cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Making Sense in Time: Remote Sensing and the Challenges of Temporal Heterogeneity in Social Analysis of Environmental Change—cases from Malawi

This article contributes to the encouraging recent trend toward more critical examination of the linkages between remote sensing and social analysis of environmental change. Using two case studies from Malawi, we explain the importance of thinking about temporal scale when using remote sensing data. Specifically, from our on-the-ground research, we came to appreciate three important issues: (1) multiple causation and multiple temporal scales operating simultaneously—making inference of casual relations between particular social factors and observed land use changes difficult; (2) ‘visible’ vs. ‘invisible’ processes and events; and (3) ‘continuous’ vs. ‘punctuated’ social and environmental processes. We observe that in each case, social differentiation is key to understanding which temporal frames are most relevant in understanding observed land use dynamics. We conclude that, while these are not entirely new observations, research on the applications of remote sensing in social analysis of environmental change could be enriched by more rigorous examination of linkages between environmental change, temporal scale, and the social relations (including social differentiation) that can help to explain how and why particular temporal frames are most salient.
Seismic anisotropy and vertical fractures in the Edwards aquifer

High resolution seismic data are acquired from the Edwards limestone formation in an area of outcrop within the Government Canyon State Natural Area, to infer the local orientation of vertical fracturing. The experiment consists of a single 3D seismic array of 16 3C recording stations. Seismic sources are deployed in and around the array at short spacings resulting in 16 3C source gathers (by reciprocity) with thousands of traces. A velocity-variation-with-azimuth trend is discernible in the data attributable to azimuthal anisotropy due to vertical fracturing. A slow direction along 120 degrees from North is found, with a fast direction along 20 degrees from North. If vertical fracturing and seismic anisotropy are correlated at this site, a fracture orientation along 20 degrees from North is determined.
Image processing utilizing an APL interface

The past few years have seen the growing use of digital techniques in the analysis of electron microscope image data. This trend is driven by the need to maximize the information extracted from the electron micrograph by submitting its digital representation to the broad spectrum of analytical techniques made available by the digital computer. We are developing an image processing system for the analysis of digital images obtained with a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). This system, run on an IBM PS/2 model 70/A21, uses menu-based image processing and an interactive APL interface which permits the direct manipulation of image data.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A stain for plucked anagen hairs

Anagen and telogen plucked hairs may be difficult to distinguish based on their microscopic appearance. The root ends of plucked anagen hairs develop a red color when stained with 4-dimethyl-aminocinnamaldehyde, while those of plucked telogen hairs do not. This is the result of a reaction with citrulline-containing proteins in the internal root sheath. This histochemical stain provides a simple and accurate means of determining the telogen/anagen ratio in plucked hairs.
Proteolytic processing of an HIV-1 pol polyprotein precursor: insights into the mechanism of reverse transcriptase p66/p51 heterodimer formation.

Abstract HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) is a heterodimer comprising a 66 kDa subunit (p66) and a p66-derived 51 kDa subunit (p51). RT is translated as part of a larger gag–pol polyprotein and subsequently processed to the p66/p51 heterodimer by HIV-1 protease (PR) during viral maturation. The processing events involved in the formation of the RT p66 and p51 subunits and the pathway(s) of RT dimer formation are poorly characterized. Attempts to study the kinetics of PR-catalyzed formation of p66/p51 HIV-1 RT in isolated HIV virions produced in the presence of HIV PR inhibitors were unsuccessful due to difficulties in removal of the tight-binding inhibitor to initiate proteolytic processing. Accordingly, an inducible bacterial expression vector encoding a 90 kDa pol polyprotein fragment was constructed. Following expression in Escherichia coli , the pol polyprotein underwent time-dependent proteolytic processing to the RT p66/p51 heterodimer. This processing was catalyzed entirely by HIV-1 PR since mutations that inactivate PR prevented RT heterodimer formation. The kinetics of RT processing follow an ordered sequential pathway in which RT p66 is first excised from the pol polyprotein, followed by formation of the p51 subunit. Processing of the p66 subunit to form p51 apparently proceeds through a p66/p66 RT homodimer intermediate since the L234A mutation in RT, a mutation that prevents RT dimerization, resulted in the formation of RT p66 only. These results provide the first experimental data defining the pathway for the HIV-1 PR catalyzed formation of the p66/p51 HIV-1 RT heterodimer.
Theravāda Buddhism and Morality

Le Theravada ne comporte pas de soi une morale, mais l'influence bienfaisante qu'il exerce hors du cercle des illumines suppose une morale. Si donc l'on pose la question de l'existence d'une morale dans le bouddhisme, la reponse depend du point de vue ou l'on se place.
Relation between the flexibility of the WPD loop and the activity of the catalytic domain of protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP‐1

