cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Providing manualized individual trauma-focused CBT to unaccompanied refugee minors with uncertain residence status: a pilot study.

Unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) seeking asylum show high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety. In addition, they experience post-migration stressors like an uncertain residence status. Therefore, psychotherapeutic interventions for URMs are urgently needed but have scarcely been investigated up to now. This study aimed to examine manualized individual trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) for URMs with PTSD involving their professional caregivers (i.e. social workers in child and adolescent welfare facilities). We conducted an uncontrolled pilot study with three follow-up assessments (post-intervention, 6 weeks, and 6 months). Participants who met the PTSD diagnostic criteria were treated in a university psychotherapeutic outpatient clinic in Germany with a mean of 15 sessions of TF-CBT. All participants (n = 26) were male UM (Mage = 17.1, SD = 1.0), predominately from Afghanistan (n = 19, 73.1%) and did not have a residence permit. The sample was severely traumatized according to the number of traumatic event types reported (M = 11.3, SD = 2.8). The primary outcome was PTSD measured with the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS) and the Diagnostic Interview for Mental Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence (Kinder-DIPS). Secondary outcomes were depression, behavioural and somatic symptoms. All but the somatic symptoms were assessed in both self-report and proxy report. At post-intervention the completer sample (n = 19) showed significantly decreased PTSD symptoms, F(1, 18) = 11.41, p = .003, with a large effect size (d = 1.08). Improvements remained stable after 6 weeks and 6 months. In addition to PTSD symptoms, their caregivers reported significantly decreased depressive and behavioural symptoms in participants. According to the clinical interview, 84% of PTSD cases recovered after TF-CBT treatment. After 6 months, youths whose asylum request had been rejected showed increased PTSD symptoms according to individual trajectories in the Kinder-DIPS. The effect was, however, non-significant. Intervention studies are feasible with URMs. This pilot study presents preliminary evidence for the efficacy of an evidence-based intervention like TF-CBT in reducing PTSD symptoms in URMs. Stressors related to asylum proceedings after the end of therapy have the potential to negatively influence psychotherapy outcomes.
American Empire: A Global History. By A. G. Hopkins. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2018. Pp. xviii, 980. $39.95.)

A.G. Hopkins arrived in the United States to take a position at the University of Texas at Austin on 10 September 2001. The events of the following morning, as he explains in the preface to his new...
MicroED Structures of HIV-1 Gag CTD-SP1 Reveal Binding Interactions with the Maturation Inhibitor Bevirimat

HIV-1 protease (PR) cleavage of the Gag polyprotein triggers the assembly of mature, infectious particles. Final cleavage of Gag occurs at the junction helix between the capsid protein CA and the SP1 spacer peptide. Here we used MicroED to delineate the binding interactions of the maturation inhibitor bevirimat (BVM) using very thin frozen-hydrated, three-dimensional microcrystals of a CTD-SP1 Gag construct with and without bound BVM. The 2.9-A MicroED structure revealed that a single BVM molecule stabilizes the 6-helix bundle via both electrostatic interactions with the dimethysuccinyl moiety and hydrophobic interactions with the pentacyclic triterpenoid ring. These results provide insight into the mechanism of action of BVM and related maturation inhibitors that will inform further drug discovery efforts. This study also demonstrates the capabilities of MicroED for structure-based drug design.
Fairness and Power Dynamics of the CEO and Board: Change in Response to Compensation Reference Point

Building on theories of fairness and equity, we examine how compensation reference point influences the direction of strategic change. The fundamental assumption is that desires to increase firm sc...
Mild Hyperthermia Aggravates Glucose Metabolic Consequences in Repetitive Concussion

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of mortality and disability around the world. Mild TBI (mTBI) makes up approximately 80% of reported cases and often results in transient psychological abnormalities and cognitive disruption. At-risk populations for mTBI include athletes and other active individuals who may sustain repetitive concussive injury during periods of exercise and exertion when core temperatures are elevated. Previous studies have emphasized the impact that increased brain temperature has on adverse neurological outcomes. A lack of diagnostic tools to assess concussive mTBI limits the ability to effectively identify the post-concussive period during which the brain is uniquely susceptible to damage upon sustaining additional injury. Studies have suggested that a temporal window of increased vulnerability that exists corresponds to a period of injury-induced depression of cerebral glucose metabolism. In the current study, we sought to evaluate the relationship between repetitive concussion, local cerebral glucose metabolism, and brain temperature using the Marmarou weight drop model to generate mTBI. Animals were injured three consecutive times over a period of 7 days while exposed to either normothermic or hyperthermic temperatures for 15 min prior to and 1 h post each injury. A 14C-2-deoxy-d-glucose (2DG) autoradiography was used to measure local cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (lCMRGlc) in 10 diverse brain regions across nine bregma levels 8 days after the initial insult. We found that repetitive mTBI significantly decreased glucose utilization bilaterally in several cortical areas, such as the cingulate, visual, motor, and retrosplenial cortices, as well as in subcortical areas, including the caudate putamen and striatum, compared to sham control animals. lCMRGlc was significant in both normothermic and hyperthermic repetitive mTBI animals relative to the sham group, but to a greater degree when exposed to hyperthermic conditions. Taken together, we report significant injury-induced glucose hypometabolism after repetitive concussion in the brain, and additionally highlight the importance of temperature management in the acute period after brain injury.
Adverse Effects of Low-Dose Methotrexate: A Randomized Trial.

