cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Analysis of the Last Clinical Encounter before Outpatient Mortality among Children with HIV Infection and Exposure in Lilongwe, Malawi.

BACKGROUND Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) contributes to nearly 20% of all deaths in children under five years of age in Malawi. Expanded coverage of antiretroviral therapy has allowed children to access treatment on an outpatient basis. Little is known about characteristics of the final outpatient encounter prior to mortality in the outpatient setting. METHODS This retrospective cohort study assessed clinical factors associated with mortality among HIV-exposed infants and HIV-infected children less than 18 years of age at the Baylor College of Medicine Abbott Fund Children's Center of Excellence in Lilongwe, Malawi. We compared clinical indicators documented from the final outpatient encounter for patients who died in the outpatient setting versus those who were alive after their penultimate clinical encounter. RESULTS Of the 8,546 patients who were attended to over a 10-year period at the Baylor Center of Excellence, 851 had died (10%). Of children who died, 392 (46%) were directly admitted to the hospital after their last clinical encounter and died as inpatients. Of the remaining 459 who died as outpatients after their last visit, 53.5% had a World Health Organization (WHO) stage IV condition at their last visit, and 25% had a WHO stage III condition. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that poor nutritional status, female gender, shorter time as a patient, more clinical encounters in the prior month, if last visit was an unscheduled sick visit, and if the patient had lost weight since their prior visit independently predicted increased mortality in the outpatient setting after the final clinical encounter. CONCLUSION Clinical indicators may assist in identifying children with HIV who have increased risk of mortality in the outpatient setting. Recognizing these indicators may aid in identifying HIV-infected children who require a higher level of care or closer follow-up.
The Promise of Ultra-Short-Term (UST) Heart Rate Variability Measurements

Researchers have investigated whether ultra-short-term (UST) heart rate variability values can replace traditional 5-minute values in clinical and optimal performance settings. Concurrent validity is the extent to which the results of a measurement correspond to a previously validated assessment of the same construct. Several studies either failed to specify their concurrent validity criteria or used an inappropriate statistical test. The authors proposed a rigorous standard and demonstrated that artifacted resting ultra-short-term heart rate variability values can achieve strong concurrent validity for diverse time-domain, frequency-domain, and nonlinear measurements in healthy undergraduates. Based on these findings, resting baselines as brief as 1 minute should be sufficient to measure heart rate, the standard deviation of the interbeat interval for normal beats (SDNN), and the square root of the mean squared difference of adjacent NN intervals (RMSSD) in clinical, optimal performance, and personal hea...
Two-capacitor transformer winding capacitance models for common-mode EMI noise analysis in isolated DC-DC converters

For isolated DC-DC power converters, the inter-winding parasitic capacitance of the transformer is usually one of the main paths for common-mode (CM) noise. In order to simplify the CM noise analysis, this paper proposes a two-capacitor transformer winding capacitance model. The model is derived based on general conditions so it can be applied to different isolated converter topologies. A measurement technique is also proposed to obtain the lumped capacitance for the model. The CM noise models of several isolated converter topologies are analyzed with the proposed two-capacitor transformer winding capacitance model to achieve simplicity. Finally, the proposed transformer winding capacitance model and measurement technique are verified by simulations and experiments.
The Meaning of Health in the Era of Value-based Care

In an era of value-based care, the practice of medicine and other health professions have been drawn to subjective, comprehensive and multidimensional views of health such as the World Health Organization(WHO) concept that defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This paper, through a philosophical analysis, demonstrates that health is not multidimensional and is a natural phenomenon. A philosophical discussion contends that health must realistically and logically reside in the person and this requires it to be a physical state. This paper also illustrates that, in the popular language of health, many times, health professionals: (1) inappropriately view health as a subjective human construct as opposed to viewing health as an objective phenomena, (2) confuse what is desired and valued as a good life with what is good health, and (3) fail to recognize the vital distinction between what affects health and what is health. A meaning of health is offered through several examples and arguments that demonstrate why health is a state of physical well-being or physical fitness that is defined by how well the body is functioning in accordance with its natural design and how well this natural design affords individuals the ability to achieve essential functional objectives of humans on the biological and person level.
All-soft physical and chemical microsystems based on liquid metal for wearable electronics applications

This paper introduces all-soft physical and chemical sensing systems for wearable electronics applications comprising soft microsensors and soft functional circuits using gallium-based liquid metal (eutectic gallium-indium alloy, EGaIn) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). An advanced EGaIn thin-line patterning technique enables size-scalable, high density, and residue-free liquid metal structures that form the base for the demonstrated physical microsystem for strain measurement and liquid-phase chemical sensing platform. The stretchable strain sensor consists of a soft Wheatstone bridge circuit, which exhibits a linear output voltage response for applied uniaxial strain up to 28%. The liquid-phase chemical sensor is comprised of a microfluidic capacitive sensor vertically integrated with a spiral inductor to form an LC resonance circuit. Its resonance frequency changes in response to the relative permittivity of the liquid solvent.
Mechanisms of Disease and Natural History

