cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incarnation in Hinduism and Christianity: The Myth of the God-Man

Foreword - Acknowledgements - Introduction: Religions and their God-Men - BOOK 1 THE GOD-MAN IN THE EAST - CLASSICAL AVATARS OF INDIA - Introduction: The Religious Universe of Ancient India - Vishnu, the Navel of the World - Animal Avatars of the Krita Yuga - Human Avatars of the Treta Yuga - Krishna and the Bhagavad Gita - Buddha, the Deceptive and Compassionate Avatar - Kalki, the Apocalyptic Avatar - Conclusion: Classical Avatars and Christ - MODERN AVATARS OF INDIA - Introduction on Vaishnavism - Chaitanya (1486-1533): The Golden Avatar - Ramakrishna (1836-1886): The Cosmic Conscious Avatar - Aurobindo (1872-1950): The Supramental Avatar - The Mother of Pondicherry (1878-1973): The Leap Year Avatar - Meher Baba (1894-1969): The Silent Avatar - Satya Sai Baba (l926-2022): The Miracle-Working Sai-co-therapeutic Avatar - Conclusion: Modern Avatars and Christ - Epilogue to Book 1 - Criteria for Avatarhood based on Mythemes - BOOK 2 THE GOD-MAN IN THE WEST - THE AVATAR INCARNATES IN THE WEST - Introduction: The Advent of the Avatar and the Gita upon the West - The Avatars of the Theosophical Society - The Avatars of the Arcane School - The Kriya Avatars of the Self-Realization Fellowship - The Avatar of the Hare Krishna Movement - The Avatar of the Baha'i Faith - The English Avatar Movement - Magical Avatars of the Occult - Astral Avatars of Science Fiction - Conclusion: Western Avatars and Christ - AVATARS AND CHRIST - Introduction: Jesus Christ a Western Avatar - Myths of Incarnation in the Ancient Near East - The Incarnation Myth in Christianity - Conclusion - Similarities and Distinctions between Avatars and Christ - Epilogue to Book 2: Mythicization/Avatarization/Incarnationism - Notes - Bibliography - Index
Fault-Tolerant Control of Electric Ground Vehicles With Independently-Actuated Wheels

This paper presents a fault-tolerant control method for four-wheel independently driven (4WID) electric vehicles. 4WID electric vehicle is one of the promising architectures for electric vehicles in the future. While such a vehicle architecture greatly increases the flexibility for vehicle control, it also demands more on system reliability, safety, and fault tolerance due to the increased number of actuators and subsystems. An active fault tolerant control approach for 4WID electric vehicle is developed to accommodate the fault of in-wheel motor and motor driver pairs. Based on an in-wheel motor/motor driver fault detection mechanism, a control-allocation based vehicle control system is designed to accommodate the in-wheel motor/motor driver fault by automatically allocating the control effort among other healthy wheels. Simulations using a high-fidelity CarSim® full-vehicle model show the effectiveness of the proposed fault-tolerant control approach.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
The origin of large scale structure in mantle convection: Effects of plate motions and viscosity stratification

Convection in Earth{close_quote}s mantle is dominated by long-wavelength structure, as evidenced by the very {open_quote}{open_quote}red{close_quote}{close_quote} spectra of both seismic velocity heterogeneity in the deep mantle and the non-hydrostatic gravity field, or geoid. Here we show that this large-scale structure may be a consequence of two factors that influence the scale of mantle convection. First, the existence of surface plates, which tend to organize the flow. Second, a substantial increase in lower mantle viscosity for which there is considerable independent geophysical evidence. Combining these two factors in 3-D spherical mantle convection models explains rather well the observed seismic spectrum of mantle heterogeneity. {copyright} American Geophysical Union 1996
An experimental and modeling study investigating the ignition delay in a military diesel engine running hexadecane (cetane) fuel

In an effort aimed at predicting the combustion behavior of a new fuel in a conventional diesel engine, cetane (n-hexadecane) fuel was used in a military engine across the entire speed–load operating range. The ignition delay was characterized for this fuel at each operating condition. A chemical ignition delay was also predicted across the speed–load range using a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism with a constant pressure reactor model. At each operating condition, the measured in-cylinder pressure and predicted temperature at the start of injection were applied to the detailed n-hexadecane kinetic mechanism, and the chemical ignition delay was predicted without any kinetic mechanism calibration. The modeling results show that fuel–air parcels developed from the diesel spray with an equivalence ratio of 4 are the first to ignite. The chemical ignition delay results also showed decreasing igntion delays with increasing engine load and speed, just as the experimental data revealed. At lower engine speeds...
A Note on The Accuracy of Male Responses to Questions on Fertility

