cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using a computerized provider order entry system to meet the unique prescribing needs of children: description of an advanced dosing model

It is well known that the information requirements necessary to safely treat children with therapeutic medications cannot be met with the same approaches used in adults. Over a 1-year period, Duke University Hospital engaged in the challenging task of enhancing an established computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system to address the unique medication dosing needs of pediatric patients. An advanced dosing model (ADM) was designed to interact with our existing CPOE application to provide decision support enabling complex pediatric dose calculations based on chronological age, gestational age, weight, care area in the hospital, indication, and level of renal impairment. Given that weight is a critical component of medication dosing that may change over time, alerting logic was added to guard against erroneous entry or outdated weight information. Pediatric CPOE was deployed in a staggered fashion across 6 care areas over a 14-month period. Safeguards to prevent miskeyed values became important in allowing providers the flexibility to override the ADM logic if desired. Methods to guard against over- and under-dosing were added. The modular nature of our model allows us to easily add new dosing scenarios for specialized populations as the pediatric population and formulary change over time. The medical needs of pediatric patients vary greatly from those of adults, and the information systems that support those needs require tailored approaches to design and implementation. When a single CPOE system is used for both adults and pediatrics, safeguards such as redirection and suppression must be used to protect children from inappropriate adult medication dosing content. Unlike other pediatric dosing systems, our model provides active dosing assistance and dosing process management, not just static dosing advice.
Consequences of not fertilizing onions on organic soils with high soil test values

Abstract Two experiments of 4 year duration were conducted on organic soil sites which had accumulated P and K from several years of previous fertilization. There were no adverse consequences to an onion crop (Allium cepaL.) when P and K were omitted from the fertilizer program until the third year in one experiment. In the other there was no response to P and K even after 4 years of omission. Soil test levels declined substantially when P and K were not applied and also, although to a lesser degree, when they were applied at 112 and 168 kg/ha as P2O5and K2O respectively In contrast there were yield responses to N in most years. Nitrogen stimulated early development and always accelerated maturity as measured by the percentage of onion tops down in middle or later August. Concentrations of N, P and K in leaves or immature bulbs at midseason were always higher when these nutrients were applied indicating increased uptake even though yield responses did not always occur. When soil tests are relatively high,...
The Placement Service of the American Friends Service Committee: A Technique in Race Relations

To provide employment opportunities for trained Negroes of skill and promise in fields not traditionally open to Negroes—where all races may work creatively and harmoniously together. To facilitate employment opportunities for other “minority group” workers, where such service is not provided by other agencies.
Adaptive pre-equalization using bidirectional pilot sequences to estimate and feed back amplitude transfer function and chromatic dispersion

We propose an adaptive pre-equalization system that compensates the amplitude transfer function and chromatic dispersion using estimates transmitted from the receiver. Two kinds of pilot sequences are used for estimation and mutual communication.
A hybrid toxin containing fragment A from diphtheria toxin linked to the B promoter of cholera toxin

Abstract We have constructed and characterized a hybrid toxin containing the A chain of diphtheria toxin linked via a disulfide bridge to the B protomer of cholera toxin. Cholera toxin B protomer, previously derivatized with 4–5 cystaminyl groups per pentameric protomer, was reacted with reduced diphtheria toxin chain A to give the desired hybrid, containing an average of 2 molecules of diphtheria toxin chain A per cholera toxin B protomer. A concentration of 0.3 nM hybrid inhibited protein synthesis by 50% in 24 h in several cultured cell lines; thus the hybrid was about 10-fold more toxic than of a (diphtheria toxin chain A)-SS-(concanavalin A) conjugate described previously. Evidence was obtained that toxicity of the hybrid was dependent on the functional contributions of both the diphtheria toxin chain A and cholera toxin B protomer moieties.
The Authentic Alternative for Assessment in Early Intervention: An Emerging Evidence-Based Practice:

Early childhood intervention requires assessment procedures that are designed and field-validated specifically for young children with disabilities, capture real-life competencies in everyday routi...
Loubignac's iterative method in finite element elastostatics

Finite element models provide only approximate results under most loadings. A beam modelled by constant-strain triangles and loaded by pure moment is a case in point. Yet if the iterative method advanced by Loubignac et al.1 is applied to this model, the exact stress field will be generated. The iterative method derives from a parent formulation that can be solved without iteration.2 As shown in this paper, the parent formulation contains the sum of two stiffness matrices. One is produced by the customary finite element shape functions. The other is produced by finite difference expressions for strain gradients that are not contained in the shape functions. Loubignac's method produces a stress field that is continous across interelement boundaries. Other methods that seek to impose interelement continuity are noted in the concluding section.
A two-decades (1975 to 1995) long experience in the incidence, in-hospital and long-term case-fatality rates of acute myocardial infarction: a community-wide perspective.

