cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Globalization and Politics of Transformation in Africa: NEPAD and Pitfalls of Transnational Elite Developmental Projects Globalisation et politiques de transformation en Afrique: NEPAD et dangers de développementalisme d'une élite transnationale La globalización y las políticas de cambio en Africa: NEPAD y los fallos del desarrollismo elitista transnacional

This article examines the New Partnership for Africa's Development initiative launched in 2001. The article discusses the political and economic conjuncture that resulted in the adoption of this initiative. In the main, the analysis demonstrates the ways in which the initiative dovetails well with the global neo-liberal project and, consequently, contests the claims by African ruling elites and their counter-parts in the global North that it represents a transformative framework for economic and political change for national social formations in Africa. Cet article examine le Nouveau Partenariat pour le Developpement de l'Afrique, une initiative lancee en 2001. Cet article parle de la conjoncture politique et economique qui a decoule de l'adoption de cette initiative. Dans l'ensemble, cette analyse demontre comment cette initiative se raccorde avec le projet global neoliberal et, par consequent, conteste les revendications de l'elite africaine au pouvoir et de ses homologues du Nord. Cette initiative procure enfi n une structure de transformation economique et politique pour la formation nationale et sociale en Afrique. Este articulo examina la iniciativa de la Nueva Alianza para el Desarrollo de Africa lanzada en 2001. El articulo analiza la coyuntura politica y economica que resulto de la adopcion de la iniciativa. En su conjunto, el analisis demuestra la forma en que la iniciativa casa bien con el proyecto global neoliberal y, en consecuencia, rechaza la pretension de las elites africanas y sus contrapartidas en el Norte global. Esta iniciativa representa un esquema transformador para el cambio politico y economico en la sociedad africana.
A stimulus density-dependent normalization mechanism for modulating the range of contour integration

Abstract Psychophysical studies of contour detection (Kovacs et al., IOVS 37: S670 (1996); Nafziger et al., IOVS 39: S859 (1998) indicate that the effective range of surround interactions scale inversely with stimulus density. We present a model based on psychophysical data which suggests that the size of the extra-classical receptive field (CRF) is dynamically modulated by stimulus context. Stimulus density acts to modulate the effective range of long-distance facilitatory connections: high stimulus densities narrow the effective range of the connection field, low densities enlarge the effective surround. Summed facilitatory inputs modulate the gain of the CRF. Simulations match the psychophysical results suggesting that a dynamic receptive field mechanism may underlie the inverse scaling of contour integration with stimulus density.
The Nationwide Study of Epikeratophakia for Aphakia in Adults

In the nationwide study of epikeratophakia, 154 ophthalmic surgeons who had attended a training course performed 519 procedures for the correction of aphakia in adults: 310 of the eyes had 30 or more days of follow-up after suture removal. Of 229 eyes, 172 (75%) were within 3 diopters of emmetropia after surgery. Of 259 eyes, 245 (95%) demonstrated improved uncorrected visual acuity; 138 (53%) improved by four or more Snellen lines. Of 265 eyes, 209 (78%) achieved within two lines or improved their best corrected visual acuity. Of the 119 patients who achieved or improved their preoperative best corrected visual acuity, 110 (92%) were within two Snellen lines or better by 30 to 60 days after suture removal. Of the 127 patients with more than three months of follow-up after suture removal, 124 (98%) of those between 18 and 70 years of age but only 13 of 23 (54%) of those between 81 and 87 years of age achieved within two lines or better of their best corrected visual acuity. Corneal astigmatism measured by keratometry changed from a preoperative mean (± S.D.) of 2.1 ± 1.8 diopters to a postoperative mean of 2.7 ± 2.6 diopters. Of the 519 tissue lenses, 22 (4%) were removed, and one third of these patients underwent a second, successful epikeratophakia procedure.
SCATTER FACTOR-HEPATOCYTE GROWTH FACTOR ELEVATION IN THE SERUM OF PATIENTS WITH PROSTATE CANCER

Purpose: Scatter factor (SF), also known as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), has been shown to induce proliferation, scattering and invasiveness in human prostate cancer cell lines. In this study we determined the serum level of SF-HGF in men with metastatic prostate cancer compared to those with localized prostate cancer and without prostate cancer.Materials and Methods: Serum samples were obtained from men with biopsy proved adenocarcinoma of the prostate and radiographic evidence of metastatic disease, those with biopsy proved adenocarcinoma of the prostate and clinically localized disease, and those with negative sextant prostate biopsies. Serum SF-HGF was determined using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit.Results: Of the 108 men enrolled in our study 52 had negative sextant biopsies, 36 had clinically localized cancer and 20 had metastatic disease. The serum level in men with metastatic disease was significantly elevated (mean 2,117 pg./ml., range 820 to 6,403) compared to...
Remarriage as Context for Dementia Caregiving: Implications of Positive Support and Negative Interactions for Caregiver Well-Being