There seems to be little doubt that reliablefertility information can be obtained from Latin A merican women. The question remains, however, whether such information can be obtained from males. This paper presents evidence on the accuracy of reports of the number of live births collected in a survey of 1,640 male residents of the Monterrey, Mexico metropolitan area. The accuracy of the number of live births recorded in this survey is evaluated on the basis of (1) internal consistency, (2) the Mexican census, and (3) previous investigation. The present analysis indicates that the information collected is of good quality and potentially useful for several types of fertility analysis. No evidence was found of underreporting.
The Structure of the Herpes Simplex Virus DNA-Packaging Terminase pUL15 Nuclease Domain Suggests an Evolutionary Lineage among Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Viruses

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://jvi.asm.org/content/87/12/7140
Epidemiology of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health and Healthcare

Disparities in health status and healthcare delivery have been documented in the United States throughout most of the past two centuries (1, 2, 3). More recently, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) (4) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (5) have confirmed that such disparities are pervasive but improvements are possible. Eliminating these disparities is one of the two over-arching goals of the Healthy People 2010 national public health agenda (6). In this endeavor, the availability of reliable, population-based indicators of disparities can be crucial for assessing the magnitude, trends, and impact of interventions designed to reduce and eventually eliminate disparities. These indicators can also serve to inform policy and program development, help set priorities, and assist in identifying areas in which additional research is needed.
T1rho relaxation mapping in human osteoarthritis (OA) cartilage: comparison of T1rho with T2.

Purpose To quantify the spin-lattice relaxation time in the rotating frame (T1ρ) in various clinical grades of human osteoarthritis (OA) cartilage specimens obtained from total knee replacement surgery, and to correlate the T1ρ with OA disease progression and compare it with the transverse relaxation time (T2). Materials and Methods Human cartilage specimens were obtained from consenting patients (N = 8) who underwent total replacement of the knee joint at the Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA. T2- and T1ρ-weighted images were obtained on a 4.0 Tesla whole-body GE Signa scanner (GEMS, Milwaukee, WI, USA). A 7-cm diameter transmit/receive quadrature birdcage coil tuned to 170 MHz was employed. Results All of the surgical knee replacement OA cartilage specimens showed elevated relaxation times (T2 and T1ρ) compared to healthy cartilage tissue. In various grades of OA specimens, the T1ρ relaxation times varied from 62 ± 5 msec to 100 ± 8 msec (mean ± SEM) depending on the degree of cartilage degeneration. However, T2 relaxation times varied only from 32 ± 2 msec to 45 ± 4 msec (mean ± SEM) on the same cartilage specimens. The increase in T2 and T1ρ in various clinical grades of OA specimens were ∼5–50% and 30–120%, respectively, compared to healthy specimens. The degenerative status of the cartilage specimens was also confirmed by histological evaluation. Conclusion Preliminary results from a limited number of knee specimens (N = 8) suggest that T1ρ relaxation mapping is a sensitive noninvasive marker for quantitatively predicting and monitoring the status of macromolecules in early OA. Furthermore, T1ρ has a higher dynamic range (>100%) for detecting early pathology compared to T2. This higher dynamic range can be exploited to measure even small macromolecular changes with greater accuracy compared to T2. Because of these advantages, T1ρ relaxation mapping may be useful for evaluating early OA therapy. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Microregionalism and intercolonial relations: the case of the Danish West Indies, 1730–1830*

This article proposes a new framework of analysis for studying inter-imperial spaces in global history. The analytical construct developed here – that of the inter-imperial microregion – highlights the density of networks and interactions found in certain areas with multiple competing polities. It provides a relational approach to the study of transnational and inter-polity exchanges that challenges traditional imperial narratives and suggests a more direct engagement between global, regional, and local histories. After discussing the theoretical and historiographical implications of this model, the article goes on to look at empirical evidence from the case of the Danish West Indies. It analyses the role that these Caribbean colonies played within the inter-imperial microregion of the Leeward Islands during the century from 1730 to 1830. The case study is structured around three central elements of colonial life – geography, security, and commerce – showing how these created the conditions for a high level of interdependence between colonies of multiple empires in the region.
Citizen Engineering: Methods for "Crowdsourcing" Highly Trustworthy Results

Citizen Engineering seeks to leverage a large number of ordinary citizens to solve real-world problems. Emerging information technologies provide us with opportunities to answer a long-standing challenge in citizen engineering -- can we effectively extract reliable results from a myriad of crowd inputs of varying quality? To investigate efficient approaches to achieving this "wisdom of crowds", we established a prototype site, where 242 students, acting as surrogate citizen engineers, signed up, logged in, and performed engineering tasks -- tagging photographs of earth-quake damage. Based on the analysis of user online behaviors, we developed an operable data mining algorithm to retrieve highly trustworthy results from thousands of limited size submissions collected from a cohort of contributors. By converging weight assignments and crowd consensus step- by-step, this extraction algorithm improves the quality of the results over time.
Empirical method for determining CeO2-particle size in catalysts by raman spectroscopy