Abstract OBJECTIVES The purpose of the present study is to describe changes over two decades (1975 to 1995) in the incidence, in-hospital and long-term case–fatality rates associated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) from a multihospital community-wide perspective. BACKGROUND Despite the magnitude of, and mortality associated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), relatively limited population-based data are available to describe recent and temporal trends in the attack and case–fatality rates associated with AMI from a representative population-based perspective. METHODS The community-based study included 5,270 residents of the Worcester, Massachusetts, metropolitan area hospitalized with confirmed initial AMI in all metropolitan Worcester, Massachusetts, hospitals (1990 census population = 437,000) in 10 one-year periods between 1975 and 1995. RESULTS The age-adjusted incidence rates of initial AMI increased between 1975 (244 per 100,000) and 1981 (272 per 100,00), after which time these rates declined through 1995 (184 per 100,000). The crude and multivariable-adjusted in-hospital case–fatality rates exhibited a consistent decline between 1975/1978 (17.8%), 1986/1988 (17.0%) and 1993/1995 (11.7%). Although there were no statistically significant differences in the unadjusted long-term case–fatality rates of discharged hospital survivors over the periods under study, declines in the multivariable-adjusted risk of dying within the first year after hospital discharge were observed between the earliest and most recently discharged patients with AMI. CONCLUSIONS The results of this population-based study of patients with validated initial AMI provide encouragement for efforts directed at the primary and secondary prevention of AMI given declining incidence and case–fatality rates.
On the structure of user association patterns in wireless LANs

There has been a rapid increase in wireless LAN (WLAN) deployments, users and traffic in recent years. Thus there is an urgent need to mine the finegrained analysis of the structures and trends in wireless user association patterns. Such study could have significant impact on the design of behavior-aware services and protocols to create social networks based on similar behavioral patterns. In this paper, we propose new methods to understand such trends of user associations in a campus WLAN, and ways of quantifying those trends. Our goal is to quantify repetitive and consistent patterns of user association behavior.
The Book of Mormon as Amerindian Apocalypse

The Book of Mormon is perhaps best known in Americanist circles as a version of the Indians-as-Israelites theory. It features the racialized division of the progeny of the text's founding diasporic Jewish figure, Lehi, into wicked "Lamanites," who are cursed with "a skin of blackness" and were understood by the earliest readers to be the ancestors of Amerindian peoples, and the righteous "Nephites," the fair-skinned narrators of The Book of Mormon. This essay shows how The Book of Mormon's foundational raci(al)ist orthodoxy autodeconstructs, and in so doing not only offers a vision of racial apocalypse diametrically opposed to what would come to be known as Manifest Destiny-one resonant with contemporaneous Amerindian prophetic movements-but also challenges the literalist hermeneutics that found warrant for Euro-Christian colonization in the transcendental authority of "the Bible alone."
Actual and Subjective Age-Related Differences in Women's Attitudes Toward Their Bodies Across the Life Span

The present study examined actual and subjective age-related variations in women's perceptions of their weight, sexual attractiveness, physical condition, and overall body satisfaction. To this end, 265 women between the ages of 17 and 85 years completed the Body Esteem Scale (Franzio & Shields, 1984), the subjective age scales of the Subjective Age and Gender Scale (Montepare, 1996), and the Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965). Analyses revealed that, whereas women of all ages held unfavorable attitudes toward their weight, the positivity of their perceptions of their sexual attractiveness and physical condition was curvilinearly related to their age group with middle-aged women having the most favorable images. Analyses also revealed that women's subjective age, as opposed to their actual age, was a stronger predictor of their body attitudes. Moreover, the observed relationships were independent of the effects of self-esteem, which was nevertheless strongly linked to women's body image.
Preservice Elementary Teachers' Conceptions of What Causes Night and Day

Two different procedures were utilized to study 50 preservice elementary teachers' conceptions of what causes night and day on earth. The numbers of responses representing alternative conceptions for the models with written and verbal explanation procedures were 27 and 14, respectively. The alternative conception most frequently expressed for both procedures was that night and day are caused by the earth revolving around the sun. The frequency with which alternative conceptions were expressed by future teachers is a problem which should be addressed with instruction using models.
Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Parentally Bereaved Children and Adolescents

ABSTRACT Objective To compare parentally bereaved children with a disaster comparison group and a nontrauma control group on measures of emotional adjustment. Method Children and adolescents who had lost a parent (n = 39), had experienced a tornado disaster (n = 69), or were coping with an ongoing social or academic stressor (n = 118) completed measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, anxiety, and depression. Risk factors for symptoms among the bereaved children also were evaluated. Results Parentally bereaved children reported significantly more PTSD symptoms than the disaster and nontrauma control groups. Among the bereaved children, girls, younger children, and children living with a surviving parent who scored high on a measure of posttraumatic stress reported more symptoms. Conclusion Children and adolescents who have lost a parent could be vulnerable to PTSD symptoms.
A minimum principle for the principal eigenvalue for second-order linear elliptic equations with natural boundary conditions