Timely prophylactic treatment of patients with aortic disease is critical for prevention of lethal complications such as aortic rupture or dissection. However, the timeliness of such treatment heavily relies on knowledge of the pathophysiology and natural history of aortic disease. In the era of rapidly emerging endovascular treatment options for patients with aortic disease as an alternative to classic open surgery, accurate prediction of the natural history is becoming increasingly important. Advances in understanding the genetics that underlie aortic pathology as well as the biomechanical processes that proceed within the diseased aortic wall will enable physicians to better predict the natural history of aortic disease in individual patients and thereby offer a more personalized management. In this chapter we review the current understanding of the mechanism of development and the natural history of thoracic aortic disease in the context of establishing evidence-based criteria for surgical/endovascular intervention.
Using Drawings to Demonstrate Informal Science Learning Experiences through the Contextual Model of Learning

Everyday activities engage learners in scientific practices in multiple contexts over time through various experiences. These everyday activities provide opportunities to engage in scientific practices in relaxed but informative environments. In these environments, individuals can develop knowledge and skills over time, spanning a multitude of topics and in varied contexts. Commonly, out-of-school learning experiences are described as informal learning.
Management of carotid artery injuries: Louisiana State University Shreveport experience - Commentary

BACKGROUND Traumatic carotid artery injury is an infrequently encountered surgical entity. Carotid artery injuries in poly-trauma patients can be easily missed in the absence of clinical findings and/or presence of confounding concurrent injuries. METHODS Between 1991 and 1998, 23 patients were diagnosed with various carotid artery injuries at the trauma center of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, Louisiana. Injuries were assessed by angiography and/or surgical exploration of the neck. Clinical presentations, radiologic features, management strategies, and neurologic outcomes were statistically analyzed and compared with the existing literature. RESULTS Twelve patients (52%) had penetrating carotid artery injuries, while 11 (48%) had blunt trauma. The diagnosis of carotid injury was significantly delayed in the group with blunt trauma as opposed to those with penetrating wounds. Surgical repair was performed in 6 (26%) patients; 2 (8%) underwent balloon occlusion, while ligation was conducted in 2 (8%) patients. Thirteen patients (57%) were treated conservatively with anticoagulants. Six patients (26%) died, while another 6 (26%) had permanent neurologic deficit. Mortality and morbidity was significantly higher in the group with penetrating injuries. A statistical analysis showed that multi-level carotid injury (p < 0.002) and increasing age (p < 0.001) had a significantly higher mortality. CONCLUSIONS Injury to carotid arteries results in significant mortality and morbidity. Our results indicate that penetrating carotid injury at more than one level carries higher mortality and morbidity rates than blunt injury. Furthermore, early identification of the injured segment may favorably influence the outcome for such patients.
Dawn song in natural and artificial continuous day: Light pollution affects songbirds at high latitudes.

In Focus: Da Silva, A., & Kempenaers, B. (2017). Singing from North to South: Latitudinal variation in timing of dawn singing under natural and artificial light conditions. Journal of Animal Ecology, 86, 1286–1297. doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.12739 Satellite images of the world at night show bright dots connected by glowing lines crisscrossing the globe. As these connect-the-dots become brighter and expand into more and more remote regions, much of the flora and fauna of the world are experiencing evolutionarily unprecedented levels of light at night. Light cues are essential to most physiological and behavioural processes, and so the need to measure the effects of light pollution on these processes is critical. In this issue, Da Silva and Kempenaers take on this task using an important reproductive behaviour in songbirds—dawn song. The geographic, temporal and taxonomic breadth of sampling in this study allows for a close examination of a potentially complex interaction between light pollution and natural variation in the behaviour of dawn singing across latitude, season and species. Their extensive dataset highlights complexity in how songbirds respond to light pollution. Although light pollution has a strong effect on the timing of dawn song, not all songbirds respond the same way to light pollution, and the effects of light pollution vary with changes in natural light levels. Early dawn singers show more flexibility in the timing of dawn song across the season and across latitudes than late dawn singers, and also appear less affected by light pollution at high latitudes than are late dawn singers. These findings suggest that not all songbirds are responding to artificial continuous daylight as they do to natural continuous daylight, highlighting the general need to measure the fitness effects of light pollution.
The TCS Upgrade: Design, Construction, Conditioning, and Enhanced RMF FRC Performance

The original Translation, Confinement, Sustainment (TCS) experiment was upgraded [TCS Upgrade (TCSU)] to provide an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) environment with modern discharge cleaning and wall-coatin...
Nonneurocognitive extended consciousness