Growing numbers of adults age with complex marital and family histories. At the same time, aging persons may require family care. This qualitative study focuses on later-life remarried wives (N = 60) caring for husbands with dementia to explore positive and negative care-related support from family and stepfamily members. Telephone interviews included open-ended questions and support networks diagrams to depict support experiences. Caregivers reported receiving support from own family, but noted an absence of support or assistance, or active interference, from stepfamily members. Remarried caregivers face specific support challenges, isolation and demoralization. Opportunities for interventions and future research are discussed.
Decision analytic modeling and NSAID gastropathy could we be more sensitive

The widespread use of prescription and over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) exposes millions of individuals to a well-documented increased risk of gastrointestinal adverse events. Although the probability is low that any NSAID user will experience a drug-related complication,1 the fact that 2 million Americans regularly use these agents makes NSAID gastropathy an important problem from clinical and economic perspectives. It is estimated that over 100,000 hospitalizations and 10,000 to 20,000 deaths each year in the United States can be attributed to NSAID-related complications.2 While the costs of excess hospitalizations have been estimated at $4 billion annually,3 these expenditures greatly underestimate the societal impact of NSAID gastropathy, in that indirect costs such as lost productivity tend not to be included.
Simplified unipolar, quasisquare wave energy recovery drive circuits for piezoelectric actuators

A simple two-switch circuit for driving piezoelectric actuators with unipolar quasisquare waves is presented. The circuit provides for recovery of the energy stored on the actuator capacitance back to the primary power supply when the actuator is de-energized.
Democratization and the secularization of religious parties: the case of Mexico

Under what conditions does democratization erode religious political engagement? The dramatic democratic transitions in the Catholic world during the last quarter of the twentieth century have been accompanied by the widespread decline of Catholic political parties, but the interaction between democratizing reforms and the development of religious parties in the Catholic world remains poorly understood. This article analyses the crucial case of Mexico to explore if, how, and under what conditions electoral participation encourages the differentiation of religious and partisan activism. Relying on archival research and an original data set describing the religious linkages of 302 historic and contemporary leading members of the PAN, Mexico's largest Catholic-inspired party, this article shows that democratization is only indirectly linked to the secularization of religious parties, and its effects are conditional on the resources and opportunities available to religious activists.
Administrator views and knowledge of instructional practices for students with autism spectrum disorders

Abstract This paper contains a review of eight studies that examined the views and knowledge base of administrators regarding intervention and instructional methods for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Administrators’ views surrounding training and professional development in ASD instructional practices were also investigated. While administrators reported being knowledgeable about instructional practices, the need for a more formative evaluation of instructional knowledge combining self-report with observational methods of instructional knowledge was supported. Findings from the review point to added benefits to administrators when exposed to additional training in evidence-based practices for students with ASDs. Accordingly, administrators with a stronger knowledge of such practices may feel more prepared to act as instructional leaders. Research-to-practice gaps related to administrators’ views and beliefs about interventions, utility of methods for different age groups, and effective training and implementation of methods obtained through additional out-of-classroom training time were also supported. The small number of studies and limitations surrounding survey methodology employed in all studies warrants further research in this area. Suggestions for future descriptive and intervention-based research are discussed.
Emotion, performance, and temporality in Arab music: Reflections on tarab

It is a late autumn day in Damascus, and I am back paying a visit to my friend 'Adil al-Zaki, owner of the Sham Dan cassette shop. Mr. Zaki's shop has "everything," including nearly half a million recordings in a variety of formats, mostly cassettes, of older Arab music and music from around the world. Zaki is a jocular octogenarian, somewhat round of belly and quick of smile, and a great enthusiast of Arab music-the "good music," as he would put it, and not the modern popular songs, for which he has little regard. Whenever I visited him I would generally sit for an hour or so while we listened to various artists-whomever he happened to be making a tape of at the time or others according to his mood: the great Egyptian artists Umm Kulthum and Muhammad 'Abd al-Wahhab, of course, but also Indonesian Qur'an readers, Persian oud players, all-women orchestras from Tunisia, and others, both famous and obscure. We'd sip little glasses of coffee, sit back in our chairs, and enjoy the music-as we did that autumn afternoon.
A thermal actinometer for flash photolysis

Abstract A simple actinometer suitable for flash photolysis is based on the thermal expansion of a fluid following the spectrally selective absorption of radiant energy. Conditions can be chosen so that several ambiguities characteristic of flash photolysis are avoided.
Left ventricular conduction delays and relation to QRS configuration in patients with left ventricular dysfunction