Abstract : This paper gives a new characterization of the smallest eigenvalue for second order linear elliptic partial differential equations, not necessarily self-adjoint, with both natural and Dirichlet boundary conditions, and also give a new alternative numerical method for calculating both the smallest eigenvalue and corresponding eigenvector in the case of natural boundary conditions. The smallest eigenvalue, if appropriate sign changes are made, determines the stability of equilibrium solutions to certain second order nonlinear partial differential equations. The corresponding eigenvector enables one to determine the first approximation of the solution of the nonlinear equation to variations of the initial conditions from the equilibrium solution. These nonlinear equations are important in the applications. For these reasons it is important to have these characterizations of the smallest eigenvalue and eigenvector. Our method converts the determination of the eigenvalue and eigenvector to determining the solution of a stationary stochastic control problem. This latter problem is solved and from it a numerical scheme arises naturally. This method appears to have applications in solving other problems.
Laser ablation—laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LA-LIBS): A means for overcoming matrix effects leading to improved analyte response

Laser-ablation laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LA-LIBS) is proposed as a novel analytical scheme with goals of improved analyte response, minimization of sample matrix effects, and use of non-matrix matched standards. A direct comparison of the LA-LIBS approach and a traditional direct LIBS analysis was made for a set of seven reference materials, ranging from nearly pure iron to copper-nickel and aluminum alloys. The precision of each approach was assessed using calibration curves, and the LA-LIBS configuration was demonstrated to consistently produce a superior analytical response, as assessed by the linear least-squares fit correlation coefficient and y-intercept values. Significantly, the normalized (by Fe) response of the four targeted analyte species (Al, Mn, Mg and Cu) was successfully reduced to a single calibration curve with the LA-LIBS approach. In addition, particle size measurements of the laser-ablation plume were recorded along with SEM and white-light interferometry analysis of ablation craters for assessment of the analytical sample as presented to the analytical LIBS plasma. Finally, the effect of carrier gas is explored by substitution of nitrogen with helium.
Extracting binary signals from microarray time-course data

This article presents a new method for analyzing microarray time courses by identifying genes that undergo abrupt transitions in expression level, and the time at which the transitions occur. The algorithm matches the sequence of expression levels for each gene against temporal patterns having one or two transitions between two expression levels. The algorithm reports a P-value for the matching pattern of each gene, and a global false discovery rate can also be computed. After matching, genes can be sorted by the direction and time of transitions. Genes can be partitioned into sets based on the direction and time of change for further analysis, such as comparison with Gene Ontology annotations or binding site motifs. The method is evaluated on simulated and actual time-course data. On microarray data for budding yeast, it is shown that the groups of genes that change in similar ways and at similar times have significant and relevant Gene Ontology annotations.
Pyrethrum culture investigations in Nebraska.

The results of an investigation with Pyrethrum concerned with spacing, yield, and potency of plots of this plant under experimental cultivation in the several altitude ranges of the state are presented.
Buddhism, Economics, and Environmental Values: A Multilevel Analysis of Sustainable Development Efforts in Bhutan

Approaches linking conservation with development often ignore the impacts of economic change on traditional cultures. While some researchers suggest that development enhances environmental values, others maintain that it threatens traditional beliefs and norms that foster respect for the environment. In this article, I explore how economic factors, religious factors, and community norms are associated with environmental values in 13 villages in three communities in Bhutan. Using multilevel logistic regression, I analyze four environmental values questions and find that economic rather than religious factors are better indicators of environmental values, supporting the “conservation and development” approach. Further, traditional community norms show little relationship with environmental values. However, a national-level environmental norm resulting from government efforts and based, in part, on Buddhist principles, may be emerging. Though economic factors are clearly crucial, Bhutan's development approac...
Inhibition of metribuzin on growth and photosynthesis of the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans

Abstract The growth rate of Anacystis nidulans in liquid culture was determined in 1.0, 0.5, 0.1, 0.01 and 0.001 ppm (w/v) metribuzin (4-amino-6- tert -butyl-3-(methylthio)-astriazin-5 (4H) one). Growth was completely inhibited within 10 hr by 1.00 ppm, while 0.5 ppm produced 93.5% and 0.1 ppm produced a 25% inhibition. Concentrations of 0.01 and 0.001 ppm werre not inhibitory. Inhibition of photosynthesis by the same range of concentrations closely paralleled growth inhibition.
Bidirectional blocking junctions in SOI

Back-to-back junction (n-p-n) structures were fabricated in silicon-on-sapphire (SOS), in polysilicon-on-SiO2, and in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) prepared by high-dose oxygen ion implantation. Since the structure is actually a bipolar transistor operated with an open base, the geometry and doping levels were adjusted to spoil its gain and thereby achieve symmetrical bidirectional blocking. In all three cases, ideal plane-junction breakdown was observed for both polarities of applied voltage when precautions were taken to avoid local field-enhancing geometries.
Bounded Toeplitz products on the Bergman space of the polydisk

Abstract We consider the question for which square integrable analytic functions f and g on the polydisk the densely defined products T f T g are bounded on the Bergman space. We prove results analogous to those we obtained in the setting of the unit disk [K. Stroethoff, D. Zheng, J. Funct. Anal. 169 (1999) 289–313].
Characterization of asthma exacerbations in primary care using cluster analysis.