The conserved WPD loop of protein tyrosine phosphatases play an important role in the catalytic activity and the invariant aspartate residue acts as a general acid/base catalyst in the dephosphorylation reaction. In our previous report, we have demonstrated that the catalytic activities of the PTPs are influenced by the flexibility and stability of the WPD loop in its active "open" conformation [Yang et al., 1998]. Phosphatases with a more flexible WPD loop generally have higher specific activity. In this report, we modify the WPD loop of SHP-1 by alanine-scan mutation of the residues flanking the loop and measure their effects on the catalytic activity of the phosphatase. We show that the S418A, V424A, S426A, E427A, and P428A mutants increase the phosphatase activity, possibly due to the increased flexibility of the WPD loop, whereas the L417A, L417G and P425A mutants decrease its phosphatase activity. In addition, we propose that the two-proline residues in the WPD loop (Pro(420) and Pro(425) in SHP-1) work as pivotal points through a conserved hydrophobic network and allows residues between the pivotal points to have maximum flexibility in enhancing the phosphatase activity. Furthermore, our data suggest that the hydrolysis of the phosphoryl-cysteine intermediate, not its formation, is the rate-limiting step with p-nitrophenyl phosphate as the substrate while both the steps are rate-limiting with phosphotyrosine as the substrate.
Using transgenic zebrafish (Danio rerio) to study development of the craniofacial skeleton

Summary Transgenic zebrafish provide amazing new tools for following and manipulating cells that form the skeleton. Transgenes that label distinct populations of embryonic cells, such as neural crest that forms most of the skull vault as well as the jaws and gills can be used to determine the embryonic origins of cartilages and bones. This provides a powerful model system for studies of the developmental basis for human birth defects and in a comparative context provides new insights into the developmental changes underlying morphological evolution. Targeting transgenes to nuclear or membrane compartments allows detailed tracking of cell shapes and movements. Here we review how such transgenic markers combined with mutants or tissue grafts to generate mosaic zebrafish embryos have already provided many new insights into skeletal development and disease. In the long run, transgenics designed to perturb gene expression hold great promise for studies of gene function.
42. The contribution of orbitofrontal cortex to episodic memory impairment in OCD

Biological studies of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) provide consistent evidence of dysfunction in orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). We have used the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) in behavioral studies to examine episodic memory in OCD. In two separate investigations, we found that OCD patients failed to spontaneously apply semantic organizational strategies during encoding and this led to problems in delayed recall. We will present new data from a PET study in normal subjects examining the neural systems underlying semantic organization using a verbal memory paradigm patterned after the CVLT. Eight normal subjects listened to lists of 24 words, in three conditions: 1) Unrelated: words were semantically unrelated; 2) Spontaneous: words were related in four semantic categories, and subjects were not instructed of this beforehand; 3) Directed: same as (2) but subjects were explicitly instructed to notice the relationships and use them to improve memory. Behavioral data included a Semantic Clustering score, measuring active regrouping of words into semantic categories during recall. In a graded PET contrast (Directed . Spontaneous . Unrelated), two distinct activations were found in left inferior prefrontal cortex and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Correlation analyses in the Spontaneous condition indicated that blood flow in OFC during encoding predicted the use of semantic clustering strategies during immediate recall. These results indicate that OFC plays a role in episodic memory by supporting the mobilization of effective strategic processes, mediated in other regions of PFC. Disruptions in learning strategies in OCD are likely related to OFC dysfunction.
What’s in a Name? Popular Names Are Less Common on Frontiers

Voluntary settlement on a frontier may promote values of independence. At present, however, researchers know little about the behavioral consequences of this process. In this study, we examined regional variations in baby naming. Because baby naming is an act of considerable personal and familial significance, it reflects prevalent cultural values. In support of the hypothesized link between frontier settlement and independence, we found that babies receive popular names less frequently in western regions of the United States than in its eastern regions (Study 1). The same pattern holds in Canada (Study 2), with popular names being less frequent in western provinces than in eastern provinces. Moreover, popular names are less frequently given to babies in world regions in which Europeans have settled (e.g., Australia, the United States) than in European countries (Study 3). These findings have implications for cross-generational transmission of cultural values.
An Empirical Study on Computing Consensus Translations from Multiple Machine Translation Systems

This paper presents an empirical study on how different selections of input translation systems affect translation quality in system combination. We give empirical evidence that the systems to be combined should be of similar quality and need to be almost uncorrelated in order to be beneficial for system combination. Experimental results are presented for composite translations computed from large numbers of different research systems as well as a set of translation systems derived from one of the bestranked machine translation engines in the 2006 NIST machine translation evaluation.
Boundary Considerations between Doctoral Students and Master's Students.