Left ventricular activation delay (LVAT) >100 ms may determine response to cardiac resynchronization therapy, but its prevalence and relation to QRS configuration are unknown. QRS duration and LVAT in control subjects (n = 30) were compared with those in patients with heart failure (HF; LV ejection fraction 23 +/- 8%, n = 120) with a QRS duration or = 120 ms (left bundle branch block [LBBB(HF)], n = 54; right bundle branch block [RBBB(HF)], n = 31). LVAT was estimated by interval from QRS onset to basal inferolateral LV depolarization. In controls, QRS duration was 82 +/- 13 ms and LVAT was 55 +/- 18 ms. LVAT was always <100 ms. In patients with NQRS(HF), QRS duration (104 +/- 10 ms) and LVAT (82 +/- 22 ms) were prolonged versus controls (p <0.001). LVAT exceeded 100 ms in 8 of 35 patients. In patients with LBBB(HF), QRS duration (161 +/- 29 ms) and LVAT (136 +/- 33 ms) were prolonged compared with controls and patients with NQRS(HF) (p <0.001). LVAT exceeded 100 ms in 47 of 54 patients. In patients with RBBB(HF), QRS duration did not differ from that in patients with LBBB(HF), but LVAT (100 +/- 24 ms) was shorter (p <0.001). In 17 of 31 patients with RBBB(HF) LVAT was <100 ms (82 +/- 12), similar to those with NQRS(HF) (p = NS), indicating no LV conduction delay. However, in 7 of 31, LVAT (135 +/- 13 ms) was similar to that in patients with LBBB(HF) (p = NS). LVAT correlation with QRS duration varied (control p = 0.004, NQRS(HF) p = 0.15, RBBB(HF) p = 0.01, LBBB(HF) p <0.001). In conclusion, LV conduction delays in patients with HF varied with QRS configuration and duration, exceeding 100 ms in only 23% of patients with narrow QRS configuration and 45% with RBBB(HF) compared with 87% with LBBB(HF). Fewer than 25% of patients with RBBB(HF) demonstrated delays equivalent to those in patients with LBBB(HF.) These variations may affect efficacy to cardiac resynchronization therapy.
Mechanism of cancer chemopreventive activity of green Tea.

cer. Chemoprevention is a means by which the use of naturally occurring and/or synthetic compounds com- pletely prevents, blocks or reverses the occurrence of the disease. Prevention of cancer through dietary intervention has received considerable attention in the recent past and is viewed as a potential strategy for the management of cancer (1, 2). Ever since the finding from this laboratory in 1988 and 1989 about anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic activity of polyphenolic agents present in green tea (3-3, preven- tion of cancer through the consumption of this widely used beverage is receiving increasing attention. Green tea, de- rived from the plant
Highly efficient electrophosphorescent polymer light-emitting devices

Abstract We report a high performance polymer electroluminescent device based on a bi-layer structure consisting of a hole transporting layer (poly(vinylcarbazole)) and an electron transporting layer poly(9,9-bis(octyl)-fluorene-2,7-diyl) (BOc-PF) doped with platinum(II)-2,8,12,17-tetraethyl-3,7,13,18-tetramethylporphyrin (PtOX). The devices show red electrophosphorescence with a peak emission at 656 nm and a full width at half maximum of 18 nm, consistent with exclusive emission from the PtOX dopants. BOc-PF emission is not observed at any bias. The required doping levels for these phosphorescence-based polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) are significantly lower than for other reported phosphorescence-based PLEDs or organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). A doping level of 1% or more give an LED with exclusive PtOX emission, whereas related PLEDs or OLEDs doped with phosphorescent dopants require doping levels of >5% to achieve exclusive dye dopant emission. The device external efficiency was enhanced from 1% to 2.3% when doped with PtOX. The lower doping level in BOc-PF/PtOX based PLEDs decreases triplet–triplet annihilation in these devices, leading to quantum efficiency that is only weakly dependent on current density. The luminescence transient decay time for this device is ∼500 μs.
A Hybrid Radial Basis Function Neurocomputer and Its Applications

A neurocomputer was implemented using radial basis functions and a combination of analog and digital VLSI circuits. The hybrid system uses custom analog circuits for the input layer and a digital signal processing board for the hidden and output layers. The system combines the advantages of both analog and digital circuits, featuring low power consumption while minimizing overall system error. The analog circuits have been fabricated and tested, the system has been built, and several applications have been executed on the system. One application provides significantly better results for a remote sensing problem than have been previously obtained using conventional methods.
The Effects of Nanoscopic Fillers on the Viscoelastic Response of Polymers

We have used a technique developed by Brochard (Macromolecules, 2004, 37, 1470) using free standing thin films to study the viscoelastic response of filled-polymer films. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) experiments reported that fillers were well distributed within the films, and therefore no clustering and interfacial segregation occurred. Results from Shear Modulation Force Microscopy (SMFM) measurements revealed that the glass transition temperature of the polymer (Tg) was depressed by 10°C relative to the bulk for Au (10 nm), and bulk like for Au (3 nm). The effects of colloidal fillers on the tracer diffusion coefficient (D) were studied using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), and results found that D was increased significantly for the Au 10 nm, and constant for the Au 3 nm. Values for zero shear rate viscosity extracted from the diffusion coefficient were compared to the shear strain calculated from the hole growth measurements, and theoretical predictions. Results were attributed to an increase in excluded volume when large particles were introduced into the matrix.
The role of fulvic acid composition in the photosensitized degradation of aquatic contaminants