Rationale. Patients with a history of asthma exacerbations are at a higher risk for future episodes of severe asthma exacerbations. Characterization of asthma phenotypes could help improve asthma management, including reducing exacerbations. Aim. The aim of this study is to identify distinctive patient characteristics associated with a history of asthma exacerbations using cluster analysis. Methods. We used data assessing asthma control from two cross-sectional surveys of adult and pediatric patients in the primary care setting. A supervised cluster analysis with recursive partitioning approach was applied to identify characteristics that maximized the differences across subgroups. Results. The sample comprised 2205 adults and 2435 children and adolescents with asthma. Key predictors were identified in seven adult clusters including visiting an asthma specialist, number of hours worked, and excessive use of rescue medication. The rate ratio (RR) for having an exacerbation was significantly higher (2.88; 9...
Comparison of surgical site infection rates in clean and clean-contaminated wounds in dogs and cats after minimally invasive versus open surgery: 179 cases (2007-2008).

Objective—To report and compare the surgical site infection (SSI) rates for clean and clean-contaminated procedures performed by either a minimally invasive surgical or open surgical approach in a large population of dogs and cats. Design—Prospective case series. Animals—179 patients (dogs and cats) undergoing minimally invasive abdominal or thoracic surgery. Procedures—Case information from all animals that underwent minimally invasive abdominal or thoracic surgery was prospectively collected and compared with an existing database of the same information collected from 379 patients undergoing laparotomy or thoracotomy via an open surgical approach. For both groups, an SSI was defined as any surgical wound in which purulent discharge was observed within 14 days after the procedure. Follow-up for all patients was obtained by direct examination or telephone interviews. Results—Overall SSI rate in the minimally invasive surgery (MIS) group was 1.7% and in the open surgery (OS) group was 5.5%. On univariate a...
Citing 'Whatever' Authority: The ethics of quotation in the work of Giorgio Agamben

AbstractThis article seeks to lay out an analysis of Giorgio Agamben’s central claims with regard to the formation of a theory of citationality. By juxtaposing Walter Benjamin’s theory of citations alongside his more recent, critical engagements with the Western theological tradition, Agamben sets himself the goal of redefining ethics along Levinasian lines in order to arrive at a respect for the face of ‘whatever’ being before us, the true source towards which all citations point.
Clairvoyant: a synthesis system for production-based specification

This paper describes a new high-level synthesis system based on the hierarchical production based specification (PBS). Advantages of this form of specification are that the designer does not describe the control flow in terms of explicit states or control variables, and that the designer does not describe a particular form of implementation. The production-based specification also separates the specification of the control aspects and data-flow aspects of the design. The control is implicitly described via the production hierarchy, while the data-flow is described as action computations. This approach is a hardware analog of popular software engineering techniques. The Clairvoyant system automatically constructs a controlling machine from the PBS and this process is not impacted by the possibly exponentially larger deterministic state space of the designs. The encodings generated by the constructions compare favorably to encodings derived using graph-based state encoding techniques in terms of logic complexity and logic depth. These construction techniques utilize recent advances in BDD techniques. >
Smart displays-a means of information domination

While up-to-date technical means of communications and data-processing are absolutely vital to the conduct of modern warfare in all its forms, they will not in themselves suffice for the creation of a functioning command and control system, and they may, if understanding and proper usage by the battle commanders are not achieved constitute part of the problem they are supposed to solve.
Copper(II) enhances membrane-bound α-synuclein helix formation.

Interactions of copper and membranes with α-synuclein have been implicated in pathogenic mechanisms of Parkinson's disease, yet work examining both concurrently is scarce. We have examined the effect of copper(II) on protein/vesicle binding and found that both the copper(II) affinity and α-helical content are enhanced for the membrane-bound protein.
Effect of combining an ACE inhibitor and an angiotensin II receptor blocker on plasma and kidney tissue angiotensin II levels.

