cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geriatric emergency department revisits after discharge with Potentially Inappropriate Medications: A retrospective cohort study.

Abstract Objective To determine whether Potentially Inappropriate Medications (PIMs) prescribed in an academic emergency department (ED) are associated with increased ED revisits in older adults. Methods A retrospective chart review of Medicare beneficiaries 65 years and older, discharged from an academic ED (January 2012 – November 2015) with any PIMs versus no PIMs. PIMs were defined using Category 1 of the 2015 Updated Beers criteria. Primary outcomes, obtained from a Medicare database linked to hospital ED subjects, were ED revisits 3 and 30 days from index ED discharge. Adjusted multiple logistic regression was used with entropy balance weighted covariates: Age in years, Gender, Race, Number of discharge medications, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score, Emergency Severity Index scores (ESI), Chief Complaint, Medicaid status, and prior 90 Day ED visits. Results Over the study period, there were a total of 7,591 Medicare beneficiaries 65+ discharged from the ED with a prescription; 1,383 (18%) received one or more PIMs. ED revisits in 30 days were fewer for the PIMs cohort (12% PIMs vs 16% no PIMs, OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.65 - 0.95, P value Conclusions Patients discharged from the ED receiving potentially inappropriate medications as defined by Category 1 of the 2015 updated Beers criteria had lower odds of revisiting the ED within 30 days of index visit. Sociodemographic factors such as gender and race did not predict ED revisits or hospital admissions. Clinical characteristics predicted ED revisits and hospital admissions, the strongest risk being increasing Charlson Comorbidity Index score followed by triage acuity and chief complaint. Future studies are needed to delineate the implications of our findings.
Eya2 expression during mouse embryonic development revealed by Eya2 lacZ knockin reporter and homozygous mice show mild hearing loss.

Background Eya2 expression during mouse development has been studied by in situ hybridization and it has been shown to be involved skeletal muscle development and limb formation. Here, we generated Eya2 knockout (Eya2- ) and a lacZ knockin reporter (Eya2lacZ ) mice and performed a detailed expression analysis for Eya2lacZ at different developmental stages to trace Eya2lacZ -positive cells in Eya2-null mice. We describe that Eya2 is not only expressed in cranial sensory and dorsal root ganglia, retina and olfactory epithelium, and somites as previously reported, but also Eya2 is specifically detected in other organs during mouse development. Results We found that Eya2 is expressed in ocular and trochlear motor neurons. In the inner ear, Eya2lacZ is specifically expressed in differentiating hair cells in both vestibular and cochlear sensory epithelia of the inner ear and Eya2-/- or Eya2lacZ/lacZ mice displayed mild hearing loss. Furthermore, we detected Eya2 expression during both salivary gland and thymus development and Eya2-null mice had a smaller thymus. Conclusions As Eya2 is coexpressed with other members of the Eya family genes, these results together highlight that Eya2 as a potential regulator may act synergistically with other Eya genes to regulate the differentiation of the inner ear sensory hair cells and the formation of the salivary gland and thymus.
Experimental investigation of surfactant-enhanced ammonia-water absorption in a shell-and-tube absorber

Abstract The use of surfactants for passive enhancement of ammonia-water absorption is experimentally investigated. A vertically-oriented, baffled shell-and-tube absorber with a tightly packed tube bundle for a 10.5 kW absorption chiller is considered. An experimental facility is fabricated to closely simulate the operating conditions in an absorption chiller. Experiments are performed at different solution flow rates, coupling fluid temperatures, and surfactant concentrations. The results demonstrate significant improvements in absorber performance due to the addition of 1-octanol as the surfactant. Mass transfer enhancement by interfacial turbulence and higher heat transfer coefficients due to increased wettability are identified as the mechanisms responsible for the enhancement. The impact of surfactants on the system level parameters including the low-side pressure is investigated. It is also shown that there is no significant impact on desorber performance by the addition of surfactants. The results indicate that surfactants are beneficial and can result in a smaller absorber and allow for system operation at higher ambient temperatures. The results from this study can help guide the development of surfactant-enhanced compact, efficient absorption heat pumps.
A rare case of viral pancreatitis as a result of COVID19 complicated with acute onset diabetes mellitus and severe diabetic ketoacidosis