Counselor educators have a responsibility to teach students about boundary issues and multiple relationships. In addition to counselor–client concerns, there has been increased attention to faculty–student multiple relationships. Like faculty, doctoral students in counselor education programs often engage in roles with master's-level students in which they hold a position of authority. This article reviews the professional literature on multiple relationships and boundary issues within counselor preparation programs and applies the research to boundary considerations between graduate students. Potentially fruitful areas for research are also suggested.
How have changes in air bag designs affected frontal crash mortality

Purpose To determine whether front air bag changes have affected occupant protection, frontal crash mortality rates were compared among front outboard occupants in vehicles having certified-advanced air bags (latest generation of air bags) or sled-certified air bags with and without advanced features. Methods Poisson marginal structural models were used to calculate standardized mortality rate ratios (MRRs) for front occupants per registered vehicle. Results Vehicle age-corrected mortality rates were lower for drivers of vehicles having sled-certified air bags with advanced features than for drivers having sled-certified air bags without advanced features (MRR = 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.81–0.95), including unbelted men and drivers younger than 60. The mortality rate was higher, though not statistically significant, for drivers having certified-advanced air bags compared with sled-certified air bags with advanced features (vehicle age–corrected MRR = 1.13; 95% CI: 0.97–1.32) and significantly higher for belted drivers (MRR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.04–1.39). Conclusions Advanced air bag features appeared protective for some occupants. However, increased mortality rates among belted drivers of vehicles having certified-advanced air bags relative to those having sled-certified air bags with advanced features suggest that further study is needed to identify any potential problems with requirements for certification.
Magnesium chloride‐supported, high‐mileage catalysts for olefin polymerization. V. BET, porosimetry, and x‐ray diffraction studies

The physical state of the material obtained during the various stages of preparation of a typical MgCl2-supported, high-mileage propylene polymerization catalyst was studied by BET, mercury porosimetry, and x-ray diffraction techniques. The starting MgCl2 and the substance after HCl treatment have negligible BET surface areas. Mercury porosimetry showed that they have large pores with radii > 200 nm which are probably crevices between MgCl2 crystallites. The most pronounced physical changes occur during dry porcelain ball milling in the presence of ethyl benzoate. After 60 h or more of ball milling the material had a 5.1–7.3 m2 g−1 BET surface area, twice the pore surface area, and a smaller pore radius than before ball milling and a large reduction in crystallite sizes to almost ultimate dimensions. The crystallites were probably held together by complexation with ethyl benzoate in the form of large agglomerates. Subsequent reactions with p-cresol and triethyl aluminum had minor effects in further reduction of the MgCl2 crystallite size but efficiently brokeup the agglomerates. The final refluxing with TiCl4 increased the BET surface area to 110–150 m2 g−1 but may have increased the crystallite size somewhat due to cocrystallization of TiCl3 and AlCl3 with MgCl2. There may have been only 8–10 crystallites in each catalyst particle. The surface structure of the catalyst resembled those of the classical Ziegler-Natta γ-TiCl3·0.33 AlCl3 catalyst.
Trophic Ecology of Insular Cottonmouth Snakes: Review and Perspective

Abstract Florida cottonmouth snakes (Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti) inhabit insular as well as mainland habitat, and they occur in particularly large numbers on some of the Gulf coast islands of Florida. The success of this species on islands is attributable, in part, to a broad trophic niche that encompasses many prey items including carrion. Numerous cottonmouths living on the island of Seahorse Key consume primarily dead fish that are dropped from colonial nesting bird rookeries, but they also prey on rats (Rattus rattus) that are invasive fauna on the island. While alternative prey items (e.g. lizards) are available to newborn snakes, smaller individuals also scavenge for fish carrion at early ages. Field observations indicate there is social structure during foraging events that involve multiple snakes. Occasionally, insular cottonmouths scavenge for intertidal carrion and detritus that washes onto beaches. Numerous and diverse objects of appropriate size, shape, and odor are ingested by foraging sn...
Observer-based controller design for nonstandard singularly perturbed sampled data systems

A linear shift-invariant singularly perturbed sampled-data system is considered with the assumption that not all states are available for measurement, and therefore the design is in the form of an observer-based controller. Given the two-time-scale property of the system, singular perturbation theory may be used to design lower-order feedback controllers for the slow and fast subsystems. It is assumed that the system is in the form of a singularly perturbed nonstandard model. Prefeedback control of the fast states is utilized to put the system into a standard form prior to the slow and fast decomposition of the full system. The problem of an observer-based controller is then addressed. Assuming that the slow states are not available for direct measurement, state feedback gain and observer gain were designed for the reduced-order subsystem. The composition of these controllers is shown to stabilize the closed-loop system. >
An exact integration procedure for vector potentials of thin circular loop antennas