Increased angiotensin II (AII) activity has been recognized as a risk factor for progression of kidney disease. There is increasing clinical evidence that combining an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor with an AII receptor blocker (ARB) reduces proteinuria and blood pressure in patients with renal disease, although the mechanism of this synergistic effect remains poorly defined. This study tested whether the combination of an ACE inhibitor and an ARB reduces plasma AII (AIIp) and kidney tissue AII (AIIk) beyond what is observed with either of these two agents alone. Mean arterial pressure, glomerular filtration rate, AIIp, and AIIk were measured in four groups of Wistar rats after 2 weeks of a low-salt diet and 1 week of treatment with captopril (2.4 mg/d), losartan (1.7 mg/d), combination captopril+losartan (1.7 mg/d of captopril, 0.7 mg/d of losartan), or no treatment (control). Administration of captopril, losartan, and captopril+losartan produced statistically significant reductions in mean arterial pressure (control, 130 +/- 4 mm Hg; captopril, 92 +/- 5 mm Hg; losartan, 88 +/- 4 mm Hg; captopril+losartan, 104 +/- 5 mm Hg) and mild reductions in glomerular filtration rate (control, 3.1 +/- 0.1 mL/min; captopril, 2.2 +/- 0.3 mL/min; losartan, 1.7 +/- 0.3 mL/min; captopril+losartan, 2.3 +/- 0.3 mL/min) when compared with control rats, but no significant differences were observed among the treated groups. Captopril and captopril +losartan reduced AIIp significantly when compared with control (captopril, 43 +/- 8 pg/mL; captopril+losartan, 47 +/- 5 pg/mL; control, 134 pg/mL) and with losartan (99 +/- 2 pg/mL). AIIk values were reduced in captopril (254 +/- 18 pg/g kidney weight) and losartan (292 +/- 33 pg/g kidney weight) when compared with control (1,235 +/- 79 pg/g kidney weight). Captopril+losartan (136 +/- 17 pg/g kidney weight) reduced AIIk to values significantly lower than captopril or losartan alone. Higher doses of captopril (5 mg/d and 7.5 mg/d) or losartan (4 mg/d and 6 mg/d) alone did not reduce AIIk to the levels observed with combination low doses of captopril+losartan. Combining low doses of ACE inhibitor plus ARB reduces AIIk more than higher doses of either agent alone. This reduction in AIIk with ACE inhibitor plus ARB provides a mechanism to understand the synergism of this combination in reducing proteinuria and blood pressure. The reduction in AIIk with ACE inhibitor plus ARB may have important implications in long-term organ protection in hypertension and renal disease.
AMERICAN UNIONS AND THE ECONOMY — THE UNHEARD VOICE OF A SHRINKING SECTOR

Prior to the 1970s, unions in America represented nearly a third of the non-agricultural labor force with a significantly higher percentage in major manufacturing industries. Since then, union membership in the private sector has mirrored the steep decline in manufacturing jobs. Reduced numbers means greatly reduced political clout, such that unions today exercise almost no influence on national economic policy, even at a time of deep recession. From the 1980s onward, there has been a marked shift from a Keynesian macroeconomic framework toward a monetarist and liberal market model of economic policy, such that unions are viewed by many as anti-competitive in nature and as a constraint on a free market. This has further weakened their voice on policies relating to globalization. The minimal influence of unions and the lack of other mechanisms for collective employee voice have led to a weakening of policies designed to promote employment, even at a time of high unemployment. For over a decade, there have been no formal, or even regular informal tripartite discussions on employment policy matters. Moreover, even during a Democratic administration, unions have not been given a seat at the policy table.
Effects of chronic alcohol drinking on receptor-binding, internalization, and degradation of human immunodeficiency virus 1 envelope protein gp120 in hepatocytes.

Abstract Although alcohol drinking increases susceptibility to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, possible mechanisms underlying the effects of alcohol are not yet known. Since the HIV envelope protein gp120 plays a key role in progression of HIV infection, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the toxicity and degradation of gp120 in hepatocytes isolated from liver of alcohol-preferring rats drinking either 15% ethanol in water or pure water for 70 days. The hypothesis was that alcohol drinking augmented the toxicity, but suppressed degradation of gp120. Hepatocytes from water-drinking rats (C-cells) or ethanol-drinking rats (Et-cells) were treated with laptacystin, anti-CD4 antibodies, CCR5 antagonist, or mannose, followed by [ 125 I]gp120 or native gp120. At predetermined intervals, control (C) and ethanol exposed (Et) cells were analyzed for toxicity and degradation of gp120. In C-cells, [ 125 I]gp120 binding and internalization peaked within 5–45min and remained elevated for up to 10h and then decreased gradually. In Et-cells, [ 125 I]gp120 binding peaked comparably to C-cells, but the binding remained to the peak level throughout the experimental period. C-cells exhibited the lysosomal/ubiquitin-mediated degradation of intracellular gp120, resulting in released gp120 fragments into the incubation medium that suppressed gp120–CD4 binding, improved cell viability, and inhibited gp120-induced apoptosis. Ethanol drinking suppressed gp120 degradation in and release of gp120 fragments from hepatocytes. The incubation medium of Et-cells did not suppress gp120–CD4 binding or the gp120-mediated apoptosis in hepatocytes. Thus, chronic alcohol drinking augmented the adverse effects of gp120 possibly by suppressing its degradation in hepatocytes. The present observation also suggests that a number of CCR5 or ubiquitin-based therapeutic drugs may not be effective in suppressing HIV infection in alcohol-drinking subjects.
Trailing Vortex Wind-Tunnel Diagnostics with a Laser Velocimeter