Background Low-dose methotrexate (LD-MTX) is the most commonly used drug for systemic rheumatic diseases worldwide and the recommended first-line agent for rheumatoid arthritis. Despite extensive clinical use for over 40 years, few data on adverse event (AE) rates derive from randomized placebo-controlled trials, where both causality and magnitude of risk can be inferred.
Well-Being, Eudaimonia, and Nature-Fulfillment

This chapter aims to clarify the connection between Aristotle’s account of eudaimonia and the contemporary concept of well-being. I argue that some of the difficulties on this matter arise from ambiguities concerning both the concept of eudaimonia and the concept of well-being. An improved understanding of these concepts will put us in a better position to appreciate the strengths of Aristotle’s account and why it still mattters as a significant theory of well-being.
Primary immune deficiency diseases with prominent autoimmunity

Abstract Primary immune deficiencies are often considered to have a prominent infectious phenotype. Indeed, this is often the case and historically, susceptibility to infection was one of the hallmarks of immune deficiencies. Nevertheless, there has always been an undercurrent of autoimmunity and inflammation. This chapter will discuss the conditions where autoimmunity is the dominant or in some cases, the only manifestation of an immune system gone awry. These conditions, along with those where atopy is the major manifestation and the conditions associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis constitute the immune dysregulation conditions.
Block public access: trust safety verification of access control policies

Data stored in cloud services is highly sensitive and so access to it is controlled via policies written in domain-specific languages (DSLs). The expressiveness of these DSLs provides users flexibility to cover a wide variety of uses cases, however, unintended misconfigurations can lead to potential security issues. We introduce Block Public Access, a tool that formally verifies policies to ensure that they only allow access to trusted principals, i.e. that they prohibit access to the general public. To this end, we formalize the notion of Trust Safety that formally characterizes whether or not a policy allows unconstrained (public) access. Next, we present a method to compile the policy down to a logical formula whose unsatisfiability can be (1) checked by SMT and (2) ensures Trust Safety. The constructs of the policy DSLs render unsatisfiability checking PSPACE-complete, which precludes verifying the millions of requests per second seen at cloud scale. Hence, we present an approach that leverages the structure of the policy DSL to compute a much smaller residual policy that corresponds only to untrusted accesses. Our approach allows Block Public Access to, in the common case, syntactically verify Trust Safety without having to query the SMT solver. We have implemented Block Public Access and present an evaluation showing how the above optimization yields a low-latency policy verifier that the S3 team at AWS has integrated into their authorization system, where it is currently in production, analyzing millions of policies everyday to ensure that client buckets do not grant unintended public access.
City Light or Star Bright: A Review of Urban Light Pollution, Impacts, and Planning Implications:

Light pollution (LP) is a growing scourge in metropolitan areas yet is largely ignored by planners. It has negative impacts on the health of humans and of wildlife and threatens views of the night ...
Incorporating Intersectionality in Public Policy: A Systematic Literature Review:

Intersectionality is an ascending perspective in public policy research, gaining ever wider recognition in the discipline. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the literature to as...
The aromatase inhibitor letrozole restores FADS2 function in ER+ MCF7 human breast cancer cells

Abstract Purpose Plasticity in fatty acid metabolism is increasingly recognized as a major feature influencing cancer progression and efficacy of treatments. Estrogen receptor positive MCF7 human breast cancer cells have long been known to have no FADS2-mediated Δ6-desaturase activity. Our objective was to examine the effect of estrogen and the “antiestrogen” aromatase inhibitor letrozole, on Δ5- and Δ6-desaturase synthesized fatty acids in vitro. Methods Eicosa-11,14-dienoic acid (20:2n-6), a known substrate for both FADS1 and FADS2, was used as a sentinel of relative FADS2 and FADS1 activity. MCF7 cells and four additional estrogen responsive wild type cell lines (HepG2, SK-N-SH, Y79 and Caco2) were studied. FAME were quantified by GC-FID and structures identified by GC CACI-MS/MS. Results In all five cell lines, estrogen caused a dose dependent decrease in sciadonic acid (5,11,14–20:3, ScA) via apparent inhibition of FADS1 activity, and had no effect on FADS2 catalyzed synthesis of dihomo-gamma linolenic acid (8,11,14–20:3; DGLA). In MCF7 cells, letrozole caused a dose dependent increase in FADS2-catalyzed DGLA synthesis, which plateaued in SK-N-SH cells. Conclusion Letrozole restores Δ6-desaturase mediated synthesis of the anti-inflammatory PGE1-precursor DGLA in vitro and is the first endocrine-active agent to have opposing effects on FADS1 and FADS2 catalyzed activities.
The Association of Dietary Fiber and Cancer Development in Rural Post-menopausal Women of Nebraska