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) chemical composition varies depending upon the source of its precursor materials. Results show that the indirect photodegradation rate coefficients for the compounds sulfadimethoxine (SDM) and triclocarban (TCC) differ depending on the source of fulvic acids used as DOM surrogates. For sulfadimethoxine, little to no enhanced photolysis occurred for the terrestrially derived Suwannee River fulvic acid, but the rate coefficients for triclocarban increased 28%. In contrast, a large photo-enhancement (48% for SDM and 45% for TCC) occurred in the presence of Pony Lake and Old Woman Creek fulvic acids, both of which are derived from predominantly autochthonous material. Conversely, the iron-promoted photodegradation of alachlor occurred more quickly in the presence of Suwannee River fulvic acid than another autochthonous fulvic acid isolated from Lake Fryxell, Antarctica. This pathway is dominated by reaction through hydroxyl radicals generated by the photolysis of the fulvic acids. Taken together, these data provide evidence that autochthonous fulvic acids are more reactive than allochthonous fulvic acids in promoting pathways involving triplet dissolved organic matter intermediates, whereas the latter are more reactive than the former in promoting degradation by some reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thus, more systematic studies are needed to determine the full extent of the linkage between fulvic acid composition and its ability to promote indirect photolytic processes and how the presence of other DOM fractions may affect these reactions.
Macromolecular architecture for the twenty first century-new products from old monomers

Due to the high entry costs for new monomers, polymer products for the 21st century will mainly consist of the monomer mix we have now. The demand for new properties will therefore have to be satisfied by changes in macromolecular architecture. Examples which are discussed include: Block polymers (AB, ABA, (AB)n, ABC, tapered), star polymers (rigid, block, fexible), ladder polymers, graft or comb polymers (from macromonomers), hyperbranched polymers, hypercrosslinked polymers, sequential copolymers. and starburst dendrimers. In addition, control of chain stereo chemistry will increasingly come into play. Synthetic techniques for obtaining these architectural forms are discussed as well as, potential uses for these new products.
The immunology of stroke: from mechanisms to translation

Immunity and inflammation are key elements of the pathobiology of stroke, a devastating illness second only to cardiac ischemia as a cause of death worldwide. The immune system participates in the brain damage produced by ischemia, and the damaged brain, in turn, exerts an immunosuppressive effect that promotes fatal infections that threaten the survival of people after stroke. Inflammatory signaling is involved in all stages of the ischemic cascade, from the early damaging events triggered by arterial occlusion to the late regenerative processes underlying post-ischemic tissue repair. Recent developments have revealed that stroke engages both innate and adaptive immunity. But adaptive immunity triggered by newly exposed brain antigens does not have an impact on the acute phase of the damage. Nevertheless, modulation of adaptive immunity exerts a remarkable protective effect on the ischemic brain and offers the prospect of new stroke therapies. As immunomodulation is not devoid of deleterious side effects, a better understanding of the reciprocal interaction between the immune system and the ischemic brain is essential to harness the full therapeutic potential of the immunology of stroke.
A Study of the Determinants of County E-Government in the United States

As governments rapidly adopt information and communication technologies to improve their service delivery, the study of e-government has emerged as an important area of research in public administr...
Cognitive Vulnerability–Stress Model of Depression During Adolescence: Investigating Depressive Symptom Specificity in a Multi-Wave Prospective Study

Depression commonly co-occurs with anxiety and externalizing problems. Etiological factors from a central cognitive theory of depression, the Hopelessness Theory (Abramson et al. Psychological Review, 96, 358-372, 1989), were examined to evaluate whether a negative inferential style about cause, consequence, and self interacted with stressors over time to predict prospective elevations in depressive symptoms specifically compared with typically co-occurring symptoms. Negative inferential style was assessed at baseline in a sample of early and middle adolescents (N = 350, sixth to tenth graders). Measures of general depressive, anhedonic depressive, anxious arousal, general internalizing, and externalizing symptoms and occurrence of stressors were assessed at four time points over a 5-month period. Results using hierarchical linear modeling show that a negative inferential style interacted with negative events to predict prospective symptoms of general and anhedonic depression specifically but not anxious arousal, general internalizing or externalizing symptoms. Negative events predicted prospective elevations of symptoms of anxious arousal, internalizing, and externalizing problems.
Comparative effects of aspirin with ACE inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker on myocardial infarction and vascular function

Objectives We previously showed that an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (captopril) or an angiotensin receptor blocker (losartan) reduced infarct size and improved endothelial function in a rat model of ischaemia-reperfusion. The present study was undertaken to see if aspirin (ASA) antagonised the beneficial effects of captopril or losartan. Methods One hundred and fourteen Sprague-Dawley rats were randomised into six groups; Control, ASA, captopril, losartan, ASA+captopril, and ASA+losartan. ASA, captopril or losartan were given at a concentration of 40 mg/kg/day in drinking water. After six weeks of pre-treatment, the rats were subjected to 17 minutes of left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion and 120 minutes of reperfusion, with haemodynamic and ECG monitoring. During the reperfusion period, the effective refractory period (ERP), ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT) and bleeding time (BT) were measured. In fresh aortic rings precontracted with phenylephrine, endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxations were assessed using acetylcholine and nitroglycerin. Results Haemodynamic changes were not different between the groups. Serum ASA concentrations were 0.5, 1.1 and 0.6 mg/dl in the ASA, ASA+captopril and ASA+losartan groups, respectively, and BT was prolonged (p<0.01). ASA alone reduced endotheliumdependent relaxation (-29+8 vs. -69+11%, p<0.01), but did not change endothelium-independent relaxation. ASA did not affect endothelial relaxation induced by acetylcholine in the presence of either captopril or losartan. Angiotensin I and ERP were elevated by captopril and losartan. Angiotensin II and VFT were elevated by losartan. ASA with captopril, captopril and losartan equally reduced infarct size, compared with control (39+3, 39+4, and 39+5 vs. 53+3%, all p<0.05). Conclusions Captopril and losartan had similar cardiovascular protective effects in a rat model of ischaemiareperfusion. Aspirin did not attenuate the cardiovascular protective effects of captopril or losartan.
Databases with uncertainty and lineage