A two-dimensiona l laser velocimeter whose focal volume can be rapidly traversed through a flowfield has been used to overcome the problem introduced by excursions of the central vortex filament within a wind-tunnel test section. The operation of the instrument is reviewed and data are presented which accurately define the trailing vortex from a square-tipped rectangular wing. Measured axial and tangential velocity distributions are given, both with and without a vortex dissipator panel installed. From the experimental data, circulation and vorticity distributions are obtained and the effect of turbulence injection into the vortex structure is discussed. Nomenclature wing span wing chord lift coefficient radial coordinate from vortex center wind-tunnel mainstream velocity axial velocity component tangential velocity component maximum tangential velocity stream wise ordinate, aft from trailing edge normal ordinate, above upper wing surface from trailing edge normal location of vortex center angle of attack, deg slope of velocity distribution in core region vorticity
Millisecond pulsars: nature's most stable clocks

The author describes the role pulsars might play in time and frequency technology. Millisecond pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars: some 20 km in diameter, 1.4 times as massive as the Sun, and spinning as fast as several thousand radians per second. Radio noise generated in a pulsar's magnetosphere by a highly beamed process is detectable over interstellar distances, as a periodic sequence of pulses. High-precision comparisons between pulsar time and terrestrial atomic time show that over intervals of several years, some millisecond pulsars have fractional stabilities comparable to those of the best atomic clocks. The author briefly reviews the physics of pulsars, discusses the techniques of pulsar timing measurements, and summarizes the results of careful studies of pulsar stabilities. >
Equality of opportunity: A progress report

Probably the most universally supported conception of justice in advanced societies is that of equal opportunity. What does this mean, and how can it be formalized? The first treatment of this problem in social choice theory involved interpreting equality of opportunity as equality of opportunity sets, that is, rendering the sets of choices available to di¤erent individuals the same. In my view, this literature was too abstract – it failed to take su‰cient cues from popular and long-standing conceptions of equality of opportunity. A consequence of this over-abstractness is that no empirical work, on what equal-opportunity policies should be in real-world situations, has followed from this work, as far as I am aware. Those popular conceptions have, in contrast, influenced greatly the recent literature in egalitarian political philosophy, particularly the idea that in the equal-opportunity ethic, there is, as well as a desire to equalize something, an insistence that individuals be held responsible for what happens to them. This is popularly formulated in the ‘level-the-playing-field’ metaphor: equalopportunity policy must create a level playing field, after which each individual is on his own – what outcomes finally occur will reflect individual e¤ort, and outcome di¤erentials are ethically acceptable, if the playing field was initially level, and if they are due to di¤erential e¤ort. John Rawls (1971), in his path-breaking work, certainly understood, and supported, the idea that the social mandate to equalize outcomes across indi-
Modeling circulation and seasonal fluctuations in perennially ice‐covered and ice‐walled Lake Untersee, Antarctica

Lake Untersee, Antarctica, is a freshwater perennially ice covered lake bounded along its north by the Anuchin glacier. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model, used on a representative wedge-shaped lake and actual bathymetry for Lake Untersee, produces estimates for circulation and long-term temperature and mixing trends. Modeled circulation is dominated by an anticyclonic gyre in front of the glacier, with slower ∼ 3 mm s−1 flow exhibited around the lake's perimeter, allowing effective mixing throughout most of the lake with time scales of one month. Estimated velocities bound maximal glacial flour particle size at ∼ 10 μm for effective transport throughout the lake, consistent with the sediment's mostly fine composition observed in field studies, and mixing time scales mean nonuniformities in measured O2 concentration likely require recent or ongoing sources. Areas in which large temperature gradients prevent exchange of fluid demonstrate minimal mixing, such as the lake's upper water layers and the anoxic basin in the south, and circulation is consistently slowed in the northern sheltered bay area. Mean flow velocities fluctuate by about one fifth of their magnitude between summer and winter, and the lake's almost homothermal body temperature varies by about one tenth of a degree over the same period. While calculated temperature profiles qualitatively agree with field data, the model's long-term equilibrium temperature differs substantially, likely due to poor description of heat transfer with the glacier. Model robustness tests show results differ by ∼ 10% when either grid scale or water temperature are halved.
Encapsulated Staphylococcus aureus strains vary in adhesiveness assessed by atomic force microscopy.