One of the attributes necessary for Watson to be considered human is that it must be conscious. From Rachlin's (2012) point of view, that of teleological behaviorism, consciousness refers to the organization of behavioral complexity in which overt behavior is distributed widely over time. Thus, a computer such as Watson could be considered to be conscious if it behaves like a conscious person. This last point is critical because of the implications that it holds for philosophy of mind. For a behaviorist, consciousness is not required to be internal event, nor is it self-evident that the mind resides inside of us. Consciousness is instead something that humans do, or achieve, in their overt and covert actions (Schlinger, 2008). Rachlin believes that if it were possible to generate the same actions using a different mechanism, the behavior would be no less conscious than our current behavior. This is because consciousness is not part of the mechanism responsible for the behavior, it is the behavior itself.
The Direct Determination of the Number of Convex Particles Per Unit Volume and the Moments of Their Size Distribution by an Intercept Analysis on a Section

Several analyses are available for determining the size distribution of particles in an opaque material from measurements on a section. The analyses differ from one another in the property measured on the section and the procedures used for the numerical solution of the integral equation relating the property to the particle-size distribution. However, all the analyses have the serious disadvantage that it is extremely difficult to determine how the statistical sampling error is propagated into the observed particle-size distribution curve. The stereologist thus has no means of knowing the reliability of his result and, what is equally important, he is unable to determine how many measurements he should make in order to get a result of the required accuracy.
Diterpenes and Sesterterpenes

At least 2500 diterpenes are found in a large number of plant families (Banthorpe and Charlwood, 1980; Croteau and Johnson, 1981; Devon and Scott, 1972; Gershenzon and Croteau, 1991; Hanson, 1991). Most of these compounds fit into about 20 major groups (Fig. 22.1). Because diterpenes are chemically complex and difficult to isolate, purify, and characterize, they probably have not been studied as thoroughly as monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Gibberellins and phytol, the acyclic side chain of chlorophyll, occur in all plants.
Evaluation of Mortality Risks for Institutional Decisions

Abstract This paper investigates the implications of various value judgments on the evaluation of public mortality risks. Using utility functions to quantify values indicates the mutual inconsistency of three reasonable goals: minimize the expected number of fatalities, promote equitable distribution of public risk, and a preference for catastrophe avoidance. Utility analyses and some other approaches for assisting with decision making involving public risks are appraised from an institutional or governmental perspective.
The Supervisory Power of the Supreme Court

Relying on something it calls "supervisory power" or "supervisory authority," the Supreme Court regularly prescribes rules of procedure and evidence for inferior courts. Both scholars and the Court have treated the Court's exercises of this authority as unexceptional exercises of the inherent authority that Article III grants every federal court to regulate procedure in the course of adjudication. Article III's grant of inherent authority, however, is conventionally understood as permitting a federal court to regulate its own proceedings. When the Supreme Court exercises supervisory power, it regulates the proceedings of other federal courts. More than a reference to every court's inherent authority, therefore, is required to justify the Court's action. If the Supreme Court possesses a unique ability to regulate federal court procedure, it must be because of some unique attribute of the Supreme Court. This Article explores a justification that may well animate the Court's assertions of supervisory power: the notion that the Court possesses supervisory power by virtue of its constitutional supremacy. Analyzing this justification requires pursuit of two questions that are wholly unexplored in the literature and case law. Does Article III's distinction between supreme and inferior courts operate only as a limit on the way that Congress can structure the judicial department, or does it also operate as a source of inherent authority for the Supreme Court? And assuming that the Court's supremacy grants it inherent authority over inferior courts, is supervisory power over procedure part of the authority granted?
The Role of Tax Treaties in International Taxation

Given the globalisation of the economies of the nations in the world, it became inevitable that the business rules of these nation states would interact. When taxpayers of one nation began to do business with taxpayers in other countries, conflicts and inconsistencies began to develop. Two or more nations started to tax the income and transactions of a single entity which created double taxation problems. Such problems could have deterred a business from operating globally. So some vehicle was needed that could not be provided by a single country acting on its own. Some agreement had to be entered into by two or more countries to prevent this deterrent from stifling worldwide business. Such agreements are the tax treaties in this paper.
ERRORS, ROUND-OFF, AND STABILITY