This paper introduces uldbs, an extension of relational databases with simple yet expressive constructs for representing and manipulating both lineage and uncertainty. Uncertain data and data lineage are two important areas of data management that have been considered extensively in isolation, however many applications require the features in tandem. Fundamentally, lineage enables simple and consistent representation of uncertain data, it correlates uncertainty in query results with uncertainty in the input data, and query processing with lineage and uncertainty together presents computational benefits over treating them separately. We show that the uldb representation is complete, and that it permits straightforward implementation of many relational operations. We define two notions of uldb minimality--data-minimal and lineage-minimal--and study minimization of uldb representations under both notions. With lineage, derived relations are no longer self-contained: their uncertainty depends on uncertainty in the base data. We provide an algorithm for the new operation of extracting a database subset in the presence of interconnected uncertainty. We also show how uldbs enable a new approach to query processing in probabilistic databases. Finally, we describe the current state of the Trio system, our implementation of uldbs under development at Stanford.
Angiotensin II receptor blockade or deletion of vascular endothelial ACE does not prevent vascular dysfunction and remodeling in 20-HETE-dependent hypertension

Increased vascular 20-HETE is associated with hypertension and activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) through induction of vascular angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) expression. Cyp4a12tg mice, whose Cyp4a12-20-HETE synthase expression is under the control of a tetracycline (doxycycline, DOX) promoter, were used to assess the contribution of ACE/RAS to microvascular remodeling in 20-HETE-dependent hypertension. Treatment of Cyp4a12tg mice with DOX increased systolic blood pressure (SBP; 136 ± 2 vs. 102 ± 1 mmHg; P < 0.05), and this increase was prevented by administration of 20-HEDGE, lisinopril, or losartan. DOX-induced hypertension was associated with microvascular dysfunction and remodeling of preglomerular microvessels, which was prevented by 20-HEDGE, a 20-HETE antagonist, yet only lessened, but not prevented, by lisinopril or losartan. In ACE 3/3 mice, which lack vascular endothelial ACE, administration of 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a known inducer of 20-HETE production, increased SBP; however, the increase was about 50% of that in wild-type (WT) mice (151 ± 1 vs. 126 ± 1 mmHg). Losartan and 20-HEDGE prevented the DHT-induced increase in SBP in WT and ACE 3/3 mice. DHT treatment increased 20-HETE production and microvascular remodeling in WT and ACE 3/3 mice; however, remodeling was attenuated in the ACE 3/3 mice as opposed to WT mice (15.83 ± 1.11 vs. 22.17 ± 0.92 μm; P < 0.05). 20-HEDGE prevented microvascular remodeling in WT and ACE 3/3 mice, while losartan had no effect on microvascular remodeling in ACE 3/3. Taken together, these results suggest that RAS contributes to 20-HETE-mediated microvascular remodeling in hypertension and that 20-HETE-driven microvascular remodeling independent of blood pressure elevation does not fully rely on ACE activity in the vascular endothelium.
Economic Crises and Natural Disasters: Coping Strategies and Policy Implications

This paper reviews 12 studies presented at a conference examining two broad themes: (a) the interplay between household coping strategies and the impact of crises and natural disasters on various dimensions of well-being (e.g., consumption and child nutrition); and (b) some of the ex-ante and ex-post strategies that public agencies can adopt so they can be more effective in protecting households and their members from the potentially adverse impacts of aggregate shocks.
Percutaneous Thrombolysis of Infected Retroperitoneal Hematoma With Urokinase

Management of infected retroperitoneal hematomas can be technically challenging in patients who cannot undergo open surgical debridement. We report an innovative, minimally invasive treatment method that combines percutaneous catheter drainage with urokinase irrigation. CASE REPORT A 56-year-old man with multiple medical problems, including end stage renal disease, was hospitalized for treatment of a lefi renal abscess. Urine cultures revealed Proteus and Pseudomonas. Left nephrectomy was performed through a flank incision. Two weeks postoperatively fever, chills and left lower quadrant pain developed. Abdominal computerized tomography (CT) revealed a large left retroperitoneal hematoma. Blood cultures and needle aspiration of the left retroperitoneal space yielded coagulase-negative Staphylococcus. Intravenous antibiotic therapy was instituted and a percutaneous drainage tube was placed with periodic saline irrigation. Despite 10 days of irrigation and antibiotic therapy sepsis progressed and the overall condition of the patient deteriorated. Abdominal CT and a retrograde sinogram demonstrated that the solid component of the infected hematoma had failed to resolve (fig. 1). Because of tenuous clinical status, the patient was not considered a candidate for open surgical dcibridement. Therefore, 250,000 units of urokinase were infused through the drainage tube and allowed to dwell for 2 hours. The tube was then unclamped and vigorous
Green Electrochemistry. Examples and Challenges