Staphylococcus aureus capsular polysaccharides are believed to play a role in adhesion to surfaces and may contribute to their antimicrobial resistance, thereby increasing the rates and severity of associated infections. The purpose of this study was to compare the adhesiveness of distinct S. aureus capsular polysaccharides to determine whether adhesiveness was a general or specific feature across different S. aureus strains. Atomic force microscopy was used to confirm the presence or absence of capsular polysaccharides and to measure adhesive forces on a noncapsulated, serotype 8, and serotype 2 strain of S. aureus. Serotype 8 displayed a larger range of adhesive forces (1–19 nN) than the noncapsulated (0–4 nN) and serotype 2 (0–4 nN) strain. The majority of adhesive forces for serotype 8 were in the 10–15 nN range. Removal of capsular polysaccharides gave a marked decrease in adhesive forces measured for serotype 8 and, to a lesser extent, a decrease for serotype 2. Noncapsulated, serotype 8, and serotype 2 S. aureus had water contact angles of 23.8 (±8.9), 34.4 (±2.5), and 56.7 (±11.2) degrees (mean ± standard deviation), respectively. For the first time, capsular polysaccharides from serotype 8 (clinically common) and serotype 2 (clinically rare) were demonstrated to have different physical properties, which may account for variations in studies in which clinical isolates are utilized, and the conflict in proposed roles for capsular polysaccharides on S. aureus is explained. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2009
Customized estimated fetal weight: a novel antenatal tool to diagnose abnormal fetal growth

Objective We sought to apply customized standards to ultrasound-derived estimated fetal weight (EFW), and assess the frequency of abnormal growth when compared to population-based standards. We also evaluated association with adverse perinatal outcomes. Study Design This was a historical cohort using prenatal ultrasound examination data at ≥24 weeks over a 1-year period. Ultrasound-derived EFW and growth percentile (population-based EFW [popEFW]) were reported and compared to a customized EFW (custEFW). Results In all, 782 women met inclusion criteria. More fetuses were identified as small for gestational age (SGA) (15.1% vs 3.8%; P P Conclusion CustEFW was a better predictor of abnormal birthweight and adverse outcomes compared to traditional popEFW standards.
Dynamic modeling of short-circuit behavior of a six-pulse rectifier

Existing models describing the dynamic behavior of a six-pulse rectifier during a short-circuit fault condition are derived from switch models using average value parametric functions. Unlike these models, new non-parametric dynamic models have been developed using analytical average-value modeling approach. In this modeling approach, depending upon the number of switches conducting during a switching cycle, the operating point of the rectifier is brought into one of three modes of operation of a six-pulse rectifier. The model for each mode is represented by a differential equation and the operating model is selected based on firing angle and overlap angle functions derived in this paper. They completely characterize the dynamic behavior of current flowing through the DC inductor for a wide range of operating conditions with the exception of harmonics and asymmetrical currents which are dominant for faults occuring at the terminals of the rectifier upstream of the smoothing inductor.
APP mutations and schizophrenia

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) has been the subject of considerable scientific interest because of its putative role in Alzheimer's disease and certain forms of cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Several mutations have been discovered in exon 17 including ones at codons 692, 693, 713, and 717, which may alter normal proteolysis and subsequently cause pathologic deposition of ~/A4, a 4 kDa breakdown product derived from exons 16 and 17 of the APP gene. An intriguing finding was reported by Jones and colleagues (Jones et al 1992) of an Ala 7~3 --* Va1713 mutation in a 62 year-old woman with chronic schizophrenia. It is difficult to evaluate the significance of the Ala 713 ~ Val ~i3 substitution since (1) neurohistopathological data are not available for this individual, (2) linkage data for family members are not available, and (3) screening by these authors of an additional 100 unrelated schizophrenics for the Maelli restriction site generated by the mutation did not reveal any positive findings. However, Ala ~13 is evolutionarily conserved in all of the I0 previously reported mammalian species (Johnstone et al 1991) and in M. fascicularis, suggesting that this residue is important for normal protein function.
An experimental investigation into the control of antenna input impedance through cancellation of near field standing energy

It is commonly accepted that efficient, electrically small antennas cannot be built; the general acceptance of this premise comes from analytic work based upon use of the complex Poynting thereom (CPT). In contrast to CPT based results, earlier analytic work has shown that the input reactance of a pair of identical, perpendicularly oriented electrically small electric (TM) or magnetic (TE) dipoles can be canceled if the antennas support circular polarization; these analytic results have been confirmed via finite difference time domain numerical modeling in combination with the time dependent Poynting theorem. We have built and characterized such antennas, using both wire and microstrip dipole elements. In agreement with earlier analytic and numerical work, we find that the input reactance of the antenna can be controlled as a function of the relative phase difference between the two dipoles comprising the antenna. In contrast to the frequency domain predictions, the experimental results confirm the validity of the time domain description of standing energy, or local power. Canceled by controlling the relative phasing between elements, the results show that efficient, electrically small antennas can be built with operating characteristics superior to what has long been thought possible.
The Cross-Curriculum Manager: Maximizing the Potential of Learners