This chapter discusses the nature of uncertainty in problem solving as well as the errors introduced in the numerical computation part of problem solving. The problem-solving process is divided into three phases: (1) precise formulation of a mathematical model and related numerical model; (2) construction of a method to solve the numerical problem; and (3) implementation of the method to compute a solution. Uncertainties that may get introduced into numerical computations contaminate the solution, and it is important to attempt to balance the uncertainties. Balancing the uncertainties is not easy in large problems whose solutions are divided up among a dozen or a hundred people. Frequently, the first step in analyzing a mathematical model is to replace it by a numerical model. Most of this is truncating, or stopping early, a mathematical limiting process that defines something. When using computers for finding arithmetic solutions to problems, numbers are represented in some form of scientific notation; numbers in scientific notation are called floating point numbers or real numbers. There are also fixed point numbers or integer numbers, which are simply integers. Computers normally have separate hardware to process each of these two kinds of numbers.
Chomsky, Noam (1928–)

This article offers an overview of Noam Chomsky's contributions to linguistics, as well as the multiple fields that are impacted by his approach, including psychology, philosophy, computer sciences, communications, political studies, neuroscience, and behavioral sciences. The emphasis is placed upon his early formative years, the milieus from which he emerges and to which he contributes, and the general attitude that drives his work, right up to the current moment.
Dietary intakes of police department employees in a wellness program.

A 12-month nutrition program was developed and implemented as a project of the Wellness Department of the Austin Police Department (APD). Forty APD employees began the program; 24 completed the dietary portion of the study A comparison of 7-day dietary intakes recorded before and after the program indicated a decrease in energy intake from a mean of 2,273 ±694 kcal/day to 1,379 ± 364 kcal/day (p
For HE tells me so: Techniques of neutralization applied to Christian domestic discipline

Christian Domestic Discipline (CDD) advocates wifely submission and male dominance through religiously justified punishment. Using publicly available anonymous testimonials and websites devoted to ...
Low-temperature metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of molybdenum disulfide on multicomponent glass substrates

Abstract Industrially relevant substrates, such as amorphous oxides and metallic substrates, typically cannot withstand the elevated temperatures (>800 °C) required for metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), thus limiting the applicability of these substrates for the realization of electronic-grade 2D materials. This work demonstrates MOCVD of crystalline MoS2 on multicomponent glass at temperatures ranging from 400 to 600 °C. Incorporated to understand the effects of ions in the glass on 2D layer growth, nitrogen plasma treatment of the glass surface enables increased domain size and minimized the effects of low temperature on electronic characteristics. Trends of growth morphology, crystalline quality, and film stoichiometry are examined as a function of glass chemistry, growth temperature, and degree of surface treatment. It is found that glass surface chemistry and growth temperature are the dominant factors in controlling domain size, which is improved with increasing plasma treatment, introducing alkali-containing glass, and growth temperature. While crystalline quality is improved with higher temperature, the films no longer remain stoichiometric. Finally, we demonstrate that glass surface chemistry has important impacts on electronic transport properties.
Understanding the dynamics of light-meta structure interactions using skin-depth engineering (Conference Presentation)

Traditionally, geometrical factors have not played an important role in determining the distribution of current across conducting boundaries. Typically, the classical skin depth expression is used to estimate currents within the volume. We have developed a novel geometry-based framework which describes current distributions within the volume of structures which allows us to engineer skin depth using boundary shapes. A more accurate knowledge of current densities is an important degree of freedom to design and analyze meta-structures and their interactions. Our approach is grounded in a rigorous analysis of electromagnetic wave scattering from shell structures for which the importance of geometrical parameters in the expressions for skin depth to accurately describe interactions has been confirmed. Starting from Maxwell’s equations, we have analyzed the temporal dynamics of electromagnetic interactions with meta-structures and their relationship to vector potentials. Individual wavelength or subwavelength sized meta-structures can be designed to localize the incident electromagnetic radiation and create a change in the local constitutive relations. Having an accurate determination of the current distribution within the volume of scattering structures plays an important role in designing and determining the effective constitutive parameters of 2D and 3D metamaterials. Combinations of materials with custom geometries suggest that this kind of skin depth engineering can lead to new families of linear and non-linear meta-atoms impacting imaging, harmonic generation, and the design of antennas and their shielding.
Macroscopic Variables in Commensurate and Incommensurate Condensed Phases, Quasicrystals and Phasmids

Macroscopic variables, necessary for a useful dynamical description of many condensed phases, are discussed. The nature of these macroscopic variables, their origin and their implications for the dynamics are considered. The somewhat special case of phasmids is treated separately.
A Wholistic Paradigm for Sustainability: Are Social Workers Experts or Partners?

A new way of thinking is emerging that may help solve some of the serious environmental, economic, and social problems that must be engaged to create a sustainable world. The scientific, reductionist, individualist modern paradigm, with social workers in the expert role, has led to many benefits and costs in today’s world. The emerging wholistic paradigm is based on interdependence, partnership, cooperation, and respect for the earth and all beings. Social workers in the role of partners are using approaches like systems theory, client strengths, partnership, and empowerment that reflect the wholistic paradigm. These wholistic social workers may also make use of other theories and methods such as chaos theory, fractal geometry, intuitive thinking, and practice wisdom to fulfill the profession’s responsibility to help create a sustainable world.
Impact of Beta-Lactam Allergies on Selection of Antimicrobials in an Inpatient Setting Among Veteran Population.