Electrochemical methods have been proposed for synthesis of organic compounds, including conversion of CO 2 . Such methods may provide a basis for environmentally friend- ly and sustainable methods for chemical production. Nevertheless, electrochemical syntheses are not widely utilized. Several examples of ongoing research are presented that illustrate both the opportunities as well as the challenges associated with the utilization of electro- chemistry for green chemical manufacturing.
Constructing a Theory of the Family: From Malinowski through the Modern Nuclear Family to Production and Reproduction

The concept of the modern nuclear family has been the basis of the principal theory structuring scholarly analysis of the family over the past four decades. This paper illustrates how this concept has been employed, argues that it-and the theory underlying it-have outlived their usefulness, and proposes an alternate theoretical approach, one based on concepts of productive and reproductive work. Employing this theoretical approach can resolve a number of the problems inherent in the current literature and reinvigorate sociological analysis of the family.
Nail Primer Cosmetics: Correlations Between Product pH and Adequacy of Labeling

Background: We have previously reported on injuries suffered by young children exposed to methacrylic acid-containing nail primers and the need for public education efforts concerning this potential household hazard. However, some primers contain alternative ingredients, which may or may not pose the same risk; product labeling information is variable and may be confusing to consumers. Objective: To investigate the relationship between pH of different primer products, product contents, and appropriateness of product labeling and packaging. Methods: Twenty-three commercially available primers were grouped by product contents: (methacrylic acid vs others). Product pH was measured and product labels were scored on 7 warning points: “poison and/or corrosive,” a “caution to avoid contact and/or to use a barrier when handling the product,” a “skin first aid,” an “eye first aid,” an “ingestion first aid,” a caution to “keep out of reach of children,” and a “in emergency, contact a poison center.” A summative “gl...
Assessment of Neuropsychological Functions in Chronic Alcoholics Using a Standardized Version of Luria's Neuropsychological Technique

The Standardized Version of Luria's Neuropsychological Technique was administered to separate groups of alcoholics 3 and 11 weeks abstinent from alcohol and to an equated control group. The alcoholics were impaired compared to controls on most of the battery scales; 3-week abstinent alcoholics performed poorer than 11-week abstinent alcoholics on most scales, however, only on the Rhythm scale was the difference significant. These results and other analyses suggest that chronic alcoholics suffer from a mild diffuse-generalized brain dysfunction which persists for up to at least 11 weeks of abstinence.
Response of a Sandwich Panel Subject to Fire or Elevated Temperature on One of the Surfaces

The paper presents the analysis of deformations and stresses in a large aspect ratio sandwich panel subject to fire or another source of elevated temperature. The panel, assumed to bend into a cylindrical surface, is simply supported at the edges. The edges are also prevented from in-plane displacements providing an elastic restraint as the panel stretches due to bending. The solution is obtained in a closed form when the deformations are small and when geometrically nonlinear effects are incorporated into the analysis. The solution is open to modification with arbitrary temperature and property distributions through the thickness of the panel, enabling a designer to incorporate the results from a multitude of heat transfer scenarios so long as the structural problem can be treated as quasi-static.
Compact representation of bidirectional texture functions

A bidirectional texture function (BTF) describes image texture as it varies with viewing and illumination direction. Many real world surfaces such as skin, fur, gravel, etc. exhibit fine-scale geometric surface detail. Accordingly, variations in appearance with viewing and illumination direction may be quite complex due to local foreshortening, masking and shadowing. Representations of surface texture that support robust recognition must account for these effects. We construct a representation which captures the underlying statistical distribution of features in the image texture as well as the variations in this distribution with viewing and illumination direction. The representation combines clustering to learn characteristic image features and principle components analysis to reduce the space of feature histograms. This representation is based on a core image set as determined by a quantitative evaluation of importance of individual images in the overall representation. The result is a compact representation and a recognition method where a single novel image of unknown viewing and illumination direction can be classified efficiently. The CUReT (Columbia-Utrecht reflectance and texture) database is used as a test set for evaluation of these methods.
Analysis of wireless information locality and association patterns in a campus

Our goal is to explore characteristics of the environment that provide opportunities for caching, prefetching, coverage planning, and resource reservation. We conduct a one-month measurement study of locality phenomena among wireless Web users and their association patterns on a major university campus using the IEEE 802.11 wireless infrastructure. We evaluate the performance of different caching paradigms, such as single user cache, cache attached to an access point (AP), and peer-to-peer caching. In several settings such caching mechanisms could be beneficial. Unlike other measurement studies in wired networks in which 25% to 40% of documents draw 70% of Web access, our traces indicate that 13% of unique URLS draws this number of Web accesses. In addition, the overall ideal hit ratio of the user cache, cache attached to an access point, and peer-to-peer caching paradigms (where peers are coresident within an AP) are 51%, 55%, and 23%, respectively. We distinguish wireless clients based on their inter-building mobility, their visits to APs, their continuous walks in the wireless infrastructure, and their wireless information access during these periods. We model the associations as a Markov chain using as state information the most recent AP visits. We can predict with high probability (86%) the next AP with which a wireless client will associate. Also, there are APs with a high percentage of user revisits. Such measurements can benefit protocols and algorithms that aim to improve the performance of the wireless infrastructures by load balancing, admission control, and resource reservation across APs.
Pediatric nuclear medicine, Part I: Developmental cues.