A direct integration procedure for far-zone vector potentials of thin circular loop antennas has been known for many years. This method is general in the sense that it leads to simple integrals which have closed form solutions for most commonly assumed loop current distributions. However, a comparable integration technique has not been available for evaluating the more complicated near-zone vector potentials. This paper introduces a systematic approach for the exact integration of general near-zone vector potentials associated with current-carrying circular loop antennas. A particular example is considered where this new integration technique is used to find exact solutions to the vector potential and electromagnetic field integrals for loops with a Fourier cosine-series expansion of the current. The observation is made that degenerate forms of these exact representations lead to simplified expressions for the important special cases of a uniform and cosinusoidal current loop. Two equivalent forms of exact series expansions are derived for the uniform current vector potential and field integrals. It is shown that the familiar small-loop approximations, as well as the classical far-field expressions, may be obtained as limiting cases of the more general exact series representations for the uniform current loop obtained in this paper. Convenient asymptotic far-field expansions are derived for the loop with a cosinusoidal current distribution. Finally, the far-field analysis for the cosinusoidal loop is generalized to loops having an arbitrary current represented by a Fourier cosine series.
Ramipril Protects the Endothelium from High Glucose–Induced Dysfunction through CaMKKβ/AMPK and Heme Oxygenase-1 Activation

This study aims to investigate the effects of ramipril (RPL) on endothelial dysfunction associated with diabetes mellitus using cultured human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) and a type 2 diabetic animal model. The effect of RPL on vasodilatory function in fat-fed, streptozotocin-treated rats was assessed. RPL treatment of 8 weeks alleviated insulin resistance and inhibited the decrease in endothelium-dependent vasodilation in diabetic rats. RPL treatment also reduced serum advanced glycation end products (AGE) concentration and rat aorta reactive oxygen species formation and increased aorta endothelium heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression. Exposure of HAECs to high concentrations of glucose induced prolonged oxidative stress, apoptosis, and accumulation of AGEs. These effects were abolished by incubation of ramiprilat (RPT), the active metabolite of RPL. However, treatment of HAECs with STO-609, a CaMKKβ (Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase-β) inhibitor; compound C, an AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) inhibitor; and Zn(II)PPIX, a selective HO-1 inhibitor, blocked these beneficial effects of RPT. In addition, RPT increased nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf-2) nuclear translocation and activation in a CaMKKβ/AMPK pathway-dependent manner, leading to increased expression of the Nrf-2-regulated antioxidant enzyme, HO-1. The inhibition of CaMKKβ or AMPK by pharmaceutical approach ablated RPT-induced HO-1 expression. Taken together, RPL ameliorates insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction in diabetes via reducing oxidative stress. These effects are mediated by RPL activation of CaMKK-β, which in turn activates the AMPK-Nrf-2-HO-1 pathway for enhanced endothelial function.
Measurements and modeling of two-phase flow in microchannels with nearly constant heat flux boundary conditions

Two-phase forced convective flow in microchannels is promising for the cooling of integrated circuits. There has been limited research on boiling flow in channels with dimensions below 100 /spl mu/m, in which bubble formation and flow regimes can differ from those in larger channels. This work develops single and multi-channel experimental structures using plasma-etched silicon with pyrex glass cover, which allow uniform heating and spatially-resolved thermometry and provide optical access for visualization of boiling regimes. Boiling was observed with less than 5/spl deg/C of super-heating in rectangular channels with hydraulic diameters between 25 and 60 /spl mu/m. The channel wall widths are below 350 /spl mu/m, which minimizes solid conduction and reduces variations in the heat flux boundary condition. Pressure drop and wall temperature distribution data are consistent with predictions accounting for solid conduction and homogeneous two-phase convection.
Local Autonomy versus State Constraints: Balancing Evolution and Creationism in U.S. High Schools

Do state curricular standards and examinations constrain the behavior of public school teachers? More specifically, do they interfere with teachers’ responsiveness to local district preferences? We explore these questions in the highly contested arena of instruction in evolutionary biology. Drawing upon an original national survey of high school biology teachers, we find that their classroom practices conform to community preferences. This responsiveness occurs largely through a process of assortative employment. However, we show that teachers are less responsive to public opinion when state curricular standards are supported by high-stakes testing. We therefore offer a general model of how policy implementation can be influenced by local community sentiment and, more generally, how the architecture of public policy can attenuate responsiveness to local public opinion.
Private database search with sublinear query time