Introduction:COVID-19 have been associated with various systemic manifestations, among which is gastrointestinal manifestations. Pancreatic injury is a rare finding in the course of the disease, therefore we present a case of case of 46 years old female who developed viral pancreatitis secondary to COVID-19, complicated with new onset diabetes mellitus (DM) and severe diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), an association that was never reported before in literature.Case presentation:We present a 46 years old female with no past medical history who presented to hospital with respiratory distress and altered mental status. Patient presentation complicated with cardiopulmonary arrest, requiring intubation and CPR. Examination revealed tachycardia (105/min), hypotension (82/45) and hypothermia (32.3), obesity (BMI 38), bilateral rhonchi, soft abdomen with negative Collens and Grey-turner signs. Laboratory testing was remarkable for leukocytosis with neutrophilic predominance (17.5 x10(3)/mcL), hyperkalemia (6.6 mmol/L), elevated lipase levels (4248U/L), high-anion gab metabolic acidosis (anion gab 35, arterial pH <7.000), lactatemia, ketosis, negative alcohol screen. CXR showed bilateral dense alveolar infiltrate with peripheral distribution. CT abdomen (Figure-1) showed swelling of the pancreatic tail and fluid at the anterior pararenal space on the left side suggestive of acute pancreatitis. Ultrasound scan was negative for gallbladder stones. CT brain obtained to investigate cause of altered mental status, and was remarkable for 2.5mm intraparenchymal hemorrhage of the right cerebellar hemisphere. Patient was admitted to MICU for management of ARDS secondary to SARS-CoV-19, acute pancreatitis secondary to SARS-CoV-19, severe DKA, intraparenchymal hemorrhage and post cardiac arrest management. Patient expired after 3 days MICU course as result of multi-organ failure. Discussion: Viral pancreatitis is mainly associated with Mumps, Measles, Coxacki, EBV and Hepatitis A virus [2]. In our case, there were no clinical suspicions or laboratory evidence to attribute patient condition for the before-mentioned viruses. The association of both conditions and the absence of other causes of AP support the theory of COVID19-induced pancreatitis in this scenario. AP as a presenting scenario of COVID19 have been rarely reported before [4]. SARS-CoV is known to be associated with development of acute type 1 diabetes milletus, secondary to islets damage in the exocrine and endocrine tissues of the pancreas which express ACE2, this can explains the acute presentation of hyperglycemia and severe diabetic ketoacidosis in our patient who had no past medical history of diabetes. Such phenomena were never reported to be associated with SARS-CoV-2 in literature prior to this report.
On 1D, N $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 supersymmetric SYK-type models. Part I

Proposals are made to describe 1D, $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 supersymmetrical systems that ex- tend SYK models by compactifying from 4D, $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 1 supersymmetric Lagrangians involving chiral, vector, and tensor supermultiplets. Quartic fermionic vertices are generated via in- tegrals over the whole superspace, while 2(q − 1)-point fermionic vertices are generated via superpotentials. The coupling constants in the superfield Lagrangians are arbitrary, and can be chosen to be Gaussian random. In that case, these 1D, $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 supersymmetric SYK models would exhibit Wishart-Laguerre randomness, which share the same feature among other 1D supersymmetric SYK models in literature. One difference with 1D, $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 1 and $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 models though, is our models contain dynamical bosons, but this is consistent with other 1D, $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 and 2D, $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 models in literature. Added conjectures on duality and possible mirror symmetry realizations in these models is noted.
Beach and Dune Restoration: Dune building practices and impacts

Characteristics of human-altered dunes Sand dunes are an integral component of natural sandy shore systems. Sediment is exchanged between beach and dune through erosion of the dune by storm waves, followed by delivery of sand from the beach during strong onshore winds. Dunes provide natural barriers against overwash, flooding, wind stress, sediment transport, and salt spray during small storms, which help maintain the overall integrity of habitats landward of them. Variations in topography within dunes result in local differences in exposure to these processes, creating a variety of microhabitats. The values, goods, and services that dunes can provide (Table 1.2) include protection of human structures, niches for plants, habitable substrate, refuge areas for fauna, and nest sites. They also can have site-specific value as sources of groundwater. Dunes in human altered areas differ from natural dunes and from each other, depending on the way they are managed for alternative human uses. Dunes may be directly eliminated or reduced in size to facilitate construction of buildings, provide views of the sea, or provide access to beaches. They may be remobilized through destruction of the surface cover by grazing or fires, or they may be built up to increase levels of protection against coastal storms. If built up to provide protection, they are often designed as linear features with a predictable crest height (Figure 1.2).
Chapter 25. Bacterial Resistance to β-Lactams: The β-Lactamases

Publisher Summary The β-lactamases are monomeric enzymes typically of molecular weight of around 30,000 that catalyze the hydrolysis of the β-lactam ring of a variety of penam (I) and cephem (II) derivatives. β-Lactamases have been purified from a number of sources. The most important sources are the enzymes from Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus licheniformis, and Escherichia coli. These enzymes are discussed of in the chapter. β-lactamases are extremely efficient in catalyzing the hydrolysis of their more susceptible substrates. Bacteria produce β-lactamases to resist the lethal consequences of the exposure to β-lactam antibiotics. It rapidly hydrolyzes the β-lactam to the 8-amino acid derivative. These enzymes are extremely efficient catalysts, they may be constitutive or inducible, can be coded for chromosomally or by readily transferable plasmids, and they may be largely intracellular, extracellular, or, for gram-negative bacteria, predominantly periplasmic. While it is clear that the permeability of the cell's membrane to the antibiotic sharply affects β-lactam potency, it appears that most commonly encountered resistance to β-lactams derives from the presence of the β-lactamase. Although the central role of the β-lactamases in resistance is clear, efforts to overcome this resistance by using β-lactamase inhibitors have not proved to be very fruitful, because the specificity of β-lactamases is wide and broad-spectrum β-lactamase inhibitors are not available. This situation is changing, and the tactical inclusion of β-lactamase-inhibitory function into an antibiotic or the use of a β-lactamase inhibitor in synergy with a susceptible but effective antibiotic is becoming attractive. This chapter reviews the properties of some of the better studied β-lactamases and the interaction with E.coli RTEM β-lactamase of a number of recently discovered β-lactams containing unusual structural features.
Cyclophosphamide Enhances Human Tumor Growth in Nude Rat Xenografted Tumor Models