PURPOSE Beta-lactam antibiotics are among the most common and widely used antibiotics. However, reported allergy to this class of antibiotics is also common, leading to the use of alternative broad-spectrum antibiotics by healthcare providers. This has led to the emergence of various negative health outcomes. The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of using alternative antibiotics secondary to a beta-lactam allergy among U.S. veterans who have otherwise multiple comorbidities. METHODS This retrospective observational analysis was conducted over a 5-year period (January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2016) at the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). Admitted patients with a documented beta-lactam allergy were categorized to preferred or non-preferred status based on initial antibiotic therapy antibiotic, allergy history, published guidelines, and local antibiogram. Preferred therapy was defined as the optimal antibiotic treatment for a given indication based on patient allergy history, published Infectious Disease Society of America guidelines, and local antibiogram of Memphis VAMC. The therapy was classified as "non-preferred" if it did not satisfy the preferred therapy criteria. Non-preferred treatments were further assessed for appropriateness based on indication and patient-specific factors. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were conducted to find a difference in rates of negative sequelae among patients receiving preferred vs. non-preferred treatments and appropriate vs. inappropriate treatments. FINDINGS Of the 1806 admissions identified, data were collected on 95 unique patients with 147 different antibiotic regimens. There were 68 (52%) preferred treatment regimens and 64 (48%) non-preferred treatment regimens. Of the 64 non-preferred treatments, 43 (67%) were inappropriate. There was a statistically significant decrease in the number of adverse drug events and in the combined negative sequelae outcome among patients receiving preferred therapy vs. non-preferred therapy (2 vs. 12; P < .01 and 11 vs. 23; P < .01, respectively). IMPLICATIONS The receipt of non-preferred antibiotic therapy among veterans with a recorded beta-lactam allergy may be associated with an increased risk of developing negative outcomes. Among military personnel, removing unnecessary beta-lactam allergies would improve readiness with optimal antibiotic choices and avoidance of unnecessary risks, expediting return to full duty.
Protection for Whom? Creditor Conflict and Bankruptcy

In the absence of a bankruptcy law, private debt collection remedies generally result in an ad hoc disposal of the debtor's assets, which reduces the aggregate value of creditors' claims. We show that creditors will often choose not to write private contracts that would prevent this inefficient behavior, even though these contracts would be to the mutual benefit of all creditors. Our analysis therefore provides an economic rationale for the existence of a bankruptcy law that makes a collective resolution compulsory for all creditors. We argue that such a mandate is a requisite part of any effective bankruptcy system, including proposals for market-based resolutions of insolvency. Copyright 2004, Oxford University Press.
Sex-specific nicotine sensitization and imprinting of self-administration in rats inform GWAS findings on human addiction phenotypes

Repeated nicotine exposure leads to sensitization (SST) and enhances self-administration (SA) in rodents. However, the molecular basis of nicotine SST and SA and their biological relevance to the mounting genome-wide association study (GWAS) loci of human addictive behaviors are poorly understood. Considering a gateway drug role of nicotine, we modeled nicotine SST and SA in F1 progeny of inbred rats (F344/BN) and conducted integrative genomics analyses. We unexpectedly observed male-specific nicotine SST and a parental effect of SA only present in paternal F344 crosses. Transcriptional profiling in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) core and shell further revealed sex- and brain region-specific transcriptomic signatures of SST and SA. We found that genes associated with SST and SA were enriched for those related to synaptic processes, myelin sheath, and tobacco use disorder or chemdependency. Interestingly, SST-associated genes were often downregulated in male VTA but upregulated in female VTA, and strongly enriched for smoking GWAS risk variants, possibly explaining the male-specific SST. For SA, we found widespread region-specific allelic imbalance of expression (AIE), of which genes showing AIE bias toward paternal F344 alleles in NAc core were strongly enriched for SA-associated genes and for GWAS risk variants of smoking initiation, likely contributing to the parental effect of SA. Our study suggests a mechanistic link between transcriptional changes underlying the NIC SST and SA and human nicotine addiction, providing a resource for understanding the neurobiology basis of the GWAS findings on human smoking and other addictive phenotypes.
Therapist Experiences and Attitudes About Implementing Internet-Delivered Parent-Child Interaction Therapy During COVID-19.