The problem of private database search has been well studied. The notion of privacy considered is twofold: i) the querier only learns the result of the query (and things that can be deduced from it), and ii) the server learns nothing (in a computational sense) about the query. A fundamental drawback with prior approaches is that the query computation is linear in the dataset. We overcome this drawback by making the following assumption: the server has its dataset ahead of time and is able to perform linear precomputation for each query. This new model, which we call the precomputation model, is appropriate in circumstances where it is crucial that queries are answered efficiently once they become available. Our main contribution is a precomputed search protocol that requires linear precomputation time but that allows logarithmic search time. Using this protocol, we then show how to answer the following types of queries with sublinear query computation in this precomputation model: i) point existence queries, ii) rank queries, iii) lookup queries, and iv) one-dimensional range queries.
A pilot study of penicillin skin testing in patients with a history of penicillin allergy admitted to a medical ICU.

Background: Penicillin skin testing is an accuratemethod to determine whether a person with a history of penicillinallergy is at risk of having an immediate reaction to penicillin. Apatient with a negative reaction to a skin test may be able to use apenicillin compound safely, which could reduce the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in this patient population. Methods: We prospectively studied all patients withhistories of penicillin allergy who were admitted to a medical ICUduring a 3-month period and who received antibiotics. Skin testing wasperformed with benzylpenicilloyl polylysine and penicillin G. Wedetermined the incidence of true allergy, the percentage of patients inwhom antibiotic coverage was modified, and the safety of the test. Results: Two hundred fifty-seven patients were admitted tothe medical ICU of The Cleveland Clinic Foundation during the studyperiod. Twenty-four patients (9%), labeled as penicillin allergic andreceiving antibiotics, were enrolled. Three patients (13%, 3 of 21)gave histories of type I reaction to penicillin and were not skintested. Twenty patients (95%, 20 of 21) had negative skin testreactions to penicillin and positive skin test reactions to histaminecontrol. One patient (4%, 1 of 21) with negative skin test reactionsto both penicillin and histamine control had a test dose challenge withpiperacillin that was well tolerated. There were no adverseevents. Antibiotic coverage was changed in 10 patients (48%) as aresult of skin testing. Conclusion: Most patients withhistories of allergy to penicillin have negative reactions to skintests and may receive penicillin safely. Penicillin skin testing can beutilized as a safe and effective strategy to reduce the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics.
Circuit-Based Analysis of Electromagnetic Field Coupling With Nonuniform Transmission Lines

This paper presents a new algorithm for simulating electromagnetic (EM) field coupling with nonuniform multiconductor transmission lines in a circuit simulation environment. The proposed algorithm is based on the concept of passive model-order reduction, whereby an algorithmically developed passive reduced-order model, coupled with a set of equivalent sources representing the incident filed, are shown to accurately capture the behavior of the transmission line under EM excitation. The reduced-order model is developed independently from the particular shape of the incident field pulse, in the sense that, in constructing the model, one does not need prior knowledge about the waveform of the incident pulse of the EM field. In addition, it is also shown that the model developed can be used to simulate the transmission line in the absence of the EM field. The derived equivalent sources, representing the field coupling, are given directly in the time domain, thereby making simulation under nonlinear circuit terminations an easy task. Although the proposed work is aimed mainly at simulating nonuniform transmission lines, it can be applied to uniform lines as a special case. The proposed algorithm has been validated numerically with several examples.
US‐China national security relationship: a resource guide

The USA and China have had a complex relationship since the 1949 establishment of the People’s Republic of China. This relationship has gone from hostility to guarded friendliness to increased tension at the beginning of the new millennium. Recent years have seen the emergence of literature stressing China’s potential emergence as a national security threat to the USA. This article will look at books, government documents, and Internet resources examining the current and possible future national security relationship between these two countries from 1995/1996 to the present. This literature presents US and international perspectives representing a variety of viewpoints on a subject that may have a major impact on international relations during the twenty‐first century.
COMT and anxiety and cognition in children with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

The COMT gene is thought to contribute to the cognitive/psychiatric phenotypes in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. We measured these manifestations against the Val/Met alleles of the COMT gene, in 40 nonpsychotic 22q11DS children. The Val allele was associated with poor IQ, processing speed, executive function and a higher frequency of anxiety disorders, underscoring the importance of the COMT gene in the childhood psychopathology in 22q11DS.
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) MLS observation of mountain waves over the Andes