The addition of ceria, CeO{sub 2}, to automotive exhaust-gas catalysts has been linked to greater thermal stability of the alumina support, higher precious-metal dispersion, and wider range of parameters for three-way operation. Some, if not all, of these beneficial effects are undoubtedly influenced by the dispersion of the ceria, which is typically added at the 5-10 wt% (including the monolith) level. Methods of measuring its dispersion, or particle size, are thus important tools for studying how ceria functions. Traditionally, either transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or X-ray diffraction (XRD) have been applied to the problem of particle size determination in catalysts. In this report, the authors show how Raman spectroscopy may be used to determine the size of CeO{sub 2} particles in a way that is easier than TEM and faster than XRD.
An efficient universal controller for switched-reluctance machines

In this paper, a universal controller for switched-reluctance motor (SRM) is proposed. The controller is considered to be universal because it minimizes torque ripple, maximizes the efficiency and torque production using simple operations. A combination of direct torque control in one phase and current control in another phase is proposed and implemented in a way that minimizes the torque ripple and maximizes the efficiency while being robust. Moreover, torque maximization is achieved by introducing the demagnetization curve which ensures that the phase currents are demagnetized at an optimum angle such that maximum torque is produced without any negative torque generation. The validity of the proposed controller is verified through simulation studies.
Gender in the Prozac Nation Popular Discourse and Productive Femininity

Since Prozac emerged on the market at the end of 1987, there has been a dramatic increase in antidepressant use and in its discussion by popular media. Yet there has been little analysis of the gendered character of this phenomenon despite feminist traditions scrutinizing the medical control of women’s bodies. The authors begin to fill this gap through a detailed content analysis of the 83 major articles on Prozac and its “chemical cousins” appearing in large-circulation periodicals in Prozac’s first 12 years. They find that popular talk about Prozac and its competing brands is largely degendered, presented as manifestly gender neutral, yet replete with latent gendered messages. These are about women with neurochemical imbalances but also about the need to discipline elite female bodies, to enhance their productivity and flexibility. This new form of female “fitness” mirrors demands of the New Economy and indicates how psychiatric discourse contributes to the historically specific shaping of gendered bodies.
Toxicity of the pyrolysis and combustion products of poly(vinyl chlorides): A literature assessment

Poly(vinyl chlorides) (PVC) constitute a major class of synthetic plastics, Many surveys of the voluminous literature have been performed. This report reviews the literature published in English from 1969 through 1984 and endeavors to be more interpretive than comprehensive. PVC compounds, in general, are among the more fire resistant common organic polymers, natural or synthetic. The major products of thermal decomposition include hydrogen chloride, benzene and unsaturated hydrocarbons. In the presence of oxygen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and water are included among the common combustion products. The main toxic products from PVC fires are hydrogen chloride (a sensory and pulmonary irritant) and carbon monoxide (an asphyxiant). The LC50 value calculated for a series of natural and synthetic materials thermally decomposed according to the NBS toxicity test method ranged from 0.045 to 57 mg l−1 in the flaming mode and from 0.045 to > 40 mg l−1 in the non-flaming mode. The LC50 results for a PVC resin decomposed under the same conditions were 17 mg l−1 in the flaming mode and 20 mg l−1 in the non-flaming mode. These results indicate that PVC decomposition products are not extremely toxic when compared with those from other common building materials. When the combustion toxicity (based on their HCI content) of PVC materials in compared with pure HCI experiments, it appears that much of the post-exposure toxicity can be explained by the HCI that is generated.
Hepatitis A Molecular Epidemiology in the United States, 1996–1997: Sources of Infection and Implications of Vaccination Policy

Background. The genetic relatedness of hepatitis A virus (HAV) isolates was determined to identify possible infection sources for case patients in the Sentinel Counties Study of Acute Viral Hepatitis. Methods. A 315-nucleotide segment of the VP1-P2 region of the HAV genome was amplified and sequenced from serum of case patients and analyzed together with risk-factor data. Results. Of 508 HAV-RNA–positive case patients, 449 (88.4%) were interviewed, and 255 (50.1%) reported 1 risk factor. Some 123 unique nucleotide sequence patterns (UNSPs) were identified—77 (62.6%) from only 1 case patient and the rest in 2–99 persons. Among international travelers, a single person was more often infected with a single type of UNSP (17/54 [31.5%]), compared with other case patients (48/393 [12.2%]; ). UNSPs P ! .001 from travelers to Mexico (33/37 [89.2%]) clustered with those from Hispanic children (47/49 [95.9%]). Of 119 men who had sex with men, 96 (80.7%) had the same or similar UNSPs, which were also found in 37 men and 10 women with no identified infection source. Conclusion. HAV is often transmitted within networks of persons with similar risk factors, which may be the infection source for others in the community.
Fission of doubly ionized calcium clusters

Abstract Cluster ions, Ca N + and Ca N 2 + , containing up to N = 8 atoms are studied within density functional theory. Ground and first excited states, and ionization energies are reported for all sizes. At zero temperature Ca 3 2 + and Ca 4 2 + are linear, whereas Ca 5 2 + through Ca 7 2 + undergo structural transitions from 3D-configurations into linear ions below 600 K. As a consequence, fission that occurs above 600 K starts from linear configurations. Ca 8 2 + has an hexagonal bipyramidal structure. The preferred fission channels are Ca N 2 + → Ca + + Ca N - 1 + with fission barriers smaller than the evaporation energy up to Ca 7 2 + . However, Ca 8 2 + presents a large fission barrier and would rather evaporate one atom than undergo fission.
Understanding voltage variations in chip multiprocessors using a distributed power-delivery network