Abstract The effect of the immunomodulatory chemotherapeutic agent cyclophosphamide (CTX) on tumor growth was investigated in primary and metastatic intracerebral and subcutaneous rat xenograft models. Nude rats were treated with CTX (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) 24 hours before human ovarian carcinoma (SKOV3), small cell lung carcinoma (LX-1 SCLC), and glioma (UW28, U87MG, and U251) tumor cells were inoculated subcutaneously, intraperitoneally, or in the right cerebral hemisphere or were infused into the right internal carotid artery. Tumor development was monitored and recorded. Potential mechanisms were further investigated. Only animals that received both CTX and Matrigel showed consistent growth of subcutaneous tumors. Cyclophosphamide pretreatment increased the percentage (83.3% vs 0%) of animals showing intraperitoneal tumors. In intracerebral implantation tumor models, CTX pretreatment increased the tumor volume and the percentage of animals showing tumors. Cyclophosphamide increased lung carcinoma bone and facial metastases after intra-arterial injection, and 20% of animals showed brain metastases. Cyclophosphamide transiently decreased nude rat white blood cell counts and glutathione concentration, whereas serum vascular endothelial growth factor was significantly elevated. Cyclophosphamide also increased CD31 reactivity, a marker of vascular endothelium, and macrophage (CD68-positive) infiltration into glioma cell-inoculated rat brains. Cyclophosphamide may enhance primary and metastatic tumor growth through multiple mechanisms, including immune modulation, decreased response to oxidative stress, increased tumor vascularization, and increased macrophage infiltration. These findings may be clinically relevant because chemotherapy may predispose human cancer subjects to tumor growth in the brain or other tissues.
Continuous functions on compact groups

We show that every scalar valued continuous function f(g) on a compact group G may be written as f(g) = 〈Φ(g)ξ, η〉 for all g ∈ G, where ξ, η are vectors in a separable Hilbert space H, and Φ(g) is a strongly continuous unitary valued function on G which is a product of unitary representations and antirepresentations of G on H. This product is countable, but always converges uniformly on G. Moreover the supremum norm of f is matched by ‖ξ‖‖η‖. This may be viewed as a ‘Fourier product representation’ for f , and complements a result of Eymard for the Fourier algebra. For ‘Fourier polynomials’ we show that the Hilbert space may be taken to be finite dimensional, and the product finite, which is more or less obvious except in that we are able to match the correct norm. The main ingredients of the proof are the Peter-Weyl theory, Tannaka’s duality theorem, and a method developed with Paulsen using a characterization of operator algebras due to the author, Ruan and Sinclair. We also give the analogues of these formulae for compact
Concurrent semantics without the notions of state or state transitions

This paper argues that basing the semantics of concurrent systems on the notions of state and state transitions is neither advisable nor necessary. The tendency to do this is deeply rooted in our notions of computation, but these roots have proved problematic in concurrent software in general, where they have led to such poor programming practice as threads. I review approaches (some of which have been around for some time) to the semantics of concurrent programs that rely on neither state nor state transitions. Specifically, these approaches rely on a broadened notion of computation consisting of interacting components. The semantics of a concurrent compositions of such components generally reduces to a fixed point problem. Two families of fixed point problems have emerged, one based on metric spaces and their generalizations, and the other based on domain theories. The purpose of this paper is to argue for these approaches over those based on transition systems, which require the notion of state.
Problems encountered when substituting the traditional drawing tools for CAD systems in engineering graphics courses

Summary form only given. It was expected that the use of CAD systems in the classroom to teach basic courses of engineering drawing (EG-166) instead of the traditional pencil and paper, was going to significantly reduce the time spent by the students on their daily assignments. One of the objectives in these courses is to develop the students ability to see objects in 3D and to convey information on those objects in 2D representations. It was also expected that the reduction of time for the daily assignments was going to give the lecturer more time to talk about fundamental concepts in visualization. Primary results, however, have shown that the students are more interested in learning the CAD system and are paying less attention to the basic engineering concepts and 3D visualization techniques.
An LFT approach to autopilot design for missiles