Objectives Determine the extent to which diets with higher fiber intakes (g) at baseline are independently associated with cancer development by final study visit in a cohort of rural post-menopausal women.
Testing the Form of Theoretical Models by Relaxing Assumptions: Comparing Parametric and Nonparametric Models

One of the most fundamental assumptions in parametric statistical analysis is that the parametric model correctly captures the form of relationships being modeled. A key example is traditional multiple linear regression, where each partial regression function is assumed to be linear. This assumption is rarely explicitly tested in organizational research, partially because statistical approaches for testing the assumption are not widely known. We present methods to test this assumption by relaxing it. We discuss both fully nonparametric techniques and the more restrictive additive model, which relaxes only the assumption of linearity, compared to linear regression. We demonstrate how to fit both hypothesized linear models and equivalent additive models. We illustrate how to compare these models to determine whether the regression functions are truly linear. We discuss the strengths and limitations of nonparametric regression and additive models and advocate for more general use of these techniques in analysis of organizational data.
Estimating performance characteristics of loop transformations

In this paper we present estimation techniques for loop transformations. These estimation techniques can be used for design space exploration. They can be used to quickly evaluate the cost and performance characteristics of the transformations, thus helping the designer make the decision of applying the transformation or not. The estimates are verified for several transformations and are very close to the actual results. >
Security, Protocols, and Trust

Information security has benefited from mathematically cogent modeling and analysis, which can assure the absence of specific kinds of attacks. Information security provides the right sorts of problems: Correctness conditions may be subtle, but they have definite mathematical content. Systems may be complex, but the essential reasons for failures are already present in simple components. Thus, rigorous methods lead to clear improvements.
Cable Trusses Subjected to Earthquakes

Earthquake responses of cable trusses with top cable curved up and bottom cable curved down and diagonal web members are the main subject of this study. Such trusses have special features as diagonals come in and out of action during vibration. An outline of nonlinear analysis of static and dynamic problems of elastic cable trusses were presented and results checked with published examples. For limiting the degrees-of-freedom, only plane trusses are studied herein with masses lumped at the joints. Analysis of an example truss is presented. The truss is pretensioned so that it will have very small deflection under dead load and there will be sufficient tension in the lower cable to stabilize the structure when line load occupies whole or half the span. Deflections and member forces of the example truss subjected to vertical and horizontal (north-south) El Centro earthquake are given.
An Exception Swallows a Rule: Policy Authority to Search Incident to Arrest

Compared to Fourth Amendment jurisprudence more generally, with its well-earned reputation for complexity and variability, the search incident to arrest exception to the Amendment's warrant requirement would appear an oasis of consistency. The exception affords police an unqualified right to search anyone they arrest, without first obtaining a search warrant from a neutral judicial official. This right extends to the bodies of all arrestees, their area of "immediate control," and, if driving a car, the interior of the car and any containers located therein.
Risk of Hepatotoxicity-Related Hospitalizations among Patients Treated with Opioid/Acetaminophen Combination Prescription Pain Medications

Objective. This study determined the risk of serious hepatotoxicity resulting in hospitalizations among patients prescribed opioid/acetaminophen combinations. Methods. A retrospective cohort study using an insurance claims database was conducted. Adult patients with ≥1 claim for oxycodone/acetaminophen or hydrocodone/acetaminophen combinations were included (N = 1,228,356). A pre–post design was employed to compare serious hepatotoxicity risk before versus after initiation of opioid/acetaminophen combination. Serious hepatotoxicity risk between the opioid/acetaminophen group and a control group of opioid-alone users (N = 11,809) was also examined. Within the opioid/acetaminophen group, risk of hepatotoxicity-related hospitalizations pre- versus post-opioid/acetaminophen treatment was compared using the normal approximation with the binomial distribution. The incidence rate of hepatotoxicity-related hospitalizations for the opioid/acetaminophen group was compared with the opioid-alone group using multivariate Poisson regression adjusting for baseline differences between groups. Results. Of the opioid/acetaminophen cohort, hepatotoxicity-related hospitalization risk in the 6-month post-opioid/acetaminophen period was lower than that in the pre-period with a risk reduction of 1.2 per 10,000 (pre-period = 0.12%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.12 to 0.13; post-period = 0.11%; 95% CI, 0.11 to 0.12). In the 12-month period, risk increased in the post-period by 2.4 per 10,000 (pre-period = 0.14%; 95% CI, 0.14 to 0.15; post-period = 0.17%; 95% CI, 0.16 to 0.18). After adjusting for confounders, the opioid-alone group did not demonstrate a lower rate of hepatotoxicity-related hospitalizations than the opioid/acetaminophen group (incidence rate ratio of opioid-alone over opioid/acetaminophen = 2.9; 95% CI, 1.8 to 4.7). Conclusions. There is no population data-based evidence supporting elevated risk of hepatotoxicity-related hospitalization associated with opioid/acetaminophen combinations.
A Review of “Flammable Cities: Urban Conflagration and the Making of the Modern World”