Recent efforts to address microprocessor power dissipation through aggressive supply voltage scaling and power management require that designers be increasingly cognizant of power supply variations. These variations, primarily due to fast changes in supply current, can be attributed to architectural gating events that reduce power dissipation. In order to study this problem, the authors propose a fine-grain, parameterizable model for power-delivery networks that allows system designers to study localized, on-chip supply fluctuations in high-performance microprocessors. Using this model, the authors analyze voltage variations in the context of next-generation chip-multiprocessor (CMP) architectures using both real applications and synthetic current traces. They find that the activity of distinct cores in CMPs present several new design challenges when considering power supply noise, and they describe potentially problematic activity sequences that are unique to CMP architectures
Bodies, selves, and human identity: A Conversation Between Transhumanism and the Apostle Paul

In this article I propose the initiation of a conversation between biblical interpreters and proponents of transhumanism. Transhumanists recognize that the rapid expansion of technological innovation is changing our understandings of human behavior, thinking, and physical makeup. The vitality of the post/transhumanism debate about human identity suggests that a “biblical conversation” should be part of a larger conversation not only with theologians, but also the social entities who will hold forth on the values of human/machine transformations. It becomes ever more clear that this debate about human identity will be a real issue in the near future since we will undoubtedly improve our technological capacities and geometrically increase our prosthetic capacities, leading to a possible conclusion that the body itself is best understood as a “prosthesis.” For better or worse, Scripture is and will be adduced on both sides of the debate and often in the form of proof-texting rather than actual consideration ...
Menstrual and nonmenstrual migraines differ in women with menstrually-related migraine

Introduction: We compared migraine features and acute therapy response in menstrually-related migraines (MRMs) and non-menstrually-related migraines (NMRMs).Methods: Women with frequent, disabling migraines were prospectively diagnosed with MRM according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-II; N = 107) criteria using a daily electronic headache dairy. Participants received individualized acute therapy while free of prophylactic migraine medications.Results: Repeated measures logistic regression revealed MRMs were longer (23.4 vs. 16.1 hours, odds ratio [OR] = 1.01, confidence interval [CI] 1.01, 1.02) and more likely associated with disability (85.6% vs. 75.6%, OR = 1.82, CI 1.27, 2.58) than NMRMs. MRMs were also less responsive to acute therapy (two-hour pain-free response = 6.7% vs. 13.4%, OR = .45, CI .26, .80) and reoccurred more frequently within 24 hours after a four-hour pain-free response (36.0% vs. 19.6%, OR = 2.12, CI 1.27, 3.53) than NMRMs.Discussion: These results s...
The Neural Computation of Scalar Implicature

Language comprehension involves not only constructing the literal meaning of a sentence but also going beyond the literal meaning to infer what was meant but not said. One widely studied test case is scalar implicature: The inference that, e.g., Sally ate some of the cookies implies she did not eat all of them. Research is mixed on whether this is due to a rote, grammaticalised procedure or instead a complex, contextualised inference. We find that in sentences like If Sally ate some of the cookies, then the rest are on the counter, that the rest triggers a late, sustained positivity relative to Sally ate some of the cookies, and the rest are on the counter. This is consistent with behavioural results and linguistic theory suggesting that the former sentence does not trigger a scalar implicature. This motivates a view on which scalar implicature is contextualised but dependent on grammatical structure.
When seeking influences believing and promotes posttraumatic adaptation.

Background: Theory and evidence link social support processes and self-efficacy appraisals in the promotion of adaptation following traumatic events. Dynamic causal processes, however, have not been examined longitudinally or in the context of mass-violence. This study tested whether quantity of social support seeking indirectly reduced distress severity among student survivors of mass university shootings. Hypotheses specified that the indirect effects of social support seeking on distress severity would occur through positively influencing perceived social support and self-efficacy, and that these effects would emerge and become stronger as posttraumatic stress symptom severity increased. Design: Path analysis via Mplus 7.2 was used to test the hypothesized moderated-serial-mediation model (conditional indirect effects). Methods: The sample (N = 1191) consisted of students enrolled at Virginia Tech during the 16 April 2007 shootings. Data were collected via online surveys at two time points, 3–4 months ...
Redundant I/O interconnect

The outstanding reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) characteristics of IBM mainframe computers are among the features that gained the IBM eServerTM family its reputation as a leading platform for business-critical applications. The aim now is to further improve IBM System z9® RAS by introducing redundant I/O interconnect (RII) as a building block of enhanced book availability and recovery scenarios. RH provides a means of maintaining I/O connectivity during planned or unplanned outages in a way that is transparent to the operating system and customer applications. The mechanism that meets this requirement is the provision of an alternate path to the I/O cage, which provides high-bandwidth I/O slots to enable a higher number of I/O ports per card. This paper discusses the I/O subsystem hardware and firmware aspects of RII.
Determination of methadone and its primary metabolite in biologic fluids using gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection.