Abstract : Stratospheric air temperature (radiance) fluctuations over the Andes observed by the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) are presented. The MLS radiance variances show strong annual variability over the Andes mountains in South America, which is closely correlated to the background wind conditions associated with mountain wave generation and propagation. The variances are significantly larger in southern hemispheric winter when the winds in the troposphere and stratosphere over the Andes are both westerly and mountain wave critical levels (zerowind lines) are absent. The annual variation of MLS radiance variance agrees well with data from radiosondes and output from the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Mountain Wave Forecast Model (MWFM) over the same region and period. The amplitude of the radiance variances seems to correlate well with the intensity of surface wind at upstream positions westward of the Andes, which is also related to the meridional temperature gradient in the region. Horizontal scale analysis suggests that mountain waves over the Andes might have two preferential horizontal wavelengths at 110 and 400 km.
Novel electrical re-connection of very thin fine pitch ball grid array (VFBGA) package for advanced backside fault isolation

With the development of the semiconductor industry, the layers of metal interconnection have increased, and the front-side package dimensions have shrunk. All these trends emphasize the importance of backside fault isolation (FI) in advanced product failure analysis (FA). However, electrical signal re-connection when handling the repackage becomes the primary challenge in handling backside FA. An innovative method for electrical re-connection, which can be effectively applied to the very thin fine pitch ball grid array (VFBGA) package for backside FI, is introduced. By engraving a pattern (for example holes, blocks and trenches) on the surface of the package, and depositing metal into the pattern, electrical signals can be re-connected out from bond pads to metal blocks on the package surface through metal lines embedded in the pattern. Detailed processes, operating parameters and experimental results are represented.
The Federal Role in State Tax Reform

During the most recent economic downturn, state and local governments have experienced fiscal imbalances of a magnitude not seen since the Great Depression. The principal cause of the current state fiscal crisis is the profound macroeconomic shock of 2008-2009. Yet macroeconomic conditions alone cannot explain the historic decline in state tax receipts over the past few years. As various commentators have noted, state tax structures developed over the past century have become hyper-sensitive to cyclical variability in the economy, with tax receipts exhibiting greater volatility than warranted by changes in underlying economic conditions. This article considers the federal government’s role in promoting the adoption of volatile state tax structures. Through various inducements and limitations embedded in federal law, the federal government has stacked the deck in favor of state revenue volatility, unwittingly exacerbating the subnational fiscal crises that it is then called upon to mitigate through bailouts and general fiscal relief. If the federal government is interested in reducing the likelihood and severity of future state fiscal crises, it should consider changes to federal law that would eliminate the current bias in favor of volatile state tax systems. The article considers various options for reforming the federal government’s policy toward state taxes, ranging from a more neutral federal stance toward state tax design to policies that would explicitly favor the adoption of more stable revenue sources by state and local governments.
A good death: Narratives of experiential nursing ethics

Background:On a day to day basis, nurses are facing more ethical dilemmas during end-of-life care resulting in not being able to actualize a good death for patients.Research objective:The purpose of this study was to explore how experienced hospice nurses resolve day to day ethical dilemmas during end-of-life care.Research design:The study used a qualitative narrative approach.Participants:Through purposeful sampling, a total of six experienced hospice nurse participated.Ethical considerations:Approval from the researcher’s university Institutional Review Board for ethical review was obtained.Findings:Using core story creation, several different ethical dilemmas were identified divulging struggles with key stakeholders including family members and providers. Thematic analysis generated three main themes: Ethics within Practice, Ethical Knowledge, and Ethical Solutions.Discussion:The participants told their stories depicting a keen awareness of ethical conflicts situated by contextual factors including soc...
Concepts, comparisons, and controversies.

Le pluralisme multidisciplinaire de la bioethique sous-entend en premier lieu l'homogeneisation du langage aux depens des discussions. Cela ne constitue-t-il pas un danger pour la morale, theme de base de cette discipline?
STENT FRACTURE DETECTION USING INTRACORONARY OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY: A PROOF OF CONCEPT AND COMPARISON OF THREE DIMENSIONAL IMAGING MODALITIES

Coronary stent fracture (SF) has been associated with late stent complications including restenosis and thrombosis. Detection of in-vivo SF may help with understanding the natural history of stent pathology. Two-dimensional intracoronary imaging has been reported as a tool to improve the accuracy of
An Approach for Tracking Within-Segment Shifts in Market Shares:

Most approaches to examining the effects of marketing variables on market shares treat the market as a single aggregate. Examining the marketing effects at the segment level would be more useful ma...
A Comparative Study on the Economic Openness Degree on Six Central Provinces in China——With a Focus on Henan Province

This article established an index system for measuring the economic openness degree in Henan Province from three aspects like level of trade in goods,level of foreign capital utilization as well as level of trade in service.Then it conducted an empirical and comparative analysis on six central provinces in China by using factor analysis method.The conclusions are: Hubei and Hunan both belong to the first level with highest economic openness;Anhui,Henan and Jiangxi belong to the second level with relatively lower economic openness;and Shanxi is far away from all the other provinces in economic openness.
The Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome

The adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common form of acute respiratory failure that has been increasingly reported as associated with a wide variety of medical conditions. Unlike other identifiable pathological events causing severe lung injury, it is now recognized that ARDS is not a single disease, but a complex interaction of pathophysiological events that result in diffuse injury to lung parenchyma.Only through a thorough understanding of ARDS pathophysiology, pathogenesis, and clinical course can medical intervention be instituted in a judicious and timely manner.This review article is intended to provide an overview of the suspected precipitating causes, discrete pathophysiologic changes, and monitorable clinical events associated with ARDS.With mortality from ARDS high, significant attention is being given to improving therapeutic intervention with such conventional measures as mechanical ventilation, positive end-expiratory pressure, and fluid management, along with corticosteroids a...
RAPID DIAGNOSIS OF VIRAL PATHOGENS

With increasing numbers of specific antiviral agents available, rapid diagosis of viral diseases has become increasingly important. The detection of viral antigens directly in specimens and centrifugation-enhanced cell culture combined with pre-CPE has dramatically reduced the time required for viral diagnosis. Detection methods based on nucleic acid probes and amplification techniques have recently been developed and will become more important. In this article, the authors examine the general methods and some specific applications of rapid methods for viral diagnosis currently in use in the clinical virology laboratory.
Selling China: State-Owned Enterprises and Insolvency-Induced Foreign Direct Investment

Suzhou Peacock Electronics Group Co. Ltd. (Suzhou Peacock) is an SOE located in Suzhou city, Jiangsu province. Suzhou Peacock was one of the first and largest TV producers in the country. Today its main product is a remote-controlled lamp. The firm derives most of its income from investments in two of its major affiliates: one JV with Philips and another JV with Matsushita. Four years after its formation of the JV with Philips in 1994, Ni Suping, the general manager of Suzhou Peacock, reflected on what remained with Suzhou Peacock after the formation of the JV: All these desks and chairs that you see here were purchased after 1994. They [the JV] took everything away. After they were gone, the old manager of Suzhou Peacock [Ni's predecessor] used a cardboard box as a desk and sat on another cardboard box as a chair. This is how ruthless the market economy is. Mr. Ni's account is a familiar tale in China's corporate scene in the 1990s. The firms that formed JVs with foreign firms in this manner – by capitalizing all of their major operating assets and brand names as equity stakes – had been among the best firms in China in the 1980s. Suzhou Peacock was founded in 1970 and was the first firm in the country to import a production assembly line and technology (from Sony) in 1979, at a time of great foreign exchange shortages.
Raza Si, Guerra No: Chicano Protest and Patriotism during the Viet Nam War Era

List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Note on Terminology Introduction 1. "To Be Better and More Loyal Citizens": A Tradition of Mexican American Activism 2. "New Wind from the Southwest": Questioning a Political Tradition 3. "Branches of the Same Tree": Aztlan and Viet Nam 4. "I'd Rather Have My Sons Die for La Raza ... than in Vietnam": The Making of a Moratorium 5. "A Common Goal": The Chicano Moratorium March of August 1970 Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index
Thyroid gland visualization with 3D/4D ultrasound: integrated hands-on imaging in anatomical dissection laboratory

In teaching anatomy, clinical imaging has been utilized to supplement the traditional dissection laboratory promoting education through visualization of spatial relationships of anatomical structures. Viewing the thyroid gland using 3D/4D ultrasound can be valuable to physicians as well as students learning anatomy. The objective of this study was to investigate the perceptions of first-year medical students regarding the integration of 3D/4D ultrasound visualization of spatial anatomy during anatomical education. 108 first-year medical students were introduced to 3D/4D ultrasound imaging of the thyroid gland through a detailed 20-min tutorial taught in small group format. Students then practiced 3D/4D ultrasound imaging on volunteers and donor cadavers before assessment through acquisition and identification of thyroid gland on at least three instructor-verified images. A post-training survey was administered assessing student impression. All students visualized the thyroid gland using 3D/4D ultrasound. Students revealed 88.0% strongly agreed or agreed 3D/4D ultrasound is useful revealing the thyroid gland and surrounding structures and 87.0% rated the experience “Very Easy” or “Easy”, demonstrating benefits and ease of use including 3D/4D ultrasound in anatomy courses. When asked, students felt 3D/4D ultrasound is useful in teaching the structure and surrounding anatomy of the thyroid gland, they overwhelmingly responded “Strongly Agree” or “Agree” (90.2%). This study revealed that 3D/4D ultrasound was successfully used and preferred over 2D ultrasound by medical students during anatomy dissection courses to accurately identify the thyroid gland. In addition, 3D/4D ultrasound may nurture and further reinforce stereostructural spatial relationships of the thyroid gland taught during anatomy dissection.
Social Skills in Youth With Spina Bifida: A Longitudinal Multimethod Investigation Comparing Biopsychosocial Predictors.