In this paper, a tailfin-controlled missile system is described in terms of a linear fractional transformation (LFT) on an uncertainty/frequency block. The aerodynamical nonlinearities are taken as deviations to the nominal linear model and are treated as uncertainties. A state feedback robust controller is obtained by solving some linear matrix inequalities. The simulation results show that the designed autopilot is able to track the acceleration command, hence achieving the robust performance requirements.
The domestic determinants of transnational activity: : an examination of women's groups in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany

We examine the degree to which national political setting, namely domestic political opportunity structures, influences the transnational activities of women's groups in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. The literature suggests that social groups are more likely to choose international activity when national institutions provide fewer opportunities for domestic activity (Keck and Sikkink 1998; della Porta and Tarrow 2005). Using data about women's groups� activity from a content analysis of news wires from 1980 to 2008, we conclude that women's groups act in the domestic sphere significantly more than they act in the international arena�even when acting on transnational issues�and that groups choose international action when domestic opportunities are less hospitable to group action. Thus, we argue that the domestic sphere continues to be a major influence on social movement activity even as globalization and transnationalism increase.
Mass Loss and Effective Thermal Conductivity of Fire Retardant Nanocomposites

Carbon nanofiber (CNF) papers, when incorporated onto the surface of glass fiber reinforced polyester composites, were known to enhance the fire-retarding capability by decreasing the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and slowing down the mass loss. In this experimental study, attempts were made to understand the thermal degradation mechanisms of the composites and nanocomposites. The temperature distribution within the composite substrate should be determined because the degradation rate is related to the temperature. The composite was prepared through vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process. Samples of glass-polyester resin composites were investigated. Thermal conductivity data was calculated from embedded thermocouples on the composite for real-time temperature measurement. Mass loss data was collected using thermal gravimetric analysis on resin and CNF paper samples. These results should help to further understand the depth and degree of the degradation and provide an understanding of thermal properties in composites.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Belated Crusaders: Religious Fears in Anglo-French Diplomacy 1654–1655

Historians have commonly taken the secularization of politics and diplomacy as one of the great themes of the seventeenth century, and rightly so. But secular attitudes in matters of state did not move in an unbroken, irresistible progression; until well into the century they coexisted with more traditional modes of thought and developed against resistance from many people who still believed it immoral to divorce religion from politics. Moreover it was by no means always clear which trend was the stronger. Thus long after the Peace of Westphalia, for example, the possibility of international religious war continued to seem real, even to the point where fears of it entered into considerations of diplomacy. One interesting case of this kind arose in the course of Anglo-French negotiations during the mid-1650s, when apprehension of a Catholic crusade on the one side and rumors of a Protestant one on the other added a special dimension to an already complicated situation. By the summer of 1654 Cromwell and the English Council of State had not yet decided between France and Spain for either war or alliance. Both were courting England, and since Cromwell had concluded peace with the Dutch, the Commonwealth was at liberty to embark on new military ventures if interest should point the way in one direction or another. Spain's West Indies trade was very tempting to Englishmen, but on the other hand France and England were already fighting an undeclared small-scale privateering war in the channel. Besides, France was sheltering the Stuarts and their plots for restoration; at the moment indeed one of the French envoys in London was being expelled for participation in the latest royalist conspiracy.1 Thus the anti-French and the antiSpanish party in the Council each had their arguments. Even from the religious point of view the choice was difficult, given Cromwell's preoccupation with what he called the "Protestant Interest."
SCALES FOR MEASURING COMPULSION, HOSTILITY, NEUROTICISM, AND SHYNESS.

A personality inventory consisting of 51 factored homogeneous item dimensions (FHIDs) of 4 items each and 2 validation scales was administered to 305 volunteer students and community persons. Preliminary analysis resulted in the refinement of some dimensions and the elimination of others, leaving a total of 51 variables for the final analysis, including 4 biographical data variables. These 51 selected variables were factor analyzed and rotated to approximate oblique simple structure. Factors Compulsion, Hostility, Neuroticism, and Shyness, identified in previous studies, were confirmed here. Scales are given for the measurement of these personality factors and 4 others of less prominence.
Concise, Stereocontrolled Synthesis of the Citrinadin B Core Architecture

A concise, stereocontrolled synthesis of the citrinadin B core architecture from scalemic, readily available starting materials is disclosed. Highlights include ready access to both cyclic tryptophan tautomer and trans-2,6-disubstituted piperidine fragments, an efficient, stereoretentive mixed Claisen acylation for the coupling of these halves, and further diastereoselective carbonyl addition and oxidative rearrangement for assembly of the core.
EFFECTS OF STAGE OF MATURITY ON PROTEIN FRACTIONS OF SWEET CORN CULTIVARS