A method is described for the determination of methadone and its primary metabolite, 1,5-dimethyl-3,3diphenyl-2-ethylidinepyrrolidine, in biologic fluids using gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection. A simple extraction scheme is employed that is convenient for processing the large numbers of samples generated in pharmacokinetic studies. The method is sensitive enough for accurate determination of concentrations less than 5 ng/mL of both methadone and its primary metabolite in 1 mL of biologic specimens.
Occult papillary thyroid carcinoma presenting as extrathyroidal solitary neck cyst

Sir, Papillary carcinoma of the thyroid gland can undergo cystic transformation. This process may also occur in the metastatic lymph nodes, in which a subcortical liquefaction necrosis results in a cystic mass;1 this is more common in younger patients.2 Occult papillary thyroid carcinomas are usually <1.5 cm across, and account for some 25% of papillary carcinomas.3 Papillary carcinoma of the thyroid can present by regional lymph node metastasis from an occult primary source and (very rarely) may be the first and sole manifestation of the disease.1 We present two cases with a brief review of the literature. Patient 1, a 55‐year‐old man, presented with an anterior neck mass, which was medial to right carotid angle. There were no associated symptoms. The mass was mobile, non‐tender, non‐fluctuant, firm, measuring 2×3 cm. Physical examination of the thyroid gland was within normal limits. CT of the neck demonstrated a single, oval‐shaped, enlarged lymph node of low attenuation and almost‐fluid density located anteriorly and medially to …
Topically applied AaeIAP1 double-stranded RNA kills female adults of Aedes aegypti

Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) is the primary vector of both dengue and yellow fever. Use of insecticides is one of the primary ways to control this medically important insect pest. However, few new insecticides have been developed for mosquito control in recent years. As a part of our effort to develop new insecticides to control mosquitoes, an inhibitor of apoptosis protein 1 gene in Aedes aegypti (AaeIAP1) was targeted for the development of molecular pesticides. Herein, for the first time, we report that topically applied AaeIAP1 double-stranded RNA products are able to kill female adults of Ae. aegypti. Our results indicate that critical pathways or genes could be targeted to develop molecular pesticides for the control of medically important diseases vectors.
COMMENTARY ON FASTING VERSUS POSTPRANDIAL HYPERGLYCEMIA AS A TREATMENT TARGET TO LOWER ELEVATED A1C.

Abbreviations: BHG = basal hyperglycemia HbA1c = glycated hemoglobin FPG = fasting plasma glucose PPBG = postprandial blood glucose PPHG = postprandial hyperglycemia SMBG = self-monitoring of blood glucose T2DM = type 2 diabetes mellitus
Fabrication and test results of a high field, Nb/sub 3/Sn superconducting racetrack dipole magnet

The LBNL Superconducting Magnet Program is extending accelerator magnet technology to the highest possible fields. A 1 meter long, racetrack dipole magnet, utilizing state-of-the-art Nb/sub 3/Sn superconductor, has been built and tested. A record dipole filed of 14.7 Tesla has been achieved. Relevant features of the final assembly and test results are discussed.
The Legacy of Pandita Ramabai: Mahatma of Mukti:

Pandita Ramabai Dongre (1858–1922), renowned for prodigious learning, became world famous as a social reformer, educator, speaker and advocate for the causes of women. Her Brahman father had been banished for daring to impart Sanskrit literacy to her child-mother. Her life-long spiritual quest for liberty (mukti) led her to an ever deepening relationship to Christ. After sojourns in Britain and America, she established the Mukti Mission in Kedgaon, India. Her last days were devoted completing a common “mother-tongue” Marathi translation of the Bible.
Ionothermal and Hydrothermal Flux Syntheses of Five New Uranyl Phosphonates

Four new uranyl phosphonate compounds have been synthesized via ionothermal flux in the ionic liquids 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim][Cl]) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([Emim][Br]). [C8H15N2][UO2(C6H5PO3H)(C6H5PO3)] ([Bmim][UPhPO]), [C8H15N2]2[(UO2)4(C6H5PO3)3Cl4] ([Bmim][UPhPOCl]), [C8H15N2][UO2(HO3P(CH2)3PO3)] (α-[Bmim][UC3DPO]), and [C6H11N2]2[(UO2)2(p-C6H4(PO3H)2)3]·2H2O ([Emim][UPhDPO]) form one-dimensional chains, two-dimensional sheets, or three-dimensional frameworks. For comparison, analogous reactions were carried out hydrothermally, which lead to one new framework structure, [C8H15N2]2[(UO2)5(HO3P(CH2)3PO3)4] (β-[Bmim][UC3DPO]), and one previously characterized tubular uranyl phosphonate. It was found that the structure is equally dictated by the choice of flux method, the choice of ligand, and the choice of ionic liquid.
Numerical Study of A Mode-locked Fiber Ring Laser Consisting of Two SOAs