It has been widely recognized that access to mental health treatment is imperative to address current and long-term stressors for children and parents during COVID-19. Internet-delivered Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (iPCIT, previously referred to as I-PCIT) is a strong model for remote service delivery during social distancing restrictions due to its empirical base. However, this treatment modality was not widely implemented before COVID-19, likely due to barriers to providing telehealth services. This mixed methods study conducted a follow-up survey to gather therapist experiences (N = 223) in delivering iPCIT during COVID-19, including qualitative data on the benefits and challenges to delivering iPCIT. The vast majority of therapists (82%) indicated that they transitioned to deliver PCIT via telehealth in response to COVID-19. PCIT caseloads decreased slightly from the first survey to the COVID-19 follow-up survey, but the racial and ethnic composition of caseloads were not significantly different between the two surveys. Of the 183 therapists who transitioned to deliver PCIT via telehealth, 82% expressed interest in continuing to provide iPCIT following the COVID-19 pandemic. Reported benefits of iPCIT included decreased barriers to access and the ability to practice skills within the naturalistic home environment. Challenges to iPCIT were primarily issues with technology as well as other logistical barriers, which could limit engagement for some families. Findings from this study may be beneficial in improving future implementation of iPCIT during and post-COVID-19.
Are Sweet Dreams Made of These? Understanding the Relationship Between Sleep and Cannabis Use.

Introduction: There is widespread literature on the interaction between cannabis use and sleep, yet the mechanisms that underlie this relationship are not well understood. Several factors lead to i...
Catastrophe and Contention in Rural China: Mao's Great Leap Forward Famine and the Origins of Righteous Resistance in Da Fo Village

This book documents how China's rural people remember the great famine of Maoist rule, which proved to be the worst famine in modern world history. Ralph A. Thaxton, Jr., sheds new light on how China's socialist rulers drove rural dwellers to hunger and starvation, on how powerless villagers formed resistance to the corruption and coercion of collectivization, and on how their hidden and contentious acts, both individual and concerted, allowed them to survive and escape the predatory grip of leaders and networks in the thrall of Mao's authoritarian plan for a full-throttle realization of communism – a plan that engendered an unprecedented disaster for rural families. Based on his study of a rural village's memories of the famine, Thaxton argues that these memories persisted long after the events of the famine and shaped rural resistance to the socialist state, both before and after the post-Mao era of reform.
Chapter 11 Peptide Mapping and Amino Acid Sequencing of Histones

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses peptide mapping and amino acid sequencing of histones. There are generally five major histone fractions (H1, H2A, H2B, H3, and H4) in most eukaryotes, but a few species appear to have only three or four. Some tissues or species have additional histone fractions, such as H5 in nucleated erythrocytes and H6 in trout tissues. Four (H4, H3, H2B, and H2A) of the five major histones in calf thymus have been completely sequenced, and H1 has been partially sequenced. Complete sequences for histones H4, H3, and H2A and partial sequences for histones H2B, H1, H5, and H6 have also been reported for other species. The comparative studies have demonstrated a remarkable conservation of histone sequences throughout evolution, particularly for the arginine-rich histones H4 and H3. Histones to be used for sequence studies can be extracted from chromatin by any of the usual methods used in other types of studies. In some of these methods, certain histones are selectively extracted, but often they need to be purified further for sequence studies. Amino acid analysis of a histone fraction can be used as a criterion of purity and to compare the fraction to one that has been analyzed previously.
True colors: The response of business schools to declining enrollments

During the last several decades, business schools have increasingly portrayed themselves as the advocates and teachers of business ethics. In this context, educators have examined, criticized, and written about the questionable actions of many organizations. Business schools are, however, currently facing their own unprecedented crisis in the form of dramatically declining enrollments. This paper examines the morality of the various possible response strategies and argues that how business schools respond to this crisis will serve as a clear indication of their own organizational ethics and values.
Conditional Expected Loss as a Measure of Risk: Implications for Portfolio Selection

In this paper, we analyze the economic implications arising from imposing a Conditional Expected Loss (CEL) constraint in the portfolio selection problem of a fund manager, and compare them with those arising from the imposition of a Value-at-Risk (VaR) constraint. For a given confidence level and bound, a CEL constraint is tighter than a VaR constraint. Consequently, a CEL constraint is more effective than a VaR constraint as a tool to control aggressive (i.e., slightly risk-averse) fund managers. However, there is a perverse side effect of the CEL constraint in that it may force conservative (i.e., highly risk-averse) fund managers to select portfolios with larger standard deviations. While this result is also true with the use of VaR as a risk management tool, it is even more perverse with CEL. Hence, the benefits of using CEL instead of VaR come at a price.
Treatment of Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Merkel cell tumors are relatively rare, aggressive neoplasms of neuroendocrine origin that pose a substantial risk of local-regional recurrence. Radiation therapy can decrease this risk and is generally advised following surgical excision.
Wavelength beam combining of laser arrays