Sweet corn (Zea mays L.) cultivars at four stages of kernel development were evaluated for changes in protein fractions. Protein fractions of the acetone-insoluble solids varied with stage of development and with cultivars. Total protein decreased with increased maturity. The albumin-globulin fraction decreased progressively, with the greatest decrease generally occurring in the early stages of development. Zein content in all cultivars increased continuously with advances in maturity. Glutelin content reached maximum early in kernel development. Free amino acids decreased as kernels developed. Available lysine content was highest in all cultivars at stage I, but was relatively high at those stages when corn was of high edible quality.
Specific aggregation of partially folded polypeptide chains: The molecular basis of inclusion body composition

During expression of many recombinant proteins, off-pathway association of partially folded intermediates into inclusion bodies competes with productive folding. A common assumption is that such aggregation reactions are nonspecific processes. The multimeric intermediates along the aggregation pathway have been identified for both the P22 tailspike and P22 coat protein. We show that for a mixture of proteins refolding in vitro, folding intermediates do not coaggregate with each other but only with themselves. This indicates that aggregation occurs by specific interaction of certain conformations of folding intermediates rather than by nonspecific coaggregation, providing a rationale for recovering relatively pure protein from the inclusion body state.
Hemorrhagic transformation in patients with acute ischaemic stroke and an indication for anticoagulation.

Background Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) can occur in patients following acute ischemic stroke in the form of hemorrhagic transformation and results in significant longterm morbidity and mortality. Anticoagulation theoretically increases risk. We evaluated stroke patients with an indication for anticoagulation to determine the factors associated with hemorrhagic transformation.
The effects of atrazine on periphyton communities in controlled laboratory ecosystems

Abstract An aquatic microcosm study was designed to evaluate the direct and indirect effects of a 14 day, 100 μg atrazine/L exposure on periphyton community functional and structural parameters and to determine the recovery rates of these parameters after removing the atrazine input. Direct and indirect effects were evidenced by an immediate and continual decrease in net productivity and by significantly reduced algal densities, decreased diversity, altered species composition and reduced biomass accumulation. There were substantial differences in community recovery rates with net productivity returning to control values within 16 days while little recovery in community structural parameters occurred within the 21-day time period examined.
Compound allergy : An overview

This review defines the term "compound allergy" in the context of new findings, and discusses evidence that allergenic reaction products have been identified. Material was gathered by searching Index Medicus and the Science Citation Index, and reviewing several standard texts. Issues regarding the validity of patch test results are addressed and we introduce the term "pseudocompound allergy" to cover cases of false-negative patch tests. We present new theories regarding the mechanisms by which new allergens are formed and a means of classification.
Iron chelation promoted by desazadesferrithiocin analogs: An enantioselective barrier.

For patients who require lifelong blood transfusions, there is no efficient means, unless chelation therapy is employed, for elimination of excess iron. Alternatives to desferrioxamine, the currently accepted treatment for transfusional iron overload, are being investigated. The current article focuses on an enantiomeric pair of analogs of desferrithiocin, (+)-(S)- and (−)-(R)-2-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-4-methyl-4-thiazolecarboxylic acid (4′-hydroxydesazadesferrithiocin). The crystal structure corroborated the absolute configuration of the two compounds, (+) and (−) for the (S)- and (R)-enantiomers, respectively. Job's plots established the tridentate nature of both analogs and circular dichroism spectra confirmed the ligands' antipodal relationship. (+)-(S)-4′-Hydroxydesazadesferrithiocin is a more efficient deferration agent than is the (−)-(R)-enantiomer in a Cebus apella model of iron overload. Pharmacokinetic analyses and IC50 measurements in L1210 murine leukemia cells were undertaken in an effort to account for the contrast in efficacy between the two enantiomers. Some differences exist in the plasma pharmacokinetic parameters between the two analogs. However, a more plausible explanation may be the apparent differences in transport across the cell membrane; the IC50 value in L1210 cells of the (+)-(S)-enantiomer was at least 5-fold lower than that of the (−)-(R)-compound. Chirality 15:593–599, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
SYNTHESIS OF FLEXIBLE MASS-EXCHANGE NETWORKS

In this work, a new algorithm for the synthesis of cost effective flexible mass-exchange networks that can accommodate a given range of potential variations in the waste streams is presented. In order to automatically synthesize the network, a structural-representation scheme is developed to embed all potential configurations of the network. With this representation, both economic and flexibility aspects in the design can be simultaneously handled. The synthesis task is formulated as a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (M1NLP) problem which seeks to minimize the total annualized cost, while incorporating thermodynamic, technical and flexibility constraints. An iterative procedure is devised to solve this optimization program by decomposing the problem into two subproblems: synthesis and flexibility analysis. The synthesis subproblem attempts to generate a minimum-cost solution by identifying the most appropriate mass-exchange technologies along with their types, sizes, operating conditions, and stream d...
Informing the Masses and Heeding Public Opinion: China's New Internet-Related Policy Initiatives to Deal with Its Governance Crisis