Objective: Children provide a continuous challenge for the nuclear medicine technologist. The task of successfully completing a nuclear medicine procedure varies little among a 20-y-old, a 40-y-old and a 60-y-old patient. Successful completion of a procedure varies much more among a 2-y-old, a 4-y-old and a 6-y-old. Successfully completing a pediatric nuclear medicine procedure includes quick acquisitions, technically acceptable images or calculations, and satisfied patients and parents. Understanding your patient is crucial, and it provides the parents with a greater sense of comfort and confidence about the nuclear medicine technologist and the procedure. After reading this article the nuclear medicine technologist should be able to: (a) discuss the developmental stages of children according to several major theories; (b) identify the physical and mental expectations for each age group; (c) explain applications for incorporating this information into common pediatric nuclear medicine practice; and (d) discuss the common realities surrounding the behavior of children and their parents. A second article will feature tips, indications and populations for common pediatric procedures.
MB-30ONCOLYTIC PICORNAVIRUS SVV-001 PROLONGS ANIMAL SURVIVAL IN A PATIENT TUMOR-DERIVED ORTHOTOPIC XENOGRAFT MOUSE MODEL OF GROUP 3 SUPRATENTORIAL PRIMITIVE NEUROECTODERMAL TUMOR

BACKGROUND: Supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (sPNET) that express mesenchymal markers (Group 3) often exhibit metastasis at diagnosis and are particularly difficult to treat. Here, we examined the anti-tumor effects of SVV-00, an oncolytic virus that can pass through the blood brain barrier, using our newly established patient tumor-derived orthotopic xenograft mouse model of group 3 sPNET. METHODS: Permissiveness toward SVV-001 was examined in cultured neurospheres and in flow sorted xenograft cells that expressed CD133 and/or CD15, the putative cancer stem cell markers of sPNET. Therapeutic efficacy was determined by systemic treatment of xenograft tumors. Effects of SVV-001 on sPNET metastasis and the mechanism of action were examined through time-course analysis of tumor cell infection, apoptosis and autophagy in vivo. Tumor responsiveness was correlated with the expression of NEUROD1 and ASCL1 mRNA. RESULTS: The cultured sPNET neurospheres as well as the dual- and the mono-positive CD133+ and CD15+ cells were effectively infected by SVV-GFP and killed by SVV-001 (MOI =0.5-25). A single tail vein injection of SVV-001 (9 x 1012 viral particle/kg) significantly prolonged the survival of tumor-bearing mice. In addition to tumor mass, sPNET xenograft cells in CSF spread and local invasion were also effectively killed 72 hr post virus injection. Mechanistically, we found that SVV-001 activated apoptosis and autophagy in vivo. Increased NEUROD1/ASCL1 ratio was found in IC-2664PNT, but no positive correlations were confirmed in medulloblastoma and pediatric high grade gliomas. CONCLUSION: We have identified SVV-001 as a novel agent that can effectively target, at least some of, group 3 sPNET tumor cells, including different subpopulations of cancer stem cells.
Hypoxic-Ischemic-Encephalopathy Studied by EEG and Mr Spectroscopy

Amplitude-integrated EEG (a-EEG) time course during the first 24 hrs of life was related to brain metabolism changes detected by proton MR spectroscopy (H-MRS) at 7-10 days of post-natal life in non-cooled term newborns with hypoxic-ischemic-encephalopathy (HIE).
Molecular marker analyses of pistachio rootstocks by simple Sequence Repeats and Sequence-Related Amplified Polymorphisms

SummarySimple Sequence Repeat (SSR) and Sequence-Related Amplified Polymorphism (SRAP) molecular marker systems were used to analyse four commercially important pistachio rootstocks: two species of Pistacia atlantica (cv. ‘Standard Atlantica’), P. integerrima (cv. ‘Pioneer Gold’) and two interspecific hybrids of the same, ‘Pioneer Gold II’ (‘PGII’) and ‘University of California at Berkeley 1’ (‘UCB-1’). A total of 35 putative alleles were detected by 12 SSR primer pairs with an average of 2.9 alleles per locus. The number of putative alleles ranged from 2 to 5 in the pistachio rootstocks tested. The number of bands produced by the SRAP protocol was highly variable, ranging from 11 to 38, with an average of 25.2 per primer combination. Eight primer combinations resulted in 104 (51%) polymorphic markers in these samples. SSR and SRAP markers successfully identified all pistachio rootstocks tested from their unique fingerprints. Both SSR and SRAP molecular markers confirmed that the observed variation in ‘UC...
Tyrosinase in Feather Germs