Based on the self-reproduction theory, a mode-locked fiber ring laser consisting of two semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) was numerically investigated. The result shows that the quality of harmonic mode-locked pulse can be enhanced when the modulation SOA is dc biased on the high current modulates the spontaneous emission in the SOA and provides the gain, whereas the gain SOA is dc biased on the low current functions as gain compensator for obtaining a narrow net gain window. However, to realize pulse-amplitude equalization of rational harmonic mode locking, the condition that the modulation SOA is dc biased on the low current whereas the gain SOA is dc biased on the high current must be satisfied, besides, an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) should be added to the experiment setup to enhance the optical-injection power output from the gain switch DFBLD.
Characteristics of Children Hospitalized With Aspiration Pneumonia

OBJECTIVES: Unlike community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), there is a paucity of data characterizing the patient demographics and hospitalization characteristics of children with aspiration pneumonia. We used a large national database of US children’s hospitals to assess the patient and hospitalization characteristics associated with aspiration pneumonia and compared these characteristics to patients with CAP. METHODS: We identified children hospitalized with a diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia or CAP at 47 hospitals included in the Pediatric Health Information System between 2009 and 2014. We evaluated whether differences exist in patient characteristics (median age and proportion of patients with a complex chronic condition), and hospital characteristics (length of stay, ICU admission, cost, and 30-day readmission rate) between children with aspiration pneumonia and CAP. Lastly, we assessed whether seasonal variability exists within these 2 conditions. RESULTS: Over the 6-year study period, there were 12 097 children hospitalized with aspiration pneumonia, and 121 489 with CAP. Compared with children with CAP, children with aspiration pneumonia were slightly younger and more likely to have an associated complex chronic condition. Those with aspiration pneumonia had longer hospitalizations, higher rates of ICU admission, and higher 30-day readmission rates. Additionally, the median cost for hospitalization was 2.4 times higher for children with aspiration pneumonia than for children with CAP. More seasonal variation was observed for CAP compared with aspiration pneumonia hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS: Aspiration pneumonia preferentially affects children with medical complexity and, as such, accounts for longer and more costly hospitalizations and higher rates of ICU admission and readmission rates.
RADAR Update on Thalidomide (Thal)- and Lenalidomide (Len)-Associated Venous Thromboembolism (VTE): Safety Concerns Persist for Multiple Myeloma (MM) Despite FDA Approvals in This Setting.

BACKGROUND: At ASH 2004, we reported > 20% VTE rates with thal/dexamethasone (thal/dex) use as an off-label treatment for MM. The abstract prompted Richard Blumenthal, the Connecticut Attorney General, to file a Citizen’s Petition with the FDA in 2005 outlining six recommendations to address this safety concern. In 2006, the FDA indicated that four recommendations were approved. The AG’s request for a randomized clinical trial of aspirin, low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), and warfarin as VTE prophylaxis was denied- with the FDA indicating that preliminary data suggested that these agents are effective for prophylaxis. At ASH 2005, we reported > 20% VTE rates with len/dex treatment for MM. In response, the manufacturer pre-emptively included a “Black Box” warning describing high VTE rates when len was used off-label for MM. In 2006, len and thal received FDA approval for MM. The Research on Adverse Drug Events and Reports (RADAR) project conducted a systematic review of VTE rates when len or thal is prescribed for MM. METHODS: Reports of VTE with thal or len treatment of MM were reviewed. Data sources included: the FDA’s MedWatch program and phase II/III clinical trial reports from 1998 to 7/2006. RESULTS: FDA’s MedWatch program included reports of VTE occurring among 8 len- (3 on aspirin, 2 on warfarin, and 1 on MLWH) and 1076 thal-treated cancer patients. Clinical trials identified VTE rates of 15% among thal/dex treated patients and 14% among len/dex- treated MM patients (Table). Uncontrolled trials found that thal/dex-associated VTE rates were sometimes, but not always, lower with aspirin, LMWH, or warfarin (INR of 2 to 3), while little information on VTE prophylaxis is available for len-dex treated MM patients. CONCLUSIONS: The extant data continue to support our assertion that randomized controlled trials are needed to identify appropriate VTE prophylaxis agents when MM patients receive len or thal with dex. Data on aspirin prophylaxis remain premature.
The Synonymous V107V Mutation In Factor IX Is Not So Silent and May Cause Hemophilia B In Patients