ABSTRACT China's modernization has entered a crucial stage, and its communist government is facing a serious governance crisis. It has become imperative for the Chinese government to improve its governance performance. In 2008, Beijing initiated several Internet-related policies to increase its government's transparency and accountability. Those new policies include a adopting the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Open Government Information and b utilizing information technologies to increase communication between the government and the general public. However, these policies were not designed to “serve the people,” and instead are based on the Chinese Communist Party's need to increase its legitimacy. More importantly, there are various hurdles for the implementation of those policies. These hurdles include the communist government's weak political credibility, policy barriers in the legal perspectives, and digital divide and information disparities in China. This article concludes that C...
Measurement of Scleral Thickness in Uveal Effusion Syndrome

Purpose To measure scleral thickness in patients with and without uveal effusion syndrome using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Design Prospective case-control study. Methods UBM was used to measure scleral thickness in five subjects with uveal effusion syndrome and five matched controls. We also used MRI to measure scleral thickness in three subjects. Results The mean thicknesses for eyes with uveal effusion syndrome versus control eyes were 0.65 ± 0.08 mm and 0.55 ± 0.05 mm, respectively (mean difference 0.10, P value=.13). MRI measurements of three subjects showed abnormally thick sclera but were imprecise. Conclusions UBM can be used to measure scleral thickness, and our results support the finding that patients with uveal effusion syndrome have abnormally thick sclera. Compared with MRI, UBM may be a more accurate and precise method of measuring scleral thickness. UBM can be a useful adjunctive test in the management of uveal effusion syndrome.
System reliability evaluation considering strength and serviceability requirements

Abstract A robust system reliability evaluation method is proposed for aging redundant structures. Pile-supported structures commonly used for dams are specifically addressed. The individual pile behavior is considered to be brittle-type and the group behavior is considered to be parallel-type. Both strength and serviceability performance modes are considered. Using the advanced first-order second-moment reliability method, the element-level reliability indices are calculated for individual piles for several strength limit states. The system-level reliability indices of the pile group are calculated considering the lateral and vertical deflection limit states. Using the performance mode approach, which is referred to as the failure mode approach in the literature, a procedure is proposed to identify significant performance modes of the system by combining the element-level and system-level reliabilities. The bounds of the system reliability are then estimated. The procedure is first verified using information from load tests. The method is then applied to estimate the bounds of system reliability for a pile-supported dam. Identification of the significant performance modes becomes easier using the proposed method. It is observed that the values used for the allowable lateral and vertical deflections are critical in the overall system reliability evaluation. The lower and upper bounds of the system reliability are observed to be narrow for the examples considered in the study. The proposed procedure significantly improves the state of the art in the evaluation of system reliability of pile-supported structures.
Catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide over superconducting and related cuprates

Cuprates are multimetallic oxides composed of copper and one to five more electropositive metals which are usually alkalies, alkaline earths, and rare earths. Most high-temperature superconductors belong to one of four families based on complex La, Y, Bi, or Tl cuprates. The catalytic activity of cuprates. The catalytic activity of cuprates was first reported in 1977, but interest increased in 1987 after the discovery of high-temperature superconductors. Cuprates have been found to be active catalysts for several reactions, including reduction and decomposition of N[sub 2]O, NO, and NO[sub 2], synthesis and dehydrogenation of alcohols, and oxidation of methane, toluene, alcohols, and CO. Due to the disparate results in the literature, the authors further investigated the relationship between structure, electrical conductivity, and catalytic activity of cuprates for CO oxidation. Two superconductors, Bi[sub 2]CaSr[sub 2]Cu[sub 2]O[sub 10 [plus minus] x] and Tl[sub 2]CaBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 2]O[sub 9 [plus minus] x], and two insulating compounds, Y[sub 2]Cu[sub 2]O[sub 5] and Ba[sub 2]CuO[sub 3.4 [plus minus] x], were studied.
Tales from the Screen: Enduring Fright Reactions to Scary Media

This study was conducted to examine enduring fright reactions to mass media via recollective self-reports of a sample of undergraduates (average age 20.6 years) from two universities. Ninety percent (138 of 153) of the participants reported such a reaction. Most experiences occurred in childhood or adolescence, with 26.1% of the participants still experiencing residual anxiety at the time of measurement. More than half of the sample reported subsequent disturbances in sleeping or eating patterns, and a substantial proportion reported avoiding or dreading the situation depicted in the program or movie and mental preoccupation with the stimulus. Stimulus types were coded according to the jive categories of stimuli related to phobic reactions—animal, environmental, situational, blood/injection/injury, and "other" (disturbing sounds and distorted images)—described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Almost all of the films or movies re...
Theory of Toeplitz Determinants and the Spin Correlations of the Two-Dimensional Ising Model. I