SummaryExtracts of black chicken feather germs show a cyanide-sensitive, heat-labile tyrosinase activity, forming melanin from tyrosine without added peroxide, in about 80% of trials when one cc of the reaction mixture contains extract of 50-750 mg of young barb tissue. Extracts of red feather germs show a similar activity in about 60% of cases, forming black rather than red pigment. Extracts of White Leghorn germs do not inhibit the tyrosinase from roughly equivalent amounts of black germ.
Transforming Medicine Through Physiology

Claude Bernard is considered by many to be the father of modern physiology and medicine. In his 1865 book, An Introduction to the Study of Experimental Medicine , Bernard introduced the scientific method to the field of medicine and thereby initiated the concept of evidenced-based medicine. In this
LIDAR-Based Extreme Event Control to Prevent Wind Turbine Overspeed

This paper describes a controller designed to prevent rotor overspeed in response to incoming wind gusts. A Light Detection and Ranging system is used in conjunction with a Cumulative Summation test to detect an oncoming gust. In addition, the ouput estimation error is monitored. Upon detection of a gust or a large output estimation error, the control system switches from a baseline controller to an extreme event controller that reduces the risk of rotor overspeed. Switching controllers takes place through the use of linear interpolation, a bumpless transfer technique. After the gust has passed the turbine, control switches back to the baseline controller. Finally, the switching controller is compared to a nonswitching controller in simulations using both extreme operating gusts and turbulent winds.
Laboratory-Simulated Diagenesis of Nontronite

Nontronite NAu-1 was exposed to moderate temperature and pressure conditions (250 and 300°C at 100 MPa pressure) in KCl brine to simulate burial diagenetic systems over accelerated time periods appropriate for laboratory experiments. Powder X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis of the coexisting mixed-layer and discrete 10 A clay reaction products, and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry analysis of the remaining fluids, indicated that the clay retained octahedral Fe and was identified as Fe-celadonite. The release of Fe from smectite during burial diagenesis has been hypothesized as a mechanism for magnetite authigenesis. High Al activity relative to Fe may be critical to the formation of an aluminous illite and any associated authigenic magnetite.
Superdense Coding with Vector Vortex Beams: A Classical Analogy of Entanglement

Superdense coding using a classical analogy of quantum entanglement is experimentally investigated. The spatially inhomogeneous polarization of vector vortex beams, as described by a higher-order Poincare sphere, play the role of maximally entangled Bell states.
High power 2 μm wing-pumped Tm3+:YAG laser

Using a scalable diode end-pumping technology developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory we have demonstrated a compact Tm3+:YAG laser capable of generating greater than 50 W of cw 2 µm laser output power. The design and operational characteristics of this laser, which was built originally for use in assessing laser surgical techniques, will be discussed.
The Effects of Interferers on Digital Transmission Links

The Army for some time has considered the feasibility of transmitting digital information over tactical narrowband FM. This paper presents the results of bit error rate measurements made on narrowband FM links being interfered with by a variety of modulation types. The desired signal is a frequency shift keying signal of 1200 and 2400 Hertz with bit rates of 600 and 1200 bits per second. This signal is transmitted over a 25 kHz FM channel. The interfering signals will be: a. Gaussian noise b. ASK 1200 and 2400 Hertz tones at 600 bits per second c. ASK 1200 and 2400 Hertz tones at 1200 bits per second d. ASK 750 and 1500 Hertz tones at 750 bits per second e. Narrowband voice f. AM noise.
Is Common Femoral Artery Stenosis Still a Surgical Disease

Surgical endarterectomy has long been the standard approach for treating atherosclerotic stenosis in the common femoral artery. Its major advantage is the associated long-term patency, which approaches 95% at 5 years. Nevertheless, recent studies have suggested that percutaneous treatment may be a valid alternative to surgery.
Minimizing energy consumption of smart grid data centers using cloud computing

Cloud computing provides its services via high speed networks as a service to users. In private clouds, the consumers access resources through a broker. This prevents wasting resources by owning idle systems and thus, lowering the cost. In this paper, a method is proposed to minimize the energy consumption of smart grid computation systems. To achieve this, different properties of private clouds, such as distributed computing among an array of data centers, were utilized. The proposed method was simulated on the Cloud Analyst test bed. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves lower energy consumption as compared to predominant methods, which results in a significant cost reduction.
The Dêmos in Dêmokratia

Demokratia is widely glossed ‘rule by the people’ where ‘people’ (demos) is defined as ‘entire citizenry’. Yet from Homer to Aeschylos, demos indicated not the entire citizenry but a part: those who wielded political power through their participation in a collective agent — in the first instance, an assembly — as opposed to those who enjoyed political influence as individuals. First and foremost, demokratia signalled that supreme power had passed to this group, away from the leading men who had previously held sway. The implications for our conceptualization of democracy are profound.
Interchangeability principle and dynamic equations in risk averse stochastic programming

Abstract In this paper we consider interchangeability of the minimization operator with monotone risk functionals. In particular we discuss the role of strict monotonicity of the risk functionals. We also discuss implications to solutions of dynamic programming equations of risk averse multistage stochastic programming problems.