Flammable Cities: Urban Conflagration and the Making of the Modern World brings together for the first time a collection of historical case studies comparing the impacts and the real political stru...
Performance of Grooved Warm-Mix Asphalt Pavement Surfaces Under Heavy Aircraft Load and High Tire Pressure

This paper presents an evaluation of the performance of grooved warm-mix asphalt (WMA) under heavy aircraft loading compared with that of grooved hot-mix asphalt (HMA). Runway surface grooving is often required to provide high skid resistance for aircraft braking, particularly in wet conditions where hydroplaning must be minimized. An area of potential concern with the use of WMA on the surface of airfield runway pavements is the material response to surface grooving. If the asphalt binder in WMA is softer than that of comparable HMA because of reduced binder aging during production and placement, the WMA mixture may be more likely to experience groove closure or collapse. This condition could result in hydroplaning issues because of the reduction in water discharge and also in chipping of aggregate from the groove edges, which could increase the potential for foreign object damage. A full-scale experiment was designed to evaluate two pavement curing conditions and three WMA mixtures. Traffic was applied ...
Slip resistance of interfaces and the strength of metallic multilayer composites

We have employed atomic simulations to compute the resistance to glide posed by two kinds of interfaces: coherent and semicoherent interfaces, and incoherent interfaces. Both kinds offer significant resistance to crossing of glide dislocations but for different reasons. We discuss the implication of the results of the atomistic calculations to the strength of multilayer composites and show that a simple prediction can be made for the upper bound strength of coherent systems.
Major adverse outcomes after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty: a clinical prediction rule.

In this study, we developed and internally validated a clinical model for predicting major adverse outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) using a multi-institutional prospective cohort study involving all adult patients who underwent PTCA at 12 participating institutions from August 1993 to October 1995. A major adverse outcome, defined as death, renal failure, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, stroke, or coma, occurred in 3.3 and 3.2% of patients in the derivation and validation sets, respectively. Death occurred in 1.5% in both sets. Fourteen variables were independently correlated with major adverse outcomes. The rule, which stratifies PTCA patients into six levels of risk based on the severity score, showed excellent discrimination (receiver-operating characteristic curve area 0.82) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-square statistic P = .90) and performed well on internal validation. This rule allows accurate preprocedure stratification of PTCA candidates according to their risk of suffering a major adverse outcome.
Effects of nifedipine on artificially induced femoral and basilar artery contraction in vitro and reversal of acute and chronic vertebral basilar spasm by orally administered nifedipine in dogs

It is generally agreed that extreme vasoconstriction, or spasm, affects some patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, and this spasm is sometimes responsible for severe cerebral ischemic changes. Du Boulay [7] and others have suggested there is ample justification for attempting to relieve spasm, in some cases. Allen et al. [4, 6] have shown reversal of vasospasm by phenoxybenzamine, but the technique is cumbersome because of profound hypotension and peripheral vasodilation. Previous studies [3, 5] have demonstrated that canine basilar arteries use, exclusively, extracellular calcium for contractions induced by serotonin and phenylephrine. In vitro, experiments [1, 5, 8–10, 12] demonstrate that nifedipine blocks influx of extracellular calcium into the arterial smooth muscle cell. Nifedipine also blocks the contractions of the basilar artery induced by serotonin and phenylephrine, but does not block similar contractions in the femoral artery. Contractions of the femoral artery occur with potassium chloride, serotonin, and phenylephrine in vitro with or without the addition of nifedipine.
Malpractice claims involving pediatricians: epidemiology and etiology.