Objective To examine the relative contributions of neuropsychological (attention and executive function), family (cohesion and conflict), and health (body mass index, lesion level, gross motor function) domains on social skills over time in youth with spina bifida (SB). Methods In all, 140 youth with SB (T1 mean age = 11.43 years) and their families participated in the study at baseline with an additional visit 2 years later. Study variables were assessed with multiple methods (questionnaire, medical chart review, observation, neuropsychological tests) and reporters (parents, teachers). Multivariate hierarchical linear regressions determined the predictive power of the three domains for T2 social skills. Results Neuropsychological variables accounted for significant variance in mother- and father-reported T2 social skills. Neither family nor health variables contributed significantly to later social skills when other domains were included in the model. Conclusions Neuropsychological factors are particularly important for social skill development in youth with SB. Findings can inform screening and intervention practices.
Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form of epilepsy, and most patients with this diagnosis have mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) with hippocampal sclerosis. Other epileptogenic lesions in mesial temporal structures give rise to MTLE, and the same limbic seizures can be generated by epileptogenic lesions in the temporal and extratemporal neocortex that preferentially project to mesial temporal structures. The typical limbic seizures of TLE are among the most pharmacoresistant, but when the epileptogenic region can be accurately localized, this condition is the most easily treated by surgical resection. Accurate localization of the epileptogenic region is essential when surgery is considered and neuroimaging provides the most important diagnostic information. This includes not only high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) but also functional imaging with 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). More recently, structural and functional white matter aberrations in MTLE are being identified with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and resting functional MRI (fMRI), simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) with fMRI, and magnetoencephalography (MEG) superimposed on MRI provide additional localizing information.
Population of Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury in Skilled Nursing Facilities: A Decade of Change.

OBJECTIVE To describe the natural history of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) admitted to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) following hospitalizations. SETTING Between 2005 and 2014. PARTICIPANTS Adults who had incident admissions to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) with a diagnosis of TBI. DESIGN Retrospective review of the Minimum Data Set. MAIN MEASURES Main variables were cognitive and physical function, length of stay, presence of feeding tube, terminal condition, and dementia. RESULTS Incident admissions to SNFs increased annually from 17 247 patients to 20 787 from 2005 to 2014. The percentage of patients with activities of daily living score 23 or more decreased from 25% to 14% (P < .05). The overall percentage of patients with severe cognitive impairment decreased from 18% to 10% (P < .05). More patients had a diagnosis of dementia in 2014 compared with previous years (P < .05), and the presence of a terminal condition increased from 1% to 1.5% over the 10-year period (P < .05). The percentage of patients who stayed fewer than 30 days was noted to increase steadily over the 10 years, starting with 48% in 2005 and ending with 53% in 2013 (P < .05). CONCLUSION Understanding past trends in TBI admissions to SNFs is necessary to guide appropriate discharge and predict future demand, as well as inform SNF policy and practice necessary to care for this subgroup of patients.
Infection control: Its evolution to the current standard precautions

ABSTRACT Background. The use of appropriate infection control precautions to protect against transmission of bloodborne and other occupational microbial pathogens has become a routine component of health care provision. Evolution and revision of recommendations continues to be based on updated scientific information, as well as documented and inferred clinical applications of new knowledge. In addition, surveillance of occupational risks in medical treatment settings often has served as a basis for subsequent disease prevention recommendations for dental care. Types of Studies Reviewed. Guidelines designed to protect dental professionals and their patients have focused on bloodborne pathogens since the first published American Dental Association recommendations in the 1970s. Subsequent statements developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the ADA and other organizations during the past 30 years also have addressed prevention of other infections, transmitted by either direct or indirect contact with a variety of potentially infectious body fluids. Results. Review of the major features of these recommendations provides an appropriate framework to consider current guideline revisions. The success of long-standing universal precautions, or UP, against blood-borne infection has been augmented with the incorporation of body substance isolation, or BSI, practices into the infection control protocol designated “standard precautions.” Combination of the major tenets of UP with the BSI systems routinely employed in acute care facilities affords all health care professionals the means of preventing a spectrum of blood-borne, respiratory, contact and other potential exposures during provision of patient care. Clinical Implications. As infection control recommendations for dentistry are updated this year, they undoubtedly will include guidelines expanding previous UP to provide expanded protection for dental professionals in the multiple types of nonacute treatment settings in which routine treatment is provided.