Laser beam combining technologies are of current interest for scaling lasers to high average output power while maintaining single-spatial-mode beam profiles. In order to achieve higher output powers we have extended the WBC concept to a master-oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) configuration. A MOPA architecture was chosen to separate the power generation components from those that define the spectral and temporal characteristics. This provides ease of power scaling. It allows us to handle the pulsing issues associated with ytterbium (Yb) doped fiber lasers at low power levels.
Measurement of the Human Stress Response

In the final analysis, the empirical foundation of epistemology is measurement. When an unexplained phenomenon, such as a stress-related disease, is first observed, it is common to search for possible etiological factors. This search often culminates in a phenomenological theory; in this case, perhaps a theory of stress arousal and subsequent pathogenesis. On the basis of the formulated theory, for example, of stress arousal, it is then a useful next step to design an experiment in order to test the theory and any proposed relationships critical to the theory. Inherent in the design of the experiment is the designation of key variables and some means of measuring, recording, or otherwise quantifying those relevant variables. Relevant to the present discussion, this would typically involve a means of measuring the stress response and perhaps its pathological effects.
A role for PET phantom scans in a quality control program

1061 Learning Objectives 1. Describe the role of PET phantom scans in evaluating and monitoring scanner calibration. 2. Identify several problems seen on phantom scans that were not addressed by daily quality control (QC) tests. PET scans of uniform cylindrical phantoms are used routinely to normalize and calibrate scanners and to qualify scanners for quantitative imaging in clinical trials. However, phantom scans can also add value to a PET-CT QC program in monitoring calibrations over time, identifying artifacts, and investigating problems. Two scanners were calibrated according to vendor recommendations. Scanner 1 (3D-only) was calibrated with a cylinder of Ge-68 (cross-calibrated to the PET dose calibrator); and Scanner 2 (2D and 3D) was calibrated with a Ge-68 rod source and F-18 in a water-filled cylinder. A F-18 cylinder was scanned quarterly to monitor calibration and the observed range of variability in SUV mean measurements was
Associations of birth outcomes with maternal polybrominated diphenyl ethers and thyroid hormones during pregnancy.

Background Previous research has linked polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) exposure to poor birth outcomes and altered thyroid hormone levels.
Sarcomatoid Urothelial Carcinoma: A Single Cancer Center Experience.

Background : Sarcomatoid bladder cancer is a rare and aggressive variant of urothelial carcinoma. Methods : A retrospective review of our experience in managing patients with sarcomatoid bladder cancer (SRBC) between 1997 and 2011 was performed to better define the behavior and outcomes of this disease. Results : The median age of the patients was 63 years. All patients presented with high grade histology. Eighty-five percent of the patients presented with muscle invasive disease and fifty percent presented with stage IV carcinoma. Ten of 14 (71%) of patients underwent a cystectomy. Patients with SRBC was younger (P less than 0.01), more commonly presented with higher grade histology (P less than 0.01) and advanced stage disease (P less than 0.01), in comparison with patients with Urothelial carcinoma (UC). At a median follow-up of 7 months (range 1.3 - 112), five (35.7%) patients have died in last follow-up. Two-year survival was 53.5%. Three patients with long term survival were reported. Conclusions : Sarcomatoid bladder cancer is associated with poor prognosis. Multimodality therapy may improve these patients outcome. doi:10.4021/wjon370w
The Impact of Speech-Act Theory and Phenomenology on Proust and Claude Simon

Both structuralism and phenomenology in literature experience a shifting of conventional forms which threatens to abolish the causalism of the realist novel by establishing a dialectic of synchronic and diachronic experiences. Both the structuralist Gerard Genette1 and the phenomenologist Merleau-Ponty derive their theories of language from Saussurian linguistics. They institute a dialectic of perception to bring the diachronic and synchronic views into communication. Diachrony envelops synchrony; the dichotomy between impression and language is rejected by Merleau-Ponty who sees writing as bodily expression which is part of the ongoing primordial process of perception. The act of naming arranges a series of perceptual data, inaugurating rather than exhausting order. The written word indicates the presence of thought. Taking Saussurian linguistics as a basis for his argument, Merleau-Ponty hypothesizes an original utterance when langue is presented in its individual aspect as parole. Speech does not presuppose thought since parole has an innovative function and is not simply prefabricated from langue. Merleau-Ponty invokes Husserl’s differentiation between the voluntary intentionnalite d’acte and the involuntary intentionnalite operante.
Droplet Coalescence and Freezing on Hydrophilic, Hydrophobic, and Biphilic Surfaces