OBJECTIVE. Our goals were to examine malpractice claims data that are specific to the specialty of pediatrics and to provide a better understanding of the effect that malpractice has on this specialty. METHODS. The Physician Insurers Association of America is a trade association of medical malpractice insurance companies. The data contained in its data-sharing project represent ∼25% of the medical malpractice claims in the United States at a given time. Although this database is not universally comprehensive, it does contain information not available in the National Practitioner Data Bank, such as information on claims that are not ultimately paid and specialty of the defendant. We asked the Physician Insurers Association of America to perform a query of its data-sharing project database to find malpractice claims reported between January 1, 1985, and December 31, 2005, in which the defendant9s medical specialty was coded as pediatrics. Comparison data were collected for 27 other specialties recorded in the database. RESULTS. During a 20-year period (1985–2005), there were 214226 closed claims reported to the Physician Insurers Association of America data-sharing project. Pediatricians account for 2.97% of these claims, making it 10th among the 28 specialties in terms of the number of closed claims. Pediatrics ranks 16th in terms of indemnity payment rate (28.13%), with dentistry ranked highest at 43.35%, followed by obstetrics and gynecology at 35.50%. Indemnity payment refers to settlements or awards made directly to plaintiffs as a result of claim-resolution process. Data are presented on changes over time, claim-adjudication status, expenses on claims, the causes of claims, and injuries sustained. CONCLUSIONS. Malpractice is a serious issue. Some will read the results of this analysis and draw comfort; others will view the same data with alarm and surprise. Regardless of how one interprets these findings, they are important in truly informing the debate with generalizable facts.
Sexual Revictimization During Women’s First Year of College: Self-Blame and Sexual Refusal Assertiveness as Possible Mechanisms

Although sexual victimization during adolescence increases risk for later revictimization, mechanisms for increased risk among new college students have not been identified. Female undergraduates (N = 87) were assessed at the start and end of their first academic year. Those who reported initial sexual victimization at Time 1 were more likely than other women to report later college victimization at Time 2. Path analyses showed that self-blame and decreased sexual refusal assertiveness (SRA) explained this effect. Specifically, initial victimization was associated with increased self-blame; in turn, self-blame indirectly predicted later college victimization via decreased sexual refusal assertiveness. Prevention efforts focused on self-blame and other barriers to SRA may reduce risk for revictimization during women's transition to college.
Insulin stimulates secretion of a collagenase inhibitor by Swarm rat chondrosarcoma chondrocytes.

Abstract Swarm rat chondrosarcoma chondrocytes produce an inhibitor of collagenase similar to that found in bovine articular chondrocytes and extracts of bovine scapular cartilage. These cells synthesize normal levels of cartilage type proteoglycans when cultured in serum free medium with insulin. Collagen synthesis is also increased when insulin is added to chondrosarcoma chondrocytes. We have demonstrated that insulin stimulates collagenase inhibitor production by these chondrocytes. Enhancement of inhibitory activity occurs over the range of 10 to 1000 ng/ml. A 3.2 fold stimulation was observed at a concentration of 1 μg/ml. There was a lag period of 24 to 48 hours before the insulin effect became evident. Latent or active collagenase was not detectable under these conditions. These results suggest that the hormone insulin controls the levels of collagen in this tumor by stimulating synthesis of collagen and inhibitors of collagenase.
A new model of neurogenic hypertension caused by renal injury: pathophysiology and therapeutic implications.

Increasing evidence indicates that afferent impulses from injured kidney may activate areas of the brain involved in the noradrenergic regulation of blood pressure and largely contribute to the development and maintenance of hypertension associated with renal diseases. A new model of hypertension developed in our laboratory by an intrarenal injection of phenol has largely substantiated this hypothesis. Our studies also provide evidence that complex interactions exist between interleukin (IL)-1Β and nitric oxide in the regulation of central sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity and blood pressure. Following renal injury with phenol, the abundance of IL-1Β and neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the brain decreased, and this may mediate the rise in SNS activity. Finally, our studies provide evidence that locally produced angiotensin II in the brain may ultimately mediate the downregulation of IL-1Β and nNOS and result in increased SNS activity and hypertension in the phenol-renal-injury model.
Configural information processing in two-cue probability learning☆

Abstract A linear model transformation technique for analysis was presented and used to reanalyze the Edgell and Castellan (1973) data. The configural effect reported by those authors was shown to be due completely to a correct utilization by the subjects of the configural information. Further, it was found that any relevant dimensional information was also utilized and that the level of dimensional information utilization was independent of the level of configural information utilization. This analysis technique was also applied to a new experiment which showed that this combined dimensional and configural information processing was not due to pattern only processing but rather to mixed processing of both dimensions and patterns.
Asymmetric adsorption by quartz: a model for the prebiotic origin of optical activity.

One mechanism previously proposed for the abiotic accumulation of molecules of one chirality in nature is asymmetric adsorption on the chiral surfaces of optically active quartz crystals. Earlier literature in this field is reviewed, with the conclusion that previous investigations of this phenomenon, using optical rotation criteria, have afforded ambiguous results. We now have studied the adsorption of radioactive D- and L-alanine on powdered d- and l-quartz, using change in radioactivity level as a criterion for both gross and differential adsorption, d-Quartz preferentially adsorbed D-alanine from anhydrous dimethyl-formamide solution, and l-quartz L-alanine. The differential adsorption varied between 1.0 and 1.8%. The implications of these observations are discussed from the viewpoint of early chemical evolution and the origin of optically active organic compounds in nature.
Comparison of panic disordered patients with high versus low MHPG