Abstract Abstract 2197 Hemophilia B is characterized by structural and functional defects in coagulation factor IX (FIX) caused by mutations in the F9 gene. Various mutations (nonsense, missense, etc.) are known to be associated with the disease, including a synonymous V107V mutation reported recently by Knobe and colleagues (Knobe et al., Hemophilia, 2008). However the mechanism by which this synonymous mutation contributes to the disease has not yet been elucidated. Earlier we have shown that synonymous codon substitutions in the mRNA of the multidrug resistance protein (MDR1) may change the conformation of the protein and result in altered functionality (Kimchi-Sarfaty et al., Science, 2008). Here we have performed in silico analyses of the synonymous codon substitution (GTGaGTA) leading to the V107V polymorphism and found that it may change the mRNA structure, stability, codon usage, and 3D structure of the encoded protein. We hypothesize that changes in codon usage might affect the rhythm of protein translation and thus result in slightly altered FIX conformation. In vitro analyses of FIX mRNA and protein expression supported our in silico analyses. The GTGaGTA (V107V) synonymous mutation results in reduced expression levels as well as an encoded protein with a slightly different conformation compared to wild-type FIX. These results show that the V107V polymorphism is not silent and might cause mild hemophilia B. This work sheds further light on ways in which synonymous mutations impact disease. The findings and conclusions in this article have not been formally disseminated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be construed to represent any Agency determination policy Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Which Road Are We Going

A group of us who are friends have been meeting constantly during the last year or two and talking over the problems of China, each man choosing a special subject for study and for a paper which he presented to the group for discussion. Last year we discussed the general topic “The Present Condition of China,” and the papers were published in the Crescent Moon magazine, e.g., Mr. Quentin Pan’s “The Two Movements, Money and Men,” and Mr. Lo Lung-chi’s “Human Rights,” both of which papers were revised after discussion.
Removal of DPM from an Air Stream Using Micron-Scale Droplets

ABSTRACTRespiratory exposures to diesel particulate matter (DPM) present health risks, particularly in confined environments with a relatively high number of emission sources. Despite a variety of existing control technologies, exposures in some occupational environments remain unacceptably high (e.g., underground mine environments), and new technologies and abatement strategies are needed. The physics of droplet-particle interactions suggests that micron-scale water drops can effectively scavenge DPM from an air stream. Here, experimental results are presented on DPM removal from a diesel exhaust stream using a fog of water droplets. Measured scavenging coefficients, based on both number density and mass, show that significant DPM removal is possible. The potential scavenging mechanisms at play are discussed, and insights are offered on future work necessary for scale-up of a fog-based exhaust treatment technology.
BRCA mutation carriers undergoing combined mastectomy with immediate reconstruction and gynecologic risk-reducing surgery: An analysis of outcomes.

e13004Background: The aim of this study was to assess outcomes of a multidisciplinary model for combined prophylactic and/or therapeutic mastectomy with immediate reconstruction and gynecologic ris...
The Experimenter as a Discriminative Stimulus in a T-Maze

38 albino rats were trained to traverse a T-Maze for food reward, utilizing E as the discriminative cue. Upon testing, with 2 Es randomly alternating trials, performance indicated a successful utilization of the discriminative stimuli. A failure to find different performances between animals handled and not handled during intertrial intervals suggested that Ss were responding to some aspect of E other than merely the amount of handling given between trials.
Testing the intermittent upwelling hypothesis: upwelling, downwelling, and subsidies to the intertidal zone

The Intermittent Upwelling Hypothesis (IUH) posits that subsidies of larvae and phytoplankton to intertidal communities should vary unimodally along a gradient of upwelling from persistent upwelling to persistent downwelling with most subsidies occurring where upwelling is of intermediate strength and intermittent. Furthermore, the hypothesis states that larvae and phytoplankton are transported far offshore by strong, persistent upwelling and fail to subsidize nearshore communities, whereas weak upwelling or downwelling reduces nutrients for phytoplankton production limiting food for larvae and nearshore communities. We review studies conducted at sea and onshore and reanalyze published data to test the IUH and evaluate alternative hypotheses. To test the hypothesis, we examine five predictions that must hold if the IUH is true. (1) Larvae should inhabit the surface Ekman layer where they are transported offshore during upwelling. Larvae of many intertidal taxa occur deeper in the water column where currents flow shoreward during upwelling. (2) Larvae of nearshore species should occur farther offshore during upwelling than during relaxation or downwelling. Larvae of many nearshore species remain within several kilometers of shore during both conditions. (3) Larval settlement in intertidal communities should be lower during upwelling than relaxation or downwelling. Daily larval settlement has not observed to be higher during relaxation or downwelling events; settlement has most often been seen to vary with the fortnightly tidal cycle likely due to onshore larval transport by internal tides. (4) Larval settlement and recruitment in intertidal communities should be lower in areas of strong, persistent upwelling than where upwelling is weaker and less persistent. Recruitment of mussels and barnacles to artificial and natural substrates did not vary with the strength of upwelling, but did vary inversely with two measures of desiccation potential, and directly with indicators of surf zone hydrodynamics; larval recruitment was higher where surf zones were more dissipative with rip currents. (5) Phytoplankton subsidies to nearshore communities should be highest where upwelling is moderate and intermittent. Like larval subsidies, phytoplankton subsidies varied spatially with surf zone hydrodynamics rather than upwelling. This reconsideration of the evidence for the IUH finds the hypothesis unsupported.
Using molecular dynamics to unravel phase composition behavior of nano-size pores in frozen soils: Does Young–Laplace equation apply in low temperature range?

