 12 months of interactive voice response telephone follow-up (SG–IVR), and (3) a DVD version of the small group intervention with the same IVR follow-up (DVD–IVR). Each intervention includes personal action planning with a focus on key elements of the lifestyle intervention from the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). Adult patients at risk for diabetes will be randomly assigned to either choice or RCT. Those assigned to choice (n = 240) will have the opportunity to choose between SG–IVR and DVD–IVR. Those assigned to RCT group (n = 360) will be randomly assigned to SG, SG–IVR, or DVD–IRV. Assessment of primary (weight loss, reach, & cost) and secondary (physical activity, & dietary intake) outcomes will occur at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months. Conclusion This will be the first diabetes prevention trial that will allow the research team to determine the relationships between reach, effectiveness, and cost of different interventions.