Abstract Fourteen panic disorder patients with low 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) were compared to 14 patients with high MHPG. Patients with low MHPG were more likely during the preceding month to have experienced spontaneous panic attacks ( P
Hydro- and morpho-dynamic modeling of breaking solitary waves over a fine sand beach. Part II: Numerical simulation

Abstract A comprehensive numerical model is developed to predict the transient wave propagation, sediment transport, morphological change, and the elastodynamic responses of seabed due to breaking solitary waves runup and drawdown over a sloping beach. The individual components of the numerical model are first validated against previous analytical, numerical, and experimental results. The validated numerical model is then used to simulate breaking solitary wave runup and drawdown over a fine sand beach, where the experimental results are presented in (Young et al. 2010b. Hydro- and morpho-dynamic modeling of breaking solitary waves over a fine sand beach. Part I: Experimental study). The strengths and weaknesses of the model are assessed through comparisons with the experimental data. Based on the results, sediment transport mechanisms and wave–seabed interactions in the nearshore region are discussed.
The Effect of Several Self-Disclosure Permutations on Counseling Process and Outcome.

Sixty male college seniors with deficient job-interviewing skills were randomly assigned to one of five cells in a 2 × 2 + 1 design. The presence or absence of two kinds of counselor self-disclosures was crossed and embedded in a standard interview skills-training program. The standard program and an additional no-treatment cell served as control conditions. Four different counselors treating participants on an individual basis provided predetermined, genuine self-disclosures at different points in the interviews. Their self-disclosures reflected the qualities of intimacy and/or skill display. Comparisons between the existential and coping-mastery model literatures were drawn. The supposition that counselor self-disclosures lead to improvements in counseling process and outcome was not supported.
iPSC-derived neurons as a higher-throughput readout for autism: promises and pitfalls

The elucidation of disease etiologies and establishment of robust, scalable, high-throughput screening assays for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have been impeded by both inaccessibility of disease-relevant neuronal tissue and the genetic heterogeneity of the disorder. Neuronal cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from autism patients may circumvent these obstacles and serve as relevant cell models. To date, derived cells are characterized and screened by assessing their neuronal phenotypes. These characterizations are often etiology-specific or lack reproducibility and stability. In this review, we present an overview of efforts to study iPSC-derived neurons as a model for autism, and we explore the plausibility of gene expression profiling as a reproducible and stable disease marker.
USE OF Identincaxion TECHNIQUES TO DEVELOP A WATER TABLE PREDICTION MODEL

A water table prediction model has been developed which uses identification techniques for predicting water table elevations. Data recorded near Aurora in the North Carolina coastal plains over a two-year period were used to develop and test a model. Rainfall and water table elevations were recorded continuously at this site and the observed water table elevations were compared to predicted day end values. The identification of both linear and non-linear difference equation models is described to represent the relationship between the three inputs (rainfall, potential evaporation, and ditch water elevation) and the output (water table elevation). The model was developed using measured results from one year (1975) and tested against observed data for a second year (1976). Agreement between predicted and observed results was comparable to that obtained with the physically based DRAINMOD model.
Partitioning non-linearities in the response of honey bee olfactory receptor neurons to binary odors.

Abstract In many organisms, of which honey bees are one example, a general (i.e., non-pheromonal) olfactory receptor neuron may respond to some odorants by increasing its firing rate and to others by decreasing its firing rate. In the latter case, this decrease will be with respect to a background firing rate determined by intrinsic (internal noise) and extrinsic (background odors) factors. To analyse receptor neurons of this complexity, we extend Beidler's model of receptor protein activation dynamics to account for the competition between depolarizing and hyperpolarizing pathways and couple the model to a phenomenological description of the non-linear relationship between the proportion of activate membrane receptors and the receptor cell spike generation rates. We then examine the implications of this theory for predicting the response of receptor neurons to odor mixtures based on their response to pure odorants at concentrations matched to the mixture. We derive inequalities that must be satisfied under our normative model, and propose that deviations from the model be designated as synergisms and inhibitions, depending on the direction in which various equalities and inequalities are violated. We then apply our inequalities to identifying synergisms and inhibitions in data analysed in a different way elsewhere (Akers, R.P. and Getz, W.M. Response of olfactory receptor neurons in honey bees to odorants and their binary mixtures. J. Comp. Physiol. (in press)). In these data regarding the response of honey bee placode sensilla to a number of odorants and their binary combinations, we demonstrate the presence of synergisms and inhibitions — that is, elevated or repressed responses that are not due to competitive interactions of mixture component odorants for receptor sites or Beidler (Beidler, L.M., 1962. Taste receptor stimulation. Prog. Biophys. Biophys. Chem. 12, 107–151) saturation mechanisms.
Du Pont's New European Composites Development Centre