We consider the rectangular Ising model on a half-plane of infinite extent and study some of the consequences connected with the presence of the boundary. Only the spins on the boundary row are allowed to interact with a magnetic field $\mathfrak{H}$. The method of Pfaffians is employed to obtain exact expressions for the partition function. It is found that the free energy is the sum of two terms, one of which is independent of $\mathfrak{H}$ and proportional to the total number of lattice sites, while the other depends on $\mathfrak{H}$ and is proportional to the number of lattice sites on the boundary. This separation makes it possible to define various thermodynamic quantities associated with the boundary. In particular, the boundary magnetization is shown to be discontinuous, in the ferromagnetic case, at zero magnetic field for temperatures below the bulk critical temperature ${T}_{c}$. This discontinuity, which is the spontaneous boundary magnetization, goes to zero as ${(1\ensuremath{-}\frac{T}{{T}_{c}})}^{\frac{1}{2}}$ as $T\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{T}_{c}\ensuremath{-}$. For $T={T}_{c}$, the discontinuity is of course absent, and the boundary magnetization behaves as $\ensuremath{-}\mathfrak{H}\mathrm{ln}\mathfrak{H}$ for small $\mathfrak{H}$. The boundary susceptibility at zero magnetic field in the ferromagnetic case exhibits a logarithmic singularity at $T={T}_{c}$, both above and below transition. An interesting feature is that the ferromagnetic boundary magnetization, although discontinuous for $Tl{T}_{c}$, may be analytically continued beyond the point $\mathfrak{H}=0$. We interpret this as a hystersis phenomenon which we study in detail by computing the probability distribution function for the average boundary spin. The correlation function for two spins, both on the boundary row, is also obtained exactly and its asymptotic behavior is given. Finally, we derive an expression for the magnetization in any row and explicitly evaluate it for the second row, i.e., the row next to the boundary.
Children's Learning of Words As a Function of Minimum Contrasts in Variable Letter Positions.

Presents results of an experimental task which measured children's learning of CVC words when minimum contrasts were employed in first, middle, and last letter positions (e.g., tin, win vs. pan, pen vs. pit, pig). Subjects were 84 kindergarten and first grade pupils who knew the alphabet but who had not yet learned to read. The visual and oral task provided measures of transfer, recognition, recall, delayed recognition, and delayed recall. For the sexes separately and combined, first letter position contrasts (rhyming words) were superior to letter contrasts in the middle or last letter positions; middle letter position contrasts were least effective. Last letter position contrasts were more effective for females than males. The results suggest that the teaching of rhyming words is the most efficient initial presentation of CVC words for beginning readers.
Methodology for Multiaircraft Minimum Noise Impact Landing Trajectories

The problem of optimizing landing trajectories with respect to noise impact index is addressed. In contrast with previous work, multilandings are considered. In order to make the problem tractable the trajectories are specified in functional form with certain parameters left free for selection by the optimization methods. Constraint of aircraft dynamic behavior, trajectory separation, pilot workload, passenger comfort, and maximum noise intensity all enter into the determination of what is an allowable trajectory. A version of the quasi-Newton iterative procedure is used to determine the optimum parameter values. The results show improvement in noise impact to the airport considered and the potential for even greater improvement at many airports.
Association of Allelic Variation in PtoXET16A with Growth and Wood Properties in Populus tomentosa

Xyloglucan endo-transglycosylases (XETs) modify the xyloglucan-cellulose framework of plant cell walls and, thus, affect cell wall expansion and strength. Dissecting the mechanism by which natural variation in XETs affects wood properties can inform breeding efforts to improve wood quality and yield traits. To this end, we isolated a full-length PtoXET16A cDNA clone from Populus tomentosa. Real-time PCR analysis showed that PtoXET16A was maximally expressed in the root, followed by phloem, cambium, and developing xylem, suggesting that PtoXET16A plays important roles in the development of vascular tissues. Nucleotide diversity and linkage disequilibrium analysis revealed that PtoXET16A has high single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) diversity (π = 0.01266 and θw = 0.01392) and low linkage disequilibrium (r2 ≥ 0.1, within 900 bp). SNP- and haplotype-based association analyses of 426 individuals from a natural population indicated that nine SNPs (including two non-synonymous markers and one splicing variant) (p ≤ 0.05, false discovery rate Q ≤ 0.01), and nine haplotypes (p ≤ 0.05) were significantly associated with growth and wood properties, each explaining from 3.40%–10.95% of phenotypic variance. This work shows that examination of allelic variation and linkage disequilibrium by a candidate-gene-based approach can help to decipher the genetic basis of wood formation. Moreover, the SNP markers identified in this study can potentially be applied for marker-assisted selection to improve growth and wood-property traits in Populus.
Barnacle larvae (Balanus spp.) as a potential diet for juvenile lobsters (Homarus americanus)

Abstract Plankton filtrate consisting of over 99% barnacle larvae was frozen and tested as diet for juvenile lobsters. Artemia -fed juveniles were slightly larger than filtrate-fed juveniles after 3 months. Filtrate and Artemia differed in nutrient compositions. Phospholipids in both diets were below levels determined to be optimum in formulated diets for the prevention of molt death syndrome.
Prognosticators of melanoma, the melanoma report, and the sentinel lymph node