Mike Reading happened to visit the NAPCE stand at the Education Show, and commented that his school had found the NAPCE resource pack From Head of Year to Year Curriculum Coordinator? very useful in their developments. So a while later he was contacted to write an account for the journal! This account gives a sense of the particular flavour of the school, which Mike himself suggests is unusual, and also the ways in which one role can become more highly connected and central to the school, especially if it is contributing to an explicit focus on learning. Mike is Key Stage Manager at George Spencer Foundation School and Technology College. He trained at The University College of Ripon and York St John, and started his career in education as a Religious Education teacher in Oldham before being Head of Department in Grantham. From this position he was appointed to a senior role in his present school. He has studied the contribution which Quality Management makes to secondary school management and gained a Ma...
Adaptation and extension of the framework of reducing abstraction in the case of differential equations

Although there is no consensus in regard to a unique meaning for abstraction, there is a recognition of the existence of several theories of abstraction, and that the ability to abstract is imperative to learning and doing meaningful mathematics. The theory of reducing abstraction maps the abstract nature of mathematics to the nature of knowledge construction by offering three interpretations of how students reduce abstraction while learning mathematical concepts. We apply this framework to explain students’ cognition processes as they construct the concept of solution to differential equations and related concepts during a semester long study. Additionally, we refine and extend the framework to elucidate various nuances of the interplay between mathematical structures and human thoughts.
Basal Gene Expression in Male and Female Sprague-Dawley Rat Nasal Respiratory and Olfactory Epithelium

The nasal epithelium is an important target site for chemically induced toxicity and carcinogenicity. Experimental studies show that site-specific lesions can arise within the nasal respiratory or olfactory epithelium following the inhalation of certain chemicals. Moreover, gender differences in epithelial response are also reported. To better understand and predict gender differences in response of the nasal epithelium to inhaled xenobiotics, gene expression profiles from naive male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were constructed. Epithelial cells were manually collected from the nasal septum, naso- and maxillo-turbinates, and ethmoid turbinates of nine male and nine female rats. Gene expression analysis was performed using the Affymetrix Rat Genome 430 2.0 microarray. Surprisingly, there were few gender differences in gene expression. Gene ontology enrichment analysis identified several functional categories, including xenobiotic metabolism, cell cycle, apoptosis, and ion channel/transport, with significantly different expression between tissue types. These baseline data will contribute to our understanding of the normal physiology and selectivity of the nasal epithelial cells’ response to inhaled environmental toxicants.
Experimental stress analysis of topographic diversity in early hominid gnathic morphology

Reconstructing the biomechanics of early hominid mastication is a key element in most models of hominid differentiation. Traditionally, ostelogical features marking muscle attachment surfaces have served as a reference system from which the vector geometry of the masticatory force system and resultant force distributions could be predicted. To augment traditional morphological and computational approaches, we developed a simulation system capable of replicating human and non-human primate chewing motions. The forces of occlusion are recorded as photoelastic fringes in a urethane alveolar process. Simulation experiments evaluating the functional correlates of topographic diversity in zygomatic root position and mandibular ramus height in early hominids indicated that the mandibles and dentitions of robust australopithecines are well adapted to sustain high magnitude, low gradient load distributions.
Mitoses in conventional melanocytic nevi

Given that nevi may grow in size, mitotic figures may be expected in melanocytic nevi. We reviewed the literature for studies addressing this issue. We sought to determine the number of mitotic figures we might discover upon review of a group of randomly collected, conventional nevi. We reviewed 157 nevi from patients and found seven nevi exhibiting mitotic figures, comprising 4% of our sample. We noted the location of the mitoses within the nevi, the presence of any congenital features, as well as other features such as signs of inflammation or irritation. Through this study we have shown that occasional mitoses occur within unremarkable, conventional nevi.
John W. Thieret (1926–2005)

ABSTRACT John W. Thieret (1926–2005), an internationally recognized American plant taxonomist, is remembered as a consummate field botanist, exemplary teacher, acclaimed author, superb editor, fine herbarium director, inspiring mentor to students and colleagues, and noble friend.
Partisan Polarization in the United States: Diagnoses and Avenues for Reform

Over the several decades, observers of American politics have noted the sharp increase in partisanship and ideological polarization among members of Congress. While better ideological differentiation may provide voters clearer choices and increase accountability, the results of recent partisan and ideological battles have raised questions about the impact pf polarization on good governance.While much scholarly effort has gone into studying the root causes on congressional polarization, such research has been hampered by its sole reliance on the US House and Senate for data on legislative polarization. But new data on polarization of state legislatures provided by Shor and McCarty (2011) and updated with the generous support of the John and Laura Arnold Foundation expands our capacity to uncover the political, economic, and social factors that underlie our increasingly polarized system.In this report, we review the evidence concerning the polarization of the US Congress and supplement it with analyses based on the experience of polarization in the US states. We show that while there is variation in polarization across states, in aggregate the patterns are very similar to the national experience. Moreover, analyses of the causes of polarization at the national level are generally confirmed by the data on the states. The richer data from the sates, however, allows us to address new sets of questions which suggest some limited opportunities for reforms targeted at reducing polarization.