FOLLOWING recent announcements from some major international corporations that they are withdrawing from the composite materials business or scaling down their activities in it, some people have called this a depressed industry. Yet, over the past several years Du Pont has persevered in its programme of significant investment in the field of advanced materials, and intends to pursue the same policy. The contrast is striking.
Mechanical Response of Lined and Unlined Heated Drifts

Approximate relations are developed to determine the steady stresses and displacements that may develop in unlined and lined drifts heated above ambient, as representative of conditions in a nuclear waste repository. For a series of parallel, unlined drifts, radial convergence due solely to thermal effects is everywhere null at early-times; at late times it is a maximum inward at springline, and an equivalent maximum outward at crown and invert. Support pressures and hoop stresses are evaluated for a flexible liner placed in intimate contact with the drift wall, following excavation, where a full slip condition is applied at the drift-liner interface. For rock mass moduli of similar order to, or smaller than, the liner modulus, hoop stresses and support pressures are shown insensitive to rock mass parameters. Surprisingly, liner stresses are strongly controlled by liner modulus, liner Poisson ratio, liner thermal expansion coefficient, and instantaneous liner temperature, and only weakly by rock mass modulus. Response is shown independent of thermal expansion coefficient of the rock mass, and temperature distribution beyond the drift wall. The “misfit” expansion of the liner in the drift cavity controls liner stresses that rise linearly with the temperature of the liner, alone. Importantly, the results demonstrate the potential to control magnitudes of thermal stresses by the incorporation of compressible elements within the liner, or within the blocking or backfill behind the liner. Although the results are partly conditioned by the assumptions of a fully flexible liner and full slip conditions at the drift-liner interface, they serve to define the important parametric dependencies in the mechanical response of heated drifts.
Randomized, placebo-controlled trial of albuterol and epinephrine at equipotent beta-2 agonist doses in acute bronchiolitis.

Our objective was to determine if nebulized racemic epinephrine is more efficacious than nebulized albuterol or saline placebo in the treatment of bronchiolitis in the outpatient setting when dosing is equivalent in terms of beta-2 agonist potency. Sixty-five patients between ages 6 weeks and 24 months with a diagnosis of bronchiolitis, defined as first-time wheezing, upper respiratory symptoms and/or fever, and a Respiratory Distress Assessment Instrument score of at least 4, were randomized to receive 5 mg nebulized albuterol, 5 mg nebulized racemic epinephrine, or an equivalent volume of placebo at 0, 30, and 60 min. The primary outcome measure was need for hospital admission or home oxygen. Secondary outcome measures were changes in clinical scores and oxygen saturations. There were no significant statistical differences between groups in terms of need for hospital admission or outpatient management with home oxygen therapy. There were no differences between groups in terms of changes in clinical scores or oxygen saturations. Racemic epinephrine and albuterol at equivalent doses had no effect on the need for hospitalization or supplemental oxygen in bronchiolitis in the outpatient setting compared to nebulized saline placebo, though this study may have missed less dramatic clinical effects due to small sample size. Pediatr Pulmonol. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Weak interactions and fundamental symmetries with rare isotopes

We present a summary of recent past and potential future progress in using rare isotopes for searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. We describe experiments to search for non- V − A components in Weak nuclear-decay transitions, to improve measurements of the Weak charge, to search for time reversal symmetry breaking in beta decay and to search for electric dipole moments of nuclei.
Global challenges in agriculture and the World Bank's response in Africa

A country's economic, environmental and social well-being is intricately linked to a healthy, well-performing agricultural sector. Across Africa, south of the Sahara, agriculture is the predominant sector in the economies of most countries accounting for between 30 to 40 percent of gross domestic product, and the sector is a leading source of jobs for over two-thirds of Africa's population. With an abundance of labor, land and untapped water, Sub-Saharan Africa has the resources necessary for a massive expansion of agricultural production. Notwithstanding these advantages, over the last 40 years Africa has been steadily losing its share of the global agricultural market. Today, Thailand exports more food products than all of Sub-Saharan Africa combined. The “Green Revolution” that transformed tropical agriculture in Asia and Latin America largely bypassed Africa. A confluence of factors – increasing prices for African agricultural products, booming urban food markets, many opportunities for expanding irrigated area, greater interest by development partners, improved policy environment, technological innovations, rising private sector interest, framework for climate-smart agriculture, and improved infrastructure – present a golden opportunity for African agriculture to realize its full potential. Responding to the challenges, the World Bank is scaling up its support for African agriculture. The medium-term plan is to scale up lending to US$3 billion a year, with ambitious targets in key thematic areas – irrigation, land administration, access to technology, inputs, financial services and markets, and climate-smart agriculture – so that Sub-Saharan Africa can benefit fully from the transformative opportunity. Greater South-South learning and collaboration, and strengthening of African institutions and building capacity are all needed. Agriculture is the pathway to ending poverty and boosting shared prosperity in Sub-Saharan Africa, backed by improvements in education, health, nutrition and sustainable management of natural resources among others. The prospects for success have never been better.
Manipulation of a Hospital Antimicrobial Formulary to Control an Outbreak of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci

Infection control practices are not uniformly successful in limiting outbreaks of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). Despite the implementation of barrier precautions for VRE-infected patients, nearly one-half of the inpatients at our center were found to have gastrointestinal colonization by VRE. In an attempt to control the outbreak, we altered the antibiotic formulary by restricting the use of cefotaxime and vancomycin and adding beta-lactamase inhibitors to replace third-generation cephalosporins. The use of clindamycin was also restricted because of a concomitant outbreak of Clostridium difficile colitis. After 6 months, the average monthly use of cefotaxime, ceftazidime, vancomycin, and clindamycin had decreased by 84%, 55%, 34%, and 80%, respectively (P < .02). The point prevalence of fecal colonization with VRE decreased from 47% to 15% (P < .001), and the number of patients whose clinical specimens were culture positive also gradually decreased. A change in antibiotic use appears to have significantly affected our VRE outbreak when previous measures failed.
Effects of dietary mercury on mink.

A study was conducted to ascertain the effects of dietary mercury on mink. Five parts per million of dietary methylmercury was lethal to adult mink in about one month. Ten parts per million of mercuric chloride in the diet for five months did not produce adverse effects. Clinical signs of methyl mercurialism were anorexia, loss of weight, incoordination, tremors, and paroxysmal convulsions. The latency period was about 24 days; survival time averaged 33 days. Pathological changes were evident in the tissues of the mink that died of mercury poisoning. Tissue mercury residue analyses showed the highest concentration of mercury in tissues from mink fed methylmercury.
Taiwan's calculus on military spending

Four alternative formulations of possible motives behind Taiwan's past patterns of resource allocation to the defense sector are examined: (1) arms race with China, (2) alliance maintenance with the U.S., (3) management of domestic political economy, and (4) budgetary incrementalism. Generalized least square regression is used to analyze the pertinent time series data. It shows that none of these models can capture entirely Taiwan's decisions on military manpower, military dollars, or weapons imports. Instead, it seems that these decisions have inovlved quite different processes and factors.
Fine-needle aspiration of a primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma: a case report with cytologic, histologic, and flow cytometric considerations.

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology and immunophenotyping by flow cytometry (FCM) are increasingly being used for diagnosing and subclassifying lymphoma in the REAL/WHO classification. Herein, we report a case of primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBL), a subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the WHO classification, diagnosed by FNA cytology in conjunction with FCM. This, to our knowledge, has not previously been reported. A 57-yr-old woman presented with bilateral axillary lymphadenopathy and intermittent shortness of breath. CT scan revealed a 5-cm anterior mediastinal mass and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided FNA of a 4.5-cm subcarinal lymph node showed medium to large atypical lymphocytes with scant to moderate finely vacuolated cytoplasm. Nuclei were enlarged, cleaved, noncleaved, lobulated, and hyperchromatic. The background showed lymphoglandular bodies. Malignant large cell lymphoma was cytologically diagnosed. FCM, performed on a portion of the FNA specimen, demonstrated large B cells devoid of surface immunoglobulin expression, the characteristic immunophenotype of PMBL. The histologic diagnosis was PMBL. Touch-imprint cytology of the histologic specimen showed large cells with a narrow rim of clear cytoplasm and prominent outer cell border. Nuclear features were similar to the FNA specimen. In the presence of a mediastinal mass, FNA cytology in conjunction with FCM can effectively diagnose PMBL in the appropriate clinical setting. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2005;32:370–373. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Dark chocolate: lessons from the 1937 Hershey sit-down strike

The 1936–1937 General Motors sit-down strike may be the most famous work stoppage in American history. The victory in Flint so heartened workers that a veritable “sit-down fever” wave spread across America. But are labor scholars guilty of unintentionally spreading a Whiggish view of history? Just 7 weeks after the victory in Flint, Hershey Chocolate workers sat down. Within 7 days they were forcibly ejected from the factory and beaten by a mob. This article takes a look at the events in Hershey with an eye toward raising questions about the overall efficacy of sit-down strikes. Although it by no means wishes to diminish the heroism or the usefulness of the Flint sit-down, it argues that a balanced look at the past requires a deeper look into the strikes that failed. The question is of the utmost importance for the contemporary labor movement, as some activists have called for a revival of sit-down militancy as a tactic for organized labor to reverse decades of decline. This may not be wise strategy, as p...
Drug Addiction - Pushers Generated from the Addicts

This work develops a model for the spread of drug addiction in a closed population of size N. The spread of addiction is considered as an epidemic process where the addicts mix homogeneously within the population. There is an additional group (or pushers) with whom the susceptibles interact, but who are generated from the addicts. State probabilities and moments are obtained for this stochastic process. An extension to a generalized model is also made.