Frost and ice formation can have severe negative consequences, such as aircraft safety and reliability. At atmospheric pressure, water heterogeneously condenses and then freezes at low temperatures. To alter this freezing process, this research examines the effects of biphilic surfaces (surfaces which combine hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions) on heterogeneous water nucleation, growth, and freezing. Silicon wafers were coated with a self-assembled monolayer and patterned to create biphilic surfaces. Samples were placed on a freezing stage in an environmental chamber at atmospheric pressure, at a temperature of 295 K, and relative humidities of 30%, 60%, and 75%. Biphilic surfaces had a significant effect on droplet dynamics and freezing behavior. The addition of biphilic patterns decreased the temperature required for freezing by 6 K. Biphilic surfaces also changed the size and number of droplets on a surface at freezing and delayed the time required for a surface to freeze. The main mechanism affecting freezing characteristics was the coalescence behavior.
FRAMESHIFT SUPPRESSION IN AMINOACYL-tRNA LIMITED CELLS

Under certain conditions aminoacyl-tRNA limitation can phenotypically suppress frameshift alleles. The observed suppression is due to an increase in abnormal translocation of ribosomes translating codons that have a short supply of aminoacyl-tRNA. The rIIB frameshift alleles of bacteriophage T4 are used here to pinpoint the sites of ribosome frameshifting caused by these hypothetical decoding errors. The data indicate that not all hungry codons are associated with abnormal translocation, only a relatively small subset. Analysis of the hungry codons which are associated with ribosome frameshifting points to the existence of severe context effects determining the shiftiness of these codons.
The rα structure of partially oriented 4-pyrone determined from 1H NMR spectroscopy including the 13C satellites

Abstract The proton spectrum and its 13 C satellites of 4-pyrone partially oriented in the nematic phase of ZLI 1167 have been studied. The vibrationally averaged structure of the carbon and proton atoms has been determined and is in excellent agreement with the structure determined by microwave spectroscopy in the gas phase. 17 O chemical shifts of 4-pyrone have also been measured. Both the structural parameters and the 17 O chemical shifts suggest that 4-pyrone does not appear to have extensive aromaticity.
Erythrocyte membrane-bound enzymes: ATPase, phosphatase and adenylate kinase in human, bovine and porcine erythrocytes.

Abstract 1. 1. The activities of three enzymes, ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3), p-nitrophenyl phosphatase (phosphoprotein phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.16) and adenylate kinase (ATP:AMP phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.4.3) were determined in erythrocyte membranes of three mammalian species (human, porcine and bovine). 2. 2. The (Na+-K+)-activated ATPase and K+-activated p-nitrophenyl phosphatase are present in the membranes of human and porcine erythrocyte but not in those of the bovine species. 3. 3. Treatment of the membranes of human erythrocyte with high concentrations of NaI in the presence of ATP, solubilized part of the ouabain insensitive ATPase and most of the residual adenylate kinase. The (Na+-K+)-activated ATPase remains insoluble, but its recovery is only about 34 %. The K+-activated p-nitrophenyl phosphatase also remains insoluble, but is fully recovered in the sediment. 4. 4. An ATPase activated by Ca2+ in the concentration range of 0.30–0.6 mM, is present in human, but absent in bovine, erythrocyte membranes. This enzyme is not inhibited by ouabain. 5. 5. Ca2+ inhibits the K+-activated p-nitrophenyl phosphatase of the human erythrocyte membrane in the concentration range of 0.4–0.8 mM. ATP or ethyleneglycol-bis-(β-aminoethyl ether)-N,N′-tetraacetic acid reverses the inhibition.
Review of Foreign Research and Development on Computer-Aided Metal Forming Systems

This article reviews foreign studies on methods of using electronic computers to improve productivity and lower the costs of manufacturing discrete parts by forming processes. Some improvements will result from applying electronic controls, similar to those used quite widely for metalcutting machines, to metalforming equipment. That change will reduce the charges for direct labor on product costs. It appears, however, that the use of computers will have more important and drastic effects by changing the production system for making parts in small and medium-size lots. Computer assistance in design, production planning, scheduling, record keeping, and material handling is capable of reducing the labor input of white-collar and overhead personnel. Substantial benefits are anticipated. For instance, some investigators claim that 60 pct of the manual effort in the design stage can be eliminated by using computers. Productivity based on total labor effort should, eventually, improve by more than a third. The cost benefits will be less because generating useful software programs, for computers, is expensive.
Situational awareness investigation using tracking and enhancement of imagery with highly dynamic lighting conditions

We report on the application of Optical Flow (OF) and state-of-the art multi-frame Super-Resolution (SR) algorithms to imagery that models space objects (SOs). Specifically, we demonstrate the ability to track SOs through sequences consisting of tens of images using different OF algorithms and show dependence of the tracking accuracy on illumination condition changes and on the values of pixel displacements between neighboring images. Additionally, we demonstrate spatial acuity enhancement of the pixel limited resolution of SO motion imagery by applying a novel SR algorithm accounting for OF errors.