Since the 1960s, the clinical characteristics of melanoma, its histopathology and its biological basis have been the subject of intense study at pigmented lesion clinics in North America, Europe, and Australia. More recently, the immense database of the Melanoma Committee of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) has been exploited through complex mathematical models to measure the impact of various histologic features of primary melanomas and of sentinel lymph node deposits and to correlate these parameters with patient survival. The wealth of modern information available to pathologists and clinicians has become of vital interest to the prognostication of the individual patient with melanoma. The purpose of this review is to bring to the attention of anatomic pathologists the essential characteristics of the pathology report for primary cutaneous melanoma in the modern era.
Rainbow trout performance in food- limited environments: implications for future assessment and management

We evaluated the performance of rainbow trout in food-limited lake and hatchery environments using whole-body water content as a proxy for fish energy reserves and lipid content. Relative abundance of rainbow trout stocked in an oligotrophic lake from 2002 to 2006 decreased by 88% in 145 days. Whole-body water content of rainbow trout increased following stocking in the lake and similar increases in water content were observed in fish from a food-deprived hatchery treatment. Water content in the fed hatchery fish was significantly lower than water content observed in stocked lake fish. Traditional metrics of body condition (i.e., Fulton's K and relative weight) based on length–weight relationships were insufficient to detect the observed changes in whole-body water content for all lake and hatchery treatments. We conclude that depletion of energy reserves contributed to poor survival and low angling returns of stocked rainbow trout in the study lake.
A model classifying algorithms as inherently sequential with applications to graph searching

Abstract A model is proposed that can be used to classify algorithms as inherently sequential . The model captures the internal computations of algorithms. Previous work in complexity theory has focused on the solutions algorithms compute. Direct comparison of algorithms within the framework of the model is possible. The model is useful for identifying hard to parallelize constructs that should be avoided by parallel programmers. The model's utility is demonstrated via applications to graph searching. A stack breadth-first search (BFS) algorithm is analyzed and proved inherently sequential. The proof technique used in the reduction is a new one. The result for stack BFS sharply contrasts with a result showing that a queue based BFS algorithm is in NC . An NC algorithm to compute greedy depth-first search numbers in a dag is presented, and a result proving that a combination search strategy called breadth-depth search is inherently sequential is also given.
Thermoelastic contact of half-spaces with equal thermal distortivities in the presence of a heat-permeable intersurface gap

We consider the interaction of elastic half-spaces with equal thermal distortivities in the presence of a heat-permeable medium in an intercontact gap caused by a recess on the surface of one of the bodies. Outside the gap, a perfect thermal and frictionless mechanical contact takes place between the bodies. Using the method of functions of intercontact gaps, the formulated contact problem is reduced to a singular integral equation for a derivative of the height of the gap, which is solved analytically, and to a Prandtl-type singular integro-differential equation for the difference of temperature of the surfaces in the region of the gap, for the solution of which we propose an analytic-numerical approach. Plots illustrate the influence of load and the thermal conductivity of the filler on the temperature difference between the edges of the gap, contact stresses, heat flows, and longitudinal strains between the half-spaces.
The role of job satisfaction in absence behavior

Abstract Two models of absence behavior were compared for a sample of 166 clerical workers in a university setting. The first considered absence behavior as a function of job satisfaction. Additional pressures toward attendance, both internal (the individual's value system) and external (co-workers and job structure), as well as four demographic variables were considered as moderators of the absenteeism—job satisfaction relationship. These additional pressures were termed role pressures. The second model considered absenteeism as a function of role pressures and job satisfaction in an additive rather than a moderated fashion. Only the additive model was supported. The data are discussed in light of the effects of role pressures on absenteeism.
Familial ovarian cancer. Update and clinical applications

Background. Genetics plays a role in all cancers. Evidence exists for the presence of inherited genes associated with the development of ovarian cancer in three familial ovarian cancer syndromes : a site-specific ovarian cancer syndrome, a breast/ovarian cancer syndrome, and an ovarian cancer syndrome associated with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. Methods and Results. The authors present an updated summary of recent advances within the field of ovarian cancer genetics and examine the extent to which this genetic information, at both an epidemiologic and molecular level, may be used to identify a subset of women who are likely to be at increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. In addition, the extent to which these data may be used to define methods of prevention or treatment for women at risk is discussed. Conclusion. Women who are members of high risk ovarian cancer families should receive genetic screening and medical follow-up in an effort to reduce their overall chances of morbidity and death associated with the development of ovarian and other cancers. The construction of cancer family registries will help to identify women at risk and facilitate their entry into clinical trials and screening programs for ovarian cancer.
Epileptic facial metamorphopsia

A 14-year-old patient with a right parietal arteriovenous malformation presented with seizures characterized by metamorphopsia of faces. Unlike adults with right hemisphere pathology she performed like an age matched control on a task requiring recognition of unfamiliar faces. This likely reflects maturational changes in hemispheric dominance for face recognition.