The phase composition curve of frozen soils is a fundamental relationship in understanding permafrost and seasonally frozen soils. However, due to the complex interplay between adsorption and capil...
The Nonanatomic Exam: Psychogenic Syndromes and Malingering

A 21-year-old college student developed sudden right arm and leg weakness after a bout of unusually strenuous coughing while talking to her roommate about her recent “breakup” with her boyfriend. They had planned to go out that evening, but she changed plans on account of a migraine headache and neck discomfort that had developed during the day. Alarmed by her friend’s limp limbs, she called 911, and the EMS team arrived promptly, appropriately considered her to have a potential stroke syndrome, and sped to the nearest comprehensive stroke center. During the emergency vehicle transportation, she was able to speak fluently and comprehend all questions asked of her by the emergency personnel. They documented a blood pressure and pulse within normal range but a slight tachycardia at times between 90 and 110 per min, without pyrexia or oxygen desaturation. On arrival at the emergency department, she was triaged as a possible stroke patient, and emergency CT brain, glucose test, PT, PTT, platelet count, basal metabolic panel, and comprehensive metabolic panel were performed all of which were normal. She was examined briefly and found to be alert, rational, and fully conversant; power grading of the right arm was 1–2/5 and right leg 1–2/5 (flicker of movement and not able to overcome gravity) on the MRC scale. Reflexes were symmetrical in both arms and legs. She declined to attempt walking. She was considered for intravenous tissue plasminogen activator therapy by the emergency physician in consultation with the on-call neurologist. In the meantime, the nurse obtained additional history from the patient.
Maternal variables related to potentially high-sodium infant-feeding practices.

Infant sodium intakes between 5 and 15 mEq per day for ages 0 to 6 months and between 11 and 33 mEq per day for ages 6 to 12 months are considered appropriate, safe, and adequate. Intakes exceeding these ranges should be avoided as a precautionary measure for infants who may be hereditarily predisposed to hypertension. The concern about high-sodium intakes is based on epidemiological findings of an association between such intakes by adults and hypertension. Feeding practices potentially associated with high-sodium intake were assessed in 87 white and 68 black mothers of a cross section of 1 -to 12-month-old infants and were analyzed for associations with epidemiological correlates of hypertension. Lower frequency of breast feeding was reported by black mothers and by less educated mothers. Forward, stepwise regression analyses indicated that less education was also predictive of shorter breast-feeding duration, earlier introduction of sol id foods, addition of salt to infant food, and use of salty foods as snacks. Addition of salt to infant food was also predicted by high maternal salt use and by positive family hypertension history; black mothers more often fed salty snacks. Considerable public attention has been drawn to the fact that commercial infant foods no longer contain added salt. This study implies a need for additional public attention to appropriate sodium levels in home-prepared and snack foods fed to infants.
Effect of prolactin on enzymes of lipid biosynthesis in mammary gland explants

Prolactin (PRL) stimulates an increased rate of incorporation of [14C]acetate and [3H]glucose into lipids in cultured mammary gland explants from 10- to 14-day-pregnant mice. This response is biphasic with an early increase occurring from 6 through 12 h, and an additional increase from 16 through 24 h. Enzymes likely to be rate limiting to this process include acetyl CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthetase, acetyl CoA synthetase, and/or pyruvate dehydrogenase. Of these enzymes only pyruvate dehydrogenase activity was elevated at 6 h, suggesting that this enzymatic activity is important in stimulating early increases in lipogenesis after PRL treatment. In addition, the PRL stimulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase may also indirectly stimulate acetyl CoA carboxylase through the generation of citrate; this may explain the early (6-12 h) effect of PRL on [14C]acetate incorporation. After 16 h of PRL treatment, the activities of all the lipogenic enzymes were enhanced. The second phase of PRLs stimulation of lipogenesis thus likely involves the enhanced activities of more than one of the lipogenic enzymes.
Using Intervention Mapping to Develop and Adapt Two Educational Interventions to Increase HPV Vaccination Among Hispanic Adolescents

Background: HPV vaccination among Hispanic adolescents falls below the national goal. Tailored interventions to increase vaccination among Hispanic populations are needed to reach national goals and to reduce HPV-related cancer disparities. Aim: We used the intervention mapping (IM) framework to develop and adapt two educational interventions, a print fotonovela and a tailored interactive multimedia intervention (TIMI), targeting Hispanic parents of adolescents to increase HPV vaccine uptake. Methods: To develop the interventions, we followed IM steps 1-6 to 1) develop a logic model of the problem and identify modifiable factors associated with vaccination by conducting literature reviews, focus groups, and in-depth interviews with Hispanic parents; 2) develop behavioral outcomes, identify determinants, and develop a matrix of change objectives; 3) develop a program theme and program components, identify theoretical methods, and operationalize methods as practical applications; 4) develop an intervention ...